Art Eddy III
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There Are Good Guys In College Sports
Day after day it seems that there is a new scandal going on in college football. As sports fans we wonder if there is any good that is happening off the field. Well I am here to say yes. There are plenty of noble people out there who are making a difference. It is not just with their athletic ability, but it is also with the positive impact that these young athletes have had on their communities and the lives of others.
Allstate Insurance Company and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) today announced the 22-player roster for the 2013 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. Recognizing the “good works” of a select group of college football players from across the country, the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team is one of the most prestigious off-the-field honors in college sports.
For more than two decades, the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team has recognized college football players at all levels of the sport for inspiring acts of service and off-the-field achievements. This summer, the program received a record 150 nominations from colleges and universities across the country. From the nominations, an esteemed voting panel comprised of former Allstate AFCA Good Works Team members and college football media selected 11 players from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 11 players from the Football Championship Subdivision, Divisions II, III and the NAIA to comprise the 22-player team.
“Allstate is thrilled to embark on another year of collaboration with the AFCA, and together honor this group of extraordinary young men for their “good works” in the community,” said Cynthia Whitfield, field senior vice president of Allstate’s Southern region and a member of the 2013 voting panel. “As fans of college football, Allstate continues to be inspired by the remarkable performances that take place on-the-field, but equally inspiring are the acts of service that have earned these 22 players a spot on the 2013 AFCA Good Works Team.”
The following players have been selected to the 2013 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team:
Football Bowl Subdivision (I-A)
Name Cl. Pos. School Hometown
Fred Lee Sr. WR Buffalo Chester, S.C.
Nick Forbes Jr. LB California Frederick, Md.
Jordan Luallen Sr. FB Cincinnati Greenwood, Ind.
Dave Harding Sr. OL Duke Orlando, Fla.
Jacob Karam Sr. QB Memphis Friendswood, Texas
Stephen Morris Sr. QB Miami (Fla.) Miami, Fla.
C.J. Zimmerer Sr. RB Nebraska Omaha, Neb.
Asa Watson Sr. TE North Carolina State Rock Hill, S.C.
Jeff Budzien Sr. PK Northwestern Hartland, Wis.
Eric Soza Sr. QB Texas at San Antonio Beeville, Texas
Carey Spear Sr. PK Vanderbilt Mayfield Village, Ohio
Football Championship Subdivision (I-AA), Divisions II, III and NAIA
Name Cl. Pos. School Hometown
Tyler Simmons Sr. DE Aurora Crystal Lake, Ill.
J.D. Mehlhorn Sr. DB Bethel (Minn.) Lakeville, Minn.
Curt Duncan Sr. PK Carson-Newman Morristown, Tenn.
Ryan Cobb Jr. TE Delaware Saddle River, N.J.
Miles Williams Jr. DB Elon Roebuck, S.C.
Kevin Rodgers Jr. QB Henderson State Rockwall, Texas
David Brackett Sr. OL Kenyon Ahoskie, N.C.
Jordan Sitzmann Sr. P Morningside Le Mars, Iowa
Jordan Reid Sr. QB North Carolina Central High Point, N.C.
Winston Wright Sr. DB South Dakota State Lee’s Summit, Mo.
Bo Cordell Sr. QB Tusculum Cincinnati, Ohio
This year’s Allstate AFCA Good Works Team boasts some of the most impressive service resumes in the award’s 22-year history. From building houses overseas, to founding a mentorship program for at-risk youth, to serenading cancer patients at the local children’s hospital, this unique group of young men continues to raise the bar for the impact that student-athletes can have on their peers, teammates and communities.
“The AFCA, along with our partner Allstate, has been honoring football student-athletes for their good works, volunteerism and community service for 22 years with the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team,” Grant Teaff, AFCA Executive Director said. “The 2013 class of Good Works Team members is another great example of the outstanding athletes, and even better men, that our nation’s college football programs produce each year.”
Fans can vote for the 2013 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team Captain by visiting ESPN.com and searching “Good Works.” There, fans can learn more about this year’s team members and vote for the player who they feel represents the “best of the best” in the areas of giving back and contributing to the greater good of their communities. The Team Captain and his fellow award recipients will be invited to New Orleans to take part in a community project leading up to the 2014 Allstate Sugar Bowl.
