From his early stand up days to his years as Dr. Fiscus on the Emmy award winning “St. Elsewhere” to his role as host of “Deal or No Deal” Howie Mandel has always found a way to let his good natured, fun loving side show through.  This week he begins a new chapter as host of the new show “Take It All.”

Based on the popular “White Elephant” prize swaps that usually occur this time of year, the show will run starting Monday, December 10, through Friday, December 14 at 9:00 p.m. EST on NBC, with the show’s finale running at the same time on Monday, December 17.  While promoting the show Mr. Mandel sat down with Media Mikes to talk about his new show, his mostly hidden enthusiasm for contestants and the latest “Gremlins” rumors.

Mike Smith: Thanks for taking the time to talk today.
Howie Mandel: Oh, you’re welcome.

MS: How is this game different from what people play in their homes each year?
HM: Well, if you play this in your home, I’m coming to your home, because I don’t know that people give away cars and anything from hovercrafts to exotic vacations. This is beyond any gift that Secret Santa would have. And then, what we did was, you know obviously that was the theme of the idea, and I had gone to a few parties and had seen this, and watched the type of the gamesmanship and people play against each other. So, the simplicity of it is everybody comes out, we start with five, everybody comes out with a different prize. So, if you pick a car and the next person picks a hovercraft, whoever ends up with the least expensive prizes gives it back and goes home. And eventually we end with two people that have a veritable cornucopia of extravagant prizes. And then, they can pick cash, you know, a 1/4 of a million dollars, hundreds of thousands of dollars, and then they have a choice. And I don’t think they do this in the house, but their two choices are keep it, so they can keep everything that they have, or take it all. If one of them decides to take it all, they get everything that they’ve accumulated throughout the hour, plus what their opponent has accumulated and they end up with tons of money and prizes and cash. But here’s the catch. If they both decide to take it all, they both end up with nothing. And neither of them knows what the other is going to do, so it’s like – it’s great gamesmanship, because it’s like poker. They get a chance to face-off each other and against each other what they’re going to do and it’s the most surprising social experiment I’ve ever been part of. I thought “Let’s Make a Deal” was an incredible social experience, this takes it to the next level.

MS: Part of the fun of a Yankee Swap in homes is that people tend to bring kind of dud gifts, so somebody ends with a dud. Is that an element of the show?
HM: No, absolutely not. There are no duds. Well, the only dud, if you want to call it a dud, is you end up out – and I say that a couple times on the show, you know in one of the beginning rounds when the amounts are lower, you know you could end up with – you know where there’s a range from $15,000 to $100,000 in one round, and end (the game) if you end up holding the $15,000 prize, you know which for all intents and purposes is a really nice valuable gift, that could end up being the dud because that could send you home. You have to give that back. You give back everything you’ve accumulated up to that point. So, there aren’t any – you know in that way there are no duds. That being said, prizes are like characters in themselves. I mean, you will see things that you haven’t seen on any other show. And I’m talking things like hovercrafts and submarines and jet packs, and things like you’ve never seen before, so they’re all amazing. I mean, I’m just as blown away as the contestants when the gifts are revealed and I go, “Oh my, God, this is amazing. I want one,” you know?

MS: Is there chance that this show will go on beyond the holidays?
HM: That’s a question for NBC. It’s not a question for me, you know? But, the fact that I have this opportunity to do an event, you know? And the last time I was involved with an event of this magnitude in this way was “Deal or No Deal.” When I was presented with “Deal or No Deal” they said, “You know, we’re going to give you five nights in a row on a network and we truly believe in this. We think it’s a fun holiday event.” And that fun holiday event turned into 500 episodes. So I would love that, but I take each take as it comes. And, you know when we played the game in the room with NBC I said, “If you ever decide to do this, this is the one time I want the host.” I’ve been asked since “Deal or No Deal” to host everything that’s come along in the way of games and been told “This is fun.” Because this is about people, it’s about gamesmanship. You know, can you play – can you bluff somebody, can you create a story from that has the other players believe in what you’re saying? You play it like poker.

MS: This is the second game show you’ve hosted. What have you learned about people’s natures from doing this?
HM: I’ve learned that I know nothing. I’ve learned that you cannot judge a book by its cover. I learned that I’m fascinated with the human condition. I’ve learned that if you put people in different environments they probably don’t even know what they’re going to do. What happens is they get up there and there’s hundreds of thousands of dollars cash in front of them: diamonds, boats, gifts, and real estate, and you watch their eyes glaze over and you see them become a different person. The same thing is true when you get into a casino. I’m fascinated by what happens, you know? All I try to do as the host is just direct the traffic and hope that I keep them as clear as possible and as focused as possible, so that they can manipulate whatever plan they have of attack in the clearest possible way.

MS: And what kind of game player are you? Are you good at games?
HM: No, not at all. I’m not really a player of games. I’m fascinated by watching somebody play games…trivia, for the most part, and physical things that people have to do. I’m fascinated by that. And I watched, right in front of my eyes, somebody’s life changed forever. Somebody shows up and they just graduated college and then 40 minutes later they’re standing there with hundreds of thousands of dollars, millions of dollars, just their value, their worth monetarily has gone up. And with that, you know their life is not the same as it was when they walked in. So I find it fascinating. I don’t have the guts. If I showed up some place and somebody handed me 5 bucks, I would leave with my $5 and be thrilled that I got my $5. So it’s amazing to me the guts that people have to play a game, to keep going on, and to push it to the limits.

MS: As a host of game shows and talent shows, are you able to maintain a professional distance from the contestants, or do you find yourself getting emotionally involved in what they’re going through and sort of secretly root for them?
HM: Well, yes. You know, first and foremost I’m a human being and I’m a father and I’m a husband. So yes, the professionalism lies in you You can tell that I root for people and you can tell that I care, and it’s really hard. The hardest thing is to maintain, and I guess that’s what they pay you for, to maintain my professionalism when I see, in my mind, just like you the viewer, you know I can go, “Oh, no, no, no, no, this is bad move. This is a bad move,” but I’m not allowed to say that. And I can think it, but I can’t tell you I’m thinking it because that may sway you. And then again, I could be wrong. So yes, I am very involved. I can’t totally remove myself from it. But I hope that I maintain a professional stance as the host of the show. I’ve seen some parts of it and I think I do a fantastic job. (laughs)

MS: You had such a great run on St. Elsewhere. Do you ever see yourself open to the option to return to episodic television again?
HM: I would love to, so if you hear anything, please let me know. You know, I’ve always – everything I’ve done in my life has been because I said “yes” to these opportunities, and they’re nothing that I planned, you know? And I didn’t plan to do “St. Elsewhere.” I was a standup comic, and then I did that. And I certainly didn’t plan to be a game show host. You know, I fell into “Deal or No Deal” and it was such a great experience.

MS: This last one is a little off topic but I was asked to ask you if you know anything about the possibility of a “Gremlins” reunion or perhaps a remake of the original movie? And would you be interested in participating in that?
HM: I know nothing about it, but if they do I hope they give me a call. I would love to be part of it.

Greg Cipes is a voice actor that is known best for his role of Beast Boy in the “Teen Titans” franchise. He is currently voicing Michaelangelo in Nick’s reboot of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”. Media Mikes has a chance to chat with Greg about his role on the show and also his other voice work.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you get involved with voicing Michaelangelo in the new reboot of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”?
Greg Cipes: I have a friend who is an executive producer on the new series. He and Nickelodeon brought me in as they thought I was perfect for the character. I brought what I thought Mikey was to the table. For me it was pretty natural and easy. The original cartoon was my favorite growing up. I learned how to meditate and got in to surfing and skateboarding because of that show. The turtles really helped shape who I am today. It was a role I could easily step into and they felt I was the guy.

