Charlene Amoia

Audiences who have come to know actress Charlene Amoia for her role as “Wendy the Waitress” on the popular CBS comedy “How I Met Your Mother,” now have a chance to see her on the big screen as the next movie in the “American Pie” franchise (called “American Reunion”) plays in theaters nationwide.

With a loveable, down-to-earth charm, Amoia (who plays Kevin’s wife Ellie in the film), was thrilled to share her story and talk about her new film, which unites an all-star cast that includes Jason Biggs, Alyson Hannigan, Tara Reid, Mena Suvari, Shannon Elizabeth and Eugene Levy.

Born in Buffalo, New York, Amoia moved with her father to Las Vegas when she was 15. She began modeling locally, at first filling in for a Nine West shoe model, and then eventually auditioning for a television commercial. But it didn’t take long for her to fall in love with acting.

“I knew that it was something that I really wanted to explore. There wasn’t anything at that point in my life that made me feel that excited,” Amoia said. “That was the very beginning for me and then I started taking a couple of acting classes and really fell in love with it. To this day, that has just not gone away. There’s nothing that I’ve learned or tried that has ever been so thrilling for me personally.”

Watch the “American Reunion” Trailer:

The secret to her success in the business has been learning to say yes to almost any opportunity that comes along.

“When I moved to Los Angeles, I didn’t know a soul… I know a lot of actors will talk about ‘It’s who you know.’ And I do think that that’s true, but that’s just not the route I’ve had,” she said. “It’s just been about being passionate about what I do and the people that I meet through that and people seeing that work and that leading to more opportunities and then jobs.”

Although Hollywood can be a competitive place for actors, Amoia has learned that to be successful in the business, you have to also be comfortable with disappointment, an important lesson for other up-and-coming entertainers.

“I think the biggest thing is there’s going to be no’s – a lot of them and all the time.” Amoia said. “There’s going to be parts that your heart’s set on and it’s just not going to go your way.”

But in the end, she says, “The no’s don’t mean anything, you just have to look for the next yes.”

“American Reunion,” with actress Charlene Amoia is in theaters now. For more information about Charlene, visit her official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/charleneamoia and follow her on Twitter @charleneamoia.

Charlene Amoia connects with former cast members in ‘American Reunion’
Copyright 2012 by Michael Aaron Gallagher

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“Step One is thought-provoking, powerfully unconventional, and thoroughly engaging.” – StayFamous.Net

Max Gold

On March 25, director Max Gold of Blind Hummingbird Productions released his new short film called Step One. Written by Hollywood screenwriter Allison Burnett (Resurrecting the Champ), the story depicts a coffee-shop conversation between two recovering addicts who discover they have something very special in common. The 10-minute dark comedy stars John Fantasia (Law and Order) and Ben Palacios and was produced by Ben Kuller.

Q&A with the Director

 Michael Aaron Gallagher: “How did you meet Allison Burnett and end up receiving the script?”

Max Gold: “During my freshman year of college, I created a Web series and Allison watched it. He called me up and we had an incredible conversation. He asked me questions about the motivations of the characters and offered his opinions on the strengths and weaknesses of the plot and the acting. I’d never spoken to anyone with such a strong understanding of dramatic structure. These were things that I’d never thought about before; the conversation taught me so much. At the end of the phone call, Allison recommended that rather than make an entire Web series, I reel it in and make a simple, short film.

From left, Director Max Gold, Ben Palacios and John Fantasia on the set of "Step One."

Michael Aaron Gallagher: “Do you have a favorite line in Step One?”

Max Gold: “My favorite line in the film is when Sam says, “…my career’s going gangbusters.” Who says ‘gangbusters’?!”

Michael Aaron Gallagher: “How did you go about casting the two leads?”

