Pop Culture Tonight with Patrick Phillips

Star Trek actor/director Tim Russ joins me as we mind meld to discuss the popularity of the franchise, Leonard Nimoy’s recent health news, fans, and STAR TREK: RENEGADES

Tim Russ has been involved with several aspects of Paramount’s “Star Trek” franchise since the 1990s. He did a guest shot as a human terrorist in an episode of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and played a recurring role as T’Kar, a Klingon mercenary in several episodes of “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine”.

On the big screen, Russ was tactical officer on the bridge of the then-new version of the Enterprise in the opening scenes of “Star Trek: Generations” (1994). He finally hitched his destiny to the stars as a regular on “Star Trek: Voyager” (1995-2001), the flagship series of the fledgling United Paramount Network (UPN). Russ was perfectly cast as Tactical Officer Tuvok, the first Vulcan member of a “Trek” series command crew since the legendary Mr. Spock.

The role allowed him to be serious full-time.  He is the director behind feature-length fan films “Of Gods and Men” and the anticipated “Star Trek: Renegades”

Star Trek author/expert Mark Clark stops by as we explore the television series’ and take a look at the new films. We’ll go inside The Next Generation, Voyager, and more!

Mark Clark is an author and film historian who writes about classic movies and TV shows. His most recent works are STAR TREK FAQ: EVERYTHING LEFT TO KNOW ABOUT THE FIRST VOYAGES OF THE STARSHIP ENTERPRISE (2012, Applause Books) and STAR TREK FAQ 2.0: EVERYTHING LEFT TO KNOW ABOUT THE FEATURE FILMS, THE NEXT GENERATION AND BEYOND (2013, Applause).

Girl Radical was born of the radical idea to introduce the first Supermassive American Girl Group!

Overflowing with talent, the only thing greater than these girls’ talent is the charm of their personalities and their love for each other, because Girl Radical isn’t just an act, it’s a family.

Inspired by the trend of giant girl groups in Japan, JC Chasez (NSYNC, America’s Best Dance Crew) and Golden Globe-winning, Grammy-nominated songwriter Jimmy Harry (Madonna, P!nk, Britney Spears) searched for talent from all walks of life to assemble a phenomenal ensemble of singers, dancers, and personalities. The result was not just another pop group, but a game-changing wild card in modern music.

They are a community of dreamers who support one another and are always looking for new ways to express themselves. Part girl group, part flash mob, and all personality: Girl Radical is so much more than just another band. Join the Girl Radical family on our adventure to sing, dance, and do something radical for the world, and always remember that everyone and anyone can be a Girl Radical!

Mark Isham stops by to chat about his score to the hit ABC drama “Once Upon a Time”. We break down some of your favorite themes, and get an inside look at his new theme for The Wicked Witch of the West!

Actor/Singer Micky Dolenz stops by for an exclusive interview about family, his recent solo album, the upcoming Monkees convention,  and we’ll find out if there is going to be another Monkees tour!

Check out Micky’s website!

We go inside the music of THE OSCARS with Conductor/Arranger William Ross!  Bill joins me to chat about playoff music, Legendary composer Jerry Goldsmith, and what makes ‘Awards’ music so unique.

Sinbad: The Fifth Voyage Actor/Director, Shahin Sean Solimon stops by to chat about the bringing such an iconic character back to the big screen!

Mark Orton is a composer, multi-instrumentalist, and co-founder of the San Francisco Bay Area based band, “Tin Hat”. Mark discusses his recent score to the Academy Award Nominated dramedy, “Nebraska”.

What’s your favorite disaster movie?  Could this really be the end of the world as we know it?

Author Dale Sherman looks into the various methods we have destroyed ourselves with over the years: zombies, mad computers, uptight aliens, plunging objects from space, crazed animals, Satan, God, contagions, the ever-popular atomic bomb, and sometimes even a combination of these in the same movie.

