Archive FM

Ian Talks Comedy

Eileen O'Brien (Subject of "Cue Card Girl" doc, SNL cue cards, 1983 - 1987)

Eileen O'Brien joined me to discuss going to college to be a teacher; taking a job that led her to a South Carolina PBS station; discovering the world of production; becoming a PA on Great Performances; working as a PA for George Carlin; the hamburger story; getting started at SNL; Kevin Kay; doing cue cards for the Eddie Murphy showcase in September 1983 and messing up; Robin Williams; Audrey Peart Dickman; having to quit cue cards because of the toxic ink; Al Siegel and Raquel Welch; Al Siegel as mentor; helping Gary Kroeger get into the after party; doing cue cards for Madonna at 1st MTV Awards and later at SNL; Julia Louis-Dreyfus always being perfect; keeping Brandon Tartikoff on cue cards; Francis Ford Coppola terrified of cue cards; Christopher Guest; Michael Palin; Billy Crystal; Harry Dean Stanton and the Replacements; not realizing Spinal Tap is a joke; Tina Turner freaks out in dress; Sam Kinison; Ringo Starr; Charlton Heston; Jim Belushi and Robert Downey Jr.

Broadcast on:
10 Aug 2024

Eileen O'Brien joined me to discuss going to college to be a teacher; taking a job that led her to a South Carolina PBS station; discovering the world of production; becoming a PA on Great Performances; working as a PA for George Carlin; the hamburger story; getting started at SNL; Kevin Kay; doing cue cards for the Eddie Murphy showcase in September 1983 and messing up; Robin Williams; Audrey Peart Dickman; having to quit cue cards because of the toxic ink; Al Siegel and Raquel Welch; Al Siegel as mentor; helping Gary Kroeger get into the after party; doing cue cards for Madonna at 1st MTV Awards and later at SNL; Julia Louis-Dreyfus always being perfect; keeping Brandon Tartikoff on cue cards; Francis Ford Coppola terrified of cue cards; Christopher Guest; Michael Palin; Billy Crystal; Harry Dean Stanton and the Replacements; not realizing Spinal Tap is a joke; Tina Turner freaks out in dress; Sam Kinison; Ringo Starr; Charlton Heston; Jim Belushi and Robert Downey Jr.