Bob Andelman Interviews

Today, it’s January 26, 2007, and I am sitting across from David Simon, creator of the critically acclaimed and Peabody Award-winning HBO series, "The Wire." We are speaking at The Inn at the Bay in St. Petersburg, Florida, where Simon spent the last week working with students at Eckerd College. The fiftieth episode and fourth-season finale of "The Wire" aired just a few weeks ago, and the fifth season goes into production in March, so Simon is hopefully enjoying a vacation of sorts. I am an admitted late-comer to "The Wire," having seen my first episode just last September in a New Jersey hotel room. I was struck by the show’s tension and extraordinarily tight script and character development, which has often been overshadowed by better-known HBO shows, such as "The Sopranos" and "Deadwood." If you like those shows and you haven’t already caught "The Wire," you should consider it assigned viewing. If you haven’t seen "The Wire," you may still be familiar with David Simon’s work. A former Baltimore Sun crime reporter, he is the writer that the Baltimore Chamber of Commerce no doubt loves to hate, having co-authored (with Edward Burns) the Baltimore-based book, The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner City Neighborhood, and the subsequent HBO series, The Corner, and providing the inspiration and a number of scripts for the Baltimore-based NBC show, Homicide: Life on the Street. Another of his Baltimore-based true crime books, Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets, was the basis for "Homicide."

‘Dateline NBC’s’ Chris Hansen returns with message for Mr. Media: ‘You Might Be Rich’ Donald Trump will join NBC News' Tiki Barber to surprise one unsuspecting family with the incredible news they have unclaimed money coming to them, Sunday, May 3, on a special broadcast of "Dateline NBC" at 7 PM ET live from Rockefeller Center in New York City. In state treasuries across America, billons of dollars in unclaimed property sits, waiting to be returned to millions of people. Yet many state officials don't have the resources to find everyone. Barber and his team, including NBC News' Peter Alexander and MSNBC's Tamron Hall, traveled from coast to coast and overseas to help return close to $5 million dollars to over a dozen individuals. For part two of "You MightnBe Rich!," one family will get the surprise of a lifetime live. The two-hour "Dateline" continues with correspondent Chris Hansen investigating lottery scams. Every year millions of people in the U.S. buy more than $60 billion worth of lottery tickets. "Dateline" followed undercover investigators into lotto retail stores to discover that in some cases the people redeeming winning lottery tickets aren't always the actual winner. Hansen worked with the Security Enforcement Division of the California Lottery, a unique investigative operation, to test compliance of the state's lottery retailers. In September 2004, Hansen began his breakthrough investigative reporting on online sexual predators.

World-renowned chef Gordon Ramsay is back for a fifth course of the sizzling unscripted series HELL'S KITCHEN. The show follows wannabe chefs as they slice and dice their way through each episode, vying for Ramsay's attention in hopes of winning a life-changing culinary prize. The intensity heats up each week as the ambitious hopefuls try to prove they have what it takes. Ramsay weeds out the bad apples, keeping only those who possess the right combination of ingredients to achieve success. Both his sharp tongue and the contestants' inexperience are often a recipe for disaster in this pressure-cooker environment. Only one thing is certain: If the contestants can't stand the heat, they'll have to get out of “Hell’s Kitchen.” “Hell’s Kitchen” airs Thursdays at 9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT on FOX. Andrea, the 13th eliminated chef from the show, is my guest on this episode of Mr. Media! Catch up on Mr. Media’s earlier interviews with eliminated chefs: Giovanni Lacey LA J Charlie Colleen

Trina Robbins gets The Brinkley Girls flapping in Mr. Media’s direction! For more than 30 years Nell Brinkley’s beautiful girls pirouetted, waltzed, Charlestoned, vamped and shimmied their way through the pages of William Randolph Hearst’s newspapers, captivating the American public with their innocent sexuality. This sumptuously designed oversized hardcover collects Brinkley’s breathtakingly spectacular, exquisitely colored full page art from 1913 to 1940. Here are her earliest silent movie serial-inspired adventure series, “Golden Eyes and Her Hero, Bill;” her almost too romantic series, “Betty and Billy and Their Love Through the Ages”; her snappy flapper comics from the 1920s; her 1937 pulp magazine-inspired “Heroines of Today.” Included are photos of Nell, reproductions of her hitherto unpublished paintings, and an informative introduction by the book’s editor, Trina Robbins. In 1907, at the tender age of 22, Nell Brinkley came to New York to draw for the Hearst syndicate. Within a year, she had become a household name. Flo Ziegfeld dressed his dancers as “Brinkley Girls,” in the Ziegfeld Follies. Three popular songs were written about her. Women, aspiring to the masses of curly hair with which Nell adorned her fetching and idealized creations, could buy Nell Brinkley Hair Curlers for ten cents a card. Young girls cut out and saved her drawings, copied them, colored them, and pasted them in scrapbooks. The Brinkley Girls took over from the Gibson Girls. Except among a small group of avid collectors, she has been unjustly forgotten... until now. Visit Trina Robbins’ website! Trina Robbins talks to Mr. Media about GoGirl!

