Stephanie Leigh Schlund [Interview]

Happy Monday Folks! And welcome back to Trainwreck’d Society. We have an absolutely wonderful interview to share with you all. Today we are sharing some words from an incredible actress that you all should (or do) already know. It’s the great Stephanie Leigh Schlund! She is a damn fine actress you may recognize from the beloved Hunger Games franchise, and so much more. But, she also happens to be an extremely kind and thoughtful person as well. Which is exactly the kind of person we love to showcase here at TWS!

Stephanie was kind enough to take some time out of her very busy schedule to tell us a bit about her career thus far, including some wonderful insight into things like Hunger Games and The Price Is Right, and so much more. Right off the bat, you are going to notice that Schlund has a very kind soul, and we are so honored that she wanted to share some words with us.

Also, it behooves me to give a shout out my daughter, Sophia, who is as obsessed with the Hunger Games franchise as anyone I know. And I fully support her in it. This one is for you, Girl! Is your dad cool, now? Please?

So with that, please enjoy some wonderful words from the absolutely brilliant actress, the wonderful Stephanie Leigh Schlund!

When did you first discover your passion for the world of performance? Was it something you have always been passionate about, or was it something you just found yourself doing one day?   

I honestly can’t remember ever “deciding” to perform, it was just always something I grew up having the desire to do. The challenge came in working through all the “fluff” and finding the right people who could provide the right opportunities…and then the hard work began. I contribute where I am today to my instincts, faith, support of my family, and the encouragement of my representatives.

We have spoken with a few other folks who began their career in performance in the Atlanta area where you hail from as well, and everyone has had different yet mostly positive experiences kicking off their careers there. So how was it for you? What is it about the Atlanta film scene that sets it apart from the others?

My experience has been wonderful! I debated moving to LA with others when I was younger, but I could never find peace with leaving my family. The thought of it just broke my heart and didn’t feel right, so I didn’t. I trusted that I was meant to pursue this industry and I trusted that it was meant to be from Atlanta (However, in sticking to that theory, I’ve acquired quite a few sky miles in my career!). I feel like growing up and studying in Atlanta gave me a different approach to my technique that was able to set me apart in some form from the others auditioning for the same roles from other coast. I believe the film industry in Atlanta is set apart because it has more heart to it than most places. The talent & crews all know each other well and have been on this wild ride of what Atlanta has become together, we are a family here.

In 2008 you spent some time as a model on Drew Carey’s then new takeover of The Price Is Right. I am curious about how this experience was for you? What was a day to day set life like on a legendary game show such as this one?

It was incredible, but a lot more work than one would think! As a model, we would have to know the games inside and out and have memorized multiple scenarios based on the answers given by the contestants, so we never really knew what to expect! We would have one rehearsal (backwards so the prizes where in order of appearance for the show) then tape an episode. Break for lunch, and do it all over again. I truly cherish my time on the show!

My wonderful 11 year old daughter is obsessed with The Hunger Games franchise, so it would be behoove me to try and earn some “cool Dad” points by asking what it was like to work in the insanely popular Hunger Games lure? What was it like to jump into such an established franchise?

There honestly aren’t even words.  I found out I booked the role then had to wait a solid month, not telling anyone (Yes, I told my Mom, Dad & Sister and swore them to secrecy) before Lionsgate made the official casting announcement. During that month, I experienced every kind of emotion possible, the main one that kept rearing its head though, was the fear of the public’s reaction once it was out. Studios care about the public’s reactions, especially when it’s a phenomenon such as The Hunger Games. Thankfully the public’s reaction was positive and time passed creating one of the most epic experiences in my lifetime thus far. I’ll always hold it close to my heart.

And how has the fan interaction been since you portrayed Cashmere in the third installment?

Exciting! I love hearing fans stories of how the books helped them or inspired them in some way. It’s incredible to be part of such a franchise such as The Hunger Games.

If you were handed the opportunity to portray an historical figure in American history, who would it be? 

Susan B. Anthony…She played a pivotal role in the women’s suffrage movement. In 1878, she presented an amendment to Congress that gave women the right to vote which later was passed. I feel like her fight for woman is what motivated other movements that, in turn, lifted some of the glass ceiling for women.

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

Acting is and will always be my passion, so I’m still doing what I love!  My Instagram, @StephanieLSchlund gives a more in-depth look at what I’m doing on a day to day basis if you want to see my take on Work, Fashion and Travel (whenever I can squeeze in a trip somewhere!).

What was the last thing that made you smile?

Hearing that my 2 year old niece refused to take off her fairy costume from Halloween. Keep rocking in baby girl, keep rocking it…..

Mark Normand [Interview]

Happy Friday Folks! And welcome to the finale of our quick week of comedy that has been so wonderful to share with you all. And we are so excited about the amazing comedian we have with us today. He is one of my absolute favorite comedians working today. I know, I say that a lot. But, I seriously can not convey how much I fucking love this guy! It’s Mark Normand Everyone!

I can’t exactly remember how I came across the comedy of Mark Normand. It may have been a Doug Loves Movies appearance somewhere, or maybe a Race Wars appearance? In all honesty, I can only remember hearing him talking about something that was probably so inappropriate in the current situation….and I loved it! So much so, that I had to check out his podcast, Tuesdays with Stories, and 2 years later, I haven’t missed a week. The banter between Mark Normand and his co-host Joe List is an hour long comedy “hang” that I couldn’t imagine not having each week. I have never enjoyed hearing two people shit on themselves and the world around them any more than I do being a huge Tuesgay, as the guys refer to their extremely loyal fan base. Also there’s Chipotle. LOTS of Chipotle.

And of course, Mark is more than just a brilliant podcaster. He is also one of the finest stand comedians I have ever seen. He made several late night appearances last year, and also had an absolutely incredible Comedy Central half hour special that you must see if you haven’t already. He is also one of the hardest work comics out on the road today. Seriously Folks, he is on the road pretty much every damn weekend, and any city you could think of.

I’ve heard you say in passing that you were an aspiring filmmaker in your previous life, even having attended film school in NYC for a brief period. I was curious as to whether you would be able to elaborate on this phase of your life a bit? What was it that drew you into this line of work at a young age? Was there a particular film that really drew you in?

Oh, Man, I was so rudderless. I was a drunk insecure kid with no direction at all. My folks were getting a tad nervous that I was going to end up with 4 DUIs or as a waiter forever. I knew I was creative and I loved movies so we gave film school a shot. It was wild, living in NYC, learning how to edit, shoot, and make films. But I hated the collaboration of it all. Even if you make an amazing flick, there’s studios and producers and fine print. It was all so daunting. That really turned me off to film. And weirdly enough, I had tried stand up in NOLA a handful of times. I looked in the phone book for comedy clubs and did the open mics at night. And I knew right away that stand up was the real passion, not movie making. So that was it. 

And the age old question: When did the comedy come into play? More importantly, when did you finally realize that you had a talent to make people laugh and enjoy themselves in a somewhat formal setting? 

I used to work at a Mexican restaurant in Baton Rouge, LA (Not bragging) and there was a funny guy there named Ryan who did Improv and stand up and knew that whole world. This is pre internet so I was clueless to anything out side of drinking and house parties. But he convinced me to try a set. I was horrified and put it off for at least 6 months. But I had so little going on in my life that eventually the desperation beat out the fear. I got wasted on vodka and did a 5 minute set at an open mic in Lafayette about 2 hours away. I didn’t want anyone I knew to see me. It went horribly but I loved it. After that I started doing more sets and really working on jokes. It was fun but I never thought I could make a career out of it.

While I would like to consider myself a huge “Tuesgay”, I have to admit that I have only been tuning into your podcast that you do with fellow hilarious person Joe List known as “Tuesdays with Stories”, for about two years. I’ve loved every damn second of it, but I am curious to know about the show’s origin? What brought you and Joe together to dot his thing? And in your personal opinion, what makes you two work so well together?

