tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post1940506419801816345..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: What you see is what we show youBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-6834204307297904072012-08-15T05:52:05.532-07:002012-08-15T05:52:05.532-07:00As an avid "Cheers" fan, I've long n...As an avid "Cheers" fan, I've long noticed that we never saw Sam's apartment. We saw Diane's apartment, Carla's house, Cliff's apartment, Frasier and Lillith's house and Rebecca's apartment, but in eleven years, we never saw where star of the show lived. In the words of Cliff Clavin, "What's up with that?"Brad Prestonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-58164792328087418422012-08-14T17:09:08.066-07:002012-08-14T17:09:08.066-07:00Friday question for you...what's going on with...Friday question for you...what's going on with the Kristen Chenowith accident and CBS's lack of comment now that she's quit the show? It seems like we're not getting the whole story, and doesn't she have some kindof contract?Stephhhnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-34359192944574326422012-08-14T09:59:54.335-07:002012-08-14T09:59:54.335-07:00I have another Friday question...
I was watching ...I have another Friday question... <br />I was watching those time fillers on a premium movie channel. You know, the Hella Big One. Anyway, it was one of these ego stroking interviews with the cast and crew of a movie or upcoming show whose name I can't remember. The guys and gals were just raving about how talented this person was, and that person was and how fabulous it was to work with everyone and how the director was visionary and really let them find their characters and all the other dull banal language we've heard 1000x. I know there are tons of incentives NOT to say anything negative about anyone, or anything, but I'm wondering if there is a show where people just said,"Look this thing sucks ass. Watch it because I've got boat payments, but if you're expect high brow cinema I think Ghost Rider 2 is a better bet."Michelenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-31466780809705210922012-08-14T09:59:29.299-07:002012-08-14T09:59:29.299-07:00I have another Friday question...
I was watching ...I have another Friday question... <br />I was watching those time fillers on a premium movie channel. You know, the Hella Big One. Anyway, it was one of these ego stroking interviews with the cast and crew of a movie or upcoming show whose name I can't remember. The guys and gals were just raving about how talented this person was, and that person was and how fabulous it was to work with everyone and how the director was visionary and really let them find their characters and all the other dull banal language we've heard 1000x. I know there are tons of incentives NOT to say anything negative about anyone, or anything, but I'm wondering if there is a show where people just said,"Look this thing sucks ass. Watch it because I've got boat payments, but if you're expect high brow cinema I think Ghost Rider 2 is a better bet."MIchelenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-55585051497891326032012-08-13T08:42:48.285-07:002012-08-13T08:42:48.285-07:00I wrote a spec script that had a crossover of Star...I wrote a spec script that had a crossover of Star Trek and MASH.<br /><br />Spock and Kirk travel back in time and land on Earth in Korea in the 50's.<br />Having Kirk and Hawkeye interact was a lot of fun.chuckcdnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-76608311666278125982012-08-12T15:47:28.567-07:002012-08-12T15:47:28.567-07:00"Although, maybe we could have made Howie Man...<i>"Although, maybe we could have made Howie Mandel funny."</i><br /><br />You were good. You weren't <i>that</i> good.Dr. Leo Marvinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07669626692363827776noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-9847601297553137092012-08-12T07:57:54.865-07:002012-08-12T07:57:54.865-07:00The 1970s American version of FAWLTY TOWERS was en...The 1970s American version of FAWLTY TOWERS was entitled SNAVELY. It was not bad, exactly, but nothing in it worked as well as in the original.