Goodbye, Cuddly Toy: Monkee Davy Jones Passed Away Today

This one really hurts.  As a Monkees fan from the very beginning -- and I do mean beginning, from the first show of The Monkees on NBC back in September of 1966 until today -- it was shocking to learn of the fatal heart attack of  Davy Jones, who died this morning in a Florida hospital at the too-young age of 66.  Davy was nominally the "cute one" of the Monkees, an almost-diminutive (he trained as a jockey) but super-talented Brit who prior to becoming part of what wags dubbed "The Pre-Fab Four" was an acclaimed performer on the Broadway stage and British TV.  Davy, along with Micky Dolenz -- he was the other show biz veteran in the group, starring in his own TV show as a youth -- was a performing dynamo and a consistently adorable presence whose accent made him even more delightful. 

It's always interesting to ask ladies of a certain age who was their favorite Monkee. I went for Micky who was the most traditionally comedic of the lads -- I've always gravitated towards the funny -- but I'm sure that most young girls set their sights on Davy.  I can easily imagine what a huge mountain all the Pee Chee folders of yesterday adorned with Davy's name in little hearts would make.  He was probably the ultimate teen idol -- sweet, enthusiastic and talented until the end -- and the hearts he won more than forty years ago never stopped loving him.  (Even a few years after the initial craze of Monkee Mania, Davy Jones was still a powerful force, famously setting Marcia Brady's heart aflutter on the "Getting Davy Jones" episode of The Brady Bunch in December of 1971; clips below.) 

Despite only having a two-year 58 episode run, The Monkees series has been a TV favorite for decades.  Syndication kept Monkee magic alive during the 1970s and early 1980s, then in 19

86 MTV scooped up the series and enabled a full-on revival of Monkee Mania thru marathons and special events.  Since that time the show has truly never left the air, always keeping faithful fans happy and constantly winning over more hearts, each new fan discovering the tremendous goodwill that emanated from Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork and Michael Nesmith as The Monkees.

The Monkees, singly and together in various iterations, have continued to make their music for loyal followers, too.  Davy, particularly, had a full schedule of personal appearances all over this country and abroad, delighting audiences with his non-stop energy and genuine joie de vivre wherever he went. Fans lined up to hear him revisit his collection of hits such as "Daydream Believer," "She Hangs Out," "I Wanna Be Free," "When Love Comes Knockin' At Your Door," "Cuddly Toy," "Star Collector," "Valleri," "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" and also all the Monkees hits where he wasn't the lead singer.  (We highly recommend reading this thoughtful article from Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone for an appreciation of Davy's pop star status.)  Relax a while and revisit the marvelous music of The Monkees:























Davy Jones left us too soon.  There were still songs to be sung, audiences to be entertained, new memories to be made and old ones remembered.  The Flaming Nose TV Blog offers our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Davy Jones.  We will carry his enthusiasm with us always, and we will never forget how much we -- and the world -- loved this consummate entertainer. 

"Ancient Aliens" is Back -- Now on H2, Starting Tonight!

This is some wonderful fun for Friday nights!   History Channel's series Ancient Aliens is moving over to H2 (formerly History International) for its new 4th season, and that means one thing -- more Giorgio Tsoukalos!  If you've caught Giorgio on the series or on any of his other TV, radio or personal appearances, you know that he's one dynamic individual and the head cheerleader for the notion that extraterrestrials visited Earth long ago and left profound influences on the planet's progress.  This is the same theory expounded by Chariots of the Gods author Erich von Daniken for so many years, and Tsoukalos is a Daniken colleague.

I don't know whether I buy the theory or not, but I do know that you won't find anyone more entertaining or more enthusiastic in his beliefs, nor will you find anybody with a more spectacular hairdo than Giorgio.  He is simply, as he's been dubbed, Tsoukalicious!  The other Ancient Astronaut theorists who appear on Ancient Aliens are equally immersed in the subject and suitably persuasive, but Tsoukalos is something special.  He brings to his subject the same tremendous energy and passion that the late Steve Irwin brought to his various wildlife TV series, with the end result being immensely watchable television. 

