General

Road trip! Or “How I got to experience the world premiere of ‘Cars’ “

JHM columnist Michael Howe explains how he got roped into driving from Chicago to Charlotte, NC. Just so JimHillMedia would then have a reporter & photographer on hand to cover the world premiere of Pixar’s newest animated feature

Published

18 years ago

May 28, 2006

Jim Hill

It all started with an email. Being the crazed Pixar/animation fanatic that I am, I sent JHM’s editor a note earlier last week, asking if I might do a review of Michael Wallis’ new book, “The Art of Cars.”

Mr. Hill quickly got back to me, explaining that Roger Colton had already called dibs on Pixar‘s latest art-of book. But Jim did have another “Cars” related assignment, if I was interested. And that was to cover the world premiere of Pixar’s newest animated feature at the Lowe’s Motor Speedway in North Carolina.

Photo by Marie Yuen

Being as big an animation fan as I am, this was a dream assignment. The only problem was that Mr. Hill literally dropped this story in my lap Wednesday morning. Which meant that — if I was going to make it to Charlotte in time for Friday’s premiere — I really had to get my act in gear.

The first question was: How to get there? At this late date, flying into North Carolina was going to be expensive. And traveling by train and/or bus over the busy Memorial Day weekend wasn’t going to be a treat either.

So my only option was (Appropriately enough, given that I was going to be attending the world premiere of “Cars”) was a road trip. A 13-15 hour trip from Chicago, IL (which is where the legendary Route 66 begins!), to Charlotte, NC.

Luckily, JHM had been awarded two press credentials for the event at the Lowe’s Motor Speedway. So I was able to persuade my friend, Marie Yuen, to come along and serve as photographer on this assignment.

Marie & I hit the road Thursday night. And we were soon off on a cross-country trip through the southeast. Winding through Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, and North & South Carolina.

All in all, the trip down to the premiere went smoothly. What I hadn’t counted on was the huge influx of travelers in Charlotte. I had no idea that Speed Week was taking place in that city. Thanks goodness that JHM had already set up a hotel room for us in Charlotte. For — what with all those race fans in town — I don’t think we would have been able to find a place to stay otherwise.

Later that afternoon, Marie & I made our way over to the Ballantyne Resort & Spa (I.E. The North Carolina resort that was serving at the headquarters for the “Cars” junket). Where we picked up our press credentials and then boarded the bus with the rest of the press who would be covering the red carpet.

As we motored over to Lowe’s Motor Speedway, everything seemed to be going great. The sun was out and …

Please note that I used the word “was” in my last sentence. For just 10 minutes after we’d gotten on the road to the Speedway, the skies started to darken. And as we turned off the highway, the droplets started to fall. And by the time we entered the race track’s parking lot, the rain was pouring down.

Photo by Marie Yuen

So — obviously — we stayed on the bus for a while. All around us, people scrambled for cover. Through the rain-streaked window, I noticed several track workers frantically trying to throw tarps over the full-size custom cars of Lighting McQueen, Sally, and Mater.

After an hour, the rain had let up enough that we could continue our trip to the main entrance of the Lowe’s Motor Speedway. As Marie & I exited the bus, I noticed that the supports & the metal railings at the Speedway were festooned with gigantic “Cars” banners. The enormous red carpet for the premiere (over 500 feet in length) had been quickly covered up just prior to the downpour. And along the red carpet were several NASCAR vehicles. One was sponsored by Valvoline, while the other had been sponsored by DLP (I.E. The firm that were responsible for the digital projectors that would be used at this event).

Once we got into position along the red carpet, a deep roar emitted came from the carpet’s entrance area. I turned and saw the Fabulous Hudson Hornet. Doc Hudson himself was moving up the red carpet! Nearby, the full-size replicas of Mater, Lightning McQueen and Sally had been moved into position. Now free of their tarps, these “Cars” stars were finally ready for their time in the spotlight.

Photo by Marie Yuen

Mind you, it would have been nice to say that — after that late afternoon downpour — that the weather at the Lowe’s Motor Speedway had improved. But — truth be told — it rained on and off for the next few hours. Which made for a somewhat soggy experience. But still, the folks running the “Cars” event were pros. They quickly distributed ponchos to the press. So that no one then had to abandon their spot along the red carpet.

