Never use me to demonstrate your product

…if there is any technology involved. Seriously, if you're unveiling a new gadget with a big presentation don't have me on stage to show it off.   It will malfunction then blow up.  In a past life I must’ve stolen Steve Jobs’ lunch money or something. The wonders of science don’t seem to work on me. I watch the movie HER and think, if it was me, right in the middle of my first steamy cyber sex with "Samantha" she would suddenly start...

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R.I.P. Tony the Tiger

I was shocked and saddened to learn that Lee Marshall, who, among things, was the current voice of Tony the Tiger (Thurl Ravencroft was the original) , died over the weekend. He was only 64. Lee and I were friends for over forty years. We met while both working at the KiiS Broadcasting Workshop, a stop neither of us placed high on our resumes. For a guy with the voice of God, Lee was the most humble, unassuming person you’ve ever met. Much...

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It's pilot season! Oh boy!

This is that two week window when the pilots for potential fall shows have been completed and turned over to the networks for consideration, analysis, and second guessing. The ultimate decisions will be made next week in New York. Why New York? Because that’s where Madison Avenue and the advertising dollars are.  Follow the $$$.Meanwhile, there’s a famous saying in television. Everything turns to shit over Mississippi. What does that mean?...

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A tribute to WINGS

Hard to believe but it’s been 24 years since WINGS premiered on NBC. I was with that show for most of its run as a one-night-a-week creative consultant (“We need a Fay joke, hotshot!”). My partner David and I also wrote six or eight episodes (including the one where Frasier and Lilith come to Nantucket), and I got my first directing assignment on WINGS as well.WINGS was created by Peter Casey, David Lee, and David Angell. They would later...

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Disney imagines the Jetsons

This is from a 1958 Disney show predicting what transportation would be like today. They got the GPS system and rearview TV cameras right. The air conditioned tubes through Death Valley, and driving under the ocean -- maybe next year. Their most extraordinary prediction is that at any one time there would only be four cars on the road. Anyway, it's great fun to watch....

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Friday Questions

Is it Friday already? Allan V has a Friday Question: You recently answered a question about why some sitcoms are filmed multi-camera and others, single. What do the actors themselves think of multi vs. single, and which setup do they tend to prefer working with? Some actors are uncomfortable playing in front of an audience. Others thrive on that. So it really depends. For the most part, the production schedule is way easier for multi-camera shows....

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My favorite new super power

I’ll be filling in for Marilu Henner again tomorrow on her nationally syndicated radio show. (You can hear it here.)  Marilu has this almost freakish ability to remember every day of her life in detail. I’ve tested her. She's the real deal.   I’ll pick a day out of the past – say the day my son was born – and she’ll instantly say, “That was a Tuesday. Election Day.” And then she’ll rattle off who was elected that day. (This was...

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Do we need Linkedin?

I’m on Linkedin and I don’t know why. Someone suggested I join so I did. Maybe I was drunk that night. Thank God he suggested Linkedin and not meth. But for my purposes Linkedin is utterly useless.In theory, it’s a social network disguised as a professional network. It will help you find jobs, survey applicants, and facilitate connections. And maybe it’s a godsend if you’re a lawyer or in some business-related profession. I don’t know...

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Checking in on MAD MEN

I found the key to enjoying MAD MEN this year!The first few seasons I was blown away by it. The last couple of seasons were hit-and-miss. Mostly miss. And now I watch it because I’ve invested this much time into the series that I might as well see it through to the end. But I find I’m enjoying it more this season. So why? Are the storylines more compelling than in recent years? No. Are there surprising turns? No. It’s all pretty much...

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Storytelling

I’ve mentioned before how much I enjoy storytelling venues. Give me a personal yarn with humor over a stand-up routine on taxicabs any day. Recently, I decided to try participating myself. Other than running off stage at a Kiss concert, I have never done stand up, nor have I had the desire. If I want thirty drunks to love me I can just buy them another round. I don’t need to craft a five-minute set. But storytelling is different. It has...

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This is very funny

This is Nina Conti, a very funny (and quite accomplished) ventriloquist. One of her bits is to take people from the audience and turn them into puppets. Here's an example. And for you trivia fans, she is actor Tom Conti's daughter....

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Let's play JEOPARDY!

And you are under no obligation to say VOLUNTEERS. For me, some would be:What is THE GODFATHER?What is  THE GODFATHER Part 2?What is AMERICAN GRAFFITI?What is CASABLANCA?What is PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM?What is BLAZING SADDLES?What is NETWORK?What is GUNGA DIN?What is BANANAS?What is ARTHUR?What is SOME LIKE IT HOT?What is THE LADY EVE?What is YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN?What is GOLDFINGER?What is DR. NO?What is GIDGET?What is TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN?What...

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My TCA speech

My post on Thursday on why I really became a comedy writer prompted a number of readers to ask if I could share the acceptance speech I delivered at that TCA dinner.  Kind blogger that I am, I used that request to blackmail you into buying more copies of my book.  It worked.  So thanks very much, and here is the speech.  If you don't like it, please don't return the books.  There were also a couple of ad libs that got...

