Hey, kids, welcome to the Phile for a Thursday, this is the last summer 2019 entry as well. It's almost fall in Florida, know what the means? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. It's still 90 degrees outside. Alright, before I start with this I have to mention something that I forgot to mention on Monday's entry. Well, I kinda did when I mentioned under the pheature "Someone Famous Has Died" that Phile Alum Eddie Money passed away. He was on the Phile almost a year ago on October 11th last year. He was one of the best interviews I have done and the phone call we had before the interview was one of the most craziest phone calls I ever had in my life. Eddie will be missed and I was really hoping to have him on the Phile again soon. Anyway, here's the link to the interview with Eddie i case you haven't read it or wanna read it again...
thepeverettphile.blogspot.com/2018/10/pheaturing-eddie-money.html?m=0.
Okay, let's talk about Brett Kavanaugh, because Democratic candidates are calling for his impeachment. While Brett Kavanaugh would like nothing more then to enjoy his cushy lifetime job of rubber-stamping Trump's agenda and taking rights away from women and working people, a New York Times report reignited the conversation on how his judicial opinions aren't the only shitty thing about him. Over the weekend, the Times published a piece that had a one-two punch of confirming Deborah Ramirez's allegation that Kavanaugh shoved his penis in her face at a party, and highlighting just how much of a sham the FBI investigation into these claims were. Senator Chris Coons said that a constituent called his office with the information about Kavanaugh last fall, and that the FBI refused to follow up. At his confirmation hearings, Kavanaugh didn't say, "I was a drunken bro in high school and college but I have changed! Mea culpa!" Instead, he said, "every single person with something to say about me is LYING," which means that he lied under oath. The Times also reported... and then retracted... a third episode, in which Kavanaugh allegedly pulled down his pants and pushed his penis onto a woman's hand. The retraction didn't end the conversation about his potential impeachment, however. Many presidential candidates are saying that he's gotta go. Double the impeachments, double the fun.
On September 11th, anti-vaxxers gathered in Sacramento to hold a vigil for all of the people allegedly killed by vaccines. However, at least one of the photos they displayed at the vigil was quickly called out for being a stock photo. Check this out...
Earlier this year, Ethan J. Lindenberger went viral after he testified before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee about his personal decision to get himself vaccinated despite growing up in an anti-vaxx home. Rather than solely placing the blame on his mother, who Lindenberger believed was truly doing what she thought was best, he called out the social media companies and social media websites profiting off misinformation. Given Lindenberger's role as an outspoken pro-vaccine activist, the use of his photo at the vigil for people "killed" by vaccines feels extra wild. People were quick to point out how sloppy it was to include stock photos and photos of public figures in the vigil. After Lindenberger's tweet went viral, anti-vaxxers started cropping the photo to cut out his picture. However, even the cropped version still included a stock photo. A lot of the comments on Lindenberger's thread jokingly grieved him. Of course, it's entirely possible the inclusion of Lindenberger's photo was a pointed commentary on the loss of his soul, and how he is now dead to the anti-vaxx community. Luckily, Lindenberger is very much alive and well, actively fighting the spread of conspiracy theories. Unluckily, so is the misinformation fueling the anti-vaxx movement.
Somebody, somewhere, thought this was a good idea. Bstroy is a brand that pretentiously describes itself as a "Neo-Native Menswear Design House," and that's not the worst thing about them. The worst thing about them is that they debuted a line of school shooting-themed sweatshirts, complete with names of the sites of massacres and fake bullet holes to drive the point home. Models strutted down the runway representing Columbine, Sandy Hook, and Stoneman Douglas, where a combined 56 people were murdered in cold blood. The family of Vicki Soto, a teacher who was murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary School, commented that the sweatshirt is "absolutely disgusting, hurtful, wrong, and disrespectful," articulating that "our pain is not to be used for your fashion." A survivor of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida wrote, "to make money off of something pathetic like this is disgusting... there's so much trauma with [not] only myself but with thousands of other people who have experienced gun violence." Taken at face value, these "fashion statements" are absolutely abysmal, and if you think about it for three seconds, they're even worse. Hoodies with bullet holes can't help but conjure the image of Trayvon Martin, the young black boy killed on the street by George Zimmerman, who was scared of his hoodie. After the tragedy, hoodies became a symbol of the Black Lives Matter movement, and adding bullet holes to them for fashion purposes is pretty fucked up. Not only has the line been condemned by people affected by gun violence, it's not a hit with fashion insiders either, and that's got to hurt. Bstroy has yet to release a statement, but there's no doubt it's going to be something like "we just wanted to raise awareness of gun violence!" With multiple mass shootings a month, I'm pretty sure that Americans are well aware of mass shootings.
