Hammered, one of the TV shows that filmed on Waverly Ave between Fulton and Atlantic, will be back on the air soon! The show has moved to the DIY Network:
SEASON WILL START WITH NEW SHOWS January 23: Wednesdays at 10:30 pm Fridays at 9:00 pm
Many of these episodes feature projects completed for local businesses -- fun to watch!
I'm sorry to say that we've all missed an opportunity to chill with crooner Michael Bolton at Steiner Studios in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Apparently, an NBC show called Clash of the Choirs did a live taping there from Dec 12-17! Does anyone watch this show? Is it on now? If it's not on my DVR, I probably won't see it. Guess it IS on now. Here's the NBC website.
(Thanks to Greenpointer and one of our readers for this!)
A top secret contact of mine was fortunate enough to attend Doug Steiner's birthday bash in the Brooklyn Navy Yard recently. Since we're all curious as to what it's like behind those gates, he offered to share his experience (under the pseydonym "Bill Bennet"): Thank you Lesterhead! I'm feeling super to be here!
Well readers, let me tell you a juicy story about last Friday night! Your faithful reporter, by the skin of his charm and suavity, got invited to a glittering party at the Steiner Studios in the ghetto-swank Brooklyn Navy Yard. The stars were out on November 30th both in the frozen night sky and on the red carpet!
Inside the scene was "thumpin', yo!" Our host for the evening and the birthday boy for whom the birthday bash was bumpin', the amazing Doug Steiner, had turned the ginormous main studio space -- twenty-seven thousand square feet of floor space with fifty foot ceilings! -- into a full-on dance club. The bar(s --three giant open bars!) were swarmed like a fat American tourist in the Congo, and rasperry vodka flowed like semen and ink at a writers' retreat. Beautiful go-go dancers shook their booties on raised platforms placed randomly throughout the space -- and when I say beautiful, I mean Booo-ti-foooollll!!! For the men, a hot blonde, a hot Latina, a hot African-American, and one dancer I couldn't quite place (Samoan islander mixed with Scottish highlander?) were bursting out of skimpy outfits, boobs and butts glistening with sweat! For the ladies guys in Greco-Roman wrestling gear pumped you up! as their rock hard muscles undulated like the enraged seas!
I was on pins and needles when my contact for the evening was approached by the birthday boy himself. I sharpened my conversation skills with a pocket pencil sharpener, grabbed an extra cocktail, and headed over to the pair.
"Doug, this is my friend Bill Bennet. Bill this is Doug Steiner."
Reader, I almost fainted on the spot.
Doug Steiner (who was being shadowed by his personal photographer) is a commanding five foot, six inches tall. Penetrating eyes peer out from strong brows situated just beneath his balding head.
"Hi," he said, and offered me a hand soft from lack of manual labor, but hard from giving "no"s to so many aspiring filmmakers. I gushed at how wonderful it was to meet him, and he, like Andy Warhol, acted dazed and indifferent, all the while projecting an inner confidence and intelligence that can only be described as "ineffable."
Naturally Mr. Steiner had too many guests to stop and chat with your humble reporter, and so he moved on through the crowd, shaking hands while the constant lightning from the flash of his personal photographer blinded the guests -- almost as much as the birthday boy's brilliance.
I made my way back to the bar to get my signature club soda and lime when a little man, who had obviously slipped past the velvet rope, had the nerve to ask if I was the designated driver. In the first place, I thought, I don't drive. I am DRIVEN. So I turned to him and said, "No. I'm in recovery." I thought it might give me a little Amy Winehouse chic. :)
Sadly my attempts to nose my way into the VIP rooms met with repeated rebuffs (and how buff! Mr. Steiner really knows how to pick a bouncer! ). So there's not much more to say. The plebes who milled around the dance floor mostly seemed to be indie movie company interns -- skinny, nervous young men with beards and sallow complexions -- or obese women in their 40s looking to pick up one of these trembling wall flowers in flannel. Occasionally a middle-aged entertainment lawyer would provide a spectacle, knocking back vodka tonics and leering at the go-go dancers. The high point of the remainder of the evening was watching one of the old, fat ladies groping a male go-go dancer's juicy package while her equally rotund friend took pictures on her mini digital camera.
Around 11 the gliterati started to fliterati into the night. I took my cue, downed the rest of my soda and lime and flew into the night to adventure and fun!!!
No word on whether or not the party moved to the Navy Yard Lounge.
Received this in my inbox last night:Today, I was walking down Lafayette near Waverly, and saw a small movie crew filming in a car. When I peeped in the windshield, I saw oscar nominee Paul Giamatti in the drivers seat!!!
He looks exactly the same in real life :-)
Then on the way back from Choice Market I saw the black model from all the Maybelline commericals (I forgot her name). I guess Clinton Hill is really happening!
