The next great villain from a galaxy far, far away is here. Fans attending Lucasfilm’s Star Wars Rebels panel today at New York Comic Con got the world’s first look at the Inquisitor, a black-clad, intimidating figure who will play a prominent role in the upcoming animated series.

In a new video screened at the end of the panel, Star Wars Rebels executive producer Dave Filoni officially revealed the character, showing design sketches, a sculpted maquette, and disclosing that the Inquisitor is “tasked by Darth Vader to hunt down the remaining Jedi Knights.”

The panel, hosted by Lucasfilm’s Pablo Hidalgo, focused on the Empire and how it is central to the story of Star Wars Rebels. Hidalgo revealed that the series takes place about 14 years after the events of Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, a time in which the Emperor’s rule is secure and the Empire is seeking to expand its power to Outer Rim territories. Further details about the panel can be found on www.starwars.com.

If anything was made clear at today’s panel, it’s that the Empire is back — thanks to Star Wars Rebels.

Star Wars Rebels is scheduled to premiere in fall 2014 as a one-hour special telecast on Disney Channel, it will be followed by a series on Disney XD channels around the world.

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia began it’s ninth season this month on new network FXX.  Four episodes in and it’s clear that the gang from Paddy’s Pub is just as dysfunctional as fans have come to expect. Executive producer and writer, Glenn Howerton, who plays Dennis Reynolds, held a phone conference to talk about the show’s new season.

Seeing as last season’s opener played up a significant prop from Charlie and Frank’s apartment (a dog painted by Hitler), I wondered about something viewers can spot in Dennis and Mac’s home:

Lauren Damon: I love the fact that there’s a prominent Hulk hand on the TV in Dennis and Mac’s apartment. Is that Dennis’s, Mac’s, or is it just because everyone has anger management problems? 
Glenn Howerton: “I don’t know whose that is.  I mean, that’s one of those things where early on in the series we had a set decorator, they decorated the apartment to have all this stuff in it, and we just never changed it.  So, really, a lot of those things weren’t deliberate decisions at all.  The only deliberate decisions we’ve made, in terms of our apartment, were probably when you go into Mac’s room and you see that it’s pretty sparse, and there’s just this crucifix on the wall, and like a picture of his dad.  But, all that stuff, it’s just ridiculous because now, us being in like our mid-thirties, it looks like the apartment that, you know, two 19-year-olds would share together, which I actually think is kind of funny.”

Accidental Hulk hands aside, Howerton did reveal in a recent Reddit AMA that he would be interested in playing The Riddler from Batman if given the opportunity.

Have you ever pursued or been pursued, for any of those big budget superhero films?
Howerton: “Not really… Let’s see, I think ten years ago, I auditioned for the Superman reboot, and that was about like two years before that actually came out, the one with Brandon Routh.  But, that was before Sunny.  And then, I did audition recently for the Guardians of the Galaxy, to play the role that Chris Pratt is playing.  I know that the director of that movie, supposedly, is a big Sunny fan, which is cool.  But, usually, they’re already looking for some giant movie star to play those roles.

I certainly don’t have anything against doing something like that.  I have to admit, I really do enjoy playing bad guys, and extremely evil people, which is why it’s a lot of fun for me to play Dennis, or at least the challenge is making Dennis, you know, likable even though he’s such a despicable person.  I think playing something like The Riddler would definitely feel like it was in my wheelhouse.”

LD: One of my favorite things about Dennis, is that he such an incredible sociopath kind-of character, and I was wondering if you could talk about what do you think are some of the creepiest things he’s done in the series, and is there anything we can look forward to him getting up to in the rest of this season?
Howerton: “You know, it’s a funny question for me to try and answer because we do work very, very hard to—I guess you could argue that things like having the conversation about ‘the implication’ is pretty dark [from the season 6 episode “The Gang Buys a Boat”].  But, it’s weird, I get a little bit defensive about that, because in a way, for as dark as it is, I think the character does make it very, very clear that he wouldn’t ever actually hurt these women.  He just wants them to think that the possibility of them getting hurt is there, so he can get his way.  It’s still dark, but I’d say that’s one of the darker things.

Last season, in order to stay in character as playing this Ryan LeFevre personality that Dennis was playing, I almost—well, not me, but my character almost had sex with, like, a small Asian caddy, just to see how far he would be willing to take this whole thing.  So, yes, he’s definitely come very close to crossing some lines that you don’t really recover from, but, yes, there’s definitely going to be some more of that this year.  It’s sort of the nature of the character at this point.”

Howerton’s discussion came not only the morning after the primetime Emmy Awards, for which Sunny continued to be inexplicably unrecognized, but also on the heels of the season’s third episode “The Gang Tries Desperately to Win an Award” which saw the gang attempt to conform to ‘normal’ restaurant standards to impress the TV-Academy-like Philadelphia restaurant association. Watching Paddy’s Pub trying its hardest to conform to standard sitcom hangout tropes (Bright lights! Sassy quips!) was painfully hilarious and begged the question, what did Howerton think of actual “Best Comedy” winner, Modern Family?

Howerton: “Well, to be honest, I haven’t seen a ton of episodes of Modern Family.  But, the episodes I have seen, I think are great.  Because I work in comedy, I actually don’t enjoy watching most comedies just because it’s hard for me not to just sort of analyze it, break it down structurally, and be overly critical of it, you know what I mean?  Not for any other reason other than it’s what I do for a living.  I just don’t watch a lot of stuff.

But, the episodes I have seen of Modern Family, I’ve really enjoyed.  I think it’s a great show and I think it’s very, very difficult to consistently make a funny show on a network, A, because you have more restrictions, and, B, because you have to do more episodes per year.  I’m always very impressed by the fact that I’ve never watched an episode of that show where I wasn’t laughing consistently from start to finish, and I think that’s a hell of an achievement…There are other shows that have won multiple Emmys, and I won’t name any names, where I simply don’t understand why, and I would not put Modern Family in that category at all.  I think that’s a very funny, smart show.”

Why don’t you guys get Emmy love?
Howerton: “I’m the wrong person to ask.  I don’t know.  I mean, I don’t know if you saw the last week’s episode, but we did an entire episode, essentially, about that.  I’m not really entirely certain, all I’ve got are theories, and I’d be happy to spout them for you, but I don’t really know.  I mean, I think first impressions are huge in this business.  I think we started as a very, very small show, and I think we looked so low-budget and FX wasn’t known for comedies, and I don’t think people really paid any attention to us.  We didn’t have Danny [DeVito] on the show, and I think because it took so many years for it to grow its audience, it just, I don’t know.

I think that first impression of a low-budget, we-don’t-need-to-pay-attention-to-this-small- cable-comedy thing kind of stuck.  It seems like, though, the Emmys, in general, they really love cable dramas.  But, they don’t really seem to love cable comedies.  I could be wrong; I don’t pay that close attention to it.”

