Tag: Will Harris (Page 27 of 29)

The Passion of Car Lovers: Atomic Tom rocks the dealership as Dodge rolls into the future

July 12, 2010 / Will Harris

When I first received the schedule of events to give me an idea of what I’d be doing while down in Daytona Beach for the Coke Zero 400, I noticed that the very first item on the agenda was a concert by Atomic Tom. As a music buff, my first reaction was always going to be excitement, but my second reaction was concern over why the name “Atomic Tom” didn’t mean anything to me. I thought, “Geez, I know I’m a full-time TV critic these days, but am I really that far out of touch with the current music scene?” I absolutely am, of course, but in this case, I felt slightly less out of the loop to learn that Atomic Tom are currently still sitting on the precipice of major success, as their debut album for Universal / Republic won’t be out ’til later this year. When that happens, however, I’d say the odds are pretty decent that they could find themselves as big as The Killers or The Bravery…and if that should come to pass, no one would be more thrilled about it than Dodge, who have teamed up with Atomic Tom as part of a new promotion aligning people’s passion for cars with their passion for music.

When I arrived at the Dodge dealership in Daytona for Atomic Tom’s performance, it was suggested that I might want to sit down with the guys in the band for a chat, and since even with my current TV vs. music handicap, I still know wayyyyyyy more about music than I do about cars, I didn’t hesitate for a moment to break out my recorder. The only problem…? I was just off my flight and hadn’t had much of a chance to do my usual pre-interview research. As such, I tried to break the ice by casually acknowledging my lack of knowledge on the group’s back story.

Bullz-Eye: So, first, if you don’t mind, you could really save me a bit of time if you’d just go ahead and run through the complete history of the band… (Laughs)

Tobias Smith: Well, wait, who are you? (Laughs)

BE: Oh, I’m just this guy, you know?

TS: (Laughs) You’re a live blogger, is that right?

BE: Oh, God, no. I’m not that fast. (Laughs) I’m a writer and editor for a web magazine called Bullz-Eye.com.

TS: Where are you based?

BE: Norfolk, VA. Virginia Beach, that whole area.

Luke White: I’m from Virginia. A little north of you, though. Manassas.

Eric Espiritus: I’m from Fairfax, actually.

BE: Nice. Well, I was born at Norfolk General, and I never really left.

TS: Well, you’re here now! (Laughs) So what’s the site like? Do you talk a lot about music?

BE: It’s pop culture, across the board. It’s a guy’s site, really. It started mostly as an excuse to put up bikini girls and sports scores, but it’s evolved quite a bit. Don’t worry, though: there’s still a lot of bikini girls. No nudity, though.

TS: Well, that’s good, because we’re a family… (Hesitates) We’re not really a family band, are we? But we don’t have any swearing in our music, though.

Philip Galitzine: No, we haven’t gotten there yet.

LW: Maybe on the second or third record we’ll get around the putting the parental advisory sticker on there.

BE: Maybe during your rebellious period.

TS: Exactly! We’ll also put out a Christian album to come back from that.

LW: Then the folk/acoustic record.

TS: Sure, but not until long after the greatest-hits album…which, by the way, will be our second album. (Laughs)

LW: You do know he’s recording all of this, right?

TS: (Spots the recorder on the table) Oh, God, you’re already recording? Well, then, look, let me just say this right now: we are a very serious band, and we do not joke around.

(Predictably, the entire band bursts into laughter at this comment.)

Cars, Entertainment, Music, News

Atomic Tom Daytona Coke Zero 400 Dodge Dodge Challenger Dodge Daytona Eric Espiritus Fred DePerez Luke White Philip Galitzine Tobias Smith Universal / Republic Will Harris

Snoop + LANDY Cognac = $WAGGER

July 7, 2010 / Will Harris

Everybody loves Snoop Dogg…or if they don’t love him, they at least know who he is. (Seriously, how many other rappers have such instant name recognition?) As such, it should be no surprise that the folks at LANDY Cognac should want to get into bed with Snoop, so that he might assist them in promoting that which has been called “The New Generation of Cognac.”