Nice.
This morning, Ghost Town, a Dreamworks movie, will be filming on Vanderbilt and around the nabe. I'm pleased to see it stars Ricky Gervais, the original star of The Office in the UK, and star of HBO's Extras (love them both!).
I remember hearing that the Brooklyn brownstone Miranda and Steve moved into on Sex and the City was located in Fort Greene. Actually, it was in CLINTON HILL -- 299 DeKalb, between Waverly and Washington. Don't let these signs fool you:
"Untitled Project" means SaTC the Movie, which is filming there today! Although I have a connection to the people who own the house, they've signed a confidentiality agreement, which means they can't talk to me about it and I can't go take pics of the set inside. Bah.
Here they are, moving in yesterday afternoon:
I love Law & Order, especially since it's actually filmed IN NYC (unlike CSI:NY). Anyway, Criminal Intent will be filming on Downing and Gates near Broken Angel on Thursday. (ching ching)
A few weekends ago, I ran into Josie Smith-Malave, one-time Top Chef contestant and Clinton Hill regular, standing outside the in-the-works restaurant opening in the former bodega space on Waverly and Greene. She told me the space was slated to serve "global comfort food," and was aiming to be "a real neighborhood place - one you'll eat at three times a week." Since then, there's been a lot of activity. The newspapers are off the windows now, and I spotted some stuff being moved in on Friday night:
I'm going to do a little interview with Josie in early October to coordinate with the restaurant's opening. Stay tuned...
Something's filming today on Clinton between Lafayette and DeKalb. The signs only say "RSA Films." Normally they include a project name, so I poked around on Google. I've deduced that the filming is for a Heinekin commercial, taking place at one of our favorite mansions, 313 Clinton Ave.
Just received the following info from a CH resident who's working on casting a new TV series for TLC. He'd really love to include some CH residents in the show, so if you're in the process of hunting for real estate, please apply! Help CH represent!TLC is casting for a new show that will allow prospective homebuyers the chance to live in and try out a home before they make an offer. Participants will be matched with three different properties that meet their criteria and location and then they'll get to spend the night in one of the properties to see if it fits their needs. Real Estate Road Test is hosted by former Trading Spaces' designer Doug Wilson. Interested couples and families (ages 25 and 45) in the NYC Tri-State area can apply online at:
we've ferreted out some more info on the former bodega space at the corner of greene and waverly (posted about here.) riding the bus down greene ave. the other day, i spotted two people standing outside the space and was pretty positive that one of them was josie smith-malave, former season 2 top chef contestant and former clinton hill chef (which we mentioned here.) i hunted her down on the internets, emailed her, and got this reply:
"Yeah, it's something that I'm working on. I'm consulting ..... We're shooting for end of August, early September to open."
an interview is in the works....
according to the "don't park here" signs on the trees, they'll be filming all day today and tomorrow, on the following blocks:
lexington @ grand + classon, classon + franklin greene @ grand + cambridge quincy @ downing + classon grand @ lexington + greene classon @ grand + quincy
happy stalking!
1. A movie titled 100 Feet is filming this morning on South Oxford just south of DeKalb. Walking past, I saw Bobby Cannavale made up and being filmed inside a car. 2. I've heard some rumors that Keri Russell has moved to the hood. A friend of mine saw her the other day in Fort Greene Park, walking with her husband. His description? "She looks just like herself!"
This morning, Brownstoner informed us that Ted Allen, the chef from "Queer Eye," and his partner have purchased a home on Washington Ave.
Welcome to CH, Ted. He was always my favorite from the show
Season Two of Hammered starts April 4, and will air every Wednesday night at 11:30 pm on HGTV.
Make sure to check it out! The show is filmed on Waverly and the guys are super nice. The window on the top left was made for a bed and breakfast in Bed-Stuy, and the lamps on the lower right were made for Outpost Lounge on Fulton! (I've written about the show here and here.)
Click here to see a commercial for the new season filmed in the hood.
A neighbor tipped me off to a massive film crew setting up last night on St. James and Washington, saying, "Probably just Law and Order, but it looks to be bigger than that." So I checked it out. Sure enough, there were countless trailers, equipment, etc on Lafayette, Washington, Clifton and St. James this morning.
This flier was taped to neighbors' doors:
Regency Television Productions, Inc. is currently in production of a FOX Television pilot titled New Amsterdam, starring Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Firewall, Kingdon of Heaven and Wimbledon) and directed by Lasse Hallstrom (An Unfinished Life, Cider House Rules, Chocolat). This project is the first venture into American television for the Oscar-nominated director. The series, written by Allan Loeb and Christian Taylor, centers on John Amsterdam, a man cursed with immortality who works as a homicide detective in New York.
