Actor Josh Gad has a lot of talent. That much is obvious.
At 34-years-old, Gad has proven to be an impressive song-and-dance man with real comedic chops. His plucky nature helped push "Book of Mormon" to nine Tony Awards and box office records in its inaugural year. His turn as Olaf in "Frozen" was a memorable part of the fifth highest grossing film in history.
But like a professional athlete, talent isn't always enough. A lot depends on the situation you're placed in and when it comes to television, Gad's situations have been pretty awful.
"1600 Penn" managed just 13 episodes before getting the axe. "Good Vibes" came in at 12 episodes before the plug was pulled. Although Gad has left his mark as a guest on popular series such as "Modern Family" and "New Girl," he's never been able to capture that same success as a lead on the small screen.
"I think you're being way too gracious," Gad said to me when I noted on a media conference call that his television resume is fairly hit or miss. And you know what, he's right. I was trying to put it delicately.
"Look, as I've said before, I've been very unlucky in love with TV," Gad said. "...So yes, it's been a downhill battle and I didn't really want to come back to TV. I had no ambition of wanting to return. I'm not a glutton for punishment."
But return he did. Gad stars with Billy Crystal in "The Comedians" which will premiere on FX tonight at 10 p.m. But after so many very public flameouts, there was one big question I wanted answered: why return to a medium that has been so unforgivingly harsh? With all the cache he's built up, Gad could easily find another play to star in or continue building his growing film career. But, as it turns out, "The Comedians" offered him a unique opportunity.
