TV Guidance Counselor

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 668: The 2024 Christmas Special with Taffeta Darling Dec 22, 2024

This week to celebrate the Holidays Ken welcomes Taffeta Darling back to the show.

Ken and Taffeta fullfill their greatest Christmas wishes as they browese three, count em THREE Sears Wishbooks, from 1983, 1989 and 1994 and each pick 12 gifts they would like from that year.

Follow along by snagging the PDFs of these catalogs for FREE if you are a Patron over at patreon.com/tvguidancecounselor

Happy Holidays!

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 667: Daniela Taplin Lundberg Dec 16, 2024

July 21-27, 1990

This week Ken welcomes film producer and host of the Hollywood Gold podcast, Daniela Taplin Lundberg.

Ken and Daniela discuss growing up in show business with an actress mother and producer father, producing Mean Streets, La Bamba, hating Coach, Murphy Brown, Action Jackson, the teen TV stars of the 80s and 90s, Hollywood poor, going to events for the food, Doogie Howser PI, the movie guide in the back of TV Guide, Premiere Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, Tom Hanks, Bosom Buddies, telling stories you think make you look good that don't actually make you look good, Different World, Wonder Years, Square Pegs, Northern Exposure, Beauty and the Beast, The Facts of Life, backdoor pilots, Ken's trivia weak points, TV Horror Hosts, NBC Pictures, target audiences, SNL's best cast, Life Goes On, Our House, Newhart, The Elliot comedy legacy (Bob, Chris, Abbey, Bridey), loving thirtysomething and Sisters, Battle of the Network Stars, Who's the Boss, Living Dolls, Mona, Charmed, Head of the Class, Hollywood it couples, Brad Pit, not connecting with Neil Patrick Harris, Silver Spoons, Jason Bateman, Ricky Schroeder being mean to you, Cosby, Grand, mid-season replacements, loving Bonnie Hunt, disliking Full House, being social on Friday Nights, Miami Vice, the beauty of Crime Story, before they were stars, the greatness of not binging shows, and My So-Called Life.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 666: Popeye Vogelsang Dec 09, 2024

December 8-14, 1979

This week Ken welcomes former Farside singer/guitarist, voice actor, and all around good dude Popeye Vogelsang to the show.

Ken and Popeye discuss disrespecting the Fonz, leaving a legacy, where Potsy and Ralph Malph ended up, knocking out Paulie Shore, nicknames, ADR, voicing for video games, smoking, putting allen wrenches in cigarette filters, low tar, lower tar, even lower tar, growing up in Orange County, 80s SoCal punk rock, Watt, being innocent, Dick Cavett, SCTV, the greatness of Dave Thomas, Christmas with Cigarettes, how all women love Robert Redford, The Jane Fonda Workout, piledriving, non-sequitur movie ads, "coming this Christmas", Norman Fell, putting two names in alphabetical order incorrectly, Hanna Barbera characters singing We Are Family, Farrah Fawcett and Jeff Bridges in the beloved Christmas classic "Somebody Killed Her Husband", candlepin bowling, The Return of the Pink Panther, Don Kirshner's Rock Concert, being confused by Heart playing with Smokey Robinson and Olivia Newton John, A Charlie Brown Christmas, 8-Tracks, menthol, getting interviewed by Ali G, Surgeon General C. Everett Coop, Happy Days, The Wild Wild World of Animals, Fight or Flight, Lorenzo Lamas, Chuck Berry's weirdness, Real People vs That's Incredible, whistling through your navel, washing coins, Donahue after dark, Doug Henning, how you can't top Martin Short, boxing head injuries, Laverne and Shirley, the god like powers of Michael McKeon, Lenny and the Squigtones, Dom DeLuise, renting VHS tapes to Donny Osmond, Rockford Files, Jaws 2, Summer Without Boys, 30 Minutes: the kids version of 60 minutes, the Christmas miracle of Adam Rich, subversion on television, how massive Hart to Hart was in the UK, being a Presto household, never having to do laundry thanks to promotional t-shirts, and the value of just screwing around.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 665: Tananarive Due Dec 02, 2024

This week Ken welcomes the fantastic author (The Keeper, The Reformatory, The Wishing Pool), Screenwriter (The Twilight Zone), educator and producer Tananarive Due to the show.

Ken and Tananarive discuss how they are doing these days, how allegory serves marginalized people, genre pieces, growing up in Florida, reading your first Stephen King novel at 16 (The Shining), Nancy Drew, Encyclopedia Brown, the golden age of sitcoms, Columbo, Emergency!, recognizing an indigenous person on TV, when Emergency 1 was replaced by CHiPs, when a show that isn't a show for kids becomes a kid's show, Randolph Mantooth, writing fan fiction, out of control foley on Dragnet, hyper real fire fighting, loving it when the lead character gets injured, using your journalism credentials to interview Randolph Mantooth, no answering fan mail, Satanists, Starksy and Hutch, learning story structure, sad sitcoms, playing TV themes on keyboards, Good Times, being raised by civil rights activists, ripped from the headlines plots, representation on TV, how 1970s TV may have been more progressive than today's TV, Made for-TV Movies, Roots, Holocaust, V, pitching a fascist takeover of the united states, Donald Mantooth, The Seekers, Kliph Nesteroff's books, The Night Stalker, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, how human evil is the scariest, not understanding the motivation of hate, Jordan Peele, laughting through the end of the world, Get Out!, the comedy and horror connection, how hard it is to break into show running, the difficulty of getting ANYTHING on television, Horror Noir, how to pitch, Fugue State, Tony Todd (RIP), the greatness and intent behind Stephen King's work, Japanese Animated Horror, Pokerface, Elsbeth, needing to watch stand up to unwind and Ken's Candyman/Good Times mashup.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 664: Chris Wrenn Nov 25, 2024

April 11 -16 , 2004

This week Ken welcomes Bridge 9 Records and Sully Brands impresario Chris Wrenn to the show.

Ken and Chris discuss their shared Boston punk rock history, the 2004 Red Sox World Series victory, regional variations, Ken's complete lack of sports knowledge, very specific niches, T-shirts that are hard to explain, building a community space, the sports punk rock overlap in Boston, vending outside of Fenway park, how weirdly horny 2004 was, JJ Jackson's death, being stuck in traffic outside a game, John Sayles, indecency on television, the Janet Jackson Justin Timberlake Superbowl incident, the Red Sox vs Yankees rivalry, the long history of novelty sporting sayings in New England, Stephen King's book about the 2004 Red Sox season, Fever Pitch, The Celtics, Mel Gibson, Quantum Leap, Outlander, the TV on DVD phenomenon, offensive cigarette discount stores, Ms Pac Man, Running your own dorm room video store, Gilmore Girls, working at Tower Records, making art projects, Yao Ming, when terrible things make money, The Town, DIY ethos, when TV Guide switched formats, and Romeo Must Die.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 663: Eric White Nov 18, 2024

May 2-8, 1981

This week Ken welcomes the amazingly talented artist, painter, and kindred spirit Eric White to the show.

Ken and Eric discuss mutual friend Moon Zappa, BYOTVG, Eric's last solo show in NYC, worshiping garbage, saving things meant to be thrown away, Made for TV movies, Someone I Touched, Real People, That's Incredible!, Jefferson's flashbacks, prog rock, a mythical 1970s, TV things that terrified us as children, 1973, Chaka, The Kroft Bros, SCTV, magazine design, SNL, making deals with your parents to watch TV, Jim Henson, the mystery of Central time, Solid Gold, not having a subscription to TV Guide, CHiPs, Ripley's Believe it or Not, Jacque Cousteau, nature shows, streaming, the bizarre first year of SNL, Mr. Bill, WFMU's Best Show, things that only aired once, Archie Bunker in the electric chair, Sharpling and Wurster, the infamous episode of Too Close for Comfort, the infamous episode of Little House, Dick Cavet, Iggy Pop and Bowie on Dinah Shore, the trauma of the final episode of M*A*S*H, Charles Nelson Riley, Lady Elaine Fairchild, not knowing who bought your paintings, Star Trek, Happy Days, Night Gallery, the paintings from Night Gallery, the complicated TV watching politics involved in navigating divorced parents, Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Sha Na Na, the creepy real life end of Bob Crane, how sad The Architects of Fear episode of The Outer Limits is, the opening credits to Mystery, Edward Gorey, Mork and Mindy, Waltons, renting a VCR, Blade Runner, being obsessed with miniatures, Barney Miller, Sneak Previews, and the glory days of PBS.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 662: Zach Wilson Nov 11, 2024

FALL PREVIEW ALERT

FALL PREVIEW September 13-19, 1997

This week Ken welcomes certified TV Genius, Saint behind the Strategic Sitcom Reserve, the man behind the Sitcom People Twitter and co-host of the Random Access Television Podcast, Zach Wilson.

Ken and Zach discuss Plex, the Jackie Thomas Show, the mystery of how Zach found TVGC, how sometimes things just make sense, Zach's early love of comedy and sitcoms, capsule reviews, jumping from show to show, the "no more than 10 episodes" rule, Suddenly Susan, NBC's late 90s Monday Night Lineup, The Naked Truth, Ken's love of Tea Leoni, the bizarre second season opening of Working, George and Leo, Sleepwalker, 90s Marvel Comics, Kurt Fuller, The Good Wife, The Good Fight, the end of Saturday Night action shows, The Profiler, The Pretender, chasing that Law & Order Money, Total Security, Ed O'Neal, all the James Browns, the weird horniness of 90s Rolling Stone, The Mystery Science Theater Hour, Ally McBeal the half hour sitcom, not getting Ken started on Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr, the tv to movies transition, Eugene Levy, people overlooking people being awful people if they like their show, the trend of sitcoms about people trying to make it in Hollywood, when everyone wanted to be the Gen X Dick Van Dyke show, when drama drags down sitcoms, Tony Danza, Taxi, John Larroquette Show, The Walking Dead, Between Brothers, US remakes of UK shows, Coupling, when a Scott Baio show was so bad it was canceled before it even aired, having never watched the US Office, Meego, Step by Step, Gregory Hines, the late days of TGIF, You Wish, Larry King falling asleep on the air, Crimes of Passion: One Hot Summer Night, real made for TV movies or fake made for TV Movies, Dean Cain, confusing Gary Busey and Nick Nolte, Jack Elam, The Emmys, True Lies, hitting the bottle, bringing your own TV Guide, Michael Palin's travel specials, how Al and Wilson are great sitcom characters that redeem Home Improvement, how Zach doesn't love 80s punk, Wings, how Bonnie Hunt never clicked with Zach, SCTV, Clifford, Space Ghost Coast to Coast and how it changed the world, only playing characters that have the same name as you do, The Pits, the weird decline of multi cam sitcoms, the laziness of cutaways, Superior Donuts, and Zach's fantastic podcast Random Access Television.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 661: Tripp Underwood Nov 04, 2024

August 15-21, 1987

In a shocking move, this week Ken welcomes a guest BACK to Reid Manor for a LIVE recording not via satellite, it's old friend, author, bass player of Pete Holmes' favorite Boston punk band and fellow punk rock kid, Tripp Underwood.

Ken and Tripp discuss what it means to be "from Boston", suburban posers, being only the second person to record an episode at the house since COVID hit, Building 19, Tripp's "Have a Cheap Day" book, local discount stores, the RI Rock N Roll Hall of Fame, Ann & Hope, duckpin bowling, algorithms, having a computer guy in your corner, COVID pandemic driven nostalgia, newspaper ads, parodies, 80 year old nana's, artists, Mad Magazine, the original Building 19 flier artist, being yelled at on Facebook by old men, the importance of going through the Sunday Boston Globe as a kid, when Ken gave everyone in the audience a wrapped copy of Kate & Allie Season 1 on DVD at a show, buying a gross of items, TV Preachers, Isaac Asimov reviewing ALF, being on tour in a band, TV merch, discarded merchandise from canceled shows, the marketing, Ken's sick burn against Social Distortion fans, 227, Hunter, Spencer for Hire, Barry Crimmins, Elvis' set list creation, The New Adventures of Beans Baxter, Mr. President, Married...with Children, FOX Weekend Television, Duet, Open House, pogs, friendships fueled by references, the Valerie saga, Newhart, Get a Life, Rockford Files, when TV dads are creeps, Growing Pains, anti-heroes, One Crazy Summer, Christie Elise, MacGyver, Cosby, Cheers, being a "Diane and Woody", cast replacements, trying to guess which Boston area towns, within Rt 128 that various Cheers characters come from/live in, how short TV shows without commercials are now, Family Ties, Garfield, Garfield's 9 Lives, Mr. Belvedere, Barney Miller, progressive 70s shows, Danny Arnold, and the strange Boston protective positive insulting intolerance.

AND buy Tripp's Building 19 Book, "Have a Cheap Day" here: https://www.ebay.com/itm/145948273839?

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 660: Phelan Porteous & Allison Pregler Halloween Special Oct 28, 2024

2024 Halloween Special!

October 17-23, 1998

Happy Halloween! This week Ken welcomes Allison Pregler BACK to the show, and Phelan Porteous to the show for the first time.

Ken, Allison and Phelan discuss Allison's return to the show, the illusion of time, Ken's household's love of Phelan and Allison's videos, The Baywatch Hulu documentary, E! True Hollywood Stories, The Simpsons Treehouse of Horrors without the Simpsons Treehouse of Horrors, Nova Scotia, Canadian TV Guide, Canada's love of staples, what US channels they get in Canada, SNL's black face shame, re-watching all of SNL from the start, the lost years of SNL, Billy Crystal, Fear on SNL with Donald Pleasence, why Hersheys thinks change is bad, lazy "homemade" recipes, is Blue Velvet a horror movie?, ex's names tattooed on you, Dracula Knives, a very special Baywatch, TV's depiction of autism, dolphins, animal husbandry, Santa themed wrestlers, Zanta, Halloween Wars, challenge cooking, the disappointing nature of KISS, the shock at Gene Simmons not being on Baywatch ever, Jeremy Piven's balls, Balls Mahoney, people named Bumper, Getting Personal, Jon Cryer's sitcom trenches, the world's greatest Tim Burton interview, Two Guys a Girl and a Pizza Place, Spooky Specials, Alien Voices, when Fred Savage was Groucho Marx once, best ever costumes, homemade little mermaid costumes, MTV, Much Music, naked babies on TV, My Little Pony rip offs, Adonis' and his tiny Jeep, Walmart Associates, Wind on the Water, The Working Girl sitcom, The Net Sitcom, Xena, the evil Xena, when Ken told Jerry Bruckheimer he didn't like his movie, WWF Wrestling, Kate Mulgrew surprising AOC, 7 Days, Quantum Leap, Beetlejuice, Otherworld, Sliders, House II, Charmed, Werewolves, Buffy, whodoneits, Robin Hood Men in Tights, Michael Jackson's strange questions, John Landis, Sabrina, Ken's crying at the death of Flealig in Babe II, and the strangeness of Red Green.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 659: Ali Clayton Oct 21, 2024

June 23-29th, 2008

This week Ken welcomes the very funny comedian behind the new album ,"Country Queer," and the podcast, "Y'all Gay," Ali Clayton.

Ken and Ali discuss growing up with exotic pets, unique regional accents in cartoons, Bugs Bunny's Brooklyn twang, the North Carolina drawl of "The Andy Griffith Show," Andy Griffith's surprising acting range, "A Face in the Crowd," Dr. Oz's bizarre Senate campaign, the age-old debate between New York and Chicago pizza, Denise Richards' unexpected shift from the silver screen to reality TV and OnlyFans, experiences with eccentric pets ,bizarre reality TV shows, the absurd premise of "Paralyzed and Pregnant", "20/20," and pet grooming competitions.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 658. Laura Merli Oct 14, 2024

February 15-21, 1992

This week Ken welcomes the NY based writer, comedian and actor Laura Merli to the show.

Ken and Laura discuss being a rare person who didn't grow up in Boston or go to school in Boston yet lived in Boston, taking the first job you get offered, growing up in New Jersey, commuting to NYC, panes of glass falling from the Hancock Tower, growing up with the TV Guide channel instead of the physical TV Guide, Jury Duty, the underappreciated chemistry and skill of Regis and Kathy Lee, The Crash Test Dummies, the best chemistry on TV, Chicken Soup, Jackie Mason, how TV Guide thinks most stand up sucks, diversity in comedy, Def Jam, how the major female comedians in 1992 were mostly the same ones in 2022, Paula Poundstone, Communism, shirtless Jacksons, Julia Sweeney as Pat, when sketches don't hold up, lazy comedy, SCTV, how sometimes on a very rare occasion garbage you buy in a TV Guide does actually go up in value, buying everlasting love, Golden Girls, The Winter Olympics, when Hockey is billed last, peaking at 19, Mary Lou Retton, America's Funniest People, never agreeing that the winning video on American's Funniest Home Videos should have won, the serious episodes of Fresh Prince of Bel Air, how you are either Rope or Summer Rental, The Astronomers, inspired by true stories made for TV Movies, convicting Charles Manson, The Women's Super G, Muppets Night at the Museum, Roseanne, Robin Williams as Mork from Ork, Jason Priestly as Teen Priest, Baptism by Lips, Drexel's Class, Digital Underground, The Boy Who Could Fly, handing out condoms at shopping malls, country music variety shows, The Civil War, complaining about PBS, the KGB's view of the Cuban Missile Crisis, University by Television and hating to see good looking people on TV.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 657: Geoff Tice Oct 07, 2024

November 2-8, 1996

This week Ken welcomes Denver Comedian Geoff Tice to the show.

Ken and Geoff discuss how Denver become a comedy hub reminiscent of Boston's golden era,being both a comic and graphic designer, Colorado's vibrant comedy scenne, Comedy Works,expert insights on the evolution of comedy flyers and the quirky charm of '90s TV Guide advertisements, legendarily bad TV shows like "It's About Time" . underrated gems like "Spin City.", the unique charm of Australian TV and shows like "Beyond 2000". John Cleese's timeless classic "Fawlty Towers," . the controversial airing of an officer-involved shooting on "Cops" . election night of Bill Clinton's second term, sports highlights, peculiar TV movies, the impact of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 on today's media landscape. and "Cheers and Jeers"

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 656: Chip Chantry II Sep 30, 2024

March 24- April 1, 1984 This week Ken welcomes Philly comic Chip Chantry BACK to the show.

Ken and Chip discuss uninspired TV landscape of 1984, significant TV weddings, his last visit and the evolution of virtual podcasting since then, the fascinating world of VR and hologram technology, take a historical detour into the "Pepper's Ghost" illusion—a magician's trick from the 18th century now revived in modern performances, pranks, writing for a local radio station, psychic mediums like John Edwards, Hill Street Blues, a poignant reading of Lana Wood's poem "Sleep," the Mr. T action figure, Voltron, Dennis the Menace, the bizarre ABC weekend special "The Amazing Bungie Venture," a unique documentary-style episode of "Kate & Allie," and the CBS Schoolbreak Special "Welcome Home, Jellybean."

AND don't miss Chip's comedy special "Move Closer" streaming now for free on YouTube: https://youtu.be/_QKarKuuTdU?si=keNN0nQqM1dq0tLY

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 655: Eliot Borenstein Sep 23, 2024

June 19-26, 1976

This week Ken welcomes Professor of Russian & Slavic Studies and Senior Academic Convenor for the Global Network at New York University and author of Marvel Comics in the 1970s: The World Inside Your Head (Cornell, 2022), Meanwhile, in Russia…: Russian Internet Memes and Viral Video (Bloomsbury, 2022), Soviet-Self-Hatred: The Secret Identities of Postsocialism (Cornell, 2023), Elliot Borenstein.

Ken and Elliot discuss Russian Pop Culture and Propaganda as a day job, The Cold War, anti-Soviet TV, Pussy Riot, Marvel Comics, the innovation of narrative present in 70s Marvel Comics, Howard the Duck, Mary Hartman Mary Hartman, getting paid to watch TV, redeemable trash, terrible awful garbage TV, Barney Miller, the weird state of mid-70s American TV, believing in your audience, Jimmy Carter's American Malaise, post-Watergate, the productive exploration of cynicism, CB Radio, when Columbus OH was the test market of the world, market research, mutli tasking, MTM, Rhoda, Phyllis, The Defenders, Planet of the Apes, spin offs, the horror of Eight is Enough, Maude, Love American Style, variable bed times, Martin Mull, Disco, Fernwood2Nite, Good Times, Jimmy Walker, the famous Heidi Dress, swingers, Barney Miller, Mary Tyler Moore, Bob Newhart, premise creep, Phil Silvers, One Day at a Time, Goodnight Beantown, The Incredible Hulk, Misfits of Science, Blue Knight, Monty Python, Grease, being offended by Nostalgia, Hawaii Five-O, tumors, and Russian genre cinema.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 654: Jeff Cerulli Sep 16, 2024

January 3-9, 1998

This week Ken welcomes comedian, filmmaker and all around good dude Jeff Cerulli to the show.

Ken and Jeff discuss documentary films, hot dog eating contests, TV Eating Contests, The Simpsons, Senior Year of High School, The Spin Doctors, mail order CDs, TV Guide appearing in movies, The Ice Storm, The Postman, Equal, smoking bans, beepers, the top 12 Simpsons episodes (circa 1998), winning the REAL Simpsons house, Ice-T, Marky Mark, having no concept of modern country and Christian music, The Wiz, Comics Come Home, Road Rules, The Real World, Star Wars Special Edition, Jackie Mason, Caddyshack II, how Vaudeville could be alt com, Pacific Blue, Baywatch, the extended Baywatch Universe, The Black Out Effect vs. The Trigger Effect, Demi Moore in Striptease, horny viewing, Mannequin being a three star movie, Beavis and Butthead, VH1 Pop Up Video, The Brothers McMullan, Poison Ivy series, Boy Meets World, voice over, Richard Lewis, bOkU, Drew Carey Show, the horrors of White Grape, Buffy the Vampire Slayer the movie, The Cronenberg Dynasty, Scanners II, MTV as a home channel, when we all hand to witness Anthony Michael Hall break out of being a nerd, Johnny B Goode, Bill Paxton, Weird Science, Seinfeld's final season, the return of Larry David, Bulls, Michael Jordan, Oliver Stone vs. Oliver North, Celebrity Jeopardy, and a particularly angry Cheers and Jeers.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 653: Caitlin Peluffo Sep 09, 2024

May 18, 2018

This week Ken welcomes comedian Caitlin Peluffo.

Ken and Caitlin discuss chipper hellos, being pumped, Caitlin's partner's love of Alice Cooper, Chubby Checker, Alice Cooper's Elvis story, growing up in the Bay Area, moving to NYC, depicting cities for the wealthy, Golden Retrievers, The Property Brothers, twins, the not twin sibling, home renovations, Jonathan Knight's farm house fix ups, black and mild cigars, the Royal family, pancakes for the table, Ken's food love, Grandma's TV Guide, having a "home" channel, Forever Home, HGTV, Canadian home buying, Love it or List It, Flip it, hate watching renovations, Paige Davis, loving the Napiers, Rock the Block, This Old House, The Sassy Cat Wine Glass Collection, respectful murder mysteries, Elementary, Ken's famous coat, crazy Victoria's Chicago make overs, freezing your d off, getting made to cry, Reality TV, Storage Wars, Guy's Grocery Games, American Ninja Warrior, Flip or Flop, divorce, Family Feud, Bob the Drag Queen, my Super Sized Life, Skin Tight, touring with Madonna, My 600 lb Life, when pals get hunted by a blind man, Frasier, and why Niles Crane is the best character ever on TV.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 652: Irene Bremis and Frank Conniff Sep 02, 2024

February 26 - March 3, 1972

RETURNING guests to the show comedians Irene Bremis (watch her special Sweetie) and TV's Frank Conniff join Ken this week.

Ken, Irene and Frank discuss growing up in New York, the horrors of Staten Island, good pizza, racism, Mary Tyler Moore, Sherlock Holmes cigarettes, Doral Cigarettes, True Cigarettes, killing women, Rain Barrell, questionable protein stains, fabric softener, The Old Man Who Cried Wolf, movies vs tv series, where Irene and Frank met, Brian Denehy, the map of Ireland on Frank's face, Maureen O'Hara, psychic detectives, Saturday night death slots, MTM productions, strong women, Maude, how awful Bill Cosby is, dying on stage, Bob Hope, Dana Gould, Bing Crosby and Friends, women's lib, Ear Stoppies, wigs, Rowan & Martin, Gene Hackman, Jerry Stiller, Anne Meara, comic comradery, Sid & Marty Kroft, Hart to Hart, the show with the woman, James Garner, Left Behind, Kirk, Christians, losing your mind, cycle cell anemia, Greeks, Cannon, William Conrad, MeTV, It Takes a Thief, Carson, Serling, meeting Dick Cavet, Adam 12, Dick Clark, Hellzapoppin the TV series, Dom DeLuise, George Wallace, working on Sabrina, That Girl, Cannonball Run, Eddie Murphy, Red Foxx, Sandford and Son, Soap, Room 222, and watching MeTV at 2am.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 651: Richard Sarvate Aug 26, 2024

March 31 - April 6, 1990

This week Ken welcomes SF based comic behind the new special "They are Gonna Know", Richard Sarvate.

Ken and Richard discuss nostalgia, doing your research, experiencing emotions, Bob Saget, America's Funniest Home Videos, how kids today wouldn't know what a VHS Camcorder is, growing up in Freemont CA, the great comedy scene in SF, the most disturbing heckle Jerry Seinfeld ever got, Boston heckles, The Cosby Show, unimaginable fame, being oblivious to current long running shows, all the new cable networks launched in 1990, The Comedy Channel and HA! becoming Comedy Central, The Comedy Boom, how easy it was to get a TV spot in the 80s, Ken's defense of The Unknown Comic, Maron's hacky hacky sack bit, Albert Brooks, maturing, A Family for Joe, Ken's love of Robert Mitchum, 70s crime films, confusing Ben and Fred Savage and Wonder Years and Boy Meets World, Second City, the Carol Burnett 1990 show, high profile experiments, Carol and Company, Amy Sedaris, Exit 57, horrible racist people thinking you're ok with it, heavy metal, Bill Burr, being in a band, not missing unloading gear, Friday the 13th The Series, Married...with Children, evil pens, Twin Peaks, good ads, King of Comedy, The Clash, The Wonder Years, crying, Lakers Cheerleaders, Paula Abdul, George Forman and his children, athletes who are showy, 1985 SNL, Randy Quaid, Robert Downey Jr, Normal Life, the Zappas, not being smart enough to get the joke, Van Halen, Equal Justice, Duck Soup, loving old comedy, renting old comedy, mid-season replacements, Full House, body switching, Chances Are, positive pranks, being really really old, helping plays become TV shows.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 650: Ricky from All Sorts of Words Aug 19, 2024

August 1-7, 2004

This week Ken welcomes Maine's own Ricky from the Old Sorts of Words YouTube Channel.

Ken and Ricky discuss hey girl hey, Judge Dredd, Millie the Model, how impressed Ken is by Patsy Walker, Tank Girl, UK Comics, pre MCU Comic Book Movies, Addams Family, the Addams Family movies, Krypto, being terrified of wrestling promos, Edward Gorey, going by nicknames of our given name, Charles vs Chaz, comics trying to appeal to people who didn't read comics, Cousin It, Spider-Woman, copyright wars, Helen Slater as Supergirl, horny George Jetson and how big he is a fan of Seven of Nine, Con photos, Coneheads, It's Pat, 90s movie soundtracks, RHCP, Gomez, The Michael Jordan of Gameshows, Press Your Luck, Michael Jordan of Michael Jordans, Anna Nicole Smith, how sad it is when the entertainment industry destroys somebody, Highlander, X-Files, The Invaders, The Prisoner, Ultraman, the horrors of anime, Bubblegum Crisis, Vampire Hunter D, Legend of the Overfiend, Star Trek the Next Generation, what you'd cosplay as at a comic con, leather jump suits, Deep Space Nine, Comic Cons After Dark, Munsters sculptures, Halloweentown, Stallone, Demolition Man, Cliffhanger, Batman the Animated Series, why Kevin Conroy is the best Batman, Ben Affleck, Adventure Comics, loving dogs, Superman, Superman the Animated Series, the last digest issue of TV Guide, Maury, Corn Pops, Lucky Charms, spending a lot of time on the toilet, Reese's Puffs, lose and blue, Fresh Prince, Law and Order, surf culture, Step Into the Liquid, Endless Summer, Falling Down, the death of Raoul Julia, having never seen a single minute of a Fast and the Furious film, Vin Diesel's resurrection, The Simpsons, the "I Love The..." shows, ultimate top 20 Party Blondes, "After Dark", cigarettes in NH, Big Joe's Smokeshop by mail, Lord of Rings Too, all the Wayneses, Tiger Cruise, Man in the Mirror, confusing Michael Jackson for The Crow, how the Saudis own The Apprentice, gross Billy Bush, gross Fox News personalities, bloviating, Spy vs Spy and Cheering Mountain Dew.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 649: Kevin Casey White Aug 12, 2024

May 3-9, 1997

This week Ken welcomes comedian and man behind the comedy special "Harangue" (watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9qlvlgkiJs), Kevin Casey White.

Ken and Kevin discuss being live in Mexico City, international waters, loving John Carpenter, Big Trouble in Little China, smokers coughs, homaging the Thing title car, growing up in St. Louis, Xena, loving Lucy Lawless, The Evil Dead, growing up without cable, The Nanny, twist endings, why TV Guide writers should avoid writing comedy, Rob Schneider, Men Behaving Badly, terrible US remakes of UK shows, Jack Parr, Conan O'Brien, Johnny Carson being a dick, YouTube Rabbit Holes, Ernie Kovacs, The Simpsons, the wonder of Saturday Morning cartoons, the rarity of demographic TV Blocks, comic books, X-Men '97, Batman, wanting video games that look like actual cartoons, The Mask, how cartoons can feel timeless, Waynehead, Freakazoid, Ricardo Montalban, what your favorite Ninja Turtle says about you, Tales from the Crypt, the Cryptkeeper hosting a kid's game show, revealing the existence of the "dirty" edits of TFTC, the history of HBO's original programming, Rosie O'Donnell's stand up, people coming out of the closet, SNICK, staying at your grandma's because she has cable, the turning point in Simpsons' history that IS "Homer's Enemy" the Frank Grimes episode, downbeat endings, smart writing, COPS, America's Most Wanted, the novelty of consumers having VHS Cameras, The Jeff Foxworthy Show, iconic child actors and confusing the world of Cuba Gooding Jr.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 648: Adam Newman Aug 05, 2024

March, 11 - 1995

This week Ken welcomes comedian, and man behind the new special "Jew Verses the Volcano", Adam Newman.

Ken and Adam discuss their mutual obsession with guitars, Sam Kinison, getting into magic, being awkward, learning card tricks out of spite, Dealt, Penn & Teller Fool Us, The X-Files, Dorfin', If I Did It, the OJ Simpson Trial, final meals, commemorative plates, American Gladiators rip offs, final meals, Roller Blades, figure skating, Blue Chips, sports movies, Shaq, Nick Nolte, Slapshot, Valerie Harper's version of "The Office", The Higgins Boys and Gruber, Joan Rivers Live in London, Comics Unleashed, taping an episode that airs TEN YEARS later, Dolph Lundgren's Punisher, Masters of the Universe, The Cosmic Key, John Tesh live at Red Rocks, Tim Robinson, Tim Busfield, Dabney Coleman, how we watch TV in hotel rooms, Death on the Job, Newbury Comics, Fanuel Hall, Mottley's, Erin Judge's Dress Up Show,J Jeff Foxworthy, The Beavis and Butthead Do America Soundtrack, Cartoons and real people getting together, Fox New Spring Season, Medicine Ball, Donal Logue, comics in cover bands, Primus, Black Hole Sun, Guitar Center riffs, Richard Grieco spending the night with a centerfold, religious cults, Peter Jennings, Sov Citizens, "First Amendment Auditors", YouTube recommendations, Rescue 9-11, Boy Meets World, Jonathan Gries, non-Gillian Anderson episodes of The X-Files, wanting to sit in your hotel room and play guitar, Dwayne Barry, loving Bonnie Hunt, compilations of depressing things, loving to see bad guys get theirs and Ken HIGHLY recommending the Equalizer films.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 647: Sean Keane Jul 29, 2024

June 30 - July 1, 2001

This week Ken welcomes comedian behind the album "America's Uncle Dad", Sean Keane to the show.

Ken and Sean discuss the Bay Area, Oakland, Jawbreaker, doing stand up at video stores, how stand up comedy is the hobo of the performing arts world, Nash Bridges, Midnight Caller, everybody's one acting credit, the world right before 9/11, launching a comedy show on 9/11, Everybody Loves Raymond, confusing Brad Garret and Ray Romano, Hulk Hogan's Rock N Wrestling, Jay Leno's never happening dramatic turn third act, sexy M&Ms, Big Brother, soft vinyl Vanna White Dolls for $150, loving Lucy too much, The Franklin Mint, backyard wrestling, MaxX, The Real World, America's Most Wanted, BET Music Awards, The Chris Isaak Show, playing emulators, the weird lost to time TV show era of the early 00s, The Family Channel, Night of the Twisters, E! True Hollywood Story, Baywatch, Hotel Iguana, Pentathlon, Dolph Lundgren, West Coast unauthorized car shows, fireworks, Fear Factor, eating worms, when THE BAG is an unwed father, how THE BAG is really JTT, Snoop Dog, Loose and Control, David from Real World Seattle, PAX TV, never having heard of the show "Doc" even though it went on forever, Billy Ray Cyrus, Resurrection Blvd, when Carlos lands a boot, You Don't Know Jack, E!'s Top Ten Wild Party Spots, the mind blowing world of 4th of July spectaculars, dramatic readings, stealing space valor, forgetting you just played somebody in the military in a movie and weren't actually in the military, breaking your own rules, Sub Fest 94, Avery Brooks, athletes who have bands, ESPN, 5 for 5 vs 30 for 30, The Sleepwalker Killing, The San Diego Chicken, Making the Band, Runaway Train, and tasteful coverage of being being given the death penalty.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 646: Ellie Hino Jul 22, 2024

August 20 - 26, 1988

This week Ken welcomes comedian and she of the stand up album "Soft Bones", the great Ellie Hino.

Ken and Elli discuss Minneapolis, not knowing Canadian geography, growing up in Madison WI, Prince, Chris Farley, MTV, Target stores, corporate lingo, 21 Jump St, Fox TV's early days, Richard Grieco, Peter DeLouise, getting stoned and buying DVDs at Walmart, Johnny Depp, John Waters, Holly Robinson, amazing outfits, MORE Cigarettes, The Pleasure Principal, Benson and Hedges, the casual discussion of r*pe, refreshing discussions of race, the 20th Anniversary of MLK Jr's assassination, awful bathroom clocks, "Subtle bone", correspondence courses, "Do you want to make more money? sure, we all do", gun repair, Facts of Life, David Spade's dramatic turn, hour long dramedies on at 8pm on a Saturday, Frank's Place, Babe: Pig in the City, what Morton Downey Jr wrot, Wally George's Hot Seat, Teen actors, Rags to Riches, Baby Jessica, the end of Family Ties, The Misfits of Science, theme songs, The A-Team, Punky Brewster, The Young and the Restless, Michael Damien as Danny Romaladi, when actors sing, The Coreys, Dream a Little Dream, Newhart, gross scams, pageant kids, Hogan Family, Howard the Duck, grandmas and duck nipples, weird takes on Alice in Wonderland, I Dream of Jeanie: 15 Years Later, Telly Savalis as the Cheshire Cat, Back to School, Boston's strange compliments, sorting your hair out, Tan N Secrets, creepy fashion tan contests in Marlboro MA, Wade Bogs, Blacke's Magic, ghosts, Jenna Von Oy, 20/20, and hours of anxious pillow talk.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 645: Chris Martin Jul 15, 2024

July 22-28, 1995

This week Ken welcomes comedian (his new special "Above Ground Comedian" is out now), Chris Martin to the show.

Ken and Chris discuss being from the UK, Ken living in London, doing stand up, moving to LA, The New Adventures of Superman vs Lois and Clark, Cain-iacs, Dog Boys, softcore, Channel 5, Mario Lopez, snooker, Sunday UK TV, both you and your wife having their own remote control, Jack Lemon, walking on water, being good looking, Teri Hatcher, Brain Smasher: A Love Story, Lethal Weapon, Action police comedy, Baywatch, Beverly Hills Cop, the cost of living, bad residual checks, Misery, having half a lemon in warm water every morning, The George Carlin Show, Isaac Asimov, I Robot, Leonard Nimoy, The Outer Limits, how adult shows in the US are kids shows in the UK, Tim Allen, The Laugh Factory, Home Improvement, Fraiser, Niles, Party of Five, Dawson's Creek, Burke's Law, Carl Reiner, Spin City, how massive Friends was, Fresh Prince, Matt Perry's death, Boy Meets World, California Dreams, Terminator, Demolition Man, and great character names.

TV Guidance Counselor SPECIAL: Alex Cox Jul 11, 2024

In this very special extra episode of the show Ken welcomes writer, director, film scholar and personal hero of Ken's, Alex Cox (Repo Man, Sid&Nancy) to the show.

Ken and Alex discuss growing up watching Westerns, moving to LA, his final film, Dead Souls by Golgos, punk, The Clash, Joe Strummer, Repo Man, the sequel to Repo Man, comic books, the unmade Dr. Strange movie starring Nick Cage, Italian cinema, Walker, Universal hatred and the TRUTH behind the Melon Farmer edition of Repo Man.

Be sure to support Alex's final film via Kickstarter:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/alexcoxfilms/my-last-movie

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 644: Andie Main Jul 08, 2024

March 16-22, 1991

This week Ken welcomes the comedian behind the album "Rocky Mountain Bi", Andie Main.

Ken and Andie discuss moving away from Denver, growing up in Portland, doing a "reverse Oregon Trail", thin air, the wonder of dogs, fancy dress, Barbara Walters overdressed with the Ninja Turtles, Salem Menthol Cigarettes, smoking, global warming, being sober, moving to NYC, The Simpsons, other networks trying to have their own Simpsons, Fish Police, Family Dog, ugly looking cartoons, Carlton Cigarettes, Paul Simon, Carrie Fisher, Benson & Hedges, She Loves Me She Loves me Not, Robert Mitchum, Pump Up the Volume, Christian Slater, The Decendents, Live Fast Diarrhea, spell check, AIDS, homophobia, conservation of oceans, unhealthy props, NKOTB vs TMNT, sugar cereals, making up birthday rules, Kid and Play, Coplay, Pigs of Pigsburg, Harding vs Kerrigan, always being let down by people you believe in, being a child of divorce, Dick Van Dyke, Willfred Brimley, Ricky Schroeder, Blood River written by John Carptenter, deadly partnerships, Highway to Heaven, Who's the Boss, stargazing, Greek Myths, Frog Girl, Gummie Bears, Ducktails, when you knew you were gay, Arsenio, Phil Donohue and Sexual Addiction, Unsolved Mysteries, Quantum Leap, Wings vs Wings, unusually small planes, ALF. Natalie Wood in The Cracker Factory, The Language of Goldfish, Easter Content, why nobody enjoys Easter Specials, Neil Armstrong's peak, taping frog organs to paper, and sending for loved ones from the Old Country.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 643: Judd Winick Returns Jul 01, 2024

September 7-13, 1991

This week Ken welcomes Hilo creator Judd Winick BACK to the show.

Ken and Judd discuss how long they speak to each other, Gary Busey living in your attic, Bad Ronald, the dark times of 1991, Stephen Dorf, Janine Turner, Walter Cronkite interviewing dinosaurs, Summer's end, season finales, Northern Exposure, SCTV, Twin Peaks, story engines, a Joel Fleischman type, The Real World, Rob Morrow, Hollis, great characters, Young Riders, Treat Williams, Dead Heat, nude Meatloaf, a stage adaptation of Phantom of the Paradise, Sing Street, Ken's gift of a John Travolta workout book from his elderly neighbors, shopping around for what to watch, ballroom dancing, Police Academy V, Cast a Deadly Spell, Dennis Hopper replacing Fred Ward, acknowledging how crazy things are, a pre-irony world, COPS, bookies, Big Top Pee Wee, Batman '89, Hardware, comic book movies, Yo! Yogi!, Pro Stars, the premiere of Herman's Head, moving The Simpsons, The Adventures of Mark and Brian, Stern, Marilyn from Northern Exposure, Rob Morrow and Johnny Depp's roomie days, Graham Green, never thinking about Paul Bunyan, Full House, San Francisco, Big Brother Jake with Jake Steinfeld, The Lightning Field, ripping off Quantum Peak for Marvel's EX-iles, Sliders, 90210, Amityville the Evil Escapes, and the era of not caring TV.

BONUS! TV Guidance Counselor LIVE! at North East Comic Con with Gina Shock of the Go-Gos and Greg Hawkes of the Cars Jun 28, 2024

Please enjoy this BONUS! episode of TV Guidance Counselor recorded live at North East Comic Con back in March 2024 with my guests Gina Shock of the Go-Gos and Greg Hawkes of the Cars.

If you were a Patron you would have gotten this months ago, if you have a buck or two to spare, sign up! It's appreciated https://www.patreon.com/tvguidancecounselor

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 642: Maggie Langrick Jun 24, 2024

This week Ken welcomes former actor (Harry and the Hendersons, 21 Jump St) and current speaker, writer and publisher of Wonderwall Press, Maggie Langrick.

Ken and Maggie discuss moving to LA when you're 19, and moving back recently, growing up in Vancouver, London, living in all of the world's most expensive cities, 21 Jump St, being in the pilot, seeing Johnny Depp replace the original actor, Jared Leto, Camp Wilder, Danger Bay, work ethic, playing the lead in My American Cousin, winning Genie awards, the TV series of Harry and the Hendersons, not meeting expectations, moving to London, the Vancouver to LA railroad, living in "LA Poor" conditions, being a thoughtful kid who reads a lot, the 90s in the Pacific Northwest, feminism, being disheartened with the misogyny of Hollywood, going in more of a "model direction", self esteem, the corrosive danger of acting for young people, the danger of a big pay check, high profile blue collar work, hanging out in the bad part of town, South London, how much of life is BS, faking it til you making it, having to go to work after only ever having been an actor, working as a magazine editor, being fascinated by words, the human condition, what makes an individual tick, self deprecation, reverse engineering humanity, displaying friendship, the human animal, being "outed" as a child actor in your non acting adult life, coming up with clever headlines, being able to hide behind your married name, imposter syndrome, how you stand out today, the glut of content, having no gatekeepers, bringing something unique and of value, being able to chose yourself, giving things it's best chance, quality, substack, working for your art, not being able to stream your work, being embarrassed by your past, identity shame, when timing is right, being mature enough to use your experiences, reading for utility, cult leaders, evil parents, Smothered, mother and daughter relationships, absorbing bad vibes, being the age when everything seems poignant, how difficult it is to do your best work and have it be successful, and the importance of having fun.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 641 1/2 : Abby and Ryan from Bothering the Band Jun 19, 2024

October 26-November 1, 1996

It's Ken's birthday month, so this week you get ANOTHER BONUS episode. This time in celebration of THEIR 200th episode Ken welcomes Abby and Ryan from the fantastic Bothering the Band podcast.

Ken, Abby and Ryan discuss when the interviewer becomes the interviewee, the origins of the Bothering the Band podcast, booking big guests, getting rejected, Frank Turner, Counting Crows, when Ryan met Abby, cool schools, almost booking Keanu Reeves, Gavin Rosdale, Puka Shells, growing up in Orlando, The Party, boy bands, Disney, Nickelodeon Studios, dudes who look like Isaac Mizrahi, Bob Goen, never coming gymnastics, sprots to non sports, congregating a career, MST3K's switch from Comedy Central to Sci-Fi, winning a trip to England by knowing the Tetley Tea jingle, diaper ads, the Nirvana baby, hi waisted hips, no dick jokes, RL Stine, Batman the Animated Series, Superman the Animated Series, helping the Dragon Ball Z community, strange emails, Cartoon Express, a woman giving birth to a doll, the band Live, Columbia House, nerds, making your own video store, Bailey Kipper's POV, Hey Arnold, Lunchables, cooking pizza rolls in a VCR, vending machine lunches, The Young Comedians All Star Reunion, 80s nostalgia in the 90s, SNL, collector's plates, beautiful unicorns, Jacksonville FL, porcelain crap, The Shadowzone, Ron Silver, diecast, beer and tiny cars, Hess, Seventh Heaven, Jennifer Love Hewitt, when old TV is problematic, joining a gang, Her Costly Affair, Savannah, the Waynes Brothers, Roast Beef Tissues, wanting things to be good, the high school right outside Universal Studios, trick or treating, Burning Zone, national television debut of The Cramps, 90210, Peach Pit After Dark, Donal Logue, Stephen Bochco's comedy series, Jimmy the Cab Driver, Seinfeld, avoiding Halloween, Living Single, loving Ghostbusters, Ben Cooper costumes, Unsolved Mysteries, PCU, deceptive car ads, dolls, Johnny Carson's charity, hating 311, Ken's Third Wave Ska trauma, melting pennies, befriending your heroes, and facial injuries from laughing.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 641: Shawn Carter II Jun 17, 2024

January 30-Feburary 5, 1993

This week Ken welcomes BACK to the show, former Boston and now TN comedian Shawn Carter.

Ken and Shawn discuss his move to Tennessee, living in an RV, and opening a comedy club in Bristol. He shares insights into the differences between Tennessee and Virginia, including tax rates and downtown areas split by state borders. The conversation also touches on the late-night talk show wars between Letterman and Leno. The TV Guide issue from January 30th to February 5th, 1993, is reviewed, highlighting the move of Seinfeld to Thursday nights and the lineup of must-see TV shows. The conversation concludes with a discussion on watching Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman and local TV shows in Boston. In this part of the conversation, Ken and Shawn discuss various topics including TV shows, skiing, the Super Bowl, alternative programming, a puppet show at the comedy club, a burlesque show, strip clubs, and riding motorcycles. They also mention push-up contests, push stand-up comedy, arm wrestling, whiskey sours, bartending, visiting Asheville, movies and TV shows, living in Bristol, wildlife in Tennessee, open carry and gun culture, regional cuisine, and local news segments. They also touch on the Golden Palace spin-off series, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, and the Barter Theater. The conversation provides insights into the unique aspects of life in different regions and the cultural experiences they offer.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 640: Rob Haze Jun 10, 2024

February 2-9, 2002

This week Ken welcomes the comedian behind the YouTube Special "Frontin" Rob Haze to the show.

Ken and Rob discuss his experiences in the comedy scene, his love for the Bernie Mac Show, and the impact of the mockumentary format on sitcoms. He also highlights underrated shows from the 2001-2002 season and shares an interesting story about Disney's encounter with Dr. Dre. The conversation covers various topics, including the Boston comedy scene, the influence of African American actors, and the crossover between music and comedy on shows like All That. In this part of the conversation, Ken Reid and Rob Haze discuss the counter programming during the Super Bowl, including True Hollywood Stories and My Girl 2. They also talk about the influence of Fear Factor and the impact it had on Joe Rogan's career. The conversation then moves on to the programming on Monday night, including Malcolm in the Middle and the Heroes of Black Comedy series. They also discuss the controversy between the World Wildlife Fund and the WWE. Other topics covered include the movie Auto Focus, Comedy Central stand-up shows, and the Bavarian Cuckoo Clock controversy. In this episode, Ken Reid and Rob Haze review the TV Guide from February 8-14, 2002. They discuss the TV lineup for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, highlighting shows like Bernie Mac, My Wife and Kids, Titus, and Dark Angel. They also explore the Winter Olympics and the war in Congo. The episode concludes with a discussion of TV Guide's Cheers and Jeers section.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 639: Sam Brown Jun 03, 2024

September 17-23, 1994 FALL PREVIEW

This week, kicking off Ken's Birthday month with an EXTRA special episode, Ken welcomes writer, actor and Whitest Kid U Know Sam Brown to the show.

Ken and Sam discuss West Coast East Coast confusion, growing up in Sandwich, the cops, being an hour from everything, going to school in NYC, meeting Trevor Moore, UCB, improv, the origin of MUNG, lingo, avoiding new people on the train, leaving home, Something Wilder, ER, Chicago Hope, Fall Preview roads not traveled, the other Anthony Edwards, basketball, Dudley Moore, Cosby Mysteries, Clariton, Capri cigarettes, My So-Called Life, MTV, how much of a failure Friends will be, Let's Go Bang, JLH, Nate Blackist on Twitch, Mid-Hunting, Dabney Coleman, things that look good on paper, working with Ivan Reitman, rebooting Stripes, John Candy's German insistence, taking studio notes, rewrites, refusing to play ball, Exit 57, Summer Series with Nepo Babies, E! doing original programming, Q&E, Walter Mondale's daughter, Trailer Boys, Jones Computer Network, Sega Channel, not knowing what Hackers are, Andrew Dice Clay's sitcom experience, boy bands, the Roseanne and Tom made for TV movies, Stephen King throwaways, Citizen X, Cast a Deadly Spell, Marlon Waynes as Robin, Ken's audition for The Good Son, Christian Slater hosting sex special on MTV, Late Nite with Elmo, John Stewart Show, when the Bermuda Triangle disappeared, when society wasn't nice to women, daytime TV, The Tick, Sweet Valley High, discovering your manhood, Schunckums and Meat, sambrownuniversity.com, Sam's Sketch Comedy Classes, streaming on Shout Factory and self editing.

June 5th at Piano's in NYC see Sam do stand up and June 6th at the Tribeca Film Festival it's the premier of the Whitest Kids U Know animated film "Mars".

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 638: Ahmed Al-Kadri Jun 03, 2024

Feb 19, 2007

This week Ken welcomes comedian Ahmed Al-Kadri to the show.

Ken and Ahmed discuss TV viewing habits and the TV Guide from February 19th to 25th, 2007, favorite TV shows, watching TV as a family, and the impact of superhero TV shows, the post-9/11 TV landscape and the rise of ethnic diversity in stand-up comedy,shifting trends and cultural influences on television during this time, the structure of comedy, Tom Arnold and Orny Adams, the post-apocalyptic TV show Jericho, the fragility of technology, the impact of nuclear bombs, canceled and revived TV shows like Arrested Development and Futurama, as well as the success of Two and a Half Men, fame and infamy of stand-up comedians, the influence of political correctness on comedy, and the similarities between horror and comedy in terms of structure, fear and context in horror, the birth of stand-up in America, the longevity of Grey's Anatomy, the decline of sitcoms on Thursday nights, the rise of drama shows, the appeal of Los Angeles over New York, and the impact of reality TV shows on society.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 637: Tom Shubilla II May 27, 2024

October 24-31, 1964

This week Ken welcomes BACK to the show, author of the new book "James Bond and the Sixties Spy Craze", Tom Shubilla.

Ken and Tom discuss the cold war, spy culture, how we looked at spies different each decade after WWII, James Bond, Euro Spy, Japanese Spy flicks, surfing and spying, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Tupperware parties, Abe Lincoln, wrestling, Johnny Quest, The Saint, Lawrence Welk, Gilligan's Island, The Outer Limits, The Rolling Stones on Ed Sullivan, Halloween episodes, Bachelor Father, The Addams Family, Don Rickles, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Car 54, Where Are You?, Jack Benny, Children in Danger, Patty Duke, Shindig, computerized election coverage, Steve Allen, Rich Little, The Flintstones, Andy Williams, real world leaders in spy movies, The Finale Programme, Rob Hill, being a monster kid and a preview of Thom's next book.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 636: Adam Cayton-Holland May 20, 2024

Feb 15-21, 1997

This week Ken welcomes writer, comedian and man behind the new YouTube Comedy Special "Wallpaper", Adam Cayton-Holland.

Ken and Adam discuss climate change, Colorado, David Letterman, Letterman's "I'm David F*&king Letterman" phase, serialized comedy, how Letterman invented Impractical Jokers, having nostalgia for 1997, the FINAL episode of The Monkees that was made in 1997, Tanya Harding, celebrity boxing, ice skating, Nancy Kerrigan, Hepcat, Sabado Gigante, Columbia House, buying things off TV, mail order, Those Who Can't, being replaced with Young Sheldon, Fast Times, the misnomer that is The Mandela Effect, Murphy Brown, Chicago Hope, how sometimes something isn't an "effect" you're just stupid, Singled Out, Tom Rhodes, Ren & Stimpy, Roseanne, Mad About You, Fraiser, Beverly Hills 90210, Party of Five, Friends, Martin Seinfeld, Living Single, A Different World, Comic Justice, Stormy Justice, Cheers, Ellen, too many hostage episodes, offending Roseanne, not understanding what "normal" means, and HBO's Monkey Business.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 635: Chris Morgan II May 13, 2024

September 19-26, 1998

This week Ken welcomes BACK to the show author of the new book "99 Episodes That Defined the '90s: Television Milestones from Arsenio to Homer to Yada Yada Yada, Chris Morgan"

Ken and Chris discuss his book, Detroit, Tim Allen, Jack Kavorkian's lawyer, Cigarette ads, Heidi Klum, Spin City, French Stewart, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Sex with Cindy Crawford, reality TV, the classic SNICK line up, Celebrity Death Match, Mad TV, Baywatch, Night Man, the frequency of Evil, Rising Star Barbie Alan Jackson, commemorative plates, Will & Grace, That 70s Show, Monday Night Football, Holding the Baby, The Marriage Fool, King of Queens, Brian Benben Show, Say What MTV, Superman II, King of the Hill, the greatness of Clueless: The Series, Newhart, Working, Hyperion Bay, Hey Arnold!, The Drew Carey Show, the impact of Phil Hartman's Death, comedy vs drama, Two Guys a Girl and a Pizza Place, Ryan Reynolds, the decline of Must-See TV, Newsradio, the odd pairing of crystal meth and Seinfeld, ER, the hammock spot, the rise of Keith Oberman, Beetlejuice, the underappreciated gem that is Buddy Faro, the decline of CBS, Nash Bridges, and Chris' future book topics.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 634: Joanne Rubino May 10, 2024

This week Ken welcomes actor, producer and woman behind Be Brave Media Joanne Rubino.

Ken and Joanne discuss the path from in front of the camera to behind it, moving a lot, being your own friends, getting guest spots on big series, ER, production management, indie films, volunteering to help run a tight ship, how long projects take, Hatfields & McCoys, ITV, never giving up, believing in the project, working with the best people, being nominated for an Emmy, making stuff happen, getting interviews with big Hollywood actors, Marlon Brando, telling real life stories, documentaries, docudrama, scripted TV, the difficulty of getting past gatekeepers, how you have to do everything, how the same people in a small group are A-listers, the difficulty of getting older in Hollywood, how critical acclaim doesn't always lead to making money, Barbie, things you HAVE to see on a big screen, telling smaller stories, character driven pieces, red carpet premieres, The Slinky, The Pez Outlaw, IP, labors of love, trying until you succeed, early days of reality TV, Gene Simmons Family Jewels, telling important stories, curing cancer some day, never stopping working, being able to do everything, matchmaking, The Partridge Family, The Sopranos, loving The Diplomat, Stand up comedy specials, geniuses, and the importance of treating everyone with respect.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 633: Kevin Weisman Apr 29, 2024

This week Ken welcomes actor (Alias), writer, producer, and co-host of the "Did You Do It?" podcast, Kevin Weisman.

Ken and Kevin discuss L.A. weather, growing up in the Valley, how filthy with Boston people old L.A. was, the insanity of the man named Griffith, shooting apples off of heads and why it is never a good idea, Equity Waiver plays, the "no more on stage than in the audience" rule, stand up, performing for people who don't want to see a performance, Edinburgh Festival, Kyle Gass, The New Beverly Theater, Jacob's Ladder, comedians in serious roles, Tim Robbins, The Actors Gang, Buffalo Knights, Dead Man Walking, Mr. Madonna, the wonders of High Hair, rarely going into L.A. proper, Zuma Beach, Valley Girl, playing drums, John Candy, the wonder of John Ritter, meeting your heroes, being surprised by people's process, how when you're good at something it looks easy, how acting is hard, doing tech rehearsals on LSD, The Dead, We Are the World, loving music documentaries, variations on a theme, being in a touring band, Hello Ladies, working with Paulie Shore, playing a wheelchair user, giving people opportunities, Woody, TV stars becoming movie stars, Die Hard, King's Dance Macabre, how to play a bad person, how to deal with bombing, committing to storytelling, working consistently, Goliath, Billy Bob Thornton, multi-cam sitcoms, getting cut out of Gone in 60 Seconds, winning over J.J. Abrams, Felicity, playing against type, the time Jennifer Garner came to see Ken do stand up, Better Call Saul, Fringe, being promised your character will be brought back, Scorpion, being nice to everyone on set, all the acting Quinten Tarantino does, David Cronenberg on Alias, being hired by Spielberg for The Terminal, Christian Slater, The Forgotten, the loveliness of Victor Garber, when Ricky Gervais cannot keep it together, Clerks II, being spotted by Kevin Smith fans, Awake, Runaways, Weisman deep cuts, relying on fan sites for your own knowledge of your own work, being IN TV Guide and dealing with your mom's tech issues.

BONUS! TV Guidance Counselor: Kevin Chapman LIVE! at North East Comic Con March 2024 Apr 24, 2024

In this episode previously a Patreon Exclusive (patreon.com/tvguidancecounselor) Ken chats with actor Kevin Chapman live at last month's North East Comic Con.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 632: Rolfe Kanefsky Apr 22, 2024

This week Ken welcomes writer, director, producer Rolfe Kanefsky (There's Nothing Out There, Nightmare Man, Pool Boy Nightmare) to the show.

Ken and Rolfe discuss Fangoria, Gorezone, the Catch 22 of trying to get a distributer without press and press without distribution, Brett Piper, going to film school, Hampshire College, watching horror on TV, Abbot and Costello meet Frankenstein, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, making a Russian movie into an American movie, My Family Treasure, Dee Wallace, moving to LA and staring over, directing soft core films, parodies, Playboy's Inside Out, USA Network, The Hitchhiker, Playboy TV, Tomorrow by Midnight, the lost film, Clerks, Mad TV, Seizure, starting in B movies, making movies for Life Time, the shower scene joke, Friday the 13th Part 8 Jason Takes Manhattan, Rolfe's father's editing career, Times Square, 42nd St, Troma, Troma's War, Full Moon, Roger Corman, trying to beat Spielberg, student films, Emmanuelle, The Killer Eye, Dave DeCouteau, meeting Tiffany Sheepis at The American FIlm Market, The Hazing, director proof scripts, 11 day shoots, the strange structure of Life Time movies, The Blackroom, Bus Party to Hell, getting credit or not, shooting in Bulgaria, pitching, liking thrillers, Satan's Cheerleaders, Mephisto Waltz, Race with the Devil, Night Gallery, earning your R rating, following the formula, family films, making a musica, socks vs patches, rehearsing sex scenes, intimacy contracts, streaming sites, There's Nothing Out There, Goonies, One and the Gun, Art of the Dead, Nightmare Demon, and working with big name actors.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 631: A.L. Katz and Gil Adler Apr 15, 2024

This week Ken welcomes the incredible co-hosts of the amazing How NOT to Make a Movie podcast, writer-producers A.L. Katz and Gil Adler.

Ken, Alan and Gil discuss good rooms, Bordello of Blood, when Alan and Gil first met, moving from New York to LA, 1985, Rhonda Shear, The Groundlings, Basic Training, how a good producer sacrifices to get nudity on screen, Freddy's Nightmares, Rubik's Cubes of writing problems, anthology horror TV, non-Union shows, Ken's love of Steven King's Dance Macabre, the connection of comedy and horror, it's not TV it's HBO, Tales from the Crypt, why season 3 was supposed to be the end of Tales from the Crypt, Tobe Hooper, problem solving, worms, working with Brian DePalma, Dylan Dog, cutting on 35mm film, EC Comics, making the Cryptkeeper an actual character, the nightmare of Bordello of Blood, being forced to cast people you didn't want, shooting in Canada, Demon Knight, Dennis Miller, improv, Rafe Guttman, shooting TFTC in London, Perversions of Science, tax rates, being confused for the OTHER Alan Katz who did Big Man on Campus, rekindling a friendship, how podcasts save lives, having a third act, being excited for the future, Superman Returns, overworking yourself, keeping a false eye from Valkyrie, mementos, raising money for vets, trying to make the world a better place, how timing sometimes works out, and finishing unfinished business.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 630: Evan Dorkin Apr 08, 2024

This week Ken welcomes artist, writer and comic book legend Evan Dorkin to the show.

Ken and Evan discuss living the dream, low bars, being disgusted by your own personal failings, Spring Break, hating Florida, how nobody actually grows up in Staten Island, being an artist, 80s punk, never leaving your home, being Jewish in an Italian neighborhood, Ska, Bim Skala Bim, accents, being too hung over to see your name in the credits of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, kids getting their shoes stolen at punk gigs, Kevin Shields ordering food, The Cars, Suicide, Milk and Cheese, Space Ghost, music on TV, pre-MTV days, Rockworld, the legend of Steranko, meeting girls, the introduction of surrealism to America, big egos, John Romita, Jack Kirby, Superman the Animated Series, how great Paul Dini is, Batman The Animated Series, Dwayne McDuffie, Freakazoid, Supergirl, why nobody but Kal-El can be from Krypton, how TV writing is all puzzle solving, continuity, Tik Tok's second life of Eltingville, Bibo, collecting comics, the Marvelization of DC, going to comic cons in the 1970s, dark and gritty, Comic Book Fascists, Beasts of Burden, Dario Argento, Giallo, wanting subtitles over dubbing, how anyone can make a movie, loving horror films, Trick R Treat, character design, Bouncing Boy, minutia, the internet, fan fiction, Alex Toth, wearing your influences on your sleeve, lost dark episodes of Superman The Animated Series, audiences and love of Halloween, screenplays, storytelling, Metal Men, being freaked out by failure and being neurotic, self sabotage, failed pilots, letting people down, Patreon, dealing with health issues, and the struggle of being a creative person trying to make a living.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 629: Growing Pains Cast Reunion LIVE! at NorthEast Comic Con Apr 03, 2024

Last month (March 9, 2024) Ken moderated a chat with Growing Pains cast members Tracey Gold, Jeremy Miller and Julie McCullough at the spring North East Comic Con in Boxboro Mass.

Enjoy!

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 628: Erin and Jason Brant Apr 01, 2024

May 25-31, 1991

This week Ken welcomes author Jason Brant and his wife and co-host of the EXCELLENT YouTube show, "So Bad It's Good", Erin Brant to the show.

Ken, Jason and Erin discuss the risk of Erin and Jason wrecking the show forever, loving bad movies, how horrible a person Steven Segal is, vanity project, Neil Breen, how 1991 was the hangover of the 1980s, being barred from watching South Park, growing up in rural Western PA, Hershey, Pittsburgh, cigarettes, Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, Kevin Costner, Waterworld, T2, Transformers, childhood movie trauma, Space Camp, National Geographic, Boston mobsters, vomit bags, how amazing Steven Webber is, Wings, the wonder of Roy Biggins, America's Funniest People, Kidney Magazine, Prog Rock, Goblin, surgery on TV, Blossom, Joey Lawrence's music career, MacGyver, Murphy Brown, how great Hunter is, Collector's Plates, renting movies, Unsolved Mysteries, Sightings, Skullets, Hooker's Girls, The Hulkster, field trips, Cheers, bad investments, American Ninja, Totem Poles, traveling to Boston, Silence of the Lambs, The Mothman Prophecies, George Romero, understanding a minute, Wes Craven's Made for TV Movies, Babes, TGIF, The Naked Gun, Alexander Graham Bell, Babygirl Scott, the horrors of Testament, the cancelation of Hunter, and complaining about Manhunter.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 627: Michael Pressman Mar 25, 2024

This week Ken welcomes director Michael Pressman (The Great Texas Dynamite Chase, Some Kind of Hero, Doctor Detroit, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II The Secret of the Ooze) to the show.

Ken and Michael discus COVID binging, The Bear, Slow Horses, The Crown, Call My Agent, having a comedy background but gravitating towards drama, having difficulty knowing when TV Comedy is working, Bad News Bears, working for Roger Corman, Picket Fences, how executives don't understand funny, indie cinema, directing Vanilla Ice, special FX, non-Union shoots, Golden Harvest, Michael's father being blacklisted, David Pressman's directing career, The Actor's Studio, visiting Hollywood sets after the blacklist was lifted in the 60s, the early days of live TV, Cosmopolitan Theater, New York vs L.A., westerns, Car 54, Where Are You?, Phil Silvers, Bonanza, directing theater, how much ratings have changed, the strange nature of streaming, soap operas, Law and Order SVU, Grey's Anatomy, Chicago Hope, Dick Wolf, Richard Boone, loving Hitchcock, being a 70s film snob, art house cinema, French New Wave, cults to flops, studio interference, made for TV movies, Ingmar Berman, the studio system, how in person viewing returns, when tech companies want to be the movie business, shared experiences, midnight movies, Netflix, the gimmick of going live, the origins of TV Guide, Ken's collection, ten years of the podcast, the lost age of shows and hunting down Michael's father's work.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 626: Irene Bremis Mar 20, 2024

February 12-18, 1977

This week Ken welcomes comedian, co-host of the Woo Woo Podcast, and woman behind the new stand up comedy special, "Sweetie", Irene Bremis.

Ken and Irene discuss growing up in Boston, racism, being Greek, living in New York, having a braided perm, getting picked on at school, trying to pass a Puerto Rican, Kojak, strong family ties, not smoking, good parking spaces, lollipops, how handsome Ken is, when everyone smoked, Kraft Singles, kissing grits, ventriloquism, meeting Carol Burnett, Ken big upping Irene, being a Trekkie, Leather Tuscadero, Happy Days, strong women leads in television shows in the 1970s, Valerie Harper, being fired from your own show, cruel producers, loving horror movies, Don't Go to Sleep, Carrie, The Exorcist, growing up religious (culturally or otherwise), Wonder Woman, Golden Girls, loving Bea Arthur, pros and cons of boob jobs, Bruce Campbell, Burt Offerings, One Day at a Time, Van Halen, Wrestling, girl crushes, celebrity murderers, Bionic People, Barney Miller, Fish, how the 70s could be more progressive than today, Soap, gay characters on television, Tony Randall, when Johnny Carson screwed over Joan Rivers, Red Fox, Cher, and the ballad of the Guidette.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 625: Jordan Morris II Mar 18, 2024

July 16-22, 1994

He was one of the very last in person guests pre-COVID, and this time he's back via satellite, please welcome writer of his second graphic novel, Youth Group (out 7/16/24 from First Second Books! Available for pre-order NOW!) , comic, and podcaster Jordan Morris back to the show.

Ken and Jordan discuss NASA, Dave Thomas (Wendy's), Popeyes, KFC, In and Out Burger, when all cartoons became babies, Yo Yogi!, Jellystone, the most obscure Hanna Barbara characters, Ken's love of Frankenstein Jr., the impossible Impossibles, Sex with Cindy Crawford, the moon landing, Summer Shows, Sex in the 90s, House of Style, Steven Banks Show, paddy whacks, what Alec Baldwin watches, PBS Sitcoms, Yank Yucks, the "YouTube Thumbnail face", Pat Riley, TV Nation, the glory of the early teen years Summers, learning pop culture references, Hot Shots, The Mad Magazine phenom, Ren & Stimpy, the sweet Nicktoons, Rocko's Modern Life, Dream On, boobs on cable, Weekend at Bernie's II, MTV, Dead at 21, Good Morning Mr. Hitler, Vanessa Angel on Time Trax, unethical Anti-Gravity Belts, Chained Heat II, erotic Thrillers, Pam Anderson in Snapdragon, massive Tom Beringer fans, Blossom, Joey Lawrence's music career, music video drops, Michael Jackson Black or White, Ashton Drake's weird dolls, mold breaking, heist movies, Game Gear, Three Ninjas, Running Man, Tales from the Crypt, Arnold Schwarzenegger's directorial debut, William Hickey, Body Double, The Critic, Grace Under Fire, Seinfeld, In Living Color, Fraiser, Christmas in July, Pieces : It's Exactly What You Think It Is, AIDS calendars, Flashdance, Boogaloo Shrimp on Family Matters, Cliff Hanger, Terry O'Quinn, Samurais, and loving Hangin' with Mr. Cooper.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 624: Katya Apekina Mar 11, 2024

February 1-7, 1997

This week Ken welcomes author of the excellent new novel Mother Doll (signed copies can be purchased here: https://www.skylightbooks.com/pre-order-signed-copies-mother-doll-katya-apekina), Katya Apekina.

Ken and Katya discuss living in LA, raining in LA, snow in New England, the nature of our stories, how technology can make us more isolated, displacement, Russia, speaking your native tongue, raising your kids bi-lingual, translating literature, having a strong Moscow accent, only knowing 70s slang, Cheburashka, accordion playing crocodiles, not being allowed to watch TV, Party of Five, reading War and Peace as a kid, WBCN, cool music, being cool by middle school, only watching one show a week, dating shows, Elimidate, Viy, going to Russian video stores in Allston, not wanting things up your nose, Singled Out, Jenny McCarthy, the death of the Maytag Repairman, Star Trek Voyager, Basketball Wizard Dennis Rodman, The Magic Castle, The Amazing Randi, Groundhog Day, North by Northwest, photography, making your own 8mm films, The Coolidge Corner Cinema, Early Edition, 3rd Rock from the Sun, being a comedy snob, The Simpsons, Mad About You, reboots, hate watching Melrose Place and 7th Heaven, Mystery, Into the Arms of Danger, Roseanne, watching the Presidential Debates for School, Burning Zone, burying your wife alive, the greatness of Ally Sheedy, The Nanny, Covid driven Nanny, office work, Drew Carrey, comforting murder, Murder She Wrote, Sister Sister, always wanting to be a twin, fooling people, TGIF, magical shows, psychics, Unsolved Mysteries, the death of Kurt Cobain, how strange it is to the young that over the air TV exists, the horrors of Disney kids sitcoms, offending religions to sell Snickers, cleavage cams, risqué tones, and learning the truth about Santa Claus from Jamie Lee Curtis.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 623: Allan Arkush Mar 04, 2024

December 7-13, 1985

This week Ken welcomes writer, producer, professor, director and all around good guy Allan Arkush to the show.

Ken and Allan discuss Allan's cool office, Allan's record collection, Roger Corman, Emmy Nominations, directing or directing and producing over 400 episodes of TV, the path from 70s exploitation to 80s mainstream TV, having a high batting average of sold TV pilots. Fame, Summer pilot, Rock N Roll High School, telling stories through music, how popular Fame was in Israel, residuals, 80s NYC, directing videos for Elvis Costello, Bette Midler and Fleetwood Mac, the ones you turn down, why 1985 was a huge TV year for Allan, St. Elsewhere, Moonlighting, being able to be a style chameleon, being a cinema fan, having Scorsese teach you film, growing up in NJ, making whatever movie you want as long as it's the movie Roger wants, how hard it is to make good TV, coverage and lighting, how execs are not funny or creative, how bad studio notes are, King Kong, Micky Mouse Club, serialized stories, loving the theme songs from Westerns, Rocky and Bullwinkle, The Loan Ranger, Circus Boy, Abby Singer, The Twilight Zone, Soupy Sales, using rock music in movies, Get Crazy, Zacherly introducing the Grateful Dead at the Filmore East, I Love Lucy, The Honeymooners bump, being a nerd, how some things don't hold up, The Dick Van Dyke Show, working with Ron Howard, Doris Day movies, Family Affair, Father Knows Best, Leave it to Beaver, the importance of empathy, the transitional time of the 70s and 80s, East Side West Side, The Bronx Zoo, Hill St. Blues, the importance of casting, working for Bruce Paltrow, Crossing Jordan, ER, police procedurals, the time Ken ruined a shot in the pilot of Crossing Jordan, having to rush home and watch Saturday Night Live, SCTV, Catherine O'Hara's total character commitment, film noir, the zeitgeist of relationships between men and women, the dancing baby on Ally McBeal, Heroes, Duck Soup, The Shining, Lemony Snicket, showing The TAMI Show to young people, and how the future is female.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 622: Mike Watt Feb 26, 2024

June 13-19, 1970

This week Ken welcomes legendary bass-man, and all around punk rock royalty, Mr. Mike Watt to the show.

Ken and Mike discuss San Pedro, first meeting D. Boon, moving to San Pedro in 1967 from Navy Housing, living in the projects, saying no to Alameda, George being from Brocton, strong accents, how all the Minutemen were transplants to San Pedro, D. Boon's mom, how trippy the Summer of 1970 was, Blue Oyster Cult, UHF stations, Wild Wild West, Star Trek, Mission Impossible, not having a color TV, how The Prisoner is Mike's favorite show, M*A*S*H, All in the Family, D. Boon's love of Johnny Carson because his dad was from Nebraska, WWII movies, T. Rex, local horror hosts, the origin of "D." in D. Boom, Steve McQueen, The Sand Pebbles, B-Movies, Svenghouli, Elvira, The Stooges, Vampira, local kid shows, LA's Seymour, Fright Night, opening for The Butthole Surfers, how Gibby Haynes' father was a children's TV Show host called Mr. Peppermint, the JFK assassination, Gumby, Alan Watts, Alex Cox's book about The Prisoner, Ice Station Zebra, Patrick McGoohan, The Honeymooners, Green Acres, stupid characters, My Favorite Martian, Non coms, The Phil Silvers Show, F Troop, punk rock, Ed Sullivan, Robert Mitchem, The Space Race, Mad Magazine, Star Trek The Motion Picture, subscriptions to Scientific America, the importance of learning, serious topics, drunks, Johnny Cash, variety shows, Kirk Douglas, Edward G. Robinson, Two Weeks in Another Town, Carol Kaye's Wild Wild West bass line, Mission Impossible, Hal Blaine, Earl Palmer, Director's control, Kubrick, watching YouTube, The Outer Limits, Soldier, Demon with a Glass Hand, and loving Offbeat Cinema.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 621: Esther Ku Feb 19, 2024

March 17-23, 1990

This week Ken welcomes old friend, comedian Esther Ku.

Ken and Ku discuss how long it has been since they've talked to each other, starting comedy in Boston, moving to NYC, how we all have a different path, working in marketing, growing up in Chicago, Last Comic Standing, how dues are different, hosting the AVN Porn Awards, working blue, dirty jokes, not taking advice, how what you talk about on stage is way racier than how you live your life, playing piano, growing up in an evangelical home, Sharpie, The Simpsons, Simpsons stuffed animals, St. Patrick's Day, The Franklin Mint, bootleg Jesus, manipulation, Foxy Boxing, Readers Digest and Time magazine, Loveline, The Real World, The Jamie Foxx Show, Once Bitten, being an extra, not talking to Jim Carrey, improv lessons, Micah Sherman, interviewing writers from the Simpsons, loving Lisa Simpson's feminism, pitching an animated show, writing dirty songs on your ukulele, Religious outrage of big budget movies, Titanic, Love & Lies, Ken's tape trading year, Rock Em Sock Em Robots, Hungry Hungry Hippos, The Rock a Fire Explosion, Roller Blades vs Quads, Ken's time on Sex Life, Real Sex, America's Funniest Home Videos, 90 Day Fiancé', and way too much about K-Y Jelly.

TV Guidance Counselor 10th Anniversary Special Feb 07, 2024

Somehow it's been ten years! Ken goes solo on this one and does a year in review, for 2014. How has it been ten years??

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 619: Jack Sholder Feb 05, 2024

June 19 - 25, 1953

This week Ken welcomes professor, writer, producer and director Jack Solder (Nightmare on Elm St. 2, By Dawn's Early Light, The Hidden, 12:01, Alone in the Dark) to the show.

Ken and Jack discuss growing up in Philly, growing up playing trumpet, being a classical musician, realizing you're good but not GREAT at something, becoming an editor, the rhythm of cuts, working at New Line Cinema, Caroline Biggerstaff, poses vs pauses, editing The Burning, learning by doing, creating suspense, revival art house cinema, the genius of Buster Keaton, exploitation films, Ed Sullivan, Uncle Milty, 1950s music shows, the cultural scene of the 1950s, Uncle Pete Boyle, Chief Halftown, kids shows, Life of Reilly, Magnavox, The DuMont Network, newspapermen, The Big Story, The Big Picture, the strangeness of modern day network TV, the personal nature of TV, working with Harvey Keitel, swapping India for Eastern Europe, the fake Indian word for "Roll 'em" Easta Sasusaway, never being Mr. Wizard, Big Top with Jack Sterling, Wrestling, boxing, You Asked for It, Fearless Ed, Variety Shows, New York Socialites and Intellectuals, Dinah Shore, representations of gay people on TV, Ernie Kovacs, Red necks, Farmers, how your car key fob is more powerful than the computer that sent men to the moon, the world after cell phones, Alan Funt, Candid Camera, Kids Say the Darndest Things, UHF stations, Dragnet, American Bandstand, 12:01, The Hidden, the gayest Nightmare on Elm St film, Robocop, working with Jake the Dog, and the strangeness of The Omen The Series pilot.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 618: Henry Normal Jan 29, 2024

All the way from the UK, this week Ken welcomes writer, poet, and television producer Henry Normal to the show.

Ken and Henry discuss his tea just arriving, what builders drink, Baby Cow, how being a poet was essentially the same as being a stand up in the UK, The UK's alt comedy revolution, Craig Charles, selling merch, punk rock, American stand up comedy, class based society, character comedy, Jack Benny, vaudeville, The Max Brothers, Mort Saul, Lenny Bruce, Richard Pryor, Working Men's Clubs, bad blue collar, racism, Dave Allen, Monty Python, Spike Milligan, not punching down, The Comedy Store, Manchester, nightmare gigs, The Black and White Minstrel Show, competing with slot machines, touring with Pulp, The Mock Turtles, Steve Coogan, The Young Ones, Nigel Planer, The Comic Strip, putting all your friends on TV, The North South Divide, being the reigning Daily Mail Young Comic of the Year, Packet of Three, Bamboozled, US v. UK TV, The Royle Family, US Remake of UK shows, Red Dwarf, working class people, The Rockford Files, Sgt. Bilko, Frank Skinner, the trauma that leads to comedy, deaths in the family, Caroline Ahern, Graham Duff, Dr. Terrible's House of Horrible, Marion and Geoff, Human Remains, Ideal, Julia Davis, Rob Brydon, Jonathan Ross, Alan Partridge, why you should always wear a suit, BBC3, Fat Boy Slim, Brain Candy, Alan Car, Robin Ince, Nighty Night, unlikable main characters, The Might Boosh, The Banana Splits, I Am Not An Animal, Peter Baynham, Canadian football fans, making ugly television, making good stuff, things that nobody will ever seen on television, Jessica Hynes, Lizzie and Sarah, Mr. Inbetween, hired killers, and how weird stand up comics are.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 617: Dan Frischman Jan 22, 2024

May 16-22, 1987

This week Ken welcomes actor, magician, host of the new show "Head of the Senior Class" and all around solid dude Dan Frischman to the show.

Ken and Dan discuss growing up as magic nerds, Fred Kolb, being a magician at an early age, asking how the tricks are done, Ken's mastering of mediocrity, buying magic at Macy's in New York, magic on TV, Doug Henning, Mark Wilson, Harry Blackstone Jr., Ricky Jay, TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes, Head of the Class, pitching to Henry Winkler, fake biohazards, doing stand up in NYC, growing up in New Jersey, Sea Monkeys in the tub, Dennis Miller's prop comedy days, driving out to LA, living on Sunset Blvd, Jimmy Brogan, guest spots on Facts of Life, being a returning character on Its a Living, living with seven other comedians in the Crest Hill House behind the Comedy Store, Andrew "Dice" Clay, Wacko, being Carl "Pizzaface" Price, George Kennedy as a Chocolatier, Howard Hesseman's displeasure, Sledge Hammer, not wanting to play a nerd, when Head of the Class shifted from Mr. Moore to the kids, filming in Soviet Russia, Head of the Class's musicals, Little Shop of Horrors, getting the seal of approval from Rick Moranis, watching your own shows, being confused for the OTHER Dan Frischman who is a little person, getting beaten in tennis by Billy Jean King, Harry Anderson, Circus of the Stars, Warm Up Comics, Billy Connolly, performing as Steve Martin, performing FOR Steve Martin, reusing the hallway set from Head of the Class, the time Ken had to wear borrowed pants at The Magic Castle, Seinfeld, loving Madmen, the Sopranos, and I, Claudius, stealing Bob Newhart's newspaper, Kenan & Kel and the practical joke circle of life.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 616: Brian Trenchard-Smith Jan 15, 2024

This week Ken welcomes esteemed, accomplished director and author of the field guide/memoir "Adventures in the B-Movie Trade", Brian Trenchard-Smith to the show.

Ken and Brian discuss the weather in Portland, Brian's travels around the world, his appreciation for everything he's gotten to do, visiting Soviet Russian in 1968, falling in love with cinema after seeing a Hitchcock film, how you should see a local movie in the native language in every country you visit, developing your taste in film, how the world is smaller, but not as substantive in many ways, forgetting your Italian accent, strange double features, taking acting classes with Barry Manilow, being only able to play a British Army Officer, knowing from age 13 you want to make movies, the closed show that was the British Film Industry, Australian television, editing Hammer Horror films, working for the ABC, editing sex and violence filled TV promos, sort of forging a recommendation letter, Raymond Burr, Ironsides, Number 96, Prisoner in Cell Block H, learning how cinema production worked, Beauty pageants for girls AND cars, Concourse Del Ellgance', stunts, making documentaries, Bruce Lee, Man from Hong King, Stunt Rock, why every young filmmaker needs a calling card, Hong Kong Cinema, cannibalizing your own films, World of Kung Fu (which no longer exists), Kung Fu Killers, editing news film and the pressure of it going down to the wire, news directors wanting to kill you, Japanese Cinema, Seven Samurai, Rashomon, being OBSESSED with trailers growing up, The Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires, visiting the set of Shatter, Roy Ward Baker, finding financing, hopping on a trend too late, the Bruce Lee clones, being bored by love scenes in films, parody, being subversive, hang gliders, Dead End Drive In, having to watch three hours of Once Upon a Time in the West so you can cut the trailer, Leprechaun in Space, enjoying the days when you physically handled film, enjoying your films with an audience, the 1988 Mission Impossible, Sahara with Jim Belushi, directing Flipper, being proud of different films for different reasons, Seconds to Spare, diehard on a train, replacing Dolph Lundgren with Antonio Sabato Jr, Happy Face Murders with Ann-Margaret, and the awe of making and watching Omega Code 2.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 615: Mike Doughty Jan 08, 2024

February 16-22, 1980

This week Ken welcomes musician, author and man behind the new lp "Ghosts of Vroom III", Mike Doughty.

Ken and Mike discuss how 1980 was a good poignant television year in Mike's life, being a military kid, how a year of no Mork & Mindy leads to a year of no TV at all, The American Forces Network, the outro credit song on WKRP in Cincinnati, finding out what music you like from Sitcoms, Angel Witch, the consistency of television, moving a lot, how we'd all be better off as accountants, the exciting and elusive world of commercials, Zapping your Zinger, living in Germany, specific PSAs made for AFN by the original cast of SNL, how TV reporters made the world worse by trying to sign off impressively, The Superbowl, learning about American culture via Commercials, Norman Fell, six ways to cry, dramas spun off from comedies, Lou Grant, Cop Rock, Quincy M.E., Skag with Karl Malden, Last Resort, CHiPs, dripping in Orchestral disco, how analog synth lasers make everything better, theme songs that chart, Starsky and Hutch, Mr. Smith, the prevalence of Orangutans and apes in television and movies, CB Radios, BJ and the Bear, Citizen's Band, pretending to be a doctor, how comedy never works on live music shows, how music often DOES work on comedy shows, avoiding OJ Simpson's acting work, Alice, Linda Lavin, the 70s shows that went well into the 80s, the horror of the word "booger", being Dr. Johnny Fever, Barney Miller, seeing TV sitcom actors on Broadway, coded gay characters, The White Shadow, Goldie and Liza Together, Bob Newhart's sketch comedy special, Real People, how the death of disco lead to mud wrestling and wet t-shirt contents, being confused for a real people person when you're a Real People person, when political debates became roast battles, Dragnet, The Rockford Files, young Powers Booth, old fashioned typewriters, Wonder Woman, The Incredible Hulk, The Hulk Out List, doing Bill Moyers, dueling Merv Griffins, the made for-TV movie Detour to Terror, buses, photos of Lorenzo Lamas, and recommending Blacke's Magic.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 614: Sovereign Syre and Ela Darling Jan 01, 2024

January 3-9, 1987

This week Ken welcomes adult entertainers, entrepreneurs, and incredibly smart hosts of the fantastic must listen "Ill Repute" podcast, Sovereign Syre and Ela Darling.

Ken, Sovereign and Ela discuss time zones, mountain, Central time, the weirdness of January TV, when VHS rentals first eclipsed theatrical ticket sales, how the Adult industry innovates all entertainment technology, the incredible strangeness of the streaming business model, the movie "The Girl on the Bridge", French films, corporate structure, not knowing what you own as a company, Ela's experience as a Librarian, why Libraries are punk rock, piracy, growing up poor, The ALA Library Bill of Rights, scammers, Merv Griffin, J.Z. Knight, sleazy talk shows, new age scams, Carson, named hosts, meeting Jerry Springer, being built your own tiny house, empowering women, getting drunk underage on a flight to France, Gates McFadden's life advice, Star Trek, the dark Jim Henson Universe, practical effects, Eastern Promises, David Cronenberg, mother's advice about what irons to buy, Ken's friends in 80s print ads, 20/20, a live exorcism on network TV, bad actors acting badly, post Vietnam hope, horses, being a sales person, the murder of Rebecca Shaffer, stalking, how sometimes nothing ever changes, same sex couples fostering healthy happy children, how PSAs could more damage than good, people being literally Institutionalized, PTSD, gangs, and the Ill Repute Podcast.

BONUS! TV Guidance Counselor: Kevin McDonald and Dave Foley LIVE! at NorthEast ComicCon Dec 28, 2023

In this very special BONUS episode here is the complete audio of Ken's chat with Dave Foley and Kevin McDonald of The Kids in the Hall. This was recorded LIVE last month at North East Comic Con in Boxboro MA.

If you were a patron you would have gotten a video of this as well!

Enjoy and Happy Holidays!

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 613: 2023 Year In Review Dec 20, 2023

As is (now at least) the tradition, Ken flies solo for a warts and all, behind the scenes, stream of consciousness, week by week, episode by episode review of 2023, and anything else that pops into his head.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 612: Sooz Kempner Dec 18, 2023

November 17-23, 2001

This week Ken welcomes UK coomedian, actor and official member of the Doctor Whoverse, Sooz Kempner to the show.

Ken and Sooz discuss being outside of the zones of London, Gatwick Airport, how nothing good is ever on TV on Sundays in the UK, Omnibuses, Eastenders, Gladiators, Wolf's gyms, This Morning with Richard Not Judy, Stewart Lee and Richard Herring, Richard and Judy, getting away with stuff on kids shows, Pooh, Ken's Mr. Show bowling shirt, recording babies' dreams, Brexit, how homelessness is a bigger problem than fresh veggies, how UK and Canadian comics always want to make it in American despite being successful in their home countries, traveling to Maine to visit your German Grandfather, Stephen King, nice versions of Threads, Watership Down, David the Gnome, When The Wind Blows, visiting New York city with no money but seeing as many Broadway Shows as you can, The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Sting's amazing Broadway musical, singing waiters, Ken's 1st and only Thanksgiving not in America, John Edwards Crossing Over and trying to communicate with the victims of 9/11, prank calling Abu Hamza, the boon of live concerts on TV post 9/11, Brittney Spears, being completely overwhelmed by TV Guide, Showgirls, Skinemax, The Simpsons, satellite TV, Sky Digital, Lenox's Pooh Pantry, sad teddy bears, sexy Lucy Lawless on The X-Files, the weird post 9/11 horniness, Comic Sans font, Seven of 9, Jeri Ryan, Down to You, She's All That, all the millennium pushing teen movies nobody cares about anymore, Soul Man, the nature of tangents, Giuliani, hating ferrets, porcelain eagles, all bears on deck, how hands replaced with bear is never a funny pun, Take That, Boy Bands, how violence is perfectly ok in TV, Coaches vs Cancer, NSYNC, and how It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is an amazing cure for temporary depression.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 611: Adrien Behn Dec 11, 2023

This week Ken welcomes podcaster, writer, and world traveler Adrien Behn to the show.

Ken and Adrien discuss New York City, growing up in Western MA/NY, people who have never left their hometown, pregnant hippies, life long friends, perusing a life in creative arts, being worldly, having more chickens than neighbors, Lake George, hating touristy spots, teenage identity crisis, doing study abroad programs, Czechs, Prague, Stalin, living in former Soviet Republics, interesting art and beauty, the first place you go to outside of your own country, the film industry in Prague, the "adult" industry in Prague, growing up without cable, Nickelodeon, MTV, binging in college, 9/11, when news takes over all channels, national disasters, negative shared experiences, naming your younger sibling Jessica after Mambo No. 5, all five Spice Girls at once, 30 Rock, Sex in the City, comfort TV, the shows that America exports, Exporting Raymond, the worldwide success of The Big Bang Theory, telenovelas, Croatian soaps, Turkish Soaps, enjoying being places that are not drenched in American culture, Japan, making bad and dangerous decisions while traveling, Albania, action flicks, how comedy doesn't travel, fleeing winter via Mexico City every year, Luchadores, Blue Demon, all soccer all the time, lack of passports in the US, America as a young patchwork culture, the strangeness of Patriotism, traveling to Canada for the first time, not speaking the language, watching Spanish TV so you can read and and hear it at the same time for educational purposes, Narcos, how you crave certain movies and shows, being in the mood to watch certain things, Anthony Bourdain, Obama's pho trip, Vietnam, and how we ALL need to travel more.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 610: Paul Morrissey Dec 04, 2023

March 12-18, 1983

This week Ken welcomes comedian and man behind the new Blonde Medicine Comedy lp "Ice Cream vs. Everything", Paul Morrissey.

Ken and Paul discuss Paul's excitement being on the show, why he picked 1983, the early 80s mix of famous people guest stars, The Love Boat, Smokey and the Bandit, Paul Williams, Milton Berle, cocaine, 70s Variety Shows, Solid Gold, Tim Thomerson, Top of the Pops, Steelers Wheel, miming, Richard Marx's Lionel Richie debut, cigarettes, David Bowie playing with Mott the Hoople, Robin Williams, Gen Xers vs. Boomers, buying awful products from TV Guide, horrifying children's decor, having to pay massive fines for ruining a VHS tape, Diff'rent Strokes, video games, Silver Spoons, Jason Bateman, Teen Wolf, how massive Bob Hope was, Jackie Gleason, never flying, Voyagers, the death of Jon Eric Hexum, on set accidents, getting bumped on Letterman so many times it becomes an inside joke, dry cleaning The Jeffersons, Newhart, Fritz Leiber, Jay Thomas, Square Pegs, production values, Little House of the Prairie, The A-Team, Happy Days, James Bond, Remington Steel, Pierce Brosnan, The Celtics vs. The Sixers, the Celtics 80s team, Facts of Life, baby death, Very Special Episodes, Fred Willard, Magnum PI, Vietnam, CHPs, Franken and Davis, Saturday Night Live, when everything was on Ice, Benson, Knight Rider, K.I.T.T. vs. K.A.R.R., Stephen Tobolowsky, Morgan Fairchild, $20k TVs, the power of the mustache, roasts, Beverly Hills Cops, action comedies, and why Real Genius is the greatest comedy of all time.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 609: Joe Pera Nov 27, 2023

October 2-8, 1999

This week Ken welcomes certified comedy superstar, and man behind the new comedy special "Slow and Steady", Joe Pera to the show.

Ken and Joe discuss tiny computers, Wargames, Buffalo New York, wings, Anchor Bar, Zoomer goofs, preppers, toilet paper, Joe Pera Talks with You. Jo Firestone, Y2K, cover stories, going mobile, post-Nuke dads, 90s posture, Melissa Joan Hart, Melissa Ethridge's Glamor Shots, the "99 face", Verne Troyer, High School Senior Portraits, photographers, Margaret Cho, Tom Green, awful stand up comedian pilot concepts, oil, mailing post cards to your own depression, Hocky Night in Canada, getting Canadian TV, racist sports announcers, MTV, Red Green, watching movies that look awful, journalism, TV Guide's journalism pedigree, hot Mr. Spock, Charlie Chan, Cousin Skeeter, Couch Taylor from Friday Night Lights, Early Edition, stopping subway murder, Homicide, vigilante nudity, Jim Henson's creature shop, Animal Farm, Kelsey Grammar's pig love, Disney's flirtation with Satan, H.E. Double Hockey Sticks, Tweety Bird Collector's Plates, Oriental Trading Company, Sticky Hands, King of Queens, Home Improvement, The Simpsons, Air Force One, Fresh Prince, Harrison Ford's earring, Johnny Tsunami, smelling donuts a mile away, Smart House, Sci-Fi Channel, The Sentinel, Shasta McNasty, wondering if the blowfish has a sister, the worst joke construct of all time, everyone hating Bill O'Reily, Norm McDonald vs Pokemon, Buffalo movies, Rick James, The Goo Goo Dolls, The Buffalo Sabers, Snow Day, and soothing YouTube travel shows.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 608: Mark Guyer Nov 20, 2023

October 18-24, 1997

This week Ken welcomes author Mark Guyer.

Mark and Ken discuss living in upstate/Central New York, how New York State isn't New York City, Halloween viewing, Nostalgiamares Series, Phantom Delivery, classic youth horror books, Fear Street, having your own TV, being a tween, not remembering your childhood Halloween costumes, how dressing as Darth Vader can help with bullying, Due South, Burgess Meredith, Nothing Sacred, Hot Priests, Gene Siskel so Horny, what Siskel did to Betsey Palmer, how awful Saturday Night Fever is, Guides to Halloween episodes, Blackula, Gregory Hines Show, The Night Stalker, Nosferatu, ABC Sitcoms, anti-Trick or Treating, how 21st Century Kids don't get to truly enjoy Halloween, how the world is NOT more dangerous for kids now, the purity of Halloween, how working in retail makes you hate Christmas, Team Knightrider, The Real World Boston, The Tonight Show, bringing Kenan and Kel together again, SNICK, failing the All That! challenge, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, why some 80s actors don't work much these days, Deadly Friend, Wes Craven, VHS rentals, when younger people are smarter and more insightful than you, how rare it is to have a young child as a protagonist, Stephen King, how Horror is inherently left wing, hopeful sadness, Hey Arnold!, Cybill, Alex Mac, how Tuesdays were all about Buffy and Angel, living Annie Potts and Tim Curry, Spin City, being replaced by Charlie Sheen, Baywatch, Meego vs. Boy Meets World, the end of TGIF, You Wish, Teen Angel, Sabrina The Teenage Witch, Dee Snider, Millennium, dying standing up, Nash Bridges, and a Cheer in a very negative week.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 607: Dermot Ward Nov 13, 2023

October 16-22, 1999

This week we travel to Ireland to talk TV with The Try Channel's own Dermot Ward.

Ken and Dermot discuss why Dermot is even on the show, bad ideas, Dermot talking people out of liking him, Big Trouble in Little China, being a Martial Arts nerd, Ireland's national martial art, awful Boston Irish stupidity, The Streets, the origins of Corned Beef and Cabbage, The 50 Greatest TV Characters Ever, being totally overwhelmed by TV Guide listings, Letterman, weird commercial breaks, prescription drugs, the English, Fifish Finkle, Picket Fences, Joan Collins, Hawk, PBS Mystery, Prime Suspect, Father Ted, AbFab, Roseanne, Cheer, High School, The Avengers, Emma Peele, Taxi, The Prisoner, swears on American TV, NYPD Blue, Comedy Central, Soap, Bob Newhart, Mary Tyler Moore, Man in the Moon, Andy Kaufman, The Simpsons, Friends, The Wonder Years, Full House, visiting weird American states, Ballykissangel, sexy priests, Win Ben Stein's Money, the late 90s gameshow boom, Baywatch, how prime time US shows are afternoon children's shows in Ireland, sleeping on Baywatch Nights, It's a Wrap, Everybody Loves Raymond, Veronica's Closet, the hell of TV tapings, Buffy, Angel, Shasta McNasty, The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeifer, Homeboys in Outer Space, loving crossover episodes, The Addams Family, Must See TV, and loving Ghostbusters.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 606: George Higby The Antique Nomad Nov 06, 2023

November 3-9, 1973

This week Ken welcomes antiques expert, and fellow TV kid, The Antique Noman himself, George Higby to the show.

Ken and George discuss George's YouTube Channel, referencing the stuff on sets, moving around a lot as a kid, living in Cleveland when this TV Guide came out, Washington State, Raytheon TVs, looking for the thing that's the same, being a car and sports guy, Philco, Cigarettes, concept cars, trying to reverse engineer a color TV for free, shared experience, Emergency!, how weird it was that shows not for kids were merchandised to kids, All in the Family, M*A*S*H, topical TV, sad TV shows, the odd cultural moment of the early 1970s, Norman Lear, how the 1970s may have been more progressive, niches, The Committee Against the Public Authority of Maine, antiquing in New England, Time Tunnel, corded TV remotes, Newport Jazz Fest, Lucy, Get Smart! in Spanish, variety shows, Antiques: Make the Most out of Your Hobby with NOT George Michael, the early days of Antique collecting, nostalgia, The Girl Most Likely To, Joan Rivers, Night Gallery, failed pilots, TV preservation, Benny Hill, local edits of TV, Standard Oil, big business, why Debbie Reynolds was NOT allowed in George's house, early Don Johnson, Sandford and Son, trying to get your antiques and collectibles back after you already sold them, The Odd Couple, hating Room 222, passing up The Brady Bunch, buying the Brady House, Sonny and Cher with Douglas Fairbanks, dogs playing poker, Vincent Price, purpose made collectibles, and how Major Nelson's house from I Dream of Genie is George's dream house.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 605: Josh Spiegel Oct 30, 2023

August 5-11, 1978

This week Ken welcomes The Horror Timelines guy himself, author, YouTuber and fellow horror fan Josh Spiegel.

Ken and Josh discuss LA heat, cats, dogs afraid of flies, growing up in Pittsburgh, working at The Monroeville Mall, George Romero, Horror Conventions, Dawn of the Dead, being born in the 1930s, being older than you look, The Jeffersons, the weird English neighbor, cable, non-24 hour HBO, movie rentals, Full Moon Features, TV Violence, when computers take over, cigarettes, cufflinks, The Bionic Woman, The Eighties Project, The Archie Situation Comedy Musical Variety Show, Moose, drugs that totally are not weight loss drugs that are weight loss drugs, Diff'rent Strokes, M*A*S*H, how the Korean War stood in for the Vietnam War, Vietnam vets on TV, why 9/11 doesn't show up in fiction, Charlotte's Web, Jack Albertson, Poor Devil, Sammy Davis Jr. Christopher Lee, needing something light hearted and dumb, Three's Company, Super Hero Disco, proto-Firestar, comic books, Santa Monica's "Little Boston", the math behind Let's Make a Deal, The Price is Right, why John Cusack hates Better Off Dead and One Crazy Summer, Lucha Libre, The Crying Woman, Dean Martin, Sinatra, Welcome Back Kotter, Pittsburgh Symphony, Wonder Woman, The Incredible Hulk, made for TV movies and why The Midnight Hour is not only great, but trivia gold.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 604: Brian Heiler Oct 23, 2023

March 24-30, 1979

This week Ken welcomes writer, podcaster, and lover of all things Mego, the man behind Plaid Stallions, Brian Heiler to the show.

Ken and Brian discuss Canada, how long Ken has been following Brian's work, memorizing TV Guide as a kid, being the TV Oracle, late night horror and monster movies, Crestwood books, V, tourist traps, Hollywood Museum, Slim Goodbody, Mr. Rourke as devil or angel, Fantasy Island, toothless Animal House TV rip offs, fountain pens, how small pop culture used to be, being a smoker, Canada vs US buying cigarettes, loving cigarette machines even though you don't smoke, The Frozen Dead, The Last Man on Earth, Dracula '79, Cliff Hangers, Track and Field for women by Colgate, disco, Forever Night, Silk Stalkings, Steve Guttenberg, Merv Griffin, movie parodies, George Kennedy toys, Computer Dating, Rack Toys, Bruce Villanch's song writing career, Herve Valechez, Wendy Schaal, Susan Tyrell, Pyschotronic Films, Charlton Heston, marketing cases, Aydes weight loss product, made for TV Movies, SCTV, how Buddy Cole grew out of Johnny LaRue, Scott Thompson, The King of Kensington, Guy Big, Seeing Things, Canadian sitcoms, Friday the 13th the Series, Percy Rodriguez, The Starlost, Happy Days, Star Wars rip offs, Buck Rogers, Jason of Star Command, The Dark Secrets of Harvest Home, Rene Aborgenious, jiggle TV, Charlie's Angels, Vegas, monkeys on TV, Baby I'm Back, Delta House, Carter Country, pirate satellites, lessons in irony, Barnaby Jones, why Jack Kirby IS the King, 3-D comics, Barney Miller, Brian's cop dad who isn't a cop, Times Square, pen paling with James Gregory, Turnabout, body switching, Hello Larry, being forced to watch Dallas, and Mego.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 603: Liz Barrett Oct 16, 2023

November 9-15, 1985

This week Ken welcomes comedian, and haver of a new album called "Gettin' By", Liz Barrett to the show.

Liz and Ken discuss the backroom of comedy clubs, CT, the invention of the hamburger, growing up in a Military Family, German Military Bases, having a much younger sibling, 13 year olds, Lady Di, iconic sweaters, loveless royal marriages, Boy George, Ken's sister (RIP)'s Make a Wish, ferrets, fancy TV Guides, the greatness of Peter Scolari, 1985 SNL, NBC Saturdays, sensitive human portrayals of people with AIDS, Martin Sheen, creepy dolls, We Are the World, North and South, 227, Fred Dryer, noticing the intentional humor in things later in life, Touch of Class, sophistication, full page ads for Soap Operas, Lifetime, Dwarves, Dance of the Dwarves, Diane Cannon in a face based WWII drama Jenny's War, crushing on Hal Holbrook, Defiance with Jan Michael Vincent, vagueness, Kenny Rogers' acting career, when you "need the money", freeloaders in Boston, The Insiders, Hell Town, St. Elsewhere, Diff'rent Strokes, people Ken has had on the show, Astronauts, things that "keep you guessing", Haley's Comet, Donald Sutherland, hating loud noises, action movies, Cheers, Benson, Mr. Belvedere, Misfits of Science, evil Hovercrafts, not believing a dolphin about finding cocaine, USA Network's low budget, the perfection of Golden Girls, how people get their information, and finding out if its cake or not.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 602: Greg Johnson Oct 09, 2023

December 26, 1992

This week Ken welcomes old friend, now NYC based comedian Greg Johnson.

Ken and Greg discuss 20 years ago, Comedy Doyles, Kenny Z, Ken's first time doing stand up in Massachusetts, Eugene Mirman, Tim McIntire's Thursday Night Fights at The Comedy Studio, growing up in Wellesley, white suburban towns, being a notable alum from your town's High School, Greg's album Greg Johnson 1, how Mass and NY really aren't all that different, listening to episodes from ten years ago, Danny Tamberelli, The Adventures of Pete and Pete, getting to meet your heroes, Cheers, how Ken books guests, TV stars who should have been movie stars, Angela Lansbury, Madonna: Just a Peeler, clean and dirty covers, The Real World, Barney the Dinosaur, 1992, how football is a stupid fun waste of time, how the love of True Crime isn't new, Amy Fischer the Long Island Lolita, Ryder Strong, favorite VJs, the mystery of John Norris, SNICK, Roundhouse, In Living Color, The Simpsons, Sexy Dana Carvey, Chris Rock, live TV fights, insane Oscar moments, streaking, Father Dowling Mysteries, growing up Catholic, The "dead kid" in Three Men and a Baby, the "dead munchin" in The Wizard of Oz, being in the theater for only one day, 1990s re-releases, Can't Hardly Wait, Jerry O'Connell, the reason we have home taping today, when Greg was actually on TV, THIS VERY WEEK as a kid, Phylicia Rashad hosting a Kids Guide to Parenting, the lost show, Nik Carter, WFXN, Rap Around!, Ready to Go, Tom Bergeron, Home Improvement, We the Jury, Ken's love of Massachusetts businesses, Ken and Greg's plans to visit dead malls, The Square One Mall, Waylu's, Ken finding a nearly dead woman at B. Dalton Books in the Meadow Glen Mall, smoking joksters, local weathermen, The Wonder Years, Sully Erna, New Year's Eve, Evening at the Improv, WSKB's big Stooges New Year, Dana Hersey, House of Blues, Chiz Rider, and the major of trumpet based ministries.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 601: Jane Badler Oct 02, 2023

This week Ken welcomes the incredible actor, singer and all around impressive human being (despite famously playing an alien) Jane Badler (follow her on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/janebadlerworld/)

Ken and Jane discuss Australia, always being a New Yorker despite living in Australia for over 30 years, the changing nature of accents, botanical gardens, the ever traveling American, moving from Long Island to New Hampshire at 15, Mission Impossible, the 1988 writer's strike, working with classic actors, working with Kim Novak, Falcon Crest, working on Soaps, Angela Lansbury, Murder She Wrote, the divide between TV and movie actors, The Doctors with Alec Baldwin, Neighbors, Margot Robbie, doing comedy, V: The Series, The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Ken Johnson, fascism, playing it straight, allegory, The Twilight Zone, Argentina, having more of an impact than you can anticipate, V toys, Barbie, going into the city, being shy growing up in Great Neck Long Island, coming out of your shell in New Hampshire, being a lawyer, One Life to Live, doing commercials, talking about never talking about The Highwayman, Chad Darnell's film The Birthday Cake, being the victim in a TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes joke, playing Diana again in the new V, Diana's death scene, Arid Extra Dry, the authority and sweetness. bra commercials, watching UK TV, loving Miss Maisel, Anxious People, Stephen King's The Outsider, Ben Mendelsohn, being done with being in horror, playing awful people, acting with Mary Tyler Moore, being "the American", having to know the lines, Shakspearian things, and Ken's interview skills.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 600: RJ City II Sep 25, 2023

July 7-13, 1973

EPISODE 600!

By popular demand! He's BACK! This week Ken welcomes wrestler and fellow TV weirdo, RJ City.

Ken and RJ discuss RJ being disappointed with Ken's year end review endorsement of his last appearance, neurosis, people giving RJ TV Guides, RJ getting the wrong date for the recording and being excited, pop culture dog whistles, Dick Cavett, Mason Reese, "The Beige Age", the Caldor Brown Rainbow, Orson Wells, made up stories, when SCTV gets mean, Spielberg, local TV Guide variation, Children's cigarettes, great moments in television, how weird it is to have a glass of anything beside your bed, where did dentures go?, Dom DeLuise, sheet music, singing your own favorite songs, the mystery of the Ginger Bread House, wasting food, why Jaqueline Suzanne can go f*ck herself, how Twitter is today's TV Guide, video editing, Sabrina the Teenage Witch the cartoon, Scooby Doo's weird guest stars, Don Knotts and concrete, Rich Little, serious actors who shouldn't be, the final iteration of the Frankenstone family, Norman Fell, Curse II: The Bite, Paul Reubens, David Arquette's wrestling trunks, The Bone Yard, Phillis Diller's wigs, You Don't Know Jack, having two friends with F You Money when you don't have that, the Rock N Wrestling Saturday Morning Preview Special, David Susskind show, Cyndi Lauper, being confused by women's measurements, Patty Duke, Hollywood Squares, Paul Lynde, how offensive mimes are as entertainment for the hard of hearing community, Deafula, Art Linkletter's cold shoulder, Del Moore, Hollywood Walk of Fame stars, repossessing fame, Maude, Hawaii Five-O, creepy writers, Bobby Darrin, the worst version of a Beatles song ever by Sammy Davis Jr, Watergate, Mac Davis, hating Richard Dreyfuss, Sanford and Son, The Seven Faces of Dr. Lao, when you can't recommend good stuff because it's offensive, Steve Harvey's flubs that aren't his fault, and a forgotten Robert Altman flick.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 599: Jon Brennan Sep 18, 2023

January 23-29, 1993

This week Ken welcomes original Real World reality TV star, true story teller and country music man Jon Brennan to the show.

Ken and Jon discuss fancy studio equipment, The Real World LA, being 18, the origin of Road Rules, not going back and watching old video of yourself, calling Irene Mom, people in their 20s feeling like old people, the death of Andre the Giant, WWF, watching The Real World while you're ON the Real World, MTV removing your television, the origins of "true stor-ay", Jon's new single True Story, when WWF went R Rated, loving NWA wresting, Rick Flair, Sting, Dusty Roads, meeting celebrity fans of The Real World, Garth Brooks, The Miz, Will Smith, Amy Grant, when Christians go pop, men's jeans, Rescue 911, being on Celebrity Death Match, Beavis and Butthead, having your Celebrity Death Match puppet, The Hat Squad, mid season replacements, Parents Just Don't Understand, Chris Rock vs Will Smith, kids who don't know what life was like before smart phones, streaming, Napster, making it in a creative field, WCW, Austin City Limits, Michael Nesmith, Emmylou Harris, Eyewitness Video, the horror parents felt looking at Glam Metal bands, The Nashville Network, Nashville Now, Club Dance, The American Music Awards, Bobby Brown, Gloria Estefan, Wynonna Judd, Michael Bolton, trigger warnings, clothes that don't fit, XL vs XXL, skinny jeans, white people tailgating music, mandatory roller blades, college basketball, Unsolved Mysteries, Beverly Hills 90210, In The Heat of the Night, Hoosiers, Seinfeld, Stand by Me, small towns, Cheers, Ancient Aliens, Big Foot, Realty TV Sub genres, Family Matters, Shark Week, hating digital cable, wanting an old fashioned remote control experience, smart TVs, Junkyard Dog, Hulk Hogan Rock n Wrestling, Brutus the Barber Beefcake, Cocaine and Anthrax, tiny celebrities, Planet Hollywood, literally running into Shaq, Elvis, Pancake Pantry, hot chicken, Dateline NBC, Law & Order, fast forwarding Monday Night Raw, and knowing the correct way to get freebies.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 598: Tabitha Stevens Sep 11, 2023

July 7-13, 1979

This week Ken welcomes former adult actress, Howard Stern Show Hall of Famer, world's greatest Assistant movie theater manager and all around gem of a human Tabitha Stevens to the show.

Ken and Tabitha discuss end of the world heat waves, Death Valley, Las Vegas, moving from Long Island NY to Las Vegas as a teenager, dressing up to go into New York for culture, Barney Miller, having a great disdain of cigarettes, tanning booths, skin cancer, bleach, frosted tips, heavy Long Island accents, being scared of New Yorkers, being bullied, Vegas Showgirls, The Brady Bunch, having your fan mail accidentally send to Erin "Tabitha from Bewitched" Murphy, Tabitha Soren, The Rainbow Room, the Sunset Strip, pagers, booking everything yourself, having a work ethic, why the adult business moves technology forward and will always be economy and technological innovation proof, having your bank account seized, Utah, owning and living in a historic hotel, bring art to the masses, art photography, the difficulty of owning a gallery, how expensive it is to live in Las Vegas, Judd Nelson, Lemmy, meeting new best friends, sometimes not being able to believe your own life, panic attacks, Xanex, being on the Howard Stern Show, using natural remedies, Sanitorium, making indie horror films, the state of prescription drugs, health care, how uncomfortably pervy The Love Boat is, horny Captain Stubing, Battlestar Gallactica, a dark reboot of the Brady Bunch, Charlie's Angels, looking like Farrah Fawcett, loving Wonder Woman, having action figures, Electra Woman and Dynagirl, Shazam and Isis, Ken's love of Tootie, The Facts of Life, Jacqueline Smith, The Boys, being contrarian, not watching things just because everyone else is, The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, Diff'rent Strokes, A Different World, Lisa Bonet, meeting Mike Tyson, working at movie theaters, being the world's greatest film splicer, sleeping in theaters and losing your finger nail in the popcorn.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 597: Caitlin Cook Sep 04, 2023

April 3-9, 2006

This week Ken welcomes musician, comedian and brains behind the new Off-Broadway Show "The Writing on the Stall" (playing NOW in NYC, every weekend in September) Caitlin Cook to the show.

Ken and Caitlin discuss Ken's rude dogs, surprising Ken, post 2000 media, Ken learning things, strict TV watching rules as a kid, being in love with what you can't have, being reference-less as a kid, being too old for Lizzie McGuire, growing up in Los Angeles, being the child of a choreographer, being acutely aware of pop culture in LA, going to the movies, pop music, tv themes, Caitlin's grandfather's invention of the Wah Pedal, Charmed, how some work is for the love and some is for the money, cute murder, SVU, Law and Order, pregnant Mariska Hargitey, Jeremy Piven's forgotten travel show, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Punk'd, reality TV, America's Next Top Model, Tyra Banks' house, living in the UK, UK remakes of US shows, US remakes of UK shows, getting a degree in Aquatic Archeology, comedy songs, doing open mics on a dare, going to college in Ohio, moving to Chicago, going to Oxford, having NYC in your heart, Friends, Sex in the City, "Ivana Younger Man", gross reality TV families, the early days of streaming, Julian Sands, 24, South Park, writing for South Park, Ken's love of Wildfire, but not that show Wildfire, the other show, The Parent Trap, Lindsay Lohan, Claire Danes, Gilmore Girls, Supernatural, writing female characters, Scrubs, Colin Hay, models doing improv, Veronica Mars, programming the same TV show multiple nights in the same week, Dead Like Me, discovering shows on DVD, weird childhood snacks, being an extra, bizarre feminine hygiene products, almost getting a huge tampon ad, No Reservations, Minority Report, futurism, The Gods Must be Crazy, non-actors on Inside the Actors Studio, movie versions of TV shows that never happened, plus sized actors who aren't actually plus sized, Ray Wise, bad jokes, Pamela Anderson, when Tommy Lee sell out, and all of a sudden getting snobby about The Surreal Life.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 596: Shelley Herman Aug 28, 2023

November 16-22, 1985

This week Ken welcomes former NBC Page, game show royalty, and writer of the new memoir "My Peacock Tale", the great Shelley Herman.

Ken and Shelley discuss North Hollywood, Allee Willis, growing up in Calabasas, ideal childhoods, The Tonight Show, Johnny Carson's son, going to tapings of The Midnight Special, working at Sears, seeing Elvis in Vegas as a teenager, the unique role NBC Pages played, being mistaken as Erik Estrada's girlfriend, forced police uniform wearing, drunken celebrities, SNL, watching the East Coast feed, Gilda, the NY and LA TV production differences, The Not Ready for Prime Time Players, The Dating Game, chaperones, serial killers, Susan Elliot, stand up comedy, Off the Wall, replacing people in a syndicated package, reunions of shows nobody watched, sketch comedy, Mac and Jamie, voice over, The Colbys, movie stars on TV, meeting Charlton Heston, tall people, NBC tours, Vincent Price, Richard Pryor's variety show, putting attractive people up front, dealing with the sponsors, Ringo Star's ex wife, Saturdays on NBC, Golden Girls, Ed McMahon, 227, the greatest story ever about Jackee' Harry, being on The Love Boat, Dick Ebersol, taking Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca to the Emmys, Sally Rogers, Dick Van Dyke, meeting Hitchcock, Photoplay magazine, owning Shirley Temple's trousers, The Bad Seed, the evolution of women panelists on game shows, the structure of game shows, Dumbo, DUMBO!, Phoebe Cates, one of the top 5 greatest Kevin Kline stories, TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes, Dick Clark's uniform, Eye Witness Video, We Are the World, Moonlighting, Heaven (High from) and Hell (town), Tello's Restaurant, Robert Blake, the mystery of Shadowchasers, Cheers, Regan's speech in the USSR, Made for TV movies, Bridge Across time starring David Hasselhoff and Stepfanie Kramer, taking a writing class from Rod Serling, and the secrets of Supermarket Sweep.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 595: Taffeta Darling Aug 21, 2023

March 4-11, 1995

This week Ken welcomes Twitch Streamer, Auction curator, and one of the world's greatest cosplayers Taffeta Darling.

Ken and Taffeta discuss Texas, Dallas, the burbs, Austin, Robocop, I Like to Singa, TV Theme Songs, tattoos, video games that look like actual cartoons, Cuphead, Kids TV, violence on TV, how superheroes are good for kids, Gargoyles, Claire Danes turning down Schindler's List, My So-Called dialog, whatevers, X-Men the Animated Series, Batman, The Tick, Slim Goodbody, Body Worlds, being easily traumatized, obsession with the macabre, local kids shows, Wishbone, Cowboys of Moo Mesa, comics art, Heritage Auctions, getting used to Frazetta, The Wizard, Kurt Russell, Abe Lincoln's blood, the entire set of Cheers, The Last Starfighter, channel surfing, Beverly Hills 90210, reunion shows, SNL, The Critic and Simpsons crossover, groin hits, People's Choice Awards, country music, Garth Brooks, If Tomorrow Never Comes, Mummies, creepy doll collectibles, Franklin Mint garbage, Fresh Prince, Blossom, Monty Python, James Cameron, BMG Music, Weird Science TV vs Weird Science the movie, Made for TV movies, Deadly Invasion: The Killer Bee Nightmare, Boyz N the Hood edited for network TV, terrible Red Hot Chilli Peppers lyrics, seeing Joey Lawrence at a shopping Mall, Markey Mark, Living Single, Mad About You, Hope & Gloria, TGIF, Boy Meets World, Step by Step, Family Matters, good Tom Hanks movies, Lori Singer, the 5th level of virtual reality, VR.5, being scared of toilets and french kissing from Ghoulies, Marvel's Bronze Age Legion of Monsters, Ghost Rider, nudity on TV, profit from obits, wrestling, 900 numbers, Dan Rather's Comedy Club, and loving and recommending Clarence.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 594: Will McRobb Aug 14, 2023

This week Ken welcomes writer, director and co-creator of The Adventures of Pete & Pete, among other things, Will McRobb to the show.

