September 2008
September 2008
8
ANSWER
American Gladiators
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The Quest for Identity
shooting its sophomore season, set topremiere October 6 at 9:30 PM. Afterwaking up from an amnesia-inducing caraccident, Samantha begins discoveringabout her morally dubious past, and takesthe unprecedented opportunity to right old
wrongs, all the while refurbishing her ownlivelihood.
The rarity of such personal, almostexistential, themes like identity andmemory being explored for both itsdramatic and comedic attributes onnetwork television could only properly beexplained by the show’s creator, DonaldTodd, television writer for over 20 years.
Taking a cue from such inspirations asthe unconventional workings of DavidMilch and Hugh Wilson, the principal thesisof Samantha Who?, Todd contends, “is
Cast: (from left to right) Melissa McCarthy, Kevin Dunn, Jean Smart, ChristinaApplegate, Barry Watson, Jennifer Esposito, and Tim Russ
cont’d. on page 6
Written by Matthew Muhl
Identity, according to Mr. Webster, is“the sense of self, providing sameness andcontinuity in personality over time and...”
Sorry, I just couldn’t finish thatpompous opener; itwas beginning tomake even menauseous.
The truthis identity can’tbe defined sodefinitively, as it’s
really all just in our own heads. The way webehave, the way we act, the way we think; it’sall based on what we personally believe tobe right or wrong.
Consider the title character in the newABC series, Samantha Who?, which is now
Creator/Executive Producer Donald Todd
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Sept 2008:April 06 2 9/3/08 9:58 AM Page 8
What current realitysports program wasoriginally filmed atCBS Studio Centerfrom 1991 to 1996?
September 2008September 2008
2 7
Attention all CBS & Production Drivers: Please obeyall RED LIGHTS near the stages by stopping andshutting off your engine until the red light turns off.
Safety is everyone’s responsibility!
Please observe the speed limit (8mph), stop signsand pedestrian crossings. The Studio has thecontractual right to refuse entrance to any repeatviolator of our Safety Rules. Studio Security strictlyenforces this policy.
The Security Department would like to remindeveryone that the Safety Hotline is anonymous andconfidential. If you observe an unsafe situation,please report it by calling extension 6078. There isalso a safety suggestion box located at Carla’s Café.
Have a safe and wonderful experience at CBSStudio Center!
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ProductionSchedule�
CSI:NY(CBS Productions/CBS)
ET/ The Insider(CBS Television Distribution/CBS)
The Cleaner(CBS Productions/A&E)
Gary Unmarried(ABC Studios/CBS)
The Sarah Silverman Program(Central Productions/Comedy Central)
Surviving Suburbia(Surviving Suburbia LLC/CW)
Roommates(Prodco Inc./ABC Family
Samantha Who?(ABC Studios/ABC)
Big Brother 10(Our House Productions/CBS)
Little Britain USA(Turville Productions/HBO)
The Game(CBS Paramount Network TV/CW)
The Bill Engvall Show(Very Funny Productions/TBS)
Rita Rocks(Rita Rocks Productions LLC/ Lifetime)
Moment of Truth 3(Light Sleeper Entertainment/ FOX)
America’s Got Talent 3(Marathon Productions/NBC)
According to Jim(ABC Studios/ABC)Hole in the Wall
(Blue Orbit Productions/FOX)Million Dollar Password 2
(Triple Threat Productions/CBS)Greek
(Zeta Beta Productions/ABC Family)
39th Annual NAACP ImageAward NominationsOutstanding Actress in a Comedy Series
Tia Mowry – The Game
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Wendy Raquel Robinson – The Game
Outstanding Actor in a Drama SeriesHill Harper – CSI: NY
Outstanding Writing in a Comedy SeriesSara Finney-Johnson
The Game: The Big Chill
39th Annual NAACP ImageAward Winner
Actor in a Drama SeriesHill Harper – CSI: NY
60th Emmy AwardNominations
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy SeriesChristina Applegate – Samantha Who?
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Jean Smart - Samantha Who?