Sean Spicer, the propagandist whose greatest hits in the White House include gaslighting everyone about the size of Donald Trump's inauguration crowd and saying that Hitler didn't gas anybody, made his "Dancing with the Stars" debut on Monday night. One might assume that Spicey joined the show to cleanse himself of the Trump stench and make a hardy six-figure sum, but he posted on Twitter that he's actually dancing on television on a mission from Jesus, to stand up for Christians everywhere. The Lord works in mysterious ways, and here's what standing for Christ looks like to Old Spice...
The image of Spicer dancing in the puffy shirt from "Seinfeld," dipped into nuclear waste, has become a symbol for society's willingness to forgive fascists if they're funny. The Democratic Party has even chimed in on the matter.
Spicer's betting that if you see him shimmy, you'll forget that he defended the Muslim Ban. To quote Sean Spicer, "Jesus Christ."
Dead men tell no tales. Not only is that the name of the fifth Pirates of the Carribean movie, it's also a lesson that a reporter recently learned when they were exploring the consequences of a car crash. Journalist Sara Welch was on the scene in Anaheim, California when she had an unfortunate slip of the tongue, and the show was live, unlike the car crash victim. Welch said, "We tried to reach out to the man who died in this pursuit, they were unavailable for comment." I, for one, think that it's impressive that the reporter wanted to take the extra mile in hosting a séance and summoning a spirit to explain their perspective on a fatal accident. People mourned what could have been the local station's life-changing scoop, had she been able to contact the undead. The video is seven seconds long, but provides at least seventy seconds of satisfaction.
Are you following this Antonio Brown story? I know I'll be talking about football in a minute with Jeff but I have to say Antonio Brown better enjoy playing on the Patriots because this might be his team next week...
When I saw this pic of Cam Newton it reminded me of something...
Then it hit me...
Cam Newton looks like the wicked witch of Hobby Lobby. If I had a TARDIS I would go back in time and meet a young Eli Manning and we would just hang out...
Okay, enough about football for a minute... let's talk about Trump. A recency Trump-appointed judge has just found Donald Trump completely innocent of all SharpieGate charges... well ahead of any investigation, actual charges or trial. "His hands were simply too large to use a Sharpie." the judge wrote. He even has proof...
Hahahahahaha. That makes me laugh. Hey, it's Thursday, you know what that means...
Jeff: Hey, Jason, always glad to be back here on the Phile! I'm doing alright. How about yourself?
Me: I'm doing good. So, I have a feeling we are gonna be talking about Antonio Brown a lot this NFL season. Antonio Brown is now being accused of multiple sexual assaults and rape. The accuser is Britney Taylor, who filed a lawsuit against the newly signed Patriots WR for sexually assaulting and raping in three separate incidents, and is saying she even took, and passed, a polygraph test to further validate her claims. What do you think will come of this?
Jeff: Unfortunately, yes. I have a feeling we will be discussing Antonio Whinybaby Brown on a weekly basis. As far as the sexual assault claims, right now they are only that. Claims. The interesting thing is she's only suing him for money not in a criminal case. Which makes it look bad on her case. I'm not saying he did or didn't do it. I know she met with the NFL to discuss it. There's no word as of this writing that they plan to suspend him while they look into the case. If he's guilty, then yes that changes everything. But we have to remember that, innocent until proven guilty no matter what a douchebag he is. And make no mistake about it, he is. If he is found guilty, he will be suspended.
