Television
Stamie Karakasidis and Tracy Ryerson – They Could NOT Be Nicer and More Awesome If They Tried!
Jul 25th
So, this happened today. 
I walked down to Starbuck’s for my iced coffee fix. And one unusual and amazing thing was, they spelled my name right! But that was not all.
Also getting their coffee on were Stamie Karakasidis and Tracy Ryerson from season one of The Real L Word.
Me With Stamie Karakasidis and Tracy Ryerson
But in this instance, I decided to go ahead. Stamie and Tracy were my favorites on TRLW, and I have long been bummed that I didn’t happen to be at the ACE studio on the day that they taped The Parent Experiment.
They were SO, SO nice when I imposed on them for a photo. I got all nervous and fumbly – I do this weird thing where it doesn’t freak me out to see/meet celebrities unless *I* really like them, and then I’m a nervous wreck. I mean, I used to live in Malibu, for God’s sake. I’ve met Tom Hanks, Mel Gibson (before he was crazy), Cindy Crawford, David Duchovny, John Cusack, Cher…I could go on and on. They registered a big NOTHING on the nervousness scale.
However, I meet Paul Giamatti (and this was a 2001 Paul Giamatti, immediately following “Duets” – he was NOT that famous yet!) and I lose my religion. I meet Stamie and Tracy and can’t even manage to operate my camera (and then phone) without fumbling all over the place.
Anyway, like I said, they were absolutely gracious and friendly and completely as nice and fun as they seemed to be on the show.
Check out the pic above, and make sure you check out their website – Our Fifteen Minutes!
Matt Nathanson on Don’t Forget the Lyrics – I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues
Nov 8th
If you read this blog, it’s not a secret to you how much I adore Matt Nathanson. I’ve flown to both Chicago and Massachusetts to see him play, for God’s sake!
Well, if you ever had any doubts why that might be…allow me to present the following:
Matt Nathanson performing Elton John’s I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues on Don’t Forget the Lyrics.
Just. Awesome.
MATT NATHANSON w/ DAVID GARZA I saw RARE PROMO RADIO DJ CD Single 2004 | US $24.99 End Date: Wednesday Mar-07-2012 19:09:21 PST Buy It Now for only: US $24.99 Buy it now | Add to watch list |
Very Rare 1993 Matt Nathanson Please CD! Out-of-Print! Factory Sealed!
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RARE - Matt Nathanson - Slow but Speeding - Acoustic CD
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Phil Would Be So Proud!
Aug 4th
Take a look at the iPad ad that is showing up everywhere on the content network:
Jeannie Mai and the Great Prayer Box Mystery
Jan 26th
OK, here is a bizarre (and also inspiring!) thing that happened to my friend Jeannie and a project of hers, The Prayer Box Project. Yes All In Caps. Deal With It.
She had an idea to put a prayer box at the top of this popular hiking place here in LA, Runyon Canyon. It’s a place where people tend to do an equal mixture of hiking and contemplating, due to the stunning combination of cardio-inspiring inclines and awe-inspiring views.
In this box, people could jot down their prayers on little pieces of paper and put them into the box, bolstered by the notion that their prayer, as it slipped through the slot, was joining all the prayers – all the love, longings, hopes, dreams, and ambitions – which had been scrawled out on similar bits of paper and entrusted to the box by the hikers who had come before.
It’s poetic and nice, right?
So, of course it got stolen inside a week. Stinkin’ Angelenos! Grr…
However, that’s not the end of the story. On January 1st of this year, the very first day of the brand new decade, it mysteriously showed up again, with some of the prayers inside still intact, no less. Sure, it was worse for the wear. But aren’t we all? The important thing is that it’s back, it’s working, it’s serving its purpose. Again, what more can we hope for ourselves than that?
I’d like to take a lesson from the prayer box, and I think we all can. Maybe 2009 tried to hold us back, and beat us up. Maybe 2009 even snatched us off of the path we were on and held us hostage for awhile.
But, that was then and this is now. It’s 2010 and WE’RE BACK, BABY! We may be battle-scarred and a little tattered, but we are BACK ON THE MOUNTAINTOP!
PS – If you think this was a cool idea for a project and want to throw some support Jeannie’s way, due to her being the kind of person that would think of such a cool idea for a project, LOL, then visit her at her blog, http://IHeartJeannieMai.com (so named because she’s adorable and of course everyone does!), or watch her shows, How Do I Look? or Extra. Although, the latter not being quite as important if you’re not a Nielson family. 
UPDATED to include Jeannie’s tweet below. Thanks for the shout out, babe!
Rent From Us or Burn in Hell!
Jan 11th
OK, people! I risked life and limb digging my camera out of my purse while still remaining level with this guy on the freeway! Not to mention having to continue freeway driving while I held my camera up to the window with a steady enough hand to take a legible picture.
It was worth it, though, to memorialize this truck. Jesus Party Rentals.
Where the staff of Party Down Catering will be working after they get their lives right, I imagine! And here they thought they were just gonna go wait tables at the Soup’r Crackers!
Dorn. He’s the Next Big Thing. You Heard It Here First.
Jan 9th
So, if you’re into music and the internet, or even only one of the two, chances are you’ve heard of Bravo’s new show they’re casting for right now, called Hitmakers. They’re looking for well-rounded artists, as opposed to American Idol who are looking primarily for singers. Hitmakers wants people who can also write, produce, play instruments – the whole package.