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
Sarah Silverman – Monk
Outstanding Cinematography for a Half-Hour Series
George Mooradian - According to Jim “The Chaperone”
Outstanding Stunt CoordinationNorman Howell - CSI:NY“Playing with Matches”
Outstanding Special Class – Short-Format Live-ActionEntertainment
Sarah Silverman Program Nugget
Outstanding Original Music And LyricsSarah Silverman, Writer/Composer
Jimmy Kimmel LiveSong: “I’m F***ing Matt Damon”
9/1 Labor Day9/6 Peacock Foundation Fundraiser at CBS
Studio Center9/6 West Valley Police Department
Memorial Ride at CBS Studio Center9/14 Ovarian Cancer Coalition Annual
3K/5K Race at CBS Studio Center9/20 Huntington’s Disease Annual 5K Race
at CBS Studio Center9/21 60th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards9/22 Autumn Begins9/23 23rd Annual Imagen Awards9/30 Rosh Hashanah, 1st day
CALENDAR
CBS NEWSLETTER CONTRIBUTING EDITORMarsha Gorodkin
STAFF WRITER - Matthew MuhlDESIGN - Elizabeth GulickLAYOUT - Ashley Soukup
QUESTION
ANSWER on page 8
Open Call, a religious fellowshiporganization for professionals in theentertainment industry, has selected Project:Hollywood Cares as its Charity of the Year for2008. Past recipients of this honor have includedthe Make-A-Wish Foundation, Family Theater,and the San Damiano Foundation. Each yearOpen Call, which welcomes people of all faithsto its numerous events, donates a percentageof funds collected at the door to a deservingcharity.
Open Call brings together creative andbusiness professionals who seek to develop arelationship between spirituality and theirvocation in the world of entertainment. A largenumber of Open Call members presently serveas volunteers at Project: Hollywood Cares.
William Thompson, M.E.S.Medical Exercise Specialist
On Film & TV Studio Lots, Private Gym, CBS Employee Discounts
FREE Consultation! (323) 493-9455
Since 1990, PRO TRAINER Will Thompson a Medical Exercise Specialist - Master Trainer - Sports Nutrition Consultant and Certified Fitness Expert has been Dedicated to Giving You the Best because You Deserve the Best! Will provides safe and Successful Personal Training for Athletes, Actors, Models, Entertainers, Executives and Anybody who wants a Better Body!
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SeptemberHISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH
Sept. 15–Oct. 15)
Sept 2008:April 06 2 9/3/08 9:58 AM Page 2
September 2008
3
September 2008
6
Samantha Who?...Continued from Page 1
Written by Matthew Muhl
This is an unabashed love letter to CBSsitcoms, written in school textbook form. I’venever written for a textbook before, but I’mman enough to admit to chicken scratchingmore than my fair share of love letters, sohopefully it should even out.
For the last few years, it seems there’sbeen a stigma deep within the televisionviewership which unfairly implies thattraditional sitcoms are suddenly not funny orsocially relevant anymore. So why, afterdecades of prosperous sitcoms like CBS’ TheHoneymooners (1955) and Everybody LovesRaymond (1996), is the twenty-first centuryperception of this particular genre (like thepromising new freshman series The Big BangTheory) that they are suddenly considered oldhat, and not worth a darn?
“They put in a laugh track because theydon’t think I can tell what’s funny or not,”concludes the average viewer, usually followedby an exclamation mark. Let’s examine thisnarrow minded consensus, shall we?
Now, the criticism above makes allusionsspecifically to the Laugh Track, which is aseparate track with the artificial sound ofaudience laughter added in post-production.Laugh tracks are, by this description, thedevil’s handiwork, because the techniquesimply doesn’t do shows proper justice, and,instead, feature canned laughter that oftensounds entirely out of context with the ensuingscenes.
Some of the earliest CBS examples toemploy the laugh track (before audiencesbecame privy to the notion that is) are TheAndy Griffith Show (1960) and The Many Loves ofDobie Gillis (1959).
Admittedly, both these shows remaindeliriously enjoyable despite the obviouspresence of synthetic laughter, but there’sreally no true substitute for the Live StudioAudience, which is just as organic as it sounds;a living, breathing (and most importantly,laughing) group of humans reacting to theensuing scenes right before their very senses.
Some of the earliest CBS examples of thisapproach to audience participation are I LoveLucy (1951) and All in the Family (1970).Throughout the latter’s eight-year run, series
creator Norman Lear took pride in the factthat all the laughter in All in the Family wasgenuine and never canned.
In fact, All in the Family, one of television’smost controversial shows at the time, boaststhe longest sustained audience laughter insitcom history; the kiss between Archie Bunkerand guest star Sammy Davis, Jr.. The laughterapparently went on for so long that it had to besignificantly edited for network broadcast, asstar Carroll O’Connor still had one final lineto dispense following the infamous kiss.
