tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post2251490881401630029..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: Friday QuestionsBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-53053549538272286132016-11-28T11:20:56.772-08:002016-11-28T11:20:56.772-08:00Here's the Wikipedia page about that Tom Arnol...Here's the Wikipedia page about that Tom Arnold sitcom that was supposed to be an homage to The Dick Van Dyke Show...<br /><br />https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jackie_Thomas_ShowWendyTnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-77126307431880213292016-11-25T04:29:01.481-08:002016-11-25T04:29:01.481-08:00I saw the Jeff Daniels speech from the first episo...I saw the Jeff Daniels speech from the first episode of The Newsroom on youtube (the font of all knowledge) again recently and as far as I can tell a lot of people completely miss what I think is the point of the speech. To me it is that America is a great country with a few problems but that they can be overcome if Americans aspire to be great like their ancestors were. I think it is an incredibly patriotic speech. Do you agree with me and have you ever written something that people have completely misunderstood? I'm not American by the way, I'm an Aussie.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-45814650110666961552016-11-23T12:58:21.948-08:002016-11-23T12:58:21.948-08:00Does "Bye Bye Braverman" count as an obs...Does "Bye Bye Braverman" count as an obscure movie .I saw it once,years ago,here on English TV .I remember it as very funny but I've never seen it again.BillShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12285501179397724529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-45005379757304928132016-11-20T17:31:07.952-08:002016-11-20T17:31:07.952-08:00Cosby maybe the greatest sitcom pilot of all time....Cosby maybe the greatest sitcom pilot of all time. It had all the elements there. And they may never have done a better episode. <br />The Bumble Bee Pendanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11782074071758250824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-26984979781215326672016-11-20T17:17:42.184-08:002016-11-20T17:17:42.184-08:00@Shaun S: None of Carlin's Seven Dirty Words a...@Shaun S: None of Carlin's Seven Dirty Words are regularly used on American broadcast television, unless you count the phrase "pissed off" (angry), which is considered a pretty anodyne term these days. But those specific words are just words that Carlin chose for his routine. Contrary to popular belief (and even what some professors teach), the Seven Dirty Words are not expressly forbidden. It all depends on context. All of those words have been put on the air accidentally at one time or another. Shit and piss have been used deliberately a few times, including on Chicago Hope, NYPD Blue, and On Golden Pond. Even fuck has been allowed on network TV as part of the Naudet brothers 9/11 documentary and Saving Private Ryan.<br /><br />Probably the biggest change on broadcast TV in recent years is that "dick" used to be forbidden. But it's usually allowed now as long as it means someone who's being a jerk. It's still not allowed to be used to refer to a literal penis.<br /><br />On prime time basic cable, you can get away with just about anything now except the f-word, although those networks prefer that some words be used only occasionally. On The Walking Dead, Negan swears quite a bit, but not as ferociously as the character does in the original comic. The producers of Breaking Bad said they were allowed one "fuck" per season, but even that was usually muted on air.Andy Rosenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-42260628413989821532016-11-20T15:47:12.243-08:002016-11-20T15:47:12.243-08:00I wonder if anyone besides me saw "IF I WERE ...I wonder if anyone besides me saw "IF I WERE YOU" (unfortunate title). I loved that movie. Marsha McCreadie from The Village Voice was the only positive review I read, which is why it only opened in a few theatres I presume. I would love to know why so many critics disliked that movie. The Director was the Canadian, Joan Carr-Wiggin. McCreadie called it a screwball comedy, Canadian style, and I would agree with that. Marcia Gay Harden stars and she is just wonderful, IMHO. It also has a young Spanish actress. The best part of the movie is that M.G. Harden accidentally gets the part of (Queen) Lear in an off-off broadway production of KING LEAR. She is so good in the brief parts of the play that we see in the movie, it makes you wish they would do an entire production of that play with a woman (Harden) in the role. It's on NETFLIX if anyone wants to see it. And if anyone has seen it and could explain to me what is wrong with it, that would be great. Diane D.