Q and A: Week of July 30
Q: I heard a rumor that Steven Tyler won’t be back as a judge on “American Idol.” Please tell me it isn’t true. He’s one of the main reasons that I watch the show! — Diana W. in West VirginiaA: The Aerosmith rocker recently announced he will indeed quit the show to focus on the band. Steven said, in true Steven style: “I’ve decided it’s time for me to let go of my mistress, 'American Idol,’ before she boils my rabbit. I strayed from my first love, Aerosmith, and I’m back.” His news came the day before Jennifer Lopez announced that she, too, was leaving the show. I’ll tell you, I wouldn’t mind seeing Richard Marx in one of the judges’ chairs.
Q: Please tell me that “Falling Skies” will be back next summer for another season! — Jeffrey D., via e-mail
A: TNT’s blockbuster science-fiction drama about how the world fights back after an alien invasion definitely will be back next summer for a 10-episode third season. This no-brainer decision (“Falling Skies” is cable’s No. 1 drama in the 18 to 49 age market, and is No. 2 in 25 to 54, behind TNT’s other breakout hit, “Dallas”) will continue the quest of Noah Wylie’s Mason, Will Patton’s Weaver and Moon Bloodgood’s Dr. Glass as they lead the 2nd Mass resistance group toward survival and, hopefully, the kicking of some alien butt off the planet Earth.
Q: What has Shaquille O’Neal been up to lately? — Roger G., Franklin, Miss.
A: Shaq just signed on to star in a new series for truTV tentatively titled “Upload with Shaquille O’Neal.” The show will be hosted by comedian Gary Owen and co-star Shaq and comedian Godfrey, as well as a special guest for each of the 10 episodes. They will scour the Internet looking for the funniest online videos to comment on, and they’ll also create their own viral videos, pull pranks and parody current pop-culture stories.
Shaq had this to say about his new venture: “I’ve been a fan of truTV for a long time, and I look forward to working with my good friends Gary Owen and Godfrey. I’ve always tried to entertain people, and I know this show will deliver big laughs.”
Q: I remember a while back that Kelsey Grammer announced he and his wife were expecting. Has she had her baby yet? — Barbara D., via e-mail
A: Kelsey, 57, and Kayte, 31, announced earlier this year that they ecstatic couple were expecting twins. Kayte gave birth to a healthy baby girl in mid-July, but tragically, the baby’s twin brother did not survive. The couple said in a joint statement: “A glorious birth with a lingering sadness is ours today. We choose to celebrate the life that has been given us. We proudly introduce our Faith (Evangeline Elisa Grammer) to the world today looking forward to the days ahead and the children yet to come.”
Q and A: Week of July 23
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| Roselyn Sanchez of Devious Maids |
A: Marc Cherry has never been one to gather moss, so his rolling stone is heading to Lifetime, where he’s developed a new series called “Devious Maids.” Originally developed for ABC, Lifetime will air the series in 2013, and it will star Ana Ortiz, Judy Reyes, Roselyn Sanchez, Grant Show, Mariana Klaveno and Susan Lucci.
To piggyback off an idea I got from Annie Potts when I interviewed her earlier this year, I think Lifetime would be remiss if they didn’t see the potential of grabbing up the recently canceled ABC show “GCB” and pair it with “Devious Maids.” As Annie told me: “If we were paired with ‘Devious Maids,’ we’d have the great American equivalent of ‘Upstairs, Downstairs’ — the rich and righteous in Dallas and the maids of Beverly Hills. What network executive wouldn’t see home run written all over that?”
Q: Please tell me if “Sanctuary” will be back with new episodes in Syfy. — Marlies W., via e-mail
A: Syfy announced in May that the science-fiction drama would not return for a fifth season. Series star Amanda Tapping took to Twitter to address the show’s cancellation: “To all the fans of Sanctuary, we love and adore you. Thank you for the love and support.”
Q: I loved seeing Eric Mabius on “Franklin and Bash” earlier this year, and I wondered what else I can see him in? — Jeanna M., Baltimore
A: Aside from recently starring in the Hallmark Channel movie “How to Fall in Love” and making a guest-starring turn on “The Client List,” he co-stars with indie queen Parker Posey in the Sundance Festival hit “Price Check.” When I spoke with Eric recently, he told me all about the movie.
“You’re going to laugh your ass off. I think IFC bought the film. It’s a dark comedy centering on this guy I play (Pete Cozy), who gives up his dreams of being a music A-and-R guy. He moves to the suburbs of Long Island and accepts a marketing job at a small chain of grocery stores. He has a wife and a child, and is trying to pursue the ÔAmerican Dream.’
“Parker Posey’s character, Susan, is put in charge of this section of grocery stores. Nobody in the office cares about his job. Susan comes in and shakes everyone’s universe up. She is so quintessential Parker Posey. She is brilliant, and she’s so funny. It’s a lot of fun.”
Q: Will there be a “Fifty Shades of Grey” movie? — Tina T., Sarasota, Fla.
A: Universal Studios and Focus Features bought the rights to the “Fifty Shades” trilogy in March, and have brought “The Social Network” producers Mike De Luca and Dana Brunetti on board to help bring the runaway-hit book to the big screen. There is no word yet on casting or a release date.
