@ Lukes | Press Reviews

(July 2007) Lauren Graham moving on after series' end

2007-07-18T13:48:00.000-04:00

Jamie Portman, CanWest News Service
Published: Thursday, July 12, 2007

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- You've had this really cool, well-paying job for seven years -- and all of a sudden, you lose it. So, what do you do? Well, if your name is Lauren Graham, you're definitely not going to plunge into some sort of depression. Gilmore Girls -- the mainstay of your existence since the arrival of the new millennium -- may have been terminated this spring, but the last thing you're going to do is behave as though your life is over.

Graham knows there are actors out there who never recover emotionally or professionally from the demise of a hit TV series. But she isn't one of them. This summer, even as Gilmore Girls continues to show up on reruns, she's on the big screen, portraying Steve Carell's wife in Evan Almighty.

And before the year is out, she'll have made two more movies. She's too busy to mourn the loss of her long-running series about a zany mother-daughter relationship.

Besides, she's been aware for a long time of a "downside" to being in a hit TV show: it can make you too cozy and comfortable.

Graham, 40, believes an actor needs to be fuelled by adrenaline, and that doesn't happen very often if you have the security of a TV series.

"Part of my love of the acting job is not knowing what's coming next," she explains. "I remember having this feeling a couple of years into the show. I was like: 'There's some feeling that I miss. What is it?' " She realized she was missing the element of "the unexpected" in her career -- "of not knowing what the next thing might be and if I would get it or not get it." Right now, she actually enjoys being in the kind of situation she experienced when she was younger of not knowing what that next job would be, or whether her phone would keep ringing with offers.

"I'm sure that after a while it will drive me crazy," she laughs. "But for now, it feels really nice. I'm doing a movie right now, and I'm going to do something else in like a month, so I know what my next couple of things are, and I'm just really excited to have these different experiences. And you know, I feel that I've kind of earned that." Currently, she's finishing work on Laws Of Motion in which she costars with Matthew Perry for director Craig Lucas. "It's an independent film ... and Hilary Swank is a producer on it and has taken a supporting role just to lend her name to it. That's really cool and inspiring -- to see an an actress whose company is helping get stuff made because she believes in it. It's the story of a dysfunctional family and Matthew Perry is my husband and we have a sort of quiet marriage which is in trouble, and his brother and sister come to stay with us -- to disastrous results.

"It's kind of a dark comedy -- I'm a very conservative, shut-down character who is trying to be nice to these people she thinks are freaks. That's a cool place to be." This summer, she'll again play a wife -- this time to Greg Kinnear. The movie remains untitled, but it's a true story about "the man who invented the intermittent windshield wiper.

"It's a really great story because he felt that his patent was stolen by the car companies. He spent his life, not necessarily fighting for money, which he ended up getting quite a bit of, but for the rights of inventors." Both projects attracted her because their unusual story lines supply that element of "the unexpected" which she was missing so much.

Meanwhile, in adjusting to the end of Gilmore Girls, she's also adjusting to one of the oddities of the contemporary entertainment business: because the series will continue to have a life both in reruns and later in DVD reissues, Lorelai Gilmore will remain an unchanging fixture in the lives of many fans. But Graham now knows it was time to move on.

"I felt the show was telling us it was over," she says candidly. But even so, her emotions were mixed.

"We were all feeling restless. But also you feel so attached. It's like a project that becomes a person. You want to leave that person in the right place or something." She didn't feel the show was in a rut. "We felt that to do that show cost a certain amount of time and dedication. It never got easier. Usually in years five, six, seven on a show like this, you get into a routine. The days become normal. That never happened there." Yet there remained the feeling that Gilmore Girls had run its course. "We discussed all kinds of different options ... and they tried and we tried, and at the end of the day there wasn't a way to do it any differently, and I think they (the producers) thought it was going to cost them a whole lot to renegotiate with everybody." So Gilmore Girls came to an end -- and, says Graham, "it felt like the right thing. It was one of the best jobs I ever had, so of course, it was hard to leave. But when it was done, I thought -- oh, all right!" She knows there could be new television offers down the road, but she's cautious.

"I love television ... but let's face it -- the next thing will be a disaster. It'll last three episodes. That's just the odds. That's just what happens."

© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2007

(May 2007) Gilmore Girls Goodbye

2007-05-22T22:17:00.000-04:00

"I actually felt happier talking like The Gilmore Girls. I literally felt my mood lighten."

By Kate Sullivan
Thursday, May 17, 2007 - 9:00 am

First The O.C., now The Gilmore Girls. I have to stop watching TV, because it appears that every show I love gets killed. Don’t try to sell me that Veronica Mars trip. I’ve tried. It’s not happening.

I’m told it’s hugely draining to create a weekly hour-long drama. Everyone who works on such a show must grievously sacrifice their personal lives. And granted, Gilmore had a good run — seven years. But come on. We needed this show! Or at least I did. The Gilmore Girls — about a 30-something single mom, Lorelei (Lauren Graham) and her brilliant young daughter, Rory (Alexis Bledel) — was a program I could share with my own mom, who lives 2,000 miles away, and is 37 years older than me. (“Did you see Gilmore last week?” is a common question for me to ask her during our phone chats.)

This was also a show I shared with my landlady, who is only a little older than me. We started watching four years ago when both our dogs were dying (and our personal lives weren’t exactly winning best in show). I think we both felt too smart to be watching Gilmore, and maybe a bit mistrustful of its obvious grab at our demographic. But I guess I gravitated toward it anyway because, frankly, I needed the entertainment. So we watched The Gilmore Girls together, for the first time, at her house. And throughout that first episode, we offered running (snide) commentary about how ridiculous the show was. Real people don’t talk like that was the main critique. I’m so sure.

After it was over, we went out on her front porch to smoke. And as we sat there in the pleasant evening calm, smoking and gabbing, I noticed that something was different. We weren’t just talking — we were bantering. We were talking faster than usual. And we were cracking more jokes, with a much drier delivery than usual. In short, we were talking like The Gilmore Girls.

It was a little embarrassing, but I couldn’t deny it: It was fun. In fact, I actually felt happier talking like The Gilmore Girls. I literally felt my mood lighten.

And so began a weekly ritual. I needed that little, mid-week perk-me-up. No show has ever cheered me up quite so effectively. And the longer I watched it, the more I understood that there was no need for shame. The Gilmore Girls was an exceptionally well-made show, with some of the best acting I’ve ever seen — on a stage, movie screen, or on TV. And as my life changed (and I dare say improved), those are the qualities that made The Gilmore Girls an enduring pleasure. Yes, the show featured a fantastic running role by Sebastian Bach as a bar-band hack, and a gratifying occasional appearance from Carole King (who recorded the show’s theme song with her own daughter). Yes, Gilmore featured many other bands and musicians (Sonic Youth, blah blah) and relatable references (Excedrin PM hangovers, Hello Kitty) — and often referenced my top-favorite bands (White Stripes, Art Brut, Wolfmother — they were inside my head, dude!). But the pop-cultural trivia for which the program was known seemed to fade in importance as the show developed. (And I’m hoping against hope all those name-brand references in recent times — Target, TiVo, MySpace, Jeep, Pussycat Dolls — were not backed by dollar signs. Oh, the insidious compromises one must make to watch TV these days!)

Working late over the past couple years, and often preoccupied with American Idol, I’d usually tape Gilmore to watch later. And that’s partly how I came to understand just how well-crafted the show was. Certain scenes and even individual lines were so right on, I’d find myself hitting the rewind button constantly. I often felt guilty for not writing a thank-you note to the show’s creators, just so they’d know their attention to nuance was not in vain. And I’m talking emotional nuance here: Practical details went out the window on a weekly basis. For starters, as mentioned, nobody talks like that in real life. Lorelei’s dog, Paul Anka, was AWOL half the time. I never saw Lorelei clean her way-too-tidy New England cottage. And how she could eat so much and exercise so little — while wearing such tight jeans — remains a question.

That wasn’t a weakness per se. I’m a girl, after all, and I savored the show’s idealised aspects — the shabby-chic interiors, the soft-focus charm of the buildings and town square, the coffee carts, the shiny hair and cute dresses.

And yet as stylized as the show’s surface was, its guts were real. How I marvelled at the lengthy, Altman-esque takes during one unusually tense dinner scene between Lorelei and her wealthy, 60-something parents (Edward Herman and Kelly Bishop). At the scene’s opening, the old folks are strangely cold. Lorelei prods them, repeatedly, and finally they explode, and we watch a tangle of messy, decades-old, perfectly plausible emotions and frailties spill out onto everyone’s sherbet bowls. And we watch them go back and forth: grandma, grandpa, daughter, granddaughter, grandma again — on and on, for minutes, each character expressing something intense and real and understandable — and actually speaking to each other more harshly than ever before, saying things they’ve never said. But that happens in real life. Sometimes, after years, people will suddenly address each other in a totally different tone.

And that’s what happened. And they worked it out, and we got to see a new side of each character. And at the end of dinner everyone was exhausted and bruised, but also maybe a little happier. And their relationships did change a bit after that.

On most shows, characters have crises, and then afterwards they go back to being exactly the same as they were before. That can be comforting for the viewer, but it’s also kind of distancing. It’s just not real. The converse problem is that sometimes when characters evolve a little too much, a show loses its sense of dramatic conflict, and stops being funny and compelling (I think that happened to M*A*S*H).

Gilmore’s grasp of human brains and hearts was so subtle, it didn’t get boring. And because it wasn’t plot-driven, the writers didn’t have to jump the shark. As in real life, everyday things and events — a school paper, a new dog, a grandfather’s heart attack — were plenty interesting. The main show was what was happening inside and between the characters. And again, as in real life, it was always shifting.

Take Rory’s complicated relationship with her college boyfriend, Logan (Matt Czuchry), a great but privileged kid who’s just learning for the first time how to really love another person. At first he was fun, free-spirited, but obviously deep; then, over the past season or so, he became an internet-startup guy, and started using corporate lingo. He changed. Maybe he became more himself. That’s what happens as people get deeper into their 20s. You’ve seen it happen in real life a million times.

See, The Gilmore Girls didn’t just want us to have complex feelings about it characters (like, say, House). It wanted us to have complex and ever-changing feelings about its characters.

That’s a big risk for a show to take, and it didn’t always pay off. Last year, Lorelei broke up with her great love, Luke (Scott Patterson), and tried — unsuccessfully — to reunite with Rory’s father, Chris (David Sutcliffe). He was a nice, decent guy who bugged the shit out of me. He thought his own jokes were cute. Worse, he was rubbing off on Lorelei. And that happens in real life.

The payoff was that I shifted my attentions to the marvelous supporting cast — and discovered the best actors on the show. My favorite was Melissa McCarthy, the actress who played Lorelei’s best friend. On a show where everyone talks over each other, her ability to listen was pretty stunning. It made every single line reading a thing of beauty, note-perfect. (In fact, I look forward to the DVDs mainly to watch her performances.) And I cheered out loud when the noble Luke finally stood up to the mother of his child (a dreadful bitch). How I enjoyed his growing relationship with his science-geek daughter (also wonderfully played, by young Vanessa Marano) — and how I wished Lorelei could see it!

That happens in real life, too. So often, people need to break up and be alone for a while in order to become good enough for each other.

The series finale was nice, mainly because Luke and Lorelei got back together. (And were their names a joke on General Hospital’s “Luke & Laura” the whole time?) But I didn’t really cry or anything. I guess that’s because the characters seemed happy. And it occurs to me now, in light of Grey’s Anatomy, Ugly Betty, and other girly shows of the moment, the characters on Gilmore Girls were always happy. They had tragedies and disappointments in their lives, but they were basically happy people.

And though we rarely see it reflected on TV shows, and never on the news, that’s a part of real life, too.

http://www.laweekly.com/film+tv/screen/gilmore-girls-goodbye/

(May 2007) Stars Hollow Ending

2007-05-22T22:12:00.000-04:00

By Karen Valby
I was prepared to be disappointed. I bet a lot of you were too. And I got nervous there in the beginning, after that hammy introduction of Rory to her hero Christiane Amanpour. Really? Would a journalist of her stature really be impressed by a stammering elf in a cute dolly tee and jogging pants? That's all it takes to get Christiane's business card? But that's it from me today. That's the last time I'll roll my eyes at season 7. Because, and I don't think I'm being overly sentimental here, last night really was a dandy.

At Friday Night Dinner — am I in this post-Gilmore Girls world going to have to start a Friday Night Dinner club? — Emily is crabby that Rory missed cocktail hour to network instead. She wants after-dinner drinks as payback. Lorelai blanches. But when Rory trots in with news that she'll be leaving in three days to start following Barack Obama on the campaign trail (Hollywood loves Barack! Don't hold it against him!), everyone kind of crumples in their seat. Lorelai does an admirable job of pushing her panic aside and is sweetly firm and confident in her daughter's ability to rise to the challenge. Who cares if their month-long roller-coaster adventure is now toast? Her daughter has to get on the bus! This scene may have been the first time this season that Rory has shown any of the spunk and quiet grit of seasons past. Maybe that little girl in the strange purple top will make it after all! Emily, on the other hand, looks sucker-punched at the idea of losing her granddaughter, and thus her hold on Lorelai, so soon. But then Lorelai soothes her by saying, ''After-dinner drinks for sure.'' I wanted to cry tonight. I'm crying!

With Rory so suddenly employed, there's no time to plan the graduation-reenactment party. She and Lorelai have fanny packs and book lights (miss you, Paris!) to find. So Luke takes it upon himself to plan the surprise party that the town needs to feel good about sending Rory off into the world. There's a brilliant moment with Miss Patty sticking her face out of her darkened studio doors, telling Lorelai she's communing with her muse and can't be bothered. Cut to a cowering line of Stars Hollow's finest inside. Later, Luke, so strangely full of go-get-'em pep, cuts off Taylor's caterwauling and spurs everyone into action. Kirk offers to DJ. Oh, Captain K, what I'd do for one of your college mixtapes. (Speaking of Kirk, check out Mandi Bierly's most excellent conversation with Sean Gunn, who shared his top 10 Kirk moments from the last seven seasons.) In one of the night's funnier scenes, Babette comes careening into the town square, her arms waving in front of her like a zombie having a spaz attack, warning Luke of her swollen ankles. Her hair is 50/50, but the ankles don't lie. It's going to rain, and the party will be a washout. I know there's a lot of Christopher fans out there, as well as fans of the ''don't mess with Luke and Lorelai's friendship'' formula. But how not to think that she'd be in good hands with a man who stays up all night in his diner sewing together patches of fabric so her daughter's party won't be ruined. It took me years, but I'm a believer. Marry the guy.

Rory, meanwhile, has ducked out from under her mother's perky wing to say goodbye to Lane. Unsurprisingly, the scene was unfulfilling. These two have drifted, and those actors aren't going to sell lines like ''I don't know what it's like to have a sister, but I feel like I do, you know?'' Suck on that, Gigi! Back at home, Lorelai's on an ironing binge to stave off her frantic sense of loss. When Rory gooses her for some emotion, Lorelai's chin starts puckering, and she insists she's not ready to get sad. It's too soon, and they've got 36 more hours, and oh my, I can't handle this. I wish I owned an ironing board. In a relationship defined by quick wit and banter, thank you, writers, for the quiet, devastating moment when Lorelai checks on her sleeping daughter. The la-la-la music was at its achiest, and Lorelai was in a hoodie, and she was pulling up Rory's blanket, and the chin was going, and not a word was spoken.

I thought nothing could top the oomph of that moment, but when Lorelai and Rory drove up the next day and saw the town clutching pinwheel umbrellas, gathered together under a makeshift tent, my own chin started getting a little crumbly. Why don't I iron? Thank you, Kirk, for lightening the mood! ''Rory, in my official capacity as town sash presenter,'' he says, ''I would like to present you with this sash,'' and then he tells Lorelai that he ''got the material from one of mother's nighties'' Love it!

My composure left my living room when the camera turned to the grandparents standing alone on the edge of the party. So vulnerable, those two! Poor Emily can't stop with the fussy routine, which we all know means that she's cracking a little inside and that sneer is all she's got to protect her. Richard, building on his kind words to Lorelai last week at graduation, is turning into one giant-size, bow-tied teddy bear. He starts praising Lorelai for the love and devotion she earned in Stars Hollow and acknowledging his own regrets before Emily cuts the loving off quick: ''Oh, please don't become one of those 'I had a heart attack, let me express my every thought' types.'' Nice try, Emily, not buying it! Later, she corners Lorelai and needles her again about adding on a spa element to the Dragonfly. See, they'll lend her money, and of course they'll have to get together every now and then to discuss the project, but it's really for the good of the inn. Lorelai finally gets it and announces that they can discuss the matter further over the next Friday Night Dinner. They're alive and well! And the way Kelly Bishop unclenched her jaw and shoulders, the way her whole being visibly softened upon news that she would not lose whatever tenuous tether she had to her daughter, was just terrific. And then she snapped back to Emily Gilmore. ''Don't be late and don't wear jeans!'' Those two will go down as one of my favorite mother-daughter relationships in TV history.

And then we came to the line where a sob surprised me by shooting up my esophagus and exploding in the back of my throat. The grandparents are saying goodbye to Rory, and Emily gets all serious for a second and grabs Rory's arm and tells her, ''It's an honor to be your grandmother, Rory Gilmore.'' After typing that, I'm thinking, well, is that little line, a throwaway on paper, really what made a bomb go off in my mouth? But the delivery was moving without being mushy, and I remain for life a sucker for Kelly Bishop.

Cheers for the graceful wrap-up of the endlessly frustrating Luke and Lorelai story. When Lorelai hears that it wasn't Sookie who planned the whole affair, that it was Luke who stayed up all night sewing a patchwork tent of raincoats, well, what's a girl to do but march across that same street that knocked them on their asses so many times and smooch the guy. I bet many fans will feel cheated that they got but a second of that long-awaited kiss before the camera panned off to focus on the town square. I loved it. I loved that we got to see them reconcile without a lot of words, and that whatever romance they cook up is now their business alone. I don't want to see him giving her a necklace and promising to make babies that very night. I want her wearing the necklace and him rightfully in the background the next morning while she says goodbye to her daughter.