Yikes! you may be thinking, enough of this pseudo-science, and I hear you.  At least, though, somebody watching Ancient Aliens will be getting a dose of archaeology along with the rest, and if it encourages people to delve into history and come up with their own opinions on the subject, that can't be a bad thing.  In a TV world where suburban housewives, gator-wrestlers, bridal consultants, Alaskan gold miners (and cops and truckers in a seemingly endless stream of workers from the 49th state), catfish-grabbers, tattoists, and everyone else can become a star in today's motley world of cable reality shows, I'm all for focusing on  folks who have a philosphy (even if it's outside the mainstream) and research their particular interest with zeal and dedication. 

Giorgio Tsoukalos serves as consultant and one of the producers on Ancient Aliens, as well as being the publisher of Legendary Times magazine and all-around go-to guy in the field.  The other great thing about Tsoukalos is that he and his astounding hair have become the subject of an internet meme which has been making the rounds.  It plays on his obsession with ancient aliens at the root of many Earth mysteries and his trademark near-melodramatic delivery, but I swear that you couldn't be bored listening to Tsoukalos expounding on the subject.  Instead, you will be hugely entertained and perhaps turn into a believer.  In any case, Ancient Aliens is a riveting hour of documentary-ish television, and highly recommended!  I think Giorgio Tsoukalos is hilarious (in the best possible sense of the word) and I hope you will, too. 

The newest season of Ancient Aliens airs on H2 (and frequently shows up on History, also) Fridays at 9pm, with frequent encores.  Check out the show website for more information.  You might like to watch a short clip of him from The Mo'Nique Show -- he's quite personable, check it out here. 

Here are a few of the photo memes of Giorgio, too:

Our Classic TV Valentines

Here's a Happy Valentine's Day to all our nostalgic TV crushes -- not that we don't still love these guys!

In no particular order...

Rob Petrie, played by Dick Van Dyke, on The Dick Van Dyke Show

How could any young girls not fall in love with the hilarious, urbane, supremely silly and utterly adorable Rob Petrie?  Not only did he have a cool job -- TV comedy writer -- but he worked in a great office with smart entertaining colleagues...how is that not perfect?  Even if we couldn't be Mrs. Petrie, I think we'd have settled for being Sally Rogers, just to be near Rob.  Wouldn't you?

Adam Cartwright, played by Pernell Roberts, on Bonanza

Naturally, young girls watching the series were supposed to fall for the teen idol-ish Little Joe (Michael Landon), but there was something dangerous and sexy about Ben Cartwright's oldest son Adam.  Smart as a whip and back at the Ponderosa after going away to college, this often-brooding brother had a temper and wasn't afraid to go toe-to-toe with his dynamic father (Lorne Greene).  If Little Joe was the heartthrob and Hoss the safe older brother, Adam was the slightly wild card.  So wild that he left the series after a few years, but while he was there, he lent a seductive air to the Cartwright clan.

Diver Dan, played by Frank Freda, on Diver Dan

Can an actor in a diving suit playing on a fake underwater set with puppet fish really make little girls' hearts flutter?  Well, Diver Dan did!  Whether it was his understated heroics or his "do-they-or-don't-they" -- or maybe more accurately "could-they-even-do-it" -- relationship with the elusive and beautiful mermaid Miss Minerva, Diver Dan made afterschool afternoons more exciting!

Professor Roy Thornton, played by Russell Johnson, on Gilligan's Island

Wouldn't you like to be stranded on a desert island with the Professor?  Handsome and so very smart -- and not even just compared to Mr. Howell, the Skipper or Gilligan -- the Professor was also inventive, good-natured and not a bit of the aloof intellectual.  I still think he's the perfect companion for a coconut-tinged retreat, though of course you'd have plenty of competition, what with Ginger and Mary Ann also having an eye for Roy.  Who can blame them?

Dr. James Kildare, played by Richard Chamberlain, on Dr. Kildare

Chamberlain brought a huge dose of charisma into the corridors of Blair General Hospital and became a huge teen idol for his role as Dr. Kildare.  The show was intelligent and dramatic, beautifully produced, excellently acted -- by Chamberlain, his co-star Raymond Massey and a bevy of guest stars -- but mostly we all fell in love with the appealing Dr. Kildare.  Sure, Ben Casey was also a hit TV series at the time on a different network, but Casey (Vince Edwards) was gruff and grim, while Kildare was bright and inviting.  Maybe the older ladies went for Casey, but Kildare got the youth vote, and how.

