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Buzz Interview: Eric Stonestreet on Playing Modern Family's New Dad Cam

BuzzSugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 06:30:49 -0800

Freshman comedy Modern Family has filled a void in my life - I find myself laughing out loud each week, and I'm not the only one digging it. A huge part of the show's greatness can be attributed to its amazing cast; one of my favorites is Cameron - one half of a same-sex couple adjusting to life with a new baby. Eric Stonestreet, who plays Cam, sat down with me to talk about the show's crazy success and the real-life experience he used to portray a clown in next week's episode, "Fizbo."

On whether he expected the show to be so successful: No. I had a very, very good idea that based on the writers’ history and their very extensive careers that we had a really, really good shot at being something great. Anybody that tells you in this business they knew it was going to be this well-received is crazy. Actually, being this well-received makes you a little nervous.
On whether the success is a surprise: It’s a bit of a surprise with how outwardly supportive the critics have been, but by the same token, how outwardly supportive and sort of in love with the show fans have been. I think that’s the thing that really feels like lightning in a bottle - when you have both of those things in place. Typically, you have huge fan support and the critics tell you it’s the worst thing they’ve ever seen, or you have critical acclaim and the fans are like, 'what is this show, we don’t get it.' So I think the fact that we have both is rare and exciting.

To hear Eric spilling about upcoming episodes of Modern Family and his clown college rejection, just read more.

On his real-life clown experience: I, as a kid, have early documented pictures of me being very intrigued by clowns. The circus came to town in Kansas City every year around my birthday, so naturally my parents took me for my birthday. Once I saw that clowns were people with makeup and funny wigs and costumes, I was in. By nine, I was getting clown suits made for me by my Grandma Louise, at 11 there were articles written about me in Kansas City about how I wanted to become a one-man show performing for senior citizens and kids forever. You’ll see that article in the episode "Fizbo" that was written about me then. I didn’t want to be an actor; I always wanted to be a clown, and acting sort of found me when I was in college. So to be able to bring back what inspired me to act as a kid to prime time is more than I would have ever imagined possible for myself.
On whether he'd be a clown now if he weren't an actor: No. I auditioned for Barnum and Bailey Clown College and they denied me twice. They did not let me in, those clowns.
On what's next for Cameron, Mitchell, and baby Lily: We have an episode coming up where we’re Ferberizing the baby when she won’t go to sleep, and Mitchell is very much committed to letting her cry it out, and Cameron of course can’t for the life of him imagine why you would let a baby cry it out like that, so there’s drama there. It’s what’s great about the show - yeah, they’re a couple of guys raising a baby, but the focus really on that relationship is the challenges of a relationship, the challenges of parenthood, and just trying to find the happy medium of keeping up a relationship while raising a kid.
On the holiday episode: We have the Christmas episode coming up, where you find out that Cameron had created a choir group, a caroling group, a few years back and he was removed and kicked out of his own caroling group by one of the carolers. That episode is really about forgiveness and the Christmas spirit. It’s a very sweet episode.
On his dream guest stars: I can’t imagine who else they’re going to get. That’s the brilliance and awe-inspiring aspect of this show, that people are watching it and people are enjoying it and willing to participate. I can’t wait to see who they find for Cameron’s parents. I have some ideas of who I want, but I’ll be excited to see who’s coming.

Rashida Jones and Chris Pratt Talk Parks and Recreation

BuzzSugar — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:38:35 -0700

Since the beginning of the Fall season, Parks and Recreation has gone from shaky midseason replacement to a solid half-hour of comedy, thanks in part to a talented and hilarious cast. Two of my favorite actors from the show, Rashida Jones and Chris Pratt, who play Leslie's best friend Ann and Ann's ex-boyfriend Andy, respectively, chatted with some reporters this week about Parks and what's in store for their characters.

Rashida on the possibility of Ann and Andy getting back together: You know, I don't think it's an impossibility. I think there's still love in Ann's heart for Andy. I think so much would have to change for him to be OK with her. But I don't think it's an impossibility.
Chris on whether Andy will get a job or home: Yeah, the writers have found a nice way for Andy to get out of the pit and get a job and start sort of working his way up into independence.

To read more on why Chris and Rashida think the second season has been better, Ann and Andy's ex relationship, and those nude scenes, just read more.

