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November 13, 2009
Retired Georgetown TV director lived her own great story line
It sounds as if Linda and Steve Varnum lived a lifetime in just short of eight years.
The couple, high school sweethearts in California over 50 years ago, reconnected in 2002 and settled in Georgetown two years later. Linda, born Linda Gail Day in Los Angeles on Aug. 12, 1938, died on Oct. 23 after bouts with leukemia and breast cancer.
You might not recognize the name, but chances are you’ve seen Day’s work — her page at IMDB.com (the Internet Movie Database) is ridiculous. Her resume reads like a bound collection of TV Guides from the 1980s and early ’90s: Day directed more than 350 episodes of more than 50 different television series, including “Married with Children,” “Archie Bunker’s Place,” “Dallas,” “Kate & Allie,” “Mad About You,” “Who’s the Boss?” and “Clueless.” She was an Emmy Award nominee and she received Paul Newman’s Humanitas Award. The Director’s Guild of America honored her as a trailblazing female director.
And she was Steve Varnum’s soul mate.
Day and Varnum attended separate high schools in the Los Angeles area and were introduced by mutual friends in 1954. They went steady for nine or 10 months, and then went their separate ways. Varnum eventually graduated from college and went to work for the Veterans Administration (now the Department of Veterans Affairs) from which he retired at age 60, while Day continued her education in archaeology and art. Living in Illinois, Day divorced in the early 1960s, returned to Los Angeles and took an office job at CBS. Her father had directed movie trailers and her uncle, Gordon Douglas, was a feature film director (he directed, among other films, “Stagecoach” and “They Call Me MISTER Tibbs!”) but they did not help Day get into show business.
“They hired her as a secretary,” Varnum says. “She couldn’t type, but they loved her; she was such a wonderful personality. You never saw a picture of her where her mouth wasn’t wide open, smiling.” Day kept getting promoted until she landed in script supervising. She found herself on set, responsible for continuity — “making sure that the glass on the table had the same amount of cola or less than it had in the previous scene,” Varnum explains.
At some point, she made the leap to directing, although Varnum didn’t know that when they reconnected. They had talked on the phone two or three times over the years, and the last he’d heard Day was an associate producer. In December 2002, Varnum decided to locate his high school sweetheart again. A Google search turned up thousands of hits but no contact information. He began searching television trade magazines and found an article Day had written, so he e-mailed the magazine explaining that he and Day were high school friends and that she would want to hear from him.
“Coincidentally, the woman who got the e-mail said that she was going to be meeting with Linda the next day,” Varnum recalls. She delivered Varnum’s message early on a Wednesday morning. The next day, Varnum got an e-mail from Day with the subject line “Friends??” After she kidding him, asking him what he was doing reading Caucus magazine, the pair exchanged phone numbers.
“We then talked a couple of hours a day until, well, until forever,” Varnum says. That February, Varnum, then living in Cincinnati, went out to visit Day in Los Angeles. She came out to see him in early April. The pair lived together until they were married in May 2005.
“With two separate lives coming together at such an age, either you’re going to have a lot of problems or you’re going to have to learn how to compromise,” Varnum says. “And we learned to compromise. Both of us moved a lot toward the center, you might say — not politically, but philosophically we moved to the center. Honest to God, it was such a wonderful relationship.
“My wife Linda didn’t know how to nag,” he laughs. “She was such a sweet person, so easy to live with. It was one of those relationships that were just made in heaven or so to speak.”
The pair happened to be going to New Orleans for Christmas in 2003. Texas had not made their short list of places to settle down, but they stopped in Georgetown because they’d heard wonderful things about Austin and were aware of the Sun City retirement community. They fell in love with the area and relocated in 2004. Day became a member of the Sun City Theater group and directed several plays there. Some of the members were naturally wary of a professional outsider coming into their group, Varnum explains, but Day won them over quickly. She had a gift, Varnum says, for “telling somebody how to do something without them feeling like they had been told.”
“She directed Brian Dennehy one time, and he was not happy having a woman director,” Varnum recalls. “But it didn’t take long before she had him wrapped around her finger. People took to her immediately.”
The couple was fond of the Austin Playhouse and visited Esther’s Follies often. They loved Sixth Street and Austin’s restaurants and went to the movies every Thursday. “That’s when they came to clean the house, so we just got out,’ Varnum laughs.
And they watched television, often happening upon episodes Day had directed or stars she had worked with. “If we ever came close to fussing, that was the time,” Varnum joked. He explained that he enjoyed pausing the DVR at exciting points in programs and asking questions about things like what an actor had just said.
“Linda would say, ‘Are we going to watch the movie?’ and I would sit there like an old sullen hen. She did the same thing, but it was OK when she did it. She would say, ‘I directed him,’ or ‘Let me tell you about this one or that one.’ And, so, she did the same thing but I didn’t mind. It didn’t bother me a bit,” he laughs.
Day had worked with so many stars in her career that she had no shortage of anecdotes to recount. Varnum tells me about her “ego wall,” on which she kept clusters of photos. He describes a photo of her and Jerry Lewis upon which Lewis had penned, ‘Linda, my darling, I will never forget last night. Love, Jerry. January ’93.’
“Of course, there was no last night,” Varnum laughs.
There’s the picture of Day with Robert Redford as he gave her the Humanitas Award. The photo shows Day at a microphone while Redford, standing next to her, suspiciously looks at her backside. Day’s slip had gotten caught and was exposed. “She thought that story was so funny, she would tell it to everyone,” Varnum laughed.
And there’s a photo of Day with Carroll O’Connor sitting in Archie Bunker’s chair, now located in the Smithsonian Institute. “She used to take naps in that chair,” Varnum says.
The couple remained active until weeks before Day’s passing, traveling on cruises to destinations including Australia and New Zealand, Tahiti, Alaska and Europe. At the ages of 70 and 71, the couple went ziplining in Hawaii.
A private memorial service will be held on Nov. 20. Varnum isn’t sure many people would want to attend a service for somebody they didn’t know, even if they had been touched by her work.
“Everybody knows the stars,” he says, “but nobody really knows the people behind the scenes.”
This 2008 photo was taken in Hawaii after Steve and Linda had ziplined on two stations (four “zips”) and were preparing to do another one.
Linda Day relaxes on the set of “Archie Bunker’s Place.” “She had the greatest admiration for Carroll O’Connor,” Steve explains. “He was very nice to work with.”
Linda directed Jerry Lewis in an episode of “Mad About You.” Linda told the ad-libbing comic that he might want to “do his best stuff” because she would have to put some of it on the cutting room floor.
Linda (back row, center) poses with the cast and crew of “Married With Children.”
Robert Redford presents Linda with the Paul Newman Humanitas Award.
This photo of Linda and Steve was taken just a little over two months before Linda passed away. “Her smile was our constant companion,” Steve says.
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November 8, 2009
TV Profile: Terrell Shaw
You might know them or you might not, but chances are you have no idea what they watch. This week we hop onto the couch with KNVA’s human promotions machine. Next time it could be another television personality, a politician or an ordinary couch potato like you or me — check back to find out.
Terrell Shaw
The Face of The CW Austin
Number of years in this position: 1 year … I prefer to say 12 months it makes it seem longer!
I love my job because: I get to do what I love … which includes everything from being on TV doing contest and promotional spots as well as serving my community with special events and speaking to kids about my job on career days!
Here’s what’s on my DVR: “The Vampire Diaries,” “Gossip Girl” that’s right BRUTHA’S like gossip too, “ESPN Sportscenter,” “WWE Wrestling Raw” and “Smackdown” … Ohhhhh Yeaaahhhhh, “The Young and The Restless” … gotta keep up on my soaps and last but certainly not least PBS “Sesame Street” … hey who says Grover and the Cookie monster can’t be fun and informative past the age of eight years old?
My all-time favorite TV show is: It’s a toss up between “Martin” and “Seinfeld” … yadda yadda yadda they both cause serious damage to my funny bone!
You’ll never catch me watching: “Jon and Kate plus Eight” … THEY CRAZY!
If I have insomnia, the show that lulls me back to sleep is: “Antiques Roadshow” … I’m getting zzzz … just thinking about it!
A current show I never miss is: “TUF The Ultimate Fighter” … what man doesn’t like to see two dudes going head to head in battle and knocking each other out! Plus my boy Kimbo Slice is on their Wrecking Shop … that means he works hard (haha).
If my TV is on, it’s probably tuned to this channel: The CW Austin of course … I’m not just saying that because I work for them … seriously some of the best TV on television … besides the women on every show is HOTT that’s right two T’s HOTT!
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November 6, 2009
'The Goode Family' makes Comedy Central debut Jan. 6
We previously reported that Austin native Mike Judge’s animated series “The Goode Family” (canceled by ABC) would make the jump to Comedy Central. TV Week reports that that will happen on January 6. The cable network will re-air the first season’s 13 episodes. If the show does well, there’s a possibility that new episodes could be produced.
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October 30, 2009
Bulldogs and barbecue: Austinites on 'Judge Joe Brown' today
Wolfe, who adopted the rescue dog three months prior to the attack, maintains that everyone knew the dog was skittish around new people. He contends that the amount Cox is suing for is exorbitant and that she should share liability for the attack.
C’mon, Austin … does every barbecue have to end with someone getting bit in the face?
“Judge Joe Brown” airs at 2 p.m. on FOX.
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October 28, 2009
Mike Judge's 'Goode Family' heads to Comedy Central
“The Goode Family,” Mike Judge’s animated sitcom about a family of environmentalist zealots, is headed to Comedy Central. The cable network will re-air the 13 episodes that ran on broadcast network ABC this summer prior to the show’s August cancellation.
When ABC dropped the ax, co-creators John Altschuler and Dave Krinsky promised to shop the show around to other networks. “This show has been the most creatively satisfying thing we have ever done and we look forward to continuing it,” they wrote on the show’s Facebook page.
I don’t think I was the only skeptical viewer, but one of the duo’s most recent posts announced “The Goode Family’s” return:
“IT’S OFFICIAL! The Goode Family will air on Comedy Central in January of 2010! They will start by re-running the original 13,” the post reads. “If this goes well and we capitalize on our fan there will be an order for new episodes! This second chance is truly a factor of our show attracting passionate and vocal fans. Any help getting the word out is greatly appreciated!!”
I wouldn’t count on new episodes, but Altschuler and Krinsky seem determined, promising to embrace social media technology to increase the show’s fan base prior to the new airings.
Comedy Central previously revived “Futurama” and “Family Guy,” and it’s rumored that they will pick up “Arrtesed Development” scribe Mitchell Hurwitz’s failed FOX animated series, “Sit Down Shut Up.”
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October 14, 2009
Local teen's toon plays on national TV
12-year-old Bailey middle school student Jesse Lee Farquhar is one in 4,714, but she can be forgiven for feeling like one in a million. Her short animated film, “Living Room Goes On,” was one of 14 entires out of 66,000 selected to be broadcast nationally.
Farquhar’s film will make its world television premiere on Wednesday, October 14 at approximately 2:10 PM (CT) on the “qubo on ION TV” programming block on ION Television network. The animated film will also air on qubo Channel on October 14 at 3 PM (CT) and will air several times a day on qubo Channel for one week until the next quboPic film debuts the following Wednesday. Additional, it can be seen on the “qubo on NBC” and “qubo on Telemundo” (in Spanish) programming blocks on October 17 and on qubo.com.)
Farquhar created her short animated film using an innovative storytelling web application on qubo.com called “Zimmer Twins.” The Zimmer Twins, Edgar and Eva, are animated characters featured in interactive cartoons that kids can create from scratch, modify and share with their friends in a rich, safe web environment.
qubo producers have re-mastered Farquhar’s animated film, converting it to high-resolution video with broadcast quality color, music and sound effects. They have also enlisted character actors to record the dialogue and narration written by Farquhar in her text bubble script.
