Perhaps not all the Al Bundys in the world support Barack Obama, but The Al Bundy does
Morning Journal/Aaron Rudolph
Ed O Neill greets the crowd as he makes his way into the county Democratic Party headquarters in Lisbon Friday.
Ed O'Neill believes Democrat Barack Obama would help the Al Bundys of the world if elected. Bundy is the beleaguered father/husband/shoe salesman O'Neill portrayed on TV's popular "Married ... with Children," which ran from 1987-1997. "Here was a guy like a lot of Americans," O'Neill said of Bundy. "He shows up, and there's something admirable about that, you know what I mean? You have a family and you got a job to do, and you do it, and this is what I'm hoping Barack Obama will address." O'Neill's comments came Friday before about 100 people crammed into the Columbiana County Democratic Party headquarters, where the Youngstown native had been asked to visit in support of Obama. After speaking, he chatted with the crowd and signed autographs.
A graduate of Ursuline High School and Youngstown State University, where he played football, O'Neill said this was the first time he ever used his celebrity status to campaign for a politician and was reluctant to do so because he doesn't like it when entertainers tell you how to vote. But he said there is too much at stake in this election. "My personal belief is this over the last eight years things have not been going very well and they're not getting any better, and I just want to give someone else a shot at it," he said. "What else can we do? I mean, if I do a television show and the ratings are bad, guess what happens? I get canceled, and I know that and I accept it ... We got to let someone else do it now because these guys obviously are not doing it," O'Neill said.
He had some flattering things to say about Republican presidential candidate John McCain. "I like John McCain. I respect John McCain. I always have. I'm not particularly crazy about the woman he chose as his running mate, not because she's a woman, but I don't know what she's talking about." But O'Neill said Obama is the better candidate. "I think Barack Obama is a strong, intelligent, charismatic, passionate guy ... That's what we want, right? I don't understand when people say he's too smart. How can you be too smart? So I think he's convinced me he's the best guy for the job right now."
O'Neill said the Republican Party doesn't care about the Al Bundys of the world, despite their claims otherwise, pointing to McCain's references to "Joe the Plumber" during Wednesday's debate as an example. "For Republicans to give the idea they're looking out for plumbers, I don't think so. I know they look out for oil companies ... For me, they lost credibility," he said. O'Neill, 62, said this was his first visit to the Youngstown area in 10 years. He lives in southern California and has two young daughters.
October 16th Ed O Neill to attend event
LISBON The Columbiana County Democratic Party announced that actor Ed O Neill will be at the Democratic Party Headquarters at 3 p.m. Friday. for a meet and greet. O Neill is probably best known for his television portrayal of Al Bundy, the middle-aged show salesman whose life didn t turn out as he might have hoped, in the hit series Married With Children.
O Neill will be on hand to express his support for Sen. Barack Obama and to sign autographs, pose for pictures, and discuss the upcoming election. Refreshments will be served. O Neill is a graduate of Youngstown State University and Ursuline High School.
source: http://www.vindy.com/news/2008/oct/16/o8217neill-to-attend-event/
October 7th Actress, singer-songwriter Katey Sagal to perform in Henderson
What: Katey Sagal concert
When: 8 p.m. Oct. 17
Where: Henderson Events Plaza, 200 S. Water St.
Cost: Free
Perhaps you remember her for one of the polar-opposite mothers she played Married With Children's outrageous and irreverent Peg or 8 Simple Rules' loving and supportive Cate. Maybe it's her venture into the animated world as a one-eyed alien named Leela on Futurama, or her new series, Sons of Anarchy. But when Katey Sagal comes to Henderson on Oct. 17, it will be in her original and most cherished role that of a singer and songwriter.
Sagal will share her style of folk- and pop-infused soul music at a free concert at 8 p.m. at the Henderson Events Plaza, 200 S. Water St. As a young woman, Sagal said, she was heavily influenced by singer Joni Mitchell and began writing songs at age 15. By her early 20s, she was in a band and had a record deal.
"Nobody bought the record," Sagal said. "I had my band, my ambition and my song writing, but that didn't pay my rent, so I worked as a backup singer."
In 1977, Sagal sang backup vocals for Gene Simmons. Her success there led her to backup singing gigs for Bette Middler, Olivia Newton John and Tanya Tucker, among others. By 1985, she was performing in musicals, where talent scouts scooped her up and cast her in her first major television role, in the series "Mary," opposite Mary Tyler Moore.
"I started working in television and I always thought, 'If this doesn't work out, I'll go back to my real career,' which for me meant singing and song-writing," Sagal said.
But work out it did, and Sagal's passion for music took second stage to her acting career. She said she tried to continue her professional musical career, but the climate in Hollywood didn't really lend itself to both pursuits.
"I never stopped playing music," Sagal said. "I've always played music, and I always will play music."