Max Gold: “At the time of casting I was living in Hollywood and working every night until 8:30. There was a Coffee Bean on Sunset and Fairfax, in walking distance of my house. I posted an ad on Craigslist for a “Sam”-type, and would meet these random older men at the coffee shop at 9pm after work for a cold reading. The meetings were precedented on nothing but a short email, so they had no idea who I was. I’d show up late on purpose like Troy, then see how their anger fed in to the character. I’d read for Troy. This went on for several weeks. I had to have met some of the stranger people in Hollywood during this time. Then John showed up and brought so much to the role on his first reading. He must have been really pissed off!

Casting Troy was much easier. Ben and I are good friends from college and we’ve worked together before. I am impressed by Ben’s ability to develop idiosyncrasies specific to each character he plays. Troy is a very complicated character. Ben was moving to LA around the time I was casting, so I sent him the script and he thought Troy would be a great challenge.”

Michael Aaron Gallagher: “Overall, what do you think you learned from directing this project, a lesson that you’ll take forward with you into future projects?”

Max Gold: “What I love about directing is that you’re thrown into the middle of everything, so there is as much to learn as there are people to work with. You’re surrounded by these specialized, talented people who each bring their own experience to the story. For example, I would ask Dan, the DP, ‘What does jealousy look like?’ The way the film looks is his answer. These questions begin with the script, and go all the way through through the sound design. ‘What does the feeling of betrayal sound like?’ The sound designer sampled the steam from the cappuccino machine and inverted it to sound like it is rushing through your ears at the end. Like a cartoon. The learning experience comes from working with people who are able to use these incredibly honed technical skills in very creative ways.”

According to Gold, the entire project was funded through the generous contributions of friends and family and crowdsourcing through Kickstarter.com.

“There is something very thrilling about knowing that this film that we all labored over for months has happened because of the combined forces of the people who support us,” Gold said. “That’s a very cool, pretty unique thing to happen: even the fundraising was collaborative. I am very thankful for that.”

For more information on Step One and to watch the completed film visit http://www.blindhummingbird.com/home/step-one/ You can also follow director Max Gold on Twitter @blindhummingbrd and add him on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Blind-Hummingbird-Productions/171617422940844 and read more about Allison Burnett at www.allisonburnett.com.

Max Gold directs new short film called Step One
Copyright 2012 by Michael Aaron Gallagher

Adam Irigoyen. Photo by Kevin Thomas.

“Never give up” – that’s the motto of actor Adam Irigoyen, who is best known as Deuce Martinez on the hit Disney Channel series “Shake It Up.”

Throughout his life, the quote has encouraged him to work hard to achieve his goals. From his grandfather’s reassuring advice to keep moving forward despite the challenges of his career, to the battle cries of the Greek and Roman movies he enjoys watching with his father, it is a theme that inspires him to achieve big things in Hollywood.

In a recent interview, he talked about how the slogan is a recurring message in his life.

“My parents gave me a book called ‘Rhinoceros Success,’ Irigoyen said. “The book was basically about lambs and sheep and cows. They’re always eating their grass and they see an opportunity pass by and they let it go. But when a rhino sees an opportunity he charges for it and never gives up…. that book kind of motivates me to never give up in my life, no matter what I do.”

Born in Miami Florida, the 14-year-old, bilingual actor first became interested in the entertainment industry when he was 8 years old.

“I was watching one of the stars of the Disney Channel do the Mickey ears,” he recalled. “I said that’s what I want to do. That’s what I want to be when I grow up.”

When Adam’s mother explained that it was going to take a lot of hard work, he told her, “I know it… but I know that’s what I want to do.”

After appearing in print advertisements and television commercials, his first big break came when he landed a small part on the Disney Channel show “Wizards of Waverly Place” and had the opportunity to work with Selena Gomez, Jennifer Stone and guest star Moises Arias (from “Hannah Montana”).

“I was really excited and nervous,” Irigoyen said. “Not only because it was Selena, but just because I watched the show. Selena obviously was great and I was a big fan of Jake [Austin] and David [Henry] and all of them, so it was very surreal for me when I got on set and started working.”