Once the clouds over the Speedway had lightened up a bit, that’s when the parade of celebrities began. Cries of ‘Git-R-Done!’ filled the air as Larry the Cable Guy strode on down the carpet, greeting the press as well as waving to his fans. Paul Dooley (who voices the character of Sarge in “Cars”) was accompanied by his lovely wife, Winnie Holzman.

There were plenty of familiar faces from Pixar’s previous films on hand. From John Ratzenberger (Pixar’s good-luck charm), to Dave Foley (Who makes a cameo appearance in “Cars” ‘s credit sequence), and even the lovely Bonnie Hunt (The voice of Rosie in “A Bug’s Life” as well as Flint from “Monsters, Inc.”).

Photo by Marie Yuen

New inductees into the world of Pixar were Owen Wilson (Clad in a casual ballcap and light shirt), racing legend Richard Petty (AKA “The King), and Mike Wallis (I.E. The Route 66 expert who served as Pixar’s consultant on “Cars”).

Various bigwigs also attended this past Friday’s premiere. These included Disney CEO Bob Iger, Studio chairman Dick Cook as well as Norm Mineta, the U.S. Secretary of Transportation.

Photo by Marie Yuen

Once the parade of celebrities was over, Marie and I joined the throng that was filing into the stadium. And even though the crowd was only taking up about a quarter of the stands, it was still pretty impressive to see. 30,000 animation fans huddled together at Turn 2, eager to get their first glimpse of “Cars.”

Mind you, as we were taking our seats, last-minute preparations for that night’s event were still underway. Down in the middle of the track, 4 giant screens were being prepped for the “Cars” premiere. With dimensions measuring 130′ x 75,’ the material from all four of these giant screens could have easily made 38 standard-size movie screens. Between the giant movie screens were several smaller digital screens which would periodically show video content.

Photo by Marie Yuen

At the very center of the field, a stage had been set up. Which would figure heavily into last Friday night’s festivities. First up, there was a special precision military drill that went off wonderfully. Then it was time for the “Cars World Premiere Shootout,” a 15-lap race around the track. Which gave those who didn’t know all that much about NASCAR (myself included) a feeling of what a real race must be like.

After that, Larry the Cable Guy — our M.C. for the evening — bounded on stage to great applause. Larry then stated that the “Cars” premiere had helped to raise over $1,000,000 for Speedway Children’s Charities as well as the Association of Hole in the Wall Camps (Which was founded back in the late 1980s by Paul Newman).

Paul Newman, John Lasseter, Bob Iger and Dick Cook were on hand for the presentation of the over-sized checks to both of these children’s charities.

Photo by Marie Yuen

Leading up into the “Home stretch,” Larry then introduced the various celebrities that were seated in the bleachers among the spectators. After that, the audience was treated to performances by country superstar Brad Paisley & rock-and-roll legend Chuck Berry.

Then it was finally time to see “Cars.” Though a few minor technical problems marred this Pixar picture’s premiere, over all this John Lasseter film held together. I’ll be doing a full-blown review of this movie for JHM later this week. But — for now — I will say that I caught myself laughing out loud at some of the more unexpected moments in this motion picture.

As “Cars” ‘s end credits began to roll, the grand finale began. Fireworks shot into the cloudy night sky over the Lowe’s Motor Speedway. As the pyrotechnics continued, Rascal Flatt’s version of “Life is a Highway” (I.E. A track that can be found on the “Cars” soundtrack) came blasting out of the race track’s sound system.

Photo by Marie Yuen

Once the last firework popped, it was finally time to go. As the crowd filtered out of the stadium, the crew at Lowe’s Motor Speedway was already hard at work. Pulling all of those “Cars” banners down as they got the track ready for its next day of racing.

Overall, I’d have to say that Disney did a pretty decent job of keeping this press event on track. Though the weather obviously had a dampening effect on the event and some minor technical problems marred the earlier part of the premiere, all in all I’d say that “Cars” ‘s world premiere was a success.

I mean, it’s not every day that Charlotte, N.C. gets to host a hoity-toity Hollywood premiere. And — given how well things went — I think that they should be proud of the role that they played in making “Cars”‘s world premiere a success.

