Fri, 15 September 2017
Comedy Ninja-- From Parks and Rec, The Simpsons, Everybody Loves Raymond and More: Producer/Writer: Mike Scully
Comedy Producer and Writer, Mike Scully, has created a ton of TV comedy. He's jumped in to run some of the biggest sitcoms in television history and taken them to new levels. How he got started and how he got over being intimidated in one of the most formidable of writers' rooms. Mike Scully produced the Simpsons, Everybody Loves Raymond, Parks and Rec and most recently, The Carmichael Show. Mike shares a bit of his world and his view on the future of television comedy (with the arrival of Netflix, Hulu and Amazon) and the growing streaming empire. Mark talks about where Mike and he first met and seems surprised that Mike even remembers it. J.Elvis gets some love from Mike after Scully realizes who he is.
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Sun, 3 September 2017
Deep Sea Treasure Hunting with the Legendary Cousteau Family ALSO Harvey Flooding and Rewriting Columbus History
The show kicks off with THE FAST 15 (in this case, about 22 mins) with Michael Shure talking politics from Hurricane Harvey relief efforts, the failure of the EPA to get help to flooded superfund sites to Mark and Michael talking about the effort to get rid of Columbus's name in Columbus Day and then a Russia investigation update. The two talk about a piece of video of a Houston man playing the piano during the flood and there's a link to it below. The Cousteau's talk about their latest adventure which is all about finding treasure on the ocean floor. Mark asks about what it was like growing up "a Cousteau" and we find out about some accomplishments that Jacques Cousteau was involved in beyond bringing the ocean to our living rooms. Here's a link to the Cousteau show, CARIBBEAN PIRATE TREASURE Here's the video of the flooded Houston home where the man is playing his piano in waste deep water http://metro.co.uk/video/man-plays-piano-beautifully-flooded-texas-home-1529075/?ito=vjs-link |
Tue, 29 August 2017
Trump's First Pardon.. Then, From Seinfeld to Johnny Carson, A Most Unusual Show Business Journey with Comedian Bruce Smirnoff
Michael Shure joins by phone with The Fast 15, covering the Trump pardon of Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the acquisition of Whole Foods by Amazon and the promise of lower prices and Mark and Michael touch on deadly hurricane, Harvey (First 18 mins) Then, comedian Bruce Smirnoff talks us through a few of the stops on his unusual journey through a show business career that has brought him in contact with some of the biggest names in classic modern comedy and television. |
Sat, 19 August 2017
The show begins with THE FAST 15 with regular contributor, Michael Shure. The big political news concerns Steve Bannon leaving the White House team. Then, Mark and Michael talk Charlottesville, Nazis, Alt-Right and Civil War statues. Finally it’s THE ECLIPSE (Mark is going to Kansas City to see it). Glen Campbell memories from, Carl Gottlieb, a comedy writer on Glen’s first prime time show…then Carl answers some questions the group has about writing THE JERK which Carl did in collaboration with Steve Martin. Then, our new pal, Adam, is on his way to getting a liver transplant. Mark, Laura House and J.Elvis Weinstein talk with Adam.
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Tue, 8 August 2017
If filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich were just a successful Hollywood writer/director and actor, it’d be impressive enough. His list of accomplishments, published work as an author, hit films, and awards makes him worthy of a ton of esteem already. But Peter Bogdanovich is clearly more than even that. His stories reflect a rich life surrounded by creativity and the art of theater and filmmaking. And beyond even that, he is a living link to a classic era in Hollywood. An era of great filmmakers like John Ford, Howard Hawkes, Orson Welles and Alfred Hitchcock. As a young aspiring filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich in his 20s arriving in Hollywood Peter was befriended by all these men and Bogdanovich even goes on to make a documentary about John Ford and write books about Orson Welles. He talks about his beginnings, working for Roger Corman and then vaulting to Hollywood household name status after he directs The Last Picture Show which he co-wrote with Larry McMurtry. The film gets 8 Academy Award nominations wins two Academy Awards, the BAFTA award for best writing and on that film Peter Bogdanovich falls in love with a 21 year old Cybil Shepherd who he goes on to marry. That creates personal complications for him at a time of great professional success and he discusses that. On the professional side, from Steve McQueen to Barbara Streisand, much of Hollywood is wanting to work with him after The Last Picture Show. He goes on to next direct What’s Up Doc? starring Barbara Streisand and Ryan O’Neal. And the comedy is a smash hit. He follows that with another smash hit called, Paper Moon, a depression era comedy starring Ryan and Tatum O’Neal. Peter explains how and why Tatum was cast. The 10 year old Tatum goes on to get the Oscar for her performance. His relationship with the stunning leading ladies of two of his films captured headlines and created personal issues…marriages and divorces. But the most tragic romantic involvement of Peter Bogdanovich’s life had to be with actress Dorothy Stratten. After her brutal murder, Peter entered a dark period and withdrew from making movies for a time. He discusses this along with his eventual marriage to Dorothy’s younger sister, Louise. Peter talks about writing a book on Dorothy and the entire episode. He also talks bout his recent work as a filmmaker and directing an award winning documentary on Tom Petty. We wish Peter could have stayed longer with us. It was a pleasure and an honor to have him in. Writer/comedian Laura House and documentary producer/director and comic J.Elvis Weinstein join Mark Thompson for this conversation with Peter Bogdanovich. Here are links to Peter’s books and movies. |
Fri, 28 July 2017
GOP strategist, John Thomas, joins and explains what’s going on with this most unorthodox and, many would say, faltering presidency and administration. John is a staunch conservative pundit and Mark is, well, not. Mark and John discuss the environment, regulation and the undoing of everything Obama related. Then, Derek Thompson (Editor at The Atlantic) stops by to talk about his new book, HITMAKERS The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction. What makes something, an app, a piece of music, anything, break through the cultural noise and become a hit? Derek breaks it down in a fascinating conversation. J.Elvis Weinstein (Josh) and Laura House join Mark for the conversation with Derek.
