Why Dave the PA Hates Us -- The Holiday Version

As the year starts to wind down here, I thought I would take time in this blog to focus on what I like about this job instead of focusing on the negative. Sure I could be like Craig Wright and torment Pete about gaining the freshman fifteen and then chase him around the office trying to pinch his love handles, but that would be mean. To be fair, Pete could afford to gain weight. See, I am being positive. So as part of the holiday spirit, here are the reasons why I am happy to be a part of the Brothers & Sisters team:

1.    Michael Morris - He is always on set and therefore he never asks me to do anything. I never even see him. Isn’t that great?
2.    No More Coffee Runs - With the holiday coming up Greg Berlanti has given up his daily request for Coffee Bean. Sure, he now wants Eggnog Lattes, but at least now I can just go to the Starbucks on the Lot, And with my positive outlook, going to Starbucks is a chance to stretch my legs.
3.    Rob Lowe - I’m not gay, but that guy is ridiculously handsome. Seriously.
4.    Free Food - There is always free food around. Yes, I’m the one that has to buy it, but it’s free.
5.    Carl Ogawa’s Cat - Carl is Greg Berlanti's assistant. Hearing about his cat peeing in his ear has made me laugh on more than one occasion. How was his cat able to pull off such a feat? I still have no idea.

6.    The Writers’ Room - When there is a writers’ room, which is once in a blue moon, I get a chance to sit in. I’ve actually had a chance to pitch ideas. Although they did give me a weird look when I told them that what the show was missing was hang-gliding ninjas.
7.    Harrison Ford - On one of the script deliveries, I actually handed a script to Han Solo.  Sure I didn’t say anything, but come on, it’s Han Solo.
8.    Bacon - When they have this great pork product for breakfast on stage, it just makes my day. I think I like it so much because I’m Jewish and when I take a bite, it feels like I’m doing something dirty.

9.    Oscar “Bedroom Eyes” Balderrama - He’s such a great guy, but he has been creepy lately hanging around the mistletoe.
10.    Dan Silk’s Pants - They’re just so tight and revealing. Need I say more?
11.    The Scripts Are Good And They’re Only Getting Better. - Am I kissing up to the writers? You bet.
12.     Robbie Baitz- 'Cause, I don’t want to get fired.

Okay, I’ve run out of ideas but at least I’m trying to think positive. It’s really hard.

Season’s Greetings America,
Dave Levin

Comments

[cathy]

Need more Tommy and Julia.

[Ben]

Dave -- I want itemized receipts from now on.

[MadisonMcGraw]

Love this show. It's the only show I actually make it a point to watch. I keep a notebook and pen with me because I find there are great poetic one liners.
And now I've found a blog that mentions bacon, boxers, and angry felines. Heaven.

[Kong Chang]

So, Dave, why aren't you a writer? Hmm?

At least you're getting something free from all of this. :)

Oh, and please pinch Pete's love handles for all of us. :P

[will]

Dave,
Rob Lowe is "ridiculously handsome". Hmmmm. Dan's silk pants are "tight and revealing". (your observation, yes?)
Dave, straight men aren't supposed to know what "eggnog lattes" ARE....Let's see, you could be more like Craig and chase guys around the office "trying to pinch their love handles"?.....Jeez, all from the same blog!...And you feel men are hanging out under mistletoe - what? eyeing you?
This is adding up to be more than frat-boy high-jinx, Dave. Just remember. We love you, Dave. We accept you. Remember that. It'll all work out.

[Sara]

I love your writing, but I am not really into the Rob Lowe thing. It seems like there is no real chemistry there and it's just another star to add to an already stellar cast. Warren is great and I know a lot of people that are fans. Keep Warren in the storyline and keep up the good work in the new year!

[Carrie]

You guys got screwed with the Golden Globe nominations. Damn the Hollywood Foreign Press.

[will]

We was robbed!!! Man, I need some MAJOR cheering up! B&S was shut out - completely?? - of Golden Globes....AND a democratic South Dakota senator had a stroke yesterday, which could knock the senate back over to the republicans!! I'm a doomed pawn in a Shakespeare play, shaking his fist at the sky: "Oh, Fate! Dastardly Fate! Why have the Gods forsaken me?! I am being Swallowed into the Bowels of the Earth!"
One of those days.... They could've at LEAST nominated Sally!! Maybe I can find a cute "straight-acting" gay guy to comfort me in this time of need....actually I just said that to piss Trevor off. (which was a JOKE, Trevor. JOKE. & BTW I hope you're over it & we can joke around, without any bad karma.)