2012 Primetime Emmy Nominations: The List
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| Kerry Washington and Jimmy Kimmel (who looked like he just rolled out of bed) announced the nominations |
COMEDY SERIES
"The Big Bang Theory" (CBS)
"Curb Your Enthusiasm" (HBO)
"Girls" (HBO)
"Modern Family" (ABC)
"30 Rock" (NBC)
"Veep" (HBO)
COMEDY ACTOR
Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper in "The Big Bang Theory"
Larry David as Himself in "Curb Your Enthusiasm"
Don Cheadle as Marty Kaan in "House of Lies"
Louis C.K. as Louie in "Louie"
Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy in "30 Rock"
Jon Cryer as Alan Harper in "Two and a Half Men"
COMEDY ACTRESS
Lena Dunham as Hannah Horvath in "Girls"
Melissa McCarthy as Molly Flynn in "Mike & Molly"
Zooey Deschanel as Jess Day in "New Girl"
Edie Falco as Jackie Peyton in "Nurse Jackie"
Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope in "Parks and Recreation"
Tina Fey as Liz Lemon in "30 Rock"
Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Selina Meyer in "Veep"
SUPPORTING COMEDY ACTOR
Ed O'Neill as Jay Pritchett in "Modern Family"
Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Mitchell Pritchett in "Modern Family"
Ty Burrell as Phil Dunphy in "Modern Family"
Eric Stonestreet as Cameron Tucker in "Modern Family"
Max Greenfield as Schmidt in "New Girl"
Bill Hader as various characters in "Saturday Night Live"
SUPPORTING COMEDY ACTRESS
Mayim Bialik as Amy Farrah Fowler in "The Big Bang Theory"
Kathryn Joosten as Karen McCluskey in "Desperate Housewives"
Julie Bowen as Claire Dunphy in "Modern Family"
Sofia Vergara as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett in "Modern Family"
Merritt Wever as Zoey Barkow in "Nurse Jackie"
Kristen Wiig as various characters in "Saturday Night Live"
DRAMA SERIES
"Boardwalk Empire" (HBO)
"Breaking Bad" (AMC)
"Downton Abbey" (PBS)
"Game of Thrones" (HBO)
"Homeland" (Showtime)
"Mad Men" (AMC)
DRAMA ACTRESS
Glenn Close as Patty Hewes in "Damages"
Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary Crawley in "Downton Abbey"
Julianna Margulies as Alicia Florrick in "The Good Wife"
Kathy Bates as Harriet Korn in "Harry's Law"
Claire Danes as Carrie Mathison in "Homeland"
Elisabeth Moss as Peggy Olson in "Mad Men"
DRAMA ACTOR
Steve Buscemi as Nucky Thompson in "Boardwalk Empire"
Bryan Cranston as Walter White in "Breaking Bad"
Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan in "Dexter"
Hugh Bonneville as Robert, Earl of Grantham in "Downton Abbey"
Damian Lewis as Nicholas Brody in "Homeland"
Jon Hamm as Don Draper in "Mad Men"
SUPPORTING DRAMA ACTRESS
Anna Gunn as Skyler White in "Breaking Bad"
Maggie Smith as Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham in "Downton Abbey"
Joanne Froggatt as Anna in "Downton Abbey"
Archie Panjabi as Kalinda Sharma in "The Good Wife"
Christine Baranski as Diane Lockhart in "The Good Wife"
Christina Hendricks as Joan Holloway Harris in "Mad Men"
SUPPORTING DRAMA ACTOR
Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman in "Breaking Bad"
Giancarlo Esposito as Gustavo 'Gus' Fring "Breaking Bad"
Brendan Coyle as John Bates in "Downton Abbey"
Jim Carter as Mr. Carson in "Downton Abbey"
Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister in "Game of Thrones"
Jared Harris as Lane Pryce "Mad Men"
MINISERIES OR TV MOVIE
"American Horror Story" (FX)
"Game Change" (HBO)
"Hatfields & McCoys" (History)
"Hemingway & Gellhorn" (HBO)
"Luther" (BBC America)
"Sherlock: A Scandal In Belgravia" (PBS)
LEAD ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR MOVIE
Connie Britton as Vivien Harmon in "American Horror Story"
Julianne Moore as Sarah Palin in "Game Change"
Nicole Kidman as Martha Gellhorn in "Hemingway & Gellhorn"
Ashley Judd as Rebecca Winstone in "Missing"
Emma Thompson as She in "The Song of Lunch"
LEAD ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR MOVIE
Woody Harrelson as Steve Schmidt in "Game Change"
Kevin Costner as 'Devil' Anse Hatfield in "Hatfields & McCoys"
Bill Paxton as Randall McCoy in "Hatfields & McCoys"
Clive Owen as Ernest Hemingway in "Hemingway & Gellhorn"
Idris Elba as John Luther in "Luther"
Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes in "Sherlock: A Scandal In Belgravia"
SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR MOVIE
Frances Conroy as Moira in "American Horror Story"
Jessica Lange as Constance Langdon in "American Horror Story"
Sarah Paulson as Nicolle Wallace "Game Change"
Mare Winningham as Sally McCoy in "Hatfields & McCoys"
Judy Davis as Jill Tankard in "Page Eight"
SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR MOVIE
Denis O'Hare as Larry Harvey in "American Horror Story"
Ed Harris as John McCain in "Game Change"
Tom Berenger as Jim Vance in "Hatfields & McCoys"
David Strathairn as John Dos Passos in "Hemingway & Gellhorn"
Martin Freeman as Dr. John Watson in "Sherlock: A Scandal In Belgravia"
VARIETY SERIES
"The Colbert Report" (Comedy Central)
