tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post5764583556653581736..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: The writing process on MAD MENBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-3614186216561783322014-07-06T16:22:08.142-07:002014-07-06T16:22:08.142-07:00Thanks, Wendy. You're a fan then? :)Thanks, Wendy. You're a fan then? :)Johnny Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13302545167970532080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-60871034328268595112014-07-04T11:06:52.451-07:002014-07-04T11:06:52.451-07:00Johnny: if you want to chat about the MAD MEN epis...Johnny: if you want to chat about the MAD MEN episodes as you watch them, call me.<br /><br />wgWendy M. Grossmanhttp://www.pelicancrossing.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-57855700340727280782014-07-04T03:26:57.976-07:002014-07-04T03:26:57.976-07:00Hey Ken
My Friday Q is more of a "Any-day Q&q...Hey Ken<br />My Friday Q is more of a "Any-day Q":<br />I was in your USC comedy class last fall ( the guy that met with you about writing cartoons) anyway, I'm working on my thesis and would love for some advise from you! I'm not to sure how to contact you though.<br />Dexterma@usc.edu is my email.Jabril Mackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13808858977870478358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-2504485956198329172014-07-03T20:15:13.541-07:002014-07-03T20:15:13.541-07:00David asks:
You mentioned that johnny carson '...David asks:<br />You mentioned that johnny carson 'wrote' the lyrics for Paul Anka's repurposed old pop song for the tonight show. I tried and failed to find the lyrics... Any idea what they are?<br /><br />I'm planning on visiting Hawaii for the first time, probably Maui. What are Levine's top tips for a newbie?<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-27237283089332902014-07-03T17:18:08.746-07:002014-07-03T17:18:08.746-07:00I have a question / comment for some Friday in the...I have a question / comment for some Friday in the future.<br /><br />Everyone can easily think of a series that has "jumped the shark" (and in my case, I saw the episode that phrase is named for) and I am sure you are no different. Have you ever worked on a series that should have called it a day earlier than it did? How do you write something of good quality for a show that has seen better days?BrettJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00399759208677794664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-41311028284981357262014-07-03T16:42:43.774-07:002014-07-03T16:42:43.774-07:00Just want to add that I didn't mean to make a ...Just want to add that I didn't mean to make a judgement about Weiner taking credit, although looking back it reads like I was being very critical. It seems like an odd grey area in the industry. I guess it's understood that the showrunner will have their fingerprints on most scripts (and every other aspect of production), so they don't need credit, but I can also understand the desire to want to receive credit for your hard work. Hmm. <br /><br />What's your take on this, Ken?<br /><br />In other news, after loving DIFFICULT MEN, I couldn't help but pick up Season 1 of MAD MEN on the way home today. Wow. LOVED the pilot episode. Can't wait to get stuck in to the rest -- although I guess I've got to brace myself to watch "another show" in the later seasons. Johnny Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13302545167970532080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-16253226912843088062014-07-03T15:34:02.902-07:002014-07-03T15:34:02.902-07:00Vaginal Noise! We need a new product for it so we...Vaginal Noise! We need a new product for it so we can hear that phrase in commercials. Quoff?Scooter Schechtmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-49667080290222124062014-07-03T14:42:50.727-07:002014-07-03T14:42:50.727-07:00Anonymous is clearing thinking of the word "Q...Anonymous is clearing thinking of the word "Queef." Phoef is not named after a vaginal noise.Kitnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-60019315782824652212014-07-03T14:34:54.258-07:002014-07-03T14:34:54.258-07:00I think we should denominate "bad behavior&qu...I think we should denominate "bad behavior" in Charlie Sheen Units.<br /><br />wgWendy M. Grossmanhttp://www.pelicancrossing.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-79588677433220913082014-07-03T13:08:39.957-07:002014-07-03T13:08:39.957-07:00Friday question:
