James Tupper is currently playing the role of David Clarke in ABC’s hit show “Revenge”. Last year, he co-starred with Jim Carrey in “Mr. Popper’s Penguins”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with James about working on “Revenge” and what we can expect this season.

Mike Gencarelli: What drew you to the character of David Clarke?
James Tupper: I had seen some of the pilot prior to my scenes being shot. Madeleine Stowe, who was nominated for a Golden Globe this year, is on the show and I realized that every scene required me to be in bed with her. I figured I could probably swing that [laughs].

MG: How much information did you receive about the show’s plot prior to working on it?
JT: We only get the script we are shooting at that time. We shoot our scenes and then piece all the details together. Phillip Noyce who has directed a bunch of great films actually directed some of the pilot. To be able to get that caliber of director was really great. Phillip is one of those guys that is on another level.

MG: Where you able to work with Emily VanCamp at all during the season so far?
JT: I get to work with her younger self. [Laughs] We haven’t crossed paths yet but I would be worried about her because she’s kick ass.

MG: What can we expect from the rest of season one?
JT: There is an incredible downhill crash and every character has something going on. I feel like when I am reading the scripts each episode feels like it’s a season finale. I wish I could tell you more of what is going to happen but I just can’t. I will tell you that some people end up in jail.

MG: How does working on “Grey’s Anatomy” compare to working on a show like “Revenge”?
JT: “Revenge” has all this energy going on and it feels like I am working with the next generation of actors. Everyone is young and full of energy. When I worked on “Grey’s Anatomy” the show had a real ensemble feeling led by Patrick Dempsey. The acting was very deep and everyone on that show really knows how to work a scene. It has a totally different feel.

MG: How was it working with Jim Carrey on “Mr. Poppers Penguins”?
JT: I had to go to set the day before just to meet Jim because I knew I would be nervous. He is an icon. He is a guy that is funny all the time. Jim really understands comedy. When I first met him he slapped me on the back and asked if I like to be called Jim or James? I figured because he was Jim Carrey, so I decided I would stick with James.

MG: What else do you have planned for 2012?
JT: I just finished shooting a film with Jessica Biel and Gerard Butler called “Playing the Field”. That should be out in a few months. It’s a really funny film. I play Jessica Biel’s lover. No one is going to believe that Gerard Butler can take a woman away from me. [Laughs] I don’t think America is ready to see that.

Sammy Stephens is known best for his YouTube video “It’s Just Like a Mini-Mall”.  The video has received almost 8 million hits and rocketed Sammy into pop-culture history.  Since then “It’s Just Like a Mini-Mall” has been featured “The Ellen Degeneres Show” and even parodied in “The Cleveland Show”.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Sammy about his success and what he has planned for 2012.

Mike Gencarelli: Give us the origin of how you came up with the tagline “It’s just like a mini-mall”?
Sammy Stephens:I used to do commercials for the flea-market. I used to always say, “The Flea Market Montgomery, it’s just like…it’s just life a mini-mall.” The reason why I said that is because when I took over the flea-market, it was only selling antique stuff and people weren’t supporting the Flea Market at that time. So, I said I was going to bring in some new merchandise along with other venders and it will be like a mall, and that is how the mini-mall terminology was born. I was seriously talking with myself about the idea, and I said, “Sammy, how are you gonna make this work?” And then I decided to develop the tagline that we now know and love today. But I figured that this alone was not going to catch the people’s undivided attention, so I figured I needed to repeat myself and make it memorable. I wanted something that would stick in the people’s minds and whenever they heard it, they would automatically think of Flea Market Montgomery. I said, “When it comes to saving money, there’s only one place to shop in Montgomery, and that’s the The Flea Market Montgomery…it’s just like…it just like a mini-mall. Oh yeah!” So that’s how that tagline and the beginnings of a very popular commercial jingle came about.

MG: Tell us about your process creating the rap and the video for the commercial?
SS:A friend of mine came to me one day, and he had this jingle. I liked it, but I wanted something more upbeat. So one night, we were in the studio in his house, and he told me we where going to cut some tracks. He told me that when he plays the music, he wanted me to talk over it. So I said “Living rooms, bedroom, dinettes. Oh yeah. You can find it at the market. We’re talkin’ ‘bout Flea Market. It’s just like…it’s just like a mini mall. Oh yeah.” I thought it sounded really cool with the music. I did the line in a few different voices, so when you listen to the song you hear all these different voices in the background and they are all me. We had about 32 seconds, so I told him I was going to buy sometime on the radio and make a rap out of it. Then I hired this guy from the TV station to help me make the video. We shot the video, edited it, and put it together and that’s the video you see on You Tube. But the real video is only 30 seconds, which is what they played on TV here in Montgomery. The original video is about 2 minutes and 2 seconds long on You Tube.

