Marc & Shannon Parker are the owners of Parker Brothers Concepts, which is located in Melbourne, FL.  They are also the stars on Syfy’s “Dream Machines”.  They have created cars for 50 Cent, WWE’s John Cena and Universal’s recent film “Battleship”.  Media Mikes recently had a chance to visit the shop in our first collaboration with MyGarageShop.com and got a chance to sit down and chat with the guys about the show and their inspiration behind it.

Mike J. Gencarelli: Tell us about the origin of Parker Bros Concepts?
Shannon Parker: It actually happened by accident. We started out just building things just to be building things. To begin with Marc and I talked about just building choppers, just regular bikes. I thought with the economy the way it way, I thought it was a bad idea because there are a lot of chopper builders out there. We only had enough money to build one…
Marc Parker: We didn’t even have enough money to build one [laughs]
SP: We didn’t have quite enough money to build one vehicle. So we talked about it a little bit and I really wanted to do a replica of the Batpod from “The Dark Knight”. I thought if we run out of money or can’t sell it at least I got something I wanted anyway. So we built it and put it out on the internet to get attention to sell it. We put it out there for $100,000 and when we did that it drew all kinds of attention. We weren’t able to sell it right away but it gave us some great attention and a step towards what we should do next. I think the next step we built our Xenon Light Motor Bike. After that we were off and running…

MJG: How did you get involved with SyFy and “Dream Machines”?
MP: Once the Xenon Light Motor Bike hit the internet it started going viral and before we were even done, we got a call from the TV people. At that point we were only in business for a couple of months. A guy named Edwin Zane called us up and asked “How would you like to do a TV show because the stuff you do is really cool?”. The company he was with at the time threw out a couple of numbers to us and at the time went with out gut and didn’t go with it…luckily. Especially now that we know what we know. He left that company and went to another company and pitched us again.
SP: In the meantime, we were getting pitches from other production companies as well but we never felt comfortable. We liked Edwin as a person and felt comfortable with him. Edwin then moved to another production company called Triage, Inc. and we ended up going with him full circle around.
MP: Triage is taking good care of us. It is a good show for them. They are a big enough company that they are able to do what needs to get done but still small enough to where we are important to them. Once we signed up with him then he pitched it to seven-eight networks. Literally the next day, he had four of the networks interested in the show. Syfy stepped up and said the first day “He is a contract we will take it”. No messing around. They are revamping that network right now and our show fits in well with them.

Mike P. Gencarelli: What made you switches from Parker Bros Choppers to Parker Bros Concepts?
SP: It was the show. More than anything, we didn’t want to come across as old school bike builders and that is it.
MP: When we first started, the original idea and name of the business was going to be Parker Bros Concepts but then we thought no one would know what that is. The original thought was choppers sell, the stuff we are building is weird and not sure if it would sell or not. We were probably going to end up building a couple of choppers local and build our way up. Then on the side build the concept and if people like them great and if they don’t we can just keep them. We went with Parker Bros Choppers for the name and then it came around full circle since the stuff we were doing was more important to the TV people. They didn’t want us to look like the Orange County Choppers. We switched it over to concepts.

MJG: What was it like shooting a reality show and working your day to day business?
MP: Oh my God!
SP: It was difficult…
MP: …and a lot different than we thought it was going to be. SP: You think it is just going to be a camera standing there off in the background and shooting but it doesn’t really work that way. There is a lot of interviews. It is a totally different world for us. It was a cool experience but it was pretty difficult to build something when they are asking us to do it over. Sometimes they may not get it the first time or may need a different angle.
MP: Or before you do anything you need to check it first with the showrunner or director and make sure it is something if they want to get on camera or not. Then we need to wait for them to get the cameras ready before we do the work.

MPG: On the show you guys have these ridiculous deadlines. Is that due to the show and now that we know about filming; how does that affect the deadlines?
MP: It kills the deadlines.
SP: Normally you would think the deadline is reality. All of these things were needed for certain events or premieres. It was one of those “have-to” situations. You have to have it done by this time.
MP: In addition all of these projects, like 50 Cent’s car, if 50 came to us normally and said I want this car, wewould say give us a year/year and a half and we will have this car for you. But you can’t build a show around something like that. All of the deadlines came into play since we only have “X” number of months to film “X” number of episodes. So a lot of these we had to cram into a shorter period of time just because of being able to film them.

MPG: Got a funny question, why is the logo on the roof?
MP: It is actually not!
MPG: It’s not? CGI?
MP: On the show they will show the roof two or three times and sometimes it is there and sometimes it is not. They spent a lot of money on this helicopter for one day. One of the shotsthey wanted was a building shot. The building looks kind of plain and didn’t really stand out against everything else on the road. They wanted to use the shot since they spent the money on the helicopter and so they CGIed it up there.

MJG: What was your most challenging project to date?
MP: Filming a TV show [laughs].
SP: I don’t know I think John Cena’s car was very difficult. Trying to figure out all the things that go into it. That was was also weird for us beecause we started out with a frame, since normally we don’t. We had a lot of issues…
MP: …trying to work around it. Sometimes starting from scratch makes it a lot easier on you with the crazy designs we are working with. It is hard to take sometime and make it fit into that design. If you just start from scratch, even though there is a lot more hours into it, it makes the design and the build come together a little easier. The most difficult in my mind was the Shredder from “Battleship”. With the Shredder we really got to showcase what we wanted to do. When we started this show, we threw a bunch of really over-the-top project out there at the network. They had us tone it down a bit but not completely insane.
SP: Like the single man sub-marine.
MP: Yeah we wanted to do a one man attack sub-marine and some flying vehicles. But that was personally the hardest but also my favorite build.

MPG: Besides plans for season two of “Dream Machines”; what do you see yours doing years down the line?
MP: Hopefully, we get to execute our plans from the very beginning. We want to be the go-to guys for Hollywood. We want to be the guys to build the vehicles for the movies and TV shows. Whether we are on TV or not, if we are building these things that is what we are into.

Florian Bellanger is one of the judges on the Food Network Series “Cupcake Wars”. He is also the owner of Mad Mac Macaroons. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Florian about his work on the show and get some cool behind-the-scenes stories.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about how you became involved with Food Network Series “Cupcake Wars”?
Florian Bellanger: It is a funny thing. One day I received a message from one of the producers on my Facebook page that they were working on a new show and needed a judge. They sent me a pilot, which they actually still air occasionally. It is the only episode that I am not on board. After they got a decent response from the pilot, Food Network decided to go into production. They wanted someone that was a pastry expert and not from the cupcake world. So I did a few auditions for it and eventually I got the job. The two process took about two months. At the beginning we weren’t sure how the show was going to do, so we only shot eight episodes for season one. We didn’t know that it would be such a success.