MG: How was it working with Rob Paulsen who worked on the original “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” series?
GC: Rob is such a pleasure to work with. I grew up listening to him on the show and to be able to work with him now is very surreal.

MG: What is it like playing such an iconic character?
GC: It is the greatest gift I have ever received. It’s a great responsibility being a turtle and there is nothing else I would rather be doing.

MG: Can you tell us about the recording sessions?
GC: 99 percent of the time we record the shows together as a group. We all feed off each other and we are like a big family. Basically, we are getting paid to have fun.

MG: What do you enjoy most about playing Iron Fist in “Ultimate Spider-Man!”?
GC: That was another role where they came to me and said I was perfect for that role. Disney thought I was very much like him and asked what I had. I brought this very gem like aspect to the character which is similar to how I am in my real life. I would say Iron Fist is a part of my personality as is Mikey. That’s usually why I book roles. The studios will see aspects of their characters in me and then ask me to come in. You would think in the voice over world it would matter what you look like or what your personality is like but, I have been cast in all of my cartoons more by how I look and by my personality. My visual and internal characteristics seem to be a big thing which is very cool. These characters are really who I am.

MG: Having voiced so many great characters, how do you differentiate your voices for each show?
GC: Each character has its own world. I will react differently in each of those worlds. It’s almost like I am an avatar. I get to go into those worlds and live it through the character. Those characters are me in different bodies and under different circumstances. Naturally I would be acting differently in different situations. Each world and character has so much richness to draw from to make it real that things come natural. My voice just changes on its own.

MG: With “Teen Titans Go!” coming in 2013, tell us about about reprising Beast Boy?
GC: That is really exciting. I love what Warner Brothers is doing with the show. The show is just so, so funny and it is going to be a great surprise for everyone. Sam Register from Warner Brothers is the one really behind making the show what it is and for bringing it back. I have been asking him for the past 7 years to bring the show back. He would just keep telling me one day we will. Finally I got the call to come in to work on the new show. Sam is the guy behind everything. That character Beast Boy kicked off my career as a voice actor.

MG: You work again with Sean Astin in “And They’re Off”, tell us about that?
GC: Before I started working with Sean Astin on “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” I got to meet him and work with him on this project. The film is a comedic film that was really fun to work on. The cast was just so great. The film wasn’t a major release or anything but a year later I am working with Sean again. He is a really great guy that I get to work with every week.

Fran Drescher is known best for creating and starring in the TV series’ “The Nanny” and “Happily Divorced”.  Fran is also a cancer survivor and currently founder of the Cancer Schmancer Movement, as well as it program Trash Cancer.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Fran about her new season of “Happily Divorced” and about her work to fight Cancer.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us what we can expect season three of “Happily Divorced”? Guest stars?
Fran Drescher: We premiere on November 28th. We had a cliffhanger with the last twelve episodes and this picks up where it left off with a new arc for our main character. This season we have amazing guest stars. Joan Collins has a reoccurring role playing herself. Molly Shannon is going to play Peter’s sister. Cindy Lauper will play Renee Taylor’s daughter. Ralph Macchio is back as the man who in love with me. We are introducing some new characters as well. We have a neighbor moving in next door. It is going to be a fantastic season.

MG: John Michael Higgins and you are just fantastic on the show; you guys have great comedic chemistry.
FD: He is so great. I am so thrilled and blessed to have him as my leading man.

MG: “Happily Divorced” has been going for a few seasons now, how was it been not only starring but also writing and producing?
FD: My job is very similar to what it was on “The Nanny”. I created that series as well with my partner Peter Jacobson. I wear a lot of hats but I really enjoy the whole aspect of putting together a series. I find it very exciting and stimulating. It can be exhausting. It can be challenging. But I think I would be bored if I didn’t tap into all of my strengths. I would feel a little bit stuck. This keeps me very stimulated, both creatively and intellectually.

MG: What do you enjoy most about working with TV Land?
FD: They are a good group. They are a small network, so there is not a lot of bureaucracy. It is a really a collective art form. We love all the people that we have to deal with. I feel like we are in a really good place. They have people that are really into situational comedy, in the old school sense of the word, and that is my brand of comedy. So it is a really good fit.

MG: How do you compare your experience with “Happily Divored” from your other shows like “The Nanny”?
FD: I think we have a lot of great writers that came from “The Nanny”. Due to that we have some great laugh-out-loud comedy. I think that this character deals with the woman that is closer in age to me, who finding herself single in her mid-years. It has a very significant social message, which is “Love is love, it is not conditional and everyone has a right to an authentic life.” I think at this stage in my life it is nice for me to produce things that not only make you laugh but then have some kind of resonance.

MG: Tell us about your work with your Cancer Schmancer Movement?
FD: It is the organization that I founded and have continued to be president and visionary for. It came out of my New York Times bestseller “Cancer Schmancer”, which came out of my own cancer survival – which I am twelve years well! Over the years, I began to formulate a feeling that the emphasis for trying to find a cure for cancer is really kind of like closing the barn door after the horses escape. The better way to “cure cancer” is to not get it in the first place. How is that for a cure? What the Cancer Schmancer Movement also does is educate the public on how to transpond from being a patient to a medical consumer. We urge you to learn the early warning whispers of the cancers that may affect you and also know the tests that are available.

MG: Tell us about your campaign to Trash Cancer?
FD: It is our new program through Cancer Schamancer to educate Americans on how to detox their home, which turns out to be the most toxic place that we spend the most time in. Since 90% of cancer is environmental, we should begin with what we bring into our home through purchasing power. That we have control over. We can effectively reduce our chance for cancer by making healthier choices on what we put in, on and around us.

Zachary Quinto is known best for playing the roles of Sylar in the fan-favorite series “Heroes” and also Spock from the “Star Trek” franchise reboot. He plays the role of Dr. Oliver Thredson in the FX hit series “American Horror Story: Asylum”. In a recent episode of the show it was revealed that Ounito’s character is in fact the serial killer known as “Bloody Face.” Media Mikes had the chance to speak with Zachary recently about the role and how it has differed from that of his role in season one of the show.

Adam Lawton: How has playing this seasons character differed from other characters you played?
Zachary Quinto: I think any time an actor revisits territory that they’ve been in before, it can be a source of trepidation, as it was for me. But part of the reason that I loved what the opportunity stood for was that I got to know, going in what/who my character was going to be and I got to really build something. With “Heroes” that character was built before I was ever attached to it. There were eight episodes of anticipation that were built before you met “Gabriel Gray” I had no participation in that. So for me, it was really exciting to get to go in having all the information, and actually be part of the process of creating a character. That, to me, was a difference. This role/character is self-contained and it was an immersion that I’m not going to be repeating or carrying on for an extended period of time. It was something I got to go do and contribute and benefit and grow and learn, and then be on to other creative pursuits and that, I think that is an environment in which I thrive. So I was really excited about all those elements.

AL: Were there meetings where you actually talked about the direction of your character?
ZQ: Yes, I had a few conversations with Ryan and Brad before we started. Ryan and I had a couple of connections about what he was thinking and I had some questions and had a chance to contribute to what I would like to see. But once they got going, it’s like their engines just drive them and all of us forward in such surprising and unexpected ways, so the vast majority of that comes from them and actually bring it to life. That’s how I see it.

