Chillin’ With Bryan Safi

Bryan Safi is a busy man.

His resume speaks volumes: Alum of the Groundlings and Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. Writer, actor, comedian, host. He won an Emmy for his writing on “the Ellen Degeneres Show” and is a staff writer on “Funny or Die”. Like we said a busy man. Let’s let him speak for himself.

CHILLED: Tell us a bit about the projects you are working on or have coming up.

BRYAN SAFI: I’m on a 17-city tour right now with “Throwing Shade Live,” the comedy podcast I co-host with Erin Gibson. It’s a lot of traveling, but it’s super fun, completely insane and extremely exciting. Then I’m on the hilarious ABC Family sitcom “Young and Hungry” this fall. Also, you can see me as a contributor on the morning show “Access Hollywood Live” on NBC at least once a week. I fill in as co-host on that show as well.

CHILLED: With your busy schedule, what do you like to do with your down time?

BS: Hike, swim, lip-sync in front of my mirror, pretend to read, and go to hot yoga.
Sometimes I’ll substitute “The Good Wife” for hot yoga.

CHILLED: When you go out to eat, where do you like to dine?

BS: In LA my faves are Sqirl for brunch, a sandwich from Larchmont Wine & Cheese for lunch, and dinner at Son of a Gun, Cafe Stella or Little Dom’s. I live near Cafe Gratitude, so I’ll go there occasionally. Saying stuff like “I Am Fulfilled” to a perfect stranger really does it for me.

CHILLED: What types of dishes do you usually order?

BS: Oysters, fish, and ugh, stupid avocado toast. It is the dumbest thing, and it’s happening, and I’m all about it. I think people like it because of the name. If it was called “guac on wheat,” I don’t think we’d be into it.

CHILLED: Do you cook?

BS: I roast a chicken every Sunday night, and I brag about that to everyone I’ve ever met. It’s Ina Garten’s recipe. She is an American treasure, and I pretty much swear by what’s in those cookbooks. Her pea risotto, oven roasted fish, winter minestrone and split pea soup are all at-home hits. I truly aspire to be one of her kitchen-incompetent gay friends.

CHILLED: What types of drinks do you order when out?

BS: Whenever a wine is described as “bone-dry,” I’m in. I also love a martini dry and dirty, and I’ll go for an Old-Fashioned if I get some really great news. Or some really terrible news.

CHILLED: Do you prepare drinks at home?

BS: I do! Mostly I’ll make a Ketel One or Tito’s and club soda with a twist. In the summer, I can get into a Campari, fresh OJ and soda.

CHILLED: Do you own a home bar?

BS: I do. Some call it “that tray full of bottles in your entryway.” But I call it a home bar.

CHILLED: What is it stocked with?

BS: Two bottles of vodka, a botttle of bourbon, a Campari, a bottle of bitters, and a suspicious bottle of tequila that is probably 10 years old and is definitely a reject from someone else’s home bar.

CHILLED: What is your ideal home bar?

BS: The one Mrs. Robinson has in her home in “The Graduate”. So chic. Everything is silver, gold or clear glass, and it’s all oversized. Even her cigarette lighters are like 30 inches tall.

CHILLED: What is your favorite drink/cocktail?

BS: A piping hot Long Island Iced Tea.

CHILLED: Have you ever been a bartender?

BS: I was a bartender right after college in a restaurant called 18th & 8th in Manhattan. I would get hit on exclusively by people who wouldn’t leave a tip. It was an enormous ego boost.