TV People

First published October 21, 2003

By C. W. Oberleitner

Chuck Oberleitner returns with a somewhat delayed piece about the "ABC Primetime Preview Weekend" 'way back in August. But the upside is: He's got some stories about the celebrities that he encountered at this DCA media event.

First the good news: Way back in August, the good folks at ABC TV and Disneyland Resort media relations were kind enough to invite me to take part in the media event that would accompany "ABC Primetime Preview Weekend" at Disney's California Adventure.

Now the bad news: No sooner did I return from that two days of intense, nonstop, in-depth interviews with the stars of ABC TV's new fall lineup when I suffered a writer's worst nightmare. My computer, which now contained all of my notes and pictures from the event, suffered the mother of all system crashes.

Eventually the computer was repaired and the data restored. My only problem was that – by the time that happened -- the new fall TV season was off and running. Which meant the news cycle for an "ABC Primetime Preview Weekend" story had passed.

But -- that said -- I still wanted to go forward with a story about what I experienced on that first weekend in September. Now that all of the noise and excitement surrounding the launch of the new fall TV season had died down I could look back on that weekend from a slightly different perspective. And, in so doing what I was most struck by was not the managed expectations for the new fall season but rather the people. While playing reporter for JHM at DCA's "ABC Primetime Preview Weekend" I met some of the hardest working, as well as some of the nicest, people in show business you could ever hope to meet.

The Walt Disney Company, which owns the ABC Television Network as well as the Disneyland Resort, has always been blessed with some of the most exceptional people working for it I have ever run across in American business. Yes, it also has its share of jerks and out of step executives that, over the years, have screwed more than a few things up for the Mouse, but that's a story for another time. This is a story about some of the hardest working, as well as being some of the nicest, people in show business you could ever hope to meet.

Classic Hollywood

It has long been said that Movie and TV stars are America's form of royalty. And, judging by the billions we spend tracking the every move of Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez and every other celebrity in the country I'd say that's pretty much true. In the golden age of Hollywood stars like Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert, Gary Cooper and Greta Garbo understood the unique nature of their relationship with the public. They were the living embodiment of the word class. They were somehow accessible and yet remote and to be sought after at the same time. I found Eric Roberts, star of ABC TV's Less Than Perfect, to be one such person.

After two days of watching television stars, some well known others just starting out on their careers, come and go I got to see how many of them react to throngs of fans and media hacks like myself. There was the incredibly handsome young leading man who, despite his skills as an actor, was unable to conceal his desire to be anywhere but at this event. There were the not so famous up and comers just getting used to having people pay so much attention to them. A couple of divas and, then there were the true stars.

I had missed the Less Than Perfect print media interview session. By the time my Disneyland Resort media event host Travis and I made it to the media relations area the attending members of the cast were split up into pairs and were conducting video interviews. While Travis and I were waiting for the next round of print media interviews to begin a young news producer from an ABC radio station in upstate New York asked who, "the old guy," in the last interview booth was. He went on to say that somebody had said that he (the old guy) was related to Julia Roberts.

That old guy was of course Eric Roberts. A fine actor in his own right who just happens to be Julia Roberts brother. After telling both Travis, who had no idea who Eric Roberts was either, and the young ABC News Radio producer about Mr. Roberts distinguished career I spent some time watching him.

Andy Dick and Will Sasso, also from the Less Than Perfect cast, were receiving the lion's share of media attention. Unlike many of the ABC stars who couldn't wait to bolt from the media bullpen and head back to the relative solitude of the green room hospitality suite set up in the Wine Country Trattoria, Eric Roberts hung out with the throng of milling media mavens. Whether talking sports with the grips or signing autographs he was tireless, genuine warm and sincere.

Unlike some of his television colleagues Mr. Roberts did not hide behind his Disney hosts or use them to run interference for him. He made it quite clear that he was both approachable and accessible. While it's well known that as a younger man Mr. Roberts had his "bad boy" period in which he became all too familiar with controlled substances he did not rule out discussing any part of his career other than his relationship with his famous sister. And, even then he graciously refused such questions saying that she has her own life to lead and he had his.

Just days before heading to DCA for Primetime Preview Weekend, my mother, who had been visiting from Colorado, concluded her visit. Before she left I told her about my pending weekend among the stars. During our conversation she mentioned what a handsome man she had always thought Eric Roberts to be. During my brief encounter with Mr. Roberts I shared this bit of information with him. He said, "I need to say thanks to your mom." He asked my mother's name and pointing to the camera around my neck motioned me to get ready to take a picture.

