Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Pheaturing Lynnette Porter

I have a very important announcement. I am Oprah’s long-lost half sister. Hello, welcome to another entry of the Phile, where we are celebrating 5 years. Last week I interviewed a 16 year old singer named Alex Cheatle. Sixteen years! That means when I started to write this blog she was eleven. This blog is older than her career. Five years. That's a handful. The feds arrested 127 mobsters in three states. Of all of those men, four of them were not named Vinnie. Some of the men are charged with stealing construction workers’ Christmas bonuses and shaking down strip clubs. They’re messing with construction workers and strippers — those are my people. The prosecutors say that the highest-level mobster arrested is known as “The Old Man.” I think they call him that because he makes an offer he can’t remember. Jesse James is engaged to tattoo artist Kat Von D. The wedding will take place in June at the First United Presbyterian Tattoo Parlor and Head Shop Church. Have you been watching "American idol"? Steven Tyler is flirting with all the girls on “American Idol.” He’s old enough to be these girls’ grandmother. Snooki’s first novel has made the New York Times Best Sellers list. The other three horsemen of the apocalypse are riding close behind. Snooki spent the day celebrating, drinking champagne and tequila — and then she found out about her book’s success. Anne Hathaway has been cast as Catwoman in the next Batman movie. I guess I took all those photos wearing the leather bodysuit for nothing. Oprah was in Australia for a week. She liked it so much that she’s putting it on a boat and having it shipped to her house. Oprah gave away many gifts to her audience, and each person even went home with their own Aborigine. Speaking of Oprah,
A 48-year-old woman just found out she’s Oprah’s half sister. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen a human with actual cartoon dollar signs in their eyes. Her mother had a baby, but didn’t tell anyone about it. That’s how you know you’re overweight, when no one can tell you’ve been pregnant. This family just loves giving things away. Now Oprah's sister has to decide on whether she wants the lump sum or the annual payments. Did you ever see the Oprah inspirational poster?

The U.S. Postal Service announced plans to close an additional 2,000 branches after losing $8.5 billion. Maybe in retrospect, making people wait in line while you slowly finish your bag of fiery hot Cheetos isn’t such a good idea. A Tucson taco shop is going to start selling tacos with lion meat. Just when you think Arizona is tapped out on crazy, they roar back with a vengeance. Maybe we should be eating the more dangerous animals. Nobody has ever had a chicken chase them down and snap their neck. A 30-second trailer for Justin Bieber’s new movie is going to air right after the Super Bowl. Incidentally, “Super Bowl” is also the name of Justin Bieber’s haircut. You know there's a Monopoly game for almost everything, and now there's a Women's Monopoly set coming out. And here on the Phile, I have the first pic on what the board looks like. So, game people, check this out. It's a Peverett Phile Exclusive.

Man, my wife is gonna kick my ass over that one. And today's guest is a lady as well. I'm in big trouble. The Oscar nominations were just announced yesterday, and I don't know too much about the Oscars as half of the movies I watch are never even thought of to be nominated. So, I decided to ask somebody who would know. So, here's a new pheature I like to call...

Me: Jeff, what do you think of the Oscar nominations?

Jeff: Most of the Oscar picks weren't surprising. I think I was more surprised by some of the people and movies that weren't picked then those that were picked. I figured that Christopher Nolan was almost guranteed to be nominated for Best Director, but he wasn't. Over all I think that for any of the categories, it could be a toss up. I know the Golden Globes are usually a good indicator on who will win the Oscar, but something tells me this year it may be different.

Speaking of movies...



The Basics: Seth Rogen is the directionless, hard-partying doofus son of a billionaire newspaper titan. When his father dies under mysterious circumstances and a brutal druglord threatens to take over Los Angeles, the spoiled heir and his technical advisor/fighting coach/mechanic/guy-who-does-basically-everything pal Kato become a pair of masked vigilantes. They also ride around in the most gadget-filled car in the world. Think Superbad (Rogen and writing partner Evan Goldberg created both that film and this) meets superhero origin story, one where the dark knight is more Beavis/Butthead than Batman.
What's The Deal: Early in the movie Rogen tells everyone he's going to call himself "The Green Bee" before Kato invents the more menacing name. And then as you watch the story unfold and stumble and digress and stall in holding patterns of pointless goofiness and, for a minute late in the game, turn into Bjork's "Bachelorette" video, you realize that the film does, in fact, more resemble a bee flitting from flower to flower than a hornet out to make a sharp point. That's because Rogen/Goldberg and director Michel Gondry, three people with apparently no interest in making a typical superhero/action movie, have somehow been given the money to do just that. And this needs to happen more often, I think. Give me loose, idiosyncratic, comic meandering over stone-faced business-as-usual any day. It isn't the movie you're expecting, but it's got its authors' grubby handprints all over it.
Best Parts They Forgot to Tell You About In The Trailer: Nothing in the marketing of this movie suggests you're going to see any sort of cool action pile-up. But then, in the last 30 minutes, they unleash a tornado of violence, fighting, car chases, gun battles and stuff exploding. It makes you wonder if they felt embarrassed to be doing something so obvious, trying instead to sell it based on Seth Rogen making rubbery faces and rapping to vintage Coolio songs. But yeah, spoiler, all that satisfying mayhem is in here. They even use sloppy 3D to throw a bunch of car parts and fireballs at your face. And if 3D is going to look not-so-great, that's the least they can do to make it up to you.
Most Michel Gondrian Element: Unless you're a fan of Taiwanese pop music, you haven't seen Jay Chou before. He's a musician, a huge star in China, meaning that when its released over there they'll probably call it Kato Saves The Big Dumb Guy. And before acting in this movie he didn't speak a word of English. Everything you see him saying on screen was acquired specifically for the film and it gives every scene he's in an odd, clunky quality that's boosted by his strange comic timing. Some people will call that annoying; I call it daring and cool.
Entire Project Distilled Into One Scene: Everybody chasing and killing each other over a piece of fake sushi.
Will I Buy It? Yup. It gets a 10.




Jack LaLanne
September 26, 1914 - January 23, 2011
He exercised every day since he was a teenager, and ate nothing but healthy food his whole life. And he died anyway.




Today's guest is the author of the 13th book to be pheatured in the Peverett Phile Book Club: "Tarnished Heroes, Charming Villains and Modern Monsters: Science Fiction in Shades of Gray on 21st Century Television". Man, that's a long title. Please welcome to the Phile... Lynnette Porter.


Me: Hello, Lynnette. Welcome to the Phile. We met a few years ago at MegaCon in Orlando. Do you remember that?

Lynnette: I wouldn’t have made that connection unless you reminded me. (Sorry about that. I’m also one of those teachers who can remember where every student sat in class or what we discussed during an office hour, but I won’t remember every student’s name.) So I’m glad you mentioned MegaCon!

Me: You have written a lot of books, haven't you? When did you start to write?

