Can 2 Broke Girls buy a laugh?

Yes they can and have with their new addition.

When 2 Broke Girls first aired I admit that I didn't like it, but the rest of my family fell in love immediately. I love a good sitcom and this is not one of those, but things change. At first I was not a fan of some of the writing and felt like most of their jokes just plain fell flat. I am a hearty laugher, ask anyone who knows me, and love to laugh; but I need a good reason to laugh and laughing once or twice in a half hour show is not cutting it. 

As the show has progressed Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs have settled into their roles and they work very well off of each other. 

Jonathan Kite adds a lot of flavor to the shows dynamics as the perverted cook who always has some bad pick up line hiding up his sleeves...when he wears sleeved shirts that is. 

It is great seeing Garrett Morris playing the smart ass that he is too and you can catch his stand up comedy on weekends in Los Angeles. It is worth it. 

However the show has gained some ground with me and tickled my funny bone more regularly with the addition of Jennifer Coolidge as the neighbor up stairs. Yep folks....Stifler's Mom is on TV now and she has added another element to 2 Broke Girls that I think it was missing. She is a professional who has played so many love able characters on film that I was surprised to hear of her new gig on TV, but it makes perfect sense and look what it's done for Jane Lynch's career since Glee. As much as I love everything these ladies do I will always think of the two of them together in 'Best In Show', but back to 2 Broke Girls. 

So now I am laughing much more. The show is getting great reviews and is CBS's more popular comedies. Though it is in its first season I think it is finding its groove and has a lot of potential for growth. It does feel, to me, like 2 Broke Girls is just one more quirky character away from having their cup cakes and eating them too. I wonder whom they will add to the cast? However their recent addition of Jennifer has made me give them a higher grade than they started off with. 

GRADE: B-

K.C. Murdock
Executive Producer

Acceptance Speeches from 2012 Oscars

Here were my favorite things said during the acceptance speeches from 2012. Courtesy of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Awards

Best Actress in a Leading Role, Meryl Streep, and Best Supporting Actor, Christopher Plummer, sharing a moment after the Oscars.

CATEGORY: Cinematography

SPEECH BY: Robert Richardson

FILM: "Hugo"

"I can’t believe somebody put cinematography up first because it can only go up from this point."

CATEGORY: Art Direction

SPEECH BY: Dante Ferretti 

FILM: "Hugo"

"to all my art department, but the most of all my very special thank you to a eccezionale director who guide us though this wonderful journey: Martin Scorsese."

CATEGORY: Costume Design

SPEECH BY: Mark Bridges

FILM: "The Artist

"Wow, this is thrilling...I want to thank my wonderful crew and…you know, I was just a kid from Niagara Falls who dreamed, ate, and slept movies"

CATEGORY: Makeup

SPEECH BY: Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland

FILM: "The Iron Lady"

J. Roy Helland: "Thank you Academy and thank you to my colleague on “The Iron Lady” Mark Coulier, without whose brilliant prosthetics I wouldn’t be standing here this evening."

Mark Coulier: "I’d just like to say what an amazing experience. Thanks to Meryl, you were incredible."

Best Actress in a Leading Role, Meryl Streep, and Best Actor in a Leading Role, Jean Dujardin, celebrate their victory.

CATEGORY: Foreign Language Film

SPEECH BY: Asghar Farhadi

FILM: "A Separation" (Iran)

Asghar Farhadi (director-writer-producer): "this award to the people of my country, the people who respect all cultures and civilizations and despise hostility and resentment. Thank you so much."

CATEGORY: Film Editing

SPEECH BY: Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall

FILM: "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"

Angus Wall: "All the cast, and…God this is unbelievable."

Kirk Baxter: "Let’s get out of here."

Angus Wall: "We’re editors so thank you."

CATEGORY: Sound Editing

SPEECH BY: Philip Stockton and Eugene Gearty

FILM: "Hugo"

Eugene Gearty: "my crew back in New York City, you know who you are; Thelma, whose indefatigable work ethic is an inspiration to all of us; and Marty"

Philip Stockton: "I just want to thank everybody who’s here tonight and everybody who isn’t and everybody who’s ever been born or may be born or be born again or reborn. If I’ve forgotten anybody then you probably know who you are."  (that is my favorite quote of the night - K.C.)

