TV Guidance Counselor

May 3-9, 1997 This week Ken welcomes comedian and man behind the comedy special "Harangue" (watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9qlvlgkiJs), Kevin Casey White. Ken and Kevin discuss being live in Mexico City, international waters, loving John Carpenter, Big Trouble in Little China, smokers coughs, homaging the Thing title car, growing up in St. Louis, Xena, loving Lucy Lawless, The Evil Dead, growing up without cable, The Nanny, twist endings, why TV Guide writers should avoid writing comedy, Rob Schneider, Men Behaving Badly, terrible US remakes of UK shows, Jack Parr, Conan O'Brien, Johnny Carson being a dick, YouTube Rabbit Holes, Ernie Kovacs, The Simpsons, the wonder of Saturday Morning cartoons, the rarity of demographic TV Blocks, comic books, X-Men '97, Batman, wanting video games that look like actual cartoons, The Mask, how cartoons can feel timeless, Waynehead, Freakazoid, Ricardo Montalban, what your favorite Ninja Turtle says about you, Tales from the Crypt, the Cryptkeeper hosting a kid's game show, revealing the existence of the "dirty" edits of TFTC, the history of HBO's original programming, Rosie O'Donnell's stand up, people coming out of the closet, SNICK, staying at your grandma's because she has cable, the turning point in Simpsons' history that IS "Homer's Enemy" the Frank Grimes episode, downbeat endings, smart writing, COPS, America's Most Wanted, the novelty of consumers having VHS Cameras, The Jeff Foxworthy Show, iconic child actors and confusing the world of Cuba Gooding Jr. 

March, 11 - 1995 This week Ken welcomes comedian, and man behind the new special "Jew Verses the Volcano", Adam Newman. Ken and Adam discuss their mutual obsession with guitars, Sam Kinison, getting into magic, being awkward, learning card tricks out of spite, Dealt, Penn & Teller Fool Us, The X-Files, Dorfin', If I Did It, the OJ Simpson Trial, final meals, commemorative plates, American Gladiators rip offs, final meals, Roller Blades, figure skating, Blue Chips, sports movies, Shaq, Nick Nolte, Slapshot, Valerie Harper's version of "The Office", The Higgins Boys and Gruber, Joan Rivers Live in London, Comics Unleashed, taping an episode that airs TEN YEARS later, Dolph Lundgren's Punisher, Masters of the Universe, The Cosmic Key, John Tesh live at Red Rocks, Tim Robinson, Tim Busfield, Dabney Coleman, how we watch TV in hotel rooms, Death on the Job, Newbury Comics, Fanuel Hall, Mottley's, Erin Judge's Dress Up Show,J Jeff Foxworthy, The Beavis and Butthead Do America Soundtrack, Cartoons and real people getting together, Fox New Spring Season, Medicine Ball, Donal Logue, comics in cover bands, Primus, Black Hole Sun, Guitar Center riffs, Richard Grieco spending the night with a centerfold, religious cults, Peter Jennings, Sov Citizens, "First Amendment Auditors", YouTube recommendations, Rescue 9-11, Boy Meets World, Jonathan Gries, non-Gillian Anderson episodes of The X-Files, wanting to sit in your hotel room and play guitar, Dwayne Barry, loving Bonnie Hunt, compilations of depressing things, loving to see bad guys get theirs and Ken HIGHLY recommending the Equalizer films. 

June 30 - July 1, 2001 This week Ken welcomes comedian behind the album "America's Uncle Dad", Sean Keane to the show. Ken and Sean discuss the Bay Area, Oakland, Jawbreaker, doing stand up at video stores, how stand up comedy is the hobo of the performing arts world, Nash Bridges, Midnight Caller, everybody's one acting credit, the world right before 9/11, launching a comedy show on 9/11, Everybody Loves Raymond, confusing Brad Garret and Ray Romano, Hulk Hogan's Rock N Wrestling, Jay Leno's never happening dramatic turn third act, sexy M&Ms, Big Brother, soft vinyl Vanna White Dolls for $150, loving Lucy too much, The Franklin Mint, backyard wrestling, MaxX, The Real World, America's Most Wanted, BET Music Awards, The Chris Isaak Show, playing emulators, the weird lost to time TV show era of the early 00s, The Family Channel, Night of the Twisters, E! True Hollywood Story, Baywatch, Hotel Iguana, Pentathlon, Dolph Lundgren, West Coast unauthorized car shows, fireworks, Fear Factor, eating worms, when THE BAG is an unwed father, how THE BAG is really JTT, Snoop Dog, Loose and Control, David from Real World Seattle, PAX TV, never having heard of the show "Doc" even though it went on forever, Billy Ray Cyrus, Resurrection Blvd, when Carlos lands a boot, You Don't Know Jack, E!'s Top Ten Wild Party Spots, the mind blowing world of 4th of July spectaculars, dramatic readings, stealing space valor, forgetting you just played somebody in the military in a movie and weren't actually in the military, breaking your own rules, Sub Fest 94, Avery Brooks, athletes who have bands, ESPN, 5 for 5 vs 30 for 30, The Sleepwalker Killing, The San Diego Chicken, Making the Band, Runaway Train, and tasteful coverage of being being given the death penalty. 