Sheriff Andy Taylor, played by Andy Griffiths, on The Andy Griffiths Show

Even those of us who grew up far from small town America -- or maybe especially us -- were drawn to Sheriff'Taylor's soft-spoken and kind-hearted brand of law enforcement.  He also had the allure of being a widower, and in the show he had a couple of different steady girlfriends, including the equally likeable schoolteacher Helen Krump (Aneta Corsaut).  Who could begrudge Sheriff Taylor a little Mayberry-style lovin', right?  In truth he was probably more of a father figure than boyfriend, but his comforting male presence was a welcome feature of our childhoods and ever since.

Superman/Clark Kent, played by George Reeves, on The Adventures of Superman

That smile, that cape, the ability to leap tall buildings in a single bound -- we're still in love with Superman!  The brawny All-American good looks and personality of George Reeves gave his super-portrayal an irresistible appeal that has never died.  Okay, so maybe we didn't want him for a boyfriend exactly, but if he wanted to drop by and take us for a flight around the world...well, that would have been okay with us. 

Dr. Zachary Smith and the Robot, played by Jonathan Harris and Dick Tufeld, on Lost in Space

Yeah...there's no denying these two were one of the most authentic Odd Couples ever on TV, but they were also hilarious and they could have easily been, if not our boyfriends exactly, maybe our funny best friends.  We sometimes think that's even better than romance, in case anybody needs to be told that.

Hercules, voiced by Jimmy Tapp, on The Mighty Hercules

Hercules, like Diver Dan and Clark Kent, was a shy guy with a big job, and little time for romance with the lovely damsel Helena who worshipped the Greek he-man.  For a crudely animated show with only a dozen or so episodes, the influence of The Mighty Hercules was huge in our childhood and mostly because Hercules himself was the epitome of a classic hero.  Even though it was unlikely that we would ever accompany him to Mount Olympus -- "Olympia!" he cried at the end of every segment as he ascended -- we loved to watch him vanquish evil and yet somehow never quite get the girl.

Mickey, played by Mickey Dolenz, on The Monkees

Davy Jones was the anointed "boyfriend-in-chief" of the pre-Fab Four, but if you were a young lady who loved the funny, then Mickey was your guy.  Unconventionally good-looking, slightly hyperactive, and a terrific singer to boot, Mickey was my Monkee of choice and I'm sticking to it!

Illya Kuriakin, played by David McCallum, on The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

Open Channel D!  The suave Russian Illya, Napoleon Solo's partner in spying, soon almost eclipsed his James Bond-ish co-agent in popularity and fan mail, not that Robert Vaughn was anything less than spectacular.  It's just that Illya was so...so...cute, dang it all!  From his fluffy blond hair to his delicate foreign accent, Illya was oh-so-seriously wonderful and most definitely won the hearts of the younger set. 

Artemus Gordon, played by Ross Martin, on The Wild Wild West

In this series, ladies who loved tight blue pants went for the ultra-suave uber-hero James West, played by Robert Conrad.  Those of us who liked our heroes a little more creative, a little funnier, a little more inventive, preferred Artemus Gordon, masterfully brought to life by actor Ross Martin.  If West almost always ended up with the girl, Artemus ended up with our hearts and our minds, a potent two-fer that made Mr. Gordon my personal choice for the most super secret agent. 

I've saved the best for last --

Mr. Spock, played by Leonard Nimoy, on Star Trek

Who might have dreamed that a half-human alien hybrid from the fictional planet Vulcan could become one of the most desirable of TV boyfriends for millions of young girls?  Super smart -- there's that very cool intelligence attribute once again! -- ultra-competent, and nearly non-emotional, although Spock might have seemed an unlikely candidate for Valentine's pin-up boy, he's the logical choice.  Since the late 1960's Spock has made the search for extraterrestrial life a must; how else are Sarek and Amanda, Spock's Vulcan father and Earth mother, ever going to get together?  From the first moment we set eyes on him to his evidently farewell appearance as Spock in J.J. Abram's 2009 Trek franchise reboot feature, Mr. Spock has truly been one of the wonders of the TV universe.