CATEGORY: Sound Mixing

SPEECH BY: Tom Fleischman and John Midgley

FILM: "Hugo"

Tom Fleischman: "Wow, this is an incredible honor...many thanks to my fellow nominees who inspire me and you do inspire me for years"

John Midgley: "This is such an honor, thank you so much. Thank you to my crew, Mike and Charlotte, and thank you so much to Martin Scorsese. Thank you." (short and classy)

CATEGORY: Documentary (Feature)

SPEECH BY: TJ Martin, Dan Lindsay and Rich Middlemas

FILM: "Undefeated"

TJ Martin: "We also are extremely indebted to our friends and family, without them and their support over the years there’s no way that we would be able to do this." 

Dan Lindsay: "Documentary!" He shouts this in explanation for the bleep out words of TJ Martin.

CATEGORY: Animated Feature Film

SPEECH BY: Gore Verbinski

FILM: "Rango"

Gore Verbinski: "this is crazy. Someone asked me if this film was for kids and, I don’t know, but it was certainly created by a bunch of grownups acting like children and we just had the best time" (love this quote)

CATEGORY: Visual Effects

SPEECH BY: Rob Legato, Joss Williams, Ben Grossmann and Alex Henning

FILM: "Hugo"

Rob Legato: "Well, I didn’t expect this. the incredible collaborators all of which are nominated here tonight. And by the grace of hundreds of artists all over the world working thousands and thousands of hours, we’re here standing up there and we appreciate that and we want to thank the Academy for recognizing them." 

CATEGORY: Music (Original Score)

SPEECH BY: Ludovic Bource 

FILM: "The Artist"

Ludovic Bource: "Wow, I want to pay, first of all, a tribute for the power of the music "

SPEECH BY: Bret McKenzie

SONG: "Man or Muppet"

FILM: "The Muppets"

Bret McKenzie: "Wow, thank you Academy. I grew up in New Zealand watching “The Muppets” on TV. I never dreamed I’d get to work with them. And I was genuinely starstruck when I finally met Kermit the Frog. But once you get to know him, he’s just a normal frog. And like many stars here tonight, he’s a lot shorter in real life. Just a few jokes....especially my parents for never telling me to get a real job; and finally Jim Henson and his original team for creating the magical world of the Muppets. It’s a true honor to work the shadows of such legends. Thank you." (we're glad you didn't get a real job)

CATEGORY: Short Film (Live Action)

SPEECH BY: Terry George and Oorlagh George

FILM: The Shore

Terry George: "Thanks, this is my daughter, the producer...Now I don’t have to wait for her wedding to tell the world how brilliant she is. Our little film was inspired by the people of Northern Ireland, Protestant and Catholic, who after 30 years of war, sat down, negotiated a peace, and proved to the world that the Irish are great talkers."

Oorlagh George: Mum, this is for you!

CATEGORY: Documentary (Short Subject)

SPEECH BY: Daniel Junge and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy

FILM: "Saving Face"

Daniel Junge: "Well, it’s more important that the Pakistani on the stage speak instead of me" (he quickly steps aside)

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy: Daniel and I want to dedicate this award to all the heroes working on the ground in Pakistan including Dr. Mohammad Jawad who’s here with us today, the plastic surgeon working on rehabilitating all these women, Rukhsana and Zakia who are our main subjects of the film whose resilience and bravery in the face of such adversity is admirable, and to all the women in Pakistan who are working for change, don’t give up on your dreams. This is for you.

CATEGORY: Short Film (Animated)

SPEECH BY: William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg

FILM: "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore"

William Joyce: "Like look, we’re just these two, like swamp rats from Louisiana and this is incredibly grand. We love the movies. We love the movies more than anything. It’s been a part of our lives since we were both kids."

Brandon Oldenburg: "It’s been a part of our DNA ever since we were children and it’s made us storytellers."

William Joyce: "And there’s guys, there’s thousands of men and women through the whole generations since the beginning of cinema that have inspired us and movies that moved us more than we ever knew you could be moved. And it’s everything we try to do every day is to honor those people and those films"

Directing winner, Michel Hazanavicius, with the Oscar in hand.