AL: How do you prepare mentally to play this dark, demented kind of role, and do you enjoy it, or find it more of a challenge?
ZQ: It depends on the scene. There are different levels of preparation for different scenes in different kinds of work. So I have a combination of things that I do. I usually just find some solitude and some quiet in a little corner of the set where there’s not a lot of traffic and not a lot of people around and do what it is that I need to do. I listen to music a lot, if I need to get into a particular emotional space, I use that and just other sort of stretching, just breathing, taking time to mostly be quiet and find that kind of stillness. I think that’s important. I love playing characters that go to extreme places and I love to explore different kinds of psychological landscapes, so it is ultimately a kind of fun, but it’s also complicated and colored by the depth of the nastiness of it at certain times as well. That can be a challenging part.

AL: Did your friendship with Sarah Paulson have any effect on how you reacted in the scenes with her?
ZQ: I have a respect for Sarah as an actress, but it’s a rare and unique opportunity to show up to work with a really good friend. Oftentimes, friendships are formed on set and through these kinds of experiences. It’s even a richer experience when you already have that foundation of friendship. So there’s an implicit trust and sensitivity to each other and our needs and our instincts and our individual process. It’s really a remarkable gift in a lot of ways. We also are able to have more fun, I think, and laugh at a situation a little bit more. There’s less awkwardness to cut through. I think it strengthens the connection that the characters share, whether it’s friendship or torture or hostage, whatever it may be. I love going to work anyway, no matter whom I’m working with, but in particular with Sarah, I think she’s doing such wonderful work on the show that I also just love watching her character and the journey that she’s taking. She’s gone to so many extreme and challenging emotional places, and done it so beautifully and dynamically. I just think her work is so incredible, so it’s been a joy for me, really, this whole experience.

AL: We have seen “Bloody Face” in a few present day scenes. Will we find out whether present day “Bloody Face” is also “Thredson”?
ZQ: Wouldn’t that be cool? Yes, you’ll find all that out. It was pretty freaky and cool. I mean it’s really driving to a point. The storytelling structure of “American Horror Story: Asylum” I think is really going to pay off in a really big way. So I think all of the questions that people have, and that the episodes that are airing right now are generating, will definitely be answered. That’s my instinct, at least, having read up through almost the end now.

Steve-O is best known for his work on the TV series and film franchise “Jackass”. He is taking a different route with his new show on truTV called “Killer Karaoke”, which he is hosting. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Steve-O about this show, what we can expect and touched on the “Jackass 4″ rumors”.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about your new show “Killer Karaoke” on truTV?
Steve-O: The premise of the show is very simple. It’s people singing karaoke while awful things are happening to them. It is just hilarious. For me it is extra exciting since it is a big opportunity to get to work as a comedian host, rather than just the guy that hurts himself. It allows me to be faithful to my brands and yet still evolve and broaden my horizons. It is a real step in the right direction for me in having a meaningful career beyond “Jackass”.

MG: So do these contestants have a background in singing?
Steve-O: I think everyone has some level of passion for singing and that is why they are there. I do not think that anyone is getting a record deal out of it. I think it is funnier the more incompetent the contestants are. When you go into a karaoke bar, you think the people singing are somewhat competent. So I think the average karaoke bar talent is what spills out onto our set of “Killer Karaoke”. I think that is where the experience bar is at.

MG: Give us an idea about some of the interruptions planned for the contestants?
Steve-O: There are dog attacks. We electrocute people as they are signing. We’ve done snakes all over them. We made they run through a maze of cacti. We just scare the crap out of them and torture them in many different ways. It is really hilarious.

MG: You are no stranger to extreme stunts, is it different for you thought being on the other side and not having to deal with these situations?
Steve-O: For me, simply observing stunts rather than performing them, I would explain as an erection lasting four hours or more. It felt great but it was a little unnatural for me [laughs].

MG: Is there any kind of rehearsal prior to the taping?
Steve-O: Not at all. We are really careful to make sure that the contestants go into it with as little of an idea of what will happen as possible. Obviously, when you have as guy and you’re putting him into a dog attack suit, I think he gets an idea. But for the most part, they have no idea what is going to happen. I think it makes it a lot better.

MG: What has been your most challenging aspect hosting a reality TV series?
Steve-O: It all came pretty natural for me. The key to doing a good job is to make sure that you are enjoying yourself. I definitely enjoyed myself. I feel that the pleasure aspect in the show will be contagious.

MG: I read the announcer of the show is Twisted Sister’s Dee Snyder; did you get a chance to meet him?
Steve-O: No. They recorded Dee Snider after the fact. But my first concert I ever went to was Twisted Sister, so I am a big fan.

MG: Are they going to get you to engage in the “Killer Karaoke”?
Steve-O: I don’t think I will ever sing on the show. I really doubt it. In the beginning of every show, I do a little stunt. Whenever there was a break in the filming, I would pick up the skateboard and do some circus tricks. So I think a lot of that will make it onto the show also, which will also make it more fun to watch.

MG: Can you give us any insight into the rumored “Jackass 4”?
Steve-O: There is a project in the works. It is not a “Jackass” movie but is a spin-off. I think that it is the studio’s intention to get the entire cast involved. But they haven’t done that yet, so it is a little too early to talk about.

Mark Margolis talks about his role in “American Horror Story: Asylum” playing the role of Sam Goodman. He appeared as a Nazi hunter introduce in the episode “I Am Anne Frank, Part 2”.  Mark is also known for his role of Tito in “Breaking Bad”.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Mark about his role on the show.

Adam Lawton: How did working on this set of “American Horror Story” compare to maybe the work you did on “Breaking Bad” or one of the other series that you’ve been involved with?
Mark Margolis: Well, they took the bell away from me.
AL: Ding, ding.
MM: I had to actually speak, so that was tough. They soon discovered that the guy is better with a bell, but it was too late because they had already employed me. I mean, Breaking Bad is a whole other thing. It’s in a whole other locale, in New Mexico, which is a whole other feeling and this was a strange 1964 kind of shabby motel room. It was just a whole other–it was something about working in American Horror Story; everything was very brown and gray, which is the complete opposite of New Mexico, even though my character in New Mexico was sometimes in a grim nursing home; whatever. It was completely different. It was a whole other kind of man with a whole other demeanor, a whole other world, and had come from a whole other world etc., etc.

AL: Do you find the character of Tio being–obviously it had to be a little bit more of a challenge without speaking much compared to the Sam Goodman character?
MM: Not really because all of it is–in both cases, it’s just like in life, we’re responding to what’s coming at us. Even though Tio can’t speak, his mind works well, and he’s responding to what’s coming at him. In this case, my character was able to speak and respond. There is an equivalence in that area of acting, I guess I would say.

AL: What was it about maybe portraying a Nazi hunter, what lured you to the role of “Sam Goodman”?
MM: Nazi hunters are kind of fascinating characters. I was actually–about a year and a half ago, I was up for a film with Sean Penn, the part of a Nazi hunter, and it was a marvelous character. I think the film is coming out in a couple of months called This Must Be the Place. The part eventually went to Judd Hirsch, but I was really hot to do it. Those are fascinating characters. I’ve read over the years–I’ve read a great deal about Simon Wiesenthal, who is probably the world’s most famous Nazi hunter. I think he’s the one that located Eichman in Argentina, or he’s located others. They’re fascinating people with a certain kind of a mission of devoting their lives to catching these people who are aging and dying–I think that world is almost disappearing at this point. If there’s anybody left, they’re in their 90s. When I heard that it was a Nazi hunter, I was quite excited about that.

