Mr. Media Interviews by Bob Andelman

Today's Guest: Ray Billingsley, syndicated cartoonist, "Curtis" Order A Boy Named Curtis: The Curtis Chronicles by Ray Billingsley by clicking on the book cover above! There are a number of daily newspaper comic strips that we tend to take for granted. “Cathy,” by Cathy Guisewite, is one. Mort Walker’s “Beetle Bailey” and “Hi & Lois” are two more. And then there is my friend Ray Billingsley’s strip, “Curtis.” Ray Billingsley, cartoonist, Curtis “Curtis” shares the adventures of a young African-American boy whose age I’d put at about 10 or 11, dealing with life in his community. He’s chasing—unsuccessfully—girls, being chased—successfully—by bullies, struggling with his dad’s cheapness and smoking… in other words, all the stuff boys his age do. RAY BILLINGSLEY Audio Excerpt: "The strip is a lighthearted tale about a boy. That's all it is. It's just that one little factor that turns publishers off. I still go through, 'Well, blacks don't really read this stuff and whites don't get it." Dagwood Bumstead meets A Boy Named Curtis But because the character is black, it sometimes seems like his creator, Billingsley, doesn’t always get the opportunities or recognition that other men and women in his field do. One example: publication of his collected works. The last time Billingsley was a guest on my show, back in April 2007, he revealed his frustration with the cartoonists establishment and book publishing. Today, there is a new development on that front: publication of the first “Curtis” collection: A Boy Named Curtis. Ray Billingsley Website • Facebook • Wikipedia • Comics Kingdom • Order Will Eisner: A Spirited Life (2nd Edition) by Bob Andelman, available from Amazon.com by clicking on the book cover above!     The Party Authority in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland!

Today's Guest: Ray Billingsley, syndicated daily cartoonist, creator, "Curtis" 'Curtis' by cartoonist Ray Billingsley When I was researching my biography, Will Eisner, A Spirited Life, one of the biggest surprises for me was learning that two extremely successful daily cartoonists, Ray Billingsley of “Curtis," and Patrick McDonnell of “Mutts,” were once students of Eisner’s at the New York School of Visual Arts. Eisner spoke highly of both men, and he developed an ongoing mentor-style relationship with Billingsley, who was a very young man, just about 16, when he first took Eisner’s class. Billingsley’s strip, “Curtis,” brings a black perspective to the daily comics pages of more than 250 newspapers. It’s a steady performer recognized by the American Cancer Society for Curtis’ efforts to get his father to stop smoking. And Billingsley takes the detour from the usual story lines every December for an original Kwanzaa tale. Ray Billingsley Website • Facebook UPDATE: May 23, 2007 Curtis by Ray Billingsley The most talked about "Mr. Media Interview" to date - by far - was the one above with "Curtis" cartoonist Ray Billingsley. He hit a nerve by taking issue with book publishers who have been unwilling to produce a collection of his strip in nearly two decades. The interview led to not one but two stories on EditorandPublisher.com - including a condemnation of his remarks by the current president of the National Cartoonists Society, Rick Stromoski ("Soup to Nutz") - and a lengthy discussion on the popular web site, The Comics Curmudgeon. Billingsley isn't letting the issue die down, either, with the NCS' annual Reuben Awards just around the corner. A recent Sunday strip has generated even more controversy, this time on The Comics Journal Message Board. Read the strip and what's been written here. Or feel free to click on "Comments" below and add your thoughts here. ] Cartoonist Ray Billingsley What I find interesting is that Billingsley hasn't directly mention the name of the publisher of the vast majority of comic strip compilations - even though it's pretty obvious with whom he's so frustrated. I also wonder why no Black-oriented book publisher has stepped forward - yet. If you'd like to hear more from Billingsley on this subject - live and in person, he'll be one of the guest speakers at the Festival of Cartoon Art, Oct. 25-27, 2007, sponsored by Ohio State University's Cartoon Research Library. Order Will Eisner: A Spirited Life (2nd Edition) by Bob Andelman, available from Amazon.com by clicking on the book cover above!     The Party Authority in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland!

