As Lucy Lawless is well aware, there are worst ways to spend a day at work than doing interview promoting your new TV show. "We could be carrying bricks on a hill in Bangladesh," she offers, rather specifically. But still, as we meet up in downtown Austin, Texas, to discuss her role on "Salem," there is definitely something else she'd rather be doing — at the courthouse just down the street.
"I like to watch jury selections," she says. "It's so interesting, you get to learn information about people's lives that's so dramatic. And yes it's a bit voyeuristic, but you get to see true life that way and the harsh truth behind it."
How often do you do this?
Oh, once a week. They don't always have jury selection, but I do enjoy that. You don't always know what the case is about, but sometimes you can get the information. I kind of have a scoop of who's a good person to go to for information at each courthouse. See, I'm never bored in any town because I always have my go-to activity.
Where did this come from?
I've always been interested. There are a lot of defense attorneys in my extended family and in my immediate, and I'm interested in the law and how it plays out. I'm interested in truth-telling, and I realized that I think I've got a good bulls— meter, but you realize I know nothing.
Because if you grow up in a home where it's a level playing field and the world is trustworthy, you don't need to lie to survive. But people who live in a very unstable environment growing up, where lying may be a matter of survival, they're so good at it, and criminals are so good at it.
Or sometimes you can see witnesses struggling to maintain a lie. Sometimes you can pick them, but often you cannot. And then the evidence will show that you were wrong. So I love all of that. It's human sleuthing.
So how long have you been sitting in on jury selections?
I started about four years ago, going to actual courthouses. But I read about the law all the time, about defense cases or prosecution cases. Because human beings, you know?
Louisiana has a death penalty case coming up. It was aggravated rape of a minor this week, but you don't always know what the case is. I've got to listen very carefully and read between the lines, figure out what the charge is going to be from the questions they ask the jury.
Most people in the U.S. are trying to get out of jury duty.
You would think so! But yeah, in communities that are quite impoverished — and Louisiana's a poor state — that small amount of stipend you get for being a juror? Not so bad, you know? Maybe? I'm guessing here. But I don't see a lot of people trying to get out of it. A few, yes, a few are just honestly like, "I'm going to find this person guilty." Like, "You hurt a dog, you're finished with me" if it's an animal cruelty case.
But you've never been on one yourself.
I would like to, if I was not working. There was only one time I got called, and that was while I was doing "Xena." It would've put so many people out of work, so I begged off. But I'll do it for sure one day when I'm available. If they want me.
Lucy Lawless says that her most iconic role was particularly popular with one specific demographic, she's learned.
"African-American women loved 'Xena' because they recognized strength," she says. "That's very important to their culture, to see themselves represented on TV, even by a white woman. I never understood that, but I get recognized by African-American women all the time.
Not so much by white people, not in the same way. I could be dressed down in the most obscure place, and they'll pick me out. They won't always know why, but they'll be sidling up to me.
Feb. 22, 2019 "Jussie Smollet apologizes to Empire cast and crew, but insists that he's innocent": Here's an article by Madeline Holocombe and Dave Alsup:
Jussie Smollett apologized to the cast and crew of "Empire" on Thursday night for any embarrassment the recent allegations may have caused, but he maintained that he was innocent, a person at the meeting told CNN.
The person at the meeting said they were shocked and dismayed that Smollett stuck to his story of innocence. For the most part, the source said, Smollett paraphrased what was in the statement that his attorney put out that afternoon, blaming the legal system and the media for his woes.
20th Century Fox Television executive VP of corporate communications and publicity, Chris Alexander, confirmed that Smollett was on set filming on Thursday.
The "Empire" actor was arrested Thursday morning on suspicion of filing a false report about a January 29 incident where he said he was the victim of a hate crime. Police allege Smollett paid two men to stage the attack in hopes of promoting his career, according to Chicago Superintendent Eddie Johnson.
Smollett appeared in court Thursday afternoon and spoke only to confirm his name to the judge. His defense team told the court that Smollett was not a flight risk and cited his philanthropic work in making his case for bail. The judge granted a $100,000 bail, and Smollett paid a $10,000 bond. He was ordered to give up his passport and will remain under supervision until his case is adjudicated.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/22/entertainment/jussie-smollett-empire-meeting/index.html
My opinion: Where do I start?
