The youngest person to create a prime-time drama has a special way of describing his show. When you're making broadcast history, you're entitled to create words. It's a 'soapedy,' says Josh Schwartz, 27, in explaining the mixture of soap opera and comedy propelling Fox's The O.C.
We owe as much to melodrama as to comedy and romantic comedy, he says. We're fusing a lot of genres. I never watched soaps or 'Beverly Hills, 90210.' I missed the 'Dallas'-'Dynasty' movement. The show is as much a soap as it is a romantic comedy as it is a family show.
Above all, it's a hit. In a season when few new dramas and comedies have intrigued the public, The O.C. has broken through with its attractive actors, conflicted characters and swank settings. The rich families of Orange County, Calif., are different from you and me -- and we like it that way.
Three weeks ago, The O.C. drew more viewers than NBC's The West Wing or CBS' The King of Queens. Scheduled at 9 p.m. Wednesdays, after the phenomenon American Idol, The O.C. is on the brink of wide popularity.
Marcy Ross, Fox's senior vice president of current programming, attributes the success to Schwartz's clear vision for the show.
He never wavers from it, she says. He's funny. That's why the show has captured the imagination of so many young people. It has all of the wonderful nail-biting soap qualities with some real self-awareness.
The O.C. can vary in tone from week to week, keeping fans surprised. One week, it pokes fun at itself by focusing on "The Valley," a teen drama within the teen drama. The next week, The O.C. turns dramatic by bringing on a visiting grandmother (played by Alice star Linda Lavin) in grave health.
Schwartz intuits all the conventions of TV but tells the melodrama in a fresh and innovative way, says Ron Simon, television curator at the Museum of Television & Radio in New York.
You can take it on a realistic level and on an ironic level, Simon adds. It's commenting on its own narrative. That's smart television for kids who grew up with 'Beverly Hills, 90210.' It's the perfect drama for viewers who want to discuss all the intricacies and emotional upheaval on the Internet.
Last week, The O.C. returned with the first of four episodes on the way to a May 5 cliffhanger. Schwartz and his colleagues are planning a big, old-fashioned season finale that hooks fans until the series returns, probably after baseball in October.
We want to keep the show self-aware and funny and frisky enough, but I don't want it to be so self-aware that you can't do emotional stories as well, Schwartz says. The last episodes are real emotional.
The O.C. started emotionally in August, when public defender Sandy Cohen (Peter Gallagher) took in wayward teen client Ryan Atwood (Benjamin McKenzie). Sandy's wealthy wife, Kirsten (Kelly Rowan), objected at first, then realized that Ryan needed the family's help.
Ryan bonded with the Cohens' geeky son, Seth (Adam Brody), and fascinated the troubled girl next door, Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton). Ryan drew the wrath of handsome villain Luke (Chris Carmack) before the two embarked on an unlikely friendship.
In the show's most pleasant break with TV formulas, The O.C. manages to make the adults every bit as compelling as the teens. Sandy Cohen is a smart, good man who loves his family.
There's a lot of my dad in that character, Schwartz says. There's a lot of Peter Gallagher in the character. Both guys are really wonderful fathers. They have a sense of humor and get it. Sandy gets it. He can lay down the law. He surfs. He's cool. He's compassionate.
Schwartz, the child of toy inventors, grew up in Providence, R.I. He gained the inspiration for The O.C. while attending the University of Southern California and meeting kids from Newport Beach, Calif.
Balancing the adult and teen characters makes business sense by giving The O.C.broader appeal than such teen-fixated dramas as 90210 and Dawson's Creek.
The show would be far less interesting if it was just a teen show, Fox executive Ross says. We don't just target the teen audience in our promos. This is a family-oriented show, where parents can sit with teenagers and watch the show. That doesn't happen often.
Some viewers might dispute that view, especially when Luke had an affair with Julie (Melinda Clarke), the mother of former girlfriend Marissa. But Ross says that she watches with her 12-year-old daughter and that The O.C. has lately been drawing more teenagers than the preceding edition of American Idol on Wednesday.
The whole show has been a collaborative effort. Schwartz created the show at age 26 and developed it with film director McG (Charlie's Angels). In establishing the stories, Schwartz has gained invaluable support from veterans Allan Heinberg (Sex and the City) and Bob DeLaurentis (Providence).
But ultimately, The O.C. remains Schwartz's creation. His name appears on 16 of this season's scripts, and all 27 went through his computer.
We trust him, so if he feels strongly about something, we're going to let him fulfill it, Fox executive Ross says.
posted by Jen @ 11:56 AM |
Adam Brody is Grounded for Life!
Adam is making a guest appearance on his roommate and OC guest star (as funny-man Danny) Bret Harrison's show Grounded for Life on April 30th on the WB. Here's the synopsis:
WB Apr 30 09:00pm "Get a Job", Episode #422. Lily is thrilled about Brad's new job until she discovers the way his manager (Adam Brody) treats him. Cast: Donal Logue, Megyn Price, Kevin Fitzgerald Corrigan, Lynsey Bartilson, Griffin Frazen, Jake Burbage, Bret Harrison, Adam Brody, Richard Riehle, Kristin Dattilo. ____________________
Don't forget to check out CSI too April 30th! Here is a repeat of what I reported:
Our favorite OC mommies have done a stint on CSI, in the same episode! On Friday April 30th at 11pm on Spike TV (ex-TNN), CSI will be doing it's syndicated rerun of the episode with our OC MILFs. Melinda (Julie) and Kelly (Kirsten) are in the episode titled Slaves of Las Vegas. Melinda played the main dominatrix, Lady Heather and Kelly played Eileen Nelson. (Keep a look out for the lab tech played by Stacey Dash – from Clueless)
So...make it an O.C. night ____________________
...and because people just can't get enough of The O.C. on tv once a week...
Update on Rachel Bilson guest starring on That '70s Show:
149. Season #6, Episode #21 (621) Title: 5:15
Original airdate: May 5, 2004
Synopsis: Mitch invites Donna to go with him to his brother's wedding; Fez pretends to be rich to impress a woman (Christy aka RACHEL); Red gets cable installed.