“The partnership between LANDY and Snoop Dogg creates the perfect platform to launch LANDY’S affordable luxury product,” says Stephen Lewin, Senior Vice President, General Manager of the Spirits Division at W.J. Deutsch Spirits, LLC. “Snoop Dogg epitomizes confidence, innovation and is known to be the life of the party, making him the ideal choice to partner with LANDY Cognac – a brand that mirrors these characteristics. Snoop leads the hip, fashionable and smooth lifestyle that LANDY Cognac represents, and is sure to resonate with the strong urban following that LANDY is rapidly growing.”

Can I get an “aw, yeeeeeeeahhhhhhh“?

Mr. Dogg – who, we are led to understand, was already known to indulge in the beverage prior to striking this deal – will appear at select LANDY events and promotions, and will feature LANDY Cognac at numerous after-parties. We can only hope that he is able to find time in this busy schedule to chat with Bullz-Eye (rest assured that we have made our request), but in the meantime, you’ll want to see the photo that LANDY has released to promote the news of their new collaborator. Normally, we’d put this right out in the open, but we think you’ll agree it’s worth making the jump.

Entertainment, Food & Drink, News, Vices

Headlines LANDY Cognac Snoop Dogg Snoop Doggy Dogg Will Harris

A Chat with Jimmy and Eddie Russell, Wild Turkey’s father/son distilling team

June 17, 2010 / Will Harris

Do you like bourbon? Sure, we all do!

Okay, maybe we don’t all like it. But if you are a bourbon aficionado, then you’re no doubt familiar with the work of the father and son team of Jimmy and Eddie Russell, even if you may not know it. Jimmy’s a master distiller at the Wild Turkey Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, and Eddie’s an associate distiller; together, the two of them created a tasty treat known as Russell’s Reserve, which was awarded a Gold Medal at the 2007 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Russell’s Reserve is described on the Wild Turkey website as having “a nose that is rich in vanilla, oak, toffee, and a touch of old leather,” a huge body, and a palate that is “very spicy, with notes of chili peppers, tamarind, almonds, and cumin.” How would I describe it? Hey, I’m no connoisseur, but I can at least confirm that it goes down smoooooooth.

With Father’s Day on the horizon, I decided it would be the perfect time to take the Russells up on their kind offer to chat about their work with Wild Turkey, the wonder that is Russell’s Reserve, and – to be holiday-specific – what it’s like for a dad to work with his kid every single day.

Jimmy Russell: Hello, Will! How are you?

Bullz-Eye: I’m good! How are you?

JR: Doin’ fine, thanks!

BE: Is Eddie there as well?

Eddie Russell: Yeah, Eddie’s here, too! (Laughs) How are you doing?

BE: Pretty good. Good to talk to you both…and I’ll tell you up front that I’m very much enjoying the bottle that was sent my way. (Laughs)

JR: Thank you! That’s what it for: to enjoy! (Laughs)

BE: Well, I know this is a multi-generational affair, but how did the Russell family first find its way into the bourbon business?

JR: I was born and raised in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, which was a small community when I was growing up, but there were four bourbon distilleries here, and you had families working all the distilleries. You wanted to get in the business. My grandfather and my father, me, and now my son, we’ve all been in the business.

ER: For me, it was a summer job 29 years ago, out of college. So it’s been a long summer for me. (Laughs)

BE: Growing up, did you both immediately have a taste for bourbon, or was it something you had to acquire?

ER: Well, for me, it was something that I basically always drank. I never was much of a beer drinker or anything like that. It was mostly bourbon.

JR: I’ve always been a bourbon drinker. I don’t care for beer or wine. It’s always been bourbon.

BE: I guess what I’m asking, really, if it was love at first sip or if you had any hesitancy.

JR: We can’t tell that! (Laughs)

ER: I don’t know if it was love at first taste, but it was definitely something I preferred over other alcoholic beverages.

BE: So what goes into the process of making Russell’s Reserve? Clearly, it’s a long one.