We all have our favorites, and many newer faces have come in since these guys captured our hearts long ago, but you never forget your first love...er...loves.  A Happy Valentine's Day to all of the many unforgettable characters who have made us fall in love with them!

Don Cornelius of "Soul Train" - RIP

This morning at 4am Don Cornelius, the creator of the iconic music and dance series "Soul Train" apparently took his own life in Sherman Oaks, California. Health issues and a recent bitter divorce battle are getting the early blame for the suicide. It is difficult to understand the pain that one must suffer from in order to take their own life.

"Soul Train" (the title of which was narrated in a style that had the voiceover coming to a slow stop at a train station) ran for 22 years beginning back in 1971. At the time of its premiere I was a kid. As the decade progressed I would find myself watching Dick Clark's American Bandstand and then follow that up with Soul Train. Keep in mind, I came of age in Chicago and our winters were cold (well, not this year) and after our morning chores we would often spend early Saturday afternoons watching television. It was a simpler time and it is virtually impossible to describe our lifestyles to young people today. We actually played outside. We rode our bikes, we took long walks, we laid on the ground and watched the stars, we caught fireflies (with holes in the cans, so they could breathe), we built snowmen and igloos. We had no smart phones, no computers, no iPods, iPads or anything else that is deemed as technology. We had two television sets, two telephones (that were attached to the wall), four radios and a transistor (go and look it up).

After rolling out of bed on a Saturday in January, I would do my chores, watch a bad B movie (I loved "The Killer Shrews"), American Bandstand and Soul Train. If I have secluded a secret in my life it is that I love to dance and I dance often, but back in the 1970's I loved Led Zeppelin and the Eagles too. I rarely danced in public outside of the weddings that I seemingly went to on an almost monthly basis. To this day, I dance and I dance often. I will put on McFadden and Whitehead's "Ain't No Stopping Us Now" or "Stomp" by the Brothers Johnson and move to the groove.

I didn't want to miss "Soul Train." I had the opportunity to see some of the best acts of the era and watch some of the best dancing in all of television history. By and large, the dancers on "Soul Train" weren't professional dancers, so you thought "I could try that move."

My older sister was already out of the house living on her own at this point, but she'd find herself visiting the family house on Saturdays and we'd watch together. I have some wonderful memories of this innovative show. About six years ago, a friend of mine from ABC and I were having dinner at Giorgio Baldi's in Santa Monica and in walked Don Cornelius with some woman young enough to be his granddaughter. When you live and work in Los Angeles this sight is never particularly surprising, but I looked at him and thought I bet I am the only person in this room who recognizes him. As we were departing, I simply walked past his table (I certainly wasn't going to say anything to him, since the guy was eating dinner and my intensely private friend from ABC would have been embarrassed) and left the following note written on a napkin on the side of the table. It read "Thanks Mr. Cornelius. I loved Soul Traaaaaaaain!

Thanks for the music. Thanks for the peace, love and soul.

The clip below showcases some of the giants of the music industry that appeared on Soul Train. A truly stunning roster of talent.

RIP Dick Tufeld: Voice of the Lost in Space Robot

One of the most iconic voices from 1960's era television passed away this week. The Flaming Nose mourns Dick Tufeld, who was best known as the voice of the robot in the Irwin Allen series "Lost in Space". He left this earth at the age of 85, and we are all richer by at at least a dozen catch phrases for his work in television.

Lost in Space is one of the most beloved science fiction series ever, particularly for baby boomers who grew up appreciating its absurdist sensibility. Unlike Star Trek, which thanks to Gene Roddenbury had real science as the basis for many stories, Lost in Space was pure fun. It featured alien planets which were chock full of magicians, opera singers, giant talking carrots and sparkling green ladies wearing bowl hats. The first time I realized that the 4th wall was broken on my TV set as a child, was when I could clearly see that the mine field Irwin Allen had created on a God forsaken asteroid was constructed from colored plastic beach balls. Okey dokey, so the production budget was a little light for Lost in Space.

Of all the characters on Lost In Space, the most compassionate, caring and well... human, was the lovely robot. He was brave and sensistive and able to tolerate the most brutal hazing from his nemesis "Dr. Smith", who routinely referred to him as a "bubble headed booby". Thanks to the talent of Mr. Tufeld, we all believed in the robot when he would slump with sorrow or flail his retractable arms and bellow "Danger Will Robinson". Although I could identify best with the Robinson kids Will (Billy Mumy) and Penny (Angela Cartwright), the Robot was always my favorite.