Here’s a complete listing of when Farquhar’s work can be seen locally:
On Wednesday, Oct 14:
2:10 PM (CT) on ION network (channel # varies by cable operator - it’s channel 38 on Time Warner)
3 PM (CT) on qubo Channel- AT&T Uverse subscribers get qubo Channel on Channel 328 (will have multiple airings on qubo Channel for one week)
3 PM (CT) online at: http://qubo.com/videos.asp
On Saturday, Oct 17
7:10 AM (CT) on Telemundo (check local listings for Channel #)
9:10 AM (CT) on local NBC station KXAN- TV (Channel 4)
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October 8, 2009
'The Austin Daytripper' premieres tonight on KLRU
Chet Garner hits the road at 9:30 tonight on PBS station KLRU. As the energetic, affable host of “The Austin Daytripper,” Garner’s show visits areas within driving distance of Austin, perfect for a mini-vacation lasting just one day.
On the premiere episode, Garner and crew travel to Waco, visiting Health Camp — an ironically-named greasy burger joint, Baylor University, the Dr. Pepper Museum, Cameron Park, George’s Restaurant and Bar and Poppa Rollo’s Pizza.
Whew. That’s a lot to pack into one day.
Garner is a charming and humorous host, whether doing burger-inspired calisthenics (let’s just call them calorie-isthenics) outside of Health Camp, mispronouncing the names of animals at the Cameron Park Zoo (I’m pretty sure he called a Komodo Dragon a Kimono Dragon) or playing up Poppa Rollo’s as a Godfather-inspired mob hangout (it’s not).
The segments have the quick-cut look and feel of shows you might see on either the Travel Channel or the Food Network, and incorporate elements of both. Some of them carry on just a bit long (Cameron Park mountain biking, I’m looking at you), but how much else is there to do in Waco?
The hijinks are aided by Jeff Schuessler’s clever animation.
In addition to KLRU Thursday night airings, “The Austin Daytripper” is available to Time Warner Cable customers through Central Texas on Demand (Austin-channel 1400, Waco/Kileen channel 200) and the program can be seen online at www.klru.tv.
I can’t wait to see where Garner goes next. Here’s a promo for the series:
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October 5, 2009
JB and Sandy make KEYE TV debut
Radio personalities JB and Sandy of Mix 94.7 made their daily television debut this morning on KEYE. The CBS television affiliate recently axed its morning news program, moving anchor Fred Cantu to Spanish-language Telemundo and co-anchor Michelle Valles to the station’s new 4 p.m. lifestyle show.
Airing from 6-7 a.m., the show — a simulcast of the duo’s morning radio program — is pretty much what you’d expect. It features the pair shooting the breeze, along with sidekick Alex Franco. Sara Osburn joins in the discussion and handles the newsier aspects of the telecast.
Four people sitting around a table, wearing headphones and talking into microphones … it’s not much of a television show (visuals amounted to still photos and file footage) but who really sits in front of the TV for a solid hour on a weekday morning? You’re getting ready for work or getting the kids ready for school and you really just want some chatter in the background with occasional weather and traffic breaks (this morning’s show had three, deftly handled by KEYE’s Kelly Slifka).
The four personalities have an easy rapport, but the chatter — this morning centering on David Letterman, the Austin City Limits festival and the worst Austin intersections for traffic — didn’t seem particularly amusing or insightful. Let’s cut the quartet some slack, though, it must be odd for radio guys to suddenly have cameras thrust upon them. Sandy seemed a little nervous and Sara kept glancing up at the overhead camera. Franco was too comfortable, twisting back and forth in his chair. Only JB seemed perfectly at ease, and I’m sure the others will come along.
Interestingly, toward the end of the broadcast, Sandy betrayed a radio reflex: to call Alex over, he waved his hand and silently motioned for him, then whispered to him off mic while a caller complained about a particularly snarled intersection. This is the kind of thing that’s best kept from radio listeners but sticks out like a sore thumb to television viewers. JB and Sandy are going to have to figure out how to reconcile their approach to two separate and distinct audiences.
Toward the end of the show, Sandy teased a segment that would be coming up at 7:15, after the televised portion would have concluded. It was a smart move … clearly they hope people will hop into their cars for their commutes and tune to the Mix. They never even said goodbye to their television audience; that duty was left to Slifka.
As a whole, the broadcast reminded me of the water cooler chit-chat you hear (or participate in) when you arrive at the office. It’s fun to listen to, but I’m not sure why I wouldn’t just turn on the radio.
Note: Sandy McIlree was kind enough to contact me and thanks me for my comments. He also pointed out that I had confused him with JB Hager. Oops. I think I’ve swapped all the references above; they should be correct now. And I’ve got the visual, so I won’t make that mistake again. See? The simulcast is already paying off!
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September 25, 2009
Another 'Friday Night Lights' casting call
On location casting is once again looking for paid extras to appear in “Friday Night Lights,” the locally-shot NBC/DirecTV show about central Texas football.
“We are currently filming all over the Austin, TX area and are looking for local residents to work as Extras on our show,” a casting agency spokesperson said.
If selected to work as an extra, all extras positions are paid at $7.25 per hour. All applicants must be US citizens and have valid photo ID and social security cards. No experience is necessary for these positions.
The agency is specifically seeking African American and Hispanic Extras of all ages to portray high school students, community neighbors, football fans and various other extras roles.
The casting call takes place Saturday, Sept. 26 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Millennium Youth Center, 1156 Hargrave St. in Austin. No preparation is necessary (except for the valid ID and social security card) — just show up prepared to have your picture taken.
If you are not able to attend this open casting call, the agency invites you to visit its Web site and fill out a free Talent Application (you’ll need to upload a couple of photos).
For further information email the agency at fnl_extras@yahoo.com.
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Blanco band lends 'FNL' a hand
On Sept. 17, the Blanco High School marching band got its marching orders: grab your instruments, don’t bother tuning ‘em and report to San Marcos to appear on an episode of “Friday Night Lights.” The NBC/DirecTV show needed a band to sit in the stands and pose as the San Marcos Rattlers and Blanco band director, David Shirk got the call, according to this story in the Blanco County News.
The band is scheduled to appear in the third episode, airing sometime in November on DirecTV and summer 2010 on NBC.
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September 21, 2009
TV Profile: Crestina Chavez
Each week we hop on the couch to find out what you’re watching. Check back every Monday to see who’s next.
Crestina Chavez
News 8 Austin Evening Anchor
Number of years in this position: 3-1/2 years; at News 8 Austin for almost 7 years.
I love my job because: There’s nothing more intriguing than meeting the characters in Austin that make it such a great place to live. I also love working in the town I grew up in.
Here’s what’s on my DVR: Last season’s final episode of “Lost,” just in case I ever get the urge to make sense of it all; last season’s final episode of “CSI” and “CSI: NY,” I WILL get around to watching them before the season begins; the latest episodes of “Monk” and “Psych”; a ridiculous number of episodes of “Yo Gabba Gabba” and “Little Einsteins” for my 2 year old to enjoy.
My all-time favorite TV show is: “The Dick Van Dyke Show” — classic!
You’ll never catch me watching: I’m not a big fan of reality TV — so no “Bachelor,” “Survivor,” “Fear Factor,” “Amazing Race,” or “America’s Top Model” for me. Having said that, I LOVE “American Idol”!
If I have insomnia, the show that lulls me back to sleep is: I’ll watch reruns of “CSI,” “Law & Order,” or “Law & Order: SVU.” It has to be a rerun or I’ll end up watching it.
A current show I never miss is: Thank goodness for DVR or I’d miss all my shows! My husband and I always watch “The Office,” “Lost” and “24” together. But, my guilty pleasure that I end up watching all by myself … “Grey’s Anatomy”.
If my TV is on, it’s probably tuned to this channel: Probably Channel 875! (The DVR Channel). Seriously, working at night means I have a lot of catching up to do. I watch “News 8 Austin” when I get ready for work. I do watch a ridiculous amount of ESPN.
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September 11, 2009
Jenna Bush Hager's "Today" debut in Texas
TVNewser.com has posted an item about Jenna Bush Hager’s first appearance as a “Today” show correspondent on Friday, Sept. 18.
“The ‘Everything is bigger in Texas’ themed-show (my comment: sigh) will broadcast live from the new Cowboys Stadium two days before the Sunday Night Football match-up between the Cowboys and New York Giants,” the site reports.
According to NBC, Hager will profile Dalton Sherman, an 11-year-old motivational speaker from Dallas.
Here’s video of Sherman from YouTube:
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September 7, 2009
TV Profile: Quita Culpepper
You might know them, but do you know what they watch? This week we hop on the couch with our first KVUE victim. Check back each Monday to see who’s next.
KVUE Reporter/Weekend Daybreak Anchor
Number of years in this position: almost 11 years (I started at KVUE in Nov. 1998). Time flies when you’re having fun!
I love my job because: I’m a storyteller at heart — not only do I get to bring interesting, compelling issues to the forefront, I get to meet so many great people, and every day is something new and different
Here’s what’s on my DVR: Iron Chef, Dr. Who, Being Human and The Soup
My all-time favorite TV show is: Family Guy — funny, raunchy genius!
You’ll never catch me watching: Jon and Kate Plus 8
If I have insomnia, the show that lulls me back to sleep is: A golf tournament. Zzzzzzzz
A current show I never miss is: Private Practice
If my TV is on, it’s probably tuned to: BBC America or the Food Network
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September 3, 2009
Austin's Mehcad Brooks joins ABC legal drama
Mehcad Brooks, the former Austinite who appeared as a regular cast member on the just-ending second season of the HBO vampire drama “True Blood,” has signed onto “The Deep End,” an ABC mid-season legal drama.
Brooks, a graduate of Anderson High School, previously appeared on television in “Boston Public,” “Desperate Housewives,” “The Game” and “Dollhouse,” and has been seen in movies including “In the Valley of Elah” and “Glory Road.”
On “The Deep End,” Brooks will play Malcolm Bennet, an associate at the program’s fictional L.A. law firm.
Does this mean the actor’s “True Blood” character, Benedict “Eggs” Talley,” is on his way out? I hope so. The “zombie” arc that has dominated the second half of the season has been fun (and increasing viewership has certainly raised Brooks’ profile) but it’s wearing out its welcome. It will be nice to see the actor in a role where he can stretch out a little.
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September 2, 2009
JB & Sandy bringing their act to KEYE-TV
UPDATE: Michelle Valles is posting, via Facebook, that KEYE morning co-anchor Fred Cantu will be assigned to KEYE partner Telemundo. Valles announced last week, in a similar fashion, that she would be leaving the KEYE morning newscast to co-host a 4 p.m. lifestyle show with weekend anchor Jason Wheeler.
Details to follow.
==============
Austin’s award-winning morning radio talk show “JB and Sandy in the Morning” will be aired on KEYE-TV live every morning beginning October 5. KEYE-TV cameras will be in the studio every morning with the talk show hosts for the first hour (6am 7am) of their four-hour radio show.
Here is KEYE’s press release:
Austin, Texas (September 2, 2009) - KEYE-TV, the CBS affiliate serving the Austin market, announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Entercom Communications and KAMX-FM “Mix 94.7” to launch Austin’s first television broadcast of the JB and Sandy in the Morning radio show beginning October 5, 2009 at 6:00 am CT on Channel 42.
Amy Villarreal, President and General Manager of KEYE, commented, “As most of our viewers are aware, Austin has four great television news morning shows that are all essentially the same. Through KEYE¹s unique partnership with Entercom, KAMX, and the JB and Sandy radio morning show, we will offer our early morning Central Texas viewers and advertisers an innovative, entertaining approach to morning television.”
