January 2010 Archives

Today's cuppa: Spiced Rooibos Ruby Red Chai (thanks to "24" director of photography Rodney Charters, a gentlemanly Kiwi who made me a cup of South African rooibos, or redbush, tea on the set)

Last November, "24" star Mykelti Williamson -- who plays Brian Hastings, head of the New York office of the Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU), on the drama, airing Mondays on Fox -- reunited with his "Forrest Gump" co-star Gary Sinise (left) and his Lt. Dan Band (named after Sinise's "Gump" character) and headed to Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan to entertain the troops.

(Credit for photos below)

Early last December, I spent a day on the "24" set and asked Williamson about the experience.

"I played blues harp," he said. "They went nuts to see Gary and me together. Then we left Bagram and went to Camp Leatherneck. We just stayed there one day. We flew in that morning, had a concert early evening, and we flew out that night.

"It's a Marine base, brand-new, and we got the sense that it probably wasn't safe to stay overnight. So we did a concert for those guys, and then we took off that night and flew to Kandahar for a couple of days."

According to Williamson (right), the Lt. Dan Band was well-received in all quarters.

"I was really touched," he said, "meeting some of the Afghani locals, because they were so happy to have forces from the West over there to try and make a better life. And sweet ... they would remind you of people that you live with here, and I think our troops are doing great work. I really do.

"They're the absolute best of us, and they do a job that a lot of whiners here stateside have no idea about. I've actually talked to some people who have had a lot of negative things to say about the troops, and this, that and the other. Since I've come back, just sharing some of the stories with them -- there are two people I can think of that have had a change of opinion. They don't know; they've never gone.

"When you go, and our soldiers see you, our troops see you in person, it means so much to them. They will hug you; they will cry for you."

Although the trip was quick, Williamson got to spend some quality time with the troops.

"I was in a room with 17 people," he said, "men and women, and I stayed up all night long. I was with a wimpy executive who claimed he couldn't sleep, because I snored like Katrina. So I decided I would just stay up, because I don't like to beef with peoples. So I decided, 'I'll nap tomorrow. I'll just stay up all night on the base and look around, try out my new camera.'

"I met people, they took me in, and I ended up staying up every night in Kandahar and watching movies. The first night we watched 'Forrest Gump,' and I was able to answer questions for them and just sit there and watch this movie that we all loved.

"Then the next night, we watched 'Heat,' and I was telling them stories about Pacino and other people, just hung out. Then when it was time for us to leave, one of the troops looked outside, a lieutenant, and she saw that it was daylight and told everybody, 'He's got to go in two hours.'"

He also got to share Thanksgiving dinner.

"Grown men and women," he said, "I'm talking about master sergeants, sergeant first class, LTs, they're all bawling, because it was Thanksgiving. They knew that we were leaving on Thanksgiving, after we had lunch with them. This was, like, a week ago.

"But we had dinner early. They said they weren't even going to come out of their rooms for Thanksgiving, because they felt they didn't have anything to give thanks for. But when they saw the band, and they met Gary, and they met everybody that was with us -- Kevin Farley was with us -- they just felt so different. They didn't want to stay in their rooms. They came out and thought it was festive. It felt like they were at home.

"So it meant a lot. We were all crying in the room together when it was time to leave, because they were very sad to see us go. But it was great. I look forward to going back."

Asked whether "24" star Kiefer Sutherland (left) might go at some point, Williamson said, "I'm trying to get Kiefer to go. Kiefer should totally go. They would go crazy."

Although Williamson said that there were things he couldn't talk about on the record, he did say, "I saw more beauty than I did anything else when I was in Afghanistan."

It's also a lesson he's brought back to his own children.

"What my wife and I teach our daughters," he said, "whenever we see troops in a restaurant, we take care of their meal. That goes for cops in uniform, firemen, because I want them to see how important those people are to all of our freedom."

Of course, as the head of the Gotham unit of CTU, Brian Hastings has a lot to do with protecting that freedom, but that didn't intimidate Williamson.

"It's a big responsibility," he said, "but I think Soul Brother Number One is up to the task. I really do."


Photo credit (Sinise): BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- Gary Sinise and Kimo Williams met in 1997 while working together on a play called "A Streetcar Named Desire," in Chicago. They continued to meet and have jam sessions on the guitar and bass, gradually adding other musicians. The Lt. Dan Band did their first USO tour in 2004, visiting Korea, Singapore and Diego Garcia - since then they average 30-40 shows a year, with 75% of the profits going towards the USO and other charities. The band name was chosen because Mr. Sinise was constantly recognized by a character he played in the movie "Forrest Gump" called Lt. Dan. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Senior Airman Susan Tracy)

Photo credit (Williamson): BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- Mykelti Williamson shakes the hand of a service member while on a USO tour with the Lt. Dan Band in Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. The Lt. Dan Band did their first USO tour in 2004, visiting Korea, Singapore and Diego Garcia - since then they average 30-40 shows a year, with 75% of the profits going towards the USO and other charities. The band name was chosen because Mr. Sinise was constantly recognized by a character he played in the movie "Forrest Gump" called Lt. Dan. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Senior Airman Susan Tracy)

Today's cuppa: Bag Ladies English breakfast tea

On Sunday, Jan. 31, the man who made sleeveless plaid shirts a down-home fashion statement -- in real life, he's Dan Whitney, but onstage, he plays a character called Larry the Cable Guy -- comes to Comedy Central with the dual goals of thanking his fans and helping some people in need.

"Larry the Cable Guy: Tailgate Party" airs Sunday on Comedy Central. Taped at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Neb., it features around 50,000 fans who got in for only $4 each.

"It was awesome," says Whitney. "It went really, really well. It sounds good; the jokes all hit. I was really on fire that night. It's the largest taped standup special in history."

In his free time, Whitney has created the Git-R-Done Foundation, which, last December, donated $1.2 million to develop a new, 14-bed children's rehabilitation center within the Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Lincoln, Neb. Inspired by the story of a 13-month-old Texas girl who suffered a brain injury in 2008, it's to be called "The Alexis Verzal Children's Rehabilitation Hospital at Madonna."

"She was so brain-damaged," says Whitney, "that she couldn't walk, talk, hear, lost some of her eyesight. Then, since they've been working with her, she can walk, she can talk, she can see. She slurs a few words, but she's really getting back on the right track.

"That touched my wife really big. So when we gave the money, they asked us what we were going to call it, and right there, at that second, we looked at each other and said, 'We're going to name it after that little girl.'"

Whitney is from Nebraska, and splits his time between there and a home in Florida. One reason he chose Madonna is that, while it raises the profile of Lincoln and helps Nebraskans, it also helps children from all other parts of the country.

"My foundation, we have a tall order," says Whitney. "We give to families in need. You can't give to everybody, but every little bit helps."

But considering the sometimes ribald and risque humor of a Larry the Cable Guy show, Whitney doesn't plan to be talking much about his charity work during the performance.

"I talked about it one time on stage," he says, "and it felt a little awkward out there, after talking about my Grandpa tucking his nuts into his socks. I don't think it's right to talk about kids with brain injuries right after it, so I quit doing that."

Whitney says he has an animated show coming out on CMT (Country Music Television) sometime in 2011, called "Lazy Acres."

He also has a show coming out on History Channel, probably this fall, called "The United States of Larry."

According to a statement issued last week from History president/GM Nancy Dubuc, Whitney will be "immersing himself in different lifestyles, jobs and hobbies that celebrate the American experience."

Says Whitney, "It's a cross between 'Dirty Jobs' and 'How It's Made,' so that'll be pretty cool."

Today's cuppa: Iced green tea with peppermint

Perhaps the only thing better than a car that looks fast and drives fast is a car that looks fast and ... tastes really good.

In the Sunday, July 31, episode of TLC's "Cake Boss," baker extraordinaire Buddy Valastro of Carlo's Bakery is on his way from Hoboken, N.J., to the Retail Bakers Association's annual convention in Charlotte, N.C.

In honor of the locale, home to the Charlotte Motor Speedway, Valastro decides to create a full-size cake replica of a NASCAR vehicle.

In the end, the trip to Charlotte -- which entails getting lost and having to rely on a local Good Samaritan -- becomes as much of an adventure as making the cake. Valastro is on the road, but he took time to answer a few questions by email about his latest confectionary masterpiece.

Valastro's answers are in boldface.


(At left, the car begins to take shape)
 

Is this the biggest cake you've ever made?

The NASCAR cake would be by far the largest cake I've ever made -- the thing was huge --over 2.500 sheet cakes!

Can a Formula 1 car be far behind?

Ha-ha, sure, gotta keep everybody happy!

