One guy and a 'Pizza Place'

By Biray Alsac Catalyst

Send comments to: catalyst@wildcat.arizona.edu

photo courtesy of abc The cast of "Two Guys, A Girl, and A Pizza Place," a sitcom co-written and co-produced by UA alumnus Rick Wiener. Now in its second season, "Two Guys" airs Wednesday nights from 8:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on ABC.

When Rick Wiener graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in media arts, he only wanted to do one thing: write. Today, as the co-creator and co-executive producer of the ABC sitcom "Two Guys, A Girl, and A Pizza Place," Wiener has written himself into the ultra-competitive world of Hollywood, where fluctuations in the ratings can determine a person's future - effectively ending or launching a career.

"Your chances of making it [in the entertainment industry] are very slim, but somebody's got to do it," Wiener said over the phone from Los Angeles.

These simple words gave him hope after graduating from UA in 1989, when, with what little he had, Wiener "stole" his grandmother's car and ventured to Los Angeles to pursue his dreams of writing in Hollywood.

After arriving in LA, Wiener spent several months in a boarding house in a bad neighborhood with nothing but a lawn chair and a lousy job to pay the bills. Eventually, he found industry-related jobs he describes as falling into the typical "getting coffee, making copies," category. Nine short years later, Wiener got lucky. Very lucky.

While working as a production assistant on the short-lived NBC series, "Grand," opportunity knocked - in the NBC parking lot. There Wiener bumped into Danny Jacobson, co-creator of the successful sitcom "Mad About You."

Hoping to create a positive impression, Wiener approached Jacobson confidently, stating, "Hi, my name is Rick and I'm interested in becoming a writer's assistant." Apparently, the first impression was a good one. Wiener was asked to join the team of writers for "Mad About You" as an assistant, and eventually moved up to be a regular writer for the show.

On staff, Wiener met fellow writer Kenny Schwartz and after three seasons at NBC, both received a development deal and moved with Jacobson to Twentieth Century Fox. The duo's job was to think up fresh ideas for new television pilots. As they sat in the back porch of the house overlooking the ocean, they turned to their own lives for inspiration and before long, "Two Guys, A Girl, and A Pizza Place" was born.

Wiener, Schwartz and Jacobson wrote the script and sold it to Fox Studios. After six episodes were produced, Fox executives decided they didn't have a slot for the show. ABC bought it, and the sitcom first aired in early March as a mid-season replacement. Happy with the ratings, ABC signed "Two Guys" for its second season, and the show is now competing with other new and returning programs caught in the fall line-up madness.

"It's very nerve-racking to wake up Thursday mornings and see the numbers that determine your future," said Wiener, who constantly works long hours alongside the staff to secure the ratings ABC executives want in order to continue filming the rest of the season.

The show's second season premiere last Wednesday won its time slot, meaning of all the shows it was up against from 8:30 to 9 p.m., "Two Guys" had the largest viewership.

In the near future, Wiener's interests lie in developing another television show, but for now he hopes that "Two Guys" continues moving forward successfully. And like so many working writers in Hollywood, Wiener would eventually like to bring his talents to the screen by writing screenplays and possibly directing his own films.

The UA alumni remains a supporter of the UA. No surprise, considering his father, sister, and younger brother all graduated from the U, and his younger sister is currently attending school here as well. In fact, if you watch the show carefully, you'll notice a UA banner in the hallway of the set, on the wall next to the maps.

"Two Guys, A Girl, and A Pizza Place," airs Wednesday nights from 8:30 to 9 on ABC.