A one-of-a-kind insiders look at Hollywood from a totally different perspective. This inspirational weekly series provides an “all access pass” to the entertainment business through the eyes of comedy manager/producer Barry Katz and the industry's biggest "behind the scenes" players who candidly reveal the risky decisions they made that led to the most groundbreaking internet, television, radio, music, and film content in the world. Combining humor, insight, and motivation; Katz provides the blueprint for the audience to take their careers to the next tier, while showcasing each guests’ extraordinary journey from humble beginnings to the highest levels in their field.
DEBORAH AQUILA is one of the most renowned casting directors in Hollywood. She began in NYC with Steven Soderbergh's "Sex, Lies and Videotape" and Uli Edel's "The Last Exit to Brooklyn" before moving to L.A to cast "The Shawshank Redemption."
After several years as the head of casting for Paramount, Aquila returned to the independent casting world with Sam Raimi's "The Gift," starring Cate Blanchett, Keanu Reeves, and Katie Holmes, and "What Women Want," directed by Nancy Meyers and starring Mel gibson and Helen Hunt.
Her credits also include "La La Land," "The Expendables," "Dexter," "The Shield," "Now You See Me 2," "Live Free or Die Hard," "Crank," and "The Underworld" series. Aquila has been recognized 15 times by the Casting Society of America, winning three Artios awards.
PATTY JENKINS is an award winning writer/director, best known recently for directing the highest grossing film by a woman in history ("Wonder Woman") and for her debut feature “Monster,” based on the life of convicted serial killer Aileen Wuornos. The film was named best first feature by the 2004 Independent Spirit Awards, one of the ten best films of the year by the AFI, and # 3 film of the decade by critic Roger Ebert.
The movie also earned star Charlize Theron an Oscar, Golden Globe, SAG award, and numerous critics awards in the best actress category for her stunning performance. Jenkins has also directed a plethora of TV, including the Emmy award winning Fox series “Arrested Development," HBO’s "Entourage,” and was nominated for an Emmy and won the DGA award for helming the TV pilot of “The Killing."
Chris Myers is an Emmy award winning American sportscaster with more than 30 years in broadcasting. He has covered premiere events, including the Super Bowl, World Series, NBA finals, NCAA final four, NASCAR, the Masters and U.S. Open (golf), the Daytona 500, and the Olympics. He was awarded an Emmy in the sports features category in 1990 as an anchor/reporter.
One of the busiest broadcasters in sports, Myers has interviewed everyone from Muhammad Ali to John Wooden to OJ Simpson to Tom Brady and many stars from the entertainment world as well, like Bill Murray and Adam Sandler.
Mark Lonow and Jo Anne Astrow have shared 50 years of personal and professional relationship together. Mark Lonow is an actor and producer who has appeared in countless films and worked with the greatest. His credits include The Wedding Singer with Adam Sandler, National Security with Martin Lawrence, & City Hall with Al Pacino.
Lonow is also the owner of The Improv with his friend Budd Friedman. The legendary comedy club opened in 1963 and remains to this day a landmark of stand up comedy as it was the very first comedy club at the time.
Jo Anne Astrow is an actress, performer, manager and producer. After a partnership at New Visions with her husband, Jo Anne turned to personal management where she helped develop such talents as Michael Rapaport, Lewis Black, Andrea Abbate and many others
The best of all the episodes with some of the greatest comedy directors in the entertainment industry, featuring Judd Apatow (Trainwreck, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up), Reggie Hudlin (House Party, Boomerang, The Great White Hype), David Zucker (Airplane, The Naked Gun, Scary Movie 3), Paul Feig (Bridesmaids, Spy, Ghostbusters) & Garry Marshall (Pretty Woman, The Flamingo Kid, The Princess Diaries).
Andrew J. Golder has created, produced, and written numerous TV game, reality and comedy programs. His credits include "1st and Ten" with OJ Simpson, the multiple Emmy-winning "Win Ben Stein's Money" that launched the career of Jimmy Kimmel, "Solitary", “the Game of Life” for the Hub, Comedy Central’s “Gong Show," NBC’s “Identity” with Penn Jillette, CBS' “Star Search”, & the magic series "Penn & Teller: Fool Us", which begins its' 4th season this summer on the CW on July 13th
LEE HARVEY OSWALD’s girlfriend in 1963, JUDYTH VARY BAKER is an American artist, writer, cancer researcher, and poet who was the lover of the accused assassin in the murder of JFK, which she claims was a CIA/Mafia conspiracy with Oswald being a designated scapegoat. A wizard student with the highest IQ in her class, in 1958, she was introduced to a high-ranking Norwegian geneticist and radiobiologist with CIA ties who had served as a double agent against Hitler. His exploits as a spy fascinated her and he provided her with equipment, and contacts, after she indicated her interest in finding a cure for cancer.
Young and impressionable, Judyth saw Fidel Castro as a cruel communist dictator, a threat to national security and the American way of life. Under direction of Alton Ochsner, well connected and funded by right wing politicians and Texan oil barons, she met Oswald for the first time and he took Judyth under his wing, while they were involved in an American top secret plot to kill Castro. Judyth and Lee grew to liking each other, which developed into a powerful working relationship and love affair, even though the both of them were married.
The best of all the episodes with the biggest casting directors in the entertainment industry.
ROB SCHNEIDER is a 3-time emmy nominated TV and film actor, well known all over the world for his hugely successful tenure on "Saturday Night Live," his trademark blend of character/comedian acting, as well as for his esteemed career as a stand-up comedian, director, producer, and writer. His more memorable films include "The Chosen One" (a drama he also co-wrote), "You may Not Kiss The Bride," as well as several Happy Madison productions including "Bedtime Stories," "You Don't Mess With The Zohan," "The Benchwarmers," "50 First Dates," "The Longest Yard," "Eight Crazy Nights," "Little Nicky," "Mr. Deeds," "Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo," "Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo," "The Hot Chick," "The Animal," "Shark Bait," "The Waterboy," and "Big Daddy."
STEVE MOSKO is one of the most famous and powerful personalities in the world of television.
During his 24 years at Sony Television, including 16 as president, Mosko oversaw some of the best TV shows in history, including "The Shield," "Outlander," "The Goldbergs," "The Blacklist," "Preacher," "Better Call Saul," "Masters of Sex," "Wheel of Fortune," "Jeopardy," and of course, the hit show that won 16 Primetime Emmy Awards and 2 Golden Globes during its 5 year run, "Breaking Bad."
