Jon Glaser is the star and creator of Adult Swim’s “Delocated”. The show’s third season is set to premiere on February 2, 2012. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Jon about his new season and what we can expect from the DVD of Season 1 & 2.

Mike Gencarelli: What can we expect from season 3 of the show?
Jon Glaser: Season 3 is going to feature a lot of new characters that Jon is dealing with. Janeane Garofalo has joined the cast and is playing the head of the network. Jon also has a new bodyguard and a life coach. There is also a new Chinese gang that Jon will be dealing with. With the addition of these characters there will be quite a few new story lines and plot points.

MG: How do you feel your character has evolved since season 1?
JG: I don’t know if the character has really evolved because he is still an asshole. (Laughs) Its fun doing the show and playing a character like this. You get to say some pretty interesting things.

MG: How do you think season 3 differs from past seasons?
JG: The biggest change/trick especially with the writing is keeping the show going. The first season was mostly about a mob family trying to kill Jon. With season 2 we knew that we couldn’t use the same premise so we came up with the idea of the mob killing everyone around Jon. With season 3 we couldn’t just keep killing people and we couldn’t have them kill Jon so there is some plot points inserted that allows us to continue the premise of the show.

MG: What was the biggest challenge switching from 11 min. episodes to 22 min. episodes?
JG: The most obvious thing is that we have to write a longer script and broaden the stories. It’s a challenge but it is also a lot of fun. We all were very excited when the show got extended. The longer stories seem to work better with the scripts as they are allowed to breathe more and feel less rushed.

MG: What can we expect from the DVD release of season 1 and 2?
JG: There are some deleted scenes and out takes included on the DVD’s as well as some flip books which features photos from season 1. Those are really fun to watch. We also were able to put the demo I used to sell the show on the DVD as well. There is a lot of cool stuff contained in that demo that I think the fans will really like.

MG: Is there a reason you have only directed one episode of the show?
JG: With the pilot episode I felt I knew exactly what I wanted to do to pitch the show. I thought the pilot episode was an easy enough shoot where I didn’t need to hire a director. We only shot for 3 days on the pilot. The later episodes were quite a bit more involved and I was already producing. I just didn’t want to end up exhausted. I also would much rather have someone behind the camera that is making sure we are getting the most out of each performance with mine included. I don’t think it would be as good if I was trying to act and direct.

MG: Can you tell us about your book, “My Dead Dad Was in ZZ Top”?
JG: I was extremely excited to be able to do a book. It was fun but it was a bit of a weird process. I didn’t have a lot of time to work on it so I was fitting it in between other projects. I worked on the book over the course of 2010 and actually may have started some of it in 2009. There was quite a bit of work that went into it as there were a variety of arcs and ideas that needed to be included. Over all it was a really great project and I got to hang out with a friend of mine who did all of the illustrations so that was really great.

Eugene Mirman is know best for his role of Yvgeny Mirminsky on Adult Swim’s “Delocated’.  The show returns for season three on February 2nd. Eugene also voices Gene Belcher on Fox’s “Bob’s Burgers”, which returns for season two in March.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Eugene about working on the show and what he has planned for 2012.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about season three of “Delocated”?
Eugene Mirman: Season three has been a lot of fun. We recently finished filming and the episodes are set to start airing February 2^nd. I have a girlfriend this season and the episodes are all very funny. There also is going to be a cross over with “Downton Abbey” that fans of both shows will want to watch for.

MG: How do you think your character has changed over the course of the 3 seasons?
EM: This season I am starting my own company, so the episodes aren’t going to be as much about stand-up per say. My character is a little more 3 dimensional. I am still however the wacky hit man of comedy.

MG: Is the reality television portion of the show still going to be used?
EM: Yes that will still be a part of the show. Janeane Garofalo will be playing the head executive this season. I didn’t really have any scenes with her but she is a nice person in general.

MG: How do you feel this season differs from the others?
EM: I don’t know if they are really different from one another. The really big thing is the cross over with “Downton Abbey”. We had some great guests on and I think I might possibly have more stuff in this season. We will have to wait and see.

MG: You are currently touring with your comedy act, tell us about that?
EM: I am doing a tour with Andrew Bird which starts in March. I am also doing the South by Southwest Festival and some shows in Seattle towards the end of March. I am going to be a part of the “Cabinet of Wonders” show which can be heard on NPR. The show will feature musicians, authors and comedians.

MG: What do you like about doing stand up compared to working on television?
EM: I like to do all of it. It helps break things up and I love splitting my time between the different projects.

MG: You voice Gene Belcher on “Bob’s Burgers, which returns for season two in March, tell us about that?
EM: We have recorded around 14 or 15 episodes since summer. There are going to be a lot of awesome guests and a lot more things will be happening outside of the restaurant. I feel we are starting to find our groove with everyone involved with the project.

MG: You’ve been working with Adult Swim since “Home Movies”, tell us about how you originally got working with them?
EM: I just texted them and told them to let me in. (Laughs) Brendan Small used to be my roommate when “Home Movies” was on UPN. Through that I did an episode and later did “Lucy: Daughter of the Devil”. The people who make these shows are the ones responsible for putting me in their future shows.  It has been a great journey.

Todd Barry is a co-star on Adult Swim’s “Delocated”. The show returns for season three on February 2nd. Todd also has worked with Louis C.K. and Darren Aronofsky. He is also co-starring in David Wain’s new film “Wanderlust” this Spring. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Todd about working on the show and what he has planned for 2012.

Mike Gencarelli: What can we expect from season three of “Delocated”?
Todd Barry: I think there is going to be a lot more prostitution and violence in it. Peace, Love, Prostitution and Violence. That’s always good.

MG: Any further issues developing between Todd and Sergei?
TB: There is always something going on between those two. However I don’t want to give too much away. We just finished shooting everything last month. Shooting was scattered over a few months. They would just call me when they needed me.

MG: Tell us about Todd Barry playing Todd Barry on the show?
TB: I am playing myself to a certain extent however it’s a little bit heightened. It’s always great to be on a show that you are not embarrassed about. The show is both smart and funny. It’s good to be part of something like this and it’s nice to have a job where you like everyone.

MG: You’ve worked a lot with Adult Swim, tell us about you originally got working with them?
TB: I don’t remember exactly how it started but, with animation it seems as though once you do a voice then you get called in to do some other things. I think my work on “Dr. Katz” may have started our lasting relationship.

