TV Guidance Counselor

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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.

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