It seems like only 1300. My original reason for starting this blog was to hopefully entice an editor into buying one of my book ideas. So in that regard it’s been a total bust. But otherwise, this has been a great experience. You’ll excuse me for for getting a little nostalgic. Through this blog, over the last 3 1/2 years…I got shut down once for being mistaken for a porn site.
I received a lovely note from Sky Saxon’s widow.
I pissed off Diana DeGarmo’s mother.
I’ve made friends with writers I otherwise never would have met. Mystery writers, playwrights, romance novelists, syndicated columnists, Pixar scribes, TV critics, food critics, bloggers, stand up comics, screenwriters with much bigger careers than mine, late night pundits, lyricists, Vanity Fair senior contributors, and television writers from many foreign lands including Canada.
I got invited to Porn Star Karaoke (that’s not why I was shut down).
Larry Gelbart once left a comment.
I launched free teleseminars. The next one is Saturday.
Hopefully my writing advice hasn’t sent too many people off in the wrong direction.
On occasion I have been almost as funny as Tallulah Morehead.
AMERICAN IDOL invited me to a taping. And I got to sit next to Sanjaya’s sister!!
I talked Earl Pomerantz into starting his own blog. Check him out. Who knew you didn’t have to be mean to be funny?
I get hate mail any time I post anything remotely political. Or mention Patricia Heaton.
I got death threats from Opie & Anthony fans.
The LONDON TIMES has re-printed my Oscar reviews.
I've provided some nice links to other sites. Does anybody even look at recommended links lists?
A few of you find my travelogues amusing.
I get to show off my talented kids.
My goofy contests proved to be a hit. Or maybe it was just the elaborate prizes that sparked your participation.
I’ve heard from network and studio executives, pleased about something I had written, not expressing shock I was still in the business.
The LA TIMES mis-printed something, which caused Aaron Sorkin to call me a disgruntled out-of-work writer.
I received a nice apology from Aaron Sorkin.
I got the opportunity to rally support for the Writers Strike.
The BBC interviewed me about the strike. They asked if the internet was having an impact? I said this was my fourth strike and you’ve never interviewed me before. They took that as a “yes”.
I’ve received Blog-SWAG like books, DVD’s, and an Astroglide travel mug. No, I was not shut down for th
at either.I get to shamelessly promote my radio shows on Talkradio 790 KABC.
Nathan Lane took issue with something I said. Boy did he.
I've developed thick skin when it comes to AfterMASH...
And MANNEQUIN 2.
Colleagues I’ve respected did guest posts. Thanks again to Peter Casey, David Isaacs, Sam Simon, Bob Gale, Allan Burns, John Masius, and whoever I accidentally left out.
CNN.COM stole one of my post ideas.
I was able to show episodes of ALMOST PERFECT and BIG WAVE DAVE’S so even if only five of you watched, that’s five more than would have ever seen them otherwise.
I have something to post on Twitter that isn’t “I’m not really hungry but I could eat”.
The SITCOM ROOM got launched.
The producer of INSTANT BEAUTY PAGEANT got in touch to defend his show. No defense was necessary. I love that show. It’s the hosts I hate.
The HUFFINGTONPOST invited me to contribute pieces for them. So I get hate mail from their readers when I write anything vaguely political. Or about Patricia Heaton.
I get my mail mixed up with the Ken Levine who created BIO-SHOCK. Turns out I don’t have nearly as many fans as I thought I did.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY said nice things about me. That wasn’t always the case when I had shows for them to review.
I’ve gotten to introduce you to some wonderful writers you might not be familiar with like Treva Silverman, Jerry Belson, Bob Ellison, and Steve Gordon.
I get to write whatever I want and NEVER get notes.
And best of all, I’ve gotten to connect with great people like YOU.
Thanks so much for your support and bookmarks. On to the next 1500. Or at least 1300. You'd think one goddamn editor would find this site, even by accident.
51 comments :
I have only been following the blog for a little while, so I have to know, what did Nathan Lane get upset about?
Thank you for continuing to share, shamelessly self promote, and entertain the rest of us. Keep doing what you love to do, and hopefully continue to post these blogs also. (btw: yes- some of us do look at recommended links list)
And let's not forget what this blog didn't do.
It didn't get Eliza Dushku into your swimming pool.
Thanks for the always great posts (even the ones that I could care less about)--always a good read!
Hey, Ken, I love what I just read. Brilliant, brilliant. But if you don't mind, I've got just a few notes...
If you mention porn site and shutdown...how about going into a little more detail. And any chance of casting Tracey Lords in the role?
And one final note...Patricia Heaton. Can we recast her maybe with someone younger? Maybe Heidi from The Hills.