Guest stars Rachel Bilson as Christy Shannon Elizabeth as Brooke Seth Green as Mitch (quick note: Seth was on Buffy...so was Rachel)
So, do not forget to watch FOX all night May 5th for That '70s Show and the finale of The O.C.!! ____________________
So, Paris-peach is busy with TV treats, and Britney's traveling in her family-made prison. What's Tinseltown to do without its party girls? Call fer younger bait, that's what.
It's an old leak that slurpalicious 18-year-old Mischa Barton has been hittin' up (with considerably impressive aplomb) every single gathering Hell-Ay folks are hostin' and toastin', but jeez, even Tara Reid gets tired.
Misch-doll has furthered her celebratory rep lately, in light of being linked with doable boy-toy Brandon Davis. Matter of fact, saw the chicly grunged-out couple at Koi last week enjoying some celeb-beckoning soosh.
I know what you're thinking--Ms. Barton not in designer duds? But 'tis true, she was donning a baggy white tee thang topped with a lint-balled grandma cardigan. Hang out with a near teenybopper, dress like one, too. Youngsters are easily influenced by their surroundings, that's all.
But there's another fiery gal nipping at the high heels of Mischa, and that's Lindsay Lohan. A whole year younger and that much spicier, L2 has recently matched M.B. on the party circuit and has appeared at every damn function that yours truly has been to! What gives, you chain-puffin' tween? ____________________
Sex! Death! William Hung! All Coming to a Small Screen Near You--or Not; Plus, O.C. Scoop to Make You Go Hmmm...
That's how I choose to remember my run-in with Adam and the O.C. stars (every last one of 'em--whee!) at their big season-finale soiree this week. The yumminess that went down was so deliciously drool-worthy, it pains me to keep you waiting, but in honor of the almighty WWK tradition (and out of respect to you yahoos who don't watch The O.C., tsk, tsk), we must first dig into the most holy of all spoiler events of the TV season.
Drumroll, please...
The Fourth Annual Season-Finale Spoiler Shuffle: The finales are coming! The finales are coming! Which means it's that nail-biting time of year when writers and producers are finalizing their "Soilers"--first you say it, then you do it--to shock you in all the big season-enders.
Not to brag or anything (wait, I already did that), but I've got the scoop on some top-secret surprises.
Newbies, here's how this game works: The list below is filled with finale dish from some of TV's hottest shows. But beware! Only half of these spoilers are true. The others are figments of my tube-stunted imagination.
Your task, my friends, is to determine which are real and which are as phony as a Swan's perfectly sculpted backside. When you think you've got it right, email me your guesses, then join me for our next chat, this Monday at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT, to get all the answers! (Transcripts post Tuesday.)
The first person to email the correct list of true and false spoilers will get a big ol' shout-out in our next chat. (Just a little something to post on your cyber-fridge.)
Let the guessing begin!
1. Friends: Ross proposes to Rachel. 2. Alias: Vaughn pummels Lauren with a crowbar. 3. Angel: Wesley dies. 4. 24: Tony kills Kim. 5. The O.C.: Luke returns. 6. Tru Calling: Tru's brother, Harrison, dies. 7. Charmed: A male cast member dies. 8. Gilmore Girls: Rory gets a new lovah, who carries over into season five. 9. Survivor: All-Stars: Rob chooses Amber over Rupert, and Rupert lashes out at Rob in the final jury over his betrayal. 10. The Swan: The castoff Swans return in a final twist. 11. CSI: Nick and Sara end up in bed. 12. Joan of Arcadia: Joan finally tells someone her secret. 13. Star Trek: Enterprise: The Sphere Builders tear the ship apart and kill the entire crew. 14. Will & Grace: Grace and Leo call it quits. 15. The Sopranos: Tony quits the Mob. 16. Everwood: Ephram catches Madison with another guy. 17. One Tree Hill: Tests reveal Lucas is the father. 18. The Practice: Ellenor moves to L.A. with her sister and nephew. 19. ER: Luka proposes to Sam...and she says no. 20. American Idol: William Hung wins.
Ain't No Party Like an O.C. Party: Oh, how I love The O.C. Let me count the ways:
1. Adam Brody 2. Adam Brody 3. Adam Brody
Oh yeah, and every other member of the cast. (No poop.) Though they had been whipped, Tasered and beaten into submission by producers who didn't want a single upcoming storyline leaked (that's the way it looked, at least), those O.C. cats were still more fun to interact with than any other TV cast on the planet. (You know my Alias affections--that's saying something.)
The season-finale bash on Tuesday night was everything you'd hope for in an O.C. party--well, minus the catfighting and someone getting tossed in the pool. I hit the red carpet first, doing interviews for E! News Live. You can see that interaction with all the stars right here.
FYI, Tate Donavan really is still miffed that I called his character spineless in my visit to the show's yacht-party scene a few months ago (as you can see from the clip). I think the poor guy has a complex. Jimmy is gonna be the biggest, strongest character with the biggest spine of all time! he said when asked what's coming up on the show. Gonna be like Godzilla. The ladies are going to go crazy. No more of this, 'Oh, gee, I hope I don't get beat up at cotillion' crap.
And honestly, that's about as revealing as any of the real answers the others gave about what's coming up on the show. Not once, not twice, but five separate times, I asked cast members what they could tell us about the finale, and they replied, nervously, Nothing. This while glancing over their shoulders--presumably to see if executive producer Josh Schwartz was looking. Cute young guy, and, apparently, strong iron fist. Meow.
Ben McKenzie (a legit rebel!) was the only one brave enough to give the story. I'm under strict orders not to tell you a damn thing, he told me, with that adorable, rarely seen smile. I got reprimanded before for telling you too much. But I can tell you there's a hell of a cliffhanger, and Ryan really has to make up his mind about a lot of things, make some tough decisions. It's going to be heartwarming--or, rather, heartbreaking--and everything is coming full circle.
Mischa Barton seconded Ben's heartbreaking emotion. When I read the last scene, she told me, I was just really sad. I cried.