<br /><br />Strictly speaking, Matthew Perry played a very Chandler-esque character on CAROLINE IN THE CITY, not Chandler exactly. The show took care to avoid naming him, or having him say or do anything that specifically identified him. (The same was true of Lea Thompson's appearance on FRIENDS that same night.) I presume that this was done to avoid paying a royalty for the use of the character. So, the FRIENDS/FRASIER connection is not definitely established.Roy Perkins, impartial dogcatchernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-73509150213003021262012-08-12T01:24:33.999-07:002012-08-12T01:24:33.999-07:00Have you ever had to take your name off of anythin...Have you ever had to take your name off of anything?Codyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15244519478946026617noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-32508310083459263292012-08-11T19:38:17.095-07:002012-08-11T19:38:17.095-07:00The Discovery Channel did a great one hour program...The Discovery Channel did a great one hour program many many years ago on the assembling of a Friends episode. They showed it from writing to table read to performance and editing. Very educational for a non Hollywood guy like me. Those film editors must be so sick of an episode by the time it is broadcast.DwWashburnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03057278992504418291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-24888183969182496142012-08-11T15:14:44.779-07:002012-08-11T15:14:44.779-07:00I may have mentioned this before, but regarding ho...I may have mentioned this before, but regarding home run calls, I still fondly remember how Harry Kalas -- whose trademark call was "outta here!" -- reacted to Mike Schmidt's 500th homer in 1987, which one knew was going to be a big deal for Harry since he was so identified with Schmitty. If you've seen replays of the homer, you know it was a line drive quickly hit straight to the left-field seats at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh. It was hit so hard, so fast that Harry didn't have the chance to say "outta here" -- just "swing and a long drive, there it is, the career 500th home run for Michael Jack Schmidt!" That it was hit with two on in the ninth and put the Phillies ahead added to the moment. <br /><br />If a hack like John Sterling had done the game, you can be sure he would have shoehorned his inane "it is high, it is far, it is gone" phrase into a home run that wasn't that way at all. Which is why Harry has a Ford Frick Award and Sterling never will (unless Hall of Fame officials have a colossal brain freeze).VP81955https://www.blogger.com/profile/11792390726196611188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-33986270989601429452012-08-11T10:22:31.399-07:002012-08-11T10:22:31.399-07:00In addition to the two already mentioned, there wa...In addition to the two already mentioned, there was yet another unsold American version of Fawlty Towers that aired either in the late '70s or early '80s. Can't remember it's name, but it starred Harvey Korman and Betty White.Kirkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02155991693956178030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-64312791442798146082012-08-11T08:54:11.865-07:002012-08-11T08:54:11.865-07:00Spencer,
Scoma's is there for sure. Go early...Spencer,<br /><br />Scoma's is there for sure. Go early, avoid the wait, and enjoy spectacular seafood.By Ken Levinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1352710700850342412012-08-11T07:40:34.232-07:002012-08-11T07:40:34.232-07:00**Friday Question**
I just watched "The Boys...**Friday Question**<br /><br />I just watched "The Boys in the Bar" episode of CHEERS, written by you and David. <br /><br />In the episode, some of the regulars became afraid of CHEERS accidentaly going gay like another local bar had. <br /><br />For the early-AIDS, post-Jodie Dallas, early-1980s on sitcom television, I am amazed at how progressive this episode was and how the issue of homophobia within the episode still holds up today. <br /><br />Was there any pushback from the network? Was there any hesitation on the part of the actors -- namely Adam Arkin, who had a pivotal role in the episode as a gay man? <br /><br />I was also more than surprised by how macho ladies' man Sam Malone was more embracing than he or I would have assumed he would have been of Arkin's character and ultimately the possibility as a whole of there being gay men in his bar. <br /><br />To make this even longer, I loved how the episode ended. BRILLIANT.<br /><br />And I must say, you and David had some pretty great insight to put together such a fantastic episode.Terrence Mosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09365112876091271689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-9625200943094478202012-08-11T07:28:58.337-07:002012-08-11T07:28:58.337-07:00"CSI" and "Two and a Half Men"..."CSI" and "Two and a Half Men" crossover was pretty interesting to watch, although I only saw the latter result. <br /><br />"The Practice" and "Ally McBeal" had a crossover as well, which was even more interesting because they were of separate genres and on separate NETWORKS. <br /><br />The book "The Second Golden Age of Drama" also addressed The Tommy