Regardless that it aired for seven seasons between 1997 and 2003, “Simply Shoot Me!” is not as appreciated appropriately. Whereas it is hardly ever thought-about to be one in all the very best sitcoms of all time, “Simply Shoot Me!” was a robust a part of NBC’s late-’90s sitcom lineup, following the lives of staff at a vogue journal, particularly the outspoken Maya (Laura San Giacomo) and her boss and father, Jack (George Segal).
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The present’s supporting solid additionally contains a number of nice comedians, in addition to a slew of visitor stars like Joe Rogan, Jessica Walter, and Mark Hamill. It is even produced one of many best sitcom episodes of the previous 30 years with “Gradual Donnie,” a season 3 episode that includes David Cross pre-“Arrested Improvement.”
Whether or not you agree “Simply Shoot Me!” is an underrated sitcom that you must try or not, its solid has gone on to do quite a bit for the reason that present ended. In case you are curious the place the solid of “Simply Shoot Me!” ended up after their time at Blush, this is every part you have to learn about the place you’ve got seen (or heard) these actors since.
Laura San Giacomo
Laura San Giacomo had fairly a profitable movie profession previous to “Simply Shoot Me!,” which included garnering important popularity of Steven Soderbergh’s Palme d’Or-winning “Intercourse, Lies and Videotape.” Nonetheless, “Simply Shoot Me!” was her first actual foray into having a fundamental function on TV because the whip-smart Maya Gallo, the protagonist of the sitcom who begrudgingly agrees to work for her father’s vogue journal Blush.
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Because it seems, San Giacomo caught world wide of tv after “Simply Shoot Me!,” solely showing in a couple of motion pictures for the reason that present’s cancellation, like latest indie movies like “Honey Boy” and “Violet.” She has but to tackle a fundamental sequence function since enjoying Maya, however has made notable recurring appearances in a number of widespread crime dramas like “Veronica Mars,” “Saving Grace,” and “NCIS.” She additionally lately had a recurring function in season 3 of “Barry,” which can have been because of her little-known work because the narrator of Oxygen sequence “Snapped: Killer {Couples},” a famous favourite of sequence creator Invoice Hader.
After all, it was at all times gonna be exhausting to high a present like “Simply Shoot Me!,” through which Ray Liotta had a unbelievable cameo as himself for a several-episode-run as Maya’s love curiosity. Outdoors the leisure business, San Giacomo has additionally spent the time since “Simply Shoot Me!” ended doing nice work elevating consciousness for cerebral palsy, which her son was born with.
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George Segal
George Segal was the resident appearing veteran of “Simply Shoot Me!,” having a decade-and-genre-spanning profession together with classics like “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?,” “California Cut up,” and “Carbon Copy.” His sequence common function on the sitcom was the actor’s first long-term tv function, enjoying Jack Gallo, the absentee father of Maya who tries to fix bridges by providing her a journalism job on the vogue journal he owns.
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Clearly, Segal’s profession began winding down by the point “Simply Shoot Me!” ended, with appearances in movies being few and much between within the years after. A few of his extra notable works in movie post-“Simply Shoot Me!” embrace the catastrophe movie “2012” and the rom-com “Love & Different Medicine,” enjoying the daddy of main man Jake Gyllenhaal. After a quick stint on the short-lived TV Land sitcom “Retired at 35,” Segal absolutely returned to being a TV common from 2013 to 2021 becoming a member of the solid of “The Goldbergs.”
Sadly, Segal ended up not being round lengthy sufficient to see by the ultimate two seasons of “The Goldbergs,” because the Oscar-nominated star died in 2021. It is on the very least heart-warming to know that, after having a profession as lengthy and versatile as he did, Segal spent his ultimate years in the principle solid of a community sitcom, proving that out of all his best-known initiatives, “Simply Shoot Me!” could have been probably the most impactful in setting the trajectory for the actor’s future in leisure.
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David Spade
“Simply Shoot Me!” got here at an ideal time for David Spade, who had simply wrapped his seventh and ultimate season on “Saturday Night time Stay” the 12 months earlier than its debut. Spade had additionally made his mark on the planet of comedy movie a couple of years earlier with “Tommy Boy,” the 1995 comedy co-starring his “SNL” associate Chris Farley (in addition to the less-acclaimed “Black Sheep” the 12 months after). Sadly, in 1997, Farley died of a drug overdose, which weighed closely on Spade as his profession continued in subsequent years, regardless that he was advised he would not make it with out Farley.
