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LIVE ON TAPE EPISODE LOGS

- We were on a roll now. At this point in the show’s history, this is probably the strongest episode (certain moments not included). All the characters were defined, the show’s format was working and with each new show I was figuring out new tricks with the studio equipment to help add as much “pizzazz” as possible. At the time I really loved this episode. Looking at it today (20 plus years later), it’s still fun... but there are better and sillier ones to come.

- The Job Interview skit came off pretty well considering all the flubs, mistakes and the hurried manner in which it was produced. The morning when we taped this episode we had virtually no time at all left to tape the skit, we had only one shot at it. Don and I fired off our lines as fast as possible to keep a good pace, it was going to be our only take so we wanted it to be good... well, it didn’t go so well. There were several flubbed lines, (like “appry” instead of “apply”). When we were done, what we had shot was a mess. Later, when I was cutting this episode together and came to the footage for this skit I was really bummed. I liked the material, but there were too many rough spots - I almost dumped it and reran something else in its place. But I got the idea to do silly insert shots to correct the flubbed lines. I was happy with the result and think it now works better than had we performed it perfectly.

- The “Story Without Nouns” was something that Don Abbott had written a long time before we had met and worked on the show. The Lifestyles of the Poor and Stupid segment seemed like the perfect place to use Don’s “Story Without Nouns”. I think we were all amazed that this nounless story was actually able to be filmed and seemed to make a little bit of sense. And check out Merlin (aka Zippy Spamhammer), that’s him wearing a fat suit, just for the fun of it.

- For this Lotto Garbabage commercial we were spoofing yet another series of Iowa Lottery spots. The people you see singing in this skit were most of the studio crew for Live on Tape: Greg Baldwin, Denise Hollmer, Laurie Snell, and Korrine Skinner. We took the afternoon to go shoot at a landfill outside of Davenport, Iowa. Who says television ain’t glamourous?

- This is part 2 of the “Arnie’s Brain” episodes. In part 1 we had only the news desk to use (and fake) as our navigation control panel. For part 2 the studio engineers were able to dig up an old switcher that we could use as a control console, making us look all the more high-tech! After this we sort of claimed this switcher as our own, you’ll see it crop up in plenty more episodes.

- The actor portraying Mrs. Climber (Enid and J.D.’s mother) is Don Bargmann Jr., who is the sweaty guy at the start of each episode who rings the gong and worked in the engineering dept. at KLJB. Donny is a very quiet guy, but has a great sense of humor. I was surprised when he agreed to put on the dress and makeup, and even more surprised when he wouldn’t take it off.

- When we were shooting the scene where E.J. Crackerhorn pops up from behind the judge’s desk, interrupting the Armchair Shopping proceedings, I got a bad case of the giggles. We did five or six takes before I was able to get through the scene - and even in THAT take (the one used in the show) you can still see that I’m having a tough time not giggling when I make my entrance as E.J.

- The “Nursery Rap” was a piece that was written by Jeff Kingsbury, a former Bootlegger (performing waiter) at Circa ’21 (local dinner theatre in Rock Island, Ill). Both Janos and Don had worked at Circa ’21 with Jeff and they new the rap, but not all of it. Jeff had long since moved away, so we called in Chuck Campbell who worked at Circa ’21 and knew the entire rap. The Beardie Boys were formed. They put together all the pictures for the backgrounds and did the bit all themselves. After this aired, KLJB’s General Manager commented on how much he loved this bit... sadly, I had nothing to do with it.

- The congratulations in the closing credits (see below) to John and Andrea Bain was a last minute entry. As was often the case I was down to the wire, editing the show just before air-time on Saturday Night (like an hour before). I was just putting on the credits to the show when KLJB Master Control (where John Bain worked) got the call that John’s wife had just given birth to a boy. So I decided to throw a congrats into the credits. This was the 2nd time that one of the engineers who worked on the show had become a father just as I about to finish the show for air. The 1st time was show 11 “Arnie the Love God”, and Joel Poppen got a little shout out in the credits.

