Podcasts about Bruce Jay Friedman

Today on another encore edition of the Rarified Heir Podcast, we are talking to illustrator & cartoonist Drew Friedman, son of the great writer, screenwriter and author, Bruce Jay Friedman. Known for his pop culture writing, including screenplays like Stir Crazy with Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor and Doctor Detroit, Bruce Jay was part of the well-heeled Manhattan literary, pop culture and social scene, with his own table at the once-fashionable & paparazzi friendly Elaine's restaurant in the 70s and 80s. Bruce Jay Friendman was also a novelist with books like The Lonely Guy (which became a film with Charles Grodin and Steve Martin) & as well as a playwright for productions like Scuba Duba &Steambath which became a PBS production in 1973. This literati scene rubbed off on Drew who was always obsessed with drawing and cartoons from a very early age. This passion led to a career as a cartoonist for magazines like The New Yorker, National Lampoon, Spy, Newsweek and many more. In turn, this led to caricature books & illustrations with titles like Old Jewish Comedians, Maverix and Lunatix: Icons of underground Comics and All The Presidents. Drew Friedman became famous for his lifelike if sometimes slightly demented images of B-movie actor Tor Johnson, public access television host Joe Franklin, comedian Ernie Kovacs (ahem) and Groucho Marx and many more. The aptly named Drew Friedman is our guest this week because this is the Rarified Heir Podcast and everyone has a story. This one is fascinating. Take a listen.

Lowell Ganz joined me to discuss how watching classic sitcoms was his "college"; his parents reaction to his constant TV watching; meeting Mark Rothman; Mark Rothman's dad giving a script they wrote to Jack Klugman and Tony Randall who gave it to Garry Marshall; getting hired, fired and rehired by The Odd Couple; "The Ides of April" and "Fear of Flying"; moving to Happy Days; writing the experimental three camera episode "Fonzie Gets Married"; going to # 1; introducing Laverne & Shirley; not realizing these characters could be spun off; test pilot scene; favorite episodes; meeting Michael McKean and David L. Lander and sneaking Lenny & Squggy past ABC; Busting Loose; giving new writers their first jobs; Cindy Begel; his skill at joke memory; The Ted Knight Show; The Lovebirds; The Rita Moreno Show; directing; going back to Happy Days; Ron Howard talks about directing; burning down Arnolds; how he personalized the news article that turned into "Night Shift";  Babaloo Mandel; "Splash"; changing Bruce Jay Friedman's original script; Oscars; Writer's Guild Lifetime Achievement Award; Red Buttons; Garry Marshall puts older writers in the room; Danny Thomas; A Happy Days episode gets Tom Hanks "Splash"; Working Stiffs gets Michael Keaton "Night Shift"; "Spies Like Us"; George C. Scott; Lowell's roles in "Splash" & "Parenthood"; Bpb Hope; Phil Silvers; "realness" of "Parenthood"; closes movie to him; unsurity of box office appeal; "City Slickers"; Rick Moranis has to drop out; Bruno Kirby will play either role; David L. Lander; "A League of their Own"; a bad review; ballplayers love it; Penny Marshall's directing"; 5 TV shows from his movies; how his characters are done to him after the movie finishes; "City Slickers II"; "Fever Pitch"; making like less misogynistic than book; ending changing to mirror real life; Mr. Saturday Night the Musical; Garry Marshall's Memorial Service"

GGACP celebrates the 25th anniversary of Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor's dark comedy "Election" (released April 23, 1999) by revisiting this "Colossal Obsessions" mini-ep from 2015. In this episode: "Lord Love a Duck"! Appreciating Matthew Broderick! The genius of Bruce Jay Friedman! Jerry Stiller and Jack Gilford eat a sandwich! And the not-so-guilty pleasure of “cringe comedies”! PLUS: Gilbert praises "Save the Tiger"! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steve and his comedy writing partner, Billy Riback, now on video, analyze one of the great comedy films of all time, 1972's "The Heartbreak Kid," directed by Elaine May and written by Neil Simon from a Bruce Jay Friedman short story.  