MG: What was your reaction when this video became viral on You Tube?
SS: When I made the video, I just knew it was going to be a hit. I had a feeling in my heart because it was so unique. What happened was that Ellen Degeneres got a hold of it. She asked her viewers to send in their favorite commercials. So, some young woman sent in my commercial, and Ellen played it on her television show. She said that out of all the videos that she received, mine was the only one she really liked. From there, I started to get phone calls from radio stations and text messages from all over. The first call I got was from a radio station in Florida, and they also wanted to interview me on the air and it just blew my mind.

MG: Tell us about your experience then going on “The Ellen Degeneres Show”?
SS: Well, she called me and invited me to “The Ellen Degeneres Show”. It was quite an experience. She and I were dancing together of course. It was just such a rush and an amazing time. She is a really nice woman, and I was lucky to be on that show. I hope to be on the show again in the near future. Thanks so much again Ellen. Call me.

MG: How did you get involved with the AMC Sprint Commercial shown in theaters? Tell us about that experience?
SS: That was a really great experience as well. They flew me down to California and treated me to the works. They took me to this huge theater, and they had rented out the entire place for us to shoot the Spring commercial. It was a lot of fun and very impressive. The only thing is that it is not being shown at theaters down here in Montgomery, Alabama, so a lot of people I know haven’t had a chance to see it yet.

MG: What else do you have planned for 2012?
SS: I am trying to get an internet radio show going currently. So when I get that accomplished, I am going to be live at 5 in the morning for the morning drive at 5. It will be called “The Sammy Stephens Morning Show.” If you go to YouTube and look up “The Sammy Stephens Morning Show,” you can see one of the shows that I did last year. I think it will be a really big hit. I also have a new single that is coming out as well. It is going to be great. So I’ve got a lot of things coming up this year for sure! Stay tuned, and remember, log on to sammystephens.com.

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John Jacobson has been trust into the spotlight since his YouTube video “Double Dream Hands” has exploded on YouTube. John has worked for kids for many years with his company “America Sings” and through his teachings of music and dancing. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with John about his rise to stardom and what he has planned for 2012.

Mike Gencarelli: What inspires you most to work with kids through music?
John Jacobson: I have always been kid oriented and I have been singing and dancing since I was a kid myself. Apparently I never got the memo that I was supposed to quit. Through my experience of being a performer and later as I teaching I know what it does for kids. I know it’s a really positive and wonderful thing in their lives. It helps the kids become better, healthier people. That’s a contribution I really want to make.

MG: How did you actually start “America Sings”?
JJ: I used to judge a lot of choir competitions. I was never a real fan of the competitive nature of those. I feel like the arts are the one place in a kid’s life where everyone can be a winner. I think it’s good to learn about winning and losing but there are other areas where you can learn to do that. I would watch 40 choirs in a competition and one would go home feeling great while the other thirty nine went home feeling like losers. That’s not the contribution I wanted to make to music and education. We came up with the idea for a non-competitive choral festival. I thought kids would become just as motivated by helping others as they would if they were to win a big trophy. We put the festival together where the kids are doing community service projects and getting to sing and dance. This was done on a whim twenty five years ago thinking I would be lucky if one choir from every state would show up. The first year we had 435 choirs and 15,000 kids show up. We knew we were on to something very positive.

MG: How did you come up with Double Dream Hands! And tell us about its road to pop-culture?
JJ: It’s kind of wild as you couldn’t plan this if you wanted to. I work on a magazine called “John Jacobson’s Music Express”. It’s a magazine where I write lessons and music for teachers to use. For all the songs we make video tapes of me showing a dance that corresponds with the song. We have around 3 million kids use this program around the world. Someone took one of those songs of our website and put it on YouTube. They called in Double Dream Hands because there was one move in the dance that I had no other idea as to what to call it so that’s what I called it. The video ended up being labeled that on YouTube. I got a call from my publishing company stating my dance was overdubbed with LMFAO’s song “Planet Rock” and that the video had gotten 36 thousand hits. By 5 o’clock that same night we were up to 100 thousand hits. I think now it’s up to around 5.2 million hits. We originally made this dance video for our target audience which is 3^rd-6^th grades. Those aren’t the people watching YouTube. That demographic is the 18-35 year old male. It was really surprised that many people in that age range wanted to learn the Double Dream Hands dance.

MG: Double Dream Hands! Is now also available on the iPhone, tell us about that?
JJ: I write for a publishing company by the name of Hal Leonard Publishing Company. One of the app companies came to them and asked if it was ok to make an app out of the video. I thought it was kind of funny. People have started to do funny things to the app like putting their own head on my body and things like that. People are having a lot of fun with it. It’s harmless and no one is getting hurt.

MG: Tell us about how you got involved with AMC Theater’s Sprint Commercial?
JJ: I had gotten a call about the YouTube clip being used in a commercial. Honestly I have been asked by quite a few companies to use the video but they didn’t fit my message of promoting kids health and fitness. When I was contacted by Sprint I reallyliked their idea of bringing people together through technology. They were great and I think they did a classy job. I was glad to be a part of it.

