Q&A;: "Dirty Jobs" star Mike Rowe

My 5-year-old son is a huge "Dirty Jobs" fan. He's polite about it, but it's pretty clear that star Mike Rowe is the father he wishes he had. I've heard a lot of Mike Rowe love in the comments over the years. Add the fact that this blog is called "The Poop," and it seems like an obvious place for a Q&A; with the star.

Actually, this is just spillover from a much more epic piece I wrote about Rowe in today's Pink section. You can check it out here, although I'd much prefer you buy the Sunday newspaper. I can say without hesitation that he was one of my five or six all-time favorite interviews. Rowe is exactly like he is on the show in person, and despite the fact that he's got to be worth a jillion dollars (his friend's words, not mine) there was absolutely zero pretentiousness. The dude is just a good hang. He didn't badmouth people, didn't go off the record and he hung out for more than two hours, when the industry standard for these types of things is 30-45 minutes.

Rowe was, of course, a co-host for "Evening Magazine" in the Bay Area, most of which is covered in detail in the main article. The Q&A; below consists of a few odds and ends, plus a lightning round where I asked some quick questions I've always wanted to know. Read More 'Q&A;: "Dirty Jobs" star Mike Rowe' »

Posted By: Peter Hartlaub (Email, Twitter) | December 12 2010 at 07:50 AM

Q&A;: Shelley Berman on love, life and 63 years of marriage

More and more when I'm interviewing someone for a San Francisco Chronicle article, I try to throw in one or two parenting or marriage-related questions that might be appreciated by our The Poop audience. Often it doesn't really go anywhere, and I move on. Other times the line of questioning goes in a fantastic new direction, and I share the results with you. The Dana Carvey interview may be my favorite example of this to date.

At least until I spoke with Shelley Berman last week. Now it's probably a tie.

Berman, 85, is a comedy legend, coming up in the late 1950s with comedians such as Mort Sahl and Lenny Bruce at the hungry i, a ground-breaking comedy club in San Francisco. Berman and his contemporaries paved the way for the modern observational comedian, and did a lot to help the public to recognize stand-up comedy as art.

Berman is coming to San Francisco this Sunday as part of the new Comedy Talks speaker series at USF's Presentation Theater. I wrote a piece in the Chronicle's Ovation section today that focuses on the outburst in an early 1960s NBC comedy documentary that ruined his career -- Berman says he was taken out of context -- and how he came back with roles in "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "Boston Legal."

I saved all the parts about parenting, love and marriage for The Poop. For the record, I didn't cry during the interview, but I was very moved when I transcribed the tape -- and again when I re-read Berman's poem to his wife, which I included at the end of this piece.

Q: There's one question I want to ask the most, and it has nothing to do with comedy.

A: Now you've got me curious.

Q: You've been married 63 years. What advice would you give to a young married couple? Read More 'Q&A;: Shelley Berman on love, life and 63 years of marriage' »

Posted By: Peter Hartlaub (Email, Twitter) | August 12 2010 at 06:32 AM

Q&A;: "Evening Magazine" co-hosts Jan Yanehiro and Richard Hart

Something weird happened during my interview with Jan Yanehiro and Richard Hart, which ran in today's Chronicle. I'm normally a reasonably professional interviewer, but I kept catching myself slouching into the classroom desk I was sitting in. I think that's because their voices put me back in the 1980s, laying down on my parents' couch in Burlingame. I'm just thankful I didn't microwave a Swanson's swedish meatball TV dinner in the middle of the Q&A; ...

This was one of those times, like the Dana Carvey interview, where it makes sense to include the extended director's cut online. I just didn't have the space in the paper to fit little gems like what happened at the "Evening Magazine" parties, who the most difficult celebrity was to interview on the show and why exactly Jan keeps calling Richard Hart "Hatch."

The original "Evening" ran from 1976 to 1991. Jan was a host for the entire run, and Richard was her co-host starting in 1979. They met me at the Academy of Art University, where Jan is the director of the multimedia school and Richard works as a teacher. (Steve Kotton, an "Evening" producer, is the associate director.) Just to prove what nice people they were, this peppy, happy interview happened after Richard's car got towed ...

