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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Michael Cassidy recently co-starred as Tyler in TBS’ hit new comedy series “Men at Work”.  The show is already in production for it’s second season.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Michael about the first season and what he enjoyed most.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us what you enjoyed most about playing Tyler in “Men at Work”?
Michael Cassidy: Getting to see some of Tyler’s specific preferences was really fun. When we did the pilot I didn’t know that he was going to have his own thing. The toilet episode was a lot of fun as were some of the more recent episodes. All the things that Tyler has going on are just so much fun to watch come out. Everyone on the show has enjoys making fun of me and the character.

MG: How was it working in front of a studio audience?
MC: That was definitely a favorite of mine as an actor. We have such great audiences and I don’t know if you can really have a bad audience in that type of set up. Things have been great. I did theater in the past so this was comfortable for me. It was familiar without being boring. To work on a show all week and then perform it in front of a live audience all the while not knowing how it will be received is very rewarding. It’s phenomenal.

MG: What has been a highlight for you from season 1?
MC: My two favorite episodes where the toilet episode, where Milo moves in with Tyler and also the last episode of the season. We shot so much for that last show in front of an audience. A

lot of times there are scenes that need to be pre-shot as they just can’t be done in front of a crowd. We were able to shoot so much in front of the audience on that last episode and it was all very well received. We were shocked how well the song title being played in front of the audience went over. The audience was dying on that stuff.

MG: In the episode “Decath-Lynn”, how did you not die laughing with the meeting song titles?
MC: We rehearse the scenes for about a week. By the time we are in front of the audience our professionalism takes over and we start wondering how the scene will play. Throwing something out and waiting for the audience to react is just so fun. Sometimes you do get new stuff that hasn’t been rehearsed. That stuff tends to go off like a grenade. We will hold it together while the audience laughs and then we just crack up. That’s really my favorite part of the whole deal.

MG: Were there any guest stars from this season that you were really excited to work with?
MC: I couldn’t wait to work with JK Simmons as I wanted to ask him about working with the Cohen brothers. I also loved working with Billy Baldwin. He had never done multi-camera stuff in front of an audience before so he was super stoked to be there. He was really great to talk with and once he got in front of the audience he just blew up.

MG: How does your work on this show compare to some of your previous work?
MC: This show is a different demographic. It’s definitely a male skewing show. I have never done a show like this. The other shows I have done were slightly more favoring women. I am sort of playing more of an adult on this show. I am a young professional. It’s nice playing a character that has a job. (Laughs)

MG: When does production start on season 2?
MC: We are currently in production already. We don’t know when it’s going to air but what we have heard is it will be sometime in 2013. For now I guess we will shoot a bunch of episodes and just wait and see.

Brian Doyle-Murray is the older brother of actor Bill Murray.  He is also a “Saturday Night Live” veteran and has appeared in many films including  “Groundhog Dog”, “Wayne’s World & “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”.  Brian took out some time to chat with Media Mikes about co-starring as Hank in TBS’ new comedy series, “Sullivan & Son” and what we can expect from the first season.

Mike Gencarelli: What drew you to work on TBS’ new comedy series, “Sullivan & Son”?
Brian Doyle-Murray: I had worked with Rob Long, one of the executive producers, on the TV show “Love and Money”. I really like him and thought he was a sharp guy. He is really good at what he does. when I read the script, I thought it was time for a show like this. I worked with TBS before also and I really liked them as a network as well. They give shows a chance and also willing to take a chance on shows. Once I did the pilot, I knew it was going to be great. The chemistry was just so fantastic.

MG: Tell us about working with this amazing cast?
MG: Steve Byrne is one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met. Dan Lauria is just so great. I had no idea how hysterical Jodi Long was. She has some of the funniest lines. Dan and her both are theater mavens, they got the chops. Christine Ebersole and I worked together on “Saturday Night Live” doing the news, many years ago. She is such a classy chantoose. She has two Tony’s and here she is playing this cougar tramp and is just hilarious. Vivian Bang and Valerie Azlynn are beautiful and also really knock it out of the park. We also have more stand up’s per square inch for any show on television [laughs]. Besides Steve, we have Owen Benjamin, Steve Wood Jr., Ahmed Ahmed and Brian Scolaro. Brian is so subtle, it is like he is not even there and then he just kills it. Owen has some of the most amazing energy…for a slacker [laughs]. Roy does these great prank calls, which are very funny. He is real understated but very powerful and when he hits it, he does it right on the head. Ahmed has been all over the world and is a great addition to the cast. We have also had some great guest cast as well. Billy Gardell pops up in the show. I worked with him on “Yes, Dear”. So I believe we are really lucky to have such a great round cast.