Me: Let's talk about the saddest news of the week... shall we? After a 0-2 start to the season and pressure due to a good showing from top pick Daniel Jones in preseason, the New York Giants are benching longtime QB Eli Manning in favor for the rookie. Though it’s not likely the Giants will trade Manning, the possibility is there with the shortage of quarterbacks due to a plethora of injuries just two weeks into the new season. Eli’s career record with the Giants stands at 116-116 and gets paid $17 million for two weeks of work. I'm pissed they couldn't wait until after Sunday's game against the Bucs that I will be at. Anyway, is this a good idea or bad idea?
Jeff: You think that's the saddest news? At least Eli can still play... nevermind. You had to know that when the Giants took a QB as early as they did, they were looking to replace Eli sooner rather than later. Jones looked really good in the preseason. So yeah, starting off 0-2 with a veteran QB and a young QB in the wings, I do think it was time. If not this distraction of "will they bench Eli this week" would have been a distraction all season long. if Jones struggles with the first team, they could always go back and make Eli the starter. Though yes, the Giants should have totally consulted with you before making the change. How dare they...
Me: I will say... heroes. Because without them, Tom Brady would have eight Super Bowl rings. Let's talk about your Steelers... The Steelers will now try to make it through 2019 without all three of their stars. After suffering an elbow injury during Pittsburgh’s 28-26 loss to Seattle, Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger has been ruled out for the season. Do you think Big Ben will call it quits after this point?
Jeff: Big Ben has released a statement saying he plans on honoring the rest of his contract so he said he will play next season, but in what regards might not be up to him. Mason Rudolph was drafted to eventually replace Ben, but the Steelers didn't expect it to be this season. The Steelers over the course of the offseason and first two weeks of the regular season lost all 3 of the Killer Bs. Two of them needed to go, But let's be honest, we didn't look good the first week. We weren't looking great the second week. So this gives the offense a chance to get a whole lot younger with Juju, Connor and Rudolph.
Me: Also, Minkah Fitzpatrick requested a trade last week and the Miami Dolphins granted him that wish by trading him to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a 2020 first round pick, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. What are your thoughts on this?
Jeff: I like the trade. It's always hard to give up a first round pick, but Fitzpatrick is young enough (only in his second year) that it's like getting a rookie. The secondary has been an issue for Pittsburgh for years. Hopefully he can help fix that for a bit!
Me: What NFL news do you have?
Jeff: As we have previously discussed, the starting QB's in the NFL are falling and they are falling fast. It started with Foles in Jacksonville. Sam Darnold of the New York Jets has mono and could be out for a while. Even his back up got injured in week 2 on MNF Drew Brees of the Saints is out for possibly as much as six weeks. We've discussed Ben already. It's a mess out there!
Me: Yeah, and Nick Foles is hurt and repacked by a man who looks like a pornographer. It is longer safe to be a quarterback, unless you're Vampire Tom Brady. So, America has team back another team from the British and made the team even more patriotic. Check it out...
Jeff: Not that I'm one to argue... okay, I am totally one to argue but shouldn't that be the Washington D.C. House of Freedom? I mean I know the Redskins barely look like an NFL team but then again either does the team out of Miami. They had a wide receiver duck when the ball was thrown at him on Sunday!
Me: Hahaha. Alright, so, how did we do last week? Is it still a tie?
Jeff: With both our teams sitting at 0-2 it was up to us to break the tie with our predictions. And we failed to do that. We both went 1-1 once again, so we are still tied as we go into week 3.
Me: That's good. Let's do this week's picks. I say Chiefs by 6 and the Pats will beat the Jets by 26. Hahaha. And I hope the Giants beat the Bucs. What do you pick?
Jeff: My picks for the week are Packers by 6 and since you're going by a yuge number, I will match. Dallas will beat Miami by 19!
Me: Alright, Jeff, I will see you back here on the Phile next Thursday.
Jeff: Good luck to Daniel Jones and Mason Rudolph. See you next week.
If you spot the Mindphuck let me know. Alright, there's this famous singer from the 70s who likes to pop into the Phile once in a while. Please welcome back to the Phile...