MG: Tell us about how you choose your judging style?
FB: When they first hired me they asked “Have your ever watched ‘American Idol’?” I said, sure. They said basically we have a Paula and we are looking for a Simon [laughs]. They asked if I could do a Simon. I told them I could but it would be under some conditions. I don’t want to insult the baker personally. I wasn’t going to tell them that “You are a loser and shouldn’t be here”. Now can I be a tough cookie…yes I can be a tough cookie. Can I insult their food. Of course I can tell them that their food tastes like shit [laughs]. But I won’tattack them personally. The other thing was that I didn’t want the judgings to be staged. I didn’t want an ear piece or anyone telling me what to say or do. I wanted to judge the way I wanted to and speak my mind and be honest. They said that they weren’t looking for that either and were very upfront and honest. We got along very well. 75 episodes to date and I have no regrets at all.

MG: Any fun behind the scenes stories from the show?
FB: Some of my comments don’t make it into the show sometimes, since they were too strong [laughs]. Like “Your cupcake is so small, it looks like a midget cupcake”, they said that they didn’t want to air it so not to upset anyone. I don’t mean anything bad, I just speak my mind and I am French. So sometimes I speak too strong. One day we had a mother and daughter contestant team and they were fighting so bad that the mother walked away right in the middle of the competition. We had a few cooks cut themselves by accident. The cupcakes were covered with blood and that food couldn’t be judged (or eaten), obviously. What you see on TV is really what you get. They really work against the clock. We never stop the clock ever. If they are not done, then they get eliminated…that is it. It is really high pressure environment. We start shooting around 7am in the morning. They have to work and also find time to talk with the cameras as well. It is not only competing, they need to make it into good TV. So there is a nice blend of the TV aspect and the competition aspect. It is a long day for them. For Candace (Nelson) and myself, it is easy. We sit, eat and comment, but we are in the room the whole time.

MG: After each show, the winners always get to go to these parties; why aren’t the judges invited?
FB: Of course since it is TV, they make you think the party is that night. It would be impossible to have the show shoot the same days as the events. On TV, we make it look like they go straight to the parties. They show up at a later date and it makes it more difficult. The winning display is saved but they have to re-bake all of the thousand cupcakes. The day of shooting those cupcakes go to charity. Sometimes the contestants are coming from the East Coast and the party is in Los Angeles. So it is a big of trip sometimes for these contestants.

MG: Tell us about what we can expect from the future of the show?
FB: We just started shooting season seven now, which is pretty cool. Before that we have done seventy-five episodes already. It is amazing. We are shooting another thirteen for season seven. Then probably another thirteen this October. It is doing really well. We are in the top five for the Food Network’s shows, in terms of ratings. Right now Food Network is running thirty-nine episodes a year. I heard but I am not 100% but I hear they want to bring it to fifty-two episodes a year. Which would be one new episodes each week. So that would be very amazing for the show.

Justin Willman is the host of Food Network’s “Cupcake Wars”.  His first passion is magic and currently has a web-series on The Nerdist Channel called “Magic Meltdown” and also has an on-going “Tricked Out Tour”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Justin about working on “Cupcake Wars” and get some cool behind-the-scenes stories.

Mike Gencarelli: What do you enjoy most about hosting “Cupcake Wars”?
Justin Willman: I love being a part of the show since it has such a wide fan base. Of course there are the adults that love watching “Cupcake Wars”. It is one of those few shows that has a broad family appeal that parents can watch with their kids since it has a little something for everybody. I really like broad appeal and being able to expand my own fanbase to a really wide one.

MG: How did this opportunity come up for you work on this show?
JW: I was a correspondent on “The Rachel Ray Show” for a couple of years, which was my first regular hosting gig. Through that I was exposed the culinary world. I would cover different food events for her. I never had any connection between the food world before and between you and me…I can’t cook [laughs]. Through that I was able to get into the world and when this audition came along, I was in the right place at the right time.

MG: You seem to have a lot of fun on the show; any cool behind-the-scenes stories?
JW: Let me think here. The show is very dramatic but you can see at times we are having a lot of fun and we really do. I get to hang out with Florian and Candace all day. They are sitting all day, actually they sit and I am standing while they bake. We got to become really close friends and have a lot of fun. I think the one behind-the-scenes nugget that I can give you is that Florian is not intimidating in person as he is on the show. He takes cupcakes very seriously but he is just a big teddy bear.

MG: Did you wear the kilt the whole episode during the Disney/Pixar “Brave” episode?
JW: The whole time! It was one of the most comfortable outfits. I was able to move around very freely. The kilt had a little built in pocket in the front, which was perfect for my phone. When we weren’t rolling I was able to catch up on emails and Angry Birds.

MG: You get to eat any of the cupcakes?
JW: One of my most commonly asked questions is “Do I get to eat the cupcakes”. I don’t on camera. But Candace will rarely finish her own cupcake. usually I get to eat whatever she doesn’t eat. If it is a great cupcake, I have to try it but if it is horrible sometimes I have to try that also just to see.

MG: When can we expect some new episodes of “Cupcake Wars”?
JW: We should be airing news episodes currently every Sunday. Then are shooting now for our seventh season with 13 more episodes coming this Fall!

MG: Tell us about your new series “Magic Meltdown”?
JW: Obviously I have been doing magic since I was 12. It is my first passion and it is what I love doing most. The Nerdist channel, which hosts “Magic Meltdown”, gave me this chance to do this street magic series with a comedic edge to it. It was a chance to finally put out my own brand of comedy magic. It has been great. We have done 6 episodes so far out of 15. New episodes air every Friday.

MG: Tell us about your on-going “Tricked Out Tour”?
JW: Honestly, there is nothing that makes me happier than performing on stage for a live audience. This Fall, I have a couple of tour stops. Next year, I am putting together a whole theater tour, hopefully all over the country. Coming to a theater near you! I hope all the “Cupcake Wars” fans come out and get a chance to meet me in person.

