#emmywinner

Katherine LaNasa in character as emergency-room nurse Dana on the hit HBO Max medical drama The Pitt, a role she calls ‘freeing. Things You Need to Know Before Reading Who is Katherine LaNasa? She’s a 59-year-old Emmy-winning actress known for roles in Two and a Half Men and Big Love. What’s her current role? She plays emergency-room nurse Dana on the hit HBO Max medical drama The…

One of the most successful humans I know, cross-genre, Ken is a multi-award-winning writer of such shows as Cheers, MASH, Frasier, The Simpsons, and Wings. He’s directed over 60 TV episodes and has co-written the movie, VOLUNTEERS, starring Tom Hanks and John Candy; he’s been a radio DJ and the play-by-play voice of the Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners, and San Diego Padres. Ken’s hosted Dodger Talk for eight seasons, has hosted his own successful podcast, and wrote one of the 25 BEST blogs, as says Time Magazine. Currently, Ken’s a contributing cartoonist to the New Yorker Magazine and a globally successful playwright. Guilty Pleasures has been enjoying a two-year run in Prague! Why is he focused on the stage instead of the screen when clearly the financial benefits of the latter so greatly surpass the former? Ken tells it. 

As always, Ken reminded me how wonderful it is to laugh.  A much-needed break from the current madness. I could sure use some more. I’ll be heading to the Westchester Theatre this weekend to indulge in some of Ken’s Guilty Pleasures

. I’ll be using code Heywestchester for a $5 discount on the $25 tkts. Hell, it’s cheaper than a movie with real live actors making magic just feet away.  There’s nothing like Live theatre. Except ballet and opera, but don’t tell Timothée Chalamet.

Ken Levine Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

***Wed, March 11th, 3 pm PT, 6 pm ET***

Streamed Live on my FB, YouTube 

FB

YouTube 

***TODAY LIVE - SPECIAL TIME - 3 PM PT***

Ken Levine - Emmy Winning, Whipsmart, Funny & Fun

Oh to laugh! Funnyboy Ken Levine is an Emmy-winning writer/director/playwright/major league baseball announcer/cartoonist. Ken’s written over 200 episodes of television for such shows like MASH, Cheers, Frasier, The Simpsons, and Wings. He’s directed over 60 TV episodes and has co-written the movie, VOLUNTEERS starring Tom Hanks and John Candy.  Ken’s been the play-by-play voice of the Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners, and San Diego Padres and hosted Dodger Talk for eight seasons.  

Ken has ten published full-length stage plays that have been performed in New York, Los Angeles, and around the globe. His most recent play, GUILTY PLEASURES, has had seven production, including Prague where it’s currenty in its second year. It begins its Los Angelos run this Friday, March 13th, through Saturday, April 4th, at the Westchester Playhouse. It’s a comedy, and knowing Ken, it’s sure to be hysterical. I love the disclaiimer- “Please note this play is intended for mature audiences, as it contains strong language and sexual content.” It also happens to star Marshall McCabe, a friend of mine. Win/Win! 

Ken has authored fourbooks including his memoir, The Me Genera-tion… By Me. Ken’s won a primetime Emmy, two Writers Guild Awards, a Peoples’ Choice Award, Peabody and Humanitas recognition.  Currently, Ken hosts a podcast, Hollywood & Levine, writes a blog, byKenLevine.com, and is a contributing cartoonist to the New Yorker Magazine.  

I’m a fan of Ken’s work across platforms. I’ve had a raucous good time with him when he read at Women Who Write, and the last time he graced this show. I trust this is going be some well-needed fun… and it’s sure to be FUNNY! 

Ken Levine Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

***Wed, March 11th, 3 pm PT, 6 pm ET***

Streamed Live on my FB, YouTube & LinkedIn

FB

facebook.com/vickiabelson

YouTube 

✨ From the Red Carpet to the Street — Still Holding the Crown 👑

This is not just a photo. This is a whole statement.

She just won the night... then casually sat on the street with her Emmy like it’s the most normal thing ever. No entourage. No stage. Just grace, gold, and a forklift in the background. Only true icons can turn a gritty alley into a golden moment. 💫

👉 You need to see the full story behind this shot

We were Live with my good friend, 2x Emmy nominee, Gary Stockdale. What a joy after a long void. Pre-pandemic, it seems we saw each other everywhere, and often. COVID changed life. A lot. We talked about that and how both of us have Facebook Lives born out of necessity. You’d think with our combined expertise, it would be smooth sailing. You’d think. Tech glitches messed with Gary’s fine art… his singing/playing and songwriting, which we were challenged to present, but Gary persevered and did treat us to two songs from his new musical, Showstopper, and an a cappella treat to take us out that I won’t spoil. 

