Ted Danson, Mary Steenburgen Coach Comedy Students at ELA
Just days after receiving the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award at the 2025 Emmy Awards, Mary Steenburgen and Ted Danson spoke with Comedic Arts Conservatory students at Emerson College Los Angeles.
The legendary actors shared stories about their careers, offered advice on making it in the industry, and answered student questions during a September 16 discussion moderated by Glenn Meehan ’83, Comedic Arts coordinator for the Comedy Conservatory program.
Steenburgen and Danson encouraged standup comedians in the audience to give themselves opportunities to work with others and get in front of crowds to improve their craft.
“Mine your life. Mine the stuff that no one knows but you,” said Steenburgen.
“Especially the sad parts,” added Danson, “the part that’s really human.”
“Even if it doesn’t seem bombastic, go to those [places]. Because that’s your thing that nobody else has,” said Steenburgen.
To kick off the event, the husband-and-wife duo shared stories about their upbringing and breaking into the industry.
Read: Alum Producers Win Emmys for ‘Late Show’
In college, Steenburgen studied acting and worked as a server to support herself. A chance encounter with Jack Nicholson in a reception room helped kickstart her career. Noticing Steenburgen didn’t have a script for a movie he was working on, Nicholson handed her one and arranged for an audition the next day.
After failing to make the basketball team at Stanford University, Danson followed a crush to an audition. Eventually, he transferred to Carnegie Mellon, where he was classically trained. He acted in commercials and off-Broadway plays in New York, but his television career started with soap operas.
“I thought it was fascinating that neither of them saw where their career was going when they started,” said Taner Kaynak ’27. “Talent and stardom really comes from anywhere… I’m from a small town in New Hampshire. There’s, like, three famous people from New Hampshire, so there’s hope [for me].”
In the Comedy Conservatory program, juniors like Kaynak spend a semester at Emerson LA studying comedy writing, performance, and production, all while tapping into the vast network of industry resources and professionals unique to LA.
When it comes to his famous role as Sam Malone in Cheers, Danson gives a lot of credit to co-star Shelley Long for helping him land the part. Producers auditioned three pairs of actors to play Sam and Diane. Paired with Long, Danson said they instantly clicked. Steenburgen chimed in to praise her husband as the rare leading man who doesn’t take himself too seriously.
“Here’s what chemistry is: really good writing and two actors that are good,” said Danson. “If the writing of the story isn’t there, I don’t care how good an actor is, it’s ‘So what?’ If the writing is there, it’s magical for [actors]. We just show up and don’t get in the way.”
Both Danson and Steenburgen encouraged students to be respectful of acting as a craft and to dig into their lives to find inspiration.
“When people ask me: Should I get my kid into show biz? I’m thinking no. Your kid is not going to have anything to draw from but being out on dark soundstages waiting to say their lines,” said Steenburgen. “As opposed to kids not getting chosen for the school play or striking out playing basketball or whatever. All this stuff that’s gone into making you who you are… That’s what you have. That’s your treasure.”
At the end of the discussion, students presented Steenburgen and Danson with Comedic Arts hoodies. This semester, Comedy Conservatory students have had the chance to speak directly to a number of well-connected guests, including comedy executive Doug Herzog ’81, LHD ’08, P ’13, legendary TV producer Vin Di Bona, BS ’66, LHD ’94, screenwriter Dalan Musson, and Norman Lear’s [’44, LHD ’68] producing partner, Brent Miller.
Upcoming guests include producer Joan Dangerfield, comedian Erica Rhodes, comedian and influencer Jake Shane, director Paul Feig, and someone else who collected an Emmy this past weekend, actor Jeff Hiller.
For Marielle Rose ’27, having the opportunity to ask questions of Steenburgen and Danson was surreal.
“They’ve been my idols for so long. Me and my parents would watch them,” said Rose. “It’s just crazy that I get to sit 4 feet away from them and watch them talk about their experiences.”
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