Q: When you're here at school, do you ever get the urge to stand next to each other and start introducing a segment?

Richard Hart: Actually, we do demos.

Jan Yanehiro: We do demonstrations, for the class. We're talking about how to stand together, because we're always together and you have to invade each other's space. So we're doing this out on the street one day. Remember the bus stop? Read More 'Q&A;: "Evening Magazine" co-hosts Jan Yanehiro and Richard Hart' »

Posted By: Peter Hartlaub (Email, Twitter) | July 22 2010 at 07:40 AM

Q&A;: KTVU breaking news juggernaut Lloyd LaCuesta

As much as possible, I try to approach my job running The Poop like a concierge. I encourage requests. And I usually get excited when people go on tangents in the comments, because the tangents are almost always interesting, and often turn into a follow-up that's way better than the original post.

Lloyd LaCuesta is one of my favorite tangents. When I wrote a quick post crediting a few underappreciated TV news reporters, several commenters stuck up for Lloyd, who has spent almost 35 years covering way more than his share of thunderstorms, triple murders and other difficult and thankless assignments for KTVU. (Just once, I want to see Lloyd in the studio and Frank Somerville knee deep in a flood at Russian River ...) Our follow-up tribute to the reporter featured a huge pro-Lloyd outpouring in the comments, and a humble thank you from the reporter himself.

I decided to track Lloyd down for a Q&A.; Our conversation was delayed a couple of weeks, because he was on a cruise ship in Alaska -- getting married to his longtime girlfriend Lisa! In the surprisingly heartfelt interview below, I was pleased to learn that the very serious reporter we all see on TV has a pretty good sense of humor, and a great perspective about his job. One important part that didn't make it in the interview is Lloyd's active involvement with minority issues in journalism. He was the first national president of the Asian American Journalists Association and the first national president of UNITY.

I asked Lloyd to send a photo of himself doing something fun, so we could all have an image of him where he's not suffering in his blue KTVU rain slicker. Look for that photo at the bottom of the interview ...

The Poop: Do you remember your first assignment?

Lloyd LaCuesta: I do remember. My first assignment was to do a back to school story, about mothers shopping for back to school clothes. It was way back in 1976. I was at a Walnut Creek department store -- I think it was The Emporium ...

TP: They didn't immediately send you to a rainstorm or a triple homicide?

LL: No, no ... not on my first day. I look back, because people think I do a lot of breaking stories and stories that are outside. About 30 years ago I was up there in Alaska, in one of those types of stories, where a portion of the newly built pipeline had blown. I remember it was a Saturday, and I got a call from the desk, saying "The news director wants you to jump on an airplane and get up to Alaska." ... A few hours later I'm in Alaska next to the pipeline filing stories. Read More 'Q&A;: KTVU breaking news juggernaut Lloyd LaCuesta' »

Posted By: Peter Hartlaub (Email, Twitter) | June 29 2010 at 10:46 AM

Q&A;: Sam Jaeger from "Parenthood"

OK, so, after gushing last week about my serious man crush on Parenthood stay-at-home dad, Joel Graham, they go and run almost an entire episode telling more backstory about his character.

Did he just solve world hunger? Yeah, that's what I saw, too.

This dad just gets better and better every time I watch.

So I've got great news. After my painfully embarrassing admission last week, worlds collided, planets aligned, bells rang and newly winged angels went wheeling through the heavens, heralding The Poop's most awesome Q and A ever.

That's right. Sam Jaeger, who plays Joel, agreed to an interview about the show, fatherhood, children, TV sets, goats, clowns, play dates, Dana Carvey and basically the whole pantheon of Poop lore. This guy is so awesome.

I'll let his answers speak for themselves, but it was really fun to see how he developed the role of what I think is one of TV's best dads. Sure, he never did give me Lauren Graham's phone number and he very politely ignored my requests for a play date, but he was pretty open about his home life and his show life. I'm only sorry we didn't get a chance to get into his roles in other shows. West Wing, Law and Order, Eli Stone, NYPD Blue, he has appeared in basically every show I've ever liked.