Photo by Marie Yuen

EDITOR’S NOTE: What Michael says at the very start of today’s story is true. I really did recruit him to cover the “Cars” premiere this past Wednesday. Which is why I will forever be grateful to Mr. Howe for just dropping everything and heading on down to Charlotte to tackle this assignment. So that JHM could then have such spectacular coverage of the premiere of this new Pixar film

Photo by Michael Howe

I also own a debt of gratitude to Marie Yuen, who garciously agreed to accompany Mr. Lowe on this last-minute assignment. It’s Marie who actually took all of the great photographs that accompany both of today’s “Cars” -related articles.

General

Seward Johnson bronzes add a surreal, artistic touch to NYC’s Garment District

Published

9 years ago

June 23, 2015

Jim Hill

Greetings from NYC. Nancy and I drove down from New
Hampshire yesterday because we'll be checking out
Disney Consumer Products' annual Holiday Showcase later today.

Anyway … After checking into our hotel (i.e., The Paul.
Which is located down in NYC's NoMad district), we decided to grab some dinner.
Which is how we wound up at the Melt Shop.

Photo by Jim Hill

Which is this restaurant that only sells grilled cheese sandwiches.
This comfort food was delicious, but kind of on the heavy side.

Photo by Jim Hill

Which is why — given that it was a beautiful summer night
— we'd then try and walk off our meals. We started our stroll down by the Empire
State Building
…

Photo by Jim Hill

… and eventually wound up just below Times
Square (right behind where the Waterford Crystal Times Square New
Year's Eve Ball is kept).

Photo by Jim Hill

But you know what we discovered en route? Right in the heart
of Manhattan's Garment District
along Broadway between 36th and 41st? This incredibly cool series of life-like
and life-sized sculptures that Seward
Johnson has created.

Photo by Jim Hill

And — yes — that is Abraham Lincoln (who seems to have
slipped out of WDW's Hall of Presidents when no one was looking and is now
leading tourists around Times Square). These 18 painted
bronze pieces (which were just installed late this past Sunday night / early
Monday morning) range from the surreal to the all-too-real.

Photo by Jim Hill

Some of these pieces look like typical New Yorkers. Like the
business woman planning out her day …

Photo by Jim Hill

… the postman delivering the mail …

Photo by Jim Hill

… the hot dog vendor working at his cart …

Photo by Jim Hill

… the street musician playing for tourists …

Photo by Jim Hill

Not to mention the tourists themselves.

Photo by Jim Hill

But right alongside the bronze businessmen …

Photo by Jim Hill

… and the tired grandmother hauling her groceries home …

Photo by Jim Hill

… there were also statues representing people who were
from out-of-town …

Photo by Jim Hill

… or — for that matter — out-of-time.

Photo by Jim Hill

These were the Seward Johnson pieces that genuinely beguiled. Famous impressionist paintings brought to life in three dimensions.

Note the out-of-period water bottle that some tourist left
behind. Photo by Jim Hill

Some of them so lifelike that you actually had to pause for
a moment (especially as day gave way to night in the city) and say to yourself
"Is that one of the bronzes? Or just someone pretending to be one of these
bronzes?"

Mind you, for those of you who aren't big fans of the
impressionists …

Photo by Jim Hill

… there's also an array of American icons. Among them
Marilyn Monroe …

Photo by Jim Hill

… and that farmer couple from Grant Wood's "American
Gothic."

Photo by Jim Hill

But for those of you who know your NYC history, it's hard to
beat that piece which recreates Alfred Eisenstaedt's famous photograph of V-J Day in Times Square.

Photo by Jim Hill

By the way, a 25-foot-tall version of this particular Seward
Johnson piece ( which — FYI — is entitled "Embracing Peace") will actually
be placed in Times Square for a few days on or around August 14th to commemorate the 70th
anniversary of Victory Over Japan Day (V-J Day).

Photo by Jim Hill

By the way, if you'd like to check these Seward Johnson bronzes in
person (which — it should be noted — are part of the part of the Garment
District Alliance's new public art offering) — you'd best schedule a trip to
the City sometime over the next three months. For these pieces will only be on
display now through September 15th.

General

Wondering what you should “Boldly Go” see at the movies next year? The 2015 Licensing Expo offers you some clues

Published

9 years ago

June 10, 2015

Jim Hill

Greeting from the 2015 Licensing Expo, which is being held
at the Mandalay Bay
Convention Center in Las
Vegas.

