tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post4852093415809558566..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: Friday QuestionsBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-7584949574909042282021-09-25T13:21:10.897-07:002021-09-25T13:21:10.897-07:00We insisted on being happy! We were Hippies and Yi...We insisted on being happy! We were Hippies and Yippies. We had “Love-Ins”. Look at the cover of the “Woodstock” album and see the young couple hugging beneath the blanket, among all those thousands of free and happy souls…<br /><br />... know what? THEY HATED THAT, TOO! They resented that regardless of anything they did to them, their kids were happy! They considered that Woodstock photo an attack on all they held sacred (whatever the hell THAT was).<br /><br />Ours was the only generation that had the word “Baby” in their name. And to our elders, we were “babies” into and beyond adulthood. And then the subsequent generations would also spit the word out disdainfully, even as they were blaming US for the world our own forebears had established.<br /><br />We’re condemned to taking the word “Baby” to our nursing homes and our graves. Everybody hates us, and always will. And as for us? We laugh. We dance. We’re happy. We still get high (oh, you thought you INVENTED weed? Yes, that’s it…). Because, what else can ya do, hah?<br /><br />So now you know why disc jockeys were our Thing, and why they didn’t suck. “OK Boomers” are entitled to their own thing. Everyone is. Your negative opinion about Top 40 Radio, something that was never designed for you, means zilch.<br /><br />(Look up “zilch”).<br /><br />p.s… Click my HTML link and Enjoy!Russ DiBellohttps://allthatsinteresting.com/woodstock-album-couple-nick-bobbi-ercolinenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-36678859825524613432021-09-23T08:56:27.030-07:002021-09-23T08:56:27.030-07:00I've always assumed that crying on cue is one ...I've always assumed that crying on cue is one of the hardest things an actor can do. Can you share any experiences you have had where actors have to perform very emotional scenes, regarding their preparation or actual performance?Bob Parishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07175050567107026421noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-67722289543241187422021-09-22T06:04:30.306-07:002021-09-22T06:04:30.306-07:00An FQ: Sometime you hear about somebody doing an &...An FQ: Sometime you hear about somebody doing an "uncredited rewrite" on a movie script. Doesn't that run afoul of union rules about how credit is supposed tk be divided? Stephen Cudmorenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-46900094456166446372021-09-22T01:12:01.297-07:002021-09-22T01:12:01.297-07:00Friday Question: Watched the first episode of the ...Friday Question: Watched the first episode of the second season of THE MORNING SHOW, and since there were two years in between seasons, I realized I didn't remember half of the plot points, characters and story arches. Seemed to me the writers didn't bother too much with getting their audience up to speed, so my interest dwindled soon.<br /><br />My question: Is this a new problem? Because it seems to me, some shows overestimate how much we, the audience, still know about the shows details after months or even years with different shows and movies in between. Did you sparkle some information about what changed last season in the first episode of the new series? Or didn't you have that problem since there weren't too many changes in sitcoms? Oliverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13788337208167065946noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-29124115189877199902021-09-21T12:11:11.929-07:002021-09-21T12:11:11.929-07:00Another Friday Question - have you watched "M...Another Friday Question - have you watched "Murders in the Building" and what did you think? I'm on episode 3 - I think like a lot of these shows 2 episodes and done - it is great. 3 and more is stretching it.JShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13376748020962332059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-2214138508118878882021-09-19T14:12:43.078-07:002021-09-19T14:12:43.078-07:00My Friday Question - No-one really broke out from ...My Friday Question - No-one really broke out from MASH No-one became a big movie star or had another successful tv show, especially the secondary actors. What do they do for money? Do residuals pay that much?JShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13376748020962332059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-63500163023435226002021-09-18T21:09:31.300-07:002021-09-18T21:09:31.300-07:00Unfortunately, the death of an actor/actress or so...Unfortunately, the death of an actor/actress or someone at any level of a series or movie happens. Of the many productions that you've been involved in, what person's death has had the greatest impact altogether on what you were working on and how was it dealt with? Kyle Burresshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10393375301859311504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-88807760670795726702021-09-18T10:35:11.507-07:002021-09-18T10:35:11.507-07:00Friday