Hey thanks. 2 years is good because it was a little shaky before that. We were still finding our gay. Now I feel like we’re off and cooking. The whole thing was really Joe’s idea. Joe and I became good buds through comedy, drinking, love of Seinfeld and old movies and irreverent jokes, etc. We were very similar. A big part of comedy is hanging out and waiting to go on and me and Joe are good at that part. We love the hang aspect of comedy. Whether it’s in a green room yucking it up or at a diner till 4 am. He thought, “this would be great to capture on a pod.” We tried having multiple guests on but it wasn’t really gelling. Eventually because scheduling 3 comics a show became too much we just did it with the 2 of us. We slowly built a rhythm and a language and now people really seem to love it. Every ‘comedy’ pod now is “How’d you get started?” “What’s your process?” We just wanted ours to be funny. He goes to one city, I go to another, we come back on Monday and talk about it. In our own kooky way of course.

And one random question I am always curious to know whist listening to TWS: What would you give as a rough guess as to how many thousands of dollars have you received in Chipotle gift cards? Your fans seem to be some of the sweetest folks and want to keep you fed. So where you think you are at as total amount?

We have the best fans. They are sweet, smart and gay. I’d say we’re up to about 5k at this point.

One thing that is truly unique about your career that I have noticed is you have to ability to destroy no matter where you go. Sure, some shows are better than others I imagine, but you have said that you were literally have been on stage in a giant arena filled with people coming to see your pal Amy Schumer headline, and then would be doing a bar show for 15 people later that night. As a non-comedian, and generally just not funny person, this seems like a complete mindfuck! So how do you handle these types of situation, and manage to keep yourself somewhat sane? 

First off, I bomb a lot and I wouldn’t call myself sane. But thanks. Yeah, comedy is funny and if there’s 20,000 people in an arena or 20 at a bar show it’s still just people. All those people have the same weird worries and concerns no matter how many or few there are. And as a comic we can tap into that, the number doesn’t really matter. The real challenge is getting them to listen to you or trust that you’re funny. That’s the part of comedy that’s really challenging in the beginning. I just like telling jokes to strangers. I have weird thoughts that people find strange but if you put humor behind it for some reason people tend to go with it. 

Being one of the hardest working and constantly traveling comedians in the business, it seems like there are very few places across the U.S. that you haven’t performed in. So with that, I am always curious to know what may be some hidden gems for comedy across the country? What are some places that most people would never consider as great places to perform or watch stand up?

Comedy has taken me EVERYWHERE!!! UK, Middle East, Australia, Iowa. It’s wild. But literally every weekend I go out to some city in the US or Canada. There’s some amazing spots out there. Much like people, just about every city has something. Some hidden gems I would’ve never known about are Madison, WI. Love that spot. Ann Arbor, MI is so great. Santa Barbara is awesome. Asheville, NC too. Great spots.

In 2016 you appeared in the wonderful series “Horace & Pete” alongside our friend and past guest Liza Treyger. And I thought you did a truly amazing job amongst a real powerhouse of acting chops. So how was your experience working on this somewhat secretive project? Was this your first real “acting” gig?

Wow, I thought I looked horrible on that. I cannot act. I was freaking out the whole time on that show. It was wild. I was in way over my head. Working with Alan Alda, Edie Falco, Buscemi, Laurie Metcalf. That was insane. I’m still blown away I got that opportunity. I’m not sure it was my first acting gig but it was definitely the one I cared about the most. 

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

I’ve been touring with a fun hour that’s really humming at the moment and would love to get that out there. I’m pitching shows that’ll never get made but it briefly gives you hope for the moment, so that’s nice. Just look for more stand up, podcasts, online stuff and jokes. Always working on those. I love jokes. To see some follow me on twitter and Insta. And check out my pod if you’re not easily offended. 

What was the last thing that made you smile?

Somebody recently posted a video of a baby pig being showered and it was too much to handle.

Find Mark at city near you throughout 2019. Some dates are below, but be sure to check out marknormandcomedy.com, as he is continuously adding cities and is likely to be somewhere close by (including this weekend in St. Louis, MO at the only comedy club I have ever been to, fun fact):

January 11th & 12th : St. Louis, MO @ The Funny Bone

January 19th: Miami, FL @ Magic City Casino

January 24th – 26th: Uncasville, CT @ Comix @ Mohican Sun Casino

January 29th: New York City, NY @ The Village Underground (Live Tuesday’s with Stories)

February 6th – 9th: Cleveland, OH @ Hilarities Comedy Club

February 14th – 16th: Raleigh, NC @ Goodnight’s Comedy Club

February 22nd – 24th: Syracuse, NY @ The Funny Bone

February 28th – March 3rd: Philadelphia, PA @ Helium Comedy Club

March 14th – 16th: Royal Oaks, MI @ Comedy Castle

March 20th – 24th: Las Vegas, NV @ Comedy Cellar Vegas in the Rio

April 4th – 6th: Madison, WI @ Comedy on State

April 11th – 14th: Atlanta, GA @ Laughing Skull Lounge

May 18th: Columbus, OH @ Sonic Temple Music Festival

And check out this clip of Mark performing on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon late last year:

Sarah Tollemache [Interview]

Hello Folks! And I’ll be damned if we don’t have another amazing comedian to share with you all during this week of comedy. Today we have some words with someone who is actually one of my favorite comedians working today. It’s the hilarious Sarah Tollemache! Sarah has been one of those comedians who has continue to pop up on the old proverbial radar through a multitude of podcasts, and just the overall knowledge of who the finest NYC based comedians are out there working today. With a brilliant somewhat self-deprecating style & a hilarious take on the world around us, I simply can not convey just how much I enjoy Sarah’s comedy.

And as you all know by now, I am a huge fan of podcasts. And Sarah has an absolutely brilliant podcast for comedy fans with friend and co-host Adrienne Iapalucci called The Vadge Podcast, that I cannot recommend enough.

2018 saw Sarah make her network television debut on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, as well as stellar year overall. And we are so excited to see what Tollemache has in store for 2019. And we are so excited that Sarah was kind enough to kick off her upcoming year of excellence by gracing our digital pages here today! So Folks, let me stop with the babbling and share these wonderful words from the brilliant Sarah Tollemache!

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

Probably in elementary school. I grew up watching a ton of HBO comedy specials. I would repeat acts like Eddie Murphy or Robert Klein to my friends at the lunch table and enjoyed making them laugh so I was always constantly trying to think of something to say. I love goofing off and or that feeling of hanging out in the back of the class. It all paid off because in middle school I got voted most humorous. I’m still really proud of that credit. 

We have managed to speak with many fine figures from the world of the Upright Citizens Brigade over the years because we are fascinated with what it has become over the last couple of decades. So, how did you get your start in UCB? And what have you enjoyed the most about working with the theatre?

I was in Houston at the time. That’s where I got my start in stand up comedy. Then my friend Paul told me about UCB. He had taken several weeks intensive classes and then would come back and try to teach his comedy friends improv and then we formed our own group and would put on shows around Houston. Then after a year of that I decided to make the move to New York to pursue stand up. No one was getting discovered in Houston. Once in NY I signed up for all the improv classes. I liked improv but realized I was never going to make it in improv. I’m not an outgoing person. I still really enjoy it and think it’s only the best when you are doing it with friends. It was hard getting a group of relatively unknown strangers to meet up several times a week to work on improv. After deciding I probably wasn’t going to make it in improv I decided to get into sketch. It has always been a dream of mine to write for SNL and still is. I like sketch and I tend to think in sketch rather than stand up form. I love sketch because I love meeting with funny people and collectively working on putting on a show. It is the best time and a thrill to watch your peers move on to become big successes.