Lynnette: I’ve written eleven books so far, but I’m working on ideas for a few more right now, plus I’m writing chapters for other authors’ books. Lately I’ve had several articles published online, primarily for PopMatters, but I’ve also had a film article published in the Journal of Popular Studies and from-the-set articles about an independent film published in Movement, Moving Arts Film Journal, and SFX. I started reading when I was 3, and I remember writing short stories and poetry from the time I was about 8. I really didn’t think about writing books until I was in grad school, and my first professional publications were articles and academic books about technical communication and online education. About six years ago I returned to one of my first loves, writing about television and film, and I’ve been focused on that type of literary and cinematic criticism since then. Writing is my way of interacting with the world—so I try to write at least a few hundred words every day.

Me: How many books have you had published?

Lynnette: Ten of “my” books have been published—those are the ones I’ve written or co-authored. I’ve also had several chapters published in other people’s books and written short pieces, like the introduction to a new edition of "The Moon Pool". Some new chapters I’ve written will be published next year in books from McFarland and University Press of Kentucky, and I have one book in press with Tauris.

Me: You also have your very own blogspot. How long have you had yours? Mine is five years old, y'know. And how often do you update it? Mine is updated every week. Take that. (Just kidding)

Lynnette: Over the holidays I’ve finally taken the time for my personal writing in the blog, Books, Films, and Me. I started it last year, but I’m terrible about updating it. Now that "Lost" is over I’ve given up the weekly blog for Lost’s Buried Treasures. Most of my personal writing has been on Facebook lately—I can manage 42 characters every day or two! It seems like I only write huge volumes or lone sentences—nothing in between!

Me: You are also a teacher, right? What do you teach and where? Have you been teaching a lot of years?

Lynnette: A lot of years! LOL. Currently I’m a professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, in the Humanities and Social Sciences Department. I teach technical writing and other communication courses, but I also get to work my interests in film, television, and literature into several first-year humanities courses. I was a freelance technical writer and editor for many years, and I formerly was tenured at the University of Findlay in Ohio.

Me: Most of your books are about TV shows, right? I am a big fan of the same shows you write about, but with me, I love a show, watch it, don't think about it, and maybe buy the season on DVD or blu-ray. But you take it the next step, by writing a whole book on them. What do you write about? And are you always analysing shows?

Lynnette: I still watch some shows for entertainment only, but when I see a show that captures my interest because its characters are intriguing (especially those who are morally ambiguous or have a dark side), its situations are current and provocative, or it influences a genre or popular culture in general, then I have to watch it much more seriously. I love mythology shows, which is one reason why I loved analyzing Lost. I like a lot of science fiction, such as "Battlestar Galactica" and "Torchwood", but I primarily enjoy shows that delve into characterization or themes, whatever the genre of storytelling. When a series piques my interest, I become obsessed with it—I watch episodes several times, I take notes during episodes, and I check out the official and fan sites. With so many shows, especially British science fiction like "Doctor Who", "Torchwood", or "Being Human", novels, radio plays, audiobooks, and magazines further develop ideas or characters introduced in episodes. If I’m invested in a series, I read, watch, or listen to everything I can find about that series. Wow—sounds like I need to get a life, doesn’t it? "Sherlock" has been a recent obsession, although I’m not really a Holmes fan—I guess I’m a Moffat and Gatiss fan first. I ended up writing an essay for PopMatters about Series One of "Sherlock". I’ll probably do something similar (if PopMatters likes my pitch) for "Torchwood" when it returns in 2011.

Me: I read your books about "Lost" which are good. What was the first TV show you decided to write about?

Lynnette: Thank you! Most recently, I returned to writing about TV or film by writing a book about the Lord of the Rings films ("Unsung Heroes of The Lord of the Rings: From the Page to the Screen"), but then "Lost" came along, and I was hooked. David Lavery and I ended up writing three editions of "Lost’s Buried Treasures" and two of "Unlocking the Meaning of Lost". That’s been my most prolific and intense writing about a series. If I go back to my undergrad degree work in radio/tv/film, I think I first started writing analytical essays about "Star Trek" and "Starsky and Hutch"—now that’s a range! Back then I didn’t think that I’d write books about television.

Me: Do you have to get permission to write about the shows?

Lynnette: I’ve only written unofficial books about series, but I’ve sometimes talked to writers, directors, or actors at fan conventions or events, and that info goes into my books. My editors and publishers are very careful to ensure that the books are well within copyright restrictions, and I analyze themes, influences, and the significance of the series instead of summarizing plots, for example, which is carefully regulated. I’ve heard that some series’ creators have read an article or book I’ve written and liked it, which makes me feel great. I love their work or I wouldn’t write about it, so I’m chuffed when someone from a series likes what I’ve written.

Me: Your latest book, which is the 13th book to be pheatured in the Peverett Phile Book Club is "Tarnished Heroes, Charming Villains, and Modern Monsters". Man, couldn't you have come up with a shorter title? Judging by the book cover which is Captain Jack from "Torchwood", the book is mainly about "Torchwood." Right?

Lynnette: I like the book being the 13th you’ve covered! That’s a good omen. I know, I know—I’m the world’s worst when it comes to titles. McFarland suggested several variations on the concepts I wanted to include in the book’s title, and this is the version we agreed upon. Considering that most books are about 80,000 words, but I expanded this one to 120,000, the title had to be long! "Torchwood" is certainly featured in the book, both in a separate chapter about the series and in other chapters with analyses of those heroes, villains, and monsters in the book’s title. I also was fortunate to talk with Carole Barrowman about the “Selkie” comic, as well as the books she and her brother, John (Captain Jack), have written. Gareth David-Lloyd (Ianto Jones) talked with me a few times about his character and "Torchwood". I am incredibly grateful that Carole and Gareth were so generous with their time, and these interviews make the "Torchwood" sections that much more detailed and insightful. But "Torchwood" isn’t the only example of the trend toward darker themes in science fiction television. I also discuss some of Joss Whedon’s work, from "Buffy" to "Firefly" to "Doctor Horrible", as well as a range of TV series, including "Lost", "BSG", "Caprica", and "Doctor Who".

Me: What's the premise of the book?

Lynnette: In the past few years, television heroes have grown darker, or morally ambiguous. Science fiction has always provided a “safe space” in which to discuss controversial or provocative themes and to have characters make decisions that might not be acceptable in our own society. Good SF provides new perspectives on social problems or societal fears, and in the early 2000s, there’s a lot to discuss! The trend has been to make TV heroes fall into those shades of gray—they are neither virtuous heroes nor despicable villains. They make decisions or act in ways that, a few years ago, we never would have accepted or encouraged, but they aren’t “bad” people. Those are the gray heroes I analyze in this book. Of course, the way we define hero also influences the way we think of villains and monsters, which I also discuss. Heroes, villains, and monsters are being redefined on SF TV series, and I analyze how and why, and what that means for science fiction and storytelling. Characters like the Doctor, Captain Jack, Jack Shephard, Captain Mal Reynolds, and Starbuck/Kara Thrace intrigue me, but I also see their roles as significant in the development of trends in science fiction.

