tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post700656248926110299..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: My worst directing experienceBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-44941186321407293522012-10-02T08:47:49.438-07:002012-10-02T08:47:49.438-07:00I am 46 years old and I have known our neighbors s...I am 46 years old and I have known our neighbors since I was 5. They have always been "Mr. and Mrs. Blaine" and "Mr. and Mrs. Corsica" to me and always will be. They have tried to get me and my siblings to call them by their first names, but out of respect [they are in their 70s and 80s] we will always use their formal titles, eventhough we have known them for over 40 years.<br /> <br />I can see Daphne calling Fraiser "Dr. Crane" because she was his employee. She also called Marty "Mr. Crane" because of their working relationship. I think it is a real problem in today's society that people are so informal. It says a lot about the respect, or lack of, people have for one another. I don't need the clerk at the Piggly Wiggly calling me by my first name after reading my credit card. "Mrs. Aveo" is just fine. Call me old fashioned or stuffy, but I would afford the same courtesy to a person who was older and who I didn't know well.SkippyMomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09479661523059481730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-32875479490944846412012-09-22T09:14:39.917-07:002012-09-22T09:14:39.917-07:00Nice ballpark, terrible team. The edifice that rep...Nice ballpark, terrible team. The edifice that replaced Shea Stadium in Flushing, New York as the home of the New York Mets. Should have been called Gil Hodges Stadium, but since the building is a poor homage to Ebbets Field many call it Debits Field. Fittingly, the formal naming rights are via a large multinational bank corporation. They were wary of sponsoring the TARP.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-54592739567155371532012-09-19T18:21:53.585-07:002012-09-19T18:21:53.585-07:00Friday question:
Has there been a memorable joke ...Friday question:<br /><br />Has there been a memorable joke that absolutely killed in the writer's room, but completely bombed when taping?<br /><br />Conversely, did you ever have major doubts over a joke or line as it read on the page, but saw it find a new life when performed?Muzzahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01450966472466231848noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-79908650387410616692012-09-19T00:07:06.440-07:002012-09-19T00:07:06.440-07:00It's not unusual for audiences to boo the acto...It's not unusual for audiences to boo the actor playing the villain at the curtain calls; most take it as a badge of honor. I remember when David Garrison--the baddie in the Broadway musical of TITANIC--came out to roaring boos and hisses; he merely grinned broadly and did a tremendously exaggerated bow.cadavranoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-485892963640698462012-09-17T09:10:43.869-07:002012-09-17T09:10:43.869-07:00How many veterans have you run across in the telev...How many veterans have you run across in the television side of the industry? Specifically writing, producing, showrunning.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02802109690550507725noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-51598419112392530622012-09-16T16:12:54.330-07:002012-09-16T16:12:54.330-07:00I'll never forget the Onion headline from 2006...I'll never forget the Onion headline from 2006:<br />PNC Park Threatens To Leave Pittsburgh Unless Better Team Is Built<br /><br />crackblindhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13088682009537848311noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-77501503123324239912012-09-16T14:57:28.654-07:002012-09-16T14:57:28.654-07:00Hi Ken, question for you: When getting script not...Hi Ken, question for you: When getting script notes from execs, are there any specific types of notes that you know are always just meaningless BS?Steve B.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-63552436362396158012012-09-16T05:46:20.798-07:002012-09-16T05:46:20.798-07:00Hi Ken. Here's a baseball question for you. Wi...Hi Ken. Here's a baseball question for you. With the season winding down, who are your picks for MVP, Cy Young, and Rookie of the Year? Sarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18292380491615330283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-76057114670268475272012-09-15T16:03:21.682-07:002012-09-15T16:03:21.682-07:00Very few actors are troopers (unless they happen t...Very few actors are troopers (unless they happen to be moonlighting with the state police).<br /><br />That said, most actors ARE troupers.<br /><br />(Sorry, but once an editor, always an editor. Love the blog nonetheless.)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08378652443498765431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-12544985940673847402012-09-15T03:32:15.719-07:002012-09-15T03:32:15.719-07:00About half of the stadia I've been to don'...About half of the stadia I've been to don't exist, or don't as baseball locales - the one in Montreal, old Yankee, Shea, Tigers, the one in Atlanta, and the Astrodome. Sigh. Roger Owen Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05298172138307632062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-34727506267534226572012-09-14T21:40:51.797-07:002012-09-14T21:40:51.797-07:00What would you say justifies writing a rain or win...What would you say justifies writing a rain or wind scene into a script? I mean, why introduce the production cost and logistics of staging fake rain or wind instead of just writing the scene for fair weather?Powerhouse Salternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-87884333196394655252012-09-14T19:59:37.800-07:002012-09-14T19:59:37.800-07:00Didn't All in the Family have an episode cente...Didn't All in the Family have an episode centered around a long rape joke?Mikenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-49493839498124530742012-09-14T19:20:16.601-07:002012-09-14T19:20:16.601-07:00The premise of of Bewitched gave the writers a way...The premise of of Bewitched gave the writers a way around Dick York's back problems - even before he was replaced by Dick Sargent. Some sort of witchcraft would simply have Darrin change bodies with his boss Larry Tate, played by David White. <br /><br />My memory is that this happened in more than one episode so they did, indeed, have an understudy for the male lead..Phillip Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08498595633633248863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-49172966167191436622012-09-14T17:34:47.641-07:002012-09-14T17:34:47.641-07:00Merv got a piece of