MG: Being a veteran actor on the show, you find you are able to fit in among all the young cast?
MG: They were very kind to an old man. I enjoyed working with them. What settles it for me is “Am I having a good time doing this?” and “Do I like who I am working with?”. There is a lot of laughter on the set. People really enjoy coming to work. Believe me I have been on some when they don’t [laughs].

MG: What do you feel that your character Hank brings to the show? What do you like most?
MG: He is like somebody we all know I think like an Uncle or something. He is kind of unaware that he is offensive. His bias is so ingrained though that even when the people he offends are his friends, he doesn’t get it. He will use a term for his friends ethnicity affectionately so the friend instead of punching him out just kind of sigha and saya “That’s Hank”. I think there are a lot of people out there like that. They just kind don’t get it.

MG: What do you like most about working in front of a live audience?
MG: Well that is instant gratification for something that is funny. I have a pretty good idea what is funny but if you do it twice in one day in front of a live audience. They will let you know if they like it or not. We honed it in by the time we do it finally. So it works well.

MG: Sticking with TV, tell us what you like most about doing voice work like on shows like “Motorcity and “Spongebob Squarepants”?
MG: You don’t have to shave [laughs]. You don’t even have to take a bath. The mic doesn’t know if you stink or not. You just show up and don’t even have to memorize anything [laughs]. No, it is really fun work. I really enjoy voice work.

MG: Starting with “Saturday Night Live” to iconic roles in “Groundhog Dog”, “Wayne’s World and “Christmas Vacation”, what do you enjoy most about comedy?
MG: Well nothing compares to getting a laugh. You have to assume it on something like voice work. On “Sullivan & Son”, you know you are getting the laughs. It is very rewarding and very satisfying. Working with these people, the process is more enjoyable than the result even. Just the act of doing it. Cracking each other up is fun.

MG: What else do you have in the cards upcoming?
BDM: Besides this? Well, we just wrapped. I am trying now to match the circadian rhythms of my cats. That is I am trying to sleep 22 hours a day [laughs]. So, that is my goal.

Owen Benjamin is currently co-starring in TBS’ comedy series “Sullivan & Son”.  He is co-starring along with Steve Byrne, Dan Lauria and Brian Doyle-Murray, just to name of few of this amazing cast.  Media Mikes got a chance to chat with Owen about this show and what we can expect from the first season.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you get involved with “Sullivan & Son”?
Owen Benjamin: I have been friends with Steve Byrne for awhile. We used to do shows together and make stupid internet videos. He and Vince Vaughn had been friends and Steve recommended me to tour with those guys. We did a national tour together on 2010 and we just all clicked. When they were putting the show together they wrote me in. I will be playing pretty much a version of myself and they knew they liked me and wanted to hang out with me.

MG: Did you take the role so you didn’t have to remember your characters name?

MG: What has been a highlight for you from working on the show?
OB: Everyday doesn’t feel like work. We all got there early and went to the gym and had breakfast together. The writing staff, producers and studio are all so positive. They just want a good product. It’s really great working in an environment like that. As a comic I am a joke control freak so I thought it was going to be a little weird having someone else write for me. The writers did such a good job that I felt really relaxed and didn’t want to try and pitch any of my jokes. It was a huge weight off my shoulders which allowed me to just focus on my acting.

MG: Was Vince involved on set at all during the shows shooting?
OB: Yeah! He does this because he loves it. He just loves comedy. He got in to producing because his is doing it with his friends Peter Billingsly and Steve Byrnes. Vince gets to be a part of his friend’s careers. He would be on set pitching jokes and checking things out. It’s been an honor working with that dude.

MG: What can we expect from the first season?
OB: The thing that I really like about this show is I am a bar guy. I have been a bar guy all my life. I worked at one when I was growing up and I love drinking and partying. This show is a local bar. I think a lot of sitcoms will land flat because they are missing that authenticity of real life. As touring comics we have a really good sense of what is funny in America and not just in Silver Lake California. The characters can be over the top but there is a good base of love, family and respect that it allows the characters to do some pretty insane stuff.

