Friday Questions

It’s always extra poignant being in Hawaii during Pearl Harbor Day. As the “Day of Infamy” gets further into the mist, take a moment to remember and give thanks. 

Now then – Friday Questions.

Stephen asks:

Joss Whedon tells writers, "Cut what you love", the idea being that when a story runs into trouble, be willing to remove your favorite scene for the good of the piece as a whole. Do you

KILLER KARAOKE -- amusing or the Apocalypse?

As you know I like to surf my channel guide in search of the worst, cheesiest, most appalling reality shows on television. The more insipid, the more ill-conceived, the more Hugh Hefner the better. From PREGNANT IN HEELS hosted by Rosie, a woman who can’t talk to Paris Hilton & Nicole Richie giving enemas to participants of a fat camp – I scour the globe hunting down these atrocities.

Casting against type

But first a word from our sponsor -- me.  For the holidays I have just reduced the price of my book, THE ME GENERATION... BY ME.   Paperback was $14.99, now just $12.10.  Kindle version was $6.99, now only $4.99.   



It's the perfect gift, especially for someone who's a baby boomer (like your parents)or can read, and it's a great way to support this blog.  Also, put it on your wish list and

SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK: My review

David O. Russell is one of those filmmakers who is capable of making an extraordinary movie or a giant piece of shit. You wonder how the same guy could make FLIRTING WITH DISASTER, THE FIGHTER, and also I HEART HUCKABEES. He’s one of those artistes who thinks a lot of himself. I saw him at a Q & A at the DGA after HUCKABEES screened and let’s just say Orson Welles was more humble. (

Oscar campaigns

We have officially entered Oscar season. This is the time of year Harvey Weinstein, Steven Spielberg, and Will Smith live for. Studios will spend big bucks on campaigns – all designed to cop those coveted Oscar nominations. You'll see posters, full-page ads, DVD’s, private screenings, and appearances. Hell, if you’re an Academy member Steven Spielberg will come to your house personally and

How to recognize a bad sitcom

Charlie Hauck is a terrific comedy writer (FRASIER, MAUDE, etc.) and a hilarious author. His
comic novel about a writing team launching a sitcom starring the diva
from hell is both hilarious and all-too-real. The book is called
ARTISTIC DIFFERENCES and well worth reading.

On one page he explains how you can tell a bad sitcom. Simple rules, worth repeating here.

1. Any show in which any

The CHEERS script that could have ruined us

Happily, there's no writers strike this year (it being leap year).  One
byproduct of a writers strike is that studios may shoot existing
scripts but may not change them. So jokes can’t be fixed, lines can’t
be tailored to actors, locations can’t be changed (too bad if an
exterior gets rained out – you can’t move inside to a new location), and
special effects have to be executed just as