It wasn’t long after, that he landed an audition for a new Disney Channel series and had the opportunity to join the cast of “Shake It Up,” alongside Zendaya (who plays Rocky), Bella Thorne (who plays CeCe), and Roshon Fegan (who plays Ty). The show, which is currently in its second season is one of the highest rated Disney Channel programs.

“I play Deuce,” Irigoyen said. “And Deuce is the cool, connected guy… He’s Rocky and Cece’s best friend. He’s also Ty’s best friend and he babysits Flynn a lot. So he has a relationship with basically everyone on the show.”

When he’s not on set, Adam likes to hang out with his family and play sports.

“I’m a really family-oriented kind of guy,” he said.

Even though he has a busy Hollywood career, Adam still takes the time to give back through his work for several charities, including St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and City of Hope. He has also worked alongside actress Brittany Snow (“Harry’s Law”) to help take a stand against bullying.

With a strong determination to succeed and a positive attitude, Adam is inspiring other young people to follow their dreams and quickly becoming a true Hollywood star.

Want to know more? Visit Adam Irigoyen’s official website at www.adamirigoyen.com. You can also follow his latest updates on Twitter @adamirigoyen. “Shake It Up” airs Sundays at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT on Disney Channel. His song “Show Ya How” with Kenton Duty will be released March 20.

Adam Irigoyen is finding his way to the top
Copyright 2012 by Michael Aaron Gallagher

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Allison Burnett

When the theater lights dim and the movie begins, it’s easy to be swept away by the fictional world that unfolds on the screen.

But every movie begins with a story – a vision that evolves from an idea to a screenplay, shaped and re-shaped along the way, until it reaches its final form and is eventually brought to life on the big screen.

That’s where writer Allison Burnett comes in. Burnett, who has written for numerous Hollywood movies, has just released a new book called “Death By Sunshine.”

As a New York City resident, Burnett wrote novels and plays throughout his 20s. But it wasn’t until he met a former bank robber who wanted to adapt his story into a movie screenplay that Burnett’s journey led him on the path to becoming a successful Hollywood screenwriter.

“Hollywood is built for people who go out and DO,” Burnett said. “If you sit around and wait for someone to give you permission to do something or the money to do something, years can go by. You have to be really agressive.”

With movie credits that include “Autumn in New York,” starring Richard Gere, “Untraceable,” starring Diane Lane and the recent releases “Underworld Awakening,” starring Kate Beckinsale and “Gone,” starring Amanda Seyfried, Burnett has built a strong resume of feature films in Hollywood.

In addition to his high-profile work, Burnett has also helped mentor up-and-coming filmmakers as they try to break into the industry by providing them with support and guidance. He recently lent one of his plays to director Max Gold and producer Ben Kuller to be adapted into a short film called “Step One” (starring John Fantasia and Ben Palacios), which was filmed in November.

“I really like to help younger writers and young people to break in,” Burnett said.

But since writing for movies was not his only passion, he returned to writing novels because he wanted to share his stories with audiences as they were originally written. Unlike movies, which can end up telling a very different story than the one in the initial screenplay, novels give him a chance to connect with readers and maintain the authenticity of his characters, he said. Still, he admits it is thrilling to see a scene come to life on screen when it is brilliantly acted and well-directed.

“There is something about sitting in the dark and seeing a scene that you wrote in your lonely room put onto this huge screen, which by its very nature is kind of mind-blowing,” Burnett said.

For more information about Burnett’s newest novel “Death By Sunshine” visit www.allisonburnett.com.

Allison Burnett brings stories to the big screen
Copyright 2011 by Michael Aaron Gallagher

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Gym Class Heroes are, from left, Matt McGinley, Travie McCoy, Disashi Lumumba-Kasongo and Eric Roberts, all Central New York natives.

With their hit radio single “Stereo Hearts” currently at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 music charts, Gym Class Heroes is tearing up the airwaves and proving that stardom doesn’t mean losing touch with your Central New York roots.