Kristina Anapau has appeared in films like Darren Aronofsky’s “Black Swan”. She also appeared as Maurella in season 5 of HBO’s “True Blood”. Media Mikes had a chance to ask Kristina about her work on “True Blood” and what we can expect next.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you get involved with “True Blood”?
Kristina Anapau: I auditioned for Alan Ball and the True Blood producers. I did the scene once, they said thank you, and I left. It was apparently a ‘Thank you, that was exactly what we were looking for’ because I got the call that I had booked the role just a few hours later. As an actor, you always tend to feel that a quick audition with no discussion or adjustments means that they don’t like you or that you are not right for the role, but it is often times exactly the opposite.

MG: How was it joining an already established cast in season five?
KA: I feel very privileged to have worked with the actors I have worked with thusfar. Chris Bauer is an incredibly generous actor and human being. I learn something new from him every time we work together and with every conversation we have. I adore working with Anna [Paquin], she is tremendously talented and focused. She has a magnetism that pulls you in—she is really beautiful inside and out. The True Blood cast is phenomenal—incredibly talented actors on set and absolutely wonderful people off. It is such a pleasure to come to work.

MG: Tell us about your character Maurella and what do you ejnoy about playing her most?
KA: Maurella is a seductress from the faerie dimension who has a passion for Andy Bellefleur. She is 500 years old, although she only claims to be 300;) She is on her way to becoming an elder of the fairies, and is called in to help Sookie and Jason gain clarity surrounding their parents death . I enjoy everything about Maurella. Being able to shoot balls of light out of my hands, read peoples minds, and orgasmically give birth to quadruplets after a one week gestation period? What’s not to love?

MG: Can we expect you past for season six?
KA: We are a pretty secretive operation…don’t think I can give hints away as to where the storyline may be headed by answering that:)

MG: What other projects do you have upcoming?
KA: I just shot a really great episode of NBC’s Grimm that will be airing on September 10th. Sighting, a film I am very excited about, will be out later in the year. It’s a fantastic project. And early next year another film I am very proud of, BlackJacks, will be released.

Brandon Johnson is the co-star of Adult Swim’s “NTSF:SD:SUV::” He is joined by Paul Scheer, Kate Mulgrew, Rebecca Romijn, Martin Starr, June Diane Raphael and Rob Riggle. The show has just started its second season and already is shaping up to trump its first.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Brandon to find about what he like most about playing Alphonse and what we can expect this season.

Mike Gencarelli: What do you think makes “NTSF:SD:SUV::” so unique?
Brandon Johnson: I feel like you get a lot of bang for your buck. We think our audience is really smart. We know they are. We don’t try and hit it over their head, in terms of “Do you all get what a crime procedural is?”. One of the coolest things about Adult Swim and their shows is that they get really amazing talent to be able to come in and do these shows. What separates us from everyone else is our cameos. We have Ray Liotta in there. I have no idea how they got Kate Mulgrew, but she is hilarious. You look at it and it seems like just a little show but then you look closer and realize we have every member of “The Office”, the members of “Human Giant” and most of cast from “Freak and Geeks”, including Paul Fieg. If you are a nerd, we will appeal to you.

MG: If I wasn’t already a big fan, that is really a great sale for the show.
BJ: [laughs], I know right. If you are a computer nerd…we have a robot. If you like “Star Trek”…we have Kate Mulgrew. We are taking care of you nerds.

MG: Where do you get inspiration for Alphonse?
BJ: I love the contrast of LL Cool J and Ice-T as cops on television. Alphonse has these great one-liners that are pretty potent but he is terrified of everything. I like to be the basic cop like “Hey man, I may not have gone to college and don’t understand words on paper but I know your a criminal” [laughs]. As much as David Caruso believes that sunglasses improves his skills — LL Cool J believes that flexing his pecks makes him a better cop. I try to do the best I can to convey “I really don’t know what doing on here but I don’t like it”. [laughs]

MG: Have you gotten a script and just thought it was too over-the-top?
BJ: No. We are really happy that the writers are really really good at what they do. I am just really trying to keep up with them. The creators knew what they wanted to do with the show, so by the time we got there it was really tight.

MG: What can we expect from season two of “NTSF:SD:SUV::”
BJ: Season two you get to see the lovely NTSF:AK:CANOE, which is another NTSF in Alaska. We are going to Alaska to meet my father, who is being played by Steven Williams.

MG: How do you compare this season to the first season?
BJ: The first season, I think we were trying to win you. We went to different locations in each episodes and there wasn’t a lot of focus on some of the other characters. This season your are going to get more of June (Diane Raphael), a lot of Rebecca (Romijn), and Martin (Starr) gets his own episode. One of the things we wanted to do this season was say “Look now that you know how crazy we are, let’s go ahead and give you a look at each of the characters”. I mean there will always be (Paul) Scheer, since we need him and he is just amazing.

MG: Any room for improv?
BJ: It is a weird thing. It is like a Jeter situation [laughs]. “We know that you were a great baseball player once and still are and if we ever need those skills that will be amazing, but you trust the skipper on this one and just do your job” [laughs]. I thankfully don’t have to improv that much. The writers are really good and help me out on that.

MG: What else do you have planned next?
BJ: I do but I have to be loyal to this one. I think this show is going to be awesome this season!

Janet Varney is known best for voicing Korra on Nickelodeon’s “The Legend of Korra”.  She also appeared in the first season of Syfy’s “Insane or Inspired?”.  Currently she is working on HuffPost Live, a live streaming network. Janet took some time to chat about voicing Korra and what we can expect from season two of the show.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you end up landing the leading role of Korra on Nickelodeon’s “The Legend of Korra”?
Janet Varney: Well I have wanted to do voice over for a while but didn’t have a lot of experience in it. I was something that was a dream of mine. I was working well on-camera but like every good dissatisfied artist, what I really wanted to do was something that I wasn’t getting successful in [laughs]. Mostly because the little kid in me was completely fascinated by being a part of cartoons. I met with a few voice over agents and then asked me “What do you like most about voice work? Promos? Commercials?”. I told them basically I just want to do cartoons and they appreciated my honesty. When I got the audition of Korra, it was basically just a normal process for any on-camera role. We even got put together with the other proposed cast to see how the chemistry was, so I got to read with David Faustino and P.J. Byrne. When I found out I got the role, I was in a Jo-Ann Fabrics & Crafts in the Valley, getting crafts supplies. My agent called and told me the news and I ended up screaming and jumping up and down all by myself in an aisle of this fabric store. It has turned out to be one of the best jobs, I have ever had. It is an absolute dream.

