October 19, 2024 • 76 mins
"206 - Star Trek Deep Space Nine Far Beyond The Stars with Todd E. Slayton"
No Win Scenario is your gateway to science fiction entertainment. Don and Trevor will spar over diverse perspectives and dissect popular narratives. Don and Trevor engage with industry experts to explore the day-to-day realities of production and the increasing prominence of mental health concerns in the film and television industry.
In this episode, Don and Trevor welcome Todd E. Slayton who beams in from Star Trek Deep Space Nine. The pair also shout out Beyond Classical Theatre and the legendary actor Johnny Lee Davenport once more.
The interview includes:
Todd Slayton's background and connection to Deep Space Nine
Todd Slayton is an actor, editor and producer who had a unique behind-the-scenes role on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He started out in the industry as a model, but had a passion for entertainment instilled by his grandmother's involvement in vaudeville. Todd was hired as a background extra and stand-in on DS9, eventually becoming very close with the cast and crew, especially Avery Brooks (who played Captain Sisko) and Brock Peters (who played Sisko's father). Todd shared stories of the long hours, intense makeup, and occasional pranks on set, as well as the deep emotional connection he felt to the show and its themes of diversity and perseverance.
Todd's experiences with Avery Brooks and Brock Peters
Todd had a close mentorship relationship with Avery Brooks, who he says treated him like a surrogate son. He shared a story of how Brooks pulled him aside to prevent him from attending an event the night Biggie Smalls was shot, likely saving his life. Todd also became very close with Brock Peters, who he says was like a father figure to him. He has fond memories of the two actors bonding and sharing stories on set.
The making of the "Far Beyond the Stars" episode
Todd had a unique behind-the-scenes role in the acclaimed Deep Space Nine episode "Far Beyond the Stars", where the main characters are transported to 1950s Earth and experience racism and discrimination as African-American writers. Todd was Avery Brooks' stand-in and photo double for that episode, and he shared details about the intense emotional performances, the elaborate set design, and the significance of depicting that historical struggle. He felt honored to be part of such an impactful and well-crafted episode.
Todd's other roles and experiences on Deep Space Nine
In addition to his work on "Far Beyond the Stars", Todd played various background characters on Deep Space Nine, including Klingons, Cardassians, and Breen. He shared stories of the long hours, complex makeup, and occasional pranks on set. Todd also discussed his work on other shows like CSI, where he had a recurring role as a paramedic, and how the Deep Space Nine cast and crew formed a tight-knit community.
Todd's current projects and the legacy of Deep Space Nine
Today, Todd is producing a unique music and cultural festival in his hometown, blending reggae, hip-hop, and Afro-Cuban influences. He remains passionate about the arts and entertainment, and feels that Deep Space Nine's legacy as a groundbreaking, diverse, and socially conscious sci-fi series is an important part of his own story and experience in the industry. Todd expressed hope that Avery Brooks and the show will continue to have an impact in the years to come.
Podcast: No Win Scenario
Episode Number: 206
Release Date: October 19, 2024
Duration: 1:16:14
Hosts: Don Schechter and Trevor
Guest: Todd E. Slayton
Website: https://www.nowinscenariopodcast.com
Email: NoWinScenarioPodcast@gmail.com
Follow No Win Scenario on X (Formerly Twitter): @nowinscenario
Follow No Win Scenario on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551025621867
Subscribe on your favorite platform
Mental Health Crisis Resources
In the US: 1-800-950-NAMI (6264)
Or text HELPLINE to 62640
Or email helpline@nami.org
International: visit suicidestop.com
©2024 Charles River Media, Inc.
All Artwork AI created and not meant to represent any real or fictional people.
No Win Scenario is your gateway to science fiction entertainment. Don and Trevor will spar over diverse perspectives and dissect popular narratives. Don and Trevor engage with industry experts to explore the day-to-day realities of production and the increasing prominence of mental health concerns in the film and television industry.
In this episode, Don and Trevor welcome Todd E. Slayton who beams in from Star Trek Deep Space Nine. The pair also shout out Beyond Classical Theatre and the legendary actor Johnny Lee Davenport once more.
The interview includes:
Todd Slayton's background and connection to Deep Space Nine
Todd Slayton is an actor, editor and producer who had a unique behind-the-scenes role on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He started out in the industry as a model, but had a passion for entertainment instilled by his grandmother's involvement in vaudeville. Todd was hired as a background extra and stand-in on DS9, eventually becoming very close with the cast and crew, especially Avery Brooks (who played Captain Sisko) and Brock Peters (who played Sisko's father). Todd shared stories of the long hours, intense makeup, and occasional pranks on set, as well as the deep emotional connection he felt to the show and its themes of diversity and perseverance.
Todd's experiences with Avery Brooks and Brock Peters
Todd had a close mentorship relationship with Avery Brooks, who he says treated him like a surrogate son. He shared a story of how Brooks pulled him aside to prevent him from attending an event the night Biggie Smalls was shot, likely saving his life. Todd also became very close with Brock Peters, who he says was like a father figure to him. He has fond memories of the two actors bonding and sharing stories on set.
The making of the "Far Beyond the Stars" episode
Todd had a unique behind-the-scenes role in the acclaimed Deep Space Nine episode "Far Beyond the Stars", where the main characters are transported to 1950s Earth and experience racism and discrimination as African-American writers. Todd was Avery Brooks' stand-in and photo double for that episode, and he shared details about the intense emotional performances, the elaborate set design, and the significance of depicting that historical struggle. He felt honored to be part of such an impactful and well-crafted episode.
Todd's other roles and experiences on Deep Space Nine
In addition to his work on "Far Beyond the Stars", Todd played various background characters on Deep Space Nine, including Klingons, Cardassians, and Breen. He shared stories of the long hours, complex makeup, and occasional pranks on set. Todd also discussed his work on other shows like CSI, where he had a recurring role as a paramedic, and how the Deep Space Nine cast and crew formed a tight-knit community.
Todd's current projects and the legacy of Deep Space Nine
Today, Todd is producing a unique music and cultural festival in his hometown, blending reggae, hip-hop, and Afro-Cuban influences. He remains passionate about the arts and entertainment, and feels that Deep Space Nine's legacy as a groundbreaking, diverse, and socially conscious sci-fi series is an important part of his own story and experience in the industry. Todd expressed hope that Avery Brooks and the show will continue to have an impact in the years to come.
Podcast: No Win Scenario
Episode Number: 206
Release Date: October 19, 2024
Duration: 1:16:14
Hosts: Don Schechter and Trevor
Guest: Todd E. Slayton
Website: https://www.nowinscenariopodcast.com
Email: NoWinScenarioPodcast@gmail.com
Follow No Win Scenario on X (Formerly Twitter): @nowinscenario
Follow No Win Scenario on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551025621867
Subscribe on your favorite platform
Mental Health Crisis Resources
In the US: 1-800-950-NAMI (6264)
Or text HELPLINE to 62640
Or email helpline@nami.org
International: visit suicidestop.com
©2024 Charles River Media, Inc.
All Artwork AI created and not meant to represent any real or fictional people.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
On this special episode of No Win Scenario with Trevor
and Dawn her genius. He was Star He's Star Trek marriage.
There we Go.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
That is one of the best episodes of Star Trek
television I've ever seen, one of the best episodes of
science fiction television I've ever seen.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
On Classical Theater honors the legacy of Johnny Lee Dabrenport
by giving actors of color with a specific passion for
classical theater opportunities to prepare for excellence and performance.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
But we're at Quarks Bar. Hey, God, I'm gonna get
in trouble for this, but I'm gonna go ahead and say.
Avery goes to me. He's sitting there at the bar,
and he get them and goes, so, well, what happened
after I left? I said they had to rewrite. Said
we were here till like eleven thirty. He said. I said,
it was just you know, oh, they were they gonna do.
Mister b He looks at me, he said, missus Lake,
(00:49):
if they don't treat you like a sometimes you act
like it. And I turned right back and went back
to his thing. And we never talked about it, and.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
I haven't listened to anything you've said in the last
twenty seconds.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Damn it, Trevor, Oh God, I hate you so much.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
Well it to you. We can cross off the reading.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
I watch almost everything in the majority.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Of this terrible What is this podcast about? My recorder's
damn it, Trevor, Trevor. I always say the same thing
episode after episode after episode. Can I say something other
than hi? Everyone, Welcome back to No Win Scenario Podcast.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Just say it as fast as possible so your voice
can get out of my ears?
Speaker 1 (01:35):
Please?
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Would you like me to do it? And I'm not
til over all?
Speaker 1 (01:38):
T time?
Speaker 3 (01:40):
No, not so much. Well, Hi everyone, and welcome back
to a special end of season two.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
You can literally make me nauseous. You literally make me.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
Maybe this is like No Win Scenario Podcast after Darker
Drunk Drunk Theater or something, and there's no alcohol here.
But welcome back to this special episode. We've taken a
few months off for the summer, but we were back
to wrap up season two with a special guest coming up,
Toddy Slayton from Star Trek Deep Space nine, who's got
amazing stories from behind the scenes as well. I'm not
(02:10):
gonna I'm not gonna run it, Trevor I'm going to
stop talking now because you want it this time so as.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
So it's been it's been a few months. Have you
you finally after just me just begging you for you
to see it, you finally saw Furiosa?
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Right?
Speaker 3 (02:30):
I did, in the amazing view of an iPad next
to my bed so much.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
What'd you think of it?
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Better than I thought it was going to be?
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Yeah, But and you probably liked it more than Fury
Road because you don't like Fury Road.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
I don't believe I actually saw the Fury Road, right, Okay,
I grew up with Mad Max. I grew up with
Mad Max.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
I think that was why.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
The original.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Okay, did you get a chance to see Alien Romuels Pass?
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (03:01):
I saw it. I saw it twice.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Oh, I did see Deadpool and Wolverine. That was the
one we've seen recently.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
I you know my funny thing. I had tickets to
see that twice with the same friend. Both times. They
got sick the day before and I was so happy,
so happy.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
God forbid you should hang out with someone and see
so happy. It was entertaining. Entertain means fun, Trevor, Right,
I saw The Insider with you just a few weeks ago.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Yeah, well, the Insider's not fun, it's brilliant.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
It's a great movie.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
Michael Man, come on, well, Romulus. I was so very
excited for it, really.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
The second hold on, I was busy traveling the world.
I went to Iceland, I was in Brussels, I was
in Amsterdam. Yeah, sorry, continue continue.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Directed by I can pronounce his first nap. I think
fed Alvarez a big fan of his work. He's got
excellent vision, real technically proficient. I was very I wasn't
just very disappointed. Its just the film was nah, it
just it was basically it was just a bunch of
callbacks to the other films, and this opening just really
(04:11):
didn't deliver. Now I'm getting there. I'm getting there. But
but listen, Well we're just gonna go real quick into
Trevor's tangent. Trevor's okay, so.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
Wait, we have a sound effect somewhere where is it? No,
that's not it.
Speaker 4 (04:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
Yeah. So, regarding our upcoming interview with Toss Layton, you
had me watch an episode of Deep Space nine called
Far Beyond the Stars.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
Right, that's correct, yes, last night, And I.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Watched it last night, and uh, you know, I've seen
a fair amount of Star Trek TV, not as much
as Dawn, not as much as most Star Trek fans,
but I will say that that was that is one
of the best episodes of Star Trek Televisi I've ever seen,
one of the best episodes of science fiction television I've
(05:03):
ever seen. It was so moving, so well written, so
well acted, incredibly well done. I didn't know it dramatically
where it was going from one moment to the next.
It zig zags dramatically, but it all makes sense and
(05:23):
it just builds to this moment and for anybody who's
seen it, that is so explosive, I don't know it.
It knocked me out. Avery Brooks amazing, I mean just amazing. Yea,
the entire cast amazing.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
And it is there a bud coming here?
Speaker 2 (05:46):
No, not at all. It looked gorgeous. It was really
well made. So my question is I have a few questions,
but it was out of context for me. I kind
of wonder if I, if I contextually understood some things,
if I would get more dramatic impact out of it.
(06:06):
The episode opens with him talking about how he's lost
so many people and how he maybe he shouldn't be leading,
he shouldn't be leading anymore. What did that mean?
Speaker 3 (06:20):
Well, this episode Far Beyond the Stars came out in
the sixth season, sort of in the middle.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
I believe, Yeah, what was that?
Speaker 3 (06:28):
Yeah, so the other day was February ninth, nineteen ninety eight,
so at this point. But what's interesting is that, you know,
the character of Captain Cisco, who was Commander Cisco, came
in the pilot episode. The very first thing he wanted
to do when he showed up was leave.
Speaker 4 (06:42):
You know.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
What was interesting at the time to fans was one
of the early scenes he's with Captain.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
Picard, right, great, great scenes.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
So you have seen that, you did see the pilot.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
Well, we talked about it.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
We talked about the pilot in one of the episodes,
Yes we did, and how he he was like performance
wise toe to toe with Stuart and did a great job.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
And I got to say a follow up many years later,
Todd Stashwick doing this very similar thing to Picard in
the most recent in Picard season three when he was
like I was at well three five to nine, also similar,
very sort of shocking to those who grew up with
the next generation and amazing moments, but so you know,
he came to accept his role on Deep Space nine
(07:21):
and find his family and his work there and more
than that, without giving away now that we're so many
twenty five years later, you're gonna finally watch it. But
at this point in the show, a foot fledged war
had taken over, had taken place between the Federation and
(07:42):
the Dominion, and really the last couple of years, a
couple of seasons of Deep Space nine were committed for
the most part to this long form story about the
Dominion war, which is why I was so excited when
it showed up in piccard and You're like, what the
hell is this? So it wasn't going well, and the
cool thing about Deep Space nine is like they the
station at one point, right, they had to retreat. They
(08:03):
lost They showed, you know, a character losing a leg
during the war. They showed people dying, you know, not
really main characters. This wasn't quite going that far, but
it showed people dying. So at this point it's taken
a toll on him the losses, and so he sort
of loses faith in himself to lead.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
The parallel is I'm guessing you correct me if I'm wrong.
Without giving too much you have, right? Is that is
that in this episode he is a writer, he's creating
this story. Yeah, and the story. The one thing that
is consistent through throughout the story of him writing the
(08:43):
story is that there's constant setbacks and loss over and
over and over again. Is that is.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
That whatever progress maybe that's a way to read it right,
Maybe it's there, maybe it's not. But whatever progress he
made to almost being able to be in average an
American writer in the fifties, trying to get published, making
some progress, and then being pushed back down again, there
is that parallysm there between what's going on in the war,
Like every time this progress and maybe there's a way
to get over this, your push back down to the
(09:12):
ground or your friends get hurt. So there's definitely that
that parallel.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
Oh woh yeah, I mean with that moment in the episode,
you know your friends get hurt.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, it.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
Uh you know, I mean, it was it was self befable.
It was a great episode. It was a great episode.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
And I got to say, like they do return to
the Benny Russell character a little bit, and this hallucination,
never to the extent of having a whole episode on it,
and you know, to this day, like when I heard
that they were considering, I don't know how serious it
was ending Deep Space nine with Benny Russell dreaming of
Deep Space nine, right, that would have been so poetic
and perfect. I think people would have thrown fits and
(09:54):
people would have loved it, and I regret them not
doing it right. So, man, as much as Star tricks
about the future, maybe there's still more work to get done.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
That's right.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
Some statement, Oh absolutely absolutely. My final the final thing
I want to ask or it's not even a question,
it's something that I'm still wrapping my brain around. Was
the line that Brock Peters says near the end about Cisco.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
You're the dreamer and the dream Oh dude, that's the line.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
That slay me, slay That was I'm still I'm still
working through that line dramatically, but it it, you know,
and it hasn't even been twenty four hours, but I
keep hearing it. Yeah, I keep hearing that line. And
(10:50):
I don't know, powerful powerful, really powerful stuff.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
How many years ago it was, and that we still
holds up and for just you know, a syndicated show,
right that had a lot to do a lot of
episodes in a short amount of time. Yeah, it did
quite good.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
And again it looked incredible. It shot really really, I mean,
it looks so amazing. It's just fantastic all around and
really just wonderful. So, I mean, gosh, this is gonna
be a big surprise, and I'm gonna be nice to
you and say thank you.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
Sound effects such.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
I was gonna call you a name, but I stopped.
This is a nice thank you for booking this guest
upcoming guests that you because in order to prep for
this interview, you had me. You asked me to watch
this episode. And this episode was just it rose above
(11:53):
it's ip and it rose above its genre.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
It is just.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
A great piece of writing, acting, drama. It's fantastic, absolutely fantastic.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
I agree. I'd like to I'd like you You're welcome,
and I'd like to thank you and applaud you. I'd
actually like to applaud you. Wait, where's that. I'd like
to applaud you for recognizing that I was right.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
I love when I'm sincere and you still mock me.
It's just fantastic.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
My name is Todd Ea Slayton. I am a actor, director, editor, producer,
titles under my belt. I'm not just throwing that out
right now. Currently, I've been doing a whole lot more producing.
I am doing a project out here in my hometown
and we are doing what we consider a one of
a kind reggae festival. But it's not just reggae. It's
(12:52):
going to include hip hop, but not today's hip hop.
It's going to be conscious hip hop. We got right now.
We're going to a couple of Marley's coming, a couple
bands I can't mention yet, but it's here in my hometown.
And I won't give you the name of my hometown,
but I'm sure it's online, but it's where do we
do the California Ramona Pageant And they will be there
(13:13):
at the Ramona Bowl March this year. The name of
our festival is called Iron Culture Festival, and that's exactly
what it is. It's a cultural festival. But our thing
is with the Iron, We're going to bring in some
VIP food and it's going to be one of a kind.
So anyway you guys want to talk about, well.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
You know what I actually I just have one one
quick question. I'm a fan of Africa Banbada seventy early
eighties hip hop is the Treacher's three is like, I
love the Treachers three? Is that what you're like? The
hip hop? The five elements of hip hop? And is
that what you're aiming for?