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On “Simply Shoot Me!,” Spade performed a well-recognized character in Dennis, the sarcastic and egocentric assistant to George Segal’s Jack. In the course of the present’s run, Spade additionally starred within the movie “Joe Dust” and lent his voice to the titular character in Disney’s animated movie “The Emperor’s New Groove.” After “Simply Shoot Me!” ended, Spade continued to star alongside his former “SNL” associates, together with Adam Sandler, Jon Lovitz, and Rob Schneider, in movies like “The Benchwarmers,” “Grown Ups,” and “The Do-Over.”
Along with persevering with to carry out stand-up, Spade additionally had a short-lived speak present on Comedy Central, “Lights Out with David Spade,” which he used to reunite with former “SNL” solid mates in addition to the solid of “Simply Shoot Me!” Since 2022, Spade and Dana Carvey have additionally been internet hosting the “Fly on the Wall” podcast, interviewing different “SNL” personnel.
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Wendie Malick
Wendie Malick was TV royalty even by the point she joined “Simply Shoot Me!,” having appeared on the HBO sitcom “Dream On” and making appearances in traditional packages like “Baywatch” and “Seinfeld,” in addition to a couple of notable movies like “Scrooged” and “Apollo 11.” On “Simply Shoot Me!,” she performs Nina Van Horn, the journal’s shallow vogue editor, however it’s removed from her final time starring in a community sitcom.
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Because the finish of “Simply Shoot Me!,” Malick has executed a plethora of roles on TV, from starring within the likes of “Sizzling in Cleveland” to having a recurring function within the ultimate season of “Frasier.” Sadly, Malick did not return for the “Frasier” revival on Paramount+, citing the unlucky passing of her character’s love curiosity performed by John Mahoney. Fortunately, Malick’s been busy in recent times with recurring roles on “Younger Sheldon,” “Shrinking,” and “Night time Court docket.”
In 2024, she started starring within the Hallmark+ sequence “The Rooster Sisters,” about rival fried rooster eating places, which co-stars Lea Thompson and Genevieve Angelson. She’s additionally gotten loads of work as a voice actor, and it’s possible you’ll acknowledge her as Chicha from “The Emperor’s New Groove,” Lovely Attractive in “The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius,” and Beatrice in “BoJack Horseman.” Most notably, her voice lent itself to the principle solid of “The Owl Home,” one in all the very best animated sequence on Disney+ proper now.
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Enrico Colantoni
You could acknowledge Enrico Colantoni from his appearances in movies like “A.I. Synthetic Intelligence” or “Galaxy Quest,” however for seven seasons he was a part of the principle solid of “Simply Shoot Me!” Colantoni performed Elliot, the womanizing photographer for Blush who fronts the present’s “will-they-won’t-they” with Laura San Giacomo’s Maya. Nonetheless, Colantoni may need gained extra recognition for a later function as Keith, the daddy of the titular character within the cult traditional “Veronica Mars,” which he reprised for every of its revivals.
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Whereas the sequence’ star Kristen Bell apparently found her comedic chops throughout “Veronica Mars,” she has Colantoni as her scene associate to thank, given his expertise within the realm of sitcoms because of “Simply Shoot Me!” “Veronica Mars” additionally reunited him with San Giacomo, who had a quick stint within the present as Concord Chase, as soon as once more enjoying Colantoni’s love curiosity. Colantoni additionally did a visitor spot on “Sizzling in Cleveland,” reuniting him with Wendie Malick.
Extra lately, Colantoni made appearances in exhibits like “Individual of Curiosity,” “Westworld,” and “The Good Struggle,” however in 2024 he joined a slew of tv sequence as a fundamental solid member with “English Trainer” and “The Trades,” each comedy sequence, in addition to the drama sequence “Allegiance” on CBC Tv in Canada (the place Colantoni is from). He additionally lately lent his voice and motion-capture for “Indiana Jones and the Nice Circle,” a online game adaptation of the long-lasting franchise.
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Rena Sofer
Rena Sofer was solely on “Simply Shoot Me!” for half of its ultimate season, however made an enormous impression because the powerful Vicki Costa, a artistic marketing consultant at Blush. Beforehand, Sofer’s tv work included 4 years on the long-lasting cleaning soap opera “Normal Hospital,” one season on “Melrose Place,” and visitor appearances throughout widespread sitcoms like “Seinfeld” and “Buddies.”