MG: Tell us how you got started working with Darren Aronofsky?
TB: I have known him for a while through other people. I guess he saw me somewhere and thought I would be good for the wise ass/mean guy at the store in “The Wrestler”.  We also worked on a fun short called “The Original Black Swan” for Funny or Die.  That was ALOT of work but it turned out good and was worth it.

MG: Tell us about working with Louis C.K. on his show “Louis”?
TB: I have known Louis for a long time. I think that show is going to start up sometime in February. I tend to get quite a bit of acting through people who know me.  This is a fun show to work on and I look forward to it.

MG: Tell us about working with the “The State”/”Wet Hot American Summer” crew in “Wanderlust”?
TB: That was another one where I have known David for some time. He is a really relaxed guy. Most people I work with are very similar as they want to have you stay loose and have a good time.  It is a fun film.  Everyone involved was just so great to work with.

MG: Due to your stand-up background, do you find yourself improving a lot when you are shooting?
TB: If they let me. Sometimes the script is very rigid but I think the better things I have done are less rigid. The ones I enjoy are when you just get an idea of what the director wants and you get to go from there.

MG: You also have a role in the upcoming film “Vamps”, tell us about that?
TB: That film is sort of a vampire version of “Clueless”, in its most simplistic description. Alicia Silverstone is in it along with Malcolm MacDowell and a whole bunch of other people. I play Sigourney Weaver’s right hand vampire.  It was a fun picture to work on.

Jill Andresevic is the director and producer of the film “Love Etc.” The film will premier on Oprah Winfrey’s Own Network February 2^nd at 8pm EST. The film will also replay as part of the networks Super Soul Sunday line up on February 12^th at 11am EST.. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with Jill recently about the film and the idea behind it.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us about the documentary, “Love Etc.”?
Jill Andresevic: The film is five stories based in one city and told over 365 days. The film is a real life love story told from people age 18-89. The film examines love in all different stages. The stages of love I think cross time and weather you lived in the 18^th century or are living now the themes of love are the same. Love is very universal and part of our being so I found it very interesting to explore. I had no idea where we were going to end up on this journey. It has been an interesting ride.

AL: What was the initial thought behind the film?
JA: The concept was Jonathan Tisch’s who also funded the film. He was at City Hall waiting to get a marriage license and noticed that all the people waiting in this one small room were there for the transaction of love. That room was really a snapshot of the world. Jonathan was inspired to do something about love in New York from that experience.

AL: How did you go about selecting the couples in the film?
JA: It was a very intensive process that always started with research. We wanted to get an interesting cross section of people that reflected different lifestyles and socio-economical conditions. We examined people across all 5 boroughs of New York City. We were able to get representation from just about every section of the city. We did a really massive casting outreach that was based on categories such as types of people and ages. We thought it would be really interesting to find young love from a couple still in high school all the way to a couple celebrating their 50^th wedding anniversary. There is an interesting story arc related to love in high school that the film will show. We did quite a bit of casting through networks of people as I didn’t really have any success using things like Craigslist or other postings. We were able to pretty much hand pick the people wanted.

AL: What do you feel was the hardest part about putting the project together?
JA: I had to take 600 hrs. of footage and edit it down to 90 minutes. I thought I was going to injure someone during that process. (Laughs) The prep days and all the shooting were nothing compared to the process of taking all that footage down to just 90 minutes. I found it quite fascinating though because people have accused us of scripting the film. If I could script this type of stuff I would be a genius. The reality of it is we just shot a lot and got lucky when we cut it down.

AL: Do you have any other projects we can be watching for?
JA: I have some different television projects that I am working on currently. I also am working on my next film which will be a scripted feature.

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Doug Lussenhop is the co-writer and editor of the new film “Tim and Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie”.  He has worked with Tim Heidecker & Eric Wareheim on various projects starting from “Tom Goes to the Mayor”.   Doug also goes by the name DJ Douggpound.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Doug about the movie and also  what he has planned for 2012.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you get started working with Tim Heidecker & Eric Wareheim?
Doug Lussenhop: I got an internship with them when they were making “Tom Goes to the Mayor”. I had been wanting to break into the television/comedy business and happened to see an add on Craigslist for a comedy show wanting an intern. This was the only ad that I had ever answered and they called me back. So, I have been working with them since 2004. I started out as an intern but they were understaffed, so I started helping out with Photoshop and Final Cut. After a while I started getting into the animation stuff as well.

MG: Tell us about your involvement with “Tim and Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie”?
DL: I was one of the editors on the project and I also had a writing session with them. A bunch of us got in a room and talked about what we thought was going to work and what wasn’t. I added some funny bits to it.

MG: How does the film differ from the TV series “Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!”
DL: It’s a lot different because with TV there wasn’t as much polishing. It is a lot smaller and things are faster. With the movie we had to make the story work. The television show is more of a sketch show where you don’t have to worry as much about putting all the pieces together.

MG: Tell us about your experience at Sundance this year?
DL: That was really fun. Just to see the film in a real theater was awesome. The crowd laughed at all the right moments and I think they got it. I think some of the people were there just because and they didn’t really have a clue what was going on.

MG: You are also known as DJ Douggpound, tell us about that side of you?
DL: While I was in college, I was in a few bands but nothing was very successful. I always knew I had some sort of idea of what would work. I had also messed around with stand-up but I wasn’t too good at that either. So at the first Tim and Eric live show, I mixed them together with telling jokes and adding in samples. Things seemed to work out ok with that.

MG: Any plans for releasing a CD of your music?
DL: I do have a CD and we have made a bunch of them. I don’t really know how to work my website but I need to figure out how to make that work. It’s one of the things on my list do.

MG: What else do you have planned for 2012?
DL: Right now I am working on season 2 of “Check It Out! With Dr. Steve Brule”. I am also working on another show for Adult Swim called “The Eric and Andre Show” and that should be out later this year. I have a podcast up as well that I do with Neal Brennan and Moshe Kasher called “The Champs”. You can find it on iTunes, it is really fun.

