3/30/2007

It’s kind of cool to hear people site me –of all people- as an influence on their careers. I think I’ve mentioned before, that guys working in mainstream Hollywood endeavors, thanks to the internet, have found ways to contact me, and told me that they used to watch me- and what they saw actually influenced what they wanted to do. I recently heard from Adam Rivkin, a writer and producer, who’s worked on “Small Soldiers” and “Detroit Rock City” among other films- he’s actually starring in his own upcoming caveman comedy “Homo Erectus” featuring the double-personality woman from the smash NBC superhero show “Heroes.” Adam was a big “Son of Svengoolie” fan- and was telling me how much he loved my stuff! It’s a great compliment to have people like Adam, who are making it in this very competitive business, send me a little virtual pat on the back…although I always remember what someone I know said- a pat in the back is just about 15 inches from a kick in the seat. I have a lot of friends who are out to L.A., and who have done very well. You’ve seen Miriam Flynn, who was in Second City here, as Eddie’s wife in the original “Vacation”- and in other movies and television shows. Melanie Moore Paxton, who was in our “Crew on the U,” was in those Glad container commercials, and has been in TV shows, including the new Sitcom “Notes from the Underbelly.” One of my old pals from high school, Randy Waldman, an amazing musician, who used to hang out and get into trouble with Doug Graves and me, is a session player who has worked with George Benson, Frank Sinatra (yeah, the Chairman of the Board, baby!), Barbra Streisand, and so many more, plays on tracks for movies and TV shows, live shows like major award programs, and concerts-he was on the Streisand tour that stopped here. If you really want to be impressed, get this- if you ever saw “Who Framed Roger Rabbit”-with the piano duet between Daffy Duck and Donald Duck- Randy played BOTH the piano parts! I remember him telling me about how he and Isaac Hayes in a studio, playing their favorite television show themes! Even as a young kid, he could play ragtime piano like a pro, and he, Doug, and I use to make our own 8 mm movies (this was before everybody had a video camera, kids…)..also out there is Another Second City alumnus, Eric Boardman, who has done a lot of cable network shows, and, back when the musical “Beatlemania” first came out, hashed out an idea with me for – “Monkee-mania!” It was …uh…never produced-actually, never even fully written. I may still have the one-sheet promotional poster I made for it somewhere, though…anyway, I’m proud to know that successful people out in La La Land are my friends- or even feel they should credit me , in some way, for their being where they are now…(if this as our show, you would now here “Berwyn?!”)