August 21, 2002
Flexing His Comedy Muscle
Bill Scheft has made a career out of being a funny. He began working as a standup comedian, but soon realized his place wasn't on stage, and that he enjoyed writing jokes for others a whole lot more. Scheft spent the next 10 years writing monologues for David Letterman, and earning multiple Emmy nominations for his work on both Late Night, and The Late Show.

"I've worked there for 10 years and never once met the man," jokes Scheft. "They place a tube in my office that I am to put the jokes in, then some guy comes and takes them away."

Scheft is now trying his comedy hand in a new medium as the author of his humorous novel, The Ringer. His book tells the story of an aging softball player who makes a living selling his skills to various company leagues around New York City. "The Ringer" also spends his days battling a variety of different diseases, incompetent doctors and has run ins with a mouthy talk show host, a small time gangster, and a whore with a heart of gold. Many aspects of the novel are based on events from Scheft's real life but it's up to you to figure out which parts those are.

"The ball player is about 25% me. He just has a much better arm than I do," says Scheft. "My ball career went like this. I was a good player, then I was a great player, then I was a good player again, now I'm an old player. I show up sometimes now and people will turn to me and say, shouldn't you be at work?"

After taking 18 months off to write his novel, Bill is back with Letterman and has also begun writing a column for Sports Illustrated. Though comedy is his bread and butter, he’s no rookie when it comes to sports writing. Scheft previously wrote a regular column for ESPN Magazine called "The Monologue."

"Back when I was playing sports, and the really good guys started playing too, I decided that maybe it would be easier to just write about it instead."

August 21, 2002
Hard Knocks
It's the most wonderful time of the year... football season, and HBO has their team back on the field for another season of Hard Knocks. Last year's version of the series took viewers behind the scenes during the training camp of the then Super Bowl Champion Baltimore Ravens. This year, HBO and NFL Films turn their cameras on "America's Team," the Dallas Cowboys.

"We ended up using the Cowboys because they contacted us," says show producer Dave Harmon. "We were going to go with the Patriots because they won the Super Bowl last year, but they weren't interested. We think the Cowboys have been great though... even Jerry Jones."

The show puts cameras everywhere, and the filmers have access to everything that goes on in the organization. NFL films will shoot over 700 hours of footage over the six weeks of training camp and preseason, and because of this, viewers will get an inside look at rookie hopefuls participating in practice, coaches as they're forced to cut players, and veterans as they try to prepare themselves for another grueling season.

"The players seemed a little uncomfortable with the cameras on the first week, but by week two they realize that if they don't start playing, they are going to get cut. If anyone had cameras at their job everyday, eventually they would get used to it, and just work."

The Hard Knocks film crew have their hands full deciding what material will actually make it on the air, but with subject matter this good, how can he go wrong?

"Those guys at NFL films are the best," says Harmon. "Each week during the NFL, the film every second of all 15 games and then edit them down for Inside the NFL just three days later. If they can do that, doing this show is no problem."

Hard Knocks airs every Wednesday at 9 PM on HBO.

August 20, 2002
Classic TV Today
If you ever watch old TV reruns and think to yourself that you'd like to see these exact same scenes acted out on modern television, than you're in luck. NBC's newest program, The Rerun Show revisits classic TV moments when a talented ensemble cast reenacts episodes of some of America's favorite TV shows with a contemporary comic twist. This week's episode takes a look at Bewitched and The Partridge Family. The youngest member of Rerun's cast, Ashley Drane, resurrects the roles of Samantha (from Bewitched), and Laurie Partridge on this weeks show. Though she plays multiple characters from a variety of shows on Rerun, Ashley was already a television veteran before landing this current gig. She began her acting career at an early age, and was chosen as one of the original spokespersons for the TRUTH, a national anti-smoking campaign. In keeping with her current trend of reprising characters from television past, Ashley tackles the part of Jan Brady in the upcoming FOX movie Brady Bunch in the White House.

August 20, 2002
Where in the World
is Bob Zany
It’s been almost two weeks since we last heard from Bob Zany, and we’re hoping he hasn’t forgotten that it’s time once again for the Zany Report. Because Bob & Tom were on vacation last week, we haven’t gotten a chance to get a hold of Mr. Zany. That’s why it’s always great when you, the listeners, find out which hotel he’s staying in, and give him a ring. He’ll appreciate that you’re thinking about him, and that you’re very excited about the return of the Zany Report, and Fix the Joke Baby.

August 19, 2002
Don't Smell His Elbow
Comedian John Fox is like that neighbor that comes over to borrow a beer… you can’t get rid of him, but you can’t help but love him. At one point in his career, John was considered too cute to be funny, and was dubbed the “Nick Nolte of comedy.” Now that he’s fat and in his forties, he says he looks more like Captain Kangaroo after a rough weekend. Fox’s comedy can be a bit raw, so much so that we're often required to hose down the studio after his exit. But if you're still curious as to what John Fox is all about, listen to this free audio of his self-reflective single, and all your questions will be answered. Just be warned, you may want to take a shower afterward.