JB and Sandy in the Morning launched in January 1996 and is hosted by morning team personalities JB and Sandy, sidekick Alex Franco (Digitz) and features Sara Osburn and Cassiday Proctor. The award-winning show has emerged as a leading radio morning show in Austin with its compelling blend of humor, reality and listener involvement and interaction and airs weekday mornings from 6:00 am to 10:00 am on Mix 94.7 and worldwide at mix947.com.
During the KEYE-TV television broadcasts, KEYE¹s morning meteorologist Kelly Slifka will provide live local weather and traffic updates from the KEYE-TV studios.
In addition to hosting one of Austin’s leading morning shows, JB and Sandy have used the show as a platform to underscore their commitment to community service and their loyal listeners. Over the past 12 years, their “Bikes for Kids” program has raised more than one million dollars and put more than 10,000 new bicycles in the hands of Central Texas children in need. Recently, they raised $600,000 for a Child Life Activity Center on the oncology floor of the Dell Children¹s Hospital.
“There are only a handful of radio personalities across the country that engage their listeners, serve their communities and deliver superior advertiser results like JB and Sandy,” said Nancy Vaeth-DuBroff, Vice-President & Market Manager for Entercom Austin. “Partnering with KEYE-TV and CBS will allow JB and Sandy to reach a larger audience, thus benefiting our valuable advertisers, listeners and viewers and the local Austin community.”
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Ryan Seacrest wants to hear your dreams
Got a dream?
Is it extraordinary? Selfless? Off the wall?
Need money to make it happen?
Producer Ryan Seacrest (he really is the new Dick Clark!) is holding an open casting call in Austin on Saturday, Sept. 12, to hear your pitches for a new cable network show called “Chance.”
“Is there something you’ve always wanted but could never quite afford?” Seacrest’s press release reads. “Do you have a lifelong ambition that you are desperate to fulfill? We’re looking for people 14+ to come up with unique, inspiring, outlandish and exciting ideas! If you need money and want your dreams to come true, come plead your case at one of our open calls. Whether you’re asking for $50 or $250,000 — if you’ve got passion and the gift of gab, the money could be yours!! You can literally ask for anything!!!”
(My dream is to be able to purchase more exclamation points, since I just used the last 50 I had quoting Seacrest’s press release.)
The ‘American Idol’ host’s peeps are only making five stops nationwide and our city is on the list, so maybe your odds are pretty good. The Austin stop will be Sept. 12 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the YMCA Town Lake Branch, 1100 W. Cesar Chavez St.
Make sure to check out the show’s Web site before you go; there’s an application form there and a list of required items you must bring with you.
Happy begging!
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September 1, 2009
Bush twin nabs NBC correspondent slot
Pop quiz: which member of the Bush family has parlayed a natural ability to communicate and connect with people into a spell in the national spotlight?
According to Jim Bell, executive producer of NBC’s “Today,” that’d be Bush twin Jenna Bush Hager, who has been hired as a contributing correspondent for the popular morning news and talk program.
“She has great passion about important subjects, especially education and literacy,” Bell says, according to news agency Reuters.
Bush Hager, a University of Texas graduate and school teacher who has authored two New York Times best sellers and is currently the Young Leadership Ambassador & Chair for UNICEF’s Next Generation committee will begin her “Today” gig on Sept. 14.
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August 31, 2009
TV Profile: Michelle Valles
You might know them, but do you know what they watch? This week we hop on the couch with a friendly face from KEYE who is about to switch jobs. Check back each Monday to see who’s next.
Michelle Valles
Morning news co-anchor at KEYE 42
Number of years in this position: 11 years of broadcast journalism, 8 months at KEYE.
I love my job because: I get to interview incredible people and share stories with thousands of viewers (getting a press pass or access doesn’t hurt either)
Here’s what’s on my DVR: KEYE mornings shows, Austin City Limits featuring Willie Nelson and Asleep at the Wheel, and HBO series Weeds and Hung (my boyfriend recorded those)
My all-time favorite TV show is: Austin City Limits
You’ll never catch me watching: Soap operas ( unless they are mexican novelas) or Nancy Grace
If I have insomnia, the show that lulls me back to sleep is: Golf
A current show I never miss is: CBS Sunday Morning News
If my TV is on, it’s probably tuned to this channel: KEYE 42 or PBS (KLRU)
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August 29, 2009
Be an extra on 'Friday Night Lights'
OnlocationCating.net has put out the call for “Friday Night Lights” extras from the Austin area. The company is seeking to fill its general extras and featured extras positions with new faces who have never worked on the show before.
Specifically sought are:
• African American men, women and children, all ages
• Hispanic men, women and children, all ages
• Football players: 18-23 years old, all ethnicities especially African American and Hispanic, young looking, athletic, football experience helpful but not required, must know how to put on pads and uniform
• Pop Warner/Pee Wee football players: 5-12 years old, African American, some football playing experience is helpful
• Cheerleaders & dance team: female, 18-23 years old, all ethnicities especially African American and Hispanic, cute
• African American and Hispanic coaches: 28-60, athletic, previous coaching experience helpful but not required
All positions are paid, the company says.
Also sought are general extras (fans, teachers, students, restaurant patrons, townspeople, etc.). These roles are open to all ages and ethnicities, especially African Americans and Hispanics. No experience is required.
More information and application information can be found on the company’s Web site.
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August 24, 2009
TV Profile: Robert Hadlock
You might know them, but do you know what they watch? This week we hop on the couch with a familiar face from KXAN. Check back each Monday to see who’s next.
Robert Hadlock
Weeknight news co-anchor at KXAN Austin News
Number of years in this position: 19
I love my job because: I work with a great team on the air and behind the scenes. Plus, I’ve had opportunities to do some really neat things.
Here’s what’s on my DVR: 5 episodes of Man vs Food; the final episode of Friday Night Lights from season 3; a news blooper from a competing station; Big Brother (for Mrs. Hadlock); Fr. John Corapi; 3 or 4 movies that we were going to “finish watching later.”
My all-time favorite TV show is: Friday Night Lights
You’ll never catch me watching: The Daily Show
If I have insomnia, the show that lulls me back to sleep is: The Larry King Show
A current show I never miss is: The PGA Tour on NBC/CBS
If my TV is on, it’s probably tuned to this channel: KXAN (except for Kathie Lee and Hoda’s 4th hour of TODAY)
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August 19, 2009
SXSW winner on HBO2 Wednesday night
A son sets out to make a portrait of his eccentric father but instead ends up exposing the secrets of his entire family in “In a Dream.” The documentary, which took home the Emerging Visions Audience Award at this year’s SXSW Film Festival, premieres tonight at 7 p.m. on HBO2.
Cinematical’s Scott Weinberg called it “one of the most unexpectedly touching documentaries I’ve ever seen.”
From the HBO press release:
The film follows artist Isaiah Zagar and his muse and gallerist wife Julia who are fixtures in the South Philadelphia art scene. They have enlivened the city with their stunning work for decades. Their home and other properties around the city are covered in elaborate mosaics of tile and mirror fragments, documenting Isaiah’s love for Julia and for his two sons, Zeke and Jeremiah. But the fantasy world Isaiah constructs through his murals cannot completely hide the darker reality that threatens his relationship, sanity, and family.
The movie’s Web site is here. Check out the trailer:
IN A DREAM: Theatrical Trailer from Herzliya Films on Vimeo.
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August 18, 2009
Aymond installation Mass to be televised
EWTN Global Catholic Network will televise the Mass of Installation of Gregory Aymond as he becomes the 14th archbishop of New Orleans, according to a news release from the network.
The Mass will air live starting at 2 p.m. Thursday. It will be rebroadcast starting at 11 that night.
Aymond had been bishop of the Diocese of Austin since 2000
In Austin, EWTN is available on Time Warner Cable, Grande Communications and AT&T U-verse systems.
Update: EWTN is Channel 297 on Time Warner Cable, 191 on Grande and 562 on U-Verse. The broadcast will also live-steam at the EWTN Web site. Click on “Multimedia” at the top of the page and then “Multimedia Home” on the drop-down menu. EWTN is broadcast in Spanish on U-verse Channel 3077 and Time-Warner Channel 649.
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August 17, 2009
TV Profile: Dutch Rall
You might know them, but do you know what they watch? This week we hop on the couch with the producer of “In Context” and the new “Stage Left.” Check back each Monday to see who’s next.
Dutch Rall,
Producer/Director, KLRU
Number of years in this position: 4
I love my job because: Being a PBS station, KLRU allows me to create things for the right reasons.
Here’s what’s on my DVR:
I don’t own one.
My all-time favorite TV show is: Watching Ali fights over at my grandfather’s when I was little.
You’ll never catch me watching: Daytime courtroom reality shows. They’re embarrassing for everyone involved, including the viewer.
If I have insomnia, the show that lulls me back to sleep is: Some old classic on AMC.
A current show I never miss is: “Mad Men” … it’s pretty much perfect.
If my TV is on, it’s probably tuned to this channel: Q - KLRU’s 18-3
Dutch Rall photo by Eli Reed
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August 12, 2009
Live in Austin? Ty Pennington wants to fix up your house
ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” is looking for Austin abodes to upgrade.
From the ABC press release:
“We are looking for the deserving people and inspiring families that America can really root for,” says Casting Supervisor Morgan Fahey. “We’re looking for those special people who have amazing strength of character and never give up. Whether it’s keeping their chin up in really tough circumstances or going out of their way to help others. We want to help people whose stories have really affected their community or made a big difference in other people’s lives.
“There are a lot of people who are heroes to those around them because of the way they inspire others and quietly serve their communities on a daily basis,” Fahey added.
The “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” producers are looking for families whose homes desperately need to be rebuilt. “We really want to help families whose homes present major problems for the family, those big issues that affect the family’s quality of life on a daily basis. We want to find deserving people who just don’t have the resources, ability, or time to fix those serious issues without our help.”
To be eligible, a family must own their own single family home and be able to show producers how a makeover will make a huge difference in their lives. Interested families should e-mail a short description of their family story to casttexas@gmail.com
Nominations may be submitted by the family or by a member of their community. Each nomination must include the names and ages of every member of the household along with a description of the major challenges within the home. Anyone submitting a nomination should be sure to explain why the nominated family is deserving, heroic, and/or a great role model for their community. If possible, include a recent photo of the family. All nominations must include a contact phone number.
The deadline for nominations is August 25th, 2009. For more information on how to apply visit ABC’s website.
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July 27, 2009
Local terrorism victim on 'The Wanted' tonight
Roger Carstens, from left, Adam Ciralsky and Scott Tyler track terrorists on NBC’s ‘The Wanted’.
Ellen Bomer, a Wimberley resident who was blinded in a 1998 embassy bombing in Nairobi, was inteviewed for tonight’s 8 p.m. CT episode of NBC’s “The Wanted.”
The show has taken a beating from critics for applying cinematic drama and over-the-top, “Bourne Identity” posturing and visuals to what are basically clerical maneuvers in extradition cases of known terror suspects. (Slate Magazine wrote that the show was “coming to air just in time for Walter Cronkite to roll over in his grave.”)
The show’s first outing last week scored such low ratings, according to televisionbythenumbers.com, that NBC moved the show up an hour and filled the 9pm slot with “Dateline” to avoid damaging the ratings for “Late Night with Conan O’Brien.” Ouch.
It’s difficult to argue against the idea of raising public awareness about convicted terrorists walking free — just ask Bomer. But maybe an overblown mess like “The Wanted” isn’t the best way to do it.
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July 26, 2009
Austin's Katie Holland on 'Army Wives' tonight
She’s finally maid it! Former Austinite Katie Holland (in the maid costume) on Lifetime’s ‘Army Wives’.