Dan Lauria is best known for playing the father, Jack, on “The Wonder Years”.  He is also a stage play veteran, which is how he got involved with the new show on TBS called “Sullivan & Son”, which is executive produced by Vince Vaughn and Peter Billingsley.  Dan is playing the lead role of Jack Sullivan on the show.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Dan about the show and what we can expect from the first season.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you get involved with the show “Sullivan & Son”?
Dan Lauria: Last year, I was doing “Lombardi” on Broadway.  Vince Vaugh and Peter Billingsly came to see the show. They are the producers of “Sullivan & Son”. So they actually offered me another role but I didn’t think I was right for it. He respected that but then called back two days later and asked me to play Sullivan for twice the money. My agent actually said “Yes” before calling me and said “If you don’t take it I’ll kill ya!” [laughs].

MG: So Dan tell me the truth were you only interested “Sullivan & Son” to play a character named Jack again?
DL: [laughs] Yeah another father named Jack. Unlike “The Wonder Years”, this father laughs all the time. Thank God, because I can’t keep a straight face with these guys on the show. There is no way to keep it serious on this show. You can walk it with tears in your eyes saying your dog just got run over and there will be 10 minutes of dead dog jokes till you are laughing.

MG: Give us a little background on Jack Sullivan?
DL: The whole show is based on Steve Bryne’s humor. He is half Irish and half Korean. So Jodi Long and I play his parents. I am like the lovable guy, definitely not like “The Wonder Years”. Jodi, well she is the bar Nazi [laughs]. Jodi is so unlike the character she is playing. She’ll come up with the most clueless lines and Steve will just burst out laughing. You want that in a show. You want everyone loose.

MG: After being on “The Wonder Years” for many years, how it returning to a starring role on TV again?
DL: This is a much easier job than “The Wonder Years”. This is four cameras and live in front of an audience. The schedule is pretty much the same every week. Unlike “The Wonder Years”, it was not only long hours but whenever you saw a close up of me or Alley Mills talking to the kids…they weren’t there. They were at school. We were talking to X’s on a chair. So this job, I feel like I am robbing the bank. I feel like I feel asleep next to a slot machine.

MG: Having such a theater background, you must love that it is shot in from of a live audience?
DL: For me it much easier especially since I am stage veteran. I have done a lot of plays and I love a live audience. For me the best audience is the first day we block it for the cameras. They crew guys have been around for a long time and when you can make them laugh, you know you got something. I am trying to be neutral about it and trying to have that actors attitude of never want to get too high or too low. But boy, the way the crew has been reacting, it is hard for me not to have high expectations.

MG: Why do you think will draw viewers into this new comedy?
DL: Our showrunner is Rob Long, who was with “Cheers” forever. Our show is “Cheers” meets “Archie Bunker’s Place”. We are more blue collar. I think we are going to connect with audiences because everyone has a bar like this in their neighborhood. It is the old corner bar that is going through the change since it was all Irish and now mixed. We got Brian Doyle-Murray, who is great as the old bigot. Then we have Christine Ebersole, who is a two-time Tony award winner. They we have they young stand-up’s like Roy Wood, Ahmed Ahmed and Owen Benjamin. They are just terrifc. Christine plays Owen’s mom. In one episode, they try and do a mother-son lounge act. They do all these sexy songs and it is the most perverted show I’ve ever seen [laughs]. It is absolutely hysterical.

Kelly Overton is currently playing the character of Rikki in season five of HBO’s “True Blood”.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Kelly about her role in the show and how was it playing a werewolf.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us how you got involved with working on “True Blood”?
Kelly Overton: I had gotten an audition and was extremely excited as I was a fan of these shows from the start. It was great to have the opportunity to meet Alan Ball and to be able to show him what I could bring to the show. Everything happened really fast.

MG: Can you tell us a little bit about your character?
KO: I play Rikki who is a new werewolf that is a member of the Shreveport pack. When we first meet my character she is not in the best of moods after finding out the pack master is missing.

MG: How was it joining the team going into season 5?
KO: It was amazing. There is a true sense collaboration on the show. It’s a pleasure to be working with everyone. The talent all the way across the board on the show is great.

