Fred Kaplan on what it meant when the Berlin Wall came a-tumblin' down.
Monthly Archives: November 2009
Vegas Blogging
I hereby take back every nasty thing I ever said about Southwest Airlines. A near-perfect flight. Even though it left 15 minutes late, that was due to air traffic controller stuff, and we only arrived five minutes late, which was more than made up for by the fact that my suitcase was the first one down the chute at Baggage Claim.
On the flight, I read — and am thus now recommending — William Knoedelseder's book, I'm Dying Up Here. It's a history of the stand-up comedy scene of the late seventies when you could go up to the Comedy Store on a given night, as I did back then, and see up-and-coming kids named Leno and Letterman and Dreesen and some new, hyper guy named Robin Williams. There were others who either didn't make it or did but not for long, and this is the story of many of them and in particular, the 1979 strike at the Comedy Store in which comics who'd been working there for free thought it might be nice to be paid.
The book has a few unfortunate errors…things like misspelling comedians' names and referring to Tom Snyder's post-Carson NBC show as Late Night, rather than Tomorrow. But I was a sidelines witness to an awful lot of what Knoedelseder reports and what he writes matches what I saw and heard. Not only does he get the history right but he understands the emotions and personalities that shaped it. Comic/ringleader Tom Dreesen rightly comes off as the hero and there's a lot about Steve Lubetkin, the comic who committed suicide not long after the strike was settled.
One issue that comes up in the book — and is not directly addressed because the players in the drama seemed unable to address it — is how much you owe those who help you. If someone does something that is beneficial to you — say, if you're a beginning comic and Mitzi Shore, proprietor of the Comedy Store, lets you play there — you owe that person something. But how much? And what do you do when what they think you owe them is considerably more than what you think you owe them? I'm sure this dilemma pops up with some frequency in every venue but it's often front and center in show business where people help (and by "help," I sometimes mean "exploit") those who are new and/or needy.
At some point with some people, you have to say, "I think I've more than paid you back." That was more or less the story of the Comedy Store strike…a very ugly but probably necessary chapter in the history of stand-up mirth delivery. You might enjoy reading about it so here's an Amazon link to get a copy of this fine, necessary book.
Today's Video Link
Yep, it's another one of those commercials I saw incessantly as a child, complete with a jingle that's been running through my head ever since…
Go Read It!
Saratoga Ballantine (daughter of Carl) sent me a link to this wonderful piece in the L.A. Times about how he died. And when I say, "Go read it," I mean go read it.
Friday Morning
Like all of you, I don't know what (if anything) to make of the Fort Hood shooting spree yesterday. It's worth noting, as Glenn Greenwald does, how wrong much of the early reporting was. We seem to now be in Phase Two, where still no one knows anything except maybe how to spin things to support their pet causes. I'm thinking of arguing that the shooting proves that 6'3" comedy writers should be paid better.
Because of the Internet and cable news, we now have much faster access to "facts" and "analysis" (note the quotes) when something like this happens. I find myself going the other way with it; to be less likely to follow the story right away because the early picture is so incomplete and distorted. Like the columnist Jack Germond once said, "One of the things wrong with news coverage is that we're not paid to say 'I don't know.' So we have to make like we know even when we don't."
Saturday in Sin City
Here's the schedule of the Valley Vegas Comic Book Festival, which is where I'll be on Saturday. It's at the Clark County Library, which is currently the only public building in Las Vegas not housing a production of Cirque du Soleil.
More on Shel…
This embed may not work so if it doesn't, try going to this page. It's the website of a San Diego TV station with coverage of Shel Dorf's passing and his funeral. You may have to watch a brief commercial…
And here's the obit in the Los Angeles Times. I spoke today to the New York Times which has already run a brief item and will have a formal obituary tomorrow.
I feel like I should write something more about Shel but I may take a few days to decide what it is I want to say. Shel was a complex guy, and I feel that while all these obits and tributes are accurate, even mine and the ones that quote me aren't saying all that I think should be said about the man. (And by the way, I knew Shel for 40 years and never heard anyone except his parents refer to him as Sheldon Dorf. I know it's in the style guide at some news organizations but it's a silly rule. When Dick Van Dyke leaves us, are they going to report the death of Richard Van Dyke?)
One point I forgot to mention in my piece and which I've included in all the interviews I've given is that it isn't just the comic book community that owes a debt to Shel. It's the city of San Diego, as well. You'd think that the world's largest comic convention would be established in New York or Chicago or Los Angeles. Why is it in San Diego? Because Shel Dorf was in San Diego.
