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50

September 28 2006

ewish movie director-writer
Todd Phillips once again
demonstrates his flair for
comedy and youth-oriented films
in School for Scoundrels, a story
about a bunch of "unsportsman-
like" characters that opens in area
theaters Friday, Sept. 29.
Phillips, 35 and single, grew up
as Todd Bunzl in a Reform fam-
ily on Long Island. He wrote a
new screenplay for Scoundrels
— based on a hilarious 1960
British film — with co-writer Scot
Armstrong.
Scoundrels follows Phillips' eight
previous movies, including cult favor-
ites like Old School and Road Trip.
The Jewish News caught up with
Phillips by phone at his Hollywood
. office.

j

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JN: Tell us about your early
life in New York.
TP: My family changed our name

when I was a teenager, from Bunzl to
Phillips, after my grandfather's first
name; he came from Israel. We weren't
too observant, but I attended Hebrew
school and had a bar mitzvah.
I enrolled in New York University's
undergraduate documentary film
program but dropped out to make
documentary films on my own (Frat
House, Bittersweet Motel). I also
started the New York Underground
Film Festival. Then I moved west. It
seems like 90 percent of Hollywood is
Jewish.

JN: How did you develop a
knack for comedy? Were you
a stand-up comedian?
TP: No, I just always have responded

to comedy and real-life humorous
situations. I believe that truth is
much stranger than fiction. My early
interests really were music and pho-
tography. My movies also are strong
on male relationships, such as Starsky
and Hutch (Phillips' 2004 film ver-
sion of the TV series starred Ben
Stiller and Owen Wilson).

JN: Give us a synopsis of
School for Scoundrels.
TP: Jon Heder, who was great in
Napoleon Dynamite, is Roger, a New

York City "meter maid" who's plagued
by anxiety and low self-esteem. So, to
overcome his feelings of inadequacy,
he attends a confidence-building
class taught by the underhanded Dr.
P, played by Billy Bob Thornton, with
Lesher, his assistant, played by Michael
Clarke Duncan.

Todd Phillips, left, directs Jon Heder

in School for Scoundrels.

There's also a band of misfit class-
mates, sort of reject cabbies, like
Walsh, played by Matt Walsh; Diego,
played by Horatio Sanz of Saturday
Night Live; and Eli, played by Todd
Louiso; plus Roger's girlfriend,
Amanda, played by Jacinda Barrett.
They all try to beat Dr. P at his own
game.

JN: Sounds like a great com-
edy-oriented cast.
TP: I really sparked to the idea of a

group of guys who, for different rea-
sons, need guidance, and Billy Bob is
the man they turn to. He uses danger-
ous methods, but guarantees results.
The actors have all co-starred with one
another before.

JN: Is there a Jewish
connection to School for
Scoundrels?
TP: Sarah Silverman, who's a terrific

comedienne, plays Becky.

JN: We understand you're a
pretty good poker player.
TP: It's more of a hobby. Last year, I

got to the final table of a World Class
Poker Tour event, finished fifth and
won $250,000.

❑

School for Scoundrels, rated

PG 13, opens Friday, Sept. 29, in
area theaters.

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