Now that you've done this, might a trip to England to do a cake for "Top Gear" be in the wings?

 

I'd love to go overseas -- and I do love cars -- you might be on to something!

What was the single hardest thing about making this cake?

Getting it to stand up -- there was a lot of weight on that cake -- I've never seen plywood buckle the way it did.

What was the hardest thing about getting there?

 

Making sure we had everything with us was a huge issue -- as we were over 10 hours away from our bakery, we had to plan it out.

(At right, the car gets its first layer of fondant)

Would you do this again?

I would, but this time I would know what to expect.

Any other sports-themed cakes on the way?

None as of now -- but who knows what the future holds.

You're now a semi-regular on Fox News' "Huckabee," what other TV shows would you like to make cakes for, if you had your pick?

Oprah, she is by far the number 1 person I would like to make a cake for.

What's new at Carlo's Bakery for 2010?

Carlo's Bakery in 2010 is gonna see some new things: we're going to try to take the bakery digital; we're gonna try some new recipes; and of course celebrate our 100-year anniversary -- that only happens once every 100 years!

Update: "Cake Boss" earns a third season.

Upon being greeted with, "It's Pudi time!", Danny Pudi of NBC's Thursday comedy "Community" says, "That's the name of my company. It's my corporation here for production, with which I do videos.

"And also, it's just to make sure I'm on the government's watch list, because they want to know where I am at all times."

 

He does a deadpan blink, then, "Kidding."

 

A Chicago native, Pudi can also sing in Polish, as he demonstrates while shooting promos on set at Paramount Studios in Hollywood.

 

"I sang a lot as a little kid," says Pudi, the son of an Indian father and a Polish mother. "My mom would be very happy."

(BTW, he can also dance while singing in Polish, as demonstrated here.)

On "Community," set at a junior college in Colorado, Pudi plays Abed, a socially awkward Muslim student fascinated with pop culture and movies. His best pal is fellow student and former high-school football star Troy (Donald Glover).

 

Both Pudi and Glover come from a comedy background - Glover was a writer on "30 Rock" - and the two have become known for the short, sometimes musical, (sometimes dancing) vignettes at the end of each episode.

 

"It's a really funny way," Pudi says, "to do something quick and fun that is not necessarily tied to the show but takes you into the world of Greendale and these characters, Abed and Troy, and allows us to play off each other. We've been shooting those on the fly. There's not a lot of prep time."

 

Playing a film buff also means that Pudi sometimes has  homework.

 

"It's kind of cool," he says, "when my homework is to literally go home and watch 'Meatballs,' with Bill Murray. I'm like, 'This is my homework. Sorry, guys. I can't go out tonight.

 

I've got to study.' They're like, 'Oh, man, you can't come out and play?' I'm like, 'No, man. I've got to watch 'Meatballs.' "

 

Birthplace: Chicago

School cred: Attended Marquette University in Milwaukee (and remains a big fan of Marquette basketball).

 

Chicago sports cred: "We have a split family. My wife's a Cubs fan, and I'm a White Sox fan. It's fine. She's also a Packers fan, and I'm a Bears fan." Also, "I'm playing fantasy football with (co-star) Joel McHale right now, and our team is kicking butt."

 

Movie cred: "Cop Show" (2007), "Nilam Auntie: An International Treasure" (2009)

 

TV cred: "The West Wing," "ER," "Gilmore Girls," "Greek," "The Bill Engvall Show"

 

TV commercial cred: McDonald's snack wraps; best known for Blackberry's "butt dialing" commercial

Today's cuppa: Bag Ladies English breakfast tea (of course, English breakfast tea, we're talking 'bout "Top Gear")

No doubt echoing the gasps on the other side of the pond (from months ago, since this aired in the UK last year), American fans of Britain's automobile extravaganza "Top Gear" -- or at least two of them -- were rocked to suddenly see revealed the face of the show's perpetually helmeted "tame racing driver," The Stig.

(Photo at left, host Jeremy Clarkson during a typical "Top Gear" stunt mishap.)

The event that rocked the "Top Gear" world happened during the show's 13th-season premiere, which aired in the U.S. on Monday, Jan. 25, on BBC America.

"Bones" executive producer Hart Hanson, a good friend of Hot Cuppa TV and a fellow "Top Gear" fan, flashed the news across Twitter, tweeting, "The Stig is revealed. Best moment in TV ever!" And he also posted this photo on Twitpic.

Asked for a reaction, Hanson emailed:

I screamed at the TV, paused, and took the twitpic that I put up.

May I tell you that I had guessed his identity?  I'm not sure I'll say that much.  Sounds too much like, "Oh I knew it all along."

 "The Stig" was one of the great TV ideas of all time.  A brilliant "prop",  a brilliant "character",  what's with the name?  And he actually performed like a superhuman. 

 May I also say that there was just enough sauce and irony at the end of the show to suggest they may have been fooling us?  But I don't think so.  I think that's the guy.

 H

 So for those of you who missed the show, here's The Stig before ...

During ...

And after...
According to host Jeremy Clarkson, the face above belongs to German Formula 1 driver Michael Schumacher.

Here's a clip of the big moment.

There was a strong reaction in the British press, who suspected that this may have been a publicity stunt, and that Schumacher may not actually be The Stig. It is a little hard to believe that a top driver would take the time, week after week, to methodically coach celebrities to take the show's famous lap in the reasonably-priced car.

Although The Stig -- presumably Schumacher, at least in this instance -- drove a blistering lap on the "Top Gear" test track in a Ferrari FXX in the season opener, at the end of the show, with helmet firmly back on, he did a miserable lap in the reasonably priced sedan. As Hanson mentioned, Clarkson left just enough wiggle room to suggest that the true identity of The Stig has yet to be exposed.

NBC tried hard to produce an American version of "Top Gear" with host Adam Carolla, but the concept fell apart during an executive shuffle at the network (shocking, I know). But from what I heard, the pilot began with The American Stig descending from an aircraft to land in the driver's seat, which sounds pretty darn cool.

At the recent Television Critics Association Press Tour, Clarkson appeared by satellite, and, in answer to a question about NBC's "Top Gear," said, "I came over and watched the pilot of that and had a chat with the three guys that were presenting it and explained how we did things here. I thought it was pretty good, actually. I don't think it was a disaster at all. I thought it was excellent, in fact.

"But then men in suits had a meeting, and then it never happened. I don't really know why. Men in suits spoil a lot of things."

Of course, Jay Leno, the soon-to-be former host of NBC's "The Jay Leno Show," and, as of March 1, the returning host of NBC's "The Tonight Show," is a huge auto enthusiast and a big "Top Gear" fan. He even instituted a version of the test lap in his self-titled primetime show, using an electric car.

We don't know yet whether the electric-car lap will make it into Leno's reconstituted version of "The Tonight Show," but no matter what happens, Leno will be behind the wheel, on a test track

On Monday, March 8, Leno takes the wheel of the reasonably priced car and tries his luck with the test track's torturous twists and turns, including the infamous Gambon turn, so called because it was the near-undoing of actor Michael Gambon.

Other celebrities attempting the drive in the new episodes are Olympic gold-medal-winning sprinter Usain Bolt, occasional "Bones" guest star Stephen Fry, actress Sienna Miller and AC/DC singer Brian Johnson.

Time will tell whether it was Michael Schumacher who coached them ... or not

Then, on Monday, March 15, the 14th-season premiere of "Top Gear" premieres airs right on the heels of season 13.

Today's cuppa: Bag Ladies English breakfast tea

Fans of "24" may know that Kiefer Sutherland, who plays anti-terrorism agent Jack Bauer (left), is an experienced and celebrated actor, an action star and a man who occasionally gets in trouble with the law while out on the town, but they may not know that he gave up acting for rodeo riding for a while in the late '90s and is a two-time winner of the national team roping championship title.

Furthermore, fans probably don't know that Sutherland is not the only member of the cast who knows his way around horses and cows.

In this season of "24," airing Mondays on Fox, Mykelti Williamson (below) plays Brian Hastings, the head of the New York office of the Counter Terrorist Unit. Jack Bauer used to work out of the Los Angeles office, but owing to some circumstances, he's now trying to save a peace treaty -- and probably the world -- from the Gotham location.

Hastings is an Ivy League-educated guy, but his background is a bit of a mystery, and Williamson's history has some surprises as well. When I dropped by the San Fernando Valley sets of "24" late last year, I sat down with Williamson and learned, among other things, that he and Sutherland had the rodeo in common.

"I've known Kiefer a long time," said Williamson. "Twenty years ago, he was a team roper, and I used to do a little bulldogging (also known as steer wrestling), but I never ran across him in the rodeo stuff, never. He was a lot more serious about it than I was. He and his partner actually won Arizona as team ropers. So he's the real deal. He's a real cowboy, not a movie, TV cowboy.