Me: Hey, Harry, how is it going?
Harry: It's going good. I was recognized the other day!
Me: Yay! That's great. Where and how?
Harry: This guy on an escalator said to me, "Hey, are you Harry Webb?" I said, "Yes." He said, "You still sing?" I said, "Yes, quite often him." He said, "But you're not that recognizable!" I said, "I'm not sure what that means... but you recognized me, so here we are."
Me: Haha. What did he say then?
Harry: He just had a blank stare. Then the escalator ended.
Me: That's funny.
Harry: Sure is. Alright, I have to drive to my gig tonight.
Me: Where are you playing, Harry?
Harry: The Dutch Motel in Tampa. Cheerio.
Me: See ya, Harry. Have a good gig. Harry Webb, kids.
Parenting gets you into some sticky situations. Now for some sad news...
Cokie Roberts
December 27th, 1943 — September 17th, 2019
Her full name was Mary Martha Corinne Morrison Claiborne Roberts. I'd have probably gone with Cokie too. Just because it was long. Not because of what you are thinking about me right now.
Ric Ocasek
March 23rd, 1949 — September 15th, 2019
He was lead singer for a band named the Cars. Their big hit was the song "Drive." What were the odds?
The 105th book to be pheatured in the Phile's Book Club is...
Ben will be the guest on the Phile a week from today... next Thursday.
A married man and his secretary were having a torrid affair. One afternoon they couldn't contain their passion, so they rushed over to her place where they spent the afternoon making passionate love. When they were finished, they fell asleep, not waking until 8 o'clock that night. They got dressed quickly. Then the man asked his secretary to take his shoes outside and rub them on the lawn. Bewildered, she did as he asked, thinking him pretty weird. The man finally got home and his wife met him at the door. Upset, she asked where he'd been. The man replied, "I can not tell a lie. My secretary and I are having an affair. Today we left work early, went to her place, spent the afternoon making love, and then fell asleep. That's why I'm late." The wife looked at him, took notice of his shoes, and yelled, "I can see those are grass stains on your shoes. YOU LIAR! You've been playing golf again, haven't you?"
Today's pheatured guest is an American actor, singer, songwriter, and comedian. He is perhaps best known as the film noiresque spokesman for Geico insurance. best-known movie credits include two castings as writer/actor/director/producer Edward Burns's brother in the 1995 movie The Brothers McMullen and 1996's She's the One with Jennifer Aniston. Please welcome to the Phile... Michael McGlone.
Me: Hey, Michael, welcome to the Phile. How are you?
Michael: I'm good, Jason, thank you very much.
Me: Okay, so, I have to explain to the readers how you got to be here... you read my interview with Yusuf/Cat Stevens a while ago and sent me a message saying you liked it. I have seen you on TV before, like on "Person of Interest." Anyway, I didn't realize you were a musician as well. Is Cat Stevens a big influence of yours? Are you a big fan of his?
Michael: I would say first probably anything I've ever felt was good music particularly has influenced me and inspired me in some way. I would say specifically Cat Stevens is part of my specific inspirations since I was growing up when I first discovered him in my teens I believe it was. I was enamored with his words, the sound of his voice, his compositions, and they have stayed with me through my duration of my musical career, whether it's in the forefront of my thoughts or back in the subconscious. All of the influences like Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Elvis Presley, Gordon Lightfoot, they all exist and all inspire in some way to improve my songwriting and my musical experience.
Me: You have quite a few albums yourself, right?
Michael: Yeah, three full albums presently and an EP and numerous singles and there's more to come.
Me: Cool. What age did you want to become an actor, Michael?
Michael: Well, I'll tell you, I was born to do everything I'm doing, I'm convinced of that. When I grew up it was so readily clear to me that doing all these things brought me such joy. I very naturally had the thought that I would pursue all of these things. In high school it became more full frontally conscious for me and in my senior year the decision was to either go into college and study literature or go into college and be a theater programmer. I chose the theater program and that was I would say probably the more conscious step toward the more professional occupation that would become the case. I do believe it was my destiny and it was just a matter of these things being revealed to me as they were. I spent one year in college and found that environment wasn't for me. I moved on the summer following my first year. Then about I'd say about nine or twelve months later I had the good fortune to get my first film which was The Brothers McMullen, which Ed Burns wrote, directed and starred in with me as one of the brothers. That was a great success for us.
