tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15187909181513934242024-02-23T21:02:10.295-05:00Must Hear TVAll today's up-to-date TV-related news, as brought to you on "The Frank DeCaro Show" on Sirius XM OutQ radio 106.Jim Coluccihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07131834400134022036noreply@blogger.comBlogger412125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518790918151393424.post-62889060081799681422023-11-30T20:53:00.005-05:002023-12-16T01:25:22.848-05:00A Divas Christmas on Lifetime<p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVMjI5z_dzraV3Lpo_3BxKei5CegvO53qD7J-BudXKhBn77IT94lqG4wb6jFBJkpusZdyn3TUbuem0S66W9-6XB43K-hQVow_oSJwBDkc3IWb7Ahh-7J14ox6XasiW6gDcMK01nlmaulKom3hPOIiUOoeHjlrgt_RLjncCq3G2_1VO9G8D1nNMBl-GvBYE/s2048/Ladies-of-the-80s-A-Divas-Christmas-2048x1152-promo-16x9-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVMjI5z_dzraV3Lpo_3BxKei5CegvO53qD7J-BudXKhBn77IT94lqG4wb6jFBJkpusZdyn3TUbuem0S66W9-6XB43K-hQVow_oSJwBDkc3IWb7Ahh-7J14ox6XasiW6gDcMK01nlmaulKom3hPOIiUOoeHjlrgt_RLjncCq3G2_1VO9G8D1nNMBl-GvBYE/w400-h225/Ladies-of-the-80s-A-Divas-Christmas-2048x1152-promo-16x9-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">B</span>ack in the spring of 1985, I
first heard about a pilot being filmed in Los Angeles called <i>The Golden
Girls</i>, the cast of which was to be like a supergroup of the best women in
TV comedy. I got a similar feeling when
earlier this year, I first heard about Lifetime’s new holiday movie, <i>Ladies
of the ‘80s: A Divas Christmas</i>, starring five TV legends: <b>Linda Gray</b>, <b>Donna Mills</b>, <b>Morgan
Fairchild</b>, <b>Loni Anderson</b> and <b>Nicollette Sheridan</b>. And to top it all off, the film was written
by Stan Zimmerman and James Berg, a team who got one of their earliest jobs on
the first season of <i>The Golden Girls</i> and went on to write for other
female small-screen icons, from <i>Roseanne</i> to the title characters of <i>Gilmore
Girls</i>.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: arial;">As Stan Zimmerman prepares not
only for the <i>Ladies of the ‘80s</i> premiere – 8PM Eastern/Pacific, this
Saturday, December 2 on Lifetime -- but also the February 13, 2024 release of
his memoir, <i>The Girls: From Golden to Gilmore</i>, I sat down with him to
talk about what we can expect from our eagerly anticipated date with the Divas
this coming weekend.</span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #5d7284;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0xY-hkI0JcRxx2q2a0ovqatM3scDs-cqWpk00d4amsNXv5gyz4K1OxK5k_4p_rbcCXhq2y2P4F9uW_Xy2QhiwLaIqmRFCxBcpbSSpeIb56059IldevM-t2BIFvGS4fZKZIbteQmrVu-kkhfRCv6uK6Hm8dNdtiQcobLvPfPQ1rIGwBu0eGmLrWTrTBnn5/s3813/Ladies%20of%20the%2080s%20Donna%20Mills%20Loni%20Anderson%20Stan%20Zimmerman%20Linda%20Gray%20Morgan%20Fairchild%20Nicollette%20Sheridan%20112823.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2482" data-original-width="3813" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0xY-hkI0JcRxx2q2a0ovqatM3scDs-cqWpk00d4amsNXv5gyz4K1OxK5k_4p_rbcCXhq2y2P4F9uW_Xy2QhiwLaIqmRFCxBcpbSSpeIb56059IldevM-t2BIFvGS4fZKZIbteQmrVu-kkhfRCv6uK6Hm8dNdtiQcobLvPfPQ1rIGwBu0eGmLrWTrTBnn5/w400-h260/Ladies%20of%20the%2080s%20Donna%20Mills%20Loni%20Anderson%20Stan%20Zimmerman%20Linda%20Gray%20Morgan%20Fairchild%20Nicollette%20Sheridan%20112823.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The <i>Ladies of the '80s: A Divas Christmas</i> cast (l-r): Donna Mills, Loni Anderson, Linda Gray, Morgan Fairchild and Nicollette Sheridan, with writer Stan Zimmerman at The Maybourne Hotel, Beverly Hills, CA, November 28, 2023.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br />Must Hear TV: <span face="Arial, sans-serif">Where
did the idea come from, to do a Christmas movie for Lifetime, reuniting divas
from the ‘80s? How did it all come together?</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #5d7284;">Stan Zimmerman: </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">I have
to give credit to Jason Wood, who is now head of casting at Lifetime. He was
the casting assistant on the very first pilot Jim Berg and I wrote, and then
became our assistant. We've remained in
touch, and we were talking about him coming to see a production I just directed
in Los Angeles of the play “The Diary of Anne Frank,” with a cast of predominantly
Latinx actors, because I wanted him to discover some of those talents that he
didn’t yet know. When we were talking
one day, he mentioned, “There’s a project here at Lifetime – would you mind if I
threw your hat in the ring, for you and Jim to pitch for this?” He told me the basics they already had: they had a deal with five iconic actresses,
and wanted a Christmas movie, which had to be shot in just thirteen days, and
in only one location. I said, “Give me
24 hours.” And then Jim and I came back in
24 hours and pitched ideas for the film to the producer, Larry Thompson. This was so on-brand for Jim and me, right up
our alley! So we were bursting with
ideas.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #5d7284; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">MHTV:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">That’s all they had at that point?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unite these women in a Christmas movie?</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #5d7284;">SZ: </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Yes. The
rest was up to us. The hardest part was the one-location thing. We could
redress that one location, so it could be a mansion, it could be a hotel. All the rooms could be turned into other
locations. We could use the parking lot,
or shoot a scene in a car in the driveway.
But it had to be shot in one location in 13 days. This was in March of
2023. Jim and I were in Dallas, about to world premiere our play, “Silver Foxes,”
and so our heads were in that space. But we knew this was an opportunity we
just couldn't pass up. And so we pitched maybe six or seven ideas, and Larry
Thompson liked all of them. And then something happened that you don't hear
very often: he said to us, the writers,
“What do you guys want to do?” With the
time crunch, the idea that really jumped out as our favorite was based on what
all these women are known for, and that was soap operas. Almost all of them had started on, or at one
time were on a daytime soap opera. I was
an ABC soap freak as a kid: <i>All My
Children</i>, <i>One Life to Live</i>, <i>General Hospital</i>. I did some research and found out like Donna Mills
had started in a soap called <i>Love is a Many Splendored Thing</i>, a CBS show
back in the day.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #5d7284; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">MHTV:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Never mind <i>Knots Landing</i>!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In your mind and Jim’s, is this more based on
daytime soap or primetime? Because when I see names like Donna Mills,
Nicollette Sheridan, Morgan Fairchild and Linda Gray, I think of primetime soaps.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #5d7284;">SZ: </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Yes. But
the concept for the film was that, because all of these daytime soap operas are
being canceled, there was a daytime soap opera called “The Great Lakes.” And at
one time or another, all of the divas were on that show. Now, the show is being canceled. Jim and I
have often wondered, why are daytime soap operas not as popular anymore? Why haven’t they been reinvented? So for our movie, what if they come back for
one final Christmas episode, done live. And play off of their daytime diva <u>and</u>
nighttime diva images. And with those
crazy storylines that daytime soap operas have, we thought it'd be really fun
and campy. In our minds, that was what the audience would be craving. When they
heard about these five ladies coming together, they’d want those bitchy lines.
They want the slapfest. They want the crazy storylines. So Larry agreed, Lifetime
agreed, and we made a deal very quickly. And off we went to writing. We had so little time, that there were days
when I was at the <i>Golden Girls</i> convention “GoldenCon” in Chicago this
past March where I would have to go up to my hotel room on breaks and meet Jim
on Zoom to write some scenes and bang out that first draft. Because we had a deadline of May 1, which was
the writers' strike. So we knew: computers off May 1.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #5d7284; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">MHTV:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">And that is a crazy short time to write a movie.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #5d7284;">SZ: </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">It’s a crazy short time to write an email.
Because there are so many levels of people that have to weigh in. It’s not
just, “it’s March, Jim and Stan, write whatever you want.” You have to write
outlines. And I wanted an outline to be approved. I hate wasting time when I'm writing. So I
wanted everybody to sign off first. Jim
and I are experienced veterans at this, and they were actually going to give us
more latitude, to go off and write, but I was very adamant about, “No, you're
seeing an outline” -- or what we call a beat sheet, which is kind of an
abbreviated outline -- to sign off on the basic beats of the plot. That way, after getting approval, we could then
write scenes quickly. I always think that's easier.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">I love
the structure part of developing scripts. For some reason, my mind just thinks
that way. On sitcoms, I would always be the one taking writers off into a room
and do what we call beating out the story and the structure of it. So once we
got the structure, that pretty much stayed the same. And we wrote really,
really quickly. I think that was one of the solid points of hiring us as
writers, because we kept saying to them, “We're used to writing fast on sitcoms,”
where sometimes a script gets thrown out on the day of a rehearsal, and you
have to be rehearsing a different script the next morning.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">So you might have to do a page-one rewrite
sometimes. From all the shows that we've been on, from </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Golden Girls</i><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> to </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Gilmore
Girls</i><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> and </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Roseanne</i><span face="Arial, sans-serif">, or </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Rita Rocks</i><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> for Lifetime, we’ve
experienced every single thing you can imagine. Here, luckily, they were happy
and we didn't get a ton of notes.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Because
on May 1, we had to stop. We would love to have continued working, and to have
gone on set.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">I kept joking to Jim, “I'll
dress as a grip, and I’ll have a mustache and a hat and overalls or something,
and just stand behind a potted plant.”</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">
</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Of course I couldn’t do that, because of the strike.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">But we were able to talk to the actresses on
the phone during our writing process, to get their notes. And that was really
cool.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #5d7284; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">MHTV:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">How much were the actresses able to shape their
characters?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #5d7284;">SZ: </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Quite a bit.
Before they signed off, they all either had phone calls – one of the
original actresses who was going to be in the movie, Joan Collins, sent in
written notes, because she was in England -- but with the others, we got on the
phone and had long conversations that were really interesting.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #5d7284; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">MHTV:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">And was that a dream for you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Had you met all of these women before?</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #5d7284;">SZ: </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">I had not met most of them, which was crazy,
because most of them hadn't done sitcoms, except Loni Anderson. I had met Joan Collins, when Jim and I had
developed a show for her. We always thought she was really funny. And she ended
up being on <i>Roseanne</i>, but not when we were there. But because people are obsessed with royalty
in America, so we pitched a show for her and Rupert Everett as royalty that had
to flee their country with nothing but their titles, and then came to America,
and were scamming in Beverly Hills. And she loved it. And we spent time with
her in her home in Beverly Hills. We happened to be in Europe and went to her
house in London. That story is in my book…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #5d7284; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">MHTV: </span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Which
is…?</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #5d7284;">SZ: </span><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">The Girls: From Golden to Gilmore</span></i><span face="Arial, sans-serif">. It’s
the story about all the wonderful women that I've worked with. And Roseanne. There is a section about the developments
that we had with so many wonderful women, and that that chapter is called “The
Next Lucy,” because all of these actresses that we would meet with, from Joan Collins
to Teri Hatcher to Miss Diana Ross, they all said at one point in the meeting,
“I want to be the next Lucy.” And we all
know there can never be another Lucy.
It’s a tall order. But we felt we
could tap into what was funny about Joan Collins and her dry, very Oscar Wilde
sensibility. But unfortunately, the show never came to be. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">When we
spoke with all the actresses, they gave us ideas on how to deepen their
characters.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">And because we had really
studied a lot of their interviews online, we pulled from their real stories. So
for example, we found out that Donna Mills had adopted a child, so we put that into
the character -- but we bumped it up to where she had adopted five or six
children, in the Angelina Jolie or Madonna category.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">And another actress who was originally going
to be</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">part of the cast, Jaclyn Smith, is
such an entrepreneur. So we created a storyline about
giving up a lot of show business to start her own businesses. And has she been
so obsessed that she has neglected relationships?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Ultimately,
because of the actors’ strike, they literally had a very short window to film
this. So the good part was they had to film the script we wrote. But the bad
part was that it was hard for the actresses to rearrange their schedules with
short notice, and so Joan and Jaclyn dropped out, even though they loved the
script.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">After that, Morgan Fairchild
switched roles and ended up playing the one written for Joan.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">No fool, she knew where the jokes were! </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">And she does have a lot of one-liner zingers
that are going to make memes one day, I just know it.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">I’m hoping.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">
</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">On the level of some of the other lines Jim and I have written, like “Sure,
Jan,” from </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The Brady Bunch Movie</i><span face="Arial, sans-serif">, or from </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The Golden Girls</i><span face="Arial, sans-serif">, “No,
no, I will not have a nice day,” which I see all the time, people imitating it,
which is really cute.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">This is a very
different kind of Lifetime Christmas movie, because A, it’s a comedy.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">But there is a lot of romance in there. There
are some very heartfelt moments as well. </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">I have to admit, I get a little teary at the
end. I wasn't sure if I wanted to put in a part about how the young male lead was
affected by his mother's passing. But it's something I'm still dealing with.
And I realized that not only would it be therapeutic for me, but maybe for
other people as well.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #5d7284; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">MHTV:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Of course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The holidays are when everybody thinks about relatives they've lost.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #5d7284;">SZ: </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">So there's a line in there, when the guy
says, “A part of me died when she died.” And especially during the holidays, and not being with her on Thanksgiving, this
year was pretty difficult for me. So I was glad that they allowed us to keep
lines like that in there. Also, it was fun to name the young lead female after
my niece, Nell. That’s always fun to do.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #5d7284; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">MHTV: </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Speaking
of the names, I love the device of giving all the characters the names of their
famous TV characters, like Ewing and Cunningham and Marlowe.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #5d7284;">SZ: </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">It's honoring their past, and what they bring
so beautifully to this project. And I think that's why this storyline works so
well, because when they arrive, they literally come with a lot of baggage, but
also good baggage from their long careers in this genre. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #5d7284; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">MHTV: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">With your writing background, obviously, people
might get a sense of <i>The Golden Girls</i> from this movie – although on <i>The
Golden Girls</i>, Rue McClanahan was only 51 when the pilot was made. Here,
everyone in this movie is older than that. And yet they're still vital, and
they're still playing sexy roles. In what ways, consciously or maybe even
subconsciously, were you affected by your <i>Golden Girls</i> experience when
creating this movie?</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #5d7284;">SZ: </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Well,
that was such an important part of <i>Golden Girls</i>, showing these women as
vital and sexual and working and with relationships and conflicts. And I know
that's an important part for Donna Mills, that she wants to show that you don't
have to just sit in a corner after 60.
You can sit in a corner if you want to, but you can also go off and make
a Jordan Peele movie like Donna did. And
I really respect that about her. That's
been the theme in our work, that no matter what age, you keep living. And every
day you wake up, and the joy that I have of jumping out of bed. Although sometimes now I make some grunting
noises.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">We wanted
to give all these characters jobs and emotions, and love.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">To have Linda Gray be with hot Christopher
Atkins!</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">As a gay man, I remember being
young and watching </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The Blue Lagoon</i><span face="Arial, sans-serif">.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">
</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">I think I looked at pictures of him in that for a long time.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">So it's exciting to reunite them, since they
played lovers on </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Dallas</i><span face="Arial, sans-serif">.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #5d7284; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">MHTV: </span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">What are
the challenges to writing a Christmas movie? How do you get in the Christmas
mood in March?</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #5d7284;">SZ: </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Christmas
movies are a breed unto themselves. When Jim and I were writing it, we had to
think, how can we cram every single little bit of Christmas into every scene
and shot? And then they still were
yelling, “More Christmas!” And we were like,
what more can we do? So you have to be
clever about how you put it in so it seems organic. Scenes around a Christmas
tree. Or because the movie is about the
making of a TV show, we could have fun with shots, where it looks like it’s
snowing, and then you pull back and reveal how we’re actually in sunny
California. We even got meta at the end,
talking about how they can turn this into a reality/soap opera for today’s day
and age. Or they could go off and make a
Valentine's movie. So we're hoping that the audience watches the movie and that
it's so popular that we can continue with these characters and add a few more
divas.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #5d7284; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">MHTV: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Obviously Joan Collins and Jaclyn Smith
couldn't make it this time, but maybe later? Are there more divas on tap if
this goes further?</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #5d7284;">SZ: </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">I
literally have divas driving around my house, honking, asking, “Where is the
script?” That would be the fun part. I
have many friends like Joan Van Ark who I would love to be in the movie, and it
would be great to bring Michele Lee into it. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">The
business now, I think it's just trying to get back up on its feet and figure
itself out. I think Lifetime has been a little overwhelmed with the response to
this movie already, before it has even aired, but I'm not. </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">I told them, people are going to go nuts when
they hear these five actresses are in this movie together! </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">There's a need to celebrate older women, and
especially these women with what they've accomplished in their lives and what
they're still accomplishing, and yet also to have fun with it and not take it
too seriously. So I think there's so many more stories to delve into with these
characters and other characters in that age group that I hope we get to do
that.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #5d7284; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">MHTV: </span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Certainly,
if <i>The Golden Girls</i> could come up with seven years’ worth of stories, you've
got plenty to say as well.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #5d7284;">SZ: </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">I'm sure
they have some ex husbands. It could be,
“Hi, it’s me, Mort,” instead of Stan Zbornak.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #5d7284; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">MHTV: </span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">What is
the update with “Silver Foxes,” your gay male version of <i>The Golden Girls</i>
that you mentioned you staged as a play in Dallas this past spring?</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #5d7284;">SZ: </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">When Jim
and I first wrote “Silver Foxes,” we had a reading of it in my living room with
Leslie Jordan and George Takei. We had created it for Logo as a half-hour
sitcom, but when we found that no television network wanted to deal with an
older demo or gay audience, we turned it into a play and had that sold-out run
in Dallas, that Michael Urie from <i>Ugly Betty</i> and <i>Shrinking</i>
directed. Actually, I found out today that there is a gay theatre company in
Dublin, Ohio, that just secured the rights for the next production, which will
be in September of 2024. So I'm going to go there for opening night. I won’t be
involved in the play, but they want me to come and do a Q&A. Recently, we
had a wonderful reading of the play in New York City that Michael directed. So
we're really hoping to get it off-Broadway. That's our goal -- and then
eventually, it becomes so popular that will become a TV series.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #5d7284; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">MHTV: </span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">With the
Divas, these women are famous and beautiful and beloved. Why do you think there
haven't been more vehicles for them to be doing stuff lately, and for others in
their age group? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you think that it's
going to change with things like this movie, or maybe with “Silver Foxes?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is it going to take to change
things?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #5d7284;">SZ: </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Personally, I don't think even the success of
this will change things. I think people
in the entertainment business unfortunately have very narrow minds of what the
audience is. And they don't see the value in portrayals of older people. Meanwhile, young people adored Betty White up
until the very end. And these kinds of shows don't just attract an older demo,
but it's hard for executives to see that. They attract all people. Most young people have grandparents that they
love, and they could watch it and laugh with them -- or watch it and call them
after and understand them more. Yes, of course, I'm always hopeful, but I've
just been around this so much. And I am still a half glass full kind of guy, so
I do hope that this can change things. But I'm going to keep working and
pushing these kinds of shows and these kinds of characters, whether networks
come running at us or not.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #5d7284; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">MHTV:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Maybe the success of ABC’s <i>Golden
Bachelor</i> will help, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And that
glass of yours, is it half full of champagne or whatever that that highly
alcoholic beverage was they were drinking in that late night scene?</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #5d7284;">SZ: </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Some crazy “Christmas concoction.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #5d7284;">MHTV: </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">…That
makes all of their truths come spilling out. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #5d7284;">SZ: </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">That’s what I’ll be drinking on December
2. A lovely woman named Tami, whom I met
on the first <i>Golden Girls</i> cruise in 2020, sent me these two beautiful
martini glasses, and a bottle of Ciroc vodka, my favorite. So I’ll be toasting the Divas.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><br /></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht3MoZXBG0Ea4Rn1912Zj7PliCst6YhmZGEm0N5ffKErB-P6dKRD1wU0y65s2dSCB7KH3Y8XXQKxPuA0Ixrk32telaVorHk9GDtRk1y2YJSh44FQPU3AxdRJDvenoibdZev1kS-7VcteV5XR7upF-UpYU56o9Vukgyde2Wptbp1aFG46u7pVdLRWYJ71o3/s1110/IMG_0326.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="701" data-original-width="1110" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht3MoZXBG0Ea4Rn1912Zj7PliCst6YhmZGEm0N5ffKErB-P6dKRD1wU0y65s2dSCB7KH3Y8XXQKxPuA0Ixrk32telaVorHk9GDtRk1y2YJSh44FQPU3AxdRJDvenoibdZev1kS-7VcteV5XR7upF-UpYU56o9Vukgyde2Wptbp1aFG46u7pVdLRWYJ71o3/w400-h253/IMG_0326.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p>Jim Coluccihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07131834400134022036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518790918151393424.post-85283614987806301082021-08-26T17:47:00.004-04:002021-08-27T17:39:09.455-04:00Go Live with The Conners<p><span style="font-size: x-large;">T</span>oday, ABC announced that for its season 4 premiere, <i><b>The Conners</b></i> will once again be airing a live episode. But this time, there's an intriguing twist.</p><p>At the same time, the network also announced an innovative sweepstakes, titled "You Can Be a Conner." Winners will receive a call from the cast -- on-air, as part of the episode.</p><p>Today at the <b>Television Critics Association</b> teleconference for critics, Executive Producer <b>Bruce Helford</b> referred to the gimmick as "working without a net," because the selected fans will not know what the topic of the episode and thus the call will be -- nor will the producers know what said fans will say, live on-air. (One would imagine that ABC will be airing the whole thing on the standard 7-second delay, but still, I think the censor should start practicing hitting that button now.)</p><p>The episode will air on September 22 at 9 PM Eastern, and will be performed live for both the East and West coasts. Enter at www.BeAConner.com, and see details below in ABC's press release.</p><p><br /></p><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv0859213861layout yiv0859213861layout--1-column" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; min-width: 100%; table-layout: fixed; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" class="yiv0859213861column yiv0859213861column--1 yiv0859213861scale yiv0859213861stack" style="outline: none;" valign="top" width="100%"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv0859213861text yiv0859213861text--padding-vertical" style="border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="yiv0859213861text_content-cell yiv0859213861content-padding-horizontal" style="color: #403f42; display: block; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.2; outline: none; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 20px;" valign="top"><p align="center" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Book Antiqua", Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", "Palatino LT STD", Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;">LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION: ‘THE CONNERS’ IS GOING LIVE!</span></p><p align="center" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Book Antiqua", Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", "Palatino LT STD", Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;"> </span></p><p align="center" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Book Antiqua", Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", "Palatino LT STD", Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;">SEASON FOUR TO DEBUT WITH LIVE PREMIERE EPISODE</span></p><p align="center" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Book Antiqua", Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", "Palatino LT STD", Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;">WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 22, ON ABC</span></p><p style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></p><p align="center" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Book Antiqua", Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", "Palatino LT STD", Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;">‘YOU CAN BE A CONNER’ SWEEPSTAKES LAUNCHES TODAY</span></p><p align="center" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Book Antiqua", Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", "Palatino LT STD", Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;">GIVING FANS A CHANCE TO WIN AN ON-AIR CALL DURING </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", "Palatino LT STD", Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;">LIVE </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Book Antiqua", Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", "Palatino LT STD", Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;">PREMIERE BROADCAST</span></p><p style="margin: 0px;"><br /></p></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv0859213861image yiv0859213861image--padding-vertical yiv0859213861image--mobile-scale yiv0859213861image--mobile-center" style="border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" class="yiv0859213861image_container yiv0859213861content-padding-horizontal" style="outline: none; padding: 10px 20px;" valign="top"><img alt="conners.jpg" class="yiv0859213861image_content" src="https://ecp.yusercontent.com/mail?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffiles.constantcontact.com%2F6c0a1eb5701%2F73a89c12-aa02-4e00-a4f2-7ad8b6939be4.jpg%3Frdr%3Dtrue&t=1630014055&ymreqid=c14f6908-af84-c1b8-2f2c-5a0491012900&sig=CsjsrnS8SmrtAIEZG4780g--~D" style="display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%; visibility: visible;" width="265" /></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv0859213861layout yiv0859213861layout--1-column" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; min-width: 100%; table-layout: fixed; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" class="yiv0859213861column yiv0859213861column--1 yiv0859213861scale yiv0859213861stack" style="outline: none;" valign="top" width="100%"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="yiv0859213861text yiv0859213861text--padding-vertical" style="border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="yiv0859213861text_content-cell yiv0859213861content-padding-horizontal" style="color: #403f42; display: block; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.2; outline: none; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 20px;" valign="top"><p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Book Antiqua", Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", "Palatino LT STD", Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px;">ABC’s No. 1 comedy last season is set to return with more laughs, surprise guests, a live episode and a chance for viewers to win a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", "Palatino LT STD", Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px;">virtual appearance as a member of the Conner family </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Book Antiqua", Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", "Palatino LT STD", Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px;">in the season four premiere when “The Conners” returns </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Book Antiqua", Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", "Palatino LT STD", Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;">WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 22</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Book Antiqua", Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", "Palatino LT STD", Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px;"> (9:00-9:31 p.m. EDT). </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Book Antiqua", Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", "Palatino LT STD", Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px;"> </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Book Antiqua", Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", "Palatino LT STD", Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px;">The cast of “The Conners” will perform live for both the East and West Coast broadcasts of the season four premiere episode. </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", "Palatino LT STD", Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px;">The members of America’s </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Book Antiqua", Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", "Palatino LT STD", Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px;">favorite famil</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", "Palatino LT STD", Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px;">y are no strangers </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Book Antiqua", Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", "Palatino LT STD", Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px;">to live television, but this time, they’ll need some extra help to pull it off. Starting today, ABC and “The Conners” are launching the “You Can Be A Conner” sweepstakes, offering viewers the opportunity for a once-in-a-lifetime experience by entering for the chance to win a virtual appearance during the live season premiere episode. </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", "Palatino LT STD", Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px;">As part of the storyline, a Conner family member will call each lucky sweepstakes winner for a live conversation regarding how they deal with some of the same life issues that the Conners navigate on a daily basis.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", "Palatino LT STD", Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px;"> </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", "Palatino LT STD", Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px;">The sweepstakes is open to legal U.S. residents, 18 and older. No purchase is necessary to enter; visit </span><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001gvJweSgaf-f-3m9gFJGvJSjtk87HXVhahQzLFpHgjYhOzZ-E0QPk9p6HCY2Fi9hGj6yBGU8PrzbHRsB9shglBhKM5lpBr_M4my2sv7HFbCHP76ynHfRAc-qEue8Dh61bye_H90D7k4dxTEIaAUe2ERO54NZsd6zxMH7iUTDYPl3CC-qGjMUJV1xGvX_lse_KLSgnFECAW1GCdqtMvgOonYl7muf2zVSXyQc0vCHHqnIINR3VajjaK9PFNhT8eKlJ9F9qxIH9XitwE45_5CpJBDFvXl6qjxsqAqBB11XjL6X0L543ck5n0sScgHfraOm9wZx72KPXwy7tFxO4S4RrVhPzJ1PTO9mgj09BImL6rtvhyYkrPy4QBzT7TOrEct8hDTW5OaErBtzvd7r9kRur_p9KKExfBYpRZUTwB1SbzBXiJNd7UEZNDR_Or19iq73bNTVAu0ZZ0PS_m50wYoLnUfgD1nKcGttKkGVLnGxIm7856iLXahMo9aCh15yeOrkQwhju3JyGD7sVDV5C56kqHNYW4Hx9arynVLAh-WAqP5YdLDzuXxR-fc1N0iM2Yvp93slPIl5e_ndHzvhgLn8JcmmZo7k7CCnB7I84cH-Y-ZOTMedfSaKzNhqHRDc5LtkqKRYD82_8vhQzndELuaykfrOcdWOA0sCZ066-UjU33JT0lo9Qparp9M5Bixrhvz-w&c=twDEBCL-Jz2Gk8-RhNNxzfDDvunFpOcgruKo3ykll4Na0K70t2FIZg==&ch=ncNx9zsmCrfPtIdo-tXzRclPq3MqfBgZMYcezoPSQJ3F-BrklZtyHw==" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #0070c0; cursor: pointer; font-family: "Book Antiqua", Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", "Palatino LT STD", Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">www.BeAConner.com</a><span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: "Book Antiqua", Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", "Palatino LT STD", Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", "Palatino LT STD", Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px;">for official rules and full details.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"> </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Book Antiqua", Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", "Palatino LT STD", Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px;">“The Conners” stars John Goodman as Dan Conner, Laurie Metcalf as Jackie Harris, Sara Gilbert as Darlene Conner, Lecy Goranson as Becky Conner-Healy, Michael Fishman as D.J. Conner, Emma Kenney as Harris Conner-Healy, Ames McNamara as Mark Conner-Healy, Jayden Rey as Mary Conner and Jay R. Ferguson as Ben. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Book Antiqua", Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", "Palatino LT STD", Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px;"> </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Book Antiqua", Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", "Palatino LT STD", Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px;">“The Conners” is executive produced by Tom Werner, along with Sara Gilbert, Bruce Helford, Dave Caplan, Bruce Rasmussen and Tony Hernandez. The series is from Werner Entertainment. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Book Antiqua", Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", "Palatino LT STD", Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px;"> </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Book Antiqua", Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", "Palatino LT STD", Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px;">Follow “The Conners” (</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Book Antiqua", Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", "Palatino LT STD", Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;">#TheConners</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Book Antiqua", Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", "Palatino LT STD", Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px;">) on </span><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001gvJweSgaf-f-3m9gFJGvJSjtk87HXVhahQzLFpHgjYhOzZ-E0QPk9p6HCY2Fi9hGsLkUjlt-v_nGc_yNr-UQINA08M0UMONkjaKsDdWw6My03VidWUcZSI5SNhOnU1z5zEA3MBZ6uYkSzEFQ2GA_nNVDUFwHViC7M6iGuGuxIsOTLS027lF6sFn0gwLdkoHMiY_lofTVYTJBcAi5KLVWVc1ULXjuYpTycOMRbW12ywL1ZNF9xImqeFflolf0RlB-JzNjz4RhfvxoJccmDAN6tRN0k3BRNe0KPaDZ23dU3-07aNVyg_73Z4qOUBM67NYAf4qigAXnjNANH0WJpX8xlRr7KmDYHyZ27hEL0JXIHH2YFAEgokgnH4w8x03nEb-V5v81gXk8N5_drtm4COEP0CfVRupx6KnINKt0LvFNeM5321NHRisDss4Gg7N1p8dXctDaJFHg9joKF9-6ThksdInm6ZboxFfq7Y79xGS0cpyca8Z0oLsYbpHEvWdxIDhSdzFuGduFfZCW8Oa024Axhwvj5Sm4yLscbpYAamXl2ucAJrtZHLoJRE8J5z2HTc9p_uF36EMLgo-qTwQoyZWO2w1TgByAA7_pXfYKOa-nZBSa4ZW6sJnqT0mEpCvyTgaSSm4eO2HWBhWguKpyTtHIsCvJ-hnM9tVjN5FWvdnW1pUooK6fGnSOa4CkhGFZDhkabLaxzA_GsjXbu9w4qXH64c1BsXFPCBQe&c=twDEBCL-Jz2Gk8-RhNNxzfDDvunFpOcgruKo3ykll4Na0K70t2FIZg==&ch=ncNx9zsmCrfPtIdo-tXzRclPq3MqfBgZMYcezoPSQJ3F-BrklZtyHw==" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #0070c0; 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cursor: pointer; font-family: "Book Antiqua", Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", "Palatino LT STD", Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Facebook</a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Book Antiqua", Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", "Palatino LT STD", Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px;">. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif;"> </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Book Antiqua", Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", "Palatino LT STD", Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px;">ABC programming can also be viewed on </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua", Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", "Palatino LT STD", Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px;">demand </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Book Antiqua", Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", "Palatino LT STD", Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px;">and on </span><a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001gvJweSgaf-f-3m9gFJGvJSjtk87HXVhahQzLFpHgjYhOzZ-E0QPk9p6HCY2Fi9hGl4rTtz5TSJ9E3owOzk4cGOuJ50P_8lS56j6nmNB5qialgEjBlGswnwouwmsC4LeQHLUB-6PgrJd3e0ky3mnKhabrhLEIvJEwk03cz5LUNtlWrIsLfgEuniMvRP3NrgQgVC_vV6YpS4j0i2KWliv-U7A6OWlrjvscLW36T9Ze9sz0yiRAU20yxh2xNgbXPWRIoxhTGrZUdXWvPVJFDF9MdlvCEPc9PUrMIUqVEBjzwxtwjrdd7XANy-tvqBqmi52WQG9JosXD-UJavp7abs-ZhUINxzxrYW3XNAIa9g0ORRvlVLq2N2yYLR3ZZHLxYWmA4d9PtkWzUpiqmG7RpOw3RXyVaESQ3M3s10fZA43sw47NJ9a1JP1BdUHpgJEAoTee-C0QrquyFUG8Fy9oQOnJjVxg5KFTgQCBBKicI5fFs5vcySRsXeqgxe8yOx2fAa2p5zBQxm_2VDRSSsdCaX95UlQtAbxpuMTEgdfC_PAPhCtVGHtkR9UDwV_dft1NAk6o_Lme70KMy50=&c=twDEBCL-Jz2Gk8-RhNNxzfDDvunFpOcgruKo3ykll4Na0K70t2FIZg==&ch=ncNx9zsmCrfPtIdo-tXzRclPq3MqfBgZMYcezoPSQJ3F-BrklZtyHw==" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: #0070c0; cursor: pointer; font-family: "Book Antiqua", Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", "Palatino LT STD", Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Hulu</a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Book Antiqua", Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", "Palatino LT STD", Georgia, serif; font-size: 15px;">. </span></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>Jim Coluccihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07131834400134022036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518790918151393424.post-89654304549336228082021-04-10T19:46:00.028-04:002021-04-11T16:14:03.296-04:00A Tribute to Anne Beatts and her creation, Square Pegs<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIp1y1V_aq3SqSx4Gi6mXVEOF5nbbctjOQBVQjGFI4Lfn6kgjzBEBksZrsc6eR65NkJBhjRCPLalThOPxACnomE9e7DPH6Rduu5_ozcnKExGLB5756nhtwWqbSb2S8-W2u6dFJPP3ykL0B/s1200/Anne+Beatts.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIp1y1V_aq3SqSx4Gi6mXVEOF5nbbctjOQBVQjGFI4Lfn6kgjzBEBksZrsc6eR65NkJBhjRCPLalThOPxACnomE9e7DPH6Rduu5_ozcnKExGLB5756nhtwWqbSb2S8-W2u6dFJPP3ykL0B/w200-h200/Anne+Beatts.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-large;">B</span>ack in the days when I was editing the “Icons” (classic TV)
section of <i>CBS’ Watch!</i> magazine, I was like a kid in a candy store. So many of the shows I had grown up adoring had been on CBS – and now, I had license to get in touch with any of those shows’
creators and/or stars, to write tributes of all my favorites, one by one.<o:p></o:p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">In February of 2008, I was thrilled to get to interview <b><span style="font-size: large;">Anne
Beatts</span></b>, to pay tribute to her 1982-83 sitcom <i>Square Pegs</i>, short-lived
but influential on my generation of actors and writers – and everyone else adolescent
at the time. [I must admit, my writing partner
Bonnie Datt and I were so molded by <i>Square Pegs</i> that we even wrote its
characters into a spec script we wrote for <i>Sex and the City</i> – melding the two
worlds and winning a few screenwriting awards in the process.] The piece ran in the magazine’s May/June 2008
issue; you can check it out <a href="chrome-extension://oemmndcbldboiebfnladdacbdfmadadm/http://jimcolucci.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/CBS-Watch-June-08-Square-Pegs-tribute.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>: <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">But Anne, who died this past Wednesday, April 7 at age 74, was way too interesting to be confined to a mere
page’s worth of memories. And so below, here is the full scope of her memories
not only of creating the beloved sitcom which brought Sarah Jessica Parker to
national attention, but also as a pioneering “girl writer” on <i>Saturday Night
Live</i>.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0UDWcmEUoh91a1R5ToFwlGNxphyDviCQoyEBQGKvYJYgNVl_1rK_D38jJuQxrTdS5YxkiH7tPXV8dxL14oDC4NtwX7RIGkGNbQZghaeJoWn4YUbdQwxiRVzru17g9nkV9aSQzHLNYiFBe/s1200/Square+Pegs.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0UDWcmEUoh91a1R5ToFwlGNxphyDviCQoyEBQGKvYJYgNVl_1rK_D38jJuQxrTdS5YxkiH7tPXV8dxL14oDC4NtwX7RIGkGNbQZghaeJoWn4YUbdQwxiRVzru17g9nkV9aSQzHLNYiFBe/s320/Square+Pegs.png" width="320" /></a></div><o:p> </o:p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>The Square Pegs Origin Story</b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i>Square Pegs</i> was autobiographical. What happened was that I had been on <i>Saturday Night Live</i> for the
first five years of that as a writer.