Oct 10th
Ditch The Cord With PocketPlug
Prong LLC recently brought the PocketPlug to the tech market. It is the world’s first case with an integrated charger. The PocketPlug is designed to provide protection and charging capabilities for the iPhone. Users can abandon their cords and chargers and rely entirely on their PocketPlug.
The PocketPlug is unlike any other device on the market, designed with retractable prongs to double as a case and portable charger. When not in use, the prongs conveniently retract allowing the PocketPlug to transform into a sleek carrying solution with optimal pocket-ability. The durable case is made out of high-grade polycarbonate, protecting the iPhone from drops and scratches.
The prongs easily deploy allowing the case to connect to an outlet for direct charging, without the need for an additional adaptor or cable. PocketPlug has a micro-USB port built in for times when you’re in your car or have a cord handy. From your pocket to the socket, the lightweight PocketPlug provides the only all-in-one protective case and charging solution.
The PocketPlug’s slim and portable design allows for easy storage in a carry-on, backpack, purse, or pocket. The minimalistic case makes the perfect travel companion, eliminating the hassle of digging through your bag in search of a charger. The PocketPlug is also designed to enhance both the smartphone’s speakers and microphone by redirecting sound to the front of the phone for louder and clearer audio.
Available in black or white, the PocketPlug for iPhone 4, 4s and 5 can be purchased at goprong.com for $59.99 to $69.99. Learn more about Prong by visiting goprong.com.
Oct 10th
SMS Audio STREET By 50 ANC
SMS Audio is 50 Cent’s premier audio headphone line. The STREET by 50 Over-Ear Active Noise Control are an innovative set that eliminates unwanted ambient noise. Whether you are on a plane or walking the loud and noisy streets these headphones are legit.
The STREET features what SMS Audio calls active noise cancellation technology (ANC). The set contains awesomely tuned 40mm drivers and soft leather memory foam ear cushion. That pretty much means whatever sound the engineers and producers wanted you to hear in films and in music you will definitely hear.
50 Cent aka Curtis Jackson, who is the CEO of SMS Audio said, “I have spent a long time searching for a great pair of headphones that not only deliver great sound quality, but that also are durable and comfortable enough during my extensive travels. That’s why we created the STREET by 50 Over-Ear ANC Wired headphones with active noise cancellation technology. Not only do they deliver the best in studio mastered sound, but they are also tough enough to withstand extensive traveling while providing a secure and comfortable fit for hours of listening enjoyment.”
With a price tag of $279.95 you get what you pay for not only in sound quality and in durability as well. The STREET ANC has a hard exterior, but the earcups are made of memory foam cushion so you ears won’t get irritated as you wear them. These headphones are very flexible too. They are foldable and also come with a removable cable with 3 click microphone, soft touch cleaning cloth, micro USB charging cable, airplane adaptor and hard shell carrying case for easy transport.
The left arm of the headphones is where all the magic happens so to speak. On that side is the ANC power switch, an LED power indicator, a mini-USB charging port, and a 3.5mm cable input. The battery life for the STREET lasts up to an outstanding 70 hours. To recharge the headphone battery take about two and a half hours. Like all normal charging devices the LED indicator glows blue with ANC engaged, red while charging, and green when the battery is fully charged.
So does the SMS STREET live up to the hype? Well the last time I was on a plane I had a different set of headphones. They were supposed to be noise canceling, but I heard many noises coming in from the outside while I was trying to watch a movie on my iPad. When I put on the STREET ANC recently on the subway all the outside noises were eliminated. When the ANC feature is running you will notice a difference. If you are serious about sound quality and are looking for a great set of headphones, the STREET By 50 ANC is definitely worth a look.
Oct 9th
“The Walking Dead” Inspired Cocktails
The Season 4 premiere of “The Walking Dead” is this Sunday. To celebrate the return of AMC’s hit show here are some apocalyptic-inspired cocktails for you and your friends to enjoy during the show.
While you ponder what lies ahead of Sherriff Rick Grimes and his team of survivors as things looks ominous as they square off against the walkers why not kick back and relax on one of these drinks? You can sip on a “Woodbury’s Harvest” as you watch the group stand their ground at the prison, or mix up a “Black and Buried” or “The Walker” to get a taste for the post-apocalyptic world the survivors are living in.
Maybe one of these drinks were created in Woodbury when they would have one of their festivals. Not sure the prison has any of the ingredients below to make these cocktails, but you do. So while watching this season have a drink for Rick and his crew.