Me: I never seen The Brothers McMullen, but I did see Ed Burns' movie with Jon Bon Jovi... No Looking Back. Anyway, how did you get that part in the movie?
Michael: Well, I'll tell you, I got it with it's consistent with nature being a guerrilla of film that came from grassroots. Through Backstage, there was an ad in that very notable actors trade paper in New York one Wednesday. I believe it came out on Wednesday's. I think I picked it up on the first day it was available and looked in and found this film then called The McMullen Brothers. He then changed it and put "brothers" in front of "McMullen" because that was a little more mellifluous. I put in a headshot and I remember actually not hearing back for a number of weeks. That project had stayed with me as it seemed so right for me. I had this question how with a name like Michael McGlone I don't get a phone call. It turned out that they were in need of doing other things first and they were going to call me. They did call, I came in for an audition with Eddie, it weren't very well. I was the first person to audition for that film. I don't know if you know but Eddie once told that story in a very complimentary way. I came in and he said I have my audition and I left and he thought based on what I did this was going to be so easy. People will just come in and nail it. Later he said it wasn't the same with everyone else, and there was something special that happened that day. Indeed I only return the compliment, Eddie wrote a project that was almost custom made for me. It certainly was costumed made for him. I'm very grateful for his talent, his gifts, and our chemistry on screen, which is a big part of what people told me that love about those movies. How easily they believed we were brothers and now the banter back and forth is so enjoyable to see. That's what grew up with with my own brothers, and that's why when I looked at the script I was so ready to go in and do it accurately because it was written so well, so appropriately to my history.
Me: Was fun to work with Ed? I take it it was.
Michael: Eddie's gift for writing is so immense. He crafted it so well. Because actually having that experience having that kind of banter with friends and putting it in a movie and making it compelling for 90 minutes is a completely different thing. I have to have a great gift in order to do that and he has it, he's a wonderful writer.
Me: When that movie came out did it help your career move along?
Michael: It was at the Sundance Festival when I started to feel the intensity of intention. I can't speak specifically for the others but I will say it seemed to follow the same path as them. I think Eddie was in touch with the people who were in destiny of the film and his career before it went to Sundance because there were some conversations that were set up before it even showed there. For me it wasn't until I was at Sundance and agents and other entertainment executives were seeing the film and started to pursue me. I got my first, probably most substantial agency contract from that and from that force my career and began to blossom in ways that before that it hadn't yet. So it was a launching pad, Sundance Film Festival for all of us and the film itself.
Me: When that movie came out did you keep your head on the ground?
Michael: I don't know if I did, man. I believe I thought I was ready for the level of success occurred more than I was. I believed in ego that I was ready for everything that was happening or that would happen, etc. I find in retrospect I don't know of that's entirely true. I compartmented myself in certain situations quite well and in others I was in many ways reacting to a confusion. I don't really believe in confusion but I was compelled to the illusion of confusion in that time feeling that I was at a loss of what to do. I didn't know what to do inside emotionally all of the things that were happening to me. In abusive drinking and some other personal things that weren't necessary positive. Only years later did I realize that was a function of this growth that happened for me. In only happened in that trial by fire process. I could only go through it the way I went through, there was no other way for me to do it. I'm blessed that I was able to come out the other side and get sober and then years later stop smoking, find other things that would up lift me and give me the feeling of greatness that I believe we all are entitled too. I look back and I had such fabulous memories of the darkness and the lightness that happened, because they are both in service of the above institution that's in my life now.
Me: What was it like when you went from a small independent movie to a bigger movie like She's The One? I think I saw that movie.
Michael: It's almost a completely diametrically opposed experience. One minute I'm in total obscurity looking in the paper for ads, and the next I'm feeling phone calls from celebrities that I love watching and having meetings with them, etc. So it's an extreme difference of experience.
