Mindschmootz's Podcast

I remember in 2004 when my entertainment crack dealer hooked me up with the news that a network pilot from UPN/WB was in the works about two New Orleans police detectives who not only work together by day, but play together by night. Addicting? Hardly, until I discovered the undercover work was was done by two females played by Christina Cox and Liz Vassey. Yeah, I know. Honestly, though I was very excited to hear that an American television network was courageous enough to make this statement of inclusiveness, I knew that the climate of George W. Bush’s second-term campaign was not warming socially. The threat of a constitutional amendment protecting “traditional” marriage was prominent in the 2004 State of the Union address. Listen here: The Defense of Marriage Act Realistically, I couldn’t see this brave experiment going forward…and it didn’t. Lucky for us, as part of Wikileaks (again, I know, but prove it) the pilot mysteriously appeared on YouTube and the rest is fanfic history. Building on the momentum, creator Nancylee Myatt procured the characters and resurrected her original concept reminiscent of the light-hearted mystery/detective series of her past – Hart to Hart, Moonlighting, and recently, Castle – and is taking it to the web. As we all know, raising a web series takes a village, so an Indiegogo fundraising campaign has been set up. Go there and take a look at who is involved, season one’s expectations, and other ways you can help. No contribution is too small, whether monetarily or in kind. To get a better feel of the web series and a sample of the special chemistry it takes to pull off those bantering romantic private-eye leads historically seen in the Nick and Nora films of the 1930′s, Liz and Christina agreed to a conversation with me regarding The N & N Files.

Episode 13 of the ‘Schmootz On podcast is part two of my conversation with Ali Liebert and Charlotte Hegele of the award winning WWII drama series, Bomb Girls. In Part 2 of the podcast, Ali and Charlotte expound on the complicated, war-time relationship that is Betty and Kate, what we can expect from their characters in Season 2, the very special soundtrack and Charlotte's role in song, and what we can expect from the two of them in other projects. Enjoy, and then check out Bomb Girls. A catch-up marathon of season one will air in the US on REELZ channel (check your local listings) Wednesday, March 27, starting at 12:00 PM EDT/9:00 AM PDT. Season 2 will premier March 27 with two new shows starting at 8:00 PM EDT/5:00 PM PDT. On Canada's Global TV, Season 2 resumes March 25 at 9:00 PM E/PT

Episode 13 of the ‘Schmootz On podcast is part two of my conversation with Ali Liebert and Charlotte Hegele of the award winning WWII drama series, Bomb Girls. In Part 2 of the podcast, Ali and Charlotte expound on the complicated, war-time relationship that is Betty and Kate, what we can expect from their characters in Season 2, the very special soundtrack and Charlotte's role in song, and what we can expect from the two of them in other projects. Enjoy, and then check out Bomb Girls. A catch-up marathon of season one will air in the US on REELZ channel (check your local listings) Wednesday, March 27, starting at 12:00 PM EDT/9:00 AM PDT. Season 2 will premier March 27 with two new shows starting at 8:00 PM EDT/5:00 PM PDT. On Canada's Global TV, Season 2 resumes March 25 at 9:00 PM E/PT

*The conversation with Ali and Charlotte is so informative, that I couldn’t bring myself to edit any more than what I did. Lucky for us all, I have divided the pod into parts 1 and 2. Episode 12 of the ‘Schmootz On podcast is with Ali Liebert and Charlotte Hegele of the award winning drama series, Bomb Girls, about the Canadian women who risked their lives in a munitions factory building bombs for the Allied Forces during WWII. Long before there was Rosie the Riveter, the women of Canada stepped up to serve their country in factories such as the fictional Victory Munitions by providing a crucial workforce. They played their own necessary part in winning the war against the legitimate Axis of evil. War is hell on the home front, too, as the trials of these women reveal deep, personal strengths that push past their inner insecurities. All are running from something both literal and figurative, in that they run into each other, gives this diverse band of sisters an unlikely solidarity in Victory. Ali portrays Betty, the tough-talking girl from the rural prairie with a hard cynical skin honed from years of hiding her personal truths. Closeted in more ways than the obvious, Betty dons her protective battle dress in the form of a barbed, impatient tongue that keeps strangers at a safe distance…until she meets Kate. Kate (Marion), played by Charlotte, is on the run from an abusive, fanatical father that utilizes the evangelical cloth as a ligature to keep his family bound to him and his street ministry. The Canadian selective service and the associated work in the bomb factory provide a timely escape from a life of violence and persecution. Through Betty, she finds her champion, and through her singing, her voice. Ali and Charlotte (Ali calls her Charlie, which is so damn cute) were gracious enough to speak with me about their characters, what we can expect from season two, and about what is so special about Bomb Girls as a whole. Enjoy, and then check out Bomb Girls. A catch-up marathon of season one will air on REELZ channel (check your local listings) Wednesday, March 27, starting at 12:00 PM EDT/9:00 AM PDT.

