Ian Talks Comedy

Tom Tenowich joined me to talk about Jack Benny; writing jokes in high school; meeting and writing for Jackie Vernon and Jackie Mason; Rodney Dangerfield; writing for The Dom DeLuise Show and the Jackie Gleason Show ; doing Tiny Tim on Gleason ; leaving to write for The Golddiggers ; joining The Dean Martin Show ; Vernon's Viewing Room; Bob Newhart; writing the roasts; Jack Benny's 1st Farewell Sp...

Lowell Ganz joined me to discuss how watching classic sitcoms was his "college"; his parents reaction to his constant TV watching; meeting Mark Rothman; Mark Rothman's dad giving a script they wrote to Jack Klugman and Tony Randall who gave it to Garry Marshall; getting hired, fired and rehired by The Odd Couple ; "The Ides of April" and "Fear of Flying"; moving to Happy Days ; writing the experim...

Arnold Margolin joined me to discuss his upbringing; favorite radio shows; first time watching TV; working as an office boy on Broadway; being an understudy in a William Saroyan play and going on; Garson Kanin offering him a role in the original Diary of Anne Frank; moving to LA; Garry Marshall offers him a job and a partner; My Mother the Car ; Hey Landlord ; Andy Griffith Show ; He & She ; w...

John Roarke and I discussed early impressionists; Vaughn Meader; audio taping impressions off TV; his stand up act; old vs. young Groucho; getting Fridays ; playing Woody Allen in his first sketch; how voices stay in your head and supplant your voice; "Diner of the Living Dead"; "Brotherhood of Men Who Hum Between Words"; his Reagan; Johnny Carson wants his wig when Fridays is cancelled; Three Sto...

Bruce talks about working with Bob Odenkirk; the agony of writing (and getting credit for) Back to the Beach; Frankie Avalon;  pitching for Seinfeld and Larry David; working at Seinfeld; coming up with the idea that George Costanza would work for the Yankees; and connecting the dots that lead to Curb Your Enthusiasm`

Shelly Zellman joined me to talk about being influenced by The Mary Tyler Moore Show ; writing for Donny & Marie ; James at 16 ; Baby I'm Back ; Barney Miller ; the episode "The Harris Incident"; Jack Soo; When the Whistle Blows ; Semi-Tough ; It's a Living ; Three's Company ; John Ritter; Don Knotts; Nichols, Ross, & West; Jeffrey Tambor; Charles in Charge; Eisenhower & Lutz; FM' Alla...

must edit

Fred Fox Jr. joined me to discuss his father, comedy writer Fred S. Fox; Bob Hope; working for Hertz; writing a spec All in the Family with Garry Shandling; working as a writer's apprentice on Laverne & Shirley ; leaving for Happy Days ; specific episodes: "A Shot in the Dark", "Hollywood Part III (The Jump the Shark episode)", "Potsie Gets Pinned", "Kid Stuff", "Mechanic", acting in "Stolen M...

Ed Scharlach joined me to talk about his sixty plus years in show business telling stories about his stepfather Harry Crane; being Jerry Lewis' assistant, writing a spec Honeymooners at 14; Please Don't Eat the Daisies ; That Girl ; Hey, Landlord ; Captain Nice ; Good Morning, World ; The Ghost & Mrs. Muir ; The Dean Martin Show ; Odd Couple ; Love, American Style ; Happy Days ; Chico & Th...

Barry Rubinowitz joined me to discuss his comedy influences; writing a sketch for a competition with Lowell Ganz and Mark Rothman; being brought out by them to Hollywood; his first Happy Days ; how the change from one to three camera affected the show; his episode "Tall Story"; writing for Laverne & Shirley ; his favorite episode "Bachelor Mothers"; change of the Laverne & Shirley characte...

Eva Almos joined me to discuss TV she watched growing up; starting voice over in Canadian radio; Rick Moranis; loving voice acting the best; re-writing a line on an audition; moving to L.A. for voice overs; studying writing with Ed Scharlach and becoming his partner; Night Heat; Tony Roasto; ALF ; creating a voice; Donita Donata; Swamp Thing ; Larry Sanders Show ; Duckman - Jason Alexander; Secret...

Fred Graver joined me to talk about tricking his parents into watching more TV; The Dick Van Dyke Show ; going to Notre Dame; getting a job as a typist at National Lampoon; getting hired on Late Night with David Letterman ; Merrill Markoe; William Wegman; 360 degree show; writing the Top 10 List; Chris Elliot; remotes; Arnie Barnes; Airplane Anniversary Show;  meeting Pete Townshend; best gue...