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-52702173945699414282016-11-20T08:33:32.863-08:002016-11-20T08:33:32.863-08:00Thank you for mentioning BETWEEN THE LINES. At the...Thank you for mentioning BETWEEN THE LINES. At the time, I was in college and working on the college newspaper which was undergoing a bit of a funding crisis (spoiler: it survived). And I felt after watching that movie that I had worked with all of those people. <br /><br />I love it when they take something I've been intimately involved in and render it correctly. (I also covered a minor league baseball team, and Bull Durham got it pretty much right ... although I never saw Susan Sarandon at the ball park.)Rays profilehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13375762252351537791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-41683951483610994752016-11-20T00:58:50.567-08:002016-11-20T00:58:50.567-08:00Just wondering if you'd seen either of these p...Just wondering if you'd seen either of these posts from Cory Edwards and your take on one or both.<br /><br />TO THE CREATORS - http://coryedwards.com/?p=1278<br />DO YOU REALLY WANT TO PITCH? - http://coryedwards.com/?p=1266<br /><br />Thanks again for the great insights and stories. Always entertaining.<br /><br />Ed Dempsey<br />San Jose, CAEd Dempseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13098170583126966512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-63854384791599469842016-11-19T23:55:30.530-08:002016-11-19T23:55:30.530-08:00The Sopranos was shown on CTV in Canada before Can...The Sopranos was shown on CTV in Canada before Canada got HBO.Albert Giesbrechthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17742338183833125104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-56080074552123532542016-11-19T23:47:36.890-08:002016-11-19T23:47:36.890-08:00I was an extra in one of those "cookie-cutter...I was an extra in one of those "cookie-cutter Hallmark movies, "Love Is Never Silent." Albert Giesbrechthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17742338183833125104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-81485478663257663092016-11-19T23:42:54.027-08:002016-11-19T23:42:54.027-08:00I think the "Jackie Thomas Show qualifies, if...I think the "Jackie Thomas Show qualifies, if you think NAMBLA jokes are funny.Albert Giesbrechthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17742338183833125104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-4088569249497551802016-11-19T10:34:52.794-08:002016-11-19T10:34:52.794-08:00I am the one who asked the question about Steelyar...I am the one who asked the question about Steelyard Blues.<br />You know my name.<br />It is yours ( well first name at least) so here's Ken saying to Ken now that you ken my name I no longer am unknown to thou.<br />Trying hard for alliteration and failing miserably.Kennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-28608064857220243122016-11-19T07:51:03.605-08:002016-11-19T07:51:03.605-08:00Thank you for mentioning A Thousand Clowns; it'...Thank you for mentioning A Thousand Clowns; it's one of my favorite movies that no one seems to have even heard of. I even used a clip from early in the movie in one of my (as yet unreleased) songs:<br /><br />Murray: Nick, you are about to see a horrible, horrible thing.<br />Nick: What's that, Murray?<br />Murray: People going to work.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15590754415950614036noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-53805414341996876262016-11-19T07:09:52.205-08:002016-11-19T07:09:52.205-08:00I still think it's weird that a country where ...I still think it's weird that a country where you can so easily get a gun and so easily get hardcore pornography is so prudish when it comes to nudity and swearing on network TV. Does anybody know how many of George Carlin's 7 dirty words you can say on American network TV now, I've heard them all on Australian TV. I think on British TV you can say them all and have the nudity as well. I guess the most confusing thing to us is how in America they want to ban violent video games and songs and movies but allow such easy access to guns most of us tend to think why don't you just ban the f***ing guns? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-8140965129667311972016-11-19T07:00:54.268-08:002016-11-19T07:00:54.268-08:00The roommate of one of my (sadly, late) college fr...The roommate of one of my (sadly, late) college friends in the 1980s pointedly stopped watching Dick Van Dyke reruns after watching one episode where Rob Petrie mentioned, in passing, having to give Laura her weekly allowance. He couldn't bring himself to watch the show after a sexist comment like that.AndrewJnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-41817711568726820382016-11-19T06:22:47.015-08:002016-11-19T06:22:47.015-08:00I'm sure there are examples to the contrary, b...I'm sure there are examples to the contrary, but todahy child actors are generally better in sitcoms than in the past. Or maybe Richie is just the worst...<br /><br />Does he get better past the first half of the first season?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18119151986422812833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-26182613607199228412016-11-19T05:07:52.039-08:002016-11-19T05:07:52.039-08:00I like Craig's list (not the site but the actu...I like Craig's list (not the site but the actual list above) and I'll add a few of my own: "Harry and Tonto", "Brewster McCloud", and "Charley Varrick."