AL: What is the reason why people really enjoy “American Horror Story”? Maybe it’s the format, or maybe it’s just something inside of us that we just love to be subjected to this kind of visual trauma?
MM: Well, it’s got wonderful actors on it, the principles. The regulars on the show are quite incredible. I mean Jessica Lange is amazing. Cromwell is amazing. There’s a whole group of them that are quite terrific; the regulars. I’ve never seen a show like that. I worked in all of Darren Aronofsky’s films. On some level I find a lot of the way that they cut from one thing to another to an eyeball. They’re always going to eyeballs. It’s very reminiscent of what Aronofsky did in his first film Pi where there were these very quick cuts. You know; you’d see a needle, an arm, and then an eyeball expand. They seem to have–I mean I don’t know, they seemed to have gotten some inspiration from the way that Aronofsky’s films cut from one thing to another. That also used in other films of his, but I don’t know, I’m sure there are other people that have possibly done what Aronofsky did, and that kind of movement is pretty exciting I think in a way as opposed to things that go on for five minutes and nothing much changes. It’s kind of exciting. It’s a jump from one thing to another thing to another thing; it’s like pop, pop, pop.

Ashley Eckstein is known best for voicing Ahsoka Tano in “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”. She is also voicing the role of Mia the Bluebird in Disney Junior’s “Sofia the First”. Ashley also is behind Her Universe, which features sci-fi clothing lines for “Star Wars” and “Star Trek” and most recently “Doctor Who”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Ashley about her voice over work, as well as what she has planned for Her Universe.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about working on Disney Junior’s “Sofia the First: Once Upon a Princess”?
Ashley Eckstein: It is really going to be a great show. I wish I had a show like this when I was a little girl. They are really going to hit it big with this one. I have smaller supporting role as Mia the Bluebird. But just to be a part of a show with Disney’s new princess is great. You know me, I am such a Disney nut and I have to pinch myself. I think girls are just going to love it…and the guys. It is just classic Disney and I think that factor transcends gender too.

MG: Can we expect Mia the Bluebird in the series next spring?
AE: Oh absolutely! We have already recorded the first season. It is really exciting. For me it is just classic Disney. Plus Mia the Bluebird gets to sing. So to be able to sing in a Disney project…oh my gosh…check it off the bucket list [laughs].

MG: This season in “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” has been great, what has been your favorite arc?
AE: It would have to be what we are watching right now, the Youngling arc. It is funny, I keep using the word classic but it is very classic “Star Wars”. It teaches, probably the most frequently asked question that I get from fans, which is “Where does Ahsoka get her light saber from and how?” This arc addresses that question, which I think is a big question for any kid. Every Jedi has their own unique light saber. So that lends to the question, where did they get it and how? And why is it unique? This arc also just teaches such valuable lessons and morals. I think “Star Wars” is for all ages and that’s what is so nice about it. Especially where we are in “The Clone Wars” getting so closer to “Episode III”, the stories tends to get darker and darker. But we also have a very young audience and the Youngling arc is not for just kids, it is for all ages. There is something for that young Padawan – that Youngling – that just has these questions about the force and the basics about “Star Wars”. You get some really nice answers in this arc. I also like to see Ahsoka more as a teacher and a mentor. I think that is an interesting role for her.

MG: Since you are involved with both LucasFilm and Disney, what is your take on the recent news?
AE: I wrote a blog recently on starwars.com and anyone can see that I am over the moon because I am such a Disney nut. For me, I do not think that there is a better company to have bought out LucasFilm than Disney. I have worked with them for the last four years during Star Wars Weekends. I have seen firsthand the level of commitment and detail as well as perfection and expertise that Disney puts into the “Star Wars” brand. I know they are planning to continue that. So I am really excited.

MG: Since you launched Her Universe with your “Star Wars” line, since then you have expanded to “Star Trek” and now “Doctor Who”, tell us about that?
AE: It has definitely been an exciting year to be able to add now “Star Trek” and “Doctor Who”. I have been a fan of both franchises. “Star Trek” is so iconic and I grew up watching episodes my whole life, “Doctor Who” has been a new obsession for me that I have started since the Eleventh Doctor, Matt Smith, has been on the air. Now I am going back watching the previous Doctors because I am just obsessed with it. It is really excited. I feel like we have a lot of the classics – again with the word classics – of the sci-fi genre with “Star Wars”, “Star Trek”, “Doctor Who” and even “Battlestar Galactica”.

MG: Speaking of “Doctor Who”, did you get to meet David Tennant during his work on “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”?
AE: You know, I am so bummed. We did not. He recorded from London. He plays such a cool character in the show. He is just such a great actor and I wish I could have had the chance to work with him.

MG: Tell us about Her Universe’s expansion into Hot Topic and Think Geek?
AE: Hot Topic has been another AMAZING partner. I think a thing that is really important for fans to know about Hot Topic is that they really care about their fans. They are big on social media and constantly listening to what their fans want. They base their merchandise off the fans needs and requests. I promise not all the companies are like that. I would use the word ‘legit’ with Hot Topic. They are legit. They really care about their fans. The same thing goes for Think Geek. They are on the ground level with their fans, talking with them and figuring out what the fans what. I think that is very important for any brand.

MG: Have you ever considered doing a Disney line with Her Universe? Would love to see your take on “Alice in Wonderland”?
AE: Oh man, that would just be a dream come true [laughs]. I can’t say we are doing that right now but any opportunity I would get to design for Disney literally would be – check it off the bucket list! It would be a dream come true. We got to work with Disney with selling Her Universe during Star Wars Weekends. But if I ever got to do anything with the Disney character…oh…my…gosh!

Becca Tobin joined the cast of Fox’s “Glee” this season playing the role of Kitty. Media Mikes had a chance to ask her a few questions about her role and also her work with Bullyville.com.

Mike Gencarelli: How has joining the cast of Glee changed your life?
Becca Tobin: I was living in New York for the last eight years, and moved to Los Angeles for the show, so that has been the biggest change. Joining a television show has also been a big transition from live theatre, and I love it! I have also made a lot of new friends among the cast and crew, and feel very fortunate that they all welcomed me with open arms.

MG: What do you think makes Glee such a successful show?
BT: The way that Glee celebrates the underdog is one of the big reasons it has been so successful. It also touches on so many relevant issues that kids face in every high school all over the world. And we can’t ignore how brilliantly Glee incorporates singing and dancing into a television show!

MG: Are we ever going to see a softer side of your character Kitty?
BT: Eventually we will see a softer side of Kitty. After all, she is human. When it comes down to it, Kitty is like most high school mean girls… extremely insecure.

MG: You recently became the female spokesperson for BullyVille.com, an anti-bullying website, why did you choose to do this?
BT: I chose to work with BullyVille.com, because anti-bullying is a cause that I strongly support. I know first hand what it’s like to be bullied in high school, and how it can really take a toll on your self-esteem.
BullyVille.com is an amazing website for kids to visit and talk about their personal experiences with bullying. By visiting the site, people can feel like they aren’t alone, and that it will get better.

Ericka Hunter is a Broadway performer and co-star on NBC’s “Smash”. She has performed on Broadway in plays such as “Rock of Ages” and she even started out as a Radio City Rockette. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Ericka about her Broadway work and also working on NBC’s “Smash”.

Mike Gencarelli: Give us some background on your music singles and when can we expect more?
Ericka Hunter: It’s so funny and seems so backwards that I’ve made this transition into Electronic Dance Music, but it’s a HUGE passion of mine. I’ve spent my entire adult life growing up in NYC I found myself with so much energy after performing nightly on Broadway, that I would go out to nightclubs and dance! That’s where I really grew to love that club culture. I started writing and recording a few years back and it’s been such an amazing outlet for me. Recently, as well as working on my solo singing career, I’ve been collaborating with some incredible DJ’s; Cedric Gervais, Vice, Betatraxx and Kemal Golden, to name a few. My most current single was released in France with a well known DJ, Morgan Nagoya. It’s called Promised Land and you can find it on iTunes France. I will be releasing some new collaborations in the new few months which I’m super amped about. I always announce those on my website and through ALL the social media outlets!

