Archive for July, 2009
Psych Interview: James Roday and Dule Hill
Jul 31st
UPDATE 2 (7:30PM AUG 2, 2009): Thanks so much to WidescreenWarrior.com and their podcast. They gave me a shoutout for my Psych question and were nice enough to link the site here. Thanks again. Be sure to check out their very entertaining weekly podcast on movies, tv, and more.
UPDATE (12:50PM): My question for today’s call? I decided to go weird with it- “If Shawn and Gus went camping and ran into a clan of hungry zombie cannibals, what would the plan be to fight them off. Would Gus’ wicked dance moves or random knowledge come into play somehow?”
Dule said that Shawn would probably try to make a psychic intervention of sorts and that Gus would probably use his vast (useless?) knowledge to go on about how unhealthy it would be to eat them. Roday chimed in saying that Shawn would probably tell them how dark meat is better than white meat then run as fast as his legs would carry him. Very funny answer.
Thanks to the official Psych_USA twitter feed for the follow suggestion and the compliment naming my question most original question of the day. 
The transcript will be posted when I get it, and I will write a bit of what they said during the call later tonight sometime…they said the transcript would be here early this next week.
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Shaw and Gus from Psych
I will be taking part in the Psych conference call today. I will update this post here with the information they have for us on the characters, their careers, and the upcoming 4th season which begins August 7! I’ll post a full transcript when I receive it.
I’m trying to think of an interesting question they’ve never been asked before. I’m learning toward, “If Shawn and Gus went camping and ran into a bear, would they formulate a plan to fight off the bear, or would they both run away weeping…if they do formulate a plan, what would it entail, and would Gus’ wicked dance moves come into play somehow?”
It’s just what I’m working on as of this moment…who knows.
More soon!
Upcoming Interviews- James Roday/Dule Hill (Psych), Bruce Campbell/Sharon Gless (Burn Notice)
Jul 31st
Just a reminder, I will take part in two interviews week and next. I will be talking to James Roday and Dule Hill from PSYCH tomorrow afternoon, and I will be chatting with Bruce Campbell and Sharon Gless from Burn Notice Tuesday. If you have any suggestions for questions to ask either duo, be sure to post them in the comments section here or post a message to me on my twitter account (use the sidebar tweetdeck for that).
Tony Shaloub July 28 Interview Part 2 (Complete Transcript)
Jul 30th
Read my previous write up for more information on the conference call I took part in with Tony Shalhoub from Monk. He talked about the 8th and final season as well as what to expect in the wrap up of the storylines.
Moderator: The next question comes from the line of Josh Bozeman with TheBlueSite.com.
J. Bozeman Tony, it’s an honor to talk to you. Thanks for taking the time today.
T. Shalhoub Thank you.
J. Bozeman I think the character of Monk has been portrayed very respectful. What was the process you went into in the research to try to make sure you didn’t go over the top and play it maybe possibly offensive?
T. Shalhoub The process was really one of – it’s a process that I use and have used in approaching other characters, which is to find out – you know, knowing that it’s a comedy and to find out what – in any comedy, what I try to do is I try and find out what are the more serious aspects of the character. And, conversely, when I do a serious role, I try and find out what’s funny about the character. And the beauty of this particular character is that I’ve had the opportunity to do both comedy and drama within one series, one character.
So I guess to answer your question, it’s really digging out the – when you’re doing the comedic moments, digging out what’s really, really at stake and what is the most important and most serious thing to the character, which I believe informs the comedy. And then conversely, you know, when the moments are really dark and poignant, trying to infuse those with an unexpected and sometimes inappropriate or seemingly inappropriate comedic flash, you know, a little spark of something absurd or comedic. That’s been my approach.
READ THROUGH FOR ENTIRE TRANSCRIPT:
More >
Lock N Load with R. Lee Ermey (History- July 31!)
Jul 30th
Check out the new series on the weapons of war. Lock N Load with R. Lee Ermey. Starts July 31 on History!
Tony Shalhoub Interview (Final Season of Monk Starts Aug 7)
Jul 29th
UPDATE: Check out the full transcript from this interview in my new post!
