Danny Woodburn [Interview]

Happy Wednesday Everyone! I am so very excited to share this incredible interview we have for you all with the incredible actor Danny Woodburn. Danny is the man that you know and love, you has worked in just about every genre and field imaginable. Possibly most notable would be his appearances in the hit sitcom in which we have managed to have several writers, producers, and stars here on this very site, which would be Seinfeld. But, as we are compelled to do around here, he is yet another of the cast of wonderful characters to have a reoccurring role on our beloved sitcom, Becker. That’s right Folks, we HAD to ask about Becker. And you will not be disappointed with what he has to say about working on our favorite series.

Of course, there was so much to discuss in regards to Danny’s inspirational and multi-faceted career in the world of performance, as well as his selfless advocacy work for performers with disabilities, which he will discuss below. With that, I feel like we should just jump right into it! Folks, please enjoy some wonderful words from the brilliant Danny Woodburn!

******

What inspired you to get into the world of entertainment? Was it an early aspiration you have had since a youth, or did you simply find yourself in this world one day?

My choice to begin my career came in my early 20s.  I had always aspired to be like the comedians I saw in the day and 70-80s (from Flip Wilson to Don  Rickles and Cosby Carson,  Carlin to Pryor,  Winters to Williams;  the list goes on and on.   But, at first I did not see it as a career choice.  Hollywood did not seem attainable. In my mind it was some other.  But I always had the bug to perform as far back as age 4 when I used to act out the songs on a Woody Guthrie album called Songs to Grow On.  To try to get a laugh from my mom.  But after high school, once I decided to study acting, it was all over, that was where I was headed.

What was your very first paid gig in the world of acting? And where there any sort of lessons learned on this specific project?

On stage in an improv troupe called Loose Change.  We headlined at a bar/club in New Hope, PA called John and Peters.  I got $7 after we split the door.  The lesson I learned was that improv troupes did not make money.

First TV role was an episode fo Hunter in 1991.  I played a thief who hit bars after last call.  What I learned here was that it is very easy to look like you are overacting if the director never yells cut.

In 2001 & 2002, you made a couple of appearances on one of my favorite TV series of all time, one that we have actually just showcased a full week of interviews about, which is the absolutely wonderful show Becker. We are compelled to ask anyone who has ever worked on this program in any form, including the show’s creator, what they thought about working on the set of Becker? And was there anything about this show that set itself apart from others you have worked on?

I had a great time and being asked back to any show in my view shows a real sense of family by the creators and lead cast.  Ted and the gang there were very welcoming and I loved the smart ass nature of my character.  I liked the fact that this was a real character, a person and not some exaggerated version of little people that so often was posed for me to play.

Now, I know that Becker may be my favorite show, but I know that you have worked on other more legendary programs. Another one of which we have spoken with many writers from, is perhaps one of the most legendary sitcoms of all time, which would be Seinfeld. You had a brilliant reoccurring role as Mickey Abbott. So again, what was it like playing through the mind of folks like Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David?

Seinfeld was my first sitcom and maybe only my 4th or 5th TV show.  I was thrust into the work day immediately after my audition, so I felt I had to really be on my game.  The show ran very smoothly in my novice opinion and the cast was a terrific group to work with.  My scenes with Michael were always a highlight for me and he was such a perfectionist in his craft it inspires a young actor to be at his best.  Coming back again and agin has been one of the great stories of my career and I was honored to have been a part of such a legendary TV show.  It changed my career.

In 2014, you portrayed one of my childhood heroes in the 2014 film, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The film was very CGI heavy, but I know there is still has to be a lot of work that goes into portraying the legendary Master Splinter, even if you had somebody else doing the voice over work. So, how was this experience for you? What sort of work goes into making a film like this?

It was a new experience for me working in Mo-caps suits all day.  It is meticulous work and scenes are filmed many more times than in a traditional film shoot.  We all had Tobe on our acting game and create a physicality and expressiveness worthy of out character.  But it was strenuous work to be sure.

When you look back on your career that spans almost 30 years in this business, what would you say you are most proud of? Not necessarily one specific project, although it could be, but as a whole what do you look back on with the most pride? 

To work directly with legends like Angela Lansbury, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Danny DeVito, James Earl Jones, Anne Francis, Billy Barty  James Garner, Gene Wilder,  Eddie Albert Jr., Vincent Schiavellli, and of course Robin Williams.

Probably my greatest joy working on a sound stage came while working on Death to Smoochy.  Under Danny DeVito’s direction who was like the papa on that film surrounding himself with a comedy family was truly one of the greatest privileges. And to have scenes with Robin and work with him every day, for someone who saw him as an inspiration of comedy, was something I will cherish; all the more now that he is gone.

Also to be able to be an advocate for actors with disabilities is where a great deal of my passion lies.  I continue to try to make strides for performers with disability to be given equal opportunity to employment.  This is of the utmost importance to me.  This is why I work as SAG-AFTRA Performers with Disability co-vice chair, with the Ruderman Family Foundation,  the ReelAbilities Film Festival and the National Disability Theater Company

What does the future hold for you? Anything you would like to plug to our readers?

Today in addition to acting and advocacy, I write and direct and am creating my own content with my wife of 21 Years, Amy Buchwald.  We have a short film we just finished recently and are posting now.  Also I just acted in a movie called Faith Based which will be out soon.

What was the last thing that made you smile?

Re-binging The Office and just watched the Michael and Holly proposal scene.  Sadly I did not really watch it while it was on and now that I have worked with and met a couple of the cast I am hooked.

DeJuan Guy [Interview]

******

Caitlin Holcombe [Interview]

Hello Folks! As we near the end another week of the newly grounded year 2020, we have another wonderful interview to share with you all with another incredibly talented performer, which was definitely the theme this week, was it not? Today we have some incredible words from the great Caitlin Holcombe!

