Mr. Media Radio

Jeff Kreisler, GET RICH CHEATING, author, comedian: Mr. Media Radio Interview

bob@andelman.com (Bob Andelman) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:53:03 PST

BY BOB ANDELMAN

I’m not a big advocate of cheating to get ahead in life.

But let’s face it, these are not normal times. So I’m willing to consider options that were previously anathema to a good two-shoes like myself.

Enter Jeff Kreisler, an old friend of the Mr. Media Radio show and the author of the new book, Get Rich Cheating: The Crooked Path to Easy Street. In this manual to the easy life, Jeff kicks ethics to the curb and puts readers on the fast track to mastering scams, frauds, steroids and public relations.

AUDIO EXCERPT: "The easy way to know that A-Rod is cheating is that he's wearing a Yankees uniform. That, right there, is the sign of the Devil."

This is Jeff’s second appearance here; the rising humorist also came on to talk about My Wall Street Journal, on which he was an editor.

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Copyright 2009 Bob Andelman. Click here for copyright permissions!

Angela Dove, NO ROOM FOR DOUBT true crime writer: Mr. Media Radio Interview

bob@andelman.com (Bob Andelman) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:27:18 PST

By BOB ANDELMAN

How well do you know your own father?

If your stepmother died under suspicious circumstances and everyone around you harbored the belief that your father murdered her, could you stand by him no matter what?

I hope, for your sake, that it’s a situation in which you never find yourself. But it happened to Angela Dove http://www.angeladove.com/ on March 25, 1988, when she was a high school student in California. Her life was never the same.

AUDIO EXCERPT: "This was just a man who had a lot of difficulty in interpersonal relationships. He got in his own way. I think a lot of people do that, but it's not until you're under the lens of a homicide investigation that it starts to look suspicious."

Dove hopes to have brought herself and her family some closure with the publication of her first book, No Room for Doubt: A True Story of the Reverberations of Murder. It is the story of Debi Whitlock’s brutal and mysterious death in her own home—while her three-year-old daughter slept nearby—and the impact the long unsolved crime had on Dove’s father. It is also the tale of Debi’s mother’s long struggle for justice.

Even if you read a good deal of true crime stories, you probably haven’t read one like this. Its point of view is unique and I heartily recommend it to you.

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Copyright 2009 Bob Andelman. Click here for copyright permissions!

Tim Pilcher, EROTIC COMICS: A GRAPHIC HISTORY historian, publisher: Mr. Media Radio Interview

bob@andelman.com (Bob Andelman) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 08:54:00 PDT

BY BOB ANDELMAN

Tim Pilcher has a dirty mind!

That’s what some people think, no doubt. He did just publish the second edition Erotic Comics: A Graphic History and it is filled with cartoon images of men, women, aliens and even a cat dancer engaged in all manner of physical intimacies.

Volume 2 picks up where Volume 1 left off and examines how the form has become an international publishing phenomenon by showcasing artwork that has inflamed desires, incensed censors, and caused controversy.

AUDIO EXCERPT: "The history of censorship of comics runs hand-in-hand with the history of erotic comics. The two are so intimately tied, for so many reasons... Governments have really tried to suppress or stop certain materials from being sold or marketed to the general public."

Fully illustrated with rare art by Howard Cruse, Gengoroh Tagame, Melinda Gebbie, Hunt Emerson, Howard Chaykin, Giovanna Casotto (whose work graces the cover), Tom of Finland, Milo Manara, Junko Mizuno, this book covers everything: the erotic comics explosion in America in the mid-’80s; the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender comics scene; UK and European erotic comic creators since the ’70s; and the Japanese hentai phenomenon.

(If you have sensitive ears or are under the age of 18, please stop here. You might be offended by some of the content of this interview.)

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Copyright 2009 Bob Andelman. Click here for copyright permissions!

Ruben Santiago-Hudson, CASTLE co-star: Mr. Media Radio Interview

bob@andelman.com (Bob Andelman) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:56:11 PDT

By BOB ANDELMAN

One of the delightful surprises of last spring’s crop of replacement TV shows was a quiet little romantic comedy called “Castle” on ABC. It stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, a police procedural novelist who gets permission to hang around with an NYPD homicide detective, Kate Beckett, played by the beautiful Stana Katic.

