Friday Questions

Remember when this would be the start of a big July 4^th weekend?  Here’s some FQ’s to distract you.

 

benson  gets us started.

 

Assuming there was a TV writers wing of a Television Hall of Fame and it was similar to baseball's, on you plaque, which "cap" would you be wearing? MASH, Cheers, Big Wave Dave's?

 

The big assumption is that I get inducted. 

 

but I would say MASH.  It’s the series that’s most revered, and there’s certainly a special place in my heart for it.  MASH is absolutely the show that launched our career.  I wear that hat proudly.  But can I wear a CHEERS scarf?

 

scottmc asks:

 

Antenna TV just aired the BECKER episode 'Drive, They Said', which David and you wrote. The description of the show indicated that 'Becker finds three men(Bill Cosby,Ray Romano and Kevin James) side by side in his waiting room". A couple of questions; were you on the set when it was taped, had you worked on Everybody Loves Raymond prior to this? The scene with Cosby, Romano and James was cut. At first, I just figured it was cut so the station could add commercials. But I read that the scene isn't included in the DVD. Any insight connected with this Becker is appreciated.(Were you responsible for the description of the poetry of baseball. Was the opponent always going to be McGuire and the Cardinals?)

 

Yes, on the last two questions. 

 

As for the Cosby/Romano/James teaser – this was a promotion that CBS ran one night.  All four Thursday night sitcoms at that time took place in New York, so they thought “wouldn’t it be fun to have crossover episodes for all four shows?”  Each show would do a teaser featuring all four stars in character.  Each show had to figure a reason for the four to get together.    And if I’m not mistaken, they filmed the one for Cosby on the West Coast.    His show was actually filmed in New York. 

 

I was on the BECKER set the day they shot that teaser.  This was before I directed Ray so I didn’t know him at the time. 

 

Here’s what I remember:  Ray Romano and Kevin James were lovely.  Bill Cosby was a giant asshole.  Fortunately, Cosby came with his showrunner, who was basically his wrangler. We'd still be there if it wasn't for him. 

 

But Cosby questioned everything, balked at everything, and made it a much less pleasant experience for all concerned.  It also took several hours to film instead of a few minutes.

 

To my knowledge, that teaser has never aired beyond that one night.  I don’t miss it.  I’m sure if I saw it again it would just bring up lousy memories. 

 

From Troy McClure:

 

Ken, I've never seen a Natalie Wood movie (I'm sorry). Which do you recommend I start with? Splendor in the Grass, West Side Story, Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice?

 

I would say SPLENDOR IN THE GRASS.  Maybe LOVE WITH A PROPER STRANGER.   She’s delicious in THE GREAT RACE, but I don’t know how well the comedy holds up. 

 

In WEST SIDE STORY she plays a Puerto Rican, which is a stretch, and her songs are all sung by someone else.  Not her shining hour. 

 

And finally, from marka:

 

I'm here listening to your podcast where you're talking about rewriting jokes for your play "A or B" until six in the morning.

 

Are you mostly coming up with new jokes in a situation like that or rewriting the original jokes - different words, different beats, different dialects, different set ups, but essentially keeping the same joke?

 

Mostly new jokes.  In some cases I may toss out a run and substitute a new one. 

 

I’m less inclined to tinker with an existing joke that doesn’t work.  I’d rather shoot for something new.

 

What’s your Friday Question?