Paley Center for Media

Tim and I love television. We were kids when it was still a relatively new medium and love to regale each other with tales of life without color TV.

One of the best things (for us, at least) about living in L.A. is being so close to the entertainment industry. I grew-up in Burbank under the shadow of Warner Bros. and NBC. We now live in Culver City, where Sony Studios is king. L.A. is also home to the Paley Center for Media (formerly the Museum of Television and Radio), which holds screenings and seminars on TV shows, old and new. Their big annual event is the Paley festival—a two-week extravaganza featuring the casts of television’s hottest hits—but even more exciting are the museum’s intimate series celebrating people and shows that aren’t necessarily among Nielsen’s top ten. Last year, Karen and I attended a tribute to legendary filmmaker Robert Altman, who had his start in television, a few months before he died. We were also among the handful of fans to attend a seminar on “Nip/Tuck” before it became a cable TV phenomenon. True to his character on the show, Julian McMahon (aka Dr. Christian Troy) looked like a sculpted god.

More recently, Tim and I went to panel discussions on “The New Adventures of Old Christine,” starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and “Friday Night Lights,” my favorite TV show du jour. Julia looked quite fetching in her vintage cocktail dress and mod hairdo; but I nearly swooned at seeing all my favorite actors from “Friday Night Lights.” I was in testosterone heaven!

I went by myself, last night, to see a special seminar on “Cane,” the CBS drama about a rich Cuban family growing sugarcane in Florida. Jimmy Smits, who stood head-and-shoulders above the rest of the cast, not only stars as the prodigal-son-turned-murderer Alex Vega, he also produces the show. Obviously, he was the main reason most of us were there. The real attraction, though, was Rita Moreno, who plays the family’s matriarch. She sashayed across the stage in her brown leather pants and gold-coin belt and generally looked fabulous. It was hard to believe that she was my mother’s neighbor when they were both growing up in NYC.

Even better yet was the Paley’s “toast” to “Mad Men,” AMC’s spot-on drama about the advertising business in 1960. Still stuck in the 1950s/60s ourselves, this is the perfect TV show for us with all its perfectly recreated mid-century furniture and wardrobe. Jon Hamm, who plays Don Draper, the advertising exec with the mysterious past, is a lot more petite in person than he is on the screen. Actresses Elisabeth Moss and Christina Hendricks were also far less voluptuous. "They must be forced to wear padding on the show," Tim kept insisting. If only the rest of us were so lucky!

10/30/07

The Paley Festival

For the past eighteen years, Tim, Karen and I have blocked-off the first two weeks in March for the Paley Festival, a multi-day film-and-panel-discussion event sponsored by the Museum of Television and Radio (MTR). Although older series, like “Hill Street Blues” and “The Odd Couple,” are occasionally honored, the Festival is mostly about the hottest new shows of the season. Over the years, we’ve attended events celebrating “Lost,” “Desperate Housewives,” “Boston Legal,” “24,” “Battlestar Galactica,” “Everybody Hates Chris,” “X-Files,” “The Wonder Years,” “Freaks and Geeks,” “Friends,” “Bernie Mac,” “Deadwood,” and “China Beach,” to name just a few. In 1990, we sneak-previewed “Twin Peaks” a week before it aired on TV. I remember going to work the next day and proclaiming that I had seen the future of television!

A typical Paley event begins with the screening of an episode of the show being honored, followed by an extensive Q&A with the series’ cast and creative team. If a single personality, such as Jack Parr, William Shatner, or Carl Reiner, is being honored instead of an entire series, then a clip-reel is shown recapping that person’s career. A moderator then launches into an “Actor’s Studio” type of interview that is often very funny. Shatner was a revelation—one of the best raconteurs I’ve ever seen—and Parr, of course, was brilliant. But, by far, one of the most memorable evenings was listening to Reiner and his pals talk about the golden age of television. The festivities take place at the smallish Director’s Guild of America (DGA) theater, so it’s always an intimate affair.

In the old days, Karen and I would get up at the crack of dawn to stand on line for six hours to get tickets. This year, however, the Museum decided to outsource its ticket sales to Ticketmaster—a big mistake! By the time I logged on (9:05AM), “The Office,” “Heroes,” and “Ugly Betty” were already sold-out! Never in eighteen years had we been sold-out of shows we wanted to see! I was furious and made a trip to the Museum (in Beverly Hills) to air my displeasure. When I told the volunteer at the reception desk I wanted to complain about how the Paley tickets were handled, he laughed and said, “You and everyone else!” I was offered a million apologies along with promises to do better next year, but there was nothing more they could do this year.

Although we didn’t get tickets to the three shows we really wanted to see, Karen and I were able to attend the “Brothers & Sisters” event on Monday, March 5. The lobby was a frenzy when we arrived. Photographers madly waved their arms and yelled as the show’s stars walked the short red carpet outside the theater. I headed toward the ladies room and was almost wrestled to the ground by a bodyguard who evidently thought I was going to rush the red carpet. “I need to get some water and then I’m going to the bathroom. Is that all right?” I asked indignantly.

The event itself was pleasant, but less than memorable. Sally Field, who plays the widowed mother Nora, got the biggest applause even though the show is supposed to belong to Calista Flockhart. Field looks exactly like she does on television and had no trouble playing the elder spokeswoman on stage. The other big crowd pleaser was Jason Lewis, who plays the gay brother’s love interest and was Samantha’s much younger hunky boyfriend in “Sex and the City.” Although he wasn’t part of the on-stage entourage, he caused quite a stir when he stood and waved to the audience.

Flockhart, who plays Kitty, is only slightly less skinny in person than she is on TV. Still, she’s obviously adored by her male costars (don’t ask me why!) She sat between Rob Lowe, her on-air boss/boyfriend, and Dave Annable, Kitty’s youngest brother, and affectionately flirted with them the entire time. When asked why he auditioned to be part of “Brothers & Sisters,” Annable quipped that he wanted to meet Harrison Ford (Calista’s very famous significant other).

And speaking of significant others (beware: spoiler alert!), it was revealed that Nora is about to get a new love interest: Peter Coyote, who just happened to be in the audience.

With that, our one Paley evening was over...

That is, until two days later when Tim miraculously got a phone call from MTR, saying two tickets had been returned for “Ugly Betty!” Did we want to go? I can only guess that my little chat with Museum staff had left an impression! So the following Monday, Tim and I headed back up to Hollywood to see “Ugly Betty,” even though I had been home sick all day. There was no way I was missing this!

The entire cast, except Tony Plana (the father) and Ana Ortiz (the sister), were there. Vanessa Williams is simply gorgeous and Rebecca Romijn is statuesque. Ashley Jensen, the frumpy dress designer, is a lot more beautiful in person—as is, of course, America Ferrera (Betty), for whom the show was written. The happy chemistry among the actors was palpable and everyone seemed genuinely humbled to be part of such a hugely successful show. Ferrera cried when she described what an honor it is to play Betty. But the evening truly belonged to Michael Urie, Wilhelmina’s gay assistant, and Mark Indelicato, Betty’s young fashion-savvy nephew. Urie is as flamboyant as his on-air character and Indelicato is wonderfully self-assured. All the cast members talked about how liberating it is to be part of a series that celebrates individuality and uniqueness.

I can’t wait to see which shows are honored next year...

3/19/07