Bruce Vilanch - Episode 839

Steve Cooper talks with comedy writer/songwriter/actor Bruce Vilanch.  Bruce is a six-time Emmy Award-winner best known to the public for his four-year stint on Hollywood Squares, as a celebrity participant; behind the scenes he was head writer for the show. He has also written for the Academy Awards, the Tony’s, the Grammy’s and the Emmy’s. He began his writing career in the mid-1970s when he began writing articles for the entertainment section of The Chicago Tribune. During the early phase of his career, he worked with Bette Midler, writing for her Broadway show titled Clams on the Half Shell and Divine Madness.’ In 1980, he also began writing articles for the LGBT-interest magazine titled The Advocate and he serves as a writer for the magazine to this day. As for his acting career, he has appeared in films such as Mahogany and The Ice Pirates, You Don't Mess with the Zohan along with television series’ such as Law & Order and Bosom Buddies and on stage in Hairspray.