Congratulations on your recent nuptials! You married to another damn fine comedian, in an almost unfair pairing of comedic powerhouses! The life of a comic seems a bit anxiety driven and insane to manage with just one person, but when you are both out there doing your thing across the country, that has to be hard. So how do you make it work? What is a sort of grounding force that helps you manage the hysteria?

We’re super supportive of each other and I go on the road with my husband quite a bit which is really fun. I’ve dated several comics and I would have to say it is easier to date a comic. They just get it. You can go out every night to work on your set and they get it. They also get the neurosis of it. 

You currently reside in what is still the hotbed of great comedy, the cheerful little town of New York City. But, you do tend to hit the road a bit, and I always love to ask comics this one question: What is a hidden gem of a city in the U.S. that is especially great for comedy? Besides the obvious NYC or L.A. or even Chicago, what is a smaller city that is ripe for comedy?

I think DC is the best. It would be my fallback city. I love the architecture of it. I love how all the buildings are not high rises. Also, their comedy scene is amazing there. Sean Joyce has really built up scene there. It also seems like a city where everyone loves to go out. Plus I feel like the gossip there has to be amazing. 

I also love the shows at Comedy on the State in Madison, Wisconsin is cool. The crowds there are the best and so is the staff and they have a great green room with video games and snacks. 

You had a brief role in our past guest, and old friend, Henry Phillips’s delightful film Punching Henry, amongst a plethora of brilliant comedians (such as another old friend, Stephanie Allyne). How did you become involved with this project? Have you worked with Henry in the past? 

I’ve known Henry for years. We dated for a while when I first started doing comedy and we have remained good friends over the years. He’s probably one of the funniest people I know. He just asked me to be a part of the bachelorette scene and I said, Yes! I will never turn down a role from Henry. He is so good at creating a funny story. I also did one of his You and Your Fucking Coffee web series for JASH! He was always getting in these predicaments where he would seriously put people out with his coffee demands which always made me laugh. I highly recommend binge watching them.

I have recently discovered The Vadge Podcast, and I am very intrigued by it. I’m just getting started here, but for me and the readers who may not be familiar with the podcast, what can we expect? What are we going to love about it?

It’s a podcast hosted by the very funny Adrienne Iapalucci. Adrienne has the best jokes and no one is doing what she is doing. We became friends and thought we should have a podcast together. We named it Vadge because we thought people would be drawn to it thinking that we talk about out vaginas a lot, but we don’t, just a little bit. Come to find out you need to offer more to get people to listen. We record it from her car wherever we can meet in the city scheduled around our spot times and we shoot the shit. We always go on these weird tangents and come up with bits from it. 

What does the future hold for you? Any projects or dates coming up that you would like to tell our readers about?

No projects for now, mainly just working on trying to get a half hour or 15-minute special on either Netflix or Comedy Central as well as another late night spot. 

What was the last thing that made you smile?

Any animal video. I’m really into these puppy bulldog video where they are learning to walk on a linoleum floor and it’s just so spazzy and adorable.

Check out Sarah’s appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert from last year, and find her on Twitter & Instagram, @stollemache, for dates:

Bob Nickman [Interview]

Hello Folks! Oh do we have an incredible interview to share with you fine folks! In fact, we have a wonderful week coming for you all. Because we didn’t want to waste any time getting to around to it in 2019….we have some comedy to share! Yes, we have three wonderful interviews with three absolutely hilarious comedians! And we are kicking the week off with legendary stand up comedian and television writer & producer, Bob Nickman!

Bob has contributed to some pretty legendary comedic television programs, some of which we will discuss below, like Maron and Freaks and Geeks, which we have talked about here via interviews with the likes of Dave Anthony, Troy Ruptash, Steve Bannos and more on TWS before, but obviously not enough! But, beyond just these two fine shows, Bob has also worked on several legendary shows with some folks we have talked to in the past as well. Shows like The Drew Carey Show, Roseanne, Mad About You, and the list goes on and on.

And as it tends to turn out, Bob is a hell of a nice guy! He has some wonderful words to share with us today. We discuss his past work, what the future holds, and, obviously, the importance of a healthy life in mind, body, and spirit! Because we all know that comedians are traditionally the most healthy people in the world, both physically and mentally. I’m kidding of course! Bob has a great podcast on the subject entitled The Exploding Human, which we will discuss below, and you should definitely check it out!

So, let’s get right into it, shall we? Please enjoy some wonderful words from the amazing Bob Nickman!

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What was it that drew you into the world of comedy? Was it a deep-rooted drive to make people laugh that you always had, or did you just sort of find your way in this business?

When I was a kid and first saw an adult on TV being funny, I was intrigued that this was something that was okay to do. It was far away and not a possibility in my mind at the time, but I never forgot it. Later, the options for conventional things to do seemed sad and boring so I thought I would at least try it and see. A friend in college said he thought I should try it and I would be good at it. Nine years later I gave it a shot.

What was your very first paid gig in the world of comedy, whether it be stand up or writing or whatever?

Opening act at a local comedy club in Columbus, Ohio. Don’t remember who the headliner was. But likely someone from Make Me Laugh. 

You have worked as a writer and/or producer on some of the most amazing comedy series to ever be put out. I don’t want to bother you and ask about each one, but there are a couple that really stand out, and I was hoping to talk to you about. First being the now cult classic series Freaks and Geeks. While the show did not last as long as you could have hoped, there does seem to be a real cult following for this program. As somebody who worked on the show in real time, why do you think that is? What makes this show so memorable almost 20 years later, even though it was cancelled so early?

A high level of honesty in character, dialogue and story. The focus on struggle and underdogs is very real for almost everyone in high school and people relate to that.  We avoided false victories and focused on what is the real thing that would happen or really did happen to one of us.

The second would a show that had a brilliant run, and pretty much rounded itself out nicely. And that would be Maron. You came around for the very dramatic and ultimately touching yet still hilarious final season of the program. How did you become on board with this project? And what made this one different from the plethora of other work you have done? Does anything stand out?

I know Marc from my stand up days and when I found out the show was looking for writers I called him, sent him one of my scripts and they brought me on board. It was a great experience, very collaborative with all great writers on the staff with a similar dark comedic sensibility. We were able to do a lot of things that you couldn’t do on network TV, which is always a treat. Marc encouraged that and was always ready to push the envelope and take chances.

As a person who has over 30 years of experience in comedy, from stand up to television production, I am curious to know what you think about the current climate of comedy. Obviously advancements in technology have changed access and the amount of comedy that can be consumed. But, I am curious to know what you believe is still the same as when you started. Are there still any core beliefs that seem to continue to hold true in the world of comedy? And what do you believe has been the toughest change to deal with overall?

I think it has evolved as an art form and that “joke technology” has advanced. There are so many great comics with great material.  The downside is that it is tougher for young comics to make a living. Less venues, less pay, more competition.  The internet and self-produced content has opened up new highways for comedy creators. Monetization and viewers is always the biggest challenge along with more a corporate driven entertainment industry. 

I am intrigued by a project you have entitled “The Exploding Human”. Would you mind telling our readers a bit about this project and how they can check it out?

Actually it is a podcast in the health field. It is not a comedy. I interview all kinds of health practitioners from conventional to alternative, and those who have overcome challenges.  It covers a wide-range of topics in body, mind and spirit. I do try to bring a humorous touch to the interviews at times, but I am more interested in exploring ways humans can expand and EXPLODE in making a better life. It is a result of my own curiosity and quest to find a healthier lifestyle in all areas.

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

I have two dramas and two reality shows, as well as a comedy I just finished. We’ll see if any of them fly.

What was the last thing that made you smile?

Repairing a crack in the stucco on my house and painting it. It came out great!