So the series ended where it began, in Luke's diner, with Rory and Lorelai making love to their coffee and ordering an obscene amount of food. When they leave us, they're jabbering away at each other, protected from the world by their enormous, enthusiastic, almost childlike appreciation of their best friend before them. See you later, girls.

And goodbye to you, Mrs. Kim, wherever you are!

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20039039,00.html

(May 2007) 'Gilmore Girls' takes final bow on last episode

2007-05-22T21:56:00.000-04:00

By: Marshall Fleming

When Amy Sherman-Palladino created Gilmore Girls seven seasons ago, she knew from the start how she wanted the series to end; even down the final four words of the last episode. Unfortunately for her, and the cast, and the fans, and the show itself, she wasn't around when the end ultimately came.

Sherman-Palladino and husband Dan Palladino, (also a writer for the show), left after the shows sixth season, reportedly because they couldn't agree to terms of a new contract with the network. Apparently where the creator and head writer goes, so goes witty dialogue and quality plot lines.

Most fans of the show were extremely disappointed with the seventh season's writing, but still sat on their couches on Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. to tune in. Then, May 3 a bomb dropped: the CW announced that the scheduled season finale for May 15 was now going to be the series finale. It caught so many people off-guard that even some of the cast and crew didn't see it coming.

It came down to the show's stars, Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel opting not to renew their contracts.

Leading up to the farewell, many fans were upset that the show would not be having a special send off, and that it would just end with a typical season finale. What most of the producers and cast members were saying, however, was that the episode could really go either way, and that it brought the series full circle.

Rory (Bledel), now a Yale graduate, got a job with an online news magazine, covering Barack Obama's presidential campaign, and would ultimately be leaving home for a long period of time. Had the show come back for an eighth season, writing her back into episodes would prove difficult. Meanwhile, Lorelei (Graham) and Luke (Patterson) seemingly got back together for good.

The episode's writing was nothing spectacular but it did bring some closure to the series. The final scene was similar to the first scene of the series - Rory and Lorelei sitting in Luke's diner drinking coffee. Nothing spectacular. No double-wedding that many speculated would be the finale. No reappearance of one of Rory's old boyfriends to come in and take her away. Just breakfast in the diner one last time.

It still would be nice if Sherman-Palladino would let us know what those final four words would have been.

http://media.www.thetriangle.org

(May 2007) It's Here: Lauren Graham's Final Gilmore Girls Interview

2007-05-15T12:34:00.000-04:00

It's Here: Lauren Graham's Final Gilmore Girls Interview

Lauren Graham by Mark Liddell/The CWThe fast-approaching finale of Gilmore Girls is depressing on so many levels; I get a lump in my throat contemplating even a few of them. It's the end of an era, for starters. Lauren Graham — the closest thing Hollywood is ever likely to get to another Katharine Hepburn — may never again play a character as given to bantering at breakneck speed as Lorelai. For that matter, she may never find verbal sparring partners as worthy as Kelly Bishop and Scott Patterson. But maybe worst of all, the series' demise probably means I'll be talking to my favorite Girl a lot less frequently. With that weighing heavily on my mind, as we began what would be our last interview of the golden Girls age, I held nothing back. In turn, neither did she.

I hear you're going to have a lot more free time on your hands.Lauren Graham: (Laughs) Yes, it would seem that way.

Are you relieved that it's over?
Graham: I feel that way, which is not without feeling mixed and thankful for the experience. But, yeah, I feel relieved.

All indications were that the show was coming back for 13 episodes. What happened?
Graham: Well, you know, there was a lot that went back and forth by the time the [13 episode thing] came out. I had sort of said to them a couple of months ago that I didn't see it coming back, and they had asked to just give them some time to figure something out that would make it work. Both Alexis and I felt tired, and also creatively like the show was in a place where we were either at the end or very close to it. We really couldn't imagine another season. I think they were trying to tempt us with 13, which was tempting, but ultimately it just wasn't going to work for them. We needed the situation to be so ideal, and I think it just wasn't meant to be. I do want to say that the studio and the network were very generous and very respectful in this whole process. We just didn't want to work the schedule we'd been working. But if we're working a lesser schedule, what is the show? The way we'd like to have done it would not have necessarily been good for the show. Right now you have me working six to seven days an episode, and Alexis doing about the same. To do anything less than that just wasn't going to be the same show. They tried to make it appealing for us, and we tried to be imaginative, but then at the end of the day it just felt like we were trying to do something impossible.

Did you and Alexis band together during negotiations?
Graham: Not in a formal way, but we certainly discussed what our hopes were. We were very open with each other. Most of our conversations were, "Can we imagine coming back."

Is it true that Alexis was the harder sell?
Graham: I don't think that's true. I did formally say at one point, "I'm not coming back." Then they thought, "Well, can we do it with just Alexis?" I don't want to speak for her, but we both went back and forth. Ultimately, neither of us wanted to do it without the other one.

Was that a real possibility?
Graham: If she was in a place where she wanted, like, her own show or her own spin-off.... They were trying to think of everything. There was a time when we thought maybe I would produce and not be on the show in the same capacity. I've been at this for a long time; I feel ready to move on. But they were trying to find a way to make it work. There were a lot of scenarios. I had very open conversations with Dawn Ostroff. We tried, but they ultimately said, "You know what? This is just too complicated." And I felt so glad, because I don't think it would've been the same show for another 13. We were trying to find a way we could have a slightly easier schedule, and there was really no way to do that and still have it be Gilmore Girls.

Were you happy with the show creatively this season?Graham: I was happy with the process. I really enjoyed [working with] the writers. I felt every year, even under Amy's leadership, that the show evolved. For the last episode, we tried to match the final shot with the first scene from the pilot, so we went back and watched the pilot — which I haven't seen for so long. And the show now is really different from that pilot, which was more dramatic at the time than your typical WB show. And I think it evolved and got more comedic over the years; every year was an evolution. This year was strange sometimes because I had a lot less to say, and that was really weird. For some people I'm sure that was great, but I would find myself in long scenes where I was not rattling on, and it was just really weird to me. And so I did sort of question, "Are we keeping this character consistent?" And they were responsive to me.

When we spoke last year you mentioned that you'd like to someday be given a producer credit, but you said there was no way Warner Bros. would allow it. Well, this year they gave you a producer credit. What changed?
Graham: I really felt strongly that I was doing the job of a producer. And in order to imagine moving forward — which I was imagining at the time — I really hoped they would recognize the different job I was doing. And eventually they very nicely did. When the creator of the show is gone, the actors end up being the people who have been there the longest. And I got more involved with where the story was headed, and felt that I was having more of an active role. I just thought it was warranted.

I heard that you requested some changes to the finale script….
Graham: How do you hear these things, Mike!? Where will all your moles go now that the show is over! (Laughs)

Good question! So, what changes did you ask for?
Graham: My feeling was [the episode] just felt too light to me — even as a season finale. I thought this should be an opportunity to say goodbye, or at least have some sort of acknowledgement of all these characters. I [also] wanted it to be more dramatic. And David Rosenthal was extremely responsive — more so than he needed to be. So he went back and took another look at it, with more of an eye to, "How can we acknowledge all of these characters? Give everyone a moment." I felt it was important to go a little deeper.

Do you think Luke and Lorelai fans will be satisfied with how things end?
Graham: Yeah. You know, the other thing I felt strongly about is that this is a show that is ultimately about these girls. It started with this mother-daughter relationship, and we haven't been a show where big events happen. So I always worried that there would be some pressure to.... (Laughs) My extreme example was always, "Double wedding!" I just didn't want there to be a big event. But there's definitely a direction [with Luke/Lorelai] that I think will be satisfying.

Were you surprised at how reluctant fans were to let Luke and Lorelai go when she went off and married Christopher this season?
Graham: Well, it was a tough story to follow. We got married really impulsively. I always wanted [the Luke/Lorelai/Christopher triangle] to be as complex as it could be so that there wasn't an obvious choice. It's like when you go see some romantic comedy movie and you're like, "Well, obviously she shouldn't be with that guy." They make it too easy. I just sort of wanted them to write Christopher in a way that made it a real love triangle. But everything happened so fast. The Luke and Lorelai story is where the show started. That should be the thing they're rooting for, because that's what the show set up. That makes complete sense.

Conspiracy theorists maintain that you pushed for a Lorelai/Christopher romance because of your prickly relationship with Scott Patterson.
Graham: You're the conspiracy theorist! (Laughs) I finally figured it out!

No, I'm not! You wouldn't believe how many questions I get about this. Is it much ado about nothing?
Graham: Yes, it was overblown. I mean, I am closer, personally, to David [Sutcliffe]. And we've gone to dinner together. I always thought that maybe people thought I was trying to give him some sort of advantage because we're friends. But that's not it. Like I said, when a show is continuing for so long, I didn't want there to be an obvious choice, because then the show is over; there's nowhere to go. So I always argued for other [romantic complications] because I thought it made the story better. But I always felt that it would cheat the fans to not have the [Luke and Lorelai] relationship be important in the whole of the show.

How would you characterize your working relationship with Scott over the years?
Graham: Totally great. It's a working relationship, like most of them are. But he was so great in that part. I really loved my scenes with him and the chemistry we had. Our banter was among the most fun stuff to do.

Is it bittersweet ending without Amy?
Graham: Yeah. What I hoped — and this is not to take away from David Rosenthal, who I had a really nice year with — was that she would write the finale. But that's not the way she works. She's either there 100 percent [or not at all]. She couldn't just come in and pick up another story that she didn't lay the groundwork for and finish it. I wish she had been more involved this year, because I was playing a piece of her that is so specifically her. I missed her writing.

Have you spoken to her since the announcement was made?
Graham: We e-mailed and we're supposed to have a drink this week.

Are you going to try and get her to divulge the final four words she had planned to end the series with?
Graham: Oh, right — I forgot about that. I think she would've given it up to me had we known this was the end. That was the other weird thing about ending the show like this. When we finished [shooting], there was a 50/50 chance we'd be returning. So when we left the wrap party, we were like, "Bye! See ya next season!" Had we known [this was it], I think she would've given it up and we would've worked it in.

Favorite memories?
Graham: Oh, gosh. There was a real kind of high — that's the only way I can describe it — when we'd get these big athletic speeches and then nail it after 35 takes. (Laughs) And that is a feeling that I really haven't had with another part. To do that language, all systems have to be go; you have to really have a lot of concentration. And that feeling was really exhilarating. I'll miss that experience as an actor. And there was a specific sense of humor and music to the way [Amy] would write these speeches that I'll really miss. And these are people that I loved, whether I see them every day or not. Alexis and I fell over laughing many, many times — partially out of exhaustion. (Laughs) We really bonded in a very unique way. And I'll miss the feeling of [being around] a crew, all of whom I know and feel really at home with and really supported by. That was not an easy show to do and that crew was really great.

Favorite episode?
Graham: Oh my God. I literally can't even remember the last one.

Maybe a scene that stood out?
Graham: There really were so many. The dinner tables, while a drag to shoot because it takes forever getting all the angles, were really, really fun.

So, when's the Gilmore Girls reunion?
Graham: (Laughs) We're totally doing the Gilmore Girls movie. I'm never, ever going to do anything else. There's Gilmore Girls: The Musical. The line of clothing called Lorelai. And the perfume called Stars Hollow.... No, you know, I'm promoting Evan Almighty, which comes out in June. And I have been reading a lot. And sleeping. (Laughs) But I'm auditioning for things, and I'm going to try and do another movie soon.

Would you do another TV series?
Graham: I would do another TV series, but not right away. I love TV. I think I'd do a half-hour single-camera comedy. But I'm going to really just enjoy this time and make sure I'm ready to do something new. If I had the best thing in front of me right now I don't know that I'd be able to be excited about it, 'cause I think [you have to make room] to let the other thing pass. So, yeah, I'd love to take a year and see what else I can do.

Anything you'd like to say to the fans?
Graham: Just that I've been truly thankful for their support and for their fanaticism (Laughs) and their investment in these characters through all the ups and downs of a seven-year process. I can't tell you what a kick I get out of [hearing from the fans], especially the younger people over the years who have grown up with the show and have [developed] a bond with a family member from a different generation while watching it together. I hope when I'm 55 and I've been out of a job for a long time and those girls are running the studios that they remember Lorelai Gilmore.

Ausiello Report (TV GUIDE)
http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Ausiello-Report/Lauren-Grahams-Final/800014383
May 6 2007

(May 2007) CW Bids 'Gilmore Girls' Goodbye

2007-05-03T21:56:00.000-04:00

CW Bids 'Gilmore Girls' Goodbye
Series ends its seventh and final season

May 3, 2007

The CW and Warner Bros. Television announced Thursday that the popular multigenerational family show starring Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel will wrap its seventh and final season on Tuesday, May 15.

"Announcing the final season of 'Gilmore Girls' is truly a sad moment for everyone at The CW and Warner Bros. Television," reads the joint statement. "This series helped define a network and created a fantastic, storybook world featuring some of television's most memorable, lovable characters. We thank Amy Sherman-Palladino, Dan Palladino, Dave Rosenthal, the amazing cast led by Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel, as well as the producers, writers and crew for giving us this delightful gem for the past seven years. We would also like to thank the critics and 'Gilmore' fans for their passionate support and promise to give this series the send-off it deserves."

Fears about the fate of the show have been plaguing fans for a while now, ever since Sherman-Palladino and her husband/collaborator Dan left the show at the end of the sixth season, when "Gilmore" was on the now-defunct WB. Graham and Bledel only had contracts for one more season with the CW, however, and the fledgling network similarly only committed to the series for a year, which appears is now up.

"Gilmore Girls" captured audiences with the close, playful yet heartfelt relationship between a single mother raising her daughter in the wacky town of Stars Hollow despite pressures from her own parents to conform to their country club ways and marry the baby daddy. The show was known for its rapid-fire dialogue, colorful characters and pop culture references. The show also launched the careers of Milo Ventimiglia ("Heroes") and Jared Padalecki ("Supernatural"), both of whom played Rory's boyfriend at some point during the show.

The show's two remaining episodes will see Rory (Bledel) receiving a marriage proposal, while Lorelei (Graham) sorts out her own love life. The season finale, titled "Bon Voyage," guest stars Rory's idol, CNN journalist Christiane Amanpour.

http://www.zap2it.com/tv/zap-gilmoregirlscancellation,0,2388353.story

(January 2007) Lauren Graham talks about turning 40, the future of her hit show, and branching into movies

2007-01-28T20:04:00.000-05:00

Jamie Portman, The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Saturday, January 27, 2007

Anniversaries can be times of excitement. Or they can be downers. Or sometimes they can be a mixture of both. Lauren Graham has a couple coming up. She turns 40 in March -- and that's the kind of milestone that calls for personal reappraisal.

But in addition to this, Gilmore Girls -- the TV series that has been the mainstay of her existence -- will complete its seventh season this spring and that means contract renewal time, assuming that the show continues and that she wants to stay on.

It so happens that she can't decide how she feels about either event.

Graham, who has won a bouquet of awards for her performance as Lorelai Gilmore, is uncertain about what she would like to see happen to the show.

It might be easier if she had some idea of the intentions of the WB network in the U.S. about the future of this durable series -- carried in Canada by Global -- about a mother-daughter relationship so close that the two are often mistaken for sisters.

"It's very strange not to know," Graham says. "And I have mixed feelings about it. I love that show. I love that character, but I'm tired of doing those long hours for seven years now."

She admits that the work schedule for Gilmore Girls is starting to take its toll.

"I have missed people's weddings. I have missed babies being born. I don't see my friends that much. At best, it's a 12-hour day, and it only goes up from there."

Yet she's clearly torn.

"You know, I'm so grateful. You can't just say -- I want to move on. You can't allow yourself that luxury because there's not enough work. On the other hand, it's no way to live."

Furthermore, Graham has added to the pressures by doing movies whenever possible. She opens Feb. 2 in Because I Said So, a romantic comedy starring Diane Keaton as a mother who has raised three wonderful daughters (Mandy Moore, Piper Perabo and Gilmore) who both adore her and frequently want to strangle her because of her interference in their lives. Graham jumped at the chance to portray the most stable of the three -- a successful psychologist who proves to be a resource for both her mom and sisters -- but she couldn't have done the role without the co-operation of the producers of her TV show.

"It was around this time last year -- a week around Christmas where the show was actually off but the movie was shooting, and they just worked it out. It was so worth it to me because I just can't tell you -- to do this small thing with somebody like Diane after seven years on a TV show -- it just brings me back to all the reasons why I wanted to be an actor in the first place, and makes me a better actor on the TV show."

Moreover, she really loves Because I Said So as a movie. "It's the kind of story I really like. I like stories that are just about how families communicate and relationships and finding love. That's what I like -- and I wanted to work with Diane."

Graham has a second movie, Evan Almighty opposite Steve Carell, opening June 22 -- and she says this was an even more gruelling experience because she was constantly flying back and forth between Virginia and Los Angeles. Often she would have to travel overnight in order to be on the Gilmore set the next day. "It was just incredible that it worked out because it was the only way I could do it.

"But," she adds with a laugh, "at some point I'll find that I can't work like this any more because it is really hard."

She's certainly not the first actor to be in this situation. On the one hand, there is the security of a long-running TV series; on the other hand, there's the attraction of being a freelance performer -- the downside being the lack of job security.

Her own devotion to Gilmore Girls, in which Alexis Bledel co-stars as her daughter, has caused her to turn down some movie offers because she thought they were too similar to the series in dealing with parent-child relationships.

"I'm already on a show that is so well-written. It's about this great mother-daughter relationship and I'm not trying to get away from that ... but in a movie I don't necessarily need to do the same thing. The show I do is already the smartest version of that."

And she certainly doesn't want to start playing the kind of "generic mom" whose main function is ask the kids what they did with the peanut butter.

