Hollywood & Levine

In this week's Hollywood and Levine podcast, Ken discusses the do’s and don’ts of giving notes, and how to also treat writers and actors with respect. Network and studio executives in particular, take note.

More hilarious and insane sitcom career adventures with writer Billy Van Zandt. Example: Creating, writing, casting, and filming a network pilot in two weeks. Good fun and angst this week.

Billy Van Zandt has written on sitcoms for such stars as Bob Newhart, Don Rickles, Martin Lawrence, Richard Lewis, Andrew Dice Clay and many more. It’s a wild journey I know you’re going to enjoy.

More expert advice in directing from Andy Barnicle.  Dealing with actors, the difference between TV and theatre, blocking, rewriting, lighting, interpretation, the technical part of the job.

Everyone says: “what I really want to do is direct.” Then this is the episode for you. Meet Andy Barnicle, who has directed over 300 full-length plays. In part 1 of this 2 part series, Andy concentrates on directing actors. It’s a fascinating and eye-opening look into the creative process.

We’ve all had the “nightmare” – it’s the day of your college final, you never went to class, your life depends on this grade, etc. Every profession has its own custom version of that dream. As a broadcaster Ken experienced several of these nightmares that actually came true. Terrifying then, hilarious now. Enjoy his pain.

If you're trying to make it in the television industry, this is the podcast for you. Emmy winning writer Ken Levine walks you through his early days as a freelance writer in the business working with David Isaacs. Ken shares all his experiences, including all the ups and many downs.  

Ken shares a one act play he wrote called SIGNING OFF. It’s about a late night talk host who’s put out to pasture meeting his young replacement. It’s a comedy/drama, performed last year at the Atwater Theatre in Los Angeles starring Nick Ullett & Clayton Ferris, directed by Tony Pasqualini.  With all stages dark these days, here’s a way to enjoy live theatre presented in the safety of your speaker or ear buds.

On this week's Hollywood & Levine podcast, Ken shares 25 different top 5 lists in categories that range from movies, TV, radio, actors, comedians, singers, announcers, and steak houses. Listen to this hilarious podcast, as Ken shares his years of experience and expertise in the world of entertainment. 

By popular demand, Ken shares an audio documentary he made for a UCLA class with fellow classmate, Bill Pearl. It traces Southern California Top 40 radio from the ‘50s to the ‘70s. We got an A.

On this week's Hollywood & Levine, sportscaster Josh Lewin joins Ken to discuss his new podcast, “The Throwback League” – recreating games between the best teams in baseball. It’s a great way to spend a day on lockdown. 

As an experiment, Ken just free associates from one random topic to another. It’s a little of everything including throwing Neil Young out of a record store.

On this week's Hollywood and Levine Podcast, Ken Levine puts together a list of over 60 of his favorite comedy movies worth seeing whilst you're locked on in quarantine. There’s nothing you can do and nowhere you can go, so you might as well spend the time laughing at some of the best comedies of all time. 

This week, comedy writer Jay Kogen discusses his time working on FRASIER, MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE, and shares stories about his work on the huge hit TV show THE SIMPSONS.

Ken interviews Jay Kogen, one of the original writers of THE SIMPSONS. He’s worked on many great shows and won an Emmy for a script of FRASIER. In part-one of this two-parter, Jay talks about breaking in, learning from Garry Shandling, and the early days of THE SIMPSONS.