[Stevenscollege]

What Carrie said.

[Kong Chang]

You guys were definitely robbed of your nomination for Golden Globes! The nerve of the Hollywood Foreign Press...sheesh!

Let's hope SAG Awards or Emmy's will do better and give you guys the nomination (and hopeful win) you deserve!

[betty]

what stevenscollege said that carrie said, I triple it!

[mark]

I think you really missed a great opportunity to have Kitty get FIRED - it just seemed too easy and too "tv-ish" for her to move to another job. It would have been a great opportunity for her to have to deal with the criticism of not being 'conservative' enough.

And I hope we get to see Warren at least one more time.

Calista Flockhart and Sally Field definitley deserved Emmy nominations. Ellen Pompeo gets a nomination? Whatever!

[will]

Maybe when drafting new plotlines & such, here's an idea: I've noticed this is a show that engages the audience in "debate" - whether it's for the war or against the war (consevative viewpoint vs. liberal), the theology of Christmas vs. Hannukah (or secularism), etc. But go down the episodes aired so far and they're filled with debate of some sort. Lots of us love debate (I do) - but not in a vaccuum. I've noticed very little ACTION happens surrounding these debates or various love entanglements the characters get themselves into. Things play out in the house (usually the kitchen or dining room), Kitty's TV studio or the office. The characters may go outdoors once in a while but very little action takes place. (Even the last episode where Kevin & Justin went to court, it was indoors & primarily about "debate".) When Sarah, Kevin & Tommy took the road trip, the show had a different feel to it. The action & the locations we saw infused a certain energy into the story & contrasted very well with Kitty's dilemas at the TV studio (the "debate" portion - should she come out against the war, ask the senator for help about Justin's redeployment?) Last week we had a show that was primarily debate of different sorts (meaning "talk") - and little action or "story" (I don't consider those courthouse scenes action nor story, strictly speaking) & if you look over all the blog comments about the episode, people liked this line or that line, the Hannukah lights moment, but precious little to MOVE them in any VISCERAL way. I know locations are expensive & tie up production schedule, but I for one would like the characters to get outside more & have stories to ACT, not just debate or re-act or talk about. I need to have more moments at the end of a show where I feel the NEED to tune in next week. Do this and we'll have a better shot at kicking "Ugly Betty"'s *ss next year at award season.

[Jim]

What Betty said that Stevenscollege said that Carrie said, I quadruple(?) it!

[will]

Today's news: "New Jersey is 3rd state to allow gay civil unions". So that's civil unions in Connecticut, Vermont & N.J. ...& marriage in Massachusetts.
Time now for Kevin to settle down & start a family (with Scotty of course, using Scotty's sperm - as Tommy already used Kevin's sperm for his own child. Or Justin's sperm?) Anyway, time to extend the Walker family.

[Chelsea]

nora: do you know one of the most important jewish principles?
paige: bagels on sunday?

^^my favorite line ever. =]

i love this show. and yes, you got robbed in the golden globe nominations (hopefully in the people's choice awards you'll do better).

[ilovemylife]

Aw . . . jeeez, Will.
I’m laughing so hard at your Dec 15, 2:08 p.m. post –
my stomach is knotting up.

You must KNOW where I stand about Kevin and Scotty.
Yeah, let’s get them married at least during next season.

Sperm, sperm, sperm. Sperm everywhere.

But who’s egg?

I must have said, I live in Rhode Island somewhere
along Bloggers and Sisters grapevine . . .
In the current news here is a female gay married couple
(married in Massachusetts – I can drive and be in MA in 15 minutes)
who are seeking a divorce, but Rhode Island doesn’t
legally recognize gay marriage so “WHAT TO DO”?

Oh, dear.

Let everyone get married and let everyone get divorced.
Otherwise, the U.S. Supreme Court Justices are going to be asked
to do more than determine our President for us.

[Stevenscollege]

Oh Will your last post made me sad, Im in Britain and here we have civil unions for gays and the thing is all the political parties support it (or at least the parties that matter, and in fact gays can also serve openly in the armed forces) while in America my poor brethren are just whipping boys for on-the-make politicians looking for easy votes, im scandalised on your behalf. Im pleased for those four states you mention but what about the rest? But anyway back to B&S, no-more new Walkers please lets give Tommy &Justin more screen time and juicy plots before anything else happens and am I seriously the only person who doesnt want Kevin and Scotty to get back together? certainly not this season anyway, maybe the 3rd season and we`ll see if Kevin is actually deserving of Scotty.