Actress Elaine Hendrix acts out the big scene with Mr. Media! Fans around the world know actress Elaine Hendrix for such popular and diverse projects as Disney’s The Parent Trap with Lindsay Lohan, the cult phenomenon What The Bleep Do We Know? and the critically acclaimed CBS series “Joan of Arcadia.” 2009 is an exciting year for Hendrix, who has several feature film projects coming out: The Beacon with Teri Polo; Rock Slyde with Patrick Warburton and Andy Dick; Dear Lemon Lima with Beth Grant and Academy Award nominee Melissa Leo; Fading of the Cries with Academy Award nominee Brad Dourif; and Good Intentions (co-producer) with Luke Perry and country music superstar LeAnn Rimes. Hendrix has also appeared in: Superstar; Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion; Molly; Here on Earth; and Bam Bam and Celeste. Some of her television appearances include “Criminal Minds,” “Privileged,” “CSI,” “CSI: Miami,” “ER,” “Ghost Whisperer,” and TV movies such as Mr. St. Nick, Jane Doe: Eye of the Beholder, and Two Sisters. Elaine’s greatest passion is her work on behalf of the humane treatment of animals. She is a spokesperson for the international organization In Defense of Animals, works with local rescue groups throughout CA, TN and GA, and is an honorary committee member of the Genesis Awards presented by The Humane Society of the United States. This Saturday, May 2, Elaine Hendrix will be the guest host of Acme Comedy Theatre in Los Angeles. The shows starts at 8 p.m. and you can order tickets here.

Jeanne Martinet rocks Mr. Media’s world; apparently, ‘Life Is Friends,’ not Facebook! How can it be that you receive dozens of personal emails and texts every day but have nothing to do come Saturday night? Or that you’re constantly juggling a jam-packed schedule while always feeling that something essential is missing? Who took the social out of your social life? Life is Friends by Jeanne Martinet solves these mysteries and more. With an attitude that’s savvy, sympathetic and down-to-earth, author and social guru Jeanne Martinet provides a practical game plan for relearning the rapidly disappearing art of socializing. Forget twittering, IMing, Facebook and Internet “relationships.” When it comes to building real friendships, there’s simply no substitute for live, in-person bonding. Martinet offers a full gamut of strategies and techniques for socializing, from making that first connection with someone to maintaining a long-term relationship. The focus, however, is on entertaining -- on how to be a great host and a great guest -- because sharing one’s home and lifestyle is the most important element in nurturing intimate, rewarding friendships. Visit Jeanne Martinet’s website!

Pete Williams takes NFL fans—and Mr. Media—through The Draft Pete Williams is a journalist and author whom I have known and been friendly with for several years. But I didn’t ask him to do a Mr. Media interview simply because we are buddies so much as I think that his recent book, The Draft, A Year Inside the NFL’s Search for Talent, was an overlooked sports journalism classic from 2006 that more people should be exposed to. Pete, who is a long-time fitness enthusiast and journalist, is a regular contributor to Men’s Health magazine and has written a number of sports-related books, some as sole author, others, such as the Core Performance series, with Mark Verstegen. Their third book, Core Performance-Endurance, written for runners, cyclists, swimmers, and triathletes, was released in January 2007, and Core Performance–Golf is slated for 2008. Pete also has an interesting private life that in the last year has become an open secret. He is a practicing nudist. I say it’s an open secret because Pete is the host of “The Fitness Buff,” a weekly radio show on BlogTalkRadio that combines two of his interests–physical fitness and nudity. I don’t think this will be a dull interview.

