This week on Here’s What We Know, we sit down with the multi-talented Jeremy Piven—known for his Emmy and Golden Globe-winning role as Ari Gold in Entourage and his captivating performance in Mr. Selfridge. Jeremy takes us behind the scenes of his remarkable pivot from Hollywood actor to full-time stand-up comedian, performing 200+ shows a year.
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In this Episode:
- Discover how growing up in an acting family shaped Jeremy Piven’s journey and ignited his passion for the craft at just 8 years old.
- Learn about the exhilarating highs and unique challenges of stand-up comedy, as Jeremy shares how he connects with audiences in over 200 live shows a year.
- Explore the behind-the-scenes story of his upcoming film The Performance, a project 14 years in the making.
- Uncover how Jeremy transforms pressure into a powerful source of energy and motivation in both his acting and comedy careers.
- Discover the social relevance of Jeremy’s roles and why he believes storytelling has the power to spark meaningful change.
Quotations:
“I really love talking about myself. It’s what I do best.” ⁓ Jeremy Piven
“The harder you work, the easier it looks.” ⁓ Jeremy Piven
“We need to laugh right now. Everything is, you know, people are frustrated, so let me make sense of things and make you laugh.” ⁓ Jeremy Piven
“Once you do the work and you dig in and then you go to set, it’s time to play.” ⁓ Jeremy Piven
“Pressure is a gift. I love pressure. I thrive on it.” ⁓ Jeremy Piven
“I’ve been a drummer my whole life. So I understand rhythmically; if you tell me what the taps sound like, I know how to stick the landing.” ⁓ Jeremy Piven
“I’ve done something and I’ve achieved something that I’ve never done and that I thought I had in me and I actually do. So there’s an immense sense of pride.” ⁓ Jeremy Piven
“I wasn’t a great standup, but I was ready for the moment. I was prepared. And so I don’t let that stuff bother me.” ⁓ Jeremy Piven
“I feel ready for the moment and they can feel that you’re ready.” ⁓ Jeremy Piven
“Life is very interesting.” ⁓ Jeremy Piven
“It taught me a lot of lessons about balance, that you to have balance in this life otherwise you’ll burn out.” ⁓ Jeremy Piven
“Nerves and fear are an energy. It’s palpable. And you can either let it handcuff you or you can use it to propel you. It’s your choice. And it’s all how you label it.” ⁓ Jeremy Piven
Bio:
A household name for his 2x Golden Globe and 3x Emmy Award-winning performance playing the fast-talking, acerbic Hollywood agent ‘Ari Gold’ in the HBO series Entourage, actor, comedian, and podcast host Jeremy Piven also achieved significant success playing the title role in the British/PBS television drama series Mr Selfridge, the semi-fictional story based on the life of Harry Selfridge, who founded the London department store Selfridge’s. Piven has also appeared in numerous successful films, including Grosse Pointe Blank, Singles, Very Bad Things, The Family Man, Black Hawk Down, The Kingdom, Heat, PCU, Old School, Rock N Rolla, Serendipity, Smokin’ Aces, and Runaway Jury.
Piven appears as Joel Lapchick the man responsible for helping Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton break the color barrier in the NBA in 1950 in the movie Sweetwater, which dropped on Angel Studios on September 26th, soon to be available VOD. His next film, The Performance, is an adaptation of an Arthur Miller work due out in theaters on December 27th, 2024. The film is receiving rave reviews with Jeremy on the shortlist for an Academy Award for his role.
He was recently seen in the feature film Last Call opposite Oscar winner Bruce Dern and Orange is the New Black star Taryn Manning. Other recent and upcoming films include American Night opposite Oscar nominee Emile Hirsch, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, which screened at the Venice Film Festival, period drama film The Walk opposite Justin Chatwin and Oscar nominee Terrence Howard, and The System which teamed him up again with Terrence Howard and Tyrese Gibson.
Piven also released the popular podcast “How U Livin’ J Piven,” where he interviewed influential guests such as Jamie Foxx, Tiffany Haddish, Common, Mark Cuban and UFC stars Rashad Evans and Jorge Masvidal, in an intimate and in depth format that showcased his dynamic personality in a never-before-seen way. The show is available wherever you get your podcasts.
Piven now tours the country with his successful stand-up comedy show, flexing a comedic muscle that few actors have been able to transition over to. The tour will see him across the entire continental U.S. and also take him internationally to the U.K. and beyond.
Guest Contact Info:
Website:https://jeremy-piven.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremypiven/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeremypivenpage
Twitter: https://x.com/jeremypiven