Everyone should recognize Holcombe as the lead role in one of our most beloved films of 2019. That film would actually be one of our Top Ten Films of 2019, the brilliant and personal journey of a film entitled Stoke. Caitlin was absolutely incredible in this film written and directed by our new friend Zoe Eisenberg. I was extremely excited to have Holcombe on the site to discuss her work on this incredible film, and obviously so much more. And I am now extremely excited to share her words with you all today, and to have Caitlin become a member of the TWS legacy. We are absolutely honored to have her here.

So Folks, please enjoy some incredible words from one of the modern age’s finest performers, the great Caitlin Holcombe!

******

What inspired you to get into the world of acting? Was it something you aspired to do since you were young, or did you happen to find yourself in this world one day?

I started acting when I was in first grade. I was Mother Goose in the school play. Movies were always an inspiration to me. When I was young I especially loved old Hollywood. James Dean, Marilyn Monroe, Jimmy Stewart. I wanted to do what they did.

What was your first paid gig on the world of acting? And where there any sort of lessons learned from this experience that still affect your work today?

My first paid gig was an industrial I did for a loan company! We all start somewhere, right?

I recently really enjoyed your performance in our new friend Zoe Eisenberg’s film Stoke. I am curious to know what drew you to this role? What made you want to work in this world?

Thank you! Zoe is a wonderful writer. I will do any project she asks me to do because I trust her skill and talent implicitly. She writes complex, juicy characters, and Jane is no exception. When Zoe emailed the script I read it and envisioned the whole movie. I loved the idea of a road film taking place over the course of one day, and on the Big Island, c’mon. What a dream to go on location in such a gorgeous place and make a movie with incredible people. I was drawn to Jane because I thought I had something I could offer to the role. I felt I could identify with her.

The rest of the cast of Stoke was also absolutely phenomenal as well. I am curious to know how the filming process and set life for you was on this project? It seems like it would be a great group of people to hang out with?

Honestly, I had the best experience on this film. Zoe, Phil, and our AD, Jordan, are to thank for that. They each brought joy and positivity to set every day. When you have people leading with heart and passion for what they do, it makes a big difference in the filming process. The cast and crew on this film were absolutely wonderful. Everyone did such a great job. Everyone led with their heart. I feel so grateful for the experience. To go away and work on a film is absolutely amazing because it becomes a bit like camp. You’re in this bubble working long hours, and sometimes it’s a really late night and the scene is really emotionally intense, and if you get on with one another, then the bond happens so quickly. You kind of skip the getting to know someone part and just get to the heart of things. Also, food is so important. We were so well taken care of in that department, and lodging. When you’re well fed and get a good night of sleep, everyone is happier.

If you were handed the opportunity to create and star in the biopic of any well known figure in American history, who would it be?

I love this question! Patti Smith. I think she’s so brilliant and so earnest in her pursuit of music and art. Plus she had relationships with Robert Mapplethorpe and Sam Shepard. What a woman. Also, the New York City she describes in her book Just Kids is the New York of my dreams, late 60’s early 70’s.

What does the future hold for you? Anything you would like to plug to our readers?

Who knows what the future has in store? I am grateful for whatever that may be. Christmas is here and I love this time of year. I am going to visit my family in Texas and there’s a million of series I want to binge while I’m there. Creatively I am cooking up a couple of things that I will keep you posted on 🙂

What was the last thing that made you smile?

My toy poodle Morrissey. He’s currently begging me to wrap this up so I can give him my full attention.

Vince Lozano [Interview]

Hello Folks! A happy Wednesday to you all! Today we have a great interview with one of the hardest working people in Hollywood. It’s Vince Lozano, Everyone! Vince has been in the game for 30 years now, and has a plethora of amazing credits out in the world as an actor, producer, and more. Lozano made his big break in the international blockbuster film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, in which portrayed the lovable (sort of) pirate, Jacoby.

Since the success of Pirates, Vince has gone on to work on some wonderful films and television series both in the mainstream world, as well as some delightful indie projects. One of the latter happens to be the 2018 film we loved so much that it ended up on our Top Films of the Year list, which would be Fear, Love, & Agoraphobia. Vince was kind enough to take some time out of his busy schedule and tell us a bit about his time on set of Pirates, his work since, and what the future holds for this incredibly versatile and highly talented performer. We are delighted to share his words with you all today. So Folks, please enjoy some wonderful words from the great Vince Lozano!

******

What inspired you to get into the world of performance? I understand you started pretty early in life? What drew you to this life? 

For me it was trying to find something that challenged me and fulfilled me. I was 17 or 18 trying to figure out what I wanted to do in life some of my ideas were: (paramedic, police officer, real estate, computer programming) I was a street dancer at the time taking classes performing I got real joy from that. I knew I wanted to be a part of the arts in some way. That’s when I was hanging out at Karamu House taking acting classes I was approached about auditioning for an original play. They needed a kid who could dance play basketball sing and act. I was really good at two out of the four. I was just started learning how to act. Booking that play changed my life. At the end the run of the play I knew I found my calling…(lol not trying to sound cliche) if I never became actor I would of never moved to Cali, met my wife made the wonderful friends that I have today and my beautiful amazing son. Have this pretty cool career I’m blessed. 

What drew you to this life? 

The adrenaline the natural high and excitement that I feel when I feel that I rose to the occasion and killed that performance on screen and stage. It’s just great place to release all this angst, intensity, passion, love that I have… 

What was your very first paid gig in the world of performance? And were there any sort of lessons learned from this experience that s¬ll affect your work today? 

Was eight dollars a show at the Karamu House. My lesson was it is better have a decent job to support myself. I can make a living as an actor…lol…that was always challenging. 

It has been 15 years since you gave your legendary performance in the modern classic film Pirates of the Caribbean. I am curious to know how your experience was working on this now legendary project? Any fun an¬dotes you could share? 

It was amazing I pinched myself everyday going to set and so blessed to work on a film that will hold its own for years to come and to work with wonderful actors: Johnny, Geoffrey, Keira, Orlando, Zoe, Kevin, Treva, Lee, Marty, Jonathan! I’m still good friend with a lot of some of the Pirates. I talk to once a week. 