And then the upheaval happened. Lorne
Michaels was no longer doing the show.
Everybody left at one time. And I
had an agent, an older gentleman named Frank Cooper. He had been Frank Sinatra’s
first agent – he was of that generation.
He was trying to get me some other work.
And he said, “I guess you were probably very popular when you were in high
school.” And I said, “Oh, Frank, are you
kidding? I wasn’t very popular at all! I was a square peg when I was in high school!” And he said, “Why don’t you write about that?”</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Frank had the idea he could sell a high school show to CBS. There wasn’t a show like that at the
time. I guess there had been <i>Welcome Back,
Kotter</i> and <i>Happy Days</i>, but at the time there wasn’t a show of that
nature. And he knew that CBS was wanting
to skew younger -- which was a little bit of an uphill battle. So we went in, and I had never pitched a
sitcom. I had never written a sitcom, or
spec script, or had anything to do with the word “sitcom” -- and it kind of
stuck in my throat a little bit.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">I went in to CBS and had thought out what my life had been
like in high school, me and my best friend.
So <i>Square Pegs</i> was based on us; I was the Sarah Jessica Parker character,
the skinny one with glasses, and she was the short one with braces. I harkened back to us, when we were in Somers
High School in the ‘60s, in Somers, New York.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">I wasn’t a big sitcom watcher. So in my concept, I harkened back to [the
1959-63 CBS sitcom <i>The Many Loves of</i>] <i>Dobie Gillis</i>. That was a model of a high school show that I
really liked. And then when I went in to
pitch, guess who was in the room? Dobie Gillis! Because Dwayne Hickman was an executive at CBS
at this point. So here I go in to have a
meeting with Kim LeMasters who was the CBS development exec at the time, and in
the room – the way there’s always 3 or 4 people in the room – was Dobie himself! I thought at the time that this was either
good or bad omen. I guess it proved
good. Because there I was, talking how
much I loved <i>Dobie Gillis</i> and how my show could be like that. That was the pitch.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">My agent had set up for us to meet at NBC the next day. I was at the Chateau Marmont [hotel], getting dressed
for the meeting, and the phone rang. It
was my agent and the executives from CBS.
They had some concerns and questions about the show. And basically it was, what about sex, drugs
and rock and roll? This was 1981, I
guess, because I was on SNL from ’75 to ’80. So this was the fall of ‘81. Were these
girls having sex? This was pre-<i>Dawson’s
Creek</i>; you did not want the answer to be yes. You wanted the answer to be no, because they
wanted to do something that was basically an 8 o’clock show. And I said no, that they weren’t– which was
perfectly true. I wasn’t telling them
just what they wanted to hear, but what my vision of the show was.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">[My main characters] aspired to those things, but were
nowhere near reaching them. And I quoted
another archetype, another movie that was important for me, which was <i>The
World of Henry Orient</i>. About a
little girl chasing Peter Sellers around New York -- which I later learned was
actually based on the real experience of the author, with Oscar Levant, of all
people. The original book was written by
Nunnally Johnson’s daughter [Nora], and she had had for some bizarre reason an insane
crush on Oscar Levant, so that was why there was this concert pianist character,
played by Sellers, who they were crazy in love with.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">I said that’s sort of the level of sexuality these [<i>Square
Pegs</i>] girls are operating on. So the
CBS executives got it, and they bought the show on the phone. Sad to say, I never had the meeting with NBC,
because that actually would have been a better network, probably. Hindsight being 20/20, maybe that would have
kept the show on the air longer, because they were still struggling. It turned out it was actually one of Brandon Tartikoff’s
favorite shows. He tried to buy it as a
summer replacement show, but they had already unfortunately syndicated it to USA,
so that deal didn’t happen.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i>Cheers</i> was on NBC, and they had lower ratings than we
did that year. But [Tartikoff] believed
in that show, and kept it on the air. Unfortunately
we were on the “Tiffany Network,” and were messing with CBS’ ratings. This in the day when there were only three
networks. We had a 23 share. Now if you had a 23 share, you would be the
queen of Hollywood. More people saw <i>Square
Pegs</i> than ever watched an episode of <i>Everybody Loves Raymond</i>, and <i>Square
Pegs</i> was a flop. That’s the ironic
part about it!<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">We did special material for the <i>Square Pegs</i> DVD, which comes
out on May 13 [2008], and I think it will do well, although that depends upon if
they promote it or not. But it might do
quite well, because people who were fans might buy it now for their kids. Because it’s been 25 years. So I think maybe the people who were 13-year-old
girls are moms now, and might say it’s great for their kids. That’s what I’m hoping, anyway. There could be potentially a new generation
of fans. There’s still a tremendous
amount of web presence for the show, all these web sites and things like that,
and places where you can download episode guides and songs. There’s a tremendous amount of fan stuff that’s
out there.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2dtO-KCr-7tBY2phBd8dFQtBoK3Gad4K9yBg7RrtBFSv3Qr53t1NY0wi1EaRTq01Ggr-BSOtP0BQz0MO0_ZaWgWAe1DjbQKZqFmYO_frh7cowpEwIo3MQ3xGL4-Uzo4xSVNOsCGTOm1tw/s960/Square+Pegs+Patty+and+Lauren.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2dtO-KCr-7tBY2phBd8dFQtBoK3Gad4K9yBg7RrtBFSv3Qr53t1NY0wi1EaRTq01Ggr-BSOtP0BQz0MO0_ZaWgWAe1DjbQKZqFmYO_frh7cowpEwIo3MQ3xGL4-Uzo4xSVNOsCGTOm1tw/s320/Square+Pegs+Patty+and+Lauren.jpg" /></a></div><b> </b><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>The Launch of SJP, and Her New Friend, Amy Linker<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal">We tried to tie the DVD to coincide with the <i>Sex and the
City</i> movie. We were able to get Sarah
Jessica Parker on all the extras – actually all the cast members, except Merritt
Butrick, who died [in 1989] and Jon Caliri, who was unavailable. [SJP] had done Annie, but as she herself has
said, she was not the first <i>Annie </i>[on Broadway]; she was like Annie #3 in the production, and
she wasn’t Andrea McArdle. And so
really, that had not
launched her career; so yeah, we did kind of discover her. The person who was really responsible for
that was Eve Brandstein -- she was the casting director for Norman Lear -- who
also could be credited for discovering George Clooney and so many others. She put a lot of people on shows.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">When I finally wrote the pilot script – it was kind of
amazing because it was the first sitcom ever I had anything to do with – I wrote the
script, rewrote the script, it went to pilot, and then series. I was like “Oh, I think I’ll do this [for a
living.]” Little did I know, it was like
getting struck by lightning to get that to happen.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">When the show was going to go to pilot, every production company
in Hollywood was sniffing around, because I had this deal and a show for which I’d
just written the script completely on my own.
So I was the most popular person in Hollywood at that point. People were sending me flowers and champagne
– it was amazing. On the strength of Mary
Kay Place’s recommendation, I went with Norman’s company. She said “If you want to have your creative vision
serviced…” That’s how Eve and I first
met. Eve and Kim Friedman, who directed
the pilot, and I went on a cross-country mission to find kids for this
show. And one of the big things about
Tandem, as Norman’s company was called then, was that they were willing to cast
age appropriately. Because everybody
else wanted [actors] over 18. Like in <i>90210</i>; they didn’t want the trouble of working with actual, real kids. And so that was another reason that really
sold me on [Tandem] as a production company, because they did work with kids. With <i>The Facts of Life</i> and so on, they
were accustomed to it, and would cast age appropriately.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Sarah Jessica Parker was the first person that I ever saw
for the role of Patty. Eve brought her
in. We were in New York, and she read,
and Eve was like, “Isn’t she great!” And
I was like “Yes… but she’s too pretty.” Eve had a pair of sunglasses, knocked
out the lenses, and put them on her, and said, “Now have her read.” I still wasn’t convinced. We made her come back like 8 times to
audition. You know how it is – do you
take the first apartment you see?<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Obviously she was the best person -- and with the Lauren
character, we had similar issues because we were meeting these chubby girls. And we knew we could put on fake braces. But we were still reading girls who were
chunky, and couldn’t find anybody. Then
I had the idea that we could put her in a fat suit. Because I remembered when we were doing the
bees on <i>SNL</i>, and we had these little padded body suits for the bee characters. In 1982, the whole thing of prosthetics
wasn’t nearly as advanced as now. But
still I thought, “Why can’t we do that?” So poor Amy Linker had to wear fake braces and
body padding and still deliver a performance.
Sarah had, of course, fake glasses, and as she said, she had to dress as
an Appalachian child. She got her
revenge for that later!<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Casting the Cool Kids<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal">Literally, we went everywhere. San Francisco, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago. Jami Gertz was in Chicago, and she had kind
of done local commercials. Nothing
really. And Tracy Nelson was a funny
thing, because she said to me when she auditioned, “You worked with my father.” I was like “What?” and it turned out her dad
was Ricky Nelson, who had been a host on <i>SNL</i>. Which made me feel a lot older suddenly. I got a few gray hairs there, I think.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">So we did really do the <i>Gone With the Wind</i> talent
search to get these people, the embodiment of the characters as I saw
them. One reason the show worked so
well, I have to credit the casting. John
Huston used to say casting was everything, and I really have to say that it is.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>A Slice of Real Life</b></p><p class="MsoNormal">I think [all the characters] were high school archetypes. That may have changed, but I suspect not all
that much. There’s the student leader
like Muffy, the king and queen like Vinnie and Jennifer. And then Jennifer had to have a friend and
confidante, and I really wanted to have the show be multiracial, so it was logical
to me to have an African American girl [played by Claudette Wells]. Which also was groundbreaking; not since <i>I,
Spy</i> had there been black and white friends.
And this was 1982! So that was
important to me that there be a person of color in the show. As there had been back where I was; Somers
was a predominantly white bedroom suburb, but there were Black kids in the
school.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">My friend does know that Lauren was based on her – and I
think she’s flattered. I had saved all
the notes we wrote to each other when I was in high school. The one issue was whether the show needed to
be period or not, like <i>The Wonder Years,</i> which came later. I really wanted it to be contemporary, because
I wanted to be able to do jokes about Reagan and things like that, and be “of
today.” So I borrowed the daughter of a friend of mine and
her friend, who were 14-year-old girls who went to private
school in Manhattan, and lived in Soho. So
I thought of them as reasonably sophisticated.
I wanted to check that I wasn’t totally off. I remember, I took them to lunch and said, “Is
there anyone in your school who is doing this?”
And they said “Oh no, only the sluts!”
And I thought, “God, things have not changed.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">And then I asked them, “Who are your heroes?” and they said
Che Guevara – they didn’t really know who he was but had a poster – and James Dean. And then I was like “Okay, I can still write
this.” But then I tried to keep my ears
open to current slang, and that’s how the Jennifer Valley Girl character came
about. And that was before the song “Valley
Girl;” even though the show was on the air after the Moon Zappa song came out,
we had shot the pilot before that. That
was something Tracy came up with. I
remember Tracy said – she was not conventionally the pretty girl -- that she
was auditioning with all these girls more conventionally gorgeous. And they were like, “You’re not here for the
Jennifer character!” They were mean to
her. And so she figured “I’m going to
get this” – this fierce resolve. Here
were the girls who had been mean to her in high school! She ended up doing a devastating take on people
she had observed.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyFmEZpVlS6T7nDuxKd-1IJGIuQpIDtG-yhJVzSSq8PQn48iqRXUMn4A0UuByK7sBRN6VqUJ84gTv7B1kSC7zWVhH_Qq1LcrEl4LkcIj3ulh7BcH7eUQOqi7AO5Uee618qXln80Eawrtxn/s1024/Square+Pegs+Devo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="691" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyFmEZpVlS6T7nDuxKd-1IJGIuQpIDtG-yhJVzSSq8PQn48iqRXUMn4A0UuByK7sBRN6VqUJ84gTv7B1kSC7zWVhH_Qq1LcrEl4LkcIj3ulh7BcH7eUQOqi7AO5Uee618qXln80Eawrtxn/s320/Square+Pegs+Devo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p><b>The Music of Square Pegs</b></p><p class="MsoNormal">The music was another thing that was groundbreaking – this
was pre-<i>Miami Vice</i>. There really
hadn’t been rock and roll on TV since Ricky Nelson. It was very important to me that the music be
part of their world. Johnny Slash, the
anomalous character, was the way the music came into the show. If you want to talk archetypes, there’s
always the strange kid. And he said he
was “left back and laid back.” It’s like
that line in <i>Animal House: </i>“Six
years of college down the drain.”</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">I was listening to the radio, and I was going to clubs in New
York, and was hearing these [New Wave] groups.
What was interesting about The Waitresses -- my friend Lynn Goldsmith is
a rock and roll photographer who just put a book out. She had taken shots of all these iconic
people, like Springsteen. She was
someone I turned to for music world connections. She told me about The Waitresses, “the perfect
group for your show.” I was like “Okay,
the Waitresses.” And then
[coincidentally] I was listening to a song on the radio, “I Know What Boys Like”
– [and thought] “this is the perfect group for my show!” I said, “I don’t know about the Waitresses,
but I want the group who did this song!”
So we got them, brought them out [to L.A.] to be in the pilot, and
also to write the theme song. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">When they had <i>Square Pegs</i> on Nick at Nite at one
point, they had a sequence which thrilled me, where they had people in the
street, singing theme songs -- and they had people singing the <i>Square Pegs</i>
theme song. So I was pretty pleased. I worked with them [in writing] it – glasses,
and cliques, and so on. I was telling
them what it should deal with.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Once we did the pilot, and then it was picked up by CBS,
which was also quite an amazing thing, the market research for it was not
good. It said things like “These kids
should be in an insane asylum, not a high school. They’re disrespectful of adults.” Cleverly, Kim LeMasters kept it under his
hat, because luckily for me, he had been promoted up the ranks as the show had moved
along, and had more power, and was a big proponent of the show. And ultimately [CBS senior programs executive] Harvey Shephard also became
very fond of it. His daughter, Greer Shephard,
went on to produce such shows as <i>Popular</i>, and was a big fan of the show.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">At one point, for Muffy’s bat mitzvah, it had originally
been booked to be The Clash, and they fell through. And funny, to think that The Clash was going
to be on <i>Square Pegs</i>. When they
fell through, we had the Boomtown Rats begging to be on the show. They sent us a side of smoked salmon. Meanwhile, Devo was also another possibility,
and they were local. So I had to call up
CBS and ask them which. Harvey called
his daughter Greer and asked her – she was in high school at the time – and she
picked Devo. So Devo was on the
show. And then they tried to cancel, and
I couldn’t find out why they were cancelling; and it turned out the head Devo
guy had scheduled root canal for the same week.
I remember being on the phone with him saying, “Change your appointment
– you have a contract!”</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Square Pegs on the Air<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal">When the pilot got picked up, I had to hire a writing staff.
That was another struggle, because I
remember they made me hire Andy Borowitz.
They didn’t want to
have a staff composed entirely of women.
I wanted women because I was writing about girls in high school, so it seemed
the writers should be women. So the
staff was women, and Andy. He was our token
male. We used to call him Tootsie Borowitz. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i>M*A*S*H</i> was the only other single-camera show on the
air at the time. Our [Director of
Photography] was a guy who had worked on <i>M*A*S*H.</i> He was about 70 or something. Emil Oster.
People were not shooting single-cam because it is more expensive; but
now, everything is single camera.
Obviously there will always be multi cam shows, because comedians like
to perform in front of a live audience. I
teach sitcom at USC – I work for the writing division of the School of Cinema
and Television, now called the School of Cinematic Arts because George Lucas
gave them a bunch of money. I’m an
adjunct professor. And almost all the
shows I’m teaching are single-camera. <i>Entourage</i>,
<i>Weeds</i>, even <i>Scrubs</i> or <i>30 Rock</i>. So that was another issue. And that was another reason why – when I was
in this bidding war where people were wining and dining me and wanting me to
pick their production company – one of the stipulations I had had was that I
wanted the show to be single cam.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">I had worked on commercial parodies on <i>SNL</i> and actual
commercials in England, which is where I had first worked in TV: 30 millimeter
film, sixty-second black-and-white TV commercials in the ‘60s in London. So it was very important to me to do [<i>Square
Pegs</i>] in single camera, because for me it was a reality element. I felt it should be [shot] in a real high
school. And it was shot in a real,
abandoned high school, in Norwalk, California.
It had been condemned for heating problems. It was the school where they had shot <i>Grease
2</i>. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">The show was supposed to be set in upstate New York, outside
of New York City – a la Somers. But it
was odd, because there ended up being a Valley Girl on the east coast – because
she was a transfer student. The reason
we shot it in Norwalk was to find a school that looked like one of those WGA
school buildings they built during the Depression on the East Coast. There wasn’t that kind of school in Beverly Hills. And so the exterior shot was actually a middle
school that’s over on McCadden place in Hollywood, and the interiors were all
at the school in Norwalk, which was great; we would never have been able to
build those sets. We had the full
cafeteria, and an auditorium and theater – it was an amazing physical plant.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">What was very lucky was there was a football strike. Football was on another network, ABC, but it
was lucky for us in terms of our competition.
We were on opposite <i>Little House on the Prairie</i> on NBC, so that
was the real ratings competition, because obviously it was a similar audience. I never wrote the show to be a kids’
show. I didn’t realize that, that they
would say “Is it an 8 o’clock show or a 10 o’clock show?” To me it was a show. It was meant to be for everybody. It was sort of ghettoized by CBS in a way I
never intended to happen.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">[Mondays at 8PM] wasn’t a great night or a great time
slot. But because of the football strike,
we were protected for a while. Then they
moved us to Wednesdays at 8:30, and that was the death of the show. They said “We have great new show to give you
as a lead in: <i>Zorro and Son</i>.” There wasn’t a lot of competition, but in a
counter-programming move, NBC moved <i>The A-Team</i> up to 8 o’clock, and that
was the end. Suddenly we got a 12 share
– still not so shabby in today’s terms, but then it was death. I was in New York and called up to get the
overnights, and the girl told me 12, and I knew pretty much that it was
over. And then she asked me for a job,
and I wanted to go, “With timing like that, stay out of comedy.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">We got cancelled after 20 episodes. It would have been nice to get 22 or 24, but
we had 20. We had a lot of support from
the network. We had a lot of support
from CBS, but not from the production company.