JR: Well, it’s one of those where, you know, we have to comply with federal government regulations about bourbon, which you probably already know: it has to be distilled, it has to be made with 51% corn, it has to be distilled under 160 proof, and it must be put in a new charred oak barrel at 125 proof or less. Here at the Wild Turkey distillery, we distill at low proofs and put it in the barrel and low proofs, because the higher you distill anything, the less flavor you have in it. With the Russell’s Reserve, it’s something that’s 10 years old, and…I’ll Eddie continue this. (Laughs)

ER: Russell’s is…we only have one recipe for our bourbon, so when it comes off the still, it could be the 101, Kentucky Spirit, Rare Breed. The difference between the Rare Breed and the Russell’s is that they’re hand-selected barrels, small batch. Where I’m normally dumping 50,000 gallons into a tank for the 101, we’re taking out 100 to 150 hand-selected barrels for the Russell’s Reserve. The 10 Year is just, for me, the top of the line as far as the number of years for it to age. You get all the good flavors, all the good taste, but it’s just such a mellow finish.

BE: Jimmy, I saw on the Wild Turkey website that they describe you as a goodwill ambassador for Kentucky’s most famous export.

JR: Yes, Eddie and I both do…well, we don’t do a whole lot of traveling, because we’ve got a job here at the plant every day, too, but we do travel all over the United States and all over the world promoting bourbon, but especially Wild Turkey Bourbon. You know, we’re known as the premium bourbon of the world. We’re huge in Australia and Japan.

BE: I take it that you’ve been able to travel to both of those countries, then?

JR: Yes, I have.

BE: What’s it like taking an American product over there? I have to figure that there’s a certain amount of national pride for their own beverages. Are they open to other countries’ wares?

JR: Well, in Japan, Wild Turkey is considered a prestige bourbon. It’s a bourbon that everybody wants, and a lot of the top executives own their own bottles in bars, with their name on a nametag hanging on the bottle. When you’re over visiting Japan, come and go have a drink out of my bottle! (Laughs) They consider it their own personal bottle, whether it’s 101 or Rare Breed or Russell’s Reserve. In Australia…well, they just love their bourbon, so they drink a lot of Wild Turkey! (Laughs)

Food & Drink, Interviews, Vices

Bourbon Trail Eddie Russell George Foster Headlines Jimmy Russell Kentucky Bourbon Kentucky Distillers Association master distiller Russell's Reserve San Francisco World Spirits Competition Tug McGraw Wild Turkey Wild Turkey 101 Wild Turkey distillery Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit Wild Turkey Rare Breed Will Harris

A Chat with Isabella Rossellini

June 16, 2010 / Will Harris

Let us not mince words: Isabella Rossellini is one of the most beautiful actresses in the business. This should come as no surprise to anyone who knows of her gene pool (she’s Ingrid Bergman’s daughter), but given that she seems to pop up all too infrequently in films and on television, perhaps a few more directors and directors need to be reminded. Fortunately for you and I, Rossellini can be found amongst the cast of the “The Phantom,” SyFy’s attempt to reinvigorate the franchise of the character often referred to as “The Ghost Who Walks,” which premieres on June 20th. This appearance was particularly fortunate for me, as it presented me with the opportunity to chat with Rossellini about her work not only in this production but also in “Blue Velvet,” “Friends,” “Alias,” “30 Rock,” and her infamous Sundance Channel short-film series, “Green Porno.”

Prepare for your heart to go pitter-pat as you read…

Isabella Rossellini: Hi!

Bullz-Eye: Hello! How are you?

IR: I’m fine, thanks. And you?

BE: I’m wonderful. It’s a pleasure to speak with you.

IR: It’s nice to talk to you. Thank you for interviewing me!

BE: (Laughs) Not a problem! Well, “The Phantom” is certainly not your first foray into the world of science fiction, but are you actually a fan of the genre?

IR: I’m not really a fan of the genre. You know, I do see some films, but I must say I don’t go see them religiously. I love working with the producer, Robert Halmi, with whom I’ve done several films, so when Halmi called me to play this small role in “The Phantom,” I had no hesitation. I’ve been with him for five or six productions in the last 25 years, among which are “Merlin,” “The Odyssey,” and “Don Quixote,” and they’ve always been wonderful. They’ve always been… (Hesitates) It’s been great to work with the group, he has a fantastic eye, and every time he hires a director, it’s always somebody young who…well, he just has an eye. He hires them, and they turn out to be fantastic and, a few years later, they’re top directors. That’s how it has been with Paulo (Barzman), the director of “The Phantom.” So the reason why I said “yes” to this small part was because of this history that I had with Bob Halmi, and…I was surprised, actually. I had a doubt. For me, the Phantom was so much that image that I had from the 1930s, and he kept on saying, “No, no, it has nothing to do with that. It’s not trying to be retro.” And that image of the original comic strip was so strong that I was amazed, actually, when I arrived and had seen how they had transformed it to be a contemporary, modern film.

