tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post1821595986007235391..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: For anyone who hates assholes that text in theaters...By Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-28804366171007414812015-07-15T07:29:20.438-07:002015-07-15T07:29:20.438-07:00AS a guy who struggles with weight myself, the fun...AS a guy who struggles with weight myself, the funny thing to me is that William Conrad doesn't look all that fat compared to the numerous 3 or 4 hundred pound guys you see shopping or walking down the street these days.sumerladhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18118038839226891239noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-6829655137980069092015-07-13T14:35:55.943-07:002015-07-13T14:35:55.943-07:00Attending the opera The Barber of Seville at the D...Attending the opera <i>The Barber of Seville</i> at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion once, in $80 seats, when Rossini's famous overture began, the very well-dressed and jewel be-draped woman seated directly in front of me would not shut up, chattering away to her equally begowned and jeweled companion about whatever drivel was on her alleged mind. I asked her to please stop talking, and she replied: "But it's only the overture." I said: "It's a magnificent overture, and neither I nor anyone else around us paid $80 bucks to listen to you run your mouth. We paid to listen to Rossini, now shut the fuck up." She blustered that I was "Rude," but she didn't open her mouth again afterwards.<br /><br />On another occasion in the same theater, seeing Placido Domingo in Verdi's <i>Otello</i>, the guy sitting next to me had a small cassette tape recorder under his coat on which he was recording the opera, which I became aware of when he distracted me from the opera by popping out the cassette to turn it over and resume. (He had a microphone sticking out of his sleeve cuff. This guy was the Q of opera-stealers.) At intermission I turned that chump into the ushers, who came and took his recorder away from him, but let him stay.<br /><br />Seeing <i>Miss Saigon</i> on Broadway, our experience of the show was interrupted mid-way through act one when the Asian usherette began screeching at a man she'd found with a small video camera, recording the performance. I've never forgotten her screaming at this man: "This show cost four million dollar, and you think you can tape for free?" (Well, not for Free. Those tickets were pricey.) "You stealing show! This show cost four million dollar. You get out now. This show cost four million dollar! You no record it for free. You think you can steal four million dollar show?" The man and his camera were both ejected, and we all learned what it cost to stage .D. McEwannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-17791663205426239992015-07-13T11:27:27.233-07:002015-07-13T11:27:27.233-07:00ScottyB I am pretty sure Arye Gross plays a recurr...ScottyB I am pretty sure Arye Gross plays a recurring character on Castle.Salhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18324783489440027330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-84383176813914331912015-07-13T08:21:01.098-07:002015-07-13T08:21:01.098-07:00Jerry didn't ask for the heckler to be removed...Jerry didn't ask for the heckler to be removed, security was simply called in because he was being disruptive and arguing with others sitting next to him who were trying to enjoy the show. That being said, I know he joked once on his show that it's the ultimate comedian's revenge to heckle back at hecklers, but Jerry seems to have a little more dignity than that. And again, he didn't even really let it interrupt his set anyway till the guard got the heckler to the back of the theater and began confronting him about his behavior and we all began requesting they take it outside.Joseph Scarbroughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06851086150240380366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-49958307445792477982015-07-13T05:31:22.846-07:002015-07-13T05:31:22.846-07:00Joseph Scarborough, you mentioned that Seinfeld ne...Joseph Scarborough, you mentioned that Seinfeld needed a heckler to be physically removed. It seems unusual for a comedian as good as him to need security to remove a heckler rather than destroying him with humour. The best I've seen is a Brit comedian called Jimmy Carr, but I can't provide any examples in a family forum like this. His put-downs are on YouTube.Looseheadnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-23850525586445385752015-07-13T04:18:59.622-07:002015-07-13T04:18:59.622-07:00All these years, I had no idea I was actually livi...All these years, I had no idea I was actually living in the Magnited States of America.