Sagal has released two albums: "Well..." in 1994 and "Room" in 2004. She tours whenever she can, but between her television series and family of three children, touring is a rare treat. "I play music because I love music. If I play 20 or 30 dates a year, I'm happy," she said. Sagal has adopted elements of her acting career into her musical show by incorporating story telling that adds an additional dimension of entertainment.
"I have really great musicians with me, and I'm proud of my material. I like to tell little stories between songs, so it's very entertaining," she said. "It's a really fun evening; if you like music, you'll like it."
Nicole Johnson, a spokeswoman for the city's Cultural Arts and Tourism Department, said the show in Henderson is a "perfect opportunity for Katey to revisit her roots and introduce her as force in the music world."
"We wanted the community to see that Katey in not just a great actress but is also a versatile performer whose songs of family, relationships and life experiences are relatable to their everyday life," Johnson said. "We strive to provide the community opportunities to explore something new and different throughout the year."
October 6th FX picks Sons of Anarchy
FX plans to keep the motor running on its critically acclaimed biker drama Sons of Anarchy, picking up the series for a 13-episode second season order, today announced John Landgraf, President and General Manager of FX Networks.
Since its premiere, the ratings for Sons of Anarchy have been very strong and remarkably consistent among the network s target demo of Adults 18-49. On a weekly five-telecast cume basis, Sons is averaging 3.5 million Adults 18-49, and the fourth week of the show delivered more Adults 18-49 than its premiere week. On a weekly five-telecast cume, the series is averaging 5.4 million total viewers and has retained 97% of its total viewers since premiere. Based on week-to-week ratings, Sons of Anarchy is FX s most consistent first year drama ever and the network s most successful since Rescue Me.
It s incredibly gratifying to everyone at FX in at this time when The Shield the show that got our critically acclaimed original programming brand started is airing its final season, their loyal audience has embraced Sons of Anarchy and made it a success, said Landgraf. We re also very proud of the day-in-day-out creative excellence the Sons of Anarchy writers and actors are bringing to the table.
Sons of Anarchy stars Charlie Hunnam, Katey Sagal and Ron Perlman and was created by Kurt Sutter who also serves as Executive Producer. John Linson and Art Linson are Executive Producers.
Sons of Anarchy has been a fantastic collaboration between the producers, Fox21 and FX and we are thrilled about this second season pick-up, said Fox21 Senior Vice President Jane Francis. This enormously talented cast and crew have produced a truly distinctive and remarkable television series, and viewers have responded. We couldn t be more pleased.
Sutter said, I think the underlying themes of family and the common man s fight against oppressive corporate greed has grabbed people s attention. It s relatable, it s very timely and it s why the audience is coming back week after week. I love the action and the dark places the show goes, but ultimately it s the bigger, more poignant themes that inspire me.
Sons of Anarchy is an adrenalized drama with darkly comedic undertones about a notorious outlaw motorcycle club intent on protecting their sheltered small town against encroaching drug dealers, corporate developers and overzealous law officers. The club is equally determined to protect their ruthless and illegal thriving arms business. Charlie Hunnam stars as Jackson Jax Teller, a man whose love for the brotherhood is tested by his growing apprehension for its lawlessness. Katey Sagal stars as Gemma Teller Morrow, Jax s force-of-nature mother, who along with Ron Perlman as Clarence Clay Morrow, Jax s stepfather and MC president, have their own darker vision for the club.
October David Faustino's new show "Star-ving".
David Faustino, who played Bud Bundy on "Married with Children," admits it hasn't been easy being associated with the same character for most of his life, but he's turning that frustration into an Internet comedy. "People recognize me as Bud every day of my life. It never ceases to amaze me, but I've learned to just accept it, and I think I handle it better than others. I take it in stride, and I'm grateful that people are still recognizing me," says Faustino. "Of course it's been challenging in certain areas, but I finally embraced it.
Now I'm writing a show and just sold it to Sony Digital. I call it 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' meets the anti-'Entourage,'" he tells us of his latest project, which has his former co-star Ed O'Neill playing a recurring character. "I play a self-deprecating caricature of myself. It ended up being a really fun show, so I'm really excited about it. It will be broadcast on the web starting in December."
Faustino is also happy about "Married with Children" being on the air again as Spike TV has acquired the rights to all 259 episodes of the popular sitcom. "Spike has the demographic that is perfect for 'Married with Children,'" he notes. "I'm sure some stuff is outdated, but I think a lot of it was cutting edge at the time, so much that a lot of the humor will definitely stand up today. Besides, I think any opportunity for people who have already seen the show to see it again or for a new generation who haven't seen it yet to check it out is great."