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Head back to the streets of Los Angeles for the new, explosive season of Southland, the critically acclaimed drama series from Warner Bros. Television and Emmy-winning producer John Wells (ER, The West Wing). Chronicling the lives of LAPD officers and detectives like no other series on television, this powerful, intensely emotional drama stars Michael Cudlitz, Shawn Hatosy, Regina King and Ben McKenzie, along with special guest star Lucy Liu.

Since premiering in 2009, Southland has redefined the police drama with its raw, authentic look at the lives and work of Los Angeles detectives and beat cops. The show centers on four main characters: Officer John Cooper (Cudlitz), a seasoned cop who will have to prove himself again after recovering from surgery; Officer Ben Sherman (McKenzie), who still has much to learn after recently completing his training rotation; Detective Lydia Adams (King), whose unending caseload hits closer to home; and Sammy Bryant (Hatosy), a former detective who decided to go back to being a uniform cop after the traumatic death of his partner.

Media Mikes has had a chance to chat with various members of this great show including Michael Cudlitz, Shawn Hatosy, Regina King and Ben McKenzie, Dorian Missick and Lucy Liu.  Feel free to leave comments below and make sure to check out season 4 of “Southland” on January 17th.

Dorian Missick and Regina King are co-stars in TNT’s hit cop drama “Southland”. The show is currently entering its 4th season, which begins January 17th, 2012. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Dorian and Regina about working on the show and what we can expect from this exciting season.

Mike Gencarelli: What can you tell us about this season and what we have to look forward to from your characters?
Regina King: Well it’s tough for us because there’s only so much we can reveal. So whenever we get this question it’s kind of like “how do we skirt around it this time?”. Well what we can say is that Robinson, the character that Dorian plays and Adam’s definitely come from probably similar beginnings. Their adult life outside of the job is very different and you get an opportunity to see how those different family lives inform the way they do their jobs or just their day to day thought. Russell’s character kind of had a dysfunctional thing happening within his marriage and then Robinson is the exact opposite. I think it kind of just makes an interesting balance…kind of like a yin and yang thing.

MG: Dorian, you’re joining an already established cast. Does it take a little bit of time for you to find I guess your footing amongst the cast? Or was it right away that you found chemistry?
Dorian Missick: There’s always a struggle when you’re kind of like the new kid on the block. This particular situation was really extra daunting for me simply because I was a huge fan of the show long before it was even an option of me being a part of it. But everybody on the cast is great. We get a little training at the academy, so it gives you the opportunity to get to know everyone and figure out everybody’s personalities. Regina and I have a lot friends in common but I had never actually had a chance to meet her until we started training. I think it was the first time I’d ever met her. Everybody has been really open and friendly. So yeah, it was a nice, smooth transition actually.

MG: Regina, can you talk about reuniting with your “227” costar Marla Gibbs?
RK: It was sweet. I mean the cool thing was that she auditioned for that part sand she got that part on her own merit. They called me and asked me would I be okay with it, after they had decided she was the best for it. And I’m like are you kidding me? Of course.
DM: Man that day was surreal for me.
RK: Was it really?
DM: It was kind of – yeah, because it was kind of early on for me. I think it was like the second episode or something like that.
RK: Yeah. I think you’re right.
DM: I just was like this is a little too much man. I mean I’ve been watching both of them for years and then to get to see you guys together and the energy between the two of you. I enjoyed it. It was one of my favorite days at work period, in my career but definitely on the show. It was a highlight.
RK: It was a special moment. It was. And just to see Marla since she’s still really sharp. Do you know what I mean? She’s been doing this for a long time and she doesn’t miss a beat. She kind of forgot one of her lines and you would have never known.

MG: Do you feel it’s easier to be a part of an ensemble so that you don’t have to carry quite such a heavy load because everything is so good, everyone does such a good job? Or is it easier to play a lead?
RK: Well I mean for me my choice was to be in a show that was an ensemble. I’m not really interested in 17 hour days every day. And that’s kind of what you get when the show is all about you. I just think it’s a little more interesting personally when I’m watching TV and I watch a show and there are quite a few different stories going on. It brings me in more.
DM: Yeah. One of the thing that I particularly love about this show, having done other television shows and things like that, is that the writers really do pay a lot of attention to detail and that enables us to kind of feel more taken care of from an acting perspective. You feel safer walking into a room every time you get a new script because I know from being on other shows. Sometimes you get a script and you want to pray over it before you open it because you have no idea how good or bad it’s going to be. whereas on this show it’s not like that. I really appreciate that. You can tell that the writers care about every character and they care about the story lines enough that they put in energy to develop them So whether it’s playing a lead character or being a part of an ensemble it is really just the writing. You can be the main person of the show and if the show is stupid then it’s not that much you’re not having that much fun from an acting perspective. But here I think that good writing attracts good actors, which attracts good directors. So just from an artistic standpoint, it’s everything that you want.
RK: There’s definitely a trickle down effect.

MG: Do you feel that the writing is better in television or do feature films take priority over that?
RK: I think right now as far as actors are concerned I think we just want – we just are looking for things with good writing just like great characters. just with all the different cable networks there just happens to be in television right now, especially on the cable networks, they’re just writing more that’s interesting for actors. That’s why you’re seeing so many movie actors on TV. I’m not saying that I’m giving up on movies or anything like that. I just am going wherever the art is inspiring. And my journey right now has been it’s inspired me the most, on “Southland”. But there’s just like a lot of great shows on TV now and there’s not that line that used to be there like film actors were just film actors and television actors were just television actors and there was a definitive line. Now that’s all gray. If it’s good work you’re going to respond.
DM: Period. Yeah. I totally agree with that. It’s about the writing. I mean there’s good writing and bad writing in all mediums. You know, coming from the theater I’ve done some really bad plays and that’s the worst because you’re stuck saying these terrible lines for like six to eight weeks, maybe a month. So I think any actor worth his salt they chase after good stories and good characters. Just right now it’s happening a lot in cable television particularly but it’s happening a lot on screen.
I think the film industry is going to have to shrink to a certain extent because these big event movies aren’t making the money that they wanted to make in the past and the writing isn’t that good oftentimes. So now it’s like there’s a resurgence of independent films and television happening. I think we’re in a great time creatively.

MG: Speaking of independent films, there are a lot of actors who are sort of taking the leap to develop and produce themselves. Are either of you sort of moving in that direction, establishing your own production companies and developing more?
RK: Yeah, definitely. I started a production company a few years ago with my sister and have been developing a project that has been very close to us for a couple of years. I’m hoping that everything will be in place, that once we wrap “Southland” in February that it’ll be my theatrical directorial debut.

