Ian Talks Comedy

Chris Butler joined me to talk about Devil's Glitch, the world's longest song; seeing The Who on Shindig changing his life; how Broadway showtunes showed him how to write a song; being in an integrated band in the 1960's; going to Kent State; The Kent State Massacre; playing college clubs; 3 one hour sets anight; being friends with Devo, Joe Walsh, and Terry & Chrissy Hynde; writing "I Know What Boys Like" as a member of Tin Huey; recording "I Know What Boys Like"; touring; "Christmas Wrapping" and its surprise success; reacting to reaction videos of "I Know What Boys Like" and  "Christmas Wrapping"; writing the theme song and appearing on the pilot of Square Pegs; being the bandleader on One Drink Minimum; living in Jeffrey Dahmer's childhood home; and "aging" out of New York

Jay Kogen joined me to discuss his father comedy writer Arnie Kogen; making his TV debut on the Dean Martin Show; apearances on The Bob Newhart Show & Newhart; being a recurring character on The Bronx Zoo; being a production assistant on It's Garry Shandling Show with writing partner Wallace Woolodarsky; pitching sketches for The Tracey Ullman Show; he and Wally get hired for The Simpsons; writing "Homer's Odyssey"; how "Krusty Gets Busted" had to have a good mystery; the first "Treehouse of Horror"; watching the Simpsons now; George Meyers; Audrey Meadows; writing "Like Father, Like Clown" for Jackie Mason; creating the 1st Annual Montgomery Burns Award; Dental Plan - Lisa Needs Braces; writing for Sibs, The Single Guy; writing The Wrong Guy; winning a Humanitas Award for an episode of Frasier; Henry Danger; School of Rock; Punky Brewster, and his son's music

Shelly Clark White joined me to talk about her musical parents; being on Broadway at 7; touring with Cab Calloway; studying opera; being an Ikette; working for Little Richard; singing backup on "MacArthur Park" and with Dusty Springfield; the origins of Honey Cone; hedging her bet by joining the Jim Nabors Show; "Want Ads" goes to #1; Ray Parker Jr.; performing on the first episode of Soul Train; singing with George Burns on The Tonight Show; performing on Sonny & Cher; Hot City; meeting and eventually marrying her husband Verdine White of Earth, Wind and Fire; working for Eddie Murphy Productions of the pilot to the "Coming to America" tv series and "What's Allen Watching?" pilot; 2014 Soul Train Cruise; honors and Awards; reforming the Honey Cones.

Web Site https://www.thehoneycone.com/

Bruce joins me to talk about the beginning of his career writing for "Donny & Marie" and "Fridays" as well as being head writer for "The Ben Stiller Show"

Bobby Rydell joined me to talk about being from Philadelphia; Kissin' Time; Wild One; reaction videos; Perry Como; his and the other Golden Boys of Bandstands affect on women; The Ed Sullivan Show; A World without Love; Bye, Bye, Birdie; Australia; impressions; George Burns; Sammy Davis Jr.; Michael Buble; My Way; The Great American Songbook; Buddy Rich; Dick Clark; touring after COVID;  his near death experience; and singing Happy Mothers Day to You to my mom.

Note - Unfortunately, Mr. Rydell's mike cut in and out during the beginning and end of the interview.

For his tour dates visit www.bobbyrydell.com

Howard Gewirtz joined me to talk about his name; Oliver Beene; growing up in Rego Park, NY; working for the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's television station; writing a spec script for a George Carlin sitcom; writing for Busting Loose; We're on Our Own; Co-Ed Fever; writing a spec script for Taxi and getting hired; Taxi episode "Shut it Down Part I & II"; writing a Three's Company; writing for Latka; Mr. Personalities; using a UCLA psychologist for research and getting Dr. Joyce Brothers to play the psychologist; casting his and Ian Praiser's mothers in "Sceneskees from a Marriage"; his favorite Latka episode "Latka the Revolutionary"; Carol Kane as Simka; working with Tom Hanks on the episode "The Road Not Taken" and Martin Short on The Associates and "Jim Joins the Network"; J. Alan Thomas; him guest starring in "Of Mice and Tony"; creating Domestic Life with Ian Praiser, Steve Martin & Martin Mull; working with Sylvia Sidney; Down and Out in Beverly Hills; his Simpsons episode "Homer Defined"; Sibs; The Larry Sanders Show; Wings; and his upcoming novel.