CATEGORY: Directing

SPEECH BY: Michel Hazanavicius 

FILM: "The Artist"

Michel Hazanavicius: "I have an Oscar. I forgot my speech. Okay, I am the happiest director in the world right now. Thank you for that.....also I want to thank the movie, because the movie, since this movie has been made, its life is full of grace and it brings to us joy and happiness and sometimes life is wonderful and today is one of these days. Thank you for giving it to me. Thank you very much. Thank you."

Best Supporting Actor, Christopher Plummer, hoists his Oscar.

CATEGORY: Supporting Actor

SPEECH BY: Christopher Plummer

FILM: "Beginners"

Christopher Plummer: He looks at the Oscar and speaks to it, "You’re only two years older than me darling, where have you been all my life? I have a confession to make, when I first emerged from my mother’s womb, I was already rehearsing my Academy thank you speech. But it was so long ago, mercifully for you, I’ve forgotten it."

Best Supporting Actress, Octavia Spenser, proudly holding her new Oscar.

CATEGORY: Best Supporting Actress

SPEECH BY: Octavia Spenser

FILM: "The Help"

Octavia Spenser: "Oh thank you. Thank you Academy for putting me with the hottest guy in the room. I have to thank my families..uh..my family in Alabama...the state of Alabama...um...my L.A. family...my "Help" family. Please wrap up. I'm wrapping up. I'm sorry..I'm freaking out. Thank you world....I'm sorry thank you guys. I love you."

"The Artist" wins Best Picture.

CATEGORY: Best Picture

SPEECH BY: Thomas Langmann, Producer

FILM: "The Artist"

Thomas Langmann: "I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart....to you Harvey, not only because we received tonight the award that any filmmaker would ever dream to receive, but because you’re offering me tonight the opportunity to pay tribute to a member of this Academy that I miss so much, the Oscar winner Claude Berri. And he directed movies like “The Two of Us,” “Jean de Florette” and produced and worked with directors such as Francis Ford Coppola, Milos Forman, Pedro Almodovar, Roman Polanski. And I always thought and remember, will I ever one day be able to work with such director? Director that could stand in front of these example. And tonight I know I do because I am the producer of Michel Hazanavicius. And I am glad to be his producer."

Michel Hazanavicius: "Okay thank you. I’d like to say very, very important things. I want to say hi to my kids and it’s six in the morning in Paris so you should go to bed in thirty seconds. I want to say to my wife, Bérénice Bejo, who’s here that I love you, but it’s not just that, it’s about the movie. You inspired the movie and you’re the soul of the movie and the positive feeling of the movie. Thank you for being this in the movie and in my life. And I want to thank three person: I want to thank Billy Wilder. I want to thank Billy Wilder. And I want to thank Billy Wilder. Thank you very much."

Best Actor in a Leading Role, Jean Dujardin, holding his shiny new Oscar. 

CATEGORY: Lead Actor

SPEECH BY: Jean Dujardin 

FILM: "The Artist"

Jean Dujardin: "Thank you. Oui! I love your country. Thank you to the Academy. It’s funny because in 1929 it wasn’t Billy Crystal, but Douglas Fairbanks who hosted the first Oscar ceremony. Tickets cost five dollars and it lasted 15 minutes. Times have changed. So thank you Douglas Fairbanks. Yes Melissa, your grandfather’s spirit and joie de vivre inspired me for this role. And so many of you here tonight have inspired me. Thank you Michel, thank you for this incredible gift. Thank you my wonderful partner Bérénice Bejo. Thank you the wonderful cast and crew. My wife, I love you. Kisses Simon, Jules, Chloe. And if George Valentin could speak, he’d say [French]. Merci beaucoup. I love you."

Best Actress in a Leading Role, Meryl Streep, in front of the big Oscar with her Oscar.

CATEGORY: Lead Actress

SPEECH BY: Meryl Streep 

FILM: "The Iron Lady"

Meryl Streep: "First I’m going to thank Don because when you thank your husband at the end of the speech they play him out with the music and I want him to know that everything I value most in our lives you’ve given me....because I really understand I’ll never be up here again – I really want to thank all my colleagues, all my friends, I look out here and I see my life before my eyes, my old friends, my new friends and really this is such a great honor but the thing that counts the most with me is the friendships and the love and the sheer joy we have shared making movies together. My friends, thank you, all of you, departed and here for this inexplicably wonderful career. Thank you so much. Thank you." 