For the big 1-0 we don our swim trunks and dive into 1984's weirdly horney (Academy award nominated?) family comedy, Splash. Written by Lowell Ganz, Babaloo Mandel, and Bruce Jay Friedman. Directed by Ron Howard. Starring Tom Hanks, Daryl Hannah, Eugene Levy, and John Candy. As always, find us on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/bsfs_podcast/

Today on the Rarified Heir Podcast we are talking to master illustrator, painter and cartoonist Drew Friedman, son of writer/screenwriter Bruce Jay Friedman. And when we say writer, we mean a writer – short stories, essays, Broadway plays, films, novels – you name it and Bruce Jay Friedman did it. From screenplays like hit films like Splash and Stir Crazy to less, how do we say this, successful films like Doctor Detroit, Bruce Jay Friedman walked in both the literary and pop culture worlds, seamlessly. We also talk Bruce's novels like Scuba Duba and A Mother's Kisses, which were lauded for their humorous look at social and societal issues of the day. With contemporaries like Joseph Heller and Thomas Pynchon, you are in some pretty impressive company. We also talk to Drew about growing up in New York with a father who had his own table at the fashionable Elaine's in Manhattan for 30 years as well as his own obsession with drawing as a child. It's led Drew to be known as one of the most well-known portrait artists and cartoon artists of the last 50 or so years. His works have appeared in everything from the Wall Street Journal to Heavy Metal. His latest book, Maverix and Lunatix : Icons of Underground Comix is out now on Fantagraphics books. His other books you might ask?  How about Old  Jewish Comedians? Or Heroes of the Comics? Or All The Presidents. Somehow we talk find time to talk to Drew about Topps baseball cards, Groucho Marx, National Lampoon, Joe Franklin, Tor Johnson, Sammy Petrillo, Dick Shawn, Ernie Kovacs and much much more. It's a lively interview that became a conversation and that's always a great thing for this podcast. So sit back and take a listen to the latest episode of the Rarified Heir Podcast with Drew Friedman. Everyone has a story.

FIVE-HUNDRED EPISODES of The Virtual Memories Show?! Let's celebrate this milestone episode with tributes, remembrances, jokes, congrats, non-sequiturs, and a couple of songs (!) from nearly 100 of my past guests, including Maria Alexander, Jonathan Ames, Glen Baxter, Jonathan Baylis, Zoe Beloff, Walter Bernard, Sven Birkerts, Charles Blackstone, RO Blechman, Phlip Boehm, MK Brown, Dan Cafaro, David Carr, Kyle Cassidy, Howard Chaykin, Joe Ciardiello, Gary Clark, John Crowley, Ellen Datlow, Paul Di Filippo, Joan Marans Dim, Liza Donnelly, Bob Eckstein, Scott Edelman, Barbara Epler, Glynnis Fawkes, Aaron Finkelstein, Mary Fleener, Shary Flenniken, Josh Alan Friedman, Kipp Friedman, Michael Gerber, Mort Gerberg, ES Glenn, Sophia Glock, Paul Gravett, Tom Hart, Dean Haspiel, Jennifer Hayden, Glenn Head, Ron Hogan, Kevin Huizenga, Jonathan Hyman, Andrew Jamieson, Ian Kelley, Jonah Kinigstein, Kathe Koja, Ken Krimstein, Anita Kunz, Peter Kuper, Glenn Kurtz, Kate Lacour, Roger Langridge, Elisabeth Lasch-Quinn, John Leland, David Leopold, Sara Lippmann, David Lloyd, Whitney Matheson, Patrick McDonnell, Dave McKean, Scott Meslow, Barbara Nessim, Jeff Nunokawa, Jim Ottaviani, Celia Paul, Woodrow Phoenix, Darryl Pinckney, Weng Pixin, Eddy Portnoy, Virginia Postrel, Bram Presser, AL Price, Dawn Raffel, Boaz Roth, Hugh Ryan, Dmitry Samarov, Frank Santoro, JJ Sedelmaier, Nadine Sergejeff, Michael Shaw, R Sikoryak, Jen Silverman, Posy Simmonds, Vanessa Sinclair, David Small, Sebastian Smee, Ed Sorel, James Sturm, Mike Tisserand, Tom Tomorrow, Wallis Wilde-Menozzi, Kriota Willberg, Warren Woodfin, Jim Woodring, and Claudia Young. Plus, we look at back with segments from the guests we've lost over the years: Anthea Bell, Harold Bloom, Bruce Jay Friedman, Milton Glaser, Clive James, JD McClatchy, DG Myers, Tom Spurgeon, and Ed Ward. Here's to the next 500 shows! • More info at our site • Support The Virtual Memories Show via Patreon or Paypal