The alternative hip-hop group, hailing from Geneva, started to come together when rapper Travie McCoy met drummer Matt McGinley in gym class. Eventually, guitarist Disashi Lumumba-Kasongo would join the group, as the band went on to thrill crowds on the Vans Warped Tour.

As a graduate of Ithaca High School and a former student at Cornell University, Lumumba-Kasongo originally played with his own band, Earl’s Garage. Some of his favorite concert memories were playing on the weekends at the teen center in downtown Ithaca, the Youth Bureau and Castaways. On the local concert circuit, he crossed paths with the band he would later join.

“The first time I bumped into them was at a show we played together,” he said. “I felt like it was a horrible show. I think I threw my guitar or something drastic. Matt later told me after the show he came to say, ‘What’s up?’ to me and I was kinda like, ‘Whatever, man.’”

In 2004, when the band was starting to get serious about touring, he was asked to replace the guitar player Milo Bonacci (of the Syracuse indie rock band Ra Ra Riot), who wanted to pursue his education, according to Lumumba-Kasongo.

With so many bands out there trying to make it, being from a small city didn’t stop Gym Class Heroes from attracting attention in the music business. In fact, they were eventually discovered by Pete Wentz from Fall Out Boy and signed to his record label.

“Attention basically just came because Gym Class was doing something unique and had fun live shows and was connecting with people,” he said. “I think it’s one of those things where we were moving people with our personality and the personality of our music.”

Featured in numerous magazines, including Spin and Rolling Stone, Gym Class Heroes has become a Central New York success story, inspiring other local musicians along the way.

“I often hear people say, ‘I want my band to get famous,’ or ‘I want to get big, how do I do that?’ Lumumba-Kasongo said. “And I think maybe you should change your focus to – how do you make a genuinely awesome product that will speak for itself, that people will want to be a part of in the first place, and then move from there.”

The guitarist recently talked about the group’s new album The Papercut Chronicles II, which will be available on Nov. 15. Hearkening back to their 2005 album, “The Papercut Chronicles,” their new record, “The Papercut Chronicles II” shares some similarities with its predecessor and gives fans a chance to experience how the group has evolved over the years, while staying true to their trademark style.

“As the title suggests, it’s a sequel to the original ‘Papercut Chronicles,’ which is the album that turned a lot of our fans on to us in the first place,” he said. “Musically and lyrically we revisited a lot of the themes from that album. … I think for the fans of the original ‘Papercut Chronicles’ what they will enjoy most are the little throwbacks to the album that you definitely won’t get if you haven’t heard the original album. I think that will help them feel like, ‘I’ve been a part of this since the beginning.’”

Despite the changes that the group has experienced over the years, Lumumba-Kasongo still lives in Central New York and is proud that they still maintain their ties to the area.

“Without the following that we had in Central New York and the support that we had, we wouldn’t be the same people and the band wouldn’t exist,” he said. “So thank you guys so much.”

Gym Class Heroes release new album
Copyright 2011 by Michael Aaron Gallagher
Photograph courtesy of Fueled by Ramen

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Jake Owen. Photo by Mark Jeffries.

Rising country music star Jake Owen will perform a free concert at 8 p.m., Sept. 5 at the New York State Fair, the final show for the Chevy Court concert series.

Known for songs like “Barefoot Blue Jean Night,” Don’t Think I Can’t Love You” and “Something About a Woman,” Owen said he is enjoying the radio success of the title track off his new album “Barefoot Blue Jean Night” (which has already sold more than 700,000 downloads).

In a recent interview, Owen talked about his new album and his upcoming visit to Central New York.

Q: Have you been to the Syracuse area before?

A: Yeah, many times. I’ve played the New York State Fair before. I played there with Kenny Chesney a couple of years ago.

Q: What are some of your favorite memories of going to the fair when you were growing up and do you have any fair favorites?

