Mr. Media Interviews by Bob Andelman

Today's Guest: Gary Chaloner, comic book artist, "Will Eisner's John Law" (EDITOR'S NOTE: The following interview with comic book artist Gary Chaloner was recorded on August 25, 2006 to supplement my authorized biography of the late Will Eisner, Will Eisner: A Spirited Life. I recently rediscovered the audio file and decided to add it to the Mr. Media podcast archive. -- Bob Andelman) "Will Eisner's John Law" by Gary Chaloner Gary Chaloner is an award-winning artist and writer who is currently creating and publishing the new adventures of Will Eisner’s John Law. I interviewed Chaloner via email the first time around, for my biography of Will Eisner, A Spirited Life. But that was when John Law had yet to be published. Now that it’s out and building an audience for one of Eisner’s lesser known characters, I thought it would be fun to talk to him again. He suggested we do it via Skype, the free Internet phone service; being a new technology junkie, I had to say yes. So Gary has the dubious honor of being the first person interviewed in this series via podcast. The audio quality isn't perfect; the hum/buzz you'll hear in the background is from my computer. Sorry about that, audiophiles. This interview combines the stories behind Chaloner's Eisner-related work as well as a sneak peek (below) at his upcoming work. Eisner fans will also be excited to learn how many more characters from Eisner's early work are returning to action in Chaloner's John Law series. First, let me tell you a little more about Chaloner: He’s an Australian-born creator who began his career as a publisher of his own work and the work of other Australian creators through his own imprint Cyclone Comics. Cyclone published a range of popular comic books in the 1980s and 1990s with titles as diverse as The Jackaroo, The Southern Squadron, Dark Nebula, GI Joe Australia, Flash Damingo and CCQ (Cyclone Comics Quarterly). Gary's overseas work includes US editions of The Jackaroo and The Southern Squadron; a very odd issue of The Badger with Mike Baron; the award-winning Planet of the Apes: Urchak's Folly; The Olympians, a two-issue prestige series for Marvel/Epic Comics; editorial and creative duties on Dark Horse Down Under for Dark Horse Comics — this series featured the first US appearance of Gary's creation "Morton Stone, Undertaker." His current creator-owned projects include the black comedy of Morton Stone: Undertaker; Red Kelso, a pulp-inspired adventure series; and new adventures of The Jackaroo. Chaloner worked closely with Will Eisner in the development and relaunch of Will Eisner's John Law both online and in print through IDW Publishing. Gary Chaloner The online series recently left ModernTales.com and set up home at http://johnlaw.us.com. You can browse through the archives for free there and read more about Law and his new adventures. As a bonus, Chaloner is uploading original golden age stories featuring Lady Luck and Mr. Mystic. These stories first ran as backups in The Spirit Section and will be remastered and colored for online viewing. Hopefully, these classic stories will be collected for print at a later stage. In the 2005 Ledger Awards (Australian Comic Industry Awards), Will Eisner's John Law received several awards including "International Title of the Year" and "Single Issue or Story of the Year." Chaloner was also awarded the "Ledger of Honour" (a Hall of Fame award) and received industry awards for "Achievement of the Year," "Cover Artist of the Year" and "Inker of the Year." Chaloner also redesign and modernized the official Will Eisner web site. Gary Chaloner Website • Facebook • Twitter • Wikipedia • Goodreads BOB ANDELMAN: Gary, let’s jump in here. Tell us a little bit about John Law and how and when Will Eisner created it. GARY CHALONER: Well, hello to everyone. Hi, Bob. John Law was devised and created by Will back in the mid to late ‘40s. The Spirit was going very well, and Will...