Now, if you’ve ever witnessed a sitcom as alive audience member firsthand, you’ll knowthat a spontaneous moment like that isnothing out of the ordinary.
I was fortunate enough to view the pilottaping for the multi-camera Back to You (whichco-stars vets Patricia Heaton and FredWillard), and found the atmosphere duringthe production to be intimate andeducational, both as an audience member andas a former college television director.Watching similar characteristics of a seasoneddirector like James Burrows (the way he pacedback and forth in deep concentration duringtakes, the way he huddled up with the cast andcrew to perform alternate jokes for a differentaudience reaction) proved to be a visceralexperience in and of itself.
In the end, the sheer excitement ofknowing that my own natural laughter iscemented in the series (without the assistanceof “Applause” signs, I might add) only furthersupports a theory of mine that traditionalsitcoms are really the closest thing that oursociety has to modern theater for the masses. Atelevised play is still a play.
One more quick, related experience andI’ll let y’all go.
In 2007, as a Page stationed at the onlyhotel in Beverly Hills (you know the one) toassist a CBS press conference unveiling thenew fall season lineup, I was able to personallythank Chuck Lorre, show runner for theaforementioned The Big Bang Theory, for twothings; keeping the traditional sitcom alive,and for writing the theme song to a favoriteold cartoon show.
Believe me, if you knew which cartoonshow it was he wrote the theme song to, you’dthank him, too — it’s better than any of mylove letters, that’s for sure.
Sitcoms: The Big Situation Comedy Theory
examining Samantha’s inward strugglebetween nature vs. nurture, and how thiscan, in fact, translate to many viewers in bothan entertaining and pervasive way.”
Can, and does, according to the show’ssuccessful first season, which has quicklypositioned Samantha Who? as one of thealphabet’s flagship programs. In addition tobeing his most successful television venture,Todd cites Samantha Who? as his mostdifficult, due in no small part to the weightof writing for a character that lacks acohesive home base.
“In the first season, she was basically anewborn,” Todd continues, “but now, she’slike a directionless kid right out of college,actively taking on more independentchanges and decisions.”
And while he’s mostly keeping mumabout these future decisions, Todd hints thatmany of them will delve into that of both hercareer and of her living arrangements.
Todd also credits a substantial portionof the show’s success to its idealistic maincharacter, played with vim and vigor bytelevision and film veteran ChristinaApplegate. He believes the thesp’s greateststrength is her ability to play comedy, yetretain the natural dramatic aspects ofSamantha, which helps in bringing thefictional identity to life.
Hence, while both identity and memoryremain copasetic bedfellows in SamanthaWho?, Todd sees the nominal Samanthacontinuing to define herself against her ownstable environment, and, with the addedsupport of her idiosyncratic friends andfamily, she just may one day find her homebase (which, according to Mr. Webster, means“home” - now there’s a definite definition).
James Sater: The Man Who Would Be King
Written by Matthew Muhl
One possesses the ability to do allthings. Some do most things, most only dosome. James Dennis Sater, who lost hisvaliant battle against liver cancer this pastFebruary at the age of 61, fits into theformer category.
Jim began his life in December of 1946as the youngest of four boys. He attendedSt. Charles grammar school as a young lad,and Notre Dame high school as a youngman. Upon his graduation in 1964, Jimwent on to San Fernando Valley StateCollege (currently known as, CaliforniaState University of Northridge) until beingdrafted in 1967. He often humorouslyreferred to his year-long stint in Vietnam ashis "graduation trip.”
Many things can happen within fouryears. One could merely spend that allottedtime as president of the United States ofAmerica, or, one could reunite with, courtwith, and join in holy matrimony with an
old school friend. After his discharge in1968, Jim wisely chose the latter in 1972.Her name is Vicki, his wife of 36 years.
In May of 1969, at the age of 22, Jimbegan his invaluable career with CBS. Heled the renaissance life of a dutifulemployee, striking stages and delivering tooffices, eventually heading the Camera,Sound, Editorial and Security departments.
Fifteen years later, Jim becamethe Director of Production Services, atitle he would hold for nearly twenty-fiveyears. This loyal tenure is no surprise toanyone, as Jim always considered the Studioas his second home and the folks he workedwith as his extended family.
Back to one doing most things;camping, fishing and playing golf with goodfriends were some of Jim’s joys in life. Healso enjoyed the art of gardening and wasproud of demonstrating this art in hisbackyard. Jim has said that if he had a dollarfor every piece of foliage that he planted, hewould be rich man.