<br />DARON72https://www.blogger.com/profile/01726705799261360259noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-37698644188748933472016-11-19T04:09:29.721-08:002016-11-19T04:09:29.721-08:00Ken, there are some movies that I would enjoy wat...Ken, there are some movies that I would enjoy watching again (or in some cases never seen) that are darn near impossible to find on video.Barry Traylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14134880916215990198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-55086994026006449892016-11-18T23:23:46.930-08:002016-11-18T23:23:46.930-08:00Andy Rose's point is dead on about the Safe Ha...Andy Rose's point is dead on about the Safe Harbor rule and why broadcasters don't air bad language and mild nudity after 10PM, even though they legally could. The situation is similar with basic cable networks, which legally could air anything they want, but limit themselves for fear of advertiser or viewer backlash.Mike Schryverhttp://otrcomedy.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-13092883127104018562016-11-18T21:31:47.884-08:002016-11-18T21:31:47.884-08:00Ken, if you had a great idea for a commercial or s...Ken, if you had a great idea for a commercial or series of commercials, would there be a realistic way for you to sell that idea and write the commercial and see it get made? Or would you just have to use your idea in a different project ("Woody auditions for a commercial!"). I know Stan Freberg did distinguished and innovative work in this area so I am assuming you wouldn't look down on the format.Robert Rosennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-75063254831233191712016-11-18T21:03:12.867-08:002016-11-18T21:03:12.867-08:00Mikes Murder came out in the 80'sMikes Murder came out in the 80'sMarkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04725015698981011708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-36305994691110278402016-11-18T19:13:13.463-08:002016-11-18T19:13:13.463-08:00@Stoney: Giving AM stations over entirely to broke...@Stoney: Giving AM stations over entirely to brokered foreign-language programming is becoming a lot more common. I don't know if WRCR can be successful as a online-only station, but if they were making money from advertisers on their over-the-air signal, they wouldn't be selling their time in the first place. Here in Atlanta, WQXI is one of the most famous heritage AM stations in town, first as a Top 40 station and then doing sports talk. They're ratings have gone so far downhill in the past couple of years that they recently converted to brokered Korean language programming.<br /><br />@Steve Lanzi: The Safe Harbor rules from the FCC say that stations can broadcast just about anything they want between 10pm and 6am as long as it's not "obscene." (In other words, no pornography.) So broadcasters could air most cable shows virtually uncut after 10:00 if they wanted to do so. They don't because of a concern about community backlash and advertiser threats, not FCC rules.Andy Rosenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-41639700339395009912016-11-18T17:30:22.417-08:002016-11-18T17:30:22.417-08:00Thanks Ken for answering my question..When I think...Thanks Ken for answering my question..When I think of something else equally weird, I shall ask again...In the meantime, I will enjoy your blog..Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-86925775573141744552016-11-18T16:34:00.665-08:002016-11-18T16:34:00.665-08:00My top 25 Slipped Through the Cracks movies:
The ...My top 25 Slipped Through the Cracks movies:<br /><br />The Tall Guy<br />Start the Revolution Without Me<br />The Party<br />The Ruling Class<br />What’s Up, Doc?<br />Skidoo<br />The Front<br />The Cooler<br />The President’s Analyst<br />The Strawberry Blonde (Not just my favorite James Cagney film. It's my favorite film; period.)<br />Son of Paleface<br />The Time of Their Lives (Lou Costello is shot & *killed* on screen, comes back as a ghost; haunts Bud Abbott)<br />Little Murders<br />Cold Turkey<br />Diplomaniacs<br />7 Faces of Dr. Lao<br />Smile<br />The Wrong Box<br />The Hospital<br />Eating Raoul<br />State and Main<br />Pandemonium<br />The First Nudie Musical<br />A New Leaf<br />The Freshman (Marlon Brando & Matthew Broderick. I was the only one in the theater who laughed – loudly – when Matthew Broderick learned his new identity was to be Rudolpho Lassparri.)Craig Gustafsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14503925766039307551noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-54913002590527224062016-11-18T15:43:04.078-08:002016-11-18T15:43:04.078-08:00Shaun - in the USA there's concerns about kids...Shaun - in the USA there's concerns about kids (anyone under 18) watching, even well into the night. Although over the years, standards have certainly loosened. Some of the plots of "Law & Order: SVU" would have been unimaginable in the 1960s/70s, and today's late-night talk shows have even less restrictions (or at least, the FCC isn't hassling them).<br /><br />Also, in a way it's unnecessary for all the standards on American non-pay TV to go out the window, as they've peacefully co-existed for over 20 years by now with HBO and other cable networks that don't have to follow FCC rules. If those options weren't available, I'd bet that by now the major networks would have lobbied for and received permission to provide an "adults only" block by now, most likely after 10pm.Steve Lanzi (formerly known as qdpsteve)https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=19336675&postID=2251490881401630029&bpli=1noreply@blogger.com