MG: Did you look back to “Avatar: The Last Airbender” series” at all?
JV: I was a fan of the original series. I think because of the original legacy of the show and how beloved the series was, I think we all felt like we had a responsibility to the fans to do something that would live up to the original. I so felt pressure that the fans were ok with what I was doing with the character and fulfilling their expectations.

MG: Tell us about your podcast “The J.V. Club”?
JV: The timing on that was really great. I decided to focus on, before Korra took off, a way do a podcast with a unique point-of-view and voice. Fan of Korra are even crossing over to the podcast now as we discuss the challenges of being a young person and then how those challenge present themselves as an adult.

MG: I am a big “Jaws” fan myself, tell us about working with Rifftrax to spoof “Jaws 3”?
JV: Oh yeah, “Jaws 3”. I used to love that movie. What is so great about some of the spoofs we get to do is that when you are younger you don’t necessarily know how bad something is that you like. But you still always seem to love it growing up even though it doesn’t hold up and was terrible to begin with. I still love that movie…sort of…even though it is terrible. It was the perfect movie to riff on. We just recorded “Flatliners” as well, so that will be coming out very soon.

MG: Speaking of spoofing, how did you get involved with Syfy’s “Insane or Inspired?”
JV: It was a super fun show. I had done some “Chelsea Lately” episodes and a few other panel TV shows, so it seemed like such a good fit. It has really been a real hoot some of the things we get to view, which are pretty hilarious. I also love the other people on it like Owen Benjamin and Ben Gleib. We don’t always get to see each out since we are recording at different times but it is still fun.

MG: You must own a lot of the same clothes, since you didn’t change your clothes each episode?
JV: [laughs] The bad thing is that I never realized that they were going to be combining clips over the series of episodes. The second time I showed up, I was wearing something completely different. They said “No, no, no, no…you need to wear the same clothes”. I got real familiar with that outfit and will probably never wear it again [laughs].

MG: When can we expect the second season of “The Legend of Korra”?
JV: We already recorded all of the episodes for the second season. Now, they are just being animated. It takes a long time to create that beautiful animated world. I am not even sure if Nickelodeon is 100% sure when we will be airing it, but I am sure sometime in 2013. I can tell you having recorded the scripts, it is just phenomenal. It is beautiful, interesting and strange. We get to meet some new characters and visit some new places. I am really excited and I think fans are going to love it.

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Christina Cha appeared on season 24 of the CBS hit reality show “Survivor”. Christina talked recently with Media Mikes.com about her experience on the show and also about some of her current projects.

Adam Lawton: What first prompted you to try out for “Survivor”?
Christina Cha: I had been a fan of the show since I first saw it back when I was still in high school. I thought it was amazing to see a show that takes someone from their normal adapted elements and puts them into these really harsh environments. I also am a very competitive person and I love playing games. In about 2010 I was working in corporate America and due to the economy I got laid off twice. I felt really sorry for myself as I didn’t understand why this happened. I took it very personal which is something I normally never do. I saw an open casting call for “Survivor” and did it absolutely last minute. I think there was only about 48 hrs. left to submit a video. I thought that it was something I had to do and I knew it was something I could be good at. I took my phone and shot a video of me being as obnoxious as I could be. (Laughs) From there I started going through the audition process and ended up on the show.

AL: Can you tell us anything about the audition process?
CC: I can’t say too much about the audition process. There are multiple stages that you have to go through. You start with your video and go from there. I had got through on my first try but I have talked with other people who have applied a bunch of times and they didn’t even get a call. I had gone in to a couple interviews and I also did one over the phone.

AL: Is there a certain memory that sticks out for you from the show that the viewers didn’t get to see?
CC: There were parts. When they are taping these reality shows they are taking about 3 days of footage and condensing it down to a 40 minute segment. There was a lot of stuff missing. You didn’t get to see me strategizing a lot which had fans thinking I was the most clueless player on the show. There really is no way to be a clueless player and make it as far as I did. I think the editing on me was a little unjust because I am not the type of person who likes to speak ill of anyone. That’s just something I don’t do. I tried to play the game very honest and true.  What I did in the game was to not give out any information. I am a terrible liar so I would just stare at people. I really was just trying to figure out what was going on in the game and figure out my placement from there.

AL: Was having the cameras around the entire time one of the more difficult parts of the show for you?
CC: In the beginning it was really weird. There were questions like where do you go to change your clothes? Or where do you go to the bathroom? A lot of times I would just say I need to use the rest room and swim out in to the middle of the ocean.  Strategizing was difficult also with the cameras around. My name came up so many times that it made things even harder. Every time the camera was on me they thought I was strategizing. I never got a break from anyone.  You get paranoid all the time.

AL: Did you find that the producers were often trying to stage conflicts or issues between players?
CC: Of course! That’s their job as a producer. If they weren’t doing things like that then they wouldn’t be doing their job at all. I was pretty aware of what they were doing as I have some friends that are also in this industry. I think that’s a lot of the reason why my edit was so unjust because they wanted me to answer things a certain way and I didn’t do that. In the back of my mind I wanted to win a million dollars so I didn’t want to leak any information out. I also knew there was life after “Survivor”. If I didn’t win the million dollars I would need to find a way to make myself look good. Whatever I did on the show would stick with me for the rest of my life. You have to be careful of what you say. Talking badly about someone as a form of strategy I thought was just bad taste.

AL: Is “Survivor” something that you would think about ever doing again?
CC: I love the game so I would definitely consider it. I think I would play it a little differently as I would want to make some big plays and strategize more. When you play the game the first time after watching it as a fan you think you know everything thats out there. Now that I have a little bit better understanding of things I think I would definitely play the game again.

AL: What types of things are you currently working on?
CC: I am still doing some recruiting and consulting on the side. I also am doing marketing and social media for a bunch of companies and I want to get in to hosting. I studied broadcast journalism in college and have a few shows that I also wrote that I am working on. I am really excited about some of the things that are happening right now.

AL: Is writing something that you have always wanted to do?
CC: I have been a life style journalist for the last 3 years now. In about 2008 I was talking to a client and he asked me what I was doing there? I was there selling a software platform so I asked him what he meant. I gave him my job description and he told me I didn’t look like I belonged there and that I looked like I belonged on television.  I looked at him and started crying. I told him I had been doing the job for X amount of time because it’s safe. He happened to be a publisher and he told me he is always looking for really good writers. He then asked me if I would be interested in being an associate editor and write about travel and various luxury products. I took his offer and have been writing for him and some other online publications. I am writing for about 12 online publications and I have my own blog. Hosting has been a side thing lately and I have some stuff also on the web. Survivor has been a wonderful stepping to help me get acknowledged more.