That show was expensive for them, and the guy who was running it, who
later went back to England, just never got the show and didn’t support it. He actually left the company after that year,
because he also had allowed them to cancel <i>Archie Bunker’s Place</i> on his
watch, and it wasn’t taken very well. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">We were on at 8, so we were trying to start the night. We didn’t have a hammock, a lead-in. The only lead-in we ever got was <i>Zorro and
Son</i>, and of course that was famous [as a disaster, lasting just five
episodes]. The thing about it is that if
right now, you had a show that every 13- to 16-year-old girl was watching,
you’d have <i>Gossip Girl</i>. And you’d
be a big hit. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">But here's the big difference between our show and other teen shows, like <i>Our So-Called Life</i>. Our show was a comedy. And I think that is a big difference. If the show had been kept on the air, it had the potential to be more successful than drippy shows about teenage angst. Our show was based on the premise that someday you'll look back on all this and laugh.</p>Jim Coluccihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07131834400134022036noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518790918151393424.post-34688144930644991272021-02-23T17:00:00.001-05:002021-02-23T17:06:15.956-05:00Join the Pet Set<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjMaZ7IbXYLtHwFzqN5tK2d5x0j-pfBqHDFBffL4zIqewdM_CiYmimQoQp9pbCrcsfy0n8bpGQL-e6WTakL08dnNOd6nR30CgGYnRmO6XJ5WzFzevGPYe0-Paqo6APnouNZmRN8k38Z85q/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="267" data-original-width="189" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjMaZ7IbXYLtHwFzqN5tK2d5x0j-pfBqHDFBffL4zIqewdM_CiYmimQoQp9pbCrcsfy0n8bpGQL-e6WTakL08dnNOd6nR30CgGYnRmO6XJ5WzFzevGPYe0-Paqo6APnouNZmRN8k38Z85q/w283-h400/Betty+White+Pet+Set+DVD.jfif" width="283" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-large;">I</span>f you are a fan of animals, of classic TV -- and here's a no-brainer: a fan of <b>Betty White</b> -- then you'll want to check out today's DVD box set release of her early '70s talk show, <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Betty-Whites-Pet-Set-Complete/dp/B08NZ3L2GQ/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=Betty+White%27s+Pet+Set&qid=1614117895&sr=8-2" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: medium;">Betty White's Pet Set</span></a></i>.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJRjFrfhdjvRa0IaL-YFjvobvWnBBnY7FCPRl5K49_5A_vF-tPZAQCq4xe59sUv3Xu4PGNHrJFoHTajy1alJyLq6xuIX1nuqF4x30rnWT5B4qtEO_iL8Lrpep6DvIUAcmuAoWFGmmbx_yS/s1280/Betty+White+Pet+Set+Mary+Tyler+Moore.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJRjFrfhdjvRa0IaL-YFjvobvWnBBnY7FCPRl5K49_5A_vF-tPZAQCq4xe59sUv3Xu4PGNHrJFoHTajy1alJyLq6xuIX1nuqF4x30rnWT5B4qtEO_iL8Lrpep6DvIUAcmuAoWFGmmbx_yS/w200-h113/Betty+White+Pet+Set+Mary+Tyler+Moore.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>The show's 39 full-color episodes, which debuted in 1970 -- in one early episode, Betty hosts her friend <b>Mary Tyler Moore</b>, years before she would join that show and become an iconic member of its cast -- boast a veritable who's who of '70s television, each star stopping by to show off a beloved pet. It's such a revealing and intimate look at the stars' personal lives, the kind you won't get during a packaged, PR-approved visit to <i>The Tonight Show</i>.<p></p><p>No one will ever have a career like Betty's, spanning eight decades in televi<br />sion, because Betty was quite literally there when they first turned on the TV cameras in Los Angeles, hosting hours each day of live talk. By the time of <i>Pet Set</i>, Betty was an established pro, and it shows in her quick wit, and her ability to make her guests comfortable and move the segments along. Combine that with her innate love for and comfort with all creatures great, small, and even deadly, and also her relationships with experts in zoology and conservation, and you have a breezy half hour that's both enlightening and entertaining.</p><p></p><p>I've heard that Betty has had these episodes sitting in her treasure chest for years, and decided now, at the show's 50th anniversary, was the perfect time to release them for a new generation to enjoy. (They are also apparently available, for a fee, on Amazon Prime.) The box set, which was released today, also boasts a good number of special features, including a behind-the-scenes mini-documentary; promo and public service spots; photo galleries of Betty and pets and also Betty and her husband /fellow producer Allen Ludden; and several featurettes about Betty subtitled <i>Game Show Goddess</i> and <i>Queen of Television</i>.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqAw-72QMflEbph9FwWqZML0Kp-B2-5Aj1ok8NP_tCChUOaUswv8gVWYi_5pfh8IYOoIhunVZxNwGxAPAOTQjxgWs50BvBh2As9Dyl5S-2XiSgLRZ2i_7vIMMo7uXtnlWRseYuaGBQqe10/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="204" data-original-width="247" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqAw-72QMflEbph9FwWqZML0Kp-B2-5Aj1ok8NP_tCChUOaUswv8gVWYi_5pfh8IYOoIhunVZxNwGxAPAOTQjxgWs50BvBh2As9Dyl5S-2XiSgLRZ2i_7vIMMo7uXtnlWRseYuaGBQqe10/w200-h165/Betty+White+Pet+Set+James+Brolin.jfif" width="200" /></a></div><p></p><p>I spent the weekend bingeing episodes with such amazing guests as Mary Tyler Moore, Carol Burnett, Paul Lynde, <b>Agnes Moorehead</b>, Beverly Garland, Lorne Greene, Eve Arden and Barbara Feldon -- and I have so many more to look forward to, including Doris Day, James Stewart, Burt Reynolds, Shirley Jones, Michael Landon, Barbara Eden, <b>James Brolin</b>, Della Reese, Vincent Price, Eva Gabor, Eddie Albert, Peter Marshall, Rose Marie, Bob Crane, Bill Bixby, Jim Nabors, Bob Barker, Mike Connors, Barbara Bain, Dennis Weaver, Johnny Mathis, Donald O'Connor, Merv Griffin, Rod Serling, Pat Carroll, Peter Lawford, Vikki Carr, Amanda Blake, Arte Johnson, Sue Anne Langdon, Miyoshi Umeki, Richard Deacon, Nancy Kulpe and Billy DeWolfe.</p><p>Between <i>Pet Set</i> and my continued viewings of <i>The Love Boat</i> in preparation for writing my next book, I can look forward to spending many of these pandemic hours with some old friends from sunnier times past. Thanks, Betty!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRkt_2A1AP7CjXzum5xT3Nt4DgzTZ9EoNKp5-xE8O2PNLWjTAx3xQzzLY-bacXnSsMj_GZQpMR3AFXXL3gG93VL61zMe6mrARBh_yqg_5lengcz4Orco7KD3-yFsQHXtQq4lbTzF2IgRXN/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="264" data-original-width="191" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRkt_2A1AP7CjXzum5xT3Nt4DgzTZ9EoNKp5-xE8O2PNLWjTAx3xQzzLY-bacXnSsMj_GZQpMR3AFXXL3gG93VL61zMe6mrARBh_yqg_5lengcz4Orco7KD3-yFsQHXtQq4lbTzF2IgRXN/w290-h400/Betty+White+Pet+Set+Agnes+Moorehead.jpg.jfif" width="290" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>Jim Coluccihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07131834400134022036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518790918151393424.post-22471508540231422122020-08-19T17:31:00.009-04:002023-12-01T19:54:38.983-05:00The Kids Are More Than All Right -- and you have a second chance to see them<p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-large;"></span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: xx-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx2XpUzql9osnEmXG7wLk0tEpvjSvFLsSEQLb2CdvrmHc0qTRQ7T46e99A9fy6UsfjvH97F5GUFRVqK2lEgxyhABH6VU0PHqNdhhv9E0SRTBe5Vy7-O9ajXpZdD8bj4W3pOqmN3pzy8mLs/s311/The+Kids+Are+Alright.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="162" data-original-width="311" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx2XpUzql9osnEmXG7wLk0tEpvjSvFLsSEQLb2CdvrmHc0qTRQ7T46e99A9fy6UsfjvH97F5GUFRVqK2lEgxyhABH6VU0PHqNdhhv9E0SRTBe5Vy7-O9ajXpZdD8bj4W3pOqmN3pzy8mLs/w249-h130/The+Kids+Are+Alright.jpg" width="249" /></a></div>F</span>or as much success as ABC has had in launching comedies that introduced us to American families of different ethnicities -- <i>black-ish</i>, <i>The Goldbergs</i>, and <i>Fresh Off the Boat</i>, as the most prominent examples -- the network has for some reason been unable, or more likely too impatient, to make a success out of a sitcom featuring an Irish-American clan.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">In 2016, ABC launched the very funny <i>The Real O'Neals</i>, about a modern day Irish-Catholic family with a gay son -- but cancelled the whole enterprise after just two abbreviated seasons and 29 episodes.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Then in 2018 came <i>The Kids Are Alright</i>, an, I daresay, even better, funnier comedy, about the exploits of the gaggle of eight Cleary brothers </span><span style="font-family: arial;">and their comically world-weary parents (</span><b style="font-family: arial;">Mary McCormack</b><span style="font-family: arial;"> and </span><b style="font-family: arial;">Michael Cudlitz</b><span style="font-family: arial;">) </span><span style="font-family: arial;">in the turbulent 1970s. One needn't be Irish-American like me to appreciate the warmth and authenticity of this truly lau</span><span style="font-family: arial;">gh-out-loud show -- plus, isn't everyone Irish at least that one day a year in March</span><span style="font-family: arial;">? -- but ABC clearly didn't see it that way. In one of the network's more shocking, short-sighted cancellations of late (although remember, they also prematurely cancelled </span><i style="font-family: arial;">The Real O'Neals</i><span style="font-family: arial;">, </span><i style="font-family: arial;">Better Off Ted</i><span style="font-family: arial;"> and </span><i style="font-family: arial;">Happy Endings</i><span style="font-family: arial;">, so should we be surprised, really?), the Cleary Kids lasted just one season.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I'm sure no one was as disappointed as the show's creator, <b>Tim Doyle</b>, and not just for the usual workaday reasons, but because <i>The Kids Are Alright</i> was based on his own upbringing, as the artistic child with acting aspirations amid a writhing horde of brothers. Doyle, whose credits include beloved shows like <i>Better Off Ted</i> and <i>Ellen</i>, on which he served as executive producer, used his acting background to provide the voiceover narration for the show, which faithfully retold many of his own hilariously humiliating life stories.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">But now, in a streaming world, is any sitcom family truly dead? Just recently, all twenty-three episodes of <i>The Kids Are Alright</i> popped up on Hulu, which is both a joy and relief to me, because now I can safely delete them from the valuable real estate on my DVR. In celebration of the Clearys' return, I asked Tim six questions -- I should have made it eight, one for each Cleary kid -- about why we should watch.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Must-Hear TV</b>: H</span><span style="background-color: white;">ow did the show end up getting on Hulu?</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2x_uFHAWhD-aAgVJh9g8HSbQu6mtGp0GcMXdLLtUr1HbHuPvi8rcXL7jL3C_mbHCDLSjckCm3Df7XPgtKNkN0kQNGC9wHGNcc3Q80wmIoh9B3iN7qAX4TKSOzoDnA-rGEHsBi4Q50OYd3/s299/hulu+logo.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="299" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2x_uFHAWhD-aAgVJh9g8HSbQu6mtGp0GcMXdLLtUr1HbHuPvi8rcXL7jL3C_mbHCDLSjckCm3Df7XPgtKNkN0kQNGC9wHGNcc3Q80wmIoh9B3iN7qAX4TKSOzoDnA-rGEHsBi4Q50OYd3/w239-h134/hulu+logo.png" width="239" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Tim Doyle</b>: </span><span style="background-color: white;">During the initial run, Disney made each episode available after airing on the</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><a href="http://abc.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="background-color: white; color: blue; cursor: pointer;" target="_blank">abc.com</a><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">website and Hulu. But after we didn’t get our season two or</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">der, it was quickly pulled down from both — which seemed weird. I didn’t understand their hurry to make us unavailable. Other canceled ABC shows were still being offered. Hell, there are canceled shows which I wrote back in the ‘90s still running on those sites. My first TV job, Jim Henson’s </span><i style="font-family: arial;">Dinosaurs,</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;"> is coming back to Disney+ in a couple of weeks!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;">Fans of <i>The Kids Are Alright</i> kept contacting me on social media, complaining they couldn’t watch those original 23 episodes — nothing on any streaming service, no DVD release. What gives? Then when the quarantine descended, it just struck me as wasteful, like the company was missing a bet to give folks something they might enj</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">oy bingeing during these crazy times, and maybe even build a new audience who didn’t find the show during its network run.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;">When fans reached out, I basically started encouraging them to write to Disney Channel, Disney+, ABC, Hulu — the various platforms Disney now owns. These fans are passionate. I think they even sent a few pleading letters to Nat Geo! And suddenly I got a nice email from Peter Rice, the CEO of Walt Disney Television, telling me that <i>Kids</i> would go back up on Hulu starting August 5. No idea what their internal process was, but I have to assume that viewer enthusiasm must have played a role.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>MHTV</b>: </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">How do you feel about the show being back and available for viewers to discover?</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;"><b>TD</b>: </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">I obviously think it’s great. You make these shows to be seen, and I’m afraid <i>Kids</i> never really got the launch it deserved. Any interest in our premiere got massively overshadowed by the huge scandal in the fall of 2018 surrounding Roseanne getting herself fired from our lead-in show, <i>The Conners</i>.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">The press pretty much ignored our premiere, when they weren’t being preemptively dismissive as they often are with new network offerings. The glib wisdom regarding us was that we were just a ‘70s version of <i>The Goldbergs</i> — which nobody who watched a single episode would ever actually say. I must have read ten versions of the same smarty-pants “Goldberg Variations” joke among the quippy quick hot takes folks who write for the short attention span media.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">It was gratifying, however, when more serious TV columnists weighed in a</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">nd we got almost universal praise, I assume because they actually took the time to watch the episodes. We received an extremely high rating on Rotten Tomatoes as well, and the pilot script earned a WGA nomination for best writing of a comedy episode. I felt confident that if we made past summer we could easily pick up a few Emmy nods — at least Mary McCormack, Michael Cudlitz and our art department. With that encouragement the cast and crew worked insanely hard and delivered a consistently strong first series of 23 episodes. The show did well but was never quite a ratings hit, struggling to break through all the media clutter. So now I feel like there’s got to be a massive captive audience out there who can discover and love this show if we can only help them find it on Hulu.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKLQ_cooTJPVQrdEuxP5X9-5W8vuZgGYUTUC92pc6t9_ZDNmPkRWz3eQXo3lUZtFycMTAgl6iuqUDbnpaIt247nuvvOl3ek9u73CVl1yz9WmadfOpmzZ7wAl8cgfW2BSCma3Ci4tWF8lGd/s2000/The+Kids+Are+Alright+Cleary+family.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="2000" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKLQ_cooTJPVQrdEuxP5X9-5W8vuZgGYUTUC92pc6t9_ZDNmPkRWz3eQXo3lUZtFycMTAgl6iuqUDbnpaIt247nuvvOl3ek9u73CVl1yz9WmadfOpmzZ7wAl8cgfW2BSCma3Ci4tWF8lGd/w410-h273/The+Kids+Are+Alright+Cleary+family.jpg" width="410" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;"><b>MHTV</b>: </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">What to you is so personal about the Clearys that you want to share with the audience?</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;"><b></b></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGSe3TulTajdmfs-n4xvIju9VQfXBg8EV9yLAkHINO8RF9NLuS-syURDRqmknY5kaGSVFFN6E8zIhZhArkKAe-emKOXxtYeRBbc_idrbIB-CI8UYLgxJdxH6eLfLiR7muB7I7CwOlvsGEn/s260/Tim+Doyle+with+Kids+Are+Alright+actor.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="260" data-original-width="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGSe3TulTajdmfs-n4xvIju9VQfXBg8EV9yLAkHINO8RF9NLuS-syURDRqmknY5kaGSVFFN6E8zIhZhArkKAe-emKOXxtYeRBbc_idrbIB-CI8UYLgxJdxH6eLfLiR7muB7I7CwOlvsGEn/s0/Tim+Doyle+with+Kids+Are+Alright+actor.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Kids Are Alright creator<br />Tim Doyle with his TV alter ego,<br />Jack Gore, at PaleyFest,<br />September 8, 2018.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;"><b>TD</b>: </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">Well, it really is based upon my childhood, my family, my parents -- so writing it was the most gratifying and fascinating creative act I have ever experienced, a true act of confession — of saying things I’ve always wanted to say about being a brother, being a parent, being a son, being a Catholic, being lower middle class, and living through that very confusing decade of the 1970s. For thirty years I’ve been writing other people’s TV shows, tellin</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">g my own stories only through</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;"> that distorted, veile</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">d lens. By contrast </span><i style="font-family: arial;">Kids</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;"> was so pure and gratifying. No, it’s not a documentary. A lot of things had to be changed from my real life for technical reasons, for legal reasons, or for comedy, but... I can now say to my daughter, or some grandchild down the road... to anybody interested, really: If you want to know who I am, watch the show. It’s all in there. I got that rare opportunity in an artist’s life to cut straight down to the bone and give you my DNA. And a major corporation paid for it all! </span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;"><b>MHTV</b>: </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">What parallels are there between the time period the Clearys live in versus where we are now?</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;"><b>TD</b>: </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">The anger in the public discourse was very similar to now, the social and political divide. I think now is worse, but only by a bit. In 1972 some of our beloved national leaders had recently been ASSASSINATED, and we watched it happen on live TV — as disorienting, scary and surreal as witnessing 9-11.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">The Vietnam War had us divided. Nixon had us divided. Like today everyone was on a hair trigger of rage, exhilaration and frustration as we watched violent street protest and a presidency falling apart. Would our republic even survive? These are real questions we worried over then and are definitely revisiting today.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">My father had terrible politics. But I loved and respected him. I loved my mom as well but she was suppressed and oppressed by the times, never becoming the fully realized person she certainly should have been. And watching the two of them struggle and puzzle through those turbulent years where everything they valued was suddenly up for grabs gave me the perspective to become — for good and for bad — the person and the artist I am today. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;"><b>MHTV</b>: </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">Were you surprised the show didn't get picked up for season 2? What were your plans for the family and their further experiences?</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;"><b>TD</b>: </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">There were a number of warning signs along the way, but I was still absolutely flabbergasted with disbelief when ABC chose not to order a second season. In my mind — and I think there’s an objective case to be made for it — we were the BEST comedy on their schedule, CERTAINLY better than several of the shows with LOWER or absolutely comparable ratings which they chose to renew instead. I could not believe the choices they made.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">I remember telling Karey Burke that she must possess a high threshold for embarrassment to keep several of the shitty shows she did and toss mine in a dumpster. (BTW this lack of diplomacy with my bosses might also have been a factor in getting my show canned.) In retrospect, our status on the network became much less secure as soon as Channing Dungey and Jamilla Hunter left ABC in December 2018, and were replaced by Dana Walden and Karey. A new creative team coming in always wants to prove itself with a sharp change of direction, and <i>Kids</i> was a leftover project of Channing’s. She had been our champion. Suddenly ABC was giving us fewer on-air promotions, our strong lead-in <i>The Conners</i> went away, and we found ourselves pre-empted to try out new shows in our time-slot. I should have seen the writing but I still naively thought that our superior quality would win the day.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">In terms of season 2 and beyond, I have notebooks full of scribbled notions, things we just never got to in the first 23. And more stuff pops up every day — a glance at an old family album or seeing a retro commercial on the internet will send me instantly right back to 1972. The great thing about a series which comes out of your life is the deep story resources immediately at your disposal. Someone in the writers’ room asks, “Did Frank ever have a girlfriend?” or “Did your mom ever work outside the home?” or “Did Joey ever get in serious trouble with the law?” and you’re off to the races with memories of the funny, painful, real stories a family like mine experienced. I would LOVE to get to the REALLY GOOD stuff: Timmy’s adolescence under Joey’s Bob Guccione-style tutelage and the tug-of-war I went through for years (am still going through?) between sex and my more childish passions, like magic, musical theater and puppetry!</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;"><b>MHTV</b>: </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">Is there any chance, particularly if the show does well on Hulu, that it could come back? And if it does, will you please change the spelling to "All Right?!" </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;"><b>TD</b>: </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">There’s always a chance. Just a year or two ago I would have scoffed. Dead is dead. Once a show has the stink of rejection on it no platform is going to risk the shame of associating itself with a proven failure.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">But I can’t argue with the passion of our fans. They keep asking me for more — an animated cartoon, a comic book, a novel, a Halloween or a Christmas special. You have to think “never say never” these days. There is just sooooooo much TV and so so so many players with such a voracious appetite for content. Yes, I’ve moved on to other projects but I’m still scribbling in my notebooks ideas which I’d love to do on some future iteration of <i>The Kids Are Alright</i>. So wherever I end up next with my new series ideas — cable, streaming, network, Google Maps, the little TV built onto the gas pumps — if I find any further measure of TV success I’ll be looking to leverage that success into a revival of <i>Kids</i> taking place perhaps in 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, reuniting that amazing cast and telling more stories from deep vault of my remarkable but also highly-typical American family. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial;">And yes, I’d be happy to change the “alright.” </span></p>Jim Coluccihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07131834400134022036noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518790918151393424.post-12814544496834242032020-06-17T12:00:00.000-04:002020-06-17T14:27:08.081-04:00You Will Love Love, Victor<br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">Love,
Victor</span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">, starring <b>Michael Cimino</b> as
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 9.5pt;"> premieres
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</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 24pt;">I</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">n 2018, <i>Love, Simon</i> made
big-screen history as Hollywood’s first gay teen romcom. Based
on <b>Becky Albertalli</b>’s 2015 YA novel <i>Simon vs. the Homo
Sapiens Agenda</i>, the film, adapted by <i>This Is Us</i> head-writing
duo <b>Isaac Aptaker</b> and <b>Elizabeth Berger</b> and
directed by gay powerhouse producer <b>Greg Berlanti</b>, ended up
grossing $66.3 million in worldwide box office, against a production budget of
$10-17 million, making it a <i>bona fide</i> hit – and deservedly so.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Having seen <i>Love,
Simon</i> at least a half-dozen times since its release – it has become
one of those films that, if I happen to come across it on TV or even on screen
in a bar, I just drop everything, settle in and watch it to the end – I was
both excited and maybe even a little nervous to hear that the film was being
further adapted into a television series, <i>Love, Victor</i>.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Now, after viewing all
ten episodes of <i>Love, Victor</i>’s first season (which drops on <b>Hulu</b> this <b>Wednesday,
June 17</b>), I am not just pleasantly surprised, but thrilled by this
expansion of the Simonverse. The show has all the film’s best DNA,
including literal links to the <i>Simon</i> characters we fell in
love with, and yet expands the world of Creekwood with new, endearing, and more
diverse characters.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Actually, I didn’t just
“view” all ten episodes of <i>Love, Victor</i>; that word is way too
casual for what my husband, Frank DeCaro, and I did that night last
week. We binged <i>Love, Victor</i>. We devoured
it. And days and days later, we can’t stop thinking about
it. The show may be more literally aimed at a teen audience, to
match its mostly teen characters; but for older viewers as well, gay or
straight, it brilliantly brings you back to those moments in high school when
decisions were tough, when the stakes were high, and when abject humiliation
seemed imminent.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">So if you’re like me,
and immediately binge all ten roughly half-hour episodes in one sitting and are
left in its particularly satisfying, cliffhanging end moments, you’ll be
googling to find out what’s next for Victor and the entire Salazar family in
Atlanta. That’s why, in my interview with <i>Love, Victor</i>’s
executive producer and showrunner <b>Brian Tanen</b> below, I start
with mention of season two, and work my way back.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtoFoiuSm7iPm0yIpF8yMYJcVAU4I61cqHan06RkGr_4EDcGz0JJHSDNHWZWIlfyewg1ttlHT9pgJIR-fNfuj7UPwhvtdEfNnXGuALTQA5q65Z0__fna786X4pPZaBwMMLybWiO1_FE9MK/s1600/103092371_10157693863213759_6207860818738969270_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="653" data-original-width="653" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtoFoiuSm7iPm0yIpF8yMYJcVAU4I61cqHan06RkGr_4EDcGz0JJHSDNHWZWIlfyewg1ttlHT9pgJIR-fNfuj7UPwhvtdEfNnXGuALTQA5q65Z0__fna786X4pPZaBwMMLybWiO1_FE9MK/s200/103092371_10157693863213759_6207860818738969270_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Love,
Victor</span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 107%;"> showrunner <b>Brian
Tanen</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Must-Hear TV</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">: Here we are, just a few days
before <i>Love, Victor</i> premieres on Hulu – and in what seems to
be a big show of confidence on the part of the network, the show is already
renewed for a second season. At this moment, how far are you into
writing season two?</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Brian Tanen</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">: We have been at it for a few weeks.
We're in the early to middle part of the season, coming up with ideas for what
we might be headed, and it's really exciting. [With season one] it was
incredibly exciting and meaningful experience to get to work on a show and a
season about a kid really figuring out who he is and, and as we do within the
LGBT community, having to come to terms with it and stop being afraid of it,
start embracing it and eventually even feel pride for who you are.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">That's really the
journey of season one. So season two is exciting, because it's all
those things that happen next. Once you have figured out who you are, you have
a whole range of experiences that you've been denying yourself. And so it's really
wonderful to get to have a character who has figured things out and gets to
experience first, love first heartbreaks, first sexual experiences --
all the rich experiences that everyone has.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Must-Hear TV</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">: Yes, and I won’t give away the
season one cliffhanger, but boy, did you leave us on a cliff! </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Brian Tanen</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">: It's a cliffhanger but it is also a
really important, conclusive ending to the story of season one. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br /></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglNOI-bZgOQgC8ynf8Jw9nbMRj0vQw8WORNNuIPl_tHBNThIrD5cofUpx2RksOvg-XZ7MYG4QM1Vd7W2p8eCFSqFpjhMOx0Tpm3IXSD5tfrYmNFcyHC37zEWAiDi-fhIWfzI3V2VBqmQFk/s1600/lovevictor_105_103019-2_07519r2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="570" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglNOI-bZgOQgC8ynf8Jw9nbMRj0vQw8WORNNuIPl_tHBNThIrD5cofUpx2RksOvg-XZ7MYG4QM1Vd7W2p8eCFSqFpjhMOx0Tpm3IXSD5tfrYmNFcyHC37zEWAiDi-fhIWfzI3V2VBqmQFk/s320/lovevictor_105_103019-2_07519r2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">Ana
Ortiz</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 9.5pt;"> and <b>James
Martinez </b>as Victor's parents, </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Isabel
and Armando Salazar.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 9.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Previously,
Ana has played the mother of a gay son (<b>Mark Indelicato</b>)
on <i>Ugly Betty</i>,</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 9.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">while </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">James currently recurs as the father of a queer daughter<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 107%;">(<b>Isabella Gomez</b>) on Pop's <i>One Day
at a Time</i>.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">
Must-Hear TV</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">: When you
wrote that last scene of the first season, did you write beyond it, or even
shoot further into the scene to use it in season 2?</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Brian Tanen</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">: I think our feeling was that it was
Victor's [<b>Michael Cimino</b>] journey. And we knew that we didn't want
to go past that. In the opening moments of the show, Victor tells the audience
that his story is nothing like Simon's. And while we know [Victor’s parents]
Isabel and Armando [<b>Ana Ortiz</b> and <b>James Martinez</b>] at
this point of the season, and we know that they're crazy about their kid, we
also know that they're more conservative, they're deeply religious, and we just
know that it's going to be a more complicated journey ahead for Victor.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggbxgeo_ofx206xbqKIgKoGFU71lWsoYiJAbCM1dvzDIWdjj3X5iflpr-RWfchJa1V2QgnobUdOx2cHL3TUy9kcYyXSaMtTsdXlBt-HMw0JOM6M6bFHhUuZeL9qpKrb6LFaJbwyi8q9-fp/s1600/lovevictor_101_090519_5649r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="570" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggbxgeo_ofx206xbqKIgKoGFU71lWsoYiJAbCM1dvzDIWdjj3X5iflpr-RWfchJa1V2QgnobUdOx2cHL3TUy9kcYyXSaMtTsdXlBt-HMw0JOM6M6bFHhUuZeL9qpKrb6LFaJbwyi8q9-fp/s320/lovevictor_101_090519_5649r.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">One of
Armando's first questions is where in the new Atlanta<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 107%;">apartment to hang the crucifix.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Must-Hear TV</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">: What was your first experience with
the “Simonverse” or the Creekwood universe? Did you read the book? Had you seen the movie? How did you get involved with <i>Love, Victor</i>?</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrrDCbZPEuPpfSpCyVpYIHY4DABUgH0UiHTaiJnl2lX2Yxll-LMQMSkhNgHdOG8B2noSLWINydpZV0YRNodwBxyehn30iIF-p4MisMpa525KOCueloEV9J2O096f89TMOUONa3R9Bogix-/s1600/Love+Simon+poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1084" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrrDCbZPEuPpfSpCyVpYIHY4DABUgH0UiHTaiJnl2lX2Yxll-LMQMSkhNgHdOG8B2noSLWINydpZV0YRNodwBxyehn30iIF-p4MisMpa525KOCueloEV9J2O096f89TMOUONa3R9Bogix-/s200/Love+Simon+poster.jpg" width="135" /></a></td></tr>
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<td style="padding: 3.0pt 4.5pt 4.5pt 4.5pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">Nick
Robinson</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 9.5pt;"> in<i> Love, Simon,</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 9.5pt;"> released
in 2018. Nick is one<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">of the producers of <i>Love, Victor</i>.</span></div>
</td>
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</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Brian Tanen</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">: I came to the project originally as
a fan. I had seen the movie and loved it. Then Isaac Aptaker and
Elizabeth Berger, who wrote the film and created this series, met with me early
on in the process to talk about how they wanted to adapt it from film to
television, and they pitched out for me, what their take was on expanding the
universe of Creekwood and how the new story would be connected to Simon from
the film, and I thought it was such a brilliant take. I absolutely adored the
movie. But I understood some of the conversation about the fact that Simon had
this idealized experience. The fact that so much of LGBT
representation is always focused on white characters. The fact that Simon's
family was so accepting, and wealthy, it just seemed like that character came
from a certain amount of privilege. And there was certainly an opportunity to
tell a different story here, which really excited me.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Must-Hear TV</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">: In the structure of the show,
Victor writes to Simon in each episode for advice. In season two, will we
see Victor pay it forward to someone else?</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Brian Tanen</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">: I won't give any spoilers for
season two, but I know on the writers’ room wish list we would love for Victor
to not be alone as an LGBT student at Creekwood. I know we'd love to be more
queer characters to populate our world.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Must-Hear TV</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">: When you start with a movie, how do
you expand its world to add in more story for secondary characters? <i>Love,
Simon</i> had some great moments for supporting characters, but obviously
with a series you have more time for that. What were some of the
conscious ways that you made Victor's world a little bigger than Simon’s had
been?</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqkXPyNEF7NDgnT0N3I1xrLq8KGA3jUYugZtci5MK5kEfQYq9PHqscwm7fEtpuYCrvzDw94CJeBM8pL5zVQ9rf0hEK6IzBD8cpfxQfEo2gLET9eQHuck71OPaTbya5farnfhNucGUh_RVD/s1600/lovevictor_105_103019-2_06739r2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="570" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqkXPyNEF7NDgnT0N3I1xrLq8KGA3jUYugZtci5MK5kEfQYq9PHqscwm7fEtpuYCrvzDw94CJeBM8pL5zVQ9rf0hEK6IzBD8cpfxQfEo2gLET9eQHuck71OPaTbya5farnfhNucGUh_RVD/s200/lovevictor_105_103019-2_06739r2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Rachel
Hilson</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 107%;"> as Victor's
girlfriend, Mia</span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Brian Tanen</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">: One of my favorite parts about the
show is that Victor isn't the only person dealing with secrets or problems. You
learn over the course of the season about the personal problems of Mia [<b>Rachel
Hilson</b>], Felix [<b>Anthony Turpel</b>] and Lake [<b>Bebe Wood</b>]. Everybody,
especially teenage characters, is dealing with their own problems and their own
secrets. And so it was a joy to be able to explore their lives and tell their
stories, as well. And we have such a incredible cast of young actors. Each one
of them to me feels like a little find. So you just kind of wanted
to live in their world and find out more and more about them.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3gx81eVladBShPLXFKafi6W2DuxW2bPihMr2iHnyiPB_Dv9JaM-hIF6aSwtHgsWA2rB-ML7umVh1SypKW2s55y8BBOPUJFUsYBMgD6WB11OfxpgTsZKwylKDSQud5pDwzeyTOdHFswehC/s1600/lovevictor_101_090519_5961r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="570" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3gx81eVladBShPLXFKafi6W2DuxW2bPihMr2iHnyiPB_Dv9JaM-hIF6aSwtHgsWA2rB-ML7umVh1SypKW2s55y8BBOPUJFUsYBMgD6WB11OfxpgTsZKwylKDSQud5pDwzeyTOdHFswehC/s200/lovevictor_101_090519_5961r.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Isabella
Ferreira</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 107%;"> as Victor's
sister, Pilar</span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Must-Hear TV</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">: As is <b>Isabella Ferreira</b>,
who plays Victor’s sister, Pilar. It feels like every one of those
characters had his or her own moment of coming-out, not necessariliy as queer,
but there was the same process of opening up and showing vulnerability.</span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Brian Tanen</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">: Yeah, I think that's exactly right.
