Media Path Podcast

Yes, And... 50 Years Of Improv Comedy with The Off The Wall Improv Group!

The Off The Wall Improv Comedy Group has been entertaining audiences for 50 years! Blossoming, in 1975 out of a dance studio next to a West Hollywood hamburger stand, the group has worked with Robin Williams, John Ritter, George Wendt, Chevy Chase, Garry Shandling, and Jim Belushi, with Michael Feinstein at the piano! Original members, Andy Goldberg, Wendy Cutler, and Paul Willson join us to share their unique history and regale us with backstage lore and intrigue. These three became go-to Hollywood players, appearing on Laverne and Shirley, Mork and Mindy, The Golden Girls, Cheers, Hill Street Blues, The Larry Sanders Show, Columbo and so many more! Their improv gifts also suit them perfectly for looping sessions where they fill in the background voices in TV and movie scenes. Listen carefully and you will hear them in Meet The Parents, Monster’s Ball, The X Files, Justice League, and How To Train Your Dragon. Paul, Wendy and Andy take us through the proud history of improv comedy which was born out of theater games taught to children, and has gone on to train and launch  countless stellar careers.  Plus, Andrew Jameson joins us to talk about his doc series, Faces Of The City which is now streaming on Roku.And in current media -- Weezy: The Runarounds on PrimeFritz: Task on HBO Path Points of Interest:The Runarounds TrailerTask - HBOFaces of the CityOff The WallOff The Wall on YoutubeImprov Comedy by Andy Goldberg  Off The Wall on FacebookFanatic Salon Theater

The Gen-X Child Actor Club & Stories of a Kid In New Hollywood with Moosie Drier!

We welcome Moosie Drier, one of the most familiar young faces of 70s and 80s TV and film! Moosie takes us back to a time when child actors were a tight crew who worked and auditioned for roles together, forging friendships, supportive rivalries and shared memories.Alongside fellow child actors like Lance Kerwin, Brad Savage, Ike Eisenmann, and Matthew Layborteaux, Moosie carved out a place in show biz history, beginning with his very first job at age five: dubbing the voice of a tiny actor who was not quite nailing the line in an ice cream commercial. Armed with that professional gravitas, Moosie went on to play Jack Lemmon’s step-son in The War Between Men and Women and John Denver’s kid in Oh, God! starring George Burns. He then delivered the Kid News For Kids on Laugh-In (as young staff writer Lorne Michaels tucked away the whole fake news idea for what would become Weekend Update!)Moosie spills tea on working with Henry Fonda (Hank liked the View-Master. Hated the kids.) Moosie shares how Barbra Streisand hand picked him for a bit part in Up The Sandbox, and evidently, Moosie is gifted with a face you’d want to serenade. Both John Denver and Reba McEntire picked up guitars and sang to him between scenes.Plus we get some Drier family lore. How his family struck out from Chicago for California in search  of industry opportunities. About the tax hole that welcomed Moosie into adulting. And the strange baby name saga that resulted in a boy named “Moosie.” Today, Moosie continues to connect with his peers through his podcast Pop Culture Retro, where conversations are a blend of interviews, fellow child-actor therapy and catching up over lunch.All that, plus a round of IMDB Roulette which takes us from Kids Incorporated to Family Ties to Judy Garland to The Bob Newhart Show to American Hot Wax! It’s a life and career chock full of charm, challenges, and timeless Hollywood moments.And in current media -- Weezy: Sullivan's Crossing on NetflixFritz: The Mark Twain book by Ron ChernowPath Points of Interest:Moosie Drier on WikipediaMoosie Drier on IMDBMoosie Drier on InstagramPop Culture Retro on Apple PodcastsPop Culture Retro on InstagramPop Culture Retro on XPop Culture Retro on YouTubeSullivan's CrossingMark Twain by Ron ChernowMedia PathMedia Path on FacebookMedia Path on InstagramMedia Path on XMedia Path on Bluesky