A real blast from the past this week with the 1980 blockbuster comedy, Stir Crazy! A childhood favorite of Dave's, this one was directed by the great Sidney Poitier, written by Bruce Jay Friedman, and starring Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor. If you enjoy the show we have a Patreon, become a supporter. www.patreon.com/thevhsstrikesback Plot Summary: Set up and wrongfully accused, two best friends will be sent to prison for a crime they didn't commit. However, no prison cell could keep them locked in. thevhsstrikesback@gmail.com https://linktr.ee/vhsstrikesback --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thevhsstrikesback/support

Drew Friedman, a cartoonist, illustrator, author, and son of Bruce Jay Friedman, chats with Mike about his new book Chosen People.This episode was produced by Rob Schulte See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Drew Friedman, a cartoonist, illustrator, author, and son of Bruce Jay Friedman, chats with Mike about his new book Chosen People. This episode was produced by Rob Schulte Brought to you By: The Sonar Network

The eleventh episode of our season on the awesome movie year of 1980 features our producer David Rosen's pick, the Gene Wilder/Richard Pryor comedy Stir Crazy. Directed by Sidney Poitier from a screenplay by Bruce Jay Friedman and starring Gene Wilder, Richard Pryor, Georg Stanford Brown, Barry Corbin, Craig T. Nelson and JoBeth Williams, Stir Crazy was the second of four movies that Wilder and Pryor made together. The post Stir Crazy (1980 Dave's Pick) appeared first on Awesome Movie Year.

Lowell Ganz joined me to discuss how watching classic sitcoms was his "college"; his parents reaction to his constant TV watching; meeting Mark Rothman; Mark Rothman's dad giving a script they wrote to Jack Klugman and Tony Randall who gave it to Garry Marshall; getting hired, fired and rehired by The Odd Couple; "The Ides of April" and "Fear of Flying"; moving to Happy Days; writing the experimental three camera episode "Fonzie Gets Married"; going to # 1; introducing Laverne & Shirley; not realizing these characters could be spun off; test pilot scene; favorite episodes; meeting Michael McKean and David L. Lander and sneaking Lenny & Squggy past ABC; Busting Loose; giving new writers their first jobs; Cindy Begel; his skill at joke memory; The Ted Knight Show; The Lovebirds; The Rita Moreno Show; directing; going back to Happy Days; Ron Howard talks about directing; burning down Arnolds; how he personalized the news article that turned into "Night Shift"; Babaloo Mandel; "Splash"; changing Bruce Jay Friedman's original script; Oscars; Writer's Guild Lifetime Achievement Award; Red Buttons; Garry Marshall puts older writers in the room; Danny Thomas; A Happy Days episode gets Tom Hanks "Splash"; Working Stiffs gets Michael Keaton "Night Shift"; "Spies Like Us"; George C. Scott; Lowell's roles in "Splash" & "Parenthood"; Bpb Hope; Phil Silvers; "realness" of "Parenthood"; closes movie to him; unsurity of box office appeal; "City Slickers"; Rick Moranis has to drop out; Bruno Kirby will play either role; David L. Lander; "A League of their Own"; a bad review; ballplayers love it; Penny Marshall's directing"; 5 TV shows from his movies; how his characters are done to him after the movie finishes; "City Slickers II"; "Fever Pitch"; making like less misogynistic than book; ending changing to mirror real life; Mr. Saturday Night the Musical; Garry Marshall's Memorial Service" --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in going all the way back to the 80s and reviewing SPLASH (1984), currently available on Disney+ but also other platforms. Written Lowell Ganz, Babaloo Mandel and Bruce Jay Friedman and directed by Ron Howard, the film follows the chance meeting of Allen (Tom Hanks) and Madison (Daryl Hannah) who met as kids in Cape Cod but then reconnect as adults. Allen is totally smitten as is Madison but Madison has a secret - will it tear them apart? The film has a run time of 1 h 51 m and is rated PG. Please note there are SPOILERS in this review. Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/jokagoge/support

Guest host Denis O'Hare presents a program that features great two-hander stories, each performed by a pair of actors that brings out the best in them.  In “The Trip,” by Bruce Jay Friedman, a young man is mortified when his over-the-top mom decides to accompany him to his first day at college. Santino Fontana and Julie Halston have fun with this social nightmare. In Lorrie Moore's “Foes,” a world-weary liberal writer making a reluctant appearance at a charity dinner is seated with a rabid conservative. Kyle MacLachlan and Joan Allen skillfully navigate this delicate minefield. Join and give!: https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/symphonyspacenyc?code=Splashpage See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Guest host Jane Curtin presents two stories about marriage.  A theatrical union is subtly tested in Bruce Jay Friedman’s “Any Number of Little Old Ladies,” performed by Blythe Danner and Maulik Pancholy.  And love is stretched thin, but rebounds, in Roxana Robinson’s “In Naples,” read by Betty Buckley.