Even the parents are somewhat “closeted” about the things that are happening in
their lives. The parents have this big secret, too, and that sort of explodes
in the early to middle part of the season.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Must-Hear TV</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">: What was the thought process behind
Victor's ethnicity? How did his family come to be Latinx?</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Brian Tanen</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">: I think there was a concerted
effort to tell a different story than Simon's from the film. In
queer representation, there’s often a focus on young, white men. And
we felt that a coming-out journey would be different through the lens of a
non-white character. And we were lucky to have a wonderful writing
staff that was highly LGBT-forward and Latinx-forward, and as a result, we were
able to pull from people's individual experiences so that the stories would be
as authentic as they could be.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXXJloxTuOhjAMiYfW5X6vUwvwwyzU5TreNZnC2TJ059m5WuMb8fZmX3a3rldD7E7u2PYbvCWvBUYQJ-XO078Xyt2jXC0dTDQZ3VuBWH0myt7EWUIOqsFHsSw6_Dlic_Q9QaXwXhZfi-EI/s1600/lovevictor_106_110719_0134r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="570" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXXJloxTuOhjAMiYfW5X6vUwvwwyzU5TreNZnC2TJ059m5WuMb8fZmX3a3rldD7E7u2PYbvCWvBUYQJ-XO078Xyt2jXC0dTDQZ3VuBWH0myt7EWUIOqsFHsSw6_Dlic_Q9QaXwXhZfi-EI/s200/lovevictor_106_110719_0134r.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">Anthony
Turpel</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 9.5pt;"> as Felix and Michael Cimino<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 107%;"> as Victor -- or is this
"Velix?"</span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">Must-Hear TV</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14pt;">: I’ve been contacted by people on
twitter who are already ‘shipping different combinations of characters – I have
one person asking me about “Velix” – and I don’t want to confirm or deny that
that’s what happens. But how did you decide the beats for Victor’s
love story? After <i>Love, Simon</i>, how do you tell another
teen gay male love story differently? It seems like there are only
so many romcom tropes at your disposal.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTo88xgnqzw6UhR53y3BNzV_ann0yi20JkB73k-3K9XcenZQYVLapkRiE4dK6g1jUy6_jvGDSm3aZ3SZq7A6V_WmBmlVOaPTZB_If2pFRhEqNrUwbtciqQI8FrwUNg2-gp1eBrhfhOM46y/s1600/lovevictor_102_100419_107640r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="570" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTo88xgnqzw6UhR53y3BNzV_ann0yi20JkB73k-3K9XcenZQYVLapkRiE4dK6g1jUy6_jvGDSm3aZ3SZq7A6V_WmBmlVOaPTZB_If2pFRhEqNrUwbtciqQI8FrwUNg2-gp1eBrhfhOM46y/s200/lovevictor_102_100419_107640r.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">Mason
Gooding</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 9.5pt;"> as jock and part-time<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 107%;"> antagonist, Andrew</span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Brian Tanen</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">: I have also seen the tweets where
people are ‘shipping Victor and Felix, and they're ‘shipping Felix and Andrew [<b>Mason
Gooding</b>], and there's an assumption that every character on the show will
be queer. And I find that so endearing! Fans are guessing
who's going to get together. And while a lot of it is not quite right, I do
think there are individual little love stories within the season, some of which
are platonic. But that those pairings are still ‘shippable, if you know what I
mean, right? I find Victor and Felix's relationship one of the most
endearing of the entire show. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3lX2_t3WhNSRRiYiTaUoeejmVE-GDYG-aN72TWklc_3KbvV-_HE02emFtdFwTm6S7DdRXWW-C4KE_vOUdQbnaC1Y0Ok1iF1F9ztYzBICGRaLhgQ6Lfcyd-_6dGvCE-6E6UX-RwoLXGMtB/s1600/lovevictor_103_101119_00054r2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="570" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3lX2_t3WhNSRRiYiTaUoeejmVE-GDYG-aN72TWklc_3KbvV-_HE02emFtdFwTm6S7DdRXWW-C4KE_vOUdQbnaC1Y0Ok1iF1F9ztYzBICGRaLhgQ6Lfcyd-_6dGvCE-6E6UX-RwoLXGMtB/s200/lovevictor_103_101119_00054r2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">George
Sear</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 9.5pt;"> as Creekwood's resident<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 107%;">out student/barista/guitarist, Benji</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">In terms of telling a
different teen gay love story, I think the story of <i>Love, Simon</i> was
an untraditional romantic comedy in that it was two people who are missing each
other the entire time, and didn’t know each other's identity. <i>Love,
Victor</i> has some of the romcom DNA, but there's this doomed love
triangle situation happening. We, the audience, are probably aware that this is
not really going to work. But we also understand that there's real love there.
And then there's Benji [<b>George Sear</b>], who is more like a fantasy all
season, this ideal who makes Victor's heart go pitter patter. I
think in future seasons, all of that fantasy stuff kind of becomes real.
There's actually a lot of story opportunity.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Must-Hear TV</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">: What would this show have meant to you when
you were a teenager? And turn that into a pitch for why teenagers should watch,
and why adults should watch.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Brian Tanen</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">: I can't think of another show on
television that has a young gay protagonist. So, for any teenager seeing this
story, which has so much heart and affirmation and joy – well it’s funny that I
get emotional thinking about it again, but you use it. We would tell
these stories in the writers’ room about things that happened to us in high
school or, or what we wish had happened, and then we would get to put them in
the show. So I think for any teenager who is struggling with these issues, to
be able to see themselves represented on screen and represented in a way with
heart and joy will just be an absolute breath of fresh air. And for
parents and really anyone else, the show is just incredibly charming and
inclusive, and it will cure your summertime blues. We're going
through really turbulent times right now. The show has a message of
love. I feel like it’s kind of right what the doctor ordered right
now.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Must-Hear TV</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">: I know it was obviously deliberate
that the show would debut in June for Pride month, but who knew that we’d also
be going through such turmoil as a country, and that the show could be a balm.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Brian Tanen</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">: We talk a lot in the writers’ room
about how LGBTQ rights as we know them were largely born out of the Stonewall
riots, and how that movement was championed and led by black trans
activists. So we feel a great deal of solidarity with what's happening
in the country right now. And I think the show hopefully feels like
a show about inclusivity and equality and wanting to make the world a better
place.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Must-Hear TV</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">: What I like about Victor is that he
takes action to make his world better. So many of the protagonists
from the teen movies I knew were more passive, like Molly Ringwald waiting in
the window for Jake to show up. But there are a few moments in this
season where Victor really takes a chance.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Brian Tanen</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">: Who amongst us hasn't been in a
situation where you are close to the person you have a crush on? And
it feels like something might happen, but neither person is brave enough to
make that move. But in our wish-fulfillment version, Victor goes for
it. For the writers, there was a lot of feeling like, “if only we
could rewrite our own histories, and be braver.” And even though it
takes him a while, Victor does become a brave character.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Must-Hear TV</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">: Speaking of wish-fulfillment in
looking back, do you think you will hear from older LGBT people who say, “If
only I’d been more like Victor?”</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Bebe
Wood</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 107%;"> as Creekwood classmate Lake</span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Brian Tanen</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">: When <i>Love, Simon</i> came
out, I noticed my Facebook feed was filled with comments from gay friends of
mine, adults who had gone to see this film and absolutely loved it. And even
though it’s about teenagers and is geared largely to a younger audience, a lot
of LGBT adults didn't have that sort of romcom experience, so they still have
an appetite for it, and still have a desire to see a younger generation have
this moment. So I'm hopeful that this will resonate with with adults
as well.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Must-Hear TV</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">: What can you tell us about Season
Two? Because I'm sure there are going to be a lot of people like me
who devour season one within one day and want to know more.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Brian Tanen</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">: Well, one thing I think I can say
is that I think people are aware that the show had originally been written for
Disney+, and then was eventually moved over to Hulu. And now the
reality of having our season two on Hulu provides so many opportunities to see
these characters grow up. The writers on our staff, especially the gay writers,
knew that one of the major problems with the representation of LGBTQ characters
in media is that we're allowed to exist as long as we are not very sexual, if
we're the funny friend, or the sidekick, but you rarely see narratives centered
around characters who are have their own desires and crushes and sex lives. And
so, now that we're on Hulu, that's something that I know we are all excited to
write about, teenagers going through their first sexual
experiences. And what that looks like in 2020 when you're an LGBTQ
teen.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Must-Hear TV</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">: So basically, thanks to Hulu, now
you can be a little more risqué?</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Brian Tanen</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">: I think we could be. I
think season two will be even sexier.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Love, Victor</span></i></b><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt;"> season 1 (10 episodes) premieres on Hulu
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<br />Jim Coluccihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07131834400134022036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518790918151393424.post-64590932227866035802019-07-29T16:28:00.001-04:002019-07-29T17:41:25.859-04:00Celebrate National Cheesecake Day with the Girls in Miami<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">F</span>or those of us who can't get enough of the <b><i>Golden Girls</i></b> -- including enjoying on Hulu, where they will soon be joined by their sisters, the <i>Designing Women</i> -- tomorrow (Tuesday, July 30) is your chance to celebrate in Miami, where ABC Studios and PopSugar are marking <b>National Cheesecake Day</b> with a <i>Golden Girls</i> pop-up event at <b>Vicky's House</b> restaurant in Coconut Grove.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Check out the special, limited-edition cheesecake milkshake, and snap up something from the ever-growing line of official, licensed <i>Golden Girls</i> merchandise (see photos below). <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Girls-Forever-Unauthorized-Behind/dp/0062422901/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><b>And of course, to get your copy of <i>Golden Girls Forever</i>, my book which spurred the studio to create official merch, check it out here.</b></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">ABC's press release below. I can't be in Miami tomorrow, but have a cheesecake milkshake for me!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif;">In honor of the ladies who define the
term “Squad Goals,” ABC Studios and PopSugar are celebrating national Golden
Girls Day and National Cheesecake Day with an exclusive <u>one-day-only</u> “The
Golden Girls” pop-up event at Vicky’s House in Coconut Grove, Florida, on
Tuesday, July 30, from 12:00 – 10:00 p.m.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif;">Fans and their friends are invited to
stop by for a limited edition cheesecake milkshake inspired by “The Golden
Girls,” pose for themed photo ops – including a scenic recreation of the
ladies’ iconic lanai –</span><b><span style="font-family: , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif;">and shop ‘til
they drop on new and unique branded merchandise at the retail pop-up store!</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><o:p> </o:p><o:p> </o:p><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The
pop-up store will offer fans the opportunity to purchase “The Golden
Girls”-themed merchandise. Among the unique merchandise are books, party
supplies, pins, dolls, tees, car sunshade, shower curtain and poster. All items
can be purchased at </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif;"><a href="https://www.toynk.com/collections/golden-girls">https://www.toynk.com/collections/golden-girls</a>.</span></blockquote>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI2AHLUlKoPu52wSc3y6pn3jGNKx3PXc2T3zRBKl8Ucvf4Oq_FKdBY6Rb261Es7Ubi1W0oeDVPK3aiVHfUH1KPZqCogTk20yDBLemgMfjOMPG5y26XLZygbAg4PEmghG7L_vD4n3rgPif5/s1600/Golden+Girls+ABC+event+p1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="640" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI2AHLUlKoPu52wSc3y6pn3jGNKx3PXc2T3zRBKl8Ucvf4Oq_FKdBY6Rb261Es7Ubi1W0oeDVPK3aiVHfUH1KPZqCogTk20yDBLemgMfjOMPG5y26XLZygbAg4PEmghG7L_vD4n3rgPif5/s320/Golden+Girls+ABC+event+p1.jpg" width="320" /></a></blockquote>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">THURSDAY,
JULY 30<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Location:</span></b><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> Vicky’s House<b><u><o:p></o:p></u></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">3190
Commodore Plaza<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; text-indent: -1.5in;"> Coconut
Grove, FL 33133</span><br />
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<br />Jim Coluccihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07131834400134022036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518790918151393424.post-81515607825778065252019-07-26T14:24:00.004-04:002019-07-26T15:15:23.122-04:00The Ladies of Sugarbakers Ride Again<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqU8j-jKKetDHBR6uuDrITH9n2o7_cPOWQHMNhOYLYEeqikPb2D5iY0hKJMIdO9_CSoXEB5gskoDJLOgwMrLJUlIxgFzsIhHpW_2duyoPL9hXwsSPPRrDp0igA5qYRXcfCQJc9BpWNDb-a/s1600/designing+women.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="563" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqU8j-jKKetDHBR6uuDrITH9n2o7_cPOWQHMNhOYLYEeqikPb2D5iY0hKJMIdO9_CSoXEB5gskoDJLOgwMrLJUlIxgFzsIhHpW_2duyoPL9hXwsSPPRrDp0igA5qYRXcfCQJc9BpWNDb-a/s200/designing+women.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cast of CBS' original <i>Designing Women</i> (1986-93):<br />
l-r: Annie Potts, Jean Smart, Meshach Taylor,<br />
Delta Burke, Dixie Carter</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">T</span>his morning, at the Television Critics Association convention in Beverly Hills, <b>Hulu</b> made one of the most exciting announcements of the press tour so far -- about a show that premiered nearly 33 years ago.<br />
<br />
After finding huge success in streaming all seven seasons of <i>The Golden Girls</i>, Hulu has announced its acquisition of all seven seasons -- 163 episodes worth -- of the 1986-93 CBS hit sitcom <i>Designing Women</i>. The series will be available beginning August 26, which not so coincidentally, happens also to be Women's Equality Day.<br />
<br />
Following a similar comedic "rule of four" with its characters, <i>Designing Women</i> starred <b>Dixie Carter</b>, <b>Delta Burke</b>, <b>Annie Potts</b> and <b>Jean Smart</b> as four women of different backgrounds and certainly personality types who ran a successful design firm in Atlanta, with <b>Meshach Taylor</b> joining as a fifth partner in the Sugarbaker Firm. In many ways a Southern <i>Golden Girls</i>, <i>Designing Women</i> dared tackle political topics and social issues of its day even more directly -- in fact, it was the first sitcom to air an episode dealing with the HIV/AIDS pandemic -- and has earned a similarly devoted following even more than three decades later. In fact, it's hard to find a gay man of a certain age who can't quote Julia Sugarbaker's "The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia" rant word for word, after seeing the video clip playing seemingly on a loop in American gay bars.<br />
<br />
With reboot fever in full bloom, <i>Designing Women</i>'s prolific creator, <b>Linda Bloodworth-Thomason</b>, had recently written a pilot script which would feature a brand new generation working at Sugarbaker's -- but they would also be graced by recurring, if not regular, visits from the show's three original stars, Burke, Potts and Smart. At a press event for Potts' current series, CBS' <i>Young Sheldon</i>, in the spring of 2018, she expressed enthusiasm for appearing again as Mary Jo Shively in any new <i>Designing Women</i>; but unfortunately, this past winter of 2019, ABC declined to shoot a pilot for the series.<br />
<br />
It's not a complete coincidence that after Hulu began streaming <i>The Golden Girls</i> that Disney/ABC, the show's rights owner, finally began creating merchandise such as tee shirts, action figures, themed Monopoly and Clue games, and so much more. (Immodestly, I must say that part of the credit should also go to my book <i>Golden Girls Forever</i>, which alerted Disney about all the merch money they had long been leaving on the table.)<br />
<br />
So perhaps, with the new heat coming from Hulu, <i>Designing Women</i> might ride again?Jim Coluccihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07131834400134022036noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518790918151393424.post-69261977380118314362019-02-09T19:58:00.002-05:002019-07-26T15:16:51.737-04:00Get the scoop on FX's new series Fosse/VerdonClick Here:<br />
<h1 class="entry-title" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #1c1c1c; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding: 0px;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/Fosse/Verdon:%20Michelle%20Williams%20and%20Sam%20Rockwell%20on%20why%20creating%20new%20FX%20series%20was%20%E2%80%98next%20level%20of%20difficulty%E2%80%99" target="_blank">Fosse/Verdon: Michelle Williams and Sam Rockwell on why creating new FX series was ‘next level of difficulty’</a></h1>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEippRN7u1KsyIK20Hic1hykBIt9TyopbRREqDXlbCXJa-uOrTlS1NB-lS1h6b7dV2OxpJRZN5FRdLTD8yV3x8luvRTCjDLMxOauyf4HQA2egxVrQHpbhkXsMtjcZGaei5gsq28jKRwAv_mv/s1600/Fosse-Verdon-1024x682.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="682" data-original-width="1024" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEippRN7u1KsyIK20Hic1hykBIt9TyopbRREqDXlbCXJa-uOrTlS1NB-lS1h6b7dV2OxpJRZN5FRdLTD8yV3x8luvRTCjDLMxOauyf4HQA2egxVrQHpbhkXsMtjcZGaei5gsq28jKRwAv_mv/s320/Fosse-Verdon-1024x682.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Jim Coluccihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07131834400134022036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518790918151393424.post-7411759755368811212019-02-09T19:51:00.003-05:002019-02-09T19:53:37.335-05:00One Day at a Time Celebrates the Release of Season 3 on Netflix.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcQxDbQ-ltbfR_MS6xt4FAIn0sAo6S9RiTKUzdJMMIK5-QeGZUxGA-RpOup5hM4bebX3GmzGmsljTKt8bPlBll0S8sjqG_R1GCvGMhbmyJmC5nEEqNERJe0IagzDBNAcko_nOGSXXpywCb/s1600/20190207_195241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcQxDbQ-ltbfR_MS6xt4FAIn0sAo6S9RiTKUzdJMMIK5-QeGZUxGA-RpOup5hM4bebX3GmzGmsljTKt8bPlBll0S8sjqG_R1GCvGMhbmyJmC5nEEqNERJe0IagzDBNAcko_nOGSXXpywCb/s400/20190207_195241.jpg" width="400" /></a>Click Here: <br />
<a href="http://one%20day%20at%20a%20time%20celebrates%20the%20release%20of%20season%203%20on%20netflix./" target="_blank">One Day at a Time Celebrates the Release of Season 3 on Netflix.</a>Jim Coluccihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07131834400134022036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518790918151393424.post-82239252489335628942019-01-23T09:00:00.000-05:002019-01-23T14:03:16.017-05:00Remembering Kaye Ballard, 1925-2019<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Y</span></span><span style="line-height: 107%;">esterday,
the world awoke to the news that the singer, actress and comedienne <b>Kaye
Ballard</b>, famous for originating roles in Broadway’s “Carnival” and “Golden
Apple,” and on the TV sitcom <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Mothers-in -Law</i>, had died at her home in Rancho Mirage, California, at the
age of 93.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;">Kaye’s death
comes just a week after that of one of her best friends, another beloved Broadway
and comedy legend (and another fixture in the Palm Springs area), Carol
Channing, who died just short of her 98th birthday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKZoAr3RyvgXWl_L6dOi3tZDy-AfXSOmN0mGKBKIqr8oGLdD2GnRNLIffr7puI9Sqf7Im9cAVI42uPBJMignyPe71B9SwDVv6HQ5Cxjq2n9bfotiVfYxsmbZFyoGVCJaw0tU1B3GBVsD38/s1600/with+Kaye+Ballard+092810.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKZoAr3RyvgXWl_L6dOi3tZDy-AfXSOmN0mGKBKIqr8oGLdD2GnRNLIffr7puI9Sqf7Im9cAVI42uPBJMignyPe71B9SwDVv6HQ5Cxjq2n9bfotiVfYxsmbZFyoGVCJaw0tU1B3GBVsD38/s200/with+Kaye+Ballard+092810.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">with Kaye Ballard in the New York studios</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">of Sirius XM for "The Frank DeCaro Show"</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">September 28, 2010</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;">I had the
pleasure of meeting both Carol and Kaye when they guested on Sirius XM’s “The
Frank DeCaro Show,” as well as in interviews celebrating many of their famous
projects.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For my upcoming book on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Love Boat</i>, I was fortunate enough to
get a fun story out of Carol.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And two
years ago this month, I spoke by phone with Kaye about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Love Boat</i> and so much more of her career.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My fellow paesana, Kaye and I got along
famously – and we even compared notes about Southern Italian cuisine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all, as Kaye would point out when
giving out her phone number, the digits even had the word EAT embedded within.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;">Below, just
a bit of our fun conversation, which I’m so glad I had the opportunity to have
with a show business legend.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">Must-Hear TV</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Tell me about the documentary you’re working on, about your life and
career.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">Kaye Ballard</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You will be shocked with some of the people who spoke on it! Hal Prince
and Woody Allen – who never talks about anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m so thrilled he said yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew him when he first started. He’s been
wonderful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I always write him after
a movie and rate it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;">I have
worked with great, great people, honey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All
the people I worked with on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Perry
Como Show</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being this old and never
stopping to win an Emmy or anything like that, I just kept working and meeting
all these people, and getting to know them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">MHTV</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A few years ago, I saw a lot of your talented friends join you on stage
in Palm Springs, when you gave your “Going Out of Business” retirement
performance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQIj122zvQ7knekj7AJHa29n1wTNsXORMtQefC_SJylvjb7ldyU2WtVKOpH6YQP7cxVptUTZxIPXNsevsoFVpob4pZjx9ugnjZ07eJAuRfoSiv4m8GeGWBC6WjPE16HcptyJhycf3OF_rT/s1600/IMG_2407.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQIj122zvQ7knekj7AJHa29n1wTNsXORMtQefC_SJylvjb7ldyU2WtVKOpH6YQP7cxVptUTZxIPXNsevsoFVpob4pZjx9ugnjZ07eJAuRfoSiv4m8GeGWBC6WjPE16HcptyJhycf3OF_rT/s200/IMG_2407.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Carol Channing and Kaye Ballard</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">at the Camelot Theater in Palm Springs</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">following the performance of</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">"Kaye Ballard: Going Out of Business"</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">March, 2014</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">KB</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, Carol
Channing!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My Carol Channing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She did a number in that show.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh god, I love that number [Cecilia Sisson].<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I genuinely laugh that hard at that
number every time I hear it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
audacity of her taking that long, and to keep whistling – she’s one of the most
wonderful people in the world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">MHTV</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Other than <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Love Boat</i>, you’ve
had so many great TV roles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I talked
with Bernie Kopell about working with you on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Doris Day Show</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">KB</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And we worked
with Billy DeWolfe, who was a very close friend of mine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was one of the funniest men who ever
lived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He called me “Rose Boozy,” and he
called Doris “Clara Bixby.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was just
wonderful, and had the kind of wit that I think is missing today. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">MHTV</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And of course, it was on for only two seasons, but people still remember
and love <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Mothers-in-Law</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">KB</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was my
favorite thing, because I loved Eve Arden and I loved my first husband, Roger
C. Carmel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh my God, what a great actor
he was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you realize that that show
went off the air because they wouldn’t give us a $250 raise?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Isn’t that funny?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was amazing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eve Arden and I said, “Forget the raise – we
want to keep going!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But Roger said “No,
it’s the principle of the thing, Cutes,” and they replaced him, which ended up
being a mistake for the show.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">MHTV</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In addition to this documentary, a few years ago, you also published
your memoir, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">How I Lost 10 Pounds in 53
Years.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">KB</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every word is
true, and I think you can get it on amazon for either $5 or $10.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s wonderful what happened last year -- I had
sent it to [theater and book critic] John Simon, and he threw it aside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But then he wrote in his blog, “I picked up a
book that Kaye Ballard wrote 6 or 7 years ago, and I’m so sorry I waited that
long.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And he just loved it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And so he made my old age! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">MHTV</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Tell me more about your documentary [titled Kaye Ballard: The Show Goes
On, which premiered earlier this month at the Palm Springs International Film
Festival, after which Kaye, suffering from heart problems just weeks before her
death, received a standing ovation.]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">KB</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the moment
it’s called “Medium Rare and Well Done.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Because I’ve been in every medium of show business, and it’s called “Rare”
because Carol Channing and I were maybe two of the people living who performed
for the princess before she was queen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So that’s pretty good.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">MHTV</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Is that Princess Victoria, you mean?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">KB</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Elizabeth!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not Victoria, you
cruel little person.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;">I say “Well
Done,” because I think I have done it well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Even though I didn’t win a Tony or an Emmy – that frustrates me to
death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything is politics, not only
in show business, in every business.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Because I deserved one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
certainly deserved nominations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For “Carnival,”
for “Golden Apple” – I should have won.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;">At that
time, I was doing every medium, and they didn’t have respect for people who
could do every medium.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">MHTV</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Was there a stigma back then against actors who appeared on TV?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">KB</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not like
that anymore, but it was then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you
were kind of a hit in supper clubs, they didn’t think of you seriously as an
actress or anything else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But since
then, I’ve proven it to myself, because I’ve done plays with Imogene Coca,
Sandy Dennis – I could name many other people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And so therefore, I know I was good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That’s why I say “And Well Done.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;">I thought I
was pretty damn good in all the things I did, and I never resorted to any kind
of vulgarity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s what I resent today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was Jack Benny who told me that – he said,
“Funny is funny, and you don’t have to go that far.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 107%;">And you know
what was funny -- when I did <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Mothers-in-Law</i>, and I bit my fist, [the network censors] called the Italian
embassy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And when the Italian embassy
came on the set, they asked them, “Hey, what does that mean?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>but you know, I say “Va Fa Napoli.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That sounds like it could be vulgar, but it
means “Go to Naples.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;">I did the
movie <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Ritz</i>, and I had to say “FUCK”
in the last scene.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My mother wouldn’t
talk to me for months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to do
that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I said it once, and I got this
long grief in this f-ing family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
mother went into shock.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">MHTV</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Was your mother very proper?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">KB</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was from
Calabria.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She came over from Italy when