Ken and Will discuss growing up in Ithaca NY, suburbia, Nickelodeon's "kids point of view" era, doing corporate videos for Goldman Sachs, working in the promo department at Nick at Nite, MTV Networks, Rin Tin Tin, Mr. Ed, Donna Reed, The magic four ingredients: Funny, Sad, Strange and Beautiful, Green Acres, Patty Duke's double, MTV's Remote Control, Lassie, My Three Sons, Bub vs. Uncle Charlie, The Monkees, live action cartoons, the reason you'd go live action instead of a cartoon, Snow Day, added farts, working for the man, the shift on TV Land and Nick at Nite to newer "quality" shows, punk rock, Savage Steve Holland, The War Next Door, Hal Hartley, Damian Young, Michael Stipe, Iggy Pop, The Police, Joe Jackson, the unlocking of coolness with Elvis Costello's This Year's Model, The Embarrassment, the origin of Wellsville, Season 3 of Pete and Pete, Saturday, the rush to be an adult, saying goodbye to Artie, Adam West, the original 60 second Pete and Pete promos, Katherine Dieckmann, wasted years of cute Little Pete, Inside Out Boy, voice over, why perspective matters, John Hughes, "when you grow old, your heart dies", Inspector 34, Johnny Earwax, getting away with stuff, the controversy of The Orange Lazarus, Endless Mike, Frank Gifford cameos, Arnold Palmer golf clubs, how nobody likes Chevy Chase, SNL, Weekend Update, NY theater actors, William Hickey, One Crazy Summer, J.K. Simmons, and how Batman will always need The Joker.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 593: Matt McCarthy Aug 07, 2023

MATT-A-THON CONCLUDES

May 9-15, 1992

This week Ken welcomes the host of the We Watch Wrestling Podcast, fellow New Englander, comedian Matt McCarthy to the show.

Ken and Matt discuss Matt's rabbit holes, GWF, Killer Kowalski, Freddie Prinz Jr, Cable Access, New England, Tony Rumble, Bob Mould, self abuse based public crimes, laserdiscs, classical music, yuppies, dead formats, VHS, Justin Case, VHS Cases, WSBK TV38, Marvin's collection, taped off TV with original commercials content, Monty Python, Dana Hersey, We Don't Knock, Silver Bullet, Dana Gould, Ask the Manager, Providence, Dialing for Dollars, Richard Simmons greatest photo ever, Meredith Viera, PM Magazine, Evening Magazine, The Golden Girls series finale, obsession with the Johnny Carson era of The Tonight Show, lost media, WCVB 5 not airing perfect strangers, taped with an antenna, SNL, Saturday Night's Main Event, The Bundys in London, The Goons, Evening at the Improv, rape revenge genres, The General's Daughter, exploitation, Ravishing Rick Rude, Brutus The Barber Beefcake's T station cocaine scare, One Crazy Summer, Savage Steve Holland, how Dads love Frank Burns week, Chuck Norris, the fuzz, static, I Come in Peace, Dolph Lundgren, competitive eating, movie tag lines, Dirty Harry movies, A Different World, when characters are too dumb, Family Matters, Rosie and Buddy, failed pilots, wearing a wire, Duckman, getting renewed for two seasons, sore losers, and taking digs at FOX.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 592: Matt Farley Jul 31, 2023

June 20-26, 1987

THE TV GUIDANCE COUNSELOR MATT-A-THON CONTINUES!

This week's Matt is fellow North Shore kid, the man behind over 25k songs, filmmaker, podcaster, it's Motern Media's Matt Farley.

Ken and Matt discuss New England eccentric driven artists, the motivational power of spite, the power of novelty, putting in the work, using non-actors, making money as an artist, being a consumer, Strawberries, regional Mass record stores, Coconuts, how Lechmere curated your musical tastes, The Liberty Tree Mall, meeting Scott Baio, the power of mico-niche, Markie Post, Sledgehammer, bad sports, The Red Sox, badnwagons, K-Mart Swimwear, Jello, cigarette ads, Dana Hersey's Movie Loft, Spenser for Hire, Karl's Sausage Kitchen, Golden Girls, celebrity kids, Scott Bakula as Batman, investments, renting movies, loving 80s horror flicks, Friday the 13th, Prom Night, horror comedy, Winterbeast, Neon Maniacs, athletes as actors, Brian Bosworth, Alf, rigging the Nielson Ratings, My Sister Sam, Newhart, Kate & Allie, the weird pseudo documentary format, multi cam sitcoms, roller skating, rug burn, Who's the Boss, Mannys, Sarah Douglas, having no shame, how TV Guide wrote show synopsis, movie reviews, Perfect Strangers, I Love Lucy, that frigging chocolate scenes, not finding the funniest TV moments of all time funny, Johnny Carson, Facts of Life, Stacey Q, shark jumping, hunting things down, testing board games, where the Maine Children are, Back to School, starting in the middle of a movie, The Hitcher, writing fan fiction about strangers in public, art reflecting the crimes, hindsight, The Cosby Show, Family Ties, Ellen, Billy Vera, Cheers, influence of Woody's The Kelly Song, Mr. Belvedere, laugh tracks, David Rasche, the faceless nature of the nameless '00s, Police Squad, Rambo, Beef Battles, and being proud of where you come from.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 591: Matt Jatkola and JP DiSciscio Jul 24, 2023

August 24-30, 1996

This week Ken welcomes singer/songwriter and frontman of his name sake band "Jatk", Matt Matkola, and the director of Jatk's "Don't Come Knocking", JP DiSciscio.

Ken, Matt and JP discuss central Mass, rural internet, body swapping movies, rediscovering (or discovering for the first time) the 60s and 70s talk show era, Ed Sullivan, vintage technology, video cameras, building things to last, cable access, local news stations, R&B, VHS, Arlington Mass, how sometimes you cannot recreate the magic of a piece of analog technology, ghosted images, being on mushrooms, why talk shows are irrelevant now, The Doors, middle school, Summer birthdays, the prime years of Summer TV watching, Star Trek, Tek Wars, 90s Comic collecting, uniformed professions on TV, MTV's Singled Out, Hallmark Christmas Ornaments, five easy payments of $39, adjusting for inflation, My So-Called Life, SNICK, growing up without cable, Showgirls, Rambo, Columbo, Shelly Duval's Tall Tales, Swayze Crazy, WWF vs WCW, George Hamilton, The Simpsons, Mind Ripper, Ghost Hunting, Sightings, Unsolved Mysteries, Alien Autopsy, Dropdead Fred, T2, casting days, Rescue 911, Home Improvement, Drew Carey Show, The Bob Barker Years of Price is Right, Supermarket Sweep, celebrating your Sweet 16 with Apocalypse Now, The Bradford Exchange, Elvis Beer Steins, Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy block, Carnosaur, Bringing Up Baby, horny Party of Five, watching Karate Kid over and over again, Italian American love of Goodfellas, Kobra Kai, WGN, Superstations, heist movies, Congo, Boy Meets World, Hangin' With Mr. Cooper, Disclosure, Summer School, Rob Morrow, the Bewitched that never was, Cheers within Cheers, and David Letterman's Olympic Level Disrespect.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 590: Hugh Howey Jul 17, 2023

This week Ken welcomes author (Wool), showrunner (Silo on Apple Plus) and all around interesting guy Hugh Howey to the show.

Ken and Hugh discuss post apocalyptic fiction, the oldest stories in the world, how America loves and Apocalypses, 70s dystopia, Ken's wish fulfillment theory, society's collapse, the evolution of the stories of the unknown, sailing, human stories, fear of God, authoritarianism, fascism, Russ vs Hobbs, rebirth is painful, Dawn of the Dead, blogs, digital journals, how people are the same, how politics actually isn't as violent as it has been in the past, the theory that sci-fi isn't a pure genre, the Alien movies, character vs plot, the 80s pre-pocalypse, Nuclear War, the Cold War, Lucifer's Hammer, Watchmen, how the HBO series adaptation of Watchmen is a better version of the story than the actual movie, Alan Moore, comic books, outliving your creators, McFarlane's Spider-Man, how Batman is DC's most Marvelish character, Daredevil, not being overpowered, gods, Hawkeye, allowing creators to be in charge, Suicide Squad, James Gunn, telling a complete story, planning the right story and right number of episodes, Chuck, Doctor Who, mourning TV shows, working with a writing partner, brainstorming, fan fiction, self publishing, Amazon, Drops of God, Evil, streaming vs networks, Cartoons and Kung Fu Theater, GI Joe, Adventure Time and how a good story is a good story.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 589: Jason Klamm Jul 10, 2023

May 14-20, 1994

This week Ken welcomes comedian, podcaster and author of the upcoming new book about 90s US Sketch Comedy (which you can and SHOULD purchase at sketchcomedybook.com), Jason Klamm.

Ken and Jason discuss podcasting, not making money with your art, The Vacant Lot, Exit 57, Amy Sedaris, getting turned down by a person's "people", Almost Live, The Bert Fershners, the nicest millionaire you know, Adam McKay, 9 Lives, UCB, Phil Hartman, Newsradio, history being written by the victors, sending flowers, FTD, Mrs. Doubtfire, weird places you got VHS tapes from, Star Trek The Next Generation, Laugh-In, Ruth Buzzi, Nixon, Nick at Nite, shows canceled after one episode, character vs plot, Ken's mean prank phone calls to Joe Piscapoe as a kid, MTV and Nickelodeon interstitials, Jimmy the Cab Driver, Toby Huss' Sinatra covers of 90s alt rock, Baby Jessica, Bob Hope, MacGuyver's Lost Treasure of Atlantis, COPS and the LA riots, terrible people on good shows, SNL, Heather Locklear and Janet Jackson, musical guests, Hee Haw, realizing T2 is the greatest movie ever way too late in life, not being allowed to watch violence as a kid, My Breast, Made for TV Movies, Lexi Alexander, growing up in Germany as a military kid, German kids toys, the final episode ever of In Living Color, Evening Shade, Burt Reynolds, hypernesia, Marylou Henner, Lori Laughlin in a brutal made for TV movie "One of Her Own", Reginald Veljohnson, Bob Newhart, loving Phil Silvers, being a young old man, Rescue 9-11, Clinton's favorite SNL sketches, Billy West, Searching for Grace, Sesame St's 25th Anniversary, Dr. Seus and Jim Henson, thinking you'd be an animator and a puppeteer, Don Blueth, Robert Townsend, Ann-Marie Johnson, Hollywood Shuffle, Rod Serling, the carousel in Bimington NY, TGIF, Sasha Mitchell, Hangin with Mr. Cooper, Todd Oldham, Ken's love of TV pagent shows growing up, the Adventures of Briscoe Country Jr., USA World Premier movies, Ken insulting Judd Nelson, Where on Earth is Carmen San Diego?, complaining about Charles Barkley and Nixon's death.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 588: Sam Delaney Jul 03, 2023

February 23 - March 1, 1985

This week Ken welcomes UK writer (‘Sort Your Head Out - Mental Health Without All The Bollocks'), podcaster (Top Flight Time Machine, The Reset), broadcaster and all around fascinating guy Sam Delaney to the show.

Ken and Sam discuss living in London, the suburbs, New Cross, violent cities, how 1985 is EVERYTHING, being the editor of Heat Magazine, the editorial decisions behind what goes on the cover, watercolors, Live Aid, pop music, toys, Glen A. Larson, the history of TV Guide, TV/Radio Times, smoking, Christmas Cigarettes for children, the golden age of "Kids Gone Wild" media, Terrorism on TV, Posh Families, the TV Guide Empire, Kirstie Allie as Gloria Steinem as a Playboy Bunny, being completely confused and perplexed by the TV Guide listings, The Young Ones, US vs UK news, visiting NYC with your Dad, how low it took for the UK to get movies from the US, Christmas movie premiers, James Bond, teenage mini bar raids of beer, how everyone in America seemed rich, ET, the mind blowing concept of pizza delivery, The Damned, boredom, recovering from addiction, The A-Team, how prime time action shows in the US were for children in the UK. 70s UK sci-fi shows, Day of the Triffids, Tripods, The Day After vs. Threads, reassessing Reagan, the horrors of Thatcher, TJ Hooker, Starsky and Hutch, Kojak, sleazy cops, grim 70s cinema, the delusional positivity of 1980s pop culture, time investment, how amazing Sesame St is and was, how TV can help kids, Jim Henson, The Atomic Testing Museum, having a near death experience, Rockford Files, Dukes of Hazard, war games, being judged by your parents, low culture vs high culture, 60s movies in the 80s, how class effects how you view commercials, loving Harold Lloyd, and how TV was the center of the family.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 587: Mitchell Hadley Jun 26, 2023

This week Ken welcomes fellow TV obsessive and the man behind the It's About TV site Mitchell Hadley to the show.

Ken and Mitchell discuss Indiana, Ken's awful short term memory, growing up in Minnesota, Canadian TV, the Twin Cities, TV Guide's amazing writing, time capsules, futurism, the original source documents, why a period piece will never get it quite right, the golden age of television, sci fi, the benefits of television, how sugar is bad, making us further apart as a society, Howdy Doody, rethinking TV for kids, how crime shows can be instructional, politics on television, doom saying, Nixon getting TV right before he got it wrong, JFK, the 1968 Democratic Convention, Ronald Regan's origin story, the night James Brown saved Boston, The Year of the Sex Olympics, Bread and Circuses, the power of the Beverly Hillbillies, TV moving west from NY to LA, Edith Efron, the fake version of LA, essays, Gomer Pyle, a war show that never discusses a war, dragging TV into a more socially conscious world, allegory, Twilight Zone, how rules can be good sometimes, cringe, shades of grey, Barney Miller, true Broadcasting, Ed Sullivan, Stiller and Mira, Lawrence Welk, Vanilla Fudge, letting your guard down, Dick Cavet, reaction, the best way to interview people , worshiping the creed while forgetting the message, being superficial, things that are important to you, people who grew up watching TV making TV, MST3k, deconstruction, watching sports, '77 Sunset Strip, cookie cutter shows, commercials, TV regulating itself, The Family Hour, Donna Reed, legal dramas, spy shows, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., exposing new generations to shows, It's About TV, TV Guide as a serious historical document, revisiting shows from your youth that end up even BETTER, The Rifleman vs Branded, Rockford Files, Chuck Connors, The Prisoner, Patrick McGoohan, actors with drinking problems, Mitchell's book The Electronic Mirror and Atomic Bombs.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 586: John Safran Jun 19, 2023

August 9-15, 1980

This week Ken welcomes Australian writer, TV personality, journalist and author John Safran to the show.

Ken and John discuss John Safran vs God, John's range of work, talking listeners out of liking John, documentaries, Gonzo journalism, Always Wear Sunscreen, Not the Sunscreen Song, having a hit single, novelty songs, Raspberry Cordial, High School accomplishments, Music Jamboree, backmaked Ozzy Osbourne, how helpful dressing up is, Yeshiva College, Brooklyn, loving hip hop, Public Enemy, Professor Griff, Judaism, antisemitism, youthful confusion, Vanilla Ice, the pre-internet days, compartmentalization, Steve Vizard, stealing from Letterman, ABC, multi-cultural programming, offensive stuff, Jocko, Eric Bana, VFL/AFL, I'm An Individual, the mystery of the Croc Hunter, Steve Irwan's relationship with Australia, Round the Twist, Ross Noble, Home and Away, New South Wales, Queensland, finding pornography in the wild, Number 96, Ken's mysterious age, Prisoner in Cell Block H, The Castle, David vs Goliath stories, Mad Max, stunts, CGI, the Australian 70s remake of The Wizard of Oz simply called Oz, The Blizzard of '78, Looney Toons, loving Warner Bros, Fat Albert, racial identity, very special episodes, perverts, American Culture, hyphenated Americans, missing subtext, the post Civil Rights 1960s progress that dissolved in the 1980s, Reagan, American Identity, Pakistani American heavy metal bands, Mulan, cigarettes, Israel and it's place in American apocalyptical evangelical Christianity, menthol cigarettes, true crime, and the strangeness of prescription drugs in the US.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 585: Heather Thomas Jun 14, 2023

This week Ken welcomes actor, writer, producer, Battle of the Network Stars Champion, Chicken Mom and all around good human being Heather Thomas to the show.

Ken and Heather discuss social media, the difference in celebrity between now and the 1980s, Mercury in Retrograde, being outraged, fat penguins, always learning, not engaging, not getting purged (go to https://dontgetpurged.org/), voting, growing up in Santa Monica, Gidget, Malibu, getting yelled at by Leonard Nimoy, James Coburn, Ford, shooting in Canada, Three Men and a Baby parties, interviewing celebrities as a teenager on the NBC show Talking with a Giant, censorship, Patty Duke, almost drowning at the beach because your mom is talking to Tab Hunter, Rock Hudson, going to film school, wanting to be a director, acting in commercials to buy film stock, Co-Ed Fever, Francis Ford Copolla, Peckenpah, how strange things happen when you are young and cute, doing your own stunts, Roy Rogers, The Fall Guy, the rough and tumble world of yodeling competitions, going to dinner with Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, the poor treatment of women directors, Chicken Tik Tok, inspiration, having more eyes, shared experience, conservative television, pure Fascism, Sesame Street, people being conned, a need for Love Boat, free trips to Japan, Tony Danza, Ford: The Man and the Machine, being goofy, loving action movies, the work that goes into directing action, minor action films, Peeky Blinders, Taika Watiti, What We Do In the Shadows, not revisiting comfort shows, and Green Acres.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 584: Chris Arneson Jun 12, 2023

April 20-26, 1985

This week Ken welcomes host of Arne Pod (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/arne-pod/id1454163890) and purveyor of the fun TikTok account @arnepod, Chris Arneson.

Ken and Chris discuss what we did at the start of the pandemic, Chris' birthday, being born in 1993, why 1985 is one of Ken and Chris' favorite years, Back to the Future, podcasting, Manhunter, Evil Dead, horror flicks, horror comedy, John Hughes, celebrity vibes, Rob Lowe, background acting, John Candy's death, The Great Outdoors, Uncle Buck, Deborah Shelton, tobacco pouches, "dippin", cigarettes, mouth cancer, mixing facts with fiction, docudrama, the truth vs the legend, baseball, why Stone Cold may be the greatest action movie of all time, The Seattle Seahawks, Charles in Charge, Mr. Mom, E/R vs ER, on set deaths, Cover Up, Faces of Death, monkey brains, Cheap Seats, baseball mustaches, BASEKetball, ESPN2, TVs Bloopers and Practical Jokes, Skabba the Hut, After School Specials, Whale Watches, Mid-Season Replacements, Hail to the Chief, a woman president!?, Double Dare with Billy Dee Williams, when Dennis Eckersley called Ken a "little dick", Product Unbecoming, Sunset Limousine, John Ritter, the lotto, Roller Derby, Rollerball, Rock n Roller Games, seeing a bear in your back yard, NH Pet stores, selling gators, parrots, the time Ken got slapped because he was blamed for a parrot's wolf whistle, Strawberry Shortcake ripoff Rose Petal Place, world's best coaches, Pat Riley, Tommy Lasorta, ice bucket motivation, Lifetime's Hot Properties, Merv, NBA Playoffs, warnings of right wing media takeovers, Stinky Pete and nicknames.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 583: Natalie Gold Jun 05, 2023

July 30 - August 5, 1994

This week Ken welcomes actor (Succession, The Walking Dead: World Beyond, Rubicon) and all around fascinating human Natalie Gold to the show for her first ever podcast.

Ken and Natalie discuss YouTuber Natalie Gold, having the same name as somebody else, social media, how Miami isn't Florida, growing up in Florida, Emerson College, Burn Notice, being a local child actor, Sheena Easton, rave theater, running lines with Jeff Goldblum, Ernest Saves Christmas, showing your children media, Christmas Vacation, shared interest friends, getting obsessed with Soaps, how OJ Simpson ruined so many things, Days of our Lives, turning into a panther, demonic possession, manning the complaint line, moving to NYC, sharing an apartment with more than five boys, getting mail, Short Circuit II, The Fame Movie, scary NYC, smoking, tobacco cigarettes, pregnancy cravings, Tom and Roseanne, the greatness of Denny Dillon, Friends, being so wealthy you can get a University to open a west coast location JUST for you, Kevin Bright, Kristen Linklater, voice teachers, oversharing in acting classes, Shakespeare in the Park, covering your face, the magic of Dennis Farina, Rubicon, watching things you're in, Law & Order, buying anti-reels, Tommy Lee Jones comedy, The Fugitive, Chicago, apocalypses movies, avoiding The Road, making a book's ending darker, Mad Max, The Walking Dead, Love Boat, Hotel Malibu, J-Lo's TV career, Teen Witch, Branson, your kid having zero interest in your job, avoiding quality TV, Mad Men, Ken's contrarian nature, binging, having no patience, watching Eraserhead in Physics class, Ken getting good grades despite failing, Cookie Puss and topping that.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 582: Ian Brownell May 29, 2023

March 25-31, 1989

This week Ken welcomes old friend, new fan, writer (film blog www.film5000.com) and host/producer of The Brattle Film Podcast Ian Brownell.

Ken and Ian discuss Siskel and Ebert, podcast heroes, movie freaks, the religion of cinema, growing up outside of New Bedford, Providence RI stations, growing up on a farm, not having cable, Evening Magazine, The Big Dan's Rape Trial, Big Pinball, The Accused, going to boarding school, Jim Henson, The Storyteller, The Jim Henson Hour, being obsessive, not being able to watch things out of order, how the magic is gone after the creator leaves, voice actors aging, A Muppet Family Christmas, only being moved to tears by television, having two VCRs, anthology shows, film directors moving to television, The Oscars, the first gay Oscars, the infamous Snow White opening, a hatred of LA, Drew Barrymore's substance abuse struggles, After School Specials, CBS Playhouse, 15 and Getting Straight, campaigning for yourself, Bob Hope's Easter Vacation in the Bahamas, Red Skies, Satan's Children, Easter, Star Trek Original Series, Ken Burns, The Golden Girls, Beyond Tomorrow, being a life long Saturday Night Life nerd, The Smithereens, Quantum Leap, It's Gary Shandling's Show, The Tracy Ulman Show, LGBQT representations on television, The Wire, Fringe, Rex Reed, Barbara Eden in Your Mother Wears Army Boots, Private Benjamin, Bonnie Hunt, how crazy it is that Ken gets to talk to and befriend his heroes, Barney Miller, Kate & Allie, Larraine Newman, Who's the Boss, Soap, Matlock, Roseanne, taping comedy specials off HBO, tornados, Anything But Love, Ann Magunson, My So-Called Life, Bess Armstrong, Barbara Walters, bad drawings of Nick Nolte, Cheers, Taxi, Friends, bad comedy, Family Ties, dumb characters, Scott Valentine, Unsolved Mysteries, how good spirited pranks make bad TV, and the legend of Dana Hersey's TV38 Movie Loft.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 581: Connor McGrath May 22, 2023

January 29 - February 4, 2000

This week Ken welcomes fantastic fellow New England Comedian Connor McGrath (GET HIS NEW ALBUM! "KIND, BEARDED, WEIRD" OUT NOW!) to the show.

Ken and Connor discuss Vacationland, Maine, growing up in Portland, The Fine Arts "Adult Theater"/Rock Club, Chyna, Pro Wrestling, human garbage Triple H, the awful sack of pus that is Vince McMahon, Wrestlemania, The Dark Ages of American Culture (Nu Metal, Monster Energy Drinks, etc), Mankind, Mick Foley, The Rock, The Decade of Jeers, why Lemmy from Motorhead was a bad guy, celebrities being injured on film, the age of Divorce, Jerry Seinfeld creepily dating a high schooler, Pat Buchanan, Pets dot com, the dot com boom, Super Bowl Ads, Blast from the Past, Marshall Law, Arsenio Hall, Sammo Hung, pandemics, racism, ABC's TV Movie Runaway Virus, cursed objects, Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake, Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake's cocaine, "Hurricane" Peter McNeeley", sports taunts, Jerry Springer, Baywatch Hawaii, Dave Holmes, Say What! Karaoke, Freaks & Geeks, James Fraco a creep, WCV vs WWF, Highlander: The Series, Homicide Life on the Street, Queen soundtracks, Tom Green Show, feeling sad for Jennifer Love Hewitt, hating Jamie Kennedy, Backbeat, Hey Arnold!, Catdog, pre-Spongebob, Talk Soup, Norm McDonald being fired from SNL, The Odd Couple starring Sherman Helmsley and Pat Morita, Billy Joel's fired band, Who's Line is it Anyway?, short form wrestling improv, Chicago Hope vs ER, AAA Luchadore Marvel tie-in wrestlers, ECW, the strange evolution of The Nashville Network, Behind the Music, E! True Hollywood Story, hanging out in Belfast Maine on PBS for an entire night and DownEast Dickering.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 580: Gabe Mollica May 15, 2023

February 15-21, 2003

This week Ken welcomes comedian and man behind the solo show "Solo: A Show about Friendship", Gabe Mollica.

Ken and Gabe discuss what they would be talking about anyway, not being comedians talking about comedy, how Edinburgh ruined Gabe's life but he has to go back, long form stand up, growing up on Long Island, ridding yourself of your regional accent, Ken's all time favorite stand up special Johnny Vegas; Who's Ready for Ice Cream, John Cleese, performing for nobody, celebrating a 100th/200th/300th episode, The Simpsons, syndication, home town people never leaving, Long Beach NY, bad UK pizza, missing cannolis, corner Sicilians, what you'd watch as a kid vs what you'd watch now, Nickelodeon All That, The World's Strongest Man, Baseketball, Touched by an Angel, Seinfeld, The Music Man, when everyone is in Bye Bye Birdie, The Sopranos, reality TV marriages, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Ken starting working at the Cartoon Network UK, Johnny Bravo, Italian dubbing, fascist horror, no longer going to movies when they premier on Thursday night at midnight, seeing shows before bed, when MAD TV replaced SNL, Tough Crowd, the craze of panel shows on TV, The Best Damn Sports Show Ever, Off Broadway show, The West Wing, Birds of Pray TV series, the Ben Affleck Daredevil movie, Friends, Scrubs, South Park, how comedians need to pivot to movies and some drama, The Surreal Life, I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, the Box office game, The Klumps, and the insanity of all things Superbowl.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 579: Anna Rubanova and Adam Bozarth Part II May 08, 2023

November 14-20, 1992

This week Ken welcomes Left Handed Radio's Adam Bozarth and Anna Rubanova BACK to the show to finally (a year and a half later) do Part II of what they started.

Ken, Anna and Adam discuss how tired Adam and Anna are, mosquitos, tubes in ears, having your tonsils removed, having bad gas send you to the hospital, Ken's kidney stone, Kid Creole and the Coconuts, placentas as extra credit, The Phillip LeBlanc Show, early morning WNYC, Marketplace, Halloween III, moving from Hard News, Fresh Scare, UPDATES on things Ken said to watch last time, including The Monster Club, That Guy Dick Miller, Charles Bronson, going on a Vincent Price kick, the modern Vincent Price, art collections, Voyager, playing poker, Steve Albini, carnival games, natural gas explosions, green room, Columbo, murder, Blade Runner, Hollywood not absolving real life people of crimes so they can exploit serial killers, Jean Smart, Aileen Wuornos, how lack of eyebrows makes you evil, Richard Bey, cleaning school buses, finding sunflower seed shells with a long stick, how gross the UCB Theater was, wearing gloves, Chuck Norris, Forced Vengeance, Titanic, George Washington, hating Tartikoff, TV Guide Letters to the Editor, The Jacksons, how a divorce lead to President Obama, Warp Drive, Seinfeld's The Contest, Night Court, reboots, Flowers for Algernon, Mr. Plow, The Simpsons, Homer's brain damage, Hard Times, Matilda the kangaroo movie, sexy kangaroos, jacked animals, Speed Weed, Jason Robards, 2001, Dr. Strangelove, Tuvok plus Nelix, copywriting characters, the twin loophole, Janeway's hatred, transporter accidents, Sightings, dead stunt people, Drag Queen Drag Races, barns, Belzer on Broadway, James Bond Jr, Fantastic Max, Darkwing Duck, Hollywood Squares, Fraggle Rock, Living in Iowa, adding muscles to things, how the 90s didn't allow open horniness, having a boner for abuse, why it is ok to kink shame, airport furries, Kennedy flipping out, sexy Superman and his marriage of convenience, Net Guide, and cocks with fat asses.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 578: Holly Knight May 01, 2023

March 22-28, 1986

This week Ken welcomes legendary songwriter (she's in the Songwriter's Hall of Fame), author (her memoir I Am the Warrior: My Crazy Life Writing the Hits and Rocking the MTV Eighties, is a MUST read/listen), and all around incredibly cool human being Holly Knight to the show.

Ken and Holly discuss her book, growing up a big TV watcher, streaming services, the reliability of TV, having things to look forward to, Dark Shadows, The Adams Family, a love of horror, Chiller Theater, Elvira, how great Cassandra Peterson is, The Munsters, Vic Mizzy, weird instruments, Green Acres, Tina Turner, Heart, Pat Benetar, Patty Smythe the Warrior, moving to LA in the early 80s from New York, forever being a New Yorker, running away to Boston, squatting, working at the Boston Phoenix taking personal ads, The Ritz, The Filmore East, Bowie, being at the tail end of punk, the origins of Pop music, Billy Idol, music producers, Love Boat, KISS, Eva Gabor, the sexless days of television, Lucy, how your children rebel, Family Ties, The Outer Limits, Ennio Morricone, Peter Gun, James Bond, Have Gun will Travel, The Twilight Zone, trading cards, Bonanza, The Monkees, Vincent Price, Elvis, Jackie Gleason, belief in Aliens, working for an awful boss, walking on eggshells, teenagers, Miami Vice, Suspiria, Ultra HD, MTV, "MTV Cops", the style of the 1980s, pastels, Rob Zombie's Munsters, licensing music, cover songs, Cocaine Bear, using songs in Commercials, WWF Saturday Night's Main Event, using The Best in the Biden Campaign, Schitt's Creek, the influence on art on life and life on art, Obession, Nip/Tuck, Superbowl ads, Burt Bacharach, Hal David, wanting to work with Trent Reznor, and how a great song is a great song.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 577: Laura Wimbels Apr 24, 2023

December 26 1992 - January 1, 1993

This week Ken welcomes creator of Lenora's Midnight Rental and his new best friend forever Laura Wimbels to the show.

Ken and Laura discuss how Laura is a Ken Reid fan, Ken's story on the podcast Risk!, Fred Willard Super Dad, loving horror, the wonderful terrible movie Rollerblade, opening sealed VHS tapes, Splatter The Architects of Fear, The Exchange, how contrary to his Mother's insistence Ken's favorite movie as a kid was NOT Mother's Day, Revenge of the Nerds, telling on yourself for seeing an R Rated movie, divorces, what the fuck a frush is, Cleveland and douche bags, 1992-1993, the formative time of being 10, growing up without cable, organized hoarders exposing you to TV Guides, Murder She Wrote, Angela Lansbury, being trapped despite being at the height of your power, just admitting you haven't seen something, Troll/Scholastic Book Clubs, The Good Son, reading the novelization of R Rated movies, Dick Clark watching TV in the bathroom, iPads as TVs, watching TV at work, being too old for Barney, USA Up! All Night, Silk Stalkings, sexy slow-mo, USA Made for TV Movies, John Ritter, The Colony, surrogate TV Dads, Michael Gross, Cheers, Dan Conner, Ken's emotional breakdown with Valerie Harper, Hearts Afire, Ghostwriter, wearing a pen around your neck, Suncoast Video, not being able to speak Spanish despite being Puerto Rican, not being French, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Royal Discount Books, The Stephen King Encyclopedia, The Plant, printing out web sites, TV Land, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Wonder Years, Ken getting Garden State emo, My So-Called Life, marriage as the opposite of Titanic, boats leading to break ups, The Simpons arguments, The Twilight Zone, the poor man's TV Guide, commissioned artwork of shirtless Dana Carvey, realizing you love two star movies, curation, the future of streaming, Tubi, Roku, the insanity of all the rival Amy Fischer movies, Tales from the Crypt, In The Heat of the Night, Urban Pain, Baby Snatchers, Nancy McKeon, in the wake of Hand that Rocks the Cradle, the insanity of Mikey, how sad it is that Warlock has been glossed over, when CBS gets all PBS, New Years Eve viewing, Three Stooges Marathons, Slaughter, Bick Dick Toilet Fraud, crybaby Matt Whittaker, why you should never default to Google Image Search searches, kid friendly, the Drew Carey Show, Price is Right, Scooperbowl, hating football, animated opening titles, Columbia House, VHS tapes, Laserdiscs, and the glory of Shopping Malls in Pittsburgh PA.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 576: Xanthe Pajarillo Apr 17, 2023

April 12-18, 2003

This week Ken welcomes director-writer, podcaster and Air Force veteran Xanthe Pajarillo.

Ken and Xanthe discuss Ken's TV Guide collection, living in Germany on a military base, AFN (Armed Forces Network), catching US shows on German channels, TV via word of mouth in school, Comedy Central, being obsessed with SNL, getting shows a week late, Blade, Scooby Doo, being an only child, watching horror movies with your parents, Xanthe's podcast Kindergeist, It!, how strange brains are, the nonstop 9/11 support the troops barrage of 2001, being obsessed with the micro, hoping SNL doesn't get preempted, how Millennials really like rules, Reality TV, the terror of chaos, pranks, Xanthe's Scream influenced prank phone calls, the wisdom of Mr. Rogers, the great anti-war horror stories, Deathdream, PTSD, Dog Soldiers, Ken living in London in 2003, the Iraq War, Zoolander, cult films, Billy Madison, Adam Sandler movies, not seeing Dirty Work on a date, Virginia, taking Stephen King for granted in New England, Filipino horror, Legally Blond, Hopping Vampires, Manananggal, twist endings, movies on TV, being obsessed with South Park, Ken's inability to remember the name of the 2001 movie The Forsaken, early 2000s horror and CGI, Making the Video, pop punk, Green Day, being in punk rock bands, playing guitar, the post slasher pre-Scream era of horror, Bruce Campbell, Evil Dead screenings, naps, American Idol, William Hung, The US vs. UK, Doctor Who, College Radio Industrial music shows, Great Women on Comedy, I Love the 80s, Julia Louie Dreyfuss' shows between Seindfeld and Veep, "women aren't funny", Jamie Kennedy, Ken's love of Jennifer Love Hewitt, how Cadet Kelly isn't what basic training was really like, basing your life choices on Hilary Duff movies, Jeering war, hating Matt Lauer, March Madness, human selfishness, not lionizing serial killers, poor Jeff Fahey's Body Parts, the best worst video game movies, Double Dragon, House of the Dead, Splatter Royale mode in Evil Dead the game, being insulted by tweens when playing video games, Interview with the Vampire, Tagalog, The Fangoria Chainsaw Awards, directing the awards show remotely, and making long lists of horror movies we need to see.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 575: Emma Fraser Apr 10, 2023

October 22-28, 1994

This week Ken welcomes esteemed writer on all things TV, Emma Fraser to the show.

Ken and Emma discuss Fraser vs. "Fraiser", the glory of UK insults, being English, people not believing where you are from, how London is now the UK, Norwich being Alan Partridge central, 1994 being the youth sweet spot, ER, The X-Files, My So-Called Life, ghosts at Christmas time, Supernatural episodes of otherwise non-supernatural TV series, how Ken often accidentally dresses like Nicky Driscoll, the filthy cover of this issue, the UK having more magazines for fewer channels, The Christmas Radio Times, Ken's love of Time Out London, loving Halloween, The Far Side animated series, Ken's dislike of Friends, TV Guide's bad review of Friends, Ant & Dec, Noah Wiley, Ghostwatch, Sightings, how quickly trends blew up in the 90s, Fox Encounters The Hidden Truth, Without Warning, The Americans, Ken's 90s substitute Teacher becoming an actor and being murdered on The Americans, middle of the road talk shows, Dick Cavett, Mark Lamarr, The Word, drunken people on TV, Ken's love of Shooting Stars, Ken being constantly called Mark Lamarr when he lived in the UK, Oliver Reed, the UK's strange subversive children's style shows that weren't for children, Car 54, Where Are You?, MTV's Rock n Jock, Red Shoe Diaries, things not being even good bad, SNL, how Witches werewolves and vampires being real, how Marilyn Monroe was killed due to her knowledge of UFOs, when Jackie Gleason saw dead aliens for real, gentle murder, Murder She Wrote, animal shelters Halloween Specials, The Hidden, The George Carlin Show, Fresh Prince, Murphy Brown, Evening Shade, Carol Burnett, Cynthia Gibb, Fact based TV movies, how marrying somebody is the worst thing you can do to them, John Stamos, the business genius of Jason Priestly, The Sandwich Police, visiting the My So-Called Life shooting locations, Ken not thinking Seinfeld holds up, crying and being shocked over and over again due to watching ER, a spoilers free world, Family Matters, the repetition of Dwayne Barry, Step by Step, women at war, Saturday Night Dead, and extending M.A.N.T.I.S noted drama.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 574: Lisa Curry Apr 03, 2023

June 26 - July 2, 1993

This week Ken welcomes writer/comedian Lisa Curry.

Ken and Lisa discuss canceling in person plans, afternoon gigs, being heckled by 6 year olds, Supermodels, loving Cindy Crawford, Malibu, Amy Klobechar's comb utensil, working in DC, Veep, growing up in central time, not watching TV in the Summer being and outdoor kid, Carol Burnett's love of soaps, never saying "funny lady" or "skit", loving fashion photography, MTV's House of Style, Anna Nicole Smith's film career, a very depressing Bill Bixby story, National Enquirer, "anti-coughing machines", stupid conspiracy theorists, thinking people with actual brain damage know what's "really going on", leaps in logic, Ren & Stimpy, rubber nipples, watching TV that feels like you are getting away with something, being suspicious of people who have no problem performing, loving the 90s, creepy dolls, haunted dolls, "Mommy I'm Sorry", having no toys, working in a factory at 17, making fun of family sitcoms, Married...with Children, bothering Bud Bundy, pissing off Judd Nelson, MTV Unplugged, LL Cool J's deodorant cakes, hating football, father's making viewing choices for you, Zorro, hating Westerns, shows built around women not just trying to catch a man, Mary Tyler Moore, loving basketball, Ken's clearance bin Michael Jordan sleeping bag, gifting that sleeping bag to Lisa, Tales from the Crypt, Don Rickles, Ken being a total jerk as a teen, Wonder Years, music replacements, weight loss ads, Ace Ventura, Once Bitten, In Living Color, the glory of Cheers, Ted Danson playing Sam Malone as Sam Alone, prank calling adults to tell them their baseball team sucks, Dennis Eckersley telling Ken he was a "little dick", Tonys, the saturation of ads, news crawls, breaking news, TV Bugs, Jay Leno's stand up early days, loving Reading Rainbow, loving Axl Rose, crushes on naked Eric Andre and Righteous Gemstones.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 573: Judd Winick Mar 27, 2023

June 19-25, 1982

This week Ken welcomes author (buy his new Hilo book!), Real Worlder, and kindred spirit Judd Winick to the show.

Ken and Judd discuss Judd's fantastically cluttered office, their children's world, St. Elsewhere, death on TV, Brendon Tartikoff, how the A-Team could spin off from Hill Street Blues, Misfits of Science, comic books, the dessert of comic book properties in TV and movies when we were growing up, growing up as a New Yorker, Long Island, getting mugged, weird red eyes, shirtless TV, kids who smoke, big Tabacco, Judd's wife Pam, mobsters, The Mile High collection, Filmmation, Isis, Space Academy, Kids Super Power Hour, Mission Magic, One of the Boys, Mickey Rooney, Bill, Fantasy Island, Red Buttons: Super Hero, living in Boston, Robert Urich, Archie Bunker's Place, Stacey Keach in Wait Until Dark, odd Cruisin' inspired acting choices, Long Dry Season, George Peppard's directing career, Trapper John MD, Hilo, Encyclopedia sets, Continental Divide, Blair Brown, Altered States, Bob Balaban, WKRP, forgetting Gordon Jump's character's name, M*A*S*H, being team BJ, loving Alan Alda, anti-war media, Twin Peaks, Quincy ME, the magic of visiting Henson Productions, Bad Robot's Typewriter store, Happy Days, Three's Company, Welcome Back Kotter, Andy Griffith, John Ritter's Balls, Real People, That's Incredible!, haunted Toys R Us, asian characters on TV, how modern procedurals are sci-fi, how MASSIVE Fame was in Israel, Gimme a Break, how amazing Lara Jill Miller is, the incredible talent of voice over actors, the failure of Giant Salmon pictures, Beverly Hills Buntz, screwing on TV, Sweeney Todd's coffee shop, haunted security systems, rock star architects, Blade Runner, Benson, Pokerface, Saturday the 14th, performing Blow Out as a one man show, old ice, Phil Lamar's Mr. T stories and Pinky in Body Double.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 572: Ashley Ray Mar 20, 2023

November 24-30, 1990

This week Ken welcomes the hilarious, smart and fantastic writer, comedian and host of "TV, I Say with Ashley Ray", Ashley Ray.

Ken and Ashley discuss being in Columbia, lack of Spanish language skills, watching foreign TV vs keeping up with American shows, Good Day LA, CTV, Canadians getting shows before the US, Ashley's birthday, growing up in Central Time, being born in Dallas, Rockford IL, revisiting stuff from the 1990s, TVLand, Nick at Nite, Designing Women, Golden Girls, Network family sitcoms, The Goldbergs, Abbot Elementary, single cam vs multi cam sitcoms, Wonder Years, Growing Pains, non-people who have had TV credits before Ken, Malibu cigarettes, Linda Evans, Dynasty, made for TV movies, Tricks of the Trade, Your Mother Wears Army Boots, the legacy of The Cosby Show, The Jeffersons, Good Times, Lisa Bonet's eternal ultra fame, A Different World, Kindergarten Cop, Chic Jeans, K-Mart ads, back to school shopping, the debut of Law and Order, Carol and Company, comedy anthologies, Kroll Show, The Wonder Years neighborhood in Burbank, In Living Color, seeing only the highs and now the lows of a sketch comedy show, the greatness of Nora Dunn, The Motown 30 What's Going On special, when Damon Wayans got himself fired from SNL, Ken's excited tangents, Ashley's favorite sketch show of all time, The Tracy Ullman Show, Rags to Riches, Big Brother Jake, Descending Angel, Jean Smart, George Carlin, The Ben Stiller Show, Charles and Diana, 52 Pick-Up, the teen suicide episode of Growing Pains, A My Name is Alex, the sad evolution of Ricky Schroeder, stand up specials, Def Comedy Jam, Pulp Comics, Shop Til You Drop, Premium Blend, Six Ladies Laughing, Andrea Martin, Lifetime Television for Women, TV trivia hosted by Alan Thicke, Arsenio Hall replacing Mud Wrestling, The Simpsons, Bob's Burgers, watching TV shows with your friends in them, Babes, making fun of your stars in the title of your show, thirtysomething, not revisiting shows you hated, Quantum Leap, Jack Kerouac, historical figures from your own lifetime being depicted by actors on fictional TV shows, "Obama" on Legends of Tomorrow, how beatniks are just hippies, Family Matters, watching all of Sex in the City for the first time during the pandemic, making sure you do the reading so you know all the cultural references and having heavy reality TV as your comfort shows.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 571: Rob Hill Mar 13, 2023

February 15-21, 1986

This week Ken travels across the Atlantic as he welcomes author and YouTube ninja, the man behind The Bad Movie Bible, Rob Hill.

Ken and Rob discuss Ken's fandom, Rob's YouTube channel, lockdown driven creativity, Murder She Wrote, Rob's thinking around his issue, embracing nostalgia, context and intent, South Park, Michael McIntyre, loving American Culture, traveling to America once as a kid, Punky Brewster, how adult US action shows were children's show in the UK, The TV Times, BBC, M*A*S*H, Dallas, UK soaps vs US Nighttime soaps, how the TV Times had no cigarette ads, TV News revealing too many government secrets, taking digs at your star, Cheers, shows about alcoholics, Mr. T vs George Peppard, 2 Live Crew's Me So Horny, being the king of the UK, Ken always looking on the bright side, Benson, Soap's popularity in the UK, David Rappaport's week, Dave DeCoteau's filmography, TV guest stars, sexing up Buck Rogers, Battlestar Gallactica, US TV movies being theatrical movies in the UK and Europe, really trying to mine the concept of a dead porn star ghost despite it failing again and again, Amazing Stories, Joe Dante, The Last Days of Frank and Jesse James, Robert Guillaume in Phantom of the Opera, Johnny Cash, Charlie Daniels, your wife playing your mother, Operation Kid Brother, Robin Hood, George C. Scott talking about abortion on ABC, Kirk Cameron, Listen to Me, Knight Rider, shows where people are reincarnated as machines or animals, Metal Micky, Airwolf, M.A.N.T.I.S., satellite TV, watching six hours of Dallas a day, After the Fall of New York, Italian B movies, Ceefax, Highway to Heaven, Benny Hill, Blacke's Magic, The Captain American musical, Danger Mouse, All Creatures Great and Small, Chuck Norris, Matt Helm, Way of the Dragon, The Misfits of Science, Baywatch and the incredible, unbelievable nature of David Hassellhoff's autobiography.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 570: Samantha Ferris Mar 06, 2023

TV Guide CANADA June 3-9, 1978 Edmonton-N.Alberta Edition

This week Ken welcomes actor and proud Canadian Samantha Ferris (Supernatural, The 4400).

Ken and Samantha discuss who Ken has never been Canada, Vancouver's production community, Hollywood North, CBC, The Beachcombers, 21 Jump St., Wiseguy, X-Files, why Sci-Fi films in Canada, starting as a weather girl, Rainy Janey, being a talk radio host, rock jocks, Danny Bonaduce, how everyone thinks Sam is a guy, becoming an actor later in life, getting "tits in a suit" jobs, reporter roles, Along Came a Spider, Monica Potter, not getting the mom roles, embracing getting the strong women roles, laugh track sitcoms, loving Happy Days, Fish, Barney Miller, Three's Company, Good Times, The Jeffersons, The Partridge Family, M*A*S*H being your comfort food, MeTV, meeting Jaime Farr and Loretta Swit, meeting your heroes, not meeting your heroes, working Conventions, embarrassing moments, how great Cassandra Peterson is, not having access to celebrities, talk shows, seeing your heroes age, how bad it was when people didn't get royalties, Jimmy "JJ" Walker, Don Most, doing video game voices, Borderlands, motion cap, PONG, Supernatural superfans, looking voluptious on camera, not being able to watch yourself in things, Beggers and Choosers, sex scenes with Jim Belushi, Cindy Williams, Gabe Kaplan, Corbin Bernsen being very into himself, actors badly behaved, crapping on a dress literally, child actors, Curtis Armstrong being the greatest, Jim Beaver as the nicest man alive, showing up and knowing your lines, never piss off the people who are supposed to make you look good, directing advice, actors who are odd but might be assholes, only remembering the bad, and the absolute greatness of Chris Isaak.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 569: India Pearl Feb 27, 2023

January 23-29, 1999

This week Ken welcomes comedian and actor India Pearl.

Ken and India discuss India's mom, Worcester Mass, The Paris of the 80s, Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Central Park, selling things in the room, where the most ice cream in the world is consumed, being excluded from post Prom parties, being in the band, being a theater kid, The Spice Girls, Scary Spice, Ken playing six degrees, Velveeta, The 50 Funniest Moments on Television, Jack Johannsn, stand up specials, Jim Carey, Buffalo Bill, Phil Silvers, monkeys, a woman's potato chip collection on Johnny Carson being the funniest thing ever, The Count of Monte Cristo, Wishbone, $100 for a Biker Baby Doll, The Franklin Mint, refurbishing Barbie Dolls, Hocus Pocus, celebrity parties, busting Michael Rosenbaum's balls, Napoleon Dynamite, That 70s Show, going over your head, Selma Blair, Zoey Duncan Jack and Jane, being forbidden from watching Sliders, banning Buffy, cocaine fueled Mummies, Hyperion Bay, becoming a defacto only child, Angel, Beverly Hills 90210, Cop Rock, High School Musical, Glee, a double dose of Hyperion Bay, complicated family ties, Dirty Dancing, Kablam!, Brimstone, Millennium, The X-Files, Zoom, and lying as a kid, a lot.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 568: Tiny Feb 20, 2023

October 3-9, 1992

This week welcomes Boston comedian and fellow former punk rock teen Tiny to the show.

Ken and Tiny discuss Tiny's disbelief at being part of the TVGC guest list, The Newtons, Bob Newhart, The Bob Newhart Show vs Newhart vs Bob, Image Comics, the 90s Chromium age of comics, Jack Kirby, moving around the country, going to Berklee School of music, being taught how to be happy by Bobby McFarren, Alf Claussen, being raised in Church, being a drummer, My So-Called Life, being The Prince of Nebraska, Tiny's old band The Thickness, headlining O'Briens, the horrors of pay to play, Going to Extremes, Baby Boomer Brawl: Home Improvement vs Seinfeld, TV Guide's investigative journalism, Ghost Writer, Joan Rivers, In Living Color, COPS, Cop Rock, how the time wasn't right for musicals, Swamp Thing the series, Elizabeth Berkley's adult work, Gillian Anderson, the short lived Angel Street, Sorority Babes in the Slime Bowl-o-Rama, The Dead Milkmen, mail order record companies, Guys dressed as "ugly women" being a joke, Who's Line Is It Anyway?, deep dives on YouTube, failed pilots, Made for TV Movies, Giulani's hatred of ferrets, A Different World, dressing like Dwayne Wayne as a white kid in Arkansans, silk shirts, Desperate Choices to Save My Child, Joanna Kerns in a TV movie with Reese Whitherspoon, Elvira Mistress of the Dark, Tom Waits album covers, Murphy Brown, Ken on PornHub, Quantum Leap, Body Double, The Wonder Years, Doogie Howser M.D., Ron Canada, sitcoms dealing with gun violence, The Kids in the Hall, Comedy Punks, Brain Candy, Cheers, character replacements, Wings, how Roy Biggins is the greatest awful character in the history of television, Flying Blind, the comedic talents of Tea Leoni, people's hatred of Golden Palace, 20/20's scare tactics, being murdered in a hotel room, Crossfire, Larry Sander, Tiny's overuse of "Hey now", and the greatness of Alan Havey.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 567: Marc Summers Feb 15, 2023

TV Guidance Counselor celebrates its 9th Birthday Today, and in celebration and to start year ten off right please enjoy this BONUS! episode with the one and only Marc Summers! (Double Dare, Unwrapped)

Marc has a great new podcast of his own called Marc Summers Unwraps (https://www.marcsummersunwraps.com/episodes/anthonyramos) that you can listen to anywhere fine podcasts are found, and you should! It's great.

Ken and Marc discuss Graham Jr College in Boston, going to college with Paul Fusco (ALF) and Andy Kauffman, Fridays, being a warm up comic, Alice, Star Search, What's Happening Now?, Hour Magazine, Webster, starting as a professional magician, auditioning for Double Dare at age 33, how Gallagher encouraged Marc to abandon magic and go for stand up, how magic puts you out of pocket, realizing you are more of an MC, being at The Comedy Store in the Golden Age of the 70s, just getting on stage and being seen, Norm Crosby's Comedy Shop, when the Tonight Show won't even look at you, going from small parts on SOAP to warm up, getting gigs through reputation, the sneaky world of comedians stealing jobs, how great Ed McMahon was, Amazing Randy, how magicians and musicians spend a lot of time alone in a bedroom, Marc's infamous incident with Burt Reynolds on the Tonight Show in 1994, working on the AFI dinner for James Cagney, meeting the Beatles, Groucho Marx, Don Rickles and more, being a page on Sonny & Cher, Mary Tyler Moore and The Bob Newhart Show, becoming the face of Nickelodeon, touring 20k seat arenas with Double Dare, the long lasting appeal of Double Dare, reliving childhood, What Would You Do?, getting recognized by James Gandolfini on a plane, raising Bruno Mars, Lynn Manuel Miranda being a fan, being the eye of the storm in the chaos of many children's childhoods, never talking down to kids, setting the tone for Nick, Executive Producing Dinner Impossible and Restaurant Impossible, treating people with respect, getting input from people at all levels, Gerry Laybourne, hiring people smarter than you and letting them do their jobs, Unwrapped, tumblers, Pat Sajak, extruders, Food Network, shooting multiple shows in a day, taking 30 Double Dare Shows a week six months a year, watching your friends on Food Network, Marc's son's shows, House Hunters International, The Dick Van Dyke show being the best TV show ever, Fraiser, loving sitcoms, The Fugitive, SVU, Blue Bloods, how there are network shows now you've never heard of, Lorenzo Music telling you you wrote one of the worst things he ever read in his entire life, failing at writing a Webster, being tired of being told you suck, "A Martian Wouldn't Say That", practicing Double Dare physical challenges before they get to air, Marc's podcast Unwraps, what makes people keep moving forward, Mike O'Malley, Guy Fieri, Anthony Ramos, Nick Takes Over Your School, surly Mr. Wizard, Hulk Hogan trying to blend in, and looking forward to 90sCon.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 566: Sara Farizan Feb 13, 2023

October 31 - November 6, 1987

This week Ken welcomes new old friend, award-winning and critically acclaimed author of the young adult novels Here to Stay, Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel, and the Lambda Literary award winning If You Could Be Mine, which was named one of TIME magazine's 100 Best YA Books of All Time, Dead Flip and My Buddy Killer Croc Sara Farizan.

Ken and Sara discuss matchmaker Meredith Goldstein, how Ken and Sara are essentially the same person, growing up in the Boston suburbs, Christine Else, Karen Duffy, Janeane Garofalo, Christine Lakin, Ken's weird skillset, breaking down barriers, mentioning something that taps into a deep emotional memory bank, 1987, 1992, the love of sci-fi/horror comedy, Gremlins, Monster Squad, Eerie Indiana, the fun of doing research to make historical fiction, writing and making art for your younger self, all the fears and issues young people today have that we didn't, how easy it is to watch listen to or read anything ever made, non heroic characters doing heroic things, a dislike of dark anti-heroes, representation, navigating adults as a kid, child stars sacrificing their childhood so we can have happy ones, Box Brown's book, Halloween, television and the 1992 elections, appreciating Courtney Cox, Misfits of Science, Cagney and Lacey, not being a cop show person, being bad at being a lesbian (media wise), liking character over procedure, Loving Care for Kittens and Cats, Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future, Saturday Morning cartoons, advertising to kids, the wonders of Winterbeast, The Outer Limits in Waltham, The Midnight Hour, Dance Til Dawn, My Sister Sam, Women in Prison, Echoes in Darkness, Family Ties, having a crush on Stacey Keenan, Our House, Patrick Duffy's week, Mercedes McCambridge, family epics, Giant from 1956, Growing Pains, when Sandy died, very special episodes, generating dialog among families, After School Specials, ABC Tuesdays, Crime Story, The Iron Sheik, Perfect Strangers, Iranian immigrants loving WWF Wrestling, the early days of TGIF, Head of the Class, Donna Reed, working at Newbury Comics, Ken being fired from Newbury Comics because nobody liked him, being terrified of a Chucky Doll, Twilight, the wonder of being able to thank people face to face, Killer Croc, complicated fond memories of The Cosby Show, nice comedy and how difficult it is to do, Sledge Hammer, Hulk Hogan's Rock n Wrestling, Rowdy Roddy Piper, Lipstick and Dynamite, Carrie, Rags to Riches, I Married Dora, Jackie Gleason's lack of Emmys, and being fine with butts, even if you're not specifically looking for them.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 565: Margo Donohue Feb 06, 2023

March 17-23, 1990

This week Ken welcomes co-host, co-creator, editor, and producer of the podcasts Book Vs. Movie, Dorking Out, Not Fade Away, and What a Creep, the Brooklyn Fit Chick and author of the new book "Filmed in Brooklyn" Margo Donohue.

Ken and Margo discuss doing it the best you can, how 1990 is Ken's favorite year, going to college in the Bay Area, banning Captain Underpants, two Margos, parents being very upset about Bart Simpson's sass, life in a Pre-Simpsons world, being conscripted into working at the Mall in Cali, NY vs CA pizza, Margo's book on Brooklyn, moving to Park Slope, shows shot in NYC, Brooklyn Bridge, heist movies, The Hot Rock, Criterion Channel, making sure you have your favorite movies on Physical media, the Providence/Boston/NY Maffia, buying Jesus Statues, thirtysomething, replacing cigarette ads with prescription rx ads, Midnight Caller, the greatness of Greg Proops, MTV's Remote Control, The Real World, how Kevin Powell was right all along, Mere Winningham, Martin Short Goes Hollywood, Miracle Mile, Anthony Edwards, Valerie Harper vs. The Hogan Family, Frankenhooker, Who's the Boss?, Murphy Brown, doing the homework, Unsolved Mysteries, Night Court, the greatness of China Beach, Ken's love of Grand, LA Law, Craig Bierko, Valerie Bertonelli, missing John Candy, after school specials with an REM soundtrack, developing actual film, John Waters on 21 Jump St., Julia Duffy, Seein' Double, being inappropriately angry at Robert Mitchum, The Wizard of Oz, and how much people hate starring in a movie with Judy Garland as the star.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 564: Traci Lords Jan 30, 2023

This week Ken welcomes to incredible actor, singer, author and all around impressive human Traci Lords to the show.

Ken and Traci discuss the long road to making this episode happen, Ken's Twitter banter, how Ken amuses Traci, if social media is bad or good, the toxic nature of society, love/hate relationships, how sometimes things are stupid and suck, insults, knowing how to take a selfie, how filters change the world, how life is a show, being a good person, being an introverted extrovert, how the access to celebrity has changed Hollywood, reality TV, how having a name can give you opportunities but also can hinder your growth as an artist, being a musician, having the freedom to fail, Radioactive Records, Perry Farrell, Moby, After Hours at Lollapalooza, the wisdom of age, self promotion, public pressure, stand up, Bob Saget, swimming as fast as you can, the importance of a hair toss, how Traci has been in TV Guide at least 21 times, The Tommyknockers, Crybaby, Married...with Children, the freedom of the 90s, inappropriate sitcoms, Roseanne, ensemble casts, John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf, Sandra Bernhardt, being shocked how high your voice was in your 20s, getting thrown in the deep end of being in front of a live audience, layers of panic, being so happy when you first book gigs, being more calm about it now, how acting is a blue collar profession, never Googling yourself, Hollywood poor, how amazing John Waters is, playing Tim Blake Nelson's wife, getting to play a Karen, finding that comedy works for you, trying to take the best roles offered to you, playing a fortune teller on MacGyver, Wiseguy, having your lines from gigs 30 years ago burned into your brain, the secret to learning lines, studying at The Actor's Studio, Joanna Cassidy, being on an airplane with Farrah Fawcett, Charlie's Angels, the paparazzi, all the contraptions you have to have when you have a newborn, why you should always say yes to working with John Waters, Patty Hearst, how John Waters' sets are like a family, First Wave, Francis Ford Coppola, working on Black Mask II in Thailand for Tsui Hark, being in a movie and having no idea what is going on, Excision, Nicole, Her Ex & the Killer, Providence, how weird working during and semi-post pandemic has been, loving actors who disappear in parts, figuring out what you want to do and what you want to spend your time doing, realizing life is short, Scooby Doo, doing voice over, cartoon characters, having a home studio, watching Game of Thrones twice while eating hot wings and pizza every night, how Scooby Doo goes so well with ice cream, Love Boat, being on a cruise with Charro and Tony Danza, and never wanting to go on a cruise again even though it's just eating and sex.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 563: Troy Devolld Jan 23, 2023

Just 23-29, 2008

This week Ken welcomes television producer, author and speaker whose credits include stints on popular shows like The Surreal Life, Dancing With the Stars, Basketball Wives, and Hollywood Game Night and author of the books Reality TV: An Insider's Guide to TV's Hottest Market (MWP) and And Another Thing: A Beginner's Guide to the TV Notes Process, Troy DeVolld.

Ken and Troy discuss 2008, modern TV, Ken's Birthday, Troy's regretful choice, having your own show get savaged in Cheers and Jeers, spending 20+ years in reality TV, growing up in Florida, having an accidental career, loving sitcoms, MTV's Fear, being afraid of orangutan, why you should always read the credits on reality TV, how stories come together in editing, Mr. Smith, being in the Lancelot Link black hole, Tampa, Flipper, Miami Vice, Seventh Heaven, why it's not hard to be sexier than Tampa, Hollywood East, Donna Reed, Get Smart, home sick TV, fighting for respect, the mean spirited reality TV boom, The Surreal Life, Top Gear, Larry Tate, The Dana Carvey Show, Wizards of Waverly Place, awards shows, The Grammys, Saturday Morning Shoot Out with Peter Gruber, Larry King, Charlie Rose, hotel chain moguls, the story of Vamp, Dancing with the Stars, creating packages, the greatness of Tom Bergeron, getting to see your work with an audience, So You Think You Can Dance?, Lizard Lick Towing, when Bobby Dies, Starsky and Hutch, Roots, The State, Thomas Lennon, How to Make Movies for Profit, Weeds, Eddie Peppitone, Emerson, Kevin Bright, American Dad, Mike Rowe's Dirty Jobs, The Bachelor, owning Marlon Brando's vest, collecting remote controls, The Philco Mystery Box, Richard Pryor's Moving, recognizing Jimmy Kimmel, Denise Richards Kaju, Larry Storch, asking your mom to stop sending you clippings, begrudgingly being the go to interview to discuss reality TV horror stories, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Sledge Hammer, the magic of Chuck McCann, paying it forward, running into the cast of Barney Miller throughout your life and identifying the Zenith Space Commander Six Hundred as being the remote control on Cheers.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 562: Rockne S. O'Bannon Jan 16, 2023

April 29 - May 5, 1967

This week Ken welcomes director, producer and writer (Evil, Farscape, The New Twilight Zone, V, Seaquest DSV) Rockne S. O'Bannon to the show.

Ken and Rockne discuss Ken's long time love of Rockne's work and how often it comes up on the show, 1967, the amazing nature of not aging since 1967, the boom of sci-fi TV in 1966, Film reboots of classic TV shows, quantum entanglement, growing up in LA, Rockne's mother being a Busby Barkley dancer, Rockne's father being a gaffer at Warner Brothers, writing your first pilot script at age 10 for The Boy from U.N.C.L.E., realizing people make television at an early age, Isaac Asimov's essay on how sexy Mr. Spock is, Lawrence Welk swimsuit issue, innovation in animal training, Raven with a Gun, writing for streaming shows and dealing with not needing the convention ad break structure, Sci-Fi Channel movie templates, Laugh-In, Hollywood Teletype, commissioned art, the rise of hippy culture in the mainstream, TV Guide's incredibly detailed listings for everything including reruns and sports, Frankenstein Jr, Space Angel, Clutch Cargo, The Andy Griffith Show, The Dick Van Dyke shows status as the greatest TV sitcom ever, Pistols & Petticoats, Gunsmoke, Tom Skerrit's week, The Avengers, Johnny Carson reruns, Saturday Night Live, TV shows about television, It's About Time, Ed Sullivan, the pre-muppet Muppets, Roger Miller's variety show, FBI, Rockne's Dad taking home TV scripts for him to study, the horror of pay tv, white guys as Native Americans, westerns, Steve Allen's invention of everything, Mr. Terrific, Captain Nice, Buck Henry, Get Smart!, The New Twilight Zone, "Wordplay", "The Shadow Man", Darkroom with James Coburn, Joey Bishop, Don Herbert is Mr. Wizard, TV Close Ups, The National Science Test, The Saint, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Girl from U.N.C.L.E., Red Skelton, The Invaders, pinkies, playing it cool around celebrities, Albert Brooks, Night of the Meek, The Afterhours, Fame is the Name of the Game, Lost in Space, Batman '66, Fringe, Evil, time travel, Time Tunnel, being the new Irwin Allen by mistake, gadgets, I Spy, Wild Wild West, Honey West, Green Hornet, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, F Troop, Larry Storch and Forrest Tucker's chemistry, not wanting to talk to Milton Berle, short lived shows that had an outsized impact on pop culture, the power of villains, vigilantes, Bob & Ray, Tim Conway, "you're very pleased to meet me", Patrick McNee's secrets to life, nudists, Mod Tampons, TV Teletype, and Chuck Connors, as a Cowboy in Africa.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 561: Thom Shubilla Jan 09, 2023

FALL PREVIEW ALERT! September 10-16, 1966

This week Ken welcomes author of the new book, Primetime 1966-1967: The Full Spectrum of Television's First All-Color Season, Thom Shubilla.

Ken and Thom discuss Ken's slaughter of Thom's last name, Batman '66, knowing the Fall Preview well, the year TV was born, shaking off radio, Westerns, the first TV season everything was in color, classy Miller High Life ads making Ken and Thom want to drink, commissioned art, murals, Joe E. Ross, It's About Time, how The Moon Landing both ruined and improved sci-fi, Sherwood Schwartz, The Monkees, The Jackie Gleason Show, "The Lost" Honeymooners, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Get Smart!, Mission Impossible, Secret Agent Man, Patrick McGoohan, Hollywood Palace, Ed Sullivan, Ken's love of Robert Loggia, T.H.E. Cat, a show of all wacky neighbors, Lost in Space, being a Ginger or a Maryann, Bewitched, I Dream of Jeanie, the long terrifying decline of Lucy, that one episode of Route 66, Big Eye paintings, The Green Hornet, Occasional Wife, That Girl, poorly translated JFK triangles, Green Acres, the truth about nerve deafness, F Troop, loving Larry Storch, heists, Irwin Alan, Time Tunnel, hating Milton Berle, Paul Revere and the Raiders, Burt Reynolds as Hawk and not as Marlon Brando, Larry Cohen's Coronet Blue, needing satisfaction on a show, The Fugitive, and how absolutely awful the Tammy Grimes show was.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 560: John D. Hancock Jan 04, 2023

This week Ken welcomes writer, director John D. Hancock to the show.

Ken and John discuss the end of the world, extreme weather, John's Dad being in the NBC Radio Orchestra in Chicago, the transition from radio to TV and how it effected musicians, going to Harvard in the 1950s, Dr. Timothy Leary, Gus Van Zandt, pretending to know what actors are talking about, The Berliner Ensemble, running the Actor's Theater in San Francisco in the 1960s, directing Off Broadway plays, being in East Berlin, Bertolt Brecht, getting a grant from the AFI to do a short, businessmen who play touch football in central park, Let's Scare Jessica to Death, Bang the Drum Slowly, Robert DeNiro, William Wyler, Michael Moriarty, how only names sell tickets these days, platforming movies, optioning Regiment of Women, Warren Beatty, California Dreaming, having an awful experience on Jaws 2, Jan Michael Vincent, never having directed multi cam television, learning new skillsets directing on television, Hillstreet Blues, Cover Up, theater vs film, being sold a bill of goods by AIP, editing, running previews, why it's not always best to go with your gut, Weeds, trying to get Weeds re-released, Dino DeLaurentis losing the negative, Wolfen, Prancer, what films you show students, teaching at Second City, Wild Tales, and how young people will not do love scenes these days.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 559: Lew Schneider Jan 02, 2023

July 14-20, 1990

This week Ken welcomes comedian and writer Lew Schneider to the show.

Ken and Lew discuss growing up in Brookline, MA, Boston accents, Michael Dukakis, picking up garbage, the Pope of Brookline, Lew's concerns for Ken, Ken's misspent youth and wasted potential, being in a Summer replacement series, Sinbad, giving Grape Nuts a try, hosting Nickelodeon's Make the Grade, TV starts with unpronounceable names, doing improv in Chicago with Bob Odenkirk, the blue collar job that is being an actor, realizing being a writer is a smarter move, how Winter takes years off your life, the benefit of Vitamin D, how TV is a writer's medium, Ray Ramano's dramatic acting career, Men of a Certain Age, The Goldbergs, Phil Rosenthal, 1-900-925-KELLY, Bob Denver: Phone creep, The Geo Metro, who the hottest women on TV are circa 1990, Kadeem Hardison is a Doctor, how Ken is a jew who isn't a jew, Hester St, Ken's crush on Alyssa Milano, Comic Strip Live!, doing a show just for a cool jacket, Emma Thompson, Star Trek The Next Generation, befriending Brent Spiner, original TV Guide art, Wish You Were Here, auditioning for Northern Exposure, how weird Loren Michaels is, The Wonder Years, what ifs related to The Gambler, having a deal at Disney, The George Wendt Show, the golf hazards at the US Open, Richard Lewis, Anything But Love, Later with Bob Costas, getting a Hungarian work visa, Down the Shore, Everybody Loves Raymond, The Ben Stiller Show, The Edge, getting paid badly to be on a CBS TV show, being too early for Netflix, loving Succession, Love on the Spectrum, Evil, The Good Fight, The Good Wife, and 101 Fun Things to do in Melbourne with Children.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 558: 2022 Year in Review Dec 23, 2022

What has become an annual tradition, at least for the last four years, it's our 2022 Year In Review. In which Ken goes solo to go through 2022 almost day by day to talk about the show, his life, what he's been doing, what he's been watching, your questions, and whatever else comes to mind.

As mentioned, here are all Ken's social media links:

https://linktr.ee/kenreid

And a link to the TV Guidance Counselor YouTube Channel

https://www.youtube.com/kenreidcomedy

and our Patreon

https://www.patreon.com/tvguidancecounselor

Happy Holidays, Happy New Year and let's all have a better 2023.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 557: Marc Sheffler Dec 19, 2022

This week Ken welcomes comedian, actor, and writer Marc Sheffler to the show.

Ken and Marc discuss Columbia, Daylight Savings Time, going to New York first so you can learn things before going to California, doing stand up in the late '60s, London Lee, going from driver to opener, Last House on the Left, the Borscht Belt, just wanting to do it once, being the start of the aluminum siding world, Pittsburgh, hiring the Three Stooges for your 10th Birthday party, being anointed into show biz by Moe, Curly Joe Diritta, Roger Ebert's review of Last House on the Left, David Hess, picking up girls, lying about being a script writer, being in ads, snakes on a bus, moving to LA with money in the bank, and apartment and a car, Being There, Tim Thomerson, getting up at the Comedy Store, Mitzy Shore, David Letterman, Robin Williams, Marc Summers, Jimmy Walker, How Bugs Bunny Won the West, why Warner Bros stopped having live action wrap arounds on recycled Looney Tunes specials, Co-Ed Fever, how amazing Heather Thomas is, Du-beat-e-o, Joan Jett, Marsha Warfield, smoking pot, Richard Pryor, Johnny Dark, Steve Ladesberg, opening for Tower of Power in 1977, Charles in Charge, Harry and the Hendersons, producing Everything Is Relative, the 1988 Writer's Strike, doing an impression of Brett Goldstein, living in England, Ted Lasso, Lee Lacey, the wonder of improv, and the weird weird world of stand up comedy.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 556: Steven Jay Rubin Dec 12, 2022

October 19-25, 1968

This week Ken welcomes author of The Twilight Zone Encyclopedia and host of the Podcast "Steven Jay Rubin's Saturday Night at the Movies", Steven Jay Rubin.

Ken and Steve discuss being in space, seeing the Twilight Zone for the first time, how 1968 is the sweet spot, not talking for a year, Night Gallery, the lack of product placement in the Twilight Zone, Combat, color TV, The Wild Wild West, writing for Cinefantastique, being a feature film publicist, working on Weekend at Bernie's II, working for Showtime, not knowing director's credits, Clark Gable films, being a contestant on The Joker's Wild, later writing for the Joker's Wild, being on Sale of the Century, taping old movies audio only on reel to reel, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, growing up in LA, being a baseball fan, Get Smart!, the darkness of today's film, having never seen The Prisoner, Assault on a Queen, Fall Previews, Peyton Place, Laugh-In, Lancer, porpoise vs dolphin, actors in WWII, Russ Meyer being a still photographer on the Twilight Zone, Green Acres, The Olympics, competition shows, reality TV, Star Trek the original series, visiting film sets, Logan's Run, The Wonderful World of Disney, being on the Sony lot when Spielberg was directing Hook, The Entity, ghost hunting, Twilight Zone: The Movie, how The Twilight Zone doesn't work in color, Anne Frank's cat, and the amazing Sam Fuller.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 555: Allison Pregler Dec 05, 2022

March 16-22, 1991

This week Ken welcomes writer, YouTuber and fellow Baywatch Nights fan Allison Pregler to the show.

Ken and Allison discuss how she's a requested guest, Baywatch, It's a Wrap, growing up in Central Time, memorabilia, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Barbara Walters, Fish Police, Family Dog, Capital Critters, Amazing Stories, cartoons for adults, The Simpsons, feeling old, Mann and Machine, America's Funniest People, Golden Girls, America's Funniest Home Videos, Tarzan in Manhattan, drunken Lon Chaney Jr, Ricky Schroeder: Human Garbage, Wilfred Brimley's firing squad, MacGuyver, when shows get weird, The Wizard, Quantum Leap, Frog Girl, dissecting animals, What A Dummy!, Wizard of Oz, Ken meeting Meinhart Raabe the Munchkin Coroner, Unsolved Mysteries, Beyond Belief, turning into a doll, Doogie Howser, bad early 90s stand up, Michael Floorwax, LA Law, falling down an elevator shaft, Dr. Giggles, talking baby movies, replacing George Clooney with Scott Baio, The Doghouse, Poochinski, talking dogs, Return of the Jedi, signing development deals about your trauma, Amy Fischer TV Movies, John Wayne Bobbitt, Uncle Buck, loving John Candy, Weird Science, remaking Peter Gunn, and Little Richard on the greatest episode ever of Baywatch.

The TV Guidance Counselor 2022 Christmas Special with Kevin Maher Dec 01, 2022

December 22-28, 1984

In this VERY SPECIAL XMAS EDITION of TV Guidance Counselor Ken welcomes the Kevin of Kevin Geeks Out and author of the new book Santa Doesn't Need Your Help, Kevin Maher.

Ken and Kevin discuss living on a cul de sac, moving to the suburbs, decorating for Holidays, Ministers being turned on by Vampira, how TV is a force of good, being wrong about guns, Webster, Alex Karras, an oddly placed National Lampoon style piece in TV Guide, how athletes used to be, the origin of Yuppies, have a December Birthday, Projection televisions, how being able to watch things at any time seems not as fun, Double Trouble, Ken's love of the Segal Twins, The Funny Boys, The Smurfs, Spenser vs Spencer, PIGS, Willard, the strangeness of Ben, Murder She Wrote, the great model search, how Star Wars became associated with Christmas due to toys, Superman, The Wizard of Oz, Assaulted Nuts, Not Necessarily The News, Stuart Pankin, Conan O'Brien, Ha! vs. The Comedy Channel, TV Version, It Happened One Christmas, It's a Wonderful Life, Here Comes the Tigers, Darkside of the Moon and Wizard of Oz is the same as Texas Chainsaw Massacre and a mystery album, Mr. Kruger's Christmas, Willy Whistle, Major Mudd, Captain Bob, how every single Rich Little impression is Nixon, when you open your presents, Tor Johnson as Santa Claus, Jaberwocky, Park St Under vs. Cheers, Feep, Holiday Depression, Charles in Charge, the connection between Charles and Mr. MaGoo, The Beastmaster, Kojack, Ken's hatred of modern film criticism, the best Santa Clauses, OC and Stiggs, Popeye, A Charlie Brown Christmas, Santa Claus, Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny, The Adventures of Candy Claus, Santa's Village, Dolly's Down Home Christmas from 1990, and how terrifying Burl Ives could be.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 554: Dave Ross Nov 28, 2022

February 6-12, 1999

This week Ken welcomes comedian and old friend Dave Ross to the show.

Ken and Dave talk about changing NYC's nickname, apples, Jersey City, how amazingly great George Clooney is, Middletown and Newburgh NY, bands in North and Central NJ, 90s and 00s punk, hating masculinity, rage, angry dudes, watching bands, tour dates, Toad's Place, punching people, awful hardcore bands, 1999, realizing you remember way more TV than you thought, the amazing movies of the 90s, George Carlin, Mulan, Cops in Palm Beach, stand up on Comedy Central, Premium Blend with the US Bombs, Jeff Foxworthy, Brett Butler, Backstreet Boys on pay per view, Mad TV over SNL, The Simpsons, LA Confidential, Newsradio, loving 90s sitcoms, being obsessive, regional stores, fast food, Tom Green, Big Brother, Survivor, The Real World, Road Rules, Everybody Loves Raymond, King of Queens, Spin City, Hannity and Combs, Michael Chiklis, Wired, theater nerds, tough guys, Mad About You, Kids in the Hall, Stephen Root, King of the Hill, The Drew Carey Show, Beverly Hills 90210, Party of Five, William Ragsdale, Veronica's Closet, Just Shoot Me, The Powers that Be, dark humor, suicide jokes, making jokes about tough things, loving John Leguizamo, Boy Meets World, WGN, Wayne's Brothers, Jaime Foxx, how great Steve Harvey is, Richard Karn, Larry Sanders, Nash Bridges, vampires, Talk Soup, wondering where John Henson went, Behind the Music, shows starting at weird times, Bruce Willis, Ally McBeal, Tracy Ulman, Providence, being mad about too many dogs, and the beauty of catching up.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 553: Larry Hankin Nov 21, 2022

This week Ken welcomes actor, comedian, writer and professional "That Guy", Larry Hankin.

Ken and Larry discuss COVID, flying, quitting the world, growing up in Long Island, Breaking Bad, Barry, going out on top, stand up, Lenny Bruce, opening for Woody Allen, opening for Miles Davis, forgetting what you've done, having a career by accident, Janet Jackson's What Have you Done for me Lately video, making short films, Escape from Alcatraz, Clint Eastwood protection, endearing yourself to others, taking the boat to Alcatraz, getting royalties from streaming after you turn 65, how cool checks from Disney were, opening for The Loving Spoonful, Second City, George Carlin, getting attacked by the audience, getting arrested for doing stand up, Richard Pryor, The Kingston Trio, being homeless in San Francisco, when being homeless is a full time job, being in The Committee, Patrick McGoohan's issues, functional alcoholics, Highway Patrol, Broderick Crawford, having cue cards, Brando, ear pieces, being dyslexic, how hard it is to memorize lines, Doctor Dracula, Al Adamson, being in dirty movies as comic relief, how one movie can be edited into five different movies, Ratboy, and Larry's writing and thereallarryhankin.com.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 552: Eliza Skinner Nov 14, 2022

October 25 - November 11, 2010

This week Ken welcomes old friend, amazing writer and comedian Eliza Skinner back to the show.

Ken and Eliza discuss the end times, still having to go to work, dystopian literature, the free time of socialism, Ken's hatred of Las Vegas, The Atomic Testing Museum, being pro-A Bomb, hand crank TVs, Station 11, wondering of the British are fascinated by American culture, retitling, Jem, Britta Phillips, freestyle rapping over Jem instrumentals, the gap in understanding and awareness, Children of the Dust, Z for Zachariah, sci-fi, surviving, capitalize burnout, Romero's Zombie movies, The Architects of Fear, The Shadowmen on the New Twilight Zone, Wordplay, romance, True Blood, hot funny Twilight, sexy vampires, horny vampires, messy vampires, Millennials and magic, the passion of toxicity, begging you to be awesome, true crime, murder, sexy blood showers, fantasies of being eaten by a shark, how seeing a band live can make you love them, Jamiroquai, how boring and blah Puff Daddy is, seeing the Pixies and skipping U2, complaining for free stuff, punk rock kids, Watchamles, being cools, watching TV at work, marathoning Intervention, moving to LA, having no money for cable, doing Edinburgh, Vampire Diaries, Ernest, Kevin Williamson, creeping people out by fanning out, Daddying people, Skeet, asking about furniture, being a bad interviewer, when conventions go wrong, Sean Gunn hating you, the Guardians of the Galaxy soundtrack, and how comedians are all different kinds of monsters.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 551: Steve Lawrence Nov 07, 2022

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 550: Paul Gannon Oct 31, 2022

Look-In January 16-23, 1988

This week Ken welcomes comedian and co-host of the Cheap Show Podcast, Paul Gannon.

Ken and Paul discuss how they first met, the Geek Night Out live show, having strange interests, the history of television in the UK, how Paul loved board games, Party Til You Puke, Radio Times, TV Times, The Jr. TV Times, Channel 4, Channel 5, ITV, regional UK programming, Thames TV, LWT, Angelica TV, the phenomenon of UK Annuals, US Comic Book annuals, Alan Moore, NOW Comics, Ralph Snart, The Ghostbusters, Star Comics, Charlton Comics, Marvel UK, Cannon and Ball, Worzel Gummidge, Michael Crawford, Some Mothers Do Ave Em, Man About the House, exporting comedy, UK Movies based on UK Sitcoms, Stella Street, On the Buses, Sapphire and Steel, Street Hawk, Wuzzles, Disney TV animation, No. 72, Tiswas, SMTV, loving Cat Deeley, aHa, Bros, Five Star, skinheads, breaking sausage news, Whetabix, stealing the Gillete logo, The Trap Door, Jonathan Ross, hating Mick Hucknall, Masters of the Universe, Airwolf, quizzes, The A-Team, Argos, Service Merchandise, the strangeness of UK TV schedules, Ghost Busters Jeans, Roger Ramjet, bookleg Garfield, writing letters to complain about Scooby Doo, and strange drawings of Miriam d'abo.

TV Guidance Counselor 2022 Halloween Special Oct 24, 2022

discussing when TV is the Monster with Stephen R. Bissette, Dana Gould, Sam Furst and Heather Buckley.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 548: Frank DeCaro Oct 24, 2022

February 5-11, 2000

This week Ken welcomes writer, TV host and all around personality Frank DeCaro to the show.

Ken and Frank discuss The Daily Show, Frank's SIriusXM radio show, writing a NYTimes column, The Mary and Rhoda reunion movie, being late for a meeting with Mary and Rhoda, how actors shouldn't always be the writers of what they act in, being good at being single, nostalgia trips, meeting Valerie, Ken and the WBZ Time Capsule, TV Guide with grandma, Dark Shadows, the 4:30 Movie, Saturday Morning Preview Shows, pilots, the golden age of TV, how we're not in the golden age of TV maybe, Ziggy Flargowitz, how nothing prevented is new, E! True Hollywood Stories, A&E Biography, how living in LA can ruin things, why we no longer need talk shows, disliking Johnny Carson, The Lawrence Welk Show, growing up and with The Sopranos, Ted Danson's quality control, Julie Louie Dreyfus being our Lucy, George C. Scott Patton dolls, World's Most Anti-Social Acts, how all commercials are sexualized now, World's Sexiest Commercials, stirring things with yourself, the changing face of BO, from soup to subs, George Reeves, The Truth Behind Sitcom Scandals, Love Boat, Barry Bostwick, Cougartown, Spin City, Friends, Jesse, whatever the hell Stark Raving Mad is, hating competition shows, aside from RuPaul's Drag Race, variety shows, how being gross should at least be funny, why people on the radio don't also need to be gorgeous, the lack of raconteurs in today's Entertainment world, how having so many fewer outlets made careers, Charles Nelson Riley, George Schlatter, the lack of blooper reels, Laugh-In, and the Disco Devil in Frank's new book about Disco.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 547: Tim Harrod Oct 17, 2022

December 4-10, 1982

This week Ken welcomes writer and creator/host of The Bastard Tapes Podcast, Tim Harrod.

Ken and Tim discuss the unique spite of people from New England, video games, Atari, walking to the arcade, Charlottesville, pinball companies trying to take on video games, how Nintendo temporarily killed arcades, Dragon's Lair, Saturday Supercade, Q*Bert, Steve Allen, stand up on TV, the influence of MTV, Solid Gold, Tim Thomerson, the weird MTV influenced syndicated sketch comedy show, Laugh Tracks, Gallagher, Gallagher II, Cinemax Comedy Experiment, Martin Mull, Rich Hall, Joe Piscapo and his mysterious Halloween Special, Dead Heat, Disney's Christmas Gift, Life's Most Embarrassing Moments, Foul Ups, Bleeps and Blunders, the influence of Letterman, Dennis Wolfberg, how you rarely saw Burt Reynolds and Tom Selleck together, Fridays, being conscripted into Circus of the Stars, Charlie Brown Christmas, Doctor Who, The Year Without a Santa Claus, Joanie Loves Chachi, the missing Cunningham, RapCity Kids Christmas, M*A*S*H, Three's Company, Dolly Parton's Sister, Jane Curtain's Cousin, Newhart, Real People, Christmas Eve on Sesame Street, Follow that Bird, Family Ties, Cheers, Facts of Life, Diff'rent Strokes, always going for comedy, fake bands on real TV shows, The Urkel, The Guys Next Door, Chip and Pepper's Comedy Madness, Meatballs and Spaghetti, the fame of Nelson, Taxi, Too Close for Comfort, Sneak Previews, Siskel and Ebert's dog vs skunk, The Toy, Richard Pryor, a good story about Jackie Gleason, Chris Elliot, Action Family, The Powers of Matthew Star, Yes Virginia There is a Santa Claus, Mr. Magoo's Christmas Special, Sledge Hammer, losing the car horn, Wonder Bug and Schlep car, and the changes of the Incredible Hulk.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 546: Kirsten O'Brien Oct 10, 2022

April 30 - May 6, 1988

This week Ken welcomes the other half of the Boss Bitches podcast, writer, actor, comedian Kirsten O'Brien.

Ken and Kirsten discuss Ken mispronouncing her name, growing up in Scituate, FSU, being a dancer, moving to Florida because your Dad needs to flee the sigma of organized crime, bookies, living in NYC, having your family be funnier than you, Bill Burr, 1988, The Golden Girls, Dr. Ruth, Ethical Sluts, Betty White and Rue swapping roles, HIV, AIDS on TV, Very Special Episodes, TWA Hostages, the TWA Hotel, being hired to do atmosphere acting, vintage clothes, smoking, Benson and Hedges, weird swingers, eating off brand Slim Jims, being sex positive, awful dude comedians, Dolly Parton's Variety Show, Sonny and Cher, showgirls, how amazing Cassandra Peterson is, Mae West, Jennifer Love Hewitt, "Let's Go Bang", loving stand up, The Star Wars Holiday Special, Wookie Porn, living in the same neighborhood as Dr. Ruth, the Golden Girls cafe, Washington Heights, Emma: Queen of the South Seas, Skinimax, satellite dishes, Just the Ten of Us, Loni Anderson, hating the Kardashians, Pamela Anderson, sex tapes, Pee Wee Herman, Mr. Rogers, In Living Color's The Head Detective, renting video tapes, and loving Drew Barrymore.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 545: Amy Miller Oct 03, 2022

January 28 - February 3, 1989

This week, after a few false starts, Ken welcomes comedian Amy Miller (watch her special Ham Mouth and buy her album California King) to the show.

Ken and Amy discuss false starts, kids cartoons, missile launch codes, growing up White Trash, Roseanne, Joe Camel, sexy Joe Camel, buying scratch tickets, being sent to the corner store for adults, bootleg carnival airbrush art, Camel Cash, Marlboro Miles, stranger danger, realistically defending Roseanne, exploiting crazy people, vetting celebrities, how you can't say "White People Suck" on Instagram, Dan Conner: Great Dad, Russians bootlegging American TV, Vanna White, Golden Girls, Empty Nest, full page ads, 21 Jump St, Perfect Strangers, mail order music clubs, Throw Mama From the Train, not watching America's Most Wanted, LifeTime style movies of the week, Farrah Fawcett made for TV movies, the strangeness of Craisins, Children of a Lesser God, Dreambreakers, pretending you watched Billy Graham so you can talk about it at Church, The Wonder Years, Family Ties, Head of the Class, Growing Pains, Boner in the Army, the lack of female people of color on the mainstream stand up scene in the 1980s, Night Court, Marsha Warfield, loving David Letterman, Just the Ten of Us, TV stars trying to have musical careers, Dallas, Beauty and the Beast, Falcon Crest, CBS being super horny, being thankful for gel caps, complaining about boxing padding, and Murphy Brown.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 544: Rod Lott Sep 26, 2022

February 7-13, 1987

This week Ken welcomes listener and author of the new, must buy, book "Flick Attack", Rod Lott.

Ken and Rod discuss Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, completing your life long dreams, John Brennan from the Real World, cowboys, hating most people, Near Dark, Lance Hendrickson, the importance of video stores, loving Ann-Margaret, mid season replacement season, grandparents putting back issues of TV Guide aside for you, the movie listings, feeling like you're in the future, Blade Runner, growing up in Central Time, the final season of The Facts of Life, Fall Preview, The Playboy Channel, Saturday Morning Cartoons, "Larry" Fishburne, Bruce Willis' The Return of Bruno, Easy Street, Partners in Crime, Loni Anderson, Lynda Carter, Nothing is Easy the show formerly known as Together We Stand, Elliot Gould, reboots, Commander USA, Kate & Allie, My Sister Sam, the first live episode of SNL Ken ever saw, Pee Wee Herman, Drew Barrymore hosting SNL, Frontier Gynecologists, Vampire's Kiss, After Hours, how Motorama is basically The Wizard, TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes, Len Sella's Silly Cinemas, Stillwatch, CBS Made For-TV movies, loving Charles Rocket, Not Necessarily The News, Carol Burnett, Perfect Strangers, Head of the Class, Gimme a Break, Family Ties, Michael J Fox, Cheers, Friday Night Videos, The Paper Chase, CBN, The 700 Club, following up on 60 Minutes subjects, watching TV while eating dinner, and the mystery of George Cooker's The Corn is Green.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 543: RJ City Sep 19, 2022

January 21 -27, 1956

This week Ken welcomes professional wrestler, podcaster, YouTube sensation and kindred spirit RJ City to the show.

Ken and RJ discuss being in Toronto, Alison Rosen, doing too much work, wrestling, Ethel Mirman, TV tapings, Ravishing Rick Rude, Stand Up Comedians, Ken's ignorance to Canadian wrestlers, grandmothers introducing RJ to old show biz, vaudeville, how nothing really changes, Lipstick and Dynamite, Gorgeous George, Milton Berle, the search for the wrestling episode of the Mike Douglas Show, John Mikel Thor, Mason Reese, Charles Nelson Riley, how somehow nobody "knows", getting a Cameo from Ruth Buzzi, Lidsville, The Sid & Marty Kroft amusement park, Lawrence Welk, creepy cult vibes, One Toke Over the Line, weird accents, racial insensitivity, Fred Penner's Place, Mr. Dressup, working at CBC, missing Degrasi, I Love Lucy, The Hilarious House of Frightenstein, Wyatt Earp, having the first name "Welcome", shooting poker chips, Hugh O'Brien, hideous old male comedians, Shirley McClain, Dick Dale on Lawrence Welk?, Wally Cox, Ernie Kovacs, Edie Adams, The Gentlemaniacs, Sidney Lumet, plays on TV, Kathleen Freeman, Mayor of the Town, Jerry Lewis, David Arquette, evil Jerry Lewis, The King of Comedy, telethons, You Can Quote Me, game shows, publishers, the effects of smoking on human skin, finding graves, loving Phil Silvers, talking to Dick Cavett, Don Knotts, Red Skelton, Anthony Perkins, Bates Motel: The Series, Budd Cort, Rich Little's impressions, Cleo the talking Dog, Jackie Cooper, cheesecake photography, Howling II, Monkey Phases, Wayne and Shuster, comedy by the man, Lorne Michaels, Bob and Ray, the movie "Who?", the Lawrence Welk fan club, Champagne music, blimp hangars, Bishop Sheen, Oral Roberts, getting set up with Charro, Xavier Cugat, bizarre mustaches, Where They Are Now, and the strange UFO obsession of Jackie Gleason.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 542: Joel Zwick Sep 12, 2022

This week Ken welcomes LEGENDARY director Joel Zwick to the show.

Ken and Joel discuss Second Sight, exploding buildings, Boston, John Larroquette, Bronson Pinchot, faithless Cantors, off Broadway experimental theater in the 1960s, Kim Basinger, shooting the rehearsal, LBJ's part in the JFK assassination, having your phone tapped by the FBI, directing sitcoms, coverage, editing, directing over 100 episodes of Full House, growing up in Sheephead's Bay in Brooklyn NY, growing up singing with Carol King, being a natural born entertainer, Jimmy Durante impressions, playing Coco in the Mercado, going to high school with Neil Sedaka, singing in the Cosigns, taking a deal in college, treating people right, having no goals, directing Bustin' Loose, sneaking spec Odd Couple scripts to Jack Klugman via his limo driver, getting your Union Card via Summer Stock, Corvette Summer, how great Annie Potts is, meeting Gary Marshall, Buffalo Bill, unlikable characters, Perfect Strangers, Louie Anderson, Family Matters, how everything changed with episode 8 when Urkel was introduced, the reboot of the Odd Couple, playing a Bunny farmer, directing presentations, unsold pilots, Adventures in Babysitting, Angie, It's a Living, Makin It, Bosom Buddies, the greatness of Penny Marshall, Harvey Corman sitting in the sitcoms audience, The Olson Twins, ugly triplets, John Stamos, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, jumping from movies to TV, how comedic actors can do ANYTHING, how if you don't do comedy you really don't do comedy, Michael Keaton, Working Stiffs, Fat Albert, the amazing talent of Zendaya, Peter Scolari, Adrian Zmed, Boston comics not understanding what stories don't make them look good, Ann Jillian, and the greatness of Lauri Metcaff.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 541: Jeremy Licht Sep 07, 2022

This week Ken welcomes actor Jeremy Licht (Valerie, Twilight Zone: The Movie) to the show.

Ken and Jeremy discuss sweltering heat, art imitating life, riding a giant lobster in the snow in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, being a life long LA kid, disturbing your children by showing them TV movies where your character dies, being the kind of made for TV movies, Twilight Zone: The Movie, doing commercials, growing up in a solid Nuclear family, how being on a sitcom is as close to a 9 to 5 job as it gets as an actor, Valerie, The Hogan Family, 110 episodes over five and a half seasons, shooting at Lorimar, Family Matters, Miller Boyett, Our House, Full House, Chad Allan, getting pranked by Jason Bateman on TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes, having a surrogate family on set, going from being the oldest to the younger brother at work, Danny Ponce, staying in touch with the cast, the rhythm of jokes, set up and punch line, learning how to sitcom, Josh Taylor, getting a speeding ticket as a teen, dealing with the National Inquirer, fan magazines, fan contests, evil publicists, working with Joe Dante, auditioning for Spielberg, E.T., Billy Mumy, not watching the original "It's a Good Life", Kevin McCarthy, loving Third Rock from the Sun, knowing the technical aspects of shooting, having James Woods and Sally Struthers playing your parents, Hal Linden, John Ritter, Sally Field, William Hurt, the intimacy of acting, holding for laughs, having a day job, auditioning now vs in the 80s, All the Way Home, live TV, working on the short film "Seat 23B", working with your wife, directing "Here to There", making TV via Zoom, and being able to say no to things.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 540: Rachel Green Sep 05, 2022

April 30 - May 6, 1988

This week Ken welcomes comedian, violinist and co-host of the live show and now podcast "Boss Bitches", Rachel Green.

Ken and Rachel discuss the NYC/Boston rivalry, Rachel's realization she's a hardcore NYer by going to Boston for school, Landsdown St, Mama Kin, member's of the Celtics members, fights, Dr. Ruth, The Golden Girls, horny old ladies, Mae West in Sextets, Long Island, Goonies 2 The video game, Splash! Too, wet pillows, Hunter, cool/bad parents, shocking babysitters, the lost Facts of Life Eastland Academy series, Amen, childhood, 227, Murder She Wrote, Rachel's favorite Broadway role, Angela Lansbury, Shirly McClain, Puerto Rican Day Parade, The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Cher straddling canons, local urban legends, living with Divorce, Beyond Thunderdome, Jack Tripper's balls, fashion tough guys, meathead NYC Comics, Dave Holmes, Beauty and the Beast, Loni Anderson in the Made For-TV Movie "Necessity", Louie Anderson, somewhat creepy photos, Jack and the Fatman, childhood snacks, divorcing your parents, hecklers, working late night shows, Knotts Landing, Max Headroom, Smoked fish fueled threesomes, dumb people, sexy comedians, The Land of Milk and Funny, Desperate Housewives, Dallas, V, The Highwaymen, Jocko as Jeddo, loving Mere Winningham, the Financial News Network, drama free Doctor shows for chicks and hating on clip shows.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 539: Benari Poulten Aug 29, 2022

July 18-25, 1992

This week Ken welcomes old comedy friend, writer, and comedian Benari Poulten to the show.

Ken and Benari discuss ESPN Fantasy Football, pneumatic tubes, transcripts, Garbage Time, owning TV Guide, Todd McFarlane's Mary Jane being Cindy Crawford, TV's Top Turn Ons, The Rt 3 Cinema in Chelmsford MA, sneaking into movies, how hard research materials used to be to find, Batman trivia, naming all the Catwomen, William Shatner, Adam West, UK citizens being injured by televisions, Mad TV, George HW Bush not knowing how much things cost, Saturday Morning Cartoons, The Hanna Barbera Fantastic Four, Point Break, Miss America, Doctor Who bootlegs, Fox's Summer Seasons, spoiler scoops, Mad Men, MTV's 120 Minutes, the Fleischer Superman cartoons, Monkeys on the Edge, Moving Violations, The Flash, Voices That Care, School Ties, looping after your voice changes, perfect pilots, Home Improvement, Hess Gas Stations, how bizarre the Silent Night Deadly Night series gets, Public Enemy and the Eagles, broadcasting, Studs, STUDS!, Melrose Place, Wonder Years, Growing Pains, Seinfeld, Who's the Boss, Quantum Leap, Dream On, Tales from the Crypt, Different World, The Cosby Show, Jasmine Guy, Young Riders, You Guns 2, life long catch phrases, John Pinette, Parker Lewis Can't Lose, Momlettes, Swamp Thing, Superboy, Universal Studios Florida, Sherman Howard, Lex Luthor, and how fantastic "Down the Shore" was.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 538: Aaron Manahan Aug 22, 2022

December 4-12, 1982

This week Ken welcomes kindred spirt and man behind TheSodaJerk.net, Aaron Manahan.

Ken and Aaron discuss "howdy" and y'all, bragging about installing phones on the set of movies, reviewing sodas, Dr. Pepper, Dublin Soda Works, Texas, Galcos Old World Market, Green Sour Cherry, hating Stevia, the Women of Robotech, Natasha Leone, Ultraman, Voltron, Go Lion!, How Hollywood Sharks prey on Child Actors, Cigarettes, how expensive electronics used to be, Sears Wishbook, Ace Hardware, Sears Pac-man, 1973 Nova, timing guns, terrifying models, the cartoon Meatballs & Spaghetti, red check marks next to your picks, Fast Forward, Les Paul, Gimme a Break!, Love Boat, Month in the Country, Ian McShayne, strong rye, Circus of the Stars, The Jerk Too, Doctor Who, bowling, wrestling, Fairie Tale Theater, M*A*S*H, not having cable, staying up late, Three's Company, 9 to 5, Family Ties tacking gun control, Our Town, Growing Pains, Amish widows, Demonic Toys, Meet the Feebles, Livewire, Fred Newman, Pac-Man Fever, Tom Savini, Altered States, Don't Go To Sleep, Made For-TV movies, weird video games about dictators, how children love fiscal years, Frogger, Spider-Man for Atari, True Value hardware store last minute gifts, go to family vacations and the pros and cons of a Ripley's Believe it or Not!? Museum.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 537: Natasha Sizlo Aug 15, 2022

August 28 - September 3, 1982

This week Ken welcomes author of the new memoir "All Signs Point to Paris", Natasha Sizlo to the show.

Ken and Natasha discuss how this is her very first podcast, having no idea what you're doing in life, the wisdom of children, Natasha's Scottish mother's love of old Hollywood, class and accents, loving Laverne and Shirly, the importance of theme songs, Astrology, moving to Paris, watching television with your family, historical houses, Family Ties, Growing Pains, cigarettes, Rx drugs, Finders of Lost Loves, magicians, mentalism, The Magic Castle, life changing moments, Ouija boards, getting kicked out of boarding school, missing a few essential pop culture years of television, Sabrina, Philadelphia Story, TCM, Rom Coms, meet cutes, loving knowing how the sausage is made, cinematic stories, Bringing Up Baby, Madonna's film career, shared experience, The Facts of Life go to Paris, revisiting Twin Peaks for the first time, how Friends is the new Brady Bunch, and realizing how important television was to you becoming the person you are now.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 536: Otto Bruno Aug 08, 2022

February 7-13, 1976

This week Ken speaks with author of the new book "Barney Miller and the Files of the Ol' One-Two", Otto Bruno.

Ken and Otto discuss growing up in Buffalo, bonding with your dad over Barney Miller, second choices, working in radio, Ken and Otto's very different musical tastes, Danny Arnold, new characters, actors playing different characters on the same show, Jack Davis' drawing of the Barney Miller cast, press photos, Jack Soo's Motown lp, talking to Hal Linden, pinpointing when the audience disappeared, lasting five seasons, not cracking the top 30, TV taping tickets, being interested in neither the Olympics nor Rich Man Poor Man, Royal Dano, Lawrence Welk, looking at your own personal copy of TV Guide, the TV week free from the paper, Mary Tyler Moore, SCTV, Bob Hope, Sonny and Cher's solo shows, William Conrad, Orson Wells, freezers filled with frozen Howard Johnson Fried Clams and Friendlys Ice Cream, M*A*S*H, Dinah Shore Show, David Brenner, Robert Klein, Steve Martin, Albert Brooks, dumb humor vs smart humor, Chuck Jones' The Boy Who Was Raised by Wolves, Robert Loggia as Johnny Beer, Theater in America, Smarmy classic Burt Reynolds, Brad Dourif, why Frank Luger is Ken's favorite character, avoiding social issues, humanity, enamel pins, Badges, The Hollywood Museum, James Garner, Joe Dante, being left out of being a Monster Kid, film noir, and the weirdness of POV media in a pre video game world.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 535: Mike Kane Jul 31, 2022

March 12-18, 1988

This week Ken welcomes musician, fellow punk kid, and front man of Michael Kane and the Morning Afters (who's new record Broke But Not Broken is great), Mike Kane.

Ken and Mike discuss growing up in Worcester, divorce, Kevin Can Go F*@k Himself, how great Wayne is, working in an arcade, Judith Light, MediaPlay, gang fights, seeing people beaten with bats, living in a used record store, tapes, not being able to just leave things in the wild, Elvis Costello, the first comic Ken ever bought, TableTalk Pies, Mary Tonnacocaine, Dennis the Menace, The New Mr. Wilson, cartoon guest stars, Nick at Nite, President style names, is TV getting worse?, feeling old, Generic Price and Bold Flavor, cigarettes, Skor Bars, gummy candies, David Copperfield, Peter Gabriel and magicians, Punk Brewster and "The Gift", Women in Prison, Alan/Miles, Saturday Night's Main Event, Worcester Centrum, Brutus The Barber Beefcake, being slightly less dirtbag than your average kid, Brian Bosnell and the Ataris, The People's Choice Awards, Ken's hatred of Led Zeppelin, The Terminator, Eddie and the Cruisers, Ken's vow to never forgive Baby Jessica, dating Adult Jessica, Jessie Camp, MTV contests, why Perfect Strangers is the best theme song to belt out, covering TV Themes, Ken's dislike of Cocksparrer, arguing with Alf, Christopher Lloyd in The Dictator, WKRP in Cincinnati, I Want to Hold Your Hand, Eddie Deezen, Growing Pains, Head of the Class, Just the Ten of Us, Grease, defending the Cosby Show without defending Cosby, Richard Moll: Dungeonmaster, how unusual bald people on TV was, Lionel Richie's Dancing on the Ceiling, Kenny Rogers, Dad tapes, Eddie Murphy, Bronson Pinchot, the origins of the "horny older lady", how it's ok to be a nurse, Mr. Belvedere, the audience participation episode of Matlock, complaining about the loss of Chuck Connors on Werewolf, and Alf (pictured right).

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 534: Gianmarco Soresi Jul 25, 2022

Janury 16-22, 2006

This week Ken welcomes actor and comedian Gianmarco Soresi.

Ken and Gianmarco discuss the smells of NYC, heat, the Fung Wah bus, bus drivers doing bits, "it was a GUY!", Ellios vs Upper East Side Ellio's, going to NYC with your Dad, growing up in the DC area, how The Producers is pretty dirty for 8th Grade, being a child of divorce, South Park, party Dads, woods porn, wondering who is secretly a monster, sitcom set for life money, OJ Simpson's If I Did It, Lost, watching things weekly vs binging, Inside Dr. McDreamy's Trailer, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, The 700 Club vs. S Club 7, bad wifi in the bathroom, True Blood, 24 and the justification of torture, Homeland, lazy writing posing as progressiveness, Dave Chapelle's return at Aspen in 2006, Scrubs, Supernatural, Fear Factor, class action suits, 3M paying $40M, Will and Grace, gay sex, Glee, Jane Lynch, owning the corny, Rent, Spike TV Fresh Baked Video Games, Austin Powers, Benny Hill marathons, Inside the Actors Studio, Damon Waynes, Dorothy Hamel, LAPD fighting vampires, The Shield, and not rolling out old people who are too ill to be performing.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 533: Lexi Alexander Jul 18, 2022

September 28 - October 6, 1985

This week Ken welcomes writer, director, martial artist and all around real life super hero Lexi Alexander to the show.

Ken and Lexi discuss the long road to this episode happening, being on the right side of things, the great hope of the internet, piracy, how the users can ruin a new technology, the conflict of finance and creativity, growing up in Germany and Jordan, moving to the U.S., being World Champion, being sponsored by Bill "Superfoot" Wallace and Chuck Norris, missing the pop culture of the country you grew up in, Air force bases, not understanding America until you actually live there, kickboxing, hate groups, people being different privately than in public, how white Boston is, Black Boston, where Reggae in America got it's start, nostalgia, Stranger Things, the toxicity of Hollywood, pitching things, getting fired from Batman, the dangers of contact lenses, whip chains, treating people right, Punisher: War Zone, avoiding conflict, when stunts go wrong, how so much content is bad for people, being outspoken, Shaw Brothers Theaters, Cynthia Rothrock, the weirdness of 1985, wig down, paint down, martial arts styles, why flying backfists are for assholes, Germans being stuck in the 80s, David Hasselhoff, only moving a little bit past the mullet, Misfits of Science, Scarecrow and Mrs. King, Hart to Hart, the love hate relationships with your home countries, children's programming, Christmas Specials, Doctor Who, bowling on TV, the rise of team sports on TV, fixing 80s toys, The Wedding Singer, novelty pens with floating elements, the bliss of childhood ignorance, Atomic Blonde, how difficult it is to look glam while fighting, The Fall Guy, Gen Xers, The A-Team, Beverly Hills 90210, The Cosby Show, Baywatch, how difficult it is to dub comedies in foreign languages, how episodes of shows can be movies in theaters, Lexi's unmade reboot of Baywatch, the downfall of post-apocalyptical wish fulfillment culture, why people in 2022 aren't down for environmental horrors, The Trigger Effect, government propaganda, how Vietnam effect media differently than the Gulf War(s), the Red Dawn remake, avoiding trauma in media, fixing watches and the mystery of TikTok.

TV Guide Episode 532: Baratunde Thurston Jul 11, 2022

July 16-22, 1994

This week Ken welcomes old friend and current host of the new PBS series "America Outdoors with Baratunde Thurston", Baratunde Thurston.

Ken and Baratunde discuss satellites, fiber optics, being the thousand points of light, how professional Baratunde is, Baratunde's first (self) published book autographed to Ken, 2004, the greatness of the show title, lack of aging, assigned homework, the wonder of 1994, Cindy Crawford, the weirdness of 89 cents, working fax lines, The Ground Round "pay what you weigh", Bill O'Reiley's lucrative PR fueled hobby, creating our own monsters, cigarettes, The Moon Landing, riding OUTSIDE the plane, deciding if we'd go into space or not, VR, A Man Called Hawk, AIDS awareness 18 month calendar, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, COPS, 227, Washington DC, Living Single, Baratunde's theme song concert, ROC, Good Morning Mr. Hitler, Discovery Channel, "The Hitler Network", The Fresh Prince of Bel Aire, reboots, The Oxbow Incident, The Running Man, Robocop, Unsolved Mysteries, The Air and Space Museum, Astronaut Ice Cream, The American Ninja Series, The Heights, wanting to experience the awkward teen years, Cliffhanger, Hanging with Mr. Cooper, Jeff Jarvis, The Franklin Mint, collector plates, guilding everything, and the outdoors.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 531. Brittany Luse & Eric Eddings Jul 04, 2022

February 2-8, 2002

This week Ken welcomes longtime friends and co-hosts of the "For Colored Nerds" podcast, Brittany Luse and Eric Eddings.

Ken, Brittany and Eric discuss living in L.A. and NYC but still doing a podcast together, being a vibes person, getting married, Bernie Mac, Mac & Cheese, growing up in Memphis and the Detroit area, living in NYC, The Original Kings of Comedy, Larry Wilmore, driving around and looking at Christmas lights, why middle of the road is popular, Ken's Jimmy Fallon hate, Ken's James Corden Hate, sitcoms based on stand up acts, how 9/11 lead to a rise in reality TV and violent shows, Sex in the City, seeing Cynthia Nixon on the subway, 227, African American Actors' Roundtable, Marla Gibbs, Touched by an Angel, My Girl 1 and 2, forgetting Billy Blanks, Everclear vs Everlast, the 2002 New England Patriots Super Bowl, Sabrina, Inside the Actors Studio, Greg Kinear, the Golden Age of Celebrity Sex Tapes, Unsolved Mysteries, Sightings, The Real World New Orleans, SVU, the Steven Segal trilogy, Witchblade, Black female stand up comics in the 80s, Whoopie Goldberg, Tami Roman, Will & Grace, Gilmore Girls, how creepy "My Father the Hero" is, Shelby Woo, which Dawson's Creek cast member we think we are, That 80s Show, Charmed, Just Shoot Me, David Spade, taking the blame, Ernest Dickerson, how Tales from the Crypt Demon Knight is Jada Pinkett's best role, Porn on PBS, loving Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Mortal Kombat, Double Dragon, Space Jam, loving the (Summer) Olympics, knowing nothing about basketball, World Cup, Survivor, never taking credit for Cheers and Jeers, Brenda Strong on The Weakest Link, and Kevin Nealon's Conspiracy Zone on TNN.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 530: Anne-Marie Johnson Jun 27, 2022

This week Ken welcomes actor, producer, director and form VP of the Screen Actors Guild, Anne-Marie Johnson to the show.

Ken and Anne-Marie discuss L.A. rain, droughts, growing up in L.A., being a second generation Angelino, landlines, covenants, helping others, how things are better now, Boston's weird racism and unfriendlyness, Spenser for Hire, Roots, teamster shake downs, A Man Called Hawk, In the Heat of the Night, having supportive parents, Carol Burnett, I Love Lucy, musical theater, sitcoms, Diff'rent Strokes, Double Trouble, first encounters with Scientology, High School USA, movie actors vs TV actors, social media, Robert Townsend, Hollywood Shuffle, I'm Gonna Git You Sucka, What's Happening Now?, The Decline of the American Empire, representation, NBC, the era of true broadcasting, cross over stars, The Fresh Prince of Bell Air, the horror of "paint down", diversity, Good Times, The Jeffersons, Room 222, the magic of multi-cam sitcoms in front of live audiences, dating a comic, seeing yourself on TCM, watching them film Knight Rider, lying so you can interview Carol Burnett in high school, going to John Marshall High School the high school from EVERYTHING, the difficulty of being a background actor, stand ins, Dream Date, the other side of the Potsie/Paul Shore incident, being called by your character name, enjoying the anonymity of wearing masks, The Comedy Act Theater, Shriley Hemphill's advice, standing up for yourself, being a Sparkle Girl, getting fired as a tour guide at Universal Studios, Tommy Davidson, In Living Color, loving working with Jim Carrey, the brutality of the SNL model, not supporting meanness, how the problems of America are not new, access to information, being particularly proud of T.E.A.R.S: The Event Against Racism and Stereotyping, exploring the relationship between the African American Community and the LAPD as the daughter of an LAPD officer, the quality of network TV and the pathetic amounts on residual checks.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 529: Damon Blake Jun 20, 2022

January 15-21, 1994

This week Ken welcomes Try Channel All-Star and all around fine Irish humor machine Damon Blake to the show.

Ken and Damon discuss Ken and Damon's terrorization by Ed Sheeran, moving around a lot, whatever the Hell the deal is with Boston, living in Texas, how nobody in Ireland actually wears crosses, how social media is like homework, not watching your friends Social Media, how Ken is a fraud, being the Mind Hunter of Heterosexuality, FTD playing Dr with a Cock mug, Avery Brooks, Star Trek, being sponsored by Vaseline, Ken's punk rock days, getting in fights with neo-Nazis, Japanese shows, Documental, the kung fu of comedy, Bruce Campbell, Briscoe County Jr, Jack of All Trades, having a stack of things to watch, TekWar, the nature of fame today, sex cults, misdirection, Patrick Stewart's Days of Future Past PRE-X-MEN, Alan Moore, Grant Morrison, Tom Arnold, the Tom vs Roseanne public battles, The "Who's Jackie?" story, Joss Whedon, Comic Relief (USA), the aversion to violence young people have, how right wingers are not funny, awful audiences, Baywatch, The George Carlin Show, being in debt to mobsters, VR Ken Reid, Sam Raimi, staying up all night, Late Night talk shows, Spock, Irish TV, The John Laroquette Show, Dan Harmon, State Run TV, Irish people doing impressions of other Irish people, Bonecrushers, Voyager, Ken's New England Patriots connection to Putin, how all shows should end either in a time loop or a snow globe, Dellamorte Dellamore (aka Cemetery Man), Rescue 911, severe burns, the Fraiser 9-11 conspiracy, Rolling Thunder, Tommy Lee Jones, Grace Under Fire, Sex Killers using Sex as a Weapon, The X-Files, Irish guilt, Rawhead Rex, use of the word "suck" on TV, Ken's mother's favorite swear, sending the podcast into space, Shatz PA, and getting a dick cut off.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 528: Mary Kate Wiles Jun 13, 2022

April 13-19, 2009

This week Ken welcomes actor (The Fairly Odd Parents: Fairly Odder on Paramount+, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries), Shipwrecked Comedy member, producer, writer and natural blonde Mary Kate Wiles to the show.

Ken and Mary Kate discuss growing up in Arkansas, being in the closet, living in Los Angeles, second choices, being engaged to somebody from Marblehead, how 2009 feels like yesterday, Amy Poehler, Parks and Rec, living in the sticks, when cool stuff comes to your hometown after you leave, culture shock, how small the world is now, watching stuff with your Mom growing up, being a PBS only kid by edict, missing Nicktoons, Sex and the City, Bones, faking it with novelizations, from blonde to redhead to blonde, all the weddings on TV, Scrubs, things Ken has never seen, The Office, American Idol, TV Guide's Sexiest Stars Party, celebrity weight loss, Surviving Suburbia with Bob Saget, Model Behavior, cooking shows, America's Next Top Model, weird reality show challenges, Hell's Kitchen, Gordon Ramsey, Will and Grace, Lost, Ken's constant and annoying recommendations of Fringe, The Middle, how Lord of the Rings inspired Mary Kate to act, having your body scanned to be in Grand Theft Auto V, Halloweentown, super weird creepy Prayer Crosses, Lara Croft Tomb Raider, Just the Ten of Us, Ken's thoughts on Wandavision, the MCU, Toy Biz, Forgotten Silver, not recommending Meet the Feebles to a LOTR Peter Jackson Fan, pageants, and how bizarre TV Land's "The Cougar" was.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 527: Drew McWeeny Jun 06, 2022

August 28 - September 3, 1993

This week Ken welcomes film critic, screen writer and all around movie oracle Drew McWeeny to the show.

Ken and Drew discuss Ken's shock that people listen to the show, 1993, the Late Night Wars, moving to LA, going to an Arsenio taping, loving Letterman, the beauty of late night TV, Tom Snyder, being terrified by the Son of Sam, watching TV late at night, SVHS, getting a snapshot of a time and place, being heavily into laserdiscs, Ken Crane, what The Grimace's Second Wife watches, 227, spin offs, the beauty of YouTube, Dick Cavett, Ken's dislike of Leno, Mike Nesmith's Television Parts, It's Gary Shandling's Show, the shock of Letterman not getting The Tonight Show, Leno screwing over Conan, the magic of panels, closed captioning, how bad they still are, the writer's strike, The "New" Mission Impossible, developing an MST3k Habit, rent-a-friend, Dream On, Tales from the Crypt, Body Bags, John Carpenter, Mick Garris, Ken's love of The Real World, SNL, loving late night pay cable in the 80s and 90s, USA Up All Night, The Creature Feature Movie Guide, TV Guide 2 star movies, the debut of Nickelodeon's SNICK, why animators were the best kinds of nerds, Ren & Stimpy, Bruce Campbell, Briscoe County Jr., 120 Minutes, The MTV Music Video Awards, The MTV Movie Awards, getting fired from being a tour guide at Universal Studios, MTV Week in Rock, Roseanne, the sad decline of Tobe Hooper, Invaders from Mars, Stephen King's Sleepwalkers, The Larry Sanders Show, Tall Hopes, The John Larroquette Show, loving The X-Files even though it's not on yet, Bonnie Hunt's The Building, Bob, Eye Witness Video, how important music videos were, knowing the directors, and how much the world has changed.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 526: Jono Zalay May 30, 2022

May 15-21, 1982

This week Ken welcomes old friend, and man behind the new comedy album "Midnight Oil", Jono Zalay.

Ken and Jono discuss when Jono lives in Boston, his PhD, surfboards, how Jono is a California guy, Marco Polo, hair, An American Family, TV the week Jono was born, Divorced Dad technology circa 1982, how much video recorders were, projection TVs, the fourth branch of government, how politics becoming entertainment is bad for us all, The Diceman, Gerri Jewell, our first stand up shows as an audience member, self deprecating roast jokes, Jono's heavy drinking, Marsha Warfield, Starship Trooper, Rollerball, Harold and Maude, Love Boat, mini-series, television events, Alice, Spaghetti Westerns, TV budgets, getting hooked on soaps, Puff the Magic Dragon, Australian Rules Football, the horror of submarines, depressing TV movies, Country Emotions, immediate gratification, Nick Nolte, the plague of hypnosis, the Red Chinese, Hawaii, getting Japanese history wrong, Aliens, Ken recommending Fringe again, Barney Miller, sitcom books, James Garner, Lilly Tomlin specials, punk rock scare media, Jodie Foster, teen pimps, Captain Kirk the other one, the world's most incredible Maxipad ad, and the magic that is David Horowitz's FIGHT BACK!

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 525: Dave Thomas May 23, 2022

After more than 8 years of doing the show Ken finally speaks to a beloved member of the SCTV cast as he welcomes, writer, producer, actor, and director, Dave Thomas to the show.

