tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post8624461467125025033..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: Standing up to the starBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-5218403869630867592012-07-19T10:00:07.883-07:002012-07-19T10:00:07.883-07:00What do you do with live studio audiences for new ...What do you do with live studio audiences for new shows? I don't mean the pilot, but those first 4 or 5 (or more if it's debuting at midseason) episodes before the show premieres. How do you get them up to speed so that they understand the character humour? For example, was the live studio audience for episode 3 of Cheers made aware prior to taping of the circumstances that put Diane in the bar two episodes earlier?Stephennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-80934791714784330762012-07-18T18:51:30.716-07:002012-07-18T18:51:30.716-07:00I just finished reading Jennifer Weiner's book...I just finished reading Jennifer Weiner's book "The Next Best Thing." She writes a story about a new showrunner who writes a TV show about an "average size" girl. The actress cast in the part then loses 30 lbs between shooting the pilot and when the show gets picked up. <br /><br />Jennifer's been open about the fact that this was based on her experience when she created The Great State of Georgia about an overweight girl who wants to be an actress. Raven Symone was cast in the role and then lost a lot of weight (to great fanfare) right before they started filming the show.<br /><br />Apparently, recasting Raven Symone wasn't an option since the network liked her. I know this was Jennifer Weiner's first time as a showrunner (or TV writer, for that matter). Would a showrunner with more clout have the right to recast an actor/actress who no longer right for the part? How are these things decided?Kaleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08005313751668055687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-4053560898574321172012-07-15T17:30:36.688-07:002012-07-15T17:30:36.688-07:00Do you have a favourite home run call? And do you ...Do you have a favourite home run call? And do you think it's important for one to have just one -- i'm amazed at some of the ordinary or even dumb ones (sorry to pick on one of your pals, but 'Goodbye baseball' ranks right up there IMHO)... Over all the years and the number of announcers, it must be impossible to create an original sounding one... What's yours?rockfishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02835472375196889875noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-45035122314566514042012-07-15T04:52:15.125-07:002012-07-15T04:52:15.125-07:00O'Toole and Michael McKean are married.O'Toole and Michael McKean are married.Refnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-8290952111815447382012-07-14T17:39:57.275-07:002012-07-14T17:39:57.275-07:00Friday Question:
Hi Ken,
Started watching Wings ...Friday Question:<br /><br />Hi Ken,<br /><br />Started watching Wings on Netflix and saw that late in season one (I think it was) Tony Schaloub played a waiter in one episode. He then showed up later playing "Antonio" the cab driver. He is credited as a "guest star". Can you tell me how it came about that his character grew to become a major player on the show? Was this intentional or did he blow the writers away with his talent, and a character was specifically developed for him? Also, at what point does an actor move from being a "guest star" in the credits to a "star"?Jonah Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03307743575731853498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-81013813613942091762012-07-14T12:23:55.152-07:002012-07-14T12:23:55.152-07:00Hey Ken, here's a Friday question you've l...Hey Ken, here's a Friday question you've likely been asked before, but nonetheless: I was doing some wikipedia reading last night and saw you were one of the writers of The Tortellis, the short-lived Cheers spinoff. Having never seen an episode, I was wondering: why do you think the show failed? Nick was one of my favorite recurring characters on Cheers. He lifted every episode he guested in. Do you think, though, he was best seen in small doses, and a whole show built around him was too much? Just what do you think happened here?<br /><br />MikeMikenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-71676085151901428082012-07-14T12:07:27.549-07:002012-07-14T12:07:27.549-07:00Hi Ken, love the blog! (i put the same question in...Hi Ken, love the blog! (i put the same question in last friday's questions, so just trying again.) <br /><br />My friday question: when developing a script/show with a producer AND network and doing more and more drafts of the same script, do you recommend changing jokes/specifics for change sake to keep it fresh? Or do you recommend not changing jokes that work perfectly fine, especially you've received no notes regarding them. <br /><br />Thanks!Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-61218090031030341662012-07-13T23:31:36.328-07:002012-07-13T23:31:36.328-07:00I think you mean "cojones".