Speaker 1 (13:51):
Well, yes, but we're going to more. Okay, So it
has to do with my journey through this whole thing.
It connects to the start of Star Trek, to the
people I met. So some of the people I run
with is my brother Jay from the X Clan. I'm
sure you know Brother Jay. I was with him and
the ex Clan and Public Enemy at the twenty fifth
(14:13):
induction to the Hall of Fame. Uh. If you've ever
seen a picture with Brother Jay and Chuck d that's
I took that picture. Oh wow, that's what we're concentrating
on now. If we're going to get deep about Africa.
Speaker 4 (14:25):
And actually yeah, yeah, you know, yes, the same genre,
but maybe not the same.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
Yes, I understand, Okay, well you know hip hop.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
Yeah, I have a background of music, but it's from
the sixteenth century.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
Okay, Well, just really, in my opinion, that sounds like
an amazing festival and I hope it. I hope it
goes off huge. That sounds great.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
When I got the job on on Deep Space nine.
I was. I came from a modeling background, I judged
then nothing like this. I got three feet so I
had that experience of my dad's a past or, so
I grew up. I have that open experience of just
talking to people and being there. So it was really
quick that I got into that family. And Saraq really
(15:08):
looked up to me at that time as a big
brother and as a mentor. Mister B. I may switch
between Avery and mister B, but he he was always there.
And Avery. If I had a toothpick, I'll show you.
Avery be looking at us like, what's y'all planning? Yeah,
anyway we were. I was supposed to take Sarak to
(15:28):
the what is it the auto museum, Peterson's Auto Museum
the night of the shooting with Biggie and Avery. His
mama asked me if I'd take him, that's the only
way Sarak could go.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
I think her fifteen or sixteen.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Then Avery pulled me aside and said, what are you thinking,
missus Slayton, You ain't going there. You going home. You're
going home, me, your wife and kids, and Sarah's got
to get in the car. Huh, Right, go home you dig. Yeah, No,
there was no discussion. So we weren't there because Avery
didn't want us there. But I can tell you things
might have changed differently because I know how Saraq was
(16:04):
and I was. We were young and crazy. We had
probably been right there on the car. Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah,
because we were both big tupacet biggie feed especially. So yeah, anyway,
what do you guys want to know?
Speaker 3 (16:15):
Well, oh, I got question. So so just a little
backstory is that, So how we came into your orbit?
Is that all of a sudden, I'm seeing on a
Facebook feed you're posting a DS nine do Space nine
lovers or something, And I wasn't even the group and
I saw it. I'm like, oh, wow, this is interesting.
You've got a sort of union perspective, I think a lot,
and as we've been talking about, you've got perspective on
(16:35):
Avery Brooks and Brock and so i'd always talk to
you more about that. But you know, just with your
backstore here, you were what twenty five ish when you
stay five.
Speaker 1 (16:44):
When I entered into the industry, I was twenty three
and that was during the modeling background.
Speaker 3 (16:50):
So what was it like coming into deep space nine.
Right in the fourth season, Siraq was what fifty he
was a kid, but who all of a sudden sprouted up.
I guess he was your kid. The show started in
halfway through, and that's one.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
Other reasons why. That's the one other reasons why Ivor
got replaced. Ivor was his original stand in how you
doing brother? If you see this? And a good guy.
We continued on with Ivor. He did a lot of
stunts for sarac even after and yeah, rock sprouted. I'm
six three ish. I'm fifty two now, so I'm probably
(17:23):
six two b But yeah, so Sarak last time I
was around him was about an inch taller than me,
and I was about four years ago. We did Comic
Con and La Comic Con, which was really fun.
Speaker 3 (17:36):
And then you did more than that. It was one
more fun than the other.
Speaker 1 (17:41):
People have asked me what was my favorite character to play?
My favorite you know, make up, Let's say, because the
only characters ever really played was thought More and I
did a lot of stuff production wise, behind the scenes.
We can get into about Brock and that was wonderful.
But my favorite makeup and this is going to be
like realistically, everybody who's ever done makeup knows exactly what
(18:04):
I'm saying is the Shrek. There's this picture of me
and I'm like this on that one of those things
in a full makeup head. That's my favorite because all
they did is pull that over your head. They put
a little glue around your eye, little makeup right here.
I slip on the little gloves, getting a real comfortable
baggy suit. Days done. Yeah, I would do Cardassians. Klingons
(18:26):
were not. I think for me, the most taxing was
because of my time there. I was hired on as
a crew. I was just background. I know that, an extra,
but I was hired on as a crew so so
Rock wasn't working that first year or so not as much.
So they kept me on like the phones. They would
(18:46):
have me assist Avery. That's how I became so close
to Brock was because of the various different things that
I would do. But the worst was not the worst.
It was the best. But if they needed a makeup
guy or got one guy tomorrow, we need makeup. Prime example,
there's a picture of me also and you guys can
cut to you have my full permission, and it's like
(19:09):
this and it's a full makeup and I'm in like
a gown, a red gown, and I have like three
different pictures of the levels of you know, makeup. Yeah,
I'll shout out the makeup artist, wonderful woman, Mary Kay.
And we spent because it was just me that entire day.
It's the scene. I don't remember all this stuff, guys,
(19:30):
I really don't. I'm a trekki, but I'm not as
deep as some of you.
Speaker 4 (19:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
Yeah, I don't know the episode title, but it was
when Quark and then naw, we're carrying like invisible box,
right and they go walk and buy and they see
me and they stop and they go like, oh, emissari
or whatever, and I just kind of go like that.
That took thirteen and a half hours that make up alone.
And the only reason why is because I was supposed
to go on at like eleven, and it kept getting
(19:58):
pushed and kept because I'm cheap, you know, me as
an extra in makeup and smoke and all. They don't
care my little six hundred dollars a day. That doesn't
mean anything, so they kept pushing it and pushing it. Well,
will you have anything to do? Because it was a
pretty bare set. So me and Mary kay are Mary Kay.
You just kept working and working and not took thirteen
and a half hours. But for me, it wasn't the
(20:20):
hours necessarily in the makeup chair. It was the hours
in general. Like my first day, my very first day,
I'm a chameleon. I didn't know what I was doing.
They said, come to the Paramount lot, be here at
two am on whatever day that was as a Monday.
So I show up and I just see a legion
of people going through the Paramount gate. I got my
(20:42):
little pass, so I even got into four people. So
I just stood around and just kind of followed the herd.
Next thing you know, I'm in the makeup and Michael,
you know, Wes Moore's makeup office on Deep Space nine,
which was an amazing experience with must have been twenty
five other gentlemen, some women, mostly men extras that are
playing Klingons. That day. I got on set at eight am.
(21:05):
By the time Michael Dorn was Michael Dorn's episode. It
was the first episode of season four. You guys can
see which one that was the Way of the Warrior.
So LeVar Burton was directing, right, So I got on
set at eight in the morning and it's called hurry
up and wait. So we just go stand around and
have everything on. I go craft service, then they go
(21:27):
get dressed. We get dressed, and everybody's there. Well, I
got it. I told this story, so I don't want
to keep repeating, but I won't give it all of it.
But LeVar was wearing overalls, and LaVar's like standing around, going, okay,
Michael Doron comes on here. LeVar has a whole crew
in twenty five extra standing around and Michael's not even
(21:49):
made up. He doesn't have his hair on. He just
has basically the klingona and then the mustache, the beard,
his pants are you know, he's got thiss on but
he and so Levar's pissed. Now it's like ten am.
So keep in mind I had been there for eight hours.
All of us have been there for eight hours at
that point, and Michael comes in and Levar's just raging.
(22:12):
And I don't know, like I said, this is the
first day. I'm looking at Kuta Kente right, and war
arguing and fun of me. You know, my kids know
reading Reading the Rainbow, but I know I know couch
and so I'm just like wow. And so LeVar goes, Michael,
you're not ant undressed. What are you doing? These guys
have been here for eight hours. We're ready to go.
Let's roll. And Michael looks at the LeVar reminds you
(22:33):
LeVar standing there with his overalls. He goes, I was
your mom. And then LeVar and the whole crew just
fell out. It just broke the tension. But that was
my first day. And that was twenty one and a
half hours, wow, twenty one and a half hours before
I got finned out the time I started. So that
was tough. But I tell you I was young then,
(22:55):
and the money was excellent money.
Speaker 3 (22:56):
Yeah, And so is that why you came back kept
coming back because it was a gig. It was a
steady gig.
Speaker 1 (23:03):
No. I was a new father and a married man, happily,
and I wanted to be in Hollywood. I wanted to
be an actor. I started off modeling, but I come
from a background of vaudeville. My grandmother used to sing
and dance with Scatman Crothers and gosh his name's escaping
me ball guy tap dance anyway, So I grew up
(23:25):
with that whole, the whole, you know, genre of vaudeville
in my life. My mom's Creole, my dad's part Native
American and African Americans, so I have a mix of
culture that I've always embraced. But for me, it was
a job, but I enjoyed it. It was fun. There
was drama, but that's the same way I came from
the State Parks of California directly. I got discovered at
(23:49):
the California State Parks by MTV when MTV was cool.
They did a commercial on me because I was a
state Parks. I wasn't a ranger but assistant, and I
was running around Idawa, California with dreadlocks and there. So
that's kind of how I got into modeling and whatever.
But I always had passion through my grandma. Like she
(24:09):
would do Pasadena. They would have a you know, like
a Sundays you could go in and do like almost
a showcase or whatever. My grandma would have us all
up there dancing and singing tops she name it. So
for entertainment. It was a job, but it was great.
I watched my wife work retail and she hated it.
I'd go to work. I'd go to work and I'd
(24:29):
be like, Bay, you know what, happened to day.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
Yeah, clock out.
Speaker 1 (24:33):
I'm like, okay, Well, I was going to tell you
I met Patsy today.
Speaker 3 (24:38):
Yeah, I was going to ask you if you had fun,
because I think we had al Because the rumor, I'm
at the rumor, but like the lore is that the
the TG crew set was a blast. People were playing pranks,
are every fun, And at least the history that that
is more public is that the DS nine set was
(24:58):
much more buttoned up.
Speaker 1 (25:00):
Well, I think that has to do with the TMG
stuff is because the producers, a lot of them were
either there, a lot of them were assistance to those producers,
and they saw that same stuff. But no, that went
on on our set. I could tell you stories. I
can tell you one time. I mean, I don't know why.
It was one of those days. Our model again, you're
(25:21):
gonna hear it, not just for me, is hurry up
and wait. So Sorac had been there all day, he's
in the star fleet. I don't even have to dress
because he's only there for a couple of minutes, so
I don't have to double him or anything. I don't
have to worry about anything, and I'm just sitting there
chilling next thing. You know, mister B comes o wesel whatsroc?
I said, where is he? I said, what's going on?
He goes, you need to go see? So I run
(25:44):
over this trailer. I can't find Sarac anywhere. Serac's running
around the Paramount lot as in Starfleet with toilet paper
wrapped around him entirely his head to toe, walking around
and going, oh my god, we laughing so hard. But
Avery didn't think that was so funny.
Speaker 3 (26:05):
It was an episode he was directing.
Speaker 1 (26:07):
No, no, he wasn't. He wasn't directing that one. But
Avery really, you know, he mentors Rocky. I could say
he like Brock Brock he felt and would say in
public I was his surrogate son. And I really felt
that Avery fathered and wanted to be that position and
was that position because they're very close outside of working,
which a lot of people don't know. But Avery is
(26:29):
like Hawk. That's the closest I can tell you if
you want to know how mister B is he, I
know he doesn't do many interviews or anything like that,
and that's a whole nother story. But he's more like Hauk,
so he's very serious, but he's hilarious. He has some
of the funny stuff, like I got in a banter
with Avery and I got one up on him and
regretted it once. And I don't know if I can
tell last he had to do it all Hollywood. He
(26:57):
told me to ask somebody a question in every body
was standing around laughing because it was like in your
face because I'm hanging out with this person, which was
and he said, you asked Brock about this, that and
the other, and everybody's like okay. And I said, all right,
mister b I'm gonna ask him what I'm gonna tell him.
You told me and I closed the door.
Speaker 4 (27:15):
Within seconds, producers were on the ages.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
You need to go to see Avery and his trailer,
you know. But it was all fun and games until
I got the leg up.
Speaker 2 (27:26):
Yeah, yeah, you know.
Speaker 1 (27:27):
We had a lot of fun, especially like the stuff
behind the scenes with with Quart, I mean armand was hilarious.
Uh sadig, you know who was crazy. I didn't even
get to really hang out or talk to him the
first year. I think I was intimidated. Was Callemini really serious?
Yeah it's cool, but you know, but my my thing
(27:48):
was like the people I hung out with because I
spent a lot more time and make up. Of course
rock Avery. All the main cast was like Mark Alaimo,
jg Hers, Jeffrey, Jeffrey Combs. Yeah, Jeffrey is great. You
can tell him. I said, what's up? I don't have
to talk to him. Well, but yeah, And I got
(28:09):
to work with Jeffrey on CSI. When I left Deep Space,
I walked right into CSI doubled or not doubled. They
stood in for Gary door Dan, which is the black
guy on the show, and I became a paramedic. But
we did an episode in Big Bear and Jeffrey played
a veterinarian and Jeffrey was pretty, you know, overwhelmed by
(28:30):
the whole CSI train because we were the number one
show in the world. And Jeffrey looked at me and
he's like, we ended up keeping a restaurant open because
they knew who we were, and a Big Bear of
all places until like eleven o'clock at night, which is
unheard of on a Thursday. And uh, he's fun. But
(28:51):
I think one of the ones I really miss that
I will get a hold of and talk to. I
believe he's still alive. Is Mark Markolaimo, me and him,
He's blast every weekend. We were hanging out if we
didn't have things to do. So, I don't know, what
else do you guys want?
Speaker 3 (29:07):
Well, I got, I got, I got lots of questions. Yeah,
I got a couple of Avery questions. First. So okay,
the first thing, and you tease this in a message
I believe. But it was a Friday, he took off,
he said, see you guys, okay, yeah, you want to
hear that co producers. And then Monday morning something happened.
Speaker 1 (29:26):
So okay, all right, I'll say this one. This one,
I'll say I don't have a problem doing it. Okay.
So I was on the phones that day. Now I
said something online and I got blasted for it. We
considered Star Trek the Black Star Trek. We had Avery,
we had LeVar directing, We had Michael Door and we
had Sarrack, we had Brock, we had myself, we had Penny.
(29:46):
I mean, I could just name the whole list. We
had all these stand ins who were black for them.
So it was very afrocentric crew without being like anti
white or pro just afro centric. So we would sit
around us, me being one of the younger ones. I
was mentored by plenty of names I could name that
you would never know on the crew who were involved
(30:08):
with electrical life anyway, So we're outside and right by
the door you go with, I think it's stage four's
right there. Then there's my desk or the phone desk,
so I could hear the I have my foot in
the door, you know, everything else. And Avery just comes
busting out and he goes, gentlemen, have a nice weekend.
I'm not putting up with us. And he leaves and
(30:29):
I'm like, what happened? And he has an assistant. His
name is Brian Andrew Tungsta. Brian's a great guy, amazing
makeup artist. And Brian and Avery were really close, very close.
He was the closest to Brian. So Brian goes and
sneaks off and he goes to Avery's trailer. And then
Brian comes back and Brian says to me, he said, oh,
mister Bee's going home. I was like, dude, is one
(30:52):
o'clock he can't leave that. We got like and I
pull up the listening the guy like five more scenes.
Next thing you know, mister b pulls up and his
black convert of Mercedes, he got the hot glasses on,
he got the suit jacket and everything on. He does
him and he goes off. He rolls out and Brian's off.
Twenty minutes later, ten minutes whatever it was, the door
(31:14):
bust open again. It's Steve Oaster. He's panicked. He's like,
where's where's the Yeah co producer and he's like, where's Avery?
And Brian just goes uh, probably over Texas. So we
are blessing up. So now Brian gets to go home. Right,
So Brian, Avery's done, there's no need for Brian off
the fuck. Well, I gotta stay until we wrapped. So
(31:35):
I'm gonna say it. So the next morning I'm standing
in for Avery because his his stuntman. Who is Brian?
Excuse me? John Lundell in it Rest in peace, Johnny.
He was doing stunts at the time on the other show.
So that Monday I had to stand in for Avery.
So we're at Quarks Bar. God, I'm gonna get in
trouble for this, but I'm gonna go ahead and say it.
(31:56):
And so Avery goes to me and he would turn
and now he's sitting there at the bar and he
got his tooth pick and he's like this with his
sides and yeah, look at that's just residual. But finally
he's sitting there with his sides reading and I'm reading
with them, and he goes, so, uh, what happened after
I left? I said they had to rewrite. I said,
(32:18):
we were here till like eleven thirty. He said. I said,
it was just you know, they were they going to
do mister b He looks at me. He said, this
is the part I'm I get in trouble for. He said,
mister He said, mister Slayton, if they don't treat you
like a sometimes you act like And I turned right
(32:39):
back and went back to his thing and we never
talked about it again. So much to me. And I
know that's controversial as hell, because it doesn't mean a
Blacks thing. It means a human thing.
Speaker 3 (32:52):
Power thing.
Speaker 1 (32:52):
That's power thing. They want to They want to push
you around and push you till you break. And I
saw him do it. I saw him try to do
it with him and he just got tired of it.
Speaker 3 (33:01):
And was it. Do you suspect it was like a
contract negotiation issue.
Speaker 1 (33:05):
Just like a human change in words, talking down, just
kind of like people are tired. You're not showing the
proper respect to him, and he is the you know,
you're whoever the show is him, and so he was
just fed up. There's you know, there was a couple
of times where that happened, and it was just you know,
(33:25):
other actors shining at that time and being bravoed and
constantly bravoed, and you'd being like, Okay, we'll get to
you in a minute, and you're the star of the show.
It gets a little old, you know type of thing.