Preserving Mayberry's Characters & The Andy Griffith Shows' Legacy

What happens when a big time movie star gets popped for speeding while rolling through Mayberry? He just may learn the value of connection and community, that’s what!Mayberry Man… first a movie, then a series… was inspired by the reverent fervor that is the annual Mayberry Days Festival which takes place annually in Andy Griffith’s hometown of Mount Airy, North Carolina. Producer Gregory Schell and Writer/Director Stark Howell are both second generation Mayberry progeny and their experiences at the festival inspired them to crate the Mayberry Man franchise.Greg and Stark both have dads who made two Andy Griffith Show appearances, Hoke Howell and Ronnie Schell. Ronnie then went on to co-star with Mayberry’s own Gomer Pyle on Gomer Pyle USMC.Greg and Stark join us in-studio to help us welcome Zoom guests, Allan Newsome who plays the Floyd the Barber re-enactor and Chris Bauman, who brings Gomer to life. They share their histories of falling in love with those characters, stepping into their shoes and clothing, meeting festival fans and now sharing their portrayals onscreen in Mayberry Man.Stark’s Dad Hoke was besties with Rance Howard. Together, they pursued their acting and writing careers while Rance’s kids Ron and Clint played little league and created early films with the Howell boys.Stark’s brother, producer Cort Howell, shares how he used crowdfunding, targeted marketing and fan community building to bring Mayberry Man to life. Plus, Greg reflects on growing up in the shadow of an actor/comedian father and Stark shares his earliest screen role, co-starring with Clint Howard, in a 14-year-old Ron Howard’s third Super 8 film classic, Cards, Cads, Guns, Gore & Death.And in current media, Weezy enlightens Fritz as to the internet outrage regarding Big Brother's Rylie and Katharine showmance and Fritz shares his enthusiasm for the new Spike Lee 'joint' Highest 2 Lowest, now in theatersPath Points of Interest:Mayberry Manhttps://www.amazon.com/Mayberry-Man-Brett-Varvel/dp/B0B8NNSYR9https://www.mayberryman.com/home-zMayberry Man The Serieshttps://www.primevideo.com/detail/Mayberry-Man-The-Series/0OW0MU66B6JJM52GUUWO3CQQ8Khttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt24222046/?ref_=nm_ov_bio_lkGregory Schell on InstagramStark Howell on IMDBCort HowellAllan NewsomeTwo Chairs No Waiting PodcastChris Bauman Big BrotherHighest 2 LowestMedia Path PodcastMedia Path on FacebookMedia Path on InstagramMedia Path on XMedia Path on BlueskyLouise Palanker on TiktokFritz Coleman on Tiktok

Getting Rock On The Radio & The Peak Era Of Music Marketing with Paul Rappaport

For 33 1/3 years, Paul Rappaport made history as a rock promotions kingpin at Columbia Records, shaping pathways for the biggest artists of the ’70s, 80s and ’90s to find their audience. Paul has penned 'Gliders Over Hollywood: Airships, Airplay, and the Art of Rock Promotion', a memoir that captures the creative fun and the rich, human connection at the heart of the record business in its golden era.Paul shares stories of big-budget, wildly innovative stunts, like painting a radio station pink for Pink Floyd, sending a terrifying “alien invasion like” laser beam across Los Angeles skies for Blue Oyster Cult and jumping through every station relationship hoop to land Mick Jagger, out of the box, at number one on the charts! Paul reports  that in the records and radio world, it was friendships and reciprocity that made the  engines hum.Paul shares stories of his heart-to-hearts with Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, and Mick Jagger and of his one-of-a-king thank you gift from Pink Floyd… an opportunity to join them on stage in London to shred and trade guitar licks with David Gilmour on Run Like Hell!With a deep reverence for music and the artists who shaped his world view, Paul reflects on the chance he was given to be a part of the effort alongside his boyhood heroes and to help them share their work with the world.Music is ever-evolving and to get radio stations on board with new sounds, Paul would often grab everyone from neighborhood radio stations and record stores and personally initiate them to the glory that is Billy Joel or Bruce Springsteen live and in concert. It worked! He arranged one-on-one interviews, including the time Philadelphia radio personality Helen Leicht looked into the eyes of Paul McCartney and broke into tears.  Sir Paul jumped up and pulled her into a hug. Beatles up close are sob inducing. He gets it.Co-host Weezy, also a radio/records veteran, talks shop with Paul, remembering warmly the kooky and collaborative crusade to celebrate and share the music. They also discuss the future of terrestrial radio. Is there one?In our current media segment, Fritz and Weezy discuss The Law According To Lidia Poet and Titans: The Rise of Hollywood, both on Netflix.Path Points of Interest:Gliders Over HollywoodPaul Rappaport on FacebookThe Law According To Lidia Poet on NetflixTitans: The Rise of Hollywood on NetflixMedia PathMedia Path on FacebookMedia Path on InstagramMedia Path on XMedia Path on BlueskyHelen Leicht Interviews Sir Paul McCartney On WXPN - 8/29/13

