Summer Movies Preview 2 (the sequel)

This is either my Summer Movies Preview or Fall Netflix Preview.   Part 1 was yesterday.THE LONE RANGER – Johnny Depp as Tonto.   I guess it’s still politically okay to be in white face. SMURFS 2 – They’re blue, they’re back, and they’re pissed!DESPICABLE ME 2 – They’re pink, they’re back, and they’re pissed! RED 2 – They’re red, they’re back, and they’re pissed!2 GUNS – When they make a sequel will it be called 2 GUNS 2? Stars...

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What does someone have to do to get some respect in this town?

The Lakers suck this year.  Last night they were eliminated in four games.  The Clippers are far better, more exciting, and yet, this photo I took over the weekend tells you all you need to know about LA.  The Clippers are the Rodney Dangerfield of Los Angel...

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Summer Movies Preview

There's like 56 big budget Sci-Fi/Doomsday/every-city-now-looks-like-Detroit blockbusters out this summer. Otherwise -- sequels, comic book heroes, and Ryan Reynolds' fifteenth attempt to open a movie. Here, as always, is my Summer Movies Preview. Full disclosure: I haven't seen any of these films. But when has that ever prevented me from judging them? Turn off your cellphones. Here we go:MAN OF STEEL – Yet another reboot.  Amy Adams is...

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Daniel Day-Lewis proves why he's the greatest actor ever

From last night's correspondents dinner...  Hilarious!  I don't know is playing Steven Spielberg but he's pretty good t...

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CHEERS -- the Russian Poetry Corner

Here’s a scene of ours from a first season episode of CHEERS called "Any Friend of Diane's".  I posted this a few years ago and still get requests for it.  Diane’s college chum Rebecca (played by Diane runner-up Julia Duffy) comes to visit the bar. Imagine a sitcom today being allowed to do this run.INT. BAR – DAYDiane and Rebecca are chattering away in French. They laugh together. Rebecca’s laugh turns into a sob, and she buries...

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I Love Lucy in REAL color

This is an amazing video. Someone in the audience of a 1951 taping of I LOVE LUCY took color home movies. Because of the sprockets I'm guessing he only shot when there was a lot of other noise on the set, or between takes. But anyway, here are scenes of the Copa nightclub and the Ricardo apartment, intercut with clips from the actual episode. This was the first time in my entire life that I saw the color scheme for the Richardo apartment. If you're a TV historian (or geek like me) you'll love this video....

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Friday Questions

Everything you ever wanted to know about show business (if what you ever wanted to know is in these four Friday Questions.)Robert Pierce gets us started:Ken, what is your opinion of pilot script competitions such as NYTVF's (New York Television Festival)Fox Comedy Script Contest? Do you think they are a valuable tool for those who are out of the industry to use to break into the business or do you believe otherwise? Seeing as how they only guarantee...

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My radio idol wanted to beat the crap out of me

Readers seem to enjoy my radio war stories, otherwise entitled: One Disc Jockey’s Mediocre Career. Several of you have requested I write a book about them. Buy my current book first. But to tease you, here’s another Top 40 tale.In the fall of 1974 I had finally made the big(ish) time. I was hired to do the evening shift on K100, Los Angeles. This was the first time I was on the radio in my hometown, and even more exciting – the station was owned...

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R.I.P. Allan Arbus

Sorry to hear of the passing of Allan Arbus who played Dr. Sidney Freedman, the psychiatrist on MASH. I was surprised to learn he was 95. Weren’t you? He appeared just a few years ago at the TV LAND awards and looked great. I never would have guessed he was in his 90’s then.I worked with Allan on two projects. MASH certainly, but did you know he was also in the movie David Isaacs and I wrote – VOLUNTEERS? He plays an Italian bookie who was...

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My problem with MAD MEN this season

WARNING: This is one of those Ken’s an old crank who has to rant posts. When I’m creating a show my first rule is that I’ve got to love my characters. They may be flawed – they should be flawed – but ultimately I love them and care about them. And hopefully, I can convey that to the audience and they’ll love them too. Again, the characters don’t have to be particularly loveable. Sweet and earnest and always-doing-the-right-thing is also boring....

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My review of 42

You’re pitching a movie to a Hollywood studio executive. YOU: You have this hero. Lots of people hate him. One guy in particular mercilessly razzes him…EXEC: A bully! So it’s a bully movie?  YOU: Yes! The ultimate bully movie.EXEC: And eventually the hero has had enough and beats the living shit out of the bully! I love it!  Feel-good summer fare. YOU: No, no. The big twist is that he doesn’t beat the bully up.EXEC: Huh? ...

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News anchor signs on by saying F**K and S**T

What a way to launch your news career. Yik...

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A true Hollywood movie star

Regular readers of this blog know that when I can't find an appropriate photo to go along with a post I just upload a Natalie Wood photo.  Some of you have been kind enough to send me photos you don't normally see.  I haven't had much cause to use them lately so they've begun to pile up.  And I figured, hey, the photos are more interesting than the articles.  So today I want to give thanks to those contributors and without any...