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Following her departure from “Simply Shoot Me!,” Sofer could possibly be seen in much more widespread exhibits like “24” and “Two and a Half Males,” however in 2013 she surprisingly returned to the realm of cleaning soap opera with CBS’s “The Daring and the Lovely,” which initially premiered in 1987. Sofer was on the present till 2022, spanning practically a decade because the mysterious Quinn Fuller, thought-about by many followers of the present one in all its finest characters.
Nonetheless, her departure from “The Daring and the Lovely” was in service of one other cleaning soap opera, her outdated flame “Normal Hospital.” Sofer rejoined the cleaning soap opera in 2023, and has remained a staple of the sequence’ present incarnation. Sadly, her movie profession was by no means too explosive, having solely performed supporting roles in movies like “Preserving the Religion” and “Rock Slyde.”
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Brian Posehn
Brian Posehn had a recurring function on “Simply Shoot Me!” as Kevin, the mailroom employee at Blush who nurses unhealthy crushes on a number of of the ladies he works with, together with each Wendie Malick’s Nina and Laura San Giacomo’s Maya. A slapstick comedian by commerce, Posehn was a supply of goofy comedic aid all through his recurring appearances on “Simply Shoot Me!,” which was fairly becoming for a comic book whose earlier TV credit included the cult sketch sequence “Mr. Present with Bob and David” and sitcoms like “NewsRadio.”
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Posehn might be finest recognized at present as a stand-up comedian, having notably carried out on Netflix’s first true authentic manufacturing, “The Comedians of Comedy.” Posehn has additionally been a author and performer on “The Man Present,” “The Sarah Silverman Program,” and “W/ Bob & David,” the latter being a short-lived Netflix revival of “Mr. Present.” He is additionally made loads of visitor appearances on sitcoms like “The Large Bang Concept,” “Group,” and “New Lady.”
Other than his thriving comedy profession, Posehn has fairly a little bit of nerd cred, too, internet hosting the podcast “Nerd Poker,” the place he invitations superstar associates to play Dungeons & Dragons, and even penning a sequence of “Deadpool” comedian for Marvel within the 2010s. You possibly can even see him cameo within the very first episode of “The Mandalorian,” which is very ironic contemplating one of many comic’s most well-known stand-up bits is his rant about George Lucas’ re-edits of the “Star Wars” authentic trilogy.
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Chris Hogan
Chris Hogan is one other slapstick comedian who made recurring appearances on “Simply Shoot Me!,” particularly in its first season as Wally, Maya’s roommate who was deserted by the present’s later seasons to focus extra on the work lifetime of Laura San Giacomo’s character. Regardless that some would label the character as unimportant to the present shifting ahead, Wally was a memorable a part of its first season, however it would not be the tip of Hogan’s time on tv.
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Notably, the identical 12 months as Hogan’s singular-season stint, the comic was additionally a part of the solid of the long-lasting Fox sketch sequence “MADtv,” of which he additionally solely spent one season. Nonetheless, Hogan made fairly the impression whereas sharing the display screen with future Emmy winner Alex Borstein, in addition to adopting the character El Asso Wipo from his earlier performer, David Herman.
Other than “Simply Shoot Me!” and “MADtv,” Hogan could possibly be seen in different tv exhibits like “third Rock from the Solar,” “Studio 60 on the Sundown Strip,” and “Arrested Improvement,” although nowadays his profession in leisure is not very lively. He claims to have bought exhibits to CBS, however as of 2025, nothing has but to be made.
Simon Templeman
Simon Leeds, performed by Simon Templeman, was a recurring character within the seventh and ultimate season of “Simply Shoot Me!” He is a British rock star who serves as a love curiosity for Wendie Malick’s Nina Van Horn. Nonetheless, Templeman is usually recognized at present as a voice actor moderately than a live-action performer, having lent his voice to online game franchises like “Mass Impact,” “God of Struggle,” and “World of Warcraft,” in addition to voicing Physician Doom in a number of animated Marvel initiatives.
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As for live-action roles, Templeman has made visitor appearances in dozens of widespread exhibits apart from “Simply Shoot Me!” His largest tv function for the reason that finish of the NBC sitcom was ABC’s “The Neighbors,” centered on a mean New Jersey household who transfer to a brand new neighborhood populated by aliens, who’re led by Templeman, whose character takes his human identify from widespread American basketball stars.
Templeman has additionally made appearances in exhibits like “House Enchancment,” “Monk,” “Home of Lies,” and “The Orville.” Plus, he is married to a former co-star from “Star Trek: The Subsequent Technology,” on which he visitor starred, Rosalind Chao, who herself has fairly a thriving profession not simply within the “Star Trek” universe, however with movie appearances just like the 2020 “Mulan” remake and the upcoming “Freakier Friday.”