Photo by Jim Hill

I have to admit that I enjoy covering the Licensing Expo.
Mostly becomes it allows bloggers & entertainment writers like myself to
get a peek over the horizon. Scope out some of the major motion pictures &
TV shows that today's vertically integrated entertainment conglomerates
(Remember when these companies used to be called movie studios?) will be
sending our way over the next two years or so.

Photo by Jim Hill

Take — for example — all of "The Secret Life of
Pets" banners that greeted Expo attendees as they made their way to the
show floor today. I actually got to see some footage from this new Illumination
Entertainment production (which will hit theaters on July 8, 2016) the last time I was in Vegas. Which
was for CinemaCon back in April. And the five or so minutes of film that I viewed
suggested that "The Secret Life of Pets" will be a really funny
animated feature.

Photo by Jim Hill

Mind you, Universal Pictures wanted to make sure that Expo
attendees remembered that there was another Illumination Entertainment production
coming-to-a-theater-near-them before "The Secret Life of Pets" (And
that's "Minions," the "Despicable Me" prequel. Which
premieres at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival next week but
won't be screened stateside 'til July 10th of this year). Which is why they had
three minions who were made entirely out of LEGOS loitering out in the lobby.

Photo by Jim Hill

And Warner Bros. — because they wanted "Batman v
Superman: Dawn of Justice" to start trending on Twitter today — brought
the Batmobile to Las Vegas.

Photo by Jim Hill

Not to mention full-sized macquettes of Batman, Superman and
Wonder Woman. Just so conventioneers could then see what these DC superheroes
would actually look like in this eagerly anticipated, March 25, 2016 release.

Photo by Jim Hill

That's the thing that can sometimes be a wee bit frustrating
about the Licensing Expo. It's all about delayed gratification. You'll come
around a corner and see this 100 foot-long ad for "The Peanuts Movie"
and think "Hey, that looks great. I want to see that Blue Sky Studios production
right now." It's only then that you notice the fine print and realize that
"The Peanuts Movie" doesn't actually open in theaters 'til November
6th of this year.

Photo by Jim Hill

And fan of Blue Sky's "Ice Age" film franchise are in for an even
longer wait. Given that the latest installment in that top grossing series
doesn't arrive in theaters 'til July
15, 2016.

Photo by Jim Hill

Of course, if you're one of those people who needs immediate
gratification when it comes to your entertainment, there was stuff like that to
be found at this year's Licensing Expo. Take — for example — how the WWE
booth was actually shaped like a wrestling ring. Which — I'm guessing — meant
that if the executives of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. didn't like
the offer that you were making, they were then allowed to toss you out over the
top rope, Royal Rumble-style.

Photo by Jim Hill

I also have to admit that — as a longtime Star Trek fan —
it was cool to see the enormous Starship Enterprise that hung in place over the
CBS booth. Not to mention getting a glimpse of the official Star Trek 50th
Anniversary logo.

Photo by Jim Hill

I was also pleased to see lots of activity in The Jim Henson
Company booth. Which suggests that JHC has actually finally carved out a
post-Muppets identity for itself.

Photo by Jim Hill

Likewise for all of us who were getting a little concerned
about DreamWorks Animation (what with all the layoffs & write-downs &
projects that were put into turnaround or outright cancelled last year), it was
nice to see that booth bustling.

Photo by Jim Hill

Every so often, you'd come across some people who were
promoting a movie that you weren't entirely sure that you actually wanted to
see (EX: "Angry Birds," which Sony Pictures Entertainment / Columbia
Pictures will be releasing to theaters on May 20, 2016). But then you remembered that Clay Kaytis —
who's this hugely talented former Walt Disney Animation Studios animator — is
riding herd on "Angry Birds" with Fergal Reilly. And you'd think
"Well, if Clay's working on 'Angry Birds,' I'm sure this animated feature
will turn out fine."

Photo by Jim Hill

Mind you, there were reminders at this year's Licensing Expo
of great animated features that we're never going to get to see now. I still
can't believe — especially after that brilliant proof-of-concept footage
popped up online last year — that Sony execs decided not to go forward
with production of Genndy Tartakovsky's
"Popeye" movie. But that's the
cruel thing about the entertainment business, folks. It will sometime break
your heart.

