tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post8100914946624206591..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: Happy Valentine's DayBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-72796349916716758042013-02-15T23:33:52.995-08:002013-02-15T23:33:52.995-08:00As usual, I'm late to the party, but I always ...As usual, I'm late to the party, but I always make a hell of an entrance! Happy Birthday, Ken. It's been a great eight months or so, reading your blog (including reviewing back-posts). I've learned some amazing things (none of which are coming to mind at the mo, as I have a rotten headache) about comedy, radio, TV, and what it is to be a writer (which has helped me to further understand my strange husband and his absolute need to write). Still not a baseball fan, but hey, you don't like Star Trek, so it all evens out.<br /><br />And yeah, that quote from Louie is spot-on. I have a lot of friends, some of whom are family to me, but I can say without hesitation that my husband is my best friend. People ask me how to have a happy relationship/marriage, and my #1 answer is always "Make sure they're your best friend. You would do awful shit to a lover that you would never ever do to a best friend, simply because their presence in your life is so important, you can't imagine not talking to them every day and sharing a laugh." <br /><br />Cheers, thanks a lot,<br /><br />StormStormnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-17109113287234390422013-02-15T14:23:30.970-08:002013-02-15T14:23:30.970-08:00Hope you had a great birthday Ken!
Have your celeb...Hope you had a great birthday Ken!<br />Have your celebration dinner tonight!chuckcdnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-33500466687309667762013-02-15T09:49:39.333-08:002013-02-15T09:49:39.333-08:00LouOCNY:
Do you think anyone will fondly remember...<b>LouOCNY</b>:<br /><br />Do you think anyone will fondly remember Stern or his supposed impact on media 39 years after his death, much less 119 years after his birth?<br /><br />For all of his terrific self-promotion, I don't think Stern himself does. & I think it bothers him.iainnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-67943360100147984022013-02-15T05:12:12.693-08:002013-02-15T05:12:12.693-08:00Happy Birthday Ken. That was a terrific line from ...Happy Birthday Ken. That was a terrific line from Louie. And unlike most Valentine's Day proclamations, you don't need a shot of insulin to counteract it. <br /><br />Have a great birthday. Macnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-9016030031184034792013-02-15T03:15:49.576-08:002013-02-15T03:15:49.576-08:00Happy birthday, Ken.Happy birthday, Ken.Concetta Tomeinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-30744774779816324522013-02-14T23:21:01.990-08:002013-02-14T23:21:01.990-08:00Happy Birthday! :) Hope it was a great day for you...Happy Birthday! :) Hope it was a great day for you.lucidkimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03900089908992985561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-62603207182574220592013-02-14T18:56:24.895-08:002013-02-14T18:56:24.895-08:00Joyeux anniversaire Mr. Levine!Joyeux anniversaire Mr. Levine!GChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05538381631009033656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-3044074563053448722013-02-14T18:22:27.976-08:002013-02-14T18:22:27.976-08:00happy natal day!happy natal day!Roger Owen Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05298172138307632062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-67301989747626960082013-02-14T17:17:30.490-08:002013-02-14T17:17:30.490-08:00Stef said: "Many Happy Returns of the Day. (w...<a href="http://kenlevine.blogspot.com/2013/02/happy-valentines-day.html?showComment=1360851360482#c1712534265733492984" rel="nofollow">Stef</a> said: "Many Happy Returns of the Day. (whatever that means)"<br /><br />Simple, Stef. It means that you're wishing Ken to have many more happy birthday anniversaries; I.E., you're wishing him for a long and happy life. Thus, I agree with your sentiments. Happy Birthday, Ken!Jeffrohttp://kenlevine.