Me: What was the difference doing The Brothers McMullen and the bigger budget She's The One? I'm guessing the food. Hahaha.
Michael: Well, I have to say with respect to Eddie's mother that it's possible the craft was even better on The Brothers McMullen because she was supplying it. In honor of her giving us that food, that home cooked food when we were in the house, I will say there were days when that was actually superior. It was really a charming experience in a lot of ways and the fact it was so homegrown is one of the reasons.
Me: What made you do She's The One? Was it the script, working with Eddie again, woking with Jennifer Aniston...?
Michael: Eddie wrote to for me. He wrote the role with me in mind. There were all kinds of happy facts about that movie for me.
Me: What kind of roles did you want to do at that time in your career?
Michael: You know what, man, I will tell you that foe me the scripts did always the most important thing. If the writing is there then that's great. If there are roles that are better than others for a different individual, their personal taste or artistic, though the script is the thing always first for me. At that time it was as true as it is now, the script for She's the One was there and the scripts for other projects was there, the script wasn't there on some other ones, but because I wanted to work and wanted a pay check I would take it seriously. I wasn't under the influence of any thought process, let's do this character or let's do that character, at that time. I found what came was the right thing and when things were coming that was also the right thing, because it afforded me time for other pursuits. So to look at why aren't things happening I had to do something to change that. Everything was in total alignment even though it didn't always seem to be.
Me: When did you start picking up the guitar?
Michael: I was given the guitar as a gift when I think I was 12 or 13-years-old. As I think with many young people they as for a gift and they don't use it. I think I used it the first day I got it. I put it away and didn't touch it for weeks.
Me: When did you start songwriting then?
Michael: Later when I started performing with bands I found I also wanted to create songs of my own. Singing happened in many ways before my songwriting. I started singing when I was about 7-years-old. I listened to Elvis Presley, my father would put an LP of Elvis Presley on, and I was enamored on how he sounded and how he looked, that I stated singing his sings. I then realized I could sing and I continued to do that. Then later as a function of wanting to write songs, and out my poetry which I was writing to music, I taught myself how to play guitar with the help of friends that were in bands who showed me chords and I would just drill the chords. I wrote a song with the chords until it felt right and sounded right. I started writing songs more seriously in my teens. Then starting making records after the acting career. It was in 1998 I recorded my first record, but I've been writing songs many years after that.
Me: When you make a movie and it's not as successful as you think it'll be do you get surprised? Or when a movie is successful?
Michael: I don't know why things happen and I have to let that go. There is not a way sometimes to manage expectations. They could be so effortless, something I think this is going to be big. It's different for me now though, I'm not sure that the same things happen for me that I get emotionally involved in films because there's been so much experience with certain things I don't know what will happens and they end up exploding. Others that I think are going to explode and they don't, I can't really invest my thoughts and my feelings. The only thing I can take control of is how hard I'm going to work and going to persist.
Me: Okay, so, I have to ask you about this project you are working on called "Kenny the Gun." What is that?
Michael: It's a show that I've created. And in and we are currently in the process of selling. With no arrogance or egotistical bases do I tell you you will see this on your television screen because my commitment to it is such that I am going to see that through. That's not an expectation, it's a commitment and it's also me the creator of a television show rather than someone who is in a cast or in a show that someone else has more of the control of destiny.
Me: You wrote novels before, so is writing the show easy for you or hard?
Michael: I don't look at it being difficult or easy, it's just a matter of wanting to do it. I found that when I wrote my first book I thought it was finished and published and years later I thought oh my goodness, I can't believe that was finished. Then I went back and I revised it very, very substantially. It happens at varied levels. I believe that my proficiency in writing in other forms has been proven to what goes on for me with the show. I have found that there is a difference in how they're expressed and how hey work in the two ways. But I want to create some connection between them, and that would be in terms of story. I need the story, it has to be compelling on a level that I invested, I'm interested and I'm maintaining a passionate involvement. If that's not true it's probably not a good idea to involve others in the same way. I found they do definitely serve each other.
Me: So, where did the character come from?