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Good Friday Questions

A whole bunch of 'em. What’s yours?Johnny Walker starts us off: Ken, of the many TV shows about the behind-the-scenes of television (e.g. The Dick Van Dyke Show, Buffalo Bill, The Larry Sanders Show, 30 Rock, something called "Almost Perfect" - whatever that is), which do you feel portrayed the trials, tribulations, stresses and strains of a real TV show most accurately? I.e. Which make you smart in recognition and go, "That's SO true"? No contest....

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Why I became a comedy writer

A couple of years ago CHEERS won the heritage award from the Television Critics. Neither the Charles Brothers nor James Burrows were available to accept so I was asked to do so on their behalf at the big TCA Awards Dinner. It’s as close as I’m ever going to come personally to winning a TCA Award and there was alcohol so I said sure. The event was held in the glittering Grand Ballroom of the Beverly Hiltons, same venue as the Golden Globes. Same...

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Maybe We'll Have You Back

Today I’m plugging a book that’s not mine. MAYBE WE’LL HAVE YOU BACK by Fred Stoller. He presents a hilarious first-person account of what it’s like to be a long-time character actor on sitcoms. You’ve seen him on a million shows, from FRIENDS to EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND to SEINFELD to DOG WITH A BLOG. Fred is tall, thin, nerdy and usually plays Annoying Guy, or Obnoxious Guy, or Pathetic Guy or worse, Pathetic Guy #2.   He was punched...

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The Best of Levine & Isaacs

The topic of TV binge watching came up recently at lunch. My friend said, “You’ve written enough shows that you could probably fill an entire weekend.” I said, “Yeah, but I wouldn’t want to. Some things we wrote I wish we could have back. The fact that they’re still in syndication would bother me terribly if I wasn’t still getting residuals from them. So I can live with it. But he asked, “Could you assemble one full season that you’d...

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CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER -- my review

Marvel gets it. DC doesn’t. Comic book movies need to be fun. I mean, it’s a guy in tights defying the laws of physics, thrilling action scenes, and generally 20,000 innocent bystanders getting killed in the crossfire of all the mayhem and destruction. If you can’t have a good time with all of this, then what’s the point? MAN OF STEEL was terrible. You’re supposed to want to BE Superman while watching the movie. Wouldn’t it be cool to fly...

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Before Craig Ferguson was a talk show host...

He guested on our series, ALMOST PERFECT. Nancy Travis juggles the love of her life with the job of her life (showrunning a cop show). Craig plays a former boyfriend in this, one of our better episodes. NOTE: The table reading was a disaster and the staff wrote this entire script in one night. Enj...

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NBC is looking for new comedy writers

They've opened a competition searching for new comedy writers with fresh new ideas.  Best ones will result in pilots and maybe series on the network or their website.  Worth checking out.   Here's where you go.  Again, I have no involvement in this.  I haven't checked out the fine print.  But who knows?  This could be YOUR lucky break.  If so, mention me when you win an Emmy. ...

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Art has been replaced by VORP

Baseball broadcasting on the radio used to be an art. Announcers were distinctive, passionate, colorful, and entertaining. Those days are sadly slipping away. Instead, the new breed of announcers are polished, generic, stat oriented, and often put you to sleep.  Statistics have always been a big part of baseball. And a major crutch for announcers who have no imagination and nothing else to fill time with. Now with Sabermetrics and...

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Friday Questions

Happy Friday Question Day.In light of the HIMYM series finale, Charles H. Bryan asks:Do you think it's time that if a long running show hits a voluntarily final episode that maybe it should just be a regular episode (unless there's a really solid finale idea)? I mean, what's Modern Family going to do? Let us meet the documentary crew? Personally? Yes. A half hour regular-sized finale would be my choice.  But last episodes usually get big audiences...

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To prove what a gracious loser I am...

I congratulate Stephen Colbert on being named the replacement for David Letterman.  (Next to me) he's a great choice.  When people complain that he only plays a "character" they're grossly underestimating him.   He's extremely bright, personable, as quick-witted as Letterman or quicker, and he's a terrific interviewer.   I hope he brings a lot of his COLBERT REPORT writers with him.   If so, expect his monologues...

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Our attempt at SCANDAL in 1980

This is one of those “boy, have times changed” stories. I watch SCANDAL on ABC and it’s filled with corruption in the White House, conspiracies, murders, infidelities, and cover-ups – usually before the opening credits. Pretty much anything goes except necrophilia (although who knows what they have planned for next season?). Every time I watch SCANDAL I shake my head. Not that I have any problems with it. It’s highly entertaining. But I can’t...

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Why I should take over for Letterman

There is lots of speculation as to who will replace David Letterman. Stephen Colbert, Craig Ferguson, Ellen, Chelsea Handler (dear God),Louis CK, Neil Patrick Harris, and even Sarah Palin.So if Sarah Palin’s name is mentioned with a straight face then I can throw my hat in the ring too. As long as it doesn’t interfere too much with my blogging or watching baseball, I’d like to take over the LATE SHOW. I hear the money is great. And I could use...

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