Sounds like Caleb might also be hurting a bit. Actor Alan Dale (who, FYI, has an ultrasexy new Zealand accent) tells me, The cliffhanger is good; it leaves us all wondering what will happen. And some antics go on. I can tell you that I wind up with a black eye at some stage.
(Pssst...Personally, I think that might have something to do with Luke [Chris Carmack] returning. Call it a hunch.)
Meanwhile, good guy Adam confirmed one rumor I'd heard: Someone is pregnant, and I will tell you it's a female.
Guess that throws Ben McKenzie's "confession" out the window. It's me, he acquiesced when I asked about the bun in the oven. God, am I already showing? Between the pickles and peanut butter and sandwiches, my diet is shot to hell.
Still, Rachel Bilson says we can expect more of Ben with his shirt off. Now I keep my shirt on, and he's taking his shirt off. I like it. He's the himbo.
Speaking of Rachel (whose rumored b-f is A.B.), I know you're probably dying to know about my illicit teenage love affair with Adam (as mentioned earlier). Well, truth be told, though we did grow up in neighboring towns outside San Diego and attend rival high schools, I was a little out of his league--ahem, age, ahem--for us to have swapped spit by the lockers.
Still, he was a good sport when I played a little fact-or-fiction game with him to try and set some rumors straight. Here's our convo:
Kristin: I'm going to make a few statements. You say true or false. Okay: You're in a movie with Brad Pitt. Adam: True.
Kristin: You like to dress up in women's clothing. Adam: True.
Kristin: You're dating a costar. Adam: [Laughs.] What's a costar? And...no comment.
Kristin: You've been house-hunting with a costar. Adam: Okay, here's the thing. I have to say no comment for all of them, even if it's totally false, or else it will be false, false, false, no comment. So, they're all no comment. Anything about my personal life, no comment.
Kristin: So, let's talk about my personal life. You and I went to rival high schools. Adam: [Laughs.] True.
Kristin: You and I were high school sweethearts. Adam: True. Yes, that's definitely true. That's all over the Internet, isn't it? I think maybe on E! Online?
There you have it peeps, the definitive word. Ladies, try not to be jealous.
One interesting aside, however, which I found amusing. In separate interviews with Adam and Rachel, I asked a completely unrelated roundup question as a favor for one of our new shows, and both started their responses like so: Well, I was watching Kill Bill: Volume 1 last night...That's a rental, peeps. Which gives me the strangest sensation my high school beau may be cheating on me. ____________________
Last week, fans of The O.C. were majorly bummed, dude. How could the teen soap's best-looking bad boy, Luke Ward, be packed off to Portland? At the season's start, he made a big bang with his signature catchphrase: Welcome to the O.C., bitch! He bullied Ryan, cheated on girlfriend Marissa — after taking her virginity — then seduced Marissa's mom, Julie Cooper. He was bad, but he looked damn good doing it. Here, TV Guide Online asks 23-year-old Chris Carmack why Luke had to go, and learns what's next for the fan fave.
TV Guide Online: Though the producers deny it, rumor has it a salary dispute made them decide against bringing you back next season. Chris Carmack: There was no salary dispute. They were unsure where the character was going to go. He started out as an antagonist, became a bit of a protagonist — a character you cared about — and that grew. I don't know what precipitated the choices the writers made about writing him off. But they talked to me about it, and I understand how that goes.
TVGO: Seems strange he'd suddenly move to Portland with his gay dad. Carmack: Luke has hurt so many people on the show and has done things you can't defend. How can he keep going at this pace? He came to his senses and chose to distance himself to give everyone a chance to get back to normal, because he keeps screwing stuff up. I think it's the most mature decision he's made this whole season. It felt very natural.
TVGO: What about Luke's personality switcheroo? He starts off as a jerk, fighting Ryan over Marissa. Then, Luke's dad comes out, he endures some teasing and, suddenly, he's a sweetie and best buds with Ryan. Did you mind him changing so quickly? Carmack: It didn't at all. What happened was that something went very awry in Luke's life that made him think and reevaluate things. His parents are divorcing, he's got two younger siblings lost in the mess and, all of a sudden, the girlfriend thing isn't that big of a deal. I don't think it was as big a switcheroo as it seems.
TVGO: How did you feel about Luke's affair with Marissa's mother, Julie? Carmack: [Laughs] I certainly didn't have any objections. Melinda Clarke and I had a blast working on those scenes.
TVGO:It's funny that Melinda's barely a dozen years your senior, but she's playing your ex's mother. Carmack: I know. If you want to talk reality, she's like a smidgen older than my last girlfriend!
TVGO: What's next for you? Carmack: I'll be in a movie called The Last Ride, which will be on the USA Network June 2. It's about street-racing and revenge. It's also about three generations of men in a family. Dennis Hopper is my grandfather and Will Patton plays my father. The O.C. was imperative in me [getting] this project. It's a great stepping stone.
posted by Jen @ 6:44 AM |
Thursday, April 22, 2004
Here's a sneak peek pic of Ben and Adam on the episode The Strip, where it seems Adam started to do exactly what the title suggests...GO ADAM!
____________________
Check out Jane magazine, May edition (also known as the Celebrity Edition)
Rachel does Dish, shows some Polaroids of some castmates and herself and talks about needing ideas to prank the boys.
Eric Balfour (Eddie) also appears in a very small, blink and you might miss it, pic and article about a Native American ritual he enjoys because it is part of his heritage his grandfather taught him.
posted by Jen @ 8:32 AM |
MAJOR NEWS!! Fox Picks Up Four Prime-Time Shows for New Season (yahoo.com) LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - TV broadcaster Fox on Wednesday renewed four of its most successful prime-time shows for the 2004-2005 season, while the fate of a few others was still up in the air.
Fox, which said earlier this week it would launch a new slate of six shows in June as part of a year-round programming strategy, ordered a new season of family comedy "The Bernie Mac (news) Show," real-time thriller "24," teen drama "The O.C." and offbeat comedy "Malcolm in the Middle." (click to read more) ~~~ On the same note...
