TV Guidance Counselor

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TV Guidance Counselor Episode 371: Bill McMorrow Sep 01, 2019

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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.

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