Me: Have you written a book about "Doctor Who" yet?

Lynnette: I’m writing a chapter for another author’s "Doctor Who" book, and I’m working on a prospectus for my own "Doctor Who" book. Wish me luck with it! I’ve conducted seminars about Doctor Who at academic conferences or fan conventions, but I’d like to write more about the series, especially the Ninth-Eleventh Doctors.

Me: Once again with the permission thing, you used John Barrowman on the cover. Did you have to get permission to use him?

Lynnette: I didn’t have any choice of the cover, but I’m very pleased that Captain Jack is there. McFarland chose the image, so I imagine they had to get the appropriate permission for it.

Me: Have you met Barrowman?

Lynnette: Yes, briefly, but not in connection with the book. In 2009 I attended the Torchsong convention in Chicago. That’s the convention he had to attend only virtually because he’d injured his ankle a few days before flying to the States. He did, however, talk with fans through a webcam, so I stood in a very long line to ask my question, if that counts as “meeting” him. A few months later I saw him in “La Cage” in London, and I had brief stage door conversations a few times. Someday I would like to interview him, and I also hope I get the opportunity to interview Carole again. In my ideal world, I’d have a proper conversation with them both—maybe at the same time.

Me: Is there a TV show you haven't written about, but will?

Lynnette: I certainly hope so! If I don’t write a book about a significant series, I at least want to submit journal or magazine articles, whether for an academic journal or a popular culture, film, or entertainment site. I can’t imagine not writing about television. Depending on what happens with "Doctor Who", "Torchwood", "Being Human", and "Sherlock", I likely will write more about them, but I also have written short pieces and am outlining a possible chapter about "Modern Family", because it says so much about American culture right now. I was disappointed with "FlashForward" last year—I had hopes for it after the pilot episode, but other than watching it to see more of Dominic Monaghan’s work, I really didn’t get terribly involved. I liked the religious and political conflict in "Caprica", but the series just didn’t take hold. We’ll see what comes along in the next six months—I’m sure I’ll fall in love with another series, probably something dark and dramatic.

Me: As I said, I read your books about "Lost". I have to ask, what did you think about the ending of that show? I loved it myself.

Lynnette: I was happy with it, but I understand why fans who wanted more questions answered were looking for a more definitive ending. And I want to reiterate that the castaways didn’t all die in the crash!!! I’m asked that a lot—No, they didn’t all die in the crash, but one day, when they had lived out their lives, however long they were, the castaways whose most important time alive was on the island were reunited in the afterlife. I liked the spirituality of the ending, and the sense of hope. I’m a big fan of John Terry (Christian Shephard), and I loved the final scenes between Jack and his dad. I cried, and I’m not one who normally cries over television. During the last episodes, I learned more about the island’s history and the mythology underpinning the entire story. I enjoyed last scenes with my favorite characters, Hurley, Charlie, and Desmond. I loved seeing the redemption of characters I wasn’t sure would ever be redeemed. So yes, I was satisfied. I didn’t waste six years of my life watching and analyzing that show.

Me: Lynnette, where do you live? Florida somewhere, right? Do you get out and do a lot of conventions and appearances?

Lynnette: I’ve lived in Florida for several years now, and I’m based in Daytona Beach, but I often drive to Orlando or Tampa for fan conventions. I’m pleased to have met so many "Doctor Who" fans in Central Florida, so I go to as many local events as possible. Of course, with events like MegaCon so close by, I’ve been to more conventions since I moved to Florida than I ever was able to attend when I lived in the Midwest. I’ve been an invited speaker at DragonCon, the Cornerstone Festival, and, for the first time this year, Chicago TARDIS. During the LotR years I was a speaker at Creation Entertainment conventions like ORC and ELF. Chicago TARDIS was especially exciting for me. Not only did I get a session and a signing, but I moderated a session between Gareth David-Lloyd and Gabriel Strange, who talked to us from Cardiff via Skype. Gareth is the star and executive producer of independent film Casimir Effect, and Gabriel is the director. I’ve written some articles about the film, so I was thrilled as both a writer/interviewer and a fangirl to be on that stage. Throughout the year I also speak at academic conventions. In 2010 I talked about television and film in sessions of the Hawaii International Conference on the Arts and Humanities and Popular Culture Association in the South. I’m going to be talking about Torchwood at a Popular Culture Association conference in San Antonio in April, and I hope to attend or participate in more fan conventions, too.

Me: Have you received feedback from anybody that's involved with the shows you watch?

Lynnette: I’ve had “friend-of-a-friend-who-knows-so-and-so said” comments, but nothing directly from those involved with the shows. I’ve heard that Damon Lindelof knows of our "Lost" books, and someone saw Glen Larson at a fan convention with a copy of the "BSG" book—and said he liked it! But I haven’t been told anything directly. Gareth David-Lloyd knew what I included in the "Tarnished Heroes" book and has a copy, as does Carole Barrowman. They’ve both commented about articles I’ve written but not specifically about this book. I hope that the creators, actors, writers, and directors whose work I discuss know that I do so with respect and affection. After all, I choose to write the books, and I only write about those subjects that are significant to popular culture.

Me: I sent an interview request with Carlton Cuse but have not heard anything yet.

Lynnette: So have I! I know he’s a very busy man, but someday I hope to meet him. I’ve written about two of his series, "Lost" and "The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr." If you get to chat with him and can say hello for me, please do. I’m very fond of his work, and he seems like he’d be a fun interview.

Me: Did I read this correctly, you are a doctor? What kinda doctor are you? I have to admit, you are the first doctor to ever be a guest on the Phile.

Lynnette: I am—a Ph.D. My doctorate is in English with specializations in rhetoric, composition, and technical communication. At Chicago TARDIS I was one of two guests who are also professors. I was both honored and amused to be introduced as one of the two Doctors at the convention.

Me: I have to ask you about the Tolkien Society... not to be confused with the Token Society. What are Middle Earth is that? Get it? Middle Earth.

Lynnette: Got it. I’m a member of the Tolkien Society, which is based in the U.K. and studies and promotes the work of J.R.R. Tolkien. My interest is primarily in "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings", but I learn a great deal from other members who are experts on all of Tolkien’s writings. I’ve participated in some fan and academic conventions as a member of the Tolkien Society, but I’m not nearly as active as many fan-scholars in the U.K. or U.S. I’ve been fortunate to have studied manuscripts in the Tolkien collection at Marquette University and to have talked with Dr. Thomas Shippey, a true Tolkien scholar and author of several insightful books about the Professor and his writing. In fact, Dr. Shippey talked to my Honors class a few years ago when we studied "The Lord of the Rings". The Tolkien Society provides a wealth of resources about Tolkien and his fiction and non-fiction works—and they’re a great group of people. I’ve had the best conversations and just enjoyed the company of Tolkien Society members around the world—from Birmingham and London (UK) to Shaker Village, KY to Milwaukee to Honolulu to Wellington (NZ).