MG: Can you give us some more information on that film?
RK: Oh yeah, yeah, yeah.
DM: You’ve got to build on that one.
RK: It’s based a book called “Let the Church Say Amen”. It’s by an author named ReShonda Tate Billingsley. She’s written several books and this is the first book that opens you up to a particular character named Rachel who is kind of the lead character in a lot of her other stories. It was an Essence bestseller and a bestseller on a few other lists. But it’s about a father, who’s a pastor, who’s kind of neglected his family to put time into building his church. As a result, he now has this dysfunctional family so we kind of meet this family right in the height of their dysfunction. We see how they deal with that. I feel like although the characters – the family is a black family that theme is a universal theme where the matriarch or the patriarch neglects their family and the family suffers.
You don’t have to just be black or white or Asian to understand or relate to that experience. So I felt like this would be a great thing for my first piece to tackle because it does have such a universal theme.
DM: That sounds dope.
RK: And yeah…I’m excited about.

MG: How about you Dorian?
DM: I also have a production company. We’ve been developing for the last couple of years a project about the ’70s writer (Donald Duane). I’ve been developing that. Obviously this is the first time I ever talked about it. So yeah, it’s myself and Pete Chatmon, the guy who directed me and Zoe Saldana in “Premium”. So we’ve been developing that for a couple of years and we’re looking to shoot more than likely in the next seven/eight months.
RK: Yeah, it’s definitely a grind but it’s a natural move for actors to have more of a role behind the camera, especially in a time where media is going is with reality TV and with the internet. A lot of people don’t even have cable anymore or TV and they watch everything on the internet. So it’s just I think smart for entertainers to make themselves more familiar and educate themselves on the world of production so that when the shift happens hard core we still remain a part of it.
DM: Right.
RK: The shift to new media.
DM: It’s just responsible. It’s a responsible move in any industry, particularly this industry but in any industry. It’s responsible for you to learn the ins and outs even above and beyond what your job calls for because as the economy changes and as the structure of any kind of job changes you want to be well versed in all aspects of it so that you can continue to keep yourself around that you can still continue to be valuable. Because if you’re a one trick pony, once people are done with that trick you’ve got to find something else to do.

MG: Regina, Is there any truth to the rumor that you and Jackee might be getting your own talk show after your stint on “Watch What Happens Live”?
RK: I didn’t know that there was a rumor.
DM: I would watch it. I started it.
RK: You started it?
DM: I started that rumor. Yeah.
RK: : Funny. As of now that is only a rumor. But hey, you never know. Jackee can handle a show on her own. Definitely.
DM: : I love that.

Ben McKenzie and Shawn Hatosy are co-stars in TNT’s hit cop drama “Southland”. The show is currently entering its 4th season, which begins January 17th, 2012. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Ben and Shawn about working on the show and what we can expect from this exciting season.

Adam Lawton: I’m wondering if you guys could talk a little bit about what it’s like for Ben and Sammy as partners going forward. What is that dynamic going to look like?
Shawn Hatosy: This is basically what our new season has been like. We just kind of get in front of the camera and we try to have as much fun as possible, and I think it brings a certain levity to “Southland” that might have been lacking, and certainly from Sammy’s point of view last season, it’s nice to be in a car with somebody and having fun.
Ben McKenzie: Yeah, I think that’s absolutely right. I think that it’s not that we won’t go to more serious places, and we do certainly in the first episode you see that, but a lot of this season is just two kind of youngish guys in a car busting each others chops. We are having fun and kind of having that sort of fraternal bond that I think is weirdly has been somewhat absent on the show. Even though we’re a cop show and that’s an accurate representation of what a lot of patrol cars are is just two guys kind of in partnership. But, with the exception of Sammy and Nate we really haven’t seen that yet, so that’s kind of more what this partnership is about, at least for the first few episodes.

AL: Can you guys could talk a little bit about how the dynamic Lou Diamond Phillips comes into the season and affects your characters?
BM: Well, Lou is a brand new character, the character of Ferguson. He’s a patrol cop and he’s been for a long time, but he’s just kind of over it in a lot of ways. I mean, he is the less charming version of (Doey), or the uncharming person of (Doey).
SH: If that’s even possible.
BM: If that’s possible, yeah, exactly. Even though a lot of what he’s saying about how bad the neighborhoods are that we’re in and how kind of tough the work is, he’s just completely blown away by the pessimism and the kind of nihilism that Ferguson has and he is no longer in that place. But at the same time, Ferguson’s taking it way too far and he’s doing things that are, quite frankly, you know from my point of view, from Ben’s point of view, and moral certainly and ethical, and so we come to heads. You know, that’s a legitimate point of view, from a long serving police officer. I mean you sometimes get to those dark places and I think that’s what he’s there to represent.
SH: Yeah, and there’s not maze to this little puzzle of these gangsters and it’s not a case that you can solve. In fact, the principle behind their attitude, which is that, you know screw these guys. They make life more difficult for us. Let them kill each other. It makes it’s a lot easier because then we don’t have to chase them down and do an investigation. And also, they’re constantly killing our witnesses, even when we do have somebody come forward. So it’s really a tough job and I think that Lou’s character captures that attitude perfectly. And I think Sammy’s a lot more close to Lou than he is Ben at BM: Right. Right. You can certainly see the appeal from Ferguson’s philosophy, because it just simplifies everything. You know, it’s us versus them. So you know why worry about them and let them kill each other, but you know of course that’s, from my way of thinking, that’s too easy. That sure the job is hard and the job’s tough, a lot of the people don’t have a lot of moral redeeming qualities, but at the same time you can’t just allow them all to kill each other. That’s not our job. We’re supposed to be better than that.

AL: Shawn, I wonder if you can talk about fatherhood on the show has changed Sammy?
SH: Well, this season that hasn’t really been been a focal point. I mean, I know that he’s there in that in the first episode and we talk about him. But we’re not going to have many episodes where we spend with Sammy and Baby Nate going off to daycare, at least thus far. I think that then part of that is being in a relationship with somebody that’s difficult, and another part of that is we’re exploring this partnership. That’s what the writers are focusing on. If you’re asking me how it’s affected Sammy as a cop, I certainly believe that the danger aspect as things – as we see in that first episode, it’s definitely heightened and it puts him on high alert.