Sounds like a mix of L&O and Heroes, which is fine by me. Plus, if it's filmed in CH, I will watch.
I think this house on Washington is being used as the set, inside and out:
Buzz and reviews sound good so far. Here's more info on the show:
Looks like MTV is set to film a new reality show following the lives of Brooklyn high school students at Ft. Greene's Brooklyn Tech! Thanks to Gowanus Lounge and Brooklyn Enthusiast for the info. Here's the info from the BTHS website.
TV is a guilty pleasure of mine (who am I kidding? I don't feel guilty!), so I'll definitely be watching.
A few weeks ago, I spent some time on the set of “Hammered with John and Jimmy DiResta," which currently airs on HGTV. They film the show on Waverly Ave! Click here to read about how I discovered them in the 'hood.
While I was there, I hung out with John and Jimmy, and watched them work on a set of bunkbeds for the show's second season.
I talked to them about making the show, and their experiences in Bkln.
JIMMY:
1. Are you a native Brooklynite? What neighborhood did you grow up in? My family is from Rockaway beach Queens. I grew up in Woodmere LI, and I lived in the East Village for 14 years.
2. How did you decide to get into design? Were you always making stuff as a kid? Your HGTV bio says you've worked in toy design. Have you designed any famous toys? I’ve always made things -- our dad put us in the environment to build with a wood shop always there in the house. I went to School of Visual Arts, class of 90'. In my final semester a teacher named Mark Settiducatti introduced me to the toy biz and helped my brother Joey and I make several connections and we worked it for 15+years. Joey is still in the biz on the manufacturing side of things. Our biggest item was a thing called "Gurgling Gutz."
3. Tell me about the inception of Hammered -- how did you and John come up with the idea, and how does one go about getting their show on TV? In about 2000 I started to edit video on a Mac. John went to Hollywood in 98 and sold a show to UPN (“DiResta,” about John as a working class policeman). The concept started as stand up, and became a one-man show and then a TV show (it lasted one season). With the connections John was developing we started to come up with ideas that I would shoot and edit. I made a pitch tape for a show called “Trash to Cash.” We would pick the trash and make it into stuff. That was our first show on Fox’s FX, and we did 7 episodes in 2003. We kept making pitch tapes and in 2004 we made a show called “Makin’ It With John and Jimmy,” all about making things in the shop with a fun aspect. Through friends we sent it to HGTV. It took about 10 months to come to a deal, and this show pitch became “Hammered.”
4. How did you choose your workshop location? Had you been working there prior to filming the show?
We did the pitch tape in my shop in the LES and having people on the street outside was something HGTV wanted to keep. We looked around NYC with the production company and we found an affordable place in Clinton Hill.
5. Even though the show films in Clinton Hill, you live in the East Village. Any plans to move out to the Best Neighborhood in NYC? I would consider moving into one of the abandoned-looking mansions. Know of any deals? [Ed. I wish! These guys should take over the haunted mansion/church on Clinton!]
6. What's your favorite thing about Clinton Hill? The abandoned-looking mansions. For real! No joke!
7. Favorite place to eat in the neighborhood: We ate at a great Mexican place over the summer but don't know the name? [Ed. Pequena? Los Pollitos?]
8. What's on tap for the new season? How do you decide what to make? (If you need ideas, I have a GREAT one- maybe you could make me a cool cat tree/scratching post- hint hint.) What was your favorite project from last season? I like the poker table – it’s a mechanical device and I like to make things mechanical. We all come up with the general ideas and I usually put the "flair" into it with some inventive design aspects. The show is about learning some thing new and having fun, so I consider what will look good and give John something to work with for comedy.
In this next season, we’ll make more practical stuff for the house.
9. You teach 3-D design and invention at SVA. Are these classes open to anyone, or do you need to be an artsy-type and already an SVA student in a degree program? I teach in the BFA degree program, so you would need to be full-time enrolled student at SVA.
10. If you were a flavor of ice cream, what would you be and why? Anything with bumps and lumps in it. Keep things interesting.
JOHN:
1. So, who's the older brother? Do you guys have other siblings? There are four of us: Joey is 44, I’m 42, Jimmy’s 39 or 40 and Kathleen is about 35.
2. You've had quite an interesting career, starting out as an NYPD Transit Cop. You MUST share some stories with us -- what was the craziest thing you ever saw on the job? Did you ever do any patrolling in Clinton Hill? I was on patrol for five years in the subway on foot, mostly south Brooklyn-Coney Island area. Then I worked in a unit where you ride the train from eight pm to four am. After that, I was in the Homeless Outreach Unit. In my 12 years I was in just about every subway stop there is.
I got off at Shepherd on the A once to find something to eat, late night. The token booth clerk told me, “Be careful! There’s a guy at the top of the stairs selling guns. He's a gun dealer." I turned around and got right back on the train.
