Billy Crystal on finding humor in the darkest times

If Billy Crystal is one of the kings of comedy, his family home in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles was definitely his castle. “Sunday Morning” was invited there several times for interviews, and I usually ended up studying on its basketball court.

It was, he admits, a magical place: “Yeah, it kept me young, this place,” he says.

It was his family’s forever home, but things don’t always last forever. In January 2025, a massive wind-driven blaze ravaged the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of the Crystals, devouring more than 5,000 homes, including that of the Crystals. The fire took everything away, but in the smoking ruins of what was once their family home, Billy Crystal and his wife Janice found inspiration.

Crystal takes the story of his home and his life to Broadway, in his new one-man show, “860,” talking about what he lost and what he learned.

“Oh my goodness, what a morning. Helicopters and sirens woke us up to tell us there was a big bushfire in the Highlands.”

He describes the disaster in every moment, and it is a poignant story. But he’s still Billy Crystal.

“Janice is the more practical of the two of us. She thinks about medicines and prescriptions. I think about that half veal and parmesan sandwich that’s in the fridge.”

“860” is in previews now and opens October 21. Crystal wanted the audience to really feel like they were inside her home, so the “860” set is an exact replica of her home office, with everything as it was. “Yes, we are lucky to have this and that, but that doesn’t take away the suffering. It doesn’t take away the loss,” he said.

According to Crystal, nothing survived.

But there are some things that no fire can ever touch. The memories are all intact and still funny.

The name of the show, “860”, is actually the address of the house he lost. The truth is, Crystal didn’t know what to call him, until her dear friend Rob Reiner intervened. “He said, ‘What are you going to call it?’ I had these other titles, and the third one was “860”. He said, “That’s the one.” I love it. I like it.’”

And then, in a year already traumatic beyond belief, the unimaginable happened: In December 2025, Rob Reiner and his wife Michelle were killed in their home. For Crystal, it’s all still too much to handle: “No, it’s too big,” he said. “It’s so crazy, because we were together the night before. We said goodbye, like, late at night, like 10:30 or something, at the party we were together for the holidays, and then… what?!?”

But Crystal found a way to deal with her grief, and maybe ours too, by sharing stories and laughing.

When asked how he can find humor in the darkest of times, Crystal laughed: “That’s what I do! You gotta do it, man. You gotta do it, you gotta do it… He’s a healer. It’s always been like that. You know, they say when life gets hard, all you can do is laugh.”

Twenty-two years ago, Crystal produced another one-man show: “700 Sundays,” named after the approximately 700 Sundays he spent with his father before his death. It was a major success and a ticket to a Tony Award. And for Crystal, it was a cathartic experience that he says healed him. Asked if he thought “860” would be as well, Crystal said, “It’s already done, because I do it, and I did it. If I didn’t even get to perform it, I’m fine. I absorbed the biggest pains that people couldn’t endure, the loss of their home, their dearest friends. And I’m fine.”

He nevertheless affirms that the hard blows of 2025 have somewhat modified his vision.

In “700 Sundays,” he describes conversations with God. When asked if he had spoken to God in the past two years, he replied: No, because I don’t trust him. Too many bad things have happened. The Earth is in bad shape. It’s a strange and scary time. So no, not anymore.”

“860” is a one-man show, but Crystal relied on Broadway heavyweights to bring the whole thing to life: director Scott Ellis and legendary composer Marc Shaiman, who noticed Crystal’s ability to wring humor from dark memories. “He can’t help but find the humor,” Shaiman said. “That’s exactly who Billy is, and that’s why he is who he is.”

“But it’s a family thing,” Ellis added. “That’s the thing at the heart of it, how do you move forward? You move forward with friends and you move forward with family. And that’s what you want and what you need, and he’s lucky to have that. Not a lot of people do that.”

The show is in limited edition in New York until January. After that, Crystal says he hopes to take her to the city where it all happened, Los Angeles.

The house may be gone, but the heart that built it is still there, stronger than ever. “I’m 78 now and I feel really good,” he said, “and I’m optimistic about what life is going to bring us. And if we got through this the way we got through it, we’re doing well.”

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Story produced by John D’Amelio. Editor: Steven Tyler.

For more information:

• “860” with Billy Crystal, at the Imperial Theater in New York (until January 3) | Ticket information