AL: Can you talk about filming the show and the action sequences?
SH: Well, you know, because I’ve been a detective for the past three seasons this is the first time, I’ve driven a little bit in the past, but not like this. I mean, now we’re in the cars and I’m experiencing the real Southland, and it’s fun. I mean, we were driving the other day and I looked at Ben and I said, “This is the greatest part of our job.”
They lock off streets for us. They put cameras in the car. We’re carrying real guns and we’re chasing people as fast as we can without killing each other, and it’s great. It’s the dream job. When you’re a kid and you’re like, “I want to do that.” I mean this is it, man.
BM: Yeah. Yeah. I agree with that completely. Welcome to the show, man.
SH: Thank you. Thank you, it’s been a rough three seasons, but now, I’m here.

AL: So what is it like working together and with the rest of the cast?
BM: We really haven’t worked with the rest of the cast. I mean, I think that scene with Michael in the first episode, it might be our only interaction with either of the two partnerships thus far. So it really is, like always, it’s very partnership-heavy.
SH: Yeah, it’s so compartmentalized. That was the first scene I’d ever done with Michael Cudlitz and that was like Episode 25.
BM: It’s a ball working with Shawn. I’m having a blast.
SH: It doesn’t really feel like work, right? I mean, you just wake up…
BM: No…
SH: …and you just pinch yourself. It must be like, “What…am I dreaming?” This is the perfect job.
BM: Yeah, it’s pretty great and it’s kind of the partnership that we have is a little bit like I always imagined the show to be a little bit more less fraught with tension in every single relationship and more a little bit. What I believe from the ride-alongs and interactions I’ve had with the cops, more like what life is like in the natural patrol car, which is often, particularly if it’s two guys, kind of a ball-busting parade. I mean, it’s just a constant, giving each other grief and busting each others chops and making jokes, and then going out and doing your work. We’re not at each others throats all the time. That’s the nature of our relationship. I think towards the season you’ll start to see some of the tension just kind of flame up, but right now it’s more just having fun.

AL: How does shooting for this seasons compares to the previous seasons of the show?
SH: Well, I think the style and the system we use to shoot is all the same, but the different partnerships they bring a new feel to it, especially particularly for me being that I was a detective before. But it feels right and it feels just this, as Ben was saying, this partnership and sitting in the car together and being a couple of guys. It’s what Southland is and what we always were meant to be. I’m thrilled and happy about it.
BM: just a continuation of what we’ve been doing, in terms of the style of the shooting. It’s probably even faster than it has been before because we’re – everybody’s worked together. A lot of the crew is the same from year-to-year. We have a really tight group and they reserve the time in their schedules to come back to work with us. So the camera and lighting departments are largely the same and the actors are the same, obviously, and the writing and the directors are largely the same, so it just feels smoother and more fun basically.

AL: With all the other new cop-type series coming out and with your guys’ being in its fourth season now, how do you think that it continues to stand out and differentiate itself from the other similar shows on television right now?
BM: Because I think it’s more honest. I think it’s more real and I think it’s more honest. I think we’re actually where we say we are whenever we are shooting something. I mean if we say we’re going to be in Nickerson Gardens, which is a housing projects in Watts, then we actually go there and that’s where we are in Episode 1 and 2. Shawn and I chase the guy down the street. The guy’s beating on the girl and I chase him into the backyard and with the gangsters and all that and that’s just outside of Nickerson Gardens in Watts. We’re actually where we say we are. We’re taking stories that are from cops. What cops actually tell the writers, in terms of things that have actually happened to them and we’re able to improvise and change things as actors to fit the reality of situations. So I think it’s that we’re never perfect. We’re always striving to be as good as we can be, but I think it’s a far more honest show than it is to do a kind of a cop show where you’re inside on a set in Hollywood pretending like Lord knows what’s happening. I have no idea what those shows do exactly.
SH: Right and we’re trained. We’ve spent so much time researching and learning the protocol and what it means to work on the streets and how to actually do it. We have freedom to make it real, and especially for the actors. If it’s not working what they wrote or a simple action sequence in a certain area, if it doesn’t pan out the way it’s written we find the truth of the scene and we always capture it.

Lucy Liu and Michael Cudlitz are co-stars in TNT’s hit cop drama “Southland”.  Michael has been a part of the show since the beginning and Lucy is joining the show in it’s 4th season, which begins January 17th, 2012.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Lucy and Michael about working on the show and what we can expect from this exciting season.

Mike Smith: With “Southland”, Michael, you’ve been on there since the beginning, so how has the program changed over the four seasons for you, your character and both for you?
Michael Cudlitz: I think the show has sort of spent the last four years defining itself, being exactly what it hopes to be which is showing how crime and the life of being a police officer affects the officers themselves on a personal level.  You have to remember that we’ve done four years but only up until this year, we’ve only shot 23 episodes which is typically a single season for a show. That season would typically be spent finding its legs, finding out what the voice of the show is and finding out how best to show that voice and I think we’ve gotten to that point now.  I think the show is extremely representative of what we set out to do and we’re all extremely proud of it.

MS: Lucy, since you’re the new one on the show, I was wondering if you could talk a little bit about how coming into this, her partnership with Cooper is really going to affect the dynamic of the squad?
Lucy Liu:  I think it’s going to change the way that John Cooper is able to show himself on a different dynamic.  I think Michael can probably speak more about that, but I think working with somebody who’s not somebody that he needs to train allows him to show different colors about his character and you’ll see in the first episode. They have the ability to have a certain banter that gives them a nice familiarity and also shows that they’re equal.  You kind of get to see how their dynamic will blossom and how it sort of starts with both of them having undercurrents of emotional weight that they don’t want to reveal, but you can kind of feel it with their connection.
MC: Yes and they’re both coming back from something major in their lives and that being said, they’recoming back from a very similar thing.  They both have very strong differing opinions about what it is to be on the force at this particular moment in time.