MG: What would you say has been the most interesting thing to happen since becoming a YouTube sensation?
JJ: The most surprising thing for me is how it has opened up a whole new audience for me. I have always gone around the country teaching however a whole new audience is knowing about things like my books “A Place in the Choir” and “Double Dream Hands”. More people seem to be reading those which have really allowed me to spread my message about kid’s health and adult fitness. I get messages from all over the world about people using Double Dream Hands which is great.

MG: What other projects do you have planned for 2012?
JJ: I have been doing this for a long time and we have always had a lot of good feedback from young people. When we started getting feedback from other ages about Double Dream Hands we put together a 30 minute video of songs like that for a work out DVD. It’s called “Double Dream Hands: Work-Out Songs for Fun and Fitness”. It’s a really neat thing that is fun and a good work out. I have an inspiration book out called “Double Dreams” that I am really excited about. There also will be some new YouTube videos coming out as well. We are going to be tailoring those more to our YouTube audience. I am having a lot of fun with all of this and other people are as well so why not!

Bob Odenkirk is known best for his skit series “Mr. Show with Bob and David” with David Cross. He has worked on Adult Swim shows like “Tom Goes to the Mayor” and “Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!” He has also has recurring roles on TV shows like “How I Met Your Mother” and “Breaking Bad”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Bob about his TV work and also his new upcoming pilot for Adult Swim.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about working on the “Breaking Bad”?
Bob Odenkirk: I love being a part of that show. It was something that came out of the blue and just fell on my head. It is different from all my other work as it is a drama. The show has a bunch of great actors and writers who work extremely hard. I don’t know if my character will continue to be a part of the show as I don’t really know what happens. Every year I will go down and hang out with the writers just to talk about writing. I guess while I am down there I will see if my characters name is up on any of the walls. I’m guessing they wouldn’t have me come over for lunch if my character wasn’t going to be around anymore. (Laughs) I really want to be a part of the show as I love playing the character. I have such respect for the challenge of making the show that I am for whatever they want to do with my character.

MG: What do you like most about playing the sleazy Saul Goodman?
BO: I want to play the sleazy guy. I love reading the script and asking myself what Saul is really trying to get done. He only is telling people what they want to hear or what will get them to do whatever it is he wants. It’s always fun to think about what he is really after.

MG: How does it compare to working on a show like “How I Met Your Mother”?
BO: The energy is different. There is a more relaxed feeling on a show such as “How I Met Your Mother”. “Breaking Bad” consists of a great group of people but in order to get the show done within the time constraints you have to work really hard. You have to show up knowing your lines and be ready to go. If that didn’t happen the show would just never get done. It’s a pretty serious place. It’s a challenge that is fun.

MG: Tell us about your recent stand up tour with the Birthday Boys, called “Seven Man Sweater”?
BO: The Birthday Boys are a sketch group here in Los Angeles that are really funny. We did a show earlier this year called “The Heroic Man”. We are currently working on coming up with a television show as well. I also did a show for Adult Swim called “Let’s Do This” that will air on their website next week. I want people to go to the site, check out the video and if they like it tell Adult Swim they want it made into a series.

MG: How did you get involved working with Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim?
BO: Tim and Eric are amazing, funny guys. They amaze me and are real artists. I think I am good at helping them with the tools that make a good show. They have a vision and a voice that is very distinct and unique. It’s an inspiration to work with guys like Tim and Eric. I envy them.

MG: Are you still writing for “Check It Out! with Dr. Steve Brule” season 2?
BO: I don’t. I think I helped with the first season by making some observations. I think I also talked with them about the point of view. That’s pretty much what I do with Tim and Eric as well. The episodes are pretty well completed and I just give them some notes.

MG: Are you going to be directing anymore films?
BO: Yes. When I finished “Brother Salomon” I felt like I really needed to step back from teachers and think about what I am doing there, why I am doing it and what will my next film be. I think I have a lot of fans that look at the 3 films I have done and they don’t really see my voice. It’s certainly not as potent as it was on “Mr. Show” and that’s understandable. I think the next movie I am going to make is going to be more of what you would want from me. I have a couple scripts out there and am actually meeting on one tomorrow. I also am shooting a short for “Funny or Die” next month which will be a lot of fun.

MG: Tell us about your role for the upcoming film “Movie 43”
BO: I am not in that but, I did direct a short for that film. Peter Farrelly is producing that and the film is made up of a variety of short comedy films. I gave them some stuff to look at and they picked one thing out of what I gave them. That film is pretty much out of my hands.

MG: What else do you have planned for 2012?
BO: David Cross and I are performing at the Amnesty International Ball with Cold Play. It’s nothing really big. (Laughs) David and I are also going to Vancouver where we are doing a show as well. I also will be recording my first Mr. Blow podcast which will be on Ear Wolf. Mr. Blow will be a podcast featuring people who wrote, were in or saw the live version of “Mr. Show”. The cast will not be about “Mr. Show” but about life now.

Howy Parkins is the supervising director for Disney Junior’s “Jake and the Never Land Pirates”.  He has his hands in pretty much every aspect of the show, which recently just began it second season.  Howy has been working with Disney for around 15 years and also recently worked on its series “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse”.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Howy about this wonderful show and what we can expect this season and going forward.

