In defense of TV critics

The nation’s TV critics are here in Los Angeles for their bi-annual convention. My heart goes out to them. Three weeks of hourly seminars listening to actors and showrunners from new series gassing off on why their shows are so great, all the while knowing that 90% of them won’t survive and a few will not make it to Halloween. (In fairness, it’s no picnic for the showrunners and actors either – sitting on stage looking out at a sea of bored...

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SITCOM ROOM registration is now open

My once-a-year weekend seminar is now open for registration.  The dates are October 26-27 in Los Angeles.  Only 20 slots are available and when they're gone, that's it. Already, a few are taken (people on the alert list knew about this yesterday).  HERE'S WHERE YOU GO FOR INFORMATION AND TO SIGN UP.  Trust me, if you're serious about comedy writing or ever wanted to just experience what it's like to be a professional comedy writer,...

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Attention actors: Can you play a cab driver?

Note to struggling actors: driving a cab is still better than porn.Lots of struggling actors, writers, and other industry hopefuls have gotten jobs lately here in LA driving for independent ride-sharing services. Uber, Lyft, and Sidecar are enjoying a brisk business since starting up within the last couple of years. I don’t know them all but Uber is a very cool service. You order a car via your smartphone. You register and then tell them...

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My first pitch

Back from a weekend in “the Land of Enchantment.” That’s what it says on all New Mexico license plates. I guess “the Land of Methamphetamine” was too long. But I could just be watching too much BREAKING BAD. I was in Albuquerque to throw out the first pitch at an Isotopes game. Almost every word in that last sentence requires an explanation. My writing partner, David Isaacs and I wrote THE SIMPSONS episode that introduced Springfield’s...

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How'd you like to go to work here everyday?

Of the many movie lots I was fortunate to work at, 20th Century Fox was probably my favorite.Especially during MASH.Back then I drove into the studio past the New York street built for HELLO DOLLY. Today there are office buildings. Goodbye Dolly. I drove past the MASH stage (9) – actually I raced past the MASH stage so I wouldn’t be stopped by an actor who had a script question. My parking space was in the old western town square...

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Have you ever seen this?

From last night's Albuquerque Isotopes game. No one told me it was "Monsoon Season." Watch the tarpaulin go flying. The fans did get to see eleven minutes of baseball though, before the storm hit. So it was a great night out. ...

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Dancin' Homer

Hello from Albuquerque, New Mexico where I'm still recovering from last night's monsoon and tonight (weather permitting) I'll be throwing out the first pitch at an Isotopes game.  My partner, David Isaacs and I named the team as part of a SIMPSONS episode.   I get a lot of requests for reprints of our scripts. So here is a portion of the one in question --  “Dancin’ Homer”, dated 6/05/90.  It has the first ever mention of "Isotopes."...

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Friday Questions

Heading to Albuquerque to hang out with the Isotopes this weekend. There’s something about minor league baseball that’s so pure. And there’s a Homer Simpson statue at the ballpark! But Friday Questions continue no matter where I am.From Liggie:When pitching a screenplay synopsis to an agent or studio, do you give away the ending or not?Yes. Studios now want the story almost beat-by-beat. And if it’s a comedy then want lots of jokes, five big...

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My take on Spike Lee using Kickstarter to fund his latest movie

I was on HuffPostLive yesterday discussing Spike Lee's latest Kickstarter campaign. Based on my blog post about Zach Braff I've become a pundit on the subject. But if Braff aggravated me, Spike Lee really pissed me off....

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The comedy Rules-of-Threes

This has been one of the staple of comedy for years. (It’s also been called the Comic Triple, which is different from when Prince Fielder gets a three-base-hit, like he miraculously did in the All-Star Game). But how does it work?The Rule-of-Threes establishes a pattern and then ends with something unexpected.Lame example: “We serve lasagna, spaghetti, and poi.” Usually two items are sufficient to establish the pattern. Three is overkill.“We...

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Only in LA

This is going to sound like a spoof but it’s not. It’s REAL. And it’s soooo very LA. There’s a coffee house in Santa Monica called Funnel Mill that sells a certain cup of coffee for $80 a cup.  And you can only get it by appointment. “Oh, come on!” you’re saying. “Even in a town that boasts a coroner’s gift shop, no one would pay $80 for one cup of coffee.” Well, they do. By appointment only. And it gets better. What makes this coffee...

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Oh, THAT guy again

For all the thousands of actors out of work there seems to be a lucky few who seem to turn up on EVERYTHING. Not that they’re not good or deserving or lovely people, but Jesus, my pharmacist has a great demo reel. I call it the “Oh THAT guy again” syndrome. Here are just a few recent examples:Michael Kelly. Very solid. In the last month alone I’ve seen him in MAN OF STEEL, NOW YOU SEE ME, and HOUSE OF CARDS. Anytime the star turns to...

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The geography of comedy

As I’ve mentioned on occasion, I’m in a weekly improv workshop taught by the masterful Andy Goldberg. (Notice I've never mentioned whether or not I’m any good?)  Recently we’ve had to change theaters. Even though we are very sentimental, we opted not to stay in our original theater once it was torn down. Still, we had been there for eight years and were a little leery about making the change. But the new theater had ample street parking...

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Some random thoughts for the weekend...

A belated happy birthday to Natalie Wood, who would have been 75 yesterday if Robert Wagner and Christopher Walken weren't doing... God knows what.  It didn’t take Dodger phenom Yasiel Puig long to go Hollywood. Up with the team for a month, he was spotted during the All-Star break at the Playboy Mansion hanging with Chris Brown. I guess the two were comparing hitting styles.No, I’m not attending  Comic-Con nor do I plan to review the...

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44 years ago today

It was on this day in 1969 when we first landed a man on the moon.  Here's my account of that monumental event from my book THE ME GENERATION...BY ME (GROWING UP IN THE '60s) available here for a ridiculously low price.   Even more amazing than a human being walking on the moon is how I can sell the Kindle version so cheap.  There was even more reason to feel pride at being an American later that summer. We landed a man on the moon....

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My favorite schocky movie

A number of you have asked what is my favorite schlocky movie? That would have to be the Roger Corman 1975 masterpiece, DEATH RACE 2000. It's your typical low budget exploitation science fiction apocalyptic violent cross country auto race romp. The tagline:IN THE YEAR 2000 HIT AND RUN DRIVING IS NO LONGER A FELONY. IT'S A NATIONAL SPORT!I have to love a movie where the Real Don Steele's name is on the one-sheet but Sylvester Stallone's...

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Friday Questions

For everyone who looks forward to Friday (Questions): Barefoot Billy Aloha asks:Big Wave Dave's and Almost Perfect were built around people in very unique circumstances (Hawaii transplants; TV producers); yet, your bones were made on shows built around people in very common circumstances (military service; bar pals).So, my question is: would your next new show stand a better chance of long term success if it were built around more common experience?...

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My thoughts on today's #Emmy nominations

Phil Spector is the big man in his prison today. His TV biopic received 11 nominations, a staggering amount considering there’s no “Worst Movie or Mini-Series” category. The guys must be congratulating him in the yard; I wouldn’t be surprised if the cook doesn’t give him an extra dollop of beans tonight. To the victor go the spoils!This may be the only day of the year when Phil Spector is happier than Matt Weiner. For the first time, there’s...

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