MG: What do you enjoy most about working on Broadway?
EH: What I enjoy about Broadway may actually be what other people hate. The schedule. 8 shows a week is tough, but the reward is amazing. Standing ovations every night are priceless and the appreciation the audiences show for your hard work can be pretty mind blowing. Really, at the end of the day, it’s a privilege. And the reason I was in dance and singing lessons 4 hours or more a day

MG:The music in “Rock of Ages” is so charged and fun, tell us about performing on this show?growing up!
EH: YES! The music in Rock Of Ages is definitely a huge reason the show is so successful! 80’s rock music is like a religion for some people! It’s actually really fun to look out into the audience and see people singing along, sometimes even loud enough for us to hear on stage! This show is unlike any other show I’ve ever been a part of and the patrons have a lot to do with it. They get so involved in the story and music. We have so much fun onstage and getting to play and flirt with the audience. A lot of other shows I’ve been in don’t allow for that kind of interaction. It’s definitely a super cool thing.

MG:What has been your most challenging role on Broadway?
EH: I’d say my most challenging role is to be an understudy of a role! Early on in my career, I did a lot of understudying. It’s essentially being “on call” for a role or many roles that you don’t normally play and you can be called to go in on a moments notice. It’s pretty intense and can be scary, but with my experience it’s always been really rewarding.

MG:Tell us about how to was going from broadway to TV in NBC’s “Smash”?
EH: SMASH is a really cool experience. It is so similar to doing a Broadway show, yet you’re performing for cameras! I’ve always wanted to do TV and I’m so happy a show like this came along that allows us Broadway folk to reach more than just the seats in a theater. I also think the viewers really enjoying a backstage look at what goes on behind the curtain, because it’s pretty darn entertaining!

MG:Tell us about your experience being a Radio City Rockette?
EH: Being a Radio City Rockette is unlike any other job I’ve ever had. It was especially unique for me because I was 18 and it was my first professional dancing job. Also, the title of “Rockette” isn’t one they just hand out. It’s a prestigious and coveted job that I was SO lucky to have. It’s no joke though! Haha. Rehearsals are grueling so the precision is on point. It’s like the army for dancers. I have to say, I love being a part of something that felt like a real team. You had to be on your game and your mark or you’d be letting all the other girls down. It’s a wonderful thing to be a part of. Even though I haven’t been a the show for a few years, I go to Radio City every year during the holidays to cheer the Rockettes on!

Craig Gerber is the co-executive producer/writer of Disney Junior’s “Sofia the First: Once Upon a Princess”. Disney will introduce its first little girl princess with the debut of “Sofia the First: Once Upon A Princess,” an enchanting, music-filled animated Disney Junior television movie for the whole family, Sunday November 18 on Disney Channel and Thursday and November 22 on Disney Junior, the 24-hour channel. The primetime television movie special stars Ariel Winter (“Modern Family”) as the voice of Sofia, Sara Ramirez (“Grey’s Anatomy”) as her mother, Queen Miranda; Wayne Brady (“Let’s Make A Deal”) as Clover, a wise-talking Rabbit; and Tim Gunn (“Project Runway”) as Baileywick, the family’s Royal Steward. A television series of “Sofia the First”  will debut in early 2013 on Disney Junior, as well. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Craig about how this show was created and what we can expect.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us how “Sofia the First: Once Upon a Princess” was born?
Craig Gerber: A few years ago, I was approached by Nancy Kanter at Disney Junior because they were looking to create a TV show centered around a princess for 2-7 year old children. She asked me flat out if I had any ideas, so I said I would think about it. So I got in my car and was stuck in traffic, I guess that is where you do your best thinking in Los Angeles. I started thinking about my own childhood. I grew up in a blended family. My parents divorced. My dad remarried. I have a half-brother. It occurred to me that it would be great to create a fairy tale story that the modern family can relate to. For there, I thought it would also be wonderful to have a princess character that children could closely identify with. I just had my first child at the time and I was watching him experiencing new things and how to get along in the world. I saw him emulating fantasy characters. Fantasy has always been a great way to tell stories and to impart lessons. I thought wouldn’t it be great for kids to be able to use those fantasy stories to provide life lessons to them as they grow up. With all that in mind, I thought “What if, there was an ordinary girl that lived in an enchanted village and her mother fell in love and married the king overnight, which made this young little girl a princess overnight.” She has to learn how to be royal and get to know her step-family. The idea of this blended royal family in an enchanted world is the heart of the show.

MG: What is a princess movie without great songs…tell us about that aspect?
CG: It is funny because I never intended it to be a musical. I got to a part in the script for the TV movie, when Sofia gets the power to talk with animals due to this emulate and they have a chance to give her their piece of mind. Her rabbit friend Clover wants to tell her why woodland creatures have been helping princesses all these years. I thought wouldn’t it be great if they just broke out into song. Like this was the first time that anyone has ever thought about that [laughs]. So I wrote lyrics to the song that would become “A Little Bit of Food”. We find out these furry woodland creatures are helping out princesses since that is where all the great food is. For there the response from the network was so great that they asked me to write three or four more songs. So it became a musical just like that! And I got to tell you…it is one of the best parts.

MG: How was it incorporating classic characters like Flora, Fauna and Merryweather from “Sleeping Beauty” and Cinderella?
CG: It is daunting. It is wonderful. That has been the fun of the show is embracing the Disney legacy and the Disney fairy tale storyboard world. And taking the decades of films and characters and creating our own unique kingdom while still incorporating those characters and elements into our show. To be able to put Flora, Fauna and Merryweather in the show and make them the head mistresses of Royal Prep, the school where Sofia and all the princesses all over the world go, is just great fun. They are great characters and children know them from “Sleeping Beauty”. It is just a blast to be able to have them show up and be a part of our world. When you bring in a classic Disney princess like Cinderella, who makes a cameo appearance to give some princess advise to Sofia, which is really…just an honor.

MG: Tell us about the amazing voice cast including Ariel Winter, Wayne Brady and Tim Gunn?
CG: The voice cast is not only supremely talented but they are genuinely excited to be working on this show. It is partially because they love the characters, the world and the legacy of Disney storytelling. Ariel Winter is a wonderful young actress from “Modern Family” and she breathes life into Sofia. She captured the character immediately. Wayne Brady is hilarious. He has brought a lot of humor both written and unwritten [laughs] to the character of Clover the Rabbit. Tim Gunn, who I believe has had limited if any voice over experience, has really embodied the character of Baileywick, the kings right-hand man. We also have Sara Ramirez from “Grey’s Anatomy”, who is a talent actress and singer. Overall, we just have such a wonderful cast who have come in and brought so much creativity and enthusiasm to the show. It has really elevated everything we done.

MG: This TV movie is set as the pilot to the upcoming animated series, when/what can we expect?
CG: The TV movie follows Sofia’s first two days in the castle, her debut ball and also getting along we her new step-sister Amber. Then in the series, which will launch early next year, will follow her continued adventures being a princess in this royal world. The show at its essence is about Sofia learning that being truly royal is about how you behave and the person you are inside. A lot of the episodes show Sofia learning these lessons or showing others how to learn these as well, especially her step-sister Amber. There are also a bunch of fun adventures that Sofia goes on and a lot of new fun characters we meet. So there are a lot of great things in store for her.