While I prepared my camera Eric Roberts asked for and received a blank piece of paper and a pen. He bent over the table and wrote out a note to my mother. In the picture below you can see Eric Roberts saying thanks for the compliment to my mother.

Equally gracious and charming and definitely from the old school of great Hollywood actresses was Camryn Manheim of The Practice. I had the opportunity to spend a few moments with her. I knew I was in the presence of a true star by the way she was able to make me feel that every question I had to ask was the most important thing she had heard that day. To see the way she paid attention to me you would have thought I was doing a live video interview with her for Access Hollywood.

Working Actor

As I mentioned earlier some of the stars of ABC TV were very dedicated hard workers. By that I mean ABC Primetime Preview Weekend was not just a free trip to Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure for the stars and their families. This was a working weekend and the job at hand was to promote both the new and returning shows in ABC TV's fall lineup. Nobody worked harder at this than James Denton.

James Denton is the star of the new ABC one-hour drama, Threat Matrix, about a highly specialized, elite task force created to respond to the Threat Matrix report, a document that is presented to the President every morning, identifying the current greatest threats to U.S. security. James Denton, as John Kimer, heads a team whose mission it is to keep the country safe from international and domestic threats, using their combined expertise and cutting-edge technology to help them fight the many faces of terror and enemies determined to destroy our way of life. Taking audiences behind the headlines and into the world of homeland security, Threat Matrix dramatizes what we are doing in the world of homeland security, why we are doing it and whether or not it is working. At least that's what ABC's publicity department has to say about the show.

What they don't tell you is that Threat Matrix itself faces a serious threat to its prolonged existence. With six major networks and hundreds of cable and satellite channels dividing up the television audience there are bound to be some slots on a network's schedule that are guaranteed to be virtually audience free zones. Thursday evening between 8 and 9 PM, when NBC is airing the final season of Friends and sophomore hit Scrubs and CBS is running Survivor, is just such a slot on ABC's primetime schedule. It is into this less than desirable spot that ABC, which has been struggling in the ratings since the demise of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, scheduled Threat Matrix.

Over the course of a day I watched as if by sheer force of will James Denton set out to make sure that every man, woman and child within earshot new that he would be appearing in Threat Matrix, what the show was about, who would be in it, when it would be on and most important of all why people should watch it. The man was everywhere. He worked the crowds at the various public appearances throughout the park. He worked the Internet press -- smart guy -- as hard as he worked the electronic media. When his time for on-camera interviews was up he stood in the middle of the press bullpen giving interviews to the radio people.

The first day of ABC's Primetime Preview Weekend at Disney's California Adventure drew to a close. The media center emptied and the sun began to set. Even so James Denton was still hard at work. Standing on the hard concrete concourse just outside of DCA's San Francisco district Mr. Denton was still working the crowds. A true professional, even after hours of questioning by fans and media alike, with focused attention he patiently answered each and every question as enthusiastically as if he had just heard it for the very first time.

For me at least his hard work paid off. I hate Survivor and I never really got into Friends. Now on Thursday nights while I'm fixing dinner I keep the TV tuned into Threat Matrix. You know what? It's not a bad little show.

James Denton was by no means the only hard working ABC TV star participating in Primetime Preview weekend. Jim Belushi and his band performed live both Saturday and Sunday evenings and George Lopez did a live stand up comedy routine. Bonnie Hunt and Jennifer Garner got into the swing of things by schmoozing with Lucky the Dinosaur.

Speaking of hard working professionals, nobody works harder making sure that people who visit the Disneyland Resort -- and that includes jaded old journalists like me -- experience a good show than the cast members of the resort. You may not see them on ABC TV, although more than a few of them are trying to break into show business, but they are always there at the resort doing their darnedest to make sure you have a good time.

As an invited media guest at events like Primetime Preview Weekend the Disneyland Resort provides me with a personal host. These bright young folks are there as much to make sure I don't get into trouble as they are to see to it that I know where and when various events take place. This particular weekend both Michelle and I had some of the nicest and most professional hosts it has ever been my good fortune to spend time with at the Disneyland Resort.

Whether it's as the star of a new ABC TV series or a twenty-hour per week busboy picking up some overtime as a media event host these people are all, star cast members of The Walt Disney Company.

C'ya real soon!