Mert Rich joined me to talk about his Emmys; growing up in Detroit; Soupy Sales; Bill Kennedy; Milton Berle; Jackie Gleason; Carl Reiner; being in one of the last Bob Newhart Shows and meeting Mary Tyler Moore at the wrap-up party; Wayne State; going into advertising; joining Second City; doing industrial films with Steven Kampmann; 1/2 Hour Comedy Hour ; side jobs; auditioned for Taxi ; doing a Q...

Canadian treasure Ron James talked to me about coming to L.A.; becoming a stand up comedian; Second City cast mates; My Talk Show ; Bob Tischler; Texas; George Carlin; Richard Pryor; John Cleese; having funny friends; getting advice from Lorne Michaels; Americas influence in his Canadian childhood; Nova Scotia; opening for the Martin Scorcese SCTV reunion; corporate gigs; tough crowds in Albe...

Ron Osborn joined me to discuss his childhood as a horror fan; Art Center College of Design; giving blood for a living; meeting Jeff Reno; getting the job on Mork & Mindy and throwing up every morning; pitching stories; writing 12 Angry Appliances; 17 writers in the writers room but Robin gets credit for ad-libbing series; Robin never forgetting a joke; a typical week at Mork; Tom Poston; Too...

Marc Sotkin and I discuss his books The Comatose Adventures of Lenny Rose and With Time Off for Bad Behavior; the final season of Laverne & Shirley ; Larry Breeding; coming to LA and joining the Off the Wall comedy troupe; getting hired for Sirota's Court and moving to Laverne & Shirley ; Phil Foster; Blansky's Beauties ;  Working Stiffs ; I'm A Big Girl Now ; working with Danny...

Ellen Foley discusses her early career; The National Lampoon Show; Jim Steinman; Paradise by the Dashboard Light; 3 Girls 3; Hair; Night Out; Kenny Everrett Video Show; Spirit of St. Louis; Tootsie; Night Court; Married to the Mob; teaching in the School of Rock; and her new album, Fighting Words. PS: Sorry for the interference on Ms. Foley's IPhone.

Patrick Harburgh talks about his upbringing in Buffalo' being a ski instructor in Aspen; learn how to write a script; getting hired on Greatest American Hero ; creating the character name BA Baracus for the A-Team ; creating Hardcastle and McCormick , Destination America ; 21 Jump Street (tv and movies); working with young Johnny Depp, George Clooney and Brad Pitt;  Aspen Extreme ; Sea Quest...

Dean Friedman joined me to discuss his musical influences; "Ariel";  "Company"; "Lucky Stars"; "S & M";  "McDonald's Girl"; "Hey Larry"; Complete Guide to Synthesizers, Sequencers, and Drum Machines; virtual reality; creating the game Eat-A-Bug and 12 others for Nick Arcade ; doing the scores for the UK TV show Boon, I Bought a Vampire Motorcycle, and Eerie Indiana ; "Son of Abraham"...

Dennis Danziger discusses when he went one on one against Kobe Bryant; studying play writing in the University of Texas at Austin; moving to NY; being a sports junkie; writing an episode of The White Shadow ; not remembering Open All Night ; how a one act play with Rhea Perlman led to a job on Taxi ; writing a pilot After George for Susan St. James; writing an episode of Empire ;  Kate &...

Chris Butler joined me to talk about Devil's Glitch, the world's longest song; seeing The Who on Shindig changing his life; how Broadway showtunes showed him how to write a song; being in an integrated band in the 1960's; going to Kent State; The Kent State Massacre; playing college clubs; 3 one hour sets anight; being friends with Devo, Joe Walsh, and Terry & Chrissy Hynde; writing "I Kn...

Jay Kogen joined me to discuss his father comedy writer Arnie Kogen; making his TV debut on the Dean Martin Show; apearances on The Bob Newhart Show & Newhart ; being a recurring character on The Bronx Zoo ; being a production assistant on It's Garry Shandling Show with writing partner Wallace Woolodarsky; pitching sketches for The Tracey Ullman Show ; he and Wally get hired for The Simps...

Shelly Clark White joined me to talk about her musical parents; being on Broadway at 7; touring with Cab Calloway; studying opera; being an Ikette; working for Little Richard; singing backup on "MacArthur Park" and with Dusty Springfield; the origins of Honey Cone; hedging her bet by joining the Jim Nabors Show ; "Want Ads" goes to #1; Ray Parker Jr.; performing on the first episode of Soul Train;...

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

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