TV Guidance Counselor

November 2-8, 1996 This week Ken welcomes Denver Comedian Geoff Tice to the show. Ken and Geoff discuss how Denver become a comedy hub reminiscent of Boston's golden era,being both a comic and graphic designer, Colorado's vibrant comedy scenne, Comedy Works,expert insights on the evolution of comedy flyers and the quirky charm of '90s TV Guide advertisements, legendarily bad TV shows like "It's About Time" . underrated gems like "Spin City.", the unique charm of Australian TV and shows like "Beyond 2000". John Cleese's timeless classic "Fawlty Towers," . the controversial airing of an officer-involved shooting on "Cops" . election night of Bill Clinton's second term, sports highlights, peculiar TV movies, the impact of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 on today's media landscape. and "Cheers and Jeers" 

March 24- April 1, 1984  This week Ken welcomes Philly comic Chip Chantry BACK to the show.   Ken and Chip discuss uninspired TV landscape of 1984, significant TV weddings, his last visit and the evolution of virtual podcasting since then, the fascinating world of VR and hologram technology, take a historical detour into the "Pepper's Ghost" illusion—a magician's trick from the 18th century now revived in modern performances, pranks, writing for a local radio station, psychic mediums like John Edwards, Hill Street Blues, a poignant reading of Lana Wood's poem "Sleep," the Mr. T action figure, Voltron, Dennis the Menace, the bizarre ABC weekend special "The Amazing Bungie Venture," a unique documentary-style episode of "Kate & Allie," and the CBS Schoolbreak Special "Welcome Home, Jellybean."   AND don't miss Chip's comedy special "Move Closer" streaming now for free on YouTube: https://youtu.be/_QKarKuuTdU?si=keNN0nQqM1dq0tLY

June 19-26, 1976 This week Ken welcomes Professor of Russian & Slavic Studies and Senior Academic Convenor for the Global Network at New York University and author of Marvel Comics in the 1970s: The World Inside Your Head (Cornell, 2022), Meanwhile, in Russia…: Russian Internet Memes and Viral Video (Bloomsbury, 2022),  Soviet-Self-Hatred: The Secret Identities of Postsocialism (Cornell, 2023), Elliot Borenstein. Ken and Elliot discuss Russian Pop Culture and Propaganda as a day job, The Cold War, anti-Soviet TV, Pussy Riot, Marvel Comics, the innovation of narrative present in 70s Marvel Comics, Howard the Duck, Mary Hartman Mary Hartman, getting paid to watch TV, redeemable trash, terrible awful garbage TV, Barney Miller, the weird state of mid-70s American TV, believing in your audience, Jimmy Carter's American Malaise, post-Watergate, the productive exploration of cynicism, CB Radio, when Columbus OH was the test market of the world, market research, mutli tasking, MTM, Rhoda, Phyllis, The Defenders, Planet of the Apes, spin offs, the horror of Eight is Enough, Maude, Love American Style, variable bed times, Martin Mull, Disco, Fernwood2Nite, Good Times, Jimmy Walker, the famous Heidi Dress, swingers, Barney Miller, Mary Tyler Moore, Bob Newhart, premise creep, Phil Silvers, One Day at a Time, Goodnight Beantown, The Incredible Hulk, Misfits of Science, Blue Knight, Monty Python, Grease, being offended by Nostalgia, Hawaii Five-O, tumors, and Russian genre cinema. 