Westphall Universe.Terrence Mosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09365112876091271689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-41973525110590422772012-08-10T22:20:53.585-07:002012-08-10T22:20:53.585-07:00Enjoyed Me Generation so much I bought Where The H...Enjoyed Me Generation so much I bought Where The Hell Am I. Going to San Francisco next week and wonder if your restaurant recommendations are up to date and if you have any new entries.spencernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-14569798847392211852012-08-10T20:39:09.144-07:002012-08-10T20:39:09.144-07:00Hi Ken, I just saw a commercial for a film that g...Hi Ken, I just saw a commercial for a film that gave away one of the funnier bits in the film. Did you ever have a promo for one of your shows that gave away too much and ruined the joke or the show for the viewer?Mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06307386816008359198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-36701180437593420472012-08-10T19:58:24.976-07:002012-08-10T19:58:24.976-07:00Building on Tom in Vegas' show runner question...Building on Tom in Vegas' show runner question from June 29, (how) can someone determine who the show runner is from reading the credits? Or, is it a trade secret to be known only by insiders? Or, you could tell me but then you'd have to kill me? (I thoroughly enjoy your blog - thanks for writing it!)Diana in NoCalnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-8869193610990372532012-08-10T19:33:56.477-07:002012-08-10T19:33:56.477-07:00Friday Question:
Was reuniting Frasier and Lilith...Friday Question:<br /><br />Was reuniting Frasier and Lilith ever a posibility (on Frasier's show)? <br /><br />Based on Lilith's technical chronological appearances, is it okay to assume that they DO get back together?<br /><br />(That damn bar.)Kendallnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-54369292492998352292012-08-10T19:14:01.901-07:002012-08-10T19:14:01.901-07:00And a worthy legacy it is..."Five bucks on Mo...And a worthy legacy it is..."Five bucks on Mortica--she's scrawny but quick"Paul Ducanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-25627103206234842132012-08-10T18:57:42.588-07:002012-08-10T18:57:42.588-07:00Ken, you're a wonderful writer, but not even L...Ken, you're a wonderful writer, but not even Larry Gelbart, Doc Simon, and Mel Brooks combined could have made Howie Mandel funny.Refnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-18080441167435293032012-08-10T17:01:28.973-07:002012-08-10T17:01:28.973-07:00Tommy's Snow globe!!!!Tommy's Snow globe!!!!The Jnowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16706072961396012855noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-4620334705946435102012-08-10T16:51:49.990-07:002012-08-10T16:51:49.990-07:00In 1983 ABC tried "Amanda's by the Sea&qu...In 1983 ABC tried "Amanda's by the Sea" with Bea Arthur as a female Fawlty.Paul Ducanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-92161426753552635402012-08-10T16:27:52.672-07:002012-08-10T16:27:52.672-07:00Mike: I remember an absolutely ghastly attempt to ...Mike: I remember an absolutely ghastly attempt to remake FAWLTY TOWERS for the US. It starred John Larroquette and I can't remember who else, but I do remember that his character's name was something like Royal Payne, which should give you a sense of the quality of the "humor". <br /><br />So even *after* the success of FT, US TV had no clue about what made it work.<br /><br />wg<br />Ah. A quick search shows that US TV has tried no less than *three* times to remake FT.Wendy M. Grossmanhttp://www.pelicancrossing.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-12713716473173262602012-08-10T14:36:59.415-07:002012-08-10T14:36:59.415-07:00None of us really exist. We are part of Tommy Wes...None of us really exist. We are part of Tommy Westphall's imaginary universe. Whoooa dude, you just blew my miiind.Michael Zandnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-46211374330654523512012-08-10T13:33:57.186-07:002012-08-10T13:33:57.186-07:00May I ask a Friday Question, please?
Would Fawlty...May I ask a Friday Question, please?<br /><br />Would Fawlty Towers have stood any chance whatsoever of being made by US TV? Either back in 1974 or today?<br /><br />(Assume that, after rejection by UK TV, Cleese & Booth rewrote the scripts superficially to Americanise the settings & dialogue, but retained the characters & story.)<br /><br />(I think the programme would have been reworked so much it would have resembled Newhart: the series with the inn in Vermont. But perhaps I'm wrong.)Mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06248182899977033579noreply@blogger.com