Rashida on whether she likes Ann and Andy better together or apart: I think there's a lot of comedy both ways. I mean, I like this particular paradigm; I think it's really funny, because I just think Chris gets to shine a lot here and do something with something that could potentially seem really kind of cartoony and big which is like him, you know - showing up places and pretending to be casual about seeing me and all that. But he manages to make it kind of realistic and really sweet. So I like this dynamic for now.
Chris on whether Andy will start dating: I think that Andy's undying devotion toward Ann is one of the only things that sort of redeems him, so I hope not. I hope that he just keeps pining after Ann for 10 seasons to come. That would be the best for me.
Rashida on what Chris wears when he's naked on the show: They have those really unappealing little dance belts that were uncomfortable for Chris Pratt.
Chris on the nude scenes: Yeah, let's just say there was a dance belt included and it was uncomfortable. They kind of just are these little things that cover up your junk, but it was almost as if I was wearing nothing at all. Yeah.
Rashida on the show clicking more in the second season: It just takes time. I think for the actors, for the writers, for the audience, you just need some time to settle into what the characters actually are, and what's funny about their dynamics. And I'm super grateful that people gave us a shot to get there but I definitely think it takes about 10 episodes to even know what anything is, you know? I mean, you watch some early Seinfeld, you watch some early Sex and the City, it's nothing like the show turned out to be; the things that people loved about that show did not exist at the beginning of that show, you know.
Chris on the same: I've noticed that, as a fan of the show, I've seen it get better and better, and working on it I've noticed the scripts coming down the pipes have gotten better, but it kind of goes back to what Rashida said: it takes time for everybody. And I think it's just a matter of finding the sensibilities to all the characters and starting with Amy, you know; I think a lot of people compared Steve Carell to Ricky Gervais from The Office when they first started the American version of The Office. But he has a different style of comedy, and maybe they were writing for Steve the way they did for Ricky Gervais. And maybe in the beginning, they were writing for Amy the way that they wrote for Steve Carell, but her comedic sensibility is a little different. Maybe it's not that funny to watch her be uncomfortable the way it is with Steve Carell, but it's so goddamned endearing when she smiles. And you see her and when she's enjoying herself, so is the audience. And you see her doing that a lot more now; kind of just becoming comfortable in who she is, and like the episode with the beauty pageant, she's standing up for women's rights. You're seeing more dimensions of her. And maybe it's always been who they've envisioned her to be, or maybe they're figuring it out, but I sure like Leslie a lot more in the second season. I just enjoy watching her more and I think that's starting to happen with all the characters.

Don't forget to tune in to watch Ann and Andy on tonight's special Halloween episode; something tells me that some of what Rashida and Chris talked about will start developing sooner rather than later!

Link Time! George Clooney Gets Behind A New TNT Show

BuzzSugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:30:05 -0700

George Clooney is signing on to exec-produce Delta Blues (with an Elvis impersonator cop!) for TNT - TV Squad
January Jones will star in the Nicolas Cage thriller The Hungry Rabbit Jumps - Coming Soon
The Short Circuit remake gets a director - MTV Movies Blog
Those DirectTV ads with Chris Farley and David Spade suffer some backlash - E! Online
Kristin Davis talks the Sex and the City sequel - Hollywood Crush
Lots of photos from this past weekend's CMJ Festival - Stereogum
Weezer and Lil Wayne's collaboration "Can't Stop Partying" is pretty darn catchy - Idolator
Check out this list of the best rock-'n'-roll movies - Rotten Tomatoes
Author Augusten Burroughs is working on two new TV series, one for CBS and one for Showtime - Movieline
Norah Jones plays a pirate in her new music video - HitFix
Just in time for Halloween: The 5 scariest TV episodes ever - TV.com
Plus, 10 girl-power inspired costumes (Bella Swan made the list!) - TresSugar

SATC Helped Tyra Banks Shape Up

FitSugar — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:31:00 -0700

What began as a three-month fitness challenge among friends last January turned into a new lifestyle for Tyra Banks.

Once she began tracking calories, Tyra bought an elliptical machine to amp up her exercise. She explained her cardio regimen on her show recently like this:

I didn't work out like crazy, [but] I would exercise. I actually bought a treadmill and elliptical. I got rid of one of my couches in my living room and I watched Sex and the City episodes on the elliptical and treadmill. So Sex and the City lasted 30 minutes and that's how long I was on the elliptical.

Tyra also mentioned that her modeling career changed as her metabolism slowed. To hear why, read more.

Working out doesn't come naturally to Tyra, she had to train herself to get off the couch - just like most of us. She didn't exercise while modeling and just relied on her metabolism. So when it changed, she moved on. She says,

My career as model changed because my metabolism changed. I didn't do Victoria's Secret because I wanted to. I did Victoria's Secret because my ass was getting big and I couldn't fit in Armani runway anymore.

I'd say that career move paid off, wouldn't you?

