Q and A: Week of Oct. 22
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| Kali Hawk |
A: I spoke with Kali Hawk — who co-stars as Shelby on Fox’s “New Girl” and also stars in the “In Living Color” reboot — and she’s not sure when it will air either, although she assures me that they shot the pilot episode/special, and it’s hilarious.
“We taped the special, and it was going to be a two-part special to air sometime in the fall,” Kali said. “But I haven’t been told what’s going to happen with it, whether it’s going to air or when, or if it’s not going to air at all. I really don’t know. It’s just crazy because people ask me about it so often. There’s so much excitement about that show, but I don’t have any details that I can give out.”
Working with the show’s creator and first-rate comedian Keenan Ivory Wayans was a highlight for Kali. “It was definitely fun working with Keenan. The man is a legend. The characters from the original installment are still so relevant today. It was really neat to get to work with somebody who created something like that, something that has such long-lasting appeal.”
Check back here later this week for my full interview with this super-nice and down-to-Earth beauty.
Q: I can’t remember which cable network it was on, but I really liked a series with female stand-up comedians hosted by the red-haired actress from “The Office.“ Can you tell me what network it was on and whether it will return for another season? — Karen M., Columbus, Ohio
A: You are thinking of the TV Guide Network’s original comedy series “StandUp in Stilettos,” which is hosted by Kate Flannery. I am happy to report that it will be back for a second season beginning Saturday, Nov. 10, at 11 p.m. ET/PT. As you know, the show features three stand-up comedians per episode, and this season’s scheduled guests include Thea Vidale, Cory Kahaney, Cathy Ladman, Luenell and Laurie Kilmartin.
Q: I am a fan the show “The Finder.” What will happen now that Michael Clarke Duncan has passed away? — Curtis H., via e-mail
A: Fox announced in May that it would not be renewing the freshman series, which aired as a midseason show from January through May 2012. The death of “Finder” co-star Michael Clarke Duncan, 54 — who passed away in September from complications after suffering a heart attack in July — had nothing to do with the show’s cancellation. Michael completed three movies before his death: “The Sibling,” “The Challenger” and “In the Hive,” which will be released posthumously.
Q: Could you please tell me if “Body of Proof” was canceled? — Kathleen E., via e-mail
A: The Dana Delany-starring medical-mystery drama will be back for a 13-episode third season on ABC come midseason — which most likely means January or February 2013, although no official premiere date has been provided as of this writing.
INTERVIEW — Michael Steger: "Navid Explores His Dark Side"
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| Michael Steger, photo by Benny Haddad |
Celebrity Extra: First off, how was your summer vacation?
Michael Steger: Really good. At the beginning, I did a few small vacations. I went to Rosarito, Mexico, and Ensenada and then Chicago. And then I worked on two films in May and June, which was nice. It went by pretty quickly. And then I started back up on “90210” in July. So most of my summer I’ve been working.
CE: For those who might be living under a rock, I also want to point out that “90210” has switched to Monday nights at 8/7c on the CW. I know you are active on Twitter, so how has the fan reaction been for the new season?
MS: Very excited. I’ve been contacted by fans on Twitter: “When is the show starting? When is the show starting?” The energy is very contagious, and the fans have been really great about passing that info along.
CE: Looking back on the previous season, what have been some of your favorite moments?
MS: My favorite moments from season four is getting the chance to work with really cool character actors. I got to work with Anthony Azizi, who played my uncle Amal. And Shaun Duke, who plays my dad, and then of course all the cool recurring cast we have on the show, like Josh Zuckerman. There are so many really good actors coming on board the show. They represent the fresh energy that is so much a part of the show and is always my favorite part.
CE: How’s Navid doing this season?
MS: He starts the season in a bidding war with Liam for Silver, and now Silver has picked Teddy to have a baby with. It’s thrown Navid off-kilter a bit to where his character is tested, and he goes the route of a stranger, in a sense — he does something that’s really out of character.
He has an almost one-night stand, and he’s really not thinking. He’s trying to get back to Silver, so he’s doing as much as he can in that area. It’s completely out of character for him, but he is trying to get the attention with Silver at the end of the day.