Phillip P. Keene [Interview]

Welcome to the first Friday of 2019 here at Trainwreck’d Society! I hope the year’s first week has served you well, and your resolutions are still moving forward. Today we have an absolutely incredible interview to share with you all, with a person I have found to have an even more fascinating story to tell that of the character he famously portrayed for close to 13 years on two different series. Fans of Phillip P. Keene (of which there are an abundance) will already know that I of course am talking about the acclaimed TNT crime dramas known as The Closer and Major Crimes.

Now, I am going to be perfectly frank with you all here: I have honestly never watched either of these shows. In fact, beyond say Twin Peaks and another TNT vehicle that we can’t quite discuss yet, I am not particularly fond of crime dramas. Now I know this may go against our standard “fan first” mentality here at TWS, but here me out. After watching just a few (okay, dozens) of clips and moments of Mr. Keene portraying the now infamous Buzz Watson, I was convinced that he is definitely a damn fine actor and it would be an honor to have him on the site. There was no question in that. But, what truly struck me was his story of how he came to be who he is today. Having moved as a youth between South America and several cities in California, I even related to the lack of permanence he felt growing up, as I did the same as a youth. Also, I’m sure I am wrong here, but Mr. Keene may be the first major airline flight attendant to turn into a network television star? Working for Pan Am prior to getting into acting is a story all in itself when you think about what the now debunked airline did to history.

Yes, while most people may be drawn to Phillip’s work on two deservingly successful television shows, I have found his on personal journey to be one that should be documented. He is a pioneer in the LGBTQ community, coming out at a time that was regretfully much harder to do. He is an inspiration and truly just seems like the kind of person I would enjoy spending a day with. And a person of that nature will always be welcome here on the digital pages of Trainwreck’d Society. So new fans and old fans unite, and please welcome the great Phillip P. Keene!

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What made you decide to join the world of acting? When did you first realize it was your passion and the way you wanted to earn a living?

I always wanted to be an actor, but my parents actively discouraged it, and my high school academic career was something less than stellar, so I had very limited sense of my potential during my late teens and most of my twenties. But after I lost my job and went back to college, I began to hope a little. Never did I think I could graduate from college with two degrees! So as I began to consider the next phase of my life, I thought, “Why not go back to my original dream? And at least give it a try?” I was incredibly lucky, too, and very much at the right place at the right time. But I put myself out there. I gambled on my heart and I was fortunate.

Between The Closer and Major Crimes, you have spent over a dozen years portraying Buzz Watson to the admiration of your fans. Last January, it all came to an end. I am curious to know what it feels like to have ran through so many years with a character. And how does it feel to put Buzz to rest now?

A part of me will always be Buzz Watson. I am nothing like Buzz, really, but I like to think we share a common idea of decency. But Buzz lives a life of service to his community. Buzz is a hero and I am an actor. Is it weird to say that, to me, Buzz was like a real person? I can never put him to rest. I miss playing him. I hope another good role will come along, and I’ll get to tap into a different part of my heart. But I will always be proud of my 200+ episodes as Buzz.

I have learned that you are quite the fanatic for the world of Pan Am Airlines, with quite the expansive collection of memorabilia. What sort of things does such a collection contain? And where did the passion for Pan Am come from?

One day, while driving an iffy Volkswagen Bug to a restaurant where I was working as a waiter, my car broke down. I sweated my way through getting it running again, arrived at the restaurant on time, only to be sent home because they weren’t busy enough. I was broke and hungry (because I missed the staff meal) and on my way home, I bought a newspaper for the first time in my life. I skipped right over the events of the day to the want ads. And there, in the corner of the page (I still have it) was an announcement that Pan Am was looking for flight attendants. I thought about it and applied. And because I was fluent in Spanish, they hired me! And suddenly I was off to Florida for training and, before I knew it, based in London! I can’t tell you what a difference this made in my life. I had never travelled to Europe, I had never had a job that required life-saving training, and I had never worn a uniform: it was all incredibly exciting. Also, it was mind blowing. Living in and visiting different countries every week was the first part of my education, and my gratitude to Pan Am for hiring me, and to all the people with whom I worked while there, led me to preserve as much of the company as I could find. Pan Am employees are really like a very large extended family, and we have reunions and several organizations that keep us together, like the Pan Am Museum Foundation, on whose board I serve. In Pan Am, I made friends for life. And the considerable contributions Pan Am made to connect the modern world should be preserved.

If you were given the chance to portray any figure in American history of any sort of significance who would it be?

I love American history, and I study it in my spare time, so there are a lot of amazing figures from our country’s past that intrigue me. If I were to play anyone, though, I think I might choose Thomas Paine. He’s a vastly underrated person from the earliest days of our republic, and had an outside influence on the world. As a common man, largely self-educated, I relate to him in ways that I don’t to great men like Washington and Jefferson. And his writings – Common Sense, The Crisis Papers, The Rights of Man, and The Age of Reason – influenced the entire world. He had flaws. He suffered from depression. He was imprisoned by his enemies and ignored by his friends. But he never stopped trying to influence the future. I’m the right age to take him on! But I don’t know if it’s a story anyone is interested in telling.

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

I did a television movie that aired in 2017. I’m trying to get a documentary off the ground. And I’ve auditioned for lots of new projects. I’ve gotten very close to a several jobs, but not close enough! But if you can tell anything from this interview, I am persistent! I’ve also spent a lot of time at the gym and getting back in touch with my marriage and my everyday life. Since I’m pretty sure I’ll be working again, I’m determined to make this abundance of time off (the first time in my whole life when I haven’t had a job!) as enjoyable as possible. I know actors are supposed to panic when they don’t have a job. It’s not happening to me!

What was the last thing that made you smile?

I actually smile a lot! So maybe I should say the last thing that made me smile a lot was a lunch with Jessica Meraz, dinner with Kearran Giovanni and G.W. Bailey and Graham Patrick Martin, and a phone conversation I had with Michael Paul Chan and a text message exchange I had with Kathe Mazur. The Major Crime alumni are pretty much staying together, and the ensemble of actors who worked together for thirteen years (which is like going from kindergarten through graduation from high school together) sticks together! You never know if that will happen until after the show stops. We miss each other, and we root for each other’s successes. I’m proud of my family, and I hope they are proud of me!

Check out this trailer for Deadly Shores starring Phillip Keene, which was released on Lifetime in August of 2018, and also features our dear friend Kristin Minter:

Lotti Pharriss Knowles [Interview]

Hello Folks! And welcome to our very first interview of 2019! And hot damn if we aren’t kicking it off with a wonderful one! Today we are sharing some words from the absolutely brilliant writer, producer, and actress Lotti Pharriss Knowles! She has done some incredible work in the world of horror and beyond. She has worked with some of our good friends here at Trainwreck’d Society as well, including the likes of Rena Riffel and Austin Ford in the wonderful film Showgirls 2: Penny’s From Heaven, which is actually a franchise that Lotti is  currently working on that we are very excited for, and so happy that she was willing to share some information about in her wonderful answers. Lotti is also the writer and producer of one of the most hilarious comedy-horror films to ever be made, a wonderful film entitled Chastity Bites that we also got to ask a bit about as well, as it is a personal favorite of mine.

Yes, I truly believe that Lotti was the perfect person to kick of what we hope to be a wonderful 2019! So Folks, please enjoy an absolutely brilliant interview with an even more brilliant human being, the wonderful Lotti Pharriss Knowles!

What inspired you to get into the world of film and television? Was it an early aspiration to do so, or did you just happen to find yourself in this world one day?

I was always “theatrical,” and also drawn to the macabre. As a kid my main interests were in being in school plays, pretending to be a witch (not just on Halloween), and having my Barbies enact intricate scenes based on horror movies or nighttime soaps. By the time I was in high school, I was ingesting a steady diet of horror movies and telling everyone that was going to be my career. My first feature screenplay was for my senior creative writing class, a total rip-off of Halloween called Groundhog Day. So though I’ve done many things in my life and career, I’m happy that I finally did make at least one feature horror film!