Fox Clocks in More "24," "O.C." (yahoo.com) Fox has just given us one big spoiler: Jack Bauer will live to save the planet another day.
Kiefer Sutherland's counterterrorism agent--a perpetual victim of terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days who currently trying to keep a killer virus from wiping out the world--clocks in next year for a fourth season of 24, as the network announced it was reupping several of its top shows.
Aside from 24, Fox is bringing back The O.C., The Bernie Mac Show and Malcolm in the Middle for the 2004-05 TV calendar. The network has also ordered three more seasons of its late-night sketch series Mad TV.
Gail Berman, president of Fox Entertainment, who on Tuesday announced a bold new summertime lineup that presages a move to year-round original programming, took the opportunity Wednesday to stress that the latest pickups "will remain a vital part of our year-round programming mix."
Berman said the series were "celebrated and groundbreaking shows" and "the backbone of Fox's scripted programming," which also includes three other established hits--That '70s Show, King of the Hill and the currently voiceless The Simpsons, all already renewed for next season.
With its huge American Idol lead-in, the Golden Globe-winning 24 averages 9.9 million viewers on Tuesdays. A 90210 for the new millennium, The O.C. scored solid ratings upon its launch last summer and has become the network's top-rated hit among the teen crowd. Overall, it attracts 9.6 million viewers a week. Malcolm in the Middle now takes Frankie Muniz (news) and its other well-compensated actors into a sixth season of dysfunctional familydom.
Despite scheduling problems in 2002 and the dismissal of show creator Larry Wilmore in 2003, The Bernie Mac (news) Show is lowest-rated show of the group. Fox hopes a stable time slot will pump up the Nielsens in the show's fourth season--Bernie has been averaging just 7.7 million viewers this season.
The longest runner of the newly renewed shows is Mad TV, now extended until 2008. Currently in its ninth season, Mad TV recently celebrated its 200th episode. Its decidedly un-PC humor makes it the top-rated late-night Saturday show among teens, and second with the advertiser-friendly adult 18-34 demographic. Fox unveils its full schedule May 20 at the advertiser upfronts in New York. ____________________
Curl up on the couch and get a taste of Rachel Bilson and Adam Brody outside of The OC. On Tuesday night, April 27, Bilson will appear on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live. A week later on May 4 - the night before the season finale of The OC - Brody will be a guest on The Late Show with David Letterman. Check local listings for more details. ____________________
Even Ryan Seacrest seemed ticked at the outcome with his "Vote for the talent" plea before signing off. Hell, I may need to sign off for a bit just to recover. It's not right that I want someone to hit the ether so much. Unless, of course, we're talking about...
The O.C. ...which needs to get rid of Theresa, pronto! That middle-aged teenager is like emotional herpes. She flares up at the worst times! First, it's to get away from Eddie. Now it's, oh, to get away of Eddie. Again. Ryan, dude. There's a reason you left your ex in Chino. Her name is Marissa and she's hot. Hotter now that she's finally getting a spine, all taking on Caleb and calling in her trashy aunt for Julie's shower. Gotta love a pretty girl willing to play dirty. But I'm kind of hating on Summer for ditching Seth just because her creepy father didn't get our boy's goofy groove. You'd think he'd be cool with his daughter dating a misfit, having romanced a Flashdance-ing welder back in the day, right? Anyhoo, the wedding is two weeks away. Since the idea of Eddie roughing up Theresa is something old, how much you want to bet she turns up as something blue by the season finale?
Having wrapped filming on Season 1, The O.C. threw a cast party Tuesday at Falcon on L.A.'s Sunset Strip. There was much for McG & Co. to toast that night, especially since Fox just renewed the hit teen soap for next season. (As if there were any doubt!) Still, Party Boy wasn't in the most celebratory mood. I'm still cross that producers fired hottie Chris Carmack, packing Luke off to Portland last week. How could they?
"Yeah, it's unfortunate," said Benjamin Mackenzie, who plays broody Ryan. "The challenge the producers and writers faced with Luke was they weren't interested in continuing the Luke-Marissa-Ryan triangle too long. So once the triangle worked itself through, they were left with the problem of, 'What do we do with him?'"
Luke's love affair with ex-girlfriend Marissa's mom, Julie Cooper, sure was naughty. "He was great with doing comedy," Mackenzie agreed. "I thought that plotline was a lot of fun, but once that ran out, then they were left with a difficult decision." (Stay tuned to TV Guide Online's Insider for my exit interview with Carmack himself!)
Meanwhile, Adam Brody and Rachel Bilson — aka Seth and Summer — were inseparable the entire night. The way he sticks by her side, it's clear those rumors of offscreen romance are more than rumors, kids. In fact, when Party Boy approached them for a chat, Brody said: "Not now... We're about to have a fight."
Their lovers' quarrel couldn't have been too serious, since they were all smiles two minutes later. Not wanting to pry — well I did wanna, but I didn't — Party Boy asked Brody about his role in Mr. and Mrs. Smith. The film stars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie as a married couple secretly employed as assassins. "They take me hostage, that's all I can say," Brody admitted. "It's weird. It's a spy movie — there's a lot of shifting identities and stuff, so it's really hard to explain. I'm not sure I know what I'm playing!
"It's a small part. I'm getting too much press for it," he grinned. "I'll take it, but I'm like, 'What the f---? I only did two scenes!' They're critical to the plot of the story, but I don't know that they'll be the most memorable."
Elsewhere in the club, Party Boy cornered tight-lipped O.C. writer Josh Schwartz to pump him for dish. Expect "pimps and hos and strippers" in Las Vegas, where the season finale (airing May 2) is set. We can also look forward to the unholy union of Julie and Caleb there. In other news, Summer's stepmonster may appear on the show next year. Plus, Linda Lavin is likely to return as Seth's Jewish nana for Chrismakkuh.