A: Yeah, man. I’m a big fan of a really nice corn dog and a funnel cake and nice fresh-squeezed lemonade. And more importantly, fairs are filled with families – grandmas, grandpas, grandkids, mothers, fathers – real life. I think that’s the beauty of playing fairs and festivals. You get that taste of real life and real folks out there.

Q: What’s your favorite song to perform on stage right now?

A: My favorite song is ‘Barefoot Blue Jean Night’ which is my new single. It’s sold more than 700,000 copies already before the record’s even out so that song’s been going over really, really well lately for us. Hopefully it will there as well in Syracuse.

Q: Tell me a little bit about the Jake Owen Foundation and what people can do to support the cause.

A: It’s my charity event I do every year with my best friend, Mardy Fish, who’s the top ranked player in the world for tennis. We grew up together and we do a lot for the children of our hometown. A huge part we incorporated last year was St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. And you can go to St. Jude’s website (www.stjude.org) and you can donate there and become a partner in hope, which is a monthly dedication to help these kids out that are battling childhood diseases, everything from cancer to leukemia. I’ve got neices and nephews and I just love kids. And I feel like I’m at the point in my life where I’m able to give back and we’re doing all we can to help with that.

Q: Is there anything you want to say to the fans about your upcoming show at the New York State Fair?

A: We have a lot of fun. (I’m) looking forward to seeing everyone. I think anyone who’s ever been to our show before, they know that we have a good time and it’s our job to be out there and entertain. For those that haven’t seen us before, we always look at it hoping that they’ll see us and want to come back and bring a friend next time.

Jake Owen performs at NY State Fair
Copyright 2011 by Michael Aaron Gallagher

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David Nail. Photo by David McClister.

Known for his songs, “I’m About to Come Alive,” “Red Light,” “Turning Home” and “Let It Rain,” Grammy-nominated country singer David Nail (Universal Music Nashville) will bring his show to the New York State Fair on Sept. 2, as he plays a free concert at 2 p.m. on the Chevy Court stage.

In a recent interview, Nail talked about his upcoming show in Syracuse and some of his memories of going to the fair when he was growing up.

Q: Have you been to the Syracuse area before?

A: I have not and I’m actually really looking forward to it. I’m a huge sports fan, so obviously being very aware of the history of Syracuse and the University there. I’m excited to finally cross that off my list.

Q: What are some of your favorite fair memories growing up, and do you have any fair favorites?

A: I grew up in a very, very small town in Southeast Missouri. It’s funny, growing up where I grew up I just assumed that every fair was around the same size as ours. I was very naive and didn’t travel around a whole lot so I just assumed that everybody just kinda had a small county fair such as the one we had. It wasn’t really until I began traveling all over the country singing and playing a lot of these places that I realized how small and I guess elementary might be a bad word – just very basic that ours was. I’m the kinda guy that just likes to make the circles because a lot of the rides scare me. I’m not a big fan of heights. As far as favorite memories, I can remember trying to impress a girl in junior high and thinking that I could man up and swing the ferris wheel. And I remember we – as they were loading people on – we were about five I guess buckets or carriers up and I finally yelled down to the guy and said, ‘You know what man you’re going to have to let me off here. I’d rather be embarrassed with this girl seeing me scared of heights than have to participate in this whole ride however long it may be.’

Q: When you first step out on stage, what are some of the thoughts going through your mind in the those first few moments?

A: Remember all the words – would be the first. And then, I think that we always just try to treat every show as something different. I think that as far as I’m concerned, I tend to be a little neurotic if I’m thinking too much so I just embrace the moment and I don’t like to really see a whole lot of what’s out there prior to walking out there so it’s usually something different every time. And I kind of prefer it to be that way. I don’t like things to be too routine oriented because I feel like that sometimes come across – whatever you say up there, whatever you do up there can come across as a schtick. That’s something that I’ve always tried to avoid.

Q: What’s your favorite song to perform on stage right now and can you tell me a little bit about the backstory behind it?