MG: What has been the roles biggest challenge?
 KO: Probably having to play a supernatural character. Also having to work with real wolves was a bit challenging. I had never worked with animals before. The season really starts off with a bang and the ride has been amazing.

MG: What have you liked most about playing the villain side of your character?
KO: I try not to look at her as a villain. She is werewolf but she is also a person. Rikki has a really good heart and is very loyal to her pack. She is willing to risk everything for the good of the pack.

MG: What other projects do you have in the works?
KO: I am in the process of figuring out what is next for me. It is a very exciting time in my life right now. I can’t say just yet what my next project is. Mainly I am focused on finishing this season of “True Blood” strong.

Nominated for four Emmy awards, Sharon Lawrence is probably best known for her six seasons on “NYPD Blue.” Since leaving the show she has kept busy with roles in both film and television, including the upcoming new season of “Drop Dead Diva.” This week Ms. Lawrence begins a run as Dr. Hope Martin on “Rizzoli and Isles.” Recently Ms. Lawrence graciously took time out to talk with Media Mikes about her new role as well as her strong support for the Women in Film movement.

MIKE SMITH: Can you tell us about your character on “Rizzoli and Isles?”
SHARON LAWRENCE: I play Dr. Hope Martin, Maura Isles (Sasha Alexander) birth mother, who she believed was long lost and had given her up from birth. But by the time my character arrives at the medical examiner’s office after being called in to consult on a case, the audience is aware that the mother didn’t give her up at birth but had thought the baby had died. This character is also a scientist and she shares the same passion for a particular type of forensics. Maura is the first to know that this woman working alongside her in the lab is the mother she has always wondered about and longed for. But Hope is not aware. So it’s a very interesting dynamic to play. And it’s played so masterfully by Sasha Alexander, who had to play such a complex balance of awareness and longing and joy and pain. And to unlocking the secret that Hope is the key to understanding who she is.

MS: How did you get involved with the show? Did they come to you because they felt you were the right actress for the part? Were you a fan of the show before hand?
SL: Yes to both! (laughs)

MS: I have a question that I also asked Angie Harmon, who of course appeared on “Law and Order.” After having appeared for six seasons on one of the greatest television shows ever, “NYPD Blue,” does that effect your choices as an actress when you’re asked to do television?
SL: Well I certainly agree with you that it was one of the greatest television shows ever made and it certainly stands the test of time. I just saw an episode recently. But I’m a different person now. I could never base my choices and things that are decades in the past. I play different things now. I have different wisdoms. I have different experiences. I have a different role to fill in any story. And I’m so gratified that now I get to play mothers to these remarkable women. Whether it’s to Sasha on “Rizzoli and Isles” or on “Drop Dead Diva,” a delightful show that has a magic realism about it. I’m really fortunate that my career is not held in the past or held to one particular type of character or stage in a woman’s life. And what’s also very exciting is that I’ve been working with Women in Film for the past ten years. It’s a group that’s not just for networking but for promoting women in the executive and creative capacity of our business. And now I see so many women that are creating the material and telling the stories from their perspective. Whether it’s as show runners or writers or as directors, it’s nice to see that these women are building careers and not just one-offs. Knowing that there are female executives at networks like TNT and Lifetime that understand the complexity that we expect to see in our stories and that really resonate with us. So yes, “NYPD Blue” was glorious and these stories that we’re telling now are very exciting too.

MS: Since you mentioned Women in Film, do you have any interest in going behind the camera? I know you’ve produced in the past but do you want to take on more, perhaps as a director?
SL: I’m developing a movie about the breast cancer survivors who, just recently, after 20 years together as the first Dragon Boat racing team, was invited to be part of the Queen’s flotilla for the Jubilee. It’s an exciting process to get to interview those women and doctors and to prove that women not only can survive a diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer but grow stronger.

MS: Besides “Rizzoli and Isles,” what else do you have coming up?
SL: “Drop Dead Diva” begins in August and I’m also in a feature film called “The Middle of Nowhere,” which just won the Best Director Award at Sundance, which was a first for an African-American director. I’m also in a feature with Kathleen Turner called “The Perfect Family.” It’s currently out on DVD. And again, it’s all female writers, director and producers. I’m happy to help support them.

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