Today's Guest: Julian Doyle, editor, Monty Python & The Holy Grail, Monty Python’s Meaning of Life, Jabberwocky, Time Bandits, Brazil, Wind in the Willows, Monty Python’s Life of Brian Part 1 of 4 Mr. Media is recorded live before a studio audience that includes the Reverend Arthur Belling, Cardinal Ximinez, Cardinal Fang, Cardinal Biggles, D.P. Gumby, Mr. Eric Praline, Mr. Nudge, and, of course, Kate Middleton… in the new new media capitol of the world… St. Petersburg, Florida! Order from Amazon.com by clicking the book cover above! Oh, so many of you! Well, you’ve come to the right place. Joining me today from London is the author of The Life of Brian, er, I mean, The Life of Jesus, Julian Doyle. Doyle is not your usual commentator on matters of the Christian church and the man for whom it is named. Instead he is the long-time editor of Monty Python films such as Monty Python & The Holy Grail, Monty Python’s Meaning of Life, Jabberwocky, Time Bandits, Brazil, Wind in the Willows, and the film that brought us all here today, Monty Python’s Life of Brian. Order Monty Python's Life Of Brian - The Immaculate Edition, available from Amazon.com by clicking on the DVD cover above! JULIAN DOYLE audio excerpt: "It's going to feel like blasphemy to some people because I draw parallels between our Monty Python film, Life of Brian, and other films and which is most accurate." Doyle’s book, The Life of Brian Jesus, walks two paths; primarily it examines similarities between the Python film, the Holy Bible and what is actually known about the life of Jesus Christ. But it also offers several intimate glimpses behind the scenes of the 1979 film, Life of Brian. Is The Life of Brian Jesus for every Python fan? Probably not, as it raises all kinds of questions some loyal Christians might not care to consider. And it’s only a Python book in part, so if you’re looking for a funny memoir of "Flying Circus" days, don’t expect as much of that. But if you’re that rare individual who can handle having your religious beliefs questioned and still practice daily for a position in the Ministry of Silly Walks, step right up! Julian Doyle Website • Facebook • Goodreads • Dead Parrot Shop • Wikipedia • IMDB • Order The Life of Brian/Jesus from Amazon.com Part 2 of 4   Part 3 of 4   Part 4 of 4   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: Hayley McFarland, actress, "Lie To Me" Hayley McFarland, actress, 'Lie To Me'   Order 'Lie To Me: Season One' starring Tim Roth, Hayley McFarland, available from Amazon.com by clicking on the DVD cover above! Order 'United State of Tara: Season One," available from Amazon.com by clicking on the DVD cover above! Something was seriously missing from the second episode of the second season of Fox’s drama Lie To Me: punishment for Hayley McFarland’s character, Emily Lightman. Hayley, who plays a young high school student named Emily on the show, lied to her father—Dr. Cal Lightman, played by Tim Roth—about some pretty serious stuff after a classmate of hers was apparently raped at a college frat house party by a star athlete. If that happened in my house, my teen would be grounded—probably for life. HAYLEY McFARLAND: "I saw Pulp Fiction before I started on Lie To Me. I was kind of nervous going to meet (Tim Roth). I thought he'd be mean. But he's great."  But Hayley has probably behaved worse on TV; after all, Lie To Me is just one of this young actress’s recurring gigs; she’s also on Showtime’s United States of Tara, starring Toni Collette. On Tara, Hayley plays the best friend of Tara’s son. Hayley McFarland Twitter • Instagram • IMDB • Wikipedia • Order Lie To Me, Season One from Amazon.com 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: Chris D'Elia, comedian, actor, "Whitney," "Undateable" Mr. Media is recorded live before a studio audience of tall, long-haired, bearded, shirtless dudes who sold their Internet companies for a fortune and are trying to steer the hot chicks away from me… in the NEW new media capital of the world… St. Petersburg, Florida! Whitney Cummings and Chris D'Elia star in the NBC sitcom "Whitney"; Order Season One on DVD from Amazon.com by clicking the image above! Sure, sure, poor, poor Chris D’Elia is being set up as eye candy for the ladies on the new NBC sitcom, “Whitney.” Boo-frickin’-hoo! Have you seen the pictures of the show’s lead – and his character’s girlfriend – comedian Whitney Cummings, working through scenes in a lacy purple bra? CHRIS D'ELIA audio excerpt: "Whitney wrote the part for me. She's one of these people who finds people she likes and tries to create opportunities. She told me two years ago that she wanted me to play her boyfriend and I said, 'Cool.'" I think Mr. D’Elia, who we’re about to meet, can handle the trade-off of being a boy toy for female viewers if it means representing all the men watching the show--including Howard Stern, who lusted after Whitney on the radio just this week. Think of all of us envying you in your next bedroom scene with Whitney, dude. “Whitney,” which was created by Whitney Cummings, could be a major break out hit this season if it is anything like her standup act. She’s got a strong supporting cast, starting with D’Elia, himself a working comedian, who was previously a regular in the TBS series “Glory Daze.” You might also recognize Tampa’s own Maulik Pancholy – who previously played Alec Baldwin’s assistant on “30 Rock.” Chris D'Elia Website • Twitter • Facebook • YouTube • MySpace • Order Whitney: Season One from Amazon.com Order 'Whitney Cummings: Money Shot" by clicking the image 