All I can say the Brits can truly drink lol…we play poker until 4 a.m. Beer, wine, whiskey all gone only thing left is “ Vinny’s rum” .“Hey Mate can we have some of your rum?” I always say why is the rum always gone? Lol 

In 2018 you appeared in and co-produced one of our favorite films of the year, the amazing Fear, Love, & Agoraphobia. I am curious to know what drew you to this brilliant and unique project? 

Alex the director is one of my closet friends out here in LA. I read a lot of original drafts of the script. I helped out with notes on script and also on the film edit. He wanted me to be a part of it we worked shopped my scenes originally White Eagle was written for two actors but we lost the other actor due to work. We combined the role I thought it worked well. I helped out anyway I could as a producer. Alex did a brilliant job of pulling some amazing performances out of all the actors involved. I’m really proud of the success of the film. 

If you were handed the opportunity to appear in the biopic of any legendary figure in American history, who would it be?

I wanted to play a boxer named Johnny Tapia he just lived a crazy life. He had nine lives but he used them all up. If I could sing I lwould ove to play Phil Collins, lol. L. Ron Hubbard could be very interesting to play him. He died all alone in a trailer, all of the ups and downs and twists cons he pulled off. 

What does the future hold for you? Anything you would like to plug to our readers? 

Have a couple documentaries I’m working on: Brothers Broken: When the Music Stopped. Have a TV show coming out called: Golden Revenge which I’m a regular on. Film called: Promising Young Woman.  Newly released film called: Trauma Therapy. 

I see myself acting and directing. Been co-producing & directing a boxing docuseries called Ten Count. Another docuseries called HOD I’ll be directing and producing this year. 

Whatever else the Universe brings to me. 😊 

What was the last thing that made you smile? 

My son getting his first hit playing baseball and just seeing his eyes light up running to first base made me smile. 

Lana McKissack [Interview]

Hello Folks! If you all could bring yourselves back to think all the way back to the year 2019, you may remember a wonderful interview we did with the co-creator and co-star of the incredible series Dark/Web, one Michael Nardelli. Well, we are so excited to share with you all some words from another brilliant star from this series, and so much more, the incredible Lana McKissack!

Prior to Dark/Web, I was honestly unaware of Lana as a performer, but needless to say that after seeing her in this incredible story unfold and her incredible performance within it, she has quickly become a favorite and is definitely somebody to watch out for in the years to come. She has been in the game since she was but a child, and has quickly progressed to be one of the best in the game. She has an exciting new project coming to you all soon from the world of horror which we all know and love to so much. We are so happy that Lana was able to take some time to answer a few of our questions. So Folks, please enjoy some incredible words from the brilliant Lana McKissack!

*******

What inspired you to get into the world of entertainment? Was it something you have always dreamt of doing as a youth, or did you happen to find yourself in this world one day?

Being born and raised in Los Angeles, it was kind of a given that I would at least dip a toe into the entertainment industry. Most kids I knew at least went on a few commercial auditions before deciding if they wanted to take it any further. I fell in love with performing from the time I remember being alive. My parents were incredibly supportive of me and enrolled me in the youth program at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute when I was five. I’ve never looked back!

What was your very first paid gig as a performer? And where there any sort of lessons learn from this experience that you still utilize in your work today?

I did a handful of commercials when I was a toddler, but the first paid gig that I have concrete memories of was a Hershey’s commercial. They kept telling me that I didn’t have to actually eat the candy bar, but as a child, I obviously completely ignored that and ate bar after bar. I was horribly sick (and wired) that night. I’d say I learned my lesson, but I did literally just polish off a Snickers…

At a very young age, you appeared in my favorite segment of my favorite anthology films of all time, the great Four Rooms. How was it working under the direction of Robert Rodriguez at such a young age? How was your experience overall working on this project?

I loved every moment of working on Four Rooms. I was ten years old, and I got to play on set for three weeks with a bunch of amazing actors and one of the most talented directors in the world. I have very fond memories of chatting with Quentin Tarantino at craft services, doing karaoke with Tim Roth at the cast party, and Robert Rodriguez taking us on a Toys”R”Us (RIP) shopping spree when the movie wrapped. Robert was, and is, such a creative, brilliant, and kind person. We still chat from time to time, and I continue to be amazed by his work. I am also still in contact with Danny Verduzco, who played my little brother. He’s not in the business anymore because he’s out there making the world a better place, but he’s still as fun and sweet as he was as a kid.

I was recently made privy to a series you worked on entitled Dark/Web that it is absolutely brilliant. We have previously spoken with your co-star and one of the show’s co-wrtier/producers Michael Nardelli actually! So, I am curious to know what drew you to this very surreal and insane story? What made you really want to break this thing open and be a part this world?

When I auditioned for Dark/Web, I had never seen anything like it. It’s such a unique story in a format that, as far as I know, had never been done on TV. It felt so new and fresh, and also quite mysterious. The cast of the main narrative was not given the scripts to the anthology episodes, so while we were told the gist of each story, we were kept in the dark about much of the show. I know so little about the actual dark web so watching the whole series legitimately freaked me out. Having said that, it was such an amazing thing to be part of and I’m so proud of how it turned out.

One genre of film that you have done some amazing work in is the world of horror, including the forthcoming film Countdown from writer/director Justin Dec. We are huge fans of the world of horror around here. With that, I am curious to know what you enjoy the most about working in the world of horror? And what sets it apart from the several other genres you have worked on?

Honestly, my favorite thing about working on horror sets is the lunch break. Nothing tickles me more than standing in line with a monster and a few corpses, watching a partially-severed arm attempt to use salad tongs. It’s surreal and bizarre, and I love it. Apart from that, I wouldn’t say it’s hugely different from other genres I’ve worked in. No matter what the tone, I think most actors try to take every project seriously, while still recognizing that our jobs are ridiculous and usually quite fun.

You have done so much incredible work in the world of television, film, music, and more. So with that, I am curious to know what your favorite medium is to work in? If you were only allotted the chance to work in one field for the remainder of your career, which would it be?