Noah Wyle is currently playing the role of Tom Mason on TNT’s “Falling Skies”. The series is wrapping up its second season this month, but don’t worry since it has been already renewed for a third season set for Summer 2013. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Noah again to have his reflect on season two of the show.

Michael Smith: You now have a year under your belt with this character, are you still learning more about the character and finding different ways to perfect him?
Noah Wyle: Yes I sort of feel like I am just getting started you know they aren’t going start with this guy really will extent over three or four years in this slow deconstruction of his intellectual aspects. And his becoming a little bit harder and they’re way having a big of transference with the Weaver character who starts off very militaristic where Tom’s a bit more of a humanist. And then gradually Weaver becomes a lot more vulnerable and a lot more human and Tom gets a lot more practical and a lot harder edged. We sort of continue in that vein hopefully arriving at some sort of synthesis between the two of them as the most effective way of leading this group which isn’t not traditionally military dogmatic style and not exactly touchy feely human but something in between.

MS: Is it a challenge for your trying to act or interact with skitters or any other computer generated elements in the show that aren’t there with you on the set?
NW: I hadn’t done a lot of that kind of work up until this show but it’s a muscle that the more you exercise the better at it you get. And it’s kind of 50 50 between the screen and practical we do a lot of work hack into tennis balls on the end of sticks. But then we also have a really talented puppeteer and a really great skitter suit, for the close up personal interactions with the aliens. I would say the most difficult part is when you’ve got four or five actors in the same frame all having to react to the same thing that’s not there, trying to find a line of continuity and performance can be tricky.

MS: What continues to be the most challenging aspect to you for the series for your character?
NW: It’s kind of an aggregate thing. It’s a tough show to do most of it, it takes place at night, so you go to work around 12 in the afternoon and you work till 5 in the morning. And because we wanted this year to be less focused on any single location have the group be a lot more mobile, it made for some long wet nights as were shooting in mostly practical locations and exteriors.

MS: How did the second season differ for you, compared to the first?
NW: No there were some significant differences, you know we moved the production from Toronto, Canada to Vancouver, so we had allnew crew for the most part, we only had two or three people on staff that were there in season one. We had almost a brand new writing staff certainly a new show runner, so it wasn’t like we were building on internal momentum, we sort of had to start and get to know each other all over again which gave it a different era, just sort of ambiently. And then storytelling wise I thought we really stepped up the notch you know not having to dedicate so much of our screen time to exposition, establishing the world, establishing the characters. Allowed us a little bit more freedom to be creative in flushing out these character arcs and exploring the mythology of the aliens and why they’re here and who they are and how we’d radically misunderstood the situation in season one.

Home is where the bar is. TBS’s new workplace comedy series on Thursdays at 10/9c!

“Sullivan & Son”, which is executive-produced by Vince Vaughn (“The Break- Up”), Peter Billingsley (“Iron Man”) and show-runner Rob Long (“Cheers”), takes place in a popular bar in a working-class Pittsburgh neighborhood. Filled with locals and regulars, the establishment known as Sullivan & Son serves as the unofficial “town hall” for the neighborhood. The show stars some of the best talent on television including Steve Byrne, Dan Lauria, Jodi Long, Owen Benjamin, Vivian Bang, Brian Doyle-Murray, Christine Ebersole, Valerie Azlynn, Ahmed Ahmed and Roy Wood Jr.

Media Mikes had a chance to chat with various members of the show including Brian Doyle-Murray, Christine Ebersole, Dan Lauria, Jodi Long, Owen Benjamin, Steve Byrne and Valerie Azlynn. We hope you enjoy our interviews! These people really have some great stories and love what they do, which shows within this great television series! Be sure to turn in to the show and tell you friends!

UPDATE 9-13-12: Congrats on “Sullivan & Son” being renewed for a second season! Also Christine Ebersole and Jodi Long have been added and next up we have Roy Wood Jr. , so stay tuned!

Plot Outline: As the series opens, Steve Sullivan (Byrne) is a successful corporate attorney from New York who brings his girlfriend, Ashley (guest star Brooke Lyons – 2 Broke Girls) for a visit just as his Irish-American father, Jack Sullivan (Dan Lauria – The Wonder Years), and Korean mother, Ok Cha (Jodi Long – Beginners), are preparing to sell the bar and retire. Upon arrival, Steve reconnects with his best friend, Owen (Owen Benjamin – The House Bunny); gets accosted by his long-suffering, under-appreciated younger sister, Susan (Vivian Bang – Yes Man); endures offensive comments from gruff barfly Hank (Brian Doyle Murray – Groundhog Day, Saturday Night Live); and gets hit on by tipsy cougar Carol (Christine Ebersole – Royal Pains, Amadeus). He even feels a rekindled romantic spark with his former sweetheart, Melanie (Valerie Azlynn – Tropic Thunder). It doesn’t take Steve long to realize that what he really wants out of life is to return to the old neighborhood and take over Sullivan & Son, even if it means giving up a lavish Manhattan lifestyle with the gorgeous Ashley. And so begins Steve’s quest for a more meaningful and rewarding life behind the bar. Sullivan & Son is from Wild West Picture Show Productions, in association with Warner Horizon Television.

伊恩Somerhalder被稱為他的電視角色，像“迷失”和“吸血鬼日記”的節目上最好的。伊恩還花了很多他的時間與他的基礎上，伊恩Somerhalder基金會或ISF工作。該基金會參與Mutt的事件你在公園SANS艘次在路易斯安那州拉斐特，今年最好的朋友動物協會的年度支柱。 MIKES媒體有機會問伊恩，並返回“吸血鬼日記”4賽季他的基金會的幾個問題。

邁克Gencarelli：告訴我們什麼使你開始你的基礎，工業支援資助計劃，以及如何你來與促進愛和相互關聯的任務？
伊恩Somerhalder：目睹了在海灣地區的石油洩漏造成的破壞後，我不得不找到一種方法，利用我的聲音，做出改變。我並不孤單。我親眼目睹了別人的同情，同樣悲傷欲絕，團結一致的決心。所有年齡段的人們聚集在一起，有所作為。我很快就意識到，迫切需要一個平台，為這些了不起的人走到一起，有自己的聲音。這推出的是基礎。當我們走到了一起從所有年齡和社會各界越來越多，我們慶祝我們共同的激情，以及我們之間的分歧。隨著宇宙最終相互聯繫的理解，我們強調在所有不同的聲音，使基金系列家庭的獨特優勢。