CE: I saw some pictures of you and the rest of the guys online dressed as cheerleaders for a powder-puff football game. Was that fun to film?
MS: It’s funny, when you get a group of guys and you dress them up as cheerleaders, you have this feeling of, “OK, we’ve got to represent.” It ended up being a hilarious situation because we were all just making fun of ourselves the entire day. It was really funny. And of course, at the end of the day, we’re all like, “Oh did you guys see the paparazzi over yonder?” We were caught off-guard, but we still had a really good time.
CE: Tell me about Dixon’s recovery from the car accident.
MS: It’s going to take a while. His recovery process is a long one. The execs handled it in a very organic way and very believable. I thought they handled it very nicely.
CE: Can you give me any spoilers for down the road?
MS: I’m really not sure what will happen. Everything’s a surprise. I don’t like to know too much, you know? I just wait until I get the script to be surprised. We’ll find out!
CE: Tell me about the films you’ve been working on.
MS: They’re both in post-production. “Farah Goes Bang” is about three women who are coming into their own. They’re on a road trip to work on the John Kerry campaign during the 2004 Bush/Kerry election. It’s a very great story about these women coming into their womanhood. One is trying to lose her virginity, and they have all of the obstacles along the way. It’s a touching story of that time. I think people are going to enjoy it.
And the other one is “Blowing Vegas Off the Map,” which is a movie for the Syfy network. It has to do with an Egyptian curse, and Las Vegas is being decimated by a horrible storm. I think if you’re into sci-fi, you might enjoy it, but I haven’t seen any cuts, so I have no idea. But I’m sure it’ll be good, explosive fun.
Interview: Kellie Martin Explores New Territory
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| Kellie Martin as Capt. Nicole Galassin (Photo courtesy Lifetime Television/ Army Wives) |
Celebrity Extra: Your role on “Army Wives” is definitely one your fans haven’t seen you play yet. How did the whole thing come about?
Kellie Martin: A friend of mine, a writer friend from “ER,” called me up and said: “Would you be open to playing a lesbian military intelligence officer? We’re going to explore the world after Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” And I thought: “Yeah! That sounds really interesting.” I have never played anyone in the military; I’ve never played a lesbian. That’s rare for me to say, since I’ve been doing this 30 years — I’ve played everything. But that is something I’ve never played.
I didn’t know that it was going to be as much of a story line as it turned out to be. I did eight episodes. I really feel like they hit the highlights of this woman’s life and how fast this couple’s world changed after the repeal. The way all of a sudden they were able to have more friends, they got married, they got a baby — it really hit all the high points.
CE: You sound like you really enjoyed playing this character.
KM: Oh yes, I was honored to play this woman. I thought she was so brave and so smart, yet in her personal life, she had to hide. It was really fun to play someone who comes out. And then to have Patti LuPone play my mom again was awesome. That’s the third time Patti’s played my mom on television. And it was just an honor.
I have so many people who tweet at me or who just come up to me and say, “You don’t know how this story line has changed my life.” Or, “This is me. This is exactly me. And I’ve been in the closet for years, and I’m in the Navy.” It’s nice to make people feel like they are not alone in this often-challenging world. I feel like Capt. Galassin is the girl next door. Everybody knows someone like her. I’m just very proud of “Army Wives” and Lifetime for following through with the story line like they did.
CE: Like with “ER,” you came onto an established show with established actors in place; did it make you a little nervous? How is the “Army Wives” cast to work with?
KM: It’s funny, because they’re both pretty big ensembles. I found on “ER” and on “Army Wives,” if you weren’t a part of someone else’s story line, you never saw them. The cast was very welcoming, and I was super nervous the first day. I had a ton of things to say. I had to put that uniform on for the first time, and I just fell into the character the second I put it on. So, that was a really big help to me. But the cast is lovely. I had a really, really good time. It wasn’t easy for me to be away on location so much. I was flying way more than I care to mention, because I don’t like to fly, but it was a really good experience.
CE: Do you think Nicole will be back for the seventh season?
