Young Insight From Guest Writer, Magda Apanowicz

I really admire people who are willing to move away from home and out of their comfort zone to reach their goals. One of the reasons being that it's not easy but they know that the challenge will be worth the end result, especially when they stay true to themselves on the journey.

With the right mindset and the drive, everyday is a welcome challenge and adventure. Every day is a story worth sharing. So in an effort for young insight that can inspire us all, actress, Magda Apanowicz has taken over Hollywood the Write Way and written a piece that reflects on her experience moving from Canada to Los Angeles, CA and more.



Written by: Magda Apanowicz

I’ve been living, off and on in Los Angeles for the last two years. I’ve been acting for the last 10 years. I feel more like a Los Angelean than I do a Vancouver Native at this point in my life. Acting has meant the world to me. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, “Acting has saved my life.” I don’t define myself as an actress but I would definitely attest to it being a teacher in my life, it has help formed who I am today.

I’ve always described myself as socially awkward and shy. My friends would probably disagree with that statement but it’s true. I’m prone to being a hermit and spending my days alone at home, I like it there and it feels safe. I find myself forcing myself to leave the house sometimes and picking up the phone to connect with friends. We all have our insecurities in this world. I’m now living in a city that on the whole I love and could spend the rest of my life in, but it also comes with massive disadvantages.

As a young woman I’ll say, girls are almost born into this world with massive predisposed insecurities. ‘Am I pretty?’ ‘Am I too fat?’ ‘Am I smart enough?’ ‘Do people like me?’ ‘Is there anything that makes me special?’ We torture ourselves with these questions. We’re constantly trying to live up to these expectations that the media puts out in magazines and movies, in shows, and in advertisements…they only seem to get worse every day. People getting famous for sex scandals, shows geared to exploiting how much money someone earns, judging people’s lives in magazines.



I don’t want to sound like a hypocrite; I’ve watched those shows and read those magazines making comments on people’s lives I know nothing about. We’re all human…I think what we all seem to forget is that we’re all in this together. We need to try and stop comparing ourselves to one another. We need to be more productive with our minds. Humans are SO smart and every single person has so much capability to change and be happy.

I work in a profession that terrifies me EVERY DAY. I live with this constant pressure to look and act a certain way, to not say “this” or “don’t do that” and I ‘m constantly bombarded with this body archetype I have to be to become a “successful” actress. Pressures are so extreme that some resort to eating disorders, drug use, and surgical “improvements.” I’ve been turned down for parts for not being thin enough but I’m proud of the way I look. I’m aware of what’s healthy and what isn’t. I work out on a regular basis and always will and if I ever look like the status quo, it’ll be on my time line and in a healthy way.

You might read this article and wonder if it’s so horrible or scary than why am I in this industry? Well…life is scary! I think we can all agree on that. Just because there are things in this world that are terrifying (and there are SO many), it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try them or experience new things. Usually the things that frighten you in life ARE the most fulfilling.

There is such creativity in us. You need to find that special thing inside that is just “yours”; be it painting, photography, collecting stamps, and making collages, whatever it is. A place you can go to escape, where you get to flourish and create or think. Mine is scrap booking and writing. I love to write, I’ve been writing in my journal for sixteen years and writing poetry since I was really young. It makes me happy and I am able to not care what anyone thinks.

Our voices are strong, we all have a story to tell.




For more information on Magda Apanowicz, follow her on Twitter @OfficialMagdaA.

Caprica airs Tuesdays at 10/9c on Syfy.

Own Kyle XY The Complete Series on DVD today.

Special Thanks...
Photographer, Bobby Quillard (Photos 1 & 2)
Photographer, Joe Pugliese (Photo 3)

Caprica Details Shared At Syfy Digital Press Tour

Caprica Executive Producers, Ronald D. Moore & David Eick had a lot to say about what to expect for the future of Caprica and more at the Syfy Digital Press Tour earlier this month. It was also announced that a decision on a season 2 pick up is supposed to be announced by November 15th! Thanks to Greg Witte for going to the press tour on my behalf! Check it out:



In Photo: Mark Stern (EVP Original Programming at Syfy) and Caprica Executive Producers, Ronald Moore & David Eick.
Photo Credit: Rae Hanson.

What kinds of things can we expect from the second half of this season versus the first?

RONALD D. MOORE: Well, second half of "Caprica"'s first season, I think you'll see more momentum, certain streamlining of story lines for the first half of the season. We sort of started to focus in on what were the primary stories as we got into the second half and started to sort of strip away some of the more extraneous details as we went. I think it has more momentum than the first half. I think you'll also start to see more tie-ins between the "Battlestar Galactica" mythology and sort of the ongoing story in "Caprica."

DAVID EICK: Yes. Sometimes these first-season shows have to catch up with themselves. I think the second half of Season 1 is where we started to kind of land and shift into a new gear. And that gear is, I guess, more kind of unapologetically connected to its origins of "Battlestar," where I think in the first half of Season 1 we were very intent on establishing our own framework, on distinguishing the show from "Battlestar" for people who hadn't seen "Battlestar." And in the final analysis -- or the midstream analysis, we realized that there was a lot of value in our origin, in the show's roots. And I think both in terms of tone and rhythm and action/adventure and suspense and also in terms of just the overall ideas you're going to see a lot more "Battlestar" in the second half of the season.

MARK STERN: Plus the "Polly Walker kicking ass" stuff apparently.

DAVID EICK: Yeah. Well, that's what I mean by "tone." There's a lot of "Hold on a second. I didn't know that character could do that." And that was a little bit of the hallmark of "Battlestar," and I think you'll see a lot more of that in "Caprica" now.

Is there a road map for a possible season 2 and if so, what does the road map look like?

RONALD D. MOORE: Well, we actually do have a whole sort of creative roadmap of what the second season would be. We got together -- David and I got together a few months ago. Then we brought it to Syfy channel, said, "Okay, if we get a second season, this essentially where we want to go with it." And we mapped it out in greater detail than I think we ever did in "Galactica"'s run, where we sort of said, "Okay, wait a minute. What if we establish these points out on the horizon as the place we're trying to get to? Now let's talk the audience on a journey from here to there, kind of like through each of the characters and all the major storylines." And we were pretty pleased. We said, "Oh, this is actually a pretty good season and a good story." So Syfy agreed and liked it. And so creatively we're ready to go. If and when we get the pickup, which I still think we're going to get and hopefully we get, we're ready to sort of sit down and start actively breaking episodes.

MARK STERN: I think one of the things we liked about the new break that these guys did -- although this is the first time I've heard you acknowledge that you care whether we're pleased or not. Thanks for that.

RONALD D. MOORE: Well, I care until you pick up the show.

MARK STERN: Thank you again.

