Tom Tenowich

Tom Tenowich joined me to talk about Jack Benny; writing jokes in high school; meeting and writing for Jackie Vernon and Jackie Mason; Rodney Dangerfield; writing for The Dom DeLuise Show and the Jackie Gleason Show; doing Tiny Tim on Gleason; leaving to write for The Golddiggers; joining The Dean Martin Show; Vernon's Viewing Room; Bob Newhart; writing the roasts; Jack Benny's 1st Farewell Special; Tom not being intimidated but impressed by the personas of Gleason and Dean Martin; Dean's rehearsals; Phyllis; The Bob Newhart Show; Mork & Mindy "Mork's Mixed Emotion"; critics and Robin diss Mork as a kiddie show; Robin and ad-libbing; Robin going over studio time; "The Night They Raided Minky's"; moral at the end of the show; Exidor; Foster Brooks; Dorf; Jay Leno; Davd Letterman; Tom's daughter Amy becomes a semi-regular; Lewis  & Clark; Check it Out; Perfect Strangers; Cheers; John Cleese; Bob Ellison;  Barney Miller; Saved by the Bell being inspired by Ferris Bueller; creating the character of A.C. Slater; casting Tiffany Amber Thiessen, Elizabeth Berkeley, and Mario Lopez; "Jessie's Song"; using the show to talk about environmentalism; Casey Kasem; Tom's wife's unfortunate accident, misdiagnosis and subsequent changing of marital roles; and writing a book about the experience.   The book Crutches Tipped Banana Peels Laugh can be purchased here: https://www.amazon.com/Crutches-Tipped-Banana-Peels-Laugh/dp/1734952407/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=tom+tenowich&qid=1631389367&sr=8-1