Class of 2003 Austin High Red Dragon Players staple Katie Holland, 24, makes her television debut tonight on Lifetime’s popular ‘Army Wives’. The actress appears in a couple of sexy outfits when the main wives — who think they are attending an at-home housewares party — find themselves at a “spice up your marriage” affair.
Holland, who used to gather up the neighborhood kids to put on plays, now lives outside of Charleston, South Carolina where the series is filmed. “I have always loved theater, have loved acting, ever since I can remember,” she says.
Holland’s mother, who you can bet will be glued to the television Sunday night (“this is a big deal,” she says, “I’ve already bought the champagne”) verifies her daughter’s ambitions. “Katie’s wanted to be an actress since she was about 3,” she says. “It was evident early on.”
Hollands’ theatrical ambitions have been supported throughout her education at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York, her appearances off-Broadway and independent films, and her move to South Carolina, where she performs with a theater group called Reverve. There, Holland was awarded Best of Charleston 2009; New Talent, for a show called ‘Dog Sees God; Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead’.
“We are thrilled and so proud that she had the gumption to go against the grain and follow her dream,” her mom says.
Catch Holland on “Army Wives” at 9 p.m. tonight on Lifetime and in repeats throughout the week. You can watch a trailer for tonight’s episode by clicking here.
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July 15, 2009
Local dog lands on 'CBS Evening News'
Using a wheelchair from Doggon’ Wheels, Fiona is able to walk on the hike and bike trail with Sawyers-Robles. Kelly West photo/American-Statesman
“Princess Fiona,” profiled by American-Statesman fitness writer Pam Leblanc in a May Life & Arts section, is hitting the big time.
The beefy cane corso (pronounced kah-ne korso) mastiff — paralyzed from the hips down — was adopted from Cane Corso Rescue by Austin occupational therapist Liz Sawyers-Robles and put to work at KidVentures Therapy, interacting with children who have autism and other developmental delays.
Tonight, Fiona is scheduled to appear along with Cane Corso Rescue and the KidVentures kids on the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric (5:30 p.m., KEYE).
Read Pam’s story, complete with more photos and video, here.
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June 25, 2009
I'll be all 'Idol' in Dallas on Friday
What will you be doing tomorrow at 4 a.m.?
I’ll be up in Arlington, hitting my snooze alarm “one more time” and dragging myself into the shower before heading over to Cowboys New Stadium for ‘American Idol’ tryouts.
No, I’m not auditioning (unless my singing in the shower sounds particularly good!) but I will be pounding the pavement in 100 degree temps to talk with several Austinites who are. I’ll also blog here about the scene and send out frequent updates — including photos — via Twitter.
Is there anything you’d like to ask Austin’s “Idol” hopefuls? Post your questions below and I’ll pass ‘em along.
You can follow me on Twitter by clicking here.
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May 28, 2009
Texas Film Hall of Fame Awards highlights on KLRU tonight
Brendan Fraser and Catherine Hardwicke were among the honorees at the Texas Film Hall of Fame Awards Ceremony at Austin Studios Thursday, March 12, 2009. Thomas Haden Church, right, emceed the event. Photo by Larry Koolvord, Austin American-Statesman
Didn’t fraternize with Fraser? Missed hobnobbing with Billy Bob? See them from 8-9 p.m. tonight as highlights from the 2009 Texas Film Hall of Fame Awards are shown on KLRU. The awards ceremony, which was held at Austin Studios on March 12, 2009, will also be re-broadcast on KLRU2 at 9 p.m. June 3.
Emceed by Thomas Haden Church, this year’s honorees were Larry Hagman, Powers Boothe, Catherine Hardwicke, Thornton and the Wes Anderson film, “Rushmore.” Presenters included Linda Gray, Keith Carradine, Brendan Fraser and Dennis Quaid. Luke Wilson accepted honors on behalf of “Rushmore’s” cast and crew.
Other special guests included “Friday Night Lights” cast members Kyle Chandler, Connie Britton, Brad Leland and Dana Wheeler-Nicholson. Grammy Award-winning musician Ray Benson, 2003 Hall of Fame inductee Tobe Hooper (director of 1974’s “Texas Chainsaw Massacre”), Beastie Boy Adam Yauch and AFS Artistic Director and 2007 Hall of Fame inductee Richard Linklater, who honored the work of Horton Foote, are also featured. Foote was inducted into the Texas Film Hall of Fame in 2003 and died earlier this year at the age of 92.
Located at Austin Film Society’s Austin Studios, the Texas Film Hall of Fame Awards are presented by AT&T and recognize actors, directors, screenwriters, musicians, filmmakers and films from, influenced or inspired by the Lone Star State. The proceeds from the event benefit the educational and artistic programs of AFS.
For more information on Austin Film Society, visit the group’s Web site.
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It's a good start for Mike Judge's 'Goode' comedy
Mike Judge is no stranger to poking fun. “Office Space” skewered corporate America while “King of the Hill” took on the frequently redneck residents of Arlen, Texas. “Beavis and Butt-head?” Well, they pretty much disdained everything they saw, whether it was music videos or each other.
But at the heart of it all — yes, even in “Beavis,” there was a genuine affection for the characters, and that’s what’s missing — so far — in Judge’s “The Goode Family,” a new half-hour animated sitcom which pokes fun at a family of zealous tree-huggers (they even have a vegan dog). The folks in “King of the Hill” were so well-rounded and real, and the dialogue so sharp and authentic, that the show could have been easily produced with a live-action cast. “Goode,” however, is crammed full of jokes, and not the subtle, character-based kind for which “KotH” was famous.
The pilot episode opens cleverly enough, with a close-up of a hybrid auto’s bumper and a sticker which reads, “Support our troops — and their opponents.” The Goodes shop at a Whole Foods-like store even though they can’t really afford it because, well, it’s the right thing to do (and the cheaper stores are off limits because “they don’t even have a mission statement.”)
Hey — it’s not easy being green.
The animation is reminiscent of “KotH” and the voice talent is good, especially Judge as the Goode family patriarch, Gerald, whose cadence is identical to Hank Hill’s even though the two characters could not sound more different. A subplot which poked fun at abstinence-only zealots and chastity balls makes me hopeful that “Goode” is not just the one-note, green-bashing series intimated by ABC’s promos.
Here’s what the perceived left and right thought about “The Goode Family:”
First up, NPR. Under the headline, “The Goode Family”: Mike Judge’s Disappointing New Comedy, Linda Holmes writes:
What Judge is trying to get at here is a richly mockable comedic target; satire about the tensions between environmental responsibility and convenience, the tendency to proselytize about hybrid cars, whatever — there’s plenty of raw material … But the execution just isn’t funny enough to justify watching an entire half-hour show to get to those moments — even in the summer.
Over on the other side, FOX News hasn’t weighed in with a review, but for an advance article about the show, the network found a media expert who called it an antidote to the raft of PC-leaning network comedies.
Did you watch “The Goode Family?” Will you watch again? Are you surprised that FOX News was optimistic while NPR clearly did not like the show?
Post your thoughts below.
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May 27, 2009
Austin doc gives prescription for happy life on 'Today'
Carrie Contey, PhD, co-founder of Slow Family Living, will be featured on “The Today Show’s” fourth hour segment with Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb Thursday at 9am.
The segment will focus on how families are being forced to look at family life in the face of the ailing economy. As a co-founder of Slow Family Living along with Austin writer and mother of four Bernadette Noll, Contey will be interviewed with the editor of Parents Magazine.
“Slow Family Living provides the tools, support and inspiration that guide people in slowing down, connecting and enjoying life as individuals and within the family,” Contey says.
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Will greenies think the new Mike Judge comedy is 'Goode?'
Austinite Mike Judge has a new show, “The Goode Family,” premiering tonight at 8 p.m. on KVUE (ABC). The half-hour, animated comedy from the creator of “King of the Hill” and “Office Space” focuses on the Goodes, a family of hardcore tree huggers whose motto is ‘WWAGD — What Would Al Gore Do?’
Research led me to this post by Mother Nature Network blogger Shea Gunther. He posted a few clips from the show — and a synopsis — but offered little opinion beyond this: “I’m really excited about ‘The Goode Family,’ a new animated series from Mike Judge, the voice and brains behind ‘King of the Hill’.”
I wanted to know why a environmental activist would be excited about a show that appears to have set its satiric sights on environmental activists (apparently so did some of his readers, who responded to his post with disbelief) so I got a hold of Gunther, who was kind enough to elaborate.
“I’m excited about the Goode Family because I’m a huge fan of Mike Judge,” Gunther says. “I think ‘King of the Hill’ is one of the better shows on TV; he has a subtle touch that humanizes the red neck Texan lifestyle as seen through the Hill family. I’m hopeful that he’ll do the same for greenies through the Goode family.”
Gunther insists he’s not worried about the show’s potential to poke fun at environmental activists. “First off,” he says, “we’re a pretty funny group of people — we put our food scraps in special containers on the kitchen counter, wear funky clothes, eat funny food, and sometimes we smell bad. What’s not to laugh about that?”
He claims that a group has to be able to laugh at itself if it hopes to become a mainstream movement.
“You know you’ve hit the big time when either ‘The Simpsons,’ ‘South Park’ or Mike Judge are making fun of you,” he says. “We just have to roll with it and enjoy the ride.”
Gunther claims that environmentalists, as a whole, don’t mind being made fun of.
“The most hilariously stereotypical environmentalists will probably get all huffy about it, not that that’s a hard thing to do. For the most part though, we’re a fun bunch of people and I think ‘The Goode Family’ is going to find many a fan in the world of greenies.”
What do you think? Do you use special containers for your table scraps? What’s your take on “The Goode Family?”
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May 22, 2009
Pamela who? Former Austinite worked on just-cancelled ABC show
There’s a familiar, local name amidst the casualties of ABC’s May 18 cancellation of the Christina Applegate vehicle, “Samantha Who.”
Austinites might remember the show’s executive story editor, Pamela Ribon, from distant past work with local comedy ensemble “Monk’s Night Out” and her contributions to the Big Stinkin’ Sketch and Improv Comedy Festival and FronteraFest. In addition to a slew of local and national theatrical events, Ribon (currently residing in Los Angeles) has also worked on the television shows “Hot Properties” and “Mind of Mencia.” She was a charter contributor to “Technopolis,” The American-Statesman’s late, lamented personal technology section.
“Samantha Who” was the highest-rated sitcom to debut during the 2007-2008 television season, but lost several million viewers while changing time slots in its second season and moving from Monday to Thursday nights this spring. Variety claims that the large number of new series ABC picked up this fall made “Samantha” expendable.
“It was a pleasure working with everybody and I’m honored to have been part of such a fine show,” Ribon says. She’s finishing up her third novel — she calls it “kind of an eat, pray, love about roller derby (eat, cry, shove, if you will)” — and looking forward to her next television adventure.
Read more about the self-proclaimed pop culture princess at her Web site.
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May 4, 2009
Austinite on 'Jeopardy'
Elyssa Browning, a 2006 graduate of Westlake High School, is one of 15 students selected to participate on “Jeopardy!” as part of the television game show’s 2009 College Championship series. Browning will represent St. John’s College in Annapolis, Md., where she is a junior.
The championship, which began Monday, runs through May 15. The first-round segment featuring Browning (who competes against students from Vassar and Emory) airs in Austin at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday (May 6) on KXAN. The semifinal and final rounds air next week.
Browning, whose passions include literature, history and foreign languages, won an individual gold medal in “Literary Criticism” in the 2006 UIL State Academic Meet with a record-setting score as a Westlake senior. In a video posted on the “Jeopardy!” website, Browning remarked that her dream category would be Texas History: “If every category was about Texas, that would be good.” In the response to the question: “Do you remember how old you were when you first started watching ‘Jeopardy!’?” Browning answered, “Probably in the womb.”