Take a moment to remember a TV show from a kinder, gentler and definitely sillier age. His character may have said "that does not compute", but we all understand that the man who gave voice to the Robot will be missed.

Anthony Bourdain in The Layover

Anthony Bourdain, known as the globe trotting TV gourmet, is the best walker on the planet. He doesn't swagger, he doesn't stride...he ambles his way down the streets of cities in every corner of the planet. He is my Ambling Man, towering over most of the other folks no matter where he is, a friendly confident American at home in the world. Judging by the shouts of adoration from the minions who recognize him in even the most obscure locations, he is probably one of the best ambassadors this country has got.

Bourdain's latest TV series The Layover, has a slightly more frantic and condensed feel to it than his former Travel Channel show No Reservations. The new show gives him 24-48 hours in a city where he must use that limited time to eat, drink, explore and meet the local denizens. He does all of the above and more with great charm and cheerfulness. Even when the local fare is somewhat challenging, he is refreshingly honest (maybe a bit too honest) about the toll it takes on his digestive system.

So far I've watched A.B.'s adventures in Miami, Hong Kong, Montreal, Amsterdam and San Francisco. The latter was so compelling, I was inspired to take a train into my backyard city yesterday to visit one of the locations he featured in the episode, the historic Fairmont Hotel. Alas, the famous Tonga Room was closed at the time, I should have checked their website to see that it's only open for dinner! I did enjoy a lovely brief chat with the concierge about how exciting it was to have THE Anthony Bourdain at the hotel when they were filming.

Every episode of The Layover features the perfect mix that helps make any travel/food show a winner:

• Fascinating and crazy local people: Bourdain seems to attract them wherever he goes. He seems to prefer offbeat individuals and it always adds great color to the episodes.
• Wonderful trivia and history about the locations in a most palatable format.
• Great looking food and drinks from restaurant venues both high (4 star) and low (gourmet food trucks and hot dog stands).

Anthony Bourdain does not try to hide his carnivorous side, so if you are a Vegan this series might not be for you. And his real life feud with Paula Deen the Butter Queen might be off-putting to those who are fond of down home food. However, I find his utter delight in trying new dishes and seeing new places to be captivating. M. Bourdain would make the perfect fun traveling companion, no matter what your gender. I nominate him as my #1 fantasy TV boyfriend, for his humor, daring and endearing NYC accent.

Here's a little taste of The Layover in Miami. Bon appetite!

Hail to "Portlandia": Keep Portland Weird!

Thanks to my personal content editor (Tommy...the only son), I have been turned on to an exquisitely strange and awesome comedy sketch show on IFC called Portlandia. Every episode
starts with a few soothing strains of smooth jazz and a montage of the Pacific Northwest city that is known for coffee bars, indie rock and artist communities (and not much more). Frankly, Portland has never even remotely been on my radar screen, but it sure is now. If I turn up suddenly missing someday, it's because I packed my bags and cats to go be a cafe barista in Portland.

Portlandia stars Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein and is executive produced by Lorne Michaels. Every single episode is filmed on location in Portland. Fred and Carrie play a whole host of quirky, freaky, surreal characters, some of whom appear on a regular basis. Most irritating = the lesbian duo running a Women's bookstore. Most fascinating, a pair of Japanese Harajuku girls drinking coffee from microscopic cups. They've already spawned buckets of catch phases, including..."cacao", "put a bird on it" and "we can pickle that". Portlandia has also attracted a constellation of wonderful guest stars, including Kyle MacLachlan (Twin Peaks) who plays the mayor of Portland and Jeff Goldblum who was a joy as a crafty dude who specializes in vintage and modern art knots. It's like minimalist macrame. They also featured my favorite new band "The Decemberists" as a fake indie band called Echo Echo.

You can catch up with Season One on Netflix or On Demand if you have IFC. Season Two just premiered last Friday night on IFC at 10:30pm. Run as fast as you can to watch the best new comedy series on TV!

The dream of the 90's is alive in Portland!

