Adam Schlesinger: Fountains of Wayne co-founder in hospital due to coronavirus

Emmy-winning musician and songwriter, 52, has also worked on ‘Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’

Adam Schlesinger (left), Rachel Bloom and Jack Dolgen at the Emmy Awards on 14 September 2019. (Amy Sussman/Getty Images)

Musician and songwriter Adam Schlesinger is being hospitalised with coronavirus.

Schlesinger, a founding member of the band Fountains of Wayne and an Emmy-winning contributor to Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, has been at a hospital in Upstate New York for more than a week, his longtime attorney Josh Grier told Variety.

Grier also denied previous reports that Schlesinger, 52, is in a coma.

“He’s very sick and is heavily sedated, as are all people on ventilators, but no one has used the word ‘coma’ to me,” Grier told the publication.

Jaime Herman, another attorney who works with Schlesinger, shared a statement from the musician’s family with The Independent.

“Thank you for the outpouring of love for Adam and his family,” the statement reads.

“Adam has been hospitalised with Covid-19. He’s on a ventilator and has been sedated to facilitate his recovery. He is receiving excellent care, his condition is improving and we are cautiously optimistic. His family appreciates all of the love and support.”

Schlesinger, an EGOT contender, has won three Emmys – the most recent one in September 2019, in the Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics category for the song ”Antidepressants Are So Not A Big Deal” in Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.

He also scored a win in 2009 at the Grammys in the Best Comedy Album category for his work on A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift Of All!.

Schlesinger was nominated for a Tony Award in 2008 in the Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre category, for the musical Cry-Baby.

His tune “That Thing You Do!” from the movie of the same name earned him a nomination for Best Original Song at the 1997 Oscars.

Schlesinger is also a member of the bands Ivy and Tinted Windows.