爵：告訴我們你在最好的朋友動物協會的年度你馬特eventat的園SANS艘次，路易斯安那州拉斐特的參與？
IS：基金系列一直是最好的朋友“沒有更多的無家可歸的寵物”動物學會和使命的風扇和支持者。作為我們開發我們的動物庇護所的想法，我們正在尋找機會，流傳著一句話，這一雄心勃勃的項目籌集資金。 “你馬特”事件在我的家鄉是一個很好的機會走出去，只是一些驚人的人與動物一起做。我們希望您和我們一起參加這個夢幻般的事件！

爵：如何可以幫助的人，不能參加活動？
是可以理解的，不是每個人都能夠參加。散佈基金系列，尤其是我們的計劃，以建立一個可持續發展的動物保護區的工作，你仍然參加！我們是巨大的，誰希望看到這一夢想成真弘立的家庭成員的捐款表示感謝。如果只有1000人每年捐贈10美元一個月，我們可以實現我們的目標！

爵：如何找到時間集中在您的慈善隨著連續命中節目“吸血鬼日記”主演？
IS：雖然有時可以出現在鋪天蓋地，這是必要的。我們所有的領導忙碌的生活，但看到的變化，我們希望這個世界，我們一定要保持活躍與我們的想法和繼續合作的時間。我們不能獨自做到這一點。我將無法完成，恕不遠遠不如我做的令人難以置信的弘立家庭。連同我們的聲音編織的掛毯，可作為支持我們的一系列舉措。弘立有一個驚人的執行董事，金Klingler，帶來了巨大的熱情和知識量的表。我們也很幸運，有才華和驅動志願者承諾對項目的無數個小時，貢獻自己的時間，內容的網站，活動策劃和更。

爵：拍攝是如何去為即將到來的第4季至今？
是：太好了！新賽季總是讓人想起開學的第一天。演員和工作人員都是令人難以置信的接近，所以死灰復燃債券和正面的能量，包含了一套。從我們已經看到，到目前為止，本賽季必將是優秀的。事情的進展是非常有趣的達蒙……所以我希望你敬請期待看到…

爵：你有什麼計劃下為中學生，人們在那裡可以找到更多信息？
IS：ISF是當前工作的幾個項目和倡議。我們規劃我們自己的吸血鬼日記“公約”，明年年初將在加拿大舉辦。我們也正在在明年舉行，以及青年發展會議。看到我們目前的項目像動物庇護所的信息，可以訪問isfoundation.com，並按照我們在Twitter和Facebook。

Valerie Azlynn is currently playing the role of Melanie on TBS’ new comedy series “Sullivan & Son”.  The show is created by Steve Byrne, who also stars, and Rob Long (“Cheers”).  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Valerie about the show and what her inspiration was for her character.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you get involved with “Sullivan & Son”?
Valerie Azlynn: Well, it was a normal audition process for me. I met Steve (Byrne) and the guys during the audition and I thought we all worked well right from the beginning. Steve was so kind and cool during the audition process. Honestly it was a very fun audition. I left and just thought how awesome it would be to get to work with these people. I was shocked when I got the part. It not only made my day when I found out but my entire year. I was so excited.

MG: What do you enjoy most about playing Melanie?
VA: I personally enjoy how confident and semi-grounded she is. I would say she – if it is like a car – she is the axle. Nothing really works without the axle. It is always there and grounded. The guys are like the wheels and Steve is like the driver [laughs]. She is able to put everbody in check. I think Steve and her have a lot of similarities. If anything they are both extremely stubborn. I loved her relationship with the guys. They are her brothers as well. Even with my own brothers in real life, you can put them in check pretty easily…which is good.

MG: What is your inspiration for her character?
VA: I stole out of that from real life experiences. The rest of the character is stealing from Bea Arthur, Julia-Louise Dreyfuss and a lot from my grandmother. She was a really firey red-head, who not only put people in there place but told them where they were going to go. From being partially raised by her, I got this little attiude from her. So that is a big part of the character. Lastly I like to throw a little Angelina Jolie in there, since she is so sexy and cool. I don’t even know if she has anything to do with my character but let’s just toss her in cause it sounds good [laughs].

MG: Was it hard to keep it serious amongst a cast mostly of stand-up comedians?
VA: I think there were some moments where it was really hard to keep a straight face. I feel like I had done a ton of comedy and my background is improv. I think just the fact of staying in a scene and improvising, if anything it made me want to take the scene longer and further.

MG: What was your highlight from shooting on season one?
VA: I would have to say my favorite is actually “The Panty Theif” episode. I mean we include panties, a puppy and punching. It has everything. The real treat was working with John Michael Higgins. For me personally, he does work that if I was a dude I would totally want to emulate this career. So my plans is to do the female version of that [laughs]. But he is seriously funny as shit! He just reads a line and everyone goes into a riot. It is the same thing with Brian Doyle-Murray. There are just some people that are so extraordinary.

MG: How does this show differ from your past TV work?
VA: This show for me is just such a great experience. I get to be a regular on the show and not just coming in and supporting. I felt like I really got to be a part of the family. Also the way a sitcom is shot is such a great bonding experience. You are all together everyday of the week for a couple of months. When you are anactor, if you are going in and out of jobs with guest spots etc, those experience are great but you don’t get to have that constant bonding. There is such a charm with this cast. I developed great relationships with everyone from the very first day. I loved working with all of these people.

MG: What do you have planned next?
VA: I did another little spot on “Castle” for their season opener this Fall. I was on it last season for a couple of episodes also. It was really fun, I got to play a superhero. I just pop in and out. I haven’t heard anything yet about season two of “Sullivan & Son”. Maybe our fans will reach out and demand more episodes. I feel pretty good about it. All we do is try and make you laugh and I think the audience really appreciates that.

Steve Byrne is the creator, along with Rob Long (“Cheers”), and star of the new TBS’ comedy series “Sullivan & Son”. Steve is known best for performing stand-up. The show is executive produced by Vince Vaughn and Peter Billingsley. The show also co-stars Dan Lauria, Jodi Long, Owen Benjamin, Brian Doyle-Murray, Christine Ebersole and Valerie Azlynn. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Steve about the new show and what we can expect.

