Visiting the set of Grandfathered ~ all new episode tonight on FOX at 8:30pm est!!

My trip to Los Angeles last November also brought me to the set of Grandfathered, the new show starring John Stamos, which airs on FOX Tuesday nights (that’s tonight) at 8:30pm est.    

We were lucky enough to sit down with John Stamos, Paget Brewster, Josh Peck, Christina Milian, Kelly Jenrette and Ravi Patel.  Fortunately we were split into groups to interview these very gracious stars in three groups.  While we were getting situated the very funny John Stamos got behind the bar on set and pretended to make us drinks, but don’t worry, none of the bottles have real alcohol in them. 

We first sat down with John and Paget, who was most recently in Criminal Minds.  I asked her what it was like switching over from a drama series like that to a comedy like Grandfathered.  She said that while the show is a drama there is definitely a lot of comedy on the set with the cast, but it is obviously different acting in the two shows.  Grandfathered is mainly all on set, while in Criminal Minds you’re running through a forest in the dark with a gun, so in that way the shows are obviously very different. 

John and Paget joked around about inviting members of their prior casts, Full House and Criminal Minds, to guest star in Grandfathered.  As we’ve already seen a couple Full House stars it is obvious that has already happened, but is unlikely with Criminal Minds due to the different television networks. 

John and Paget were also asked about the possibility of their characters getting together in the show.  After some kidding around it was hinted that this is a possibility, down the road.  For right now they’re all still figuring out how things will turn out.  John’s character has a knack for taking two steps forward and one step back, but he’s working on it. 

Next our group sat down with Josh Peck, and Christina Milian and we asked them both how the audition process worked for their roles.  Christina said that she was actually going to be auditioning for a different basketball related show. She’d been out of acting for a little over a year and had chosen to get back into it when her agent sent her for the audition.  The casting director had a different idea though, she said that Christina wasn’t a match for the basketball show but that she thought she’d be great for Grandfathered, which Christina had never heard of before, so she went home with a script and came back to audition three days later.  No need to tell you – she got the part and is currently loving working on the show. 

Josh was told that his role would be a geeky, dorky character, and he thought well that isn’t ‘him’ – to which most of us giggled, as Josh is the perfect actor for the character we now know to be Gerald.  However, Josh still wasn’t sure and he spoke to executive producer, Dan Fogelman, who he’d worked with in the past.  Dan suggested Josh give it a try and audition, which he did and as they say – the rest is history!!

Both Josh and Christina spoke fondly of the great bond they have on set and their working relationship with the two little girls who play Edie.  Both had never worked with children before and have definitely learned a lot in the time they’ve been working with the twins, who they say are just great and have grown on them so much!  Being a mom herself, Christina states that it has definitely been different dropping her own child off at school and going to work to be with other kids.  

Getting to meet Kelly Jenrette and Ravi Patel was up next and what a fun time it was.  Both Kelly and Ravi are extremely funny and have a lot of fun poking fun at one another.  It really felt as if they must have a great time on set, and who wouldn’t, getting to work with such talented and funny cast members.  

Ravi took a moment to tell us all about a company he co-running with some others in the entertainment industry, who are all really passionate about helping alleviate severe kid malnutrition, which is that final stage of hunger that affects nearly 20 million kids every year under the age of six.  Called This Bar Saves Lives these bars are an all natural, non-GMO, gluten free, fair trade, bee friendly… and about every other awesome thing you can think of.   

As Ravi explained it, these bars are working on the unhealthy snacking habits of Americans and for every bar bought they are donating a lifesaving meal packet to those in need, around the world, through one of our charity partners.  To date they have donated over 600,000 meal packets!  I encourage you to check them out, they looked delicious, and they’re helping a great cause!!

We asked Ravi if he had any experience working in a kitchen as he now plays the role of a chef.  He said he did, but he’d forgotten all of it.  He continued to say that he has basically, “3 or 4 signature fake acting, fake cooking moves, fake Chefs moves.”  One is the big pot stir, two is the towel on the shoulder and drying his hands, for the entire scene, three is directing others on what to do and the last is garnishing, either eating a pepper, or adding a garnish to something.  NOW – I challenge you to find these fake chef steps, as Ravi calls them, in the new episode that airs tonight!!

Speaking of the new episode here’s a fun clip and more details about tonight’s all new episode; 

JIMMY IS TRICKED INTO GOING TO THE DOCTOR ON AN ALL-NEW “ GRANDFATHERED ”
TUESDAY, January 5, ON FOX