And I think that's what it was. It wasn't the
N word, it was just the attitude treatment.
Speaker 3 (33:42):
Do you think that's what sort of led him to
not want to do conventions and talk about the show
and things like that, or he's just moved on with
his life and I was retired.
Speaker 1 (33:51):
I can't, honestly only speculate, but I remember there's a
picture of me and Avery, the picture of me and
a and that night I said something and it pissed
him off. And again i'll tell you what it was,
because I haven't really seen him since that night. That
was the season seven rat party, and I got the
(34:11):
blonde hair and he's wearing that flamboyant jacket and we're
hugging after that, you know, we got a little tipsy,
and I said, mister b I said, man, I just
want you to know what a pleasure it was working
with you and how much I love you and this
and that. But I'm sure I'll probably never see you again.
And he got pissed. He was that supposed to me.
(34:32):
And I felt as though then Avery was done and
I didn't. I was only you know at that time,
what thirty years old. It is not my place to
tell you. I just feel like you kind of rather
do stage. You know. He teaches at Rutgus. His wife's
a professor. He had a whole life, His son was
going through stuff. You know, He's flying back and forth
to the East coast, and he just he just wasn't
(34:52):
really you know, a Hollywood he's a superstar, but he's
not a Hollywood player. He doesn't play the game the game,
and I think that's why. But I would say this,
I'm one hundred percent sure you'll see him again. Yeah,
I don't think he's done. I think he's going to
do something. The earth shaking is what I feel. I
hope that mister if your question.
Speaker 3 (35:10):
Yeah, Yeah, he's such an amazing actor. And I want
to talk about Far Beyond the Stars in a second.
But I just know as a fan for since I'm
a little kid, and you know, I think S nine
was I was in high school or the end of
high school.
Speaker 1 (35:20):
Then God, I feel old.
Speaker 3 (35:22):
Sorry I was older than you.
Speaker 1 (35:24):
Don't worry.
Speaker 2 (35:24):
I'm going to be a couple. I'm right behind you there,
I'm close.
Speaker 3 (35:28):
It's been a hold, it's been a whole you know,
him not engaging, and I know that there's a lot
of people out there that would love to hear him speak.
Speaker 1 (35:37):
He was close to close to all of us, but
he was private. He had his own life, you know.
Speaker 2 (35:42):
Which which doesn't work in commerce. I'm I'm designate commercial Hollywood.
You know, I want it. They want it all out there. Yeah,
because all your business, everybody makes money from it.
Speaker 1 (35:56):
You you think about it. You never saw I the
tabloids right now, Really, you never saw him on TMZ
with some scandal. You never heard about any of that.
He just just a different breed.
Speaker 2 (36:06):
You're your product, and there's a lot of you know,
at the time, a lot of magazines, a lot of
outlets that could you know that uses you to they
use you to sell, and if you're going to have
a very private life that doesn't that's not conducive.
Speaker 1 (36:21):
To Hollywood, especially starring on Star Wars being the main
you know, number one call sheet, that's you're out there, right,
it'll forever be out there. I just I really honestly
feel he'll come back, He'll he'll us all with something.
I honestly would love them to see, like the Return
of Hawk or something like that, more so than Star
(36:41):
Trek at this point, because Star Trek is so diverse
and so moved on from Deep Space. I don't see
and I don't look. That's why it took me so
long to get here, is I don't I'm not a
part of the CSI fan page or anything like that
because it's been it's just a weird thing. So I
don't really know if there's a new don't even know
what the new shows are on Star Trek. These three
(37:03):
four shows that started Star Trek were the ones that
everybody looks at iconically, and I think that's what if
we were to do another Deep Space and iing reboot, maybe,
but that's a huge maybe, that's a big maybe. But
I love to see him, do you like almost like
a movie or something like that.
Speaker 3 (37:25):
I'd love to because I had Trevor watch this for
the first time in his life to embarrass him last night.
I'd love to hear your experience on you know what,
many including myself, think is the best episode of Star Trek,
which is far beyond the Stars. I'd love to hear
sort of your experience there because you have avery problem
you have everybody you have normally. So this is an
(37:46):
episode just for listeners who don't know. I don't know
why you're on this podcast. In our yeah, episode is
but you know, it's basically Cisco's dealing with the effects
of the Dominion War. He basically has this hallucination. It's
longer story where he goes where he's living as a
in the mid twentieth century as a science fiction writer
who's dealing with racism of the time. In all the
(38:06):
main characters are they're out of makeup pretty much for
the first time. Amazing episode, I thought. But you know,
i'd love to sort of hear you know, how are
you involved with that episode?
Speaker 1 (38:17):
I have about I don't know how much time met,
but I could tell you five amazing stories. First being
John Bennett again, his assistant was his stand in, his assistant.
We all kind of like Shrock. I was a stand
in systant you can't you do more? You love people?
Sorock did stuff for me, you know, but he was out.
He was I think Moesha or something doing stunts because
(38:40):
we had so many great shows on a lot filming
at the time, not just Voyager, you know. And at
any rate, mister b asked me if I would be
his assistant and I said, well, what do you mean?
He said, if I move, you move. He said, I
need you to go somewhere you go. I was like, yeah,
heck yeah. So I go to the producers and I'm like, hey,
I need next to twenty dollars and now you know,
(39:02):
so I did that?
Speaker 3 (39:04):
Is that really how it worked?
Speaker 1 (39:05):
Yeah? I did. I was revery pussy so so, but
that was an Avery's approval. I said, okay, yeah, I
got it, but I'm gonna go get make sure they know.
So at any rate, I was Rock standing and photo
double on that episode. I was also Brock standing and
his assistant on that episode. So when it started, there's
always the pre the pre uh you know, uh, production meetings,
(39:30):
let's say, and sometimes they're readings. So I was in
on a lot of the readings with Avery in the cast,
and he would go, missus like, let me hear, and
he'd go, do my do my part, do my part,
you know, and it was like blown away. You know,
I'm blown away that I get to do all this.
So it became very, very very stressful for all of us,
none other, no one more than Avery. So I can
(39:52):
take you to a scene. The scene is where they
fire him. Okay, they fired Benny Russell and side uh yeah,
Verde I hated him in that episode and he fires him. Well,
Avery was telling me all day and had been just like, man,
we got to get through this. This is gonna be history,
this is gonna be great, Miss Slayton, this and that,
(40:12):
and I'm like yeah, yeah, but I knew he was stressed.
And so he does the whole thing. You can you can,
you know you can? Uh as he say, you can
pull a man's dream, but you can't up. Then he
takes his cane and wipes it out. Boom boom. Well
that wasn't necessarily scripted. Everybody jumps back. If you see
from the table, arman goes, what in that whole deal?
(40:35):
That was a natural reaction? And Avery hit the ground right.
Avery hit the ground and he starts sobbing, and and
he says he's all you know, I forget what he says,
but he's crying. And he's crying well, which you guys
don't know is Avery stayed on the ground a minute
and a half sobbing, to the point where I ran
in and because Lou looked at me. Lou Race was directing.
(40:57):
He was our I mean assistant angry assistant director, and
Lou looked at me because Lo's like, I'm not doing it.
So I looked in and I grabbed Brian and we
ran and literally laid over the top of Avery and
held him and held him. And I'll name drop all day.
Mike Veyhard Junior comes over to me and goes, tell
mister b we rolled.
Speaker 5 (41:17):
Out, and I said, I'm gonna tell him, you know.
And meanwhile I said Avery, I said, mister b we
got to go again. And Avery looks and he's like,
all right, all.
Speaker 1 (41:29):
Right, what's up, mister v Are And he goes, Avery,
we rolled out, We got to go again. Avery said, okay,
let's go again, and jump that reset, reset that quick.
We did it again, same thing. This time he's only
down for a minute and a half. But now the
emotion was so high. Every single woman man reaction, especially
(41:52):
Terry and Nanah crying was emotion that wasn't acting. That
was real. We were all the whole crew. If you
could have took if now I film everything, you know,
I don't know. I don't do much on sets anymore.
I'm behind the scenes, but I would have filmed that everything.
But those reactions were real, and that made me, as
a young actor, go damn, yeah, can you do this?
(42:16):
Can you do it? Because it wasn't the emotion that
he showed, it was his recovery. And I was like,
that's some deep, heavy, almost dark stuff. Yeah, and just
a whole nother level. So from there, a happy story
is my mom was turning fifty on when we filmed
that episode Avery. I told Avery he invited her as
(42:38):
his guest. So she was on New York Street and
there's a picture of her there and she was just
overwhelmed that because she's a big star Trek Deep Space nine,
Avery books Spencer for hire, all that fan and here
she's with Avery and he's treating her like his best friend.
And so next thing we know, we have lunch and
there's like, I think there was two hundred extras on it.
(43:00):
It's Harlem, the Harlem Street on the Paramount Lot. Well
it's New York Street, but we dressed it so it
was more Harlem nineteen fifties. Well, they have a stage
there because they will they will do presentations. So we
had two hundred extras there and we're all eating and
my mom, myself, Brock and like JG and a couple
of us and definitely we're all eating. Didn't even see Avery,
(43:22):
you know, he had stuff to do. So he's going,
all of a sudden, here, hello, Hello, Yes, we have
a special guest. It's her fiftieth birthday, Miss Slayton. And
he calls my mom up in front of two hundred
extras and the crew and has them sing Happy Birthday
in the middle of all this stress that's going on,
(43:42):
all the craziness that he experienced. Now he's singing happy
birthday to my mother. Come on, And that was so huge,
So I'll just go through one more. There's a scene
so Brock and I became like very close. Brock is
my son's godfather. He's my saragate father, I did. I
got to experience so much stuff that that's a whole
(44:04):
other podcast, which is I was at Gregory Peck's funeral
with Oh my God the second row. I went down
in the elevator in the mausoleum that you guys probably
don't know exist with Lionel She his wife Sidney Portier,
not Sydney, Harry Bella Falante, Sherry the other to his
wife and his other daughter. It was only a few
of us, Cardinal Bishop Mahoney, So I had experiences. Brock
(44:27):
drove Herbie Hancock's test rosa because we were up underneath
the Pantagious Theater in Hollywood. When they said, who has
the blue testa rosa out back? You need to move it?
I was like, I got it, Herbie. You know so
anyway on that episode, what a lot of people don't
know is uh, I guess I could back up, but
I don't know how much time we have When I
got Brock wasn't there my first year much, but I
(44:48):
knew who Brock was from watching the show. Of course,
when I went to school to kill a mockingburgers both
required and move right and we had to watch it
and you had to write a report about it. So
here I am. You know, one day Brock, Avery says,
Missus Clayton, my brother had a tragic accident at fifteen
and is in a wheelchair to this one. Excuse me.
(45:10):
When he was ten and I was seven, and I
used to have to take care of my brother, do everything,
feed him, change him, do whatever. So Avery knew that.
Well Brock had and you guys may not know is
he had a cadaver bone put in the front of
his neck into his spine. He's a cancer. Well that's
why he wasn't there. So when he came back, he
was a bit frail. So Avery was like Missus Slaton
(45:31):
when Peters gets here, saying he moves left. He moved left.
This is before Avery and I had that relationship really
where I was helping him on. This is pre you know,
Lost in the Stars or Far beyond the Stars. And
he's like, mister so Brock walks in. Brock is like
again a movie star, and he's got on his adults
a bond of gold rimmed glasses. He's got his his
(45:54):
before it was popular, his Italian man's dash. She just
looks like a superstar, and so he rocks in, mister Peters,
how you doing? It's that missus Slayton, this is mister Peters,
and like, how you doing. He's gonna be here to
help you. He's gonna be if you move. He moves
this left right, and Avery looks at Brock and he
looks at me, and he looks back at Brock and
he grabs that man stash off a Brock and he
(46:15):
slaps it over my shoulders. I'mwhere Brock's man. And he's like,
you dig you know what I'm saying. Much Rock is
not gonna pick up a script if you have to
feed him, you know what I mean. So Rock will
tell you that's the day we fell in love. Because
and from there, so cut to Lost in the Stars
(46:35):
or Far Beyond the Stars, and of course we know
that was what it was about, I mean, the takeoff
of Lost in the Stars. But any rate, there was
a scene in the movie or it was like a
movie to.
Speaker 2 (46:47):
Me, and I agree, I agree.
Speaker 1 (46:49):
It was like literally, go in my bedroom right now
and come right out five seconds with that script.
Speaker 3 (46:54):
I don't know, I don't know if you can see this,
but this photo right above, right above me, is Avery
looking out out.
Speaker 1 (47:00):
The window, Yeah, looking back at himself. Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh,
Penny's great to So anyway, there's a scene with Penny.
There's a scene with Penny and Avery as he's rejoiced
and he's happy. He's walking down down the way, he's
singing and everything else, and then Brock comes out of
the shadows and he says, whatever I forget? Uh, he
says so much just amazing stuff. He says, but uh
(47:22):
something something Benny like that, and he's like, what do
you mean? And I believe that's when Brock reaches up
to his ear and pulls the blood off and whatever
have you. He leans back in the shadow. Then shortly
after that Shocks or the Jake Cisco characters shot and
killed in the street, if I'm correct, that's the time. Well,
the thing that people don't know is that Brock couldn't
(47:43):
do that without Physically he couldn't. And it's Hollywood. So
we had this set that had light cutting this way. Well,
Aby wanted Brock to be in the back of the light,
just off the camera, and for Brock to do that,
his spine, I mean his back, he was having spasms
and he was like, how can we do this? Avery's like,
we're gonna have to relight. You know, it's gonna be
We had two hundred extras there and I said wait,
(48:05):
I said Avery, and I went over and we talked,
and then I went over to the A D who
was there, and she gives me a walkie talkie. So
this is what happened in that scene. So when you
see them walking by and Brock comes and he steps
out like that, I'm laying I'm on my hands and
knees with my with my back or my head up
(48:25):
against the wall, and Brock is sitting He's sitting on
my rump right, and I'm looking at a walkie talkie
that will flash twice when I need to start backing
Brock out. And so I do that, and we did
it twice, and it was to me, it was not
a big deal. It was like we got to get
the shot. We can't really like this. We just got
(48:46):
to do it. And so that was the last on
that day. That was the last take for Brock. And
so when Brock, you know, when we cut, you know
about that's great cut and so uh he goes, ladies
and gentlemen, let's Brock Peters and everybody's clapping again. We
got all these extra's crew and everything that's a wrap
on Brock Peters. And then I stand up with the
(49:07):
walkie and I'm like woo, and I come walking out
into the light and everybody had saw me do it,
and I didn't think anything of it. And he goes
and ladies and gentlemen, mister Toddie Slaton and the whole
place dis erupted for me, and I was like, hey,
this is cool, you know. And it wasn't. It wasn't
like I was looking for accolades. It was just like
I just knew what we had to do. And that
(49:28):
episode was really important again, and that again reflects to
me why I call it deep space, the black Hollywood.
When have you ever seen I mean the black deep space.
Whenever you ever seen TG or anybody go back into
you know, Cleveland, you know fifty to work at the
coal mine or whatever. This was. This was very deliberate.
(49:49):
Ira was to me, Ira will be at my at
my festival. He's that kind of dude, that's right, I think,
And he knew the pulse of what the culture, we'll
say again was looking for. And I think him and
a lot of the writers, including Rick Berman, just gave
us the green light. And that's why it wasn't so
(50:12):
much fun on set because we had so much to prove.
But we had We had fun, and we just don't
have a whole lot of bloopers, you know what I
mean of that set?
Speaker 2 (50:21):
You know, don do you mind if I asked just
two quick questions were usually pretty bad to excuse me,
I have technical questions. I get into the technical weeds
of it. I watched the episode last night for my
first time. I was blown away by the production values
(50:43):
and how well it was lit, really really well. With
eight on the West looked gore And I'm not saying
other episodes of Deep Says nine didn't have great production values.
But was there more were did the production Did the
producers give this specific episode more time, uh, more resources,
(51:05):
more money to or or was it just as tight
as as any other episode?
Speaker 1 (51:12):
Well that's a two part question. Yeah, we had more
money because we had all these extras were we had
to rent, you know, we had to rent New York Street.
So yeah, I guess in that respect they did open
it up. Because when you're outside versus inside, there's a
when you rent out New York Street. They have like
you know, it looks like it's the deli. Well, no,
that's electrical. So they just pull out the lights and
(51:34):
do whatever. But everything takes time. So I'd say yes,
and I know that for a fact. Our DP was
Jonathan West and.
Speaker 2 (51:42):
Did an amazob.
Speaker 1 (51:44):
He loved Avery and he wanted to make this the
best episode. Between Avery and Jonathan working together and Jonathan's crew,
That's what you saw. That was complete passion and love
for just the lighting, never mind camera and everything else
that Jonathan was responsible. Right.
Speaker 2 (52:02):
There was even like complicated Dolly shots that I saw
and I was like, wow, that that was a complicated shot.
I could see.
Speaker 1 (52:09):
Oh yeah, yeah, we had we had cranes, We had
all kinds of Avery was funny. There are scenes like
when you see when you see like the extras up
on the side and the the guy walking down the street.
Every single thing you saw Avery, it was planned and
Avery would that was what I was assisting. You can
see that brother over there to put that up over there, telling.
Speaker 2 (52:32):
Me how that being.
Speaker 1 (52:33):
And so his energy just pulled all the way through.
So everybody was get willing to give their best performance
because it was to me, I think it was better
the best episode we've had, and and it was. It was.
It wasn't just Avery, it was it was a willingness
of the crew the cast to say, hey, let's let's
(52:54):
make something great.
Speaker 2 (52:55):
When this when the stunt person for mister B takes
that hit from the car in the beginning, that's John.
That hit looked so hard. So I actually kind of
yelped what I saw it? Were you there on set
and saw that that? I mean that really looked hard,
like that was a hit.
