Author, Spike Unleashed: The Wonder Dog Returns: As told to Bill Boggs
This week on Ira's Everything Bagel Podcast, host Ira Sternberg delves into a lively conversation with the Emmy Award-winning TV talk show host, producer, and writer Bill Boggs. Known for his sharp wit and insightful commentary, Bill Boggs brings his unique brand of absurdist humor to the forefront in his latest novel, Spike Unleashed: The Wonder Dog Returns: As told to Bill Boggs. In this episode, Bill shares the inspiration behind his book, explores its satirical take on society, and offers invaluable advice on writing. As a seasoned professional in the entertainment industry, Boggs has worn many hats, from TV talk show host to author, and now he adds the title of satirist to his impressive resume.
The Genesis of Spike Unleashed
Bill Boggs begins by discussing the origins of his latest novel, Spike Unleashed: The Wonder Dog Returns. The book is a continuation of the adventures of Spike the Wonder Dog, a character that embodies Boggs’ love for satire and social commentary. According to Boggs, the idea for the novel came to him as a natural progression from his previous works, especially his earlier book, The Adventures of Spike the Wonder Dog. He describes how Spike Unleashed is more than just a humorous tale—it’s a mirror reflecting the absurdities of modern society. The novel dives into themes of media, celebrity culture, and the quirks of human behavior, all through the eyes of a witty and observant canine narrator.
A Mission to Make You Laugh
Throughout the episode, Bill Boggs emphasizes his mission: to make people laugh. He believes that humor is a powerful tool for coping with life’s challenges and for making sense of the world. With Spike Unleashed, Boggs aims to entertain while also encouraging readers to reflect on the society they live in. He shares how he crafted the character of Spike to be both endearing and incisive, a dog who not only comments on the world but does so with a sharp tongue and a sense of humor that is both absurd and relatable.
Why Focus on Writing Now?
At this stage of his illustrious career, Bill Boggs explains why he has chosen to focus on writing. With decades of experience in television, including hosting the long-running Midday Live with Bill Boggs and producing groundbreaking shows like The Morton Downey Jr. Show, Boggs felt it was time to channel his creativity into a medium that allows for deeper exploration of ideas. Writing novels has given him the freedom to express his thoughts and observations in a way that TV doesn’t always permit. He views his current work as a natural evolution of his career, where he can combine his love for humor, satire, and storytelling.
Bill Boggs: A Satirist at Heart
In this episode, Boggs candidly discusses his identity as a satirist. While he has always infused humor into his work, he now embraces satire as his primary mode of expression. Spike Unleashed is a perfect example of how Boggs uses satire to critique and entertain. He talks about how satire allows him to address serious subjects with a light touch, making complex issues more approachable and engaging for his audience. Boggs also shares some of the challenges of writing satire, including finding the right balance between humor and critique.
The Role of Spike the Wonder Dog
A significant portion of the conversation revolves around the character of Spike the Wonder Dog. Boggs explains how Spike serves as both a protagonist and a commentator in his novels. Spike’s perspective is unique—he is a dog with a human-like understanding of the world, which allows him to offer humorous and often biting observations on the absurdities of life. Spike the Wonder Dog has become a beloved character, not just for his antics, but for his clever insights that resonate with readers.
For those who want to keep up with Spike’s adventures, you can follow him on Instagram at Spike The Wonder Dog Instagram.
Bill Boggs’ Writing Advice
For aspiring writers, Bill Boggs offers invaluable advice on how to approach writing a book. He stresses the importance of finding your voice and being authentic in your storytelling. Boggs encourages writers to draw from their own experiences and observations, much like he does with his novels. He also emphasizes the importance of persistence—writing a book is a marathon, not a sprint, and it requires dedication and discipline. Boggs shares his own writing process, including how he develops characters, crafts dialogue, and infuses humor into his stories.
Bill Boggs’ Multifaceted Career
A Legendary TV Host and Producer
Bill Boggs is perhaps best known for his work as a TV talk show host. He hosted the long-running Midday Live with Bill Boggs out of New York City, where he interviewed some of the most notable personalities of our time. His TV credits span major networks, including PBS, CBS, NBC, ABC, ESPN, and Showtime. One of his most groundbreaking achievements was serving as the executive producer of The Morton Downey Jr. Show, a program that redefined the talk show genre. Additionally, Boggs co-created and hosted the syndicated series Comedy Tonight, further showcasing his versatility in the entertainment industry.