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: Angela Dove, author, No Room for Doubt: A True Story of the Reverberations of Murder No Room for Doubt: A True Story of the Reverberations of Murder by Angela Dove. Order your copy today by clicking on the book cover above! How well do you know your own father? If your stepmother died under suspicious circumstances and everyone around you harbored the belief that your father murdered her, could you stand by him no matter what? I hope, for your sake, that it’s a situation in which you never find yourself. But it happened to Angela Dove on March 25, 1988, when she was a high school student in California. Her life was never the same. Angela Dove ANGELA DOVE audio excerpt:“This was just a man who had a lot of difficulty in interpersonal relationships. He got in his own way. I think a lot of people do that, but it’s not until you’re under the lens of a homicide investigation that it starts to look suspicious.”  Dove hopes to have brought herself and her family some closure with the publication of her first book, No Room for Doubt: A True Story of the Reverberations of Murder. It is the story of Debi Whitlock’s brutal and mysterious death in her own home—while her three-year-old daughter slept nearby—and the impact the long unsolved crime had on Dove’s father. It is also the tale of Debi’s mother’s long struggle for justice. Even if you read a good deal of true crime stories, you probably haven’t read one like this. Its point of view is unique and I heartily recommend it to you. Angela Dove Website • Facebook • Twitter 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: Kevin J. Anderson, novelist, Hidden Empire: The Saga of Seven Suns, Young Jedi Knights, Allies, Last Son of Krypton, Ground Zero Kevin J. Anderson   Order 'Hidden Empire' by Kevin J. Anderson, available from Amazon.com by clicking the book cover above! If you create or own a sci-fi or other genre character or franchise, one of the top, go-to guys for a writer who will admirably adapt your property for novelization is Kevin J. Anderson. Anderson writes the Dune prequels with Frank Herbert’s son, Brian Herbert. He writes books in the Star Wars series, including the Jedi Academy Trilogy and Young Jedi Knights series featuring the twin children of Han Solo and Princess Leia. He also wrote three books based on “The X-Files” TV show, including Ground Zero, which I read when it came out back in 1995. He even wrote a book on which he shares credit with L. Ron Hubbard that I’m curious about but not enough so that I want the Scientologists to come around pestering me. And in his free time, he created his own genre series, The Saga of the Seven Suns. Right now, his latest book is Enemies & Allies, a clever re-telling of the first time Batman and Superman met in the 1950s. A follow-up to his novel, The Last Days of Krypton, this one is a barnburner that brings in everybody you want from the Man of Steel and The Dark Knight families of characters. Like most of Anderson’s books, once you start reading it, you won’t stop till you’re done. Kevin J. Anderson Website • Twitter • Facebook • MySpace • Order Hidden Empire from Amazon.com Order 'Enemies & Allies' by Kevin J. Anderson, available from Amazon.com by clicking on the book cover above! 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: Kinsey Schofield, social media expert, TV correspondent Mr. Media is recorded live before a studio audience of men who will tune in to any Mr. Media guest as long as it happens to be a beautiful, charming young woman… in the NEW new media capital of the world… St. Petersburg, Florida! Kinsey Schofield, social media expert, geek Kinsey Schofield charmed an awful lot of Mr. Media viewers the first time she appeared on the show in 2010 on one of our first video interviews. That interview was quite popular, so when the opportunity to have the Fox News Redeye social media expert back to talk about her new position with msnNOW, I, of course, said yes. Guys love Kinsey. And what’s not to love? She’s cute, she flirts without meaning to and she’s smart as a whip. KINSEY SCHOFIELD audio excerpt: "On Tumblr, I'm inspired by design, pictures and fashion... What I love about Pinterest is it sources whatever I'm interested in with a link. It's not two hours on a search engine that I'm not going to get back."  Oh, and if all that fails her, she knows all the best Will Smith lines and rhymes from “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.” Kinsey is here today in her new role as spokesperson for msnNOW, which seems to be a news and entertainment portal in which stories are ranked based upon Bing searches and social media updates. I had never heard of msnNOW before this, so like everything connected with Microsoft’s efforts to gain a digital toehold in an Apple and Google-dominated digital world, she’s got her work cut out for her. Kinsey Schofield Website • Twitter • Facebook • Tumblr • YouTube • LinkedIn • Blog • Flickr • Google+ • Instagram • Pinterest   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: Kinsey Schofield, social media expert Mr. Media is recorded live before a studio audience of WiFi-deprived losers in the NEW new media capitol of the world… St. Petersburg, Florida! Kinsey Schofield on the cover Scottsdale Magazine Do you ever wonder if those celebrities you follow on Twitter are actually writing all that blather? Or is it ghosts??? Do you ever wonder how a woman with a size 9 foot can wear a size 6 heel? Do you ever wonder if Glenn Beck is really two people, one who says horrible, insulting, idiotic things and another who dances all the way to the bank in size 6 heels? Okay, maybe that’s just me. KINSEY SCHOFIELD audio excerpt: "I love Jo Bros. (The Jonas Brothers.) They are the cutest boys ever. Although in L.A. you hear some very interesting rumors about those young men that I don't want to get into because I don't want to break any hearts or start any riots in the streets."  