What sick world is this in which I can only choose one?! I’m gonna loophole the hell out of this. Okay, so…I really love doing theater, and I do love music, but both of those mediums can somewhat be combined into tv/film. I could do a live taping of a musical on tv, so HA! Oh but wait, I still want to do movies too. So maybe I can be in a meta film about the live taping of a musical on tv? Yes, I’m sticking with that.

If you were handed the opportunity to portray any legendary figure in American history in their biopic, who would it be? Why?

Hands down, Mariah Carey. I look nothing like her, but I just love her so much and I find her fascinating. I really want to reenact that episode of Cribs, in which she works out on a VersaClimber in stilettos. What. A. Legend.

What does the future hold for you? Anything you would like to plug to our readers?

Hopefully more of the same! I have voiced several very cool animated characters in projects that will be coming out in the next year. Animation takes a long time and is usually shrouded in secrecy, so I can’t give any specifics, but know that fun things are on the horizon! If you’re still in the holiday spirit, you can rent my film A Christmas Movie Christmas on iTunes/Amazon/YouTube/Google Play. Countdown is available now on digital and on Blu-ray/DVD on January 21st. And please keep your fingers crossed for a second season of Dark/Web. We all really want to do it!

What was the last thing that made you smile?

That Snickers bar I just ate. They don’t sponsor me, but if they want to…

Derek Wayne Johnson [Interview]

Hey Folks! It’s officially the end of our first week back in 2020, and we are pulling no punches when it comes to making a triumphant return! Today we have a man who I would have once mistakenly far too simply called a brilliant documentarian. Which I have learned would be absolutely foolish, and I owe our guest a serious apology for this. Sorry Derek! It’s filmmaker and actor Derek Wayne Johnson, everyone!

To be fair to myself, Johnson has done some pretty great work in the field of documentaries, including the film that first drew my attention to him, which would be John G. Avildsen: King of the Underdogs. It’s a MAGNIFICENT film. I went on the hunt for films like this recently after having the wonderful opportunity to review a brilliant doc about the now late and always great filmmaker Larry Cohen. And what I discovered was a wonderful produced film in Underdogs, and was very anxious to get the film’s creator to grace our digital pages.

And as it often comes to be, we learned so much for about Johnson that we ever expected, as he was kind enough to give us some very insightful and thoughtful A’s to our Q’s. For a little insider knowledge, we never really know how Folks are going to respond to our (sometimes intrusive seeming) questions, and we are ALWAYS delighted when these incredibly talented (and obviously very BUSY) artists are willing to give so much thought into what we had to ask. Needless to say, Derek does not disappoint in this absolutely wonderful interview I have for you below!

So, Folks, please enjoy some incredible words from the brilliant Derek Wayne Johnson!

******

What inspired you to get into the world of entertainment? Was it something you have always dreamt of doing as a youth, or did you happen to find yourself in this world one day?

I’ve been wanting to make movies since I was 3 years old. The first movie I remember seeing at the cinema was The Karate Kid Part II and I was mesmerized. Growing up on VHS tapes, movie rental stores and cable TV, there were so many influences. Something about movies and storytelling captivated me. While most kids were doing whatever it is that kids do, I was dreaming up scenes, shots, characters and stories while my imagination ran wild.

I started making short films in high school and that carried over to film school at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX. When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, LA, the productions moved upstate to Shreveport. Being an hour and a half away from Shreveport while making films at SFA, I got my foot in the door on Hollywood and Indie productions.

What was your very first paid gig in the world of entertainment? And were there any sort of lessons learned from this experience that you still utilize in your work today?

I wasn’t paid to make a movie until I was in my 20s, but my first official paying job was taping football practice every day my senior year of high school. The summer in between high school and my freshman year of college I was offered a job at my local radio station as a Radio Producer, to which I accidentally kept the phone lines On-Air one night and the whole town listened in as I talked to one of my buddies about girls and how bored I was. Thankfully an honest elderly lady called the station and alerted me of my mistake.

But I would say my first gig on a higher scale in entertainment, and certainly my first Hollywood gig, was as a recurring extra on a TV show called Thief starring Andre Braugher, Clifton Collins, Jr. and Mae Whitman. I was a senior in film school at SFA at the time and would drive over to set and absorb as much knowledge as I could. The main thing I learned from this experience was to never tell your friends and family that you were an extra, being that when they tune in to see you on TV and only see the top of your head out of focus in the background, it’s disappointing.

A couple of years ago you had an incredible documentary come out entitled John G. Avildsen: King of the Underdogs. I am curious to know, although it seems somewhat obvious, about what inspired you to develop this project about the legendary Mr. Avildsen?

l never intended to make documentaries but have always been a fan of them. For example, I loved I Knew It Was You: Rediscovering John Cazale and The Kid Stays in the Picture and His Way, among others. I stumbled upon John Avildsen’s YouTube page while studying interviews of some of my favorite directors while preparing to shoot my fourth feature film, as a way to get inspiration and learn a few pointers before production began. While listening to an old interview of John I noticed it was posted from his personal page, so I sent him an email. The email was half fan/half business as he was one of my directing heroes and made my two favorite films of all-time, Rocky and The Karate Kid. I couldn’t believe it when he emailed me back.

From there, we began a friendship to which I offered him two scripts to direct. He turned me down, but not before I paid him $1,000 to script doctor the first one. Realizing the opportunity I had in my hands and not willing to give up, I asked him if I could make a documentary about him. He said yes, and then we were up and running. He and his films completely changed my life so this was a way for me to repay him for inspiring me as a kid and as a filmmaker. By the way, he told me a couple of years after I paid him $1,000 to script doctor that he never expected me to actually follow through, but he kept his word and critiqued and tweaked every page. It was the best investment of my life.

You have done so much incredible work as an actor, writer, director, producer, and more. So with that, I am curious to know what your favorite format is to work in? If you were only allotted the chance to work in one field for the remainder of your career, which would it be?

