University at Buffalo - The State University of New York

Published: April 3, 2003

By DONNA LONGENECKER
Reporter Assistant Editor

"Seinfeld," "The "Honeymooners" and "The Ed Sullivan Show" are on the short list of his favorite television shows, says Brad Grey, executive producer of HBO's highly acclaimed crime drama, "The Sopranos," and chairman of Brillstein-Grey Entertainment.

Grey received and honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from SUNY during a visit to Buffalo and UB last Friday.

Grey, who graduated from UB in 1979 with a bachelor's degree in communication, has gone on to represent some of the biggest names in Hollywood after getting his start here in Buffalo, serving as advertising director for fellow UB alumnus Harvey Weinstein's production company and then as a partner with him in a regional talent management company.

Brad Grey speaks with a standing-room-only crowd of media study students during a visit to campus last Friday.
PHOTO: Nancy J. Parisi

The honorary degree was conferred during a private luncheon at President William R. Greiner's residence; later, Grey gave a standing-room-only lecture to media study students about how he made his way in the entertainment industry.

During an interview with the Reporter after the lecture, Grey said what he remembers most about his time at UB are some of the values he learned, noting also that he believed the students he met during the lecture have much higher goals and aspirations than students of his day.

He says he has many wonderful memories about being a student at UB, calling it "time well spent," and how, 25 years later, coming back to the place where "he started a life and made lifelong friends" made him feel a little "shell-shocked," because so much had changed.

"When I think back, I have so much that I remember because I not only had my first job in the entertainment business, which is obviously how I spent my life, I also met my wife here," Grey said. Yet, even before he came to UB, he knew what he wanted to do with his life.

"As early as I remember, I was one of those odd kids that knew exactly where I was going in terms of a career. I was always enamored with entertainment on a human level," Grey said. A fan of shows like "Nightline," "Late Show with David Letterman" and "Late Night with Conan O'Brien," Grey also has fond memories of watching "The Ed Sullivan Show," with his grandfather and still sees one his all time favorites, "The Honeymooners," as a powerful influence on television and film today.

"If you look at some of the best television and film today, you'll see elements of the Honeymooners," he said, "even in "The Sopranos," oddly enough." He also remembered that, as a student, he took a class in which the professor would discuss television shows and their underlying theories and the impact they had on American culture and society. "I found it compelling," he added.

As for the often-discussed violence in shows like "The Sopranos" and in television and film in general, Grey said that's what the remote is for—"change the channel." Not an advocate of censorship, he maintained that it's up to parents to guide and control their children's viewing habits. "Children are growing up much quicker. They require a greater amount of parenting—if you're not going to be with your children (while they're watching television), you're probably not doing your job as a parent," he said.

Grey said he foresees a time when "The Sopranos" will become the subject of doctoral dissertations—his company already has been asked to provide analysis of the show—and in the meantime, Grey plans to make a movie based on the Pat Conroy novel, "My Winning Season," and a documentary based on the mailroom experience—the starting point for many who want to work in the entertainment field—based on a book by Pat Rensin. "The Mailroom" will provide students with "a sense of what goes on in the representation business," noted Grey.

Both "My Winning Season" and "The Mailroom" were given to students attending the lecture as part of a free "goodie bag" of gifts from Grey's company that also included a DVD of the third season of "The Sopranos."