Well, I was watching some of the audition tapes online, and I think I have found their winner. Seriously, people. Why even have a show?
Dorn is the epitome of the phrase “the whole package.” From his unique fashion styling to his lyrical genius to his wall-o’-guitars, dude has it going on.
Don’t take my word for it. See for yourself.
I give you….the man, the myth, the legend…..DORN:
I Am a Hopelessly Television-Addicted Horrible, HORRIBLE Person!
Jan 3rd
Why, you may ask? Or you may not. You may just take it at face value.
If you DO require proof, however – here you go.
When I saw this headline on my iGoogle page today:
I had 4 thoughts in quick succession, and here they were:
- That’s just like Season 2 of Veronica Mars
- Damn, Veronica Mars was a good show. I wonder if they’re ever going to do that movie.
- Rob Thomas is talented like WHOA. At least now we have Party Down.
- PARTY DOWN IS COMING BACK IN APRIL! YES!!!!!
That’s what happened in my head. What was outwardly observable was that I read the words, “Bus Plunges Off Cliff in Northern Mexico. 14 Dead.” and less than two seconds later, said out loud, “YES!!!!”
Possibly inappropriate? Possibly.
Kathy Griffin – D List, F Bomb
Jan 1st
Kathy Griffin’s all about the letters.
Watch her here dropping the F bomb on New Year’s Eve to Anderson Cooper, discussing Balloon Boy. As he says, “You’re terrible. Really terrible.”
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Autographed post it photo pic Kathy Griffin signed
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Merry Christmas from Juniper Creek – Can’t Wait for Big Love to Come Back!
Dec 25th
Only a couple more weeks until the return of Big Love, and I can’t wait!
In the meantime, here’s a Christmas greeting from the Prophet and Ladies of Juniper Creek to tide us over. It’s hilariously awesome!
 | US $39.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Wednesday Feb-08-2012 19:10:32 PST Buy It Now for only: US $49.99 Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list |
BIG LOVE FAREWELL TOUR T SHIRT LARGE MINT LOOK MORMON HBO SERIES SISTER WIFE
 | US $4.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Sunday Feb-12-2012 16:12:16 PST Bid now | Add to watch list |
HBO 12 DVDs Series Documentaries, FYC, 2009--Big Love, True Blood, In Treatment
 | US $7.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Saturday Feb-11-2012 16:20:55 PST Buy It Now for only: US $9.99 Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list |
Soldier Reunited With Dog – The Clip that Was Shown on the Today Show
Nov 16th
OK, so I wish I had seen this by veteran’s day, it would have been such a sweet post.
Take a look at this clip of Capt. Andrew Schmidt (AKA – Andy) being welcomed home from Kandahar in September of 2005 by his Golden Retriever dog Gracie. It will probably make you cry. I mean, not like, SOB – but tear up, you know?
It’s also an interesting commentary on how a video can sometimes go viral in a way that’s not totally organic, but rather involves the mainstream media.
I’m posting Capt. Schmidt’s commentary about the rising popularity of the video right below the actual video, because he didn’t feel like he got to say all that he wanted to on TV – so I want to make sure people that see the video here have the opportunity to know what he thinks!
I’m uploading this for family. This was the day I came back from Kandahar in Sept. 2005. Life has changed since then. But Gracie is still a good dog.
UPDATE: (11-13-2009) – This is crazy. I posted this years ago along with three other clips of wife in Haiti for my parents to see. They still have like 400 hits a piece.
This clip had like 30,000 hits two days ago. I’m not quite sure where this attention is all coming from.
Oh, and it was filmed by my wife Jen in our front yard in Springfield, VA.. Gracie is six now. She’s asleep at my feet as I’m typing this.
Take care, all – A.S.UPDATE (11-14-2009). O-kaaaaay. This is getting crazy. They ran this on the Today Show today. I’m not a public person … this is getting a little intimidating.
I’m glad that this clip of Gracie has made so many people happy. If it makes you smile, it’s a good thing. But please remember the men and women in Iraq and Afghanistan right now. My buddy Steve Taylor who is in Iraq wrote me to say that it bummed him out, because it reminded him of how much he missed his dog …FINAL UPDATE (11-15-2009) Again, thanks for everyone’s kind words. Yes, we did a short (2-min) spot in the Today Show this morning. They were nice, but I didn’t get to say what I wanted to say about my friends deployed or the many Guardsmen overseas right now. But it went well (do a Google for Capt. Andrew Schmidt to see it).
We were contacted by another news outlet, but we declined. We’re 17 minutes into our 15 minutes of fame. We’re private people, and these things can get out of hand. For one, I am a staff officer in the Air Guard (even though I am past enlisted) … there are tens of thousands of combat arms soldiers and Marines on their third+ 12 month deployment down range; I’m only gearing up for my second. I don’t want to be made a symbol for something that I don’t deserve to be. You have to be careful, because you have no control when you go on TV unless you are very, very savvy (I am not). Or you get crazy and end up building a UFO weather balloon in your back yard.Take care. This was a fun week, but it’s over now. I have to go change a diaper, then walk Gracie.
Andy and family.
What YOU Think