"It could be me playing the mother of 50 other people. It doesn't feel specific."

Meanwhile, she has no idea how she really feels about turning 40.

"I wouldn't even think about it, except that I'm in this job where people ask me about it," she smiles. So, having been forced to think about it, she's concluded that maybe, just maybe, this would be a good time to cut the cord with Gilmore. When she was a kid, she didn't ever think it possible that one day she would be 40. "Now, it's different. I think it's kind of a cool time, possibly, to be in a place where I'm not working on the show ... There's a lot I want to do in the next 10 years, so the fact that maybe the show is ending and there happens to be this birthday -- it just sort of feels like a mark of time. Those are the years that you did that, and now these are the years where you're going to move on and do something else."

Of one thing she is certain. The show could not continue if either she or Alexis Bledel dropped out.

"It's a package deal," Graham says firmly. "I would never go forward if Alexis wasn't going to be in every episode. It should only be as it is.

"We have always been a good team. We relate in shorthand. I'm not a mom in real life -- I just play one on TV -- so all I knew how to be was like her friend. I would never presume to really mother her in real life -- it's more of a sort of peer relationship."

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen

(September 2006) 'Gilmore Girls' isn't what it used to be

2006-10-09T14:05:00.000-04:00

Alan Sepinwall

Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Gilmore Girls

(Tonight at 8 on Channel 11) Lorelai deals with the aftermath of sleeping with Christopher, Rory pines for London-bound Logan, and Taylor's attempt at traffic management goes bad in the seventh-season premiere.

"I woke up one morning and looked around the room. Something wasn't right. I realized that someone had broken in the night before and replaced everything in my apartment with an exact replica! I couldn't believe it. I got my roommate and showed him. I said, 'Look at this -- everything's been replaced with an exact replica!' He said, 'Do I know you?'"

-- Steven Wright

WATCHING the season premiere of "Gilmore Girls," I couldn't stop thinking of that bit of vintage Wright. The show looks the same, the actors are the same, they're behaving in a consistent fashion, and yet... exact replicas.

I suppose that unsettling feeling was inevitable. At the end of last season, "Gilmore" creator Amy Sherman-Palladino and her husband, Daniel, quit because they couldn't agree to new contract terms with Warner Bros. studio. Sherman-Palladino not only created the "Gilmore" characters, she lent them her voice.

Like Aaron Sorkin on "The West Wing," David Milch on "NYPD Blue" and a handful of other over-stimulated writer/producers in network TV history, she either wrote or rewrote the vast majority of episodes. (And Daniel handled the ones she didn't.) Lorelai Gilmore is Amy Sherman-Palladino, give or take a fondness for big hats.

As if new showrunner David Rosenthal weren't already starting at a disadvantage, Sherman-Palladino scorched the earth on her way out. First she spent most of last season pushing popular couple Lorelai and Luke apart though the shark-jumping introduction of Luke's previously-unknown daughter April. Then, in a twist that was as loathed by the fans as it was irreversible, she had Lorelai break up with Luke and go to bed with her ex-boyfriend (and baby daddy) Christopher. Sherman-Palladino said she had hoped to stay and continue the story, but it was hard to watch the finale and not imagine her saying, "Get out of that one, suckers!" (Maybe something wittier; she's the Dorothy Parker fan, after all.)

Sorkin pulled a similar stunt when he was forced off "West Wing," contriving a way to put a Republican in charge of the White House in his last episode. It was a mess that his replacements clumsily tried to wave away in a few episodes, but the emotional fallout lingered over the show for months. Milch, meanwhile, left "NYPD Blue" without bothering to tell any of his successors what Ricky Schroder's deep, dark secret was; their improvised answer was so convoluted and lame that fans were almost relieved when the actor's character was killed off.

It's to Rosenthal's credit that he addresses the Christopher situation head-on. He doesn't make it into a dream, doesn't try to pretend they just cuddled all night, doesn't have Lorelai and Luke make a pact where he has a one-night stand and then they pretend like it never happened. The premiere deals honestly with what happened and how the characters would react to it.

Lauren Graham is so good in the final scene that she would deserve an award for it -- if, that is, Emmy voters weren't so oblivious to her existence that she couldn't even get nominated in a year when the TV Academy introduced a rule change that was nicknamed after her.

The problem is that if Rosenthal and company stay true to the characters, there is no realistic way Luke and Lorelai would get back together by the end of this season, which as of now looks to be the show's last. Luke's greatest fear was always that Lorelai would get back with Christopher; she did it, and if/when he finds out, he is not the type to forgive easily. A quick fix will feel phony; a realistic treatment will deny the fans the happy ending they've been pulling for practically since day one.

So if the dramatic, romantic core of the show is good and thoroughly bollixed, that leaves the comedy. And it's in the quippiness where Sherman-Palladino's absence is most keenly felt.

Rosenthal can write a funny line or 12, definitely. Liza Weil's underused Paris Gellar has a nice scene where she screens applicants for her new SAT prep class; when the mother of a prospective student insists her daughter has such potential, Paris snaps, "So did Charles Manson." And Alexis Bledel's Rory, failing to keep up a brave face after boyfriend Logan's forcible exile to London, goes on a memorable rant about whether the phrase "good-bye" is an oxymoron.

But the comedy half of "Gilmore Girls" has always been more than the sum of its punchlines. What's missing is that machine-gun pace, the sense that Graham and Bledel are always a second away from needing an oxygen mask. The season premiere is noticeably slower and less busy than usual. The Dragonfly Inn's kitchen, usually bustling with activity, now looks like it just got shut down by the health inspector.

"Gilmore" has had sluggish episodes before, but those usually came in the middle of a season, and you could always reassure yourself with the knowledge that the phrase "Written and Directed by Amy Sherman-Palladino" would pop up in an episode's credits in another week or two. That's not going to happen now. Anyone who's lived with this show and its characters for the last six years can see that something has definitely been stolen, even if, to the casual eye, the replacement looks and sounds close enough.

Alan Sepinwall may be reached at asepinwall@starledger.com, or by writing him at 1 Star-Ledger Plaza, Newark, N.J. 07102-1200.

http://www.nj.com/columns/ledger/sepinwall/index.ssf?/base/columns-0/1159249405224510.xml&coll=1

(September 2006) Gilmore Girls: Season Seven Premiere

2006-10-09T14:03:00.000-04:00

by Willa Paskin

When Gilmore Girls begins its 7th season this fall it will do so without its executive producer and creator, Amy Sherman-Palladino. Under her direction Gilmore Girls has been one of the quirkiest, smartest, wittiest and most beloved shows on television, boasting razor sharp dialogue, the fastest banter this side of His Girl Friday, a series of realistic, loving, and fraught mother-daughter relationships, and in, Lorelai Gilmore, perhaps the most fully developed female character on television.

But under Palladino’s direction Gilmore Girls has also been one of the most frustrating and flat-out weird shows on TV, consistently forsaking the major characters and plot development in favor of donating exorbitant amounts of screen time to the peripheral, supremely irritating characters that populate Lorelai and Rory’s quaintly surrealistic hometown, Stars Hollow. Without Palladino, Gilmore Girls will certainly be different… it just might be better.

Throughout her tenure on the show, Palladino has shown herself to be like one of those parents who only doles out three pieces of Halloween candy per kid, and insists that one of those pieces is a small box of raisins. Gilmore Girls’ viewers never get as much of the good stuff as they really want.

Take, for example, this past season’s excruciating finale. Both Lorelai and Rory were involved in season-long story arcs in need of resolution, yet neither dominated the episode. Instead, a third of it was taken up by an immaterial talent show. Stars Hollow’s resident “troubadour”, a fellow who sings on the town’s streets, had been plucked off the corner to open for Neil Young. Hoping to catch such a break, dozens of musicians (including Sonic Youth, Yo La Tengo and 24’s Mary Lynn Rajskub) descended on the fictional town, sending Taylor, Stars Hollow’s persnickety top politico, into a tizzy of speechifying that all this music was bad for business and sleeping. One third of the season finale was taken up by content that could be fast-forwarded without missing a thing about our eponymous girls. Raisins.

Of course, Palladino absolutely loves raisins ("But, sweetheart, raisins are candy!") She’s not trying to show you something you won’t like—she wants to show you something she thinks is absolutely fantastic. Her enthusiasm for this storyline radiated off the screen. The fact that most viewers of Gilmore Girls would probably have rather (no offense to Kim Gordon) seen Lorelai than Sonic Youth doesn’t seem to have mattered very much to Palladino.

Indeed, watching the show, one regularly gets the feeling that giving the audience what they want isn’t very high up on her priority list. Not that Gilmore Girls is in the practice of killing off main characters or even keeping love interests apart. Rather, it’s the whimsies of Palladino’s aesthetic sensibility that dictate the happenings on Gilmore Girls. Palladino is probably a big fan of Yo La Tengo. She wanted them on her show, so they were. Her personal taste trumps all else—which is how you explain not only the season finale, but episode after episode when town meetings and recreations of the American Revolution are all that happen on screen.

But Palladino’s taste also accounts for what’s great about Gilmore Girls, and why it doesn’t feel like any other show on the air. In addition to the annoying, kitschy, time-sucking subplots she throws on the screen, she’s responsible for Lorelai and Rory and Emily, for all their talk, and for of a pace and quality not realistically attainable by unscripted humans, but still magnificent and whirling nonetheless. She’s also responsible creation of this crazy town—a charming setting—if only it wasn’t on screen so damn much.

For all she did wrong in the finale, when Palladino finally got around to tackling the major story lines, she did a bang up job. The episode contained a brief, but intense fight between Luke and Lorelei, the culmination of months of tension. It wasn’t long, it wasn’t thorough, but it was well written, well acted—an enormous, painful release. After endless inaction this three-minute fight carried the emotional weight of an entire episode.

Palladino’s restraint with the show stopping, knock down drag-outs makes Gilmore Girls one of the more realistic shows on television. To speak of realism and Gilmore Girls is a tricky thing, given how patently unrealistic Stars Hollow is. It’s a town out of time, where there’s no fast food or gas stations, everyone is bizarre and involved in each other’s business, and they all gather frequently to stage weird rituals on the town green. It’s a town with a troubadour. And Sally Struthers lives there, too.

But in this strange little town lives a woman who, for all her snappy, snide banter, for all her willingness to bicker, avoids truly painful confrontations with the people she loves for as long as she possibly can-- just like most of us. Lorelai regularly ignores the gaping dysfunctions in her relationships with her mother, boyfriend, and daughter. Those people are in her life for good, everyday doesn’t need to be a scene from World War III.

Delaying emotional confrontations between the main characters makes the episodes where they do occur seem quite dynamic – and other episodes less so. Season after season, Gilmore’s major problem has been one of pacing. Watching many of the episodes before Lorelai and Luke’s fight, or before Lorelai and Rory’s reconciliation after a painful falling out earlier this season, or before the consummation of Luke and Lorelai’s relationship last season, when the writers inexplicably squired him off to a Renaissance fair, was like staring at someone treading water: the show’s not going anywhere, at least not this week. Instead of seeing any forward movement in the plot, you watch Lorelai and Rory participate in some ridiculous town spectacle.

That’s not to say every single episode of Gilmore Girls should involve an enormous fight. If Luke and Lorelai had a heart-to-heart every time they met, their arguments would be meaningless, the show would be maudlin and overly dramatic. Gilmore Girls would be One Tree Hill. It is to say that doling out the right amount of plot to keep viewers from feeling bored without degenerating into a soap opera is a complex balancing act, and it’s not one that Palladino has always managed well.

And it may be one that a new showrunner could do better. Someone who could say, “Ok, so we want Yo La Tengo, but how about we skip Sonic Youth? Or, maybe we can figure out a way to integrate Rory and Lorelai into this troubadour storyline, so it doesn’t feel so unnecessary.” Someone such as this might pay more attention to story flow and not let five or six episodes go by with no development on major fronts. Palladino did the hard work, already; she created people and a place that are distinct and interesting and that viewers care about. But perhaps it’s time for someone who’s a little less quirky sensibility will be able to put together a consistently better television show.

http://www.popmatters.com/pm/tv/reviews/5792/gilmore-girls1/

(July 2003) Actress or Activist?: Keiko Agena Fights Racial Stereotyping On And Off Screen

2006-08-29T10:41:00.000-04:00

Actress or Activist?: Keiko Agena Fights Racial Stereotyping On And Off Screen

By Sara Stokoe

Five foot one inch Japanese-American actress Keiko Agena is not one to underestimate. In addition to her recurring role as Lane Kim, Rory's best friend on the WB's "Gilmore Girls," Agena is also somewhat of an activist, and is very involved in the Asian-American community.

When she is not filming episodes of the hit television series, Agena spends her weekends traveling to Asian festivals around Los Angeles with Blacklava clothing company; a grassroots organization whose mission is to raise questions as to how Asian-Americans are viewed in today's society. Their t-shirts contain clever counter-stereotypical slogans such as, "I suck at math" and "Asian is not oriental."

Although she is no longer with them, Agena once belonged to an Asian-American theater company called hereandnow. She performed at colleges and festivals around the country with the theater group, performing interwoven stories from an Asian-American perspective, many of which were taken directly from the lives of the performers themselves. Even though she has successfully moved on from hereandnow Agena continues to support their cause, and Blacklava sponsors them.

Her activism against racial stereotyping also plays a major role in her career as an actress. "As an actor, you have certain responsibilities to choose roles that will be positive images. I wouldn't do anything that was stereotypical or demeaning." In a recent interview with APA, Keiko commented on how she chooses the roles that she will play and the ones that she will pass up. "I call up my friends and ask them, 'What do you think, should I do it? Is it really cheesy? Is it really stereotypical?'" But she notes that it is very difficult in choosing which roles to let slide because "there are not many roles out there."

But because of this lack of desirable, un-stereotypical roles in Hollywood for Asian Americans, Keiko appears to be reluctantly accepting of some of the stereotypes, and acknowledges that some may criticize her for her stance. She commented on how she believes that what Lucy Liu is doing for Asian American actors is great, because "if you prove that you are marketable, and people will pay money to go see you then that will give you some amount of power, and then you can go on to the things you want to do" She notes that while Asian-Americans do not want to be "pigeon holed in just one area…it is really an important first step."

So, while Keiko fights to promote greater racial understanding and end stereotyping, she also has to work with what is out there, and hope that for her, being a high profile success doesn't mean being restricted by her ethnicity.

http://www.asiaarts.ucla.edu/070303/20030703_keiko.html
________________________________

Full Interview with Keiko Agena (May 16, 2003)
Interviewed by Lynna Kim
Transcription by Carol Soon

Lynna: Can you please introduce yourself?

Keiko: Sure. Hi, I am Keiko Agena. I play Lane Kim on "Gilmore Girls."

Lynna: First question, can you tell us where we may have recognized your familiar face?

Keiko: I am from "Gilmore Girls." I have also been on "Felicity"; I had a small recurring role on that, and then just little guest star roles, stuff like that and short films. I am doing more short films now.

Lynna: Tell us something about yourself that the public would never expect, like quirks or eccentricities?

Keiko: Well, I usually say that I ride a motorcycle or that I had a motorcycle, but I've said that a lot so I don't know if people do know that about me, but I used to have a GS 500 Suzuki, black and white motorcycle. That was my primary mode of transportation for a few years and I play the drums, but that's not kind of quirky because that is on the show. I play the drums.

Lynna: How long have you been playing and do you play professionally?

Keiko: Amazingly enough, we have been trying to put a group together. Well, I do have some actual musician friends. I have been playing for about a year, but the name of the band is "Mosaic" and we are going to be playing in June on Tuesday nights at the café, which is a great event, first and third Tuesdays in front of the East West Players building, do a quick plug for that. But the curator for that is letting us play. So we are going to play like three songs, I think. "Mosaic"!

Lynna: Do you play professionally or just as an amateur?

Keiko: I think a lot of people want to play, especially the drums, because the drums are a lot of fun. But there is such an awkward period at the beginning that if it wasn't for the "Gilmore Girls" that kind of forced me to practice, I don't think I would have gotten past that very awkward stage where you are so bad and loud. But because of the show, I kind of had to practice and so now it's getting to be a little bit more fun. Yeah, it's that secret desire that's coming out.

Lynna: The penetration of Asian Americans into the film and television industry finally seems to be breaking through with well-known celebrities such as yourself. But compared with the infiltration of Caucasians, African Americans, and Europeans, the number of Asian faces still remains slim. How were you able to make it as one of the few Asian American regulars on television?

Keiko: Well, for me, I was just lucky enough to get the part. I mean, I like "Gilmore Girls" because it feels like it is kind of an eclectic cast. I like the way they cast it and the way they wrote it. I wish I can take credit for that, but unfortunately I can't. Amy Sherman-Palladino has a best friend by the name of Helen Pai, who I have gotten to know very well. So my character is actually based on her, and unfortunately, some of the things that have happened to me on the show have actually happened to her in her life. But obviously, we stretch it for comic effect on "Gilmore Girls." Her parents were very strict, and the fact that she was Korean was Amy's idea. She was a good friend of hers, and Amy was just fascinated with her life, that she grew up in such a different way. So she brought that storyline into it. And I would like to see more characters, just more on television and film, just so that we had some variety. That would be nice.

Lynna: On the all-to-popular WB series "Gilmore Girls" you play the role of Lane Kim, the knowledge-hungry, word-hungry, eccentric best friend of Rory Gilmore. How accurately do you feel Lane Kim embodies a typical Asian American 16-year-old?

Keiko: Well, it's T.V. so a lot of the things are not exactly the way they are in real life, but I don't know. That would be a good question to ask other people, like how they perceive the way it is played or written. I kind of get both, as far as feedback. Some people recognize aspects of it, certain things about the relationship that they can relate to, but not the whole thing. Every comment I get is that Mrs. Kim is way too strict, you know, she is just extreme, and your mother is never like that. But there are certain little things that people can relate to.

Lynna: You have played the brainy Lane, a romantic lead in "Red Thread," an inspirational college student in "Felicity," and recently a comedic role. What role would you like to pursue in the future? What role fits you best?