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-72326601904355456992013-02-14T17:10:46.906-08:002013-02-14T17:10:46.906-08:00My dad's birthday is Valentine's day too. ...My dad's birthday is Valentine's day too. He would have been 84. Happy birthday! Melissa C. Banczakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04953145515216692625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-28522790177029692762013-02-14T17:09:02.883-08:002013-02-14T17:09:02.883-08:00That clip is my Facebook post for the night. Perf...That clip is my Facebook post for the night. Perfect.pumpkinheadnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-19172316648890020832013-02-14T16:54:31.076-08:002013-02-14T16:54:31.076-08:00Today's business leaders would do well do stud...Today's business leaders would do well do study the success plan of Jack Benny. He once told Merv Griffin, "If a joke was funnier coming from Phil Harris or Dennis Day, I'd give them the punch line. Because on Monday mornings, people would talk about how much they like the JACK BENNY show."<br /><br />It seems so simple, yet so many have bought into the "recognition, reward and award" culture that they put their interests before those of the company and the bottom line. Washington has the same problem -- I just watched Neil Barofsky tell this to Jon Stewart.<br /><br />Anyway, Jack can't solve today's problems, but he can still make us laugh...<br /><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXFFibp0WhQ<br /><br />Happy Birthday!Greg Ehrbarhttp://www.mousetracksonline.com/blog.phpnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-85471719780251514252013-02-14T14:59:27.724-08:002013-02-14T14:59:27.724-08:00Don't forget Kelsey Grammer's semi-adaptat...Don't forget Kelsey Grammer's semi-adaptation of a Benny curmudgeon-like persona on "Frasier."<br /><br />And since I nearly forgot...happy birthday, Ken.VP81955https://www.blogger.com/profile/11792390726196611188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-14277559903648340272013-02-14T14:08:48.109-08:002013-02-14T14:08:48.109-08:00Happy birthday Ken! I love your blog and your book...Happy birthday Ken! I love your blog and your book. I remember that Taxi episode. That show had some unforgettable dialogue. As did Cheers. Julie, Burlington, IowaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-81062165082881553902013-02-14T13:57:51.157-08:002013-02-14T13:57:51.157-08:00Happy Birthday, Ken!Happy Birthday, Ken!Johnny Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13302545167970532080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-75876941891567199262013-02-14T13:47:13.273-08:002013-02-14T13:47:13.273-08:00VP - yeah, I got it reversed on the NBC/CBS thing....VP - yeah, I got it reversed on the NBC/CBS thing....<br /><br />Benny influenced so many, but here are two of the major ones to try on for size:<br /><br />Johnny Carson - the timing...many of the gestures we are familiar with are Pure Benny. <br /><br />and believe it or not, Howard Stern. You can draw so many pretty good parallels between Benny's cast and Howard's, it can be spooky:<br /><br />Mary = Robin<br /><br />Rochester/Don Wilson = Baba Booey<br /><br />Phil Harris/Bob Crosby = Jackie the Joke Man/Artie Lange<br /><br />and the Wack Pack is nothingmore than an updated version of all the odd ones Jack encountered - Mr Kitzel, Frank Nelson's 'yessssss' guy, Ed the vault keeper. <br /><br />The difference, of course, is that Benny's show was fiction, while Stern is theoretically Real Life. But Howard definitely cultivated, consciously or not, the same idea of dual personas - Just as Benny was the Cheapest Man in the World, Howard became the Horniest Married Man in the World. The Howard that is on AGT, is the Real Howard - ot at least, closer to the Real Howard. <br /><br /><br />LouOCNYhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16151395857835632917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-17772873862633584112013-02-14T13:31:55.177-08:002013-02-14T13:31:55.177-08:00Another eccentric Benny TV moment: Benny and Roche...Another eccentric Benny TV moment: Benny and Rochester are killing a little time playing chess. Rochester produces a pole with a glove at the end and extends it into the nearby kitchen, invisibly preparing and bringing back multiple drinks and appetizers as he and Benny remain focused on their game.