For more insights into Bill Boggs’ career, you can visit his official website.
A Journey in Comedy and Writing
Before his TV career, Boggs began in comedy, a foundation that has influenced all his subsequent work. His earlier books, including The Adventures of Spike the Wonder Dog and the self-help book Got What It Takes?, reflect his comedic roots. Boggs also authored At First Sight, a love story that was optioned by Hollywood. His diverse body of work demonstrates his ability to traverse different genres, all while maintaining his distinctive voice.
BillBoggsTV: A Treasure Trove of Interviews
In addition to his writing, Boggs has created an extensive archive of interviews with some of the most influential figures in entertainment, politics, and culture. BillBoggsTV on YouTube features hundreds of these interviews, offering a fascinating glimpse into the minds of celebrities and thought leaders. From Richard Pryor to Howard Stern, Boggs has conversed with the best of them, making his channel a must-visit for anyone interested in celebrity interviews and cultural commentary.
Bill Boggs Podcast Episode Conclusion
This episode of Ira's Everything Bagel Podcast is a delightful dive into the mind of Bill Boggs, a man who has made laughter his mission. Through his latest novel, Spike Unleashed: The Wonder Dog Returns, Boggs continues to entertain and provoke thought with his sharp satire and witty social commentary. Whether you’re a fan of his TV work, his writing, or simply love a good laugh, this episode offers something for everyone.
For more engaging conversations and insights, don’t forget to subscribe to Ira's Everything Bagel Podcast. Stay connected with Bill Boggs and follow his latest projects through the links provided below.
🔗 Useful Links:
FAQs About Bill Boggs
Who is Bill Boggs?
Bill Boggs is an Emmy Award-winning TV talk show host, producer, and writer. He is known for his long career in television and his work as an author, including his novel "Spike Unleashed: The Wonder Dog Returns."
Who is Bill Boggs' wife?
Information about Bill Boggs' wife is not widely publicized. He has been private about his personal relationships.
What is Bill Boggs doing now?
Bill Boggs is currently focused on writing, particularly his work as a satirist, with his recent book "Spike Unleashed: The Wonder Dog Returns" being a key project.
Who is Spike the Wonder Dog?
Spike the Wonder Dog is a fictional character from Bill Boggs' books, known for his absurd humor and social commentary.
What TV talk show did Bill Boggs host?
Bill Boggs is best known for hosting the long-running show "Midday Live" in New York City, among other television programs.
Watch the full Podcast Video
Read The Full Transcript
Bill Boggs Podcast Epsiode Full Transcript
Ira David Sternberg: Welcome to Ira's Everything Bagel, where I talk with intriguing people about everything—their passions, pursuits, and points of view. My guest today is passionate about dogs, especially one named Spike. Emmy Award-winning TV talk show host, producer, and writer Bill Boggs joins me. He's the author of Spike Unleashed: The Wonder Dog Returns, as told to Bill Boggs. It’s a novel that showcases Bill's brand of absurdist humor and social commentary, taking readers on a roller coaster ride of comical suspense mixed with wry observations. The book is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and all the usual places. For everything about Bill Boggs, go to BillBoggs.com, and you can follow him on Instagram at realbillboggs. Bill, welcome back to the show.
Bill Boggs: Well, it's good to be back, Ira. Vegas is one of my favorite places. At some point, I was thinking I could tell you a great Ed McMahon story involving his girlfriend and me in Las Vegas, but the statute of limitations hasn’t run out on it yet, so we’ll have to wait another 10 years to tell that one.
Ira: Thank you, Bill. I wanted to have you back on The Bagel show. Let’s remind our listeners and viewers that you had a previous book called Spike the Wonder Dog. Now, with this one—
Bill: Yes, exactly. This is the large print edition of the first book, The Adventures of Spike the Wonder Dog. You might remember its Politically Incorrect humor, but we don’t want people to think these are children’s books now, do we? That's my madness always sneaking in. The second book, Spike Unleashed, is a sequel, but you don’t need to have read the first book to enjoy it. Spike Unleashed deals with continued adventures of Spike the Wonder Dog, who really is a commentator on our society and humanity. The dog essentially tells the story, as in The Call of the Wild or The Art of Racing in the Rain—both books featuring dogs.
Ira: Wait a minute. Are you comparing yourself to Jack London now? Is that what you’re telling me?
