Great Internships

Tonight's post is going to be short, but I wanted to take a moment to write about my internship at "Antiques Roadshow." I've only worked there a few days, but I love it so much. The people I work with (and for) are extremely nice, down to earth, and appreciative of every task I do for them. What's also great is that they don't want to reduce the interns to doing grunt work--and that includes making coffee (though it is a plus).

I don't mind stuffing envelopes, sitting in front of the copy machine for eons, or fetching mail twice a day. My internship is exciting because it's production season. On Thursday, everyone leaves for the first production in San Diego (the executive producer and some staff members will fly out Wednesday). I'm so excited for them and really wish I could accompany them. Alas, someone has to stay in the office to hold down the fort. Although there is another intern who comes in on Thursdays and Fridays (when the crew normally flies out), I also have a pay job that I enjoy just as much.

I hope the good times keep coming at AR.

Harlan: In the Shadow of Jew Suss

The Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) is currently screening some of the best selections from November's Boston Jewish Film Festival. This afternoon, I had the opportunity to watch a documentary on the director of "The Jew Suss," a highly controversial and anti-Semitic film made during the Third Reich.

Veit Harlan was commissioned by the Nazis to make a movie depicting Jews in the most negative light. Harlan's wife, Kristina Soderbaum, co-starred in the film as a woman who drowned herself after the Jewish banker (Oppenheimer) raped her. Clips from "The Jew Suss" were included in the documentary, and consequently, it was very hard to sit through those scenes.

"Harlan" contains interviews with the director's immediate family: sons and daughters from different marriages as well as nieces, nephews, and grandchildren (including Stanley Kubrick's wife). Most of the interviewees expressed their varying degrees of shame over what Harlan did, and the documentary chronicles their struggles and how they came to feel the way they do. There is tension throughout the film because siblings respond to each other's interviews. I found Jessica Jacoby to be my favorite "character" because of how she renounced her grandfather and proclaimed that he should've been found guilty for war crimes (Harlan was tried and acquitted twice over abetting Nazism during the war).

I enjoyed the film overall and highly recommend that everyone see it. There is discord among the family members, including son Thomas who publicly denounced his father. It's a film about shame, guilt, history, and different definitions of family. It's a part of our history as well.

Keeping Up Appearances

"The Bouquet residence, lady of the house speaking!"

I love "Keeping Up Appearances," as well as many other Britcoms. I owe my appreciation of these classic shows to my grandmother, who first introduced them to me a few years ago. In addition to KUA, I also enjoy "As Time Goes By," "Fawlty Towers," "Waiting for God," and the Inspector Morse/Lynde/Miss Marple mysteries. One day, I want to start watching "Upstairs, Downstairs."

KUA, though 20 years old, doesn't age. I just hosted a marathon with a friend last night, and we were laughing at every episode. Hyacinth's determination to have her name (Bucket) be pronounced Bouquet and to mingle and become a part of aristocratic society is sheer gold because Patricia Routledge plays her with comic genius. All of the characters are great, including man-hungry Rose, clumsy Elizabeth, and Hyacinth-fearing Emmet.

I hope Patricia Routledge is around for a long time; I would love to do a scene with her. While I own all the KUA episodes, I'm grateful that PBS continues to air the series weekly.

Rue McClanahan Died Today

I recently read the sad news: Rue McClanahan, better known as Blanche Devereaux on "The Golden Girls," died this morning from a massive stroke. It's really sad because Estelle, Bea, and Rue all died within a year of each other. Thankfully, Betty White is still going strong and will continue to remain in good health. I hope we can get her to host the Oscars next year!

Rue acted in a lot of programs, including "All in the Family" and "Mama's Family." A few days ago, I caught an episode in which she played Grandma Irene on "Charles in Charge." Rue displayed a charm when she acted, and she clearly had a presence on screen and on stage (you should check out a clip of her performing "Nunsense" in 1996; it's on YouTube).

