TV Guidance Counselor

Today Ken welcomes actress and international martial arts superstar Cynthia Rothrock to the show. Ken and Cynthia discuss cartoons, The Wonderful World of Disney, American Bandstand, growing up in Pennsylvania, moving to LA, becoming a Hong Kong movie star, Michelle Yeoh, The West Coast Demonstration Team, Golden Harvest, "finding the next Bruce Lee", Corey Yuen, Enter the Dragon, watching Kung Fu movies in New York's Chinatown, a love of a uniform leading to a lifetime in Martial Arts, how Bruce Lee changed the world, picking up Cantonese, being on the poster, the Eastern difference between acting and voice, Shaw Brothers Theaters, Yuen Biao, Righting Wrongs, Jackie Chan's karaoke, Sammo Hung, real life super heroes, fighting through an injury, not having a stunt double, watching hotel TV in Hong Kong, weird international gameshows, pre-looping yourself, TVB, missing out on Armour of God, China O'Brien, late night TV, Showtime, the golden age of cable, being on the cover on Karate Illustrated, Fast Getaway, being a voice Eek! The Cat, Robot Chicken, when the Matrix changed the world, classic cowboy stuntmen fights, bad fight choreography, The Kingsmen, Ken geeking out on the martial arts styles in The One, Santa's Summer Home, shooting a movie in three days, rarely going on auditions, The Dukes of Hazard Reunion movie, Hercules, being defeated by a too tight wig, working with Stacey Keach in Irresistible Force, re-watching your own work, Hong Kong comedy, why there's no kissing in fighting films, the terror of the Hong Kong Midnight Movie screening, singing happy birthday, fighting your way into pop stardom, comedy, Salem, American Idol, The Bachelor, extreme sports, I Love Lucy, being terrified by the Twilight Zone episode "The Masks", The Wizard of Oz, the horrors of the Lollipop Guild, Charlie Brown Christmas, a love of Christmas TV, the nostalgic warmth of old commercials, being an embarrassing parent no matter how cool you are, Betty Boop, Adventure Time, and a love of dancing skeletons.

Today on the show Ken welcomes actress, writer, and new mom Christine Lakin to the show. Ken and Christine discuss fine Los Angeles weather, starting your career in Atlanta, Step by Step, childhood tours of the East Coast as a corporate gypsy, being a small kid, Carol Burnett, All In the Family, keeping only children busy, commercials, taking after your grandmother, savvy elderly, TNT Made-For-TV movies, acting opposite Superman, Christopher Reeve's kiss, keeping busy, not taking the normal "kid actor" path, Spring Break Success, Kirk Cameron, making Full House a little more full, John Stamos' creamy Greek skin, eating lunch, pregnant girl meals, the Irreconcilable Difference monologue, canine responsibilities, Miller Boyet, TGIF, Meego, You Wish, crying on cue, Step by Step, Patrick Duffy, She's the Sheriff, Suzanne Summer, Stacey Keenan, leading a double life, Sasha Mitchell, being grounded and down to earth, The Man from Atlantis, Ken's forgetful mistakes, Circus of the Stars, contractual obligations, Lisa, Don Knotts, interacting with television legends, photographic evidence, creepy L.A. Gear commercials, Friends, not finding Step by Step streaming or on DVD, aging well, warm TV families, the Thighmaster years, Dallas, Step by Step reunions, how acting changes, voicing audio books, the social nature of TGIF, Survivor, Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, marathoning, My So-Called Life, Homeland, Growing Pains, going to TV Tapings, being shot on film, shooting in HD before HD, TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes, The Muppets and being a "grid gal".