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'Southland,' featuring Austin's Ben McKenzie, renewed for 2nd season
NBC, struggling desperately these days in the primetime ratings race, today announced its roster of new and returning shows for the 2009-10 season.
“Southland,” featuring Austin’s own Ben McKenzie, made the cut. Relatively new to the airwaves, the cop drama slid into the old “ER” timeslot last month. Thirteen new episodes have been ordered for next season, according to Zap2It.
Cult favorite “Heroes” and newish “Parks & Recreation,” with “SNL” alum Amy Poehler, will also be back. Several other shows, including “Law & Order” and “Chuck,” will have to wait a while longer to learn their fates.
Speaking of “SNL,” look for primetime editions of “Weekend Update” to pop up soon, most likely on Thursday nights. Hey, desperate times call for desperate measures …
NBC’s decision to strip an hour-long show helmed by Jay Leno each weeknight at 9 this fall shows just how desperate the network is these days. The move eliminates five hours of scripted programming each week, saving millions of dollars.
Six new primetime shows — four dramas and two sitcoms — have also received a green light. Here are descriptions of each, courtesy of The Associated Press:
“Parenthood,” starring Peter Krause (“Six Feet Under”), Maura Tierney (“ER”), Craig T. Nelson (“Coach”) and Bonnie Bedelia as family members dealing with the pressures of life. The show was shadowed by tragedy last week when NBC executive Nora O’Brien died after collapsing on the set in Northern California.
“Trauma,” about the heroics of San Francisco paramedics and deemed by Silverman the “adrenaline-rush” successor to NBC’s recently departed “ER.” The cast includes Derek Luke (“Notorious”), Aimee Garcia (“George Lopez”) and Jamey Sheridan (“Law & Order: Criminal Intent”). Peter Berg is the executive producer.
“Mercy,” a hospital drama that puts nurses at center stage. The ensemble cast includes Taylor Schilling (“Dark Matter”), Jamie Lee Kirchner (“Rescue Me”), James Tupper (“Men in Trees”) and Guillermo Diaz (“Weeds”).
“Day One,” a saga about neighbors who must rebuild their lives and society after a mysterious catastrophe decimates the world’s infrastructure. Adam Campbell (“Date Movie”), Catherine Dent (“The Shield”) and Julie Gonzalo (“Eli Stone”) star. The drama is planned as a “big event” to follow the Winter Olympics, Silverman said.
“100 Questions,” a comedy about a young woman (Sophie Winkleman, “Peep Show”), looking for love with the help of an online dating site and counselor (Amir Talai, “The Ex List”). It’s a traditional multicamera sitcom, a format that has dimmed in popularity in recent years, but which NBC believes in, Bromstad said.
“Community,” a sitcom about community college misfits that brings Chevy Chase of “Saturday Night Live” fame back to TV. The cast includes Joel McHale (“The Soup”), Gillian Jacobs (“The Book of Daniel”) and Yvette Nicole Brown (“Rules of Engagement”).
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March 26, 2009
'Friday Night Lights': two more seasons announcement imminent, says EW
According to the blog post, the show will lose Minka Kelly and Adrianne Palicki, who will each get multi-episode sendoffs before saying goodbye to Dillon for good. That worked out well for Gaius Charles and Scott Porter, who each had very satisfying character arc endings in the current Season Three.
We’re sad to see them go, but have a feeling that the cast members of the show won’t be strangers to Austin.
I’ve seen the rest of Season Three (hey, I’ve got DirecTV, what can I say?) and the transition to Season Four is going to be one of huge changes for Coach Taylor and his family, as well as the Dillon Panthers. No spoilers, but trust me: it’s going to be a very different game next year. Expect to see lots more new characters at the start of Season Four. It sounds like the two-season deal would be the same as what happened with Season Three: shows would air on DirecTV first as it shoulders part of the production costs, then air later on NBC. I’m extremely biased, but that sounds fine to me.
(Via Sling Blog.)
(Photo by Rodolfo Gonzalez, AMERICAN-STATESMAN)
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March 5, 2009
Local dog loses moment in the sun on "America's Funniest Home Videos"
Chance and Yoko Nelson threw a party for themselves last Sunday to watch themselves and their dog win $100,000 on “America’s Funniest Home Videos.”
The taping, with host Tom Bergeron, actually happened in Los Angeles in mid-February. The show was scheduled and listed in various viewers’ guides for Mar. 1.
With friends, food and fun in place, the Nelsons turned to the ABC show at 6 p.m. on KVUE.
But instead of seeing the winning clip of their beloved Chihuahua Chester, who walks on his front paws and urinates at the same time, they saw an infomercial called “Hidden Millionaires’ Secrets.”
We’re not making this up about Chester. Check the YouTube video below.
“We already knew we had won,” said Chance, who works for Extra Space Storage in Austin. “So we had this big party. But the show was preempted, so we lost our moment in the sun.”
A source in KVUE’s programming department confirms that the infomercial was a last-minute schedule change, and they probably wouldn’t have done it if they had been aware that Austin’s own Chester was going to be featured as the big prize winner.
For the record, Chester thought up the hand-walking-urinating trick on his own. Chance Nelson swears neither he nor his wife taught him how to do it.
,
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January 14, 2009
Austinite on new season of 'Survivor'
Joe Dowdle, a 26-year-old real estate broker from Austin, is one of the 16 castaways who will take part in “Survivor: Tocantins — The Brazilian Highlands.”
The 18th season (yes, the show has been on forever) premieres Thursday, Feb. 12 on CBS.
Dowdle is a University of Texas graduate and an official member of the Texas Cowboys, a service organization that acts as “ambassadors” for the school.
When he is not working or volunteering, Joe enjoys playing basketball and golf in addition to working out and running. That’s according to his show bio.
In his “Survivor” statement, Dowdle says he thinks he’ll win the competition because he is “dedicated, goal oriented” and plans to use a “persuade-and-evade” strategy to make alliances and win challenges.
The cast list was released this morning. Click here for photos.
The rest of the cast
SANDY BURGIN
Age: 53
Hometown: Louisville, Ky.
Occupation: Bus driver
TYSON APOSTOL
Age: 29
Hometown: Lindon, Utah
Occupation: Professional cyclist
DEBRA ‘Debbie’ BEEBE
Age: 46
Hometown: Auburn, Ala.
Occupation: School principal
SPENCER DUHM
Age: 19
Hometown: Lakeland, Fla.
Occupation: Student
ERINN LOBDELL
Age: 26
Hometown: Waukesha, Wis.
Occupation: Hairstylist
CAROLINA EASTWOOD
Age: 26
Hometown: West Hollywood, Calif.
Occupation: Bartender
SIERRA REED
Age: 23
Hometown: Los Angeles
Occupation: Model
STEPHEN FISHBACH
Age: 29
Hometown: New York
Occupation: Corporate consultant
JERRY SIMS
Age: 49
Hometown: Rock Hill, S.C.
Occupation: U.S. Army sergeant.
TAJ JOHNSON-GEORGE
Age: 37
Hometown: Nashville, Tenn.
Occupation: Former pop star
CANDACE SMITH
Age: 31
Hometown: Dayton, Ohio
Occupation: Attorney
JAMES ‘JT’ THOMAS JR.
Age: 24
Hometown: Samson, Ala.
Occupation: Cattle rancher
BRENDAN SYNNOTT
Age: 30
Hometown: New York
Occupation: Entrepreneur
SYDNEY WHEELER
Age: 24
Hometown: Raleigh, N.C.
Occupation: Model
BENJAMIN ‘Coach’ WADE
Age: 37
Hometown: Bolivar, Mo.
Occupation: Soccer coach
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November 20, 2008
Meteorologist Laura Skirde leaving KXAN
Laura Skirde, KXAN’s ace weekend meteorologist and part-time reporter, is leaving Austin for the mountains of Denver, where she anticipates landing another job but doesn’t have one yet.
Her last weekend on the air here will be Nov. 29 and Nov. 30. Sniff, sniff.
“It’s a leap of faith but a very calculated move,” says Skirde, who came to KXAN from a morning roost in Peoria, Ill., in 2002.
“I’ve thought about it very deeply. My contract here was up, and they made me a nice offer to stay, and I do love the station, especially working with Jim Spencer. But I’m ready for a new challenge in my career.”
Specifically, Skirde, 35, is ready for prime time, and KXAN’s chief meteorologist Spencer is firmly entrenched in that top job.
“Laura is so talented, a terrific meteorologist,” said Michael Fabac, news director for KXAN. “Jim isn’t going anywhere, and Laura wants to free up her options. She’s been working weekends for a long time and wants to grow. She has the ability to do so much more than she’s doing.”
The station already has hired Skirde’s replacement, Natalie Stoll, a meteorologist from Sioux City, Iowa.
Since arriving in Austin, Skirde, who grew up in Denver and earned her degree at the University of Colorado at Boulder, has become a serious runner. A fixture on the hike-and-bike trail, she has run one marathon and plans to run more. She also enjoys golf and boating.
As she waits to land from her “leap of faith,” Skirde plans to spend a relaxed holiday season with her family in Denver. A white Christmas with time on the slopes sounds good to her.
And when she can announce that new job, which sounds like it’s more than just a possibility, Skirde says she’ll let us know.
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October 28, 2008
KXAN debuts new anchor, CBS cancels new show
KXAN welcomes Leslie Rhode (formerly Leslie Cook) back to the anchor desk tonight on the station’s 5, 6 and 10 p.m. local news.
As previously reported, Rhode (pronounced “roadie”) worked for Austin’s NBC station from 1995 to 2003. She and her husband Patrick moved to Washington, D.C., where he worked in the Bush White House and she landed a job as a reporter for WJLA.
That was then; this is now.
Rhode, who will co-anchor with former partner Robert Hadlock, unfortunately returns at a time when KXAN is missing a big chunk of its audience — probably more than 50 percent.
The station, which is owned by LIN TV, dropped off of Time Warner Cable on Oct. 3 in a contract dispute over retransmission payments. The stalemate continues.
Talk about bad timing …
And by the way, I’m working on an update of the KXAN/LIN vs. Time Warner Cable fiasco. Here’s my question to you, blog readers: Are you still watching NBC shows? How about KXAN’s local news? If so, how are you watching: over-the-air, online, satellite? I’d love to include this info in my next article. Post a comment here or send to dholloway@statesman.com. Thanks.
CBS kills ‘The Ex List’
CBS has dropped the ax on its romantic comedy “The Ex List.”
No big surprise since the show aired on Friday nights, and nobody — certainly not the twentysomething and thirtysomething crowd this show targeted — watches TV on Friday nights.
Elizabeth Reaser starred as a lovelorn woman searching for a hubby among the throngs of deadbeats she has dated in the past. Reaser, you might recall, played the disfigured Ava on “Grey’s Anatomy” last season.
“The Ex List” lasted only four episodes. Its Friday time slot will be filled this week by a rerun of “NCIS.”
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October 14, 2008
I'm b-a-a-a-ck! Local update plus "Eli" returns
Yikes! Out of the office for a week, and Austin hires two news anchors!
Neither newbie is on the air yet, but the lonely male anchors that have been flying solo for a while will have partners soon.
Devoted TV guy and fabulous colleague Gary Dinges of austin360.com reported the hires last week, bless him, but just to recap:
KVUE has hired Terri Gruca from a station in Minneapolis. She is scheduled to make her Austin debut Dec. 8 with Tyler Sieswerda. She replaces Christine Haas, who also came to Austin from Minneapolis — but left in August for a plum job in Houston.