Mike Gencarelli: “Jake and Never Land Pirates” returns for Season 2 on Monday, February 20, tell us about that season?
Howy Parkins: For the second season, we really branched out. That is the beauty of Never Land and the Never Sea, it is just so vast. We will take the kids to some very wonderful and magical places. You look at the island and ask “Where can you have a mountain range…or a desert?”, but that is the beauty of the show being able to explore and go on adventures.

MG: Tell us about Peter Pan returning to Never Land?
HP: We were thrilled when we got the green light to bring Peter Pan physically into the show. With Never Land, we had Captain Hook and Mr. Smee already, which just made for the perfect circle. I think we mentioned him a few times in the first season. So when we found out we were actually able to bring him into the show, we got busy right away. Again, it is a Disney classic character, so we were respectful but also very honored that we were able to bring that character into the show with such fan following of so many generations.

MG: Tell us about your general role on the show?
HP: I am the supervising director. I came out of animation school many years ago. I’ve story boarded and been around designer. I have directed at Disney for around 15 years. With this show, I am just thrilled to be a part of and I enjoy coming to work every day. I work with a great team of designers on this show. We really tapped into our knowledge of Disney and wanted it to look like a really rich Disney-esque show. I feel we really captured that.

MG: Take us through the production process for one episode of “Jake and Never Land Pirates”?
HP: When we get final script, we go into our preliminary design meetings. In the second season, we do go to some new places, like we have an underwater episode. We have new characters coming up. So with those situations, I would sit with my crew and sketch out ideas and refine them. The voice talents come in next and then we move to storyboard, which takes about five weeks. We scan the boards into our editing bay and with the adding of voice recording we have what we call a “like reel”. It is essentially the show, but in its bare-bones form of black and white line drawings. From that I can work on the timing, staging and cinematics aspects of the show. Once we lock that show and we send it to an animation studio in Canada and I believe they get twelve weeks to do full animation. By the time it gets back, we have about six to eight weeks to finish up. Then we give our musicians a few weeks to score the episode and then we move to sound effects, which I also sit in on. Then we polish it up and make it nice and shinny and off it goes. I would probably about three or four months per episode. We stagger them, obviously, so we have many going on at the same time.

MG: Why do you think a show like “Jake and Never Land Pirates” has been so successful?
HP: When we started talking about doing the pilot, there is just something about pirates for boys or even girls ages 3-7 years old . Also coming on the heals of “Pirates of the Caribbean” series, it is such a fresh subject matter. I think because the three kids on the show are so adorable, so much character and so fun, who wouldn’t want them to hang out with. They are a nice allure for the kids at home. Also for the parents, we try to put positive messages into each episode. Their mannerisms and attitudes are just so enjoyable. There are just so many assets that come together as a package.

MG: The show was just green lit for a third season already, can you reflect on that news?
HP: It is very early and we are not used to that kind of thing. We are still in the midst of the second season. We are excited because now we get to plan in advance and discuss where we want the show to go now and who do we want for reoccurring characters etc. We are just rolling with it and I think we can definitely keep this exciting for at least another 37 episodes. In Never Land, there are many places we can still discover. It is definitely a challenge but we are all up for it.

MG: You’ve worked on shows like “The Simpsons”, “Recess” and “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse”; how does this show compare?
HP: I think when my son came along, who is now almost 11 years old, I got vested in the subject matter of what I work on now. Back in the day, working on “The Simpsons” was a great experience. I also worked on same Nickelodeon shows, it was fun but it was an older audience. With this show I am happy because we hook in the kids, but also the older brother/sister and even parents can watch as well and get just as much out of it. I think we discovered this formula where the entire family can watch, which is a really hard this to do. As much as I enjoyed the others, this one is really special.

MG: Besides just the television show, what else can expect from “Jake and Never Land Pirates”?
HP: Definitely there is some great merchandising being launched. It really brings the show into people’s home and they are able to buy toys and play with them while watching the show. When we are sitting in the design meetings, we think about “can this make a good toy?”, so we try and plan ahead. I know there is also a lot of on online stuff right now for the show as well. We were even reading tweets about our show, which has never happened before. That was really exciting. So there is just a lot to look forward to and I am really happy to be a part of it.

Patrick Muldoon is known best for his roles in the original “Melrose Place” and “Starship Troopers”. Patrick currently returned to his role on the soap opera “Days of Our Lives” after a 16 year break. Media Mikes had a chance to chat about his return to soaps and also his connection to Casper Van Dian.

Mike Gencarelli: How has it been returning “Days of Our Lives” after a 16 year break?
Patrick Muldoon: I kind of compare it to what it would be like if you went back to high school 15 years later and all of the same people are there. It’s almost like a family reunion. The halls and dressing rooms are still the same. It was really bizarre in the beginning but there was still that feeling like I never left. I am loving it!