September 29th Actress brings campaigns in Billings
As Election Day nears, presidential campaigns are promoting at full force. Actress Katey Sagal, who played Peg on the TV show Married With Children, volunteered with Senator Barack Obama's campaign in Billings. Sagal joined the campaign team, knocking on doors, making phone calls and urging people to register to vote. Sagal said she joined the campaign because she's concerned about her children's future.
While in Montana she will also travel to Miles City to speak at the annual Oktoberfest.
September 24th Ted McGinley from "Married with Children" has gotten a divorce from "Dancing with the Stars."
The actor and his professional partner, Inna Brayer, were eliminated Wednesday from ABC's dancing competition. The pair received a score of 19 out of 30 from the show's judges Tuesday following their mambo routine. McGinley was sent packing after his score the third-lowest was combined with viewer votes. "It's been a lot of fun," McGinley said after his ouster. "You know, I know there's a lot of guys sitting at home with a beer in their hand having a little chuckle at me. You know what? Thank you for that. I appreciate it. I'm one of the guys. I guess I'll always be one of the guys. Some of us aren't meant to dance, I guess."
The celebrities remaining in the competition include celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito; former National Football League star Warren Sapp; TV personalities Burke and Kim Kardashian; singers Lance Bass and Toni Braxton; Olympic gold medalists Maurice Greene and Misty May-Treanor; and actresses Cloris Leachman, Cody Linley and Susan Lucci.
August 9th Just added the Applegate section of the cast database. Took a while!
August 6th Christina's lucky streak - first her ex-boyfriend dies, now she has been diagnosed with breast cancer:
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actress Christina Applegate, famed for playing ditzy daughter Kelly Bundy on TV comedy "Married
With Children," is fighting breast cancer, but expected to make a full recovery, her spokeswoman said on Saturday.
Applegate, 36, was diagnosed with cancer during a regular MRI, spokeswoman Ame Van Iden said in an email.
"Christina is following the recommended treatment of her doctors and will have a full recovery," Van Iden said.
Applegate, whose mother battled both breast and cervical cancer, has been an advocate for breast cancer research.
Applegate's cancer diagnosis was reported earlier by the Hollywood gossip TV show Extra.
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Here's to a full, speedy recovery!
August 1st Christina Applegate has nominated for an Emmy for her work on Samantha Who?
June 16th Uploaded some behind the scenes pictures.
June 15th Updated a lot of the Group cast database and added pages about Bundymania and a Will Rogers PSA.
May 19th Check out the O'Neill side of the Cast Database.
April 12th MWC finds a new home on Spike TV:
Spike TV has acquired the rights to all 259 episodes of the hit FOX series, "Married ... With Children," which ran 11 seasons from 1987-1997. The five year deal begins September, 2008. "Al Bundy must be smiling somewhere right now knowing he will have a home on the network made for regular guys like him," said John Griffin, vice president of programming, Spike TV. "Married ... With Children" will fit in nicely with our strong lineup of such popular series for guys as "Spike's Most Amazing Videos" and "Disorderly Conduct," and "Whacked Out Sports." Spike TV is available in 96.1 million homes and is a division of MTV Networks. A unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA - News, VIA.B - News), MTV Networks is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV's Internet address is www.spike.com.
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Let's hope it airs uncut...
April 12th CSI Finds Its "Cybill" in Peg Bundy!
Two and a Half Men scribes Chuck Lorre and Lee Aronsohn have cast ex-Bundy matriarch Katey Sagal to headline their forthcoming revenge fantasy episode of CSI. Sagal will play hellacious sitcom diva Annabelle Bundt the character not-so-loosely modeled after Lorre and Aronsohn's onetime boss, Cybill Shepherd.
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Cannot wait for that! And her character's name is AWESOME!
April 11th Katey guest stars in this week's Eli Stone (ep#1.11 - "Patience").
February 14th Co-creator Ron Leavitt Dead at 60!
http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/orl-bk-leavitt021108,1,1810996.story?ctrack=1&cset=true
Ron Leavitt, a TV writer and producer who co-created the successful and lowbrow sitcom "Married With Children," has died {February 11th}. He was 60.
Leavitt died Sunday of lung cancer at his home in Los Angeles, said his fiancee, the model and actress Jessica Hahn.
Leavitt was best known for teaming up with Michael G. Moye to create "Married With Children," a sitcom about the luckless shoe salesman Al Bundy and his dysfunctional family.
"Married With Children" ran on the Fox network from 1987 to 1997 and became the network's second-longest running sitcom behind "The Simpsons." Leavitt served as the show's executive producer and helped write nearly 150 episodes.
Leavitt broke into television in the 1970s writing episodes of "Busting Loose," "Happy Days," "Laverne & Shirley" and "The Bad News Bears." In the 1980s, Leavitt had a stint as a producer of "The Jeffersons." He is survived by his two children, Matt and Samantha.
older news can be found in the news archive
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