Today's Guest: Monica Raymund, actress, "Lie To Me," "The Good Wife," "Chicago Fire"   Monica Raymund St. Petersburg, Florida is pretty good at turning out dramatic talent. There is Angela Bassett, of course, who was nominated for an Academy Award for her work in What’s Love Got to Do with It” and is currently starring on the NBC series “ER.” And then there is Patrick Wilson, who has been nominated for Tony awards, Golden Globes and Emmys and stars in the upcoming film, Watchmen. MONICA RAYMUND podcast excerpt: "I don't know HOW I got this job! I hadnt graduated from Julliard yet; I was just the right person at the right time. I tested for the 'Lie To Me' pilot; a month later, I got the call that I got the job. I had to move my life to LA in a week! I don't even have my diploma yet; I haven't had time to go by the school and get my degree!" Monica Raymund is the latest to emerge from this sunny city on Tampa Bay. A graduate of Shorecrest Preparatory School—like Wilson—and the daughter of two of the community’s best known and most philanthropic residents, Steve and Sonia Raymund, Monica exploded on the national scene a few weeks ago on the new Fox TV series, “Lie To Me.” For once, it might be fair to say that Monica is an overnight sensation: before “Lie To Me,” her best known credit was an episode of “Law & Order: SVU.” In fact, her IMDB listing only has one other credit! MONICA RAYMUND podcast excerpt: "I went to Shorecrest Prep in St. Petersburg, Florida. I had a very strong academic background; I enjoyed being a student, I loved going to school. I wanted to go into science -- biochemistry, maybe doing forensics. I didn't expect to get into Juilliard, so when I did, I decided to go for the dream." “Lie To Me” stars Tim Roth — best known for the opening and closing scenes of Pulp Fiction — and Kelli Williams, a star of "The Practice." In “Lie To Me,” Raymund is a gifted natural interpreter of non-verbal cues. Her character, Ria Torres, is the newest member of the agency, and one of the few "naturals" in the field of deception detection. She has a raw, untrained ability to read people that makes her a force to be reckoned with. Key interview moments: • 8:00 Making the unexpected jump from Juilliard student to co-star on "Lie To Me" opposite Tim Roth, Kelli Williams, and Mekhi Phifer; • 20:00 Play 'Lie To Me' at home with the kids; • 31:00 Former Tampa Tribune movie critic Bob Ross calls in; • 38:45 If I didn't get into The Juilliard School, I planned to go into... Monica Raymund Facebook • Twitter • Perez Hilton • Wikipedia • IMDB • Fansite • Pinterest Order 'Lie to Me' starring Tim Roth and Kelli Williams, available from Amazon.com by clicking on the DVD cover above!   Tampa Bay Times calls Stadium For Rent (Second Edition) "Notable" for 2015 baseball season! Order 'Stadium For Rent: Tampa Bay's Quest for Major League Baseball' by Bob Andelman, now available in an expanded, updated and illustrated 456-page special edition, available from Amazon.com by clicking on the book cover above! The Millionaire's Convenient Arrangementby Jane Peden. Order your copy today by clicking on the book cover above!     The Party Authority in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland!

Today's Guest: Bill Engvall, comedian   Bill Engvall, image via Wikipedia Mr. Media is recorded live before a studio audience of TV stars who haven’t updated their blogs since September 29, 2008… in the new new media capitol of the world… St. Petersburg, Florida! Don’t tell my wife, but I’ve watched those Blue Collar Comedy standup specials on Comedy Central starring Bill Engvall, Jeff Foxworthy, Larry the Cable Guy and Ron White about a hundred times. I usually catch them on the little TV in the kitchen while I eat lunch. It doesn’t matter that I already know the jokes and the punchlines – and you know that Larry is always going to be the punchline when they’re together. BILL ENGVALL audio excerpt: "Unfortunately, no, I'm not the love interest (for Jada Pinkett's Smith's character on 'Hawthorne')... If I had my pick, it would be Michael Vartan. But I had a great time with Marc Anthony." These four guys are like a 21st century version of the Three Stooges to my way of thinking. Not in terms of looks or slapping each other around, but because there’s no way a guy can justify to his wife or girlfriend how hard they make you laugh. And like his Blue Collar comedian compadres, Bill Engvall has made a real industry of this Blue Collar business. He sells out comedy tours, has published a book, done movies, and starred in a sitcom under his own name on the Tyler Perry channel – I mean TBS. Now he’s stretching the brand even further in a most unlikely way – guest starring on three episodes of Jada Pinkett Smith’s TNT drama series, “Hawthorne.” Engvall’s second appearance as Det. Jimmy Dupree airs Tuesday, June 28 at 10 p.m. Bill Engvall Website • Blog • iPhone app • Facebook • Twitter • MySpace • Hawthorne on TNT • Lingo on GSN Order 'Here's Your Sign' by Blue Collar comedian Bill Engvall, available on DVD from Amazon.com by clicking on the box cover above! Kicking Through the Ashes: My Life As A Stand-up in the 1980s Comedy Boom by Ritch Shydner. Order your copy today by clicking on the book cover above!     The Party Authority in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland!