This week we skip through topics like Life After Flash, Scream Queen, The Night Comes For Us, Never Surrender: The Making of Galaxy Quest, Dungeoncraft, The BAD Nightmare on Elm Street, Torgo's Minecraft Moment, DC Drops Diamond, Hollywood Resumes Production, Jeff's Forced Skipping, Torgo falls, Bruce Jay Friedman, Stir Crazy, Sweet Tooth, and more new Evil Dead Movies. So skip recess, it's time for a Geek Shock!

We've all seen any number of emails and Tweets and Facebook posts this week from companies supporting protests and the like. Entertainment industry firms have jumped on that bandwagon too, but The Washington Post's Alyssa Rosenberg has a different idea about how those particular players might be able to help: by shutting down all the police movies and TV shows. And: Comedian Sarah Cooper has found an elegant, perhaps surprisingly effective way to lampoon the president. She just lip syncs to his own words. And finally: The Vast of Night is the feature film debut of writer and director Andrew Patterson. He financed its $700,000 budget himself, and after its premiere at last year's Slamdance Film Festival, Amazon acquired it. The Twilight Zone-style sci-fi mystery debuted on Amazon Prime last weekend. Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take: Christo, Artist Who Wrapped and Festooned on an Epic Scale, Dies at 84Mountains, museums, bridges and Central Park were just some of what he used to make astonishing and popular art with his wife and collaborator, Jeanne-Claude. Bruce Jay Friedman, 90, Author With a Darkly Comic Worldview, DiesAn unusual case in American letters, he moved easily between literature and pop culture, including movies like "Stir Crazy" and "Splash," to great acclaim. The Remaking of Steve BuscemiSteve Buscemi has seen it all. He was hit by a car and a bus as a kid, was once stabbed in a bar fight, volunteered as a firefighter during 9/11, and somewhere along the way became one of the most accomplished film actors of his generation. And then tragedy struck: In 2019, Buscemi lost his wife of over 30 years. In a rare interview, Hollywood's most beloved misfit opens up about anxiety, loss, and the hard work of getting through it all. Why Your Local Comics Shop Matters Now More Than Ever Feeling Lucky at 90: The Clint Eastwood Passion ProjectOne of Hollywood's most enduring icons enters his 10th decade on the planet this week. After more than 50 films, 38 directed by the man himself, what's left to say about Clint Eastwood? Two fans look at old favorites and a few less heralded works to paint a picture of sustained, often unpredictable artistry. Necco Wafers make their triumphant return 2 years after the factory that made them closed its doors HBO's 'Watchmen' Was Ahead of its Time -- By 9 Months GUESTS: Mercy Quaye - Founder and principal consultant for The Narrative Project and a columnist with Hearst Connecticut Media Group Brian Slattery - Arts editor for the New Haven Independent and a producer at WNHH radio Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Continuing our exploration of YouTube's film festival!   (1:23) What I’ve Been Watching Deep Blue Ghost in the Shell: SAC 2045 105-107 What We Do in the Shadows 209 (6:21) News Lennie Niehaus dies at 90 Bruce Jay Friedman dies at 90 Coronavirus news Free movies for Black Lives Matter Batwoman replacing title character (27:24) We Are One Part 2 Post Show- Film Confessions

Author & photographer Kipp Friedman checks in from Milwaukee, hours after the death of his father, the great writer Bruce Jay Friedman. We trade stories about BJF, but first we talk about how Kipp has been coping with pandemic life, and how, with his bar/bat mitzvah photography business on hiatus, Kipp has returned to a novel he began a few yeas ago about his time as a newspaper reporter in FL in the '80s. He also gets into how teaching tennis manages to keep him occupied while letting him keep appropriate social distance, the advantages of having a live-in chef (his son moved back in and loves to cook), the joy of bingeing on Eric Ambler novels and the Criterion Channel streaming service, and more. Read Kipp's memoir, Barracuda In The Attic • Listen to our full-length podcast • More info at our site • Find all our COVID Check-In episodes • Support The Virtual Memories Show via Patreon or Paypal

