Paul Brownstein

[MrBand]

TV variety show distributor and DVD producer Paul Brownstein will be interviewed live on Stuart Shostak's internet radio program on Wednesday, February 7, from 7-9 PM EST. Paul 's company held the distribution rights to the Color Honeymooners as well as the American Scene Magazine for a number of years.

Shokus Internet Radio can be accessed at www.shokusradio.com. If you miss Wednesday's program, it will be rebroadcast nightly at the same time until the following Wednesday. Those of you who are unfamiliar with the station should check out its programming as well as Shokus video for classic tv on VHS and DVD. I think you'd enjoy the trip. Among the programming still to come on Shokus Internet radio is a Saturday show hosted by Tom Watson. (Are you listening, Benno?)

No, I have no affiliation with the Shokus company. Just thought it would be of interest to those who frequent the board.

[The Great One]

Originally Posted by MrBand

TV variety show distributor and DVD producer Paul Brownstein will be interviewed live on Stuart Shostak's internet radio program on Wednesday, February 7, from 7-9 PM EST. Paul 's company held the distribution rights to the Color Honeymooners as well as the American Scene Magazine for a number of years.

Shokus Internet Radio can be accessed at www.shokusradio.com. If you miss Wednesday's program, it will be rebroadcast nightly at the same time until the following Wednesday. Those of you who are unfamiliar with the station should check out its programming as well as Shokus video for classic tv on VHS and DVD. I think you'd enjoy the trip. Among the programming still to come on Shokus Internet radio is a Saturday show hosted by Tom Watson. (Are you listening, Benno?)

No, I have no affiliation with the Shokus company. Just thought it would be of interest to those who frequent the board.

I'm going to check it out! Thanks for posting the link.

[Benno123]

Did anyone listen to this interview? I'm just curious what was discussed, what hints may have been given about upcoming and future releases, past releases, etc.

[MrBand]

Originally Posted by Benno123

Did anyone listen to this interview? I'm just curious what was discussed, what hints may have been given about upcoming and future releases, past releases, etc.

Ben, this interview was definitely an interesting two hours. The show will be aired nightly at 7PM through next Wednesday, so if you can invest the time, I'd recommend the rerun. As I'm sure you're aware, the host was Lucille Ball's video archivist, so he always has an interesting Lucy tidbit.

Of interest to those here would be Brownstein's answer to a caller about the release of the American Scene Magazine on DVD. Brownstein stated that although the show has its charm, it is basically a period piece with slow moving sketches. He also maintained that it wouldn't play well today because so many of the characters - RumDum, Reggie, Joe the Bartender - have their basis in booze, which isn't too PC today. While I can go with the latter statement, I don't quite agree with the first statement. In fact, the half hour strip of these shows from the early 80s mostly used quick blackout sketches.

A later caller lamented that his young daughter does not share his affinity for the Honeymooners because she thinks Ralph is too verbally abusive to Alice.

As for DVDs, Brownstein was promoting Get Smart (which is currently avaialable through Time Life), the upcoming Odd Couple season one, and hinted at the probability of Best of season sets of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. (Yay!) He is also working on releases of This is Tom Jones, the 50th anniversary of Perry Mason, and CPO Sharkey.

Upcoming scheduiled guests are Pat Harrington (Feb. 14), Dwayne & Joan Hickman (Feb. 21), and Janet Waldo (Feb. 28).

[*ClassicPinUp*]

Originally Posted by MrBand

A later caller lamented that his young daughter does not share his affinity for the Honeymooners because she thinks Ralph is too verbally abusive to Alice.

God I hate people like that! . No sense of humor.

[*ClassicPinUp*]

Originally Posted by MrBand

He also maintained that it wouldn't play well today because so many of the characters - RumDum, Reggie, Joe the Bartender - have their basis in booze, which isn't too PC today.

I don't really understand what he means by this!? In world where 90% of TV is nothing but sex, drugs & murder...booze should be pretty "innocent." Although I guess in today's way of thinking watching people "fake bang" each other is much more PC than seeing someone throw back a few whiskey shots .
BTW, MrBand I'm not directing my comments towards you *just don't want you thinking I am *

[T-Greg]

Mark. What Brownstein said about ASM coincides with what I discussed with him by phone a few years ago about it. He told me that he could not find a network to license them to, so obviously he believes there is no market for them. So, they'll just sit there collecting dust.

[MrBand]

Originally Posted by AndAwayWeGo

BTW, MrBand I'm not directing my comments towards you *just don't want you thinking I am *

No offense taken. Remember, I'm a Gleason fan, too...as is Mr.Brownstein. He held distribution rights to the ASM and the color Honeymooners for years and had no luck selling the former. It's a shame when you consider that we have hundreds of channels, but that they all seem so bottom line that they duplicate programming while tons of classics sit on the shelf turning to relics of a bygone era. I'm sure it is frustrating for Brownstein - both for personal and professional reasons. He merely was relaying his experiences in trying to sell the shows.

[*ClassicPinUp*]

^Glad you didn't take offense. Would never dare offend a fellow Honeymooner .

[MrBand]

Originally Posted by T-Greg

Mark. What Brownstein said about ASM coincides with what I discussed with him by phone a few years ago about it. He told me that he could not find a network to license them to, so obviously he believes there is no market for them. So, they'll just sit there collecting dust.

I know, Greg. When TV Land launched the Honeymooners in 2000 and ran the 1965 Adoption show, I sent an impassioned email congratulating them and practically begging for the American Scene Magazine and the Color Honeymooners. I even suggested they try running them Saturday nights at 8 for nostalgia's sake, just as they used to show Ed Sullivan Sunday evenings.
I figured if they were going to the trouble of buying the original kitchen set and hiring Art Carney to make new promos that it couldn't hurt.

Unfortunately, it didn't help, either.

As those of us who love this material grow older and become part of the demographic that advertisers mistakenly believe spend no money, the chances of having this material released commercially continue to diminish. More's the pity.

[The Great One]

I finally checked out www.shokusradio.com and I think it's a very interesting
website. They have lots of great videos for sale. Looks like I'll be spending some major coin!!!

[Benno123]

First of all, AndAwayWeGo said "fake bang," which really cracked me up big time! Out of all the words to use to describe it, for some reason I found this description totally hilarious!

With that said, I'll try and get a chance to listen to a replay of the show. I knew that the host worked for Lucy (I have an article he wrote maybe 15 years ago talking about putting all her 16mm network copies of her shows onto video for her when home video players were brand new) and Paul Brownstein owns the distribution rights to Lucille Ball's specials (sans the Comedy Hours from the 1950s). But besides her stuff, I was curious what he had to say about the Honeymooners or if he mentioned the Dick Van Dyke Show.

I met Paul Brownstein in Jamestown, New York at Lucy/Desi Days in 2004 when he was there with Lucie Arnaz promoting the soon-to-be released "Here's Lucy" set. We talked for a few minutes about the Van Dyke set but never really had a chance to ask him about the 'Mooners. A few minutes later I met Lucie Arnaz, and all thoughts I had about anything disappeared for a few minutes!