Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast

33. James Karen

Character actor extraordinaire James Karen has appeared in over 80 movies, over 100 television shows and a staggering 5,000 TV commercials. In a career spanning nearly 7 decades (!), he's worked with Frederic March, Lauren Bacall, James Garner, Gene Hackman, Steven Spielberg, Jane Fonda, Robert Redford and Will Smith, to name but a few. Gilbert and Frank phoned James one recent Saturday night to cover a VERY wide range of topics, including his film debut in the immortal "Frankenstein Meets the Space Monster," his years-long friendship with the legendary Buster Keaton and his experience sharing a townhouse with Marlon Brando, Wally Cox and Maureen Stapleton. Also, James "sells" Craig T. Nelson a haunted house, a Boy Scout uniform leads to an acting career and a controversial "Jeffersons" episode nearly torpedoes a plum TV pitchman gig.  PLUS: James parties with Clark Gable and Louis B. Mayer! Gilbert gets a one-cent residual check! Moe Howard recites from "The Tempest"! And James teaches a teenaged Michael Douglas to drive!

Comedian and actor Gilbert Gottfried, a man Stephen King once called “a national treasure,” talks with the show business legends, icons and behind-the-scenes talents who shaped his childhood and influenced his comedy.

Along with co-host and fellow pop culture fanatic Frank Santopadre, Gilbert is joined by comics, actors, musicians, talk show hosts, writers and other eyewitnesses to Hollywood history, including Bruce Dern, Chevy Chase, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Adam West, Steve Buscemi, Micky Dolenz, Jim Gaffigan, Judd Apatow and DOZENS more, for a funny, frenetic, fly-on-the-wall look at showbiz then and now (but mostly then.)

Gilbert Gottfried’s Amazing Colossal Podcast was named "Best Podcast of 2015" by the Village Voice and one of iTunes' "Best of 2014." It has been featured in Rolling Stone, Wired and the Los Angeles Times.