A: Right now it’s a song I wrote about my wife. It’s simply called ‘Catherine,’ which is her name. I wrote it, I guess a few months before we got married. We had tried to write our own vows and shortly thereafter she realized you know you’re a songwriter this is probably not very fair, not a very fair thing to do you kinda make your living making words sound good and I on the other hand am not so. I told her that night I would sit down and just try to write the first thing that came to my mind most sincere things – it eventually became a song. That was kinda my gift, the original hand written lyrics to my groomsman. I never really had any music and when I tried it would come out very corny and then one day in sound check me and the guys were just kinda messing around and I started singing it – more or less the structure of how we play it now. It’s just a very basic chord progression but there’s so much space that it allows a lot of creativity from the band guys behind me so it always goes somewhere different.

Q: When you meet someone new and you tell them what you do for a living, what are some of the things people ask you about?

A: It’s always, somewhat difficult to explain to people who don’t already know some of your songs or who you are but I tell them the truth… I moved to Nashville 12 years ago. The good Lord only blessed me with a couple of different talents and so I’ve tried to pursue those and as best as possible and you know as crazy as it is every day I kind of question how I’ve been able to make a living doing this but believe it or not that’s how I’ve done it. And it’s what I believe I was born to do and I feel like the good Lord blessed me with the ability to do this and I’m going to do this until he has to pull me out of town.

Q: Is there anything you want to say to the fans about your upcoming concert at the New York State Fair?

A: I hope that at the end of the day you walk away and say I really like that guy, he’s seemed pretty genuine and I just hope that at the end of the day they think that it was good music and hopefully they’ll remember the name in the future and go out and buy the record and listen to it and give it a chance.

David Nail brings country show to NY State Fair
Copyright 2011 by Michael Aaron Gallagher

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Harry Wayne Casey of KC and the Sunshine Band.

When it comes to disco classics, KC and the Sunshine band certainly know how to make a crowd happy. Their hit songs “That’s the Way (I Like It)”, “(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty” and “Get Down Tonight” have kept them a part of pop culture since the 1970s and been featured in more than 200 film soundtracks and at every major sporting event in the world.

Often called the “Founder of the Dance Revolution” Harry Wayne Casey recently talked about his upcoming performance at 8 p.m. Aug. 28 at the New York State Fair in Syracuse.

Q: Over the years, how many shows do you think you’ve done in the Syracuse area?

A: Oh my God, I don’t know. I’ve been there many, many times. I’ve appeared there many, many years ago with the Jackson 5, with The Commoderes and events on our own.

Q: For people who may have seen you in concert in the past, what can they expect at your upcoming concert at the New York State Fair?

A: We constantly update the show. It’s high energy, it’s choreographed and there’s different types of music throughout the evening… it’s not a disco show.

Q: What do you think it is about KC and the Sunshine Band that has given you guys longevity in the music business?

A: I think the energy and the music.

Q: When you look back on the early days, did you ever talk about what you hoped the future would hold for the band? And did you ever imagine you would still be holding big shows this many years later?

A: No, we never even thought about that or even think about stuff like that. I mean even today, I just think about what I’m doing right now. I don’t think about how long I might be doing it or how much longer I might do it.

Q: What are some of the things that are going through your mind in those first few moments when you step out on stage?

A: I think the first things for every performer is – ‘Are they going to like me?’ I think actually, when we first come out it’s like up until that point we’ve been pretty nervous and pretty anxious to get out there. So it’s kinda like once they announce it and once we step out on stage it’s like the pressure’s off, you know what I mean? We can relax now. We can just have fun and just enjoy what we love doing.

Q: What’s your favorite song to perform on stage right now?

A: I enjoy doing them all. Recently, I’ve been doing a cover of ‘You Are So Beautiful,’ which I really love doing. I love doing the whole show. The whole show’s fun.

Q: Is there anything else you want to say to the fans about your upcoming show?

A: It’s been a few years since we’ve been back to the State Fair, so it’s going to be nice. I love New York. I love all of New York State. It’s going to be great to come back and share some old memories and new memories with everyone.