RIP, Rue! I'll be holding a "Golden Girls" marathon this weekend to celebrate your wonderful life!

Laughter

I like laughing. I bet you do, too. After coming home from a long day at work, it's nice to kick back and find entertainment. In my case, I have Hulu, YouTube, and a stack of Golden Girls DVDs as my source of entertainment. I love laughing at loud because it makes me become more of an active participant with the show. It's also a great stress reliever (not that I have any, but it's a good distraction from cleaning the apartment or making my lunch).

Here's to many more years of the funny stuff!

Education

I value the importance of education. Curiosity is an essential part of being human, and I believe it is important for us to embrace curiosity and our desire to learn more. What fascinates me is that education does not stop after you graduate high school or college. There are times when I find myself looking up miscellaneous facts about calculus, chemistry, or a book that I wish we read in my British literature class but didn't. I read through AP and SAT exam prep books just to learn more about these subjects (and at times often wonder what it would have been like to take more advanced classes).

For the longest time, I wanted to be a teacher. History enthralled me the most because there are many ways to connect the past, present, and future by examining economics, primary sources, historical documentaries, and learning how to understand how previous events shape current policies. I always preferred European history because of the continent's unique cultural developments. I enjoyed public speaking and jumped at any opportunity I had to deliver a presentation. Challenging my peers to think critically was invigorating because it was as much of a challenge for me as it was for them. I wonder if teachers experience this on a daily basis.

I am also aware of the fact that children in particular are very impressionable. Anyone can call him or herself a teacher and impart "knowledge" to someone else. What exactly are we teaching each other, especially the younger generations? Now that I'm legally an adult, I often think ahead to when I have children. In addition to a standard curriculum of math, science, English, and physical fitness, I want my kids to know that it is okay to be different, to embrace individuality, to treat everyone else with equality and respect, and to embrace differences of opinion. I want my children to be aware that there are multiple sides to every issue, and I would encourage them to examine each argument and come to their own decisions.

Going into television, I realize that I have the power to educate and entertain, to shape and to alter. Storytelling gives me a platform to impart my views and opposing opinions, to showcase the real emotions of real people in real settings, to fixate on the interplay between personalities and philosophies, and to ignite debate over controversies. Reactions will vary, but it is my goal to force audiences to think about their lives and to reflect on reality and even the "What if?" scenarios. If teachers have the power to influence students in classrooms, then I also have the same power as a teacher in a visual medium to influence my audience, my classroom.

This is part of an ongoing and exciting adventure.

New Beginnings

After a six week hiatus, I'm back, fully recharged, and ready to begin what is bound to be a fantastic summer!

I have an internship at "Antiques Roadshow" that I'm very excited about. Due to a new load in schedule, I won't start until Wednesday. But I'm still excited nonetheless! My basic responsibilities will be logging and dubbing footage as it comes in from the road (the show goes into production over the summer), archiving older tapes, and ensuring that all talent release forms are signed. I read the biography of the executive producer, Marsha Bemko. She's a highly respected individual, and I hope I have the chance to meet her!

As many of you know, I intend to outline and begin my sitcom pilot this summer. What's it about? Well, the premise is still formulating, but it will be easier once I put it down on paper and make sense of everything. What I do know is that it will involve three 20-somethings living in Queens (a fictional town within the borough): one guy and two girls. The guy's neurotic mother lives in the same building a few floors down. The relationship between the mother and son is a unique love/hate one, as the two tend to play off of each other. The building's landlords (an older couple, most likely in their 70s) frequently interact with the other characters. The comedy will come from the characters and how they get themselves into messes each week. Moreover, the show will focus on the psychological framework of each character, his/her ethical views, the conflicts derived from a clashing of personalities, and will attempt to showcase how even the most dramatic moments in life can be touched by humor. Physical comedy will also play a large part over the course of the series.

This is as much as I know. I hope to start outlining tomorrow and even come up with names and backstories for these people! After all, that's the first step to creating a show...