All of these deserving talented people worked on some amazing projects and amongst the thanks of family, friends, co-workers it was nice to see a lot of thanks to the crew behind the scenes that are helping make the magic come to life. 

Down the Road Show would like to present an Oscar to all the makeup people, grips, assistants, lighting experts, audio engineers, stunt doubles, stand ins, extras, and all the other unsung heroes of the entertainment industry. 

K.C. Murdock

Executive Producer

Down the Road Show

Oscar Winners Talk

These were given to us courtesy of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Awards. Here is the initial reaction from the press room interviews after receiving their Oscar Awards:

BACKSTAGE INTERVIEW
CATEGORY: Best Picture
INTERVIEW WITH: Thomas Langmann, Producer 
FILM: "The Artist"

Q. Hi, congratulations on your win tonight.  I was just curious, your film kind of recaptured the golden age of Hollywood cinema, and I was wondering what your thoughts are as to where cinema will be heading in the future?
A. Well, it's interesting to see in the present day with all those 3D movies, and I love all kind of movies, and I must say that as a producer mostly we do print movies, I do, and I'm proud of doing what you could call popcorn movies.  And if I had not done movies that are easier for audiences to go and see, I will have    I will have not the money in my company to put the risk.  So, I think every kind of cinema helps another kind.  And if this movie    if THE ARTIST can help an independent producer and to be audacious, this is a great thing, because I've shown this movie to kids, and some of them had never seen a black and white movie, and they thought it was    it would be really boring.  And they said they watched it, and after five, ten minutes, they enjoyed it.  So, as Michel Hazanavicius, the director said, silent is a way of telling the story.  That is not maybe from the past that it's an experience and it's maybe as big as a 3D experience, even if it's    was different.

So, we are really proud of this and all kind of cinema should exist.  And I must say that it's amazing that it's here in America that all the fuss came and    and all the great reports came about THE ARTIST.  Even when we had success in France and Europe, but now because of your reaction, it's getting bigger and bigger in Europe.  So, it's great.  


CATEGORY: Directing
INTERVIEW WITH: Michel Hazanavicius
FILM: "The Artist"


Q. With the popularity THE ARTIST and HUGO, what would you say is your favorite silent film or silent films that you helped guide you through the process of making the film in that era?
A. Which one of my favorite silent movies?

Q. Yeah, your personal favorite.
A. I would say, like, I don't know, maybe, eight or something.  It's very difficult to say one, because silent movie is not a genre, you know, that because it's just a format.  I would say that the Murnau's movies, the American ones SUNRISE and CITY GIRL, I think I prefer CITY GIRL, because I think it's more simple, but both of them are really great.  King Vidor's, THE CROWD.  It's a wonderful movie.  Everybody can see it.  It's easy to watch.

It's very touching.  It's moving picture and very modern.  Tod Browning's, THE UNKNOWN GYPSY CIRCUS, which it's a great, great covert and sexy movie set in a gypsy circus, and it's really great, a short one like one hour and ten minutes the Borzage movie, the Von Stroheim movie, Von Sternberg movies, like, UNDERWORLD and DOCKS OF NEW YORK.  UNDERWORLD is a great, great movie.  DOCKS OF NEW YORK is written by Ben Hecht who wrote SCARFACE after that.  It's a great movie.  The great    [inaudible]    old Charlie Chaplin.  You can    you can spend a good week with that. 


CATEGORY: Lead Actress
INTERVIEW WITH: Meryl Streep
FILM: "The Iron Lady"


Meryl shares some inspiring words for women.


Q. No, but really, how did you feel winning this third award, and why did you think  
A. Oh, I was thrilled.  I thought I was so old and jaded, but they call your name, and you just go into sort of a, I don't know, a white light.  And it was just thrilling.  It was like I was a kid again.  I mean, it was    I was a kid when I won this, like, 30 years ago.  Two of the nominees were not even conceived.  So, you know, it was great.  And it was doubly wonderful because my long time collaborative colleague, Roy Helland, makeup man, hairdresser, he won too, and he won for not an outside    he won with his colleague Mark Coulier, who is a great British prosthetics designer, but he won not for some, you know, monster making, but for making a human being, and it's very unusual in that branch that they give it to somebody who's just trying to transform people.  And so I was really, really proud for him.  


