Eugene Levy : Bullseye with Jesse Thorn Eugene Levy is a legend in the comedy world. Hailing from Toronto, he first got his start in improv comedy and was a founding member of SCTV - the pioneering sketch comedy show that helped launch the careers of Rick Moranis, Catherine O'Hara, John Candy and more. He became a household name after appearing as Noah Levenstein in the popular American Pie franchise. In 2015, he reunited with frequent co-star Catherine O'Hara in the sitcom Schitt's Creek. Eugene is back on the small screen, most recently hosting the documentary-style travel series The Reluctant Traveler. This week, we're revisiting our conversation with Eugene Levy. When Eugene joined us he talked about what it was like working with his son on their hit show Schitt's Creek, his involvement of the American Pie movies and so much more.

Eugene Levy

Eugene Levy

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Eugene Levy is a legend in the comedy world. Hailing from Toronto, he first got his start in improv comedy and was a founding member of SCTV - the pioneering sketch comedy show that helped launch the careers of Rick Moranis, Catherine O'Hara, John Candy and more.

He became a household name after appearing as Noah Levenstein in the popular American Pie franchise. The series spans eight films, with Eugene as the only actor to appear in the entire series. He's also known for his work as a longtime collaborator with director & actor Christopher Guest, making movies like Waiting for Guffman and Best in Show.

In 2015, he reunited with frequent co-star Catherine O'Hara in the sitcom Schitt's Creek. Created by Eugene and his son, Dan Levy, Eugene plays Johnny Rose, the patriarch of a socialite family that lost their fortune. Johnny and his wife Moira, played by Catherine, head to the last place they can call their own: the backwoods Canadian town Johnny bought as a gag gift the year before. Together, the family pieces their life back together - they run a hotel and get jobs in town. After six seasons and nine Emmys, Schitt's Creek ended its run in 2020.

These days, Eugene is back on the small screen, hosting the documentary-style travel series The Reluctant Traveler. The show follows Eugene as he visits some of the world's most beautiful destinations. He explores the people and places in far-flung locales like Costa Rica, Finland, Italy, and more. You can find The Reluctant Traveler on Apple TV+.

We're revisiting our conversation with Eugene Levy. When Eugene joined us he talked about what it was like working with his son on their hit show Schitt's Creek, his involvement of the American Pie movies and so much more.

A version of this interview originally aired in April of 2018.