Direct download: John_Thomas_and_Derek_Thompson_.mp3
Category:Talk & Interviews -- posted at: 3:05pm EDT |
Fri, 21 July 2017
Michael Wood Jr. says reforming the police force is simple. Of course, his view of simple and yours might diverge. Michael is part of a movement that is responding to a broken law enforcement model that has led to innocent civilian deaths and cops who are often afraid to patrol. He walks us through his experience and perspective on how to bring on change. More information on Michael Wood Jr.’s movement to reform policing: http://civilianledpolicing.org/ J.Elvis Weinstein joins Mark Thompson for the conversation with Michael. We start with THE FAST 15 during which Michael Shure spends the 15 minutes reflecting on OJ Simpson's parole, Senator John McCain and getting a urine test for a new job. That leads to urine test stories and questions. Comedian/writer Laura House joins us for the very start of the show..We love Laura.
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Thu, 13 July 2017
Sometimes an expert is in your own backyard. Mark's father is not only a constitutional lawyer but he's written a book with an extensive legal analysis of past presidential impeachment proceedings and even the attempted impeachment proceedings to remove presidents. But worried it was one of those shouting match shows on cable television, Mark's father, Arnie, initially rejected our show's invitation to join the show hosted by his own son! After it was explained that we wanted a civilized conversation to address all the impeachment talk, Mark's dad agreed to give us a bit of history and handicap the reality of any actions rising to the level of "high crimes and misdemeanors". The show starts with a a brief introduction and then The Fast 15 with Michael Shure talking politics, Russia and then making way for impeachment talk. Comedians Laura House and J. Elvis Weinstein join Mark Thompson for the conversation with his father, Arnie. Then they share facts about their own parents including one being eerily near JFK's assassination and the other having tutored Bob Dylan. |
Thu, 6 July 2017
Show open with Mark Thompson and J. Elvis Weinstein Fast 15 with political analyst Michael Shure: Mark plays a bit of the MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN song for Michael. The song debuted on July 4th. Michael offers up a different campaign song from a different former presidential candidate, Rick Santorum. Then the two compare facts about the Declaration of Independence. Then, actor, STEPHEN TOBOLOWSKY is our guest in a conversation with Mark and J Elvis. Stephen is a well known character actor and author whose life has been marked by brushes with death and remarkable stories of intuition, drug purchases gone bad, being held hostage at gun point and even rediscovering Judaism. His stories come from both in show business and out. Mark is a fan of both of his two books, Dangerous Animals Club and My Adventures with God. Stephen is the reason the band RADIOHEAD has their name. It comes out of a collaboration with David Byrne that Stephen goes into on the show. Stephen’s world takes in quite a lot and he passes along a few amazing stories and even life lessons in this hour.
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Mon, 26 June 2017
As a creator, writer, director and producer of television and film, Dave Mirkin has made quite an impact. He’s been behind some of the biggest television comedies both from the standpoint of audience and in terms of the impact on the culture of television comedy and entertainment. From The Larry Sanders Show to The Simpsons and Newhart, Dave takes us through a bit of his world as it emerges through a robust career. He talks about his good friend Carrie Fisher and their adventure together on a cruise ship filled with the best and the brightest from the arts and technology. J.Elvis Weinstein joins Mark for this conversation along with comedy writer, Laura House. Mark starts the show with a 3 minute update from last week's story on the police in L.A. and a community outreach young cadet program that has ended up in an arrest of an officer and cadets.
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