Posted on 04/19/2005 2:39:42 PM PDT by silent_jonny
~snip~
... I went out to the set and the offices of the Fox hit TV show 24 of which I've become a huge fan.
I only heard of the show late last season but it wasn't enough time to watch it, so I started watching it from the beginning this year, and when it was time to go to Afghanistan I bought all three previous seasons on DVD and took them on the airplane and I watched on the way over there 18 episodes, bam, bam, bam, just got hooked. I mean, there's no commercials in the DVD, so I didn't even have time to go to the bathroom. Well, I did, I hit the pause button but I'm just trying to illustrate how I couldn't tear myself away. After the trip to Afghanistan was over on the way back home I watched the remaining six episodes of season one and got as many in on season two as possible. I mentioned this when I got back, that I had watched all these episodes, and it turns out that the creator and producer of the program, a guy named Joel Surnow, happens to be a huge fan of this program, a longtime fan. I am one of his idols. So he calls, "If you're ever out here, come by, we'd love to show you how we do our magic." So I took him up on it. I went out there yesterday, got there about 2:30 and left at 10:30. They were still shooting scenes, working on the last two episodes of the year, still shooting scenes about ten, 10:30 when I had to tear myself away.
If you're watching on the Dittocam you see this smoke jacket, what an appropriate day to have a smoking jacket and to wear one. This was given to me by the crew at 24, and it's got the 24 logo here on the left-front pocket. It was so much fun, these guys, I'm telling you, folks, there's a movement going on out in Hollywood that stunned me. I mean, there were hundred people there, in and out, a big party, and they did it in my honor. It was just so much fun. The thing started at four o'clock, it was a smoking room party and they had all kinds of people from the show, from outside the show, that came in. It was actors and actresses on the show who had been killed off but can't tear themselves away from the set, they keep coming back. It was just a hoot. Everybody dons their smoking jackets and lights up, sits around, snacks and so forth, pictures galore. I got to sit in on a casting session. They're casting a couple of lead female roles for next season, got to see how that's done. But these guys are all conservatives. You know, in fact Vince Flynn, the great novelist Vince Flynn has been hired just for the past two weeks, he's trying to help them come up with story lines for next season, but Vince is such a groupie of mine, he didn't help them yesterday with any story lines; he was too busy talking me and asking me questions about myself and the radio -- I'm kidding about him being a groupie. He's a big fan. They all were.
Folks, it was a huge shock, I'm out there in Hollywood, and, you know, when I show up normally where there's a security guard, I have to have a bodyguard to protect me from the security guard when it's in Hollywood. But this guy was waiting for a football for me to autograph. The eight hours just zoomed by. I watched a couple scenes, actually four or five scenes being shot as they're trying to wrap up this season. But it was just a tremendous, tremendous good time. And I can't thank them enough for all of the courtesy that they showed and the kindness out there. It was once in a lifetime trip. A lot of pictures taken from it, and when I get those pictures, we will post a whole bunch of them on the website. And they should be coming in rather soon because they were all digital. There was a person doing nothing but taking pictures out there for this thing. They did it up right. Just an amazing thing. It's the only Hollywood set I have ever been on that's actually bigger than what it looks like. It's huge if you watch this show, and most everybody does.
I've got to tell you something that happened, the funniest thing happened at the smoke party last night at the set of 24. They brought in this babe to be a bartender. She was about 5'12", and might have weighed I'm guessing below the waste, maybe 50 pounds, above the waist another 50, maybe 75, if you get my drift out there. I walked up there, grabbed a Diet Coke, go back and resume conversations, travel around, go to different room, come back. The last time I went to the bar I said, "Could I get another Diet Coke from you?" She said, "What's my name?" She had been introduced to me when she first arrived. She said, "If you don't remember my name, if you can't come up with my name, I'm not getting you anything." So I looked around, there was nobody there that I could ask, so I just said, "Lavern." "Do I look like a Lavern to you?" "Well, what does a Lavern look like? I thought it was Lavern." So I started guessing names and she'd hold the drink out to me, this tall glass of Diet Coke, and as I said each name she's pull it away. (Laughing) I mean, just a flat out tease. She finally told me her name was Joni and made me pour it myself, and I still enjoyed it! I still had a good time.
I was shocked when he picked up an Emmy for his performance in that show.
After such an extensive career in film and television it's astonishing that he's getting finally getting some accolades from his Hollywood peers.
He's going to be in the summer blockbuster "FANTASTIC FOUR" along with the man of my dreams, Julian McMahon (from Nip/Tuck, another brilliant FX show I'm addicted to!). After you see the SHIELD, you'll never be able to look at him as the Commish again!!!!
At last I've found another SHIELD fan here. It's on tonight! When we were watching it on DVD, I was so hooked, I actually was dreaming about Farmington!!!! How about the David Aceveda...odd subplot they have going for him, don't you think???
I've heard that he sports a bald pate for his new role, though.
I suppose that's a reflection of his vicious, "bad cop" demeanor in that show.
I'm kind of sad that Steven Bochco has finally retired NYPD Blue.
From my perspective, that was his finest hour as a producer, even though the show never quite recovered from the departure of Jimmy Smits.
Yeah, I really like The Shield more than 24. I was afraid Glenn Close would ruin the show, but she's been OK so far. Lots of interesting sub-plots, but no gory shoot-outs yet (dammit!). Councilman Aceveda seems to be headed for a rubber room. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy!
I know!!!! They are all such great actors. I think CCH Pounder is magnificent and I just love her face! In fact, one of the great things about The Shield is that everyone looks like real people.
Me too. I actually liked the show more after Jimmy Smits left. He was always dealing with "Diane's problems" and that really weighed down the show, IMO.
Chiklis was even in a "Seinfield" years ago.
Maybe it's just me, but does it seem like they're trying to make Vic into a nicer guy? Don't let 'em take his edge away; he's at his best when he's being his badass self. And 24 is a great show. But waiting to see if Marzan (sp?) is going to set off the nuke is killing me, lol!
Their travails on Long Island due to the lack of diligence on the part of Cosmo Kramer.
Very funny episode, as I recall.
bttt
>>
>> I know Keifer is a major lefty.
I'm going to need to see some sort of proof of that.
<<
He's often claimed that the socialist healthcare system in Canada is a great thing. That's all I need to hear.
Sure sounded like Rush was promoting the show today.
Just the way he talked, I sounded like FOX had some type of deal with Rush's show to get the FOX show mentioned the way it was.
I remember, I think it was Season Two: "I'm gonna need a hacksaw."
IIRC, Kief is the grandson of a major Liberal Canadian politician.
I should say that Heritage got a mention but not in a real slam. It seems that the DecDefDaughter met the sleazy mercenary at a Heritage event. It indicates to me that there are some politically active and knowledgable non-lefties on the writing staff. You have to be pretty into politics to know about Heritage -- even that it's a conservative think tank. A novice would have mentioned "RNC fundraiser" or PAC or something. The Amnesty Global thing is a real slam. They could have used a fake name like the Global Campaign for Human Rights, but they wanted to let you know it was Amnesty International they were referring to.
Bump for later...
I am with you. "24" rocks but "The Shield" is Shakespeare brought to modern TV. Without parallel.
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