The Walker
Ingredients
1 oz Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum
½ oz Stirrings Espresso Flavored Liqueur
3 Dashes Chocolate Bitters
5 oz Cola
DIRECTIONS: In an ice filled Collins or rocks glass combine all the ingredients and then stir to blend.
Woodbury’s Harvest
Ingredients 
1¼ oz Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum
2½ oz Apple Cider
1/4 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
DIRECTIONS: Combine all the ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into an ice filled Collins glass. Garnish with apple slices.
Black & Buried
Ingredients
1 oz Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum
½ oz Zwack Liqueur
3 Blackberries
4 oz Cola
1 Lemon Wedge
DIRECTIONS: Add blackberries to a cocktail shaker and crush with a spoon. Add Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum, Zwack Liqueur and shake vigorously. Strain into a Collins glass over fresh ice and top with cola. Garnish with a Lemon Wedge.
Oct 8th
Chad Coleman Interview
Chad Coleman might be best known for playing the character Dennis “Cutty” Wise from “The Wire,” but that role is taking a back seat to his role on “The Walking Dead” as the character Tyreese. Coleman joined the popular AMC show last year during Season 3. Chad and the rest of the crew are gearing up for Season 4 which will air on Sunday, October 13th.
From film to TV, Chad has been part of many great movies and shows. I had the great pleasure of sitting down to talk with Chad about “The Walking Dead,” and more.
Art Eddy: You joined the cast in Season 3 playing the character Tyreese. You and your small group of survivors reach the prison where Rick and his crew set up camp. You don’t get that great of a welcome. What was Tyreese’s first impression of Rick?
Chad Coleman: Well, initially considering the rest of the group and understanding he was the leader, Hershel and everyone else presented themselves in a very formidable, community oriented way. So, the possibility of being part of that community was exciting.
Then of course Rick comes in and throws everything off the rails, but I didn’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. I was trying to give the guy the benefit of the doubt. Based on everything I saw before me, and everything we assessed, this guy couldn’t have been just a crazy maniac and an effective leader.
From what we saw I was just trying to give the guy the benefit of the doubt, but I was also going to protect my people. Better to live to die another day than just lose my head and get us into a much deeper and much more precarious situation.
AE: You guys were thrown out of the prison by Rick as he was hallucinating. Do you think your character would rather take his chances with zombies than a crazy guy with a gun?
CC: Absolutely. That was the bottom line. When we were assessing the situation we had done okay. We were dog tired and ready for safe haven for sure, but we know we could handle ourselves out there in those woods if it was called for. Even though we were trying like hell to get out of it we at least knew what we were up against. We would rather deal with that opposition than to deal with a guy that was (laughs)… I don’t really know what was going on.
AE: Then you and your sister Sasha end up in Woodbury with the Governor, who is able to hide his crazy. Did Woodbury seem too good to be true for Tyreese and Sasha?
CC: I think initially. I think that was what we were trying to go for when we first met him. It was very much about “hey let’s not fall into temptation”. We know the world that we are living in. That’s why when we shot that scene and Greg Nicotero directed it we took a lot of time with that scene. It was very important that we just didn’t go, ‘Hey whoo-hoo free showers and food! Yea!’
It was like where are we? What are we dealing with? This guy has encountered (Rick) as well. There had been casualties. We had to make sure that we built that into that scene. When he was asking me how to get into that prison I had called up the producer, at the time it was Glen Mazzara, I said “hey man how do we do this?” I don’t want to feel like I am just throwing these people under the bus because of Rick.
I felt a good connection with Hershel and even Carl. I know that he is a young kid with a gun, but he was rational. He was level headed. I said “hey tread lightly”. There is nothing going on here that can’t lead us here to the security and safety that we are looking for. We have to be precautious as well. That scene was a hard decision for me to make.
AE: Towards the end of Season 3 you and Sasha join Rick’s crew. What was Tyreese’s feeling on joining them?
CC: If you go back and look at it Hershel presented himself in such a manner. The humanity was there. I felt like if that guy had spent that much time around Rick, Rick could not be that out there. I guess we caught him at a bad time. As things would have it, it did turn out that way. As the situation unfolded it is like, okay now coming back and Rick accepting us, I pretty much could say alright this guy was just having a bad day.