KM: I don’t know if Nicole’s back. She was on a plane to Afghanistan at the end of the season, and there was a lot of turbulence …
CE: Yes, but turbulence can go away, and planes can go back the other way, too …
KM: Absolutely! I had a great time, and I never, ever know where my career’s going to head, so it’s always interesting for me to see what happens.
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| Kellie as Jordan (Photo: Copyright 2011 Crown Media Holdings, Inc./ Photographer: Alexx Henry) |
KM: I’ve been working with them since 2003 or 2004, and I’ve really just gotten to love the people over there. I knew the CEO when he wasn’t the CEO, and all the publicity people who’ve been there since I started working with them. It’s really the people who keep me coming back. They just are very good to me, and they let me have a bit of input into the work we do, which I really appreciate.
I really have liked doing romantic comedies — the past two movies that I’ve done for them have been really fun, upbeat and, best of all, I don’t have to cry. I love that, because I’ve spent so much time doing drama that this is a really nice way to lighten things up for me.
CE: What was it about this particular movie, especially the character of Jordan, that caught your attention?
KM: I love the arc she goes through. Jordan starts out as a very tightly wound real estate agent about to get married to a very tightly wound attorney. She has to face who she really is beyond being type A and totally under control. She unravels a bit, and it was really fun to play a character who was unraveling.
CE: How are you and Jordan alike?
KM: Well, unlike Jordan I like to drink. Jordan doesn’t drink. I’m Irish, and I do enjoy a good drink. I did marry an attorney, but unlike Peter (in the movie), my husband is a recovering attorney. Eight months after our daughter was born, he said: “You know what? I don’t think I want to do this anymore. I don’t really like this.” I do like to be in control. I like to know what’s going on. I like routines, especially having a child. I love the ritual, routine nature of a day, because my daughter has a very strict schedule. We have a very rigid schedule, and that’s very much like Jordan.
CE: You had great chemistry with your co-stars, but I especially loved your scenes with Adrienne Frantz. Her character is hilarious, and she did such a great job!
KM: Can you tell we had fun? She’s so much fun.
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| L to R: Daphnee Duplaix, Adrienne Frantz and Kellie Martin (Photo: Copyright 2011 Crown Media Holdings, Inc./Photographer: Alexx Henry) |
KM: I frequently didn’t. There’s one scene I could see how they had to cut around our giggling. When we’re eating pizza, and Adrianne and I are hysterically laughing, and they had to find the little moments where we weren’t laughing because we were total goofballs. But it’s so nice to work with someone like her because she is a pro. She’s so much a pro that she can let loose, and you can allow for those little surprises to happen. It’s just lovely to be in a scene with someone who’s so good at what they do that we know we are going to say our lines and hit our marks, but we’re going to have fun and allow surprises to happen. And that’s what we did. I would love to do a series with that girl. We would have so much fun.
CE: What do you hope viewers take away from the movie after watching it?
KM: I really think it’s good to shake up your life every once in a while. I’m not saying to marry someone who’s not your fiance, but I think it’s good to step back every once in a while and get perspective on your life. Maybe step back and say: “You know what? Let’s do something crazy. Let’s go to Paris next summer,” or “Let’s take off school today and go to the park.
Just shake up your life every once in a while and realize you only live once.
Interview: Bellamy Young, A First Lady Ahead of Her Time
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| Bellamy Young as Mellie Grant, photo courtesy ABC |
Celebrity Extra: When I first heard about “Scandal,” and the fact that it was created by and is written and produced by Shonda Rhimes, I knew I’d be in for a treat. What did you think when you first auditioned for the role?
Bellamy Young: I was overwhelmed. It was probably two years ago, and I was reading all the pilots for that year, and this was fathoms above the others. Shonda just understands people. She just knows how to hook your heart. She gets your brain, but she hooks your heart. She can pull you through a narrative, and this one is so intense. For the audition, I did what I never do, which is I bought an outfit especially for Mellie. I went in and I had two lines, and I was just so happy for them to let me do two lines in this piece that I thought was so beautiful. Then I got the part, and they suddenly just started writing the most incredible story line for my character, and they made me a regular. I just couldn’t be any happier.
CE: How about that Mellie? She is quite a character to play.