[Kong Chang]

Steven:

You're one of the few who doesn't want Kevin & Scotty together. We the proud followers of KevSco really want them to be together through thick and thin even if they have to go through rough patches. But we'll see. I have faith in the creators to hopefully flesh out Kevin's love life a bit more before Scotty comes back into the fray (I just he doesn't come back to cause chaos...then again, this is drama tv...so it may happen).

Will:

I wholeheartedly agree that Kevin should find his ultimate love and settle down, get married (or civil unionized), adopt children or give birth via surrogacy, etc.. It would be great to see Kevin's life treated like everyone else's...normal and loving, and that's how it should be.

To the production peeps:

A BIG THANK YOU!!! Just heard from Futon Critic that ABC will be airing repeats of B&S on Friday nights AFTER Grey's Anatomy repeats and before 20/20 starting on January 12th! This is great for those who have missed the show OR who want to give B&S a shot but are too tired to watch it Sunday night because of early Monday morning day jobs.

And to Dave the PA (aka the slave):

Don't give up hope! Roll with the punches. We still support you from the background. :)

[Alvin]

Hello:

Just wanted to let you guys know that I love the show and follow it religiously. It has a great cast and a great storyline. Please keep up the good work! Happy Holidays.

[will]

I wasn't such a Scotty fan in the beginning. But you look back at his scenes (and apparently he's got lots of fans, he & Kevin are ALL OVER youtube), and you see his wisdom & quirkiness & goofiness (he knows how to have a good time) and just his individual-ness. There is so much room with that guy to take us, the audience, on a beautiful journey over the next year. I hope I don't sound lame going all goofy about Scotty but Luke MacFarlane the actor infuses him with such personality, he makes me proud to be gay (or WHOEVER you are - OK to be yourself, that's the what I get from Scotty) Stevenscollege, things are changing here, but the change is SO slow... Two steps forward, one back....But about Scotty, he has a mischevious goofy sweet smile. Kevin too actually. He'll win you over. There's a whole lot more story with those two that the writers are depriving us of.

[Eagerly Waiting]

When will the next new episode air? Keep up the good work!

[Revived]

This show has made me like drama's once again. I mean, I knew Sally Field would reel me in, but I never would have thought the entire cast could also keep my interest.

There is amazing chemistry on this show and for once, the drama stays behind the camera where it belongs.

[Kong Chang]

Eagerly Waiting:

Episode 11 - "Family Day"
January 7, 2007

Episode 12 - "Sexual Politics"
January 14, 2007

Episode 13 - "Something Ida This Way Comes"
February 4, 2007

Episode 14 - ???
February 11, 2007

Episode 15 - ???
February 18, 2007

[will]

Stevenscollege: I find it so...freeing & liberating?...that you're blogging from Britain. This whole global network thing...Wow. Very mindtrippy we're all connected like this. Some Canadians blogged in after "Mistakes Were Made 2" epi - even Canada has it better than us Americans, marriage-wise (legal gay marriage in all provinces I think). Thanks for your quick snapshot (too quick!) of life there, and thanks for being scandalised for us here. I am scandalised by all the litigation & state constitutional amendments that have passed here making gay unions & marriage illegal. I am ashamed sometimes! Picture me as a sullen Iraqi woman in FULL BURKA, head slung down, trying to break out of repressive chains! You'd think including ALL citizens into some sort of broad social stucture of "family" & marriage & whatnot, letting everyone into the same game we've devised, would be a NO-BRAINER at this point, but apparently...NOT. People are ugly when prejudices shine through...especially masquerading as doing what's best for society & children! We get one sanctimonious greasy politician after another trashing gay unions & families - and the ones who have no problem are too timid or lacking conviction to speak out as it might cost them votes. Very little honest to God maverick public servants here!...but lots of sheep ("baa-aah!") looking at polls.
Anyway, love your posts from across the Atlantic. Ilovemylife, OK. Here you go. Sarah takes Kevin to an 8:00 pm showing of "Dreamgirls" at the multiplex (too stereotype?), where he runs into Scotty at the concession stand line. BUT...Scotty is now dating a very hunky pre-med student who turns out to be so charming & colorful &...unpretentious!...that we almost start rooting for pre-med student. This way Kevin has a real uphill battle...has something to PROVE...to win Scotty's affections, and decide what's important in life... There. Just to get the Kev/Scotty ball rolling... Pre-med student is fascinating, alive character...we will NOT make it easy for Kev...he'll really have to step up to bat & hit it out of the park...