Larry ‘Bones’ Dennison drives the Country Bones rig through Mr. Media’s studio! Country Bones performs on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" on Tuesday, April 28. The band plays hard-driving Americana truck-driving music familiar to fans who love classic bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd, George Hamilton IV and Dave Dudley. The songs are performed with exceptional musicianship and written by lead singer Larry "Bones" Dennison. Lyrics are fresh, irreverent and expressed with a sense of humor. Country Bones brings back some "outlaw" to country music. Born in Creve Coeur, Missouri, Dennison gets back to his country roots after years of touring internationally and performing on albums for such diverse artists as Lita Ford, Dio and Robert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise. He joins forces with hometown childhood friend, Richard Fortus, who has been playing guitar with Guns N' Roses since early 2000. Grammy Award-winning musician J.D. Maness, who also plays with Merle Haggard, adds standout steel guitar. The single "Let It Ride" will be released on iTunes on Tuesday April 28th; the same day Country Bones makes their national television debut on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” A 4-song EP, which is coming out on Quarter 2 Three Records, will immediately follow the single.

‘Heroes’ Milo Ventimiglia and Adrian Pasdar beg Mr. Media’s help in stopping Sylar! As "Volume 4: Fugitives" comes to a close, the fight to stop Sylar has consequences that will changes everything in the world of the NBC TV drama “Heroes.” Milo and Adrian discuss a death in the family. Joining me on this special edition of Mr. Media are Adrian Pasdar and Milo Ventimiglia, who plays brothers Nathan and Peter Petrelli, respectively. This is Milo’s second visit to Mr. Media; you can catch up on his first interview HERE! On the small screen, Pasdar starred for two seasons on both "Judging Amy" and "Mysterious Ways." He also held starring roles on "Profit" and producer Dick Wolf's "Feds." He recently recurred on the hit series "Desperate Housewives" as David Bradley. Before becoming an actor, he excelled in football and attended the University of Florida on a football scholarship. Ventimiglia stars in the upcoming feature films "Armored" with Matt Dillon, and "Game" with Gerard Butler. He also starred with Sylvester Stallone in the sixth installment of the "Rocky" series, "Rocky Balboa," in which he plays Rocky Jr.

Former trial and appellate attorney Paul Levine is also an Edgar Award-nominated and John D. MacDonald Award-winning author known for his clever writing and vivid courtroom scenes. Most recently he’s written novels in his acclaimed comedic Solomon vs. Lord series. His new stand-alone, ILLEGAL, follows a disheveled and disgraced Los Angeles attorney who becomes the unlikely hope for a Mexican family desperate to begin a new life in the U.S. Simultaneously evoking the moral decay of Chinatown and the shattering violence of No Country for Old Men, Illegal was inspired by real events and broaches some of the most provocative issues we face as a nation. Levine will discuss: The real-life incidents that inspired Illegal His research into border crossing and human trafficking His experiences with immigration in both Miami and Los Angeles—and whether his views on immigration shifted when he moved to the west coast Whether a lawyer can still be considered a hero in the 21st century

Author Kelly Corrigan takes Mr. Media to ‘The Middle Place’ Kelly Corrigan’s family is long on characters, her father George chief among them. The center of an ebullient, raucous and untested tribe, George greets every day by opening his bedroom window and calling out, “Hello World!” Suffice to say, it was the kind of childhood a girl could get attached to. But, in 2004, Kelly and her father were each diagnosed with late stage cancer, and Kelly discovered that although she had all the makings of an adult life—a marriage license, two birth certificates, a mortgage, and tax returns—she was still more daughter than mother. The Middle Place is about being a parent and a child at the same time. It is about the special double vision you get when you are standing with one foot in each place. It is about the family you make and the family you came from and locating, navigating, and finally celebrating the place where they meet. Corrigan is a natural-born storyteller, a gift you quickly recognize is her father's legacy, and her stories are rich with everyday details: fighting with her mother over an indispensable pair of Guess jeans, accidentally murdering her brother’s new boa constrictor, fastidiously French braiding her hair on prom night. Mixing childhood stories with those of her adult life, Corrigan takes us through an anxious winter of panic attacks, the long and wicked morning that anesthesia failed to soothe the birth of 10-pounder, and the vexing, disconcerting need to understand why her husband calls his mother so often. Corrigan is a newspaper columnist and a contributor to magazines including O, The Oprah Winfrey Magazine, Good Housekeeping and Glamour.