*The conversation with Ali and Charlotte is so informative, that I couldn’t bring myself to edit any more than what I did. Lucky for us all, I have divided the pod into parts 1 and 2. Episode 12 of the ‘Schmootz On podcast is with Ali Liebert and Charlotte Hegele of the award winning drama series, Bomb Girls, about the Canadian women who risked their lives in a munitions factory building bombs for the Allied Forces during WWII. Long before there was Rosie the Riveter, the women of Canada stepped up to serve their country in factories such as the fictional Victory Munitions by providing a crucial workforce. They played their own necessary part in winning the war against the legitimate Axis of evil. War is hell on the home front, too, as the trials of these women reveal deep, personal strengths that push past their inner insecurities. All are running from something both literal and figurative, in that they run into each other, gives this diverse band of sisters an unlikely solidarity in Victory. Ali portrays Betty, the tough-talking girl from the rural prairie with a hard cynical skin honed from years of hiding her personal truths. Closeted in more ways than the obvious, Betty dons her protective battle dress in the form of a barbed, impatient tongue that keeps strangers at a safe distance…until she meets Kate. Kate (Marion), played by Charlotte, is on the run from an abusive, fanatical father that utilizes the evangelical cloth as a ligature to keep his family bound to him and his street ministry. The Canadian selective service and the associated work in the bomb factory provide a timely escape from a life of violence and persecution. Through Betty, she finds her champion, and through her singing, her voice. Ali and Charlotte (Ali calls her Charlie, which is so damn cute) were gracious enough to speak with me about their characters, what we can expect from season two, and about what is so special about Bomb Girls as a whole. Enjoy, and then check out Bomb Girls. A catch-up marathon of season one will air on REELZ channel (check your local listings) Wednesday, March 27, starting at 12:00 PM EDT/9:00 AM PDT.

Last week, after months of "you shoulds" from friends and other web series professionals, I found a quiet corner in my favorite Greek Cafe and watched Season One of the award winning web series, Out With Dad, in its entirety. I then took a glance at my uneaten pita and watched Season Two of the web series up through its winter hiatus. I sat there thinking, remembering, and wanting more. Out With Dad is a coming of self story of finding your peace and your place in this thing we call life. Rose is a teen age girl struggling with the realism of her sexuality, having the courage to come out to her dad, and sorting out her feelings for her best friend, Vanessa. Dad is doing the best he can with his suspicions of the inevitable conversation to come…and his best is pretty damn good. I wanted to know what motivated this man to create this series, so I contacted Jason Leaver and we had a most pleasant conversation about just that…and many other discoveries like an irreverent project (my favorite kind) in the works called, The Gate. Sit back, listen at your leisure, and see why I call Jason Leaver one of the biggest "tools" I know… http://www.outwithdad.com/ Donate for an Out With Dad Season Three here: http://www.outwithdad.com/contribute Contact your local US PFLAG organization here: http://community.pflag.org/page.aspx?pid=803. PFLAG Canada here: http://www.pflagcanada.ca/en/index-e.php PFLAG international here: http://community.pflag.org/page.aspx?pid=752