One last bit of dish: Taylor Handley — who played psycho-boy Oliver — turned up at the party with blond hair! "They wanted my hair dark for a more sinister look," the kid smiled. "I went back to my natural color for the Fox comedy pilot I'm shooting now." After learning that thrilling news, Party Boy snagged his gift bag — complete with an O.C. T-shirt and Neutrogena beauty goodies — and vamoosed before Oliver got any scary ideas. ____________________
Inside 'The O.C.'s' Finale Bash! posted by Jennifer at 8:38 pm
The trendy "O.C." cast celebrated the end of their first juicy season on Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood, and ET was in the mingling mix.
ET takes you inside the happening soiree, where Benjamin McKenzie reflected on what a difference a year -- and a hit show -- makes! "I remember I'd be on Sunset Blvd. in my Cadillac DeVille that had no air conditioning, staring up at the billboards thinking, 'It'll never really happen!'"
Last night, the cast and crew of The O.C. held a little party up in Hollywood to celebrate the end of season one. Unfortunately, there wasn't much press at this party because it was just for the cast and crew...
...but Buzz Rodell and his team of trained specialists were there chatting it up with all the stars of the show! SHABLAMO! The party planning crew gave us a great tent with furniture to work with and then our other camera dude, Iron Man, dressed it up and made it look incredible. We took plenty of pictures so I'll be posting a few during the weeks.
PFG has my vote of King of Man. That's for sure.
Everyone was SO great. All the actors, along with Josh Schwartz and McG, were amazing and handled our questions like champs. Rachel Bilson totally tossed me from my interview horse, but I'll get her next time. And if I learned anything from last night, it's that...
BRET HARRISON RULES!
HAHA! Anyway, I'm glad I got a chance to do it and I want to tell everyone how the entire night was but then you wouldn't have to wait for the video! So HA!
Now I gotta say my thank yous! Thanks to The Big Boss for believing in the Buzzer. Thanks to The Buckle for maintaining a skill of making me look GREAT on tape. Thanks to The Maker for keeping me in check and getting me water. And of course, thanks to The Key who tracked down our celeb guests and suckered them into talking with me.
So that's that. We're putting all the video footage together, but there's A LOT. So I'm not going tell you any kind of a date as to when you might get to see it. But you know where to look and you know I'll tell you when that delicious internet cookie is ready to eat...
posted by Jen @ 8:06 AM |
Wednesday, April 21, 2004
PICTURES, TONS OF PICTURES!!! At wireimage.com With cast, crew, Jem at The OC Season Finale Party
____________________
Small snippit of Mischa's speech at Cosmo's Fun, Fearless Female party in next month's Cosmopolitan ____________________
Teen Vogue's pages have the daughters of Joan Collins admitting that whenever Seth Cohen does something funny, they call each other ____________________
Check out the new season of MTV's Punk'd. The commercials show Adam Brody...oooh ____________________
A majority of the cast of The OC will be appearing on the FOX show, On Air with Ryan Seacrest, Monday, May 3 (two days before the season finale). Check local listings for time and channel. It should be an enjoyable hour. (aww, thanx guys, for doing that for my b-day...but I don't get home in time!!! AACK!) ____________________
CosmoGirl! Celebrity Yearbook
Whether they're hitting the red carpet or out on the town, these sexy stars always step out in style. But which fashion diva is really the BEST-DRESSED STAR?
Vote for your pick up to 100 times a day! Plus, when you send an e-card to five of your friends, you'll be automatically entered to win a Blink-182 prize pack with a "Blink-182" CD, an autographed poster, and an Atticus Girls pink T-shirt.
Hurry, voting ends May 23!
So which of these stars has the ultimate sense of style? The choice is all yours. Vote now!
Fox Rolls Out Summer Six-Pack of New Shows (yahoo.com) By Cynthia Littleton LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Fox Broadcasting Co. is forging ahead with its master plan to shift to a year-round programing schedule, announcing June 8 as the start date for its rollout of six new comedy, drama and reality series to run during the summer months.
The first new series on tap is "The Jury," a drama that bows at 9 p.m. Tuesday, June 8, preceded from 8-9 p.m. by back-to-back original episodes of "The Bernie Mac (news) Show," Fox entertainment president Gail Berman said Monday. Two more freshmen, the hotel drama "North Shore" and reality series "The Casino," follow from 8-10 p.m. on Monday, June 14. Wednesday, June 16, will see the 8 p.m. premiere of "The Simple Life 2," the second round of unscripted adventures by "celebutants" Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie, followed at 8:30 p.m. by the new Andy Richter (news) comedy "Quintuplets," a second "Simple Life 2" episode at 9 p.m. and the debut of the comedy "Method & Red" at 9:30 p.m. After that first week, reruns of veteran Fox comedy "That '70s Show" will move into the 8 p.m. Wednesday berth, while "Simple Life 2" continues in its regular 9 p.m. Wednesday slot. Fox also has carved out slots in its weekly schedule starting in June for regular repeats of each of its new series -- within a few days of each episode's premiere -- in an effort to raise viewer awareness of the new offerings. "It's a new beginning for us in the way we do business, and it's very exciting," Berman said. "It's the result of a lot of work and a lot of planning by everyone at the network. We're not calling it our summer schedule around here. We refer to it as our new season launching in June." Berman said Fox was forced to take dramatic steps to change its approach in scheduling because of the interruption the network faces every year just at the outset of the fall season launch because of Fox Sports' commitment to covering postseason Major League Baseball games. Executives at the Big Four networks have long talked of the need to move away from the traditional September-May primetime season and offer original fare on a 52-week basis. Fox got some traction in the summer with the early August bow of teen-centric soap "The O.C.," which Berman cited as the impetus for Fox to go for a more significant summer launch this year. NBC loaded up its summer slate last year with reality series that delivered stronger numbers than it likely would have seen from reruns of existing shows. Berman said she has no illusions regarding the uphill climb Fox will have in convincing viewers that the original series starting in June are not rejects that didn't make the cut in the regular season. "Method & Red," a fish-out-of-water comedy about two wealthy rap stars who move into an affluent neighborhood in New Jersey, in particular has been generating strong buzz in industry circles. "The audience is expecting in the summer to see solely unscripted stuff or 'burn-off theater,' and we know it will take a lot to convince them otherwise," Berman said. "We'll use those encore (airings) during the week to reinforce the shows, taking into account that peoples' viewing habits in the summer are different." If any of the new shows click during the summer months, the network will be able to keep them in production and come back with new episodes in late fall, post-World Series (news - web sites), when the network will roll out the bulk of its established shows. Berman said the scheduling revolution at Fox has been planned around two key tentpoles: the baseball playoffs in October and the January launch of its most potent programing weapon, "American Idol." Berman added that Fox is mounting a "substantial" marketing campaign to support the new series launches as it did last year for "The O.C." Fox's June launch experiment is sure to be closely watched by its primary competitors. It has already caught the attention of Wall Street. In a research note on Fox Entertainment Group issued Monday by Schwab Soundview Capital Markets, analyst Jordan Rohan noted that demand for advertising will likely be strong this summer because of the halo effect of NBC's Summer Olympics (news - web sites) coverage and the presidential election. "Fox will have fresh programing to sell and will pay less for billboards and radio exposure required to get the word out on new television series," Rohan wrote. Reuters/Hollywood Reporter ____________________
From phillygal4: What about Joey's spinoff? Is it going to be any good? I have serious doubts. I have even more. From what I hear, it's a bit troubled. And the Seth Cohen knockoff doesn't help.
