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| Pretend this is me |
And I'd be remiss if I didn't plug my book. (Hey, I haven't done it in over a week.) You can find out more about it, see the trailer, tons of photos and videos by going here.
And so you don't think I'm totally shameless, I'd like to recommend three books that aren't mine. Two are about the early fun days of radio and the other is about the fun days of show business as told by a 120 year old woman.
Anyone who grew up in Southern California in the '50s and '60s knows about Color Radio KFWB and Boss Radio KHJ. The program directors of those two wildly successful and groundbreaking stations have each written a book.
Chuck has the most positive creative energy of anyone I think I've ever met, and reading his book you'll not only enjoy the adventures but be inspired to go out and do something creative yourself. In paperback only (for now). You can order it here.
These two men are quite a contrast. Both are creative geniuses and have had a huge impact on me. But Chuck Blore is like Tony Robbins while Ron Jacobs is Vince Lombardi. I recommend them and I'm sure Oprah would too if she knew about them.
Finally, for you readers in the UK, next Saturday night at 10:00 on BBC TWO there will be a documentary called FAMILY GUYS? WHAT SITCOMS SAY ABOUT AMERICA. I participated although I have no idea how much of my interview they will use. They spoke to me for over an hour so I'm guessing eight seconds tops. I haven't seen the documentary but the questions were good so I assume the program will be as well. Let me know how it was. Here's where you go for details.
Well, now that you've mentioned answering sex questions, you pretty much have to do a sexy edition of Friday Questions. This is your destiny.
ReplyDeleteFriday question: why do so many networks, especially nowadays, air the pilot, then the third produced episode and then the second one? Is it a coincidence that they think the third one is the strongest or is it something else?
ReplyDeleteDo you want one of us to record a copy of the BBC documentary for you?
ReplyDeletewg
Thanks, Wendy but that won't be necessary. They said they would send me a copy. Hope you are well. Can you believe it's been about a year since our last Sitcom Room?
ReplyDeleteSo now we Americans are to be judged by what Brian and Stewie do? Great. (BTW- I see "Danny Kaye" is hosting the Oscars...)
ReplyDeleteI just finished listening to the audio book version, and with the exception of your opinions about "2001: A Space Odyssey" and your repeated pronunciation of "nuke-you-lur", I found it thoroughly delightful. (Study elocution with George W., did you?)
ReplyDeleteYou and I grew up at the same time, and at opposite ends of the same valley, so every single one of your references and stories had amazing resonance!
I can't be the only one hoping for a sequel! (Or maybe that's what this blog is about--stories from your career in Show Biz.)
Thanks again for making me laugh like an idiot during my early evening walks.
Donnie, I too disagree with Ken's evaluation of 2001, which I consider a great work of film art, but I can also understand why lots of folks thought it boring. Ray Bradbury hated it. Pauline Kael didn't care much for it, though she likes it more than Ken does, but then, try and find a Kubrick film that Kael liked. The Killing and Lolita were about it.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad now I read the print version. "Nuke-you-lur" would have driven me nuts too. I can not understand why that mispronounciation has gained such wide usage. "Nuclear" is pronounced exactly the way it's spelled.
Ken: I know. The year has gone quickly. Megan and I did follow up by writing a one-act play for Andrie's theater (all Sitcom Room 2011 attendees), but its production has been sadly delayed until 2013.
ReplyDeleteHave a good time at this year's event! Though you can hardly get lucky enough to have the cartoon people a second year running!
wg
Ahead of the Funny Guys? documentary, I'll unleash my inner Cliff Clavin and suggest this Family Template for Sitcom Characters.
ReplyDeletea) Functional layer, with three character types: parent (authority figure, stabilizes), child (instigates mayhem) and family pet (random, offbeat). All 3 types can instigate.
b) Customising layer, completely independent of Functional layer. Gender, age, race, religion, sexuality.
c) Personality, partly derived from previous layers.
This can also be applied to workplace and romantic comedies. In romcoms, the parents are the central couple.
Big Bang Theory: parents (Penny & Leonard), children (Howard & Rajesh), pet (Sheldon).
Friends: parents (Monica & Chandler), children (Rachel & Joey), pets (Phoebe & Ross). (Derived from early episodes, fortelling the programme's ending.)
Everybody Loves Raymond: The children are older than the parents.
No doubt this is all nonsense, but fun to play with.
Saw the BBC documentary. Good viewing, but a bit disjointed. Premise was US politics, religion and race relations can be tracked by the changing face of sitcoms.
ReplyDeleteReally interesting stuff, but with an hour to cover such a massive topic, it could only really give a cursory treatment of the issues, and might have been better served if they'd say done an hour on politics, or religion, or race relations, rather than trying to cover all three.
Also didn't help that they didn't have many interviews with the people behind the shows they analysed, eg. a lot of discussion of South Park, but rather than interview Trey Parker and Matt Stone, they talked to a magazine editor who watches South Park.
Similarly, the portion of your interview they showed was about Modern Family. Again, interesting stuff, but I'd rather hear the guys behind Modern Family discuss Modern Family and hear your thoughts on Cheers or Frasier.
Did they you about your own shows at all?