He was, in fact, a rich man, and hisgreatest riches took the form of his twobeautiful children, daughter Janet Lee andson James Dennis, II; these richesgenerated new generations, taking theform of his equally-beautiful grandchildren,granddaughter Madeline and grandsonAndrew. For a man who appreciated the artof gardening, these riches represented theapples of his eye.
These apples, in the form of his family,have set up the James Dennis SaterMemorial Fund at St. Jude’s Hospital, theplace in which Jim often found refuge andspiritual guidance towards the end of hislife here. One of his wishes was to find acure for cancer, and his family continues tohonor Jim's very wish.
And lo, as one possesses the ability todo all things, it’s clear that Jim (or“Jimbo”, as many of his friends warmlydubbed him) was one who seizedopportunities all around him, making hima king of most things.
The Sater Structure is named after Jim and his brother, Jack.
©(A
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'AM
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)
Christina Applegate
Sept 2008:April 06 2 9/3/08 9:58 AM Page 6
September 2008September 2008
4 5
Recent CBS StaffAppointments &
Promotions
Special Congratulations!
George Gunagan
Paint Department
Robert (“Bob) Hoover
Paint Department
Brian Lovell
Operations
Gregory (“Perry) Martinez
Operations
Deanna Jettonannounces theengagement of herdaughter ShellieJetton to SteveKaplan with thewedding to takeplace Oct. 4, 2008
Michael Klausman,President of CBS
Studio Center, andwife Beckie on the
birth of yourgrandson JonasJames Michael
6-10-2008 Born toAmy and Derrek
Ransford
Joshua Choi,Director of InformationTechnology Joshua came to CBS inMarch 2000 as anetwork administrator.In his new positionhe will be responsiblefor Telecommunications
(Telco) and Management InformationSystems (MIS) and will report directly toVice President and General Manager,Joseph Soukup.
Karla Karanza,Director of Financial
PlanningBorn and raised inPittsburgh, PA (GoSteelers!), Karla attendedRobert Morris Collegefor her undergrad infinance and graduatedwith an MBA from Carnegie Mellon in 1996and then went to work at Intel in SantaClara, CA. She left high tech in 2001 afterthe big downturn and came out to L.A. in2002 specifically to work in entertainment.Karla worked at Fox Broadcasting for awhile and then at E! Entertainment for thepast four years, before finding her way hereto CBS. She spent a lot of her spare timerunning a theater company in NorthHollywood up until last year, and hasrecently taken up writing television andmovies to keep herself out of trouble.
Alex Mouton,Mailroom SupervisorAlex has been with theCBS Studio Centermailroom since July2007. In his new positionhe wi l l primari ly beresponsible for the trainingand super vision of
delivery personnel, and will directly assistwith all aspects of the daily mailroomoperation.
Trina Nazliyan,Director of Accounting
Trina was born in St.Petersburg (formerlyLeningrad) Russia andmoved to San Diego in1994. She then movedto Los Angeles toattend USC as anEnglish major and after only one year, hada change of heart and transferred to CSUNto study Accounting. After earning her BSin Accountancy, Trina worked for Cast andCrew Payroll LLC and Hearthstone RealEstate Investment. Her 19 month old son,Roman, keeps her busy and doesn’t leavemuch time for hobbies but wheneverpossible, Trina enjoys reading and goingout for Sushi.
Gerard Oropeza,Senior Financial AnalystGerard joined CBS inDecember 2004 as afinancial analyst. Heholds a B.S. in BusinessAdministration, with anoption in finance fromCal State University
Los Angeles and is currently takingsupplemental advanced accounting coursesat the alma mater.
Jose Ramos,Director of Production
ServicesJose’s career with theStudio began over eightyears ago as Director ofFinancial Planning. Inhis new position Josewill be responsible forthe lighting, grip, video and sounddepartments. For Jose, the icing on the cake isthat he still reports directly to Vice Presidentand General Manager, Joseph Soukup.
Patrick Kiernan
Payroll & Facilities Billing
Marsha Gorodkin
Client Services
Sept 2008:April 06 2 9/3/08 9:59 AM Page 4
September 2008September 2008
4 5
Recent CBS StaffAppointments &
Promotions
Special Congratulations!