"The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" (Comedy Central)
"Jimmy Kimmel Live" (ABC)
"Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" (NBC)
"Real Time With Bill Maher" (HBO)
"Saturday Night Live" (NBC)
Outstanding Guest Actress In A Comedy Series
Glee • FOX • Ryan Murphy Productions in association with Twentieth Century Fox Television
Dot-Marie Jones as Coach Shannon Beiste
Saturday Night Live • NBC • SNL Studios in association with Universal Television and Broadway Video
Maya Rudolph, Host
Saturday Night Live • NBC • SNL Studios in association with Universal Television and Broadway Video
Melissa McCarthy, Host
30 Rock • NBC • Broadway Video, Little Stranger, Inc. in association with Universal Television
Elizabeth Banks as Avery Jessup
30 Rock • NBC • Broadway Video, Little Stranger, Inc. in association with Universal Television
Margaret Cho as Kim Jong-il
Two And A Half Men • CBS • Chuck Lorre Productions Inc., The Tannenbaum Company in association with Warner Bros. Television
Kathy Bates as Charlie Harper
Outstanding Guest Actor In A Comedy Series
Curb Your Enthusiasm • HBO • HBO Entertainment
Michael J. Fox as Himself
Modern Family • ABC • Levitan-Lloyd Productions in association with Twentieth Century Fox Television
Greg Kinnear as Tad
Nurse Jackie • Showtime • Showtime Presents, Lionsgate Television, Jackson Group Entertainment, Madison Grain Elevator, Inc. & Delong Lumber, A Caryn Mandabach Production
Bobby Cannavale as Dr. Mike Cruz
Saturday Night Live • NBC • SNL Studios in association with Universal Television and Broadway Video
Jimmy Fallon, Host
30 Rock • NBC • Broadway Video, Little Stranger, Inc. in association with Universal Television
Will Arnett as Devon Banks
30 Rock • NBC • Broadway Video, Little Stranger, Inc. in association with Universal Television
Jon Hamm as Abner and David Brinkley
Outstanding Directing For A Comedy Series
Curb Your Enthusiasm • Palestinian Chicken • HBO • HBO Entertainment
Robert B. Weide, Director
Girls • She Did • HBO • Apatow Productions and I am Jenni Konner Productions in association with HBO Entertainment
Lena Dunham, Director
Louie • Duckling • FX Networks • Pig Newton, Inc. in association with FX
Productions
Louis C.K., Director
Modern Family • Virgin Territory • ABC • Levitan-Lloyd Productions in association with Twentieth Century Fox Television
Jason Winer, Director
Modern Family • Baby On Board • ABC • Levitan-Lloyd Productions in association with Twentieth Century Fox Television
Steven Levitan, Director
New Girl • Pilot • FOX • Chernin Entertainment in association with Twentieth
Century Fox Television
Jake Kasdan, Director
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
Community • Remedial Chaos Theory • NBC • A Krasnoff Foster Entertainment, Harmonious Claptrap, Russo Brothers production, Universal Television production in association with Sony Pictures Television
Chris McKenna, Written by
Girls • Pilot • HBO • Apatow Productions and I am Jenni Konner Productions in association with HBO Entertainment
Lena Dunham, Written by
Louie • Pregnant • FX Networks • Pig Newton, Inc. in association with FX
Productions
Louis C.K., Written by
Parks And Recreation • The Debate • NBC • Deedle-Dee Productions, Fremulon, 3 Arts and Universal Television
Amy Poehler, Written by
Parks And Recreation • Win, Lose, Or Draw • NBC • Deedle-Dee Productions, Fremulon, 3 Arts and Universal Television
Michael Schur, Written by
Outstanding Guest Actress In A Drama Series
The Good Wife • CBS • CBS Television Studios in association with Scott Free Productions and King Size Productions
Martha Plimpton as Patti Nyholm
Grey's Anatomy • ABC • ABC Studios
Loretta Devine as Adele Webber
Harry's Law • NBC • Bonanza Productions in association with David E. Kelley Productions and Warner Bros. Television
Jean Smart as D.A. Roseanna Remmick
Mad Men • AMC • Lionsgate Television
Julia Ormond as Marie Calvet
Shameless • Showtime • Showtime Presents, John Wells Productions, Warner Bros. Television
Joan Cusack as Sheila Jackson
Smash • NBC • Universal Television in association with DreamWorks Television and Madwoman in the Attic
Uma Thurman as Rebecca Duvall
Outstanding Guest Actor In A Drama Series
Breaking Bad • AMC • Sony Pictures Television
Mark Margolis as Tio Salamanca
The Good Wife • CBS • CBS Television Studios in association with Scott Free Productions and King Size Productions
Dylan Baker as Colin Sweeney
The Good Wife • CBS • CBS Television Studios in association with Scott Free Productions and King Size Productions
Michael J. Fox as Louis Canning
Justified • FX Networks • Sony Pictures Television
Jeremy Davies as Dickie Bennett
Mad Men • AMC • Lionsgate Television
Ben Feldman as Michael Ginsberg
Parenthood • NBC • Imagine Television and Universal Television
Jason Ritter as Mark Cyr
Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series
Boardwalk Empire • To The Lost • HBO • Leverage, Closest to the Hole Productions, Sikelia Productions and Cold Front Productions in association with HBO Entertainment
Tim Van Patten, Director
