PRIME TIME ( Clockwise ) Zach Braff posing with the cast ; in scenes from his new ABC comedy Alex , Inc .; working behind the scenes on the show asproducer and director . |
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Blumberg , a family man who quit his job to launch a podcasting company . Blumberg went meta and made the podcast about a guy who knows nothing about starting a business .
“ He ’ s got a wife and two kids , and it ’ s this random audio reality show , where he recorded everything that was happening ,” says Braff , whose character is named Alex Schuman . “ It was fascinating , and the show became popular , and , as a result , his business became successful .
“ What Ilike about Alex , Inc . is the whole family can watch together ,” Braff adds .“ It deals with this new lifestyle of a dad starting his own company , and mom ’ s a public defender . It ’ s how their lives change as he goes off on an adventure , and how the kids ’ lives change . It ’ s also
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about the characters in his workplace and how those relationships evolve .”
Braff not only stars in Alex , Inc ., but is a producer , and directed four of its 10 freshman-season episodes . Once he reached the point where he ’ d worn multiple hats several times , there was no going back .“ Not being the one who sets the look , I couldn ’ t imagine that ,” Braff says . “ I had aclear sense of the tone I wanted . You can ’ t possibly direct all of them and star in it , that ’ d be physically impossible , but ... Ijust really like being the boss .”
So far in his career — Braff turned 43 on April 6 — he ’ s acted in films , on stage and on TV , done voiceovers , and written , produced and directed movies , plays , television and music videos , and even produced documentaries
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. He ranks as a pioneer of crowdsourcing to finance a movie . Is that wanderlust ? Aspiring to try it all ?
“ I ’ d probably be a whole lot more successful if I just picked one thing and did it ,” Braff says , laughing . “ I get excited about a lot of different projects . I wasn ’ t planning on network TV again , but I heard StartUp , and Alex , Inc . happened . When I wrote All New People , I was procrastinating . I was supposed to be writing amovie , and said , ‘ I wish Icould write a play .’ To my amazement , people wanted to produce it , and we did it on Broadway . I thought it was over , then London wanted to do it . So , Iwent to London and did it .
“ I don ’ t know ,” Braff concludes .“ I just go where the wind takes me , Iguess .” ■
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CAST : COURTESY OF ABC / BOB D ’ AMICO ; ALEX , INC . SCENE : COURTESY OFABC / ELIZABETH FISCHER ; BEHIND THE SCENES : COURTESY OFABC / ADAM ROSE |
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44 MAY 2018 MILLBURN & SHORT HILLS MAGAZINE |