The Comedy King on Encore Tonight

Here at the Flaming Nose, we don't try to hide our love for television. It's blatant, bigger than life and impossible to ignore. No wonder we also love legendary comic Jerry Lewis...for he is all of the above and more. Listen to what the great JL says about our beloved medium: "I love my industry. I love what it does. I don't allow people in my family to use the term TV. That's stupid. It's 'television'. It's a miracle. It's entitled to that respect."

Tonight, Encore TV will feature a wonderful special about Jerry Lewis called "Method to the Madness" by Gregg Barson. Luminaries such as Jerry Seinfeld, Steven Spielberg and Quentin Tarantino all talk about their connection with the comedy great.

My first encounter with Jerry Lewis took place when I was 12 years old. I saw The Nutty Professor and was transfixed by his transformation from the buck toothed nebish professor, to the arctic cool of lounge singer Buddy Love. It had a deep, possibly damaging, impact on my budding psychological development, when I realized I didn't like the nice professor. I liked the bad guy. Which must be why one of my favorite Jerry Lewis moments was when he played himself in The King of Comedy (with Robert DeNiro), and flashed those icy eyes that chilled me to the bone. Although I love his old comedy movies, I wish Mr. Lewis had taken more serious roles over the years, as I think he had a unique skill for communicating menace. It's probably too late now, as the 85 year old comedian, movie star, inventor and philanthropist simmers down to enjoy the twilight phase of this life.

A big fuss and many jokes have been made over how the French revere Jerry Lewis. In fact, in March 2006, the French Minister of Culture awarded Lewis the Légion d'Honneur, calling him the "French people's favorite clown".

^{I must be French too, then or je ne sais quoi. For I have spent a life time enthralled by his humor and take no prisoners personality. If you're a Jerry fan too, tonight's documentary on Encore will be a special treat.}

Louis CK Honored by Time Magazine

By now many of you may have heard that the annual Time Magazine "Person of the Year" is a nod to all the people world wide who have effected change through protest movements. Governments were toppled in the middle east and here in the U.S. the Occupy Wall Street movement has gained momentum in just a few months time.

This issue of Time Magazine also honors many others who made a difference in 2011, and one of them is our very own beloved Louis CK. Actually, the Flaming Nose has been pointing out for over a year that Louis CK is the most brilliant comedian and his television show is light years ahead of anything we've ever seen on TV.

We are so happy to see that Time Magazine agrees, by selecting him as one of their "People Who Mattered" in 2011. He's in very good company. Other winners include singer Adele, Amazon's Jeff Bezos, billionaire Warren Buffet and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Very cool Louis! Congratulations from the Flaming Nose!

Hawaii 5-0's Brian Yang On the Busy Life of an Actor

Brian Yang is an international man of acting. One week he might be on location as character Charlie Fong for the CBS reboot of Hawaii Five-0 (now in its second season) and the next he’s home in NY or back in the Bay Area working on indie film projects for his production company 408 Films. Oh, and then there are his acting gigs in Hong Kong and mainland China. The man is in the air more than he is on the ground. I want Brian’s frequent flier miles.

Glamorous? Yes. Exhausting? Beyond. I wondered what it was like to lead such a peripatetic, exciting life, and Brian was kind enough to spend an hour on the phone with me from his home in NYC, breaking it down.

JANE COLLINS: What’s it like to work in paradise? Is Hawaii Five-0 filmed mostly on location?

BRIAN YANG: “A typical day on the set starts at about 5am. The island is still asleep and it’s dark. It’s all shot on the island of Oahu. The environment they create for you is very comfortable. The crew, many of whom are locals, are just amazingly giving and kind. As an actor, my job is actually pretty simple. Get to set, be prepared, execute. I'm pretty much in and out. But the crew folk are there from dawn until (often) late at night. I have so much respect for what they do. I just feel totally blessed to be a part of this very successful franchise. My favorite part is to be able to work on a network show set in the greatest state in this country. For me Hawaii is a home away from home.”

JKC: What’s up with your character, Charlie Fong?

BY: “I just take it episode to episode. The writers do what they do and each episode is its own little journey. I come in to help the team along when necessary. It's fun. Each time, I get something different. I guess for both the audience, and myself, we're kept on our toes. I was on the Warner Bros. lot not long ago and found out that the Charlie Fong character is actually based on a lab scientist who appeared on the original series!"