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Chloë Sevigny is known best for her iconic roles in films like “Boys Don’t Cry” and TV show’s like “Big Love”. In FX’s “American Horror Story: Asylum” Chloë plays the role of “Shelley,” one of the inmates at Briarcliff Manor committed because of nymphomania. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Chloë about the show and what we can expect this season.

Adam Lawton: What drew you to the project “American Horror Story: Asylum”?
Chloë Sevigny: I guess it was having watched the first season and just being a fan of the show. I just thought it was so rich, the production design and costumes and how much detail went into it and I just thought it was wildly entertaining. I was hoping the second season would be as much so. I didn’t get to read any scripts prior to signing on, so I was kind of going in on blind faith hoping that it would be what I wanted it to be and it’s proven so.

AL: Were you able to work with Ryan [Murphy] with your character and develop Shelley” along, or was everything kind of fed to you week by week?
CS: Yes, it was more week to week. I mean I think that’s mostly how television works. It’s a real writer’s medium and it’s not so much collaborative. It’s not like a film, so it’s pretty much all on the page. There were some bits where I asked Ryan for more lines, so that seemed to beef it up here and there and they tried to do that for me. That was probably the extent of it.

AL: What is it working with James Cromwell? I don’t know what he’s doing to you, but it’s really scary.
CS: Oh, it gets much scarier. He was good. I mean I was a huge fan of his. I actually saw him in a café right before we started shooting and I went up to him introduced myself and he just like, “I’m so looking forward to chopping off your legs.” Yes, he was great. I mean you know he was really into rehearsing the scenes before and really exploring it to its fullest, so that was kind of nice. Sometimes people just go in and just hit their marks and he really wanted to work everything out before. He was really … in that regard.

AL: Can give us some insight into preparation you do with James Cromwell, who’s “Dr. Arden,” and if you discuss the scene ahead of time. These are not just typical scenes. There’s a lot of almost physical abuse, and if you can give us some insight into your conversations with these actors to prepare?
CS: Well, yes, there’s always a stunt guy on set also, and you go through all the motions. You kind of block out the physical bits, the throwing and the pulling and tugging and if it gets too rough, because sometimes an actor can lose himself in a scene and so I always remind them I’m supposed to sell it. Whoever is getting the brunt of it is supposed to do all the acting, do all the selling of the violence and whatnot, so there’s a lot of—especially in the scene in the office with Tim and I, there was a lot of—I think we blocked that scene for like three hours, far longer than it took us to shoot it even just getting all the action down. I mean it’s quite scary because James was so big and he was wielding this big kind of paperweight at me. He was getting really close and it was pretty frightening actually doing that scene. I was really exhausted at the end of that day, and it was quite scary while we were in it. His arms are so long I was so afraid he was actually going to knock me out.

AL: Could just talk about the challenge of acting with no legs?
CS: Well, the prosthetic pieces that they put on made it impossible to straighten my legs, so I had to keep my legs bent all day and I had to be wheeled around in a wheelchair and I was feeling quite helpless. It was a strange feeling to have to need assistance to do lots of different things. And that was probably the most challenging part, feeling kind of helpless in that way.

AL: Can you give your take on Shelley’s character. She’s obviously billed as a nympho, but then there’s that question of whether she truly is addicted to it, or she just likes it more than other people. What’s your take on that?
CS: I don’t know if people truly are addicted to that. There’s so much talk about it as of late. I think that she was a little wild and her husband had it within his power to commit her and I think kind of once she’s in there, she kind of goes with it to come to who she is and how she identifies herself. So I think that she probably yes really likes sex. All the reaction, I don’t know if she’s quite a real nymphomaniac.

AL: You’re playing a very specific character here, an inmate in a sanitarium and then for your next role you’re playing a driven detective, and that seems like a more grounded part. I’m wondering how you shift as an actor from one role to another? Do you have to shake off Shelley before you play Catherine in “Those Who Kill”, or you find moving between roles to be an easy transition?
CS: I find it pretty easy. I’ve already wrapped “American Horror Story” a couple of months ago. I think they might have me come back for something else. I’m not sure, so I’ll have plenty of time and then of course delving into the scripts and research and … with playing “Catherine” they’ll probably be some training involved also, so just trying to immerse yourself in whatever you’re doing at the time. While we were shooting “American Horror Story”, I was also shooting “Portlandia”, so I was going from one set to the next, and I’d never really done that before. And “Portlandia” was so new for me because it’s all improvisation and trying to be funny and all that, so it was quite difficult when you’re shooting two at the same time. But I think having basically … is a better way to go.

IronE Singleton is known best for his role of T-Dog in AMC’s “The Walking Dead”. His character has been a key aspect of the show for the last three seasons, until his recent demise in the fourth episode of the third season. Media Mikes had a chance to reflect with IronE about his role on the show and what we can expect next.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about how you prepared for shooting your death scene?
IronE Singleton: Mentally, I had a lot of time to prepare because I got word about a month in advance. So I was ready to do that. Plus, when I originally signed on it was only for two maybe three episodes and I ended up lasting three seasons. As far as the physicality was concerned, I had to wear a prosthetic. They put me this pasty stuff on me and let it dry on me for like an hour. Once it dried they cracked it off and that is what they used when the zombies were biting me and pulling out all the guts and veins etc. They were pulling from the prosthetic.

MG: I am a big horror fan and I cringed with your neck scene.
IS: Yeah, I hear that a lot. During one interview I had recently, one guy said he was eating his pizza and he had to stop eating since he almost hurled. People say they can’t eat when they watch this show. They love it but they can’t eat.

MG: What has been your highlight working on “The Walking Dead”?
IS: I have a two and a quarter season highlight reel. Every day was total bliss. Every day was something that I will relish for the rest of my life. I had great times throughout. I honestly did not have one bad day on set. It is hard for me to pin point because every day was like that. I would look forward to going in to work, getting the handshakes, the hugs and kisses. That is what I did everyday for two and a quarter seasons.

MG: Are you surprised with the fans reaction to your character T-Dog?
IS: It is a bit overwhelming. In a good way – in a great way! The amount of support and love that T-Dog is getting showered with is unbelievable. Let’s just say it has been a very emotional week for me since the episode has aired, to say the least. When I did “The Talking Dead” after my final episode, I had to choke back the tears. I am just taken back by all the love from fans, not just in the US but all over the world.

MG: What is it about “The Walking Dead” and it killing off key characters each season?
IS: It is so similar to real life though. When people die you don’t expect them to die unless they have a terminal illness. You just don’t see it coming. That is what happens on “The Walking Dead”. That is the stuff that grabs you the most.

MG: I was hoping for a T-Dog vs. Merle showdown this season.
IS: I think you and millions of others were waiting on that. Ever since the rooftop scene, where T-Dog dropped that key, people were talking about us meeting up again. It would have been great TV.

MG: What season was the most challenging for you?
IS: Season one…we are going to go with the rooftop scene. Oh my goodness, it was like 107 degrees but with humidity it was like 115-120 degrees. I almost fainted a few times and that is something that I don’t do. Having played football for 15 years, I have never come close. So there I was on this rooftop about to pass out, I was thinking “Man that is a big wuss move” [laughs]. Season 2 also was rough with the highway scene, where I cut myself and we had to do that twice. That was also a big one for me, as well as the well-walker scene.

