Kovacs never hesitated to lampoon those considered institutions of radio and television. In April 1954, he started the late-night talk show, "The Ernie Kovacs Show", on DuMont Television Network's New York flagship station, WABD. Stage, screen, and radio notables were often guests. Archie Bleyer, head of Cadence Records, came to chat one evening. Bleyer had been the long-time orchestra director for Arthur Godfrey's radio and television shows. He had been dismissed by Godfrey the year before along at the same time as fellow cast member, singer Julius La Rosa. In La Rosa's case, he hired a manager, defying an unwritten Godfrey policy. With Bleyer, Godfrey was angered when he found Bleyer's record company Cadence Records had produced spoken word material by Don McNeill, host of ABC's "Don McNeill's Breakfast Club", which Godfrey considered competition to his show. Bleyer and Kovacs were shown in split screen, with Kovacs wearing a red wig, headphones, and playing a ukulele in a Godfrey imitation, while talking with his guest.