Tony Shalhoub was nice enough to sit down with several media outlets yesterday to talk about Monk and the upcoming 8th and final season. The transcript will be posted here soon. Until then, I will mention a few things he brought up during the call.
Tony was asked about the new season and which characters we would see return from past seasons. The one that has made the biggest news is Sharona (Monk’s first assistant, played by Bitty Schram), who left after season 2. She will return, and we will get some wrap up there with her character.
He’s fairly certain we won’t see Ambrose again, as Turturro’s schedule is just too hectic for him to make it back in for shooting. We will, of course, see Dr. Bell and the always annoying Harold Crenshaw (whom Monk has a seemingly neverending feud with).
All the big mysteries of the series WILL be revealed, including the death of Monk’s late wife, Trudy, who was killed in a parking garage explosion while working on a story for the newspaper she wrote for. Asked if it he always thought they would have to reveal the mysteries or leave it to the viewer to decide, Shalhoub said that the audience was definitely owed the answers, and that they would have all of them by series’ end.
Speaking of wrapping plotlines up, Tony talked about the final season, explaining that the first 11 episodes would be regular stand alone stories, and the final 5 would take care of the wrap up, including the last 2 episodes- these two will make up one story played as a 2 parter. In these 2, we will learn what happened to Trudy- the case that Monk could never resolve but finally will.
Shalhoub and Tucci in BIG NIGHT
Shaloub was asked about his most memorable moment filming Monk, and he said that it would have to be a scene in the episode with Stanley Tucci. Tucci’s character reaches part of the way around Monk, and Tony said it reminded him of working on Big Night with Tucci several years earlier, so that definitely had an impact on him. Especially considering that Big Night really allowed Shalhoub’s career to take off.
Tony explained that he had several long discussions with Monk creator and head writer, Andy Breckman, and Andy thought he may only have had 6 seasons in him. It turned out he had 8, but they all want to move on and resolve the mysteries, and they definitely want to go out on a high. Asked if, a few years down the road, another network might try to revive Monk, would he return, Shalhoub said that he never says “never,” but he doubts it. He definitely doesn’t see himself doing any TV movies with Monk like Peter Faulk did with Columbo, and he hopes that he will be swamped with other, new work to even be able to fit much of it into his schedule. Again, though, never say never.
Look for season 8 to include an episode titled Mr. Monk Is Someone Else, where Adrian finds himself dealing with a case of a Monk doppleganger. Turns out that the Monk lookalike is actually a hitman, and Monk has to take on his persona, go undercover, and solve the case in disguise.
Look for this season to include guest stars galore including Jay Mohr, Elizabeth Perkins, Meatloaf and others!
Check out USA Network’s MONK page for videos, photos, and behind the scenes information!
New Criss Angel Premieres August 12
Jul 28th
New Criss Angel series (the 5 Lives of Criss Angel) starts August 12 on A&E. Check back here for more information as the season draws nearer.
Check out the video below:
Tony Shaloub Conference Call Today!
Jul 28th
I will be speaking with MONK star, Tony Shaloub today at 10AM CT. I will be sure to post any new information on this upcoming, final season and what we can expect from Adrian Monk in this last go around.
Be sure to check back here for the details later this afternoon.
Jon Stewart’s Absurd Comparison of a Public Healthcare Plan with the US Military Healthcare
Jul 27th
Jon Stewart interviews Bill Kristol of the Weekly Standard tonight…he asks Kristol if the American people deserve the same healthcare as the US military. Kristol, since he has common sense, says, “no. No, the general public should not receive the same healthcare the military does.” We give them top notch healthcare because of their service to our country. Stewart, and his zombie audience with him, “ooooohhhhh” over this comment.
Kristol, in the process, says that the military healthcare is run by the government, and that it’s top notch. Stewart then argues that Kristol admitted the federal government could run public healthcare and do a great job at it.
Seriously, Jon?
Let’s take a look at the stats. Wikipedia shows 3 million active members of the US military. Let’s assume that half of them get healthcare and use it. That figure is probably much higher than the actual number who use the government healthcare. So, 1.5 million people use a public healthcare plan that the federal government runs. Thus, that’s proof that ALL Americans deserve the same deal for doing nothing for the country, and on top of that the government could run this program for ALL Americans expertly.