Breaking Bad • Face Off • AMC • Sony Pictures Television
Vince Gilligan, Director
Downton Abbey • Episode 7 • PBS • A Carnival / Masterpiece Co-Production
Brian Percival, Director
Homeland • Pilot • Showtime • Showtime Presents, Teakwood Lane Productions, Cherry Pie Productions, Keshet, Fox 21
Michael Cuesta, Director
Mad Men • The Other Woman • AMC • Lionsgate Television
Phil Abraham, Director
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
Downton Abbey • Episode 7 • PBS • A Carnival / Masterpiece Co-Production
Julian Fellowes, Written by
Homeland • Pilot • Showtime • Showtime Presents, Teakwood Lane Productions, Cherry Pie Productions, Keshet, Fox 21
Alex Gansa, Written by
Howard Gordon, Written by
Gideon Raff, Written by
Mad Men • The Other Woman • AMC • Lionsgate Television
Semi Chellas, Written by
Matthew Weiner, Written by
Mad Men • Commissions And Fees • AMC • Lionsgate Television
Andre Jacquemetton, Written by
Maria Jacquemetton, Written by
Mad Men • Far Away Places • AMC • Lionsgate Television
Erin Levy, Written by
Matthew Weiner, Written by
Outstanding Directing For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Dramatic Special
Game Change • HBO • Playtone and Everyman Pictures in association with HBO Films
Jay Roach, Director
Hatfields & McCoys • HISTORY • Thinkfactory Media in association with
History
Kevin Reynolds, Director
Hemingway & Gellhorn • HBO • Attaboy Films and A Walrus & Associates in
association with HBO Films
Philip Kaufman, Director
Luther • BBC America • A BBC and BBC America Co-Production
Sam Miller, Director
Sherlock: A Scandal In Belgravia (Masterpiece) • PBS • Hartswood West for
BBC / Cymru Wales in co-production with Masterpiece
Paul McGuigan, Director
Interview: Eric Mabius Shows His Fans Another Side
Eric Mabius has put in his time on shows like “Party of Five,” “The O.C.” and “Popular,” moving on to co-starring roles on “Eyes” and “The L Word” before landing the role for which he is perhaps most famous (for now), that of playboy Daniel Meade on “Ugly Betty.” But now Eric wants to show his fans another side, that of the shy, slightly geeky Harold White in the Hallmark Channel original movie “How to Fall in Love,” which premieres Saturday night, July 21 at 9/8c. (Also, head to the Hallmark Channel’s Facebook fan page an hour earlier at 8/9c for a live, one-hour Q-and-A with Ellen Fein and Sherrie Schneider, co-authors of “The Rules,” where they’ll give advice on dating and falling in love.) When I spoke with Eric recently, he told me how much fun it was to play this against-type role and working with Brooke D’Orsay and Kathy Najimy. He also told me all about his new, the Sundance Film Festival hit “Price Check” with indie queen Parker Posey, as well as a few other projects.
Celebrity Extra: I loved watching you as Harold — geeky, shy and not at all like Daniel Meade. Was playing a character like this one of the things that made you want to do this movie?
Eric Mabius: Definitely, that’s part of the reason why I said yes to the project. I am excited because people will be like, “Yeah, Daniel, the playboy from ‘Ugly Betty’ is going to play a geek.” But I think we all have our own inner geek, and it doesn’t take that much to bring it out.
I know we all may have seen a movie about the guy who’s geeky and needs direction in life, a sort of ugly duckling story. I felt like Bart Fisher had written something that was quirky enough and that I could spin it a little bit differently and still be real, just kind of drown it in reality. It may seem like an unlikely occurrence, Harold getting dating lessons from the woman who caused his dysfunction in the first place, but it’s entirely in the realm of possibility. I believe it especially because I fell in love with someone from high school, and I have two sons with her. It definitely was close to home for me. I didn’t date my wife in high school, but she was definitely by far the coolest woman there. She was definitely the most beautiful, but she also marched to the beat of her own drummer. I was in New Orleans 10 years after high school, and my friend played matchmaker with us, and that’s kind of how we got together.
CE: Do you have any awkward high-school stories to rival Harold’s homecoming dance experience?
EM: I don’t have very many of those stories because I moved around a lot. So I knew how to negotiate awkward situations because I had to learn how to adapt very early on. I chose the position of being more of a loner, and from that position it always kept people guessing, which had a certain amount of power. I was an athlete in high school as well, so I used to travel and compete and train with the Junior National Luge team, and I got to see the world. Also, I went to the prom with a friend of mine to avoid all of those potentially awkward moments. I had a little bit of foresight.
CE: I think this is a really good story to let people know that there is life after high school — much more — and what happens to you then isn’t the be-all, end-all of your life.
