Media Path Podcast

Ken Levine’s captivating career is a buffet of boyhood wish fulfillment. Ken became a disc jockey, a sitcom writer, a Major League Baseball announcer, a cartoonist, an author and a playwright. He’s not done. New adventures include podcasting and standup comedy.Ken’s book, The Me Generation by Me: Growing Up in the Sixties chronicles his journey through a Southern California childhood with adventures that include friendships with child stars, radio nerd penpals, appearances on The Dating Game, and a crush on Laura Petrie that inspired him to believe that comedy writing was the route to landing a hot wife. (Mission accomplished.) By age 19, Ken was a UCLA sophomore, interning at KMPC when Gary Owens sent his writing samples to George Schlatter who offered him a job on Laugh In! But Ken had to turn it down. Leaving college would have invited an immediate draft notice. Ultimately, ROTC and the National Guard prepared Ken and his partner David Isaacs to write a MASH spec script which led to jobs at The Jeffersons, The Tony Randall Show, MASH, Cheers, Frasier, The Simpsons and beyond.Ken shares with us his stories about all of these legendary shows, plus his foray into the world of MLB announcing, his cartooning, and his current podcast, Hollywood and Levine. And Ken comes to us straight from the WGA picket line so he is here to explain the standoff and help us all stand up for writers’ rights and the future of writing.And Fritz and Weezy are recommending the filmReality, about Reality Winner on HBO Max and Jury Duty on Freevee.Path Points of Interest:The Me Generation by Me: Growing Up in the 60s Ken LevineHollywood and Levine PodcastKen Levine BlogKen Levin Author Page on AmazonKen Levine on FacebookKen Levine on InstagramReality on MaxJury Duty on Freevee

We are witnessing exponentially rapid changes in technological advancement which  recall the dawn of the industrial age when newly harnessed electricity first lit up our houses and the assembly line sent Model Ts motoring down your street and out into the countryside to points heretofore unseen.During this period, the two men most responsible for these wonders drove off together with our nation’s foremost naturalist to seek adventure and wrestle with the practical and theoretical challenges faced when agrarian societies broke way to usher in the marvels of innovation.The road trips were winding and intricate and they wove through New York State, New England, Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee and points beyond. And when Thomas Edison, Henry Ford and John Burroughs rolled into your town in 1918 it must have felt like you were suddenly in the presence of The Beatles and Thor God of Thunder.These extensive camping treks were among the first American road trips, during a time when diners, motels and roadside assistance were not yet in existance. Good thing Tom and Henry were so handy with a wrench and a cylinder head.These epic trips are chronicled in Wes Davis’s new book, American Journey: On The Road With Henry Ford, Thomas Edison and John Burroughs.Wes tells us how Ford began his career working for Edison’s company, why Ford sent John Burroughs a free car and how the threesome first decided to take their conversations on the road. He also describes how their travel, conversations and friendship informed and influenced each of their world views and trajectories.We talk about their obsession with studying plant life, appreciating the power of moving water and stopping at abandoned mills to better understand how to find the tools and ingredients of invention within our natural world. We also address the gordian knot of Ford’s altruism and antisemitism. Did his hateful published words encourage the fascism which led to the Holocaust? Wes says that the dark side of Ford’s personality almost pulled him away from the project but that he approached the problem from Burroughs’ point of view which was to push back and study the complexities of human nature.Plus, comedian Dylan Brody joins us to talk about his unique brand of smart, delibertate  comedy, how story-telling can lead to social change and his new solo show opening at The Hollywood Improv Lab, 'Thinking Allowed', over a decade in the making.Path Points of Interest:Wes DavisAmerican Journey: On The Road With Henry Ford, Thomas Edison and John Burroughs by Wes DavisWes Davis on AmazonDylan BrodyThinking Allowed at The Lab on 6/20Dylan Brody on IMDBDylan Brody on YouTubeDylan Brody on TwitterDylan Brody Linktree

