"Sunday Morning" was invited there a few times for interviews, and I'd usually end up getting schooled on his backyard basketball court.
asserted
I → invite → court
It was, he acknowledged, a magical place: "Yeah, it kept me young, that place," he said.
asserted
he → acknowledge → me
It was his family's forever home, but things don't always last forever.
asserted
things → last → ?
In January 2025, a massive, wind-driven inferno tore through the Crystals' Pacific Palisades neighborhood, devouring more than 5,000 homes, including the Crystals'.
asserted
inferno → drive → Crystals
The fire took everything, but in the smoldering ruins of what was once their family home, Billy Crystal and his wife Janice found inspiration.
asserted
Crystal → take → inspiration
Crystal is taking the story of his home, and his life, to Broadway, in his new one-person show, "860," talking about what he lost, and what he learned.
"Oh God, what a morning.
asserted
he → take → morning
Helicopters and sirens woke us up to the news that there was a big brush fire in the Highlands."
asserted
Helicopters → wake → Highlands
He describes the disaster moment by moment, and it's a harrowing tale.
asserted
it → describe → moment
She's thinking about medicines and prescriptions.
asserted
She → think → medicines
I'm thinking about that half a veal parmesan sandwich that's in the refrigerator.
asserted
that → think → refrigerator
"860" is now in previews, and opens October 21.
asserted
860 → open → previews
Crystal wanted the audience to feel like they're really inside his house, so the "860" set is an exact replica of his home office, with everything just as it was.
asserted
it → want → everything
"Yes, we're fortunate to have this and have that, but that doesn't take away the hurt.
asserted
that → have → hurt
That doesn't take away the loss," he said.
asserted
he → take → loss
According to Crystal, nothing survived.
uncertain
nothing → accord → Crystal
But there are some things that no fire could ever touch.
uncertain
fire → be → that
The name of the show, "860," is actually the street address of the house he lost.
asserted
he → lose → house
Truth is, Crystal wasn't sure what to call it, until his dear friend Rob Reiner weighed in.
asserted
friend → call → it
"He said, 'What are you going to call it?'
asserted
you → say → it
I had these other titles, and the third one was '860.'
asserted
one → have → titles
He went, 'That's the one.
asserted
That → go → ?
I love that.
asserted
I → love → that
I like that.'
asserted
I → like → that
, the unimaginable happened, In December 2025, Rob Reiner and his wife Michelle were killed in their home.
asserted
Reiner → happen → home
For Crystal, it's all still too hard to process: "No, it's too big," he said.
asserted
he → process → Crystal
We said goodbye, like, late that night, 10:30 or something, at the party we were at together for the holidays, and then … what?!?"
asserted
we → say → holidays
But Crystal has found a way to process his grief, and maybe ours, too, sharing stories and laughter.
asserted
Crystal → find → stories
Asked how he can find humor in the darkest of times, Crystal laughed, "That's what I do!
asserted
I → ask → what
You have to, man.
asserted
You → have → ?
You got to, you got to …
asserted
you → got → ?
You know, we say when life gets tough, all you can do is laugh."
asserted
you → know → ?
Twenty-two years ago, Crystal did another one-man show: "700 Sundays," named for the approximately 700 Sundays he had with his father before he died.
asserted
he → do → father
And for Crystal, it was a cathartic experience, which he said healed him.
asserted
he → say → him
Asked if he thinks "860" will as well, Crystal replied, "It already has, 'cause I'm doing it, and I've been doing it.
asserted
I → ask → it
If I didn't get to perform it even, I'm OK.
asserted
I → get → it
I've absorbed the biggest pains that people couldn't go through, the loss of home, dearest of friends.
asserted
people → absorb → friends
Still, he says the body blows of 2025 have changed his outlook a bit.
asserted
blows → say → outlook
In "700 Sundays," he describes conversations with God.
asserted
he → describe → God
Asked if he has been talking to God over these past couple of years," he said, "No, 'cause I don't trust Him.
asserted
I → ask → Him
Too many bad things have happened.
asserted
things → happen → ?
…and 11 more, not listed.
The Aporia