Today Ken welcomes musician, personality and urban explorer Danny O'Connor (aka Danny Boy of House of Pain and La Coka Nostra) to the show. Ken and Danny discuss the Delta Bravo Urban Exploration Team, getting to visit the sites from your favorite movies, deep cuts, Bronson Caves, moving from New York to the Valley, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Valley Girl, growing up with Todd Bridges and Adam Rich, love/hate relationships with M.A.S.H., the shared experience of popular culture, Happy Days, Alice, Eight is Enough, taking a pick up truck to Hollywood, Van Halen, KROQ, New Wave changing everything, Duran Duran, the importance of Mall culture, Cameron Crowe, Chopping Mall, Sherman Oaks Galleria, forgetting to look for Cameron Crowe in the Claremont High Year Book, worshiping Mike Damone, Debbie Harry's standee, "The Five Point Plan", meeting your heroes, House of Pain, being humble, "Fast Times" the TV series, Beastie Boys License to Ill, The Outsiders, re-writing history, The Warriors, growing up with young Hollywood, TV versions of movies, why it's sometimes better for your favorites to end, My So-Called Life, deleted scenes, Facebook: The Great Unifier, visiting the Monroeville Mall from Dawn of the Dead, religious experiences, "no pools, no schools", the mythical Fast Times Pool, the order of the mop: Janitors, Mr. Hand's trash bin, drones, TV Guide salvation, the Sears Catalog, classic baseball fields, Detroit, Superman, London locations, The Charlie and the Chocolate Factory location, seeing ghosts, Dorothy Stratton and the Star 80 Murder house, What's Happening, Chico and the Man, They Live, Downtown LA, Prince of Darkness, Slaine, seeing the celebrity train wreck, do the kids know or care?, Rumblefish, SE Hinton, Bad News Bears, Brandon Cruz, Courtship of Eddie's Father, The Young Ones, the Damned, Steve Jones' favorite punk band, thanking the people who influenced you, Taxi, how Angela's theme ties into hip hop, Mary Tyler Moore, Bernard Rose, Cabrini Green, and how it doesn't get tougher or more punk rock than Frankie Goes to Hollywood.

Today Ken welcomes actress, all around personality, and former lawyer Lara Jill Miller (Gimme a Break) to the show. Ken and Lara Jill discuss timing tolerance, loving Nell Carter, starting in dinner theater, working on Broadway with Dick Van Dyke, coming from a Pajama Factory dynasty, growing up in Pennsylvania, loving Nell Cater, doing voice over for commercials, success derived from not having a New York accent, Ain't Misbehavin', appearing in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, singing with the Care Bears, Circus of the Stars, Star Games, swimming with Ricky Schroeder, Little House on the Prairie, being loyal to your friends shows, NBC's classic Saturday Night line up, being one of two live shows during NBC's Saturday Night Live event, seeing the string pulling The Jetsons, how a background in theater makes live three camera sitcoms easy, KTTV, being recognized nationally, signing autographs, getting free Vans and Nikes, keeping scrap books, fan mail, going through your awkward years on camera, being set up by The National Enquirer, meeting George Burns, touring nationally, being enthralled by circus life, back door pilots, the secret origins of A Different World, perusing a career in law, evolving into a voice actor, avoiding the common pitfalls of a life as a child actor, riding the wave, having a grounded outlook, living below your means, signing network deals, Little Darlings, telling your Nana about your screen tests, lifetime supplies of free sneakers, teen magazines, memorabilia, performing in prison, living in the social media age, having a unique voice, Blue Bloods, Shades of Blue, and the guilty pleasures of reality TV.

August 26 - September 1, 1995 Today Ken welcomes writer/comedian Ryan Staples to the show. Ken and Ryan discuss Ken's museum like home, Burger King vs. McDonald's, snake based terror, bag o burgers, Kelly Kapowski, Summer's last hurrah, Ryan's 9th birthday, Are You Afraid of the Dark? marathon, squatting in your own home, Gymkata, why "Pulp Comics" was the greatest stand up show ever, Kids in the Hall, smuggling snacks into a movie theater, Danny Cooksey, hitting on the bass player from Ash, backstage at Roxette, The Simpsons, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, 1986's True Stories, WWF, Summer Slam, Hot Black Boxes, Brian Wilson, when tennis replaces wrestling, Fresh Prince, The biggest event in the history of the world: Alien Autopsy Fact or Fiction, Munsters/Addams Family, Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey as the Godfather II of awesome movies, Nowhere Man, The Prisoner, Full House, The Greek Extinguisher, Rescue 911, Nielson Families, Ghostbusters II, Bobby Brown, Vigo the Carpathean as Ken's Middle School librarian, the definition of "a clown", The John Larroquette Show, the Mystery of Comedy Product, Drive-In Review with Buzz Killman, John Tesh at Red Rocks, House Guest, Ellen's grudge, Dumb & Dumber, Outside Providence, Ken's memorization of Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise, Fresh Horses, Newsradio, Mad About You, Clip Shows, TGIF, Family Matters, Ken's hatred of Disney World, TV Nation, Baywatch, Boy Meets World, debating the best Monkee, X-Files, the death of John Candy, and the worst of the 1970s.

