First Look: What An Institution! The Story of Police Academy

Hey, you got 10 minutes? That’s about how long this sizzle reel is:

If the embedded video doesn’t load, click to watch
What An Institution! The Story of Police Academy (2019) Exclusive 10-minute Preview at YouTube.

What An Institution! The Story of Police Academy is in production now. The team is still collecting interviews, but here’s a list of confirmed participants:

  • Paul Maslansky, Executive Producer
  • Bobcat Goldthwait, “Zed“
  • Michael Winslow, ” Jones“
  • Leslie Easterbrook, “Sgt. Callahan“
  • Shawn Weatherly, “Karen Adams“
  • Marion Ramsey, “Hooks“
  • Art Metrano, “Captain Mauser“
  • Brant Von Hoffman, “Blankes“
  • Peter Van Norden, “Schtulman“
  • Tim Kazurinsky, “Sweetchuck“
  • Charlie Schlatter, “Connors“
  • Matt McCoy, “Nick Lassard“
  • Julie Brown, “Chloe“
  • G. W. Bailey, “Captain Harris“
  • Brian Tochi, “Nogata“
  • Donovan Scott, “Leslie Barbara“
  • Scott Thomson, “Copeland“
  • Lance Kinsey, “Proctor“
  • Gregg Berger, “Talinsky“
  • Andrew Paris, “Bud Kirkland“
  • P. J. Ochlan, “Lester Shane“
  • Don Lake, “Mr. Wig“

The film is scheduled for release in 2019. I’ll post updates here from time to time, but if you’re on Facebook, you can follow the project here.

Aris Alvarado in a Save The Thundercats T-shirt

Save The Thundercats on Cartoon Network

In case you didn’t know, last fall The Cartoon Network commissioned a reboot of the classic animated series Thundercats. Here’s a trailer:


If the embedded video doesn’t load, click to watch
Thundercats (2011) – Official Trailer [HD] at YouTube.

They aired a season of 26 episodes over the last few months, but have yet to announce whether or not they’re bringing it back in the fall. While attending the 2012 ITV Fest/PopCon L.A. with my friend Aris, we came across the TeeBlitz booth, where I noticed they had a cool “Save The Thundercats” T-shirt on display. It turns out they weren’t selling them, they were giving them away for free to Thundercats supporters who signed a petition at change.org for Cartoon Network to renew Thundercats for a second season. Being fans of the show, we had no problem signing up to support it. We also had an ulterior motive for signing: Aris’ friend does voice work on the series and we’d like to keep him employed. Plus, a cool T-shirt:

Aris Alvarado in a Save The Thundercats T-shirt
“Thundercats HO!!”

If you’d like to help Save The Thundercats, head over to change.org, sign the petition now and pass it on to your friends.

I’m going to be at ITV Fest/PopCon 2012

A few months ago I worked on a 10 minute pilot sample for a series called Frog Kissers, the story of four women in New York City who reason that in order to find a prince you have to kiss a lot of frogs, and make a pact to kiss 100 men over the course of a year to find their prince(s). I have a brief role as one of the “frogs.” Frog Kissers is created by Debra Kirschner, who also wrote and directed the pilot sample; she also produced with Sherese Robinson.

The pilot sample of Frog Kissers is screening at this year’s International TV Festival/PopCon in Los Angeles, California. I’ll be attending the Fest from July 5-8, so if you happen to be in L.A., be sure to come check out the screening and stop by to say, “What’s up?” to me in person. Debra and Sherese are both friendly people, so come by and say, “Hi!” to them too.

We’d love to have a good crowd at the screening, so if you can’t make it, please spread the word to anyone you know who may be able and interested in attending. Here’s the trailer (look fast for my shiny forehead around the 1:02 mark):


If the embedded video doesn’t load, click to watch
Frog Kissers Official Trailer at YouTube.

Hope to see you there!

UPDATE (6/26/2012): Debra has created a Facebook event for the Frog Kissers screening for those of you who would like to RSVP — smile

I’m too old for this shit

Die Hard Bruce Willis still
"I don't fucking smoke anymore either!"

So Die Hard 4 is rated PG-13 after all. I don’t want to go, and don’t give me, “Well, I like that it’s PG-13, ‘cuz now I can see it, ‘cuz my parents are sooooo lame they won’t let me see R! PG-13 can still rock!” Fuck you, you were still swimming around in your father’s balls when Die Hard With A Vengeance was in theaters. Why should I give a fuck whether or not you can get in to see the new one? What do you know anyway? You just said you’ve never seen an R rated movie! That being said, that fact that it’s PG-13 is the least of the reasons I’m no longer interested. The best shit I’ve seen in years is Mr. Bean’s Holiday and that’s rated G. Of course, there will eventually be an unrated release of Die Hard 4, maybe by then I’ll want to see it. Before I continue, I just want to say that frankly, if a PG-13 rating for Die Hard 4 is your biggest concern in life and you’re over the age of 12, you just might be a fucking mope. Also, you have your head up your ass if a movie’s parental advisory rating is your primary barometer for the potiential quality of said film. I have a ton of reasons why Die Hard 4 looks like hardcore junk to me. The PG-13 is just the final nail in the coffin.
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The cast of Logo's Curl Girls.

If everybody had an ocean

Mr. Pipeline comic art
This art was inspired by a photo at Gerry Lopez Surfboards.

I love surfing. Not that I can. I can’t even swim, but I ever since I was a kid, I have had a deep romantic love of surfing. If you would have asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would have answered, "Gerry Lopez!" Of course, I was the only one in my hometown who gave a shit about surfing. Historically, in fact, most of America doesn’t seem to take it seriously as a sport, considering how often surf competitions are broadcast on network television, which is never. Well, I think I remember seeing it on ABC’s Wide World of Sports once, but that was like, 30 years ago, so maybe I’m remembering it wrong. Surfing may be coming into it’s own in the States, though, if the current crop of surfing related entertainment hitting movie theaters and television screens these days catches on. Here’s my guide to the surf related entertainment out now, and what will be out in the next few months.

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Sylvester Stallone

This Preview is Definitely NOT Approved by the MPAA

Sylvester Stallone
"Yabba dabba doo!"

Rambo is no fucking joke. For real. I had to watch this trailer three times to make sure it wasn’t some kind of fan mash up. In any case, this is the most outrageous shit since Escape 2000. John Rambo 4 should be subtitled Leatherface Is A Bitch. The first half of the trailer is typical Stallone: hunting fish with an archery set while mumbling something about “not my business” and “not change anything.” At the midway point, the growth hormone kicks in and it is all about tearing people UP!! Literally. Watch this preview if you can stand it, but be warned: the tagline for John Rambo 4 for should be “The first one he decapitates. The second one he OBLITERATES. . .”

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