Frasier On Film
Welcome to Frasier On Film - the Frasier TV show podcast with a twist.
Each episode of the podcast visits each episode of Frasier across its 11-series run. But our main focus isn’t on the good Dr. himself. No, no! It’s going to be one of the guest appearances on the show that week. That could be one of the many A-listers who called into Frasier’s KACL radio show or just someone who made a fleeting appearance at Cafe Nervosa.
We’ll delve into that actor’s backstory, look over their cinematic offerings and deep-dive into one movie specifically. By the end, we’ll see if we can make a connection between their character in Frasier and their character in the film we’ve just talked about.
So you’ll be hearing about icons and wash-ups. Legends and startlets. Sherry drinkers and beer guzzlers. Blockbusters and B-movies. It’s going to be an education in it all!
But what if you don’t really watch Frasier? That’s fine, you’ll probably know the actors we’re talking about. Don’t really know the actors we’re talking about? That’s fine too, you’ll know the movies! So whether you’re a fan of Frasier or you're a fan of film, this is the podcast for you.
So pull up your favourite bar stool at McGinty’s, tell the wine club you’ll be running late. Because this is Frasier On Film and I’m your host, Ben Murray.
And you’re listening…
Frasier On Film
S1E4 - Joe Mantegna in Homicide (I Hate Frasier Crane)
"All that's missing is a mariachi band!"
Episode 4 and we tackle more than a few prickly issues today as we deep dive into Joe Mantegna's career (courtesy of a few David Mamet sidebars). Yes, most of us know him for his cartoonish embodiment of Fat Tony on The Simpsons. But how does he hold up as an actor in his own right? And what can we make of his politics?
Timestamps:
01:30 Intro
03:03 Frasier Talk: Frasier has to decide if he's man or chicken, when he's challenged to a fight by newspaper columnist Derek Mann(tegna)!
08:36: Joe Mantegna Talk: Gangster on screen, gangster in animated form, gangster in the sheets? We'll find out as we trace his path from Joey Zasa to Fat Tony and beyond.
16:45 Homicide Talk: Mamet wrote and directed this complex exploration of Jewishness, Zionism, Anti-Semitism and everything in-between, through the eyes of Joe Mantegna's beaten down detective. What could possibly go wrong?
(That full Mantegna interview I refer to in this episode can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wa2ZNXv6VZk)
Thanks for listening!
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Drop me an email if you have any comments or questions too! Or if you want to feature on an episode at some point: frasieronfilm@gmail.com