George Gunagan
Paint Department
Robert (“Bob) Hoover
Paint Department
Brian Lovell
Operations
Gregory (“Perry) Martinez
Operations
Deanna Jettonannounces theengagement of herdaughter ShellieJetton to SteveKaplan with thewedding to takeplace Oct. 4, 2008
Michael Klausman,President of CBS
Studio Center, andwife Beckie on the
birth of yourgrandson JonasJames Michael
6-10-2008 Born toAmy and Derrek
Ransford
Joshua Choi,Director of InformationTechnology Joshua came to CBS inMarch 2000 as anetwork administrator.In his new positionhe will be responsiblefor Telecommunications
(Telco) and Management InformationSystems (MIS) and will report directly toVice President and General Manager,Joseph Soukup.
Karla Karanza,Director of Financial
PlanningBorn and raised inPittsburgh, PA (GoSteelers!), Karla attendedRobert Morris Collegefor her undergrad infinance and graduatedwith an MBA from Carnegie Mellon in 1996and then went to work at Intel in SantaClara, CA. She left high tech in 2001 afterthe big downturn and came out to L.A. in2002 specifically to work in entertainment.Karla worked at Fox Broadcasting for awhile and then at E! Entertainment for thepast four years, before finding her way hereto CBS. She spent a lot of her spare timerunning a theater company in NorthHollywood up until last year, and hasrecently taken up writing television andmovies to keep herself out of trouble.
Alex Mouton,Mailroom SupervisorAlex has been with theCBS Studio Centermailroom since July2007. In his new positionhe wi l l primari ly beresponsible for the trainingand super vision of
delivery personnel, and will directly assistwith all aspects of the daily mailroomoperation.
Trina Nazliyan,Director of Accounting
Trina was born in St.Petersburg (formerlyLeningrad) Russia andmoved to San Diego in1994. She then movedto Los Angeles toattend USC as anEnglish major and after only one year, hada change of heart and transferred to CSUNto study Accounting. After earning her BSin Accountancy, Trina worked for Cast andCrew Payroll LLC and Hearthstone RealEstate Investment. Her 19 month old son,Roman, keeps her busy and doesn’t leavemuch time for hobbies but wheneverpossible, Trina enjoys reading and goingout for Sushi.
Gerard Oropeza,Senior Financial AnalystGerard joined CBS inDecember 2004 as afinancial analyst. Heholds a B.S. in BusinessAdministration, with anoption in finance fromCal State University
Los Angeles and is currently takingsupplemental advanced accounting coursesat the alma mater.
Jose Ramos,Director of Production
ServicesJose’s career with theStudio began over eightyears ago as Director ofFinancial Planning. Inhis new position Josewill be responsible forthe lighting, grip, video and sounddepartments. For Jose, the icing on the cake isthat he still reports directly to Vice Presidentand General Manager, Joseph Soukup.
Patrick Kiernan
Payroll & Facilities Billing
Marsha Gorodkin
Client Services
Sept 2008:April 06 2 9/3/08 9:59 AM Page 4
September 2008
3
September 2008
6
Samantha Who?...Continued from Page 1
Written by Matthew Muhl
This is an unabashed love letter to CBSsitcoms, written in school textbook form. I’venever written for a textbook before, but I’mman enough to admit to chicken scratchingmore than my fair share of love letters, sohopefully it should even out.
For the last few years, it seems there’sbeen a stigma deep within the televisionviewership which unfairly implies thattraditional sitcoms are suddenly not funny orsocially relevant anymore. So why, afterdecades of prosperous sitcoms like CBS’ TheHoneymooners (1955) and Everybody LovesRaymond (1996), is the twenty-first centuryperception of this particular genre (like thepromising new freshman series The Big BangTheory) that they are suddenly considered oldhat, and not worth a darn?
“They put in a laugh track because theydon’t think I can tell what’s funny or not,”concludes the average viewer, usually followedby an exclamation mark. Let’s examine thisnarrow minded consensus, shall we?
Now, the criticism above makes allusionsspecifically to the Laugh Track, which is aseparate track with the artificial sound ofaudience laughter added in post-production.Laugh tracks are, by this description, thedevil’s handiwork, because the techniquesimply doesn’t do shows proper justice, and,instead, feature canned laughter that oftensounds entirely out of context with the ensuingscenes.
Some of the earliest CBS examples toemploy the laugh track (before audiencesbecame privy to the notion that is) are TheAndy Griffith Show (1960) and The Many Loves ofDobie Gillis (1959).
Admittedly, both these shows remaindeliriously enjoyable despite the obviouspresence of synthetic laughter, but there’sreally no true substitute for the Live StudioAudience, which is just as organic as it sounds;a living, breathing (and most importantly,laughing) group of humans reacting to theensuing scenes right before their very senses.