I think it's a sign.

If you're not watching this show, it's definitely worth checking out. When it fires on all cylinders, it really works. And even when it doesn't, it's still impossibly fun.

So without further ado, here's Sam Jaeger, chatting about parenthood -- and "Parenthood" -- and being cool enough not to just give up when it came time for word association. Read More 'Q&A;: Sam Jaeger from "Parenthood"' »

Posted By: Mike Adamick (Email) | May 17 2010 at 11:40 AM

A very special Poop episode: Help a Mother Out

Occasionally we'll run out of coffee filters, and I think the worst thing I have ever done when this particularly tragedy struck was to dig an old one out of the garbage and use it again. A few friends suggested toilet paper next time or paper towels. One said wet newsprint works in a fix. But when it's before 7 in the morning and you haven't had a dose of caffeine, I think it's generally understood that you're not thinking clearly.

So imagine a dad late at night, stumbling into a darkened nursery. It was the fifth time I had been awakened that night, called into action by a squawling infant. Immediately upon entering the room, the smell hit my nose.

I remember thinking, "Oh. No."

It wasn't the idea of changing diapers. By that time I had changed something on the order of half a billion. It was the fact that we were all out. I knew this before I went to bed, that there were only a few left, but I decided to risk it -- hoping I could put off a late-night trip to Walgreens for reinforcements and make it until the morning.

My daughter and her hard-working insides had different plans.

And so I found myself in the dark, turning over a host of possibilities: Could I wrap her like a toilet paper mummy? Pad her crib with a few paper towels? Newspaper? Would people call the SPCA on me? I remember turning to the Diaper Genie in the corner, lifting an eyebrow in thought. A little splash of sink water to rinse it off, and it just might work, I remember thinking. Read More 'A very special Poop episode: Help a Mother Out' »

Posted By: Mike Adamick (Email) | March 01 2010 at 03:32 PM

C-3PO still wants you to stop smoking ...

As someone who grew up with the "Star Wars" movies, I get more excited about talking to the behind-the-scenes people -- George Lucas or Phil Tippett or Dennis Muren -- than the principal actors. I've found that a lot of actors in iconic roles haven't moved past the bitterness that comes with being typecast.

But I had a really fun time talking to Anthony Daniels, who has played C-3PO for the past 33 years and is narrating the Star Wars: In Concert traveling symphonic arena show that's coming to HP Pavilion on Sunday.

I often go into an interview with two sets of questions -- one set of "good sport" questions and a second set of fall back questions if I detect that the subject takes himself really seriously. (You would be surprised how many comedians fall into the second category ...) Daniels was very professional, but also a lot of fun. I was especially excited by his answer to my question about the anti-smoking PSA he did with R2-D2 -- an obsession on The Poop for more than a year. I had to chop the interview down for space, including a brief question about his experience working for the "Star Wars Holiday Special" ("Dreadful"). But this version is a little bit longer than the one appearing in the paper.

Do you ever get recognized on the street?

I just came back from Disneyland this morning, and one person said, "Hey, I'm coming to see your show this evening." My recognition level is such that it's fun when it happens and perfectly fine when it doesn't. ... Star Wars: In Concert is my chance to take off the shine and put on a suit and be comfortable, frankly. To make eye contact with the audience is a very nice feeling. Read More 'C-3PO still wants you to stop smoking ...' »

Posted By: Peter Hartlaub (Email, Twitter) | October 06 2009 at 07:02 AM

The Poop Interviews: "Coop" author Michael Perry

Today, The Poop is going to the coop. Wisconsin writer Michael Perry has a new book out, "Coop: A Year of Poultry, Pigs, and Parenting." Because I sometimes fantasize about ditching my noisy Mission apartment for a more pastoral existence, I loved finding out what Perry and his family experienced as "backyard farmers."