MS: Michael, last year your character was in a pretty dark downward spiral and finally ended up checking into rehab at the end of the season.  Are we going to be jumping ahead or past his rehab experience or are we going to see him struggling to get better from last season?
MC: Well, what we’re going to do is we’re going to see, time is going to jump forward and that helps all of the relationships.  It moves Ben forward in his relationship because as we saw him, he was just finishing up his probation and he was just jumping into a car with Sammy, kind of moving into his next phase of training. Jumping forward, what it allows us to do is reset basically the entire show and every single partner relationship.  Ben is no longer training.  Ben is an officer.  He is full-on deep into being an officer because we’ve told the training story.  Now he’s going to actually be doing the job as an officer.  Same thing for John Cooper, John Cooper has, he checked in to get his back fixed which is the main thing that was connected to the prescription drug abuse. You have to remember that John had a back problem before he had a drug problem.  The two are extremely connected.  Now his back is fixed.  What does that mean for John?  John has to reenter the force.  He has to be re-qualified.  He is now riding with a seasoned officer, Lucy Liu, who will bring out different things in John that we’ve never seen before. He is just happy to be back on the force and it’s going to be very interesting to see what a physically fit John Cooper has to bring to Los Angeles.

MS: Lucy, can you talk about your relationship as new partners and what we have to look forward to from that?
LL: I think that what’s wonderful about the relationship is that they’re equals and they’re both P3 and they are both experienced and have been on the streets and have been cops for a while.  The dynamic is that John Cooper does not have to train her and she’s actually driving this time for a little while so you get to see a little bit of a changing character and you get to see a little bit about who she is because she’s introduced in the first episode obviously and John’s character gets to reveal a little bit different colors, different areas of his life that he hasn’t been able to show before because he’s been so busy either trying to, get out of rehab or get into rehab or get healthy and also that he doesn’t have to be the training officer in charge.

MS: Michael, almost from the start of your career, you’ve been on pretty much iconic television shows from “NYPD Blue” and “Band of Brothers” of course to now “Southland”.  Are you just an incredibly lucky actor or do you just really pursue just the quality projects?
MC:  I’m incredibly lucky.  I don’t think people actually, we laugh, it’s the truth.  A lot of it has to do with luck.  Obviously, you can hopefully position yourself to take advantage of opportunities when they come along and surround yourself with good, positive people but I have been extremely, extremely lucky in my career and I feel every day, on “Southland” especially, is a gift to be able to work on the kind of material we have, to be able to have creative input when there’s something that we don’t agree with and to be able to fight rigorously with that and not have some sort of voice from above, whether it be a studio or a network or a producing company say you know what, shut up and do your job.  That’s not the case.  We have wonderful creative conflict since the beginning on this show and it’s just been a really wonderful sort of pot of creativity to be in and its luck.  It really is.  A lot of it is luck. So thank you for acknowledging that, but yes, everything else we’ll just give over to a higher power because all I can do is worry about what I’m doing and the rest is just happening.  So I’m very pleased to be along for the ride.

MS: Lucy, how is this doing a television series different from doing a movie as you’ve done for quite a few years?  Do you enjoy it better?  Are you going back soon?
LL: First of all, I think that doing this show is very similar to doing an independent movie because they shoot so quickly and it’s sort of like guerrilla filmmaking which is really fun and you feel like you’re getting away with something, but you do have permits which is lucky so nobody is running you off the street.  Secondly, I think that it’s wonderful to be able to jump back and forth to do films and also television.  I think that’s something that I love doing. I think with television, you hit a different audience, people that are able to be at home and watch it with their families or they just don’t have time to go to the movies or they just, it’s just too much money at this point.  You get to just sort of do kind of all of it.  I’ve got three movies coming out at the end of March and I think, two of them are independent, well they’re all shot as independents and some of them may be more commercial than others, but I think that television is something that you know will always come out and you know will be seen.

Margaret Cho has been involved in a variety of projects throughout her career. Margaret started out as a standup comedian eventually bridging into television and movies. Margaret currently plays the role of Teri Lee on the show “Drop Dead Diva” and recently appeared on “Dancing with the Stars”. Media Mikes had a chance recently to talk with Margaret about working on the shows and what she has planned for 2012.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us about your experience working on “Dancing with the Stars”?
Margaret Cho: It was pretty tough. I am not a particularly competitive person and I was also touring at the same time we were shooting. The whole time we were shooting I was trying to think of ways to disqualify myself without people knowing. (Laughs) I knew they weren’t going to drug test me so that idea was out. (Laughs) I had a good time hanging out with everyone but over all it’s not really fun or anything. I attended many tapings of this season to cheer on Ricki Lake, Carson Kressley and Chaz Bono. In general it’s pretty tough. Every time I go and watch it’s a real relief to know that I don’t have to dance.

AL: What were the rehearsals like?
MC: I have danced all over the world as I do burlesque and belly dancing. I really enjoy dancing. The schedule was very intense and I was out on the road touring. My partner would meet me on my bus and we would end up dancing in places like laundry rooms. We would show up to the tapings in the morning after sleeping on the road and it was just very difficult to manage.

AL: Do you prefer doing television and films over stand up these days?
MC: I love it all. I will always do standup comedy but I do love acting as well. I think it’s really amazing to be able to transform into different people. Ultimately standup comedy is my true passion. I also like doing music as part of my comedy as well.

AL: Recently you have started performing more music. What was it that really sparked your interest in doing so?
MC: I have been going to shows and have been around musicians for as long as I have been doing comedy. I think comics often become very close to musicians because of our similar life styles. I wanted to do a project that involved that side of my life with people that I really love to work with. That’s how my record was made.

AL: Can you tell us the story behind your love of tattoos?
MC: The people who worked for my father at his book store when I was growing up were all getting tattooed in major ways by people such as Ed Hardy. When I was 12 I didn’t have friends so the workers would tell my dad that if I ever got tattooed I would have friends. That kind of stuck with me my whole life. I started getting tattooed rather later in life around when I was 35. I knew that I was always going get tattooed. I am pretty much completely tattooed now except for the areas you see on camera. I have a great love for artists in the genre and I am good friends with a lot of them. I find it very pleasurable to get tattooed.

AL: Can you tell us about your recent appearance on “30 Rock”?
MC: I played Kim Jong-IL. Tina Fey and I have a lot of friends in common and it was really nice to meet her. I love the show so it was a nice thing to be able to do and a great honor. I have always wanted to play Kim Jong-IL as oddly enough I really sort of look like him. I had a great time playing that role however I was very stressed at the same time. There really is no way of hearing what he sounded like because of his image being so tightly controlled. It was tough so I based him on my mother. (Laughs) It was bitter sweet to play him. The only representative of that country that we have is him which is very disturbing.

