By Bernice Fox
Contributing Writer
Would you accept advice from Kevin Nealon, the honorary mayor of Pacific Palisades?
If he’s in character as Matt LeBlanc’s older brother on the new CBS sitcom Man With a Plan, you might want to go elsewhere for suggestions as to how to live your life.
The series premiered on Oct. 24 and Nealon’s character, Don, was introduced in the second episode last Monday.
An example of his advice: once you lie to your wife, the only way out is to double-down.
Photo courtesy Pacific Palisades Chamber of Commerce
In an interview with the Palisades News, Nealon said: “In Man with a Plan I play a contractor. In real life, I’m an honorary mayor. That may sound a little confusing. But I draw a lot from that role as honorary mayor to work on this series.”
Really?
With a straight face, Nealon said that the questionable advice he gives to LeBlanc’s character in the show “is advice that I’ve learned through my work as honorary mayor in the Palisades.”
When LeBlanc was told by the News that the actor-comedian who plays his older brother is an honorary mayor, LeBlanc said he “did not know that. Thank you.” He added that he will “find a way to work in some good banter about that.”
This is the first time that LeBlanc has worked with Nealon, but the former cast member in Friends said he quickly discovered Nealon “is super-inventive. He’s great at finding the funny between the lines.”
The husband-and-wife team who created Man with a Plan expected no less from Nealon. “We’ve been huge fans of his since Saturday Night Live,” said Jeff Filgo. “He is incredible.”
His wife Jackie added that Nealon “is so funny.” The Filgos told the News, “We can’t believe he was available.”
“He is a joy on the stage. He’s a pleasure for everybody,” said Jeff Filgo.
Jackie said Nealon and LeBlanc “are so fun together. They have great rapport and it just adds a really nice element to the show.”
Nealon’s work schedule on Man with a Plan has forced him to postpone some of his out-of-state, stand-up comedy dates. The show tapes here in the Los Angeles area.
“Obviously, I’m shooting this show and I didn’t know it before [August, when he was hired for the sitcom],” said Nealon. “So, I booked all these gigs. Now I have to reschedule them.”
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