To see (Rick) allow the rest of the Woodbury community to come as well I was very happy. Andrea played a pivotal part in our decision making too, when we ran into her at the top of the bus. What she shared with us, stayed with us. That played into our decision to not go with the Governor and to see who he was. When we got to that gate and we were trying to get Carrie back Rick stepped out first. He showed what a man he really was. So for us right now it is like how do we fit into this community?
AE: Season 4 airs on October 13th. Can you give me a little bit of info on what we can expect from Tyreese?
CC: You guys are going to get to know Tyreese in a way you haven’t seen thus far. It is epic. It is gut wrenching. That goes across the board for Season 4. No one goes untested. No one goes unscathed in a post apocalyptical world. It is just not going to happen.
Look at Hershel as the voice of reason and look at what happened to him. Look at where his character started from and the arc his character took. Tyreese has a sense of that. He is a voice of reason. He has a certain moral compass and a right way to do things. Everybody gets put into the blender. That’s the way it goes. When you witness what happens it is some jaw dropping stuff.
AE: I love the show “The Talking Dead” that follows “The Walking Dead.” You have been on that show. How much fun did you have on that show and also how did it feel to see the reactions of the fans since the show has a live audience?
CC: That is one of the biggest pleasures of doing that show. You are right there with the audience. You are right there with the fans. Right there with the people who made it. You are talking 12.5 million people a week. You see that passion firsthand, and you get to have fun with it. You get to learn about the insight of other people watching the show. You also get to have a spooky phone call on the live show. That call was incredible and bizarre. The producers cut the phone call with the caller pretty quickly.
AE: Yea! (Chris) Hardwick was ticked that they cut him off. You were with Norman (Reedus) at the time right?
CC: Yea I was with Norman and some comedian. I think she was from “Community.” She was a great guest. People on Twitter were putting up pictures saying “hey this is what your face looked like”. It was funny. I was messing with Reedus. I asked him if that was one of his friends. It was appropriately bizarre. You couldn’t have planned that any better.
AE: What are some funny things that happen on the set between filming scenes?
CC: It is always hard to remember. We joke around, that’s for sure. We have fun with each other like doing a silly dance right before we go on and we will say crazy stuff to each other. It is more like locker room humor. It always depends on what scene that we are working on. Sometimes just the crazy mishaps that happen when we are doing physical stuff. You miss, and end up stepping on a zombie by mistake. These things happen. Some of the stuff is is the type where you ask are you okay, but it is still kind of funny.
Oct 7th
Michael Jai White Interview
Michael Jai White will be starring in the CW hit show “Arrow” as Bronze Tiger. White is not a stranger to roles in the comic book world. He played main character in the film “Spawn” and was cast as Jax in the “Mortal Kombat: Legacy” series. He also was in “The Dark Knight.” You can also see Michael in the Tyler Perry sitcom “For Better or Worse.”
White also is a student of martial arts, which in my interview with him I found that he has a great passion for.
Art Eddy: You are going to be on the hit CW show “Arrow” as Bronze Tiger who was a member of both the League of Assassins and the Suicide Squad in the DC comic books series. When news broke at San Diego Comic Con this year a lot of people were excited including myself. What is your take on stepping into this series?
Michael Jai White: Hey man this is my area. I enjoy doing things like this. It has been a minute since I stepped into that world of the superhero, but I welcomed it.
AE: Before you took this role how much back story did you know on the character and Green Arrow?
MJW: Only a little bit, but of course I learned more when I took on the role. It was a cursory knowledge of it.
AE: You have played a great cast of memorable characters already like Jax from “Mortal Kombat.” For the characters of Jax and Bronze Tiger there is a certain amount of normalcy to these characters. The shows move away from the cartoony and comic book quality and make these characters look like they could be in real life. Do you like that style for these shows?
MJW: Oh yeah. I think that is really the way to go about it. When you have these fantastic type of characters it best to make them as close to reality as possible. The closer to reality the more it affects you. When we went into do the reimagining of the “Mortal Kombat” thing we really wanted to get really close into real macabre that makes you David Fincher it a little bit.
AE: For the “Mortal Kombat” web series. I loved the concept. When they came to you about this project what was your take on it? Were you a fan of the game?
MJW: Yea I used to play it quite often. I was supposed to be in the two films of “Mortal Kombat,” but unfortunately, well fortunately certain things didn’t work out. I happened to be doing a movie called “Spawn” instead of doing the “Mortal Kombat” movie. They were shooting at the same time.
