Steve Winer (Late Night with David Letterman, New Mickey Mouse Club)

Steve and I talk about his early influences (classic comedians and cartoons); meeting his partner, Karl Tiedermann in Horace Mann High School; his college radio show; sending his best bits to the National Lampoon Radio Hour; working with Doug Kenney and Sean Kelly; his first piece Silly Puddy Destroys the World; kids newspaper parody; MOMA Fun Book; King of the Z's a documentary about a cheap 40's film studio; discovering Calvert DeForest (Larry "Bud" Melman)"; film wins at Telluride Film Festival; aired on Showtime; getting a call form Letterman's management two months before Late Night premieres and asking for a job interview; bombing the interview out of excitement but getting the job anyway; Larry "Bud" Melman introduces the first episode ala Frankenstein; pre-production; test shows; being a guest the first week; getting a lot of stuff early; 40th anniversary of inventing the glass breaking sound when Dave throws a blue card; Jim Downey joins as head writer; Gammill & Pross; Andy Kaufman & Jerry Lawlor; Larry "Bud" Melman's Christmas Carol; Bob Hope talks to Larry; Larry had to choose between his job as a receptionist at a methadone clinic and Late Night; Don Giller; Was Jerry Seinfeld bumped by Dick Cavett?; how most Letterman writers stop watching after they leave; Gerry Mulligan; his contract not being renewed; Jim Downey brings SNL hours to Letterman; writing for Robert Klein' segments of TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes; Robert Klein's talk show producer Joe Cates; Robert Klein documentary; King of the Z's on Youtube; being offered to be headwriters of the New Mickey Mouse Club because they were thought of as hip by Disney; how not caring about the job got him the job; writers and crew all became friends; Left after 4 seasons; Keri Russell and JC Chasez; his kids were just as talented as the more famous ones; Annette Funicello; Tiffany Hale; Party Kids; My Little Pony ad; still has a big following; Disney told him not to be too much like the 70's New MMC; too many music rights to get on Disney +; the Don Giller interview that will never be; Steve & Hillary Rollins write an episode of Doug that was considered too funny and he thought was never made; working with his idol Dick Van Dyke; Nastassja Kinski; Bill Murray shows up two weeks before the first show to get writers drunk to get good material; Bill performs 'Let's Get Physical' on first shoiw and almost injures a staff member; Alan Alda: A Man and His Chinese Food; the Criterion Collection