January 3-9, 1998 This week Ken welcomes comedian, filmmaker and all around good dude Jeff Cerulli to the show. Ken and Jeff discuss documentary films, hot dog eating contests, TV Eating Contests, The Simpsons, Senior Year of High School, The Spin Doctors, mail order CDs, TV Guide appearing in movies, The Ice Storm, The Postman, Equal, smoking bans, beepers, the top 12 Simpsons episodes (circa 1998), winning the REAL Simpsons house, Ice-T, Marky Mark, having no concept of modern country and Christian music, The Wiz, Comics Come Home, Road Rules, The Real World, Star Wars Special Edition, Jackie Mason, Caddyshack II, how Vaudeville could be alt com, Pacific Blue, Baywatch, the extended Baywatch Universe, The Black Out Effect vs. The Trigger Effect, Demi Moore in Striptease, horny viewing, Mannequin being a three star movie, Beavis and Butthead, VH1 Pop Up Video, The Brothers McMullan, Poison Ivy series, Boy Meets World, voice over, Richard Lewis, bOkU, Drew Carey Show, the horrors of White Grape, Buffy the Vampire Slayer the movie, The Cronenberg Dynasty, Scanners II, MTV as a home channel, when we all hand to witness Anthony Michael Hall break out of being a nerd, Johnny B Goode, Bill Paxton, Weird Science, Seinfeld's final season, the return of Larry David, Bulls, Michael Jordan, Oliver Stone vs. Oliver North, Celebrity Jeopardy, and a particularly angry Cheers and Jeers.

May 18, 2018 This week Ken welcomes comedian Caitlin Peluffo. Ken and Caitlin discuss chipper hellos, being pumped, Caitlin's partner's love of Alice Cooper, Chubby Checker, Alice Cooper's Elvis story, growing up in the Bay Area, moving to NYC, depicting cities for the wealthy, Golden Retrievers, The Property Brothers, twins, the not twin sibling, home renovations, Jonathan Knight's farm house fix ups, black and mild cigars, the Royal family, pancakes for the table, Ken's food love, Grandma's TV Guide, having a "home" channel, Forever Home, HGTV, Canadian home buying, Love it or List It, Flip it, hate watching renovations, Paige Davis,  loving the Napiers, Rock the Block, This Old House, The Sassy Cat Wine Glass Collection, respectful murder mysteries, Elementary, Ken's famous coat, crazy Victoria's Chicago make overs, freezing your d off, getting made to cry, Reality TV, Storage Wars, Guy's Grocery Games, American Ninja Warrior, Flip or Flop, divorce, Family Feud, Bob the Drag Queen, my Super Sized Life, Skin Tight, touring with Madonna, My 600 lb Life, when pals get hunted by a blind man, Frasier, and why Niles Crane is the best character ever on TV. 

February 26 - March 3, 1972 RETURNING guests to the show comedians Irene Bremis (watch her special Sweetie) and TV's Frank Conniff join Ken this week. Ken, Irene and Frank discuss growing up in New York, the horrors of Staten Island, good pizza, racism, Mary Tyler Moore, Sherlock Holmes cigarettes, Doral Cigarettes, True Cigarettes, killing women, Rain Barrell, questionable protein stains, fabric softener, The Old Man Who Cried Wolf, movies vs tv series, where Irene and Frank met, Brian Denehy, the map of Ireland on Frank's face, Maureen O'Hara, psychic detectives, Saturday night death slots, MTM productions, strong women, Maude, how awful Bill Cosby is, dying on stage, Bob Hope, Dana Gould, Bing Crosby and Friends, women's lib, Ear Stoppies, wigs, Rowan & Martin, Gene Hackman, Jerry Stiller, Anne Meara, comic comradery, Sid & Marty Kroft, Hart to Hart, the show with the woman, James Garner, Left Behind, Kirk, Christians, losing your mind, cycle cell anemia, Greeks, Cannon, William Conrad, MeTV, It Takes a Thief, Carson, Serling, meeting Dick Cavet, Adam 12, Dick Clark, Hellzapoppin the TV series, Dom DeLuise, George Wallace, working on Sabrina, That Girl, Cannonball Run, Eddie Murphy, Red Foxx, Sandford and Son, Soap, Room 222, and watching MeTV at 2am. 