Michael Wandmacher joins me to chat about his work as composer on the hit ABC comedy “The Goldbergs”.

On television, Kevin Sorbo portrayed an invincible demigod; in his real life, a sudden health crisis left him partially blind and incapacitated at just thirty-eight years old.

Yet since appearances are everything in Hollywood, he hid the full details about his condition from the press and continued to film Hercules, which was the number one TV series in the world. In this inspiring memoir, Sorbo shares the story of the crisis that ultimately redefined his measure of success.

Steven Price is a film composer, best known for scoring Gravity, which won him the Academy Award for Best Original Score.

Before making his debut as a composer he worked on the music department for various notable films, such as The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Batman Begins, and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.

Bewitched author, and expert David Pierce returns to the program with an update on the 50th Anniversary celebrations planned this year for everyone’s favorite witch!

We chat about the longevity of the series 50 years later, and get an inside look at the future of the franchise. 2014 marks the 50th anniversary of the classic television show ‘Bewitched’, and fans from all over the world plan to gather on the golden anniversary to celebrate and honor the ‘magical’ series about a mere mortal who just happens to marry a beautiful witch.

The four day event, “Bewitched Fan Fare 2014: A Celebration of 50 Years of Magic” is scheduled to take place in Los Angeles, CA, September 17-20, and promises to be the largest event of its kind.  The four day celebration will include fun events and activities, as well as an array of special celebrity guests.

We’ve all heard the stereotypes associated with ‘gamers’;  From below average social skills, and awkwardness, to lack of empathy and laziness…

But are they true?  Do people who play video games really have “no life”? Are they unattractive, overweight, and pale from spending so much time indoors?

We plan to debunk the myths associated with gamers with special guest Rachel Kowert who examined 50,000 individuals aged 14 and older who were asked about their gaming behavior in an omnibus telephone survey. GAME OVER:  The findings may just change the way you think about gamers and surprise you…

 

The Stereotype of Online Gamers: New Characterization or Recycled Prototype?

Emmy-nominated collaborator/historian Laurence Maslon (“Make ’Em Laugh: The Funny Business of America”) Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, Iron Man, Wonder Woman, the Avengers, the X-Men, Watchmen, and more: the companion volume to the PBS documentary series of the same name that tells the story of the superhero in American popular culture.

Based on the three-part PBS documentary series Superheroes, this companion volume chronicles the never-ending battle of the comic book industry, its greatest creators, and its greatest creations. Covering the effect of superheroes on American culture—in print, on film and television, and in digital media—and the effect of American culture on its superheroes, Superheroes: Capes, Cowls, and the Creation of Comic Book Culture appeals to readers of all ages, from the casual observer of the phenomenon to the most exacting fan of the genre.

Drawing from more than 50 new interviews conducted expressly for Superheroes!—creators from Stan Lee to Grant Morrison, commentators from Michael Chabon to Jules Feiffer, actors from Adam West to Lynda Carter, and filmmakers such as Zach Snyder—this is an up-to-the-minute narrative history of the superhero, from the comic strip adventurers of the Great Depression, up to the blockbuster CGI movie superstars of the 21st Century. Featuring more than 500 full-color comic book panels, covers, sketches, photographs of both essential and rare artwork, Superheroes is the definitive story of this powerful presence in pop culture.

If Elvis Presley had not wanted to be a movie star, he would never have single-handedly revolutionized popular culture.

Yet this aspect of his phenomenal career has been much maligned and misunderstood — partly because the King himself once referred to his 33 movies as a rut he had got stuck in just off Hollywood Boulevard.

Author Paul Simpson explores the best and worst moments of ELVIS the actor, and analyzes the bizarre autobiographical detail that runs through so many of his films, and reflects on what it must be like to be idolized by millions around the world…

Guests Include:

* Paul Simpson (Author of “Elvis Films FAQ”)

* Cynthia Pepper (Actress, “Kissin’ Cousins”)

* Ian Ziering (Actor, “Sharknado”)