Q. Congratulations.  In your very moving speech this evening, you mentioned jokingly we might all be sick of you in the future.  I hope that doesn't happen, but it seems like you have the beginning of a second project in life with The Women's Museum.  Would you talk a little bit about that?
A. Thank you for asking about that.  There is no national women's history museum, but there is a lot of history that is not written about the contributions of women in our country and around the world.  And I think it would be really, really inspiring for people all around the world to have this fantastic center where you can learn the stuff that hasn't been written about women, because for many, many centuries, history was not interested in us.  And yet, and our history is invisible and I think it would be great for boys and girls to go to a place where they could learn about the contributions of their foremothers as well as their forefathers.  


Q. Expounding on that idea, with young girls today, young women watching the Oscars, what advice would you give to them if they are thinking about going into filmmaking or acting?
A. Or anything.

Q. Or anything?
A. Or anything.  Never give up.  Don't up, don't give up.  I mean, many girls around the world live in circumstances that are unimaginably difficult.  And it's not, you know, show business is a golf game compared to the way most kids grow up in the world.  But I would say never give up.  On March 8, 9, and 10, Tina Brown is hosting something called Women in the World in New York, a 3 day symposium bringing activists around the world on behalf of issues concerning women and girls, and it's a great, great thing.  Hope you will write about it and go see it.  And thank you very much.  


CATEGORY: Lead Actor
INTERVIEW WITH: Jean Dujardin
FILM: "The Artist"


Q. Sir, with your great success in this silent movie, are you concerned with the effort to make a transition into talkies?
A. (JEAN DUJARDIN)  In America?  I'm not American actor.  I'm a French actor, and I continue in France and    but it's possible.  It's  
A. (INTERPRETER) If he can make another silent movie in America, he'd like to.  He knows he'll always be a French actor in America so he should find roles that, you know, those kinds of roles.
A. (JEAN DUJARDIN) Thank you.
A. (INTERPRETER) But he has a few ideas that he wants to develop. 


Q. Hello, Jean.  I would like to know what was the process of creating this character and was it any different from the way you created other talking characters?
A. It was not really intellectual, and I'm not an intellectual.  No, I watch    I watched a lot of movies.  Douglas Fairbanks movies, Gene Kelly movies.  I had fun pretending to be a movie star in 1920s.  


CATEGORY: Visual Effects
INTERVIEW WITH: Rob Legato, Joss Williams (absent), Ben Grossman and Alex Henning
FILM: "Hugo"


Q. I have a question about the locomotive accident scene.  I was, uhm, I read somewhere that that was actually good old handmade, uhm, visual effect and not using the    the graphics of computer graphics.  Could you please tell me why you chose that route.
A. [Legato]  We actually had a combination of the two.  The last drawing was specifically designed for a physical model to crash through to imitate the Montparnasse famous black and white shot, and we added two more shots that were real traditional models and the rest of them were computer graphic models that were modeled to be able to be seen side by side with the real one and be, you know, indistinguishable from the two. [inaudible]
A. [Grossmann] The reality is    the question was:  Why did we choose to use a model a modern day miniature instead of the newer modern technology digital.  We used digital where it was appropriate and we used a model where it was appropriate too.  And models and miniatures are classic techniques.  Aside from being an homage to the subject of the movie, Georges Melies and his techniques, there's still the better solution you get when something looks real, and when you can do that, you should.  And we did.  