30ROCK used product placement in...Friday question:<br /><br />30ROCK used product placement in several episodes to make up for its less than stellar ratings. A recent episode of MODERN FAMILY was filmed in Australia with the financial help of an Australian airline. Despite fairly clever writing on both shows, I felt that the plots of those episodes were not quite as smooth as usual. What's your opinion on pleasing the networks by accepting product placements, Ken?jcsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-65498406736035719842014-07-03T12:41:54.804-07:002014-07-03T12:41:54.804-07:00Ok, who is the fired actress? Ok, who is the fired actress? Cap'n Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11783977137812876489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-25742075991376452102014-07-03T12:25:24.395-07:002014-07-03T12:25:24.395-07:00"everything passes through Matt first"
..."everything passes through Matt first"<br /><br /><br />EEEWWWWWWW!John (not McCain)noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-71939475830544563902014-07-03T12:09:08.953-07:002014-07-03T12:09:08.953-07:00Friday question: Did you see the second season of ...Friday question: Did you see the second season of "Orange is the new black" yet? Did you like it? Personally I loved it, especially what they did with the Red-character this year. Lorraine Toussaint as Vee was also incredible. Hope to hear your thoughts.Susannahnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-23494088868321249732014-07-03T11:38:44.255-07:002014-07-03T11:38:44.255-07:00Hi Ken, You've written about theme before. It&...Hi Ken, You've written about theme before. It's interesting to me. Based on your answer, it almost sounds as though you sit down at the table and think "let's do an episode about the fear of death". But that can't possibly be right, can it? (Disclaimer: I actually worked with a show runner who did work this way and it was murder coming up with stories). I ask because my process has always been different. Often we'll have a pile of A and B stories on the wall and we're thinking about which one to pair with what. The ideas themselves came from a basic place: What's funny, what haven't we done with these characters before, etc. Out of that, for me, anyway, common themes will emerge. I'll look at a couple of story ideas and think "You know, both of those ideas are sort of about "loss" (for example). Maybe they would work together. And once we have that theme in our head the stories often break more easily. So I guess I'm saying that absolutely an episode must have a theme (as one writer I know put it, if you ask what the episode is about and the answer is "about 22 minutes", you screwed up) but it's still an organic outgrowth of story.Matt Neffer, Boy Spotwelderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17370341215309019311noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-59554928941180453332014-07-03T11:17:58.999-07:002014-07-03T11:17:58.999-07:00Ken, on the actor's leaving a show (or not) th...Ken, on the actor's leaving a show (or not) theme, what about the one's who should be fired and are not? I've seen maybe three episodes of Babylon 5, but one featured the worst actress in TV history as a guest star. A person who should never considered acting for a living. After the first word out of her mouth, the director and showrunner should have known this woman would make them, and the show, look foolish and unprofessional. Yet they kept her and she had a large part in the episode. Why would they do that? <br /><br />Jerry SmithJerry Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11594572804669006416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-29308657031476379382014-07-03T11:12:11.027-07:002014-07-03T11:12:11.027-07:00Ken Said:
"It’s pronounced “Feef”, just like...Ken Said:<br /><br />"It’s pronounced “Feef”, just like it’s spelled. And as you can see, Phoef is a guy. "<br /><br />Why would any parent name their child with a word used to describe vaginal flatulence??<br /><br />If he hasn't already, I think Pheof's parents should be confronted.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-57390801748877930002014-07-03T11:05:36.988-07:002014-07-03T11:05:36.988-07:00Ken related the Wayward Tongue story a while back...Ken related the Wayward Tongue story a while back. I want a name but as an industry insider he wouldn't tell tales out of school. Ok I think it was Will Arnette. He's exactly like his "Arrested Development" character isn't he? Scooter Schechtmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1778796656668975242014-07-03T10:39:03.011-07:002014-07-03T10:39:03.011-07:00"How does Phoef Sutton pronounce her first na..."How does Phoef Sutton pronounce her first name?" <br /><br />I'm not sure if you're joking, but Phoef Sutton is a he.BigTednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-82101212568490143722014-07-03T10:21:28.362-07:002014-07-03T10:21:28.362-07:00The rule on MAD MEN was that, if you wrote more th...The rule on MAD MEN was that, if you wrote more than 20% of the script, you got a credit. Unlike Ken and David when they ran M*A*S*H, Weiner insists on getting a credit (and royalties) on every script he substantially adds to -- which, as the showrunner, is most.