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Rebecca Romijn
The leisure business was glued to their pc screens watching the official solid announcement for Marvel’s “Avengers: Doomsday,” which included a number of surprises, together with the return of Rebecca Romijn, who performed Mystique in Fox’s “X-Males” franchise. Nonetheless, Romijn’s debut as Mystique was predated by a recurring function on “Simply Shoot Me!” as Adrianne, a supermodel who briefly marries David Spade’s Finch (their noticeable top distinction is commonly performed for laughs) within the fourth season till they divorce a couple of episodes later.
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Whereas “X-Males” could also be the place Romijn discovered her stride, she’s made loads of appearances post-“Simply Shoot Me!” that you simply would not acknowledge given her lack of getting scaly, blue pores and skin and crimson hair. She was a fundamental solid member on exhibits like “Ugly Betty” and “Eastwick,” with visitor appearances on widespread comedy exhibits like “Key & Peele” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”
Most notably, like future “Simply Shoot Me!” actor Simon Templeman, Romijn joined the “Star Trek” universe, taking up the function of Una Chin-Riley, also called Quantity One, from Majel Barrett within the authentic sequence. Romijn first debuted because the character in “Star Trek: Discovery” and “Star Trek: Brief Treks,” earlier than reprising the function as a fundamental solid member in “Star Trek: Unusual New Worlds,” serving to the legendary sci-fi franchise not be misplaced in house. Hopefully, her presence in “Avengers: Doomsday” will do the identical for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
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David Cross
If there’s any episode of “Simply Shoot Me!” that has remained within the dialog for the present’s finest episodes, it is season 3’s “Gradual Donnie.” The episode revolves round Maya assembly Elliot’s brother Donnie, performed by David Cross, solely to find that his “slowness” because of falling out of a tree as a baby is a ruse invented by Donnie to be catered to all through his complete life. Though it wasn’t Cross’ first foray in tv, it is among the many comic’s most memorable roles in his lengthy profession in leisure.
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Cross notably transitioned for stand-up comedy to TV within the mid-’90s with “Mr. Present with Bob & David,” a cult sketch sequence he created with Bob Odenkirk, who he met as a author for the short-lived sketch sequence “The Ben Stiller Present” and later co-created the debacle of a movie that was “Run Ronnie Run.” Nonetheless, it was his later tv appearances as Tobias Fünke in “Arrested Improvement” and Todd Margaret in “The More and more Poor Selections of Todd Margaret” that turned him into an enormous star.
The movie world has additionally been sort to Cross, with him enjoying the principle antagonist of the live-action “Alvin & the Chipmunks” motion pictures, in addition to lending his voice to animated franchises like “Kung Fu Panda” and “Megamind.” He and Odenkirk additionally revived “Mr. Present” for Netflix in 2015 as “W/ Bob & David,” reuniting many of the identical writers and solid members. Cross at the moment hosts the podcast “Senses Working Additional time.”
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Tom Kenny
You may not acknowledge Tom Kenny’s face, however you undoubtedly know his voice all too nicely. Like David Cross and Brian Posehn, Kenny was a sketch performer within the ’90s who appeared on “Mr. Present with Bob & David,” whereas additionally showing of their function movie “Run Ronnie Run.” Nonetheless, from 1999 to current day, Kenny is finest generally known as the voice of SpongeBob SquarePants within the Nickelodeon present of the identical identify, cementing him as simply one in all the very best voice actors of all time for bringing the long-lasting cartoon to life.
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Nonetheless, Kenny has loads of roles that are not “SpongeBob SquarePants,” together with lending his voice to characters in “Journey Time,” “The PowerPuff Women,” and “Transformers,” in addition to video video games like “Spyro the Dragon.” Even Kenny’s spouse, Jill Talley, is a voice actor recognized for her work as Karen on “SpongeBob SquarePants,” in addition to additionally showing in “Mr. Present.”
As for “Simply Shoot Me!,” Kenny had a recurring function as Persky all through the present’s second season. It is clearly removed from his most notable work in a prolific profession on voice appearing, however it helps to know that Kenny’s profession was huge even earlier than he ever began voicing SpongeBob. Fortunately, he appears to don’t have any qualms being generally known as the character, on condition that lately he and fellow voice actor Invoice Fagerbakke started lending in-character commentary to NFL broadcasts airing on Nickelodeon.
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