An iconic TV character is immortal. That truth has become increasingly official in today’s digital age where every episode is but a click away. And as Alison Arngrim has well learned, if you played the villain, folks are still pissed. Alison’s portrayal of frontier hellion Nellie Oleson struck such a resonate chord with fans that Alison has learned to embrace the Nellie energy and use it for good. Her book is called, Confessions of a Prairie Bitch: How I survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated.Raised in a bohemian show-biz family, Alison has been acting since early childhood. Her role as Nellie allowed her to vent the anger she carried due to suffering repeated sexual abuse at the hands of her brother. The power of Nellie gave her a voice to testify before the California State Senate and help create new law that criminalizes incest.Nellie also provided Alison with a platform to advocate for AIDS research, education and outreach when her TV husband and beloved friend Steve Tracy died of the disease. Her traumatic childhood caught up with her after the wonderful distraction of Little House was over and with a compass that points to “Happy,” she walked into a therapist’s office at the age of 21 and said, “Here’s what happened to me. Let’s get to work.”Alison shares loads of backstage Little House stories and talks about her relationships, then and now, with her cast mates and she is definitely up for a round of LHOP Trivia!Plus, Fritz and Weezy are recommending the Barack Obama series, Working: What We Do All Day, on Netflix and Shrinking on Apple +, and we shout out the new album on Band Camp from Media Path friend, Melanie, The Magic Bus.Path Points of Interest:Alison ArngrimConfessions of a Prairie Bitch by Alison ArngrimAlison Arngrim on WikipediaAlison Arngrim on TwitterAlison Arngrim on InstagramAlison Arngrim on FacebookLivin' on a PrairieShrinking - Apple +Working: What We Do All Day on NetflixThe Magic Bus by Melanie

In the 1950's, an extraordinary young woman lived, worked and performed her original music in New York City. Frustrated by a lack of commercial success, she left Manhattan and in 1974, disappeared entirely, never to be heard from again. In the 2000's, her astounding music was re-discovered and her legacy re-written. The story of Elizabeth Eaton Converse, known professionally as Connie Converse, is so bewitchingly intriguing that musician and writer Howard Fishman devoted 13 years of his life researching and chronicling it. The product of this nearly decade-and-a-half labor of love is his new book: To Anyone Who Ever Asks: The Life, Music, and Mystery of Connie Converse.Howard joins us to highlight the deep genius of Connie Converse… possibly our first recorded singer/songwriter and additionally, an artist, poet, writer, classical composer, scholar and activist.What were the factors that inspired her brilliance and muffled her notoriety within her own time?  Howard poured through Connie’s creations, files, journals, and letters. He spoke to those who knew her best and he carefully studied, analyzed and theorized about Connie’s work, her vision and her trajectory.Upon first hearing Connie’s voice, Howard found her to be both unique and familiar. He needed to learn more.Howard’s research brought him to small New England towns, suburban Michigan, Greenwich Village, Prague and beyond to better understand Connie’s path and to piece together the enigmatic life and ultimate mysterious fate of a woman who was so far ahead of her time, we are only now coming to hear and understand her.Plus, Fritz and Weezy are recommending Air on Prime and Comedy Central’s Drunk History on Hulu, Prime and many streaming platforms.  Path Points of Interest:To Anyone Who Ever Asks by Howard FishmanHoward FishmanHoward Fishman on FacebookHoward Fishman on TwitterConnie Converse on WikipediaConnie Converse Spotify PlaylistConnie Converse Article in Rolling Stone by Howard FishmanConnie Converse article in New York Times by Howard FishmanDrunk HistoryAir - Prime

Daphne Maxwell Reid is a trailblazing pioneer with many media firsts to her credit. She was the first black woman on the cover of Glamor Magazine. She and her husband Tim Reid owned the first full service movie studio in Virginia and she is probably best known for her role as Aunt Viv 2.0, alongside Will Smith, the first hip hop artist to star in a sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Ms. Maxwell Reid joins us to talk about her magical childhood in New York City, her full page photo modeling debut in Seventeen Magazine that landed her a Ford modeling contract and her move to Hollywood where Robert Conrad cast her in The Duke and A Man Called Sloan. She turned down the role of Aunt Viv when it was first offered to her and finally took it three years later when the part was being recast.Daphne Maxwell Reid is a photographer, a fashion designer, an HBCU education advocate and she has recently appeared in Harriet, A Jazzman’s Blues and the modern, dramedy reboot of The Fresh Prince on Peacock called Bel Air.We’ve also got The Fresh Prince of Bel Air Trivia and priceless life advice about the importance of finding your tribe and being ready when opportunity shines.Plus, Fritz and Weezy are recommending The Diplomat on Netflix, Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed on Peacock and Menudo: Forever Young on HBO.Path Points of Interest:Daphne Maxwell ReidDaphne Maxwell Reid on WikipediaDaphne Maxwell Reid on InstagramDaphne Maxwell Reid in Soul VisionHarrietA Jazzman's BluesBel AirThe Diplomat on Netflix Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed on PeacockMenudo: Forever Young on HBO