Ken and Dave discuss growing up in Durham, NC in the 1950s despite being Canadian, Tex and Edna Boyle's Organ Emporium, giving away free pets with purchases, buying cowboy guns and becoming an arms dealer in the eyes of the Canadian government, working in Radio, Rick Moranis, Westerns, TV theme songs, the explosion of advertising jingles, working for the college newspaper, the Godspell production that changed comedy forever, running the Coca-Cola account, King of Kensington, Second City, SCTV, going to college with Doug Henning, CBC Radio, Tim Conway, writing jingles, leaving a high paying job for a career in the arts, working in ads, selling TV shows, Harvey K-Tel, SCTV Network 90, being the head writer, careers from match books, Brandon Tartikof, the birth of Bob and Doug McKenzie, three minute segments, anonymous writers, John Candy, producing your own wrap arounds, realizing what people can do and encouraging it, the secret of SCTV's parodies, impressions of Spielberg, getting a letter from Spielberg, getting pushed by Richard Harris, directing "The Experts", B-Men, unkillable bikers, stunts, his new book The Many Lives of Jimmy Leighton and how everything is bullshit in the best way.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 524: Greg Stevens May 16, 2022

March 31- April 6, 1979

This week Ken welcomes the man behind the Pop Arena YouTube Channel and the force behind Nick Knacks, Greg Stevens to the show.

Ken and Greg discuss Idaho, the I states, growing up in CA but moving to the midwest, the birth of Nickelodeon, MTV, the cutthroat nature of the cable business in the 1970s, cigarettes, shared experience, the 80s and 90s boom of VCR driven television preservation, the lost media of the 21st Century, prescient and haunting articles about Robin Williams on Mork and Mindy, the news, After School Specials, The Baby with Four Fathers, Filmation Live Action, Roller Derby, Saturday Mornings, Hollywood Teen, how the Bad News Bears TV series is the best Bad News Bears, LA's Channel 18 KSCI owned by The transcendental Medication Movement, positive programming, Dynaman, Night Flight, hatred of 80s teen comedies, Delta House, love boat, Easter programming, Kraft Food Hints, demon fruit plates, Space Junk Yard Men looking for scrap, Andy Griffith, Conversations with Charlie Lutes, WKRP, the mystery of "Slim Skins", Cliffhangers, Dracula, offensive pulp images, Taxi, Disney Cartoons, Lucha Libre, Police Woman, Night Gallery, Dear Detective and how Mr. Wizard shows you how to make giant turtles attack people.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 523: Michael C. Maronna May 09, 2022

June 13-19, 1992

This week Ken welcomes the "Mike" of the Adventures of Danny and Mike and the "Big" of The Adventures of Pete and Pete himself, Michael C. Maronna.

Ken and Mike discuss Italian foods, mutual love of seltzer, Galco's Soda Pop Stop, Yelp Reviews, adult businesses, assimilation, movies with popular soundtracks and eh movies, Judgement Night, The Bodyguard, The Bill Chill, SFW, SLC Punk, Frankenguitars, a love of solder, Nebraska, Los Punks: The Documentary, the music on Pete and Pete, Boston, MTV, Nickelodeon, Katherine Dieckmann, Kate Peirson, LL Cool J, Iggy Pop, King Kongs made of Legos, Hawaiian Punch, toilet paper commercials, being IN the TV Guide you picked, Bob Saget, single Dads, divorced Dads, Wayne's World, Repo Man, our punk rock awakening, What Reba watches, the name "Narvel", creepy LA Gear commercials, British Knights, Space Camp, Double Dare, how John Madden would be the pitch man for just about anything, Dream On, Lorenzo Lamas hosting Evening at the Improv, Quantum Leap, reality TV, Morton Downey Jr, The A-Team, the Gilmore Girls spin off that never happened, the Pete and Pete finale, Mickey Rooney, The Hollywood Museum, correcting people on the name of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Ed O'Neil, The French Connection, To Live and Die in LA, The Choice Hotels International Special Presentation of Batman Returns: The Bat, The Cat and the Penguin hosted by Robert Urich, Jason Priestly, "Teen Priest", the weirdest episode ever of Drexel's Class, The Driver, how weird Bruce Dern can be, The Home Alone reunion, the secret origins of Snow Day, Chris Koch, the Sony Watchman, Swamp Thing, roller skating parties, not ever roller blading despite your character being fingered for a murder due to roller blading, the helmet panic, what to show your kids, moving from in front of the camera to behind it and vice versa, and paying Thundercats forward.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 522: Rob Stone May 02, 2022

This week Ken welcomes writer, director and former Mr. Belvedere actor Rob Stone to the show.

Ken and Rob discuss how Ken has now had all THREE actors who played the kids on Mr. Belvedere on the show, Rob growing up in Dallas Texas, loving movies growing up, feeling a million miles away from the Entertainment industry, working in theater, not growing up in the business, wanting to be a stunt man, directing part I of the Mr. Belvedere finale, the family atmosphere on set, Bob Uker, the strange origins of Mr. Belvedere, Noam Pitlik, writing and directing short films, being fascinated with the behind the scenes. documentary films, The Blue Angels, going to USC, Very Special Episodes, doing a play every week, Facts of Life, 21 Jump Street, meeting guest stars, mid-season replacements, Jason Priestly, realizing later how important very special episodes were to the culture, having communal experiences, how the internet allows your kids to watch your most embarrassing moments, The Revenge of the Nerds pilot, Robbie Rist, Kay Lenz, The Infinity War of Sitcoms- Crash Course, BD Wong, one of the few things Rob didn't have to audition for, loving Family Ties, IMAX, the improving technology of filmmaking, how documentaries have become very mainstream, Filmmakers Journey, George Stevens, The Who in concert, being a drummer, Midnight Movies, The Sidewalk Motel, Max Weinberg, getting Bruce Springsteen to donate a song to you, filming in the same studio as It's Gary Shandling's Show!, Dolly Parton's variety show, loving Henry Winkler, THE urban legend or not Mr. Belvedere question, having Doug Benson as a roommate and beating Lorenzo Lamas during the Battle of the Network Stars.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 521: Caitlin McGurk Apr 25, 2022

April 5-11, 1997

This week Ken welcomes , Curator of Comics and Cartoon Art, and Associate Professor, The Ohio State University Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum and co-host of the Found Footage Festival's Shaterday Morning Cartoons, Caitlin McGurk.

Ken and Caitlin discuss being a transplanted New Yorker, calling from Ohio, living in a small town, Ken's near death experience in Vermont, growing up on Long Island, never going into "the city", the danger of the big city, Commack LI, Rosie O'Donnell and Bob Costas being famous alum of your High School, The Muppets, going to a taping of Rosie's talk show, Another Stakeout, losing your mom at a young age, the importance of representation, next door neighbors having an amusement park in their back yard, childhood injuries, Jon Stewart's ill fated talk show, SNICK, Kablam!, Nickelodeon magazine, underground cartoonists, Liquid Television, Southern Fried Fugitives, collecting comic book cards as a kid, Cadillacs and Dinosaurs, The Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot, The Tick, black boxes, watching alien pornography by accident, The X-Files, Killer Garage Doors, Unsolved Mysteries, Ticketmaster, Ken's hot inside tip for buying concert tickets in the 1990s, cable access teaching Ken the difference between hardcore and softcore sex, Unsolved Mysteries Haunted Bunk Bed, Cropsey, urban legends, Biodome, Pauly Shore, the hidden evil behind Biosphere II, Dana Carvey and how his comedy special was EVERYTHING, loving Mimi on Drew Carey, the tragic loss of Phil Hartman, newsradio, when John Lovitz was a jerk to Ken, learning from ER, generational obsession with Topanga, TGIF, TV Guide's vocabulary, the Hunchback lawsuit, sad kids telling Oprah sad stories about being sad, and how The Adventures of Pete and Pete is the greatest TV show of all time.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 520: Marly Halpern-Graser II Apr 18, 2022

July 23 - August 5, 2007

This week Ken welcomes old friend, animation writer Marly Halpern-Graser back to the show.

Ken and Marly discuss the last time he was on the show, SEVEN years ago, Marly's new MCU podcast with his brother, Thai food, Ken and Marly's tradition of getting Italian food in L.A., the influence of Sleeping Beauty on Italian Horror films, Aquaman, how much people get paid in Hollywood, pitching shows, when Marly first moved to L.A., Heroes, Lost, the 2007 Sci-Fi TV boom, I Hate My 30s, VH1's original programming, BBC America showing Star Trek, Doctor Who, getting into Tom Baker, how Ken was the "put together" stand up in the 00s, Zebro, Chocolate Cake City, making online content in the early days of the internet, Shark Week, Snakes on a Plane, Back to the Future/Brokeback Mountain mashups, San Diego Comic Con, Emerson College, Kevin Bright, Hulu, how much it costs to set somebody on fire, making Nazis the heroes, The Gifted, watch parties, the weird sad end of Stan Lee, the mystery of why Ken has never been on the Warner Bros lot, Loonatics, Legion of Superheroes, The Batman, living in an apartment building for child actors, being more open minded about TV, Ken re-writing the New Mutants movie, Siskel & Ebert, confusing Batman '89 and Batman '66, Ken never watching the Jon Stewart era of The Daily Show, Steven Segal movies, when Jeremy Piven got punched in the dick at a comedy club in Boston, why videos of bad people getting hurt are always funny, the grape stomping news blooper, when Superboy fought Spider-Man, The Greatest Open Mic in the History of the World, Right Now Kapow, feeling thrilled and then instantly embarrassed when Graham Linehan gave you a compliment, Buckaroo Banzai, how there are five new Spongebobs this week, Code Monkeys, Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, The Naked Brothers Band, real life superheroes, The Simpsons, MoreMAX, HBO II, Entourage, Flight of the Conchords, how hard Joey failed, and how Ken is probably responsible for The Mighty Boosh airing on Adult Swim.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 519: Jeff May Apr 11, 2022

January 20-26, 1996

This week Ken welcomes former Boston, now L.A., based comic and fellow comic book lover Jeff May to the show.

Ken and Jeff discuss technology, selling your soul, Wizard of Bard, long sleeve vs. short sleeve shirts, sweat shirts, weird bodies, Blast from the Past, comic book stores, buying TV Guides, Burbank, That's Entertainment, Sci-Fi Issues, sports and fantasy, Shatner as Michael Meyers mask, Arizona, the weirdness of time zones, Mountain Time, space station astronauts doing Tim Allen's grunt, Galaxy Quest, Tony Robbins, Leeza Gibbons fake infomercial, Robocop, not believing in ghosts, Celebrity Horroscope, giant soda, Diet Rite Chocolate Soda, Delta Burke, Polar Seltzer, Worcester MA, SNICK, Mary Tona-Cocaine, Table Talk Pies, Frozen Pizza, The Golden Globes, Weird Science the TV series, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, hating Dean Caine, The Adventures of Lois and Clark, bootleg grandma VHS, Renaissance Man being two stars, The Babysitter's Seduction, Collector's Plates, Dr. Crusher slapping your ass, BMG mail fraud, The Drew Carey Show, Montell Williams, Nowhere Man, It Could Happen to You, The Valley, Mario Van Peebles, hating friends, how offensive Ferengi are, Star Trek, appreciating Data, Tank Girl, pre-2000s Comic Book movies, the Punish with Dolph Lundgren bootleg, Judge Dredd, Demolition Man, Lucy Lawless vs Kevin Sorbo, terrible comics in Boston who continue to get booked, transphobia, Ken writing for Richard Roundtree, the Cheers Robots, using antennas, TBS, network TV, The Jeff Has Cool Friends Podcast, California Dreams, Thomas Dolby, cell phone ring tones, Nokia, and the mystery of Huey Lewis and The News.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 518: Dan Larson Apr 04, 2022

January 18 - 24, 1986

This week Ken welcomes the man behind the Toy Galaxy YouTube empire and fellow pop culture obsessed New Englander Dan Larson to the show.

Ken and Dan discuss how you can never leave New England, Night Court, NBC, Ken's broken Toaster Oven/TV Week theory, original artwork, Hulked out Teletubbies, How TV doesn't rot children's minds, the pitfalls and negatives of The Internet, IS IT CANON!?, Jim Henson, finding out that Piggy and Kermit are not actually married, A Muppet Family Christmas, Cigarette Ads, how Sprocket's owner is different in every country, The Temptations and sort of the Temptations, treating her like a lady, Bill Buckner, Red Sox Mascots, The San Diego Chicken, Gimme a Break, The Facts of Life, Stand Up Comedy, talent scouts, why America is too young to die, The Twilight Zone, Love Boat, Cherie being trapped in the refrigerator, not knowing CPT, teen pregnancies on Silver Spoons, pretending to be married in High School, Erin Grey, Amazing Stories, Tron with a gun, David Horowitz FIGHT BACK!, being held at gunpoint live on TV, The Prince of Bel-Air, short shorts, Mark Harmon, Club Med: The Movie, taping things, The Muppets A Celebration of 30 Years, A-Team, Moonlighting, Spenser for Hire, Amish people, MacGuyver, being a fan of old airplanes, avoiding Hot Air Balloons, Stewart Pankin, Not Necessarily The News, Rescue 911, Divorce Court, Cosby Show, why Cheers and the Cheers-verse is the greatest ever, Wesley's Friend, AIDS on TV, kidnapping Danny Cooksey on Diff'rent Strokes, Simon LeBon in the deep blue sea and why all magicians are EVIL.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 517: Brian Salisbury Mar 28, 2022

October 2-8, 1999 This week Ken welcomes BACK to the show, one half of the Junkfood Cinema and Replay Per View podcasts Brian Salisbury.

Ken and Brian discuss doing it backwards, going remote, selling shows, Videodrome becoming TV, The Red Sox, Pedro Martinez, growing up in Indiana and being regional free agent, growing up in Boston not a Boston Sports fan, the 1986 World Series, how Ken sometimes doesn't care, Dan Duquette, Mitt Romney's bathroom habits, sexing up Melissa Joan Hart, Melissa Ethridge's Glamor Shots, Shasta McNasty, Homeboys in Outer Space, UPN, people who secretly have more than one family, Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot, Dark Horse Comics, Double Dragon, Halloween H20, Pay Per View movies, the weird era of the internet, Ken's love of Ruby Wax, Cops, Relic Hunter, 1:30 am advertising, The Outer Limits, The Simpsons, Futurama, Celebrity Death Match, H..E..Double Hockey Sticks!, how annoying it is to hear Ken drop names of former guests, WWE, the worst era of graphic design ever, Ladies Man, CBS Monday Night Comedy, Canadian shot Sci-Fi series, Cindy Margolis, Vern Troyer, Red Dwarf, Ken listening to WMFO 91.5 for the Industrial music show "Goddamn Governed by Electronics", Doctor Who, Scream, Kevin Williamson, Dirty Work, Norm, funny adult film titles, Drew Carey, Dark Skies, Roswell, WHERE'S ROSWELL?, Who's Line Is It Anyway?, Tourette's, The Adventures of Pete and Pete, MaxX (Maximum Exposure), Mission Hill, Dinner and a Movie, a full Cheers about Emmy's, Jeers within Jeers and Brian's personal Jeer to Ken for making him remember MTV's Say What Karaoke.

TV Guidance Counselor: NECC March 2022 Part II: Candy Clark, Tara Reid, Vernon Wells Mar 25, 2022

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 516: Bridget Tyler Mar 21, 2022

February 20-26, 1993

This week Ken welcomes novelist, screen writer and all around cool human being Bridget Tyler to the show.

Ken and Bridget discuss being safe at home, the boring Apocalypses, going on vacation with children, parenting in the age of streaming, the later seasons of sitcoms and how weird they get, if it's better or worse to be a parent now, telling time via TV, dopamine hits, object permanence, not caring about your parents' jobs, the greatness of Jane Seymour, awful visual puns, Hollywood's continued underestimation of Women, how much the job of critics has changed, cigarettes, what is sexy in 1993, the issues with period pieces, going to school in London, bombed out buildings, NYU, how having no rules can make things uninteresting, drinking a lot in the 1930s, Dr. Quinn, All Creatures Great and Small, Mad About You, having a good reason to do a sequel series, growing up in Orchard Country, Battlestar Galactica, Star Trek, getting cable, Berkeley CA, banned 1980s cartoons, Jonathan Frakes, Deep Space Nine, Blossom, The Fresh Prince, writing on Burn Notice, Star Wars, being in Miami, being a novelist, writing novels vs screenplays, how an actor sometimes knows their character better than anyone else, The Jackie Thomas Show, when TV was an art form, Lost vs Battlestar Galactica, Fringe, watching a show wind down when it knows its ending, X-Files, Lore vs Monster of the Week, Seinfeld, Matt Nix, having a "NO" person, cringe comedy, In Living Color, Men on Film, Fox's early identity, hating Dinosaurs, Paul Riser as an actor, Aliens, all Cindy all the time, Dennis Leary, 1995's Fair Game, knowing your limitations, the horrors of 24/7 news cycles, and Barbara Walters' "We're in Touch and so You're in Touch" sign off.

BONUS! NECC 2022 John Wesley Shipp and Nicole Kang Mar 18, 2022

I left the house! I talked to some people in person last weekend at North East Comic Con! Here's a great chat I had with John Wesley Shipp (Flash(s), Dawson's Creek) and Nicole Kang (Batwoman, You)

Enjoy!

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 515: Amy Shiels Mar 15, 2022

This week Ken welcomes Twin Peaks actor Amy Shiels to the show.

Ken and Amy discuss how Ken is hanging in there the best he can, how Ken and Amy like wearing masks, how the Irish dress inappropriately for weather, living in L.A., rain gear, people who wear shorts in the Winter, how Amy is old fashioned romantically, never watching Fair City despite all your friends being in it, how so many thing shoot in Ireland now, Scandy Noir, recognizing Stately Homes on TV, loving acting for the work itself, the National Treasure that is the Late Late Toy Show, scoring tickets to the Late Late Toy Show, living the Pretty Woman life, having three American breakfasts every day, how NY is a cruel place, going to the wrong kind of premiere, Father Ted, Air Lingus pilots, Pop Culture Black Holes, Friends, Dawson's Creek, forgetting your headshots, auditions, how Ken has good luck, absolutely loving Korean television, My Mr, Amy's dog Sonny Jim, Mexican Narcos dramas, The Dark Crystal, loving the Muppets, "Kermie", Fraggle Rock, Twin Peaks, David Lynch, hating having to wait for a show every week, getting used to binging, Gone With the Wind, Yellowjackets, Yellowstone, how Highlander is the reason Amy became an actor, making your own edged weapons, Dynasty, working with your heroes, being the kind of person who always asks questions, doing voices for video games, violence on TV, people personally oversharing about a genre and the future.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 514: Laura Leigh Abby Mar 07, 2022

March 30-April 5, 2002

This week Ken welcomes writer and host of the new Seventeen podcast Laura Leigh Abby to the show.

Ken and Laura discuss The Hudson Valley, growing up just outside of a major city, Manhattan, before the CW Revolution, the weird early '00s gross out teen sexy comedy film cycle, Reality TV, growing out of the Real World, Celine Dion, how Las Vegas isn't a family place, The Got Milk ads, Hanson, posters on your wall, Andre Agassi, the grossness of the Olson Twins "countdown", how former child stars with money always become "fashion designers", low rise and beige, the awful fashion and design of the early '00s, when Ken was too cool for Varsity Blues, The Program, how horribly embarrassing being a teenager is, carrying cards with numbers, awful catch phrases, The Weakest Link, The Osbournes, Jack Osbourne, Paris HIlton, sex tapes, The World's Greatest Tortellini, Ken eating whole pies, The Bodyguard, Whitney Houston, That '70s Show, the UK version of That '70s Show, 9/11 movies, ripped from the headlines, Patriot's Day, Ken's beef with Marky Mark, Robinhood Men in Tights, Felicity, Emerson College, The Combat Zone, The W Hotel, wanting to hate somebody who is nice, The Office, Behind the Music, Family Feud, made up surveys, Kens stealing beer and selling it back to kids scam, Ken's detailed recount of Daisy Fuentes' current life, Six Feet Under, Tom Arnold, and revisiting suppressed memories.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 513: Justin Hart Feb 28, 2022

December 15-21, 1984

Ken and Justin discuss his nerves, the Catskills, Yarnel Nicholas, tape trading, worth ethic, TellyHell, before the pandemic, working from home, commuting by bus to NYC, watching Netflix on your tablet during a commute, Apple TV, Big Mouth, the best made for TV swear replacements, Mellon Farmers, The Sopranos on A&E, Mr. Show, working in radio, CW/WB, Channel 11, WPIX, Channel 9, the loss of indie TV stations, how ratings have changed, the insane people who work in radio, The Ten Most Beautiful Women in Television, Dallas, Morgan Fairchild, The Muppets, Mike Hammer, men out of time, George Bush vs. The Simpsons, remembering the year you were born, Mr. T and Emmanuel Lewis the Christmas Dream, The Equalizer, A Christmas Carol, the original Lifetime "Television for Women" concept, when pop becomes oldies, A&E, Remember WENN, 1984, sad Christmas, Three's a Crowd, Perfect Strangers, slapstick and physical comedy, being against reboots, E.R vs ER, The Organic Theater Group, Re-Animator, Magnum PI, NBC's new line up, Battle of the Network Stars, Benson, It's a Wonderful Life, V: The Series, The Man with Two Brains, series finales, revisiting Dallas, tying up loose ends, how nostalgia can taint a show, and what premium cable channels are what fast food restaurants.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 512: Rob Lind Part 1 Feb 21, 2022

This week Ken welcomes old friend and current host of the Nodcast, "White trash" Rob Lind (Blood for Blood, Ramallah, Sinners & Saints) to the show.

Ken and Rob discuss how long it has been since they've been able to sit down and chat, getting sober, needing to anesthetize yourself to deal with 90% of the people you used to deal with, Rob's memory of Ken's "Dilemma", Nebraska, the regional variations of TV Guide, WWF/WWE, if certain businessmen have ever murdered anyone, Harlan Ellison, The Gods Hate, boxing, the mafia, Gorgeous George, Brando, Muhammad Ali, Valerie Bertinelli, Van Halen, MTV's Lost Weekend with Van Halen, One Day at a Time, Mackenzie Phillips, David Lee Roth, Mike Tyson, Hurricane Peter McNeeley, V, Amerika, The Incredible Hulk, The Day After, Threads, Discharge, When the Wind Blows, David Bowie, Mutually Assured Destruction, Romero vs. Argento, Dawn of the Dead, The The, the wish fulfillment of apocalypses/zombie media in the 21st Century, The Twilight Zone, how the Lucky People die first, The Business, Ministry, Richard Chamberlain, Cassanova, The Thornebirds, being mid-century old, Shogun, Night Court's syndication history, Golden Girls, Hunter, Fred Dryer, sleaze, murder for hire, sickos, Robert Cray, SNL, George C. Scott and Don Amechie in Pals, Death Wish, Charles Bronson, Never Cry Wolf, Hong Kong stunts, martial arts, Hong Kong Opera, Spahn Ranch, Charles Manson getting slapped around by shorty, stunt guys, Jet Li, The One, Dungeons and Dragons, Donnie Yen, and previews of part 2.

TV Guidance Counselor 8th Anniversary Special with Josh Gondelman Feb 16, 2022

To celebrate 8 long, strange years of TV Guidance Counselor Ken welcomes back the VERY first guest to ever record an episode of TV Guidance Counselor, the now very successful and beloved Josh Gondelman. Ken and Josh catch up and look at THIS week (February 14, 2022)'s edition of TV Guide.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 511: Valerie Tosi The Return! Feb 14, 2022

This week Ken welcomes back to the show comedian, and haver of new album "Beach Trash", Valerie Tosi to the show. Ken and Val discuss the last time they recorded, the green room of Laugh Boston, Ken's Fried Fluffenutter Sundae, carbo loading, being in the marching band, pasta shapes, trashy American-Ethnic foods, UMASS Amherst, Friday Night Party, songs called "Valerie", Reel Big Fish, people who don't know you did comedy, The Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom, opening for Bob Saget, descramblers, The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, The Bachelor, The US remake of the UK rip off of the US show Friends "Coupling", how there will never ben a successful US remake of The Office, Missy Elliot, Veruca Salt getting bumped from their second SNL song by Sting, The Craft, Charmed, getting fingered at the movies, being one of those Hocus Pocus people, loving Las Vegas, Kidssongs, Ken's loud cat, why all videos should be on hayrides, strings in Toxic, Dwayne Barry on the X-Files, being WB Hot, feeling old, 8 Simple Rules, the old Queer Eye vs the new Queer Eye, Hoarders, cats that shit everywhere, not going to the third floor, carpet squares, King of Queens, Angel, being presented in a letterbox format, sexy Broadway, sexy ads, US Weekly, Tru Calling, Will and Grace, how great Eric McCormick is, Free Enterprise, time travel movies, lost Comedy Central presents stand up specials and killing Conan.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 510: Carly Pope Feb 07, 2022

This week Ken welcomes actor Carly Pope to the show.

Ken and Carly discuss The Great White North, chasing Winter, being in the wrong place at the right time, Vancouver, Canadian indie film, Toronto, Canadian Content, Dave Thomas in White Coats, 1980s Nickelodon's massive amount of Canadian content, Read All About It, Mr. Dressup, The Beachcombers, Danger Bay, Molly Parker, how Ken is nobody to take life advice from, Disturbing Behavior, shooting in Romania, David Nutter, Popular, how nobody walks in LA, Bob's Big Boy, cigarette ads telling you to avoid inhaling, Larry's barks, The Polka Dot Door, not coming from an acting background, How 1987 is an amazing year for movies, Harry and the Hendersons, The Lost Boys, ALF, puppets, thinking of it before ET, being spooned by the Yeti, loving genre movies but avoiding being in them, wondering if the addition of cell phones would kill the plot of a movie, Better Off Dead, Die Hard, crossword puzzles, being on Family Feud against the cast of Freaks & Geeks, Double Dare, Funhouse, I'm Telling, Finders Keepers, going to a TV taping of Kids' Street, winning a Cleo award, an actual funny commercial, The California Raisins, Johnny Harris in Still Standing, Friday Night Lights, rewatching Pulp Fiction for comfort, Return to Oz, Watcher in the Woods, how it's almost always The Peanut Butter Solution, and being emotionally scarred by The Hugga Bunch.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 509: Robin Ince Part II Feb 02, 2022

Ken continues his chat with UK writer, podcast host, TV presenter, radio personality and reformed stand up comedian Robin Ince.

...Robin and Ken discuss the amazing hair pieces in Poor Devil, Sammy Davis Jr, Christopher Lee's bragging, SCTV, Jackie Rogers Jr, grime, Dragnet, being transgressive, The Prisoner, Pink Flamingos, Lon Chaney Jr's alcohol problem, Elvira, Elvis, The Boys in the Band, the devastation of AIDS, Santa Claus, The Twilight Zone, Burgess Meredith, Rocky, boxing, The League of Gentlemen, The Monster Club, Blood on Satan's Claw, fandom, portmantos, good tributes, Vikings, Norsemen, Orgy of the Dead, Red Skelton, Frederick Wertham's Seduction of the Innocent, stars coming out, Rob Halford, Iggy Pop, The Adventures of Pete and Pete, the power of the stage, Mavis Staples, Honey West, Monty Python, The Three Stooges, Lawrence Olivier, David Lynch's On the Air, the film Lucky, Harry Dean Stanton, Harlan Ellison, Inga Stevens, the power of watching things together alone, The Hitchhiker, Carnival of Souls, and Jacob's Ladder.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 508: Robin Ince Part I Jan 31, 2022

This week Ken welcomes UK writer, podcast host, TV presenter, radio personality and reformed stand up comedian Robin Ince to the show.

Ken and Robin discuss 1960, Richard Nixon's moral ethics, raiding your grandparents' houses for old magazines, Alan Moore, Robert Aikman, promo monster movie stills from Monster Magazines, Steptoe & Son, the post war booms in the US vs the UK, how people in the 20th Century looked so much older than you when they were younger than you, Harry & Tonto, Death Wish, shooting things in London set in New York, gritty crime drama, great NYC stage actors appearing in TV dramas, UK Radio vs US Radio, panel shows, Bela Lugosi, Lenny Bruce's later years, stand up comedians' obsession with conspiracy theories, how Carlin and Pryor were made for television, vaudeville, Burlesque, how Friends is all about sex, Seinfeld, Bride of Frankenstein, Ernest Thesiger, Jerry Lewis, Poor Devil, Ernie Kovacs, Edie Adams, Jackie Gleason, Rockford Files, Young Maverick, Spaghetti Westerns, 1940s British Movie stars you could never quite trust, Leslie Howard, Colonel March, Targets, evil magicians, WGBH, Arts, Johnny Staccato, Anthony Newley, Dark Shadows, Dan Curtis, Reece Shearsmith, Dana Gould, Birdie, Robert Mitchum, Vincent Price, Raymond Burr, John Carpenter, Something Wild, Jonathan Demme, John Waters, Pink Flamingos, and a Viking tease for Part II...

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 507: Dr. Molly Miller Jan 24, 2022

This week Ken welcomes guitar virtuosos and literal DOCTOR of music Molly Miller (https://www.mollymillermusic.com/) to the show.

Ken and Molly discuss loving L.A. and being born and raised there, beach cities, LA punk, loving Seventh Heaven, Molly's tenth birthday, L.A. Industrial Waste, the nature of reality TV and LIVE! television events, Molly playing in a Bachelor spin off band, remembering "before", Ken's old man soapbox, listening to the radio, struggling to be inspired, vinyl, The WB, being one of five kids, Dawson's Creek, how weird it was to get two new networks in the 1990s, how Friends has become the Brady Bunch of the current generation, Will & Grace, how by 1999 prescription drug ads replaced cigarette ads, Lunchables, fighting with your siblings, The Wedding Singer vs. Billy Madison, loving Adam Sandler, The Real World, Alec Baldwin, hating shows where every character speaks the same, The Simpsons, Anna Nicole Smith, Howard Stern on E!, Ally McBeal, Beavis and Butthead, King of the Hill, going back and not revisiting shows, Seth Green, werewolves, the theme to Dawson's Creek, apologizing too much, The Daily Show, Saturday Night Live, how great John Stewart is, Hebrew School, playing guitar since you were 7, video rental stores, how Friday was Movie and Pizza Night, Ken and Molly going on a pizza tour of L.A. when the world stops ending, snow days, and exploding cars.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 506: Tommy Hardy Jan 17, 2022

This week Ken welcomes long time friend, current host of the UncleBoi Show on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSdtI-YDimtM3MJ2ew62ETA) and former Tommy Somerville, Tommy Hardy to the show.

Ken and Tommy discuss the great Northern exodus of the 90s Boston Punk scene to Salem, MA, selling punk records, The Smiths, how everyone craves love and attention, Ken's informal war with Glen Danzig, seltzers, Amerika!, Sweeps Week, being a reformed Republican, WWF LJN Figures, cigarette ads, Kraft, Cheese just CHEESE, having a babysitter, having cable in your room, Headbangers' Ball, Sidekicks, the 80s Martial Arts boom, how odd having Animotion's Obsession as the theme song for Saturday Night's Main Event was, cheap wrestling magazines, Killer Kowalski, The Boston Garden, Roddy Piper's status as a favored nation, Ravishing Rick Rude, Young Blood, Blue Collar Boston, internet trolls, 1947, Candid Camera, porno drive-in theaters, Medford, mobbed up Boston, Cheers, how perfect Cliff Clavin is, The Wizard, David Rapaport, Ken's dream of 1970s set Ghost Rider, how the fact that The Incredible Hulk TV series somehow worked gave us awful Marvel media for decades, Dr. Strange, Captain America, Reb Brown's Captain America, Wizard Magazine, Vertigo, Dark Horse Comics, the alternative universe where David Lynch makes Return of the Jedi and Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Dr. Fate, Mike Nesmith's television parts, DC Cab, TV56, Swamp Thing, It's Gary Shandling's Show, Alex Rocco, and the terrible way Johnny Carson treated the great Joan Rivers.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 505: Hattie Hayes Jan 10, 2022

This week Ken welcomes writer, performer and reformed stand up comedian Hattie Hayes to the show.

Ken and Hattie discuss John Stamos, Ken's odd reactions, George Clooney, ER, never wanting to lose a partner to any cast member of Stand By Me, Jerry O'Connell, The National, being very badly injured on stage, how George Clooney may be a real super hero, satellites, falling down the Clooney Pit(t), Nora Roberts' Midnight Bayou, watching every episode of ER with your mom from birth, NO! A Wiley!, Noah Wiley, loving Burn Notice, the dangers of helicopters, twice, losing an arm, feeling bad for angry assholes, real life ER experiences, being traumatized by wrist trauma on ER, Dancing with the Stars, Hotmail Spoilers, Tom Bergeron, the wonders of live TV, Demolition Man, Happy Gilmore, being honest with yourself, The Royal Tenanbaums, America's Funniest Home Videos, House Hunters, avoiding dog death in media, ordering from old lady catalogs, how despite their age difference Ken and Hattie's frames of references are oddly similar, avoiding late night shows, Colbert, Ken's love of Strangers with Candy, One Tree Hill, Grey's Anatomy, Scrubs, having a medical emergency in the middle of a New York City Whole Foods, Supernatural, extra Hell for gays, Batman, Young Frankenstein, spin offs, Happy Days, Nanny 911/Supernanny, giving Dads their life back, butt pies, iCarly, the creepy factor of Nickelodeon, Dollhouse, the creepy factor of Joss Whedon, memory wipes, The Kids Choice Awards, TCM, why a younger sibling is a great excuse to watch stuff you'd be embarrassed by otherwise, how Hattie needs to go to TCM fest, The Rock hosting SNL, Nikki Taylor, being confused by Treme and Ken's hatred of Rescue Me for personal reasons.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 504: Frankie Frain Jan 03, 2022

This week Ken welcomes writer/director/Box Mac co-host and Red Cow Entertainment Head Honcho Frankie Frain.

Ken and Frankie discuss how much Ken loves everything Frankie does, the shock that Ken and Frankie don't already know each other, Emerson College, making niche content, The Angry Video Game Nerd/Cinemassacre controversy, making feature films, getting interest in the content you make, growing up with strict parents, the first R Rated movie Frankie every saw, how Frankie's dad experiences films differently, getting hid hard by F Bombs, quality films you never want to see again, the shift of sitcoms to reality TV, The American Underdog experience, wanting to see the rich and famous fail, Barney Miller, Car 54, Where Are You?, Kate & Alley, Mad About You, Boys Meets World, TV38, how M*A*S*H was old man TV, surviving under the smelliest conditions, TV tapings, Kelsey Grammer's return to television, Ken's early days at MMTV Melrose Mass cable access TV, how Ken is Forrest Gump, meeting Fred Willard, how awful having viral Tweets is, Ricky Gervais, the power of not giving a damn, the weird pivot of the famous and infamous to try stand up comedy, how Children put your life in tatters, body horror, Box Mac Holiday parodies, MST3K, the power of the right font, how the identification of Tweens as a consumer group ruined multi-cam sitcoms, Children's TV, Bluey, dogs, the infamous AIDS episode of Mr. Belvedere "Wesley's Friend", the long strange fascinating journey of Alvin and Chipmonks, The Adventures of Pete & Pete, Adventure Time, Frankie's daughter throwing up in his face, encouraging children's interests, asking questions about production, how people react to being filmed now vs in the 1980s, All in the Family, younger generations lack of historical knowledge of TV, why Friends is the Brady Bunch of Millennials/Gen Z, how great Molly Hagan is, the greatness of Frankie's muse John Hunt, the importance of sincerity, trying too hard, and the comfort we can provide with the content we make.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 503: 2021 Year In Review Dec 27, 2021

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 502: Chip Pope Dec 20, 2021

This week Ken welcomes comedian and all around Hollywood player Chip Pope to the show.

Ken and Chip discuss growing up in Texas, The Last Picture Show, taking out all the good looking people, fights at the Rodeo Grounds, taking your shirt off, weird Massachusetts city names, moving to LA, TV watching in coming of age autobiographical childhood tales, the love hate relationship with L.A., Bo Burnham's Nightmare on Elm St, Newhart, On Golden Pond, how long it takes a show to find itself, shows improving over time, TV ratings, your show getting canceled, Cheers, Taxi, Kent III, cigarettes, getting cast as a skateboarder in Man in the Moon and being cut out, CED RCA Selectadisc, betamax, HBO, Jeff Altman, having a black and white TV well into the 1980s, the weird peeing like a man in Personal Best, SCTV, David Letterman's "They Took My Show Away", Voyagers, gun accidents on set, OJ Simpson in Cocaine and Blue Eyes, Betty White in "Just Men", daytime gameshows, Square Pegs, Beau Bridges TV movie directorial debut, playing John Ritter, knowing you won't get a part, The Greatest American Hero, Ed Koch: Confirmed Gay, mixing disparate half hour comedies, comedians being series in films, Dane Cook: Serial Killer, Dukes of Hazard, and the insanity of show biz.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 501: Anna Campbell-Jones Dec 13, 2021

This week Ken welcomes designer, host of Scotland's Home of the Year, former actor and all around one of the coolest people I've ever talked to, Anna Campbell-Jones to the show.

Ken and Anna discuss Ken's plans to pull a heist and move to rural Scotland, First Love - Secrets, being a teen actor, Free Masons, The Word, Channel 4, The Young Ones, London in the 1970s, psychobilly, The Cramps, going to art school, negotiating viewing with siblings, how shows in the UK don't start on the 00s or 30s, The Radio Times vs. The TV Times, snooker, car racing, New Year's Day regret, police procedurals, Bergerac, Columbo, cute murders, The Wicker Man, Yul Brenner, loving musicals, South Pacific, Happy Talk, The Damned, Elvis, being recognized in public, nice comfortable TV, not applying your own tastes to everything, what home is about, The Repair Shop, un-PC TV, The Black and White Minstrel Show, James Bond, when Alternative Comedy became the mainstream, Teletext, Ceefax enthusiasts, Byker Grove, Ant and Dec, Grange Hill, Ant and Dec, what Dexter Fletcher wasn't in, Bugsy Malone, Paul Williams, Teen Disco Dance Championship, mid-century stuff, Doctor Who, Tom Baker, The Doctor Who Restoration Team, Tomorrow's World, Look Around You, when the future is the past, when TV was designed to just air once, The A-Team, the American World on Television, Cheers, The Sweeney, and the wonders of Christmas Specials.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 500! Dec 06, 2021

8 Years and 500 (+) Episodes!

In celebration we have a big announcement! We have a new theme song. Retiring "Television Addict" by the Hoodoo Gurus/The Victims, and replacing it with a song written and recorded JUST for the show by the great Josh Caterer (Smoking Popes), TV Guidance Counselor!

Josh also has a new single out for the a Holidays, a great version of White Christmas.

Also! Ken did his first face to face interviews since March 2020, and his first convention since November 2019.

Here are two of the interviews from that con, NorthEast Comic Con.

First up is Francois Clemmons who played Officer Clemmons on Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood. Ken and Francois discuss how he became Officer Clemmons on the show, his trepidation about wearing a police uniform in 1969, being a helper, being a TV pioneer, the life philosophy of Fred Rogers, the importance of listening, not being Hollywood, how slow Fred was (in a good way), Won't You Be My Neighbor, why Tom Hanks was wrong in Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Spirituals, the benefit of recording in Pittsburgh, singing Opera, finding your light, integrated pools, being a teacher, and the Land of Make Believe Puppets.

Next Ken talks to writer, actor, comedian Robert Wuhl. Ken and Robert discuss writing for Police Squad, auditioning for airplane, how quickly Police Squad was canceled, writing for Rodney Dangerfield, Leslie Neilson's fart machine, wanting to work with good people, The Hollywood Knights, why Tonight Show jokes from the 80s wouldn't fly today, Mary Lambert casing him in Madonna's Material Girl video, having one line in Flashdance, wanting your work to be seen, writing for the Oscars, auditioning for Barry Levinson, Casablanca Pictures, Bull Durham, Batman '89, table reads with Sean Young, how Michele Pfeifer was cast and fired from Batman '89, how Kim Basinger became "The Creature" and had the most leverage in Batman, how the worst audition ever still got Robert a job, Good Morning Vietnam, how John Glover was the original joker in Batman '89, how Warner Bros wanted to go full Batman '66 camp and cast Chevy Chase or Bill Murray as Batman, shooting in London at Pinewood Studios, how a trip to see Phantom of the Opera lead to Jack Nicholson having the entire ending of Batman changed, Robert's cameo on Supergirl, how hard it is to keep spoilers under wraps these days, rating all the Batman films, the band The New Bomb Turks, loving movies that are fun, the best Baseball movie ever, Robert's problems with Field of Dreams and the Natural, and the future of "Assume the Position".

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 499: Erik Childress Nov 29, 2021

This week Ken welcomes writer and film critic Erik Childress to the show.

Ken and Erik discuss Chicago, basically growing up in Shermer, Crime Story, John Hughes, Harry Caray, the curse of the Cubs, Dawson's Creek, the loudest voices today who are right wing careerless jerks, The Clinton Era and disgraced politicians, Kevin Williamson, Patrick Stewart in Old West King Lear "King of Texas", Scotland PA, the early 00s late 90s obsession with modern takes on Shakespeare, Wish Men, Ken being totally stumped by a show Erik remembers, Lethal Weapon 2, Popeye, anthologies, "from the producers of...", The Screen Actors' Guild Awards, UPN trying to be irreverent, Everybody Loves Raymond, laughing through The Great Depression, avoiding Mario Cuomo, My So-Called Life on MTV, the tragic Dawson's Creek finale, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, The Quick and the Dead, Vampires, Horror Directors' non-horror work, Spin City, Michael J Fox, Newsradio, Ryan Reynolds, Two Guys a Girl and a Pizza Place, Friends, falling asleep to Bound, Sarah Brightman, The Real World Boston, bowling night, Seinfeld, ER, Sterling K Brown, Christopher Darden: Actor, Heavy Tobin Bell, March Madness, Patton, sleeping to Hardcore, Millennium, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, tiny actors, being a film critic, Siskel & Ebert, and the very odd star rating system of TV Guide.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 498: Luke Geddes Nov 22, 2021

This week Ken welcomes artist, novelist and listener Luke Geddes.

Ken and Luke discuss central time, growing up in Wisconsin, Mountain Time, High Altitude baking instructions, Appleton, Caroline in the City, The Canada of America, the first Halloween after 911, the post VCR pre-web video era of lost media, how movies on the cover of TV Guide is cheating, Harry Potter, when Ken attended the premiere of Harry Potter in London, Nuns on the Run, nudity in PG-13 movies, Phil Donahue, how Bill O'Reiley has always been a dickhead, Static Shock, Justice League, Jeri Ryan in Boston Public, the legal class action suit against Blockbuster Video, being a video store outlaw, napping through the Jacobites, surely Susan Stewart, Nova, James Cromwell, Touched by an Angel, Saturday night Jesus, Halloween movies after Halloween, THE BRANIACS DOT COM, serialized movies, the downside of streaming, The Blair Witch Project, Freaks, dusting off old spec scripts as new content, how Ken ruined Crossing Jordan, Christopher Lloyd in TV movies, Freaks and Geeks on Fox Family, the fascinating mystery of Christopher Lowell, iOffer, bootlegs, unsold pilots on YouTube, Fraiser, Malcolm in the Middle, wacky sound FX instead of laugh tracks, holiday episodes being ABOUT the Holiday vs taking place during the Holiday, Scrubs, Ed, why Luke's wife's birthday is the worst day of the year for him, Nightmare on Elm St, According to Jim, Fright Night, The USA Network Daytime Line up GOLD, Boston Common, Two Guys, A Girl and a Pizza Place, the long slow fall of NBC's Thursday Night, Inside Schwartz, Dark Angel, Dana Delaney, Wild Palms, Pasadena, Bob Saget, Mark Valley, pre-2000s "Prestige" TV, loving Sela Ward, Twin Peaks: The Return, being careful what you wish for, the horrors of Jay Leno, not having the Emmys after 911, Hollywood narcissism, and JJ Abrams hiring a REAL felon hacker for Alias.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 497: Shaina Feinberg Nov 15, 2021

October 3-9, 1992

This week Ken welcomes filmmaker, and all around talent, Shaina Feinberg to the show.

Ken and Shaina discuss newly borns, how 1992 is a good year for Ken, Joan Rivers, The Real World, MTV, growing up in Manhattan, how big a difference a few years seems when you are younger, how people with a different style than you can seem way older, Bob Newhart, pitching a show for a 95 year old, home shopping network, the many phases of a creative career, directing a play, finding your direction in life later in life, having a ton of different jobs, favorite female directors, being a woman in a industry seen as a man's industry, Penelope Spheeris, shooting things in a pandemic, getting into directing via acting, Amy Heckerling, Martha Coolidge, My So-Called Life, Kate & Allie, Fringe, This Way Up, UK Shows, showing your kids positive role models, showcasing women, making Cheers now, doing staged readings of sitcom scripts, travel shows, food shows, Somebody Feed Phil, Anthony Bordain, Nailed It!, making documentaries about Shaina's mom, how people end up in Manhattan, how stand up comedy is like being a chef, wanting your kids to have a better life than you did, having a love of making stuff, having a lot of pans in the fire, wanting to write for Work in Progress, blue sky shows, not making shows with incredibly unlikable characters and introducing the youngest guest in the history of TV Guidance Counselor.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 496: Blaine Capatch Nov 08, 2021

August 24-30, 1974

Another long time coming guest, this week Ken welcomes comedian Blaine Capatch to the show.

Ken and Blaine discuss throwing to a clip, classic cars, 1974, growing up in PA, weird square back cars, music instruction schools, Godsmack, Stryper, bad metal bands, working in music stores, guitars, speculation without Googleation, Susie Blakley, 70s pantsuits, neighbors having cable, Blaine's Dad's barber shop, calling Sandy Frank, Battle of the Planets, Starblazers, MST3k, werewolves, monkey phases, Christopher Lee, Jimmy Walker, Funky Phantom, Inch High Private Eye, Mission Magic, Archie Bunker, figuring out which shows get long descriptions, sending away for out of business comic book ads, The Bob Newhart Show, Lorenzo Music, Julie Newmar, It Takes a Theif, Tonight from Harvard Square, the music of Hee Haw, insane Marlon Brando, starting comedy in Baltimore, John Waters, the slog of The Clash's Sandinista, Dom Delouise, The End, above ground pools, Marcus Welby, Roller Derby, Rock N Rollergames, Rod Hull and Emu, Six Million Dollar Man, The Bionics Action Club, jackets, Patton Oswalt, LQ Jones, Harlan Ellison, A Boy and His Dog, fresh made stories, Hollywood Squares, meeting Paul Williams, @midnight, The Brady Bunch house, Beat the Geeks, Dana Gould, Bobcat Goldthwait, Steve Martin, how Billy Crystal is nobody's favorite stand up comedian, SCTV, Martin Short, all blues shows, rock n roll revivals, and lemon flavored cigarettes.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 495: Jaye McBride Nov 01, 2021

This week Ken welcomes comedian and 2021 Montreal Comedy Festival New Face Jaye McBride to the show.

Ken and Jaye discuss Brooklyn, Ken's Halloween looks and lifestyle, food based nicknames as dual purpose insult/compliment, growing up in rural upstate NY, The "Good" Mall, Maine, Vermont, Friday the 13th Park VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan, going to Canada pre-911, kids hating technology, The House of Frankenstein Wax Museum, The Boston Strangler, Alex Karras's Wimps and Real Men, how actors are their character, hating Cagney and Lacey, TV Trivia and Easter Eggs, The Great St. Elsewhere delusion, cigarettes, Airwolf, Mama's Family, Sharon Stone, back door pilots, looking up to Benson, Isaac's bum deal, The Love Boat, Superman, classic Ned Beatty, Herve Vilichaize on Hee Haw, Liberace, Kate and Allie, Newhart, A-Team, Riptide, evil developers, Brooke Shields, Jaime Farr, Circus of the Stars, Alex Trebeck Human Bomb, I Had Three Wives, Sledge Hammer, Cheers, Night Court, Cosby, how everyone needs to have their own John Oates, Stacey Keach, stealing Lincoln's woman, Blue and the Grey, loving Civil War stuff, killing drug dealers, National Geographic, Free solo climbers, and Mark Harmon's incredibly unconvincing love of Coors beer.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 494: Jeff Lieberman Oct 25, 2021

Happy Halloween! This week Ken welcomes writer, producer, director and author of the new autobiography "Day of the Living Me" Jeff Lieberman! jeffliebermandirector.com

Ken and Jeff discuss floods, the end of the world, car boats, tapping into the Zeitgeist, Squirm, Remote Control, labels, 70s horror, race in horror, talent, being an advocate for the dead, having a unique body of work (but hating that term), Keith Richards, having a voice, Phil Silvers, New York, overacting, being an editor, Janus Films, Westerns, Gayle Storm, being funny, Jeff's short film The Ringer, Who Killed Mary Westling, Red Buttons, advertising, loving 50s sci-fi, being a talented artist, drawing, cartoons, being efficient at dating girls, living in Mad Men, Streets of San Francisco, Have Gun Will Travel, Don Knotts, Steve Allen, noticing everything, being a TV kid, Popular Mechanics, meeting Pinky Lee, Jane Mansfield and her friends, Pall Mall, cigarettes, chocolate trainer cigarettes, The Danny Thomas Show, Wells Fargo, Route 66, Bus Stop, the cold reality of life, the amazing work and influence of Jean Shepard, Donald Fagan, John Lennon, Bob Newhart, loving stand up, But...Seriously, King Kong, George Burns, the incredible footage of Richard Pryor singing, Zorro, and wearing Antonio Banderas' clothes with Tippi Hedren's permission.

TV Guidance Counselor Halloween 2021 Special Oct 20, 2021

After a one year Apocalypses induced hiatus, TV Guidance Counselor's annual Halloween special is back!

This year we welcome back, because YOU demanded it, TVGC All-Star Lamont Price (of the Lamont Price XPerience) and Walter Sickert (of the daily Bunker Buds streaming show)!

Ken, Lamont and Walter discuss their favorite Halloween episodes and some underseen or under loved specials and viewing choices for Halloween 2021. These include Martin, Father Ted, Starsky and Hutch, Hunter, Clueless, Dawson's Creek, Ewoks & Droids, Benson, Growing Pains, The Simpsons and an over all love of Freddy Krueger.

To hear the conversation continue check out Part 2 on Bunker Buds:

and Part 3 on The Lamont Price Xperience

TV Guidance Counselor 493: TJ Connelly Oct 18, 2021

Today Ken welcomes shadow Ken, for Red Sox Fenway park DJ, and current all other sports DJ TJ Connelly to the show.

Ken and TJ discuss neighbors trying to break in and steal your home, Miss America, Brooke Shields, Wolf Blitzer, TV news and Israel, the anti-Playboy, Virginia Slims, tar, how Nirvana killed Miami Vice, Brian Dennehy: Cult Leader, TJ's understanding of Ken's TV Guide obsession, the "& Son" craze of Cartoon reboots, CBS Saturday Morning, Muppet Babies, Pee Wee's Playhouse, Once a Hero, Pee Wee Herman on 227, The Last Starfighter, Jake and the Fatman, Mamma's Boy, the studio system, TV networks all star specials, shooting She's the Sherriff, The New Monkees, The New Gidget, Our House, George Michael's songs about Wilfred Brimley, earthquakes, Duck Tales, the almost death of Disney animation, The Emmys, removing the ridged time limit on acceptance speeches, playing the Hogan's Heroes theme, the difficultly of obtaining starting line up information, kids watching TV filmed live, Spenser for Hire, The Highwaymen, Jocko, TVT Records TV theme song compilations, ending the night with The Golden Girls theme, ALF wish fulfillment, how Sandy Duncan made ALF sexy, If It's Tuesday It STILL Must be Belgium (no relation to If It's Tuesday it Must Be Belgium), party lines, Knight Rider, water rights, the premiere of Full House, Out of Control, I Married Dora, Crime Story, Las Vegas, Cinemax, Back to School, ripping out your heart with Foster Dogs, Gary Shandling, Head of the Class, Tom Atkins in The Equalizer, the premier of A Different World, Tour of Duty, Night Court, Max Headroom, Ken being forbidden to watch 20/20, stealing talent from the playwrite world, and the mystery of how Ken and TJ never have physically crossed paths.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 492: Pete Holmes Oct 11, 2021

This week Ken welcomes, writer, director, producer, comedian and actor Pete Holmes to the show.

Ken and Pete get RIGHT into it and discuss The Want Ads, the nature of AV Nerds, wanting to be the go to expert to fight monsters among your peer group, managing bands, wanting to be in the limelight but being shy, playing the bass, being a punk rock kid, how creepy dudes like comedy, Weird Al, letting Ken host his own show, loving activities that give you time away from your family, Townies, Boston trash, Cha Cha, the joke that got Pete on Conan, how pride shifts from your work to your children, the pay bump you get with a Golden Globe, being funny for free, making your talent a career, The Devil, the pain you have to go through to gain skills, how Prince was a nerd, practice, radioactive spiders, obsessiveness, hating Boston, the horror of a Red Sox hat, the Hard F Word, suffering, feeling out of place, The Unseen, needing to cleanse your brain with angry punk rock after seeing your parents, not liking The Showcase Showdown, Doc Hopper, writing letters, energy not derived from cocaine, Rancid at Avalon, remembering Waterdog, fights, being the tall guy, enjoying the scary parts of life, Harvard Square, Green Day Riot, Bad Brains, fights, front men, how jocks ruin everything, white hats, Ken stealing crowd surfers shoes, playing a song you wrote with Tim Armstrong, Pete's band Nude, the way we made friends, self help, knowing you are in control of your life, Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, Newbury Comics, Tower Records, making game show based prank phone calls, trick questions based on The Wizard of Oz, being ridiculed by hooligans and riff raff at the Burlington movie theater and having your brother betray you.

THEN Ken gets Tripp Underwood of The Unseen on the phone to discuss Pete's love of the band, his letter writing, and to make an offer to answer all of Pete's unanswered Unseen questions.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 491: Cat Baab-Muguira Oct 04, 2021

This week Ken welcomes writer, and author of the new book Poe for your Problems: Uncommon Advice from History's Least Likely Self-Help Guru, Catherine Baab-Muguira.

Ken and Cat discuss Richmond, VA, Avail, the psychic prison of High School, Edgar Allan Poe, laying claim to Poe, the Mid-Atlantic, HP Lovecraft, how Poe set the structure for horror, mystery and detective stories, why it's always an orangutan, Halloween 1996, not seeing Flashdance until you were 32, growing up in a conservative Catholic household, very strict parents, RL Stein, Christopher Pike, the loophole of novelizations, the best kids shows for 1996, Superman The Animated Series, your older sister having cool taste, going to rock shows with your Catholic priest brother, Firefighting vampires, Backdraft, MTV's Baywatch Beach House, My Bloody Valentine, The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror, the weirdness of Rhode Island, pizza strips, how the songs of Sting can turn the tide on an uncomfortable made for TV movie, living in LA, Melrose Place, not visiting DC, Ken's "environmental camp" experience, skunk cabbage, the adult acting choices of The B.A.G., sleeping with teachers, ripped from the headlines, the bad season of Roseanne, AbFab, evil nannies, sexy women who are actually a tree, how children are terrifying, A Return to Salem's Lot, Sam Fuller, Townies, Molly Ringwald, explaining Gumby, taking railway journeys, full sized bars on Halloween, riding the rails with Buck Henry, Dracula Prince of Darkness, Hammer films, the Halloween ER, how "Maniac" inspired the song Maniac from Flashdance, offensive Halloween costumes due to lack of funds, GI Joes and Barbies in cars, disjointed high camp vanity productions, Johnny Carson's quiet acts of kindness, how Star Wars is over, re-watching the Office, and singing the praises of Zootopia.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 490: John Sayles Sep 25, 2021

This week Ken welcomes writer, director, actor, and one of Ken's most looked up to Renascence Men, John Sayles.

Ken and John discuss outer space, TV as babysitter, how 1960 was far before Ken was born, late night TV, inappropriate commercials, human remote controls, the lack of choice, 30 Westerns on TV, Have Gun Will Travel, signature guns, TV theme songs, how you set the tone and mood for a story, Wanted Dead or Alive, Steve McQueen, how some actors are just cool, Ernie Kovacs, sight gags, surreal TV, The Rebel, Nick Adams wannabe status, Johnny Cash singing the theme to The Rebel, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, how The British actually really love Murder, Elmer Bernstein's theme to Johnny Staccato, John Cassavetes, west coast white jazz musicians, the Ed Sullivan Show, variety shows, Johnny Puleo and the Harmonica Gang, SCTV, The Beatles, Jackie Mason flipping off America on live TV, Peter Gunn, lack of ambiguity in television, first seeing color on TV in a baseball game, learning story structure via watching TV, Sergio Leone, being and undercover western detective for Wells Fargo, Adventures in Paradise, Ricardo Montauban, Dobie Gillis, Bob Denver as Maynard J. Krebbs, Tuesday Weld acting on TV with Warren Beatty, Archie, making your own On the Road as Route 66 with very minor changes, The Riflemen, Chuck Connors, doing your chores, TV and movies being banned from shooting in Chicago for years, The Untouchables, Crime Story, M Squad, Lee Marvin, Police Squad being influenced by M Squad's theme song, Joe Dante directing Police Squad, the best sight gags on the show, John Ford, Andy Devine's Hollywood status after Ward Bond's death, The Millionaire, dueling Bat Mastersons, being a super fan of mafia succession, how Ring Lardner in 8 Men Out was Robert Stack's voice, Robert Stack's jokes, Walter Winchell, Neville Brand, Al Capone, Friday Night Fights, The Gillette Cavalcade of Sports, how boxing was the perfect subject to air on television, Emile Griffith killing Benny Paret in the ring live on TV, The Twilight Zone, Lee Marvin in the Twilight Zone Episode Steel, Hemingway's story "50 Grand", and the oddness of TV sign offs.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 489: Charlie Higson Sep 20, 2021

This week Ken welcomes former Higsons' frontman, novelist, actor, comedian and all around UK comedy royalty Charlie Higson to the show.

Ken and Charlie discuss being built for lockdown, writing books for adults again after a 25 year hiatus, the BREAKING NEWS of Charlie's new huge fantasy series for the Middle East on MBC, Randall and Hopkirk Decease, Saturday Night Live (UK), Stand up on TV, Harry Enfield, The Fast Show, catch phrases, Paul Whitehouse, the difficulty of exporting comedy, never seeing Gilligan's Island, The Brady Bunch, the biggest and best American sitcoms, the US tradition of late night talk shows, Craig Ferguson, Vic Reeve's Big Night Out, Vic and Bob, The Prisoner, The Avengers, the UK tradition of fantasy series, how fantasy series aren't all for kids, Doctor Who, needing to use humor for characters, translating humor to a foreign language, the beauty of working with restrictions, liking stupid comedy, classic American sitcoms, Swiss Tony, how the US likes to see people good at their job and the UK likes to see people bad at their job, Cheers, Early Doors, Peter Richardson, remaking UK shows in the US, how The Royle Family became The Kennedys, how cool characters aren't funny, all the US remakes of Fawlty Towers, how difficult it is for UK comedians to make it in the US, Ricky Gervais, English acts bombing at the Montreal Just for Laughs Comedy Festival, Vic and Bob confusing a Canadian audience, The Larry Sanders' Show, how The Muppets is the anti-Larry Sanders, The Higsons, opening for The Ramones in Chicago, touring America, and how modern tv and movie scores have abandoned "themes" and why that is a shame, Batman Theme and Robison Crusoe from Germany.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 488: Jackie Michele Johnson Sep 13, 2021

This week Ken welcomes host of the Natch Beaut podcast, and fellow Alison Rosen is Your New Best Friend pre-Apocalypse guest, Jackie Michele Johnson to the show.

Ken and Jackie discuss good closets, personal space in a marriage, Sex and the City, converting to Judaism, Ken's blank spot that is 2004, the Reality TV Boom, how full hair and make up is a Texas thing, how who shot JR was technically a dream, Grey's Anatomy, multiple helicopter crashes, the tragic life and death of Anna Nicole Smith, Trim Spa Baby, being ok with spoilers if they are sad, do people in NYC dress cooler?, Dean Cain, Scott Peterson, Dean Cain's terrible facial hair disguise, central time, The Ring, horror flicks and pizza, Ernest Goes to School, MTV Cribs, finding Pimp My Ride Cars in 2021, everyone's Jaime Kennedy story, how Jennifer Love Hewett is too good for him, watching basketball, Average Joe Hawaii, LA's hot chick + mediocre guy phenomenon, Fear Factor, twins, Scare Tactics, Las Vegas, being a background actor, method background actors, Punk'd, The Terminator, Tracy Morgan: Crazy Person, 30 Rock, Ed, Gary Oldman, Sid & Nancy, How The Prisoner is the only show Alex Cox likes, The Hills, Laguna Beach, The O.C., how Blondie isn't The GoGos, debating if watching more or less of The Apprentice may have saved America, Friends, Extreme Makeover, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, visiting the set of Dawson's Creek, Joshua Jackson's hot wife and how he's a good dude, the secrets of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, The 100 Hottest Hotties of 2004, Jack Osbourne replacing Sharon, the big deal of reality show marriages, and Barry Bostwick on Scrubs.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 487: George Pasles Sep 06, 2021

This week Ken welcomes VCR Party Live's resident gal Friday, and the lord of Overlord, George Pasles to the show.

Ken and George discuss armpit hair, Philly, on set romances, Phantasm, cigarettes, storm chasers, original art, dirt bikes, pearls and oysters, Simon & Simon, Tales from the Darkside, Monsters, commandeering televisions after being dumped by your parents in a store, knowing things from Simpsons parodies, Joanna Kerns' Olympiad sister, Janet Jackson's Lethal Enforcers arcade cab, It's Your Move, blackface on Gimme a Break, Hardcore, Murder She Wrote and sports, Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, John Carpenter, getting cable post high school, Bloopers vs Boners, sexual movies, Chip on Kate & Allie, bad paste ups, Jane Badler, Covenant of Evil, Dueling Danzas, Telma Hopkins world, Hiroshima Remembered, The Wall on network TV, Riptide, writing letters to Tom Bray, having a Commodore 64, Steel Collar Man, Charles Rocket, Rock N Roll Summer Action, NBC's Thursday Night Powerhouse Lineup, Skippy and Malorie trapped in a basement, Coach's learning songs on Cheers, the connection between Webster and The Golden Child, the beauty of Buckaroo Banzai, Dukes of Hazard, Knight Rider, The A-Team, shows re-using clips, Arsenio Hall, racist former game show hosts blocking Ken on Twitter, and the WONDER of Still the Beaver.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 486: Clint Conley Aug 30, 2021

This week Ken welcomes bassist and singer from Mission of Burma, long time Chronicle producer and personal hero Clint Conley to the show.

Ken and Clint discuss the nexus of punk rock and television, finding interesting things in New England, growing up just outside NYC, having a father "in the business", grad school at BU, the interaction of the high brow and lowbrow, the arty and the boneheaded, weirdo bands, Cousin Brucie, Ed Sullivan, rock bands on TV, the importance of 1966 for Youth Culture, Batman, Gallant Men, copycat shows, Combat!, Secret Agent, The Rifleman, Man from U.N.C.L.E., plat spinning, vaudeville acts, Hollywood Palace, Boris Karlof, seeking out all the horror movies, Channel 9 and 11, Alan King, Ed Sullivan giving extra time to Sly Stone, The Rascals, Raymond Burr, fearing iron lungs and quicksand, the worthless nature of Tucker Carlson, Candid Camera, Prank Shows, Hulabaloo, Richard Pryor and George Carlin on young rock n roller John Davidson's show, My Mother the Car, Vic Morrow, the Twilight Zone disaster and E! Network's re-enactments, Eric Burden and the Animals, Gidget, band names, Night of Whirling Death, Wild Wild West, Car 54, Where Are You?, having a VCR in the 1970s, hating Lost in Space, being scared of Billy Mumy, taping Iggy Pop on Dinah Shore, the greatness of Green Acres, meeting Mary Tyler Moore, W.C. Fields tribute by his own son, The Smothers Brothers, The Amazing Randi, Johnny Carson: GOTCHA!, The 100 Foot Wave, and the greatness of Barry Jenkin's The Underground Railroad.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 485: Stanley Livingston Aug 23, 2021

This week Ken welcomes writer, producer, director and actor, Chip from My Three Sons himself, Mr. Stanley Livingston.

Ken and Stanley discuss Ozzy and Harriet, hanging out with Mr. Ed, swimming, being a stunt kid, Paul Newman, his brother getting recast, Doris Day, Please Don't Eat the Daisies, the family burlesque business, Baltimore, vaudeville, mom and pop dirty businesses, the hunt for TV content, My Three Sons, Nick at Nite, Fred McMurray, the strange production of My Three Sons, movie stars on TV, the Skippy pilot, having not seen your big break for 50 years, reconnecting with your co-stars, not being Huck Finn, The Actor's Journey, learning all the ropes, starting your own production company as a teenager, writing The Aftermath, the technical advances of editing software, being made up by Jack Pierce, Famous Monsters, Forry Ackerman, being a Monster Kid, and Paul Bartel's strange Private Parts.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 484: Tanya Donelly Aug 16, 2021

This week Ken welcomes musician (Belly, Throwing Muses, The Breeders), singer, song writer, and all around gem Tanya Donelly to the show.

Ken and Tayna discuss the rain, prissy poodles, 1977, Alan Alda, More Cigarettes, smoking to be thin, Mary Tyler Moore, actually enjoying lack of choice, Kate Bush on SNL, getting starstruck, having no chill, defending your viewing choices in TV Court, very heavy things in sitcoms, 1977 The Coolest Year in Hell, divorce, drug addiction, Love and Rockets, Tanya's rage at Ken, Wonder Woman, Justice League Unlimited, The Superfriends, everybody's grounded friend, Bob Newhart, National Geographic, Ted Knight, Gorillas in the Mist, Dian Fossey, not traveling out of New England, Rhode Island, Rhoda, Phillis, the greatness of Valerie Harper, the power of low concept, Broadway, Circus of the Stars, Bernadette Peters, free range kids, The Queen's Jubilee, The Sex Pistols, Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley, the greatness of Milwaukee, The Rockford Files them, Julee Cruise, Twin Peaks, being good at Pandemic, cooking shows, M*A*S*H, Paul Lynde, Billy Barty, Donnie and Marie, Charlie's Angels, What's Happening and the bootleg concert, Love Boat, Hawaii 5-0, between Karl Marx and Jack Lord, Socialist Dance, Red Foxx, Steptoe and Son, The Age of Uncertainty, Quahog Talk, Dateline Rhode Island and the long criminal history of Rhode Island politics.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 483: Brandie Posey Aug 09, 2021

This week Ken welcomes podcaster and fellow comedian Brandie Posey to the show.

Ken and Brandie discuss L.A. traffic's return, Jim Carrey, Once Bitten, The Cable Guy, In Living Color, growing up with spies outside DC, Accountants, The Grinch, Nick Cage, Celebrity Thanksgiving recipes, Paul Sorvino's Shrimp, Phillips Seymour Hoffman, Twister, storm hunters, America's Most Wanted, Dennis Farina, Sheena, shows on at 1am, The X-Files, Touched by an Angel, MaXimum Exposure, Santa Who?, '90s Wrestling, the horror of Andy Dick, The Michael Richards Show, The New Adventures of Old Christine, Norm, Why Doctors Make Mistakes, Unsolved Mysteries, John Goodman, Me and the Boys, Bridgette Wilson, The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, The Ask Jeeves balloon, non-holiday movies that are Holiday traditions, a post TGIF world, The Year of the Razor Scooter, the weakest Vacation film, writing letters about Eminem's Stan, and the bitchy freedom of Cheers and Jeers.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 482: Anna Rubanova & Adam Bozarth Aug 02, 2021

This week Ken welcomes writer, performer, improvers and the people behind Left Handed Radio Anna Rubanova and Adam Bozarth to the show.

Ken, Ann and Adam discuss helicopters, L.A., palm trees, going full tar pits, NY Shaped cages, growing up in the mid-west, growing up outside of Manhattan, visiting backlots, being an extra, the horrors of being non-Union, Norma Rae, Highlander the Series, awful editing, having three headed dogs, televised blood drives, the novelty of being on camera, cigarette empowerment, Star Trek, stealing organ, Captain Mrs. Columbo, deep fakes, Fred Sassy, Total Recall, Running Man, Robocop, reusing sets, being eaten by Dracula, Hammer Horror, WKRP in Cincinnati, The NEW shows, being out for revenge, USA Network, Saturday Nightmares, Baywatch Nights, adding "nights", FBI Mash Ups, shared universes, Bloopers, America's Funniest People, the legacy of The Grimace, censorship, true crime, deprogramming, shock humor, dealing with sensationalist trauma, newsrooms, the angle, werewolf phases, Christopher Lee, living life before you're an actor, The Monster Club, A Return to Salem's Lot, Danse Macabre, being offended, irony, reflecting your comedic style, The George Carlin Show, Ken being a violent jerk, dirty ugly gross animation, Liquid Television, and working towards Part II.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 481: Anna LaMadrid Jul 26, 2021

This week Ken welcomes actor, writer Anna La Madrid.

Ken and Anna discuss climate change, growing up in Venezuela, the East Coast and all over the place, picking up regional slang, being a latchkey kid, learning English from TV, luxury items, Short Circuit, Pee Wee's Big Adventure, rewatching your childhood favorites, the afterschool/before dinner watchin sweet spot, New Jersey, Murder One: The Best New Show of the Year, Tea Leoni, product placement, marketing to kids, the legend of Sabado Gigante, Tales from the Crypt, Howard the Duck, ESL, America's Most Wanted, Kids' shows in Venezuela, Married...with Children, Fox Weekend Television, Airheads, Brendan Fraser, Two Something, slackers, Gen X, how Henry Winkler is the best dude, Misery Loves Company, Fresh Prince, Will Smith, telenovelas, Melrose Place, The Golden Girls, Who's Line Is it Anyway?, Roseanne, over saturation of choice, Universal backlot, The 'burbs, sexy camera poses, TV reunions, One Day at a Time, how weird Party of Five was, Wolves and Foxes, Living Single, Heavy D, Seinfeld, how much Ken loves Bonnie Hunt, Joey Lawrence, Prince for a Day, Picket Fences, Jack Black on The X-Files, why Ken can't remember Gary Cole's name, American Gothic, and when cigarettes were freedom torches.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 480: Brian Volk-Weiss Jul 21, 2021

This week Ken welcomes the producer/director/host and all around jack of all trades behind The Toys That Made Us, The Movies That Made Us and A Toy Store Near You, Brian Volk-Weiss.

Ken and Brian discuss Boston, Newbury Comics, Toy Stores, the intention behind A Toy Store Near You, COVID, being inspired, life being too short, nostalgia, growing up in Queens, making people happy, reaching 100% toys, people buying things in lock down, Magnolia Park in Burbank, Black Cat Collectibles, Toys That Never Should Have Been Made, KayBee Toys clearance bin, A-Team mini vans, TV Toys, the confidence behind releasing toys, having an unpopular lunchbox, always wanting the COBRA Hydrofoil, Mego's Star Trek Bridge, Automan, Quantum Leap toys, how all toys are for adults now, the pre-internet age, bootleg toys, Mr. Big's Toyland, how interviewing lawyers is the secret to getting the scoop, wanting people to feel happy, how stand up comedians are good people to hire behind the scenes for documentaries, Behind the Attraction on Disney +, the definitive documentary about Star Trek The Center Seat, and the future of toys.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 479: Peppermint Jul 19, 2021

This week Ken welcomes singer, performer, all around personality and force of nature Peppermint to the show.

Ken and Peppermint discuss remote controls, the single most 1992 image ever, how the 80s didn't end in 1990, pop culture delays, the rise of cable TV, MTV, breaking the Summer barrier, getting ready for OJ Simpson, Melrose Place, Beverly Hills 90210, Universal remotes, Real World Homecoming, how Kevin was right, Rodney King, same accent, different place, MTV's House of Style, Nickelodeon, the invention of 'tweens, SNICK, Roundhouse, New York TV, Star Trek TNG, Highway to Heaven, I Was a Middle Aged Werewolf, Quantum Leap, how slow older shows can be, The X-Files, horror movies, Marcia Cross, Traci Lords, Heather Locklear, Siver, rock and pop, hip hop, ska, compilation soundtracks, MTV Spring Break, Salt N Peppa, En Vogue, Eternal: The En Vogue of the UK's song Stay, strange mixes of genres, being inspired by the Spice Girls 2 Become 1 to move to Manhattan, allies, Pedro Zimora, how amazing Norm is, Chocolate Bunny Paintings, collecting art, KayBee Toys clearance bin, The Real World New York, the evolving discussions of race, NEEDING a Real World LA reunion, Tammy, WHERE IS DAVID??, going straight to YouTube, desperately needing Becky back in the house, how cool Mohammad is, and renting the Real World houses on Air BnB.

Be sure not to miss Peppermint’s new single Here for It which has a PERFECT vibe for a 1992 discussion

https://youtu.be/xcUvJ-STKM8

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 478: Michelle Bossy Jul 12, 2021

This week Ken welcome director Michelle Bossy to the show.

Ken and Michelle discuss bossy by name bossy by nature, Summer 1998, Frank Sinatra's death, graduating from High School, growing up in Las Vegas, the nature of fame, talk shows, growing up Mexican American, telenovellas, Golden Girls, The X-Files, The Wonder Years, voice over, sincerity, The Muppets, Awakenings, So I Married an Ax Murderer?, missing out, Museum of the Moving Image, Dinosaurs, Magical Realism, Ally McBeal, cynical TV, pop music soundtracks, Empire Records, The Big Chill, scoring movies with songs, Gen X, The Gin Blossoms, hunting down Eraserhead, the heat of Vegas, living in other people's hedonism, Austin Powers, Mike Meyers, parody from love, how poor everyone is in movies but are actually rich, Jeopardy, Barefoot in the Park, Musical Theater, falling in love with NYC, Mad About You, Seinfeld, the Seinfeld finale, Noises Off!, farce, non-sanitized but not gritty New York, Curb Your Enthusiasm, showrunners, the idea of working in a newsroom, and having ALMOST the same birthday.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 477: Sarah Sweeney Jul 05, 2021

October 17-23, 1998

This week Ken welcomes writer, voice over royalty and fellow latch key New Englander Sarah Sweeney to the show.

Ken and Sarah discuss NYC, soul sucking, Providence, 24 hours emotional support food, Halloween, the 1998 Clinton Scandal, pre-cogs, horoscopes, Warped Tour, Suffolk Downs, betting on horses, Ken's annoying red phone, trying to get deals on cable, chained to bundles, getting a ton of v/o work, notable stuff you can't talk about, having never seen a Farrley Brothers movie, Brotherhood, where does Ally McBeal take place, Boston Public, Boston Legal, The Amazing Randi, Co-Star, weird tangents, smoking while voting, Scream, My So-Called Life, how great Senta Moses is, Angela Chase, Breaking Away, spending the Summer watching the movies you should have seen, Sammo Hung, America's Night of Heroes, Walker Texas Ranger, Chuck is his character, being extremely hot, XTREME sports, SOF: Special Ops Force with Dennis Rodman, Sister Sister, A Will of their Own, Victorian Times, Dharma and Greg, Joanna Kerns, Hallmark movies, working at Sci-Fi, Mad About You, Ken's Fraiser issues, being a smart mean kid, being better than this, the dehumanization of the 21st Century, the dissolution of decorum, the invention of 'tweens, marketing, ratings, Anne with an E, The Nanny, Conventions, scarred by ER, The Pee Wee Herman Show, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Great American Drama, and the future of Limited Run Series.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 476: Fred Mollin Jun 28, 2021

June 27-July 3, 1959

This week Ken welcomes producer, composer and all around great guy Fred Mollin to the show.

Ken and Fred discuss Memphis, The Peabody Hotel, ducks, Toronto, SCTV, making records, improv, Godspell, Paul Schaffer, David Cronenberg, Fast Company, growing up on Long Island, being the baby, Perry Mason, Ed Sullivan, Wanted Dead or Alive, Western Detectives, wish fulfillment, fantasy, the rifleman, being fascinated by guns on TV as a kid, Jean Carrol, plate spinning, Lloyd Price, Frankie Avalon, Dick Clark, Ray Boulger, 77 Sunset Strip, Johnny Mathis, Ricky Nelson, Zacherly, Disney's music side, children's music, lullabies, Friday the 13th the movies and the series, Forever Night, synths, Faith Healer, televised Blood Drives, Life of Riley, Love that Bob, Bob Cummings, Wyatt Earp, Hugh O'Brian, John Carradine, Highway Patrol, Dragnet, growing up Jewish, comparing your family to television families, Donna Reed, Zorro, Burns and Allen, having access to everything, Newark vs Las Vegas, old school Wrestling, Nat Hiken, Car 54, Where Are You?, Phil Silvers, trivia ringers, and how being a television kid teaches you a life time of useful skills.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 475: Rachel Rosenthal and Sam DeRoest Jun 21, 2021

This week Ken welcomes real life married couple, improv royalty, and hosts of the Generation Gap podcast Rachel Rosenthal and Sam DeRoest.

Ken, Rachel and Sam discuss icky years, age differences, American Idol, how artificial "reality" talent shows are, Ken seeing Kelly Clarkson have Lady GaGa open for her at a Grammy Party, Bel Biv Devoe, live shows, from Justin to Kelly, William Hung, Clay Aiken, Reuben Studdard, Crystal Lite, Oregon, Dale Earnhardt, Kenan Thompson, The Secret of My Success, Wall Street, Broadway, Nathan Lane, How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying, musicals, Carrie: The Musical, Jeff Goldblum, Curb Your Enthusiasm, grid confusion, The Wedding Planner, CB4, Shakespeare in the South, Patrick Stewart: Cowboy, The Bachelorette Alaska, seeing plays in London, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof with Brendan Fraiser, The Town, putting a whole town in your rearviews, getting the VIP Disney hook up from Chelsea Nobel's cousin, Everybody Loves Raymond, the horror of 24, why torture is ineffective, No Way Steve, how great America's Funniest Home Videos is, the time a bird suicided on Fabio's Face, Paula Dean being knocked out by a frozen turkey, 1990's Dick Tracey, Madonna shooting blanks, The Portland Timbers, Airplane, classic comedy, championship hockey, Survivor, The MTV Movies Awards, Elvis, Spongebob Squarepants, The Wire, Jessica Alba as Dark Angel, and being absolutely confused by Pokemon and Power Rangers.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 474: David Rees Jun 14, 2021

This week Ken welcomes author, cartoonist, podcaster, artisanal pencil sharpener and co-creator of Dicktown, David Rees to the show.

Ken and David discuss the Moon Landing, not growing up in Washington D.C., North Carolina, Journalistic Independence, Dead Dogs, sexy Mods, Bonanza, Wild Wild West, Mystery Shows, walking on the Moon, "that other thing", Miss Universe, Hogan's Heroes, VCR dupe machines, punk rock, The Minutemen, complaining about Spot's production, SST Records, Night Flight, The Residents, not knowing young people, Ted Turner's End of the World sign off video, Bounty Hunters, classic talk shows, Eva Gabor, the difficulties of hand laying out TV Guide issues, "Fem-Pain", Green Acres, Ian Oglevie, Vincent Price, The Saint, Pluto TV, Danny Peary's Cult Movies books, El Topo, Secret Agent Man, The Prisoner, The Coolidge Corner Theater, Charles Dickins, Mike Watt and the absolute world changing greatness of Preston Sturges.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 473: Pam Ribon Jun 07, 2021

This week Ken welcomes the amazing writer, performer, podcaster and Sister from Another Mr, Pam Ribon to the show.

Ken and Pam discuss Blue Ribon Panels, regional name variations, mayonnaise, Doctor Misses Doctor Mister Doctor Misses, tangents, secretly dating John Travolta, why you never share secrets with your parents, younger sisters, Today's Special, Punky Brewster, St. Elsewere, visiting shooting locations, Valerie Bertinelli in HELL, Billy Graham IN HELL, discovering new artists, Jody Foster, Peter O'Toole, creepy dudes, Wizards and Warriors, Julia Duffy, Soaps, crashing a plane to impress a woman, John "Not C" Riley, Love Boat, avoiding grown ups, forbidden Diff'rent Strokes, humorless parents, hating truth, getting into Stephen King too young, being dared to read Salem's Lot, Ken's embarrassing love of Beautiful Girls, how Natalie Portman was done wrong, Drew Barrymore, SNL, Hank Williams Jr. : The Movie, The Legend of Fred Asparagus, Bikers, Invitation to Hell, the magic of club soda, The Demon Murder Case, Kevin Bacon, the wonder of Small and Fry, Ed Solomon, Laverne and Shirley, Three's Company, Not Necessarily The News, BRAIN GAMES! BRAIN! GAMES!, Family Ties, S.C.U.B.A., game shows, Beat the Geek, Swackhammer, Swayze Crazy, The Renegades, reviewing Family Ties, Miss Chievious, Cheeahs, FAME, Jeers dressed as Cheers, AND somehow not ever Sassy Magazine. Not once.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 472: Chuck Hogan May 31, 2021

This week Ken welcomes author of Prince of Thieves (which became the film The Town), co-author of The Strain series and a ton of other amazing stuff, and fellow Massachusetts citizen Chuck Hogan.

Ken and Chuck discuss space travel while sitting in your house, time shifting, streaming, the church like experience of experiencing something day and date, Spenser for Hire, James at 15, shooting things in Boston, The Brinx Job, Vincent Price and Milk, Stephen King, Square Pegs, drug scares, the bitchy anonymity of TV Guide, exposes, the nature of fame, Saturday Night Live, doing your best to stay up late, Mr. Bill, TJ Hooker, Claude Akin, The Love Boat, Didi Conn, National Lampoon's Class Reunion, NY Hot Trax, Solid Gold, Night Flight, MTV, the world changing event of getting cable, Facts of Life, Gimme a Break, musicians gust starring on sitcoms, Bloopers, Angel Dusted, Jerry Lewis' replacement show for Thicke of the Night, Gloria Loring, The A-Team, Missy Gold: Licensed Therapist, how Hart to Hart is like Batman but without everything that makes Batman good, talking your way into rebooting the Six Million Dollar Man, The Duck Factory, early Jim Carey, SCTV's final season on Cinemax/Superchannel, going down rabbit holes, House by the Cemetery, Lucio Fulci, Fangoria, horror movies shot in Massachusetts, Gates of Hell, City of the Living Dead, Pieces, Boston Mobster making movies, the Benson cliffhanger, and the horrors of Assaulted Nuts.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 471: Vinnie Fiorello May 24, 2021

This week Ken welcomes Less than Jake drummer, lyricist and author of the new book "6/19" Vinnie Fiorello.

Ken and Vinnie discuss full tilt Summer in Gainesville Florida, growing up in New Jersey, City Gardens, Jon Stewart, secret jocks in the punk rock scene, The Ramones on the Uncle Floyd Show, buying Asian weapons in Chinatown, The Master with Lee Van Cleef, The A-Team, moving from punk to Thrash Metal, no bed time, The Love Boat, It's Your Move, Mama's Family, Unlikable character on TV, Buffalo Bill, fist fighting for what you want to watch on TV, The World at War, Bloopers, POWs, M*A*S*H, KISS Alive II, Three's Company, ruining shows you paid to go see for some weird reason, Bad Brains, Rollins, how there were no deaths on 1980s action shows, Golden Girls, loving Mona on Who's the Boss?, crushing on Allyssa Milano, Commando, Blue vans and moving to CT, loving TV Jingles, Less Thank Jake's TVEP, Taxi, Runaway, Lee Ving, Webster, The Golden Child, Friday Night Videos and how Night Flight changed lives.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 470: Scott Ryan is Moonlighting May 19, 2021

This week author Scott Ryan returns for a THIRD time to discuss his new book A Moonlighting Oral History.

Scott and Ken discuss The Wonder Years, ABC in the 80s, Reagan's deregulation, ABC Circle Films, shows produced by networks, endless budgets, hour long dramadies, Cybill Sheppard, Bruce Willis, ratings, movie stars, Die Hard, the insane production schedule of Moonlighting, breaking the fourth wall, murder mysteries, innovation through mistakes, Remington Steele, Detective shows, breaking ground, I Married Dora, series finales, being sad that your own show was picked up, Alan Arkish, Curtis Armstrong, Will They Won't They?, backstage stuff, Clean and Sober, song rights, subsidizing corporations, streaming mysteries, Spenser for Hire, IMDB TV, SCTV, asking for anything, messing up the DVDs, not promoting Orson Wells, and the ongoing trauma of the people who worked on Moonlighting.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 469: Anne Dudek May 17, 2021

This week Ken welcomes actor Anne Dudek (Mad Men, House, Friends) to the show.

Ken and Anne discuss The Book Group, being a theater actor, multi cam sitcoms, Friends, bloopers, Head of the Class, Robin Givens, being miserable under contract, the changing nature of celebrity, how late night shows are irrelevant, Patch on Days of our Lives, casually wearing a boa constrictor, Soaps, And Now the Screaming Starts, Too Scared to Scream, Golden Girls, Murder She Wrote, Anne's Murder She Wrote Fan Fiction, 227, being isolated via media, Family Ties, Rags to Riches, Baby Jessica, the greatness of Angela Lansbury, "Mom" names, retro shows, The Wonder Years, Happy Days, what kids watch today, political divisions, could Family Ties be made today?, blaming Newt Gingrich, The Company of Wolves, guest starring, having two careers, being a movie actor or a TV actor, Magnum P.I., DRUGS, Just say No, being terrified of drugs, urban legends, school yard scare stories, The Long Hot Summer, Hardhat and Legs, Ruth Gordon, Bobby Short playing himself, the harshness of TV Guide, local MTV rip offs, This Old House, computer aided hose repair, being an architects, The Imposter, talking your way into a High School Principal position, Anthony Geary, and staging your childhood murder mysteries as an adult.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 468: Frank Santopadre May 10, 2021

January 2-8, 1971

This week Ken welcomes comedy writer and co-host of The Amazing Collosal Podcast with Gilbert Gottfried, Frank Santopadre to the show.

Ken and Frank discuss Jello Biafra, Fred Schneider, Ken's impressive bookings, interviewing Ken, the idea for where TV Guidance Counselor came from, Ken's days in bands, reviewing the Partridge Family, USA Network's 90s originals, Duckman, working with Paul Fusco, Lost on Earth, Claude's Crib, Ralph Mazza, recognizing character actors, loving "that guys", the fun part of living in L.A., Bruce Kirby, all the New York character actors, deep dives, musicians, variety shows, vaudeville, impressionists, Petula Clark, owned and operated TV stations, Ed Sullivan, The Monster that Challenged the World, New York in the 1970s, All in the Family, MTM Productions, Adam West, Lost in Space, Old Man rivalries, Paul Lynde, Bob and Ray, Mad Magazine, Lucy and Bob Hope dressing like hippies, terrifying Lucy, hippies, Stone Pillow, Amos and Andy, Mods, Wilt Chamberlain, Alias Smith and Jones, Channel 5 NY, WPIX, Glen Campbell, Johnny Cash, Milton Berle, The New Andy Griffith Show, Make Room for Granddaddy, Gaylord Carter's Pipe Organ, Jim Neighbors, game shows, The Avengers, The Dean Martin Show, desperately trying to get people to use Zip Codes, The Love God, That Girl, Adam Strange, Frosty the Snowman, Strange Report, Night Gallery, Tales of the Unexpected, horror anthology shows, Love American Style, and attending the Barbizon Modeling School.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 467: Jim Aquino Part II May 05, 2021

October 8-14, 1994

As promised Jim Aquino author of the new book If You Haven't Seen It, It's New to You: The Movies and TV Shows Some of Us Regretted Not Catching Until Later returns for The Young Guns II of this week's episodes.

Ken and Jim discuss Goonies II NES, Star Trek vs Star Wars, Ken's love of Just the Ten of Us, The Juggernaut, Terror on the Britannic, Weird Science, The Smolletts, On Our Own, bad animation, The Simpsons, Dr. Demento, The Adventures of Lois and Clark, Bruce Campbell, Season 2 of Seaquest DSV, MTV Unplugged, spoken word, LL Cool J's deodorant caked armpits, In Living Color, Roger Corman's love of free popcorn, Steve Park, Breakfast Time, Tom Bergeron, the early days of FX, Animaniacs, Batman the Animated Series, Casey Kasam's Transformers boycot, Donnie Simpson, Lavert, the last days of Soul Train, The Jon Stewart Show, Northern Exposure, Tom Arnold, Tom Noonan, Robocop, Roc, murderers on TV, All American Girl, Models Inc., Walt Disney World Inside Out, Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Kids in the Hall, Conan, Wes Craven's New Nightmare, My So-Called Life, New York Undercover, The Librarians, The Elongated Man, Comic View, Homicide Life on the Street, writing fan letters, and connecting with socially conscious teens.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 466: Jim Aquino Part 1 May 03, 2021

This week Ken welcomes author of the indispensable book If You Haven't Seen It, It's New to You (as J. John Aquino) Jim Aquino.

Ken and Jim discuss blogs, accidental Star Trek cosplay, The Bay Area, Voyager, Deep Space Nine, Ken's brief meeting with Kate Mulgrew, having three Spocks, crying on panels, back stage drama, creepy lighter mascots, Saturday Morning Cartoons, Small Wonder, Batman the Animated Series, not having Cartoon Network or Sci-Fi Channel, the annoying phenomenon of streaming services splitting seasons of a series, Benson, Quinn Martin, The Fugitive formula, reboots starring dogs, Revenge of the Nerds, Big John Little John, failed TV pilots based on movies, Aaron Slick from Punkin Chick, ReBoot, The Tick, lame catch phrases, Public Enemy, Soul Train, Stevie B, Brownstone, BET, Video Soul, My Best Friend's a Vampire, Baywatch Nights, Vanishing Son, martial arts, depictions of Asian Americans on TV, choreography, Leonard Nimoy, Donnie Yen, The Comish, Devon Odessa, My So-Called Life, In Living Color, and only getting through Saturday.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 465: Chris Morgan Apr 26, 2021

This week Ken welcome author of the new book on Nickelodeon in the '90s (and the old book The Comic Galaxy of Mystery Science Theater 3000: Twelve Classic Episodes and the Movies They Lampoon) Chris Morgan.

Ken and Chris discuss growing up in Detroit, being very unsuccessful, failing in L.A., Kid Rock, Comedy Channel, early cable networks, Canadian content, Fifteen, Welcome Freshman, Cousin Skeeter, My Brother and Me, Alex Mack, Shelby Woo, how bad My Brother and Me was, Third Rock from the Sun, 10 Things I Hate About You, Alanis Morrisette, Moesha books, Rugrats, Halloween, All That!, teenage HIV suicide pact Summer camps on Touched by an Angel, Thora Birch, Munsters, Chevy Chase, Pop up Video, VH1, WCW, WWF, Hulk Hogan in Assault on Devil's Island, Beavis and Butthead, Drew Carey, The Flintstones, Ken's love of Caddyshack II, Seinfeld, Rock n Jock, Bob Ballaban Baseball, Bike Blades and Boards, Saved by the Bell, Tori, the last year of Trick or Treating, Family Matters, Stevil, Rocky Horror Picture Show, the history of Frankenstein, screams from your closet, Karate Fighters toys and how Slappy from Goosebumps is a great interview.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 464: Phillip Iscove Apr 19, 2021

This week Ken welcomes co-creator of Sleepy Hollow and co-host of Podcast like it's 1999 Phil Iscove to the show.

Ken and Phil discuss escaping the North East, growing up in Toronto, CTV, ER, The George Clooney narrative, people the Networks Love, Felicity, Owen Wilson, The Minus Man, Janeane Garofalo, Clay Pigeons, the 90s low point of SNL, bad 90s suits, Swingers, film festivals, indie movies, horror films, Eric Lasalle, Anthony Edwards, gore on TV, Michael Crichton, pulp, being the Stephen King of medical fiction, West World, Spielberg, Disclosure, evergreen genres, why latex gloves are the hardest park of medical acting, USA Network, 1999, grids, Awards Season, Blue Collar Shows, Werewolf, the early days of Fox, Married...with Children, why simple premises are best, The Simpsons, Fish Police, Melrose Place, why apartments are every writer's dream, The WB, high school years, UPN having no identity, Beavis and Butthead, wish fulfillment, Ren & Stimpy, Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer, Chicago Hope, Love and Betrayal: The Mia Farrow Story starring Patsy Kensit, tactical werewolves in Full Eclipse, Tim Daly, Beverly Hills 90210 and the Flaming Lips, having your favorite band on your show, Ken's weird phone, Bjork, John Noble, hierarchy of fandom, one Great White Shark, Antonio Sabato Jr hosting The Hunt for Amazing Treasures, The X-Files, Sightings, the difficulty of juggling serialization and episodic stories, having no plan, and Chuck Connors as a werewolf sea captain with a pipe.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 463: Kliph Nesteroff and Jon Roberts Apr 14, 2021

This week Ken welcomes Kliph Nesteroff back to the show to discuss his new book "We Had a Little Real Estate Problem", in addition Ken welcomes one of the subjects of the book, Native American comedian Jon Roberts.

Ken, Kliph and Jon discuss Dave Evans, Will Rogers, Native American representation in media, Musso Frank, Red Lake Nation, scaring your own kids, never meeting a man you didn't like, Wrestling, having very limited channels, Eddie Murphy, Dukes of Hazard, I Love Lucy, Seinfeld, stereotypes, Canada's Residential Schools, Rutherford Falls, journalism, Roseanne, Dennis Wolfberg, stand up on TV, age appropriate comedy, how hard life is on a reservation, being isolated, the wide variety of native comedy, Buddy Bigmountain, Westerns, casinos, new cliches, how eye opening seeing somebody get laughs can be, racist Boston, dehumanizing, colonialism, coping with tragedy through humor, Thanksgiving, Elizabeth Warren, Charlie Hill, Pow wows, weird old man shows, Mad About You, GI Joe, Refrigerator Perry, being inspired by Hulk Hogan, and the importance of representation.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 462: Caryn Richman Apr 12, 2021

This week Ken welcomes actor (The New Gidget, The Bradys) Caryn Richman to the show.

Ken and Caryn discuss their failed attempts to do the show in person over the years, Gidget, The Bradys, 1966, growing up in Long Island, going to High School with Joey Buttafuoco, being in Grease in Broadway, the age you're stuck at, embracing your age, playing sweet and wholesome, how hard sitcom acting is, breaking the fourth wall on Gidget, the wave of "New" shows in the 80s, The Bradys, dramatic reboots of comedies, Gilligan's Island, I Dream of Jeanie, Donna Reed, Wandavision, Lawrence Welk, Ed Sullivan, The Wonderful World of Disney, the Saturday Night Movie, seeing Broadway shows, being in a singing group, Tuxedo Junction, Dance Fever, Hollywood Squares, what impressed your parents, Win, Lose or Draw, Soaps, the weirdness of having understudies on television, The Young and the Restless, Batman '66, wiping tapes, lost shows, Encyclopedias, the public library, Petticoat Junction, Green Acres, having Patty Duke's father, the greatness of The Hollywood Museum, Dawn Wells, music rights, Kathy Zuckerman, The Hollywood Christmas Parade, meeting Jimmy Stewart, why you really shouldn't meet your heroes sometimes, Bewitched, The Smothers Brothers and the "scary and spies" craze of the 1960s.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 461: Callyann Brennan Apr 05, 2021

Today Ken welcomes RTE broadcaster, Dublin resident and Try Channel Allstar Callyann Brennan to the show.

Ken and Callyann discuss being exciting, being in the future, middle child syndrome, how twins count as one person, the beauty of VHS tapes, Saved by the Bell, visiting NYC, J-Lo's booty bench from Maid in Manhattan, taking a solo horse carriage ride in Central Park, cannolis, Los Angeles, Ice Cream Trucks, Seth McFarlane's albums, The Big Big Movie, Jaws, Orcas, Whale Watches, Free Willy, RTE, darts, Snooker, Sunday TV, growing up with a father who tests ice cream flavors, immunity from brain freeze, keeping the ocean for yourself, Father Ted, The Nanny, Made for-TV Movies, Fair City, being on the soaps, things looking bigger on TV, Home and Away, covering everything in gravy, Neighbors, Dads getting into soaps, understanding Friends, how Seinfeld didn't do anything in Ireland, Baywatch, OJ's "If I Did It", the greatness of Judge Judy and how Friday in Ireland is all about The Late Late Show.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 460: Mike Mignola Apr 01, 2021

In this BONUS! episode Ken welcomes artist, writer and creator of Hellboy, the one and only Mike Mignola to the show.

Ken and Mike discuss doing homework for interviews, television moments that burn into your brain, the early 1970s, talking about TV in the schoolyard, TV movies, Sole Survivor, when VCRs were sci-fi, remembering everything, never seeing things again, setting your alarm to watch a movie in the middle of the night, Frankenstein vs the Wolfman, Bride of Frankenstein, being starved for monsters, The Munsters, The Adams Family, not getting UHF stations, 1970s Monster Movie Books, being a big reader, Dracula, Creature Features, The Evil of Frankenstein, adapting Francis Ford Coppola's Dracula for comics, hoarding images, having a New England/England aesthetic and being a California guy, Lovecraft, the sadness of horror, Ghosts in a Toys R Us, The Fog, Dead and Buried, Chariots of the Gods, emotional impact of Batman '66, Channel 2, Dark Shadows, heads in boxes, Werewolves, curses, The Vulture (1966), being a physical media die hard, asking Stephen King and Guillermo Del Toro to solve the mystery of The Attack of the Puppet People, being a KISS and The Partridge Family Fan, Jenny Agutter, Jack Kirby, being a Marvel fan, The Thing, the lack of imagination of Hollywood, why money shouldn't drive creative endeavors, character moments, how Terminator 2 meant movies could do anything, the lack of superhero stuff in the 1970s, the 1960s Marvel Superheroes cartoon, Captain Satellite, feeling soothed by Boris Karloff's voice, film noir, Vera, loving British Murder Mystery shows, Jim Thompson, hating cross-over large universe wide events, the constant reboot of comics, forcing people to buy comics they don't want, Dark Night of the Scarecrow, Gargoyles, Trilogy of Terror, running into Harlan Ellison, and the Dark Shadows/Partridge Family shared universe.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 459: Dom Joly Mar 29, 2021

This week Ken welcomes comedian, haver on impeccable musical taste, travel writer, and UK Television personality Dom Joly.

Ken and Dom discuss The Cotswolds, 1990, 70s TV, growing up in Lebanon, French and Arabic subtitles, Benny Hill, Eight is Enough, visa schemes, Dom' Joly's Excellent Adventure, Happy Hour, The Hezbollah Hiking Club, scripted reality shows, 90 Day Fiance, Below Deck, ad libbing, showcasing beautiful places, being arrested in Syria, Mr. Bean, going to school with Osama Bin Laden, sweeps week, assassinations, JFK, Elvis, Racquet Ball, getting never told no, Alice Cooper fighting Elvis with a gun, the greatness of The Sound and Adrian Borland, how The Sound is Ken and Dom's band, Twitch channels, stumbling upon things, The Young Ones, Mad Men is a show about assholes, COPS, Imperialism, Empire building, WWII, The World at War, Hiroshima, chaos, the random nature of living, conspiracy theories, America's Most Wanted, bad recreations, The Death of the Incredible Hulk, Alien Nation, The Wonder Years, Vietnam, "Better Red than Dead Week", The Woman in Red, Moonlighting, Trigger Happy TV, living next door to Miss Moneypenny, Night Life, and why Heathers is the greatest film of the 1980s.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 458: Catherine Mary Stewart Mar 22, 2021

This week Ken welcomes actor and all around great human Catherine Mary Stewart (Night of the Comet, Weekend at Bernies, The Apple) to the show.

Ken and Catherine discuss snow, generational genital snow art, TV in the UK, sheep hearing championships on television, ITV, studying dance, growing up in Canada, The Apple, traveling to East Berlin, having older brothers, growing up in academia, dangerous winter sports, traveling the world, TV Guide ads, mis-identifying Roger Ebert, Judy LaMarche, sneaking the soaps, being on soaps, Days of our Lives, Knight Rider, how hard it is to memorize things, The Last Starfighter, being the girl next door, Hollywood Wives, CGI, moving from TV acting to movie acting, watching your work alone, being self conscious, Robert Beltran, Eating Raoul, Mary Woronov, Night of the Comet, star quality, The Beachcombers, indie studios, Canadian Government Film subsidies, Telefilm, Mr. Dressup, The Friendly Giant, The Hardy Boys, going on a date with Parker Stevenson, All in the Family, naivete, singing, foreign films, The Man from Atlantis, wanting to go offline, Larry Holmes boxing, SCTV, Reach for the Top, living in Las Vegas, parental support and pride, dance troupes, the importance of chemistry, the changes in fame, having to have social media, the isolation of remote auditions, reality TV, horses, writing scripts, streaming, silent films, having access to the history of film, women directors, what we miss during COVID, and the benefits of being a loner.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 457: Tom DeTrinis Mar 15, 2021

February 22-28, 1997

Today Ken welcomes writer, actor, director and chef Tom DeTrinis to the show.

Ken and Tom discuss Tom's delight, butts, Chuck Norris, prescription drugs, the Telecommunications Act of 1996, playing evil when you're a former child star, Candance Cameron, Poison Ivy, reruns, The Grammys, No Doubt, adults, LeeAnn Rhymes, Schindler's List, Ellen, very special episodes, Dirty Dancing, not being allowed to watch Married...with Children, You Can't Do That on Television and the Simpsons, Hollywood jerks, hazing, having no nostalgia, being forced out of the closet, Cybill, lunatics, SAG debates, ska, the death of syndication, Howard Stern on E!, Troop Beverly Hills, The Bodyguard, Savannah, Jamie Luner, bloopers, OOPS! World's funniest outtakes, tickle me Elmo, Night Sins, Ink, Steven Webber, Stephen King, the Shining, Elizabeth Taylor's brain tumor, She Said No, Hilary Swank, Suddenly Suan, regaining your sanity, murder made for tv, ER, Life Goes On, old footage, Disney, Millennium, and living in a four Cheer week world.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 456: Blaze Mancillas Mar 08, 2021

December 17-23, 1994

This week Ken welcomes comedian, fellow podcaster, actor and all around good dude Blaze Mancillas to the show.

Ken and Blaze discuss NYC vs SF, ships, ghosts, pervy ghosts on ships, Don Johnson, Nash Bridges, video albums, Kathy Lee's crazy life, Dave Chapelle's backdoor Home Improvement pilot, Blown Away's huge explosion, Deep Space Nine, pandemic episodes, easy payment for collector' plate, coin collection, plate you can't eat off of, Bobby's World, Camp Candy, Life with Louie, how therapists are out to get you, Woody Allen's Made for TV movie, The George Carlin Show, Roseanne, 90210's Christmas reality show, MTV's Sex in the 90s, AIDS, urban legends, Rescue 911, UFOs, Bigfoot, The Making of Richie Rich, Basketball cards, E!, The Dream Team, not coming out of the closet, a craving to shoot hoops, ER, Grand Mama, Christmas, Tom Poston, Family Matters, Christmas Unsolved Mysteries, Lion taming, Circuses, fake Unicorn, Pen15, Jeer heavy, lying on Rikki Lake, Jimmy Smidt, NYPD Blue, bookies, Notre Dame and not messing with Boston's team mascots.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 455: Ed Solomon Mar 03, 2021

In this special BONUS! Episode Ken welcomes writer of such amazing fare as Bill & Ted, Men in Black, and Laverne and Shirly, the fantastic Ed Solomon.

Ken and Ed discuss being plagued by Ed Sullivan, Paul Lynde, the lie of Hollywood Squares, 1972, Laverne and Shirley, the Big Ragu, scars, forgetting the 1950s, college finals, cryogenics, eating yourself, Alive!, cutting out syllables to save time, failure, how Ed is NOT the Night Stalker despite being the Prime Suspect for a moment, Punky Brewster, meditation, "nap time", cocaine, legal advice, entrapment, the long game, improv, It's Gary Shandlings Show, making story from a truth vs a gag, not breaking your own rules, time travel, tubes, stumbling into deconstructive inspiration due to ignorance, embracing ideas, genre, noir, Gary Shandling, Mike Nesmith, wearing a costume, mustaches, Yosemite Sam, Ken's cape wearing, desperately wanting David Cassidy hair, and realizing that you and your curly hair are the actual magic the whole time.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 454: Abbi Crutchfield Mar 01, 2021

April 19-25, 1986

This week Ken welcomes comedian, TV host, and nail polish enthusiast Abbi Crutchfield to the show.

Ken and Abbi discuss snow, growing up in Indiana, Hooser vibes, Boston anger, accents, wanting to leave where you grew up, speaking other languages, New York vs. LA, stand up, local commercials, the best looking Men in Hollywood circa 1986, Murder She Wrote, being 50 forever, Pierce Brosnon, your James Bond, Don Johnson, Dallas, Robert Urich, Vegas, looking at things as an adult vs as when you were a kid, being a parent, Remington Steele, Magnum PI settling down, Heartbeat, Friday Night video store trips, creepy dudes hitting up the back room, nail polish, Small Wonder, child actors, Jim Davis, Garfield in Paradise, Tom Bosley, watching the stock market on TV, M&Ms, The Trix rabbit finally getting Trix, TV commercials, entering contests, being at a test screening of Milk Money, The Secret Garden, Columbo, murder, autopsies, Patrick McGoohan, Luke Thayer subjecting Abbi to Mr. Boogedy, John Astin, Home Alone, interviewing celebrities for People magazine, Ken's amazement at Todd Oldham, and being Up Early Tonight.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 453: Dan Hirshon and Micah Sherman Feb 22, 2021

January 1-7, 2000

This week Ken welcomes old friends and new creators of the sketch comedy album The Break Up, Micah Sherman and Dan Hirshon.

Ken, Dan and Micah discuss how Micah has been on the show before but Dan hasn't, Micah moving to Florida, Dan being in Chicago, how the women are there, Florida Men, vestibules, COVID, time changes, blowing up the bathroom, Crazy people, Dangerous Dan the Bongo Man, being hit by lightning, Deep Dish P*ssy, Elvis, the formative years of college, living in Boston for three years, stand up, tax crimes, playing cruel pranks, cigarettes, all the people we lost in 1999, sleeping in each others beds, The Red Hot Chilli Peppers, disposing of dog dirt, Joe Wong, QVC's new host, Bob Bowersocks, giving away the magic, cassingles, throwing bars, The X-Files, The Simpsons, watching things out of order, 20/20, John Stossel, Geraldo, Dennis Miller, Third Rock from the Sun, not having cable, Veronica's Closet/Just Shoot Me/Caroline in the City/Suddenly Susan, wolf men, Micah's quest for reality, Buff the Vampire Slayer, Star Trek, scanning TV Guides, TV critics, feeling ok, not having a Winter depression beard, Ken's gray hair, aging, Who's Line Is It Anyone?, who is the best, improv, regional accents, TGIF, Dinosaurs, Fuck you Hippies, Chicago Hot Dogs and the new (not real) Bodyguard watch along podcast.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 452: Michael Shaw Feb 15, 2021

March 16-22, 1968

This week Ken welcomes Cartoonist and co-author of the new book (along with friend of the show and future guest Bob Eckstein) "The Elements of Stress and the Pursuit of Happy-ish in this Current Sh*tstorm", Michael Shaw to the show.

Ken and Michael discuss MST3k, Wisconsin, The Mid-West, Ken's scholarly attempts, the sweet spot of 1968, growing up outside of St. Louis, Three Stooges, hurting your eyesight, The Flying Nun, TV Service Man talking back, bananas, writing letters, The Prisoner, Hollywood Palace, Nick at Nite, My Three Sons, Hogan's Heroes, Gitmo: The Sitcom, Don Knotts, Wild Kingdom, statutes of Monkey and Man, Eve Arden, vintage radio shows, the greatest of Merrill Markoe, poodles, Danny Thomas, Burlesque, Sam Jones, Andy Griffith, Maybury RFD, Baloney, Swedish Sex documentaries, preferring the replacement casts, I Dream of Jeanie, the weirdest Larry Hagman stories, Matlock vs. Ironsides, homages, English Gardens, not discussing the Beverly Hillbillies as much as you'd think, breaking the 4th wall, the genius of Green Acres, Jonathan Winters, vanilla ice cream, Dragnet, Harry Morgan, Leave it to Beaver, Tarzan, Gomer Pyle, Jerry Van Dyke's performance anxiety, murderers, variety shows, Mary Tyler Moore, Richard Deacon, avoiding dark TV and watching shows you've never watched but should watch.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 451: Kim Noble Feb 08, 2021

September 1-7, 1984

This week Ken welcomes comedian, man of Mystery and host of the Futile Attempts podcast Kim Noble.

Ken and Kim discuss the greyness of London, having a Boston asshole landlord, hating TV, disappointing the listeners, having a bad memory, squeaky chairs, calling random law firms for advice, just how annoying Kim Noble is, getting a bad review in the New York Times, not being allowed into the country, wanky art, mental people, acid rain, being confused, Channel 4, alt comedy, pranks, social experiments, the legal issues around comedy, art school, panel shows, having James Corden, sexest letters to TV Guide, contacting local news celebrities, hook handed villains, Airwolf, Big Wednesday, Gandhi, comedy not traveling well, Jerry Lewis telethons, Cagney and Lacey, thinking of Meg Foster, contacting Clint Howard for his snowglobes, Double Trouble, Cheers, St. Elsewhere, Hill Street Blues, Magnum P.I., Airplane II, being a bit English, Monty Python, overwatching The Young Ones, separating art from the artist, marathoning the Bourne films, Bill Hicks, the monsters of comedy, seeing Woody Allen live and hating it, and being staunchly against pedophilia.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 450: Tyler Spencer aka Dick Valentine of the Electric 6 Feb 03, 2021

October 5-11, 1991

This week to celebrate 450 Episodes of TV Guidance Counselor Ken welcomes the amazing Tyler Spencer aka Dick Valentine of the Electric Six.

Ken and Tyler discuss adapting to the pandemic, investing in Zoom, humor tests for Ken, 1991, how the 80s went into the 1990s, Sharon Gless, being a late bloomer, starting University, being a drummer, realizing the front man gets to fire people, firing people, Jazz Dracula, The Best and Worst Dressed, how Ann Magnuson is the coolest person ever, Bongwater, Blair Underwood vs. Andy Griffith, Designing Women, artisanal craft tobacco, The Franklin Mint, writing letters to TV Guide, Northern Exposure, being burned by Twin Peaks, being hunted down by Barry Manilow, being very funny, going to college with the Sklar Brothers, OCD, being obsessive, having to talk between songs, Elvis adding tax, being into Hockey, growing up in Detroit, Edmonton, The Wailers, local fame, Gordy Howe, David Bowie and Wayne Gretzky, the miracle of Tony Danza, riding Barbra Mandrel to get to Mr. Ed, Pump Up The Volume, Football, why being half asleep and surprised is the best time to watch the Superbowl, being a UK Football celebrity, Gay Bar, Top of the Pops, Danger Danger High Voltage, Baby Spice, going Downtown, I Come in Peace, action flicks, loving Annie Potts, Corvette Summer, going initial, C. Everett Coop, seing Ghost over and over, Rescue 911, bad re-enactments, Unsolved Mysteries, The Day After, being desensitized, Mork and Mindy, Freaks and Geeks, going to see The Nude Bomb, Get Smart!, gambling problems, athletes guest starring on television shows, Magnum P.I., writing songs alone at Clippers games, Club MTV, She's Out of Control, Hunter, Fire Walk with Me, why Grand Canyon is the worst movie ever, thirtysomething, editing out the stutter from A Fish Called Wanda, cleaning up movies for TV, and Geraldo Rivera's filthy dirty sex life.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 449: Jim Bowes Feb 01, 2021

October 22-28, 1983

This week Ken welcomes long time bud and fellow Boston comic Jim Bowes.

Ken and Jim discuss ferrets, kids, kids with ferrets, cold dead eyes, Beastmaster, blind love, Centaur Woman, Mr. Smith, Clyde the Monkey, being a teacher, Divorced Dad Horny, getting emails from the GOP, mailing list roulette, Patriot Ledger, going "in town", adult ADD, It's a Living, Sex Therapists, Love Boat, Diff'rent Strokes, impotence, Starblazers, Mr. Big's Toyland, growing up poor, being part of a big family, Rambo, HBO premieres, teenage rumbles, beating people with a crowbar, Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, Goodnight Beantown, Not Necessarily the News, Newhart, offensive jokes, M*A*S*H, Jane Seymour, The Haunting Passion, TK Carter as a Genie, Amanda Bearse, Happy Days, Jenny Picolo, Political Debates, Ray Flynn, Knight Rider, Mr. Bigs, The Fall Guy, Murderers hunting murderers, Dom DeLuise as a clown, The End, putting words in Richard Roundtree's mouth, Joanna Kerns, Gimme a Break!, Corey Feldman, The Bad News Bears, Scotty Schwartz, Jackie Gleason, The Great Pumpkin, Manimal, Monthy Python, watching documentaries and OUTRAGE!

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 448: Kyle Kinane Jan 25, 2021

December 6-12, 1986

This week Ken welcomes comedian Kyle Kinane to the show.

Ken and Kyle discuss Zoom backgrounds, homeless wi-fi, Top Secret, revisiting your childhood comedy favorites, Back to the Beach, Malibu, Pajama Parties, dumber Fonzie, turning down bad comedy, getting into an argument with Skippy, Chicago, Chem trails, Ken's wasted potential, Delta Burke, Brundlefly, scratch tickets, buying booze and cigarettes for your family when you are a toddler, forgotten female comics, the greatest of Elayne Boosler, Night Court, John Goodman, how a supporting cast saves a stand up, Hardbodies II, horny accountants, writing closed captions, messing with people, doing a little "mix and match", plastic surgery, Jackee, 227, Golden Girls, giving people whatever, variety shows, gross Kraft dinners, made up sex things, TV trying to get you to read, homework, HBO, Amazing Stories, Monsters, WGN, Svenghoulie, Lifetime Lifestyles, Raising Arizona, Martians Go Home, Playboy Stand Up, Newhart, Moving Violations, Police Academy, Michael Winslow, Cousin Larry Appleton = Larry David, Cousin Balki = Borat, Gimme a Break, Dolph Sweet, The Lawrence Brothers, Diff'rent Strokes, Cobra Kai, the wonder of Billy Zabka, Cheers, what to do with your wallet, eating at Norm's, rebuilding NBC, having a Christmas birthday, Royal Dano, knowing how the game works, Odd Job, Crime Story, Chicago's best actor, The Murray Brothers, Cusack, Black Velvet Flag, and the wonders of teenage punk rock.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 447: Graham Duff Jan 18, 2021

December 25-31, 1976

This week Ken welcomes British writer, performer, DJ and best all around comedy superstar Graham Duff to the show.

Ken and Graham discuss not discussing the weather, Christmas 1976, a life in films, Ghost Stories at Christmas, horror films, The Signalman, Halloween, All Through the House, Dr. Terrible's House of Horrible, the horror of ironic watching, being overwhelmed by a US TV Guide, The Goodies, Benny Hill, the wonders of the horrors of the Jerry Lewis Telethon, Days of Thrills and Laughter, being a film fan, Bob Newhart, Mary Tyler Moore, Starsky and Hutch, John Saxon: Vampire, Satanists, hating Christmas episodes, James Bond, Sean Connery, film scores, being self aware, Christopher Lee, John Carpenter live, Goblin, writing notes on your hands, women in comedy, Hollywood's take on counter culture, TV movies, Salem's Lot, Magnum PI, TV just made to fill time, period pieces, 10pm the perfect slot of barbershop quartets, Best Sellers, Rich Man Poor Man, Once an Eagle, mini-series, television events, Amerika, Bruce Dern, Smile, The Secret Life of John Chapman, Tony Randall, The Hollywood Museum, It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, One of my Wives is Missing, Who, The Prisoner, loving Twin Peaks the Return, and the state of television now.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 446: Matt Braunger Jan 11, 2021

September 15-21 1984

This week Ken welcomes friend, comedian, and good dude Matt Braunger to the show.

Ken and Matt discuss Winter in New England, having a new baby, not being a TV Guide Household, being an entertainment planner, Delightful flashbacks, Saturday Morning Cartoons, The Snorks, loving Richard Pryor, planning a heist to steal the lost Richard Pryor movie from Bill Cosby's vault, The Love Boat Preview Special, Commissioned art, the death knell of Variety TV, Airwolf, Diff'rent Strokes, loving Sneak Previews, trailers, Dad commentary from 80s action flicks, Mrs. Garrett Super Spy, drugs, PSAs, stealing horses, hating Mama's Family, Vanessa Williams, Star Search, Miami Vice, Heartbeat, Newhart, Hunter, dying immediately from Jungle Diseases, Mason Storm, The Fall Guy, stunt driving, smug Burt Reynolds, Hollywood PR, Cheers, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, Lethal Weapon, Dean Martin Celebrity Roast of Mr. T and filthy Ricky Schroeder.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 445. Dara Ó Briain Jan 03, 2021

RTE Guide December 17-30, 1983

This week Ken kicks off 2021 right as he welcomes Irish stand up comedian, television hose and space enthusiast Dara Ó Briain to the show.

Ken and Dara discuss the horrors of doing stand up via Zoom, remote work, Mock the Week, Battleship, hosting children's TV, traumatizing a generation of children, telescopes, learning one Presidential secret, having your donations rejected, Ireland getting stuff before England, who shot JR, missing all references to US TV, not getting late night shows, Smothers Brothers, The Simpsons, Seinfeld, Richard Nixon on Laugh In, Cracked vs. Mad, WKRP in Cincinnati, laugh track sitcoms, the 80s via the 50s, the Ultimate Destination that is America, Florida, Vietnam Vets, War on TV vs actually living in a Warzone, being Irish Irish vs American Irish, having a lot of time for JFK but less than in Boston, The Late Late Toy Show, how amazing the Late Late Toy Show is, The RTE Guide, Christmas Day, Irish songs, doing an "Irish" Comedy Night at the Improv in LA, Flash Gordon, Billy Connolly, Christmas with the Boston Pops, how America is inherently Cinematic, Sprawl, London, how weird America is, having no "local", not being a walking country, having seen everything in America without ever visiting, Dating Amber, Love/Hate, Spaced, The Young Ones, flat shares, Shaun of the Dead, changing your name to the name of the street you live on, Dark, Fringe, sci-fi, The Last Exit, buying t shirts and caps of logos of companies in Sci-Fi, The Thing, and the glory of putting Easter Eggs in your own life.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 444: 2020 Year in Review Dec 23, 2020

This week Ken goes solo for our second annual Year In Review episode. Who would want to review 2020? Well we do anyway. Revisit all the highlights, lowlights, behind the scenes and in front of the scenes stuff you may have missed as we all happily say goodbye to 2020.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 443: Tony Pacitti Dec 21, 2020

November 9-15, 2002

This week Ken welcomes fellow New Englander, Mortified alum and author Tony Pacitti.