Me: What do you think of the Narnia movies, or Harry Potter? Here's a topic you can write for your next book: Asland is Jesus.

Lynnette: I’m a Harry Potter fan; I’ve read the books and seen all but the most recent movie (which I hope to do now that finals are over and all the reports graded). I haven’t seen the latest Narnia movie, but I’ve seen the previous two. Sorry, though, I’m more of a Tolkien than Lewis fan, although I’ve been on academic panels to discuss Narnia. Probably I’ll stick with Tolkien lit for my analyses of fantasy.

Me: Lynnette, what is the next book you are gonna write? Do you have one planned yet?

Lynnette: I have several planned, but we’ll see which one gets signed first! Right now I’m writing a book about the making of the independent film, Casimir Effect, which will be available online through the film’s website sometime in the early part of 2011. I’m working on two book prospectae—one about the Whoniverse and one about trends in theatre and film (and that one likely will have a chapter about John Barrowman’s popularity in the U.K. and his theatrical roles). Until I get a contract, I don’t want to say more about those, but I plan to have at least another book project or two started next year. I’ll also be writing some features for PopMatters, including one about "Doctor Who" and one about Nathan Fillion. I always have ideas for new projects, but some are better received than others. I tend to announce my “happy news” about publications and signings on Facebook, though, so it’s easy to keep up with my latest projects.

Me: Anyway, I wish you lots of luck, and will look out for you at MegaCon. Go ahead and plug your blogspot, and everything and tell the readers of the Phile where they can order or buy copies of your books.

Lynnette: Thanks! My books are available online through Amazon (.com, .ca, .co.uk), as well as websites for Barnes and Noble, Borders, Chapters, Waterstones, and other booksellers internationally. Here are a few of my latest publications: Books: "Tarnished Heroes, Charming Villains, and Modern Monsters", McFarland, 2010 and
"Lost’s Buried Treasures" (3rd edition, January 2010), Sourcebooks both available at Amazon.com. Online Articles: PopMatters, “Oprah, Australia, and Tourism” at www.popmatters.com/pm/feature/132112-oprah-australia-and-tourism-defining-nation-as-product/. PopMatters, “John Barrowman is an Entertainer with a Capital E” at www.popmatters.com/pm/post/132574-barrowman/. Moving Arts Film Journal, article about Gareth David-Lloyd and Casimir Effect at www.themovingarts.com. My blog is lynnetteporter.blogspot.com , and you can friend me on Facebook (Lynnette Porter). Thank you for the interview. I’ll see you at MegaCon!

Me: Take care, and come back any time.


Man, I am hyperlinked out! Thanks to Lynnette Porter for a great interview and to Jeff as well. Check out Jeff's blog at entertainmentgurunews.blogspot.com where he talks more about the Oscars this week. And of course, thanks to you, the readers. The Phile will be back next Wednesday with musician Joel Bradford. Until then, spread the word, not the turd. Don't let snakes and alligators bite you. Bye, love you, bye.





Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Pheaturing Alex Cheatle

Hello, welcome to the Phile. How are you? Thanks for stopping by, everybody. Did you see the movie The Green Hornet? Don't get it confused with the other movie The Green Whore Net. Do you ever pay half attention to the news? You'd think someone like me who writes a weekly blog would pay attention to everything I hear, but sometimes I don't. I heard Ted Williams was homeless... but I thought he was headless. Then I found out it was a different Ted Williams. The one they were talking about on the news was a singing bum. Then I heard that Gifford was in a coma, and I thought it was Kathy Lee. Hugh Hefner is engaged to a 24-year-old playmate, and he’s in his 80s. It will be her first marriage and Hugh Hefner thinks it will be his first marriage too. Honestly, at Hugh Hefner’s age, she’s just there to blow on his soup. CBS announced that Charlie Sheen wasn’t on the set of “Two and a Half Men” because he had an ear infection. I get the feeling that CBS publicists just stopped trying. Economists are predicting the end of Europe’s currency, the Euro. Instead of the Euro, they may have to fall on their old stand-by, the Speedo. There used to be 13 signs of the Zodiac. The ancient Babylonians did away with the 13th sign because it crashed their computers or something. Piers Morgan’s show premiered on CNN, and his first guest was Oprah Winfrey. That lady came across as warm and inviting — and Oprah did OK too. Piers did a great job differentiating himself from Larry King. He didn’t wear suspenders and he stayed awake for the whole show. Apparently, Piers Morgan made a bet with Oprah on who would be the first to get Michael Vick on their show. That’s not so hard. Just lure him in with a trail of puppies. Hey kids, did you see me on TV the other day? I was on "The Rugrats". Take a look.

LOL. That is so lame. Are "The Rugrats" still on TV? Okay, I am a New York Giants fan, right, but when it came down to The Patriots and The Jets on Sunday, I had to cheer for the Jets. And at the end of the game, when the Patriots lost, all was revealed. Patriots fans... Tom Brady is gay! Check it out.


And now, for the sad news.

Sargent Shriver
November 9, 1915 - January 18, 2011
Peace, corpse.
Don Kirshner
April 17, 1934 - January 17, 2011
He's lost that livin' feeling.

Last week I was supposed to put up the review to Gulliver's Travels, and totally forgot. Even though the movie has been out for a few weeks now, here is the review...




Who's In It: Jack Black, Amanda Peet, Emily Blunt, Jason Segel, Billy Connolly, Catherine Tate, Chris O'Dowd
The Basics: When a storm overtakes Gulliver's boat and washes him ashore Liliput, a land of tiny little people, he's not only a physical giant among them, he also creates a mythic godlike status for himself by manufacturing a personal history based on stolen movie plots. In their eyes he's combination of Han Solo, Leo in Titanic and Sam Worthington in Avatar. But an evil General conspires to eliminate Gulliver and sets in motion a series of events to expose his lies, events that somehow results in Gulliver battling a Transformer. If you're six years old it will all make perfect sense.
What's The Deal: As terrible kid's movies go, this one is just run-of-the-mill terrible, meaning that it does exactly what its target audience wants it to do and offers nothing in the way of entertainment to anyone else. The hero's journey, the generic and dated-by-2011 pop culture references, the blatant gag-stealing from movies like Shrek, the shoehorning of a giant fighting robot into the last act--none of it is for people old enough to read this review. It's a product for undemanding children to consume, one they'll forget pretty quickly after leaving the theater.
Jack Black, Executive Producer Of This Movie, Wants To Sing. Therefore, He's Going To Sing: Remember when he was in Tenacious D and he sang goofy songs and it was funny? Remember when he was in High Fidelity and he sang and it was funny? Well, your kids don't. So it's important that they learn about Jack Black's singing ability. And you needed reminding too. Doesn't matter that it's a bit just dropped into the back end of the movie for no good reason or that it's effectively a desperate running-time stretch, a lazy nonsense way to cap a lazy nonsense movie. It's the privilege of the executive producer to make these kinds of decisions.
Featuring The Wasted Talents Of: A lot of cool British comic actors like Catherine Tate, Chris O'Dowd and Billy Connolly. Emily Blunt plays Liliput's princess and she's got not much to do either; neither does Amanda Peet. And then there's the usually really funny Jason Segel, who tries his best to fake a Brit accent and comes off sounding worse than Kevin Costner in Robin Hood.
3D Or Not 3D: If you're obligated to take some children, find a theater where it's not screening in 3D. Nothing pops off the screen like you want. It's a ticket-inflating move. Save your cash.
My Score: It gets a five.