The book had some amusing and pleasant insights on farm life. Perry details his wife's pregnancy and home birth (where he was assisted by his male doula), as well as a personal tragedy. He is a Men's Health contributing editor whose work has also appeared in publications such as Esquire, Salon, and the New York Times Magazine. Perry answered these questions via email.

The Poop: Life in the country can seem like a dream to city and suburban dwellers. I would love to someday be able to grow my own garden, and raise my own animals to eat. What are the realities of living out this dream?

Michael Perry: A little preemptive calibration of expectations is useful. As kids who grew up on an actual working farms, I think my wife and I had a pretty realistic idea of what we were getting into. In some cases that saved us a lot of trouble ... we continue to take very tiny steps. And yet I regularly bite off more than I can chew. Even with our modest handful of animals (although we live on a formerly active dairy and crop farm, we are "backyard" farmers at best) I had to learn again how much daily presence and involvement is required. Every outside invitation or engagement can only be considered after arrangements for the animals have been made. Read More 'The Poop Interviews: "Coop" author Michael Perry' »

Posted By: Mary Ladd (Email) | April 30 2009 at 02:32 PM

Q&A;: 49ers cornerback Nate Clements

I'm a pretty huge San Francisco 49ers fan -- we've had season tickets in our family for three generations. Of all the free agents the team has picked up in recent years, I think I got the most excited about defensive back Nate Clements. Next to the quarterback and maybe left tackle, I can't think of a more important player on a football team than a cornerback.

So what does this have to do with parenting? In a random sideline interview a few games ago, Clements started gushing about his two children, 7-year-old Brooklynn and 4-month-old Ace, and mentioned that he met wife Melissa when they were 5 years old. When I contacted the 49ers for an unrelated story, they offered to let me ask Clements some parenting-related questions.

He was very cool about it, and our conversation ranged from baby names to parenting advice to a surprisingly detailed conversation about the Olive Garden.

Clements, 28, lives in the Silver Creek neighborhood of San Jose, and you can read more about him on his Web site, lockdown22.com. And incidentally, he followed our Thursday interview with an interception in Sunday's game against the Patriots. Coincidence?

The Poop: I understand you've known your wife for a long time. Was it love at first sight?

Nate Clements: I don't know about love at first sight. I was too young to know about that. But we knew each other since kindergarten. She was the first person I ever kissed and I was the first person she kissed. So we know each other pretty well. Read More 'Q&A;: 49ers cornerback Nate Clements' »

Posted By: Peter Hartlaub (Email, Twitter) | October 10 2008 at 06:04 AM

Q&A;: Kati Kim and the Apothecary problem

Quick word test: When you need a prescription filled, what's the name of the place you call?

That's right -- apothecary!

Right after a visit to my favorite haberdasher, I stroll over to the soda stand before making a call on the local apothecary -- monger of tonics, elixirs, balms, bitters and feel-goods. If these phrases seem a little ol'-timey, plucked right out of a bygone era of newsies and bindlestiffs (or even much further back -- remember: "Thy drugs are quick"), then you might be surprised to discover what's happened to a favorite San Francisco children's boutique.

Apothecary, which had been selling children's clothes and natural oils on Church Street for four years, was forced by the state pharmacy board to either change its name or close for business because only licensed pharmacies can use that term. The law dates back to the early 1900s, and apparently the pharmacy board just doesn't have anything better to do with its time than go around and randomly enforce it. Lord knows it caused all manner of confusion when someone stopped into Apothecary for a monthly fill of digestive salves or Miracle Tonics and discovered totally kick-ass children's T-shirts instead.

Oh, the humanity!

I bring you this story because it pained me to see a city institution struggling with such an oddball, outdated law, especially considering how much this family has gone through these past few years. Kati Kim, owner of Apothecary and its sister store, Doe in Noe Valley, was kind enough to answer a few rambling questions about the dilemma, the state of children's fashion (always a favorite topic of mine) and about how her family is doing nearly two years after a tragedy took her husband, James. Read More 'Q&A;: Kati Kim and the Apothecary problem' »

Posted By: Mike Adamick (Email) | September 25 2008 at 01:50 PM