EM: I think that when you’ve only lived 17 years, you don’t have, you haven’t had a full canon of experiences, so every moment that you have here feels like the last moment in the world, because you’ve only had a handful of whatever those moments are. Your first love, your first dance, your first intensely awkward moments. And they’re supposed to be intense because it’s the first time we’re experiencing a lot of those things.
You do have to follow your heart, otherwise you’re living a false life. Maybe I’m naive or maybe I’m idealistic, but I fell in love with someone from high school, which is insane. If someone told me that I was going to marry someone from high school, I would tell him he needs to have his head checked. But you need to remain open to anything, because you never know where lightning’s going to strike, where you’re going to fall in love. You fall in love in the most unlikely times and places. People try to be very calculated about affairs of the heart, but it’s never going to work. You’ll end up with a sterile relationship, I’d think.
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| Kathy Najimy and Brooke D'Orsay |
EM: You’re correct — she’s absolutely adorable. So much fun and just so sweet. Oddly enough, as personality types, our own personalities as actors were the opposite of the characters we were playing. I think I’m a fairly calm, even person, and she’s slightly more neurotic, so as people we kind of balance each other out. It was fun because of the characters we were playing; we were kind of doing the opposite. When you’re thrown together in a situation like that to try to manufacture that attraction, you never know if it’s going to work. Fortunately, Brooke is just so sweet and gracious and honest, and that’s why I loved working with her. She doesn’t hide much, which makes it easy and a lot more fun to play.
CE: And Kathy Najimy was just wonderful, and so hilarious!
EM: She absolutely is, and I was so happy to see her again. She was so good on “Ugly Betty,” and she’s just like this ball of lightning. She’s got so much energy, and she’s always on — she’s another person who comes to play, and you’d better bring your A game. She’s a delight, and she’s just a quality woman.
CE: Tell me about your feature film that you did with Parker Posey, “Price Check.”
EM: Oh my god, you’re going to laugh your ass off. I think IFC bought the film. It’s a dark comedy centering on this guy I play (Pete Cozy), who gives up his dreams of being a music A&R guy. He moves to the suburbs of Long Island and accepts a marketing job at a small chain of grocery stores. He has a wife and a child, and is trying to pursue the “American Dream.” Parker Posey’s character, Susan, is put in charge of this section of grocery stores. Nobody in the office cares about his job. They’re basically just punching the clock and biding their time. Susan comes in and shakes everyone’s universe up. She is so quintessential Parker Posey. She is brilliant, and she’s so funny. It’s a lot of fun.
CE: You’ve had the opportunity to work with a lot of strong female leads … Vanessa Williams from “Ugly Betty” comes to mind. And it’s so nice to know that in real life she is one of the sweetest people I’ve ever interviewed.
EM: I just saw Vanessa last week. She was being honored by the Covenant House for all of her charity work for them, and she invited us to her table. She just grows more beautiful and graceful with time. In the six or seven years I’ve known her, I have to say she is one of my favorite people in the world, and she is just one of the classiest women I know — next to, of course, my mother and my wife — but she’s just infinitely gracious and kind and giving. I don’t see that very often in any kind of business, but you certainly see it a lot less in entertainment — she’s a rare gem.
CE: What about the new USA series “Political Animals”?
EM: I’m really excited about it — excited about guest-starring on it. You have to keep an eye out for that show. Separate of me having to do anything with it, just the writing and acting in it alone is just out of this world. It stars Sigourney Weaver as the secretary of state, and it also has Ellen Burstyn and Carla Gugino. It’s just unreal. It’s a political drama, and another show for me with strong female role models. It’s just so good.
Q and A: Week of July 16
A: The Poison lead singer has been touring with Def Leppard and Lita Ford this summer, as well as promoting his new line of pet clothes, toys and accessories. Bret Michaels’ Pets Rock collection is available only through PetSmart (in stores and online at petsmart.com). As the owner of the cutest Boston terrier in the world, I couldn’t wait to speak with Bret about his new line of doggie-wear.
Bret explained the collaboration between himself and PetSmart: “They’d all come up to my house (in Arizona, where PetSmart is based), and I would show them a design, and I’d show them the stuff my pets were playing with. We would talk about it and we would draw some stuff up, and then they would take it back and work on it. It was very collaborative. As you know, safety is a huge factor, along with durability.”
But just because Bret had a hand in designing a doggie tutu, it doesn’t mean he’s gone soft. He told me: “In the music business, you might get lucky for a record or two, but you’re not going to survive 25, 26 years unless you know the business side of the entertainment business, which is really tough. It really gave me a thick skin. I’ll say this about any musician who’s lasted more than two years: You’ve really gotta be on your game. It’s tough to get into the business — to get that break — but it’s way tougher to stay there.”
Check back here later this week for my full interview with good-natured and funny frontman.
Q: One of my favorite shows this season, “Pan Am,” was canceled. Is it on DVD? — Pat S., via e-mail
A: “Pan Am” is not yet available on DVD; however, you can own all the episodes via Amazon. The show is available for instant viewing on your PC, Mac, compatible TV or other device. Simply go to amazon.com and search “Pan Am” to learn more.