Keiko: Well, there are certain things that I feel I can play better just because of my whole life experience, so I tend to gravitate toward those types of roles. There are certain things that I won't audition for because I am just like, "Ugh, I can't" and I struggle. Believe me I struggle! I call up my friends and ask them, "Well what do you think, it has this kind of character name, it has this sort of attribute. What do you think, should I do it? Is it really cheesy? Is it really stereotypical?" And I have some really good friends who go, "Yeah!" and I say, "Ok I won't do it. I won't audition for it." But it is hard because there are not that many roles out there! So you really have to decide that you really don't want to do it if you going to pass on something.

Lynna: Do you think your own personality resonates with the character, Lane? If so, in what way?

Keiko: I think she was written in a different way, but I think this sort of happens with television. It's that it sort of becomes who you are and a little bit with what they envisioned. I always think, and I haven't talked to Amy about this, but I always think that Lane originally was much more cool. I don't know, a little more sarcastic and more laid back, but whatever they gave me, regarding things that were quirky or extreme or goofy, I think I kind of excelled at that for whatever reason. So I think it becomes a little bit of a mix of that aspect of my personality and Lane, however she was originally intended to be.

Lynna: How do you feel about playing a Korean American actress, when in reality, you are Japanese American? Why do you think it was pertinent to the show that you play a character of this certain nationality?

Keiko: I still think that it was just that Helen happens to be Korean American. I don't really know, but I think Amy sort of just saw a good storyline. I think writers just go around and say, "Well that interests me or that doesn't interest me." Amy Palladino and Dan Palladino are married and are two of the executive producers and, just from observing them, I see that this is how they sort of go about doing things. Whatever resonates with them and clicks with them, and is going to hold their interest over a long period of time, that is what they are going to write about. If is sort like, "Eh, I don't know," it has got to hold their interest for a long period of time. Apparently, the storyline is going to hold on to their attention for a very long time.

Lynna: Once a year, Ammy Awards, a take off of Emmy Awards, honors Asian American talent in film and television. Congrats on your win as the Best Female Actor in a TV production!

Keiko: Why, thank you. Whoo!

Lynna: Finally, Asians are being recognized as being phenomenal talents in Hollywood. What did it mean for you to win this award?

Keiko: I was surprised and really happy. I mean you always… Always? Like I get nominated for these things, but when you go, you want to play it all cool, but inside you are like, "Please pick me, there is no chance but please pick me!" So that was kind of the situation I was in. Even though you don't want to be, you heart is kind of racing. I don't know, I was really surprised. I was really glad that people were watching the show and don't hate you. I don't know about other people, but actors are always like, "Do they hate me? No? Alright, I am safe, I am alright. I am ok."

Lynna: Did winning this award make you more confident in your acting abilities?

Keiko: Well, thank goodness, I have gotten a little more confident over time. In general, because you know in this business, in any business you kind of have to increase your confidence level, so I think that is one aspect among other things that has sort of helped me be more confident or at least appear more confident.

Lynna: Who do you see as role models in Hollywood, particularly to Asian Americans? Why?

Keiko: Oh, I might get a lot of criticism for this, because I know that there are better role models (oh but now I am going to get criticism for what I am going to say), but I think it is great what Lucy Liu is doing because she is making money for studios and people are going to argue with me about stuff like that. But I think that if you prove that you are marketable and people will pay money to go see you, then that will give you some amount of power, and then you can go on to do the sorts of things you want to do. So I think that everyone who serves as a high profile actor or performer, who is proving that they can be successful is a big help to all of us. I know that it may not be what we want ultimately because we don't want to be pigeon holed in just one area, but I think it is really an important first step. I support everyone who is going out there and working, you know, doing well for people.

Lynna: What would you say about the B-rated films that aren't as marketable as other films, but are still great films?

Keiko: Well, that is a good question, because I think talent always rises. I wouldn't call it a B-rated film, but I know a lot of people who are watching this or you guys know, but "Better Luck Tomorrow" just came out. It's an independent film, it's an amazing film, it's so talented, it's getting so much buzz because it is good. It is Asian American but I don't support it because it is Asian American, but because it is good, because talent is there, direction is there, the production value is there, and the actors are good. And when you have a product that is like that, people are going to notice, whether it got the funding originally or not. I think it is hard because we are harder on ourselves, sometimes we are too hard on ourselves and on the people of our community, but on the other hand, I think that when you support something it should be for the right reasons. I want to support it because it is good, the talent is there, and that primarily, and of course, because it is helping all of us in the community as Asian Americans.

Lynna: How do you decide what movies you want to be a part of?

Keiko: Most actors would say this, primarily it has to be a good script and you like the writing, and secondly, it's a part that you think that you can shine in, bring out the best in, and I guess the question of whether or not it is going to be successful comes after that. The first two things need to be there, otherwise, why do it? Maybe in two years, I will think "Yay! Big budget. Give me the money," I don't know.

Lynna: How much do you challenge yourself, in regards to taking roles different from what you normally play?

Keiko: That is a good question. I am a little bit of a chicken. I challenge myself all the time, but not where there is evidence. If you get me something like an improv class or some place where it is a friendly environment, I think I let myself go a lot farther. If it is for something, even like a short film or something like that, or television, I think I am much more conservative. I'm much more protective of that, which is something I just shoot for, being experimental in that field. I don't know, everything is a balance.

Lynna: Many critics may say that the entertainment industry does not fuel the minds of young people; in fact, they claim that it fills their minds with violence, sex, profanity, and a warped sense of reality. How do you respond to these attacks?

Keiko: That is really a hot button issue. You are talking about like "Jack Ass" and stuff like that, that are kind of like violent movies?

Lynna: Yeah, yeah, but even normal series, TV series that people might look on and say, "Oh that contributes nothing, it is just entertainment, you don't learn anything or gain from it."

Keiko: I think for myself, I have been thinking about that question a lot, but to be honest I don't really know where I come down on that issue because it is really hard to say. I don't think you can go either way a hundred percent because to say that it is the responsibility of the media to educate us on how to raise our kids, I can't go there, but then I can't completely excuse the images that are being pumped into our minds from all kinds of media, video games, television, and film. So I think there is a responsibility, but I haven't decided where I stand completely on that. I am still thinking about it. I think it is an important question to answer, but I think there is a lot at stake.

Lynna: How did you decide to pursue acting?

Keiko: I just decided that I was going to act professionally just this year, to say to myself that this is what I really want to do. I don't know how other people feel but this is actually a hard question to really commit yourself to because the chances are so slim. I think a lot of people have crazy ideas of how easy it is in this business, but the odds are so slim to be successful, and even just to make a living doing what you like to do. That is what I want, I want to make my money, my income doing creative things and if I can do that and be eighty-eight years old sitting on my rocking chair and looking back on my life, and can say that "I have done that!" and done things that I am proud of, I think that will make me feel successful. So I am putting that out there. That is what I want.

Lynna: What did you want to be when you were younger, before you starting acting?

Keiko: I was pretty young when I did my first play; I was ten. There is that famous quote that someone told me when I was in high school, that Betty Davis said that if you can imagine yourself doing anything other than acting, then you should do it. I kept thinking about that: "Is there anything else? Is there anything else that I can possibly do besides this business, because I should do it" and I think that is kind of what happened in the beginning of this year when I decided, "No, it has been a long process, but this is what I really like to do and you only go around once, unless you believe in reincarnation, but you only go around once, so you should go for it." If you are going to go for it, the time is now to make that decision so I finally decided.

Lynna: Tell us about your future plans.

Keiko: There is a short film by writer and director of "Red Thread," which I am in, and I think she was calling me on the way over here that it was in the film festival coming up here in LA, so you can go check it out there. The other film that I am working on, which I think will be good anyways, even though I am doing costuming for it, but go see it, is going to be called "Sad Happy Sucker." It is going to come out in a while.

Lynna: Thank you for your time

Keiko: Thank you.

http://www.asiaarts.ucla.edu/070303/20030703_keiko_a.html

(June 2005) Emily Kuroda: The Trained Thespian behind Gilmore Girls' Mrs. Kim

2006-08-29T10:30:00.000-04:00

Emily Kuroda: The Trained Thespian behind Gilmore Girls' Mrs. Kim
by Ada Tseng

So who is the actress behind this one-of-a-kind character? A respected theater veteran. APA talks to Emily Kuroda -- who in real life, thank goodness, doesn't resemble the intense, intimidating character that she portrays onscreen.

Gilmore Girls is no stranger to high drama. The season five closer was no exception with the seemingly unbreakable Lorelai-Rory bond was shaken before our eyes. Knife through Lorelai's heart as Rory drops out of Yale. Then, double daggers through any other organ capable of feeling anger and betrayal after the heart has been punctured as Rory moves into her grandparent's house, as Lorelei watches her daughter merge into the claustrophobic old-money world that Lorelai had rejected her entire life.

But in the same episode, there was a brighter subplot. In contrast to the Rory debacle, there was the less intense, but just as notable development of Lane and Mrs. Kim's strained mother-daughter relationship being unexpectedly mended. This is where Emily Kuroda comes in, playing the incomparable Mrs. Kim character, bringing humor, heart, and an element of reality to an otherwise insane character.

Recap Alert! So last year, Lane (Keiko Agena) had been kicked out of the house when her uber-conservative mother (Kuroda) painfully realized that Lane had been lying to her her entire life, living a secret identity where she was fraternizing with non-mother-approved boys who were not Korean doctors, watching TV (instead of reading the Bible), eating french fries and pizza (aka food of the Devil), and acting as a drummer in a rock band (aka music of the Devil). Lane had been living in sin in an apartment with her two male bandmates for a year. Eternal damnation and hellfire. At the end of this season, Lane realizes that the band is not going anywhere, and comes back to her mother, wanting to move back home even if it means going back to her strict rules. However, in a surprise turn of events, Mrs. Kim demands that Lane not give up on her dreams, organizes a tour for them to play on, and ultimately helps Lane inject the passion back into group members so that the band does not go the way of the trilobites. It's beautiful, really. Especially when Mrs. Kim literally breaks down the door of their apartment and storms it like a crazy person, scaring the crap out of everyone -- her specialty.

Although Gilmore fans love her, make no mistake, Emily Kuroda has had a steady career in theater, film, and television way before her Mrs. Kim days. A Japanese-American who grew up in Fresno, California, she's had roles on Doogie Howser, LA Law, and was recently on Six Feet Under. However, Kuroda is most known for her extensive theater work. She is a veteran of East West Players, Los Angeles' premier Asian-American theater, acting in over 35 of their productions over the years. She's received five Dramalogue awards, a Garland award for outstanding performance, and a LA Ovation nomination for Best Lead Actress. Kuroda has become a staple in Asian-American theater -- most recently in David Henry Hwang's M Butterfly and playing Wardina in Chay Yew's A Distant Shore. We can see her on the big screen soon in Shopgirl, the adaptation of Steve Martin's novel starring himself and Claire Danes.

APA: When did you know you wanted to be an actress?

Emily Kuroda: I started out directing and performing in high school. And then I went to college, and I was in drama, and they said, "Oh well, you should be a teacher." And all I could do was get the little crap roles. But then, I saw East West Players come along, and I said "Wait a minute...." I went there for a summer to study, and I said "Oh my God, they were wrong. I can actually act and make a living at it." So, that kind of changed my life. And that was 1978 and I've stayed ever since.

APA: Would you say that theater is your first love?

EK: Yea, because I studied for a long time. Their thing was that you should study first, don't just try to go become a TV star or a soap opera star. So I spent the first few years working odd jobs, and studying and doing theater. So I think I am at home on the stage.

APA: How would you describe your character on Gilmore Girls?

EK: I started doing Gilmore Girls in March 2000, in Toronto. Over the five years, she has grown from being a mean mom, to a mom that has to deal with a daughter who wants to date white people, a daughter who wants to play music, who wants to dress like the other kids. So, the mother is having problems trying to keep up with the times. She still wants to do the right thing for her kid, but she's not sure what the world is like anymore, so it's a constant struggle.

APA: Do you feel like the character is softening, over time?

EK: Yea, I think the character is starting to soften -- even though she kicked her daughter out of her house, for lying to her about her band -- and I think the writers have done something really interesting for the last episode of the fifth season.

APA: How did you go about creating the character? Isn't Lane's character actually based on the life of one of the producers? How much of it is true to her real life and how much of it is made up?

EK: Yes, Helen Pai, who's one of the producers. So it was really great, because usually when they have an Asian family in a show, they put all this "Oriental" stuff in it. But this one doesn't, since it's based on a real person, and also because I think the writers and producers are so with it. When I read for it, I just automatically assumed that I'd have an accent, and the creator said, "What are you doing?! No!" [laughs] I mean, the character does have an accent, but it's not a Korean accent. It's her own specific "goofy mom" accent, which I thought was really cool.

Helen's involved in music, or her husband is. I met with her mom, who was like, [imitates] "Oh God.... What are you going to do? They fall in love. What are you going do do? I don't like it, but OK." [laughs] Her mom's helped me with my Korean, during the few times that I've had to speak Korean.

APA: What is it like working with Keiko Agena?

EK: Oh, she is the best. She's a wonderful actress. She's one of the most down-to-earth girls I've ever known. She's just the most giving, most supportive person. She's just terrific. I wish all stars were like her.

APA: Do you get recognized a lot?

EK: Yea I do. All over. I get people writing me from all over Europe, from Singapore. Gilmore Girls is really hot in Singapore. It's huge. So I get really good treatment in Singapore. Better than here. [laughs]

APA: What is it like being part of a successful TV show for five years?

EK: It's really great. It's like a big dysfunctional family. Everyone knows each other. One guy who was a camera guy is now directing. So, except for all the dialogue we have to memorize, it's great.

APA: Yea, Gilmore Girls is known for the characters talking really fast...

EK: Yea, it's very fast. And it's word-perfect. Letter-perfect. They demand it. So that makes it a little hard. But we're kind of used to it.

APA: How would you describe the differences between working in theater and working on the TV show?

EK: Theater usually has a big rehearsal period, so you can think about things. You can talk to the director and work out things. You can talk to the writer if there's any problems. You can really flesh out a character. Versus TV -- I get the script the night before, and it's about trying to memorize the lines really fast. And time is money, right? So they say, here are your marks. Go! Go! Go! Talk faster. Hit your key lights. OK go. And in between takes, if you mess up, you've got the script person telling you, "You said the instead of and," you got the make-up people there, the director's giving you acting notes, the camera person's saying, "You didn't hit your mark. Can you go there?" "Uh huh, uh huh, uh huh," and they say "Go on again!" and it's like, here I go.... So, it's really fast-paced, versus stage, where before you go on, you can actually take a moment and think about what you're doing.

APA: In terms of most the roles you get and also the ones you audition for, do most of them still want you to do an accent?

EK: Yea.

APA: Is that frustrating?

EK: Yes. But you know, it doesn't happen all the time, and in fact in a lot of my roles, I do the generic roles, where I don't need an accent. But whenever it's a family, they usually have the parents first generation

APA: Since the time you started acting, how has the industry evolved, in
terms of Asian-American roles? Have there been vast improvements?

EK: There's been some improvements. I'm very excited about the things Lucy [Liu]'s been doing. She's been breaking through some of the barriers. My good good friend John Cho has broken down some barriers, and I'm just so proud of him. And he's at the point where he can actually help implement changes with the producers and the writers, and he's doing it because this is very important to him. So, it's slow, but we're getting there. [pauses] But it's very slow.

APA: What other things can we expect from you in the future?

EK: I'm doing some producing now, and some directing. Little things here and there. I keep myself busy.

APA: Thank you so much for your time.

http://www.asiaarts.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=25456

(August 2006) Ode to Gilmore Girls: Behind the Musicality of TV’s Beloved Show

2006-08-29T10:19:00.000-04:00

Ode to Gilmore Girls: Behind the Musicality of TV’s Beloved Show
by Ada Tseng

As a smart-talking, endearingly-pretentious, pop-culture reference machine, Gilmore Girls has always taken its music very seriously. You are what you listen to -- especially when it comes to Lane Kim, who best encapsulates the ‘audiophile’ mentality of the show, acting as a mouthpiece for the Gilmore writers/producers who aren’t shy about separating the real deals from the poseurs.

LANE: [On phone] "No, wait, wait, wait. Progressive rock is a really passé style now, but I listed it as an influence because it was a progenitor of great things that came afterwards. I mean, I contend that you can draw a straight line from Yes to Jethro Tull to the Jam to Nirvana, bing bang boom… [pauses]. Who are the Jam? That’s disturbing."

Lane Kim (played by Keiko Agena) -- lead character Rory Gilmore's best friend -- is obsessed with music. Snap judgments made on the account of less-than-stellar musical taste, while a habit of many of the inhabitants of the Gilmore world, is taken to extremes when you’re dealing with Lane. She lives for music; she breathes music; she regularly orchestrates intricate, elaborate schemes, mobilizing friends and fellow townspeople to implement her strategic secretive missions, in order to get her hands on new music that her mother forbids her to listen to.

Music has had many different functions in Gilmore Girls. Plot-wise, the show has, on many occasions, made use of music’s deep-seeded powers to explain motivations and drive a story forward in ways that words and actions might fall short.

It can act as a catalyst to unlikely friendships. When Lorelei encouraged Rory to invite her Chilton classmates to a Bangles concert, it was the first step to smoothing over animosities, and it allowed Rory and former nemesis Paris Gellar to forge a lasting connection of loyalty and trust.

It can symbolize inherent incompatibilities. When Lorelei rejects Christopher’s marriage proposal, she argues that he cannot possibly be ready for marriage, because The Offspring is his favorite band. "The Offspring have, like, one chord progression. They use it over and over. They just popped on new words, called it a single and… I don’t want to talk about this anymore!" The lesson here is this: "Metallica" (one of Lorelei’s favorite bands) and "The Offspring" can never be on the same level.

