Media Path Podcast Big Heads Media

Little House on the Prairie takes us back to a time when modern distractions were stripped away and life was pared down to the values which define us: kindness, community, compassion and collaboration. Without the miracle of time travel, we do get to huddle together and gather ‘round the warmth of a streaming episode of Little House.  Dean Butler played the man who put the “Wilder” in Laura Ingalls Wilder. He was the Prairie heartthrob who lit up the heart of Half-Pint and Little House fans the world over. 

Dean joins us to celebrate the release of his new book, Prairie Man: My Little House Life & Beyond, as well as the 50th Anniversary of of Little House which will be heralded at events throughout the summer.


Dean shares the joys and challenges of fulfilling Michael Landon’s exacting vision of Almanzo. He talks about his controversial age gap with co-star Melissa Gilbert (adhering to Little House history) her mother’s anguished cries over their first kiss, his close, co-star bonds and how they all work together to honor and sustain the Little House legacy.

Dean tells us about his tremendous admiration for Michael Landon and for fellow cast-mates who served as mentors like Katherine MacGregor and Victor French.  He gives us some history on how Ed Friendly developed the books into the series but then diverged with Michael Landon over their TV adaptation. Dean also reveals some of the parallels he discovered in his relationships with both his father and with Michael Landon. 

And big news for Little House fans, the LHOTP reunion weekend at Big Sky Movie Ranch in Simi Valley was such a smash, tours of the sets will be continuing throughout the summer, some of which will be led by Dean! All that plus a round of LIttle House Trivia!

In recommendations, Weezy enjoyed the Acorn series Kiri, and Fritz jumps into the Baby Reindeer conversation.
Path Points of Interest:
Dean Butler
Prairie Man: My Little House Life & Beyond

Dean Butler on Wiki
Little House: 50 for Fifty Podcast
Dean Butler on Instagram
Dean Butler on TikTok
Dean Butler on Facebook
LHOTP 50th Anniversary on Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce Website
Gift of Democracy
Kiri on Acorn
Baby Reindeer on Netflix

George Schlatter is living a life full of legendary firsts and remarkable adventures because he embraces innovation. George’s captivating career path is documented in his book, Still Laughing: A Life In Comedy. It’s a hilarious page-turner that serves as a showbiz primer and history lesson. It’s also self-improvement manual for anyone in search of creative inspiration. One of George’s key mottos is: When all hope is fading, make them laugh. George has brazenly cracked up Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland and Cary Grant. Now it’s your turn.

George takes us backstage with Lucille Ball, Judy and Liza, Sammy Davis Jr. Stevie Wonder, Cher and the cast of Laugh-In. He tells us how he talked Lucy into riding an elephant with Steve Lawrence through Shubert Alley. He shares his secret network executive management technique: Get them drunk at lunch. And he offers astutely passionate observations about the current state of television and how it’s changed since the turbulently transformative sixties.

George believes that rules are guidelines that should be courageously challenged. On a bet from Jack Lemmon, George sneaked a naughty phrase into an episode of Laugh-In, winning Jack as a guest star on the show. He pioneered the airing of bloopers and outtakes. He invented the Las Vegas lounge act and created reality TV with Real People which shared the true stories of the Navajo Code Talkers, The Tuskegee Airmen and the Viet Nam War’s missing in action.

We also challenge George to a round of People You've Worked With Roulette, talk about his once-lost show, Turn-On, which was cancelled 20 minutes into its first hour. You can find that and so much more on George’s new Youtube Channel, Clown Jewels!

In recommendations, Weezy loves Conan O'Brien Must Go on Max, and Fritz and Weezy are both obsessed with Stax: Soulsville USA, also on Max.
Path Points of Interest:
George Schlatter
George Schlatter on Wiki
George Schlatter on IMDB
Still Laughing: A Life in Comedy - Now out in paperback.  
Clown Jewels YouTube Page 
The George and Jolene Brand Schlatter Theater at the National Comedy Center
Rowan And Martin's Laugh-In
Fritz Coleman - Unassisted Residency
Conan O'Brien Must Go - Max
Stax: Soulsville USA - Max
Gift Of Democracy

Her films populate the most notable entries in underground and mainstream 20th century youth culture. Trailblazing filmmaker Penelope Spheeris joins us to share her cheeky Hollywood  outsider perspective which allowed her to break legendary ground, with Suburbia and the Decline of Western Civilization trilogy and make significant dents in mainstream film land with Wayne’s World, Black Sheep and Little Rascals.  Brace for Penelope’s snidely self-effacing perspective on movies, music, and Hollywood’s club and movie cultures.