Q: Is it true that a movie is in the works based on the “Shattered Union” video game? — Vinnie P., Springfield, Ohio
A: Jerry Bruckheimer is in the very early stages of development. He has joined with Disney and screenwriter J. Michael Straczynski (creator of “Babylon 5″) to bring the video game to life, perhaps sometime in 2013.
Q: I loved Frances Conroy on “Six Feet Under” and “American Horror Story.” What else can I see her in? — Deanna R., via e-mail
A: Frances is all set to play June Carter Cash’s mother, Maybelle Carter, in the Lifetime original movie “Ring of Fire,” which is set to air later this year. The movie stars Jewel as June and Matt Ross as Johnny, and centers on June and her rise to fame, from singing with her sisters to her solo career to her third (and longest) marriage to Johnny Cash.
The Art of Giving — Free Art Workshops
FREE ART WORKSHOPS!
Every Friday from July 27 – August 10 at The Tutoring Club of Santa Monica
Santa Monica, CA—School is out and summer is here! What are your children doing during summer vacation? Instead of sitting around, why not enroll your children in FREE ART WORKSHOPS! This summer, The Art of Giving Foundation will be hosting FREE art workshops, every Friday from July 27 through August 10, at the Tutoring Club of Santa Monica, located at 3122 Santa Monica Blvd, in Santa Monica. The camp will hold classes for ages 4 to 7 and 8 to 13!
Jill Myers, the owner of the Santa Monica Tutoring Club, believes strongly in the importance of teaching children at a young age, the importance of compassion and helping others, to promote peace and stop the current and harmful trends of bullying. For this reason, she has joined forces with The Art of Giving Foundation, to bring this compassion based curriculum into her practice.
The Art of Giving Foundation is a nonprofit organization that believes in the simple concept of Children Helping Children, while teaching children the importance of compassion and helping others. In the Art of Giving Camp, the children will create all forms of art, such as paintings, drawings, scarves, blankets, jewelry, etc., which will be sold to benefit another group of deserving children who are in extreme need! The funds raised will go to provide items such as clothing, shoes, hygiene supplies, vitamins, medical/dental supplies, and many other vital necessities, that many children of the world, including here in the United States, are not blessed with. Middle school and high school students who would like to volunteer are encouraged to apply for community service credit at their schools. A $10.00 donation is suggested per class, for participants to cover the foundation’s cost in supplies.
To register for this summer camp or for more information, e-mail: info@art-of-giving.org, or visit its website: www.art-of-giving.org.
Q and A: Week of July 9
Q: Was there, or will there be, a 98 Degrees reunion this summer? — Dawn D., Canton, Ohio A: While the former bandmates would love to perform together again, it ain’t happening just yet. I spoke with Jeff Timmons recently, and he told me: “There was a tour set up for the summer, but not everybody was on board with it in the end. I was very excited to do it, but it just didn’t fit what everybody wanted to do, so we called it off. We decided when it’s a better opportunity for everyone, we’d decide collectively as a group that we’ll do it then.”
In the meantime, Jeff is heating up the already-hot Vegas scene with his new show, “Wired,” which is free at Green Valley Ranch Resort and Casino. Performing Fridays and Saturdays all summer, Jeff describes it as “the party before the party. You drink, have a good time, listen to us perform classic and current R&B, pop, my stuff, 98 Degrees stuff, and then go out to the club and hear a DJ spin it afterward.”
Jeff promises surprise guests who will sing with him, but you’ll have to come out there to see who. “That’s part of the element of surprise. Who’s going to be there next? We have a couple of people who we know are coming in July when they’re going to be in town, but most of it’s going to be spontaneous.”
Check back later this week to read my entire interview with Jeff.
Q: I keep hearing rumors about a “Dumb and Dumber” sequel with Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels. Is this true? — Greg F., via e-mail
A: Jim and Jeff were all set to start filming the purposely grammatically incorrect “Dumb and Dumber To” this September, when Jim bowed out due to conflicts with New Line and Warner Brothers studios. “Entertainment Tonight” reported that Jim “grew increasingly frustrated by New Line and Warner Brothers, which he felt showed a lack of enthusiasm regarding the project.” When asked if the project would go on without Jim, Jeff replied: “No, nobody’s doing it without Jim.”
Q: Will there be another “Mad Max” sequel? — Jeremy T., Springfield, Mo.
A: After a two-year delay, Charlize Theron and Tom Hardy are prepping to film “Mad Max: Fury Road” this summer. Charlize even shaved her golden locks into a buzzcut for her character, Furiosa, opposite Tom’s Max (aka The Road Warrior).
Q: A while back, you mentioned a sitcom by Vince Vaughn that would be on TBS. Has that aired yet? — Daniel F., via e-mail
A: “Sullivan and Son,” which was executive-produced by Vince, premieres Thursday, July 19, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on TBS. The show centers on Steve Sullivan, a successful attorney from New York, who brings his girlfriend for a visit as his father and mother are preparing to sell the family bar to retire. Steve realizes he wants to return to the old neighborhood and take over Sullivan and Son.
