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October 27, 2006
ABC studios have been ablaze...
with all kinds of interesting people this week! I got the chance to meet Petra Nemcova, even more beautiful in real life, and very sweet as well. There is a reason she has been able to raise 1.2 million dollars in aid for victims of the tsunami in East Asia--she's earnest, charming, and charismatic. She positively glowed with barely any make-up, and looked a lot healthier than most models. Reichen Lehmkuhl also stopped by to promote his new book “Here’s What We’ll Say,” about his traumatic life in the military because of gay bashing. He looked amazing in person as well. Regardless of the media’s emphasis on his personal relationship with Lance Bass, Lehmkuhl is admirably channeling his celebrity to stop injustice in the military. When asked to sign our celebrity wall, Reichen said he didn't see himself as a celebrity--humble guy! I also got the chance to chat with Tim Robbins and Derek Luke on their latest film, Catch a Fire, which is debuting in theaters October 27th. My review of this film is below.
Catch a Fire Review…
Every once in a while, a movie comes along that makes you feel like you’re not only witnessing history, but teaches a powerful modern lesson—the film Catch a Fire does just that. You can check out my interviews with the cast and crew here. This film tells the story of Patrick Chamusso, a South African hero who fought for freedom during Apartheid. What struck me the most after watching this film was how many of our world leaders still use apartheid tactics to oppress people. What amazed me even more is how vicious these tactics really are, from the use of torture, surveillance, manipulation, and intimidation. In the beginning of the film, Chamusso, played by talented actor Derek Luke, is a loving father, an apolitical man who toes the line as an employee at the Secunda Oil Refinery. His main concern was making an honest living, taking care of his family, and coaching soccer, even though a tumultuous uprising by the ANC (African National Congress) against apartheid was swelling by the day. Chamusso represents to me the many decent Americans who are not happy with the status quo, but are too busy trying to earn a living to take any political action. The political indifference ended however when brutal interrogation tactics hit home, not only affecting him, but his wife as well. This brutality is what radicalizes Chamusso to the point where he decides to leave his family to join the ANC himself. Tim Robbins does an outstanding job playing the part of Nic Vos, a Colonel in charge of the men who carry out the cruel operations against prisoners in the name of security. At times you see the humanity in his eyes, only to be blindsided by his cruelty later. Robbins’ performance helps us see the other Afrikaner side of the struggle to give us a more balanced view of the conflict, a major strength in this film. Derek Luke deftly portrays real-life hero Patrick Chamusso with accent and all. This was an amazing task considering he’s a young actor from New Jersey, with little previous knowledge of apartheid.
The provocative movie raised so many questions I couldn’t possibly fit them all in the interviews. Robbins in person looked more youthful than in the film, he had a quiet confidence and intelligence that paired well with the boisterous director, Philip Noyce (of Patriot Games and Rabbit Proof Fence.) The whole cast was so sweet and down to earth, I don’t think Luke realizes the power of his amazing performance, considering his unassuming nature. Meeting Patrick Chamusso was an a true honor for me. Here’s a man who was imprisoned and tortured physically and emotionally, yet was courageous enough to visit the scenes of the crimes during the filming so that he could give feedback to the cast and crew. You can tell that bringing authenticity to this film was really important to him. Chamusso said to me, “The film is painful to me, I can’t enjoy the film.” Despite the pain he has suffered, he now devotes his time to caring for orphans. As we speak, Chamusso takes care of over 80 orphans that have aids, tuberculosis and other maladies. Although every character in this movie is flawed, (including Chamusso) I couldn’t help but be inspired not only by this man’s bravery, but by South Africa—a nation that realized its policy was wrong and did something about it. Keep watching View from the Bay where I’ll be touring more press junkets (possibly in New York and LA as well) and bringing you more fun stories. I gotta run…Cheryl Burke and Emmitt Smith from Dancing with the Stars are downstairs—want to greet them before showtime!
Peace Y'all...
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