Ken and Tony discuss cheating, Spanish, Rhode Island cuisine, Italy, diners, the 2000s, smoking Marlboros, James Bond, boobs, Christ in New York, Rocket Scientists, JFK, According to Jim, the Big of her Front, kids feeling up women, Bruce Lee knives, Battlebots, Dom Joly's Trigger Happy TV, Good Eats, Rocket Man, peeing into boots, Charmed, Angel, cutting Invasion of the Body Snatcher twice, Alias, Home Movies, TNN, Spike, Star Trek the Next Generation, WWE RAW, Russian versions of US Sitcoms, Behind the Music, E! True Hollywood Stories, Hocus Pocus, Anna Nicole Smith, the five night chronological version of The Godfather, The Sopranos, The Tick, Birds of Prey, Scrubs, Spin City, Crossing Jordan, Providence, History's DVR driven memory hole, Who's Line Is It Anyway?, John Doe, guessing late night talk show hosts jokes and hanging out with the Son of Sam to understand the DC Sniper.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 442: Sofiya Alexandra Dec 14, 2020

October 18-24, 1997

This week Ken welcomes comedian, writer, actor, podcaster and all around entertainer Sofiya Alexandra.

Ken and Sofiya discuss the horrors of 2020, happy sad birthdays, growing up in Ukraine, moving to Hollywood, America's ego, being amazed by Santa Monica, Supermarkets, fine Russian Chocolates, Odessa, old dirty Hollywood Blvd, Halloween, the sick joke of candy corn, Wonder bread, a love of horror, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, how horror is female, Frankenstein, understanding fear, mindfucking, teenage girls, The Net, The Lawnmower Man, Baby's Day Out, Bad to the Bone, murder and adultery, Dangerous Minds, teenage hormones, forgettable movies that were HUGE, Ally McBeal, Beverly Hills 90210, private schools, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, The Birdcage, representation, Over the Top with Annie Potts and Tim Curry, problematic pasts, drag, how quickly we become an outdated model, Party of Five as a show full of snacks, the sad cruel trick played on Jennifer Love Hewitt's music career, Living Single: The greatest show of the 90s, Martin, Goldeneye, Wonder Years, Teen Angel, TGIF, The National Treasure Movies, and visual comfort food.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 441: Brett White Dec 07, 2020

September 21-27, 1996

This week the TV Guide meets The TV Guidance Counselor as Must Have Seen TV's Brett White joins Ken to discuss Returning Favorites circa 1996.

Ken and Brett discuss Long Island, lockdown depression, action figures, The X-Men, New Mutants, Marvel Continuity, Mad Men, Bewitched, Decider, Full House, Fuller House, visiting sets, Home Improvement, childhood lists, making your own Top 40, being barred from watching MTV, smoking, the blown out 90s, returning favorites, Married...with Children, Second Noah, Jeff Foxworthy, Dr. Phil, shot on video vs shot on film, Newhart, Drew Carey Show, Baywatch Nights, Kevin Sorbo, Renegade, USA Network, live action Saturday Mornings, hacking the X-Men Cartoon, Walker Texas Ranger, Night Stand with Dick Dietrick, MST3k, Sci-Fi Channel, Talk Soup, good Streaming Services, SNL edits, Dean Cain, taking whatever comic book stuff you could get, tape trading, arguing with kids online, classic commercial compilations, Road Rules, The Real World, Mad About You, Third Rock from the Sun, Something So Right, the enormous amount of women writers on Home Improvement, Ellen's Coming Out episode, Space Above and Beyond, farces, Friends, was Joey Gladstone a good stand up comedian?, E.R., Stevil, Ken's war with Kane Hodder, TGIF, Martin Mull sexy man, and the origins of the Ninja Turtles on Oprah tape.

TV Guidance Counselor 2020 Holiday Episode with Sean Sullivan Dec 01, 2020

In this BONUS! Black Friday Edition of the show Ken welcomes back his muse and the wind beneath his podcast wings Mr. Sean Sullivan to the show.

Ken and Sean discuss the fine line between A Christmas Carol and It's A Wonderful Life by way of Sean's NEW Limited Edition Holiday Podcast Series The 25 Days of A Christmas Carol and via Season 1 and 2 Christmas Episodes of Bonnie Hunt's Life with Bonnie

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 440: Michael Cook Nov 30, 2020

October 27-November 2, 1990 (Ken's all time favorite issue of TV Guide)

This week Ken welcomes fellow podcaster and longtime friend Michael Cook to the show.

Ken and Michael discuss how their paths never cross in person, how remote can be normal, and when it's not, not being famous, Oregon, the Entertainment Industry, Lex Luthor, Bizarro Ken, buying puppets, New Year's Eve Sign offs, The New Mutants, loving Los Angeles, living that 24 hour life, the horror resurgence on television, anthology shows, Wes Craven, Indiana isn't the mid-west, Ken Ober, MTV's Remote Control, being on local TV shows as a kid, being in TV Guide and not knowing, Family Ties, the FIRST Parenthood TV series, Trick or treating, David Lynch, Lady in White, 21 Jump Street, John Waters guest starring, Comic Strip Live, John Pinnette, Parker Lewis, Baywatch Nights (season 2), Cat's Eye, Stephen King, Dawn of the Dead, Alan King, The Hitchhiker, not remembering lines, acting scholarships, Murphy Brown, Ames, Hex, Rescue 911, Bernard Goetz, guns, Cheers, Thirtysomething, Yuppies, hating kids, Mutant, Wings Hauser, Return of the Living Dead, Married People, Halloween III, Fox, Doctor Doctor, Facts of Life, how great Joanna Cassidy is, Midnight Caller, radio, and having investigative journalist compassion.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 439: Nore Davis Nov 23, 2020

FALL PREVIEW ALERT

September 23-17, 1994

This week Ken welcomes fellow stand up comedian and creator of the first Quarantine Stand Up Comedy Album (that I know of) the great Nore Davis to the show.

Ken and Nore discuss the changing nature of time, the Apocalypse, New York, Manhattan, not getting TV Guide, Streets of Rage, Skates, roads not traveled, the pilot vortex, Fall Previews, Family Matters, Steve Harvey, Me and the Boys, why ABC was not ready for black people, Cosby, a pre-CW/pre-UPN world, the horror of Miracle Whip, Due South, My So-Called Life, shopping for other people, Homicide Life on the Street, how Fox was the Rent to Own network, Ghostbusters II, working actors, M.A.N.T.I.S., ER vs Chicago Hope, Prime Time PBS, the last days of In Living Color, Sega Channel, rich kids, Ralph Macchio, selling your soul, Bo Jackson, the Ivana Trump TV movie, Nutty Professor, Eddie Murphy, Susan Powter, Fabio's Healthy Bodies Magazine, talk shows, VR Troopers, Gargoyles, stand up, Full House, America's Funniest Home Videos, Bob Saget, Lois and Clark, Spice Girls, In the House, Thunder Alley, T.G.I.F., Urkel, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, watching the X-Files so you can get to The Simpsons, and horoscopes.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 438: David Almeida Nov 16, 2020

June 20-26, 1981

This week (for the second time)Ken welcomes host of the Let's Face the Facts: Facts of Life Podcast, Mr. David Almeida to the show.

Ken and David discuss what they talked about last time, All Media, Mr. Lazaroni, The Facts of Life, Bearded undergrounds, Real People, South Shore Bar Pizza, MTV premiere of Thriller, recreating awful times despite living in the future, Brockton MA, Al from Happy Days' itches, Satellite Dishes, saddle stitching, watch along pageants, Soul Train, Hee Haw, hating Southern Shows, Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Murderer's Sanctuaries, Sid Haig, Walter Cronkite's Universe, Dummies, Richard Simmons in Katrina, adoption, Building 19, last names, Flambirds, Paul Lynde, spin-offs, American Dad, Regis Philbin gone wild in Mexico, That's Incredible, Diff'rent Strokes, Cher, Jack Harrell, being forced to impersonate Bette Davis WITH Bette Davis, ABC, The Way They Were, Hanna Barbera costumes, costumed characters, wearing bags over your head, Hal Williams, Wonder Woman, The Incredible Hulk, and the wonders of Lynda Cater.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 437: Gary Gulman Nov 09, 2020

September 7-11, 1987

Today Ken welcomes long time friend, fellow depression sufferer, fellow Bostonian, and comedic hero Gary Gulman to the show.

Ken and Gary discuss Rhoda, bedtimes, writing books, not having children, Jewish women, Valerie Harper, Mary Tyler Moore, being replaced with Sandy Duncan, AIDS, Dungeons and Dragons, Frank Welker, renting a movie, Charles Kuralt, the soothing nature of TV News Anchors, 60 Minutes, Married...with Children, This Old House, driving around, parent jokes, nice parts of town, It's Your Move, Kate & Allie, Newhart, how great Julia Duffy is, The Great Depresh, revolting Swiss Colony, The A-Bomb, Max Headroom, Moonlighting, being not cool, hating things that are popular, always knowing you'll be a writer, After School Specials, being too empathetic, crying, Chris Elliot as Rags Maloney on the Equalizer, how laughter is our only weapon, Bill Boyers, how great Adam Resnick is, YO! MTV Raps, Highway to Heaven, Saturday Morning Preview specials, sports, and the wonder of The Boondocks.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 436: Merrill Markoe Nov 04, 2020

June 22-28, 1963

It's a TWOFER week as Ken welcomes genius level funny, author of the new memoir "We Saw Scenery" Merrill Markoe to the show.

Ken and Merrill discuss needing to get back to dark and gloomy weather, being shocked at how much TV you watched as a kid, We Saw Scenery, being in love with sitcom sons, being boy crazy, being on the wrong side of variety TV, The Mary Tyler Moore Hour, Newhart, Burns and Allen, breaking the 4th wall, surrealism on TV, being the first generation of people making TV who grew up on TV, Saturday Night Live, The New Laugh In, The Late Show with David Letterman, Vaudeville, cigarette ads, the war between TV and movies, The Donna Reed Show, unlikable male characters, the inherent sexism of Hollywood green lights, pitching shows, watching the networks fall, coverage of JFK's travel, the dissolution of Equal Time, Crazy Guggenheim, Jackie Gleason, how big is small and small is big on TV, cute casting, the Rifleman, loving beans being eaten in a tin, Ed Sullivan, Kliph Nesteroff's The Comedians, child stars, Car 54 Where Are You?, Not Necessarily The News, The Smothers Brothers, seeing everything live, reviewing the Beatles, diaries, Doctor Shows, Ben Casey, Dr. Kildare, writers getting credit, James Baldwin, Perspectives, what the hell happened to Myna Birds?, Mel Blanc, hypochondria, The Beverly Hillbillies, learning from TV, Mad Magazine, space and a band, My Three Sons, roasts, the Rat Pack, the existential depression of the same scenery in The Flintstones, Route 66, Dobie Gillis, the horrors of Bob Hope in a Beatle Wig, Chris Elliot, being scared of Alfred Hitchcock, Pen15, how 8th grade is always 8th grade, Nazi flirting, and graphic novels

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 435: Cait O'Riordan Nov 01, 2020

April 30 - May 6, 1977

This week welcomes musician, DJ, Pogue and all around excellent human Cait O'Riordan to the show.

Ken and Cait discuss lockdown, visas, being an immigrant, loving New York City, the dangers of '80s Alphabet City, loving all the bad things about the U.S.A., allowing the locals to be your tour guides, Cheers, Boston, tribalism, The Sex Pistols on Grundy, kids wearing bin bags, 1977 The Year Punk Broke, The Dystopian Nightmare of 1970s England, class systems, addiction, feeling bad for Sid Vicious, getting spit on, enablers, Mental Illness, Frost v. Nixon, Reagan and Thatcher, the strange case of Chevy Chase, Charlie's Angels, stitching up punks, being a sensible nerd, Dukes of Hazard, Hee Haw, Dolly, building a cocoon, the wonders of old movies, the biggest pre-CGI Smash up, Horror movies as family entertainment, The Damned, Spanish Dracula, parental bedtime rules, supper clubs, The Flesheaters, being put in charge of everyone's lives, record collections, Phantom of the Opera, Claude Raines, 1977 The Coolest Year in Hell, A Dolly Family Christmas, Dolly Parton variety shows, extortion rings in Hollywood dance studios, Journey to Adventure touring Ireland, Starsky and Hutch, Ernest Borgnine FUTURE MAN, Airport 75, Upstairs Downstairs, The Possessed, Happy Days spin offs, why Gary Marshall shows were for kids in the UK, In Search of..., Straight to Hell, loving Westerns, how much the Six Million Dollar Man is worth today, the superior Bionic Woman, Race with the Devil, meeting Joe Lucky who is actually Joseph Losey, Satanists, The Wicker Man, Terence Stamp as a giant baby in The Mind of Mr. Soames, Hawaii Five-O, Richard Pryor, Jack Lord: Kind of the Teddy Boys, John Hurt, Donny and Marie, being terrified of Little Jimmy Osmond, "The Mystery Artist", Paul Lynde, An American in Paris, The Fight Against Slavery, Roots, how human adaptation and survival scares Ken, and living in scary unprecedented regressive times.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 434: Amanda Reyes Oct 26, 2020

October 21-27, 1978

This week Ken welcomes author, TV movie genius and all around cool chick Amanda Reyes to the show.

Ken and Amanda discuss living in Texas, movie around as a kid, being via satellite, glamour, Las Vegas, LA, Vegas with Robert Urich, The Nightstalker, being a BYOTVG guest, WKRP in Cincinnati, being a horror fan, being an expert, Made for TV movies, how Amanda became an expert, Eddie Brandt's Saturday Matinee, Are You In The House Alone? a TV Movie compendium 1964-1999 , Bad Ronald, soaps, how TV movies are often just "movies" in the UK and Europe, Kate's Secret, Meredith Baxter-Bernie, representation for women's stories, older women's stories and classic Hollywood actors, Black Christmas, slasher flicks, exploitation directors, Special Bulletin, the amount of TV movies and specials in the 1978-1979 season, Peyton Place, The Bradys, Escape from Gilligan's Island, Rhoda, Carter Country, reunion movies, Westerns, The Hardy Boys, Battlestar Gallactica, Gallactica 80, cult deprogramming, Max Gayle, hunks, Tab Hunter, Dorothy Stratton, Star 80, Judith Crist, Kim Basinger, Blind Date, Killjoy, Katie: Portrait of a Centerfold, lost TV movies, blaming the adult industry, cannibals, Happy Days, Laverene and Shirley, Donner Pass, House II, Shauna Grant, The Waltons, The Grass is Always Greener over The Septic Tank, Alex Rocco, Charles Grodin, Leg Men, Leg Work, Parterns in Crime, loving Burt Convy, being distant from your family, watching TV families to learn how familes work, Can't Stop the Music, Steve Guttenberg, Bruce Jenner, how Eat My Dust! led to Ron Howard's directing career, Cotton Candy, Halloween is Grinch Night, the punk rock episode of Quincy, CHiPs, Shatner being a jerk directing TJ Hooker, Witches Night Out, things being very 70s, the Odd Couple starring Sherman Helmsly and Pat Morita, Jim Belushi, Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, Kindertrauma, TV Casualties, It's Your Move, CBS Storybreak, PSAs and being absolutely terrified of The Incredible Hulk.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 433: Jello Biafra Oct 18, 2020

October 1-7, 1966

This week Ken welcomes legendary punk rock icon, record collector and raconteur Jello Biafra to the show.

Ken and Jell discuss becoming part of the Zoom generation, cigarette ads, the wonders of muck raking journalism, out scooping your competitors, watching the news as a kid, The Vietnam War, being a newshound, seeing Oswald get shot on live TV, having parents who don't shield you from stuff, Chef Boyardee, Kars for Kids, the 2012 vote, how cameras change everything, Route 66, Dragnet, Lee Marvin, good acting and good writing, Hulabaloo, Batman '66, the incredible music in the original Spider-Man cartoon, surf music, Star Trek, country music, Martin Luther King Jr, Bobby Kennedy, The Night James Brown Saved Boston, growing up wanting to be the Penguin, Eric Burdon and the Animals, River of Blood, The Midnight Special, Suicide on TV, Don Kirshner's Rock Concert, Man from U.N.C.L.E., Elliot Ness's drinking problem, The Untouchables, being paid in exposure, How Ariana Huffington may be a lost Gabor, Free Speech TV, Green Acres, documentaries on Al Jazera, Industrial Accident: The Story of Wax Trax Records, Al Jorgenson, James Bond themes, Beat Girl, These Are The Damned, Julie Newmar, Rocky and Bullwinkle, Bill Maher, the horrors of Crosscheck and kicking people off voter rolls, why you NEED to vote, Colorado, Lon Chaney, the wonders of TV soundtrack LPs, and Mrs. Miller's psychedelic lp.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 432: Lois Bromfield Oct 11, 2020

April 24-30, 1971

This week Ken welcomes writer/comedian and author of the excellent new memoir "My Dirty Life in Comedy", Lois Bromfield.

Ken and Lois discuss German, how in Europe "American" is the Children's menu, growing up in Toronto, getting the crap kicked out of you (emotionally) in NYC, the greatest of L.A., appearing on the Dick Clark show with Oingo Boingo and Joan Jett, free therapy, British Sitcoms, the oxymoron that IS German Sitcoms, Bonanza, Lorne Greene, writing checks in the 19th Century, SCTV, Westerns, Masterpiece Theater, The Muppets, the mystery of all your siblings going into comedy, The Honeymooners, working with drunks, Grace Under Fire, working with Brett Butler, Roseanne, the great insanity of working on Roseanne, asking "Who's Jackie?", The Jackie Thomas Show, getting good breaks, pitching stories, cigarette ads, celebrity bowling, 1971 women's hair care products, wanting to be or be with, black characters on Westerns, Mary Tyler Moore, the studio where it was all shot, being a part of television history, doing stand up in London, The Comedy Store, Michael Nesmith's Television Parts, becoming a gay icon, Ed Sullivan, not knowing how much things cost, layaway and expense accounts secretly being introduced on sitcoms, Things you Must Do Before You Die, worrying/not worrying about it, the threat of watching The News, The Mod Squad, how Bell Bottoms might save the environment, Fox TV, Patty Duke, hating Southern Shows, Green Acres, The Beverly Hilbillies, Golden Girls, broadcasting, narrowcasting, Norman Lear, The Mike Douglas Show, and being the wind beneath Pierce Brosnan's Wings.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 431: Eric Deggans Oct 05, 2020

December 28, 1996 - January 3, 1997

This week Ken welcomes NPR TV critic, musician and author of the great book Race-Baiter: How the Media Wields Dangerous Words to Divide a Nation, Eric Deggans to the show.

Ken and Eric discuss Eric's smooth radio voice, growing up in Gary Indiana, being a touring musician, becoming a TV critic in 1996 in Florida, getting sick of pop music, how hard jobs were to get as a teenager, Letterman, watching TV late night, being a fan of weirdo comedy, SCTV, Ernie Kovacs, being signed to Motown, making sure you always have an HBO Subscription, touring Japan, getting a VCR, the importance of phone trees when black people would be on TV, the paranoia of Dark Skies, the importance of criticism, Siskel and Ebert, Cybill, committing mail fraud with Columbia House to exponentially increase you record collection, experiencing White Rock Music, Quincy Jones, The original Bill Cosby Show, Saturday Morning Cartoons, Saturday Night Live, Eddie Murphy, jamming, In Concert, The Midnight Special, Meet The Press, all the people we've lost, Tim Russert, Regis, Steve Harvey, stand up sitcoms, Robert Townsend, how wrong The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer was, Larry Wilmore, difficult stars, Bernie Mac, NYPD Blue, anti-heroes, re-examining shows you liked, Ellen, good and bad network notes, lack of diverse casts, suspension of disbelief, and the absolute greatness of Homicide Life on the Street.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 430: Gigi Garner Oct 01, 2020

In this BONUS! episode Ken welcomes former private eye, current Dog Rescue super hero and daughter of the late, great James Garner, Gigi Garner.

Ken and Gigi discuss LA vs Boston, living all over the world, being a licensed P.I. in Tennessee, living in the U.K., putting out records, writing three #1 Christian songs, having no acting talent, The Rockford Files, having to drive your Dad's work car to High School, not feeling like a Hollywood kid, getting a late start acting, James Garner's purple hearts, always being able to revisit your relative who's passed, David Cassidy, loving the Partridge Family, continuing her Dad's Legacy, the James Garner Animal Rescue Fund (jgarf.org), kill shelters, how trying to quit smoking led to having a dog, product endorsements, Mazda, Polaroid, having a natural charm, running a talent management company, The Americanization of Emily, Awards nominations, Murphy's Romance, keeping treasures from a life well lived, Grand Prix, The Cinerama Dome, being good at golf, The Notebook, voice over, and being Steve McQueen's neighbor.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 429: Jake Fogelnest Sep 28, 2020

July 19-25, 1986

Today Ken talks to writer, host, podcaster, and bizarro Ken Jake Fogelnest.

Ken and Jake discuss the Stuff, John Waters, being a "precocious" kid, Larry Cohen, Squirt TV, Cable Access, Night Flight, working from home, branding, Midnight Blue, The Comedy Store, supportive parents, Cypress Hill, The Beastie Boys, seeing Rocky Horror live, refusing to recognize authority, Channel J, Channel 23, watching Degrassi for the first time, getting an idea of what a cool teenage room is, Ladies and Gentlemen the Fabulous Stains, rebuilding cable, being an advocate for lost media, being Star Struck, Valley Girl, Steve Jones, dead malls, Kevin Smith, Tom Green, Jerri Hall sitcoms, unsold pilots, Criterion, MTV's 120 Minutes, the children of Night Flight, Maron, stand up comedy, Rachel Sweet, The Gong Show, lost movies, Penelope Spheeris, Ken's huge balls, Albert Brooks, The Day the Clown Cried, Harry Shearer, owning film prints, Private Parts, Howard Stern, 4k UHD, Vamp, James Cameron's pitch of Aliens, Evening Magazine, PM Magazine, Cheers, Meatballs vs. Meatballs II, Wet Hot American Summer, Fridays, Spenser for Hire, Back to the Beach, tours of shooting locations, Alan Thicke's Teenage Years, discogs, Ripley's Believe it or Not, Hitler's Teeth, the genius of Martin Short, Doug Benson in Captain EO, Mr. Belvedere, Working for Marvel, writing on Runaways, The Sopranos, Three's Company, The New Twilight Zone, pretentious movies, Brendon Tartikoff and Jake's promise to never assault you with his serious musical aspirations.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 428: Scott Valentine Sep 21, 2020

June 1-7, 1968

This week Ken talks to former actor, producer, current investment banker and long time good dude Scott Valentine.

Ken and Scott talk about Ken moving to L.A., Scott moving back to New York, Scott's true love, climate change, when Scott got run over by a truck, Knight Rider, Family Ties, The Art of Being Nick, the cast of Family Ties, working with smart people, the best sitcom lines, not being no Charles Bronson, visiting the Smokey Mountains, Ginger vs. Maryanne, Raymond Burr, facing Andy Griffith while wearing tight leather pants, Petticoat Junction, My Demon Lover, Pizzatskis, movie acting, being on the stage, being blamed for film failure, The Actor starring Alec Guinness, voice over, Phantom 2040, The DC Animated Universe, Rob Paulsen: Good Dude, entitled actors, coke heads, being caught in a battle between Gary David Goldberg and Brandon Tartikoff, Aaron Spelling hating you, awful executives, becoming a producer, Maverick Pictures, being incredibly lucky, a life well lived, working with Melissa Gilbert, real heroes, digging ditches, The Killing Fields, actors without range, being method, meeting Al Pacino, Bridge on the River Kwai, striving for realism, how art should make us better people, shock humor, Twister, Pierce Brosnon, meeting a killer, The Thomas Crowne Affair, Billy Bob Thornton and Harvey Weinstein's slap fight, knocking out Weinstein, why there is never a good reason to belittle somebody, working people, your kids not being interested in y our work, mean spirited comedy, Steven Wright, Fosse, how great Sam Rockwell is, Restored, and Scott's very nice compliments.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 427: Frank Whaley Sep 14, 2020

October 11-17, 1975

This week Ken welcomes writer, drummer, actor and all around great guy Frank Whaley to the show.

Ken and Frank discuss Ken's mispronunciation, upstate New York, being "Evicted Boy" in Spenser for Hire, being 24 and pretending you are 16, being dirt poor, getting commercials, The Freshman, getting to act with the best actors, Marlon Brando, Burt Lancaster, Field of Dreams, After School Specials, James Earl Jones, how Little Monsters put Born on the 4th of July in jeopardy, gambling on baseball, bookies, bowling, Cornhole on TV, being a punk kid, making rednecks angry, garbage bags full of drums, sleeping on an ottoman in a sublet, the dangers of New York, trying to self sabotage, luck, The Jimmy Show, stand up comedy, doing improv in Career Opportunities, John Candy, having Burt Reynolds rub your inner thigh, making out with Ann-Margaret, loving disco, Soul Train, The Midnight Special, planning private time, loving Cher, The Bay City Roller, variety shows, loving all the women of Mary Tyler Moore, The Last Picture Show, not being Frank Gorshin, Good Times, having a crush on Mr. Kotter's wife, lifetime achievement awards, not being able to watch yourself any more. Luke Cage, Ironsides, Columbo, defective detectives, great theme songs, Barretta, Mannix, throwing your slipper at a TV, being shocked by Kojack on an ill advised family vacation, Chico and the Man, Andy Kaufman breaking character, Ray Donovan and how Jon Voight is the world's biggest asshole.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 426: Joseph Kay Sep 07, 2020

June 20-26, 1998

This week Ken welcomes producer, writer, showrunner and creator of the new NBC Medical Drama Transplant, Joseph Kay.

Ken and Joseph discuss being in Toronto, being stuck behind a border, Transplant, a show set in Canada being an NBC co-production, The X-Files, Chris Carter, learning how to run a show working on a show, serialization in television, the ongoing story in Transplant, the difficulty of telling stories without a definitive end, Medical Dramas, E.R., immigration stories, George Clooney: Movie Star, how medical dramas are the new detective/mystery shows, re-inventing cop shows, Spielberg, secret identities, super hero origins, broken people, how 1998 is a transitional year, the end of Larry Sanders, Sex in the City, when HBO became an original programming contender, Seinfeld, Mr. Show, The Kids in the Hall, New York City, SCTV, Johnny LeRue, Toronto, the current state of TV criticism, Ted Lasso, Major League, anti-heroes, stand up on TV, Still Standing, Mike Birbiglia, Crashing, Stephen King, when things get too heavy, the importance of heart, Watchmen, why we need rules, keeping a writing staff, telling a story in the season, breaking everything and putting it back together again, being a lawyer, legal drama, This is Wonderland, Night Court, the specific, representation on TV, diversity, Maple Syrup Urine Disease, becoming a hypochondriac, Cheers, trying to "program" your kids' taste, The Simpsons, watching your parents watch shows, Star Trek, writing or not writing COVID into tv shows, being scared by crowds on TV these days, the whiteness of TV Guide, and why Veep/The Thick of It is the greatest place to work out aggression through insults.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 425: Kevin Murphy Sep 07, 2020

July 19-25, 1969

This week Ken welcomes film fan, Rifftrax-er, and voice of Tom Servo, the great Kevin Murphy to the show.

Ken and Kevin discuss fishing, Elvis, the Apollo 11, Boy Scout Camp, the space race, the political unrest of 1968, Vietnam, Iowa, Nebraska, jock itch, hemorrhoids, corn, being too old for diaper rash, smoking, Jackie Gleason, Hardcore Corn-ography, the greatest music on television, The T.A.M.I. Show, WHA PBS, Kevin's history in television production, Mason Williams, the FCC, befriending the tape librarian, The Outer Limits "The Invisible Enemy", The Day the Earth Froze, Miss Universe, Mission Impossible, The Shock Theater package, WGN's movie library, seeing Hammer Films on TV, Creature Features, being a cool 60s cat, Tarus Bolba, "blood and thunder", Gogolos, Ken Barry, Mayberry R.F.D., profiling Paul Lynde, when Arnold directed William Hickey, The Johnny Cash Show, Green Acres, the skillsets lost in time, The Munsters, The Prisoner, The Finale Programme, Dean Martin's Golddiggers, going "full on bachelor", The Avengers, the sci-fi convention circuit, the art of panel moderation, the other Rashoman, 90 minute time slots, how amazing Bob and Ray are, Don Rickles, George Jessel, planning a TV schedule, and having outdoor movie nights.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 424: Kaitlin Huwe Aug 31, 2020

April 24 - May 3, 2004

This week Ken welcomes actor, musician Kaitlin Huwe to the show.

Ken and Kaitlin discuss the misery of a New England climate, The Bay Area, the California Vibe, Pandemic niceness, having a great Drama teacher in High School, moving to L.A. at 17, NYC, UCLA, being completely baffled by TV Guide, PBS's Arthur, Hollywood's seedy underbelly, faking it til you....fake it, Fake film festivals, music videos, doing the training, women of SNL, TV on flip phones circa 2004, buying three throw blankets as a comfort reaction, redesigning your own bedroom, 7th Heaven, That's So Raven, why S Club 7 is too provocative, wrapping over theme songs, having a very specific set of skills, the good and bad of stand up, Ken's dislike of Stand Up specials, knowing why you don't like a thing, Two and a Half Men vs. Half and Half, Comedy Central's Bar Mitzvah, why acting is the opposite of improv...in theory, learning lines, working with Anthony Hopkins, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, getting a day boyfriend from The Young and the Restless, making out at work, sitcoms, theater, Poison Ivy, child stars re-inventing themselves as sex pots, and having never seen Showgirls.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 423: Jo Brand Aug 24, 2020

January 13-19, 1968

This week Ken welcomes the incredible English writer, comedian and all around amazing human Jo Brand to the show.

Ken and Jo discuss the good that has come out of a Global pandemic, how incredibly shocking 1968 seems looking at it from 2020, USSR representations of the USA, Ken's deprogramming, Housewife Dracula, how to say "take the piss" in America, Female stand up comedians, the UK Alt-Comedy scene, man-hating, what makes it to the US from the UK and vice versa, remaking British Comedies for the United States, Getting On, the U.S. obsession with looks, being in the thing you create, earning your place, getting insults thrown at you, Billy Connolly, Ken having to pretend to be Canadian, Up the Creek, The New Cross Tavern, Vic Reeves, Harry Enfield, Big Night Out, Shooting Stars, heckles, bits that don't work, coughing blood, snarky sarcasm, panels shows, The Newlywed Game, Mr. and Mrs., our modern fairy tales, My Three Sons, court ordered tea parties, Morecambe and Wise. The Young Ones, Hogan's Heroes, WWII, Ken's weird hair, Dick Van Dyke, Cheers, working in a pub, Bing Crosby, Hollywood Palace, the evils of Milton Berle, The Smothers Brothers, dogs, Davey and Goliath, Sunday Church TV, The Milton Berle of Vicars, the horrors of Northern Club Comics, women on TV, Lucille Ball, Morwenna Banks, Payton Place, half an hour of boring, Man from U.N.C.L.E., beautiful heckles, learning about weather, PBS, Haley Mills, Lost in Space, The Avengers, The Flying Nun, Bob Hope, warzones, the bouncing bomb and ending with 633 Squadron, a good old fashioned feel good British War film.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 422: D.B. Sweeney Aug 17, 2020

August 2-8, 1975

This week Ken welcomes actor, writer, director and all around good dude D.B. Sweeney to the show.

Ken and D.B. discuss enjoying the depth of TV Guide listings, growing up as townies in Long Island, when Spenser for Hire is your first day in show business, befriending Robert Urich, Lonesome Dove, being a Red Sox fan in Long Island, Billy's Triple Crown, Mary Tyler Moore vs. Emergency, Randolph Mantooth, Dead Martin and Jerry Lewis, being a comedy guy, playing real people, 8 Men Out, Gardens of Stone, Two and a Half Men, being a hocky dad, the greatness of Jon Cryer, Art Carney: Santa Claus, aliens, Rat Patrol, S.W.A.T., missing out on meeting John Houston, Peter Falk, Ireland, being mistaken for an IRA money runner, Roommates, how Hollywood changes the source material, how difficult Romantic Comedy is, The Cutting Edge, Chiller Theater, Thriller, The Saint, taking a swing at M*A*S*H via Family Guy, Good Times, old time song and dance men, variety shows, offending Tony Orlando, procedurals, Strange Luck, Harsh Realm, Karl Malden, defective detectives, good hair, Mannex, George C. Scott, making other actors better, Sean Astin, Two Dum Micks, Fire in the Sky, Almost Anything Goes, stunts, Sanford and Son, Dolemite, the greatness of James Garner, Ed Harris, Two Tickets to Paradise, being gracious to fans, and Paul Newman buying you a Coke.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 421: Gabrielle Moss Aug 10, 2020

October 19-25, 1996

This week Ken welcomes journalist, writer and fellow former New England punk teen Gabrielle Moss.

Ken and Gaby discuss good microphones, how people no longer care about quality, Connecticut, War Pigs, where bands play, 1996, BYOTVG, Gargoyles, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Brooke Shields, Sexy Babies, Townies, Halloween costumes, depression fueled nostalgia, TV novelizations, Alex Mac, Claire Danes, The Wrong Devon, My So-Called Life Goes On, Pasadena shooting locations, avoiding Prime Time, syndicated anthology horror, The New Twilight Zone, X-Men, Bobby's World, the less popular Stephen King movies, WPIX, Tales from the Darkside, Glim Glim, Monsters, New Kids on the Block, Baywatch Nights, Dark Skies, Weird Science, a life of The Simpsons, Blue Rodeo, Unsolved Mysteries, The Warrens, haunted bunk beds, being born to write for Beach Patrol, MTV's House of Style, Home Improvement, Homeboys in Outer Space, Wings, Third Rock from the Sun, Boston Common, Townies accent issues, how Friends is the new Brady Bunch, a generation without a mass extinction event, an aging Seinfeld, Winnie the Pooh Halloween, Halloween goblins, tall people walking in ditches, hating corporate synergy, and local TV racism.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 420: Sarah Rodman Aug 03, 2020

FALL PREVIEW ALERT! September 12-18, 2004

This week Ken welcomes writer Sarah Rodman to the show.

Ken and Sarah discuss staying in an attitude of gratitude, the first year Sarah worked as a TV critic, recommending shows to people in lockdown, Cheers, Ted Danson, the importance of the Fall Preview, not knowing what shows will go on forever, The Television Critics' Association Press Tour, getting an angry letter from Trump about your hair, the golden boom of Reality TV, The Surreal Life, billionaires making TV, local television productions, Knotts Landing, Desperate Housewives, Lost, Fringe, Rick Springfield, Mission Magic, LAX, Mark Valley, sports dramas, House, Hugh Laurie, batting at Dodgers Stadium thanks to a short lived Dean Cain show, Two and a Half Men, Veronica Mars, how Joey was the least popular DVD set in the Big Lots! cut out bin, Episodes, Matt LeBlanc: Hometown Boy, fixing George Clooney's eyebrows, Sisters, being really into Extreme, Boston Public vs Boston Legal, Keen Eddie, 24, how 9/11 killed a bunch of comedy shows, Keen Eddie, North Shore, Gilmore Girls, NYPD Blue, seeing The Killers at the Roxy, Scrubs, Early Edition, CS Lewis vs. Freud, Life as We Know It, how Kelly Osbourne is NOT a fat girl, Chris Lowell vs. Christopher Lowell, The O.C., the Hills, Everwood, Mechanical Bulls, Boston Rob, Mark McGrath, Klover, Miss America, Saturday Night as the Death Slot, Tommy Lee Jones' rug and how Ken needs to watch Friday Night Lights RIGHT NOW

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 419: Dave Holmes Jul 27, 2020

March 17-23, 1984

This week Ken welcomes writer, former MTV VJ, editor, performer and all around good dude Dave Holmes to the show.

Ken and Dave discuss Dave's COVID-19 negative test result, Duff, cutting the line, Tickling Priscilla Presley, ruined childhoods, Gilbert and Sullivan, The Tennis Pro career of Kent Golden, Tom Villard, more tickling, confusing Jeff Goldblum for Eddie Deezen, the "lost" Hollywood Squares, Gallagher's ID, Night of the Dribbler, Fred Travalena, We Got it Maid, Price is Right, the satisfying colors of Tattletales, being over Diff'rent Strokes, Joel Higgin's love life, Martin Mull, Maggie Briggs, Mid-season replacements, Rich Little: Female Impersonator, Hot Hits, V66, Friday Night Videos, Linda Lavin in a challenging duel role, drawing Jack Nicholson, why The Sure Thing is the best movie ever, being not the Gary Cooper who is dead, athletes having plates of drugs for breakfast, TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes, Foul Up, Bleeps and Blunders, how Kate & Allie is truly great, Cagney and Lacey, trying to impress boys by pretending you like AKA Pablo, Sting's acting career, Hart to Hart, Real People, The Facts of Life, Dynasty, America's Australian fever, Thicke of the Night, SCTV, Gimme a Break, Dolph Sweet, missing the Cosby Show, Simon and Simon, Webster and Benson, The Funny Boys, the sophistication of Season 2 of Double Trouble, The New Show, Game Shows that never happened, and believing Jack Palance OR ELSE.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 418: Stephanie Crawford Jul 20, 2020

October 24-30, 1998

This week Ken welcomes writer, film critic, cool gal, and kindred spirit Stephanie Crawford to the show.

Ken and Stephanie discuss Las Vegas, Reno, The Luxor, Crime Story, Horror scopes, Mom and Pop Casinos, Premiere Magazine, Sassy, a love of movies, the internet in the 90s, being inspired by Almost Famous, Rolling Stone, The Good Wife, The Nest, over selling things, how Holden Caufield IS Opie Taylor, X-Rated Dick Van Dyke, Carrie II: The Rage, the awful graphic design of the late 90s, Mr. Show Bowling shirts, suburban terror, being too old to trick or treat, best Halloween costumes, The Simpsons' Treehouse of Horror, Tim Thomserson, Crimewave, the humor of Xena, Tales from the Crypt Demon Knight, The Frighteners, convincing your mom to take you to movies, From Dusk Til Dawn, only children, The Surreal Life, sketch shows, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Baywatch, vigilante life guards, The Monster Club pop ups, boxtops for SNICK, erotic thrillers, Silk Stalkings, Libras vs Cancers, The Seventh Seal, The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer, Gary Busey, Witches, call backs, Turkey Horror, Celebrity Death Match, The Secret World of Alex Mac, The Good Wife, ER, TGIF, and examining Evil Twins.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 417: Julia Sutherland Jul 13, 2020

UK TV Times August 23-29, 1986

August 23-29, 1986 UK TV Times

The international virtual travel continues during lockdown as this week Ken welcomes the fabulous Scottish TV Presenter/Stand Up Comedian and radio personality Julia Sutherland to the show.

Ken and Julia discuss old timey radio, the conspiracy theory of the government's spying, panel shows, UK TV and Radio Times, doing stand up on U.K.'s Got Talent, missing some UK TV because you were teaching snowboarding in Vale, CO, Ant and Dec, Biker Grove, London Palladium, age ain't nothing but a number, TV licenses, Julia's father's collection or Radio and TV times, being a STV continuity presenter, Ken's dogs, The Wide Awake Club, Julia's first joke on TV, Timmy Mallett, Neighbors, Home and Away, crime series, serial killers, Jim Thompson, Poirot, The Salem Witch Trials, wanting to be a Crime Profiler, Taggart, Glasgow, Broadchurch, "Dallasty", ads for awful products, fashion, Joan Collins, The Doomsday Project, Gaz Top, sketch shows, Absolutely, Morwenna Banks, meeting your heroes, learning by doing, Role playing games, the wasteland of TV that is Sundays in the UK, why there are so many Scots in Canada, The Highland Clearances, The Campbells and being on it as a child, Spitting Image, Red Dwarf, Jimmy Tarbuck, quiz shows, The Good The Band and the Unexpected, Stop the Press, Dylan Moran, Bullseye, the greatest ad in the history of the world, Sure Deodorant, What's My Line?, Eamonn Andrews, This Is Your Life, Blockbusters, Take the High Road, Let's Face It, what a face actually is, The Sullivans, Electronic Program Guides, The Yellow Pages, J.R. Hartley, SuperMarionation, Gerry Anderson, Terrahawks, The Stand UK Club, why Thursdays are the best night to do stand up, The Golden Girls, not "getting" Bruce Forsyth, Cosby Show, and all the great stand up comedian who are not sex pests.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 416: Joseph DeBenedictis Jul 06, 2020

August 15-21, 1998 CANADIAN EDITION

The lockdown sessions continue as Ken welcomes another international guest, the incredible vlogger, magician and Canadian YouTube sensation Joseph DeBenedictis.

Ken and Joseph discuss the differences between Canadian and American TV Guide, Durgy Spade, David Blaine, making your own videos pre-YouTube, stage magic vs. street magic, being the oldest sibling, passing around VHS tapes, Canadian magazine pride, Canadian Content laws, SCTV, Toronto, Twitch City, Don McKellar, David Cronenberg, Last Night, being an unstructured mess, Hockey Night in Canada, comedy sketches, always wanting to do video production, The Comedy Network, America's Funniest Home Videos, YTV, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, SNICK, having a 1 and 1/2 year old, being unproductive in lockdown, The Simpsons, LBJ's Presidency, PBS vs. CBC, Read All About It, Comedy Now, Canadian Stand Up, Dr. Katz, Last Comic Standing, Who's Child is This?, Baby Jessica, OnTV, Channel 11, This Hour has 22 Minutes, Mike Wilmont, Everybody Loves Raymond, Miss Teen USA, Buffalo NY, Much Music, Pearl Jam, having a go to "home" channel, The Truman Show, reality TV, Jim Carrey movies, Liar Liar, The Joe Schmo Show, Kristen Wiig, Breaking the Magician's Code, Penn and Teller, TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes, Doug Henning, The Mike Bullard Show, doing stand up, Gerry Dee, Mr. D, Just for Laughs, Seinfeld, The Drew Carey Show, Who's Line is it Anyway?, The Amazing Richard Turner, Dealt, Ricky Jay, The Beaches Jazz Festival, YouTube, Candid Camera, not revealing the joke, and the CFL (Canadian Football League) and how it changed Joseph's life.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 415: Joel Hodgson Jun 29, 2020

August 31 - September 6, 1968

The remote sessions chug along as Ken welcomes longtime Ken Reid hero, original MST3k space castaway Joel Hodgson.

Ken and Joel discuss drinks, the free newspaper TV Guide, blue collar butlers, major appliances, Isaac Asimov writing about The Prisoner, PBS, Python, The Rover, local TV Guide art and ads, golf tournaments, how impressive the speed and accuracy of TV Guide was, Philly, local TV, watching school, the farm report, Bozo, Wisconsin, SCTV Celebrity Blow Up, using TV to learn how to be an adult, the stand up boom, late night DJs, broadcasting into the ether, wondering how TV got made, local horror hosts, Green Bay's Horror Host Alexander on WFRV's Eerie Street, Alexander's parking space, Ken's Dad on Bozo, Carol Spinney, dancing with a robot to a swing song called Chicken Curry, High School USA, auditioning for Woody on Cheers, being alone together, when singles turned to albums, AOR radio, The Omega Man, being a big fish in a small pond, public domain monster movies, writing for Jerry Seinfeld, knowing your place in showbiz, appearing on SNL, profound advice from Joe Piscopo, getting to write your own stuff, using an indie rock model to make television, why stress is the enemy of creativity, The Mike Douglas Show, and TV produced outside of New York and L.A.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 414: Anna Lee Jun 22, 2020

September 21-27, 1985

In our first international remote episode Ken welcomes writer, director, VR innovator and all around new BFF Anna Lee to the show.

Ken and Anna discuss Canadian lockdown, YouTube, Tik Tok, being an editor, Highlander the Series, The Hilarious House of Frightenstein, Canadian Tax Shelter Horror Films, Vancouver, Toronto, David Cronenberg, mo-cap, digital animation, Pin: A Plastic Nightmare, Scanners, Cube, Karate, Martial Arts, opening for Bruce Lee, stoicism, Jamaica, focus and discipline, 2049 Entertainment, learning by doing, other people paying for your mistakes, selling papers, Degrassi, Golden Girls, The Facts of Life, moving to Toronto in 1984, seeing snow for the first time, seeing Superman and having it change your life, breaking the fourth wall, Harder They Come, Popcorn, Midnight Movies, Ken's wish to do a red carpet event, the reality of a red carpet event, starting as a child actor, efficiency, editing in camera, VR pornography, innovation due to lack of resources, feeling vs. plot, the importance of soundtracks, Blade Runner, being in a reality show, Bruce Campbell, the importance of putting in time and committing to finding something, the original version of Paul Thomas Anderson's Boogie Nights, meeting Seka, befriending your heroes, the generation who won't pay for things, the future of entertainment, Nocturna, Vamp, Fright Night, Grace Jones documentary Bloodlight and Bami, loving Katheryn Bigelow, Point Break, living through multiple financial crises, running a phone sex company, freaking out, not knowing how to unplug, balls, Who's The Boss?, Growing Pains, Gimme a Break, Small Wonder, Remington Steele, Pierce Brosnon, Highway to Heaven, growing up Catholic, Quantum Leap, working with the same people over and over again, Epix Sex Life, Night Court, the tallest cast in TV, Bruce Willis, Knight Rider, Twilight Zone, Webster, being a car person, Audi 5000, Dodge Challenger, To Live and Die in LA, visiting Los Angeles, Sidekicks, watching ANY martial arts media, Brandon Lee, Martial Law with Sammo Hung, and being BFFs now.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 413: Kathy Valentine Jun 15, 2020

March 21 - 27, 1970

This week Ken welcomes Go-Go, and author of the great new memoir "All I Ever Wanted", Kathy Valentine.

Ken and Kathy talk about how ubiquitous TV Guide used to be, stumbling upon Suzie Quatro on Top of the Pops as a kid and having your life changed, how television helped The Go-Gos get big, radio vs. tv, procrastination, watching your old clips, playing on SNL, sexist ads, cartoons, George of the Jungle, TV theme songs, Mission Impossible, ad jingles, I Dream of Jeanie, Petticoat Junction, Green Acres, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, serial killers, how TV would stop some times, Davey and Goliath and LSD, The Archies, not liking the Monkees, Kurt Russell's teenage singing career, meeting Burt Ward, Westerns, Austin Texas, the 1987 Writer's Strike, why Monday is the greatest TV night, Hollywood Squares, Paul Lynde, how the Munsters helped Kathy's sobriety, It Takes a Thief, doing something nice for someone, Dick Cavett, Day of the Triffids, Art Linkletter, knowing Johnny Cash, pipe organ enthusiasts, Joel Grey singing the hot hits of the day for the kids, Agnes Moorehead, wanting to be an ad exec, supportive mothers, Here Come the Brides, Where the Boys Are, snarky TV Guide descriptions, Buffy St. Marie, cigarettes, hating Hee Haw, re-watching Curb Your Enthusiasm, Better Call Saul, and realizing how your time on Earth is limited and feeling a need to get things done.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 412: Eric Fusco Jun 08, 2020

October 7-13, 1978

The remote sessions continue as this week Ken welcomes super listener, and creator of "TV Guidance Counselor Bingo", Eric Fusco, for some talk about being alone together.

Ken and Eric discuss how to pronounce Fusco, Italians, birthday weeks, when baseball ruins everything, Richard Dreyfuss dramadies, Rhoda, working with people younger than you who don't know anything, shows that represent NYC, The Warriors, hardcore shows, the 1970s obsession with aliens, knowing what cars are going to get wrecked, CHiPs, Love Boat, Battlestar Gallactica, Archie Bunker, Sam the Butcher's Drinking Problem, The Gumball Rally, pimple popping, WKRP, punk rock episodes, Ray Boulger, fighting M*A*S*H with M*A*S*H, Doctor shows, surgery, SCTV, Sally Kirkland, modeling schools, Mercedes McCambridge, Vega$, U.F.O., Space 1999, Project UFO, In Search Of..., What's Happening parodies, Quincy M.E., The Muppet Show, Ken's interview with John Cleese, feeling incredibly old, horny Bernie Kopell, Wonder Woman, The Incredible Hulk, using Roddy McDowell's bathroom, the plague of tennis pros, Big John Hamilton, westernization of Chinese TV, Timeless, Time After Time, Match Game, and not always being able to relax by watching old TV.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 411: Sara Faith Alterman Jun 01, 2020

This week Ken welcomes long time friend and author of the excellent new memoir, Let's Never Talk About This Again, Sara Faith Alterman.

Ken and Sara discuss strict parents, Ken's mistaken memory of Sara being an only child, Larry, Sara's Three Categories of TV: Things she was allowed to watch, things her parents like so she could watch, and things she desperately wanted to watch but couldn't, The Thornebirds, being a drama and choir nerd, Growing Pains, Gimme a Break, loving Nell Carter, jazz cigarettes, Chuck Berry, Reefer Madness, Back to the Future, sneaking TV, pajamas, gender fluid children, loving dinosaurs, "all we are is what we're told and most of that is lies", feety vs footy, Ain't Misbehavin', It's Your Move, Married...with Children, Massive Boner Alert: MBA, sneaking sugar, forbidden cookies, being impulsive and obsessive, no longer having to keep knowledge, cliffhangers, over the top badness, teenager soaps, being never home alone, sadistic bakers, The Frugal Gourmet, murderous Julia Child, Star Search, Chicago, strip teases, writing Ben Vereen a letter, Zoobily Zoo, Shelly Duval's Faerie Tale Theater, and Swan's Crossing fueled sexual awakening.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 410: Scott Weinberg May 22, 2020

April 11-17, 1981

This week Ken welcomes film critic, podcaster and good dude Scott Weinberg to the show.

Ken and Scott discuss Philadelphia, Larry Fine, Billy West, Ed Asner, The Doom Patrol, Wilfred Brimley, how Jack Kirby is the Architect of 21st Century Pop Culture, how movies became big budget exploitation movies, Made For-TV movies, loving genre movies, Star Wars rip offs, Logan's Run, Battlestar Gallactica, Goliath Awaits, Barbara Eden, TV shows based on movies, the difficulty of telling an ongoing story on TV, Sledgehammer, Airplane!, Police Squad, the all time funniest joke in the history of the world, The Incredible Hulk, The Hulk Out List, Parker Lewis Can't Lose, bottle episodes, innovation, Square Pegs, Fast Times, laugh tracks, V, Ken Johnson, Alien Nation, Midnight Run sequels, Splash Too, 9 to 5, The Jerk Too, Revenge of the Nerds, WKRP, Fantasy Island, Love Boat, Happy Days, Mr. Mom, Ann Jillian, It's a Living vs Making a Living, first run syndication, Baywatch, Charles in Charge, Heaven on Earth, god shows, pilots, Real People, That's Incredible!, Those Amazing Animals, Working Stiffs, It's Your Move, Quincy, Little House knock offs, Three's Company, Laverne and Shirley, Too Close for Comfort, Dukes of Hazard, Greatest American Hero, loving John Ritter, John Candy, Phil Hartman, the mystery of "Enis", the wonder of Brooke Shields, loving when actors get better, the nature of criticism, Fangoria, parental disapproval, Mad Magazine, and figuring out why certain movies aren't for kids.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 409: Stephanie Erb May 18, 2020

This week Ken continues the Global Pandemic Sessions with a belated chat with actor, writer, producer Stephanie Erb.

Ken and Stephanie discuss being a jobbing actor, the unfriendly world of stand up comedy, improv, Therapy with Pami, playing a slutty babysitter on Unsolved Mysteries, being Spock's girlfriend, growing up loving Star Trek, appearing on Star Trek the Next Generation, being judged, taping Star Trek on audio tapes as a kid, crushing on Leonard Nimoy, kissing carpets, why Boston accents are Vulcan cannon, copying Patrick Stewart, making dreams come true, not being able to watch yourself, being humble, how hard it is to get a gig, blue collar acting, being a character actor, Peter Weir's Fearless, Jeff Bridges, theater, multi-cam sitcoms, creepy messages from Two and a Half Men, why Jon Cryer is great, the boring world of procedural dramas, making your own content, re-investing in yourself, the uncharted world of media in 2020, ABCD Roles (Anybody Can Do It), when theater goes away, working with Tom Hanks on The Naked Truth, wanting to marry David Tennant, wanting to play a glamorous badass, nerdy roles, why being pre-med makes you like playing Doctors, jargon, and keeping your bug stomping shoes from Starship Troopers.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 408: Kate Kennedy May 11, 2020

September 19-25, 2004

This week Ken continues the remote sessions as he welcomes comedian, adult performer and vintage Care Bears collector Kate Kennedy to the show.

Ken and Kate discuss temperatures, The Valley, growing up in Colorado, Artisinal Pornography in Portland Oregon, militant vegan strip clubs, pop up Pirate Restaurants, Colorado conservatism, OM, South Park, Denver Comic Con, the mile high can't breathe club, stopping the culture clock in the early 90s, growing up sheltered from modern times, pirating Skins onto your video iPod, being a teenage booze distributor, why nerdy teens love SNL, getting started in stand up because your first onscreen anal is canceled, loving Cheers and Jeers, growing up in a DirectTV Household, Weekend Update, depression, why you don't need to suffer to be funny, seeing the cracks in the world, being socially awkward, validation, moving apartments, when TV Guide switched from starting on Saturdays to starting on Sunday, team Netflix vs. team Blockbuster, Harry Potter, lego, Antiques Roadshow, Tote Bags, This Old House, Unwrapped, weird mannequins in Ireland, factory tours, Gilmore Girls, renovation on a budget, indie movies, The Patriot Act, the start of the TSA, why Ken and Kate don't think people should trust them, Hamtaro, What Not to Wear, cowlicks, dressing down exactly like the person you are dating, the big Candy Expo, Turkish Delight, going on the Jessica Fletcher walking tour, mom and pop dungeons, snacks and S&M, getting kicked out of the Christian Grey apartment, orgies, never becoming President, the germ warfare of open mics, blacklisting and being the Marc Summers of porn.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 407: Kelli Dunham May 04, 2020

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 406: Jo Ann Singer Apr 27, 2020

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 405: John Ross Bowie Apr 20, 2020

FALL PREVIEW ALERT!

September 14-20, 1985.

This week Ken welcomes actor and all around good dude John Ross Bowie to the show.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 404: Senta Moses Mikan Apr 13, 2020

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 403: Jordan Morris Apr 06, 2020

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 402: Jesse Thorn Mar 30, 2020

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 401: Nina Bargeil Mar 22, 2020

This week Ken welcomes writer and long time web person Nina Bargeil from Los Angeles to discuss all things George Burns.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 400: Kathe Farris Mar 16, 2020

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 399: Meredith Goldstein Mar 09, 2020

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 398: Ryan Shea Mar 02, 2020

September 16-22, 1989

This week Ken welcomes Boston Comic and ass kicker Ryan Shea to the show.

Ken and Ryan discuss Ken's car accident, podcasts taking over your life, bombing auditions, hackers, ju-jujitsu, Twitch, draining your ears, Roseanne and Cosby, growing up in Southie, getting hit by a car, drug dealers, the adult version of when a baby has gas, Murray Bikes, changing TV intros, Bon Jovi: Session musician, commercial jingles, Sister Kate, Beyond Tomorrow, School Book clubs, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Emmy Awards, John Leguizamo, Garbage Pail Kids The Movie, The Punky Brewster reboot, The People Next Door, The Abyss, Nightmare on Elm Street, divorced parents, Howard the Duck, Freddy vs. Jason, Nintendo, Toy Soldiers, a love of seeing remote control planes crash, how Jackie Mason's Chicken Soup is the same as Seinfeld, Unsolved Mysteries, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Wiseguy, Jake and the Fatman, William Katt for Congress, the sphere from Phantasm, Nasty Boys, Designing Women, and getting celebrities drunk and driving for science.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 397: Katie McCarthy Feb 24, 2020

November 20-26, 1999

This week Ken welcomes fellow Boston Comedian and child of neglect Katie McCarthy.

Ken and Katie discuss growing up in Lynn, Bambi v Godzilla, being an indoor kid, cops, drama club, Catholic School, being on Student Government, Celine Dion, The Peanut Butter Solution, Drake, Degrassi, Wrestling, Cable Access, pig dicks, The Lawrence Bros, Premium Blend, Margaret Cho, Janeane Garofalo, Teen Magazine, "He Touched Me", old perverts, mush brain, name tags, Orson Wells, Strangers with Candy, cringe jokes, Wes Hazard on Jeopardy, Jesus, Richard Simmons loving chicks, clowns, late night, puking after eating waffles with Billy Corgan, end times, Dilbert, Angel, Touched by an Angel, The Heights, shocking cats, Judging Amy, evil men, Tori Amos, James Van Der Beak, Pini's Pizza, Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place, Somerville, hiding in your room on Thanksgiving, bad stand up, Home Alone 2, Ricky Martin, Welcome to the Dollhouse, Market Basket, Cheerleading, and sexual Supermarket Sweep.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 396: Valentine's Day Special with Rachel Reid Feb 18, 2020

In this 6th Anniversary Valentine's Day Special Ken finally welcomes his wife to the show to do an entire episode as the only guest. They look at an issue of the UK TV Times from 1986 and struggle with keeping their dogs under control.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 395: Gary K. Wolf Feb 10, 2020

July 12-18, 1958

This week Ken welcomes author and creator of Roger Rabbit, Gary K. Wolf.

Ken and Gary discuss how long Gary has been in Boston, the Summer of Love in San Francisco, growing up in Earlsville Illinois, only having on TV in the neighborhood, Big Top, building two story TV antennas for the Fringe areas, when TV was over, Howdy Doody, Kukla Fran and Ollie, missing the 150th episode of Howdy Doody because you acted up in school, Lawrence Welk, accordion, toe dancing, Ed Sullivan, regional TV Guide, playing catch with Chuck Connors, Nudie Suits, blue cows, being encouraged to read, comics books, true crime magazines, Steve McQueen, Roy Rogers, naming Trigger's son, Route 66, Space Patrol, cartoons, being inspired by cereal commercials, word balloons, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, the battle of Bugs and Micky, The Prisoner, appearing on Creature Features, loving pinball, being Basic Instinct-d, Steven Spielberg, Roy Disney, gags in the margins, the jazz in Peter Gunn, Corvettes, fighting in Vietnam, guns, Go Tell the Spartans, female reporters in War Zones, re-inventing Space Hawk, and getting to talk about things you don't get to talk about enough.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 394: Kate Procyshyn Feb 03, 2020

August 8-14, 1987

This week Ken welcomes boxer, world traveler, and fellow comedian, Kate Procyshyn.

Ken and Kate discuss her nervousness, her love of the outdoors, reading, being a Librarian, living in rural Alaska, growing up in Reno, NV, visiting hardware stores, Kate' Yearbook Session, cutting mouths of out photos, Lawrence Welk, movie theaters, working in advertising, staying in cheap places around the globe, Grocery Stores, traveling in Asia, baking, eating Chicken feet, Librarian Conferences, working in a convent in Africa, pornography on library computers, Sex on TV, humping, periodicals, Teen Model Search, cookies, hostels, misdirection, bed bugs, sharing bathrooms, Fraggle Rock, never having seen Newhart, the secret origin of Kate's journey into stand up, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Donahue, court cases, sleeping, playing the violin, Romper Room, gaming, The Little Prince, being terrified of space, Pay Per View movies, Two Person Solitaire and a very rare ALL Cheers week.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 393: Ryan Douglass Jan 27, 2020

September 20-26, 1997

Today Ken welcomes old friend, frame-maker and comedian Ryan Douglass to the show.

Ken and Ryan discuss bible eating, book stores, the last time Ken saw Ryan, Princess Di, all the places Ryan has lived, Home Improvement, The New People, Baywatch, Elton John, TV Movies, Unicorn Sculptures, Lance Burton, COPS, the Walsh Brothers, Early Edition, Chicago, Short Circuit, Bullit, Superbowl, Sister Wendy, Catholic Television, bad Notre Dame tattoos, Dave Thomas, Grace Under Fire, confusing Suddenly Susan, Veronica's Closet and Just Shoot Me, Cybill, Billy Corgan, Ryan meeting Smashing Pumpkins, Ghoulardi, Svengoulie, CHUD, Newradio, Lovitz replacing Phil Hartman, Spin City, The Tony Danza Show, High School football, Ellen, The Drew Carey Show, Party of Five, Empire Records, Hi-Fidelity, Riders of the Purple Sage, TNN, The Country Music Awards, Ryan's 7th Grade Reading Teacher's band, Sabrina, Salem the Cat, The Newbury St. Newbury Comics, Condom World, trying to figure out George Clooney's break out movie role, Meego, Teen Angel, Manhunter, Millennium, switching Networks, priests, Cracker, southern accents, Football injuries, Kathy Lee's unseemly promotion, people named Wes, and a glowing tribute to Brendan Tartikof.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 392: Tony Thaxton Jan 20, 2020

September 2-8, 1989

This week Ken welcomes rockstar (Motion City Soundtrack), podcaster (Bizarre Albums) and Alison Rosen's boardman, Tony Thaxton to the show.

Ken and Tony discuss backstage life, meeting celebs, free drinks, Carrot Top, Trent Reznor's amazement at skateboarding, Indiana, living in a weird part of Michigan, living on a time machine, Bears and Cubs, ALF, Harry Caray vs. Johnny Most, Saturday Morning Preview Specials, the Yummy Awards, singles, Gummi Bears, Masterpiece Theater 3000, Austin City Limits, Gattlin Bros, cover bands, Nintendo, Empty Nest, confusing Dear John, the theme to It's Gary Shandling's Show, theme song Karaoke, Perfect Strangers, Misfits of Science, having older sisters, My Two Dads, the Jerry Lewis telethon, contests to name things, The Hogan Family, "The Party" from the Mickey Mouse Club, unsold pilots with Ricki Lake, satellite dishes, above ground pools aka AGPs, Who's the Boss?, Rescue 911, Wonder Years, the MTV video music awards, Growing Pains, Michael Damien and Prince, loving the Beatles, The Cosby Show, A Different World, Cheers, Book signings, The Equalizer, why Ken feels good about himself for the first time in two years, Just the Ten of Us, Death of a Salesman, movie reviews, and a Jeer heavy week.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 391: Allee Willis Tribute Jan 13, 2020

Ken revisits a 2016 talk he had with the great Allee Willis who sadly passed away on Christmas Eve 2019.

Ken and Allee discuss The Color Purple on Broadway, hating theater, swearing, having a TV in every room on every wall, growing up in Detroit, TV as a babysitter, a diet of candy, the sophistication of Health Bars, CHiPs, Erik Estrada's tight beige uniform, disco scores, writing songs for Earth Wind and Fire, Wonder Woman's disco devil, American Bandstand, Soul Train, Hullabaloo, Shin Dig, the invention of the teenager, cutting edge Variety, The Smothers Brothers, Laugh In, counter culture, Columbia Records, falling in love with Los Angeles, Freaks and Geeks, falling in love with cable news, Car Chases, 30,000 hours of footage, Just Say Julie, Allee's amazing wonderful house of treasures, rooftop drums, The Breakfast Club, being a music video production designer, The Cars "You Might Think", Tom Petty's "Don't Come Around Here No More", painting, combining music with art, writing "I'll Be There For You" the theme from Friends, returning the AFI Women's Directing Award in 1991, Kevin Bright, hating the Memphis school's bastardization of mid-century modern, storage spaces filled with treasure, Storage Wars, Sid & Marty Kroft, HR Puffnstuff, Electrawoman and Dynagirl, collecting lunch boxes, Greatest American Hero, the loss of the theme song, R&B, "Friends" at sporting events, a sea lion's love of "Boogie Wonderland", the wonders of the internet, Vice TV, enjoying The Principal's Office, hating foreign real housewives, and having a brand identity.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 390: Jo Bozarth and April Bowlby Jan 06, 2020

October 19-25, 1985

This week Ken welcomes the hosts of the 75Reads Podcast, Jo Bozarth and April Bowlby.

Ken, Jo and April discuss jacuzzin', Ken's bad jokes, growing up in California, no bedtimes, screen time, The Furchester Hotel, Star Track star makers, Hollywood, Universal Studios, The Best of Times, Robin Williams, Mork, Taxi, the dark 70s, the perfection of the 1980s, dating baseball players and musicians, loving Niles, fat camp, pregnancy on TV, Cheers, Ted Danson, Golden Girls, Facts of Life, Backdoor pilots, roommates later in life, spin-offs, The Tortellis, 227, Designing Women, how kids hate being tricked, Hunks, beefcake Calendars, Glim Glim, Monsters, Tales from the Darkside, The Twilight Zone, the cotton candy defense, murder, The Brady Bunch, Three's Company, The Regal Beagle, filming locations, visiting the A-Team van by accident, Barney Miller, Night Court, After School Specials, having a fake baby in school, egg babies, Erin Grey, Wait Til Your Father Gets Home, Nick at Nite, Patty Duke, Valley of the Dolls, Dragnet, Westerns, loving basketball, Gidget, Back to the Beach, Kate & Allie, Cagney and Lacey, the Lakers, boxing, Red Vines vs Twizzlers, Alec Baldwin TV movies, bad kissing, the Red Sox blowing it, TV series based on movies, the mystery of Hunk Block, Pat Sajak, Mr. Belvedere, and the wonder of Judith Light.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 389: Lucia Fasano Dec 30, 2019

June 10-16, 2000

This week Ken welcomes actor, comedian and musician Lucia Fasano to the show.

Ken and Lucia discuss the Manson Murders, knives, OJ, monsters, Monster Kids, masks, Butch Patrick, Sid and Marty Kroft, Shirley Temple, Kid actors, watching TV with your family, growing up in the industry, The Simpsons, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Disney, Rugrats, Children's Shows, autograph conventions, respecting your elders, Hollywood creeps, not being impressed by normal kid things, designing Halloween decorations for target that then cameo on adult videos, Brendan Cruz, Ben Stiller, Brimstone, 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo, A to Z, shows that never make it to the end, SNICK, All That, being disappointed by creeps, The Weakest Link, Who Wants to be a Millionare?, pretending to be Regis, Buffy, The X-Files, Ricky Jay and his 52 Assistants, Succession, accents, Kratt Brothers vs. Property Brothers, New York accents, Chariots of the Gods, Roswell, alien autopsy, History Channel, Highway to Heaven, loving James Marsters, being terrified of sea monsters, Jennifer Love Hewitt's "Let's Go Bang", The Flintstones, Fruity Pebbles, snow days, 90 Day Fiance, and appreciating Friends.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 388: 2019 Year End Year in Review Dec 23, 2019

Ken goes solo on this Year End Round up of 2019 including guests, behind the scenes, what's been going on in Ken's life and New (I know right??!) shows he watched and enjoyed this year.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 387: Felicia Michaels Dec 15, 2019

December 29, 1979 - January 4, 1980

Today Ken welcomes fellow comedian Felicia Michaels to the show.

Ken and Felicia discuss B.Y.O.W., Burbank, The Liar's Club, people's nerves, Charlie's Angels, fashion photography, OJ Simpson, Encyclopedias, growing up in Germany, missing cultural TV references of the 50s-70s, the Farrah poster, the hair, Mustangs, being a Kate Jackson, innovative technology, answering machines, car phones, Triads, working at a strip club, Sam Kinison, videophones, Sony Watchmen, Blade Runner, Y2K, Grizzly Adams, growing up in Colorado, collecting lunch boxes, The Monkees, Magnum PI, Hee Haw, stand up on TV, Star Search Wet T-Shirt contests, lace fingerless gloves, 80s comics on cocaine, Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Barney Miller, Disney Sunday Night/Wonderful World of Disney, marine biology, dolphines, horseshoe crabs, Goldie and the Boxer, multi-show crossovers, Mork and Mindy, Blanford's Beauties, Happy Days, bringing things back on ice, seeing Robby Benson, being an extra, Fever Pitch, Dune Buggies, head shops, smoking pot, SNL, popcorn, Rocky Horror, Drive-Ins, and what to watch on New Year's Eve

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 386: Anita Flores Dec 08, 2019

May 7-13, 1994

This week Ken welcomes fellow comedian and podcast host (I'm Listening: A Frasier Fan Podcast) Anita Flores.

Ken and Anita discuss being live via satellite, The Stand, Sweeps Week, Rob Lowe's sex tape, play a deaf mute, GrapeVine, Mrs. Fields, Michael Chiklis, being programmed to, The Mommies, Mother's Day, classic TV Moms, Ken and Anita running Peacock and becoming very rich, ice skating, geeking out over celebrities, Nurses, Loni Anderson, Adam West, Nancy Kerrigan, Colbert, crying in public, the upfronts, not growing up with cable, Dollman Vs. Demonic Toys, Married...with Children in 3D, dysfunctional families, 30 Rock, Arrested Development, Bob's Burgers, Rip Torn, The Man Who Fell to Earth, Diagnosis Murder, Robin Leach, Tales from the Crypt, Dateline, fear of Ecstasy, To Catch a Predator, Melrose Place, Seinfeld, Pluto TV, The Boston Strangler, serial Killers, Must See TV, Frasier, Revenge of the Nerds IV: Nerds in Love, Smell-o-Vision, Garth Brooks, David Copperfield, Helen Hunt, Trancers, Jack Deth, magicians and models, going to Heaven and meeting god, and Jeering AND Cheering Andy Rooney at the same time.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 385: Sovereign Syre Dec 01, 2019

This week Ken welcomes fellow comedian and podcaster Sovereign Syre to the show.

Ken and Sovereign discuss having issues, SoapNet, shameful teenage love of Soap Operas, gameshows, talk shows, evening news, Generation X, growing up digital, stumble upon culture, The X-Files, missing Friends, Too Close for Comfort, Star Trek The Next Generation, conspiracy theories, Mad TV, Fox as the working class network, mainstream society catching up with how sex bomb Gillian Anderson is, being very very horribly old, Heavy Metal Magazine, sci-fi, Beverly Hills 90210, the trouble with True Crime, procedurals, the danger of people you know, medical problems, and anxious society, worst case scenarios, Drag, GLOW, Maron, biopics, period pieces, unnecessary boning in media, underdogs, fashion shows, the appeal of confidence, dealing with depression, Manhunter, Chris Elliot, the freeing nature of nihilism, how outfits affect your mood, murder, rebooting Murder She Wrote, why Living Single only works in the 90s (in a good way), Stranger Things, how technology is the new monster, wrestling with identity, trying to reverse engineer a handbook for life, being ok with being alone and independent, retreating to a place with simpler definitions, the beauty of restoration shows and Bronson Pinchot's love of Greek revival architecture.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 384: Jane Seymour Nov 25, 2019

SURPRISE! It's a Holiday bonus episode of TV Guidance Counselor.

This week enjoy an hour of content packed into 30 dense minutes as Ken welcomes start of stage and screen Jane Seymour to the show.

Ken and Jane discuss being a TV actor vs a movie actor, James Bond, East of Eden, Winning Golden Globes, Battle of the Network Stars, Steven Spielberg, Captains and the Kings, McCloud, Robert Conrad's fury, ballet, Kurt Russell's Tug-o-War injuries, Battlestar Gallactica, It's a Knock Out, avoiding a series, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, Lorne Greene, Amadeus, Emmy nominations, Time After Time, winning despite everything, Oh Heavenly Dog!, Head Office, period pieces, being a character actor, Lawrence Olivier, studying acting, the importance of hair, playing a real historical figure, guesting starring as a version of yourself on The Nanny, Morphine Woman, Funny or Die, Jimmy Kimmel, living a well rounded life, writing, painting, the connection with Open Hearts, and living a kind, purposeful life.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 383: Paul Michael Glaser Nov 23, 2019

This week Ken welcomes actor, director, poet, author and painter Paul Michael Glaser to the show.

Ken and PMG discuss getting lost in L.A., going to grad school, avoiding Vietnam, Boston Winters, doing theater in New York, tending bar, the CBS Milk Barn, under fives, Fiddler on the Roof, "Death at an Early Age", 1968, Charley, The Night James Brown Saved Boston, the union problem, Miami Vice, Starsky and Hutch, Running Man, Amazons, made for TV movies, playing Houdini, almost drowning in the water torture chamber, playing historical figures, the massive fame that came with a hit network TV show in the 1970s, Tevia, doing art for you, how boring film sets can be, re working stunt scenes, the nature of stories, shock humor, stand up comedy, social media, robbing society of our interpersonal skills, the book "Perfume", Band of the Hand, Richard Dawson, The Cutting Edge, casting Moira Kelly, painting, writing poetry, trying to get back to oneness, Kazaam!, working Shaq, consciousness, trying to find an understanding of why we're here, The Edge of Wimsey, and the power of contradiction.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 382: Nancy Valen Nov 18, 2019

December 2-8, 1978

This week Ken welcomes producer/actor Nancy Valen (Heavenly Kid, Hull High, Baywatch) to the show.

Ken and Nancy discuss Ken's great creative idea, being a latchkey kid, learning from television, growing up in NYC, moving to Florida, Queens, Sesame St, Mr. Rogers, culture shock, Miami Vice, Heavenly Kid, Loverboy, SOAP, Richard Mulligan, Fonzie, being able to suppress being starstruck, Ryan's Hope, Garth Brooks, being on Jay Leno, TV Land, Farrah Fawcett, Dick Van Patten,Windmill Entertainment, Black Scorpion, Baywatch, Tim Van Patten, directing, Hull High, musicals, Riverdale, Welcome Back Kotter, Cheers, Rhoda, Good Times, Love Boat, All in the Family, Brandon Tartikoff, Little House on the Prairie, The White Shadow, Made for TV movies, Cindy Williams in Suddenly Love, divorce, Lou Grant, Newhart, video vs. film, to binge or not to binge, Knotts Landing, Dallas, storytelling, Q*Bert, Space Invaders, being obsessive, Three's Company, Taxi, John Ritter, The Jetsons, living in the future, Bing, Charlie's Angels, transcending your time, Friends, The Valentine's Day episode, Saved by the Bell, Kathy Ireland, Variety Shows, The Brady Kids, Barney Miller, checking in on Abe Vigoda, HBO's quality television, committing to a show, and using your connections to binge 24.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 381: Russ Woody Nov 11, 2019

Today Ken welcomes TV veteran and author of the new book "Tuesdays with Ted", Russ Woody.

Ken and Russ discuss Burbank, wildfires, worshiping television, Ted Danson, Becker, Cheers, seeing the top of your head, Dick Van Dyke, Working at MTM, Newhart, St. Elsewhere, comedy vs. drama, Barney Miller, multi-cam sitcoms, how hard it is to tell a story in 19 minutes, bad people on TV, Cybill, Roseanne, Cosby, insane stand up comedians, how remarkable it is that anything good ever gets made in Hollywood, Green Acres, Tom Poston, Absolutely Fabulous, The Royle Family, US remakes of UK shows, network censors, Jacob's Ladder, Norsemen, Liam Neeson's improv, Toast of London, working in a writers' room, navigating personalities, Dabney Coleman, Slap Maxwell Story, winning people over, living with depression and anxiety, empathy, perspectives, the solitary nature of writing, Murphy Brown, being perfect like an orange, Jay Tarses, mentors, George Clooney, sticking up for people because you can, treating people right, cost benefit analysis, Ken's respect for Bonnie Hunt and a P.A. who's never had a tomato.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 380: Margaret H. Willison Nov 04, 2019

September 7-13, 1991

Today Ken welcomes librarian, podcaster and best all around Margaret H. Willison.

Ken and Margaret discuss shortened versions of your name, feminine flowers, post it notes, ribbons, splitting the bill, The Appointment Television podcast, Northern Exposure, Homicide Life on the Street, Highlander the Series, Twin Peaks, The New Leave it to Beaver, Murder, Murder She Wrote, Permeable vs. Impermeable, Amateur vs. professional, Bringing Up Baby, Who's that Girl?, screwball comedies, Totally Hidden Video, being a family of nerds, Larry's thievery, classic radio, model train people, pretending to be somebody else, alter egos, Spaulding Grey, Herman's Head, Avonlea, Anne of Green Gables, Little House on the Prairie, Judy Bloom vs. Beverly Cleary, being a Private Eye, focus groups, Colombo, The Charles Stuart Murder case, Rescue 9-11, the late Mayor Menino, sidescrapers, cults stealing babies, The Last Prostitute, Night Court, Quantum Leap, The Simpsons, pop culture blind spots, The Office, Poirot, being accused of thievery, why Ken is a monster, Ferngully, yuppie aspirations, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Dragnet, The Ultimate Challenge, and the Legend of Spanky Spangler.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 379: Halloween Special 2019 Oct 28, 2019

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

It's a super sized 2019 Halloween Special.

This year Ken welcomes back Lamont Price, Sam Furst (Monsters are Good) and Rachel Reid to the show. We watch the first three Halloween episodes of Roseanne (Season 2, 3 and 4) and discuss it and all things Halloween.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 378: Ethan Marsh Oct 21, 2019

April 23-29, 1994

This week Ken welcomes comedian Ethan Marsh to the show. Ken and Ethan discuss swingers, Jason Alexander's commercial work, John Candy's death, George Wendt in "Hostage for a Day", what Tammy Faye Baker watches, talk shows, getting your pet spayed or neutered, having a lawyer father, growing up in rural New Hampshire, SNICK, Clarissa Explains it All, Roundhouse, Ren & Stimpy, Dunkaroos, Malcolm X, The Fresh Air Program, Dick Sweat, the power of truck liners, Dollar Bill's, The Mommies, tub time, Judge Shows, The Movie Loft, TV38, pre-ordering Honey I Shrunk the Kids on VHS using identity fraud, teenie weenies, MTV Unplugged, Living Single, Grace Under Fire, Mario Van Peebles, Lifetime comedy specials Dana Gould appeared on but doesn't remember, Blaxploitation, Pam Grier, Ed McMahon is EVERYWHERE, The Fresh Prince, ken getting fired from Newbury Comics, modern country, getting outside your comfort bubble, solving problems, gun violence, simulcasts, Zach Galifinakis on late night TV, Beverly Hills 90210, The B.A.G. and his rap career, Home Improvement, cool teachers, Sons of Anarchy, TGIF, Boy Meets World, and repackaging history however you want.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 377: Michael Grasso Oct 13, 2019

November 12-18, 1983

This week Ken welcomes writer/editor Michael Grasso (We Are the Mutants/Hold My Order podcast) to the show.

Ken and Michael discuss Mr. Big's Toyland, Waltham, MA, The Outer Limits, large Italian families, Hi/Low Brow, decades starting on the 3s, The Beige Age, Candlepin Bowling, commercial jingles, syndication laws, Reagan, MTM, issue sitcoms, The 1996 Telecommunications Act, distribution, gate keepers, how easy it is to find TV Guides, We Got It Maid, first run syndication, Punky Brewster, Too Close for Comfort, Three's Company, MTV, Choose or Lose, Ed Hunt, Roswell, In Search Of..., DB Cooper, The British Ministry of Precognition, Arthur C. Clarke's Mysterious World, Fawlty Towers, TV38, The Deer Hunter, The Movie Loft, Solid Gold, broken spines, Vietnam, Fantasy Island, Planet of the Apes, The Incredible Mr. Limpet, Dancin' to the Hits, WKRP, Chiefs, movie events, Throb, TV68, V66, Rollerball, dystopian futures, when Bill O'Reily worked in Boston, Tom Bergeron, People are Talking, Haverhill is Riverdale, This Old House, Geraldo, Al Capone's Vault, Night Flight, Atomic Cafe,zombies, Ghostbusters, Threads, and how we were all damaged by The Day After.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 376: Rich Wentworth Oct 07, 2019

June 12-18, 1978

This week Ken welcomes artist, podcaster, and all around cool dude Rich Wentworth to the show.

Ken and Rich discuss voice over, Boston family acts, obnoxious brothers, pupcorn, hut dogs, what hugs, UFOs, Project UFO, Malden MA, The Abandoned Ruderman's Furniture Flea Market, Supah Rahre, Lament Configuration, lighters & video games, thrifting, hot plastic comic book bags, gluing on applications, old man Rob Reiner, obscure live action Disney films, Bionic Woman, Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Circus of the Stars, Little Seen Canadian Teen Girlfriends, Lou Rawls on Ice, Thanksgiving episodes, Little House on the Prairie, servitude, The Brady Bunch, Leaves + Crayons + Wax Paper = Art, Cheerwine, Salem's Lot, David Soul, Return to Salem's Lot, Sam Fueller, Laserblast, Deadly Weapon, Lemora, Hunt's Photo & Video, Tobe Hooper's Fun House, Budman, parents smoking pot, Three's Company, Buck Rogers, Barney Miller, Oral Roberts, Grease Day, Drake's Cakes vs. Little Debbie vs. Hostess, Street Trash, TV Guidance Counselor Bingo, Hulk Out List, Percey Rodriguez Excel spreadsheets, and Jeering the Plague Dogs.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 375: Dr. Janet Painter Sep 30, 2019

April 11-17, 1987

This week Ken welcomes Dr. Janet Painter to the show.

Ken and Dr. Janet discuss the North Shore/South Shore rift, bad drivers, Carol Burnett meeting Alton Brown, Mr. Wizard, Science, Sci-Fi, having your brother advocate for you to watch Little House, living in the 18th Century, pre-electricity, ancient recording devices, patents, ghosts, theremins, science trial and error, old car phones, building your own Telervisor, Hiding Out, The Big Dig, 21 Jump St vs. Silver Spoons, Sesame St., getting historical fiction wrong, teen crushes, The Muppets, Ricky Shroeder, child actors, being Bewitched three times a day, Watcher in the Woods, collecting for your paper route, recording your own voice, My First Sony, Brewster's Millions, Ann of Green Gables, The Peanut Butter Solution, The Last Starfighter, Rags to Riches, Baby Jessica, Dawn French, Ab Fab, black and white, Night of the Living Dead, KidCo., Scotty Schwartz, the Summer of Courtney Thorne-Smith, Cybill Sheperd Moonlight and Seducing you at the same time, Max Headroom, and the power of Andy Williams and the NBC Kids combined abilities.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 374: Kimberly King Parsons Sep 21, 2019

November 13-19, 1993

This week Ken welcomes author of the new short story collection "Black Light", the amazing Kimberly King Parsons.

Ken and Kimberly discuss Cambridge Air BnBs, early bed times, the dick in the Fly, when your parents want to be alone, Skinemax, Real Sex, HBO, Taxi Cab Confessions, MTV's Sex in the 90s, Dream On, Llamas vs. Boobs, Playboy vs. Playgirl, psychedelics, when Hillary Clinton met Big Bird, Judy Bloom, Ecco The Dolphin, Mariah Carey, SNICK, babysitters, the wonder of watching TV in your parents' room, being a snoop, Debbie Does Dallas, breaking things, bodies, David Cronenberg, dread, shocks, horror, when plot doesn't matter, character, Columbo, Murder She Wrote, The X-Files, America's Most Wanted, Unsolved Mysteries, Punky Brewster's Very Special Episodes, Mr. Bicycle Man, Alan: World's Biggest Jerk, Glomer, Mork and Mindy, MTV's Week in Rock, Kurt Loder, 120 Minutes, Nine Inch Nails, My So-Called Life, the pressure of being an only child, Full House, Roseanne, Grace Under Fire, True Crime, how all dudes are garbage, doing the best you can, intuition, the nature of touch, Twin Peaks, good writing vs bad writing, Melrose Place, Beverly Hills 90210, hoopsters, Date Rape, David Bowie, The Hunger, Bauhaus, Halloween costumes, Near Dark, the wonders of being the chosen, Sinbad, Seinfeld, molten lava Kraft singles, Family Matters, Boys Meets World, how taboo makes things appealing, and how having tons of kids will (not) cure anxiety.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 373: John Hodgman 3-D Sep 15, 2019

John Hodgman is back for a third time!

This week on TV Guidance Counselor Ken welcomes back noted mustache creep and author of the new book "Medallion Status", Mr. John Hodgman.

Ken and John discuss the insanity of Marriott Hotel naming conventions, hotel security, The Boston/TD Garden, The Leonard Zakim Bridge vs. The Bunker Hill Bridge, racism, The Doughboys Podcast, Pizzeria Regina vs. Regina Pizzeria, horny parsley, accents, adding "r" to words without them, gorging as a job, throwing tennis balls, Medallion Status, the nature of fame, televised team sports, bowling, ruining the day of people in like, just really liking rice balls, busting rice balls, trying meatballs, Downeast Dickerers, fucking blueberry pies, Ken's lack of understanding of liquor stores, Tony Bennett, reality TV, The Property Brothers, Restored, Brett Waterman, White Privilege, gripe culture, working class complaints, resentment, fleshy balloons, Frequent Flyer Miles, status, First Class, bathroom reading, pick pockets, hiding money in your shoe, death taxes, not earning things, free stuff, the right now vs the long game, how fame changes you, how fame and infamy are the same thing now, car fluids, the Acela train, Mad Dad Sudes, and famous Corgies of Instagram.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 372: Sharon Marcus Sep 09, 2019

June 9-15, 1973

This week Ken welcomes professor and author of the book The Drama of Celebrity Sharon Marcus.

Ken and Sharon discuss how TV Guides can summon up memories of hot New York Summers, Queens, staying up late and watching old movies, classic movie theaters in New York, seeing old movies at your local library, sparking an interest in research and academia, The Hollywood system, Bette Davis, the creation of celebrity, how not smiling is fascinating, Liz Taylor, the thrill of the hunt, stumble on culture, Sarah Bernhardt, the 19th Century in theater, being social through live performances, Ina Claire, the transition into talkies, Lillian Gish, Bela Lugosi, traveling shows, New York as the Center of the Universe, Astoria, Wonderama, the craze of theater scrapbooks, the mass press, cheap photographic reproduction, the negative connotation of celebrity, how now isn't worse, the loss of common references, fads, overalls, Maude, All in the Family, shared experience, pop culture and social class, TV Guide's editorializing in movie descriptions, Paul Newman, boxing, James Dean, Sadie Thompson, Joan Crawford, the mysterious Channel 31, Watergate, classical music, discovering pop music later in life, reverse engineering sitcom structure, One Day at a Time, dealing with commercials, serializing movies over several days, the Million Dollar movie, the value of anticipation, WPIX, WOR, and the wonders of Columbo.

Buy her new book here!:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=drama+of+celebrity&ref=nb_sb_noss

Powell’s: https://www.powells.com/book/-9780691177595

Princeton UP: https://press.princeton.edu/titles/13535.html

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 371: Bill McMorrow Sep 01, 2019

October 10-16, 1987

This week Ken welcomes Boston comedian and co-host of the new podcast "Two Boys in a Balcony" Mr. Bill McMorrow to the show.

Ken and Bill discuss Weymouth, MA, malls, 80s hair metal, Ken's junk, Building 19, giant underpants, the Harborlights Mall, Minor Threat, Prince, David Lee Roth's ALL Spanish album, destroying cars, drinking, Hit Parader, Circus Magazine, Carnival Mirrors, MTV, V66, Australian Toots, Judas Priest, Billy Squire, Nicole Eggert, notes on stage, Craig T. Nelson, E.T., Get a Life, Cabin Boy, Married...with Children, Fox, Martin Mull's History of White People in America, Kraft recopies, South Shore vs. North Shore, Morton Downey Jr, The Dead Zone, Crime Story, Dressed to Kill, how Parent Teacher night can ruin nudity, Soul Man, movies shot in and/or about New England, Cheers, deaths on television series, Night Court, Max Headroom, Charles Rocket, Spies Like Us, how great Vanessa Angel is, Private Eye, The Vietnam War, complaining about the cost of VHS tapes, Beatles reunions and Phil Collins' movie career.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 370: Mike Dorval Aug 26, 2019

October 24-30, 1987

This week Ken welcomes actor, comedian and all around entertainer Mike Dorval to the show.

Ken and Mike discuss unnatural heat waves, Flirting with Disaster, Alan Alda, Albert Brooks vs. Woody Allen, age appropriate leading ladies, Moon Zapa's father's facial hair, defending Louie's shows, the mechanics of separating the art from the artist, ASMR, StarCase, cable, Rhode Island, a cableless existence, vacation viewing, Hardbodies, Loose Screws, 80s T&A Comedies, Revenge of the Nerds, the darkness of The Last American Virgin, Cannon Films, Lemon Popsicle, Amazon Prime, Force Five, Mr. Big's Toyland, Frankenstein Jr., Moonlighting, Laverne and Shirley's California season, Facts of Life, Over Our Heads, "Funusual", backdoor pilots, re-casting Punchline, Spenser for Hire, Celtic Pride, CHUD money, The Hollywood blacklist, how new media is basically re-building cable, 227, the lie of apartments above garages, Our House, Family Ties, cocaine, Werewolf, Ken's love of Traci Lind, Married...with Children, The World Series of Baseball, Alf, Kate & Allie, Newhart, weirdness on TV, Who's the Boss, how a little Mona goes a long way, dragging on with the will they won't they, Growing Pains, How I Got Into College, Phil Hartman, Nora Dunn, Highway to Heaven, John Ritter's undervalued movie career, Robert Mitchum on The Equalizer, St. Elsewhere, Sledgehammer, Night Court, LA Law, Disney DTV Monster Hits, Miami Vice, *batteries not included, The Hollywood Museum, Denitra Vance, Paul Provenza in The Pursuit of Happiness, and Harry Anderson as Circus Folk.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 369: Billy Wayne Davis Aug 19, 2019

February 14-20, 1981

This week Ken welcomes comedian and find Southern Gentleman Billy Wayne Davis to the show.

Ken and Billy Wayne discuss Ken's great stories, donuts, smoking pot, being born late, waterbed sex, Nashville vs. Memphis, poor people, Mystery Train, letting go on the ridiculous pop culture opinions of your youth, being a Dad, being an early reader, having the spark, being the child of teachers, learning vs memorization, putting together a late night set, bikers, patronizing liberalism, racism, trying to take it all with you, skipping the weekend, Valentine's Day with the Mandrell Sisters, black boxes, Dad porn, Real People vs. That's Incredible!, the birth of clinically extreme close ups, and early love of quality comedy, Diff'rent Strokes, Very Special Episodes, Stranger Danger, being fueled by spite, manipulating statistics, coke fueled hedonism, D.A.R.E. officers, John Candy's food repairman sketch on Lorne Michaels The New Show, Laverne and Shirley, The Truth Game, Burt Reynolds hosting SNL, OJ Simpson's "If I Did It", the strange American fascination with Princess Di, earning wealth, Teacher/Student relations, Ronald Reagan, McCarthy blacklists, Davis Rules, the darkness of Jonathan Winters, the mistake directors made with Robin Williams, Randy Quaid, the "bravest people on earth", Buck Rogers, co-eds, the CIA's secret wetworks programs, Night Court, Andy Griffith, Fridays, The Brady Brides, murder at sea, oil rigs and the mediocrity necessary for large scale success.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 368: DJ Hazard Aug 12, 2019

March 18-24, 1978

This week Ken welcomes old friend and Boston Comedy institution DJ Hazard to the show.

Ken and DJ discuss making DJs bucket list obsolete, The Weekly Week, time travel, TV Guide Boys, The Boston Phoenix vs The Real Paper, Heavy Metal magazine, Gun Molls, Omni, Analog, Petticoat Junction, Hooterville, subversion, Green Acres, ASMR brainwashing, Conspiracy Theorists, Spanish, puking, how it's all one tube, Ken's awful early stand up bits, a self guided education through magazines, short stories, Jack Kirby, string theory, allegory, V, Star Trek, Fringe, confusing Lindsay Wagner with Peggy Lipton, PBS, Alex Rocco, Biograph Studios, growing up in The Bronx, Car 54, Where Are You?, Lawrence Welk, Termites, Orson Wells, descriptive tracks for the blind, God's Smuggler, the people that gave you "Head", meeting the Pope, who you are in the dark, Project UFO, Easter, celebrity suicides, dramas spun off from comedy, Lou Grant, Zacherly, Frank Hennoletter's Brain Damage, Jerry Lewis, SCTV, The Babys, John Waite, Penny Marshall, Patrick Wayne, Rustler's Rhapsody, Andy Griffith, Jim Thompson, just acting, Great Performances, Beatles clones, Elliot Gould in Who?, Barney Miller, The Love God, Inspector Luger, The Incredible Hulk, Bill Bixby's magic skills, Sam Jones, Loni Anderson, zombie cover girls, and social life delivery services.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 367: Ariane Sherine Aug 05, 2019

June 2-8, 1990

This week Ken talks with writer, comedian and musician Ariane Sherine on his recent trip to London.

Ken and Ariane discuss England vs. America, writing for UK sitcoms in the US writer's room style, not being allowed to watch TV as a kid and sneaking, MacGuyver, Baywatch, The Cosby Show, writing on a sugar rush, hating the competition of jokes, Fraiser, UK vs US comedy, Connie Booth's psychotherapy, Fawlty Towers, Friends, The Good Wife, courtroom dramas, being banned on the BBC, atheism, how religious people often wish you death, god shows, death threats, being too old to be President, Ken's dislike of Bernie Sanders, Jeremy Corbin, trash TV, serial killers, outing nerdo-nazis, arguing all women are gay or bisexual, arousica, Baywatch, educational TV, how fame can make you lose your mind, USA's Saturday Nightmares, Tom Selleck, Season vs. Series, when US prime time action shows become UK kid's shows, the weirdness of Mormons, Stalin, The Wonder Years, music rights, getting expelled from school, befriending Duran Duran, asking members of the public random questions, Prime Minsters' Questions, the UK's history with race, Janet Jackson, Nasty Boys, Oprah's "In the Name of Self Esteem", Screen Wipe, allegory, and the rise and fall of MTV's Real World.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 366: Denver Pop Culture Con 2019 Day 3 Aug 01, 2019

It's BONUS! episode time. Here are two chats Ken had on Day 3 of Denver Pop Culture Con 2019.

First up is Michelle Gomez (Doctor Who, Sabrina).

Ken and Michelle discuss The Book Group, being surprised that you're funny, working in the trenches of acting, Green Wing, pretending to work in a hospital while you are in a real hospital, how public service jobs can drive you mad, playing Scottish, conjuring an American accent, moral ambiguity, Doctor Who, being The Master, ADR, playing the roles you're cast, Satanic elements, dealing with the Supernatural, being in The Tardis, Scottish snacks, the freedom of horror, Pride Month, Big Finish books, and embracing your well earned success.

Next up Ken chats to former guest of the show Jim Beaver (Deadwood, Supernatural). Ken and Jim discuss idjits, have an unending series of goodbye death scenes, Deadwood, Supernatural, ditch digging pranks, taking some time for yourself, writing, The George Reeves Book, why Life is Better When You're Alive, Dr. Pepper, the evolution of Bobby Singer, pranks vs. goofing around on the set of Supernatural, Psych, Longmire, knowing how to get shot, "Balls", re-visiting Laramine Wyoming, getting a phone call from Guillermo Del Toro, how emotional scenes can really drain you, Jim's favorite episode of Supernatural and why it's all about him.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 365: Denver Pop Culture Con 2019 Day 1 Aug 01, 2019

BONUS EPISODE TIME! It's Day 1 of Denver Pop Culture Con 2019.

First up Ken talks with voice acting dynamo and all around amazing human being Tara Strong.

Ken and Tara discuss relating to Ponies, Teen Titans, Fairly Odd Parents, collaborative jobs, your kids watching your stuff, the voices that are the most difficult on your voice, Melody from The Little Mermaid 2, aside from your personal favorite what your personal favorite is, Batgirl, Harley Quinn, Powerpuff Girls, breaking hearts over the phone, Mark Hamill, Kevin Conroy, Ben 10, Raven, Rick & Morty, the emotion of getting your wings, Drawn Together, making out with Cree Summer, Rugrats, and the sadness of when things end.

Next up it is a Back to the Future panel with Christopher Lloyd and Tom Wilson.

Ken, Tom and Christopher discuss Back to the Future, Taxi, being an icon on The Facts of Life, being iconic, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, dealing with the massive success of Back to the Future, Things to do in Denver When You're Dead, playing an unlikable character, improv and comedy, The Civil War, Andersonville, Jack Nicholson, not meetin gyour heroes, performing at Jimmy Stewart's 80th Birthday, being on a "very special" Facts of Life, having Doc Brown's cowboy shirt from Back to the Future Part 3, reshooting scenes, string theory, being in Batman series, what their characters would be doing today, free snacks, Angels in the Outfield vs. Anastasia, Live Aid, getting cast as a bully, getting back into Rev. Jim's head, reshooting your own death scene in Back to the Future, recasting Marty McFly, chemistry, and how Ken isn't funny.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 364: Jake Mattera Jul 28, 2019

FALL PREVIEW ALERT! September 12-18, 1998

This week Ken welcomes Philly Comedian Jake Mattera to the show.

Ken and Jake discuss the longest they've driven for a gig, growing up in Philly, Rohobeth Beach, Rhode Island, comedy festivals, weird regional foods, Coffee Milk, buying weapons in Chinatown, old Jade, swords, Ghostbusters, WWF, USA Network, being assaulted by your sister, TGIF stitches, Karate's Beast from the East, Dawson's Creek, Fantasy Island reboots, Jacinda Barrett, Wind on Water, Martial Law, Kelly Hu, Ken confusing Sammo Hung with Chow Yun Fat, Cupid, The Army Show, The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer, John Diresta in Not King of Queens, when E.R. meets Deep Space Nine, Charmed, being a big Irish Catholic year, when everything was set in Boston, Buddy Farrow, The Net: The Series, COPS, The Brady House, visiting filming locations, Blobfest, ranting about M. Night Shamalan, Neon Maniacs, Midnight Caller, A League of their Own, Le Femme Nikita, Wrestling, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Happy Days, Hogan, Guinness Book of World Records, news bloopers, awful NYC meathead comedy, racist stand up, turning Japanese, Brunch Patrol, being in punk rock bands, Ken's obsession with generic store brand Dr. Pepper rip offs, WaWa, Conan O'Brien, Drew Carey, Jackie Chan, WCW, Kate & Allie, Millennium, Gargoyles, Buger King vs. McDonald's, the best Cheesesteaks in Philly, and getting rich on the backs of the Amish.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 363: Jeff MacKinnon Jul 22, 2019

July 24-30, 1999

This week Ken welcomes comedian, entrepreneur and Woodstock '99 redeemer Jeff MacKinnon to the show.

Ken and Jeff discuss Ken's gift shop, trading card Ken Reid, Bradley Cooper's plastic surgery, eyebrows, Ken's fortress, never leaving your house, New Bedford, hippies, CBD oil, The Illuminati at Dallas International Airport, being a sugar kid, addiction, cherry pie, overeating, giving people wedgies as an adult, "shouties", TV Urban Legends, Paul Pfeiffer is not Marilyn Manson, The Newlywed Game "in the butt" incident, Catholic Guilt, naked comedy, The All That Festival, Amanda Bynes, Greg Proops, mental illness, how 1999 was a garbage year for music, Woodstock '94, Kid Rock, MTV, Sha-na-na, The Omega Man, the invention and cycles of nostalgia, The Golden Girls, George Clooney's doodles, teenagers, the invention of rock n roll, evolution, DIY Punk rock culture, The Real World Hawaii, ICP, not getting the joke, why Pulp Comics was Comedy Central's best ever stand up show, The View, how live music performance presentation has changed, the evolution of The Warped Tour, how failure leads to innovation, not pre-ordaining the outcome, being on The Price is Right, Plinko, how Hollywood executives never want to go out on a limb, starting over, finding your creative voice, the world having enough stand up comedians, Set List with Paul Provenza, interactive media, being present in live media, favorite porn stars, sucking dicks, Ally McBeal, The Hundred Greatest Women of Rock n Roll, hatred of I-talians, anti-heroes, maple syrup urine disease, Baby Boom, the new game "Sex, Marry, Adopt", The Original Kings of Comedy and revisiting Home Improvement.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 362: Denver Pop Culture Con Day 2 Jul 15, 2019

In this extra special episode of TV Guidance Counselor Ken presents three chats from this year's Denver Pop Culture Con.

First up is Ken's chat with the stars of Flash Gordon - Sam Jones and Melody Anderson. Ken, Sam and Melody discuss early success, how you can never be spoiled, when a job is a job, being overwhelmed, staying in shape, getting the part last minute, playing an iconic character, throwing out the script, being a giant spider, Buster Crabbe, the football scene, smacking Timothy Dalton around, bullwhips, shaved heads, wigs, generations of fans, cardboard boxes, Dino, and Life After Flash.

Next up Ken talks to actor Michael Rosenbaum. Ken and Michael discuss Smallville, songs, being in a band, The Crash Test Dummies, mic jokes, Michael's podcast "Inside of You", chewing gum, horror movies, Lex Luthor, cold fathers, shaving your head, auditioning for Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, not reading scripts, needing love and validation,Grease, being unpopular in school, first kisses, the Billy Madison "kill list" scene with Steve Buscemi, holding grudges, Superman, hating Rotten Tomatoes, Siskel & Ebert, and Michael's band Left on Laurel,

Finally Ken talks to Claudia Christen. Ken and Claudia discuss actor vs. actress, running out of headshots, Babylon 5, Blacke's Magic, Columbo, The Hidden, New Year's eve at Charlton Heston's House, being a writer, giving back, The C3 Foundation, being a drug and alcohol counselor, the early days of CGI, blogging Babylon 5, watching yourself, how phones have ruined on set connections, being the Cute Commander, LGBT storylines, cooking for gamers, making friends with penpals, crying scenes, and Freaks and Geeks.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 361: Mathew Klickstein Jul 08, 2019

May 20-26, 1978

Today Ken welcomes writer and fellow pop culture enthusiast/victim Mathew Klickstein to the show.

Ken and Mat discuss why you should never let get do the ordering when going out to eat, growing up in Orange County, Sk8TV, pop punk, Blink 182, Nickelodeon, Pinwheel, Teenie Little Super Guy, how TV killed Vaudeville, stand up on TV, Jackass, getting introduced to new worlds via mix tapes, Fugazi, Riot Grrl, Spaced, Red Dwarf, UK TV, College, being invested in media, trying to get viewers/readers hooked right away, why you need rules to make good stuff sometimes, David Lynch, Terry Gilliam, Three's Company, Mary Tyler Moore, Gong Show,Theater of Blood, Vincent Price, Witchfinder General, The Wicker Man, All in the Family, orange juice ad campaigns, religion on TV, Mott the Hoople, PBS Documentaries, Louise Lasser as writer/director/star, Charles Grodin playing Charles Grodin, The Bastard, Don Knotts, the endless supply of John Ritter movies, Monty Python, Steve McQueen week, sexual stereotypes, deaf musicals, burning off pilots, The Incredible Hulk, Prince's Revolution, outsider art, and the wonders of The Kids of Widney High.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 360: Chip Chantry Jul 01, 2019

This week Ken welcomes Philly based comedian Chip Chantry to the show.

Ken and Chip discuss Ken's studio, how Paul Chantry III became "Chip", fancy names, Garbage Pail Kids, Candy Castle, homes for the ugly, rejected Saturday Morning Cartoons, deleted scenes from The Goonies, Philly punk rock, classic kids' lies, playing Sonny Crockett's son, Herbie vs. Hermie, Hollywood Teen Hunks, People's Court, Rusty, Spencer Gifts, animals on COPS, scumbag lore, The Cosby Show's Flubberoos, Golden Girls, being on the red carpet for the Batman '89 movie premier, winning a Nickelodeon Contest, attending the 1989 Kids Choice Awards, Will Wheaton, Nicole Eggert, Bobby The Brain Heenan, 80s Coke fueled stand up, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, Alphy's Soda Shop, You Can't Do That on Television, Chris Gethard Show, Married...with Children, Hersey's Hollywood, Brian Austin Green is THE BAG, Ken's absolute love of Body Building Champs and Twin Brothers - The Barbarian Brothers, Roseanne, dwarf mongooses, Head of the Class, San Francisco, Get a Life, Zoo Animals on Wheels, The Midnight Hour, loving "Moving Violations", Jesse Jackson's guest spot on A Different World, Cheers, Mr. Belvedere, Just the Ten of Us, pink leopard skin, and getting cranberries to kiss your grits.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 359: Joanna Cassidy Jun 24, 2019

Today Ken welcomes legendary actress Joanna Cassidy (Blade Runner, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Don't Tell Mom The Babysitter's Dead) to the show.

Ken and Joanna discuss airplanes, growing up in Haddonfield, being from a family of artists, Eleanor Parker, working with everybody, Joan Crawford, made for TV plays, coming to California, San Francisco, being a young Mother, modeling and acting, fashions by Mary Mako, falling into a career, having a scientific mind, Dick Shawn, It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, pet monkeys, Love Boat, the glamour of old Hollywood, Burt Lancaster, Buffalo Bill, MGM, Roller Derby Girls, the state of the world, insects, Eagle Eyes, comedy, Call Me Fitz, managing your energy levels on a set, the art of communication, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, being uncomfortable on set, watching dailies, the issues that arise when a director lacks confidence, Phil Silvers, Live from Death Row, acting without blinking, actors who bring a life lived to their work, auditioning to play the part of yourself, beautiful people, being lost in visuals, willing things into existence, child actors, the strangeness of a life in the spotlight, the golden age of television, having a commitment to watching a show, After Life, Carry On films, Vanessa Redgrave, Terry Thomas, Italian films, Steven Weber, staying on an actor's face, Nicolas Refn, ballet, Cher, The Intruder, William Shatner, Will Farrell, Jackie Gleason, silly comedy, Melissa McCarthy, making something you know isn't great, editing TVGC, remaking Joan of Arc and how movies are youth.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 358: Tracy Wells (Tofte) Jun 17, 2019

This week Ken welcomes Tracy Tofte (formerly Wells) of Mr. Belvedere to the show.

Ken and Tracy discuss real estate, loving the San Fernando Valley, traffic, acting with your sister, The Bad Seed, stage moms, being in a Pepsi Commercial with Michael Jackson, Pennies from Heaven, being a dancer, ABC, Growing Pains, guest starring, After School Specials, No Means No, if things are better or worse now, Very Special episodes, difficult discussions, ton shifts, being in Gremlins, getting cut out of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, the tough lessons learned while acting as a kid, keeping mementos, being famous and not knowing it, the fizzle out cancellation of Belvedere, being cast as the best friend, navigating the loss of a parent, strangers being at your birthday for publicity, losing a role to Hilary Swank, guesting on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, how there's enough business for everybody, saying goodbye, having Belvedere reunions, missing out on the social aspect of actually going to High School, shooting in front of live audiences, building a show around Bob Uecker, warm up comics, movie actors vs. TV actors, movie stars, having trouble watching yourself, cooking shows, Good Eats, Julia Child, being a chef, shared experiences, James at 15, acting horror stories, going back to civilian life, Hollywood History, murder houses, Ben and Matt and Ken's strange relationship with the Wahlbergs.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 357: Paul Haynes Jun 10, 2019

Ken and Paul discuss illegal Burbank tattoos, jaywalking, Unsolved Mysteries, growing up in Orlando, being scared of the dark, Gremlins, being into astronomy, The Discovery Center, Ernest Saves Christmas, pizzeria arson, second run cinemas, Polyester, 3M Stage blood, Beetlejuice, the 80s Gross Out fads, Garbage Pail Kids, stumble upon culture, how access was taste, Nick Drake, having Bugs Bunny as your mom, mix tapes, Twin Peaks, binge culture vs. week to week viewing, The Wacker Family, haunted bunk beds, the gift of fear, ghosts, Updates, People's Court, Divorce Court, Forensic Files, the Van Dykes, Diagnosis Murder, the Millennial re-discovery of 80s murder mysteries, how autopsy TV changed the world of media, House of Games, TV's Bloopers and Practical jokes, second hand oral R-Rated movies, Len Cella's Silly Cinemas, musicals, Hull High, Ken's crush on Nancy Valen, The Flash, the terrifying "Max Headroom" incident, Golden Girls, Barbara Crampton, soaps, Family Feud, aspiration, the change in marketing, Roseanne, infomercials, little people real estate moguls, Dead of Night/Deathdream, anthology shows, Tales from the Darkside, Monsters, Glim Glim, Retribution, the weird late 80s early 90s horror aesthetic, The Willies, Garbage Pail Kids: The Movie, living in a department store, Today's Special, having a crush on Muffy, Christopher Lee, Faerie Tale Theater, Nick at Nite, SCTV, Love Connection, Serial Killers on dating shows, Blind Date, Manuunter, Tom Noonan, Peeping Tom, haunting images, Police Sketch artists, why Victor Salva shouldn't be allowed to work again and is human garbage, Woody Allen's transgressions, people being forced to confess to murders they didn't do so cops could close cases, why it's not the grue that haunts you with a dead body, You Can't Do That on Television, David Bowie's acting career, Highway to Heaven, confusing Lean on Me and Stand and Deliver, and the lasting influence of Blackboard Jungle.

Paul is a writer and researcher who contributed to and helped finish his friend Michelle McNamara's book "I'll Be Gone in the Dark" after her tragic and untimely death. The book is now an upcoming HBO docuseries on which Paul is co-executive producer and will be appearing,

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 356: Charlotte Stein Jun 03, 2019

November 2-9, 2001

This week Ken welcomes producer, director and all around coolest person Charlotte Stein to the show.

Ken and Charlotte discuss Harry Potter, Charlotte's TV Guide shoplifting, X-Files, cryptic spines, helping teach in Summers, Jeri Ryan, Star Trek, Philosophers vs. Sorcerers, King of the Hill, Sightings, Luke Wilson, Roshomon, Halloween, Butterfinger, The Simpsons, elaborate Trick or Treating rituals, costume changes, John Steed, The Avengers, inappropriate Catwoman costumes, The Faculty, USA vs. TBS, Friday the 13th Part 5, Savage Streets, New York Sleaze, cartoon C.O.P.S vs Cops, feeling mature, Jennifer Love Hewitt's "Let's Go Bang", Denise Richards, Wild Things, Kevin Bacon's bacon, Josh Hartnet's bedhead, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, Kiefer Sutherland in Dark City, The Blair Witch Project, Hammer vs. Tigon vs. Amicus, why Templars are for dorks, Eddie Furlong as Tracy Gold's husband, the Dog Soldiers formula, "Greeking", Blast from the Past vs. Pleasantville, Dave Foley, Millenium, Allie McBeal, Boston Public, David E. Kelly, when Ken ruined Crossing Jordan, Mad TV, Queer Eye, disliking Frank Sinatra, Eagleheart, everyone's favorite Nightmare on Elm St movie, candy based super powers, Greg Nicotero, not being into Mr. Boogedy, The Monroevill Mall, visiting your favorite filming locations, Hidden Camera comedy, Argento cuts, and the tv turmoil immediately after 9/11.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 355: Tim O'Donnell May 27, 2019

This week Ken welcomes writer, producer, showrunner and childhood hero Tim O'Donnell (Growing Pains, Clueless, Uncle Buck, Just the Ten of Us) to the show.

Ken and Tim discuss The Mommies, being on the #1 show and the #100 show, Gloria, working in TV News, adapting movies into TV shows, basing a show around a stand up comedian, the Sandy episode of Growing Pains, Matthew Perry, Very Special Episodes, Valerie/The Hogan Family, working in radio, P.A. ing on The Carol Burnett Show, working on The Glenn Campbell Show, the pitfalls of multi-cam shot on video shows, how film look took over, Newhart, Cheers, Clueless, Paul Rodriguez, warm up comics, the writers' room system, watching actors learn to be writers, pitching jokes, Dog Weddings, being an ex-Seminarian, Just the Ten of Us, Catholic Jokes, breaking the 4th Wall, Rich Reinhart, Rock N Roll Fantasy, The Lubbock Babes, Mr. Belvedere, Ken's college age anthrax shield job, Dick Van Patton as a bigot on Growing Pains, Heather Graham, The Dewy High Hooters, Dance Fever Part 1, clip shows, Free Spirit, busted pilots, high concept shows, Brad Pitt, I Married Dora, Exporting Raymond, translating American sitcoms into Russian sitcoms, how Growing Pains became the first American sitcom to air in China, being mistaken for Alan Thicke, John Candy being the greatest guy ever, Clueless, James at 15, how great "Action" with Jay Mohr was, being told "there's nobody in America who wants to be Latino who currently isn't", stand up comedy showcases, network notes, why stand up comics are pre-disposed to not be great actors in an ensemble, being a showrunner, an alternate universe where Joss Whedon writes for Growing Pains, and the long discussed definitive origin of clip shows.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 354: Emma Dumont May 19, 2019

Today Ken welcomes actor Emma Dumont (The Gifted) to the show.

Ken and Emma discuss Emma's Golden Girls fandom, The Facts of Life, being a Jo, The Facts of Life reunion, loving private school uniforms, roller skates, RollerReid, Roller Derby, Whip It!, being very tall, getting good at something through sheer will and hard work, Ken's failure at practice, Magic, learning Mandarin, doing ballet in Russia, regional oddities, "bubblahs", Seattle, underground cities, being Shanghai'd, vintage airplanes, Brownie uniforms, James at 15, virginity loss on TV, NYC vs. LA, why Americans dress badly now, learning empathy, Eastland Academy, presenting disabilities on TV, Lisa Whelchel's christian dance pop album, sitcom tone, Very Special Episodes, the teenage prostitute FoL, Rose Red, Rock n Rollergames, American Gladiators, G.L.O.W., which FoL girl Ken is, weirdness about Jo's boyfriend, failed backdoor pilots, Pam Adlon, Nurses, spin off of spin offs, Jocko, America's obsession with Australia, Ken's crush on Sherrie (Austin) Krenn, Ten Little Indians, Maurice LaMarce as Rod Serling, tough girls, McKenzie Astin, "Sexy Lingerie", Lisa Whelchel's ventriloquism skills, bunheads, Poison Ivy, Alex Rocco, Jo's Dad, Betty White, TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes, cool Summer jobs, Ken's job history, martial arts, Emma's quest for mystery robots at the end of an off brand Pinocchio tape, Will Wonka, being a diehard iPod owner, and the horrors of made for TV movies in the 90s.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 353: Caissie St. Onge May 13, 2019

Today Ken welcomes fellow Massachusetts escapee and until very recently the showrunner of the excellent and criminally non-renewed "Busy Tonight", the great Caissie St. Onge.

Ken and Caissie discuss Busy Tonight, leaving Massachusetts, New England rage, why "it must be nice", Fitchburg state college, being David Letterman's assistant, 30 Rock, writing letters, being in the trenches of the Late Night Wars, mid 80s TV, WLVI TV56, WSBK TV38, growing up on a farm, how reception drove your viewing habits, Creature Double Feature, watching MTV at your grandparent's house, double featuring Jaws and the Exorcist on HBO, Ken's grandfather, The Outsiders, Red Dawn's dirty joke...maybe?, The Day After, how reading leads to drug addiction, Wacky Races, diverting from the course, Tennessee Tuxedo, Ben McKenzie, having your children discover The OC on their own, Best Week Ever, discovering the world via TV, New York City and all it's separate neighborhoods, Rosie O'Donnell, making googly eyes at Frank Oz, working with the Sesame St Muppets, Wonder Pets, Judy Gold, playing in the school band, gorging on fund raiser chocolate, soda machines in the teacher's lounge, surviving embarrassing school incidents, being an only child, Bonnie Hunt, women in television, Tina Fey, Carol Burnett, why women don't get to be eccentric, Laverne and Shirley, Gilmore Girls, Townies, watching things that just look nice, Boardwalk Empire, The Chevy Chase Show, shared experience, Big Mouth, hope for the future, how difficult it is to plug things in the time shift future, Saturday Morning cartoon previews, the pleasure of not binge watching, investing in things, how too much choice can be overwhelming, Pizzeria Uno, and Ken and Caissie's pact to re-unite in 20 years and do a Part II.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 352: Maylin Pavletic May 06, 2019

March 15-21, 1997

Today Ken welcomes comedian Maylin Pavletic to the show.

Ken and Maylin discuss condemned properties, neighborhood politics, Somerville, drug fronts, pee pee/poo poo vs. poo poo/pee pee houses, uncomfortable sexual situations at work, veterinarians, dogs, Matt Smith, prostitute loving soccer players, bad statues, monkey jesus, brunch, Lord of the Flies businesses, Ren & Stimpy, Frank Zappa: Pope, The Head, MTV Oddities, Oddville, Nicktoons, The Maxx, Goosebumps, Strangers with Candy, Wishbone, Strip Mall, Julie Brown, PBS, Ghostwriter, Clarissa Explains It All erotica, Second Civil War, That Reagan Woman, Taxi, X-Files, The Real World, Jenny McCartney, Larry: Thief, news bloopers, Weather with Al, things that wasn't not funny, the scratch tickets of alcohol, sneaking booze in, Ken's creepy comforts, WWF, surprising wrestling writers, Baywatch, Mark Paul Gossler in Mad for TV movies, hurtful garbage pseudo-science, weird kids, docudramas, Carmen Elektra, Singled Out, Dennis Rodman, town liars, bikini girls, propaganda, Greg Louganis and his love of Mario Lopez, Silk Stalkings, "I'm Dangerous Tonight", the world's greatest movie that never was "Rub Down", sports on the silver screen, North Dallas 40, Blue Chips, water polo, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Tyson v. Hollyfield, having a big dump in your pants, Not of This Earth, Blind Date, Roger Lodge, Traci Lords, Studs, Blind Date, Ken's hatred of lionization of serial killers, American Psycho, sleazy Sweeps Stunts, and Chevy Chase getting destroyed by Steven Bochco.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 351: Misti Dawn Apr 29, 2019

April 19-25, 1997

Today Ken welcomes make up artist, cosplayer and podcaster Misti Dawn to the show.

Ken and Misti discuss Glendale, Hollywood's creepy underbelly, red light districts, the combat zone, JFK losing his mind, Kentucky, not wanting to leave the house, angry letters, being in Good Will Hunting, Catholic Schools, staring at a dead body as punishment, a cultural removal from the physics of death, Return of the Living Dead, growing up in a video store, Mormons, crushing on Jim Carrey, Once Bitten, the early days of the internet opening the world to you, Video Power, Johnny Arcade vs. Stivvy Poninski, Mel Gibson, having your first Halloween costume be before you were born, cosplay, Comic Conventions, Vamp, DTLA, Grace Jones, hating Dr. Phil, Jenny McCartney, Baywatch, big hair, Popeye, Xena, Lucy Lawless, Robert Altman's Gun, TV Version jackets, Linnea Quigly's Barbie Doll piece, Night of the Demons, pet psychics, sleeping to crime reenactments, Unsolved Mysteries, Ghoulies, movie tag lines, Angry Beavers, Nicktoons, visiting the Halloween shooting locations, magic shows, David Copperfield, ghosts, Misti calming Ken's issues with the new "It", representation in media, Castle Ghosts of England, Weekend at Bernie's, The Frighteners, Tales from the Crypt, Billy Zane, Quantum Leap, Full Moon Pictures, The Rocky Horror fan club, JTT, Hellraiser, Flash Drive Head, Waxwork, Valley Girl, being confused by the Marquis de Sade, smelling David Bowie, NIN, Blue Velvet, Loveline, the magic being gone, loving Danny DeVito, Leprechaun making you sad, Wishmaster, Netherworld, New Orleans, Halloween in Salem, pizza, and being committed to the Walking Dead despite everything.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 350: Tom Arnold Apr 20, 2019

Today Ken welcomes actor/comedian/involuntary investigational journalist Tom Arnold to the show.