KC and the Sunshine Band brightens NY State Fair
Copyright 2011 by Michael Aaron Gallagher

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Trace Adkins

With his new album “Proud to Be Here” only a few weeks old, country music superstar Trace Adkins will be coming to the New York State Fair to entertain the crowd with a free show on Aug. 27.

Known for his hits “You’re Gonna Miss This,” “(This Ain’t) No Thinkin’ Thing” and “Ladies Love Country Boys,” Adkins has made numerous television appearances, including roles on “King of the Hill,” “Yes, Dear” and as a contestant on Donald Trump’s “The Celebrity Apprentice.”

In a recent interview, Adkins talked about his upcoming concert in Syracuse and what he remembers about his own State Fair growing up.

Q: What are some of your favorite childhood memories of going to the fair?

A: My favorite memories were the State Fair in Louisiana, which was held in Shreveport (and still is). I just remember when we were kids we would have fair day, and we would all get to get on the school bus and ride 50 miles to the fairgrounds. It was just great. I remember they actually had a stock car track (race track) on the fairgrounds in Louisiana at that time. Since then, they’ve gotten rid of it. There’s not even a race track there anymore. I just remember that was a great fair, had a great midway, and there were always rodeos and shows. I have great memories going to the state fair when I was a kid.

Q: When are some of things going through your mind in those first few moments on stage?

A: Well, usually when I’m at a fair, I just feel very comfortable. You know, those are my people. Those folks that may have been wandering through the livestock barns before they came to the show, you know. That’s my crowd. So I always feel comfortable when I’m there in a fair environment.

Q: A lot of people who may not have been country music fans had a chance to get to know you on shows like ‘The Celebrity Apprentice.’ Have you learned any lessons about how to be a better entertainer or business person as a result of those experiences?

A: I don’t really think so. I’m not a business man. I’ve never pretended to be. I don’t want to be. The art of the business deal – I don’t get off on that. It really is not what motivates me. I enjoy entertaining people and singing songs and doing a little acting here and there, every now and then. You know, that’s what I’m into. I don’t worry too much about the business end of it. And really, you know the thing I learned about myself from being on… that one reality show that I was on (I can’t imagine myself ever doing another one), but I learned that I had a lot more tolerance than I thought I did.

Q: What’s your favorite song to perform on stage right now?

A: My favorite is always the fans’ favorite… if you’re an entertainer then that should be your answer to that question. Some people that think that they are ‘artists’ – their favorite may be something different. But if you’re an entertainer your favorite should be the one that the fans like the most.

Q: What do you hope people take away from your concert and is there an overall theme to your show and a message you want them to take away?

A: You know I don’t think there’s a theme. I go out there and I try to do a greatest hits show. I’m a country music fan myself and when I go to a show, I want to hear that stuff that caused me to be a fan of that particular performer and I’m cognizant of that. So I’m gonna go out there and give them the stuff that they’ve heard on the radio. And we’ve got a brand new album out, so we’ll do two, three or four things off that to give them a taste.

Trace Adkins brings free show to NY State Fair
Copyright 2011 by Michael Aaron Gallagher

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Pictured: (l-r) Logan (Logan Henderson), James (JamesMaslow), Carlos (Carlos Pena) and Kendall (Kendall Schmidt) in BIG TIME RUSH on Nickelodeon. Photo: Ben Watts/Nickelodeon. ©2010 Viacom, International, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Stars of the hit Nickelodeon comedy series “Big Time Rush,” Kendall Schmidt, Logan Henderson, James Maslow and Carlos Pena, Jr. performed a free concert at Chevy Court on Sept. 1, 2011 at the New York State Fair.

The series, which was recently renewed for a third season, is currently the No. 1 show with ages 6 to 11 audiences and the No. 1 live-action series on television with ages two to 11 audiences.

In an interview with Michael Aaron Gallagher, James Maslow, who plays James Diamond in the series (and has also appeared in an episode of iCarly), talked about the band’s concert in Central New York.