KXAN trumpets the return of Leslie Rhode, a popular partner to Robert Hadlock from 1995 until 2003 when she was single and known as Leslie Cook. You’ll recognize her because she hasn’t changed … at all. She’s been working as a reporter and weekend anchor for Washington, D.C.’s WJLA while her husband worked a job in the Bush administration.
Time Warner Cable subscribers, of course, will have to find another way to see the new KXAN anchor if the current standoff isn’t resolved before her scheduled debut on Oct. 27.
Yes, that nasty standoff continues. I was hoping it would be over by now, but it looks like it’s going to drag into the November sweeps. KXAN and it’s corporate owner LIN TV wants Time Warner to pay for retransmission of its signal. Time Warner maintains KXAN gets its broadcast signal free and therefore should be free to subscribers.
Figure it out, corporate folks! We’re missing “The Office,” “30 Rock” and the final season of “ER.” Not to mention KXAN’s local news. And, no, I don’t like watching TV on my computer.
‘Eli Stone’ launches second season
One of the most imaginative and amusing midseason series from last spring returns tonight for another romp between fantasy and reality.
“Eli Stone” (9 p.m. on ABC) returns after lawyer Eli (Jonny Lee Miller) has had brain surgery to remove his vision-causing aneurysm. He’s experienced no earthquakes or rock star performances in six months. But after a crane crashes into a building, Eli’s brother Nate suddenly has a vision.
Next week’s “Eli” features Katie Holmes in a guest starring role in which she gets to sing AND dance. Will Mr. Katie Holmes (Tom Cruise) come along for the hoofing?
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September 16, 2008
Ben McKenzie heading back to Austin ... and back to TV
Remember Ben McKenzie, noted Austinite and star of “The O.C.,” “Junebug” and, more recently, “88 Minutes?”
Well, he phoned from Los Angeles this morning (good lord, it was 7:30 a.m. in L.A.!) with good news on a couple of fronts:
His film version of Dalton Trumbo’s 1939 book “Johnny Got His Gun” is opening Monday night at Austin’s Paramount Theatre. The actor, who was born and raised here in the wildly talented and tight-knit Schenkkan family, will attend the premiere.
Tickets are still available for a modest $15.50 with proceeds going to charity. Check GetTix.net or phone 866-443-8849 for information and tickets.
After the world opening, the film, also produced as a 1982 Broadway play, will shift to a wider opening and be seen here at the Dobie, beginning Sept. 26.
Filmed on an stark stage with only a bench and a chair, McKenzie plays Joe Bonham, an American soldier hit by artillery on the last day of World War I. The story takes place in the mind of this quadruple amputee who also lost his eyes, ears, nose and mouth. To communicate, he taps Morse code on his head, begging his caretakers to show him to the world as an example of the cruel cost of war.
The other good news from busy McKenzie: He’s filming an NBC pilot from John Wells (“ER,” “Saving Grace,” “The West Wing”) that is tentatively titled “L.A.P.D.” The cop drama hasn’t officially been picked up yet, but Wells doesn’t get many rejections, so it’s likely to be on NBC’s midseason schedule.
McKenzie, who turned 30 on Sept. 12, has played lots of different roles in his young career, but a cop isn’t one of them.
“This is pretty much the direct opposite of what I’ve been doing,” he said. “Right now I’m learning how to shoot.”
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August 27, 2008
Texas State Strutters to strut on 'America's Got Talent'
Look for the Texas State University Strutters to kick up their boots on “America’s Got Talent” next week.
The precision dance team from San Marcos will appear on Tuesday’s two-hour edition (starting at 7 p.m.) of the popular NBC reality show.
Not all of the 79 members of the team will appear, but director-choreographer Susan Angell-Gonzalez will present 14 of the kickers:
Rebecca Freeman — Conroe
Ashley Caterina — Friendswood
Julia Kelly — Round Rock
Kayla Hamilton — New Braunfels
Katie Quisenberry — Houston
Taryn Smith — Alvin
Sterling Martin — San Antonio
Jill Ellis — Luling
Ashley Pergande — Clear Lake
Rebecca Samuelson — Friendswood
Adriana Hattenberger — Houston
Kristin Juengel — Friendswood
Lindsey O’Neal — Bryan
Danielle Barone — Keller
The Strutters have been strutting for Texas State’s beloved Bobcats for 49 years, and they’ve performed in 22 countries around the world.
They were the first U.S. dance team to perform in the People’s Republic of China, according to the school. And they have hoofed it up at presidential inaugural parades, Macy’s Thanksgiving parades and various TV commercials and films.
Now their challenge is to impress David Hasselhoff.
The Dems draw a crowd in their convention debut
The Democrats pulled in a big audience on Monday’s convention opening night when Michelle Obama was the featured speaker. It was also the night ailing Ted Kennedy wowed the crowd with a surprise appearance.
At least 21 million viewers watched the Monday night coverage, according to Nielsen Media Research. That’s an improvement over the first night of the 2004 Democratic convention, when 18 million viewers tuned in.
The ratings represent the combined viewership of the three cable news networks and the four broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, NBC and PBS).
If the audience builds higher toward Barack Obama’s much anticipated acceptance speech Thursday night, it could be a record-breaker.
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August 20, 2008
Austinite competing on new season of 'Amazing Race'
Austin’s ever-growing population of reality show stars will grow yet again when CBS’s “The Amazing Race” returns for a new season on Sept. 28.
Christy Cook (that’s her on the right), described in the CBS announcement as a 26-year-old business developer from Austin, will join her best friend Kelly Crabb, (on the left) a pharmaceutical representative from Houston, in the adventure contest. Both young women also are described as “divorcees.”
Among the 11 teams scheduled to compete on “Amazing Race” are an ex-NFL player (Ken Greene) and his estranged wife (Tina), a former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader and her actor brother (Starr and Nick Spangler), married sixtysomething beekeepers who call themselves hippies and several best-pals and a few romantic couples.
Starting at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the teams will travel more than 30,000 miles in 23 days to countries such as Brazil, Bolivia, Russia, India and Kazakhstan. As usual, $1 million is the prize.
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August 1, 2008
Wanna be on 'Friday Night Lights'? Here's your chance!
Wanna be on a really good TV show, one that doesn’t make you beg for a date or humiliate yourself in any way?
Well, this just arrived via e-mail from our friends at “Friday Night Lights.”
We are back in Austin and ready to start casting PAID EXTRAS for Season 3 of the NBC television series “Friday Night Lights.”
If you have never worked on “Friday Night Lights” and are a NEW FACE — we would like to have you in our talent files for extra work.
We will be hiring extras from 8/1/08 through 11/26/08 and have many different days and types of extra work available. Average extras work day last between 8 and 12 hours.
Specialty types we are seeking for Season 3 include:
Panther Football Players: ages 18-24, must not be now playing or intending to play football in college as this will jeopardize your NCAA eligibility. Football experience strongly preferred but not required. But you should look like a high school football player. Players will need to be available on-call from 8/6/08 through 11/26/08 for multiple days of work. You must not have other work or school conflicts during that time.
Football coaches and football team trainers
Panther Cheerleaders: ages 18-24, must have previous cheerleading experience.
FANS, FANS, FANS!! All ages, all types, willing to sit in the stands and cheer on our Panther team!
If you would like to work as an extra on “Friday Night Lights,” please visit our website at www.onlocationcasting.net and complete a talent application. BE SURE YOU INCLUDE A PHOTO!!!!
ALL extras positions are paid. General extras (fans, etc) are paid $56 for 8 hours plus overtime. Cheerleaders and football players are paid between $75-$125 for 8 hours plus overtime, depending on the scene.
If you have any questions, please email us at: fnl_extras@yahoo.com -or- call our office after 8/1/08 at (512) 707-7934.
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June 23, 2008
Austinites battle on 'Gladiator,' Brokaw to temp for Russert
Geez, you take off one lousy week, and it takes forever to catch up. Piles of mail, hundreds of e-mails … but very few phone calls. Apparently people don’t reach out and touch any more. OK by me.
Leaping right in (enough whining), “American Gladiators” tonight features an Austin couple who spent their honeymoon on that rough-and-tumble reality show.
My colleague and editor Michael Barnes wrote about Ally and Jeff Davidson in his blog last week.
Who would actually choose to spend quality romantic time with Hulk Hogan and Laila Ali? Well, apparently these two. Ally even auditioned on her wedding day, which seems pretty extreme.
Ally, 25, was a teen jock at Westwood High before playing college basketball for Ole Miss and Texas State. Jeff, 29, also is a jock-type who attended the University of Texas.
NBC describes tonight’s episode (at 7 p.m. on KXAN) thusly: “Tension builds as two sets of married couples compete in the arena, but only one man and one woman can move on to the semifinals.”
Jeff and Ally together? One of the Davidsons with one of the other folks? Jeff and Ally out altogether? A viewing party is being held at Pluckers at Lakeline. Cluck and cheer.
HBO signs up more appointments for “In Treatment”
It wasn’t readily apparent whether HBO’s drama “In Treatment” would survive to fight another season, but Hollywood trade papers indicate Dr. Paul Weston (Gabriel Byrne) will return — but not until 2009.
And, of course, Paul couldn’t possibly return without help from his own shrink, played by Dianne Wiest.
The roster of patients will be different, with occasional visits from previous troubled souls played by Melissa George, Blair Underwood, Mia Wasikowska, Josh Charles and Embeth Davidtz. And the production will move from Los Angeles to New York.
No word on whether the show will be stripped (airing five nights a week) or run once a week.
Irreplaceable Tim Russert
No surprise that Tim Russert’s best pal Tom Brokaw will be filling in for the late newsman on the NBC analysis program “Meet the Press.”
But Brokaw has made it clear that he will not stay past the November general election. When he retired as anchor of “NBC Nightly News,” he gave up the weekly grind for good.
Brokaw will do fine, but NBC will have a tough time finding a permanent replacement. Russert’s sudden death June 13 left the network and the long-running program with a big hole during this historic election season.
The of role of “Meet the Press” moderator calls for someone with gravitas, lots of experience and a deep knowledge of American politics.
Who’s in the running? NBC has some fine political reporters — David Gregory, Andrea Mitchell and Kelly O’Donnell. But none of them fits the role.
I can’t come up with a likely name from the NBC roster, but I can tell you who should NOT get the job:
Chris Matthews, Keith Olbermann or anyone else from MSNBC. They’re all too loud and too opinionated. “Meet the Press” needs a host capable of balance and insight. And manners.
Brian Williams. No, he’s too calm, doesn’t push hard enough for answers and hasn’t yet acquired the gravitas needed.
So who’s left? Maybe someone from another networks should be brought in — maybe Gwen Ifill from PBS ot Ted Koppel from wherever the heck he is these days (Discovery Channel?).
NBC has time to consider, so let’s hope the network considers carefully.
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February 20, 2008
Note to Sen. Watson: Next time prepare!
State Sen. Kirk Watson fizzled and swooned on MSNBC last night when Chris Matthews asked him to name “just one” of Barack Obama’s legislative accomplishments.
After a bit of dead air and some stammering, it became abundantly clear that Watson was not going to be able to answer the question. Ouch! It was mortifying, and if you think I’m exaggerating, see for yourself.
Austin politicians and pundits are bound to be lured into the national media’s red glare as we close in on the all-important Texas primary on March 4. And cable newsies will be all over Austin tomorrow (Thursday) for the Democratic debate on CNN and Univision.
It’s too late to offer my services to Sen. Watson, but here’s my professional advice, based on a couple of decades of watching similar meltdowns, to anyone else who agrees to go on national television and tout a candidate.
Know the topic to be discussed. Watson is an Obama supporter, so he knew that Matthews would be asking him about Obama. It doesn’t take a genius to figure that you ought to know a few positive facts and accomplishments about the candidate you’re touting. Obama 101.
