June 13, 2007

Hey Chicago People!

I'll be appearing at Zanies Comedy Club in Vernon Hills, IL this week, Thurs.-Sat. (June 14-16). Go to Zanies.com for more information, or call the club at 847-549-6030. Hope you can make it!

April 2, 2007

Time keeps flying by the busier things get. Working on three shows can make the days speed by. "If Walls Could Talk has taken me around the country some more, most recently to Arkansas, Spokane, Alabama, and Texas. "What You Get for the Money" also continues to keep me busy with new episodes, and you can find the new eps. of each currently airing on HGTV. As for TBS Movie Extra, I've had the good fortune in the past few months to interview the likes of Will Ferrell, Hugh Grant, Drew Barrymore, Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendes, and many many more about their upcoming films. This week I'll interview Halle Berry and Bruce Willis. There are worse things I could be doing I suppose!

Even though the work kept me busy, I still managed to sneak in a surfing trip to Maui in January! On the down side, my hometown Chicago Bears made it to the Super Bowl, only to get whipped by the Colts. Oh well, it's been a long time since we were that close anyway. Spring has finally come - it's heating up outside, baseball season has begun, and pretty soon the water will be warm enough in LA for me to surf locally! I've managed to return to the running I began while training for the marathon, with the hopes of possibly doing a half-marathon or 10K run later this year. Not too sure about doing another full marathon, though, that was a lot of work. Anyway, keep watching folks. More shows and events to come. Speaking of which, I'll be performing stand-up in my hometown of Chicago, June 14-16 at Zanies in Vernon Hills, IL. Stop on by and tell your friends!

Also: don't forget to visit my Myspace page at www.myspace.com/funnymike500

January 1, 2007

Happy New Year!

As 2006 ends and we begin a new year, I look forward to the road ahead and look back on what was one of the most eventful years in my life, both professionally and personally. Professionally, I was as busy as I have ever been. In Autumn of 2005, I learned that I would be hosting two shows for HGTV and Fine Living networks - "What You Get for the Money" and "If Walls Could Talk". This combined with my weekly hosting duties for "TBS Movie Extra", was going to make for a busy season and sure enough it was. Ending in June, I had shot 65 "Walls" episodes and 56 "What You Get" eps. After a couple months, I learned "Walls" was renewed for 26 more and "WYGFTM" for 65 more! We began shooting the new seasons in October, and already I've been to Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Denver. Throw in a couple of trips to New York for TBS, and the frequent flyer miles add up. Should be the same story through this spring, but I'm not complaining at all. This is a fickle business, and when work comes your way, you have to grab it. I'm grabbing it. On the flip side, while the TV work is going strong, it has taken me away from stand-up and acting a bit. I did do some stand-up gigs in and around LA and the Bay area, but booking club work in advance is tough due to TV commitments. I still keep peforming live though. No matter what direction the business takes me, I will always consider myself a comedian - it's how I started and it's what has led me to everything else.

On the personal side, it's been eventful as well. In May, I joined the ranks of the taxpaying homeowner and bought my first house in Los Angeles. Actually, it's a duplex, where I live in one half and rent out the other. So not only am I learning the trials of homeownership, but of being a landlord as well. After some rough spots, things have settled down nicely. It's certainly been a learning experience (albeit an expensive one!).

The joy of moving into my new place was tempered by the death of my father on May 4. He died at home in Florida of a heart attack at the age of 67, and though he had numerous health issues such as diabetes and a pacemaker, it was still too young for him to go. I think about him all the time, and his death forced me to look at life a different way. One of the things it inspired me to do was take on the challenge of running a marathon. I was never a runner and actually hated jogging, but I still wanted to challenge myself and achieve a goal I had always fantasized about. I also wanted to do more for charity, so I combined the two and signed up with the folks at AIDS Marathon. They trained us for six months, I raised over $3,200 for AIDS Project LA, and on Dec. 10, I finished the Honolulu Marathon in six hours, 39 minutes! I learned a lot about myself and what people can do when they are determined and disciplined enough. I even kind of like running now! To see photos of my marathon trip go to : http://homepage.mac.com/funnymike/PhotoAlbum5.html

Well, that about does it for 2006. I look forward to 2007, and I hope you all have wonderful and safe new year.

