20 Aug Giovanni’s Superfan Sidebar 08/17/2016 – Mark Cronin
A real time blog where Superfan Giovanni does recap and commentary on the show as it happens and opines on all things ACS
Guest – Mark Cronin
Recorded 07-20-2016 – Release Date 08-17-2016
Production Number #1864
Adam opens the show on the line with Mark, he’s asking him about his series ‘Below Deck’ which returns this fall on Bravo, Adam has seen the show and he breaks down the premise.
Adam says it’s good stuff, it’s good looking people in the best looking hotel possible, a high end yacht with a salty captain screaming at people.
Mark is talking about the casting for the show and how they are trying to bring some reality into reality television, Adam asks him about being a staff writer for Howard Stern on his Channel 9 TV show.
Adam asks him about his chemical engineering major and he explains how he chose the highest earning major, he says the problem is you graduate and you’re in a world you hate.
He shares how he worked his way into comedy and Adam declares the Stern show a cult classic, Mark is on land line and Adam is hearing some static, Adam says Mark is as far away as he can be from Glendale so they have to understand the limitations.
Adam asks Mark how the Stern show worked, was he there working alongside them, Mark tells him about his history of writing sketches and working on a staff, they had another writer they didn’t respect and they thought anyone else might not be able to take the treatment.
Adam is sharing how Jimmy Kimmel polishes material and ends up writing most of his stuff, perfectionist or control freak, whatever you want to call it, he got things done and made sure it was the best it could be.
Adam uses Jay Leno as contrast to Kimmel and asks Mark where Howard fits on the scale, more like Jay or Jimmy, Mark is now going over the process of creating the Channel 9 TV show, Adam is comparing that to the process of making ‘Crank Yankers’ and the dry erase boards that would be used mid-call to help the comedy.
Adam says he was pulled out of his stream of consciousness so he would close his eyes, Adam would get pissed off when the jokes sucked and wanted to throw chairs at writers wiggling their boards trying to get him to use their comedic 4 out of 10 of a joke attempt.
Mark is sharing how grateful and kind Howard was that he had a team that was generating content, even if he ultimately changed it and did his own thing.
Adam is now teasing his TV show idea from 1994, that even Jimmy Kimmel hates according to Adam.
Adam asks Mark how he branched off from the Howard Stern show, he says his background in the sciences gave him a benefit over other creative types, he could use his brain to evolve from a writer to a producer and then into management positions.
Mark shares how he evolved through the ranks behind the scenes at ‘Singled Out’ and Adam stresses how huge that show was at the time, unlike anything else in the genre ever achieved, let alone other shows like it on MTV.
Truce Car
True Car Baby! Edition
Adam is mentioning many of Mark’s past projects and Adam is back to his idea for a TV show, ‘Renaissance Man’ and he explains the formula, it’s still a good idea.
Adam says it could be cooking, Batka bats on a log ala ‘American Gladiators’ and a Jeopardy segment, Adam says the competitions could be fun stuff and suggests a stand-up comedy set, then the Highland games the next day.
Adam is unclear on the formula when it comes to the cast living together or not, ala ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ and Mark says he can see no flaw, aside from the title and he explains French words destroy American appeal.
Mark explains how you want to make sure to pitch as women friendly, Adam says a lot of the stuff will be set up with a feminine angle, dating related stuff. Adam mentions Jenny McCarthy as a possible cast member.
Mark says try Bravo and Adam thinks the winner could make the rounds and have the mantle of the ultimate male, especially in this modern era of dudes pushing back against safe spaces and man buns.
Adam says Jimmy hates the idea, Adam doesn’t get what there is to hate about it.
Adam asks him if he goes on the cruise with the cast, he can’t live on the yacht but they use rooms for production and swap over to another yacht to sleep when not working.
Adam is asking him about the launch of season 4, Adam says it’s a reality show that nobody would think of and he asks about the captain’s name, he says he liked how disgusted the captain was with the cast and how lazy they were, this generation.
Gary has a photo of the captain Adam likes from the show.
Adam makes a point about Hollywood guys never defending their hard hours on location making entertainment, Adam is bringing up the hot video villages and groups of people on pins and needles trying to produce TV.
Mark gives his take on the reality of making reality television, how hard it actually is and Adam is now asking Mark about Howard Stern becoming Mark’s guardian angel of sorts.
Adam says the boss is basically a waiter carrying a tray with a thousand dirty dishes and if you can pull some of the plates off the tray every time you see him, he will notice it, bosses are excited when people rise up and take work off their boss’s plate, they can never clear it all but they can assist and make a difference.
Adam says the boss man then associates you with relief and help, Adam asks Mark about Howard liking him and Mark says he was on the show for the last season, he now explains how Howard helped get him a job and would always provide a reference for him, very fair and kind.
Adam is now telling Mark about Howard hooking him up with Garry Meier to give him a crash course in podcasting, Adam is sharing how Garry contacted him about possibly working with an unnamed individual and Adam told him to run away, that is the two-way street of this industry and your reputation.
You can hear Garry on DDP #237 tell his side of the story.
Adam is recalling Jimmy Kimmel splicing and cutting tape and making bits for ‘Kevin and Bean’ on KROQ.
Adam says an edit bay could literally fit in a fanny pack, Adam shares how Jimmy pitched Adam on learning how to edit audio tape, Adam said no and Mark asks why he didn’t even try, he builds homes.
Adam says KROQ had a digital machine for editing and Adam predicted it would be a bygone technique and skill in just a few years, Adam says he was a super lazy visionary after Mark compliments him.
Adam says that was his one cop-out in this industry.
Soy-Vay
Adam used the garlic sauce last night, kosher twist! Edition
Adam has Olga put some on the chicken cutlets which made them just a little bit sweet and delectable.
Adam asks Mark about possible return cast members and how the show works, working new people in and evolving each year.
Mark shares his other show that competes against this series he’s been promoting; Adam says that’s how he knows he’s successful he has so many shows they air opposite each other.
Adam is now giving out some plugs and wraps up the show.