August 20 - 26, 1988 This week Ken welcomes comedian and she of the stand up album "Soft Bones", the great Ellie Hino. Ken and Elli discuss Minneapolis, not knowing Canadian geography, growing up in Madison WI, Prince, Chris Farley, MTV, Target stores, corporate lingo, 21 Jump St, Fox TV's early days, Richard Grieco, Peter DeLouise, getting stoned and buying DVDs at Walmart, Johnny Depp, John Waters, Holly Robinson, amazing outfits, MORE Cigarettes, The Pleasure Principal, Benson and Hedges, the casual discussion of r*pe, refreshing discussions of race, the 20th Anniversary of MLK Jr's assassination, awful bathroom clocks, "Subtle bone", correspondence courses, "Do you want to make more money? sure, we all do", gun repair, Facts of Life, David Spade's dramatic turn, hour long dramedies on at 8pm on a Saturday, Frank's Place, Babe: Pig in the City, what Morton Downey Jr wrot, Wally George's Hot Seat, Teen actors, Rags to Riches, Baby Jessica, the end of Family Ties, The Misfits of Science, theme songs, The A-Team, Punky Brewster, The Young and the Restless, Michael Damien as Danny Romaladi, when actors sing, The Coreys, Dream a Little Dream, Newhart, gross scams, pageant kids, Hogan Family, Howard the Duck, grandmas and duck nipples, weird takes on Alice in Wonderland, I Dream of Jeanie: 15 Years Later, Telly Savalis as the Cheshire Cat, Back to School, Boston's strange compliments, sorting your hair out, Tan N Secrets, creepy fashion tan contests in Marlboro MA, Wade Bogs, Blacke's Magic, ghosts, Jenna Von Oy, 20/20, and hours of anxious pillow talk. 

July 22-28, 1995 This week Ken welcomes comedian (his new special "Above Ground Comedian" is out now), Chris Martin to the show. Ken and Chris discuss being from the UK, Ken living in London, doing stand up, moving to LA, The New Adventures of Superman vs Lois and Clark, Cain-iacs, Dog Boys, softcore, Channel 5, Mario Lopez, snooker, Sunday UK TV, both you and your wife having their own remote control, Jack Lemon, walking on water, being good looking, Teri Hatcher, Brain Smasher: A Love Story, Lethal Weapon, Action police comedy, Baywatch, Beverly Hills Cop, the cost of living, bad residual checks, Misery, having half a lemon in warm water every morning, The George Carlin Show, Isaac Asimov, I Robot, Leonard Nimoy, The Outer Limits, how adult shows in the US are kids shows in the UK, Tim Allen, The Laugh Factory, Home Improvement, Fraiser, Niles, Party of Five, Dawson's Creek, Burke's Law, Carl Reiner, Spin City,  how massive Friends was, Fresh Prince, Matt Perry's death, Boy Meets World, California Dreams, Terminator, Demolition Man, and great character names. 

In this very special extra episode of the show Ken welcomes writer, director, film scholar and personal hero of Ken's, Alex Cox (Repo Man, Sid&Nancy) to the show.   Ken and Alex discuss growing up watching Westerns, moving to LA, his final film, Dead Souls by Golgos, punk, The Clash, Joe Strummer, Repo Man, the sequel to Repo Man, comic books, the unmade Dr. Strange movie starring Nick Cage, Italian cinema, Walker, Universal hatred and the TRUTH behind the Melon Farmer edition of Repo Man.   Be sure to support Alex's final film via Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/alexcoxfilms/my-last-movie