All the best, Mike

November 14, 2006

Wow! Three months later! That's terrible on my part. But yet, there's good news at the end of that rainbow - "If Walls Could Talk" and "What You Get For the Money" are both back! I've already begun shooting new episodes for each show, and they should start airing very soon. Already I've show shows in Rhode Island, Denver, and Pittsburgh. I was very happy to hear the news, and so were the folks at the production company that makes both shows. And since "TBS Movie Extra" is still chugging along every week, I should be pretty busy all the way into spring. That might put a little cramp in my social life, but hey, I'll just have to squeeze it in along the way.

In other news, my marathon training is still going strong. Two weeks ago, I did a 23-mile training run! It took me over five hours, but I did it. Now I'm more confident than ever I will finish the marathon on Dec. 10. I've been training since June, and it's been tough - solo training runs twice during the week, and group training runs at 7 a.m Sunday mornings. Kinda put a damper on my Saturday nights, but it's a small price to pay. After the marathon's over though- look out!

I can't wait to see my family over Thanksgiving. I hope you all have a great time as well. Thanksgiving is the greatest holiday: no gift exchanging, no religious services, no corny music. Just television, overeating, and football. God Bless America!

August 14, 2006

Greetings from Los Angeles, where the weather is fine and yours truly is enjoying some well-deserved R&R. I have a couple of weeks off from my TV duties due to the hiatus at TBS Movie EXTRA. Usually when I have this amount of time off, I like to travel abroad. But this year, I'm using the time to rest from a crazy year of traveling, and to get my house in order - literally. I have some designing to do in my new place, and even though I host a couple of shows on HGTV and Fine Living, I am clueless in a design sense. This will definitely be a continuing work in progress but it will be interesting to see where it all ends up in the end.

In other news, for the last couple months I have been training for a marathon! That's right, I've never been a fan of running, but after speaking with several co-workers who took part in the AIDS Marathon last year to benefit AIDSProject LA, it seemed like a goal worth shooting for. I have to raise $3,000 for APLA, and in turn I will be trained to finish the Honolulu Marathon on Dec. 10. Just yesterday we did 12 miles! That's the most I've ever done by far. Now I need your help. If you'd like to sponsor me, you can make a tax-deductible donation to AIDS Project LA in my name. Just go to www.aidsmarathon.com. Choose "sponsor a runner", then choose "los angeles", and enter "Mike Siegel" or my runner number, which is 4782. Every little bit helps, it's a good cause, and it will allow me to wear out my knee cartilage for those less fortunate. A fair trade I think.

In business news, I'm still awaiting official word on the return of "If Walls Could Talk" and "What You Get for the Money". The producers are very positive on another season. I'll let you know when the official word comes down. Until then, check local listings. I believe "What You Get..." is showing every weeknight on Fine Living network, and at least two nights a week on HGTV. Look for "Walls..." Sunday nights on HGTV.

Now it's back to enjoying the dog days of summer. I've resumed surfing, which I hadn't done since learning in Costa Rica over New Year's. It's difficult, exhausting, and lots of fun. Not bad for an Illinois boy!

Have a great August.

June 26, 2006

Hello all.

I refuse to start every posting off with an apology for not having written in a while. With that, all I can tell you is the last few months have been a whirlwind of change in my life. Some good, some bad.

On the good side, I've been busier than ever with work (believe me, in show business, busy is good!). Last week I finished taping the final episodes of a 65-show order of "If Walls Could Talk" for HGTV. It was a great experience, but difficult with the amount of travel involved. We taped all 65 since last August, and the shoots took me from one end of the country to the other. I have good memories, and plenty of frequent flyer miles to take away from the experience.

In a couple of weeks, I'll be wrapping the final shows of a 52-show order of HGTV and Fine Living's "What You Get for the Money", also shooting since last August. Combine these shows, with my continuing weekly duties at "TBS Movie Extra", and I haven't had much of a life of my own over the past 10 months. There's been talk of both HGTV shows returning for more episodes in the future, which would be great, although in my line of work, I've learned not to worry over those matters, because it's completely out of my control. Just be thankful if and when it happens.