BY: And you know what? I don’t think Mellie is necessarily wrong. She’s always got the country’s best interest at heart, and she always has a very strong rationale behind her decisions and her actions. She just isn’t patiently waiting for everyone to catch up to her genius.
CE: Speaking of genius, how is it working with Shonda Rhimes?
BY: Shonda’s awful special because she sees people, not packages. So race and gender and sexuality are all sort of arbitrary to her and to the integrity of the character. Linda Lowy casts everything for Shonda, and there are no words to explain how amazing Linda is at her job. So I knew that they would, from this incredible script, attract the best people in town, and then just keep writing surprising story lines for everyone. For me personally, the office of first lady is so fascinating, and throughout the political history of our country, it’s been where you can see the most visible change, because gender roles have changed so much. I knew it would be a fertile ground to explore if given the chance. And it has proved to be beyond my wildest imagination in that regard.
Every character on the show is so nuanced and complex. No one is all right; no one is all wrong. No one is all good; no one is all bad. Humans are flawed, so it gets interesting when you bump up against other smart, flawed humans.
CE: Does Mellie love Fitz, or is it more of a business arrangement for her?
BY: I do believe they loved each other when they got married. Mellie loves Fitz — she would take a bullet for him, like only if it grazed her ear. I watch the show with my mom. My mom’s been widowed three times, bless her heart, and the third time she got married, I saw her fall in actual love. It looks so different from the other thing she’d been trying. And it wasn’t like she didn’t think she was in love before; it’s just different when it’s real. You don’t know it until you know it. And I sort of feel like that’s poor Fitz’s problem (being in love with Olivia Pope and not his wife, Mellie).
CE: As we saw in the season premiere when Mellie used the announcement of her baby’s sex as a chance to address the nation about genocide, Mellie isn’t afraid to use any circumstance to help further her agenda. Can we expect to see more of that this season?
BY: Oh, positively. Mellie is going to use every moment available to her to forward her agenda. But she really wants to be the president, so she would never be careless with the country. She really always believes she’s doing the right thing in her mind. There will be plenty of little bombshells, little smiling, sparkling bombshells that Mellie will drop along the way. They also give us some true moments of grace and connection, which helps for me because I always feel like I’m just playing Mellie in one moment in time, and it’s usually a bad moment. She’s really hurt. She is not at her best right now. I think that also helps you understand her relationship with Fitz, because there’s not a person alive who can’t empathize with that kind of complex relationship — true love-hate relationship. You never hate the people more than the people you love the most. They can make you the craziest.
CE: What kind of a mom is Mellie?
BY: I think Mellie is a very devoted mom. Bottom line, she is fiercely loyal. So, is she warm? I don’t think so. But she is fiercely supportive of and instills in her children that they can be anything they want to be in this world; they just have to believe in themselves. But she is also a working mom. She has a lot of help during the day while she’s off trying to make the country better. I think she struggles like so many women do with balancing the domestic with the professional.
BY: That’s the thing — I don’t really know the answer. But I do know I’d do this job forever. The show gives such wish fulfillment for the audience and the actors, but it also has a conscience. That’s part of that battle for Mellie: Once you get to your end game, is it fulfilling? I think personally the answer is that love has to be the most fulfilling thing, and Mellie is falling at a deficit right now. And you try anything you can to fill that hole when you don’t have love. It will be pretty darn interesting to see the way Mellie flails around for a while.
CE: How is it working with Tony Goldwyn as your husband?
BY: Heaven. There’s no other way to describe it. Tony is the kindest human being and the most devoted person — personally to his children and his wife, but also as an actor. His generosity is unreal. And also his acting is so organic that it’s just quietly dumbfounding. You know, you just watch him and it’s just truth happening. There’s no artifice. He’s really living what’s happening, and it just raises your game. It’s so inspiring. I can’t say enough great things about him.
CE: In general, it sounds like a great show to work on.
BY: It’s unbelievable, across the board. The cast, crew, writers, the production office — everyone is at the top of their game. Everyone is kind, and everyone feels lucky to be there. We know how lucky we are to be working on a project this good with people who love it. And then (writer-creator) Shonda (Rhimes) — man, she’s just a gracious, brilliant, big-hearted woman.