Speaker 1 (53:16):
That was a hit, and John took it like a boss. Yeah,
he did two two three takes of it. That one
that they use was the heaviest hit. Yeah. But I
watched John John Bennick get snatched back off a ratchet
and knocked out cold one time doubling Avery. It was
the emissary and I think it was a limo and
(53:38):
he does something and Avery goes back and hits the
wall and comes back up and all that stuff. John
Bennick got knocked out on that one. And now, I
mean stunt, That's what people don't understand. The simplest stunts
are just so extreme sometimes Like I did the stunt
with Aaron and paper Moon, and Aaron clocked me. I
hit the ground. I mean I came up and once
(53:58):
you see me turn and Throck turns, that was me
gonna go over and slap Aeron because he socked me. Yeah,
he thought it was funny though, and uh and uh
you know, so we just moved on. And that's another
person I missed greatly. I had. I had a very
wonderful time with him and his family. We both were
young fathers at the time. Was Aaron, Aaron his wife
at the time, and his two boys. When we attended
(54:21):
his funeral, I attended with his stand in and armand
stand in the same guy, which is Dave Levinson, and
his boys just came up and gave me the biggest
amount of love. And I was shocked because that I forget.
It was either at the Henry Fld or the pantages,
and the theater was packed. I don't know how to
how to explain the experiences with the crew was amazing.
(54:44):
Terry Farrell. She would have me pull me aside read
with her. Do you know she come over to the
phone and she got let's read, let's read. And you
know I also pissed her off I won't tell that story. Then. Yeah,
she had a great standing. Kathy de Bona went with
her to Becker left to go over to Becker with her.
(55:04):
We missed each other a lot, but we're still close.
She's now a psychologist doing great and yeah, I mean
there's just so many wonderful well, I.
Speaker 3 (55:13):
Mean that's so great to hear, because, you know, a
lot of our podcast the past couple of years has
been talking to people in the industry about what they do,
but also about like the challenges of like the unique
challenges and how we lead lives, you know, in the industry.
And I think there's this perception out there, especially people
not in the industry or people in the industry, that
(55:35):
crew work, standing work, production work, assistant work is tough
and thankless because you're not known like the stars are known.
Doesn't sound like that was your experience.
Speaker 1 (55:47):
Well not for me, but I can tell you I
don't think that's the case because a lot of the
people who started off as so and so's assistant or
the new PA in the office are now producers now
in the new CSI. They're now on the new you know.
Ever it is Hawaii. I Oh, so for me, you
have to. I did it a little quicker because of
my personality and just the hand of God, I guess.
(56:09):
But you got to put in your dues, and I
think we all knew that. And I don't care if
you're just a office pa, you know, the craft service
all that. You know, you could be craft service on
Deep Space nine and then get a job on you know,
The Fast and Furious and change your life. You know,
it's all the same crew. We all run in the
same little little circle of people. You know, when you
(56:32):
work on one crew, you're going to know people if
you go to another crew for sure. Yeah, same thing
that happened with CSI. You know, Mike Weihar came over
to CSI not the first season though, which was funny.
But yeah, we we had another great episode real quick
and I'll dorouble with Tribles.
Speaker 3 (56:51):
Was fun all getting to recreate Yeah, Trevor, I'll fill
you in on this one.
Speaker 2 (56:56):
Yes, we zoom.
Speaker 3 (56:58):
The Deep Space nine crew went back in time to
the original track episode. Yeah, uh trouble Tribles and they
got to recreate field sets and the tribles and all that. Yeah,
why was that so much fun?
Speaker 1 (57:08):
Just to just being a part because I watched it.
I saw the original and then the cr stuntmen that
were the New Klingons playing the old Klingons with the
new Klingons to make it work was great. And the
best part was when they filled the set with tribles.
That was awesome. And I'll tell you a tribles story.
I made a lot of money off them tribles.
Speaker 3 (57:27):
Okay, yeah, I just leave with a bag of tribles and.
Speaker 1 (57:32):
The thousands of them, and it was a stealing. They're like,
take them, get them out of here. Yeah, they're trash.
We're just gonna throw them in a trash. So when
Steve's Face ended, I sold a bunch on eBay and
then I just sold one honestly last year and the
guy made me send, h what is it a you know,
the the certification? Yeah yeah, I said, well I don't.
(57:54):
I don't have time to get that for you. I'm
the certificate about it. So I did seven and eighty bucks. Wow, trible.
The other one I did real quick was that last
episode was two hour long episodes, so it was one
hundred and twenty page episode and it was black. The
cover was black. So what I did was I went
and bought a gold You remember the highlighter sharpiees that
(58:17):
would come out when we were younger. Oh yeah, So
I had all the good cast members, good guys including
you know more talk and all them sign it. I said,
don't don't put too tak, just sign it. They signed
the covers, they sign inside outside everybody. I had Rick Berman,
I had Michael Pillar, of course Ira, I had every
(58:37):
single person. I didn't care who you were, mourn you
name it on that script. We sold that, okay, thirty
five dollars. Yeah, supposedly it's on a wall somewhere at
a restaurant in Colorado.
Speaker 3 (58:52):
No kidding.
Speaker 1 (58:53):
But the cool part is the cool part is it's
my name's at the bottom printed, you know, for my scrip.
Speaker 2 (59:01):
So I can tell you right now, if you have
any more of those triples, don will buy ten and
you'll pay.
Speaker 1 (59:08):
I have some stuff I may have, like watch I have.
I know, I have a baseball from the Hollow Suites episode.
But I have a few scripts. But like the one
I'll never get rid of is this one we're talking about. Yeah, yeah, ours,
But yeah, I have a few scripts and stuff, but
I kept the good stuff, you know, like I get
I get weird stuff like this. Let's see, here's my portfolio.
(59:29):
Let me see if I can find this. But I
get fans stuff, and I was very you know, like
stand off ish about sending signatures and stuff back because
it says this is where I live, you know. So
I don't know if you guys can see this.
Speaker 3 (59:44):
But so he's holding up.
Speaker 1 (59:47):
Yeah yeah, and it's I've never seen it. But I
get this kind of stuff sent to me, and I
keep it, you know what I mean. I'll keep this forever. Yeah,
it means a lot to me. But I don't think
people would be interested in, you know, stuff like that.
I don't even know what it came from, but obviously
it was printed in some magazines.
Speaker 3 (01:00:04):
You know what got you to posting in that group.
Speaker 1 (01:00:08):
I just came across it. It just came up, yeah,
and I was like, let me check it out. And
then somebody said something and I was like that, that's
not true. The people don't know who I am. I'm like, yeah,
I worked with the Louise Fletcher. That's a whole nother
funny story.
Speaker 2 (01:00:26):
Oh my god.
Speaker 1 (01:00:29):
Okay, there's a great Louise story and we could wrap
it if you.
Speaker 3 (01:00:32):
Want, please.
Speaker 1 (01:00:33):
She did. She played the emissary.
Speaker 3 (01:00:35):
She played the kai and ended up at the end
of the show. Yeah, so win, thank you took me
a second.
Speaker 1 (01:00:43):
So yeah, there's no help either. So I look at
the call sheet and I'm like, Louise Fletcher, of course,
you know, I know one floor is a cuckoo's nest.
Speaker 2 (01:00:53):
Yeah, yeah, oh yeah. Incredible performance, incredible.
Speaker 1 (01:00:56):
Give me a break. So I'm all excited and I'm like, yo,
I'm like, I'm like, hey, Ralph, you see Louise's on
the call sheet. Mm hmm yeah, rocks, yeah, yeah, we know. Hey,
nobody cares. So I'm like, hey, man, I'm gonna go
talk to Louise. The day she gets here, Louise sitting
in her chair, she's just chilling. She has her sides there.
(01:01:16):
This is hilarious and God rest her soul. Louise. Yes,
she's like And I walk over and I said, Hi,
I'm miss Swleacher. I said, I'm Todd Slate and I
said I'm a big fan and I stand in for Rock.
I'm a young actor. It's just a pleasure to work
with you. And I'm holding like a triple Mocha Kappa
frappucino from from a craft service and she goes, oh,
(01:01:37):
nice to meet you. Is that you're drinking? I'm like, oh,
it's craft service. Has you know we got the coffee
guy here? He said that, Oh can I get a
double cap with two squirts and a little bit of
cream on top. I'm like, yeah, the coffee and coffee target.
So I get Louise Fletcher coffee right back here you go, Luis,
(01:02:01):
thank you, mister Dlayton, thank you. What's your name again? So,
like a day or two later, I'm standing there, and
now you know, I know Louise. I'm standing there, I'm
eating popcorn or whatever. She walks by, Oh, they got
popcorn over there. I was like, yeah, craft service, can
you get me a bag? I was like, oh, okay, yeah,
(01:02:23):
Louis will be running your ass around if so. Then
I knew I was smart enough. It only happened twice.
I was smart enough to go. That's why everybody was
laughing at me. Louis was going to take advantage of
she did. She was funny, right. She never showed up
to the parties or anything, but she would, you know, lunchtime,
she would come hang out, especially her and Brock watching
(01:02:45):
her and Brock Talk and Tell Stories was just a
bat Superstars.
Speaker 3 (01:02:48):
I'm sure, yeah, yeah, yeah. She seems so intimidated the performance.
Speaker 1 (01:02:53):
She was always, Oh she is, she is, She's like
Kathy Bates. I got to work with Kathy Bates and
everybody was scared of her because of misery. So I
ended up sitting and talked to her on some real
gold pretzel commercial I did with her and Jason Alexander
back in the day because everybody was afraid of her. Yeah,
(01:03:13):
I can beat you up, so yeah, matter than that.
Anytime you guys want to talk, I'm available. I have
tons and tons and tons of.
Speaker 2 (01:03:22):
That would be this. Let me just say real quick,
I'm I'm the snob of the podcast. You know, I'm
into the art, films and the arts. I fiance and
stuff like that.
Speaker 1 (01:03:35):
I'm I.
Speaker 2 (01:03:36):
Yes, I love Star Trek, but you know I I
have my.
Speaker 1 (01:03:40):
My Areassi fan. I know that.
Speaker 2 (01:03:45):
I watched that episode for the first time last night.
It was an unbelievably moving experience and it was one
of the greatest episodes of Star Trek I've ever seen.
Speaker 1 (01:03:55):
I can't down.
Speaker 2 (01:03:56):
I mean, I'm talking across all.
Speaker 1 (01:04:00):
It was.
Speaker 2 (01:04:01):
It was so ambitious, it was so. I'm going to
say it was so thematically ambitious, dramatically ambitious. There was
so much going on in the small amount of time
that was given, and it all felt balanced.
Speaker 1 (01:04:15):
Hey man, we even used the N word on all. Yes, Yeah,
that was me. I got put it in there. Strok
was in makeup and he was coming to set. I
was with Avery, like, I said, we're doing the lines,
and uh Ira was there and Avery and me were
like that, and I just said it. I said it,
and he looked at me and he said, what'd you say?
(01:04:37):
And I did it again. I said, Avery, it works.
It's nineteen fifty. This isn't what do you call it?
This isn't da da da da you know the future?
This is what nineteen fifty. This is why we spoke.
He looked at Ira and Irah looked at me and
he said you sure, and we said yeah. And then
Sarak had no problem with it. He had no problem
saying it. So, but yeah, it was it was one.
(01:04:59):
It was was just historical in a way. I don't
know how you described it. Yeah, I was very honored,
very honest. Part of that.
Speaker 3 (01:05:06):
Amazing all right, welcome back, Toddy, and amazing that was
beyond awesome to hear about Deep Space nine after all
these years.
Speaker 2 (01:05:18):
That was that was unbelievable, so unbelievable, so good.
Speaker 3 (01:05:23):
We're gonna have to have a second podcast where Trevor
watches every single ye I know, you know from our
new studio one of these, you know, maybe maybe NX No, no,
there's a lot of contention between those two, like you
know they can have five stick first, yeah, whatever, very
(01:05:47):
different shows. I love them both. You could love both
your children, Trevor, Yes you can, or you're both your cats, Yes,
yes you can. How about we just have you watched
four Deep Space nine episodes?
Speaker 1 (01:05:57):
Now?
Speaker 2 (01:05:57):
Oh god? Pick eight?
Speaker 3 (01:06:00):
Pick eight? Yeah, okay, pick a. How about our viewers,
our list of viewers with viewers we're not we're not
video yet.
Speaker 1 (01:06:06):
Our listeners, save viewers, save viewers.
Speaker 2 (01:06:09):
Yeah yeah yeah, don yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:06:12):
No scenario podcast yeah yea, yeah, no, you're doing great.
Speaker 2 (01:06:15):
Yeah, great forever Yeah, viewers.
Speaker 3 (01:06:18):
Picks from Deep Space nine. But I think the triples
episode is a must.
Speaker 2 (01:06:23):
Absolutely, that's and you better buy a triple from them.
Speaker 3 (01:06:25):
I'm saying, take my money, visitor, I got I got
the Deep Space nine I know that. So that's that
I've never seen it, but I know of it. Cisco
dies and yeah, yeah, that's a great episode.
Speaker 2 (01:06:39):
Yeah yeah, give me a list all often I've got paramount.
Speaker 3 (01:06:42):
Let's do the last three seasons, last four seasons?
Speaker 2 (01:06:44):
Yeah, well, I mean what it's it's seven seven season.
Speaker 3 (01:06:48):
Seven seasons.
Speaker 1 (01:06:48):
Yeah yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:06:49):
And Star Trek when it was you know, long one
hundred episodes in the show.
Speaker 2 (01:06:54):
Oh yeah, the twenty three uh you know, twenty three
twenty four episodes, and you know what this is. I
I was going to ask him this, but I was
gonna I'll ask I'll ask you. For those people that
are young, you're probably not gonna know what we're talking about.
But exactly, Sweeps was something that happened about midway through
(01:07:17):
a season and was the episode that we're talking Usually
they go big with an episode before sweeps. Was that
a Sweeps episode?
Speaker 1 (01:07:25):
Do we know?
Speaker 3 (01:07:26):
I think the Triples one was, but the y Yeah yeah, well, Trevor,
guess what what most people do research before.
Speaker 2 (01:07:34):
They No, I just rely on you when you know
you list This is absolutely Don gets seven Yeah, Don
gets text from me at like two am. Star Trek questions.
I don't look it up, I asked Don.
Speaker 1 (01:07:50):
Let's just move on.
Speaker 2 (01:07:51):
Let's just cut that out.
Speaker 3 (01:07:52):
Can We're gonna cut that out. No, we're gonna keep that.
We're gonna keep that.
Speaker 2 (01:07:56):
We have talked about the Actorjohnny Lee Davenport on this
podcast before I've met Johnny Lee Davenport through Dawn Johnny.
The late Johnny Lee Davenport.
Speaker 4 (01:08:11):
Was a.
Speaker 2 (01:08:14):
Powerful, commanding actor and a really amazing person. I'll never
forget him. Even in the short amount of time I
got to work with him. It was a really just
emotional experience. I was so shocked to find out he
was the you know, he was one of the team
members of Tommy Lee Jones's group and the Fugitive. I
(01:08:38):
remembered him right away. I was like, oh my god,
that performance is great and it's I got a phone
call from a friend a few weeks ago, my friend Claudia,
and we've we've known each other for nearly thirty years,
and Claudia I had just told her about the podcast
(01:09:01):
and her and her partner started listening.
Speaker 1 (01:09:04):
To it.
Speaker 2 (01:09:06):
And she heard the episode where we talked about Johnny
Lee Davenport, and the way she tells it is that
she immediately burst into hysterical crying and I mean hysterical
in a.
Speaker 1 (01:09:22):
She was.
Speaker 2 (01:09:22):
She really burst into tears, and that she was telling
me this, she was very moved. In nineteen ninety five,
she went to go see this stage production of A
Fellow out in the Berkshires, and she said that the
(01:09:42):
actor who played a Fellow somebody that she'd never heard of.
The performance was so amazing that she was weeping by
the end, as were a lot of people. And she
she looked up his name, and his name was Johnny
(01:10:03):
Lee Davenport, and she said, not only did I never
forget that name, she said, I never watched another version
of Othello again.
Speaker 1 (01:10:14):
I never will.
Speaker 2 (01:10:16):
She goes, nothing. I don't want anything to touch that performance.
She goes, I even went back to the Berkshires solely
to see it again. She's like, it's one of the
greatest performances I've ever seen in my life, one of
the greatest Shakespearean performances I've ever seen. And then all
of a sudden, my friend of thirty years on a
(01:10:41):
podcast he just told me about is discussing working with
this individual and having a really just emotional experience working
with him. You know, I it's so funny. Why you
(01:11:01):
spent more time with Johnny. I didn't have much time
with him. I know, I just said a few minutes ago,
I'll never forget him, and clearly he touched other people.
And it was just so funny this coincidence that we
that just came thirty years later from where our friendship started.
(01:11:24):
And so I want to thank you Don for again
for introducing me to Johnny Lee Davenport. It was it
was an amazing experience. He was so gifted and I'm glad.
I'm glad you had a chance to direct him. That
must have been amazing.
Speaker 3 (01:11:42):
Thanks for sharing that charmor. Yeah, yeah, it was amazing
to work with him. I learned a lot from him.
I mean, it was god ten years ago already. I
think when we first with him.
Speaker 2 (01:11:51):
You've mentioned it before. He was friends with Avery Brooks
from DS nine, right.
Speaker 3 (01:11:55):
Yeah, I'm not sure there were friends.
Speaker 1 (01:11:56):
I did.
Speaker 3 (01:11:57):
I did during the second sentence part of the film
series we did was looking for sort of a known
sci fi actor to come on in and I had
the sort of dream of like I was just telling him, Ah,
I love Avery Brooks. He was the Captain deep spacetne
I'd love to put him in front of a piano
because he loved to keep space sine two jazz, and like,
(01:12:18):
I have him for this role at the end, it'd
be such a cool reveal and just let him play
on the piano and just do doty what he loves
and would work so well. And he's like, let me
see if I can give him a call and see
I could reach him or something. But obviously it's retired,
he's not gonna write. But just just the thought that
Johnny Lee believed enough in this little so that we
were doing, and uh, understood the bigger story and treated
(01:12:41):
it as as as much as you know, as as
seriously as he you know, at least he seemed to
treat it seriously as he would in a fellow rol
or any other you know. Everyone knew him in the
in the theater scene here in Boston.