The current US population according to the US Census Bureau is 305 million people. So, Stewart is trying to argue that because there exists a system that covers, at most, 3 million military men and women, and more likely less than half of that, the federal government could easily and efficiently run a system to cover 305 million people. On top of the raw numbers, think about it- military men and women are, generally, in great shape. The public, at large, is fairly out of shape for the most part. The general public would cost, we can assume, twice as much at least and probably much more than that.
What’s worse than this absurd comparison is the socialist-sounding demand that we cover ALL Americans with the same care that military men and women receive. Why would this argument ever make sense? Do Americans, just for being born in this country, deserve free healthcare that is, in no way, truly free? Taxes will go up across the board. The current plan touted by Obama will raise the budget deficits to levels never seen in our nation’s history according to the Congressional Budget Office.
Kristol didn’t defend his comment well, but Stewart made little, if any sense, to begin with. Comparing a system for the military with the general public is laughable, and the demand that we give to all Americans the same service we give to military officers who risk their lives is just plain dumb.
Stewart would fit in well with the Obama administration. I wonder when he’ll leave his place as a “newsman” and join the Obama team? His analogies make about as much sense as Obama’s own plans.
ADDENDUM: The system clearly covers retired members of the armed forces, so the total number would be over the 3 million currently active or reserve, but we’re talking different systems here. The VA would cover those retired members, and there have been some fairly large complaints about the VA system, so I don’t consider that in Kristol’s talk of wonderful care received.
911/Dispatch Calls Released Shows No Race Mention in Prof Gates Arrest
Jul 27th
As suspected by any rational, sane human- the woman who called 911 to report, what looked to be a possible burglary at the home of Professor Henry Louis Gates, never mentioned anything about the two men barging in being “black.” She did mention, when asked about the men, that one MAY have looked hispanic, but that’s all. There’s not a shred of evidence to think race played any role in sending police to investigate.
Listen to the 911 call here:
Also released was the police dispatch conversation. You can clearly hear race is never mentioned in the conversations between police and dispatchers, and that the officer on scene mentioned that the man who owns the house (Gates) was “not cooperative.”
Listen to that audio here:
It was obvious from the start that Gates, a man who has made his career obsessing over race, was never a target of any racial profiling, and there was never a shred of evidence to suggest racism on part of any of the officers involved, dispatch, or anyone else BESIDES Professor Gates himself.
Police investigated a possible crime that was called in through 911, they ran into instant resistance from a man filled with anger at whites, and they told him to calm down. When he refused to calm down (all officers involved, including a black officer himself) back the account that Gates was ballistic and refused to calm himself), they arrested him, took him down, booked him, and let him go. Charges were dropped, and that should have been it. Gates, however, like other race hustlers (Jackson and Sharpton, and even Obama’s own spiritual mentor, Rev Jeremiah Wright), turned it instantly into a racial issue, and the president stupidly followed suit by attacking police.
This story is finished, Gates needs to publicly apologize. If he refuses, he needs to immediately resign his post at Harvard University. President Obama needs to finally make a public apology to Officer Crowley and the entire Cambridge Police Department. He needs to admit he acted stupidly and move on. He also needs to stop pushing his way into issues of race altogether, as his own past sins of being a part of a virulently anti-white church for 20 years renders him ineligible to even speak to the subject.
Psych Season 4, Monk’s Final Season- Aug 7!
Jul 26th
Psych season 4 and the final season of Monk premiere August 7 on USA Network.
TONY SHALHOUB STARS IN USA NETWORK’S HIT SERIES “MONK” WHICH PREMIERES ITS EIGHTH AND FINAL SEASON ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 7, 2009 AT 9/8C
Special Season guest stars include Elizabeth Perkins, Rena Sofer, Dylan Baker, Meat Loaf, Bernie Kopell, Jay Mohr, Daniel Stern, Alex Wolff, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Eric Balfour, Kelly Carlson, Vincent Curatola, Reed Diamond and Wallace Langham, with Tim Bagley and Bitty Schram Returning in their Beloved Roles
MONK, the critically acclaimed original series starring Emmy, Golden Globe and SAG award winner Tony Shalhoub, premieres its eighth and final season on USA Network on Friday, August 7, 2009 at 9/8c. MONK remains one of the highest-rated original scripted series in basic cable history.