Ken and Tom discuss Hirshfeld's of yourself, The Honeymooners, Jackie Gleason, getting paid $1 million to not be in the Honeymooners, The June Taylor Dancers, how sexy Florence Henderson was, autograph shows, peeing next to "Sophia Loren", growing up without a Mother, Loni Anderson, The Partridge Family, David Cassidy, Bill Cosby, the Me Too Era, Roseanne, context and intent, The Break, the horrors of Steve Bannon, supporting trans gender people, always learning, trying to be a good person, trying not to hurt people, why regrets can make you a better person, Barney Miller, playing poker with Alex Trebek, life lessons from Hal Linden, Judd Apatow asking for a raise, Norman Lear, Jane Fonda, being harassed by the Secret Service, being in physical fear, Iowa, small towns, the encouragement of teachers, WPIX, Festus from Gunsmoke, wanting to be on TV just once, working on a kill floor, meeting Andy Kaufman, loose meat sandwiches, Happy Joe's Pizza, how kids are the worst, fighting, blue collar shows, gallows humor, Joss Whedon, Spago, punching paparazzi, writing for yourself, True Lies, being for and against, Ken's beautiful Superman head, not ending on a suicide, meeting Gregory Peck, and finding an excuse not to drink that Frank Sinatra will buy.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 349: Dr. Rebecca Housel Apr 15, 2019

December 20 - 26, 2003

This week Ken welcomes Pop Culture Professor Dr. Rebecca Housel to the show.

Ken and Rebecca discuss cheesecake, bar pizza,being an outdoor kid, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Golden Girls, entertainment dynasties, Roseanne, Wonder Woman, anti-antisemitism, Gal Godot, the weird sexual history of Wonder Woman, Donna Reed, variety shows, cutting out commercials from your life, on demand, Alice, Charlie's Angels, Bionic Woman, 50 Shades of Grey, Anne Rice, Interview with the Vampire, Twilight, Comic Con, Baby Boomers vs. Gen X, Millennials, fascination with monsters and rules, trophy culture, video games, open worlds and their disturbing nature, Fallout 4, Poltergeists, odd coincidences, selfish lack of consequences, Gary Shteyngart, cyborgs, I Am Legend, magic words, saying it outloud, male oriented thinking, business as sociopaths, accomplishment, allegory, The Twilight Zone, honesty in art, David Cronenberg, spirit animals, having a boner for the Creature from the Black Lagoon, pornography, She-Devil, Smallville, Charmed, mixed families, Rome, Christmas, why there are not a ton of great Hanukkah specials, Lauren Holly, Power Rangers, James Marsters, meeting Stan Lee, Nickel Nips, poor people "juice", Say Anything, A Christmas Story, Sex in the City, 8 Crazy Night, While You Were Sleeping, Queen of the Damned, Cruel Intentions, and watching anything with Sarah Michelle Gellar.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 348: Shawn Carter Apr 08, 2019

This week Ken welcomes Boston comedian Shawn Carter to the show.

Ken and Shawn discuss visiting Ken's house every two years, getting hugged by TV, assuming everyone is older than you, losing your hair, Shawn watching sports, getting off the Patriot's wagon, Ken's hatred of Gronk, Rockland MA, Plymouth Rock, clubbin', Skinemax Comedy, Boobs vs. Boobs after Midnight, HBO, running schoolyard gags, Mr. Walls, Mr. Enis, white suburban hip hop, Roseanne, Star Jones, ads with attitude, Michael Douglas and Val Kilmer battling man eating lions, Baywatch, Good Riddance(Time of Your Life), Limp Bizkit, college radio, getting into fights, TVGC guests Ken has turned down, Al Pacino, yelling as acting, Nicholas Cage, confusing Suddenly Susan and Veronica's Closet, people Ken has on his "to punch" list, PR firms, Mad About You, Diner, Joe Rogan, Newsradio, Body Builders, Home Improvement, Fraiser, strip clubs, bachelor parties, divorce, Wishbone, Dharma and Greg, Ken not looking like Thomas Gibson, Townies, Drew Carey, NBC, video games, working at Market Basket supermarket, Friday Night sadness, the KenCade, X-Files, Millennium, Summer School, Joe Torrie Curveballs Along the Way, The Bruins, Boston Comedy Softball, John Larroquette, why Ken will never be asked to perform in the Montreal Just for Laughs festival, the first re-runs of the year, and Ken's desire to see actual Dolphins play football.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 347: Ben Seidman Apr 01, 2019

June 20 -26, 2004

Today Ken welcomes magician, comedian and master pickpocket Ben Seidman to the show.

Ken and Ben discuss dogs, weird relationships with TV, learning magic, what TV Guide has in common with Playboy, Ken's time in the UK, growing up in Milwaukee, Mid-west eyes, Butter Burgers, being an only child, central time, being an indoor kid, Prince, how practice makes friendless, martial arts, Making Believe, Krystyn Lambert, Boston bullies, Myq Kaplan, David Blaine, David Williamson, Penn & Teller, The Pendragons, Ricky Jay, David Copperfield, magic on TV, math, prank shows, developing original content, Charmed, being engaged, Paula Dean getting hit in the face with a frozen ham, Fabio's bird killing face, meat slap, Eggs and Well Being, French Bread Fencing, Survivor, Colleen Haskell, Fear Factor, twins, the 2004 Salem's Lot, The Sandlot, TV movies, The Prestige vs. The Illusionist, Doug Henning, Totally Hidden Extreme Magic, Scare Tactics, Ken's hatred of Pulp Fiction, Guy Pierce's Ultimate Guide to Tigers, This Old House, Scrubs, Graham Norton, Jacob's Ladder, Seinfeld, Joan of Arcadia, Comedy Central Presents, Mario Caontone, selling out, actors in commercials, Ken's old man complaints, Penn & Teller's Magical Mystery Tour, expecting better from Charlie Sheen and limp vasectomy themes.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 346: Fee Waybill Mar 24, 2019

This week Ken welcomes Tubes' frontman Fee Waybill to the show.

Ken and Fee discuss tax free New Hampshire, moving from Omaha to Arizona, horses, small town theaters, Westerns, Frances the Talking Mule, serials, Commando Cody, The Lone Ranger, Cisco Kid, James Garner Maverick, The Rifleman, Chuck Connors, Branded, Wanted Dead or Alive, Steve McQueen, SCTV, the Serious Moonlight Tour with David Bowie, Canada, Edmonton, Wayne Gretzky, Big Bucks Bob, John Candy, The Fishing Musician, sushi, Ladies and Gentlemen the Fabulous Stains, real coke dealers, The Sex Pistols, Diane Lane, improv, San Francisco, living in a ghost town, being a real cowboy, playing logs, The Red White and Blues Band, Steve Miller's equipment, Wallace and Ladmo, playing vegetables, Tom Snyder, turning down SNL, Alice Cooper, playing in the UK, golf lessons, theme songs, Have Gun Will Travel, singing mentors in High School, musicals, having long hair, meeting Rod Stewart, gameshows, and the ins and outs of polo.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 345: Erin MaGuire Mar 18, 2019

This week Ken welcomes BACK to the show (after appearing on a live edition at last year's Women in Comedy festival) comedian Erin Maguire.

Ken and Erin discuss Ken's odd carnival prizes, East Coast anxiety, Psychic Storefronts, Arlington mobs, lottery studio, accents, nicknames, The Winter Hill Gang, SATs, five and dime stores, Boston's WHDH kid's show "Ready to Go", New Kids on the Block, Heathcliff, The Three Stooges, Roof Kids, Scott Grimes, two gingers, Night Life, Joey McIntire, Spenser Gifts, The Meadow Glen Mall, airbrushed sweatshirts, Wild Cards, Orange Julius, citrus cankers, Papa Gino's, dangerous childhood birthday parties, carving stations, ODing on Horse Radish, make up mirrors, California Games, the KenCade, surfing, Kathy Griffin's haircut, Matthew Broderick, Bay Coven, Halloween, Space Camp, aliases, day drinking, bars, no Irish food, The Storyteller, Jim Henson, Pam Dobber, Newhart, Maddie Grimes, Moonlighting, The 'burbs, Cheers, Night Court, the best episode of Highway to Heaven, Stoogemania, Ken's African Grey, the Curly Shuffle, anxiety, exercise, cultural movements, latex, tribute acts, Zima, dropping Jolly Ranchers, Disney Monster Hits, circuses, Emma Samms' unfolding flower, and how Ken's dog Larry is a NARC for kisses.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 344: Storm Large Mar 10, 2019

This week Ken welcomes fellow former Boston Punk Rock kid, the fantastic musician, writer and all around entertainer Storm Large.

Ken and Storm discuss being North Shore, Framingham, being shocked that Massachusetts is a Democratic state, Boston's racism and segregation, bring back "fine", 90s lingo, Bad Brains, wanting somebody to sing to you from jail, going to an all boys school, sausage forests, growing up as a punk rock kid, San Francisco, drag queens beating frat boys with platform shoes, #MeToo, depictions of rape on television, Barney Miller, Welcome Back Kotter, Mr. Belvedere, AIDS, the tonal whiplash of very special episodes, Benson, the shallow unbelievable characters of real life, The Twilight Zone, The Electric Company, being star struck by Kevin Seconds and Rita Moreno, Jabberwocky, Captain Bob, Big Black's Songs About Fucking, Stolen '68 Blue Mustang's vs. Truckers, Hubba Hubba, Vinyl, why we haven't had a great scripted show about being in a band, Dreams, California Dreams, the Freaks and Geeks Black Flag episode, Hardcore Logo, X, realizing at 23 you should be in a band, meeting Henry Rollins, fanning out at celebrities, Dennis Rodman, stumble on culture, The Damned, The Young Ones, stand up comedy, late night bookers changing your comedy set, being forced to be somebody else by industry, the power of social media and DIY culture, affectation, Rock Star Supernova, Tommy Lee, Motley Crue, Dave Navaro, being a big mouth, Mark Burnett, singing the national anthem, Jenny Jones, boxing, school shootings, Brazil, Monty Python, puppet masters, faith in humanity, the importance of empathy, Toast of London, Clem Fandango, live experiences, Bill Cosby, loving Richard Pryor's comedy albums, bloopers records, Pam Grier, the privilege we experienced not being shot by cops, the great social awakening, Hail Hail Rock n Roll, David Cronenberg's The Brood, looking within, being bummed out by Taxi, how many licks it actually takes to get the center of a Tootsie Pop and becoming the Queen of Frogger.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 343: Nellie McKay Mar 04, 2019

This week Ken welcomes singer/songwriter Nellie McKay to the show.

Ken and Nellie discuss dogs, growing up in Harlem, warming yourself by the TV when the heating is turned off, David Letterman, subversive art, Conan O'Brien, Ferguson, the cutting edge on the internet, The Jimmy Dore Show, when comedy becomes the gatekeeper of the status quo, corporate overlords, Jimmy Fallon: Comedy Eunuch, Joan Rivers, leaning into viral content, cool music on TV, COPS, not watching TV shows about New York when you are actually IN New York, Catwoman, Batman '66, Eartha Kitt, Julie Newmar's cheese, your music being used in television, representation on TV, how money can corrupt, morality and humanity in art, the Telecommunications Act of 1996, State TV, fake news, commercials, reflective TV vs. aspiration TV, Roseanne, the conflict of entertaining and informing, Malcolm X's friendship with Red Foxx, the DIY Dream come to life, the comfort of money, lottery winners, accents, culture wars, Cheers, The Friends of Eddie Coyle, sports culture, Up the Down Staircase, homelessness, poverty, the wonder of old movies, William Shatner's music career, contrived popstars, Margaret Thatcher's self loathing, and everyone's grandmother's love of TV Guide crosswords.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 342: Guinevere Turner Feb 25, 2019

Today Ken welcomes screenwriter, director and actor Guinevere Turner to the show.

Ken and Guinevere discuss growing up in the Lyman Family, Ryan Walsh's Astral Weeks, Mel Lyman's Lords List of movies, not being allowed to watch TV, being obsessed with Dallas, The Twilight Zone, being the keeper of the commercial clicker, The Three Stooges, M*A*S*H, refusing to acknowledge Daylight Savings, getting TV Guide, Go Fish, making a movie for lesbians, falling in love with Kermit the Frog, Charles Manson, Bettie Paige, the 90s obsession with serial killer before it went mainstream, American Psycho, watching things wrong, watching E.T. every day, Hellzapoppin, how there's no context on Twitter, being scared of scary things, My Bloody Valentine, Dragnet, The Findlay's movie "Snuff", Killing Eve, Danse Macabre, On Writing, partying with Leo and ending up with his vacation photos, hating people touching you without permission on a set, sucking so much that people think you are sick, Dick Cheney's heart, finding the humanity in a monster, why "Stone Cold" is the single greatest action movie of all time, short actors, Preaching to the Perverted, being in pain due to wardrobe, getting mistaken for Parker Posey, MTV, screenplays, and being the queen of darkness.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 341: Toy Newkirk Feb 18, 2019

Today Ken welcomes actor, producer, director and all around talent Toy Newkirk to the show.

Ken and Toy discuss the Hollywood Hills, growing up a tomboy, donut families, Fonzie's swimming hole, the 1970s, the golden age of porn valley, not being allowed to watch TV, growing up with the Zappas, from Maryland to California, being an engineer, being a kid on sets, curiosity, throwing dirt at a commercial director, riding horses, ice skating, going on vacation with Kim Fields, auditioning for everything, the Hollywood African american support circle, being a tech geek, learning all the jobs on a set, MeToo moments, being a P.A., working your way up through the business, standing up for yourself, building your reputation, being a supervising producer, working for MTV, Room Raiders, working on the Howard Stern show on E!, having to deal with Trump producing a beauty pageant, seeing Obama speak, dealing with siblings who have passed away, feeling obligated to be the keeper of somebody's legacy, Nightmare on Elm St 4, representing the under-represented on screen, doing conventions, 227, celebrating fandom, having to be "on" all weekend, having a diverse crew, people helping people who remind them of themselves, moving to New York the week of 9/11, the feeling of community, finding the heart in a character, how great Michael Chiklis is, how great the current generation of crew is, breaking the norms, Hulu, loving movies, and having "Friends".

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 340: Jackie Kashian Feb 11, 2019

January 22-29, 1977

Today Ken welcomes comedian, podcaster and dork forest ranger Jackie Kashian to the show.

Ken and Jackie discuss welcoming yourself to you, SCTV, Roots, having a liberal stepmother, bedtimes, Wonder Woman, Mary Tyler Moore, Bob Newhart, decoding the Hallmark Christmas movies, Marvel Team-Up, Spider-Man, reading weird Australian biker books, Spenser for Hire, Wisconsin, Fonzie Statues, Happy Days, weird Milwaukee-isms, WI Gangsters, Laverne and Shirley, Starksy and Hutch

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 339: Mehran Feb 04, 2019

January 7-13, 1989

After a long delay Ken finally welcomes comedian Mehran to the show.

Ken and Mehran discuss Ken's aversion to coming into the city, murderous athletes, the Venn Diagram of Euro-trash and townies, the J. Fred Muggs Awards, Geraldo, White Supremecists, representation on television, Adam Walsh, Stranger Danger, Iran, being an anchor baby, butt tapes, HBO's America Undercover, having a big dump in your pants, waiting on Mike Tyson, Night Court, sleazy TV, Golden Girls, LA Law, Scarface, the infamous Monroe assault episode of Too Close for Comfort, Hairspray, John Waters, reclaiming JAG, Larry Sanders, Tracy Ullman, ALF, not Newharting, MeToo, Les Mooves - scumbag, recovering alcoholics, Roseanne, Moonlighting, Growing Pains, born again shills, The Cosby Show, Jasmine Guy, A Different World, feeling bad for Benny, Perfect Strangers, Full House, Andrea Martin, and cracking the code of Neptune King of the Sea.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 338: Cathy Podewell Jan 28, 2019

October 22 - November 2, 1979

Today Ken welcomes actress Cathy Podewell (Dallas, Growing Pains, Night of the Demons) to the show.

Ken and Cathy discuss her pre-work, Studs Terkel, Riverdale, growing up in Chicago, the coolest artifact ever brought on the show, TV Forecast, Kukla, Fran & Ollie, golden age of live TV, legacy acting families, Lady Blue, why everyone should wait tables for two weeks, the importance of empathy, Halloween, Nightmares, The Beverly Center, Eight is Enough, Charlie's Angels, Saturday Night Live, CHiPs, Earth Angel, Erik Estrada, Made for-TV Movies, Love Boat, Cindy Williams, Mark Hamill, getting to work with amazing people, being surprised by your own experiences, Spenser for Hire, Dallas, Growing Pains, being famous for TV, doing stand up for Jennifer Garner, Justine Bateman, Nielson families, Ken's dream guests, being on Oprah, Paul Reubens, still having your wedding dress from marrying J.R., kissing Brad Pitt on tape, famous hunks who are bad kissers, Night of the Demons, shared experience, return to Dallas, staying at The Biltmore while they were shooting Mad Men, The White Shadow, The Bradys, Dramas spun off from comedies, Steve Johnson, the comfort of clunky dials, The Waltons, Johnny Depp, John Malkovic stories, people who become movie stars, Christine McCormick in Night of the Demons 2, Shelley Long, being afraid of Paul Williams, the horrors of Phantom of the Paradise, how far TV goes today, getting back into acting but hating the business of the business, Chuck Jones, the Pumpkin Who Couldn't Smile, The Great Pumpkin, Real People, Salem MA, and the wonders of water skiing squirrels.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 337: Adam Marsh Jan 21, 2019

September 5-11, 1987

Today Ken welcomes writer (Atomic Bebop Hulabaloo) and friend Adam Marsh to the show.

Ken and Adam discuss Adam's dream come true of appearing on the show, Adam's complicated sibling history, pool hustlers, Tower Records, New Kids on the Block, arcades, the homeless, slug people, pools, Mountain time, Pool Trucks, Rumpus Rooms, Werewolf, Chuck Connors, Thicke of the Night, Chris Elliot, Jay Leno on Letterman, What's Your Beef?, Marlon Brando, The New Adventures of Beans Baxter, Empire Records, Second Chance, Married...with Children, NOW Comics, Ralph Snart, Matthew Perry, the collarless shirt future, SCTV, The Kids in the Hall, Win Lose or Draw, My Sister Sam, the sad loss of Rebecca Schaffer, P.I., going to TV tapings, being a featured extra in 90s teen shows, Who's the Boss, Larry Jr. vs. Larry Jr., bothering Diane Lane, Streets of Fire, AIDS, elderly street puppeteers, Highway to Heaven, Head of the Class, directing Orson Welles, Chris Elliot on the Equalizer, people named "Rags", Gilbert Godfrey as a card salesman, The Charmings, Shelley Long, four part Night Courts, Saturday Morning Preview specials, 227, Gummy Bears, hating Foofer, Disney missing a trick by not embracing Gargoyles, Miami Vice with Bob Balaban, G. Gordon Liddy, D.C. Follies, when the U.S. was into the Taliban, and the greatest episode of all time.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 336: Ayden Mayeri Jan 13, 2019

March 23-29, 1996

Today Ken welcomes actor Ayden Mayeri to the show.

Ken and Ayden discuss the Bette Davis estate, seltzer, Polar, famous noses, the 90s and the 60s, Nick at Nite, SNL, separate beds, references in comedy, the 1996 Telecommunications Act, syndication, reality TV, the horrors of deregulation, local weird late night TV, preachers on TV, prank calling Church TV, growing up in wine country, Pastor Scott, calling people's parents by accident, growing up an only child, learning how families are supposed to be through television, Parenthood, Growing Pains, reusing the High School set from Head of the Class on Boy Meets World, Saved by the Bell, Saved by the Max, Ferguson on Clarissa Explains it All, child actors, famous people from your town, being a mermaid in a shampoo commercial, insomnia, enjoying the quiet late night hours, Insomniac, Undressed, being confounded by Furries, foot fetishes, the weird through nature of your fetishized body parts appearing on very specific web sites, going totally offline, all of the weird drugs that came out in 1996, Hisminol, The Real World, renting the Real World L.A. house, Andy Warhol's curse, the Olympics, Summer Sanders, Kids Game Shows, frozen pipes, growing up in a house full of pets, skunks, Sister Sister, hating shock humor and roasts, hating being hateful, awards shows, The Golden Globes, LOVING the VMAs and the MTV Movie Awards, loving coming of age High School movies, Scream, Alex Strangelove, All That!, Speechless, Freaks & Geeks, The Wonder Years, My So-Called Life, knowing things are shot in L.A. can ruin it, being an extra, things filmed in Boston, having never been to Canada, trying to remember what won the Oscars in 1996, Party of Five, the wonder and the pain of snow days, Dead at 21, Jack Noseworthy, Whip Hubley, TV class war fare, Friends, Daisy Fuentes and Richard Marx taking down a guy on an airplane, I Love Lucy, Sandy Duncan, Second Noah, Roseanne's winking two Beckys acknowledgement, Howard Stern, and funeral tributes on ice.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 335: Ken Levine Jan 07, 2019

Today Ken welcomes writer/producer/podcaster/sports announcer Ken Levine to the show.

Ken and Ken discuss Ken's Hollywood home, Hirshfelds, Emmys, the golden age of television of the early 70s, the horrors of working as a radio DJ, getting laid off before Christmas, forgetting a person's real name and calling them by their actor name, David White of Bewitched, Erin Murphy, being in the army reserves, moving into writing for TV, reverse engineering scripts via bookstore remainders and reel to reel audio recorders, writing for The Jeffersons, M*A*S*H, being in the audience for Mary Tyler Moore's "Chuckles Bites the Dust", how getting laid in 1973 would have ruined Ken's career, Rhoda, writing a spec Mary Tyler Moore, having your Rhoda spec rejected twice, Charlotte Brown being your neighbor, shows going more than four seasons getting weird, Newhart, cliche Holiday episodes, The Odd Couple, showrunning M*A*S*H, keeping 95% of your actual writers' draft, the lazy writing of current sitcom comedy, Cheers, Fraiser, Almost Perfect, reworking the concept of your show, when Norm didn't hit until Cheers started airing, Grant Tinker, Cheers almost getting canceled, NBC, the Sam vs. Diane dynamic, your show getting canceled despite it doing well, the loss of Big Wave Dave's, dating a Neilson family, and Ken's podcast.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 334: Brooke Van Poppelen Dec 29, 2018

September 3-9 , 1988

Today Ken welcomes comedian and host of TruTV's "Hack My Life" Brooke Van Poppelen to the show.

Ken and Brooke discuss Ken's L.A. Air Bnb, being stuck in Brooklyn, PTSD, being terrified of open spaces, panic attacks, Bablo Island, Belle Isle, Detroit, Michigan, field trips, The Topsfield Fair, Stony Creek, board games, butter allergies, bulletproof coffee, the Olympics, a childhood as a gymnast, Miss America, The Peanuts, shared experiences, Freaks & Geeks, being a Lindsay Weir, The Wonder Years, the after school slot, Nickelodeon's Turkey TV, Canadian Television, the "before and after school room", Degrassi High, Los Angeles' infestation of mutant mosquitoes, being raised by weird Mid-Western couples who are not your parents, Roseanne, hillbillies, private school, bags old shoes, double fisting popcorn, free Potato Salad, Bag O'Burgers, Leave it to Beaver, working for the school newspaper, meeting Jerry Mathers, magical beings in your house shows, being a free range kid, childhood deaths by misadventure, the buddy system, growing up with a D.A.R.E. officer, S.A.R.G.E. the drug education robot, This American Life, peanut butter oil as a drug, Roscoe's School Program, TGIF, Full House, 8pm bedtimes, ALF, having two TV's, seeing films that are fall too challenging for your age with your father, Twin Peaks: The Return, Unsolved Mysteries, and the horrors of New Hampshire Pepsi Machines.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 333: Lamont Price Dec 21, 2018

December 16 -22, 1989

Today Ken welcome returning guest and TV Guidance Counselor All-Star Lamont Price back to the show.

Ken and Lamont discuss the questionable racism of old media, skywriters, screwballs, Looney Toons cloud fights, animated sketch shows, black people's cultural Stockholm syndrome, cultural norms, Blackula, Bernie Casey, John Hughes fear of black people, White White Christmases, Motown Christmas, Bernie Mac Show, Christmas Lights, Good Times, getting thrown a bone, The Jeffersons, LeVar Burton, Mr. Rogers, seeing Eddie Vedder at a bar, Run DMC's Christmas in Hollis, Cape Codder, Amen, Booker, Richard Grieco, the birth of The Simpsons, Married...with Children, MacGuyver, magical Christmas statues, Lucy, Scrooge, Wee Willy Winky Pajamas, defending A Christmas Story, generational hatred of It's a Wonderful Life, Rescue 911, Scotty Pippin vs. HIV, Ken's weak grasp of Basketball, Chuck Connors, The Rifleman, corporal punishment as a kid, Wrestling moves, terrifying home decor, Unsolved Mysteries Christmas Special, Hatbox Children and the Telephone Santas, Australian Christmas, Night Court, A Claymation Christmas Celebration, The California Raisins, A Different World, Facts of Life, loving Cree Summer, Garfield, Charlie Brown Christmas, Lamont's unapologetic championing of Lucy Van Pelt, how Violet is the real villain, and why Just the Ten of Us is the greatest show of all time.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 332: Jilly Gagnon Dec 16, 2018

FALL PREVIEW ALERT September 18-24, 1994

Today Ken welcomes writer Jilly Gagnon.

Ken and Jilly discuss eldercare, annual news reports, not realizing how much TV you consumed as a kid, growing up sans cable, The Legend of Zelda, side quests, Goonies 2, NES, Tri-Force tattoos, Gannons, Friday the 13th, news paper TV week, breaking the toaster oven style, Minneapolis, the Dr. Quinn and Walker Texas Ranger Date Night, Central Time, French Fries and Frosties, Toby McGuire, Eddie Furlong, banning the Simpsons, forbidden Married...with Children, shielding your children from shows about poor people, Superman, open fridge policies, Fluffernutters, Lois & Clark, 5th of Five, Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles, a 50/50 Heathers to Martha Dumptruck quotient, America's Love affair with truckers, Beyond Belief, The Nanny, non-perms, half siblings, Somerville, Bio-dome, ER, Chicago, Rescue 911, Home Improvement, puppeteering Wilson, Touching Touched by an Angel, not being famous enough for The Grove, Hate Farters, My So-Called Life, why Step by Step had the best theme song on TGIF, Man From Atlantis, overlooking mental health issues to make good reality TV, and Thanking Satan because it sucks.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 331: Cady McClain Dec 10, 2018

November 7-13, 1981

Today Ken welcomes actor, writer, director, artist, musician and all around dynamo Cady McClain to the show.

Ken and Cady discuss how a Guinness Book Record for dancing can lead to a showbiz career, growing up in L.A., commercials, meeting the Kool-Aid man, Ann-Margaret, My Favorite Year, Pennies from Heaven, MGM's Musicals, having a grounding in reality, the business of make believe, being an object, not getting a job based on your looks, sacrificing for your art, the Boston Trinity plus, Spenser for Hire, St. Elsewhere, Cheers, Robert Kennedy Mini-Series, the family atmosphere of an isolated set, the gritty made-for-TV movies of the 80s and 90s, moving to New York to do plays, a second life in Soap Operas, Michael McKean, when pilots turn into TV movies, Simple Justice, Caesar Romero, PBS, loving English Shows, Nicholas Nickleby, confusing "The Two of Us" for the Avengers, Who Will Love My Children, giving away ten children one at a time, loving the Twilight Zone, Something Wicked This Way Comes, Ray Bradbury, fruit Salad and the Love Boat/Fantasy Island block, white girl quesadillas, Florence Henderson, re-run royalties, actors turned directors, soap fans, Women who direct, working "real" jobs, making movies on a low budget out of sincerity, Joanna Kerns, Betty Thomas, Bethany Rooney, "Seeing Is Beliving: Women Direct", mentors, shared experience, trying to live a life of giving, Happy Days, Three's Company, Too Close for Comfort, "10", an American Obsession with Bo Derek, comedies that seem creepy in retrospect, Dolly Parton, variety shows, after school specials, tacking AIDS on TV, WKRP, Loni Anderson, All Creatures Great and Small, being the Maybellene girl one Summer, having an interest in something, and trying to show people the up side of hard work.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 330: Rob Tanchum Dec 04, 2018

October 31 - November 6, 1992

Today Ken welcomes rapper and comedian Rob Tanchum to the show.

Ken and Rob discuss satellites, Fax Ma'zines, TTY Prank phone calls, Westchester New York, teenage Improv teams, TV as coping mechanism, Sabrina, Fleabag, Crashing, The Young Ones, Toast of London, Saturday Night Halloween, hating teenagers, pranks, stealing Bubble Tape, Home Movies, animation, Yo! MTV Raps, babysitter hip hop, SNICK, SNL, Nick at Nite, Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore, glorifying stand-up, Cheers, Fraiser, re-watching Chuck, insulting your significant other's favorite show, Coach vs. Woody, Larry King, Garlique, My Two-Cents, Twin Peaks, Eerie Indiana, Northern Exposure, It's Gary Shandling Show!, Larry Sanders, Soapdish, flattering angles, Seinfeld, Mad About You, Newsradio, Oprah, being on Oprah, Wings, hating Gary's Old Time Tavern, Dinosaurs, Star Trek, and pulling sounds from pop culture's past to sample for Rob's hip hop album.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 329: Selena Coppock Dec 02, 2018

September 26 - October 2, 1992

Today Ken welcomes comedian Selena Coppock.

Ken and Selena discuss the weird numbering system of Ken's street, lawless New Hampshire, Weston MA, Polar Seltzer, Jan from Toyota, being related to Batman, a family history of performance, 80s Times Square, Sting on Broadway, Guns and Roses, Vince Neil, country music, Garth Brooks, 38 Special, Revenge of the Nerds, Wayne's World, teen gross out comedy, transgender "Sisters", In Living Color, The L.A. Riots, why everyone hates Chevy Chase, late night middle of the road TV, stand up philosophy, Blossom, Joey, skiing, being super old in your 30s, Full House, Mr. Cooper, Roseanne, Coach, 9/11 trauma, Mr. Rogers, the Hail Bop Comet people, The Wonder Years, disliking Neil Patrick Harris, Brooks & Dunn, country dances, loving Ellen Cleghorne, Delta Burke, The Heights, how you talk to an angel, shoplifting, Letterman's hatred of cats.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 328.5: "United We Fan"'s Michael Sparaga & Dorothy Swanson Nov 28, 2018

Today Ken welcomes the director of the new documentary "United We Fan" Michael Sparaga, as well as the star of the doc, Dorothy Swanson.

Ken Michael and Dorothy talk about grass roots movements, the importance of television, saving "Crime Story", Cagney and Lacey, hunting down TV contacts, watching things together alone, Niagara Falls Canada, The Story of Viewers For Quality Television, being a professional fan activist, Frank's Place, the importance of representation, DVRing Law and Order and Blue Bloods, Designing Women, The Q Awards, Person of Interest, Chuck fans, Star Trek, The Famous Teddy Z, Hugh Wilson, forgetting about your monthly subscriptions, TV Guide, educating yourself on ratings, learning the business of the business, having too much access, Rob Thomas, turning yourself off from access, fans not knowing what is best for them, Linda Ellerbee, saving shows that don't get saved, the changing world of niche audience, Netflix, losing the cast and crew if you wait too long, the lack of a true "TV Season", never revisiting shows, re-watching Fraiser, how binging kills fandom in some days, wishing you didn't save Beauty and the Beast, Ken's disappointment with the never made season 2s of My So-Called Life and Freaks and Geeks, the wonders of SuperChannel, SCTV, interviewing Scott Bakula and how big stars are incredibly grateful for Dorothy's work.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 328: Kevin Harrington Nov 24, 2018

October 23-29, 1993

Today Ken welcomes comedian and man about town Kevin Harrington to the show.

Ken and Kevin discuss bouncers, consequences, Kevin's grandkids, lying about having nieces and nephews, Ken's superman fortress of solitude, Dean Koontz, Tobe Hooper's Funhouse, St. Louis, central time, O'Boisie's, potatoes, regional candybars, Norwegian heritage, Ren & Stimpy, Aeon Flux, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Ray Bradbury, Liquid Television, Married...with Children, Knight Rider, Murphy Brown, Newhart, strong man competitions, lumberjacks, edited Dream On, Dave Holmes, Kevin Kline, Herman's Head, The John Larroquette Show, Melrose Place, Martin, Amanda Donohoe, Fraiser, The Wild Wild West, Alan Ruck date raped by a woman, and Mortal Kombat.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 327: Yancy Butler Nov 19, 2018

This week Ken welcomes actor Yancy Butler (Witchblade, Hard Target, Dropzone, Brooklyn South) to the show.

Ken and Yancy discuss Air BnBs, the land of the beautiful and rich, Sarah Lawrence College, Spring Break in Boston, growing up in Manhattan, navigating crazy people, Al Lewis, palming $100 bills, expensive real estate, Dick Wolf, peaking at 21, Mann and Machine, being up against Murder She Wrote, The Lovin' Spoonful, futuristic dystopia, moving from NYC to LA, being car blind, Ken's parking Karma mutant ability, not knowing what you want to be when you grow up, getting into acting to pay your student loans, police procedurals, reality TV, Honey Boo Boo Naked and Afraid, Hard Target, John Woo, Nailed It, growing up on Broadway, facing cancellation, having never made a pilot, South Beach, Universal Tattoos, James Coburn, Drop Zone, Gary Busey, John Badham, replacing Mel Gibson while still kissing Wesley Snipes, theater acting vs. movie acting, being (non) musical, voice over, Ad Rock setting you on a path of non-musical entertainment, The Rock n Roll Hall of Fame, David Bowie being your first concert, The Bee Gees, ad libbing FUs in Saturday Night Fever, negotiating swears, Witchblade, the gauntlet, almost killing Roger Daltrey, music rights, not watching NYC set shows while you are in New York, Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley, a career of cops and derelicts, and campaigning for Yancy to be a comedy superstar.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 326: Clay Fernald Nov 12, 2018

October 5 -11, 1985

Today Ken welcome promoter and man about town Clay Fernald to the show.

Ken and Clay discuss Ken's trash pile, being three years in the making, Sullivan Square Somerville, older siblings, Benson, not being allowed to watch Soap, Eddie Murphy's stand up, comedy tapes, mis labeling shows, PBS shows, boxing nuns, Killer Klowns from Outer Space, Ken's grandfather killing The Exorcist, having the most friends on Myspace in Boston, The Boston Phoenix, Something Wicked This Way Comes, The Dust Witch, SNL, Saturday Night's Main Event, horror anthology shows into ongoing series, Duck Decoys, comic books, Ray Bradbury, Bloopers and Practical Jokes, buying bootlegs, bag ladies, Jennifer Grey, how kids are the world's biggest liars, Wrestlers, Spitting Image, Genesis' Land of Confusion, D.C. Follies, Martin Mull, Mary Hartman Mary Hartman, dating Adam Ant, local WGBH news, being fascinated with Boston, Bon Jovi, Tower Records, Columbo, Webster, Aliens, Clay vs. Clayton, Mr. Belvedere, Spenser for Hire, and living in Reagan's 80s.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 325: Don Most Nov 06, 2018

Today Ken welcomes singer, actor, director Don Most (Happy Days, Dungeons & Dragons) to the show.

Ken and Don discuss growing up in Brooklyn, Brooklyn Bridge, Million Dollar Movie, Channel 9, a start in singing, commercials, seeing The Jazz Singer, when things feel right historically, The Summer of '42, The Wanderers, American Graffiti, Love American Style, auditioning for your own part, Room 222, Emergency, Dramatic Roles, having a funnybone, Happy Days, recognizing Jumping the Shark, forgetting the 50s, Gary Marshall, The Bronx, the weird New York feel of Happy Days, Dungeons & Dragons, Teen Wolf, indie movies, multi-cam vs. single cam, swing music, American Standards, crashing the set of Chinatown, Jack Nicholson, The Twilight Zone and playing paddle tennis with Rod Serling.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 324: Joely Fisher Nov 04, 2018

Today Ken welcomes actor, singer, and author of the memoir "Growing Up Fisher", Joely Fisher to the show.

Ken and Joely discuss her enormous group of children, TV wallpaper, the news, the way kids watch TV, how difficult it is the tell stories on social media, growing up with Connie Stevens, The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, "Does TV Go Too Far?", Made for TV movies, "Someone I Touched", AIDS on TV, After School Special, why Ellen will never get rebooted, the wonders of multi-cam television, directing, Til Death, the loss of opening titles and end credits, Station 19, bothering people in public, Ken's interactions with Norman Lear, getting lost in the story, the new content hungry avenues of streaming media, rebooting Amazing Stories, the lost pilots, getting married on stage, Love American Style, Variety Shows, Reality TV, The Battle of the Network Stars, showing side boob, breaking preconceptions, Desperate Housewives, the failure of Ellen's last season, Last Man Standing, the 90s stand up comedian based sitcom boom, the essential nature of a good ensemble supporting cast, Grace Under Fire, being warned not to run on camera, Wild Card on Lifetime, being in the show Baby Bob and having it named one of the worst shows of all time by TV Guide, having a rival, and moving toward the future of storytelling.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 323: The 2018 Halloween Special with Sam Furst and Rachel Reid Oct 26, 2018

It's the 2018 TV Guidance Counselor Halloween Special!

This year Ken reunites the Halloween TV Special Forces A-Team of Monsters are Good's Sam Furst and Ken's Wifes is Great's Rachel Reid to watch and discuss the 1986 Sunday Night Disney Made-for-TV Special Mr. Boogedy.

Happy Halloween!

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 322: Megan Duffy Oct 22, 2018

FALL PREVIEW EDITION October 1-7, 1988

Today Ken welcomes the multi-talented podcaster, actor, producer Megan Duffy to the show.

Ken and Megan discuss the Hollywood Hills, what it takes to give an Uber drive one star, Midnight Caller, Almost Grown, Roseanne, Paradise, Murphy Brown, Boston Common, Boston Public, growing up in Springfield MA, the boring homogeneity of Suburbia, Two Guys A Girl and a Pzza Place, Red Sox vs Dodger, the wonders of Judith Light, the weirdness of Nightmare on Elm St Freddy Kruger toys, the Blumhouse Halloween party, Isabelle Adjani in Possession, best Halloween costumes, cheerleaders, dancing, The Patty Duke Show, Nick at Nite, music and wine for cats, cooking, the magic of potatoes, Liberace, the weirdness of actors, being a producer, Alf, It's Gary Shandling Show, Tracy Ullman, Skeeter vs. Scooter on the Muppets, American Top 40 Long Distance Dedications, Flowers in the Attic, Ken's high school quest to perfect a Sugar Cookie recipe, the pure sex of Billy Idol's Rebel Yell, Samantha Fox's Now I Lay Me Down, Columbo, John Cassavettes acting career, the evil of Cosby, being scalded to death in the shower, 48 Hours, why there are no genius serial killers, The Spader Tapes, loving trapeze artists, and what we would do in the circus.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 321: Erin Gibson Oct 15, 2018

October 7-13, 1989

This week Ken welcomes co-host of Throwing Shade and author of Feminasty Erin Gibson to the show.

Ken and Erin discuss fancy hotel entitlement, hospitality industry jobs, why you should always rob criminals, Hollywoods One Chubby Girl at a time rule, Delta Burke, Gerald McRaney, the quest for judgement, how women are treated in Hollywood, Eating Disorders, why it's important to talk about stuff, Linda Bloodworth Thomeson, Les Moonves, sticking to your guns, sticking up for yourself, Just the Ten of Us, sexist D.C., Mr. Belvedere, the "manny" subgenre, learning from Sitcoms, I Married Dora, growing up poor, if it's better or worse to know your show is being canceled while you are still shooting it, being not pretty enough, Hollywood being brutally honest for no reason, watching Ladyhawke as Sex Ed, Mystic Pizza, entertainment industry restaurants, playing a mom at 30, The Monster Squad, the other f-word, not supporting monsters, Bill Cosby, Woody Allen, aspirational television, changing demographics, hidden secret sitcoms, ALF, Cats, Cats The Musical, Hill St. Blues, Night Court, Hard Copy, 20/20, not trusting people with beards, Peter Horton's look, This Old House, WGBH, PBS, missing your opportunity to call someone out, and how Steve Urkel ruined Family Matters.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 320: Agnes Obel Oct 08, 2018

This week Ken welcomes musician Agnes Obel to the show.

Ken and Agnes discuss the proper pronunciation of "Agnes", Danish, having a satellite dish, the life change that was MTV, being on the cutting edge of technology, Yo! MTV Raps, 120 Minutes, Alternative Nation, Tori Amos, Daniel Johnston, Nirvana, Sonic Youth, YouTube, being exposed to new things, the interaction between sound and vision, national television stations, pop culture, living in Berlin, the strange comforting displacement of Berlin, Copenhagen, punk poets, Scandinavian minimalism, the liberation of failure, Eurovision Song Contest, Twin Peaks, David Lynch, David Cronenberg, Stephen King, New England, experiences America through pop culture, the meaning of art, the evil lurking under the surface, American Suburbia, dubbing, Fraggle Rock, homelessness in America, the double edged sword of the American Dream, the rust belt, a basic living wage, hierarchy of needs, wondering if we need oppression in order to react, the best environment to create art in, constant distraction, and taking the time to actually live life while you're trying to survive.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 319: TVGC Investigates MTV's Lost Weekend with Van Halen Oct 02, 2018

In this special TV Guidance Counselor Investigates edition of the show Ken explores the 1984 MTV contest "The Lost Weekend with Van Halen" by going right to the source, the man who would know best, the winner, Kurt Jefferis.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 318: Ben Blacker II Sep 30, 2018

October 16 - 22, 199

Today Ken welcomes TV writer and creator of the new Vertigo comic "Hex Wives", Ben Blacker BACK to the show.

Ken and Ben discuss the bizarre and insane level of Ken's guests, the Computer museum, weird AirBnBs, taking the bus to New York, being treated first class, San Diego Comic Con, the con formerly known as Boston Comic Con, Boston being unrecognizable, the rise of UPN and the WB, Felicy, Ben or Noel?, Ken's Dad, The 50 Greatest Characters in Television, Savannah, Dawson's Creek, Urban nights, Homeboys from Outerspace, Nowhere Man, Netflix, USA Network, Knight Rider, Kramer, Andy Griffith, Don Knotts, Taxi, Louie Depalma, Phil Silvers, Behind the Music, E! True Hollywood Stories, Mr. T, Bill Macy, Ladies' Man, "It's an all new Ladies Man", breakfast with Phil Rosenthal, Just Shoot Me, Suddenly Susan, Veronica's Closet, Angelica Huston in The Witches, Spaced Invaders, Halloween specials, The Halloween that Almost Wasn't, Judd Hersh as Dracula, voice actors, Swamp Thing, Len Wein, Night Force, Ghost Rider, comic books, Hex Wives, Vertigo Comics, westerns, The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh, The Worst Witch and why Millennial love magic.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 317: Anna Drezen Sep 24, 2018

March 15-21, 1986

Today Ken welcomes writer, comedian, Anna Drezen to the show.

Ken and Anna discuss Anna's dog's a-hole, duvet covers, fires, hand me downs, saucy buns, vomiting bright pink, the cultural bankruptcy of the second Reagan term, Madeline Stowe, If Tomorrow's Comes, having a "wig face", Saturday Night Live, CNN End of the world tape, John Wesley Ship, aerobics, titular lines in Broadway shows, Cats, Angels in America, cat AIDS, Ghosts, blackface on Gimme a Break, orangutans, Any Which Way You Can But Loose, Jeffrey Lewis, thinking God really cares about you, when your family thinks things are jokes that aren't, Mr. Wizard's World, dead Moms, the left hand of the Devil, Amazing Stories, Desatin, Astronaut Ice Cream, wondering if somebody peed in this, the horror of docking dogs tails, amputees, Tarantula Ranches, being bad at maintaining things, not being a finisher, playing horn in a ska band, and having friends who will pretend to be your landlord so you can adopt a dog.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 316: Alex Edelman II Sep 17, 2018

May 31 - June 6, 1997

Today Ken welcomes returning guest Alex Edelman to the show.

Ken and Alex discuss shows at Laugh Boston, Alex's status as an international super star, Edinburgh, The Perrier Award, Steve Coogan, Eddie Izzard, Jimmy Carr, MSG, Alan Carr, Steward Lee, the day Mary Tyler Moore passed away, The Great Indoors, Ken's visit to Alex's job, NHL, Lois and Clark, The Dana Carvey Show, how writers' rooms work, The Simpsons, stand up instincts, Young Comedians, Anthony Clarke, Jack Lemon, post-modern culture vs post-apocalyptic culture, Futurama, King of the Hill, the nature of parody, SCTV, the humor or recognition, references for the sake of references, Jimmy Fallon, Barney Miller, multi-cam shows, how hard it is to tell a story in 20 minutes, Seinfeld, The Tony Awards, musical theater, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, The Odd Couple on Ice, reboots, Caddyshack, us vs. them, Fawlty Towers, spec scripts, Fraiser, Newsradio, the rap industry, the soup nazi, Men Behaving Badly, Sarah Silverman, the Friday Shabbat, Steve Martin, The Boston Pops, appreciating Tears in Heaven, M*A*S*H, never being into TGIF, and an all Jeers week.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 315: Bob McLeod Sep 10, 2018

Today Ken welcomes artist, writer and comic book legend Bob McLeod to the show.

Ken and Bob discuss Comic Conventions, sketches, satirizing Westworld for Crazy magazine, parody,growing up in Florida, Westerns, Flipper, Mad Magazine, starting as an Inker, the Bronze age of marvel comics, pasting page numbers, Joe Orlando telling you you need to go back to school to learn how to draw, cartoons, cartooning, funny animals, being terrified of Manhattan, Kojack, Streets of San Francisco, Dragnet, not talking down to kids, Rocky and Bullwinkle, Jack Kirby, trying to learn storytelling, the Marvel Method, The New Mutants, the original concept of Sunspot, when characters lose their uniqueness, drawing people who look like yourself, superhero cartoons, high volume and low visibility, Conan, Barry Windsor Smith, when your kids aren't interested in your job, Howard the Duck, Gene Colon, Harvey Comics, the new New Mutants movie, The Superhero ABCs, Mort Drucker, Marlon Brando as Tarzan, keeping your own artwork, why The Incredibles is the perfect super hero movie, and the current state of big screen comics.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 314: Dessa Sep 02, 2018

June 1-7, 1991

Today Ken welcomes writer and musician Dessa to the show.

Ken and Dessa discuss Jasmine Guy's seductive nonsense, sexy Ice Tea, people from Boston, not knowing who Molly Ringwald is, living in a pop culture desert, the blur of childhood, Minneapolis Minnesota, Darkwing Duck, Duck, Inspector Gadget, being a latch key kid, The Misfits, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, building your own plane, is Inspector Gadget a zombie?, Jeopardy, Twin Peaks, the ether of our culture, second hand pop culture, The Simpsons, Tracy Chapman, Sade, slam poetry, Def Poetry Jam, Real Genius, the Cosby Show, tarnished art, Northern Exposure, Who's the Boss, Full House, M*A*S*H, Raising Arizona, Oreo hacks, children's home alone food experiments, Virtual Reality, Steel Magnolias, The Princess Bride, Andre The Giant, wasting away your life, being very aware of mortality, stories, synesthesia, the doorways of perception, Wheel of Fortune, blizzards, Hard Copy, news magazines, and America's Most Wanted.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 313: "Big" Jim Murray Aug 27, 2018

March 28 - April 3, 1987

Today Ken welcomes Boston radio personality, long time friend and former WFNX co-worker "Big" Jim Murray to the show.

Ken and Jim discuss the nostalgia overload of Ken's house, Killer Klowns from Outer Space, working in radio, podcasts that are too long, Ken's on air argument with Dane Cook, graduating from Melrose High, G4, Madden Challenge, e-sports, gamers, YouTube stars, Kirk Cameron, Growing Pains cocaine episode, the birth of FOX, Facts of Life, terrorizing the Spanish Teacher, 227, Spenser for Hire, WSBK TV38 and The Movie Loft, Ken's weird Tee Public site, Ask the Manager, Dana Hersey, Barney Miller, the store Stairway to Heaven, Rt 1 in Saugus, The Palace, 20/20, 60 Minutes, Wonderful World of Disney, Michael McKeon in Double Agent, Rags to Riches, Baby Jessica, ALF, Jerry Stahl, The Oscars, the afterschool special "What If I'm Gay?", Gimme a Break, Loni Anderson in Easy Street, Moonlighting, Night Court, Cousin Larry Appleton, Perfect Strangers, The John Larroquette Show, Cheers, Ricky Gervais, The Popcorn Kid, and the most disagreed with Cheers and Jeers in the history of the show.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 312: Charlie Benante of Anthrax Aug 20, 2018

Today Ken welcomes Charlie Benante of Anthrax to the show.

Ken and Charlie discuss soundchecks, Fall Preview editions, Saturday Morning Cartoons, Wonderama, Spider-Man, The Laugh-a-lympics, Little House of the Prairie, pre-electricity, Grizzly Adams, growing up in the Bronx, Barney Miller, NYPD Blue, Good Times, Newhart, erased tapes, Spielberg, Jaws, Sid & Marty Kroft, Land of the Lost, The Brady Kids, cartoons based on live action shows, Frank Welker, animation cells, Hanna Barbera, tv music, John Williams, new toys, Monster Cereals, Disney's Fantasia, Italian Horror movies, Evel Kenevel, AFX Cars, Snake Canyon, cult and niche television, The Shining, Fridays, Battle of the Network Stars, The Clash, The Munters, The Addams Family, Married..with Children, meeting Clint Eastwood, The Cosby Show, Ed "Al Bundy" O'Neal, voice actors, lip syncing, Don Kirshner's Rock Concert, The Midnight Special, Kenny Everett, The Young Ones, Night Flight, and the embarrassing disappointment of KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 311: Jonny Brugh and Daniel Logan Aug 13, 2018

Today Ken welcomes two of New Zealand's finest, Johnny Brugh (What We Do in the Shadows) and Daniel Logan (Star Wars) to the show.

First up Ken chats with Johnny Brugh about New Zealand, vampires, The Six Million Dollar Man, Netflix, stand up, character comedy, Deacon, The Mighty Boosh, The Young Ones, Bad Taste, Peter Jackson, visiting America, aliens, seductive dances, and where the gold is.

Next up Ken chats with Daniel Logan (Boba Fett in Star Wars Attack of the Clones). Ken and Daniel discuss growing up, rugby, being a child actor in commercials, being one of six kids, being cast in Star Wars, having a tough mother, moving to the U.S., Star Wars toys, special codes on Star Wars toys, Bob Fett helmets, dumpster diving for treasure, social media, Sharknado, international films, doing cartoons voices, and charity.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 310.5 : Guy Branum II Aug 09, 2018

In this mini-episode recorded LIVE! via satellite Ken welcomes author of the new book "My Life as a Goddess: A Memoir Through (Un) Popular Culture", Guy Branum back to the show.

Ken and Guy discuss growing up as an outsider, air BnBs, very special episodes, Night Court, Jennifer Slept Here, Love Sydney, The Facts of Life, abortions, Night Court, Barney Miller, the physical space of sitcoms, Guy's book, and make tentative plans to speak again in the future.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 310: Rachael O'Brien and Sabrina Danzl Aug 06, 2018

Today Ken welcomes comedians, best friends and podcasters Rachael O'Brien and Sabrina Danzl to the show.

But FIRST TV Guidance Counselor Investigates returns and Ken explores the story of Mark Harmon: Real Life Hero.

Next Ken, Rachael and Sabrina discuss kneeing on rugs, going through glass windows, Ben Franklin, Boston's history of drunkenness, Dunks, Dunkabeties, sports, not caring, growing up in Astoria OR, being in Kindergarten Cop, the movie Plain Clothes. Cheers, a lifetime of not drinking, teenagers dumb choices, The D.A.R.E. program, skinheads, white power movements, punk rock, The Wonder Years, Little Monsters, being friends with the Savage Family, being on a plane with Winnie Cooper, checking Winnie's ID, confusing Al Pacino with Brett Michaels, 70s indulgences, Jim Jefferies, In Living Colour, Jim Henson, the horror of The Neverending Story, Salute Your Shorts, The Adventures of Pete & Pete, trying to get on All That!, being ethnically vague, the cruelty of kids, growing up a fat kid, rich kids, the early 00s obsession with pornography in comedies, reality TV, The Real World, being under surveillance, unusual eating regimes, food in Scotland, Haggis, Chris Farley, David Spade, Black Sheep and Tommy Boy, Police Academy, and watching things because your parents want to watch it.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 309: David Harbour and Ron Perlman Jul 30, 2018

In another episode recorded LIVE! at Denver Comic Con 2018 Ken welcomes actors and Hellboys David Harbour and Ron Perlman to the show.

First up Ken talks to David Harbour (Stranger Things). Ken and David discuss Pan Am, smoking, The Newsroom, Hellboy, prosthetics, having a fake body, Romanian stunt men, Tide commercials, practical vs. CG, Waffle House, Jangles, fast food recommendations, Antarctica, the power of Twitter, vomiting, the emotional resonance of character, Jim Hopper, mustaches, Shakespeare, destroying trailers, peace summits with Ron Perlman, the kids on Stranger Things, and suffering for your fans.

Ken then talks to Ron Perlman. Ron and Ken discuss f*cking Trump, Quest for Fire, working under make up, Beauty and the Beast, Ice Pirates, Guillermo Del Toro, Cronos, how Hollywood repeats itself, allegory, City of Lost Children, lifetime achievement awards, TV vs. movies, working in French, Aliens, Pacific Rim, Embarrassum and its side effect, being forgetful, being typecast, Youth, Ron's favorite movie Godfather Part 1, streaming services, taking the magic away from art through the delivery method, Shane, and how art is a lie that tells the truth.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 308.5: Barry Williams Jul 26, 2018

In this mini-episode recorded LIVE! at North East Comic Con Ken welcomes Greg Brady himself, Barry Williams to the show.

Ken and Barry discuss the nature of fandom, being a part of people's lives without knowing them personally, leaning into the recognition, musical theater, riding the wave of a cultural phenomenon, growing up next door to Peter Graves, Fury, Mission: Impossible, Dragnet, being a young actor, Run for your Life, The Invaders, The Mod Squad, It Takes a Thief, Adam 12, Vincent Price, the Hawaiian episodes, singing, secrets to keeping your voice, City of Angels, Oklahoma, West Side Story, Branson Missouri, the athleticism required for musicals, memorization, Robert Reed, soap opera acting, and Davy Jones.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 308: Owen Linders Jul 23, 2018

January 20-26, 1996

Today Ken welcomes Boston Comedian and artist Owen Linders to the show.

Ken and Owen discuss Hawaii, cranberry bogs, Spring Break, Alfred University, the pitfalls of "art", print making, solar power, stand up comedy specials, Stewart Lee, Johnny Vegas in Who's Ready for Ice Cream?, flagmen, cops in roadworks, black boxes, beach houses, Sci Fi Channel, Cartoon Network, Space: Above and Beyond, Rhode Island, Swamp Thing, the odd things in Ken's home, cartoons based on R rated movies, Toxic Crusaders, Steve Johnson, Monsters, Tales from the Darkside, Glim Glim, AOL online, Duckman, The Adventures of Briscoe County Jr, creating things of substance, being sincere, cell phones, movie serials, Captain Marvel, Mystery Science Theater 3000, Due South, Law and Order, Predator, Drop the Dead Donkey, Toast of London, Smack the Pony, Dr. Katz, Third Rock from the Sun, Crime Story, Real Ghosts, Tobe Hooper, Alan Moore's Twilight of the Superheroes, Give Me Liberty and Martha Washington, American Gothic, Sherlock Holmes, being a drug addict for 30 minutes and Ken's befuddlement at Red Green.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 307: Mike Reiss Jul 18, 2018

Today Ken welcomes longtime Simpsons writer and author of the new book "Springfield Confidential" Mike Reiss to the show.

Ken and Mike discuss working one day a week, growing up in CT, Harvard Lampoon, Charles in Charge, Head of the Class, Sledge Hammer, Not Necessarily The News, It's Gary Shandling Show, The Critic, The Simpsons, the nutmeg state, "Bitch McNuggets", Airplane II, Conan O'Brien, The Tonight Show, Alf, clip shows, The Tracy Ulman Show, people on TV watching TV, The Royle Family vs. The Kennedys, Fawlty Towers, Monty Python, gore, horror movies, Eric Idle, Treehouse of Horrors, the very long process of making a Simpsons episode, how sometimes an incorrect math equation might be a joke (to some people), movie parodies, and how you can't go wrong trying to make yourself laugh.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 306: Andrew McCarthy, Molly Ringwald, KJ Apa and Skeet Ulrich Jul 16, 2018

In these two conversations recorded LIVE! at Denver Comic Con Ken welcomes Andrew McCarthy, Molly Ringwald, KJ Apa and Skeet Ulrich to the show.

First up Ken talks to Andrew McCarthy. Ken and Andrew discuss Less than Zero, St. Elmo's Fire, why drugs are bad, Weekend at Bernie's, Mannequin, James Spader's eccentricities, department store vampires, Pretty in Pink, a 6 ft tall Gumby, John Hughes, Molly Ringwald's taste in men, the VCR age, directing, Orange is the New Black, The Blacklist, Class, Heaven Help Us, taking wardrobe, reading scripts, directing children, Andrew's travel writing, remote places,writing Young Adult novels, John Hughes' soundtracks and the mystery of the Lost Spader Tapes.

Next up Ken talks to the cast of Riverdale, Molly Ringwald, KJ Apa and Skeet Ulrich. Ken, Molly, KJ and Skeet discuss yelling at teenagers, iconic roles, Archie, New Zealand, Scream, being a Betty or a Veronica, Luke Perry Twin Peaks, nostalgia, Townies, being a fan of somebody else, touching KJ's eyebrow, Gary Oldman, actory nerves, wrestling, the mystery of Gumby, Molly's parents' attic, shower scenes, murder on Riverdale, Black Hood, trailers, yelling, and how everyone wants to be Madchen Amick.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 305: Sean Patton Jul 09, 2018

November 18-24, 1978

This week Ken welcomes comedian Sean Patton to the show.

Ken and Sean discuss New Orleans, Boston trash bats, regional accents, Airwolf, reboots, modern day Ernest Borgnines, Turbo Teen, poisoned Halloween Candy, living in a world of adults, taking your younger brother to a strip club, Portland Oregon, New York expectations, Eyes Wide Shut, Rounders, The Village, gentrification, dirty old Boston, being just born, HBO's commitment to topless women, making a living, roller skating, SNL, Star Wars infecting EVERYTHING, country music, Matt Foley, Julia Child, horror and comedy, Tom Brady's hatred of Boston, David Duke, The KKK, The Baldwin Bros, Backdraft, 50s nostalgia, Frankie and Annette, Sid and Marty Kroft, The Prisoner, 70s love of Stockholm syndrome, Scotland, Manchester UK, The Royle Family, Crunch and Munch, Mello Yello, Three's Company, Steve Martin, having to move in the hotel, Wonder Woman skateboarding, rebooting The Karate Kid and sequalizing The Monster Squad.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 304: David Tennant and Billie Piper Jul 02, 2018

In this episode recorded LIVE! at the 2018 Denver Comic Con Ken moderates two different discussions with Doctor Who royalty.

First up is The Doctor himself, David Tennant. Ken and David discuss Vic Reeves & Bob Mortimer, Randall and Hopkirk Deceased, Nevermind the Buzzcocks, the live broadcast of The Quatermass Experiment, Doctor Who, Tom Baker, Peter Davidson, Russel T. Davies, the responsibility of being the Doctor, an exclusive club for former Doctors, being merchandise, Broadchurch, Scrooge McDuck, immodesty, Presbyterian guilt, Scotland, Jessica Jones, Kilgrave, playing evil characters, Ken's shirt, the nature of heroes, Good Omens, Camping, the nature of accents, Hogwart's House, being a voice actor, the power of educators, throwing phones and books.

Next up Ken welcomes everyone's favorite companion, Rose Tyler herself Billie Piper. Ken and Billie discuss her days in drama school, her teenage music career, her lack of familiarity with Doctor Who before she was cast, traveling the United States, Matt Smith, Secret Diary of a Call Girl, Chris Eccleston, Robert DeNiro, how to deal with being in the public limelight, ridding yourself of the criticism of social media, the music industry, the changing world of acting, having to be your own PR person, Penny Dreadful, having David Tennant be your assistant, the inappropriate nature of John Barrowman, the romance at the center of Doctor Who, the popularity of UK shows in the United States, the perils of fame, and stealing a legacy for your uninterested children's future.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 303: Brian and Cargill of Junkfood Cinema Jun 25, 2018

April 30 - May 6, 1998 and October 16- 21, 1988

In this episode recorded LIVE! at the 2018 Denver Comic Con, Ken welcomes Brian Salisbury and Cargill of the Junkfood Cinema Podcast.

Ken, Brian and Cargill discuss the Golden Girls, Dr. Ruth, whisky, commissioned art, hoarders, Jocko, Engergizer, Sam Jones, Truck copters, Knight Rider, The Highwaymen, Australian Obsessions, Cosby, My Demon Lover, My Stepmother is an Alien, Hard Time on Planet Earth, Roseanne, Just the Ten of Us, The Matt Lauer Show, Who's the Boss, Mr. Belvidere, Wendy and the Butler, NBC Thursday Night, Cheers, Night Court, LA Law, TV Guide Channel, the Scroll, TV Movies, Loni Anderson, Necessity, Elmore Leonard Las Vegas Crime movies with Jimmy Smitt, North and South, being crazy for Swayze, V, Highlander, Michael Ironsides, New York City talk, The Hulk Out List, Freddy's Nightmares, In the Shadow of Kilimanjaro, Grizzly II, Moms and Lovers, Outlaws with Richard Roundtree, and the wonders of Misfits of Science.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 302: Kyle Ploof Jun 18, 2018

March 4-10, 1995

Today Ken welcomes comedian and Boston ex-pat Kyle Ploof to the show.

Ken and Kyle talk about opioids, Weymouth MA, The Movie "BLOW", awful Irish plus other ethnicity bars, The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Halloween costumes, hugging Scott Baio at the Liberty Tree mall, meeting costumed characters who are imposters, Santa fighting the Abominable Snowman, Ken's teenage love of Claire Danes, creepy crushes, Nightmare on Elm St, Friday the 13th, being terrorized by your father on weekends, NY vs LA, wiggling why you watch, A.I.D.S., Slim Goodbody, The Mommies, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, having a clown thing, The Critic, Married with Children, Vice Versa, body switching, not being allowed to interact with girls, hating three camera sitcoms, Roseanne, MTV's Oddities starring The Head, Ultraman, love of bathrooms, Grace Under Fire, being beaten to death with a hammer, Unsolved Mysteries, The George Wendt show as Car Talk, The Cosby Mysteries, Wheel of Fortune, game shows, Living Single, obstacle courses, Breaking Bad, "he's killing me", the 90s obsession with VR, and nudity on TV

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 301: Paige Davis Jun 11, 2018

Today Ken welcomes star of trading spaces and the current North Shore Music theater production of Mame, Paige Davis to the show.

Ken and Page discuss theater in the round, multi-cam sitcoms, All In the Family, Cheers, The Big Bang Theory, West Side Story, gymnastics, growth spurts, golden doors of Broadway, Chicago, Mame, racy TV Guide Covers, Bob Hope, Zoom, funding the arts, School House Rock, The Electric Company, Blackish, Will and Grace, Bebe Neuwirth, The Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, Debbie Reynolds, fame, game shows, being on Oprah, The Bachelor, Orange is the New Black and the greatness of Tom Bergeron.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 300: Shadoe Stevens Jun 04, 2018

Today Ken welcomes DJ, actor, writer, producer and all around legend Shadoe Stevens to the show.

Ken and the Shadoe discuss "Oofda", North Dakota, being a child DJ, the hell that is Boston, Mayor White, "Ya I saw it", Cabo Wabo radio, living in the future, DIY life, Federated, WRKO 680, Dave Garroway, being the youth correspondent, hosting "Gazebo", Steve Allen, re-writing the Thief of Baghdad, time travel, enraging fake psychics, theater of the Mind, American Top 40, being your friend in the void, KROQ, Hollywood Squares, Traxx, Max Monroe Loose Cannon, being the original host of The Midnight Special, Sam Kinison, Kentucky Fried Movie, turning down Airplane, drive time, your brain's predisposition to negativity, how sometimes things just work out, Dave's World, becoming a children's author, Atlanta, and how you never know who is watching your career.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 299: Karen Kilgariff May 28, 2018

Today Ken welcomes comedian and "My Favorite Murder" co-host Karen Kilgariff to the show.

Ken and Karen discuss Northeast accents, The Wizard of Oz, Ray Boulger, growing up in Northern California, John Ennis, The Wahlbergs, Hellzapoppin, chain dining, futons, being trapped in an elevator, Family Ties, Billy Vera and the Beaters, Scott Baio vs Matt Dillon, C. Thomas Howell, Travolta, Jackie Stallone's Foxy Boxing, Ricky Schroeder, Silver Spoons, childhood crushes, funny cars, CHiPs, stunning Hollywood inhumans, The Famous Teddy Z, stealing office supplies, Webster, Rick Dees, three camera sitcoms, Barney Miller, Cheers, WKRP in Cincinnati, The Ally McBeal period, kids fathers yelling at them in front of you, Made for TV Movies, Bill, How's Your News, Zoom, developmental disabilities in media, laughing at the right thing, satire vs. poorface, Married...with Children, Threads, Whoops!, The Day After, Testament, When the Wind Blows, Atomic Blonde, Tabitha Takes Over, shock humor and fake worship of serial killers, hating McMob movies, Boondock Saints, The Little House on the Prairie "mime rape" episode, Twin Peaks, British mysteries, Chris Elliot in Manhunter, and why Martin Short is the greatest thing ever.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 298: Scott Ryan May 24, 2018

Today Ken welcomes author and fellow TV junkie Scott Ryan back to the show.

Ken and Scott discuss Scott's new book, The Last Days of Letterman, available for pre-order now, an oral history of the final six weeks of David Letterman's CBS show.

Ken and Scott also discuss the Twin Peaks finale, Roseanne, the nature of reboots, the value of Late Nite TV, daily habits, the storytelling difficulties of finales, and what they are both watching now.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 297: Mark Waid May 21, 2018

Today Ken welcomes writer, comic book royalty and world's leading Superman expert Mark Waid to the show.

Ken and Mark discuss the casual celebrity of Los Angeles, growing up in rural Alabama, the loss of the Boston Romper Room's franchise, central time people, The Newlywed Game, why the prizes were so unimpressive, Monty Hall and Let's Make a Deal, The Prisoner, Spy Shows, the power of heart and sincerity, My Three Sons, Leave it to Beaver Monster Sweatshirts, what holds up, The Andy Griffith Show, Maybery R.F.D., Car 54 Where Are You?, Christmas Episodes, breaking the 4th wall, I Married Dora, incidental music, theme songs, Vic Mizzy, slumming on TV, variety shows, Batman '66, which came first comics or TV?, Lost in Space, Superboy, The Cain-iacs, Captain America: The Musical, Ken Barry, retooling, Archie Bunker's Place, Facts of Life, Family Affair, invisible friends, It Takes a Thief, Robert Wagner, micro film, micro dots, why spy shows were the new Western, Land of the Giants, Wild Wild West, When Where Why, Wonder Woman's Emma Peele phase, Mr. Mind, The Six Million Dollar Man, The Invaders, color TV, why Glen Campbell replaced the Smothers Brothers, Pat Paulson for President, Green Acres, The Flying Nun, the origin of "Gidget", animated series based on live action shows, time travel, in space, in a band, The Rifleman, Branded, Elseworlds, Kingdom Come, Marvel's "What If?", Ken's dream Ghost Writer TV series, Daniel Boone, Davey Crocket, Hex 2000, the tragedy of the Wild Wild West movie, Get Smart!, The Banana Splits, Saturday Morning Preview Shows, and the longevity of The Simpsons.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 296: Alexandra Paul May 14, 2018

Today Ken welcomes actor, activist and health and fitness expert Alexandra Paul to the show.

Ken and Alexandra discuss living without television, rural New England, being an identical twin, the Cassidys, Parker Stephenson, Baywatch, the small world of entertainment, teen magazines, how asking a teenage boy to turn off Charlie's Angels lead to the death of a television set, the boob tube, keeping TV in the closet, having cable for one month, Tour De France, modeling, Paper Dolls, Canadian tax shelter horror films, Eric Stoltz, the wonders of books, Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television by Jerry Mander, Harlan Ellison, fightin' fires, the blue collar world of acting, the Kemp Brothers, Spandau Ballet, Grace Jones, being professional, Perry Mason, Debbie Reynolds, Christine, the move from television to movies, Michael J Fox, Teen Wolf, Back to the Future, George Clooney, confusing Robert Wagner with Roger Moore, the secrets motivation behind Ken, Lifetime movies, the slant towards men on television, the unheralded feminism of Baywatch, how to sell gay movies to homophobic countries, Here TV, Lee Majors, Farrah Fawcett, Starkey and Hutch, Paul Michael Glaser, Anson Williams, Donnie Most, the problems with keeping your health insurance, Happy Days, Gilligan's Island, going into directing, the history of Baywatch, Baywatch Nights (!), representing people on television, the talent available in under represented populations, how hard working Pamela Anderson is,the amazingness of David Hasselhoff, Angie Harmon, 8 Million Ways to Die, never watching your own stuff, and producing Free the Animals.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 295: Yarnel Nicolas May 07, 2018

November 17-23, 1990

Today Ken welcomes director, writer, producer and old tape trading friend Yarnel Nicolas to the show.

Ken and Yarnel discuss local Boston Shows, Goodnight Beantown, Chett and Natalie, RD Sahl, WLVI TV56, Jeopardy, the Death of Jim Henson, networks switching affiliations, RTG, Fox TV, Cartoons, Fox Kids, Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, Marky Mark, Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventures, Almost Live, Wise Guy, Beyond 2000, Star Search, True Colors, Parker Lewis Can't Lose, Stephen King's IT mini-series, fear of clowns, Bobby's World and it's connection to Good Grief, Married...with Children, Vinny and Bobby and Top of the Heap, Acme Crime Net, Sitcom City, Where in the World is Carmen San Diego?, Tabloid TV, Murphy Brown, The Reporters, Dawn Hayes, the lottery, Mr. Rogers, Child World's Video Toy Chest, The Simpsons, Prime Time Pets, Babes, A Different World, Penn and Teller, Wings, the Thanksgiving Day Parade and Cheering and Jeering.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 294: Annabeth Gish Apr 30, 2018

August 22-28, 1981

Today Ken welcomes actor Annabeth Gish (X-Files, Mystic Pizza) to the show.

Ken and Annabeth discuss the weather, Iowa, Ann Jillian, playing yourself in a TV movie, variety TV, triple threats, Shag, kids and screen time, Fantasy Island, fear of Mr. Rourke, Love Boat, Austin City Limits, Shawn Colvin, PBS, the problems with binges, The X-Files, Monster of the Week, Fringe, Mystic Pizza, re-playing characters, family time, the TV premier of The Way We Were, Streisand, Wonderful World of Disney, Astronaut and Son/Hero in the Family, being a reader, narrowcasting, WGBH, Zoom, how people act on camera, Sesame Street, The Electric Company, The Muppets, first run syndication, the power of music and visual in learning, Providence RI, Brotherhood, Connie Selica, Invitation to Hell, The Facts of Life, Tom Selleck, Ann-Margaret, Burt Reynolds, Square Pegs, sequel shows, The Karate Kid, Twin Peaks, why you can't go home again, The West Wing and Scandal.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 293: LIVE! at WICF w/Erin Maguire and Becca Brown Apr 25, 2018

April 18-24, 1998

In this episode recorded LIVE! at the 2018 Women in Comedy Festival Ken welcomes comedians Erin Maguire and Becca Brown to the show.

Ken, Erin and Becca discuss school scare programs, Prom Season, Ken hanging out in the teacher's lounge, Manic Panic, goth culture, rockabilly dresses, "The Interruption", Man Ray, Guy Fieri, Al Pacino, Ouja Boards, tarot cards, HBO, ghosts, creepy kids, The Entity, the conpeople who are The Warrens, School of Rock, pitching 50 Shades Darker, Golden Girls, actors we are scared of, Little Shop of Horrors, All That, Kablam!, SNICK, the perils of acting, wanting to see people fail, Parker Brothers, Disney movies, Behind the Music, The Gnome Mobile, Rock of Love, FM Radio, modern country music, being fooled by Christians, angry Boston mechanical bull riders, Kurt Russel, betting on when people will die, Elvis, Charo, The Surreal Life, NKOTB, Step By Step, The trumpet of a human being, Shelly Long, MeToo, The Cosby Show, posing nude, nipples, Soul Man, Gilda, Jane Curtain, ESPN2, Things to do in Devner when You're Dead, Eric Stoltz, The Olsen Twins, Papa Popadolopis, Troll 2, All Cried Out, Danny Wood's "dumb voice", and appearing on WHDH 7 Boston's "Ready to Go".

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 292: Box Brown Apr 24, 2018

February 23 - March 1, 1985

Live from the basement of a Cambridge, MA Panera Bread Ken welcomes cartoonist, writer and artist Box Brown (Andre the Giant: Closer to Heaven and "Andy Kaufman: Is this Guy for Real?")to the show.

Ken and Box discuss libraries, Roseanne, why Wrestling is fascinating, Andy Kaufman, Jerry the King Lawler, Andre the Giant, Bill Apter, Wrestling magazines, the celebrity wrestling connection, Bobby the Brain Heenan, the loneliness of the road, Cyndi Lauper, Pee Wee's Playhouse, Muppet Babies, Dragon's Lair, Dungeons and Dragons, the design of old TVs, growing up in New Jersey, Philadelphia, Sesame Street, the death of Mr. Hooper, after school reruns, Gilligan's Island, The Harlem Globetrotters, pyro kids, Kidd Video, Diff'rent Strokes, Just Say No, orphans, live TV, Roc, Gimme a Break, The People Next Door, cartoonists, newspaper strips, Silver Spoons, Punky Brewster, owning actual arcade games, dyslexia, the sad world of child stars, Night Court, the strange relationship of Mac and Qwan Lee, Benson vs. The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer, and Ben Vereen's odd Webster use.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 291: Tony Campos and Derek Abrams (Ministry) Apr 19, 2018

Today Ken welcomes Tony Campos and Derek Abrams of Ministry.

Ken, Tony and Derek discuss the lawlessness of New Hampshire, Grizzly Adams, the importance of MTV, growing up in L.A. with a half pipe, the terrifying cold of Minnesota, impressing Kurt Loder, Knight Rider, watching Def Comedy Jam with grandma, SNICK, Mr. Bicycle Man, Static X, wanting to be on Beavis and Butthead, Benny Hill, Monty Python, The Young Ones, Ministry's Twilight Zone, horror flicks, falling asleep to the Shining, Army of Darkness, Ash Vs. The Evil Dead, Nightmare on Elm Street, The Outer Limits, Canon Picture, Golan and Globus, Monsters, An American Werewolf in London, Heavy Metal, Transformers, being invested in media, video games, Fringe, Lost, Stranger Things, Miami Vice, Don Johnson's music career, Anthrax on Married...with Children, Looney Toons, the nostalgia cycle and the future of art.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 290: Ione Skye Apr 16, 2018

October 8-14, 1977

Today Ken welcomes actor, writer, director Ione Skye (Say Anything, River's Edge) to the show.

Ken and Ione discuss horses, filming Italian style, why comedy doesn't work on music festivals, The Muppet Show, watching things you don't like, Donny and Marie, opinionated children, River's Edge, supportive family, being a pop locker, River's Edge, being a space cadet, costume dramas, Napoleon, Covington Cross, female 60s super spies, In Like Flint, Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Gary Marshall shows, Natasha Kinski, Looney Toons, Bosom Buddies, directing, being an auteur, shadowing on three camera sitcoms, Jon Cryer, Barney Miller, loving claymation, Mr. Bill, hanging with Frank Zappa, Say Anything, Prank Shows, All in the Family, Good Times, how the Muppets can star strike you more than Mick Jagger can, 60s Music, The Beach Boys, nostalgia, Phil Donahue, lying about seeing Human Centipede, Hollywood High School, the Crown, Against Me music videos, short films, paying your dues, and how sometimes things just work out right.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 289: LIVE! at NYC Podfest with Donwill Apr 11, 2018

In this episode recorded LIVE! at the NYC Podfest Ken welcomes MC Comedic DJ Donwill to the show.

Ken and Donwill discuss post nuke cinema, Chosen Survivors, Killers in Bear suits, Head of the Class, Cincinatti, Jerry Springer, Cosby, God's vision of the future, Growing Pains, Wonder Years, why Silver Spoons might be the greatest TV theme song ever, and a lot more.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 288: Nell Scovell Apr 09, 2018

September 11-18, 1970 FALL PREVIEW ALERT!

Today Ken welcomes TV writer and author of the new book "Just the Funny Parts", Nell Scovell to the show.

Ken and Nell discuss New England, The Marx Brothers, Newhart, Bill Fiends, perfume smelling from the head down, Mark Harmon, the first color show, Batman '66, Get Smart, When Things Were Rotten, Mary Tyler Moore, Sabrina The Teenage Witch, Star Trek, My Man Godfrey, Warehouse 13, Murphy Brown, Outlander, Fringe, product placement, women in comedy, Designing Women, Carol Burnett, going through the looking glass, JFK Jr., Spy Magazine, the lagoon from Gilligan's Island, Joel Hodgson, TV Wheel, Mad Magazine, parody, Monty Python, Kate & Allie, loving Jane Curtain, SCTV, SNL, Albert Brooks, Obama as comedian, writing jokes for Hillary, the wonders of Caroline Rea, remaking McCloud with Brett Butler, saving up your TV time and dreading The Wire.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 287: Jenny Zigrino TWO Apr 03, 2018

January 21-27, 1978

Today Ken welcomes BACK the show old friend and comedian Jenny Zigrino.

Ken and Jenny discuss donut identity, looks, ditchens, BIG ELVIS, Family, John McEnroe, dead tennis players, Giggletits, Dante, honey, fun with carbon monoxide, The Exorcist, Prague, Amadeus, Ken's Cardi B ignorance, Camels, Beard Budgets, Huck Finn, the N word book, Dick Gregory, Al Pacino, Cruisin', The Cat from Outer Space, Deadly Eyes, dogs dressed as rats, C.H.U.D., good deals on heroin, Bumper Stickers, Rhoda, An American Hippie in Israel, fat Americans, RC Cola Diner Menus, songs Elvis could sing after he died, Uncle Hate, Dinah!, Lawrence Welk, Half and Half, Pomegranate myths, Harvey Korman, Munchies, tall people in chairs, Carol Burnett, My Three Sons, James at 15, Phyllis Diller, wig love, JoBeth Williams, and summoning Paul Lynde.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 286: Bonnie Hunt Mar 27, 2018

Always Meet Your Heroes.

Today Ken welcomes writer, director, actor, Bonnie Hunt to the show.

Ken and Bonnie discuss horse roommates, the huge deal of TV Guide, The Building, George Clooney, being a story teller, Bonnie's status as the first woman to write and star in her own show, ignorant innovation, Cheers, heart, the importance of Character, Don Lake, Bonnie, Life with Bonnie, refusing to recast, Chicago, Second City, improv, shooting in real time, Grand, Davis Rules, Jonathan Winters, taking three days off from being a cancer nurse to act in Rain Man, the writer's room, turning down Designing Women, Audrey Meadows, The Honeymooners, blue collar shows, coming from a big family, the pop culture shift from co-dependents to independents, Frankie, defense mechanisms, three camera sitcoms, SCTV, John Candy, Only the Lonely, Martin Short, the power of taking your second thought, the medicinal power of laughter, Mad Magazine, Fernwood 2 Night, believing in your crew, creating a good work environment, why dogs are the best, Don Lake, hiring a ghost writing staff, advice from Carl Reiner, Easter eggs, Topo's, late night movies with mom, setting a tone, making responsible entertainment, musicals, hate watching, lazy TV, Danse Macabre, It, Get Out, Carol O'Connor, keeping the old guys in, the sadness of the dog in Return to Me, Norman Lear, All in the Family, One Day at a Time, how life can change in a moment, respect and power of sincerity.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 285: Grayson Powell Mar 20, 2018

February 2-8, 1991

Today Ken welcomes Sundown actor Grayson Powell to the show.

Ken and Grayson discuss in-law deaths, growing up in South Carolina, improv, comedy festivals, second tier cities, Fred Armison, the horrors of auditions, playing Sam Malone in Cheers live on Stage, Will Ferrel bars, James Bond bars that aren't actual James Bond bars, Perry Mason, Murder She Wrote, a love of procedurals, scrambled adult content, Golden Girls, Designing Women, Oprah, Soap Operas, kid actors, Columbo, murders, Get a Life, a life with five channels, The X-Files, Metallica, going to college in NYC, meeting Dustin Hoffman, Tootsie, Dawson's Creek, Rescue 911, bizarre sports team names, a love of nature documentaries, and the failure of the original Flash.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 284: Susan Eisenberg Mar 12, 2018

Today Ken welcomes actor, fellow New Englander and Ken's favorite Wonder Woman Susan Eisenberg to the show.

Ken and Susan discuss growing up in Providence in the discount store business, doing radio ads, Walmart, Apex, growing up in a house with four sisters, Soap Operas, Soap Opera actors, John Wesley Ship, the unique fandom of soaps, major character recasts, Made for TV Movies, living in a television fantasy world, watching TVs with your mind, David Letterman, late night TV, The Tonight Show, Dick Cavett, Rhoda, Valerie Harper, Jewish characters on TV, the divorce of Rhoda on TV, receiving compliments, Lauren Bacall, The Kennedy Center Honors, voice over, stumbling on your favorite things, The Hollywood Hills, Wonder Woman, Class of 96, Lynda Carter, old show biz, Gal Gadot, Elizabeth Montgomery, hating the Darrens, Agnes Moorehead, Cher naturally flirting with Kermit the Frog, Brandon Tartikof, being a romantic, Family, A Year in the Life with Sarah Jessica Parker, Bridget Loves Bernie, hating being on camera, Fancy Feast, Lincoln Financial ads, St. Elsewhere and the weird loneliness of Los Angeles.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 283: Ryan Walsh II Mar 05, 2018

Today Ken welcomes BACK to the show Hallelujah the Hills frontman and author of the new book "Astral Weeks: The Secret History of 1968", Ryan Walsh to the show.

Ken and Ryan discuss going with it, Van Morrison, mobbed up record execs, Astral Weeks, Cambridge MA, Boston, Charley, The Thomas Crown Affair, Zabriskie Point, Mark Frechette, cat impressions, iRobot, Tampon ads, cats who can do 11 tricks, Racial tensions, James Brown, Kevin White, WGBH, The Newlywed Game, in the butt, makin' Whoopie, Shane MacGowan's Nips, pay offs, The Boston Tea Party, Don Rickles, The Cryptkeeper, X The Man with X-Ray Eyes, Star Search, Hollywood Palace, Bluebird, the birth of the ACLU, Variety Shows, America's first Elephant, the death of America's first elephant, Folk Guitar, Rat Patrol, tough choices for Roddy McDowell fans, LSD, Chicago Festival, the sounds of '68, Bill Cosby, Celebrity Billiards, Scottish Games, sponges, Dom DeLuise, The Flying Nun, Brookline Tennis, the strange history of Salem, MA, problems for married women, That Girl, sound FX CDs, fart machines, Halloween Sound FX tapes, Mexico, BUTTS, screwing, qware, Up With People and the sandwich police.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 282: Steven Weber Feb 26, 2018

February 16-22, 1974

Today Ken welcomes actor Steven Weber (Wings, Single White Female, The Shining) to the show.

Ken and Steven discuss growing up in Long Island City with all the Tonys, L.A. supermarkets, growing up around the Borscht Belt, Sinatra, The Love God, Car 54 Where Are You?, Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm, how Hollywood can sometimes make people a better person, Wings, dropping acid, the Hollywood hustle, combative stand up comedians, performing in Mama Mia at the Hollywood Bowl, Streets of San Francisco, Kirk and Michael Douglas, The Flamingo Kid, soap opera acting, serialized books, Stephen King, The Shining, Warren Magazines, Famous Monsters, Creepy, Eerie, Bernie Wrightson, playing JFK, being directed by Dario Argento, dubbing movies with Peter Fernandez, Q The Winged Serpent, Shampoo, Dragnet, old radio serials, the wonders of Roy on Wings, Jordan Marsh, Mick Garris, The Librarians, John Larroquette, The Marx Brothers, the Three Stooges, thanking someone for their work, Beatrice Straight from Network, the curse of The Steven Weber Show, celebrity viruses, Deep Space Nine, Blackula, William Marshall, Watchmen, Banachek, why George Peppard isn't a nice man, remaking the Brady Bunch as a Western Heist movie and Steven's connection to Toma's Tony Musante.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 281: Amanda Wyss Feb 20, 2018

Today Ken welcomes actor Amanda Wyss (Nightmare on Elm St., Better Off Dead, Fast Times at Ridgemont High) to the show.

Ken and Amanda discuss growing up in Manhattan (beach), sea side towns, a childhood of commercials, getting rides into Hollywood for auditions, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, working with Loni Anderson, Made for-TV movies, Better Off Dead, how great Curtis Armstrong's book is, being a film or a TV actor, Westerns, Silverado, watching old movies, The Brady Bunch, Shaun and David Cassidy, This House Possessed, Otherworld, Buck Rogers, Erin Gray, Star Trek, variety shows, watching a TV placed on top of a broken TV, Streets of San Francisco, Yvonne DeCarlo, John Wayne, Great Scott and Cathouse Thursday, the comprehensive credits in TV Guide, Planet of the Insects, the pace of television, playing Sharon Gless's niece of Cagney and Lacey, Eva Marie Saint, being a stage actor, the importance of rehearsal, the double edged sword of digital cinema, Wes Craven, Nightmare on Elm St, losing memorabilia when you sell a car, and the mystery of the "Beth" coat hangers from Better off Dead.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 280: Susannah Breslin Feb 13, 2018

September 25 - October 1, 1976

Today Ken welcomes writer Susannah Breslin to the show.

Ken and Susannah discuss being tall, Berklee, the odd isolation of neighborhoods, being anti-establishment, intellectualism, Charlie's Angels, hair goals, Farrah Fawcett, Jaqueline Smith, The Shazam Isis Hour, the original Saturday Night Live Not Ready for Prime Time Players, Dolly Parton's sisters, brunette as protest, The Jeffersons, Holmes and Yo-Yo, having four Real Dolls, how empathy can motivate you to do odd things, sex contracts, 20 years of covering the adult entertainment business, big budget pornography on Entertainment Tonight, sex robots, being a latch key kid, The 3:30 Movie, made for TV horror flicks, being on panel shows, Politically Incorrect, stand up comedy, being a control freak, The Post Feminist Playground, Jenna Jameson, The Mitchell Brothers, Roberta Findley, the false safety of parody, Star Trek, being in love with William Shatner, racist nerds, the varied experience exposure of television, Black Mirror, old man talk, hating progress, virtual reality, eXistenz, Little House on the Prairie, the horrifying mime episode, Monroe's assault on Too Close for Comfort, Johnny Cash, Variety Shows, Cherry 2000, Happy Days, Lavern and Shirley, Jackie Brown, The Golden Age, the long slow death of physical media, sad warehouses, looking for humanity, obscenity trials, the hunt for the most extreme, the President and the Porn Star, Japanese weirdness, pee pee tapes, connections made to be broken vs lack of connection made to be made, why Ken would never have Donald Trump on the show, being fueled by spite, what the hell the point of TV Guidance Counselor is, being sad to find out how lonely you were as a kid, but feeling happy when you realize you were alone together with a lot of other kids.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 279: Obehi Janice Feb 06, 2018

September 12-18, 1992 FALL PREVIEW ALERT!

Today Ken welcomes writer, actor and all around quality human being Obehi Janice to the show.

Ken and Obehi discuss Obehi's mic technique, Rugrats, Nigeria, Ken's love of Percey Rodriguez, how Jim and Pam can ruin insurance, Lowell, Jack Keroac's On the Road, going to boarding school in Greenfield, Brooklyn, Mill No. 5, Fanta, Nigerian Weddings, Nollywood, how comedy doesn't always translate, Haverhill, Riverdale, the weird nexus of pop culture that was 1992, having a real black night on a Saturday, Here and Now, Out All Night, Regina King, Malcom Jamal Warner's poetry, Boyz in the Hood, SNICK, Nevermind, Rober Urich, a cross country motorcycle trip, why there is always a God show, The Good Doctor, why autism shouldn't be used as magic, how the rise of nationally televised sports ruined America, niche programming, Mr. Rogers, Jim Henson, The Edge, In Living Color, Ken's love of Robert Townsend, SCTV, Spongebob, the early days of Reality TV, Great Scott, The Ben Stiller Show, Whoops!, Hanging with Mr. Cooper, Mad About You, Townies, loving Jenna Elfman, early bed times, Rags to Riches, ruining your eyes by reading in the dark, how the Bernie Mac Show is truly family friendly, the politics of drag and...(the recorder cuts out sadly, so the final 10-20 minutes of Ken and Obehi's chat have been lost to time)

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 278: Matt Nix Jan 30, 2018

February 14-20, 1981

Today Ken welcomes writer/showrunner Matt Nix to the show.

Ken and Matt discuss 1981, Palm Springs, being a latch key kid, making a case for your show, watching things you'd never have watched, The Brady Bunch, niche shared experiences, a 60 share, Cagney and Lacey, Knight Rider, laser seat belts, M*A*S*H, being devastated by a show's cancellation, never meeting your heroes, the wonder of Bruce Campbell, a passion for TV, being shocked at how much you watched, spec scripts for WKRP in Cincinnati, meeting Sid Caesar, Spenser for Hire, watching shows filmed, having hope, old school Hollywood Publicists, knowing someone will love the industry, wanting to write ALL the shows, creative compulsion, Starsky and Hutch, how action has changed, Burn Notice, The Gifted, The Comedians, hardcore sci-fi, tech, allegory, Black Mirror, eternal torture forever, wanting to be Tesla, The Arrival, executive personalities, being the smart kid who does everyone's chem homework, Easter Eggs for long time fans, comic books, how Lost salted the earth, why Espionage is not a genetic condition passed on to children, who Burned Michael?, what parts of classic TV promotion to blow up, how being a working actor is a blue collar, middle class hustle, Wonder Woman, Green Acres, Gilligan's Island, Barney Miller, Mad Magazine, the wonder of parody, cringe humor, people you don't like being mean to each other, The Waltons and why we need something like that now more than ever, Sanford & Son, aspirational vs. laugh at shows, The Famous Teddy Z, Picket Fences, Northern Exposure, the politics of television, and why you can't put monster truck tires on a BMW.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 277: Emily Ruskowski Jan 23, 2018

June 30 - July 6, 1984

Today Ken welcomes comedian Emily Ruskowski to the show. Ken and Emily discuss how Ken's house isn't hoardery, Emily's fears of certain houses in her outreach social work day job, bed bugs, hotels, the year you were born, Phoebe Cates in Lace, the early days of High Definition Television, Living Single, being scarred by Blue Lagoon, Brandon Tartikof's rescue of NBC, The New Show, Joan Collins, period pieces, John Walsh in America's Most Wanted, hitchhiking, running a woman over with your car, Spags, finding out "which one of you bitches is my mother", Grease 2, the sad end of Jeff Conway, Michelle Pfeiffer, vocational schools, tweens, the 90s, official Michael Jackson gloves, Octopussy, Cagney and Lacey, Newhart, cocaine, Joan Rivers, women in comedy, recasting The Golden Girls, Ken's husky childhood, JD Roth, Fun House, Finders Keepers, MTV News, Real People vs. That's Incredible!, Vanessa Williams, Night Court, talking people off of ledges, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Roseanne, Cheers, being a big Ted Danson fan, The Dukes of Hazard, Webster, Ben Vareen confusion, and how Emily might be the world's biggest and most unlikely Boss Hog fan.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 276: Brett Johnson Jan 16, 2018

July 6-12, 1996

Today Ken welcomes comedian Brett Johnson to the show.

Ken and Brett discuss Ken's stolen MIT Frat photo, all the strange stuff in Ken's house, the world's only just ok photo of Gillian Anderson, exclusive pull-outs, Dude Ranches, Lake George, growing up very religious, having your parents be in a cult, demonic roller coasters, spending High School in Kenya, Missionary tapes, McGee and Me, real life Mean Girls, D&D, Nu Metal CDs, The Gods Must be Crazy, being a TV Guide delivery boy, Zaboomafu, Wishbone, The Simpsons, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Indiana Jones knocking your teeth into your gums, Drew Carey Show, Who's Line is it Anyway?, The Bonnie Hunt Show, Monty Python, Mr. Bean, Coach, Unsolved Mysteries, Satanic Panic, Seinfeld, The Real World, Dream On, the nature of Documentary, Indonesia, Johnny Vegas: Who's Ready for Ice Cream?, TGIF, Step by Step, Family Matters, and the wonder of Don Johnson's Heartbeat.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 275: Valerie Tosi Jan 09, 2018

January 6-12, 2001

Today Ken welcomes comedian and voice of the Google Home Mini Valerie Tosi to the show.

(note, there is an audio issue with Valerie's mic for the first two minutes, but is resolved after that) Ken and Valerie discuss Lobster #2, The Garment District, fashion faux pas, tanning, gold hand me down prom dresses, Lynn Mass, Salisbury Beach, fighting robbers, being covered in Blood, Ken breaking a heroin dealer's fingers, calling the F.B.I., Sophomore year of High School, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the WB, The X-Files, Roswell, SNICK, hanging chads, TV Guide snark, pre-9/11 2001 mindsets, Ralph Nader's sex appeal, Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire?, all inclusive Mexican resorts, not flying until you're 30, having a Boston Red Sox tattoo, Jim Gaffigan's sitcom "Welcome to New York", Richard Hatch, Catherine Zeta Jones, the Mini Driver of the year vs. the Minnie Driver of the year, Geena Davis' nipples, Al Gore, Heather Locklear, Kelsey Grammer as McBeth, Brad Renfro's grand theft incident, Survivor, Jizzled Jawed Greg, Temptation Island, Mark L. Wahlberg, the value of a Dr. Evil Doll, This Old House, nailin' boards, The Golden Girls house, visiting shooting locations, The Sports Page starring Bob Newhart, The People's Choice Awards, Bette Midler, loving Anna Torv, Fringe, blackmailing Dana Gould, and giving up on Supernatural.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 274: Nick Prueher & Joe Pickett (Found Footage Festival) Jan 02, 2018

Today Ken welcomes the men behind the Found Footage Festival, Nick Prueher and Joe Pickett.

Ken, Nick and Joe discuss Laura Palmer's corpse, revisiting your childhood home, Moonlighting, Cybil Sheppard, silk sheets, Divorced Dad Horny, tape trading, the Found Footage Festival, Waterbeds, News Bloopers, Joan Collins, angry "No"s, Silver Spoons, Beastmaster, HBO, Very Special Episodes, Diff'rent Strokes, Growing Pains, Mr. Belvedere, The Amish, thirtysomething, Sisters, Revenge of the Nerds, Tim Busfield, The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Punky Brewster, the mystery of Jeremy Reems, Hal Sparks' Treasure Mall, having Ken's Dad on the show, Bozo the Clown, seeing eye ducks, turning garbage into gasoline, Shelly Duval, Herve Valechez, Fairy Tail Theater, bloopers, Newhart, Good Day LA, SCTV's Cinemax season, the Batan Death March's relation to dog fashion shows, black boxes, foxy boxing, the depressing fear of The Incredible Hulk, The Hulk Out List, beauty pageants, Gimme a Break, hypnosis, Family Ties, Carol Burnett on Magnum P.I., Jake and the Fatman, William Conrad getting no respect, Benson, Child's Play the Game Show, Webster, and why "Step by Step" plays in the Sacred Hour.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 273: Dave Brusie Dec 26, 2017

November 14-20, 1987

Today Ken welcomes writer Dave Brusie to the show.

Ken and Dave discuss Cheers, Rebecca vs. Diane, the socio-economic hierarchy of Cheers, academia, nicknames, Sledgehammer, the weirdness you missed, Small Wonder, The Edge, The Simpsons, David Merkin, being banned from In Living Color, parental rules, Troll Book Club vs. Scholastic Book Club, Elementary School, specialization, The Facts of Life, Sherrie Krenn/Austin, Golden Girls, Amen, Empty Nest, The News Adventures of Beans Baxter, Comic Relief, tape trading, being on a Gameshow, Celebrity Jeopardy, Newhart, major cast replacements, Family Ties, loving Michael J. Fox, the underrated comedic chops of Justine Bateman, Moonlighting, John Cleese, The Muppets, Muppet Babies, showing your kids things you loved as a kid, current kids' shows, Puffin Rock, Mr. Rogers, Just the Ten of Us, the early days of Saved by the Bell, Teacher Shows, The Charmings, Night Court, The Cosby Show, Mr. Belvedere, why there are always Hospital shows, and interviewing Big Bird.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 272: Ella Morton Dec 19, 2017

July 27 - August 2, 1996

Today Ken welcomes writer and personality Ella Morton (Atlas Obscura) to the show.

Ken and Ella discuss Boston's strange museums, ether dome, The Maparium, growing up in Australia, going to high school in Dallas TX, why TV lockers give you a false sense of hope, Dynasty, Beverly Hills 90210, The X-Files, John Safran, America's short lived obsession with Australia, cultural views of blackface, Michael Crawford on Some Mothers do 'ave em, hoping they might kiss, technology driven fan communities, online message boards, Xena, She Wolf of London, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Millenium, The Lone Gunmen, New Zealand, Peter Jackson, Forgotten Silver, Salem MA's weird tourist history, The Nanny, Round the Twist, sleazy three camera sitcoms, live episodes, musical episodes, The Drew Carey Show, how the main characters getting together ruins the show, Cheers, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Comic Books, Stephen Hawking, The Simpsons, Chris Carter's transgressions, Fish Police, My Two Dads, Kate and Allie, Women in Prison, learning how to be a better you through Captain Picard's example on Star Trek The Next Generation, The Howling III, Peter Boyle, why it's weird for teachers to hang out with their students, why it's irresponsible to let someone watch Battlestar Gallactica alone, Xena as pride, Sydney, how Halloween isn't a thing outside the US, Australian news bloopers, and why Ken won't shut the hell up about Fringe.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 271: Sam Walsh Dec 12, 2017

September 19-25, 1998

Today Ken welcomes friend and quality human being Sam Walsh to the show.

Ken and Sam talk about lost recordings, the best Quaid, Innerspace, being attacked by dogs, having a "sausage pockets" look, Teenie Drinks, lactose intolerance, the odd relationship of Asian people and dairy products, Home Improvement, Tim Allen's wooden suit, Tool Time ladies, Chevy Chase, Fox's Target America, being horrified of America's Most Wanted, being murdered, growing up in Boston, being a Vietnamese immigrant, Everybody Loves Raymond, Ken's love of Jim Belushi, Russians on TV, The Miss America Pageant, Sci-Fi Channel movies, Dog Soldiers as formula, Weird Al, Florence Henderson, "Holding the Baby", The Simpsons, Mystery Files of Shelby Woo, Two Fat Ladies, 90s actors in 21st Century Religious films, WCW/WWF Monday Night wars, Ken's fear of mirrors in dark rooms, why Howard the Duck may be the best Marvel movie, Messiah of Evil, Penn & Teller, loving magic, Bram Stoker's Dracula, annoying actors, Mr. Bill hosting Mr. Bean, Mad About You, Blank Check, Third Rock from the Sun, UHF, Newsradio, Executive Decision, Steven Segal bait and switch, Fraiser, Booker T, Fright Night, sabotaging a roller coaster, going full TGIF, Frank Whaley, Dennis Farrena, Michael McKeon, and loving the Little League World Series.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 270: Andrew Durso Dec 05, 2017

February 16-22, 2002

Today Ken welcomes comedian Andrew Durso to the show.

Ken and Andrew discuss fine sodas, Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise, MMA, aspiring rappers, why sports fans are the new nerds, Professional Wrestling, NASCAR, Dale Earnhardt, robot fighting, Ken's love of Winona Ryder, Cops, America's Most Wanted, SNICK, Extreme Sports, The Undertaker, Limp Bizkit, Wilfred Brimley's executioner status, Beavis & Butthead, Nicktoons, being obsessed with "Log", Somerville pizza, Buffy, Bernie Mac, sinking subs, Justin Timberlake, Mermaids, Japanese Wrestling, the dark times of music of the early 00s, Undeclared, That 80s Show, Competitive Eating, fighting a reversal, creepy swingers, Stonecutters tattoos, David Cronenberg's later career, WCW movies, Ready to Rumble, The War at Home, Weakest Link, Mad TV, Friday Twang, Jason X, anime, pre-Power Rangers Power Rangers, 8mm, Making the Band, weird couple combinations on Friends, and celebrity weddings.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 269: Josh Caterer (The Smoking Popes) Nov 27, 2017

October 20-26, 1979

Today Ken welcomes musician Josh Caterer (The Smoking Popes, Duval) to the show.

Ken and Josh discuss early afternoon punk rock matinees, WKRP in Cincinnati, shows evolving past their pilot episodes, gay characters on television, Barney Miller, The NEW WKRP, Hugh Wilson, The Famous Teddy Z, Bait and Switch, KISS, The Clash, Andy Capp, loving substance abusers, Cheers, anti-authoritarians, punk rock on TV, Dragnet, Mr. Rogers, a life of kindness, cycles of maturity, not enjoying life until you are about 30, The Brady Bunch, Jim Henson, The Museum of the Moving Image, The Monkees, The Young Ones, The New Monkees, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Ted Knight, why you can't argue with Cloris Leachman, rock music on TV, having a lifelong passion for music, culture clashes, Sylvia Sidney, Doctor Who, Tom Baker, appreciating a slowness in visual media, hindsight, What's New Pussycat?, wanting to be Peter O'Toole, Twin Peaks, hating Twin Peaks: The Return, why Cheers may be the best theme song, David Lynch's body of work, The Straight Story, Better Call Saul, and why The Twilight Zone made a generation of people better people.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 268: Michael Chiklis & Ryan Hurst LIVE! at Denver Comic Con Nov 24, 2017

It's a Thanksgiving Leftover Special!

Two chats left over from this Summer's Denver Comic Con.

First up chats with Michael Chiklis. Ken and Michael chat Miami Vice, art thieves, The Comish, The Shield, Fantastic Four, the horrors of being trapped in "The Thing" costume, Gotham, Donal Logue, being a team oriented actor, trying to make people think and feel, panel wars, the grey area in law enforcement, Purgatory, and a possible Shield reunion.

Next Ken talks to Ryan Hurts (Sons of Anarchy). Ken and Ryan discuss Saved by the Bell the New Class, being a second generation actor, being an ambiguous character, improv, Men in Dresses, having your own wolf pack, motorcycles, loving stand up, character actors, Robin Williams, Ron Pearlman, Punch Line, Ghost Rider, collecting comics, Paul Chadwick's Concrete, Werewolves on Wheels, and a possible SoA prequel.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 267: Josh Hadley Nov 21, 2017

October 17-23, 1987

Today Ken welcomes writer and cult personality Josh Hadley to the show. Ken and Josh discuss time travel, the golden age of pay cable movies, 8 Million Ways to Die, 9 Deaths of the Ninja, Citizen Kane, Return of the Living Dead, Emmanuel, Skinemax, Beastmaster, reality TV, hoarding, Chicago, Wisconsin, butter burgers, Central time, bedtimes, pre-Prime Time, Tales from the Darkside, Freddy's Nightmares, Friday the 13th The Series, bad Star Trek, good Star Trek, having a thing for Jo on Facts of Life, Spenser for Hire, Hawk, Werewolf, being terrified of Chuck Connors, Entertainment Weekly, Fangoria, Hunter, The New WRKP, Cop Killer, The New Twilight Zone, Small Wonder, She's the Sheriff, Neo-Nazi groups, Peter Weller, Frank's Place, Morton Downey Jr, Geraldo, Cropsey, The Day My Kid Went Punk, Quincy Punx, Crime Story, Gregory Hines: Action Star, Wolfen, First and Ten, HBO getting greedy after the OJ Simpson Trial, Ray Bradbury Theater, Monsters, Night Court, Headbangers Ball, MTV's The Cutting Edge, Miami Vice "The Big Thaw", and the hypocrisy of undercover reporting circa 1987.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 266: Michael Ian Black (MIB II) Nov 16, 2017

June 23-28, 1978

HOMECOMING WEEK! Ken welcomes back Michael Ian Black to the show.

Ken and Michael discuss the Eastern Block part of Boston, Mexican Ice Cream Parlors Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles events, marching in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, VTRs, renting the Blues Brothers because your father passed away, censored State sketches, performing in an arena, Scientology, cults, Awards Ceremonies, Laurie Metcalf, they/them vs. him/her, Rhoda, the horrors of Valerie's firing from Valerie, Baseball, unplugging from the horrors of today, Trump, MSNBC, Chris Mathews, Airplane, Wet Hot American Summer, bowling, and the wonders of news bloopers.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 265: John Hodgman II The Return Nov 13, 2017

May 31 - June 8, 1980

Ken welcomes back to the show TV Guidance Counselor Legend John Hodgman.

Ken and John discuss dream jobs, The Coolidge Corner Theater, Vacationland, Boston, Halloween Specials, Rosemary's Baby, all night movie marathons as a kid, The Evil Dead, The Movie Loft, Friday the 13th, Dana Hersey, The Canned Film Fest, being an only child, having your own apartment in your parents' house, Weird Al Yankovic being the best, The Big Slick in Kansas City, levels of fame, Paul F. Tompkins's bit, leaving it all on the field, true showmanship, Levar Burton's secrets, Bozo the Clown, Candlepins for Cash, passive aggressive gameshow hosts, being embarrassed to be on TV, SCTV, Sale of the Century, Robert Urich, Vegas, artwork of yourself, when Flash Gordon fought the Incredible Hulk, Robert McKenzie's love of Here's Boomer, Jeff Goldblume's jazz show, Bart Braverman, Wednesdays, Happy Days, Zoom, The Gong Show, Oingo Boingo, Doctor Who, WGBX 44, You Wrote It You Watch It, Sha Na Na, the LIVE! event at the Coolidge Corner, being pressed for time, Daniel Kitson, John's Book, having a show on WMFO as a teenager, Harold and Maude, celebrity encounters, Roger Corman's love of free popcorn, The Gone with the Wind basement, Stop Making Sense, stalking celebrities, John's boat, city vs. country, why Mainers want to be left alone, phone calls from David Horowitz, snap judgement, questions for John, Ken's old punk band, becoming a writer, ukuleles, Roadrunner and standing ovations.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 264: Gaby Dunn & Allison Raskin Nov 07, 2017

June 12-18, 1999

Today Ken welcome authors, media personalities and best friends Gaby Dunn and Allison Raskin to the show.

Ken, Gaby and Allison discuss how busy everyone is, Ken's first meeting with Allison, hitting, weird parts of Boston, segregation, ethnic neighborhoods, fear of the turn of the Millennium, Y2K vs Billy Joel, Star Wars, found footage media, I Hate Everyone But You, Blair Witch Project, kicking a map, horror movies, The Thing, Growing Pains Leo, Splice, Joe Bob Briggs' #1 rule of horror, The Faculty, Stephen King's Danse Macabre, Ken's coffee covered Wonder Woman shirt, SpiceWorld, Eddie Murphy, how Ginger Spice led to a generation of bi-women, UK album charts, Willenium, falling off a horse, BMG, Martial Law, Walker Texas Ranger, NYPD Blue, Golden Girls, watching Zach and Mira with your mom, Dads and Sex In the City, watching Animal House with your Rabbi, All That, The Crow TV series, hypernesia, Marilu Henner, MTV's Undressed, the wonders of the movie "Freeway", Zoe Duncan Jack and Jane, Everybody Loves Raymond, Men of a Certain Age, arguing about who played Zombies in Night of the Living Dead, Friends of Eddie Coyle, how a folded vs rolled movie poster can tell you a lot, collecting comic books, taxidermy, Beaver Lamps, Spring Break, Florida, bikers vs frat dudes, Strangers with Candy, South Park, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, hating hi-fives, falling asleep during True Romance, Road Rules, awards shows, when Ricky Martin could fly, Jennifer Lopez's Waiting for Tonight, Spin City, Fraiser, loving David Hyde Pierce, being very badly hurt, aliens, and secret Bat Mitzvah themes.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 263: Jay Larson Oct 31, 2017

May 31 to June 6, 1986

Today Ken welcomes actor comedian Jay Larson to the show.

Ken and Jay discuss Jay's hometown, Reids, WKRP, having every comedian from Stoneham, Mario Cantone, Nancy Kerrigan, MacGuyver, suburban ingenuity, woods porn, being a Navy man, growing up with cable, growing up with a single mom, being shocked that CNN existed as long as it has, This Old House, Hugh Howser's California Gold, Best Bars in America, loving Portland, Mr. Sunshine, swingers, actors never being blamed for bad comedy, thinking George Clooney is Schneider, doing audience warm up, The Dating Game, "in the butt", Love Boat, loving TV houses, Golden Girls, horny old ladies, 227, Magnum PI, a fascination with guest houses, beach culture, Fight Back! with David Horowitz, Full House, the Olsen Twins, Joel McHale, Scarecrow and Mrs. King, You Again with John Stamos, Valerie's Family, Jay's role in Twin Peaks: The Return, auditioning for David Lynch, owls, Jim Belushi, Barney Miller, Newhart, Who's the Boss, child actors, Growing Pains, wanting to live about a garage, kitchen greenhouses, loving a home office, Moonlighting, BMW 635 CSI, always wanting a leather jacket, the Amish, St. Elsewhere, Mark Harmon, Cosby, disappointing series endings, Family Ties, Michael J Fox being the best guy, the Keaton's griddle, The Celtics, the Bruins, Webster, The Papadopolis' Class Doored fridge, Mr. Belvedere sitting on his own balls and how 70s television may have been more enlightened than today's television.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 262: 2017 Halloween Special with Sam Furst and Rachel Reid Oct 25, 2017

For our annual Halloween special Ken welcomes returning guest Sam Furst (Monsters are Good) and surprisingly first time guest Rachel Reid (Ken's wife) to discuss the long thought lost made-for-TV Nickelodeon movie Cry Baby Lane, which aired on October 28, 2000.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 261: Stephen Bissette Halloween Oct 24, 2017

Today Ken welcomes author, artist, and personal hero Stephen Bissette to the show.

Ken and Steve discuss Kukla, Fran and Ollie, Medic, Davey Crocket phases, Disney Halloween, Donald Duck, witches, Green Acres, Mr. Peepers, Dick Van Dyke Show, Elizabeth Montgomery, TV Guide covers, the 1950s, Dr. Syn The Scarecrow, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Jeff Goldblum as Ichabod Crane, Dick Smith's Dorian Gray, David Suskind, Secret Agent Man, Patrick MacGoohan, Captain Clegg, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Mr. Boogedy, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Red Skelton's Halloween episodes, Vincent Price, Boris Karloff's crossdressing role on Honey West, Star Trek Halloween, Famous Monsters, Make Room for Daddy, having a pumpkin stuck on your head, scary Cheetah masks, raising hell with teens, Night of the Living Dead, Dusk til dawn Drive-In marathons, Twilight Zone marathons and why John Carpenter's Halloween is still the best Halloween media.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 260: Lydia Lunch and Weasel Walter Oct 20, 2017

Today Ken welcomes author, poet, artist, musician and force of nature Lydia Lunch along with her musical partner in crime Weasel Walter.

Ken, Lydia and Walter discuss monsters, Godzilla, being picky about horror, real life horror, In a Glass Cage, Singapore Sling, Intacto, The Deuce, the early 70s New York City, Scorese films, running away from home, David Bowie, The New York Dolls, Chicago, auditioning for The Shining, swinging disco clubs, dreams of living in a bus, Dark Shadows, SNL, Gilda Radner as Patti Smith, The Harlem Globetrotters visit Gilligan's Island, Jaws, Quincy Punks, hating punk, covering bad songs, cursed covers, The Facts of Life, Horace & Pete, hating laugh tracks, Cheers, Diff'rent Strokes' Mr Bicycle Man episode, Good Times, Suzanne Somers, thighs, vibrated foods, Markie Post, Linda Blair, going to shows for your career, the golden age of pills in the 70s, being on the cover of TV Guide with Penn & Teller, Don't Fear the Reaper, Big Little Liars, OA, Legion, mental illness on TV, creeps, TV Theme Songs, Red Kross cover of The Good Times theme, retrovirus, and loving Eric Andre's chaos and destruction.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 259: Zoe Quinn Oct 17, 2017

May 30-June 5, 2004

Today Ken welcomes game designer, comedian and author Zoe Quinn.

Ken and Zoe talk about Starbucks, logs with jobs, growing up in a motorcycle shop, being old beyond your childhood, wolfmen, monsters, deep nerd technicalities, Dungeon Masters, Teen Wolf, Michael J. Fox, Gillian Anderson, growing up in rural New York, driving a $200 hillbilly car to Florida, Boomerang, feeling old, I Dream of Jeanie vs Bewitched, latch key kids, socializing on the internet, calling yourself in sick, racking up 900 number bills, Yahoo Pool, Net Zero discs, original Gameboy, things falling off a truck, the golden age of Mom and Pop Video Game instruction booklets, Kids in the Hall, moving to Toronto, Twitch City, Little Shop of Horrors, punk rock, Insomniac, Pawn Stars, hosting a travel show, the appeal of open world games, Comedy in Video Games, Fallout, Boston Open World Games, being mechanically inclined, deconstructing TV remotes, original Star Trek, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Teen Titans, comic books, Avery Brooks, world building, The Addams Family, Batman the Animated Series, X-Men, game recommendations, finding out you are the monster, Space Camp, Most Extreme Elimination Challenge vs. Takashi's Castle, trying too hard, wanting to be a comedian for free tomatoes, Last Comic Standing, Grant Morrison, and the long strange history of Spider-Man movies.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 258: Joe Wong Oct 10, 2017

Today Ken welcomes old friend and big star Joe Wong to the show.

Ken and Joe discuss how Boston has changed, how long it's been since Ken has seen Joe, doing comedy in English in China, public loud speaker TV, cross talk, pirate radio, Cyndi Lauper, Stephen Cow, Hong Kong vs. Mainland China, The Comedy Studio, moving to Texas for college, Growing Pains in China, All American Girl, Margaret Cho, Joe's TV show in China, State Run Media, how people access media in China, investigative reporting, how the internet is replacing TV, Korean Soaps, sitcoms, Mary Tyler Moore, Joe's past as a Chemist, Breaking Bad, mailing drugs, skipping school to go to video parlors, Hong Kong comedy, the working middle class of China, Joan Chen, Off the Boat, Crouching Tiger, David Letterman, Joe's status as a big deal in China, working the red carpet, product endorsement, political ads, performing at the White House Corespondents Dinner, meeting Joe Biden, making 50 Cent made, violent Chinese kids' cartoons, Sex vs. Violence on TV, and being watched by a hundred million people on television.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 257: Garrett Wang Oct 05, 2017

In this episode recorded live at Denver Comic Con Ken welcomes Garrett Wang (Star Trek Voyager) to the show.

Ken and Garrett discuss George Takai, DragonCon, going from fan to being the head of TrekTrack, CosPlay, Miss Star Trek Universe, Ensign Kim, Rich Little, being an impressionist, Kate Mulgrew, loving Star Wars, LL Cool JJ "martinating", UPN, being kept from the bathroom, stealing stuff from the set, having second hand Data clothes, other people owning your uniform, games played on set, how Tim Russ is a real life Vulcan, training to press buttons, seeing the worst episode of Star Trek The Next Generation over and over again, All American Girl, Asians on US TV, James Hong, why he never got a promotion on Star Trek, Handsome Kim, a history of failed relationships, farting the original Star Trek theme, and being dumbfounded by Sigourney Weaver.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 256: Kendra Cunningham Oct 03, 2017

October 6-12, 1984

Today Ken welcomes comedian Kendra Cunningham to the show.

Ken and Kendra discuss communist dance troupes, growing up in Milton, Dorchester, moving to the Cape, NKOTB, Pretty Boys, Chess King, Maurice the Pants Man, Brockton, Casey Affleck's Dunkin Donuts ad, wearing purple velvet, Leah Remeny, Paper Dolls, models, Love Boat, cocaine, cruise ships, Lifestyle of the Rich and Famous, Fatal Vision, Sweeps Week, Gin Blossoms, Carl Malden, Shelly Long, Cheers, Joan Rivers, Late Night Shows, Arsenio Hall, SNL, Stand Up Comedy, Bloopers and Practical Jokes, Richard Simmons, why Ken wants to mostly sit at home and watch movies with his Poodle, getting stuck in Jan Brady Voice, Kendra's sing speak, Ryan O'Neal, Killing Klaus Kinski, John Ritter's Wardrobe malfunction, Judith Light, World's Funniest Commercials, The Amnityville Horror, Spontaneous Human Combustion, Ball Lighting, In Search Of..., Arthur and Arthur II: On the Rocks, Parasitic Twins, New Edition, and Little People tough guys of Boston.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 255: Lane Moore Sep 28, 2017

March 7-14, 1998

Today Ken welcomes comedian, writer, musician and all around entertainer Lane Moore to the show.