Brian plays a forensic scientist who works for the Hawaii police department on the successful CBS TV series Hawaii Five-0. Courtesy of CBS]

JKC: Tell us about your roots. Did you always want to be an actor?

BY: “I was born in Ohio, which makes me a huge Ohio State fan, even though I went to Cal. We moved to the south Bay area (Silicon Valley) when I was about 6 years old. In my family (and culture), acting was not a profession we were encouraged to go into, but in a way, you could attribute my finding this path to my Mom. She put my photo in a Macy’s Back-To-School contest when I was in high school. Somehow I got picked to go around Nor Cal for an ad campaign and from there I was exposed to the world of agents, commercials, and television and, from there, there was no turning back. Thanks, Mom!”

[Brian went to college at the University of California, Berkeley, and graduated with a degree in Biology in 1996. Image Courtesy of CBS.]

JKC: What do you consider to be your greatest challenge as an Asian American actor?

BY: “I think in general the industry is getting better. After I graduated I made my way down to L.A. I thought 'I’m going to give Hollywood a shot.' I remember learning very quickly, many of the Asian American actors would complain about the stereotypical roles and lack of positive portrayals of Asians on screen. I subscribed to that (way of thinking) at the time. So part of the reason I moved to the East coast and decided to stay there was that I didn’t want to be another disgruntled Asian actor.

Long story short, I moved to the East coast and it was a different playground. I found things that were much more interesting, like independent film. I found pockets of theater and advertising (commercials). In New York, the landscape there forces you to think outside of the box. It's hard to be "just an actor." In Hollywood, things have moved forward over the past 10 years, but we're far from being "there", wherever there is. With age, comes patience. I can only choose my own route or path. So I choose to keep my base in NY. But I've also been doing film and commercial work in Asia”. (I ask if he speaks Mandarin.) “I do but I don’t sound fluent. What I’ve found is everything I’ve done in Asia is in English. The world is shrinking and English is the universal language. They have a lot of programming that needs English. They want an Asian face with a western sensibility. I’ve shot commercials in Hong Kong, but mainland China is where a lot of work is happening. It's an interesting time to be in this business right now.”

“I think it is getting better in Hollywood but there are still too few opportunities there. This Saturday I’m heading an event in L.A. for CAPE (Coalition of Asian Pacific Entertainers). It's their 20th anniversary and they are a good marker that proves that Hollywood is moving towards a more colorful landscape. Good things are happening. It’s all very encouraging. But there are still struggles and challenges that we are going to face.”

JKC: What other projects are you working on right now?

BY: “I actually also work as a producer. I have a film production company called 408 Films. We are on our 6^th project right now. We shot two films in Hong Kong (Fog and SuperCapitalist) and a romantic comedy in L.A called The People I've Slept With. All are indie film projects. We just finished principal photography on Nightdreamblues. It’s about three childhood friends who reunite when they are in their 30’s. Over the course of an evening, they each reveal their secrets. It’s a cathartic journey. It’s sort of like Breakfast Club and The Big Chill with an Asian-American cast. Rex Lee (Entourage, Suburgatory) is in it and we are fortunate to have him. We are hoping it will be released in 2012.

What’s really interesting is that this is a very male piece but we worked with a female director (Nadine Truong, AFI graduate) who put her own spin on it. I’m very passionate about this project and can’t stop Tweeting about it. Right now we’ve put out a call for indie music for the film. Please follow us!”

JKC: What advice do you have for BlogHer’s readers who might be interested in an entertainment career?

BY: “Take it seriously, you have to train. It’s no different from any industry. Go to school for it, start at the bottom. Most of us don’t have a father that works at Fox (studios). You have to make it happen. It’s creating your own roles, in indie film or on YouTube. Write something or shoot something and act in it yourself. I don’t want to make it seem easy, it’s not that easy. You have to have the thickest skin, willing to be rejected 9 times out of 10. But if there is nothing on this planet you’d rather do, jump in with two feet. Every moment should be spent doing something to further your career. And even when you arrive or “get there”, you still have to look at the career like a journey. You’ll have good moments. You always have to keep the fires burning. You have to be kind to everyone you meet because people collaborate on many levels.”

