TV writer and producer
Scott Silveri is a television writer and producer.
PROFILE
Scott Silveri
Guest
FROM Scott Silveri
The Business
Scott Silveri on 'Speechless' The ABC show Speechless centers on the DiMeo's -- mom, dad, and three kids. It's your standard family sitcom setup, except the oldest son, 16-year-old JJ, played by Micah Fowler, has cerebral palsy. JJ uses a wheelchair, and while he doesn't talk, he has no trouble making himself understood. The cast also includes another character who becomes like family -- JJ's aide Kenneth, played by Cedric Yarbrough. Kenneth gives voice to the words JJ spells out by pointing a laser at letters and phrases on a board attached to his wheelchair. The show recently ended its first season and was picked up for a second. It has been much acclaimed for its depiction of disability on screen--a rarity in Hollywood--and for actor Micah Fowler's portrayal of JJ. Speechless was created by Scott Silveri, who wrote for Friends and created the shows Perfect Couples and Go On -- all for NBC. He's written a lot of sitcom relationship arcs over the years, but never encountered a TV family that looked like his own, which includes a brother with cerebral palsy. When Silveri got a deal at Fox, and started thinking about what his next show would be, he decided that perhaps it was time to get personal. He tells us why now felt like the right time to create a show that openly addressed disability and family--and why he wanted it to be a comedy. He also talks about the nationwide search to find JJ, the necessity of casting an actor with cerebral palsy, and the massive amount of research and consultation that goes into the show.
Recommended
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Accusations of lying fly between James Comey and White House During his testimony Thursday, former FBI Director James Comey accused President Trump and other White House officials of lying when they said the FBI was in disarray and its staff had lost confidence in him. President Trump’s lawyer said Comey was wrong -- that the president never asked for his loyalty, and never asked him to back off the investigation into former NSA director Michael Flynn.
Good Food
'Dandelion and Quince,' food and crime, 'All About Eggs' Sarah Lohman talks about the murder and historic recipes that form the backbone of her new book, “Ohio 1910,” and Rachel Khong shares highlights from Lucky Peach’s last cookbook, “All About Eggs.” Michelle Mckenzie tells us how to cook oft-forgotten fruits, veggies and herbs, and Jonathan Gold reviews AR Cucina in Culver City. Plus: raspberries at the market and a special guest DJ set from Alton Brown.
The Business
In 'Speechless,' Scott Silveri combines comedy, family & disability Scott Silveri has written and produced sitcoms for more than 20 years. In all that time, he never encountered a TV family that looked anything like the one he grew up in -- with a mom, a dad...and a brother with cerebral palsy. He changed that with his show Speechless on ABC. Silveri tells us about looking to his own past for stories, and why he was determined to make a family comedy and not just a "disability show."
Design and Architecture
Securing Public Spaces, Super Wealthy Asians Vehicles are increasingly being used as weapons, as seen in the London Bridge attack over the weekend and in New York’s Times Square last month. The Compton-based company Calpipe is designing security bollards to help make public spaces safer. And novelist Kevin Kwan satirizes the “crazy rich” Asian jet set and their luxurious tastes in his latest book, “Rich People Problems.”