The first great author I ever recorded with, Bruce Jay Friedman, died on June 3, 2020, at the age of 90. His work means the world to me, so to celebrate his life, I've re-posted that 2014 podcast, along with a new introduction. • More info at our site • Support The Virtual Memories Show via Patreon or Paypal

AN EDITOR’S EDITOR A legend among his peers at the old men’s adventure magazines, Mel Shestack made people believe the impossible. And anyone who fell for his “gentle cons” felt privileged afterward. Episode Links Weasels Ripped My Flesh (https://www.amazon.com/Weasels-Two-Fisted-Stories-Adventure-Magazines/dp/0988462109/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1547199869&sr=1-6&keywords=josh+alan+friedman) Even the Rhinos Were Nymphos (https://www.amazon.com/Even-Rhinos-Were-Nymphos-Nonfiction-ebook/dp/B07F32WX14/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1547199997&sr=1-1&keywords=Even+the+Rhinos+were+nymphos) It’s A Man’s World (https://www.amazon.com/Its-Mans-World-Adventure-Magazines/dp/0922915814/ref=sr_1_12?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1547200068&sr=1-12&keywords=josh+alan+friedman) True Action, one of the many magazines published each month by Magazine Management Mel Shestack presenting a fake mock-up cover to Bruce Jay Friedman at Bruce’s Magazine Management retirement in 1966. (photo: Jules Siegel) A Mel Shestack cartoon on a letter to Josh

WARNING: The odd cussword is heard herein. Hide the kids.TABLE OF CONTENTSThe Ballad of Kewpie Dick*Stroopwafel Update*Patreon Update*Ty Cobb Chooses a Catcher*Alex Belth: O.G. Baseball Bloggers*The Golden Age of Magazine Writing*The Joy of Microfilm*A Writer’s Fame is Fleeting*Heinz and J. Lardner*Terry Southern, Bruce Jay Friedman, and Helen Lawrenson*The Yankees of Your 20s vs. Those of Your 40s*Emily Shapiro: What is Crohn’s Disease?*Fighting Your Limitations and Growth Experiences*Partnership and a Blurring of Roles (“I Can’t Take Care of Her, I Can Care for Her”)/The San Diego Story*Fainting!*We’re Not Our Bodies*Sharing*Having Nothing in Common*Goodbyes.THE INFINITE INNING ARCHIVE: All episodes available, popcorn extra.THE INFINITE INNING FACEBOOK GROUP: Socialize with like-minded people!SUPPORT THE INFINITE INNING: Visit our Patreon page.The Infinite Inning is not only about baseball but a state of mind. Steven Goldman, rotating cohosts Jesse Spector, Cliff Corcoran, and David Roth, and occasional guests discuss the game’s present, past, and future with forays outside the foul lines to the culture at large. Expect stats, anecdotes, digressions, explorations of writing and fandom, and more Casey Stengel quotations than you thought possible. Along the way, they’ll try to solve the puzzle that is the Infinite Inning: How do you find the joy in life when you can’t get anybody out?

WHEN ADVENTURE MAGAZINES BEGAT MOVIES My father hired Mario Puzo as associate editor at Magazine Management at 655 Madison Avenue in 1960. While working there, Puzo would write his great novel about Hell’s Kitchen, The Fortunate Pilgrim. And then at age 49, break out with the most successful novel in history—The Godfather. Episode Links The Fortunate Pilgrim (https://www.amazon.com/Fortunate-Pilgrim-Novel-Mario-Puzo/dp/0345476727) The Godfather Papers (https://www.amazon.com/Godfather-Papers-Mario-Puzo/dp/B007BJ6FXE) Weasels Ripped My Flesh! Two-Fisted Stories From Men’s Adventure Magazines (https://www.amazon.com/Weasels-Two-Fisted-Stories-Adventure-Magazines/dp/0988462109) Mario Puzo’s 1966 children's book, with a character named Josh. Mario Puzo and Bruce Jay Friedman at Bruce’s party leaving Magazine Management in 1966 1960 masthead for Male, Men, Man’s World and True Action magazines