I am first and foremost a director and that is the field I excel in and would choose if I could only choose one. And it would be in narrative feature films. Don’t get me wrong, I grew to love documentary filmmaking, but my true calling and passion is narrative feature filmmaking. As a kid, I wanted to be an actor and a director, but I realized that acting was more of a way for me to make connections, get an agent and get noticed.

I always say this: As a kid I wanted to be Indiana Jones. As an actor, I wanted to play Indiana Jones. But what I grew up to realize is all that time I really wanted to be the filmmaker who MADE Indiana Jones. To me, telling a story in 90 to 120 minutes is a high art form, but I don’t mind an occasional documentary if that is the medium the story would work best as. Case in point, my latest three documentaries: John G. Avildsen: King of the Underdogs, 40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic and STALLONE: Frank, That Is. But, I cannot wait to get back in the director’s chair on a narrative feature.

If you were handed the opportunity to create and portray any legendary figure in American history in their biopic, who would it be?

This is a tough one. Since I no longer am an actor, I must say that as a filmmaker I would want to tell the story of…geez, I just can’t think of anyone at the moment! Haha.

What does the future hold for you? Anything you would like to plug to our readers?

Recently, my producing partners and I formed Cinema 83 Entertainment, focusing on feature films, and Cinema 83 Documentary Films which focuses on documentaries. We intend to balance productions in both mediums of narrative features and documentaries and I am currently hard at work on rewrites on my feature scripts. However, we do have a couple of documentaries releasing this year including 40 Years of Rocky: The Birth of a Classic, narrated by Sylvester Stallone, and STALLONE: Frank, That Is about Sylvester’s Grammy and Golden Globe nominated brother Frank.

What was the last thing that made you smile?

I was going through some emails this morning and found one from Sylvester Stallone from a few months back where he said to me, “You are a man with the soul of an artist.” That made me smile and it reminded me to keep moving forward and tell stories that need to be told in the way that only I can tell them.

Joseph D’Onofrio [Interview]

Happy Wednesday Everyone! We are continuing 2020 with another incredible interview that we are so excited to share with you all. Today’s guest is an absolute legend on so many accounts. Many of you all will instantly recognize him from one of the greatest films of all time, in which he played the younger version of Joe Pesci’s character Tommy DeVito, known as Goodfellas. Well over the last 30 years, the great Joseph D’Onofrio has grown right up into a full blown star with over a 100 credits in film and television alone.

In most recent years, I have noticed Joseph making special appearances in some of my favorite films of recent times such as American Fango and Who’s Jenna, the latter of which will be discussed below. And in the past, you have probably caught his work in classic like the brilliant horror film Bloody Slumber Party, brought to you by our past guest Larry Rosen. As well as reoccurring roles on series such as 30 Rock and Are We There Yet?, and wonderful performances in films like Price Check, written and directed by another past guest, Michael Walker. And there appears to be no slowing down, thankfully for us!

So Folks, please enjoy some wonderful words from the legend himself, the great Joseph D’Onofrio!

******

What was your first paid gig in the world of entertainment? And were there any sort of lessons learned from this project that you still value to this day?

I did a Commercial. It taught me about character and  how important it is to treat everyone with respect and reminded me how I value integrity.

I love the 2018 film you appeared in entitled Who’s Jenna? It was a true delight. So how was your experience working on a project like this one? Was it as much fun to work on as it was for viewers towatch?

It’s was great to do this movie cause i played a geek. I love when i get to play something i never did before.The Director was great.. I did a lot of research about geeks. I would love to play a geek again !!!

Another brilliant film you worked on was a horror film directed by our new friend Larry Rosen entitled Bloody Slumber Party. We absolutely LOVE horror around here, so I am curious to know how what you like about the world of horror? In your professional opinion, what do you believe it is that sets this genre apart from the others?

I love horror movies !! I just finished a movie called Ghost In The Graveyard. I played a Deputy it was so fun. I can’t wait to do another one.I love to act being scared !!!

If you were given the opportunity to star in the biopic of any legendary figure from world history, who would it be?

Lou Costello would be a good one. People always say i look like him and i love to laugh and do comedy. Another would be Buddy Hackett.

What does the future hold for you? Anything you would like to plug to our readers?

I’m doing a lot of stand up comedy. Plus I have a bunch of films coming out. you can look on iMDB and check them out. I also have a couple of TV pilots. Follow me on Instagram @josephdonofrioofficial and friend me on Facebook

What was the last thing that made you smile?

I woke up.

Ryan Singer [Interview]

Photo by Matt Misisco

Hello Folks! And welcome to our introduction to 2020. It’s almost needless to say that less than a week into the new year, things are going pretty damn strange. Surreal even. Australia is on fire, and we appear to be headed into WWIII. And the memes just keep on a flowin’. So with that in mind, I feel as though our first guest of the year is a prime example of what we need to remember in the new decade. Two things to remember, Folks: Laugh. And THINK. And today’s guest is the kind of person who is an absolute mastermind at making us do both! It’s the incredible comedian Ryan Singer, Everyone!

Singer has been absolutely killing it in all things considered comedic in this modern day and age. From doing stand up sets all across the land, to his brilliant books, to his incredibly unique presence in the world of podcasting. Much like our dear friend and past guest Shane Mauss, Ryan is a hilarious human being who is not afraid hit on such controversial subjects of such as the conspiracy theories we know we all want to believe but some can’t seem to wrap our fragile little government-owned minds around…but are open to learn more. Also in most recent news, Ryan official denounced the use of chocolate as a form of sustenance. And I am here to say that I fully support this decision. I completely agree with him, and admire his bravery in embracing this topic.

So Folks, welcome to 2020. Here is to hoping that the chaos can dissipate like fog burning off around the afternoon son, but also to the hope that when the world does finally explode, we can look back in our final hour and believe that we may have a had a few good laughs in there. And it will likely be folks like Ryan Singer who will have brought that joy into our lives. So please enjoy some wonderful words from the absolutely brilliant comedian, Ryan Singer!

******

When did you first realize that you were a hilarious human being and that you wanted to make people laugh for a living?