-- was that it does pick up a point in the story that feels like a fresh start in some respect. So you don't have to have been steeped in all that mythology from Season 1 to pick it up in Season 2, which we really liked.

DAVID EICK: Yeah, there's a lot of really, I think, compelling ideas involved in connecting the idea of the launch of artificial intelligence into its implementation into the culture, and what was that about? How did that occur? What kind of emotional tumult did that involve? What kind of societal upheaval was involved in that? I think, for us, the second season is all about that, is all about, again, kind of seeing the strands begin to kind of coalesce and connect to what will become "Battlestar Galactica." It is interesting, Ron and I did spend more time on this second-season discussion than we ever did on "Battlestar." And it made me think how good "Battlestar" might have been if we had actually spent some time thinking about the seasons ahead of time.

MARK STERN: Little late now.

DAVID EICK: I know.

Is it more of a challenge keeping the technology from being too advanced with "Caprica" than it was on "Battlestar"?

DAVID EICK: Well, it went retro for a reason.

RONALD D. MOORE: Well, it was kind of baked into "Battlestar"'s backstory from the get-go, that here was a society that had developed sophisticated space travel, that was a spacefaring people, and they had invented artificial intelligence and cybernetic life forms and blah, blah, blah. But because of the events of the first Cylon war that we set in "Battlestar," the human civilizations had basically taken a step backward from that point and said networked computers were very, very dangerous. AI in any way, shape, or form was very dangerous. And as a consequence, in "Galactica"'s era you saw phones with cords, and they had stopped networking computers together, and they had sort of tried to put the handbrake on their technology because they were afraid it might be used against them at some point. And "Caprica" takes place before all that. So here's a very sophisticated society. It's going very, very fast, and things are being invented everywhere all over the 12 worlds. And you see that there are layers of technological advance, from the people that have the computer sheets, that they're pieces of paper that you can fold up and put in your pocket, to people that are still working on laptops. Some people have very slick, cool cell phones. Other people, like in the Adama residence, still have physical, large answering machines. So there's sort of a spectrum of technology that we deal with in "Caprica," but with the idea that it's going faster and faster and that with the invention of the Cylons, the advances in technology are going to really blossom.

Are we going to see any of the Cylons from "Battlestar Galactica" pop up in "Caprica"?

RONALD D. MOORE: We don't have any plans to, but you never say never. You kind of wait and see what that would be and under what circumstances we might make that happen. But there's not anything on the table for that right now.

DAVID EICK: Yeah, I mean, so much of that, in truth, becomes an issue of casting. We're in Vancouver. It's a smaller pool of talent just in terms of the population. And we got so lucky with "Battlestar." When you go down the line, I mean Tahmoh Penikett and -- I can go on and on with the people we found locally. It's a temptation to want to cast a lot of those guys again, Cylon and non-Cylon alike, just because they're damn good actors and, you know, it's hard to find good actors. So there have been times when we've discussed backing into a conceptual conceit that will allow us to justify casting an actor that we're really casting because they're just so good, more so than the other way around.

Do you ever get caught up in the legacy, the continuity? Does that ever become overwhelming dealing with all the history, the entire storyline that you've already set up?

RONALD D. MOORE: It hasn't been too bad. We had the luxury of developing a lot of "Caprica" while "Battlestar" was still in its last year. And as a result we were able to sort of take pains to make sure that "Battlestar" stayed away from our particular backstory as much as possible. And they're separated by a good chunk of time. And because of the way that we wanted to end "Battlestar," we sort of decided that we would wrap up all the plot threads of that story that mattered to us and not leave any weird hanging mysteries for "Caprica." As a result, "Caprica" pretty much has its own sort of standalone mythology. I really don't think it's necessary to have watched "Battlestar" and understand it and drunk in all the different plotlines in order to understand "Caprica." So for the most part, the continuity of the two has not really been a big burden.

DAVID EICK: In the fourth season didn't we apply certain restraints or make adjustments because we knew "Caprica" was coming?

RONALD D. MOORE: Yeah. We said specifically -- we made an effort not to refer to anything that talked about how the Cylons were originally created on the 12 colonies, to not say who the first Cylon was or what they did or anything like that. We just sort of kept moving around those subjects as we were doing the scripts in the last season. We had established a couple of things over the life of "Battlestar," but when we sat there and really looked at what we had established in continuity, there really wasn't very much. We had pretty much said the Cylons were created by man. They evolved. They overthrew their masters, and there was this war. And there wasn't much beyond that that had been really specified in "Battlestar." So that left us with a lot of running room in "Caprica."

DAVID EICK: Yeah. One of my favorite inconsistencies -- you have to remind me if this was actually in the mini or if we cut it. But it was when you had Adama say, "My father always said that a warship was like an old lady" -- what was the line?

RONALD D. MOORE: Yeah, there was -- well, there was a scene that was cut. It was shot, but it was cut. There was a scene in the original miniseries where Adama and Tigh and some of the crew on "Battlestar," before the Cylon attack, they were getting rid of all the "Galactica"'s weaponry. They were sending big pallets of rockets and missiles --

DAVID EICK: Ordnance.

RONALD D. MOORE: -- and ammunition, ordnance, and blowing it up in a ceremonial gesture that was decommissioning the ship and making it not a warship anymore. And there was a line in there where Adama said, "My father always said that a ship is born the day she's christened and dies the day her guns are silent" or something like that.

DAVID EICK: And you go, "Your father was a lawyer. Why would he say that?"

(Laughter.)

RONALD D. MOORE: Because in those days his back story was that he was the son of another admiral or something. But that scene got cut, and as the series went on --

DAVID EICK: Is it on the miniseries extras?

RONALD D. MOORE: I think it's in a -- it might be in a deleted scene, yeah.

When you were writing this "Caprica" as the series, were there any characters that surprised you by the larger role that they took on?

RONALD D. MOORE: I think probably Lacy would be the top of that list and Sam. They were both in the pilot. They were supporting characters that played a role within the context of what the pilot was about. But as we got into series and really after we saw the actors, once we saw the actors in the show, we really zeroed in on those two as two characters that we didn't think were going to have huge roles to play in the series, but suddenly we said, "Oh, my God, they're really important, and they're great. The actors are really interesting. Let's keep writing to that."

DAVID EICK: That's one of the great things about TV. You can discover talent in a way that you can't in movies. And I was talking about Tahmoh Penikett earlier. I keep damning Sasha Roiz with fain praise by telling him he's the Tahmoh Penikett of "Caprica" because he's this great discovery. He's someone who we thought would make a great assassin in the pilot and, in working with him, discovered this guy's remarkably talented and tremendously charismatic. And we started developing storylines for him and obviously, creating a real specific character for him. And Lacy is a another great example of that. And I keep damning her by referring to her as the Katee Sackhoff of "Caprica." But as a pure talent, as a thoroughbred of talent, she is just remarkable. I'm not even sure she knows how good she is yet. But she's tremendous, and she has a lot more to do in the second half of Season 1 for that reason.