CREDITS

Costumes Provided By: Circa 21 & The Showbusiness

Producer - Thomas Hart

Directors - Greg Baldwin, Thomas Hart, Denise Hollmer

Writer - Thomas Hart

Lotto Garbage Concept by: Don Abbot & Janos Horvath

Nursery Rap written by: Jeff Kingsbury

PLAYERS

Don Abbott

Greg Baldwin

Don Bargmann Jr.

Chuck Campbell

Mike Carron

Greg Crook

Kirstin Eastman

Thomas Hart

Denise Hollmer

Janos Horvath

Scott Hoyt

Art Monroe

Merlin Nelson Jr.

Kori Skinner

Laurie Snell

Videotape Editor - Thomas Hart

Studio Camera Operators - Steve Elliott, Abdul Raheim, Kori Skinner

Field Photographer - Greg Baldwin

Audio - Don Bargmann Jr, Laurie Snell

Prompter - Sue “the babe” Passe

“If your face had to choose up sides, who’d pick your nose?”

CONGRATULATIONS!!! John and Andrea Bain, it’s a BOY!!!

Where’s our ciars?

OUTTAKE #13 (Arnie and Enid argue with Judge Whippy as E.J. makes a run for it with Arnie’s brain.

ARNIE: Get back here! Where ya’ goin’?

ENID: Get him your honor! You can’t let him do that! This isn’t justice!

(The Judge sits down, but falls back behind the desk and hits the set.)

ENID: Watch your seat there your honor. Hot damn your honor... I’m sorry about that I... I didn’t know yous gonna get hurt n’ all. Jeeze!

Live on Tape (Show #32)

“ARNIE TREK: ARNIE’S BRAIN PT. 2”

Airdate: April 16th 1988

(22:06)

SYNOPSIS - Captain James T. Newswarthy and the rest of the Live on Tape crew blast through the cosmos aboard the USS Arnieprise in search of Arnie’s brain. During their quest, Arnie continues raffling off garbage with his popular Lotto Garbage campaign. Eventually the crew of the Arniprise locate the culprits who stole Arnie’s brain and catch them trying to sell it on the Armchair Shopping Network.

Arnie springs into action to get his brain back, trying to outbid the the ones who have taken it... but disaster strikes when E.J shows up and takes the brain for himself... his timing causes a disruption of the notification of the Lotto Garbage winners too when E.J. the HUN goes on a bloody rampage across Europe... don’ t ask why. Just accept it so we can move on.

“”But it so small... and full of holes.”

-Judge Whippy Milston, after getting a look at Arnie’s brain.

The Job Interview

A hapless hopeful for a job incurs a barrage of questions and innuendo, only to end up being forced to watch a stupid television program... just like the viewers at home are having to do.

NOTES AND POINTLESS INFORMATION

SKITS AND BITS

Arnie reels from the pain of having no brain!

Lifestyles of the Poor and Stupid

We visit Kewanee Illinois’ premiere resident, Bowdy Lowdermilk on his world famous Mud Plantation. Mr. Loudermilk shares with us his priceless mud collection while his daughter (Claudette) reads a story that she wrote... a story without nouns.

Between the Lines

Guy Newswarthy reports the news that exploding cows are wandering in to rural towns and causing udder disasters! His news story is interrupted by Arnie’s Gripe of the Week, but since Arnie’s brain has been stolen, Arnie is in no condition to gripe... um, except about having his brain stolen. So he gives us a recap of what happened to him so we can get things started.

Lotto Garbage Commercial #2

The happy winners of Arnie’s Lotto Garbage sing the praises of trash in this wind-swept epic of filth!

Iowa Driving Tips #2

Sgt. Buck Montana again helps Iowa drivers. This time he explains the best tips for driving the proper speed limit while on the highway. Fortunately for most Iowans, their mud-encrusted vehicles can’t exceed 45 mph... besides, who needs to drive any faster?

Nursery Rap

The Beardie Boys put down the rhymes old school style with this chill tale of three sides of bacon and their bad-ass wolf pal. “LIttle pig little pig, lemme come in... not by the hairs of my rappin’ l’il chin!”