The 2013 film Chastity Bites, which you wrote and produced, is one of the finest displays of horror comedy I have seen in the last 20 years. It’s truly original and so well written. So, what inspired you to modernize the story of one of the most notorious murders in history?

Thank you so much! I’ve been fascinated by Elizabeth Bathory for a long time (I think my first exposure was Hammer Studios’ Countess Dracula) and always wanted to write a script about her. When I wrote the first draft of the screenplay, it was 2004 and the middle of the George W. Bush years, when there was a lot of heavy Christian rhetoric being bandied about — and abstinence education was very “in vogue,” despite all the evidence that it actually leads to MORE pregnancies and STDs for young people. One day my political outrage, sensibility for satire and love of the Blood Countess legend all clicked, and the rest is history!

You have worked in one specific gig that I don’t believe we have ever mentioned here at Trainwreck’d Society, which would be a Post-production Coordinator. I noticed that you have worked in this filed quite a bit, including multiple projects with the legendary filmmaker David DeCoteau. So, for those who may be unaware of this position (talking about me, if I’m being honest), what is the duty of a Post-production Coordinator? What sort of work does this gig entail?

Yes, like most filmmakers I’ve had a lot of other “bill-paying” jobs, both in and outside of the entertainment industry. This happens to be one of the more fun ones for me, since I’m kind of OCD and love to check off lists! The job entails overseeing some or all of the post-production process on a film, and making sure all the moving parts (editing, sound, color correction, FX and more) are going to come together at the right time to keep the movie’s “delivery” on schedule.

Beyond the world of horror, you also worked on project that was directed by our friend Rena Riffel, and produced by another friend Ford Austin, entitled Showgirls 2: Penny’s From Heaven that we love around here. So what was it that drew you to this project? What was it that inspired you to jump into the Showgirls universe?  

This could be a looooong answer that I’ll keep as brief as possible! Showgirls is easily one of my favorite non-horror movies of all time. My husband and I are literally married because of it, and had a Showgirls-themed wedding in Vegas. Since then we’ve been collecting experiences related to the movie, and when Rena (whom we’d met in 2009 when we co-produced VampireCon) announced she was doing a crowdfunding campaign for her unofficial sequel, I knew I had to pony up whatever amount I needed to get us speaking roles. Being in it was absolutely glorious, I’m so proud. And now I’m proud to say that I’m producing the definitive documentary on the subject, Goddess: The Fall and Rise of ‘Showgirls’! I’m working on it with director/producer Jeffrey Schwarz, after other successful doc collabs like I Am Devine and Vito. We’ll be doing a Kickstarter campaign in March 2019 — follow us on FB TW IG @ShowgirlsDoc!

While the world of horror is far from being your mainstay in the world of film and television, you have had some great success in the genre. With that, I am curious to know what it is you enjoy about working in the more frightening world of suspense and horror? What sets it apart from other projects you tend to work on?

Horror is just my true love, and more fun than anything else to work on. I love coming up with the ideas, I love seeing the gore FX come together (though they are often the most difficult parts of shooting), and I love knowing that the project will at some point be part of The Great Horror Canon. I also love horror fans and think they (we) are some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet! I’m convinced it’s because we embrace the shadow side of life and work it out in a healthy way, rather than repressing it. I get why a lot of people think it’s sick, of course, but the genre has actually helped me deal with anxiety.

What is your favorite scary movie?

That is always such a tough questions — there are so many, and each for a different reason. But I will narrow it down to two, and say:

1) Halloween, because it really did scare me so profoundly as a child, and yet kept me coming back to it over and over. My life was set on a certain course already, but that movie turned the key in my head to full-on obsession.

2) Hammer Studios’ The Vampire Lovers, because I love me a lesbian vampire film (hence Chastity Bites) and it’s among the best of the best. I love the lush, sexy, gothic sensibility of Hammer films, and Ingrid Pitt is my favorite female horror icon.

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

Besides the Showgirls documentary, I’m working on a couple of TV pilots. Last year I had a major disappointment, that an all-female-directed horror anthology series I was producing (along with a great team of people) was not picked up by the network we’d developed it with for a year, even after it was announced in the trades. I so badly wanted that to happen in the era of #metoo, and it would have been a dynamite show. But,  we face a lot of roadblocks and rejections in this business, and we have to pick ourselves up and figure out where to go next. I love these other series I’m working on now (one horror and one girl-power dramedy), and I hope they come to your TV screen soon! But if not, I will find something else that excites me — maybe try my hand at writing a horror book!

What was the last thing that made you smile?

OMG right after this midterm election when Ann Coulter tweeted “Kansas is dead to me,” and Matt Oswalt retweeted that with “did it drop another house on your sister?” It was so perfect and funny — ever the witch, I CACKLED when I read that. But I smile and laugh at a lot of stuff, including myself). Life is stressful, and we all need to smile, laugh and hug as much as possible. And watch horror movies. 🙂

Kristin Minter [Interview]

Hello Folks! Welcome to our last interview of 2018! Can you believe the year is just about over? And as we stated yesterday, we are getting a bit more festive around here. So much so that we have yet another member of the McCallister clan from the beloved holiday film, Home Alone. Although we would rather think of Kristin Minter has an amazing actress who has done some pretty amazing work, one project of which happens to be a beloved holiday gem. Which is true. But, of course, we need to be more festive.

That being said, Minter is indeed an absolutely wonderful actress who had some amazing answers for us. We talk about her time on the legendary television show E.R., her work in our favorite genre of films, the world of horror, and yes, we dig into a Home Alone a little bit, as it is the holidays after all.

So Folks, please enjoy an absolutely wonderful interview with the brilliant Kristin Minter!

What inspired you to get into the world of acting? I know you got into the business at a pretty young age, but what was it that made you personally want to do this work for a living?

I didn’t initially know I wanted to act. I had modeled a bit around the world and then got quite sick. I abruptly quit and decided to audition for Philadelphia College of Arts, which I got into for dance. I actually hated acting class when I went to PCA. I broke my foot and saw a tape of my dancing and decided I wasn’t good enough. I went back to modeling which brought me to LA.

I didn’t know I loved acting until I learned how to act and I was so lucky, I had to learn very quickly. I got work quickly. They say work is the best teacher and when you aren’t working, live so you have something to draw from. I have been doing a lot of living lately!

What was your very first paid gig in the world of acting? And were there any kind of lessons learned from this experience that still affects your work today?

It was The Outsiders.  I found it very uncomfortable and extremely nerve wracking because I didn’t know what I was doing. I didn’t know to listen and respond. Everything was planned and rigid. I knew if this is what acting felt like no one would want to do it. I soon went to a wrap party with a boyfriend and met Jeff Goldblum. He gave me advice and suggested I go to a Meisner class. I knew immediately while auditioning from that class, it was the right thing for me. I went to 4 classes a week. I loved every second of it!!

You are a member of the now legendary fictional family that once flew away without one member of the family being left behind. That family is the McCallisters. And the film was Home Alone. The film has since become one of the most acclaimed holiday films of all time. I am curious to know how it feels to be a part of something so historic? And what was the set life like on this project? Where you aware at the time that you were a part of something very historic?

It was my second real acting job so I didn’t really know what to expect at the time. Most people don’t think I know how to count. LOL TO BE CLEAR….I count the wrong kid. The set was great, the kids were great. We watched movies in my room. Mac and Kieran were sweet normal kids working on a movie. Corey was teeny tiny and their mom was lovely. When I wrapped, Everyone came to my room including the Culkins to say goodbye. I have photographs to prove it. No one has seen these…lucky I was cleaning stuff out and found them recently! (See above)

Another very historic project you worked on was a solid 8 year run on one of the most popular television series of all time known as E.R. I truly loved your performances as Randi. Sort of the same question as before I suppose, but how was your experience working on such an iconic series?