Probably some of the biggest news for this season actually involves huge cable drama Game of Thrones. Thrones writers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss came on board this year to do one episode titled “Flowers For Charlie” Howerton elaborated on how that came about:

Howerton: “They are actually massive, massive fans, and I think they just floated the idea that they had an idea for an episode, and they really wanted to write one, and we just thought let’s just see if that could work.  It’s really the only time where somebody from outside of our ‘organization’ has successfully written an episode, I’ll put it that way.  We took them through the process, and gave them the best shot.  We actually brought them into the room and broke the episode with them, and sent them off to write a draft, sort of incredibly shocked that they would even have the time or the energy to do it.  They came back with a great episode.  We, of course, did what we always do, and we had to do some re-writes, but really not that many.  It was pretty solid.”

Can you share with us any upcoming  guest stars?
Howerton: We’ve actually got Seann William Scott; he’s going to be in an episode.  Dude is super fun, super funny.  We’ve also got Josh Groban doing an episode; I think the week after that.  We’ve got a lot of fun people.  Then, of course, we have a lot of our recurring cast, the McPoyles, and Artemis, the Waitress.  We’ve also got Mary Lynn Rajskub from 24, she is going to be back of the show this year [as fan favorite ‘Gail the Snail’], too.

Finally, of course the big question is how much more Always Sunny can viewers expect?
Howerton: “We are definitely going to do one more after this, which I’m sure you know, and then it’s being tossed around the idea of doing more.  It is a question mark, but we’ll see.  We’re still having fun, I can tell you that.”

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia airs every Wednesday at 10pm on FXX.

FXX launched on September 2^nd and specific cable listings for the new network can be found on GetFXX.com

Jeffrey Hornaday has work choreography with tons of great talent including Madonna and Michael Jackson, as well as tons of films including “Dick Tracy”, “Flashdance”, “A Chorus Line”. His latest film is  the Disney Channel film “Teen Beach Movie”, which he is toke on the role of both director and choreographer.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Jeffrey about “Teen Beach Movie” and its impact on pop culture this summer.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about how you became attached to the Disney Channel film “Teen Beach Movie”?
Jeffrey Hornaday: I had worked with Disney Channel before on a film called “Geek Charming”. It wasn’t a musical but it was a romantic comedy. It got really good ratings and I got nominated for a Director’s Guild Award. So we all came away very happy with how it went. So when this came up given Disney’s background and mine also with musicals, it was a natural fit.

MG: Tell us about your approach to making this a true summer film?
JH: When you look back at the old beach party movies from the 60’s, you think about those and get this sort of nostalgia and warmth. If you go back and look at them now, they are kind of flat [laughs]. The choreography is kids basically dancing a little at the beach. They are not full blown production numbers. We decided instead of trying to clone what those used to be, let’s do something that makes you feel like when you think about that nostalgia feeling. We sort of took the gloves off and gave ourself the right to go past what the original genre was. We really tried to tap into what it is feels like to think about those movies.

MG: Tell us about your approach to the music in the film?
JH: The music department was really great and wanted to approach it like a Broadway show. Rather than giving them a laundry list of catalog songs, we got together with the composers on number and really talked about it and work-shopped the ideas. It was really like we were putting on a Broadway show and that was really fun.

MG:  How was it taking on the role of both director and choreographer on this project?
JH: Because my background is in choreography in Los Angeles not Broadway, I learned about design choreography for camera, which is a very different world. I was lucky that I got to work with really good directors in the past. So it is kind of coming full circle and having more control it actually made the process easier to translate to someone who doesn’t have the choreography experience. I also had help with the choreography from a brilliant young guy, Christopher Scott, he was just incredible to work with. It was a great collaboration and we had this unspoken connection. He came into the project with a lot of ideas. That made it really fun and easier to share the load.

MG: What was your most challenging song to film?
JH: The physical aspect of just shooting on the beach was first a big challenge. Working with sand is not easy. It is hard enough to walk or even run on the beach yet alone dance. There is a number called “Crusin’ for a Brusin'”, which was challenging but in a fun way. There is a song from “West Side Story” called “Cool” and I had that as a prototype in my mind. You could really feel the cinematographer’s hand in the song and it was an homage to that. It was very carefully designed and quite the challenge.

MG: Let’s talk about the success of the film since it has aired on Disney Channel?
JH: It is hard to predict that type of success, especially in pop culture. I remember when I choreographed “Flashdance” at the time and we just thought we were doing this little movie but had no idea that it was going to touch a nerve on pop culture. The thing that was interesting to me was the connection of the old school American musical. You wonder about if the younger audience was going to be able to connect to this, especially since this film deals with aspects from the 60’s. But they have been really able to connect to it.

MG: Any plans to for a follow up to “Teen Beach Movie”?
JH: There has been no confirmation yet. I know that they are certainly thinking about it and their story department has it in development. It would be a no-brainer for me. So I am on-board. I am also currently writing a screenplay for Disney right now. It will have music but is also a contemporary piece. So I am hard at work right now.

Charles Baker plays the role of Skinny Pete in the popular AMC series “Breaking Bad”. The show is now in its 5th and final season and Charles took time out of his busy schedule to talk with Media Mikes about his experiences working on the show and how he turned a background character in to a recurring role on one of televisions hottest shows.

Adam Lawton: What was it that first drew you to the role of “Skinny Pete”?
Charles Baker: “Skinny Pete” wasn’t even a role when I first started on the show. He was originally just called “Skinny Stoner” and I was hired for only one episode during season 1. It was supposed to be just a day player role and what drew me to it was I was going to get to work on television. (Laughs) It was a job and people really didn’t know a lot about the show or anything like that. I had heard some things about the show but didn’t know how phenomenal it was going to be or that I was going to be a part of it.

AL: Being the role was written originally for a one time appearance were you allowed to provide any creative input or direction?
CB: Because of how things happened so consciously in season 1 they just told me they were going to bring me back for another episode and would see how things went. My first scene was very small so I came in with how I thought the role should be played and the director who worked on that episode had his own ideas about the role so what we created for that bit part kind of dictated my role for the rest of the series. A lot of times before each scene I would have to repeat one of my lines from that first episode as a way to get myself back into character. I would always have to repeat “Yo my pops is a contractor” in order for me to fall back into that speech pattern. Each time I was on the show I was working with a different director who would have their own idea for what they thought Skinny Pete was. A couple directors thought of him as a hardcore, mean, scary guy while a few others saw him has this lovable, goofy guy. However they saw the character was how they directed us. We would have to find a balance in their in order to keep consistency while still getting what they were asking for. That is how the many layers of Skinny Pete happened.

AL: Was it hard working with different directors all of the time?
CB: It was a challenge but I think it was a great learning experience. I love things like that where I have to find it in myself to make things like that work. It was better for me in the long run I think because I didn’t get stuck in a rut. I was able to give Skinny Pete more levels and layers to play with. For me it was a lot of fun and similar to an improve exercise.

AL: What do you think has been the roles biggest progression?
CB: He has kind of grown a little bit. Pete has started to follow in Jesse’s footsteps without having to learn all the harsh lessons Jesse had to learn. I think he has seen Jesse become more responsible up until the point where we see him start to be affected by the actions of his crew. You see Jesse start to become more of a business man than a thug. At the start of season 5 you see Pete acting similar in a scene between him and Badger at a music store. That’s a new step for Skinny Pete I think. He is actually taking something serious instead of just playing around.