Tony Shalhoub (“Big Night,” “Wings,” “Men in Black,” “Cars”) has earned three Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award and two SAG Awards for Best Actor in a Comedy Series for his portrayal of Adrian Monk, a brilliant detective who suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder. Monk’s psychological disorder costs him his position as a legendary homicide detective on the San Francisco Police force. Due to the tragic unsolved murder of his wife, Monk has developed an abnormal fear of germs, heights, crowds and virtually everything else, which provides an unusual challenge to solving crimes … not to mention his day-to-day existence.
Traylor Howard (“Two Guys and a Girl,” “Me, Myself and Irene”), Ted Levine (“Memoirs of a Geisha,” “American Gangster”), Jason Gray-Stanford (“Flags of Our Fathers,” “A Beautiful Mind”), Hector Elizondo (“Chicago Hope,” “Pretty Woman”) and Emmy Clarke (“My House in Umbria,” “Fur”) co-star on the hit original series.
Guest-stars for season eight include Elizabeth Perkins, Rena Sofer, Dylan Baker, Meat Loaf, Bernie Kopell, Jay Mohr, Daniel Stern, Alex Wolff, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Eric Balfour, Kelly Carlson, and Reed Diamond. Special appearances will also be made by Tim Bagley as Monk’s nemesis Harold Krenshaw and Bitty Schram (“A League of their Own”). Schram co-starred on the show from its inception as Monk’s beloved nurse and “Girl Friday” sidekick, Sharona Fleming.
Feature director Dean Parisot (“Fun with Dick and Jane”), who directed the MONK pilot (in addition to “Galaxy Quest” with Shalhoub), is scheduled to direct one of the final episodes of the show.
As the series concludes, all of your questions will be answered. In addition to the return of Sharona and resolution to Monk’s efforts for reinstatement to the SFPD, the final episodes will concentrate on solving the murder of Monk’s beloved wife, Trudy. As the season kicks off, Monk is thrilled to act as a bodyguard to his favorite actress, a former child star (Perkins) who published a tell-all book, when an attempt is made on her life; Monk finds himself increasingly drawn to a case involving a visiting African man (Akinnuoye-Agbaje) who is investigating his beloved wife’s hit-and-run death — a case that strongly resonates with Monk; Natalie becomes convinced a critic (Baker) who panned her daughter Julie’s theatrical performance was responsible for a murder at the same time as the show; unmarked dolls sent to San Francisco residents accurately predict a series of inexplicable deaths – including, perhaps, Natalie’s. Monk’s phobias threaten to undermine a big murder case when an aggressive defense attorney (Mohr) targets the detective’s unconventional methods. Monk must uncover the link between a missing woman and a UFO sighting after he and Natalie get stuck in a small desert town. Monk accompanies Lt. Disher on a camping trip to woo the troublesome son (Wolff) of an officer on the reinstatement committee – and nature turns out to be the least of their worries. Monk assumes the identity of a dead hit-man in an effort to foil an assassination plot, and Monk reluctantly adopts a dog while looking into the suspicious disappearance of its owner.
MONK is executive produced by David Hoberman (“The Proposal,” “Beverly Hills Chihuahua”), Andy Breckman (“Saturday Night Live,” “The Late Show with David Letterman,” “Rat Race”), Tony Shalhoub, Randy Zisk (“House,” “Without a Trace”) and Tom Scharpling (“The Best Show on WFMU”). MONK is from Universal Cable Productions in association with Mandeville Films and ABC Studios.
Universal Cable Productions was established to create a sustainable pipeline of quality content and derive the greatest value from it across multiple platforms. The studio will be an industry leader in unique and innovative programming for USA and SCI FI Channel, and all cable networks.
USA Network is the #1 network in all of basic cable and is seen in 94 million U.S. homes. A division of NBC Universal, USA is the cable television leader in original series and is home to the best in blockbuster theatrical films, acquired television and entertainment events. The award-winning USA website is located at http://www.usanetwork.com. Characters Welcome.
USA Network is a program service of NBC Universal Cable a division of NBC Universal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience.
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