Art Howard at Night

Art in late `90's Carson Daly TRL style shirt.

"Mr. Positive" returns to tell you where he's been hiding since Halloween!

Art gives you the behind-the-scenes details of his struggle to provide you with only the finest entertainment. Get the scoop on all the various blow-offs and cold shoulders he's endured in the name of entertaining you. Your breath will be taken away by how anyone could endure such morale-crushing indifference, yet rise again like a broadcasting phoenix!

At the end, get a listen to Art's amazing 1998-ish aircheck from his stint as a talk show host in a small Northwest Georgia town. Hear his co-host mesmerized into a hypnotic trance by a professional stage hypnotist live on the air! 44 minutes.

Art's comments: "You come here to be amused, not bummed out, but what can I do but tell you about what's going on?

"As for the circa 1998 radio piece, which was my demo tape for a long time, I think I say 'hip-no-tist' about 20 times too many, BUT, all these years later I'm pretty proud of how slick it sounds. Yes, I'm pretty impressed with myself. Somebody's gotta be!"

If you enjoy this show...ah, hell, you know what to do.

Four-time Emmy winner Joe Toplyn joins Art. Toplyn has been a writer for Late Night with David Letterman, head writer and producer for The Late Show with David Letterman, and co-head writer and producer for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. He has now authored a book called Comedy Writing for Late-Night TV.

The comedy writing legend candidly answers questions such as:

• What was it like creating revolutionary TV in the early days of Late Night with David Letterman?
• Did the "GE Handshake" bit really end Letterman's chances of getting The Tonight Show?
• What famous Late Night  bit nearly suffocated a fellow writer?
• How did Jay Leno turn the tables to become the new king of late night?
• Is the late night talk show obsolete in the Internet age?

Mr. Toplyn also discusses his whirlwind months as head writer for the short-lived but infamous The Chevy Chase Show, and gives a few tips on how YOU can write funny! 1 hr. 24 mins.

Art's comments: "I hope there's a section in Mr. Toplyn's book about how to ask a question without lots of stammering. I need to read it. You should buy it, too, because this guy let me talk his ear off for two hours. In the end I think the key takeaway from this show is: Carbon dioxide is heavier than air. Now, won't you please enjoy a hot towel?"

Joe Toplyn links:

• Comedy Writing for Late-Night TV  on Amazon
• Joe Toplyn.com
• Toplyn's résumé on IMDB.com
• The PIT class sign up

Relevant video links:

• GE Handshake
• Larry "Bud" Melman and hot towels
• Letterman talks about Cycle dog food on Tonight Show
• Suit of Alka-Seltzer

 

 

 

 

 

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Well, shit! A month has gone by and I haven't posted a new episode! So enjoy this classic (read: old) episode from the summer of 2012 where I interviewed famed ATL music critic and DJ, Jeff Clark. He publishes Stomp and Stammer, an irreverent and hysterical music `zine that basically invented Simon Cowell's shtick 20 years before Cowell did. Jeff Clark is a great writer, rock n' roll entrepreneur, and living library of alternative/indie rock music history.

This episode also has excellent ambiance because it was recorded at The Majestic, one of Atlanta's finest eateries. Check it out!

I've got irons in the fire for more shows. Stay tuned to this space.

For over 25 years, Eric Von Haessler has had a conversation with America from behind a radio microphone. For much of that time, he ridiculed everyone and everything in his path to hilarious effect. In recent years, he's shared his more serious and well-considered thoughts on everything from politics, to science, to NASCAR, to his favorite band, Drivin' n' Cryin'. These days he can be heard on his podcast, "The Show," and weekly WSB radio show, "The Von Haessler Doctrine."

Eric sits down with Art and recounts the history of his top-rated former morning show, The Regular Guys, which was the toast of the L.A. FM talk radio scene in the mid-1990's at KLSX, and was a consistent ratings winner for its 16 year run in Atlanta on 96 Rock and Rock 100.5. He also shares the experiences and lessons of his rough-and-tumble youth, such as visiting his father in prison, dropping out of high school, living with heroin users, and ultimately finding a way up and out through comedy. 2 hours 22 minutes.

Art's comments: "It's crazy to think in December of 1997 I was on an egg crate mattress in L.A. trying to tune in this cool new show I'd read about, and in 2015 one of the hosts is in my house. If you're a Regular Guys fan, this is a fantastic oral history. Eric has told these stories on the air, but this is the first time they've been told as one narrative. And if you make it through my opening comments, you'll feel like you just sat through all 16 years of the Regular Guys' run in Atlanta.

"By the way, Larry Wachs was always nice and even encouraging to me personally, except that time he blasted me on his blog, which I found merely hysterical."

Eric Von Haessler links:

• The Von Haessler Doctrine (Sun. 1-3 p.m. on WSB)
• The Show podcast and Doctrine archive
• Regular Guys archive
• BONUS: Scarred But Smarter, Von Haessler movie about Drivin' n' Cryin'

Art's Comments: "When I heard history was being made so close to home, I had to go down and document what happened.

"Despite being accused of rape by close to 40 women, Bill Cosby performed a concert for his Far from Finished  tour at the Cobb Energy Centre. Though it's called Far from Finished, this is the only date of the last eight that wasn't canceled or indefinitely postponed!

"Gloria Allred, who you've no doubt seen on various national news shows, was on site. I got audio from Allred as well as one of the alleged victims, Kaya Thompson, her mother, and the protest organizer, Julie Mastrine of Care2."

"Though I've worked professionally as a small town reporter in the past, I haven't done news in years, and I wasn't on the scene officially as a 'reporter,' per se, but an interested citizen and documentarian of some of the history of my city. I was also pleasantly surprised that when I told the people under 30 that I wasn't with a network, I was just a podcaster, their interest in speaking to me didn't wane. In fact they said they loved podcasts and were very enthusiastic.

"Hope you learn and enjoy." 26 minutes.

LINKS:

• AJC: Protestors May Greet Cosby
• WSJ: Bill Cosby's Return to TV Canceled

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