Working Class Hollywood

Brady Connell has been producing and directing reality TV since before reality TV existed. He worked on the first seasons of Survivor and Amazing Race on CBS. He was the showrunner on Extreme Makeover Home Edition on ABC for 5 seasons. He runs The Great Christmas Light Fight which is going into its 7th season on ABC. HGTV Recently announced that they are rebooting Extreme Makeover Home Edition with 10 new episodes this year, and Brady is going to be showrunning this new version of the show. Brady speaks publicly for the first time about his involvement in the show as well as how the show will be different both creatively and from a production perspective than the original version on ABC.

The best part about Brady is that he's been able to have all this success while also being one of the nicest guys you've ever met. Brady shares his story of how he got started and has thrived in the business with some entertaining stories about the early days of reality TV production. Brady shares some incredible words of wisdom for anyone that is in entertainment or wants to break into the business.

NOTES FROM THE SHOW

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Brady's Website

Announcement about the reboot of Extreme Makeover Home Edition

The host becomes the guest. Today's episode is a bit different as I hand the reigns of the podcast over to Vanderpump Rules producer Lyndsey Burr. Lyndsey was listening to the podcast and kept wondering what my story was so she reached out and asked if she could flip the script and come on the podcast to interview me. I tell my own origin story from one fateful encounter at the Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back movie premiere in 2001 to becoming Co-Executive Producer on Vanderpump Rules.

NOTES FROM THE SHOW

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During the interview I couldn't remember the name of the producer I'd interned for in college and it was Laura Ziskin. She was an incredible film producer who did movies like Pretty Woman and Spiderman with Toby Maguire. She passed away in 2011 from breast cancer.

Adam Londy is the Vice President of Talent and Development at Comedy Central. He develops new shows for the network and oversees production of existing shows such as The Jim Jefferies Show, Corporate, and a new show coming out this year starring Awkwafina. Adam shares his story of starting as an agent's assistant at CAA to working for a film producer, to producing his own films, to his current job at Comedy Central. Adam is a Vanderpump Rules super fan so he asks me all his burning questions about how we make that show. Adam is a really smart, charismatic guy, and his tips and advice for anyone working in the entertainment industry are priceless.

NOTES FROM THE SHOW

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Here is the Aquafina Video "My Vag" that first caught Comedy Central's attention

Mike Miller made a career in television creating games, stunts, and challenges for shows like Hell's Kitchen, Big Brother and Amazing Race. In this episode of the podcast Mike tells the story about getting a late start in the entertainment industry, his first job as a PA on the movie American Pie, and how he ended up getting into this very fun position within reality TV.

Mike talks a lot about the production of Big Brother and Amazing Race both on CBS, and talks about the process of putting those massive shows together.

Mike is now an Executive Vice President at The ATS Team, a company that builds specialty stunts, rigging, and obstacle courses for shows like American Ninja Warrior, The Bachelor, Amazing Race, and Biggest Loser.

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Rashad Raisani is a writer for television, specifically dramas. He worked on Burn Notice and White Collar both on USA and has since been developing and working on the staff of shows under overall deals at NBC Universal and Twentieth Century Fox. Rashad tells the story of how he went from being an assistant to a literary manager, to taking over that manager's office as a development executive, to ultimately following his true passion for writing.

Rashad is one of the smartest and nicest guys working in Hollywood today, and he gives some priceless advice that will help anyone trying to break into writing or any area of the entertainment industry.

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Thanks for listening!

Zack Olin is the Vice President of Creative Development for ABC Studios, the television production arm of Disney. ABC Studios produces shows like Grey's Anatomy, Criminal Minds, black-ish, and The Kids Are Alright which Zack developed for the studio. Zack tells his inspiring story of moving to Los Angeles, starting as a PA on an HBO Film, and then rising the ranks to the position he has now. Zack shares a lot of great information about how TV shows are developed and sold as well as the roles of development and current executives at the studios and networks.

NOTES FROM THE SHOW

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ABC Studios Website

Watch The Kids Are Alright Pilot Episode

Tom "Brooklyn" Bellissimo is a special effects engineer that has worked in film and television for the last 30 years. Some of Tom's biggest credits include The Mask, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, From Dusk Till Dawn, Charlie's Angels, Saw, Mad Men, and so many more. Tom does mechanical effects which are real, in camera effects not visual effects done on green screens or with computers. Tom tells his story of breaking in as a PA in music videos, transitioning into special effects, and building a career and reputation as the guy productions call when they want to blow things up.

During the interview Tom tells several outstanding stories including how he partied with George Clooney and Harvey Keitel on the set of From Dusk Till Dawn, and how he got fired by Quentin Tarantino off of Kill Bill because of an argument over fake snow. Tom also spills a secret from the set of From Dusk Till Dawn that he thinks Quentin Tarantino will kill him for.

NOTES FROM THE SHOW

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Email Jeremiah at [email protected]

Tom's IMDB Page

Tom's first production job was on this Madonna Music Video

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Andrew Wantuck is the Supervising Producer on The Jim Jefferies Show on Comedy Central. Andrew shares his story of getting his first job in LA by knocking on the door of a comedy club, to becoming a producer on Tosh.0 also on Comedy Central, to overseeing the field production team for Jim Jefferies. Andrew turns the tables and asks Jeremiah about producing reality TV and we do a deep behind the scenes dive into how the episodes of Vanderpump Rules are put together in post and what it's like working with that cast 7 years in.

Jeremiah tells the story of how Jim Jefferies was at a comedy club when Vanderpump Rules was filming. Jim mooned the Vanderpump cast and cameras while they were rolling and then almost got into a fight with Jax Taylor.

NOTES FROM THE SHOW

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If you like the Podcast please go to Itunes and subscribe, rate it, and leave a review

Watch Clips of the Jim Jefferies Show HERE

See what became of the scene on Vanderpump Rules where Jim and other comedians were heckling the cast and producers HERE

The Super Bowl Commercial for Doritos Andrew produced that won the $1 Million Dollar Grand Prize

Andrew's first job was at the Comedy & Magic Club in Hermosa Beach

Megan Wasserman is a Senior Publicist at Walt Disney Studios. She handles global publicity for all the Marvel movies (Avengers Infinity War, Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain America, Black Panther) and other live action Disney films. Megan shares her story about how she went from a researcher at The Doctor Phil Show to traveling the globe promoting the biggest movies in the world.

LINKS FROM THE SHOW

• Walt Disney Studios
• Megan's college North Eastern University
• Entertainment Temp Agency Comar

If you enjoy the podcast please subscribe, rate it, and leave a review as it will help get the word out so more people can listen. You can connect with me at the show's Instagram or email me at [email protected]

Kim Seeley is a culinary producer for television. She has worked on shows such as Hell's Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares, Food Network Star, and Nailed It on Netflix. She's also worked for YouTube channels such as Rosanna Pansino's Nerdy Nummies. Kim shares her story about how she went from restaurant chef to a highly sought after producer in the entertainment industry.