Last week, after months of "you shoulds" from friends and other web series professionals, I found a quiet corner in my favorite Greek Cafe and watched Season One of the award winning web series, Out With Dad, in its entirety. I then took a glance at my uneaten pita and watched Season Two of the web series up through its winter hiatus. I sat there thinking, remembering, and wanting more. Out With Dad is a coming of self story of finding your peace and your place in this thing we call life. Rose is a teen age girl struggling with the realism of her sexuality, having the courage to come out to her dad, and sorting out her feelings for her best friend, Vanessa. Dad is doing the best he can with his suspicions of the inevitable conversation to come…and his best is pretty damn good. I wanted to know what motivated this man to create this series, so I contacted Jason Leaver and we had a most pleasant conversation about just that…and many other discoveries like an irreverent project (my favorite kind) in the works called, The Gate. Sit back, listen at your leisure, and see why I call Jason Leaver one of the biggest "tools" I know… http://www.outwithdad.com/ Donate for an Out With Dad Season Three here: http://www.outwithdad.com/contribute Contact your local US PFLAG organization here: http://community.pflag.org/page.aspx?pid=803. PFLAG Canada here: http://www.pflagcanada.ca/en/index-e.php PFLAG international here: http://community.pflag.org/page.aspx?pid=752

A few months ago, a mutual friend introduced me to hand and body-part model, Adele Uddo. I was immediately smitten. Now, I know what you are thinking, it’s the “parts” that captured my attention, but that’s not true. Well, it is true to a certain extent, holy hell, I have a pulse, don’t I? But Adele is much more that just the sum of those beautiful parts. Not only is she not too hard on the eyes, she is intelligent, witty, quirky, and lovable…a few of my favorite things. Adele’s relatively new blog, Hand Jobs: Tale of a Hand Model, is a source of great personal joy and insight. It’s my opinion that Southerners are great storytellers, and Adele is no exception to my rule. Chronicling her journey from a child of great culinary (among other) privilege in New Orleans to being uprooted and transplanted on a raw-vegetable, hippie commune in California. Adele expounds upon the remarkable tales of traveling cross country in a bus named the Mars Hotel; the pleasures and paranoia of adult prescribed, prepubescent drug use (she is NOT a Native American), the heart break of trying to fit into a “normal” school life without ingesting preservatives and meat-byproducts, and the interaction of real-life characters most likely experienced by most of us only through the scripts of a sitcom. I invite you to sit in on our conversation about parts…Adele’s, and the ones that run a little more than skin deep.

A few months ago, a mutual friend introduced me to hand and body-part model, Adele Uddo. I was immediately smitten. Now, I know what you are thinking, it’s the “parts” that captured my attention, but that’s not true. Well, it is true to a certain extent, holy hell, I have a pulse, don’t I? But Adele is much more that just the sum of those beautiful parts. Not only is she not too hard on the eyes, she is intelligent, witty, quirky, and lovable…a few of my favorite things. Adele’s relatively new blog, Hand Jobs: Tale of a Hand Model, is a source of great personal joy and insight. It’s my opinion that Southerners are great storytellers, and Adele is no exception to my rule. Chronicling her journey from a child of great culinary (among other) privilege in New Orleans to being uprooted and transplanted on a raw-vegetable, hippie commune in California. Adele expounds upon the remarkable tales of traveling cross country in a bus named the Mars Hotel; the pleasures and paranoia of adult prescribed, prepubescent drug use (she is NOT a Native American), the heart break of trying to fit into a “normal” school life without ingesting preservatives and meat-byproducts, and the interaction of real-life characters most likely experienced by most of us only through the scripts of a sitcom. I invite you to sit in on our conversation about parts…Adele’s, and the ones that run a little more than skin deep.

In light of the recent ruling regarding the unconstitutionality of Don't Ask Don't Tell, the military's ban on gays serving openly in the military, I was honored to sit down and chat with retired Navy Captain, Joan Darrah and her partner of over 20 years, Lynne Kennedy. Joan had an illustrious 30 year career as a Navy intelligence officer, but with her extremely high security clearance, came the personally classified nature of her sexuality. As a result of DADT, and the things you do for love, Joan and Lynne both served their country in a mandated silence. The events of September 11, 2001, brought a realization that personal truth and the commitment to family are far too important to keep quiet. Captain Dannah began early retirement proceedings and began to serve not only her country, but her community. As an advocate of SLDN, Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, Captain Darrah testified before Congress to the adverse affects on military readiness of their compromise legislation of 1993, DADT. Joan and Lynne continue to speak out in these uncertain days after Judge Phillips decision. With a possible appeal pending from the Department of Justice, military members are advised to be cautiously optimistic...but not open and truthful, yet. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.