"And I'm a bit of a roughneck. It's cool, I like it."

Asked how he got into rodeo, Williamson said, "I had an opportunity to work at a horse stable when I was a kid, so that I could ride the horses for free. So I was a scooper and a wiper and a washer. That's what I did. One thing just sort of led to another, and I was asked to ride with some guys, and I did.

"Then I saw some guys bulldogging, and I met a gentleman named Woody Strode, the character actor. I met Woody Strode when I was a teenager, and I watched him do it. It hooked me. I was hooked.

"I took an interest in bullriding, but I'm too tall. I'm six-three, and it's a little rough on a guy my size. You get slung right off, just schwing ... and wind up in the audience. But If I were of a different stature, I think I would have liked to try being an all-around cowboy, like Larry Mahan.

"I've been a fan of rodeo for years. My first rodeo job was given to me by a gentleman named Cotton Rosser. I was 16. I met him at the Forum, and I asked him if he needed more cowboys. He looked at me and said, 'What do you do?' I said, "Well I work at a horse stables in Gardena (Calif.),' and I started talking to him.

"He said, 'Come on, we'll find something for you to do.' So I would clean up at the rodeo, actually sit behind the chute with the cowboys, all that stuff."

At this point, I said I could see Sutherland and Williamson together in a Western movie, and Williamson said, "So could I. We actually talked about that. A friend of ours is writing a Western right now, and we were just talking about that."

Williamson also knows another veteran actor who's part of the horse world.

"There are a few actors that are rodeo guys. Do you know who Glynn Turman is? Glynn owns a ranch, not too far from (the amusement park, Six Flags) Magic Mountain, and he has a kids' camp every summer. I always throw him a little bread for his Camp Gid D Up, for his kids."

Finally, as to whether Hastings and Bauer might find themselves on horseback during this season of "24," Williamson said, "There are horses in New York, so maybe this year. You never know. Anything can happen on '24.'"

Coming up next week: Williamson talks about accompanying his "Forrest Gump" co-star Gary Sinise to visit the troops in Afghanistan. Click here for that.

This afternoon's cuppa: Hazelnut coffee

Even in sunny Southern California, we can have severe weather. Don't believe me? Click here and here for the proof. It not only rains in Southern California, it snows, man, it snows.

Starting Sunday, Jan. 24, at 9 p.m. ET/PT, The Weather Channel premieres "Weather Proof," a new series that tests the limits of ordinary objects using simulations of extreme weather conditions.

A la "MythBusters," the show takes on some urban legends and unlikely scenarios, but it also wants to give people solid advice on weather-proofing their homes and lives.

The co-hosts are (in photo, on right) veteran meteorologist Stephanie Abrams (also the co-host of TWC's "Wake Up With Al" and "Your Weather Today") and (in photo, on left) Newton Wimer, and together they guide viewers through scenarios like tornadoes and floods to camping and tough winter conditions.

I shot Abrams a few questions, and she was kind enough to respond. See below:

Q: People talk a lot about what may or may not happen with the climate in the years to come, but it's the weather that affects people's lives most on a daily basis. Do you think we sometimes underestimate or fail to consider the effect of weather?

 

A: Yes, we underestimate the weather and never think severe weather will happen to us.  If a rainy day turns into a flash flood, we think it will not affect us. We don't expect the worst of Mother Nature which makes us unprepared for what is to come. 

 

Q: If you could change one thing about houses in hurricane zones, what would it be?

 

A: Homes in hurricanes zones should be built property with the right types of windows, garage doors, roofs and shutters that are built to withstand high winds, rain and debris. People that live in hurricane zones should also be prepared to leave their homes when the threat worsens and have an emergency kit with food and supplies.

 

Q: Same question in tornado-prone areas.

 

A: For tornado-prone areas, it's very important for people to seek underground shelter or move to the innermost room with no windows. Again, be prepared, have a plan and a supply kit handy.

 

Q: Same question in blizzard-prone areas.

 

A: In case of a blizzard, homes should have proper insulation and windows installed that help protect and keep homes warm. If power is lost, use a generator but not too close to the house. When clearing snow off the roof or ice in the driveway, be sure to use the proper equipment and tools. When clearing snow off cars, be sure to remove snow from the roof to prevent snow from sliding down and obstructing your view while driving. 

 

Q: With people commuting long distances and traveling more for business, has the impact of weather intensified over the days when many people could walk or take a short drive to work?

 

A: Weather will slow you down no matter the distance or how you commute. Temperatures and conditions outside greatly impact our commute every day. Trying to catch a flight when there's a thunderstorm or driving a short distance to work on icy roads or in a flash flood all play into how powerful weather plays in our commute.

 

Q: Many people move south or southwest to escape severe weather. Do they find it there anyway?

 

A: Yes, extreme weather is everywhere and in each quadrant of the U.S. For the Southwest, the extreme heat is what should be taken into consideration. Out West, there are mudslides and earthquakes; the Southeast deals with hot, humid temperatures in addition to hurricanes.

 

Q: At what time did weather most impact your life?

 

A: Hurricane Andrew impacted me most. That happened when I was a kid and was when I initially got interested in weather. I remember watching and seeing the destruction and was curious about how and why wind and rain could cause so much destruction.

Today's cuppa: English breakfast tea (come to think of it, I should have had Irish breakfast tea)

This morning, I watched Conan O'Brien's last "Tonight Show" on my DVR -- after my regular morning viewing of Fox News' "RedEye W/Greg Gutfeld," which is what usually passes for latenight-TV viewing in my house.

(If you missed the big goodbye, it is on Hulu.)

So, I'm not and never really have been a foot soldier in the Late Night Wars. I watched Jay Leno's self-titled primetime show exactly twice -- when it premiered, and when he had Rush Limbaugh on (really, couldn't miss that lap in the electric car).

I've seen O'Brien's work off and on over the years, mostly in clips (including the animated "Pale Force," which I loved), and in the couple of times I've met him, he seemed like a warm, charming, nice guy. The last conversation we had was a brief one about the deleterious effect of California sunshine on fair Irish skin and the necessity of strong sunblock.

So it was with professional interest that I kept a weather eye on the recent latenight upheaval, but I didn't get emotionally involved.

Then I watched O'Brien's final "Tonight." First of all, the clip package made me wish I'd tuned in sooner. I may have to haunt YouTube for some of the best bits. Then during his final goodbye ... well, I got a bit misty. There may have been a catch in the old throat.

I especially liked what he said to young people about cynicism, that it was his least favorite quality, and that if you work hard and are kind, amazing things will happen.

For that alone, I hope he gets another high-profile gig as soon as possible -- whether it be on Fox or somewhere else -- and keeps spreading that message of hard work, goodwill and good humor.

As I said on Twitter during the heat of the controversy in mid-January, go toward the love, my pale Irish brother. Go toward the love.

Today's cuppa: Peppermint tea (OK, plus lots of highly caffeinated coffee, but I started slow. It's rainy. Whatever. Don't judge me.)

Click here for my regular Thursday appearance on Shaun Daily's TV Talk show on blogtalkradio.com. I come in at about the half-hour mark to talk about my interview with FNC's Adam Housley, Haiti coverage on cable news and almost being caught in a high-speed car chase while exiting a "Glee" set visit in Hollywood.

Then, click here to check out my latest video additions to eGuiders.com. They include Jimmy Kimmel's hilarious Ken Burns-style parody of the Late Night Wars, some cool car videos, a dude prognosticating about Twitter with a sexy accent, another dude dancing with heavy machinery and some truly godawful failed TV pilots.

Can't accuse me of being in an online-video rut.

Today's cuppa; Mystic Monk chocolate mint coffee, to ward off the chill in rainy Los Angeles

Currently airing Fridays on ABC (with repeats on Saturday afternoons in participating local markets), the investment reality show "Shark Tank" continues to provide entrepreneurs and inventors with an opportunity to get financing -- right out of the pockets of the business moguls on the show.

But first they have to talk them into handing the money over. Some succeed; others get eaten.

I recently talked with two of those moguls -- infomercial-industry leader Kevin Harrington (left) and fashion retailer Daymond John (below, right) -- and here are their views on a selection of hot topics...

On why venture capital isn't just for tech firms anymore:

Harrington: "It isn't. Really, venture capital is for everything now, because banks aren't lending. People come to us because we are. ... It's far more challenging for the financial in venture capital (these days). That makes shows like 'Shark Tank' very important, because we give most of these VC opportunities more than they would get from a typical VC. We give them marketing. We give them an audience. We give them attributes that they could never get just taking money from friends and family. We give them a platform."