Penelope traces her fascination with punk and street life back to her turbulently nomadic life as a carnival kid. In the late 70s, she and her film crew stage dove deep into L.A.’s punk infused club scene and emerged with Decline of Western Civilization I… A film which was quickly banned by the LAPD before capturing a devoted midnight screening audience and ascending into cult status. Decline I was followed, seven years later by Decline II which captured The Hollywood metal scene and then by Decline III, Penelope’s homage to Hollywood’s homeless, punk street kids, one of whom became her long-term boyfriend.

Between Declines II and III, Penelope directed Wayne’s World. She fills us in on capturing Mike Myers and Dana Carvey’s big screen vision, how funny they were on the set and whether or not Freddy Mercury saw the famous head banging, Bohemian Rhapsody car scene???
 Disappointments cloud anyone’s horizon but Penelope has come to terms with losing Wayne’s World II and she’s still hopeful that her unreleased doc about Ozzfest ’99 will receive the necessary music clearances for wide release. (We’re counting on you, Sharon Osborne!)

Plus, Fritz is recommending The Beach Boys doc on Disney+ and Weezy shares her nuanced take on Spacey Unmasked on Max.
Path Points of Interest:
Penelope Spheeris
Penelope Spheeris on Wikipedia
Penelope Spheeris on imdb
Decline of Western Civilization Movies
We Sold Our Souls for Rock 'n' Roll
Beach Boys - Disney+
Spacey Unmasked

“Arf! Arf!” 
“What’s that, Girl? 
Timmy’s in the well!!?” 

We speak fluent Collie and Timmy got into plenty of trouble but he never fell into a well. What Lassie is trying to tell you there is that “Timmy,” Jon Provost, is doing very well. He’s an animal rights activist who has just launched a CBD spray to help calm pets and, along with his wife, Laurie Jacobson, he’s written a book chronicling his phenomenal show-biz history, including films with Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, Jane Wyman, Robert Redford, Natalie Wood, William Holden, Clinton Eastwood and Kurt Russell. Jon spent seven years working on Lassie and June Lockhart before graduating as a bona fide teen idol and exploring all of the iconic haunts along the Sunset Strip with Davy Jones, David Cassidy and Sajid Kahn!

The book is, naturally, titled Timmy’s In The Well and along with Jon’s acting history, it also explores what happens to a family when one kid becomes world famous. Jon’s wife Laurie joins us with insights into exactly that as well as intrigue on Hollywood’s hidden history and a peek into her next book about The Sunset Strip.

We leave no stone unturned and no well un-excavated as we trace Jon's start back to his mother's love for Jane Wyman which compelled her to bring her 3-year-old son to a cattle-call audition for the role of Sterling Hayden and Jane Wyman’s little boy in 1953's So Big. Out of a sea of hundreds, Jon won the part.

From there, we go behind the Lassie scenes with Jon as he warmly remembers his relationship with the world’s most beloved dog and her trainer, Rudd Weatherwax. (Actually, his trainer. Lassie was always played by a male dog.) Jon and Lassie travelled the country on promotional tours and along the way, they grand marshaled parades, hosted charity events and visited children’s hospital, inspiring Jon towards a lifetime of charity work and public service.

Jon also reflects on his personal struggles with dyslexia, school bullies, finding himself as he came of age and how a conversation with Kurt Russell on the set of 'The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes' convinced him it was time to take a much-needed break from the business.

Plus, Laurie and Jon share their “How Did You Meet” story. It happened at an autograph show where Laurie came over to his booth to chat with Stanley Livingston. Lassie having taught Jon well in the art of non-verbal communication, Jon kicked Stan under the table which is code for, “What the heck, Stan!? Introduce me to this lovely woman!”  