AL: Can you tell us about working on “Drop Dead Diva”?
MC: I love it! It’s so fun and the cast is really close. I am very proud to be a part of the show. I’m not sure what’s going to happen on the upcoming season but I am curious to see how things will play out. The new season should start airing around June.

AL: What type of plans do you have for 2012?
MC: I will be going back to work on “Drop Dead Diva” starting in February. When I am doing shooting I am going to be doing a few tour dates. Near the end of the year I will be going back to England for some time before I return to Atlanta. Things will be pretty busy. Filming for “Drop Dead Diva” takes up a lot of my time so I have to cram a lot of things into the year’s end. But I love working on that show.

Sebastian Maniscalco is a stand-up Comedian who has appeared on several late night talk shows. Sebastian also was a part of “Vince Vaughn’s Wild West Comedy Show”. More recently Sebastian has filmed a new stand-up special which will air in January on Showtime. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with Sebastian recently about the new show and what got him into comedy.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us what got you interested in doing comedy/stand-up?
Sebastian Maniscalco: I grew watching people like Johnny Carson and the comedians he had on his show. They were all a big influence on me. I was fascinated with stand-up and enjoyed making people laugh. For me it was just a matter of time when it was going to happen. I went to college and while there I got a chance to open for the National act that was performing at the school. I had an awful set but shortly after graduation I moved out to Los Angeles and started doing open-mic nights. So, I always knew I was going to be a comedian.

AL: Can you descried to us that first time you stepped out on stage?
SM: It was nerve racking. I had my 10 minute set planned from front to back. The audience was primarily African-American. That crowd is notorious for either really hating you or really liking you. I was getting booed quite a bite and that tends to throw your set off. I knew I had it in me and that I could do it but that was a real eye opening experience.

AL: Can you tell us about performing on the Vince Vaughn’s Wild West Comedy tour?
SM: I had met Vince about two years prior to him putting the show together. We stayed in touch and he liked what I was doing on stage so he invited me and a few of his other favorite comedians to be a part of his tour. We did one city a night for 30 nights. It was great! We went to places that I had never been before and we played to some really large crowds. That was really the first time I got a sense of what it was like to perform for that many people. We ended up shooting a documentary about the tour. That tour really catapulted me from working a day job into doing stand-up comedy full time.

AL: Was it tough having the cameras around?
SM: It wasn’t like reality TV where you had a camera in the bathroom with you or anything. After awhile it was just part of the gig. You definitely had your privacy as the cameras really only rolled during big events or before and after the shows. I don’t know how the people who do reality TV handle having a camera follow them around constantly.

AL: Were there any great behind the scenes moments from the tour you can tell us about?
SM: I didn’t ever know Vince Vaughn was such a gamer when it came to video games. He was playing games for 8 or 9 hours at a time. We would all go to bed and he would be playing then we wake up the next morning and he would still be playing. I was sort of forced to learn how to play video games on that tour.

AL: Can you tell us about your new Showtime show?
SM: This will be my second hour long special for Showtime. The show will air January 5^th, 2012 and it is the next step of my career. In this day and age everything you do builds a foundation for what is to come. This special is a culmination of the last four years of my life. The theme of the show is based around how people act in society. I think the show is something that really will resonate with a lot of people as lately customer service stinks and people tend to be rude and/or have no manners. The topics in my show I think people will really be able to relate to.

AL: What other plans do you have for 2012?
SM: I have a 22 city tour planned for this year which will be promoting the special. I will also have a DVD coming out on March 27^th 2012.  I will also be shopping around a television show loosely based on my life. We have some good ideas and hopefully we will make it on TV. The goal for me in 2012 is to definitely gain some presence on television.

For more info on Sebastian Maniscalco you can go to www.sebastianlive.com as well as follow him on twitter @sebastiancomedy

Dan Byrd plays Travis Cobb in the television series “Cougar Town”. Dan has also appeared in a variety other television series and films. Media Mikes had a chance recently to talk with Dan about the series as well as his role in the film “Norman”.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us the current status of Cougar Town?
Dan Byrd: As far as I know the show will start airing in March. We still don’t have an exact date yet as a lot depends on a new show the network is going to start airing. If that show ends up being a success our show will start in March however if that show doesn’t do well we will probably start airing around early February.

AL: Can you give us some hints as to what we can expect this coming season?
DB: There’s a lot going on this season. I think it’s going to be our funniest season so far. Jules and Grayson are going to be sort of venturing into the land of being together and getting married. Travis is back at school while the story line between him and Laurie continues to grow. The thing with our show is that every episode is an entity unto its self. A lot of the story threads that were started in season 2 will continue on into the new season. Each episode is really its own adventure.

AL: How is it working with such a great cast?
DB: It’s great! It has been a huge learning experience. I have been working since I was young but I feel like I have learned more being on this set than I have on any other set. I have especially learned a lot about television and how shows are run. The cast is really awesome and it’s great to be surrounded by such talented people.

AL: What can you tell us about your film “Norman”?
DB: That film was made prior to me starting work on “Cougar Town”. The film is about a kid who perpetuates a lie to deal with events that are happening in his life. Because of this lie he is put on a pedestal and looked at completely different. The film deals with how my character Norman deals with this new found attention. There is also a love story intertwined with everything as well. Norman is really trying to balance all the good and bad that are happening to him at the same time.

AL: What are the release plans for the film?
DB: We released the film in 5 different markets a month or so ago. There are still screenings happening as well as the film being sent to SAG voters. I am not sure what will happen next release wise but, I think you will start to see the film out early next year.

AL: With the year wrapping up do you have any favorite films from 2011?
DB: I just saw “The Artist” which I thought was phenomenal! That’s definitely the best film I have seen all year. The concept is really great and I think the actors in that film should and will get nominated for an Oscar. Other than that I really haven’t seen much in the way of Oscar contending type movies. Shooting keeps me quite busy. There are still a bunch of films though that I want to check out.

AL: Do you have any other projects planned for the upcoming year?
DB: I don’t really know at this point. We will probably be done shooting “Cougar Town” around late January or early February. After that we are going to have a pretty substantial hiatus. This is going to be the first year that I really go out and try to pursue other things. I have been sort of lax in our previous hiatuses because it was the first time that I didn’t have to immediately jump back on the audition grind.