<br /><br />Yes, it's a silly and unbelievable gag. But Rochester and Benny as a couple of intelligent adults playing a fairly serious game sold it.DBensonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-20223818506192916612013-02-14T13:06:30.624-08:002013-02-14T13:06:30.624-08:00As a Red Sox fan, Valentine will never mean the sa...As a Red Sox fan, Valentine will never mean the same thing after last season! But happy birthday, Ken.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-51658498553633009982013-02-14T12:33:16.826-08:002013-02-14T12:33:16.826-08:00Happy Birthday Ken. Always love reading your blog...Happy Birthday Ken. Always love reading your blog (even with all the liberal rhetoric).<br />By the way, you are listed as the 102nd most popular person born on this day on the IMDB website, behind such stars as<br />Matt Barr #10, Jules Asner #24 and even ex-porn star, Porsche Lynn #81.<br /><br />Enjoy your day!Joe Ciavarellanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-78466786387234700662013-02-14T11:30:22.454-08:002013-02-14T11:30:22.454-08:00In fact, one of the greatest Benny shows ever went...<i> In fact, one of the greatest Benny shows ever went thusly:<br /><br />The scene, so to speak, is a tour bus going past the homes of Hollywood stars, with Mel Blanc as the driver/guide, and Sarah Berner and Bea Benadaret as passengers. The stars homes it 'passes' are the homes of the Benny show cast members. And at each stop, and small bit with said person. So , they would pass by Phil Harris' house, and there would be a bit with Harris and Alice Faye. At Dennis Day's house, him and his mother, and Dennis sings his song for the week. And so on and so forth...until the bus reaches NBC Studios, the 'new home of Jack Benny' Suddenly, this piece:<br /><br />BENNY: Driver, this is my stop<br /><br />This was, and is so amazing for several reasons:<br /><br />1. First of all - this WAS Benny's first show on NBC after defecting from CBS (imagine the NBC execs listing to this, wondering where the hell their new star was!)<br /><br />2. He allowed his cast members to carry almost the whole show, all while making the 1947/8 audience wonder where he was.</i><br /><br />I take your word on the content of the episode (and Benny's generosity to his supporting cast), but he moved from NBC to CBS (not the other way around), and I believe his first ep on the new network aired in <i>1949</i>.<br /><br />But we both agree on one thing: Benny was brilliant.VP81955https://www.blogger.com/profile/11792390726196611188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-24197595547455780812013-02-14T11:23:27.414-08:002013-02-14T11:23:27.414-08:00Well, let's try the link again
http://youtu.b...Well, let's try the link again<br /><br />http://youtu.be/oaAA3PMLulkbensonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-18668897155321290832013-02-14T11:21:27.428-08:002013-02-14T11:21:27.428-08:00Happy Birthday, Ken. Thanks for all the entertainm...Happy Birthday, Ken. Thanks for all the entertainment.<br /><br /> BTW, here's the video of the scene referenced today.<br /><br />bensonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-54261248843947490392013-02-14T10:52:20.091-08:002013-02-14T10:52:20.091-08:00Happy Birthday, Ken!
Thank you for a consistently...Happy Birthday, Ken!<br /><br />Thank you for a consistently funny and informative blog and years of entertainment.Brian Phillipshttp://ultrasonicremote.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-62965672124008891752013-02-14T10:22:28.966-08:002013-02-14T10:22:28.966-08:00A Freilekhn Gebortstog!
And your B-Date is much b...A Freilekhn Gebortstog!<br /><br />And your B-Date is much better than that from this one guy here in germany.<br />It is february the 30.<br />Aktually that's what the police found out as they controlled his passport.<br /><br />Frankieboynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-7561184853802582692013-02-14T10:21:31.842-08:002013-02-14T10:21:31.842-08:00Happy Birthday, Ken. Thanks for reminding me it...Happy Birthday, Ken. Thanks for reminding me it's Valentine's Day (named for a demoted saint, IIRC). Now I have to run out and buy the obligatory cards and candies. What a racket.Cap'n Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11783977137812876489noreply@blogger.com