John: "We also give people who are potentially looking to be acquired the information on what a VC needs, so it cuts out 50 percent of their work. Most of the guys now, the VCs I know, say, 'Listen, go watch "Shark Tank" before you present to us.'"

On how "Shark Tank" helps those seeking investment avoid looking stupid when they ask for cash:

Harrington: "You can't come into the 'Shark Tank' without your numbers. You'll get eaten alive. You've got to understand what works in your business model and be able to articulate it. If you don't know that, bring somebody that does. There's nothing more frustrating than having a great idea presented to you by somebody who can't tell you what the gross margins are or what the break-even unit volume is. I just want to get out there and strangle them."

John: "What's incredible is that the producers say to them, 'Listen, I don't think you should ask for $3 million. Maybe it's more like $300,000.' And the people come in there still with obnoxious numbers."

On the upcoming NBC/Comcast deal:

Harrington: "It's content vs. pipeline. We don't know who's going to win here. You're trying to merge them together, basically. It's been tried before. The greatest non-deal in history, the most unsuccessful, was Time Warner AOL. In a way, it smacks of some of these attributes, except this time it's focused on cash flow, and I think that's going to be much more successful. Only time will tell for shareholders of Comcast how this is going to work out."

On how Comcast subscribers feel:

Harrington: "Here's the question: 'Why can't we buy content a la carte? Why do I have to pay $39 a month for a whole bunch of stuff I never watch?' I'm the consumer, and I want what I want. I'm willing to pay for first-release films on cable. Want to charge me $100? Done deal, because I have to hire a babysitter, sit beside some snot-nosed kid in a theater. Send it to my digital screen, I'll give you $100. I only watch seven channels, I only want to buy those. I want what I want, and I'm going to get it. If this deal can get me that, I'm all for it. If it doesn't do that, it can just fail."

On government bailouts and small business:

Harrington: "Sure, we've taken care of Chrysler and General Motors and most large financial institutions, but ask some guy in back-street Boston right now if he can raise $100,000 from his bank, and the answer is no. That's a travesty. It's a huge mistake, and we're going to pay for it in the years ahead."

John: "My business is actually 40 percent down because of this, because even if the regular consumer off the street wants the product ... the stores don't have the kind of credit to bring the product in. I have my speciality-store guys who were borrowing from Peter to pay Paul and borrowing money on Amex. They were making the money and paying it back. Those guys are almost dead altogether. Then I have my mid-tier guys who can't clear credit, because the credit is drying up in the market. These guys have been doing business for 20 years. So it's the small guy who's hurting the most."

On how small businesses can survive the recession:

Harrington: "My attitude is, now is the time to survive. Do whatever you can to stay alive, because everything you do now is going to make you a springboard when things turn around. If you can get through these times right now, you are going to be a monster success in two years.

"It takes whatever it takes. If you have to beg and borrow from family, you do it. You do whatever you have to. Sometimes you have to cut your costs. What I find extraordinary is some of these people say, 'I've hired my sister or my brother or my mother.' Fire them if you have to. What matters is the business. You have got to be a Viking to survive."

John: "You have to go lean and mean. You have to cut your inventory, not put on any extra expenses. Don't look at the big profit; look at it as survival. Right now, 50 percent of your competition's going to fall by the wayside. The customers are going to be used to dealing with just you after the next two, three years. You're going to have a better rapport and relationship, and you are going to springboard."

On launching a business in a recession:

Harrington: "At the end of the day, this is still America. You have to do what you have to do to survive, because over and over again, it's proven to be the best place to launch a business on Earth. Let's not forget that. That's why guys who launch during a recession learn they have to live on scraps, and they get a culture of success. It's very important. I love to invest in businesses now. This is the time."

John: "I launched in a recession, actually, in '92."

And finally, John, creator of the FUBU clothing line, on the one celebrity he'd like to dress:

"Lady Gaga is the hottest thing right now. She's amazing. Her A&R has worked her like artists when we were kids. They really have developed this person global with two or three songs. She's the only one. We've had some opportunities to work with her, and I will have some other ones, too."

Tonight's cuppa: English breakfast tea

A couple of weeks ago, Los Angeles-based Fox News Channel correspondent Adam Housley was in Las Vegas, sampling fresh tech at the Consumer Electronics Show. Now, he's on assignment in Haiti, covering the devastation left in the wake of the earthquake that struck the Caribbean island nation on Jan. 12.

The two topics unexpectedly overlapped, as Housley explains while calling in during a brief trip on Tuesday to pick up supplies in the neighboring Dominican Republic before heading back to Haiti.
 
Housley wound up using a plug-in mike he found at the show to record better audio for reports shot on his iPhone. Then, a little more tech wizardry allowed Housley and his cameraman, Eric Barnes, to turn rescue footage shot by Congressman Kendrick Meek of Florida into broadcast news.

'We brought over my photographer's computer," says Housley, "and plugged (the iPhone) in. I dragged the file down to Eric's computer in a Quicktime format. He sat down and dragged it into an editing program and cut it down so we could put it on Geraldo Rivera's show.

"Then we FTPed it into New York. They dragged it down, and it was on the air, all in a 20-minute process."

Along with Meek's skills as an impromptu cameraman, Housley praised him for "doing a good job of staying out of the way" of the rescue efforts, something Housley says he and his colleagues strive for as well.

"If you're going to go," he says, "show the story, but don't be a burden. Get the job done; show the story; but don't become part of the story. Whatever you do, God forbid, don't take away from those people who are trying to help others.

"That's one of the reasons we're grabbing supplies right now. We don't want anybody to have to worry about us."

As anyone who has been watching the Haiti coverage knows, the visuals have been horrendous. FNC's Steve Harrigan choked up on air while talking about the destruction and loss of life. Taking it one step further, CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta, a neurosurgeon, even pitched in to help.

But for a reporter who's not also a physician, the human impulse to help becomes more complicated.

"My crew would agree," says Housley, "our jobs as news crews for Fox News is not to become part of the story. It's to show the story, tell the story, get close to the story, but not become the story.

"No one should care whether Adam Housley climbs up on a pile of rocks. They should care that the picture I'm showing shows them what's happening, as if they were there. It's history from the front row. That's what it's all about."

But, veteran correspondent Geraldo Rivera, host of  FNC's "Geraldo at Large," did just get involved in bringing supplies to an orphanage in Haiti, as outlined in this Huffington Post piece.

"There's a slight difference there," says Housley. "One, he is on a show, but two, that was a situation where ... if it's dire, of course, we're going to help. If we're talking about somebody drowning, I'm not going to sit there and watch them drown so I can get the video. That will never happen.

"So, yes, there are very small exceptions. In that situation, Geraldo went out to an orphanage that hadn't had water in three days, and there was no one getting anything to them.

"Now, putting him on camera, I can't quote on that, because I didn't see the story. But I know they went out there, because I got emailed by the same people who were trying to get us out there. We didn't have a car at that point. Geraldo's crew did; they went.

"The point is, the story isn't about us. It's not supposed to be that. Our job is to show it. We will never leave somebody hanging, but if we were to go out there all of a sudden with water in the back of our truck, passing it out every time we do a story, it would cause more of a problem than a help.

"Unless you're going to some specific small location where nobody knows you're there, you go out of the city with water in the back of your truck, you'll start a riot. The military has to stop what they're doing and come and stop a riot.

"And you're putting your crew in jeopardy of being injured; now you're taking a spot in a medical hospital from people hurt in the earthquake. The point is, that's not what we're there to do, and if we do that, it causes more problems than good. We can show stories from the front row, and the people back home can see that, and they can volunteer, they can get water down here, they can give money.

"They can do all those things, and that's going to be a much greater help than if Adam Housley and Eric Barnes walk out there with a case of water and start a riot."

While Housley tries to maintain focus and composure, it's impossible not to be affected.

"In this story," he says, "I don't care where you sit, this is an horrific thing to happen to a group of people. They're beautiful people; they are. Every society has its good and bad, but the Haitian people have been so nice to us when we see them. We have pictures of kids that are just smiling and hamming for the camera, in horrible circumstances."

As for the charge by Venezuelan strongman Hugo Chavez that America is using the aid in the cause of imperialism, Housley says, "There are always going to be people who have the bad intentions (they believe America has) in mind, but that's not the case here. Sometimes you have to do what's right. I think, when you talk to the military on the ground, they're doing what's right.

"Who cares what Chavez or anybody else says? What's right, right now, is to make sure that we can get a safe supply line out to the people in Haiti who need food and water. ...  I'm sorry, those people who speak out against our actions here and think we're doing the wrong, they need to get their butts on a plane and come down and see what's wrong, because right now, there are a lot of people who need food and water."'