AL: What do you think is in store for Skinny Pete as the show concludes?
CB: I wish I could tell you. I don’t even know what’s going on. That’s all part of the brilliance in how the show is shot and how tight security is. In the past If I had a scene where I don’t speak and I am just in the background I got to see that script so I knew what’s going on. With this last season they have been using a stand-in for scenes that I may or may not be in. They just didn’t tell me anything. (Laughs) If I had dialogue then it was just me. I am not even sure of what scenes I am in or not. I am ok with that because I am a huge fan of the show and I want to be surprised just like everyone else. I know Vince and the people who work on that show will never let me down. They don’t have to tell me what I am doing. They can put a blind fold on me, tell me what lines to say and I know it will be brilliant. I will trust them on that.

AL: What was it like for you working with Brian Cranston both as an actor and director?
CB: Brian is a wonderful person. Since the beginning he has been the leader and father figure of the show. Vince keeps a very tight hand on everything that happens but he is not always around during filming so Brian is the foundation and keeps everyone together. Having him direct was very natural since he has been such a guide through everything.

AL: What do you think you will miss most about playing the character?
CB: I am going to miss a lot of things. Every episode was a new adventure for me. They opened up a lot of things for Skinny Pete and gave him a lot of responsibility. To be able to sink your teeth in to a character for as long as all of have on “Breaking Bad” is great. This was a first for me as I had never played a recurring role on a series before. It was like creating an alter ego who becomes like a friend. I will certainly miss that and having a job. (Laughs)

AL: Can you tell us about some of your other upcoming/current projects?
CB: I currently have a small recurring role on the show “The Black List” with James Spader. I play a character by the name of “Grey”. He was originally called “The man in the grey flannel suit”. Luckily they shortened that down. I like to compare the role to if James Spader was Batman I would be his Alfred. I am his go to guy. It’s definitely a switch from that of Skinny Pete. Grey combs his hair and wears a suit. (Laughs) They say he drives a Bentley but I haven’t been able to do that yet. I also shot a pilot for NBC called “Murder in the First”. We are just waiting to hear if that’s going to go through. I really think it will because it’s a great show and cast. I worked on an independent film in Texas titled “Flutter” that I just saw a rough cut of the other day. It stars Lindsay Pulsipher from “Hatfields and McCoys”. From what I have seen of the film it is beautiful. I don’t know when it is coming out but I hope it is soon as I think people will really enjoy it. Lastly “Ain’t Them Bodies Saints” which stars Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara is out now and I have a role in that as well.

Photo Credit: DISNEY JUNIOR/TODD WAWRYCHUK

Kiara Muhammad is the voice actor, who gives live to the lovable Doc on Disney Junior’s hit series “Doc McStuffins”. The show recently completed its first season and has become a worldwide phenomenon from merchandise to phone apps. The series has already spawned a new short-form spin-off called “The Doc Files”, which starts airing on July 22nd. and recently released its first season soundtrack, “The Doc Is In”. Kiara took out some time to chat with Media Mikes about her work on the show, its new spin-off series and also what we can expect from season two this Fall.

Mike Gencarelli: How does it feel to have become such a big role model for kids?
Kiara Muhammad: It is pretty amazing. I didn’t realize that for some kids that “Doc McStuffins” is there favorite show on TV and they watch it every day. So I think it has just recently hit me that so many people like it.

MG: What do you enjoy most about voicing Doc McStuffins?
KM: I think that is it just really fun. I am able to have some freedom on the show. If there is a line that I change a little and they end up liking it better they will actually keep it that way. I think that is really cool and adds some nice freedom to the role. Also you don’t have to dress-up and wear make-up for the role. You can just go in your pajamas. So that is cool!

MG: When you record are you with the other actors?
KM: No actually, I am in the booth by myself. Chris (Nee), the creator and Maria (Estrada), the director are in the other room and they give me their direction while I am doing all of my lines.

MG: Do you get to see any animation while you are recording?
KM: Normally when I am doing a regular episode, there is not any animation. But if we were to go back and do a commercial they sometimes have the animation already done and I have to time my voice to the commercial.

MG: How does it feel to see all the show expanding from TV to the Disney Parks, stores and mobile apps?
KM:  It is pretty cool. I didn’t even know they had some of the stuff they do. I am at my grandmothers house right now and she has a Doc puzzle. I thought that was really cool.

MG: I love the songs in the show, do you enjoy singing on the show?
KM: I do love singing on this show. Michelle (Lewis) and Kay (Hanley) are really good. They wrote the songs and have done such a great job. My favorite was when we got to do a reggae song from the first season. It was a really diverse song and I loved it.

MG: Tell about about the new spin-off series “The Doc Files”?
KM: It is about Doc reviewing her day with the toys that she saw. It is really cool 2D animation. It looks different that the normal series. It is really cute.

MG: What can we expect from season two this Fall on Disney Junior?
KM: I think you just need to keep watching. Chris is just so great and has so many wonderful ideas about these toys and situations that can happen. There is going to be so many different things that you aren’t going to expect. So definitely stay tuned!

Photo Credit: ABC/BOB D’AMICO

Chris Nee is the creator, as well as writer and producer of Disney Junior hit series “Doc McStuffins”.  The show recently completed its first season and has become a worldwide phenomenon from merchandise to phone apps. The series has already spawned a new short-form spin-off called “The Doc Files”, which starts airing on July 22nd. and recently released its first season soundtrack, “The Doc Is In”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Chris about her work on the show and what we can expect from the spin-off, as well as the upcoming season two.

Mike Gencarelli: Let’s talk about the new short form spin-off series “The Doc Files”, what can we expect?
Chris Nee: What I think is exciting about this show is that we are able to go back and revisit our favorite toys from past episodes. Like Bella the Ballerina and Poppy, some of the toys that have been on the show and been big hits but we haven’t found a way to bring back in the actual season. So that has been exciting for us as writers. So we also able to bring back some of our favorite songs from season one, so that is also fantastic. For me what was exciting is seeing the show in a new visual style. Obviously they are shorts, but are are anxious to get more material on the air as we get ready for our big push for season two coming up. We are going this series in a 2D style and it is a really exciting way to open up the view of what this show is.

MG: How many episodes have been produced so far?
CN: We have done ten episodes so far of “The Doc Files”. Five are starting to air on July 22nd and five are being
tucked away and will air later in the year.

MG: Any challenges in doing from the regular series to the spin-off series?
CN: It is always hard for me to be short-winded (laughs). So getting my sensibility down to a three minute format was definitely difficult. For people that watch the show, I think that one of the things we do well is marry a lot of tones and make sure we are getting a lot of jokes in while still having emotion. It takes a full twelve minutes to do that usually. So this is like a haiku version of “Doc McStuffins”.

MG: Talk to us about the recently released soundtrack “The Doc Is In”?
CN: I think we got very lucky on this show by bringing in Michelle Lewis and Kay Hanley, our composers. They really haven’t done kids music before. I think you can hear that in the music, as it is incredibly catchy for kids but also for adults as well. I am really excited about the soundtrack. For me, I live and breath these shows and I have heard these songs so many times and you think I would be sick of them by now but when I popped in the CD, I was just so proud of them. I am excited that we were able to get all those songs together. In season two, we are looking to do some longer form songs. It is exciting stuff.

