Behind the Scenes of Johnny B. Homeless

My first introduction to Al Thompson was at the 2009 ITVFest red carpet gala.  His official entry, Johnny B. Homeless, was a part of the festival and he kindly rapped his theme song on the red carpet for us.  "He's Johnny Homeless!"  In the year since, he signed a deal with Atom.com, won the People's Choice Award at NY Television Festival 2009 (NYTVF), created two new series, and he was again selected for the 2010 NYTVF all while jumping back and forth between the coasts for work.  I don't know anyone in this industry who has a bad word to say about Al.  He's funny, charming, handsome, and one of the most hard-working actor/creators in the industry.  We tried for months to get our schedules together and sit down with Al, but he was hard to catch.  The stars finally aligned and I was glad we were able to tell his story.  Mark my words, he will be a major player in the entertainment industry within the next five years.

One thing about Al that I really appreciate is that his work shows the depth of his range.  Watch the comedy behind Johnny B. Homeless and then turn around and see the sexiness of Lenox Avenue.  That's where his talent really shines.  Another favorite moment of the interview involved Al's love for TV theme songs.  He created a really catchy theme for Johnny B. Homeless that has you walking away singing.  I miss the days of singing to the Facts of Life or The Jeffersons theme song.  In fact, the TV theme song has virtually been eliminated from 95% of the shows out there to give more time for sponsors.  Do you really stick around for the ads?  I didn't think so.

Al talked about the importance of festivals, particularly ITVFest, in his career. Even with his success, he continues to strive for more and he's still hitting that festival circuit.  You will see his next entry in September's NYTVF with Baby Daddy Memoirs and I know he's looking forward to retaining his title.  Watch out, NY, here comes Al Thompson!

Finally, I have met Al's lovely fianceé, so he won't be marrying Sandra Bullock anytime soon.  However, how hilarious was their Photoshopped couple shot?  Hey, a guy deserves a dream! As always, stick around to the very end to see a fun little outtake from the shoot. Here's the episode of The Web Files with Al Thompson:

The Web Files: Al Thompson

I am so happy we have a new episode of The Web Files this week since ITVFest is still going strong.  Al Thompson first came to my attention at last year's ITVFest red carpet gala with his entry Johnny B. Homeless.  Since then, he has created a new series Lenox Avenue and signed a deal with Atom.com.  Join me in my interview with the talented Al Thompson and look for the behind the scenes scoop early next week:

Weekly Wrap-Up

Oh, what a week it has been....ping pong, reality stars, and All That Jazz.  Here's a quick round-up of what happened this week:

Me and my pal, Maria, at the opening night of SPiN Hollywood.  We dressed up that night, but I only got a picture of our shoulder straps.  Oh well.  


1.  A visit to the opening of SPiN Hollywood courtesy of Lexus Dark Ride.  Thanks for the invite, guys!  We saw Susan and Vienna and Michael, oh my! (An Oscar winner and a couple of train wrecks all in one sentence.)

2.  It's week 6 of MoreWireLess and we take you right into High Speed Bluetooth.  Hope you're learning something, kids.  Sponsored by Broadcom:


3. Stupid for Movies:  I was lucky enough to visit the set of Stupid for Movies back in April where I interviewed Mike Rotman, Mark Keizer, and Wade Major for The Web Files.  They kindly invited me back and let me pick a movie to discuss.  So, here's the show, All That Jazz, and the story of my highly inappropriate dance routine in junior high:


4.  While I was on Stupid for Movies, I talked about a website I am obsessed with:  Cupcakes and Cashmere.  The content is definitely for the fashionista who is ultra-girly, but I am a huge fan of the site and its creator, Emily Schuman.

5.  Official Blog Roll Call:  I think I am going to start an official blog roll, so if you are interested in linking together, let me know in the comment section.

Next week, we will have a new episode of The Web Files featuring the talented and handsome, Al Thompson, of Johnny B. Homeless and Lenox Avenue.  I will be covering the Plug-In Conference up in San Jose through Wednesday and then running back down to LA to check out the red carpet of ITVFest.

Enjoy your weekend!  My weekend will be filled with a trunk sale at my favorite store, Roni B., my first show of the season at the Hollywood Bowl (Planet Earth!), and a little yoga to relax the mind, body, and spirit.  Let me know in the comment section what you are doing with your weekend.  See you next week at Red Carpet Closet!