AE: Speaking of “Spawn,” you were great in that film. Do you still have fans of that film talk to you about that role?
MJW: Yea quite a bit. I think the most asked question of my lifetime is if there will be a “Spawn 2.”
AE: Okay. So is there? (Both laugh.)
MJW: Well I don’t know. It is so out of my control. I am actually intrigued with the idea of possibly taking a hand in producing it so people could stop asking me. (Both laugh.)
AE: “Spawn,” “Arrow,” and “Mortal Kombat” are big at comic cons. Do you go to those conventions?
MJW: Usually I do. This is the only one I missed. This past one because I was shooting in Romania at the time.
AE: How much has your martial arts training helped your acting career?
MJW: Yeah. My martial arts training has helped me in my life period. It is really about the discipline. Once you discipline your mind you can pretty much accomplish anything. It really shows in every aspect of my life.
AE: What forms of martial arts are you trained in? Do you have a favorite?
MJW: My favorite style is called Kyokushin. It is actually the biggest, most respected style in the world. It is not known very much in this country because it is so stringent. It is kind of like the Navy Seals of martial arts. It is pretty hard.
As such the people who tend to make black belt in that system rest assured your discipline is at another level than other martial arts. That is why I like that because it takes a lot more out of you.
AE: I thought you did an outstanding job in “The Dark Knight.” Tell me a bit of your experience working on that 
film.
MJW: Well it was a surprising experience because knowing the work of Christopher Nolan you figure oh my God this guy is just genius. He is going to be really artistic. He is probably going to be very opinionated. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The guy was the easiest going and it was one of the most fun shoots to be on. I think I just had an assigned image. This guys is one of the coolest guys you would ever meet in your life. I ran into in the court room and he was doing jury duty. He was called and he was like ‘Right here.’ I was like that is Christopher Nolan and no one in the room realizes it. I mean do you know who is doing jury duty with you? He was just so laid back and was doing jury duty. He is one of the most brilliant directors ever.
Oct 3rd
ACE Brand Personal Pit Crew Sweepstakes
Did you ever need some help with a task and wanted it done correctly but in a timely fashion? Was there a project that you wanted to check off your to do list? What if you could have your own personal pit crew help you with a project, what would it be?
Sounds too good to be true right? Wrong! ACE Brand from 3M Company, in partnership with Roush Fenway Racing launch the ACE Brand Personal Pit Crew Sweepstakes.
All you need to do starting today through Thursday, October 31, 2013 is enter the sweepstakes by sharing your project ideas at ACEBrand.com/PersonalPitCrew. Then just spotlight how you would use your very own pit crew for a chance to win a series of prizes.
With the contest are some sweet and shareable videos featuring the No. 16 3M Racing Team, also known as the Pit Bulls. They are helping families accomplish everyday household tasks at lightning speed. No matter if it is getting the family out of the house in the morning to cleaning out the garage.
The Pit Bulls support driver Greg Biffle – before, during, and after the race – and the ACE Brand Personal Pit Crew Sweepstakes brings these pit crew skills from the race track to the household. Just as the pit crew is on hand and always ready to service their racecar during a pit stop, they will be ready, willing, and able to help the winner of the ACE Brand Personal Pit Crew Sweepstakes accomplish just about any routine task.
“At ACE Brand we are proud to be the official braces and supports of NASCAR – delivering on our promise to help people perform at their best,” said Scott Erickson, brand manager, ACE Brand. “Just as Greg Biffle relies on his pit crew to get through every race in top performance, the ACE Brand Personal Pit Crew Sweepstakes gives you the chance to have your very own pit crew help you complete just about any project.”
The grand prize winner will receive $5,000 to go towards their project plus their very own “Personal Pit Crew”, consisting of members of the 3M Racing team along with a team of professionals, to do the work. It can be anything from a room make-over or a landscape job to refurbishing a car, and more (up to $5,000 in total value).
Plus three runner-up winners will receive NASCAR merchandise packs including an authentic 3M Racing Team shirt worn by a member of the 2013 team and signed by Greg Biffle. The winners will be selected at random and notified in early November.