It can separate the mundane from the exquisite. When Lane puts up an ad to form a band, she must sort through the idiots who don’t know that Kim Deal was in the Pixies before the Breeders, or that Jackson Browne actually wrote some of Nico’s best songs, and ultimately finds a male counterpart that is just as intense as she is. And sparks fly.

But in Lane’s case, it’s more than that. Music is her dream. In season two, Lane passes by a music shop and feels a magnetic pull to go in. Moments after laying eyes on the shiny red drum set, she begs the store-owner, guest star Carole King, to give her drum lessons, and it’s a turning point that changes her life forever: "I have found my calling… My future, my path, my destiny, my thing, my scene, my bag. I’m talking about the number one item on my cosmic to-do list…. I am Keith Moon, I am Neil Peart, I am Rick Allen, with and without the arm, because I am rock ‘n roll, baby!"

The fact that music is such an integral part of Gilmore Girls reflects the seriousness in which the Gilmore team – especially wife-husband executive producers Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino -- takes their music choices in reality.

Breaking from the network format -- other WB shows unabashedly use music for marketing purposes and advertise for the artists at the end of each episode -- Gilmore Girl’s tendency leans towards bringing back the old, edgy and true, rather than promoting the young, pretty, and brooding.

Carole King records a special version of her hit "Where You Lead" for the show’s opening credits, and Sam Phillips provides the background music and score for the show. Over the years, they’ve secured the talent of Grant Lee Phillips (picture below) to play their town troubadour, and well as Sebastian Bach (of Skid Row fame) for a reoccurring role as one of Lane’s band members. Other notable figures who have guested on the show include The Shins, The Bangles, John Gion, and Paul Anka (also the namesake of Lorelei’s dog).

But, the essential piece of continuity that has tied everything together musically, providing a constant outlet for the Gilmore "official" opinions, is none other than Lane Kim – the "Nico-obsessed, Exene wannabe with forty Korean Bibles under her bed" -- who will always express what is right and belittle those who do not understand or meet the standards of artistic eruditeness.

"Dan is hugely into music," says Helen Pai, a co-producer of Gilmore Girls and the inspiration for the Lane character. "You walk into their house, and they get a new speaker every week. I think Amazon has a direct line to their house. Once Amoeba moved in, it was over, essentially. He has, like, 100 ipods."

Pai, herself, is a music fanatic, which is fortunate, because, "with the show, [music] takes up a lot of time." With Pai’s involvement behind the scenes of the show, fact and fiction intertwine. In season two, as mentioned above, Lane meets Dave Rygalski (played by Adam Brody) who becomes her first boyfriend and helps form her first band -- along with bassist Brian (John Cabrera) and lead singer Zach (Todd Lowe.)

Dave Rygalski is actually the name of Helen Pai’s real-life husband, a comedy writer who currently works on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. The real-life Rygalski, who is also a musician on the side, plays the bass for Brian’s character on the show.

"Dave and I got married during the first season of Gilmore Girls," says Pai. "And when you become family, you start having to go to these family events. And my parents would ask him to do insane things. They’re very active in the religious community, but we’re not religious, so it would be one of those things where I’d be dragging him out. So, one week, they wanted to go perform for a retirement home, and they wanted us to sing. And Dave was so sweet, he’d say, ‘Oh, I’ll play the guitar!’ And I, was like, ‘No, we’re trying to get out of this!’

"So Amy would hear stories about this, how Dave gets pulled into so much of this stuff, and he does it so willingly. So, that’s where the character of Dave Rygalski comes from. And they just decided to name the character after him."

So Dave on the show volunteers to play guitar for Mrs. Kim’s church services so he can spend time with Lane. He pretends to be a devout Christian in order to get Mrs. Kim to allow him to take Lane to the prom. Although the Lane’s onscreen relationship didn’t last – Adam Brody departed for The O.C. -- her band, Hep Alien (an anagram for Helen Pai), continued on without the fictional Dave Rygalski. They replaced him with guitarist Gil (Sebastian Bach), and Zach eventually became Lane’s new love interest.

When Gilmore Girls first started, Pai was a script coordinator, taking notes in the writer’s room: "I type like a madwoman," says Pai. "My typing speed is insane, and I think Amy was always impressed by that." Through the years, Sherman-Palladino grew to trust her, and the producers put her in charge of outside projects, like the Gilmore Girls novels, one of which Pai wrote entirely herself. By the end of the sixth season, and now continuing onto year seven, Pai had become involved in everything from set design, publicity, DVD special features, and legal clearances, to sound mixing and post-production tasks.

Pai is also the coordinator who is in charge of any scene in Gilmore Girls in which Hep Alien performs on-camera.

"She’s pretty much been there consistently from the beginning to help out with that aspect of the show," says Agena. "She’s at rehearsals trying to translate what Dan is envisioning, and to make sure we know what we’re doing."

"We get together and work out the kinks," says Pai. "A lot of shows, when they have music on, they’ll go into a studio, pre-record it, and then play it back in their ear. But we actually will try and shoot it live, which is a real challenge."

Agena started taking drum lessons. "It was definitely a highlight when I got a phone call saying that they wanted to teach me how to play the drums," says Agena. "Because I would never learn to play an instrument this late in life, unless it was for something like this."

"These are the things that Amy wants," says Pai. "It was a reality factor. We wanted her to learn so it looked more realistic."

The biggest, and most exciting, Gilmore Girls musical project to date, occurred during the Season 6 season finale, "Partings" [original airdate, May 6, 2006], where they had their own "Gilmorepalooza" in conjunction with Amy Sheman-Palladino and Dan Palladino’s last episode with the show.

"It was something Amy and Dan had been thinking about for a while," says Pai. "Having a troubadour contest." The story they came up with was that Grant Lee Phillips, Stars Hollow’s town troubadour, is discovered by Neil Young’s manager; as a result, musicians from all over the country flock to the small town thinking it is the new hot spot to display their music. The story essentially gave the Gilmore crew the opportunity to fulfill a wish list of all the musical acts that they would want to cameo in the show, to bring them in as street musicians.

"Sonic Youth somehow got in touch with us, because they love the show and wanted to come visit," explains Pai. "They happened to be there when Sebastian Bach was singing ‘Hollaback Girl’ – which was fantastic.

"And they [Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore] were so unbelievably nice. So, somehow Amy got on the topic of – ‘Would you guys like to be on the show?’ And, they said, ‘Sure!’ And from there, we started finding others. I am friends with the bass player of Yo La Tengo, and I knew that he was a huge fan of the show and that Amy and Dan loved them, so I thought we’d see if we could throw that into the mix. And, we loved Joe Pernice and his music...

"The Sparks had contacted us, not to appear on camera, but because we had been working with them on a musical collaboration for the show. So, when they called, we went after them to appear on the show. And lastly, there was Sam Phillips, our music composer, who we weren’t sure would be interested in appearing in front of the camera. But she said, ‘Absolutely. I’ll do it.’"

"I loved that episode," beams Pai. "Musically, that was it. I don’t even need to do any more. This is the top of what it’s going to ever be."

The crowning touch of the musical Gilmore episode is probably the most unnoticeable troubadour performance of them all. But, it’s one that epitomizes the ultimate overlapping of reality and TV magic.

"Daniel Palladino was one of the troubadours," laughs Pai. "It was the scene that starts out with Sonic Youth, the night scene where Taylor (Michael Winters) is walking through. And, at the end of the scene, there’s Dan Palladino singing, with a guy playing stand-up bass, and another guy playing the acoustic guitar.

"The guy on stand up bass is my husband [the real Dave Rygalski]. And, the guy who plays guitar is the guy who plays Sebastian Bach’s guitar off-camera. So, with that scene, the guys who are literally behind the curtain, playing for Lane’s band, are finally out in front of it."

Fellow Gilmore Girls TiVo-ers, knock yourselves out.

http://www.asiaarts.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=51438

(August 2006) You Break, You Buy: The Indelible Mark of Gilmore Girls

2006-08-29T10:13:00.000-04:00

You Break, You Buy: The Indelible Mark of Gilmore Girls
by Ada Tseng

Over these past six seasons of "Gilmore Girls," viewers have gotten a glimpse of what Asian Americans on television can be. No token characters, no racial identity issues, just people who light up the crazy world we live in. Creator Amy Sherman-Palladino was just trying to find a funny story to tell, and as a byproduct, a door was creaked open. Helen Pai, Keiko Agena, and Emily Kuroda helped make it happen.

Sometimes things just creep up on you. The friendship that you suddenly realize is rare and more special than you had ever imagined. The black cat with the devil eyes you have to pretend doesn’t freak you out because you’re convinced it senses fear. Ivy. Old age. The sequelae of prolonged ecstasy usage. Often times, it’s the things we don’t notice and take for granted that have the greatest influence. And it’s not until we are able to step back and evaluate the bigger picture that we realize – in the end, it’s the subtleties that pack the most punch.

Even from the perspective of an avid watcher of the show, Gilmore Girls’ influence on society’s perceptions of Asian Americans as in-depth, three-dimensional characters was something that had, for the most part, flown under the radar.

Who knew that a charming family show about a mother-daughter duo in the small fictional town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut; a show that overcame dismal ratings only to become the WB’s second highest-rated series; a show that, before Arrested Development, obliterated all competition when it came to fast-talking dialogue and densely-packed pop culture references – who knew that this show would also become one of the most notable milestones for Asian Americans in the media in the last few decades.

True, there have been more high-profile landmarks. Margaret Cho in All-American Girl is the first that comes to mind. The Joy Luck Club. Better Luck Tomorrow. Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle. All are great moments and important stepping stones. The irony of Gilmore Girls’ accomplishment, though, is that no one notices. That’s also what separates them from the pack. Isn’t that what Asian Americans have been fighting for all these years? To not be typecast? To be represented as normal people? It’s the very fact that these characters are so integrated into the storyline -- that their Asian-ness is not something that is seen as extraordinary or unusual -- which makes Gilmore Girls ground-breaking.

It’s not until you step back and think about the lack of precedents, that you start to realize what a big deal it really is. As a twenty-something, growing up in the ‘80s, the option of seeing Asians on television wasn’t even a luxury, it wasn’t expected at all. Six years of an Asian American family consistently on your screen, every Tuesday night, warming themselves into your hearts, saying and doing hysterical things? My poor eleven-year-old mind would have exploded.

Back in the day, you had your Full Houses, your Saved by the Bells, your Friends, your My So-Called Lives. Great shows; no complaints. But gradually, new and diverse faces started popping up. Lauren Tom in Friends. Lucy Liu in Ally McBeal. Ming-na Wen in The Single Guy. Kayla Blake on Sports Night. Parminder Nagra on ER. On the surface, it seems incidental. But in reality, behind the scenes, it’s an accumulation of years and years of fighting to break down barriers. For every small detail (even for something as recent as Justin Lin’s The Fast and the Furious 3), there has been immense struggle. But we’re starting to see the results.

Think about it: younger generations who have been following a show like Gilmore Girls will see stories about a Korean American character and her family on a mainstream television show and it’ll be completely natural to them.

So how does the Gilmore Girls crew make it look so easy? They seem so immersed in the day-to-day aspects of creating a show that the bigger picture of societal influence doesn’t seem to penetrate their consciousness. According to them, it really is just about telling a good story in the best way that they can.

The Evolution

For the past six years, Lane Kim has been an integral part of the Gilmore world. An official member of the cast from the start, Keiko Agena plays Rory Gilmore’s best friend, a rock-and-roll obsessed teenager who constantly downplays her true self, out of respect (and fear) of her intensely strict mother, Mrs. Kim. It’s been a fully developed story, all the way through. Over the years, we’ve seen Lane through three relationships, we’ve seen her struggle with what she wants to do with her future and discover her passion for drumming, we’ve seen her hidden life discovered by her mother, we’ve seen the heartbreak from both sides as Mrs. Kim kicks her out of the house, we’ve seen her repair her relationship with Mrs. Kim and develop one that is closer than ever before, and we’ve seen her get married to the man of her dreams in what might possibly have been the coolest wedding ever.

Most of the credit goes to Amy Sherman-Palladino, the creator of Gilmore Girls. The character of Lane was inspired by her best friend and Gilmore Girls co-producer, Helen Pai. Ever since they met ten years ago working together on the short-lived Fox show Love and Marriage, Pai has been entertaining Sherman-Palladino with stories about her family. Before Pai knew what she was in for, Amy called to tell her that she had finished her pilot for Gilmore Girls, and she had written into it a Korean American family based on Helen’s life.

“Initially, it was very weird,” says Pai. “I’m not a limelight kind of person. During the first season of Gilmore Girls, we had a panel, and there were a lot of questions about Mrs. Kim and Lane and the stereotypes. And, Amy would then explain, ‘Listen, these are real stories. They’re based on a real person.’ And people came up to me after the panel, and I was very uncomfortable.

“And, I was a little frightened to tell them any more stories!” she laughs. “When she’d ask me about my family gatherings, I’d think, ‘I can’t tell her.’ But then it’d eventually come out. I can’t stop Amy. No one can stop Amy.”

“She’s brilliant,” says Emily Kuroda, who plays Mrs. Kim. “Amy goes out on a limb. Because, look at all the other shows on TV -- with all the young pretty people. Amy hires older people, fat people, ethnic people… Nobody does that! That’s unheard of!”

“One nice thing that I found out,” says Agena, “was that there was a very intricate scene in the pilot where Mrs. Kim is first introduced. They go into Mrs. Kim’s antique shop, they’re walking around in a big maze of furniture. And Amy was actually getting a lot of pressure to cut something. And since the Mrs. Kim scene was a quirky little side story that didn’t really advance the storyline, that would have been a really easy scene to cut. But Amy just really wanted to do it. So I was grateful that she stuck to it.”

Part of what makes the story unique and funny is Lane’s relationship with her mother. It’s an interesting contrast to the mother-daughter relationship of Rory and Lorelei Gilmore, the main characters on the show.

The character of Mrs. Kim has always been a bit of a foreboding presence in Stars Hollow, frequently known to be doing ridiculous things, like following people holding a bat and spraying Rory with a hose to keep her away from her house. Mrs. Kim has been known to break down doors. Once she told Zach he should “swim in the sludge with Satan’s hell-dogs and feed them [his] innards for eternity” for dating her daughter. Mrs. Kim is always around even when you think she isn't. Just when you think you’re safe from her, she pops up from behind a corner and barks something at you. One of her first lines from the pilot was a grave warning to Rory: “Boys don’t like funny girls.”

“The character of Mrs. Kim started out as very no-nonsense and very stiff,” says Kuroda. “I’m not sure where that came from. I’ve never done anyone like her before. In my head, she’s had a really tough life, and she survived it by being very methodical. So that’s the basic feel for her. She’s ‘military’ to me. She’s very practical and she has her rules.”

As a reaction to Mrs. Kim’s uber-conservatism and paranoia, Lane develops a hyper-sensitive fear of getting caught doing something wrong and setting her mother off. She’s always running away, sneaking around, trying to avoid being shipped off to Korea without a return ticket, conceding to a life filled with hymns and Bible passages, and reluctantly going on blind dates with potential Korean doctor mates and their extended families. Most of it is exaggerated for comedic effect; some of it is completely made up; and even when there are elements of truth to some of the events, the stories are told through Helen’s perspective, which, she’ll openly admit, is a slanted one.

“My parents are religious Seventh Day Adventists, and they were very strict,” says Pai. “So, in addition to the Korean culture thing, which is a very protective atmosphere, I kind of felt that I got hit with this double whammy. And yet, I was this American girl that just wanted to go out.

“But even though I was a little bit of a rebellious kid, I really do love and respect my parents. I understood why they were so protective. So I think Amy saw that and thought that it was an interesting character.”

And it is interesting because Lane isn’t your typical rebel. And Mrs. Kim isn’t your typical parental oppressor. There’s love deeply woven in the relationship despite the clear barriers. There’s an added layer of complexity between them because there is not only a generational gap, but a cultural clash as well. Mrs. Kim truly believes that junk food, boys, music, and dancing are influences of the Devil. Unfortunately for the both of them, Lane, a teenager immersed in American pop culture, truly loves: (e) all of the above.

But any small indiscretion results in Lane being locked up in her room and restricted from making any phone calls or having contact with the outside world (Psalm-a-day hotlines excluded). Everything, from something as simple as getting her hands on the new Belle & Sebastian album, has to be done surreptitiously. So, Lane has been forced to lead a double life.

One of Lane’s trademark moves involves hiding her CDs, make-up, and other non-Christian items under the floorboards of her room. She has a walk-in closet filled with psychedelic lights and posters, her personal haven and the only outlet in her household for expressing her individuality. What’s amusing, and impressive, about Lane is how comprehensive and meticulous she becomes about her secrecy.

“There were definitely elements of that [in my life]. Absolutely,” says Pai. “I had the closet where I put up all my posters. My dad knew about it, but he kind of turned the blind eye, until he got really mad at me and took everything down.

“My parents were so strict that when I wanted to go out, I had to sneak out. I couldn’t just walk through the front door. So literally, after they went to sleep, I snuck the phone up to my room, and my friends would be like ’11:00, we’re going to call. Synchronize your watches!’” Pai laughs. “It was kind of ridiculous.”

Because Lane is based on Helen Pai, the character of Mrs. Kim is assumed to be based on Helen’s mother. However, Pai thinks that Mrs. Kim is actually more like her father. “My mom was always the sweet Korean mom, always entertaining the kids. My father is far more the strict one.”

If that’s the case, that both Pai's parents are melded into one character, it might partially explain the mysterious absence of Mr. Kim, who has been mentioned on the show but has yet to be seen. He didn't even bother to show up to his daughter's wedding.

“I know!” laughs Agena. “Where is my dad?”

“Lane has alluded to her 'parents’ [plural] before,” says Kuroda. “That was when I shipped her off to Korea. So, when they told me they were going to have a wedding, I thought, ‘Oh wow, this is exciting.’ But then, I don’t know where her husband was. I guess Mrs. Kim is going home alone.”

“My theory,” says Pai. “And it's really never been solved, is that he is in an import/export business, and he's in Korea all the time. That's what I'm going with. But that has nothing to do with the show. That's just my theory.”