To see where Housley winds up next (although he's probably not leaving Haiti anytime soon), you can follow him on Twitter at @AdamHousley.

Tonight's cuppa: decaf Irish breakfast tea

In the opening hour of Sunday's 8th-season premiere of Fox's "24," wounded informant Victor Aruz (Benito Martinez) shows up at the New York City front door of briefly retired Counter Terrorist  Unit operative Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland). He's been shot, he has information to trade, and since he and Bauer are such old pals, he gets dragged inside and receives assistance.

Hmmm, you may have thought, have I actually seen Aruz before? Why, you might have asked, don't I remember Sutherland (in photo, left) in a scene with Martinez (in photo, right) when Aruz's name came up as part of the Salazar operation in season 3 of the show?

Turns out your memory is just fine.

"I was referenced," says Martinez. "But no, I never played the character. All of my character stuff is based on what they introduced then. I saw all of that season, but I could not place it.

"We had conversations on set about it."

For this interview, Martinez is sitting on the set of Fox's "Lie to Me," shooting "Pied Piper," a special episode of the show that features a mini-reunion of him and other actors from FX's "The Shield," the former show of "Lie" executive producer Shawn Ryan (story to come when the show airs in the spring).

Before gathering with his old castmates, Martinez allowed himself to be blown up on "24," but it's not like he didn't enjoy it.

'We had a great time," he says. "We were everywhere, L.A. Center Studios, on the roofs of buildings downtown."

Since the "Lie to Me" episode is shooting in December, Martinez can't share "24" details, but he does have an overview of what viewers saw last night and will see in the second half of the four-hour, two-night premiere, airing Monday, Jan. 18.

"I can say that I was quite happy to do this journey," says Martinez. "They wanted to make you feel like it was pushing the restart button for the franchise, for the viewers, for the writers, the creators.

"They took a lot of time and care to make sure the story was in place for this. All the players they've lined up throughout is really a testament to what they've set out to achieve. You've not seen this all before.

"And there's the challenges that Jack Bauer has -- he's come in from a retired place; he smiles; he's a different guy; he's gone through hell and back; he's not physically well, but he's getting there.

"So there are a lot of different things that he's having to rise from as well."

And, as for rumors of a possible feature film based on "The Shield" -- some of them perpetuated on Facebook by series star Michael Chiklis -- all Martinez can say is, "I'm getting this from all sorts of places. I don't know what to say. I'm not in the know about it. It'd be nice, but time is ticking."

If a movie is done, it may have to deal with the fact that a few "Shield" regular characters didn't survive the series, but Martinez' David Aceveda -- a police captain turned politician -- was still upright and breathing.

Quips Martinez, "At least I'm not dead."

Today's cuppa: coffee at the hotel during the biannual Television Critics Association Press Tour

On Monday, "Chuck" returns for a new episode after scoring good ratings in its debut last week. But if you think you know all there is to know about geek-turned-spy Chuck Bartowski's (Zachary Levi) loyal protector Col. John Casey and the actor who plays him, I beg to differ.

Below find a syndicated profile I did of Baldwin, and let the learning begin ...

Baldwin brings muscle to 'Chuck'

 

By Kate O'Hare

©Zap2it

 

From "Full Metal Jacket" to "Independence Day" to "Firefly," Adam Baldwin often plays two-fisted guys with itchy trigger fingers. His character on NBC's spy dramedy "Chuck," which returned for its third season with a two-hour premiere on Sunday, Jan. 10 (it then moved to its regular timeslot on Monday, Jan. 11), isn't a whole lot different.

Colonel (formerly major) John Casey works for the NSA. He's unabashedly patriotic, likes bonsai trees and keeps a photo of Ronald Reagan in his apartment. Or at least he used to have one.

"In regards to Sarah Palin and the speculation that Casey might have a picture of her to update the Reagan photo," says Baldwin, "I think we'll keep Reagan around, if not in photo form then certainly in bust form.

"And if we're going to have a picture of Sarah Palin, then ... that'll never get through. Certainly my character would go for it."

Baldwin has a good sense of humor about his image, one he shares with former "Terminator 2," "The X-Files" and "The Unit" star Robert Patrick, who guest stars on "Chuck" this season as Col. Keller, a figure from Casey's past. (Baldwin also guest starred in an "X-Files" episode with Patrick.)

Baldwin recalls sitting with Patrick in a golf cart, shuttling back and forth to rehearsals on the Warner Bros. set.

"I said, 'Hey, Patrick, fellow double sci-fi icon.' He said, 'Yes, Adam, fellow double sci-fi, crossover icon.' The guy who was driving us, I think I turned to him at one point and said, 'Did you realize you were driving around two double crossover sci-fi icons?' And he said, 'I-I-I can barely contain myself. I don't know what to say.' He's a big sci-fi fan.

"It was really cool, so we were making that joke all day, 'Oh, double sci-fi icon.' 'Yes, double crossover sci-fi icon.' "

 

Birthplace: Chicago, on Feb. 27, making him a Pisces (and not related to those other Baldwins, who are from New York's Long Island)

Movie cred: "My Bodyguard" (1980), "Ordinary People" (1980), "Full Metal Jacket" (1987), "The Chocolate War" (1988), "Predator 2" (1990), "Radio Flyer" (1992), "Treacherous" (1993), "Bitter Harvest" (1993), "Wyatt Earp" (1994), "Digital Man" (1995), "How to Make an American Quilt" (1995), "Independence Day" (1996), "The Patriot" (2000), "Serenity" (2005), "Drillbit Taylor" (2008)

TV cred: "The Cape," "The Visitor," "The Outer Limits," "The X-Files," "Firefly," "Stargate SG-1," "Angel," "Talk to Me," "Jackie Chan Adventures" (voice), "The Inside," "Day Break"

 

 

Favorite book: "My favorite book is 'A Conflict of Visions: Ideological Origins of Political Struggles,' by Thomas Sowell. It basically breaks down why you have two main sets of belief systems that people find themselves in, in political conflicts - the constrained vision and the unconstrained vision. The constrained vision is one that understands man as a tragic animal, and the unconstrained vision believes in the perfectibility of man, in Utopian society, which is unattainable and leads to destruction."

 

Favorite music: "Let's see - Led Zeppelin for sure. I love Yes, Pink Floyd. Pink Floyd's 'Dark Side of the Moon' and 'The Wall' are my two favorite albums. So Pink Floyd is complex, wonderful rock 'n' roll, just great."

 

Favorite movie: "I'm kind of partial to 'Team America: World Police.' I love Apatow movies; 'Knocked Up' is great. I love 'Juno.' I think that's a wonderful movie. 'Saving Private Ryan,' 'E.T.' Favorite movie I've seen recently? Hmmm, I'm a Clint Eastwood fan, and 'Gran Torino' is hilarious. It's a dark comedy, and he's magnificent."

Today's cuppa: English breakfast tea at the hotel

Today was the PBS Day at the biannual Television Critics Association Press Tour, and one of the shows presented was a new episode of "Nature,"called "Invasion of the Giant Python," airing Sunday, Feb. 21.

Here's the description:


Included in the presentation today at the Langham Huntington Hotel in Pasadena was a giant albino python named Pugsley. We were invited onstage afterward to see the snake, and I snapped a couple of closeup pix with the smartphone. You've been warned.

Tonight's cuppa: peppermint tea

This past Sunday, I was livetweeting (as @KateOH on the microblogging service Twitter) the "Parks and Recreation" press conference (seen at left), part of the NBC day at the January edition of the biannual Television Critics Association Press Tour.

Reacting to a cast conversation about using Twitter, I sent out a message, or "tweet," asking why no one was discussing the ongoing Twitter feud between Hart Hanson (@harthanson), executive producer of Fox's "Bones," and "Parks" cast member Aziz Ansari (@azizansari , seen at right).

This good-natured war of tweets came about largely because the shows are direct competitors in the Thursday, 8 p.m.-9 p.m. ET/PT timeslot.

The exchange has also featured volleys against "Bones" from Dan Harmon (@danharmon), creator of the new NBC comedy "Community," which airs just before "Parks and Recreation," at the top of the 8 p.m. hour.

(BTW, all three shows have new episodes on Thursday, Jan. 14).

Evidently checking Twitter at the time, Hanson quickly fired back a tweet. The following exchange ensued (I'm the unnamed questioner):

QUESTION: Speaking of Twitter, I have a tweet from Hart Hanson from "Bones."

MICHAEL SCHUR: Yeah, nice.

AZIZ ANSARI: What's he saying?

