'When I'm in Ben ...'

Back in March, The Paley Center for Media hosted its annual Paleyfest, a month of panels paying tribute to classic and emerging television shows. I'd wanted to attend one of these panels for years, but there was never any particular panel that was a must-see for me.

Until this year.

One of the panels was a "Freaks & Geeks"/"Undeclared" reunion, bringing together the casts and creators of the two hilarious, touching, painful, honest and wonderful Judd-Apatow-produced television shows. I bought my ticket and eagerly anticipated the evening.

I didn't make it to the panel. Instead, I drove around Beverly Hills for 45 minutes trying to find parking and, when unsuccessful, drove home, nearly on the brink of tears as I looked at the clock and thought of all the fun those who had made it in were having.

Last night was my redemption night. Friday afternoon, "Parks and Recreation" posted to its Facebook page that the show would have a panel at the Television Academy and fans were welcome. All you had to do was call the RSVP line and you were in. After five tries, I was able to leave my message.

I made it to the Television Academy's North Hollywood headquarters with time to spare. The parking was free. Check-in was a cinch—name crossed off the list, no bag check or body scan, and in I went.



Show co-creator Michael Shur kicked off the evening by introducing a special extended producer's cut of the season finale. Traditionally, never-before-seen clips are shown at these panels, but since the season just ended and the writing staff had its first meeting for the fourth season Monday, we got to watch the "L'il Sebastian" episode with bonus scenes (which you can watch online here).

Of course it would have been cool to see new stuff, to get scoop on the upcoming season, but I don't think anyone in the theater was disappointed. I have decided that I would prefer to watch all television shows on a giant screen from a comfy theater seat with a few hundred other people to laugh and clap along with. "Parks and Recreation" is still a little under the radar, I don't know many people who watch it, so it was nice to be in a room with people who dig it at least as much as I do, if not more.

After the episode ended, the cast and show creators were brought up for their panel discussion, which was moderated by an editor for New York Magazine's TV Vulture (I can't remember his name, which is probably for the best because I really wasn't that impressed with his questions or moderating skills. He was trying to be so clever and push the envelope, and most of the time that just comes off snarky and desperate. Last night was one of those times.) I was on the aisle so as the cast was introduced, they each came sprinting past me—Amy Poehler in fragile steps because she was wearing giant sling-back peep-toed platform shoes; Aziz Ansari leaping three or four steps at a time and nearly clobbering Amy Poehler; Adam Scott, all cool and dignified in his dark suit.



At the panel were:
(front row) Nick Offerman, Aziz Ansari, Michael Shur, Amy Poehler and Greg Daniels (co-creator)
(back row) Jim O'Heir, Retta, Adam Scott and Chris Pratt

The cast really seems to like each other, gently ribbing each other and picking up one another's stories. Amy Poehler, who also writes for the show, and Michael Shur answered most of the questions about the history of the show, the direction of the characters and so forth. Everyone did get their chance, though, because this is an ensemble show and every character had a fan in the audience.

During the Q&A session, the panelists talked about the universe of Pawnee (Michael Shur mentioned that a book about Pawnee will be released later this year), that the role of Ron's first ex-wife Tammy 1 hasn't been cast yet and the writers are taking suggestions, that the cast does do quite a bit of improvising (Chris Pratt is apparently one of the best at this, he came up with the line, "Leslie, I typed your systems into this thing up here and it says you have 'Network Connectivity Issues,'" a line so good that Michael Shur said it made him reconsider his career path), that the casts' gift of improvising lead to the show's habit of using jump cuts where characters list a bunch of different things (the ideas are sometimes so good, the producers don't want to choose what to keep or what to edit, such as when Tom lists business ideas or his nicknames for food).

Adam Scott had one of my favorite bits of the night. The moderator asked Chris Pratt how he prepares for each work day (he says he lives less than 10 minutes from the studio so roles out of bed a few minutes before he has to be on set, doesn't shave or brush his hair, and then eats a 40-pound breakfast on set) and then asked which of the cast members does the most preparation. Everyone singled out Adam Scott, who then went into full "Inside the Actors Studio" mode, taking a deep breath, putting his hand to his mouth and then saying, "When I'm in Ben …"



I laughed so hard. I understand that acting is a craft, but I do get irritated at all that talk about "choices" and "generosity" and so forth that James Lipton lives for, so I definitely enjoyed listening to a really good actor completely rip on that, especially when he added, "I look in the mirror and I don't know who I see, but I know it isn't me."

After taking a few questions from the audience, the evening was over. I hung around for a bit to avoid getting caught in the exiting herd and saw the cast was sticking around to sign autographs and take pictures, so I got a water bottle signed by Amy Poehler, Adam Scott, Aziz Ansari, Retta, Chris Pratt, Jim O'Heir and Greg Daniels that will be included in the African Well Fund's Got Water? auction in November.

I used to watch Chris Pratt on "Everwood" and I was so happy to be able to tell him how much I enjoyed the show and that he had one of my favorite lines ever, a line I still remember and use from time to time, "I have to get my crap in a pile." He was so nice and laughed a bit, then said, "Thank you so much for that."

All of the conversations between the actors and the fans were like that. Amy Poehler kept saying, "Everyone's so nice, all of our fans are so nice," as people asked her for pictures, told her how much they enjoyed the show and gave her gifts. I was impressed at how nice the cast was. When I was headed for my car, I saw Jim O'Heir walking back from the parking lot. He waved to me and said, "Have a good night!"

Once I got my bottle signed, I walked back to the lobby, which was now a dessert reception. I was sure this was just for Academy members, so I thought I should clear out, when a waiter offered me a waffle (as Leslie Knope says on the show, the three most-important things in life are waffles, friends, work, or friends, waffles, work). Yeah, the food and drinks were for everyone.

