Friday Questions

Let’s close out July with some Friday Questions, shall we? GS in SF starts with a question on the spec DICK VAN DYKE SHOW I recently wrote and posted. How different do you think the process would have been had you worked with your writing partner instead...

It's Official! I'm going to hold another SITCOM ROOM

For the first time since 2013, I'm conducting my 2-day Sitcom Room. It'll be Saturday/Sunday, October 17-18...in Los Angeles, as always.The Sitcom Room is where I lock 20 brave souls into “writers’ rooms” for an entire weekend so they can experience...

Bonus Questions

The Friday Questions are stacking up so I thought I would devote an extra day to them.  Hope that's okay.Rashad Khan leads off:In a previous blog post, you mentioned the pilot episode of "The Phil Silvers Show" to your comedy writing class at USC....

Naming characters after people you know

In Anne Flett-Giordano’s hilarious new book, MARRY, KISS, KILL there’s a character named Ken Levine. He’s a total asshole. Anne is also a brilliant TV comedy writer, having won a gazillion Emmys for shows like FRASIER. So we know each other. Unlike...

Final thoughts on THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW

Here’s the second part of my conversation with Bill Persky about my spec DICK VAN DYKE SHOW.   Yesterday was the first.  Tomorrow I jump onto other things. First: some of my observations. Whenever I write a TV script I always visualize...

Bill Persky's notes on my DICK VAN DYKE SHOW script

I am truly honored that Bill Persky (far left) agreed to read and comment on my spec DICK VAN DYKE SHOW. Along with his partner, Sam Denoff, Bill wrote many of the classic episodes of the series including COAST TO COAST BIG MOUTH and THAT’S MY BOY??...

"Network" notes on my DICK VAN DYKE SHOW script

I may get some angry comments but so be it.  I list these not to embarrass anybody but to illustrate what it’s like to get network and studio notes. I do appreciate all of your comments, I really do. And these serve to give you some idea of what...

THE SITCOM ROOM is back!

 Finally!For the first time in 2 years, I’m strongly considering holding another Sitcom Room. That’s where I lock 20 brave souls into “writers’ rooms” for an entire weekend so they can experience for themselves what it’s really like to write for...

If anyone hates me, I'll be at Jiffy Lube

I was walking through a mall recently and there was a radio station doing a remote. The disc jockey was in the corner of this store, sitting in front of a microphone, the station’s call letters on a big sign above his head. All of the music,...

Friday Questions

Hope you enjoyed my DICK VAN DYKE SHOW. Discussion will continue on Monday. But nothing pre-empts Friday Questions (unless I decide something does). Here are today’s.Klee gets us started. Do you know if they ever used Nicholas Colasanto's TV directorial...

THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW -- Part 4

Here's the last part of the spec script I recently wrote for THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW.  On Monday I'll post the reaction from the real DICK VAN DYKE SHOW writers.  The first three parts appear earlier in the week.  An explanation of all...

THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW -- Part 3

Carl Reiner coined the expression "Hey Mae!" for act breaks.  A husband is in the living room watching and the act break is so exciting he yells out, "Hey, Mae, you gotta get in here and see this!"  Hopefully my spec DICK VAN DYKE SHOW act...

THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW -- Part 2

Part 1 was yesterday.   For those just jumping on for the first time, I wrote a spec DICK VAN DYKE SHOW for the blog and got feedback from the actual DICK VAN DYKE SHOW writing staff.  I'll share that next week.  INT. LIVING ROOM...

THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW -- Part 1

In case you didn't read yesterday's post explaining this, here's part one of the DICK VAN DYKE SHOW episode I wrote.  I assume you all know the characters.  If not, it's well worth your time checking out a few episodes of the "real" DICK VAN...

My fun new blog experiment

As you know, I’m always looking for fun new things to do in the blog. It’s getting harder now that I’ve been doing this blog for almost ten years. But I think I’ve come up with something pretty cool – starting tomorrow.I’ve written a spec DICK VAN...

Where to go this summer vacation

We are well into the summer.  Still don’t know where to go yet on your vacation? Allow me to help while shamelessly pushing my book, WHERE THE HELL AM I? TRIPS I HAVE SURVIVED (only $3.99 in all ebook formats and $6.99 paperback.  Order...