Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Pep Rally

(Photo by Rodney Rogers)

In one week, the Emmy award-winning ABC reality show “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” will makeover a home in Gainesville. In preparation for this event, several hundred Gainesville residents attended a pep rally Wednesday morning at Grace at Fort Clarke United Methodist Church. Conrad Ricketts, executive producer of the show, came to speak to the good-sized crowd and inspire them for the help they will be giving to the family and to the community.

“The reason we’re here today is to bring you all together to volunteer and change a family’s life,” he said. Other subcontractors and members of the early-arrival team for the project were introduced and recognized at the rally, including people who will be volunteering their time, energy and resources to work around the clock 24/7 to get the house first demolished, then rebuilt – in seven days.

Ricketts said a typical house is built in four months, but they are going to build one 106 hours. “We have a dream, Gainesville, and you’re going to make that dream happen,” he said.
Mayor Pegeen Hanrahan also spoke at the rally, saying she was a fan of the show and that Gainesville was blessed to get this great opportunity to help a family in need, help the community, and put out a positive message that the city would not have had the resources to do otherwise.

Ricketts said the show is broadcast in 69 countries and translated in 58 languages. Thus, “one billion people will see your town, your community,” he said, referring to Gainesville. Gainesville-based Ark Remodeling & Construction was chosen to be the official construction firm for the local house being rebuilt, which Ricketts said will be the show’s 178th build.

Ricky Strickland, president of Ark Remodeling & Construction, said, “We have not yet met the family, and already so much love is pouring in.” Residents were encouraged to come out and be spectators to cheer on the volunteers next week. “Having people out there cheering us on is much better than any Red Bull or coffee,” said Ricky’s daughter April Strickland, CFO/Manager of Ark Remodeling & Construction.

In addition, both a canned food drive and a LifeSouth blood drive will be taking place during the week of the house rebuilding. For more information or to find out how you can help, visit http://www.arkextremebuild.com.

(Photo by Sarah Hsu)

--Sarah Hsu; Photos by Rodney Rogers and Sarah Hsu

An Interview with "Southland"'s Patrick Fischler

Patrick Fischler has played everything from Dharma employee Phil on Lost to a comedian named Jimmy on Mad Men, but these days he’s starring as “new father” to his infant daughter. His latest role is detective Kenny No-Gun on NBC’s police drama Southland, a show following the compelling work and personal lives of a group of cops in gritty Los Angeles. Southland’s second season debuts on Friday, October 23.

Patrick took a few minutes out of his busy schedule to give us his take on child stars, Kenny No-Gun and what it was like to work on the set of Lost.

By Nicole Linton

So how are you? What have you been up to lately?
Well, life is pretty quiet right now. I have a 5-week-old baby so it’s not that quiet, but I just finished up with Southland. I’ve been working a year and a half straight. I told my management I needed some time off.

Your daughter is only 5 weeks old right now, but what happens when she turns 5 and tells you she wants to be an actress?
My wife and I have talked about this, and when she’s 18 she can do whatever she wants. She can take classes then. But my wife and I both got into acting after college so we’ve been around it. I’ll absolutely support her, but I’m not going to push her to be a child star or anything like that.

What was it like working on Lost?
I was totally psyched to be on the show. My wife and I love Lost. We love it. And the cast was so welcoming, especially for a cast that has been together for so long. Sawyer and Kate were totally welcoming. I felt so lucky.

Who is your favorite person to work with? Whom are you dying to work with?
Oh man. We could talk about this all day, but there are just so many people I’d like to work with. I actually have a list of TV shows that I’m trying to get through. Lost and Mad Men were on there. As far as actors go, Jack Holloway was just amazingly kind. I worked on Something’s Gotta Give and Diane Keaton was a pleasure to work with.
It sounds like a cliché answer, but I’d really like to work with Meryl Streep.

Southland just finished up its first season. Can you tell people who didn’t get a chance to catch it a little bit more about the show and your character?
Sure. Well, it’s a detective show, but not really the typical cop-type show. I’m actually not a huge fan of cop shows. I’ve done guest spots on a lot of them. But my wife and I like shows that have on-going stories and aren’t wrapped up in one episode. That’s what is so great about Southland; there are great cases but the character’s lives continue.
I play Kenny No-Gun. He’s sort of coming out of a hard time in his life. People are taking him for granted a lot. He’s very… professional and people make fun of him for being uptight. But I think things are going to come around for him soon.
It’s really a great show, so I hope people will give it a chance. It is shot amazingly, too—kind of similar to Friday Night Lights, if you’ve ever seen that, with a shaky look.

You’ve played a lot of supporting roles. Do you enjoy playing the smaller roles, or are you hoping that Kenny No-Gun might have a bigger role next season?
I mean, I’d be lying if I said no [laughs]. I guess we’ll just have to see. The creator of the show is great. And she loves me. She started watching Mad Men after I was cast for Southland, and was like ‘you’re really good and different.’
I love the show though. If I didn’t love the show then I wouldn’t be sticking around.
That’s the fun part about being a guest on shows. You can do a lot more. I might not have had the opportunity to do Lost if I had a bigger role. And I don’t mind working two days a week. You just kind of take the good with the bad. It’s fun to be a free agent though.

Well, thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me. I hope it’s nicer in L.A, than it is here. It’s pouring right now!
Oh man, it’s a perfect 74 degrees here. As soon as we hang up, I’m taking my daughter and the dogs out for a walk.