1. Do not make false police reports and allegations. You are hurting yourself and others. You are wasting the police time, effort, and money so they can investigate something that is not real. There are people who have real problems and need their help.
Does anyone remember this way back in 2016 where a girl falsely accused her dad of rape by copying and pasting from the book Fifty Shades of Grey?
https://badcb.blogspot.com/2016/10/a-girl-accused-her-dad-of-rape-fifty.html
2. To celebrities and other people who want to get publicity, here's how:
1. Work more and do other projects like release a new single and video.
2. Go on a reality TV show
3. Go do some charity work like visit a children's hospital, visit a fan at a hospital, or volunteer at a soup kitchen.
Feb. 26, 2019 Dr. Phil: I wrote about this before about how there are people who make up a problem just so that they could get on TV.
Don't waste Dr. Phil and his crew's time, effort, and money. You are also wasting the audience's time. Though the audience can stop watching it.
This may not be as serious as making a false police report, but it's a waste of time, effort, and money.
https://badcb.blogspot.com/2012/07/mental-health-tyra-banks-show-friend.html
Your actions do affect other people: In Smollet's case, he should know his actions affect a lot of people like police, his TV show job, media, and people who read this story.
"You can not always predict or control the consequences": I mentioned this before. It was on the TV show Dollhouse where Boyd said that. Smollett predicted the police and media are going to investigate it.
He did not predict that they were able to find out that the attack may have been fake.
Mar. 1. 2019 Publicity stunts:
Dennis Rodman meeting Kim Jong Un: Here they are together. Are they really friends or is this a publicity stunt? Does it really matter?
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/dennis-rodmans-friendship-kim-jong-things/story?id=55815698
Martha and Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party: Are Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg really friends or are they just working together on a TV show?
"High Times": I found this article by Maura Judkis in the Edmonton Journal. It was about how Martha and Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party. It says Snoop is usually high and drunk when filming. It does mention how these 2 have a genuine friendship. It was fun to read.
https://www.pressreader.com/canada/vancouver-sun/20171101/282346860070852
I didn't go on the internet or watched TV.
Thurs. Feb. 28, 2019: I went to a job interview at a medical clinic.
My boss M from my 2nd restaurant job (the on-call), texted me the day before to ask if I can work for the next 2 days. I worked this morning there.
The highlight of the week:
Work: I got to work a lot.
Burden of Truth: I saw the season 2 finale. It was a good season.
Cardinal: I saw the season 3 finale. Each season has a new case. It's consistently well-written and acted.
Alex Ozeov: He was the bad guy Jack in Cardinal season 3. I thought he was great in the scene with Sam in the episode "Mama." He really stood out for me there.
I looked him up and I remember watching him the TV show Blindspot.
This is a good pic of him:
A Million Little Things: I saw the season 1 finale. This is a good show about family and friends. It's one of the few shows I watch that's not about law enforcement and action.
Whiskey Cavalier: I saw the pilot this week. It was a good and fun pilot. I will record the series and watch it all in a week.
Feb. 24, 2019 Terrence Howard to fan: Not your job to judge:
In one of the comments under the video, a fan criticized him for supporting Smollett, and Howard fired back with a lengthy message defending his decision.
"Sorry you feel that way but that's the only Jussie I know," he posted. "The Jussie I know could never even conceive of something so unconscious and ugly. His innocence or judgment is not for any of us to decide. Stay in your lane and my lane is empathy and love and compassion for someone I've called my son for five years. It's God's job to judge and it's ours to love and hope, especially for those that we claim to have loved."
Smollett was arrested Thursday on a felony charge of disorderly conduct over falsely claiming he was attacked, Chicago police said
Authorities said Smollett was dissatisfied with his salary on the show and wanted publicity when he filed a police report saying two men attacked him and threw a noose around his neck on January 29 in Chicago.
