Entertaining as hell, smart, good-humored, informative and a bit dirty. What more would you want from an online-only talk show hosted by an actor’s actor? Kevin Pollak (A Few Good Men, The Usual Suspects) has a great Internet show that I highly recommend to fellow pop culture fans of film, music, television and technology.
Recent guests have included Matthew Perry, Curt Smith (Tears for Fears), Jon Hamm (Mad Men) and Felicia Day (Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog).
Click here for more information about Kevin Pollak’s Chat Show and to watch recent episodes, or download all of them for free on iTunes. Just a heads up – you may want to use headphones if you watch at work; Kevin and his guests have free reign with regard to language (which is one of the reasons I love it). You can also follow Kevin on Twitter. Of course.
Hi, my name is Jo and I suck. Last week when my friend Mel told me that she stopped coming to this site due to lack of updated content, it made me realize that I have been neglecting a huge portion of my pop culture life. And you.
See this phrase and logo above? It is on a Life is Good hat that I own, but I do not take the advice it offers. As most of you are aware, I have been inside of a Lost box with television tunnel-vision on for several months now. I am currently recovering (albeit with a rather large time-travel and character death hangover), as the fifth season has just ended.
But the good news for those of you who don’t watch that show is that I’m back, I’m ready to talk about shows that YOU love and watch, and I will be doing so much more frequently now. If you’re back, thank you for your patience. If you’re new, welcome to my babbling brook of consciousness!
We have several very emotional/controversial/strange season finales to discuss. The Office (baby!). Grey’s (RIP Gizzie?!). Private Practice (the horror!). Fringe (woah). Bones (wtf?). Heroes (yawn). Brothers & Sisters (let the door hit you on the way out, Tommy). 30 Rock (ten shades of awesome; I Lizzed). I haven’t seen the House finale yet, but Kutner’s death and Amber’s ghost made for a pretty great season.
File under: surprised but excited – Dollhouse has been renewed. I was very skeptical of this new series because of the pace of the first few episodes, but I highly recommend it as a summer series to catch up on because it is quite unique and compelling.
File under: donde esta? Samantha Who was yanked from the schedule without much notice or reason. It hasn’t been canceled so I’m curious to find out when they’ll be bringing it back.
File under: sad but relieved to get closure – ABC will be airing the final three episodes of Pushing Daisies at the end of the month.
Random season/schedule shows I’m currently enjoying: Rescue Me and Southland.
Summer TV: bring on True Blood and Mad Men. And let’s admit our guilty pleasure reality fixes…The Bachelorette starts tomorrow. I will also openly admit my addiction to The Biggest Loser; this was the first season I tuned in and am now hooked.
New shows: so looking forward to Glee (debuting this week on FOX) and Nurse Jackie (debuts on 6/8, Showtime).
And music! Anyone else listening to the new Green Day? I am loving that and the new Phoenix album.
Movies: loved loved loved the new Star Trek. Was disappointed by Wolverine. New films I am really looking forward to include Away We Go (John Krasinski & Maya Rudolph/directed by Sam Mendes), Julie & Julia (Meryl Streep & Amy Adams/directed by Nora Ephron), and Nine (ensemble musical/directed by Rob Marshall).
So, hi. Thanks for stopping by. By all means, please let me know what shows, movies, bands, books, etc. that you’d love for me to discuss here and I will do my best. I owe you. And I’ve missed you.
I have rediscovered something that I love, a hobby that I’ve neglected in lieu of new media and technology for the last several years…reading. Overcome by the desire to put down the remote and start turning the pages, it is one of the main reasons that I’ve been ignoring this blog (and you, by extension).
Obviously my main focus every week from January through May is the Lost blog, but when I’m not watching, researching or writing about the show, I’ve been turning off the television more and settling in with a graphic novel or book instead.
The stack currently residing on my nightstand accurately reflects many of my interests; music, sports, superheroes and even the afterlife (which I blame on my undyling love for Six Feet Under; pun absolutely intended)…
I am openly fascinated by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, so it was an easy choice to pick up a copy of Scar Tissue. Bonus: HBO is developing a series based on Anthony Kiedis’ childhood.
Moneyball remains a personal favorite, which is no surprise given that I’m a huge Oakland A’s fan. And I am looking forward to reading The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game, because Michael Lewis explores football in the same analytical style that he examined baseball in Moneyball.
I know nothing about Captain Freedom, except that the cover and tagline grabbed me instantly: A superhero’s quest for truth, justice, and the celebrity he so richly deserves. Sounds right up my alley on many levels.
The X-Files. Dead Like Me. Pushing Daisies. Bones. True Blood. Just a few of the reasons that I’m enjoying Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers. It also doesn’t hurt that my better half is a modern day Scully of sorts. : )
I read Brian K. Vaughan’s Ex Machina series last year, and am now enthralled with and absorbing his visionary Y: The Last Man graphic novels. Vaughan is actually a co-producer and writer on Lost (the 3rd issue of Y was featured as an Easter Egg this season; Hurley was reading it in Spanish at the airport).
Sticking with the post apocalyptic theme, I just finished Brian Wood’s chilling and prescient Channel Zero. It is an alternatingly exciting and frightening narrative.
So there you have it, an excuse which I don’t expect you to respond to. Every night I think about posting something on this site, and apologize for not doing so at least a few times per week. My non-Lost friends and readers deserve an extra virtual hug for being patient with me; I appreciate that you’re still here, and promise to post movie reviews and TV news again soon!
At WonderCon in San Francisco recently, I was thrilled to
find out that Jasika Nicole (Astrid Farnsworth on Fringe) was going to be there. She was
delightful, outgoing and warm; with an infectious laugh and very friendly
smile, I felt like we were old friends after only a few minutes of
conversation. Jasika was kind enough to answer a few questions for an interview, and I also obtained both an autographed photo and poster for two
of YOU to win (see details at the end of the post)!