CE: Any teasers for what’s coming up?
BY: Shonda plays it all very close to the vest, so I really don’t know much. Let’s see ... we have college students gone missing and sex scandals. Of course, more sex scandals. God, there’s always so much sex. Everyone loves sex. That’s the fun part. And Olivia Pope (played by Kerry Washington) will get more complicated this season, so that’s fun to watch, because Kerry does it so well, and it’s just so human. Of course, Mellie will be up to no good at all. Just smile and rub her pregnant belly the whole time.
Q and A: Week of Oct. 15
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| Eric Dane (photo courtesy ABC/Danny Feld) |
A: Eric Dane, who played the medical drama’s Dr. Mark “McSteamy” Sloan since the show’s second season, is alive and well, unlike his character. He currently is in preproduction on the feature film “Sweet Spot,” which also stars Salma Hayek and Kurt Russell. The film is about a former New York Yankees pitcher past his prime who tries to revive his career in the Mexican Baseball League, and will be released in 2013.
Q: I am so happy that “Scandal” was renewed and has started its second season. Can you please give me any spoilers for what’s coming up? — Tina A., Hartford, Conn.
A: If you’re familiar with Shonda Rimes’ other shows (“Grey’s Anatomy” and “Private Practice”), you know you’re in for drama, for sure. I spoke with series star Bellamy Young (who plays first lady Mellie Grant), and she gave me a little tease of what to expect this year.
“We’ll have government agents gone rogue, college students gone missing and sex scandals. Olivia will get more complicated this season, which is fun to watch because Kerry (Washington) does it so well. And it’s just so human. Mellie will get up to no good at all. But Shonda plays it very close to the vest with the story line. Getting the script for the next episode is a big deal. And we’re all texting each other: 'What page are you on?’ And it’s all so shocking! We all just can’t wait to see what’s next.”
Come back here tomorrow for my full interview with this lovely and engaging actress, who is nothing like her alter ego ... I promise!
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| Sean Bean (photo courtesy HBO) |
A: The British thespian, 53, first entered my radar when he played Bond bad guy Alec Trevelyan in 1995′s “GoldenEye.” He’s done tons of stuff before and since, but nowadays he is best known as the doomed Eddard Stark. Last season, he co-starred with Ashley Judd in “Missing,” and in 2010 he played Zeus in “Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief,” and will reprise that role in next year’s “Sea of Monsters.” From 2008-2010, Sean played the title character in “Crusoe,” he tried to foil Nicolas Cage’s treasure hunt in 2004′s “National Treasure,” and he played Boromir in “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy. The list goes on and on.
Q: I think that Jimmy Kimmel did a bang-up job hosting the Emmy Awards. Any chance he’ll host the next Academy Awards ceremony? — Bob K., via e-mail
A: While Jimmy might have an Oscar-hosting gig in his future, the 85th annual Academy Awards ceremony, which will take place Feb. 24, will be hosted by “Family Guy” creator Seth MacFarlane.
Q and A: Week of Oct. 8
Q: I am so happy to hear that “Army Wives” has been renewed for another season. Will all the stars be back for the new season? — Fiona W., via e-mail A: Lifetime has indeed ordered 13 more episodes of the hit military drama for a 2013 seventh season. However, not all the details of who will be returning have been worked out. Catherine Bell appears to be a yes, while Kim Delany is most likely a no. Kelli Wilson, who plays Jackie Clark, seems a likely candidate to slip into a more prominent role. And don’t count out newcomer Kellie Martin, who plays Capt. Nicole Galassini. She told me recently that she’d be up for another tour of duty with “Wives.”
“I was honored to play this woman,” Kellie said. “I thought she was so brave and so smart, yet in her personal life she had to hide, and it was really fun to play someone who comes out. I feel like Capt. Galassin is the girl next door. Everybody knows someone like her. I’m just very proud of “Army Wives” and Lifetime for following through with the storyline that they did.