MARK STERN: I have a question for you guys about the technology. I think "Battlestar" set the standard for how to shoot spaceships in space and redefined what that meant. What would you say technologically has been the most interesting thing about "Caprica" and what you guys have done with the worlds you've created or in terms of breaking ground visually?

RONALD D. MOORE: Probably -- there are times now when I'm watching the show, and I cannot tell whether the Cylon in the room is a prop or is the visual effect. I think that's a remarkable place now, where suddenly we're able to put CG objects into the environment and it's really, really hard to tell, even for us who do it, whether it's true or not. And I was scanning through some episodes just the other day, and there was a Cylon lying on the table, the chassis. U87 was lying there. And I thought, "Oh, that's the visual effect." And then the guy -- then one of the actors in the scene put his hand on it and leaned on it. I went, "Oh, no, that's not the visual effect." It's really interesting. The boys and girls in our visual effects department just keep raising the bar on what's technologically possible on a television budget. It's amazing. Same goes with, like, virtual sets really.

DAVID EICK: Well, yeah, we're -- this is largely attributable to Mr. Stern and the people at the network who insisted on it, but in the early going, we had this city called Caprica. And we would continually cut to these exterior shots of Vancouver as establishing shots, as transitional shots. And they would have at times some slight enhancement but, for the most part, looked like Vancouver. And Mark would look at these cuts and go, "This isn't Caprica. This looks like Vancouver." And what's rare in TV -- what you do a lot in movies but what's really rare in TV is you don't spend a lot of money on visual effects that don't have story points attached to them. Because visual effects budgets are so precious, you tend to reserve them for big hero shots, big story, big plot turns, big action sequences. And the idea that you would have -- you would expend a lot of resources on some bit of transitional buffer, an establishing shot before you go inside a building or just some sort of, again, transition from one scene to another as if to say, "Yes, you're on a different planet. It's called Caprica. Part of the concept is that you're in a different world and that even the most offhand, arbitrary, seemingly meaningless moments should continue to reinvest you in that idea" is very hard to do in TV. And it was -- and so it became this challenge: Okay, well, how can you spread out your visual effects resources to emphasize that point, in addition to your big action sequences and your big robot effects and all this stuff you need to do to tell the story? And as I look at the episodes now, I'm so grateful and happy about that because it just kind of flies by you, and you don't notice it, but it creates this texture. It creates this reality that really kind of envelopes you into the story. And I'm really happy that we did that.

MARK STERN: So you're saying I was right all along.

(Laughter.)

DAVID EICK: You responded to a good idea.

(Laughter.)

MARK STERN: That's as good as I'll get from you.

DAVID EICK: Yes.

What are your other upcoming projects?

RONALD D. MOORE: I'm in development, back at the beginning of the process all over again. I sold a pilot to NBC. Excited about that. And I've got -- taking a couple other things out and pitches and sort of meeting with writers and so on. But nothing definitive yet. Nothing that will put a billboard up for you.

DAVID EICK: Yeah. I've got one at ABC and one at FOX, but it's all the same, all kind of development hell.

RONALD D. MOORE: It's a lot of talk.

DAVID EICK: Yeah.

Caprica airs Tuesdays at 10/9c on Syfy.

Caprica at Syfy Digital Press Tour

In Photo: Mark Stern (EVP Original Programming at Syfy) and Caprica Executive Producers, Ronald Moore & David Eick.
Photo Credit: Rae Hanson.

Written by Greg Witte

Caprica is back for Season 1.5 and there's a lot of pressure on the show. Syfy won't make the official decision to continue with the series until November, but, if executive producers Ronald Moore and David Eick deliver on their promises, then fans will want to tune in for what's coming.

And just what are those promises? More, more, more. More momentum, more focus, and more ass-kicking. And whereas the first half of the season was focused on Caprica's identity as it's own standalone show, the second half starts to embrace its BSG roots and mythology. For me, hearing the cylons being referred to as toasters for the first time was proof enough that the show is finding its way back to having "a plan."

I will say, though, that there's one thing that I could have less of in the show and that's Daniel Graystone chopping vegetables. It feels like we've seen him in the kitchen so much that he could have his own cooking show. Hmm, now there's a spin-off that would pair well with Marcel's Quantum Kitchen next year. Maybe Daniel Graystone Frakking Broccoli? You're welcome, Syfy.

Stay tuned for the panel highlights!

Caprica airs Tuesdays at 10/9c on Syfy.

In Photos: 25 Shows That I Haven't Seen & Plan To Watch

What's on your list?



My So Called Life 1994 - 1995



Stargate SG-1 1997 - 2007



Felicity 1998 - 2002


Sex and the City 1998 - 2004

* Note: I have seen less than a handful of various episodes from various seasons.



The West Wing 1999 - 2006



Dark Angel 2000 - 2002



Scrubs 2001 - 2010

*Note: I have seen Season 9.



Smallville 2001 - Present



Jeremiah 2002 - 2004



American Dreams 2002 - 2005



The Wire 2002 - 2008



The Shield 2002 - 2008



Carnivale 2003 - 2005



Battlestar Galactica 2003 - 2009



Jack & Bobby 2004 - 2005



Deadwood 2004 - 2006



Criminal Minds 2005 - Present



Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip 2006 - 2007



Big Love 2006 - Present



Torchwood 2006 - Present



Life 2007 - 2009



Dirty Sexy Money 2007 - 2009



The Flight Of The Conchords 2007 - 2009



Mad Men 2007 - Present



Life on Mars 2008 - 2009

3 Artists You Should Have on Your Playlist

JoJo is Back!

I am so happy to be able to say that! After 4 years, 19 year old Joanna Levesque has released the mix-tape, Can't Take That Away in anticipation for her upcoming full length album release of All I Want is Everything in early 2011!

You may have been re-playing "Leave (Get Out)" and "Too Little Too Late" but over the past few weeks, I've been re-playing her new single, "In the Dark" and the other 10 tracks on her new mix-tape...and you'll be doing the same as soon as you buy it!





Marina & the Diamonds has been on my radar since late 2008 thanks to my friends, Caleb & Steven but I never seriously started listening to her music until this past fall! Her debut album, The Family Jewels is phenomenal and unlike anything that you have heard before. I can't even explain how much of an inspiration she has been when it comes to song writing. She is superb. Her music is in my head when I wake up and in my head when I go to sleep. Her music is a constant stream in my mind all day, every day and it has been a long while since an artist's music has done that for me!





I have been over the moon ecstatic about Natalie Distler's music career ever since I found out about it shortly before interviewing her last year. Since then, her band Fast Forward Romance has released their EP, Hot and Hooky which includes the track that won me over, "Potential." Listen to the song (acoustic version) above and then head over to FFRomance for more!

