Hamilton Pumps Up the Volume & Returns to Hollywood
In addition to his vast background in hosting radio, Sean Hamilton is the mind behind the enormously popular radio show “Lovelines” which has been a huge hit across the United States for the past 15 years. He's also been the spokesman for many of today’s most successful products including Sprint “Muziq” Phone, Drakkar Cologne, Doritos Chips, M&Ms, Levis, Diet Pepsi and Bank of America.
On his off time, away from the radio industry, Sean’s production company, Mischief Media Entertainment, has directed and produced television projects for Telepictures, Warner Brothers, Twentieth Century Fox, and, just recently, two half hour pilots for Court TV entitled “29 Minutes & Counting.” He is currently in production and co-starring in a new film called “Hyenas.” This film is scheduled for release in late 2009 and is an Entertainment LAB production.
Hollywire got down and dirty with the east coast version of Mr. Ryan Seacrest. With his impressive past and promising future, we may see him hosting a smash national TV show someday too!
Hollywire: Tell us about your influence [back in the day] on the New Line Cinema motion picture “Pump up the Volume” starring Christian Slater.
Hamilton: In the late 80s, I had a very similar script all over town based on the beginning of my career. The story was about a kid in high school that builds a pirate radio station in the basement of his home. My script was pretty much the same as "Pump Up the Volume.” No one in high school knew it was me on this bootleg radio station and it became really popular. The only difference between my story and "Volume" was that the FCC had sent a cease and desist letter to my home, where my parents had then found out what was going on. In "Volume" Christian’s character was arrested and taken away by the Feds. My story actually lead me to actually getting hired at a real (legal) radio station in my hometown of Reno, Nevada.
The ironic thing was that, at the time, I was friends with Christian Slater's mother Mary Jo Slater. She was the casting director for “One Life to Live” in the early 80s and she had cast me in a couple episodes in New York. A couple years go by and while I was on the air at KIIS FM in Los Angeles I got a call from her. Mary Jo explained to me that Christian needed help preparing for a radio role. I was FLOORED when she told me the storyline and she had NO IDEA I had the same script floating around town. Coincidence or is it just another Hollywood story? With Mary Jo being a friend, and at the same time honored that I was even asked to work with Christian on a technical aspect of an already green lit film, with such a big star, I chose to help out Christian, keep my mouth shut and bite my tongue. After all these years I'm thinkin' about maybe pulling the script back out because there's just so much more craziness that's happened in my career from that point to now.
Hollywire: How did you create Love Line? How did it span from your creation?
Hamilton: I created Love Lines in 1979 during my very first radio job, which became a moderate hit at best in my local town of Reno, Nevada. After spending about four years on the road, I got my first big break helping the launch of Z-100 New York in 1983. It was that time that programming asked me to come up with a call-in feature that could attract night time listeners. It was then I suggested an old bit I had done back in 1979, Love Lines. A satirical hour of radio (at midnight) where people called in with their love problems (most of the time bizarre) asking advice from me, a fictitious Psychologist / Genealogist banned sex therapist named Dr. George Brothers and different B list celebrities. The show became the highest rated nighttime radio show in New York history. The ratings in the middle of the night were that of a drive time show and stayed on the air for four years. The show was so huge that in 1985, 20th Century Fox picked us up for a two pilot deal as a syndicated late night TV talk show. After six months preparing for the show and getting set to head for LA to shoot it, Fox decided they wanted to lean more in the way of a sitcom with me and Tony Danza. Well, thinking this was my shot and NOT knowing what I know now about dealing with television executives I said, “OK, no problem.” With the changes and only about a month of preparation with casting and redeveloping the show into something it NEVER should of been, we shot two episodes of the worst television you'd ever want to see. A couple years later a DJ in Los Angeles called Poorman, picks up the idea and legally gets away with using the concept by simply dropping the letter "S" at the end of the title and calling it Love Line. The rest is history. I wish I had a dollar for every idea that was stolen form me in radio because I'd be a millionaire. But that's showbiz. The "Love Line" one kind of hurt because a few years later it wound up on MTV with the exact same premise as the original done by me and Dr. George Brothers in New York City at Z-100. I had no fight because I had sold the rights to Malrite Communications after leaving Z-100. I'd be embarrassed to tell you what I sold the rights for.
Hollywire: Who are the biggest celebs you have ever interviewed?
Hamilton: To quite simply put it, with the risk of sounding pompous, there isn't a recording artist I have not interviewed. With three music syndicated shows I do on an average of six artist interviews a month. Who ever is in the top 10 comes through my doors, either on the phone, backstage or in the studio.
Hollywire: Who was your favorite interview of all time and why?
Hamilton: I would have to say Madonna. I had her in the studio with me twice; but, having her on the phone was the best one. It was an early morning in New York. I called her at home (after her agreeing to it) and she was in NO MOOD. While conducting the interview at 7:30 in the morning, she had just woken up and was dealing with a screaming new born daughter in the background. At the same time, she had to deal with me not understanding her new Kabbalah religion and pressing the issue of all the new tattoos all over her hand. She finally told me to shut up and with a few choice words, hung up on me. It was the best interview I had ever done. I LOVE her!!!
Hollywire: What’s better, NY or LA, why?
Hamilton: I have a home in Los Angeles and that is where I prefer to live compared to the tiny prison cell my wife Marina and I live in here in New York. For me, the way of life from a living standpoint is much better in LA. As far as dealing with people in not only business but having fun with on the air, I would have to say New York. To me people in New York are much more open, animated, up front and characteristic. For example, I could take 10 phone calls in NY and six of them would be an interesting animated funny call for air. In Los Angeles, where people are MUCH more reserved and self-conscious, I would only MAYBE get two worth putting on the air.
Hollywire: Will we be seeing you doing any other projects in addition to radio in the future?
Hamilton: My radio representation is simply the BEST. Eric Weiss & Associates are the CAA of radio, with two bi-coastal drive daily radio shows and hosting two syndicated while producing another makes me at capacity in my industry. Plus I've turned to MLC PR for help and guidance as well. With that being said, I think it's time to try my hand at some television now. I've just stared looking at new television representation now. I would love to find the perfect rep that gets what I do and who can transform it into something visual.
