Local Star Turns Her Life Into TV Series
Spokane’s Julia Sweeney (“Saturday Night Live,” “It’s Pat!”) will film a pilot for her own sitcom, “Jules,” next month.
The series is earmarked for Fox, although it is too early to tell whether it will be picked up permanently.
Sweeney plays a newly divorced film critic in Seattle. Her daredevil brother is injured in a hang-gliding accident. She moves in to take care of him; her parents also move in to take care of him, and they alternately support each other and drive each other crazy.
If this plot line sounds familiar, that’s because it is based loosely on Sweeney’s recent life. She and her parents, Bob and Jeri Sweeney of Spokane, spent a good part of 1994 and 1995 in L.A. caring for her brother, who was dying of cancer.
Sweeney turned this traumatic experience, as well as her own diagnosis with ovarian cancer, into a one-woman show called “God Said, ‘Ha!’ ” which has become a major hit in San Francisco and will soon move to L.A.
The sitcom idea came out of that show. Sweeney will be both the writer and the star.
Big Wallace movie?
Hollywood location scouts were up in Wallace, Idaho, last week, checking out possible sites for a bigbudget Universal Pictures movie about a volcano that inundates a small Western town.
Before we all start applying for jobs as extras and gaffers, however, keep in mind these two caveats:
Wallace has not yet been chosen as the site. At least one other town, Shasta, Calif., is in the running.
The movie itself doesn’t even have the green light. Producers are still waiting for a commitment from an unnamed major star.
Peg Crist, Idaho film commissioner, said she’s optimistic about Wallace’s chances. She says Wallace is “at the altar,” but the marriage has not yet taken place. If it all falls into place, the shooting will take place this summer.
The production company has experience filming in the region: It’s the same company that filmed “The River Wild” just over the border on Montana’s Kootenai River a few years ago.
Peter Jennings calling
ABC’s news anchor Peter Jennings proved himself to be both a good mimic and a good sport on KZZUFM recently, all for a good cause.
The Breakfast Boys were running a “Who Do You Know” contest in which they awarded a $1,000 prize to the listener who could coax the biggest celebrity to call in to the show. The contest was limping along with the likes of Casey Kasem and David Hasselhoff until suddenly … U2 singer Bono called in.
At least, it was somebody who had the correct Irish accent and a grasp of U2 trivia. But as the on-air discussion progressed, the caller suddenly lost his Irish accent, to the surprise of Breakfast Boys Dave Sposito and Ken Hopkins.
“You know, you’re really nervous,” said Jennings in his own voice. “It’s wonderful, Dave. I caught you and you lost it.”
This was good-natured retribution for Jennings, who was once burned when Sposito fooled him with his Tom Brokaw imitation.
Jennings was named the winner of the contest, which means that the station donated $1,000 to listener Amy Warren, who talked Jennings into calling. Another $1,000 was donated to a homeless shelter in Spokane, at Jennings’ request.
Country cares
Speaking of good causes, KDRK-FM (Cat Country) recently raised a whopping $64,695 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to help children battling cancer, AIDS and other life-threatening diseases.
The money came in during a two-day radiothon.
Davenport celebrities
Do you have any anecdotes or reminiscences about celebrities at the Davenport Hotel? If you do, I need your help.
I’m working on a story about the subject, and I’m trying to compile a list of celebrities who have stayed at the Davenport over the years. If you have anything to share, please call my voice mail at 459-5493 and leave a message. Or write me at: Jim Kershner, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane WA 99203. Or e-mail me at jimk@spokesman.com.
, DataTimes