Today's Guest: Bruce Jay Friedman, author, Lucky Bruce, Steambath, The Dick, The Lonely Guy, Splash, Stern   Mr. Media is recorded live before a studio audience of famous writers, brand name celebrities and their heirs who are mentioned in Lucky Bruce and are standing by to see what Mr. Friedman might say about them next… in the NEW new media capital of the world, St. Petersburg, Florida! Order Lucky Bruce: A Literary Memoir by Bruce Friedman by clicking the book cover above! How many guys can write an autobiography that is part Andy Warhol Diaries, part Zelig and part Forrest Gump? Even if you’ve never read a lick of Bruce Jay Friedman’s voluminous career output, or seen one of his movies or Broadway productions, I guarantee you’ll find his new memoir, Lucky Bruce, delightful. BRUCE JAY FRIEDMAN audio excerpt: "In the beginning I didn't think I knew enough to fill up a whole book. Now, with the clock ticking, I don't have enough time to fill out all the ideas I have." Why delightful? Because it’s not the story of a guy standing on his mother’s step begging you to notice him and pay attention. His substantial collection of life stories and career anecdotes weave a history of a guy who, by his own telling, wandered in and out of history. The Accidental Success, you might call it. Or American Splendor, Manhattan Edition. There is Friedman, who fell into a top editing job at Magazine Management Company, run by Martin Goodman (who also created Marvel Comics, which employed his nephew, Stan Lee). While there, Friedman hired and befriended a guy named Mario Puzo. Along the way to Lucky, Friedman declines the top editing job at Playboy, gets into a street fight with Norman Mailer, parties with Crazy Joe Gallo, takes a leak next to Muhammad Ali, writes the screenplays for Splash and Stir Crazy, and… well, frankly, I dog-eared so many pages of note that my dog ears have dog ears. (I should note that this wonderful opportunity to interview Bruce came about as a result of my friendship with his son, famed caricaturist and illustrator Old Jewish Comedians, Drew Friedman. Drew has been a guest here and it was he who suggested a conversation with his dad and open that door. Thanks, Drew!) Watch the Mr. Media interview with Bruce Jay Friedman's sons Drew, Josh Alan and Kipp, below!         Order 'Will Eisner: A Spirited Life' (2nd Edition) by Bob Andelman, available from Amazon.com by clicking on the book cover above!     The Party Authority in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland!

We wrap up '80s month with a housecall from Doctor Detroit (1983), the story of mild-mannered professor, Clifford Skridlow (Dan Aykroyd) and how he transforms into super-pimp Doctor Detroit.Based on the short story "Detroit Abe" by Bruce Jay Friedman, Mike talks to screenwriters Robert Boris and Carl Gottlieb along with director Michael Pressman. This episode also includes the third and final part of the interview with actress Glenne Headly.Aaron Peterson and Heather Drain join Mike to discuss this unusual comedy.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Special Guests: Michael Pressman, Carl Gottlieb, Robert Boris, Glenne HeadlyGuest Co-Hosts: Heather Drain, Aaron PetersonWe wrap up '80s month with a housecall from Doctor Detroit (1983), the story of mild-mannered professor, Clifford Skridlow (Dan Aykroyd) and how he transforms into super-pimp Doctor Detroit.Based on the short story "Detroit Abe" by Bruce Jay Friedman, Mike talks to screenwriters Robert Boris and Carl Gottlieb along with director Michael Pressman. This episode also includes the third and final part of the interview with actress Glenne Headly.Aaron Peterson and Heather Drain join Mike to discuss this unusual comedy.Links:Buy Doctor Detroit on DVDBuy The Collected Short Fiction of Bruce Jay Friedman by Bruce Jay FriedmanHear more of Robert Boris on the Electra Glide in Blue episodeKeep up with Heather Drain at Mondo HeatherBe sure to check out The Hollywood OutsiderListen to Remake This Movie Right 