MG: What would you say is the most challenging aspect of working in soaps?
PM: It’s much different. I have been used to working with just one camera. It’s taken some getting used to again. There is a lot of memorization happening. A movie you get four months to work on your lines and memorize them but on soaps you only get one day. Everyone works really hard and we all do our best. It really has the feel of a theater company and a live show

MG: Was it hard picking up the character of Austin Reed after so long?
PM: With soap operas they write the character and as it progresses they write in aspects of the actor playing the role. They did that for me originally so I am really familiar with this character. I played Austin for 3 years which is the longest role I have ever played. It’s weird how emotionally everything reattaches.

MG: You have done TV and movies, what do you look for more in a role or character?
PM: I tend to look at things backwards. When you get a part there is something going on within that character. There is a question that the character is living at that time. There is probably something you need to look at from your own personal life. As things come to you I kind of look at it on a spiritual tip a little bit. Whatever obstacle that character has to face somehow I am being asked to look at that in my own life. In order to be able to play the part you have to look at it from your own life. That is generally what I pay attention to when a part comes across the desk.

MG: You recently reunited with your “Starship Troopers” co-star Casper Van Dien on “Born to Ride”, tell us about that project?
PM: That film actually just got released last year however it was shot almost 7 years ago. It may have been longer than that. I don’t know what exactly happened with the film being tied up for so long. Casper and I are great friends. Neither one of us knew how to ride a motorcycle when we started shooting that. I started out doing circles in a parking lot and then I was going 70 miles an hour down a road. It was such a rush. By the grace of god we got out of that movie alive as neither of knew how to ride.

MG: You starred in 2007’s “Ice Spiders” and you got “Spider 3D” coming up, what can you tell us about that?
PM: I’m not sure why spider science fiction movies find me. (Laughs) We shot “Spiders 3D” in Bulgaria last year. It is really cutting edge technology. This was a role where you either had to hire Casper or myself. I got this one.

MG: Do you find that working on creature films pose any difficulties to CG effects added later?
PM: It’s all fun. It’s like when you see kids in playgrounds shooting each other with sticks. We are just doing the same thing but we are in out 40’s. It’s fun for me. I have been an athlete all my life so when I get to do the action stuff I am very happy.

MG: What else do you have stirring for 2012?
PM: It’s mainly just “Days of Our Lives”. I also am a musician and I will be going to Nashville on one of my breaks from the show to record a solo record. It’s going to have a southern rock vibe to it however it’s still a little early to be talking about that just yet.

Al Jean is known best for his role of Writer, Executive Producer and Show Runner of “The Simpsons”. The show is currently in its record breaking 23rd season and celebrating its 500th episode on February 19th, 2012. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Al about his job with “The Simpsons” and what we can expect from it’s future.

Mike Gencarelli: You wear many hats on “The Simpsons”, how do you juggle them all including executive producer and show runner?
Al Jean: I came up as a writer, so the most important thing for me is being head writer. There all these other aspects of it that I feel take away from main job of writing. Not that working on budgets and boards aren’t important but I have just always felt that way.

MG: How do you feel that the show still holds up and is relevant this long after 500 episodes?
AJ: It’s crazy since nothing in television lasts this long. The fact that we still get to do these stories that we think are interesting and relevant is a tribute to the way the show is created. The cast all works really hard.

MG: The 500th episode airs on Feb.19th, tell us about what we can expect from the episode and what cameo voices?
AJ: Julian Assange will be voicing himself in a cameo. We have also enlisted another hard to find person for a brief appearance as well. The basic premise of the episode is that the Simpsons find out they are being kicked out of town for the things they have done over the years.

MG: How can you reflect on the recent Guinness World Record breaking Simpsons Ultimate Fan Marathon?
AJ: I was actually there for that. I think they could have gone longer but cooler heads prevailed. I am glad no one went crazy and started shooting people. (Laughs) Of course congratulations to the two men last standing.

MG: What else can we expect from the rest of this season?
AJ: We have guest stars such as Brian Cranston, Steve Carell, Zooey Deschanel, and Lady Gaga set to appear this season. Lady Gaga is actually playing herself while the others are playing characters. We also have a Halloween show based around the Mayan prophecy of 2012. This year is going to be really exciting.

MG: When you started out with this show many years ago, did you ever think you would see this landmark?
AJ: No. If I had said that you would have put me in an institution. I would have been ecstatic if you had said 50 at the beginning. Matt (Groening) thought it was going to be a hit but I don’t think anyone else thought it would reach this point.

MG: How do you think that creating the shows now differs from when you started?
AJ: Things have changed very little. At the beginning there was incredible attention being paid to it but you know that won’t last. It has been replaced by this feeling of acceptance and that it is part of people’s lives. It’s a wonderful thing.

MG: Is there ever any hopes for a sequel to “The Simpsons Movie”?
AJ: Yes there is hope. We aren’t working on it now because it is very draining to work on the movie and the television series at the same time. I think we would all be better off if we waited until the show ended before we start another movie…but who knows when that will be.

MG: The show will continue another two seasons until season 25, what do you foresee for the future?
AJ: We are going to episode 559 for sure. It will depend on the economics at that point. We had to decrease our budget to get these extra two seasons. There may be another reduction as television is not as profitable as it once was. I wouldn’t count the show out though.