the action at an Illinois rive...Merv got a piece of the action at an Illinois riverboat casino for lending his name to the project, so he made a few appearances there. I got to meet him at a couple of media events. He was very cordial and it didn't seem fake. He really seemed to enjoy the conversations. On one visit he even brought Eva Gabor. Joey Hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11718595858513830730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-59700615326420532962012-09-14T16:01:55.394-07:002012-09-14T16:01:55.394-07:00Actually, the Harry Morton switch on Burns & A...Actually, the Harry Morton switch on Burns & Allen was one of the most memorable bits on the TV show. As I recall, George froze the action just as Blanche was about to slam Harry over the head (an iron deer was involved) and explained that Fred Clark had left the show to take a theater role (actually it was a salary dispute). Larry Clark is then introduced to Bea Benadaret as the fourth Harry Morton (counting the radio show), they shake hands cordially, and George stepped offscreen as they resumed position and the fight resumed.l'atalantenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-4985966232452189812012-09-14T15:27:30.959-07:002012-09-14T15:27:30.959-07:00I've never done TV, but as a stage actor, I...I've never done TV, but as a stage actor, I've never encountered an actor who thought he was too sick to step up to the plate. This was sometimes a poor choice.<br /><br />I was playing Christian in a production of Cyrano de Bergerac. I had been in a traffic accident morning and knocked out cold. I thought I was good to go. I really wasn't. The stage manager would stand next to me off-stage, tell me, "This is the scene where you..." then push me out.<br /><br />There is a moment in the show where Christian is asleep and Cyrano wakes him up. I was asleep. For real. Let me tell you, waking up on stage in front of an audience is the trippiest thing I've ever experienced.<br /><br />They tell me I did fine that night. I couldn't tell you.The Mutthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09149977320388415139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-63900971581974010442012-09-14T15:05:34.693-07:002012-09-14T15:05:34.693-07:00Not being American, I've only ever been to one...Not being American, I've only ever been to one (1) baseball game in my life, and that was the Houston Astros home at Minute Maid Park. It looked like a pretty nice stadium: built from the shell of the old train station, and they had a large model steam train the choo-chooed its way along an elevated track whenever someone scored a home run. Hokey, but the kids in the cheap seats loved it. Not a bad way to spend a summer evening in Houston with the temperature still in the 90s. brian thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11816630081635941429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-84816433056829870082012-09-14T14:13:59.546-07:002012-09-14T14:13:59.546-07:00On actors being booed ... Years ago, on an E! spec...On actors being booed ... Years ago, on an E! special on ALL IN THE FAMILY, the actor who played Edith Bunker's attempted rapist on an episode said the audience had actually *growled* at him.Earl Bnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-76366240755054870112012-09-14T12:24:53.143-07:002012-09-14T12:24:53.143-07:00Ken (I should say, Mr. Levine), how does a show...Ken (I should say, Mr. Levine), how does a show's production schedule work? From your previous postings I get the impression that it's a 1-week shoot... but doesn't this produce 22 weeks of work and 30 weeks of inactivity (for actors, at least)? Is this a relic of the 39-ep days? Having heard your stories of harried weeks, it seems like a less compressed schedule would benefit everyone.Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13775430353810840374noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-81985951751904292452012-09-14T12:12:58.435-07:002012-09-14T12:12:58.435-07:00Wow, you left out Progressive Field in Cleveland. ...Wow, you left out Progressive Field in Cleveland. It's currently occupied by a minor league team but one day we hope to get a REAL major league team.YEKIMIhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01921751875397071034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-20013363840942966632012-09-14T11:56:23.344-07:002012-09-14T11:56:23.344-07:00Apologies to Jill Pinella Corso, who made essentia...Apologies to Jill Pinella Corso, who made essentially the same comment three hours earlier.Tednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-75266539700513465062012-09-14T11:50:43.277-07:002012-09-14T11:50:43.277-07:00"Playing the part of Sheldon on BIG BANG...&q..."Playing the part of Sheldon on BIG BANG..." you mav have something there, Ken. That would really work on a show like 30 Rock, where they welcome silly stunts. Shoulda used it when Tracey Morgan was out for several episodes.Tednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-4655935971232753832012-09-14T11:50:26.692-07:002012-09-14T11:50:26.692-07:00You have a man on third, one out, a line drive is ...You have a man on third, one out, a line drive is scorched down the left field line and hits the runner smack dab in the center of his back. His foot is on the base, but his body is in foul territory. Is he out or safe? Also, If you looked at all of the agents that you have worked with over the years, what percentage would you say are sensible, honest, trustworthy, and knowlegeable? <br />Thanks. AftertheFire@earthlink.net after the firenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-37446199030501390922012-09-14T11:39:02.262-07:002012-09-14T11:39:02.262-07:00I have a couple of my teachers as Facebook friends...I have a couple of my teachers as Facebook friends I still call Mrs. Goldsmith and Miss Belkin. I graduated high school 38 years ago. <br /><br />I missed PNC Park because of Hurricane Frances. My son and I had tickets on our way to drop him off at college and the game was cancelled the day before because of the rain. He has a friend in business school at Carnegie-Mellon, so he might make it to Pittsburgh for a game, but it's a long way from Seattle to go. <br /><br />Just started your book finally. I will post an amazon review when done.Breadbakernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-61337969030435144382012-09-14T10:45:00.946-07:002012-09-14T10:45:00.946-07:00Annie was a camper (she was 14) and Matt (18) was ...Annie was a camper (she was 14) and Matt (18) was a counselor. Campers were instructed to address the counselors formally. So she had to address her brother as “Mr. Levine.” <br />If I were her, I'd keep asking "Is that pronounced Levin or Le-vine?"Waynenoreply@blogger.com