Ken and Lane discuss being a 90s kid, feeling old, Dawson’s Creek, the shift in morality in a short amount of time, collecting ‘em all, being a sophisticated adult discussing movies, New York City, the shocking nature of MTV’s NEXT, Brittney vs. Christina, loving Buffy, why the TV Guide may be the only normal thing in childhood for many of us, smooth operators from Denver, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, SNICK, All That, being confused by Ren & Stimpy, doing comedy to meet women and vice versa, Amanda Bynes, being part of someone’s childhood, getting recognized in public, Alan Strange, the wonders of Awards shows, writing songs for your cat, Crybaby, being a serious musician but a funny comedian, loving pop culture, MTV, interviewing Ani DiFranco, writing for major magazines as an outsider, Saved by the Bell, writing TV Theme songs, how California Dreams can change your life, Clueless and the childhood depression fueled by there being nothing to watch at 9:30pm.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 254: Jo Firestone Sep 26, 2017

May 15 - 21, 1993

Today Ken welcomes writer/comedian Jo Firestone to the show.

Sitting on a concrete staircase in Harvard Square in Cambridge, MA Ken and Jo discuss being very tired, nap stations, closing time at Cheers, when people get together how it ruins things, hope, The Courtship of Eddie's Father, The Dead Kennedys, step-singers, updating Wikipedia, seasons changing, Pappy's St. Louis BBQ, Pizza based improve, Matlock, Andy Griffith, escapism, horror of nature, Disney's Lemmings, COPS, renting SNICK, The Adventures of Pete and Pete, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Death Becomes Her, She-Devil, Roseanne, dumb parents on kids TV shows, The Simpsons, seeing people you know on TV, gameshows, amateur magicians, Punderdome, Square Dancing on TV, Murder She Wrote, hiding Klondike bars behind a false wall, The Kids in the Hall, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, replacing actors, Shelly Long, Troop Beverly Hills, Hello Again, Blossom, getting concreted out, Flight of the Navigator, the mind blowing revelation that ET is all of us, Rescue 911, getting "stuck" in a hot tub, women in stand up, Coach vs. Woody, when the dumb character can be way too dumb, the Simpsons, and Sharon Stone's bath problems.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 253: Sean McCarthy Sep 19, 2017

October 22-28, 1983

Today Ken welcomes journalist, comedian and head honcho at The Comics Comic, Sean McCarthy.

Ken and Sean discuss Sean's jetsetting lifestyle, business cards, the tunnels under Northeastern University, Remington Steele, Mr. Smith, bad reporting on AIDS, growing up in CT, four Worcesters, sports Man Caves, Lynn, Defunct Sports teams, betting on horses, James Bond, classic Halloween costumes, Cabbage Night, Diff'rent Strokes, cable boxes, Bizarre, Silver Spoons, The Third Eye on Nickelodeon, being mistaken for Zach Galifinakis, the Elks, bonerless Love Boat, Fantasy Island, CBS, Alice, ignoring Knight Rider, being a child of the 70s during the 80s, Midnight Run vs Midnight Express, Goodnight Beantown, Gail King, Football, SNL, Loren Michaels New Show, dirty joke books, the return of Richie Cunningham to Happy Days, Cocoon vs. Slash, 80s old people, Oh! Madeline, Real People, the Sci-Fi Ball, Elvira, the P.A. based beginnings of Sean's broadcasting career, Guiness Book of World Records, Facts of Life, Dom Delouise as a vigilante, Joey Lawrence's Gimme a Break debut, Mama's Family, We Got it Maid, Hunter, Sliders, Remote Control, latch key kids, Celtics season opener, It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, Garfield on the Town, short person solidarity, and Ken's love of Jennifer Slept Here.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 252: Danny & Mike (Pete & Pete) and Billy West Sep 14, 2017

In this episode recorded live at Gary Sohmer's South Coast Comic Con at a long closed JC Penny at the Hanover Mall Ken welcomes Pete & Pete, Danny Tamberelli and Michael C Marona.

Ken, Danny and Mike discuss Pete and Pete reunions, nostalgia, The Beach Boys, US Patents, All That, Figured it Out, Nickelodeon, Tool & Die, Halloweenie, Mr. Slurm, Hal Hartley, Bacon Neck, Steve Buscemi, the Tarantino crossover, Inspector 34, Janitors, how Hunter S. Thompson was NOT on The Adventures of Pete and Pete, Colombo, Home Alone, the lost Adventures of Pete & Pete Season 3 DVD set, setting fires, exploding honey bears, Slackers, Puppetry of the Penis, Suck/Jerk/Weed, Werewolf, the perils of Music Rights, Snow Dya and the wonders of Undressed.

Ken then welcomes Billy West to the stage to discuss Nick in the 90s along with Danny and Mike. They discuss Love and Rockets, the burping room, Toby Huss, MTV promos, the origins of Ren & Stimpy, Moxie, Malort, rejected scenes, censored scenes, sharing and office with the State, cosplaying, and getting into the voice over business.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 251: Lizz Winstead Sep 12, 2017

November 19-24, 1978

Today Ken welcomes writer, comedian, and world changer Lizz Winstead (The Daily Show) to the show.

Ken and Lizz discuss hotel based Pink Floyd listening sessions, hating the Doors, being non-parented in a chaotic household, growing up in Minneapolis, Husker Du, Prince, being roommates with Soul Asylum, life on the road for comics and bands, Boston's fantastic indie radio scene, when WMBR became WTBS, moving to San Francisco, Dana Gould, Kevin Meaney, Bobcat's on stage garage sale, Tales of the City, being babysat by the TV because you are the responsible kid, late night horror movies, Elvira, SCTV, Women of the Night hosted by Andrea Martin, The Holy City Zoo, how a rant about a terrible one night leads to career success, Robin Williams, Louie Anderson, setting up Roseanne and Tom, when Roseanne and Tom steal your car for three days, growing up with a parent who is a bookie, being tattoo-less, Foreign Lobbyists on TV, The Bible on TV, David Brinkley, JFK, why does TV Guide exist now?, Eleanor Roosevelt's articles in TV Guide, Crossword Puzzles, TV Bib, all the great white male heroes of the Bible, Pink Lady and Jeff, Cloris Leachman's Pilgrim show, the horror of Small Wonder, It's About Time, being terrified of space, Croissant talk, That Girl, loving the news as a kid, woman hating teaching advice, finding other girls who have your interests, the death of sideshows, why taking your country back is silly, taking vs sharing, good vs evil, It's a Wonderful Life, not being able to not be reflective, Fringe, appointment television, a tattoo of tattoo, gold tattoos, The Wizard of Oz, The Lady Parts Justice League, Variety Shows, The Monkees, The Beatles Cartoon, Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids, and loving Prince.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 250: Larry Murphy Sep 05, 2017

October 3-9, 1981

Today Ken welcomes actor, comedian, voice man Larry Murphy (Delocated, Assy McGee, Bob's Burgers) to the show.

Ken and Larry discuss Ken's strange house, growing up with 6 kids in the family, Jiffy Pop, microwave popcorn cancer, saying "weird" too much, Fall Preview, Manimal, lunchbox decisions, Sleestacks, Land of the Lost, Esperanto, second guessing the decision to show your kids Harry Potter, Uncle Granpa, being scared of production company idents, Embassy Pictures, MTM, Newhart, Valerie Bertinelli, Van Halen, David Lee Roth, Walt Disney, Herbie the Love Bug, In Search of. The Amnityville Horror House, The Mandrell Sisters, The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Tattoo replacement, racist and insensitive candy, video store hustle, dirty video stores, Eddie Murphy on SNL, talking animal chairs, ChPs, the golden age of stunts, wrestling snakes, Alice, Gambling problems, why cartoons can still be Blue Collar, King of the Hill, Bob's Burgers, Natures wrath as Xmas Ornaments, Mt. St. Helen's, Tiger Woods on That's Incredible at 5 years old, Helen Hunt as Kathy Miller, Monkey bartenders, Them Duke Boys, Three's Company, The Beverly Hillbillies Return, Real People, WKRP in Cincinnati, Two Parters, Alex Rocco, Facts of Life, Friends of Eddie Coyle, loving Robert Mitchum, Mork & Mindy get married, Bosom Buddies, and the Incredible Hulk Out List.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 249: Kenice Mobley Aug 29, 2017

June 19 - 25, 1999

Today Ken welcomes podcaster and comedian Kenice Mobley to the show.

Kenice and Ken discuss Oak Grove's Eastern Block aesthetic, the beige age, Charlotte North Carolina, Sleep Walk peeing, Secret restaurants, going into production, "Bougie", Ken's incredible whiteness, Dawson's Creek, racism, racism, dead dogs, 1999 vs. 2004, being an identical twin, Sister Sister, hunting Nazis, Brazilian twin villages, family meals, Rugrats, SNICK, All That!, Marshall Law staring Sammo Hung, teaching Arsenio Hall Kung Fu, Hurricanes, waiving a sportspass, Mya vs. Aayliah, Behind the Music, E! True Hollywood Stories, TNT's Priates of Silicon Valley, how hoodies can equal death, aglets, X-Files, That 80s Show, punk rock, High School Jock Culture, Columbine, Ally McBeal, mud wrestling, Yelp! Reviews of Adult Businesses, Third Rock from the Sun, Eliza Dushku, Newsradio, Spin City, Heather Locklear, blondes vs brunettes, X-Games, dicks, strong thighs, gymnasts, Sportsnight, My Father the Hero, Dawson's Creek, Annette Funicello, David Cassidy, meeting Matthew Perry, the wonders of studio lots, TRL, Will & Grace, The PJs, the wonders of children's weirdness, KABLAAM!, Unsolved Mysteries, and why looking at everything as a dark comedy is the right approach.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 248: Mercedes McNabb and James Marsters Aug 25, 2017

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 247: Joe List Aug 22, 2017

March 27 - April 2, 1993

Today Ken welcomes old friend, comedian Joe List to the show.

Ken and Joe discuss Joe's fancy hotel room, Joe's gay family, shirts vs. skins, black hair, chocolate chips, used cars, flaming roller coasters, The Oscars, Billy Crystal, Boston punching, getting pro Trump abuse on Twitter, being an undercover thief for Sears, Beavis and Butthead, Cops, Brittany Murphy, Empty Nest, Point Break, Near Dark, Ken's love of Kathryn Bigelow, The Hitcher, Mad About You, Seinfeld, In Living Color, having more than one family at a time, crying at movies, Schindler's List, Sunday nights vs Saturday nights, Steven Segal movies, boobies on VHS, Houdini's mistakes, Ricky Jay, Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, The Wonder Years, Coach, being a sports guy, being invaded by pornography shops, cuban cigars, Step by Step, Shelley Long, and bookending your week with Silence of the Lambs.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 246: Steve Bannos Aug 15, 2017

Today Ken welcomes writer, actor Steve Bannos (Freaks & Geeks) to the show.

Ken and Steve discuss their mutual collecting bug, Flea Markets, Brimfield, Boston in the 80s, stand up comedy, Chicago, Mark of the Devil Barf Bags, The Combat Zone, TV Wheel, Judd Apatow, Night After Night with Alan Havey, The Higgins Boys and Gruber, Greek fry cooks, Gyros, Paul Feig, "The Ranch", Freaks & Geeks, the missing Missing Bus script, 7 Minutes in Heaven, rigging spin the bottle, Meet the Applegates, working in the art department, Zapped II, Linda Blair, carrying the cross on Madonna's Like a Prayer, Mary Lambert, 80s coke sets, Dana Gould, horror hosts, Svenghouli, Channel 32, growing up a make up geek, Planet of the Apes, when Mr. Rogers hulked out, Rebecca Staab, Doomed! The Roger Corman Fantastic Four movie, regrettable roles, keeping your shirt on, Ghostbusters, Garfield Goose, Wacky Races, Fraiser Thomas, Looney Toons, a TV education, Night Flight, Marvel Monsters, Tremors, being haunted by the Exorcist without having seen it, writing tag lines for movies, Percy Rodriguez, making the poster, a 70s set Ghost Rider movie, structured family TV time, watching TV during dinner, stealing from Vaudeville, reality TV writers, how it's painful sometimes to watch comedies, and loving James Franco.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 245: Micky Dolenz (The Monkees) Aug 10, 2017

In this episode recorded live at Gary Sohmer's Southcoast Comic Con at the Hanover Mall, Ken welcomes The Monkees Micky Dolenz to the show.

Ken and Micky discuss the innovation of the Monkees TV show, the Marx Brothers, the influence on MTV, directing television, Metal Mickey, Circus Boy, working behind the scenes in England, the 1997 Monkees reunion movie, "Head", Mickey's Rock N Roll tastes, Little Richard, Hellzapoppin', the divide between TV and movie actors, Michael Nesmith's Different Drum, pop music, Randy Scouse Git, Til Death Us Do Part, the surprise of the 80s Monkees revival, the 1986 reunion tour that was scheduled for 12 weeks and lasted three years, working with Disney, Boy Meets World, Jack Nicholson, how the Monkees lead to Easy Rider which lead to a Hollywood revolution, "Easy Riders, Raging Bulls", being at the crossroads of old and new Hollywood, the iron fist of the network censors, the Devil, playing the part of a drummer, The Beatles, Headquarters, The Rock n Roll Hall of Fame, Circus Boy, having parents who keep you grounded, and Dolez and Daughters Wood Working Business.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 244: Langston Kerman Aug 08, 2017

January 6-10, 1996

Today Ken welcomes actor, writer, comedian Langston Kerman to the show.

Ken and Langston discuss Ken's weird house, RC Cola and Moon Pies, health drinks, white people MacGuyvering things to get high and things to have sex with, pranks, teenage fight clubs, school suspensions, The Green Day Riots, poetry, Jesse Jackson, Tito, 1995's Top 10 Performers, Chicago, OJ, ER, Keith Olberman, Fraiser, 10 Shows that Clicked, Seinfeld, writing for the Oscars, Chris Rock, aliens, how Langston became Language, Dragon Ball Z, stand up, In Living Colour, The Wayne's Brothers, Blaxploitation, Mad TV, Ellen, working with Larry David, Blake Clark, Ghosts, Boy Meets World, pretending to be Derek Rose, suburban teenager danger, and getting jumped.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 243: Dylan Brody Aug 01, 2017

April 24 - 30, 1976

Today Ken welcomes writer, comedian, raconteur, Dylan Brody to the show.

Ken and Dylan discuss Dylan's wife's similarities to his father, nicknames, Thomas vs. Bob, being almost Canadian, small town upstate New York, Coxsackie, Tituba's Spell, Ken vs Kenny, birthday viewing, Dick Van Dyke, booze as medicine, I Dream of Jeanie vs. Bewitched, The Marx Brothers vs. The Three Stooges, The Ritz Brothers, Dylan's Cinema Education from his Film Professor Father, Forest Gump, how to pitch, Roseanne, Dog Police, Mid-Season pilots, replacing cast members, Ed Asner, Bob Newhart, Vaudeville on TV, joke math, mystery musical comedy, skipping Sunday, insulting Steve Martin, George Carlin, Lorenzo Music, Boston Documentaries, Spenser for Hire, Rich Little, impressionists, M*A*S*H, James Bond and Alan Alda and your blueprint for dealing with women, living in London, realizing the minds behind Marvel Comics, Touch of Evil, Beretta, Strong Kids Safe Kids, Shields and Yarnell, Welcome Back Kotter, Steve Ladesberg, Barney Miller, Hal Linden's Captain America Musical, callbacks, bad 70s joke structure, Michael Landon, Don Knotts' Bowling Ball, and the horrors of little Jimmy Osmond.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 242: Sadie Dupuis (Speedy Ortiz, Sad 13) Jul 27, 2017

May 1-7, 1999

In this episode recorded LIVE! at the 5th Annual Philly Podfest at the Trocodero in Philly, Ken welcomes musician Sadie Dupuis (Speedy Ortiz, Sad13) to the show.

Ken and Sadie discuss feeling old when you're young and feeling young when you're old, Must See TV, growing up in Manhattan, The Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards, Babyface, Animorphs, crushing on Hawk boys, Calista Flockhart, Alley McBeal, lawyers in Boston, a pre-Goodburger world, The Adventures of Pete and Pete, SNICK, why nobody remembers Third Storee, Will Smith's singing, Drew Barrymore, Adam Sandler, why the world is split into before and after Spongebob, Jerry Spinger's podcast, Murder in New Hampshire: The Pamela Smart Story, Ben Affleck's dating history, Mummy jokes, font issues, X-Files, Charles Rocket, Becker, Ted Danson, Bill Cosby's cross-over madness, Sweeps Week, Brooke Shields wrestling Hulk Hogan, Noah's Ark, Car Bras, Face Bras, breaking your knee, Ken's pants ripping off, Just Shoot Me, Hagfish, Sadie's fear of snakes, LifeTime Movies, Murder Most Horrid, John Lithgow, lesbians on Party of Five, The Scream movies, troubled jungle guides fighting mutant baboons, Kelsey Grammar falling into a hole, Sliders, when Charlie O'Connell replaces Jerry O'Connell, fact based TV, loving Archie Comics, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Josie and the Pussycats, and having a crush on Salem the cat.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 241: Carl Gottlieb Jul 25, 2017

Today Ken welcomes writer, director and sometimes actor Carl Gottlieb (Jaws, The Smothers Brothers, The Jerk) to the show.

Ken and Carl discuss classic Hollywood apartments, growing up in Manhattan, Your Show of Shows, Champagne tastes on a Beer Pocket Book, Howdy Doody, Milton Berle, The NBC Symphony, how radio begat television, The DuMont Network, having a pet mouse, Carl's TV debut, Tom Corbitt Space Patrol, being a Sci-Fi fanatic, The Shadow, Amos and Andy, how a car can cost as much as a television, how parody thrives when an audience is well informed, pretending to be in the orchestra to get into Your Show of Shows, writing for the college newspaper in Syracuse, joining The Committee, Harry Brandt Theaters, fighting in the War, San Francisco, The Smothers Brothers, Steve Martin, Rob Reiner, Bob Einstein, Lorenzo Music, Saturday Night Live, working with Lorne Michaels on Flip Wilson specials, the Square Generation, writing "The Air Traffic Controller" for Bob Newhart, Carl's favorite sketch, winning an Emmy, Music Scene, Janis Joplin, Stephen Spielberg, Jaws, The Odd Couple, Carl's book The Jaws Log, Paws, Which Way is Up, The Jerk, directing Caveman, Ringo Star, Raquel Welch's fur bikini, George Burns' Comedy Showcase, and hippies and beatniks on Gomer Pile.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 240: Hollywood Fight and Stunt Coordinators Panel Jul 20, 2017

In this episode recorded LIVE! at Denver Comic Con 2017 Ken welcomes a panel of legendary Hollywood stunt and fight coordinators, Mark Grove, James Lew, Carl Ciarfalio and Rick Avery.

Ken, Mark, James, Carl and Rick discuss martial arts, how one gets into the stunt business, Big Trouble in Little China, Kung Fu, the Knotts Berry Farm Stunt Show, being a fun fighter, being a good looking man, car guys, Harold Lloyd, learning from old Hollywood, why sometimes cardboard boxes are best, John Travolta, Blow Out, Kenpo, Jeff Speakman, The Perfect Weapon, Jet Li's "The One", and nerding out of Martial Arts.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 239: Curtis Armstrong Jul 18, 2017

Today Ken welcomes actor (Supernatural, Revenge of the Nerds, Moonlighting) and author of the new memoir "Revenge of the Nerd: Or...The Singular Adventures of the Man Who Would be Booger" Curtis Armstrong to the show.

Ken and Curtis discuss the mid 60s, Mary Tyler Moore, The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Beatles, living in Switzerland, Detroit, how being forced to watch something other than the Wonderful World of Disney can change your life, the horror of stopwatches, The Avengers, being an anglophile, watching Help! while living in Help!, Rock N Roll shows on TV, loving the Universal Monsters, Famous Monsters, visiting Forrest J. Ackerman with Gilbert Gottfried, meeting Ray Bradbury, Moonlighting, working on Cybill, reading the script to Better Off Dead on the top of a Canadian Mountain while dressed as a caveman, working with Savage Steve Holland, the Boston fame of "Boogah", How I Got Into College, and what may be Ken's favorite story ever told on the show, a story of Gary Busey fighting with an extra about what the furniture in Heaven looks like.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 238: "Weird" Al Yankovic Jul 12, 2017

Today Ken welcomes the legendary "Weird" Al Yankovic to the show.

In this episode recorded LIVE! at the 2017 Denver Comic Con in Denver, CO Ken and Al discuss why Al was never Magnum P.I., ALTv, the early days of MTV, Eat It, visual parody, Dr. Demento, Spike Jones, voice over, Warner Bros, growing up outside of Hollywood, The Weird Al Show, Saturday mornings, Billy Barty's kids show, Sheriff John, milk drinking contests, the golden age of theme songs, Green Acres, jumping on a parody, Al's original compositions, the badge of honor of being parodied by Al, UHF, Michael Richards, Transylvania 6-5000, sketch shows, SCTV, streaming media, Whaling Songs, Chris Guest, The National Lampoon Radio Hour, missing genres, avoiding being Spinal Tap, the magic of "The Complete Al", Paul McCartney in Al's Brain in 3D, almost giving Orson Welles his final job, and when Japanese TV out weirded Weird Al.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 237: Jen Kirkman Jul 10, 2017

April 17-23, 1982

Today Ken welcomes comedian, author and fellow Bostonian Jen Kirkman to the show.

Ken and Jen discuss Jen's awe at Ken's west coast TV Guide collection, being torn between two issues, Ripped from the Headlines, AIDS, The Day After, Red Dawn, unsupportive terrifying fathers, Happy Days, being a defacto only child, bus station TVs, listening to TV on the radio, making audio tapes of Moonlighting, Back to the Beach, The Brady Bunch house, The Love Boat, high fashion on the high seas, Halston, The Mandrell Sisters, the final years of Variety, Boston Lies, James at 15, Spenser for Hire, special kids on Highway to Heaven, Jen's Mother's mistrust of Michael Landon, punk rock scare shows, ChPs, sitting in a tent at the beach, One Day at a Time, kids cooking shows, Alice, living the dream waiting tables in a diner, having a maid, Today's FBI, Ballet, Ken's ignorance of Mikhail Baryshnikov, Gov Weld defunding mental health facilities, The Reagans' war against the arts, Gary Marshall Night, female heart-throbs, Joanie Loves Chachi, when the 50s turn into the 70s, Laverne & Shirley, The Big Ragu's Lowell beginnings, Boy George Make A Wish, Three's Company, pretending Joyce DeWitt is your finance, The Too Close for Comfort rape episode, the mystery of "Pee Pee People", being jealous of Kids Incorporated, Facts of Life, loving Alicia Witt, Grandma's loving a mustache, Diff'rent Stroke, Danny Glover on Gimme a Break, the sadness of Friday Nights and why 2017 does not deserve guest stars.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 236: Andrea Romano Jul 06, 2017

In this episode recorded LIVE! at the Denver Comic Con 2017, Ken welcomes casting director, voice director and animation legend Andrea Romano to the show.

Ken and Andrea discuss The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley, SCTV, Hanna Barbera, Daws Butler, The Jetsons, the "Tiffany" controversy with Jetsons: The Movie, the golden age of voice actors, Huckleberry Hound, how work you love can extend your life, the secret to casting voices, Frank Welker, Mel Blanc, the horrors of replacing actors, Al Yankovic gone evil, Ducktails, Animaniacs, growing up in a big family in the Hamptons, moving to California to escape Winter, Smurfs, Snorks, Orson Welles becoming The Brain, working with rappers on the Boondocks, the difficulty of directing actors to use the n-word, getting "name" actors into voice work, the golden age of streaming TV, and the fingerprint of people's "S sound", and why Kevin Conroy IS Batman.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 235: Stacey Travis Jul 04, 2017

March 25-31, 1978

Today Ken welcomes actor, filmmaker Stacey Travis (Hardware, Earth Girls are Easy, Ghostworld) to the show.

Ken and Stacey discuss dog withdrawals, CBS Turning 50, The Partridge Family, Little House on the Prairie, Sanford & Son, Dallas, The Brady Bunch, Good Times, Maude, All in the Family, sometimes having enough of children's entertainment, Hardware, Dream On, embarrassing your children, The Naked Truth, Seinfeld, studying acting in London, Earth Girls are Easy, Julie Brown, having a stand up comedian as an older brother, Just Say Julie, Allee Willis, Lucille Ball, Mary Tyler Moore, Chicago Hope, Picket Fences, Man of La Mancha, going to film school, Lukas Haas, Bewitched, I Dream of Jeanie, not judging people for having a bad day, never getting on the West Wing, Desperate Housewives, Eddie Albert, Green Acres, meeting Dick Van Dyke, sticking with shows long after you probably should, losing your regional accent, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, when your heroes become your rivals, child actors, Good Luck Charlie, loving Elvis movies, wiping tapes, and hunting down rare Carol Lombard movies.

TV Guidance Counselor 234: Dino Stamatopoulos Jun 28, 2017

FALL PREVIEW ALERT!

September 9-15, 1972

On his Birthday Ken starts the show with discussing his plans for the day.

He then welcomes writer and occasional actor Dino Stamatopoulos to the show.

Ken and Dino discuss slaughtering Dino's name, Dean Martin, hookers, Chicago, growing up in a bar, why there are 40 in the top 40, not knowing there was color TV, Charlie Kaufman's refusal to believe Superman and Clark Kent are the same person, the lost Skank! spin off, The Ben Stiller Show, how Greeks can break the Toaster Oven Theory, why Boston may be the punchinest city in America, Chicago Nostalgia, Mary Tyler Moore, The Lonliest Runner, Made For-TV Movies, The Lone Ranger, The Treasures of Black Cinema, Black News, Hee Haw, Liza with a Z, Gold Diggers, The Violent Universe, Father Knows Best vs. Hogan's Heroes, unraveling ropes, The Bob Newhart Show, The Anderson Tapes, panel shows, SCTV, Monty Python, Jamie Gertz, John Stamos - Race Traitor, Auto-focus, childhood hiding spots, being trapped in a fold out couch, being buried alive, when the Devil Makes you do it, Silent Films, Hollywood Television Theater, Merv, impressionists, John Saxon, loving Christmas Specials, Community, Moral Orel, Andy Griffith Show, Let's Make a Deal, and a dwarf and Charlie Callas showing the Brady Kids what to watch.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 233: Lynne Stewart Jun 21, 2017

Today Ken welcomes actor Lynne Stewart (Pee Wee's Playhouse, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) to the show.

Ken and Lynne discuss children's television, the origins of Miss Yvonne, the Pee Wee Herman Show reunion, meeting Tuesday Weld, growing up in Los Angeles, when Ken's dad was on Bozo, Phil Hartman, the MTV generation, the influence of Pee Wee's Playhouse on Japan, teaching kids how to scream, The Candy and Nancy Show, buying your own Candy for $300, Engineer Bill, the wonders of Facebook, Lynne's mother as a Facebook Phenomenon, the shared experience of media, being a dancer, The Groundlings, M*A*S*H, Cindy Williams, Laverne & Shirley, American Graffiti, Andy Kaufman, being cut out of Bridesmaids, Kristen Wiig, living like you have no money when you do, Tiki, Edie McClurg, The Jimmy Stewart Show, why Lynne's father was mistaken for Jimmy Stewart by John Wayne, Pee Wee's Big Adventure, playing nuns, giving back, buying your own dolls, keeping Miss Yvonne's Christmas dress, Night Court, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Tim Stack, improve, the long lasting friendships in the comedy community, and loving the Sopranos despite it not being a comedy.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 232: Fred Schneider (B-52s, The Superions) Jun 15, 2017

May 18-24, 1968

Today Ken welcomes the fantastic musician Fred Schneider to the show.

Ken and Fred discuss Boston's industrial Nieman Marcus, having to watch what your mother likes, The Flintstones, I Married Joan, SNL, being trash talked on Carson, meeting David Bowie, Beanie and Cecil, F Troop, Petticoat Junction vs. Green Acres, Night of the Living Dead induced vomit, Alien panic attacks, Mama's Family, Forbidden Planet, loving bad movies, Martha and the Vandells, meeting Jimmy Page, Dinosaurs, Monsters, and MTV's hatred of hot dogs.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 231: Dave Higgins Jun 13, 2017

June 28 - July 4, 1975

Today Ken welcomes actor, comedian, David Higgins to the show.

Ken and Dave discuss mid-western cold, the importance of outside, woods pornography, The Bi-Centennial, the glory days of the middle class, why the 70s were maybe a more enlightened time, Archie Bunker, Sammy and Company, Don Kirsher's Rock Concert, Poor Devil, Wait Til Your Father Gets Home, Bernie, burned off pilots, M*A*S*H, the Casey Kasem tapes, The Red Tapes, The Monkees vs the Goodies, Night After Night with Alan Havey, The Comedy Channel, The Higgins Boys and Gruber, Supercar, Clutch Cargo, Pizza and a movie, the ORIGINAL Leonard Maltin Game, Larry Storch, when IMDB is wrong, Tapeheads, Hell's Highway, barcade, Starcade, SNL, Jan Hooks, The Idiotbox, The Nightstalker, mustache vs. un-mustached Burt Reynolds, Cannon, Barney Miller, The Love God, why Nat Hiken is the greatest, The Rockford Files, Tom Atkins, Fast Times, why MTV changed the world and how the Wrong Guy is a movie everyone needs to see right away.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 230.5: Scott Ryan Jun 08, 2017

Today Ken welcomes author, podcaster Scott Ryan to the show.

Ken and Scott discuss Scott's new book, Thirtysomething at Thirty, an oral history of Thirtysomething, Twin Peaks, My So-Called Life, Special Bulletin, Picket Fences, Fringe, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the return of Twin Peaks.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 230: Josie Long Jun 07, 2017

February 9-15, 1991

Today Ken welcomes comedian Josie Long to the show.

Ken and Josie talk about coming from the UK, American misperceptions of Royalty, how Hollywood couples like Roseane and Tom Arnold keep it together. The Radio & TV Times, why Darlene is so cool, Kevin James' Rich White guy support of Donald Trump, how cocaine explains most things, BBC Three, UK Play, Twin Peaks, Iraq War, Operation Desert Storm, The Damned, The Young Ones, Fist of Fun, tough guy dry tea, multiple channels having the same network, why America is a big weird country, Austin City Limits, hanging out in a shed playing guitars on a Saturday night, why the UK keeps sex and cuts out violence, pro-bowling on television, The League of Ordinary Gentlemen, Surrey Quays, Dog Soldiers, playing hidden camera pranks on Stevie Wonder, the talk show boom: Rickie Lake, Jenny Jones, Sally Jesse Raphael, Morton Downey Jr, Jerry Springer in The Ringmaster, The Kids in the Hall, John Waters movies, the wonders of Designing Women, Josie starring in a UK remake of Gabriel's Fire, War as Entertainment, how Nationalism = Racism, Encino Man aka California Man, The Ben Stiller Show, Tom Hanks early TV roles, Bosom Buddies, Moonlighting, 2001, Murder She Wrote, The Fresh Prince, Blossom and the acting career of Jerry Hall.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 229: Terry Sweeney May 31, 2017

Ken welcomes writer/actor Terry Sweeney to the show.

Ken and Terry discuss corporal punishment, Texas, living in the South, growing up in Long Island, old dirty scary NYC, "Do what now", Terry's Sicilian Mother, hunting for TV Guide, Dinah Shore, being "excited" by Jim Morrison, Bones, crime shows, Miss Marple, Sherlock Holmes, Jeremy Brecht, Mr. Ball, Joan Rivers, Mad TV, Tripping the Rift, being in a hot tub with Madonna, Bruce McCullough, Mark McKinney, and television networks fear of desks.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 228: Stephen Bissette May 24, 2017

December 23-29, 1961

Today Ken welcomes writer, artist Stephen Bissette (Swamp Thing, Video Watchdog) to the show.

Ken and Steve discuss tips to get through governmental checkpoints, Swamp Thing, dinosaurs, Comic Cons, Doctor Who, Ultraman, Canadian TV, Vermont, Fear No Evil, Made for TV movies, Monster Kids, 8mm Castle movies, Ray Harryhausen, Outer Limits, taking notes while watching TV, Carnival of Souls, turning roof antenna, color TV, the Bus Stop controversy, Fabian, Senate investigations into television, Lost in Space, Batman '66, growing up in a military family, Eyes Without a Face, realizing there are different edits of movies in different places, The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, Ray Bradbury, going to the Kubert School, Chiller Theater, Mario Bava, Blood an Black Lace, renting B movies on 16mm at college, the golden age of local TV, CBC, David Cronenberg, Watchmen, The Fly, Twilight Zone, George Romero working on Calgon commercials, Ducati, Jim Henson on Ed Sullivan, Bring Em Back Alive, Jungle Comics, The Phantom, quicksand, The Architects of Fear, the BBC's Ghost Story for Christmas, Mark Gatiss' Crooked House, Amicus Pictures, The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T, Salem's Lot, the horrors of Barlow, The Night Stalker, Kolchak, Mondo Movies, Route 66, In Search Of..., Bigfoot footage, zine culture, Godzilla, Heavy Metal, getting Billy Mumy's autograph, Constantine, Supernatural, Dellamorte Dellamore (Cemetery Man), Don't Open Until Doomsday, The Emir, the wonders of modern special FX, Stan Winston, Gargoyles, needing to watch movies on a big screen, not loaning out your media, TV Holy Grails, David Susskind, The Devil and Daniel Webster with Edgar G. Robinson, The Portrait of Dorian Gray, Way Out, and the hunt for Robert Altman's Nightmare in Chicago.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 227: Jonah Ray May 24, 2017

January 20 - February 1, 1991

Today Ken welcomes comedian, podcaster and television personality Jonah Ray to the show.

Ken and Jonah discuss mannequins in car dealerships, The Superbowl, how sports leads to day drinking, Sportsball, human Guess Who, Kevin Meaney, Steven Webber in The Shining, Frank from Murphy Brown, Wings, Tracy Ullman, Oceanic Cable, Hawaii, Tales from the Crypt, Dawn of the Dead, Hidden America, when pranks become assault, horror bros, the golden age of VHS, customizing a Mall Madness game into a Dawn of the Dead game, SNL, when Fox TV owned Sundays, Parker Lewis Can't Lose, Bud Bowl, In Living Color, Pump Up the Volume, surprise boobs, Kube, Get a Life, getting lost in the parody, Cosby, moving to CT in a van with Tony Danza, why Jonah unfollows Ken on Instagram often, crew jackets, stunt men bars, Horror in Hawaii, The Wonder Years, Daniel Stern, meeting Fred Savage, Whip It, Growing Pains, Boston's constant aggression, meatball fights, Doogie Howser's theme song, San Pedro, punk bands, F.Y.P., The Flash vs. Beverly Hills 90210, Full House, Perfect Strangers, Mel Brooks, David Cronenberg, Seinfeld, JV Award Shows and Jonah's reboot of Renegade.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 226: Steve Johnson May 17, 2017

Today Ken welcomes writer, special make up FX master and pseudo-Mad Scientist Steve Johnson to the show.

Ken and Steve discuss making the television Ken talks about, moving to CA from Texas at age 18, Merv, Steve's book Rubberhead, Rick Baker, An American Werewolf in London, John Landis, Stephen King, Hammer Horror, Universal Monsters, Tom Savini, the birth of Gore, holographic contact lenses, Innocent Blood, Joe Hill, Max Landis, Tom Atkins, The Stand, Stephen King on Television, The Shining TV mini-series, Steven Webber, Maximum Overdrive crew shirts, Friedkin's Bug, Danse Macabre, The Incredible Shrinking Man, old school studio employee make up fx guys, Dick Smith, matching the age spots on the Exorcist, Freaked, Screaming Mad George, covering A-List actors in character make up, Tales from the Darkside, Monsters, Organ Donor parts, German versions, Glim Glim, The Horror Hall of Fame, making frogs for Magnolia, Ernie Anderson, working on Ghostbusters, Slimer, ending the debate of the Zombie cab driver, CGI, puppeteering, and how Spinder-Man 2 can put gas in your car.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 225: Wendy Liebman May 09, 2017

March 25 -31, 1978

Today Ken welcomes comedian Wendy Liebman to the show.

Ken and Wendy discuss L.A. rain, growing up in Long Island, low tolerance for New England snow, inventions, Walk-Muffs, Shark Tank, inventions, Steven Wright, appearing on Late Night TV, Ding Ho, Boston Comedy, seeing "Match Game '74" taped live, seeing Madonna at the Danceteria, The Midnight Special with Wolfman Jack, Maytag vs. Friends, Bob Newhart, Stitches, following the rules of stand up, "Ass Blank", To Tell the Truth, Let's Make a Deal, Plinko, Hollywood Squares, Tom Bergeron, Celebrity Feuds, Dick Van Dyke Show, Carl Reiner, Phyllis Diller, Kojak, Love Boat, Bud Friedman, The Improv, Bluefish, Mary Tyler Moore, Robert Blake's murderous intent, Banachek, Burn Notice, Milton Berle, Opening for Bob Hope, Dr. Theater, Marlo Thomas in That Girl, St. Jude, The Monkees, Mickey Dolenz, Austin City Limits, Norman Lear, Dick Cavett, CBS, All in the Family, opening for Jerry Seinfeld, Carol Burnett, the wonders of live to tape and horror stories about George C. Scott.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 224: Idalis DeLeon May 04, 2017

Today Ken welcomes TV Coach, Actress, singer, and former MTV VJ, Idalis Deleon.

Ken and Idalis discuss being nerdy TV Guide Collecting Kids, growing up in the Bronx while it burned, movin on up to Brooklyn, Seduction, how it feels to have Madonna rip your pants off,New Media, the birth of Hip Hop, living The Get Down, having three top ten singles, Marky Mark, Papi with Hector Alejandro, wanting to be Aaron Spelling, Charlie's Angels, bartending, when MTV came around to Hip Hop, industrial revolutions, Ted Demme, NYC, Martha Wash, Milli Vanilli, appearing on Soul Train, Vanilla Ice, Showtime at the Apollo, Heartbeat, Mariah Carey, Brenda K. Starr, Living Single, Queen Latifa, Michael Bay, Dante Ross, training people to host TV, Entertainment Tonight, QVC, E!, ethics in media, Boston Swagger, Regional accents, New Kids in the Block, Marky Mark, MTV Beach House, sportscasting, cutting the cord, I Love Lucy, The Honeymooners, Friends, Six Feet Under and not re-watching things.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 223: Petey Gibson May 03, 2017

January 22-28, 1994

Today Ken welcomes actor and comedian Petey Gibson to the show.

Ken and Petey discuss the nature of excitement, anxiety, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, Winter Previews, Mid-Season replacements, Ed Bagley Jr, Borne in Born, Cape Cod, Friendly's, flaming dice, hating Guy Fieri, hating change and surprises, Nanas, rituals, the darkness of the 90s, Saved By The Bell: The College Years, Empty Nest, Nurses, VO5 Hot Oil Treatments, Ben Vereen, Eve Plumb, Masterpiece Theater, falling in love with a murder suspect, Married...with Children, The George Carlin Show, Labyrinth, Henson Studios, strict parents banishing sexual content, growing up Catholic, Donovan Scott, being nicknames Mantis, Donna Mills, Danny Bonaduce, Full House, COPS, Rescue 911, Unsolved Mysteries, how sexy Angela Lansbury is in Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Spring Break, This Old House, Home Improvement, why JTT is a safe lesbian crush, transcription services, Ken's touch typing super powers, Willie Nelson coming out of the ice, Seinfeld, Adam Ruins Everything, UCB Classes, taking the Fun Wah Bus, Rimmers, Mr. Show, appearing on and WINNING The Price is Right, and the wonders of Judith Light.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 222: Greg Fitzsimmons Apr 26, 2017

October 25-31, 1980

Today Ken welcomes comedian Greg Fitzsimmons to the show.

Ken and Greg discuss Ken's puberty voice, slow dancing, the horrors of teenage girls, Boston University, the gentrification of Boston, John Waters, The Combat Zone, Patti Smith, how far away Boston is, Ken's nerdiness, McMob movies, Cheers, how social media ruins womanizing celebrities game, classic Boston lies, fighting Marky Mark, phone calls from Greg's wife, Boston Stand Up Comics cameoing in movies, Deli Haus, The Rat, having to get through a parental gatekeeper to talk to someone of the opposite sex, having only one TV in the house, a nice stabbing, Barney Miller, The Love Boat/Fantasy Island power two hours, being in jail, Tom Hanks, Bosom Buddies, D&D panic, the golden age of Guest Stars, one hour dramas with two cast members, Jacques Cousteau, watching TV on the floor, 60 Minutes, Kojak, golfing with OJ Simpson, "If I Did It", Clint Eastwood's stunt man, living a life before working in television, comedians who are secret rapists, The White Shadow, shell shocked Vietnam Vets, and a generation missing context and intent.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 221: Michelle Barbera Apr 20, 2017

May 11 - 17, 1985

Today Ken welcomes comedian, producer Michelle Barbera (Women in Comedy Festival) to the show.

Ken and Michelle discuss Worcester, seasonal colds, dirty pictures at work, working in the mall, being the TV fan in an academic household, dirty wallpaper, drinking tobacco spit, Papa Gino's, Steven Wright, being a comedy nerd, Monty Python, Love Boat, Network, Computer Dating, Made for TV Movies, being a flipper, love triangles, Letting Go of the romance between John Ritter and Sharon Gless, Moscow on the Hudson, Gimme A Break!, Jonathan Silverman as Jonathan, Hallmark pictures mob inspired marketing Vomit Bags for Mark of the Devil, Elvira, V66, The Cure, WFNX, drinking games, George Michael's Sports Machine, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Dallas, political cartoons, The Far Side, outdated dating, The Great Santini, Merchant Ivory, UMASS Amherst's awful music taste, Miss America vs. Miss USA, Charlie Brown, sweeps week, Florida: Mystique or Mistake?, Satanic Panic, The Rats of Nym, Don Bleuth's underrated Disney Run, Z for Zachariah, almost dying, Ralph Baksi, Pearl Jam, Chris Cornell, WCVB's Chronicle, being a goth kid, the opening credits of Mystery, Highway to Heaven, Bill Cosby: Monster, Family Ties, It's Your Move, Michelle's crush on Jonathan Ward, why funerals might be a rip off, loving the McNeil Lerra report, Garfield's 9 Lives, Heavy Metal, and the move to re-rebrand illustrators as commercial artists.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 220: Anne Beatts Apr 19, 2017

Today Ken welcomes writer/producer Anne Beatts (SNL, Square Pegs, A Different World)

Ken and Anne discuss the sadness of rain soaked inaugurations, golden showers, writing TV ads in London, Canada, National Lampoon, Freddy the Pig, The New Yorker, being suspended from the McGill Daily, Queen for a Day, Quiz Shows, aluminium extrusions, Michael O'Donohue, Mad Men, how cigarettes funded National Lampoon, Saturday Night Live, "no flies around the head..", Walter Crankcase, The Californians, when Lorne Michaels left SNL, SCTV, Martin Short, Nathan Thurme, Dobie Gillis, Square Pegs, The Waitresses, dealing with network notes, Tracy Nelson, Sarah Jessica Parker, Devo, getting killed by Little House on the Prairie, beverage signals, Trojan Horses, Mainway Industries Unsafe Christmas Toys, Ken's favorite SNL sketch, A Different World, creating Dwayne Wayne and Whitley, Peter Bonerz, The Elvira Show, Julie Brown, appreciating tween media, Bill Murray, Al Franken, why people on TV can't smoke pot, The Keith Moon deposit, staging a "piss in", network censors, why you can't say tits on TV, Square Pegs in the TV Guide Fall Preview of 82, and being robbed of the Rolling Stone cover photo due to your own boasting.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 219: Jon Fisch Apr 12, 2017

October 17-23, 1987

Today Ken welcomes comedian Jon Fisch to the show.

Ken and Jon discuss the rivalries of Newton, MA, Dolly Parton's sexy western Mrs Claus outfit, when Christmas isn't Christmas, exposes on undercover TV news programs, dirty bookstores, $14.22 slacks, The World Series, the 1986 Red Sox loss to the Mets, getting peed on at Fenway Park, Fever Pitch, The New Adventures of Beans Baxter, Golden Girls, Star Search, Duet, Family Ties, At This Moment by Billy Vera and the Beaters, My Two Dads, Eight is Enough, WLVI TV56, watching your parents laugh. Late Night with David Letterman, Murphy Brown, Barney Miller, insulting Boston cops, Kate & Allie, Newhart, Made for-TV movies, Nancy McKeon, The Day My Kid Went Punk. Streets of Fire, hatred of Southern shows, Crime Story, growing up in the wrong family, growing up Jewish, Highway to Heaven, Growing Pains, It's Gary Shandling's Show, Ferris Buhler's Day Off, editing, The Cosby Show, A Different World, Cheers, Night Court, Sinbad, being enraged by pre-preemption, Baby Jessica, Jon's first television appearance, Keith David, Community, Thursdays at 9pm, $50 fine and time served, Miami Vice, The Flamingo Kid, Rags to Riches, fearing 20/20, and the wonder of an all Cheers week.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 218: Juliana Hatfield Apr 07, 2017

March 10 - 16, 1979

Today Ken welcomes singer/songwriter Juliana Hatfield to the show.

Ken and Juliana discuss suburban potholes, garbage collection, the TV room, Six Million Dollar Cliff Hangers, James at 15, market research, Lance Kerwin, After School Specials, Dukes of Hazard, "Southern" TV, Love Boat, Mary Tyler Moore, The Comforting ritual of television, the revelation of the sexy librarian, Vietnam, Law and Order, Iraq War vets, loving Donny & Marie, Coma, The Rockford Files, Father/Son relationships, different actors playing the same character, soap opera understudies, Dirk Benedict, Battlestar Gallactica, dreamy Richard Hatch, In Search Of, Starsky & Hutch, goofy pimps, why the Six Million Dollar man is infinitely boring, The Bionic Woman's superiority, revisiting your childhood, McMillan and Wife, Rock Hudson, real couples on camera, the Night Stalker, why TV is better when pretty people aren't on it, Miami Vice, store brand generic music on TV, Bugsy Malone, Foxes, Over the Edge, Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley, One Day at a Time, the wonders of television hair, Eight is Enough, the Facts of Life theme, The Jeffersons, Farah Fawcett, Charlie's Angels, Mork & Mindy, Jonathan Winters, Quincy M.E., mustache free Dads, Magnum P.I., The Day My Kid Went Punk, Donna Reed, The Incredible Hulk, shredded indestructible pants, Dallas, aspirational television, and the ritual of Dr. Phil.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 217: Bobbie Brown Apr 04, 2017

Today Ken welcomes model, actress, author and ex-wife of Rock N Roll Bobbie Brown to the show.

Ken and Bobbie discuss always thinking it's Friday, drug problem induced lateness, Miss Teen USA, Miss Louisiana, always wearing the sash, The Jeffersons, modeling, High School popularity, Saturday Night Live, Three's Company, Saturday Morning Cartoons, Yuck Mouth Public Service Announcements, Soul Train, Kids Inc, Night Flight, Dance Party USA, Star Search, falling into acting, Married...with Children, self sabotage, In Living Color, seeing Jim Carrey Live on the Sunset Strip, Physical Comedy, people doing stand up but not calling it stand up, Henry Rollins, why comedians are depressed, Baywatch Nights, Mike Hammer, meeting Bo Derek in one of the most unnatural ways possible, Kevin McDonald, The Kids in the Hall, Dom Delouise, Kel, Newsradio, Warrant's Cherry Pie video, Fraggle Rock, Motley Crue, having posters on your wall as a teen of people you would later be engaged to, being bad with money, how the internet emboldens people to say the worst things, writing fan letters, Ex-Wives of Rock, and remembering Phil Hartman.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 216: Tabitha Soren Mar 30, 2017

Today Ken welcomes former MTV News Anchor, journalist and current photographer Tabitha Soren to the show.

Ken and Tabitha discuss growing up in a Military family, living in Germany, reading American Children's books from the Philippines, living in an Olivia Newton John world, the culture shock of the Florida panhandle, learning the social rules of America, musical folders through the mail, Bewitched, Charlie's Angels, The Brady Bunch, being obsessed with Farrah Fawcett, Gary Marshall, modern children's aversion to the olden days, hating Land of the Lost, the horrors of HR Puffnstuff, Donny & Marie in Las Vegas, NYU, Saturday Night Fever, working in radio, the Beastie Boys' Fight For Your Right to Party video, working at CNN, the CNN "End of the World" video, Diane Sawyer, developing an emotional callus as a reporter, being a news anchor in Vermont, New England directions, the Today Show, Dateline, Kurt Loder, Tupac, starting "Choose or Lose", the '92 Presidential Election, MTV News, Stevie Nicks, The Joe Perry Project, loving Aerosmith, interview Guns N Roses in the early days, loving John Oliver, interviewing Bill Clinton, and enjoying the new Golden Age of Television.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 215: Liz Miele Mar 28, 2017

November 14-20, 1998

Today in an episode recorded in the basement of ImprovBoston Ken welcomes comedian Liz Miele to the show.

Ken and Liz discuss beer and trophies, stand ups on TV, Titus, mental illness, Robin Williams, Friends, The Simpsons, Kazaam, Shaq's career, loving cartoons, ProStars,Cops, True Crime, growing up with Veterinarian parents, banned TV, being one of five children, Cartoon Network, Dexter's Lab, Adventure Time, Gravity Falls, growing up in New Jersey, Aargh! Real Monsters, Invader Zim!, being Goth, Angry Beavers, Dinosaurs, Alex Trebek on Baywatch, Mad About You, Emergency Vets, All Cat Clinics, ring worm, Chinchilla's leg amputations, Twister, Pizza & Movies, being banned from Pizza Hut, the horrors of comedy clubs, Ally McBeal, Mariah Carey Videos, Bill Cosby is a monster, Yo! MTV Raps, R&B, hating Boy Bands, TLC, Creepin Karaoke, RUN DMC, 1977 The Coolest Year in Hell, Janet Jackson's janet., Kegels, David Spade, hating offices, Stephen King's Different Seasons, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Chris Morris' Blue Jam, Roseanne, the turn on of male protection, roommates, The Brave Little Toaster, Thanksgiving TV, not enjoying Veronica's Closet, World's Wildest Police Videos, and avoiding "Pee" Soup.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 214: Brice Beckham Mar 21, 2017

February 24 - March 2, 1990

Today Ken welcomes Actor/Writer Brice Beckham to the show.

Ken and Brice discuss Ken annoying Brice, The Challenger disaster, TV Movies, "Too soon", Rob Stone, hosting Saturday Morning Preview Specials, The Gummy Bears, Disney TV, Pound Puppies, starting as a radio ad man, Daws Butler, Dave Coulier as Richard Pryor, guesting starring on Alice, how small a TV studio seems when you first see it in person, Mr. Belvedere, growing up in Long Beach, staying out of the "teen actor" cliche game, mid-season replacements, S.O.S. (Save Our Shows), The "Manny" subgenre, Barney Miller, Bob Ueker, tone shifts, "Very Special Episodes", AIDS, The Hogan Family, the cruel Valerie producers, "Wesley's Friend", gallows humor, Network Upfronts, learning the ins and outs of the odd Network Affiliate system, ABC-TV, the Camp Counselor episode, Family Matters, Just the Ten of Us, having a crush on the Lubbock Babes, Growing Pains, 20th Century Fox, Sunset Gower Studios, It's Gary Shandling Show, Sister Kate, I Married Dora, 4th Wall Breaking mind blowers, The Charmings, Family Ties, Michael J. Fox, American Dreamer, Robert Urich, Boston's lies, Spencer for Hire, Dolly, the Dolly Parton Variety show from 1987, stage work, Charles in Charge, Monty Python, Kids in the Hall, Mr. Show, I Hate My 30s, Animal Crack-Ups, Teen Win, Lose or Draw!, Hollywood Squares, Ken's favorite episode of Burn Notice, Mike Horowitz, Edinburgh Festival's Carnal Desire, Soft-Core TV, writing for Richard Roundtree, being a movie buff, being a loner, switchblade combs, endorsement deals from Nike, Two Teens and a Baby, gangs dance fighting, Maureen Flannigan, Kirk, Jodie Sweetin, Casey Ellison the hardest working kid in showbiz, Twin Peaks, The Outsiders, loving B-Horror, Up All Night, TCM, AMC, Paranormal Activity, Terrorvision, Nick at Nite, and an education from cable tv.

TV Guidance Counselor Investigates: Mr. Rogers vs. The KKK Mar 14, 2017

In the first (and maybe only) mini-episode of TV Guidance Counselor Investigates, Ken explores the strange case of Mr. Rogers vs. The KKK

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 213: Phil Hopkins and Don Stratley of The Film Detective Mar 14, 2017

Today Ken welcomes Don Stratley and Phil Hopkins of The Film Detective to the show.

Ken, Don and Phil discuss the wonders of stumbling on things, regional television, The Combat Zone, the case for curation, Horror Hosts, Simon's Sanctorum, Dana Hersey, The Movie Loft, TV38, Ask the Manager, shared experience, Cult Classics, Three Stooges, Creature Double Features, taking photos off your TV set, archiving long lost television, the future of media, Something Weird Video, Punk rock and grindhouse, Collector Culture, saving Lancelot Link: Secret Chimp, Carnival Magic, Mr. Big's Toyland, Ultraman, It's a Wonderful Life, The Twilight Zone, Dan Curtis, Made for TV Movies, The Cabot Theater, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Midnight Movies, Poor Devil, movie buff, Ed Wood Jr., Dana Gould, the wonders of context, the importance of sincerity, Mystery Science Theater 3000, the life and death of Irony, Rondo Hatton, streaming services, fetishistic Beta, The Giant Spider Invasion and a typical Saturday.

TV Guidance Counselor LIVE! at NorthEast Comic Con with Nicholas Brendon and Mark Goddard Mar 09, 2017

In this episode recorded live at North East ComicCon on March 5, 2017 Ken sat on stage in an abandoned JC Penny and chatted with Nicholas Brendon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and Mark Goddard (Lost in Space).

First up Ken chatted with Brendon about Psycho Beach Party, Three's Company, being a PA on Dave's World, growing up in LA, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, what he watches now, The Buffy Comic Book series, why Buffy and Xander never got together, the great dialog of Joss Whedon, Criminal Minds, hugging, dancing, and how Spike and Xander should star in a remake of "The Ropers".

Next up Ken chats with Mark Goddard about how he got to Hollywood, why you should never say you can ride a horse when you can't, The Rifleman, Lost in Space, how to talk your way onto a movie lot, what to do when robots catch fire, and being recognized without being recognized.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 212: Illeana Douglas Mar 07, 2017

Today Ken welcomes author, actress, historian and all around great person Illeana Douglas to the show.

Ken and Illeana discuss L.A. seasons, Roger Corman, growing up in CT with only one channel - CBS, All in the Family, finding an early love of movies, Jason Robards in 1,000 Clowns, Illeana's mother having a TV Guide subscription, Soul Train, The Ghost of Frederick Douglass, Melvyn Douglas, being there for Being There, developing a love of classic Hollywood, Sam Fuller, Claude Raines in Phantom of the Opera, the revelation of color TV, Al Pacino filming Dog Day Afternoon, seeing location scenes being shot with Lucille Ball in Stone Pillow, Stir of Echoes, Richard Matheson, The Twilight Zone, why Saturday Night Live is a boys' thing, Chevy Chase movies, how VCRs changed everything, having cable in college, obsessing over the Museum of Broadcasting, King of Comedy, laserdiscs, elementary school sexual education films, living a life of being star struck, Dick Cavett, Lee Marvin, meeting Sid Caesar, George Segal, Walter Mathau and Elaine May in A New Leaf, Little Murders, the wonders of curation of television programming, NYC vs LA, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, rediscovering 1941, Second Looks, meeting Tony Curtis, Arthur, The Movie Loft, when TV becomes work movies become relaxation, Jerry Lewis, working at TCM and keeping Peter O'Toole's concrete covered towel.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 211: Gary Petersen Feb 28, 2017

May 27 - June 2, 1995

Today Ken welcomes recently defected former Boston Comedian Gary Petersen to the show.

Ken and Gary discuss giant Moons, peeping in people's windows, Manhunter, Gary's age, Pamela Anderson, Baywatch, Traci Bingham, COPS, Facebook stalking, Boston Tanya's, the dump that is Quincy, boats, the horrors of 21st Century dating, Bringing Up Jack, SNICK, Ren & Stimpy, people who still say "NOT!", South Shore lingo,"Suck It", The Simpsons, Amy Fisher, 1995 Tabloid TV, Lois and Clarke - The New Adventures of Superman, Teri Hatcher, Brainsmasher: A Love Story, The Critic, Married...with Children, Stormy Weathers, My Wildest Dreams, the stand up comedians having sitcoms boom, Corvette K225, Deep Space 9, Melrose Place, the golden age of Video Rental Stores, a combination Hardware Store/Liquor Store, why violence is only ok in Action movies, WWF, how a teenage stand up comedian can fight inner city gangs in an After School Special, Casey Fraiser, CBS SchoolBreak, Rescue 9-1-1, Home Improvement, developing useful handy man skills, The Phantom Gourmet, getting shot on TV, yelling Meatball, Alien Autopsy, Mad About You, Fox TV hoaxes, busting scams, New York Undercover, Twilight Zone, 20/20, and learning a new vocab word "monomial".

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 210: Lenora Claire Feb 21, 2017

August 13-19, 1988

Today Ken welcomes model, art curator, casting director and kindred spirit Lenora Claire to the show. Ken and Lenora discuss being a Reading Rainbow kid, appearing on Where in the World is Carmen San Diego?, growing up in the Valley, The Sherman Oaks Galleria, The Brady Bunch House, Star 80, suave ALF, furries, a love of movies, growing up the daughter of a Dr, The Comish, being a Police Surgeon, Bachelor Party, Adrian Zmed, Revenge of the Nerds, Oingo Boingo, The Cramps, Tom Selleck as PT Barnum, Lonnie Anderson as Jane Mansfield, Lynda Carter as Rita Hayworth, Chopping Mall, Nightmares, earthquakes, the proper way to display samurai swords, Ninja III: The Domination, Farrah Fawcett, Extremities, The Burning Bed, Haunted Honeymoon vs. High Spirits, Howard the Duck, Messiah of Evil, condoms, Near Dark vs The Lost Boys, Joshua Miller, Malibu Bikini Shop, USA Up All Night, the rapey-ness of Revenge of the Nerds, Mel Brooks, Spaceballs, an insomnia fueled pop culture education, Night Flight, Another State of Mind, being one of the USA Network's Characters that are welcome, Creepshow, Tales from the Darkside, being paid to be in the audience, Goth Teens, pranking the Hughleys, appearing in Marilyn Manson and George Michaels music videos, Steven Spielberg's aversion to sex, casting MTV's True Life, She's the Sheriff, The Thighmaster vs. The Gutbuster, My So-Called Life, Zoobilie Zoo, SCTV, Elvira : Mistress of the Dark, Paul Reubens, Reality TV, The Real World, the educational power of television, creating anti-stalker laws, Fight Back! with David Horowitz, Wally George, DC Follies, and Beverly Hills Teens.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 209: Rose McGowan Feb 16, 2017

Today Ken welcomes writer, producer, director, actor Rose McGowan to the show.

Ken and Rose discuss "The Californians", the upcoming Apocalypse, growing up in the Adams Family, Italian Culture vs. American "culture", big families, vomit stories, the footwear of backwoods Oregon, being discovered while looking at butts, revival houses, Lawrence of Arabia, classic Hollywood cinema, having an Uncle who owns a video store, C.H.U.D., The Parent Trap, Hollywood child actors, never getting to be yourself, desensitization from horror, Conan the Barbarian, the relationship between comedy and horror, thinking about the effect your work has on the world, the stupidity of men in Hollywood, awful Bro-Frat Boys running things, hack lite, Hollywood not knowing what to do with you, fighting to be creative in a business, sincerity in art, Lonesome Dove, event Television, media based on books, Tiger attacks on Circus of the Stars, Idiocracy, Made for TV movies, turning things down, Charmed, "V", the long gone days of actual Liberal Hollywood, the killing of Cinema, Rose's movie "Dawn", BBC, The Lobster, the lack of rogues and renegades, why one should have a landline for 9-1-1, movie taglines, Planet Terror, opening lines of novels, Electric Boogaloo, Cannon Pictures, and why everyone should by Robert Evans' The Kid Stays in the Picture as an audio book.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 208: Eliza Skinner Feb 14, 2017

August 4-10, 1990

Today Ken welcomes comedian Eliza Skinner to the show.

Ken and Eliza discuss sandwiches, the horrors of Miracle Whip, deep fried Danger, LA Air Traffic, PBS's Mystery, Edward Gory, pull-out couch culture, hiding in the clothing racks at department stores, 90s Nails, The Franklin mint, perfecting Beanie Babies, binging on friends' cable, Yo! MTV Raps, Richmond, VA, Anne of Green Gables, comedians in dramatic roles, Jacob's Ladder, Twin Peaks, Growing Pains, Ducktails, Gummy Bears, having a "type", a love of eyebrows, Designing Women, Audrey Horne, being a Jo, but wanting to be a Blair, Murphy Brown, Who's the Boss's Mona, Roseanne, Night Court, Barney Miller, high school shop club pranks, 21 Jump St, pushing Grieco, My Two Dads, wanting to have a stop light in your bedroom, Made for-TV Movie "I'm Dangerous Tonight", Embryo, Cheers, Monty Python, Ripping Yarns, Grand, Quantum Leap, loving Julie Brown, meeting Geena Davis, and avoiding TGIF.

TV Guidance Counselor 3rd Anniversary Episode: Sean Sullivan guest hosts with guest guest Ken Reid Feb 13, 2017

In this episode recorded this very week Sean Sullivan guests hosts as Ken Reid guest guests to discuss THIS week in Television 2017.

Hear Ken Reid try to pretend he pays attention to current affairs, as Sean swears and they both reminisce about the past guests on the show, the early days of the show and the general state of the world.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 207: Frank "Dr. Frank" Portman Feb 09, 2017

Fall Preview! September 18-24, 1976

In this episode recorded live at Piano Fight in San Francisco during SF Sketchfest Ken welcomes musician and author Frank Portman to the show.

Ken and Frank discuss growing up in the Bay area, being banned from television, Mike's two Grandmothers Edna and Jean, The Chesterfield vs. The Davenport, agricultural game shows, The Brady Bunch, The Partridge Family, being terrified of hippies, the Zodiac Killer, The Spirit of '76, Ken's odd childhood habit of making political jokes at his neighbors house, Richard Nixon, Watergate, Streets of San Francisco, anti-hippies, the literary status of TV Guide's writing, Holmes and Yoyo, Mr. T and Tina, the secret origins of The Mr. T Experience, ethnic comedies, tone shifts, All in the Family, Maude, Norman Lear, beating up the Gooch, Mr. T's angry comic book years, punk rock scare TV, Quincy M.D., Fantasy Island, being treated like a monkey only to be replaced by Christopher Hewitt, Filmmation's Saturday Morning Shows, Kroft, Elektra Woman and Dynagirl, Speed Racer, having your life saved by the theme from Spider-Man, Love American Style, Charles in Charge, songwriting lessons from Gilligan's Island, The Greatest American Hero, Mr. Smith, trying to figure out the dumbest show ever on TV, the Flying Nun, Six Million Dollar Chico and the Man, the importance of correct lunch box decisions, the secrets of Furniture Care, Say Yes to the Dress, Ellery Queen, Angel Heart, The Muppets, Jan Brady accent, Baretta, The Love Boat, writing misunderstood Murder Ballads, and how Bob Newhart is eternal.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 206: Paula Marshall Feb 07, 2017

Today Ken welcomes actor Paula Marshall to the show.

Ken and Paula discuss the fiction of Hollywood tours, Maps to the Stars Homes, Circus of Books, wanting to work, Seinfeld, staying close to home, The Wonder Years, Gary Unmarried breaking the curse, BeaBea's Breakfast, growing up in Maryland, cold and humid climates, All in the Family, all of our Dads, loving sitcoms, watching football with Mom, loving the Colts, NFL, crushed based decisions, the annual tradition of The Wizard of Oz, event television, variety shows, mood rings, unlimited television, over parenting, working for the government, a love of photography, Evelyn's advice, modeling in NYC, One Life to Live, Hellraiser II: Hell on Earth, Warlock The Armageddon, being sick on set, Fred Savage is a piece of tape, auditioning for comedy in the wrong environment, The Flash (1990), Apollonia's eyebrows advice, the importance of hair, Chicago Sons, Jason Bateman, Cupid, remaking Cupid, Jeremy Piven, Hidden Hills, Snoops, holding for laughs, Ted Danson, Cheers, coaching a Boston accent for Ray Donovan, working with Candice Bergen, House, David Duchovny, conservative Republicans, improvisational vomiting during sex, getting the button, getting recognized at the airport, Cheaper by the Dozen, SVU vs SVU, and Tupperwear Party nostalgia with Mariska Hargitay and J. Lo.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 205: Nick Chambers Feb 03, 2017

September 16-22, 1995

Today Ken welcomes incredibly talented comedian, fake song Friday musician, and Old School Game Show utility player Nick Chambers to the show.

Ken and Nick discuss the White Nick Chambers, Mark Harmon, Worcester's Mid-Town Mall, local television jingles, Mom and Pop Amusement Parks, why Judith Light means bargains, Boston knee surgery, Church, 7th Day Adventists, frozen juice concentrate, Forest Gump math, David Allan Grier, Tea Leoni in The Naked Truth, short pitches, Fall Previews, New York Undercover, Full Boss aka Hudson Street, The Kennedys, ER with Journalists, vaguely racist television, Boku, White Grape Juice, Ellen Claghorne, SNICK, Alex Mack, Fire on the Fresh Prince, growing up vegetarian, Killer Bee Honey, All That!, Cybill, Kung Fu The Legend Continues, Peanut Butter Popcorn, Rockwell's Obscene Phone Caller, Disney, getting lost, London Underground, Home Improvement, UPN, Tina Turner, The 7 Ups, why Robert Townsend is amazing, The Wayans Bros, Voodoo, and the shocking revelation of Gerbert.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 204: Alison Rosen Jan 31, 2017

March 28 - April 3, 1987

Today Ken welcome podcaster, writer and fellow Facts of Life superfan Alison Rosen to the show.

Ken and Alison discuss the weird Hollywood Hills, Cat elope and Watermelon worries, why Ken continues to live in New England against his will, odd things found in snowbanks, growing up in Orange County, wanting to be a child actress, being an extra on Life Goes On, "F-You" Nicknames, Chad Lowe, No Means No, if Very Special Episodes hold up to 21st Century ideals, the meanest thing ever said on TV, The Night Stalker, the importance of 1987, Baby Jessica, Marilu Henner's peanut obsession, being in bands, pregnancy brain, Rags to Riches, the horrors of pre-preemption, Hull High, orphan wish fulfillment, Wildfire, Out of This World, Day by Day, 80s TV show Tributes to 60s TV shows, The Facts of Life's "Seven Little Indians", Ken's extreme jealousy of Alison having had Mindy Cohen on her show, The Adam Corolla Show, Valerie, Our House, video vs. film, Jeff Smith The Frugal Gourmet, ALF, Who's the Boss, Alyssa Milano, being depressed by Cheers, Blair's Mother's abortion talk, Growing Pains, why being offered cocaine makes you not want to go to the bathroom, auditioning for Quantum Leap, What a Dummy!, The Monster Squad, The Gate, vaguely Canadian, TV killing dogs, Highway to Heaven, reusing the hallway from Head of the Class, Boys Meets World, A Different World, Roomies, Andrea Martin, teachers on TV, and the scary reveal that Mr. Lazaroni is the dead grandfather Andrew McCarthy was pretending to be in Amazing Stories.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 203: Stuart Pankin Jan 24, 2017

Today Ken welcomes actor Stuart Pankin (Dinosaurs, Not Necessarily The News, Second Sight) to the show.

Ken and Stuart discuss holding your own microphone, being a quintessential sitcom guest star, growing up in Philly, Mel Torme', Night Court, not being enough of a you type to get a part calling for a you type, Scavenger Hunt, Winky Dink, Romper Room, appearing on Howdy Doody, Free to be You and Me with Marlo Thomas, Dinosaurs, Jim Henson, Barney Miller, warm up comedians, Not Necessarily The News, Conan O'Brien's first job, HBO, No Soap Radio, The San Pedro Beach Bums, Love at Stake, Dearly Departed, SCTV, Joe Flaherty, the power of no, Vaudeville to Burlesque to Radio to Television, Milton Berle, Dinah Shore, hating Roasts, hateful comedy, loving horror, the mechanics of comedy, Dawn of the Dead, John Amplas, George Romero's Martin, Tremors, 50s Monster Movie Matinees, the creative seeds planted by limitations, Stuart as the interviewer, Breaking Bad, The Wire, Mad Men, Phil Silvers, Sid Caesar, playing poker with comedy greats, a world without movie stars, Dee Wallace, Eddie Albert, having a good lead in, remote controls, Second Sight, Boston, the writer's strike, Fatal Attraction, parody songs, actors five people inside them, and the pros and cons of being a specific character actor.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 202: Candy Clark Jan 20, 2017

In this episode recorded LIVE! at the NorthEast Comic Con Ken welcomes actress Candy Clark (American Graffiti, The Man Who Fell to Earth) to the show.

Ken and Candy discuss growing up in Texas, moving to NYC, being a teen model, John Houston, Fat City, Susan Tyrrell, the high cost of living in Manhattan, Room 222, auditioning for American Graffiti, THX 1138, working with George Lucas, the amazing soundtrack of American Graffiti, revitalizing the Hot Rod World, meeting Jeff Beck, The Dating Game, The Man Who Fell to Earth, David Bowie, Nick Roeg, how being an actress can be like waiting tables, Circus of the Stars, being mauled by a tiger, Pat Morita : Magician, Barbie Benton being put in danger, Faerie Tale Theater, The 1988 remake of The Blob, the new Twin Peaks, child actors, Ron Howard, the fight over the title "American Graffiti", how Frances Ford Coppola almost personally purchased the movie, the Thighmaster, and the difficulties of working with George Peppard on Banachek.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 201: Caitlin Durante Jan 18, 2017

March 16-22, 1991

Today Ken welcomes writer/comedian Caitlin Durante to the show.

Ken and Caitlin discuss geographic issues, being a mature 4 year old, rural Western PA, developing poor television viewing skills, Star Wars, not liking Seinfeld, the early days of DVD players, screenwriting, stand up New York, The Wizard of Oz, Netflix discs, stupid film students, Barbara Walters as a Ninja Turtle ally, Voices that Care, The Gulf War, The Black Eyed Peas changing of history, Big Bird's Birthday, the world after The Real World, Fox's High School Documentary experiment "Yearbook", earthquakes, America's Funniest Home Videos, Indiana Jones, Wilfred Brimley and Ricky Schroeder: Cowboys, John Carpenter, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, Made-for-TV movies, The Princess Bride, Return of the Jedi, Major Dad, TV edits, Repo Man, disecting fetal pigs, pulling teeth out of cow heads, the power of Alan Thicke, local haunted houses, The Danvers State Mental Hospital, John Waters, Unsolved Mysteries, After School Specials, 2001 A Space Odyssey, Babes, Babe Pig in the City, Maniac Mansion, TGIF, Dark Shadows, Perfect Strangers, sitcom porn parodies and development deals for murderers.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 200 - Billy West Part II: On the Move Jan 12, 2017

In this very special Very Special 200th episode Ken welcomes Billy West (Ren & Stimpy, Doug, Futurama) back to the show.

Almost two years to the day from Billy's last appearance on the show (at the Riot LA Comedy Festival) Ken and Billy sat down at North East Comic Con for Round II of chats.

Ken and Billy discuss the traumatic origins of Billy's talents, TV sign offs, the infamous CNN "End of the World" video, Ted Turner, The Critic, Maurice LeMarche, Pinky & The Brain, Ed Wood, Orson Welles, the debut of Star Trek, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., the horrors of internet trolls, raising a little hit man, the value of a shared experience, Beanie & Cecil, ABC Television's Children's TV Standards and Practices, a life in comic books, the Batmobile, rage society, the assassination of JFK, Mel Blanc, G. Gordon Liddy, the tutelage of Barry Crimmins at the Ding Ho, being a Chicken McNugget, The Howard Stern Show, Trump, Futurama, Ren & Stimpy, Bob Clampett, Kurt Loader, Doug, Booster Gold and Skeets on JLU, Fry, Nickelodeon, Matt Groening, classic showbiz Marblemouths, Jay Leno: Drug Kingpin, Adam Carolla: Master of the Simile, The Cincinnati Reds, Boston Racism vs. Detroit Racism, Irish vs. Italians, Richie Reardon from Revere, Boston's ability to coin phrases, wanting to do good work, how your future is unwritten, confessions of a $900 Million dollar loss, treating people right, Tom Kenny, Molasses spills, the character vs. the voice, Jack Kirby, meeting Les Paul, Jackson Beck, The Comedy Channel, Percy Rodriguez, Paul Frees, Elvis, and the influence of Captain Marvel Jr.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 199: Allee Willis Jan 10, 2017

Today Ken welcomes songwriter, queen of kitsch, and personal hero Allee Willis to the show.

Ken and Allee discuss The Color Purple on Broadway, hating theater, swearing, having a TV in every room on every wall, growing up in Detroit, TV as a babysitter, a diet of candy, the sophistication of Health Bars, CHiPs, Erik Estrada's tight beige uniform, disco scores, writing songs for Earth Wind and Fire, Wonder Woman's disco devil, American Bandstand, Soul Train, Hullabaloo, Shin Dig, the invention of the teenager, cutting edge Variety, The Smothers Brothers, Laugh In, counter culture, Columbia Records, falling in love with Los Angeles, Freaks and Geeks, falling in love with cable news, Car Chases, 30,000 hours of footage, Just Say Julie, Allee's amazing wonderful house of treasures, rooftop drums, The Breakfast Club, being a music video production designer, The Cars "You Might Think", Tom Petty's "Don't Come Around Here No More", painting, combining music with art, writing "I'll Be There For You" the theme from Friends, returning the AFI Women's Directing Award in 1991, Kevin Bright, hating the Memphis school's bastardization of mid-century modern, storage spaces filled with treasure, Storage Wars, Sid & Marty Kroft, HR Puffnstuff, Electrawoman and Dynagirl, collecting lunch boxes, Greatest American Hero, the loss of the theme song, R&B, "Friends" at sporting events, a sea lion's love of "Boogie Wonderland", the wonders of the internet, Vice TV, enjoying The Principal's Office, hating foreign real housewives, and having a brand identity.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 198: Gerald Casale and Josh 2.0 of DEVO Jan 05, 2017

Recorded LIVE! at NorthEast Comic Con

Today Ken welcomes Gerald Casale and Josh 2.0 from the band Devo to the show. Ken, Jerry and Josh discuss forsaking being a Hippie at Kent State, the origins of the theory of Devolution, Mid-Century Low Culture, art movements, growing into a dystopian stupidity, pop sci-fi, Night Flight, The Complete Truth about De-Evolution, Duck and Cover, growing a Catholic Heretic, Fridays, Saturday Night Live, Andy Kaufman, pioneering music videos, wanting to put out a Video Disc a year, Ohio, Pioneer Laserdiscs, taking time to develop, Heavy Metal, Working in a Coal Mine, Satisfaction, becoming a pop act, Whip It, living in The Right Stuff, early days of MTV, directing videos for the Cars and Klymaxx, censorship, Jane Sibbery and her cow's udders, She-Bop, the French Fry and the Donut, Rage Against the Machine's Beautiful World, working with the Funk Investigators, modern remakes of Devo videos, why telling the truth makes you a target, what the "end game" is, the devaluation of cultural capital, appearing on Square Pegs, Neil Young's Human Highway, how Josh got into Devo, stage battle scars, the dangers of playing Uncontrollable Urge, Brian Eno, Oblique Strategies, waiting for David Bowie, Weird Al's Dare to be Stupid, and creating ideas for the universe.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 197: Matt Gourley Jan 03, 2017

Today Ken welcomes actor, podcaster Matt Gourley to the show.

Ken and Matt discuss Matt's homey East Coast style West Coast home, the special nature of Fall Previews, birthday TV, personalized baseball racks, the TV Guide/Toaster vs. the TV Week/Toaster Oven split, It's a Living, The Bonaventure Hotel, Revolving Restaurants, Doin' Time on Planet Earth, Divorce tripling your TV Time, On TV, Cable Guides, deceptive movie artwork, growing up in LA, witnessing Masters of the Universe being filmed first hand, Tenspeed and Brownshoe, a world of Cannonball run bloopers, The Dom Delouise Show, High Ice, Shakespeare on TV, Henry VIII, empathy for Progeria, Family Plot, "pilot", Gilligan's Island, Bruce Vilanch's world, The Future, synesthesia, Three's Company, pretending to be your own twin, John Ritter in Real Men, Love Sydney, Tammy Faye Baker, Jim J Bollock, Too Close for Comfort, rape on TV, Very Special Episodes, Diff'rent Strokes, Danny Cooksey, stuttering M.A.S.K.s, clams, Ecdysiasts, Real People vs. That's Incredible!, Rusty Miller's Star Wars Book, TV Writer Jeremy Reems, cross dressing Mr. Drummond, actual Twins, SCTV, Best of the West, William Sanderson vs. Tracy Walters vs. William Sadler, Nova, public school sexual education, the original Pee Wee Herman Show, shipbuilders, Elizabeth Montgomery, "Someone I Touched", Benson, Saturday Morning Preview Specials, Blackstarr, Thundarr the Barbarian, The Incredible Hulk, It's a Living, First Run Syndication, Jennifer Slept Here, Mr. Merlin, and the magical wonder of Guich Koock.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 196.5: Steve Albini Dec 29, 2016

For the final episode of 2016 Ken welcomes one of his personal heroes to the show, Steve Albini.

Ken and Steve define and deny latch key children, and discuss growing up in the Midwest, UHF vs VHF,seeing the Lawrence Welk show as your first experience with color TV, outdated technology and entertainment, telegraphs, The Little Rascals, the bizarre variety of television pre-Millennium, why every single thing ever made now may not be the greatest thing ever, The Sopranos, The Wire, cops and robbers, punk rock tape trading, fucked up videos, R. Budd Dwyer, the Canadian Metallica Drummer, the original South Park tape, Another State of Mind, Punk Rock Scare media, Donohue, The Decline of Western Civilization, why You Wern't There may be the greatest punk rock documentary, Our Band Could be Your Life, Devo, The Complete Truth about De-evolution, Speed Racer, Kimba the White Lion, and trying to discover the secret spy tech in your parents' new car.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 196: Dhaya Lakshminarayanan Dec 27, 2016

May 17-23, 1980

Today Ken welcomes comedian Dhaya Lakshminarayanan to the show.

Ken and Dhaya discuss Dedham, MA, yards of beer, poutine, local flavor, Friendly's, the origins of Sundaes, San Francisco, MIT, schools on the Red Line, The Jeffersons, Birmingham Alabama, growing up the child of immigrants, racial slurs, why George Jefferson may be the quintessential American, Marla Gibbs, Sanford & Son, poverty, The Fresh Prince of Bel Aire, Krush Groove, latchkey syndication, Mary Tyler Moore, single women, secretly normalizing gay culture, Three's Company, Star Trek, The Love Boat, The Twilight Zone, Herve Villechaize, Mr. Belvedere, Fantasy Island, Warwick Davis, 227, spin off shows, Marilyn Monroe, Edward Gorey, Dione Warwick, Cheryl Ladd, That's Incredible, Real People, Nova, why Carl Sagan is the perfect man, Murder Can Hurt You, The McNeal Learer News Hour, Buck Rogers, Fridays!, Red Foxx, teaching Tom Willis how to speak Jive, and Gary Shandling's understanding of sitcom formats.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 195: Donovan Scott Dec 22, 2016

Today Ken welcomes actor Donovan Scott (Police Academy, Popeye, Sheena) to the show.

Ken and Donovan discuss California weather, Robin Hood, San Francisco, playing as a kid, why Saturday was the best day, cartoons, Popeye, The Little Rascals, Laurel and Hardy, Lassie, Fury, The Wonderful World of Disney, a life in the theater, variety shows, Zen Boogie, Red Skelton, physical comedy, Martha Ray, drinking with Martha Ray in Vietnam, the Navy, Jimmy Stewart, Mary Tyler Moore, Lynda Carter's two big specials, Faerie Tail Theater, Lily Tomlin, The Incredible Shrinking Woman, being an early VHS adopter, Better Midler, 1941 with Steven Spielberg, X-Files, Alakazam the Great, Frankie Avalon, a love of Christmas specials, playing Santa, Mr. MaGoo, The Bishop's Wife, the TV vs Movie actor divide, Shelley Duvall, Robert Altman's Popeye, Robin Williams, South American Top Cat, playing the moon, Lou Costello, Tatum O'Neal, Zorro The Gay Blade, Police Academy, Sheena, Marc Singer in V, children's cartoons based on R rated movies, Savannah Smiles, Mark Miller, Life with Lucy, Lucille Ball, Maui, directing movies in Soviet Russia, fighting a woman over a toilet seat, being dubbed in a foreign language, Night of the Meek, being a modern day Art Carney, Miracle on 34th St, Santa Claus the Movie, a love of Sci-Fi, Stranger Things, Fringe, Star Trek, Babylon 5, Homeboys in Outer Space, Buster Keaton, and working with animals.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 194: Mike Lawrence Dec 21, 2016

April 26th - May 2, 1997

Today Ken welcomes comedian and Roast Battle Champion Mike Lawrence to the show.

Ken and Mike discuss teenage years, the 13th floor, being stuck in a Fraternity Conference, The McGinley Curse, Married...with Children, watching TV with Dad, television's role with divorced parents, the horrors of seeing movies with your own money, Counting Crows' August and Everything After, Soul Asylum's Grave Dancer's Union, Star Wars The Phantom Menace, Sweeps Week, Tom Hanks, Cindy Crawford, The WB, UPN, the golden age of Fox Television's Sunday Night Lineup, 1990's The Flash, Captain Cold, comic books on TV, "The Hulk Out List", Pirates of Darkwater, pre-8am Saturday Morning Cartoons, Marvel Action Universe, Fantastic Four as cartoons, Batman the Animated Series, ComicCon, Justice League, Daffy Duck as the best character, Animaniacs, why The New Doug is like cutting, Superman, The Mask vs Ace Ventura, Goosebumps, Waynehead, Life with Louie, The Tick, budget restraints, CBS Storybreak, Cleopatra 2025, Hercules, Xena, Thunder in Paradise, Rob Reiner, The Simpsons, Mr. Sparkle, Unhappily Ever After, Steve Harvey, King of the Hill, Bullethead, being into big fat black guys, CGI Gimmicks, Robert Englund as the Devil, Ink, Alex Desert, Nickelodeon, Homeboys in Outer Space, The Drew Carey Show as the Blue Collar Seinfeld, Smart Guy, Thelma Frye, Sherman Helmsley, Amen, The Wayans Brothers, series finale stunts, Rock N Roll Gymnastics, Seinfeld, Unsolved Mysteries, cyber stalkers, Step by Step, Forever Night and being terrified of Millennium before the Millennium.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 193: Holidays with Myq Kaplan Dec 15, 2016

In this very special Holiday Episode Ken welcomes returning guest Myq Kaplan to the show to discuss the Jewish television experience around the Holidays.

Ken and Myq discuss their friendship, returning, vegan squeaky toys, turkey trots, contraception vs conceptual, Howie Mandel's rubber glove incident, neglecting the Jews, hannukkah, cultural Christmas, Atheism, Pump N Pray, brain radios, The Big Bang, String Theory, New Jersey, private school, Christmas Pageants, 8 Crazy Nights, The OC, Chinese Food and Movies, Consumerism, helping the less fortunate, hating labels, KISS's Love Gun, Non-PC "Merry Christmas", not being "into" happiness, doing it "for the children", Brooklyn Bridge, how Boston Jews begat Boston Irish, looking Jewish, virgin births, Picket Fences, Lois and Clark - The New Adventures of Superman meeting The Jeffersons, redemption of villainy, The War on Christmas, Gary Gulman, Jewish Carols, Christmas Songs, Chinese Restaurants, Love Actually, why Myq and Unaccompanied Minor reminds Ken of Christmas, Die Hard, universal messages, Christmas Death Squad, irredeemables, A Hobo Christmas, homelessness, A Buffy The Vampire Slayer Spike Christmas message, Friends' Thanksgiving Episodes, Nathan Lane's Racist Vaudeville SNL sketch, society's lack of context and intent, Objectivism, Ayn Rand as ruiner of society, Steve Ditko's Mr. A, and why he can do it but you can't.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 192: Kelli Maroney Dec 13, 2016

This week Ken welcomes actress Kelli Maroney (Chopping Mall, Night of the Comet) to the show.

Ken and Kelli discuss Boston accents, losing your native accent through paying old women to fall asleep, Minnesota, Shakespeare, Ryan's Hope, Manhattan, Soap Opera snobbishness, 50s New York vs. 80s New York, Night of the Comet, being the inspiration for Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Jim Wynorski, being Kimberly, improving with F. Murray Abraham and William H. Macy, impostor syndrome, Family Feud, being a master of quiet suppression, Maria Bamford, Prince, Star Trek, The Brady Bunch, watching old black and white movies with your mom, Hollywood Glamour, Bette Davis, Mary Woronov, Chopping Mall, Barbara Crampton, keeping your personal life personal, Law and Order, marathoning television when you're sick, innovation in low budget movies, ripped from the headlines, cannon fodder, the original Dawn of the Dead's superiority to the remake, After School Specials, Portrait of a Teenage Alcoholic, Scott Baio is Stoned, the convention circuit, YouTube stars, the importance of Unions, being branded as an "80s actress", and the 21st Century's aversion to story development.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 191: Britta Phillips Dec 08, 2016

December 21 -27, 1974

Today Ken welcomes musician and sometimes actress Britta Phillips to the show.

Ken and Britta discuss subscribing to TV Guide, being limited to two hours a day of television, constantly moving, growing up in Eastern Pennsylvania, being a shy kid, childhood fist fights, pro-hippies, having a huge Christmas Celebration, favorite Christmas Carols, Sleigh Bells, variety shows, All In the Family, Norman Lear, poverty on TV, Mary Tyler Moore, Bob Newhart, Carol Burnett, I Dream of Jeanie vs. Bewitched, The Mod Squad, loving Claire Danes, Peggy Lipton, Herbie Hancock, Manhattan, being really into farms and science, wanting to marry a horse, Flicka, man and beast, The Odd Couple, Family Affair, sophisticated game shows, Gore Vidal, intellectuals on television, David Susskind, Dick Cavett, JEM, singing for a cartoon, Satisfaction, Justine Bateman, Julia Roberts, Dennis Farina, Crime Story, old Las Vegas, Aaron Spelling's Nightingales, Bell Tower, living in the UK, MTV's glory days of music, Scrooge, rewatching Christmas specials over and over again, Rankin Bass Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Albert Finney, good taste in hip hop, working in a heavy metal bar, Anthrax, waiting on Gene Simmons, loving Disco, M.A.S.H., "Suicide is Painless", The Midnight Special, The Cars, being scared of Star Trek, a grandparents' Christmas, The Doctor Who theme, Tony Orlando and Dawn, Land of the Lost, obsession with the Amish, a desire to time travel, The Jetsons, Little House on the Prairie, The Waltons, The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, never having been on a cruise ship, 70s cop shows, and the 50 something Golden Girls effect.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 190: Mark Gallagher Dec 06, 2016

March 7-13, 1998

Today Ken welcomes comedian Mark Gallagher to the show.

Ken and Mark discuss Ken's collections, the thrill of obtaining things, TV on DVD, depression based purchases, horror video games, Custard's Last Stand, dirty Atari, St. Patrick's Horror, Haverhill, being Burn Notice babysat, John Malkovich, Dawson's Creek, Flash Dad, Michael J. Pollard, Superman, The Funspot, Hercules, Bloopers, Aaron Spelling, Cop Rock, SNICK, lack of bedtime, The Real World Boston, Batman cartoons, Freakazoid, South Park, movie tie-in songs, being raised by Stolen Cable, Sega games, anad Swamp Thing.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 189: Angela Featherstone Nov 29, 2016

Today Ken welcomes writer, actress Angela Featherstone (Friends, Con Air, Dark Angel the Ascent) to the show.

Ken and Angela discuss Canadian geography,Guy Madden, Roman Polanski, being a teenage model, Paris, video store education, Fearless Vampire Killers, The Italian Beatles, Hermann Hesse, Bertolucci, Opera, German Radio, learning Japanese, John Woo, forbidden television, Dallas, Black Beauty, Cat People, The Wall, The Story of O, Secretary, brutal movies, the feeling vs the detail, Ray Donovan, Dark Angel The Ascent, The Kids in the Hall, The Chicken Lady, Army of Darkness, Romania, Charles Band, feral countries, quiet internal still acting, Milos Forman, Flopping around, being the copy girl on Friends, Seinfeld, watching yourself, The Wedding Singer, sitcoms, Cracker, avoiding dark material, doing what's best for you, understanding White Trash, Girls, House of Cards, allegories, being a social worker at heart, "floundering", suffering from "dehydration", being a foster child, Children's Action Network, The Heart Gallery, PTSD, people seeing more in you than you see, bitches junkies & whores, Lena Dunham, Jenny Konner, and beautifully damaged sweet people.

TV Guidance Counselor 2016 Holiday Special with Joanna Wilson Nov 22, 2016

On this special Jet Black Friday Holiday edition Ken welcomes author and Christmas TV History expert Joanna Wilson (Tis the Season TV, The Christmas TV Companion, Triple Dog Dare) to the show.

Ken and Joanna discuss watching and surviving a 24 hour marathon of A Christmas Story, The Waltons, The House without a Christmas Tree, Sad Christmas vs. Funny Christmas, Scrooged, It's a Wonderful Life, charity, homelessness, being a life long TV junkie, carving out a niche, Rankin Bass, emotional connections to Holiday TV, why holiday and Christmas specials are not just for Christians, Holiday Traditions, Christmas Ghost Stories in the UK, Yule Logs, Cleveland, The Dick Van Dyke Show, the "Show within a Show" sub genre, Variety Shows, Family Ties, The Famous Teddy Z, The Six Million Dollar Man, Spenser for Hire's Hopes and Fears, Bank Robbing Santa Claus on Police Woman, Monsters' Glim Glim, Tales from the Darkside, The Simpsons, shoplifting at Christmas, Lee Carvallo's Putting Challenge, learning to appreciate the thought over the gift, Good Times, Bewitched, The Partridge Family in a Western Ghost Town Christmas, personal greetings from your favorite shows, Saturday Night Live's Christmas Merrython, SCTV Christmas, John Waters, Cheers and It's a Wonderful Life, Seinfeld's Festivus, and why The Twilight Zone episode "Night of the Meek" may be the greatest Christmas episode of all time.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 188: Sean Tumblety Nov 22, 2016

May 30- June 5, 2004

Today Ken welcomes comedian and mad about town Sean Tumblety to the show.

Ken and Sean discuss New Jersey vs. New Hampshire, 'zines, sexy Gillian Anderson, Cult TV Shows, X-Files, Sean's industrious youth, converting people to Breaking Bad, Ken's insults at Sean for not knowing who Max Headroom is, TV Pirates, studying film, Deja Vu, Pee Wee's Big Adventure Playhouse, Xena, showing your kid movies of your youth, Monty Python, flea market birthdays, Inside the Actor's Studio, Jay Leno, Jackie Chan, Ender's Game, WC Fields, Jaws, Surfing, bedtimes, Antiques Roadshow, comic book collecting, being banned from science experiments, Survivor, Cops attack Mars, Miss Universe, when the Knockin ain't right, 16 Foot Tall Blenders, pimpin', Tarantino movies, finding your true friends, Ninjas, Point Break, atheism, Tom Papa's canceled series, Lost not having a plan, loving snakes, hating teenage girls, the first 5 minutes of an R-Rated Movie, Marked for Death, being scared of dogs, Spanish terror, and the golden age of David Letterman.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 187: Negin Farsad Nov 15, 2016

May 13-19, 1989

Today Ken welcomes author, comedian, podcaster and filmmaker Negin Farsad to the show.

Ken and Negin discuss outdoor podcasts, Harvard University, transcriptions, tax law, living abroad, barista as dream job, French TV, watching US Shows in foreign countries, TV sign offs, The Yule Log, hotel room channels, being politically active, Making White People Laugh, being Muslim, the dark side of American History, Fashion vs Fascism, Iran, growing up in Palm Springs, CA, identifying as African American despite not being African American, A Different World, thirtysomething, My So-Called Life, single vs three camera, How I Met Your Mother, Coupling, watching TV alone, the wonders of sleep timers, insomnia, naughty Golden Girls, clip shows, COPS, sleepovers, SNL, MTV's The Real World, The Tracy Ulman Show, Sunday night movies, Dynasty, Peter Jennings, ABC News, 70s stunts, Murphy Brown, Roseanne, Growing Pains, Cagney and Lacey, Geraldo's longevity, Cheers, Dear John and the cultural amnesia surrounding Beauty and the Beast.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 186: Matt Oswalt Nov 08, 2016

Today Ken welcomes writer Matt Oswalt to the show.

Ken and Matt discuss the hierarchy of showbiz, cute kids, The Hollywood Hills, Satanism on Television, Poor Devil, The City Connection, being a pro-TV family,Saturday Night's Main Event, Wrestling on TV, Santa Claus as Pro Wrestler, Mud Wrestling,Gimme a Break's infamous blackface episode, Joey Lawrence, In Search Of...,, booster STDs, Saturday Night NBC Lineup, 227, Facts of Life, back door pilots, late night Cinemax, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, TV Versions, creepy Private Lessons, Mystery!, The Honeymooners, Sports Machine, Hot Dog the Movie, Nick at Nite, buying the wrong Voltron, Faces of Death, the wonders of Hollywood, killing Klaus Kinski, Robin Williams, Don Rickles, the boring unfunny charismatic Sondra and Elvin, Friday Night Videos, and what the lighting in Heaven is like.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 185: Shawn Donovan Nov 01, 2016

March 2-8, 1996

Today Ken welcomes (former) comedian and (current) socialist Shawn Donovan to the show, Dinosaurs, Growth, Environmental Collapse,

Ken and Shawn discuss workplace pleasantries, moving to LA to be a Communist, the nature of manifestos, the Salem Witch Trials, childhood field trips, problem kids in schools, NYPD Blue, Propaganda, the nature of Art in Communism, Second Noah, Beach Cops, the Nerd, Chow Daddy, Kelsey Grammer's accident, TV 56 Creature Double Feature, Space Cases, My So-Called Life, Kung Fu, Murder She Wrote, actor replacement, Menopause, affairs, nature, stoners, River's Edge, Wrestling, Murphy Brown, 90s UK sketch shows, The League of Gentlemen, Chris Morris, Kickin' Aspen, Buddies, dumped pilots, the American Comedy Awards, sexy Proletariat, Awards Shows, The Vijy, North Shore movie theaters, Candence Bergin, Before They Were Stars, Satanic Panic, getting "yourself" stuck in the pool, Caroline in the City, Due South, tainted horse meat, and being forbidden to see Four Weddings and a Funeral.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 184: Ben Schwartz Oct 25, 2016

March 23-29, 1991

Today Ken welcomes actor, writer Ben Schwartz to the show

Ken and Ben discuss roped off areas, electro-shock collars, stunt boys, people's injuries, glass tables, House of Lies, Ramen Noodle Julia Roberts, Whoopie from Ghost, The Oscars, Dusty Hoff, testing Ken's brain, Gerald McRaney, J.J. Abrams, Undercovers, Fringe, living forever, Count Duckula, In Living Color, SNL, The Bronx, Kevin Nealon, Adam Sandler, Giraffe Coach, the beauty of curtain calls, the final Family Ties, cuban finales, Leon Redbone's Mr. Belvedere theme song, I Married Dora, Huey Lewis News, The Incredibly Strange Film Show with Jonathan Ross, Russ Meyer, Midnight Madness, Back to the Beach, keeping props from everything you've done, Robert DiNero, The Simpsons, Northeastern University, owning the greatest prop from Parks and Rec, Voices that Care, The Late Late Show, christening a set, Wrestlemania, stealing cable, Sporscenter, The Fresh Prince of Bel Aire, blaming children who's second language is English for your sins, children swearing, Video Games, throwing tennis balls at The Celtics, the one man climbing empire, Beauty and the Beast, Real Genius, Back to the Future, mysterious Chinese throat drops, Ducktails, the Disney Afternoon, Mac & Cheesin', Gargoyles, Final Fantasy 7: The Best Game of All Time, Punch Out, the power of ringtones, Perfect Strangers, Family Matters, TGIF, Inspector Gadget, Cheer, Billy West, MST3K, Sledge Hammer and shows who thought they were getting canceled but didn't.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 183: Penelope Spheeris Oct 18, 2016

Today Ken welcomes writer, director Penelope Spheeris (Wayne's World, The Decline of Western Civilization).

Ken and Penelope discuss growing up poor, sneaking TV, the Wonderful World of Disney, Saturday Matinees, hippie drug culture, Dragnet, punk rock scare films, 60 Minutes, the horrors of corporate mergers, the death of true journalism, Wayne's World, Beverly Hillbillies, The Little Rascals, Green Acres, Ken as Wikipedia, drones, comedians and the dark side of life, Richard Pryor, The Decline of Western Civilization, The Boys Next Door, Dudes, tone shifts, horror and comedy as cousins, Ken finding a dead body, UCLA Film School, being a music video pioneer, filming The Parliament Funkadelic Mothership, directing opportunities for women, Albert Brooks, Saturday Night Live, Real Life, Lorne Michaels impressions, being a good person, fear of being poor, American Family, Suburbia, cooking shows, violence on TV, being perplexed by Game of Thrones, true documentaries, and Ken's weird brain.

TV Guidance Counselor 2016 Halloween Special with Sam Furst Oct 15, 2016

On the third annual TV Guidance Counselor Halloween special Ken welcomes friend and believer in the good of Monsters Sam Furst to the show.

Ken and Sam discuss haunted houses, Ghostbusters costumes, The Nightmare on Elm St series, Terminator 2, Halloween TV edits, "making of" TV specials, The Witches, Spawn, the depressing nature of Pet Semetary, Stephen King, New England Halloween, not wanting to be disturbed, loving allegories, SFX, gore, praise for the Evil Dead remake, The Making of Michael Jackson's Thriller, Rick Baker, Alien Bar Mitvahs, the fear of mentally challenged adults handing out candy, the Halloween sense of community, TV38's Movie Loft, why Friday the 13th isn't the best Halloween viewing, peeping into people's houses, taking dogs trick or treating, Heavy Metal Horror, Jon Mikal Thor, Black Roses, Iron Maiden, Satanic Panic, Judas Priest, Alice Cooper's Feed my Frankenstein, unusual VHS boxes, C.H.U.D. II, USA Up All Night, USA's Saturday Nightmares, Commander USA's Groovy Moovies, disappointing demons bands, one vs two earrings, not being a Charlie Brown guy, homemade costumes, getting married on Halloween, Paperama, Salem, MA, Hocus Pocus, The Adventures of Pete and Pete Halloweenies, how Nightmare Before Christmas is NOT a Halloween movie, Goosebumps, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, SNICK, E.T., and recommending "The Guest".

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 182: Doug Benson Oct 13, 2016

September 30 - October 5, 2000 FALL PREVIEW ALERT!

Today Ken welcomes comedian, podcaster and movie lover Doug Benson to the show.

Ken and Doug discuss Chinatown hotels, le petite cine, tv vs. movies, the importance of recognition, Jeff Goldblum: President, Lorne Michaels' New Show, Fall Previews, Geena Davis, roads not taken, When Things Were Rotten, canceled shows, 9/11 and Television, Ed Asner, Strikes, Yasmine Bleeth, Deadline, Ed, America's Next Top Model, The PJs, depressing dirty lives, David E. Kelley, Ally McBeal, UPN, too much Who Wants to be a Millionaire, Boston Public, Rashida Jones, The WB, Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, Angel, The Michael Richards Show, Summer Seasons, the birth of Reality TV, Survivor, Once and Again, Sela Ward, Tim Daly in The Fugitive, Dawson's Creek, trying to milk Star Trek, Ben or Noel?, Will & Grace, Two Guys a Girl and a Pizza Place, Grosse Pointe, and a love of Popular.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 181: Tracy Newman Oct 11, 2016

Today Ken welcomes musician, writer Tracy Newman to the show.

Ken and Tracy discuss pre-interviews, The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, Ricky Jay, card magic, telling a story in 20 minutes, Ed McMahon, false confidence, knowing a performer, being yourself on stage, improv, The Groundlings, The Three Stooges, Abbot and Costello, Laurel and Hardy, Betty White, live TV, Phil Silvers, Ernie Kovacs, Don Knotts: Love God, Sid Caesar, growing up in LA, Tom Poston, playing cards on the set of Bob, writing for Cheers, helping Ellen come out of the closet, According to Jim, having no apologies, High School Reunions, UK TV licenses, Phil Hartman, Paul Reubens, Lisa Kudrow, winning an Emmy, the dangers of wearing heels on TV, calling James Arness, Gunsmoke, calling Kelsey Grammar "Fraiser", Have Gun Will Travel, and writing a TV theme song.

TV Guidance Counselor 180: Tawanda Gona Oct 05, 2016

October 17-23, 1998

Today Ken welcomes Boston comedian Tawanda Gona to the show.

Ken and Tawanda discuss Tawands'a first trip to Ken's home, thesuburbs, Hyde Park, Wilmington North Carolina, being born inZimbabwe, Fast 5, African bootlegs, never having a real birthdayparty, Atlanta, having parents who are super smartbio-statisticians, Smart Guy, molestation, Ken's Comedy Centraldebut, the wonders of gentrification, Maya Angelou vs. Tupac, whyJanet Jackson is too good for Tupac, Halloween parties, Blackchurches with Koreans, Dirty Skype, long distance cheating, GrowingPains, Tawanda's Leo Theory, Tales from the Hood, Rusty Cundieff,Hulk Hogan, Mad TV, SNL, forging checks to buy Scholastic books,Star Trek, sci-fi, King of the Hill, Hunchback of Notre Dame, SimonSez, Selena, the state of hip hop, Biggie Smalls, rap murder,African homophobia, OJ the Juiceman and Guchi Man, Tawand's worshipof criminals, keeping it real, moral ambiguity, Tawanda's whiteguilt, Spider-Man, fighting, punk rock pasts, Breaking Bad, livingthe life, 50 Cent, being selfish, and the power of lifeexperience.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 179: Diane Franklin Sep 30, 2016

April 9-15, 1983

Today Ken welcomes author and actor Diane Franklin (Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, Better Off Dead, The Last American Virgin) to the show.

Ken and Diane discuss Diane's compliments for Ken, bringing your own TV Guides (BYOTVGs), Long Island, modeling, Soap Opera acting, That Girl, being a first generation American of German descent, Lawrence Welk, size vs. time, Valerie Bertonelli, not knowing actors' personal lives, One Day at a Time, commissioning art, Better Off Dead, St. Elsewhere, "it was all a dream", Amnityville Horror, As the World Turns, Made for TV Movies, Deadly Lessons, Donna Reed, Summer Girl, Cable, being before your time, The Excellent Adventures of the Last American, French Exchange Babe of the 80s, One Crazy Summer's Better Off Dead connection, How I Got Into College, being a TV actor vs being a movie actor, taking your time, TerrorVision, The Final Interview, Waking Nightmare, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, seeing life through your children's eyes, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, sci-fi, the importance of physical media, curls, and how to best spend your $2.00.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 178: Erica Rhodes Sep 28, 2016

April 23-29, 1994

Today Ken welcome actress, comedian and fellow Massachusetts native Erica Rhodes to the show.

Ken and Erica discuss Boston accents, Newton Pedigree, Prairie Home Companion, The Nutcracker, Jason Alexander's clothes, Hollywood, Robert Altman, PT Anderson, Pee Wee's Playhouse, TV Contests, not having a TV until you're 7, the horror of Alice in Wonderland on TV, being scared of horror films, Modern Family, New England impressed, Family Matters vs. Blossom, Punky Brewster, shopping at Delia's, Baywatch, Classical Music, Oldies 103.3, Come Baby Come, America's Most Wanted, the Sound of Music, Zoom, Julia Child, Pam Grier as Phillips old flame on The Fresh Prince, John Candy's directorial debut, SCTV alum cartoons, Full House, Made for TV Movies, John Ritter as Frank L. Baulm in The Dreamer of Oz, Roseanne, The Witches vs. Hocus Pocus, 30 year old teenagers, Million Dollar Mystery, finding treasure, Home Improvement, mid-season replacements, Mad About You, The Simpsons, Seinfeld, Cheers, Kenny Rogers as Hannibal Lector, Step by Step, David Gregory, zombie children in Ireland, and judging a book by its cover.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 177: John Hodgman Sep 23, 2016

January 14-20, 1978

Today Ken welcomes comedian, actor, writer and fake internet judge John Hodgman to the show.

Ken and John discuss John's love of the Wilbur Theater, how good cold marble feels on your armpits, The Combat Zone, tunnels, nudie bars, questing for a Quest for Fire, Brookline as The Vatican, Videosmith, Doug Loves Movies, Jim Gaffigan's wasteful performance rider, washing dishes in a gay restaurant, throwing your parents out of the house, Strawberries, Filene's Concert secrets, Detroit airport secrets, The Westin, Werewolves as Football Players, Charles Addams, The Superbowl, drawing Tippy, the sadness of your grandmother writing disco songs, Venus Flytraps, Toyota Celica, The Muppets, Edward Gorey's words of wisdom, self taught clarinet mysteries, nightmare inducing basements, Spenser for Hire, imported beer, the class system of Cheers, the completely illogical motivations of Daredevil, Tabitha, latch key Bewitched, WLVI TV56, WSBK's The Movie Loft, TV38 sadness, We Don't Knock, uncut movies, Petticoats, Plenty Uptopp, Tony Randall, Chesty Morgan, Love Sydney, Love Boat, cliffhangers, Super Night at The Super Bowl, variety shows, Pearl Bailey, Colombo pigskin, cannibal cruise ships, Friends as the new Brady Bunch, 00s nostalgia speculation, and hunting Sha-Na-Na.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 176: Ann Magnuson Sep 20, 2016

September 11-17, 1971

Today Ken welcomes actress, writer, musician, artist Ann Magnuson to the show.

Ken and Ann discuss Ann's interesting history with TV Guide, literally keeping up with the Joneses, the importance of The Fall Preview issue, The Psychotronic Video Guide, Club 57, The Cramps, PBS, educational through television, The Space Lady, YouTube holes, anti-Hippie Scare Films, LSD, Dragnet, Diane Linkletter, when Timothy Leary isn't dead but instead at a BBQ with you in Malibu, having no desire to try Ayahuasca, TV forming your view of New York City, Lance Loud, American Family, how Glam Rock Begat Punk Rock, the golden age of talk shows, the High Brow arts and intelligence of New York, Steve Allen, Gore Vidal, The Vietnam War on TV, the nature of Dreams, Carl Jung, Keith Herring, David Bowie, The Hunger, CBGB's, revisiting West Virginia annually, the corrupting influence of Fox News, reality television, the perfection of The Beverly Hillbillies, Green Acres, "sur-rualism", Ann's Made for TV, being at the center of important cultural movements, living in London '76-77, seeing Sid & Nancy in person, The Damned, Nick Kent's Apathy for the Devil, Anything But Love, playing Lillian Munster, variety shows, Bat Masterson : First Crush, The Midnight Special, Carol Burnett, Ed Sullivan, Julie Andrews, being forbidden to watch James Bond, John Ritter, Mark Harmon, respect for Corey Feldman, the celebrity as modern day blood sacrifice, meaning vs. matter, the three forces of live, and the search for meaning in the 21st Century.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 175: Mark Valley Sep 14, 2016

Today Ken welcomes actor/comedian Mark Valley (Keen Eddie, Fringe, Human Target) to the show.

Ken and Mark discuss the nature of leaf blowing, the mid 70s, the premier of Barney Miller, upstate New York, taping TV on audio cassettes, Soap Opera exposition, earning cue cards, Marlon Brando, how a military career being stationed in Germany leads to becoming an actor, growing up with CBC and Canadian media without being Canadian, German Method acting, Hasselhoffin', All in the Family, Vietnam on TV, The Gulf War, The Macy's Parade, Spin City, Charlie Sheen, musical theater, The WWII Model, Keen Eddie, ER, Alexie Sayle, meeting the owls from Harry Potter, movie vs. TV, acting, working in the UK, the Queen, Alan Partridge, Boston Legal, acting against William Shatner and James Spader, Fringe, being starstruck, the difficulty of walking and then talking, George C. Scott, and wanting to be an old miserable actor someday.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 174: Ryan Shores Sep 07, 2016

March 15-21, 1997

Today Ken welcomes comedian and loyal listener Ryan Shores tothe show.

Ken and Ryan discuss Ken's "Very Special Episode" One man showfrom 2008, Mr. Belvedere, AIDS, The Hogan Family, Orange County,Goosebumps, Elmo, Wishbone, America's Most Ticklish Toddler, MMA,ESPN 2 Strongest Man in the World Competitions, America's MostWanted, COPS, Scottish Fiddle, Joe Dante's Second Civil War, I LoveLucy, Tales from the Crypt, Howling II, boobs, strange extinctAustralian animals, sadness over the Tasmanian Tiger, Shark Nerds,Beatlejuice the cartoon, 3rd Rock from the Sun, celebratingmediocrity, Glen Danzig, X-Files, Odd Couple, calling Ken out, WWF,James Remar, St. Patrick's Day, Newhart, Secret World of Alex Mack,Unsolved Mysteries, Fraiser, Marlee Matlin, Baywatch Nights, JimCarey, Newsradio, Mad About You, Debi Mazar, Wings vs. Drew Carey,loving Amy Yasbeck, "the pickle chills", NCAA killing Seinfeld,Rocky, gambling life lessons, bookies at wakes, Brando, FamilyMatters, killer bikers, Millennium, Timmy Baterman, Pet Semetaryand the best Stephen King adaptations.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 173: Musetta Vander Aug 30, 2016

Today Ken welcomes actress Musetta Vander to the show.

Ken and Musetta discuss proper name pronunciation, beingfascinated by America, being a second generation professionaldancer, being ruled by fate, hosting a video show on South AfricanTV, Blade Runner, having no TV in South Africa until the mid-70s,the value of radio dramas, the intimacy of television, CarolBurnett, the shock of American happiness, Telemusic, being in a RodStewart video, Tina Turner, SABC, childhood discipline, Kojak,converting Beta Sp tapes to PAL to send to your parents, AndieParker, Hawaii, the audition process, being the wrong kind ofAfrican American, Apartheid, Red Scorpion, Cannon Pictures, Alienfrom LA, American Ninja 2, accents, the beauty of sci-fi, ChrisIsaak, Amy Grant, banned videos, Alice Cooper, Oblivion, whipskills, filming in Romania, replacing horses with Romanian grips,Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Star Trek, Sean Connery, VIP, Wild WildWest, Breaking Bad, House of Cards, Mr. Robot and loving the worldof marathoning TV.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 172: Ryan Lambert Aug 24, 2016

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 171: M. Dickson Aug 17, 2016

October 30 - November 5, 1993

Today Ken welcomes comedian and television writer M. Dickson tothe show.

Ken and M. discuss selling a show to Hollywood, writing a book,hair metal, New Jersey, coming from a Water Park family, meetingMichael Jackson, meeting a fake Michael Jackson, living a cablelatch key kid existence, Sesame Street. loving Jim Henson, MuppetTreasure Island, Dinosaurs, Rescue 911, Kiddie Pool birth,bloopers, The Olson Twins Halloween act outs, Halloween II, RichardMulligan, Empty Nest, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, PaulaPoundstone, Punky Brewster, Facts of Life, Aiding Designing Women,Kate & Allie, Instant Mom, Sister Act, fangs for the memories,The Simpsons, Fresh Prince, Ken's hatred of the Greek system,Telemovies, hating Baby Jessica, Blossom, The Coach Reboot, TheMayflower Madam, the forbidden fruit of Ren and Stimpy, The DelRubio Triplets, Hang Time, the superiority of Saved by the Bell TheNew Class, Kids Inc, California Dreams, Superstore, issues shows,John Larroquette Show, Action Jackson, Beverly Hills 90210, LittleRichard, Home Improvement, Jim Varney, Must See TV, Mad About You,the power of jokes, Roy from Wings, loving the X-Files hating theSightings, the Energizer Bunny, TGIF and real cops becoming fakecops and vice versa.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 170: Mike D'Angelo Game Show Special Aug 12, 2016

Because YOU the listener demanded it, Ken presents a special edition of the show focusing on game shows with his guest, Old School Game Show figurehead Mike D'Angelo.

Ken and Mike discuss the best show in Boston, gameshow tape traders, making your own radio mix tapes, Long Distance Dedications, Sir Italian Newton, TV Broadcast Towers, The Gong Show, the three categories of celebrity game show, Natural Deodorant, The $10,000 Volcano, celebrities on the Dating Game, the infamous "in the butt", Chuck Barris, Buzzr, mesothelioma, "the weird factor", being home sick from school, Summer binges, luck gaves vs. skill games, being in the studio audience of The Price is Right, Press Your Luck, gameshow sounds, Savage Steve Holland, Blind Date's Roger Lodge, Win Lose or Draw, the best game show set, Burt Renyolds, Starting Over, Dolly Parton's sexual chemistry, Burt Convey, Chuck Woolery, Love Connection, being "happy to pay for it", Party Lines, 1-800 tricks, OK Soda, Scrabble, Helen Keller The Gameshow, STUDS, acapella, Plinko, Candlepin vs. Big Ball, renting an entire Roller Rink for RollerReid, the story of Saucy Buns, Saturday Morning Depression, Match Game, Richard Dawson, Child's Play, Charles Nelson Riley, Blankity Blank, home games, JD Roth, Fun House, I'm Telling, Mall based entertainment, Army Navy Clothes, Spenser Gifts, Double Dare, Celebrity Family Double Dare, edible obstacle courses, competitive eating, Space Camp and British Knights, LA Gear, Japanese Gameshows, Family Feud Turkey, Oregon Trail and why MTV's Remote Control may be the greatest game show of all time.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 169: Jill Schoelen Aug 10, 2016

Today Ken welcomes singer, actress Jill Schoelen to theshow.

Ken and Jill discuss growing up in the Valley, inexplicableaccents, growing up near Disney Studios, Encino, being discoveredin school, your kids hating your past work, Popcorn, recording inJamaica, inadvertent Scream Queen Status, Made-for-TV movies, Whena Stranger Calls Again, working with Ray Walston, The Stepfather,Mr. Ed, Emergency!, Julie London, commercials, Pizza Hut, Best ofTimes, Sarah, Little House on the Prairie, being directed byWilliam Shatner on TJ Hooker, Wes Craven's Chiller, the energy ofyouth, movies vs. music, Curse II: The Bite, Jamie Farr, having ahorror fan base when you're the opposite of horror, being toopretty for the Stepfather, Babes in Toyland, Robert England, ThePartridge Family, being fathered by Mannix, Robert Blake inHelltown, Pepper St., celebrity murder trials, Billionaire Boys'Club, and quitting acting during the OJ Simpson murder trial.

TV Guidance Counselor Punk Rock Appendix Special Aug 05, 2016

In this special true BONUS episode Ken digs into the Reid Archives and pulls out some interviews with his 16-19 year old selves during his "lost" years when he was in a punk rock band. There's surprisingly more TV content than there should be. Come for the bad Boston accents, stay for the bad Boston accents.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 168: Erin Judge Aug 05, 2016

June 12-18, 1999

Today Ken welcomes author and comedian Erin Judge to the show.

Ken and Erin discuss Ken's pop culture "leakage", Ken's esoteric monster hunting knowledge, New England obsessions with scented candles, Brooklyn to Texas, Wellesley College, Freshman Dorm TV viewing, how 1999 was the Year of the Woman on Television, Ally McBeal, Felicity, "Hollywood 60", Buffy The Vampire Slayer, being ignored by footballers, Friday Night Lights, Texas Rape Culture, Comics Come Home, Comedy Central, Pulp Comics, writing packets, Gen X, Waking Life, Slacker culture, Sable, Lisa Loeb, Political Science, how being a music journalist can ruin your love of music, Xena, Lesbians, Evil Dead Hercules, The Simpsons, depressed people who watch depressing things, Designing Women AIDS, The Fashion Awards, Fashion Programming, Sex in the City, when your friends are your true family, eating Brie, class warfare, MTV Video Music Awards, Ken's crush on Alicia Witt, confusing Suddenly Susan with Cybill, Antiques Roadshow, Laura Prepon's hypnotic out of place-ness, Thumb Wars, The Phantom Menace, settling the bathroom bill in 1999, college, Mad About You, Thanksgiving in June, Fraiser, Strangers with Candy, ugging up, Sports Night, Newsradio, Spin City, Teachers taking advantage of dumb teenage boys, Jenna Elfman, Two Guys a Girl and a Pizza Place, Drew Carey, Who's Line Is it Anyways?, Friends, The Secret of My Success, Jessie, and Ken accidentally dating a Will & Grace character.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 167: Rachel and Sean Slade Aug 03, 2016

Today Ken welcomes husband and wife Rachel (writer, editorBoston Magazine) and Sean Slade (engineer & producer, Hole'sLive Through This, The Pixies, Radiohead's Creep) to the show.

Ken, Rachel and Sean discuss the love of musty attic smells,lack of smokers owning TV Guides, growing up in New York City andPhiladelphia respectively, going into the city, The Bijou in TimesSquare, silent films, Downtown Crossing, The Combat Zone, Woodstockthe Movie, secret tunnels, rejecting the suburbs, 60s TV, Wild WildWest, Land of the Lost, Jethro's acid trip, Sesame Street enticingyou to the city, living in a re-runs world. Bewitched, The BradyBunch, I Dream of Jeanie, The Monkees, never being able to go backafter Star Wars, The Million Dollar Movie, cute teenage boys asYouTube stars, Rache's 6-year-old complaint letters, Childhood TVTrauma, the fear of Snuffy, 70s horror novels, Sunday Night TVinduced depression, punk rock scare TV, Merv Griffin, Mike Dougles'street cred, kids today and their sampling culture, the lack ofhumor in pure re-creation, drowning in a sea of pop culture,re-visiting the Running Man, discovering The Room, The Return ofthe Midnight Movie phenomenon, TV Guide's technologicalpredictions, Eraserhead, Gas Station Television and why Boston onlyhas bests these days an no worsts.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 166: Robbie Rist Jul 30, 2016

On this special Sharknado 4: The 4th Awakens edition of the show Ken welcomes musician and actor of face and voice Mr. Robbie Rist (The Brady Bunch, TMNT, Kidd Video) to the show.