Some of the earliest CBS examples of thisapproach to audience participation are I LoveLucy (1951) and All in the Family (1970).Throughout the latter’s eight-year run, series
creator Norman Lear took pride in the factthat all the laughter in All in the Family wasgenuine and never canned.
In fact, All in the Family, one of television’smost controversial shows at the time, boaststhe longest sustained audience laughter insitcom history; the kiss between Archie Bunkerand guest star Sammy Davis, Jr.. The laughterapparently went on for so long that it had to besignificantly edited for network broadcast, asstar Carroll O’Connor still had one final lineto dispense following the infamous kiss.
Now, if you’ve ever witnessed a sitcom as alive audience member firsthand, you’ll knowthat a spontaneous moment like that isnothing out of the ordinary.
I was fortunate enough to view the pilottaping for the multi-camera Back to You (whichco-stars vets Patricia Heaton and FredWillard), and found the atmosphere duringthe production to be intimate andeducational, both as an audience member andas a former college television director.Watching similar characteristics of a seasoneddirector like James Burrows (the way he pacedback and forth in deep concentration duringtakes, the way he huddled up with the cast andcrew to perform alternate jokes for a differentaudience reaction) proved to be a visceralexperience in and of itself.
In the end, the sheer excitement ofknowing that my own natural laughter iscemented in the series (without the assistanceof “Applause” signs, I might add) only furthersupports a theory of mine that traditionalsitcoms are really the closest thing that oursociety has to modern theater for the masses. Atelevised play is still a play.
One more quick, related experience andI’ll let y’all go.
In 2007, as a Page stationed at the onlyhotel in Beverly Hills (you know the one) toassist a CBS press conference unveiling thenew fall season lineup, I was able to personallythank Chuck Lorre, show runner for theaforementioned The Big Bang Theory, for twothings; keeping the traditional sitcom alive,and for writing the theme song to a favoriteold cartoon show.
Believe me, if you knew which cartoonshow it was he wrote the theme song to, you’dthank him, too — it’s better than any of mylove letters, that’s for sure.
Sitcoms: The Big Situation Comedy Theory
examining Samantha’s inward strugglebetween nature vs. nurture, and how thiscan, in fact, translate to many viewers in bothan entertaining and pervasive way.”
Can, and does, according to the show’ssuccessful first season, which has quicklypositioned Samantha Who? as one of thealphabet’s flagship programs. In addition tobeing his most successful television venture,Todd cites Samantha Who? as his mostdifficult, due in no small part to the weightof writing for a character that lacks acohesive home base.
“In the first season, she was basically anewborn,” Todd continues, “but now, she’slike a directionless kid right out of college,actively taking on more independentchanges and decisions.”
And while he’s mostly keeping mumabout these future decisions, Todd hints thatmany of them will delve into that of both hercareer and of her living arrangements.
Todd also credits a substantial portionof the show’s success to its idealistic maincharacter, played with vim and vigor bytelevision and film veteran ChristinaApplegate. He believes the thesp’s greateststrength is her ability to play comedy, yetretain the natural dramatic aspects ofSamantha, which helps in bringing thefictional identity to life.
Hence, while both identity and memoryremain copasetic bedfellows in SamanthaWho?, Todd sees the nominal Samanthacontinuing to define herself against her ownstable environment, and, with the addedsupport of her idiosyncratic friends andfamily, she just may one day find her homebase (which, according to Mr. Webster, means“home” - now there’s a definite definition).
James Sater: The Man Who Would Be King
Written by Matthew Muhl
One possesses the ability to do allthings. Some do most things, most only dosome. James Dennis Sater, who lost hisvaliant battle against liver cancer this pastFebruary at the age of 61, fits into theformer category.
Jim began his life in December of 1946as the youngest of four boys. He attendedSt. Charles grammar school as a young lad,and Notre Dame high school as a youngman. Upon his graduation in 1964, Jimwent on to San Fernando Valley StateCollege (currently known as, CaliforniaState University of Northridge) until beingdrafted in 1967. He often humorouslyreferred to his year-long stint in Vietnam ashis "graduation trip.”
Many things can happen within fouryears. One could merely spend that allottedtime as president of the United States ofAmerica, or, one could reunite with, courtwith, and join in holy matrimony with an
old school friend. After his discharge in1968, Jim wisely chose the latter in 1972.Her name is Vicki, his wife of 36 years.