The Goods for the Holidays

There's a bit of a trend in my last few posts involving the holidays. This post is no different!

The holidays are even better with chocolate and sweets! So if you are in Southern California, you have to head over to ChocolateBox Café and find the goods that you'll be bringing home for the holidays.

ChocolateBox Café recently revealed its Hot Chocolate Bar “Secret Menu” comprised of eight new flavors and I'm sure one of them will be pleasing to your appetite. Check them out!





Not only does the Café serve hot chocolate and a variety of chocolates but gelatos, yogurts, sandwiches, and salads! You can also order your chocolate online, so go ahead, what are you waiting for?

ChocolateBox Café is located at the Malibu Lumber Yard. For more information, call (310) 456-7977.

Spinning Around Hollywood

As the holiday season approaches, though I'm not into the nightlife and party scene, I've got something special for those who are!

DJ Cobra, has spun at some of the industries hottest parties including the ESPN Superbowl After Party, Lauren Conrad’s birthday party, L.A. Reid’s Grammy After Party, The Weinstein Company’s Golden Globes Party, and he's worked with Madonna, Hilary Duff, Victoria’s Secret, MTV, and HBO just to name a few.



You've seen him on Jimmy Kimmel Live and possibly in person as he was recently on tour with Guy Fieri on his live nationwide cooking show. You may have also seen him in one of his 300 performances this year, not just in Hollywood but around the world.

Oh yeah, he even opened for and performed with over 50 gold & platinum recording artists including Prince and Lady Gaga!!!

In 2010, DJ Cobra rang in the New Year at the annual Paramount Back Lot Party with Adam Lambert. There's no telling where he'll be spinning this year and with you but I'm sure you party people would love to be where he is. So to stay up to date on where you can catch DJ Cobra, visit, his official website. I hear you won't be disappointed.

YouTube Video of the Week

I haven't done this in awhile!



I've had my eye on these girls since the summer and while I am still waiting to be completely blown away, they are great and have such sweet spirits about them. You can't help but continue to go down their play list of videos.

If you like Wicked, check this out and you Gleeks might also like this mash up too!

DVD Review: Phineas and Ferb "A Very Perry Christmas"

With just 2 months left until the week of Christmas, Phineas & Ferb "A Very Perry Christmas" recently released on DVD and I cannot wait to give this as a gift to one of my cousins!



Release Date: October 5, 2010
Rating: G
Running Time: 80 minutes

Phineas and Ferb and Perry the Platypus are gonna save Christmas! Get ready for the wildest sleigh ride ever as the hilarious heroes of summer vacation launch into their merriest and "Perry-est" mission yet! Amp up the holidays with outrageous laughs, out-of-this-world fun and totally over-the-top songs -- everything you need for the ultimate Christmas extravaganza experience! In an all-new, Perry-powered adventure, Phineas, Ferb, and their pet platypus (AKA Agent P) set out to thwart Dr. Doofenshmirtz's "naughty" plot to ruin Christmas. Will they get everything wrapped up in time for Santa's flyby? Find out in the coolest gift you'll get this year -- packed with festive bonus features that will have you rockin' 'round the tree!

There are 5 episodes on Phineas and Ferb "A Very Perry Christmas" including, "Phineas & Ferb Christmas Vacation," "Interview with a Platypus," "Oh, There You Are, Perry," "Chez Platypus," and "Perry Lays an Egg." Having never seen a full episode of Phineas & Ferb, I was excited to watch 5 episodes, the first being Christmas themed (my favorite holiday). After watching this show, I can now say that not only did I enjoy it, but I can see myself watching it both by myself and with the family. It's definitely much more engaging than I had originally thought that it would be. The stories are fun, the characters are quirky but realistic, the settings are fantastical, and the animation really brings this world to life. What really lets me appreciate this show is the fact that it is smart. As mentioned in one of the special features, the show is not "dumbed down" for its young viewers and that is something to appreciate within itself. You'll find something to appreciate in this show no matter what age you are...and this DVD is holiday themed, so what's not to love? Pick up this DVD!

Bonus Features:

Phineas & Ferb's Virtual Fireplace (26:48 minutes) - After about 10 minutes of being at Santa's rest stop, I decided to exit this feature. Every few moments a character will come on screen and say something funny or even something as simple as "Merry Christmas" and every now and then you'll also hear a character talking off screen. Though aside from this, viewers will find themselves watching a burning fireplace with the sounds of a busy family enjoying the holiday in the background and instrumental classic Christmas music. This is a fabulous feature to put on Christmas morning or night but aside from that, I am unsure of when this feature can be put to good use.

Dr. D's Xmas Jukebox-Inator - Watch Dr. D's favorite songs which include "Winter Vacation," "I Really Don't Hate Xmas," "That Xmas Feeling," "Where Did We Go Wrong?," "Danville For Niceness," and "Thank You Santa." This feature would be so much better if there were a Play All feature.

Christmas Perry-Oki (33:50 minutes) - Watch the episode "Phineas & Ferb Christmas Vacation" karaoke aka sing a long style! I will definitely try this out with my young cousins come Christmas time, probably more than once as I really enjoyed the episode!

Letters to Santa - Baljeet, Buford, Isabella, Major Monogram, Candance, Perry, Phineas, Ferb, Jeremy, and Doofenshmirtz reveal their Christmas lists in this feature. This is quite an entertaining and fun feature to watch, though again, there is no Play All feature on this DVD. I find it very inconvenient that such a feature is not on this DVD's special features. This feature is no longer than 10 or so minutes I'd say, so teach your child how to press play on the remote so that they can maneuver the remote and click to their other characters so that you parents can do your thing before Christmas day officially begins.

Keep On Buildin' (A Jam Session with the Phineas & Ferb Creators) (12:04 minutes)- Viewers get to watch the show's Creators compose a song in the writer's room! The main composers: creators, Dan Povenmire and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh, Writer, Martin Olson, and Writer/Storyboard Artist, Jon Colton Barry have their guitars, keyboards, magic markers, and pads at their finger tips. They are ready to write a song (which usually takes them an hour) and talk about working with each other. They have equally funny and sweet things to say about each other in between talking about the process of creating a song. This is probably my favorite feature on the DVD because not only do they mention the process of composing and about working with each other but also working out of their comfort zone genre wise. They've written over 150 songs for this show and that is something to admire, sit back and really take in. Such talent these guys have! And it's all caught on screen! I love it! My favorite quote from this feature: "Your dad probably didn't know how to fade out."

Bonus Episode (10:59 minutes) - The bonus episode, "Doof Side Of The Moon" includes a fun new song, Candace attempting to take down her brother yet again, a roller coaster idea, plans involving the moon, and much more. It will bring lots of laughs and should hopefully encourage its viewers to think big!