MG: How important do you feel music is to the show?
CN: I think it is a huge part of the process. A lot of our songs end up telling the lesson of the episode. I think it is a great way for us to get very specific with the lessons that we are trying to teach without them feeling too preachy in dialogue. Suddenly when you put them into a fun, boppy song, you can talk about drinking water or wearing glasses and it is very different. We thought to ourselves that if we were successful that every kid would think of our song when they go to wash their hands and will sing this song. So everyone one in a while we hit a topic and we are aiming for something bigger.

MG: In the mobile world, tell us about the recent “Doc McStuffins: Time For Your Check Up!” app?
CN: We spent a lot of time working with the app and tried to find a way to do something that is very unique to
the show. It would have been very easy to do an app with a game where Stuffy had to bang into things but we
really pushed the team we worked with to capitalize on what is different and great about the show. You can
actually use the app as a x-ray machine and a magnifying glass in order to do a check-up of your toys. It is
really different and not your typical app, which I think is really cool.

MG: Are you taken by the success of the show after just one season?
CN: It is pretty mind blowing I have to say. This was an original idea of mine influenced by my son who has asthma. I was setting out to do something personal for him and to see it take off like this is just totally astounding. I recently read some numbers that we were in 190 countries with 16 different languages and over 100 million unique viewers. I find that shocking. I just took a trip to Europe and there was “Doc McStuffins”merchandise on the shelves. I thought how is this possible, since it started as an idea I hope in the shower five years ago [laughs].

MG: What can we expect the upcoming second season of “Doc McStuffins” this Fall?
CN: I think it is just going to be a further diving into this world. We are exploring a bunch of medical topics that we didn’t get to in season one. It is a challenge to tell these stories in a toy-centric point of view. There was a couple of big obvious things that we didn’t do in season one, like wearing a helmet. So we are getting some of those episodes in. We are spending more time we our beloved group of core characters. There is some really wonderful and emotional stories with Lammie and Hallie. It’s suprising to think that we have only had one season on the air so far. Animation just takes a very long time. We have been very busy working on season two. I know people are dying for us to get season two out but for no lack of effort. It just takes that long to get a new season out there. We are closing in on that time and it is going to be very exciting to get the new world of the clinic out there.

I remember it like yesterday.  My friend Matt and I are talking to a friend of ours that manages one of the local theatres.  We tell him what movie we’re going to see and he tells us to take a handful of napkins in with us.  “That kid,” he tells us, “is going to rip your heart out.”  Boy did he.  The film was “The Champ” and the “kid” was Ricky Schroder.

Best known for his role in the popular 80s television show “Silver Spoons,” Ricky Schroder is the rare success story in Hollywood.  From early roles in “The Last Voyage of Noah’s Ark” with Elliot Gould and “The Earthling” with William Holden through acclaimed performances in “Lonesome Dove” and “NYPD Blue” (where he ripped my heart out again as Detective Danny Sorrenson), Schroder carved out a successful career in front of the camera.  But recently he has spent some time behind it, including directing and co-writing the new film “Our Wild Hearts,” which airs August 2 on the Hallmark Movie Channel.  Schroder also stars, as does his daughter Cambrie and his sons Luke and Holden, named after his “The Earthling” co-star.

While promoting “Our Wild Hearts,” Mr. Schroder spent some time with Media Mikes to talk about his new film, working with his family and the perils of fatherhood.

Mike Smith:  What was your inspiration in writing “Our Wild Hearts?”
Ricky Schroder:  My daughter (Cambrie) was my inspiration.  Honestly.  She’s been wanting to be an actress since she was six.  I knew that she would eventually pursue acting with or without me.  I wanted to be her first director because even though I knew she had a lot of potential and raw talent I also knew she needed to be directed in the right way.  I didn’t want her to be put in a situation where she couldn’t succeed.  I told my wife (Andrea – who co-produced and co-wrote the film with Mr. Schroeder) “let’s make a family film – come up with an idea.”  My wife and daughter came back to me with the concept of a dad who never knew he had a daughter, set on a ranch with wild mustangs.  They had me hooked!  I sat down and wrote the first draft.  My wife did a polish on the scenes featuring Willow (Cambrie Schroder) and her mom.  It was a great experience.  All of my family members – all six Schroeders –were on camera.  Everybody worked on the crew.  They did what was needed.  Carry sandbags…craft services…make up…wardrobe.  Whatever needed to be done my family pitched in.

MS:  You worked with your wife before as a producer but this was the first time you shared a writing credit with her.  What was that collaborative process like?
RS:  We would sit down and talk about plot and characters and I would write.  And when I was stuck on scenes I would give them to her and she would write them.  She focused more on Willow’s character – Willow with her mom, Willow in Malibu.  Sometimes I would have trouble finding Willow’s voice and she could find it easier.

MS:  You mentioned that your entire family is in the film.  What was it like, especially for the first time actors, to work with your kids?
RS:  It was a great experience.  I would love to work with them again.  I treated them as a performer and they treated me as a director.  It was a very professional dynamic.  There were lots of high stakes riding on this film and lots of people involved as well as a great partner company in Hallmark.  We knew this wasn’t a home movie.  We knew this was a real film that we were working on together and we all treated it as such.  The only time my “dad” instincts kicked in was when my daughter had to do a stunt on a horse.  I would feel the urge to pull her off a let the stunt lady do it.

MS:  Something you alluded to when we were talking before the interview…as that very rare child actor who has gone on to a successful transition to adulthood,  have you shared any advice with your children…especially Cambrie, who wants to pursue acting full time?
RS:  I didn’t really share advice like that.  Of course, if they ask questions I’ll certainly answer them.  I think my kids have learned more by watching their dad and the challenges and struggles I’ve had while pursuing my career.  Any actor always has trouble getting that next job.  My kids have seen that.  So when we got to make a movie together they really began to understand what dad was doing when he would leave for 14 hours a day.  When he would go on set and be around sixty people in a high pressure environment.  No wonder he was tired when he came home.  Things like that I don’t think they had any insight into until they saw it from my perspective.

MS:  You still continue to act but you’re also spending more time behind the camera.  Is that your preference now?  Is that something you want to pursue?
RS:  I love acting and I’m always going to act.  Hopefully there will always be good writing and I can get that opportunity.  I’ve been focused more on writing and directing recently because I felt like I needed a new challenge…a new frontier to explore.  To stay inspired.  To try new things and to have new experiences in my life.  I’ve done that.  I’ve done music videos, I’ve done movies.  I’ve never set out to say “I’m not going to act anymore.”  But I had a real desire to learn about the other parts of this job…of directing and writing and producing….that I didn’t understand.

MS:  What are you working on next?
RS:  I created a reality television show for the U.S. Army called “Starting Strong” that’s running now.  (NOTE:  Adam Lawton spoke to Mr. Schroder about this program recently – his interview can be found here).  I’m really proud of that.  It runs on FOX on Sunday mornings.  It’s done well so I’m hoping to get another order to make more of those.  I’m also writing a couple scripts – an independent feature and another television film.  I’ve also written a one-hour pilot I’m trying to get set up.  And in between all of that I still go out on auditions when I can.  I meet people, shake hands and try to get the best acting jobs I can

MS:  Thank you again for your time.  I hope your daughter feels better (right before phoning me one of Mr. Schroder’s daughters had fallen off her skateboard and injured her wrist).
RS:  Thank you.