1. In addition to Fringe, you caught my attention last year
when you were featured in the New York Times article “Out in Hollywood.” And then I was thrilled to discover your very sweet and
autobiographical comic (via a link on your blog). What has been the response to that
article and from fans in general?
Jasika: After the article came out, I got a few incredibly supportive
and sincere emails from some fans, but there wasn’t really an onslaught of
extra attention that I noticed. My comic High Yella Magic has inspired more
people to write to me and offer their opinions and encouragement than that
article did. I really enjoyed being a part of the Times piece, but, in regards
to my story, it was mostly factual and barely personal – it let the world know
that I was queer, out and proud withoutdelving very much beneath the surface. My comic offers a pretty personal
look into who I am and what my experiences have been, and I think that people
tend to connect with and respond to that in kind.
2. A few years ago, you had the opportunity to work with
the late Natasha Richardson (on The Mastersons of Manhattan). Did you share many scenes with her, and would you mind sharing
your memories of her?
Jasika: I did a sitcom pilot with Natasha Richardson in which I
played the seemingly sweet live-in nurse to her ailing father who was also
sleeping with her husband and her nephew. I had a couple of big scenes with
Natasha, but when I wasn’t on the set, I spent all my time just watching her
and Brian Benben and Molly Shannon create really dynamic comedy with each other
in rehearsal. James Burrows was the director for that show, and watching him
and Natasha work together, him coming up with an idea on the fly and her being
able to take that and give him something even better than he asked for – it was
just remarkable.
3. After the show The Return on Jezebel James was canceled,
were you looking for another television series?
Jasika: No, not at all. I just wanted to be working! After my Jezebel dreams were crushed, the effects of the Writers’ Strike hit full force.
There were hardly any auditions at all, so I tried to prepare myself for the
worst, which, in my head, was not screen testing or being cast in any projects
at all during pilot season. Fringe ended up being a complete shock
for everyone on my end.
4. How did the opportunity to audition for Fringe arise, and
what was that process like?
Jasika: I was submitted for the role of Astrid, and all I knew was
that she was supposed to be a young, tech-savvy FBI agent. I remember thinking
“uh uh, not with MY hair,” and I didn’t put very much energy into the
audition. I figured that it was such a long shot that I didn’t even need to get
my hopes up for her. I had about 3 callbacks before I screen-tested, and at
this point I still had not read a script or anything, so I was excited about
the prospect, but not sure exactly what I was excited about. My manager and
agent put me on a three-way phone call to tell me the news that I was cast,
where we all proceeded to scream in each other’s ears for several minutes, and
I was on a plane to Toronto to film the pilot a few weeks later.
5. Who makes you laugh on set; is there a practical jokester
among the cast?
Jasika: John (Noble) and Josh (Jackson)and I are always in fierce competition to make
each other laugh, but Josh probably wins since he is able to make himself laugh
as much as anyone else. We have such a natural, easy rapport with each other
that it’s almost impossible not to have a good time when we are in the lab. I
refer to them as “the Damn Bishops” and they call me “Agent
Funsworth.”
6. I’m sure you’ve heard or read about the frustration that
some Fringe fans have about the lack of action and story for Astrid…both in and
out of the lab. Will we see more of or about Astrid before the end of Season 1?
Jasika: Astrid gets out of the lab again in the second half of the
season! WOO HOOO! Hopefully the fans will feel validated…but if they don’t,
there’s always Season 2.
7. Given that you live in New York (where Season 1 was
filmed), how do you feel about the production move to Vancouver for Season 2?
Jasika: Initially I was very frustrated. I hated the thought that
this giant crew of people who put so much blood, sweat and tears into the show
was not going to be able to continue to build onto what they helped create.
It’s so hard to say goodbye because we have become a family over the past 10
months of working together. But eventually I had to realize that this is the
nature of the business and that I just needed to be happy that our hard work
had paid off. I’m still not looking forward to parting ways, but I plan on
adding all the friends I made from the Fringe crew to my Facebook.
8. I see that you’re still involved with the theater,
appearing in various charitable events such as the Our Time Theatre Company
gala next week. Do you foresee a return to Broadway someday, or in between
films and seasons of Fringe?
Jasika: I would absolutely LOVE to get back onstage again for a
show. I miss the theatre so much! I used to think that I preferred theatre over
film and TV, but eventually I realized that they are two completely separate
art forms, like apples and…bacon. I like them both for such different
reasons, but I have been away from theatre for a really long time and that’s
why I miss it so – I’ve forgotten what it’s like to stand on stage and sing to
people! It’s amazing – you become so aware of your body when you’re under those
stage lights that you start to notice how your breath reaches all the way down
to your feet!
9. What can you tell us about your next film, She’s
Out of My League?
Jasika: I hope my scenes didn’t get deleted.
I would like to thank Jasika for taking the time to answer these questions, and wish her an early Happy Birthday (April 10)! She is quite talented, as well as a personable and sweet human being. I look forward to more Astrid on the small screen, and new comics as well!
If you are a Fringe fan and would like to win a Jasika-autographed photo of her and Walter Bishop in the lab or an autographed small poster of the cast, simply leave a comment for Jasika below and your name will be entered! The winners will be announced on April 17.
I love movie trailers, so I arrive far too early to every film. Lately, I am reduced to a teenage fangirl with wide eyes and goosebumps when I see the trailer for the new and revamped Star Trek. Bring on the summer blockbusters; I can’t wait to see this movie.
STAR TREK
The film comes out on May 8. The season finale of Lost is on May 13. Thanks to J.J. Abrams, I will be consumed and overwhelmed for one week in May.