With all that's been going on, I somehow managed to find the time to buy my first home! It's a duplex, and I moved in mid-May. It's two apartments, and I'm living in one half and renting the other. I'm the new Mr. Furley! It's the most grown-up (and expensive) thing I've ever done. The homeowner and landlord thing are all new experiences, but I was ready for the change in my life.

They say just about the most stressful things people can experience are buying a home, moving, and losing a loved one. I experienced all three in a two-week span. My father died unexpectedly of a heart attack on May 4th. He was 67, with a history of heart problems and diabetes, but still none of us were expecting the end to come so soon. It shook me up, and it's still difficult sometimes. I experienced my first Father's Day with no one to shop for or call, and his birthday is next week on July 4. It will be very strange not talking to him on that day. I miss him a lot. If I can say anything, cherish the loved ones you have on this Earth. You just never know.

Onward and upward.

FEBRUARY 20, 2006

Greetings!

First let me offer an apology. After the holidays, I did indeed update the website, and forgot all about checking after submitting it. I failed to check the site, where I would have noticed there was a transmission error. So sorry. After a couple of e-mails informing me the site was hopelessly in need of updating, I am back on the case. But enough excuses. I hope your year is going well.

After a well-needed bit of R&R in Costa Rica over the holidays (where I learned to surf, among other things), I returned to LA on Jan. 5 and picked up where I left off last year. I traveled to South Carolina and Georgia for "If Walls Could Talk", then amazingly, had four weeks home in LA before spending last week in Texas for the show. Now the fun begins. March is shaping up to be crazy, with multiple trips to Denver, Alabama, Florida, and Chicago. No rest for the weary.

While in LA, I've been taking the opportunity to get my life organized: exercise, doing taxes, auditions, etc. I re-edited my host demo reel, which should be up on the site soon, along with some new photos.

In other news, a movie I shot a couple years ago will be making its theatrical debut next month. The Godfather of Green Bay will be premiering in theaters throughout Wisconsin on MARCH 24! After its Wisconsin run, the plan is to slowly release it to Chicago and other cities in the midwest in order to build strong word-of-mouth. Please check local listings around that date if you live in these areas. A good friend of mine, Pete Schwaba, wrote, produced, directed and starred in the film, and I would love to see it take off. Not only for him, but me as well! Learn more at www.thegodfatherofgreenbay.com.

For all who wrote telling me to get on the ball with updates, I hope this gets to you sooner than later. I'll try to be more dilligent next time. I promise!

DECEMBER 21, 2005

Hello everyone! It's that time to put a lid on the past year, reflect on what was, and look forward to the year ahead. I must say, 2005 has been the busiest year ever for me in my 15 years in this business we call show. Some Highlights:

-A third year of hosting "TBS Movie Extra", and our first full year the show was produced by Telepictures Productions. It has been a great experience for me, watching the show transform from what it was a few years back to the slickly packaged machine it is now. Everyone at the studio has been great to work with, especiaally the producers and my cohost, Dayna Devon. I've gotten to interview quite the array of celebrities, including: Will Smith, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jim Carrey (twice!), Nicole Kidman, Jessica Simpson, Jessica Alba, Michael Keaton, Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, Burt Reynolds, Will Ferrell, and many more. The show runs on TBS Thursday nights during the commercial breaks of a movie. Be on the lookout.

-Hosting more episodes of "What You Get For the Money". I shot 13 episodes last summer for the Fine Living network, and never heard back about being renewed. Just when I thought the show was dead, it's sister network, HGTV began running the episodes in May and the response was terrific! They ordered 52 more episodes, which we began shooting back in August. I've completed about 28 episodes as of last week. The show currently airs on HGTV Wednesday nights and on Fine Living Monday nights. Check local listings.