Photo by Jim Hill

And make no mistake about this. The Licensing Expo is all
about business. That point was clearly driven home at this year's show when —
as you walked through the doors of the Mandalay
Bay Convention Center
— the first thing that you saw was the Hasbros Booth. Which was this gleaming,
sleek two story-tall affair full of people who were negotiating deals &
signing contracts for all of the would-be summer blockbusters that have already
announced release dates for 2019 & beyond.

Photo by Jim Hill

"But what about The Walt Disney Company?," you
ask. "Weren't they represented on the show floor at this year's Licensing
Expo?" Not really, not. I mean, sure. There were a few companies there hyping
Disney-related products. Take — for example — the Disney Wikkeez people.

Photo by Jim Hill

I'm assuming that some Disney Consumer Products exec is
hoping that Wikkeez will eventually become the new Tsum Tsum. But to be blunt,
these little hard plastic figures don't seem to have the same huggable charm
that those stackable plush do. But I've been wrong before. So let's see what
happens with Disney Wikkeez once they start showing up on the shelves of the
Company's North American retail partners.

Photo by Jim Hill

And speaking of Disney's retail partners … They were
meeting with Mouse House executives behind closed doors one floor down from the
official show floor for this year's Licensing Expo.

Photo by Jim Hill

And the theme for this year's invitation-only Disney shindig? "Timeless
Stories" involving the Disney, Pixar, Marvel & Lucasfilm brands that
would then appeal to "tomorrow's consumer."

Photo by Jim Hill

And just to sort of hammer home the idea that Disney is no
longer the Company which cornered the market when it comes to little girls
(i.e., its Disney Princess and Disney Fairies franchises), check out this
wall-sized Star Wars-related image that DCP put up just outside of one of its
many private meeting rooms. "See?," this carefully crafted photo
screams. "It isn't just little boys who want to wield the Force. Little
girls also want to grow up and be Lords of the Sith."

Photo by Jim Hill

One final, kind-of-ironic note: According to this banner,
Paramount Pictures will be releasing a movie called "Amusement Park"
to theaters sometime in 2017.

Photo by Jim Hill

Well, given all the "Blackfish" -related issues
that have been dogged SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment over the past two years, I'm
just hoping that they'll still be in the amusement park business come 2017.

Your thoughts?

General

It takes more than three circles to craft a Classic version of Mickey Mouse

Published

9 years ago

June 9, 2015

Jim Hill

You know what Mickey Mouse looks like, right? Little guy,
big ears?

Truth be told, Disney's corporate symbol has a lot of
different looks. If Mickey's interacting with Guests at Disneyland
Park (especially this summer, when
the Happiest Place on Earth
is celebrating its 60th anniversary), he looks & dresses like this.

Or when he's appearing in one of those Emmy Award-winning shorts that Disney
Television Animation has produced (EX: "Bronco Busted," which debuts
on the Disney Channel tonight at 8 p.m. ET / PT), Mickey is drawn in a such a
way that he looks hip, cool, edgy & retro all at the same time.

Looking ahead to 2017 now, when Disney Junior rolls out "Mickey and the
Roadster Racers," this brand-new animated series will feature a sportier version
of Disney's corporate symbol. One that Mouse House managers hope will persuade
preschool boys to more fully embrace this now 86 year-old character.

That's what most people don't realize about the Mouse. The
Walt Disney Company deliberately tailors Mickey's look, even his style of
movement, depending on what sort of project / production he's appearing in.

Take — for example — Disney
California Adventure
Park's "World of Color:
Celebrate!" Because Disney's main mouse would be co-hosting this new
nighttime lagoon show with ace emcee Neil Patrick Harris, Eric Goldberg really had
to step up Mickey's game. Which is why this master Disney animator created
several minutes of all-new Mouse animation which then showed that Mickey was
just as skilled a showman as Neil was.

Better yet, let's take a look at what the folks at Avalanche Studios just went
through as they attempted to create a Classic version of Mickey & Minnie.
One that would then allow this popular pair to become part of Disney Infinity
3.0.

"I won't lie to you. We were under a lot of pressure to
get the look of this particular version of Mickey — he's called Red Pants
Mickey around here — just right," said Jeff Bunker, the VP of Art
Development at Avalanche Studios, during a recent phone interview. "When
we brought Sorcerer Mickey into Disney Infinity 1.0 back in January of 2014,
that one was relatively easy because … Well, everyone knows what Mickey Mouse
looked like when he appeared in 'Fantasia.' "

"But this time around, we were being asked to design
THE Mickey & Minnie," Bunker continued. "And given that these Classic
Disney characters have been around in various different forms for the better
part of the last century … Well, which look was the right look?"