"Cojon...I think you mean "cojones".<br /><br />"Cojones" = testicles<br />"Cajones" = cratesCahootsguyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00013314422641393632noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-41323106890848848552012-07-13T16:51:43.825-07:002012-07-13T16:51:43.825-07:00Just realized Joe Polis was also the "victim&...Just realized Joe Polis was also the "victim" of George Costanza's legendary/terrible jerk store comeback on Seinfeld. Huh.<br /><br />Fun fact: Annette O'Toole is an Oscar-nominated songwriter. She and Michael McKean co-wrote the nominated song from A Mighty WindQuestion Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00267485396018087075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-13861048034931604872012-07-13T15:53:48.638-07:002012-07-13T15:53:48.638-07:00"Too bad Annette O'Toole wasn't avail..."Too bad Annette O'Toole wasn't available" should have been the last line in my divorce papers.ump902anoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-10315411532464017172012-07-13T15:14:50.635-07:002012-07-13T15:14:50.635-07:00Thanks for the Friday 13th answer. I need all the...Thanks for the Friday 13th answer. I need all the luck I can get!DwWashburnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03057278992504418291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-12265671954594183812012-07-13T11:43:52.493-07:002012-07-13T11:43:52.493-07:00I totally forgot you had two different guys playin...I totally forgot you had two different guys playing Gary!<br />Robert Desiderio was also in the Sopranos as Jack Messarone, one of Tony's contractors who wears a wire and ends up shot and stuffed in a trunk. Same episode as when Steve Buscemi first appears as Tony Blundetto.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09587558854488554257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-59471361104173407302012-07-13T10:27:43.365-07:002012-07-13T10:27:43.365-07:00Friday Question:
Really enjoy your blog, Ken. Look...Friday Question:<br />Really enjoy your blog, Ken. Looking forward to reading your book on growing up in the '60s. Speaking of which, what were your thoughts on the WONDER YEARS? Were you a fan of the show? Did you relate to a lot of the storylines? Putting on your showrunner hat for a second, anything you might have done differently with the show? And would Jack Arnold approve of Kevin Arnold becoming a sitcom director?Joenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-9988836772596111652012-07-13T09:59:53.455-07:002012-07-13T09:59:53.455-07:00If I can give my own opinion of "Anger Manage...If I can give my own opinion of "Anger Management": It's not that funny, but it's surprisingly inventive for what could be a very typical sitcom. They're trying out some unexpected ideas, like the sleep-deprivation experiment in last night's episode. <br /><br />I would credit this to creator Bruce Helford, because I felt the same way about "The Drew Carey Show" -- it tried a lot of different things to change up the traditional sitcom format.<br /><br />As for Charlie Sheen, he's okay in the title role, though playing a supposedly super-smart guy doesn't fit him the way his "Two and a Half Men" character did. The psychology aspect seems even less realistic than on the old "Bob Newhart Show," and the same quirky characters in his small therapy group each week are getting tiresome. But there are some good comic actors in the supporting roles. Overall, I'd say it's not the best comedy ever produced, but it's far from the worst.BigTednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-69748578830485073022012-07-13T09:16:33.101-07:002012-07-13T09:16:33.101-07:00There was a hilarious SNL skit with Ben Affleck th...There was a hilarious SNL skit with Ben Affleck that looked like it was unrehearsed. Ben was laughing at how cutting the jokes were. <br /><br />The scene was Ben filming on the set of Gigli and a retarded guy on staff is arguing with him about how bad the movie is. "On screen romances of real life couples never work." "If people wanted to see you with a lesbian they could watch Chasing Amy"<br /><br />Has anything like this ever happened to you with a crew member suggesting a plot is horrible?Mikenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-85382998941870544202012-07-13T08:19:03.927-07:002012-07-13T08:19:03.927-07:00Annette O'Toole in SUPERMAN III is the reason ...Annette O'Toole in SUPERMAN III is the reason I have a thing for redheads.Matter-Eater Ladhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07582100232490047227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-20684362082072275952012-07-13T07:35:43.713-07:002012-07-13T07:35:43.713-07:00Soooo...
"Anger Management"
Thoughts?...Soooo... <br /><br />"Anger Management"<br /><br />Thoughts?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01936042470523695383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-4104432960757973602012-07-13T06:48:19.195-07:002012-07-13T06:48:19.195-07:00I'm guessing you don't read a ton of chick...I'm guessing you don't read a ton of chick lit, but I thought of your blog when (on recommendation of NPR's Monkey See blog) I read Jennifer Weiner's "The Next Best Thing." Have you read it? Reactions?MomQueenBeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16502633396015922540noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-74544686410516813842012-07-13T06:25:05.792-07:002012-07-13T06:25:05.792-07:00I just watched the first Bar Wars episode last nig...I just watched the first Bar Wars episode last night. Classic!Johnny Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13302545167970532080noreply@blogger.com