Grant Tells Andy Breckman's Joke

Woah! Good work, Grant!

Photos: WireImage, Getty Images

Also, from New York Magazine: Annoy Don McLean, Win $200!

1994

October 24, 2007: Today's Re-Run (from January 1994)



Here's a flashback to the days before Seven Second Delay was, well, good. I'd say it was about another year until Seven Second Delay moved beyond being a not-untypical talk show, and became the driven, high-concept show that found its way into our hearts. More recently, I think, the show revealed itself to be ultimately about what it's secretly been about all along: Andy Breckman.

Personally, I'm not sure I'd take the 1994 Andy over the Andy of today or the Andy of eight years ago. I'd have to go to with the darker, self-reflexive model instead of the comparatively-buoyant-but-not-as-cutting version.

(Not that it was a bad show, exactly, although the fidelity was completely insane. I'm trying not to complain on this blog all the time.)

This blog will also be outsourced by/to/five inches near Indians...

Well, a defunct and culturally challenged indian (as proven by this 7SD nearmiss.) Well, longtime reader, firsttime blogger. I can't believe I got through to these guys to take me in. So the last episode has already been blogged in with illustration intact; Hillary, love your blog and the work you've shown. And the guys could use the time off this coming Wednesday from 6 to 7. It's getting more difficult to gauge what's a trainwreck and what isn't...

Otay, well here's a few video chestnuts I cyber-discovered about a year ago. As a matter of fact, I'm surprised no one has called attention to it yet on the bloggity-blog.

They're from a short-lived, Emmy-award-winning Saturday morning variety show from 1979-80 called Hot Hero Sandwich, considered a Saturday Night Live for kids. Members of the cast included Denny Dillon (who went on a year later to the actual SNL on it's first abysmal season,) Matt McCoy from one or two Police Academy sequels, and a then-young new portrait of "America's Sweetheart" named Vicky Dawson (who went on to other movies that I don't recognize on her IMDB page.)

The program had comedy sketches, musical guests (like KISS), filmed interviews with the IT celebrities of that time (like Erik Estrada and Pam Dawber), and a resident Hot Hero house band who would often play backup to a young bearded man with a full head of hair who once hoped to be the "next Bob Dylan":





This next clip was once part of a video compilation offered to WFMU listeners for a reasonable pledge:



These videos were found in Youtube, uploaded by one person who goes under the username "jbreckman"; Yikes, I think someone's computer mouse is about to get duct-taped away from him soon.

Note: Videos have been deleted. But doomed to be repeated.

Hot off the Press

Here's the artwork from this week's Writing a Graphic Novel episode. It was illustrated by Hillary Moore, whose work you may have seen in Amy Sedaris' book I Like You. The editor of a grain-sized publication called Rice on the Other has agreed to feature Hillary's work on a page in his next issue.

Is this how you pictured our little story? Do any other artists want to give it a try?

The Void

October 17, 2007: Writing a Graphic Novel

Let's be honest: that was pretty bad. I don't think you can call it a trainwreck, since that implies excitement. This was a slow, unhappy march through an average concept to get to a completely intangible result. The worst part is that the show relied so heavily on a parade of callers with bad stories, leaving no time for any Andy/Ken banter (always the saving grace of any trainwreck) or any humor. To his credit, Ken seemed to have a good idea of how the show was going, given his clear irritation with the artist near the end. It's rare when Ken gets that irate with someone other than Andy. Every now and then, Andy demonstrates a laudable commitment to the concept, but this was the wrong week to get so determined. It's very frustrating hearing all these good show ideas mentioned over the past few weeks, and none of them seem to materialize.

Next week is a rerun. Any requests? Personally, I'd like to hear something like "Andy Breckman, This Is Your Life" or really just something not rerun in the last five years. But you can't have everything.

And Here's B...

October 10, 2007: Andy's iPod versus Ken's Show

Brace yourself for a battle of musical tastes, as Ken's radio show competes with Andy's blast from the past iPod.

The camera heard in the background of this episode is a photographer from the Star Ledger. You should check out their Sunday edition. Apparently, you'll find Ken in the section called "Lies and Lifestyles".

Also, Ken and Andy mentioned a new Amazon service called M Turk this week. Update your bookmarks, because this just might show up in a future episode.

"one of my secret fantasies was to have a call-in show."

Andy's all over New Jersey weeklys this year. Special thanks to our Anonymous commenter for referring the blog to this great article: 'Monk' raised in the Garden State.

Bright Spots

October 3, 2007: The Apologies by Proxy Trainwreck
Speaking of apologies, I'm sorry about standing up this blog for the past several weeks.


September 26, 2007: The Guest List Club
Andy's son Evan takes a few short steps, and Ken's guest list stays even shorter.


September 19, 2007: Guess The Ringtone
I've been wondering what most long-time listeners use as their ring tones. My cell phone? The Go-Go's singing "We've Got the Beat." It's pretty annoying. I like it.

I think we all need a little riot act in our lives.

Our Sovereign Lord the King chargeth and commandeth all persons, being assembled, immediately to disperse themselves, and peaceably to depart to their habitations, or to their lawful business, upon the pains contained in the act made in the first year of King George, for preventing tumults and riotous assemblies. God Save the King.