Earlier this week the folks at FOX hosted a Girls Night Out at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (the organization behind the Emmy Awards) in North Hollywood, featuring guest panelists that included:
Jane Lynch (Glee)
Chelsea Peretti (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)
Mindy Kaling (The Mindy Project)
Liz Meriwether (Executive Producer and Creator of New Girl)
Heather Kadin (Executive Producer of Sleepy Hollow)
Yeardley Smith (The Simpsons)
Alex Borstein (Family Guy)
Moderated by Stacey Wilson from The Hollywood Reporter the event got underway with a video introduction from Cat Deeley, the host of So You Can Think You Can Dance, who was supposed to be part of the panel, but was unable to attend. The ladies were then introduced to the stage to rousing applause by the packed theatre with each panelist getting her chance in the spotlight.
Some of the highlights from the night included:
Jane Lynch
* Jane sharing that it is “shocking that (Glee) is coming to an end, but (we are going to make the end) uplifting”;
* When asked if there is something that Sue has not done yet that she would like to have her do, Jane responded that she will “let (the writers) present what Sue (does next) in their (own) warped imaginations”;
* Chelsea and co-star Andy Samberg actually went to grade school together in Oakland and crossing paths occasionally throughout their early days on the New York stand-up comic circuit;
Chelsea Peretti
* When asked how she balances acting with stand-up, Chelsea shared that “they (actually) complement each other”;
* Mindy, unlike many pundits, is actually proud of season 1 of The Mindy Project, in fact, she shared that “I stand behind that first season”;
* When asked what is her favorite part of the filming/writing experience on her show, Mindy shared that “I get to make out with a lot of good looking guys” so that’s a pretty great experience;
Mindy Kaling, Liz Meriwether and Heather Kadin
* Heather talked about her unusual Hollywood story, sharing that she knew no one in Hollywood when she arrived in the city, but she sent out letters to every production company she could and ended up working for Lynda Obst (the executive producer on the films Sleepless in Seattle and Contact) and then she segwayed into TV at ABC;
* In her down time, which is limited because of her work schedule on Sleepy Hollow and her busy home life with her two children, Heather enjoys watching “three episodes of Orange Is the New Black and drink a glass of wine”;
* Yeardley joked that her goal as a performer “was to rule the world” but that didn’t necessarily work out – or maybe it did because she got teased about her voice and now her voice is known the world over;
* She also shared that the folks behind The Simpsons were told in the beginning that their “cartoon” would not work because no animated series had succeeded since The Flintstones;
Yeardley Smith and Alex Borstein
* Alex shared that Seth McFarlane is “one of the most frustrating people to work with”, but he has “finely tuned eyes and ears” when it comes to dialogue and illustration; and,
* Alex has been with FOX for 17 years, dating back to 1998 when she was brought in to participate in a pilot presentation.
To say the least with that many funny ladies on the stage, the panel was filled with a lot of laughs and ended far too soon; but the audience certainly was treated to a great, entertaining night.
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