Miles O'Brien takes Mr. Media into outer space and CNN points unknown! Miles O’Brien is a 26-year broadcast news veteran with nearly 17 years as CNN’s science, space, technology and environment correspondent. He most recently hosted the network’s A.M. show, “American Morning.” He is now on his own, based in New York City, working on numerous projects that leverage his experience, talent and passion. In advance of our interview, I asked Miles what he’s been up to since his departure from CNN. Here’s what he wrote back: “We did 6 hours live when the shuttle launched. Was a huge hit - just one of many irons in the fire including: PBS doc on infrastructure documentary on Africa trip developing internet TV concepts helping an astronaut scale Everest doing features on flying for an aviation membership org media consulting on an electric car project -blogging" The interview should be anything but dull. You can catch Miles on Facebook or subscribe to his personal blog here.

Bucs Cheerleader turned ‘CSI’ actress Brooke Newton plays dead for Mr. Media! Brooke Newton can be seen co-starring in the highly anticipated new FOX series “Glee”, and as the new noisy neighbor on the CBS series “Gary Unmarried.” Brooke’s upcoming projects include the indie feature Little Fish, Strange Pond opposite Mathew Modine and Adam Baldwin and in this summers NBC mini series Meteor: Path of Destruction. She co-stars on the smash hit series “CSI” on April 23rd. A native of Ocala Florida, Brooke knew from a young age that she wanted to be an actress. She started theater at a young age and quickly learned that she also had a passion for dancing and has since trained in all forms of dance even learning ballroom dancing from the closest expert she knew... her father, a trained ballroom dancer. Brooke was all set to move to Los Angeles after High School graduation until her aunt called upon hearing about one more dance audition. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were auditioning cheerleaders and Brooke decided to give it a shot. She booked the job and spent two years with the squad pushing back her move, it was an opportunity she couldn't pass up. Two years later, with her cheerleading days behind her, Brooke finally made the move to Los Angeles. The ever-persistent achiever, Brooke has been working consistently ever since, hoping to someday give other little girls the feelings and emotions she shared all those years back while watching movies with her father.

Kamran Pasha is a writer and producer for NBC's highly anticipated new television series Kings (premiering March 15, 2009), which is a modern day retelling of the Biblical tale of King David. Previously he served as a writer on NBC's remake of Bionic Woman, and on Showtime Network's Golden Globe- nominated series Sleeper Cell, about a Muslim FBI agent who infiltrates a terrorist group. Kamran is also a published novelist. He has secured a two-book deal with Simon & Schuster to publish Mother of the Believers (Washington Square Press; Trade Paperback Original; April 14, 2009), an historical fiction tale showing the rise of Islam from the eyes of Prophet Muhammad's teenage wife Aisha, and Shadow of the Swords, a love story set amidst the Crusades. Kamran has also made strides in the video game world. He recently wrote Blood on the Sand for Vivendi Universal, the sequel to hip-hop mogul 50 Cent's bestselling game Bulletproof. An expert on the Middle East, Kamran is one of the few successful Muslim screenwriters in Hollywood. Visit Kamran Pasha’s web site!

Joey Lawrence introduces Mr. Media to his ‘Fake Fiance’ Melissa Joan Hart, who starred in “Holiday in Handcuffs,” ABC Family’s highest rated telecast ever, and Joey Lawrence (“Dancing with the Stars”) star in “My Fake Fiance,” a romantic comedy about two people who decide to get married for the money and gifts. It can be seen on ABC Family. In “My Fake Fiancé,” oil and water get along better than Jennifer (Melissa Joan Hart) and Vince (Joey Lawrence), who are seated together at a wedding and have an immediate and passionate dislike for one another. Jennifer is a smart, sarcastic go-getter, with a penchant for burning through boyfriends, while Vince is a fringe-dwelling ladies man and bad gambler who gets by more on charm and wits then on any discernible skill set. The one thing they have in common, however, is shock and awe at the haul of presents and cash the bride and groom rake in as wedding gifts. It will bring them together within a week when both have a dire need - Vince for cash to pay off a loan shark, Monkey (Steve Schirripa), and Jennifer for stuff to fill her new home after her moving van is stolen. Joey Lawrence recently wrapped the dark comedy feature Hit List. The role is a departure for Lawrence, who stars as a man that, out of love, begins killing the people his girlfriend wishes dead in her journal. Lawrence was a regular on the NBC drama “American Dreams,” Disney’s “Brotherly Love,” and “Half & Half” on UPN. Last year he appeared as Clay Dobson in a story arc on “CSI: NY.” He danced his way into the finals on the third season of “Dancing with the Stars.”