Great work, keep it up.
Don't stop until Sorkin concedes you're as gruntled as the next guy.
Congrats on 1500 posts. Here's hoping for 10,000 more so you have no life of which to speak of :-)
I'm going to start sending you hate mail any time you don't write anything about Patricia Heaton.
I don't remember what you wrote about Nathan Lane. You didn't accuse him of being straight, did you? Or low key? Either one of those would have over the line.
"On occasion I have been almost as funny as Tallulah Morehead."
But not more than 1500 times.
Thank you darling. But did you have to bring that Heaton creature into it?
Cheers and congrats. Have a drink to celebrate.
Warmest congratulations, Ken. I read the blog everyday and thoroughly enjoy. You've taught me a lot about being a writer. And I share your love of baseball, first getting acquainted with you when you did Mariners games way back when. Though sometimes I wonder if you've sold part of your soul by working at *that* radio station ;) Ever walk into the studio and catch a little hit of sulfur?
And thanks for encouraging Earl. He's a fun read, too.
By the way baseball fans, good article by Ron Shelton (Bull Durham) about a pitcher who he says was maybe the hardest thrower ever.
My tribute is checking this blog far too often during the day, hoping for a new entry to suddenly pop up, but forgetting to start reading more of the archives. As a fond salute, I shall do that.
Congratulations on 1,500 posts and let there be thousands more. Maybe 5,791 more if you can. ;)
WV: rundev - Satan's rapper name.
Congrats on 1500. For the next 1500, maybe you can get Patricia Heaton to swim in your pool. Or Nathan Lane.
Well, if you could get Nathan Lane to swim in Patricia Heaten, then-a you got something.
Well don Ken, I enjoyed reading many of the 1500!
Great to hear you got a nice note from Sky's widow. 1500 cheers !
I will happily add to the chorus of thank yous! I have always enjoyed your work and, being the comedy nerd that I am, saw Treva Silverman's name in this entry and had a ball reading about her and finally got a chance to see what she looks like.
If it makes you feel any better, I have edited things, but it's been my own writing.
No, didn't think so. Happy 1300th!
Where can we see the other five episodes of "Big Wave Dave?"
Very well done Ken. A Levine a day keeps the boredom away.
I LOVE your blog. Being a t.v. junkie-it was my babysitter and parent-you provide so much insight into the behind the scenes stuff that I always wanted to know about.
"After M.A.S.H." wasn't That bad.
I'm teasing...it was horrible. But U Rock!
1- How many posts would this be on the metric system?
2- To save time, could you arrange to get hate mail FROM Patricia Heaton? Think of how much more efficient all that hatred would be without the middleman.
P.S. WVW is "garbinth" which is where Hobbits throw out their trash.
Well done. This is the only post I read every day....
...and you've allowed me to piss off some of your readers....
Maybe all of them.
haven't missed a post since day one! (this will happen when one has no life of one's own).
Love it all! the travelogues, reviews, writing tips, shameless self promotion, random thoughts... and admire how well you keep up with popular culture for an old guy.
LOVE IT KEN!
WVW: URAFT- the maritime equivalent of "You Rock!"
On this day of joy and mirth,
No better blog appears on Earth.
Should you write as many more,
I hope your readers you won't bore...
-- BurmaShave
(Yeah, I know it's pitiful, but it's the best I could do right now)
Congratulations and Thanks, Ken!
tq
Thank you. To be able to read you and comment is a special thrill for those of us--and I know I'm not the only one--who would see the Levine and Isaacs writers credit at the start of an episode and realize, this one is really going to be good.
And I know we're saner than most Dodger Talk callers.
Congratulations from the Great White North (or as it's been lately the Damp Chilly North). I read your blog regularly. Thanks for pointing me (and others) to Earl; I check him right after I check on you. And I still think getting accused of being a porn site is an illustrious designation for such a blog.
I look forward to many more posts! And maybe another porn designation or two?
Keep it up!
(sorry...)
Wow, it's a tough racket when a guy with your ability to draw a crowd with your written words can't get a book deal. But the up-shot (for me anyway - I don't even know you, so it's hard to sympathize from my computer keypad) is that you were still doing this thing when I found you a few months ago.
What an entertaining blog. And even a Johny Come Lately knows when to say thank you, so ...
I'm trying to imagine Nathan Lane and a bunch of Opie & Anthony fans teaming up to go after you. The only thing I'm not sure of is whose side Patricia Heaton's going to be on.
Congrats on reaching the 1,500 post mark. You're halfway to your first oil change.
Your link recommendations are great-- if it wasn't for you, I'd never have known about Jane Espenson's blog which was fantastic when she was actively posting.