Also, know that satellite interviews, in which the person being questioned is talking to a camera instead of a face, are the hardest to pull off gracefully. The unseen questioner is babbling into your earpiece, and unless you’re sitting in a studio, background noise makes hearing difficult to impossible. Result: you just might look ridiculous.
If you have any doubt about your ability to handle the situation, don’t do it. You can wind up doing more harm than good. Nobody wants to watch a human being imitating a deer in the headlights. Hillary Clinton’s folks have been burning up the Internet with last night’s clip of Watson unable to cough up a single Obama accomplishment.
I’m sure Watson had a hard time hearing Matthews, who did his trademark badgering a bit longer than usual, and we know that Watson’s appearance had been delayed several times before it actually happened.
Nevertheless, politicians in this day and age must know how to present themselves on television — national or local. Sen. Watson told the American-Statesman today his MSNBC stint felt like a “bad dream.” If only it were …
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February 6, 2008
Austinite on 'Wheel of Fortune'
Roy Bright, the pastor of Next Dimension Christian Fellowship in Austin, will be a contestant on Thursday’s edition of “Wheel of Fortune.”
The episode, which airs at 6:30 p.m. on KXAN Channel 36, was taped in advance, but we don’t know how this married father of three fared in the competition. We’ll have to tune in to find out.
“Wheel of Fortune,” television’s longest-running syndicated series, is in its 25th season and routinely nabs more than 47 million viewers a week.
Carol Kaelson photo
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January 31, 2008
Jennah on 'Jeopardy' ... 'Eli Stone' arrives
Cross your fingers and cheer for Austin’s own Jennah Durant, who is scheduled to compete on three episodes of “Jeopardy” on Friday, Monday and Tuesday.
Durant, 29, completed her master’s degree last year from the University of Texas’ LBJ School of Public Affairs and recently accepted a job with the Environmental Protection Agency in Dallas. We were alerted to Jennah’s “Jeopardy” outting, by the way, by her proud mother, Austinite Jane Durant.
Jennah joins the ever-growing list of locals who have appeared on reality shows and game shows such as “Jeopardy” and “Wheel of Fortune.” Guess we’re just preternaturally smart and pretty.
“Jeopardy” airs weekdays at 4 and 4:30 on KXAN Channel 36.
‘Eli Stone’ — Not your typical law drama
Like “Boston Legal” and “Ally McBeal” before it, “Eli Stone” is a legal show that’s more fun and fantasy than lawyering. “Eli” isn’t nearly as good as either of those two shows, but the ABC comedy-drama, which debuts tonight at 9, is at least a fresh scripted show (as opposed to a strike-inspired reality show or rerun) and has an endearing cast.
Eli, played by Johnny Miller, is a successful corporate lawyer who begins experiencing visions that compel him to redefine his life. Family, friends and colleagues fear he’s having a mental breakdown, but it turns out Eli s in an altered world (George Michael belts out songs at every turn) because of a brain aneurysm.
This cause-and-effect is just one of two medical leaps made in the pilot. Eli’s brain aneurysm, though life-threatening, turns him into a happy, fantasy-filled fellow. Probably most folks with this dire condition aren’t quite as thrilled.
The other medical stretch in the show, which has stirred up the ire of the medical community, is a legal case Eli takes on of a mother suing a pharmaceutical company. She claims that her son’s vaccinations caused him to develop autism. Medical researchers and doctors see no link between vaccinations and autism, although TV shows have been ruminating on the connection.
But, again, “Eli Stone” is mostly a fantasy, so I doubt anyone will take the story line too seriously.
The supporting cast includes Loretta Devine, who is truly divine in everything she does (“Boston Public,” “Boston Legal,” “Dreamgirls”). The Houston native brings a real sparkle to the show. … Now if they’d just let her sing.
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January 14, 2008
UT student on Monday's 'Wheel of Fortune'
Keep your fingers crossed for Jill Wicks, a 21-year-old University of Texas student who takes her chances on “Wheel of Fortune” on Monday (6:30 p.m. on KXAN Channel 36).
The show was taped in Los Angeles, but we don’t know how well Wicks does because the results are a big secret until air date. Wicks probably does just fine, though. She’s studying civil engineering at UT, so how hard could “Wheel” be?
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January 3, 2008
KXAN's Jim Spencer: Tornado warning on "Friday Night Lights"
A tornado is bearing down on Dillon, and the intense, worried-looking weatherman on TV in the background looks and sounds mighty familiar.
Yep, that’s KXAN’s Jim Spencer, forecaster of Central Texas weather for nearly two decades, on tonight’s episode of “Friday Night Lights.” In the opening scene (at 8 p.m.), Spencer, who referees high-school football in real life and is a devoted fan of the show, warns the residents of fictional Dillon and the nearby (also fictional) Laribee to take cover from the twister.
“I’m trying to downplay expectations, because I’m on for a very, very small amount of time,” said Spencer, 44, whose acting experience comes from drama class at Oklahoma’s East Central University.
Producers of the NBC show called KXAN and said they wanted to do a tornado scene with realistic-looking warnings on TV. The crew came to the station’s studio with a script and told Spencer how the storm was going to move, so he could conjure up radar on a fake map pinpointing Dillon and Laribee. The whole shoot took about 45 minutes.
“Really, we’ve never fabricated a tornado until now,” Spencer insisted with a chuckle.
Look for KXAN sports anchor Roger Wallace to pop up on “Lights,” too, in a few weeks as a reporter investigating improprieties by the Dillon Panthers.
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December 10, 2007
'Friday Night Lights' in good shape
Variety reports that, against all odds, “Friday Night Lights” might be in better shape than other shows threatened by the Writers Guild strike. That’s because it has six shows in the can rather than the average two or three, so the series can return after the winter break. Also, FNL is winning its 9 p.m. Friday slot with the crucial 18 to 34-year-old demographic. DVRs also help, since it is among the most recorded on TV, boosting its ratings 18 percent when time-shifters are considered.
“The national press has put ‘Friday Night Lights’ in this box of ‘We love it, but it’s too good for television, and it’s never going to work,’ ” NBC president of program scheduling Vince Nevins told Variety. “But I think they’re missing the story. Between the upscale demos, the young demos and the enormous amount of DVR viewing this show attracts, this show is actually starting to work on Friday nights.”
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December 5, 2007
'Friday Night Lights' actors head to car show
At the StatesmanCars Auto Show this weekend, browse among hundreds of 2008 vehicles at the Austin Convention Center, listen to the sounds of Andy Mitchell and the Hill from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, and meet stars of the “Friday Night Lights” TV drama.
Brad Leland, who plays Buddy Garrity, will appear from 10 a.m. to noon Friday. Gaius Charles, who is Brian “Smash” Williams on the show, and Jesse Plemons, who portrays Landry Clarke, will be on hand for a meet and greet, and to award this year’s winners of the American-Statesman’s Smash Your Rival contest from 6 to 8 p.m.
Scene-stealing Plemons is from Mart near Waco. We don’t know what he drives, but his character definitely needs some new wheels: His policeman father set fire to his station wagon to get rid of evidence that could have implicated him in a killing. Before that, Landry used his station wagon to drive his sweetheart, Tyra, (and some unexpected guests) to Dallas for the high school state football championship.
On “Friday Night Lights,” Charles plays a star running back who has his future planned, all the way to the NFL. Despite his mother’s protests, Smash is tempted by the lifestyle of star college athletes, including hot cars and even hotter girls.
Leland as Buddy is everyone’s favorite car dealer. Though he’s been through some tough times on the show (a divorce and estrangement from his daughter Lyla), he always manages to fire up Coach Taylor and his players and to bring a needy employee onto the payroll.
Buddy has two passions in life: football and cars.
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October 3, 2007
Lance for Cancer Czar? Nah. Governor? Maybe.
Lance Armstrong is happy to be a crusader for cancer research and prevention, but he’s not interested in becoming a federally appointed “cancer czar,” should that job ever be created.
“I’d rather be the main cheerleader and really the guy who really talks about this disease and keeps it out there,” Armstrong tells Texas Monthly editor Evan Smith on Thursday night’s sixth-season opener of “Texas Monthly Talks.” “There are a lot of people who are a heck of a lot smarter than me.”
The seven-time Tour de France champ, long-time Austinite and cancer survivor is touting Proposition 15, a $3 billion cancer research and prevention initiative that will be on the Texas ballot in November. On the program, he also addresses speculation that all this political action on behalf of cancer just might position him for a run for office someday.
“I think that I’m more effective out of office right now, as an a-political person representing an issue that does not know a side, does not know a party,” Armstrong tells Evans on “Texas Monthly Talks,” Thursday night at 7 on KLRU.
So, absolutely no political campaigns in the future?
“Of course at the end of that answer every time is never say never,” Armstrong said. “I would never rule it out.”
Armstrong does absolutely-positively rule out a cycling comeback, however.
“My kids are here in Austin, and it’s a European sport,” he said. “If I were to have gone for an eighth tour I would have been the most selfish father on the planet.”
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September 25, 2007
Austin Nichols to guest star in 'Friday Night Lights'
Unemployment didn’t last long for Austin Nichols, the Austin actor who starred as the mysterious surfing savant in HBO’s short-lived summer series “John From Cincinnati.”
Nichols, who also appeared in HBO’s “Deadwood,” has come home for a guest-starring role in the Austin-based NBC series “Friday Night Lights.” He’s not in the Oct. 5 season opener, but his multiple-episode story arc will begin soon after. Executive producer Sarah Aubrey will reveal few details but confirms that Nichols will play a teacher at Dillon High.
Best known in Central Texas as a water-skiing champ, like his mother Kay Nichols, Nichols grew up on Lake Austin, attended Casis Elementary and McCallum High School before heading to the University of Southern California where he earned a degree in creative writing in 2002. His father is radiologist David Nichols.
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July 5, 2007
Austin cop a finalist on Sci Fi's 'Superhero'
When the second season of the Sci Fi Channel’s “Who Wants To Be a Superhero?” debuts on July 26, look for Austin police detective Jarrett Crippen to be featured in the reality show’s competition.
Crippen, 38, will present himself as The Defuser in the latest installment of the Stan Lee-produced series.
Contestants aren’t allowed to discuss their time on the show until the competition is over, but we do know that Crippen-The-Defuser taped the show in Hollywood earlier this year. Besides his APD duties, Crippen is a father and a comic book collector.
The Defuser is described as an elite combat-trained athlete who is an expert at gadgetry and creating “non-lethal weaponry.” (This superhero refuses to use firearms!) His powers include super speed, strength, agility, hearing and eyesight — including night vision.
“Superhero” challenges 10 finalists to create their own super-powered characters, from concept to costume. Among The Defuser’s competitors are Hyper Strike, a martial arts virtuoso; Whip Snap, whose powers spring from (you guessed it) her whip; and Mr. Mitzvah, a hero with special powers whose main weapon is a Star of David paddle.
Lee personally picked the finalists, who lived together during the competition and had to perform certain super-hero tasks to test their courage, integrity and resourcefulness. The winner gets to have his or her original super-hero immortalized in a Stan Lee comic book.
We’ll keep you posted on Detective Crippen’s progress.
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January 25, 2007
Stalking Gladys, 'Idol'-ing nicer
For the past couple of days, I’ve transformed myself from TV critic/writer to investigative journalist. My beat? Gladys. Just call me the Bob Woodward of Weird Austin.
This has been one bizarre story, but apparently the mysterious 88-year-old “Gladys Hardy” is a talker in our fair city. She’s the woman who talked with Ellen De Generes not once but twice and sparked national interest with her homespun humor.
Turns out Gladys has been a regular caller at KLBJ for nearly a year and “contributes” to other radio stations around Texas, too. She is, as far as we can tell, actually a funny guy impersonating a funny old woman. Which is why we hear but never see her.