Q. So, you are up against these gigantic visual effects extravaganzas like TRANSFORMERS and even APES.  And you guys won.  I'm just wondering what you think this means about the state of visual effects and the appreciation of visual effects at least by the Academy?
A. My feeling is, and it's sort of when we finished the movie and how the movie was and the fact we are up against these incredibly technologically, beautifully done films that the blending of the art forms which is, in fact, what I believe cinema to be, which is the combination of all the music, sound effects, lighting, costumes, is all of that.  There's a perfect blend and ours does not stick out but assists that and becomes part of the art form that the Academy sort of growing up with the visual effects world, and saying, we are now going to also appreciate the art of what you tried to achieve, what's literally on screen.  Which is worthy of being onscreen.  So, for us, you know, because there's other films that are fantastic and work is outrageous.  They deserve to win just as much as we do, and if I were to put words in the mouth of the Academy, I would say that they judge them on the merits of art just as much as they do on technology produced.
A. [Grossmann]  Those films are really amazing.  All the other nominees in our category were stunning films that we would never expect to even be up against or stand a chance to compete against. 
A. [Legato]  We are kind of surprised to be up here.
A. [Henning]  Yeah, it's a terrific honor.  


CATEGORY: Adapted Screenplay
INTERVIEW WITH: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash
FILM: "The Descendants"


Q. Essentially a question for Jim.  How could NBC ever cancel COMMUNITY when now the Oscar winning Dean Pelton is on that?
A. (JIM RASH) I guess I should take these into their offices tomorrow and see what I can do.  You know, the good news is we're back on March 15th so maybe hopefully maybe this will help with Season 4, I don't know. 


Q. A quick COMMUNITY question.  Are you going to bring the Oscar with you when you do go back, and how do you think the rest of the cast is going to react?
A. (JIM RASH) It's smart to take it because most people know where they stand with you.  It's a great accoutrement for any outfit they might put me in.  It just seems sensible. 


Q. Hi, congratulations.  Alexander, I wondered if you would translate what you said in Hawaiian in that nice tribute to your mom, but also in doing that, talk about how you adapted the Hawaiian culture, especially using the music in telling the story.
A. (ALEXANDER PAYNE) I'm so happy to correct you.  It wasn't Hawaiian, it was Greek.

Q. [Inaudible]
A. (ALEXANDER PAYNE) Yeah, thanks.  Essentially that's I love you very much in Greek.  As for, as you say, adapting Hawaiian culture and folding it into the film and using the music, thanks for the question.  In retrospect I have to say, yeah, I am proud of the fact that I was able to spend a number of months in Hawaii before shooting, using Kaui Hart Hemmings, the novelist, as a guy opening the initial doors for me to get it right because they could be quite specific and judgmental out there in Hawaii in kind of nailing what they do.  And the use of music, I've said this before, forgive me for repeating myself, but I thought it would be inelegant not to try to score the film with 100 percent Hawaiian music, given the plethora of music out there which never extends beyond the isles. 


CATEGORY: Supporting Actress
INTERVIEW WITH: Octavia Spencer
FILM: "The Help"


Q. Congratulations.  Obviously you must be so thrilled with this win.  I was looking at some of the deleted scenes from the film and there was one scene where your character was at the bus stop and she was obviously beat up.
A. Oh.

Q. Are you disappointed that perhaps the film didn't include that more tragic ending for your character, although it had some low points, it had some, you know, a little bit of a light hearted feel at the end?
A. Well, I think that's all in your perception.  No, I'm not disappointed that that scene was deleted.  I think that we wanted to make the movie that Kathryn Stockett had envisioned when she wrote the book.  I don't think there's anything light hearted about the Civil Rights movement, but somehow it makes it palatable when you see that type of strife.  So if you can have a laugh every other ten minutes while you watch the struggle then, you know, I have no problem with it.  But no, I'm not disappointed with any aspect of the film. 


Q. So at the luncheon you were singing one particular song.
A. [Singing] Oscar nominee, but now I'm a winner.  Winner.

Q. Congratulations.
A. Thank you so much.

Q. What will you do?  The plans after this movies?
A. Tonight or  

Q. Tonight and then after that?
A. Well, tonight I am going to find my cast mates and we're going to, you know    I'm actually going to have a quarter of a glass of champagne and hang out and    and I think we all start projects, you know, within the next couple of days.  But I'm just going to live in this moment because it's never happened and lord knows it may never happen again. 


Q. There's something that stuck out to me in your acceptance speech and you thanked your HELP cast for how they helped you to transform into your character.
A. I said that?  I don't even remember what I said.  I'm sorry.