From hacker2093: It also doesn't help that Drea de Matteo is only five years older than Paulo Costanzo, the guy playing her son. Cereally! From jenny: What's up with The O.C.? They seem to be kicking off characters left and right. First Anna, possibly Luke and rumors of another. Geesh. I hear you cluckin', big chicken. I'm going to the O.C. finale party tomorrow night, so I'll try to get to the bottom of all the rumors--including Theresa being pregnant with a baby that's possibly Ryan's. In the meantime, help a sister out and send me any questions you want to ask of the O.C. peeps!
From seba_88: But Theresa was leaving the show to do a pilot, so she can't be pregnant. Or she can, but it can't be Ryan's! Yep, that's what I'm thinking.
From kne1203: Californiaaa! Any other O.C. scoop you can give us today? Theresa's hubby's going to get a bit violent--then disappear. I spoke to Eric Balfour at the Glamour Don't Party last week (or was it the week before?), and he told me he's "done with The O.C." Working on other projects now. ____________________
Luke Quote of the Week In honor of Luke leaving Newport Beach, we're giving this week's quote to him. "Welcome to Portland, bitch." Luke to Ryan mocking himself and the very first episode of "The O.C."
Rock the Vote Want to vote for your favorite television character? (Can you guess who I voted for?) Go to http://www.bravotv.com/100_Greatest_TV_Characters/. The deadline for voting is this Friday, April 23. ____________________
If you watch the Fox promos, you’d be excused for thinking ”The O.C.” is yet another teen soap. In some ways it is, but as its fans are more than happy to tell you, it’s so much more. ”The O.C.”’s rampant wit, self-mockery and pop-culture savvy make for a TV habit worth cultivating. USA TODAY’s Jim Cheng and Alison Maxwell review the plots and characters, while Ken Barnes provides reasons you should make ”The O.C.” appointment TV.
Ryan Atwood (Benjamin McKenzie): Ryan is the mixed-up, neglected kid from blue-collar Chino with a propensity for fighting (especially at hoity-toity charity events) and a James Dean pout. Adopted by his public defender, Sandy Cohen, he helps nerdy stepbrother Seth navigate the rough waters of high school romance and nearly drowns in his own on-and-off relationship with Marissa.
Seth Cohen (Adam Brody): This nerdish smart-aleck serves as the show’s geek chorus, wryly commenting on his and everyone else’s travails. His triangle with childhood friend-turned-tormentor-turned-girlfriend Summer and now-departed fellow nerd Anna (Samaire Armstrong) was a comic highlight.
Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton): Doe-eyed Marissa is Newport Beach’s naive but troubled beauty, perpetually in need of rescue by Ryan. Her dramas _ suicide attempt triggered by her parents’ split and ex-boyfriend Luke’s cheating; misguided friendship with psycho rich kid Oliver; trauma resulting from Luke’s hook-up with her mother _ generate most of the central plot lines (and an unending series of snits).
Summer Roberts (Rachel Bilson): Ewww! Summer is, well, like, totally, a Valley Girl. She’s obsessed with clothes, money, boys and partying and enjoys bringing best friend Marissa along for the ride. For months Seth doggedly pursues her, but she won’t give him the time of day. Finally, the duo falls for each other, and they quickly lose their virginity together.
Sandy Cohen (Peter Gallagher): Once a public defender, Bronx-born-and-raised Sandy opts for a lucrative law-firm job and its resultant moral conflicts. Though son Seth pokes fun at his enormous eyebrows, the two have an open, chummy relationship, and big-hearted Sandy is Ryan’s biggest ally.
Kirsten Cohen (Kelly Rowan): Kirsten is both shrewd businesswoman and doting wife and mom. When husband Sandy brings Ryan home, she’s initially skeptical, but eventually accepts him. She has an antagonistic relationship with her wealthy father/employer, Caleb Nichol, who doesn’t approve of Sandy.
Jimmy Cooper (Tate Donovan): Financially disgraced Jimmy has been relegated by wife Julie to a small apartment, where he lives with daughter Marissa. At one point, he steals a kiss from Kirsten, his old high school flame, but has now taken up with Kirsten’s younger sister, Hailey, and is opening a restaurant with Sandy.
Julie Cooper (Melinda Clarke): Conniving and self-centered, dilettantish interior designer Julie kicked husband Jimmy to the curb when he couldn’t support her lavish lifestyle. She isn’t ashamed that she has since hooked up with Caleb and daughter Marissa’s ex-boyfriend Luke. When not romantically embroiled (she’s currently back with Caleb), she periodically tries to commit Marissa to an institution.
Luke Ward (Chris Carmack): Marissa’s ex was a boorish jock at first, then evolved into a semi-doltish pal of Ryan’s who can’t resist Marissa’s mom.