Michael: He, Kenny the Gun, was a character that was born of a desire to amuse my cast mates on the set of The Bone Collector. That's where this character came from. There's no story behind it consciously. He's just this over the top guy who makes people smile because he has a big personality. I call him Kenny the Gun, and I don't know exactly where that came from except the fact I was wearing a gun in the role and a part of what I created for him was that he would lean into someone and say, "Kenny." He'll tap on his gun and say, "The Gun." It would just make them laugh and they'd smile, etc. Queen Latifah was the one who said that it was great, I should do something with that. That stayed with me and I didn't have an interest or an aware of what to do with it, or how to do something with it. Years later I did. This is a television show and I'm going to tell a story that's compelling and funny but it's also going to be dramatic. We're going to show a character who is very engaging, very outrageous, but also going though something that is very serious and very sensitive.
Me: Cool. I'm looking forward to it. So, you mentioned your musical influences. Do you have actor influences or were you into movies growing up?
Michael: My mother was a wonderful source of inspiration for me without even knowing it because she was such a big fan of films. She always wanted me to be watching good films opposed to what she'd probably call trashy television. She would buy films and we had this library of films that were really the result almost primarily of her taste in films. One of them was Glory, do you remember that film?
Me: I remember it, but never seen it.
Michael: I saw that film I don't know how many times growing up. When I first met Denzel I shared these things with him in a letter. I gave him a book and inside the book, it was really a start up gift, inside the book was a letter where I tell him he was a part of my experience growing up and watching what he did in Glory. It was such a magnificence performance. And then we went on to make The Bone Collector and it was the most wonderful film with everyone involved. It is still the highest grossest movie that I've been in I believe.
Me: You said you got sober, Michael. What was it that got you sober?
Michael: I did not have a bottom as they say, I didn't go through some aggressive or violent process of self annihilation that gave me this awareness that I have to stop. It was much less dramatic than that. it was the third time by the way that I got sober. I got sober for the first time when I was 18, for about three and half years. Right before I went to Sundance Film Festival I started drinking again. There was a "sign post" at the time that I couldn't see, these new steps was creating more anxiety and issues for me that I had to realize. I tried to damper down and I went back to a habit that was no good for me, in a way that was a result of knowing what was about to happen. I got sober again after that years later for a year and a half, then went back to drinking again. It's not uncommon actually to finally get sober and successfully have more than one try beforehand. For me that was true. My heart was open to life itself, and love, and joy, and God and sharing in all the beauty of life with those around me. Before sobriety was about something that was egotistical, I'm better than this, I'm someone that should be sober. A kind of opposed idea of getting something done. Opposed to living life that was abundantly designed by love and joy. That was what the final sobriety was incident and that's what it continues to be invested in. So it wasn't necessary as I said some dramatic experience. This held me back, this was going to interfere me reaching my full potential, and because I want to reach my full potential I'm going to stop drinking and I'm going to dedicate myself to the positive things in my life, and that's what I did.
Me: You also had a successful career in voice over work. How did that happen?
Michael: I was waiting in an agency waiting room when the head of a voice over department heard me speak. I was there to meet someone about on camera commercials early on in my career and because this man had heard my voice and thought it was worth listening to I got an auditioned to be considered for voice for them as well. It turned out to be my voice representation for many years, decades to come. It was a wonderful career for me in many ways, for many years. I moved out to Los Angeles in August 2015, I did make a shift in not entirely away from that field but I definitely prioritized my time. Where the voice overs would come through I was open to talking about it but I had not been actively pursuing that since my move out to Los Angeles, because I did not want any interfering with my great commitment to what I was creating at that time, which was Kenny the Gun. I'm committed to getting on your television screen.
Me: Where were you living before you moved to L.A.?
Michael: In New York City, for about 22 years, with the exception of the early part of my career six to eight months living in Los Angeles as a result of falling in love at the time and wanted to be out there with the woman I was with then.
Me: Why did you move to L.A., Michael?