This is the 13th book to be pheatured in the P.P.B.C. The author Lynnette Porter will be a guest on the Phile next week.

And now for...

Today's guest is an English singer-songwriter and producer. She became the youngest person ever to receive a Make It Break It Award in October 2009, winning the UK national songwriting competition The Make It Break It Awards. Please welcome to the Phile... Alex Cheatle.


Me: Hello, Alex, welcome to the Phile. So, how are you?

Alex: I’m very well thank you. How are you?

Me: You're from England... I didn't realize that. I was born in London, Alex. What part of England are you from?

Alex: London’s great fun. Lots of my friends live there so I go down quite a bit, but I am from the Midlands.

Me: The Midlands? I lived in Oxford for three years and went to school in Burford. Where in the Midlands do you live?

Alex: Oh right. I'm from a small village in Leicestershire called Cold Overton.

Me: You are very young, Alex, the youngest to win an award. How old are you?

Alex: Ha, yes, I’m only sixteen.

Me: How long have you been singing? Did you always want to be a singer?

Alex: Since I was very small; I used to pretend I was a popstar and put on little shows for my family. They loved it! I have always wanted to be a part of the music world; whether thats being a performer, a songwriter or a producer, It wouldn’t matter, I would be perfectly happy doing any of these.

Me: Your music is very poppish. Who are your influences and idols? I have been hearing a lot about this Cheryl Cole from the UK, but she hasn't come over here yet. Do you know who she is?

Alex: I’m glad you think so. I try to write catchy music which people will enjoy. My influences span from the Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel and Joni Mitchell, to modern day LA it girl Sky Fereira. She’s only a couple of years older than me but shes an awesome songwriting talent, and I would kill for her wardrobe! Ah yes, Cheryl cole is an "X-Factor" judge and solo recording artist, but she is probably most well known for being a member of the British girl group Girls Aloud. She is also drop dead gorgeous - always in hair commercials. Britain is completely obsessed.

Me: You seem to be doing pretty well in the UK yourself, but do you have any plans on coming over to the States?

Alex: I would love to come to the States. My fans from the US keep telling me to! One day I will. Keep an eye out.

Me:
Have you been to America before?

Alex: Tragically no, I haven’t, but It has always been something I’ve wanted to do.

Me: I am a big fan of Robbie Williams, Alex, but not many people here in America seem to know who he is. What do you think of him?

Alex: Robbie is a music legend. He turned his live around after Take That’s split by writing the most amazing music. I couldn’t respect him more for proving to everyone who had written him off that they were wrong.

Me: If you could do a duet with him, would you? By the way, if you see him, tell him he has to be here on the Phile.

Alex: Definitely, It would be an honor. Haha, of course, next time I see him I’ll drop it into casual conversation, I promise.

Me: Alex, being so young, what do your parents and siblings think of your music and you being an up and coming pop star.

Alex: I keep my grades up in school so they are wonderfully supportive - they think its incredible I’ve done so well so young. My little sister is very cute; she knows all the words to my songs!

Me: Congrats on the Make It Or Break It Award. Tell the Phile readers what the award was, and did you win anything?

Alex: Thank you very much. It was a national music competition judged by EMI, hmv, XFM radio, and Coldplay’s frontman Chris Martin - who actually won it himself aged seventeen. I won an all expenses paid week at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts, played for a whole host of important people at the Make It Break It Award Ceremony, and recorded two of my songs at EMI this summer as part of the prize. It was the most amazing experience; I took so much from it.

Me: I read you did an acoustic show, Alex, do you like doing the stripped down set?

Alex: I enjoy a bit of both. Musically, Accoustic sets are a good thing to do because they show people my initial ideas on the piano or guitar, though having a band, stage and lighting effects, and a bit of sparkle is no bad thing either.

Me: You play guitar, is that right?

Alex: I do indeed. I taught myself.

Me:
Do you have a regular band that backs you up?

Alex: Not at the moment. Different bands back me up at each event, but hopefully if I get a bit bigger I will end up playing with the same group of people.

Me: You're gonna be playing the 02 Academy, right? You must be very nervous, Alex. How many people does that place hold?

Alex: Yes I am! I’ll admit it’s quite a daunting prospect due to prestige of the venue, but at the same time, I’ve never been more excited about a gig. I think it holds about 700 people.

Me: Let's talk about your music. Are you working on an album right now?

Alex: I’m working on the songs for my second album right now. They’ll be available to download online, so I’ll be sure to post links to the relevant pages on Myspace and Facebook.

Me: Your second album?! When did the first come out and what is it called?

Alex: It was called "Introducing Alex Cheatle" and it came out online last year. I'm really looking forward to the next album; so far its sounding more like the music I'm into. I'm having a lot of fun with it.

Me: Do you write all your songs yourself?

Alex: I tend to do everything by myself, though collaborations can be a lot of fun too. I’ve been lucky enough to work with some very talented people, who have become very talented friends.

Me: If a Phile reader wants to check out your music, where should they go, Alex?

Alex: Myspace is a good place to start: www.myspace.com/alexcheatle. I also have a Last. FM music profile where you can download some of my songs for free: www.last.fm/music/Alex+Cheatle.

Me: Anyway, I wish you lots of luck, and expect to see big things coming your way soon. When you make it big, can you come back on the Phile?

Alex: Thank you. Fingers crossed! It would be a pleasure.

Me: Take care, and I wish you luck. Why don't you go ahead and plug your website before you go?

Alex: Haha, well since you asked, if anyone would like to become a fan of me on Facebook they can do it here: www.facebook.com/pages/Alex-Cheatle/164488919493.

Me: Thanks again, Alex. take care, okay?

Alex: No problem. Thank you for having me. You too.




There, that about does it for another week's entry of the Phile. Thanks to Alex Cheatle for a great interview. I hope we hear more of her soon. The Phile will be back next Wednesday with the Peverett Phile Book Club author Lynnette Porter. In the meantime check out The Entertainment Guru at entertainmentgurunews.blogspot.com. Spread the word, not the turd. Don't let snakes and alligators bite you. Bye, love you, bye.