she was about 8 or 10.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And talk about
grief, my grandmother came over with five kids and one of them died of
diphtheria on the ship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It took them 30
days to come across.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the cattle
boat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve had an interesting life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">MHTV</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Which we’re about to see on the big screen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">KB</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
documentary has all these interviews, and now the filmmaker will piece it
together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Michael Feinstein, Rex Reed,
Liz Smith, wonderful people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Donna
McKechnie, Jerry Stiller – my best friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Oh, I love him more than I can tell you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;">I’ve been
lucky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve met all the people I’ve
really admired, and got to know them, like Bette Davis and Cary Grant and
Barbara Stanwyck, and another idol, Irene Dunne.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Clark Gable, I asked him for an autograph,
and he said, “The heck I’ll give you an autograph, but I’ll give you a kiss.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">MHTV</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Did you take the kiss from Gable?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">KB</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was when I first performed with [bandleader]
Spike Jones, in 1947 or ‘48.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were
playing the Trocadero, and I went up to Gable and said “Oh my God, I’d love it
– can I have your autograph?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And he
said no, but he stepped and kissed me on the cheek.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought “Oh my lord!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was wonderful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;">I think
people are going to say, “Oh, you didn’t know all those people” – but I knew
much more than that!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I went to
England, I turned down a date with Richard Burton, because I was doing two
shows a day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But then I met his wife and
Jean Simmons and Glynis Johns and Michael Wilding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was fascinated with anybody in show
business who achieved excellence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">MHTV</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You mean you could have had those diamonds instead of Liz Taylor?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">KB</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I doubt it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I wouldn’t even know how to be a glamour queen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">MHTV</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They say that passion for something, like your appreciation of
excellence in a performer, is what keeps people going.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">KB</span></b><span style="line-height: 107%;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can get jaded today with some of
the performances.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I still
admire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m a fan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m an eternal fan.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyRDpgMP56BgizxlAvr_te3VlxXWVVAKmit8WNQfu7MXqgIEElev_mu4Mo1Ci_T_ogz-fta0EPa_k4OoiODxhGNdlx9yIJoulZBSHYx4G0Ij9-NmFt5DZRw4ZHzrnyCYtRn5rocaqmVd_p/s1600/IMG_2408.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyRDpgMP56BgizxlAvr_te3VlxXWVVAKmit8WNQfu7MXqgIEElev_mu4Mo1Ci_T_ogz-fta0EPa_k4OoiODxhGNdlx9yIJoulZBSHYx4G0Ij9-NmFt5DZRw4ZHzrnyCYtRn5rocaqmVd_p/s320/IMG_2408.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />Jim Coluccihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07131834400134022036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518790918151393424.post-1460114156186032062018-10-09T20:49:00.000-04:002018-10-09T21:09:01.473-04:00An Evening with Sunday Morning, a Night with CBS Sports<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNGoDCTu90Z2Pg7rrgcOGsZOz3dHQfFIC-Xc5hEr-502cXcnRcfO0N2W780BdnHFYz09icGnvtGAqa9jlgUNXkyiUxyhxkt8wMIST3YIIWZNvesZQ0s70VT9p9Q0E9vYUM93V_kcHFr0rX/s1600/Screenshot+%2528380%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="461" data-original-width="624" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNGoDCTu90Z2Pg7rrgcOGsZOz3dHQfFIC-Xc5hEr-502cXcnRcfO0N2W780BdnHFYz09icGnvtGAqa9jlgUNXkyiUxyhxkt8wMIST3YIIWZNvesZQ0s70VT9p9Q0E9vYUM93V_kcHFr0rX/s200/Screenshot+%2528380%2529.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The stage is set for "An Evening with CBS Sunday Morning"<br />
October 1, 2018, Town Hall, New York City</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">I</span>n 2014, Netflix reconstructed <i>Friends</i>' Central Perk coffeehouse in Manhattan's East Village. The following year, Hulu recreated <i>Seinfeld</i>'s Monk's Diner on Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood. And this past spring, PBS brought <i>Downton Abbey</i> to life in the 21st Century, with an exhibition of props and memorabilia that has toured from Manhattan's 57th Street to its <a href="https://www.downtonexhibition.com/" target="_blank">upcoming next stop in Florida's West Palm Beach (opens November 10.)</a><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5Xgs4ugdkhEH-wTLXaD3q7CaCzS8xlXfKijF6APmVrQdG4UGbfMv4pFDEnU-PgqUqrGLPSTT6eDZtsuI074vU2huAUlElYwuzI2qPfuIn_wmQqN_HHvqbnKo4MJEmFaDclzCayHRPm7C/s1600/CBS+Sunday+Morning+The+Front+Runner+Jason+Reitman+Hugh+Jackman+Jane+Pauley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5Xgs4ugdkhEH-wTLXaD3q7CaCzS8xlXfKijF6APmVrQdG4UGbfMv4pFDEnU-PgqUqrGLPSTT6eDZtsuI074vU2huAUlElYwuzI2qPfuIn_wmQqN_HHvqbnKo4MJEmFaDclzCayHRPm7C/s200/CBS+Sunday+Morning+The+Front+Runner+Jason+Reitman+Hugh+Jackman+Jane+Pauley.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jane Pauley interviews <i>The Front Runner</i> director<br />
Jason Reitman (l) and star Hugh Jackman<br />
Town Hall, NYC, October 1, 2018<br />
Photo by John Paul Filo/CBS</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Now CBS is the latest network to get in on the action -- and it has created a whole new division to do so. With TV audiences becoming ever more fragmented, one of the best ways to bond with viewers -- and in some cases, start a new stream of revenue -- is via "interactive television," giving audiences a chance to experience aspects of their favorite shows live and in person.<br />
<br />
On October 1, CBS Experiences (or CBSX) debuted its first presentation, a live version of its well-heeled newsmagazine <i>CBS Sunday Morning</i> at Manhattan's Town Hall. "An Evening with <i>CBS Sunday Morning</i>" was hosted by some of the morning show's famous correspondents, and featured interviews with the likes of the director and star of the upcoming film <i>The Front Runner</i>, Jason Reitman and Hugh Jackman; the cast of <i>Murphy Brown</i>; subjects from favorite past stories such as Georgia widower Dan Peterson and Norah Wood, the little girl who asked to hug him in the supermarket; plus live performances by <i>Late Show with Stephen Colbert</i> bandleader Jon Batiste, David Yazbek of the Broadway show <i>The Band's Visit</i>, David Brown's The Harmony Project, and more.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBLqZhvsPGYUXlprJwH30p1EErx7EIdonP56aZdYSz1TuhUmyxE1jVBhJEOVH7mItg5TVA9oOmo-cmHizaPTtlO80mPTZlra2Ptm5BRuGP3gyxi-1DDMYKX8f5GAIBnpCRHFToGjwSaE5q/s1600/CBS+Sunday+Morning+Murphy+Brown+cast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="356" data-original-width="1022" height="110" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBLqZhvsPGYUXlprJwH30p1EErx7EIdonP56aZdYSz1TuhUmyxE1jVBhJEOVH7mItg5TVA9oOmo-cmHizaPTtlO80mPTZlra2Ptm5BRuGP3gyxi-1DDMYKX8f5GAIBnpCRHFToGjwSaE5q/s320/CBS+Sunday+Morning+Murphy+Brown+cast.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cast of <i>Murphy Brown</i> (l-r, Grant Shaud, Joe Regalbuto,<br />
Faith Ford, Candice Bergen) with Lee Cowan<br />
NYC's Town Hall<br />
October 1, 2018<br />
Photo by Michele Crowe/CBS</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Next up, CBSX tackles an even bigger demographic, putting together a program for sports fans called "CBS Sports Friday Night Tailgate." Featuring the networks' famed sportscasters Phil Simms, James Brown, Bill Cowher, Nate Burleson and Boomer Esiason, plus gourmet "tailgate food" from Bareburger, Mighty Quinn's barbecue, Tao and more, <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/cbs-sports-friday-night-tailgate/" target="_blank">the program will take place at Times Square's PlayStation Theater on Friday, November 9 at 7 PM Eastern.</a> (Click for more info.)<br />
<br />
Stay tuned for more announcements of unique CBSX experiences, which I hear are planned thru 2019 and beyond.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0l7_x4Q6GZbEK4O1pT-UXpL-UzbVG4jrqL29nrZMuQT5l-3KIXiYmP9Ao1SItsMu_QVRy1PXfQDyGXf_7dYLv7jkcGi4dj_5wWL4lBgg4sar_sTtGzhf5Z3oDpabob9GFbKDZpcwZjHjx/s1600/Screenshot+%2528382%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="465" data-original-width="311" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0l7_x4Q6GZbEK4O1pT-UXpL-UzbVG4jrqL29nrZMuQT5l-3KIXiYmP9Ao1SItsMu_QVRy1PXfQDyGXf_7dYLv7jkcGi4dj_5wWL4lBgg4sar_sTtGzhf5Z3oDpabob9GFbKDZpcwZjHjx/s200/Screenshot+%2528382%2529.png" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Musician David Krauss kicks off the evening<br />
with a performance of the<i> CBS Sunday Morning</i> theme<br />
"Ablassen," by Gottfried Rieche.<br />
October 1, 2018, Town Hall, New York City<br />
Photo by Michele Crowe/CBS</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia89_VIbzPlXSFrWY-vQWCtVfXoQ1Qovv3YghSapK769NLJZUsOPRDVFEraRSzP-F4Ca5gTAl0N7l8nZTY4FwDrfJWfyRuDkMHPuuoaRtB1sLklA_dXfqGED-f-sxove9Dnln5LpJl5KrG/s1600/Screenshot+%2528384%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="469" data-original-width="619" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia89_VIbzPlXSFrWY-vQWCtVfXoQ1Qovv3YghSapK769NLJZUsOPRDVFEraRSzP-F4Ca5gTAl0N7l8nZTY4FwDrfJWfyRuDkMHPuuoaRtB1sLklA_dXfqGED-f-sxove9Dnln5LpJl5KrG/s200/Screenshot+%2528384%2529.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Correspondent Mo Rocca introduces his fellow <i>CBS Sunday Morning</i> Journalists<br />
October 1, 2018<br />
Town Hall, New York City<br />
Photo by John Paul Filo/CBS</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJlYYWDVFWyl-Ntq7eV5wu5tJkjy5haDPGBNjtMG2EhjqwphptYYBkcCCmttrmt84nQlYUq1_wyP5xkLMDQEHgnyqCl8_Rlr3h73caAhoU1s0FFlwnICxYAH9olW0fX7NgEncYgqhXK2Rf/s1600/Screenshot+%2528385%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="414" data-original-width="623" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJlYYWDVFWyl-Ntq7eV5wu5tJkjy5haDPGBNjtMG2EhjqwphptYYBkcCCmttrmt84nQlYUq1_wyP5xkLMDQEHgnyqCl8_Rlr3h73caAhoU1s0FFlwnICxYAH9olW0fX7NgEncYgqhXK2Rf/s200/Screenshot+%2528385%2529.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>CBS Sunday Morning</i> correspondents:<br />
(l-r), Tracy Smith, Lee Cowan, Rita Braver,<br />
Martha Teichner, producer Rand Morrison,<br />
Jane Pauley and Mo Rocca<br />
Town Hall, NYC, October 1, 2018<br />
Photo by Michele Crowe/CBS</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuzXBhX9rpLUrz5QQ3bHxkmXC12hq5OxWYBWtMdUENB0fWhW5oH_LnDBwdD-Zamk18_hHpXKtNqwBXBQN_dc88gbCC8a6O0u4HGOaUDl-Kp3VomcQvt0th42g46vGbaWR5370Jc7eHo3i8/s1600/CBS+Sunday+Morning+John+Batiste.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="731" data-original-width="1024" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuzXBhX9rpLUrz5QQ3bHxkmXC12hq5OxWYBWtMdUENB0fWhW5oH_LnDBwdD-Zamk18_hHpXKtNqwBXBQN_dc88gbCC8a6O0u4HGOaUDl-Kp3VomcQvt0th42g46vGbaWR5370Jc7eHo3i8/s200/CBS+Sunday+Morning+John+Batiste.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Late Show with Stephen Colbert</i>'s Jon Batiste<br />
performs at Town Hall, NYC,<br />
October 1, 2018<br />
Photo by Michele Crowe/CBS</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFSz9e4At3Mhh3Set0g-0n1zPlaqfWJIbP94CbwPkaKZ3X2e0aC21-Sp6GiEUfu0ZOAX9HoTHwPQnV807RaFYtQsgAzda-zwpIRcrrz9FAqWjTlriXVw5lRgWPayOkUyGsd1_unprVWoly/s1600/CBS+Sunday+Morning+The+Harmony+Project+David+Brown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFSz9e4At3Mhh3Set0g-0n1zPlaqfWJIbP94CbwPkaKZ3X2e0aC21-Sp6GiEUfu0ZOAX9HoTHwPQnV807RaFYtQsgAzda-zwpIRcrrz9FAqWjTlriXVw5lRgWPayOkUyGsd1_unprVWoly/s320/CBS+Sunday+Morning+The+Harmony+Project+David+Brown.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A performance by The Harmony Project, led by David Brown<br />
From left: Candace Haynes, Nicole Jie, Sybil Scoby, Joshuah Campbell,<br />
Jamie Leonhart, Damaras Obi and Chanté Odom.<br />
Town Hall, NYC, October 1, 2018<br />
Photo by Michele Crowe/CBS</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNChI1QQtvsjlNfClyzJBo7Jift26V01lrzWXBfOeRp9jD6eg3TuaWwgqL5Wu1gC_C_542y9y3UXwqfCW7ZRBv6l2ina-bG8vsVAKr5AjJV1bVP-g34qiyhZDexqN262_518AqUEZECMG9/s1600/Screenshot+%2528386%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="623" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNChI1QQtvsjlNfClyzJBo7Jift26V01lrzWXBfOeRp9jD6eg3TuaWwgqL5Wu1gC_C_542y9y3UXwqfCW7ZRBv6l2ina-bG8vsVAKr5AjJV1bVP-g34qiyhZDexqN262_518AqUEZECMG9/s320/Screenshot+%2528386%2529.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charles Osgood, host of<i> CBS Sunday Morning</i> from 1994-2016,<br />
waves to the crowd at NYC's Town Hall,<br />
October 1, 2018.<br />
Photo by John Paul Filo/CBS</td></tr>
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Jim Coluccihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07131834400134022036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518790918151393424.post-70425628417447068562018-09-09T18:35:00.001-04:002018-09-09T18:36:23.861-04:00Last Chance to Join Will & Grace on Set<span style="font-size: x-large;">S</span>ince the start of the series' "reboot," the producers of <i>Will & Grace</i> have been doing something extraordinary, partnering with a different charity each week and providing a pair of tickets to the show's taping, complete with VIP access.<br />
<br />
For the taping on September 26, the show joins with the Human Rights Campaign, the LGBTQ advocacy group, providing not just tickets to the show and a tour of the iconic sets, but also round-trip airfare to Los Angeles and a two-night stay at the super-luxe new Waldorf-Astoria hotel in Beverly Hills.<br />
<br />
Each $10 donation to HRC buys an entry into the ticket drawing, and all entries must be completed by 11:59 PM tomorrow, Monday September 10. Good luck!<br />
<br />
Info below:<br />
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<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="aolmail_container" style="border-spacing: 0px; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; max-width: 580px; width: 580px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="left" class="aolmail_container-padding aolmail_content" style="background-color: #f2f2f2; border-collapse: collapse; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><div class="aolmail_email-content" style="color: #5e5b58; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.e-activist.com/ea-action/enclick?ea.url.id=1499242&ea.campaigner.email=2b1GL2t3uO495aiW%2FQGPHMQaztlvuLM%2B&ea.campaigner.id=3Z02DsJ%2Bcs%2BZkArzVWMSmA==&ea_broadcast_target_id=0" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #333333; cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><em>We’ve asked a lot of you this past week, and you’ve never once let us down. Here's our way of saying thank you for your support. <u><strong>Don't miss out!</strong></u> -HRC</em></a></div>
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<tr><td align="left" class="aolmail_container-padding aolmail_content" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><div style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.e-activist.com/ea-action/enclick?ea.url.id=1499243&ea.campaigner.email=2b1GL2t3uO495aiW%2FQGPHMQaztlvuLM%2B&ea.campaigner.id=3Z02DsJ%2Bcs%2BZkArzVWMSmA==&ea_broadcast_target_id=0" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: blue; cursor: pointer;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aolmail_responsive-image" height="200" src="https://aaf1a18515da0e792f78-c27fdabe952dfc357fe25ebf5c8897ee.ssl.cf5.rackcdn.com/1954/will-grace-2-updated-9-4-18.jpg?v=1536080625000" style="height: auto; visibility: visible; width: 580px;" width="159" /></a></div>
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<tr><td align="left" class="aolmail_container-padding aolmail_content" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; outline: none; padding: 24px 24px 0px;"><div class="aolmail_email-content" style="color: #5e5b58; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 24px;">
I'll keep this brief, James —</div>
<div class="aolmail_email-content" style="color: #5e5b58; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Next Monday is your LAST CHANCE to win a trip to Los Angeles for you and a guest to attend the taping of “Will & Grace”! <a href="http://www.e-activist.com/ea-action/enclick?ea.url.id=1499244&ea.campaigner.email=2b1GL2t3uO495aiW%2FQGPHMQaztlvuLM%2B&ea.campaigner.id=3Z02DsJ%2Bcs%2BZkArzVWMSmA==&ea_broadcast_target_id=0" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: blue; cursor: pointer;" target="_blank"><u><strong>Donate $10 before 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, September 10th and be entered to win before it’s too late.</strong></u></a></div>
<div class="aolmail_email-content" style="color: #5e5b58; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<strong>Your chances of attending the taping of “Will & Grace” in LA just DOUBLED – we now have two sets of tickets to the September 26th taping with hotel and flights on us!</strong></div>
<div class="aolmail_email-content" style="color: #5e5b58; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 24px;">
And remember, you can enter more than once – each $10 you donate gets you another chance to win. But hurry, we’re closing entry Monday at 11:59 p.m. ET!</div>
<div class="aolmail_email-content" style="color: #5e5b58; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 24px;">
James, if attending the taping of NBC’s hit show wasn’t exciting enough, the two winners also receive:</div>
<ul>
<li class="aolmail_email-content" style="color: #5e5b58; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">A tour of the iconic set</li>
<li class="aolmail_email-content" style="color: #5e5b58; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">Round trip airfare for you and a friend</li>
<li class="aolmail_email-content" style="color: #5e5b58; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 24px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">A two-night stay at the new Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, an urban oasis in one of the world's most glamorous cities</li>
</ul>
<div class="aolmail_email-content" style="color: #5e5b58; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Even if you aren’t selected, you’ll still be helping Will, Grace and rest of the beloved cast and crew promote LGBTQ acceptance. Your donation also invests directly in HRC’s work to protect our civil rights and to secure equality for all. <a href="http://www.e-activist.com/ea-action/enclick?ea.url.id=1499245&ea.campaigner.email=2b1GL2t3uO495aiW%2FQGPHMQaztlvuLM%2B&ea.campaigner.id=3Z02DsJ%2Bcs%2BZkArzVWMSmA==&ea_broadcast_target_id=0" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: blue; cursor: pointer;" target="_blank"><u><strong>So can we count you in?</strong></u></a></div>
<div class="aolmail_email-content" style="color: #5e5b58; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<a href="http://www.e-activist.com/ea-action/enclick?ea.url.id=1499246&ea.campaigner.email=2b1GL2t3uO495aiW%2FQGPHMQaztlvuLM%2B&ea.campaigner.id=3Z02DsJ%2Bcs%2BZkArzVWMSmA==&ea_broadcast_target_id=0" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: blue; cursor: pointer;" target="_blank"><u><strong>Make a $10 gift before next Monday’s deadline and be entered for your chance to see the filming of “Will & Grace” in person. Submit your name by clicking here.</strong></u></a></div>
<div class="aolmail_email-content" style="color: #5e5b58; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Good luck,</div>
<div class="aolmail_email-content" style="color: #5e5b58; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<img alt="" src="https://aaf1a18515da0e792f78-c27fdabe952dfc357fe25ebf5c8897ee.ssl.cf5.rackcdn.com/1954/Zack+Hasychak+signature.png?v=1535053385000" style="height: 54px; visibility: visible; width: 120px;" /><br />
Zack Hasychak<br />
Deputy Director of Membership Outreach<br />
<a href="http://www.e-activist.com/ea-action/enclick?ea.url.id=1499247&ea.campaigner.email=2b1GL2t3uO495aiW%2FQGPHMQaztlvuLM%2B&ea.campaigner.id=3Z02DsJ%2Bcs%2BZkArzVWMSmA==&ea_broadcast_target_id=0" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: blue; cursor: pointer;" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="https://aaf1a18515da0e792f78-c27fdabe952dfc357fe25ebf5c8897ee.ssl.cf5.rackcdn.com/1954/Zack+Hasychak+Headshot.png?v=1535053367000" style="height: 180px; visibility: visible; width: 107px;" /></a></div>
<div class="aolmail_email-content" style="color: #5e5b58; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 24px;">
P.S. The more times you contribute $10 by 11:59 p.m. EST on Monday, the more times you’ll be entered for a chance to win. <a href="http://www.e-activist.com/ea-action/enclick?ea.url.id=1499248&ea.campaigner.email=2b1GL2t3uO495aiW%2FQGPHMQaztlvuLM%2B&ea.campaigner.id=3Z02DsJ%2Bcs%2BZkArzVWMSmA==&ea_broadcast_target_id=0" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: blue; cursor: pointer;" target="_blank"><u><strong>Boost your chances of winning ASAP.</strong></u></a></div>
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Jim Coluccihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07131834400134022036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518790918151393424.post-89477757527476127542018-08-14T21:11:00.001-04:002018-08-14T21:14:43.450-04:00Born This Way Continues to Unite and Uplift<span style="font-size: x-large;">T</span>he Housewives certainly have their place. But if, like me, you're also looking for something a little bit kinder and more uplifting in your reality TV, check out tomorrow night's season 4 premiere of A&E's groundbreaking series <i><b><span style="font-size: large;">Born This Way</span></b></i>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihP4coHD7hPLIYpZmBnqThwZBaiUCivSNPK2YInspsvCKuyeOuxf0JjwrvCDTaCMuIRuv0M2hHgtMA3V2B7niWgs9ehfBmwdZ-LaAxvkqeEnLDQZD6PWyVi4hhVpmXzd6jDjtTMEthCIfM/s1600/20180814_131647.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="778" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihP4coHD7hPLIYpZmBnqThwZBaiUCivSNPK2YInspsvCKuyeOuxf0JjwrvCDTaCMuIRuv0M2hHgtMA3V2B7niWgs9ehfBmwdZ-LaAxvkqeEnLDQZD6PWyVi4hhVpmXzd6jDjtTMEthCIfM/s320/20180814_131647.jpg" width="153" /></a></div>
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<i>Born This Way</i> is the continuing story of seven adults living with Down Syndrome as they strive for more independence, career success (cast member <b>Megan Bomgaars</b> is the force behind a fashion collection, <a href="https://megology.com/" target="_blank"><b>Megology</b></a>) -- and in this season, marital bliss.</div>
<div>
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<div>
The show debuted in 2015, and has been an important force in changing public perception of people with disabilities, and what they can achieve if given the chance. Cast member <b>Elena Ashmore</b>'s mom, <b>Hiromi</b>, told me how much the show has helped Elena grow in her understanding that "Down Syndrome" need not be a label used to hold her back, and has helped the two of them grow closer together. And this series has had a powerful effect in depicting people with disabilities not only in the U.S., but as Hiromi reminded me, around the world as well. When <i>Born This Way </i>showed their visit to their native Japan last season, Hiromi was pleased to see how that country's attitudes about disability have also improved.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDW8PWPYN-noQCvViSJ9l_Qz4LkQ-mx7j7jje3boP-_k7YCV9xE9L1fJ-pNhq_DAbtV_yzKHERqQLgJBhyYIZhvq2sFLts1LBJyvw14GCbVZHI-EjyQU7EgCRY5__3gubDrI1zUpEGPwxg/s1600/20180814_121717.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1186" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDW8PWPYN-noQCvViSJ9l_Qz4LkQ-mx7j7jje3boP-_k7YCV9xE9L1fJ-pNhq_DAbtV_yzKHERqQLgJBhyYIZhvq2sFLts1LBJyvw14GCbVZHI-EjyQU7EgCRY5__3gubDrI1zUpEGPwxg/s200/20180814_121717.jpg" width="148" /></a>Today, A&E Networks, in association with the fantastic group<a href="https://www.bestbuddies.org/" target="_blank"> Best Buddies International</a>, threw a wedding-themed premiere event at Catch restaurant in West Hollywood, to celebrate the union of cast member <b>Cristina Sanz</b> with her new husband <b>Angel</b>. Celebrities such as <b>Maureen McCormick</b> and <b>Kelly Hu</b>, each with a personal connection to intellectual disability, came out to help celebrate. And as part of the festivities, A&E has posted a <a href="https://www.aetv.com/shows/born-this-way/exclusives/registry" target="_blank">"registry"</a> for Cristina and Angel, allowing fans to donate to one of several related charities.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMewEivn0EWqP37D1rb9rmibcqTXE-DrUdZUF8_p1u-P-ycFOuXTfCJmeG8DgCmJcoRSEgLEiFC3vAttwlMpt0XqpUhMEtiCsSUuRWFE30LhkqxpvTXKgHl43r8XyY2WNiX3Y1iuG5huPw/s1600/20180814_123829%25280%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1039" data-original-width="1600" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMewEivn0EWqP37D1rb9rmibcqTXE-DrUdZUF8_p1u-P-ycFOuXTfCJmeG8DgCmJcoRSEgLEiFC3vAttwlMpt0XqpUhMEtiCsSUuRWFE30LhkqxpvTXKgHl43r8XyY2WNiX3Y1iuG5huPw/s400/20180814_123829%25280%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kelly Hu (top, center) with <i>Born This Way</i> cast members (l-r)<br />
John Tucker, Megan Bomgaars, Angel, Cristina Sanz, Rachel Osterbach,<br />
Elena Ashmore, Sean McElwee, and Steven Clark.)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi43ViL3rpAlbwLBEZzM1iYo4_DLgp2y9py8ORm-X7VuojuUbvLXPaEakVrwQUArvuiTbw6LqiepzdowYp3egUSL2GAD7YouFoLxY0_iF8gembitiGMh_17p5n6SJO_ZgItDE3Pm3j2khQ3/s1600/20180814_123937.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1288" data-original-width="1600" height="321" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi43ViL3rpAlbwLBEZzM1iYo4_DLgp2y9py8ORm-X7VuojuUbvLXPaEakVrwQUArvuiTbw6LqiepzdowYp3egUSL2GAD7YouFoLxY0_iF8gembitiGMh_17p5n6SJO_ZgItDE3Pm3j2khQ3/s400/20180814_123937.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maureen McCormick with the <i>Born This Way</i> cast</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifn3-D6qnUZMOnipLnF_tt40Wqid5tmFknFsgkvnv92YdmcMP3-ebsc_DNgDlqvNo8uMG4BwM7x6TbtO_Av7bNhyQxUtrLND8NruI1Lzsv95-GZTDiaJHDhnY_CxnEDceoHR7zdSBh8uRy/s1600/20180814_130647.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1600" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifn3-D6qnUZMOnipLnF_tt40Wqid5tmFknFsgkvnv92YdmcMP3-ebsc_DNgDlqvNo8uMG4BwM7x6TbtO_Av7bNhyQxUtrLND8NruI1Lzsv95-GZTDiaJHDhnY_CxnEDceoHR7zdSBh8uRy/s400/20180814_130647.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cast members Angel (center) and Cristina Sanz (right) with<br />
Born This Way executive producer Laura Korkoian</td></tr>
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<i>Born This Way</i> has shown us Cristina and Angel's relationship as it began and as it progressed, and now season 4 will conclude on September 5 with the episode showing their wedding. As one A&E executive told me, it's such an emotional episode, be prepared to cry. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje9-JDqFzcPr2rgVQ8vTGtU8HSIYRIIlwxS_TkWt2npZhoWMnM2HksPmnvjQyZ6OSLhwp4W1z4Rg_hCVLKVuvT1WGvHW9mXahyernSC8eSRXTifNnrkec-TBQWTEknSlL_3VGpzs4IUYVM/s1600/20180814_130044.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="1600" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje9-JDqFzcPr2rgVQ8vTGtU8HSIYRIIlwxS_TkWt2npZhoWMnM2HksPmnvjQyZ6OSLhwp4W1z4Rg_hCVLKVuvT1WGvHW9mXahyernSC8eSRXTifNnrkec-TBQWTEknSlL_3VGpzs4IUYVM/s400/20180814_130044.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Congratulations to newlyweds Cristina and Angel!</td></tr>
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<i>Born This Way</i><br />
Season 4 debuts Wednesday, August 15, 2018<br />
8 PM - 10 PM Eastern/Pacific (two episodes)<br />
A&E<br />
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Jim Coluccihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07131834400134022036noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518790918151393424.post-70370807621176350922018-06-12T20:25:00.000-04:002018-06-12T20:25:01.891-04:00A Marvelous Campaign<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij7YgvlcQc5dfe5xbg1LeYOU25fs6f1H50X0K9FtZAc5XwiY7C-HkZrHRsy_MLmcxY7Y1Icx8-PsZoQQQMiA1wITlk_FYPEyPYdNWgV3Xxnl44CPhC8F89CpWpYWwfjhyphenhyphen-tO527Hj5br2l/s1600/Mrs+Maisel+campaign+screenshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="779" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij7YgvlcQc5dfe5xbg1LeYOU25fs6f1H50X0K9FtZAc5XwiY7C-HkZrHRsy_MLmcxY7Y1Icx8-PsZoQQQMiA1wITlk_FYPEyPYdNWgV3Xxnl44CPhC8F89CpWpYWwfjhyphenhyphen-tO527Hj5br2l/s400/Mrs+Maisel+campaign+screenshot.jpg" width="193" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel'</i>s instagram<br />post from earlier today, depicting its<br />FYC "MARVELOUS" installation<br />at Glendale's The Americana at Brand<br />shopping center.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">D</span>espite assertions to the contrary, life in Los Angeles is indeed measured in seasons -- awards season, pilot season, staffing season, and in the past few years, an ever growing "For Your Consideration" season, during which just about every show on peak TV throws a celebration of itself, in hopes of reeling in an Emmy nomination.<br />
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Most of these events consist of a panel discussion, followed by some sort of cocktail party. And while they're a great way for both journalists and fans of a show to get a fun glimpse behind the scenes, these soirees do all tend to blend together come nomination time.<br />
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Occasionally some shows cut through the clutter by doing something a bit different, as in the case of the fabulous <b>Amazon Prime</b> show <i><b>The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel</b></i>. Yes, <i>Mrs. Maisel</i> creators <b>Amy Sherman-Palladino</b> and <b>Dan Palladino</b>, plus actors <b>Rachel Brosnahan</b>, <b>Alex Borstein</b>, <b>Marin Hinkle</b>, <b>Tony Shalhoub</b> and <b>Michael Zegen</b> already participated in a panel at Amazon Studios' temporary exhibition at the Hollywood Athletic Club this spring. But the show is just beginning another campaign, drawing attention not just itself but to some deserving female-run enterprises as well.<br />
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As announced today, Amazon Studios has selected eleven "women-led companies, individuals with a voice, and those who continue to usher in change and progress" as honorees. In front of each place of business in New York and Los Angeles, Amazon will be erecting, starting today and lasting for one week, an installation of letters spelling out "MARVELOUS," in reference to the series' trailblazing stand up comic and heroine.<br />
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I devoured the first season of <i>The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel</i>, and am excited that production on the series' second season is currently underway in New York. But I'm even more excited that among the honorees is <b>Lizz Winstead</b>, the co-creator of <i>The Daily Show,</i> the founder of <a href="https://ladypartsjusticeleague.com/" target="_blank"><b>Lady Parts Justice League</b></a> (advocating for and safeguarding women's reproductive rights), and the officiant at my wedding in 2011. Hopefully, this recognition will put a spotlight on women like Lizz, doing amazing work, and empower them to keep up the fight.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkvLZdy7L8Krnp-DrWas66b89DbofEHF7tK6-JjtU3lO4xWw655HMsDl6SLzLdQT44RpfMKnzESrvaYfv8SLCWxRlzsv8Beq5VQ72omSD82x_LOqbfSiS7HZgtIhrPLeBHV_e-PpbUa4ag/s1600/VMT2018_PAsquarespace2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="1000" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkvLZdy7L8Krnp-DrWas66b89DbofEHF7tK6-JjtU3lO4xWw655HMsDl6SLzLdQT44RpfMKnzESrvaYfv8SLCWxRlzsv8Beq5VQ72omSD82x_LOqbfSiS7HZgtIhrPLeBHV_e-PpbUa4ag/s400/VMT2018_PAsquarespace2.jpg" width="400" /></a>Lizz, by the way, kicks off her 2018 "Vagical Mystery Tour" tonight in Bethlehem, PA, and will continue to six more cities through early August. Check out the <a href="https://www.vagicalmysterytour.com/events" target="_blank">Vagical Mystery Tour schedule</a> here.<br />
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Below, Amazon's official announcement: <br />
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<b>AMAZON PRIME VIDEO CELEBRATES EMPOWERING AND INSPIRING INDIVIDUALS WITH A UNIQUE EMMY FYC CAMPAIGN FOR <i>THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL</i></b></div>
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<i>Eleven sets of eight-foot-tall “Marvelous” block letters are being installed across Los Angeles and New York to celebrate women-led companies, individuals with a voice, and those who continue to usher in change and progress</i></div>