In May of 1969, at the age of 22, Jimbegan his invaluable career with CBS. Heled the renaissance life of a dutifulemployee, striking stages and delivering tooffices, eventually heading the Camera,Sound, Editorial and Security departments.
Fifteen years later, Jim becamethe Director of Production Services, atitle he would hold for nearly twenty-fiveyears. This loyal tenure is no surprise toanyone, as Jim always considered the Studioas his second home and the folks he workedwith as his extended family.
Back to one doing most things;camping, fishing and playing golf with goodfriends were some of Jim’s joys in life. Healso enjoyed the art of gardening and wasproud of demonstrating this art in hisbackyard. Jim has said that if he had a dollarfor every piece of foliage that he planted, hewould be rich man.
He was, in fact, a rich man, and hisgreatest riches took the form of his twobeautiful children, daughter Janet Lee andson James Dennis, II; these richesgenerated new generations, taking theform of his equally-beautiful grandchildren,granddaughter Madeline and grandsonAndrew. For a man who appreciated the artof gardening, these riches represented theapples of his eye.
These apples, in the form of his family,have set up the James Dennis SaterMemorial Fund at St. Jude’s Hospital, theplace in which Jim often found refuge andspiritual guidance towards the end of hislife here. One of his wishes was to find acure for cancer, and his family continues tohonor Jim's very wish.
And lo, as one possesses the ability todo all things, it’s clear that Jim (or“Jimbo”, as many of his friends warmlydubbed him) was one who seizedopportunities all around him, making hima king of most things.
The Sater Structure is named after Jim and his brother, Jack.
©(A
BC
/BO
B D
'AM
ICO
)
Christina Applegate
Sept 2008:April 06 2 9/3/08 9:58 AM Page 6
What current realitysports program wasoriginally filmed atCBS Studio Centerfrom 1991 to 1996?
September 2008September 2008
2 7
Attention all CBS & Production Drivers: Please obeyall RED LIGHTS near the stages by stopping andshutting off your engine until the red light turns off.
Safety is everyone’s responsibility!
Please observe the speed limit (8mph), stop signsand pedestrian crossings. The Studio has thecontractual right to refuse entrance to any repeatviolator of our Safety Rules. Studio Security strictlyenforces this policy.
The Security Department would like to remindeveryone that the Safety Hotline is anonymous andconfidential. If you observe an unsafe situation,please report it by calling extension 6078. There isalso a safety suggestion box located at Carla’s Café.
Have a safe and wonderful experience at CBSStudio Center!
Carla’s Café Commissary . . . . . . . .5692Car Wash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5042Client Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5099Emergency Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5555Grip Dept . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5711Hair Salon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6000Internet Access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5218Joe’s Gym . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5099Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5349Notary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5837Parking Signs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5670Paint Dept. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5396 / 5858Recycling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Stage and DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . .5661Office Recycling . . . . . . . . . . . .5966Universal Waste Recycling . . . .5396
Safety Hotline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6078Sign Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5395Special Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5671Supply Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5001Take 5 Coffee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5979
ProductionSchedule�
CSI:NY(CBS Productions/CBS)
ET/ The Insider(CBS Television Distribution/CBS)
The Cleaner(CBS Productions/A&E)
Gary Unmarried(ABC Studios/CBS)
The Sarah Silverman Program(Central Productions/Comedy Central)
Surviving Suburbia(Surviving Suburbia LLC/CW)
Roommates(Prodco Inc./ABC Family
Samantha Who?(ABC Studios/ABC)
Big Brother 10(Our House Productions/CBS)
Little Britain USA(Turville Productions/HBO)
The Game(CBS Paramount Network TV/CW)
The Bill Engvall Show(Very Funny Productions/TBS)
Rita Rocks(Rita Rocks Productions LLC/ Lifetime)
Moment of Truth 3(Light Sleeper Entertainment/ FOX)
America’s Got Talent 3(Marathon Productions/NBC)
According to Jim(ABC Studios/ABC)Hole in the Wall
(Blue Orbit Productions/FOX)Million Dollar Password 2
(Triple Threat Productions/CBS)Greek
(Zeta Beta Productions/ABC Family)
39th Annual NAACP ImageAward NominationsOutstanding Actress in a Comedy Series
Tia Mowry – The Game
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Wendy Raquel Robinson – The Game
Outstanding Actor in a Drama SeriesHill Harper – CSI: NY
Outstanding Writing in a Comedy SeriesSara Finney-Johnson
The Game: The Big Chill
39th Annual NAACP ImageAward Winner
Actor in a Drama SeriesHill Harper – CSI: NY
60th Emmy AwardNominations
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy SeriesChristina Applegate – Samantha Who?