And because the con was in San Diego, San Diego changed for the better. San Diego in 1970 was not the kind of town that attracted national conventions. It attracted some tourists because of the zoo and climate. It attracted a lot of sailors on shore leave because of the Naval Stations. But when, for example, the major political parties were considering where to gather to nominate their presidential candidates, San Diego was not even in the running. It didn't have the facilities or the hotels. Now, it has enough of both to lure major conventions and to warrant the building of huge Hiltons and Marriotts. The convention trade has meant a lot of urban renewal to San Diego and the Comic-Con was a major catalyst and inspiration.
So a city was transformed and in many ways reborn…and all because Shel's parents moved there for their retirements and Shel followed. If Ma and Pa Dorf had settled down in Albuquerque, we'd all probably be trekking to Albuquerque each year for the big Comic-Con. I'm glad they went to San Diego. You know what the temperature is like in Albuquerque in July?
Funny Freberg Festival
If you live in or around Hollywood, you have a rare opportunity…actually two rare opportunities. You have the chance to spend an evening at the world famous Magic Castle, the exclusive private club for magicians. And you have the chance to see a special cabaret-style show by the legendary Stan Freberg and his wonderful spouse, Hunter.
November 16 and 17, Stan and Hunter are performing in the Castle's Inner Circle showroom area. They'll be telling stories, singing songs, doing vintage Freberg material. How can that not be wonderful?
But it's even better than that. If you've never been to the Magic Castle, you can make a reservation and have dinner either before or after the Freberg show. They have a new chef and the cuisine, which once did not impress, is now quite splendid. You can also wander about the Castle and see all its treasures and exhibits and you can visit its showrooms and see some of the world's greatest magicians perform. (There are some terrific ones there that week, including John Carney in the Close-Up Gallery, Shoot Ogawa in the Parlor and Reno headliners Mark Kalin and Jinger in the Palace of Mystery. You won't get in to see all of them but you might be able to catch at least one if you're willing to stay late.)
I love spending time with Stan and Hunter. I also love going to the Magic Castle, of which I've been a member for 25+ years. What a joy to be able to do both at the same time. I'll be there Tuesday night. Monday night, I'm committed to an ASIFA event in Glendale which I'll tell you about in a day or two.
If you want to attend the Funny Frebergs event and you're a member, you can order tix at this page with your member number. If you're not a member but I know you, drop me an e-mail and I'll give you my member number so you can order via that site. If you're a stranger, e-mail or call Ben Roman at the Castle (his contact info is on that page) and tell him which night you want to attend and how many people. Tickets are $40 for members and $45 for non-members. It promises to be a Fabulous Frebergian experience.
Recommended Reading
One of my favorite political columnists, Gene Lyons, writes about how in some circles, it's more important for our leaders to be "tough" than it is for them to be right.
This is one of those political issues that has a resonance in my own life. Over the years, the folks I've encountered who liked to talk tough were usually substituting that "virtue" for other, more efficient tactics like thinking first. I've also found that the ones who like to talk tough are usually the strongest in talk and the weakest in action.
Go Read It!
Are you following the blog of writer-sportscaster Ken Levine? This one really made me laugh.
Today's Health Care Rant
The Republicans are finally putting forth a health care bill of their own. According to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office and Joint Committee on Taxation, it would not do very much to fix any problems. John Boener said it would insure "millions more Americans" and I suppose that's true. It would insure about three million more of the non-elderly. It would insure 0% more of the elderly. It would lower premiums a fraction for some people and not lower them for most. It reduces government spending and therefore the deficit a little, but not as much as the Democratic plan, which would also help most people.
So, bottom line: Republicans do not want to fix health care. Most Americans (including most Republicans) do. So G.O.P. leaders came up with a plan that doesn't change much and they figure they can pass it off as real reform. But I guess they can at least say, "What do you mean we don't have a plan?" Once again, being owned by the health care industry is a pre-existing condition.
Ballantine: Still Amazing
Nice obit in the Los Angeles Times for Carl Ballantine, complete with quotes from Steve Martin, Tim Conway and David Copperfield.
The thing about Carl I should emphasize is that he was an entertainer 24/7. He performed on stage and he performed off stage and there really wasn't a lot of difference except as to whether or not props were involved or he was getting paid. Getting paid mattered a lot to Carl but not getting paid never stopped him from being funny.