Mrs. Kim has definitely softened and grown over time. The first few seasons focused on the differences between her and Lane, their clashes in character. However, after season five, there was a turning point in Mrs. Kim’s character where suddenly, layers were unraveled, and the viewers started seeing more of Lane in Mrs. Kim, as well as more of Mrs. Kim in Lane. We started to see how similar they really are.

Even though Pai’s parents don’t watch Gilmore Girls– “It’s the same night as some Korean program.” – Pai’s mother has been involved with the show on numerous occasions. “We give her parts of the script, and she says, ‘Now Helen, you have to be very careful, because you’re representing the Korean community,’" says Pai. “She really wanted me to be cautious.”

Pai's mother coached Kuroda on an episode called "The First Date,” which was based on the fact that Pai's mother wasn't happy about Helen dating her now husband, because he wasn't Korean, but how she learned to accept it because he made her daughter happy. “We talked about that for a long time."

"And then she had to teach me Korean.” Kuroda, who’s Japanese American, groans. “I had to speak a lot of Korean for the wedding episode. It was very stressful. My Korean is very bad. I warned them. But I tried my best.”

“She was really nervous about that,” laughs Pai. “I felt terrible. I was like, ‘Emily, I’m sorry, we’re trying to get you stuff as fast as we can.’ She’s so sweet and she just wants to do a good job.”

In terms of keeping it truthful to Korean-ness, Agena says “I think with the show, the intention is there to represent it well, but not necessarily ‘accurately,’ because, after all, it is a comedy. It’s going to take elements of something and blow it up to the extreme.”

Kuroda says the show has Korean consultants -- especially for Lane’s big wedding episode at the end of season six. The wedding had three parts: a Buddhist wedding to please Lane’s grandmother, a traditional Church wedding for Mrs. Kim, and a reception, when Lane and Zach were able to let loose and put on a rock show for all their friends.

It was during this episode when we realize that Lane’s relationship with her mother was exactly the same as Mrs. Kim’s relationship with her mother. It was a long line of Korean mothers wanting their children to be a certain way, and the daughters not fitting into the mold, and therefore feeling the need to hide their lives in order to please them. The Mrs. Kim/Lane storyline had come full circle.

After all the ups and downs that Lane and Mrs. Kim have had in their relationship, this season dealt with Lane having broken up with her boyfriend Zach, coming back to her mother, begging for forgiveness, and moving back home. Seeing her daughter stressed out and going through a tough time, Mrs. Kim lets down some of her guard and exhibits some sympathy and compassion for Lane. In a moment of unexpected brilliance, Mrs. Kim, takes out a bottle of liquor from the cabinet and pours them both a shot: “You have grieved, and now we move on.”

It was that scene, Kuroda says, that drew some criticism from some young bloggers. “Seventh Day Adventists wouldn’t actually do that, cause they’re not supposed to drink,” says Kuroda. “So it really bothered them.”

“That was the best though,” laughs Agena. “That was a total moment. Because you would never think, from the beginning of the series, that those two people would ever get to that point. So it was a nice contrast of how they started. It’s kind of a capper.”

The Impact

Although the Lane storyline is only a subplot of Gilmore Girls, it has been a consistent one. It's given both Lane and Mrs. Kim a chance to blossom into authentic, complicated, well-developed characters that viewers really root for. Mrs. Kim – who Emily Kuroda makes sure to note doesn’t have a Korean accent, to the credit of the producers – is not limited to a caricature of a crazy, strict, backwards-thinking Asian parent.

Ultimately, nobody watches the Asian American characters on the show to see “what Asians are like.” They watch the show because it’s funny. It allows viewers to become emotionally invested in the eccentric characters. Ultimately, what Asian Americans have always wanted is to be recognized for their wide spectrum of qualities, to be appreciated for the quality of the work, and to not be pigeonholed or feel obligated to represent a specific image. Gilmore Girls is an example of mainstream media striking that balance successfully, and as it has shown through its longevity, that if it’s appealing and clever, people will watch.

“One of my favorite things right now is this Asian guy who’s been in a couple of TV commercials. A phone commercial and a Febreeze commercial. He’s just ‘the guy.’ And I don’t know why, but I like that," says Agena. "It’s a character you’ve seen a million times before, but it just happens to be him, and he just happens to be Asian American. And he’s funny.”

As long as we’re in on the joke, we’re in good shape. And besides, as far as positive representation goes -- Lane is a female drummer in a rock ‘n roll band. Who just married her lead singer.

It doesn’t get any cooler than that.

http://www.asiaarts.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=51436

(May 2006) Gilmore Girls should call it quits

2006-07-23T22:50:00.000-04:00

'Gilmore Girls' should call it quits
By BILL BRIOUX -- Toronto Sun

Amy Sherman-Palladino calls tonight's Gilmore Girls sixth season finale -- her swan song as the show's driving force -- "the coolest thing we've ever done." The question is: Can and should this eccentric series survive without her?

I say cue the fat lady, bring out the fork, strike the sets. This show is toast with or without Palladino.

The last two or three seasons, Gilmore Girls has almost dared viewers to change the channel. Every character on the series was fluent in smartass. Even the extras had snappy answers to stupid questions. The rat-tat-tat patter, clever at first, became enraging.

Like Northern Exposure's Cicely, Alaska, Gilmore's Stars Hollow is Eccentricville, U.S.A. After a while, shut up with the Dorothy Parker dialogue already.

What saved Gilmore Girls from Exposure's premature flame out was great acting, especially from Lauren Graham as Lorelai and Kelly Bishop and Edward Herrmann as the over-the-top grandparents. They kept the show grounded and real, allowing Sherman-Palladino to spin her flighty fantasy world.

Doing this show without Sherman-Palladino will be like taking Aaron Sorkin out of The West Wing. It will create a different show. That may not be a bad thing; it might be refreshing to see these characters drop the know-it-all blather. Or -- and this is the bigger risk -- it may become Everwood dull.

New network CW probably needs these Gilmore Girls to snare WB viewers next fall. For what -- to string out the Luke and Lorelai romance for another season? Did they learn nothing from those one-too-many seasons of That '70s Show, Friends or Will & Grace? You go, Girls.

http://jam.canoe.ca/Television/2006/05/09/1570407.html

(June 2006) Scott Patterson knows what to do with his GG money

2006-07-23T22:46:00.000-04:00

Scott Patterson knows what to do with his Gilmore Girls money
Posted Jun 16th 2006 12:33PM by Joel Keller

Anyone remember when Scott Patterson -- currently playing Luke Danes on Gilmore Girls -- played Elaine's "spongeworthy" boyfriend on Seinfeld? Well, that was probably Patterson's first big role, but it didn't exactly start the money rolling in. In fact, according to this New York Daily News article, Patterson's earnings in the two years before he got the Gilmore part were $23,000 and $33,000 (yikes -- he made that little money despite his high profile roles? Shows you how hard it is out there if you don't have a regular series).

But seven years on a hit show has Patterson in the money. But he didn't always spend it well. The article details some of the mistakes Patterson made at first -- he lost a bundle on eToys stock, for instance -- before seeking the help of former actor and current financial planner Jeffery Fishman. Now, he's actively involved in planning for his future, whether the acting jobs continue or not.

By the way, Patterson is 47. Wow. Didn't realize he was that old (I figured he was closer to 40). At least we know the guy takes care of himself.

http://www.tvsquad.com/2006/06/16/scott-patterson-knows-what-to-do-with-his-gilmore-girls-money/

(June 2006) Interview with Melissa McCarthy

2006-07-23T22:43:00.000-04:00

Sugar Shot
June 16, 2006
By Sarah Kuhn

Melissa McCarthy would like to thank the producers of MadTV. After all, they inadvertently helped her land the role of Sookie St. James, klutzy chef and best friend to Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) on the hit series Gilmore Girls. The part originally went to actor Alex Borstein, who is perhaps best-known for her wildly popular MadTV characters Miss Swan and The Gap Troll. MadTV wouldn't let Borstein out of her contract, and McCarthy nabbed the part. Quips McCarthy, "I should have sent all those producers flowers."

These days, it's hard to imagine anyone else bringing sweetly scatterbrained Sookie to life. Still, McCarthy found replacing Borstein a nerve-racking experience--particularly when Borstein showed up at the first table read. "I about had a heart attack, 'cause I thought, 'Oh, my God, they worked out her contract--she still has the part and no one called me,'" recalls McCarthy. "And no one really knew who I was, so I was just kind of standing there, having a bit of a meltdown: 'At some point they're going to start, and then I'm just going to, like, back out of the room.' But she got up, came all the way across the room, and introduced herself and let me know, 'You're not crazy, and I'm playing a different part'-she did some guest-star work on [the show]... She was the sweetest person to me." Incidentally, Borstein's real-life husband, Jackson Douglas, plays McCarthy's husband on the series.

Gilmore Girls returns this fall for a sixth season, but McCarthy is keeping busy in the meantime. She just finished working on a film called One Part Sugar, a comedy about "a little decrepit town that takes its power back from the bad guy."

"I wear a really, really pretty waist-length mullet in it," relates McCarthy. "[It's] just this side of playing a man. It's not my beauty role, but it was really fun."

She's also set to appear at "Achieve Comedy Greatness-From the Ground-lings Up," a comedy-focused Learning Annex panel/class on Tues., June 20. The panel features notable members and alums of The Groundlings, Los Angeles' legendary comedy/improv troupe that has launched such talents as Lisa Kudrow and Will Ferrell. McCarthy's fellow panelists include Cheryl Hines (Curb Your Enthusiasm), Mindy Sterling (Austin Powers), and Michael McDonald (MadTV). "There's a pretty good group going from kind of a variety of angles..." says McCarthy. "I think you get [together] a handful of funny people that have kind of been in the business long enough, and you'll probably get a lot of straightforward answers."

Comic Creation

McCarthy is a current company member at The Groundlings and recalls seeking the troupe out when she moved to Los Angeles about nine years ago. "My sister, who's not in the business at all, sent me an article all about The Groundlings and all the people who had come out of there," she recalls. "It just piqued my interest, so when I got to town, it's the first place I went, and I saw a show, and I had never seen anything like it. I think Kathy Griffin was there, and Patrick Bristow and Mike McDonald. And I saw these people just slightly out of their minds in a delightful way. I thought, 'Gosh, that looks like fun.' So I went back and auditioned and started taking classes and that began a very long love affair with The Groundlings."

Before that, she started her career in New York City, doing standup comedy. "I had moved [to New York] with a friend of mine, and he said, 'You have to do an open mic-it's ridiculous. You're basically doing standup anyway at parties,'" she remembers. "I came home and he had open mics booked for me. I kind of had no choice, and I didn't really know what they were, so I just showed up and I just talked. I did...I guess what's now alternative comedy: stream-of-consciousness stories. I just did that because I've never really been jokey and I didn't really know what I was doing, so I didn't prepare. Things went well, so I kept going back. It wasn't for quite a while that someone was like, 'Your 10-minute set seems like it changes.' I was like, 'Changes? I've never written anything down.'"

From there, McCarthy started acting in plays. "I did years and years of very serious, depressing plays," she says, laughing. "I didn't do anything comedic again until Groundlings. So I spent a good five or six years crying all through little stages in Manhattan."

On Solid Groundling

McCarthy says having such a strong improv background has helped in all facets of her acting. "I think it's really easy to kind of prerehearse your stuff and anticipate how it's going to come out, and I think…as we're learning lines, it plays out a certain way in our heads, and that usually or rarely matches what happens on the day of shooting," she says. "So to not be thrown by that and kind of take it as a nice surprise is always good. It's always much more interesting-if you're thrown a little off balance, it usually works in your favor."

That said, McCarthy doesn't get to use her improv skills much when it comes to Gilmore's whip-smart, fast-paced dialogue. "There is absolutely no changing [of the lines]-not a preposition, not anything," she says. "It is a show that's done verbatim, and it's a rhythm and style show, so it makes sense. It's written at a certain clip and a certain style, and what [creator Amy Sherman-Palladino has] always wanted is for that to translate. That is our job: What she gets out on paper, we've got to get it out of our mouths."

Is that strange for McCarthy, given her extensive improv training? "It is, because I constantly think things are funny in the script and then I always want to elaborate," she says, chuckling. "I've gotten used to not doing it... There's no time for it-that show is so tightly, tightly packed. There's not an extra second that we're not trying to get four pages in."

And that, she says, is why she continues to be a part of The Groundlings. "That's where I write; that's where I get that great interaction with a live audience. That keeps me sane," she says. "If I didn't have Groundlings, I would probably be trying stuff at Gilmore all the time to the point of them wanting to kill me."

"Achieve Comedy Greatness-From the Ground-lings Up" takes place Tue., June 20, 7-9:30 p.m. in L.A. The price for the class is $49.99 for Learning Annex members, $54.99 for nonmembers; use coupon code GRD06 for a $10 discount. Go to www.learningannex.com or call (310) 478-6677 for more information or to register for the class. Location for the class will be provided when you enroll.

http://www.backstage.com/bso/news_reviews/features/feature_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002689831

(July 2006) I've Read the First Gilmore Girls Script!

2006-07-23T22:23:00.000-04:00

by Michael Ausiello
Contains small spoilers, read with caution.

I've Read the First Gilmore Girls Script!
Don't ask me how I got it. Or from whom. But I got it.

By "it," I'm referring to the most sought-after 77 pages in Hollywood right now — the script for the season premiere of Gilmore Girls, penned by David S. Rosenthal. OK, so maybe "the most sought-after" is a slight exaggeration, but it's definitely been the most sought after by me. You see, this script contains answers to some of the new season's biggest questions. Among them: Can Rosenthal mimic Team Palladino's signature, rapid-fire rhythms? How will last May's controversial finale affect Luke and Lorelai? Does the boss favor some supporting characters over others? And, most importantly, is the thing any good?

Let's start with that last question first. I'm happy and greatly relieved — and, if I'm being completely honest, a smidge shocked — to report that yes, it's good. In fact, it's better than good — it's great.

Obviously, I can't get too specific. As it is, Warner Bros. and CW have probably already hired a bounty hunter to track down the source of the script leak. But here are some things I learned about Mr. Rosenthal after reading his debut as show-runner, with a few spoilers mixed in for fun.

He Has Palladino Blood in Him
Translation: He's got Amy and Dan's style down pat. When I finished the script, I almost had to look back at the byline to make sure the last name was Rosenthal and not Palladino. Honestly, I could not tell the difference. Besides nailing the banter, several of his one-liners were classic, laugh-out-loud Palladino. On the downside, like his predecessors, he overestimates viewers' appetite for one Taylor Doose.

He's a Fan of Luke and Lorelai
Now, I'm not going to lie to you. The episode is going to be a tough one for Luke and Lorelai fans to watch. Really tough. Based on how the season ended — and the fact that Rosenthal confirmed to me last week that Lorelai and Christopher did indeed have sex — that much was a given. But I think he handled the fallout from Christophergate with unbelievable grace and dignity — particularly as it pertains to Luke and Lorelai as a couple. Let me put it this way: The episode left no doubt in my mind that Lorelai and Luke are meant for each other.

He'll Always Have Paris
Liza Weil told me herself at the CW party last week that Rosenthal had given her her longest scene ever in the premiere — and she wasn't exaggerating. It's six pages! But it's not the length that stood out, it's the way Rosenthal managed to capture Paris' trademark vim, vigor and bite. Plus, I can't think of a more perfect business venture for Rory's sometime roommate than an SAT prep course. The possibilities for clashes with stupidity are endless!

He's a Hopeless Romantic
And Logan and Rory fans will be swooning as a result. Sure, the episode finds them on opposite continents, but Rosenthal has found a way to bring them closer together than I think they've ever been. All I'll say is his method is sweet, utterly romantic, and it ties in with the episode title, "The Long Morrow." And the end result should put Matt Czuchry fans' mind at ease. (At least for the short term.)

Other scoopy treats from the episode:

Rory and Lorelai spend some quality time together at a *a********* c****

There's a very silly subplot involving Michel, Sookie and *r* ********g.

Lorelai makes a passing reference to the title of one of the best Gilmore Girls episodes ever.

I was left with the impression that there will be a significant time lapse between Episodes 1 and 2.

Emily, Richard, Lane, April and Anna are MIA, but the rest of the supporting cast is pretty much accounted for.

Having said all this, there's no guarantee our Girls won't go to hell in a handbasket beginning with the second episode. But let's celebrate one win at a time. We got over the first hurdle. Rosenthal is clearly a talented guy who gets our little show. That's a good start.

http://community.tvguide.com/thread.jspa?threadID=700004169

(July 2006) Michael Ausiello interviews David Rosenthal - Part 2

2006-07-23T22:03:00.000-04:00

*Warning: Small season 7 spoilers.

Finally: Gilmore's New Boss Speaks

Here's my interview with David Rosenthal, conducted immediately following today's Gilmore Girls press-tour session. Luckily, he was much more forthcoming during our little Q&A than he was on the panel.

Ausiello: What can you tell me about the first six episodes?David Rosenthal: Obviously, the repercussions from the end of last season [will play out]. That's something that is not going to just disappear. It's a major shift, a major change in everybody's lives. It affects not just Lorelai and Christopher and Luke, but Rory as well. There are a lot of consequences, and we fully intend to explore them — the positive and the negative. It's a big deal, not just for the fans, but for us, the writers and producers of the show.

Ausiello: Fans are holding out hope that maybe Lorelai and Christopher didn't sleep with each other.
Rosenthal: No, no, no. That's a pipe dream. Those were two grown-ups who woke up in bed together after spending the night together.

Ausiello: Is Matt Czuchry off the show?
Rosenthal: No. God, no. Rory's going to try to engage in a long-distance relationship. He's going to be in London; she's going to be in college. Obviously, it's a very challenging and difficult thing, and it's going to present obstacles for the two of them. But they're very much in love, so they're really going to work hard to make it work. He's very much on the show and very much a part of her life, but it's from thousands of miles away.

