tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post8245290022185878836..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: Friday QuestionsBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-88397480828458572582017-08-07T04:03:50.554-07:002017-08-07T04:03:50.554-07:00Thanks for answering my question. Jonathan and Da...Thanks for answering my question. Jonathan and Darlene Edwards was a delightful surprise. I don't know how many people remember them, but as a connoisseur of bad singing, I love them. As you know, my wife Laura is a singer, and her voice has sometimes been compared to Jo Stafford's. She likes that because Jo also had perfect pitch and a very well-trained voice. Laura says you have to be a really good singer to sing badly that precisely, that it's actually harder than singing properly.<br /><br />Two writers I discovered in about the 4th grade and got obsessed with were James Thurber and Robert Benchley. I used to haunt library basements for bound copies of the New Yorker that had articles that hadn't been collected yet, since I had all the books. To this day, the line I quote most often is from Benchley: "Wish I were getting paid by the word for THIS one!" <br /><br />I also share your love of the Dick Van Dyke Show (so much I became a comedy writer and married a hot chick named Laura) and Tom Lehrer, although I started with Spike Jones, Homer & Jethro and Allen Sherman and didn't discover Lehrer until college. I made up for it, though. I once went to a production of the revue "Tomfoolery" in a tiny basement theater here in Dallas. After the show, the cast greeted the audience in the lobby. One of the actresses told me that during intermission, the actors were saying that if anyone forgot any lyrics, just look at the guy sitting at the end of the front row (me), because I was silently mouthing along to every word. Oh crap, they noticed that...<br /><br />Pat Reederhttp://www.facebook.com/hollywoodhifibooknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-294966735428084642017-08-05T05:51:22.574-07:002017-08-05T05:51:22.574-07:00Ken: Thank you for letting us hear the THE SNOBS p...Ken: Thank you for letting us hear the THE SNOBS pilot.<br /><br />Jay Thurber: I don't think characters need to be likable necessarily, but I do think they need to be relatable. While I was listening to the reading I was struck by how much I could hear Kelsey Grammer's/Frasier's voice saying many of Carl's lines, and I wonder if following so closely after FRASIER that might have been the bigger issue at the time. <br /><br />wgWendy M. Grossmanhttp://www.pelicancrossing.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-4697202902951688842017-08-04T23:40:53.023-07:002017-08-04T23:40:53.023-07:00Do you think we'll ever see more movies that a...Do you think we'll ever see more movies that aren't tied to the three-act structure? I came across this article that says rigid screenplay formulas like Syd Field's, Blake Snyder's, etc., have hurt independent filmmakers' cinematic creativity because producers look for screenplay structure first. (Link: http://nofilmschool.com/2017/08/three-act-structure-destroying-indie-film ) I remember studying in college the artistic merits of Bergman, Fellini, and the French New Wave, where the films were more tied to theme than moving the plot, and sometimes were even improvised, and they still drew audiences. Are the days of "La Dolce Vida" and "Breathless" (Godard, not Gere) over?Liggienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-52557249374098713972017-08-04T20:30:42.856-07:002017-08-04T20:30:42.856-07:00If Joan Plowright had slept with you, I would'...If Joan Plowright had slept with you, I would've had to rethink...everything.normadesmondhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17325110017442011627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-60691553088125229082017-08-04T16:35:59.250-07:002017-08-04T16:35:59.250-07:00Bravo Bruce Miller!
Could certainly see that comi...Bravo Bruce Miller!<br /><br />Could certainly see that coming. The fact that you told us it was coming might have been a bit of an influence! <br /><br />Kevin got screwed, and not on the balcony. Always has a solid screen presence. Recently saw him playing an FBI agent on Blue Bloods (is that ironic!). Remember the episode of Frasier that he and his wife played the couple with the gigantic noses? One of my faves. And just saw Lisa Edelstein on Wings. <br /><br />Who replaced Kevin on your show? <br /><br />Candy Cummingsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-5584454488029520412017-08-04T12:59:04.034-07:002017-08-04T12:59:04.034-07:00Hoooo Ken!!! Why did you have speak the truth? You...<br /><br />Hoooo Ken!!! Why did you have speak the truth? You could have said some name like say ..... Nancy Travis, and I would have died a happy man. Ha Ha Haaaaa....<br /><br />Anyway, thanks a lot for answering Ken.<br /><br />But my question in the end was "Has any one of them shown their gratitude to you in any way" - not just "actress sleeping with you gratitude", but any real show of gratitude by the numerous actors/actresses whose career got a boost because of your writing.<br /><br />Tednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-29136801174174165902017-08-04T12:26:28.521-07:002017-08-04T12:26:28.521-07:00Gary and Patty got lucky surviving that marble sta...Gary and Patty got lucky surviving that marble staircase. That's what killed Michael Garrison.Kosmo13noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-45412359444339984812017-08-04T11:38:12.891-07:002017-08-04T11:38:12.891-07:00Jonathan and Darlene Edwards!
