Platypus Man (UPN 1995, Richard Jeni, Ron Ohrbach)

Platypus Man was a half-hour situation comedy that aired on the United Paramount Network. The show centers around Richard Jeni, his friends Lou Golumbuski and Paige McAllister, and his younger brother Tommy. Richard is the host and chef of Cooking with the Platypus Man, a New York cooking show for “Anyone who’s tried to make tunafish on toast and ended up in the burn unit with mayonnaise in his hair,” which airs on channel 72.

Richard also has a twin brother, Vince, who is in real estate, and of whom he is jealous. Richard learned how to cook because Lou convinced him to take Home Economics with him in high school to pick up chicks. Lou got some, Richard did not. Some personal information about Richard: he wet his bed until he was 12, and gets aroused by Oh Canada. Richard’s sound engineer is Larry Tannenbaum.

Lou Golumbuski, who happens to be Jewish, is Richard’s executive producer and best friend. He met Richard when they were seven and put out a campfire together by peeing on it. Lou skipped out on his Bar Mitzvah in order to go see the Three Stooges live. His wife’s name is Marie, and he has a sister.

Tommy Jeni is the bartender at (and possibly owner of) the Roof Garden Tavern, where they all hang out.

Paige McAllister lives across the hall from Richard (he lives in 3E, she lives in 3B), and is an ex-pro-golfer who writes a sports column for the newspaper.

production details
UK / UPN Fanaro – Nathan – Paramount / 13×25 minute episodes / Broadcast 23 January – 24 July 1995

Creator/Executive Producer: Barry Fanaro, Matt Nathan / Script Supervisor: Susan Harris / Producers: Marica Govans, Michael Rotenberg

cast
Richard Jeni as Richard Jeni
Ron Ohrbach as Lou Golembiewski
Denise Miller as Paige McAllister
David Dundara as Tommy Jeni
Ethan Phillips as Vern Tuttle