Speaker 2 (01:12:54):
Yeah, it was amazing.
Speaker 3 (01:12:56):
I loved how he intimidated other actors because they to
bring their a game because he just he worked hard.
Speaker 2 (01:13:02):
And absolutely command I mean command, I mean, I'm unbelievable.
And for those listening, if you want to see him,
you know his part in The Fugitive, I mean it's
a little part, but he's in it. He is, really
he's in there. And then the film Joy Joy, he's
the lawyer. Yeah, with Jennifer Lawrence. He is a scene
(01:13:23):
with Robert de Niro. Toe to toe makes it look easy,
I mean, just makes it look so simple.
Speaker 3 (01:13:30):
Uh, he was in Ted.
Speaker 1 (01:13:34):
He wasn't Ted. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:13:37):
Anyways, I'm looking at his thing and it's just like
such an honor to have him show up. And they said,
like a his Wikipedia page like us Marshals the Fugitive
Ted Joy and then he has a sentence there, so
like that's so nice. One of the great ways to
sort of support John Lee's memory is to contribute to
Beyond Classical Theater, which you can go to Beyond Classical
(01:14:00):
Theater dot org. Beyond Classical Theater honors the legacy of
Johnny Lee Davenport by giving actors of color with a
specific passion for classical theater opportunities to prepare for excellence
and performance. I try to donate every year. If you
go to if you go to Beyond Classical Theater dot org,
you'll see giant Lee right there. It's a great cause.
Speaker 2 (01:14:19):
Can you say the U R L one more time?
Speaker 1 (01:14:21):
Sure?
Speaker 3 (01:14:22):
It's Beyond Classical Theater dot org dot org. Okay, and
theater the proper way. R E so are beyond classical
t h e A t r E dot dot org. So, Trevor,
I will get your computer so you can go check
it out.
Speaker 2 (01:14:38):
Thank you great, that would be fantastic, and maybe you.
Speaker 3 (01:14:41):
Can get better camera, better lights.
Speaker 1 (01:14:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:14:44):
As we sort of wrap up this special episode, I'm
going to stick on the end of season two here
after a little hiatus, I look forward to seeing you
in our new No Win Scenario podcast studio.
Speaker 2 (01:14:54):
In person, I'm absolutely not looking forward to it. But
what I am that is I'm going to sneak in
some food to feed your employees because I know you
keep them locked up in there twenty four hours working.
Speaker 3 (01:15:09):
Yeah, like when I go into my house, dude.
Speaker 2 (01:15:13):
And have fun. Yeah no, I'm sure it pisses them.
Speaker 3 (01:15:16):
This is this is fun.
Speaker 1 (01:15:17):
This is fun.
Speaker 3 (01:15:18):
This is we're looking at you. And on that note,
on that note, don see you next season.
Speaker 2 (01:15:24):
See you next season. Bye, everyone, Thank you. In today's world,
mental health is everyone's concerned. If you are someone you
know is in crisis, please use these resources For us
listeners call one eight hundred nine five zero six two
(01:15:46):
sixty four or text helpline all one word h E
L P l I n E to six two six
four zero, or email helpline at nammy dot org. That's
an A m I dot org. For our international listeners,
please visit suicidestop dot com. That's s U I c
(01:16:09):
I d E s t o P dot com
On this special episode of No Win Scenario with Trevor
and Dawn her genius. He was Star He's Star Trek marriage.
There we Go.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
That is one of the best episodes of Star Trek
television I've ever seen, one of the best episodes of
science fiction television I've ever seen.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
On Classical Theater honors the legacy of Johnny Lee Dabrenport
by giving actors of color with a specific passion for
classical theater opportunities to prepare for excellence and performance.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
But we're at Quarks Bar. Hey, God, I'm gonna get
in trouble for this, but I'm gonna go ahead and say.
Avery goes to me. He's sitting there at the bar,
and he get them and goes, so, well, what happened
after I left? I said they had to rewrite. Said
we were here till like eleven thirty. He said. I said,
it was just you know, oh, they were they gonna do.
Mister b He looks at me, he said, missus Lake,
(00:49):
if they don't treat you like a sometimes you act
like it. And I turned right back and went back
to his thing. And we never talked about it, and.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
I haven't listened to anything you've said in the last
twenty seconds.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Damn it, Trevor, Oh God, I hate you so much.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
Well it to you. We can cross off the reading.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
I watch almost everything in the majority.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Of this terrible What is this podcast about? My recorder's
damn it, Trevor, Trevor. I always say the same thing
episode after episode after episode. Can I say something other
than hi? Everyone, Welcome back to No Win Scenario Podcast.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Just say it as fast as possible so your voice
can get out of my ears?
Speaker 1 (01:35):
Please?
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Would you like me to do it? And I'm not
til over all?
Speaker 1 (01:38):
T time?
Speaker 3 (01:40):
No, not so much. Well, Hi everyone, and welcome back
to a special end of season two.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
You can literally make me nauseous. You literally make me.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
Maybe this is like No Win Scenario Podcast after Darker
Drunk Drunk Theater or something, and there's no alcohol here.
But welcome back to this special episode. We've taken a
few months off for the summer, but we were back
to wrap up season two with a special guest coming up,
Toddy Slayton from Star Trek Deep Space nine, who's got
amazing stories from behind the scenes as well. I'm not
(02:10):
gonna I'm not gonna run it, Trevor I'm going to
stop talking now because you want it this time so as.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
So it's been it's been a few months. Have you
you finally after just me just begging you for you
to see it, you finally saw Furiosa?
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Right?
Speaker 3 (02:30):
I did, in the amazing view of an iPad next
to my bed so much.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
What'd you think of it?
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Better than I thought it was going to be?
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Yeah, But and you probably liked it more than Fury
Road because you don't like Fury Road.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
I don't believe I actually saw the Fury Road, right, Okay,
I grew up with Mad Max. I grew up with
Mad Max.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
I think that was why.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
The original.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Okay, did you get a chance to see Alien Romuels Pass?
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (03:01):
I saw it. I saw it twice.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Oh, I did see Deadpool and Wolverine. That was the
one we've seen recently.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
I you know my funny thing. I had tickets to
see that twice with the same friend. Both times. They
got sick the day before and I was so happy,
so happy.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
God forbid you should hang out with someone and see
so happy. It was entertaining. Entertain means fun, Trevor, Right,
I saw The Insider with you just a few weeks ago.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Yeah, well, the Insider's not fun, it's brilliant.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
It's a great movie.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
Michael Man, come on, well, Romulus. I was so very
excited for it, really.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
The second hold on, I was busy traveling the world.
I went to Iceland, I was in Brussels, I was
in Amsterdam. Yeah, sorry, continue continue.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Directed by I can pronounce his first nap. I think
fed Alvarez a big fan of his work. He's got
excellent vision, real technically proficient. I was very I wasn't
just very disappointed. Its just the film was nah, it
just it was basically it was just a bunch of
callbacks to the other films, and this opening just really
(04:11):
didn't deliver. Now I'm getting there. I'm getting there. But
but listen, Well we're just gonna go real quick into
Trevor's tangent. Trevor's okay, so.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
Wait, we have a sound effect somewhere where is it? No,
that's not it.
Speaker 4 (04:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
Yeah. So, regarding our upcoming interview with Toss Layton, you
had me watch an episode of Deep Space nine called
Far Beyond the Stars.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
Right, that's correct, yes, last night, And I.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Watched it last night, and uh, you know, I've seen
a fair amount of Star Trek TV, not as much
as Dawn, not as much as most Star Trek fans,
but I will say that that was that is one
of the best episodes of Star Trek Televisi I've ever seen,
one of the best episodes of science fiction television I've
(05:03):
ever seen. It was so moving, so well written, so
well acted, incredibly well done. I didn't know it dramatically
where it was going from one moment to the next.
It zig zags dramatically, but it all makes sense and
(05:23):
it just builds to this moment and for anybody who's
seen it, that is so explosive, I don't know it.
It knocked me out. Avery Brooks amazing, I mean just amazing. Yea,
the entire cast amazing.
Speaker 3 (05:42):
And it is there a bud coming here?
Speaker 2 (05:46):
No, not at all. It looked gorgeous. It was really
well made. So my question is I have a few questions,
but it was out of context for me. I kind
of wonder if I, if I contextually understood some things,
if I would get more dramatic impact out of it.
(06:06):
The episode opens with him talking about how he's lost
so many people and how he maybe he shouldn't be leading,
he shouldn't be leading anymore. What did that mean?
Speaker 3 (06:20):
Well, this episode Far Beyond the Stars came out in
the sixth season, sort of in the middle.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
I believe, Yeah, what was that?
Speaker 3 (06:28):
Yeah, so the other day was February ninth, nineteen ninety eight,
so at this point. But what's interesting is that, you know,
the character of Captain Cisco, who was Commander Cisco, came
in the pilot episode. The very first thing he wanted
to do when he showed up was leave.
Speaker 4 (06:42):
You know.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
What was interesting at the time to fans was one
of the early scenes he's with Captain.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
Picard, right, great, great scenes.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
So you have seen that, you did see the pilot.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
Well, we talked about it.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
We talked about the pilot in one of the episodes,
Yes we did, and how he he was like performance
wise toe to toe with Stuart and did a great job.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
And I got to say a follow up many years later,
Todd Stashwick doing this very similar thing to Picard in
the most recent in Picard season three when he was
like I was at well three five to nine, also similar,
very sort of shocking to those who grew up with
the next generation and amazing moments, but so you know,
he came to accept his role on Deep Space nine
(07:21):
and find his family and his work there and more
than that, without giving away now that we're so many
twenty five years later, you're gonna finally watch it. But
at this point in the show, a foot fledged war
had taken over, had taken place between the Federation and
(07:42):
the Dominion, and really the last couple of years, a
couple of seasons of Deep Space nine were committed for
the most part to this long form story about the
Dominion war, which is why I was so excited when
it showed up in piccard and You're like, what the
hell is this? So it wasn't going well, and the
cool thing about Deep Space nine is like they the
station at one point, right, they had to retreat. They
(08:03):
lost They showed, you know, a character losing a leg
during the war. They showed people dying, you know, not
really main characters. This wasn't quite going that far, but
it showed people dying. So at this point it's taken
a toll on him the losses, and so he sort
of loses faith in himself to lead.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
The parallel is I'm guessing you correct me if I'm wrong.
Without giving too much you have, right? Is that is
that in this episode he is a writer, he's creating
this story. Yeah, and the story. The one thing that
is consistent through throughout the story of him writing the
(08:43):
story is that there's constant setbacks and loss over and
over and over again. Is that is.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
That whatever progress maybe that's a way to read it right,
Maybe it's there, maybe it's not. But whatever progress he
made to almost being able to be in average an
American writer in the fifties, trying to get published, making
some progress, and then being pushed back down again, there
is that parallysm there between what's going on in the war,
Like every time this progress and maybe there's a way
to get over this, your push back down to the
(09:12):
ground or your friends get hurt. So there's definitely that
that parallel.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
Oh woh yeah, I mean with that moment in the episode,
you know your friends get hurt.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, it.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
Uh you know, I mean, it was it was self befable.
It was a great episode. It was a great episode.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
And I got to say, like they do return to
the Benny Russell character a little bit, and this hallucination,
never to the extent of having a whole episode on it,
and you know, to this day, like when I heard
that they were considering, I don't know how serious it
was ending Deep Space nine with Benny Russell dreaming of
Deep Space nine, right, that would have been so poetic
and perfect. I think people would have thrown fits and
(09:54):
people would have loved it, and I regret them not
doing it right. So, man, as much as Star tricks
about the future, maybe there's still more work to get done.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
That's right.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
Some statement, Oh absolutely absolutely. My final the final thing
I want to ask or it's not even a question,
it's something that I'm still wrapping my brain around. Was
the line that Brock Peters says near the end about Cisco.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
You're the dreamer and the dream Oh dude, that's the line.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
That slay me, slay That was I'm still I'm still
working through that line dramatically, but it it, you know,
and it hasn't even been twenty four hours, but I
keep hearing it. Yeah, I keep hearing that line. And
(10:50):
I don't know, powerful powerful, really powerful stuff.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
How many years ago it was, and that we still
holds up and for just you know, a syndicated show,
right that had a lot to do a lot of
episodes in a short amount of time. Yeah, it did
quite good.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
And again it looked incredible. It shot really really, I mean,
it looks so amazing. It's just fantastic all around and
really just wonderful. So, I mean, gosh, this is gonna
be a big surprise, and I'm gonna be nice to
you and say thank you.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
Sound effects such.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
I was gonna call you a name, but I stopped.
This is a nice thank you for booking this guest
upcoming guests that you because in order to prep for
this interview, you had me. You asked me to watch
this episode. And this episode was just it rose above
(11:53):
it's ip and it rose above its genre.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
It is just.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
A great piece of writing, acting, drama. It's fantastic, absolutely fantastic.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
I agree. I'd like to I'd like you You're welcome,
and I'd like to thank you and applaud you. I'd
actually like to applaud you. Wait, where's that. I'd like
to applaud you for recognizing that I was right.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
I love when I'm sincere and you still mock me.
It's just fantastic.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
My name is Todd Ea Slayton. I am a actor, director, editor, producer,
titles under my belt. I'm not just throwing that out
right now. Currently, I've been doing a whole lot more producing.
I am doing a project out here in my hometown
and we are doing what we consider a one of
a kind reggae festival. But it's not just reggae. It's
(12:52):
going to include hip hop, but not today's hip hop.
It's going to be conscious hip hop. We got right now.
We're going to a couple of Marley's coming, a couple
bands I can't mention yet, but it's here in my hometown.
And I won't give you the name of my hometown,
but I'm sure it's online, but it's where do we
do the California Ramona Pageant And they will be there
(13:13):
at the Ramona Bowl March this year. The name of
our festival is called Iron Culture Festival, and that's exactly
what it is. It's a cultural festival. But our thing
is with the Iron, We're going to bring in some
VIP food and it's going to be one of a kind.
So anyway you guys want to talk about, well.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
You know what I actually I just have one one
quick question. I'm a fan of Africa Banbada seventy early
eighties hip hop is the Treacher's three is like, I
love the Treachers three? Is that what you're like? The
hip hop? The five elements of hip hop? And is
that what you're aiming for?
Speaker 1 (13:51):
Well, yes, but we're going to more. Okay, So it
has to do with my journey through this whole thing.
It connects to the start of Star Trek, to the
people I met. So some of the people I run
with is my brother Jay from the X Clan. I'm
sure you know Brother Jay. I was with him and
the ex Clan and Public Enemy at the twenty fifth
(14:13):
induction to the Hall of Fame. Uh. If you've ever
seen a picture with Brother Jay and Chuck d that's
I took that picture. Oh wow, that's what we're concentrating
on now. If we're going to get deep about Africa.
Speaker 4 (14:25):
And actually yeah, yeah, you know, yes, the same genre,
but maybe not the same.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
Yes, I understand, Okay, well you know hip hop.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
Yeah, I have a background of music, but it's from
the sixteenth century.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
Okay, Well, just really, in my opinion, that sounds like
an amazing festival and I hope it. I hope it
goes off huge. That sounds great.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
When I got the job on on Deep Space nine.
I was. I came from a modeling background, I judged
then nothing like this. I got three feet so I
had that experience of my dad's a past or, so
I grew up. I have that open experience of just
talking to people and being there. So it was really
quick that I got into that family. And Saraq really
(15:08):
looked up to me at that time as a big
brother and as a mentor. Mister B. I may switch
between Avery and mister B, but he he was always there.
And Avery. If I had a toothpick, I'll show you.
Avery be looking at us like, what's y'all planning? Yeah,
anyway we were. I was supposed to take Sarak to
(15:28):
the what is it the auto museum, Peterson's Auto Museum
the night of the shooting with Biggie and Avery. His
mama asked me if I'd take him, that's the only
way Sarak could go.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
I think her fifteen or sixteen.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Then Avery pulled me aside and said, what are you thinking,
missus Slayton, You ain't going there. You going home. You're
going home, me, your wife and kids, and Sarah's got
to get in the car. Huh, Right, go home you dig. Yeah, No,
there was no discussion. So we weren't there because Avery
didn't want us there. But I can tell you things
might have changed differently because I know how Saraq was
(16:04):
and I was. We were young and crazy. We had
probably been right there on the car. Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah,
because we were both big tupacet biggie feed especially. So yeah, anyway,
what do you guys want to know?
Speaker 3 (16:15):
Well, oh, I got question. So so just a little
backstory is that, So how we came into your orbit?
Is that all of a sudden, I'm seeing on a
Facebook feed you're posting a DS nine do Space nine
lovers or something, And I wasn't even the group and
I saw it. I'm like, oh, wow, this is interesting.
You've got a sort of union perspective, I think a lot,
and as we've been talking about, you've got perspective on
(16:35):
Avery Brooks and Brock and so i'd always talk to
you more about that. But you know, just with your
backstore here, you were what twenty five ish when you
stay five.
Speaker 1 (16:44):
When I entered into the industry, I was twenty three
and that was during the modeling background.
Speaker 3 (16:50):
So what was it like coming into deep space nine.
Right in the fourth season, Siraq was what fifty he
was a kid, but who all of a sudden sprouted up.
I guess he was your kid. The show started in
halfway through, and that's one.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
Other reasons why. That's the one other reasons why Ivor
got replaced. Ivor was his original stand in how you
doing brother? If you see this? And a good guy.
We continued on with Ivor. He did a lot of
stunts for sarac even after and yeah, rock sprouted. I'm
six three ish. I'm fifty two now, so I'm probably
(17:23):
six two b But yeah, so Sarak last time I
was around him was about an inch taller than me,
and I was about four years ago. We did Comic
Con and La Comic Con, which was really fun.