NERVE WRACKING lol. A lot of pressure with long, one camera, 8 page scenes. ONERS they are called. It is like a choreographed dance. Every character leads you to the next character. A lot of moving parts. My character was a bit comedic and I actually think the pressure helped make me more funny or odd at times. I would work on my scene know my lines back and forth but, had no idea how they would come out. So much happened in every scene and your moment was in the moment. Did you catch my elbow in the live episode, lol. Thats acting. It taught me to act fast. I need to learn to slow down now a bit. When I go to work, I go to work. I don’t think about who will see it or if it is historic. I have to have something to offer the audience. Something that is authentic. I work towards having an experience as that character and that is really my focus. And in the case of E.R., I also had to make sure I fit into my costume. LOL.

You have also given some amazing performances in a genre that we cover a lot here at TWS because we love it so much, which is the world of horror. Especially films like Fire City: End of Days. So, I am curious to know how you enjoy working in the world of horror and thriller projects? What sets these apart from the plethora of other genres you have worked in?

Fire City was so fun. I got to be so ugly and raw. Every time I was mean to the little girl playing my daughter it would make me cry. Then I got to be “together” and then in recovery. It was so much fun to be so hugely different in almost every scene. It was so fun to just let go and who knew I was so mean lol. I am dying to do a real  bloody horror movie. I guess what sets it apart is…. I was free to be HORRORible, looks wise and behaviorally. I really got to be a character and I hope I get to do that more in other genres as well. I did get to play a drug addict on This is Us. That was really fun as well!

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

Hmm, I am not sure…. I think most legendary people are very interesting or they wouldn’t be legendary. The more I know the more I would be intrigued by any of them.  Camille Claudelle? Maybe she isn’t considered legendary? I relate to her expression of pain, disappointment  and her bad choices in men. LOL She just had to express herself in her art. My Aunt is a famous visual artist. I loved visual art as well but I am too hard on myself. I just don’t like my art. I much prefer becoming other people.It is an uncomfortable that I am comfortable with.

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

Things change so quickly. I was getting ready to do a movie I had been working on for 3 years and then it went away. It was very disappointing. I don’t really mention anything until I have seen it and I know what to expect. I have a couple things in the can but haven’t seen the yet.That may change. Right now, I like to try and live in the moment. Life can be difficult and again this moment is all we truly have.

I am in a movie called We are Boats that is written and directed by the great James Bird.

What was the last thing that made you smile?

My dogs Oskar and Tank. It has been hard to smile I just lost my lady dog Mimi Gray and White one in the photo.

Senta Moses Mikan [Interview]

Hello Folks! As you all are aware, the holiday season is upon us. And avid readers here at TWS know that we are not the most festive blog in existence. We’ve even gone as far as to, in a somewhat passive aggressive manner, showcase artists and films that are deliberately the exact opposite of festive. See last year’s “12 Non-Holiday Films for the Holidays”. But, we are trying to lighten up a bit over here. Why not? Life’s too short to be so pretentious and aggressive, right? So we decided to show a bit more holiday spirit this year. Okay, not too much though. Baby steps, Everyone.

Today we have some amazing words from a brilliant actress who has been working in the world of performance for almost literally her entire life. We are talking about someone who started as an infant! And she happens to be have appeared in one of most beloved Christmas films of all time. That film would be Home Alone. And the amazing actress we are so fortunate to have grace our digital pages today is the great Senta Moses Mikan. And while we are trying to be more festive around here, we did ask a Home Alone related question. But, we are more excited about the work she has done more recently, as well as her stand out performance in the amazing series My So Called Life that left us far too quickly! I can vividly remember my pre-teen devastation  when the show didn’t come back around the following year after it aired, and being just oh so pissed!

Senta has continued to work on some pretty amazing projects over the years, and even has a new web series coming out that I hope you all check out as you are sure to enjoy it! We discuss this project and more in the wonderful words below. So Folks, please enjoy some wonderful words from the amazing Senta Moses Mikan!

You began acting at a very young age, and have been doing amazing work ever since. With that, what inspired you to continue to work in the world of acting? Having been doing it since before you can physically remember, did the job just sort of become a part of your personality in a way?

Hmm…I think the simplest answer is that I still love it. Being on set is my happy place and I’m so grateful for every job that I book. I feel like I’m getting away with something. Like, I can’t believe people pay me to do this! Do they know how fun this is??? And I find something in every role that inspires me or speaks to me in some way. A lot of times I play characters that are a little “off”, so it’s challenging to figure out what makes them tick. Why do they do what they do? Or how do they go about getting what they want. The investigation of the character is what inspires me. Or the talent of my cast and crew. Nothing is more inspiring than talent, right?

And to answer your last question, it’s absolutely a part of my personality. I’m an actor. I grew up on sets. Acting is how I earn my living, and frankly, I’m not qualified to do anything else. No seriously, not qualified to do ANYTHING else. When I look back on my childhood, I can see that it wasn’t typical, but I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. And that’s probably why I’m still in the entertainment industry. I absolutely love it…and I don’t have a “Plan B”. I’m almost a cautionary tale.

What was the very first paid gig you can remember doing? And was there anything from this experience that you can remember learning from that still affects your work today?

Oof. I have such a bad memory. I think I’ve trained my brain to remember lines quickly and then forget them as soon as I’m done with the scene and unfortunately that pattern has carried over into the rest of my life. The first paid gig I can remember is The Blues Brothers. I was four or five, I think. It was freezing cold. We shot in the middle of winter on a street in Chicago. I remember warming up in my Mom’s car in between setups. I also remember having to pee during the dance sequence on the Blues Mobile and not wanting to tell anyone. So I did what any 5 year old would do, I peed on the car. Through my wardrobe. Not my best moment, but hey, when you begin your film career peeing on the Blues Mobile, it’s all downhill from there. So I guess the thing I learned from that experience was to speak up. If something is wrong or if I need something, I say something. That’s not always easy to do as an actor, but it is absolutely necessary.

You are a member of one of the most infamous families in holiday film history, the McCallisters of the legendary film Home Alone, and it’s wonderful sequel. What is it like to be a part of something just absolutely legendary? The holidays must be exceptionally insane for you after appearing in this holiday classic, right? How has the fan interaction based around the Home Alone universe been?

First of all, I’m very proud and grateful to be a part of those films. I know they’re a holiday tradition for a lot of people, and it’s fun to reminisce about that moment in my life. I’ll never get over the fact that I worked with John Hughes. It seems kind of surreal since his other films were such a huge part of my childhood. I only regret that I didn’t speak with him more about it. I’m sure I was just scared of geeking out, so I kept my enthusiasm under wraps. I’m not super eloquent around people that I admire, but who is? When we were making the first movie, I was very young and I don’t think any of us knew we were making a holiday classic. We were just making a movie with a bunch of fun people. And the second one was the same, but with a little more security and a fancy trip to NYC. So I guess what I’m saying is that it hasn’t affected me as much as you think it would. It’s only around the holidays that people mention it to me. Or want to interview me. Or post on social media a snap shot of me, in all my frizz and teenage awkwardness, with Joe Pesci. Talking about “Home Alone” has become my holiday tradition, and I don’t mind it at all. It’s very cool. I’m very blessed. I only hope someday to run into Peter Billingsley from A Christmas Story, so I can tell HIM what a huge part of my Christmas he was…and still is.

Another infamous project that worked on that was sadly taken away from us far too quickly was the absolutely incredible series My So Called Life, in which you were superb as Delia Fisher. I am curious to know what you think your character would have developed into had the show not been prematurely removed from us? And what do you think Delia would be doing today? 