The show, which may remind viewers of a certain generation—mine—of “Moonlighting” and younger viewers, perhaps, of “Bones,” airs Mondays at 10 p.m. (And it was recently renewed for a full second season.)

Also in the cast are a number of strong supporting character actors, including Susan Sullivan, Debi Mazar and my guest today, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, who plays Beckett’s boss, Captain Roy Montgomery.

Audio Excerpt: "Halle is gorgeous with her makeup, without her makeup. I've had breakfast with her;I've had dinner with her. She was as gorgeous in the morning as she was when she gets out of makeup...It is rare to find someone that kind and that beautiful. Vanity is something; she does not have it."

Santiago-Hudson brings some heft to what could be a walk-by role in someone else’s hands.

A Tony and Obie winning actor, writer and director, Ruben Santiago-Hudson made his debut as a screenwriter with Lackawanna Blues, for which he received the Humanitas Prize, a Christopher Award, National Board of Review Honors, an NAACP Award and Emmy, Golden Globe and a WGA nomination.

I don’t usually like to just read credits, but this guy’s got some outstanding ones: on film, Santiago-Hudson starred opposite Halle Berry in Their Eyes Were Watching God; Denzel Washington and Russell Crow in American Gangster; Demi Moore and Kevin Costner in Mr. Brooks; Samuel L. Jackson in Shaft; Al Pacino in Devil's Advocate; and John Travolta in Domestic Disturbance.

He’s also got a cameo in the new Ricky Gervais film, The Invention of Lying.

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LISTEN: 'Castle' and 'Firefly' star Nathan DFillion on Mr. Media Radio!

Guillermo Diaz, MERCY, WEEDS TV star: Mr. Media Radio Interview

bob@andelman.com (Bob Andelman) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 12:58:00 PDT

By BOB ANDELMAN

I’m gonna be honest with you—I’m far more interested in talking with Guillermo Diaz about his last role—as, curiously, “Guillermo”—in “Weeds,” in which he played Mary Louise Parker’s drug dealer, teacher, friend, antagonist, protector—hey, it was complicated.

That Guillermo was one scary mofo.

This Guillermo is starring as Nurse Angel Lopez on the new NBC drama “Mercy,” which airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. It’s funny and awkward at times—just like “Weeds,” in some ways—but I think this show demonstrates how much range Diaz actually has.

AUDIO EXCERPT: "I would hope that Guillermo would really like Angel and have a little bit of a snicker with him... I'm coming back to Weeds. It's gonna work out; it's going to be interesting to see what they do with me."

He came to national attention after starring as Scarface in the cult film Half Baked, opposite Dave Chappelle and Jim Breuer. He joined Academy Award winners Tom Hanks and Catherine Zeta-Jones in  The Terminal for renowned director/producer Steven Spielberg. His varied resume also includes feature roles in indie hits such as Party Girl opposite Parker Posey, Stonewall, I'm Not Rappaport with Walter Matthau, 200 Cigarettes with Christina Ricci,  High School High and  Chelsea Walls, directed by Ethan Hawke.

In addition to his feature film credits, Diaz is known for his three seasons on the award-winning Showtime series “Weeds” where he plays Guillermo, Mary Louise Parker's drug dealer. He has also been seen in “ER,” “Law & Order” “Chappelle’s Show,” “The Shield,” “Without a Trace” and “The Closer.”

Diaz most recently wrapped the indie feature  Peep World with Rainn Wilson and Sarah Silverman and the USA series “Royal Pains.” He will next be seen opposite Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan in Kevin Smith’s feature  A Couple of Dicks.

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Susan Wels, AMELIA EARHART: THE THRILL OF IT biographer: Mr. Media Radio Interview

bob@andelman.com (Bob Andelman) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:43:00 PDT

By BOB ANDELMAN

I lived in a pretty male-centric world most of my life, idolizing certain baseball players, rock stars and even a writer or two.

But when my daughter was born back in ’96, I made a marked effort to learn more about women who she might one day find influential for their achievements.

High-flier Amelia Earhart always seemed like an appropriate choice. So it’s convenient that this Friday, October 23, Amelia, a new movie biography starring Hilary Swank as the aviator will open in theatres. And today I’m fortune to have the author of a new book about Earhart join me on the show.