MG: What do you got line-up next in the cards?
IS: I’ve got a project with Neve Campbell called “Sworn to Silence”. I play a small town cop, who was once a former army ranger. He moves to a small Amish community and him and Neve’s characters are out searching for a serial killer. This is based on a best-selling novel by Linda Castillo. I also have another movie “A Box for Rob” that is currently making its way around the festival circuit. I am also working on an autobiography, which I am currently searching for a title. It is related to my life coming from the projects and making it all the way to Hollywood. I am co-writing that Juliette Terzieff, she is the founder of The Zombie Survival Crew. We are halfway done with it and it is currently slated to be published in February 2013. Lastly, I have my song “We Are the Walking Dead”, which is available to purchase on my website: www.ironesingleton.com.

Brian Austin Green and Melora Hardin are starring in TBS’ new comedy series “Wedding Band”, which debuts on Saturday, November 10 at 10:00 pm. “Brian plays Tommy, the life of the party and lead singer of the band who is also the star on the stage and the bedroom. Tommy’s a bad boy with a good heart. And Melora plays Roxie Rutherford who is the owner of Rutherford Events. She’s no- she’ll do nothing more for her clients, she’ll do anything from shipping sand in from Fiji for an island themed party. Roxy is the person behind the most important moments and the best nights in people’s lives.” Brian Austin Green is known best for his roles in “Beverly Hills, 90210” and “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles”. Melora is known best for her role on NBC’s “The Office”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Brian and Melora about this new show and what we can expect.

Mike Gencarelli: Brian, your the lead singer for “Wedding Band”, were these all songs that you knew ahead of time or did you have to learn some of them?
Brian Austin Green: Whew. For the most part I knew the melodies. But most of the songs, I got to be honest, when I got the lyric sheets my first thoughts were, oh, those are the words, (that’s not what) we’ve been singing. When you have REM’s “End of the World as We Know It” and you go what is he talking about? I think the only thing anybody ever knew was “it’s the end of the world as we know it”…and the rest of the words were completely unknown. I’ve always had a bad habit of that, just in I’m a huge music lover. I grew up listening to it, but I’m one of those just because I play, I play piano and drums, I connect way more with melodies usually than the lyrics. So the lyrics are usually the last thing that I learn, whereas a lot of other people I know really sit and study the lyrics first and the melody is kind of the last thing. So, I knew pretty much none of them.

MG: Before I watched the pilot, I was kind of expecting the band to be funny in itself, like the performing, but I was actually impressed and thought you guys were really a solid band. Can you reflect on that important element of the show is that we’re not actually laughing at your guys’ talent because there is talent there?
BAG: Well, I think the answer lends itself to what we were just talking about. We can play comedy songs, which only kind of last for so long, or we can stick with the element of what the show is, which is that our job is to make this believable, our job is to make this band honestly the most kick-ass wedding band anybody has ever seen. I’m just saying that alone there’s comedy in that. They’re a stadium style wedding band. You never hear or see anything like that, let alone sit at a wedding, hear these amazing grand songs, and have pyrotechnics and confetti cannons going off. And throwing guitar picks out to the crowd.
Melora Hardin: Right, and they’ve got my character Rutherford breathing down their neck that it better be damn good. And they are. That’s why she takes them on in the first place. They care so much about the event in a whole other way than Roxie cares about the event, but I’m glad you recognize that because they are awesome. It’s not like we’re breaking into song, you know, like Glee does, like musical style. But it’s just using music in the storyline in a truthful, honest way. So yes, anyway.
BAG: And on top of that, too, Adam Schlesinger who does our music is so gifted at what he does.
MH: Amazing. And Steven Gold.
BAG: Yes, and Steven Gold. They have an amazing ability to take something like a KISS song at Oktoberfest, so you’re singing these party anthems but with a kick drum and a trombone and an accordion, but still doing it in a serious enough way as a musician that aside from laughing because we’re wearing lederhosen and you’re still thinking this song is awesome. I kind of want to hear this version again. It’s really fun. And that’s what music does. The music carries so much emotion to it. And when it’s done by people that really enjoy doing it, I think it comes across just in watching and listening to it. And that’s what we strive for.
BAG: It’s scary when you pick up a script and you see something worded that way. Roxie Rutherford in a jazz club singing Get Ur Freak On. And then all of a sudden you get the CD from Adam and Steve and you hear it. And it was really a nice experience to put in a CD for every episode and hear what they had been working on because it really kept the excitement going.
MH: You just wait, we got so many more coming.
BAG: Oh, I think we have 29 or 30 songs.

MG: What songs should we be looking out for the most this season?
MH: Well, Brian has a lot more to choose from, but I think I mentioned earlier, but I did a version of Get Ur Freak On, which I think they are going to release on iTunes, which is a pretty phenomenal arrangement and pretty spectacular because it’s a Missy Elliot song which they made into a jazz trio. So that was pretty spectacular. But the band has some pretty spectacular ones too.
BAG:  Yes, I honestly don’t want to give any away. I think one that’s really fun and it kind of comes up early on, so I don’t feel so bad, is we do a very sort of Indian version of Party Rock, which is just really amazing  There’s an entire dance number, like Bollywood kind of dance number that goes along with it and it’s pretty genius.

MG: Melora, your character is really tough but also have a fun side; what would you say for you was the most challenging part of preparing for her?
MH: Brian Austin Green [laughs]. No, you know what, she’s so much fun. I mean, she’s – I don’t know if I would say that there was like a challenging part of the character. It’s always exciting, I would put it that way, to try to, you know, to try to kind of get all the different colors running through a character like her because she’s multidimensional and there’s a lot to bite into there. And she’s similar to Jan in that respect in that she’s rich.

MG: There is a little bit of tension between you guys in the first episode and I’m wondering if you think there’s any chance of any romance between Tommy and Rutherford.
BAG:  I think there’s a chance of anything between Tommy and Rutherford.
MH:  I do too.
BAG:  I wouldn’t take anything off the plate. I think anything is possible.
MH: They could kill each other, they could fall in love with each other.
BAG:  They could. Yes.
MH: No, there’s a lot there for sure. It’s an interesting little dynamic.
BAG:  Yes. I think it’s one of the things that makes the relationship fun. It’s kind of like, the Moonlighting aspect of the show. It’s the thing I always loved about that show is you can sort of have that underlying sexual tension, but never even have to go there and it plays really well. And then if we finally do, then it’s explosive and it’s sexy and it’s daring and, you know, we win Oscars. I want to be the first…
MH: We win Oscars even though we’re on TV. We win Oscars. Thank you.
Brian Austin Green: No, I want to be the first television star to win an Oscar.
MH: That’s a first.
BAG: That’s my goal. I want it to be that good and sexy.
MH: Let’s go for it. I like it.

MG: Brian, you starred in hour-long dramas and 30-minute comedies and of course. Melora, you were on “The Office”, which is another 30-minute comedy. The Wedding Band is different. It’s an hour long comedy. How is that different from anything you both have done before?
MH: Well, I’ll start. I think Brian and I both have done sort of sitcom stuff. “The Office” isn’t filmed like a sitcom, but I’ve done that traditional sitcom way of making a comedy. That’s sort of like the crème de la crème is in terms of lifestyle for an actor because, you do all these rehearsal days and then you have one long day. When you’re making a drama, an hour-long drama, you have very long days and but you also have to be funny. So I think to me, what’s nice about the show, and one of the really, really wonderful elements in it being an hour, is that you get the comedy, but you also get that fabulous arc of the dramatic arc. You have time to get into the characters, you have time to get into the storyline, and it doesn’t just have to be (joke, hit, joke, hit, joke, hit, joke, hit). So I really like that a lot and I enjoyed it. But you do have that drama schedule of having to be there for very long days.
BAG: Yes, the thing though that I really enjoy about our show especially is that coming from dramas first. I did do a sitcom and it’s a lot of fun and I really enjoy comedy. I’ve always loved watching even growing up, was I love comedy that are real, their real dramatic, you know, honest moments in funny situations. I like seeing people struggle through situations that are just absurd and laughing at them. I feel like our show is written in a very serious way. We’re honest about the things that we do and our lives are just crazy enough that it’s entertaining and it’s funny. But it’s never setup, punch line, which is hard to do.
MH: Yes, and it’s a whole different style of comedy.
BAG: It’s a hard thing to do for an hour especially.
MH: Yes. Exactly. No, it’s all based on truth.
BAG: And you guys were the best at it on The Office. That was like the absolute bar of delivering.
MH: Well, it was unique in that it really was the first one to kind of come along that was really, since like Cheers, that was sort of like really based in reality and sort of that mockumentary style. That really worked well for me, too. Brian and I have had similar backgrounds in that we both really believe that great comedy, just as great drama, definitely comes from the truth of the moment and it’s always funny, truth is always funnier than fiction and trying to get to that truth is always going to make the best joke.

