Judd Apatow is the most important person in comedy films today. Some may argue that it’s Will Ferrell or Ben Stiller, but they’re only marionettes to this puppet master. Apatow produced Ferrell’s biggest films (Anchorman, Talladega Nights, Step Brothers) and cocreated The Ben Stiller Show, which won him an Emmy at 25 years of age, despite the show being canceled that same year. However, Apatow didn’t stay unemployed long, writing and directing the cult TV shows The Larry Sanders Show, The Critic, Freaks and Geeks, and Undeclared. While his early movies didn’t burn up the box offices, Celtic Pride and The Cable Guy are cult classics now. In 2004, he came back and dick-punched Hollywood by producing Anchorman and has pumped out hits ever since. Despite all you think you know about Judd Apatow, here are five things you don’t.
1- Judd Apatow used to be Adam Sandler’s roommate
He met Adam Sandler when they were both young comics at the Hollywood Improv. Both still completely unfamous, they moved into a small apartment in the Valley (i.e., on the other side of the mountains from anything cool in L.A.). Apatow said living with Sandler was like living with “the comfortable naked guy at the gym.” He had no problems with public nudity. However, Apatow did. Once, Sandler propositioned him with, “Let me see your penis; I just want to see what I’m dealing with.” Apatow wouldn’t show him, so one day Sandler snuck up behind the future director while he was peeing. He peaked over his shoulder and said: “All right man, all right.” Did he know he was looking at a future multimillion dollar dick?
2- Judd Apatow made a Disney movie
After teaming up with Ben Stiller on The Ben Stiller Show, they decided to try their hand at children’s comedies. That’s how the king of expertly written swears came to write and produce Heavyweights for Disney. Stiller stars as Tony Perkins, a high-strung fitness entrepreneur who buys a fat camp for kids. In typical Disney style, the campers get the best of crazy Perkins and learn that it’s OK to be themselves, which is really fat. The movies clocks in at 20% on Rotten Tomatoes.
3- Judd Apatow’s family is Paul Rudd’s family in Knocked Up
The Cable Guy was not the life-changing success that Judd Apatow thought it would be, however, it did get him some hot permanent lovin'. Leslie Mann played Matthew Broderick’s girlfriend and became Apatow’s shortly after. Now her paychecks are almost exclusively written by her husband. Completing the family affair, Apatow cast his daughters, Iris and Maude, as Katherine Heigl’s nieces in Knocked Up. His real wife and kids were Paul Rudd’s wife and kids in the film, meaning Rudd kind of played Apatow in the film. In Funny People, his wife and kids are with Eric Bana. Looks like Apatow wanted someone sexier to play him this time.
4- Judd Apatow once told off his hero Steve Martin
The young Apatow, while on vacation in L.A., saw Steve Martin washing his car outside his home. He jumped out of the car and asked for an autograph, but Martin said he didn't give autographs at his home. He begged, but Martin said no. Apatow went home and wrote Martin a nasty letter, in which he gave an early glimpse of his talent for profanity. Three months later, he received a package from Martin that contained a copy of his book Cruel Shoes. The inscription read: "I'm sorry. I didn't realize I was speaking to THE Judd Apatow." Remember, that’s when Apatow was still a kid.
5- Judd Apatow hosted his own radio show in high school
Obsessed with comedy at a young age, Apatow hosted a program called Club Comedy on Syosset High School’s 10-Watt radio station WKWZ. His mother worked at a nearby comedy club, so she helped him get interviews with a number of comedians. She scored him interviews with Steve Allen, Howard Stern, John Candy, and then-unknowns Jerry Seinfeld and Garry Shandling. Later, Apatow ended up working with Shandling on The Larry Sanders Show.