Surprise Gift From Santa (6:10 minutes)- Dan Povenmire and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh take viewers behind the scenes of the making of Robert Hughes's sticky note office! The guys also play a fun acoustic song dedicated to covering Rob's office in sticky notes as everyone dances in the office. Rob's reaction is seen and a pretty funny epilogue is shared at the end. I admit, I laughed out loud reading the epilogue. Cast members, Vincent Martella (Voice of Phineas) and Olivia Olson (Voice of Vanessa) make an appearance on this feature.

Own Phineas & Ferb "A Very Perry Christmas" on DVD today.

DVD Review: Beauty and the Beast Diamond Edition

In exactly one month, Beauty and the Beast the 2 Disc Standard Definition DVD will become available on DVD, though I have the pleasure of owning the new 3 Disc Combo Pack of the Diamond Edition right now...and so can you! Before you head out to buy it, check out what you're getting below.



Release Date: 3 Disc Combo Pack October 5, 2010
DVD November 23, 2010
Feature Rating: G
Feature Running Time: 90 minutes

Set in and around a quaint French village during the late 18th century, Beauty and the Beast follows the fantastic adventures of Belle, a bright and beautiful young woman who finds escape from her ordinary life, and the advances of a boorish suitor, Gaston, by reading books. Meanwhile, off in a castle in the distance, a cruel young prince is cast under the spell of an enchantress who turns him into a tormented beast, while transforming his servants into animated household objects. In order to remove the curse, the Beast must discover a true love who will return his affection before the last petal falls from an enchanted rose. When Belle’s inventor father stumbles upon the Beast’s castle and is taken prisoner, Belle comes to the rescue and agrees to take her father’s place. With the help of the castle’s enchanted staff, she sees beneath the Beast’s exterior and discovers the heart and soul of a human prince.

Beauty and the Beast is a Disney classic that I grew up watching on VHS and loved. Though watching it now, there are many things that I see in a more profound light. For instance, the Beast is full of so much more rage than I had originally thought. I don't remember being scared as a child, but watching now I can definitely see how children could be intimidated by the Beast. Also, I didn't remember Gaston to be so incredibly conceited. Oh, yes, about that word, conceited...it seems like a big word (thinking back as a toddler) to use - but still very fitting. Aside from little things such as this, overall I still very much enjoyed the film. It's music is timeless and it's message so beautiful. It's always interesting to watch films years after they have released to see how they hold up...and this film is a classic for a reason. So I highly recommend that all of you Disney fans pick this up before it goes into the vault!

DVD Bonus Features:

3 Versions of the Film: Special Extended Edition, Original Theatrical Release, Work in Progress Edition (The Latter Includes an Introduction by Producer, Don Hahn)

Disney Sing Along Mode

Commentary - The commentary for the special extended edition of Beauty & the Beast is conducted by directors Kirk Wide and Gary Trousdale, producer Don Hahn, and composer Alan Menken. There are a number of fascinating facts to learn about the making of this film in this commentary. One of those fun facts is that the prologue was written some 200 times before the final version! It's very much an informational commentary but it works because the guys talk about everything viewers would want to know about all that it took to make this film. There are a few moments that will make you laugh but for the most part, it's just about soaking in all of the new information. One moment that I did laugh at was how they admit that their logic went out the window when it came to the dancing flatware as every piece is not equivalent to a human being who was turned into flatware. I noticed that when I watched this film again and hoped that this would be addressed in the commentary, so it was quite funny that they did indeed realize this issue. Other interesting talking points include the debate about the length of Gaston's chin, the Broadway show, Howard Ashman's Streisand note to Paige O'Hara in the recording studio, and a song that originally was 11 minutes long but was ultimately cut from the film to name a few. As a Disney fan, you'd be doing yourself a disservice not watching this commentary. As if you need another reason to love this film...these guys will give you 100 reasons more.

Blu-Ray Bonus Features:
* All New Digital Restoration
* 3 Versions of the Film
* Disney Sing Along Mode
* Audio Commentary
* Composing a Classic
* Broadway Beginnings
* All-New Music Video
* Never Before Seen Alternate Opening
* Never Before Seen Deleted Scene
* Beyond Beauty - The Untold Stories
* Enchanted Musical Challenge Game
* Bonjour, Who Is This? Game
etc...

Fun Facts:
* Beauty and the Beast is the first of only two animated films ever to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture (the second is 2009’s Up).

* Beauty and the Beast won two if its six Academy Award® nominations, two Oscars in 1992 for Best Original Song (“Beauty and the Beast”) and Best Original Score, and two Grammy Awards in 1993.

* Beauty and the Beast was the first Disney animated film to inspire a Broadway stage production by the same name. Seven new songs were written for the stage musical and the musical was nominated for nine Tony Awards in 1994. The musical ran on Broadway for 5,464 performances until 2007, becoming Broadway's sixth-longest running production in history.

Own Beauty and the Beast Diamond Edition now and the 2 Disc Standard Definition DVD November 23, 2010.

An Interview with Paige O’Hara of Beauty and the Beast

In celebration of the recent release of Beauty and the Beast Diamond Edition Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack, check out this new interview with the voice of Belle, Paige O’Hara.



How did you land the role of Belle?
I was working in New York as a Broadway actress and read about the audition in The [New York] Times. I called my agent and said I have to be seen. I got seen and my first audition was with our casting director. I sang a song I loved from Chess called “Heaven Help My Heart” and I read a couple of lines. For the first couple of auditions they sent tapes to L.A. and then the whole gang flew in and we started auditioning live. They would close their eyes so they could imagine the characters saying or singing those lines. In the beginning, that’s what they wanted. They didn’t want to be distracted by what we were doing with our bodies and our faces.

How many auditions did you have altogether?
There were five auditions all told, with 500 other actresses.

How long did the casting process take?
About 6 weeks. Fairly long. When I found out, it was quite a week. My husband proposed on my birthday and I got the part 2 days later. I think I was 31. Disney says I am a different age every year so I am not really sure anymore.

What was the recording process like?
It was fun. Robbie and I recorded together which they don’t do anymore. They would put cameras on us the whole time. That’s how mannerisms and expressions change. We worked 10 to 6 with a lunch break for a few days in a row, and then we’d go away for a few weeks while they animated it. It was incredible to work with Robbie. He is such an incredible Broadway actor and film actor. He helped me to be better. It helps when you are with someone that talented.

What do you remember about the process of creating the character of Belle?
After they finished the first drawing of Belle, they said she was too beautiful, too perfect. So they threw the first drawing away. They wanted her still beautiful but a little quirkier. The fact that they made her with her brown eyes meant so much to so many little girls.