Bridgit Mendler is known best for here role of Teddy Duncan on Disney Channel’s “Good Luck Charlie”.  She also starred in Disney Channel’s recent hit movie “Lemonade Mouth” and also appeared on “Wizard of Waverly Place”.  Bridget is currently promoting her role of voicing Arrietty in Disney’s “The Secret World of Arrietty”.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Bridgit about voicing the character and she also revealed some update for this coming season of “Good Luck Charlie”.

Click here for our Film Review “The Secret World of Arrietty”

Mike Gencarelli: What did you enjoy most about voicing Arrietty in “The Secret World of Arrietty”?
Bridgit Mendler: I really enjoyed voicing that character. It’s always fun to play a character that is different from you. Arrietty is really fun to explore because she is so small and has a different perspective of the world. I wasn’t physically in any of her world I was able to use my imagination to be able to do that.

MG: Have you seen the Japanese version of the film and how do you feel it translates to US audiences?
BM: I have. I think there is a good chance for this film as Studio Ghibli has released some other films in the states. The film has a really great Japanese style to the animation and storyline however the characters are voiced by American actors. In this case a lot of comedic actors are doing the voices which I think lightens the movie and makes it more accessible to American audiences. This is really fun because you get something visually that you may not be accustomed to but the voices are familiar.

MG: What was the most challenging part of doing the voice work?
BM: I would have to say the dubbing. It was a fun challenge though and it really wasn’t that bad. We had to just match up our lines with the animation which was already there but with Japanese language. They sometimes had to adjust what we were saying so that everything matched up. It was a fun challenge overall.

MG: How long did it take to record your work on the film?
BM: I finished the movie in just three days.  Yep, those are the benefits of working on an animated film.

MG: I am a big fan of the film’s music, like “Arrietty’s Song” by Cécile Corbel. Since you are no stranger to music, tell us about your song for the film?
BM: The interesting thing about the song I did in the movie, called “Summertime”, was that I had worked on it prior to starting on the film. It was already there and was something they listened to and saw potential for. It was really thanks to the producer for how it fits in with the movie. I was very happy to include the song and they did a great job matching up the sound.

MG: You worked again with “Wizard of Waverly Place” co-star David Henrie, did you record together?
BM: We weren’t. I didn’t get to work with anyone else from the cast. It was kind of a bummer because the cast is really cool. It’s an interesting way to go about the project as it allows for a lot of imagination and personal attention for each actor.

MG: Are you a fan of any other Studio Ghibli films?
BM: Of course! I think the most popular one would have to be “Spirited Away”. When I was younger I was a big fan of their films as well. “Kiki’s Delivery Service” was one of my personal favorites.

MG: When can we expect your debut album through Hollywood Records?
BM: I am telling people it will be out around June or July. The challenge is I am shooting “Good Luck Charlie” at the same time. The album isn’t able to be my primary focus because I have other commitments. But the album will be out this year and I am very excited for everyone to hear it.

MG: What can we expect from the third season of “Good Luck Charlie”?
BM: For those who have followed the show, in the recent “Good Luck Charlie” movie there is a pregnancy. In season 3, you are going to see her dealing with the pregnancy. We actually just shot the episode where the new baby arrives. It’s an exciting time for the Duncan family and we are glad to share it with the viewers.

Carla Renata has appeared in dozens of television shows and commercials. She also has voiced several video game characters. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with Carla recently about some of her previous work and what she has planned for 2012.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us about your recent appearances on “Raising Hope” and “Up All Night”?
Carla Renata: The episode I was on of “Raising Hope” aired a week or so ago. I played a shopper who basically made fun of one of the characters that was talking about how smart his baby was. My character asks the question of how smart is he? (Laughs) On “Up All Night” I play a TSA Agent who is not under any circumstances letting Christina Applegate and Will Arnett through so they can catch their flight.

AL: How did working on these two shows compare to some of the work you have done on other shows?
CR: On “Shake It Up!”, I play a mom and on “Hart of Dixie” I play a hairdresser. These roles are much different than the ones I recently played. The TSA agent is a real hard-nosed character with no sense of humor. On “Raising Hope” my character was empathetic with a slight bit of sarcasm. My hairdresser role is a fun role where I sit and do hair while getting all of the town gossip even though there isn’t a lot of gossip to get. On the Disney show I play a mom where I am the support for my children. My recent roles are quite different.

AL: Do you find it harder working on a set as a guest star rather than as a series regular?
CR: It depends on the show. I have been on some shows where they treat you like gold. They make you feel like you are a regular cast member that is coming back next week even though everyone knows you are not. I have also been on some sets where there was almost a click with the regular cast. You have to know how to feel the room and know when you can be friendlier or when you should just stay in your trailer till they need you. (Laughs)

AL: How did you get involved with doing voice over work?
CR: I was living in New York at the time and had agents that booked me for television commercials.  I would stop by their office quite often as a lot of the auditions I went on were in the vicinity of the office. I would stand around and talk and tell jokes to the people there.  The guy who was running the voice over department at the time heard me talking and asked me if I had done voice over work before. I told him no but he said he wanted to send me out for some voice over jobs. I ended up booking all the ones he sent me to.