Miranda and the Case of the Broken TiVo

GeekSugar — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 07:00:09 -0700

And the Sex and the City techsploitation continues! So, we always talk about Carrie being a geek, what with her Mac proclivities and potential to have been a blogger, but she had to be told about Google and that people can't "see" you on IM.

Let's face it, Miranda was the head geek of the group. She also had a Mac, was the first one with a Palm Pilot (even though the girls wanted to talk about boyfriends and not the Smartphone), once yelled at Carrie to "GET A CELL PHONE!," and as you'll see in this clip, she recognized the genius of and strongly advocated for TiVo. No offense to my BF, but TiVo does make a pretty good boyfriend. Except when it breaks, and with it, breaks your heart. Enjoy . . .

Would You Get a Prenup?

TresSugar — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 06:00:00 -0700

I tend to associate the word "prenup" with that Sex and the City episode when Charlotte's wealthy fiancé Trey MacDougal springs a tricky contract on her well into the engagement. But according to the Guardian, it's not just rich men who are asking for the in-case-of-divorce contracts. More women than ever are requesting prenuptial agreements before they walk down the aisle - even if they don't have millions in the bank.

One expert looks to the recession as a reason why brides-to-be want to protect their assets with a contract that states how money and property will be divided upon divorce. With all the economic uncertainty, working women want to make sure they can hold onto the money they've earned if something goes wrong.

Would it be hard for you to plan for your divorce before you even got married, or do you think it's practical to have a back-up plan?

Photos courtesy of HBO

Are You a Naked Person?

TresSugar — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 07:00:27 -0700

I used to date a guy who was such a "naked person," he would pretty much do anything in the buff. I once found him in the kitchen making quesadillas, wearing nothing but his birthday suit. Even he admitted that was a bit much.

There are a lot of naked people - folks who feel so comfortable in their own skin that they think nothing of walking around the house nude, skinny-dipping, or disrobing in group saunas. Remember the episode of Sex and the City where Charlotte won't remove her towel in the sauna, saying she didn't grow up in a "naked house"? Are you more like Charlotte or my naked ex-boyfriend?

Found It! Aleksandr Petrovsky's Dining Room Chairs

CasaSugar — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 10:00:11 -0700

I recently saw a few re-runs from season six of Sex and the City, and I was blown away, yet again, by Aleksandr Petrovsky's chic Manhattan loft apartment. From the to-die-for views to the sheer size of the place, it's utterly crave worthy.

In this scene, from episode 92, "Splat!" Aleksandr and Carrie's dinner party isn't going very smoothly, to say the least. SATC fans will recall that talk of vibrators and Billy Joel do not impress Aleksandr, and Carrie's pals all write him off as a snob. However, one element of the dinner party that everyone can agree on (in my humble opinion) is the fabulousness of the dining room chairs.

Want to know where to find them? Then read more.

They're the Cherner Side Chairs ($679) in walnut. Reproductions of the 1958 original, which was designed by Norman Cherner, the side chair features a molded plywood seat constructed from laminated plywood in graduated thickness. The chair is a true classic of modern design, and absolutely beautiful. See? Petrovsky might be a snob, but he's a snob with great taste.

Photo courtesy of HBO

OMG BFF LOL: Two Mall Rats Talk Shopping and Wanting

TresSugar — Wed, 27 May 2009 07:00:00 -0700

Well, I guess this says something about the state of current girlhood in America, but it's not, um, pretty. OMG BFF LOL is a cartoon from artist Charlie White's exhibit The Girl Studies. It follows two girls who love shopping at the mall, and like, shopping some more.

In this episode, the two Barbie-like teens walk in and exclaim malls are like heaven - everything you could ever want on a never-ending path of tiled floors. But then the pessimist of the duo contemplates that the mall is much more like hell: everything you could want, but you can't have it all. Deep! My favorite quote? "I love to want."

At first, OMG BFF LOL just seems senseless and over the top, and then it seems like a hellish prequel to Sex and the City. Maybe the unending cycle of wanting-getting-wanting will die with malls?

Love It or Leave It? Newspaper Wedding Announcements

TresSugar — Tue, 05 May 2009 08:00:00 -0700

In one episode of Sex and the City, Carrie Bradshaw calls the New York Times wedding section the "single woman's sports pages." She and her brunch gang clearly have a love/hate relationship with the write-ups, alternately getting excited and depressed by them.

Chances are, your hometown paper has a wedding section, where you can keep tabs (or not) on all your old classmates getting hitched, or maybe you just read them for sport. What's your opinion on newspaper wedding announcements?