He allegedly staged the attack by paying two brothers $3,500 to target him, police said. The men bought masks and a noose , and the actor directed them on what epithets to hurl when they attacked him, officials said.
Before the alleged attack, Smollett made sure the neighborhood had security cameras to ensure the assault would be recorded, Chicago police Superintendent Eddie T. Johnson said Thursday.
"But unfortunately that particular camera wasn't pointed in that direction," he said.
Smollett reported the attack to police who investigated it as a possible hate crime. But as the story unfolded over the weeks, it started unraveling with twists and turns that culminated with his arrest on suspicion of filing a false police report.
My opinion: Where do I start?
1. Do not make false police reports and allegations. You are hurting yourself and others. You are wasting the police time, effort, and money so they can investigate something that is not real. There are people who have real problems and need their help.
Does anyone remember this way back in 2016 where a girl falsely accused her dad of rape by copying and pasting from the book Fifty Shades of Grey?
https://badcb.blogspot.com/2016/10/a-girl-accused-her-dad-of-rape-fifty.html
2. To celebrities and other people who want to get publicity, here's how:
1. Work more and do other projects like release a new single and video.
2. Go on a reality TV show
3. Go do some charity work like visit a children's hospital, visit a fan at a hospital, or volunteer at a soup kitchen.
Feb. 26, 2019 Dr. Phil: I wrote about this before about how there are people who make up a problem just so that they could get on TV.
Don't waste Dr. Phil and his crew's time, effort, and money. You are also wasting the audience's time. Though the audience can stop watching it.
This may not be as serious as making a false police report, but it's a waste of time, effort, and money.
https://badcb.blogspot.com/2012/07/mental-health-tyra-banks-show-friend.html
Your actions do affect other people: In Smollet's case, he should know his actions affect a lot of people like police, his TV show job, media, and people who read this story.
"You can not always predict or control the consequences": I mentioned this before. It was on the TV show Dollhouse where Boyd said that. Smollett predicted the police and media are going to investigate it.
He did not predict that they were able to find out that the attack may have been fake.
Mar. 1. 2019 Publicity stunts:
Dennis Rodman meeting Kim Jong Un: Here they are together. Are they really friends or is this a publicity stunt? Does it really matter?
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/dennis-rodmans-friendship-kim-jong-things/story?id=55815698
Martha and Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party: Are Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg really friends or are they just working together on a TV show?
"High Times": I found this article by Maura Judkis in the Edmonton Journal. It was about how Martha and Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party. It says Snoop is usually high and drunk when filming. It does mention how these 2 have a genuine friendship. It was fun to read.
https://www.pressreader.com/canada/vancouver-sun/20171101/282346860070852
My week:
Sun. Feb. 24, 2019: I worked at night at my 1st restaurant job.
Mon. Feb. 25, 2019: I woke up early and worked the day shift at my 1st restaurant job. (They gave me a week notice.)
Tues. Feb. 26, 2019: I got called at 4pm to come to work that night at my 1st restaurant job.
Wed. Feb. 27, 2019: I woke up early and worked the day shift at my 1st restaurant job. (They gave me a week notice.) I then took a bus and went to work at this Asian fast food place I've been working for 2 months. I worked from 4-8pm there.
I didn't go on the internet or watched TV.
Thurs. Feb. 28, 2019: I went to a job interview at a medical clinic.
My boss M from my 2nd restaurant job (the on-call), texted me the day before to ask if I can work for the next 2 days. I worked this morning there.
The highlight of the week:
Work: I got to work a lot.
Burden of Truth: I saw the season 2 finale. It was a good season.
Cardinal: I saw the season 3 finale. Each season has a new case. It's consistently well-written and acted.
Alex Ozeov: He was the bad guy Jack in Cardinal season 3. I thought he was great in the scene with Sam in the episode "Mama." He really stood out for me there.
I looked him up and I remember watching him the TV show Blindspot.
This is a good pic of him:
A Million Little Things: I saw the season 1 finale. This is a good show about family and friends. It's one of the few shows I watch that's not about law enforcement and action.
Whiskey Cavalier: I saw the pilot this week. It was a good and fun pilot. I will record the series and watch it all in a week.
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