Bryan Safi on ‘Working Girl,’ 80s Bangs & Harrison Ford as Eye Candy

Bryan Safi on ‘Working Girl,’ 80s Bangs & Harrison Ford as Eye Candy

Author: Adam Unze - Music & Film Interviews July 29, 2026 Duration: 26:21

What happens when an eight-year-old kid sees the opening shot of Mike Nichols’ 1988 classic Working Girl for the very first time? If that kid is Emmy-winning comedian, actor, and podcast host Bryan Safi (9-1-1, Ask Ronna, Attitudes!), it sparks a lifelong dream to move to New York City and a career built on unapologetic, sharp comedy.


In this episode of The Spark Parade, host Adam Unze sits down with Bryan Safi to chat about his Spark: the iconic 80s romantic comedy Working Girl, starring Melanie Griffith, Sigourney Weaver and Harrison Ford.


They gush about the genius of Mike Nichols, the cultural impact of Carly Simon’s Oscar-winning anthem "Let the River Run" and the absolute madness of late-80s hair styling.


🎧 In this episode, we cover:


  • The Iconic Opening: Why the Statue of Liberty opening sequence remains one of the greatest movie intros in cinema history.
  • 80s Aesthetics & Staten Island Hair: The outrageous bangs, crimping and fashion that defined an era of film.
  • Sigourney Weaver vs. Melanie Griffith: How Working Girl subverted corporate tropes and delivered two masterclasses in comedic performance.
  • The Power of Creative Authenticity: Bryan on overcoming early industry homophobia in comedy and learning to lean into his signature camp sensibility as his greatest strength.
  • Behind-the-Scenes Movie Trivia: Why the studio almost replaced Carly Simon with The Eagles' "Witchy Woman" and how Harrison Ford took a back seat to let the women shine.


Catch Bryan live in NYC in Are You Mad At Me? at the HERE Arts Center, watch him on ABC's 9-1-1, and listen to his hit podcasts Ask Ronna and Attitudes!.




The Spark Parade is a podcast that dives deep into the films and albums that have inspired today’s creative icons. Hosted by Adam Unze, each episode features a unique conversation with an artist about their chosen film or album, and how it sparked their artistic journey.


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What single piece of art-an album, a film, a television show-fundamentally altered your creative path? That's the central question of The Spark Parade, a podcast hosted by Adam Unze. This isn't a standard interview format; it's a focused excavation of a singular, transformative work. Each conversation with an actor, musician, or cultural icon revolves entirely around that one catalytic piece of culture that ignited their journey. The discussion delves into the personal history and emotional resonance of the work, whether it's a cult classic or a mainstream hit, tracing how its influence continues to echo through their life and career. Listeners are invited into these intimate reflections, hearing stories from artists like Margaret Cho and Maya about the moments of inspiration that sparked everything. The podcast operates at the intersection of music, film, and personal narrative, offering a unique lens on the creative process. By concentrating on a single artifact, each episode provides a deep, nuanced portrait of both the artist and the art that made them. You'll come away from the podcast not just with a recommendation, but with an understanding of how art shapes identity.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

The Spark Parade
Podcast Episodes
Fitz And The Tantrums' Spark Is Jeff Buckley's Grace [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:57
Episode SummaryFitz, frontman of chart-topping indie soul-pop group Fitz and The Tantrums, reveals how Jeff Buckley’s iconic album Grace set him on his journey to finding his authentic voice as an artist and inspired a w…
Tors' Matt Weedon's Spark Is The Blues Brothers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:52
Matt Weedon from TORS joins Adam for a lively, heartfelt chat about the classic musical comedy The Blues Brothers. Find out why this wild, joyous movie was a defining moment in Matt’s creative journey and how its blend o…
Munroe Bergdorf's Spark Is But I'm A Cheerleader [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:14
Activist, model, and writer Munroe Bergdorf sits down with Adam to talk about her spark: the cult classic queer comedy But I’m a Cheerleader. Hear Munroe’s personal story discovering the film, why it remains a game-chang…
The Ting Tings' Spark Is Dire Straits' Brothers In Arms [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:20
Ready for a trip down music memory lane? On this episode, Adam hangs out with Katie and Jules from The Ting Tings to talk all about the album that shaped their sound: Dire Straits’ Brothers in Arms. What’s InsideFirst Di…
Lauren Spencer Smith's Spark Is Adele's 21 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:20
Singer-songwriter Lauren Spencer Smith joins Adam to talk about her biggest musical inspiration: Adele’s breakthrough album, 21. Lauren shares how hearing “Rolling in the Deep” as a kid changed everything for her, why Ad…
Matt Friend's Spark Is Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:59
Comedian and impressionist Matt Friend joins Adam to talk about the movie that sparked his comedy journey: Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. In this episode, Matt and Adam dive deep into the entire Austin Powers fra…
Tribeca Film Festival 2025 Recap [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:28
The second and final part of Adam's recap of the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival.The Spark Parade is a podcast that dives deep into the films and albums that have inspired today’s creative icons. Hosted by Adam Unze, each epi…
Kyle Gordon's Spark Is A Mighty Wind + Tribeca Film Festival Round Up [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:22
In this episode of The Spark Parade, host Adam Unze (@sparkparade) sits down with Kyle Gordon, the New York-based comedian, actor, musician, songwriter, and improviser who’s taken the internet by storm. With over 6 milli…
Julia Wolf's Spark Is Twilight [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:37
Singer-songwriter Julia Wolf joins Adam to talk about her love for Twilight — the blockbuster film that defined a generation.In this episode, Julia opens up about how Twilight helped her through her teenage years, why sh…
Tune-Yard's Merrill Garbus' Spark Is Ani DiFranco's Not A Pretty Girl [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:20
What album shaped Tune-Yards’ Merrill Garbus as both an artist and a person? Ani DiFranco’s Not a Pretty Girl.In this episode of The Spark Parade, Merrill joins host Adam Unze to reflect on the raw, political, and poetic…