We are exploring the infinite feedback loop between television and society with pop culture historian/author Herbie J Pilato and Eric Scott, who played Ben on The Waltons. Herbie’s newest book is called Retro Active Television: An In-Depth Perspective on Classic TV’s Social Circuitry which includes a forward written by Eric!We hear about Eric's childhood adventures with his fellow Walton kids on the studio lot, how his relationship with his own parents ensured that his experience as a child actor was a positive one and why our social atmosphere in the 70s was open to positively receiving a warm and cozy show about a family weathering the Great Depression of 1930s. Herbie then gives us his extensively researched and passion-fueled perspective on the life-affirming TV shows of the past as he encourages us to avoid today’s darker content while embracing and revisitng the charm and magic of Golden Era TV which is so readily available to us now, across many platforms.We talk about Kung Fu, TV Westerns, sit-coms then and now, the dawn of the miniseries event, After School Specials (some of which featured Eric!) and TV as an educational and inspiring resource. We address the urban/rural divide, the changing late night landscape, and Eric takes on a round of Waltons trivia!Plus, Fritz and Weezy are recommending Little Richard: I am Everything on Apple and Amazon Prime and Judy Blume’s Are You There, God? It's Me Margaret, now in theaters.Path Points of Interest:Herbie J PilatoRetro Active TelevisionHerbie's Amazon Author PageEric Scott on IMDBEric Scott on WikipediaEric Scott on FacebookHerbie + Eric Book SigningsAt Barnes & Noble in Burbank on May 11:And Book Soup in Los Angeles on June 12: Little Richard: I am Everything on Apple and Amazon PrimeAre You There, God? It's Me Margaret - FilmAre You There, God? It's Me, Margaret - Book by Judy BlumeJudy Blume Forever Documentary on Prime

They were the King and Queen of TV westerns but this week’s guest called them, Grandma and Grandpa.Julie Rogers Pomilia’s father Tom was Dale Evans’ son. Roy and Dale were warm and attentive grandparents and Julie had the run of the Double R Bar Ranch as her backyard.In her book, Your Heroes, My Grandparents: A Granddaughter's Love, Julie details cherished memories spent with Roy, Dale, a gaggle of sisters and cousins and Trigger. Her idilic, special scrapbook moments are filled with birthdays, Christmases and recitals and they are seasoned with Hollywood events, backstage explorations, movie sets and TV appearances. Then there’s the time her second grade teacher asked her if she could identify the cowboy on the cover of her Weekly Reader. Julie said, “That’s my grandpa,” and went home to ask her mom why Grandpa is famous.Julie grew up singing with her sisters and parents, sometimes backing up her grandparents at shows, parades and rodeos. Iconic show biz figures were in and out of the ranch but mostly, Grandpa hung with Clark Gable because they shared hobbies and Nudie Cohn because he designed Grandma and Grandpa’s cosutmes.Julie shares her most precious memories of riding on the back of Grandpa’s motorcycle and gunning it back and forth across an empty air strip, pheasant hunting… not because she likes it but because she loved making memories with Grandpa, traveling to Scotland with Grandma who made every adventure an event and the true story of Dale Evans’ heartbreaking journey towards stardom which required her to keep her son Tom a secret.Also, whatever did happen to Trigger? Is he stuffed or mounted and/or living forever in our hearts? How did Roy and Dale jump start the merchandising industry? And so much more. Plus, Fritz and Weezy are recommending Under the Banner of Heaven on Hulu and Great Expectations… pick an adaptation and read the Dickens classic.And, Fritz’s newest special, Unassisted Living is streaming now on Tubi!Path Points of Interest:Your Heroes, My Grandparents: A Granddaughter's LoveThe Roy Rogers Show on TubiUnassisted Living Starring Fritz ColemanUnder The Banner of Heaven Great Expectations - 2023Great Expectations by Charles Dickens (It's Free!)

We are serving up a film fan's dream discussion, as we plunge deep into the techniques, processes, challenges and craft of documentary filmmaking with two talented creators, Brandon Ogborn and Reed Harkness. Both are captivating storytellers whose productions are based on personal experiences and relationships, exploring the themes of family, community, ethics and society’s expectations.Brandon's film, 'Damn, Dana' is a character study as well as a snapshot of an unprecedented time in our recent past, focusing on restaurateur Dana Tanner, whose refusal to close the doors of her Long Beach eatery during COVID-19 lockdowns sparked national interest and turned her into the poster child for one the pandemic's most controversial issues, the effect of government mandates on the service industry. Reed's feature 'Sam Now' is an examination of how individual family members processed the disappearance of his step-mother. Reed facilitated and filmed his brother Sam’s journey to find his mom which led to Sam ultimately finding himself. 25 years in the making, Reed’s brother bonding project inspired his entire family to better understand their own emotions and unique connections.Brandon and Reed discuss the catalysts for each of their documentaries, the roles played by  family and friends, their storytelling approaches and directing styles, their subjects’ receptions of their films and what they learned from their respective themes… boys and men grappling with difficult emotions and how we all responded to the frightening early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.Plus, Fritz and Weezy are recommending Waco: The Aftermath on Showtime, the podcast series, Long Shadow and American Manhunt: The Boston Marathon Bombing on Netflix.Path Points of Interest:Sam NowSam Now On InstagramSam Now on TwitterSam Now on FacebookSam Now on PBSDamn, Dana on YoutubeDamn, Dana on Film FreewayBrandon Ogborn on InstagramWaco: The Aftermath on ShowtimeThe Long Shadow PodcastAmerican Manhunt - The Boston Marathon Bombing - NetflixTelephone Stories: The Trials of Michael Jackson