-Hosting a new show on HGTV - "If Walls Could Talk." This was a show that ran on HGTV for years with a previous host, went off the air, and was brought back with a new look. It's produced by the same production company as "What You Get...", High Noon Productions, and they have their hands full balancing my schedule between the two shows. They are terrific people and very flexible, because the show requires lots of travel. I've been all over the country with this show over the past five months, and have shot 30 episodes so far. The plan is to finish another 35 by the end of July, '06. Needless to say, the first half of next year iss going to be busy. Look for the show when it airs on Sundays on HGTV!

In between the hectic shooting schedule, I still managed to squeeze in some stand-up performances along the way. I played a great week at Zanies in downtown Chicago back in June, and played many nights here in the LA area at the Comedy and Magic Club in Hermosa Beach. My only regret of being so busy with the TV work is the time it takes me away from the stage, but that's something I can deal with, especially when the checks clear!

The weeks before my schedule got really crazy, I managed to sneak in 10 days of travel to England and Scotland. An awesome trip, and seeing as how foreign travel is my weakness, I'm taking advantaage of my holiday break to go to Costa Rica this week! Yep, I'm cashing in some of the billions of frequent flyer miles I've built up and I'm heading to surf school! I always wanted to learn how to surf, and I alwya wanted to see Costa Rica, so I thought, why not combine the two! Seemed like a good plan to me, so off I go.

I hope you all have had a great year, and can celebrate with family and friends over the holidays. Take care, and see you in 2006!

NOVEMBER 16, 2005

Well this is truly embarrassing. In all the craziness of the last few months I have woefully neglected this website. I apologize. I plan on updating my reels and adding more photos soon, so stick with me.

As for the last couple of months, I've been traveling extensively. For "If WalIs could Talk", I've been to Spokane, Indiana, Maryland, Illinois, and Northern California. In between were a couple of trips to Denver for "What You Get For the Money". This week, it's off to Vegas for two days for TBS. Whew. Yes, I'm racking up the frequent flyer miles, and yes, I plan on using them. Planning on a Xmas getaway to Costa Rica! Should be fun, and I think I've earned it.

On the acting front, I taped an episode of the ABC sitcom "Hot Properties", which aired last night. It was not the biggest role, but still a lot of fun to do. Sitcoms are definitely the dream gig for an actor, at least in terms of the schedule and workload for the money. Man, I want one of those shows for my own! Hopefully soon!

Got the chance to see aa screening of "Godfather of Green Bay" at the Milwaukee Film Festival while I was shooting in the midwest. It played in the 800-seat Oriental Theater, a beautiful old landmark, and the place was jammed. Even got to answer some questions after the movie alongside the director and star, Pete Schwaba, and some of the other cast members. Lots of fun. The next night I made my way to my hometown of Chicago and watched the opening game of the World Series with friends at a bar in the city. It was a riot! And how about the those White Sox! Can you believe it?! I was one happy guy- 88 years was a long wait. Now if only the Cubs can get it together. They're almost at a full century without a title. Ouch.

Hope everyone has a happy and safe Thanksgiving!

SEPTEMBER 14, 2005

Sorry I've been so negligent on the news, it's just that I'm swamped! After a 10-day vacation in early August to England and Scotland (awesome), I returned to the States and started the craziest schedule I've ever had in show business. Between shooting "TBS Movie Extra", "What You Get For The Money", and "If Walls Could Talk", I've been on the road every week since mid-August. The shows are going well, and I look forward to seeing them when they are edited and polished. I hope you check them out as well.

"What You Get..." and "Walls.." will both be premiering on HGTV the first week of October. "What You Get..." will also air on Fine Living channel starting that same week. Check local listings. As always, "TBS Movie Extra" is on every Thursday night. The first week of October marks my third anniversary at TBS! Can't believe it's gone by so quickly. Many thanks to the people at TBS, as well as Telepictures, who produce the show.

I'm writing this an hour before going to the airport (my second home these days), so I gotta finish packing. Maybe I'll see you in the terminal soon...