All that plus Weezy and Fritz are recommending Hollywood Con Queen and Sugar, both on Apple TV+.
Path Points of Interest:
Jon Provost
Timmy's In The Well by Jon Provost & Laurie Jacobson
Jon Provost on Wikipedia
Jon Provost on Facebook
Laurie Jacobson
Laurie Jacobson's Amazon Author Page
Laurie Jacobson on Instagram
Provost Pet Spray
Muttville
Hollywood Con Queen on Apple +
Sugar on Apple +

It’s a Premiere Radio Networks Reunion as we are joined by two broadcasting legends who worked with Weezy in the '80s and '90s and are now industry heavyweights: voice talent and king of the promo, Joe Cipriano and radio exec and DJ for LA's legendary KEARTH 101, Larry Morgan! We're chatting about legacy media and our collective memories of radio's heyday and processing how we are all evolving within our fields as technology continues its march towards confounding boomers with seven factor authentication.

Also with us is new-school content creator, author, actor, and podcaster Travis Richey who shares his utilization of digital tools as he journeys from boy with a dream to working industry professional.

We look fondly back on our analog childhoods where we put on a show with our cassette tape recorders and wired our bedrooms for two block radius radio transmission! Joe and Larry each scored radio station jobs as teenagers and Travis was feverishly writing Star Trek spec scripts before traveling to Hollywood to join the Acme Comedy group based on advice he found on Wil Wheaton’s blog.

We examine how radio has changed both culturally and operationally, as we recall the days of big name DJ personalities, air checks, meter readings, FCC licenses, and stacks of carts.   Joe remembers his first voice over home studio and his pioneering ISDN line efforts for remote recording and he previews his unique opportunity promo Masterclass! Learn from Joe how to be like Joe! Larry shares how Covid inspired radio stations to evolve quickly into broadcasting with just a laptop and some wifi, and Fritz shares his experience as a radio station music director. Then we dip into the future, as AI steers us in exciting and terrifying directions!

Plus, Fritz and Weezy are recommending Franklin on Apple + and The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling Podcast.
Path Points of Interest:
Joe Cipriano
Promo Mojo Masterclass
Joe Cipriano Promo Demo
Living On Air by Joe Cipriano

Joe Cipriano on Facebook
Joe Cipriano on Instagram
Joe Cipriano on X/Twitter
Larry Morgan
Larry Morgan's Snark Monkey Podcast
Larry Morgan on Facebook
Larry Morgan on Instagram
Travis Richey on IMDB
Robot, Ninja & Gay Guy
2 Hot Guys in the Shower
The Vampires' Curse: (Decimus Book 1) by Travis Richey
Exposing Ourselves Podcast
Travis Richey on Facebook
Travis Richey on Instagram 
Franklin on Apple +
The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling Podcast

Cultural icon Annie Potts is beloved by fans of every age, and for excellent reason. Her bright on-screen light emanates from deep within her own actual warm soul and big heart! The length and breadth of her philanthropic work rivals her IMDB credits and she’s hovering at 114 of those. Most recognizable now as Young Sheldon’s Meemaw, you may also know her for Corvette Summer, Pretty In Pink, and the Ghostbusters and Toy Story franchises.

Annie shares with us her deep affection for her Young Sheldon co-stars and the joy and honor it has been to help and watch them grow up.

Annie’s first long-running sit-com was Designing Women where she played Mary Jo Shively, alongside Jean Smart, Dixie Carter and Delta Burke. Together, in an age before internet harassment they weathered the storm of co-star Delta falling victim to the tabloid bully that was the National Enquirer. Cast camaraderie has always been key for Annie.

Consider yourself warned, Phantasms. In Ghostbusters Frozen Empire (now in theaters) Annie is finally suiting up and busting some ghost! Also, her sultry Bo Peep has a star turn in Toy Story 5 which will hit theaters next year.

Annie also shares some backstage stories, tells us which of her shows she wishes had enjoyed a longer run and gives us a peek into the Young Sheldon finale and a spinoff that will feature Young Georgie. Then, Annie takes on a round of IMDB Roulette.

All that, plus Fritz and Weezy are recommending A Man In Full and Baby Reindeer, both on Netflix. Annie’s pick for you is Alice and Jack on PBS!
Path Points of Interest:
Annie Potts
Ghostbusters
Young Sheldon
Annie Potts on Wikipedia
Annie Potts on IMDB
Annie Potts on Instagram
Annie Potts on Twitter
Annie Potts on Facebook
Any Day Now
The Heart Channels
White Pony Express
Kemarley of Anguilla
Baby Reindeer
A Man In Full

Alice & Jack