Five reasons that you should watch ’The O.C.’
1. The dialogue. When ”The O.C.” is on a roll, no show except ”The Gilmore Girls” matches its rapid-fire rants and clever asides. Seth’s snide deprecation (self- and otherwise) is the main attraction, but Summer is a fount of sizzling sarcasm.
2. The acting. Adam Brody as Seth deftly portrays a smart-kid observer type who’s willing to act the fool to achieve cool. The rest of the cast, except for one-dimensional Mischa Barton (Marissa), are at least serviceable with flashes of subtlety and depth.
3. The scenery: Posh Newport Beach is showcased at its most gorgeous and envy-inspiring: The Cohens’ house may not survive global warming, but it’s got a view to die for.
4. The Valley. A fictional teen soap used by ”O.C.” creator Josh Schwartz to mock the living daylights out of his own show. Endless self-referential (but hardly reverential) bits made this arguably the standout episode (it aired March 24). Once it’s on DVD, it’s sure to be pored over like an ancient biblical manuscript (the ”O.C.” Scrolls?).
5. The time slot. Now that ”The West Wing” is a pale shadow of its Aaron Sorkin-era self and ”Angel” is on its way out, you have no viable alternatives. And no, fetishes for ”Extreme Makeover” and ”The King of Queens” are no excuse.
Source: The Reno Gazette ~~~
REMINDER!!!!!!! Melinda Clarke is poping over to the Sharon Osborne Show. Melinda will be appearing today, April 20th.
She'll share her conniving character's latest antics on the show.
Also appearing: Stylish comedienne Margaret Cho shows off some pieces from her new clothing line. Actor Levar Burton joins Sharon to talk about Global Vision for Peace, a star-studded organization that works with the U.N. to promote peace throughout the world. Plus, Sharon welcomes the Children of Uganda, a group of kids orphaned by AIDS who perform African folk music in the name of AIDS awareness. ~~~ This coming Thursday, April 22nd, Ben will be appearing on "Last Call with Carson Daly," on NBC.
Check your local listings for the time.
Also appearing that day, Max Kellerman, and a performance from the legendary Blondie. ____________________
Check out ElleGirl with Samaire. You learn SOOOO much about her (like what she has in common with Anna, for instance) and even tidbits of some of the rest of the cast and crew (Rachel loves My Little Pony which turned into Summer loving My Little Pony & to top that off, Josh, the creator, his father created My Little Pony!) Please pick up a copy today to learn more. There is soo much to say that I do wanna spoil it all for you! Very good read.
posted by Jen @ 9:10 AM |
Monday, April 19, 2004
CHICAGO (thefutoncritic.com) -- FOX is hoping the Beastie Boys, Jem and the impending nuptials of Caleb Nichol and Julie Cooper will wrap "The O.C.'s" inaugural season on a high note.
The network issued a pair of press releases this week hyping the show's final three episodes this season:
Note: The following episode descriptions may contain spoilers for future storylines. "THE O.C."'s UNLIKELY COUPLES PREPARE FOR THE BIGGEST EVENT OF THE SEASON DURING THE FINAL THREE EPISODES OF "THE O.C." ON FOX
Jem to Perform in Season Finale Wednesday, May 5 As the sun begins to set on this season of THE O.C., the Coopers and the Cohens prepare for the wedding that will unexpectedly and dramatically change their lives during the final three all-new episodes of THE O.C., starting Wednesday, April 21 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.
In "The Shower" episode airing Wednesday, April 21 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), Marissa (Mischa Barton) plots to ruin her mother's happiness by inviting someone from her mother's past to the wedding shower, while Sandy (Peter Gallagher) attempts to hide Theresa's (Navi Rawat) return to the O.C. from Ryan (Ben McKenzie). When Ryan discovers Sandy's lies and Theresa's reasons for coming back, he puts himself in a dangerous situation. In the meantime, Seth's (Adam Brody) unimpressive first meeting with Summer's (Rachel Bilson) father leaves their relationship in doubt.
"Ch-Check It Out," Beastie Boys' first single from their new album, "To The 5 Boroughs," will debut on THE O.C. Wednesday, April 28 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX, the same day the song premieres on radio. Accompanied by Beastie Boys' new track, the boys from THE O.C. travel to Las Vegas for an impromptu bachelor party, where Ryan and Seth find themselves in a compromising situation and Jimmy (Tate Donovan) and Sandy learn that Caleb (Alan Dale) had less than altruistic motives when he purchased the restaurant from them. Meanwhile, back in Newport, Marissa learns Theresa's secret and Kirsten (Kelly Rowan) throws Julie (Melinda Clarke) a "sizzling" bachelorette party where enemies Julie and Hailey (Amanda Righetti) end up in the Cohen pool.
In the season finale Wednesday, May 5 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), all of Newport Beach turns out for the social engagement of the year: the wedding of Caleb Nichol and Julie Cooper, where ATO recording artist Jem – who recently released her critically acclaimed debut album "Finally Woken" – will perform Paul McCartney's "Maybe I'm Amazed" during the ceremony. But the wedding is only the tip of the iceberg in a series of events that will change the lives of many in the O.C. forever. After all, nothing is as it seems in THE O.C.
From Hypnotic, Wonderland Sound and Vision in association with Warner Bros. Television Production Inc., THE O.C. is executive produced by Josh Schwartz ("Brookfield"), Doug Liman ("The Bourne Identity"), McG ("Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle,") Dave Bartis ("Will & Grace") and Bob DeLaurentis ("Providence").
BEASTIE BOYS' NEW SINGLE "CH-CHECK IT OUT" TO DEBUT ON "THE O.C." WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28 ON FOX "Ch-Check It Out," Beastie Boys' first single from their new album, "To The 5 Boroughs," will debut on THE O.C. Wednesday, April 28 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX, the same day the song premieres on radio. Accompanied by Beastie Boys' new track, the boys from THE O.C. travel to Las Vegas for an impromptu bachelor party where Ryan (Ben McKenzie) and Seth (Adam Brody) find themselves in a compromising situation and Jimmy (Tate Donovan) and Sandy (Peter Gallagher) learn that Caleb (Alan Dale) had less than altruistic motives when he purchased the restaurant from them. Meanwhile in Orange County, Marissa (Mischa Barton) learns Theresa's (Navi Rawat) secret and Kirsten (Kelly Rowan) throws Julie (Melinda Clarke) a "sizzling" bachelorette party.