Mike Gencarelli: Being a creator of “Sullivan & Son”, tell us about its origin?
Steve Byrne: It all starts and ends with Vince Vaughn. He has been such a great friend of mine for many years. He told me one day “Why don’t you develop something for yourself”. My focus was always on stand-up. I never wrote anything before and I told him that. He told me “Well you can do it” and that is kind of how the conversation went. He just said “You can do it”. So I went out and bought a bunch of books on script writing and studied for few months. Then I spent another few months writing the inital pilot. I turned it into him and Peter Billingsley and they liked it and suggested with meet with some writers. So we met with Rob Long and we just hit it off right off the bat. Originally the show was suppose to take place in a diner and Rob said “You should make this a bar show”. Well I said “If you sign on, you did one of the best bar shows ever, if you want to do it then hell yeah! Let’s do it!”. So that is how the whole thing came about.

MG: Going from stand-up to sitcom, what do you enjoy most?
SB: What I love about sitcom is that I am not by myself. Stand-up is a lonely profession. It’s a few weeks a year living out of suitcase and constantly being by yourself. You are the life of the party for two hours a night but then you just go back to the hotel room by yourself [laughs]. So it can be a pretty depressing. But being with this great ensemble cast, there is such a genuine chemistry we all have. When we brake for lunch, nobody goes off into their own dressing room. We all sit down and eat lunch together. We got some real good veterans on the show like Dan Lauria, Brian Doyle-Murray, Christine Ebersole and Jodi Long. Everyone has been tremendous to work with. It has been the highlight of my career.

MG: Does it still feel like stand-up due to the live-audience aspect?
SB: I think the only element to stand-up that could be parlayed to doing it in front of a live studio audience is us comics feel more comfortable. I never get nervous. You can put 200 people in front of me or put 5,000 people in front of me. I feel very comfortable and I’ve been doing it for 14 years of my life. The only thing I have a problem with people saying with have a laugh track on our show. We don’t. We earn the laughs that we get. We don’t tamper with them. It’s not our fault that the audience is enjoying themselves at the taping [laughs].

MG: Working with your friends, you find it hard to keep it serious? or is that the magic of the show?
SB: [laughs] There has been times when we try not to goof off too much. I think towards the end of shooting it started to feel like summer vacation. We knew the end was near and people got giddy and had fun. But when push came to shove and they said action, everyone delivered and always tried their best. Hopefully people enjoy the show.

MG: What do you have planned next? Stand-up tour? Season two?
SB: Hopefully we keep the numbers we have and get to come back for another season. Ultimately my primary motivation is to drive people back to my live performances and stand-up. Hopefully the show goes well and I get to do it for many more seasons to come with my pals. I also had a third one-hour special in the can that I was getting ready to film, before the show got picked up. So at some time, I would like to film that.

Kim Klingler talks is the Executive Director with the Ian Somerhalder Foundation.  Over the the last 12 years, she has worked with a variety of for profits and non profits, in a variety of industries, focusing on strategic mission, start up, product, brand and team development. Kim took out some time to chat with Media Mikes to tell us how she got started with ISF and what they have planned upcoming.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you take on the role of Executive Director of the Ian Somerhalder Foundation?
Kim Klingler: I was watching Ian on the Larry King Gulf Oil Spill Telethon, and was struck with Ian’s authenticity.. and wanted to connect with him to see if there were potentials to collaborate with Well World, a project I was working on with Deepak Chopra. Ian and I spoke on the phone and clicked…we felt the same way about the current state of the planet, and had the same vibe about the types of solutions we wished to see… the rest as they say is history.

MG: Tell us about the foundation’s mission and goals?
KK: Our mission statement is: “The Ian Somerhalder Foundation aims to empower, educate and collaborate with people and projects to positively impact the planet and its creatures.” The underlying energy of the foundation enables our mission and vision. There are more than 650 ISF community groups world wide. ISF is more than an organization, it’s a family of people who wish to see great change for all
living beings on this planet. We thrive off of the collaborative nature of everyone from volunteers to corporate bodies. We welcome out of the box thinkers and encourage people to share their innate talents with change makers creating opportunities for the best of many worlds to come together.

MG: How has it been working with Ian to accomplish these goals?
KK: If you can believe it, I’m not asked this question often. Which is truly crazy! I’ve seen Ian inspired, happy, very sad and even angry – I’ve got all the goods! I wish people would ask this question more, because it gives me an opportunity to share a little more about him and why I’m grateful to be working towards change with him.Ian is a very creative being, in too many forms to list. He’s also exceptionally intelligent and quite strategic. If he could he would try to solve every problem, because it’s in his genuine nature to heal. He’s very sensitive to the energy in a room, and can pick up things most people miss. He’s also a naturally grateful person which makes working with him a delight. He’s one of my more favourite human beings on this planet but keeping up with him is not an easy task! Im almost convinced the man has perfected teleporation and mastered sleep deprivation!

MG: How did ISF get involved with Best Friends Animal Society’s Strut Your Mutt?
KK: We are huge fans of Best Friends it was just natural to get involved withthis awesome project. We all work virtually, and I love the way I can work in tandem with people all over the world but there is something to be said about connecting in person. It renews that human connection all social animals crave, so having the opportunity to walk with and power up with people who care in person was to hard to resist!

MG: What can people do to get involved even if that can’t attend?
KK: If you can’t be in Lafayette, LA on September 22nd, you can still Strut Your Mutt by becoming a “virtual” member of the ISF Dog Pack. Every ISF Dog Pack member creates their own personal SYM page, sets there own fundraising goal and raises funds via sponsors like family and friends. For the virtual walkers, we are encouraging them to set aside a day and take their pet on a special walk. Then share their walk with their sponsors and others on the SYM Facebook page through pictures and a story.

MG: What does ISF have planned next after this event?
KK: We have a stack of to do’s a bunch of creative directions and a whole lot of work ahead of us! We are VERY excited about moving forward with the Animal Sancturary and it’s bully program- keep your eyes posted!