Today's Guest: Tania Gunadi, actress, "Aaron Stone"     Tania Gunadi As a co-star of the Disney XD channel’s “Aaron Stone” series, Tania Gunadi has a dual life—she’s the girl next door to Charlie Landers, a.k.a. Aaron Stone, played by Kelly Blatz, and she is also a player in the online game that drives the show’s plot. TANIA GUNADI podcast excerpt: "Working on Star Trek with J.J. Abrams was so amazing. My alien makeup took five hours in the morning to put on; we did 11 days of fitting to make it work. My ears would move as I walked and I had a really long tail. J.J. would ask every couple of minutes, 'Are you okay? Can you breathe?'... Chris Pine is so cute. After our scene we walked outside. He said, 'Are you okay? Do you need a jacket?' And I said, 'No, I just need a hug.'"  And while this might be child’s play to some—Tania is older than she may look. Despite playing a teen on the show, this native of Bandung, Indonesia is actually 26! Tania might be a familiar face to fans of everything from Even Stevens to Boston Public; she also had a role on an episode of one of my favorite comedies, “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” on FX. Tania Gunadi Website • Facebook • Twitter Order Will Eisner: A Spirited Life (2nd Edition) by Bob Andelman, available from Amazon.com by clicking on the book cover above!   The Party Authority in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland!

Today's Guest: Sarah Szalavitz, entrepreneur, 7Robot, Zaproot, AwkwardSexStories.com Sarah Szalaitz, 7Robot, Taproot.com I don’t care if you never before heard of my guest, social media guru Sarah Szalavitz. A week ago, frankly, neither had I. But I suspect that at the end of this hour, we’ll all want to hear more from Sarah. Or maybe we’ll just want to be her. Sarah is the co-founder of 7 Robot, a new company involved in digital storytelling and social design. (Some examples: ZapRoot, AwkwardSexStories.com.) More about that, later, because that’s just her latest career. A Harvard-trained lawyer, that credential is almost incidental in a resume that includes two years as assistant to then-Speaker of the California State Assembly, Willie Brown Jr. More recently, she was director of content development for Veoh Networks. Sarah Szalavitz Twitter • LinkedIn • Facebook • YouTube • 7-Robot • "Mean Business: How I Save Bad Companies and Make Good Companies Great" by Albert J. Dunlap with Bob Andelman, available in print, e-book or digital audio. Order your copy now by clicking on the book cover above!     The Party Authority in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland!

Today's Guest: Steve Rosenbaum, author, Curation Nation: How to Win in a World Where Consumers are Creators Curation Nation by Steve Rosenbaum. Order your copy today by clicking on the book cover above! We’re going to do something a little different on Mr. Media today – instead of being a half-wit know-it-all, I’m going to try to learn something practical from my guest. Joining me is Steve Rosenbaum, who developed, created and produced the groundbreaking “MTV Unfiltered” program in 1993. Shot entirely by viewers, UNfiltered marked the first fully user-created program in television history and was the model used by Al Gore for CURRENT.TV. Along the way networks such as CBS, A&E, and HBO all counted on Rosenbaum to help them explore and deploy user-generated video in programming. Today, Rosenbaum is behind a new venture, Magnify.net, which uses video in still new ways. If you’re a blogger, podcaster or web site producer, I think you’ll find this program particularly interesting – and practical, as Steve walks me through posting video content on an actual web site. Steve Rosenbaum Magnify.net • Twitter • Facebook • LinkedIn • Blog • Curation Nation website "Mean Business: How I Save Bad Companies and Make Good Companies Great" by Albert J. Dunlap with Bob Andelman, available in print, e-book or digital audio. Order your copy now by clicking on the book cover above!     The Party Authority in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland!