AUDIO EXCERPT: "Her husband, George Palmer Putnam, believed she had a special sensitivity. After she disappeared, he received psychic messages, mailbags full of them, from ordinary people all over the world, people who never had a psychic experience before but felt compelled. They were receiving messages from Amelia, sending them to him, saying 'I don't know what this means!' Her husband used that information to help direct the search location."

Susan Wels is the author of Amelia Earhart: The Thrill Of It, an extensive coffee table photo history of a pioneer of the early days of 20th century flight.

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Rick Fox, MELROSE PLACE actor; LOS ANGELES LAKERS retired player: Mr. Media Radio Interview

bob@andelman.com (Bob Andelman) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:15:11 PDT

By BOB ANDELMAN

Think about seeing your life flashing before your eyes.

Got the picture?

Now think about Rick Fox’s life flashing before your eyes. First round NBA draft pick by the Boston Celtics in 1991. Seven years—and three world championships—with the Los Angeles Lakers, playing elbow-to-elbow with Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. Marriage to the most beautiful and most famous Miss America ever, Vanessa Williams. Fatherhood with the same Miss Williams, now a star on ABC’s “Ugly Betty” as Wilhelmina Slater.

Did you see the part of his life flashing by in which the tall, handsome former athlete became an actor?

It started with a few small parts here and there—an inmate on “Oz,” a recurring role on Courtney Cox’s “Dirt” and Angela Bassett’s love interest in Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns.

AUDIO EXCERPT: "When you live in the bubble that is celebrity here in L.A., (everything) is reported upon. (Eliza Dushku and I) wanted to take the time to see if being in a relationship together was something we both wanted. We got past that point. We kept getting photographed together and people wanted to know. Now the curiosity, the intrigue is removed and we can go forward in life."

And while Rick and Vanessa did divorce, he did appear as a guest star on her show, “Ugly Betty,” playing her bodyguard Dwayne.

Next week, he debuts in the recurring role of a restaurant owner on The CW’s new version of “Melrose Place.”

Speaking of actors—the latest issue of TV Guide has a picture of Fox with his long-time friend and new girlfriend, Eliza Dushku, star of Joss Whedon’s “Dollhouse” on Fox.

And now he’s preparing for one more role: celebrity host of ACME Saturday Night at the ACME Comedy Theatre in Los Angeles this Saturday night, Oct. 24, @ 8 p.m. You can order tickets or watch it stream online at http://www.acmecomedy.com.

So Rick’s life or your life? Whose do you want to see in your final moments? I’m going with his.

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Copyright 2009 Bob Andelman. Click here for copyright permissions!

Links for 2009-10-22 [Digg]

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 PDT

3 Easy Steps to...
Great advice for 8th graders (and their parents)!

Mark Schultz, AL WILLIAMSON'S FLASH GORDON author: Mr. Media Radio Interview

bob@andelman.com (Bob Andelman) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:45:00 PDT

Flash Gordon. Has there ever been a cooler name or a cooler action hero anywhere?

I can’t remember exactly when during the 1960s I first saw the old Universal serials repeated on television featuring Buster Crabbe as Flash, but I was hooked for life. As I grew older, I was a sucker for any medium selling “Flash Gordon” stories, whether it was comic books or that really horrible 1980 Flash Gordon movie starring Sam J. Jones, who later added another red mark on his resume by playing "The Spirit" in an ABC-TV series pilot.

If you’ve never caught Flash Gordon, you owe it to yourself to track down a collection of the old movie serials or a copy of the new book, Al Williamson’s Flash Gordon: A Lifelong Vision of the Heroic.

Williamson drew many of the iterations of Flash published during the last 60 years. And while Alex Raymond created the character and gave him life, it was really Williamson who brought the space-faring adventurer to life for generations of fans.

AUDIO EXCERPT: "He's just a superior draftsman. Al has a very discerning eye for doing, especially, the human figure in proportions that are very pleasing, flowing, very heroic if you will. He does very heroic looking men and gorgeous women. And vice-versa sometimes."

This beautiful new coffee table book lets Williamson’s work breathe in a large size that will dazzle and amaze you.

Joining me to talk about Al Williamson’s Flash Gordon is the man who wrote the text, Mark Schultz. An artist himself, Schultz is the creator of Xenozoic Tales, a comic featuring the crazy interaction of Cadillacs and dinosaurs. In fact, it was adapted as a Saturday morning cartoon several years ago called—you guessed it—“Cadillacs and Dinosaurs.”