In light of the recent ruling regarding the unconstitutionality of Don't Ask Don't Tell, the military's ban on gays serving openly in the military, I was honored to sit down and chat with retired Navy Captain, Joan Darrah and her partner of over 20 years, Lynne Kennedy. Joan had an illustrious 30 year career as a Navy intelligence officer, but with her extremely high security clearance, came the personally classified nature of her sexuality. As a result of DADT, and the things you do for love, Joan and Lynne both served their country in a mandated silence. The events of September 11, 2001, brought a realization that personal truth and the commitment to family are far too important to keep quiet. Captain Dannah began early retirement proceedings and began to serve not only her country, but her community. As an advocate of SLDN, Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, Captain Darrah testified before Congress to the adverse affects on military readiness of their compromise legislation of 1993, DADT. Joan and Lynne continue to speak out in these uncertain days after Judge Phillips decision. With a possible appeal pending from the Department of Justice, military members are advised to be cautiously optimistic...but not open and truthful, yet. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.

A few days ago, I had the distinct privilege of sitting down and chatting with the incomparable Tina Sloan, daytime drama legend...and now author. Tina has chronicled her life as an actress, mother, and daughter in a wonderfully charming, humorous, and poignant memoir entitled Changing Shoes. Changing Shoes is a primer of sorts for growing old gracefully and meeting aging head on. Tina utilizes footwear as a metaphor for the different stages of life; when you are ready for a change, it's simple, just change your shoes. From the innocence of pink Capezios to the sophistication silhouette of a pair of black Chanel pumps, Changing Shoes takes us on a sentimental journey of youth, career, motherhood, and the decline of aging...our own and our parents. So, enjoy the conversation with two women who really love shoes...and the changing stories beneath the sole.

A few days ago, I had the distinct privilege of sitting down and chatting with the incomparable Tina Sloan, daytime drama legend...and now author. Tina has chronicled her life as an actress, mother, and daughter in a wonderfully charming, humorous, and poignant memoir entitled Changing Shoes. Changing Shoes is a primer of sorts for growing old gracefully and meeting aging head on. Tina utilizes footwear as a metaphor for the different stages of life; when you are ready for a change, it's simple, just change your shoes. From the innocence of pink Capezios to the sophistication silhouette of a pair of black Chanel pumps, Changing Shoes takes us on a sentimental journey of youth, career, motherhood, and the decline of aging...our own and our parents. So, enjoy the conversation with two women who really love shoes...and the changing stories beneath the sole.

Las Aparicio fans will be happy to know that writer, Natassja Ybarra, is very forthcoming about the endgame of the Mariana/Julia story of the very popular telenovela. Will there be a wedding? Yes. Are the gay nuptials the last we will see of the couple? Not at all. Marriage maybe be the declared victory of this revolution, but life is just beginning for these two characters. No denying, this is evolution. Natassja and I talk about the entirety of Las Aparicio and its highly anticipated journey to Telemundo.com, the collaboration of writers as it pertains to all the characters, and what the future holds for other programming. And of course, we talk about Mariana/Julia/Armando and "polyamor". Enjoy.

Las Aparicio fans will be happy to know that writer, Natassja Ybarra, is very forthcoming about the endgame of the Mariana/Julia story of the very popular telenovela. Will there be a wedding? Yes. Are the gay nuptials the last we will see of the couple? Not at all. Marriage maybe be the declared victory of this revolution, but life is just beginning for these two characters. No denying, this is evolution. Natassja and I talk about the entirety of Las Aparicio and its highly anticipated journey to Telemundo.com, the collaboration of writers as it pertains to all the characters, and what the future holds for other programming. And of course, we talk about Mariana/Julia/Armando and "polyamor". Enjoy.