INTERVIEW: Wladimir Klitschko's Greatest Role
World Heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko is defending his title this weekend — July 7, to be exact — against Tony Thompson. I spoke with the charming Ukrainian a few months back, and we discussed everything, from training to acting to Chris Cornell videos to the documentary “Klitschko,” which centers on his and his older brother Vitali’s rise in the boxing world. While "Klitschko" has been making quite an impression on festivalgoers since premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival last year, Wladimir is keeping his eye firmly on the boxing world, for now. Celebrity Extra: On July 7, you'll be defending your Heavyweight title when you fight Tony Thompson. I know you’ve fought him before, but it’s been quite a few years. What kind of fight do you think he’ll give you?
Wladimir Klitschko: I always want to see certain qualities in my opponents, and I do respect always to my opponents. I think that Tony Thompson is not an easy guy to beat. He was pretty complicated for me in the first fight, even though I won the fight and knocked him out in the 11th, but it was not easy. He had some great wins after our fight. He was performing against much younger opponents and he usually beat them easily, and I think he is going to give me a good challenge, and I hope so, because I’m really looking forward to that challenge.
CE: How do you prepare yourself for a fight?
WK: It’s six to eight weeks of preparation, and it’s around between five and 15 sparring partners that are coming and going. The best are staying the worst are going. Usually I train, if the fighting is, for example, in the East Coast, in New York, then I train in Florida. If it’s on the West Coast, then it’s Los Angeles. If it’s in Europe, I train in the Austrian Alps. All places are great.
CE: You’ve come up against a lot of challenges in your professional career, and you seem quite adept at conquering them. What else would you like you conquer?
WK: Thank you for mentioning it, because I don’t know to think about it. There are always certain challenges that you have in your professional life – you get the challenge that eventually you're going to get in the ring and conquer your opponent, and especially when you perform on a big stage — like my latest five fights in a row were in soccer stadiums. When you have 45,000 to 60,000 people watching you, it’s kind of motivation to keep doing it, and especially when I see the kids like Alex Stout from San Francisco. He’s 14 years old, and he's from the Make a Wish Foundation. He was at my last fight carrying one of my belts. Unfortunately Alex is deadly sick and who knows how long he is going to make it, but I was so happy. First of all he wanted to meet me and for like two years it didn’t work. Somehow the travel schedule and nothing was working, and I ask him, “Do you want to meet me at the fight night? Don’t you want to carry one of my belts?” He was so excited, and his family, so they traveled from San Francisco to Düsseldorf (Germany), and they spent the time in Düsseldorf, and they were at the fight.
To see the happiness on his face and excitement — I hope that this is something that keeps him going for a very, very long time. That makes me really happy, and that’s actually one of my motivations to stay focused and be in the business where I am, which is really tough, but it’s real enjoyable. As a matter of fact, to be heavyweight champion of the world is something that you have to carry with a responsibility. Not that I really think of it every day — I’m not — but I realize it when I talk to the people like the Stout family or to Alex, and kids like Alex, so it’s something that makes me excited.
CE: Before watching your documentary, "Klitschko" — which I loved, by the way — I didn’t know a lot about boxing. I didn’t know that there was more than one heavyweight belt to win. For me, boxing is hard enough to watch, and then, in the doc, you guys hit your opponents, and it’s in slow motion, making it look even worse for squeamish people like me …
WK: I’m glad you did like it and really happy to hear you make that comment. I tell you something — people like you who are not looking at the screen while they're watching the documentary for those cuts that my brother had over his eye and for other scenes from fights, but eventually you’re the ones going to the fight, and when you're at the ringside, you are jumping on the chairs and cheering and screaming: “Beat him up! Kill him!” It’s funny because suddenly the wildness comes out of your character.
CE: How were you approached about even doing this documentary?
WK: I hate to tell you that at first, my brother and I didn’t really want to do it. We had been asked from a couple of directors to try to shoot the documentary, but eventually Sebastian Dehnhardt — that’s the guy who did it — approached us and he said: “Guys, there are so many fans out there and they want to have answers. They would like to take a look behind the curtain and see more sport and see more of you and understand more of the sport and you. I think it would be a great gesture to the fans.” Then we were like, “OK, let’s try it.”
We shot it for two or three years in different situations. The footage he found somewhere that I haven’t seen — like Vitali arriving Florida at the end of the ’80s, I guess with the Soviet team kickboxing and stuff — that stuff was great. You see my brother when he’s 18 years old wearing a baseball cap and kind of looking funny and skinny. We were laughing real hard when we saw that. So, there was certain footage that came out, like our meeting with Don King that was found on YouTube. I had never seen that footage, so when I saw that, it was kind of interesting.
With the documentary, it is really to take a look behind the curtains of boxing and of the Klitschko brothers. The film kind of has its own life. My one critique to Sebastian was: "This film is way too honest and way too open and way too straight up front.” He said, “Do you want to change anything?” I said, “No, no, no. I don’t want to change anything, it is what it is, but this film is really, really honest.”
He convinced us to put our parents in this film. They were never ever in the public eye and never gave interviews to the camera, but we convinced them. But it was the first — and eventually last — interview, since my father passed away last year before the film was released. But I think the job that Sebastian did was to make this film as open and as honest as actually it is. I think he’s done good.
CE: What has been the reaction of people who’ve seen the movie?
WK: When you observe the public while they are watching the film, some of them laugh, some of them cry; there are emotionally involved. The best thing I saw at the Tribeca Film Festival was during the screening, no one stood up to take a phone call or to go to restroom.