Today Ken welcomes musician Brenda Bennett to the show. Ken and Brenda discuss Ken's house as a museum, New England, growing up with Country Music in the family, waltzing into a contract with CBS records, seeing the Beatles for the first time on the Jack Parr show, how television can be more powerful than just hearing something, American Bandstand, loving songs but not artists, trying to get facetime with the family guitar, learning songwriting without learning music, Ozzie and Harriet, loving Ricky Nelson, Apollonia 6, Purple Rain, the abandoned Apollonia 6 mini-movie, Buck Henry, Sex Shooter, seeing live bands in Providence, Bonnie Raitt, Frank Zappa, King Crimson, living in London in the late 80s, recording in the Dave Clark Five studios, The Boston Tea Party, the Velvet Underground, the night James Brown saved Boston, seeing George Harrison, Paul McCartney asking your opinion on scents, absorbing accents, backpacking through Europe, Ken Lyon & The Tombstone Blues Band, Electric Lady Studios, Mott the Hoople, touring with Queen on their first US tour, the early days of music video, concert lighting, Boston, touring with Prince as his wardrobe mistress, Roy Bennett, Dirty Mind, having the voice of one of the Hookers, Vanity, the death of John Lennon, how sex sells, filming Prince for critiques, performing for 40,000 people in your underwear, Trashy Lingerie, being careful what you ask the Universe of, surprising Prince, being gifted with a voice, learning the politics of promotion, meeting Ricky Nelson, The Time, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Morris Day, Sheila E, loving historical dramas, a history of lace, acting, Falcon Crest, learning from the best, "17 Days", Manic Monday, John Palumbo, the power of coincidence, Tom Jones Kiss, Mavis Staples, Holly Knight, Brenda's first solo record A Capella, Dee Harris and Fashion, taking time off to be a mother, having your kid discover your past via VH1, the martial arts, zen, reconnecting with Susan and surprising Prince in Boston.

In this special mini-episode Ken welcomes actress, singer, author Adrienne Barbeau to the show. Ken and Adrienne discuss growing up without television, Pippin, musical theater, watching Westerns on the farm, "It Could Be You", the old country, not going to the movies until college, hour long dramas, Maude, Norman Lear, acting on the stage, Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Quincy M.E., TV Movies, John Carpenter, making your name on the talk shows, Merv, Mike Douglas, The Gong Show, $20,000 Pyramid, being a TV actor or a movie actor, Swamp Thing, The Fog, All in the Family, Dick Cavett, the golden age of HBO and home video, never going home again, Creepshow, being called Billy, casting against type, The George Carlin Show, being Catwoman in Batman the Animated Series, Scooby Doo on Zombie Island, Ultraman: Towards the Future, forgetting Love Boat the Next Wave, The New Twilight Zone, and catching up on your shows during shows thanks to Netflix.