Thursday, January 13, 2011

Pheaturing Laura Bridget Regan From Bridget and the Squares

Hello, welcome to the Phile, I am your host, Charlie Sheen. Ha ha. I wish. Man, that guy is living the American dream, isn't he? Seriously, welcome to the Phile, where all this year we are celebrating 5 years of this blog. Five years... that's like half a decade. If you are under seven years old, make sure you are reading this blog with a 14 years old. The movie True Grit is doing very well at the box office, but I don’t know why. It doesn’t have any aliens, explosions, or karate, and it’s not even in 3-D. Hollywood is getting lazy trying to fool us with quality. The star of True Grit is Jeff Bridges. His movies are too good, too often. He needs to make a crappy movie about a cat that plays basketball or something. We’re 12 days into the new year. Today is the day that your Christmas lights have officially been up too long. Hey, Oprah’s new television channel, OWN, is up. Oprah said her mission for her new channel is to create a network that has mindful, not mindless, TV. She’s done it with shows like “Miracle Detectives” and “Anna & Kristina’s Grocery Bag.” I tried to find the new Oprah network, but my universal remote tried to kill itself. Verizon announced that they will start selling their version of the iPhone. This version will actually make calls. Celebrities used to get in trouble for throwing their cell phones at people, but nowadays the phones are so light that if someone threw a phone, you’d be like, “That’s cute.” I used to think phones would be built into everyday objects, like a shoe-phone or a watch-phone, but it’s gone the opposite way. Now everything is part of the phone, and if you lose it, you lose everything. You may as well change your name to Randy Quaid. Did you know that here in Florida there's no snow on the ground. Jealous? NASA released photos of a mysterious green blob floating out in space. Either that or someone sneezed on the telescope. Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger starts a speaking tour later this month. Tickets are selling for between $270 and $427. Imagine how much they would charge if he could actually speak. So, are you kids fan of Spongebob? Have you seen the new Spongebob ads? If not, check it out.


I don't understand it. And now for the first inspirational poster of 2011.


And now, from the home office in Port Jefferson, New York, here is this week's...

Did you guys watch any college football over the past few weeks? You know, there's a lot of different college bowl games that most people haven't heard of. Yeah, you know the Rose or Cotton, but did you know the lesser known bowls? No. That's good, because this week's topic is...
Top Ten Least Popular College Bowl Games
10. The Minnesota Collapsi-Bowl.
9. The Palin Bowl (both teams leave at halftime).
8. The Splenda Sugar Substitute Bowl.
7. The 70% Polyester / 30% Cotton Bowl.
6. The Manut Bowl.
5. The Siesta Bowl.
4. The Axl Rose Bowl.
3. The Dust Bowl.
2. Players With Actual College Credits Bowl.
And the number one least popular college bowl game is...
1. Boehner Orange Bowl.



Gerry Rafferty
April 16, 1947 - January 4, 2011
Gave up the booze and the one-night stands.
Anne Francis
September 16, 1930 - January 2, 2011
Born in the east, played Honey West, and has now officially gone south.



This is the 13th book to be pheatured in the P.P.B.C.

It's available on Amazon.com and the author Lynnette Porter will be a guest on the Phile in two weeks.



Today's guest is the lead singer for the New York based band Bridget and the Squares. Their new album "Still Life" is available now on iTunes and they'll be kicking off their tour tonight at R-Bar in New York City. Please welcome to the Phile... Laura Bridget Regan.

Me: Hello, Laura. Welcome to the Phile. So, how are you?

Laura: Just Dandy! Thanks for asking!

Me: You recently moved to New York City from Boston, right? What made you do that and where do you like better?

Laura: I moved to Brooklyn, NY in June of 2009. It was time for a change for me and in turn it really breathed new life into Bridget and the Squares. I had hit a wall in Boston and the only thing I could really do was leave. I needed to make a drastic change in order to be able to move forward. As far as liking one or the other better, I know might lose fans over this, but NY is the best thing that has ever happened to me and I love it here. I have found a true sense of self in NY and a happiness I never had in Boston. There is a lot of truth to the saying that if you make it here you can make it anywhere. Musicians are a dime a dozen here. It is validating to be a musician that stands out in a sea of other extremely talented people.

Me: Are you a sports fan? If you are you cannot like Boston teams while you live in the Big Apple.

Laura: I get a lot of shit for being a Red Sox/Pats fan here. That’s why I gave my Red Sox hat to my drummer. He’s from Vegas and doesn’t care. I’ve almost gotten into many physical fights over that hat. It’s safer on his head.

Me: Laura, I have to say I love your CD "Still Life" which I purchased off from iTunes. I wish there was a picture of you on the cover because then I would of ordered a physical copy. When did the CD come out and how long did it take to record it?

Laura: The CD was officially released in June of 2010 exactly a year after we recorded the entire record in one weekend at Soul Shop in Medford, MA with Elio Deluca.

Me: I loved the CD, Bridg. It's like listening to a female Ben Fold's. Who are your influences?

Laura: My influences are really all over the place. I listen to a lot of contemporary rock and pop these days but I love big band jazz, classic soul and R&B, and traditional blues/folk. My past influences were definitely Fiona Apple, Regina Spektor and Mr. Folds of course. But as of late I’ve been listening to a lot of Ida Maria, Frightened Rabbit, and Florence and the Machine. I also just discovered an amazing songwriter Jeremy Messersmith. I have fallen in love with his lyrics and he needs to move to NY and be my boyfriend. He’s probably married or something but since when did that matter?

Me: Is that you on piano? When did you start playing?

Laura: I started messing around on my grandmother’s organ in her attic when I was probably 6 years old. I used to write little songs by myself for hours. One day Nana was up there with me and she taught me the waltz. As you can tell, that sort of rocked my little 6 year old world and I continue to write in 3/4, 6/8 time a whole lot to this day. So I pretty much taught myself from a young age, but took lessons for a little while when I was 14, then continued to push myself and learn more throughout the years. I also play guitar and I actually had lessons on that instrument first when I was 11, but piano has always been my oldest and more dependable friend.

Me: Two songs really stick out for me. "There's A Ghost In My Pants" and "iFlab". Did you write both of those songs? Explain the writing process and meaning. By the way, there's a ghost in my pants as well.

Laura: All the songs on the record were written by me over the past 5 or 6 years. My writing process like everyone's writing process is unique to me I'm sure and probably seems crazy to other writers. I usually write the whole song, lyrics, chords, and melody, all at once and if it's not well on its way to being finished in 20mins I will probably never finish it or be satisfied with it. All of my best songs have been written spur of the moment and were finished and recorded on my laptop within an hour. “There Are Ghosts In My Pants” is a very dark song. I would be interested to know what you think it’s about. So tell me and we’ll go back to that one. “iFLAB” is about my ex who I was with for 4 years post college. He was the rock that I clung too when I was too afraid to swim to shore. Once I got up the courage, leaving him became the catalyst for everything in my life to change and take motion. We had to end our relationship for me to realize that I was strong enough to move forward on my own. iFLAB is about how he would never commit to a future with me. Looking back, thank god he had the foresight that I lacked because I never would have tried to succeed if I still had him as my security blanket.