Thanks for the words of wisdom, Brian. We’ll see you on the air (Hawaii Five-0) and look for you in the air, next time we’re at an airport in NY, LA or SF.

Visit Brian's Facebook page.

Something Uplifting For Your Sunday Evening on gmc!

It gives me great pleasure to pass along, on behalf of one of my former bosses, news of some perfect family programming tonight on gmc.  gmc used to be called "Gospel Music Channel" when it started in 2004, but a re-branding in early 2010 broadened the scope somewhat but didn't change the channel's mission to provide uplifting entertainment for its broad and loyal fan base.  There's still lots of music on gmc, but also a nice selection of family-friendly and immensely-watchable-for-anyone series such as Early Edition, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, Doc, and Sue Thomas FBEye (about which Judith wrote a terrific post a while back when she interviewed series producer Joan Considine; definitely check it out!).

Tonight gmc proudly presents the very recent feature film The 5th Quarter, the dramatic true story of a Georgia family whose terrible personal loss ultimately brought their family back together and also inspired countless others in their community and beyond.  It's a story that nobody wants to live out for themselves, but watching it we can thankfully glean the message without having to feel the pain, or at least only a tiny sliver of it. 

We can all relate to the anguish of losing a family member -- there must be nothing like a sudden death to roil the senses -- but what comes after is the thing that everybody has to experience for themselves.  What the Abbate family did was go forward in several different ways, and you'll see how they did it in this thoughtful film.  The cast is impressive -- Aidan Quinn, Andie MacDowell, Ryan Merriman -- and though it did have a theatrical release, The 5th Quarter will probably feel best on TV.  It's in the great tradition of timeless TV movies such as Brian's Song and the acclaimed series Friday Night Lights; The 5th Quarter should find a very appreciative audience tonight. 

You've probably already figured out that football plays a part in the movie, and it's an element that helps The 5th Quarter reach out even further in its appeal. 

For more information on the movie, you should visit the official website of The 5th Quarter.  You can learn more about the Abbate family at their Luke Abbate 5th Quarter Foundation site, where you can also find out and help with the continuing good works going on in his name.  You should also get acquainted with gmc at their channel website; there's a lot going on there.

The 5th Quarter premieres on gmc tonight at 7pm with an encore at 9pm, following a nice selection of football-oriented movies such as Rudy beginning at 2pm.

P.S.:  You might enjoy watching the official theatrical trailer for The 5th Quarter, which is a bit longer than the new gmc promo.



You also might enjoy the song "Live and Breathe" from The 5th Quarter, sung by Stacy Earle who also stars in the movie.

Gil Cates - Rest in Peace

This is the second time in a week I have walked my way over to the site to write a tribute piece. This time I memorialize a man I had the extreme good fortune to have worked with over the years. Gilbert Cates, producer of 14 Academy Awards telecasts died suddenly yesterday at UCLA. Gil had been a professor at the University for many years, but he was also a prolific producer and director.

He honed and mastered his art and craft in films, television and live theater. He was elected to serve two terms as President of the Directors Guild of America. He famously chose Billy Crystal to host the Academy Awards. Crystal's second turn as Oscar host in 1991 was so memorable it won Gil Cates an Emmy. He also was wise enough to choose Steve Martin, Chris Rock and Jon Stewart as Oscar hosts over the course of his lengthy helm with the broadcast for the Academy Awards. He produced several Ford's Theater presentations for ABC. I managed to attend a few of these specials and at times you just stopped and watched Gil at work. No drama was ever attached to anything he did, even though he was a masterful creator of drama.

I had the pleasure to work with Gil Cates over the course of my career at the ABC Television Network. I never saw him stressed out. He was an exercise in humility and calm. He possessed a wonderful sense of humor and a strong sense of fairness. You just liked him.

I enjoyed a couple of lunches with him over the years and he was one of those people you hated to break away from. He didn't have a pretentious bone in his body. Gil wasn't capable of shafting someone. A trait in the business of show that has harmed many.

Thank you Gil Cates for providing us with some of the best Oscar broadcasts in the long history of the Motion Picture Academy, but more importantly, thank you for teaching me a few things along the way in life. All good things were learned from Gil Cates.