tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post4962915097164746158..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: Directing FRASIERBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-2264960720148591972010-12-09T14:06:04.860-08:002010-12-09T14:06:04.860-08:00This is for Friday Questions...how long should it ...This is for Friday Questions...how long should it take to write a spec script? What if you work full time while doing it?Scottnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-84695520573365795472010-12-06T16:32:17.352-08:002010-12-06T16:32:17.352-08:00Ken, I notice that the overwhelming majority of Ho...Ken, I notice that the overwhelming majority of How I Met Your Mother episodes <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_How_I_Met_Your_Mother_episodes" rel="nofollow">are directed by the same person, Pam Fryman</a>. <br /><br />How common is it in sitcoms to have this level of continuity in the director's chair? Do you think it can adversely affect a show's tone to have too many directors?sjmlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08051686514474987791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-55411415494992135792010-12-03T20:23:03.189-08:002010-12-03T20:23:03.189-08:00I should note that my wife and I saw Spamalot with...I should note that my wife and I saw Spamalot with friends in New York and noted also that DHP played a second role, and in that one he channeled Stan Laurel--I mean, he didn't just imitate him. He was brilliant. Not to mention having what I considered the show-stopping song. He also did a great job hosting the birthday tribute to Stephen Sondheim.Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01998867386294693956noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-37673960780297270552010-12-03T20:17:11.223-08:002010-12-03T20:17:11.223-08:00Susan Sullivan just took me aside and said, “So ju...<i>Susan Sullivan just took me aside and said, “So just who the hell are you, and what have you done?”</i><br /><br />and...she felt entitled to ask that of you, because of a role in the award-winning high-caliber series "Dharma and Greg"? That IS funny.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-21242167861831256102010-12-03T17:40:33.654-08:002010-12-03T17:40:33.654-08:00As Mike just asked...since you've been in base...As Mike just asked...since you've been in baseball broadcasting for so many years, you've likely encountered the fabulous Mr. Santo a time or 12. After the personality question, I'll go to the HOF - why the hell has he been passed over so many times? There certainly aren't many 3rd basemen with his numbers who aren't in the HOF. In fact, I know of none.<br />Thanks. Aloha.Garyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16300021275090146448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-39842390910555180622010-12-03T17:26:46.228-08:002010-12-03T17:26:46.228-08:00Thanks for answering my question about directing F...Thanks for answering my question about directing Frasier. It's a show I watched growing up, and rediscovered it a few years back on DVD. While I loved it growing up, it is MUCH funnier now that I am older and wiser and can appreciate more of the humor. <br /><br />To Mike: Just today I was trying to remember what show it was that had Black Frasier. Thanks for the reminder. I'll have to dig out my 30 Rock DVDs.Katherinenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-64675116260720426842010-12-03T15:30:10.458-08:002010-12-03T15:30:10.458-08:00Ken, today is a very sad day in that I lost my boy...Ken, today is a very sad day in that I lost my boyhood hero, Ron Santo. <br /><br />Wondering if you'd had occasion to meet Ron?Mikenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-8305748431753113382010-12-03T13:29:04.413-08:002010-12-03T13:29:04.413-08:00One of the great regrets of my life is that when w...One of the great regrets of my life is that when we saw Spamalot, it was the weekend of the Emmy and DHP was back in LA presenting something rather than on stage. His understudy, I'm afraid to say, wasn't quite Buster Keaton.Breadbakernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-46946889142476192132010-12-03T09:43:56.084-08:002010-12-03T09:43:56.084-08:00I just happened to see an episode from season 1 of...I just happened to see an episode from season 1 of 30 Rock where Twofer makes a reference to Black Frasier then they do a quick one beat flashback to an episode. And the guy playing Frasier impersonates Kelsey and just nails it. <br /><br />I just can't stop laughing at that scene when I see it. <br /><br />I guess that's the highest form of praise, when a writing staff like Tina's makes fun of you.Mikenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-87588814494859162862010-12-03T07:20:12.765-08:002010-12-03T07:20:12.765-08:00Ken, You've talked about not liking it when th...Ken, You've talked about not liking it when the director of Volunteers broke the fourth wall. What do you think about the practice of putting an "inside" joke into a sitcom? For instance, How I Met Your Mother has done it at least twice: Barney recreating the end of Doogie Howser in one show and recently when Jorge Garcia shouted out the "Lost" numbers in an episode. Even Frasier did it once when Laurie Metcalf as Nanny G asked Fraiser how he'd feel playing the same role for 20 years. For the joke to work, the audience has to know the reference, which can be a big risk.Kevinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-48275765225018068642010-12-03T07:17:17.925-08:002010-12-03T07:17:17.925-08:00This article in today's NY Times on depictions...This article in today's NY Times on depictions of drinking on TV<br /><br />http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/03/arts/television/03watch.html?_r=1&hpw<br /><br />got me thinking about how it was -- and wasn't -- handled on <i>Cheers</i>.<br /><br />I can recall few, if any, scenes of someone actually being drunk at the bar. Were there rules or guidelines about this? If so, were they from the network or the creators?Lairbohttp://www.antfarmersalmanac.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-76853849470631710152010-12-03T07:00:36.341-08:002010-12-03T07:00:36.341-08:00Hello, Ken. I was wondering if you could provide a...Hello, Ken. I was wondering if you could provide any insight into what the Writers Guild's position may be regarding the situation involving the writing staff for the show "The Walking Dead" being fired and the Director going to either write the episodes himself and/or hire freelancers? Various articles I've read seem to be hammering the point that this would cause a problem with the Writers Guild, why is that? <br /><br />Often various shows appear to have an individual writer (e.g. David E. Kelley) rather than a full staff. Is it a requirement that shows have an X-amount of writers on staff? Also, is it required that a certain amount of episodes be freelanced?<br /> <br />Thank you for your time.Jeremiahnoreply@blogger.com