May 30 - June 5, 1992 Today Ken welcomes writer and monologist David Mogolov. Ken and David discuss the Boston suburbs, having a TV in your room, the midwest vs. NJ, AT&T, Central Time, SNL, Who's the Boss, The connection between Baywatch and Highway to Heaven, being a part of a cult, the Best Show, Tweeting the Macy's Parade, 120 Minutes, Thurston Moore vs. Beck, college radio, the non-COPS Inner Circle, Billy Connolly, Perfect Strangers, the superiority of Predator 2, evil Jamaicans, loving live ROC, Anthrax on Married...with Children, Night Court, Herman's Head, the golden age of Fox, Get a Life, Parker Lewis Can't Lose, Real Genius, HBO movies, Overboard, Midnight Madness, Braingames, HBO's Encyclopedia, Kansas City, Tommy Page's run on Full House, Home Improvement's Christmas in July, Eddie Albert's Hippie Nephew, tornado preparedness, The USA Music Challenge, Unsolved Mysteries, "Bait & Switch" on Growing Pains, Jake and the Fatman, Twins, Cosby's showcase for Doug E. Doug, The Simpsons, Desmonds, Sexual Harassment, A Different World, Garrett Graham, Clarence Thomas' public hair filled Coca-Cola, Cheers, MacGuyver smoking out arsonists, Wings, ripping off your own shows with Miracles and Wonders, the lazy nature of sitcom characters being in bands, Step by Step, the progressive nature of Dinosaurs, loving Swamp Thing despite it's low budget, the Alien Autopsy, Ken's theory on ghosts, the problems with Millennials, and appreciating Phil Hartman.

In this very special 2 year Anniversary special Ken treats the listeners to a LOST episode of the show. This was recorded in the first 30 days of the show back in 2014. Sean Sullivan expressed discontent with it so it sat in the vaults. October 17-23, 1998 Ken and Sean discuss Ken's home and discussing Ken's home, the last year of being single, XTREME Bo Derek, Hawaii, Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung in Martial Law, HBO Undercover Documentaries, Unsolved Mysteries, Smart Guy, The Army Show, Silk Stalkings, The New Adams Family, the Family Channel, Halloweentown, Everybody Loves Raymond, the wonders of Ray Romano, Parenthood, The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeifer, Clerks The Animated Series, The "Forbidden Haircut" on Home Improvement, Jesse, the sitcom cliche if things being stuck in people's noses, Larry Sanders, Daphne Zuniga, Rent, Spin City, Jack, Diane Lane: The World's Most Beautiful Woman, Dawson's Creek, Kevin Williams, Ken's father's cruel insults to children, Two Guys A Girl and a Pizza Place, Friends, changing cast members, Newsradio, the sad death of Phil Hartman, Boy Meets World's sad end, and why Martin Short is the all time greatest.

Week of April 2-8, 1994 Today Ken welcomes comedian and host of "You're The Expert" Chris Duffy to the show. Ken and Chris discuss Loni Anderson, the long long process of Chris's appearance on the show, growing up in Manhattan, Petey's winking, living in You've Got Mail, how comedy and horror are the same, secret SNL writers, reading over TV, rewatching the Simpsons in your head, April Fools Day pranks, snapping turtles, Ken's high school stalker, Jeopardy, COPS, getting mugged, The Fugitive, foreseeing whack attacks, The Mommies, offended by Lynne Koplitz, kids at stand up comedy shows, Exchange Students, SNICK, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Scholastic Scary, Whalbergs in the shower, growing up Jewish and Christian, Ghost Writer, kissing your television, sleeping in Christian Slater's room, thin walls make poor privacy, Family Matters, white privilege time machines, Linda Ellerbee as the world's greatest journalist, Wild America vs. Nature, MST3K, Dave's World, Fraiser, recommending Hal Hartley, The Purple Gang, wanting a baby, Who's Line Is It Anyway?, loving bluegrass, loving Dolly Parton, pop up Chris Duffy, Home Improvement, studying JTT to get ladies, Unsolved Mysteries, BET's Comic View, Chris' bone chomping denials, Clarissa Explaining It All, The Simpsons, The Sony Hack, Mad About You, Trancers plus Twister, MTV, Shania Twain, Herman's Head, Traps, bragging about crimes you've committed, Buba Smith, The Adventures of Brisco County Jr., The X-Files, Hart to Heart Returns, Jeer Cheers, Cheer Cheers, interning for Bill Clinton, and eating Chinese food in silence with Bill Nye.