Ohhhh, I loved doing that show so much. And that character? C’mon! What an absolute gift from God. I’m ready for a reboot, are you? I’ve read interviews with Winnie Holzman, the show’s creator, and she mentioned that if the show went on, Delia would have gotten back together with Brian. She would have forgiven him??? WTF? But I get it. He was a catch. A little misguided, but we’ll chalk it up to his youth. And I would have loved to see how their relationship played out. Eventually, after a bit of back and forth with Angela, I believe Brian would have realized how great Delia was. He would have asked Rickie to teach him some moves on the dance floor and there would have been some grand public gesture in front of the whole school. They’d be married now with two curly-haired kids and a sensible, well-researched Volvo. I don’t know. But I do know that I’m a sucker for a happy ending. And I feel like Delia would own a cupcake shop, but maybe I’ve been watching the Great British Bake Off too much. Anyway…

In the world of television, you have performed in just about every genre and/or brand of show possible. From soap operas, to dramas, to teen dramas or shows geared for children, sitcoms, etc., you’ve done them all. So with that, I have a very serious question to ask: Of all the television sets you have worked on, which type of show provides the best craft services overall? And is there any one project in particular you can think of that had some bomb snacks?

Nice misdirect, but I can roll with it. My favorite crafty was on Faking It, a single camera comedy on MTV. Will Garcia, our fabulous crafty, is not only one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet, he’s outstanding with snacks. Just outstanding. And I got so spoiled. Now I walk around my house like, “Where are the snacks? I’m hungry! Where’s Will?” He created a monster. A PB&J, cookie-eating, monster. As far as the type of show with the best snacks, that’s hard to say. It’s not really about the type of show, but more about the type of person who runs crafty. That might be symbolic of the rest of the entertainment industry too. It’s all about the people!

I am very curious to know more about a project you are currently working on entitled Badge of a Quitter. How did this project come to life? And how did you come up with the story itself?

Badge of a Quitter is a web series that I wrote and created with Carla Cackowski. We met at Second City and Carla came to me earlier this year with the idea of a grown woman going back to girl scouts. I loved the concept, and jumped at the chance to work with kids that were shorter than me. Not an apple box in sight! We took about 4 months to write the six episodes, flushing out the “why’s”, the characters, the plot, etc. then we shot it in early October. Carla directed it and I starred in it. My sweet friends, Kendra Shay Clark and Helen Geier, cast five incredible little girls to play our scouts. My husband, Joe Mikan, is editing it together right now and hopefully we’ll be streaming on Vimeo sometime early next year.  It was so much fun and such a blessing to be in creative control of a project. We wrote the show we wanted to see and we shot it, using as many friends as we could. It was a blast and with any luck, we’ll need to shoot a second season! I really hope people love it and want to see more. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @BadgeofaQuitter or on our website: www.BadgeofaQuitter.com

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

I’m auditioning now, looking for my next gig (Ah, the life of an actor), so hopefully I’ll be cast in another show real soon! Until then, I’ll keep writing and creating projects for myself. I’m not real good at sitting around and waiting for the phone to ring. I’ve taken up watercolors, which is super meditative and somewhat daunting. I have a bunch of home improvement projects on my slate, I’m in denial of my 4’11” stature and completely addicted to HGTV. I’ll continue volunteering with organizations that help the homeless in our city. But most of all, I’ll spend time with my husband, my family and my friends. Because without them, what’s the point?

What was the last thing that made you smile? 

My husband’s face when the Chicago Bears beat the Green Bay Packers and clinched the NFC North. His whole face lit up and that made me smile! HUGE!

Wes Johnson [Interview]

Hello Folks! We have an absolutely wonderful interview for you fine folks today! As avid readers here at TWS may know, we are obsessed with the world, lure, and creativity of the world of Fallout. From Fallout 3 to the latest release, Fallout 76, it has been a wonderful world to literally play around in. So fun it is, that we have showcased several of the fine voice over actors who have worked on these projects. The number of how many we have spoken to escapes me at the moment, but they all have been wonderful.

And today I feel as though we have hit the proverbial mother load! Today we have some words from the brilliant Wes Johnson! Wes is so great that Fallout may not be his greatest accomplishment as a performer, but it certainly tops our list here at TWS! You know and love him as The Silver Shroud in Fallout 4, as well as so many other amazing voices over the last 10 years. D.C. residents, and basically hockey fans alike, will probably recognize this genius even more for his close to two decades of announcing for the Washington Capitals. And, well, just SO MUCH else.

Wes is genuinely wonderful human being, and we are so excited to have him grace our digital pages today. So without further ado, I will end my babbling and turn it over to some wonderful words from the man of a thousand voices, Mr. Wes Johnson!

When did you realize that you wanted to join the world of the performing arts to make a living? What initially drew you to this world?

I was called up onto the stage during a magic show while I was in grade school by a magician. I’m not sure if he was any good really, I was just a kid. As a magician, he could have been truly shite, but real magic DID happen that day. I got a few laughs from the audience, and it changed my world. We started putting on shows in the neighborhood, and I would write in to the local horror movie host Count Gore De Vol on a regular basis, thrilling when my letters on toys I sent in made it on the air. It wouldn’t be until my freshman year in high school that I’d set foot on a real stage in front of a packed house, but the moment I stepped on that stage playing a physically comic role and got big laughs, I was a goner. There was nothing else for me in this world other than performing.

I understand you started your career working in the world of stand up comedy and improv. I am always curious to know what folk’s early years are like in these types of performance. So how did you get into this world, and what were those early years like?

Stand-up comedy for me was a way to find a stage and perform characters and voices in front of a live audience. My start was not the smoothest. On my very first Open Mic Night in Washington, DC, I followed a juggling comedian named Kevin Lee up onto the stage. Kevin had just KILLED IT. The audience was primed when I got up, and the host set the egg timer to 5 minutes – that’s all the time I would have. I ran out of material and ways to handle drunk hecklers after about 40 minutes (it was actually only about 2 minutes in). After another minute of struggling, which took a sweaty lifetime, I grabbed the egg timer, forcefully turned it to 5, heard it ding and said “Oops! Looks like my time is up. If anyone if looking for me, I’ll be home hanging in the closet.” It was my first real laugh of the night.

I would go on to do sketch comedy with comedy and improv troupes Fresh Victims, Gross national product and The Loyal opposition. One of our Fresh Victims sketches, “The William Shatner School of Acting” made it onto Funny or Die. Willian Shatner saw it. His reply? “Sounds more like Cagney.”  ☺

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7tqfrzx6WE

In 2004 you appeared as the hilariously named “Fat Fuck Frank” in John Water’s brilliant comedy A Dirty Shame. Waters is a renowned mad genius in the world of film, who has created some very original and enlightening films. So, how was your experience working under the guise of one of the kings of weird? What was it like to work on a project like this?

That was one of the best experiences of my life. It was such a friendly set, and having a chance to work with John Waters and legendary Dreamlanders was, well, a dream come true. I absolutely adored Mink Stole, and getting a chance to work with Tracey Ullman, Johnny Knoxville, Chris Isaak and the amazing Selma Blair – what’s not to like? How many people have been blessed to inhabit a character created by John Waters and designed by the legendary resident Ugly Expert Van Smith? The atmosphere on set reminded me most of high school drama department days. I couldn’t wait for each new day (or night) to begin so I could come out and play with my friends in John Waters amazing sandbox full of sex addicts. I count so many of them as my dearest friends, especially Susan Allenbach who I’ve known since we were just starting out as wait staff in a performing night club. And really, now many people get to say they were Selma Blair’s biker boyfriend in an NC-17 film? Good times  ☺

We have showcased several VO artists from our beloved Fallout franchise. You’ve done several roles in both Fallout 3 and 4. So how has your experience been working with Bethesda in the Fallout universe?