Q. Can you explain how did they help you to do that or you know what your cast really meant to you when you said your family really meant to you?
A. Well, it's very rare that you have the type of ensemble that we had.  You know, you don't get all the Academy Award nominee winners and Cecily Tyson, Mary Steenburgen, Sissy Spacek, Viola Davis coming together to do a project.  And then you have the collaboration of Academy Award nominees behind the scenes.  We just left our egos at the door and worked together as one beautiful unit from Emma, Viola, Bryce, Allison Janney.  I mean, it was an award winning cast.  So to be a part of that and to just sort of dissolve into the world that we were representing is something that we're supposed to do as actors but it was rare that we did it without judgment with each other. 


Glad to see someone is thinking of the troops.


Q. You originally spoke about overcoming fear in playing your role in THE HELP.  What would you say to a young man or woman about to start in the Army and overcoming their fears?
A. Well, I haven't really overcome mine.  I'm scared to death right now.  You know, I don't take what men and women in uniform do lightly.  You guys provide us with the freedoms and the protection that we as citizens sometimes take for granted, so I don't know that I'm the person that can say because I    I've not served in that capacity.  What I will say is I think    I guess I'm reminded of Emerson:  Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.  That's what you guys do for us every day.  


CATEGORY: Music (Original Song)
INTERVIEW WITH: Bret McKenzie
SONG: "Man or Muppet"
FILM: "The Muppets"


Q. Bret, being a FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS fan, how was it writing the song without Jemaine?
A. Seems to work    seems to have come off very well.  But, uhm, well, I am looking forward to writing with Jemaine in the future here.  Because I can, you know, I will being able to pull out the Oscar card, and say, "Oh, I think we should use this chord," and I won an Oscar.  So, yes.  


Q. You created one of the most incurably catchy songs of the year.  I kind of love you and kind of hate you for it.  Do you know that you are doing that when you write a song; that this is something people will never get out of their heads?
A. Uhm, I guess you can tell when they're catchy when    I keep singing it myself for days, and I wake up in the morning.  If I worked all day on it and into the night and go home at 2:00 in the morning and then wake up at 9 o'clock and it's still going on in my head, yeah, I can tell it's one of the catchy ones, but sorry about that.  


Q. Thank you, thank you.  So, have to ask, do you feel certain amount of pressure living up to the legacy of previous Muppet songs?  Like the "Rainbow Connection"?
A. Like the classic "Rainbow Connection"?  I absolutely do.  And, uhm, a friend of mine said, when I got the job of working on the film, a friend of mind said, "You will need to write another 'Rainbow Connection.'"
And I said, "You're right."  And I didn't.  And it's an honor to get this because "Rainbow Connection" didn't win an Oscar, but there's no doubt that that song is, you know, an absolute, timeless classic, and this is nothing in comparison.

Q. You mentioned Jim Henson the "Muppets" creator when you were up on stage.  Can you talk about what he meant to you growing up and what this means?  Just    just talk about your next [inaudible] and what he means to you?
A. Yeah.  In the eighties, when I was at home a lot watching TV, my dad one day brought home a video recorder, and that was the latest thing.  He'd been to America and came back with a video recorder.  No one else had one.  It was pretty exciting, but he only had two video cassettes, and one was THE DARK CRYSTAL.  So, my brother and I watched that movie at least twice a week for, I guess, for about five years.  So, uhm, infinitely, Jim Henson influenced me, and I think it's    you know, he is a huge inspiration.  And, uhm, the other thing I love about the guy is he made children's, uhm, films that I think he found funny; that he was making them for adults that didn't patronize the minds of children.  


Bret is just a big kid and it's nice to see that kids dreams do come true.

All of these winners have something in common. They never gave up. They have pursued their dreams for many years vigorously and no amount of adversity has steered them from their course. Dream big, do big, and big things will happen.


K.C. Murdock
Executive Producer
Down the Road Show

The Academy Awards and The Oscars

The Academy Awards have been giving out the Oscar since 1929 and have been making history ever since by creating some special moments. From Best Picture Winner 'Wings' 1992 to 'The Kings Speech' 2011 there has been a variety of movies like 'Casablanca' 1944, 'The Bridge on River Kwai' 1958, 'The Sound of Music' 1966, and 'Platoon' 1987 that follows many different stories of heroism in unique ways under war torn circumstances. Their has also been some society changing first to take place at the Oscars like the great Sidney Poitier for 'Lilies of the Field' in 1963 became the first African American winner for Best Actor and Halle Berry became the first African American winner for Best Actress for her role in 'Monster Ball' 2001. Check out some some special records from Wikipedia.