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Jean Smart - Samantha Who?
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
Sarah Silverman – Monk
Outstanding Cinematography for a Half-Hour Series
George Mooradian - According to Jim “The Chaperone”
Outstanding Stunt CoordinationNorman Howell - CSI:NY“Playing with Matches”
Outstanding Special Class – Short-Format Live-ActionEntertainment
Sarah Silverman Program Nugget
Outstanding Original Music And LyricsSarah Silverman, Writer/Composer
Jimmy Kimmel LiveSong: “I’m F***ing Matt Damon”
9/1 Labor Day9/6 Peacock Foundation Fundraiser at CBS
Studio Center9/6 West Valley Police Department
Memorial Ride at CBS Studio Center9/14 Ovarian Cancer Coalition Annual
3K/5K Race at CBS Studio Center9/20 Huntington’s Disease Annual 5K Race
at CBS Studio Center9/21 60th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards9/22 Autumn Begins9/23 23rd Annual Imagen Awards9/30 Rosh Hashanah, 1st day
CALENDAR
CBS NEWSLETTER CONTRIBUTING EDITORMarsha Gorodkin
STAFF WRITER - Matthew MuhlDESIGN - Elizabeth GulickLAYOUT - Ashley Soukup
QUESTION
ANSWER on page 8
Open Call, a religious fellowshiporganization for professionals in theentertainment industry, has selected Project:Hollywood Cares as its Charity of the Year for2008. Past recipients of this honor have includedthe Make-A-Wish Foundation, Family Theater,and the San Damiano Foundation. Each yearOpen Call, which welcomes people of all faithsto its numerous events, donates a percentageof funds collected at the door to a deservingcharity.
Open Call brings together creative andbusiness professionals who seek to develop arelationship between spirituality and theirvocation in the world of entertainment. A largenumber of Open Call members presently serveas volunteers at Project: Hollywood Cares.
William Thompson, M.E.S.Medical Exercise Specialist
On Film & TV Studio Lots, Private Gym, CBS Employee Discounts
FREE Consultation! (323) 493-9455
Since 1990, PRO TRAINER Will Thompson a Medical Exercise Specialist - Master Trainer - Sports Nutrition Consultant and Certified Fitness Expert has been Dedicated to Giving You the Best because You Deserve the Best! Will provides safe and Successful Personal Training for Athletes, Actors, Models, Entertainers, Executives and Anybody who wants a Better Body!
TRAINING SERVICES INCLUDE: Weight & Fat Loss, Body Sculpting & Building, Strength & Conditioning, Core Training, Orthopedic & Cardiovascular Post-Rehab, Speed Power & Agility Training, Flexibility Training, Boxing FUNdamentals and more…
SeptemberHISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH
Sept. 15–Oct. 15)
Sept 2008:April 06 2 9/3/08 9:58 AM Page 2
September 2008
September 2008
8
ANSWER
American Gladiators
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The Quest for Identity
shooting its sophomore season, set topremiere October 6 at 9:30 PM. Afterwaking up from an amnesia-inducing caraccident, Samantha begins discoveringabout her morally dubious past, and takesthe unprecedented opportunity to right old
wrongs, all the while refurbishing her ownlivelihood.
The rarity of such personal, almostexistential, themes like identity andmemory being explored for both itsdramatic and comedic attributes onnetwork television could only properly beexplained by the show’s creator, DonaldTodd, television writer for over 20 years.
Taking a cue from such inspirations asthe unconventional workings of DavidMilch and Hugh Wilson, the principal thesisof Samantha Who?, Todd contends, “is
Cast: (from left to right) Melissa McCarthy, Kevin Dunn, Jean Smart, ChristinaApplegate, Barry Watson, Jennifer Esposito, and Tim Russ
cont’d. on page 6
Written by Matthew Muhl
Identity, according to Mr. Webster, is“the sense of self, providing sameness andcontinuity in personality over time and...”
Sorry, I just couldn’t finish thatpompous opener; itwas beginning tomake even menauseous.
The truthis identity can’tbe defined sodefinitively, as it’s
really all just in our own heads. The way webehave, the way we act, the way we think; it’sall based on what we personally believe tobe right or wrong.
Consider the title character in the newABC series, Samantha Who?, which is now
Creator/Executive Producer Donald Todd
©(A
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Sept 2008:April 06 2 9/3/08 9:58 AM Page 8