As a kid, the only thing I really cared about deep down was making people laugh, especially adults. I realized at a young age that if you can make people laugh that is the quickest way to get into their heart, so to speak. I would say the beginning of my comedy career started on our family’s answering machine. Back in the 80’s you could record for the length of the tape, so my messages were upwards of 3 – 4 minutes long of me doing impressions of Elvis, George Bush Sr, Gandhi, and Robin Leech. My parents and their friends thought it was funny and no one ever left a message because they couldn’t sit through the whole message. My Dad would tell people that I did the best impression of an Elvis impersonator. That’s when I knew I could make the grownups laugh. But, it was until later in life that I realized I could write my own jokes for stand-up that I decided to give it a go.

Whenever we have touring comedians on the site, I always like to ask this question: What are some sort off the beaten path cities that may surprise people to be actually really great places to do comedy? Beyond the well-known LA and NYC gigs, what are some places in the “fly over” states that you have had great shows in?

Well, I started my comedy in the “fly-over” states, so I am very much at home in those cities and there are so many great comedy scenes all around the country that most comics I know who live in LA or NYC are chomping at the bit to get to these “real” audiences that come to those shows. For the last 9 years or so, I’ve predominantly made my living by doing these cities, towns, and comedian-run shows and they are usually of the one-nighter variety. These organic scenes that popped as a result of the chain comedy clubs taking over most of the independently run comedy clubs in cities have been the backbone of stand-up for a decade or longer now. I would argue that this has been one of the best things that happened to modern stand-up comedy because the chain clubs are all run through the agents who aren’t connected to the overall comedy landscape in a meaningful way because their agenda is to put people through the chain clubs to make themselves money.

That’s not to say there aren’t cities that still have great, independent clubs, but I mostly work these independent rooms nowadays with a couple clubs still in the mix like Go Bananas in Cincinnati, Wiley’s in Dayton, Ohio, and a few others. Southern Ohio has a soft spot in my heart because I started there, but there are other GREAT comedy cities like Lincoln, Nebraska, Birmingham, Alabama, Atlanta, Georgia, Chattanooga, Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee, Des Moines, Iowa, Indianapolis, Indiana, and so many more. There’s a crew of comics who have been running shows in Oklahoma City for years that are always amazing and other smaller cities that really make your comedy heart swell with love of the craft.

Like every comic, I love a great room and so many younger and older comics have cultivated amazing scenes all over the place. In 2011, a friend of mine, comic Jarrod Harris, and I tried to do a tour documenting these “organic” scenes with 20+ city tour where we filmed along the way. Long story short, we’ve had multiple editors dropout on us during the process and it never made its way to a finished product. But, it was our earnest attempt at showing people that the so-called “fly over” states have beautiful comedy scenes happening outside of the industry’s eye. Maybe some young kid who reads this will want to edit it, who knows. I could talk all day and night about this particular question so I guess I’ll stop it there. But, comedy is alive and so, so well.

You had a reoccurring role, alongside or friends and past guests Dave Anthony and Troy Ruptash, on what I consider to be one of the greatest comedic show of all time, which would be IFC’s Maron. I am curious to know how your experience was working on this fine program? Any fun antidotes that made working on the program as fun to work on as it was to watch?

Getting to work on that show was a real dream come true for me. It was my television debut as an actor the first time I was on that show and an experience I’ll never forget. The first time I was on, I was in a scene with some other comics – Dave Anthony and Anthony Jeselnik and we were at a comedy festival hanging out for the scene. We were riffing some lines and it turns out the first line I ever had on TV would be something from the riffing take, “That’s a lot of pussy.” I’ve always had a soft spot for bad words and I couldn’t wait to tell my Dad that my first lines on television were, “That’s a lot of pussy.” Out of context, it may sound strange, but if you have seen the scene you’d understand. It was so fun to go back a couple times after that and work in scenes one-on-one with Maron, too. I toured with him for a handful of years as his opener, so we have a pretty good idea of how we interact and since I was playing myself it was great fun. I remember one time, the Director of the episode “The Request” Michael Jamin gave me the direction to, “Be more Ryan Singer,” after a take. I had met him a few times before at comedy shows, so we knew each other a bit. So, after the next take he said, “Be a little less Ryan Singer.” I’ll always remember that as my favorite direction I’ve been given on set.

As is practically required these days, thankfully so as a comedy fan, you have a podcast! A recent episode of your show Me & Paranormal You actually features our friend and past guest Shane Mauss, who seems like a perfect fit for this type of show. Can you tell our readers who may not be familiar with the show a bit about it? What made you want to make this happen?

I’ve been doing Me & Paranormal You for just under six years now and I still love it. I’ve always loved the unknown, the paranormal, and the supernatural. I had a few paranormal experiences that really prompted to me start the podcast, so I could try to dive into finding out more information about others’ experiences to feel less alone in my own experiences. I think that’s what we all want, ultimately, is to find community and feel like we aren’t crazy for knowing what we saw or experienced. I’ve found that most people, if not all, when they really sit back and think about it have had some kind of unknown or unexplainable experience in their life that leaves them confounded.

I’m on a journey to make sense of those moments and to try and show everyone in a way that heavily involves me keeping my sense of humor that they’re not crazy for believing the high strangeness that they witnessed. Shane and I clicked immediately when we met years ago at the Rooftop Comedy Aspen Comedy festival. We’ve been buds ever since and he’s probably the most frequent guest on the podcast. One of the most popular episodes I’ve ever released is a 3 parter where he walks me through smoking DMT for the first time. It’s pretty wild. Shane is a seeker of information and truth, but his chosen path to find these truths of the universe lie on the road of scientific discovery and that makes him a great compliment to me as I am firmly on the path of “woo” discovery.

There is immense crossover in these two fields and even in the modern western world where we tend to bow down to the new high priests, the scientist, there is so much unknown in our universe that we are ultimately searching for the same thing – truth. I find that when people realized they’ve had experiences with ghosts, Bigfoot, or other unknowns, finding community with others who share these will help to stem the tide of the scientific shaming that most people face when being open about their experiences.