Today's Guest: Margo Martindale, actress, "Justified," Scalene Mr. Media is recorded live before a studio audience of tough broads who you don’t want as next-door neighbors… in the NEW new media capital of the world… St. Petersburg, Florida! Order Scalene from Amazon.com by clicking on the DVD above! Imagine stretching a rubber band between the index finger on one hand and the thumb on the other. Now visualize pulling your fingers as far apart as possible. That’s it… …keep pulling… … and pulling… OUCH! Somebody will always get hurt when you do that. Emmy Award winning actress Margo Martindale (Justified, A Gifted Man) stars in the indie psychological thriller Scalene. MARGO MARTINDALE audio excerpt: "I like intense. In a movie, you can let go at the end of the day. On stage, you kind of have to live it until the run is over. But I love acting. It's like playing in my backyard."  That’s what I pictured happening upstairs to Margo Martindale’s character, Janice Trimble, in her new movie, Scalene. And that’s just in the opening minutes. Martindale plays the mother of a brain-damaged teenage boy whose needs are making her life miserable and diminishing her in every possible way. She snaps like a rubber band as the movie begins and it’s all exposition from there. Besides Martindale, this indie film features a strong performance by Hanna Hall, who looks from certain angles like a young Drew Barrymore. Watching Scalene, I couldn’t help but wish a nice romantic comedy on this talented actress. Or maybe a buddy comedy with Kathy Bates! Joining me today is Margo Martindale, who won the 2010 Emmy for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series for her role on FX’s “Justified.” You may have also seen her last season as a regular on the short-lived CBS series “A Gifted Man” or more recently in the USA series “Suits.” Scalene, which co-stars Hanna Hall (she played a young "Jenny" in Forrest Gump) will be available on DVD and Blu-Ray on July 31 Margo Martindale Order Scalene on DVD from Amazon.com The Millionaire's Convenient Arrangementby Jane Peden. Order your copy today by clicking on the book cover above!     The Party Authority in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland!

Today's Guest: Erin Cummings, actress, Bitch Slap, "Detroit 1-8-7" ABC had me at “redhead” when the opportunity to interview “Detroit 1-8-7” co-star Erin Cummings appeared. Learning she had a recurring role on AMC’s “Mad Men” earlier this season didn’t hurt either. Erin Cummings And neither did her experience as a co-star of the film Bitch Slap, in which she played “The Sex Bomb” alongside America Olivo, a recent guest on Mr. Media. (Julia Voth, you know you’re next!) ERIN CUMMINGS audio excerpt: "(Mad Men star) Jon Hamm is even more sexy, more enjoyable, and more intelligent in person than anything he has ever portrayed on television. I hope every actress has a chance to work with him."  Seeing that she looks like the Playboy magazine idea of a librarian was certainly a plus. And how about the timing? Cummings’ freshman police procedural series, “Detroit 1-8-7,” which stars Michael Imperioli of “The Sopranos” somewhat reprising his role from the short-lived “Life On Mars,” as well as James McDaniel of “NYPD Blue,” just got a vote of confidence from the alphabet network: an order for five more new episodes this season. Erin Cummings Website • Twitter • Facebook • IMDB • AUSXIP • Instagram • Wikipedia Bitch Slap starring Erin Cummings, America Olivo and Julie Voth. Order your copy today by clicking on the DVD cover above! The Millionaire's Convenient Arrangementby Jane Peden. Order your copy today by clicking on the book cover above!     The Party Authority in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland!

Today's Guest: Marti Rulli, author, Goodbye Natalie, Goodbye Splendour, Dennis Davern, captain, Natalie Wood, Robert Wagner yacht Order 'Goodbye Natalie, Goodbye Splendour' by Marti Rulli and Dennis Davern by clicking the book cover above! What happened to Natalie Wood on the night of November 29, 1981? The next morning, as we all know, she was discovered floating in the waters off Catalina Island. But what happened during the night before she died? That night, Natalie was aboard the Splendour, the boat she and her husband, actor Robert Wagner, owned. Also on board was actor Christopher Walken and the ship's captain, Dennis Davern. Wagner and Davern were drunk. None of the three men has talked in detail about the events of that evening. Until now. DENNIS DAVERN podcast excerpt: "As soon as we departed Marina Del Rey, Robert Wagner had jealousy written all over him. Tension was building and it was just terrible... All of a sudden Robert picks up a wine bottle and smashed it in the middle of a coffee table. Glass shattered all over everyone. Christopher Walken exited to his stateroom. Natalie went up to her stateroom. I went to the bridge. You could hear the arguing, the screaming. It was torture." It's not Wagner or Walken that's talking, however. The ship's captain, Davern, has broken his silence in a new book written with his long time friend, Marti Rulli. Goodbye Natalie, Goodbye Splendour is his story, his recollection of that horrible night and the 28 years of silence and guilt that have engulfed his life ever since. In the interest of full disclosure, before we start, I need to tell you that I first heard about this book through my sister, who lives in the same small South Jersey community as Marti Rulli and has done business with her. But that doesn’t mean every friend of Lori’s gets a shot on this show. You still have to accomplish something, okay? Marti Rulli Blog • Twitter • Order Goodbye Natalie, Goodbye Splendour The Millionaire's Convenient Arrangementby Jane Peden. Order your copy today by clicking on the book cover above!     The Party Authority in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland!