The COVID-19 pandemic has made its way throughout all corners of pop culture. Some, like Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, have been fortunate enough to survive the virus, reportedly without life-threatening complications. Other celebrities have not been so lucky. Fountains of Wayne frontman and Oscar nominated songwriter Adam Schlesinger is unfortunately in the latter camp, as the singer/songwriter has been reported as in a medically induced coma, thanks to his contraction of the coronavirus.
According to recent reports, Schlesinger has been on a ventilator for the past two weeks, and was only recently put into the coma. Deadline obtained this information from a fan account for one of the bands Adam Schlesinger was involved in, the indie pop group Ivy.
Most known for the Fountains of Wayne hit song “Stacy’s Mom”, Schlesinger has quite a fruitful resume in the world of TV and Movie music. He was also nominated for an Oscar and Golden Globe for the title track to the Tom Hanks written/directed cult classic That Thing You Do!, and has won Emmys for original songs written for Neil Patrick Harris’ hosting gig at the 65th and 66th annual Tony Awards telecasts.
Recently, Adam Schlesinger had served the Executive Music Producer on The CW’s Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, which won him his third Emmy; and he was set to open a musical, The Bedwetter, based on Sarah Silverman’s memoir of the same name, with previews planned for this May.
Schlesinger’s range of work also includes numerous other original songs written for the screen that most fans of his work might not have expected. In addition to the credits above, Adam Schlesinger crafted three original songs for the Hugh Grant/Drew Barrymore rom-com Music and Lyrics, and even co-wrote most of the songs in The Colbert Report’s Christmas special, A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!
But what’s probably his most memorable song, aside from his output as a pop rock hitmaker, is That Thing You Do!’s eponymous single; which he also sang backing vocals on. The song that propelled Tom Hanks’s fictional band, The Wonders, to meteoric stardom, it’s as catchy and memorable as “Stacy’s Mom”, and just as worthy of further appreciation.
No matter which facet of Adam Schlesinger’s work you’re a fan of, it’s undeniable that the man has had a hand in songs audiences have left theaters humming or turned off their TVs singing to their friends. We send his family and friends our most heartfelt wishes of comfort, and we hope that Mr. Schlesinger himself makes a speedy recovery from this horrific ailment.
As soon as any updates on Adam Schlesinger’s condition are available, we’ll report back with the news here at CinemaBlend.
