South Jersey Magazine - Gloucester County / Newsstand

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SJM_Interview_Max_McGee_0222_Reg4_layout 2 / 24 / 22 4 : 20 PM Page 2 MAX McGEE my agent or any other representative that I mepersonally , that someone believed in man.Sports was always such a huge part may have . But if I can’t do it myself , I really meenough to give me a shot and I never inmy life . Whenever I would go to a game want no parts of it . forgot [ Musumeci ] after that . TV was andsee a professional athlete , those were I was extremely fortunate to have alwayssomething I wanted to do . I always myheroes . Pat Burrell , Jimmy Rollins , him read that message ; but after that , it wantedto be a professional athlete first , ChaseUtley , Ryan Howard , Allen Iverson — was up to me put the work in and get but I knew if I couldn’t play sports , I eventhe random players you remember ready because I wasn’t going to go up wantedto talk about them for a living . likeMatt Harpring or Todd MacCulloch . It’s there and flop . Charlie Musumeci really started it all and all special and I’ve been to professional gave me a great opportunity . I was in the venuesin different cities , but there’s Let’s talk about South Jersey for a little sportsdebate club and then the jour - nothinglike Philly . I can’t describe it and bit . You went to Cherry Hill East and nalismclub and it opened my eyes to what maybe it’s me being a homer , but I love played football and baseball . What do mycareer could actually be . going to these games because it’s a dif - you remember most about those days ? Ididn’t know that I’d be at ESPN at 31 , ferentkind of vibe . I played football until my sophomore year therewas no way . But it was always a goal and played baseball all four years . Those ofmine since I was 7 or 8 years old , to be Thenews station you just left in were the best years of my life , playing orga - onSportsCenter and be at ESPN . If it wasn’t Baltimorehas quite the South Jersey nized sports . I really miss that . I knew once forMusumeci , who knows where I would connection , it turns out . I hung up the cleats for good , I really havebeen . I know I would have been suc - I played high school football against one of wouldn’t get that same feeling of cama - cessfulin some other field , but to get that theirmain anchors , Rick Ritter , who grew raderie from being in the locker room or TVstart was exactly what I needed . up in Marlton . One of the other anchors , being in the dugout with your team . SeanStreicher , he grew up in the neighbor - You say working at Famous Dave’s and hooddirectly next to mine . We were You also got involved in a TV club in TheCapital Grille really helped you separatedby a community pool , the high school , was that sort of the spark focuson the bigger picture . Can you WoodstreamSwim Club , and because of that lit the flame for you ? explain ? thathewent to Cherokee and I went to Yeah , it was . A late softball coach at Cherry I worked at Famous Dave’s from July 2008 Eastand we never met each other . Their Hill East , Charlie Musumeci , came up to until 2015 and then I worked at The Capital executiveproducer , Miranda Villei - Stepp , me after school one day and said , “ I think Grille for a year . I just needed some cash is from Washington Township . A photogra - you can do TV , why don’t you come over to when I was starting out as a kid . I didn’t pher , Eric Dolezar , he’s from Shamong . It’s the library and join the sports debate know I was going to work at Famous Dave’s justkind of strange that all of us have this show . ” It was just three or four other guys forseven years , but that was kind of my incommon . and we would rotate every day and it aired identity , being a restaurant server . on the educational access channel . We I had a great time and met a lot of great Youare quick to credit your family really didn’t know what we were doing , but peoplewho I still consider lifelong friends . withhelping you reach this point in for me , it was my start getting on camera It was huge for my life at the time ; I’m very yourcareer . How important has that and talking without a script and really just gratefulfor both of those opportunities supportsystem been for you ? trying to emulate what we saw on ESPN . becausethey really helped me get to Mymom , Sharon , and my dad , Tom , both We were just talking as kids and no one TempleUniversity and helped me forge grewup in Camden and gave me every was really watching except for my parents . andsolidify what I actually wanted to do . opportunityto succeed , and they still do . But it was something that was big for Thosejobs helped me get focused , in other Thisdoes not happen without them and I words . I knew I didn’t want to be a restau - owethem everything . I have a great sup - rant server for 30 years because that’s a portsystem at home and a village around grind . Those people who do it for years me — extendedfamily and friends from and years are special types of people . CherryHill to Camden to Voorhees all the way up to North Jersey . I can’t take all the Do you get back to the area often ? credit , it’s a great testament to all their hard Absolutely , Cherry Hill will always be home workover the years . for me . I’m in New Jersey pretty often . I try and keep a low profile when I do go back Whatdo you hope viewers , both those and hang tight with my family and friends . whoknow you and those who will be But I still go to the same restaurants , I still introducedto you for the first time , go to all the athletic events I can . take away whenever you’re on the air ? How do you look to connect with an And you’re a big Philly sports fan . What audience ? are some of your fonder memories ThatI’m real and 100 % myself . It’s so easy going to games as a kid ? totry and copy what others do . There’s I remember going to games at The Vet and onlyone Stuart Scott . There’s only one Rich every time I would walk through the turn - Eisen.There’s only one Kenny Mayne . stile , you could smell the popcorn . You can There’sonly one Hannah Storm . Those hear the people in the distance cursing out peopleare great by themselves . I’m Max a Mets fan ; that was always fun . McGee and I feel that’s enough . Hopefully McGEE DURING But when you see the actual Phillies thatresonates with people and I can HIS DAYS AT logoon the field , it kind of lights your eyes inspirethe next generation to take a CHERRY HILL EAST ? upas a kid , and it still does as a 31 - year - old chanceon themselves . SOUTH JERSEY MAGAZINE volume 18 issue 11 SouthJerseyMagazine.com | 49