AL: What do you like most about that type of acting?
CR: You can do it in your pajamas! (Laughs) When I first started there were very few people who had home studios as they were really expensive. Now it’s so much easier because of technology and the internet. You can just plug a microphone into the computer and click a few buttons. I love voice over work. I will roll out of bed, walk down to my office, record a couple tracks and then go back to bed. I am getting paid while in my pajamas. (Laughs)

AL: What was it like working on “Elvira’s Movie Macabre”?
CR: That was a lot of fun! What I didn’t know at the time and I probably should have was that Elvira and a couple other girls on the show all came from The Groundlings improv school. I had studied there as well. I never knew that Cassandra had created the Elvira character while studying there. I found that really amazing. Our shoot was all improv. It was scripted originally but none of us stuck to it. (Laughs) I think that’s what really made it fun. You couldn’t pay for that kind of acting class.

AL: Do you prefer an improv type script over one that is more rigid and strict?
CR: It depends. I come from a theater background where if you mess up your lines you have to say something. You can’t just stand there in the middle of the stage waiting for someone to give you your lines. I will just make stuff up if I have to because I have that ability.(Laughs) It really depends on the situation and what type of characterization you are going to bring to that piece of script.

AL: Do you have any other projects coming out that we can be watching for?
CR: I am taping a new episode of “Shake It Up!” next week but I‘m not sure when it will air. The episodes of that show we have previously shot air all the time. It looks like I am always on the Disney channel even though I am really not. (Laughs) I haven’t shot a “Hart of Dixie” episode in some time so that should be coming around shortly. Pilot season is coming up so you never know. I could be popping up anywhere. I do have some commercials for Progressive Insurance, Tidy Cat Kitty Litter and Hunt’s Tomato Sauce that will be airing around the country so people can definitely see me on those.

Kaitlyn Dever is currently co-starring as Eve Baxter on ABC’s new hit show “Last Man Standing” besides Tim Allen and Nancy Travis.  Kaitlyn took out some time during shooting to chat about the show and what we can expect from this season.

Mike Gencarelli: What do you like most about playing Eve Baxter on “Last Man Standing”?
Kaitlyn Dever: It’s a lot of fun. Eve is totally different from who I am in real life. I did play soccer when I was younger so we do have that in common. I love how she always has the smart comments. I have sort of a dry sense of humor so the comments seem sort of natural.

MG: What is the coolest thing about having Nancy Travis and Tim Allen as parents on the show?
KD: It is really cool. When I found I booked the pilot I was very excited. I loved Tim Allen in all of “The Santa Clause” movies. Nancy Travis is amazing. She is so funny and she feels like a second mom. They are a lot of fun.

MG: How is it working with Alexandra Krosney and Molly Ephraim as your sisters?
KD: They are awesome. In real life I am the oldest so I never had an older sibling to look up to. Alexandra and Molly give me advice and I have learned a lot from them. They feel like my sisters.

MG: What has been the funny thing to have off screen so far in shooting?
KD: There are too many to choose from. I am always cracking up. Sometimes Tim will just start laughing during the middle of a take. He likes to joke around a lot on set. I really can’t pick just one instance.

MG: Do you have a favorite episode so far in season one?
KD: Probably the Christmas episode. I got to have some really funny lines in the episode. Nick Jonas was in that episode as well so that didn’t hurt. I also like the music video episode. They are all good though.

MG: How is it juggling your time between “Last Man Standing” and “Justified”?
KD: I am mostly doing “Last Man Standing” right now and during season 2 of “Justified” I was only doing that. Now that I am doing both we are able to work it out to where I can shoot “Justified” while I am on hiatus. For me it’s always been really easy to bounce between drama and comedy.

MG: What can we expect from the rest of season one on “Last Man Standing”?
KD: We are going to be meeting some new characters/neighbors this season. You also will get to learn a little more about the characters through some surprising dream sequences. Those are going to be really funny.

Brett Davern recently appeared in an episode of the new Fox drama “The Finder”. Brett also plays the role of Jake in the MTV series Awkward. Media Mikes had a chance to talk with Brett about his appearance on the show as well as what’s in store for season 2 of “Awkward”.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us about your recent appearance on “The Finder”
Brett Davern: I played a guy by the name of Cooper Allison. He is in search of his father whose plane went down while he was flying for the Air Force. His body was never found so my character wanted to know where he was and if possibly he was still alive. He uses the help of the finder to help him out with this. While searching he starts to have feelings for the character of Willa. It was a fun role.

AL: How did working on this series compare to previous shows you have worked on?
BD: This one was a lot of fun. The whole cast on the show was really great. Everyone has great chemistry together. There was also quite a bit of energy on set as this was the first episode for everyone. Some of the other shows you guest star on may have been around awhile so some of the enthusiasm has worn off. Everyone involved with “The Finder” was full of energy.

