Actor and comedian Paul Reiser speaks about his history with SFJAZZ Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Don Was on stage during SFJAZZ Gala 2025. He relates the story of how Was helped create the theme song to his award-winning television comedy “Mad About You” and what he learned from the multi-talented musician, composer, producer, and Blue Note Records president.

ABOUT THE SFJAZZ GALA
The SFJAZZ Gala is an annual benefit for SFJAZZ’s artistic and education programs with the goal of advancing the art form of jazz in the Bay Area and beyond. The SFJAZZ Gala 2025 took place on June 12, 2025 with Executive Artistic Director Terence Blanchard honoring legendary producer, musician, and Blue Note Records President Don Was with the SFJAZZ Lifetime Achievement Award.

The All-Star Gala Concert features Terence Blanchard, honoree Don Was, jazz vocal great Kurt Elling, trumpet superstar Ambrose Akinmusire, vocalist Lisa Fischer, rising star saxophonist Melissa Aldana, guitar icon Bill Frisell, jazz legend Charles Lloyd and his Sky Quartet with pianist Jason Moran, bassist Larry Grenadier, and drummer Eric Harland, the award-winning ensemble SFJAZZ Collective and more.

ABOUT PAUL REISER
Paul Reiser is a celebrated American actor, comedian, writer, and musician whose versatility and wit have made him a mainstay in entertainment for over four decades. Born in New York City in 1956, Reiser began his career in stand-up comedy, performing in iconic Greenwich Village clubs before gaining national attention with his breakout film role in Barry Levinson’s “Diner” (1982). He quickly became a familiar face in Hollywood, appearing in classics like “Beverly Hills Cop,” “Aliens,” and later in the acclaimed drama “Whiplash.”

Reiser’s greatest television triumph came as co-creator and star of NBC’s “Mad About You,” where his portrayal of Paul Buchman earned him Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild nominations and cemented his place in sitcom history. He also starred in “My Two Dads” and, more recently, captivated new audiences with roles in “Stranger Things” and “The Kominsky Method.”

Beyond acting, Reiser is a bestselling author, with books like “Couplehood” and “Babyhood” showcasing his signature humor. He was ranked among Comedy Central’s “100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time.”