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SANTA MONICA, Calif., June 12, 2018 – Amazon Prime Video today announced it is launching a unique Emmy FYC campaign for the series <i>The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel</i> celebrating empowering and inspiring individuals. Starting today and lasting for one week in Los Angeles and New York, Amazon is installing eleven sets of “Marvelous” eight-foot-tall block letters in front of businesses that are founded and led by women, as well as locations where individuals are driving positive change in the world. These illuminated installations are a recognition of the honorees’ achievements and their innovative businesses. They celebrate women with a voice and those who are leading change and progress. </div>
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“The character Midge Maisel is a strong, talented woman who strikes out on her own to forge a new path, and in the spirit of <i>The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel</i>, we are excited to shine a light on other fantastic, entrepreneurial women,” said Mike Benson, Head of Marketing, Amazon Studios. “We hope that this campaign will inspire others to find their unique voice.”</div>
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Fans of the series are encouraged to take photos with the letters and join the conversation on social media by using the #Marvelous and tagging @MaiselTV across all social media platforms. Not only can they share the unique things that make them feel “Marvelous,” but they can also nominate another person in their lives who they feel embodies what it means to be marvelous as well.</div>
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The women being honored include: </div>
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<li class="aolmail_MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0in;"><b>Danielle Weisberg and Carly Zakin, co-Founders and co-CEOs of theSkimm</b> – Danielle Weisberg and Carly Zakin are the co-Founders and co-CEOs of theSkimm, a membership company that makes it easier for millions of female millennials to live smarter</li>
<li class="aolmail_MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in;"><b>Whitney Wolfe Herd, Founder of Bumble</b> – In 2014, Whitney Wolfe Herd founded Bumble - where women make the first move - in order to challenge the antiquated rules of dating. Now, that idea has expanded into BumbleBFF and BumbleBizz. Bumble users can connect with confidence whether in dating, networking, or meeting friends online. Bumble prioritizes kindness and respect, providing a safe online community for users to build new relationships. In just over three and a half years, Bumble has 33 million registered users, who have made 561 million first moves and over 165 billion swipes! </li>
<li class="aolmail_MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in;"><b>Katie Rosen Kitchens, Founder of FabFitFun</b> – Katie Rosen Kitchens has led the evolution of FabFitFun as a leading female-focused media brand, curating fresh and exciting products for FabFitFun members and overseeing all brand partnerships and product development<b> </b></li>
<li class="aolmail_MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in;"><b>Reshma Saujani, Founder and CEO of Girls Who Code</b> – Reshma Saujani is the Founder and CEO of Girls Who Code, the nonprofit dedicated to closing the gender gap in tech that has already reached 90,000 girls of all backgrounds in all 50 states</li>
<li class="aolmail_MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in;"><b>Payal Kadakia, Founder of ClassPass</b> – Payal Kadakia is the Founder and Executive Chairman of ClassPass, the leading membership to the world’s largest fitness network with over 9,000 partners in 50 cities worldwide</li>
<li class="aolmail_MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in;"><b>Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne, James Beard Foundation award-winning Chef and Restaurateur</b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"> –<b> </b>Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne are founders and owners of</span><span style="color: #222222;"> The Lucques Group</span>, a Los Angeles hospitality company that comprises three fine dining restaurants – Lucques, <span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #222222;">a.o.c</span><span lang="EN-GB">., and </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #222222;">Tavern</span><span lang="EN-GB"> – and four marketplace restaurants – </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #222222;">The Larder at Maple Drive</span><span lang="EN-GB">, </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #222222;">The Larder at Burton Way</span><span lang="EN-GB">, The Larder at Tavern and The Larder at Tavern at the Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX. Along with these culinary enterprises, the company also operates Lucques Catering, the Larder Baking Company and comprehensive food and beverage services for the Hollywood Bowl</span></li>
<li class="aolmail_MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in;"><b>Florence Shin and Athina Wang, Founders of Covry</b> – Florence Shin and Athina Wang are the founders of Covry, an eyewear company embracing and celebrating diversity. Their innovative approach to comfortable eyewear goes beyond the standard fit by catering to diverse face shapes</li>
<li class="aolmail_MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in;"><b>Lauren Paul and Molly Thompson, co-Founders of The Kind Campaign</b> – Lauren Paul and Molly Thompson, co-Founders of The Kind Campaign, are the internationally recognized nonprofit that brings awareness and healing to the negative effects of girl-against-girl bullying </li>
<li class="aolmail_MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in;"><b>Lizz Winstead, Founder of Lady Parts Justice League and co-Creator of <i>The Daily Show </i></b>– As co-creator of <i>The Daily Show</i> and co-founder of <i>Air America Radio</i>, Lizz Winstead has helped changed the very landscape of how people get their news. Known as one of the top political satirists in America, Winstead was recognized in <i>Entertainment Weekly</i>’s “100 Most Creative People” issue. Lizz currently spends her time at the helm of Lady Parts Justice League (LPJL), a comedy-driven reproductive rights organization she founded</li>
<li class="aolmail_MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in;"><b>Cecile Richards, Former president of Planned Parenthood and author of <i>Make Trouble</i> </b>– Cecile Richards is a national leader for women’s rights and economic justice, and a lifelong activist</li>
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Amazon will have the “Marvelous” block letters in the following locations:<br /></div>
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<li class="aolmail_MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">Westfield Century City</li>
<li class="aolmail_MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">The Grove</li>
<li class="aolmail_MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">The Americana at Brand</li>
<li class="aolmail_MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">9200 Sunset Blvd. </li>
<li class="aolmail_MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">Santa Monica Pier </li>
<li class="aolmail_MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">The Four Ladies of Hollywood Statue adjacent to the Hollywood Walk of Fame</li>
<li class="aolmail_MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 0in;">8500’s The Larder at Burton Way (Caruso’s luxury residential landmark which is also at 8500 Burton Way at the intersection of La Cienega will be turning its iconic cloud light pink for the campaign)</li>
<li class="aolmail_MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">FabFitFun Offices</li>
<li class="aolmail_MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">Oculus at Westfield World Trade Center </li>
<li class="aolmail_MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">Time Warner Center </li>
<li class="aolmail_MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">10<sup>th</sup> Ave. and 33<sup>rd</sup> St. in New York City</li>
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<b><u><span style="color: #111111; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">About <i>The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel</i></span></u></b><i><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">The Marvelous Mrs.<span class="aolmail_MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration-line: underline;"><span style="color: black; text-decoration-line: none;"> </span></span>Maisel<span class="aolmail_MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration-line: underline;"><span style="color: black; text-decoration-line: none;"> </span></span></span></i><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">from renowned </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">creator<span class="aolmail_MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration-line: underline;"><span style="color: black; text-decoration-line: none;"> Amy Sherman-Palladino </span></span>(</span><i><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Gilmore Girls</span></i><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">) and Executive </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Producer<span class="aolmail_MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration-line: underline;"><span style="color: black; text-decoration-line: none;"> Daniel Palladino </span></span>(<i>Family </i></span><i><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Guy</span></i><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">), written and directed by Sherman-Palladino and Palladino, stars Golden </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Globe winner<span class="aolmail_MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration-line: underline;"><span style="color: black; text-decoration-line: none;"> <a href="http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.imdb.com%2Fname%2Fnm3014031%2F&esheet=51695837&newsitemid=20171010006055&lan=en-US&anchor=Rachel+Brosnahan&index=4&md5=0aa312350e9cf22f651d28a86b5a060f" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #954f72; cursor: pointer;" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; text-decoration-line: none;">Rachel Brosnahan</span></a> </span></span><i>(House of Cards</i></span><i><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">)</span></i><span class="aolmail_MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration-line: underline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-decoration-line: none;"> as Miriam “Midge” Maisel, a 1958 New York City woman who has everything she’s ever wanted—the perfect husband, two kids, and an elegant Upper West Side apartment perfect for hosting Yom Kippur dinner. But her perfect life suddenly takes an unexpected turn and Midge discovers a previously unknown talent—one that changes her life forever. </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><br /><i>The Marvelous Mrs.<span class="aolmail_MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration-line: underline;"><span style="color: black; text-decoration-line: none;"> </span></span>Maisel</i><span class="aolmail_MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration-line: underline;"><span style="color: black; text-decoration-line: none;"> </span></span>also stars<span class="aolmail_MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration-line: underline;"><span style="color: black; text-decoration-line: none;"> </span></span>Golden Globe winner and three-time Emmy winner<span class="aolmail_MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration-line: underline;"><span style="color: black; text-decoration-line: none;"> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001724/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #954f72; cursor: pointer;" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; text-decoration-line: none;">Tony Shalhoub</span></a> </span></span>(<i>Monk</i>) as Midge’s father Abe Weissman,<span class="aolmail_MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration-line: underline;"><span style="color: black; text-decoration-line: none;"> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0097504/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #954f72; cursor: pointer;" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; text-decoration-line: none;">Alex Borstein</span></a> </span></span>(<i>Family Guy</i>) as Susie Myerson,<span class="aolmail_MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration-line: underline;"><span style="color: black; text-decoration-line: none;"> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1652433/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #954f72; cursor: pointer;" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; text-decoration-line: none;">Michael Zegen</span></a> </span></span>(<i>Boardwalk Empire</i>) as Midge’s husband Joel<span class="aolmail_MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration-line: underline;"><span style="color: black; text-decoration-line: none;"> </span></span>Maisel<span class="aolmail_MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration-line: underline;"><span style="color: black; text-decoration-line: none;"> </span></span>and<span class="aolmail_MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration-line: underline;"><span style="color: black; text-decoration-line: none;"> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0385792/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #954f72; cursor: pointer;" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; text-decoration-line: none;">Marin Hinkle</span></a> </span></span>(<i>Two and a Half Men</i>) as Midge’s mother Rose Weissman.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><br /><i>The Marvelous Mrs.<span class="aolmail_MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration-line: underline;"><span style="color: black; text-decoration-line: none;"> </span></span>Maisel<span class="aolmail_MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration-line: underline;"><span style="color: black; text-decoration-line: none;"> </span></span></i>is the winner of two Golden Globes (Best TV Series, Comedy and Best Actress in a TV Series, Comedy (Rachel Brosnahan)), two Critics’ Choice Awards (Best Comedy Series and Best Actress in a Comedy Series (Rachel Brosnahan), a 2018 Peabody Award, a PGA Award (Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Comedy), and was nominated by the DGA and Costume Designers’ Guild.<br /></span></div>
Jim Coluccihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07131834400134022036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518790918151393424.post-59364873744863955802018-06-05T09:00:00.000-04:002018-06-07T16:20:45.889-04:00Sex and the City is almost old enough to drink a cosmo<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiVWfMmaunqs6Mhbr9kJRZF_nje3Cko1juQO0NK6xg7pkHb-EvADbHJyZgfLDcKcKvl9l3AYU_wb97tO4PB319oOBfhHIYEkfie8_oyRFjOpkgit5ycKLQbIT84qdfMHEPuy5qHBNegMlJ/s1600/Sex+and+the+City+and+Us.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="331" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiVWfMmaunqs6Mhbr9kJRZF_nje3Cko1juQO0NK6xg7pkHb-EvADbHJyZgfLDcKcKvl9l3AYU_wb97tO4PB319oOBfhHIYEkfie8_oyRFjOpkgit5ycKLQbIT84qdfMHEPuy5qHBNegMlJ/s320/Sex+and+the+City+and+Us.jpg" width="212" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">W</span>ith much fanfare this morning, <i><b><span style="font-size: large;">Sex and the City</span></b></i> is celebrating the 20th anniversary since its debut on HBO in 1998.<br />
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Popping up around the web have been stories about the show's place in the late '90s zeitgeist -- and critiques of how episodes don't hold up to our current standards when it comes to LGBT and other minority depictions -- plus click-through galleries of Sarah Jessica Parker's best and worst Carrie Bradshaw fashions. A blog at cabletv.com has compiled <a href="https://www.cabletv.com/blog/sex-and-the-city-dining-guide/" target="_blank">a list of dozens of New York eateries patronized by the fab foursome of Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha</a>.<br />
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But for me, the best way to reminisce about <i>Sex</i> -- and its huge impact on pop culture, on depictions of women on TV, and even on the world's view of New York (sorely needed after the crisis of 9/11) is via a brand-new book published today, <i><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sex-City-Us-Single-Changed/dp/1501164821/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1528321755&sr=8-1&keywords=Jennifer+Keishin+Armstrong" target="_blank">Sex and the City and Us</a></span></b></i>, by <b>Jennifer Keishin Armstrong</b>.<br />
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The author of two other fabulous TV behind-the-scenes companions -- <i>Mary and Lou and Rhoda and Ted </i>(2013) and <i>Seinfeldia </i>(2017) -- Armstrong takes the reader step-by-step through <b>Candace Bushnell</b>'s early years in New York, the origins and evolution of her <i>Sex and the City</i> column, and the development of that material with producer <b>Darren Star</b> into a new half-hour comedy for HBO. From there, we go behind-the-scenes to learn how characters and storylines were conceived, and how everything changed once the show blossomed into a mega-hit.<br />
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Armstrong doesn't shy away from criticisms of the show as well, pointing out places where its conceits haven't quite aged as well as one would like. And yes, there is mention and some explanation of the Parker-Cattrall "feud," the back-and-forths of which, as the planned <i>Sex and the City 3</i> feature film met its premature demise, were only becoming public as the book went to print.<br />
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Personally, I'm still hoping all differences will be ironed out and <i>SATC3</i> will eventually happen -- I guess that makes me an optimistic Charlotte. Yes, some of those over-the-top <i>Sex and the City 2</i> Dubai moments were more cringeworthy than fun -- oy, those outfits as they walked the desert dunes! -- but one of the things we've always loved about Carrie is her willingness to take chances, including with her fashions. I, for one, would never have advised wearing a tutu on the Manhattan streets -- especially if there's a chance you'll be splashed by a bus (with your face on it) -- but Carrie somehow made it work.<br />
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Yes, some of Carrie's voiceovers or Samantha's double-entendres may no longer seem exactly cutting edge. But twenty years ago today, <i>Sex and the City</i> was a show that changed the way single women were perceived, and perceived themselves. It brought whole new glamour to their world, and to New York as a whole. So let's sit back, binge-watch, and follow along in Armstrong's fabulous new book. Because after all, as with pizza, even imperfect <i>Sex</i> is better than no <i>Sex</i> at all.Jim Coluccihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07131834400134022036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518790918151393424.post-662921668035482412018-03-22T20:17:00.001-04:002018-03-22T20:17:09.183-04:00Designing Women Reboot? If so, Annie Potts Wants In<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVfFtGjDgJ3-7bkR9T79-Q46KdjW7mBZd4Nm49ft74HeEk3CNEMwqwdec02bb-x2P6ejohG_F6LaubhSCBrwuJOvmhWasW-OHSPafevcX6Mr0bWrlpQbLPXP-MLuCgn_4vxnQCSN-B5Kgu/s1600/Young+Sheldon+PaleyFest+032218.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1024" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVfFtGjDgJ3-7bkR9T79-Q46KdjW7mBZd4Nm49ft74HeEk3CNEMwqwdec02bb-x2P6ejohG_F6LaubhSCBrwuJOvmhWasW-OHSPafevcX6Mr0bWrlpQbLPXP-MLuCgn_4vxnQCSN-B5Kgu/s200/Young+Sheldon+PaleyFest+032218.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">PaleyFest's <i>Young Sheldon</i> panelists:<br />(back, l-r) creators Chuck Lorre and<br />Steve Molaro, moderator Jessica Radloff,<br />stars Montana Jordan, Annie Potts,<br />Zoe Perry, Lance Barber and<br />Jim Parsons, and (front)<br />Iain Armitage and Raegan Revord<br />March 21, 2018, The Dolby Theater, Hollywood<br />Photo by Michael Bulbenko for the Paley Center</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">L</span>ast night at Hollywood's Dolby Theater, the 35th Annual <b>PaleyFest</b> presented two related panels, featuring the creators and stars of both the 11th season sitcom megahit <i><b>The Big Bang Theory</b></i>, and its freshman prequel <i><b>Young Sheldon</b></i>, which in its debut season ranks as the top new show on TV.<br />
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As <i>Young Sheldon</i> stars <b>Iain Armitage</b>, <b>Raegan Revord</b>, <b>Montana Jordan</b>, <b>Zoe Perry</b>, <b>Lance Barber</b> and <b>Jim Parsons</b> also walked the blue carpet prior to the panel (expertly hosted by <i>Glamour</i>'s <b>Jessica Radloff</b>), I was most excited to talk with <b><span style="font-size: large;">Annie Potts</span></b>, who of course had already portrayed one of <i>the</i> protypical Southern women on TV on the '80s-'90s CBS sitcom <i><b><span style="font-size: large;">Designing Women</span></b>,</i> and now was playing a slightly older model as Memaw on <i>Young Sheldon</i>.<br />
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Ironically, <i>Young Sheldon</i> is set in the late '80s, when <i>Designing Women</i> was one of the sitcoms ruling CBS' airwaves. During the panel, the cast was even asked if Raegan's character Missy, always parked in front of the TV, might end up watching <i>Designing Women</i>, but the show's creators, <b>Steve Molaro</b> and <b>Chuck Lorre</b>, and particularly Annie, think that might be too bizarre.<br />
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But clearly, with the return of <i>Will & Grace</i> and the impending returns of <i>Roseanne</i> and CBS' own <i>Murphy Brown</i>, the idea of somehow rebooting <i>Designing Women</i> is in the air. In fact, when I asked Annie if she had any interest in a <i>Designing Women</i> reboot, she noted that someone earlier on the carpet had already asked the same thing. <br />
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So, would Annie like to juggle her current role as Memaw with a reprise of her beloved Mary Jo Shively? "<b>Yes, I would</b>," the actress immediately answered. "I'd love to! I don't know <i>when</i> I'd do it, but if Linda Bloodworth[-Thomason] wanted to write six episodes or something, that could be done during a hiatus period, yeah, I'd do that! Because I think it's important. Those were strong characters, and we got to say stuff that women haven't been able to say since. I mean, we took on Donald Trump long ago! We were speaking truth to power."Jim Coluccihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07131834400134022036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518790918151393424.post-58430205663440845962018-03-18T02:18:00.001-04:002018-03-19T18:33:37.576-04:00Will & Grace Renewed -- Again<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOCyP0od_7TSRGMPwO5fS7uNkKY30bArek5xCezLobr2kWwy2qGlXzFk7kNxTAxr_4OdG3DWH5fITRAPD_aHjpZDRIODisOQFudsL9qUbRxt8d7YqZBBpfp4L5k8j_RootU-OUU7pdprPE/s1600/Dan+Bucatinsky+and+cast+and+writers+of+Will+and+Grace+at+PaleyFest+Dolby+Theater+backstage+031718.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="754" data-original-width="958" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOCyP0od_7TSRGMPwO5fS7uNkKY30bArek5xCezLobr2kWwy2qGlXzFk7kNxTAxr_4OdG3DWH5fITRAPD_aHjpZDRIODisOQFudsL9qUbRxt8d7YqZBBpfp4L5k8j_RootU-OUU7pdprPE/s200/Dan+Bucatinsky+and+cast+and+writers+of+Will+and+Grace+at+PaleyFest+Dolby+Theater+backstage+031718.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At PaleyFest at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood:<br />
l-r, moderator Dan Bucatinsky, NBC president Bob Greenblatt<br />
<i>Will & Grace</i> director Jimmy Burrows, stars Sean Hayes,<br />
Debra Messing, Eric McCormack and Megan Mullally,<br />
co-creators Max Mutchnick and David Kohan.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">A</span>s of tonight, it's official: <b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Will & Grace</span></i></b> is back for the long haul.<br />
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As the cast of the popular rebooted sitcom took the stage at Hollywood's Dolby Theater for a panel on night two of the annual PaleyFest, it was <b>Megan Mullally</b> who urged co-creator <b>Max Mutchnick</b> to announce the official news: not only will <i>W&G</i>'s rebooted season 2/overall season 10 be increased from a planned 13 to now 18 episodes, but NBC has already renewed the show for a third (or eleventh) season.<br />
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After a day on a photo shoot at the W Hotel in Hollywood, the cast assembled -- along with <b>Eric McCormack</b>, <b>Debra Messing</b>, <b>Sean Hayes</b>, plus Mutchnick, co-creator <b>David Kohan</b> and director/executive producer <b>Jimmy Burrows</b> -- at the Dolby for an interview conducted by Scandal actor, writer/producer and <i>W&G</i> super-fan <b>Dan Bucatinsky</b>, who recently reprised his character Neil, from the original series.<br />
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Below, NBC's official announcement of its pickup of the series for season 3:<br />
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‘WILL & GRACE’ EXTENDS ITS TRIUMPHANT RETURN WITH SEASON THREE PICK-UP</h1>
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<strong>Additional Season Two Episodes Ordered as Critical Acclaim Builds for Original Cast and Production Team</strong></div>
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UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – March 17, 2018 – “Will & Grace” is giving you more, honey!</div>
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The return of “Will & Grace,” which began as an Internet reunion that turned into a one-season order and then a two-season order before it even went back on the air last fall, has just been ordered for a third season to premiere in fall 2019. With its razor-sharp wit intact and all four Emmy Award-winning actors back at the top of their game, one of the best NBC Must See comedies will return for an 18-episode third season.</div>
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In addition, the network has increased the season two order, which will begin again next fall, from 13 to 18 episodes. The announcement was made by Robert Greenblatt, Chairman, NBC Entertainment.</div>
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“As far as I’m concerned, we can’t get enough of ‘Will & Grace’ and 23 more episodes is music to my ears,” Greenblatt said. “We’re eternally grateful that Debra, Eric, Sean and Megan feel the same way and wanted to keep this good thing going. I’m overwhelmed by the euphoric response the new show has received from the press and the audience, and my hat is off to the unrivaled writing team of Max Mutchnick and David Kohan, as well as the brilliant directing of Jimmy Burrows, for consistently delivering one of the best shows on television.” </div>
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So far this season “Will & Grace” is averaging a 3.1 rating in adults 18-49 and 9.8 million viewers overall in “live plus seven day” figures from Nielsen Media Research. “Will & Grace” is NBC’s most-watched primetime comedy at this point in the season in eight years and has improved its Thursday timeslot by +48% versus NBC’s year-ago results for regular non-sports programming in 18-49.</div>
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“Will & Grace” has received critical acclaim since the show’s return in September. “Watching it is like running into an old flame who looks fantastic and is as bright and fun as ever,” said The New York Times. Entertainment Weekly wrote that </div>
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“‘Will & Grace’ has been just as incredible as the original series: hilarious, poignant, contemporary” while USA Today added, “Watching the foursome is like taking in a tango by professional dancers.” </div>
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Season one has been highlighted by an array of top guest stars, including Jennifer Lopez, Alec Baldwin, Minnie Driver, Ben Platt, Molly Shannon, Jane Lynch, Andrew Rannells and more.</div>
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“Will & Grace” stars Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, Sean Hayes and Megan Mullally. Max Mutchnick and David Kohan, who co-created the series, write and executive produce. James Burrows directs and executive produces. “Will & Grace” is produced by Universal Television.</div>
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Jim Coluccihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07131834400134022036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518790918151393424.post-80066821298811451302018-03-15T18:36:00.004-04:002018-03-15T18:36:44.960-04:00Maurice Made "Golden" Magic<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivrey8B0JWUPhLrVYn5GiExevEBpS8bIio1R5GJZI-jhqnfubiSAIdr-awqYin6NGCA_-aEofQVJMP_1YA6LkvSwPdRpQp9z-qx8IYpASCIq14ZIx1T30YUfa_gMVBvOwcCRfa9zWWBxjV/s1600/Maurice+Stein.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="370" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivrey8B0JWUPhLrVYn5GiExevEBpS8bIio1R5GJZI-jhqnfubiSAIdr-awqYin6NGCA_-aEofQVJMP_1YA6LkvSwPdRpQp9z-qx8IYpASCIq14ZIx1T30YUfa_gMVBvOwcCRfa9zWWBxjV/s200/Maurice+Stein.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">R</span>ecently, I learned of the passing of makeup artist and inventor, <b>Maurice Stein</b>. I had the pleasure of interviewing Maurice in 2006, inside <b>Cinema Secrets</b>, the Toluca Lake, California store which sells not just cinema-quality makeup, but also many of his ingenious innovations.<br />
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Talking with Maurice was one of the most memorable experiences I had in researching <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Girls-Forever-Unauthorized-Behind/dp/0062422901/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8" target="_blank">Golden Girls Forever</a></i> -- and that's really saying something, because I also got to sit for a day each with Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan and Betty White! But for one thing, makeup artists are often privy to the most intimate details of stars' personal lives, spending so much time with them each day. And Maurice's memories of the groundbreaking show, and his storytelling skills, were both superb. <br />
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But the most interesting thing I learned that day was about how, out of <i>Golden Girls</i> necessity, Maurice ended up inventing a brand new cinema technique that is still used to this day. Below, a featurette that didn't make it into <i>Golden Girls Forever</i>, due to space constraints. (Hopefully it will someday, in some kind of expanded edition.) I think it's a proper tribute to a funny, warm guy whom I had the pleasure of meeting, and who helped bring the world laughter via Sophia Petrillo.<br />
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<blockquote style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Golden Girls</i> progressed, the series’ hair and makeup crew would
be tasked with some very specific challenges, such as turning Estelle Getty and
Bea Arthur into a convincing Sonny and Cher. But by then, such sartorial
switchups were old hat for costume designer Judy Evans, hair stylist Joyce
Melton and makeup artist Maurice Stein.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After all, they’d already been convincingly transforming Estelle –
actually a tiny bit younger than her co-stars Betty and Bea – into an old lady
for years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></blockquote>
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<blockquote style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For the earliest
episodes in season one, Estelle's hair was merely sprayed gray, as the actress
herself had done to perform her shtick for producer after producer during her
many auditions. But very soon, as it became clear that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Golden Girls</i> would be an enduring
hit, it also became obvious that some things had to change.</span></blockquote>
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<blockquote style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">And so, not far into the
first season, the show's producers commissioned Sophia's trademark -- and
expensive -- curly white human-hair wig. But the larger problem was, the prevailing
old-age makeup technique at the time, a process called “stretch and stipple,”
took over four hours to apply, and as Maurice remembers Estelle saying, “an
hour and a half, and a couple of vodkas, to take off.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each week, that added up to five or six hours
of expensive production time – and an extra headache for an already nervous
Estelle.</span></blockquote>
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<blockquote style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">And so, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Golden Girls</i> producer Marsha Posner
Williams had made a call to Maurice, luring him out of his early retirement; as
luck would have it, Maurice had spent his newfound spare time inventing a new
waterproof, oil-free foundation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now,
instead of putting his star through the time-consuming application, blow-drying
and powdering of layers and layers of latex, Maurice was able to cover Estelle’s
face with several strata of the fast-drying foundation, and followed by accentuating
her natural wrinkles with a makeup pencil (and, after Estelle’s facelift
between seasons one and two, creating those lines anew.)</span></blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Today, Maurice still
sells his <span style="background: white;">Cinema Secrets Ultimate Foundation to
the public; and because it's one of the only products medically approved to
cover radiation burns, he donates his time and product to kids in burn units
and to women with cancer. As Maurice jokes, his products “aren't tested
on animals…but on actors.” So really, he adds, in the end, it was partly Estelle's
ambition to play Sophia that has resulted not only in an innovative new