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The most elegant speech in support of Boston

From today's pre-game ceremony at Fenway Park, delivered elegantly by David Ortiz, "Big Papi." I couldn't have said it any better myself. UPDATE: It was blocked but now a new version exists. Enjoy it while you c...

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Stars I claimed to have discovered... even though I really didn't

Anyone who has been producing TV series for any length of time will have similar stories. They can look back at actors they worked with or hired that later became big names. Here are some of mine.Kat Dennings -- Star of 2 BROKE GIRLS was in a pilot of ours called SNOBS. We never had her say "vagina", which is why it never got picked up. Aaron Paul -- Emmy winner for BREAKING BAD was in that same pilot. Okay, these first two I am claiming...

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Friday Questions

 Friday Questions coming at ya. Duck!Garrett starts:Most shows are now going into the summer hiatus. On shows like Cheers and Frasier, did their main sets just sit on the sound stage all summer? Or were they struck so the studio could use them for other things?Those two particular shows did not strike their sets. They stayed up all year. Coincidentally, they were both on the same stage – Stage 25 at Paramount.On Stage 19 at Paramount, the...

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What shows influenced me?

Here’s one of those questions that deserves an entire post. It’s from longtime reader Mary Stella: I'd like to know what shows influenced you the most in television and how, and what's your dream three-hour night of television, including any shows from any decade, including now.The first show that influenced me was CRUSADER RABBIT. I was probably four. But what I loved was that in addition to being funny (at least to a discerning four-year-old),...

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In case you missed it...

Thanks to everyone who participated in last night's teleseminar on writing partners featuring me and my writing partner, David Isaacs.   Great questions.  It was a lot of fun.Many of you asked if there was a way to get a recording of it?   Yes, if you are already on our alert list.  You'll be emailed the details of how to obtain it.If you are not on the alert list then I'm afraid it's not available.  BUT... you can download another SitcomRoom seminar I did last year.  Just go here.   And of course,...

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Writing partner etiquette

Tonight at 9 PM Eastern/ 6 PM Pacific I’ll be holding another FREE teleseminar. The topic is writing partners and my partner, David Isaacs will be joining me. We’ll answer all your questions. If you’re interested in participating and not already on the alert list here’s where you go to sign up.   You must sign up by noon PDT.  Did I mention it's FREE?This is the type of subject matter we’re going to discuss:What happens when a partner...

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How can anything be funny today?

Imagine being a comedy writer, being in the writers’ room along with the rest of the staff, rewriting a script that will be filmed tomorrow, and you get word of the Boston explosions. Try being funny after that. That’s what numerous rooms all over town faced yesterday in the wake of that senseless cowardice attack. If it was not imperative that the script had to be finished that afternoon, I suspect most staffs adjourned for the day. And if the...

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What's currently happening in the world of pilots

We’re in the middle of pilot season. For those not intimately involved, here’s what’s currently happening:Network executives are running all over town to get from runthroughs to table readings to filmings. And Coldwater Canyon is closed. As they’re stuck on Laurel Canyon desperately trying to make a runthrough for a pilot they pretty much know is dead they’re muttering to themselves. “Why can’t they spread out these pilots?”Table readings used...

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My celebrated "hippie" period

Here's another excerpt from my book THE ME GENERATION...BY ME (GROWING UP IN THE '60).  I'm going to keep doing these until I sell enough books to get in the Amazon top 10... or at least 10,000.   Here's where you go to get your ebook copy.  And here's where you go to get the handsome paperback.  Read the reviews.  Many are from people I don't even know.  By 1967 I had been as far south as San Diego, far north...

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Jonathan Winters 1925-2013

Jonathan Winters was quite simply a comic genius. I was privileged to watch him in action a few times and was absolutely in awe. No one was faster, more inventive, or funnier than Jonathan Winters. And it was all off-the cuff.  Amazing. He passed away yesterday at 87. What a brutal week this has been.I was first introduced to Jonathan Winters as a kid. He would appear as a guest on Jack Paar's Friday night variety program and those were...

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Friday Zweifel

Do people look forward to Friday because of my questions or the weekend? I’ll foolishly assume the former. Anja leads us off: Please can you share your insight in how far translations usually get guidance from the original writers, if any? In Germany, every single non-German series or movie gets broadcast dubbed or, on rare occasion, subtitled. Over the years many translations (The Simpsons an often cited example) have been mocked by fans for notoriously...

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Free teleseminar!

I will be conducting another free teleseminar (i.e. great big telephone conference call) next Wednesday, April 17th at 9 PM Eastern/ 6 PM Pacific.  The subject is "writing partners" and I will be joined by my writing partner, David Isaacs.   We'll be answering all the questions about partnerships that you have sent in.  Here's how it will work:  Just sign up for my SITCOMROOM alert list and we'll email you the details.  ...

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