I’ve learned that our regular LA readers can catch you at a fairly regular show called “Underbelly” that you host with fellow hilarious comedian Chris Garcia. Can you tell our readers a bit about this show and how it started? And where do they need to go to catch his genius in person?

I have a love affair with Underbelly. The show started in Cincinnati years ago by comedian Mike Cody. As the only comic from the southern Ohio scene that moved out west, I waited until Chris Garcia moved down to LA from SF to start the show. I met Chris years earlier and knew he was the perfect person to run the show with for many reasons, his brilliance amongst them. It is a show that we’ve been running for probably over 6 years now and stand-ups are not allowed to do stand-up on the show. So, there is music, sketch, characters, slide shows, and anything else you could possibly think of doing. It is always wild, wonderful, and unpredictable.

Having Chris as the co-host has contributed to my joy so much because of how effortlessly funny he is in anything he does. He seems to have a real zen quality about him when he performs and he can do it all – comedy, music, character, just anything really. He’s got so much natural talent and such a great work ethic and respect for comedy that it shines through every time he’s on stage doing anything. Underbelly has really been a traveling show of weirdos over the years and we’ve moved venues more than a few times. Right now we are putting the show at a place called Oeno Vino in Atwater Village. We are trying to find a regular time slot, but with Chris and I’s increasingly busy schedules and travel it has been hard to really lock in one day a month for it.

What does the future hold for you? Anything you would like to plug to our readers?

The future is thankfully unknown to me. I’ve started a second podcast with my friend Angela Lovell, who is a wonderful and hilarious psychic witch called This Is Where the Magick Happens. It explores the occult, witchcraft, the paranormal and a lot more. It’s been a ton of fun so far. I’m doing a lot more paranormal investigations the last few years and have been a part of a couple documentary projects that are still in production. I am also working on a paranormal comedy memoir, developing an animated show that combines my loves of comedy and the paranormal, and just trying to learn how to walk through walls amidst it all.

It’s strange where this life takes us, but awhile ago I told the universe that if it laid out my path I would follow it no matter where it led. I just want to live the fullest life I can trying to chase down the mysteries of the universe and what I’ve experienced and have a ton of laughs along the way. I’ve been really lucky. I mean, it is stupid how lucky I’ve been to meet the people I’ve met, have the experiences I’ve had, and I just try my hardest to be grateful for all of it. Also, the goal is to have the first comedy special on The History channel, maybe it will air right after Ancient Aliens.

What was the last thing that made you smile?

I just recently bought some cacti and succulents to see if I could learn how to hear them communicate. Its a long story, but there’s a great book called The Cosmic Serpent by Jeremy Narby that explores the knowledge gleamed from shamans in the Amazon and it inspired me to kick up my relationship a notch with plants. I have taken to reading a little to them and talking to them to help them thrive. They make me smile when I talk to them.

To learn more about what Ryan has coming up, and when he will be in a city near you, head to ryansinger.com

Teri Brown-Jackson [Interview]

Hello Folks! And welcome to what may be our very last interview of 2019! It has been a incredible year making all of these wonderful friends, and our guest today is truly the cherry on top of the proverbial cake that would emulate our year here at Trainwreck’d Society. It’s the wonderful Teri Brown-Jackson, Everyone! Teri has an incredible story of triumph, especially in the world of television writing. She has worked on some of the finest programs you know and love, such as a personal favorite of mine, House of Payne, as well as the hit series The Parkers, and as I would learn in the answers below, one of my favorite series from my youth, In The House. I will admit, I felt pretty ashamed about the fact that I had forgotten about this wonderful show that I thoroughly loved in my youth. Yet, I am so excited that we Teri had some wonderful things to say about this delightful series, her work on the absolutely brilliant House of Payne, and SO much more.

So Folks, please enjoy some incredible words from the insanely talented human being that is Teri Brown-Jackson! We shall catch you again in 2020 with some more incredible interviews after the December recaps of the year/decade that are coming soon. Until then, please enjoy this absolutely amazing interview that we are so happy to have cap off our year! Take care!

******

Marissa Melnyk [Interview]

Hey Folks! Happy Friday to you all. I am so damned excited to share this incredible interview with you all. Over the last 3 years or so, I have looked forward to every Thursday for the dropping of the best podcast out there in the digital airwaves today. That podcast would be the brilliant All Fantasy Everything. We’ve talked about it quite a bit here at TWS, especially since I first discovered the podcast through our interview with co-host Sean Jordan! We’ve also had the honor of having fellow co-host David Gborie (who we just talked about last Saturday, actually) on the site a couple of years ago as well. And today we have a third member of the Good Vibes Gang with us here today! It’s the incredible, super producer Marissa Melnyk!

Some of you may know her as the background giggler for AFE, and if you know this, you know that she is an absolute gem of a human being who is adored by the show’s hosts and my fellow fans in the All Family Everything as well. Or maybe from Punch Up the Jam, where she also does some amazing work. Or any other delightful HeadGum podcast she’s worked on! It is such an honor having Marissa with us today gracing our digital pages. While I love all of our guests equally, I really really wanted to learn a bit more about the greatest producer in podcast history! And she does not disappoint! She gave some wonderful answers, and I am so excited for you all to check them out!

So, I will stop my babbling, and just get right into it! Folks, please enjoy some amazing words from the even more amazing person, the great Marissa Melnyk!

******

What inspired you to get into your line of work? Was production in the world of entertainment you have wanted to do so since your youth? Or did you happen to find yourself in this world?

I watched a lot of TV growing up and liked the idea of producing entertainment for others. The idea of working on something that could make a stranger somewhere around the world laugh,  felt very fulfilling to me. I’d always been a fan of technology and the “behind-the-scenes” of production, and I put that in practice through making content for the web.