Today's Guest: Drew Friedman, artist, Old Jewish Comedians, Too Soon? and Warts and All Order 'Even More Old Jewish Comedians' by Drew Friedman by clicking the book cover above! Mr. Media is recorded live before a studio audience of actual, working caricaturists gathered here for their annual convention… in the NEW new media capital of the world, St. Petersburg, Florida! Drew Friedman is BETTER than Picasso! So says Howard Stern, and who is Mr. Media to argue with the King of All Media? Drew is the king of modern caricaturists. His work has been featured on almost every major American magazine, from The New York Times and MAD to Entertainment Weekly and Field & Stream. DREW FRIEDMAN audio excerpt: "Howard Stern -- the uglier, more disgusting I draw him, the more he likes me." In recent years, he has turned much of his attention capturing a generation of sometimes unheralded entertainers: Old Jewish Comedians. In fact, it’s become virtually a brand for Drew, starting with his first collection, Old Jewish Comedians, then his second, More Old Jewish Comedians, and now his third, Even More Old Jewish Comedians. Who knew there were so many Old Jewish Comedians? Is there any chance he’s making some of these people up as he goes? Who knows? Who cares – it’s funny and the artwork is impeccable. Drew Friedman drew this R. Crumb sketch @ the International Society of Caricature Artists 2011 annual convention. (c) 2011 by Drew Friedman. All Rights Reserved. Drew Friedman drew this sketch of Mr. Media, Bob Andelman, @ the International Society of Caricature Artists 2011 annual convention. (c) 2011 by Drew Friedman. All Rights Reserved. Drew has been on Mr. Media before and he recently connected me with his father, legendary humorist and novelist Bruce Jay Friedman. And the family act continues next April with a reprint of Drew’s first book of comics from the pages of Raw magazine – co-authored with his brother, Josh Alan Friedman. Today we’re meeting in person at the TradeWinds Resort in beautiful St. Pete Beach, Florida, where Drew is the keynote speaker at the International Society of Caricature Artists annual convention. We’ll use that as an excuse to talk about craft. A very special feature of the video of this interview is a 17-minute, over-the-shoulder demonstration of Drew Friedman's caricature technique, as he draws me and then a real celebrity, Robert Crumb. Don't miss it! Drew Friedman Blog • Art Prints For Sale • Order Even More Old Jewish Comedians by Drew Friedman   Kicking Through the Ashes: My Life As A Stand-up in the 1980s Comedy Boom by Ritch Shydner. Order your copy today by clicking on the book cover above! Order 'Will Eisner: A Spirited Life' (2nd Edition) by Bob Andelman, available from Amazon.com by clicking on the book cover above!  

Today's Guest: Josh Alan Friedman, blues singer, guitarist, Sixty, Goddammit   Watch this exclusive Mr. Media interview with Josh Alan Friedman by clicking on the video player above!  Mr. Media is recorded live before a studio audience full of bad mothereffers in sheep’s clothing… in the NEW new media capital of the world… St. Petersburg, Florida! Sixty, Goddammit by Josh Alan Friedman. Order your copy today by clicking on the album cover above! Thinking of asking singer-songwriter Josh Alan Friedman how 60 is treating him? Not sure that’s such a good idea – even if he did title his first new album in 15 years, Sixty, Goddammit. Hard to believe the former New Yorker – he’s been a somewhat unlikely Texas transplant for years – hasn’t produced a new record in that long. Could that be true? JOSH ALAN FRIEDMAN podcast excerpt: "I don't think anybody has an acoustic guitar sound like mine. And does what I do on acoustic guitar. I focused on that for 'Sixty, Goddammit'; very laser-beamed in on what I do best." Friedman, recognized as much for the books he’s written – including Tales of Times Square, Black Cracker, I, Goldstein, and Warts And All, the last with artist brother Drew – as his music, has been saving up for this moment. Among Sixty, Goddammit’s 11 tracks, you’ll find terrific covers of Blacks and blues, including Isaac Hayes’ “Theme from Shaft,” Ray Charles’ “What’d I Say” and “Tush” by ZZ Top. But I’m always most interested in Friedman’s own compositions, and my favorite here is “This Radio Don’t Play Nothin’ But the Blues.” JOSH ALAN FRIEDMAN podcast excerpt: "I played thousands of nights in honky-tonks across Texas, so I played 'I Got A Woman' every night, a rockabilly version of it. I would do 'Georgia' in Ray Charles' style. But 'What 'd I Say' -- I almost feel like it's mine." You can find the new album on iTunes and Amazon, by the way. Long time viewers and listeners know I’m an easy touch for members of the Friedman clan. This is the seventh interview I’ve done with men named Friedman: two for Josh, three for brother Drew, one for brother Kipp, and one with dad Bruce Jay Friedman. Each is laugh, story and art filled. Check the archives for your favorite. Key interview moments: • 8:10 Blues singer-songwriter Josh Alan Friedman talks about the focus of his first new album in 15 years, Sixty, Goddammit; • 25:50 There is one Ray Charles song on the new album; Friedman talks about all of the Charles songs he has played over the years; • 41:00 Kinky Friedman and Josh Alan Friedman playing shows together? You want a ticket to that show, folks. Josh Alan Friedman Website • Facebook • YouTube • Wikipedia • MySpace • ReverbNation Kicking Through the Ashes: My Life As A Stand-up in the 1980s Comedy Boom by Ritch Shydner. Order your copy today by clicking on the book cover above!    

