BACKSTAGE @ THE DJ KAT SHOW

I've written before about our FOX series

THE DJ KAT SHOW

where I co-starred with the lovely and exuberant

CARMEN DeLa PAZ.

Specifically here:

http://flexitoon.blogspot.com/2009/04/dj-kat-show.html

and here:

http://flexitoon.blogspot.com/2009/04/wnew-wnyc-channel-5-new-york.html

I just found a parcel of BEHIND-THE-SCENES shots circa 1989. Now I can give some well-deserved props to the DJ Kat Show Team:

That's me and Carmen (I'm the pony-tail on the left) putting our heads together on the couch set.
The Red Sea parts to reveal our director, the finger-snappin' STEVEN FELDMAN. (We were very aware of gender roles on the set, so to me, he was - - and will always be - - Feldperson.)
Carmen gives the Metal Horns, while our producer TERESA MATTHEWS, looks concerned.

Rehearsing with Carmen. . .

. . . enjoying the resulting playback.

Backstage with Steven, DJ KAT in tow.

The brain trust, including former Saturday Night Live scribe, BRUCE PADDOCK (L).

Director in his natural habitat.
Steven and I worked together on several television projects besides the DJ Kat Show, including ACTV and SHINING TIME STATION. We enjoyed a mutually beneficial working relationship throughout much of the '90's.

Producer Teresa Matthews.

Shooting the station owner, Midas G. Merkle (M.G.M.)

The popular VIEWER MAIL segment.

With the legendary ELI BERGMAN.
Eli was with WNEW (now FOX) from the begininng, and he worked with all the kid show greats: SOUPY SALES, CHUCK McCANN, SANDY BECKER, BOB McCALLISTER, and, DIALING FOR DOLLARS (heh-heh). Eli was the tether to the halcyon day's of old, and whenever I wasn't working, he'd regale me with stories about my heroes (see above.) The nicest thing he ever said to me was "You know, Craig. You're one of them!"

I loved doing the DJ Kat Show, and I hope that everyone - - Carmen, Steven, Teresa, Tommy Terranova, Scoop the Cameraman, Ron on Sound, Donna on the floor (!?) et al - - look back fondly on the memories we created for our kids in the FOX viewing area. I'll see if I can post an episode sometime. . .

All photos by ALAN (the) SEMOK

WNEW + WNYC = Channel 5 New York

The Sandy Becker Show (Sandy's Street) was on WNEW Channel 5. (So was Soupy Sales and Chuck McCann.) When I was a kid I used to visit and watch them do their shows - - it was so exciting! One show would end, the cameras would then sweep around to another part of the studio and BOOM, next show was on. SUCH a turn on. I'd go home and make-believe my bedroom was Channel 5 and do my own shows (to my cardboard-box cameras.) Even painted a big 5 on my door. Well, fast-forward to 1989, WNEW is now WNYC FOX-5 and I'm doing my own series from the same studio. It was called the DJ KAT SHOW. I wrote and performed puppets and characters opposite a talented, charming and exuberant actress named Carmen DeLaPaz.
Here's the point of this post:
We inherited many of Sandy's puppets and memorabilia when he passed away, and the other day I laid my hands upon an ultra-rare contact sheet. One of the pictures in the group was taken in the exact same place at almost the exact same angle that my show came from. Below is a backstage shot of Sandy Becker puppeteering GeebaGeeba (wearing a tyroleon hat) and Wydeen the Witch, with Timmy Moriarty fronting out front. . .
And here from the same vantage point is Carmen (as Jennifer Davis) and me puppeteering DJ Kat backstage in a viewer's mail segment.

Crazy, huh? Like, remembering the future.

More DJ Kat foto's to follow. . .