Me: I have to ask you about your band, the Squares. Did you form the band in New York or Boston?

Laura: Bridget and the Squares did begin in Boston, but has reformed and been rejuvenated in NYC. There have been many many squares over the past 4 years. Some have been good friends, some have been hired guns, but currently they are solid bandmates and great friends and I don’t know what I would do without their ideas, opinions, and support.

Me: Who are the Squares anyway?

Laura: Aram Chekijan and I met serendipitously at a music industry night in Manhattan. He overheard me mention that I needed a bass player and he played bass. He came over to my apartment one day soon after with his upright bass and made me cry. Since then he has given me sound advice, been ridiculously reliable, and he is a groovy goddamn bass player. Honestly, I only went for the open bar, Aram was an added bonus. Kyle Thompson moved to NY one month before I did in 2009 and we found each other at the NYC Talent Show at Bowery Poetry Club. We started to collaborate over the summer of 2010 on a project that he will be starting up in 2011 called Kyle and The Animal. All of a sudden I needed a drummer for tour and he said he played drums. Luckily he wasn’t lying and turns out he is amazingly talented. We have probably the strongest musical relationship I’ve ever had with anyone in over 10 years of playing music. There are other guest Squares, Amanda Dellevigne from the band Night Fruit in Boston will be playing bass on tour with us in this month. I also have other various talented friends that are honorary squares here and there.

Me: And are they really square?

Laura: These squares are pretty hip I have to say, but the original squares really were total squares. They were mechanical engineers and they didn’t even drink! LAME. They are endearing wonderful gentlemen though and we’re still friends, square or not.

Me: Any chance you'll be hitting Florida on this tour?

Laura: Awww... sorry too far south for this tour I’m afraid.

Me: Atlanta is not that far from here, you know.

Laura: Do you want to pay for the extra days on the rental car?

Me: So, what is next? Are you planning another album already?

Laura: We plan on doing a music video next for the track “Left for Dead” off of "Still Life". I also want to perform a lot more consistently and plan another tour for next fall. I think 2012 will be the next album. But I do already have enough for a new album. Maybe we’ll do an EP sometime next year... we’ll see.

Me: Laura, I wish you a lot of luck and you are welcomed on the Phile anytime. I know you have a Myspace site, do you have a Facebook site as well?

Laura: We are developing a website so keep an eye on bridgetandthesquares.com and Like our facebook page too! http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bridget-and-the-Squares/63657475420

Me: Continued success and keep writing. You definitely have an amazing talent, and I will keep looking forward to new Bridget & The Squares music.

Laura: Thanks so much for finding us! I hope you keep enjoying our music! We would love to chat again anytime!


There you go, that about does it. Thanks to Laura Bridget Regan for a great interview. Try to see them in concert this month. And thanks to you, the reader. The Phile will be back next Wednesday, not Thursday, with upcoming British pop star Alex Cheatle. Then the following week the guest will be author Lynnette Porter. So, spread the word, not the turd. Don't let snakes and alligators bite you. Bye love you, bye.





Picture by Jeff Trelewicz.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

The Phifth Anniversary Special

Hello, and welcome pholks to the Phifth Anniversary special entry of the Phile. Thanks for stopping by. So, how do you like the new look and the new logo? That's an exploding bottle of beer by the way. No, really. This is not only the 5th anniversary of this blog, but it's also the 5th anniversary of ICan'tBelieveHeHasABlog.blogspot.com. You know what's weird, thinking back to 2006, the year I started this thing, Kramer and Mel Gibson got in trouble for racial slurs, Paul McCartney and Heather Mills filed for divorce and Lindsay Lohan really started to party too much. This blog was hardly the years biggest mistake. The first entry of the Phile was published on January 8th, 2006, and since then I posted 345 entries and have done 169 interviews. It started out on AOL Journals and later when AOL shut down that part, I switched over to blogspot. I still don't know if it's pronounced blog spot or blogs pot. You know, looking
back over my past entries if I knew you guys would read this every week I would of planned a better blog. I'm sorry. I have written the blog every week or so for the last five years. It's funny, I couldn't even last at the Magic Kingdom for five days. In the first entry of the Phile, I didn't know what to do, so I told a few jokes. So, here once again, are the same few jokes I told in the very first entry of the Phile.

Q: What do you call a dead blonde in the closet? A: The hide-and-seek champion of 2001.

Q: If moms have Mother's Day and dads have Father's Day, what do single guys have? A: Palm Sunday.

Q: What is Kate Moss' favorite TV program? A: Whose Line Is It Anyway?

From the home office in Port Jefferson, New York, here is this week's...


Top Ten Ways I, Jason Peverett, Am Celebrating the Phile's Fifth Anniversary
10. Same as every night: guzzle cooking sherry and watch arena football.
9. March into Soarin' and announce, "The fastpasses are on me!"
8. Dinner and dancing with Charlie Sheen's hooker.
7. Put party hats on my twin Sharpeis, Willie and Waylon.
6. Macarena! Macarena! Macarena!
5. Spend entire day alone in bedroom "chilling out" to Pink Floyd.
4. Plant a tree for each and every beautiful reader who has ever graced this fine blog.
3. Just for the hell of it, order another bombing raid on Iraq.
2. Have a giant "5" tattooed on my ass.
And the number one way I am celebrating the Phile's fifth anniversary...
1. Smokin', drinkin', scorin'. Oh, sorry, that's what I won't be doing.


Okay, kids, in the past 160 or so entries I have interviewed some very cool people. And for the fifth anniversary entry I wanted to do something different and cool. So, I asked past guests who I interviewed on the Phile to ask me a question. They could ask me anything they wanted. So, today's guest is a bunch of fine folk who have been guests on the Phile. Thanks to everyone who took part.

Marc Savoie: What inspired you to create The Peverett Phile?

Me: Good question to start of with. I always wanted to be a host of a radio show or have my own chat show but as I sound like a retarded Kermit the Frog, I knew that wouldn't happen. So, the internet and blogging is the next best thing.

Marc Savoie: What is your favorite Foghat song?

Me: Hmmmm. Most people expect me to say "Slow Ride" as that's the money making song, but I have to say one of my favorite Foghat songs has to be "Delayed Reaction" as I remember like it was yesterday my dad working on the lyrics in the kitchen.

Marc Savoie: How many records do you own?

Me: Not that many as I don't have a record player, but I do spend a lot of money on buying songs on iTunes. Thank you, Marc, for some good questions. Next is Fogdan.

Fogdan: 5 years. That is very cool. I still check in and read you stuff. And I think you are great at it... As for a question I kinda know but I think your readers might like to know. Was journalism your first choice or being your dad was Lonesome Dave you did not go the music route? I know more than one but I think it would be great to share with the readers.