Actually, I do remember one time (laughs) I remember someone did leave the theater for the restroom or something, and it was actually my sister-in-law, Natalie, Vitali’s wife. I went, “Natalie, how can you do this? You can’t stand up and leave. You’re giving a bad example.” But that’s when I realized how emotional I was while watching it.
CE: You and your brother have literally and figuratively fought your way to the top for all the success you have. Could you ever have imagined as kids that you’d be where you are today?
WK: Never ever I would have thought of being a fighter and boxer. If my brother wouldn’t have been involved in the sport, I would have never have done this. I did it mainly so I could try to be better than him. It’s a competition that we always have in different fields of life, but it’s a healthy competition. We love each other but when we compete against each other, it’s getting really, really, really, really deep in emotions, which is inspiring. I’m actually thankful to this sport because people sometimes asking, “How can you do it; you’re getting beat up? What kind of job is that? It’s hard.” I said, “Yes, I’m beating up people for a living, but I am the one doing the beating up — it’s not the other way around.”
I got an education that you cannot get at Columbia or Harvard or somewhere else through the sport. You have to travel a lot and you learn different languages, and you’re getting different mentalities, and you live in the society of the country where you are spending your time. Eventually you’re getting a certain sense for business. I don’t have a promoter or a manager, but I do with my company. You have a chance to meet certain people such as President Bill Clinton or Dalai Lama. I think that’s such education that I probably wouldn’t get in any university in this world, and I’m thankful to this chance that my brother got involved in the sport, and eventually it is why I got involved. We weren’t thinking of any great success. Yes, we were concentrating on trying to be the best, and we eventually realized that this professional sport is actually a business. You learn while you are doing things and you realize there are more doors to be opened.
CE: I saw you were in the Chris Cornell video for "Part of Me" in 2008. How did that opportunity come about?
WK: I was at Madonna’s concert in Berlin. I was in the lounge and there were some of the guys that dance with Timberland, and somehow he was telling about me this new project with Timberland and Chris Cornell with a new album. Somehow we just met each other and he asked me to do it, and I thought, "Why not?" It wasn’t a big deal. It was like maybe an hour.
By the way, Chris was really struggling with the fact his fans want to hear rock, not this mix of R-and-B and stuff, but I really like it. I really like the album because it’s a little bit different.
CE: I know you were in Ocean’s Eleven, you’ve been in other Hollywood projects … do you want to be in the movies? Do you want to be an action hero, a leading man? What kind of Hollywood commodity would you like to be, if you had your choice?
WK: While I am asked often about being in movies — usually it’s a Russian mob character — it’s always the same thing. I did play myself in ‘Ocean’s Eleven,’ and I did two German comedies. But right now, I’m playing the role called the Heavyweight Champion of the World, and it takes all of my time. I really like to play it, and I have to stay focused. So there’s no nonsense with any wannabe Hollywood stuff. If I lose my focus, then I’m going to lose the titles, and I don’t want to do that.
Q and A: Week of July 2
Q: I was thrilled to read in your column that “Falling Skies” is back on TNT, and I am loving every minute of season two. Can you give me any spoilers for what to expect in coming episodes? — Jack I., via e-mail A: I spoke with series star and all-around good guy Will Patton recently (but keep the “all-around good guy” comment between us, as Will’s Capt. Weaver has a tough-guy rep to protect!), and while he didn’t want to ruin any surprises for the fans, he did give me a little bit of a scoop on what’s to become of 2nd Mass.
“We’re all working toward a common goal, with some dissension. Many of us have bonded in a new way. I think those of us who can step up to the plate and have a solidity are becoming more solid. For those who aren’t, it’s becoming more clear that they’re not, and it becomes a little more troublesome,” he said. “I think we’re going to go through hell, that’s what I can tell you. We go through a lot of hell, but there are moments of blue sky. I think there’s probably more moments of blue sky in this season than there were in last season, but there’s a great deal of dark danger too.”
That “dark danger” is what makes Weaver so much fun for Will to play, as well as letting viewers catch a glimpse of his softer side. Will told me: “It’s very interesting when you think about what it would be like to have to command in a situation like this. What is it you would have to do is maybe not what you would think, and being fair is not necessarily what we would normally think it would be.
“I think it requires not allowing people to see certain things about you. The greatest commanders had to find ways to wear masks, which was the greatness of their command. That’s what’s interesting about Weaver: When that mask comes down a little bit, it’s powerful. That’s intriguing to me about people because I think we all, in order to survive, have to pretend sometimes to be something that we’re not.”
Q: Both “NCIS” and “Missing” did not caption their finale show with “to be continued.” I am anxious to find out if they will return to TV in the fall? — P.R., via e-mail
A: “NCIS” consistently places in the top 20 — often top 10 — of television ratings, so you can bet it will be back for a 10th season. The Ashley Judd show, “Missing,” wasn’t so lucky. ABC decided to cancel the ratings-challenged series back in May.
Q: What has Charles Dutton been up to lately? — Gerry F., Atlanta
A: Charles has a new movie opening July 13 in select markets called “The Obama Effect,” which he stars in and marks his directorial debut. Keep an eye out for it in local theaters.
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