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Sam’s Announcement

Jennifer Vally and Sam Kuglen

I had the opportunity to work with one of my closest friends, Jennifer Vally, today.  She is producing a “pitch presentation” for an American adaptation of a popular Asian gameshow – her version is called “Spotlight America.” 

The Logo

The show’s concept is this:  A production team goes into a small American town, holds audtions and interviews, and then has the national spotlight on their town as they perform.  The presentation we did is only 5 -7 minutes long, and is only being used to give a capsule overview of the show to potential investors.  Still, producing 7 minutes took us an entire day.  I played a “snobby has-been quasi- celebrity” (not much of a stretch) who travels around with the production team and acts as the permanent judge of the talent portion of the show.  I got to wear a beret and eat some apple pie and toss off some witty bon mots.  I had a great time and kept trying to think of funny things to do and say.  My character’s name was “S. Michael Cole, ” after one my best friends, Mike Cole, and whenever the host called me by name, he called me “S. Michael,”  which sounds pretty snobby.  I had a blast – just sitting around, thinking of funny bits, and chatting with some of the other talent. 

Frank, the host of

Dave, the stage manager

Dave, an improv actor who also works at the TV Guide Channel, played “Simon Cowbell” (get it, American Idol fans?), hence the cowsuit.  I thought he was a pretty funny guy. 

Pete, the Director

Pete, the director, allowed me to improvise freely, so of course I think he is a genius. 

Setting up a shot

The production team - Jennifer

If this show makes it on the air, or I am ever nominated for an Oscar or an Emmy, you may one day see the footage they shot today.  Otherwise, it will likely never see the light of day, except in the office of some production company executives.  But it was a fun way to spend the day, trying to make people laugh with other people who were also trying to make people laugh.  If we were any good, hopefully we will make the right people laugh, and Jennifer and her production associates will get a fantastic prtoduction deal.

I don’t generally go to concerts, but over the summer I stumbled across a Bluegrass singer named James King.  I first heard him sing on a song called “Weathered Gray Stone” along with a group called Longview and he really killed it – I mean the man can just flat out S-I-N-G.   I downloaded a few songs, listened to them in heavy rotation, then looked to see if he had any solo albums, which he does.  I downloaded a few more songs, notably “A One Way Ticket to the Blues” and “Jerusalem Tomorrow.”  He did not disappoint.  This is a singer who can literally bring me to tears. 

I looked him up on the internet to see if would be playing in Southern California and low and behold, he had a scheduled date – October 12, 2009 at the John Anson Ford Theatre in Hollywood – about a five minute drive from my house.  I marked the date on my calendar and when I went to buy the tickets I expected the show to be in the big amphitheatre – I figured King had a large following and people would be flocking to see him.  When I bought the tickets I was told the concert would be in the small 87 seat theatre.  “OK,” I figured.  “It will like seeing him in a nightclub.”

When I got the theatre last night, the parking lot was empty.  We walked into the theatre and there Mr. King sat, behind a small table with T-shirts and copies of his various CD’s for sale.  I siezed the moment, and like the true nerdy fan I am, I introduced myself and told him I thought he had an amazing voice.  A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. 

Did I mention I thought he had an amazing voice?  After humiliating myself by being overly effusive, and embarrassing him, (how often do you actually get to meet the musician whose songs you sing at the top of your lungs while driving or when you are all alonne?) I walked into the theatre and took a seat.  By the time the show began there were about 20 people in the audience. 

The Stage at the Ford

As baffling as it was that only a few people showed up for the concert, it was a great show and he has as amazing a voice live as he does on record.  I do not classify myself as one type of music fan – I like to think I truly like all kinds of music, and I like to think my music collection reflects my ecelctic tastes.  James King is the real deal.  He is a fantastic singer who really connects emotionally with the material he is singing and playing.  He cried during a couple of the songs he sang, his voice cracked with emotion, and, of course, that was all I needed to put me over the edge.  He played rythm guitar (“geetar”) and had a 4 man back up band consisting of mandolin, banjo, stand-up bass and fiddle.  They were all really great.  (At some point the descriptive adjectives become repetitive because I use them so much – there are just so many ways to say ‘great’ and ‘amazing.’) I loved the concert, because I felt like these amazing musicians were playing a private concert for me.  They had to have been disappointed to be playing in front of such a small audience in one of the entertainment capitals of the U.S. Really, they SHOULD have been playing in the big amphitheatre in front of a HUGE crowd. 

I bought a T-shirt and two CD’s to commemorate the concert – something I have never done.  Of course, I asked Mr. King to sign the two CD’s, which he did graciously.  A true artist, a true gentleman, and a genuine musician. 

James King, The Bluegrass Storyteller, signed by the artist.

Longview, featuring James King, signed by the artist

Here’s a great website and you can help me in my classroom.  I’ll gratefully take any amount you can afford to donate.  If you are a teacher, go here and register, they are doing great things!