“Last we saw Nicole, she was on a plane to Afghanistan at the season end, and there was a lot of turbulence … but I had a great time and I never ever know where my career’s going to head, so it’ll be interesting to see what happens.”
In the meantime, you can catch Kellie in the Hallmark Channel original movie “I Married Who?” airing Saturday, Oct. 20, at 9/8c. Check back here for my full interview with Kellie next week.
Q: What has happened to “CSI: Miami”? Has it been canceled? — Bill V., via e-mail
A: CBS opted back in May not to renew the David Caruso-starring crime drama after 10 seasons and 232 episodes. However, you can still whet your “CSI” appetite with the original “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” on Wednesday nights with Ted Danson and Elisabeth Shue, and “CSI: NY” with Gary Sinise and Sela Ward on Friday nights.
Q: Will “Finding Bigfoot” be back? It’s one of my favorite shows. — Eddie S. in Oregon
A: As one of Animal Planet’s top-performing series ever, you can bet your sweet bippy that it’ll be back for a third season. Prepare yourself for 20 informative and somewhat-scary episodes beginning Sunday, Nov. 11, at 10 p.m. ET/PT. This season the team of investigators will travel worldwide in search of the ever-elusive sasquatch, heading to Australia to investigate the phenomenon known as “yowies” and to Indonesia to scout out the “orang-pendek” creature.
Q: I was wondering if two of my favorite reality shows will be back: “L.A. Ink” and “Gene Simmons Family Jewels.” — N.P. in Kentucky
A: I hate to have to deliver this double-whammy of bad news for you, but neither “L.A. Ink” nor “Family Jewels” has been renewed for a new season, and therefore won’t be returning to TLC and A and E, respectively.
INTERVIEW: Adam Ant Is Retaking America by Storm
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| Adam Ant, photo by Robert Kenney Images |
This past weekend, I got to see Adam (with his many Ant People in attendance) at the Orlando Hard Rock Live venue as he thrilled and energized the nearly sold-out crowd with a retrospective of his work from inception to date. With the energy and dance moves of a man half his age, Adam certainly delivered. Living up to the hype of all the glowing concert reviews that he's been leaving in his wake, Adam has shown that he is in top vocal form, with all the theater, pomp and circumstance that fans come to expect.
In weeks prior to the concert, I had the honor of interviewing this new-wave, post-punk, new-romantic rock legend, and he told me all about the new tour and album, his connection with Michael Jackson, and his desire to collaborate with Pink and Katy Perry.
Celebrity Extra: Your fans are thrilled that you're touring the U.S. after a 17-year absence, and so far you've been wowing the crowds at every tour stop. What made you decide that the time was right to play for us here in the States?
Adam Ant: Well first, the new double album "Adam Ant Is the Blueblack Hussar in Marrying the Gunner’s Daughter" is finished, and I’ve recruited a new band — The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Posse — that I’ve been playing with for about a year. You know when it’s right, and now the time is right. I want to do my own tour with the new record, and it’s the right time to do it.
CE: Your music has been classified as pop, post-punk, new romantic, and others ... how would you classify your music?
AA: I think it’s very difficult to bracket things, but obviously for convenience's sake, the history books have to put you in a category. If anything, I consider myself to be thought more of a punk rocker than a post-punk-rock thing, because it started in 1977, and that was my inspiration; that was my catalyst. So I consider it to have started then, but then it kind of evolved into something else. I don’t think anybody else out there does what I do, and I don’t do anything that they do, so when you’re doing that, you’re always going to be open to various classifications. I just think it’s best to just come and see it, and see what you think.
CE: As you've said, you've been in the business a while now, but you still look like you're in your 30s, and sound like you're in your 20s. How do you maintain that energy and the youthful vibe that you project through your work and your music?
AA: I think that when you are able to do something that you’re getting paid for, it only becomes a job when it’s work. When you’re doing an album, you’re kind of working because it's on someone else’s terms, and you don’t enjoy it as much as you should. And you become exhausted, which certainly happened with me. That’s why I took eight years out to do some acting, which is creatively something that fulfilled me at that time.
