I'm running out of fingers to count all the reasons why the Amy Schumer vehicle Trainwreck is my most anticipated comedy of the summer. First of all, Schumer has been slaying sketch television and next-day viral video sharing with her Comedy Central series Inside Amy Schumer. Secondly, she's followed in Mindy Kaling's footsteps by casting Bill Hader as a dreamy yet approachable sports doctor, Aaron. Judd Apatow is at the helm, and he knows his way around a charming anti-hero/heroine. And, in some seriously inspired stunt-casting, Cleveland Cavaliers player and basketball icon LeBron James takes the stage to play himself, as a friend and patient of Aaron. Of course, although much of Trainwreck is based on Schumer's life, Hader isn't really the athlete's go-to guy. So who is LeBron James' real sports doctor?
A little research reveals that James' actual doc is Dr. Richard D. Parker, MD, the Cleveland Cavaliers Head Physician. If you're wondering if the athlete's relationship with his real doctor might parallel his with Aaron in the movie, I can assure you it's not the case; Parker has been happily married to his wife Jana for over 30 years. There are no trainwrecks to maneuver around, so the real doctor/patient relationship has got to be much more professional than the one we see in this clip. And surely Dr. Parker doesn't need the hard sell on Cleveland.
In Trainwreck, Hader's character Aaron Conners is a sports doctor on whom Schumer's journalist character Amy is assigned to write a profile. Among his high profile clients is James, who ends up offering some advice to the struggling proto-couple. It's an interesting take on the standard romantic comedy "best friend" dynamic. Elite athletes whose bodies need to be constantly monitored and maintained know their medical support team as well as anyone. It's not much of a stretch to imagine that some kind of rapport between doctor and patient would develop. Maybe that bizarre angle on an everyday situation is part of the reason that James was able to give a performance has been praised so highly by his co-star and his director.
Apatow told CraveOnline that James was game (ha) for anything. "So Amy wrote a hilarious scene, but when they goof around with it, it was fun to see what LeBron would do with that," he said. "And then Amy would pitch some new jokes as she observed how it was going, and we found out that LeBron is a great improvisor in addition to being a really strong actor."
As for Hader? He's personally offended by James' Renaissance Man status. In a joint Today interview, he complained that the athlete's acting talent is "just not fair, and it sucked, and it bums me out talking about it!" Always work with people whose skills make you want to quit. It's the secret to success.
So though LeBron James' love doctor skills are in doubt, his impressive acting prowess seems to be pretty much confirmed. It's for the best; the guy already has way too much talent.
Image: Giphy