I’m rarely happier than I am behind the microphone in a small darkened studio bringing characters to life created by the feverish minds of developers at Bethesda Game Studios. From the early days of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind to Fallout 76, it has been a working partnership that I cherish. Todd Howard has assembled such a remarkable group of creative minds and talents there. Getting to work with sound designer Mark Lampert, writer Emil Paglurilo, and so very many other talented souls there is simply a joy. The characters I’ve played remain near and dear to my heart. In the Elder Scrolls I love Sheogorath, Lucien Lachance and Hermaeus Mora… I feel very close to them. Love EVERY character, but those are special. Playing the Arena Announcer in Oblivion actually helped change the way I call Washington Capitals games for the NHL as their Arena Announcer. As to Fallout, it’s been so much fun playing Protectrons, Super Mutants (especially Fawkes), Moe Cronin, The Silver Shroud and so many more. I loved Fallout 1 and 2, so when Bethesda took over, it was a real honor to be involved in the new incarnations.  I take it very seriously (and yet, have so much fun).  I actually play many of the games I voice, so it’s a weird extra level of involvement in games that are already super immersive. Can’t wait to start playing Fallout 76  ☺.

While on the subject of the Fallout franchise, I know that this world has some very devoted and die hard fans. I know this because I am one of them. Anyway, I am curious to know what your fan interaction has been like over the years? Whether it is at conventions, or just possible random encounters, how has your experience been with the Fallout fans?

I’ve had a GREAT time interacting with fans of all of the games I’ve voiced.  It’s such a solitary job when voicing, just you, the director, perhaps a writer.  Then you play by yourself to experience the in-game world.  So when you finally get a chance to meet people who have SHARED that experience, it’s a beautiful thing. It’s fun to see the look in someone’s eyes when a voice they’ve heard on a daily basis for years on their consoles starts coming out of me. It seems very weird, I’m sure. I’ve had people who seem far too old to be saying that they grew up listening to me in Fallout, or Oblivion, or Skyrim. I mean, I’m way too young for that, right?  Haha. But it’s super rewarding. And it’s always the best when someone shows up cosplaying as one of your characters. I’ve seen a good number of Silver Shrouds in the past few years. Not many Protectrons or Sentry Bots. Perhaps that cosplay is a bit pricey, haha. But I’ve seen some remarkable Sheogorath and Lucien Lachance cosplays. Erin and Paul Clark do a great Sheo and Dark Seducer combo, and @britishcosplayer does a cool Lucien on Instagram. Just one word of caution – don’t get too authentic when playing Lucien AFTER Applewatch (spoilers).

I understand you are also a current and legendary figure in the world of sports announcing in the D.C. area. How did this work come around? And how have you enjoyed the work? Were you a pretty big sports buff prior to taking on these gigs?

I’ve always been a big fan of the DC sports teams, and in a way, even though I’m in my 19^th year as the Arena Announcer of the NHL’s Washington Capitals, that’s still what I am. A big fan. Although I get to be louder because I have a mic ☺. And now of course, I have a championship ring after the Caps won the Stanley Cup Championship last season. 18 years wait for me personally and it was so worth it! A magical time for the entire city, and I was right there singing “We Are The Champions” along with them. Good times.

I have called Washington Bullets then Wizards seasons in the past as well, and have three Championship rings from the Washington Kastles, DC’s professional WTT Tennis team. I consider myself very fortunate to be doing this, as I never started out to do it.  I was doing morning radio in the DC area and took an award certificate that our show received into the Washington Bullets office for Juwan Howard, who was a regular on our show. As I was leaving I jokingly said “Hey, let me know if you ever have an opening at PA Announcer.” I was joking because I grew up listening to the guy they had calling games for the past 20 years. I wasn’t expecting her to respond with “The guy who was doing it just retired and we are doing auditions next week – do you want to sign up?” Right place at the right time with the right question. I auditioned, got the job, and never looked back. It turned out to be a great occupation for me, and I love UNLEASHING THE FURY at Caps games.

https://www.facebook.com/wesjohnsonvoice/videos/vb.1186502437/10217049765974770/?type=3 

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

More hockey games. More video games. More films. More TV. More announcing for the National Hot Rod Association. More writing and cartooning. Finishing my children’s book. More of being a husband, Dad, and pet couch to a shedding Himalayan cat and a spoiled rotten Chiweenie. I love my life, and I’m not ready to give any of it up. No matter how many aspiring PA Announcers keep cutting the brake lines on my car.

As to appearances – I plan to be at MAGFest in Washington DC January 3^rd through 6^th (www.MAGFest.org), and NOT CON AT SEA in the sunny Bahamas with Duke Nukem, GlaDOS, Sniper, Spock and Gob February 15^th through 18^th (www.NotCon.us ) and hopefully AWESOMECON in DC come April, but that has not been confirmed. But even if I’m not there, you should go because TIM CURRY WILL BE THERE. The antici…PATION is killing me! (http://awesome-con.com/ )

What was the last thing that made you smile?

My son Max’s animations that he creates at the Savannah College of Art and Design. I see big things in his future. And big laughs for us all.

Vas Saranga [Interview]

Hello Folks! We have a very exciting interview for you all today with a brilliant young actor who is taking over hearts and minds on a daily basis. His name is Vas Saranga (or “Sarah” if you’re autocorrect won’t just let it go, haha), and he plays opposite Hayden Christensen in the  upcoming film Little Italy that is truly intriguing. I was immensely pleased to have Vas on the site to learn a little bit more about him and will definitely be following his career even closer in the future. In fact, I was just catching up on Season 2 of The Handmaid’s Tale…and who do you think I saw! Very exciting stuff. He is such a kind and talented actor, and we are so excited to have him grace our digital pages today!

So without further babbling from me, please enjoy some wonderful words from the brilliant Vas Saraga.

When did you first decide that you wanted to work in the world of acting? Was it an early ambition, or did you simply find yourself in this world one day?

The first time I saw Back to the Future I knew wanted to be in movies. I gave it more thought in high school when I started making student films, but I didn’t really jump into it until college.

One of your earliest roles was actually in part of a wonderful franchise that I have followed since its inception (almost 20 years ago!), which is American Pie. You were in 2007’s Beta House. How was your experience working on this project so early in your career?

The experience was one of the most memorable of my career because it was such an extravagant over the top comedy, so I got to improvise a lot, and just really have a ton of fun on set. Working with Eugene Levy was the icing on the cake.

If you were handed the opportunity to create and/or star in a biopic about any person of note in world history, who would it be?

I would absolutely love to play Preet Bharara, the former US Attorney for the Southern District of New York. He was known for prosecuting nearly 100 Wall Street executives for financial crimes. I think his life story would be riveting on film.

I understand you will be appearing in a very interesting film coming out soon entitled Little Italy. Can you tell us a bit about it? What can audiences expect to see from you?

Little Italy is a modern take on Romeo and Juliet set in the world of rival pizzerias. It’s a romantic comedy that brings the laughs, but with extra heart. It stars Emma Roberts and Hayden Christensen as well as a talented ensemble cast that includes Andrea Martin, Danny Aiello, and Alyssa Milano (among many others). I play a character named Jogi who works at Vince’s Pizzeria with Hayden’s character Leo. I’ll just say that Jogi gets into some really funny situations because of the rivalry between the pizza shops and his desire to be a ladies man!

What does the future hold for you?

I’ve co-written a feature film that’s currently in development, I’m pretty excited for it to get made. I’ve set my sights on acting in projects that I’ve written so hopefully the future holds lots of movies and maybe a TV show of my own.

Anything else you would like to plug to our readers?

If you’re catching up on The Handmaid’s Tale I have an appearance this season.

7) What was the last thing that made you smile?

My dog Freddy!