question. Comedy shows as far back as Dick ...Friday question. Comedy shows as far back as Dick Van Dyke, right up to the Big Bang Theory, often didn't do well in the beginning. Sometime it took an entire season of 22 episodes for them to find their way, juggle the cast and click with the audience. But now with streaming, some shows only get 8 or so episodes per season, hardly enough time for them to course correct the show and find their direction. Dramas can do a short action-packed 8-10 episode series but what do you think the future of comedy shows is going to be? Are shows going to be cancelled long before find their way? Are we ever going to see 10 season hits like Cheers, M*A*S*H, Friends or the Big Bang Theory ever again?Marv WolfmanMarv Wolfmanhttp://marvwolfman.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-31619428728535028082021-09-18T04:36:30.415-07:002021-09-18T04:36:30.415-07:00I miss the days when all three networks had full l...I miss the days when all three networks had full line-ups of Saturday morning shows for kids, and would air preview shows on the Friday before the new season started. Now there are only weekend editions of their morning shows, with a few E/I-compliant shows about animals thrown in.Philly Cinephilehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03882199549298409881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-26424053246447080012021-09-17T17:13:07.756-07:002021-09-17T17:13:07.756-07:00Re: Jerry Belson, I'd like to mention a couple...Re: Jerry Belson, I'd like to mention a couple of his contributions to cinema. He wrote the 1975 beauty pageant satire SMILE (a terrific film) and contributed, sans credit, to the writing of Spielberg's CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND.Francis Dollarhydehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16974200244125077414noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-80465861263399080512021-09-17T15:57:30.952-07:002021-09-17T15:57:30.952-07:00Is there anyone that you've worked with in you...Is there anyone that you've worked with in your different careers (say as a radio DJ and then in television)? And was it an intentional choice or just a coincidence? I'm not counting the Zoom readings of CHEERS from last year towards this.DyHrdMEThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07621011643939597497noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-66341235257035920862021-09-17T14:42:20.425-07:002021-09-17T14:42:20.425-07:00Friday Question (sorry, it's a long one): I...Friday Question (sorry, it's a long one): I've always been fascinated with the character of Father Mulcahy. It seems like most "religious characters" on sitcoms are either hypocrites (like Frank Burns) or sporadic in their faith, with religion only getting mentioned when it's convenient (like Carla Tortelli). Mulcahy was like most people of faith I know: devout, serious, and consistent in his faith, not averse to a few drinks or a hand of poker, and apt to get angry or prideful occasionally (but not one who would break his vows--in his case, chastity). He wasn't perfect, but he was also neither flippant nor overly pious in his faith.<br /><br />What was it like to write that character--was there a trick to making his faith consistent but not irritating? Why is it hard for TV to avoid caricatures of "religious people?" Was there anything odd about writing a priest when you're Jewish, or was it no different from writing a doctor when you hadn't been to med school? And how much of making the Father Mulcahy character work seemed to be in the writing vs. William Christopher's performance?ReticentRabbitnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-55678209902284017102021-09-17T14:37:26.931-07:002021-09-17T14:37:26.931-07:00Great idea by CBS to feature Annaleigh Ashford in ...Great idea by CBS to feature Annaleigh Ashford in its fall preview show. Her Broadway chops shine in those (purposely corny) musical numbers, and it's good for "B Positive" fans to see there's more to her than Gina. I'm also intrigued to see how well she does drama, as she's playing Paula Jones in that miniseries about the Clinton impeachment.<br /><br />I also can't wait to see "Ghosts". Rose McIver was fantastic in "iZombie", as she had to play a different character each week, and I'm happy she's getting an opportunity with a network sitcom. Liggienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-3048979352858536362021-09-17T13:58:51.059-07:002021-09-17T13:58:51.059-07:00In the Jerry Belson vein (as a guy who could deliv...In the Jerry Belson vein (as a guy who could deliver his own lines funnier than the actors) - did he ever work as a comedy actor? <br /><br />To your knowledge, which writers did work as a comedy actor? <br /><br />(Tina Fey, Conan O'Brien excepted)JAHN GHALTnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-81202111727437800802021-09-17T12:37:48.486-07:002021-09-17T12:37:48.486-07:00Since the first question was about child actors it...Since the first question was about child actors it was a perfect opportunity for you to slip in one of your Natalie Wood photos.