Former Hermosa Beach City Councilman Robert “Burgie” Benz is back on the cable access scene as the new co-host of a live television show that takes a closer look at ongoing issues affecting beach cities residents.

Entitled “Beach Buzz Live,” Benz and the show’s founder and producer, Carolyn McFadden, deliver a program centered around a small forum of guests to Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach households every Monday night.

“I’m supposed to be the bad cop while Carolyn is the good one and I do get nervous. That is why I usually have a beer before I go on,” said Benz. “This is just a steppingstone to a huge career in talk shows,” he added sarcastically.

After a year of forethought, McFadden decided to create something similar in format to the late night “Politically Incorrect” program, hosted by Bill Maher. Adelphia first broadcast “Beach Buzz Live” in late January.

Since then, McFadden has invited an assortment of guests onto the show, ranging from newspaper editors, city politicians and police officers to lawyers, local surfers and theater producers. Each week, McFadden and Benz focus on one specific topic of debate which beach cities people care about.

“We have done shows on localism, beach events, the Heart of the City project and beach cities culture,” McFadden said. “Our next show will be on the controversy centered around Sand Dune Park in Manhattan Beach.”

McFadden enlisted the expertise of Benz, who once hosted the irreverent and outlandish cable talk show called “Burgie Live,” which first aired in the late 1980s. “Burgie Live” ran for six years and highlighted Benz’s opinionated beliefs on the attributes of television in a satirical manner.

“The only thing that is the same about both shows is the live setting,” Benz explained. “‘Burgie Live’ was based on the principle that television has no redeeming qualities and we made sure of that with our guests, who were most of the time fictitious, and with humorous references to things happening in the South Bay and in the world for that matter.”

McFadden hopes “Beach Buzz Live” will appeal to a younger audience and thinks Benz makes the ideal host for such objectives due to his colorful and controversial fervor. Originally, McFadden planned on hosting the show alone with the occasional guest host. However, McFadden changed her mind after concluding that Benz’s presence could significantly heighten the show’s popularity.

“Burgie has the public awareness. People either love him or hate him and he knows so much about the beach cities,” she explained. “He is controversial and he lightens up the show so people won’t fall asleep. So many people have helped in putting this thing together and I know I couldn’t do it by myself.”

In the same respect as “Politically Incorrect,” guests on “Beach Buzz Live” spend an hour debating the topic at hand, and fielding questions and comments from television viewers who call in on the show. McFadden hopes residents, especially a younger segment of the population, will watch the show because they find the guests and content interesting, and it provides them with the opportunity to express their concerns and feelings in a live environment.

“Everything is live, which is nice because often times things aren’t rehearsed and a show is particularly good when you don’t have to worry about retaking it again,” said Benz. “I’m somewhat muted on this show because as a host, I can’t go bonkers. I don’t want to be too abrasive.”

Benz said the most interesting series of guests, thus far, appeared on the Redondo Beach Heart of the City plan program. According to Benz, former Redondo Beach Councilman Bob Pinzler committed to the show at the last minute after Redondo Beach Mayor Greg Hill canceled his guest appearance.

“The show was put together at the request of the city of Redondo Beach, but everyone in its political circle backed out, so we had a cheap substitute — Bob Pinzler,” Benz said jokingly. “It is interesting that we are giving a spotlight on something that normally doesn’t get any additional attention other than in the newspaper.”

Anyone interested in being a guest or with new show topics may e-mail McFadden at beachbuzzlive@aol.com. The show airs every Monday night on Channel 10 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.