<br /><br />You can watch an pure, unedited conversation with Weiner, conducted by his sister, here:<br /><br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3nVEzX3WpY" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3nVEzX3WpY</a><br /><br />If you want to learn more about the production of MAD MEN, I HIGHLY recommend the book "DIFFICULT MEN".<br />Johnny Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13302545167970532080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-41449993639997678722014-07-03T09:16:03.591-07:002014-07-03T09:16:03.591-07:00C'mon everyone: from the info given, what gues...C'mon everyone: from the info given, what guesses can we make as to the fired actress and her terrible replacement?RockGolfnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-41338943407434453622014-07-03T09:01:16.778-07:002014-07-03T09:01:16.778-07:00Related to firing-actors:
My understanding is mos...Related to firing-actors:<br /><br />My understanding is most series regulars on a new TV show sign a four-to-six year contract at the pilot stage. On "high-mortality rate" shows like LOST, if a character is killed off for story reasons (and not due to actor wishes or misbehavior) - are the actors paid for the full contract? It's not *their* idea to leave.<br /><br />Thanks,<br /><br />Tony TowerAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-5569278553491915552014-07-03T08:33:50.611-07:002014-07-03T08:33:50.611-07:00Ken, a Friday question that continues with the the...Ken, a Friday question that continues with the theme of writing with a theme:<br /><br />Do most new writers write with a theme or is it a pretty common beginner's mistake to not write with one? I feel like a lot of TV shows and movies don't necessarily make thematic storytelling a huge priority, which suggests that you can get work without infusing your work with a theme. If you think that's the case, would a writer who DOES work with themes stand out much more than a writer who doesn't?<br /><br />(Hope that makes sense!) Dan Ballhttp://thedanballbrand.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-45526639783620450292014-07-03T07:16:04.620-07:002014-07-03T07:16:04.620-07:00I know what you mean about theme, Ken. Last week a...I know what you mean about theme, Ken. Last week a friend of mine approached me to write a webisode for his web series. Not only had I never done a web series before, I am not a comedy writer, so I felt extra pressure on myself to be funny in addition to the responsibility of creating a situation and dialogue for someone else's characters. But once I viewed the episode he sent me the second time and hooked into the theme of the show - the greed and laziness of the main character - I used that as a goal to concentrate on and easily came up with an idea I was able to cultivate into a full script.VincentSnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-57927010720636424422014-07-03T07:03:46.743-07:002014-07-03T07:03:46.743-07:00I love Phoef. She's marvelous.I love Phoef. She's marvelous.Howard Hoffmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05377628524697677407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-58373209224584070322014-07-03T06:12:29.669-07:002014-07-03T06:12:29.669-07:00Re: how actors are told they're fired. Gilber...Re: how actors are told they're fired. Gilbert Gottfried has an article in the new Playboy about how easy it is to offend people these days and how they're always demanding groveling apologies that celebrities have their press agents write, but they don't really mean them. He tells the story of how he was fired after one show opening for Belinda Carlisle, for being too dirty for the mommy-and-daughter audience. He said his agent called and the first thing he said was, "Belinda Carlisle's people LOVE you!" He said everyone knows that's the universal code for "You've just been fired." <br /><br />BTW, I found it ironic that the very same issue of Playboy where Gilbert Gottfried shreds the vogue for demanding BS apologies for anything you say that might offend someone also includes the interview in which Gary Oldman said some things that offended someone so he was forced to go around apologizing for a week. But of course, that's different because he REALLY means it. <br /><br />See what amazing things you notice when you actually read the articles in Playboy? <br />Pat Reederhttp://www.hollywoodhifi.netnoreply@blogger.com