  March 31 - April 6, 1990 This week Ken welcomes SF based comic behind the new special "They are Gonna Know", Richard Sarvate. Ken and Richard discuss nostalgia, doing your research, experiencing emotions, Bob Saget, America's Funniest Home Videos, how kids today wouldn't know what a VHS Camcorder is, growing up in Freemont CA, the great comedy scene in SF, the most disturbing heckle Jerry Seinfeld ever got, Boston heckles, The Cosby Show, unimaginable fame, being oblivious to current long running shows, all the new cable networks launched in 1990, The Comedy Channel and HA! becoming Comedy Central, The Comedy Boom, how easy it was to get a TV spot in the 80s, Ken's defense of The Unknown Comic, Maron's hacky hacky sack bit, Albert Brooks, maturing, A Family for Joe, Ken's love of Robert Mitchum, 70s crime films, confusing Ben and Fred Savage and Wonder Years and Boy Meets World, Second City, the Carol Burnett 1990 show, high profile experiments, Carol and Company, Amy Sedaris, Exit 57, horrible racist people thinking you're ok with it, heavy metal, Bill Burr, being in a band, not missing unloading gear, Friday the 13th The Series, Married...with Children, evil pens, Twin Peaks, good ads, King of Comedy, The Clash, The Wonder Years, crying, Lakers Cheerleaders, Paula Abdul, George Forman and his children, athletes who are showy, 1985 SNL, Randy Quaid, Robert Downey Jr, Normal Life, the Zappas, not being smart enough to get the joke, Van Halen, Equal Justice, Duck Soup, loving old comedy, renting old comedy, mid-season replacements, Full House, body switching, Chances Are, positive pranks, being really really old, helping plays become TV shows. 

August 1-7, 2004 This week Ken welcomes Maine's own Ricky from the Old Sorts of Words YouTube Channel. Ken and Ricky discuss hey girl hey, Judge Dredd, Millie the Model, how impressed Ken is by Patsy Walker, Tank Girl, UK Comics, pre MCU Comic Book Movies, Addams Family, the Addams Family movies, Krypto, being terrified of wrestling promos, Edward Gorey, going by nicknames of our given name, Charles vs Chaz, comics trying to appeal to people who didn't read comics, Cousin It, Spider-Woman, copyright wars, Helen Slater as Supergirl, horny George Jetson and how big he is a fan of Seven of Nine, Con photos, Coneheads, It's Pat, 90s movie soundtracks, RHCP, Gomez, The Michael Jordan of Gameshows, Press Your Luck, Michael Jordan of Michael Jordans, Anna Nicole Smith, how sad it is when the entertainment industry destroys somebody, Highlander, X-Files, The Invaders, The Prisoner, Ultraman, the horrors of anime, Bubblegum Crisis, Vampire Hunter D, Legend of the Overfiend, Star Trek the Next Generation, what you'd cosplay as at a comic con, leather jump suits, Deep Space Nine, Comic Cons After Dark, Munsters sculptures, Halloweentown, Stallone, Demolition Man, Cliffhanger, Batman the Animated Series, why Kevin Conroy is the best Batman, Ben Affleck, Adventure Comics, loving dogs, Superman, Superman the Animated Series, the last digest issue of TV Guide, Maury, Corn Pops, Lucky Charms, spending a lot of time on the toilet, Reese's Puffs, lose and blue, Fresh Prince, Law and Order, surf culture, Step Into the Liquid, Endless Summer, Falling Down, the death of Raoul Julia, having never seen a single minute of a Fast and the Furious film, Vin Diesel's resurrection, The Simpsons, the "I Love The..." shows, ultimate top 20 Party Blondes, "After Dark", cigarettes in NH, Big Joe's Smokeshop by mail, Lord of Rings Too, all the Wayneses, Tiger Cruise, Man in the Mirror, confusing Michael Jackson for The Crow, how the Saudis own The Apprentice, gross Billy Bush, gross Fox News personalities, bloviating, Spy vs Spy and Cheering Mountain Dew. 

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. 

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.