Ken and Robbie discuss The Cousin Oliver incident, Kidd Video, being a musical kid, twists of fate, growing up in Los Angeles, being a Mad Scientist, Monster Movies, B-Movie innovation, fantasies of murdering Cousin Oliver, The Brady Bunch, Big John Little John, the secrets of Vincent Price, latch key kids, punk rock lives, Lucas Tanner, renting lions, South Park Morality, The Monster Squad TV Series, identifying with the Wolfman, The Incredible Hulk, the dark times in a post Vietnam world, 90s Dark comedies, how 6 weeks of work can follow you forever, Renee Semard, Turn Me Up, Cutting off balls, Ami Dolenz, She's Out of Control, Mickey Rooney, playing Ted Baxter's son on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, how "Oh my nose!" may solve the world's problems, shared cultural experience, Post Apocalyptic Pop Culture, Sharknado, doing the music for Sharknado, getting killed in Sharknado, the theme from S.W.A.T., the Young Ones, Land of the Lost, Michael Bay's disdain for humanity, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Chosen Survivors and why we should remake bad movies.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 165: David Fury Jul 26, 2016

Today Ken welcomes writer, sometimes actor, producer David Fury(Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Lost, Fringe, 24, Dream On) to theshow.

Ken and David discuss high school guidance counselors, SoapOperas, General Hospital, One Life to Live, living on or in LongIsland, assisting Elizabeth Taylor, Luke and Laura, Stand Up,sketch comedy, learning comedy through repetition, Bob Newhart,WPIX, being a Monster Kid, teaching your kids the wonders of oldmovies, the intersection of Horror and Comedy, It! The Terror fromBeyond Space, Fiend Without a Face, Cronenberg's The Fly, TheTwilight Zone, allegory, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Memptile, TheBig Story vs. the little story, 24, Doctor Who, Mad About You, TheJackie Thomas Show, Joss Whedon, Angel, Re-Animator, Roseanne,Brain Trust, Gary Kroeger, Comic Strip Live! on Fox Late night, newSCTV, HA!, The Newhart finale, Dream On, Tippy Top, John Landis'casting approach, HBO's First original program, Keifer Sutherland,Ball & Chain, Bryan Cranston, Fringe mysteries, thedemoralizing state of learning about serial killers, Son of Saul,and kind of opening a TV Guide.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 164: James Lorinz Jul 22, 2016

Today Ken welcomes actor and filmmaker James Lorinz to the show.

Ken and James discuss the 1970s, growing up in Queens, Barney Miller, Gregory Ciera, killing hold up men, Valerie Harper's City, serious episodes, Good Times, Normal Lear, All in the Family, One Day at a Time, spending quality time with Talcum Powder, Mannix, being the Monster under the Castro Convertible, shooting on the lot, Tom Poston, Frankenhooker, Alan Young, Zsa Zsa Gabour, Unforgettable, testing pilots, Street Trash, parking spaces, your parents loving your dress, The Twilight Zone, pornographic aspirations, Louise Lasser, Woody Allen's sexual prowess, Mary Hartman, being perplexed by Dark Shadows, To Tell the Truth, SNL, Bill Boggs Midday Live, Price is Right, Room Service, the most awkward interview of James' life, Welcome Back Kotter, On the Rocks, Hogan's Heroes, Bing Crosby: Nazi Sympathizer, The San Pedro Beach Bums, Fish, collecting TV theme songs, film school, Richard Dawson, Bob Barker, Alice, One Day at a Time, Muhammad Ali, Modern Family, The Jerky Boys, Breaking Bad, The Honeymooners, The Odd Couple, Batman, The Munsters, Abbot and Costello, Superman, Jean Sheppard and a shared love of collecting old magazines.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 163: Lisa Wilcox Jul 20, 2016

Today Ken welcomes actress Lisa Wilcox (Nightmare on Elm St. 4 +5) to the show.

Ken and Lisa discuss the emotion of walking down memory lane,missing the simplicity of the TV Guide, catching up with the times,Twin Peaks, thirtysomething, Gilligan's Island, having two "goodTVs", Fantasy Island/Love Boat, odd family viewing, appointmenttelevision, Little House on the Prairie, growing up in Missouri,forsaking the medical field, high school M.A.S.H., Buddy Ebsen,being discovered by a Bowery Boys alum, The Beverly Hillbillies,being a flight attendant's daughter, having top notch packingskills, Wendy's commercials, UCLA, You Again, Hardcastle &McCormick, sharing a mailbox with JoAnn Willette, John Stamos, JackClugman, Mark Hamill, Watchers Reborn, meeting your heroes, Mr.Belvedere, acting style, Soap Opera acting, meeting Ed McMahon'scat, going to a Tonight Show taping, James Garner's truck, StarTrek, George Clooney, loving Dracula, Bela Lougosi: Pin-up,Nightmare on El St. 4, Ken's awkward discussion of Dean Koontz,Valerie vs. The Hogan Family, General Hospital, going from watchingthe Brady Bunch to playing Florence Henderson, Dobie Gillis,recreating the Family Feud set, the Monkees, the pleasures of afinished basement, Boy Meets World, wanting to live in a geniebottle, the terrifying confusion of modern technology, coming backto acting, the private vs. public life conflict and navigatingsocial media.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 162: Steve Binder and Dr. Mary Beth Leidman Jul 15, 2016

Today Ken welcomes the authors of the new book Fade Up: 26 The Movers and Shakers of Variety Television Steve Binder and Dr. Mary Beth Leidman.

First up Ken speaks with producer/director Steve Binder. Ken and Steve discuss proper pronunciations, Col. Tom Parker, KABC TV LA, going from the mail room to the control room, Soupy Sales, Vampira, the timelessness of television, preserving the past, loving Lucy, the talent, Variety Shows, The T.A.M.I. show, music on TV, "Elvis" the 1968 special, happy accidents, breaking the color barrier with Harry Belafonte and Petula Clark, Ernie Kovaks, Edie Adams, The Rolling Stone 10th Anniversary Special, Patti LaBelle and Cyndi Lauper, knowing how to step back, Steve Alan, Pee Wee's Christmas Special and capturing an undiscovered generation and their worth ethic.

Next up Ken speaks with broadcaster and educator Dr. Marty Beth Leidman. Ken and Mary Beth discuss academia vs. Hollywood, audience engagement, shared experience, loving television from birth, new technology, narrow casting vs. broadcasting, late night TV, the definition of variety shows, Saturday Night Live and not understanding the Walking Dead.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 161: Guy Branum Jul 13, 2016

September 12-18, 1987

Today Ken welcomes comedian Guy Branum to the show.

Ken and guy discuss the tease of the Fall Preview issue, Rags toRiches, TV Musicals, Cop Rock, mid-season replacements, ChickenSoup, Ted Harbert dating Chelsea Handler, Jamie Tarses, G4, MTV's IWant to be a VJ contest, childhood love of crossing over into theTV world, MTV's invention of modern reality TV, the fame drug, theHollywood Poor, being frozen in a successful year, the move from TVreflecting real life to being totally aspirational, Life Styles ofthe Rich and Famous, PM/Evening Magazine, Operah's trashy past,SNL's Silver Age Cast, the wonders of Ed Grimley, Prime TimeCartoon Preview Specials, Once a Hero, The Days and Nights of MollyDodd, Northern Exposure, prime time animated series, Frank's Place,Moonlighting, Clueless, My Two Dads, Living Dolls, Just the Ten ofUs, Growing Pains, Thicke of the Night, Family Ties very specialepisodes, Justine Bateman, burning off pilots, Dolly, pranksreplacing variety, live TV bloopers, Everything's Relative, Jakeand the Fatman, Twin Peaks, Baby Boomer revulsion, Sacramento's bignames, Julia Duffy, the illogical Emmys, Elvis on TV, Hooperman,Dabney Coleman, Benson, loving Grand, Maude, 100 Questions, beingstuck in the 90s, Facts of Life, Ken's love of Pippa, failed showsbased on comedians, Werewolf, Clip Shows, Writer's Strike, OurHouse, Spenser for Hire, My So-Called Life, the sadness of PunkyBrewster, Duet, Tracey Ulman Show, The Young Ones, Girls on Top,hugged by Dawn French, Ruby Wax, The Gena Davis Show, ALF, Kate& Allie, The Golden Girls, Valerie, It's Your Move, SquarePegs, Will and Grace, The Boogens, Designing Women, Who's the Boss,Mark Harmon, Highway to Heaven, Wiseguy, A Year in the Life,Sledgehammer, Bob Hope, Night of the Creeps, loving Max Headroomand Baby Jessica ruining everything.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 160: Olivia d'Abo Jul 08, 2016

Today Ken welcomes actress, singer, songwriter, Olivia d'Abo to the show.

Ken and Olivia discuss the origins of the show's title, Bolero, French as a first language, TV Guide, The Wonder Years, being in Mad Magazine, Electric Boogaloo, New Mexico, being the eternal outsider, having an ear for accents, dirty little gypsies, Bo Derek, the disappointment of cornrows, biblical floods, Conan: The Destroyer, Grace Jones, Wilt Chamberlain, The Coreys, Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney, experiencing old Hollywood, Simon & Simon, Sarah Douglas. Tracey Walter, Land of the Lost, Greedy, Wendy Richard, Essex. Growing Pains, working at the World of Burgers, SCTV, Really Weird Tales, Martin Short, Karen on the Wonder Years, studying the 60s, method acting, Hollywood Premieres, The Boston vs. Australian accent, bittersweet sitcoms, The Wonder Years' final episode, Robotic Playboy Bunnies, Joe Flaherty, Spin City, Michael J. Fox, Bob Balaban, "The Last Good Time", The Single Guy, Kirk Douglas, Spirit of '76, David Cassidy, Olivia's Music, The Jeffersons, Justice League, the wonders of technical voice acting, The Big Green, Tarzan and Jane, Vincent D'Onofrio's secret acting mash ups, how Gumby connects to Vampire's Kiss, and walking down memory lane.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 159: Cheryl Pollak Jul 06, 2016

Today Ken welcomes writer/director/producer and former actressCheryl Pollak (Pump Up the Volume, The Heights, Hull High, My BestFriend's a Vampire)to the show.

Ken and Cheryl discuss Cheryl's surprise at Ken's fandom, HullHigh, being ahead of the times, The Heights, Cop Rock, My BestFriend's a Vampire, What's Alan Watching?, Live Shot, Alien Nation,wanting to be fired, Roomies, Jordache Jeans, Mama's Family,growing up in Texas, being the youngest, lawless households, TVsign offs, Davey and Goliath, modeling, the difficulty of comedy,Head of the Class, losing your accent, Night Life, working withJohn Astin, not watching yourself, CHiPs, Cross and theSwitchblade, pickle danger, The Hardy Boys, crushing ParkerStevenson, Sanford and Son, The Rockford Files, replacing castmembers, death on TV, Gilligan's Island as Cheryl's all timefavorite TV show, being creeped out by Alf, Back to the Beach, theSkipper's real name, RuPaul's Drag Race, Hogan's Heroes, RichardDawson, James Kirk and James West's odd similarities, Green Acres,Melrose Place, The Dallas Genie connection, educational shorts,weenie roasts, Larry Hagman, made-for-TV Movies, Swimsuit TheMovie, Perfect People, Dialing for Dollars, Three's Company, afterschool specials, Real People, relying on brain power, a characterabout to lose their virginity at any moment, saying "condom" onthirtysomething, Alicia Witt on Real People, and Ken's Pump Up theVolume tradition.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 158: Monique Powell (Save Ferris) Jun 29, 2016

November 23-29, 1991

Today Ken welcomes Save Ferris front woman and occasionalactress Monique Powell to the show.

Ken and Monique discuss the worst weather Los Angeles has everhad, MTV, Remote Control, Orange County, The Golden Girls, SaturdayNight Live, The Go-Go's, Save Ferris, The World is New video, KROQ,Oingo Boingo, punk rock stabbing, Hepcat on the Flash, Dance HallCrashers, 10 Things I Hate About You, going to the Pretty in Pinkprom, how growing up in LA can sometimes ruin movies, Maps to theStars Homes, Brady Bunch house stake out, the theory of whyeveryone in Hollywood is hot, how fashion has changed, New WaveTheater, Pee Wee's Playhouse, Mama's Family, the fascination ofJewish youth with Jerry Falwell, Tammy Faye Baker, Christian punkrock, The Day My Kid Went Punk, The Young Ones, college radio, TheQueers, Roseanne, American Bandstand, Perfect Strangers, how we'reall Cousin Larry Appleton, the power of theme songs, Alan Thicke:Master Songwriter, living in a post-Richard Marx world, how Moniqueis Ken's dreamcatcher, The Facts of Life, Dolly Parton, Alice vs.Flo, tv based on movies, Shakespeare inspired teens, Mork &Mindy, Laverne and Shirley, DEVO fan mail, Cindi Lauper's secrets,Police Academy, National Lampoon, and a disbelief in hunky SteveGutenberg.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 157.5: Ted Danson Jun 25, 2016

On this very special birthday edition of the show Ken welcomes actor and Boston legend Ted Danson to the show.

Ken and Ted discuss Ted's lack of childhood television access, the mythical TV Guide use at Ted's cousins' house, Creepshow, Basketball, getting into acting for the sake of a date, Cheers, Taxi, Best of the West, getting that Lone Ranger look, being bilked by comic book ads, Dick Van Dyke, Leslie Nielsen, MTM Productions, Your Show of Shows, Carnegie Mellon, Jimmy Burrows, NBC's The Good Place, the practical genius of Brandon Tartifkof, Cheers little watched first season, the train wreck that was The Cheers Live finale post show in Boston, Magnum P.I., acting with The Muppets, being on the cover of TV Guide, why Sam Malone is a perfect character, being a life long basketball fan, Ink, Jonathan Katz, Becker, three camera sitcoms vs. single camera sitcoms, Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm, how hard it is to watch yourself, Becker's 9/11 episode, why the best humor is sad and the best drama is funny, the horrors of watching the US Election, HGTV as calming viewing, The Voice, Game of Thrones, Bloodline, Damages, CSI, Fargo, having Dick Van Dyke play your father, and the difficult problems faced by the blessed in filling their time.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 157: Casey Malone Jun 22, 2016

May 19-25, 2001

Today Ken welcomes comedian Casey Malone to the show.

Ken and Casey discuss gangsters, forgetting 9/11, The West Wing,miserable jerk Doctors, 19th Birthdays, the wonders of being overage 18, buying pornography, comic book stores of ill repute, StarTrek, Marvel Cards, Comedy Central, a life without cable, SNL,gamers, Mortal Kombat, Dan Ackroyd, Neighbors, Cops, Columbo, classwarfare, Sheena, screen used/worn items, The Simpsons, Submarines,The Phantom Gourmet, the post-Simpsons Annimation boom, Malcom inthe Middle, Clerks: The Animated Series, Home Movies, Se7en vs.Anne Frank, X-Files, Jessica Biel, Biography, Cheers film careers,finding Roswell, Friends of Eddie Coyle, The Facts of Life, sexyteens, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Dark Angel, Jessica Alba, TheInvisible Man, Nowhere Man, Ed and the $10 bet, Drew Carey, Jesusshows, celebrating your birthday with the Gilmore Girls, newsbloopers, Charmed, Comedy Central Presents..., Little Monsters, andhating Sting.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 156: Joe Bob Briggs, Frank Conniff and Trace Beaulieu Jun 16, 2016

Summer Scare-A-Con Special!

Today Ken speaks with legendary Exploitation movie scholar Joe Bob Briggs and the Mads of MST3k Trace Beaulieu and Frank Conniff.

First up Ken talks to Joe Bob Briggs (TNT's Monstervision, Joe Bob's Drive In Theater). Ken and Joe Bob talk about the horrors of Springfield, classic sleazy neighborhoods, Help Reviews, being introduced to The Howling 7, anonymous oddities, Samurai Cop, Robert Z'Dar, Joe Bob's Media Blssters commentary tracks, the missteps of modern social media movie promotion, growing up in Texas/Tex-Arcana, Little Rock, going to a Drive-in as a family, Saturday Night at the Movies, The Three Stooges, terrifying children's TV show Slam Bang Theater, Ghoulardi's pyromania, Ernie Anderson, Zacherly, becoming a scholar of the un-scholarly, Roger Corman, the secret origin of the Drive In Totals, how The Intruder actually truly never lost money, mining talent, Angie Dickinson, putting TV actors in movies, little Ronny Howard, The Movie Channel, Robert Osborne, sitting on the Honeymooners set at the DuMont Network, Bette Davis, TNT's Monstervision, guesting on The Tonight Show, how WCW almost had the first gay wedding, post-pub TV, being popular in prisons, infomercials, the exciting emerging world of streaming networks, big money in TV sports, Variety Shows, the TV mini-series, and the impressive skill set of today's TV writers.

Next up Ken chats with MST3k's Mads Trace Beaulieu (Crow, Dr. Clayton Forester) and Frank Conniff (TV's Frank). Ken, Trace and Frank talk the female McHale's Navy, watching things because they are on, network sign offs, the Patriotic nature of shutting down, terrifying PSA's, smoking in bed, memorizing TV shows, being a repository of information in the pre-internet age, Frank's guilty feelings of sneaking Garrison's Gorillas behind a curtain, the wonders of Color TV, Batman '66, the retirement of Lancelot Link: Secret Chimp, Sgt. Bilko, the genius of Nat Hiken, Latin lessons, ass learnin', shared experience leading to life long friends, SCTV, the continuity of MST3k, having to love the worst movies, The Mads tour, Rifftrax reunion, made for TV movies, Jack Davis, the wonders of Mad Magazine, and loving UK TV.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 155: Troy Slaten Jun 15, 2016

Today Ken welcomes former actor, current lawyer Troy Slaten tothe show.

Ken and Troy discuss Troy's work clothes, legal issues,stenographer tidbits, being a talking head on 24 news channels,Parker Lewis Can't Lose, Melanie Chartoff, Cagney & Lacey, the"lost" Cagney, learning on the set, growing up in Calabasas, Beta,The Revell Funster Funbird, Reese's Pieces, commercials, Grandma'scard came leading to Hollywood success, Diff'rent Strokes, Who'sthe Boss, Greatest American Hero, My Sister Sam, Simon & Simon,Roseanne, The Wonder Years, Step by Step, Superhuman SamuraiCyber-Squad, Saturday Morning TV, Sid & Marty Kroft, ElectraWoman and Dyna-Girl, no Sleestack fear, The A-Team, Netflixnepotism, Billy Jayne/Jacoby, Brian Spicer, Rob Bowman, being thenerd, method acting Swatch Synchronization, Jerry's Jacket, 90210,hearing yourself in German, the Ferris Bueller issue, Three O'ClockHigh, Tim Stack's Night Stand, Harry Anderson, the 90s Talk showboom, the late great John Pinette, on set teachers, The Crucible,connecting to Winona Ryder, L.A. Law, Stacey Keenan, being in lovewith Alissa Milano, Jack The Bear, disastrous dates with ReeseWitherspoon, Troy as alternate Leonardo DiCaprio, date vomit, stuntJerrys, Walking Dead, the comfort of Emergency, being starstruck byAnthony Perkins, Goonies, not wanting to be an entertainmentlawyer, and the magic of criminal defense.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 154: Elizabeth Crane Jun 08, 2016

July 6-12 , 1974

Today Ken welcomes author Elizabeth Crane to the show.

Ken and Elizabeth discuss when Cambridge was cool, New York editions of TV Guide, having life time subscriptions to TV Guide, Lucy, keeping scrapbooks, All In the Family vs. The Partridge Family, loving Danny, bus station TV, having a TV in your room, the secret origins of Ken's TV knowledge, the importance of context, The Glass Teat, The Cowsils, Union Jobs, people being out to get you at work, M*A*S*H, Mary Tyler Moore, Bob Newhart, Pyschomania, The 4:30 Movie, inappropriate relationships with Lou Grant, being distracted by Mary Tyler Moore's dog, Alan Alda: Guest Speaker, Barney Miller, Hal Linden as Captain America, Wonderama, Bob McAllister, bootleg Romper Room, Zoom!, meeting Henry Winkler, Twosomething, working at a talent agency, 11 days as an Angelino, LA vs. NYC, Apple's Way, Leif Garrett, 42nd St, Colors in Times Square, animal slaughter, television sense memory, the comfort of television, 1977: The Coolest Year in Hell, Son of Sam, Plato's Retreat, Basket Case, Lawrence Welk, Polka Culture, Department S, Columbo, The Rookies, Johnny Seven, Kate Jackson's clothing, Book Beat, Boboquivari, Maude, Mary Hartman, Laugh-In, looking to pursue a career in impressionism, disliking the TV schedule anarchy of weekends, Jonathan Winters, Tony Orlando & Dawn, being Charo, the lost age of Variety, Wait 'til Your Father Gets Home, Kojak, Telly Savalis as the Devil, Waltons Wallpaper, Little House on the Prairie, adaptations missing the point, Herbie Day at Disneyland, Merv, Streets of San Franciso, Kung Fu's tarnished past, Dirty Sally, Sanford and Son, US remakes of UK shows, Brady Bunch, Cabrini Green, the heartbreak of burned off pilots, Marlo Thomas' personal Love American Style, the horrification of the anthology, The Odd Couple, Tony Randall, referencing Toma, Yoga on TV, and loving The Walking Dead.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 153: Brett Anderson Jun 01, 2016

September 12-18, 1992 FALL PREVIEW ALERT!

Today Ken welcomes musician, and all around quality human beingBrett Anderson (The Donnas, The Stripminers) to the show.

Ken and Brett discuss The Heights, The Ben Stiller Show, TwinPeaks inside Beverly Hills 90210 outside, moving from Indiana toCalifornia, The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer, appearing on Charmed,Jawbreaker, Ken's first meeting with Brett in New Hampshire at theElvis Room circa 1998, not having your music advertise feminineproducts, Yaz, birth control, "We're Not Gonna Take It", exactlyhow you talk to an Angel, the Jamie Walters phenomenon, AaronSpelling blue balls, Herman's Head, studying psychology, Lita Ford,Samantha Fox, Ken's love of the 1996 Telecommunications Act, thereturn of Zubas and the Hi-Top Fade, Bill Cosby's worst trait, how"The Edge" predated Mr. Show, hate watching, loving a B-, TobeyMcGuire's sitcom roots, Whoops, Billy Bob Thorton's sitcom roots,Hangin' with Mr. Cooper's link to Growing Pains, set recycling,"Just You and I", wanting to be Donna, which New Kid on the Blockcan sing for Judas Priest, what happens when you go to sleep, classof '96. The Hat Squad, New Jack Swing, Holiday hostingconscription, obtaining a couch, Super Bowl rights, Paul Reiser, MyTwo Dads, prank phone calls, Delta Burke, the debut of Martin,"Snap Battles", Miton Bearle's Ratt, Gene Simmons' cold Cokeseduction, MTV, cable, The Last Unicorn vs. The Neverending Story,Fraggle Rock, being wrong about Daylight savings, Headbanger'sBall, SNL, Kids in the Hall, Idiocracy, sugaring up for all nightTV marathons, birth control candy, Fifteen, Depression &Anxiety, Scholastic books, Book bus and purple sweatsuits, BJ'sWholesale Club, haunted by Dunkaroos, Top of the Pops, miming onTV, TRL, Madonna as sketch comedian, the music of Double Dare, micface based payments, exercising with Bruce Dickinson, Andrew WK,David Coverdale's sexerly voice, what to do when it's "Too Hot toSleep", Rick Springfield's magical cartoon work, You Can't Do Thaton Television, writing lyrics to instrumentals, and writing a TVtheme song.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 152: Josie Davis May 27, 2016

Today Ken welcomes actress Josie Davis (Charles in Charge, Lifetime, Beverly Hills 90210) to the show.

Ken and Josie discuss the wonders of Nespresso, if anyone actually knows who Josie is, Charles in Charge, Out of This World, the hard work that goes into not aging, coming from an acting family, Hollywood cosmetic surgery, how the stoic look best, acting in commercials at 3, being replaced by Sugar Bear, the power of Fruit Roll-Ups, selling Japanese Whiskey in Japan with Ernest Borgnine, imprinting on Scott Baio, Bugsy Malone, mafia aspirations, navigating the politics of the business, the power of extras, being a guest star, why there are no cats in Canada, Lifetime movies, working on a hidden David Fincher project, "First Family" the lost Caveman pilot, Beverly Hills 90210, The Young and the Restless, learning how to stand up for yourself, The Soaps, Titans, Victoria Principal, John Barrowman, Dead at 21, Two and a Half Men, Submissions for Emmys, studying acting, breaking the Sarah Powell reputation, Silk Stalkings, doing your character work, playing psychos, Dirty Teacher, how glamming it up can sometimes work against you, Bones, Burn Notice, not being a business person, needing a mentor, and how it's your duty to help people.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 151: Ben Edlund May 25, 2016

March 8-12, 1980

Today Ken welcomes writer, Tick-creator and all around personal hero Ben Edlund to the show.

Ken and Ben discuss going through the looking glass from Massachusetts, desire to play by the rules, a multi-TV household, piloting the house from the kitchen, The Muppets, Henson's subversive PBS model, WGBH, Zoom, trying to live the California lifestyle in New England, CHiPs, Beefcake Baywatch, Baywatch Nights, punk rock scare episodes, C.B. Radio culture, men and ape, Fantasy Island, Hawaii 5-0, Love Boat, Herve Velechez, Mason Reese, Hunks, Mr. Magoo, the noble idiot, Harvey Comics meeting Heavy Metal, Epic Magazine, Alice, One Day at a Time, The Unshakable Mollie B, Freebie and the Bean, M*A*S*H milk, The Tick is the ticket, That's Incredible vs. Real People, The Gary Marshall universe, FoxKids, Pirates of Dark Water, Bobby's World, Sheriff Lobo, first run syndication, The Day After Tomorrow, Three's Company, SOAP, sad songs in Taxi, Hart to Hart, old movies, writing to Jacques Cousteau, Captain Bob, drawing, running a trading card supply syndicate, Buck Rogers, Quark, Benson, Ron Glass, Firefly, Barney Miller, Supernatural Hal Linden, Captain America the Musical, Quincy, the dark underbelly of NYC, the Incredible Hulk, The Benji problem, Pink Lady and Jeff, Creature Features, Lon Chaney Jr boozing it up, faking your own death, Breaking Bad, myth arch vs. monster of the week and the coming of the cyborg age.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 150: Cassandra Peterson May 17, 2016

For his monumental 150th (!) episode Ken is honored to welcome the fantastic, fabulous, one and only Cassandra Peterson, also known as Elvira Mistress of the Dark.

Ken and Cassandra discuss who the hell she is, drag disguises, the trappings of celebrity, the great flood, Colorado, the 70s conservative Christian invaders, being a show girl in Las Vegas, living on a farm without a TV, "The Silver Ace", forced singing, Gunsmoke & Wrestling, coming from a costume Dynasty, Tina Louise, Gilligan's Island, I Dream of Genie, Destiny as the queen of Halloween, loving comedy, The Three Stooges, the golden age of Las Vegas, Addams Family vs. The Munsters, Bewitched vs. I Dream of Genie, Twilight Zone, The Beatles on Ed Sullivan, Joan Rivers, Phyllis Diller, the creation of "the teenager", Beatniks, Hulabaloo Go Go girl contests, Shin Dig, Dragnet, Nick at Nite, being blind to The Brady Bunch, moving to Europe, Elvis, acting, The Groundlings, taking classes with Wonder Woman and Wonder Girl, SNL, Phil Hartman, Paul Reubens, Laraine Newman, Fantasy Island, dancing on Tony Orlando and Dawn, the birth of Elvira, The Paragon of Comedy, 3-D movies, Vincent Price, Holly Knight, Fred Schneider, Kabuki, David Bowie, Joey Arias, Klaus Nomi, the 1st TV Generation, Oingo Boingo, The Whisky, KROQ, Punk Rock, forgetting the 70s, managing the Go-Gos (almost), Rodney on the ROQ, syndication, CHiPs, The Fall Guy, Bloopers and Practical Jokes, The Tonight Show, The Monster Club, Elvira Mistress of the Dark on Blu Ray, Coors Beer, the death and resurrection of the horror host, Tim Burton, NBC Productions, The Nick, Brandon Tartikoff, being the beacon of hope for outsiders, gay kids, and goths, conventions, the Elvira pilot, and befriending Vincent Price in search of his cookbook.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 149.5: Mary Jo Pehl May 13, 2016

Today Ken welcomes author, comedian Mary Jo Pehl (Mystery Science Theater 3000) to the show.

Ken and Mary Jo discuss being a TV Guide crossword puzzle answer, Jeopardy, Mystery Science Theater 3000, The Twin Cities, Minnesota, obsessions with Roddy McDowell, How Green was My Valley, planning your week around movies on TV, falling in love with men of questionable sexuality, Scott Baio, Happy Days, Lord Love a Duck, Laserblast, MST3K, panty hose freezing to your legs, coming from a big family, being a middle child, becoming an oracle of useless information in the pre-internet age, finally impressing your parents, the golden age of talk shows, loving guest stars, true broadcasting, Love Boat, The Twilight Zone, starting stand up in the boom, Mid-Western Comedy, A&E's Comedy on the Road, VH1 Stand Up, the life and death of Prince, not having a TV while you are on TV, understanding VCRs, the expense of consumer electronics, living in LA, staging the Bad Seed, the cruelty of the internet, not revisiting your past, Clonus: The Parts Horror, watching Better Call Saul, The Good Wife and Kickstarting RenFest.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 149: Brian Gordon May 11, 2016

September 9-15, 1978 FALL PREVIEW ALERT!

Today Ken welcomes artist and former comedian Brian Gordon to the show.

Ken and Brian discuss how long its been since they've seen each other, pneumatic tubes, temp jobs, ADHD, Brockton, Baseball, how crowd work skills can help communicate with people with autism, Ted Williams' frozen head, Ed Gein, The Cutting Edge, collecting artifacts, Maura Kelly replacing Lara Flynn Boyle, Twin Peaks, forgetting your superhero name, it's ok to mean well if things don't go well, Mork & Mindy, the death of Robin Williams, Three's Company, horny Don Knotts, Makin' It, parenting mistakes, athletic competitions among the world's biggest stars, Lavarr Burton: Non-American, Saugus, CHiPs, Barney Miller's theme song, "a black", Roots, Boston racism, Test Tube Babies, a Mad Magazine education, The Jeffersons, M*A*S*H, Dragnet, One Day at a Time, teenage crushes, Marvel Comics on TV in the 1970s, Spider-Man, running scams at school, comic book collections, surf music, The K-9 Hall of Fame, the premier of Taxi, fascination with conjoined twins, Disco Popeye, why Thursday is the most important night of the week, and an emotional surprise from Brian.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 148: Jordan Handren-Seavey May 04, 2016

August 26 - September 1, 1995

Today Ken welcomes comedian Jordan Handren-Seavey.

Ken and Jordan discuss how to properly pronounce Jordan's last names, Maine, Saturday Night Life, doing impressions, adult humor, French, Potatoes, your first encounter with an African American, not having cable, MTV fishing, bootlegs, 100 episode strip shows, serialization, HBO, the golden age of TV bowling, being homeschooled, dyslexia, the new season, Dr. Quinn, The Olson Twins, Full House, Sabado Gigante, being beholden to the antenna, turning on the X-Men, bad comic adaptations, David Copperfield, radio on TV, The Beach Boys, Freddy Kruger, Windows 95, Alien Autopsy, Fraiser, John Larroquette Show, personally knowing Dave Barry, the phantom Must See TV Show, TV Nation, Picket Fences, and Geraldo's OJ addiction.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 147: Matt Donaher Apr 27, 2016

FALL PREVIEW ALERT! September 18-24, 1993

Today Ken welcomes comedian Matt Donaher to the show.

Ken and Matt discuss how long it's been since he moved out of Boston, living in New Hampshire, Fall Previews, "The Blossom Question", George Foreman, The Mommies, Lois and Clark, Ripley's Believe it or Not, Stephanie Beacham, adopting nuns, Living Single, Boku', Juice Boxes, backpack slammin', The Bahama Beach Club, 16 and over dance venues, Nashua, NH, Ken's underage punk rock teenage years, The Palace, Male Encounter, Chippendale's vs. Chip & Dale, finding the male Hooters, strip clubs, bachelor parties, the lies men tell, bikini girls, stealing, Saved by the Bell: The College Years, Who's the Boss, 1993: Year of Transition, The John Larroquette Show, The Trouble with Larry, SNICK, Clarissa Explains It All, working at Walmart as a teenager, Miss America, Many Moore, V, Cops, hateful In Living Color, All That, collecting things, Martin, The Emmys, It Had to Be You, Robert Urich, the depression of Nick News, Sunday night anxiety, RKO Studios vs. WRKO, the horrors of Howie Carr, Married...with Children, military families, German Desserts and the Fresh Prince, alter-egos, from sitcoms to movies, Murphy Brown, Evening Shade, Dave's World, The Chevy Chase Show, MTV, committing mail fraud with Columbia House, blankity blanking, Full House, Mr. Rhodes, documentaries about teachers, Roseanne, Castrati's, Soul Asylum, Unsolved Mysteries, Shame on You!, stealing change at carwashes, Amanda Donohoe as the Substitute, Home Improvement, Grace Under Fire, Mad About You, Sinbad vs. Wings, Seinfeld's Puffy shirt, James Carey as "Snow", Herman's Head, The Single Guy, made-for-TV Blossom movies, Boy Meets World, and why Ken will NEVER be "a Cody".

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 146: Teresa Ganzel Apr 20, 2016

Today Ken welcomes actress Teresa Ganzel (The Toy, The Tonight Show, The Duck Factory) to the show.

Ken and Teresa discuss Air BnB, The Tonight Show, Johnny Carson, Teachers Only, Jean Smart, TV dating etiquette, a Mid-West Youth, calling your shots, Filthy Rich, being roommates with Delta Burke, The Toy, Jackie Gleason, Richard Pryor, Aliens among us, working with Milton Berle, The Duck Factory, Jay Ward, Jim Carey, the TV vs. Film divide, Roxy, Andrea Martin, Kate & Allie, Godspell, SCTV, Mark Ganzel, Barry Kemp, The Popcorn Kid, Fresno, The Monkees vs. Gidget, falling in love with California, taking classes from Lucille Ball, Taylor Negron, game shows, $10,000 Pyramid, when Dick Cavett is too smart to win, Press Your Luck, being the "dice girl" on TV Yatzee, the backstage dirt on The Dating Game chaperons, The $1.98 Beauty Pageant, John Ritter, Three's Company, Bob Newhart, not watching yourself, Richard Mulligan, Empty Nest, the voice over world, the power of face to face communication, Viagra Falls, The Hollywood Christmas Parade, The Grinder, wishing for Seinfeld and celebrating a new golden age of weirdness.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 145: Tommy Rico Apr 13, 2016

October 31st - November 6, 1987

Today Ken welcomes long time Boston comedy friend and fellow comedian Tommy Rico to the show.

Ken and Tommy discuss Stoneham, Mario Cantone, Nancy Kerrigan, Killer Kowalski, SNL, childhood chaos, anti-ethnic racism in the Boston area, insomnia, horror movies, marital compromise, bring up Chuck, Latinos, local sports, Boston Stand Up, media knowledge, fandom, Burn Notice, young people's lack of historical knowledge, Halloween, TV38 vs. WLVI TV 56, The Legend of Dana Hersey, Force Five, Starblazers, Japanese shows, "Japanamation", living in all three time zones, living with a murderer, The Midnight Hour, Women in Prison, Amen, Joe Piscapo, Dabney Coleman hosting SNL with the Cars and Elvira, The Exorcist, Werewolf, Spenser for Hire, Family Ties, Married...with Children, hormonal viewing choices, classic movie theaters, Hiding Out with John Cryer, 'Night Mother, Raptors, Made for TV Movies, the evils of big Oil, primetime Alyssa Milano, Video Gallery, Petey's hatred of Tommy, Moonlighting, Telemarketers, Hooperman vs. Slap Maxwell, Magnum PI, Sledge Hammer, Cheers, Beverly Hills Buntz, James Bond, WWF, and the magic of I Married Dora.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 144: Paul Dini and Misty Lee Apr 06, 2016

September 14-20, 1985

Today Ken welcomes magician par excellence voice over actress Misty Lee and writer, husband of Misty Lee, Paul Dini to the show.

Ken, Paul and Misty discuss Catholic mediation, online ordination, Maker's Mark, keeping the tip, TV 1985, working on the Eworks and Droids Show, Filmation's Lou Scheimer, crushing Chris Rock's dreams, "nyeah neah" characters, Detroit, It's Punky Brewster, Ann Jillian, Jennifer Slept Here, Baby Space Bands, Muppet Babies, Comic Book Talk, the constant need to re-origin, speaking the geek, Hee Haw, Schmoo, Children of the Corn as comedy sketch show, Dolly Parton, Sears WishBooks, pneumatic tubes, Hot tub white castle super bowl sunday, old racist complaints, Airwolf, Golden Girls, Spielberg's obsession with fat shaming children, The Garbage Pail Kids, the secret origins of Aladdin, the changing face of entertainment, owning your own work, The Famous Teddy Z, Ken's "Elvis List", The Ramones, Batman the Animated Series, Clint Howard, Jungle Book, made for tv swears, Melon Farmer, chuckle heads, donut drunk, Love Boat, Fall Previews, C.C. Deville, the power of Greg Proops, misdirection, practicing, magic, complaining about millennials, terrible comedy, and earning your pop culture loves.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 143: Elaine Loh Mar 30, 2016

April 11-17, 1998

Today Ken welcomes actress and educator Elaine Loh to the show.

Ken and Elaine discuss LA vs. Boston, getting a manager, being too old, getting into the Union from Boston, already having an Asian girl, racial stereotypes, diversity in Hollywood, The Mickey Mouse Club, Kids Incorporated, Chuck, annoying celebrities, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Christial Bale, Newsies, bite sized viewing, growing up in Asia, TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes, casting yourself in network TV Shows, crime nurses, meeting Betty White, your grandparents encouraging lack of understanding, Martin Short, Suddenly Susan, the death of the family sitcom, The Love Boat redux, acting on Passions, Soaps, Everybody Loves Raymond, having lunch with Xander, Soul Man, action Priests, working with Bob Saget, meeting Tim "The Toolman" Taylor, Newsradio, Golden Girls, being from Boston not Canton, Cybill, Ken's crush on Alicia Witt, 3rd Rock from the Sun, The Wonder Years, body switching, and a unexplained love of Sex Crimes.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 142: Joanna Going Mar 25, 2016

Today Ken welcomes actress Joanna Going (Dark Shadows, House of Cards, Kingdom) to the show.

Ken and Joanna discuss growing up in Newport, RI, moving to New York to act in Soap Operas, Dark Shadows, shooting Outpost in Pinewood Studios in Slough UK, disparaging Jazz, moving toward comedy from heavy drama, growing up in a big family, breaking your life into color and B&W, loving Shirley Temple movies, Little House on the Prairie, books vs. television series, a childhood desire to live in "olden time", Micky Mouse Club, Brady Bunch, playing Partridge Family, Love American Style, Room 222, Julia, Nurse by day Go-Go Dancer by Night, Fat Albert, scary sailor tattoo parlors, Providence, Family Guy, being ahead of the times, The 1991 Dark Shadows, Dan Curtis, The Wizard of Oz, watching movies annually as a ritual, the golden age of the mini-series, Kingdom on Direct TV, trying to get a 12 year old to experience communal TV watching, Disney taking up the three camera sitcom mantle, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Mad Men, House of Cards, auditioning blind, going through the looking glass, the divide of TV Actors and Movie actors, the death of the traditional season, telling your parents your an actor, work ethic, understated New England, your first autograph request, special forces Soap Opera training, Orphan Black, Aziz Ansari, loving television with heart, Twin Peaks, and My So-Called life going on.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 141: Brian Moote Mar 23, 2016

February 3-9, 1990

Today Ken welcomes old friend, comedian and broadcaster Brian Moote to the show.

Ken and Brian discuss Brian's S-Town confusion, Nancy Kerrigan, Wonky Roundabouts, Seattle, stand up booking you an apartment, TV Guide collages, Whidbey Island, not having cable, "the other side", Grunge, Canadian sports, Seattle Seahawks, The BOZ, The Real World slap heard round the world, living through morning radio, a love of Basketball, being all the way Irish, 227, COPS, Golden Girls, America's Funniest Home Videos, prank shows, prakin' Stevie Wonder, Money from Strangers with Jeff Dye, What Would You Do?, The Simpsons, banning Married...with Children and In Living Color, Friday the 13th The Series, catching chickens, Woods Pornography, buying things meant for 18 year olds, MacGuyver, loggin' lumberjacks, ALF, Valerie, Aliens, The Wonder Years, giving comedians tags, loving Roseanne but hating DJ, Star Trek, Elvis, Ken's unnatural love of Growing Pains, the youngest being conscripted into antenna duty, Unsolved Mysteries, Ogo-Pogo, Drexel's Class, Doogie Howser, being an undiscovered child genius, buying condoms, Spaceballs, sudden loss of power, Cosby Show, Step by Step, TGIF, loving Family Matters, the debut of The Bradys, race-car drivers, Animal House, and Ken's undying love of Just the Ten of Us.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 140: Cynthia Rothrock Mar 16, 2016

Today Ken welcomes actress and international martial arts superstar Cynthia Rothrock to the show.

Ken and Cynthia discuss cartoons, The Wonderful World of Disney, American Bandstand, growing up in Pennsylvania, moving to LA, becoming a Hong Kong movie star, Michelle Yeoh, The West Coast Demonstration Team, Golden Harvest, "finding the next Bruce Lee", Corey Yuen, Enter the Dragon, watching Kung Fu movies in New York's Chinatown, a love of a uniform leading to a lifetime in Martial Arts, how Bruce Lee changed the world, picking up Cantonese, being on the poster, the Eastern difference between acting and voice, Shaw Brothers Theaters, Yuen Biao, Righting Wrongs, Jackie Chan's karaoke, Sammo Hung, real life super heroes, fighting through an injury, not having a stunt double, watching hotel TV in Hong Kong, weird international gameshows, pre-looping yourself, TVB, missing out on Armour of God, China O'Brien, late night TV, Showtime, the golden age of cable, being on the cover on Karate Illustrated, Fast Getaway, being a voice Eek! The Cat, Robot Chicken, when the Matrix changed the world, classic cowboy stuntmen fights, bad fight choreography, The Kingsmen, Ken geeking out on the martial arts styles in The One, Santa's Summer Home, shooting a movie in three days, rarely going on auditions, The Dukes of Hazard Reunion movie, Hercules, being defeated by a too tight wig, working with Stacey Keach in Irresistible Force, re-watching your own work, Hong Kong comedy, why there's no kissing in fighting films, the terror of the Hong Kong Midnight Movie screening, singing happy birthday, fighting your way into pop stardom, comedy, Salem, American Idol, The Bachelor, extreme sports, I Love Lucy, being terrified by the Twilight Zone episode "The Masks", The Wizard of Oz, the horrors of the Lollipop Guild, Charlie Brown Christmas, a love of Christmas TV, the nostalgic warmth of old commercials, being an embarrassing parent no matter how cool you are, Betty Boop, Adventure Time, and a love of dancing skeletons.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 139: Christine Lakin Mar 11, 2016

Today on the show Ken welcomes actress, writer, and new mom Christine Lakin to the show.

Ken and Christine discuss fine Los Angeles weather, starting your career in Atlanta, Step by Step, childhood tours of the East Coast as a corporate gypsy, being a small kid, Carol Burnett, All In the Family, keeping only children busy, commercials, taking after your grandmother, savvy elderly, TNT Made-For-TV movies, acting opposite Superman, Christopher Reeve's kiss, keeping busy, not taking the normal "kid actor" path, Spring Break Success, Kirk Cameron, making Full House a little more full, John Stamos' creamy Greek skin, eating lunch, pregnant girl meals, the Irreconcilable Difference monologue, canine responsibilities, Miller Boyet, TGIF, Meego, You Wish, crying on cue, Step by Step, Patrick Duffy, She's the Sheriff, Suzanne Summer, Stacey Keenan, leading a double life, Sasha Mitchell, being grounded and down to earth, The Man from Atlantis, Ken's forgetful mistakes, Circus of the Stars, contractual obligations, Lisa, Don Knotts, interacting with television legends, photographic evidence, creepy L.A. Gear commercials, Friends, not finding Step by Step streaming or on DVD, aging well, warm TV families, the Thighmaster years, Dallas, Step by Step reunions, how acting changes, voicing audio books, the social nature of TGIF, Survivor, Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, marathoning, My So-Called Life, Homeland, Growing Pains, going to TV Tapings, being shot on film, shooting in HD before HD, TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes, The Muppets and being a "grid gal".

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 138: Danny O'Connor aka Danny Boy Mar 09, 2016

Today Ken welcomes musician, personality and urban explorer Danny O'Connor (aka Danny Boy of House of Pain and La Coka Nostra) to the show.

Ken and Danny discuss the Delta Bravo Urban Exploration Team, getting to visit the sites from your favorite movies, deep cuts, Bronson Caves, moving from New York to the Valley, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Valley Girl, growing up with Todd Bridges and Adam Rich, love/hate relationships with M.A.S.H., the shared experience of popular culture, Happy Days, Alice, Eight is Enough, taking a pick up truck to Hollywood, Van Halen, KROQ, New Wave changing everything, Duran Duran, the importance of Mall culture, Cameron Crowe, Chopping Mall, Sherman Oaks Galleria, forgetting to look for Cameron Crowe in the Claremont High Year Book, worshiping Mike Damone, Debbie Harry's standee, "The Five Point Plan", meeting your heroes, House of Pain, being humble, "Fast Times" the TV series, Beastie Boys License to Ill, The Outsiders, re-writing history, The Warriors, growing up with young Hollywood, TV versions of movies, why it's sometimes better for your favorites to end, My So-Called Life, deleted scenes, Facebook: The Great Unifier, visiting the Monroeville Mall from Dawn of the Dead, religious experiences, "no pools, no schools", the mythical Fast Times Pool, the order of the mop: Janitors, Mr. Hand's trash bin, drones, TV Guide salvation, the Sears Catalog, classic baseball fields, Detroit, Superman, London locations, The Charlie and the Chocolate Factory location, seeing ghosts, Dorothy Stratton and the Star 80 Murder house, What's Happening, Chico and the Man, They Live, Downtown LA, Prince of Darkness, Slaine, seeing the celebrity train wreck, do the kids know or care?, Rumblefish, SE Hinton, Bad News Bears, Brandon Cruz, Courtship of Eddie's Father, The Young Ones, the Damned, Steve Jones' favorite punk band, thanking the people who influenced you, Taxi, how Angela's theme ties into hip hop, Mary Tyler Moore, Bernard Rose, Cabrini Green, and how it doesn't get tougher or more punk rock than Frankie Goes to Hollywood.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 137: Lara Jill Miller Mar 04, 2016

Today Ken welcomes actress, all around personality, and former lawyer Lara Jill Miller (Gimme a Break) to the show.

Ken and Lara Jill discuss timing tolerance, loving Nell Carter, starting in dinner theater, working on Broadway with Dick Van Dyke, coming from a Pajama Factory dynasty, growing up in Pennsylvania, loving Nell Cater, doing voice over for commercials, success derived from not having a New York accent, Ain't Misbehavin', appearing in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, singing with the Care Bears, Circus of the Stars, Star Games, swimming with Ricky Schroeder, Little House on the Prairie, being loyal to your friends shows, NBC's classic Saturday Night line up, being one of two live shows during NBC's Saturday Night Live event, seeing the string pulling The Jetsons, how a background in theater makes live three camera sitcoms easy, KTTV, being recognized nationally, signing autographs, getting free Vans and Nikes, keeping scrap books, fan mail, going through your awkward years on camera, being set up by The National Enquirer, meeting George Burns, touring nationally, being enthralled by circus life, back door pilots, the secret origins of A Different World, perusing a career in law, evolving into a voice actor, avoiding the common pitfalls of a life as a child actor, riding the wave, having a grounded outlook, living below your means, signing network deals, Little Darlings, telling your Nana about your screen tests, lifetime supplies of free sneakers, teen magazines, memorabilia, performing in prison, living in the social media age, having a unique voice, Blue Bloods, Shades of Blue, and the guilty pleasures of reality TV.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 136: Ryan Staples Mar 02, 2016

August 26 - September 1, 1995

Today Ken welcomes writer/comedian Ryan Staples to the show.

Ken and Ryan discuss Ken's museum like home, Burger King vs. McDonald's, snake based terror, bag o burgers, Kelly Kapowski, Summer's last hurrah, Ryan's 9th birthday, Are You Afraid of the Dark? marathon, squatting in your own home, Gymkata, why "Pulp Comics" was the greatest stand up show ever, Kids in the Hall, smuggling snacks into a movie theater, Danny Cooksey, hitting on the bass player from Ash, backstage at Roxette, The Simpsons, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, 1986's True Stories, WWF, Summer Slam, Hot Black Boxes, Brian Wilson, when tennis replaces wrestling, Fresh Prince, The biggest event in the history of the world: Alien Autopsy Fact or Fiction, Munsters/Addams Family, Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey as the Godfather II of awesome movies, Nowhere Man, The Prisoner, Full House, The Greek Extinguisher, Rescue 911, Nielson Families, Ghostbusters II, Bobby Brown, Vigo the Carpathean as Ken's Middle School librarian, the definition of "a clown", The John Larroquette Show, the Mystery of Comedy Product, Drive-In Review with Buzz Killman, John Tesh at Red Rocks, House Guest, Ellen's grudge, Dumb & Dumber, Outside Providence, Ken's memorization of Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise, Fresh Horses, Newsradio, Mad About You, Clip Shows, TGIF, Family Matters, Ken's hatred of Disney World, TV Nation, Baywatch, Boy Meets World, debating the best Monkee, X-Files, the death of John Candy, and the worst of the 1970s.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 135: Brenda Bennett Feb 24, 2016

Today Ken welcomes musician Brenda Bennett to the show.

Ken and Brenda discuss Ken's house as a museum, New England, growing up with Country Music in the family, waltzing into a contract with CBS records, seeing the Beatles for the first time on the Jack Parr show, how television can be more powerful than just hearing something, American Bandstand, loving songs but not artists, trying to get facetime with the family guitar, learning songwriting without learning music, Ozzie and Harriet, loving Ricky Nelson, Apollonia 6, Purple Rain, the abandoned Apollonia 6 mini-movie, Buck Henry, Sex Shooter, seeing live bands in Providence, Bonnie Raitt, Frank Zappa, King Crimson, living in London in the late 80s, recording in the Dave Clark Five studios, The Boston Tea Party, the Velvet Underground, the night James Brown saved Boston, seeing George Harrison, Paul McCartney asking your opinion on scents, absorbing accents, backpacking through Europe, Ken Lyon & The Tombstone Blues Band, Electric Lady Studios, Mott the Hoople, touring with Queen on their first US tour, the early days of music video, concert lighting, Boston, touring with Prince as his wardrobe mistress, Roy Bennett, Dirty Mind, having the voice of one of the Hookers, Vanity, the death of John Lennon, how sex sells, filming Prince for critiques, performing for 40,000 people in your underwear, Trashy Lingerie, being careful what you ask the Universe of, surprising Prince, being gifted with a voice, learning the politics of promotion, meeting Ricky Nelson, The Time, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Morris Day, Sheila E, loving historical dramas, a history of lace, acting, Falcon Crest, learning from the best, "17 Days", Manic Monday, John Palumbo, the power of coincidence, Tom Jones Kiss, Mavis Staples, Holly Knight, Brenda's first solo record A Capella, Dee Harris and Fashion, taking time off to be a mother, having your kid discover your past via VH1, the martial arts, zen, reconnecting with Susan and surprising Prince in Boston.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 134.5: Adrienne Barbeau Feb 19, 2016

In this special mini-episode Ken welcomes actress, singer, author Adrienne Barbeau to the show.

Ken and Adrienne discuss growing up without television, Pippin, musical theater, watching Westerns on the farm, "It Could Be You", the old country, not going to the movies until college, hour long dramas, Maude, Norman Lear, acting on the stage, Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Quincy M.E., TV Movies, John Carpenter, making your name on the talk shows, Merv, Mike Douglas, The Gong Show, $20,000 Pyramid, being a TV actor or a movie actor, Swamp Thing, The Fog, All in the Family, Dick Cavett, the golden age of HBO and home video, never going home again, Creepshow, being called Billy, casting against type, The George Carlin Show, being Catwoman in Batman the Animated Series, Scooby Doo on Zombie Island, Ultraman: Towards the Future, forgetting Love Boat the Next Wave, The New Twilight Zone, and catching up on your shows during shows thanks to Netflix.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 134: David Mogolov Feb 17, 2016

May 30 - June 5, 1992

Today Ken welcomes writer and monologist David Mogolov. Ken and David discuss the Boston suburbs, having a TV in your room, the midwest vs. NJ, AT&T, Central Time, SNL, Who's the Boss, The connection between Baywatch and Highway to Heaven, being a part of a cult, the Best Show, Tweeting the Macy's Parade, 120 Minutes, Thurston Moore vs. Beck, college radio, the non-COPS Inner Circle, Billy Connolly, Perfect Strangers, the superiority of Predator 2, evil Jamaicans, loving live ROC, Anthrax on Married...with Children, Night Court, Herman's Head, the golden age of Fox, Get a Life, Parker Lewis Can't Lose, Real Genius, HBO movies, Overboard, Midnight Madness, Braingames, HBO's Encyclopedia, Kansas City, Tommy Page's run on Full House, Home Improvement's Christmas in July, Eddie Albert's Hippie Nephew, tornado preparedness, The USA Music Challenge, Unsolved Mysteries, "Bait & Switch" on Growing Pains, Jake and the Fatman, Twins, Cosby's showcase for Doug E. Doug, The Simpsons, Desmonds, Sexual Harassment, A Different World, Garrett Graham, Clarence Thomas' public hair filled Coca-Cola, Cheers, MacGuyver smoking out arsonists, Wings, ripping off your own shows with Miracles and Wonders, the lazy nature of sitcom characters being in bands, Step by Step, the progressive nature of Dinosaurs, loving Swamp Thing despite it's low budget, the Alien Autopsy, Ken's theory on ghosts, the problems with Millennials, and appreciating Phil Hartman.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 133: Sean Sullivan THE LOST EPISODE 2nd Anniversary Special! Feb 14, 2016

In this very special 2 year Anniversary special Ken treats the listeners to a LOST episode of the show. This was recorded in the first 30 days of the show back in 2014. Sean Sullivan expressed discontent with it so it sat in the vaults.

October 17-23, 1998

Ken and Sean discuss Ken's home and discussing Ken's home, the last year of being single, XTREME Bo Derek, Hawaii, Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung in Martial Law, HBO Undercover Documentaries, Unsolved Mysteries, Smart Guy, The Army Show, Silk Stalkings, The New Adams Family, the Family Channel, Halloweentown, Everybody Loves Raymond, the wonders of Ray Romano, Parenthood, The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeifer, Clerks The Animated Series, The "Forbidden Haircut" on Home Improvement, Jesse, the sitcom cliche if things being stuck in people's noses, Larry Sanders, Daphne Zuniga, Rent, Spin City, Jack, Diane Lane: The World's Most Beautiful Woman, Dawson's Creek, Kevin Williams, Ken's father's cruel insults to children, Two Guys A Girl and a Pizza Place, Friends, changing cast members, Newsradio, the sad death of Phil Hartman, Boy Meets World's sad end, and why Martin Short is the all time greatest.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 132: Chris Duffy Feb 10, 2016

Week of April 2-8, 1994

Today Ken welcomes comedian and host of "You're The Expert" Chris Duffy to the show. Ken and Chris discuss Loni Anderson, the long long process of Chris's appearance on the show, growing up in Manhattan, Petey's winking, living in You've Got Mail, how comedy and horror are the same, secret SNL writers, reading over TV, rewatching the Simpsons in your head, April Fools Day pranks, snapping turtles, Ken's high school stalker, Jeopardy, COPS, getting mugged, The Fugitive, foreseeing whack attacks, The Mommies, offended by Lynne Koplitz, kids at stand up comedy shows, Exchange Students, SNICK, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Scholastic Scary, Whalbergs in the shower, growing up Jewish and Christian, Ghost Writer, kissing your television, sleeping in Christian Slater's room, thin walls make poor privacy, Family Matters, white privilege time machines, Linda Ellerbee as the world's greatest journalist, Wild America vs. Nature, MST3K, Dave's World, Fraiser, recommending Hal Hartley, The Purple Gang, wanting a baby, Who's Line Is It Anyway?, loving bluegrass, loving Dolly Parton, pop up Chris Duffy, Home Improvement, studying JTT to get ladies, Unsolved Mysteries, BET's Comic View, Chris' bone chomping denials, Clarissa Explaining It All, The Simpsons, The Sony Hack, Mad About You, Trancers plus Twister, MTV, Shania Twain, Herman's Head, Traps, bragging about crimes you've committed, Buba Smith, The Adventures of Brisco County Jr., The X-Files, Hart to Heart Returns, Jeer Cheers, Cheer Cheers, interning for Bill Clinton, and eating Chinese food in silence with Bill Nye.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 131: Jan Davidson Feb 03, 2016

June 9 -15, 1979

Today Ken welcomes comedian, actress and fellow New Englander Jan Davidson to the show.

Ken and Jan discuss Los Angeles' lack of seasons, school year clocks, school shopping, LL Bean, Pretty Plus at Sears', store brands, Everett, loving gentrification, Malden Catholic, hoity toity Melrose, John Pinette, Donna Peskow, Angie, TV theme songs as pop music, Finders of Lost Loves, Solid Gold, Out of This World, being adopted, Jordan Marsh, never controlling the remote control, CHiPs, stoop sitting, Ken's Jimmy Neutron vibe, Mother/Daughter Beauty Pageant, Love Boat, virginity and the bible, having the same dad, Fantasy Island, stuck on Jan Brady, is Mr. Roarke Satan or God?, Church on 19, The Debolt's 19 Kids, Diff'rent Strokes, Superman The Musical, Carrie, telling Barbara Streisand she'd be a star after she's a star, Little House on the Prairie, White Shadow, blind deaf and dedicated, Newhart, putting words to instrumentals, Gary Marshall's universe, Santa Monica's Three's Company Sleaze, unmarried women, marrying Paul Lynde, Zuma Beach, refusing to buy Priscilla Barnes, Barney Miller, anti-punk TV, The Incredible Hulk, the terror of submarines, and the insane crazy world of McGunk.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 130: Dan Savage Jan 29, 2016

March 15-21, 1980

Today Ken welcomes writer, broadcaster, all around personality Dan Savage to the show.

Ken and Dan discuss lack of choices, Zoom Pride, Bonnie Hunt Chicago vs. Cabrini Green Chicago, being a middle child, special events pre-empting TV, Alienated suburban teams, Baretta, the Reagan era, the 70s grit vs. the 80s aspirational media, how the American Dream is the American Scam, the lack of post-Roseanne Blue Collar sitcoms, family love through ballbusting, hot wives with fat guys, hitting the age as an actress when you have to be a non-sexual D.A., growing into Love Boat, Archie's Place, Maude, Mary Tyler Moore Spin-Offs, Phyllis, Rhoda, Lou Grant, why Marty Tyler Moore is a gay man, Family, Leif Garrett, the importance of re-runs, Lucy, saving a marriage with infidelity, Billy Crystal on SOAP, fixing gay men, Love Sydney, shock that Tony Randall isn't gay, not knowing Liberace is gay, asking for tickets to A Chorus Line, Paul Lynde and his filthy gay jokes, CHpS, crushing on Erik Estrada, undercover punks, becoming conservative as you get older, celebrating 70s hair, Shaun Cassidy, Baseball Pin Ups, Billy Ripken's Fuck Face Bat, Ricardo Montalban introducing S&M to Fantasy Island, Burt Convey, Jiggle TV, The Battle of the Network Stars no Bras Rule, dishonest sleaze, contempt for your audience, Horny Don Knotts, 70s TV homophobia, Three's Company, Bosom Buddies, sneaking comedy albums, the golden age of SNL, pillaging the underground, Diff'rent Strokes, Laugh in loving Richard Nixon, being a secret magical princess from another dimension, orphans, Gimme a Break, Race Relations, Kate & Allie Lesbians, sexless marriages, Ron Reagan Jr., The Brady Bunch, Fake Jan vs. Fake Cindy, Gilligan's Island, The Bradys, The Muppet Show, how Kermit is just "into pigs", the subversive wonder of Jim Henson, how you need to love something to properly parody/satire it, vaudeville, the golden age of TV variety shows, Hogan's Heroes, M.A.S.H., live TV musicals, tracing cultural history through character actors and the conundrum of John Waters.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 129: Nick Lavallee Jan 27, 2016

February 2-8, 1991

In this episode Ken welcomes comedian, musician and man of New Hampshire Nick Lavallee to the show.

Ken and Nick discuss cat based allergies, Bob Saget, SNL, MC Hammer's connection to Julia Roberts, Sweeps Week, banning Pumps N a Bump, British Knights, confusing Michael Jackson with Magic Johnson, New Hampshire Ghetto Boys, Howard Stern, Uncle Buck vs. Amen, Chubby Checker's Superbowl Conspiracy, Ken's hatred of Puff the Magic Dragon, Primetime 3.2.1 Contact, being attracted to the deaf girl, Sega Genesis, BJ's Wholesale Club, Nintendo, Patrick Swayze, loving Sally Struthers, Golden Girls lulling you to sleep, Unsolved Mysteries, The wonder of the PXL 2000, In Living Color, Get a Life, AFV vs. In Living Color, Howie Mandell in Good Grief, Fresh Prince, Voices that Care, Make Out Parties, Ireland's pub based tongue games, Co-Ed Pillow Fight Leagues, Baby Jessica, staying up all night because you watched Murphy Brown, falling asleep to Dragnet, "shifting", Rescue 911, Davis Rules, Roseanne, Empty N esters love of Hot Tubs, Beyond Tomorrow, crying during The Wonder Years, Growing Pains, drinking yourself to sleep, family times, Doogie Howser vs. Night Court, Fathers and sons, killing your Sony Watchman, Seinfeld, stealing cable, bootleg Bart Simpson, flea market clothes, The Flash, TGIF, the sad life of Big Earl, and missing it by a pubic hair.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 128: Wrestling Special with Will Smalley Jan 24, 2016

By popular demand Ken welcomes returning guest, comedian and Wrestling superfan/expert Will Smalley back to the show for a very special Wrestling Special.

Ken and Will discuss the r-word, older brothers introducing you to the world of Wrestling, Hulk Hogan, Vince McMahon's reinvention, regional Wrestling organizations, Rock N Wrestlin', carnies, territories, Wrestling on TV, Ted Turner, WCW, MTV, Rowdy Roddy Piper, Wrestling Schools, UFC, under the counter Wrestling magazines, Lady Wrestlers, Animotion's "Obesssion", Saturday Night's Main Event, Brother Love, American Gladiators, USA Network, TBS, TNT, Monday Night Wrestling, Midget Wrestling, KAFABE, backyard wrestling, jerk off plaza, Cable Access, Tony Rumble, "snapping your carrot", vigilante justice, Lucha Libre, soap opera storylines, the "attitude era", Japanese extreme wrestling, sneaking into the Undertaker's hotel room, real fighting techniques, G.L.O.W., WWE re-writing history, tape traders, Faces of Death, low culture, Donald Trump, Ravishing Rick Rude's rudeness, your heroes being failures, using up human capital, and the allure of California Cool.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 127: Liz Prince Jan 20, 2016

March 4-10, 1995

Today Ken welcomes writer, cartoonist and graphic novel creator Liz Prince to the show.

Ken and Liz discuss Ken's strange home, hoarding comic books, autobiographical comic books, Disney's TV Animation, wanting to be a cartoon character, Adventure Time, punk rock, 90s zine culture, New Mexico, discovering punk via Green Day on MTV, only having one cool record store, missing cartoon sex humor, Tiny Toons, Animaniacs, Thundar The Barbarian, post-nuke kids shows, THreads, The Day After, When the Wind Blows, Watership Down, The Plague Dogs, the holocaust at the end of the original Transformers movie, Archie, Ariel Schrag, Nicktoons, faceless cartoons, Comic Book Confidential, Duck Tales, Robin Hood, Tom & Jerry, the television being quarantined into your parents' room, pitching TV shows, the unique format of comics books, Demolition Man, Taco Bell, inherent anti-military anti-group anti-authority brain wiring, Cops, John Tesh, The Simpsons, The Critic, The Ghostbusters movie being based on the Real Ghostbusters cartoon, Wayne's World 2, hating The Doors, Unsolved Mysteries, Ren & Stimpy, keeping dead bees, The Deadly Invasion, Fringe, pulling the rug out from under you, Claymation, Seinfeld, Bill Wray, paying creativity forward, Family Matters, Boy Meets World, TGIF, PBS' Punk Documentary, Freaks and Geeks, The X-Files and Jared Leto's sweat

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 126: Marshall Crenshaw Jan 15, 2016

Today Ken welcomes singer/songwriter/author/all around talent Marshall Crenshaw to the show.

Ken and Marshall discuss how the third time is the charm, seaside music venues, Club Passim, Marshall's book "Hollywood Rock", The MTV age, the hub of hitchiking, That Thing You Do, La Bamba, Buddy Holly, the early 60s, The Adventures of Pete & Pete reunion, Beatlemania, SCTV, being surprised by Robert Gordon doing your song on your favorite show, The Merv Griffin Show, Wayland Flowers and Madame, The David Letterman Show, Detroit Rock and Soul, The MC5, The Stooges, Jackie WIlson, Jack Scott, scored due to failure, growing up in the anonymous suburbs, watching shocking amounts of television, getting a classic cinema education via TV, showing your children Citizen Kane, realizing that the Pee Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special is 30 Years old, Gilligan's Island vs. The Monkees, Jack Parr, Anglophilia, Steptoe & Son, Malcolm Muggeridge, The Beverly Hillbillies, the variety of true classic top 40, Solid Gold, no dancers but a Beach Boys' studio backing track, your children revisiting your work, Wild Guitar with Arch Hall Jr., Ray Dennis Stecklar, Psychotronic Video, Johnny Cash in Five Minutes to Live aka Door to Door Maniac, Jonathan Ross' Incredibly Strange Film Show, Night Flight, Catalina Caper with Little Richard, That Tennessee Beat, the power of documentaries, Hail Hail Rock n Roll, Let the Goodtimes Roll, MC5: A True Testimonial, Standing in the Shadows of Motown, The Blacklist, Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, Larry Wilmore, John Oliver, and talking to Dr. Licks.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 125: Ben Blacker Jan 13, 2016

October 12-18, 1991

On today's show Ken welcomes writer, Thrilling Adventure Hour head honcho and host of the Nerdist Writer's Panel Ben Blacker to the show. Ken and Ben discuss growing up in the Boston area, Hal Hartley TV, the early 90s, CBS Monday Night, hereditary sci-fi fandom, American Gothic, Dark Shadows, Spenser for Hire, James at 15, Creature Double Feature, horror as metaphor, the humorless grim 21st Century, Supernatural, American Horror Story, Golden Girls and the Torkelsons, when Saturday Night isn't funny, Who's the Boss, Growing Pains, Just the Ten of Us, totally retooling shows, Bob, Family Ties, why it's not worth it to make a show for everybody anymore, taping Young Riders, The Adventures of Brisco County Jr, Sightings, the troubles of serialization, Young Guns II, Westerns turning into TV Cop Shows, The Comish, Life Goes On, low concept TV, blue collar TV, AIDS, Eerie Indiana, Parker Lewis, James Garner, evil John Stamos, Full House, Herman's Head, The early days of Fox, Women in Prison, Werewolf, Monday Night Hebrew school keeping you from Alf, Evening Shade vs. Davis Rules, Bonnie Hunt, hating Southern shows, Newhart, Get a Life, dumb characters, why it's hard to re-watch Seinfeld, Blossom, Murphy Brown, Julia Duffy, Northern Exposure, Lord of Illusions, great guest stars on Chuck, I'll Fly Away is not Brooklyn Bridge, Rescue 911, why friction can make a great show, Roseanne, Jackie O, the Mini-Series, Coach, Jobeth Williams, Dinosaurs, Unsolved Mysteries, CNBC is paying to watch your neighbors make love, Wonder Years, Doogie Howser, the final season of Night Court, Quantum Leap, Cosby, A Different World, The Simpsons, loving bottle episodes, the finale of Cheers, George Wendt, missing The Monster Mash, loving Tim Daly, LA Law, Perfect Strangers, Baby Talk, replacing George Clooney with Scott Baio, Cheer Heavy Weeks, making the big time as a Jeopardy Question, Murphy Brown's single motherhood, the heartbreak of Fall Previews and complaining about reality TV in 1991.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 124: Jenna Von Oy Jan 08, 2016

In today's special BONUS! episode to start 2016 right, Ken welcomes actress, writer, musician and mom Jenna Von Oy to the show.

Ken and Jenna discuss Jenna's status as a frequent point of discussion on the show, Tales from the Darkside, Christmas Episodes, E.G. Marshall, being an old Soul, growing up in CT, the way New York City used to be, how an illustration of the flexibility of Jordace jeans leads to a career in acting, being the anomaly in your family. letting your kids act, the changing face of a television year, The Gritter, Monsters, "Glim-Glim" RIP, having a Goldfish memory of your own work, The West Wing, re-visiting your past via DVD, Jenna's status as the hardest working person in showbiz, Don Reo, working on Lenny and Blossom at the same time, being the one true Six, the foolproof disguise if crimped hair, places your bets on Lenny Clarke, discovering the great untapped resource of teenage girls, normal kids, Warren Littlefield's daughter single-handedly saving Blossom, The John Larroquette Show, awkwardly doing the Roger Rabbit, respectfully homaging sitcom cliches without the snark, Full House as the modern Brady Bunch, coining "A Very Special Episode", The Sassy Generation, opening talking about divorce and drugs, timeless storylines, getting hooked on Melrose Place, watching the Disney Sunday Night movie on a black and white TV as a family, acting opposite Tom Cruise in Born on the 4th of July without knowing who he is, not being a showbiz kid, being a victim of merchandising, what Joey Lawrence's love can't fix, crushing on your co-star, being the hardened veteran, Miss Mayim Bialik, Little Richard's definition of silk, recording a heartbreak album, Joey Lawrence's luscious locks, the wonder of TV theme songs, Parks and Rec, being in Nashville without being on "Nashville", wanting to be on The West Wing, Arrested Development, obsession over the X-Files, the difficulty of a changing business, being a mom, carving out your niche, "Situation Momedy", the terror of Ken's pregnancy, the power of laughter and benign self-deprecation, Blossom's syndication status, TiVo blowing your cover to your children, and how Mommy is a book author.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 123: Guitler Raphael Jan 06, 2016

September 13-19, 1997 FALL PREVIEW

Today Ken welcomes comedian Guitler Raphael to the show. Ken and Guitler discuss the official Team Reid pizza, spinach, Haiti, Fall Preview, sibling bargaining, The Pretender, COPS, Maurice the Pants Man, Garth Brooks, The Real World, Xena, Miss America, Wet T-Shirts, being a bouncer, fooled by strippers, The New England Patriots, The Omega Man, the golden age of Video Stores, Malden, In the House, doing your best to identify with bad TV, the best "black" show, LL Cool J's Radio, Dateline NBC, Football vs. Wrestling, learning comedy via TV, past life regression, Malcolm and Eddie, good business ideas, teenage hangouts, B.L.L.T's, Step Dad murder, Brian De Palma, Breakin' Boobs, Cannon Films, Keeping Up Appearances, PBS, Ken's David Bowie, Toys, wall posters, Janet Jackson, Spin City, Isaac Mizrahi, Sister Sister, Jackee Harry, Smart Guy, .com bubble, cops teaching history, buying stocks, Keith Sweat, The Wayans Brothers, OJ, Steve Harvey, twins causing racism, Must See TV, Living Single, Martin, how Montel Jordan do it, Will Blacksmith, Beauty and the Beast, Fraiser, the sad death of Brandon Lee, Family Matter moving to CBS, Sabrina and the Little People, Boy Meets World, and the illustrious acting career of Shaq.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 122: Rick Moody Dec 30, 2015

April 30 - May 5, 1977

On today's episode Ken welcomes author, novelist, journalist, musician and all around great guy Rick Moody to the show.

Ken and Rick discuss the atmosphere of cookies in Harvard Square, 60s TV, Richard Nixon, Richard Nixon's Teeth, dying of a broken heart, boarding school rules, cold turkey television, Irwin Allen, Disaster Movie fetishes, Airport 70-75, Airplane, all star casts, novelizations of the movie, JAWS, The Rock in San Andreas, man vs. nature, Steve McQueen's assessment that "they'll keep building them, and we'll keep putting those fire out", 70s Subversives, Harrison Ford fighting demons in the Possessed, burying your wife alive, Bad Ronald, Invitation to Hell, The Night Stalker, Gene Hackman, Fred Astaire, Xanadu, Linda Blair's finest work, After School specials, teenager drunks, Scott Baio is Stoned, Helen Hunt is Angel Dusted, The Six Million Dollar Man, Bionic Love, cultural capital, Game of Thrones, In Search Of..., Noah's Arc, Bermuda Triangle, John Davidson, PBS, The American Family, Albert Brooks, Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, the weird whirlwind of Louise Lasser, bothering Norman Lear, pacing, David Lynch, Fernwood Tonight, Twin Peaks, violating the structure by leaving Thursday Blank, reading, punished with educational programming, seeing Serpico at an inappropriate age so Dad can have "me time", Chevy Chase vs. Richard Pryor, Love Boat III, lack of 21st Century All-Stars, niche programming, Hotels of North America, Motel Room Television, Dateline, Shock Theater, Chiller Theater, Creature Features, WPIX, Thanksgiving with King Kong, The 4:30 Movie, Mothra, Four Fingers of Death's relation to the Crawling Hand, why The Ice Storm and Garden State are period pieces, the Wire, Golden Age of TV, remaking movies, being too upset by horror movies, terrified of "The Thing", David Cronenberg, Hostel, The Mummy's Curse, The Blob, The Monkees, Teen Mom, HBO Go, The Bachelor, admitting addiction to Reality TV, Catfish, loving Mr. Show, Monty Python, Pee Wee's Playhouse and a violent hatred of cooking shows.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 121: Rick Canavan Dec 23, 2015

September 28 - October 4, 1991

Today Ken welcomes comedian Rick Canavan to the show.

Ken and Rick discuss Rick's third visit to Reid Manor, not voting, cartoons, Barbara Bush, Rodeo, The Madison Square Garden Network, Ken's real email, Wrestling House Shows, satellite feeds, Who's the Boss, TV as comfort, new sitcoms on Saturdays, Shark Tank, infomercial nostalgia, meeting Tony Little, door to door salesman, The Topsfield Fair, Cows made of butter, slapping the big old pickle, Black Adder, Women of the Night, The Best of the Worst, Ripping Yarns, special Nurses, Murder She Wrote, Eerie Indiana, blue collar sitcoms, Dream On, Stand up Heavy, Herman's Head, Red Scorpion, Rick's hatred of Action movies, Steven Segal movies being better than Wrestling, Carmen San Diego, wacky acapella, MacGuyver, very special Blossom, Saturday Night's Main Event, Living Coulor, Full House Tuesdays, Baywatch, Vanessa Angel, The Night Stalker, Real People Reunion, NIN, Superman, hating Coach, the worst Van Dyke vs. the worst Van Patton, free surfboards, surfing, ABC's Dangerous Women, WPIX Shocktober!, Horror movies, Friday the 13th The Series, Freddy's Nightmares, Bubble Up soda trouble, The Wonder Years, Night Court, Comedy Club Network, Rick's lack of understanding of the modern world, That's My Dog, confusing Coach for Poltergeist II, Drexel's Class, Michael Olver: Problem Child, Rainn Pryor, Father Dowling Mysteries, Johnny Carson's 29th Anniversary, They Live, Step by Step, Brooklyn Bridge, Ken's hatred of Rod Stewart, Pearl Jam, Dear John, Baby Talk, Car Theft, narration for the blind, and Psycho cereal commercials.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 120: Claudia Wells & John Wesley Shipp Dec 18, 2015

In this episode recorded LIVE! at the NorthEast ComicCon Ken welcomes Claudia Wells (Back to the Future, Fast Times) and John Wesley Shipp (The Flash, Dawson's Creek, The Flash) to the show.

First up, Ken and Claudia discuss Fast Times, modeling for the Sears Wishbook and JC Penny Catalogs, Family, growing up in San Francisco, starring in Martin Sheen's directorial debut as a fake pregnant teen, After School Specials, Off the Rack, The Brady Bunch, kissing everyone but Peter, when even Ed Asner can't get you out of a contract, Back to the Future, the divide between television stars and movie stars, Christopher Lloyd, Claudia's Scientist Father, the Back to the Future Video game, BTTF Animated Series, having Michael J. Fox in your back pocket, being shocked where you end up, owning Armani Wells Men's Clothing store for the last 25 years, the changing face of men's fashion, being recognized in civilian life, the difficulties of playing a role already played by someone else in a movie, sneaking into clandestinely see BTTF II and III, meeting and not meeting Elizabeth Shue, Sister Wives, CSI, Grey's Anatomy, the strange world of being a teenage actor, not being asked to the prom, Paparazzi, Jonathan Silverman, the pace of television, having Bob Gale as your travel agent, Family Ties, and having Private Eyes tail you.

Next up Ken welcomes John Wesley Shipp to the show. Ken and John Wesley discuss soap opera acting and the pace of soaps, musicals, working with teleprompters, the difficulty of memorizing huge amounts of pseudo-science babble, Fantasy Island, picking up Suand Lucci, The Flash (1990), the expense, making a movie every week for TV, why shows made by true fans are better, David Hasselhoff's music career, having fans at the Zoo, why soap opera fans are the most rabid, The Flash (current), the evolution of special effects, red leotards, celebrity culture and secret identities, how the baseball playoffs and the Gulf War hurt the 1990 Flash, Amanda Pays, the power of serialized drama and the human element, how the "will they won't they" can be an asset and a curse, the problems with metal helmets, Grant Gustin: Superhuman in real life, why Henry Allen left, niche audiences, and the thrill of playing a villain on TV.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 119.5 : Molly Crabapple Dec 17, 2015

In this special Holiday Season bonus episode Ken welcomes illustrator, writer and all around talent Molly Crabapple to the show.

Ken and Molly discuss the perils of mispeaking, a natural inclination to introversion, growing up in New York, sneaking into Manhattan, social awkwardness, enjoying things from afar, being a punk rock teen, Fact Sheet Five, the wonder of 90s 'zines, maximumrocknroll, teenage life hacks, anarchists, Dawson's Creek, New York girls, re-writing your teenage years via media, hate watching, social media, D.A.R.E., how scare films can actually give you ideas, MTV, Liquid Television, The Head, Aeon Flux, My So-Called Life, Sassy, Daria, trying not to discount the pain of youth, Gender roles in media, Vice TV, having not watched TV in 16 years due to an uncomfortable couch, Mark Kistler's Secret City, drawing instruction on television, watching television in foreign countries, pro-Assaad regime TV, Propaganda on TV, how the whole world doesn't actually worship American mass media, Havana, being culturally illiterate, animation, translating Arabic to English for fun, loving Kurt Cobain and Hole, Low Low: Lures and Snares of Old New York by Luc Sante, needing to know the language of an art to make it, and having an aversion to being on camera as a proponent of the individual arts.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 119: Dana Gould Dec 16, 2015

Today Ken welcomes writer, comedian, actor and podcaster Dana Gould to the show.

Ken and Dana discuss the memories of dark failure that hang over Harvard Square, replacing Steven Wright in Stationary, Boston Radio, having a member of the cars stare you down, Dana Hersey's Movie Loft, WSBK TV 38, Creature Double Features, being a Monster Kid, The Midnight Special, Rod Serling and the Night Gallery, Feep, horror hosts, Reel Wild Cinema, cursed used cars, the perplexing Japanese Box Office, TV Guide as the 70s video store, the wonders of stumbling on things, David Chase and the Night Stalker, Vampira, The Medveds, Ed Wood, Planet of the Apes, the strangeness that is Gloucester, Jonathan Ross, Incredibly Strange Film Show, how Dana's Dad became Buffy The Vampire Slayer, how the world has changed, being best friends with Greg Nicotero, intense Tom Savini, Frank Darabont, Mob City, The Simpsons, The Ben Stiller Show, Willfred Brimley, The Mystery of Kurt Russell, Elvis Presley's Moon Landing issue, Change of Habit, Hoyt Axton, Little Richard's innovations, Townies, SNL, George Carlin, SCTV, and the wonders of Martin Short's tiny hands.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 118.5: Andrew WK Dec 11, 2015

Today on the show Ken welcomes musician, partier, motivational speaker and all around personality Andrew WK.

Ken and Andrew discuss Top of the Pops, Anne Arbor Michigan, tape trading, the golden age of MTV, when music became visual, Roxy Music, how the arts make room for everything, Miami Vice, the value of having to work for media, not having cable growing up, anti-television parental styles, the horrors of the adult world, cigarette ads, ambition, Star Trek, Little House on the Prairie, Happy Days, 60 Minutes, The Price is Right, Wheel of Fortune, The Facts of Life's "Over Our Heads Years", Pee Wee's Playhouse, the 80s retro aesthetic, Gary Panter, Memphis Designs, Golden Girls, Murder She Wrote, TV Theme Songs, Learning life lessons from Andy Rooney, why Don Knotts as Mr. Furley was terrifying, physical humor, Three's Company, Animaniacs, Sesame Street, loving Maria, why nobody likes Telly, and having to explain bongs to Grandma because of The Facts of Life.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 118: Jamie Loftus Dec 09, 2015

September 11-17, 2005

Today Ken welcomes writer, comedian Jamie Loftus to the show.

Ken and Jamie discuss high school football, being "with" the band, the oboe, Brockton, boxing statues, the best rappers in the school, Cape Verdeans, Musical Theater, Michael Crawford, Kenny Everett, 9-11, the changing TV Guide week, Carnie Wilson's live streamed surgery, Degrassi, school shootings, The N, Radio Free Roscoe, Instant Star, STDs, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Jessica Lynch, The Food Network, Good Eats, growing up in a world that always had the internet, how being into frogs can lead to getting into jam bands, Ken's Hot Topic confession, My Super Sweet 16, wearing a backbrace, sax serenade, Basketball Songs, Mambo Number, Antiques Roadshow, college choices of regret, The Daily Show, being a second generation journalist, sports writing, Gilmore Girls, Ben or Noel?, Bones, Supernatural, O'Grady, the magic three hours, Are You the Girl? with TLC, My Fair Brady, Battle of the Network Reality Stars, the premier of Joey, I Love the 90s, Scrubs, ER, What I Like About You, loving Amanda Bynes, Atomic Kitten, The Lizzie McGuire Movie, Supernanny, marathoning the Robocop Series, Gilemore Women, terrorizing your younger brother, Eurotrip, The Butterfly Effect, loving Ashton, Tracy Morgan replacing Shannon Doherty, click it or pick it, and learning the secrets of the World's Strongest Boy.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 117: Todd Barry Dec 02, 2015

December 3-9, 1983

Today Ken welcomes comedian Todd Barry to the show. Ken and Todd discuss A/C removal, David Letterman, watching stand up comedy, Florida, Ft. Launderdale Spring Break, Ken's encyclopedic knowledge of 80s T&A Movies, Todd's first TV appearance in 1982, behind the scenes in showbiz, re-watching your old TV sets, having a Black and White TV way past the time it was ok to have a Black and White TV, watching the Deer Hunter uncut, watching TV in foreign lands, the wonder of international pharmacies, UK Comedy Nerds, getting a first national TV Gig on Conan via Louie CK, being a regular on Dr. Katz, being an in demand voice over artist, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Hawaii Five-O, Todd's Punk Rock Status, CHiPs, Quincy M.D., shivving, lack of comfort shows, avoiding TV comedy, Spinal Tap, Diner, Paul Reiser's musical genius, Rodney Dangerfield's car, meeting Grady from Sanford and Son, opening for Joe Bob Briggs, Richard Butler (from the Psychedelic Furs), where you are really from, Maui, the media infrastructure in Hawaii, Flipper, the slow pace of older shows, Comic Conventions, the strange world of paying for celebrity autographs, the Breaking Bad van, moving from acting into civilian jobs, Joanie loving rental cars, rerun money, singing with Donny Most, James at 15, The White Shadow of Ben Franklin, Leif Garrett, Shaun Cassidy, Happy Days, Henry Winkler, Dick Van Dyke's autograph hunts, celebrity pricing, Miami Vice, The Clash, Ellen Foley, What's Happening!!!, performing for Haywood Nelson, Barbara Walters Specials, 60 Minutes, 20/20, being both the homecoming princess and the Football QB, Barbara Walters as ABC's Marc Maron, Two Johnnies - Carson and Cash, keeping things private, interviewing Steve Martin, Michael Keaton's stand up, Twelve Years a Stand Up, Todd Playing Todd, free donuts, Richard Pryor, Pam Greir's autobiography, Kent McCord, Ralph Macchio's going rate, Trauma Center, the golden age of hospital shows, Lou Ferrigno, TV Theme songs, Orange is the New Black, picking your intro music, Devo's Uncontrollable Urge, letting Joe Jackson know you're the man, picky foodies, Anthony Bordain, auditioning for Larry David, not being pervy enough to play a child murderer, Doug the Tourguide on Spin City, Michael J. Fox, crushing on Justine Bateman, and befriending the cast of Satisfaction.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 116: Emily Heller Nov 25, 2015

May 7-13, 1994

Today Ken welcomes comedian Emily Heller to the show.

Ken and Emily discuss eating with your mouth full, visiting Boston for the first time, sweeps week, the return of Will Smith's Dad, San Francisco, Gymastics, Breaker High, kitchen TVs, Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards, Kid empowerment, Camp Nowhere vs. Camp Cucumunga, what Joey Lawrence's love can fix for you baby, the Little Oscars, COPS, Dave Stevens, The Rockateer, comedians in serious roles, Kids in the Hall, Bachelor Mother, Nancy Kerrigan, the black TV renaissance, Thelma & Louise, Fox-O-Rama, the White Living Single, radio station format changes, The Stand, Evil Disney product placement, Ben Vereen and Zoobalie Zoo, huge orphans, making Nerds in Love for TV, Joseph Bologna, Disney TV animation, Direct-To-Video Sequels, Blossom, Prom vs. The Prom, Rip Torn's real name, baby heart transplants, made for TV madness, the myth of improv, Full House, Little Richard, Rescue 911, Phenom, LIVE! TV, JFK, Roseanne, Tales from the Crypt, JTT's retirement, learning how to have crushes, Virtual Reality, Unsolved Mysteries, The Simpsons, in-Laws getting married, buying things off TV, weird sexy baby dolls "Cute as a Butt-on", Ken's top 90s Sitcoms, secrets of the magic Castle, David Copperfield, Mystery Science Theater Hour, Seinfeld, shrinkage, Fraiser, celebrity voice cameos, TGIF, Bruce Campbell in the Adventures of Brisco County Jr., Family Matters, Boy Meets World, The X-Files, The missing Gs of the 90s, the lighting speed of TV marriage, 20/20, coming back from the dead, and ALL Cheers all the time.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 115: Gary Sohmers Nov 18, 2015

August 12-17, 1967

Today Ken welcomes "King of Pop Culture" Gary Sohmers to the show. Ken and Gary discuss proud hoarders, a place for things, birthdays, 15 year old's lust based viewing habits, the Kennedy assassination, Chicagoland, flight path high schools, the nature of proof, being removed Antiques Roadshow history, psychic appraisals, 20th Century Pop culture antiques, Hawaiian shirts, Frank Zappa's paintings, the lack of vetted experts in the modern age, buying low and selling high, knowing the real value of things, being a human remote control, having the best TV around, Nashville TN, Get Smart, television as school yard cultural capital, Mad Magazine, Jack Webb's hatred of LSD, the beatnik to hippie transition, Serials, Wonderful World of Disney, Ed Sullivan, the heyday of Variety Shows, Penn & Teller Fool Us, It's About Time, trampolines, The Stooges at your high school, being a part of the first great moment for teenagers, Bozo, mystery WGN puppet shows, Zacherle, Chuck McCann, Mr. Terrific, The Saint, The Avengers, the exotic swingin' London, The Prisoner, Star Trek, The Invaders, Larry Cohen, Vietnam, Combat!, Ballad of the Green Berets, Antiques on TV in the 60s, antiques from the 90s, Batman '66, Adam West, Doin' Time on Planet Earth, Bob Cummings, Julie Newmar, Hollywood Palace, Lost in Space, inventing celebrity conventions, the influence of Nick at Nite, Billy West, James Hong, thanking your childhood heroes, Ken's love of Annie Potts, North East Comic Con, A Christmas Story, Computer Match Making, T.H.E. Cat, Gary's favorite show: Wild Wild West, Mailbu U, Time Tunnel, Land of the Giants, Space Travel, Ken's Vintage Motorola, 1990s The Flash, DC's TV Universe, Jim Beaver, and missing The Daily Show.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 114: Jon Rineman Nov 11, 2015

April 17-23, 1993

This week Ken welcomes writer, comedian, Jon Rineman to the show.

Ken and Jon discuss how long they've known each other, living in New York, old souls, prom comedy, Late Night TV, monologues, combating Twitter, replacements for the Tonight Show in 1993, Alan Havey, Dana Carvey, not knowing Conan is from Mass, the Toaster/Toaster Oven theory, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, Empty Nest, Joe Izuzu, why "A League of Their Own" is the greatest baseball movie of all time, Pete's rage, TV shows based on movies, Mad About You, looking for shows that reflect your own situation, Everybody Loves Raymond, the magic of three camera sitcoms, Sisters, Wayne's World: The Best SNL Movie, Ken's intimate knowledge of New England cinemas, New Hampshire, Fresh Prince of Bel Aire, Dana Hersey's the Movie Loft, Bob Newhart, WWF, Monday Night Raw, Full House, Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, Soul Man, Roseanne, your parents' sense of humor, Charity Concerts Vs. AIDS, Nick at Nite, Wonder Years, disappointing endings, The Celtics, Mathew Perry's early work, Cheers, Love/Hate Wings, Fraiser, dating Seinfeld, Family Matters, strings vs. stings, loving the dumb guy, kicking the weekend off with TGIF, hating Step by Step, The Ultimate Driving Challenge and confusing President Bill Cosby with President Bill Clinton.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 113: Ted Petteingell & Christa Weiss Nov 04, 2015

May 3-9, 1997

This week Ken welcomes his second couple to the show (not counting The Walsh Brothers and Veruca Salt), real life daters and comedians Ted Pettingell and Christa Weiss.

Ken, Ted and Christa discuss the pleasures of tandem, sad tales of dogs, bad tattoos, 'lics vs Cathys, pre-marriage counseling, Lucy Lawless, dating people younger than you, blood, SNICK, Keenan & Kel, birth order, Teddy's love of 19 year old burn outs, Cops, Providence's sordid history of institutional crime, Jumanji, insulting Reel Big Fish, dating Jewel, KaBLam!, Simpsons as autism diagnosis, The Weather with Al, April Fools Day Blizzards, Upstate New York, The Hotel Coral Essex, Third Rock from the Sun, being enraged by Beavis and Butthead, Laughing at alcoholics, sad characters, X-Files, Daria, Unsolved Mysteries, ghosts, tales of theft, living Ken's dreams, aliens, sex Tommy Pickles, Home Improvement, suppressing popculture crushes, Coolio, Comics Come Home, Homeboys in Outer Space, Spin City, favorite fashion designers, Isaac Mizrahi, Newsradio, Sister Sister, Necronomicon, Dave Barry, Ellen vs. The Waynes Brothers, The US remake of Men Behaving Badly, Arachnophobia, flaming spiders, children's love of Julian Sands, Harry Connick Jr's murder spree, Puppet Master, leeches, why "Tourist Trap" is the scariest movie of all time, West Coast Video, The Halloween series, 3-D Week, Sliders, Sabrina in Boston, Millennium, soap opera laziness, and the media covering made up stories.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 112: Dave Hill Oct 28, 2015

February 18-24, 1984

This week Ken welcomes musician, comedian, podcaster, writer and all around personality Dave Hill to the show.

Ken and Dave discuss pizza parties, Double Tree logo issues, Hong Kong prostitutes, inviting yourself on your friend's family vacation, Cheers, Sweeps Week, letting things go, Rebecca vs. Diane, Three's A Crowd, The 1984 Olympics, Figure Skating, Hockey, barrel jumps, Silver Spoons, silent credits, Very Special Episodes, Love Sydney, Paul Lynde's Halloween Special, Variety Shows, adding Glenn Campbell, Siskel & Ebert, hating Mama's Family, Dave's beef with Vicki Lawrence, Airwolf, questioning Jan Michael Vincent's living status, Stacey Keach, Monty Python as palette cleanser, hanging out with Terry Jones, sports, evil twins on Knight Rider, questioning Ken's place on the Autism spectrum, Baywatch Nights, Craig T. Nelson, Super Nights of Rock N Roll, The Boston Bruins, The Who, Mod culture, Roger Daltrey's acting career, Black Emmanuel, scrambled soft core, The Playboy Channel, judging Gallagher, the A-Team, Dudley Moore's concept of time, The Man With Two Brains, O Madeline, The Pee Wee Herman Show, Gary Panter, Mr. Bungle's Giant Cake, Barney Miller, Jack Soo, talking to Abe Vigoda on the phone, Real People, Fred Willard, Baby I'm Back, Sandford and Son, The Facts of Life, Jerry Jehl's filthy stand up comedy, people with disabilities on TV, hot saucing, Ken's connection to the Sausage King of Cleveland, Night Court, hockey player autobiographies, WKRP, Molesting Dudley, Neptune King of the Sea, favorite Friday the 13th movies, Bloopers, Elvira, Dom DeLouise special, M*A*S*H, Cheers, Taxi, Dean Martin's celebrity roasts, the horrors of 20/20, KISS vs. Menudo, peeing the bed/couch/floor, having someone else pee your bed, Little Caesar's Pizza Pizza, the wonder of chocolate raviolis, Floyd the Barber's stroke, the advent of ironic t-shirts, Hogan's Heroes, Bob Crane, not wanting to be murdered by Willem Defoe, Dukes of Hazard mix ups, Benson, Guillome Emmanuel, Solid Gold, loving Groucho, Webster, Wet T-Shirt contests, Kitten Natividad, getting Indian food with Ronnie James Dio, Sean Penn's stripper, just resting your eyes, literal calendars, military time, and being completely destroyed by a comedy festival.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 111: Sandra Daugherty aka "Sex Nerd Sandra" Oct 21, 2015

December 11-17, 1982

This week Ken welcomes sex educator and podcaster Sandra "Sex Nerd Sandra" Daugherty to the show.

Ken and Sandra discuss Air BnB, impromptu flea markets, Christmas Week, Ken's "One Netflix Account to Rule Them All" theory, 1930s wrestling, growing up in Santa Monica, bullying, A League of Their Own, TV Series based on Movies, Weird Science, Dirty Dancing, the business of show business, the wonderful gift of head injuries, Out of This World, teenage girls with hidden super powers, the 1980s as the new 1950s, questioning the sexual nature of The Hugga Bunch, wheel chair hatred, the creepiness of Small Wonder, Sally Struthers, why it's not all sex stuff, high school parties, Janet Jackson's "janet." as music porn, crush volumes, My So-Called Life vs. Beverly Hills 90210, sibling TV bargains, Barney and Friends, sharing bunks with siblings, Paternal hatred of David Letterman, Leno, Fallon, Ken's amazement at Mystique turning into him, hi-fivin', Dick Cavet, Graham Norton, "the News", not having cable, forbidden Simpsons, Who Shot Mr. Burns, enjoying the house on Step by Step, Ken's volume of Opinions, TGIF, porn parodies, ET and Friends, aliens, Mork & Mindy, the Red Headed kid from the Sandlot, penis breathe, Sci-Fi, keeping your interests to yourself, Doctor Who, hunting down punk rock clothing at sex shops, Hubba Hubba in Cambridge, MA, cultural hobo codes, time travel, college wrestling vs. pro-wrestling, Sex: Teenage Style, "Someone I Touched", Christmas Comes to Pac-Land, Packies, why "Family Man" may be the greatest Christmas movie, Ken's Christmas special Excel spreadsheets, Facts of Life, The Twilight Zone, why life is nothing without challenge, Deadwood, The Magic Schoolbus, PBS, BDSM, iZombie, falling off the Masters of Sex wagon and Dr. Ruth.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 110: Halloween Special 2015 with Lamont Price Oct 16, 2015

In this second Halloween Special Ken welcomes returning guest Lamont Price back to the show by popular demand.

Ken and Lamont discuss Halloween strategies, trick or treating of years past and finally they watch the 1985 Made for TV movie "The Midnight Hour"

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 109: Matt Kirshen Oct 14, 2015

January 18-24,1992

This week Ken welcomes UK citizen, actor, comedian and Probably Science podcast co-host Matt Kirshen to the show.

Matt and Ken discuss spring break hotels, passive aggressive maids, the difficulty of accents, growing up top left, the BBC, going to television tapings, Gamesmaster, Take That, Robbie Williams, Rob Brydon's Annually Retentive, I'm Alan Partridge, warming up sitcoms, 2 Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps with Ralph Little, Sky TV, the UK's lack of choice, Boys and Girls, UK Gameshows, The TV License, the UK vs. US TV Production system, syndication, Who's the Boss with The Upper Hand, One Foot in the Grave, UK family trips to Florida, SuperStation WTBS, reruns vs. repeats, Only Fools and Horses, Leave it to Beaver, post-WWII UK misery, soap operas, Dallas, Dynasty, Aussie Soaps, Home & Away, Neighbors, Eric Bana, Michael Crawford, Friends vs. Seinfeld, Stephanie Beacham, Trollied, Batman, Eurotrash, John Paul Gautlier, Bad Porn, outTHERE, Adam & Joe, Empty Nest, Peep Show, Tango and Cash, Dogs and Cops vs. just COPS, Two-Fisted Tales, Sundays in the UK, In Living Color, Desmond's, The Real McCoy, SNL in the UK, Paul Whitehouse, Harry Enfield, Comics Only, Drug Wars, Herman's Head, WWF, Mork & Mindy, Back-Door Pilot, Home Improvement, The Moonies, Roseanne, Look Who's Talking Too, Aliens vs. Kids in the Hall, Unsolved Mysteries, good shows made by bad people, A Different World, Cheers, Boston as Liverpool, Fraiser, Murder Mystery TV series, long UK school days, the post-pub slot, 999 vs 911, Tequila and Bennetti, TV Ventriloquism, and enduring power of Mr. Motivator.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 108: Kaitlin Buckley Oct 07, 2015

February 2-8, 1985

This week Ken welcomes comedian, writer and improviser Kaitlin Buckley to the show.

Ken and Kaitlin discuss unfilied pieces of the Reid Archives, Cagney and Lacey, Robert Urich's magical musical background, Burn Notice, Tales of the Unexpected, Lloyd Bridges connection to rape and murder, Otherworld, Diff'rent Strokes, co-ed sleepovers, awkward creepy sex, Fashion Design, The Love Boat, watching TV with Mom, Telly Sevalis' science skills, Player's Club, Casinos, Knight Rider, the popularity of Toxic Waste, Rockford Files, Used Cars, Crazy Like a Fox, TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes, TV Horror Hosts, Kate & Allie, Martin Sheen's homosexual history, Badass Abe Vigoda, breaking the toaster oven theory, the art of collages, being a really weird kid, women's backs, sleeping with strangers, dorm room horror stories, The Sad Ballad of "Ham & Cheese", Ken's teenage pie eating habits, "Stabbas", teenage sex, Nadia Comaneci, SCTV, Magnum PI, facial hair deficiency, nudity on Thundercats, Cheers, mis-reading TV Guide, Mrs. Columbo, sitcom pot, Cambodia, Claudia Wells, DeDee Pfeiffer, the terror of Weekend at Bernie's, Jonathan Silverman Watch, Simon and Simon, being scared of Lou Ferigno, Codename: Foxfire, Streethawk, V: The Series, curable diseases, Sky Cam, the sad end of Jon-Erik Hexum, women on TV, gratuitous bondage in the Glitterdome, Stacey Keech's UK Cocaine rap, Friday Night Videos, Guiding Light, The Mexican Wave and the demise of The American Sportsman .

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 107: Colleen Green Oct 02, 2015

July 31-August 6, 1993

In this episode recorded literally in the mean streets of Central Square in Cambridge, MA Ken welcomes musician Colleen Green to the show.

Ken and Colleen discuss Green St, living in LA, being Massachusetts at heart, Dunstable, Fork In Hand Records, The Explosion, going outside the comfort level of your home town, coming for Patrick Stewart and staying for Tim Allen, STNG, Enterprise confusion, Whoopie Goldberg, Paul Wagner and the WLVI Kids' Club, Invaders from Mars, Central Square crazies, losing remote control cars, the lack of progression in California, Los Angeles, Ken's Dad's cruel practical jokes on five-year olds, love of horror movies, The Gate, not having cable, Married...with Children, watching inappropriate content in your cousins' finished basement, Hellraiser, Stephen Dorff, Stay Tuned, Pam Dawber, John Ritter, making all your purchases at the Good Will, The Running Man, America's Funniest Home Videos, Tom Bergeron and Rob Zombie's status as best friends, Archie Comics, America's Funniest People, Tawny Kitaen, The Bee Gees, having a pop culture sherpa, 90s message board culture, the days when the internet was social, Herman's Head, how Colin Farrell ruined Fright Night, Jeopardy, loving Problem Child, Burt Reynolds: American Treasure, controversial opinions on Robin Hood: Men in Tights, loving "The making of", braille Playboy, disliking Will Smith, why The Fresh Prince isn't evergreen, Problem Child 2, Laraine Newman, appreciate the fine work of Amy Yasbeck, loving Jack Warden, Home Improvement, loving Tim Allen's parenting style, JTT's film career, Unsolved Mysteries, finding out "How'd They Do That", Boston's Big Dig, The Simpsons, shoplifting, wondering if diabetic test strips and anti-theft strips are the same thing, disliking Paul Reiser, My Two Dads, the best TV Theme song sung by a cast member, 1987's Summer School, why "Mark Harmon" has the best name for people with Boston accents to say, actually going to Summer School, Simon & Simon, Gerald McRaney, watching "The Nanny" despite hating it, Summer Stock, loving JT on Step by Step, the final episode of Perfect Strangers, A Minute with Stan Hooper and it's theme song, Norm, William Riker's beard based knowledge, jeering pay per view learning and when Disney ruined your peanuts.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 106: Aparna Nancherla Sep 30, 2015

January 15-21, 1994

This week Ken welcomes comedian Aparna Nancherla to the show. Ken and Aparna discuss the chemical dump that is East Cambridge, sibling discussions, Avery Brooks, Star Trek, DSW Shoes, Jane Seymour, Dr. Quinn Medical Woman, evil circuses, Cops, The Mommies, the original House of Cards, Veep, US remakes of UK shows, the evils of cable, SNICK, being into Paula Abdul, splitting Vanilla Ice with your sister, Ace of Base and their international appeal, Mystery, Poirot, Ren & Stimpy's Rubber nipples, Rocco's Modern Life, Comic Relief 6, Shadoe Stevens, The Wonderful World of Disney, Mom Approved Murder, Bats, Married...with Children, Spanish Sean Connery, Sheena Easton:Terrorist, George Carlin, Black Bears, Washington DC, the location of Ford's Theater, The X-Files, renting movies, The Peanut Butter Solution, Evening Shade, The Marx Brothers, Blossom, 90s Homeless, Rescue 9-1-1, Betrayed by Love, The 1st Rule of the FBI, Peanuts, how the death of Monty made Friends, school condoms, Lily Tomlin as Edith Ann, The John Larroquette Show, starting Stand Up, The Words and Pictures Museum, Beverly Hills 90210, Educational Task Forces, Thea, Hater of Lost Loves, Myq Kaplan's obsession with Melrose Place, Kids in the Hall, Grace Under Fire, Baywatch, nobody being named "Hobie", Mad About You, Mystery Science Theater 3000, Matlock, Rule #2 of the F.B.I., Seinfeld, Herman's Head, Wholesome Murders, TFIG, Dick Van Dyke's murder show, never going full Urkel, The Adventures of Brisco County Jr, Super Bowl ruination of TV, gender switching murder, Picket Fences, Jeering suck, swearing in public, loving Ann Curry, and the local interest of John Wayne Bobbitt.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 105: Eric Green Sep 25, 2015

In this episode Ken welcomes writer/director Eric Green to the show.

Ken and Eric discuss Eric's documentary "Life on the V: The Story of V66", The mythical Billrica Mall, the early days of MTV, crowd funding, Ken's status as a serial micro-producer, being in the right place right time, the Cable explosion, the death of UHF, WBCN, moving from Radio to TV, The greatness of the Boston music scene, Extreme, leveling the playing field, filming music videos in your high school, Friday Night Videos, Dale Dorman, the rise and fall of Cable Access, the importance of access to production education, living in a world without instant gratification, getting listed in TV Guide, moving from videos to programs, Evening Magazine, the marriage of sports and rock music, the death of radio listeners, marathons vs. binge watching, spoilers, watching television as social event vs. watching television as social currency, the joy of Video Stores, physical media, archivists, how a year and a half can change the world, The Dropkick Murphys, The Basement Tapes, Karen "Duff" Duffy, Rods and Cones, The Rat, the changing face of local programming, generic "local" news, WCVB 5's "Chronical", Evening Magazine vs. PM Magazine, the evil nature of Infomercials, The Telecommunications Act of 1996, Til Tuesday, Elvira in Salem, MA, Ken's national television debut, Lollapalooza, Great Woods, Nirvana, WFNX, Amoeba Records, Jonathan Demme, Ted Demme, visits from Pete, Yo! MTV Raps, ALF, The Dana Carvey Show, Just the Ten of Us, Sketch Comedy and how watching TV together enriches a family.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 104: Julie Kitayama Sep 23, 2015

August 23-29, 1986

This week Ken welcomes writer, comedian Julie Kitayama. Ken and Julie discuss the ever changing face of Reid Manor, Valerie Harper vs. The Hogan Family, Sandy Duncan's eye, The Facts of Life and who is your favorite girl, boycotting Scooby Doo, Benson, Golden Girls, swing dancing, Bess Armstrong, One Day at at Time, TV shows with characters that have your name, Ken's love of surfing, Alice vs. Flo, catch phrases, Roots vs. The Empire Strikes Back, send your Dad to his room, Ken's first movie review, Fight Back! with David Horowitz, The Lottery, the saddest New Year's Eve of all time, how The Warped Tour ruined a man's dreams, Clams and Jai Alai, Scarecrow and Mrs. King, single moms, Kate & Allie, Lesbians on TV, Cagney and Lacy, Who's the Boss, Bob Uker, MTV Video Music Awards, Growing Pains, Charles in Charge, Zapped!, Moonlighting, Ulcers, Perfect Strangers as the New I Love Lucy, Under the Rainbow, home sick with game shows, Chronicle, loving Evening Magazine's Sara Edwards, Gimme a Break, Blackie from General Hospital vs. The Dreams, Jamie Gertz, You Again, Cosby Show, Bill Gunn's Ganja and Hess, playing cards, Family Ties vs. the USSR, a rare Three-Parter, Deaths on Night Court, loving magicians, being freaked out by Webster, the movie Fuzz, the horror of Yule Brenner, Mr. Belvedere, Love Boat, Lorenzo Lamas, Adrian Barbeau's bust, and Jeering Magnum PI.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 103: Lou Barlow Sep 18, 2015

January 7-13, 1978

Today Ken welcomes musician Lou Barlow (Sebadoh, Dinosaur Jr, Folk Implosion) to the show. Ken and Lou discuss being not from Detroit, Iggy Pop, being terrified of murderous hippies, becoming what you fear, torturing younger sisters, Saturday Morning religious programming, Sunrise Semester, SCTV, man's place in nature, late night English TV, German Steam Rooms, Warner Bros, Looney Tunes, dark suicides in cartoons, cats fearing "Happy Birthday", questioning the intelligence of Jimmy Durante impressions, Hair Bear Bunch, hating cheap TV Cartoons, Scooby Doo and it's relation to high fevers, lying geniuses, Jay Ward's store, Superchicken, education through Fractured Fairy Tales, Sid & Marty Kroft, the dark seedy underbelly of underground Claw Machine rings, Caldor Colors, how decades are more than 10 years, the magic of late 70s/early 80s music, New Wave, the eclectic pop charts, Discharge, college radio, Top 40, AM Radio Maps, narrow casting ruining stumbling on things, not hating modern times, Night Flight, Drive-In Theaters, depressing 70s Crime Drama, Three for the Road, Isis (the super hero), Filmation, Rocket Robin Hood, Hulk Theme Song, Canadian Content, Little House on the Prairie, Rape on TV, The White Shadow, James at 15 (16), fear of brain aneurysms, Sweeds, sound checking with the Greatest American Hero, Family Ties, UK songs in commercials. Folk Implosion "Natural One", ending with a "sha-la-la-la", hearing yourself in a Liqueur Store, making it with Casey Kasem, early days of MTV, The Cutting Edge, always having time for Hair Metal, 120 Minutes, SSD, why The Freeze are the most uncool of all the Boston Hardcore bands, Dinosaur Jr, Lou's first TV Credit at age 10, Scrambled Eggs, The Young Ones, High School Quiz shows, Massholes, the culture clash of moving to MA, being on the wrong side of Red Sox history, losing to ringers, the perils of school busing, being confused by The Bad News Bears, Mass beating the love of sports out of you, roaming gangs of street soccer hooligans, UMass Radio's DaDa Vision, "Why Do You Cut off Your Sleeves", the Western MA accent, teachers thinking you are on drugs or "retahded", making it to your High School Guidance Counselor's Wall of Fame, not doing anything, literally anything, in high school, Negative Approach, Somerville, MA, Boston's North End, the video shoot for "Ocean", the worst thing Lou ever did in his life, TT The Bear's Place, Morton Downey Jr., the bloated mess that was the video for "Willing to Wait", Adventure Time, Alan Partridge, UK Comedy, The Mighty Boosh, Donnie and Marie, being absent from the language of pop culture, Star Wars, seeing things again through children's eyes, The Princess Pride, Andre the Giant, introducing the next generation to professional wrestling, Reading Rainbow and why "The Bindery" may be the best worst song ever on television.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 102: Jeff Dye Sep 16, 2015

May 9-15, 1998

This week welcomes comedian, television personality and man about town Jeff Dye to the show.

Ken and Jeff discuss the nature of being a collector, baseball cards, Wrestling toys, siblings questioning your reality, Hulk Hogan's Rock N' Wrestlin', the long strange tale of Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake, Jerry Seinfeld the Cartoon, how adults deal with caricatures, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, growing up in a house of ladies, why old people don't count, The Fushigi Magic Gravity Ball, growing up poor, buying things "As Seen on TV", Cops, the rumor mill, Profiler, The "Boston Lunch Break", sleeping at work, real life Fight Clubs, undercover white guys, Ken's misspent punk rock youth, The World's Greatest Commercials, the UK TV system, MTV, attending awards shows, wondering who the hell Jeff is, The Kurt Loder of Comedy, being an undercover nerd, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, "slabbing" baseball cards, replacing a gay character with Paulie Shore, fighting with Church, The Simpsons, teaching your Dad a lesson about taking risks, Touched by an Angel, Skeet Ulrich in Miracles, "poor face", stealing Ken's opinion, 7th Heaven, Ed, living in Quantum Leap with your own person Ziggy, Early Edition, encounters with professional athletes; world's biggest jerks, Wade Boggs, Hobo nicknames, Billy Ripkin's Fuck Face, making money on Ebay, grading collectibles, 90s Comics worth nothing, Marvel cards, Ken's childhood business of buying and flipping comic collections, having your own person arcade, watching a documentary every day, the comfort and escape of reality TV, Victoria's Kitchen Almond Water, Shark Tank, The downfall of the original George Bush, taking your wardrobe home, how Rich people spend money, having a cache of Giant Sized X-Men #1, TGIF, Small Wonder, hanging out with Ben Savage in a bar against your will, Billie Piper, Sinestro, Seinfeld, real life Midnight Societies, SNL, All That, Mad Magazine vs. Mad TV, and the one thing that makes Jeff's friends the most jealous of his life.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 101: Ben Weasel & Joe Queer Sep 11, 2015

In this episode recorded before their recent tour stop in Boston, Ken welcomes Ben Weasel and Joe Queer to the show.

First up Ken speaks with Ben Weasel of Screeching Weasel and Weasel Radio about the nature of green rooms, the two hour power block of Fantasy Island and Love Boat, sleepovers, 70s lack of child supervision, the Doberman phenomenon, having never seen Suburbia, Class of 1984, Teenage Head, Alice Cooper's "punk period", Van Patton's as the future, Michael J. Fox, dating on Eight is Enough, confusion around the Partridge Family, Family, Kristy McNichol, getting really into 7th Heaven, how sincerity goes a long way, the NEW Fantasy Island, the 70s vs. the 90s, the strange relationship with Tattoo, hookers on TV, knowing what a "swinger" is while not knowing exactly what a swinger is, being careful what you wish for, Genie wish loopholes, Little House on the Prairie, M*A*S*H, WKRP, Rock N Roll on TV, being a rock fan as social stand, Steve Dahl Chicago disc jockey, Disco Sucks, Freaks & Geeks, Newsradio, work place sitcoms, putting your own spin on classic formats, Tim Reid, The Jeffersons, Good Times in Cabrini-Green, the dream of the 70s death in the 80s, building a city on Rock N Roll, the punk rock reaction, the value of mainstream media attention to the underground, The Big Bang Theory, 3-Camera Sitcom format, the horror of specific choices in the 21st Century, TV Actors vs Film Actors, Salem's Lot, Made-for-TV Movies, James at 15 becoming James at 16, The Midnight Special, Don Kirshner's Rock Concert, Welcome to My Nightmare, LP marketing, the dirty secret of radio station interview LPs, New Wave on TV, 21st Century rebellion, Vietnam in popular culture, Maude's abortion episode, The Baby Boomers being wrong about everything, Go Set a Watchman, the education system, growing up in a world of consequences, Social Conscious of the 70s, Free to be You and Me, the predictive nature of science fiction, moralizing vs. morality, Black Flag's "Damaged", SLC Punk, The Wonder Years, Fawlty Towers, The Dick Van Dyke Show, loving General Hospital, loving the Soap Opera format, and realizing that format is not quality.

Ken then speak with Joe Queer (aka Joe "Citizen" King) of the Queers. Ken and Joe discuss Chico and the Man, the lonesome death of Freddy Prinz, Welcome Back Kotter, growing up in New Hampshire, Boston stations vs. NH Stations, UHF education, TV38, WLVI TV56, Late Nite Creature Features, Don Kirshner's Rock Concert, Elvira, WBCN, seeing The Police at the Rat, why Sting won't smoke pot with you, Newbury Comics, The Ramones, Arena Rock, Jethro Tull's baby carriage one foot hopping, V66, Surf Culture, 60s music, Frampton coming alive in Boston, being a big reader vs a TV watcher, loving fine English literature, O. Henry, Felix the Cat, Rock N' Roll High School, The Meatmen, Black Flag, being physically large enough to actually be in a punk band, Rollins, Fear on SNL, Joan Jett, seeing Madness at a clothing store, Rodney on the ROQ, Just Want to Live Like Yogi Bear, Sid Griffin, favorite TV Theme songs, Beverly Hillbillies, Flintstones, Betwitched, Brady Bunch, and the shared experience of seeing certain movies and TV shows being a vehicle for friendships.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 100: Clip Show Sep 09, 2015

In this VERY special Very Special Episode Ken celebrates a milestone in TV Guidance Counselor History, Episode 100 (although in reality it's more something like episode 125).

Ken discusses a short history of the show, Sean Sullivan, the significance of "Episode 100" in television, the definition of strip shows, a poorly researched history and justification of "The Clip Show" phenomenon, syndication, apologizing to gypsies, the two types of clip shows, Growing Pains two part clip show, Ken's doubts in doing the show in the future as a catalyst for a clip show, Pete's voice, discussions of cave living with Michael Ian Black, calling Paul Rudd, discussing strange baby names with Laura Kightlinger, Jeering Jelly Bread with James Adomian, Amy Sedaris: Paralyzed Detective, Amy's lack of knowledge on microwave cleaning techniques, Danny Tamberelli aka "Little Pete" from The Adventures of Pete and Pete's unpleasant interactions with George C. Scott, discussing the aspirations of NYC corpses and bread knowledge with Adam Resnick, Emmanuel Lewis' studio backlot playground, the subtle character traits of Stephanie on Newhart with Julia Duffy, Battle of the Network Stars with JoAnn Willette, Myq Kaplan's secret connection with Full House, gauging re-run requests, talking about TV horror with Dave Vanian of The Damned, Melanie Chartoff's experience with Go-Go Dancing for Phil Spectre and dunking Tom Selleck, good times with Christian Finnegan, more clip show talk justification and the announcement of a big contest.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 99: Nate Johnson Sep 02, 2015

November 10-16, 1984

This week Ken welcomes actor, comedian, and friend Nate Johnson to the show.

Ken and Nate discuss the relative insanity of Ken's home, being a network guy, Joan Collins, Dynasty, drunken eye doctors, Diff'rent Strokes, who the Gooch is, Danny Cooksey, TJ Hooker, Puttin' On the Hits, Nell Carter's sass, hating Joey Lawrence, blackface, Love Boat, getting a jewel thief to retire, Mike Hammer, Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, Morgan Fairchild, Nautilus, Silver Spoons, Erin Grey, The Bermuda Triangle, Knight Rider, Vegas, "I Married a Centerfold", Star 80, Kate Jackson, Charlie's Angels, White Slavery, Scarecrow and Mrs King, Remington Steele, TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes, "Assaulted Nutz", Kate & Allie, Newhart, The A-Team, Vehicles for breasts, Riptide, Paper Dolls, John Waite, The Fall Guy, Michael J. Pollard, Angels, Charles in Charge, pre-teen girls' obsession with horses, Ha! + The Comedy Channel= Comedy Central, Rich Hall, Facts of Life, "Nightmares", The Bishop of Battle, horror anthology series, Ellis Island Mini-Series, It's Your Move, C. Thomas Howell, the Hitcher, the cinematic career of Eric Red, The Cosby Show, Lisa Bonet's role in Angel Heart, The Bradbury Building, Jim J. Bullock, the horror of sexual assault on Too Close for Comfort, people who can't use Q-Tips right, Cheers, Shelly Long crushes, Night Court, John Larroquette, Benson, V: The Series, The infamous Hulk Out List, paper mache driven programming choices, Webster's Thanksgiving, Ben Vereen, Dallas, the hateful violence of Fred Dyer's Hunter, Tracey Walter, and Jeering Gimme a Break for being too timid to embrace breakdancing.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 98: Dan St. Germain Aug 26, 2015

July 17-23, 1993

This week Ken welcomes comedian Dan St. Germain to the show.