MS:  One thing I’ve learned as a dad is that kids bounce.
RS:  Very true.

Long before Steven Bauer was a star I was a fan. I caught him on an early 80s HBO program profiling young actors and something about him just stood out. Then and there I made a conscious effort to follow any career he might have. It turns out he’s had a great one.
Born in Cuba, Bauer and his family fled the island in 1960 as Fidel Castro was coming into power. His father was a pilot and later flew missions for the C.I.A., including during the Bay of Pigs crisis. A talented musician, Bauer hoped to pursue a career as a singer. However, he discovered acting in junior college and hasn’t looked back. Best known for his star-making turn in “Scarface,” he has appeared in such films as “Running Scared,” “Primal Fear” and the Oscar-winning “Traffic.” On television he’s had roles in popular shows like “The Rockford Files,” “NYPD Blue,” “Burn Notice” and starred in the fourth season of “Wiseguy.” This coming Sunday you can catch Mr. Bauer in his new project, co-starring alongside Live Schreiber in the new Showtime presentation “Ray Donovan.”

While promoting his new show Mr. Bauer took the time to sit down with Media Mikes to talk about working with his idol, network television and why, three decades later, “Scarface” is still going strong!

Mike Smith: I have to tell you that I was a fan of yours before you even made it big. I caught you on an HBO special that was profiling up and coming actors in the early 80s when you were going by the name Rocky Bauer. It was all about you trying to make it as an actor. I remember going to see “Scarface” and when you first came on screen I leaned over to my wife and said, “Look, it’s Rocky Bauer!”
Steven Bauer: Oh my God, I’d forgotten about that show. It was called “So You Want to Be a Star.” (NOTE: I’m so glad Mr. Bauer remembered this show. I can find no mention of it ANYWHERE on the Internet. The show followed Mr. Bauer, Melanie Griffith and a third person – – I’m assuming they didn’t make it or I’d have remembered them – if I’m wrong and it was someone like Bruce Willis my apologies- – as they went through the rounds of auditions while trying to make a living as an actor. As someone that had those same dreams 30 years ago the show really resonated with me) That’s so funny. I remember the producers approached me…I don’t even know why they approached ME…I had already done a TV movie (“She’s In the Army Now” – a film from 1981 that starred up and coming stars Melanie Griffith, Jamie Lee Curtis and Kathleen Quinlan). That’s where I met Melanie (NOTE: Mr. Bauer and Melanie Griffith were married in 1982 and divorced in 1987 – they have a son, Alexander). I had also done the television series “From Here to Eternity” with William Devane (NOTE: the 1980 series, based on the Oscar-winning film, also gave early roles to such future stars as Kim Basinger, Michael Jeter and Don Johnson). Anyway they asked me if I wanted to be one of the people that they profiled. I said, “sure…I guess.” And I remember…it’s probably hoaky now…that I thought it was kind of cool then. They’d take shots of me studying a script. Doing my lines out loud. Which was weird because I never did stuff like that. Especially in profile. They’d say, “we need you to pose while you’re reading.” Melanie used to get a kick out of it. She’s in it too.

MS: I know. I can’t remember who the third person was but you and Melanie sure fit the bill.
SB: (laughs quite heartily) Wow. That’s funny.

MS: Give us a little info on your new show, “Ray Donovan.”
SB: I think it’s a great show. And I think it’s going to be one of the big ones…I have a pretty good eye for this stuff (laughs). Ray Donovan is a tough guy from Boston – Irish-Catholic – who moves his family to L.A. and goes to work for an agency that “fixes” the problems of celebrities and powerful people. His job is to take care of the situation before something like TMZ can expose it. His method is simple – whatever it takes. He can be brutal and very “take charge” but he can also be very compassionate. And that’s the interesting thing about the character that I think will distinguish him. He’s really complex. To his family he’s also an enigma because he’s not home a lot. His wife wants more out of life. They live in the suburbs and she wants to move to where the action is. So Ray Donovan is a guy with a lot of pressures. But he handles them well. I play Avi, one of his assistants. Avi is the action guy, especially when a situation requires a little “force.” It’s a very complex show…it’s about family and lifestyles…greed and corruption…weakness…betrayal…it’s really interesting. It’s very realistic. Very hard hitting. The writing is brilliant. And we don’t have to hold back because we’re on Showtime. The other actors and I have shared with the writers that we’re in a very fortunate situation to be part of the Showtime family. There isn’t any pressure to be politically correct. We don’t have to stay away from certain themes…we don’t have the restrictions of network television. We also don’t have the pressure of having to shoot for ratings. We don’t have to alter the content in order to garnish ratings. The show is going on the air and it’s going to play. And I know the audience will find it.

MS: Were those reasons part of what attracted you to the project?
SB: Yes! First of all, the writer, Ann Biderman, is an old friend. I was very fortunate to appear in one of her early films…one that was truly one of her shining moments…”Primal Fear” (NOTE: Ms. Biderman has also penned the screenplays for films like “Copycat” and “Public Enemies.” She also won an Emmy for writing an episode of “NYPD Blue”). I was fortunate to be in the film and I got to meet Ann. It turns out she’s also from Miami, as I am. She remembered me and asked me to audition for Avi. He’s not Hispanic, he’s Israeli. I’ve done three films in Israel so she knew I could do the accent. All of that appealed to me. I’ve had opportunities in the past to be on network television and they’ve been very frustrating and very, very sad. I told myself I’d never do that to myself again…take a job that had “conditions.” You put all of your heart and soul into something and then it just ends. It’s a horrible feeling. That happened to me on “Wiseguy.” I did nine shows but after they aired two the boss of the network decided the show wasn’t going to find an audience. HE decided. (NOTE: After three seasons as Vinnie Terranova, an undercover agent infiltrating organized crime, actor Ken Wahl opted to quit “Wiseguy.” When season four started Mr. Bauer starred as a former US Attorney who had been in contact with Terranova). There was no changing his mind. One day they just told us to stop working and go home. That’s just the worse thing in the world to hear. Showtime has some great people.

MS: You made your feature film debut as Manny Riberra in “Scarface.” So for your first movie your being directed by one of the best directors around (Brian De Palma) and acting with, arguably, one of the greatest actors EVER (Al Pacino). What was your first day on the set like?
SB: (laughs) It was an very auspicious debut! On the first day I remember being very, very focused. My training was solid and I was prepared, mentally. I had been in Hollywood…had gone back to New York. I was working for a living. I was three or four years into my acting career and I had no delusions of stardom. But I knew I had to get into a really good, creative situation. I wanted to make my film debut in something really strong…creatively strong. And I was fortunate because I was in the right place at the right time. They were looking for me. They were looking for ME. And I was ready to deliver. And the concept…to be put next to one of my idols…Pacino and Robert DeNiro were my idols…I’d say to myself, “Jesus, I want to be THEM. That’s who I want to be…that’s how good I want to be.” Now all of a sudden I’m working with Al Pacino. He was my partner. And he used me. As I was learning from him he was learning from me. I was able to offer him an insight into that culture. The Cuban culture. And so we would bounce off of each other perfectly. I didn’t have time…I couldn’t afford to be nervous.