Semi-Unscripted Hollywood & Writing Jokes For The Stars with Bruce Vilanch

We stand in gratitude to Bruce Vilanch for Peak Hollywood’s most treasured and iconic entertainment history moments. Bruce is an EGOT Award Show Writer and he’s penned warehouses and server farms full of TV Variety shows and specials with lingering legacies. As infamous Youtube gems were mined, during lockdown, by intrepid Millennial podcasters, Bruce bravely opened wounds to spill toxic details.Yes, we are talking Star Wars Holiday & Paul Lynde Halloween Specials. The hot tea is on tap in Bruce’s new book, It Seemed Like A Bad Idea At The Time.As a child, Bruce was not just your garden variety funny fat kid. His mother recognized his unique potential and submitted young Bruce as a Lane Bryant Charming Chub print model.  His journalism career took off at summer camp where Bruce successfully avoided outdoor activities by writing a popular and dishy camp newspaper. During college he went pro as a cub reporter for The Chicago Tribune, watching the films Gene Siskel elected to skip. A review of Bette Midler’s cabaret show led to a collaborative lifelong friendship.The pattern has continued with Whoopi Goldberg, Billy Crystal, Dolly Parton and beyond. Bruce’s comedic charms are so potent, he can take stinkers like Can’t Stop The Music and Ice Pirates (featuring Bruce as a court jesting body-less head) and  churn hilarity. Wherever the comedy leaned towards tragedy, Bruce mined the gold that is his new book.Bruce also tells us how Donny Osmond’s pull with Mormon elders got a Utah affiliate to broadcast Bette Midler’s HBO special. Bruce then boldly addresses the Jo Koy Golden Globes fiasco. He imparts the famous legend of Beethoven (the dog’s) Oscar movement, and tells of his daring journey in search of a look at Milton Berle’s alleged equipment.But, Bruce’s glories will not be outshined by his duds because we are ringing in a round of IMDB Roulette in which we celebrate: Ray Charles, Dolly Parton Elizabeth Taylor and The Constitution! Plus, Bruce hints at an upcoming special with Whoopi Goldberg!In recommendations --Weezy: Shiny Happy People: A Teenage Holy War on PrimeFritz: The Documentary, Billy Joel: And So It Goes on HBO MaxPath Points of Interest:It Seemed Like A Bad Idea At The Time: The Worst TV Shows In History And Other Things I Wrote by Bruce VilanchBruce Vilanch on WikipediaBruce Vilanch on IMDBBruce Vilanch on FacebookWe Got Bruce - Fan SiteStar Wars Holiday SpecialPaul Lynde Halloween SpecialBrady Bunch Variety Hour - First EpisodeShiny Happy People - Season 2 - Teenage Holy WarBilly Joel And So It GoesMedia PathMedia Path on FacebookMedia Path on InstagramMedia Path on XMedia Path on Bluesky