<br /><br />God, that's funny.Jake Mabehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01908036270824377919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-8371180095106992512015-07-12T21:53:12.483-07:002015-07-12T21:53:12.483-07:00I went to a Bill Cosby performance 10 years ago in...I went to a Bill Cosby performance 10 years ago in Vancouver, and he stopped the show to berate a young guy for talking on his phone, Cosby called him a drug dealer and talked to the person on the other side of the phone.Albert Giesbrechthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17742338183833125104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-4235082508588279032015-07-12T21:28:37.202-07:002015-07-12T21:28:37.202-07:00An oft-overlooked skill on the baseball field (by ...An oft-overlooked skill on the baseball field (by the way, she's 10): <br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJVdRuJy6oIDarrennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-49425841755984385512015-07-12T21:10:14.672-07:002015-07-12T21:10:14.672-07:00"And thank you for making me feel like a plai..."And thank you for making me feel like a plaintiff."Clarence Odbodynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-5754849852443491592015-07-12T21:05:08.440-07:002015-07-12T21:05:08.440-07:00"Of course I've texted in all the other t..."Of course I've texted in all the other theaters, but *this* time I was using it to find my seat. Your Honor, I rest my case."Clarence Odbodynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-20967040082660287172015-07-12T20:14:34.295-07:002015-07-12T20:14:34.295-07:00*Sarcasm Mode* I am just baffled that this happene...*Sarcasm Mode* I am just <i>baffled</i> that this happened in <i>Texas</i>!<br /><br />On a serious note, I went to a Bob Newhart show a couple of years ago, and I guess somebody's cellphone kept ringing or alerting or something, because at one point, Newhart paused mid-skit, and said to the particular audience member - while maintaining his German accent - "Shuut zat damn sink off!" Similarly, when to an Art Garfunkel concert not too many years ago, and likewise, he got a little pissy after a while where people apparently kept going to the bathroom in the middle of his performances. But the biggie was when I went to see Jerry Seinfeld in 2009: a security guard had to remove a heckler, and rather than escort him out of the building, he brought him to the back of the theater and began dressing him down for his conduct. Needless to say, many of us in the audience asked the guard and heckler to take it outside so we could enjoy the show, which they finally did. "Are they gone yet?" Asked Jerry when they finally left, which actually got him a laugh and applause.Joseph Scarbroughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06851086150240380366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-42334940474118046532015-07-12T19:40:06.810-07:002015-07-12T19:40:06.810-07:00Hi, Ken
Friday Question: The screenwriter Craig M...Hi, Ken<br /><br />Friday Question: The screenwriter Craig Mazin was talking on a podcast about that quirky type of plotting that you find in Arrested Development and Seinfeld/Curb. That recursive element, where jokes have a plot of their own. He was wondering if Seinfeld was the first to do that sort of thing. I was wondering if you'd come across any older shows that used the Seinfeld technique, and furthermore: what is that thing Seinfeld does?<br /><br /><br /><br />Morgan Lentnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-56958413557256114292015-07-12T17:43:53.245-07:002015-07-12T17:43:53.245-07:00Ken, from the NY Times Wayback Machine - March 20,...Ken, from the NY Times Wayback Machine - March 20, 1978<br /><br />I don't know how to direct-link it, but go there and then navigate to page 49 -<br />http://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1978/03/20/issue.html<br /><br />"<b>TV Tunes In Sex As Crime Fades</b>"<br /><br />There's a photo with it, captioned - "Marcy Hanson is one the 'Rollergirls,' which starts a limited preview series on NBC April 3."<br /><br />Among the gems: <br /><br /><i>"I think the fact that these women are attractive is part of a trend," Stephen Gentry. ABC's West Coast vice president for programming, said.</i><br /><br /><i>Several years ago, he continued, viewers warmed to less attractive characters like William Conrad, the portly detective in "Cannon." "Now, I think we are in a period when people relate to slightly less larger than life" characters who are physically attractive, he said.</i><br /><br />"slightly less larger than life" - OK.Igornoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-26928024360962792982015-07-12T17:27:56.021-07:002015-07-12T17:27:56.021-07:00Re my comment about second bananas. It's prett...Re my comment about second bananas. It's pretty interesting where You're That Guy! guys turns up these days. Still, it's a living.