Strap in for the show biz chat sesh of a lifetime: Legendary comedian Tom Dreesen and 80s TV icon Larry Manetti join us for story after story about Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. Smokey Robinson, Tom Selleck, Robert Wagner, Mike Connors, Robert Conrad, David Letterman, Johnny Carson and more!As epic as the stories are the story-tellers. Tom Dreesen’s mind-blowing C.V. traces his career path from shoe shine boy in Harvey, Illinois to sharing a jet and a stage with Frank Sinatra. Along the way he pioneered the first integrated comedy team, Tim and Tom with Tim Reid, graced the tonight show stage 60 times, frequently guested and guest hosted for and with David Letterman and toured with Smokey Robinson and Sammy Davis Jr. Tom spent 15 years on the road with Sinatra, forming a friendship that informed and nourished both of them. Tom offers insights into forging a career in comedy, he shares revelations about his Chicago childhood and Tom and Fritz swap Tonight show baptismal stories. Larry Manetti tells us that he was discoverd in the Universal commissary and cast soon thereafter in Baa Baa Black Sheep thanks to the fervent support of Robert Conrad. Larry fills us in on his What’s Cooking With Larry Manetti pilot which featured the handsomest guest cast in cooking show history: Tom Selleck, Robert Wagner and Mike Connors! And Larry ’s lifelong friendship with Tom Selleck welcomes a new chapter this week as they star together in an upcoming episode of Blue Bloods.Plus, Fritz and Weezy are recommending Any Given Tuesday by Lis Smith and The Pale Blue Eye novel by Louis Bayard which has become a Netflix film starring Christian Bale and Harry Melling. Path Points of Interest:Tom DreesenStill Standing by Tom DreesenTom Dreesen on WikipediaTom Dreesen on TwitterTom Dreesen on InstagramLarry Minetti on IMDBLarry Minetti on WikipediaArticle about Larry's upcoming Blue Bloods episode/Magnum reunionWhat's Cookin' With Larry Manetti & Tom SelleckAloha Magnum by Larry ManettiAny Given Tuesday by Lis Smith The Pale Blue Eye by Louis BayardArticle on The Pale Blue Eye on TudumThe Pale Blue Eye on Netflix

Jazz/Rock Fusion greats Blood, Sweat & Tears were on top of their game in 1970, winning grammies, headlining Woodstock and racking up hit after hit with Spinning Wheel, And When I Die, and You’ve Made Me So Very Happy. And then they ventured behind the Iron Curtain.It was not their idea. Nixon was President. The Viet Nam War raged on and BS & T were blackmailed into acting as emissaries on behalf of the U.S. State Department, touring the Soviet Bloc countries of Yugoslavia, Romania and Poland.This precarious adventure and the ensuing stateside fallout are chronicled in the new doc, What The Hell Happened To Blood, Sweat and Tears? Director John Scheinfeld and BS&T Drummer Bobby Colomby join us to discuss this remarkable film, the newly unearthed tour footage, The State Departments’ and the Soviet Bloc countries’ respective agendas, and how America’s response in 1970 reflects a nation as fractured and polarized as the one we see today. Plus, we learn about the jazz and soul origins of BS&T, Bobby’s foggy Woodstock memories, John’s story-telling principles and how the making of this documentary allowed Bobby, at long last, to recognize his own skill as a drummer!All that and Fritz and Weezy are recommending Sin Eater: The Crimes of Anthony Pellicano on Hulu & HBO’s doc series, The Anarchists.Path Points of Interest:What The Hell Happened To Blood Sweat and TearsDirector John Scheinfeld John Scheinfeld on InstagramBobby Colomby Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to President NixonL.A. Times Article on the FilmRolling Stone Article on the FilmNew York Times Article on the FilmSin Eater: The Crimes of Anthony PellicanoThe Anarchists