Do you ever wonder why some women are gifted with cascades of beautiful hair and some men have none at all? On second thought, don’t answer that one. Do you ever wonder whether I actually write fresh introductions for every guest or simply recycle the same ones from six months ago? I don’t, by the way, but it’s a thought. What does any of this have to do with my guest, social media expert and Fox News Red Eye commentator Kinsey Schofield? No, really, that wasn’t rhetorical; it was a real question. While we both think that over, check out this exclusive Mr. Media video interview that captures the many moods and lots of mirth that is the lovely Kinsey Schofield. Kinsey Schofield Website • Twitter • Facebook • Blog • YouTube • Tumblr   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: Philippe Quint, virtuoso violinist, actor, Downtown Express Mr. Media is recorded live before a studio audience of knuckleheads who don’t know a violin from violette… in the NEW new media capital of the world… St. Petersburg, Florida! Virtuoso violinist Philippe Quint stars in 'Downtown Express,' a new indie film that has parallels to the Russian immigrant's real life. Let me see. The last time I stopped what I was doing to listen a world class violinist was… Okay, it hasn’t happened yet. But after watching Philippe Quint move gracefully between classic violin and pop-jazz in David Grubin’s new indie film Downtown Express, it is definitely more likely to happen in the future. PHILIPPE QUINT audio excerpt: "I have great respect for the craft of acting. So when I was cast in Downtown Express, I took acting lessons with a wonderful teacher, Sondra Lee. She really trained me while the film was in pre-production. It was extremely beneficial."  Order from Amazon.com by clicking the CD cover above Downtown Express stars Quint – who is a four-time Grammy Award nominee for his violin virtuosity – as a Russian immigrant struggling to balance his love and respect for his domineering father with his desire to be part of Manhattan’s much broader musical melting pot. That, and, of course, there’s a love story, as his character, Sasha, meets and plays alongside funky Ramona, played by another accomplished real-life musician, Nellie McKay. This is an irresistible movie that magically melds the Julliard School of Music, Russian immigrant society, American jazz and classical music and not one but two romantic stories. I especially recommend it for inspiration if you have kids studying music in high school or college. Philippe Quint Website • Twitter • Facebook • Order Bruch & Mendelssohn Violin Concertos/Beethoven Romances on CD from Amazon.com   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: Paul Michael Glaser, actor, "Starsky & Hutch," children's author, Chrystallia and the Source of Light Mr. Media is recorded live before a studio audience of aging tough guys who still won’t admit they ever sang along with David Soul in the shower … in the NEW new media capital of the world, St. Petersburg, Florida!   Order your copy today by clicking on the DVD cover above! Paul Michael Glaser’s life as a public figure is entering its third act by my count. First, of course, there was his big break as Perchik in the 1971 film adaptation of Fiddler on the Roof, followed by his years as the star of ABC’s long-running action series, “Starsky & Hutch,” in which he played Detective Dave Starsky opposite David Soul’s Detectie Ken “Hutch” Hutchinson. The show was hugely popular in the 1970s when it aired new episodes and reruns propelled it for many years to come. Glaser’s second act was unplanned: His wife Elisabeth Glaser was tragically struck down by AIDS in 1994. Before dying, she bravely made her illness a campaign for greater public understandng and empathy for AIDS victims, putting a broader face on something many people preferred to see only as something that afflicted the gay community. O rder your copy today by clicking on the book cover above! PAUL MICHAEL GLASER audio excerpt: "The mind does not want to acknowledge helplessness. Because if you acknowledge helplessness, you're going to fall down this black hole and it's all going to be over for the rest of your life... The mind has no way to cope with helplessness."  Less well remembered in the years since is that his daughter with Elizabeth died very young of complications from AIDS. Their son contracted HIV in the womb but survived. Glaser has kept his wife and daughter’s spirit alive through his work with the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. Now he’s ready for a completely different turn on the celebrity stage, this time as the author of a children’s novel called Chrystallia and The Source of Light. Some elements of the fantasy story in Chrystallia may ring true for people who have followed the Glaser story over the years, particularly its story of a mother of two adolescents wasting away before their very eyes. Paul Michael Glaser Website • Twitter • Facebook • Chrystallia website • Order Chrystallia and The Source of Light from Amazon.com • Order Starsky and Hutch Season One on DVD from Amazon.com • 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!