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Copyright 2009 Bob Andelman. Click here for copyright permissions!

John Hawkes, DEADWOOD, EASTBOUND AND DOWN, LOST actor: Mr. Media Radio Interview

bob@andelman.com (Bob Andelman) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:08:06 PDT

By BOB ANDELMAN

John Hawkes is best known for his role as Sol Star, the co-owner of the hardware store and best friend of the sheriff on the beloved, cocksucker HBO series “Deadwood.”

Hey—I don’t write these intros, folks, they just sort of write themselves.

But like most everybody who had a star turn on that amazing but short-lived drama, Hawkes has been busy ever since, including roles in the movies American Gangster and Miami Vice. He’s currently starring on a new HBO comedy series, “Eastbound and Down.”

AUDIO EXCERPT: "As a poker player I would say you've got pretty bad odds on (a 'Deadwood' movie)... I know that David Milch, the show's creator, had wanted to set the films in the future aways. So who knows? Maybe in 7, 8 years they'll round us up again and we'll do something. I always thought it would make a great feature film."

Hawkes also keeps busy writing and performing music with his band, King Straggler, which has played at the Sundance Film Festival and SXSW. I’ll spin one of the band’s tracks, “Good Man,” a little later in the show.

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Lionel, AIR AMERICA syndicated morning radio personality: Mr. Media Radio Interview

bob@andelman.com (Bob Andelman) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:12:41 PDT

By BOB ANDELMAN

I could put up a bit of a fuss, but what’s the point? My guest today, Air America morning radio host Lionel, is waaaaay smarter than me.

I’m not going to offer any pretense that I can battle him to even a draw in a battle of wits: I can’t.

Lionel—Michael LeBron for those in the know—has been a voice heard on my radio for some 20 years. I first heard him as a frequent irritant—I mean caller—to host Bob Lassiter on WFLA 970 AM in Tampa. Sometimes, as I remember it, he agreed with Lassiter. But mostly, he drove him nuts.

Lassiter was a smart guy, one who was always right—in his mind—and always smarter than his callers. But he wasn’t smarter than the law student turned lawyer who called himself “Lionel.”

AUDIO EXCERPT: "One of the greatest con jobs ever is the influence of talk radio on politics (and) society... Most people don't listen to Rush Limbaugh and couldn't care less... What societal force is this man who never wins anything he advocates?"

Eventually, Lionel became a talk show host himself—anyone who heard him in those days knew it was as inevitable as Barack Obama getting the Nobel Peace Prize in his first nine months on the job—okay, more inevitable than that perhaps.

He left Tampa, eventually becoming a popular host in New York City—a career opportunity that probably gave the late Bob Lassiter fits.

Today, Lionel is the morning show glue that anchors the line-up at the liberal radio network known as Air America.

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Howard Cruse, FROM HEADRACK TO CLAUDE, STUCK RUBBER BABY cartoonist: Mr. Media Radio Interview

bob@andelman.com (Bob Andelman) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 07:13:22 PDT

BY BOB ANDELMAN

I met cartoonist Howard Cruse in March 2004 at the Ringling School of Art and Design in Sarasota, Florida. He was one of the featured guests at the college’s “Comics Summit on Diversity,” an event that included Mary GrandPre, illustrator of the Harry Potter novels and American master Will Eisner, whose biography I was just finishing at the time.

Howard and I had corresponded a few times via email at that point as part of my research. To be honest, I only knew him as a cartoonist; I don’t recall connecting that he was attending this event as a gay cartoonist. I just knew that Eisner held him in high esteem—as did the teaching staff at the school—and that was good enough for me.

Since then, I’ve learned more about what an important role Howard played over the years as both a cartoonist with a strong social voice and as a gay advocate. He illustrated his own coming out over the years in his comics and no doubt gave other young men strength in their own decisions to take pride in their identities as well.

AUDIO EXCERPT: "Everyone in my personal life knew (I was gay), but I was worried about sacrificing my cartooning career. And yet I recognized the need for getting rid of the secrecy of this."

Howard’s work has been everywhere from Playboy and Starlog magazine to The Advocate. He was the founding editor of Gay Comix, started by our mutual friend, Denis Kitchen. His groundbreaking graphic novel, Stuck Rubber Baby, won numerous awards including an Eisner and a Harvey.

The occasion of our conversation today is the publication of his latest book, From Headrack to Claude: Collected Gay Comix by Howard Cruse.

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Copyright 2009 Bob Andelman. Click here for copyright permissions!

Daymond John, SHARK TANK ABC TV star, FUBU founder: Mr. Media Radio Interview

bob@andelman.com (Bob Andelman) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 07:19:00 PDT

By BOB ANDELMAN

Who would have ever guessed that the art of the deal--the essence of how business gets done in America--would make compelling television?

If you don't like the genre of reality business competition on TV, blame Mark Burnett, the creator of Survivor and The Apprentice.

If you like these shows, give some credit to Donald Trump, who brought the force—and cult—of his personality to The Apprentice and made America care about the craft and underhanded nature of some business leaders.

And don't forget the late Billy Mays, and his partner Sully Sullivan, who starred in Pitchmen.

But now it is Daymond John's turn. He's one of the hugely successful business leaders putting chum in ABC's Shark Tank, which airs its season finale on Tuesday, October 20 at 8 p.m.

AUDIO EXCERPT: "It's win Daymond John's money and time. I'm not going to just throw money at the deal. I'm going to help the entrepreneur... I've made about five deals (on Shark Tank). So far, on the line, (I've invested) up to $700,000."

Daymond John made his fortune as the entrepreneur who founded the FUBU apparel label. If you haven't worn his stylin' clothes, you either know someone who does or you've them on someone, somewhere. I know what FUBAR stands for, but what does FUBU mean? I'm going to have to ask.

John is also the author of a book, Display of Power: How FUBU Changed a World of Fashion, Branding and Lifestyle.

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Patrick Muldoon, STARSHIP TROOPERS actor; THE SLEEPING MASSES singer: Mr. Media Radio Interview

bob@andelman.com (Bob Andelman) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 12:07:00 PDT

BY BOB ANDELMAN

Patrick Muldoon needs to make a decision: What does he want to be when he grows up?

The man has appeared in Starship Troopers, a season of “Melrose Place” and has an upcoming role alongside Kristen Stewart of Twilight fame, so we know he can act. Isn’t that enough?

No, apparently it’s not.

AUDIO EXCERPT: "I didn't succeed (with Denise Richards) in the movie (Starship Troopers)—I got my brain sucked out—but off screen we were boyfriend and girlfriend."

Muldoon also sings and plays guitar in a band, The Sleeping Masses. They’ve even placed a song on the ABC series “Beautiful People" and have a record out on iTunes and CDBaby.com.

Isn’t being able to work in two enviable jobs enough?

Again, apparently not.

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Kevin G. Schmidt, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, POOR PAUL actor: Mr. Media Radio Interview

bob@andelman.com (Bob Andelman) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:56:00 PDT

By BOB ANDELMAN

I have steadfastly avoided inviting soap stars to be my guests on Mr. Media Radio for a simple reason: I don’t watch soaps.

Oh, I did for a year or two in the late ‘80s when my new wife was hooked on All My Children and she recorded the show daily for playback after work. But I was a newlywed then—I had an excuse.

So what is Kevin G. Schmidt, who plays Noah Newman on The Young and The Restless, doing here today?

AUDIO EXCERPT: "There’s a lot of ‘restless’ on our show, but not a lot of ‘young.’... I think what’s happening now, it’s a transition... I don’t know if Eric (Braeden)’s going anywhere, but I think this is just the show evolving and having to make some tough decisions in a tough economy.”

If you have to ask, you obviously haven’t looked at the young man’s resume: two Cheaper By the Dozen movies, playing the son of Steve Martin and brother of Tom Welling and Hilary Duff; co-starring with Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato in Princess Protection Program; and episodes of everything from Numb3rs to Without a Trace. He’s also got a part in Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, due out in December 2009. I’m a lifetime Alvin fan, so that was pretty cool to me.

He also stars as Justin in an online TV series, Poor Paul, which you can catch on YouTube or at PoorPaul.com.

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Zach Braff swears he's alive; Donald Faison sings 'Wings'

bob@andelman.com (Bob Andelman) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 05:46:35 PDT

Hayley McFarland, LIE TO ME, UNITED STATES OF TARA actress: Mr. Media Radio Interview

bob@andelman.com (Bob Andelman) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:04:39 PDT

By BOB ANDELMAN

Something was seriously missing from the second episode of the second season of Fox’s drama Lie To Me: punishment for Hayley McFarland’s character, Emily Lightman.

Hayley, who plays a young high school student named Emily on the show, lied to her father—Dr. Cal Lightman, played by Tim Roth—about some pretty serious stuff after a classmate of hers was apparently raped at a college frat house party by a star athlete.

If that happened in my house, my teen would be grounded—probably for life.

AUDIO EXCERPT: "I saw Pulp Fiction before I started on Lie To Me. I was kind of nervous going to meet (Tim Roth). I thought he'd be mean. But he's great."

But Hayley has probably behaved worse on TV; after all, Lie To Me is just one of this young actress’s recurring gigs; she’s also on Showtime’s United States of Tara, starring Toni Collette. On Tara, Hayley plays the best friend of Tara’s son.

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More Mr. Media interviews with the stars of “Lie to Me”:

Monica Raymund

Kelli Williams

Copyright 2009 Bob Andelman. Click here for copyright permissions!

Aimee Garcia, TRAUMA, THE GEORGE LOPEZ SHOW star: Mr. Media Radio Interview

bob@andelman.com (Bob Andelman) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:48:00 PDT

By BOB ANDELMAN

Whoever cast the new NBC show “Trauma”—airing Monday nights at 9 p.m.—must have done some market research when it came to Aimee Garcia, at least based on what I learned about her within my own household.

Besides being a beautiful, talented young actress, she is immediately recognizable among several constituencies. My 13-year-old daughter knows her from watching endless repeats of “The George Lopez Show” this summer, where Aimee played “Veronica,” Lopez’s “spoiled brat niece”—my daughter’s description. So she can apparently draw young people.

AUDIO EXCERPT: "It's more physical. I am physically sprinting down the Embarcadero. And I am inside a helicopter that is held by a crane, four stories high. There was not that kind of risk on 'The George Lopez Show'!"

And the Lopez show also brought her to the attention of Latin audiences as well; she was nominated for numerous acting awards as a result of that show.

Now she plays badass helicopter pilot Marissa Benez on “Trauma.” (You can learn more about Aimee Garcia on her personal website or follow her on Facebook or on Twitter.)

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Michael McGrady, SOUTHLAND star: Mr. Media Radio Interview

bob@andelman.com (Bob Andelman) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:13:00 PDT

(NOTE FROM Mr. MEDIA: This interview was recorded before NBC canceled "Southland" last week without airing a single episode of its second season. But in the hopes it will turn up somewhere more appropriate--fX, Showtime?--I'm offering it up anyway.)

By BOB ANDELMAN

Like a bad rash, Mr. Media is making his way through the entire squad room of the new NBC TV drama, “Southland.”

Regular listeners will recall that last spring, at the end of the show’s first season, Regina King, Michael Cudlitz and Shawn Hatosy all scratch their media itch right here. And now I’m delighted to welcome Michael McGrady, who plays Detective Daniel “Sal” Salinger.

Before joining “Southland,” one of the breakthrough dramatic hits of last season, McGrady appeared opposite Taye Diggs in “Day Break” and had recurring parts in “Dirty Sexy Money,” “24” and “CSI.”

His film credits include "Deep End of the Ocean," "The Thin Red Line," "Hocus Pocus," and several others.

AUDIO EXCERPT: "If there were any bugs or kinks that needed to be worked out, they did so over the hiatus. You've got real masterminds behind this, including John Wells and Chris Chulack. As a cast, we feel very confident that any issues we had were worked out over the summer."

He also has a life outside of acting. McGrady, along with his wife, Ilka, are co-founders of the Balanced Life Company, an international organization dedicated to helping people develop and maintain a more balanced and sustainable lifestyle. McGrady is also an accomplished fine artist who owns and operates McGrady Fine Art with his wife.

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More Mr. Media interviews with the cast of "Southland":
• Regina King
• Shawn Hatosy
• Michael Cudlitz

Copyright 2009 Bob Andelman. Click here for copyright permissions!

Morgan Langley, COPS reality TV producer: Mr. Media Radio Interview

bob@andelman.com (Bob Andelman) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 17:11:00 PDT

By BOB ANDELMAN

When did the TV show COPS become such a piece of irrefutable Americana?

Probably when the first bar of “Bad Boys” played, back in 1988.

It was the original docu-reality series when it debuted on Fox more than 20 years ago and took viewers for their first ride-along with the men and women of America’s big city and small town police departments. One minute it was a thrill ride, the next a fall-off-your-seat laugh riot.

The things these bad boys did!

AUDIO EXCERPT: "This is a hard show to do. We've got 14 crews working at any given time all across the country. We don't re-create anything; we don't simulate anything. Because of that, we really have to grind this thing out. Crews work 10-hour days in the back of a police car, eight weeks in each city. The turnover rate is pretty high."

Now, as the series enters its 21st season, the next generation of producers is stepping up. Morgan Langley, son of COPS’ original producer, John Langley, joined the show as a production assistant and has risen to become a producer of this show and many other reality-based series produced by the family business.

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Copyright 2009 Bob Andelman. Click here for copyright permissions!

Kevin McCarthy, HISTORIC PHOTOS OF UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA FOOTBALL author: Mr. Media Radio Interview

bob@andelman.com (Bob Andelman) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 07:44:45 PDT

BY BOB ANDELMAN

I graduated from the University of Florida in Gainesville in 1982 and, to be honest, I was glad to be done. I never took much to life in a college town and I wasn’t one of those crazy gators.

Heck, the football team was pretty bad back then and it wasn’t the great source of pride it is now.

Over the last X-number of years—and you can do the math if you care to—I’ve come to appreciate my collegiate heritage a great deal more and become a pretty big fan of those Florida Gator football teams.

AUDIO EXCERPT: "The reason that the St. John's River flows north instead of south, as you know, is that Georgia sucks. I wrote a book about the St. John's River and included that in the front but the publisher took it out."

My daughter’s even got her heart set on attending UF.

So how could I pass up the opportunity to give Kevin McCarthy this forum to promote his new book, Historic Photos of Florida Football?

McCarthy has written 43 books and spent 33 years as a teacher of linguistics and writing at the school.

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Copyright 2009 Bob Andelman. Click here for copyright permissions!

Yvette Nicole Brown, COMMUNITY, DRAKE & JOSH TV star: Mr. Media Radio Interview

bob@andelman.com (Bob Andelman) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 12:11:38 PDT

By BOB ANDELMAN

Yvette Nicole Brown has been on TV shows opposite Hugh Laurie, William Shatner and Larry David, and in movies opposite Scarlett Johansson, Jennifer Hudson, Eddie Murphy, Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., and Gerald Butler.

Heck, she started her career by signing a contract as a Motown recording artist.

But when my daughter saw her in the cast of Community alongside Chevy Chase—who she loved in Christmas Vacation—all that mattered was—she was on Drake & Josh!

AUDIO EXCERPT: "I knew that Joel McHale was very, very smart and very funny. And I read the script. When your body has an involuntary reaction to something on a written page--it was like a no-brainer. Then you find out Chevy Chase is involved, the Russo Brothers directed it--okay, I'm in. It was an easy decision to make."

So Yvette Nicole Brown—star of Drake & Josh AND the new NBC Thursday night sitcom Community, airing Thursday nights at 8 p.m.—welcome to Mr. Media.

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Mark Ribowsky, THE SUPREMES biographer: Mr. Media Radio Interview

bob@andelman.com (Bob Andelman) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 13:44:24 PDT

BY BOB ANDELMAN

It’s not pleasant when a man’s good fortune comes at the hands of another man’s loss.

What would you call it when you’re the author of a new book about a Motown act, Diana Ross and The Supremes, that fizzled out more than 35 years ago—but another Motown star of that era, Michael Jackson, dies the week before your years of research are published, making your book front and center?

AUDIO EXCERPT: "Very loathsome—that's the thing everybody talks about—even before The Supremes were popular. Even back then, (Diana Ross) was getting on people's nerves left and right, saying what she was going to be. This was an obsessed woman, even when they were nobodies. Everybody laughed at her—but who had the last laugh, right? There would never have been a Supremes without her as the lead singer."

Mark Ribowsky didn’t know Jackson was going to die, of course, and he certainly didn’t know Jackson’s will would name Diana Ross the likely guardian of his three children.

The Supremes: A Saga of Motown Dreams, Success, and Betrayal is not the first biography of the ultimate girl group, but it probably won’t be hurt by it’s timing.

