Pet Sounds

August 15, 2007: Today's Programme

If you listen to this week's episode, you are going to hear the following words used repeatedly:

I may not always love you
But long as there are stars above you
You never need to doubt it
I'll make you so sure about it
God only knows what I'd be without you

If you listen to next week's episode, you will possibly hear all of these words strung together.

Also, a listener has recently contacted me with the astute observation that the word "there" might have been sung by rock star and frequent WFMU contributor Ted Leo. How great is that? Any thoughts?

Ungesundheit

August 8, 2007: Sneezing at Embassies



In this episode, Ken and Andy recommend various international travel destinations based on, on Eeh'choo!... sorry, I must be coming down with something.

You can read listener comments from this this episode below, or through the new playlist feature here.

Long Lost: Andy Writes a Comic Book

From Dark Horse Comics:

USA's hit show Monk lends Dark Horse Comics their creator Andy Breckman. Paired with legendary artist Peter Gross, the team delivers Long Lost, a drama full of loss, suspense, and mystery. Andy Breckman has a long history in comedy, having been a stand-up comedian, movie writer, and television producer. For the first time ever, Breckman takes a stab at both drama and the comics medium in this electrifying emotional narrative. The fantastic art of Peter Gross adds an element of honesty and realism to the masterpiece that is Long Lost.

When a mother suddenly comes face to face with a teenage boy claiming to be her son who was kidnapped as a baby, she is skeptical of this spontaneous return is real. Of one family's tragedy is explored in this twisting story of grief, psychosis, and deception. Long Lost takes every parent's worst nightmare and turns it into a thrilling tale that keeps readers on their toes.

Breckman explains the background of the project: "Sometimes--not often, but sometimes--things work out exactly the way they're supposed to. I've been kicking Long Lost around for a while. After years of writing comedy, I wanted to try something new. I wanted to try scaring the shit out of people. I was proud of the story, and aching to tell it. But how? It was too dark-too twisted-for TV. And way too intense-too claustrophobic-for the big screen. Then I met the amazing Peter Gross and his blessed-by-God right hand. He sent me a few rough pages, and that was it. Long Lost was home. I realized it was always meant to be a graphic novel, and Peter was always meant to bring it to life. I can sleep easy. My baby is in good hands."

"I'm always a little wary about working with writers from other mediums who want to dip into comics for the first time, because it's a harder medium than they expect, with unique challenges all its own. After talking to Andy the first time, I knew I had to do this project-he's smart, funny, personable, and has a great story . . . and he promised me I would be the 'director' of this project, with all the story-cutting privileges that go along with that. After watching Andy geek out at the NY Comic-Con, paying big bucks for an early issue of Jimmy Olson that he loved as a kid, I knew he had comics in his blood. He's just one of those guys who became incredibly successful in other media so he could break into comics," said Gross on the collaboration.

Long Lost is scheduled for a 2008 release date.

Breaking the Ten Commandments

From the Archives of Seven Second Delay

February 7, 1996: Breaking the Ten Commandments

Congratulations on [coveting your neighbors' maidservant] being the biggest sin in your life. You can serve on my jury anytime.

Foreplay Topics
This special benediction is added to the beloved standard:
"Dear Lord,
May the person I humiliate this week be a very small person
and not be able to physically hurt me.
Amen."

Will to Live-o-meter
Andy's holds on for the big finish: the sin of adultery.

Other Show Concepts Discussed
Andy laments over the previous week's show that was destined to live in infamy: Andy Kicks The Kid Out Of His Band Show. Oddly, they promote next week's show that was destined to live in obscurity: Marrying Off The Listeners and Call Screener Stork Show. And, Andy mulls over two possible concepts that were destined to be forgotten: Breaking The Seven Deadly Sins Show and My Wife's Not Listening Show.

Summary
To disprove Ken's assertion that people are basically good and decent, Andy has callers break all ten commandments, on the air, in an hour.

The Broken Commandments
I. Thou shall not pray to the goddess of the earth.
II. Thou shall not paint graven depictions of chaos.
III. Thou shall not love the show, god-dammit and nail a few 2x4's on Saturday.
IV. Thou shall not tell your dad he is stupid.
V. Thou shall not kill an ant.
VI. Thou shall not kiss your girlfriend while waiting for your divorce to go through
VII. Thou shall not steal toilet paper from work.
VIII. Thou shall not lie about your neighbor stealing CD's from WFMU, running an underage call girl ring, arming Iraq, and hating Ken and Andy.
IX. Thou shall not use voodoo to get your neighbor's stone house.
X. Irwin shall not call Andy's wife a babe.
Bonus
Best Zinger By a Caller
Andy: If this was a Twilight Zone episode, you'd go home and do you know what would be in your living room?
Sexy Voice Caller: Dennis Hopper.

Who Is This Monster


"At the station, about half an hour before Delay goes on the air, Breckman strides around the offices greeting staff and volunteers. His personality shifts a bit. “New Jersey Monthly’s doing a story about me. Me. Just me,” he tells Freedman. He’s getting into character. On Delay, he isn’t Andy Breckman, neurotic-but-friendly comedy writer; he’s Andy Breckman, arrogant foil to Freedman’s nice guy. His job is to be a funny jerk, and he plays the role to the hilt."

See New Jersey Monthly.