tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post4374486410755446081..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: Friday QuestionsBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-48178247763583374272018-04-12T07:14:44.945-07:002018-04-12T07:14:44.945-07:00Friday Question: I have a story idea that seems id...Friday Question: I have a story idea that seems ideal (and others I have polled agree) for a particular sitcom, but I'm not a writer, and already have another career.<br /><br />I could go through the effort of writing an entire episode spec script, but I understand those are pretty much ignored now for new shows.<br /><br />What's the best way to get that story idea in front of the show? Try to contact one of the existing writers for the show?Stevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00639548817447582649noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-30619991776687275992018-04-09T11:53:40.853-07:002018-04-09T11:53:40.853-07:00I remember that episode but wasn't there anoth...I remember that episode but wasn't there another episode with Paul and Helen Hunt interacting with Phoebe and thinking it was Ursala?<br /><br />Ken, Lisa Kudrow had a recurring role on "Mad about You" as a waitress. A twin sister for Phoebe on "Friends" would explain "her" appearance on "Mad about You."Donald from Chicagonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-84693001336833745172018-04-09T10:01:01.804-07:002018-04-09T10:01:01.804-07:00I, for one, would be very interested in your opini...I, for one, would be very interested in your opinion of Nell Scovell's book, "Just the Funny Parts." Donald from Chicagonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-7354098618524178312018-04-08T20:45:54.993-07:002018-04-08T20:45:54.993-07:00Big emerging stars can sometimes work out special ...Big emerging stars can sometimes work out special deals with their first position series when the showrunner wants to keep them happy, especially when it comes to movies. Gary David Goldberg eventually relented and allowed Michael J. Fox to film Back to the Future as long as the shooting schedule didn’t directly conflict with Family Ties. So Fox worked a whole lot of nights and weekends on the movie while doing the TV show in the daytime. When George Clooney played Batman, he shot that film while still working on ER. That situation was helped by the fact that both productions were owned by Warner Brothers, and both were shot on the WB lot in Burbank.<br /><br />@Green Luthor: You’re right about Stephen Root’s lack of credit in the early King of the Hill episodes. I once asked Paul Simms about that when Newsradio was still in production, and he kind of ducked the question. I couldn’t tell if he really didn’t know what I was talking about, or if he was being deliberately evasive.Andy Rosenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-30751914244492788682018-04-07T19:15:20.487-07:002018-04-07T19:15:20.487-07:00Friday Question: For procedural shows like ER or L...Friday Question: For procedural shows like ER or Law & Order, I know they have technical consultants to help. But how does it work when it's more than just technical jargon that's quickly spit out but instead but actual conversations or plot points. Even with someone to walk you thru it, it seems a lot to write about something you know nothing about.Poochienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-59698017089245959012018-04-07T13:50:44.870-07:002018-04-07T13:50:44.870-07:00"I also remember Helen Hunt and the other fem...<br /><br />"I also remember Helen Hunt and the other female lead from "Mad About You" appearing in the first season of "Friends". They stop for coffee at Central Perk and confuse Phoebe for Ursula."<br /><br />I remember that episode but wasn't there another episode with Paul and Helen Hunt interacting with Phoebe and thinking it was Ursala?Kennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-60804802028243164442018-04-07T12:10:15.283-07:002018-04-07T12:10:15.283-07:00I also remember Helen Hunt and the other female le...I also remember Helen Hunt and the other female lead from "Mad About You" appearing in the first season of "Friends". They stop for coffee at Central Perk and confuse Phoebe for Ursula.Liggienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-22881254731688897252018-04-07T09:37:42.461-07:002018-04-07T09:37:42.461-07:00Ken, here's a Friday Question for you, a sort-...Ken, here's a Friday Question for you, a sort-of follow-up to your recent "Cheers Conspiracy" post. <br />You mentioned that the Charles Brothers had a rule that "if we learned an element even approximated something done on another show we automatically threw it out." Given that, I was wondering your thoughts are about this story regarding "Instinct." <br />https://quartzy.qz.com/1245791/an-episode-of-the-cbs-show-instinct-appears-to-have-copied-an-episode-of-foxs-bones/<br />How common is something like this? Are other showrunners you've worked for as strict about that rule as the Charles Brothers were? And how do you think the "Instinct" showrunner could have avoided this problem (aside from not hiring that writer in the first place)?Tim Dunleavyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01881671137563687203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-58661700398487200442018-04-07T07:35:59.283-07:002018-04-07T07:35:59.283-07:00Late to the party again. My guess is that ken’s “...Late to the party again. My guess is that ken’s “house” is actually the Falcon Crest property.Douglas Trapassohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18348522207945522495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-66620437830115068822018-04-06T21:35:13.476-07:002018-04-06T21:35:13.476-07:00Heather Locklear was a regular on "T.J. Hokke...Heather Locklear was a regular on "T.J. Hokker" and semi-regular on "Dynasty" at the same time. It was workable since Aaron Spelling was the executive producer of both shows and they were broadcast on the same network (ABC). Edwardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03428768957017762182noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-46024703019848870662018-04-06T19:55:02.913-07:002018-04-06T19:55:02.913-07:00As a child in the 60s, I loved