Did I mention this was a free event? I didn't have to pay for parking. I didn't have to pay to attend the panel. I didn't have to pay for reception. Wow!

I'm now following the Television Academy on Facebook because I would absolutely attend one of these panels again.

Some more of my pictures from the night (my camera isn't the greatest, but these came out OK).

Chris Pratt


Michael Shur and Amy Poehler


Nick Offerman and Jim O'Heir


Retta


Aziz Ansari, Michael Shur, Retta and Adam Scott


The Burns and Allen Tribute


The Jim Henson Tribute


The Jack Benny Statue

Making Farming Fabulous

For most of my professional career, I've written about business. The working life I've carved out for myself is a far cry from the one I imagined when I was a journalism student spending late nights in the school paper office certain that all those long, thankless hours would no doubt get me into the offices of Rolling Stone one day.

Business isn't music, but it can still be a great thing to write about. I think the reason why there are so many magazines and books and, now, television shows about starting and running a business is because that process is so interesting. For the small businesses I'm so familiar with, so much is on the line, it's their houses and relationships and futures that small business owners are fighting for every day. The dramatic possibilities are endless.

It's that drama that my favorite reality show is all about. "The Fabulous Beekman Boys" follows a couple from Manhattan who buy a farm in Upstate New York as a weekend home and then get the idea to turn it into a business and lifestyle brand. In the process, their lives and relationship are turned upside down. The show's second season comes to an end tomorrow night and Planet Green is running a Season 2 marathon that afternoon.

If you haven't seen the show yet, tomorrow's a great day to start.

Josh Kilmer-Purcell, an author and advertising agency executive, and Dr. Brent Ridge, a former Martha Stewart advisor, are The Beekman Boys. They've been together for more than 10 years and have sacrificed pretty much everything to make Beekman 1802—the farm, the line of goats' milk cheese and other products, the store and the website—a go.

The story of the couple's first harrowing year on the farm, in which they both lose their jobs, almost give up the farm, and almost give up each other, is honestly and openly detailed in Josh's memoir "The Bucolic Plague." I enthusiastically read the book in a few sittings during my vacation last year. I'd already gotten to know Brent and Josh a bit after the watching the first season of the TV show, but the book goes into details a half-hour of television just can't.



The first season of the show takes place the year after the book ends, the "Year of Sacrifice" where Brent stays on the farm to start and grow the business, and Josh spends his weeks in the city, earning a living that will support himself and Brent, and pay for their two mortgages and other expenses. At the end of the first season, the business hadn't yet grown to the point to where Josh could move to the farm full time.

The last episode of the season closes out with Josh speaking directly to the camera about knowing when sacrifices are worth making and deciding to push ahead. I know that's a realization so many small business owners have had to make when all doesn't go according to plan—do you give up or forge ahead?

The second season of the show started with the business now enjoying a national profile thanks to the television exposure, the publication of Josh's book and national media coverage. That, sadly, isn't enough to bring Josh to the farm full-time so a second "Year of Sacrifice" is underway. Is two years spent away from the love of your life, burning the candle at both ends to build something you might not be able to enjoy really worth it? Brent and Josh spend the entire season fighting that out.

Every episode of this show offers a peek inside a growing business, a quirky small town and a thriving relationship. It has fun moments and serious moments, offers laughs and occasional tears. Most of all, it tells the truth about how hard it is to start, grow and run a business with the person you love, an adorable cast of goats, one diva llama, and the support of your family, friends and community.

Kiss Me

Ben and Leslie finally kissed on "Parks and Recreation" this week. Following what has often been a very weak and tired tradition, the show played with the "will-they-or-won't-they" theme, putting together two people who are clearly perfect for each other and waiting to see if they realize it or not. Unlike most shows that have attempted this, the writers and actors on "Parks and Recreation" succeeded with this story line, I've actually come to care about these two characters and have been on pins and needles the past few weeks waiting see if they would finally end up together.

There were no false starts and misunderstandings and set ups, and all the old tired ploys writers have been using for years to bring together and pull apart your favorite characters. Instead, these characters were allowed to act like adults, slightly goofy under the influence of budding crushes, but still in control of their lives and actions. They actually had an honest conversation about their feelings for each other and the ramifications a relationship would have for their careers (staff fraternization is frowned upon at Pawnee city hall).

On Thursday night, it seemed like that might be that, that like many stoic characters throughout literary history, Ben and Leslie would sacrifice happiness for duty, and just get in with their lives. Instead, this happened:



That was a damn fine first kiss, passionate, deliberate and realistic. They didn't push each other up against a wall, nothing was swept off the desk. I can't find the exact quote, but I believe it was Entertainment Weekly who wrote about how great the first kiss was between Luke and Lorelei on "Gilmore Girls" because it was all about two adults who knew exactly what they wanted, as you can see below.



That was the Ben/Leslie kiss, so built up and so worth the wait.

I've watched "Parks and Recreation" from the beginning, interested to see what the people behind the American "Office" would do with local politics. The show started off as a pure "Office" clone, the characters and situations in Pawnee having equal counterparts at Dunder-Mifflin. Toward the end of the first season, the show found its own quirky yet optimistic voice and has become one of my favorite TV comedies.

This season's addition of the characters of Ben and Chris, two state government bureaucrats brought in to save the floundering town, has made the show only stronger. The Ben/Leslie relationship has been the icing on the cake. As an adult, it's nice to see grownups have grown-up relationships, not all swoony and silly but not all tortured and angsty either. As "Parks and Recreation" climbs in the ratings and garners more critical praise, maybe other writers will take notice and bring us more honest relationships to get caught up in every week on our favorite shows.

To go along with this fabulous kissing theme, New Found Glory's goofy, fun version of "Kiss Me."