Speaker 3 (17:36):
And then you did more than that. It was one
more fun than the other.
Speaker 1 (17:41):
People have asked me what was my favorite character to play?
My favorite you know, make up, Let's say, because the
only characters ever really played was thought More and I
did a lot of stuff production wise, behind the scenes.
We can get into about Brock and that was wonderful.
But my favorite makeup and this is going to be
like realistically, everybody who's ever done makeup knows exactly what
(18:04):
I'm saying is the Shrek. There's this picture of me
and I'm like this on that one of those things
in a full makeup head. That's my favorite because all
they did is pull that over your head. They put
a little glue around your eye, little makeup right here.
I slip on the little gloves, getting a real comfortable
baggy suit. Days done. Yeah, I would do Cardassians. Klingons
(18:26):
were not. I think for me, the most taxing was
because of my time there. I was hired on as
a crew. I was just background. I know that, an extra,
but I was hired on as a crew so so
Rock wasn't working that first year or so not as much.
So they kept me on like the phones. They would
(18:46):
have me assist Avery. That's how I became so close
to Brock was because of the various different things that
I would do. But the worst was not the worst.
It was the best. But if they needed a makeup
guy or got one guy tomorrow, we need makeup. Prime example,
there's a picture of me also and you guys can
cut to you have my full permission, and it's like
(19:09):
this and it's a full makeup and I'm in like
a gown, a red gown, and I have like three
different pictures of the levels of you know, makeup. Yeah,
I'll shout out the makeup artist, wonderful woman, Mary Kay.
And we spent because it was just me that entire day.
It's the scene. I don't remember all this stuff, guys,
(19:30):
I really don't. I'm a trekki, but I'm not as
deep as some of you.
Speaker 4 (19:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
Yeah, I don't know the episode title, but it was
when Quark and then naw, we're carrying like invisible box,
right and they go walk and buy and they see
me and they stop and they go like, oh, emissari
or whatever, and I just kind of go like that.
That took thirteen and a half hours that make up alone.
And the only reason why is because I was supposed
to go on at like eleven, and it kept getting
(19:58):
pushed and kept because I'm cheap, you know, me as
an extra in makeup and smoke and all. They don't
care my little six hundred dollars a day. That doesn't
mean anything, so they kept pushing it and pushing it. Well,
will you have anything to do? Because it was a
pretty bare set. So me and Mary kay are Mary Kay.
You just kept working and working and not took thirteen
and a half hours. But for me, it wasn't the
(20:20):
hours necessarily in the makeup chair. It was the hours
in general. Like my first day, my very first day,
I'm a chameleon. I didn't know what I was doing.
They said, come to the Paramount lot, be here at
two am on whatever day that was as a Monday.
So I show up and I just see a legion
of people going through the Paramount gate. I got my
(20:42):
little pass, so I even got into four people. So
I just stood around and just kind of followed the herd.
Next thing you know, I'm in the makeup and Michael,
you know, Wes Moore's makeup office on Deep Space nine,
which was an amazing experience with must have been twenty
five other gentlemen, some women, mostly men extras that are
playing Klingons. That day. I got on set at eight am.
(21:05):
By the time Michael Dorn was Michael Dorn's episode. It
was the first episode of season four. You guys can
see which one that was the Way of the Warrior.
So LeVar Burton was directing, right, So I got on
set at eight in the morning and it's called hurry
up and wait. So we just go stand around and
have everything on. I go craft service, then they go
(21:27):
get dressed. We get dressed, and everybody's there. Well, I
got it. I told this story, so I don't want
to keep repeating, but I won't give it all of it.
But LeVar was wearing overalls, and LaVar's like standing around, going, okay,
Michael Doron comes on here. LeVar has a whole crew
in twenty five extra standing around and Michael's not even
(21:49):
made up. He doesn't have his hair on. He just
has basically the klingona and then the mustache, the beard,
his pants are you know, he's got thiss on but
he and so Levar's pissed. Now it's like ten am.
So keep in mind I had been there for eight hours.
All of us have been there for eight hours at
that point, and Michael comes in and Levar's just raging.
(22:12):
And I don't know, like I said, this is the
first day. I'm looking at Kuta Kente right, and war
arguing and fun of me. You know, my kids know
reading Reading the Rainbow, but I know I know couch
and so I'm just like wow. And so LeVar goes, Michael,
you're not ant undressed. What are you doing? These guys
have been here for eight hours. We're ready to go.
Let's roll. And Michael looks at the LeVar reminds you
(22:33):
LeVar standing there with his overalls. He goes, I was
your mom. And then LeVar and the whole crew just
fell out. It just broke the tension. But that was
my first day. And that was twenty one and a
half hours, wow, twenty one and a half hours before
I got finned out the time I started. So that
was tough. But I tell you I was young then,
(22:55):
and the money was excellent money.
Speaker 3 (22:56):
Yeah, And so is that why you came back kept
coming back because it was a gig. It was a
steady gig.
Speaker 1 (23:03):
No. I was a new father and a married man, happily,
and I wanted to be in Hollywood. I wanted to
be an actor. I started off modeling, but I come
from a background of vaudeville. My grandmother used to sing
and dance with Scatman Crothers and gosh his name's escaping
me ball guy tap dance anyway, So I grew up
(23:25):
with that whole, the whole, you know, genre of vaudeville
in my life. My mom's Creole, my dad's part Native
American and African Americans, so I have a mix of
culture that I've always embraced. But for me, it was
a job, but I enjoyed it. It was fun. There
was drama, but that's the same way I came from
the State Parks of California directly. I got discovered at
(23:49):
the California State Parks by MTV when MTV was cool.
They did a commercial on me because I was a
state Parks. I wasn't a ranger but assistant, and I
was running around Idawa, California with dreadlocks and there. So
that's kind of how I got into modeling and whatever.
But I always had passion through my grandma. Like she
(24:09):
would do Pasadena. They would have a you know, like
a Sundays you could go in and do like almost
a showcase or whatever. My grandma would have us all
up there dancing and singing tops she name it. So
for entertainment. It was a job, but it was great.
I watched my wife work retail and she hated it.
I'd go to work. I'd go to work and I'd
(24:29):
be like, Bay, you know what, happened to day.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
Yeah, clock out.
Speaker 1 (24:33):
I'm like, okay, Well, I was going to tell you
I met Patsy today.
Speaker 3 (24:38):
Yeah, I was going to ask you if you had fun,
because I think we had al Because the rumor, I'm
at the rumor, but like the lore is that the
the TG crew set was a blast. People were playing pranks,
are every fun, And at least the history that that
is more public is that the DS nine set was
(24:58):
much more buttoned up.
Speaker 1 (25:00):
Well, I think that has to do with the TMG
stuff is because the producers, a lot of them were
either there, a lot of them were assistance to those producers,
and they saw that same stuff. But no, that went
on on our set. I could tell you stories. I
can tell you one time. I mean, I don't know why.
It was one of those days. Our model again, you're
(25:21):
gonna hear it, not just for me, is hurry up
and wait. So Sorac had been there all day, he's
in the star fleet. I don't even have to dress
because he's only there for a couple of minutes, so
I don't have to double him or anything. I don't
have to worry about anything, and I'm just sitting there
chilling next thing. You know, mister B comes o wesel whatsroc?
I said, where is he? I said, what's going on?
He goes, you need to go see? So I run
(25:44):
over this trailer. I can't find Sarac anywhere. Serac's running
around the Paramount lot as in Starfleet with toilet paper
wrapped around him entirely his head to toe, walking around
and going, oh my god, we laughing so hard. But
Avery didn't think that was so funny.
Speaker 3 (26:05):
It was an episode he was directing.
Speaker 1 (26:07):
No, no, he wasn't. He wasn't directing that one. But
Avery really, you know, he mentors Rocky. I could say
he like Brock Brock he felt and would say in
public I was his surrogate son. And I really felt
that Avery fathered and wanted to be that position and
was that position because they're very close outside of working,
which a lot of people don't know. But Avery is
(26:29):
like Hawk. That's the closest I can tell you if
you want to know how mister B is he, I
know he doesn't do many interviews or anything like that,
and that's a whole nother story. But he's more like Hauk,
so he's very serious, but he's hilarious. He has some
of the funny stuff, like I got in a banter
with Avery and I got one up on him and
regretted it once. And I don't know if I can
tell last he had to do it all Hollywood. He
(26:57):
told me to ask somebody a question in every body
was standing around laughing because it was like in your
face because I'm hanging out with this person, which was
and he said, you asked Brock about this, that and
the other, and everybody's like okay. And I said, all right,
mister b I'm gonna ask him what I'm gonna tell him.
You told me and I closed the door.
Speaker 4 (27:15):
Within seconds, producers were on the ages.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
You need to go to see Avery and his trailer,
you know. But it was all fun and games until
I got the leg up.
Speaker 2 (27:26):
Yeah, yeah, you know.
Speaker 1 (27:27):
We had a lot of fun, especially like the stuff
behind the scenes with with Quart, I mean armand was hilarious.
Uh sadig, you know who was crazy. I didn't even
get to really hang out or talk to him the
first year. I think I was intimidated. Was Callemini really serious?
Yeah it's cool, but you know, but my my thing
(27:48):
was like the people I hung out with because I
spent a lot more time and make up. Of course
rock Avery. All the main cast was like Mark Alaimo,
jg Hers, Jeffrey, Jeffrey Combs. Yeah, Jeffrey is great. You
can tell him. I said, what's up? I don't have
to talk to him. Well, but yeah, And I got
(28:09):
to work with Jeffrey on CSI. When I left Deep Space,
I walked right into CSI doubled or not doubled. They
stood in for Gary door Dan, which is the black
guy on the show, and I became a paramedic. But
we did an episode in Big Bear and Jeffrey played
a veterinarian and Jeffrey was pretty, you know, overwhelmed by
(28:30):
the whole CSI train because we were the number one
show in the world. And Jeffrey looked at me and
he's like, we ended up keeping a restaurant open because
they knew who we were, and a Big Bear of
all places until like eleven o'clock at night, which is
unheard of on a Thursday. And uh, he's fun. But
(28:51):
I think one of the ones I really miss that
I will get a hold of and talk to. I
believe he's still alive. Is Mark Markolaimo, me and him,
He's blast every weekend. We were hanging out if we
didn't have things to do. So, I don't know, what
else do you guys want?
Speaker 3 (29:07):
Well, I got, I got, I got lots of questions. Yeah,
I got a couple of Avery questions. First. So okay,
the first thing, and you tease this in a message
I believe. But it was a Friday, he took off,
he said, see you guys, okay, yeah, you want to
hear that co producers. And then Monday morning something happened.
Speaker 1 (29:26):
So okay, all right, I'll say this one. This one,
I'll say I don't have a problem doing it. Okay.
So I was on the phones that day. Now I
said something online and I got blasted for it. We
considered Star Trek the Black Star Trek. We had Avery,
we had LeVar directing, We had Michael Door and we
had Sarrack, we had Brock, we had myself, we had Penny.
(29:46):
I mean, I could just name the whole list. We
had all these stand ins who were black for them.
So it was very afrocentric crew without being like anti
white or pro just afro centric. So we would sit
around us, me being one of the younger ones. I
was mentored by plenty of names I could name that
you would never know on the crew who were involved
(30:08):
with electrical life anyway, So we're outside and right by
the door you go with, I think it's stage four's
right there. Then there's my desk or the phone desk,
so I could hear the I have my foot in
the door, you know, everything else. And Avery just comes
busting out and he goes, gentlemen, have a nice weekend.
I'm not putting up with us. And he leaves and
(30:29):
I'm like, what happened? And he has an assistant. His
name is Brian Andrew Tungsta. Brian's a great guy, amazing
makeup artist. And Brian and Avery were really close, very close.
He was the closest to Brian. So Brian goes and
sneaks off and he goes to Avery's trailer. And then
Brian comes back and Brian says to me, he said, oh,
mister Bee's going home. I was like, dude, is one
(30:52):
o'clock he can't leave that. We got like and I
pull up the listening the guy like five more scenes.
Next thing you know, mister b pulls up and his
black convert of Mercedes, he got the hot glasses on,
he got the suit jacket and everything on. He does
him and he goes off. He rolls out and Brian's off.
Twenty minutes later, ten minutes whatever it was, the door
(31:14):
bust open again. It's Steve Oaster. He's panicked. He's like,
where's where's the Yeah co producer and he's like, where's Avery?
And Brian just goes uh, probably over Texas. So we
are blessing up. So now Brian gets to go home. Right,
So Brian, Avery's done, there's no need for Brian off
the fuck. Well, I gotta stay until we wrapped. So
(31:35):
I'm gonna say it. So the next morning I'm standing
in for Avery because his his stuntman. Who is Brian?
Excuse me? John Lundell in it Rest in peace, Johnny.
He was doing stunts at the time on the other show.
So that Monday I had to stand in for Avery.
So we're at Quarks Bar. God, I'm gonna get in
trouble for this, but I'm gonna go ahead and say it.
(31:56):
And so Avery goes to me and he would turn
and now he's sitting there at the bar and he
got his tooth pick and he's like this with his
sides and yeah, look at that's just residual. But finally
he's sitting there with his sides reading and I'm reading
with them, and he goes, so, uh, what happened after
I left? I said they had to rewrite. I said,
(32:18):
we were here till like eleven thirty. He said. I said,
it was just you know, they were they going to
do mister b He looks at me. He said, this
is the part I'm I get in trouble for. He said,
mister He said, mister Slayton, if they don't treat you
like a sometimes you act like And I turned right
(32:39):
back and went back to his thing and we never
talked about it again. So much to me. And I
know that's controversial as hell, because it doesn't mean a
Blacks thing. It means a human thing.
Speaker 3 (32:52):
Power thing.
Speaker 1 (32:52):
That's power thing. They want to They want to push
you around and push you till you break. And I
saw him do it. I saw him try to do
it with him and he just got tired of it.
Speaker 3 (33:01):
And was it. Do you suspect it was like a
contract negotiation issue.
Speaker 1 (33:05):
Just like a human change in words, talking down, just
kind of like people are tired. You're not showing the
proper respect to him, and he is the you know,
you're whoever the show is him, and so he was
just fed up. There's you know, there was a couple
of times where that happened, and it was just you know,
(33:25):
other actors shining at that time and being bravoed and
constantly bravoed, and you'd being like, Okay, we'll get to
you in a minute, and you're the star of the show.
It gets a little old, you know type of thing.
And I think that's what it was. It wasn't the
N word, it was just the attitude treatment.
Speaker 3 (33:42):
Do you think that's what sort of led him to
not want to do conventions and talk about the show
and things like that, or he's just moved on with
his life and I was retired.
Speaker 1 (33:51):
I can't, honestly only speculate, but I remember there's a
picture of me and Avery, the picture of me and
a and that night I said something and it pissed
him off. And again i'll tell you what it was,
because I haven't really seen him since that night. That
was the season seven rat party, and I got the
(34:11):
blonde hair and he's wearing that flamboyant jacket and we're
hugging after that, you know, we got a little tipsy,
and I said, mister b I said, man, I just
want you to know what a pleasure it was working
with you and how much I love you and this
and that. But I'm sure I'll probably never see you again.
And he got pissed. He was that supposed to me.
(34:32):
And I felt as though then Avery was done and
I didn't. I was only you know at that time,
what thirty years old. It is not my place to
tell you. I just feel like you kind of rather
do stage. You know. He teaches at Rutgus. His wife's
a professor. He had a whole life, His son was
going through stuff. You know, He's flying back and forth
to the East coast, and he just he just wasn't
(34:52):
really you know, a Hollywood he's a superstar, but he's
not a Hollywood player. He doesn't play the game the game,
and I think that's why. But I would say this,
I'm one hundred percent sure you'll see him again. Yeah,
I don't think he's done. I think he's going to
do something. The earth shaking is what I feel. I
hope that mister if your question.
Speaker 3 (35:10):
Yeah, Yeah, he's such an amazing actor. And I want
to talk about Far Beyond the Stars in a second.
But I just know as a fan for since I'm
a little kid, and you know, I think S nine
was I was in high school or the end of
high school.
Speaker 1 (35:20):
Then God, I feel old.
Speaker 3 (35:22):
Sorry I was older than you.
Speaker 1 (35:24):
Don't worry.
Speaker 2 (35:24):
I'm going to be a couple. I'm right behind you there,
I'm close.
Speaker 3 (35:28):
It's been a hold, it's been a whole you know,
him not engaging, and I know that there's a lot
of people out there that would love to hear him speak.
Speaker 1 (35:37):
He was close to close to all of us, but
he was private. He had his own life, you know.
Speaker 2 (35:42):
Which which doesn't work in commerce. I'm I'm designate commercial Hollywood.
You know, I want it. They want it all out there. Yeah,
because all your business, everybody makes money from it.
Speaker 1 (35:56):
You you think about it. You never saw I the
tabloids right now, Really, you never saw him on TMZ
with some scandal. You never heard about any of that.
He just just a different breed.
Speaker 2 (36:06):
You're your product, and there's a lot of you know,
at the time, a lot of magazines, a lot of
outlets that could you know that uses you to they
use you to sell, and if you're going to have
a very private life that doesn't that's not conducive.
Speaker 1 (36:21):
To Hollywood, especially starring on Star Wars being the main
you know, number one call sheet, that's you're out there, right,
it'll forever be out there. I just I really honestly
feel he'll come back, He'll he'll us all with something.
I honestly would love them to see, like the Return
of Hawk or something like that, more so than Star
(36:41):
Trek at this point, because Star Trek is so diverse
and so moved on from Deep Space. I don't see
and I don't look. That's why it took me so
long to get here, is I don't I'm not a
part of the CSI fan page or anything like that
because it's been it's just a weird thing. So I
don't really know if there's a new don't even know
what the new shows are on Star Trek. These three
(37:03):
four shows that started Star Trek were the ones that
everybody looks at iconically, and I think that's what if
we were to do another Deep Space and iing reboot, maybe,
but that's a huge maybe, that's a big maybe. But
I love to see him, do you like almost like
a movie or something like that.