I never expected to fall into podcasting, but it oddly came full circle in my life. The first podcast I listened to regularly was the Nerdist podcast with Chris Hardwick. My favourite episodes were the “hostfuls”, where Chris, Jonah, and Matt would just gab for an hour. They often would reference their off mic producer Katie Levine, and I always wondered just what her role was on the show. 8 years later, I now find myself working on a show where 3 hosts gab and I sit off mic as a producer. It’s a little surreal that ultimately Katie’s position that I questioned about, I would find myself in years later. 

What was your very first paid gig in the world of entertainment? And where there any sort of lessons learned from this project that you still use in your work today?

I used to love attending local anime conventions, where I would bring my DSLR camera to shoot cosplay montage videos. It was a fun way to practice videography, editing, and get a free media badge for the weekend. 

Many of my freelance videography jobs I got were through people watching my videos on YouTube, or seeing me filming in public. This cosplay side project lead to job opportunities, which eventually built to bigger projects. Looking back on it, it taught me that the best way to get into the industry is to just start making something. Just do the thing and learn every step of the production- from planning, shooting, editing, publishing, and marketing. It lead me to understand what roles I was passionate about, and allowed me to be a flexible player in any project. 

Having that passion project was so valuable. It’s a great learning experience and in the end you’ll have a published product online that can be seen and shared. And could lead to the eyes of your next employer. 

I also learned that word-of-mouth is a very powerful tool – if you’re nice and a good person to work with, the word will spread to others, and more opportunities will come your way. 

I am a proud member of one of the greatest families of all time, the All Family Everything. I never miss an episode of All Fantasy Everything. It’s so great, and the work you do on the show shines through. So, what is it like to work on a show like this? Is it as much fun to work on as it is for us to listen to?

Aha, the All Family is the best family. The boys give me too much credit – I just ensure it’s tech’d and published to the web. it’s their amazing personalities, heart, and good vibes that make the show so special. 

When hosts work day jobs, we often record evenings or weekends – but it never feels like work when you’re working with those guys. They are 100% certified good, funny AF dudes.  And the emotionally-open nature they promote has lead to real positive influences on my mental health, and for many of our listeners too. We’ve gotten some amazing feedback from listeners who started pursuing self-care or therapy after hearing it promoted frequently on the podcast, which is nice to know the show has made a positive impact on people’s lives.

AFE’s host dynamic emanates the same magic that drew me to podcast listening in the first place, and now having the opportunity to produce that content for others to enjoy makes it rewarding work. 

What would you say is your favorite AFE pick thus far?

It was Nicole Byer’s first pick in the “Dating” draft. The stakes were high – It was her first time on the podcast for a very open-ended topic, so she could’ve gone anywhere with it. Nicole was set to draft first, and since the first pick tends to set the tone of the entire show, there was a lot of pressure on what it would be.  I remember waiting with bated breath to see what she would draft as her #1 pick about “Dating” … and her answer was “Being Eaten Out”. 

It made me laugh a lot. She nailed it.

Another wonderful HeadGum podcast you work on that I never miss when it comes out, is the incredible Punch Up The Jam. It’s so much fun, and again, you do amazing work on it! So sort of the same questions: Is working on Punch Up The Jam as fun to work on as it is to listen to?

Demi and Miel are such incredibly talented people, and I’m always blown away by their work every week making the punch ups. That’s another show I felt so lucky just to be in the same room. What listeners don’t get to experience is the amazing energy during the recording – When the song clips play there’s often scream-singing, dancing and head banging. The hype is contagious. 

That show’s format is incredibly fun to edit and taught me a lot about mixing music in podcasting. Fans might notice the latest All Fantasy Everything musical draft episodes (such as Weddings Dance Songs, Disney Songs, and an upcoming Love Songs episode) have musical clips heavily incorporated in the mix, and I thank PUTJ for giving me the practise.

Plus that show has such a killer theme song. Anytime I hear “PUNCH IT” I wanna throw a fist in the air. It’s just so good.

And what would you say is your favorite Punch Up that Miel or Demi have made?

Hands down, it’s the “Sk8r Boi” punch up they did together. They turned my middle school anthem into a hauntingly beautiful musical performance. Having grown up as an angsty Avril Lavigne-loving teen who also loved broadway musicals, this punch up really resonated with me. 

It’s so well produced and truly an experience – an absolute gem of a track hidden at the end of a podcast episode. 

Your Instagram is deifnitely one of my favorites. You get into the BEST shenanigans involving the world of video games, podcasting, etc. I understand you were actually just back in your homeland for the Toronto International Film Festival. Simply out of curiousity, how was your trip? Were you there to promote a specific project, or just because you are dope and you do dope shit?

Aha TIFF was great. I used to volunteer with the festival for years before I worked there freelance. Working there was a very rewarding experience since it introduced me to my mentor, Aaron Van Domelen, who taught me most of what I know today. 

This trip however, I wanted to enjoy the festival instead of work it. I also brought my Michigan-based boyfriend Zach, and it was great to experience the city through his eyes. Would an American love the city as much as I do? Luckily, he loved it! Toronto’s an amazing city, and it really lights up around TIFF’s season. I was recognized twice there from my podcasting work – which is just so wild to me? Most people who listen to podcasts don’t know what the show’s hosts look like. So the fact that people could recognize me who works off-mic on a show is just crazy to me. It’s really magical when it happens though, because it allows me to geek out about my love for the podcasts with a listener.

What does the future hold for you? Anything you would like to plug to our readers?

I recorded my first guest appearance on All Fantasy Everything! We drafted Bucket List Items, which is a topic I’ve been wanting to draft for nearly a year. Just had to wait until I had the nerve to appear on-mic.

HeadGum is also launching a slate of new original shows soon with some amazing new talent. Be on the lookout for it!

What was the last thing that made you smile?

Just about every podcast episode makes me laugh, so the last thing that made me smile would be the last thing I edited. At the time of writing, I just finished editing All Fantasy Everything “Scariest Fictional Characters” In the episode there’s a lot of mention of “peepee poopoo” and David had a bit about “cutting off his dumps” which made me laugh a lot. It may not sound like the best sell for the podcast, but it was really silly. 

I’m thankful that I get to laugh a lot at my job 🙂