Me: That's funny, Dan, only recently people have said I was a journalist, which is really cool. I guess I am in a modern type way. I didn't go into music as I don't play an instrument and I cannot sing to save myself. I got screwed over with that stuff. My sister's are more talented when it comes to that. Hell, even my son Logan is. I always love to write so I guess this blog takes care of that hobby. Also, interviewing musicians such as yourself keeps me in the music business somehow.

Tish Meeks: Who is the most interesting person you've ever interviewed?

Me: This is gonna sound like a cop out answer, Tish, but everybody is interesting in someway.

Roland Rat: Whot got ya so interested in television and talkin' to tv personalities? LUV ROL.

Me: Roland, I haven't really interviewed too many tv personalities. The first interview I did was Jill Wagner from "Wipe Out" and that was just a fluke to see if I can actually get people to answer back and let me interview them. I asked a lot of tv people to be interviewed but only a few took part. Yourself and Melissa Joan Hart are two I could think of right now. I would love to talk to more in the future though.

Bobby Rondellini: My question to you is what was it like growing up with a rock star father?

Me: Pretty damn cool. The older I got the more I appreciated it. It's crazy now looking back, as when I was growing up it seemed so normal. I wonder what Logan will say when someone asks him in 30 years what it was like growing up with a father who worked at Disney for so long. I will say one thing, we were spoilt as kids, living in such big houses and getting so many things. It makes me want to give my son so much. And thanks to my dad's music, I can.

Jeff Cameron: Who would you most like to interview that you haven't yet and what is your favorite album by Foghat?

Me: LOL. I was expecting a really crazy answer from Jeff. I would like to interview soooooo many people. My blog is posted weekly so that's a lot of people I have to try and get in touch with and interview a year. I have a top secret top five list of my dream list of people I want to interview and there's four left. One of them was Graham Parker who I interviewed twice. As far as my favorite Foghat album goes, that is "Tight Shoes".

Patricia Cox: I have a question: Regarding your sense of humor: Were you born with it? Was it the result of a tragic childhood accident? Did you commit your life to developing it out of a humorless void of seriousness? What's the story?

Me: My family always had a great sense of humor, so I guess it is in my upbringing, Patricia. I always wanted to be funny in school as I never knew how to act. In fact, the same goes with my work life. Most funny people like comedians use comedy to hide their true feelings, which I do all the time. And seriously, I am really a miserable bastard sometimes. But no one wants to read a miserable blog.

Leah West: You have a free round-trip plane ticket to anywhere in the world and it's the last plane trip of your life. Where do you go?

Me: Speaking of miserable, that's depressing, Leah. My last plane trip of my life. I would have to say back to England. And why would it be the last plane trip of my life? Am I dying? LOL. Hey, does the Playboy Mansion have a landing strip?

Gabrielle Louise: What aspects of your upbringing seeded your interest in things creative?

Me: Having a creative father of course, Gabrielle.

Gabrielle Louise: Do you play a musical instrument?

Me: I used to play drums but haven't in a long time. I do play a kazoo though.

Gabrielle Louise: How important do you think the audience should be to the artist?

Me: Very important, because without the audience the artist can only do so much. I say in every interview that I download my interviewees music from iTunes, even if I am not the biggest fan, because I feel that's the least I can do after someone agrees to be interviewed. It takes time to come up with questions, and it takes time for that person to answer the questions, so as a thank you I purchase their music.

John Bentley: An unattested language from which a group of attested languages, in this case those of the Slavic, Germanic, Romance and other families, are thought to be historically derived, for what do the letters P.I.E stand?

Me: Ummmmm. I don't know, but I do know what W.T.F. stands for.

John Bentley: Okay, Jason, here's a more sensible question! Which of all the interviews you have conducted over the last 5 years, has caused the most controversy? Peace.

Me: None, which kinda disappoints me as controversy will get my blog more hits. By the way, I only started doing interviews on the Phile on December 6th, 2008. I will tell you what caused the most controversy, some remarks and jokes I told.

Joy Ike: What has been your favorite interview on your blog and why? You don't have to say me... hehe.

Me: Man, Joy, there's so many. The first has to be Graham Parker because I am such a big fan and was and still shocked I got to interview him... not once but twice. I think three times will be pushing it. Billy Dee William's was another as he is such a star and I was so freakin' nervous because that one was done in person. Roland Rat was another, which only myself and my sister Leila would understand. And perhaps the first, Jill Wagner, because once I heard back from her through Myspace and got to do her interview, I knew I could do this.

Danny Goldberg: Who is your favorite currently living blues guitarist?

Me: Buddy Guy.

Jon Tiven: If you were a vegetable, which one would you be?

Me: The one in a wheelchair. LOL. Probably a carrot as I am tall and have red hair.

Joseph Skinner: What celebrity have you wanted to interview most or have a beer with?

Me: God, there's so many celebrities I could mention, Joe. It'll be easier to say who I wouldn't wanna interview? Have a beer with? Kelly Clarkson, Reese, Kirsten Dunst, I think Sarah Palin would be fun...

Charlyne Yi: What's 2 x 2?

Me: Phour.

Leila Peverett: Who were you the most surprised to get a response back from?

Me: Pretty much everybody, Leila. I thought I would only get a response back from a few people, but 169 interviews later... and some people I interviewed actually came back on the Phile as Alumni.

Leila Peverett: Have there been any interviewees who answered the questions but you didn't post because they were so boring? You don't have to name names!

Me: No, because if I did that from the beginning I wouldn't of posted the whole Dexter Romweber interview. LOL. Once in a while interviewees would skip a question they thought wasn't worth answering and I don't blame them, I ask some stupid questions sometimes.

Leila Peverett: What made you start the blog in the first place?

Me: I thought it would be fun, but when I started I had no idea what I was doing. Check out the archives from 2006 and onwards. Second thought, I still don't know what I am doing.

Leila: Lastly, how do you get in contact with those that you interview?

Me: All depends. Myspace, Facebook, their websites, publicists, management. Also, recently past guests have recommended other people I should interview.

Mark Edlitz: Which "Sesame Street" would you most like to be stranded with on a deserted island and why? Happy 5th Anniversary!

Me: Kermit, as he would be a great person or frog to talk to.





Well, that about does it for this slightly different entry of the Phile. Thanks to everybody for supporting the blog for the last five years. Thanks also to the 17 or so people who came back to the Phile to ask me a question. I also want to thank my wife Jen and my son Logan for letting me sit up in my office for two to three hours every week on my days off to put this thing together, and to all your readers who read it every single week. It's gonna be a banner year on the Phile I hope, and I hope in five years time I will be posting a 10th anniversary entry. The Phile will be back next Thursday back with the Bridget, the lead singer from Bridget & The Squares. Remember, spread the word, not the turd. Don't let snakes and alligators bite you. Bye, love you, bye.