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Copyright 2009 Bob Andelman. Click here for copyright permissions!

Ray Schlogel, FOR LOVE & STACIE writer, director and star: Mr. Media Radio Interview

bob@andelman.com (Bob Andelman) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 13:35:03 PDT

By BOB ANDELMAN

All the air escaped my lungs at the end of Ray Schlogel’s independent film, For Love & Stacie. I was angry, petulant… and then the credits rolled and I was reminded that it was a drama, not a documentary.

Poor, dumb ol’ Mr. Media was so sucked into this tale of heartbreak and obsession that I completely lost sight of what I was watching. And that’s when I realized what a fine job the independent Austin-based filmmaker—who wrote, starred, directed and produced Stacie—had done.

AUDIO EXCERPT: "(Chris Brogan) took up the cause. I can't thank him enough. He's got 90,000 followers. For him to take a risk outside the box of what he usually does and mention this little indie film was more than flattering. I have had a lot of people tweeting about it, posting about it, who have heard about it directly from Chris."

Schlogel came to my attention in an unusual way: I read about him in one of uber-networker Chris Brogan’s voluminous posts. Brogan wondered why Schlogel’s movie hadn’t received more attention and asked his readers to help the man out. I read Brogan daily and get a lot of value and insight from his blog so I decided to pay it forward by inviting Schlogel on Mr. Media.

You can watch For Love & Stacie for free at Schlogel’s website, ForLoveandStacey.com. He accepts donations there and you can also order a DVD copy of the film.

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Dario Scardapane, TRAUMA NBC TV show creator: Mr. Media Radio Interview

bob@andelman.com (Bob Andelman) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:31:03 PDT

Cliff Curtis and Aimee Garcia star in NBC's "Trauma," Mondays at 9 p.m.

By BOB ANDELMAN

From what I’ve read, the opening 10 minutes of the NBC drama “Trauma”—and say that five times fast—is the greatest introduction to a TV show ever. It cures cancer, tames global warming and reveals the secrets behind “Lost.”

Okay, maybe it doesn’t do the last thing, but still!

Seriously, NBC has had great success with emergency medicine shows going back to “Emergency!”—the one with the exclamation point—and, of course, the long-running “ER.”

AUDIO EXCERPT: "I keep hearing, 'Okay, that's a pretty amazing way to start things. How are you going to keep up with it week after week?' Television isn't the realm of the timid. Setting the bar really, really high for yourself... I embrace it."

Dario Scardapane is the creator and executive producer of “Trauma,” which, all; kidding aside, is one of the most talked about dramas of the new TV season. And Scardapane brings an unusual background to this show. Instead of being a Hollywood set rat, he’s a former journalist who has worked at Vogue, Los Angeles Times, Details and US Magazine.

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Nicole Sabrina Stuart, CAPTAIN scriptwriter, actor; BRIDE WARS co-star: Mr. Media Radio Interview

bob@andelman.com (Bob Andelman) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 10:44:00 PDT

By BOB ANDELMAN

I make my living as a writer—books, magazine articles and, of course, introductions to Mr. Media Radio interviews.

But I can’t say I have any experience with writer’s block. Why not? A wife, a daughter, two dogs—and every morning I wake up and find them hungry. Gotta work, gotta write, gotta earn money to keep everybody fed, right? So I write.

Steve is not like me. He’s a would-be writer—and former law student—who has been taken on as a student by Carl, an award-winning crime novelist. Unfortunately, Steve is blocked and Carl—in cahoots with his wife, Trish—comes up with a devious scheme to shake Steve out of his funk.

That’s the story behind a new short film, Captain, making its way through the world of indie film festivals this fall.

AUDIO EXCERPT: "The Starbucks I go to everyday donated pastries and coffee for us every morning!"

Captain was written by my guest, Nicole Sabrina Stuart, who also stars as “Trish,” and Jack Sundmacher, who plays “Steve” in the short. You might recognize the vivacious Nicole from her most recent appearance on screen as Kate Hudson’s beleaguered secretary in the feature film, Bride Wars—which I just watched on DVD with my daughter a few weeks ago. She’s also been in the Arthur Miller film After the Fall and episodes of “Criminal Minds,” “V.I.P.” with Pamela Anderson, and “The George Lopez Show.”

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