"Ch-Check It Out's" April 28 debut on radio and THE O.C. will be followed by release of "To The 5 Boroughs," the band's sixth album (and first produced entirely by the Boys themselves), this summer.
Recorded over the last two years at Beastie Boys' own studio in downtown New York City, produced by the band and mixed by Supa Engineer Duro, "To The 5 Boroughs" is the first Beastie Boys record since 1998's quadruple-platinum "Hello Nasty." "Nasty" sold nearly 700,000 records the week of its U.S. release and entered at the top of virtually every chart in every country around the world. "To The 5 Boroughs," in keeping with its title, is in large part homage to the city that brought Mike D, Adrock and MCA together. ____________________ DevotedFansNetwork.com
Maxim online chose Samaire Armstrong (ex-Anna Stern) as their "Girlfriend for a day". Along with four others, you can get to know Samaire a little bit better.
“People think if you are an actress, you’re always rich and you’re always working, but it’s not like that at all.”
To check out the article, along with some photo shots of Samaire, head on over to Maxim Online! ~~~ In issue #761 of Entertainment Weekly, they have an article about "The Finale Frontier". They list eight of TV's most addictive series, which includes The O.C.
I won't give anything away for those who want to be surprised, but for those of you who are itching to find out new things, click on full story for the article! ~~~ Mischa Barton has a two page spread in the June/July issue of Sophisticate's Hairstyle Guide. ____________________
Rachel Bilson (wireimage.com) 2004 VH1 Divas - Arrivals 4/18/2004
Melinda Clarke (wireimage.com) World Premiere of "Man on Fire" - Red Carpet 4/18/2004
Eric Balfour (wireimage.com) GQ Charity Poker Game to Benefit Peace Games 4/17/2004 Check pics for Eric at these events also: America Motel: Alex Prager, Beth Riesgraf and Mercedes Helnwein Art Show Glamour Magazine "Don't" Party at Del Taco - Red Carpet and Inside ____________________
ET on VH1 -Rachel did a PSA for Rock the Vote -All the young ladies of The OC will be in Stuff Magazine -The OC was voted favorite story of the week before -Mischa at Hilfiger -Next week: OC Finale Party ____________________
MAGAZINES
Teen Vogue
Pop Quiz Pic of Rachel & Adam: #2 What has Adam Brody said he likes most about his character's wardrobe on The OC? A) The designer jeans B) The vintage t-shirts C) The old-school sneaks (answer is B)
House of Style: Chanel Pic of Mischa ~~~
ElleGirl.com Fanboy The O.C.'s own Seth Cohen interviews his favorite band, Death Cab For Cutie.
Indie-pop rockers Death Cab for Cutie hung out with The O.C.'s Adam Brody at the Henry Fonda Music Box Theatre in Hollywood, California. Before the venue opened its doors to the line of fans that stretched all the way down the block, Adam went backstage to conduct his first interview as a reporter for ELLEgirl. Turns out that DCFC is not only one of Adam's favorite bands in real life, it's also one of his character's (he even gave one of their CDs to both Summer and Anna for "Chrismukkah"). Check out Adam's chat with lead singer/guitarist Ben Gibbard—and check out DCFC's latest, Transatlanticism (Barsuk).
Adam Brody: First of all, I think I know, but for everyone else, where does your name come from? Ben Gibbard: "Death Cab for Cutie" is a song by the Bonzo Dog Band, a '60s spoof band from the U.K.
AB: What are your influences? BG: We're currently watching a lot of VH1 Classic—it's the best channel ever.
AB: Are you guys an emo band? And if so . . . what does that mean. BG : I don't think we are. We played a show a few years ago, and this girl said to us, "I like emo music." And I was like, "Oh, like the Afghan Whigs?" I was thinking really emotionally draining, heartfelt music. And she's like, "Oh no—I like the Get Up Kids and the Promise Ring and Jimmy Eat World." I was like, "Oh. . . ." It's bad to categorize.
AB: Yeah, I don't get it, either. I mean, I'm glad you don't know, either. Is there any band that you get compared to a lot? BG: Early on, we got a lot of Built to Spill comparisons, and I read something that compared us to Dashboard Confessional. But nothing that has annoyed us.
AB: Your music is featured on The O.C., and now I'm interviewing you for ELLEgirl. Do you worry about selling out? BG: Nah. I don't really see how having songs on TV or in movies is selling out. I think it's great for Death Cab to be on The O.C. There aren't a lot of people who will even notice, so it's kind of like a cool inside joke.
AB: Not long ago, I saw a photo of Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes making out with Winona Ryder in a parking lot. What celebrity would you like to get caught making out with in a parking lot? BG: I don't think I want to be caught with anyone! But recently I was flipping through a People magazine and I saw that picture and was like, "Oh my God!" Every time I saw Conor, I would want to ask him, "What's going on?" But I resisted. I'm sure he hears it enough.
AB: Okay, last question: Do you like L.A.? BG: I'm from Seattle, where there's a sense of freedom. Here I feel . . . claustrophobic. But there's this gravity that's pulling everyone to L.A., because there are so many opportunities and it's so romantic.
AB: That's why I came. I was 18, and I wasn't an actor yet, but I believed it could happen . . . BG: . . . and now you're on one of the most successful TV shows! That's what this city is all about: "I'm just a regular kid from San Diego, and I moved to L.A. and I made it." ~~~ Next month's ElleGirl Check out Ellegirl.com for more info on covergirl Samaire Armstrong (not up yet...please come back)
Check out ElleGirl magazine (on newstands NOW!) for Samaire's article and her advertisement for Nicole by Opi Nail ____________________
Check out on tv Mischa's new Neutrogena commercial