QUESTION: "Shout at them that we at 'Bones' are furious at the way 'Parks and Rec' are constantly stealing our ideas. We had a pit too."

AZIZ ANSARI: Oh.

AMY POEHLER: Oh, really?

AUBREY PLAZA: Is it full of bones?

QUESTION: Any reply?

AZIZ ANSARI: Wait. So he said that we're stealing their ideas?

QUESTION: Yes. Apparently they had a pit too.

AZIZ ANSARI: Oh. I don't know how we could steal their ideas. No one watches "Bones."

(Laughter.)

MALE PANELIST: What's "Bones"?

AZIZ ANSARI: You know why they call that show "Bones," right? Because it should be buried.

(Laughter.) Hart is a friend of mine. I'm kidding. We're friends.

AMY POEHLER: Oh, yeah. Aziz started -

AZIZ ANSARI: I started a feud with "Bones."

MALE PANELIST: A kick-a-- feud.

AMY POEHLER: A kick-a-- feud.

AZIZ ANSARI: Yeah.

CHRIS PRATT: I'm going to stop watching it.

(Laughter.)

MICHAEL SCHUR: You're taking Aziz's side?

CHRIS PRATT: Yeah, I'm on Aziz's side. We're on the
same show.

Since the next day of Press Tour was devoted to Fox, I was able to grab a minute with Hanson at a "Bones"-themed breakfast (at which I interviewed producer/director Ian Toynton, who was delightful. More on that later).

(Pictured: "Bones" cast and producers at breakfast. From left, Toynton, Hanson; stars John Francis Daley, Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz; producer Barry Josephson, producer Stephen Nathan.)

I asked Hanson if he wouldn't be kind enough to answer some email questions about himself and Twitter, and he graciously agreed. And here's the result of that:

Regarding your just-for-fun flame war with Aziz Ansari, where did it begin and how has it contributed to your friendship?

 

The first volleys in this war were thrown by Aziz.  I believe he started by impugning David Boreanaz, saying he hated puppies and sick children.   Aziz is a very accomplished insulter.  First you laugh, then say, "Heeeyyyy...".  He's a Ninja insulter.

 

I see you and Dan Harmon go back and forth a bit, have you ever met?

 

I have never met Dan Harmon face to face, no.  He's funny too.  It's terrible getting into rock-heaving contests with guys who have flame-throwers.

 

How has Twitter changed your personal and/or professional life?

 

Twitter is a "thing".  It's there.  It has to be tended to.  You're either in it or out of it and right now I've been convinced that it's best to be in it.  I've had to develop a thicker skin, that's for sure.  Actually, I'm not certain I've done that. I'm still surprised from time to time by the sheer rudeness of people. 

 

For a while there, Twitter was the way I found out people had died. 

 

Why am I your favorite Twitterer?

 

Because you mix things up, baby.  Because you can find a tiny ember and fan it into a conflagration, and I truly think that's the whole point of social networks. 

 

What do you think is the main benefit to the audience by being able to use Twitter to get to know behind-the-scenes folks like you a bit better?

 

I'm not sure there's a benefit.  Perhaps there's an illusion of benefit?  An illusion of immediacy?  Have you asked any fans of the show what they are getting out of it?  I'd be fascinated to know.  I suspect that they begin to feel like they know somebody who knows actual celebrities like David and Emily.

 

I met Ian Toynton this morning, and he really admires you. How'd you get so lucky as to snag him?

 

Working with Ian Toynton has to be one of the greatest lucky breaks in my professional career.  And boy was it lucky! We lost our previous directing producer, Tony Wharmby, and it was tragic.  He's a wonderful guy and a wonderful director.  Ian had a deal with the studio and they really wanted us to take him on as a replacement for Tony.  Tony himself called and told me that I'd really like working with Ian -- referred to Ian in Britty terms like "He's a lad..." and "he's a mate..." and other stuff like that.  Tony's recommendation alone was good enough for me and here we are.  Ian's amazing and it's my great joy to work with him day in and day out.  Also, he's an obvious Object of Mockery due to his accent and the ridiculous whiteness of his hair and beard.

 

I know the 100^th episode starts later this week. Tiny hint?

 

Think of it as the "Bones Origins" episode.  I know better than to give you any hints.  You are a fearsome inductive thinker which is terrible for TV writers.

Tonight's cuppa: decaf Irish breakfast tea

On Tuesday, Jan. 12, at 10 p.m. ET, the ensemble police drama "Southland" returns to the air on TNT, after being unexpectedly canceled by NBC.

The show performed reasonably well in the Thursday, 10 p.m. ET/PT slot when it aired on NBC in the spring of 2009, well enough to earn a renewal. But with six episodes in the can, NBC pulled the plug on "Southland" two weeks before its scheduled premiere last fall.

TNT begins its run with the seven episodes that aired already on NBC before moving on to the as-yet-unseen second-season episodes in March.

Star Michael Cudlitz, who plays LAPD Patrol Officer John Cooper (in partnership with rookie Ben Sherman, played by Benjamin McKenzie), has tirelessly championed the show on Twitter, as @cudlitz. A recent message, or "tweet," sent to his followers late Monday night, proclaims, "Let's kick some a-- tomorrow night. Southland style !!!!"

"We're coming back, yeah!" he says.

Asked if he's a bit cranky at NBC, Cudlitz says, "You know what, not really. I was mad the way they did what they did, not that they did it. Now we've moved on, so it really doesn't matter.

"TNT really wants this to work, and if it does work, we'll definitely go into production."

Says executive producer John Wells, "We're hoping the audience we had will follow us, and maybe we'll see a few more people as well."

As Cudlitz indicated, if those few more show up and bring a few more of their friends, that could mean TNT would commit to producing new episodes. Financially, it's within their reach. "Southland" shot on handheld digital cameras, mostly on location, often with natural light, so its costs were somewhat lower than a standard network drama.

"It's not less expensive than what TNT would pay for other programming," says Wells, "but it allows us to put a broadcast-network-quality program on cable."

Of course, "Southland" did briefly have the marquee Thursday NBC slot which had for many seasons been home to Wells' medical drama "ER." This past fall, NBC pulled all its 10 p.m. scripted and reality programming to instead air "The Jay Leno Show" five days a week.

As announced this past Sunday at the biannual Television Critics Association Press Tour, currently being held in Pasadena, Calif., NBC has decided to end the Leno experiment -- at the request, one might even say, demand, of their affiliates, which felt that the show was not a good lead-in for their local news and was causing them to lose audience and ad revenue.

As of this writing, NBC's latenight situation has yet to be fully hammered out, but NBC entertainment chief Jeff Gaspin said that at least two scripted shows would, in the short term, go back into the 10 p.m. ET/PT slot at some point in the midseason (but definitely not until after the Winter Olympics, which start Feb. 12).

While all this comes too late for "Southland," Wells hopes this is a sign of good things to come. Speaking on the Friday before the Leno announcement (but after rumors had been flying that Leno's show was coming to an end), Wells admits he doesn't have a show in his back pocket to pitch to NBC for the hour, but, he says, "I'm just delighted that they're going to start programming it again.

"I have had a lot of success and enjoyed working with NBC over the years, so it would be great if they wanted to do some of the kinds of shows that I like to do again."

Wells harbors hope for the future of broadcast television as a platform for quality shows.

"I came up in broadcast television," he says, "and I've had a lot of success there and enjoy it. I really hope that these kinds of shows still have a real home on broadcast television and not only on cable, both basic and pay cable.

"I hope people will be committed to making a certain kind of high-end show, made for adult audiences, and that there's still a place for that on network television."

At the moment, Wells is very happy with TNT, and in the best of all possible outcomes, new "Southland" episodes could conceivably appear not very far down the road, perhaps even later this year.

"We had more scripts prepared when we heard from NBC that they wanted to stop," says Wells. "We could be back up and ready to shoot in a couple of months at this point.

"But that's really their decision about what they would like to see and when they need it."

Today's cuppa: English breakfast tea at the hotel, during the biannual Television Critics Association Press Tour

On Monday night, Jan. 11, former "Charmed" star Alyssa Milano appears in "A Rose for Everafter," a new episode of ABC's hit mystery-drama "Castle." She plays Kyra, a bride-to-be who is first shocked when a bridesmaid dies during her wedding, and shocked again when one of investigators turns out to be her old flame, mystery writer Richard Castle (Nathan Fillion), who arrives with his police partner, NYPD Detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic).

"The storyline is that they were college loves," says Milano. "Castle, in the episode, says I was the one that got away. It's really an unresolved relationship. They still have feelings for each other."

Evidence of that is the big smooch the two share, as seen in the photo at right.

"I was surprised ABC actually released that picture," says Milano. "I was like, 'Oh.'"

