Get well George Wendt

George Wendt is having a medical procedure done in Chicago and is expected to make a full recovery.  If you would like to send George a ...

The night the Hell's Angels went trick or treating

Here's a Halloween story from my sordid disc jockey past.  1971 and I was doing weeekends at KERN in Bakersfield. I was five at the tim...

Any post in the storm

My heart goes out to everyone on the east coast getting battered by this vicious storm. I’ve never been in a hurricane per se, but I was i...

Thanks to everyone...

photo by Sharon Weisz for coming out to my book signing Monday night at the Grove for THE ME GENERATION.. BY ME (GROWING UP IN THE '60s)...

My book signing is tonight!!!

Tonight’s the night of my book signing at the Barnes & Noble at the Grove in West Los Angeles. It’ll be from 7-9, I’ll be reading a sec...

My idea for a really cool slasher movie

Yes, I posted this a couple of years ago but no one optioned my brilliant idea so I'm trying again. I must admit I never got into those...

R.I.P. Alan Kirschenbaum

So sorry to hear of the death of comedy writer Alan Kirschenbaum.  He was only 51.  Alan co-created YES, DEAR and was involved in any number...

My favorite comedy screenplays

Someone asked me to list my top ten favorite comedy screenplays. Fine, as long as I don’t have to do it in order and don’t have to limit my...

Friday Questions

Friday Question Day and a happy birthday to my writing partner, Professor David Isaacs: To start it off, we have Janice: When watching Wings...

My review of SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS

As you prepare for your moviegoing experience this weekend, you might consider this flick.  Not many people can make an original movie while...

Zany adventures in directing

My favorite part of directing multi-camera shows (shot before a live studio audience, or at least semi-conscious) is the early rehearsal pro...

I'm tired of Ricky Gervais

This may be an unpopular blog post. I’m sure I’ll be accused of being old and cranky and to those I say, “I am not. And get off my lawn!” ...

Forget Obama & Romney -- vote for me

Hey, Mariner fans.  I could use your vote.  I promise to call play-by-play and lower taxes.  Just go here.  Thanks. 

One of those Hollywood Agent stories

If you’ve been in the business more than eleven minutes you have at least three of them. I will not name names but I swear this story is a...

Some announcements...

Pretend this is me ...reminders, recommendations, and fun links.   A reminder that I'll be signing my book, THE ME GENERATION... BY ME (...

What's a "Bono?"

In between the time Sonny Bono wore fur vests and became a US Congressman he owned an Italian restaurant on Melrose Ave. in LA named “Bono’...

Brandon Tartikoff

I was honored to attend the reception at USC for Brandon Tartikoff last Thursday night. His wife, Lilly donated all of his papers and memor...

The biggest laugh we ever got

Some Friday Questions for your weekend pleasure: Splenda has a low calorie question: In sports, veteran players who might be a risk are some...

First new sitcom to get blown out this year is...

ANIMAL PRACTICE.  Who had ANIMAL PRACTICE in the pool?  It apparently received a whopping 1.0 share among viewers under 50 last night and th...

My review of ARGO

Boy, Persians really took it in the shorts this weekend in the US boxoffice. The top two films were TAKEN 2 and ARGO – the adversaries in b...

Being hit on by a swinger couple

Got your attention, didn't I?   That title will make sense.  Keep reading. I don’t go to comedy clubs anymore. I’ve had my fill of bad...

How to win tonight's presidential debate

CNN’s live coverage of the last presidential debate featured a graph at the bottom of the screen showing the continuous reaction of focus gr...

Another rant on the current state of TV

One of the most memorable characters from CHEERS was Al Rosen, or – as he was referred to on the cast list – “the man who said Sinatra.”   H...

The REAL Tom Tuttle from Tacoma

I received an email from Tom Tuttle from Tacoma. Fans of VOLUNTTERS recognize that as the name of the character John Candy played in the ...

What to see and do in LA

It’s a slow day in LA.  Lindsay Lohan had a screaming fit with her mother in a limo and was yelling that Mom was on cocaine.  Ho hum. I k...

What show to spec?

Time for Friday Questions. Will try to add an extra day or two of these in the next few weeks to get caught up a little. But please, conti...

Looper vs. the Jetsons

I saw LOOPER recently (rollicking good fun until you go home and realize none of it makes sense… but Bruce Willis is great, Joseph Gordon-Le...

I am having a book signing in LA

It's also an excuse for that long overdue meet-and-greet with LA fans of the blog, but I will be having a book signing at the Barnes ...

Is it worth doing a weekly sitcom live?

The writing team of Josh Goldsmith & Cathy Yuspa (two talented and lovely people) just sold a pilot to Fox that would be a domestic come...

My version of SUPERBOY

Here’s another chapter in my saga of the Superman legend if a Jewish couple had found him in the cornfield. The first part is here. A bre...

More photos from the CHEERS reunion party

Most of these are compliments of AP.  Warning:  many of these photos are of writers.  Names you've seen on the screen for years.  But ma...

The CHEERS 30th Reunion Party

You know it’s a great party when it lasts for six hours. The CHEERS 30th reunion bash Saturday night in Beverly Hills was the perfect blend...

Why Week Two is often Weak Two

For most new shows this is the toughest week of the year. Week two. The phony network hype begins, already heralding the next big hit of t...

The CHEERS names not everyone knows

CHEERS is 30 years old.  Tonight there is a reunion party for those of us honored enough to be part of the show.  Will let you know how it g...

the SITCOM ROOM is SOLD OUT

Sorry I couldn't take more, but I had to limit the number of participants to make sure everyone gets a real "writers room" exp...

Only one opening remains

... for this year's SITCOM ROOM seminar - November 10 & 11 in Los Angeles.  I only hold these seminars once a year and we're sol...

Hire funny people... and women ARE funny people

Got a Friday Question? Rebecca does: I noticed this year that nearly every pilot features a really hot cast. But a lot of the enduring clas...

A look into the creative process

Yesterday’s piece was purely for laughs. But today I want to use it for instructional purposes. The scene could easily be the opening of a...

If I wrote the Superman legend

EXT. CORNFIELD – SMALLVILLE, KANSAS -- DAY (1990) A rocket hurtles out of the sky and lands with a crash, a plume of smoke trailing behind...

My thoughts on the GQ CHEERS article

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of CHEERS, GQ magazine did a lovely piece on the show. It appears in the print edition, but a longer more...

The Great Debate -- no, not THAT one

I'm talking about the more important “Should you write a premise pilot?” dilemma?  Last week I discussed the pros and cons of premise ...