For the time being, I’m finished stalking this poor fictitious character. It’s a whole different job crawling through neighborhoods and banging on the doors of unsuspecting (and more than a little grumpy) people. I’m gonna watch a little TV now.
Is ‘Idol’ toning down the mean?
Back to the real news in TV Land …
Is it my imagination, or has Simon Cowell toned down his personal criticisms since his season debut “American Idol” episodes last week were blasted by TV writers and viewers alike?
He’s not exactly nice these days, but his remarks in the Memphis and New York auditions were relatively tame. He certainly didn’t tell anyone they looked like a “bush baby.”
And whatever was causing Paula Abdul to slump over, giggle and continuously sip from that enormous glass seems to be subsiding, too. She actually tried to make sense last night in defending her sympathetic view of one contestant. She’s never going to be articulate, so we shouldn’t have unrealistic expectations.
But what’s the deal with last night’s guest judge Carol Bayer Sager? Has she had a Joan Collins makeover or what? Her face didn’t budge, her lips were puffed up and, really, that hairdo went out of style while “Dynasty” was still on.
This show gets stranger and stranger, doesn’t it?
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November 29, 2006
On TV, Austin's way cool ... and for sale!
Yes, we’re cool, Austin. In case you need validation, two prime-time TV shows made mention of us Monday night.
Did you catch them?
If not, the first reference came on NBC’s “Heroes.” Cuddly-cute Hiro was busily wooing the waitress in Midland — the girl with the about-to-explode brain — and invited to her to go to a Japanese film festival at the Alamo Drafthouse. When the lovely young woman said something about how far Austin is from Midland, Hiro said, “It’s 300 miles away, but it’s worth it.”
Moments after we recovered from that fabulous Valentine, NBC’s “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip” popped in another one.
Machine-gun mouth Matthew, the “Saturday Night Live”-style writer played by real-life Matthew Perry, hurled out something to his small, woefully inexperienced writing staff about a story he saw on Austin’s very own, ultimate movie fan Harry Knowles’ Web site, Ain’t It Cool News.
You will not be surprised to know that Knowles quickly made mention of his prime-time notice on the site.
See? Ain’t we cool?
Yes, you can buy ‘Austin Time Tours!’
Last Friday I wrote about a new documentary coming to Austin’s PBS station KLRU this week.
The two-hour documentary, “Austin Time Tours” (Thursday at 7 p.m., Channel 18), is the work of University of Texas lecturer Karen Kocher, and it is simply magnificent. The scope — from dinosaurs to today — is ambitious, but the result is worth the sometimes rapid gallop.
After the article appeared in the newspaper, several people called and e-mailed asking if a DVD of the film could be purchased. The answer is yes. Copies will be available in the next week or so at the Austin History Center for $24.95. Exact date is unknown, so check (phone: 974-7383; e-mail: info@ahca.net) before you go.
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August 8, 2006
A Hadlock on NBC
If the face that keeps popping up on NBC and MSNBC from the Middle East lately looks vaguely familiar, there’s good reason: Reporter-producer Charles Hadlock is KXAN anchor Robert Hadlock’s younger brother.
Hadlock the Younger has had several stories on “NBC Nightly News,” including one last Saturday night from Gaza. And on Sunday he was moved to Metula, Israel, on the border with Lebanon.
KXAN’s Robert says several people have asked him if he’s related to the NBC Hadlock. The reply: “Yes, he’s my little brother. He’s in the danger zone — and I’m jealous. I’d love to have a chance to go cover something like that.”
It’s not as if Robert hasn’t ventured away from his Austin anchor desk. He has covered political conventions, inaugurations, terrorist attacks, hurricanes, tornadoes, space flights, the Branch Davidian standoff and three pilgrimages by the pope, including one to Cuba.
But so far, Robert has covered no wars, although political campaigns in Texas come close. He came to Austin in 1987 as weekend anchor for KVUE and has been the primary anchor at KXAN since 1990.
Both Hadlock brothers are native Texans and graduates of the University of Texas. Charles is based at the NBC News bureau in Dallas but has been in the Middle East for a couple of weeks. He has worked for WFAA and KPRC, and led KHOU’s Austin bureau for about a year before it closed down.
Some pre-fall finales
If you’ve become enthralled by some of the summer reality shows, get ready for some finales next week.
Fox’s “Hell’s Kitchen” closes Monday at 7 p.m.
Fox’s “So You Think You Can Dance” shuffles off Wednesday at 7 p.m.
NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” presumably finds some talent Thursday at 8 p.m.
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August 19, 2005
Austinite on Disney Sunday movie
Austinites are all over TV these days, and next up is 23-year-old Christina Murphy, who has a co-starring role in Sunday night’s ABC Family Channel film “Campus Confidential.”
Murphy plays the mean head cheerleader and chief rival of the movie’s lead character, played by Christie Carlson Romano.
“We exchange many food and drink dumpings on each other,” said Murphy, who lives in Austin when she’s between jobs. “This is my first major movie role, and I was so nervous.”
The Disney-produced film, directed by Melanie Mayron (“thirtysomething”), was shot in New Orleans and airs Sunday at 6 p.m. Murphy also appeared in Blake Shelton’s music video “Goodbye Time.”
Murphy, whose father Mike manages a landscaping and maintenance firm here, was born and raised in Austin, played golf and volleyball at Anderson High and graduated from the University of Texas last year with a degree in theater and dance.
“I learned so much about acting from Stephen Gerald, my favorite acting teacher at UT, and I will be forever grateful,” Murphy said.
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April 7, 2005
KLRU's 'Downtown' throws kisses to Austin
“Downtown,” a new 13-episode series on Austin PBS station KLRU, is a gorgeously filmed love letter to our city. It is likely to intrigue hotel guests and newcomers, but it isn’t likely to enlighten many true Austinites.
A joint venture between KLRU and the Downtown Austin Alliance, “Downtown” debuts tonight at 8 and will repeat Fridays at 9 p.m.
There are lovely aerial shots that zoom in on certain commercial zones and brief “profiles” of people and places that make up Austin’s urban center. It’s a sparkling video postcard — lots of eye candy but not much content.
In tonight’s debut, for instance, the first of three segments is about downtown living, with the super-ritzy Nokonah condos getting showcased. Former Gov. Ann Richards extols the virtues of her fabulous penthouse lifestyle. Price per square foot is not mentioned.
The opener also includes a quick profile of the Driskill Grill’s award-winning chef, David Bull, and a tour of the Red River music scene, hosted by “Metal Dave” Glessner, a rocker by night and American-Statesman marketing employee by day.
Not that we’re prejudiced, but Glessner’s segment is by far the best, with actual interviews and historical perspective of this non-Sixth Street music area.
Future episodes will include features on the downtown Alamo Drafthouse, the Austin Farmer’s Market, architect Larry Speck and downtown comedy clubs.
“Downtown” is slickly produced and chock full of pretty pictures.
No, No! Not Nikko!
I’m beginning to think some people are out to sabotage “American Idol.”
How else to explain Nikko, the only true R&B singer on the show, getting voted off not once but twice? In case you missed it, he got the boot last night. The first time he was ejected, he was brought back after Mario Vazquez mysteriously quit.
We’re getting down to the wire here … it’s time to get rid of contestants who really don’t have a snowball’s chance of winning the competition.
People like Scott Savol, who hasn’t been on key for two weeks, and Anthony Federov, who screeched his way through Tuesday’s performance. Who’s going to buy these guys’ CDs? Nobody.
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July 2, 2004
Austinite fakes the video
First there were six, now there are two — one of whom is Austin resident Doug Long.
MTV’s “Faking the Video”, sort of a “Candid Camera” for the new generation, rocks to a conclusion at 9:30 p.m. on Monday with 21-year-old Long in contention for a prize he didn’t know he was competing for during filming.
Huh?
Here’s what happened: In the spring, six hopefuls thought they were hired to work as production assistants on a huge, career-break-of-a-lifetime music video to be shot in Los Angeles. They were told they would be working on a video featuring JC Chasez, Michelle Branch and Omarion on a new Diane Warren song.
But the whole thing was a hoax. The song, the crew and the artists were (you guessed it) faking the video. Improvisational actors were used as crew to test the production hopefuls to see which ones could endure the carefully choreographed shoot-from-hell.
With hidden cameras whirring, the half-dozen hopefuls were whittled down to the current two, including Long. He had no idea he was competing for a cash prize (of undetermined amount) and the chance to work with famed music video director Wayne Isham, who is not fake but real.
“I haven’t seen any episodes before their airdates, so I’m very excited to see how the last one turns out,” said Long, a theater major who recently graduated from the University of Texas.
Win or lose, Long says he wants to pursue a career in show biz.
“I’m trying my hardest to keep this ball rolling now that I have my foot in the door,” he said.
She’s back … but not for long!
NBC made a big deal of announcing that “Law & Order” co-star Elisabeth Rohm, who plays dull-as-dirt assistant district attorney Serena Southerlyn, will be returning next year.
The network made less of a big deal that she will not be back for the whole season. Perhaps that’s because the honchos knew there would not be a public outpouring of sorrow.
Of all the myriad cast members that have come and gone on “Law & Order” during its 15-year run, Rohm is by far the weakest. She’s stiff and lifeless on her good days, painfully distracting on her bad. During three seasons, she has marched along sounding as if she were reading cue cards.
Cast changes usually don’t make a bit of difference on “Law & Order” because plot is more important than character. But Rohm was a dud, and whoever replaces her is bound to be better. A stuffed doll would be better.
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July 1, 2004
Austin knitster goes Hollywood
We all have our causes — literacy, animal rights, global warming.
Vickie Howell of Austin is out to “shatter the stigma that knitting is something only elderly women do.” To that end, she is hosting a new cable show, “Knitty Gritty,” that debuts Friday on the DIY Network.
The crafty new series will air Fridays at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. It promises to take viewers through various creative knitting projects, such as baby Ugg boots, guitar straps and even handbags made of recycled plastic grocery sacks.
This is not Howell’s first shot at uplifting the image of “knitsters.” She also co-founded a hip knitting group called Stitch n’ Bitch, which has chapters in Los Angeles and Austin.
Howell, 30, is the personification of a hip knitster. Pretty and perky, she is also a fashionista, whose online company, Ruby Goes Retro, sells vintage and vintage-inspired clothes and accessories.
Before becoming a crafts crusader, Howell worked in the entertainment industry in Los Angeles. After marrying Austinite-in-L.A. Clint Howell, she launched a company there called Mamarama, selling stylish handmade clothes for moms and kids.
Last year the couple and their two sons, ages 2 1/2 and 4 1/2, moved to Austin. Besides Ruby Goes Retro, Vickie helped found the Austin Craft Mafia, a collaboration of nine female-run craft businesses.
So how does a young knitting mom go from online and home business to television? Oddly enough, the show, which sounds custom-made for Howell, was not created for her.
Some brainiac at DIY came up with the concept and then Googled in search of a host. Up popped Howell in connection with Stitch n’ Bitch and Ruby. An e-mail query followed and a correspondence emerge.
“I’ve always wanted to host my own craft show, so I sent her links for her to see me,” Howell said.
After an audition trip to Hollywood last October, Howell, who says she started knitting when she was 8 and instantly became “obsessed with the fiber arts,” was told a couple of women were contenders; a few weeks later she got the job.
Thirteen episodes of “Knitty Gritty” have been shot and 26 more have been ordered. Howell flies to L.A. to film them back-to-back during a period of a few weeks.
“I think there’ll be an audience of knitters and maybe people who aren’t necessarily interested in that kind of thing,” Howell said. “The thing about knitters is they’re very loyal. It’s amazing to me how the word has already spread and that has everything to do with the Internet.”
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