BE: So what are the challenges of playing a part like this? Because I’d think it would be a challenge to play a live-action comic book character without taking it over the top.

IR: Well, actually, you know, to tell you the truth, there were no challenges. At the beginning, you search a little bit for the look, especially when you play a small part. Every beat counts, you know. Sometimes when you have the lead, if you think it, you maybe play a part too seriously. You think, “Maybe I should smile,” and you have other possibilities later in the film to add a smile or to add some softness to your character, for shading. But when you play a small role, in a way, you have to hit every note correctly, so I think that the way she looked also was very important. When I was told that they wanted me to be a blonde…because they told me on the phone: I live in New York, but the film was shot in Montreal…I said, “Oh, blonde, it wouldn’t work with me. I’ve tried it several times, but I can’t go with it. My hair is brown. I can become easily black-haired. I can even become red-haired. But blonde has never worked with me.” But when I arrived, inevitably, there were all these blonde wigs, so I said, “Okay, I’ll show you what I mean.” And, instead, it worked perfectly, because the character should be totally artificial. I had these metallic clothes that always tended to be on the silver side, so, actually, the look of this evil person was helped a lot…it helped me to imagine the character. But the challenge is not the words. It’s so much fun that I’m always amazed that I even get paid for it. (Laughs)

Entertainment, Interviews, Movies, Television

30 Rock A Matter of Time Alec Baldwin Alias Andrei Konchalovsky Blue Velvet Brand Upon the Brain Cas Anvar David Letterman David Lynch David O. Selznick Dennis Hopper Don Quixote Friends Green Porno Guy Maddin Headlines Ingrid Bergman Isabella Rossellini J.J. Abrams Kay Brown Keyhole Lena Olin Merlin My Dad Is 100 Years Old Patrick Stewart Paulo Barzman Robert Halmi Robert Redford Sundance Channel The Green The Odyssey The Phantom The Saddest Music in the World Tina Fey White Nights Will Harris

A Video Chat with Adam Carolla

June 9, 2010 / Will Harris

Some would say that the idea of combining Adam Carolla with Klondike Bars would be like…well, hell, even I’m not sure what it would be like, but on the surface, the end result certainly wouldn’t seem to be on the level of, say, combining peanut butter and chocolate.

Having seen some of Carolla’s new ad campaign for Klondike, however, I have to admit that I laughed quite a bit at his so-called “Klondike Everyman Challenges,” which include “Pack the Car” (going on now), “Grab the Remote” (starting June 30th), and “Ball Toss” (arriving July 31st). That’s one reason why, when Bullz-Eye was pitched the opportunity by Klondike to do a video interview with Carolla, I jumped at the chance.

Sure, yeah, we had to ask at least a little bit about the Everyman Challenges, but, hey, funny’s funny, so it’s not like I felt all that dirty doing it…

By the way, I should mentioned that we were pitched a 5-minute interview, but I had a lot of things that I wanted to ask him about…his podcast, NBC passing on the pilot, the missed opportunity to host the American version of “Top Gear,” the attempts to make his buddy Ozzie Castillo – who co-starred with Carolla in “The Hammer” as well as in the aforementioned pilot – into the next Luis Guzman…so I kept asking, he kept answer, and the next thing I knew, we’d been talking for 10 minutes. Lucky you: they kept the camera rolling the entire time.

Lastly, when you get to the end of the interview, you’ll hear me ask Carolla about having provided the voice of the title character in an animated short entitled “Save Virgil.” I hadn’t been familiar with it until I checked IMDb for a few random things to mention during our Q&A, but now that I’ve seen it…well, to borrow a phrase from “Futurama,” I can’t unsee it. If you’d like to be in the same position, just click here.

Entertainment, Interviews, Movies, News, Television, Videos

Adam Carolla American Top Gear Everyman Challenge Klondike Klondike Everyman Challenge Ozzie Castillo Red Handed Save Virgil The Adam Carolla Podcast The Hammer Top Gear Will Harris