TV Guidance Counselor

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.

October 26-November 1, 1996 It's Ken's birthday month, so this week you get ANOTHER BONUS episode. This time in celebration of THEIR 200th episode Ken welcomes Abby and Ryan from the fantastic Bothering the Band podcast. Ken, Abby and Ryan discuss when the interviewer becomes the interviewee, the origins of the Bothering the Band podcast, booking big guests, getting rejected, Frank Turner, Counting Crows, when Ryan met Abby, cool schools, almost booking Keanu Reeves, Gavin Rosdale, Puka Shells, growing up in Orlando, The Party, boy bands, Disney, Nickelodeon Studios, dudes who look like Isaac Mizrahi, Bob Goen, never coming gymnastics, sprots to non sports, congregating a career, MST3K's switch from Comedy Central to Sci-Fi, winning a trip to England by knowing the Tetley Tea jingle, diaper ads, the Nirvana baby, hi waisted hips, no dick jokes, RL Stine, Batman the Animated Series, Superman the Animated Series, helping the Dragon Ball Z community, strange emails, Cartoon Express, a woman giving birth to a doll, the band Live, Columbia House, nerds, making your own video store, Bailey Kipper's POV, Hey Arnold, Lunchables, cooking pizza rolls in a VCR, vending machine lunches, The Young Comedians All Star Reunion, 80s nostalgia in the 90s, SNL, collector's plates, beautiful unicorns, Jacksonville FL, porcelain crap, The Shadowzone, Ron Silver, diecast, beer and tiny cars, Hess, Seventh Heaven, Jennifer Love Hewitt, when old TV is problematic, joining a gang, Her Costly Affair, Savannah, the Waynes Brothers, Roast Beef Tissues, wanting things to be good, the high school right outside Universal Studios, trick or treating, Burning Zone, national television debut of The Cramps, 90210, Peach Pit After Dark, Donal Logue, Stephen Bochco's comedy series, Jimmy the Cab Driver, Seinfeld, avoiding Halloween, Living Single, loving Ghostbusters, Ben Cooper costumes, Unsolved Mysteries, PCU, deceptive car ads, dolls, Johnny Carson's charity, hating 311, Ken's Third Wave Ska trauma, melting pennies, befriending your heroes, and facial injuries from laughing.

January 30-Feburary 5, 1993 This week Ken welcomes BACK to the show, former Boston and now TN comedian Shawn Carter. Ken and Shawn discuss his move to Tennessee, living in an RV, and opening a comedy club in Bristol. He shares insights into the differences between Tennessee and Virginia, including tax rates and downtown areas split by state borders. The conversation also touches on the late-night talk show wars between Letterman and Leno. The TV Guide issue from January 30th to February 5th, 1993, is reviewed, highlighting the move of Seinfeld to Thursday nights and the lineup of must-see TV shows. The conversation concludes with a discussion on watching Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman and local TV shows in Boston. In this part of the conversation, Ken and Shawn discuss various topics including TV shows, skiing, the Super Bowl, alternative programming, a puppet show at the comedy club, a burlesque show, strip clubs, and riding motorcycles. They also mention push-up contests, push stand-up comedy, arm wrestling, whiskey sours, bartending, visiting Asheville, movies and TV shows, living in Bristol, wildlife in Tennessee, open carry and gun culture, regional cuisine, and local news segments. They also touch on the Golden Palace spin-off series, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, and the Barter Theater. The conversation provides insights into the unique aspects of life in different regions and the cultural experiences they offer.

February 2-9, 2002 This week Ken welcomes the comedian behind the YouTube Special "Frontin" Rob Haze to the show. Ken and Rob discuss his experiences in the comedy scene, his love for the Bernie Mac Show, and the impact of the mockumentary format on sitcoms. He also highlights underrated shows from the 2001-2002 season and shares an interesting story about Disney's encounter with Dr. Dre. The conversation covers various topics, including the Boston comedy scene, the influence of African American actors, and the crossover between music and comedy on shows like All That. In this part of the conversation, Ken Reid and Rob Haze discuss the counter programming during the Super Bowl, including True Hollywood Stories and My Girl 2. They also talk about the influence of Fear Factor and the impact it had on Joe Rogan's career. The conversation then moves on to the programming on Monday night, including Malcolm in the Middle and the Heroes of Black Comedy series. They also discuss the controversy between the World Wildlife Fund and the WWE. Other topics covered include the movie Auto Focus, Comedy Central stand-up shows, and the Bavarian Cuckoo Clock controversy. In this episode, Ken Reid and Rob Haze review the TV Guide from February 8-14, 2002. They discuss the TV lineup for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, highlighting shows like Bernie Mac, My Wife and Kids, Titus, and Dark Angel. They also explore the Winter Olympics and the war in Congo. The episode concludes with a discussion of TV Guide's Cheers and Jeers section.

September 17-23, 1994 FALL PREVIEW This week, kicking off Ken's Birthday month with an EXTRA special episode, Ken welcomes writer, actor and Whitest Kid U Know Sam Brown to the show. Ken and Sam discuss West Coast East Coast confusion, growing up in Sandwich, the cops, being an hour from everything, going to school in NYC, meeting Trevor Moore, UCB, improv, the origin of MUNG, lingo, avoiding new people on the train, leaving home, Something Wilder, ER, Chicago Hope, Fall Preview roads not traveled, the other Anthony Edwards, basketball, Dudley Moore, Cosby Mysteries, Clariton, Capri cigarettes, My So-Called Life, MTV, how much of a failure Friends will be, Let's Go Bang, JLH, Nate Blackist on Twitch, Mid-Hunting, Dabney Coleman, things that look good on paper, working with Ivan Reitman, rebooting Stripes, John Candy's German insistence, taking studio notes, rewrites, refusing to play ball, Exit 57, Summer Series with Nepo Babies, E! doing original programming, Q&E, Walter Mondale's daughter, Trailer Boys, Jones Computer Network, Sega Channel, not knowing what Hackers are, Andrew Dice Clay's sitcom experience, boy bands, the Roseanne and Tom made for TV movies, Stephen King throwaways, Citizen X, Cast a Deadly Spell, Marlon Waynes as Robin, Ken's audition for The Good Son, Christian Slater hosting sex special on MTV, Late Nite with Elmo, John Stewart Show, when the Bermuda Triangle disappeared, when society wasn't nice to women, daytime TV, The Tick, Sweet Valley High, discovering your manhood, Schunckums and Meat, sambrownuniversity.com, Sam's Sketch Comedy Classes, streaming on Shout Factory and self editing. June 5th at Piano's in NYC see Sam do stand up and June 6th at the Tribeca Film Festival it's the premier of the Whitest Kids U Know animated film "Mars".