Angela Lansbury and Jerry Orbach were also in the film. What was it like working with two Hollywood heavyweights?
I only sang with them at the Academy Awards but I would hang out for their [recording] sessions. Angela I idolized. When I first came to New York I would sneak into Gypsy. I watched Gypsy six times.

What is your favorite song in the film?
I’m torn. I’ll tell you why. Oddly enough, it’s not my song. I love the ones they added, my favorite of which is “Human Again.” That was [lyricist] Howard Ashman’s favorite song. It wasn’t in the original because you had to stick to a certain time and it would have made the film too long. Something about it that just inspires me and makes me cry.

What is your favorite scene in the movie?
Definitely the “Something There” sequence with Belle playing in the snow with the Beast, the bird on his hand. I really think that is the moment when she fell in love with the Beast. She looks at him and says, “New and a bit alarming. Who’d have ever thought that this could be?” I love the way they animated it when he becomes the prince. Every time I see the Beast with that grin on his face and the bird in his hand, my heart just melts.

It’s been 20 years since the film was first released. When you look back, what are some of your favorite memories from making the movie?
Certainly the film festival in New York when we showed the unfinished version for all the critics in New York. We were all nervous wrecks. We had no idea how the critics would respond to it, but we got a 10 or 15 minute standing ovation. I knew from being in New York since I was 17 how tough the New York audiences are, so it was truly remarkable.



Tell about premiere of the movie.
There were several. The first time I saw it was in Florida at Walt DisneyWorld. My mother was too ill to come but my stepfather and my sisters and my brother were there. I sat two rows in front of Alan Menken [who wrote the score] and we both started crying. What was really kind of amazing was that my mom was so sick that they did another premiere in Ft. Lauderdale. She came in her wheelchair.

Did they incorporate any of your features when they drew Belle?
Oh yeah. The eyes and cheekbones and the way she raised her eyebrow and pushed her hair out of her face—that was me. Little things and expressions. When I looked at the wall, there were pictures of Elizabeth Taylor and Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn up, and my little funny picture was there too. The fact that she wasn’t so perfectly beautiful made the film that much more successful. She is a little odd. Of course that’s the character and I identified with her. I was odd as a kid. I was into Gershwin. I definitely identified with Belle. More girls than not feel that way I think.

The film won two Academy Awards. Tell me what it was like being there.
Oh it was incredible. It is the only animated film to ever be nominated for Best Picture so it holds that stature as well. I was really excited. We had heard rumors about the songs being nominated and there was a lot of discussion about celebrities performing our songs, but Mr. Eisner and Mr. Katzenberg insisted that the original artists get to sing their songs. That was really, really wonderful. It was the only time I sang with Angela Lansbury and Jerry Orbach. Angela introduced me at the Academy Awards. I remember we were backstage and of course I was going to be singing live which was scary so I was shaking. She was shaking too. She patted me on the butt and said if, “I had your voice, I wouldn’t be shaking. Don’t be nervous.”

What else do you remember about the experience?
It was fun being a part of the parties. Honestly, the worst part about the Oscars was that I didn’t like my dress—the one I performed in. They told the designer to put me in blue and it was this blue and white dress that looked more like Bo Peep or Dorothy. It was way too frilly and not very “Belle-y.” It was a checkerboard pattern. I had to perform in that dress, but afterwards I got to change into a beautiful Bob Mackie teal green gown. I even made one magazine’s Top 3 Best Dressed list!

You won a Grammy for a song from “Beauty and the Beast’s Children Singalong” too. What was that like?
It was incredible. Of course it won Best Children’s Album, which is the Grammy I have on my wall. The whole ride has been phenomenal. I am still recording as Belle all the time…CD ROMs and toys. I was just in the studio recording Belle the other day. 99% of the time I record in a studio here in Vegas. They patch me in over the phone.

You are now painting original pieces of art for Disney based on some of your favorite moments from the film. Can you tell me about that?
I’ve always painted, since I was a little girl. I was drawn to Turner and Sargant and da Vinci. When they asked me about it, I thought why not? It would be kind of fun to show my version of Belle and stay as true as possible to the animators. I wanted to create moments to take them to a different level. Over the last year and a half, I’ll paint something and send it in and get comments and then make the changes and fix it and send it back. Three of the 8 were approved outright without changing anything.

What form of painting do you do?
Water mixed with oils. It is an oil texture but water-based and there’s only one company that puts the paints out. It takes a lot longer to dry than acrylics but it feels like oil paint without the smell. Most of the other Disney artists do watercolor or acrylics.

Have you painted your favorite scene, the one in the snow?
Ironically I have painted that scene 15 times and I haven’t submitted it because it’s just not good enough. That’s one I am still going to work on. I’d love to do the Beast with the little bird.

You’ve played Fantine in “Les Miserables”, Nellie Forbush in “South Pacific” and Ellie May Chipley in “Showboat” on Broadway—all of whom are beloved characters. How does voicing Belle compare?
Well it’s totally different, performing on stage, versus doing Belle on film. You use totally different chops as they say. I love the live audience, but I don’t know, I have a softness for Belle because she is the closest to me as I was as a young girl.

Beauty and the Beast Diamond Edition Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack is available now.

Celebrating John Lennon

To celebrate the 70th anniversary of John Lennon's birth, Nowhere Boy - the new Lennon biopic directed by Sam Taylor-Wood has opened this weekend! Nowhere Boy tells the story of Lennon's childhood and the formation of The Beatles and has been endorsed by his closest loved ones.



A brand-new music video for "In Spite Of All The Danger" has also been released! It seems that the recording of "In Spite Of All The Danger" was the first time Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison ever entered a recording studio. (Along with Lennon's childhood, the film shows how The Quarrymen eventually transformed into The Beatles.) They recorded this particular song at a private Liverpool recording studio in the summer of 1958.

The new version of the song is performed by Aaron Johnson (Kick-Ass, Temple Grandin) who plays John Lennon and Thomas Sangster (Phineas and Ferb) who plays Paul McCartney.

Lastly, be sure to check out video of The Quarrymen saluting Lennon at the Hollywood Bowl and The Quarrymen saluting Lennon at his star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame, both taking place last Friday.


Nowhere Boy opened in New York and LA on Friday, October 8, 2010 and will be released nationwide on October 15, 2010.

In Case You Didn't Know...Caprica is Back!

Caprica returned earlier this week with an incredible 1.5 season premiere, featuring quite a lot of Gemenon and bloodsheld...and I loved every single moment.

What made my viewing experience so great was being able to view it in LA on Sunday, October 3, 2010 alongside cast members Alessandra Torresani, Sasha Roiz, and Esai Morales and executive producers Jane Espenson, Ron Moore, David Eick, and Kevin Murphy.