MS: “Scarface” will celebrate its 30th Anniversary in December. Why do you think the film is still an important part of popular culture today?
SB: I think it’s because it’s very consistent in its tone. It has a very specific tone that’s humorous as well as heavy. It’s brutal but there is a weird sense of humor that we were able to find that has appealed to each generation. The only people it didn’t appeal to were the critics at the time it came out. But their thoughts were influenced by political correctness. At the time it was released there was a backlash against violence in films. So when “Scarface” was released there was a tremendous backlash from the journalistic corps. The people who saw the movie…the PEOPLE who saw the movie, even our peers…had a tremendously positive response. Put that up against the almost 90% negative response from the film critics. And those reviews killed us. It was such a blow. There was no Internet then. You couldn’t have that instant response from the audience…people blogging that this was an amazing movie. What we had were the newspapers saying “this is a piece of ****! These people should go back to film school and acting school.” It was terrible. It was so vicious and so personal. It’s amazing that it survived those years and now has basically been re-claimed by the Hip-Hop generation. It was brought back to the forefront of pop culture and then people started seeing it without the trappings and limitations…by the thought of the day. They saw that what it was was a really good movie and a really great depiction of the rise and fall of a very bad man. It’s really a very moral picture.

MS: You’ve done a lot of voice work for video games (“Scarface: The World is Yours,” “Behind Enemy Lines: Columbia”). Does that require a different “kind” of acting then film or television?
SB: Video games require a lot of energy and a lot of concentration. It’s not normal acting at all. Plus some of them are motion capture. You have to wear a suit of lights. It’s like nothing else. It’s more like pantomime. Plus it’s a big demand on your voice. I did one where I just worked for 20 minutes. But in those 20 minutes I had to do so much…calling out, shouting…it was redundant. “Get over here! Get over here now!” Having to scream it over and over. And nobody knows it’s me! What’s ironic is that I don’t play video games. But I’ll be out somewhere and someone will recognize my voice and say, “Hey man, you’re in that game!” Yep, that’s me.

MS: Besides “Ray Donovan,” what else do you have coming up?
SB: Well a couple of films that I’ve done recently are beginning to see the light of day. I had a film play at Cannes (“Five Thirteen”) that stars me, Tom Sizemore and Danny Trejo. It’s a great heist movie and I have a cool role in that. I’m also in a film that should get some attention at the Toronto Film Festival called “The Lookalike,” made by an Australian director named Richard Gray. It’s got a great cast – Gina Gershon, John Corbett, Justin Long – it’s really a dark, dark movie. I’ve also got a film coming out August 23rd which deals with MMA fighting called “Chavez Cage of Glory.” And Danny Trejo’s in that one too.

Since his film debut in “Back to the Future Part 2,” Elijah Wood has grown up before our eyes. From the young boy dealing with life in films like “North” and “The War” to the adult hobbit Frodo in Peter Jackson’s Academy Award winning “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, he has never failed to impress an audience. This week he continues the third season of the highly popular television show “Wilfred,” which airs Thursday nights on FX. While promoting the show, Wood took some time to answer some questions.

Media Mikes: Do you sometimes have a hard time just holding it together and keeping a straight face when you film?
Elijah Wood: Oh yeah. I would say even more this season oddly enough than other seasons. For some reason I sort of busted up more this season because of what Jason [Gann] was doing than ever before. I’m so used to seeing him in the dog suit and to a certain degree the context of a lot of the situations I’m very used to but it still definitely serves to make me laugh. It’s a wonderful environment to work in. It’s something that all of us as a crew are kind of constantly laughing so it’s a pretty wonderful thing to go in to work to that every day.

MM: Do you think Wilfred should have a fixed ending point or can it just continue on indefinitely? EW: That’s a very good question. I think that the structure of the show that’s been created is such that it’s about a guy who is essentially in recovery and trying to figure out what his path in life is. This manifestation of ‘Wilfred’ has provided essentially a push for him to kind of figure that out. I think that can only really last for so long to believe that we are dealing with a man who is kind of struggling for answers to these questions and in this sort of existential question period of his life and in recovery. I don’t know that we can believe that for ten seasons. I think to a certain degree there has to be a resolve or a move in a certain direction, so I don’t know. I think…to the fairness of the construction of the show… I think it can only survive for so long. I would hate to make the show kind of carry on for too long and it not necessarily support what we’ve created, if that makes sense.

MM: Definitely. When you play Ryan, do you have in your mind an answer to why he sees Wilfred in order to help you play him?
EW: I do yeah. I have an idea. I’ve kind of made up my mind as to what I think Wilfred is. I don’t know that that’s reflective of what the character has decided though, and to a certain degree I think Ryan—when Ryan meets Wilfred in the first season it’s really within an episode in a way that he sort of accepts Wilfred’s existence. I think from there on out even though there are these questions and he does question what ‘Wilfred’ is—I think there’s a deeper level of acceptance and recognizing that ‘Wilfred’s’ purpose albeit uncertain as to where he’s manifesting from and what it means—his purpose is ultimately positive and that is helping him. I don’t know what Ryan has decided because I think Ryan is clearly questioning, but I have an idea. I think that perspective probably does help me in playing the character, but I think overall there’s just a sense of general acceptance for Ryan.

MM: When you approach a character, as far as developing it, do you take a different approach as opposed to when you’re working on a film and episodic television?
EW: Not really. I mean the only real difference between television and film—I mean there are a few I suppose, but predominantly it’s the pace to which you work. But the development of the character or the process for playing the character isn’t necessarily different. The other main difference between film and television is that you have the opportunity to flush out a character over a longer period of time whereas a film you’re confined to two hours, three hours, whatever it may be. But really it’s very much the same approach that you would take when you play a character in any medium I think.

Eddie Trunk is the host of the popular VH1 talk show “That Metal Show”. The show recently kicked off its 12th season and is already shaping up to be one of the best yet. Media Mikes had the chance to talk with Eddie recently about the history of the show, what it’s like working with co-hosts Don Jamieson and Jim Florentine and shed some light on his new book.

Adam Lawton: How did the show initially get started?
Eddie Trunk: I had been pestering VH1 for a very long time and it was something that I brought to them. What some people may not realize due to the channel not be as readily available as it is now is that I had been hosting on VH1 Classics since 2002. Before “That Metal Show” I was doing all different types of interviews and VJ work for them. During that time I was always pushing to do my own show which would feature the music I loved and have guests on that I could talk with like I do on my radio shows. It took a long time to get them to come around to the idea. Finally in 2008 they decided to give it a shot and shoot a pilot. The show went through a lot of evolution as there were a number of different people attached to it on all different levels. Things eventually happened in that they came to me asking to bring in some other host and not just have me by myself on. They wanted guys that weren’t serious in an effort to mix up the chemistry. I had the perfect guys in mind. Don and Jim were friends of mine and they were often on my radio show. We brought them in, had a great meeting, shot the pilot and here we are 100 episodes later.

