Christopher Titus “Big Shots” not canceled
The one thing Christopher Titus wants you all to know is that his ABC series “Big Shots” has NOT been canceled.
“It hasn’t been picked up, but it hasn’t been canceled,” he says, sipping on a cup of coffee at Tommy T’s Comedy House in Pleasanton before tonight’s show. “So I’m not getting paid, but I’m not going for unemployment yet.”
Titus says he was hired as an actor, not a writer, on the show. But he started doing some writing before the Writers’ strike and hopes to get back into scriptwriting. He says he’s still a member of the Writers Guild, so he can’t work during the strike. And he says he’s amazed that people are getting hostile towards the writers.
This YouTube shows Titus and his son, as well as an array of stars supporting the strike
“The producers are making a lot of money on the Internet, and they are going to make even more, so why shouldn’t the people who are actually creating the shows and writing the shows get some of that money?” Titus asks. “The writers got ripped off with DVDs and they don’t want that to happen again with Internet sales.”
Brody (Christopher Titus) finds the charms of a sexy stranger (Charisma Carpenter guest starring as Heather) increasingly irresistible when “Big Shots” returns with new episodes at 10:02 p.m. Jan. 10 on ABC. (ABC/VIVIAN ZINK)
He apologizes for his messy hair, and the fact that he just woke up from a nap. The night before he was on a $20 mil boat partying with people who are interested in producing his movie about drag racers. Then he had to zip up to the Bay Area for a round of interviews before his stand-up show tonight, Saturday and New Year’s Eve at Tommy T’s in Pleasanton.
The workaholic still works his stand-up routines, joking that he needs to build up his bank account after getting wiped out in dealing with his divorce. His act centers on his break-up with wife Erin. The two grew up in Newark and were high school sweethearts. Working through the pain is what Titus does best. He cut his comic teeth on joking about his father’s multiple marriages and having a mentally ill mom.
“I asked God for some new material for my act. Turns out you have to be very specific with God when you ask for things,” Titus quips. “He gave me a divorce to write about. Here’s some pain for you.”
Even more pain may await Titus when he does the New Year’s Eve show. He says that it’s insane working on that night because people tend to be more outrageous on that night.
“There was a club owner who handed out noise-makers right before the show,” Titus says. “Now there’s a guy who just doesn’t get it, because nothing’s better than being a stand-up comic in front of a lot of people who are loud and drinking and have noise-makers too.”
Yet, Titus wouldn’t want to be any other place than on stage making people laugh as they ring in the new year.
“There’s only one time in 23 years that I wasn’t on stage for New Years and it just didn’t feel right,” Titus says. “I need to be up there.”
For tickets, just go to Tommy T’s.
Want to see the SueTube with Titus? Check it out here:
Will said,
January 1, 2008 at 8:21 am
I love Chris, Sue knows this to be true. However the thing about the WGA strike is that they would still be making money if they signed a shorter term contract. Let the actors fight the “internet/DVD” war. Their contract is up in what June? They have more power than WGA does and the writers who are making 5K/yr aren’t going to jump to 100K based on internet downloads. In fact the strike itself is driving the internet download parade since you can go there and watch the particular rerun you want now since there are no new shows.
I agree in spirit with the WGA strike but the timing is poor and juvenile millionares like Sarah Silverman kill the public perception. If the Actors got internet and dvd in their contract there would be a precedent for WGA…timing is everything in every aspect of life not just Hollywood.
Jeanne M. said,
January 7, 2008 at 9:22 pm
Well, Mr. Titus should know that as far as I’m (we the viewing audience of ‘Big Shots’ that is) concerned, I think ABC sucker-punched those of us who became loyal viewers of that show. In the beginning, ABC ‘did’ run several promos of ‘Big Shots’ but after a while, they seemed to have abruptly stopped altogether. We (the viewers) have done things such as sign petitions, send golf balls, and anything else that we can think of. We’ve also gone so far as to beg ABC to switch it to a new day (or maybe even letting another station, NBC, CBS, FOX?, have a crack at it. With the stellar cast that it has, this show can become a true break out hit.) and time in the hopes of saving the show that we’ve come to love. Do you think ABC paid “any” attention to what we’ve had to say, “NO WAY JOSE”. If they don’t care about the writers in Hollywood, what do you think that means for us viewers who watch and get hooked on these shows? Not much in my estimation. God bless to Titus and all the others as well. “We miss the show Titus, and pray that you’ll ‘all’ (‘Big Shots’ that is) come back, even if it’s on another station.