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Ian Somerhalder is known best for his television roles on shows like “Lost” and “The Vampire Diaries”.  Ian also spends a lot of his time working with his foundation, Ian Somerhalder Foundation or ISF.  The foundation is participating Best Friends Animal Society’s annual Strut Your Mutt event at Park Sans Souci in Lafayette, Louisiana this year.  Media Mikes had a chance to ask Ian a few questions about his foundation and also about returning to season 4 of “The Vampire Diaries”.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us what made your start your foundation, ISF, and how did you come up with the mission of promoting love and interconnectedness?
Ian Somerhalder: After witnessing the devastation of the Oil spill in the Gulf, I had find a way to utilize my voice to make a change. I was not alone. I witnessed the compassion from others, equally as grief stricken, unite in determination. People of all ages gathered together to make a difference. I soon realized the immediate need for a platform for these amazing people to come together to have their voices heard. This launched the IS Foundation. As we come together more and more from all ages and walks of life, we celebrate our shared passions as well as our differences. With an understanding of the ultimate interconnectedness of the universe, we emphasize the unique strengths in all the different voices that make up the ISF Family.

MG: Tell us about your participation in the Best Friends Animal Society’s annual Strut Your Mutt eventat Park Sans Souci in Lafayette, Louisiana?
IS: ISF has long been a fan and supporter of Best Friends Animal Society and their mission of “No More Homeless Pets”. As we developed the idea for our Animal Sanctuary, we were looking for opportunities to spread the word and raise funds for this ambitious project. The “Strut Your Mutt” event in my home state is a great opportunity to get out and do just that alongside some amazing people and animals. We hope you join us and participate in this fantastic event!

MG: How can people help that cannot attend the event?
IS: Understandably, not everyone will be able to attend. By spreading the work of ISF, especially our plans to build a sustainable animal sanctuary, you are still participating! We are tremendously grateful for donations from ISF family members who want to see this dream come true. If just 1,000 people donated $10 a month for a year, we could achieve our goal!

MG: How do find time to focus on your charity along with starring in the hit CW show “The Vampire Diaries”?
IS: Although it can appear overwhelming at times, it’s necessary. We all lead busy lives, but to see the changes we want for this world we have to make time to stay active with our ideas and continue to collaborate. We can’t do it alone. I wouldn’t be able to accomplish nearly as much as I do without the incredible ISF family. Together our voices weave a tapestry that serves as support for our array of initiatives. ISF has an amazing Executive Director, Kim Klingler, who brings a tremendous amount of passion and knowledge to the table. We are also fortunate to have talented and driven volunteers who commit countless hours contributing their time on projects, content for the website, event planning and much more.

MG: How is filming going so far for the upcoming 4th season?
IS: Great! Coming back for a new season is always reminiscent of the first day of school. The cast and crew are incredibly close, so rekindling bonds and positive energy encompasses the set. And from what we’ve seen so far, this season is bound to be excellent. Things are going to be very interesting for Damon…so I hope you stay tuned to see…

MG: What do you have planned next for ISF and where can people find out more information?
IS: ISF is currently working on several projects and initiatives. We are planning our very own Vampire Diaries Convention to be hosted in Canada early next year. We are also working on a youth development conference to held next year as well. To see information about any of our current projects like the Animal Sanctuary, you can visit isfoundation.com and follow us on twitter and facebook.

Dennis Franz is best known for his role as Andy Sipowicz in the long-running series “NYPD Blue”. There is a whole different side that you woulnd’t expect from the former hard-boiled police detective. Joining forces with the Junior League of Santa Barbara, actor Dennis Franz with wife Joanie Franz are creating the first Design House of Santa Barbara set to open just after Labor Day in September. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Dennis about designing homes and how he got involved doing this.

Mike Gencarelli: Going from working on TV on “NYPD Blue”, how did you get involved in home design?
Dennis Franz: I am sure Martha Stewart is somehow responsible. I have oddly enough been a fan of hers for as long as I can remember. My wife is also the same way. We have always enjoyed on weekends going to open houses. We have motor scooters that we will jump on and go looking for open houses. We will spend an entire day just going from house to house. It is something we have always really enjoyed. I am sure this has been a big part of my interest in this project. When the cable channels started coming out with shows about house hunting and home improvement that furthered my interest. Towards the end of “NYPD Blue’s” run my wife and I started buying houses and flipping them. We enjoy the design and building process. Isn’t it the next logical step for an actor who plays a cop for 30 years to start building and designing homes?

MG: Why did you choose the area in Santa Barbara, California of Montecito?
DF: We live in Montecito and we just love the area. It is a very beautiful area both weather and scenery wise. It has a very French Riviera look. The town also has a real small town feel to it and there is a lot going on there. We have owned in this area for about 18 years now and after “NYPD Blue” ended we moved out here permanently.

MG: What do you enjoy most about working with your wife on these projects?
DF: My wife has always been very energetic. Before I met her she was a very successful business woman. I knew that she had this drive for whatever it is she is doing. I tend to be on the other side of that spectrum. I enjoy a good day of golf and taking a nap. What I most enjoy though is the artistic and creative collaboration that we have on these projects. We really do enjoy shopping for various design elements. I leave all the supervision and business decisions in my wife’s hands.

MG: Tell us about working with BRAVO! network’s Million Dollar Decorators and your HGTV Special?
DF: My wife has been very instrumental in getting the attention of “Million Dollar Decorators”. Mary McDonald who is on the show is also one of our designers. She has been out several times filming part of an episode. She has done a wonderful job and has been great to get along with. It was really nice to have her involved in this stage of the project. HGTV has also been out filming a bunch of times for a special. I don’t know one that will be airing though. It’s really been my wife who has thought that these shows would be a great source for getting people’s attention.

MG: What do you find to be the hardest challenge when working on a project?
DF: This project is called “The Santa Barbara Design House and Gardens”. When we purchased this property we wanted to get involved with the community on a more philanthropic level. My wife made the offer to the Junior League of Santa Barbara in that all the money from people purchasing tickets to see this property would be donated back to their organization. We also will be having a Grand Opening dinner which will feature celebrities and entertainment. The proceeds from that event will be given to an organization called “Angel Foster Care of Santa Barbara”. The organization finds homes for abandoned or abused infants 2 years of age or under. It is an extremely worthwhile organization. Helping these organizations was more of a priority than the actual building of the house. We wanted to make sure we did everything correctly so that we could help raise funds for both of these great organizations. The dinner is set for Sept. 8^th and the house will be on display starting Sept. 13^th.  As far as challenges go there are always last minute things that pop up that need to be taken care of. You also are always finding things to add or change as you reach the end of a project.

MG: What do you have planned for your next project?
DF: You should probably ask my wife that question. It’s always a fun ride though to wherever she takes us. More than likely it will be another house in this same area but probably a little smaller. As for another design house I don’t know what the plans are for that. This design house will be for sale after the showings and such.

If you are interested in tickets or details for the event, please check out: www.sbdhg.com