The Flintstones, la...As a child in the 60s, I loved The Flintstones, laugh track, and all. I was able to view MASH and ignore the laugh track. It's not that difficult. therealshellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05598639173652882797noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-46873168461864005572018-04-06T18:29:51.025-07:002018-04-06T18:29:51.025-07:00One of the worst things that ever happened to me w...One of the worst things that ever happened to me was seeing M*A*S*H, a show i worshipped from my childhood, with a laugh track. I'm just about able to watch an episode now and just about scrub it from my memory. <br /><br />Without the laugh track it was a sombre, wry show about people trying to deal with a horrible reality, with moments of warmth, humanity and genuine laughter. With the laugh track it's The Flintstones. I can't believe America watched it like that for the whole run (although I understand they turned it down in later seasons). <br /><br />I guess it's what you're used to, but I pray I never catch another re-run with a laugh track again.Johnny Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07157630082355224244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-23010487511031605492018-04-06T17:59:00.344-07:002018-04-06T17:59:00.344-07:00Brian
On this blog you’ll mostly get sympathy for ...Brian<br />On this blog you’ll mostly get sympathy for your opinion of the Rebecca years vs the Sam and Diane years. It means you just don’t get it and you never will. There have been lengthy discussions about it over the years—the last time was less than 2 years ago. I have loved most of the shows for which Ken has written, especially the two shows he and David created—-ALMOST PERFECT and BIG WAVE DAVE’S, but the first 5 years of CHEERS will always be his crowning achievement (IMHO). Of course, the second 6 years are also great. Diane D.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-67132704526213380352018-04-06T17:17:42.125-07:002018-04-06T17:17:42.125-07:00Man. The upkeep on Hearst, I mean, Levine Castle, ...Man. The upkeep on Hearst, I mean, Levine Castle, must be a bitch!<br /><br />Rory L. Aronskyhttp://scrapsofliteracy.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-53472064095982178682018-04-06T14:57:18.810-07:002018-04-06T14:57:18.810-07:00Speaking of the Rebecca years, I think the episode...Speaking of the Rebecca years, I think the episodes were still plenty funny compared to the episodes with Diane and coach. At first, I was worried about loosing a major character like that.Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00760229533287495672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-9116671901185359352018-04-06T14:36:57.055-07:002018-04-06T14:36:57.055-07:00Ken so enjoys living with Marion Davies. (As would...Ken so enjoys living with Marion Davies. (As would I.)VP81955https://www.blogger.com/profile/11792390726196611188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-85451079020162027812018-04-06T14:34:30.203-07:002018-04-06T14:34:30.203-07:00My mother loved "3rd Rock" and only knew...My mother <i>loved</i> "3rd Rock" and only knew of Wayne Knight as the sheriff, not as Newman (she thought "Seinfeld," in her words, was "too Jewish").VP81955https://www.blogger.com/profile/11792390726196611188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-7012837795981974252018-04-06T14:04:30.667-07:002018-04-06T14:04:30.667-07:00Mike Bloodworth - As the one who asked the questio...Mike Bloodworth - As the one who asked the question regarding laugh tracks, I must ask: Are you serious or just being snarky?VincentSnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-58367143498216129092018-04-06T13:57:01.970-07:002018-04-06T13:57:01.970-07:00Thanks Peter.
Thanks YEKIMI :)
I thought it woul...Thanks Peter.<br /><br />Thanks YEKIMI :)<br /><br />I thought it would some big star's house.<br /><br />Susannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-59960212893525237122018-04-06T13:56:16.507-07:002018-04-06T13:56:16.507-07:00Unless I'm misremembering, Stephen Root was on...Unless I'm misremembering, Stephen Root was on both NewsRadio and King of the Hill at the same time (for NBC and Fox, respectively), but went uncredited on King until after NewsRadio ended. (Not sure if that was at NBC's insistence, or because Root didn't want to draw attention from NBC that he was doing a show for Fox, though.)Green Luthorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11808312988625889127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-42203338887183557652018-04-06T13:47:42.467-07:002018-04-06T13:47:42.467-07:00Ken,
I don't want to come across as irony-def...Ken,<br /><br />I don't want to come across as irony-deficient, and it's probably an in-joke that I just don't get--but please, PLEASE tell me that obscene "mansion" isn't really your house.<br /><br />Frank Beansnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-52886573797021036282018-04-06T13:40:24.252-07:002018-04-06T13:40:24.252-07:00Glad to see you finally put in that pool.Glad to see you finally put in that pool.Alaskaraynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-73587249143978795892018-04-06T13:35:36.691-07:002018-04-06T13:35:36.691-07:00@ Susan. It's Elsa's from Frozen. It's...@ Susan. It's Elsa's from Frozen. It's her summer getaway.YEKIMIhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01921751875397071034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-39786352247676278902018-04-06T13:19:43.322-07:002018-04-06T13:19:43.322-07:00I always enjoyed the character of Ursala the waitr...I always enjoyed the character of Ursala the waitress Phoebe's twin sister in "Mad About You".<br />Were Friends and Mad About You from same network/production company?<br />How difficult/easy are these crossover episodes.<br />I remember that Ken spoke of some difficulty working on a crossover episode with Cybil Sheppard at one time.Kennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-56561280243886238182018-04-06T13:02:16.252-07:002018-04-06T13:02:16.252-07:00Susan if you click on the photo, you'll see He...Susan if you click on the photo, you'll see Hearst Castle in the photo's web address. It's a historical landmark open to visitors.Peternoreply@blogger.com