Michael: I had a long term experience and a very positive experience with New York for numerous reasons. But as time went on up to my departure date I was feeling more and more Los Angeles would play a part in not necessary my professional life as much as my personal life. I found myself remembering how I felt when I first went there in the latter years when I was still in New York and how I was operating on a level that was with greater tranquility in my heart and greater joy in a general sense. So I decided finally I was going to follow that message I was receiving and that's what I did. New York will maintain a most wonderful place in my life, and I've returned many of times and "Kenny," when we shoot it will be in New York so that is inevitably going to have me return there very substantially. I'm happy to be living in Los Angeles, it's a fantastic place to be.
Me: Okay, so, I know you from "Person of Interest," like I said, one of my favorite TV shows. What was it like on that set? What was Jim Caviezel like in real life? I always thought he'd play a great Batman.
Michael: He's a wonderful guy. He's a very talented actor as anyone who sees him on screen knows. He's a gentleman. He's a family man, he's a fine hearted man, and he's a sincere person. When I met him it was around the time that the Geico car insurance rhetorical campaign that I was a spokesperson for was still relatively active and he loved those commercials. He was very complimentary about that, he let me know openly that brought a lot of joy. From the beginning we had a very positive experience.
Me: I loved those Geico commercials, they were very Rod Serlingish if I remember. Here's a screen shot of one...
Me: Did you know that series of commercials would run so long?
Michael: With something like Geico, if you land a job the chances it's going to run are very high because then they make a commercial they use it... a lot. That is generally how that goes.
Me: Did you have to audition for the commercials?
Michael: With that campaign I was called in and I felt in many ways that this was a gift to be given specifically to me. That character, well Rod Serling is a good match for it, there's also Robert Stack, there's Peter Gunn, there's Peter Graves, it's really not a Rod Serling character. I didn't develop it from Rod Serling but its motive of personality that exists as a hard boiled male character in the 40s and 50s, the black and white era, the "Dragnet,"and "Mission: Impossible," etc. Those weren't black and white of course but that's where he existed. The character that existed for me that I met on that job there was this hard boiled character I would call my friends and leave messages for them just like that. When Geico came I realized oh my goodness, I know exactly how to do this. That character that I used in my personal life is perfect for this. They agreed finally and I got the job and it got to be a big success role.
Me: Did people start to recognize you a lot?
Michael: Yes, and they would recognize me from that. Then I'd be able to let them know if they didn't know about the other things, the films and the other television appearances, etc., it was a great boom for me.
Me: Okay, back to "Kenny the Gun," did you cast everyone yet? Do you need a six foot something, sometimes strawberry blonde, sometimes bald guy who talks like Kermit the Frog after a stroke? Hahahaha.
Michael: I planned the entire first season so there are characters that we will find once we are making the show that I don't have vision for at the moment. There are those who I already worked with on previous presentations and they are the people who are on the top of the list for who I would have... most of them. There's a gentleman by the name of Robert Miller who plays the father, a pivotal character in the first season, the father is dramatic and an essential character to the story. The mother is played by Anita Gillette who you might recognize from She's the One and from The Fitzgerald Family Christmas, she played my mother in that and she plays the mother of Kenny as well.
Me: What's the pitch for this show?
Michael: Well, it's Dirty Harry meets the Sopranos essentially. There's a cop who has an aggressive nature and an abundant personality who has a toughness. There's a storyline in family is very important, drama is very important, and it's also at times very funny. There's some "All in the Family' as well.
Me: How often do you write your novels?
Michael: Well, I have to tell you that is a constant, if it's happening in a literal or figural sense, the writing, on any given day, whether it's only mental, the writing is always with me. There's always a thought of what is going to come to getting back to a book that I'm already at work on.
Me: Michael, thanks so much for being on the Phile. I hope this was fun and I am so happy you reached out to me. Good luck with the TV show. Come back when it come out.
Michael: Thanks, Jason, I will.
Well, that about does it for this entry of the Phile. Thanks to my guests Jeff Trelewicz and of course Michael McGlone. The Phile will be back on Monday with actor Paul Zaloom. Spread the word, not the turd. Don't let snakes and alligators bite you. Bye, love you, bye.
I don't want you, cook my bread, I don't want you, make my bed, I don't want your money too, I just want to make love to you. - Willie Dixon
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