AUGUST 4, 2005

Back again for another update, and plenty to tell. It looks like you will be seeing me on not one, but TWO more TV shows coming out this fall! Just got word last week that the good folks at Fine Living network want more episodes of "What You Get For The Money", and we start shooting at the end of August. But before that, I will begin shooting episodes of "If Walls Could Talk" for HGTV. These shows, combined with my continuing TBS gig, should mean I will be one busy hombre over the next few months. But that's OK, I'm not complaining. I've been on the other end when there is no work to be found, and believe me - I much prefer this. Both new shows are scheduled to start airing the first week of October. Look for them!

JULY 11, 2005

NEW GODFATHER OF GREEN BAY SCREENING!

That's right folks. If you're in LA this week, there will be a free screening of Godfather of Green Bay this Thursday, July 14, 7:30 PM at the Laemmle Sunset 5 theaters in West Hollywood. It's at the corner of Sunset and Crescent Heights, and seats are first-come-first served. Hope you can make it and see me in my Mullet-headed glory!

The week at Zanies in Chicago was a blast. Got to see many old friends and family, and even made some new friends. I caught a Cubs game, ate food that was bad for me, and enjoyed great weather. The city looked amazing as always. Thanks to all who came by the show.

As for other news, not much to report. The HGTV network brass is still on the fence about the direction of the show. That's part of the business, but as Tom Petty put it, the waiting is the hardest part.

At TBS, I interviewed Lynda Carter about her new film, Sky High. Yes, that Lynda Carter - Wonder Woman! Very nice lady, still looks great. I told her the story of our first meeting - in January of 1993, on the set of a TV commercial. It was for Lens Express, and she was the spokesperson. I think I said two words in it. I searched my closet, found the tape, and showed it to her before our interview. She cracked up. Good way to break the ice. I wish I had a tape like that before my last Nicole Kidman interview. It might have helped. But that's another story..

JUNE 12, 2005

Want to remind everyone that I will be appearing at Zanies Comedy Club in downtown Chicago this Tuesday through Saturday (June 14-18). Go to Zanies.com for show info. I can't wait to perform for good crowds, take in a Cubs game, and eat pizza and Italian Beef sandwiches until I have a coronary. Should be fun.

On the HGTV front, I shot the pilot for "If Walls Could Talk", and it was a blast. It's now going through the network red tape, and hopefully we'll have an answer soon.

Had some great interviews for TBS recently, including two of my personal favorites - Michael Keaton and Will Farrell. Both were awesome and did not disappoint (forgot my camera for Will Farrell though- damn!). Also interviewed Shirley Maclaine (class act), Lindsay Lohan (young, nice enough, but too skinny and over two hours late!), and Nicole Kidman (seemed shy and uncomfortable in her own skin - a tough interview). These were for the upcoming movies "Herbie Reloaded" and "Bewitched", respectively. Nothing but the highbrow films for my show...

See you in Chicago.

And hey - how about those White Sox!

MAY 18, 2005

Well, another two months have passed in this crazy business we call show. On the way, there have been some cool things to report. I'll try to be brief in keeping you up-to-date:

First off, the show I did last year for Fine Living Channel has now moved to HGTV! Since the first week of May, What You Get For The Money will be playing every Wednesday night, I believe at 10:30 PM ET (although check local listings). This is good news, because HGTV is in many more homes than Fine Living, and the show will have a better chance to find an audience. We'll see.

Speaking of HGTV, next week I will be flying to Philadelphia to host a pilot show for the network called If Walls Could Talk. This was a show that ran for years on HGTV, but now they are bringing it back with a new host, who, if the pilot goes well, will be yours truly! We fly around the country and talk about the history of particular homes and buildings. It's a lot of travel, but I'm looking forward to it. Here's hoping the pilot goes well.

As for other news:

The screenings for Godfather of Green Bay seem to have gone well. The LA screening on April 21st played in front of a packed 400-seat theater, and it got plenty of laughs. Along with numerous friends and fellow performers, there were also some showbiz big shots from several studios. Even Nia Vardalos, who became the envy of every independent filmmaker with the success of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, was in attendance. She was very complimentary of the movie and vowed to help out with seeking distribution. Of course, talk is cheap in Hollywood, but still, everyone likes to have a little sunshine blown up their ass once in a while!