The joke is that th...Jonathan and Darlene Edwards!<br /><br />The joke is that they're really Jo Stafford (a phenomenal singer) and Paul Weston (a first class pianist/arranger), playing a ...shall we say... musically challenged duo. Jonathan and Darlene were characters they invented to entertain guests at parties. Google their version of Stayin' Alive to get a sense of their unique style....<br /><br />Jo had a ton of hits in the pre-rock era (many arranged by her husband Paul) -- same era and general feel as Rosemary Clooney or Doris Day. She could sing ANYTHING. And you'll note that as Darlene, she always manages to find EXACTLY the wrong note to hit...and her diction is flawless.<br /><br />Arthur Meenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-34008392565675963022017-08-04T10:52:10.824-07:002017-08-04T10:52:10.824-07:00Regarding the Chuckles Bites the Dust episode, Ed ...Regarding the Chuckles Bites the Dust episode, Ed Asner was interviewed a while back on Gilbert Gottfried's and Frank Santopadre's podcast. He said he (I don't recall if he meant just him or the entire case) decided they had to oversell how funny their characters thought Chuckles' death was, to cue the audience that they were supposed to find it funny, too, and set up the final scene at the funeral home. He said that's one reason Lou and Murray are laughing so hard about it in the newsroom.Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-32581428619264990832017-08-04T09:12:44.048-07:002017-08-04T09:12:44.048-07:00Going back to your radio day's . What did you ...Going back to your radio day's . What did you Jocks who prepackaged bits and did know any?opimushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08390849661934711092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-17085557163449347482017-08-04T09:12:08.299-07:002017-08-04T09:12:08.299-07:00FRIDAY QUESTION
LA is the entertainment capital o...FRIDAY QUESTION<br /><br />LA is the entertainment capital of the world. There must be thousands of tourists that visit the city every day. The metro area has a population of 13 million. Why do you think is it so tough to fill theatres in LA with paying customers? Why isn't there a thriving theatre scene when there are actors, writers and producers galore?jcsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-76523910706678611192017-08-04T08:04:16.551-07:002017-08-04T08:04:16.551-07:00Ken: Long-time reader, first-time caller. Er, comm...Ken: Long-time reader, first-time caller. Er, commenter. I enjoy the heck out of your podcast, especially your radio stories. <br /><br />If "Jimmy" is who I think he is, he got himself in serious trouble during one of his dalliances and is now on a watch list ... yet until as recently as 2014 was still broadcasting for a minor-league affiliate of a major league team.<br /><br />I also enjoyed your pilot, but I wonder if the characters had "legs," because none of them (except for Clay) was especially likable. It seemed like a show full of Frasiers without any Daphnes or Martins to leaven it. <br /><br />My question is, do you think that's why it wasn't picked up? And would the characters have had to evolve to be a bit more likable as time went on?Jay Thurberhttps://jaythurbershow.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-61785971429467077532017-08-04T08:03:35.625-07:002017-08-04T08:03:35.625-07:00Hi Ken
A Friday question.
What TV shows do you t...Hi Ken<br /><br />A Friday question.<br /><br />What TV shows do you think are absolutely necessary viewing for an aspiring TV comedy writer? Which more modern ones, which older ones?<br /><br />Thanks in advance.<br /><br />David CDavid Cnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-64907754790668165102017-08-04T07:44:43.215-07:002017-08-04T07:44:43.215-07:00Thanks for the answer! I've only heard Armstr...Thanks for the answer! I've only heard Armstrong on airchecks, but I understand what you mean. I grew up in Philadelphia with Young, and saw Michael as a god (but only knew him on the Sports Machine).Tom Asherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05403082067274425309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-30415034514031440972017-08-04T06:04:17.359-07:002017-08-04T06:04:17.359-07:00
FRIDAY QUESTION:
Hi Ken,
Have you got any advic...<br />FRIDAY QUESTION:<br /><br />Hi Ken,<br /><br />Have you got any advice for people living outside of the US on how to break into writing for US TV? Peternoreply@blogger.com