<br />M.B.Mike Bloodworthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04755626259169126800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-57654585907185645142021-09-17T10:33:06.706-07:002021-09-17T10:33:06.706-07:00Friday Question: In nearly all backstage or papara...Friday Question: In nearly all backstage or paparazzi photographs, David Hyde Pierce is wearing glasses. Yet never once was Niles filmed wearing them on Frasier. Do you know if he wore contact lenses during the shoot or simply memorised his blocking enough to not need them while on set?Hamishnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-33460149746079084492021-09-17T10:31:03.640-07:002021-09-17T10:31:03.640-07:00I've written on a lot of tween/teen shows, and...I've written on a lot of tween/teen shows, and I've found it very easy to work with child actors. They are very professional and eager to please. It's the parents that typically can be the problem. Also, unlike a lot of adult actors, kids are very open to suggestions and line readings. To your point, Ken, in your story of Jerry Belson pitching laugh out loud jokes in the room only to have them cut because they weren't delivered the same way, with many of the child actors I've worked with I have been able to suggest to them how to deliver the joke as pitched and they are almost always agreeable. Most adult actors don't want to hear it. Or the director would be offended, etc... KBnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-38891980640201522742021-09-17T09:53:18.790-07:002021-09-17T09:53:18.790-07:00Ricky Schroeder with the Saturday Morning NBC Yumm...Ricky Schroeder with the Saturday Morning NBC Yummy Awards preview show. Variety TV at its Peak.<br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MP5t-1IIM4Greg Ehrbarhttp://www.gregovision.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-26491658099170596602021-09-17T09:50:58.804-07:002021-09-17T09:50:58.804-07:00One the subject of kid actors acting naturally vs....One the subject of kid actors acting naturally vs. being cutesy-That's the difference between Hal Roach's Our Gang vs. studio M-G-M's version. Hal Roach created the series when he was in charge of auditioning some child performers in his office and was appalled at the way they were coached to perform a certain by their stage parents. So he took a break and watched out of his office window some kids fighting over stick. He watched for so long he realized he could do a series of short films of children doing what came naturally to them. That was his method from the early 20s to when he sold the series to Metro in the late '30s. But the studio of Leo the Lion was very much a regimented place like the other major studios of the time. So the kids weren't allowed to offer their contributions as before and as a result, the series seemed more contrived. Also, it was leaning to teaching lessons instead of simply being funny. Robert Blake suffered under these circumstances but it probably made him more rebellious as he grew up to be a more outstanding actor later on. Of course, he suffered a little more later on but that's another story...tavmnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-62826997950117432492021-09-17T09:50:11.952-07:002021-09-17T09:50:11.952-07:00Hi Ken, thanks for answering my question! I think ...Hi Ken, thanks for answering my question! I think if professional athletes want a TV outlet these days, they can just go on "Dancing With the Stars."<br /><br />Re preview shows: I think both Fox and CBS had them this year. They both reminded me about how few network series there are now that I'm interested in watching.<br /><br />Re "can you BE any more..." Although it started with Chandler, apparently all the "Friends" characters started using it at some point. The satirical "Honest Trailer" for the show on YouTube has a cut of it happening over and over.(Along with several other language tics the show used, such as "I KNOW!")Ted.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-60829875670138511212021-09-17T08:55:38.382-07:002021-09-17T08:55:38.382-07:00What are some shows that you feel are underrated, ...What are some shows that you feel are underrated, or just didn't enough attention for any reason?Ere I Saw Elbanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-73932192781064739102021-09-17T08:13:34.489-07:002021-09-17T08:13:34.489-07:00CBS had the fall preview show.
https://www.youtube...CBS had the fall preview show.<br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2keqUVMZSk&ab_channel=CBS<br /><br />On the topic of child actors, about 15 years ago there was a show called <i>Back to You</i> starring Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton. Kelsey played a news anchor who returns to his former station, and it turns out he and Patricia's character had a one-night stand resulting in a little girl. It was a breath of fresh air seeing a cute kid simply act like a cute kid, and not an annoying wisecracking brat.Brandon in Virginianoreply@blogger.com