As for TBS, I've gotten the opportunity to take a few trips over the past couple of months. One trip was to New York for the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy junket. I interviewed stars Sam Rockwell, Mos Def and Zooey Deschanel, among others. All were charming in person. Also got to interview star Martin Freeman, who plays the lead character, Arthur Dent. I was a big fan of Martin's from his work on the original BBC series, The Office, and told him so. I asked him if he got tired of geeks like me complimenting him all the time about how great The Office was, and he said, "No, Not at all. I quite like it, actually." Can't say I blame him.

Also spent four days at the DisneyWorld Resort in Orlando shooting a promo for TBS. Disney is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its theme parks. It was a big deal. There was press from all over covering this event. We shot footage in four separate parks. I recommend the Rock n' Roller Coaster and the Tower of Terror at MGM studios, and a new ride called Soarin' at Epcot. Also got to see my parents, as well as my sister, brother-in-law, and nephew, who all live an hour from Orlando. My nephew Nate is 3-1/2 years old now, and it was his first trip to Disneyworld. I think we've created a monster.

Just last week, I interviewed Adam Sandler, Burt Reynolds and Chris Rock for The Longest Yard. All were cool guys, but seeing Burt's face up close nowadays is rather startling. That guy is not afraid of the occasional nip-and-tuck. I'm just sorry he was out of there before I could ask for a picture. Wasn't a huge fan of the movie remake to be honest. I think they dumbed it down for the MTV crowd. But hey, what do I know. I thought The Pacifier would flop, and it made over $100 mil.

As for stand-up, I'll be performing live at my hometown club in Chicago next month! I'll be playing all week at Zanies Comedy Club on Wells St. in the heart of the Windy City, June 14-18. If you're in the area, come on down!

Take care everyone, and enjoy your Spring weather!

MARCH 26, 2005

Already three months into this year - amazing how the weeks fly by nowadays. The past month I've had some great times over at TBS. Got a chance to interview some fun celebrities, the most fun of which was Sandra Bullock. Can't say I was ever a die-hard Bullock fan beforehand, but in person she was very friendly, smart, down-to-earth, and all-around cool. She won me over.

Also recently got to sit down with Matthew McConaughey, Steve Zahn, and Penelope Cruz for the upcoming film, Sahara. This was my second time with McConaughey, having interviewed him a couple years ago for How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days. He said he remembered me, although I think he was being polite. Either way, the interviews went well, and my main regret was not catching Penelope for a photo before she was wisked away down the hall. Would have made a nice bookend with my Salma Hayek photo. Oh well.

In other news, a date has finally been set for the Wisconsin Film Festival screening of The Godfather of Green Bay, featuring yours truly! It is this Friday evening, April 1st, at the Orpheum Theater in Madison. That's next week, so if you find yourselves in the Cheese Capitol at that time, check it out. From what I've heard, it's a big theater, so a packed house would be ideal. The film was also accepted into the Arizona Film Festival coming up sometime in mid-April. I'll let you know when I have the dates finalized for that. In terms of LA showings of the film, a big screening will take place on April 21st at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood. I'll post more details of that later also.

Been getting lots of compliments on the website, so I'd like to pass credit on to the site's designer Russell Arch. You can find his link on my "Random Stuff" page. If you're building a site, check him out.

Have a great Easter!

FEBRUARY 15, 2005

Midway through February already, and while friends and family back East are freezing their collective behinds, houses here in LA seem to be sliding downhill at breakneck speed. Strangely enough, in today's market even the landslide houses are going up in value. Which explains why I'm still renting.

As for me, it's steady as she goes. Things keep humming along at TBS Movie Extra, with my co-host Dayna Devon announcing two weks ago that she was pregnant and due sometime in October. Conveniently enough, this announcement came just in time for February sweeps! Not even born yet, and the kid's got a great sense of timing. I will most likely do the show solo for a month or so when Dayna takes maternity leave.

Also for TBS, I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Vin Diesel for his new movie, "The Pacifier". He proved to be a nice guy, which made up for the fact he was an hour and 15 minutes late for the interview. However, after I whipped him in an arm-wrestle, all was forgiven.