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SJM_PEOPLE_Quinta_Brunson_0X22_layout 2 / 24 / 22 11 : 35 AM Page 1 pass out — and , wow , he is in our show . I think it is the most Philadelphia thing , to the point when I was telling people that in Philly , they’re like , “ You got Jim Gard - ner ? ! ” It’s like getting Gritty , the mascot for the Philadelphia Flyers . You can’t beat that . What are your hopes for this show ? Quinta Brunson , Mygoal is to make people laugh , but also , THE PHILLY - BORN STAR Ihope it will get people thinking . If it puts OF THE NEW SITCOM a little pressure on them to support our teachers and our schools , that would be ABBOTT ELEMENTARY , great . … If there is a teacher in your life , I SHINES A LIGHT ON would ask you to give them support and THE TRIUMPHS listen to them . I’m excited to see the AND TRIBULATIONS changes that can take place . OF EMBATTLED What are some of your favorite TV SCHOOLTEACHERS . comedies ? My favorite comedies have been mocku - mentaries , like The Office and Parks and by Recreation . I was impressed with what Debra they did . What I love the most about the Wallace format is that it gives an opportunity for the audience to build a different relation - ship with the character . I think teachers deserve that . I had seen other teacher shows , and it’s a lens on them that often can make them seem one - dimensional . I know that they are the least one - dimen - Teachable sionalpeople out there . How does a school comedy work at such a time of angst in our society ? Making a school comedy with the state Moment of our schools , at a time when we have uinta Brunson remembers being a self - described “ scaredy cat ” as shootings , the gun crisis and COVID — a young child . She’s no longer scared . Through her work on the new ABC there’s so many to name . At the root of it prime - time sitcom Abbott Elementary , she has become an outspoken cham - is the underfunding and lack of care for Q pion for teachers across the country . She credits her mother and other our teachers and students . It means that teachers from her formative years growing up in West Philadelphia . we have to be special about the kind of Initially known for her BuzzFeed videos , the quick - witted Brunson has become storiesthat we want to tell , and I think we known for her work as a comedian , an actress , a writer and a producer . She has did that with this show . Are we laughing been “ obsessed ” with comedy since her days at Center City’s Charter High School atthese problems , or are we laughing with for Architecture & Design , and nurtured her interest by taking improv classes at the the people who do the job regardless ? I famed Second City in Chicago . thinkthere’s a huge difference . Abbott Elementary debuted in December and airs on Tuesday nights at 9 p.m . Brunson , 32 , created the workplace comedy about a group of passionate school - How did your mother’s dedication as a teachers — and a slightly tone - deaf principal — who work together in a Philadelphia teacher inform this show ? public school . Despite the odds stacked against them , the teachers are determined Mymother , who was a teacher , is similar to help their students succeed in life . Brunson found inspiration in her mother’s tothe characters on the show who are go - stories from her time as a Philadelphia schoolteacher , as well as her own experiences ingto do the job no matter what . Nothing with “ the best teachers in the world , from elementary onward . ” can stop them . They know all the systemic We spoke with Brunson about the challenges teachers face , how being “ the shortest issuesthat are there , but , at the end of the person in the room ” influenced her comedy , and her obsession with Jim Gardner , day , they have to teach your kid how to who recently retired from his post as anchor of 6ABC’s 11 p.m . Action News broadcast . read . I think what is really important about this show is giving people a behind - C What is the been obsessed with him since I was a the - sceneslook at what teachers really do AB f most Philadelphia child . He is the most - watched news an - throughhumor and heart , you know , and o esy Q & A thing about Abbott choron Philadelphia’s 6ABC , and we got straight - upcomedy . ourt Elementary ? himonthe show . I feel that the important thing with a c hy The most Philly thing about the show is I’m not a person who gets starstruck comedyis to make sure that you have that grap newsanchor Jim Gardner , who’s featured often , but when I was talking to Jim Gard - absurdist point , right ? Like , you need to hoto in the show . I’m obsessed with him . I’ve neron the phone , I thought I was going to havethat thing that goes a little bit further P SOUTH JERSEY MAGAZINE volume 18 issue 11 SouthJerseyMagazine.com 50 |

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