Posts Tagged ‘HIH Houseguest’
RIP Party Down, My First Appointment Download
Written by Caleb Bacon on July 28, 2010 – 12:00 am -Written by HIH Houseguest, Caleb Bacon.
WordSpy.com defines “appointment television” as “television programming for which one sets aside time to watch, either live or on videotape.”
I blame HBO.
One day, our nation’s elites (they say: “cinemaphiles”) had their own Must See TV. NBC’s Thursday Night lineup became simply pedestrian compared to Sunday Nights on HBO where shows like The Sopranos and Six Feet Under looked, sounded, and watched like film.
Weekly appointments were made by the affluent and hundred-aires alike to gather around the ole’ idiot box. I was one of them. Then came the blow-up of TiVo, DVR, Hulu, and even (gasp!) Torrents. Appointment television became less of… well, an appointment.
Then came the second season of Party Down.
Party Down was a show whose first season had been chicken soup in DVD-form on an overcast Los Angeles day where I was under the weather. Sunset Boulevard billboards suggested the second season’s premier was shortly after. I knew I wasn’t waiting a year for DVD set and I certainly wasn’t in the 0.003% of Americans with Starz (even if I do have it, it’s probably impossibly buried somewhere between 584 and 1,483b.)
I downloaded that second season premier on the very night of its release, thanks to a Starz partnership with Netflix, whose instant watch option did the trick and quick.
(While Netflix Watch technically streams content, “appointment stream” sounds a little too pervy, even for me.)
My appointment book featured a thirty-minute block on Friday nights spent with a group of showbiz up-and-comers and near-misses who paid rent via civilian employment as event caterers. Ten Fridays were spent appointment downloading.
I loved those five total hours with Henry Pollard (Adam Scott, Step Brothers’ wonderfully douchetastic Derek) Ron Donald (The State’s Ken Marino,) Kyle (Ryan Hansen,) Roman (Freak and Geek Martin Starr,) Henry’s love interest Casey (Lizzy Caplan, recently topless on True Blood,) and newcomer Lydia (Megan Mullally.)
As a writer in Hollywood, I typically loathe the dramaticization of youngsters trying to make it in Tinseltown. (I also hate people who say “Tinseltown.”) It’s a lazy premise that bores me and exposes a lack of creative imagination. Party Down was nothing like that — it was smart, had heart, great writing, great characters, and a strong assault of weekly guests.
Unfortunately, Starz recently announced that weren’t picking up (read: canceling.)
the low-rated yet critically acclaimed Party Down for a third season.
Looks like I have to cancel an appointment.
Caleb Bacon is a staff writer for LAist, and eventual screenwriter who co-hosts the weekly men’s interest comedy podcast, The Gentlemen’s Club. He lives in Los Angeles and writes his bios in the third person (but not Tweets.)
Holt Boggs and Love Like a Hun
Written by Lizzy Cline on July 21, 2010 – 7:44 am -Written by HIH Houseguest Lizzy Cline
- Actor Holt Boggs
Millions of hopeful actors venture out to Hollywood every year, some have the gift and some just strive to grasp onto luck. Holt Boggs is one of the few who can shine his candle in the dark of any set or stage and be sure that the light will illuminate the space within. Classically trained graduate from a two year conservatory studying everything from mime to Shakespeare to dance, Holt’s true comedic calling expanded towards more dramatic roles. Holt has a grittiness that would hold up next to Mark Walberg or Sam Worthington. 
Staying busy working, almost back to back on two crime dramas, Sinners and Saints (Johnny Strong, Kim Coates, Sean Patrick Flanery) and Hit List (Cuba Gooding Jr, Cole Hauser), while penning a third screenplay titled The Wicked Garden.
I caught up with Holt at the young stage play, “Love like a Hun” in Hollywood. The ‘test run’ was a great concept and reminiscent of theatre in Los Angeles before “politically correct” became the norm. (See review below) The Hun is looking for independent support and investors, interested parties can contact Holt on facebook. Get to know one of Hollywood’s emerging stars Mr. Holt Boggs. You can see Holt right now in The Prodigy currently playing on Starz and Encore.
Click here for more info:
Review of “Love Like a Hun”:
What happens when you believe in modern progress? The thought presents itself besides the question, what happens when you get what you thought you wanted? This is the situation that Joe finds himself in during the stage play of “Love like A Hun.” The script addresses the preconceived notions of marriage and social standing prejudices in today’s society. Joe, portrayed by Holt Boggs, thinks he is control over every part of his life at work and at home. When he loses control over his own desire for “progress”, a circle of life’s clichés follow. Holt pulls along the dialog like the tourbillion in a clock with his passion and honesty to the character and story. A hint of humor, Holt doesn’t skip a beat as he is asked, “Where is your wife from again?” “Hell, she’s from Hell.” The counter to Joe is Atilla, Frank Gangarossa, who brings about a bit of dark drive to the stage with his direct approach to the character itself. Mixed in with the comedic timing of Holgar Moncada as Daniel, there were plenty of laughs and enjoyable action scenes that brought about an afternoon well spent. True to the stereotypes and surface views in today’s world, the writer and director of this piece has successfully approached topics that still seems to be taboo in most circles.
Holt Boggs official site: www.HoltBoggs.com
Click here for Holt Boggs Facebook Page.
Click here for Holt Boggs at IMDb.com.
To learn more about writer and HIH Houseguest, Lizzy Cline visit her Facebook page, Click here
Posted in HIH Houseguests