Bill: (Laughs) No, I’m comparing Spike to the dog in those books. Spike tells the story, not me. As Bill Maher once said, "You can't offend anybody—I’m a dog!"
Ira: How did you come up with the second idea for the book? Well, actually, Spike told you the story, didn’t he? When did you first start talking to dogs?
Bill: (Laughs) The dog talks to me, Ira. It’s even worse. It’s easy to talk to your dog, but when they start talking back, you have a problem. Most of my life, I've been identified as a TV host, producer, and executive producer. I've worked on shows like The Food Network, produced The Morton Downey Jr. Show, and had my own shows on the Travel Channel and PBS. But as I was hitting the big 7-0, I decided to focus on writing. If TV comes knocking, great, but I’ve had a wonderful career. I started in comedy, managing a comedy team and producing stage shows. I’ve always been in comedy. So now, I identify as a writer of satire, and there’s so much to satirize in our society today. The book's mission is to make you laugh, poke fun at celebrity worship, and other absurdities in our culture. It's all designed to entertain, and the best thing anyone can tell me is that they laughed while reading it.
Ira: Is there a danger that Spike could be canceled in today’s culture?
Bill: Absolutely, Spike could easily be canceled. Anybody can be canceled nowadays. It's like Tarantino said on Real Time with Bill Maher: “You and I have different opinions. I don’t engage with them.” Humor today is in trouble. Tom Cotter, who finished second on America’s Got Talent, said, “I can get on stage any night, say one thing that someone on the 18th row doesn’t like, and they’ll do everything they can to vilify me within 24 hours.” But I’m pushing back against that. Spike and I are saying, “Let’s lighten the hell up and laugh a little bit.”
Ira: How long did it take you to write the book?
Bill: About a year and a half. I had a disciplined schedule, writing mostly in the afternoons. I'd get my exercise in the morning, handle other tasks, and by 1:30 or 2:00 PM, I’d sit down and write for 90 minutes to two hours. It was the happiest part of my day. The experience of writing a novel is like having a movie going on in your head—it’s very visual. I see it, and then I write what I see.
Ira: Was the hard part the rewriting and editing once you had it all done?
Bill: No, actually, that’s more technical than the creative part of writing. Rewriting and editing are more about pace for me. I go back to what I wrote the day before, tighten it up, and then continue. Once the book was finished, I went through it three times from start to finish, tightening and improving it.
Ira: I’m starting a rumor that you wrote the book on an IBM Selectric.
Bill: (Laughs) No, I wrote it on my MacBook Air, Ira.
Ira: I thought you had a Remington manual, but…
Bill: Actually, the first book I wrote was called At First Sight. It was a romantic comedy/love story that was optioned by Renée Zellweger but never got made into a movie. I wrote that one by hand. But I’ve improved since then.
Ira: You alluded earlier to age and creativity. You’re a good example for people who think creativity diminishes with age. What are your thoughts on that?
Bill: Age isn’t a limit. In fact, I feel like I’m at a creative peak right now. I’m totally dependent on writing, and I find it exhilarating. The goal of Spike Unleashed is to sell the property as an adult animated cartoon series. If we do that, Bagels on the house! (Laughs)
Ira: That’s a great goal. Let’s talk about the celebrity breath strips idea from the book. How did that come about?
Bill: That’s one of the inventions in the book. The idea is that you can get a breath strip that gives you the same scent as your favorite celebrity—like Taylor Swift or George Clooney. It's satire because it’s a ridiculous idea, but in today’s world, it could actually be a hit.
Ira: Are you still amazed at your creativity as you’ve gotten older?
Bill: No, I think I’m more creative now than ever. I feel like I’m living at a creative peak. Age is no more of a limit than youth. I live a life dependent on my wits, and I’m constantly coming up with new ideas.
Ira: What’s next for Spike? Another book?
Bill: We’ll see. Right now, I’m focused on Spike Unleashed. But you never know—Spike might start talking to me again with another story.
Ira: That’s a great way to leave it. My guest has been Emmy Award-winning TV talk show host, producer, and writer Bill Boggs, author of Spike Unleashed: The Wonder Dog Returns, as told to Bill Boggs. The book is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and all the usual places. For everything about Bill Boggs, go to BillBoggs.com, and follow him on Instagram at realbillboggs. Bill, thanks again for being on the show.
Bill: It was a delight, Ira. Thanks for having me.
Ira: Absolutely. Join us every Thursday for a new episode of Ira's Everything Bagel.
Leave a Reply