I wrote here that the first time I saw him perform live was in that production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum with Phil Silvers. Thinking back, it may not have been. The first time may have been one day when I was walking down Hollywood Boulevard — this would have been between 1969 and about 1973 — and he was standing outside the Hollywood Magic Company (a great store up there), heckling passers-by. He was just saying silly things to everyone who walked past him, commenting on their wardrobe or companion or whatever, to amuse a friend he was standing with. The friend was Orson Welles.
Now, you have to understand that Hollywood Boulevard is — and for as long as I've been going there, always has been — a boring, disappointing place. People from Nebraska go there expecting to see movie stars and there are no movie stars, there or anywhere; not in the Clark Gable sense. There are names of movie stars embedded in the sidewalk but they're just there so you can walk over Lana Turner and say, "Hey, there's Lana Turner." Apart from that, not much happens on Hollywood Boulevard that couldn't happen on Main Street in Anytown, U.S.A. Except, every so often, something like that.
I saw them, stopped and just watched the show for about ten minutes. Can't recall a thing Carl said but I recall laughing, partly at the lines and partly at the sight of Orson Welles (not an easy man to overlook) all dressed in black, convulsed in laughter. Everything the Amazing Ballantine said made Mr. Welles laugh…and during the few seconds he wasn't talking, just his attitude was funny. The performance ended when a convertible pulled up in front, Welles hugged Carl goodbye and got into the car. I remember applauding and Carl took a little bow, then walked off. It was the only time in my life that Hollywood Boulevard was ever as magical as you wish a street called Hollywood Boulevard would be.
For the life of me, I can't recall why I didn't follow him in and talk to the man that day…but I was glad I got to know him in later years. I'd see him at the Magic Castle or run into him and his wonderful daughter Sara at Andre's, a great little Italian cafeteria I've been known to frequent. A couple times, I picked Carl up (he wasn't driving) and took him to Musso-Frank's Grill on, yes, Hollywood Boulevard…more or less across the street from Hollywood Magic. I've been known to spin anecdotes over a lunch but, geez, I'm a rank amateur compared to this guy. You'd say "Ed Sullivan" and get five stories. You'd say "Tim Conway" and get ten. If you wanted to be there all day, mention "Milton Berle." The tales were great but the delivery was even better.
My favorite thing Carl ever said to me requires a bit of explanation. We had an actor friend who was trying to impress his father. At a social event, he introduced the father to Carl…and the father was suitably impressed that his kid knew someone like the great Carl Ballantine. Then I wandered up and, well aware of what was going on, began telling the father how proud he must be of his son, the successful actor. I'm sure I laid it on way too thick, telling the father how "in demand" his son was and how well-respected he was in the Hollywood community…but the father bought every word of it. Others did the same thing and when the actor and his father left, Dad was beaming with pride at his offspring.
Right after they'd departed, Carl came up to me, laid his hand on my shoulder and said the words that will live with me forever. He said, "Young man, I have to compliment you. That was the finest example of show business bullshit I've ever heard in my life."
…With His Goo-Goo-Googly Eyes!
We really like the specialty logo they have today over on Google, celebrating (I suppose) the anniversary of Sesame Street. Had to copy it over here.
Today's Video Link
So for a while now, I've been writing, voice-directing and producing this new cartoon series called The Garfield Show. The show debuted some time ago in various foreign countries and fared so well that we're already in production on its second season.
This week, it debuted in America on Cartoon Network. This is a well-kept secret. My TiVo's schedule has no mention of it. The Yahoo TV listings don't mention it. If you search the schedule on the Cartoon Network site, you can find it but that's about it. In most areas, it runs Monday through Friday at 10:30 AM and at 3 PM (the same episode repeats).
This is not a real complaint. I'm sure they'll get it straightened out soon and in the meantime, we have a dandy excuse if the ratings aren't dazzling. But friends are asking me what's up with it and that's about all I know. Here's a clip from an early episode. Frank Welker supplies the voice of the pussycat and Gregg Berger does the voice of Squeak the Mouse. Tune in and try an entire episode…if you can find it.
A Friendly Nudge
Are you thinking of going to the Comic-Con International in San Diego next July? Are you thinking of going for all four days? Well then, you'll need a four-day pass. They're still for sale at the convention website.
The last sentence of that paragraph will not be true for long.