Ausiello: You hinted during the session that there will be other boys in her life.
Rosenthal: There will be people in her life, male and female. Perhaps the return of characters from past seasons.

Ausiello: Marty?
Rosenthal: Marty perhaps will be returning in her social circles, and perhaps some new friends who we have yet to meet. Again, not only did Logan graduate, but Colin and Finn, too. A lot of the people she spent a lot of time with over the season have moved on, so she has to find a new life for herself at Yale.

Ausiello: I heard the first couple of episodes are dramatic.
Rosenthal: Certainly. It's a big thing we have to deal with, but there will be plenty of humor. We're not shifting gears here. We're not suddenly going to lose that spark and that humor that people know and love about Gilmore Girls. We work very hard to maintain that balance between the comedy and the drama. One of the things that I love so much about the show is the ability to shift back and forth between the comedy and the drama. And also to play so much comedy through the drama, and vice versa. That's something that we work very hard to maintain.

Ausiello: Amy told me she believes Luke and Lorelai are soul mates. Do you agree?
Rosenthal: [Tentative] Yeah. That doesn't mean that we're going to see them behind a white picket fence a month from now. But they have a very, very deep bond. I certainly see it and feel it. But sometimes soul mates spend a lot of time not together. Just because someone's your soul mate and may be your ultimate destiny does not mean that there's not a lot to go through before you reach that destiny.

Ausiello: Will April be back?
Rosenthal: Yes, absolutely. April is a part of his life. Luke is going to have some issues this year in terms of his deepening relationship with April and his relationship with Anna. There's a lot to get into there, and we will spend a great deal of time exploring that as well.

Ausiello: Are you aware of all the anti-Gilmore sentiment out there?
Rosenthal: I'm aware of it. I do pay attention to it, but I try to keep my eye on the ball. I try to keep focused on the long term and the arcs for the season and where we want to take these characters — and keeping the show alive and growing so that it can go more than just this season. So this won't have to be the last season of Gilmore Girls, 'cause I do feel like there's a lot more life left in the show. But I think it's up to us, the writers, to make that a reality.

Ausiello: I've never seen Luke and Lorelai fans more riled up. Do you look at that and go, "Maybe we need to do something about this. We don't want to lose these viewers."
Rosenthal: We don't want to lose the viewers, but I gotta say, in our [writers'] room, half of the people don't understand at all, and the other half understand that she's been waiting around for a year for this guy and she feels like he's made a choice. That she's no longer the No. 1 priority in his life. He has other priorities now, and at the end of last season she was really at her wit's end. So I think a lot of people are sympathetic to that and understand that. Again, we're creating situations where the characters can learn things from choices they make and choices they don't make. We're just trying to keep the drama alive. If everything's settled and happy and nobody has any problems or issues, man, that's not going to make for a great TV show. But we respect and honor Luke and Lorelai's history, their relationship and whatever their future holds for them. It's a journey they're on together.

Ausiello: Do you see potential with Christopher and Lorelai as a couple?
Rosenthal: They certainly have to deal with what happened, and it is not a simple thing; it has far-reaching consequences. So, yeah... he's in the show a lot. He's going to be around a lot. I don't want to give away too much, but yeah, he's a major part of her life this year. Absolutely.

Ausiello: At what point does everyone have to get together and decide if this is the last season?
Rosenthal: You know, that's above my pay grade. That's a network and studio decision. Look, the studio and the network I'm sure want it to come back. I know it's going to be one of the signature shows for the CW. We'll just keep doing our work and hopefully make shows that people respond to and like, and we'll see what happens.

Ausiello: Did Amy offer you any advice before she left?
Rosenthal: She did. She wished me luck. I spent a terrific year last year working with Amy and Dan, and she was incredibly supportive, and she told me from the beginning that this was a distinct possibility that she would be moving on and I would be running the show. When she brought me in at the beginning of last year, that's one of the things she told me. She brought me in as an executive producer for that reason. So I feel very honored that I was her hand-picked successor. That was a great thrill for me. At the end of last season she wished me luck, and I'm thrilled to be doing it.

http://community.tvguide.com/thread.jspa?threadID=800003763&tstart=0&mod=1153206902015

(July 2006) Lauren Graham Speaks!

2006-07-23T21:54:00.000-04:00

Exclusive: Lauren Graham Speaks!

Michael Ausiello

It can no longer be said that my close, personal relationship with Lauren Graham is one-sided. Why? Because last Friday, Gilmore Girls' bedazzling banterer had just survived a massive flood in central Virginia and was stranded alongside elephants, giraffes and all manner of wildlife on top of a humongous ark, covered in dirt and melting under 110-degree temps, and you're never going to believe what she did. She picked up her cell phone and called... me.

Ausiello: Are you OK?
Graham: [Frantic] I'm [shooting Evan Almighty] the sequel to Bruce Almighty, where God tells Steve Carell to build an ark, and he refuses to do it, so animals start following him and he starts, like, growing long hair and a beard — he starts turning into Noah. But we have this ark that we've built that is literally at least one football field long. It's truly insane. I've been stuck on top of the ark for, like, hours and here I am. Hello.

Ausiello: Are you sure this is a good time? I got a call from your manager saying you might have to postpone.
Graham: I'm OK now. I called [my manager earlier] and was like, "I've been on top of the ark. I have dirt on me that's, like, 3 inches thick." And they're like, "OK, it's not really the flood. Calm down." [Laughs] But I'm OK for the moment.

Ausiello: How much more filming do you have to do?
Graham: It's endless. It overlapped with [Gilmore Girls] by, like, a month, so there were about 30 days where I would work in one place, fly overnight and work in the other place.... It's been, like, two and a half months. And then we still have two or three more weeks here in Virginia and then like three weeks in L.A. doing effects and green screen and stuff. It's huge. It's a huge shoot — animals and a flood and craziness!

Ausiello: How meaty is your role? This isn't the kind of thing where you spend four months filming and you only get 10 minutes of screen time, is it?
Graham: There's no way to say now, and I certainly wouldn't offer conjecture that would harm me in anyway. You know, I'm his wife, and it's a great part. The family is important to what happens in the movie. It's a bigger job than I've ever had, so I'm just happy with that.

Ausiello: How is it working with Steve?
Graham: It's been great. It's been totally great, especially because now we're nominated for [a TCA Award] together. We had a fistfight this morning.

Ausiello: That's right! You're up against one another in the best-comedy-actor/actress category!
Graham: I know! Isn't that funny? So, it's been really fun. It's just been really fun.

Ausiello: How does it feel to be nominated against all men?
Graham: It feels really cool because those are the guys on TV that I enjoy the most. That, to me, would make a great dinner party. It's totally unexpected and really cool, and [the critics] have been so important to the success of the show and to me in particular, so I'm really thankful. This is the time of year when I start getting asked a lot about [the Emmys], because I think I've become, like, the Susan Lucci [figure] — except I'm not even nominated.

Ausiello: Are you aware of the changes in the Emmy system this year?
Graham: Yes, but I don't totally understand them. I know that it's sort of like they hole up everybody in a screening room and you're sort of forced to watch an episode. I don't really understand what the difference is.

Ausiello: As I understand it, Academy members will decide the top 10 to 15 nominees in the major categories, and then a blue ribbon will choose the final five, but only after watching episodes of all the pre-noms.
Graham: Well, I think that's interesting, but I wonder if it will help or hurt, frankly, because the [Gilmore] episodes I like the most tend to be the most dramatic. I think our strongest episodes are the least funny, [but we're] in the comedy category. You're still gonna be watching it along with something with a laugh track, and it might seem weird.

Ausiello: Well, speaking of Gilmore, what was your reaction when you found out Amy was leaving?
Graham: I still am in some sort of denial. She was directing the [season finale] and she told me personally one night after work. You know, there had been rumblings, but there always are this time of year, because they have renegotiated pretty much one year at a time. I thought there was a chance for a reconciliation. From what I understood from her and then from what was printed, the reasons why don't really match. So I don't know. They're both really talented.

Ausiello: How do you feel about it on a personal level?
Graham: I feel sad. I feel sad because I think this is probably going to be the last year of the show and we won't all end it together. There have been ups and downs over the years, like any collaboration, but I trust her dialogue. I haven't always liked where the story's going, and I haven't always liked the plots, but I really enjoy her language. And she really had a huge part in every episode. On the other hand, we're in the hands of David Rosenthal, who's very talented, and who's really kind, and who really deserves the belief that the show will be really good. Most shows, at this point, don't have their original show-runner still attached. And we have a much bigger crew of writers now, because when you're a husband-wife team writing every other episode, you don't have a lot of other writers. So we now have some really high-level people who are fans of the show, and I think that energy might be really important. It's our seventh year, so we have to look at it as an opportunity to kind of have a renewal. But [Amy and I have] been e-mailing back and forth. I think it'll be OK.

Ausiello: One of the things Amy and Dan wanted was a two-year deal, which struck many people as odd because you and Alexis have made it pretty clear that you're leaving after next season. What's your take?
Graham: I mean, I don't know. I think it's really better left... I think they hoped that we would change our minds.

Ausiello: Is there a possibility of that?
Graham: There's no way to say. No one's approached us about [an eighth season]. It's a lifestyle thing as well as a creative thing. I'm not set for life or anything. I need a steady job, and this is a wonderful character and a great show and something I'm really proud of. So there are definitely reasons to keep doing it. But to me, when you start staying someplace for money or security, it shows in your work. It's a very difficult show to do. It's a lot of language and that makes for very long hours.

Ausiello: Will it be a decision you and Alexis make together?
Graham: It will be something we talk about. We talk about major things involving the show frequently. I don't think we'll ever get in a situation where she wants to stay but I don't and one of us is holding out. We wouldn't do that in a vacuum without the other one knowing.

Ausiello: Would you ever continue without Alexis?
Graham: Never. Can you imagine? "Lorelai's Place." I, like, move into Luke's diner and, you know, hang up a new sign and start singing the theme song and directing all the episodes. That would be terrible.

Ausiello: I'm not sure if you're aware of this, but the majority of fans I've heard from hated that Lorelai ended up in bed with Christopher in the finale.
Graham: I don't think people were probably thrilled — of course, all my references are 50 years old — when somebody shot J.R., you know? Oh my god, I'm 100! It stirs up your passion for what you would like to happen and for the characters you're interested in. And it's human. The thing I don't like on television is when somebody does something that makes absolutely no sense just for the shock of it. [The Lorelai-Christopher thing], to me, was such a long time coming. This was built into the story for a long time — that Lorelai didn't feel understood [by Luke] and they weren't communicating. [Christopher and Lorelai] have a connection and it made total sense to me, just given the story. To me, that's a satisfying season finale. I'm sorry if people were upset.

Ausiello: Fans also didn't understand why Lorelai was so passive when Luke shut her out of his life with April.
Graham: I totally agree. But I've [voiced] these complaints before and it always gets sort of explained to me like, "We're going somewhere. You have to trust." And our show is not that "plotty." It's not Lost. It's not like you get a lot of, "And then they're all living in a cave," or whatever happens on Lost. The whole season has an arc of these little moments of behavior. I don't think this is a passive character, but both in the Rory situation and in that April situation, it's hard to play. But I do think the payoff was good. And had you not had all those episodes where you and I and everybody was frustrated, would the payoff be as good? I don't know. I really trusted [Amy's] way of telling a story and that's her way of telling a story. There may be some difference in that this year, and then will people complain about that? "Too much happened!" You know, "Lorelai's too sassy again!" If you have a show you like or characters you like.... it's like the Clippers. The Clippers don't always win, but I still like going to a Clippers game. If you like the team, then come back and watch the team. But that's another reason why I think maybe this will be our last year. I think the story is kind of headed to a place where Rory will graduate from college and something is gonna be resolved with this [Luke/Christopher] thing. And maybe Lorelai ends up with Mr. Big.

Ausiello: Do you know what David has planned next season?
Graham: No. But he doesn't either. I had a nice meeting with him not that long ago, and the writers are just sitting down together to break stories. I know that he'll talk to me about it because he's like that. So, I think I'll know more than I might normally have.

Ausiello: Will you be more involved in the creative process?
Graham: No. I would like to be a producer on the show, but that's not anything they're gonna let me do.

Ausiello: Why not?
Graham: I think, at this point, any request [might lead to], "Well, if you want something then we want an eighth season" kind of thing. It's nothing quite that bold. It's not David's decision anyway; that's higher.

Ausiello: That's [Warner Bros. TV president] Peter Roth.
Graham: Yeah. But they have their reasons. It's important to me to be involved in that way. I'll still be involved, just in a less formal way.

Ausiello: I have one more question that I've been dying to ask you since September. Did something happen backstage at the Emmys between you and Jennifer Love Hewitt? You looked like you were about to claw each other's eyes out when you presented together.
Graham: Oh my god, that's terrible!

Ausiello: The way she darted to the podium and left you in the dust....
Graham: That was the only thing! I was in a tight dress, and she was in a more Audrey Hepburn kind of shape, and I just think she could move faster. I was laughing. I was just sort of like, "And here I am, nine hours later.... the nominees for.... " [Laughs] No, there was nothing. She's a doll. She's a really sweet girl.

http://community.tvguide.com/thread.jspa?threadID=800003763&tstart=0&mod=1153206902015

(July 2006) Michael Ausiello's Q&A with Milo Ventimiglia

2006-07-23T21:50:00.000-04:00

Milo Ventimiglia Q&A

By popular demand (152 e-mails and counting), here's the complete transcript of my interview with Milo Ventimiglia, conducted last Friday during a preplanned meet-and-greet at TV Guide's Gotham headquarters. Juicy, scoopy bits abound — particularly the stuff about Lauren Graham's Gilmore Girls contract that you just know I'll be asking her about tomorrow if, er, when she lands her first Emmy nomination!

Ausiello: Inquiring minds (read: TVGuide.com readers) must know: Are you single?Milo: Yeah.

Ausiello: How's single life treating you?
Milo: [Chuckles] That's about all you'll get out of me.

Ausiello: Any chance of you going back to Gilmore Girls?
Milo: Never gonna happen.

Ausiello: Because the Palladinos are gone?
Milo: Yup.

Ausiello: But what if the new show-runner, Dave Rosenthal, asks you? He might be a fan of yours.
Milo: I appreciate that, but I'm pretty busy this year.

Ausiello: So you feel that Jess' story is done?
Milo: I felt that it was done a long time ago, but Dan and Amy kept saying, "We got some cool things, and we're really hoping you'll be a part of it." So I went back and I kind of enjoyed what Jess turned into. He turned into a grown-up. Watching [my] last episode, I was like, "It's done."

Ausiello: Were you surprised that Amy and Dan left?
Milo: No. I think they thought that [Warner Bros.] was willing to take care of them like they take care of John Wells and Aaron Sorkin. Those guys have major empires. [Amy and Dan] had always been developing with the studio and trying to find some things to do, so the fact that they stepped away doesn't surprise me. Amy said she knows what happens in the last scene of the final episode, so who knows how that's going to turn out. But I'm not going to be part of it. It was always nice that they kept wanting me to come back. And I always had a good experience working with them. And, I have to admit, they gave me my first public push. All the work that I did [before Gilmore Girls] was very much under the radar, and still pretty much under the radar.

Ausiello: Do you think next season will be the last?
Milo: I know Alexis' contract is up, and she really wants to leave.

Ausiello: Lauren's contract will be up as well.
Milo: No, it's not. I think she bartered for more money one year to secure another [season].

Ausiello: Are you sure? I just talked to her, and she made it pretty clear that she was only contracted for one more season.
Milo: Eh, you probably know more than me.

Ausiello: How was Rocky VI?
Milo: Rocky VI was fun.

Ausiello: Did you do any boxing?
Milo: No. None. I'm his son. I'm a Philadelphia businessman with, like, suits off the rack. Rocky's on his own; Adrian's passed away. My character's off working in corporate Philadelphia. Paulie, in the original script, had a girlfriend, and was still working at the meatpacking place, so Rocky was just on his own. He didn't have anybody around. He starts thinking about boxing again, and ESPN does this thing where they match up old fighters and new fighters in a computer to see who would win per stat. And they match up Rocky versus the current champion, and in the computer, Rocky wins. So there's all this speculation about what would happen if they fought. Here's a guy in his mid- to late fifties, and the other guy is in his prime. It's obvious that the current champion would win, not Rocky. It actually comes to a head when they set up an exhibition match to see who would win it. We shot many different endings.

Ausiello: What kind of shape is Sylvester Stallone in?
Milo: The best. He was in great shape. He was at fighting weight. I couldn't get over his stamina, and I'm not even talking about boxing so much. He wrote the film, produced it, directed it and acted in it. The responsibility of all those things, as well as being in peak physical shape and having a pretty good temperament... I found him to be patient, incredibly intelligent. He really wanted the cast and crew to understand what he was going for. I never had a hard time understanding what he was looking for. And he was really respectful to the people who were working hard, who put the time in, did their homework and came prepared. I hope he gets some recognition for being an artist, because he really is. Of course he's done a lot of big action movies — Tango and Cash, whatever — but when I first read the script, take away 30 years of Rocky history and it was a beautiful, beautiful script that he wrote.

Ausiello: When does it open?
Milo: December 22. I think they're going to start running trailers for it with Pirates of the Caribbean.

Ausiello: Did you ever think about waiting to see how the movie does before committing to a TV show like Heroes? This could launch a movie career for you.
Milo: You know what? Doing both is fine. TV is steady work. I never expect a job to give me that huge break. I just go in and do the best work I can.

Ausiello: Speaking of Heroes, your character believes he can fly. Will you be wearing tights?
Milo: (Laughs) No, but they made sure my jacket was [big enough] in the pilot so when I fall it opens wide [like a cape]. There's an element of the superhero, so there is going to be action and suspense and what not. But at the base of it, [series creator] Tim Kring really wanted to have these everyday people dealing with the fear and exhilaration of having certain powers, like flying or walking through walls or bending space and time. That's what the story is. It's these people going through regular human emotions of, 'F--k, I can't believe I'm about to jump off this building, but I really, really bet I can.' A lot of the stuff I've done has been very cerebral, very wordy, but the characters that I've played are very different than what I'm playing here. This guy has a really big heart. He looks after other people before he looks after himself. But at the same time, Tim didn't want him to be a pushover or a wuss. He didn't want him to not be able to stand up for himself and for others around him.