MG: Tell us about how to was working with your wife, Megan Fox, on this show? How did that come about?
BAG: Honestly, she kind of stepped in and saved us at the last minute. There were a couple other people that they were discussing bringing into the episode at first and schedule wise and timing wise it didn’t work out and I had already spoken to my wife about the episode and kind of what was going on and she graciously said that, you know, if nothing else worked out that she would step in and kind of rescue us and she did. I thought she was great. I thought she kicked ass.
MH: Yes, she totally kicked ass.

Kathryn Fiore is co-starring in TBS’ new comedy series “The Wedding Band”, playing Ingrid. Kathryn has also appeared in films like “Hatchet II” and the upcoming spoof “30 Nights of Paranormal Activity with the Devil Inside the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Kathryn about the new show and her love for comedy.

Mike Gencarelli: What drew you to the role if Ingrid?
Kathryn Fiore: She is my favorite character out of the roles I have played. When I read the script she wasn’t the typical TV wife. She and her husband Eddy are really in love. There isn’t that typical wife nagging the husband. They are happy and she is his biggest fan. When she watches him playing on stage it takes her back to the first time they met. I think this will be great for TV. I love that they are so cute.

MG: What has been the highlight so far of working with such a great cast?
KF: Everything has been great! It sounds so ridiculous but we have a lot of fun on set. It’s like working with your best friends. We laugh and joke around all the time. It hardly seems like work. Of course there are some late nights where you’re shooting at 2am and you just start coming up with some crazy characters and such. There are just so many highlights.

MG: Will we see your character singing at all during the upcoming episodes?
KF: I haven’t in this season but I would love to. I think they should totally have an episode where that happens.

MG: What can we expect from season 1 of the show?
KF: Overall I think it’s about the band getting into as much trouble as humanly possible. They get in to a lot of crazy antics. At the end the guys have this great bond where they always come together at the end. There’s one episode where we lose our kids but it not really that big of deal. The show has a lot of great music as well as some great special guests.

MG: How was it working in the hour long comedy format?
KF: It’s great. That’s a format I think TBS is really trying to get behind. By doing that you are able to get the comedic elements but you also get the realness. There are a lot of genuine moments as well as laughable moments.

MG: What was it like going from a film like “Hatchet II” to a role like you play in “Wedding Band”?
KF: It was actually really fun. Working with Adam Green and the Hatchet Family was so awesome. I am such a huge horror fan that it was great to play a really scary character. Going from that to playing Ingred who is a very grounded/real type character was fun. Ingred is more like me.

MG: Can you tell us about “30 Nights of Paranormal Activity with the Devil Inside the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”?
KF: That movie is going to be a really great spoof of a bunch of films. We are just making fun of the whole horror genre. It has a great cast and is a little sillier and raunchier than some other films. There are also some actual scary parts that have great special effects. I may or may not make out with a ghost. (Laughs)

MG: What do you enjoy most about the comedy genre?
KF: My parents are both actors who when they were younger had a comedy act. They were on the Johnny Carson show and a bunch of others. I grew up with a lot of joking around and silliness. Comedy has always been part of my actual life. What more could you ask for than to be able to go to work and laugh all day.

Tim Heidecker is half the comedy duo, along with Eric Eric Wareheim, that is Tim and Eric. They have worked together on numerous TV series on Adult Swim like “Tom Goes to Mayor” and “Tim and Eric’s Awesome Show, Great Job!” and films like “Tim and Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie”. Tim is starring in the film “The Comedy”, which is actually sits more in the dramatic genre. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Tim about his dramatic turn in this film and also what we can expect next from him and Eric Wareheim.

Mike Gencarelli: What made you want to approach this dramatic role in “The Comedy”?
Tim Heidecker: Well, I liked the director Rick (Alverson) and I liked his work. We had a long conversation about the movie and what he wanted to do and I really liked his approach.  It just sounded like a cool and fun project to do.

MG: How did you get yourself into the character of Swanson?
TH: We worked developing the character starting from myself…and then worked from that. We sort of dressed me up like a hipster and turned off all the regulators my brain that keep me from saying nasty things. We treated it with a more classic Hollywood filmmaking sensibility. We wanted to focus more on the technical and no so dramatic, theatrical or method style of filmmaking.

MG: You are no stranger to offensive comedy, were you ever concerned about letting too much comedy through your performance?
TH: I think because the film itself is so severe, dramatic, quiet and serious. We all felt that any moments of humor will act as relief and create a nice balance. We wanted to tap into the natural sense of humor that I have and try and use that in a different kind of way.

MG: The film is still quite edgy; do you think that fans of Tim & Eric are going to dig this?
TH: I think our audience in general is a really smart, creative, artistic sensibility type of audience. The reaction from the the core audience so far has just been super positive and encouraging. They are grown-up and they can understand that we can work outside of a certain box. Frankly, it was interesting to see if we could challenge our audience to give them something different to watch.

MG: In this overall experience, what would you say was your most challenging aspect?
TH: It was a pretty pleasant experience, believe it or not. The crew made it very easy. The director and I got along very well. I think just relaxing…was my main challenge. With Tim and Eric and most of the other stuff I have done, there is a real sense of instinct to overdo things in a comedic way and be ironic on camera. The challenge was to play things in a more naturalistic and quiet way. I focused a lot on patience and keeping it small, which is something that I am not used to doing.

MG: Was all the dialogue in the film improv?
TH: Yeah, it was all improvised dialogue. There was a written conceptual aspect in the script. Like “This is where Swanson goes into a bar and becomes provocative”. What comes out of my mouth is all improvised for the most part. That is just is the way that I am comfortable working. When you are shooting quickly, using mostly master shots and with long takes, it makes for a more relaxed and comfortable environment to get natural performances.

MG: Do you see yourself pursuing more dramatic work over comedy?
TH: I am grateful for any opportunities that are presented to me. I don’t have a lot of control over that. If things are offered to me, I consider them based on quality and project that interest me. But like I said I usually don’t have a lot of control [laughs].

MG: You have worked for yourself mostly in the past, how was it taking direction from Rick Alverson?
TH: It was a relief actually for the most part. For me, I enjoyed not worrying about that end of it. I trusted Rick and the only way I thought it would work is if I let go and let him lead. After a few days, I think Rick and I were on the same page and enjoyed collaborating. I think it was helpful for him having a guy that used to come from behind the camera all the time, since I understand what he was going through. Overall, it was just a really pleasant collaboration.

MG: Tell us about you have planned next?
TH: Eric and I are currently sitting around writing a mini-series idea for Adult Swim. We are still working out the details for it. But we want to comeback and return to TV next year for sure. So far we have some great new material in the works.

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