David Mikics joins the show to talk about his new book, Bellow's People: How Saul Bellow Made Life Into Art (Norton). We talk about Bellow's legacy, his transmutations of life into art, David's humorously accidental introduction to his work, whether Philip Roth was right when he told Bruce Jay Friedman, "Saul Bellow am de daddy of us all," and more. More info at our site • Support The Virtual Memories Show via Patreon or Paypal

Virtual Memories – season 4 episode 8 - The Slippery Animal "I'm always in the middle of a struggle with a short story. You'd think I'd have the hang of it by now. It's a slippery animal.'" Literary legend Bruce Jay Friedman joins the Virtual Memories Show for a fun conversation about his literary career, which encompasses six decades of short stories, novels, plays and Oscar®-nominated screenwriting. We talk about his newest projects, how both the writing and the sale of short stories have changed over the course of his career, and why he's happier in that form than the novel. Why was he successful in Hollywood when F. Scott Fitzgerald and Anthony Powell crapped out there? Listen in to find out! "Hollywood to me was fun. Like a boy being let loose in a candy store. I was offended when I'd get called in off the tennis court to write a few scenes. I can tell you: there is no one who had more fun than I did in Hollywood." We also talk about how stories begin, where he sees himself in the continuum of Jewish American writers, why Dustin Hoffman hates him, whether he's ever been tempted to write The Big Novel, why he's getting more Jewish as he gets older, why he prefers the Franco-Prussian war over other wars, and how to find the right kind of pistachio nuts. "I always feel guilty about being entertained. I feel like I should be reading Suetonius." Bonus: I rant about leaving my job and ask you for money! Enjoy the conversation! Then check out the archives for more great episodes! Related conversations: Josh Alan Friedman Kipp Friedman Drew Friedman Mark Feltskog Phillip Lopate Follow The Virtual Memories Show on iTunes, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, and RSS! About our Guest Novelist, playwright, short story writer and Oscar-nominated screenwriter Bruce Jay Friedman was born in New York City. Friedman published his first novel Stern in 1962 and established himself as a writer and playwright, most famously known for his off-Broadway hit Steambath (1973) (TV) and his 1978 novel The Lonely Guy's Book of Life. In addition to short stories and plays, Mr. Friedman has also published seven other novels, and has written numerous screenplays, including the Oscar-nominated Splash (1984). His memoir, Lucky Bruce, came out in 2011. He resides in New York City with his second wife, educator Patricia J. O'Donohue. Check out his Amazon page for info on his books and plays. Credits: This episode's music is Frenesi by Artie Shaw. The conversation was recorded at Mr. Friedman's home on a pair of Blue enCORE 200 microphones feeding into a Zoom H4n recorder. The intro and outro were recorded on Blue Yeti USB Microphone. Processing was done in Audacity and Garage Band. Photo of Mr. Friedman by me.

Theater Talk welcomes writer Bruce Jay Friedman who discusses his memoir, "Lucky Bruce," detailing his lengthy career as a playwright, screenwriter and humorist. Friedman also talks about his friendships with writers Mario Puzo and Joseph Heller.

The late Stanley Elkin was a two-time recipient of the National Book Critics Circle Award. The author of more than a dozen novels and short-story collections, including “A Bad Man,” “George Mills,” “The Rabbi of Lud” and “Mrs. Ted Bliss,” he is recognized for his humorous and satirical fiction and for the stylistic virtuosity of his ornately wrought prose. 1964 … Read more about this episode...

Bruce Jay Friedman has been writing across genres and media for more than half a century. Literary types remember Stern, his 1962 breakout book, referred to by one critic as “the first Freudian novel.” Movie buffs know him as the screenwriter of blockbusters like Splash and Stir Crazy. The film The Heartbreak Kid was based on his short story “A Change of Plan.” And then there were his several plays, including the popular 1970 Steambath. Now Friedman has written