Speaker 3 (37:25):
I'd love to because I had Trevor watch this for
the first time in his life to embarrass him last night.
I'd love to hear your experience on you know what,
many including myself, think is the best episode of Star Trek,
which is far beyond the Stars. I'd love to hear
sort of your experience there because you have avery problem
you have everybody you have normally. So this is an
(37:46):
episode just for listeners who don't know. I don't know
why you're on this podcast. In our yeah, episode is
but you know, it's basically Cisco's dealing with the effects
of the Dominion War. He basically has this hallucination. It's
longer story where he goes where he's living as a
in the mid twentieth century as a science fiction writer
who's dealing with racism of the time. In all the
(38:06):
main characters are they're out of makeup pretty much for
the first time. Amazing episode, I thought. But you know,
i'd love to sort of hear you know, how are
you involved with that episode?
Speaker 1 (38:17):
I have about I don't know how much time met,
but I could tell you five amazing stories. First being
John Bennett again, his assistant was his stand in, his assistant.
We all kind of like Shrock. I was a stand
in systant you can't you do more? You love people?
Sorock did stuff for me, you know, but he was out.
He was I think Moesha or something doing stunts because
(38:40):
we had so many great shows on a lot filming
at the time, not just Voyager, you know. And at
any rate, mister b asked me if I would be
his assistant and I said, well, what do you mean?
He said, if I move, you move. He said, I
need you to go somewhere you go. I was like, yeah,
heck yeah. So I go to the producers and I'm like, hey,
I need next to twenty dollars and now you know,
(39:02):
so I did that?
Speaker 3 (39:04):
Is that really how it worked?
Speaker 1 (39:05):
Yeah? I did. I was revery pussy so so, but
that was an Avery's approval. I said, okay, yeah, I
got it, but I'm gonna go get make sure they know.
So at any rate, I was Rock standing and photo
double on that episode. I was also Brock standing and
his assistant on that episode. So when it started, there's
always the pre the pre uh you know, uh, production meetings,
(39:30):
let's say, and sometimes they're readings. So I was in
on a lot of the readings with Avery in the cast,
and he would go, missus like, let me hear, and
he'd go, do my do my part, do my part,
you know, and it was like blown away. You know,
I'm blown away that I get to do all this.
So it became very, very very stressful for all of us,
none other, no one more than Avery. So I can
(39:52):
take you to a scene. The scene is where they
fire him. Okay, they fired Benny Russell and side uh yeah,
Verde I hated him in that episode and he fires him. Well,
Avery was telling me all day and had been just like, man,
we got to get through this. This is gonna be history,
this is gonna be great, Miss Slayton, this and that,
(40:12):
and I'm like yeah, yeah, but I knew he was stressed.
And so he does the whole thing. You can you can,
you know you can? Uh as he say, you can
pull a man's dream, but you can't up. Then he
takes his cane and wipes it out. Boom boom. Well
that wasn't necessarily scripted. Everybody jumps back. If you see
from the table, arman goes, what in that whole deal?
(40:35):
That was a natural reaction? And Avery hit the ground right.
Avery hit the ground and he starts sobbing, and and
he says he's all you know, I forget what he says,
but he's crying. And he's crying well, which you guys
don't know is Avery stayed on the ground a minute
and a half sobbing, to the point where I ran
in and because Lou looked at me. Lou Race was directing.
(40:57):
He was our I mean assistant angry assistant director, and
Lou looked at me because Lo's like, I'm not doing it.
So I looked in and I grabbed Brian and we
ran and literally laid over the top of Avery and
held him and held him. And I'll name drop all day.
Mike Veyhard Junior comes over to me and goes, tell
mister b we rolled.
Speaker 5 (41:17):
Out, and I said, I'm gonna tell him, you know.
And meanwhile I said Avery, I said, mister b we
got to go again. And Avery looks and he's like,
all right, all.
Speaker 1 (41:29):
Right, what's up, mister v Are And he goes, Avery,
we rolled out, We got to go again. Avery said, okay,
let's go again, and jump that reset, reset that quick.
We did it again, same thing. This time he's only
down for a minute and a half. But now the
emotion was so high. Every single woman man reaction, especially
(41:52):
Terry and Nanah crying was emotion that wasn't acting. That
was real. We were all the whole crew. If you
could have took if now I film everything, you know,
I don't know. I don't do much on sets anymore.
I'm behind the scenes, but I would have filmed that everything.
But those reactions were real, and that made me, as
a young actor, go damn, yeah, can you do this?
(42:16):
Can you do it? Because it wasn't the emotion that
he showed, it was his recovery. And I was like,
that's some deep, heavy, almost dark stuff. Yeah, and just
a whole nother level. So from there, a happy story
is my mom was turning fifty on when we filmed
that episode Avery. I told Avery he invited her as
(42:38):
his guest. So she was on New York Street and
there's a picture of her there and she was just
overwhelmed that because she's a big star Trek Deep Space nine,
Avery books Spencer for hire, all that fan and here
she's with Avery and he's treating her like his best friend.
And so next thing we know, we have lunch and
there's like, I think there was two hundred extras on it.
(43:00):
It's Harlem, the Harlem Street on the Paramount Lot. Well
it's New York Street, but we dressed it so it
was more Harlem nineteen fifties. Well, they have a stage
there because they will they will do presentations. So we
had two hundred extras there and we're all eating and
my mom, myself, Brock and like JG and a couple
of us and definitely we're all eating. Didn't even see Avery,
(43:22):
you know, he had stuff to do. So he's going,
all of a sudden, here, hello, Hello, Yes, we have
a special guest. It's her fiftieth birthday, Miss Slayton. And
he calls my mom up in front of two hundred
extras and the crew and has them sing Happy Birthday
in the middle of all this stress that's going on,
(43:42):
all the craziness that he experienced. Now he's singing happy
birthday to my mother. Come on, And that was so huge,
So I'll just go through one more. There's a scene
so Brock and I became like very close. Brock is
my son's godfather. He's my saragate father, I did. I
got to experience so much stuff that that's a whole
(44:04):
other podcast, which is I was at Gregory Peck's funeral
with Oh my God the second row. I went down
in the elevator in the mausoleum that you guys probably
don't know exist with Lionel She his wife Sidney Portier,
not Sydney, Harry Bella Falante, Sherry the other to his
wife and his other daughter. It was only a few
of us, Cardinal Bishop Mahoney, So I had experiences. Brock
(44:27):
drove Herbie Hancock's test rosa because we were up underneath
the Pantagious Theater in Hollywood. When they said, who has
the blue testa rosa out back? You need to move it?
I was like, I got it, Herbie. You know so
anyway on that episode, what a lot of people don't
know is uh, I guess I could back up, but
I don't know how much time we have When I
got Brock wasn't there my first year much, but I
(44:48):
knew who Brock was from watching the show. Of course,
when I went to school to kill a mockingburgers both
required and move right and we had to watch it
and you had to write a report about it. So
here I am. You know, one day Brock, Avery says,
Missus Clayton, my brother had a tragic accident at fifteen
and is in a wheelchair to this one. Excuse me.
(45:10):
When he was ten and I was seven, and I
used to have to take care of my brother, do everything,
feed him, change him, do whatever. So Avery knew that.
Well Brock had and you guys may not know is
he had a cadaver bone put in the front of
his neck into his spine. He's a cancer. Well that's
why he wasn't there. So when he came back, he
was a bit frail. So Avery was like Missus Slaton
(45:31):
when Peters gets here, saying he moves left. He moved left.
This is before Avery and I had that relationship really
where I was helping him on. This is pre you know,
Lost in the Stars or Far beyond the Stars. And
he's like, mister so Brock walks in. Brock is like
again a movie star, and he's got on his adults
a bond of gold rimmed glasses. He's got his his
(45:54):
before it was popular, his Italian man's dash. She just
looks like a superstar, and so he rocks in, mister Peters,
how you doing? It's that missus Slayton, this is mister Peters,
and like, how you doing. He's gonna be here to
help you. He's gonna be if you move. He moves
this left right, and Avery looks at Brock and he
looks at me, and he looks back at Brock and
he grabs that man stash off a Brock and he
(46:15):
slaps it over my shoulders. I'mwhere Brock's man. And he's like,
you dig you know what I'm saying. Much Rock is
not gonna pick up a script if you have to
feed him, you know what I mean. So Rock will
tell you that's the day we fell in love. Because
and from there, so cut to Lost in the Stars
(46:35):
or Far Beyond the Stars, and of course we know
that was what it was about, I mean, the takeoff
of Lost in the Stars. But any rate, there was
a scene in the movie or it was like a
movie to.
Speaker 2 (46:47):
Me, and I agree, I agree.
Speaker 1 (46:49):
It was like literally, go in my bedroom right now
and come right out five seconds with that script.
Speaker 3 (46:54):
I don't know, I don't know if you can see this,
but this photo right above, right above me, is Avery
looking out out.
Speaker 1 (47:00):
The window, Yeah, looking back at himself. Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh,
Penny's great to So anyway, there's a scene with Penny.
There's a scene with Penny and Avery as he's rejoiced
and he's happy. He's walking down down the way, he's
singing and everything else, and then Brock comes out of
the shadows and he says, whatever I forget? Uh, he
says so much just amazing stuff. He says, but uh
(47:22):
something something Benny like that, and he's like, what do
you mean? And I believe that's when Brock reaches up
to his ear and pulls the blood off and whatever
have you. He leans back in the shadow. Then shortly
after that Shocks or the Jake Cisco characters shot and
killed in the street, if I'm correct, that's the time. Well,
the thing that people don't know is that Brock couldn't
(47:43):
do that without Physically he couldn't. And it's Hollywood. So
we had this set that had light cutting this way. Well,
Aby wanted Brock to be in the back of the light,
just off the camera, and for Brock to do that,
his spine, I mean his back, he was having spasms
and he was like, how can we do this? Avery's like,
we're gonna have to relight. You know, it's gonna be
We had two hundred extras there and I said wait,
(48:05):
I said Avery, and I went over and we talked,
and then I went over to the A D who
was there, and she gives me a walkie talkie. So
this is what happened in that scene. So when you
see them walking by and Brock comes and he steps
out like that, I'm laying I'm on my hands and
knees with my with my back or my head up
(48:25):
against the wall, and Brock is sitting He's sitting on
my rump right, and I'm looking at a walkie talkie
that will flash twice when I need to start backing
Brock out. And so I do that, and we did
it twice, and it was to me, it was not
a big deal. It was like we got to get
the shot. We can't really like this. We just got
(48:46):
to do it. And so that was the last on
that day. That was the last take for Brock. And
so when Brock, you know, when we cut, you know
about that's great cut and so uh he goes, ladies
and gentlemen, let's Brock Peters and everybody's clapping again. We
got all these extra's crew and everything that's a wrap
on Brock Peters. And then I stand up with the
(49:07):
walkie and I'm like woo, and I come walking out
into the light and everybody had saw me do it,
and I didn't think anything of it. And he goes
and ladies and gentlemen, mister Toddie Slaton and the whole
place dis erupted for me, and I was like, hey,
this is cool, you know. And it wasn't. It wasn't
like I was looking for accolades. It was just like
I just knew what we had to do. And that
(49:28):
episode was really important again, and that again reflects to
me why I call it deep space, the black Hollywood.
When have you ever seen I mean the black deep space.
Whenever you ever seen TG or anybody go back into
you know, Cleveland, you know fifty to work at the
coal mine or whatever. This was. This was very deliberate.
(49:49):
Ira was to me, Ira will be at my at
my festival. He's that kind of dude, that's right, I think,
And he knew the pulse of what the culture, we'll
say again was looking for. And I think him and
a lot of the writers, including Rick Berman, just gave
us the green light. And that's why it wasn't so
(50:12):
much fun on set because we had so much to prove.
But we had We had fun, and we just don't
have a whole lot of bloopers, you know what I
mean of that set?
Speaker 2 (50:21):
You know, don do you mind if I asked just
two quick questions were usually pretty bad to excuse me,
I have technical questions. I get into the technical weeds
of it. I watched the episode last night for my
first time. I was blown away by the production values
(50:43):
and how well it was lit, really really well. With
eight on the West looked gore And I'm not saying
other episodes of Deep Says nine didn't have great production values.
But was there more were did the production Did the
producers give this specific episode more time, uh, more resources,
(51:05):
more money to or or was it just as tight
as as any other episode?
Speaker 1 (51:12):
Well that's a two part question. Yeah, we had more
money because we had all these extras were we had
to rent, you know, we had to rent New York Street.
So yeah, I guess in that respect they did open
it up. Because when you're outside versus inside, there's a
when you rent out New York Street. They have like
you know, it looks like it's the deli. Well, no,
that's electrical. So they just pull out the lights and
(51:34):
do whatever. But everything takes time. So I'd say yes,
and I know that for a fact. Our DP was
Jonathan West and.
Speaker 2 (51:42):
Did an amazob.
Speaker 1 (51:44):
He loved Avery and he wanted to make this the
best episode. Between Avery and Jonathan working together and Jonathan's crew,
That's what you saw. That was complete passion and love
for just the lighting, never mind camera and everything else
that Jonathan was responsible. Right.
Speaker 2 (52:02):
There was even like complicated Dolly shots that I saw
and I was like, wow, that that was a complicated shot.
I could see.
Speaker 1 (52:09):
Oh yeah, yeah, we had we had cranes, We had
all kinds of Avery was funny. There are scenes like
when you see when you see like the extras up
on the side and the the guy walking down the street.
Every single thing you saw Avery, it was planned and
Avery would that was what I was assisting. You can
see that brother over there to put that up over there, telling.
Speaker 2 (52:32):
Me how that being.
Speaker 1 (52:33):
And so his energy just pulled all the way through.
So everybody was get willing to give their best performance
because it was to me, I think it was better
the best episode we've had, and and it was. It was.
It wasn't just Avery, it was it was a willingness
of the crew the cast to say, hey, let's let's
(52:54):
make something great.
Speaker 2 (52:55):
When this when the stunt person for mister B takes
that hit from the car in the beginning, that's John.
That hit looked so hard. So I actually kind of
yelped what I saw it? Were you there on set
and saw that that? I mean that really looked hard,
like that was a hit.
Speaker 1 (53:16):
That was a hit, and John took it like a boss. Yeah,
he did two two three takes of it. That one
that they use was the heaviest hit. Yeah. But I
watched John John Bennick get snatched back off a ratchet
and knocked out cold one time doubling Avery. It was
the emissary and I think it was a limo and
(53:38):
he does something and Avery goes back and hits the
wall and comes back up and all that stuff. John
Bennick got knocked out on that one. And now, I
mean stunt, That's what people don't understand. The simplest stunts
are just so extreme sometimes Like I did the stunt
with Aaron and paper Moon, and Aaron clocked me. I
hit the ground. I mean I came up and once
(53:58):
you see me turn and Throck turns, that was me
gonna go over and slap Aeron because he socked me. Yeah,
he thought it was funny though, and uh and uh
you know, so we just moved on. And that's another
person I missed greatly. I had. I had a very
wonderful time with him and his family. We both were
young fathers at the time. Was Aaron, Aaron his wife
at the time, and his two boys. When we attended
(54:21):
his funeral, I attended with his stand in and armand
stand in the same guy, which is Dave Levinson, and
his boys just came up and gave me the biggest
amount of love. And I was shocked because that I forget.
It was either at the Henry Fld or the pantages,
and the theater was packed. I don't know how to
how to explain the experiences with the crew was amazing.
(54:44):
Terry Farrell. She would have me pull me aside read
with her. Do you know she come over to the
phone and she got let's read, let's read. And you
know I also pissed her off I won't tell that story. Then. Yeah,
she had a great standing. Kathy de Bona went with
her to Becker left to go over to Becker with her.
(55:04):
We missed each other a lot, but we're still close.
She's now a psychologist doing great and yeah, I mean
there's just so many wonderful well, I.
Speaker 3 (55:13):
Mean that's so great to hear, because, you know, a
lot of our podcast the past couple of years has
been talking to people in the industry about what they do,
but also about like the challenges of like the unique
challenges and how we lead lives, you know, in the industry.
And I think there's this perception out there, especially people
not in the industry or people in the industry, that
(55:35):
crew work, standing work, production work, assistant work is tough
and thankless because you're not known like the stars are known.
Doesn't sound like that was your experience.
Speaker 1 (55:47):
Well not for me, but I can tell you I
don't think that's the case because a lot of the
people who started off as so and so's assistant or
the new PA in the office are now producers now
in the new CSI. They're now on the new you know.
Ever it is Hawaii. I Oh, so for me, you
have to. I did it a little quicker because of
my personality and just the hand of God, I guess.
(56:09):
But you got to put in your dues, and I
think we all knew that. And I don't care if
you're just a office pa, you know, the craft service
all that. You know, you could be craft service on
Deep Space nine and then get a job on you know,
The Fast and Furious and change your life. You know,
it's all the same crew. We all run in the
same little little circle of people. You know, when you
(56:32):
work on one crew, you're going to know people if
you go to another crew for sure. Yeah, same thing
that happened with CSI. You know, Mike Weihar came over
to CSI not the first season though, which was funny.
But yeah, we we had another great episode real quick
and I'll dorouble with Tribles.
Speaker 3 (56:51):
Was fun all getting to recreate Yeah, Trevor, I'll fill
you in on this one.
Speaker 2 (56:56):
Yes, we zoom.
Speaker 3 (56:58):
The Deep Space nine crew went back in time to
the original track episode. Yeah, uh trouble Tribles and they
got to recreate field sets and the tribles and all that. Yeah,
why was that so much fun?
Speaker 1 (57:08):
Just to just being a part because I watched it.
I saw the original and then the cr stuntmen that
were the New Klingons playing the old Klingons with the
new Klingons to make it work was great. And the
best part was when they filled the set with tribles.