“When I heard ACE Brand was going to give fans the opportunity to win a personal pit crew, I knew it was going to be big,” said Greg Biffle, driver of the No. 16 3M Ford Fusion. “The people at 3M are always coming up with creative ways to bring the NASCAR experience closer to the fans and it doesn’t get much closer than getting your own pit crew.”
The partnership between 3M and Roush Fenway Racing is longstanding and the No. 16 3M Pit Bulls can be seen on the racetrack during every NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, supporting Greg Biffle. For the drivers and pit crew members who so skillfully keep the racecars going, ACE Brand is committed to providing a complete line of elastic compression bandages, hot and cold therapy products, and braces, and supports to keep the crew ready and active.
To watch the video series, enter the ACE Brand Personal Pit Crew Sweepstakes, and for more information about the sweepstakes and ACE Brand Products, visit www.ACEBrand.com or www.ACEBrand.com/PersonalPitCrew.
Oct 2nd
Titan Body Wash
For athletes that train hard and push their workouts to the limit there is a body wash for you. It is called Titan Body Wash. Titan is an organic formula that is designed to give you ultimate protection against skin infections. Their proprietary blend acts as an anti-microbial, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal shampoo/body wash to reduce the risk of contracting common skin infections associated with athletics such as ring worm, athlete’s foot, jock itch, staph infections and more.
Whether you compete in MMA, wrestling, hockey, football, train in Cross fit, do yoga or just enjoy going to the gym, Titan Post Battle Products could be perfect for you. For those who have been in a gym at least more than once know that you cannot control how clean your environment is, but you can make sure you are clear of the risk of infection afterwards.
Besides their body wash they also have an equipment spray. The spray is designed to protect athletes from growths occurring on or in their equipment. Titan spray not only reduces the risk of contracting common skin infections from their environment but it also deodorizes. Designed to be used on football, hockey and lacrosse equipment as well as pads and apparatus used in wrestling, MMA, and gymnastics.
There are some pro MMA athletes that use Titan products. Dennis Bermudez and Chris Weidman are fans of Titan’s products. If you look on their site you will see that they are working on a laundry detergent and body wipes.
So if your body wash is not cutting it, you might want to try Titan!
Oct 1st
Steve Rannazzisi is a Bad Dad!
On “Daddy Knows Best”, Steve Rannazzisi (FXX’s The League) may literally be the worst dad on the internet. From taking his son to a strip club and leaving him unattended, to whipping up a batch of “special” brownies only to have them fall into the hands of children, he’s barely in the running for father – or husband – of the year. Just in time for the September 30 season two premiere of Daddy Knows Best on My Damn Channel and Blip, catch up on season one and let Steve be a model of how NOT to care for children. Here are few clips.
Lesson 1: Don’t leave your kid unattended at a strip club, or even take him there in the first place.
Lesson 2: Don’t put your kid in a cage. And if you do, definitely don’t film the kid in the cage.
Lesson 3: It’s possible to take it too far even when you’re playing porno pictionary.
Lesson 4: Don’t forget your child at the park, you may get tased.
Lesson 5: When making a batch of regular brownies for a kid’s party and “special” brownies for yourself, make sure you label the containers clearly.
Lesson 6: If you soil your pants in public, there’s no amount of damage control you can run to cover it up.
Lesson 7: Watch your back around the babysitter.
Sep 30th
Colin Mochrie Interview
Colin Mochrie is a fantastic actor and improvisational comedian, most famous for his work on the UK and U.S. versions of the TV show “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” This summer the CW Network brought back the improv show and Colin was part of the cast.
Not only does Colin do that show he also works with fellow actor and comedian Brad Sherwood on a two man show called “An Evening with Colin and Brad.” They tour literally around the world and perform funny and crazy scenes to a laughing audience.
If that was not enough Colin has a book out called “Not Quite the Classics” that is already available as an eBook, but will be in hard cover in October.
Colin was able to chat with me about “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” his live show, and his new book.
Art Eddy: I have to say I am big fan of your work on “Whose Line is it Anyway?” It is crazy for me to think of how many shows you have done both in the UK and in the United States. How do you keep things fresh season after season?
Colin Mochrie: That is a good question. (Laughs) Part of it is hoping that we get suggestions we never had before. Also coming up with new games. So those kind of things can change everything. Basically it is just trying to live for that moment.
Part of the secret is to walk out on stage with absolutely nothing in your mind, so you have nothing to fall back on except for what you have at that moment. I think the producers do a good job of working it out so that we don’t repeat things. They come up with different scenarios so we don’t fall into that trap.