I find now that I really appreciate the fact that there’s the opportunity to do it under my own terms. I don’t do what I don’t think is right for me or my work. Everything I do is very objective. I work with a small team of people, so everything’s out on the table. With every concert you do, you know why you’re doing it. With that, it gives you this kind of freedom to stay out there and blow, and not have to worry about the economic considerations of the record label or worry about the charts. There’s not a chart in it — you just go out there every night and just blow. You just want to do a great show. You just want to really get that high off the audience, and fortunately that’s the way it’s been going. People are responding to that. The energy is coming back from the audience — what you're putting out, it's coming back. I just go for it. I don't think about it, I just get out there and do it.
CE: Regarding the current state of music, in "Interview" magazine you said: "There's a need for a little bit of rock-n-roll. There's too much sampling and karaoke going on. Not that it bothers me if people can get away with it, but I just want to do it 100 percent live." What current bands or artists do you feel are bringing that component to music today?
AA: There’s an American band called The Ganglians that I like, sort of a West Coast band. They sound like the Beach Boys' grandkids. They sing in perfect harmony. They did a song called "Valiant Brave," which is really the only record that I pick out and say, “I wish I’d have written that.”
CE: Which artists would you like to collaborate with?
AA: I like Katy Perry. I think she’s quite an interesting artist. Pink, I think is good; k.d. lang is good. There are very few other bands I’d want to collaborate with. There are very few people out there — I'd like to work with Brian Eno, and that’s about it, really.
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| Photo compilation by The Daily Mail (U.K.) |
AA: I think the basic thing about Michael Jackson that I like was that he was a very nice chap. I spent a little bit of time with him, and he was always very gracious — a very shy, unassuming guy. I think that people just forget what a great musician and dancer he was. Great musician and a fantastic performer. It’s as simple as that. And it sadly seems to be the last thing under consideration — like everybody in the world knows Michael Jackson as they do Elvis — but his work, it’s fantastic.
He didn’t need all the rest of the stuff that was surrounding it all — the gimmick-y stuff — because if you just look at his "Off the Wall" record, what he did on that musically was years ahead of his time. I was lucky enough to observed him from 10 feet away when he debuted the Moonwalk on the "Motown 25" that I did. I got to observe musical history. But really, just the raw talent of the man, that sometimes gets overlooked.
For more info on Adam's tour — as well as his new single, album and tour merchandise — head over to adam-ant.net for all the latest news and updates.
Q and A: Week of Oct. 1
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| Tim Matheson, photo by David Zaugh |
A: You and me both, Tracey. Tim is as busy as ever, directing and co-starring in the CW’s “Hart of Dixie” (airing Tuesday nights at 8/7c), and he couldn’t be happier in this latest gig. He told me recently what he likes so much about the show: “We’re this crazy, totally disparate group of people in this small Southern town — kind of a magical town — and despite all our differences and conflicts and strong feelings, we all somehow manage to get along.
“Our characters have tremendous flaws and failings. Nobody’s perfect. But we somehow manage to get through our day — and life — without crashing and burning. That’s what we all kind of hope for, and I think there’s a little bit of those flaws and failings in everyone. And the show takes you someplace that you don’t expect and in ways that you don’t expect. It’s tremendous fun, and it’s very sincere.”
Check back here later this week for the full interview where Tim and I discuss his acting and directing, as well as his memorable roles, past and present.
Q: Is it true that Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo Green are leaving “The Voice”? — Gian W., via e-mail
A: Yes, but only temporarily. Usher and Shakira are coming to the show this spring as coaches, with Christina and Cee Lo returning next fall. The decision was made to offer contestants varied coaching styles and to accommodate the coaches’ tour schedules.
Q: What’s your favorite new show of the fall so far? — Hillary R., via e-mail
A: Hands-down, my favorite new show is “The Mindy Project,” which airs Tuesday nights at 9:30/8:30c. It’s funny, sweet, quirky and a little bit edgy, like the show’s namesake. However, I have to say that "Ben and Kate" (Fox, Tuesday, 8:30/ 7:30c) is a very very very close second.
And I know you didn't ask, but my favorite returning shows are "Revenge, " "New Girl" and "Suburgatory" — none of which are suffering from the sophomore slump, I can tell you!
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