I had a fabulous time tweeting #capricaisback during the event, which was put together within days just for the fans interacting on the web! Tweetdeck was displayed on a big screen for all to see before the premiere aired and after the screening, the cast & executive producers signed DVDs for the fans. It's pretty cool to be able to say that I was watching the premiere alongside the actors in the show...and not only that, but I met Jane Espenson! Yeah, my night was made.




I also absolutely loved the "Beyond Caprica: Eyewitness Travel Guide" booklet I got at the end of the night! The guide details all of the colonies...so I finally found out about the colony I'm from, Aquarion! I say that as my birthday is January 31st, so if we are going by our signs...I'm close to being from Caprica but I don't quite make the cut. Aside from Caprica, there are 3 other colonies I wouldn't mind visiting. As for the rest of the colonies...well, the risks do not outweigh the benefits. That's all I'll say about that! But I don't want to spoil anything you might see for future seasons to come, so that's enough about that!

If you aren't watching Caprica, it's in its first season, so just catch the recap and jump right in! You'll be so happy that I told you to watch!

Caprica airs Tuesdays at 10/9c on Syfy.

DVD Review: Human Target The Complete First Season

I hadn't initially planned to watch Human Target, but when the opportunity came along for me to review Human Target The Complete First Season on DVD, I jumped faster than I realized to own a copy! This year, my love for action has really come to the forefront and I have no idea why, but I love it and I love this show. Watching Human Target is like watching a mini action flick each and every week and I could not appreciate being taken on such a thrilling ride any more than I can on this show.



Release Date: September 21, 2010
Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 552 minutes

Are you in extreme danger? Need special security? Is there a bullet out there with your name on it? Leave it to Chance. Mark Valley is protector-for-hire Christopher Chance in the thrill-packed 12-Episode Season 1 based on the DC Comics series and graphic novel. From piloting a distressed, upside-down jumbo jet to bodyguarding a D.A. targeted by a gang, Chance puts his life on the line ? and each new adventure reveals a little about the mysterious past that drew him to this line of work. Chi McBride as ops manager Winston and Jackie Earle Haley as techno genius/fixer Guerrero are Chance?s ace support crew in a series bursting with ?brilliantly off-kilter characters and high production values? (Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times).

After initially not being all that interested in Human Target, I am thrilled to now say that Human Target is one of my favorite shows on television right now. This show goes above and beyond the scale of action on television. Not only is the action grand and real but the script is well written. The characters are complex, the dynamic amongst each character is complex in its own way, and the settings and situations that these characters get themselves into and out of are beyond me. It's fascinating to watch and leaves you satisfied each and every week...and there is nothing more that I could ask for from a television show. Though there are stand out episodes, I was ultimately intrigued by every single episode. The first few episodes are quite fun but this is really character driven and the writers tease you with bits and pieces of information about the characters...so I can definitely see this show lasting for some time...because there's always something new to discover about a person and there are three that we follow each week. Not only that, but there have been some incredible guest stars, including Tricia Helfer, Ali Liebert, Courtney Ford, Emmaunelle Vaugier, Autumn Reeser, Kevin Weisman, Lennie James, Grace Park, and Amy Acker. Ultimately what makes this show so fascinating to me is the fact that I'm following a regular human putting his life on the line to save others. Though based on a comic book, Christopher Chance doesn't have any super powers. He is the human target and that's what makes him a super hero. Watch Human Target...you'll be so happy that I told you to.

Bonus Features:

Human Target Confidential Informant (15:43 minutes) - This special feature is a fantastic analysis of main characters, Christopher Chance, Winston, and Guerrero as well as the relationships amongst each of them. The feature starts out detailing the mystery of Christopher Chance and what we see of Chance that makes him so grounded in what he does and how he lives. Executive Producer, McG points out that Chance is not about the money, he has heart. He is in the business of saving lives. I love that the creators discuss not only the characters individually but the dynamic between each of them in such detail and so eloquently. It is my favorite character analysis on a DVD special feature this year. As mentioned in this feature, the first season shows bits and pieces of each of the guys past and only touches the surface of their history. Because of that, I am looking forward to Season 2 more than I could have ever anticipated. action and comedy aside, these characters have a depth to them that I cannot wait to learn about and this was just the tease to that. If you are going to watch one special feature on this DVD, this would be it.

Also appearing in this special feature:
Executive Producer, Jonathan E. Steinberg
Co-creator Human Target for DC Comics, Len Wein
Pilot Episode Director, Simon West
Director, Steve Boyum
Stunt Coordinator, Dean Choe
Cast mates Jackie Earle Haley, Chi McBride, and Mark Valley

Human Target Full Contact Television (15:30 minutes) - In this special feature, behind the scenes footage of filming is shown as the cast and creators talk about the grand scale of the show. Each episode is generally written in 5 days and shot in 8 days and the goal is to make each episode a mini feature film. They have definitely reached their goal! This show is unlike anything that I have seen on television, because the script and action are both so intense and real. Speaking of real...viewers learn that not only does Mark Valley do most of his own stunts, but the show in general is all about real action and not cgi action. The creators stress the goal of creating fight scenes in new environments, planning the length of the fight scenes, creating set pieces that aren't generic, and much more. For those of you are are interested in the stunts, stunt coordinator, Dean Choe briefly talks about the process of choreographing the fight scenes. For those interested in the music, viewers will see the orchestra recording the score as composer, Bear McCreary talks about the score. The score really takes the show to a whole new level, so I was thrilled that time was taken out in the feature to discuss this. I enjoyed hearing everyone discuss the different components of the show and would have loved if this feature had been longer. But this show loves to tease, so I can understand the length.

Also appearing in this special feature:
Executive Producers, Jonathan E. Steinberg and McG
Co-creator Human Target for DC Comics, Len Wein
Pilot Episode Director, Simon West
Director, Steve Boyum
Cast mates Jackie Earle Haley, Chi McBride, and Mark Valley

Unaired Scenes - There are unaired scenes for the episodes, "Embassy Row," "Sanctuary," and "Christopher Chance." There seemed to be 3 sequences for "Embassy Row", my favorite being Guerrero bringing in a defibrillator into a case. There was one seen in "Sanctuary" involving Chris heading below the church which seemed more like an alternate scene since we do see Chris go underneath the church in the episode. There were 2 sequences for "Christopher Chance," one involving Chris at the safe house and the other involving Winston and his job being on the line. I enjoyed the deleted scenes for "Christopher Chance" though I can see why the other scenes were altered or deleted in the end. If you are a fan of deleted scenes, you'll enjoy these but no scene is a true must see.

