EVERWOOD – THE DIFF BETWEEN A GREAT SHOW AND A “WORLD OF POTENTIAL” I became aware of the WB’s Everwood because so many of my twenty-something students really like it. I have heard that it is a great show that is also on the right side most often of what a healthy and holy human life should look like. I made sure to watch the show last night because I had caught some of the promos indicating that Everwood was... Read more

I’M IMPRESSED The highlight of my week in Washington was not the lunch at the White House, or the meetings with various politicos, or even becoming one of the elite group of people who can claim to have been featured on “Theology on Tap.” Although, all of those things were great. My personal highlight ended up being an impromptu meeting that we wouldn’t have even dreamed of trying to get on our original schedule. Through some combination of divine and... Read more

“INFLUENCE MEETS POWER” So, our little delegation of Hollywood Christians has just returned from a week in Washington, DC – and what a week it was. I have no doubt that it will go down as a benchmark moment for each of us, and for Act One, the program which connects us all. We met many higher-ups in the DC universe, and spoke to group after group about why we started Act One, what real cultural renewal might look like,... Read more

CATHOLICS, RCIA, AND HOLLYWOOD My friend sent me this article which she lifted off the Catholic News Service wire. I couldn’t find it on line, so I am printing the whole thing here. So much for keeping our little “the Entertainment industry IS my parish” RCIA program under the radar…. HOLLYWOOD May-2-2003 Family Theater aims to see Gospel message more accepted in Hollywood By Andrew Walther Catholic News Service HOLLYWOOD (CNS) — Once a month, across the street from one... Read more

DAVID SCHALL, RIP Last night, my friend and co-worker, David Schall, died unexpectedly. David was the principle visionary behind some of the most effective ministries for Christians working in the entertainment industry. Here follows a message written by our Board Chairman, Mac Heald, about David’s passing. Last night, we lost one of our best and, particularly difficult for us, one of our own. David Schall, the director of Inter-Mission, suffered what we are told was a massive heart attack and... Read more

“HOW TO PROTEST RIGHT WHEN HOLLYWOOD GETS IT WRONG” Today, Catholic Exchange is featuring an article I wrote for Liguorian. It is basically my response to the feeling of helplessness that I encounter in many good people as regards having any real impact in the popular culture. Check it out here. Read more

INSIDE TELEVISION: INTERVIEW WITH DEAN BATALI Here I am writing from the Great Smoky Mountains….which basically means the clammy, cold and incredibly foggy mountains. The people are lovely, though. And they tell me when the fog ever lifts, the mountains are real nice…. There is a great interview at The Voice Behind with Act One faculty member and television scribe, Dean Batali (Buffy, That 70’s Show). It could probably only be rendered greater, if Dean had mentioned Act One… (He... Read more

PAUSE FOR STATION IDENTIFICATION… I will be spending most of the month of April wandering up and down the face of the earth preaching to the Church the gospel of cultural engagement, and looking for people to send money to Act One. I can’t imagine getting to see many movies or having much time to blog from my various hotel rooms. So, chances are things will be light until May. In the meantime, pray for peace. And the conversion of... Read more

HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL…. It’s Major League Baseball’s (and, oh, the National League too…) Opening Day. Major League News leads with the story: A reason for optimism in Boston: Red Sox have what it takes to challenge Yankees With the exception of the view from those Green Monster-top seats — Dramamine and soft drinks served at your bar stool — things are looking up in Boston. As far as we know, Babe Ruth’s piano still resides at the bottom of that... Read more

REVIEW: HOLES I saw the new Disney film Holes last night. The film is directed by Andrew Davis (The Fugitive) and written by Louis Sachar based on his book. I’m kind of out of the loop of kids literature these days, but I understand from the production notes, that Holes was a huge hit in book form. Clearly the pre-teens with whom the studio packed the press screening, were very excited. Every time a new character was introduced, they got... Read more