NBC's Los Angeles has a great slide show of some of their favorite Academy Awards moments from the past or you can follow E Online for their celebrity Twitter Tracker to see who is trending. Nobody gets press like Sacha Baron Cohen in 2012 but who were the serious press grabbers from the past.

Jack Palance gets an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in 1992 for City Slickers and says he craps bigger than his co-star Billy Crystal and then does one armed pushups to prove how tough he is at the age of 73.

Who can forget the famous acceptance speech "You like me. Right now you like me." hysterics of a shocked and surprised Sally Fields winning for Best Actress in 'Places In The Heart' 1985.

Whoopi Goldberg's emotional win for Best Supporting Actress in 'Ghost' 1991 and talks of her pride to be a part of the industry of actors.

You can't forget Matt Damon and Ben Affleck trying to beat the clock at The Academy Awards winning for Best Writing of 'Goodwill Hunting' 1997 and trying to fit in all the thanks they can before the music starts to play.

Meryl Streep wins her Oscar for her role as JoAnna in 'Kramer vs Kramer' as Best Actress in 1980.

Widely talked about as one of the best acceptance speeches ever Dustin Hoffman accepts the Oscar for Best Actor for his role in the dramatic tale of family torn apart in 'Kramer vs Kramer' 1980. "Thank you. He has no genitalia and he is hold a sword. I'd like to thank my parents for not practicing birth control.", were the first words out of Hoffman's mouth before sharing his Oscar with everyone in the entire movie business.

All of these great moments and many more can be found at The Academy's YouTube for The Oscars.

It truly does take a huge amount of cooperation by many talented people to put together a film and it is always nice to hear amazing actors like Dustin Hoffman to acknowledge the crews of the films in an early faze of his career. Without makeup, lighting, grips, assistants, and so many more these movies would never make it to the big screen and all the marketing in the world, producers, and executives may be pulling the strings; but it is the collective efforts of the hard working crews that are pumping out our fondest heart warming memories from the silver screen. I for one respect and appreciate the efforts of the amazingly talented people not walking the Red Carpet just as much as my favorite Actors that are all pimped out at The Academy Awards.

Happy Oscar Day!!!

K.C. Murdock
Executive Producer

The Voice Season 2 Begins

The Voice is back on NBC and Season 2 seems to be starting off with even more talented singers than last year. It is great seeing the same celebrities (Adam Levine, Cee Lo Green, Christina Aguilera, and Blake Shelton) back for another round of tongue in cheek abuse of each other and obvious fondness and admiration for each others talents. Carson Daly is back as the Host with his charismatic smile and relaxing charm that rounds out this entertaining reality competition.  

Yes this is a serious competition for singers and it's a reality show, but this is not cut from the same cloth as other sub par popular singing shows. The positive nature and supportive vibe is unlike any of it's competitors (other than The Sing-Off), and does not revel in the misery of the broken dreams of their competitors. In last nights episode Christina was very supportive and happy to give good constructive criticism to the only performer of the night not to get a single chair turned. He was a nice guy and a good singer who's nerves got the best of him and instead of mockery and laughter he received praise and applause from the audience and celebrities. What a refreshing experience. Now he can go home and work twice as hard on his goals instead cowering in a dark corner with his tail between his legs. 

That is one of the many things that make The Voice the most watchable programming on television today. Positivity Breeds Positivity! I am a sucker for a train wreck like every one else is, but when that has become the premise behind many tv shows what does that say about us as a culture and people. The humiliation of  other human beings and public crushing of their spirit is not inspiring tv, and is exactly why people are falling in love with NBC's The Voice. They do not have celebrity judges degrading the talent, but they are mentors instead. They are arguing with each other and fighting for the opportunity to work with the competitors side by side and help them become the best entertainer they can be. Sure there is only one winner in the end, but if you look at the blossoming careers of many of last years contestants then you will realize that they were all winners. 

"The Voice could teach Charlie Sheen a thing or two about Winning." 

GRADE: A+

Executive Producer

K.C. Murdock