{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Second Printing: Bruce Vilanch","description":"This episode originally aired on June 7, 2022. Two-time Emmy Award-winner Bruce Vilanch has written jokes for Bob Hope, Lily Tomlin, Barbra Streisand, Bette Midler, Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg and virtually every Hollywood star to grace the Academy Awards stage from 1989 \u2013 2014.  As one of the entertainment industry\u2019s most sought-after joke writers, the actor, comedian and songwriter was perhaps best-known to audiences for his work behind-the-scenes at the Oscars, supplying one-liners to hosts and presenters. (Oscar-watchers are still talking about the year Jack Palance did push-ups on the stage, and the time Rob Lowe went rolling down the river with Snow White \u2013 two moments that left Bruce and his fellow writers scrambling backstage to help viewers make sense of it all.)  Over the years, Bruce became a familiar face to television audiences, when he stepped from behind the curtain for a long-running stint as a celebrity panelist on \u201cHollywood Squares,\u201d where he also served as head writer. As such, he is uniquely positioned to offer note and comment on what it takes to craft topical material for some of our leading personalities \u2013 honing his own voice as a comedian and performer while honoring the voices of his famous clients. Bruce was the subject of the 1999 documentary \u201cGet Bruce!\u201d, and he has played himself in the movies and on television, including a memorable turn in an episode of \u201cThe Simpsons.\u201d Join us for an outrageous discussion on Bruce\u2019s adventures (and, misadventures) in Hollywood, including the inside story behind one of the most notorious flops in the history of prime-time network television (1978\u2019s \u201c\u2018Star Wars\u2019 Holiday Special\u201d), the infamous Friars Club roast that featured Ted Danson in blackface, and a cameo turn from Ira Gershwin who was brought in to rewrite the lyrics to a song called \u201cTreat Me Rough\u201d for Marie Osmond, in hopes of slipping the number past the Morman elders who handled censorship duties on the \u201cDonny & Marie\u201d variety show.  Learn more about Bruce Vilanch: Website Twitter It Seemed Like a Bad Idea at the Time: The Worst TV Shows in History and Other Things I Wrote Please support the sponsors who support our show: Gotham Ghostwriters' Gathering of the Ghosts Ritani Jewelers Daniel Paisner's Balloon Dog Daniel Paisner's SHOW: The Making and Unmaking of a Network Television Pilot Heaven Help Us by John Kasich Unforgiving: Lessons from the Fall by Lindsey Jacobellis Film Movement Plus (PODCAST) | 30% discount Libro.fm (ASTOLDTO) | 2 audiobooks for the price of 1 when you start your membership Film Freaks Forever! podcast, hosted by Mark Jordan Legan and Phoef Sutton Everyday Shakespeare podcast A Mighty Blaze podcast The Writer's Bone Podcast Network Misfits Market (WRITERSBONE) | $15 off your first order  Film Movement Plus (PODCAST) | 30% discount Wizard Pins (WRITERSBONE) | 20% discount ","author_name":"As Told To","author_url":"http:\/\/astoldtopodcast.com\/","html":"