Gary took us back to his early days in Glendale, musical theatre at LA City College, his mentor Henry Mancini, Penn & Teller for whom he scored for 25 years. There was Sabrina the Teenage Witch, The Aristocrats, Spongebob Square Pants, and lot of Gary music along the way to discuss. 

Even with the challenges, it was a fun, relaxed ride down Gary’s memory lane. The kind of conversation that happens between friends. Lovely. And Gary’s voice… I don’t know how it’s possible, but he sounds even more incredible than ever. What a gorgeous voice, and what an amazing songwriter! After a particularly crap day, this time with Gary truly healed my weary soul. 

Gary Stockdale Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

Wednesday, 6/4/25, 5 PM PT, 8 PM ET

Streamed Live on my FB & YouTube

FB Replay here:

YouTube Replay here:

TODAY LIVE with Gary Stockdale, a 2-time Emmy-nominated TV and film composer, and award-winning musical theater songwriter and librettist, who has sung on scores of movies and television shows. He composed music for Sabrina, the Teenage Witch; Penn &Teller: BULLSHIT, Spongebob Squarepants, as well as The Artistocrats – the documentary film about the world’s dirtiest joke by Paul Provenza and Penn Jillette.

Gary’s sung for such varied artists as Adele, Justin Timberlake, Camila Cabello, Johnny Mathis, Danny Elfman, and Henry Mancini. You’ll hear Gary’s voice on films like Star Trek: Beyond and Star Wars: Rogue One, and he had a featured role on the cult-classic NBC series Cop/Rock. I loved that show, and Gary in it. 

Showstopper, a new one-man musical performed and composed by Gary, co-written with Spencer Green (In Living Color, Mad TV), and Matthew Leavitt (6thAct Theater Company), recently concluded a fabulously successful run at the Whitefire Theatre in Los Angeles. I trust we’ll get a taste!

I’ve seen Gary perform innumerable times over the past couple of decades, on stages big and small, including in the intimacy of my living room, Women Who Write literary salons; he always swings for the fences and tears the house down. A crazy, talented, sweet, and lovely man, it’s been ages since I’ve seen my old friend. So looking forward to this twice-postponed and long-awaited conversation.

Gary Stockdale Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

Wednesday, 6/4/25, 5 PM PT, 8 PM ET

Streaming Live on my FB 

facebook.com/vickiabelson

And YouTube 

youtube.com/@VickiAbelsonLive

Tracy Newman Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

What a gift to relax into a warm, comfortable, fun conversation with a friend I know well. Peabody and Emmy Award-winning writer, Tracy Newman, who’s also a show creator, producer, director, singer/songwriter, and magician, took us from her earliest childhood creative forays through her current appearance on the just dropped PeeWee as Himself on HBO/Max. Picking up a guitar at 14, Tracy’s come full circle, again focused on her music, and treated us to one of her new gems, Benjamin Button. 

From her relationship with Ricky Jay, which led her to magic, and hand modeling card tricks for film and TV, MCing the Bitter End in the mid-60s, teaching pre-school, a Bob Hope Special, which led her to an appearance on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, joining Gary Austin’s improv class with Pat Morita and Tim Matheson for two, brInging her younger sister Laraine along and quickly discovering her genius, the class becoming The Groundlings, Lily Tomlin who Tracy had worked with in New York, discovering Laraine with Lorne Michaels, Tracy segueing to directing, teaching, and writing, which led with her partner John Starks to TV, staff writing for Cheers, Bob Newhart, Hardball, to Ellen and the coming out episode whicg garnred the Emmy and the Peabody. Getting hired and getting fired, wonderful stories about all of the above, to co-creating The World According to Jim, cute story there. Syndication allowed Tracy to give it all up and return to music, her ongoing passion. 

We got some inside news of a feud, and talked losses…  Phil Hartman, PeeWee, George Wendt, and Miss Yvonne, Lynne Stewart, Tracy’s closest of friends. We also talked blessings, her niece, Hannah Einbinder’s, pickup today for a 5th season of Hacks, and directing her daughter’s, Charlotte’s Shorts, at The Groundling Theatre on June 17th. 

Tracy’s a wildly talented woman, with a crazy talented family. Can’t wait to see what she/them will do next. 

Tracy Newman Live on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

Wednesday, 5/28/25, 5 PM PT, 8 PM ET

Streamed Live on my FB & YouTube 

FB Replay here:

and on YouTube