AE: You have always worked with a great crew. What do you and the other cast members do to build chemistry before each season especially when a new actor comes on the show to be a regular?
CM: Basically one of the main things about improv is to make sure the person that you are working with is having fun. That is the first time we work with a person and that is the first time we get to work on that chemistry. For an example for this season on “Whose Line” we had many people we never had worked with before.
What is great about that is that since I never worked with them before so I don’t have to worry about coming up with hack stuff (Ryan) Stiles or Wayne Brady. It is nice to have that freshness. There is also a thing where you have to have a chemistry because a big part of improv is trust. A lot of the times you have to make that decision that well I am trusting this person. Obviously being in improv they have done this for years. They must know what they are doing. Whatever they do I am just going to accept. We are going to build on that and have fun. That’s what you do. I have to say for most of the time it works out.
AE: Out of the many guest stars you had on the show which ones completely surprised you with their improv skills?
CM: I have to go with Richard Simmons. Just because, God bless him, he was totally committed. He was ready to have a good time. He would give anything we would ask of him. That is what you want in a guest. You want someone who is willing to have fun. They are not worried about how they look. They are just there to enjoy themselves.
When Richard was with us, that one scene we did, the “Living Scenery” scene was the scene that got the biggest laughs ever over the entire “Whose Line” years. God bless him. It was because of his total commitment.
AE: Which cast member do you crack up constantly on the show and does anyone get you to lose it during the taping of show?
CM: I am very fortunate that I don’t find any of the other guys funny. (Both laugh) That makes it totally easy for me. There are times we are hearing things from the audience for the very first time. Especially when you are so intense in the scene and you are hoping it is going to where you want it to and then something just comes out of nowhere. There is that moment where you are taken by surprise. You feel a giggle or a smile creep, but you hopefully get passed that.
There have been times where Ryan was laughing so hard that he can barely go on with the scene. Those are some of my favorite times. He is a hard guy to make laugh. He is pretty jaded. He has seen everything. So when you can actually break him up you feel like you have really done something.
AE: You have a book coming out in October called “Not Quite the Classics.” Tell me a bit about the book and what inspired you do write a book?
CM: My agent one day said you should write a book. I said here is the thing I don’t want to. I improvise because it is fun. Writing is work. I have nothing to write about. I have had a good life, but I don’t think that it is a particularly a good read. I really don’t have a style of living that would be that interesting to people. So based on that information he got me a book deal.
AE: (Laughs) So it was like hey thanks for listening.
CM: (Laughs) Yea. So I was like I guess I have to write a book. Everyone says write what you know. So I would do it in an improv sense. It is 12 short stories. There is a game called first line, last line in improv where you get the first line and the last line of a scene from the audience. So you have your beginning and end points and you make up the middle.
So there are 12 short stories. Every story begins and ends with a famous line from a novel. So one is “Moby Dick” and one is “A Tale of Two Cities.” The middle is totally different and has nothing to do with the classic.
AE: You also have a great live show in which you tour with Brad Sherwood called “An Evening with Colin and Brad”. How did that come about out?
CM: We had just started the Drew Carey version. Drew said, ‘Every Super Bowl weekend I have a gig in Vegas. Why don’t we all go down and do improv rather than me just doing standup?’
So that became a regular thing. That was great. We had a great time. The only problem was that there was like 11 of us on stage. So we really didn’t a lot of chances to do stuff. Brad and I are stage hogs. He said to me that he was thinking of doing this two man thing. He asked me if I wanted to be a part of it. So we started it off and just kept building on it. We enjoy doing it. So yea it has been a lot of fun.
AE: Whenever you do improve with other actors do you ever feel or know when a competition begins to outdo your fellow actors during a show?
CM: I hate to use the word competition, but I will. (Both laugh) I hate to use it because of the negative connotations of the word. Part if improv is sort of a passive aggressive competitiveness. Where you are trying to make sure everyone is having fun. Most of the competition is actually with yourself trying to keep pace with everyone.
Everyone has their own special skills. It is like a Justice League of improv. Everyone has their special powers. You just don’t want to be the weak member of the team. There is competition that way, but ultimately it is such an ensemble art form. Everybody is there to make sure the scene is working, that it is funny and everyone is having a good time.
Sep 30th