Which is why Jeff and his team at Avalanche Studios began watching hours &
hours of Mickey Mouse shorts. As they tried to get a handle on which look would
work best for these characters in Disney Infinity 3.0.

"And we went all the way back to the very start of Mickey's career. We began
with 'Steamboat Willie' and then watched all of those black & white Mickey shorts
that Walt made back in the late 1920s & early 1930s. From there, we
transitioned to his Technicolor shorts. Which is when Mickey went from being
this pie-eyed, really feisty character to more of a well-behaved leading
man," Bunker recalled. "We then finished out our Mouse marathon by
watching all of those new Mickey shorts that Paul Rudish & his team have
been creating for Disney Television Animation. Those cartoons really recapture
a lot of the spirit and wild slapstick fun that Mickey's early, black &
white shorts had."

But given that the specific assignment that Avalanche Studios had been handed
was to create the most appealing looking, likeable version of Mickey Mouse
possible … In the end, Jeff and his team wound up borrowing bits & pieces
from a lot of different versions of the world's most famous mouse. So that
Classic Mickey would then look & move in a way that best fit the sort of
gameplay which people would soon be able to experience with Disney Infinity
3.0.

"That — in a lot of ways — was actually the toughest
part of the Classic Mickey design project. You have to remember that one of the
key creative conceits of Disney Infinity
is that all the characters which appear in this game are toys," Bunker
stated. "Okay. So they're beautifully detailed, highly stylized toy
versions of beloved Disney, Pixar, Marvel & Lucasfilm characters. But
they're still supposed to be toys. So our Classic versions of Mickey &
Minnie have the same sort of thickness & sturdiness to them that toys have.
So that they'll then be able to fit right in with all of the rest of the
characters that Avalanche Studios had previously designed for Disney Infinity."

And then there was the matter of coming up with just the
right pose for Classic Mickey & Minnie. Which — to hear Jeff tell the
story — involved input from a lot of Disney upper management.

"Everyone within the Company seemed to have an opinion
about how Mickey & Minnie should be posed. More to the point, if you Google
Mickey, you then discover that there are literally thousands of poses out there
for these two. Though — truth be told — a lot of those kind of play off the
way Mickey poses when he's being Disney's corporate symbol," Bunker said.
"But what I was most concerned about was that Mickey's pose had to work
with Minnie's pose. Because we were bringing the Classic versions of these
characters up into Disney Infinity 3.0 at the exact same time. And we wanted to
make sure — especially for those fans who like to put their Disney Infinity
figures on display — that Mickey's pose would then complement Minnie.

Which is why Jeff & the crew at Avalanche Studios
decided — when it came to Classic Mickey & Minnie's pose — that they
should go all the way back to the beginning. Which is why these two Disney icons
are sculpted in such a way that it almost seems as though you're witnessing the
very first time Mickey set eyes on Minnie.

"And what was really great about that was — as soon as
we began showing people within the Company this pose — everyone at Disney
quickly got on board with the idea. I mean, the Classic Mickey that we sculpted
for Disney Infinity 3.0 is clearly a very playful, spunky character. But at the
same time, he's obviously got eyes for Minnie," Bunker concluded. "So
in the end, we were able to come up with Classic versions of these characters
that will work well within the creative confines of Disney Infinity 3.0 but at
the same time please those Disney fans who just collect these figures because
they like the way the Disney Infinity characters look."

So now that this particular design project is over, does
Jeff regret that Mouse House upper management was so hands-on when it came to
making sure that the Classic versions of Mickey & Minnie were specifically
tailored to fit the look & style of gameplay found in Disney Infinity 3.0?

"To be blunt, we go through this every time we add a new character to the
game. The folks at Lucasfilm were just as hands-on when we were designing the
versions of Darth Vader and Yoda that will also soon be appearing in Disney
Infinity 3.0," Bunker laughed. "So in the end, if the character's
creators AND the fans are happy, then I'm happy."

This article was originally posted on the Huffington Post's Entertainment page on Tuesday, June 9, 2015