TV Guidance Counselor

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TV Guidance Counselor Episode 134.5: Adrienne Barbeau Feb 19, 2016

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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

Show notes

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.

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