AL: Other than the recent move from New York to Los Angeles what do you think has been the biggest change in the show since its inception?
ET: The biggest was something that I had been pushing for since day one. The show started out as only a half hour and after the fourth season we went to an hour. Coming from radio I loved the time you have where you can just sit and talk to someone. TV is completely different and it’s hard to make that change when your show is only a half hour. When it really comes down to it the show is 21 minutes because of commercials. It was agonizing for me for some time trying to fit everything in to that time frame. Once we switched to an hour things felt much better to me. The only thing now is that with it being an hour I want it to be two hours. (Laughs)

AL: Can you tell us about the idea of bringing in guitarists, bassists and drummers to perform during the show?
ET: The ultimate goal is to have a band play one day but we can’t do that because we just don’t have the budget. We simply cannot afford to bring on an entire band or pay the publishing which is very expensive and a lot of people don’t realize that. We try and work around that buy just bringing in single musicians to do some shredding and stuff. We have had drummers, bassists and predominately guitarist as they lend themselves to the gig a little more. This season we split things down the middle with four shows being with a guitarist and four shows being with a drummer. We have a lot of fun bringing those guys in and it’s a great opportunity to showcase sometimes the little lesser known guys. For example Richie Kotzen has always been a favorite of mine and in America he is barely known. To have him featured on our show has been great as lots of people have been emailing me for more info on him.

AL: In the shows 12 seasons has there ever been a guest that you thought would never end up on the show but actually did end up being on?
ET: Steve Harris from Iron Maiden was tuff. He doesn’t live in American and the Iron Maiden camp is extremely protective of their brand and how they do things. I have always had a great relationship with them but in order to get everyone on board the stars have to align themselves. The season that Steve was on ended up being a last minute score for us because Steve had just announced he was going to be doing a solo album and the band happened to be in Los Angeles. I went to their manager and just asked to have him on. Steve ended up coming down and having a blast. We hope to have him back one day. They guys who don’t live in America are a challenge logistically. Tony Iommi was another one that I was really excited to have one.

AL: What is it like working with Jim and Don behind the scenes?
ET: Things are the exact same as you see on the show. We all bust each other’s balls. Those guys as stand up comics are going to be a little better at it than most people but it comes with the territory. Their role is to throw things a little off balance. Behind the scenes we all put a lot in to the show. As a co-producer the show is kind of my baby so a lot falls on me to sort of be the referee and also to get the guests as I have a lot of history with most of them. Don and Jim work hard as well coming up with concepts and we are all very much involved as it’s a team effort.

AL: Besides the remaining shows for this season what else do you have in the works?
ET: I just completed my second book which is the follow up to “Eddie Trunk’s Essential Hard Rock and Heavy Metal Vol. 1”. I just found out that Vol. 2 will be coming out on September 24th. The book is an exact sequel to my first book. The format and everything is the same except that there are 35 completely different bands in this one. I am really excited for that to be happening. I will also be continuing my two radio shows as this year I am celebrating my 30^th year in radio. I am always out there looking for ways to make my projects bigger and take things to the next level.

NEW YORK – June 20, 2013 – Up in the sky. It’s a bird. It’s a plane. No, it’s a…shark! A supersized storm sucks sharks from the ocean and hurls them onto land in the new Syfy Original Movie Sharknado, premiering Thursday, July 11 at 9PM (ET/PT).

In the movie, regulars of a beachside bar including owner Fin (Ian Ziering/Beverly Hills 90210), bartender Nova (Casie Scerbo/Make It Or Break It) and local drunk George (John Heard/Home Alone) team up with Fin’s ex-wife April (Tara Reid/Scrubs) to investigate the ecological nightmare that has sharks swimming through the streets of Los Angeles and falling from the skies. Sharknado is a production of The Asylum.

Frankie Muniz (Malcolm in the Middle) and Barry Bostwick (Rocky Horror Picture Show) star in the Original Movie Blast Vegas, premiering Thursday, July 18 at 9PM. A group of wild frat bros and their nerdy tag-along Nelson (Muniz) head to Las Vegas for the spring break of a lifetime. When one of them steals an Egyptian relic from a casino, an ancient curse is unleashed on the fabled strip. Blast Vegas is a production of Brainstorm Media.

Syfy is a media destination for imagination-based entertainment. With year round acclaimed original series, events, blockbuster movies, classic science fiction and fantasy programming, a dynamic Web site (www.Syfy.com), and a portfolio of adjacent business (Syfy Ventures), Syfy is a passport to limitless possibilities. Originally launched in 1992 as SCI FI Channel, and currently in more than 98 million homes, Syfy is a network of NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies. NBCUniversal is owned by Comcast Corporation.(Syfy. Imagine greater.)

Sabrina Carpenter is a 13 years old actress and a very talented musician. She is a Hollywood Records artist and her song “Smile” was released on “Disney Fairies” CD. She was also recently cast in the series pilot for “Girl Meets World”, the sequel to “Boy Meets World”. In Disney Junior’s “Sofia The First”, she voices and also sings for the role of Princess Vivian. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Sabrina about her role in “Girl Meets World” and about the pilot.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about your character, Maya Fox, in upcoming series “Girl Meets World”?
Sabrina Carpenter: Maya is Riley Matthews’ best friend. She is a little darker than Riley. She cares so much for her. I think that is what keep her sane is having Riley by her side. They are two opposites but love each other so much and have such an appreciation for each other.

MG: How was it shooting the pilot episode?
SC: It was so much fun. We were also very lucky to have some of the original cast from “Boy Meets World” visit us on set. That was so amazing. We are working with some really amazingly talented writers and producers, along with a great cast. We are so lucky that Ben (Savage) and Danielle (Fishel) are back on this show as well. I think that everybody is going to love it!

Click here to read our interview with Sabrina for her role in Disney Junior’s “Sofia The First”

What do you do if you have a popular television show with popular stars as it approaches its new season? If you’re TNT you add everyone’s “go to” girl, Heather Locklear. From early 80s favorites like “T.J. Hooker” and “Dynasty” through the highly successful “Melrose Place” then on to “Spin City,” Locklear has always brought fans and, more importantly, ratings to her programs. Next week she joins the cast of “Franklin and Bash,” starring Mark Paul Gosselaar, Breckin Meyer and Malcolm McDowell as Rachel King, the law firm’s newest partner. The new season begins Wednesday, June 19 at 9:00 p.m. EST with an airing of back-to-back episodes. To celebrate her new gig Ms. Locklear sat down for some questions.

Media Mikes: When you first joined the cast, was it instant chemistry between you and Mark and Breckin or did it take a bit of time for you all to gel?
Heather Locklear: You know what, I think anyone would have instant chemistry with those two boys. So that was pretty much right away. We were joking and laughing right away.

MM: And what was it about the role that interested you in being a part of this show? It’s very much a comedy mixed with a drama.
HL: Right. First because of that, that’s different. And also because I’ve never played a lawyer before. And when shows are on a couple seasons already, it’s always nice to go in on that when they are well-oiled machines.

MM: What do you like about the character?
HL: I like that she’s strong and she’s well educated…she knows world leaders and knows her stuff…her business.

MM: Do you see Rachel and Malcolm McDowell’s Stanton having a power struggle over the firm down the line? And what is Malcolm McDowell like to work with?
HL: You know, I do see that down the line. But with Malcolm, I mean yes I do see that a little bit because he hands over the reins to her to, you know, to get everyone in shape. And I step on toes a bit. But it’s so fun working with Malcolm. He’s so twinkly and sparkly and such fun. Have you met him?
MM: No, but we’ve interviewed him for our site in the past.