3. How did you make a successful transition to stand-up? Were you the cop always cracking jokes? I’ve been married for 18 years. My wife, Frances, is from Rockaway Beach. I have three kids: Matt, Sabrina and Shannon. (their nicknames: ratboy, chia pet and the piss monkey)
I always wanted to be a comedian and actor and didn’t have the balls to do it; nobody to guide me. I thought it was like wanting to be an astronaut...it's just a dream. Then after failing out of two colleges (New Paltz / Nassau Community) my dad forced civil service on me. I took the police exam, hoping to be NYPD. Instead, I got stuck in the subway against my will and hated every minute of it. (Our motto: You Ride, We Hide.) I was scared, bored and lonely. One night it got so bad I had to pay a crack-addicted transvestite hooker three bucks, just to hug me and tell me everything would be okay...
I spent five years on foot and then moved to the homeless unit, telling jokes to our 'clients' and getting big laughs on the bus with cops and homeless people. One night, my partner Mike Venckus said, “You should be a comedian. You should a least try it,”....and he was right. I was broke, depressed, married with two toddlers, tired, spent, done...but his suggestion had a certain 'righteousness' to it. I drove home to Harrimand NY at six am and woke up my wife...."I want to be a comedian"....long dead stare back, then..."Well, I want another baby..."
4. It sounds like you're the local guy who made it big, having your own sitcom and appearing in several movies and other TV shows (very impressive IMDB list, btw). Any secrets to success? I enrolled in a stand up comedy class in NYC, which I still owe Jimmy the $350 for, and nine months later our daughter Shannon was born. Right about that time, nine months into it, I started to get paid: 50 bucks at Pips in Bklyn, 35 bucks in the Bronx, 200 on a weekend in Conn.
Then I won a contest. I was officially NY’s funniest cop (and still am).
After five years of being a cop and a comedian I put up my one-man show, “Beat,” in NYC and it sold as a sitcom. That sitcom, “DiResta,” became the lowest rated sitcom in TV history. Then I did Miss Congeniality and then 15 mins with DeNiro…
5. What would you say was crazier -- dealing with crazy NYers, or dealing with crazy Hollywood types? LA is way tougher than anything on EARTH...THIS TOWN IS AN OUTRIGHT MOTHER FUCKER! TOUGH! IF YOU’RE HOT YOU’RE HOT AND IF YOU’RE NOT YOU’RE BROKE.
I hung in through some tough times and now I have two TV shows: Hammered on HGTV and American Body Shop on Comedy Central, which debuts in June.
6. You're living in LA now. What do you miss the most about NYC? What I miss about NYC: having true, longtime friends to hang with, pizza, the multiable comedy clubs that put me on and the multiable gigs In the tri state area as a comedian. I'm lucky -- I'm now bicoastal!
7. How did you and Jimmy come up with the concept for Hammered? Jimmy and I wanted to do a show where jimmy could show his talents that he could make anything I am could make anything funny. We shot four shows, on our own, with our own money, called “Making It.” We said if Hollywood wouldn’t give us a job we will just make our own shows and sell them directly to the fans on DVD. Then HGTV came looking for us...perfect timing. They changed the name from "Making It" to “Hammered with John and Jimmy DiResta” on HGTV.
8. What's your favorite thing about filming in Clinton Hill? What's your favorite place to eat when you're in the nabe? The thing I love most about Cobble Hill/Clinton Hill/Bed Stuy is that I used to work all those streets and now I work 'em as a TV host with my own show...weird! I also love the real people, no phonies. I love the broken streets, broken buildings and I love that I have Jimmy there, at my side, making a great show....
Don't have a favorite restaurant yet, but I love the Bronx, Bklyn and Harlem for rice and beans. I like real ethnic food.
9. I haven't seen the John DiResta mailbox outside the shop. What happened to it? The mailbox would be stolen! It’s inside the shop.
10. If you were a flavor of ice cream, what would you be and why? If I were an ice cream flavor it would be french vanilla with big chunks of chocolate chips, big chunks, nestled throughout.
The show currently airs Saturdays at noon on HGTV.
A reader thinks she may have seen actor Daniel London in and around Fort Greene Park:
Can anyone confirm or deny? Do you think he'll be invited to hang at Adrian Grenier's denim-insulated house?
Remember when I thought this place might be another bar?
Nope -- I was wrong! This was actually the location used to film TLC's Cover Shot! I've never seen this show, but it actually sounds pretty cool. You can apply to be on the show here.
It would be really cool if someone from the nabe got to be on the show!
Is Waverly Ave the next Hollywood?
Clinton Hill Blog published from 2006 - 2010. Please enjoy these archives - a love letter to the neighborhood.