Ken and Dan discuss Mutegeon Man, the Ninja Tutrles, Lyle Lovett, musicians vs. comedians, sexy hunks and pampered pets, going into NYC for Broadway and Hockey Games, Guiliani's busing of the homeless on Disney's behalf, looking into Camden New Jersey, banning ferrets, Old Indiana Jones, Eerie Indiana, Troy Duffy, what gets overlooked in WWII, TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes, the death of Dick Clark, how no black music existed before The Notorious B.I.G., coming to MTV late, Soul Asylum, the magic of gift coins, Bon Jovi, George Bush's vomit, Sarah Michelle Gellar vs. Kirsty Swanson, having your burned hand crushed by Donald Sutherland, Lost Boys vs. Near Dark, love of horror, Ed Wood's sad decline, Shocktober, the terrifying nature of "The Exorcist", Ken's grandfather smashing the Exorcist VHS tape story (again), the early days of VHS, the rules of watching TV, the dog and cop movie sub genre, K-9, Turner & Hooch vs. Tango & Cash, Silk Stalkings, Wayne's World, the best SNL movies, Mere-cat Manor, Tina Turner, Tim Capello, America's Funniest Home Videos, Monkey's on the Edge, Animals attacking, building a Grizzly Bear proof suit, MTV's Week in Rock, Kurt Loder, the horrors of Nu-Metal, Limp Bizkit, Evening Shade, Sex Ed, Fresh Prince, Monday Night Raw, WWF, KAYFabe, Biography:James Cagney, The Gate II, the horrors of Project X, Twin Peaks, The X-Files, TV sequels, Coach, Poetic Justice, Ken's love of Janet Jackson, The Wonder Years, Unsolved Mysteries, Family Dog, John Sayles and City of Hope, The Simpsons, Wings, Cheers, Seinfeld, TGIF, the silliness of Family Matters, Dinosaurs, "Club Buff", Male Strip Joints, and ending it all with Silkwood.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 97: Phoebe Angle Aug 19, 2015

February 22-28, 1997

This week Ken welcomes comedian Phoebe Angle.

Ken and Phoebe discuss Chuck Norris, great birthday gifts, butts, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, white Indians, Albinos, Cops, Private Detectives as Moms, Highlander, Murder Houses, Avid Editing, SNICK, lack of cable, Maine, UPN, Moesha, Homeboys in Outerspace, Early Edition, Burning Zone, The Simpsons, Touched by an Angel, King of the Hill, working in the corpse of The Rat, X-Files, Monster of the Week, Cosby, Jenny Jones, ambush shows, LL Bean, Maine, Manic Panic hair dye, how lies can get you on Ricki Lake, hating Home Improvement, Valerie Bertonelli's Night Sins, Spin City, The Grammys, award shows, Babyface, The Stunt Man, Antiques Roadshow, Sister Sister, Murder She Wrote, short guy syndrome, Haley Joel Osmett: Boy with AIDS, Rescue 911, Must See TV, Rosie O'Donnell, AJ Langer, The Naked Truth, Tea Leoni, Mad Max, dubbing English for English, The 13th Annual Soap Opera Awards, TGIF, Sliders, Family Matters, altering your genes to get on Supermarket Sweep, Boy Meets World, Teen Pregnancies, Boarding School, Walt Disney World's 25th Anniversary Party, MTV, Millennium, Night Court, and celebrating an ALL Cheer week.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 96: Janeane Garofalo Aug 12, 2015

September 23 - 28, 1978

This week Ken welcomes actress, comedian, writer and all around comedy hero Janeane Garofalo to the show.

Ken and Janeane discuss their pitch for "Lost in Portland", nibs, birthday weeks, circling TV, testing HBO, Madison NJ, seeing Lipstick when you shouldn't have seen it, the popularity of rape movies in the 70s, the popularity of rape TV in the 10s, Jeff Goldblum in Death Wish, Chained Heat, Rape/Revenge, procedural shows ruining juries, Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior, Forest Whitaker, Matt Ryan, UK actors making the mistake of American Television, Mandy Patinkin, Mr. Show, Stand-Up, being totally absent from social media, the objective nature of comedy, the Simpsons, SNL, Michael Nesmith as Ken and Janeane's favorite person ever, Jay Leno, alienating people, wanting to be liked, Providence College in RI, Allston MA, open mics in Rhode Island, Midnight Movies as social mecca, only saying things to people you feel you can physically "take", Entertainers right to have political opinions, Carol Burnett, Mary Tyler Moore, seeing your parents laugh, Laughs per day, camera mugging, the dinosaur networks, making quality television despite everything, James L. Brooks, art about art, The Famous Teddy Z, taking notes, business getting in the way of creativity, Bonnie Hunt, the internal struggle of telling someone who is doing awful work that they are doing awful work, rallying your co-workers, the misery of blind obedience, getting stuck as an actor, being aware of flukes, the 90s, being Hollywood poor, The Larry Sanders Show, The MTV Half Hour Comedy Hour, The Young Comedian Special, The Ben Stiller Show, hating the stand up you did at 19, falling into acting, being typecast as a human being based on roles, Q Ratings vs. Twitter followers, indie films, The Mary Tyler Moore Hour, "Difficult Men", Stone Pillow, Adam West, Lookwell, Heat Vision and Jack, The Professionals, UK TV, The Young Ones, "Bambi", US Remakes of UK shows, Steve Coogan, Janeane's work on "Ideal", Alan Partridge, Johnny Vegas, Saxondale, the sadness of unlikable characters, Dr. Terrible's House of Horrible, Graham Duff, turning 14, regimented television, passion for shows that surprise you, Grey's Anatomy, killing off beloved characters, the meaning of death on TV, Carvel, Cookie Puss, bullying, Gary Marshall's television empire vs his acting, the transition of Happy Days, The Waltons, Nuns Everywhere, Project UFO, Family, Family as an ahead of its time unhappy, realistic show, bonding with your mother with television, sensing your parent's sadness through television, the loss of a parent, Barnaby Jones, sneaking TV, The Twilight Zone, Johnny Carson, the power of a sleeping bag, SCTV, and Ken and Janeane's favorite SCTV sketches.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 95.5: Louise Post & Nina Gordon (Veruca Salt) Aug 07, 2015

In this special bonus mini-episode of the show, Ken welcomes Louise Post and Nina Gordon of the band Veruca Salt to the show.

Ken chats with Louise and Nina on their tour bus before their Boston gig about the heaven of 70s TV, growing up on East Coast vs. The Mid-West, the dark ages of cable proliferation, Happy Days, M.A.S.H., depressing theme songs, The 1973 Made-for-TV movie "Sunshine", the dark content of 70s TV aimed at children, the mystery of Beverly Archer, Halloween is Grinch Night, Jonathan Winters' pumpkin head, Sha-Na-Na, the birth of Nostalgia, 20 year cycles, Terri Nunn: Teen Actress with a bad rep on James at 15, the importance of The Bionic Woman, questioning Lindsay Wagner's well read status, TV negotiations with siblings, Star Trek vs. The Brady Bunch, living in a Brady Bunch genius den, being bumped from SNL by Sting, the sexy factor of Lee Majors and Gordon Sumner, The Monkees, crushing on Davy Jones, Cybill Shepherd :stunner, TV theme songs as your first favorite song, The Carol Burnett Show, Mama's Family's fall from grace, Eight is Enough and the mystery of its theme song, seeing you father in the face of Bob Newhart, rules around TV watching for children, getting your children to watch black and white shows, I Love Lucy, Mr. Roger's Neighborhood, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Daniel Tiger, how one obtains old TV movies, Dolly Parton's speaking voice, turning down your own variety show, wanting to make a Playboy After Dark for the 90s, Hoarders, boycotting TV in the 80s and 90s, offending Justine Bateman, Nina's confusion around The Sausage The Mouse Clever Elsie The Golden Goose and Tom Tit Tat, and finding comfort in All in the Family and Sanford and Son during the "Heinous Hiatus".

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 95: Andrea Henry Aug 05, 2015

October 18-24, 1984

Today Ken welcomes writer and comedian Andrea Henry.

Ken and Andrea discuss Brocton's weather related fights, colds, Dallas, Family Ties, crushing on Skippy, Marc Price's full frontal nudity in Trick or Treat, writing in character as Alex P. Keaton, American Graffiti, The New Gidget, The New Leave it to Beaver, first run syndication, Dracula, Pyschophobia, Life with Lucy, Stone Pillow, The Pumpkin Who Couldn't Smile, Sunday Newspaper Comic Strips, Holiday Specials, Indiana Jones, being let down by your own youth, Poltergeist, Puttin' on the Kids, having never carved a pumpkin, Frat Brothers taking you in a sports car to see Halloween in theaters, no weakness allowed with Andrea's brother, FAME, Nia Pepples Party Machine, Mike Hammer, It's a Living, The Bonaventure Hotel, Ann Jillian, Mama's Family, wigs, Ken's hateful spite fueled life, Star Search, Hate Watching, Sons of Anarchy, Fight Back!, Kate & Allie, CBS Monday Nights, MacGuyver, My Sister Sam, stalking, kids parties, the original Parenthood TV series, An Officer and a Gentleman, Designing Women, Who's the Boss, Growing Pains, Kirk Cameron's film career, Jami Gertz, Norma Rae, Moonlighting, Perfect Strangers, Head of the Class, Community College Counselors, Women's Bodybuilding, "The River", Facts of Life, Good Times, Terror Train, The Demon Murder Case, 20/20, The Girl Most Likely To, Joan Rivers screenwriter, Webster, very special episodes, growing up Greek, Greektown, Detroit, Garfield Halloween Special, The Great Pumpkin, local weatherman Dick Albert's use of smarts against drugs and alcohol, Mr. Belvedere, loss of virginity, Punky Brewster, Sledge Hammer, Sidekicks, Ernie Reyes Jr., WKRP, The Mayflower Madam, James Bond, and the horrors of colorization.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 94: Kevin Allison Jul 29, 2015

July 22 -27, 1978

This week Ken welcomes writer, comedian and master storyteller Kevin Allison to the show.

Ken and Kevin discuss crazy things in your home leading to murderous theories, living in Pee Wee's Playhouse, Jesuit High School leading to a lack of television watching, falling asleep with Citizen Kane, pyromania, watching classics on TV, Night of the Living Dead, Leonard Maltin's books, Understanding Movies, Cincinnati, OH, The Boys in the Band, Catholicism, William Friedkin into gay stuff, stumbling onto life changing media, Marilu Henner, Dukes of Hazard, hatred of sports, going to the Opera, being introduced to television and culture by your father, being terrified of The Good, The Bad and the Ugly, PBS and Monty Python, scary music, The Muppet Show, The Electric Company, MTV, Liquid Television, watching TV at school, New Zoo Review, Catholic TV, ABC Sunday Night Movie, Roots, The Thorne Birds, Pulp Novels, The Exorcist, 70s obsession with the supernatural, Satanism, hypnotism, The Bionic Man, buying a Betamax VCR in 1980, Playboy on TV, Three's Company, "The Jiggle Factor", banning Love American Style, Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, The Love Boat, early fan fiction, grindhouse movies, Basket Case, Dawn of the Dead, Choir camp in NYC, Paul Lynde, Soap, The Jeffersons, jewel thieves, Bigfoot, brain washing, 70s obsession with the 50s, House of Style, 90s MTV, Ken Marino, The Brady Bunch, Bobby Brady teaching you you are gay, The State, Love Sydney, You Wrote It You Watch It, Who Bob Dylan is, Taco Man, Squirt TV, The Gong Show, Dick Cavet, Amy Schumer, outrage culture, when great art falls through the cracks, and the horror of the Sleestacks.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 93: Greg Wymer Jul 22, 2015

January 21-27, 1984

This week Ken welcomes DJ, improver and former co-worker Greg Wymer to the show.

Ken and Greg discuss Greg's excitement, the disappointment of laser light shows, game show hosts, evening editions of day time game shows, Diff'rent Strokes, twins, Dixie Carter, unsold pilots, Ken's wife's hatred of Claire Grogan, Love Boat, Harlem Globetrotters, Bill Cullen: Favorite Game Show Host, Dolph Lundgren's MIT lie, Mama's Family, Sneak Previews, Dack Rambo, WFNX, Ken as Brian Benben, Superbowl Sunday, Gary Coleman's 200 IQ, gambling, Life Styles of the Rich and Famous, the early days of VCRs, James Bond, playing your own son, Airwolf, Iron Eagle, The Meatballs series, Mazes & Monsters, Washington D.C., MTV's Remote Control, Susan Stafford, PBS's Think Twice, a taste of real fame, Greg's Pee Wee's Big Adventure related mortifying moment, That's Incredible, Danny Cooksey, Bloopers and Practical Jokes, Made for TV Movies, Burt Renoylds' dark period, Spaghetti Westerns, The A-Team, Kim Richards, Three's Company, Remington Steele, Madeline Khan's short lived sitcom, Real People, WKRP, SCTV's final season, The State of the Union, Reagan's ruining of television, Automan, Gimme a Break, giving away your kids upon your death, Tom Hanks as Uncle Ned the drunk, Family Ties, hosting karaoke at the real Cheers, laserdisc, sciolists, Mike Hammer, Buffalo Bill, Dabney Coleman, the Beast Within, Benson, Ken's undying love for Barbara Stock, Legmen, Dukes of Hazard, and the long strange history of the Master.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 92: Andrew Mayer Jul 15, 2015

June 9-15, 1990

This week Ken welcomes Boston comedian and bear enthusiast Andrew Mayer to the show.

Ken and Andrew discuss mermaids, The New Mission Impossible, writing strikes, re-using old scripts, Andrew's insane father, living in a valley in the middle of nowhere with no cable, civil salt peter, USA Saturday Nightmares, Zombie Nightmare, not fearing the reaper enough, Janet Jackson, just going with the titles, Beauty and the Beast, America's Funniest Most Wanted, model planes, Nick at Nite but never Bewitched, weird mid-Atlantic accents, the Tin Man's classic Boston accent, Championship Ballroom Dancing, MacGuyver, Locker Posters, burning off pilots, the problems or murder, liking strange sports, foam, roller skating, the best Arnold Schwarzenegger movie, Star Trek, home-made Halloween costumes, Rescue 911, Ken's obsession with the accordion, cheating at Skip-It, corny laugh track sitcoms, Spin City, Two Guys a Girl and a Pizza Place, Nickelodeon's Fifteen, thinking the Wonder Years is boring, NBA Finals, Beyond 2000, The NBA, 80s lady stand up comedians, Jake and the Fatman, Growing Pains, What a Dummy!, Circus of the Stars, Cosby Show, Eagle and the Bear, The Mystery of choosing Mystery! over Cheers, Perfect Strangers, Just the Ten of Us, and having never seen "The Bear".

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 91: Cris Kirkwood (The Meat Puppets) Jul 10, 2015

This week Ken welcomes musician, artist and fellow podcaster Cris Kirkwood of the legendary Meat Puppets to the show.

Ken and Cris discuss Portlandia, TV Guides place in the home, watching the debut of Sesame Street, leaders vs. followers, the "Torment of the Older Sibling", bed wetting, growing up in Phoenix Arizona, the legacy of Omahanians, the horses, Alice, The Wallace and Ladmo Show, Pat McMahon, Steven Spielberg, the cultural make up of Arizona, Spanish Language TV, Sabado Gigante, local TV scenes as local punk rock scenes, how Mr. Peppermint begat the Butthole Surfers, Nirvana Unplugged, home made music videos, stealing people's souls, The Big Boys, Flipper, MTV, touching ex-girlfriends via the cathode ray tube, Steve Jones, Bill Cody, the Haden Triplets, Fred Armisen, stand up vs. music, The Harlem Globetrotters, the golden age of TV contortionists, punk rock trips to LA, Night Flight, New Wave Theater, the importance of flyers, hippies vs. punks, jazz fusion, how seeing Deliverance leads to a desire to be a musician, cool Moms, owning a monkey, the sad death of Abner, mutual Taegu adoration, the salvation of Wallace and Ladlow on a daily basis, 70s Variety Shows, The Johnny Cash Show, The yearly airing of the Wizard of Oz, The Wonderful World of Disney, The Andy Griffith show as perfection, pre-stroke Floyd the Barber vs. post-stroke Floyd the Barber, SCTV, SNL, Robin Williams, Belushi, Andy Kaufman, Acid Head Comedy, Doc Martin, the magic of the Smart Phone, cartoons, 60s Comix, Robert Crumb, Midnight Movies, El Topo, The Grateful Dead, Zappa, The Beatles, The Monkees, Too High to Die, No Commercial Potential, and shutting down Lollapalooza.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 90: Heather McDonald Jul 08, 2015

March 3-9, 1979.

This week Ken welcomes comedian and author Heather McDonald to the show.

Ken and Heather discuss worrying about the elderly being easily influenced by television, cigarette ads, Andy Griffith's 70s BDSM, after school specials, why the youngest of five has no rules, Victoria Principal, High Class Hookers, Eve Plumb in Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway, living "the Valley", Lace, All Girls Catholic High Schools, Heidi Fleiss, The Mayflower Madam, SportsClub LA, creepy solo fixers, Valley Girl, Patty Hearst, parents taking you to inappropriate movies, knowing when you were straight, forced make out sessions up against a wall, Traci Lords, how a criminal act can add meaning to your life, The Osmonds Circus, Mary Tyler Moore Hour, "Singles" apartment buildings, the one time per lifetime women have to try and make it on their own, Stockard Channing: The Star of Grease, being terrified of New York, Good Times, sharing a room with your siblings, Love Boat vs. Fantasy Island, Julie's eternal Maid of Honor status, Billy Crystal: Kissing Bandit, learning legal arguments about international waters via Love Boat, Cruises, drunken teenage boat debauchery, puking while watching "Overboard", dealing with Sammy Hagar in Cabo, buffet culture, Trilogy of Terror, Twilight Zone, Wishing someone into the cornfield, why Kick the Can is the worst, fear of alien abduction, Celebrity Ghost Stories, personal encounters with ghosts, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Suicides among Family Feud Hosts, Gary Coleman, Facts of Life, after school special putting the fear of god in children, "Someone I Touched", being wise beyond your years leading to not being invited to things, Reality TV, training your son with "The Bachelor", calling your kid a dick, Dancing with the Stars, asking your husband to die to help your own career, ignoring the industry, impressions, going to tapings of Growing Pains, playing ball with Shamu's Baby before Shamu ate it, Farrah Fawcett, drama, Sorority Life, college worship of Ronald Reagan, dreaming of being a famous actress/movie star/tv star/author, staying grounded, trying to stay in touch with former co-workers, The Groundlings, Chelsea Lately, and the future of stardom.

TV Guidance Counselor LIVE!: Jeff Kline and Julie McCullough at NECC Jul 03, 2015

In this episode recorded LIVE! at the NorthEast Comic Con and Pop Culture Expo on Saturday June 20, 2015 Ken welcomes writer/producer Jeff Kline and actor/comedian Julie McCullough to the show.

First up Ken welcomes Jeff Kline. Jeff looks at a TV Guide from the week March 18-24, 1978. Ken and Jeff discuss producing cartoons, Jumanji, finding out you got a job in the papers, the life and death of Saturday Morning Cartoons, UPN, That was Then, being 30 and getting to be 16 again twice, The Starland Vocal Band, generational record business, The Monkees, The Banana Splits, Sid & Marty Kroft, Johnny Carson, KTLA, The Legend of Cougar Canyon, Lawrence Welk, Lechmere, Andy Williams, Wayland Flowers & Madam, the pasts' refusal to admit gayness, dialing is a commitment, Ken's aluminium foil based conspiracy theory, Saturday Night family TV, Wonder Woman, replacing Cathy Lee Crosby with Linda Carter, Eletra Woman and Dynagirl, spending 10 minutes in a hot tub with Pink Lady & Jeff, the Sid and Marty Kroft Amusement park, suing McDonald's, Land of the Lost, Hanna-Barbera formal wear, being starstruck, telling The Rock to sound more dead, exactly what an "executive" does, Party of Five, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Frank Lupo, Werewolf, Matt Helm, re-inventing your youth, GI Joe, Transformers, The 7 Stages of Fandom, Twilight Zone, Star Trek, The Jackie Chan Animated Series, R-Rated movies becoming G-Rated Toys, CG Cartoons, Eddie Albert, Love American Style, The Cowsills, the disgusting nature of Afternoon Delight, Summer Replacement Series, The Kids from C.A.P.E.R., The New Monkees, Don Kirshner, Szysznyk, Mr. President, Kolchak, Richard Matheson, The Outer Limits, Art Carney: World's Most Prolific TV Santa, Paul Shaffer and Greg Evigan's deal with Satan, local kids' shows, the golden age of the variety show, Dolly, Hey Vern! It's Ernest, Ernest Saves Christmas, Prime Time Saturday Morning Preview Specials, favorite Christmas Specials, Police Woman, Battle of the Network Stars, Gabe Kaplan's fury, Busting Loose, and the strange TV career of Don Rickles.

Ken then welcomes actress/comedian Julie McCullough. Ken and Julie discuss Game of Thrones, Grizzly Adams, the wonders of color TV, moving around as a Military kid, touring the South, Dark Shadows, ghosts, love of the Munsters leading to a role on The Munsters Today, The Flying Nun, Sally Field, Sid & Marty Kroft, Star Trek, locking into all your interests by age 10, Max Headroom, kissing Superboy, Relic Hunter, playing an Evil Magician, being a Magician's assistant, living with Tia Carerre, Dick Clark, Tony Orlando and Dawn, Hee Haw, Carol Burnett, Drive-Ins, Big Bad Mama, a scoop on Big Bad Mama III, Angie Dickinson, when stunts go wrong, Circus of the Stars, Karen Black: Elephant Trainer, Julie's Carnival roots, Monkey Mazes, Carnival based Reality TV Series, the social implications of Freak Shows, "The Scat", Sleepy Hollow, We Are the Millers, shooting in North Carolina, Growing Pains connection to Abbot and Costello, and loving dying on screen.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 89: Micah Sherman Jul 01, 2015

September 12 - 18, 1998

In this episode Ken welcomes actor, improviser and comedian Micah Sherman.

Ken and Micah discuss e-cigarettes, the connection between fog machines and intestinal distress, outside vs. inside, blowin' it up, lack of cable, pillow case induced weekend TV watching, North Carolina Wolves, singing jocks, Jam Bands, Beard Fishin', the secret to loving High School, Squirrel Nut Zippers, interning at Mammoth Records, pulling your pork, low channels coming in more clear, the entertainment value of discussions of the 1996 Telecommunications Act, College Sports, Cops, National Lampoon's Golf Punks, America's Most Wanted, Alan Alda, Burlesque Youth, Video Store Educations, Stand Up on TV, The Simpsons, loving the Fly Girls, being in the pop culture closet, Ken's hatred of Goodfellas, That 70s Show, not being excited by premieres, The Higgins Boys, The Army Show, The KGB, The X-Files, The Emmys, Seth Green, Can't Hardly Wait, Cosby Show that's not the Cosby Show, Old Gay Softball, Mr. Bean, SNL Best Of Videos, WWF violence, Antiques Roadshow, WGBH: World's Greatest PBS station, Everybody Loves Raymond, Home Improvement, Costello, setting shows in Boston, Walker Texas Ranger, loving Hobie on Baywatch, Hasselhoff money, Monty Python, Fawlty Towers, Ken's favorite Python sketch, OK Soda's Generation X conspiracy, Surge, Third Eye Blind, Election Coverage, Bryant Gumbel, Guinness Records, Whisper 2000, The Fat Twins, The Nanny, A&E's Biography, Hitler, Hank Williams, Country Music, Tailgate Rock, liberal North Carolina, Ken's hatred of Fraternities, rage induced accents, Meter Maids, Star Wars vs. Star Trek, Conan O'Brien's 5th Anniversary, Drew Carey Show, Two Guys a Girl and a Pizza Place, when Must See TV isn't on, Friends, Helen Baxendale, Frasier, TGIF, Alaska's Whales and Wildlife, Millenium, Homicide: Life on the Street, seeing someone hit by a train, and love of three camera sitcoms.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 88: Lisa Loeb and Beth Stelling Jun 26, 2015

In a first for the show, Ken presents you with two "mini-sodes" recorded before the guests' shows in the green room.

First up Ken welcomes the amazing singer, songwriter, actress, reality TV star, author and voice over artist Lisa Loeb to the show. In this lighting fast pre-show chat Ken and Lisa discuss October 1974, 70s pop hits, the lack of choice, Dallas during "Dallas", false sense of mainstream culture avoidance, the resentment of TV portrayals of professions, The Monkees, Wings, Chico and the Man, Sesame Street, Robert Urich, Serial Killing for Dummies, $25,000 Pyramid, Donnie Osmond, The Newlywed Game, Whoopie, bed time, Variety Shows, Muppet Shows, Fernwood Tonight, Cher, Carol Burnett, all around talent, all singing all dancing all acting celebrities, Florence Henderson: Pretty Lady, humor going over your head, The Love Boat, watching TV when you're sick, sexual bikinis, Adam 12, TV Crushes, why Don Knotts is kind of handsome, the inexplicable popularity of Little House on the Prairie, Fantasy Island, Central Time, The Odd Couple, Welcome Back Kotter, being tempted to have a musical alter ego, the theme to M.A.S.H., One Day at a Time, Schneider, picking up the Bounty torch from Nancy Walker, Monty Python's Flying Circus, Nova, Lisa's impression of Alfred Hitchcock, meeting John Denver, Six Million Dollar Man's sound fx, and loving Paul Lynde.

Ken then welcomes comedian Beth Stelling to the show. Ken and Beth discuss Norse Hall, tween crushes, being the tallest kid in the class, growing pains, TV's Top 10 Stars in 1994, Tim Allen, loving JTT, the mystery of children having money, little girls love of containers, Dr. Fad, Children's inventions, mortifying Home Ec issues, Chicken Yakatory, peeing your pants, cocktail onions as vomit inducer, Caveman survival skills, throwing things at Tim, The Cloak Room, David Hasselhoff, Baywatch, "innies", Jane Seymour, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, Touched by an Angel, childhood religion, Sisters, Sela Ward, Picket Fences, the progressive discussions on Beverly Hills 90210, Mark Curry, the "Loveability Index", Patrick Duffy, Boy Band Reunion tours, NKOTB, the number of times New Kids on the Block say "Girl" in "Step by Step", how there's nothing Joey Lawrence's love can't fix for your baby, Billy Zane's look, Kelly Martin, Heather Locklear, Tim Allen, Wilson as artistic muse, why Jay Leno is 98% Loveable, Why Angela Lansbury will always be #1, SNICK, Clarissa Explains it All, Empty Nest, Richard Mulligan's fantastic voice, The Forbidden Fruit of Cops, America's Most Wanted, Problem Child 2, Gladiators, Nitro's book, and the horrors of Japanese Game Shows.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 87: Karen Duffy Jun 24, 2015

This week Ken welcomes writer, TV personality, former MTV VJ and all around great human being Karen "Duff" Duffy to the show.

Ken and Duff discuss the heat of NYC, the road to MTV via nursing homes, New Jersey, Modeling, selling Skippy Peanut Butter, Saturday Night Live, Frank Sinatra, studying up, dressing for success, the multi-disciplined approach of classic TV presenters, broadcasting vs. narrowcasting, Firehouse vs. Firehose, the end of the hair bands, researching, photogenic memories, Whit Crane of Ugly Kid Joe, the fun of dating someone with a drinking problem, staying tight with the crew, Tabitha Soren, taking over for Martha Quinn, Rods & Cones, V66, The Basement Tapes, bands on railroad tracks, Ted Demme, Fade to Black, Fab 5 Freddy, Jermaine Jackson's Jermagesty, soul music, Herb Alpert, performers figuring out the business, George Clooney, Bill Murray and Duff's Wedding Present of the gift of performance, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, Bill Murray's musical prowess, buying horns off Ebay, Michael O'Donohue, owning a baseball team with your friends, Brockton, MA, sports, free vasectomy, The Rat, when sporting events became high priced bars, Rock and Jock, The Real World, Anna Nicole Smith, House of Style, Cindy Crawford, burkinis, Who Do You Think You Are?, the loser table, drinking tequila for the betterment of Africa, small Irish Catholic Families, ABC's Wide World of Sports, ABC After School Specials, The House Without a Christmas Tree, Jason Robards, becoming a wiseass to counteract the weakness of emotion, 42nd St, being starstruck, Colin Quinn, 24 Hours in America, not taking credit for videos you didn't make, making Mariah Carey angry, Paul Abdul's opposite, Karen's early life as a Video Vixen in Special K, NKOTB, Keith Sweat and Heavy D Videos, Dwight Yoakam, Karen's wooden acting style, being in a terrible movie, Dumb and Dumber, Chris Farley, TV Nation, going back to MTV 20 years later, Jim Carrey's Gallstones, Lauren Holly: Slutty Sexy Nurse, Karen's dream of owning a museum of celebrity used parts, The National Endowment for the Arts, Michael Moore, TV Nation Day: August 18th, Viaticals, Devout Catholicism, being a devout trained hospice chaplain, writing tough questions on a cake, love night for hate groups, winning an Emmy the day before you get canceled, The Awful Truth, Bravo TV, Jon Stewart, loyalty, the difficulties of being George Clooney's sister, seeing good people get rewarded, why talking about the charity you do doesn't count, Stoic Philosophy, the immodesty of social media, growing up with James Gandolfini, Sarcoidosis saving the world from awful Disney Movies, Blank Check, Revlon, old people smell, Kurt Loder, doing red carpet for MTV, going to a really ugly high school, living within 10 miles of where you grew up despite your best efforts, The Real Housewives of New York, America Family, avoiding quality TV, Debi Mazar, living for the New York Rangers, introducing your son to The Little Rascals, undercover make up artists, Museum of Broadcasting traditions, Zoom, The Funny Face rival of Kool Aid, racist snacks, and when your children show no interest in your fame.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 86: Bill Janovitz Jun 17, 2015

July 4 -10, 1974

This week Ken welcomes Buffalo Tom frontman Bill Janovitz to the show.

Ken and Bill discuss TV Theme Songs, Bill's writing of the Mike O'Malley theme, Yes Dear, This Old House, growing up in New York, 80s NYC vs 90s NYC, how the gay part of town is always where the interesting stuff is going on, Beverly Hills and it's Welcome Sign, why LA is great, Fabio, Tim Reid (no relation), All in the Family, staying up late in the Summer, three camera sitcoms, how the faux-documentary style is played out, Blackish, the shared experience of television as a kid, Seinfeld, the generation gap, Maureen Stapleton vs. Jean Stapleton, Those Were the Days, Melancholy TV music, TV with multi-generational appeal, Norman Lear, the occasional brutality of 70s family television, VCR culture, quoting movies, gold fish memories, The Jeffersons, the mystery of the Good Times theme song, The Midnight Special, the seeds of wanting to be a rock star, Don Kirshner's Rock Concert, SNL, Fear's Halloween Saturday Night Live set, Rock Fantasy Camp with Graham parker, Kate Pierson, Soul Train, My So-Called Life, Why Catwalk, Devo on Square Pegs, why MTV is not the maffia, No Alternative, The Monkees, The Jackson 5, music cartoons, KISS, Tony Orlando and Dawn, 8 Tracks, The Golden age of variety shows, Pink Lady and Jeff, The Brady Kids Variety Hour, Telma Hopkins, The Osmonds, the creepy nature of Little Jimmy Osmond, Linda Carter, Ann Margaret, Wild Kingdom, The Wonderful World of Disney, Adventures in Satan's Canyon, 70s obsession with canyons, Battle of the Network Stars, Suzanne Somers running around, Dan Hagerty's pecs, ESPN's World's Strongest Man competitions, Kojak, 70s TV noir, adding homicide to arson, Alex Rocco, why Facts of Life is Ken's Kevin Bacon, Candid Camera, Bloopers, watching football bloopers on 8mm at the library, Maude, Rhoda, Norman Lear, Bill's textbook deadpan, the sexless-ness of Maude, Happy Days vs. Good Times, bongos, Dynamite Magazine, Barnaby Jones, Hawaii Five-O, Welcome Back Kotter, Taxi, James at 15, TVT Recrods TV Theme Song LPs, the right age for nostalgia, covering money with the Rembrandts, hanging out with Rick James watching the Cheers finale, David Lynch, The Robb Brothers, Hank Shocklee, The loss of shared family experience, The Waltons, the mechanics of a joke, SNL's 40th, being part of the comedy generation, SCTV, Harry Shearer, Jon Stewart, Streets of San Francisco, The Simpsons, being surprised by embarrassing commercials watching television with your kids, Sanford and Son, Truck Stop Comedy Tapes in the tour bus, Quincy Jones, The Saint, The Rockford Files, Police Woman, Dads loving Angie Dickinson, Get Christine Love, and watching The Honeymooners after 10pm.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 85: Zach Sherwin Jun 10, 2015

June 25 - July 1, 1988

This week Ken welcomes comedian, rapper, old friend and man about town Zach Sherwin to the show.

Ken and Zach discuss exactly when they first met, how the world grew into hip hop, Ken's lack of Dubstep knowledge, when Ken checked out of music, early Hip Hop as evolution of punk rock, W. Kamau Bell, The Ghetto Boys, the Bad Brains inspired origins of the Beastie Boys name, sound collage, Boston's An*l C*nt (*AC*), Snakes, getting high and watching nature documentaries, Ayahuasca, Ken's anti-drug mythology stance, the veil of reality, a life of suppression and control, "In Search Of...", Leonard Nimoy, the Hip Hop/Sci-Fi Connection, personal context of pop culture references, MF Doom, JJ Fadd Supersonic, Nicki Minaj, sometimes things are all about big butts, getting diagnosed with a "you've got six months to live", Ken's inherent skeptical wiring, Flatliners, Movie Novelizations, the novelization of "Bram Stoker's Dracula", Robocop, The Facts of Life, Ken's love of Sherrie Krenn/Austin aka Pippa on The Facts of Life, Booch, Ken's tea based microwave burns, Eye of the Tiger, Police Squad!, James at 15, Skateboarding, Swimsuit 87, George Foreman, It's Gary Shandling, The 40th Anniversary of Atlantic Records, Hunk, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Taylor Negron, Tales of the Gold Monkey, growing up without a TV in the house, never owning a TV, Naughy By Nature's OPP, MTV, the Rosetta Stone nature of album liner notes, AIDS and Designing Women, Annie Potts, Morton Downey Jr, The Color of Money, why Eric Clapton's soulless nature has kept him from being sampled, the Maurice Sendak hour, Who's the Boss, Living Dolls, Perfect Strangers, TV Guide's anti-Cuba Stance, Moonlighting, Richard Lewis, Degrassi, Young Drake, Growing Pains, Rodeo Finals, Head of the Class, Madonna in "Who's That Girl?", Batman, Hooperman, the mystery of TV Guide writers, dumb answers to dumb questions, birthdays, Top Secret!, Not Necessarily the News, Val Kilmer, Sledge Hammer, The Charmings, Lingering at the Synagogue, TVs Bloopers and Practical Jokes, "in the butt", Stephen King, Pro Karate, Ken and Zach's respective black belts in martial arts, and ending up on the Cobra the Snake God channel for your birthday.

TV Guidance Counselor 84: Val Kappa Jun 03, 2015

November 26 - December 2, 1994

This week Ken welcomes artist and comedian Val Kappa to the show.

Ken and Val discuss Ellen's inexplicable success, living in a cableless society, Michael Jackson, Michael Jackson impersonators, Country music, Ken's encounter with Cyndi Lauper, Paula Abdul, My Girl, bee fears, Ken's Star Wars vomit, killer Yogurt in The Stuff, Before they were Stars, Father of the Bride, Hombre Mayor, seeing Basic Instinct with your parents, Splatter: The Architects of Fear, Fresh Prince, Susan Powter, Ken's encounters with Tony Little, Scott Baio and Tom Oldham at malls, Blossom, My Two Dads, having your own TV in your room, teenagers talking on the phone for hours talking about nothing, The Simpsons, calling radio stations, the myth of the radio request line, KISS 108, 101.7 WFNX (RIP), Ted Turner, Emerson College, the fate of the second Kenneth W. Reid, Ken's alter ego "Dave", Phyllis Diller, being stuck in an elevator with a pregnant woman, placenta buckets, holding a baby, kitten birth ruining a perfectly good Pee Wee Herman sleeping bag, Murphy Brown, loving the Silly character, London Underground, Make Me Laugh on Comedy Central, Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer, Madonna's lost innocence, Wendy Malik, The Bionic Woman, Frosty, Christmas traditions, the tears induced by "Up", genocide in the Transformers movie, Models Inc, My So-Called Life, exotic red heads, the pain of having your favorite show canceled, hating ABC, Juliana Hatfield, The Higgins Boys and Gruber, Family Matters, The X-Files and the short lived acting career of Geraldo Rivera.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 83: Tom Rhodes May 27, 2015

This week Ken welcomes Tom Rhodes to the show.

Ken and Tom discuss Ken's TV Guide archives, the family dynamic of the Archie Bunker Chair, neighborhood talk of cable, butter knife soft core pornography, Emmanuel, modern kids lack of mechanical skills, MTV, General Hospital, Rick Springfield, moot points, the social justice power of soap operas, Steve McQueen in French, Jerry Lewis' foreign tongue, Barney Miller, family dance parties, highlighting the TV Guide for late night stand up, Carson, Letterman, Rich Hall, Mike Wilmot's murderous ways, Viva Vietnam, being the face of Comedy Central, being the subject of an NBC/HBO/Fox bidding war, Must See TV, taking the crown from the Fresh Prince, how to go from public defender to private school English Teacher in one easy step, Mark Brazil, learning to act on National TV, Ron Glass, Hal Linden, how the kids take over, the funny teacher sub-genre, being one in a four pack, Dabney Coleman's Buffalo Bill, Alan Partridge, the UK influence over likable US characters, being slammed by Entertainment Weekly, being fed up with Hair Jokes, Native Americans, Mr. Rhodes, why being the side character is better than being the lead, Minnesota, the charm of giant trucks, the death knell of Holiday Episodes, loving Lucy, live audiences, the arsenal of supporting cast, Jensen Ackles, Lindsay Sloane, Sean Weiss, Alexandra Holden, Jessica Stone, Stephen Tobolowsky, watching the news as a kid, genetic love of stand up comedy, Holland, The NBC Artist's Grant, London Comedy, Greg Proops, The Kevin Masters Show, travel shows, MTV's Half Hour Comedy Hour and the memorable moments live gifts us with gold carts and the Back to the Future town square.

TV Guidance Counselor After School Special with Sean Sullivan May 25, 2015

In this very special after school special edition of the show Ken welcomes Sean Sullivan back to the show.

Sean and Ken discuss the popularity of Sean as a guest, school with siblings, 1990, Jr High vs. Middle School, the darkest thing Ken has ever said on the show, Sex Ed, the death of After school Specials, the Wave, cartoons, walking to school, horrific childhood games, Hard Copy, Canadian Co-Productions, Don't Just Sit There, dinner plans, Boy Scouts, Orange Soda, cancer popcorn, 1993, Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, secretly enjoying baby shows, 3.2.1 Contact, Beyond 2000, Tailspin, Disney Afternoon, Fifteen, Barney and Friends, Tiny Toon Adventures, Carmen Sandieago, Rockapella into Mmmbop, Dinosaucers, Plucky Duck, Goofy hatred, Shop Til You Drop, Sunday Mornings, Denver the Last Dinosaur, 1995, talk shows, Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters, Ghost Writer, Beetlejuice, Quack Attack, Exosquad, Extreme Toxic Waste, Tazmania, Ricki Lake, I'm Telling, buying your childhood heart's desire game show prizes as an adult, Animaniacs, Billy Nye the Science Guy vs. Beakman's World, 1998, Wishbone, The New Adventures of Batman and Superman, VR Troopers, The Mystics Knights of Trunanog, Big Bad Beetleborgs, and the long strange history of Power Rangers.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 82: Sam Jay May 20, 2015

September 24-30, 1994

This week Ken welcomes fellow Boston Comedian Sam Jay to the show.

Ken and Sam discuss the difficulty in finding Ken's home, Catholic School, cloak rooms, embarrassing incidents, demonic possession, Beverly Hills 90210, being a gay teen, being on a watch list from the Boston Archdiocese and having that lead to moving to a suburban public school, strip clubs, Atlanta, Black Williamsburg, going to college in a shopping mall, family tragedies, stand up comedy, knowing what you want to be, having cable in your room, SNICK, classic Nickelodeon, COPS, They Live, The Adventures of Pete and Pete, escapism vs. identification, Fox as the "black thing", Hating "Hey Dude", when things aren't a race thing but a taste thing, America's Most Wanted as family viewing, Stark Trek, Sisters, Lusty Sela Ward, The Simpsons, Black Bart, Flea Market bootleg clothing, Downtown Boston's Corner Mall, The Real World, Puck, AIDS, letting kids drink wine, Hardball, Married...with Children, classic MTV, how Melrose Place makes Monday night the best night in Sam's week, made for TV movies, Murphy Brown, when a monkey guest stars, Wrestling and the Ultimate Warrior, ComicView, stand up on TV, Full House, The House Party series, Baby Faced White Boys, Home Improvement, Kids in the Hall, Grace Under Fire, John Larroquette, Tori Spelling's virginity, Ken's love of modeling, the conundrum of Beavis and Butthead, Martin, being a "hater", how Janet Jackson is the best Jackson, how Ken is mad about Mad About You, My So-Called Life, Dawsome's Creek, James at 15, gay TV, Living Single, the horror of "Soul Plane", the golden age of BET, The Friday film series, New York Undercover, Seinfeld, Family Matters, TGIF, Boy Meets World, The X-Files, and believing you've been abducted by aliens.

TV Guidance Counselor LIVE! with Brendon Small May 15, 2015

Recorded LIVE! at the Doug Fir Lounge in Portland Oregon, on this special Bridgetown Comedy Festival edition of the show welcomes Brendon Small to the show.

Ken and Brendon discuss VooDoo Donuts, drug testing, working at a movie theater, Berklee College of Music, going to film school, Harold and Maude, Springfield, Emancipation, Garbage Plates vs. Chop Suey Sandwiches, Chez Henri, conscripting a retired chef, Paul O'Connell, guitar, Little Stevie's Pizza, being insulted by Bobby McFarren, acapella TV theme songs, It's Gary Shandling Show and its theme song, NBC's comedy revolution, the early days of Fox TV, writers' constant state of strike, Shout! Factory, how nothing new is actually new, Burns and Allen, Ernie Kovaks, Jack Benny, when things are Shakespeare, stealing from dead people, cable making you who you are, Night Flight, loving horror films, wanted to have nightmares, Salem's Lot, the Poltergeist remake, JoBeth Williams, great scores, puking up a worm, why amputees make the world's best monsters, novelizations as the original deleted scenes, Tobe Hooper, The Funhouse, Spider Plant kids, being a special FX make up artist, Basket Case, Frankenhooker, James Lorinz, Leprechaun, movies about balls, Jake Busey, 80s TV Horror anthology revolution, Get a Life, Fox's Werewolf, The Young Ones, Chris Elliot, UPN Network, from boats to TV, Bob and Ray, Chris Elliot as FDR, One Man Shows, Ben Franklin's White Shadow, Captain Moustache, 80s Boston comics, retarded JD Salingers, shitting on what you love, Metalocalypse, Desmind Pfeifer, Homeboys in Outerspace, Shasta McNasty, Home Movies, "the cartoon boom of 99", Dr. Katz, Jonathan Katz, Bob Newhart, Albert Brooks, smart subtle word comedy, Mr. Show, being roommates with Eugene Mirman, The Bob Newhart Show, The Marx Bros, Groucho, ignorance bred innovation, Sid Caesar, Your Show of Shows, onions, Jealousy as the greatest form of comedic admiration, Seinfeld, Mike Bent, hearing results based on practice, DJ Hazzard's red headed shadow, Metallica vs. Anthrax, developing your life long identity, when your job is to be inspired, Headbanger's Ball, losing MTV, Lost in America, Gary Marshall, Mr. Bill, Christopher Guest, Martin Short, Martin Short, SCTV vs. SNL, Billy Crystal as Sammy Davis Jr, Martin Short as Jackie Rogers' Jr, Jiminy Glick, Jerry Lewis, and Cheers + Jeers.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 81: James Urbaniak May 13, 2015

April 10-16, 1976

This week Ken welcomes actor James Urbaniak. James and Ken discuss Lloyd Bridges: Policeman, 70s illustrations, Rhoda, cigarette ads, 70s High Fives, tar, just watching things because they are there, April Vacation, the evil nature of "Big Ski", free subscription gifts, the sheer class of a leather TV Guide Cover, having the option of Black and White, TV pliers, 8 Track Clubs, The New York Report, the Fall Preview excitement, Saturday Morning Premires, Jabberjaw, Holmes and Yoyo, cops and robots, the mythology of short lived shows, Pat Buchanan, Easter Specials, The Peanuts, the hierarchy of Charlie Brown specials, passive aggressive anger over the pre-preemption of Rhoda, waking up early for Saturday Morning cartoons, Scooby Doo, Animated series based on live action series, The Ghost of Frankenstein, King Kong Thanksgiving, the importance of buying brand name batteries, The Bowrey Boys, comedic spin offs from dramas, dramatic spin offs from comedies, Lawrence Welk, The Easter Resurrection, Easter as the worst Holiday, Easter: Mid-Season replacement, The Happy Days/Laverne and Shirley Hour, Christy MacNichol, Vic Tayback, Little House of the Prairie, Big Luscious Tomatoes, Bionic people, 70s vague Indians, The Honeymooners, lazy TV Guide descriptions, Burns and Allen, Joe Franklin, Uncle Floyd, The Waltons vs. Hawaii Five-O, Ken's hatred of Welcome Back Kotter, Barney Miller, Max Gayle, Godstuff, TV Guide owners personal notes, Topper, PONG, and TV Guide's status as an ahead of the curve journalistic futurist.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 80: Greg Proops May 06, 2015

February 15-21, 1969 (sort of)

This week Ken welcomes comedian, actor, author and smartest man in the world Greg Proops to the show.

Ken and Greg discuss Fantasy on Television, The Avengers, The Adams Family, The Wild Wild West, Kids television, exactly when England got black people, The Black and White Minstrel Show, Star Trek, The psychedelic 60s, San Francisco, Star Trek, Dad movies, War, Zulu, speaking German, learning that sometimes there are no good guys, Chuck Connors, Branded, breaking a sword over your knee, The Prisoner: the original mindfuck, James Bond, questioning your government, Who's Line is it Anyway?, Punk, The Double Deckers, dystopia, the song that goes with every neighborhood in London, The 60s dream of peace love and nonviolence, Night Flight, the golden age of FM radio, KSAN, The UK vs US Top 40, The Intruder, Charles Beaumont, The Twilight Zone, realizing the rest of the United States is terrifying and different, buying into the media lie, hatred of memes, having the sum total of human knowledge in your pocket, the DIY ethos of punk reflected in podcasts, The Outer Limits, learning a moral compass from television, Davey and Goliath, The Banana Splits, Rankin Bass, bad people as main characters, the best of times the worst of times, local television, when cameramen all became robots, Vietnam: the first TV war, the horrors of combat footage, real reporters, why Dick Chaney is the world's most evil heartless cyborg, never believing what you hear, why there is no news anymore, conspiracy theories, when Hidden Camera Prank shows became reporting, throwing your hat at the white flag, Hilary Clinton, why there is no truth or final word anymore, conservatives re-branding as the Party party, Laugh In, The Smothers Brothers, the legacy of Nixon, Pepsi vs. Coke, when everyone smokes, the sleaze of Maxim magazine, Family Ties, Full House as history's greatest representation of San Francisco, Occupy vs. real criminals, Good Day LA, Romney's evil bowels, why celebrities are not allowed to have opinions, Iran Contra, Ronald Reagan's journey from joke to Jesus, The Dead Kennedys, Midnight Caller, Greg's essaying the role of Cab Drive, Gary Cole, Nash Bridges, Vigilante Talk Radio DJs, American Gothic, Jim Thompson, The Killer Inside Me, Sam Fuller, The Model Cafe, The Brady Bunch Movie, "I don't if you remember me...", Charlton Heston, The Omega Man, Planet of the Apes, Soylent Green, I Am Legend, Richard Matheson, Zombie movies, why the current love of zombies gets it totally wrong, Return of the Living Dead, millennials' obsession with magic and monsters, the rules driven horror trend, Forbidden Planet, The Tempest, Star Wars turning sci-fi into a genre for everyone, Minority Report, Phillip K. Dick, Hollywood's abandonment of character studies, comic book movies, Pacific Rim, Ultraman, Ken's dislike of Quentin Tarantino, The Skin Game, Jackie Brown, living in a Sci-Fi story, advertising ruining everything, 1984, Orwell, Greg's book, navel officers writing sci-fi, Robert Heinlein, "Room 101", Paul Merton, CCTV Cameras in London, Big Brother's journey from terrifying idea to hot tub sex, the evils of technology, the dehumanization of Uber, the cost of convenience, mini cabs, "The Knowledge", Africa, never having been to the center of London, Billy Ocean, navigating without technology, pop culture advocates, Record Store clerks, teenage girls loving AM pop, Greg's wife's impeccable music taste, The Underground, Russ Meyer, Faster Pussycat Kill Kill, The Strand in San Francisco, The Stuff, communal experience, Mike Meyer's Tarantino-ing Beyond the Valley of the Dolls and Our Man Flint, money men financing the creative while being the enemy of art, Big Talent Agencies missing the point, The Army Show, The Jamie Foxx Show, fruit bags, schlub comedians, Louis CK, getting out of the way of good art, the fraternity of comedians, pulp fiction vs Pulp Fiction, learning your craft, and panning for the Golden Age.

TV Guidance Counselor LIVE! with Mary Mack at the Women in Comedy Festival May 01, 2015

August 3-9, 1991

In this episode recorded LIVE! at ImprovBoston as part of the 2015 Women in Comedy Festival, Ken welcomes writer, musician, comedian and midwesterner Mary Mack to the show.

Ken and Mary discuss Mid-western attendance, central time, copious notes, realizing what you missed as a kid, roof mounted antennas, Punky Brewster, two beers as the cure for sadness, why Ken could never have been a Doctor, the physical nature of magazines, Choose Your Own Adventure books, cigarette ads, the original owner of the issues TV choices, Mary's cultural anthropological understanding of TV Guide, "Gerald", Janita, Madonna, 10 Years of MTV, horrorscopes, Gerald's crossword failure, Group Homes, working the night shift, Entertainment Tonight, Ken's invention of the Hold Button App, Uber for Jazz, traveling into town to see New Kids on the Block, Public TV, Benny Hill, Peoria, Morning Agriculture, John Candy, "Only The Lonely", The Twins, Sunday Football, Pickled Herring, Fresh Prince, Murphy Brown, Mark L. Walberg, Antiques Roadshow, Supermarket Sweep, Shop til You Drop, bowling tutorials, Northern Exposure, Twin Peaks, Ed vs. Chris in the Morning, the corner of happy and healthy, the inherent humor of the word "barf", celebrities who have tattoos, "If I Could Turn Back Time", school assemblies, tricking kids into being in show choir, jazzy Amish, terrible high school marching bands, catching up on things you missed via YouTube, Netflix, and Hulu, chasing sleep, Wild America, dealing with bears, playing dead, UK shows, Roseanne, 10pm Crime, Kenny Rogers, selling out to Dole, Mary's husband's obsession with the Mob and Mummies, Dawn of the Mummy, Mummies vs. Fashion Models, dish washing models, braces, Newhart, the importance of Thursdays, Joanna Kerns, Mutual of Omaha, Silver Spoons, Rickey Schroeder, Fischer Cats, knowing too much about swords, the hot market of China, Wheel of Fortune, familiar arguments igniting by TV Game Shows, Stotes, Winter Weasels, walking Mary's friend's sister, The treat of Pop on Friday Night, renting a VCR, Strange Brew, Coming to America, Willy Nelson and Kris Kristopherson, the Highwaymen Tapes, Follow that Bird, The best Muppet Movie, questioning if anything got better after someone died, why New Order is a better band than Joy Division, Ken's experiences camping, the horrors of deep sea fishing, how being beaten to death is a peaceful death, Arsenio Hall is horrible, Pat Sajak's talk show, Golden Girls, theme songs that were songs before they became theme songs, Molly B and polka, polka, polka.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 79: Kliph Nesteroff Apr 29, 2015

November 2-8, 1963

In this episode recorded at Musso & Frank's the legendary Hollywood dining establishment, Ken welcomes former comedian and current author Klph Nesteroff to the show.

Ken and Kliph discuss prime rib, butter levels, direct connections to old Hollywood, classic TV and showbiz knowledge, Kliph's origin story, Hee Haw songs, the backwoods of rural Canada, CTV vs. City Television, Hockey night in Canada, David Letterman, A&E as educational vehicle, Mad Magazine, Cracked overcompensation, Looney Tunes, local TV Guide, early Hollywood films, 70s film books, the early days of modern film critics and historians, My Favorite Martian, Ray Walston fighting Tony Randal, laugh tracks, the "tween-ification" of television, Punky Brewster, cartoons based on live action shows, Little Clowns of Happytown, the educational and protective power of basements, the best time for afros, "Spinner" Spencer's father's gun totin' channel changer, not staying out of trouble, Degrassi, Nickelodeon, You Can't Do That On Television, Les Lye and Rich Little's magic, impressionists, John Voight's right wing politics, WFMU, press pass as passport to the US, Bullwinkle's bikini, Jay Ward, Youth Television (YTV), classic voice actors, King of Kensington, Corner Gas, Al Waxman, Twitch City, The Kids in the Hall, Smith & Smith Comedy Mill, Red Green Show, Lord Love a Duck, Check It Out, musical variety shows, Red Dwarf, the novels written by UK Comics, being a YouTube Baby, doing research without the internet, thrift store comedy records, getting a phone call from Steve Martin, the lost age of 40s-50s mafia controlled comedy, Hellzapoppin', 40s sketch comedy revues, The Steve Allen Show(s), TV Guide going off script, The Tonight Show, Seahunt, To Tell the Truth, Mr. Ed, laugh tracks of the dead, the "uh-oh" woman, Alan Young, the origins of Gilligan's Island, the internet showing the truth about old TV Legends, Game Show depravity, What's My Line, Henry Morgan vs. Harry Morgan, the innovations of the Superman Radio show, Kitty Carlisle, Art Clokey, Christian Jot, Talk About Typing, My Three Sons, Camera Goes to College, beatniks, Adam 12, The Jerry Lewis Theater, The Hollywood Palace, Red Skelton, how not being that great leads to success, marketing sleaze to teenagers, AIP, Bruce Derm's Lost Drive-In, Ernest Borgnine in McHale's Navy, Kurt Russel's Disney Mystery, Carl Ballantine, Hypnotist Records, Doug Henning, Ed McMahon, Philadelphia Regional Shows, Midget Wrestling, the World's Girls, Harlan Ellison's Glass Teat, regional TV Children's Shows multi tasking, Motown by way of Canada, Bert I. Gordon, B-Movie directors making great TV directors, the sliding start times of the Tonight Show, the 90s minute format, Jack Parr, and TV Bowling.

TV Guidance Counselor LIVE! with Eugene Mirman and Jon Glaser as the Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival Apr 24, 2015

April 30 - May 3, 1983

In this episode recorded LIVE! at the Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival in at the Brattle Theater in Cambridge, MA, Ken welcomes John Glaser and Eugene Mirman himself to the show.

Ken, Jon and Eugene Discuss what's worrying TV's Sexiest Detective, Jerry Orbauch's sex appeal, Boston edition TV Guides, artists' renditions of the famous, Chicago as a Detroit suburb, why Detroit is Boston in 2024, the future of video tapes, Virginia Slims as Women's rights, being the youngest vs being the oldest, color vs. black and white, Buck Rogers, That's The Incredible! Hulk, if Bruce is a more gay name than David, Deaf Hulk, Hockey Playoffs, TJ Hooker, Southern Comfort, The Golden Age of Satellite, Dirtbag cousins, Love Boat, musical highlights, being plagued by orphans, the Chicago Mall, Brendan Tartikoff's edicts, TV's "Cowboy", "Oater" Themes, The Oater Varmints first album, kickboxing with only four toes, Steven Spielberg's 1941, TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes, Censored Bloopers, the invention of Walking Around, Goodnight Beantown, James at 15, shows set in Detroit, "V", Stanley Cup Playoffs, Ken's scary knowledge, Beastmaster, PG movies with nudity, phobias and fears, being a prisoner, are fetishes the opposite of fears, uncumming, Battlestar Gallactica, Tony Randall, "Love, Sydney", Nerd Rivals, Space Vampire, Twiggy vs. Tweaky, Buck Rogers as Jewish Allegory, Ice Pirates, "A Little Sex...", Police Academy is way dirtier than you remember, USFL Football, LEGS, one legged dancers, Cagney & Lacey and their Very Special Episode, wife beating cops, Law & Order, beach crimes, The A-Team, The Deer Hunter, Step mother's loving Entertainment Tonight, "On TV", negative views of the Vietnam War, George Peppard vs. Mr. T, Dirk Benedict, the golden age of comedic looks at hijacking planes, The Amish, Sexy Hunchback of Notre Dame, Three's Company, Celebrity Comedy Fashion Shows, "Prevue", Black Icons are networks vs. white icons as non-networks, The Fall Guy, Ken's confusion over the character names in the Fall Guy, Mind Control, John Vernon, Wings Hauser, Cults, Square Pegs, Soccer, the Detroit Express, Greek Town, Coney Dogs, The Best Sporting Event Jon has ever seen, A very special one hour Facts of LIfe, Alex Rocco, "Nonfiction Documentary", The Children of Darkness, Vincent Price advertising anything, FAME, racist ballerinas, Magnum PI vs. Smokey and the Bandit, Ripley's Believe It Or Note, Amanda's, the US Remake of Fawlty Towers, Gimme a Break, Simon & Simon, Friday Night's lack of sports, Track and Field, Jon calling WGN to complain about disrespect of The Detroit Pistons, The Dukes of Hazard, "Sadie Hogg Day", The Bernstein Bears, The TV Debut of the Shining, Meatballs vs. Meatballs II, Why Eugene is the John Larroquette of our Time, Summer Camp as a major part of Jon's life, Space Camp, calling your camp counselor a "fucking cocksucker", Knight Rider, Night Rider Court, Baywatch Nights, Cycle Gangs, death on 80s TV, Jon's punching of a bike messenger, and Jon's status as a one man A-Team.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 78: Heather Elizabeth Parkhurst Apr 22, 2015

This week Ken welcomes actress Heather Elizabeth Parkhurst.

Ken and Elizabeth discuss Sherman Oaks, the unavailability of your favorite shows, the precursor of Arrested Development, Showtime, networks vs. cable, The Fox network, classic Hollywood discovery stories, Married...with Children, the terror of performing in front of a live audience, holding for the laughs, ABC's Gary Marshall Tuesday Night Line up, Charlie's Angels, Fantasy Island, Love Boat, Happy Days, when less commercials meant better TV, being hell bent on acting, Ginger on Gilligan's Island, the niceness of people in LA, the flashy 90s, Dr. Pepper, political cancellations, Cult Hits, Reality Shows vs. Sitcoms, Modern Family, being star struck by William Shatner, Perversions of Science, Kevin Pollak, sex androids, being the object Pauly Shore's Video adoration, being naturally funny without your awareness, Get a Life, having a cousin writing for Letterman, Teri Garr, Judd Nelson's terrifying humor, "Conflict of Interest", The George Carlin Show, meeting Rodney Dangerfield, Gallagher, watching Stand Up comedy, feeling alienated on Dear John, courtship by Tony Dana, the amazing humanity of George Carlin, The Swedish Bikini team, pretending to ice skate, Michael Bay, being recognized in public, having Mick Jagger as a fan, being too extreme for the NBC censors on Wings, The Brady Bunch, meeting Chris Knight, going to the Brady house, teaching your children the classics, Brady Bloopers, the special time and place of Christmas specials, stumbling on things, Peter Billingsley, loving "Elf", never seeing "A Christmas Story", Will Ferrell, Breaking Bad, inappropriate daytime ads, sexualized billboards, being shocked that you can be shocked, children being un-phased by celebrity, Star Trek, seeing Star Wars 27 times in theaters, Jaws, and Fonzie Socks.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 77: Chris Coxen Apr 20, 2015

October 6-12, 1984

The Boston Marathon Marathon concludes!

In this episode Ken welcomes writer, comedian, actor and international man's man Chris Coxen to the show.

Ken and Chris discuss Transformers major appliances, the TV "sweet spot", Morgan Fairchild vs. Lynda Carter, Airwolf, TJ Hooker, Jan Michael Vincent, Evil Twins, Chris' constant name dropping, Big Wednesday, When the Saints Go Marching In, Love Boat, Boxing Dick Butkus, Knight Rider, undercover monk, why Diamond Thieves were huge in the 80s, Pick Up Trucks, The Presidential Debate, Shirley Bassey, Reagan's hair, TNN's You Can Be a Star, Portrait of a Stripper, TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes, Charlie's Angels, Dirk Benedict, not giving a damn about Kate & Allie, Barry Tattle, singing the Love Boat Theme, Three's a Crowd, Hawaii Five-O, Ken's Hawaiian bathroom, Paperdolls, Dack Rambo, Freedome 90, Ken's love of models, how Ken and Chris are complete opposites, The Fall Guy, the popularity of stunts, Sybill Danning, Charles in Charge, Moonlighting, John Stamos' Dreams, Pat Bentar, Family Ties, Courtney Cox vs He-Man, crying in animated movies, Video Signals, renting a VCR, the first Movie Ken ever Rented - "Dawn of the Dead", the A-Team, Benson, Hunter, Deedee McCall, boring golf announcers, Jeering Joan Rivers, seeing Magnum PI and his gift giving prowess.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 76: Kelly Roberge Apr 20, 2015

April 11-17, 1992

The Boston Marathon Monday Continues

In this episode Ken welcomes master musician and comedian Kelly Roberge to the show. Ken and Kelly discuss whether or not Jay Leno is up to it, Golden Girls, Kelly's favorite Starship songs, hoping your grandparents are not sexual people, The Pope, Bubba Smith, finding someone who knows less about sports than Ken, Baywatch meeting Gilligan's Island, never once dreaming you were on Gilligan's Island, Dawn Wells' marijuana use, COPS in Boston, watching Cops and Judge Judy with grandma, Ken's meeting with Judge Judy, Perfect Strangers, why happy relationships are boring, Kelly's history with flying airplanes, Albert Brooks Defending Your Life, The Wonderful World of Disney, The Bloom Brothers (Scott and Brian), bikini girl based lies, Zsa Zsa Gabor on The Fresh Prince, Kelly's grandmother's verbal assault on police, warning old men about making mistakes, Ken's mother forcing beach visits, Whale Watch, Killer Whales, Jaws 3-D, Murphy Brown, "Mirror, Mirror", trashy horror, Funny Games, Mickey Rooney in Silent Night Deadly Night Part 5, Christmas in April, Ken's undying love of Bonnie Hunt, Designing Women, Full House, TV Guide puns, head posters, having stars on your ceiling, Rescue 911, Roseanne, Beyond Tomorrow, Japanese toilets, counting to ten in foreign languages, jam rice, The Wonder Years, psychics, Doogie Howser, Summer Stories: The Mall, classic shopping malls of New England, gift coins, working at the Big Y Supermarket, why the Monroe Dunkin' Donuts is the Harvard Square of CT, Bobby McFarren, Top Cops, Drexel's Class, Cheers Halloween, Monster Parties, Wings, Family Matters, Anthony Michael Hall: Action Hero, people breaking into the feed of America's Most Wanted, All Old Timers Must Die, Swamp Thing vs. Totally Hidden Video, re-runs of Letterman and the wonderful world of Eerie Indiana.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 75: Chris Dimitrakopoulos (Chris D) Apr 20, 2015

September 17-23, 1994

Boston Marathon Monday Continues!

In this episode Ken welcomes comedian Chris Dimitrakopoulos, professionally known as "Chris D".

Ken and Chris discuss UK Lion Bars, never using TV Guide, Greek immigrants, Teen Wolf, public nudity, John Ritter's short shorts, van surfing, Cops, Back to the Beach, Team Reid outdoor movie nights, Kenny Rogers, Baywatch, SNICK, The Simpsons, a rare Superbowl Themed episode, Unsolved Mysteries, Chris' belief in UFOs, Greek Programming, Teri Hatcher crushes, Lois and Clark, Superman the Animated Series, Hardball, Joe Flaherty, The Real World, dance crazes, talk show madness, Fresh Prince, Tatianna Ali's music career, Jennifer Love Hewitt's "Let's Go Bang", Dave's World, I Love Lucy, ER, Captain Kangaroo on Murphy Brown, Annie Potts, WWF, black boxes, Foxy Boxing, Wings, Tim Daly, The Omen IV: The Awakening, Def Comedy, ranking the hosts of Family Feud, Home Improvement, John Larroquette vs Korean News, Meatballs II, Real Genius, the greatest comedy of all time, Jackie Mason isn't Italian, Cosby Mysteries, Roseanne, Models Inc, Ellen, Martin, My So-Called Life, high school crushes, Living Single vs. Friends, Animal Instincts: Classic Softcore, Family Matters, M.A.N.T.I.S., Boy Meets World, TGIF, Step by Step, how B.O. and Italian subs smell the same, and knocking Bill Cosby down a peg or two.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 74: Rob Crean Apr 20, 2015

BOSTON MARATHON MONDAY

July 27 - August 2, 1985

This week Ken welcomes comedian and promoter Rob Crean. Ken and Rob discuss dangerous travel conditions, Pitch Black Dark, Miami Vice, Don Johnson's music career, The Return of Bruno, Michael Mann, Airwolf, Summer reruns, TJ Hooker via SNL, Baby Boomer music, Where the Boys Are, 9 hours and 5 minutes of Dana Hersey's all night party, It's Your Move, Tripods, Gimme a Break, Falling asleep when Catherine Oxenberg is in her underwear, The Lair of the White Worm, The Prisoner, Mama's Family, Martin Mull's History of White People in America, Michael Nesmith's Television Parts, Murder She Wrote, Kevin McCarthy, Bob's Burgers, TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes, The Hogan Family's twins, Danny Ponce, The Twilight Zone: The Movie, Ken's Albert Brooks impression, local TV Horror Hosts, the original E/R, Kate & Allie, Ken's 144 copies of Kate & Allie Season 1, Newhart, Three's a Crowd, emptying The Milky Way, Muppets Take Manhattan, Growing Pains, Hail to the Chief, Highway to Heaven, forcing Rock N Roll into everything, Facts of Life, Double Trouble, Rob's personal dating experience with a solo twin, The Funny Boys, Evil Twins, classic Must See TV, Night Court, Red Dawn, Chrispin Glover's Family Ties days, televisions existence in the mind of an autistic child, Webster, burning off pilots, Life Goes On, wine coolers, Phantom of the Paradise, legendary unsold pilots, Dramatic moments in The Comedy Factor, Benson, Missy Gold's psychiatric career, pranks, Life's Most Embarrassing Moments, and the lack of Cheers and Jeers.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 73: Danielle Soto Apr 20, 2015

May 28-June 3, 1988

Boston Marathon Monday!

Ken welcomes comedian Danielle Soto to the show. Ken and Danielle discuss being drawn to a time before you were born, 1988 births, Family Ties, repressed memories of ever having used a TV Guide, Ken's TV Week/Toaster Oven TV Guide/Toaster Theory (again), Facts of Life, Back-door pilots, Empty Nest, Tumpy's marijuana addiction leading to bad gift giving, The Cosby Show binge drinking episode, 227, Golden Girls, living the Stan Episodes, Mama's Family, Doctor Who, the role of ledges in sitcoms, Throb, Dream On, Wendy Malik, Hot in Cleveland, Say Anything, being held hostage, why you never want to ride an elevator with a pregnant lady, Spenser for Hire, Family Ties, TV Land's First and Last Marathon, Nick's forgotton spin-off, My Demon Lover, hair metal, Mother Goose's Rock N Rhyme, Fairy Tale Theater, Married...with Children, Day by Day, The Terrible Revenge of the Nerds Pilot, Ted McGinnley, It's Your Move, David Garrison, not censoring children, the banned Married...with Children episode, The Christina Applegate fashion test, MTV The Week in Rock, Kate & Allie, having never seen ALF, Valerie, Ken's most embarrassing moment, seeing Spiceworld alone in the theater, Designing Women, celebrity autobiographies, Newhart, celebrity weight struggles, AIDS, Eisenhauer and Lutz, Who's the Boss, Crushing Alyssa Milano, The Dark Crystal, first run syndication, Charles in Charge, Mr. Ed, Perfect Strangers, Bibby Babkas, Vanilla Ice, Supergroup, The Surreal Life, Sebastion Bach, Moonlighting, Growing Pains, tonsillectomies, Over R-ing the pudding, Mr. Kotter, Days and Nights of Molly Dodd, Hooperman, Gena Davis, Summer Rental, loving the Reiners, Jamin' on the One, Summer School, why all arrangements are edible, Night Court, Beauty and the Beast, Full House, the trend of Dead Moms on television, and the end of Saturday Morning.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 72: Will Smalley Apr 20, 2015

December 19-25, 1992

The Boston Marathon Monday Marathon Begins!

Ken welcomes comedian Will Smalley to the show. Ken and Will discuss Ken's credentials, military recruitment, the best kinds of glue, Christmas week, MTV's Rock N Jock Softball, Cops, Roundhouse: World's Worst Show, Ren And Stimpy, SNICK, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, The Edge, Julie Brown vs. Downtown Julie Brown, The Young Comedians Special, A&E, In Living Color, America's Funniest Home Videos, Roc, Married...with Children, Herman's Head, Walking with Jesus, Fresh Prince, Evening Shade, Blossom, Joey Lawrence, quantifying the number of girls and gay men Will Smalley knows, Clarissa vs. Blossom, Bob, Wrestling Roundtable, Will's TV Debut on a WWF taping, Doink Dink, Monday Night Football vs WWF Primetime, Full House, Rescue 911, Petticoat Junction, Comicview, Roseanne, A Smokey Mountain Christmas, Dolly Parton, America's love/hate relationship with the shopping mall. Forever Knight, Beverly Hills 90210, The Wonder Years, Unsolved Mysteries, Home Improvement vs. Seinfeld, Mad About You not pumping Will's Nads, Buckaroo Banzai, Christmas Eve, sharing a room, where to hide Christmas gifts, the best bed to sleep on in bunk beds, finding out the truth about Santa, The Simpsons, Learning the Ropes, Lyle Alzado was not on "Big Brother Jake", Martin Lawrence, Armenians, Cheers, the death of Just the Ten of US, TGIF, gay characters on TV, Dinosaurs, Camp Wilder, and Ken's lack of crossword love.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 71: Angela Sawyer Apr 18, 2015

September 10-16, 1978

Record Store Day Special!

This week Ken welcomes comedian and Weirdo Records impresario Angela Sawyer to the show. Ken and Angela discuss dogs having accident, virtual reality, unexpected pets, having never seen Black people, racist names for animals, regional racism, Colorado, UMass Lowell, Odyssey of the Mind, Colorado: The Nexus of Pop Culture in the Beige Age, Aspen poor camps, central time, Us Against The World II, Cloris Leacheman's athletic prowess, Love Boat, Uncle tom Foolery, Scatman Crothers, Ghost Riders in the Sky, Gorgo, Roots, Event Television, Lavar Burton, Sword of Justice, Dack Rambo, Office Batman, Tennis Pros, Scott Walker (the singer not the evil governor), Igmar Bergman, Welcome Back Kotter, watching movies on laserdisc in the library, The Jeffersons, old war buddies hitting on your wife, the 70s locker famine, Ken's literal prison of a high school, Monday Night Football, fighting over custody of the Broncos, M.A.S.H., the made for TV 70s Live Action Spider-Man, Three's Company, a lie in two dates, Taxi, Starksy and Hutch, disco fever, Demon Firestar, Eight is Enough, For You...Black Woman, Popeye's disco infection, Charlie's Angels meet Dean Martin, Mork & Mindy, The Shining, Happy Days spin offs, The Clonemaster, Barney Miller, character studies, The Incredible Hulk, children's inherent fear of things busting through walls, King Tut, Brendan Cruz, alien induced mass suicide, Ron Howard's directorial debut Grand Theft Auto, and the Love Boat being the highlight of your week.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 70: Wes Hazard Apr 15, 2015

June 28-July 4, 1997

This week Ken welcomes comedian and poet Wes Hazard. Ken and Wes discuss Ken's hoodie collection, shared celebrity birthdays, Ken's 17th birthday, Agent Orange, the you now and the you at 17 having different tastes, Cops, America's Most Wanted, the scariest Unsolved Mysteries Ken ever saw, learning gay pick up spots from Farley Bros movies, Fashion Bug, Dress Barn, Snick, Robin Williams, Ernest's career, Krull, Beastmasters of the Universe, Early Edition, being introduced to 70s Green Arrow by your doctor, The DC Animated Universe, Isabella Rosellini, Kablam!, Charles Burns' Black Hole, Oddville, Ken's punk rock teenage band days, banning the Simpsons, Ken's arguments with the dude from Dashboard Confessional, Real World vs. Road Rules, King of the Hill, Seinfeld, Paul Reiser, Big Top vs. Big Adventure, Fargo, Unhappily Ever After, The Wayans Bros, rare diseases, the over lap of Kids Inc and Children of the Corn, UPN shows, L.L. Cool J's unplugged comeback, Broken Arrow, John Woo's US career, Pump Up the Volume vs. The Superbowl, working in the media section of a library vs living in the media section of your own home, Bad Brains, Henry Rollins' movie career, roommates with Flea (s), Ruby Wax, Strongest man in the world competitions, ER, snuff tapes, real life death scenes, TV Week, TV Guide Channel, Bewitches, Nick At Nite, Get a Life, Newhart, Secret World of Alex Mac, Roseanne, Dictionary dicks, Tanya Roberts, The Naked Truth, the greatness of Tea Leoni, Home Improvement, Neneh Cherry, Can't Hardly Wait, Point Break, meeting Kelsey Grammer, Hazard Mail, HP Lovecraft's Curse, The Experts: World's greatest cold war movie, Parker Lewis, Beach MTV, Step by Step, Cutting Class, adult cartoons, One Crazy Summer, and the glory of Independence Day.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 69: Allan Havey Apr 08, 2015

This week Ken welcomes actor/comedian Allan Havey to the show.

Ken and Allan discuss the beauty of Santa Monica, growing up in Miami, working blue, Catholic Families, watching the Tonight Show with Dad, playing a priest at 5 years old, the magic of hearing your own voice for the first time, kids being seen and not heard, The Three Stooges, the early silent comedies, The Twilight Zone, watching anything and everything on TV, 57 Channels and nothing on, the cornucopia of choice in the 21st Century, Louie, marathoning shows, Sunday Night Family viewing, watching football at double speed, Mad Men, not rewatching your own stuff, starting stand up in New York City, Lorne Michaels' "The New Show", SNL replacements, Letterman, having the same joke as several other people, the validation of being on TV in the eyes of the public, other people defining your success, buying into the 60s counter culture, meeting JFK and the shock of the Kennedy Assassination, the power of prayer, the generation gap, National Lampoon Magazine, Alan King, Carlin, Pryor, Steve Martin's stadium career, setting goals with a time line, training, West 57th St, the early days of the Comedy Channel, Rich Hall's Onion World, Rachel Sweet, Tommy Sledge, "Night After Night", Ha!, being in the moment, not taking things for granted, Punk'd, diversifying your creative endeavors, never giving up on Stand Up, having an immediate outlet, the "audience of one", differentiating yourself from the glut of other talk shows, Warren Zevon, Free Ride on Fox, always having stand up, The Comedy Cellar, Catch a Rising Star in Cambridge, MA, the gold mine in Burgers, how things sometimes just work out, the fleeting nature of live performance, fixating on bad gigs, how comedians are like chefs, how someone else's success has nothing to do with you, Chelsea Lately, Seinfeld, the exciting world of web TV, UK TV, not living in the past too much by re-visiting your youth, and the wonder of Mad Men.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 68: Max Silvestri Apr 01, 2015

May 15-21, 1993

This week Ken welcomes comedian, TV host and author Max Silvestri to the show.

Ken and Max discuss Cheers, having your own wing of the house, sneaking wrestling, waiting to get the good cable channels, Sci Fi Channel, living in the 'boro, being an early adopter of the internet fandom age, TiVo, being a Nielsen Family, saving genre shows single handedly, being an only child, Prodigy vs. Compuserve vs. AOL, Ken's major award of a custom Mr. Show Bowling Shirt, Ken's collector mentality, cast and crew jackets, being burdened by your interests, Bloopers, practical jokes vs. flubs, Cops, Max's visceral aversion to the underclasses, Empty Nest, being wise beyond your years, Jerk offs, Code 3, Mad About You, Newsradio, Murder She Wrote, Wild Palms, Max's love of British child murder, Virtual Reality taking over the world in 2007, Epic Made for TV Events, Humanity as a bummer, Championship Skating, Evening Shade's series finale, Murphy Brown, why there are no great young movie stars anymore, 1-900 numbers, Sierra's inventory based puzzle games, Full House. Disney's shameless cross promotion, Rescue 911, Robocop 2, Bob, the 90s Chromium age comics boom, why Bob Newhart should never have kids, Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, Comics Only, Ken Ober, the multi-talented Fred Wolf, Home Improvement, Tim Allen as the new Bible, Mark Russell's political parodies, Unsolved Mysteries, The Bradys, peas, Munsters, Ann Magneson, Kung Fu, like the update better than the original, Cheers, watching TV at school, Tom Selleck's Runaway, If anybody has seen Richie, abstaining from masturbation, Jeering non Regis and Kathy Lee co-hosts, and the MTV Movie Awards.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 67: Mary Lynn Rajskub Mar 27, 2015

This week Ken welcomes comedian and actress Mary Lynn Rajskub to the show.

Ken and Mary Lynn discuss technical spring, Detroit, odd parental choices, punk rock, being shaken to your core, Ken's unusual positivity and not Jesus complex, Gone Baby Gone's accuracy, stand up comedy road work and it's relation to your family, early bed times, central time privilege, Lou Grant, Cagney and Lacy, art school brains, being moved to tears by the Rockford Files, The Love Boat, Gold Rush, HGTV, Spider-Man, Cupcake Wars, Donut Pride, ignoring the death of a parent, 24, The Walking Dead, childhood fears of adult good times that happen after you fall asleep, the excitement of the early days of MTV, HBO's monthly catalog, Mr. Show. The Larry Sanders Show, Veronica's Closet, being outed as famous, Simon & Garfunkel live in Central Park, renting out room in your brain, hypnotism, moving to San Francisco, Tic Tac Dough, how Netflix spoils children, weird daytime PBS, Slim Goodbody, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, the odd pursuit of stand up comedy, performance art, Gallagher, Whoopie Goldberg's One Woman Show, Monty Python as concept album, romancing the notes in class, Freaks and Geeks, Mork & Mindy, Pac-Man, Atari, Moonlighting, why Ken stopped paying attention after the turn of the century, Xanadu, Gene Kelly, Ken's experiences with Lady Gaga, realizing your time was the 80s, SiriusXM Radio, First Wave, Kadjagoogoo, "Survivor" reality shows, killing chickens, Flip or Flop, Flipping Boston, UK TV, The Kardashians as palette cleanser, Damages, TV Sign Offs, The British production model, more Mr. Show, quirky auditions, Marc Maron's worries about Mary Lynn, being pitied by Meredith Baxter, Mary Lynn loving her Bob, Family Ties, Mardi Gras/Spring Break/Cruise Ships as punishment, Three's Company, Soul Train and the blight of Candlepin Bowling.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 66: Paula Poundstone Mar 25, 2015

In this week's episode Ken welcomes comedian Paula Poundstone to the show.

Ken and Paula discuss the 60s Batman and it's death traps, Liberace, TMZ, Jennifer Aniston's possible pregnancies, America's desire to see celebrities fail, idolizing the wrong people, how actors are able to continue to work with bad material, awards shows, Roasts, Alex Trebek's hidden humor, Betty White's unauthorized backstory, Lost in Space, The Twilight Zone, Billy Mumy, banning television for children, going through life without an immunity to advertising, programming your children's tastes, The Three Stooges, experiencing comedy as a collective experience, technical failures increasing comedy, cartoon adaptations of live action sitcoms, Wacky Races, Boston's WSBK TV38 and it's phenomenal afternoon line up, the sanctity of a girl's underwear drawer, Gilligan's Island, taking credit for Sherwood Schwartz's work, re-enacting the story of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups for the stage, OCD leading to marathoning shows, M.A.S.H., forsaking food for bus station TV watching, The Harvard Square Movie Theater's Double Feature education, Animal House, running into Donald Sutherland, being babysat by television, Romper Room, Captain Kangaroo, Child World: the World's Greatest Toy Store, I Love Lucy, Mr. Rogers, Mary Tyler Moore, Lily Tomlin, The Dick Van Dyke Show, the cold harsh truth about taking care of 16 cats, Laugh In, The Smothers Brothers, getting away with the nipple, Love American Style, Carol Burnett, doing stand up on SNL, waiting for one or two good laughs on a sketch show, the loss of the 90 minute format TV show, Gene Barry in The Name of the Game, the world shattering depression that you get when your favorite series ends, forsaking prime time television, being hooked by The Mentalist, Boardwalk Empire, checking out of pop culture, being a contestant on Jeopardy, Angie Dickinson's unrealistic expectations of Alex Trebek, Cybill Shepherd, taking classes at the Groundlings, Paula's ABC Variety Show, The Malibu Fires, Joel Hodgson's Oreo cookie based ratings calculator, the Saturday Night death slot, letting shows have time to figure it out, CNN, the enraging ridiculousness of the 24-Hour News Cycle, and how technology is making us dumber.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 65: Maeve Higgins Mar 20, 2015

In this episode Ken welcomes Irish comedian and television personality Maeve Higgins to the show.

Ken and Maeve discuss theater basements, Tuba based misunderstandings, RTE 1 and 2: Ireland's only television, TV in Zimbabwe, The Tracy Ullman Show, seeing the Simpsons for the first time, 7 Brides for 7 Blues Brothers, books as dick fuel, Home & Away, Australian soaps, parental hypocrisy, hidden camera shows, why the Irish are uniquely positions to be willing victims on hidden camera shows, Airplane, slapstick humor, Only Fools and Horses, not being able to identify with all male comedy shows, Irish Babysitters, living in the suburbs as a nanny, Kathy Griffin, Margaret Cho, Two Fat Ladies, Fancy Vittles, My So-Called Life, capturing teenagers spirit, American feelings, awful first kisses, not revisiting your childhood favorites, NYC on TV, Friends, Seinfeld, The Late Late Show: The Longest Running Chat Show in the world, Terry Wogan, leaving Ireland for fame and fortune in the UK, Graham Norton, Father Ted, heavy conversations as party killer, The Kroll Show, Peter Davidson, never seeing Doctor Who, The Cosby Show, The Most Irish Show of all time, Ear to the Ground, Nation Wide, TV as home sickness cure, Pride and Prejudice, Colin Firth's sexy swimming, Robert Mugabe's terrifying totalitarian television, Moone Boy, the luxurious experience of hair and makeup, Love/Hate, overcover undercover cops, and Ken's first time recommendation of someone not needing to watch more TV.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 64: Laura Crawford Mar 18, 2015

June 3-9, 1989

This week ken welcomes former Boston, current LA Comedian Laura Crawford.

Ken and Laura talk about Ken's technology paranoia, Oprah, Richard Bey and the other trashy talk shows, Rickie Lake's Urban fanbase, Living Single, how Ken might have been a young black woman, MTV Dating shows, picking the mom over the daughter, remaking geeks into chic, mean high school nicknames, the "boy with A.I.D.S", Donut burns, lobbying congress for better sexual education, the Robot Revolution, Real Genius, Night of the Creeps on USA's Saturday Nightmares, the Horny Hot Dog the Movie, edited teen movies, Arye Gross is not Ari Meyers, COPS, being falsely accused of being a child prostitute, living Beyond Tomorrow, why It's Gary Shandling's Show is better than Larry Sanders, how great hair is the single deciding factor in how attractive a woman finds a man,being a fashion innovator.Star Search, Whitey Herzog, Ed McMahon filled donut shops, Ken's sweet on booze, insulting drag queens, Night Court, Big Trouble in Little China, Billy Graham's AIDS, Sex in the 90s, ALF, childhood speech impediments, Ken's college thesis film "Alien Love Form", The Frugal Gourmet and his "Troubles", late '86, after school programming, Comedy Central, Laura's unnatural love of the Simpsons, comfort shows, A Current Affair, the sleaze infection, sex, more sex, phone sex, VCR sex, pornography as technical innovator, Ken's Phil Donohue impression, TV's love of Frats, MacGuyver is not Matlock, the lovable drunk Arthur, involuntary singing, Russian signs of the world going to hell, people never guessing Ken's age right, Mind Control, Laura's belief in psychic phenomenon, James Randi's professional debunker status, jerking off dudes for money, Head of the Class goes to Russia, Degrassi Jr. High, wild Wallabies in the woods of New England, why animals won't eat tattoos, Cheers and Ken's two universal rules, sibling TV fights, The Real World, why Dad's love Fox Sunday night programming, Ken's Real World reasoning for moving to London, NBA and love of sports culture, Teen Pregnancy, Perfect Strangers, The Quaid Bros vs. the Howard Bros, Highway to Heaven's Watergate, Dack Rambo: Horny School Bus Driver, Just the Ten of Us, Dean Cain's TV racism, Laura's hatred of Wiseguys, Patty Duke's head double, and nailing CBS. Sex.

TV Guidance Counselor Saturday Morning Special 4: Anthony Scibelli Mar 14, 2015

Saturday December 18, 1993

This week Ken welcomes back to the show comedian and author Anthony Scibelli.

Ken and Anthony discuss Winter Phlegm humor, sexy adult cereals, The Hack Handbook, Jay Leno's penis, Christmas week for half jews, Eastern Religions, weekend routines, gravitating towards old time comedy, the importance of B&W, cartoon voice over legends, Comic Book: the Movie, The Animaniacs, Abbot and Costello, cheap VHS tapes, robotic Three Stooges, Sexy Joe Besser, accidentally signing up for the army, Mousercize, the White Shadow, Burgess Meredith, Bullwinkle, Hot Air Balloons, the creepiness of Jay North, Dennis the Menace, when Nick at Nite shows air during the day, Ducktales, the mutant animal phenomenon, Biker Mice from Mars, Street Sharks, why kids love Toxic Waste, Turtle Pies, Hostess, Ninja Turtles, Pooh Corner, Fraggle Rock, The strangeness of Jim Henson, The What's Up Network, Captain Planet, Eco-Cartoons, Ken's love of Doctor Blight, Mighty Max, Polly Pocket, Monster in my Pocket, favorite cartoon theme songs, sexy Cleo the Cat, the Today Show, NBC's abandonment of cartoons, age differences, why there are more bad cartoons than any other art, liking Cheers and the Odd Couple as a kid, Tony Randall, The 7 Faces of Dr. Lao, Gremlins, BeBe's Kids, Arena, Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter II, Clarissa Explains it All Marathons, SNICK, Chip & Dale Rescue Rangers, Bazooka Joe, Twinkle: The Dream Being, Droopy: Master Detective, Anthony's Secret Dream, Bobby's World : the only good ting Howie Mandell has ever done, Young Comedians Specials, TNN's Backyard America, Carl Reiner's Summer Rental, Eek! the Cat and the Terrible Thunderlizards, Bill Nye vs Beakman, Tiny Toons, Tales from the Cryptkeeper, Tazmania, Super Nintendo vs. Sega Genesis, California Dreams, Bugs & Tweety, The X-Men Cartoon, Cadillacs and Dinosaurs, shows based on comic books, Ken's favorite Batman, Saved By the Bell: The New Class, Young Charlie Chaplin, Animals Testifying before Congress, and Ken's hatred of the Disney Muppets.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 63: Molly Hagan Mar 11, 2015

This week Ken welcomes actress Molly Hagan (Herman's Head, The Nutt House) to the show.

Ken and Molly discuss the speed of television, Herman's Head, Election, cringing, auditioning in front of your rivals, Northwestern University, growing up in Indiana, coming from a big family, Johnny Quest, Clutch Cargo, being too young to negotiate, Bob Newhart Show, Mary Tyler Moore, The Carol Burnett, All In the Family, the conundrum of Archie Bunker, Homefront (the name of the show Ken and Molly can't remember), television as escape, private concerns, American obsession with pulling back the curtain, blue collar actors, High School Reunions the cost of living in LA, Some Kind of Wonderful, The Nutt House, getting starstruck at work, working with Harvey Korman, The A.L.F. Christmas Special, getting into personal arguments with carpet samples, Mr. Sunshine, Jeffrey Tambor, Alan Spencer, Mel Brooks, "Ringmaster", Jerry Springer, the glut of talk shows in the 90s, the forgotten exploitation past of Oprah's television show, why Phil Donahue was a good guy, EPKs, disengaged interviewers, watching yourself, Friends, Seinfeld, being on something you're a huge fan of, Matt LeBlanc, Episodes, how being a psychotic murder is easier than comedy, Bloopers Shows, swearing in front of children, Ken's awful commercial auditions, ER, stunt work, parental judgement, Ken's status as a futon, Yoga, not singing and dancing meaning you move to LA, Dallas: The Early Years, being recognized by the public, iZombie, Castle, Social Media, Spoilers, not having a TV, Alf's Sad fate, the female version of Herman's Head, Dream On, Dark Angel aka "I Come In Peace" as the greatest 90s action movie, Brian Benben, Wendy Malik, fact checking in the internet age, Ken's spite fuel, and the fluidity of memory.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 62: Matt Kona Mar 06, 2015

September 21-27, 1985

This week Ken welcomes Boston Comedian, and fellow former punk rock teen Matt Kona to the show.

Ken and Matt discuss strong coffee, cookie plates, sweeps week, micro-film, George Burns Comedy Playhouse, UHF vs VHF, WLVI Kids' Club, Ken's Teenage Punk rock band, hardcore bands named after Nintendo names, TV horror anthologies, The Christian Broadcasting Network, Stacey Keach's cocaine use documentary, George Clooney's introduction to the Facts of Life, boxing, watching The Golden Girls with a Golden Girl, York Beach Maine and beach arcades, The Prisoner, UK Sci-Fi, why "Used Cars" is one of the best comedies of all time, Dennis the Menace, the Emmys, Crazy Like a Fox, TV Bloopers and Practical Jokes, tattoos, Family Ties in the UK, Turkey Television, pubes and their relation to professional wrestling, history with Tony Danza, the debut of Growing Pains, Ken's memorized Growing Pains scripts, Boxcar Willy, TV series based on movies, Hell Town, Flip Wilson, SCTV, Billy Vera and the Beaters romantic soundtrack, Cheers, Night Court's connection to the Clash, The Glass Teat, Mr. Belvedere and his fan club, and the mystery of The Bushies.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 61: The Walsh Bros. (David and Christopher Walsh) Mar 04, 2015

July 4-10,1987

This week Ken welcomes old friends, David and Christopher Walsh, collectively known as The Walsh Brothers.

Ken, David and Chris discuss family dynamics, alternate universe Walsh Brothers, why Ken is not a conservative Southern politician, inserting the disc, commuting to school, the subtleties of Boston public transportation, Texas Chainsaw Massaca, when your childhood home because an area of refuge, Charlestown, living in the projects, cops, your non-comedian brother getting a TV credit before you do, Max X, TV38, Boston, more Boston, LA Sex porches, Kari Wuher, Monday Night's CBS line up, Ken's status as a sophisticated Boy, Alf, George Carlin, your preferred alias, The Spectre, Valerie, calling family meetings, being drawn to stability, love of absurd comedy, the terror of a minor key theme song, Alan Thicke: Musician, the terror of the news, European Vacation, classic video store memories, Corvette Summer, LA Mall filming locations, Chopping Mall, Alyssa Milano, cartoon boobs, disabled actors in starring roles, The Wizard, Fast Times, Ed O'Neil, Popeye Doyle, Dutch, Mike Hammer vs. Sledge Hammer, Perfect Strangers, when Dan Fielding was in Charlestown, finding a way, Highway to Heaven, angelic vigilante justice, Head of the Class, fighting prostitutes, Night Court, MacGuyver, Dana Delaney, Hockey, the opiate problem in Charlestown, Star Man, Channel pliers, Somerville Lumber, theme restaurants, Indiana Jones knock-offs, Where the Boys Are, Darkman, LA Law, Gremlins, Brocktoon, Mr. Belvidere's Balls, going Commando, HBO's Made for TV Movie quality, hiding the news, 21 Jump Street, and the art of prank phone calls.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 60: Paul Provenza Feb 25, 2015

In this episode Ken welcomes comedian, actor, producer Paul Provenza.

Ken and Paul discuss Kids Court, robbing drug dealers, growing up in New York, being chained to development deals, failing to update I Spy, growing up a comedy nerd, comedy LPs, the crossroads of comedy's past and future, Graham Norton, claims of a lack of English language skills, the power of comedians, being a teenage stand up comedian, Robert Kline, taking down the system from the inside out, Tubby Boots, Gabe Kaplan's dire warnings, Jazz Club Comedy, Jay Leno, Comedy as the road to sitcom, DIY ethos, finding your audience, the power (or lack of it) of Late Night shows in the 21st Century, I Spy, Man from U.N.C.L.E., TV Comedy as processed junk food, Everybody Loves Raymond, Seinfeld, All in the Family, The Marx Brothers, the anarchy of 20s-30s comedy, the essential nature of live comedy, Johnny Carson, Steve Allen, Letterman, Ha! + The Comedy Channel = CTV - Canada = Comedy Central, Comics Only, Comedy MTV, Bill Hicks, the dark, sick, twisted sketches on Comics Only, getting away with things using the power of secret fax machines, the power of critical thinking, being a warm up comedian, Pursuit of Happiness, The Facts of Life, Cloris Leachman, North Exposure, mistakenly engaging internet critics, The magic "100 Episodes", plagiarism, The Green Room, Bugs Bunny vs. Mickey Mouse, the pains of growing, When Stand Up Stood Out, and the weirdness of Boston Comedy.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 59: Bryan Cook Feb 18, 2015

April 4-10, 1992

This week Ken welcomes stand up comedian and mastermind behind the Competitive Erotic Fan Fiction empire Bryan Cook.

Ken and Bryan discuss bi-coastal hoarding, the standard cleaning fee for removing TV Guides from a rental car, those sexy soaps, growing up in Maine cable-free, Satellite Dish culture, old people scent, Brian Dennehy's gift, Willfred Brimley's laundry, Gulf War trading cards, Cocaine busts in Boston, the birth of reality television, Billy's Head of the Class spin off, travel shows, UK Stand Up Comedy, TV kids having fast aging disease, Alyssa Milano leading to 4th grade troubles, bottle episode love, moving to LA for a writing job, the fashion police, Competitive Erotic Fan Fiction, Roc, Mann and Machine, favorite Pun TV Show titles, In Living Color, the lonesome death of James Carey, Anton's pickle jar, the first time seeing a black person, Teacher bangin', Dollar Store TV, physical altercations over Star Trek, cold calling girls you like, future cops, Herman's Head, Tea Leoni, Basic Instinct loving Dads, hitchhiking, Get Smart, Grittas, way up in Maine, working at Electrical Supply Companies, renting mannequin parts, flea markets in New England, Rescue 911, disproving Home Improvement, Billy Crystal on Lifetime, bring comedy to the U.S.S.R., Wonder Years, the 60s portrayal of family life, being blamed for other kid's smoking habits, Davis Rules, Bonnie Hunt, Nell Carter is not the Fat Man, Duff, The Three Faces of Mike McDonald, Hocus Pocus vs. The Witches, The Simpsons vs. Cosby, Futurama, Mr. Rhodes, the toaster oven/TV Week parallel, the ladies of Cheers, Beyond 2000, Roy from Wings: Super Sleaze, Tim Daly: World's Best Superman, banned shows from CEFF, Charles Rocket, Dinosaurs, Uncle Buck TV vs. Movie, AMC's long strange journey, disdain of Tequila and Bonetti, Scorch, Nightmare Cafe, Fish Police, America's Serious Home Videos and country's own C+C Music Factory.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 58: Ken Reid Feb 15, 2015

In this one year anniversary special of the show, guest TV Guidance Counselor Sean Sullivan welcomes Ken Reid to the show.

Ken and Sean review this week's edition of TV Guide and go through Ken's picks of two weeks of modern television from Monday February 16 to Sunday March 1, 2015.

TV Guidance Counselor Valentine's Day Special Feb 13, 2015

In this special Holiday Mini-Episode (the first of 2015 and the last until the Fall) Ken discusses his thoughts on Valentine's Day, his Valentine traditions, and his recommendations for Valentine's viewing.

Ken recommends staying in doors, drinking rose flavored soda and watching My Bloody Valentine, The Prowler, The Boogens, The Adventures of Pete and Pete, Mad About You, the Love Boat, Moonlighting, Brimstone, Chuck, Cheers, Cybill, The Facts of Life, Forever Knight, Gimme a Break, Growing Pains, Hey! Arnold, magic episode 18s, Mr. Belvedere, Newhart, Night Court, Punky Brewster, Roseanne, Spin City, That 70s Show, Supernatural, Wings, and The Wonder Years.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 57: Christine Elise Feb 11, 2015

This week Ken travels to Los Angeles and welcomes writer/actress Christine Elise(Child's Play2, Beverly Hills 90210) to the show.

Note: Christine's website is http://www.itschristine.com/

Ken and Christine discuss their mutual Boston punk rock pasts, Roslindale, the disappointment of Boston University's rules, The Ball Busting nature of Boston, never wanting to live in Boston again, finding your business, the mechanics of film, Pulp fiction, Film Noir, being robbed of computer programming, being burnt out on punk rock, turning 50, working for a living, the value of a job well done, looking younger than your age, Head of the Class, Lea Remini, China Beach, ER, natural seduction instincts, TV Movies, almost giving up, Brad Pitt, Facts of Life, Bad Comedy, Child's Play 2, being snubbed for premiers, Christine's novel, The Cramps, writing Beverly Hills 90210, Jason Priestly's business acumen, using the access you have, Gilligan's Island, the ease of guest writing an established show, how Hip Hop makes you dumb, the fluid familial relations of television, Matlock, not meeting your heroes, being an asshole, Black Mirror, working with Carol O'Connor, swear words, the depowering of the old Networks, The Young Ones, instant cultural saturation, the individual soul of a performer, Elvis, Summer Seasons, Aaron Spelling's genius, In and Out Burger's awful fries, The revival of Fantasy Island, wanting to be Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Roxette, self-hate, being mobbed by 90210 fans, Baywatch, signing conventions, Billy Wirth's skill with the pugil stick, and the disappointment of American Horror Story.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 56: Will Noonan Feb 04, 2015

July 31 - August 6, 1993

In this episode Ken welcomes fellow Boston Comedian and social media exploitation king Will Noonan.

Ken and Will discuss Patrick Stewart, The Real World, Tammy's "Wasn't Not Funny", Bloopers and Practical Jokes, SNICK, COPS, being a hypochondriac, what it means when you are peeing all the time, Alfonso Robero's Globe of Death, MTV Sports, House of Style, comedian nick names, The Comish, Doing the rubber, America's Funniest Home Videos, FOX, Idalis, Herman's Head, lusting after Reba McIntire's Doritos, Blossom, George Bush, Laugh-In, Cynthia Rothrock, parents intervening during inappropriate viewing material, Problem Child, Christmas in August, Rescue 911, Nova, getting that tingle, DIC, Roseanne, Third Rusty, Coach, Wonder Years, Unsolved Mysteries making you shit out your own ghost, the original Comedy Central, Home Improvement, Hal Hartley, Thursday Nights are unstoppable, David Crosby, Summer School, TV38's Movie Loft, which Brother from Wings you are, Don "the Dragon" Wilson, TV Guide's hatred of Martial Arts movies, Down the Shore, Urkel, Night Court, Step by Step, Brooklyn Bridge, Stacey Keenan's dangerous prank phone calls, Perfect Strangers money, Cherry 2000, Pay-per-view study guides, and when Micky Mouse met Charlie Brown.

TV Guidance Counselor LIVE! with Billy West Jan 30, 2015

In this special LIVE! Edition of the show recorded at the Smell in Downtown Los Angeles during the 2015 Riot LA Comedy Festival Ken welcomes voice over legend Billy West (Futurama, Ren & Stimpy, Doug).

Ken and Billy discuss their mutual experiences playing the Rat in Boston, Roslindale, cocaine, Greeks, the entertainer economy, Kardashians, the power of guitars, the tolerance of Boston, being shy, Roasts, the salvation of TV and Radio, early Elvis impersonations, the nature of stage clothing, Boston's reputation, Boston's North End, Beach Parties, Aerosmith, broken dreams, the nature of scenes, James Brown, the Record Garage, The Cars, The Ding Ho, the 80s Boston Comedy Scene, Barry Crimmins, the transition from music to comedy, playing with Brian Wilson, Howard Stern, playing sleazy lounges, Happy Days causing destruction, spandex, Touched by an Old Person, breaking the 10 Commandments, religion, The Three Stooges, Jimmy Stewart's racism, Larry Fine, Philly accents, minimizing your talents, shampoo, the dark days of Jell-o, feminism, Jay Leno, radio, almost dying, being a man, what women want, Big Dumb Radio Announcers, replacing your heroes, discovering the credits, depression, James Earl Jones' cookies, thinking you're better than everyone, Daws Butler's real voice, Billy's Real Voice, Fry, self compressing, being technical, Stephen Hawking, tracheotomies, pawning your body parts, Future voices, humor as healer, Ren & Stimpy, hearing your voice coming from toys, being recognized by voice, Cosby, Doug, Futurama, Zoidberg, and flying brains out.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 55: Ophira Eisenberg Jan 28, 2015

July 7-13, 1990

This week Ken welcomes author, comedian and NPR Radio host extraordinaire Ophira Eisenberg (The Moth, Ask Me Another).

Ken and Ophira discuss warm television memories, Canada, Australia, small pop cultural differences, a youth without MTV, YTV, Buckshot, King of Kensington, Mr. Dress Up, Neighbours, Dogs in Space, INXS, Calgary, Facts of Life's Pippa, The Best and the Worst of 1989/1990, Twin Peaks, Laura Palmer's Diary, future generations lack of shared experience outside of tragedies, Moonlighting, Bones, why every single show doesn't need an arc, police procedures as pure science fiction, The US Health Care System, suspicion, accents being made up for comedic effect, Nickelodeon, foreigners confusion of US geography, Soap Opera Guides as a prehistoric internet, the basement as home of "the good TV", sibling TV rivalries, Star Trek, the love of action, Honey West, Curse of the Gold Monkey, keeping Bruce Campbell's secrets, 80s fears, Saturday Night Potentials, The Buddy Holly Story, Archeology, The Sudan, classic Discovery Channel, Jason Bourne: The TV Series, how we've solved the environmental issues of the 80s (by not solving them), Women in Politics, the pain of Monday Nights, school picture day horrors, MacGuyver, Murphy Brown and her effect on US Politics, WKRP in Cincinatti, Loni Anderson, Roseanne, Reading on TV, Poor Little Rich Girls, Nova, Wonderlands turning into wastelands, wanting to be the mice in Cinderella, couch cushion forts, secret passageways, found art, Prime Time Primates, prime time Cartoons, Charlie Brown, Night Court, the education of dating older guys, Cosby Show, JAWS, Canadian Tire, Cheers, Bebe Neuwirth, 80s Glam, mindless Family Feuds, Newhart, how animals are people too, Tales from the Crypt, censorship rules, sneaking sleepover softcore pornography, and letting the pilot fire burn itself off.

TV Guidance Counselor LIVE! w/ Paris Themmen (Mike TeeVee) Jan 23, 2015

In this LIVE! Special edition of the show recorded at NorthEast ComicCon in Wilmington, MA on December 7, 2014 Ken welcomes Willy Wonka's Mike Teevee, Paris Themmen.

Ken and Paris discuss what the hell a TV Guidance Counselor even is, the weight of secret society chairs, growing up in Manhattan, The Wire and gritty realism, how the golden age of television might bum you out, Deadwood, dissolving the lines between actors on a set, being on Broadway at age 8, being wise beyond your ears, It's a Wonderful Life, TV in 1967, The Monkees, Star Trek, Marine Boy, Jeopardy, having a disdain for canned laughter filled sitcoms, bubblegum pop, being a classicist, traveling to 61 countries, modern TV as karaoke, RiF, Pinocchio coming out of a Whale's Mouth, Will Wonka, the agelessness of being a child actor, kids vs. parental reaction to actors getting older, Francis Ford Coppola's parties, Jack Albertson, dislike of Barney Miller, being in the Rothchilds with Hal Linden, being on the Ed Sullivan show, being picky, judging, being a newlywed, waiting to marathon a show for your significant other, Survivor, Little Britain, living as the locals do, Anthony Bourdain's Travel shows, being a teen idol, the audition process, adapting your communication style, overlapping dialog, being very East Coast, the chameleon, capturing the real New York on film, Seinfeld, the grit of Barney Miller, niche marketing, obvious comedy, "second acting", TV rotting your brain, wanting to know your motivation as an 11 year old, feelin' 1970s, and planning ahead.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 54: Anthony Scibelli Jan 21, 2015

May 10-16, 1986

This week Ken welcomes writer and comedian Anthony Scibelli.

Ken and Anthony discuss Ken's home, the secrets of Anthony's birth, John Lennon's Death, Cheers by Jack Davis, watching TV every night of the week, PBS, Will Eisner's Spirit, the 90s being the lowest point in comic book history, Ken's fights with children at a screening of the first Spider-Man, all night 3-D movie marathons, Gimme a Break, Charles Grodin, Miss Hollywood vs. Jules Feiffer, anthology shows, Amazing Stories, meeting Sid Caesar, Mr. Ed is eternal, how Wikipedia ruined Ken's social life, why Ken never does pop culture jokes in his stand up comedy, striking out in T-Ball leading to homophobic slur induced assault, Nick at Nite, Car 54 Where Are You?, Drinking with Donna Reed, rejecting the previous generations popular culture, Fighting Back with David Horowitz, Carl Reiner, NBC paying tribute to NBC, hating Milton Berle, female puppeteers, The Eflman clan, CBS Monday Night lineup gold, Nova, Tia Carrerre's relative age, Who's the Boss, Ken's weird Donna Dixon situation, Boi-oi-oing, Pizza is key to a 'Burbs/Neighbors Double Feature, Joe Piscapoe's little loved SNL characters, Ken's first movie review, never having seen Jaws, Growing Pains and the undead, Super Star Show and Bob Dylan, 3-D Pornography, old Jewish Comedians, cocaine, The Wall of Celebrity Biographies, Highway to Heaven, Anthony's laughter induced asthma, Blacke's Magic, Scott Valentine, Godzilla 1985, disfigured monsters, The Last Precinct, and being kind to the elderly.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 53: Tess Lynch Jan 14, 2015

June 20-26, 1992

This week Ken welcomes writer/podcaster/blogger and occasional actress Tess Lynch.

Ken and Tess discuss the beauty of borrowed temporary housing on the dark side of the Hollywood sign, clam dunks from Boston, a 9-year-olds hate fueled rage towards their parents' bedtime rules, the Glory of 90210, The Flash, TV's Man of the Year Ross Perot, "Popcorn Chicken", making up parenting as you go along, Sinbad's reading classes, Rancid ruining your children's programming, Soaps, Passions, cloning TGIF, Who's the Boss, who cares?, horny old ladies, being serious when it comes to law enforcement, the anxiety of flipping, picture-in-picture, taking advantage of teenagers inherent love of eavesdropping to teach foreign languages, House of Style, Todd Oldham date night, On the Air, hateful In Living Color, Hi Honey! I'm Home, the seasonal inappropriateness of Edward Scissorhands, John Waters, Hairspray covered Pink Flamingos, John Stamos' Dreams, the inherent hilarity of mediocre actors re-enacting 9-1-1 calls, coming to Full House by following the leads pre-Full House careers, being fine with JTT but hating Home Improvement, Green Acres, maturing into Nick at Nite, The Adventures of Pete and Pete, New Englander's affinity for Stephen King, Wonder Years, not buying Doogie Howser, shows where everyone is a bad person, the terror of people just walking into your house, God Blessing your Neighbor's Underwear, Howie Mandel's long career, That's My Dog, Demi Moore's music career, Cheers, Michael Jordan and Michael Jackson's "The Michaels" years, America's Most Wanted, the end of Dinosaurs, Ken's hatred of post-Henson Muppets, seeing people who look like Gelflings, and loving Swamp Thing.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 52: Jim Beaver Jan 07, 2015

In this episode Ken talks to actor, film historian, author, play write Jim Beaver.

Jim is probably best known from his roles on Supernatural, Deadwood and Justified but has appeared in many many roles over the years.

Jim and Ken discuss living for the TV Guide's release every week, growing up in Texas, Gorgon vs. Icky Twerp, discovering classic cinema via television, The Lone Ranger, Superman, physically assaulting people on behalf of loving that Bob, being outvoted by your sisters, second hand movies, Get Smart, George Reeves, a love of old movies leading to making new movies, actors with lives, taking a lifetime to write about someone else's lifetime, type casting, technically advising Hollywoodland, editing a life, Superman, Television as fountain of eternal youth, calling actor's by their character name, fan conventions, being removed from Hollywood, who exactly Indiana Jones is, Roy Rogers, making the transition from fan to object of fandom, demonic colds, theater, Tim Lucas' Mario Bava Book, New York City in 1979, revival houses, when 6 month research trips last over 30 years, writing a play and how that leads to Alfred Hitchcock Presents, the anthology series revival, Vietnam, writing characters that are not your own, cramming a play's worth of story into a TV schedule, the death of the freelance market, stumbling into a career, being able to know how they made something while still enjoying the story, when your passion becomes your job, reading actor's biographies to learn lessons on what not to do, immediate feedback vs. the long game, Thunder Alley, working with Ed Asner and Haley Joel Osment, being damned by success, Broadway, falling into stand up, party records, the stand up comedy boom, the unpleasant nature of stand up comedians, second hand Carson, loving having written but not liking writing, Character actors, Deadwood, Supernatural, making it up as you go along, the art of show running, flipping the script, the lack of appeal of the new, your parents understanding your art, being in the right place at the right time, the value of even stupid stuff, having something to look forward to, Combat, poor viewing choices before joining the Marines and finding the daisies where you find them.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 51: Christian Finnegan Dec 31, 2014

September 17-23, 1983

This week Ken welcomes actor/comedian Christian Finnegan.

Ken and Christian discuss 80s Boston comedians, Steve Sweeney being more famous than Louie CK, The Revolutionary War area of Massachusetts, laser light shows, Ken's TV Week/Toaster Oven theory is tested yet again, dead siblings, Battlestar Galactica vs. Buck Rogers, the love of the glowing box, local Boston news casters, Mission of Burma, divorced Dad horny, the offensive nature of the spelling of Diff'rent Strokes, Orson Welles' study of upside down African trees, Love Boot, Fall Preview specials, the big reveal of the new shows, actors finding excuses to sing, Silver Spoons, Jason Bateman, Corky Pigeon, being directed by Alfonso Ribeiro, Are We There Yet?, doing the Carlton when nobody wants to see it, Cindy Williams being your mother, pretending to have sex with Jackee', incredible racists, kissing Paulina Porizkova, being threatened by Rick Ocasek, how acting is the opposite of stand up comedy, The Road Warrior, the more depressing Day After, learning about Leatherman culture, plausible gay deniability, shoved in lyrics in cinematic title songs, the golden age of Bloopers, being a good parent on paper, 80s inappropriate, Kenny Rogers, cruel childhood insults, Lionel Richie's Vanity, Poltergeist, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, TV as dangerous home invader, Kevin Dillon's finest work, The Best of Everything, Hot Air Balloons over the Special Olympics. That's Incredible, Leonard Nimoy's one ear, Dirk Benedict, made for TV movies, the original three Network's deep pockets, the rise of FOX, how one shoe makes it murder, Real People, Facts of Life season premiers, Gimme a Break, Telma Hopkins, Automatically learning that a man was a woman, Mama's Family, SNL weekly sitcoms, struggling with TV Guide vocabulary, We Got it Made, literally talking people off a ledge, Cheers, being ashamed of Boston, the laziness of interchangeable writing, the two Bostons, The Duke Boys, being your own radio DJ, Ziggy Marley, Blazing Saddles, and asking TV Guide.

TV Guidance Counselor New Year's Eve Special Dec 27, 2014

In this first ever New Year's Eve special Ken goes solo recapping his year and proving some suggestions for things you may want to watch this New Year's Eve.

He starts with a heartfelt, and a bit silly frankly, list of thank yous to listeners and friends, guests and supporters of the show. He also gets into the secret origins and background of the show, discusses a bit of his stand up comedy career, the horrible New Years past at his grandparent's house, New Year's fights, punk rock New Year's, Millenium New Year, Man or Astroman?, Adult Swim Marathons, the Reid family New Year's tradition of Rock N Roll Nightmare, The Adventures of Pete and Pete, Barney Miller, Designing Women, Kate & Allie, Kids Inc, My So-Called Life, Night Court and the Wonder Years.

Happy New Year and here's to an even bigger and better 2015.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 50: Marly Halpern-Graser Dec 25, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 49: Niki Luparelli Dec 24, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Christmas Special Dec 19, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 48: Sondra Currie Dec 17, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor LIVE! at NECC: Evan Michelson Dec 12, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 47: Erik Charles Nielsen Dec 10, 2014

December 25-31, 1993

Ken welcome actor/comedian Erik Charles Neilson (Community, Conan).

Ken and Erik discuss a very Johnny Carson Christmas, Florida, Star Trek Deep Space Nine, dislike of War, Real World, Frank Langella, Space Center field trips, death on Disney property, The State, getting into comedy after you already started doing it, NBA Basketball, Shaq:Rapper, Christmas Specials, going all the way with conductors, getting mugged for free pizza, living in a dystopian America's Funniest Videos future, The State, Comic Book Confidential, No-Friend-O, Nick Arcade, Stivy Poninski, Universal Studios Florida, Seaquest DSV, working on fake dolphins, Miami as a world unto itself, switching bodies, Comedy Central's history of airing 1940s movies, having no photos of one's self in their home, the difficulty of shooting multiple angles, Ken being weirded out by seeing Erik on TV, the mystery of Dan Boulger, issues with political comedy, Newhart against Newhart, Taxi, how everybody loves Cheers, Monty Python, having your hand blown off, passing over Roseanne, Erik's first swear, disapproving of the Simpsons, Fish Police, when Earth Girls were Hard, Erik's hatred of Pee Wee Herman, Unsolved Mysteries, not waiting too long after the six seasons to make the movie, the Cyberpunk movement, Mad About You vs. The Simpsons, voice acting, D&D, play with Dan Harmon's treasures, worried about R rated movies upsetting you, Tales from the Crypt, Downtown LA historic buildings, avoiding music with lyrics, Alien Nation, anxiety, Ghostbusters, avoiding the King Orange Jamboree and televised New Year's Eve Plans.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 46: Bess Motta Dec 03, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Thanksgiving Special Nov 26, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 45: Tim Vargulish Nov 26, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 44: Wendel Meldrum Nov 19, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor LIVE! w/ Emmanuel Lewis Nov 13, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 43: Clarke Wolfe Nov 12, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 42: David Vanian & Captain Sensible of The Damned Nov 07, 2014

In this episode recorded after their recent Boston show Ken speaks first with Captain Sensible, long time guitarist from the Damned and then the Damned's frontman David Vanian.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 41: Andre' Gower Nov 05, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Halloween Special Oct 31, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 40: Abbey Londer Oct 29, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 39: Tim McIntire Oct 22, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Saturday Special Edition 3: Lamont Price Oct 18, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 38: Vanessa Angel Oct 15, 2014

This week Ken welcomes Vanessa Angel(Weird Science, Kingpin, Baywatch) to the show.

TV Guidance Counselor LIVE! w/ Amy Sedaris Oct 10, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 37: Dan Boulger Oct 08, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 36: Michelle Biloon Oct 01, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 35: Ahmed Bharoocha Sep 24, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 34: Julia Duffy Sep 19, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 33: Andy Kindler Sep 17, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 32: Tim Brennan (Dropkick Murphys) Sep 10, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 31: Jonathan Katz Sep 03, 2014

This week Ken welcomes comedian, actor, writer Jonathan Katz. They break format a bit discussing general 50s/60s shows and Jonathan's amazing career in television.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 30: Matt Knudsen Aug 27, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 29: Jared Logan & Kara Klenk Aug 20, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 28: Rick Sloane Aug 13, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 27: Janet Varney Aug 06, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 26: Kumail Nanjiani Jul 30, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 25: Melanie Chartoff Jul 23, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 24: Brendan Boogie Jul 16, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Summer Special Edition: Lamont Price Jul 11, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 23: Laraine Newman Jul 09, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 22: James Adomian Jul 02, 2014

August 5-11, 1989.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 21: Laura Kightlinger Jun 25, 2014

In another episode from Ken's Los Angeles sessions he welcomes comedian/writer/actress Laura Kightlinger.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 20: Shane Mauss Jun 18, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 19: Michael Ian Black Jun 11, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 18: JoAnn Willette Jun 04, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 17: Jenny Zigrino May 28, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 16: Adam Resnick May 21, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 15: Ryan Walsh May 14, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 14: Nat Towsen May 07, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 13: Danny Tamberelli May 02, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 12: Angie C Apr 30, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 11: Lillian Devane Apr 23, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Saturday Morning Special Edition 2: Raj Sivaraman Apr 19, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 10: Alex Edelman Apr 16, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 9: Hari Kondabolu Apr 09, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 8: Bethany Van Delft Apr 02, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 7: Dan Crohn Mar 26, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 6: Giulia Rozzi Mar 19, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Special Edition: Sean Sullivan Saturday Morning Mar 15, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 5: Josh Gondelman Mar 12, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 4: Kelly MacFarland Mar 05, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 3: Tom Dustin Feb 26, 2014

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 2: Al Park Feb 19, 2014

.

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 1: Myq Kaplan Feb 14, 2014

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