It’s events like this that make theTVaddict.com worth the effort. Yes, you heard me. Watching television is serious ‘work’ and today was no exception. This morning, the TV Addict reported live from the 2007 GLOBAL TV UpFront, and believe you me, it was no treat. Especially when I had to suppress an audible groan when HEROES stars Masi Oka and Adrian Pasdar were asked — no doubt the millionth time — who their personal hero was!
Okay, who am I kidding? Stupid questions aside, the Global TV UpFront were as exciting as one would imagine. After-all, it’s not often that I get to sit front row and question HEROES stars Masi Oka and Adrian Pasdar, drink coffee while congratulating BROTHERS & SISTERS star Balthazar Getty on all his success and get the opportunity to chat with the hardest working guy in show-business — Ryan Seacrest.
Now onto the festivities.
The event started off with a Q&A featuring HEROES stars Masi Oka (Hiro Nakamura) and Adrian Pasdar (Nathan Petrelli). Not surprisingly, Pasdar was tight-lipped on what fans can expect come season two explaining, “When the show first started, the network wanted us to talk to anyone who wanted to talk to us. But now that we’re a hit, we can’t say anything.”
Of course the Tim Kring mandated gag order didn’t stop Masi Oka from revealing a possible future guest star on HEROES — his former boss at ILM — George Lucas. Oka ran into Lucas (whom he’d never met throughout his ten years working at ILM) at a recent CGI Awards dinner. Turns out, Lucas is a big fan of the show and jokingly said he’d love to play a villain, but only if he could utter the ominous words, “kill them all!”
Next up in the hot seat was BROTHERS & SISTERS star Balthazar Getty. As expected, Getty spoke glowingly about his fictional family and took a moment to single out his TV mom Sally Field (as all good sons should). “Sally Field is as great as you’d expected her to be. Professional, gracious, funny and warm.” joked Getty, “Like a real mom, she’s the disciplinarian on the set. When me and the boys screw off, she’s always there to put us back in our place.”
Following Getty was the beautiful Sarah Carter, whom many of you may recognize as district attorney Madeline Poe on SHARK. Not being a huge fan of SHARK myself, I didn’t have any questions for her, but my fellow reporters were more than curious about what it was like working with the James Woods. Naturally Carter had nothing but praise for her legendary co-star saying, “James Woods is a dynamic and fabulous human being. Working with him has been a great learning experience. But more than anything, he’s just a wonderful person, incredible teacher and I continue to be humbled by his presence.” WOW, that didn’t sound rehearsed at all.
The UpFront ended with the hardest working guy in show-business — Ryan Seacrest. Seacrest was in Toronto promoting the launch of E! Canada (formerly CH TV). Seacrest was well spoken, articulate and quick to squash the rumor that Paula and Randy would not be returning to AMERICAN IDOL next season. “I spoke to Randy yesterday and he didn’t mention anything.” elaborated Seacrest, “The chemistry with the group that we have now would be impossible to re-create.”
That my friends, was the UpFront in a nutshell. For each Q&A in its entirety, as well as more stories and photos, please check back tomorrow and Friday. Canadians can also check out all the great new shows GLOBAL TV has in store for us by clicking on the 2007 Fall Schedule.
A final note if I may — a thank-you to GLOBAL TV, and more specifically Dan Kenning and the entire publicity team at CanWest. From the time I arrived at Massey Hall to the moment I left with my fantastic swag bag (seriously, who doesn’t love free stuff!), this TV Addict truly felt like the Canadian version of Michael Ausiello (minus the weird smurf obsession). 