MM: Because of your popularity – especially on television series – you must get many offers. What was it about this show that made you say ”yes, this is the show that I want to do?”
HL : Let me tell you something. I don’t get many offers. I get a few maybe. But because the show is like a “Boston Legal” – I loved “Boston Legal.” I loved “Ally McBeal” It’s similar to that. It’s a fun show. And it was different than what I’ve done in the past.

MM: If you had to name your three favorite roles what would they be?
HL: Like the shows?

MM: Yes.
HL: Oh, I loved “Melrose Place.” I loved “Spin City,”… both of them with Michael (J. Fox) and Charlie (Sheen). And I loved doing “Saturday Night Live.” That was fun.

Chris Chittick was the TVN storm chaser and videographer from Discovery Channel’s series “Storm Chasers”. Since the show has ended Chris still has been chasing storms.  He recently teamed up with tornadohunter.com to continue the chase.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Chris about his work and his love for chasing storms.

Jennifer Kish: How has your life changed since the show Storm Chasers?
Chris Chittick: My life has changed after Storm Chasers not too much really. Still doing what I love to do. Just joined a new team, tornadohunter.com is the name of the website. There a great group of guys. Pretty much same as the way it was before just out on the road non-stop chasing. Tornadoes and any kind of extreme weather.

JK: What can you tell me about about your new chasing team tornado hunters?
CC: We are based out of Saskatchewan. It consists of our driver Ricky Forbes. Greg Johnson, who is our main meteorologist and photographer. I control all of the video stuff. There is a great dynamic, young team and we are just out on the road driving for miles until we get the job done.

JK: You use to change with long time chase partner Reed Timmer.. Do you ever miss driving into tornadoes?
CC: Reed and I split ways. We still have a good relationship but as far as driving into the tornadoes, we have our vehicle the Tornado Hunter and it is completely lined with lineX stuff so we can get just as close to the tornado as we did in the Dominator.

JK: Tell me more about your tornado alley photo expedition tours. What can people expect to experience during one of these tours?
CC: Kind of what we do as far as our tours offered on tornadohunter.com. It’s a full out experience where you come out on the road with seasoned veterans. Greg is a world class photographer and I consider myself a world class photographer as well. It’s real in life workshop as far as video shooting/ photo shooting. You learn a lot on the road, your part of the team. Your not just sitting there you actually become part of the team. We ask you what you think of as far as weather goes and we will ask you to help deploy probes. It’s a full experience, life on the road as a storm chaser. For the I’m going to say soccer mom, doctor, lawyer or whatever, you don’t get to experience that kind of stuff in every day life. The adrenaline is unbelievable.. the ups and the downs it’s just an amazing trip.

JK: Your recently updated your chase vehicle.. What kind of updates were made?
CC: As far as updates go its a F150 EgoBoost completely lined with lineX. LineX material is bullet proof/bomb proof. We have ADD bumpers in front and in back. We have a truck bed with topper on it and that we we deploy probes in the back of the truck. Main thing is the lineX which allows us to get closer then before. The main issue is not the tornado itself but the flying debris. So if we can just protect ourselves from flying debris that allows us to get close and capture imagery that no one else has been able to capture.

JK: What do you do when your not chasing tornadoes?
CC: I like to golf. When we are not chasing we are either working on the truck or we do speaking events. Photo and photography workshops. We do other extreme things as well, our driver is into motor cross and extreme downhill mountain biking. Greg has a full family. I’m single so it’s kinda difficult to get a family when you are the road all the time. Trying to move on day to day. Next couple months we are moving into hurricane season so we will start prepping and getting ready for that. Then any other extreme weather we will getting ready for that as well.

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Ricky Schroder rose to fame as a child actor in the late 70’s and early 80’s winning a Golden Globe for his role in the 1979 film “The Champ”. Schroder then went on to play the role of Ricky Stratton on the popular hit television series “Silver Spoons”. Since that time Ricky has appeared in a variety of feature films and television series. His newest project “Starting Strong” which airs June 2nd on Fox is a collaboration with the United States Army to give people interested in joining the military a real life look at what it takes to become an Armed Forces member. Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Ricky recently about the project and what it was like working with the U.S. Army.

Adam Lawton: How did you first get involved with the Army?
Ricky Schroder: I approached the Army and asked them what I could do to help. I had wanted to do something to help and be able to do my part. We have been at war now for quite a long time and after the events of Sept. 11^th I was compelled to get involved somehow.

AL: What were your impressions when the project first got underway?
RS: There was a big learning curve for me. You think you know about the Army and what it’s all about but you really don’t know until you go in to the Army or spend time there. You have to sit down and really talk to these men and women over weeks and weeks. You then really start to understand more about the Army. That’s what “Starting Strong” does. It gives people the behind the scene look at what it’s like to live, eat and breathe in the Army. The show isn’t about boot camp or things like that. It is more focused on Military job specialties. There are 150 of these jobs ranging from mechanics to medics. We show a civilian what it’s like to do one of those specific jobs for a week.
At the end of the week they either decide to enlist or they don’t. My perception of the Army was completely different than that of reality. These soldiers and their families are both serving. They have a very tight bond. I really learned a lot about America’s Army.

AL: Did you do a lot of pre-production and research before starting to shoot?
RS: The stuff people will be seeing is first hand footage. Neither I, the civilian we brought along nor the production team had ever been through any of this training before. We learned just like the person with us. There were a lot of surprises along the way. Sometimes the ones who we thought would surely enlist after the experience chose not to and others who we thought wouldn’t did end up enlisting. It was something that was pretty hard to predict.

AL: Did the Army have a large hand in the production aspect of things?
RS: Of course they did. They controlled what classes the civilian was going to be places. Since this wasn’t scripted we actually had to fit in the training rotation that the Army already had going. We were pretty much under their direction throughout the filming. The Army also helped with who was going to be able to participate in the program. They were definitely a partner the whole way through. They did not however dictate as to how the end result appeared. The production is completely transparent. We put the young person in those scenarios and what happened is what you see.  The Army was a great partner and their idea of doing this was to communicate with Americans in a new way.

AL: Do you feel having the Army involved was one of the harder parts of the shoot?
RS: I don’t think it was difficult in any way I think it was essential. You couldn’t do some of the things we were able to do without them. We really needed them. The more difficult things were probably having all the camera guys and such running around in the heat for 10-12 hours a day. We really had to make sure we were getting the full story behind why these young people were thinking of enlisting. Sometimes they didn’t know why they were doing this. It was quite challenging getting the young people involved with the production to really identify why they were there.

AL: As this point in your career are you leaning towards doing more of the production side of things as opposed to be in front of the camera?
RS: I want to be able to do as much as I can weather it be acting, directing, writing or producing. I have quite a few more options at this point because I am able to do those things. I certainly want to be a performer still. Performing is something that I have done my entire life and it’s something that I hope will never stop.

AL: Can you tell us about the distribution plans for the show?
RS: It will air on 16 of the Fox channels affiliates. These are some of the biggest cities in America. It is also going to have a massive digital distribution. You will also be able to find it on www.goarmy.com/startingstrong as well as www.youtube.com/goarmy

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