How 'New Girl' got Prince on Their Show

by Michael O'Connell, The Hollywood Reporter

January 30, 2014

Excerpted from the article "'New Girl' Creator Liz Meriwether Talks Prince, Super Bowl Pressure and Letting Zooey Sing"

So you first tried to get Prince on the show last year?

We thought it was would be really fun if Cece [Hannah Simone] lost her virginity to Prince in that flashback episode ["Virgins"], so we offered him that role and he couldn't. He said, "I'm a big fan. I'd love to do the show at some point in the future." I think I didn't really take that seriously because, you know, that can't be true. And then we were contacted by his manager in the beginning of this season that he was serious.

And he's no stranger to the Super Bowl.

They approached us right about the same time Fox gave us the post-Super Bowl slot, so we built the episode around him. He was really involved in the planning of it and emailing back and forth about what he wanted to do on the show, collaborating with us. It's a really fun, crazy, once-in-a-lifetime experience.

How long was he on set?

I think he shot for two days. He performs a song in the episode, and he also acts. He has a bunch of scenes with Zooey. He plays ping-pong with Hannah.

Does Prince have a ping-pong stand-in or did he really play?

Prince is fantastic at ping-pong, like maybe one of the best I've ever seen, which is amazing because I kind of think you can only be really good at one thing -- but you can be really good at a lot of things if you're Prince. He told Hannah to practice. She actually got one back at him during the first take, and he was genuinely surprised that she could score a point off of him.

This is not the most organic thing to happen to these characters. How easy was it for you to write Prince into a storyline?

We went through a couple scripts where it didn't feel like our show. It was funny, but it didn't feel real. These are real characters, so it was actually a huge priority that we kept it feeling like the show -- even though these huge, semi-implausible things are happening. It is a Super Bowl episode, so we also have a little bit of leeway. I remember one pitch that we didn't do involved Prince playing the lead singer of a Prince cover band. That would have felt a little more like what would actually happen to our characters, but there's a great wish fulfillment kind of fun and a slightly fantastical feeling to this episode that I really like.

Read the full article at The Hollywood Reporter here

BET AWARDS 2010-Brief Thoughts-The Complete Series

Chris Brown's breakdown at the BET Awards

I did something fun on Facebook while fast forwarding...I mean watching the BET Awards last night. Here is the "Complete Series" of what I posted.

BET AWARDS 2010-1st Hour Brief Thoughts
11:22pm

• Okay what the eff has Kanye got around his neck? Is that a cobra from G.I. Joe? His performance was really nothing, but the set design was nice.
• Nice intro from Queen Latifah. Glad she got back on the mic as an emcee. That's where she started.
• What the eff has Jada Pinkett Smith got on...HER HEAD.
• USHER-Nice levatating cloud set design, but voice sounded weak. Low mic? I'm sure that's what it was.His performance aiiight.
• TARAJI!!! Mike Epps is a damn fool. LOL
• Never heard the song T.I. was singing, but didn't understand a word he said. Hisflowistoofast.
• Nia Long & Larenz Tate! 'Love Jones' reunion! The BEST of the "black romance" movies.
• Love, Love, LOVE Alicia Keys. She can never do wrong. She looked so hot, even with her baby bump, so classy. No tattoos all down her back and shoulders. Perfect way to end the first hour.

BET AWARDS 2010-2nd Hour Brief Thoughts
12:29am

• Queen Latifah & T.I. woulda been cute if he didn't call her CHLOE, it was CLEO. Know your history T.I.
• First performance of the 2nd hour-B.o.B, Keyshia Cole & Eminem was cool, but like everyone I was waiting for the first two to leave the stage.
• What the EFF has Monica got on? And for that matter Denice Williams? She is WAY too old for that gittyup and it looks horrible.
• Is that Puffy? Somebody went crazy with the smoke machine. Is Puffy doing the Morris Day & The Time dance? T.I.'s performance on this song was better than his own. Nikki Minaj you look crazy enough with the orange hair no need to make the crazy face.
• Jermaine, Jermaine, Jermaine. Your hair has less varnish but still looks a mess. A long year coming, Chris Brown finally did do the damn thing. Awww Chris is crying. Choke it up boi. You did Michael proud.
• Drake performance...whack. Jeezy where you get that white jacket homie, the estate of Michael Jackson?
• Kinda whack way to end the second hour.

BET AWARDS 2010-3rd Hour & the END Brief Thoughts
1:00am

• 3rd hour starts off with EL DEBARGE! DeBarge is my favorite group from the 80s!
• El DeBarge you still the man, but why you look like you're from the cast of 'Grease'? You can't really hit the high notes most times, but I ain't mad at you.
• Even though I'm fast forwarding through the commercials Keith Sweat reality show? ok NEXT.
• Is that it for LENA HORNE? Did Alicia Keys leave? Beyonce couldn't make it? Mary J? BS!
• Tyrese did an amicable tribute to Teddy Pendergrass
• Thank goodness Queen Latifah has gotten out of the costumes and back in a gown. She looks very nice.
• Haiti/Gospel tribute was nice.
• Getting sleepy 12:15am. How long are these awards? I'm fastfowarding every chance I get.
• Don't like John Legend AT ALL, but nice speech.
• Nice song from Trey Songz and he didn't even sing about him inventing something that's been around since Adam & Eve. Nice little 'Purple Rain' interlude.
• Who's that bald chick sitting with Prince? The mother of Kanye West's girlfriend?
• El DeBarge 'Second Chance' was nice!
• ABOUT TIME we are at the PRINCE tribute. That is so cute. Prince has a picture of El DeBarge on his shirt.
• Janelle Monette? She must have known she was going to sing 'Let's Go Crazy' when she went to the beauty salon. Her performance was cute though. Espiranza Spaulding so nice! Alicia Keys singing 'Adore' can it get any better? Alicia ROCKED-THAT-SH*T...until Patti LaBelle came out. Best performances of the night HANDS DOWN!
• Queen Latifah looks so nice in the white.
• Luda 'My Chick Bad'...My performance whack, my performance no good, my performance makes you wish ya would...buy the studio version instead.
• 'All I Do is Win' was a mess. The marching band sounded good, but you couldn't hear anyone else. Busta you have a gut, don't tuck in your shirt and don't wear the Captain Crunch jacket.

A whack way to end the show and a weak show overall. Good night.

You can see more photos and video (for now) of Chris Brown right here