product, but also in charitable work that has benefitted people around the
world.</span></span></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Jim Colucci, Golden Girls Forever, copyright 2016 HarperCollins Inc. </blockquote>
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<br />Jim Coluccihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07131834400134022036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518790918151393424.post-11769542735661048442018-03-13T09:00:00.000-04:002018-03-15T19:05:34.186-04:00Join The Good Fight<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4f9kKHkGhFRibs5fiZcwKz_eqOP-rDWd1dZMAr8gyDhVG8RAZBtC-NOhaEwTBHPf-wecd-uEkdDdHmrCvBMms73nJ0EG-o_qGtMdcWFc-ubdAjQs5a9mxT8nX3PV0aX-kas_ZFDTGx0UY/s1600/The+Good+Fight+season+1+DVD+art.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="301" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4f9kKHkGhFRibs5fiZcwKz_eqOP-rDWd1dZMAr8gyDhVG8RAZBtC-NOhaEwTBHPf-wecd-uEkdDdHmrCvBMms73nJ0EG-o_qGtMdcWFc-ubdAjQs5a9mxT8nX3PV0aX-kas_ZFDTGx0UY/s200/The+Good+Fight+season+1+DVD+art.jpg" width="135" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Good Fight season 1 DVD<br />featuring stars (l-r) Cush Jumbo,<br />Christine Baranski, Rose Leslie</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">I</span> have a confession to make: I'm not a huge TV streamer. There's simply too much good stuff to watch on network and cable TV, and it fills up my DVR (again, old fashioned tech, I guess, but it works for me.) So I rarely have to go looking for extra ways to watch even more TV, especially at an extra cost, even if those series are widely acclaimed.<br />
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For one thing, eventually they'll come out on DVD. And that's exactly the case with my favorite show currently on any platform, <b>CBS All Access</b>' <i><b>The Good Fight</b></i>. A continuation of CBS' former (and amazing) series, <i>The Good Wife</i>, <i>The Good Fight</i> may even be a bit better than its predecessor.<br />
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Season 1 starts with <b>Christine Baranski</b>'s Diane Lockhart, on the eve of her planned retirement, finding out that her savings have been wiped out by a Madoff-esque Ponzi scheme, perpetrated by her supposed friend, Henry Rindell. Now, with Henry's daughter Maia (<b>Rose Leslie</b>)'s reputation destroyed as well, the two women join one of <i>The Good Wife</i>'s most recently introduced and yet most beloved characters, <b>Cush Jumbo</b>'s Lucca Quinn, at one of Chicago's pre-eminent, predominantly African-American, law firms.<br />
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CBS All Access is of course also the home of the newest <i>Star Trek</i> series, <i>Star Trek: Discovery</i> -- and its run, which began this past September, has been a boon to the now nearly four-year-old service in terms of attracting subscribers. But <i>Star Trek</i> or no, <i>The Good Fight</i> is so good, it itself is also worth the monthly cost.<br />
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Season 1 consisted of ten, nailbiting episodes (and, it's worth noting, episodes which are free of network standards and practices constraints in terms of language and nudity) -- and as of this week, they're available on a<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Good-Fight-Season-One/dp/B0792291VC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1521154830&sr=8-1&keywords=the+good+fight+season+1+dvd" target="_blank"> three-DVD set, which also contains a gag reel and deleted/extended scenes.</a> The show's already captivating season 2 began "airing" -- if that's what one can call episodes which continue to drop each Sunday -- on March 4, and so now is the perfect time for newcomers (even non <i>Good Wife</i> watchers) to catch up.<br />
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<br />
<i>The Good Fight</i><br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Good-Fight-Season-One/dp/B0792291VC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1521154830&sr=8-1&keywords=the+good+fight+season+1+dvd" target="_blank">Season 1 available on DVD</a>, release date March 13, 2018<br />
Season 2 airing on CBS All Access, beginning March 4, 2018Jim Coluccihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07131834400134022036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518790918151393424.post-57033764354083224372018-01-31T14:01:00.000-05:002018-01-31T14:01:11.590-05:00GALECA Announces its 9th Annual DORIAN Award Winners<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJVR_yeEVfMM0CkFHVcTZvG5r8-oRnGfUASDspw1jgn_koz-wclSlR7YvssvhyVu6ZgnFw5PUsPXDfiOpfVNuB_ldKHUq1KP-t7hfDJtysm_LHoSN2d8E4_wKQSC1UXD-Uompz-XriWrmN/s1600/GALECA+LGBTQ.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="138" data-original-width="640" height="69" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJVR_yeEVfMM0CkFHVcTZvG5r8-oRnGfUASDspw1jgn_koz-wclSlR7YvssvhyVu6ZgnFw5PUsPXDfiOpfVNuB_ldKHUq1KP-t7hfDJtysm_LHoSN2d8E4_wKQSC1UXD-Uompz-XriWrmN/s320/GALECA+LGBTQ.jpeg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">F</span>or the past nine years, I've been honored to be a member of the Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association (<b>GALECA</b>), which bestows its <b>Dorian Awards</b> on shows depicting, serving and generally entertaining the LGBT community.<br />
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This year's winners have just been announced, with awards to be distributed at our February 24 "Winner's Reception" in Beverly Hills. And although of course I voted for <i>Will & Grace</i>, I am happy to see <i><b>RuPaul's Drag Race</b></i> and<i> <b>Feud: Bette and Joan</b></i> get much-deserved recognition in those categories.<br />
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Other winners include <b>Greta Gerwig</b> as best director, <b>Sally Hawkins</b> as best actress, <b>Timothee Chalamet</b> as both best actor and rising star, <b>Jordan Peele</b> for best screenplay (and another win as a "Wilde Wit"), <b>Michael Stuhlbarg</b> and <b>Laurie Metcalf</b> for best supporting actor and actress, and Meryl Streep winning our version of a lifetime achievement award, as our "Timeless Star." <i><b>Call Me By Your Name</b></i> wins the award for best film of the year.<br />
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On the TV side, winners include <b><i>Big Little Lies</i> </b>as best drama, <i><b>The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel</b> </i>as best comedy, <b>Nicole Kidman </b>and<b> Kyle MacLachlan</b> winning the acting awards, and the amazing <b>Kate McKinnon</b> winning twice, as a "Wilde Wit" and also for her musical performance as Kellyanne Conway.<br />
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The full list of nominees and winners is below.<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "century gothic"; font-size: large;">GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "century gothic";"><span style="font-size: large;"> (as in Lesbian! Gay! Bisexual! Transgender! Queer!)</span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "century gothic";"><span style="font-size: large;">Name Dorian Award Film/TV Winners</span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";"><span style="font-size: small;">'<i style="font-weight: bold;">Call Me By Your Name' is Best Film, Greta Gerwig Takes Best Director</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic"; font-size: small;"><b><i>'Get Out' Auteur Jordan Peele Scores Best Screenplay and More</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic"; font-size: small;"><b><i><b><i>Sally Hawkins Wins Best Actress, Timoth</i></b></i></b><b style="color: #4b4b4c;">ée</b><b><i><b><i> Chalamet is Both Best Actor and Rising Star</i></b></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><i><b><i><span style="font-family: "century gothic";">'American Gods,' Kyle MacLachlan, </span></i></b></i></b><b><i><b><i><span style="font-family: "century gothic";">Samantha Bee, ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race' Rule TV Categories</span></i></b></i></b></span></div>
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<b><i><b><i><span style="font-family: "century gothic"; font-size: small;">Meryl Streep is </span></i></b></i></b><b><i><b><i><span style="font-family: "century gothic"; font-size: small;">Group’s Latest 'Timeless Star’ Honoree</span></i></b></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";">Wednesday, January 31, 2018 - Hollywood, CA — The distinctly unique<b> </b><a href="http://galeca.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: blue;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #a9b612;"><b>GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics</b></span></a></span><span style="font-family: "century gothic";">, comprised of over 200 gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer and ally entertainment journalists in the U.S., Canada and U.K., has announced its ninth annual Dorian Award winners. This year’s 26 TV and film categories, again running from mainstream to LGBTQ-centric, include inaugural awards for Supporting Film Performance. A handful of select recipients will join the group for GALECA’s annual Winners Toast on Saturday February 24th in Beverly Hills.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";">Broflakes won’t be happy about this: <i>Call Me By Your Name, </i>which </span><a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/2018-gay-lesbian-entertainment-critics-dorian-award-nominees-970377" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: blue;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #a9b612;"><b><span style="font-family: "century gothic";">led with</span><span style="font-family: "century gothic";"> </span><span style="font-family: "century gothic";">nine nom</span><span style="font-family: "century gothic";">inations</span></b></span></a><span style="font-family: "century gothic";">, was named 2017’s Film of the Year. The bittersweet story of two American men — a teen and a 20something — falling for each other in Italy also earned </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "century gothic";">Timoth</span><span style="font-family: "century gothic";">é</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "century gothic";">e</span><span style="font-family: "century gothic";"> Chalamet a Dorian for Film Performance of the Year — Actor. Chalamet, seen in Dorian nominee </span><i style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">Lady Bird </i><span style="font-family: "century gothic";">as well, was also the group’s Rising Star pick. Meanwhile, </span><span style="font-family: "century gothic";">Greta Gerwig, writer and helmer of the female-focused coming-of-age drama <i>Lady Bird</i>, was named Director of the Year. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";">Jordan Peele, formerly of TV’s acclaimed <i>Key and Peele</i> sketch comedy series, earned Screenplay of the Year for <i>Get Out</i>, </span><span style="font-family: "century gothic";">the heart-stopping thriller and acidic satire about a black man (Daniel Kaluuya) who discovers his white girlfriend’s “liberal” parents are secretly murderous racists. Peele was also crowned </span><span style="font-family: "century gothic";">Wilde Artist of the Year (nominees included Gerwig, Patty Jenkins, David Lynch and Guillermo del Toro) and Wilde Wit of the Year. Peele shares the latter award with <i>Saturday Night Live</i> fixture Kate McKinnon, nabbing her second win in that race — along with a victory for her <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sb9ybImGwkU" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: blue;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #a9b612;"><b>sing-songy imagining of Trump explainer Kellyanne Conway</b></span></a> taking </span><span style="font-family: "century gothic";">her "alternative facts" act to Broadway.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";">Film icon and <b><a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2015/10/meryl-streep-female-film-critics" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: blue;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #a9b612;">feminist activist</span></a> </b>Meryl Streep was the group’s latest choice for Timeless Star, a career achievement honor previously won by such equally beloved stars (and human-rights champions) Jane Fonda, Dame Angela Lansbury and Sir Ian McKellen. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";">“Who doesn’t love Meryl Streep outside of non-feminist Donald Trump?” quipped Diane Anderson-Minshall, GALECA’s president as well as editorial director of <i>The Advocate</i> magazine. “Streep’s latest film, <i>The Post</i>, speaks to her commitment to playing, and supporting, strong women who push for or at least embody the<i> need</i> for equality. As<i> The Washington Post’s</i> firebrand Katherine Graham, she</span><span style="font-family: "century gothic";"> <i>inhabited</i> the role of the first female publisher of a major American newspaper — a woman who went from housewife to overseeing the revelations of both Watergate and the Pentagon Papers at a time when most of the men around her were too afraid to take on either. And this was all long before the #MeToo movement.” Adds John Griffiths, GALECA’s Executive Director, "</span><span style="font-family: "century gothic";">From <i>Sophie’s Choice</i> to<i> Postcards from the Edge</i>, Streep’s an incredibly stirring and affecting actress who transports, delights and nails various accents like no other. I’d say she definitely qualifies as a timeless star — and amid all the headlines about sexual harassment in Hollywood, she’s also a very relevant<i> current </i>voice.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";">Fun fact: Streep won a Dorian Award for <i>The Iron Lady</i> back in 2012. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";">In additional trademark races, <i>God’s Own Country </i>— </span><i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "century gothic";">2017’s other visceral love story involving two gay men</span></span><span style="font-family: "century gothic";"> — </span></i><span style="font-family: "century gothic";">won as GALECA's</span><span style="font-family: "century gothic";"> Unsung Film of the Year (the competition included director Angela Robinson’s </span><i style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">Professor Marston and the Wonder Women). </i><span style="font-family: "century gothic";">Awards-season darling <i>The Shape of Water</i> impressed as Visually Striking Film of the Year. And </span><i style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">mother!, </i><span style="font-family: "century gothic";">Darren Aronofsky’s over-the-top psychological chiller </span><span style="font-family: "century gothic";">starring Jennifer Lawrence, was deemed Campy Flick of the Year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";">Among TV categories, HBO’s sleek murder mystery </span><i style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">Big Little Lies</i><span style="font-family: "century gothic";"> took TV Drama of the Year, with star Nicole Kidman (as a battered wife) triumphing too. </span><span style="font-family: "century gothic";">Kyle MacLachlan was Kidman’s male counterpart </span><i style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">for Twin Peaks: The Return. </i><span style="font-family: "century gothic";">Starz’s provocative gods-among-us fantasy </span><span style="font-family: "century gothic";"><i>American Gods </i>took Unsung TV Show, fittingly as its</span><span style="font-family: "century gothic";"> future the freshman series’ future is reportedly up in the air. </span><span style="font-family: "century gothic";">And programs each celebrating their second win in a row: TBS’ </span><i style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">Full Frontal with Samantha Bee</i><span style="font-family: "century gothic";"> (Current Events Show of the Year) and the Lady Gaga-loved gay performance contest</span><i style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"> RuPaul’s Drag Race</i><span style="font-family: "century gothic";"> (LGBTQ Show). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";">Below is the complete list of Dorian winners. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";">GALECA, The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics, previously known as the Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, includes members who review, write and/or report on film and television for a diverse number of media outlets, including BuzzFeed, The Daily Beast, </span><i style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">Entertainment Weekly, TV Guide</i><span style="font-family: "century gothic";">, </span><i style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">The Advocate</i><span style="font-family: "century gothic";">, CNN, the Associated Press,</span><i style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"> People</i><span style="font-family: "century gothic";">, <i>Variety, The Hollywood Reporter</i>, Collider, <i>Vanity Fair</i>, Screen Crush, </span><i style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">The Los Angeles Times, The San Francisco Chronicle</i><span style="font-family: "century gothic";">, New Now Next, </span><i style="font-family: "Century Gothic";">The Guardian</i><span style="font-family: "century gothic";"> and the BBC. </span><span style="font-family: "century gothic";">For more information, visit </span><u style="font-family: "Century Gothic";"><span style="text-decoration-line: none;"><a href="http://galeca.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: blue;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #a9b612;"><b>GALECA.org</b></span></a></span></u><span style="font-family: "century gothic";">. Also find us at #DorianAwards, and enjoy our posts via @DorianAwards on<b> </b><b><span style="text-align: center;"><span class="aolmail_apple-style-span"><a href="http://facebook.com/DorianAwards" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: blue;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #a2ad31;">Facebook</span></a></span><span class="aolmail_apple-style-span"><span style="color: #ff7e00;"> </span>•<span style="color: #bbbcbb;"> </span></span><span class="aolmail_apple-style-span"><a href="http://twitter.com/DorianAwards" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: blue;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #a2ad31;">Twitter</span></a><span style="color: #ff9300;"> </span>•<span style="color: #ff9300;"> </span></span></span><span style="color: #a2ad31; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/dorianawards/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: blue;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #a2ad31;">Instagram</span></a></span></b> </span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "century gothic";">GALECA 2017/18 DORIAN AWARDS — WINNERS</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";"><strong>FILM OF THE YEAR</strong><br /><em>BPM (Beats Per Minute)</em> - The Orchard<br /><b><em>Call Me By Your Name</em> - Sony Pictures Classics (WINNER)</b><br /><em>Get Out</em> - Universal<br /><em>Lady Bird -</em> A24<br /><em>The Shape of Water</em> - Fox Searchlight</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";"><strong>DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR (FILM OR TELEVISION)</strong><br />Sean Baker, <em>The Florida Project</em> – A24<br />Guillermo del Toro, <em>The Shape of Water</em> – Fox Searchlight<br /><b>Greta Gerwig, <em>Lady Bird</em> - A24 </b><b> (WINNER)</b><br />Luca Guadagnino, <em>Call Me By Your Name</em> - Sony Pictures Classics<br />Christopher Nolan,<em> Dunkirk</em> – Warner Bros.<br />Jordan Peele, <em>Get Out</em> - Universal</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";"><strong>BEST PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR -- ACTRESS</strong><br /><b>Sally Hawkins, <em>The Shape of Water</em> – Fox Searchlight </b><b> (WINNER)</b><br />Frances McDormand, <em>Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri</em> - Fox Searchlight<br />Margot Robbie, I, Tonya - <em>Neon</em><br />Saoirse Ronan, Lady Bird -<em> A24</em><br />Daniela Vega, <em>A Fantastic Woman</em> - Sony Pictures Classics</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";"><strong>BEST PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR – ACTOR</strong><br />Nahuel Perez Biscayart, <em>BPM (Beats Per Minute)</em> — The Orchard<br /><b>Timothée Chalamet, <em>Call Me By Your Name</em> - Sony Pictures Classics </b><b> (WINNER)</b><br />James Franco, <em>The Disaster Artist</em> – A24<br />Daniel Kaluuya, <em>Get Out</em> - Universal<br />Gary Oldman, <em>Darkest Hour</em> – Focus Features</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";"><strong>SUPPORTING FILM PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR -- ACTRESS</strong><br />Mary J. Blige, <em>Mudbound</em> - Netflix<br />Tiffany Haddish, <em>Girls Trip</em> - Universal<br />Allison Janney,<em> I, Tonya -</em> Neon<br /><b>Laurie Metcalf, <em>Lady Bird</em> - A24 </b><b> (WINNER)</b><br />Michelle Pfeiffer, <em>mother!</em> - Paramount</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";"><strong>SUPPORTING FILM PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR -- ACTOR</strong><br />Willem Dafoe, <em>The Florida Project</em> – A24<br />Armie Hammer, <em>Call Me By Your Name</em>- Sony Pictures Classics<br />Richard Jenkins, <em>The Shape of Water</em> – Fox Searchlight<br />Sam Rockwell, <em>Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri -</em> Fox Searchlight<br /><b>Michael Stuhlbarg, <em>Call Me By Your Name</em> - Sony Pictures Classics </b><b> (WINNER)</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";"><strong>LGBTQ FILM OF THE YEAR</strong><br /><em>BPM (Beats Per Minute)</em> — The Orchard<br /><em>Battle of the Sexes</em> - Fox Searchlight<br /><b><em>Call Me By Your Name</em> - Sony Pictures Classics </b><b> (WINNER)</b><br /><em>A Fantastic Woman</em> - Sony Pictures Classics<br /><em>God's Own Country</em> – Samuel Goldwyn Films</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";"><strong>FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR</strong><br /><b><em>BPM (Beats Per Minute)</em> — The Orchard </b><b> (WINNER)</b><br />A Fantastic Woman - Sony Pictures Classics<br /><em>First They Killed My Father</em> - Netflix<br /><em>The Square</em> – Magnolia Pictures<br /><em>Thelma</em> – The Orchard</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";"><strong>SCREENPLAY OF THE YEAR (ORIGINAL OR ADAPTED)</strong><br />James Ivory, <em>Call Me By Your Name</em> - Sony Pictures Classics<br /><b>Jordan Peele, <em>Get Out</em> - Universal </b><b> (WINNER)</b><br />Greta Gerwig, <em>Lady Bird</em> - A24<br />Guillermo del Toro, Vanessa Taylor, <em>The Shape of Water</em> – Fox Searchlight<br />Martin McDonagh, <em>Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri</em> - Fox Searchlight</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";"><strong>DOCUMENTARY OF THE YEAR</strong><br />(theatrical release, TV airing or DVD release)<br /><em>Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story</em> – Zeitgeist/Kino Lorber<br /><em>The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson</em> - Netflix<br /><b><em>Faces Places</em> – Cohen Media Group </b><b> (WINNER)</b><br /><em>Jane</em> – National Geographic/Abramorama<br /><em>Kedi</em> - Oscilloscope</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";"><strong>VISUALLY STRIKING FILM OF THE YEAR</strong><br />(honoring a production of stunning beauty, from art direction to cinematography)<br /><em>Blade Runner 2049</em> – Warner Bros.<br /><em>Call Me By Your Name</em> - Sony Pictures Classics<br /><em>Dunkirk</em> – Warner Bros.<br /><b><em>The Shape of Water</em> – Fox Searchlight </b><b> (WINNER)</b><br /><em>Wonderstruck</em> - Amazon</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";"><strong>UNSUNG FILM OF THE YEAR</strong><br /><em>BPM (Beats Per Minute)</em> - The Orchard<br /><em>Beach Rats</em> - Neon<br /><b><em>God's Own Country</em> – Samuel Goldwyn Films</b> <b> (WINNER)</b><br /><em>Professor Marston and the Wonder Women</em> - Annapurna<br /><em>Wonderstruck</em> - Amazon</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";"><strong>CAMPY FLICK OF THE YEAR</strong><br /><em>Baywatch</em> - Paramount<br /><em>The Disaster Artist</em> – A24<br /><em>The Greatest Showman</em> – 20th Century Fox<br /><em>I, Tonya</em> - Neon<br /><b><em>mother!</em> - Paramount </b><b> (WINNER)</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";"><strong>TV DRAMA OF THE YEAR</strong><br /><b><em>Big Little Lies</em> - HBO - HBO </b><b> (WINNER)</b><br /><em>The Crown</em> - Netflix<br /><em>Feud: Bette and Joan</em> - FX<br /><em>The Handmaid's Tale</em> - Hulu<br /><em>Twin Peaks: The Return</em> - Showtime</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";"><strong>TV COMEDY OF THE YEAR</strong><br /><em>Better Things</em> - FX<br /><em>GLOW</em> - Netflix<br /><em>The Good Place</em> - NBC<br /><b><em>The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel</em> - Amazon </b><b> (WINNER)</b><br /><em>Will & Grace</em> - NBC</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";"><strong>TV PEFORMANCE OF THE YEAR – ACTRESS</strong><br />Clare Foy, <em>The Crown</em> - Netflix<br /><b>Nicole Kidman, <em>Big Little Lies</em> - HBO </b><b> (WINNER)</b><br />Jessica Lange, <em>Feud: Bette and Joan</em> - FX<br />Elisabeth Moss, <em>The Handmaid's Tale</em> - Hulu<br />Reese Witherspoon, <em>Big Little Lies</em> - HBO</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";"><strong>TV PEFORMANCE OF THE YEAR -- ACTOR</strong><br />Aziz Ansari,<em> Master of None</em> – Netflix<br />Sterling K. Brown, <em>This Is Us</em> - NBC<br />Jonathan Groff, <em>Mindhunter</em> - Netflix<br /><b>Kyle MacLachlan, <em>Twin Peaks: The Return</em> - Showtime </b><b> (WINNER)</b><br />Alexander Skaarsgård, <em>Big Little Lies</em> - HBO</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";"><strong>TV CURRENT AFFAIRS SHOW OF THE YEAR</strong><br /><b><em>Full Frontal with Samantha Bee</em> – TBS </b><b> (WINNER)</b><br /><em>Last Week Tonight with John Oliver</em> - HBO<br /><em>Late Night with Seth Meyers</em> - NBC<br /><em>The Late Show with Stephen Colbert</em> - CBS<br /><em>The Rachel Maddow Show</em> - MSNBC</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";"><strong>TV MUSICAL PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR</strong><br />Lady Gaga, “God Bless America,” “Born This Way,” etc., <em>Super Bowl LI</em> - Fox<br /><b>Kate McKinnon, “(Kellyanne) Conway!” <em>Saturday Night Live</em> - NBC</b><b> (WINNER)</b><br />Brendan McCreary, John Mulaney, “I’m Gay,”<em> Big Mouth</em> – Netflix<br />Pink, “Beautiful Trauma,”<em> American Music Awards</em> - ABC<br />Sasha Velour, “So Emotional,” <em>RuPaul's Drag Race</em> – VH1</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";"><strong>LGBTQ SHOW OF THE YEAR</strong><br /><em>Difficult People</em> - Hulu<br /><b><em>RuPaul's Drag Race</em> – VH1 </b><b>(WINNER)</b><br /><em>Sense8</em> - Netflix<br /><em>Transparent</em> – Amazon<br /><em>Will & Grace</em> - NBC</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";"><strong>UNSUNG TV SHOW OF THE YEAR</strong><br /><b><em>American Gods</em> - Starz </b><b> (WINNER)</b><br /><em>Dear White People</em> - Netflix<br /><em>Difficult People</em> - Hulu<br /><em>At Home with Amy Sedaris</em> - TruTV<br /><em>The Leftovers</em> - HBO</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";"><strong>CAMPY TV SHOW OF THE YEAR</strong><br /><em>Dynasty</em><br /><em><b>Feud: Betty and Joan </b></em><b> (WINNER)</b><br /><em>Riverdale</em><br /><em>RuPaul's Drag Race</em><br /><em>Will & Grace</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";"><strong>‘WE’RE WILDE ABOUT YOU!’ RISING STAR AWARD</strong><br /><b>Timothée Chalamet (</b><b>WINNER)</b><br />Harris Dickinson<br />Tiffany Haddish<br />Daniel Kaluuya<br />Daniela Vega</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";"><strong>WILDE WIT OF THE YEAR AWARD</strong><br />(honoring a performer, writer or commentator whose observations both challenge and amuse)<br />Samantha Bee<br />Stephen Colbert<br /><b>Kate McKinnon </b><b>(WINNER - TIE)</b><br />John Oliver<br /><b>Jordan Peele</b><b> (WINNER - TIE)</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";"><strong>WILDE ARTIST OF THE YEAR</strong><br />(honoring a truly groundbreaking force in the fields of film, theater and/or television)<br />Guillermo del Toro<br />Greta Gerwig<br />Patty Jenkins<br />David Lynch<br /><b>Jordan Peele (WINNER)</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";"><b>TIMELESS STAR </b><span style="color: black;">(to a living actor or performer whose exemplary career is marked by character, wisdom and wit)<br /><b>Meryl Streep </b></span></span><b><span style="font-family: "century gothic";">(WINNER)</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";"><b><i>GALECA’S MISSION</i></b></span><span style="font-family: "century gothic";">Home of the Dorian Awards for the best in film and TV, </span><span style="font-family: "century gothic";">GALECA aims to generate camaraderie in an unsettling media environment, and elevate professional entertainment criticism and journalism, all while bolstering art and humanity. Via panels, screenings, events and its occasional “Ten Best" lists, this 501 c-6 organization also strives to remind the everyone from at-risk youth to bullies that gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer people have a rich history of putting great movies and TV on the radar. How would the world fare without knowing what's campy?</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "century gothic";">CONTACT</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";">Diane Anderson-Minshall, GALECA President</span><a href="mailto:diane@retrogradecommunications.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: blue; font-family: "Century Gothic";" target="_blank"><span style="color: #a9b612;"><b></b></span></a><span style="color: #a9b612;"><b><a href="mailto:diane@retrogradecommunications.com" style="color: blue;">diane@retrogradecommunications.com</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic";">John Griffiths, GALECA Executive Director</span><a href="mailto:jdgriffiths@earthlink.net" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: blue; font-family: "Century Gothic";" target="_blank"><span style="color: #a9b612;"><b></b></span></a><span style="color: #a9b612;"><b><a href="mailto:jdgriffiths@earthlink.net" style="color: blue;">jdgriffiths@earthlink.net</a></b></span></div>
Jim Coluccihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07131834400134022036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518790918151393424.post-78551538629383334602018-01-25T09:30:00.000-05:002018-08-15T01:00:21.328-04:00A Tribute to WKRP in Cincinnati creator Hugh Wilson (1943-2018), Part 2<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixwfmM72yZGDmrU-_9O4opzaXL_LmqQYkYm3MIT-wV1ZqLFSyXpBN6SuOaLc9J9i16cDBsTioc1D50k4VibhLJQLAIFaL7USnh9woHqnFUx0V5xWThWhZfL5dgHfi9l9LGsc3mYHEbI10t/s1600/hugh-wilson-wkrp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="299" data-original-width="446" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixwfmM72yZGDmrU-_9O4opzaXL_LmqQYkYm3MIT-wV1ZqLFSyXpBN6SuOaLc9J9i16cDBsTioc1D50k4VibhLJQLAIFaL7USnh9woHqnFUx0V5xWThWhZfL5dgHfi9l9LGsc3mYHEbI10t/s320/hugh-wilson-wkrp.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">L</span>ast week, the world lost another creator of classic TV when the writer behind the beloved <i>WKRP in Cincinnati</i>, <b><span style="font-size: large;">Hugh Wilson</span></b>, died at age 74 in Virginia, where he had lived for over a decade. Best known for executive producing <i>WKRP</i>’s 90 episodes, which gained popularity in syndication after its initial 1978-82 run, Wilson segued later into film, directing <i>The First Wives Club</i> and the first of the <i>Police Academy</i> movies.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Ten years ago, in the spring of 2008, I had the pleasure of conducting a long interview with Wilson for a <i>WKRP</i> story <i>Watch!</i> magazine. Below is part 2, talking about the writing process and cancellation of <i>WKRP</i> and his follow-up, <i>Frank's Place</i>.<br />
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<b>Must-Hear TV</b>: Once <i>WKRP</i>
was on the air, I remember as a viewer having a hard time finding it, through
many different time slots. Did you feel
that CBS supported the show?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Hugh Wilson</b>: That’s where the story changes. I think everybody liked the show, but it went
on the air and didn’t do well. They took
it off the air for “fine tuning.”
Frankly, I don’t know what fine tuning means. Then or now.
There were some meetings – I don’t think any changes came out of
it. And then they put it back on the
air. They hung in with it, I think,
because it got very good reviews. The
problem that for some reason we couldn’t get a stable time slot, and got moved
all over the place. When your own
mother is calling you wanting to know when the show’s on, there’s something
wrong.<o:p></o:p></div>
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But on the other hand, there’s an odd dividend to that. When we went into syndication, a lot of
people found the show for the first time.
<i>WKRP</i> was bigger in syndication
success than any of the MTM shows. And
it certainly wasn’t in its first run on CBS.
I had a feeling that they liked the show but also didn’t love it, and
didn’t hate it. People are surprised
that we were only on for four seasons.
We stayed on the air, but never really in a stable time slot. So there were some hard feelings about that.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>MHTV</b>: How did you find out that the show was
cancelled?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>HW</b>: I could kind of see it coming, but we weren’t
allowed to write any kind of wrap up. We
were told it had to be a regular episode, because it was still under debate
whether the show was going to get cancelled or not. And then Grant [Tinker] got a call from
Harvey Shepard who was running CBS at the time.
It became a choice whether they were going to keep us, or <i>Alice</i>.