AL: Is there one memory that sticks out from the shoot?
BD: Maddie Hansen who plays the character of Willa is so young in real life and I think this was her first big role. Our characters had quite a few scenes together so to be there and watch her experiences was really cool. It made me think back to some of my first jobs. Maddie is very talented.

AL: Can you tell us how you got involved with the series “Awkward”?
BD: I went through the normal audition process.  I initially auditioned for the role of Matty when it was still in the pilot phase. I went all the way to the screen testing phase which was about a month long process for the role of Matty. They liked me for the show however wanted to try me in the role of Jake. They brought on Beau Mirchoff to read with me and the people on the show thought we each fit the roles we are playing now better. We shot the pilot and then waited almost an entire year to shoot the next episode.

AL: With the cast all being pretty close in age what is the camaraderie like on set?
BD: It’s really great! Everyone gets along real well and that includes not just the cast but the writers and producers as well. I love going to work every day. Beau and I have become best friends in our outside lives. It’s pretty funny that he and I had never crossed paths before doing this show. Everyone makes each other laugh and I think our chemistry comes across really well on screen.

AL: What can we expect from season 2 of “Awkward”?
BD: The writers are very secretive and don’t really tell us anything. I remember for the season one finale they kept the last two pages of the script from everyone except for Ashley. Until it aired on television I didn’t even know how the season ended. The only thing I know about season two is that story line wise it picks up from where we left off with season 1. Hopefully Jake and Jenna will still be together at the beginning of the season but I am excited to read that first script.

AL: Can you tell about your role in the film “The Culling”?
BD: That film is like a thriller/suspense ensemble type piece. We shot that in New Orleans for about a month and a half. I love that city. The film is about 5 friends who are heading to the South by South West music festival. Things take an interesting turn when they pick up a little girl at a local truck stop. Eventually the car breaks down and the story takes off from there.

AL: Do you have any other projects in the works this year?
BD: I shot another indie film in Seattle which is where I am from. The film is called “Junk” and hopefully that will start playing festivals soon. The movie is a movie about making movies. Getting to do little projects in between shooting “Awkward” has been a lot of fun.

Josh Altman recently appeared on season four of the hit Bravo series “Million Dollar Listing”.  Josh is not just a  Bravo TV Star but also one of LA’s Top Real Estate Agents. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Josh about the show and also his business.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you get involved in the real estate business?
Josh Altman: I bought my first place when I was 22 years old with my business partner who is my brother. We ended up fixing it up within 3 months and put it back on the market as a joke. This was around 2002 in the time where you could buy anything, fix it up and sell it for more money. About 5 years ago I got more into the agent side of things and that is where we are now. Because of our early success and some of our celebrity clientele I had gotten called by bravo to be on “Million Dollar Listing”.

MG: How was it working on season four of the show, “Million Dollar Listing” on Bravo?
JA: It was great! I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. You never get to see what actually is being shot until its on television because it’s a reality show. I was very happy and doing the show was great for our business. The show in a way is a 9 hour infomercial for my business. Its nice people get to see the day to day work that goes into selling these massive homes.

MG: Was it difficult coming on to the show which was entering its fourth season?
JA: I hadn’t ever watched the show when I was first approached. I took a look at it and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do it or not. I wasn’t sure how they were going to portray me on the show. After watching a few episodes I figured I could bring something fresh and different to it. From there I jumped in and took no prisoners.

MG: Tell us about your nickname “The Shark”?
JA: (Laughs) People call me that around town because I am the guy you want on your side when it’s time to sell or be represented. I am a ruthless negotiator. If I smell blood I am going to jump all over it. (Laughs)

MG: What is the most fun/challenging part of working on the reality show?
JA: I get to walk around and be recognized from the show. I was just in Italy and people recognized me there. That never gets old for me as I am a realtor and people know who I am. The difficult part was balancing the business and the show. With my brother as a partner that helped because some of that business was able to fall towards him. That balance was truly the hardest part and at the end of the day my business is more important than the show. When you see me with a phone in my hand on the show it’s because I am always working.

MG: Any word if you will be returning for season five?
JA: There will be a season 5 however they have not announced the cast yet.

MG: What is the largest listing that you have sold?
JA: We just sold a listing last week that was the most expensive listing ever for a condo in Santa Monica. The condo sold for 10.5 million dollars. It was pretty spectacular. We also sold a 16.5 million dollar home that was the 6^th highest sold in L.A. county. Last year alone we sold over 60 million dollars in properties.

MG: When you are not selling houses, what keeps you busy?
JA: I would be doing this even if I wasn’t getting paid. This is something that’s fun for me. I do love spending time with my dogs and hanging out with friends though.

Adult Swim’s “Delocated” is created by and starring Jon Glaser. The show is currently entering its third season and this season promises to be the sexiest season of “Delocated” yet.  It is set to premiere Thursday Feb. 2nd at Midnight!  Media Mikes had a chance to interview a few cast members from the show.  Feel free to check out the interviews below and look forward to more as the season progresses. Don’t forget to tune in to this season Thursday nights!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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