Q: Tell me a little bit about your show on Nickelodeon and how you guys came together.

A: Well, ‘Big time Rush’ is a comedy show on Nickelodeon that is basically about four guys, me and my three best friends, that were normal hockey players in Minnesota and then got an awesome opportunity to go to Los Angeles and become a music group. And first season it was kinda like if we were gonna make it and if the demo was going to work out and it turns out it did. And now second season was more, kind of adventures of what four 16 and 17 year-old kids would do with that opportunity. And now going into third season, it’s really going to be like, once you kind of got on that level, where we’re playing arenas and stadiums and things like that – What do you do? What do four normal kids do with that?

Q: How did you land the role?

A: I was in the first audition they ever had, which turned into a two-year process of going around the country looking for different kids having acting, singing, dancing auditions and then cutting people. It was almost like an American Idol type thing for two years. Logan and I were in the first round. In the third round, about a year later, we found Carlos. They shot a pilot with somebody else in Kendall’s role and then we found Kendall in the forth round… it’s been about two years since and we’ve just been running and shooting the show. And now we’re on tour as a band.

Q: You guys had the chance to be on MTV’s ‘10 on Top’ with Lenay Dunn a few months ago. What did you enjoy most about being on the show?

A: It was cool. I guess it didn’t seem as surreal because we weren’t on their set, but still to have them – MTV (which was one of my favorite channels growing up watching) – to come and interview us and then… us be the band that was like ‘Hey, no. 10, no. 9…’ to get to go through the list was pretty awesome. It was one of those moments for me that was like, we’re starting to gain some recognition and we’re starting to make it, type of moment. Because I grew up watching some of my favorite bands do the 10 on Top, so that was really, really cool.

Q: What was your favorite song to work on in the studio and what’s your favorite song to perform on stage right now?

A: One of my favorite songs is ‘Worldwide.’ Just in the studio we had such a great time cutting that, everybody feels that they have a really great place on the record and everybody’s voices sound really, really wonderful together. It’s one of my favorites. And in terms of performing, we just started performing one of our new singles called, ‘If I Ruled the World,’ which actually just came out on iTunes. We did that with Iyaz – he jumped on the track. So performing that is a lot of fun because it’s a newer song. It’s very upbeat… it’s a really good summer single.

Q: What’s going through your mind when you first step out on stage and what are some of the things you’re thinking about before you go out there?

A: Don’t screw up. You know definitely that is always in the back of my mind. You get out there and it’s like, ‘Well, if I trip walking down the street, it’s not that big of a deal. If I do it right now, there’s 15-20,000 people taking a picture of it.’ But you can’t let that scare you. In fact, that’s one of the fun things about performing live is that things will go wrong and every show something is going to be different. So it’s kinda like, what do you do, you’re going to kinda have to improve in a way and figure out how to keep the show going. You know, it’s kinda a nervousness before I get on stage, but that turns into excitement and pure energy within 10 seconds of being there. Everybody cheering, all the energy that the people are sending to you, it’s really, really exciting. It’s almost addictive.

Q: What do you enjoy most about going to the fair? Do you have any fair favorites?

A: I eat pretty healthy, but the funnel cakes get me. Almost every fair, I’ll have a funnel cake.

Q: Do you know if you’ll be doing a meet and greet for the fans?

A: Yeah, every show we do meet and greets for – I think there’s a VIP package that people buy – I’m not really sure how that works but I know that every show we do meet and greets for anywhere from 60 to 200 people. And then afterwords, we do our best to stop and say hi to fans but it’s getting kinda crazier and crazier in terms of people waiting outside. So honestly if you make a note to the fans if they can get into the VIP meet and greets that’s the easiest way to come and say hi to us and take a picture. And it’s really awesome for us because we get to meet people on a one-on-one basis and spend time with our fans.

Big Time Rush at the NY State Fair
Copyright 2011 by Michael Aaron Gallagher
Photo provided by Nickelodeon

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