Asked how it went, Milano says, "Literally, of course, because this always happens, it was the first day of work, so it was a lot more awkward and uncomfortable than if it had been the tenth day of work, when I had known everybody. But it was fine. I don't really remember that much about it.

"Don't tell Nathan. He'll be so upset."

ABC has also picked up "Romantically Challenged," starring Milano. for midseason. Since the actress is a prolific contributor to Twitter, she will now have to balance a full-time job with her social-media interests.

"I make time for Twitter, no matter what," she says. "It's such a part of who I am now. The only time I'm not tweeting is when I'm sleeping or on a plane or don't have Internet access."

She's already been using Twitter to promote her "Castle" appearance, as has Fillion.

"I've been tweeting about it since I started. Nathan and I both tweeted a lot from the set together. He loves it. It lives us such a great platform to get information out there, not just self-promotion information, but cool information about things that are going on in the world.

"Everyone's really excited about the episode."

As fans of "Castle" may surmise, Beckett isn't overly fond of Kyra.

"Although she would never, ever show it," Milano says, "there is definitely some jealousy there. But the Beckett character's way too stoic to actually show Kyra, my character, that she's jealous, but you definitely get the vibe that she may be upset about that."

For my loyal Cuppers, the full text of the "Chuck" syndicated feature article covering the third-season premiere...

'Chuck' reboots for version 3.0 (and 3.2)

 

By Kate O'Hare

©Zap2it

 

Chuck Bartowski is no Mr. Spock, and this year, that's a problem.

At the end of season two of the NBC spy dramedy "Chuck," the title character (Zachary Levi), a full-time tech geek for the Nerd Herd at a Buy More big-box electronics store and part-time spy for the U.S. government, got a new version of the supersecret Intersect computer downloaded into his brain.

Intersect 1.0, which he received in the show's pilot, gave Chuck spy knowledge, but Intersect 2.0 also gives him Bond/Bourne-type fighting skills and agility, to the delight and concern of his handlers, CIA agent Sarah Walker (Yvonne Strahovski) and NSA agent Col. John Casey (Adam Baldwin).

But when "Chuck" returns for a third season with a two-hour episode on Sunday, Jan. 10 (before moving into its regular Monday slot on Jan. 11), it's apparent all isn't going perfectly smoothly.

Unlike Mr. Spock of "Star Trek," a half-human/half-Vulcan who keeps a lid on his emotions and lets logic rule, Chuck is still just a regular guy with a big heart.

On a mid-November day, Levi is chilling outside the "Chuck" stages at Warner Bros. in the seat of his specially designed Nerd Herd golf cart (complete with custom paint job, custom wheels and a sweet sound system). He's all in black from just shooting a spy-mission scene, which included him splatting face first into a Plexiglas wall.

So, Intersect or not, Chuck is still not always as cool as his spy alter ego, Charles Carmichael.

"The Intersect 2.0," Levi says, "and the powers that it grants him, these physical powers, they're fleeting, because the Intersect is not a perfect system. ... It was meant for someone who's in control of their emotions. In me, it's unstable.

"I'm too emotional of a guy, so when my emotions start flaring up, mainly because of my feelings for Sarah, it starts making the Intersect act a bit wonky."

Of course, if Chuck did find his inner Spock, that wouldn't allow Levi to use the most appealing parts of his personality.

Sitting deep inside Walker and Casey's hidden spy HQ, Baldwin says, "The guy went out there and he really produced a following, just based on being so lovable and so talented. He smells good; he can sing; he can dance; he's got a really good golf cart."

Levi also motors around the lot on the golf cart, which apparently has earned him a nickname.

Says Baldwin, "John Stamos was here on 'ER' for the last couple of seasons. Their trailers were where our trailers are now. We used to pass through there. I've known John for many years.

"We were talking about Zach, and Stamos dubs him 'The Mayor of Warner Bros.,' because wherever Zach goes on the lot in his little golf cart, he's, 'Hey buddy, how you doing?' and they're, like, 'Hey, Zach, how you doing?' Everybody loves Zach."

The people passing by the Nerd Herd cart on the studio tour tram certainly seem happy to see Levi, and he reciprocates.

"Hi, welcome to Warner Bros.!" he calls out. "Enjoy your tour!"

When they yell back thanks, he says, "You're welcome! We don't have any 'King Kong' or 'Jaws,' but we have schmucks like me."

As to whether there would be a toy, perhaps even a Hot Wheels version, based on the Nerd Herd cart, executive producer Chris Fedak says, "There's probably some money to be made in it, but right now, I don't know. That's a great idea. I'd love to have a Transformer version of the Nerd Herd cart."

Just the fact that such things can be discussed is a testament to "Chuck" fans, who labored tirelessly to assure that their favorite show would get a third season - which was by no means a lock.

"To know it's a show that is really loved by your core fan base," Levi says, "and they fight for it, as they did, is a blessing. Their fire and passion and fight was such an integral part of getting this show back up again - it's a blessing."

Initially, "Chuck" only got an order for 13 episodes - the show does have to break for the Winter Olympics in February - but then NBC ordered six more. A story planned to play out over 13 hours suddenly had 19, only a few episodes short of a regular network TV season.

"We've decided to expand the story out," Fedak says, "and create a 'Chuck 3.2.' The way it works is, now instead of a tight 13, we'll have a tight 19."

And while it's a rough time in the real world for the intelligence community, don't expect to see that bleeding into "Chuck."

"In our show," Fedak says, "much like shows in the '60s, 'Man From U.N.C.L.E' and 'Mission: Impossible,' the spy life is very much a glamorous life."

Today's cuppa: English breakfast tea (much like the stuff dumped in Boston Harbor during the original Tea Party)

Back in November, I posted an interview with "NCIS: Los Angeles" star LL Cool J, and in the course of the chat, it occurred to me to ask him his favorite Founding Father (you know, those guys who signed the Declaration of Independence and wrote the Constitution). He named Benjamin Franklin (left) -- one of my personal faves -- and explained why.

Since then, from time to time, I've posed that question to other actors, either in person, by email or on Facebook. A couple weren't sure what a Founding Father was or couldn't name one offhand, but the majority came through admirably. I have requests still outstanding, but here's what I have so far:

Eddie McClintock, Syfy's "Warehouse 13": "Thank you for including me in this query, though I fear I don't know enough about these men to make an intelligent choice (much like my votes for president, ironically). If I had to choose, I would say George Washington (right). He was a brave and decorated military leader who had the intellect and strength of personality to be successful politically. And I heard he was a hell of a dancer (which makes him a 'triple threat')!!"

Walton Goggins, formerly of FX's "The Shield" and now appearing in FX's upcoming "Justified": "OK, this one's easy. JOHN ADAMS. Why? The sacrifice that this man made over the course of his life for our REPUBLIC, from representing the British officers accused in the BOSTON MASSACRE to procuring funds for our fledgling uprising from the Dutch -- a man among men; a just man with a moral compass pointing due North."

Michael Chiklis, formerly of FX's "The Shield": "Being from the Boston area, I'm going to have to go with a local boy, John Adams (left), for many reasons, not the least of which was he stood to lose the most. When someone supports a cause because they believe in it, in spite of the fact that they risk life, liberty, family and personal wealth, that is the definition of courage and integrity."

(When I mentioned to Chiklis that Goggins and he picked the same guy, he replied, "Yeah, I just gave him sh-t for copying me! Kidding...naturally he chose the same Founding Father. Great minds, you know ...")

Jay Karnes, formerly of FX's "The Shield" and, in a recurring role, FX's "Sons of Anarchy" (and we now hear he's going to be in ABC's "Brothers and Sisters"), offers a countdown format:

"3) (Thomas) Jefferson (right). He owned (and probably had children with) slaves, and his second term as president makes George W. Bush's tenure in office look like an exercise in constitutional moderation, but he said everything that is important about government's proper relationship to mankind, in one paragraph. That's the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence, if you're keeping score at home.

(And here that is: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. -- That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, -- That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. -- Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.")

"2) (James) Madison (left): It's all well and good to say that governments are instituted by the people to insure their rights -- actually crafting a document that does that is a very different and difficult proposition. The United States Constitution protects the liberty of the individual better than any document in human history, and Madison was its main architect.