So we were pretty confident it would be us, but it wasn’t – it was <i>Alice</i>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>MHTV</b>: What makes the
show resonate this many years later?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>HW</b>: I think the cast
was the real deal. Hell, I wrote or
rewrote most of the scripts, but I would have to say myself that it was the
cast. I do think there was a tradition
at MTM at that time to really try to write good characters. Who not only get the laughs, but get a little
deeper than that. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I knew of Howard Hesseman from going way back. He was a member of The Committee, which was
like a Second City in San Francisco. I
had been watching him, had my eye on him.
He did a lot of guest shots on other shows. Gordon Jump I saw on <i>Soap</i>. He had kind of a
recurring character, but he wasn’t a regular contractually. Loni [Anderson] I just met – she hadn’t really
been in town long from Minnesota. Jan
Smithers just came in to audition. I was
aware of Tim [Reid] because of the comedy routine he and a partner used to do
on variety shows. Frank Bonner and Gary
Sandy were CBS favorites. Gary had been
on a Norman Lear show called <i>All That
Glitters</i>. And they liked him in
that, so they were really pushing hard, and I was delighted to have him. Richard Sanders I had never seen before. After I met him, I looked at a tape of him –
Richard had I think mainly been in dramas, a pretty serious actor, which
surprised me, because I thought he was funnier than hell. <o:p></o:p></div>
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What happens is the writer creates the characters on paper
and the actors come in and inhabit those.
So for a while, they’re following the script. And then as the show moves on, pretty soon
the writers are chasing the actors and taking their cues from them instead of
them taking their cues from the script.
That’s a nice way of working, and we were lucky to have it that way.<o:p></o:p></div>
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One more actor I should mention: Carol Bruce.
She wasn’t in the pilot. A woman
who used to be a famous actress was -- Sylvia Sidney. And I think Sylvia kind of thought it was
beneath her, so it was fun to switch it.
Carol was great. You know at one
point she was on the cover of <i>Life</i>
magazine. She was a wonderful song and
dance woman. I didn’t know that until I
got to know her.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>MHTV</b>: Were there any
specific bits of business the actors brought to the characters?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>HW</b>: It wasn’t
specific lines or pieces of business.
Like Frank Bonner, playing Herb Tarlek.
Just the way he would stand, and the way he looked at Loni. You know Loni doesn’t get credit for being as
funny as she is – she’s a wonderful comic actress. But one of the things that’s funny about her
is she’s so strikingly good looking. She
made the IQ go down of every male character who walked into the room. She made all the guys funny because they
pretty much lost their cool the moment they saw her. But Bonner lost it in the most wonderful
way. You realize at some point that when
you start talking about Herb instead of Frank, like he’s in Cincinnati and he’s
a real guy, that’s when you feel you’re writing well, that you’ve sort of
bought the act yourself.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>MHTV</b>: The WKRP ensemble included an
African-American character – was that considered groundbreaking in 1978?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>HW</b>: I hadn’t thought of that. Frankly I hadn’t thought of the show as
groundbreaking except I knew the music was a whole new deal. Another thing I thought was setting us apart
is something I wanted from the beginning, to really be a true ensemble. <i>Mary</i>
[<i>Tyler Moore Show</i>] was a wonderful
ensemble, but they came in levels. There
was Mary and Lou Grant, and then the next level. I was trying to keep it really
egalitarian. I didn’t always pull that
off. We were always saying, “Let’s do a
show this week about this character.” And
the actors, if they were pretty light one week, they wouldn’t get their noses
out of joint because they knew we’d be getting around to them, to one where
their character would be really heavy.<o:p></o:p></div>
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There have been some shows where the behind-the-scenes
ambience was just gruesome. We’d tape on
Friday, and we’d be walking out by 9PM.
But we would hear stories of other shows, with everybody yelling and
screaming and fighting. That is really
not my style, and hopefully I had an impact on the people I hired. I think you’ve got to be careful. If you have a show and area so blessed that
it’s successful, you could be with these people for years.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>MHTV</b>: Were you involved in the 1990s <i>WKRP</i> reboot?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>HW</b>: No. I
was honored that the show was being redone, but at the same time I didn’t much
like the idea. I thought what’s done is
done. By then I had moved to
Virginia. Whereas I could get involved
in a movie, in order to do television you have to live [in Los Angeles]. I just never thought it was a good idea, but
bless their hearts.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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<b>MHTV</b>: The show and its characters had such a
distinctive look, too.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>HW</b>: From the start, Tim said, “Look, I just don’t
want to be the typical black guy,” and Loni said, “I don’t want to be the
typical bimbo.” Thank God Tim got
involved in his wardrobe a little bit, because I needed help there. I knew how Herb would dress, because at the
time all I’d have to do is go through the Atlanta airport, and it would be
wall-to-wall polyester leisure suits. But
just within our four years, his clothes got so out of fashion that the costume
people finally had to go to golf course pro shops to find that crap. So much changed in those four years, when there
was a lot going on. Dr. Johnny Fever,
he’s got a serious problem with disco. And
I think disco was kind of over by the time we finished.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>MHTV</b>: You gave Venus Flytrap a back story – real
name Gordon Simms, and being a former teacher – that was a lot like Sting’s in
real life. Was that intentional?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>HW</b>: I’d like to tell you I was. The name “Venus Flytrap” just got into my
head, and a lot of people said, “That’s a woman’s name.” But then Tim Reid said, “I think that’s a
good name,” and I don’t think anyone ever complained.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>MHTV</b>: Do you still hear from fans about <i>WKRP</i>?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>HW</b>: It’s amazing to me today how people will come
up and start quoting lines to me. Around
here [in Virginia] people will ask, “What do you do?” and I say, “Nothing.” Then they’ll say, “What <i>did</i> you do?” I’ll start
telling them, and they think I’m lying.
And then they say, “My God, <i>WKRP</i>!”
and they start telling me about the show – I don’t have to say a word.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>MHTV</b>: Who are the fans, most often?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>HW</b>: It’s men and women, and they’re late 30s and
older. I teach a television writing
course at the University of Virginia. And
the kids say to me – this happens every damn time – after class: “Hey, Mr. Wilson, my parents wanted me to
tell you how much they loved <i>WKRP</i>.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>MHTV</b>: Does the show have a legacy? What did it change in television?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>HW</b>: I don’t think it changed anything. You know, <i>Barney
Miller</i> was a show I admired, and I loved the idea of the workplace rather
than the home. The formula usually was
office/home/office/home. If you look at
any of the MTM shows that’s how it would go.
I liked the idea of making the family the office. I don’t know thought that that was new
ground. I thought we broke good ground,
but I don’t know if we broke new ground.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I went on to do <i>Frank’s
Place</i>, and was breaking all kinds of ground there. I had directed a movie or two by then, and
when I went back to television, I shot it one-camera. I didn’t have much of a budget but tried to
make it look like a feature. I dumped
the laugh track. I got an Emmy out of
it. It all got hung on the same washline
as a dramedy, because another show came out that was just like it. But in fact I had no idea anybody was doing
what I was doing.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The way <i>Frank’s Place</i>
came about was, Cajun food was the rage, and everyone at the Ivy was eating
blackened something or other. They said,
“You’re a Southerner… Cajun food….” I
went down to New Orleans a couple of times with Tim Reid. We really researched that pretty thoroughly
and came back with something that was not what [Hollywood] had in mind. I was more over in the black part of town,
not on Bourbon St., and was talking more about a Creole cuisine than
Cajun. I made it almost entirely
black. I thought it would be funny to
have the white guy as the 6<sup>th</sup> man.
There were two white people in the regular cast. That was amazing. I hired one of the regulars, just a guy I met
on an airplane, because I couldn’t find any actors who could do the specific
New Orleans accent, to please my Southern ear.
It’s called a Ninth Ward or Eighth Ward accent. So I hired this guy and bless CBS’ heart,
they said, “Wait a minute, one of the
regulars you’re sending over for us to read, he’s never acted before in his
life?” His name is Don Yesso. And the story was so amazing, Johnny Carson
scooped him up immediately, so it worked well for us.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>MHTV</b>: It sounds like by the time of <i>Frank’s Place</i>, you had some leeway. But was there anything the network wouldn’t
let you do on <i>WKRP</i>?<i><o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<b>HW</b>: You won’t believe this based on what’s on
today, but they were very, very careful about “hell”s and “damn”s. And there could be no suggestion of
drugs. There could be something in the
playing, not in any overt dialogue.
[Howard Hesseman] would always kind of play it like some kind of drug
flashback, and he did talk about having flashbacks. But we had written a scene once where he
stepped out of the janitor’s closet fanning the air, right into the arms of the
big guy, and that went right out. That
wasn’t even going to be discussed.
Clearly he must have had a joint in there. I knew that wasn’t going to get in. I sometimes think I put that in so I could
get something else. You do that – you
kind of collect the chips – I caved on this and caved on that, so please let me
have such and such. It was such a
different time in terms of that.<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Jim Coluccihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07131834400134022036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518790918151393424.post-13387450370642870262018-01-23T09:30:00.000-05:002018-01-25T00:01:12.121-05:00A Tribute to WKRP in Cincinnati creator Hugh Wilson (1943-2018), Part 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKVWWV9TwK-BoFslP7apOEReOm_LJQ9gCZ_CsqRN41QyFsd098fONBXxLfTjpwgwnM1DrGCDhcOEAkpPqRXirLTz5cjJwG0pV_EPv6drDm6TbXlqBASDtHu2zOOHugmAZU9YF3ciqv5sQU/s1600/hugh-wilson-wkrp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="299" data-original-width="446" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKVWWV9TwK-BoFslP7apOEReOm_LJQ9gCZ_CsqRN41QyFsd098fONBXxLfTjpwgwnM1DrGCDhcOEAkpPqRXirLTz5cjJwG0pV_EPv6drDm6TbXlqBASDtHu2zOOHugmAZU9YF3ciqv5sQU/s320/hugh-wilson-wkrp.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">L</span>ast week, the world lost another creator of classic TV when the writer behind the beloved <i>WKRP in Cincinnati</i>, <b><span style="font-size: large;">Hugh Wilson</span></b>, died at age 74 in Virginia, where he had lived for
over a decade. Best known for executive
producing <i>WKRP</i>’s 90 episodes, which
gained popularity in syndication after its initial 1978-82 run, Wilson segued
later into film, directing <i>The First
Wives Club</i> and the first of the <i>Police
Academy</i> movies.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Ten years ago, in the spring of 2008, I had the pleasure of
conducting a long interview with Wilson for a WKRP story <i>Watch!</i> magazine. Below is part 1, talking about Wilson’s
transition into television, and the birth of his classic hit.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Must-Hear TV</b>: I’ve heard you mention in interviews that you
didn’t initially set out to be in television. How did a Southern boy like you
end up in Hollywood?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Hugh Wilson</b>: I’m from Florida, and went to the University
of Florida. After that, I went to New
York and worked up north for a little bit, and then to Atlanta. In New York, there weren’t many
Southerners. I think it kind of helped
me, because it was like, “What’s this guy doing here?” You get a little bit of a brand. That was good.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfIGTrlQoWU4JiRt5OZm13sP1qv-8pPqoR4WHmiddi2BbeYHWIX09sle1ngskIUcWYrISzGBUZIjuhS-62bGVR5NZ7F4CmkNCzI241ok9FNqfdqw2eGAVUTFa9PteyjyZOQ0OXBku5ZOUp/s1600/bob+newhart+show.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="846" height="127" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfIGTrlQoWU4JiRt5OZm13sP1qv-8pPqoR4WHmiddi2BbeYHWIX09sle1ngskIUcWYrISzGBUZIjuhS-62bGVR5NZ7F4CmkNCzI241ok9FNqfdqw2eGAVUTFa9PteyjyZOQ0OXBku5ZOUp/s200/bob+newhart+show.jpg" width="200" /></a>I had been since college in the advertising business. I was in Atlanta at an agency that no longer
exists called Burton Campbell, which not big, but a very good creative agency. I was the creative director there. Then I left and got a job at MTM Productions,
where I was able to sell some scripts to the <i>Bob Newhart Show</i>. That was
my first credit. It was a great honor
and was also a thrill. I liked the show
so much, and it was a big national icon of a hit. And also Suzanne Pleshette, rest her lovely
soul, and Bob Newhart were just such wonderful nice people.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>MHTV</b>: What was it like, landing that first TV job?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>HW</b>: Back then, MTM and Norman Lear and Bud
Yorkin’s company [Tandem Productions] were sort of the Harvard and Yale of the
independent producers. Both of them had
so many comedies on the air. So it was a
great break for me to get a job at MTM. Two
wonderful writers, Tom Patchett and Jay Tarses, allowed me to write on the Newhart
show and then for the next two seasons, I was a staff writer on the short-lived
<i>Tony Randall Show</i>, which was also
CBS. And then I created <i>WKRP</i>.
So I was very lucky, because I had only been in Hollywood for two and a
half years before I suddenly found myself with a national show on network
television.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I had no idea at the time what a lovely situation I was
in. It was only later in my career, when
I saw how much pushing and shoving can go on, that I realized that Grant Tinker
had created the most pleasant environment a writer could ever ask for. I think what had something to do with that
was that Jim Brooks was such an exceptional talent. He and Allan Burns had created the <i>Mary Tyler Moore Show</i>, and of course Jim
went on to become an Academy Award-winning director. But I think Grant came to really rely on
writers thanks to Jim and Allan.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>MHTV</b>: What inspired <i>WKRP</i>? Did you have a
background in radio or in music?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>HW</b>: No, but when I was in the advertising business
in Atlanta, there was a bar there called Harrison’s that for some reason was
kind of a media bar. All the radio sales
reps and disc jockeys and advertising people hung out there, and I knew a lot
of people in radio, and I thought they were an interesting group. When I had the idea, when I was asked by
Grant, “Do you have any pilot ideas?”, I thought of a rock and roll station
that was down on its luck. And when CBS
said, “Yeah, let’s look into that,” I went back to Atlanta, and my friends at
the Top 40 rock station there let me come in and hang out for a couple of
weeks.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m a big music fan, but I myself have no musical talent at
all. If I sing, people say, “You
shouldn’t really do that.” But that was
part of the great fun of it. When we
were starting out, they said, “You know, it’s too expensive to pay for all the
rights to al this music.” Let’s do like
they do on <i>Happy Days</i>, some
soundalikes. But I was pretty adamant
that it had to be the real music. So it
was interesting – all the MTM shows had been shot on film, but we found that if
we shot it on videotape, we could get a different kind of [music licensing] deal,
like a variety show deal for the music.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At the time, film and videotape were pretty segregated: “That’s a film lot” or “That’s a tape lot.” So we became the first MTM show to leave the CBS
Radford lot, and we went over to KTLA and were a videotape show just so we
could afford the music. We eventually
moved back to the Radford lot in Studio City – that’s where MTM had most of
their stuff.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>MHTV</b>: Music was so important to <i>WKRP</i>.
Who chose the music for each episode?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbwaxElQynu92EMJB5wHYRCVfkDCueBPFpB4njltGe2MktLHO89t17A_Yx3URlZ9xrGYVMQhUdClLyeO1uAmaAQZjzxxTmR89a_AVee7zRnQj_vbT0_qBkqhzCtpS15UDrNC6Yiy9TPhdD/s1600/WKRP+cast.jpe" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="952" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbwaxElQynu92EMJB5wHYRCVfkDCueBPFpB4njltGe2MktLHO89t17A_Yx3URlZ9xrGYVMQhUdClLyeO1uAmaAQZjzxxTmR89a_AVee7zRnQj_vbT0_qBkqhzCtpS15UDrNC6Yiy9TPhdD/s200/WKRP+cast.jpe" width="200" /></a><b>HW</b>: I was picking the music, but then Howard
Hesseman and Tim Reid, who were playing the DJs, asked if they could pick their
own music. I said yes, because they had
excellent taste. So unless I absolutely
need a song for the story, they picked most of the music. But it was very interesting because record
labels started treating us almost like a radio station. They would send me all this free stuff – it
was wonderful. I’d get standup posters,
which I’d put in the set. Once they saw
I’d put posters on national television, I was just inundated with PR.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>MHTV</b>: And why Cincinnati, of all places? Why not Atlanta, if that’s what you knew?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>HW</b>: I thought the show should be set in kind of
not a big market. That’s one reason;
plus, I kind of wanted it somewhere in flyover country. But I mainly chose the name by saying, “WKRP
in Buffalo,” “WKRP in…” “Cincinnati” seemed to just roll off the tongue. I had never been there in my life. I’d like to tell you there was more thought
in choosing it. And then we came to
really love Cincinnati, because when we went there with the cast, they treated
us as if we were one of them. They
particularly liked Loni [Anderson].<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>MHTV</b>: Why CBS?
And what was the network’s initial reaction to the show?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>HW</b>: MTM had a very special relationship with CBS,
and so they pretty much took their shows there.
Later, Grant Tinker ended up taking the job as CEO at NBC. But <i>Rhoda</i>,
<i>Mary</i> and <i>Bob </i>were all CBS shows.
Also, CBS was, at least in my opinion, the “Tiffany Network.” I think that was in everybody’s mind in those
days. CBS was first class, so people
tried for that.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And at CBS, one of the reasons I thought I caught a break on
<i>WKRP</i> is that, I came to discover, a
lot of the people in the development department and those who had a say in new
shows, had a background in radio, and so they had a proprietary love for it. Immediately they would say, “When I was in
radio…” and they’d start pitching me bits and pieces and funny things that
happened to them. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
In fact, the most famous show we did was a Thanksgiving show,
“Turkeys Away,” where we threw turkeys out of a helicopter. And I had gotten that from a station manager
in Dallas. He was fired and couldn’t get
a job for a year after that. I had asked him, “Can you think of any
remarkable things?” And in five minutes,
he told me the whole thing. I thought “Oh
my God, this is going to be so much fun,” and realized he had just given me my
Emmy. And that episode all pretty much
all came from this fellow’s lips.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Coming soon: part 2: the four-season life and death of <i>WKRP in Cincinnati</i></div>
Jim Coluccihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07131834400134022036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518790918151393424.post-29583583151193106002018-01-16T17:28:00.000-05:002018-01-16T17:28:28.406-05:00Fox Renews New Hit Drama 9-1-1<div class="tr_bq">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIVUL9POQo3wcbcQI6XRw-SUViOJrksaiNARwNcn8mg1lrYH_sbBKfVd1polU4WxZrP5ZlsYWbTDzNWduGkIyoR8GF46rcQ93WQoHIcEBiucqa9Ky4GKR3LtFDSbQ_nRcVJaQ-9xnK_aPK/s1600/911.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIVUL9POQo3wcbcQI6XRw-SUViOJrksaiNARwNcn8mg1lrYH_sbBKfVd1polU4WxZrP5ZlsYWbTDzNWduGkIyoR8GF46rcQ93WQoHIcEBiucqa9Ky4GKR3LtFDSbQ_nRcVJaQ-9xnK_aPK/s320/911.jpg" width="213" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">W</span>ith all the news coming out of the TV Critics convention in Pasadena, this one comes over a week after the Fox network made its presentations. But it's no shocker that Fox has renewed its midseason entry<b><span style="font-size: large;"> 9-1-1</span></b> for a second season; not only did it debut to good ratings, but it has a star-studded cast and comes from creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Tim Minear.</div>
<br />
Below more details on the renewal.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></b><br /><b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">From Ryan Murphy, Brad <span class="aolmail_SpellE">Falchuk</span> and Tim <span class="aolmail_SpellE">Minear</span>,</span></b><br /><b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Series Debut Delivers more than 15 Million Viewers and is Week’s No. 1 Drama,</span></b><br /><b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Ranking it as Highest-Rated Wednesday Series Premiere</span></b><br /><b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">on Broadcast and Cable in Over a Year</span></b><br /><b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></b><br /><b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Week Two of Hit Series Draws 11.6 Million Three-Day Multi-Platform Viewers and</span></b><br /><b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Posts a 2.5/9 L3 Rating among Adults 18-49, Ranking as Night’s No. 1 Program</span></b><br /><b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></b><br /><b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> All-New Episode Airs Tomorrow on FOX</span></b><br /><b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></b><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">FOX has renewed the critically acclaimed hit drama 9-1-1, from creators Ryan Murphy, Brad <span class="aolmail_SpellE">Falchuk</span> and Tim <span class="aolmail_SpellE">Minear</span>, for a second season, it was announced today by Gary Newman and Dana Walden, Chairmen & CEOs, Fox Television Group. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“With a bold concept, award-winning stars and a flawless execution, Ryan, Brad and Tim have done it again,” said Walden and Newman. “They have tapped into the cultural zeitgeist and reimagined the procedural as only they could, bringing it to life with a dream team of actors led by Angela, Peter and Connie. This is storytelling at its best and we’re so pleased that it’s resonated with our audience. We’d like to thank everyone involved with this production for their stellar work, and we look forward to another thrilling season of 9-1-1.”</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The series premiere of 9-1-1 has grown to more than 15 million viewers in seven-day multi-platform viewing, including its encore, delivering FOX’s largest debut since EMPIRE in 2015, excluding post-Super Bowl premieres. In Nielsen Live + 7 Day, the show delivered 10.7 million viewers, a lift of 57% from <span class="aolmail_SpellE">Live+Same</span> Day. 9-1-1 ranks as the highest-rated debut since “The Good Doctor” and the week’s No. 1 drama among all key demos, averaging a 3.0/11 L7 in Adults 18-49, up +67% from L+SD, according to Nielsen. It also ranks as the highest-rated Wednesday series premiere on television in more than a year. The first hit series of 2018, 9-1-1 improved its fall time period average by 36% in the demo and +47% among Total Viewers. On social media, 9-1-1 is this season’s No. 1 new broadcast drama series and the most engaging new broadcast program on YouTube,<b> </b>with more than nine million views.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In week two, 9-1-1 delivered a three-day multi-platform audience of 11.6 million viewers, including its encore. Among Adults 18-49, it posted a 2.5/9 L3 rating, up +67% vs. L+SD, tying “Modern Family” as the night’s No. 1 program for the second consecutive week, while also winning the 9:00-10:00 PM hour.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">9-1-1 explores the high-pressure experiences of police officers, firefighters and emergency operators who are thrust into the most frightening, shocking and heart-stopping situations. These first responders must try to balance saving those who are at their most vulnerable with solving the problems in their own lives. The procedural drama stars Academy and Emmy Award nominee Angela Bassett (“American Horror Story,” “What’s Love Got to Do with It”), </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Emmy Award and Golden Globe nominee Peter Krause (“The Catch,” “Six Feet Under”) and Emmy Award nominee Connie Britton (“Nashville,” “Friday Night Lights,” “American Horror Story”). The series also stars Oliver Stark (“Into The Badlands”), Aisha Hinds (“Shots Fired,” “Underground”), Kenneth Choi (“The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story”) and <span class="aolmail_SpellE">Rockmond</span> Dunbar (“Prison Break,” “The Path”).</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In the all-new <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">“Next Of Kin” episode of 9-1-1 airing tomorrow, <u>Wednesday, Jan. 17</u> (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), on FOX</span>, Bobby (Krause) and his team respond to an emergency at a children’s birthday party that leaves lives hanging in the balance. The crew jumps into action after one of their own is involved in a devastating accident. Athena (Bassett) tries to cope with a tragedy that hits way too close to home, and Abby (Britton) is confronted with a life-changing decision for her mother and makes a connection with Buck (Stark).</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">9-1-1 is produced by 20<sup>th</sup> Century Fox Television in association with Ryan Murphy Television and </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Brad <span class="aolmail_SpellE">Falchuk</span> <span class="aolmail_SpellE">Teley</span>-Vision. Ryan Murphy, Brad <span class="aolmail_SpellE">Falchuk</span> and Tim <span class="aolmail_SpellE">Minear</span> are creators, executive producers and writers on the series. Bradley <span class="aolmail_SpellE">Buecker</span> is an executive producer and directed the series premiere. Alexis Martin Woodall and Angela Bassett serve as executive producers. “Like” 9-1-1 on Facebook at </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/911onFOX/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #954f72;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">911onFOX/</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">. Follow the series on Twitter </span><a href="https://twitter.com/911onFOX" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #954f72;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">911onFOX</span></a><span class="aolmail_MsoHyperlink" style="color: #0563c1; text-decoration-line: underline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">and join the discussion using #911onFOX. See photos and videos on <span class="aolmail_SpellE">Instagram</span> by following </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/911onfox/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: #954f72;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">911onfox/</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">.</span></blockquote>
<blockquote style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">FOX RENEWS CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED HIT DRAMA “9-1-1” FOR A SECOND SEASON</span></b></blockquote>
Jim Coluccihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07131834400134022036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518790918151393424.post-68634144193913518312018-01-06T17:31:00.001-05:002018-01-07T12:46:34.274-05:00Our President Is Now Officially a Cartoon<span style="font-size: x-large;">A</span>lthough I'm hesitant to expose my psyche to any additional Trump-themed material, I do have to say I love the animated version of 45 on <i>The Late Show with Stephen Colbert</i>, as well as Colbert's impression of the cretin as he reads his tweets on air (complete with "dot dot dot").<br />
<br />
Now, Showtime is debuting a half-hour animated comedy starring you-know-who, <i>Our Cartoon President</i>, to debut on Sunday, February 11 at 8 PM Eastern/Pacific (this time, with actor Jeff Bergman as the voice of Trump.) But if you'd like to get a sneak peek even sooner, check out the link below, to the show's official trailer -- and stay tuned to view a sneak peek of the pilot on-demand, on January 28 -- two days prior to what will certainly be a nail-biting State of the Union address.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><b>SHOWTIME</b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><i><sup>®</sup></i></span></span><b> RELEASES OFFICIAL TRAILER FOR </b><b><i>OUR CARTOON PRESIDENT</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><b>PREMIERING ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11 AT 8 PM</b><span style="color: #1f497d;"><b></b></span><b>ET/PT</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><b><i>Early Preview Of The Premiere Will Be Available Across Platforms</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><b><i>And On Demand On Sunday, January 28, Ahead Of State of The Union</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://sho-pr.com/pressclips/IMAGES/CartoonPresident_PR_0002.jpg" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: purple;"><img src="https://mail.aol.com/webmail/getPart?uid=32459541&partId=6.2&scope=STANDARD&saveAs=Picture+%28Device+Independent+Bitmap%29+1.jpg" style="visibility: visible;" /></a><a href="http://sho-pr.com/pressclips/IMAGES/CartoonPresident_PR_0001.jpg" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: purple;"></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>LOS ANGELES, CA – January 6, 2018</b> – SHOWTIME released the official trailer for the new animated series <i>OUR CARTOON PRESIDENT,</i> executive produced by multiple Emmy<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: 5.3pt;"><b><sup>®</sup></b></span></span> winner Stephen Colbert, Chris Licht (<i>The Late Show with Stephen Colbert</i>) and showrunner R.J. Fried. The half-hour parody series, debuting on <u>Sunday, February 11 at 8 p.m. ET/PT</u>, follows the tru-ish misadventures of the 45<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: 5.3pt;"><sup>th</sup></span></span> President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, and his merry band of advisors and family members. SHOWTIME will give viewers an early preview of the series, making the first episode of <i>OUR CARTOON PRESIDENT</i> available across multiple platforms online and On Demand on Sunday, January 28.<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">To watch and share the trailer for <i>OUR CARTOON PRESIDENT</i>, go to:<a href="https://youtu.be/260mj1dmJhU" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: purple;"><span style="color: blue;"><u></u></span></a><span style="color: blue;"><u><a href="https://youtu.be/260mj1dmJhU" style="color: purple;" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/260mj1dmJhU</a></u></span>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The new 10-episode parody <i>OUR CARTOON PRESIDENT</i> examines the quintessentially Trumpian details of the presidency and his most important relationships, and no one is safe – from his close family and confidants to key political figures from both parties and members of the media. In this parallel cartoon universe, the Commander-in-Chief opens the White House doors for an “all access” look at a typical day in the life of the President of the United States. <i>OUR CARTOON PRESIDENT </i>is produced by CBS Television Studios and executive produced by Colbert, Licht and showrunner R.J. Fried. Tim Luecke will serve as lead animator and co-executive producer. Matt Lappin will serve as consulting producer. To learn more about <i>OUR CARTOON PRESIDENT</i>, follow<a href="https://twitter.com/CartoonPres?lang=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: purple;"><span style="color: blue;"><u>@CartoonPres</u></span></a> and join the conversation using #CartoonPresident.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">SHOWTIME is currently available to subscribers via cable, DBS and telco providers, and as a stand-alone streaming service through Apple<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: 5.3pt;"><sup>®</sup></span></span>, Roku<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: 5.3pt;"><sup>®</sup></span></span>, Amazon, Google, Xbox One and Samsung. Consumers can also subscribe to SHOWTIME via Hulu, YouTube TV, Sling TV, DirecTV Now, Sony PlayStation<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: 5.3pt;"><sup>®</sup></span></span> Vue and Amazon Channels. The network’s authentication service, <span style="text-transform: uppercase;">SHOWTIME ANYTIME</span>, is available at no additional cost to SHOWTIME customers who subscribe to the network through participating providers. Subscribers can also watch on their computers at <a href="http://www.showtime.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: purple;"><span style="color: blue;"><u></u></span></a><span style="color: blue;"><u><a href="http://www.showtime.com/" style="color: purple;" target="_blank">www.showtime.com</a></u></span> and<a href="http://www.showtimeanytime.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: purple;"><span style="color: blue;"><u></u></span></a><span style="color: blue;"><u><a href="http://www.showtimeanytime.com/" style="color: purple;" target="_blank">www.showtimeanytime.com</a></u></span>.</span></span></div>
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Jim Coluccihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07131834400134022036noreply@blogger.com0