March 16-22, 1991 This week Ken welcomes the comedian behind the album "Rocky Mountain Bi", Andie Main. Ken and Andie discuss moving away from Denver, growing up in Portland, doing a "reverse Oregon Trail", thin air, the wonder of dogs, fancy dress, Barbara Walters overdressed with the Ninja Turtles, Salem Menthol Cigarettes, smoking, global warming, being sober, moving to NYC, The Simpsons, other networks trying to have their own Simpsons, Fish Police, Family Dog, ugly looking cartoons, Carlton Cigarettes, Paul Simon, Carrie Fisher, Benson & Hedges, She Loves Me She Loves me Not, Robert Mitchum, Pump Up the Volume, Christian Slater, The Decendents, Live Fast Diarrhea, spell check, AIDS, homophobia, conservation of oceans, unhealthy props, NKOTB vs TMNT, sugar cereals, making up birthday rules, Kid and Play, Coplay, Pigs of Pigsburg, Harding vs Kerrigan, always being let down by people you believe in, being a child of divorce, Dick Van Dyke, Willfred Brimley, Ricky Schroeder, Blood River written by John Carptenter, deadly partnerships, Highway to Heaven, Who's the Boss, stargazing, Greek Myths, Frog Girl, Gummie Bears, Ducktails, when you knew you were gay, Arsenio, Phil Donohue and Sexual Addiction, Unsolved Mysteries, Quantum Leap, Wings vs Wings, unusually small planes, ALF. Natalie Wood in The Cracker Factory, The Language of Goldfish, Easter Content, why nobody enjoys Easter Specials, Neil Armstrong's peak, taping frog organs to paper, and sending for loved ones from the Old Country. 

September 7-13, 1991 This week Ken welcomes Hilo creator Judd Winick BACK to the show. Ken and Judd discuss how long they speak to each other, Gary Busey living in your attic, Bad Ronald, the dark times of 1991, Stephen Dorf, Janine Turner, Walter Cronkite interviewing dinosaurs, Summer's end, season finales, Northern Exposure, SCTV, Twin Peaks, story engines, a Joel Fleischman type, The Real World, Rob Morrow, Hollis, great characters, Young Riders, Treat Williams, Dead Heat, nude Meatloaf, a stage adaptation of Phantom of the Paradise, Sing Street, Ken's gift of a John Travolta workout book from his elderly neighbors, shopping around for what to watch, ballroom dancing, Police Academy V, Cast a Deadly Spell, Dennis Hopper replacing Fred Ward, acknowledging how crazy things are, a pre-irony world, COPS, bookies, Big Top Pee Wee, Batman '89, Hardware, comic book movies, Yo! Yogi!, Pro Stars, the premiere of Herman's Head, moving The Simpsons, The Adventures of Mark and Brian, Stern, Marilyn from Northern Exposure, Rob Morrow and Johnny Depp's roomie days, Graham Green, never thinking about Paul Bunyan, Full House, San Francisco, Big Brother Jake with Jake Steinfeld, The Lightning Field, ripping off Quantum Peak for Marvel's EX-iles, Sliders, 90210, Amityville the Evil Escapes, and the era of not caring TV. 

Please enjoy this BONUS! episode of TV Guidance Counselor recorded live at North East Comic Con back in March 2024 with my guests Gina Shock of the Go-Gos and Greg Hawkes of the Cars. If you were a Patron you would have gotten this months ago, if you have a buck or two to spare, sign up! It's appreciated https://www.patreon.com/tvguidancecounselor

This week Ken welcomes former actor (Harry and the Hendersons, 21 Jump St) and current speaker, writer and publisher of Wonderwall Press, Maggie Langrick. Ken and Maggie discuss moving to LA when you're 19, and moving back recently, growing up in Vancouver, London, living in all of the world's most expensive cities, 21 Jump St, being in the pilot, seeing Johnny Depp replace the original actor, Jared Leto, Camp Wilder, Danger Bay, work ethic, playing the lead in My American Cousin, winning Genie awards, the TV series of Harry and the Hendersons, not meeting expectations, moving to London, the Vancouver to LA railroad, living in "LA Poor" conditions, being a thoughtful kid who reads a lot, the 90s in the Pacific Northwest, feminism, being disheartened with the misogyny of Hollywood, going in more of a "model direction", self esteem, the corrosive danger of acting for young people, the danger of a big pay check, high profile blue collar work, hanging out in the bad part of town, South London, how much of life is BS, faking it til you making it, having to go to work after only ever having been an actor, working as a magazine editor, being fascinated by words, the human condition, what makes an individual tick, self deprecation, reverse engineering humanity, displaying friendship, the human animal, being "outed" as a child actor in your non acting adult life, coming up with clever headlines, being able to hide behind your married name, imposter syndrome, how you stand out today, the glut of content, having no gatekeepers, bringing something unique and of value, being able to chose yourself, giving things it's best chance, quality, substack, working for your art, not being able to stream your work, being embarrassed by your past, identity shame, when timing is right, being mature enough to use your experiences, reading for utility, cult leaders, evil parents, Smothered, mother and daughter relationships, absorbing bad vibes, being the age when everything seems poignant, how difficult it is to do your best work and have it be successful, and the importance of having fun.