There was also news on "The Godfather of Green Bay" - the film I shot over a year ago (a clip of which appears on this site). It has been accepted in to the Wisconsin Film Festival and will screen in Madison, WI sometime around the last week in March. More news on that when the details are hashed out.

As for stand-up, the Costa Mesa and Mesquite gigs both went well, and were followed up by a night of hosting at the Comedy and Magic Club in Hermosa Beach, CA (my favorite LA area club). Good times. I'll be in LA through the bulk of pilot season (through mid-April) and plan on doing more traveling after that. Will keep the site updated with new comedy dates.

Thanks for checking in folks.

JANUARY 17, 2005

Sorry for the holiday layoff, I'll try to keep the updates coming more consistently. On the plus side, the mail link is up and running. If you go to the "Contact" page it should address a mail straight to me at mike@funnymike.com. Feel free to drop a line.

With the new year, I jumped back into production on "TBS Movie Extra". Today we shot our third show of the year, which will air this Thursday. I also just returned from two great days in Honolulu to attend the press junket for the upcoming film "Hitch", starring Will Smith. Got to interview Will (really cool guy), and his co stars Kevin James (also cool), Eva Mendes (hot!) and Amber Valletta (also hot). Also got a chance to screen the movie, which is set to come out Valentines Day - an appropriate release date for the couples movie it is. It's fun with some laughs. Should do well.

As for stand-up, I performed Saturday, Jan. 8, at the Improv in Hollywood, as part of the "Jimmy Pardo and Friends" lineup. Had a good time. Thanks for the spot, Jimmy. I'll also be performing this Thursday, Jan 20, 8:30 PM, at Dirty Nellies in Costa Mesa, CA. That's right - bringing the mesage to the O.C.! If the TV show is any indication, those kids in the O.C. could do with a harmless night of fun.

The following week on Saturday, Jan. 29, I'll be playing the big showroom at the Casablanca Resort and Casino in Mesquite, NV. One show at 8 PM. If you find yourself on the Nevada- Arizona border off Interstate15 that night, watch the show, then try your luck at craps. Oh, the glamour!

Thanks for stopping by. More to come!

DECEMBER 21, 2004

Welcome to the website!

Still working out the kinks in the mail system, but that will be corrected soon, at which point I can ditch AOL forever. My thanks to Russell Arch for designing the site and making me feel uneasy at seeing myself in animated form. If you'd like to see more of his work, click on his link in my "Random Stuff" page. Also have to thank my college pal Gary Ricke at Orbis Web Design for hosting the site. You can also hit his link on my "Random Stuff" page.

As for me, I look forward to a relaxing holiday season after an eventful year: a couple of guest appearances on JAG, hosting What You Get for the Money, acting in a national commercial for Netflix, and a stand-up appearance on CBS' Late Late Show.

While all that was happening, I continued to host on TBS every week. The show went through major changes over the year. It went from being called The Movie Break to TBS Movie Extra; switched production companies and locations; and gave me a new co-host, Dayna Devon. The show definitely has a sleek new look, and the folks at Extra have been great to work with.

On top of all that was a ten-day vacation to Brazil (amazing!), a five-day trip to Maui (swam with giant turtles!), a Thanksgiving trip to visit family in Florida (nothing beats Mom's turkey!), numerous work trips for TBS (New York, Orlando, Bahamas), and various stand-up gigs along the west coast. A busy year, and hopefully next year will be even more busy and successful.

As for "The Godfather of Green Bay" film I shot last year, of which a scene appears on my "Reels" page, it is finished and "in the can" as they say in the biz. It's currently being submitted to film festivals in the hopes of finding a distributor. I hope it gets the respect it deserves, because everybody involved worked hard and put a lot into it. It's also pretty damn funny, if you ask me. Anything with me in a moustache and mullet demands to be seen!

Well that should wrap up 2004. I hope you all have a happy and safe holiday season, and keep checking here for updates! I'll do my best to keep it current with news of any upcoming TV appearances and live shows, or maybe just my personal ramblings. Thanks for visiting!

-Mike