I don't post often, but I wanted to say, congrats!
For what it's worth, I thought AFTERMASH was at its best when depicting Max Klinger as a returning vet having trouble adjusting to civilian life (somewhat ironically, as he spent the entire Korean War trying to get out of the army)
i missed the first 1499. can u repost
D. McEwan wrote:
> Well, if you could get Nathan
> Lane to swim in Patricia Heaten,
> then-a you got something.
You invoke Chico very well.
I'm trying to imagine Mr. Lane saying "Tish, you spoke French!" and nuzzling Bebe Neuwirth as Gomez and Morticia Addams, as they'll be on Broadway next year, and it just isn't working for me.
WV: "tupetab" -- your bar bill in Tupelo, Mississippi.
Ken,
I enjoy reading your blog everyday. I have learned a lot about shows I have loved and got a behind the scenes look that we rarely get.
Keep up the great work.
Oh, ya - I read the link posts and use them!
Congratulations, Ken, I'll spot you those recycled posts and count them as originals, they're usually worth reading again. As Woody once said to Frasier, "Next to Mr. Clavin, you're the smartest man I know."
Reading your blog has been a great course in comedy writing. Many thanks.
Thanks, Ken, for providing humor. I can't believe no editor has found you!
Ken, Thank you! You have been entertaining me for years and even though I am not a writer, not in "the biz" nor have desire to be, you just make me laugh everyday and that is all I can really ask for these days. I don't care what the topic is. I happen to stumble on your blog when you first started doing one and once I found it never looked back and even turned on others to it for a good morning read. I remember a guess a couple of years ago, I sent you an email just to let you know how much I enjoyed reading your blog, just to let you know never expecting a reply. But, you replied right back and let me know it meant something to you, I thought that was really nice, I don't care what anyone says LOL.
Here is to 1500 more!
Jen
Ken, This is a great blog, both amusing and informing. You do a good job, and I always enjoy Friday Questions the most.
My 24 year old daughter turned me onto you (I am 57) and so now you're hip with young and old in one household.
Congrats, keep it up.
I think WGN America's been reading your blog and are aware of this special occasion: This afternoon (pacific time), they aired the "Partial Law" episode of Becker.
"I've provided some nice links to other sites. Does anybody even look at recommended links lists?"
I only check out links to blogs from porn writers. And Deadline Hollywood Daily. Thanks for that link.
And the travelogues.
Question for a Friday mailbag: To keep my living, I have to write. On some occasions, I do not feel like writing like a veal calf not wanting to eat. How do you get in the mood to write? I don't have writer's block. I know what I need to say and how to say it. I lack the motivation to actually write it. Yes, I split the infinitive but I don't really give a f*ck. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
I get more mentions on your blog than I do on my own. I have to read you to hear what people think about me.
Congratulations on 1500. And thank you for geting me started, and for the mentions and support. As far as being funny without being mean, I don't know if that's a deliberate choice or a survival tactic. I think I'll give myself the benefit of the doubt and just say thank you.
Earl
Bioshock was awesome. thanks for that!
I'm disappointed you didn't mention Volunteers
I was a PA on "Everybody Loves Raymond". Whenever I bought the wrong brand of skim milk for the production office kitchen, Patricia Heaton would make me eat her poop. She is mean. She wouldn't even let me use a fork.
In metric it's 1.5 kiloposts, or 0.0015 megaposts.
If you have an ego, you can go the other way and claim to have just finished your 1 million, 500 thousandth millipost.
I believe that Traci Lords holds the record for doing the most megaposts though.
So does '1500th' include all the times you just re-post something older?
But then again, it takes the hassle out of having to read the Archives...
Thanks for your 'disgruntled' writings.
Ken...You know I will always love you.
On the one hand, 1,500 posts is a remarkable feat — especially considering that every doggone one of them was so well written.
Come to think of it, maybe you should consider writing as a career?
On the other hand, your blog has robbed me of several precious hours per day — because when I saw yours I thought, "Well, heck, if Ken can master the technical aspects of a blog, so can I."
So I started a blog.
And because you post every single damn day, I adopted that practice, too.
Not to brag, but I've achieved as much success with mine as you with yours: I haven't been offered a book deal, either.
I watched Big Wave Daves when it came out. I liked it. Especially the actor that also showed up on Almost Perfect. I'm not a fan of Patricia Heaton. It's hard to separate character and actor. She annoyed me and still does. But I'd take her over Helen Hunt any day. God, I can't stand that actress.
I would never have heard of, rented and enjoyed Volunteers if it wasn't for your occasional posts about it. So you got that going for you as well.
I'm planing to rent the first season of Almost Perfect (assuming that I can). Another win for you.
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