<br />http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=furniture+commercial+tell+it+to+the+judge&FORM=VIRE1#view=detail&mid=F2A2885BC49D7EA17E04F2A2885BC49D7EA17E04ScottyBnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-56804236550311648132015-07-12T17:20:48.175-07:002015-07-12T17:20:48.175-07:00I'm thinking Ken Levine needs a blog that allo...I'm thinking Ken Levine needs a blog that allows for editing. Either that, or me not drinking so much hahahahaahahahaahahaha.<br />]ScottyBnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-20385888816069625602015-07-12T17:19:04.945-07:002015-07-12T17:19:04.945-07:00As a follow-up to my Friday Question: Joel Murray ...As a follow-up to my Friday Question: Joel Murray (brother of Bill) immediately to mind, too. So does Hamish Linklater (the brother on 'New Adventures of Old Christine').ScottyBnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-5976328519162908442015-07-12T17:13:37.107-07:002015-07-12T17:13:37.107-07:00Another Friday Question for Ken, except a two-part...Another Friday Question for Ken, except a two-parter: Now there's a rerun on TV of the 'Ellen' sitcom, and it causes me to recall that Arye Gross was all over the place back then, and very likeable in his roles, but then he pretty much dropped off the planet.<br /><br />LA is probably full of second-banana actors like this who were actually really good at what they do, and probably made a decent living doing it at some point. Question 1: Is there an particular second-banana actor you have a soft spot for? Question 2: As far as being an actor making a decent living, is there necessarily anything wrong with be a second banana. Yeah, everyone wants to be the star, but that's not what I'm talking about here.ScottyBnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-88924660193598975822015-07-12T17:02:03.911-07:002015-07-12T17:02:03.911-07:00Nothing to do with the theater or Patti LuPone, bu...Nothing to do with the theater or Patti LuPone, but rather a Friday Question:<br /><br />When casting for a part, have you ever run across an actor who has been basically buttonholed (or buttonholed themselves) into a type, but have buttonholed themselves so well into that type that there's no way in hell anyone else could pull off that part nearly as well?<br /><br />I think of this while watching a rerun of 'Empty Nest' that featured Fred Stoller, better known among most of us as Ray's cousin Gerard on 'Everybody Loves Raymond'.ScottyBnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-48318791197233139652015-07-12T16:55:05.997-07:002015-07-12T16:55:05.997-07:00Katharine Hepburn stopped a play to say, "We ...Katharine Hepburn stopped a play to say, "We will wait until one selfish person has finished taking pictures." The selfish person was finished in a hurry. So much more gracious than Laurence Fishburne's legendary "ANSWER THE FUCKING PHONE!"Buttermilk Skyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07430011403223875192noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-40959628622238330152015-07-12T15:19:55.328-07:002015-07-12T15:19:55.328-07:00Funny you say that, Traci. I thought of that too....Funny you say that, Traci. I thought of that too. :)<br />By Ken Levinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-58064647892337948982015-07-12T14:56:23.183-07:002015-07-12T14:56:23.183-07:00Of course, then there's the fact that in the s...Of course, then there's the fact that in the second "video" someone must have been illegally recording the sound.... Ah, life's little ironies.tkleinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06801356969132616162noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-55368212838475555182015-07-12T14:22:37.005-07:002015-07-12T14:22:37.005-07:00Whoops II - Moer typos, no more posts for me todya...Whoops II - Moer typos, no more posts for me todyaIgornoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-52906539630801861752015-07-12T14:20:59.828-07:002015-07-12T14:20:59.828-07:00I went to see "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon...I went to see "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" at a theater in L.A. and a woman started to read every single subtitle to her young son. Not a whisper, mind you, but quite loud. I asked her to stop. She did. With attitude. But she did stop. Chrisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-89007950625422088722015-07-12T14:06:14.247-07:002015-07-12T14:06:14.247-07:00Whoops. "... and she began narrating it as i...Whoops. "... and she began <b>narrating</b> it as it it were a travelogue..."Igornoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-59733048320472509202015-07-12T14:04:44.678-07:002015-07-12T14:04:44.678-07:00When I saw "A Passage to India", an Indi...When I saw "A Passage to India", an Indian woman was sitting by me with her son, and she began it as if it were a travelogue - "And that's where I met your father." <br /><br />When I asked her to stop, she said, "You can't tell me how I may talk to my own child!" I left, got a free ticket for a later show.Igornoreply@blogger.com