That was awesome. And I'll tell you a tribles story.
I made a lot of money off them tribles.
Speaker 3 (57:27):
Okay, yeah, I just leave with a bag of tribles and.
Speaker 1 (57:32):
The thousands of them, and it was a stealing. They're like,
take them, get them out of here. Yeah, they're trash.
We're just gonna throw them in a trash. So when
Steve's Face ended, I sold a bunch on eBay and
then I just sold one honestly last year and the
guy made me send, h what is it a you know,
the the certification? Yeah yeah, I said, well I don't.
(57:54):
I don't have time to get that for you. I'm
the certificate about it. So I did seven and eighty bucks. Wow, trible.
The other one I did real quick was that last
episode was two hour long episodes, so it was one
hundred and twenty page episode and it was black. The
cover was black. So what I did was I went
and bought a gold You remember the highlighter sharpiees that
(58:17):
would come out when we were younger. Oh yeah, So
I had all the good cast members, good guys including
you know more talk and all them sign it. I said,
don't don't put too tak, just sign it. They signed
the covers, they sign inside outside everybody. I had Rick Berman,
I had Michael Pillar, of course Ira, I had every
(58:37):
single person. I didn't care who you were, mourn you
name it on that script. We sold that, okay, thirty
five dollars. Yeah, supposedly it's on a wall somewhere at
a restaurant in Colorado.
Speaker 3 (58:52):
No kidding.
Speaker 1 (58:53):
But the cool part is the cool part is it's
my name's at the bottom printed, you know, for my scrip.
Speaker 2 (59:01):
So I can tell you right now, if you have
any more of those triples, don will buy ten and
you'll pay.
Speaker 1 (59:08):
I have some stuff I may have, like watch I have.
I know, I have a baseball from the Hollow Suites episode.
But I have a few scripts. But like the one
I'll never get rid of is this one we're talking about. Yeah, yeah, ours,
But yeah, I have a few scripts and stuff, but
I kept the good stuff, you know, like I get
I get weird stuff like this. Let's see, here's my portfolio.
(59:29):
Let me see if I can find this. But I
get fans stuff, and I was very you know, like
stand off ish about sending signatures and stuff back because
it says this is where I live, you know. So
I don't know if you guys can see this.
Speaker 3 (59:44):
But so he's holding up.
Speaker 1 (59:47):
Yeah yeah, and it's I've never seen it. But I
get this kind of stuff sent to me, and I
keep it, you know what I mean. I'll keep this forever. Yeah,
it means a lot to me. But I don't think
people would be interested in, you know, stuff like that.
I don't even know what it came from, but obviously
it was printed in some magazines.
Speaker 3 (01:00:04):
You know what got you to posting in that group.
Speaker 1 (01:00:08):
I just came across it. It just came up, yeah,
and I was like, let me check it out. And
then somebody said something and I was like that, that's
not true. The people don't know who I am. I'm like, yeah,
I worked with the Louise Fletcher. That's a whole nother
funny story.
Speaker 2 (01:00:26):
Oh my god.
Speaker 1 (01:00:29):
Okay, there's a great Louise story and we could wrap
it if you.
Speaker 3 (01:00:32):
Want, please.
Speaker 1 (01:00:33):
She did. She played the emissary.
Speaker 3 (01:00:35):
She played the kai and ended up at the end
of the show. Yeah, so win, thank you took me
a second.
Speaker 1 (01:00:43):
So yeah, there's no help either. So I look at
the call sheet and I'm like, Louise Fletcher, of course,
you know, I know one floor is a cuckoo's nest.
Speaker 2 (01:00:53):
Yeah, yeah, oh yeah. Incredible performance, incredible.
Speaker 1 (01:00:56):
Give me a break. So I'm all excited and I'm like, yo,
I'm like, I'm like, hey, Ralph, you see Louise's on
the call sheet. Mm hmm yeah, rocks, yeah, yeah, we know. Hey,
nobody cares. So I'm like, hey, man, I'm gonna go
talk to Louise. The day she gets here, Louise sitting
in her chair, she's just chilling. She has her sides there.
(01:01:16):
This is hilarious and God rest her soul. Louise. Yes,
she's like And I walk over and I said, Hi,
I'm miss Swleacher. I said, I'm Todd Slate and I
said I'm a big fan and I stand in for Rock.
I'm a young actor. It's just a pleasure to work
with you. And I'm holding like a triple Mocha Kappa
frappucino from from a craft service and she goes, oh,
(01:01:37):
nice to meet you. Is that you're drinking? I'm like, oh,
it's craft service. Has you know we got the coffee
guy here? He said that, Oh can I get a
double cap with two squirts and a little bit of
cream on top. I'm like, yeah, the coffee and coffee target.
So I get Louise Fletcher coffee right back here you go, Luis,
(01:02:01):
thank you, mister Dlayton, thank you. What's your name again? So,
like a day or two later, I'm standing there, and
now you know, I know Louise. I'm standing there, I'm
eating popcorn or whatever. She walks by, Oh, they got
popcorn over there. I was like, yeah, craft service, can
you get me a bag? I was like, oh, okay, yeah,
(01:02:23):
Louis will be running your ass around if so. Then
I knew I was smart enough. It only happened twice.
I was smart enough to go. That's why everybody was
laughing at me. Louis was going to take advantage of
she did. She was funny, right. She never showed up
to the parties or anything, but she would, you know, lunchtime,
she would come hang out, especially her and Brock watching
(01:02:45):
her and Brock Talk and Tell Stories was just a
bat Superstars.
Speaker 3 (01:02:48):
I'm sure, yeah, yeah, yeah. She seems so intimidated the performance.
Speaker 1 (01:02:53):
She was always, Oh she is, she is, She's like
Kathy Bates. I got to work with Kathy Bates and
everybody was scared of her because of misery. So I
ended up sitting and talked to her on some real
gold pretzel commercial I did with her and Jason Alexander
back in the day because everybody was afraid of her. Yeah,
(01:03:13):
I can beat you up, so yeah, matter than that.
Anytime you guys want to talk, I'm available. I have
tons and tons and tons of.
Speaker 2 (01:03:22):
That would be this. Let me just say real quick,
I'm I'm the snob of the podcast. You know, I'm
into the art, films and the arts. I fiance and
stuff like that.
Speaker 1 (01:03:35):
I'm I.
Speaker 2 (01:03:36):
Yes, I love Star Trek, but you know I I
have my.
Speaker 1 (01:03:40):
My Areassi fan. I know that.
Speaker 2 (01:03:45):
I watched that episode for the first time last night.
It was an unbelievably moving experience and it was one
of the greatest episodes of Star Trek I've ever seen.
Speaker 1 (01:03:55):
I can't down.
Speaker 2 (01:03:56):
I mean, I'm talking across all.
Speaker 1 (01:04:00):
It was.
Speaker 2 (01:04:01):
It was so ambitious, it was so. I'm going to
say it was so thematically ambitious, dramatically ambitious. There was
so much going on in the small amount of time
that was given, and it all felt balanced.
Speaker 1 (01:04:15):
Hey man, we even used the N word on all. Yes, Yeah,
that was me. I got put it in there. Strok
was in makeup and he was coming to set. I
was with Avery, like, I said, we're doing the lines,
and uh Ira was there and Avery and me were
like that, and I just said it. I said it,
and he looked at me and he said, what'd you say?
(01:04:37):
And I did it again. I said, Avery, it works.
It's nineteen fifty. This isn't what do you call it?
This isn't da da da da you know the future?
This is what nineteen fifty. This is why we spoke.
He looked at Ira and Irah looked at me and
he said you sure, and we said yeah. And then
Sarak had no problem with it. He had no problem
saying it. So, but yeah, it was it was one.
(01:04:59):
It was was just historical in a way. I don't
know how you described it. Yeah, I was very honored,
very honest. Part of that.
Speaker 3 (01:05:06):
Amazing all right, welcome back, Toddy, and amazing that was
beyond awesome to hear about Deep Space nine after all
these years.
Speaker 2 (01:05:18):
That was that was unbelievable, so unbelievable, so good.
Speaker 3 (01:05:23):
We're gonna have to have a second podcast where Trevor
watches every single ye I know, you know from our
new studio one of these, you know, maybe maybe NX No, no,
there's a lot of contention between those two, like you
know they can have five stick first, yeah, whatever, very
(01:05:47):
different shows. I love them both. You could love both
your children, Trevor, Yes you can, or you're both your cats, Yes,
yes you can. How about we just have you watched
four Deep Space nine episodes?
Speaker 1 (01:05:57):
Now?
Speaker 2 (01:05:57):
Oh god? Pick eight?
Speaker 3 (01:06:00):
Pick eight? Yeah, okay, pick a. How about our viewers,
our list of viewers with viewers we're not we're not
video yet.
Speaker 1 (01:06:06):
Our listeners, save viewers, save viewers.
Speaker 2 (01:06:09):
Yeah yeah yeah, don yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:06:12):
No scenario podcast yeah yea, yeah, no, you're doing great.
Speaker 2 (01:06:15):
Yeah, great forever Yeah, viewers.
Speaker 3 (01:06:18):
Picks from Deep Space nine. But I think the triples
episode is a must.
Speaker 2 (01:06:23):
Absolutely, that's and you better buy a triple from them.
Speaker 3 (01:06:25):
I'm saying, take my money, visitor, I got I got
the Deep Space nine I know that. So that's that
I've never seen it, but I know of it. Cisco
dies and yeah, yeah, that's a great episode.
Speaker 2 (01:06:39):
Yeah yeah, give me a list all often I've got paramount.
Speaker 3 (01:06:42):
Let's do the last three seasons, last four seasons?
Speaker 2 (01:06:44):
Yeah, well, I mean what it's it's seven seven season.
Speaker 3 (01:06:48):
Seven seasons.
Speaker 1 (01:06:48):
Yeah yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:06:49):
And Star Trek when it was you know, long one
hundred episodes in the show.
Speaker 2 (01:06:54):
Oh yeah, the twenty three uh you know, twenty three
twenty four episodes, and you know what this is. I
I was going to ask him this, but I was
gonna I'll ask I'll ask you. For those people that
are young, you're probably not gonna know what we're talking about.
But exactly, Sweeps was something that happened about midway through
(01:07:17):
a season and was the episode that we're talking Usually
they go big with an episode before sweeps. Was that
a Sweeps episode?
Speaker 1 (01:07:25):
Do we know?
Speaker 3 (01:07:26):
I think the Triples one was, but the y Yeah yeah, well, Trevor,
guess what what most people do research before.
Speaker 2 (01:07:34):
They No, I just rely on you when you know
you list This is absolutely Don gets seven Yeah, Don
gets text from me at like two am. Star Trek questions.
I don't look it up, I asked Don.
Speaker 1 (01:07:50):
Let's just move on.
Speaker 2 (01:07:51):
Let's just cut that out.
Speaker 3 (01:07:52):
Can We're gonna cut that out. No, we're gonna keep that.
We're gonna keep that.
Speaker 2 (01:07:56):
We have talked about the Actorjohnny Lee Davenport on this
podcast before I've met Johnny Lee Davenport through Dawn Johnny.
The late Johnny Lee Davenport.
Speaker 4 (01:08:11):
Was a.
Speaker 2 (01:08:14):
Powerful, commanding actor and a really amazing person. I'll never
forget him. Even in the short amount of time I
got to work with him. It was a really just
emotional experience. I was so shocked to find out he
was the you know, he was one of the team
members of Tommy Lee Jones's group and the Fugitive. I
(01:08:38):
remembered him right away. I was like, oh my god,
that performance is great and it's I got a phone
call from a friend a few weeks ago, my friend Claudia,
and we've we've known each other for nearly thirty years,
and Claudia I had just told her about the podcast
(01:09:01):
and her and her partner started listening.
Speaker 1 (01:09:04):
To it.
Speaker 2 (01:09:06):
And she heard the episode where we talked about Johnny
Lee Davenport, and the way she tells it is that
she immediately burst into hysterical crying and I mean hysterical
in a.
Speaker 1 (01:09:22):
She was.
Speaker 2 (01:09:22):
She really burst into tears, and that she was telling
me this, she was very moved. In nineteen ninety five,
she went to go see this stage production of A
Fellow out in the Berkshires, and she said that the
(01:09:42):
actor who played a Fellow somebody that she'd never heard of.
The performance was so amazing that she was weeping by
the end, as were a lot of people. And she
she looked up his name, and his name was Johnny
(01:10:03):
Lee Davenport, and she said, not only did I never
forget that name, she said, I never watched another version
of Othello again.
Speaker 1 (01:10:14):
I never will.
Speaker 2 (01:10:16):
She goes, nothing. I don't want anything to touch that performance.
She goes, I even went back to the Berkshires solely
to see it again. She's like, it's one of the
greatest performances I've ever seen in my life, one of
the greatest Shakespearean performances I've ever seen. And then all
of a sudden, my friend of thirty years on a
(01:10:41):
podcast he just told me about is discussing working with
this individual and having a really just emotional experience working
with him. You know, I it's so funny. Why you
(01:11:01):
spent more time with Johnny. I didn't have much time
with him. I know, I just said a few minutes ago,
I'll never forget him, and clearly he touched other people.
And it was just so funny this coincidence that we
that just came thirty years later from where our friendship started.
(01:11:24):
And so I want to thank you Don for again
for introducing me to Johnny Lee Davenport. It was it
was an amazing experience. He was so gifted and I'm glad.
I'm glad you had a chance to direct him. That
must have been amazing.
Speaker 3 (01:11:42):
Thanks for sharing that charmor. Yeah, yeah, it was amazing
to work with him. I learned a lot from him.
I mean, it was god ten years ago already. I
think when we first with him.
Speaker 2 (01:11:51):
You've mentioned it before. He was friends with Avery Brooks
from DS nine, right.
Speaker 3 (01:11:55):
Yeah, I'm not sure there were friends.
Speaker 1 (01:11:56):
I did.
Speaker 3 (01:11:57):
I did during the second sentence part of the film
series we did was looking for sort of a known
sci fi actor to come on in and I had
the sort of dream of like I was just telling him, Ah,
I love Avery Brooks. He was the Captain deep spacetne
I'd love to put him in front of a piano
because he loved to keep space sine two jazz, and like,
(01:12:18):
I have him for this role at the end, it'd
be such a cool reveal and just let him play
on the piano and just do doty what he loves
and would work so well. And he's like, let me
see if I can give him a call and see
I could reach him or something. But obviously it's retired,
he's not gonna write. But just just the thought that
Johnny Lee believed enough in this little so that we
were doing, and uh, understood the bigger story and treated
(01:12:41):
it as as as much as you know, as as
seriously as he you know, at least he seemed to
treat it seriously as he would in a fellow rol
or any other you know. Everyone knew him in the
in the theater scene here in Boston.
Speaker 2 (01:12:54):
Yeah, it was amazing.
Speaker 3 (01:12:56):
I loved how he intimidated other actors because they to
bring their a game because he just he worked hard.
Speaker 2 (01:13:02):
And absolutely command I mean command, I mean, I'm unbelievable.
And for those listening, if you want to see him,
you know his part in The Fugitive, I mean it's
a little part, but he's in it. He is, really
he's in there. And then the film Joy Joy, he's
the lawyer. Yeah, with Jennifer Lawrence. He is a scene
(01:13:23):
with Robert de Niro. Toe to toe makes it look easy,
I mean, just makes it look so simple.
Speaker 3 (01:13:30):
Uh, he was in Ted.
Speaker 1 (01:13:34):
He wasn't Ted. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:13:37):
Anyways, I'm looking at his thing and it's just like
such an honor to have him show up. And they said,
like a his Wikipedia page like us Marshals the Fugitive
Ted Joy and then he has a sentence there, so
like that's so nice. One of the great ways to
sort of support John Lee's memory is to contribute to
Beyond Classical Theater, which you can go to Beyond Classical
(01:14:00):
Theater dot org. Beyond Classical Theater honors the legacy of
Johnny Lee Davenport by giving actors of color with a
specific passion for classical theater opportunities to prepare for excellence
and performance. I try to donate every year. If you
go to if you go to Beyond Classical Theater dot org,
you'll see giant Lee right there. It's a great cause.
Speaker 2 (01:14:19):
Can you say the U R L one more time?
Speaker 1 (01:14:21):
Sure?
Speaker 3 (01:14:22):
It's Beyond Classical Theater dot org dot org. Okay, and
theater the proper way. R E so are beyond classical
t h e A t r E dot dot org. So, Trevor,
I will get your computer so you can go check
it out.
Speaker 2 (01:14:38):
Thank you great, that would be fantastic, and maybe you.
Speaker 3 (01:14:41):
Can get better camera, better lights.
Speaker 1 (01:14:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:14:44):
As we sort of wrap up this special episode, I'm
going to stick on the end of season two here
after a little hiatus, I look forward to seeing you
in our new No Win Scenario podcast studio.
Speaker 2 (01:14:54):
In person, I'm absolutely not looking forward to it. But
what I am that is I'm going to sneak in
some food to feed your employees because I know you
keep them locked up in there twenty four hours working.
Speaker 3 (01:15:09):
Yeah, like when I go into my house, dude.
Speaker 2 (01:15:13):
And have fun. Yeah no, I'm sure it pisses them.
Speaker 3 (01:15:16):
This is this is fun.
Speaker 1 (01:15:17):
This is fun.
Speaker 3 (01:15:18):
This is we're looking at you. And on that note,
on that note, don see you next season.
Speaker 2 (01:15:24):
See you next season. Bye, everyone, Thank you. In today's world,
mental health is everyone's concerned. If you are someone you
know is in crisis, please use these resources For us
listeners call one eight hundred nine five zero six two
(01:15:46):
sixty four or text helpline all one word h E
L P l I n E to six two six
four zero, or email helpline at nammy dot org. That's
an A m I dot org. For our international listeners,
please visit suicidestop dot com. That's s U I c
(01:16:09):
I d E s t o P dot com
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