Pilot Commentary - The commentary is conducted by cast members, Mark Valley and Chi McBride and executive producers, Jonathan E. Steinberg and Peter Johnson. I enjoyed this commentary much more than I had anticipated. This show is so unlike anything that is on television right now and far from what I usually watch on television and in film in general. So I actually had no idea what to expect but I enjoyed every moment. I learned an awful lot about not only the Pilot but the show as a whole. There was discussion on casting Mark Valley and Chi McBride, the chemistry between the 3 main characters
pitching the show, the comic book, the score, the sets, and so much more. It really brought things into perspective when the guys mentioned the inspiration for the show (Die Hard, Raiders of the Lost Ark, etc...) which was making the show all of your favorite action films week after week but playing with the format and showing different variations of those themes. Even more incredible is that in the original conception, Guerrero was supposed to be a one off but he soon became a series regular! That was a very smart casting decision. This show is truly very smart. Another example of the show's intelligence is the decision to make the "hot girl of the week" actually significant to the story line. Everything is really thought out and very well crafted. I absolutely loved this commentary and appreciate the show even more now, as things were brought to light that I didn't even realize that pulled me into the story. So definitely listen to this commentary, you won't be disappointed.

Own Human Target The Complete First Season on DVD & Blu-ray today.

Human Target Season 2 premieres Wednesday, November 17, 2010 at 8/7c on Fox.

Interview: Malcolm David Kelley is the Funny Man on Gigantic

You know him as Walt on Lost but now Malcolm David Kelley is funny guy, Finn on the new Teen Nick show, Gigantic...and he talks about it all here!

Set in the world of the Hollywood elite, packed with parties and privilege, Gigantic follows the coming-of-age stories of a fictional group of teens as they navigate friendships, romances and a Hollywood lifestyle. The ensemble cast includes: 17-year-old Anna (Gummer) and her younger brother Walt (Tony Oller), both kids of a famous movie star couple; Anna's best friend Piper (Jolene Purdy); Piper's brother Finn (Malcolm David Kelley); frenemy Vanessa (Mantegna) and Anna's longtime crush Joey (Ryan Rottman).



What's your role on the new Teen Nick show, Gigantic?
I play the character of Finn and he's about 16 years old and he is pretty funny. He really brings the comedy and tries to lighten up the drama. He just tries to have fun. And he's going through this phase right now where he's trying to figure out how to talk to women, so he's working on that.

So aside from being the funny guy and learning how to talk to girls, what are his strengths and weaknesses?
He definitely should think before he speaks sometimes..but his strength is that he tries to look at everything positive. When we get into situations, he tries to get us out of it. It may not be the best idea, but he'll be the first to get us out of there.

So he does the right thing but also calculates the risks and has an open mind about doing other things?
Oh yeah. He throws ideas out there but he definitely listens to his peers around him.

How does the relationship evolve between Finn and his sister Piper? What's the dynamic?
We become close and definitely watch out for each other. While we have each others' back, it's also like any brother-sister relationship so you'll get to see it evolve over the season.

What did you incorporate into your character that wasn't initially there?
You know, when we filmed Finn having difficulty talking to girls, I would just start laughing because I remember those times. I could relate. So he really has that vulnerability and...well, you'll just have to watch the show!

So what elements of the show will attract the Lost fans?
Hmm...well this show is different since you'll follow these kids go about their lives in Hollywood, figuring out what their next step is. I know a lot of the Lost fans are a bit older than this viewing audience but I'm sure if they watch it, they'll fall in love with it. It's like Entourage but for kids.

That's a great way of putting it! Hmm. Yeah. So lastly, I enjoyed your rendition on Tony (Oller's) YouTube of Airplanes, so is there room for singing on the show?
Thanks, yeah, we were definitely trying to work that into the first season but we had to just get the first season done. So hopefully we'll get to do something with our music in the second season. That would be pretty cool. Tony and I have some more music coming up. We're actually about to do a mix tape soon. We have a lot of things coming up and we look forward to seeing all of it take off.



Gigantic premieres Friday, October 8, 2010 at 8/7c on Teen Nick.

Bryan T. Donovan Opens Up About Thintervention

Actor and producer, Bryan T. Donovan has made quite the life style change thanks to participating in the new docu-series, Thintervention. It's been quite a journey for him and he talks a bit about that journey in this new interview below. Check it out:



So what has been the most difficult and the easiest lifestyle change for you?
The hardest thing that I've had to do in this program is give up sugar. The easiest...interesting question. I guess doing the work outs. They are ass kickers and intense but once you do something for 28 days, it begins to stick. Once you get into the mind set, it becomes easier to work out.

Your favorite type of exercise would be?
I have a love-hate relationship with the stair master. I absolutely hate doing it but after 20 minutes, I'm in a pool of sweat.

And your outnumbered...what's it like being one of the two men on the show?
It's interesting because I had no idea what to expect walking in on the first day. I think it's a little more competitive but at the end of the day, we're all fat and trying to get the weight off.

How would you say you've grown as a person since the beginning of filming?
There's a lot that I buried because I didn't want to address taking care of myself. It was just easier to take care of everyone else. To turn that focus inward was terrifying but incredibly gratifying.

So how did you get involved in blogging and journaling on the Bravo website and do you read the comments?
I do! I think I'm going to put up a blog entry where I answer the questions people have been asking in the comments. The comments have been incredibly positive and people have questions, especially after week 2 of my blog. After week 2, I received some unbelievable emails that brought me to tears where people said how I touched them and they've been wanting to make a change. It's pretty powerful.

I don't know how I got involved...probably because I had nothing else going on and I think they wanted to see a guy perspective.

For those not in the know, what's the story behind your inner warrior, Ethel?
Oh Ethel, good old Ethel. Ethel came out at the park and she really helped me get through the track 27 times in the rain. I'm glad she came, she really helped me out.

How does it feel to have your diet diary posted online for everyone to see?
(Laughs) It's almost the same as me streaking down the street. Wait, are we talking about my blog or the food journals? The food journals. I was pretty strict with the program. I followed it to the t so I'm okay with it. If it helps someone else along the way, that's what it's all about.

Lastly, what are your upcoming projects?
I am currently in rehearsals right now for a play that opens on the 15th. It is called, Everything Will Be Different and will be play at The Zephyr Theatre. It's kind of a dark comedy if you will.

I'm also working on a cookbook right now and it is something that has helped me get through this program. Right now it's a concept so we're trying to find someone to publish it. I'm certainly not a chef or a dietitian and I say that in the beginning of the book. But I was able to thankfully take some weight off during this program and this is one of the ways that I did it.

Film wise, I have a couple of projects in development. One film is making its way around film festivals. That film is called 6 Month Rule and it is starring Martin Starr, Natalie Morales, Dave Foley, and Jaime Pressly and Blayne Weaver directed it. I also have a docu-series that I am trying to finish developing and get out to the networks. So there's a lot going on!

It sounds like you've had a very busy year!
Which is good, it's good. Part of being on Thintervention...well, this program has inspired me and motivated me. Ethel and I are taking on the challenge!

Thintervention airs Mondays at 10/9c on Bravo.