Ausiello: Have you seen Superman Returns?
Milo: Not yet. I'm excited to see it. I saw the last X-Men movie, and I got really excited about seeing a Bryan Singer film. I was a big fan of the first two X-Men movies.

Ausiello: The third one sucked.
Milo: I wouldn't say sucked, it just wasn't the first two.

Ausiello: You're probably going to be asked this at press tour, so you can rehearse your response now: If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
Milo: I would want the power of persuasion. Think about it: You could walk into a foreign country and start a war — if you're so evil. If you're peaceful, you could walk into a foreign country and end a war just by talking to someone. It's kind of like Obi-Wan Kenobi, a Jedi-type thing.

http://community.tvguide.com/forum.jspa?forumID=700000049&start=15

(July 2006) Michael Ausiello interviews David Rosenthal - Part 1

2006-07-23T21:38:00.000-04:00

Warning: Small season 7 spoilers.

Michael Ausiello

Finally: Gilmore's New Boss Speaks

Here's my interview with David Rosenthal, conducted immediately following today's Gilmore Girls press tour session. Luckily, he was much more forthcoming during our little Q&A than he was on the panel.

3:40 pm: Damn wi-fi!! It went down just as the session started. But we're back up and running now.

3:43 pm: Got the Luke-Lorelai question in. Dave didn't say anything specific about how he planned to repair the relationship, just that fans should "stay tuned."

3:50 pm: Lauren Graham is clearly optimistic about GG post-Palladino.

3:53 pm: Lauren left the door open to doing another season. Alexis didn't address it.

3:55 pm: Yikes! A reporter just asked David about Heidi Klum, and Lauren jumped to his defense. "It has nothing to do with anything. Next!"

3:59 pm: David is being extremely tight-lipped about future plotlines.

4:00 pm: Lauren concedes that things are more "open door" with David, but she doesn't want that to be seen as a diss on Amy and Dan.

4:01 pm: If this is the final season of Gilmore Girls, David says he will ask Amy how she intended to end the show.

4:02 pm: Alexis is going to see how this season goes before deciding on another year.

4:05 pm: Bad news, Logan fans: David says Logan will be staying in London. Also, Christopher will be a bigger presence than ever before. (Don't shoot the messenger!)

4:07 pm: No plans on bringing Milo back.

OK, just had a 15-minute interview with Rosenthal. I'll transcribe and post later, but here are the highlights: Matt Czuchry is not leaving the show. Logan and Rory will have a long-distance relationship. Lorelai and Christopher did have sex in the finale. Marty will be back. It sounds like Luke and Lorelai will be broken up — at least during the first part of the season. He's aware that fans are not happy about how last season ended.

I'll try to get the complete transcript up later. My head is spinning! My battery is about to die, or else I'd live-blog the Mars session, too.

- Submitted by Mookie

(July 2006) The new Gilmore guy speaks

2006-07-23T21:36:00.000-04:00

From Maureen Ryan at the Chicago Tribune:

The new 'Gilmore' guy speaks

In contrast to the cuddly “Veronica Mars” session, the “Gilmore Girls” session had a feel of a cage match.

In one corner: New “Gilmore Girls” showrunner David Rosenthal, who was meeting the press for the first time

In the other: Members of the press who have written about and raved about and ranted about “Gilmore Girls” for a six seasons, many of whom were unhappy with where the sixth season ended up, and wondered how this new guy would be able to take over a show with such a specific tone and such specific voices.

It was a tough crowd. At least Rosenthal was flanked by the show’s two stars, Alexis Bledel, who didn’t talk much, and Lauren Graham, who talked a lot.

She specifically said that if the press reported her as saying negative things about Amy Sherman-Palladino or Daniel Palladino, the show’s former head honchos, she would be upset. But, having said that, she said she already had the first script of the new year, which appeared to be unusual by this point in the production process.

She also indicated that the process was more collaborative than it had been under the Palladinos. She added that though where she understood where Lorelai ended up and how she got there, she’d been unhappy with the way her character was written last season, and had expressed her concerns.

“It wasn’t my favorite stuff to play, to kind of be dictated to by Luke, but again it was a believable conflict and a believable obstacles between them. That’s why the ending [of the season] made perfect sense because she tried to kind of be in a place that wasn't natural to her, that wasn't who she is. And so ultimately she couldn't take it anymore,” she said.

“But I think you had to have that build-up to get to where we got. I mean, if everything had gone the way the fans wanted it to go in terms of that relationship, the show would be over, or I would just be calling Rory, like, ‘What are you doing tonight?’ … to me this is a relationship with a lot of built-in problems between two people who are very different, who are trying to find a common language, and so it made sense to me.”

Regarding whether she’d leave the show when her contract is up at the end of Season 7, Graham said she hasn’t made up her mind.

“I have felt that way but I haven’t been in this particular collaboration before and I think we’re all really excited to see where the show can go. I read the first script and I love it,” she said.

“I am a huge fan of Amy and Dan. I loved that writing. I had some of the best, most interesting, fun, great scenes ever. But I also think there is room for it to grow and, you know, there's all these people now where we had a more specific, smaller group working on it,” Graham said. “Now we have these people who I sat down with the other day who are so enthusiastic, who come in as fans, who come in as people who have kind of fresh voices to lend to it, and I think it's going to grow.”

Bledel said she’s also undecided about returning. “I really don't know what this year is going to be like,” she said. “I think it's going to be really different, and I'm just going to see what it's like and then decide how I feel.”

As far as capturing the tone of the show, Rosenthal said that he’s hired new writers and there are now a total of eight writers on staff, all of whom come to the show as fans of the Gilmores.

Rosenthal said he’s not treating this as the end of “Gilmore Girls,” but that if it emerged that this year was the show’s last, he’d try to find out from Amy Sherman-Palladino what she’d envisioned for the show’s last scene. She’s long said she has the last scene of the show mapped out in her mind, down to the show’s last two spoken words.

The session did turn extraordinarily frosty when one writer asked Rosenthal about some personal troubles he had that involved a fascination with Heidi Klum. He turned red in the face, and it felt like the temperature in the room instantly dropped 30 degrees.

“My personal life is not an issue here,” Rosenthal said. “It's not worth getting into. I'm just here to talk about the show.”

“How does it make you professionally the right person for this show?” the questioner persisted.

“It has nothing to do with anything. Next,” Graham snapped.

Later, Graham made a surprising admission. She doesn’t much like working with the dog who plays Paul Anka. But he will be back in the new season.

Nothing against that particular dog, she said, but “I just am not a fan of dog comedy,” she said.

After the session, Rosenthal spoke with several reporters. Part of the transcript for that session is here, the other part is on the jump of this item.

What do you feel like your take is on the show is, that might be different than what went on in the past? What do you bring?

“I’ve brought in a whole new team of writers. We have one wonderful returning writer from last year, but everybody else is new [Rina Mimoun from ‘Everwood’ is one of the new writers]. And as Lauren said, they come in as real true fans of the show.

“I think that kind of passion and perspective is great for a show, especially for people who find themselves inside the show, a show that they’re huge fans of, a show that they’re invested in. So I feel like that perspective is exciting, it’s exciting for me to hear from them, for them to share their thoughts and ideas and opinions. That’s something I feel has really impacted us creatively in a very positive way.”

“Gilmore Girls” has one of the most passionate, vocal fan bases out there. Is it the kind of thing where you just have to make the choices that you make and you can’t worry about people’s reactions?

“I think it’s wonderful, believe me, the reason the show is still on the air and does so well and I think it may have had its highest ratings ever last year because of that passionate fan base, so I completely respect and love that they’re out there. But yeah, ultimately, we spend all day every day talking about this show and talking about the characters and working very hard, in a very focused manner on it. And ultimately we have to do what we feel is in the best interest of the show, both short term and long term, in terms of where the characters are going.

“And also, we have the benefit of seeing arcs. We have the benefit of seeing the future and knowing where we want to take them. So while something may be disturbing in the short run, or upsetting or confusing to a fan, we as the writers recognize that, yes, that’s upsetting but ultimately that’s the journey that this character has to go on, they’re required to do this or that. It can be hard to go through different experiences that can be hard on them or hard on the fans, but ultimately we’re interested in personal growth. Obviously if characters never went through difficult times or never suffered, or had to face obstacles it would be hard for them to grow.

“One of the beauties of the show and one of the reasons it continues to attract such a loyal fan base is that the characters are able to grow and change and develop, like Alexis said. I mean, she’s really grown and changed over the years as has Scott [Patterson, who plays Luke]. And so that’s something that I feel is a huge identity of the show.”

How does it feel to be on a different network? Is there a different energy?

“I gotta say, we’re on the same night, the same time, I know in Los Angeles we’re on the same channel. I would imagine we’re on the same channel across the country. For us the work is exactly the same and the effort is exactly the same and the show is exactly the same. So it’s really just a question of how it’s presented and how it’s marketed and how it’s broadcast and that’s not something that we really deal with. And I’m sure that [the CW folks] will do great.”

Is the character the Paul Anka, the real Paul Anka, is he going to be back on the show?

“There are no plans for him to come back, but he was terrific on the show, so it wouldn’t surprise me. I mean it was a dream sequence. But the dog will definitely be back, I promise.”

Will the rift between Lorelai and Luke be similar to the rift between Lorelai and Rory last year? The fans hated how that played out. Are you going to play this out differently?

“Yeah, we never want to what’s been done in the past, Luke and Lorelai, their relationship is unique, it’s not a mother-daughter relationship, it’s boyfriend-girlfriend or fiancés. So we’re going to explore that, we’re going to let the characters take us where they will. It’s not going to be like the Lorelai-Rory [situation]. I’m not saying it’s always going to be pleasant or pretty, I mean, they’re two adults and they’re going to have to deal with what’s happening.”

Was there any nail-biting at all or did you always know you would be on the new network?

“No, I don’t think there was ever any question. It always seemed a no-brainer to bring ‘Gilmore Girls’ along.”

- Submitted by Mookie

(July 2006) Gilmore Girls' going through multiple off-screen changes

2006-07-23T21:32:00.000-04:00

Cleveland Plain Dealer: Gilmore Girls' going through multiple off-screen changes

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Beth Harris - Associated Press

Los Angeles -- All the drama won't be confined to the fictional town of Stars Hollow this fall on "Gilmore Girls." A new network, new executive producer and some new writers have shaken things up behind the scenes.

Add to that the fact that Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel, who play the close-knit single mother and her daughter, are entering the final year of their contracts. Neither did much Monday to put to rest rumors about the show's fate after its seventh season, which begins Tuesday, Sept. 26.

"Your legal contracts are up, and you begin to imagine what if," Graham told the Television Critics Association's summer meeting. "I don't want to be in a situation where I feel sorry for me. I've seen that happen to actors and shows where the thing is done, let it be over. I don't know that we're in that situation."

Bledel added, "I really don't know what this year is going to be like. I'm going to see what it's like, then decide how I feel. We'll see."

Graham wasn't thrilled with last season's story line that had her Lorelai character giving fiance Luke a now-or-never ultimatum after he asked for patience in dealing with his newly discovered 12-year-old daughter. Luke let Lorelai walk out of his life.

"It wasn't my favorite stuff to play, to be dictated to by Luke, but again, it was a believable conflict and a believable obstacle between them, and that's why the end made perfect sense," Graham said. "If everything had gone the way the fans had wanted it to go, the show would have been over."

And Graham "wasn't a fan" of the painful separation between Lorelai and her screen daughter, Rory.

Those scripts were written by show creator Amy Sherman-Palladino and her husband and co-executive producer, Daniel Palladino, who both left the comedy-drama last season after failing to reach agreement on a new contract with Warner Bros. Television.

Graham made it clear, however, that she is "a huge fan of Amy and Dan's."

"I loved that writing, but I also think there's room for it to grow," she said.

The Palladinos, who handled the majority of the scripts, said they wanted to add more writers to ease their burden.

Dave Rosenthal, a writer and producer on the show, is in charge now, and he oversees an eight-person writing staff. He said he's not treating this season like it will be the show's last.

"The goal is to do 22 good episodes of Gilmore Girls' and let the rest take its course," he said.

Sherman-Palladino has said she knows how the show should end. When the time comes, Rosenthal said he'll call her.

"I would definitely like to talk to Amy about that," he said.

- Submitted by Mookie

(April 2006) "Gilmore Girls" Rocks Out

2006-05-04T23:46:00.000-04:00

Whatever sticky situation Lorelai and Rory find themselves in at the end of Gilmore Girls' sixth season next month, they'll be marching toward it to the beat of a different drum, er, drums.

The series' season finale, which tapes Friday and airs May 9, is starting to resemble an indie music fest as much as an opportunity to embroil our heroines in romantic entanglements, family squabbles and life-altering changes before the summer hiatus.

The musical subplot centers around singer Grant Lee Phillips, who serves as town troubadour (he walks around treating people to impromptu musical interludes) for Stars Hollow at least once a season, being chosen to open a show for veteran rocker Neil Young. Upon hearing about Phillips' luck with the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, a groovy lineup of performers parade into town hoping to get into the act.

Heading up the impressive program is Sonic Youth--Kim Gordon and hubby Thurston Moore--appearing with their daughter Coco. The alt-rock band will perform an acoustic version of their new single, "What a Waste"--a teaser from their upcoming album, Rather Ripped, set for a June 13 release.

Pop-rocker Joe Pernice, '70s-era pop band Sparks, alterna-rocker Sam Phillips (aka Leslie Phillips, not the late record producer who signed Elvis), Yo La Tengo and musical-comedy vet Mary Lynn Rajskub (computer whiz Chloe on 24) will also show up to play along.

Meanwhile, lest you forget you're watching the WB, Alexis Bledel's Rory will be having issues with sometimes-boyfriend Logan (Matt Czuchry), Lorelai's (Lauren Graham) parents might be moving to Stars Hollow (eek!) and, of course, Lorelai and Luke's (Scott Patterson) engagement will hit yet another snag. Actually, the couple's relationship is "reaching a boiling point," Gilmore Girls creator and exec producer Amy Sherman-Palladino told Entertainment Weekly.

Although the season finale is particularly packed with melodic possibility, music has always played a large role in Gilmore Girl-land. Lorelai's love for '80s girl-groups, such as the Bangles and the Go-Go's, is an established bit of Gilmore lore, while Rory's best friend Lane digs David Bowie and the Ramones.

Guest stars have included the aforementioned Bangles, Skid Row's Sebastian Bach, the Shins, Paul Anka and Carole King, who also sings the show's theme song, "Where You Lead," with daughter Louise Goffin.

At one time there were rumors that this season would be Gilmore Girls' swan song, but it definitely appears as if everyone is sticking around for at least one more, which will take place on the new CW network now that the WB and UPN are closing up shop.

"They [executive producers Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino] are looking to end it after next year," a WB source told E! Online TV columnist Kristin Veitch in December. "But if it continues to do well, it could go beyond the next season. Both Lauren and Alexis have expressed interest in returning, if things go well with Amy and Dan."

And why not? There's so much more music to play.

http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,18748,00.html

(April 2006) Team Palladino Says "Goodbye, Girls" by Aussiello

2006-05-04T23:35:00.000-04:00

Michael Aussiello

My fellow Gilmore Girls fans, the news we've all been dreading has now been made absolutely, 100 percent, painfully official: Series creator Amy Sherman-Palladino has opted not to renew her contract and will be leaving at the end of the season — and she's taking husband Dan with her.

"Despite our best efforts to return and ensure the future of Gilmore Girls for years to come, we were unable to reach an agreement with the studio and are therefore leaving when our contracts expire at the end of this season," said Amy and Dan in a statement. "Our heartfelt thanks go out to our amazing cast, hard-working crew and loyal fans. We know that the story lines from this season will continue into the next, and that the integrity of the show will remain long after we leave Stars Hollow."

(Crickets)

Yeah, I'm speechless, too. I've had more than a week to mentally prepare for this outcome — heck, I even wrote a story and watched helplessly as it was accidentally pushed live for a brief period last Wednesday — but I still can't believe they're actually leaving. The thought of Gilmore Girls heading into what is likely to be its final season (and its first on a brand-new network) without its mama or her right-hand man is unfathomable. But it is happening. And it's a total bummer.

I won't know for sure why they're bolting until I actually ask them (hopefully in the next few days), but as I reported on Friday, the primary sticking point was apparently the length of Gilmore Girls' renewal. AS-P wanted a two-year pickup, a demand that Warner Bros. refused to meet since Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel are only on board for one more year. Instead, the studio was ready to pay them just shy of $5 million for a one-year deal, an offer that was apparently good enough to refuse.

According to a statement released by Warner Bros., "While we are disappointed that Amy Sherman-Palladino and Dan Palladino have decided not to stay with the show next season, we are very confident that Dave Rosenthal, an experienced writer/producer with the show, will make the transition seamless moving into the seventh year of Gilmore Girls. We want to thank Amy for creating and nurturing this wonderful series for the past six years and giving us one of the most memorable mother/daughter relationships in television history."

(Crickets)

For now, I leave you with this quote from Graham, given to me around this time last year when it looked like the Palladinos might not return this season. I think she sums the whole thing up pretty well:

"I think it would be terrible [if Amy and Dan left]. We've had our ups and downs, but it's not a show that has ever had anyone else with the vision that she and Dan, who really are a force together, have. You can feel when someone else is trying to write Gilmore Girls-ish dialogue, you can just feel that it's... I know some people think that we talk too much, or the tone is not for everybody. Sometimes I just want to take a breath or have a reaction shot. I get it. But this is the person who is telling the story. So someone would be stepping in trying to replicate that, and I just think it's a bad idea."

(Crickets)

http://community.tvguide.com/thread.jspa?threadID=700000865