Simpsons legend Al Jean joined me to talk about Get Smart; his  submission for the Harvard Lampoon; getting hired to the National Lampoon; Airplane II; Not Necessarily the News; writing for The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson; Carnac jokes; bitch McNuggets; Charles in Charge; the dangers of being on Alf; Sledge Hammer; It's Garry Shandling's Show; getting hired on The Simpsons; the "classic" writers room; becoming show runner in season 3; episodes: The Way We Was; Uncut Femmes; Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington; Tell-Tale Head; Lisa's Sax; hot water heaters; being renewed for season 33 & 34; Daddicus Finch; Homer;'s Barbershop Quarter; the Simpsons getting a Kennedy Center Honor; second choice's being better - Leonard Nimoy, Phil Hartman, Lionel Richie, Steve Sax; possible return of Uncle Herb (Danny DeVito); Sideshow Bob; Kelsey Grammer; Joe Mantegna; Jon Lovitz; The Critic; Doris Grau

Stacey Nelkin joined me to talk about her upbringing; Stuyvesant High School; being cut from Annie Hall, Celebrity, and Deconstructing Harry; Bullets Over Broadway; CHiPS; Like Mom, Like Me; Triangle Factory Fire Scandal; The Chisholms; California Dreaming; The Last Convertible; Serial; Martin Mull & Bill Macy;  Up the Academy; Children of Divorce; Wonderful World of Disney; John Putch; her talent with dialects and languages; Going Ape!; Jessica Walter (who passed away the day before); Halloween III: Season of the Witch; Yellowbeard; dating Peter Cook; getting propositioned by David Bowie; Sunset Limousine; hanging out with John Ritter, Paul Reiser, and Martin Short; Joyce Hyser & Ellen Barkin; The Jerk, Too; TLC; The A-Team; Murder She Wrote; 1st and Ten; OJ Simpson & Marcus Allen; how writing a book about relationships led to her being a relationship and parenting expert on Fox News; her addictions; how her fathers death from an overdose led her to give back to the addicted,

"Cosby Show" producer and "Home Improvement" creator Carmen Finestra joined me to talk about his comedy upbringing; his first job filling in for Herve Villechaize; Joe Cates; making funny fire warnings; Johnny Cash & Friends; his first sketch is ruined when Johnny reads the cue cards wrong; meeting Steve Martin & Jim Varney; Sha Na Na; Chico & The Man; The Harvey Korman Show; Joe & Valerie; Mel & Susan Together; The King of Kensington; The Love Boat residuals; working with Johnny Cash & Andy Kaufman; Good Times; Highcliffe Manor; writing with Steve Martin & Jack Handy; Angie; Hank Aaron; Ladies Man; Harvey Miller; Twilight Theater; Pat Proft & Neal Israel; It's Not Easy; Punky Brewster; how Brandon was trained; getting hired for The Cosby Show; how Cosby worked; President Reagan learns not to preempt Cosby; how Cosby led to the success of Family Ties, Cheers, and Night Court; the Slumber Party episode and Peter; Danny Kaye; Red Buttons; Say Hello to Goodbye set a ratings recordhe guest stars; Anthony Quinn; Sammy Davis, Jr.; Earle Hyman, Roscoe Lee Browne, and Christopher Plummer do Shakespeare; The Muppets ; Sonia Braga; Tim Allen gets Carmen and Matt's idea for a sitcom; Home Improvement is cast and cast again; Carmen re-imagines Thunder Alley for Ed Asner, Buddies for Dave Chapelle and Soul Man for Dan Aykroyd;

Mark joined me to discuss Al Franken; growing up in Buffalo; moving to LA; quitting his day job; his stand up material; meeting Dennis Miller; how finding your voice is difficult when you're writing for someone else; getting The Dennis Miller Show; Bob Odenkirk; Mum & Shanz; Herb Sargent; being brought on to The Chevy Chase Show; Chevy farts on FOX execs; performing in front of 12 people including Richard Lewis & Albert Brooks;his SNL showcase; his parents take on his material; screwing with Adam Sandler right before he was to go on; helping Will Forte out of his contract to go to SNL; Robert Smigel; David Letterman; meeting Bonnie & Terry Turner; getting hired for 3rd Rock; creating Mr. Rhodes and  having to stay there; how TV portrays teacher; tech schools; demographics should not supercede poverty; old textbooks; racism in the US; the Royal Family; Bernie Sanders; casting Topher Grace; casting Mila Kunis; guest stars Betty White, Tom Poston, Charo, Tanya Roberts and the one that got away; chickening out on meeting Aerosmith; having to write George Harrison''s acceptance speech with him; Chris farley; Eric, Donna & Hyde triangle he hated; trying to "Urkel" Fez; women in America; his mom suffers discrimination; cancel culture; The Birth of A Nation vs. Birth of a Nation; Betsy DeVos; the old Republicans; Bill Clinton becomes corporatist; the Capitol defecation; Republican swingers; humiliation is funny; my favorite scene from That 70's Show; lasting friendships; what he watches now; sports; The Simpsons; being held accountable for what you did as a teenager; forgiveness; Kevin Spacey; cancelling Dancing with the Stars;  Lab Rats; Grateful Dead jokes; Drake Sather; meeting and working for your heroes