"1): Washington. There are few constants in human history, but here is one: the men with the weapons get to make the rules. Newburgh, N.Y., March, 1783. The war with Britain was over but for the signing of the treaty. The Continental Army, camped near Newburgh, had not been paid, and its officers were talking about a military coup. A meeting was called that Washington was not expected to attend. He arrived just after it began and walked up to the podium to speak. His officers, some of whom he had led since the beginning of the war, were angry. Washington spoke for some time about the need for patience, but to little effect. Finally, he began to read a letter from a member of Congress. He stopped and reached into his coat for a pair of glasses. 'Gentlemen, you will permit me to put on my spectacles, for I have not only grown gray, but almost blind, in the service of my country.' That statement ended the coup at a stroke. George Washington did something that very few people in history have done -- he walked away from absolute power. Without that, the work of all the other Founders comes to very little.

"Honorable mention: for a pub crawl through Paris, I'd go with Ben Franklin."

Mark Valley, former star of Fox's "Keen Eddie" and ABC's "Boston Legal," now the star of Fox's upcoming "Human Target," premiering Jan. 17 (Valley's also a West Point grad and Gulf War vet): "My favorite Founding Father -- hold on, it's coming. You know, I gotta say, it's got to be George Washington, because, at the time, everybody wanted him to be a king. They wanted him to become this huge demagogue. The only thing standing between a new monarchy and a democracy was actually George Washington.

"I think it's the fact that he turned that down set us on a path to a completely new form of government, as opposed to going back in the past. That really separated him from some of the previous leaders. Also, he was a great tactician strategically. What he did, crossing the Delaware! That was f--king brilliant! Also, he was putting together this Continental Army, and he wasn't afraid to take influence from the Hessians and, to some extent, the French as well. He put together this really disciplined Army from what was, by all accounts, a ragtag group of militias. That was really something."

Chi McBride, Valley's "Target" co-star and former star of Fox's "Boston Public" and ABC's "Pushing Daisies": "Jefferson, because Jefferson said that a government that can give you everything you want is also capable of taking everything you have. Jefferson wasn't a dumb guy. There is a profound bit of wisdom with a lot of the people who founded this country."

Adam Baldwin, current Big Hollywood.com contributor, formerly of Fox's "Firefly" and star of NBC's "Chuck," which returns for a new season on Jan. 10, also has a list: My favorite Founding Father would be John Adams or James Madison. Madison wrote the Constitution, gotta love that guy. Or George Washington, because he was a great general. I also like (Alexander) Hamilton.

"I can't nail it down to one look. I'm an individualist. You need a band of brothers with divergent viewpoints that distill down to the most wonderful document ever created in the history of man. Those guys all got together. What did you expect me to say, John Hancock?

"Franklin is too much of a partier, although he does have one of my favorite sayings of all time. He said that beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. That's the quote."

And lastly, Mykelti Williamson, star of the upcoming 8th season of Fox's "24" (starting Jan. 17), expands the definition of Founding Father: "Abraham Lincoln (right), to me, he's the founding father of a certain kind of freedom and liberation. But I'd go right to the nucleus and say George Washington. Integrity. To sum it up, integrity."
 

 

Today's cuppa: English breakfast tea

On Thursday, Jan. 7, VH1 premieres the third season of "Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew," a reality series in which internist and addiction-medicine specialist Dr. Drew Pinsky treats the participants at his in-patient facility in Pasadena, Calif.

Of course, Dr. Pinsky (in photo, right) doesn't work alone. Among his most valuable assistants is drug counselor Bob Forrest (in photo, left), a hat-wearing musician who takes a no-nonsense approach to helping addicts break through their walls of denial and self-delusion.

On this particular day in the fall of 2009, Forrest is in a common area of an upscale housing development in Playa Vista, Calif., which is standing in for a rehab facility. He's acting as a consultant to the then-NBC police drama "Southland," which, after a sudden cancellation, makes its TNT premiere on Jan. 12 with episodes that have already premiered on NBC.

This particular episode, in which Officers John Cooper (Michael Cudlitz) and Ben Sherman (Ben McKenzie, right) visit an addicted colleague (C. Thomas Howell), will air sometime in or after March, when as-yet-unseen episodes begin on TNT.

Asked about the idea of an addicted police officer, Forrest says, "(There are) lots of law-enforcement officers. There are high rates of addiction in any of the thrill-seeking occupations -- the medical profession is the highest rate of addiction in America.

"They save lives. They're going to change the world, so the motivation that gets you into an occupation like that is similar to law enforcement."

According to Forrest, addiction among law enforcement is more often alcohol than drugs.

"It's alcohol, always," he says. "They do abide by their ethics, but they're hard, hard drinkers. ... I've treated more cops than celebrities. I hope the LAPD doesn't mind, but it's all the different PDs. There's an intensity. You get the endorphin rush; you get the adrenaline; everything is on high alert.

"Soldiers are coming back now with this high rate of addiction. They report to me, because I have counseled a couple of people who've come back from Iraq. 'Bob, yesterday doesn't exist.' That's the greatest line I ever heard from an addict of this type -- law enforcement, prison guards and soldiers -- yesterday doesn't exist, because today is the day you could get killed.

"I think policemen think like that, too. I have another policeman, who was a homicide detective for 20 years, who said, 'I've seen more death than anything.' He had retired. He'd been a heavy drinker, then he retired and just became a drink-to-the-death guy. And he turned around. He's doing all right.

"Where there's breath, there's hope, I always say, and this is an accurate portrayal."

Unlike his purely advisory role on "Southland," Forrest appears on-camera in "Celebrity Rehab," and sometimes that's a challenge.

"You can't curse a lot," he says. "I'm always with Drew. He's so articulate. I cuss a lot when I'm on my own. Drew's a real steadying influence in my life. When I first started to work for him -- because I worked with musicians, where you can really say or do anything you want -- and he wanted me to work at the hospital with him.

"He said, 'Just be you. Just do what you were doing at MusiCares, and just be you. I'll back you up.' And I'm like, 'OK.' I'm cussing, and I'm saying all these outlandish things. After about three weeks, 'Did you say ...', whatever it was, 'I don't give a f--k whether you get sober or not,' I think I said to a patient, just to shock them. It's all for value. It has clinical value.

"I said, 'Yeah.' He said, 'Bob, there's a difference between pushing the envelope and not even considering that there is one.' And he just slammed my door. That's the maddest he's ever gotten."

(Photo at right, from the right, Season Three participants Heidi Fleiss, Mackenzie Phillips and Lisa D'Amato. Participants not shown are Tom Sizemore, Dennis Rodman, Mindy McCready, Mike Starr and Joey Kovar.)

Asked what's particular about celebrity addiction, Forrest says, "The only two industries I've ever been in are show business and the helping business. What happens with the helping business -- people become psychologists because they think it's going to solve their problems.

"In show business, I think a lot of people want love. The Anna Nicole Smiths of the world, they think that being in show business, they will then feel loved. There's no way to feel loved but to work on having an internal world that feels love and doesn't need applause or anything like that.

"The psychologists who get into it and want to solve their own problems, can't solve their own problems. It's very similar. Plus, the idea was, I was a singer, so it was always about how much you draw and how many records you sell. One guy told me years ago, 'It's butts in seats, that's what matters.'

"And so, then, now, I'm in the recovery industry, and it's really heads on beds."

As explained in the previous post, updated late into last night, News Corp., the parent company of Fox Broadcasting Company and a family of cable stations, has been involved in a price dispute with Time Warner Cable, which threatened to result in certain Fox Broadcasting affiliates and some cable networks pulled from TWC.

Negotiations continued through New Year's Eve and throughout the day today, with a series of extensions that kept the TV press and many Time Warner Cable customers in suspense.

Today, Fox Networks Group announced an agreement with Bright House Networks, which is operated by Time Warner Cable, just in time to ensure that Bright House's Florida customers would see the Allstate Sugar Bowl, which aired tonight on Fox.

They have further reached in agreement in principle with Time Warner Cable, which will allow Fox stations to remain on the cable system. Click here and here and here for reports.

Here's the press release that specifically addresses Bright House:

Agreement Provides Continued Uninterrupted Access
 to Programming

Allstate Sugar Bowl to Air Tonight on FOX and Bright House Networks
at 8:30 pm ET

 

The Fox Networks Group and Bright House Networks announced today that they have agreed in principle to a comprehensive distribution agreement to provide Bright House's more than 2.4 million customers with programming from Fox Television Stations, Fox Broadcasting (FOX), Fox Cable Networks and Fox's regional sports networks.  Of particular interest to Bright House's Florida customers is confirmation that tonight's Allstate Sugar Bowl will air at 8:30 pm ET on FOX.

"We're pleased that, after months of negotiations, we were able to reach a fair agreement with Bright House Networks -- one that recognizes the value of our programming," said Chase Carey, Deputy Chairman, President and COO, News Corporation.

"We're pleased that an agreement has been reached with no disruption in programming for our customers," said Steve Miron, Chief Executive Officer, Bright House Networks.

Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.