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David Alan Grier says that, early on in his career, he fibbed about the work he had done in the past
In a new interview, the actor and comedian admits that in his first bio featured in a playbill, he wrote that he had “performed in comedy clubs all across the country”
But Grier had not, he admitted, saying: “I was speaking it into the universe”
David Alan Grier is opening up about how he once padded his professional résumé — and did some manifesting at the same time.
Speaking in a career retrospective hosted by SAG-AFTRA, Grier, 69, recalled, “You know what’s really crazy? Someone brought a playbill from … my first professional job.”
“I played Jackie Robinson [in Broadway’s The First in 1983], and in my résumé — I didn’t have any credits — but in my résumé, I put, you know, ‘David has performed in comedy clubs all across the country,’ ” he said, adding, “I was speaking it into the universe.”
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Damon Wayans, David Alan Grier In Living Color – 1990-1994
Credit: Fox-Tv/Kobal/Shutterstock
Grier added: “Also, you know, that was like ’81, like Eddie Murphy had just popped and comedy was at its zenith. That’s where all the sexy was. And so I clearly wanted to be affiliated with that.”
“Literally: I hadn’t done it. I hadn’t done it. I just put it in the bio,” he said with a laugh.
Grier was ultimately nominated for a Tony Award for his role in the Broadway show.
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Grier ultimately did find work as a comedian, appearing on the sketch comedy show In Living Color from 1990 to 1994 and on the Fox series Martin from 1993 to 1997.
He has been starring on NBC’s St. Denis Medical since 2022 and has recently opened up about some roles he passed on earlier in his career — including Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.
Speaking on TODAY with Jenna & Sheinelle in March, Grier joked that he “fumbled many bags.”
When 1994’s Ace Ventura was mentioned, Grier admitted that he “passed on it because it was a bad script.”
“What I didn’t see is what Jim [Carey] saw, which was, ‘Can I do anything?’ They said, ‘Yeah,’ ” Grier explained. “So he had total freedom. He took that script and he reinvented it. And that’s why it was so successful.”
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Grier also admitted that he auditioned for a role on Seinfeld and felt that the show would not be a hit.
“I auditioned for George Costanza. And I read with Jerry [Seinfeld] and it was like, [imitating Seinfeld] ‘George, tell me about your day.’ And I’m like, ‘Well, this man, he can’t act. It’s not funny. This will never be a hit,’ ” he said of his Seinfeld audition.
“Well. Wrong again! The bag was fumbled!” he jokingly added.
Jason Alexander was ultimately cast as George Costanza in the comedy, which ran from 1989 to 1998.
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