AL: If you had your choice are you looking to do something comedy based or do you want to work in a different genre?
DB: I have been doing sitcoms for some time so it would be nice to flex a different muscle. The only real criteria I have is that I try to find roles that will turn out well. The genre that I am working in is kind of secondary to the quality of the project. The role has to be something that I think will benefit me in the long run.

Stepfanie Kramer is appearing on the new hit TV series “The Secret Circle” on The CW this coming January. She is playing the role of Kate Meade. Stepfanie is know for her role of Sgt. Dee Dee McCall on the 80’s TV series “Hunter”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with about her role in “The Secret Circle” and what we can expect from her character.

Mike Gencarelli: Can you tell us how you got involved with “The Secret Circle”?
Stepfanie Kramer: I went in for an audition much like everyone else. I must have delivered what they were looking for. My character Kate is a very interesting woman as she is rather complicated when making decisions. She loves her family and is a very strong lady who knows exactly what she wants.

MG: You character is described kind of woman who can warm you with a smile but freeze you with a single glare, how did you prepare for this role?
SK: (Laughs) I just patterned her after a family member. Everyone has someone like Kate in their family.

MG: What can we expect from episode 10 in the show?
SK: I can’t really say too much. Other than I play the grandma to a 16 year which is sort of funny because in real life I am the mother of a 16 year old. This episode will bring a different dynamic to mine and my son’s relationship.

MG: Tell us about this rivalry with Dawn (Natasha Henstridge)?
SK: It’s not so much a rivalry for attention. Kate is aware of certain things that are underway that other characters are not. I really can’t tell much more than that as a lot has yet to be revealed. It’s a really fun show to work on in that respect. Everyone who works on the show is really great.

MG: How do you feel that “The Secret Circle” differs from other similar themed shows on TV?
SK: I have been very fortunate with my career. Work is just work and each environment is always different. The experience is always something new each time. I really just enjoy the process of everything.

MG: Can we expect more from Kate Meade the rest of the season?
SK: There have been talks of this being a reoccurring role. They haven’t killed me yet so it’s a possibility. The response from the network has been very kind and that has been great. It’s always nice to know people appreciate what you do.

Kevin Chapman is currently starring along side Jim Caviezel & Michael Emerson in the new TV series “Persons of Interest”.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Kevin about his new show and what he likes most about his character Detective Lionel Fusco.

Mike Gencarelli: What do you like most about playing Detective Lionel Fusco on “Persons of Interest”?
Kevin Chapman: He is a club cop running with a club crowd. Each week you start to see Lionel coming back more and more to life. You start to see the fire in his eyes as to why he became a cop. Each week is a gradual progression. Lionel still has some questionable qualities but he is progressing back to the right side of the law.

MG: How has it been working with Jim Caviezel & Michael Emerson?
KC: Jim and I have worked together before. We were in a movie together called “Unknown”. I had also worked on “Lost” however I didn’t have any scenes with Michael. It’s a great show and it just has the great pedigree. We have great writers as well as J.J. Abrams watching over everything. Jonathan Nolan is really amazing as well. I think he is going to have a great career in this business.

MG: What do you look for in a role when you approach a project?
KC: I look for truth in the character. I want the people watching to be able to identify with the character I am playing. I think anytime I look at a role that is exactly what I am looking. With the Lionel character the redemption side of things is very enticing. It does up to the viewer wither or not he is a good guy or a bad guy. I try not to personally judge the characters I play and leave that to the viewers.

MG: You have done a bunch of TV and movies, do you have a preference?
KC: I like quality. I have done films for other reasons but quality is a big thing.

MG: What the upcoming plans for your involvement with the show?
KC: We don’t ever know what’s going on with our characters from week to week. That is something I like. I like to be able to go on the journey with Lionel from week to week. I’m not the type of guy who suggests things to the writers. That’s not me as I am an actor. If I wanted to write I would have become a writer. I really enjoy not knowing what’s going to happen and just watching the show. If I am not in a particular scene then I generally am not there and don’t know what’s going on. When the shows is on you can find me at my house with Chinese food and a bunch of people watching the show.

Alexandra Breckenridge plays the younger version of the character Moira, the sexy maid in FX’s hit series “American Horror Story”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Alexandra about working on the show and what she likes most about her character.

Mike Gencarelli: How has it been playing a character that is being played by two different actresses?
Alexandra Breckenridge: I has been exciting and really great, especially for the audience who gets to experience the two different characters.  It isn’t just like a flashback scene.  Also working with Fraces Conroy has been just amazing.  She is really great.

MG: What do you like most about playing the character Moira?
AB: I get to play another side of myself and step outside of my comfort.  It has been interesting to play her because she is so extremely sexually driven because…I am not that way [laughs].

MG: I read you had to dye you hair red for the role, have you found out why yet?
AB: Nope, still haven’t found out.  The last time I saw Ryan Murphy was during the scene when I had to bite the man’s penis off in the basement.

MG: Tell us about that scene was it difficult to shoot?
AB: Well it was setup with me biting off a piece of banana.  So we had to set it up and I kept biting off a piece.  I was originally suppose to spit it out but they planned not to show it. Ultimately it was really fun…it was just a really shocking moment.

MG: The show was green-lit for season two very early, did that create any pressure during filming season one?
AB: No, not really.  I am still not sure where the show is going.  Or if “they” even know where it is going to be going. They haven’t told any of the cast yet or at least not me.

MG: Do you find it difficult having the story be very hush hush?
AB: It is a little hush hush.  That is way that most shows are they days though.  You have to sign a non-disclosure just to audition for shows…it is crazy.

MG: How do you compare working on “American Horror Story” to “True Blood”?
AB: In my opinion, I think that “American” is actually darker than “True Blood”. Production wise, I am not sure how they are really different. I mean “True Blood” is a well oiled machine at this point, they have it down well.  It is like clockwork.

MG: What has been you favorite memorable moment from filming season one so far?
AB: I mean everything is on the show is really extreme and crazy.  The fact that my grandmother watches it is horrifying.  I just kept telling her how sorry I am.  She tells me “Listen to me, you are an actress and my granddaughter and why you do those things, I know you are acting”.