Fast, Fun, (all the) Feels – 90 mins of Geek Culture, Chris Gore’s Attack of the Doc Available April 24
Today I sat down with Chris Gore, the writer / director / producer of “Attack of the Doc!” to talk about the huge effort of editing a generation of content down to a tight 90 minutes.
“Attack of the Doc!” is written, directed & produced by Chris Gore.
Chris Gore, the writer / director / producer of “Attack of the Doc!”
This deep dive documentary features pop icons including Wil Wheaton, John Cena, Joel McHale, Peter Jackson, Kumail Nanjiani, Whitney Cummings, Danny Pudi, and many more!
Attack of the Show! was unique, way ahead of its time and was a milestone that had a huge impact on geek culture. Available for streaming and more as of April 24, 2023.
Your documentary ‘Attack of the Doc’ is such a detailed story. You have so much content to work from. How hard was it to edit it down to a tight 96 minutes?
Truthfully it’s brilliantly edited by my co-producer on it, Bobby Schwartz, the lead editor. There was a team of editors: Anthony Ray Bench, Philip Eubanks, Glenn Brown, who helped out.
We gathered hundreds of hours of footage, spent a year building a library, because we started shooting in March of 2020. And then the pandemic occurred, so I pivoted.
Originally we sat some people down and did some interviews on camera and realized we’re not gonna be able to do this with the pandemic.
So we spent that year of the pandemic building a library of every topic, every host, every person on camera. It gave us the tools to [outline the] topics.
Then I did interviews over live streams and I built an archival documentary that would put you in the world at the time. I wanted it to never kind of break. The only breaking to present day is [when] I bookend the movie, and then Zach Selwyn is like the Greek chorus.
But, I wanted to give it that feel. So for the editors, it was such a challenge. We’d break them into [segments]. So the birth of G4, how do we tell that story? Well, we cut it down to 30 minutes. How do we get that down to three minutes?
So we’re trying to tell 20 years of the history of the beginnings of G4 TV, the launch of ‘Attack of the Show,’ the end of ‘Attack of the Show’, and then the rebirth and where that went.
So that’s 20 years in 90 minutes, and it was always ‘We’re not gonna go over 90 minutes.’
Anything that we cut, we can put stuff on the Blu-Ray. The Blu-Ray will be a collectible.
But I wanted to tell this story in a quick 90 minutes, as a love letter to the show, geek culture and remind people of this era.
But that editing, God. It was just a constant thing. Bobby Schwartz knocked outta the park.
‘Attack of the Doc’ available April 24
“Attack of the Doc!” is written, directed & produced by Chris Gore, produced & edited by Bobby Schwartz, co-produced by Walter Areas, with additional co-editing by Anthony Ray Bench and Phillip H. Eubanks, and with an original score composed by Austin Smith. This deep dive documentary features pop icons including Wil Wheaton, John Cena, Joel McHale, Peter Jackson, Kumail Nanjiani, Whitney Cummings, Danny Pudi, Eric Andre, Jerry Stiller, Joe Rogan, Jimmy Fallen, Kel Mitchell, Anne Meara, Stan Lee, Sara Jean Underwood, Carrie Keagan, Riley Steele, Tom Green, Anthony Daniels, Michael Winslow, Joey Kern, Joan Rivers, Chris Hardwick, Robert Kirkman, Greg Nicotero, Jessica Chobot, Tony Hawk, and Alison Haislip, among others as we search for the truth.
“Attack of the Show! was unique, way ahead of its time and was a milestone that had a huge impact on geek culture. Its core audience is one of the most coveted around the globe. I think viewers of the original show will be down for learning the history of the network and the show which helped usher in the age of nerd culture. Frankly, G4TV and Attack of the Show! are responsible for making it cool to be a nerd,” states Gore. “And at the end of the day, I hope the documentary entertains fans and reminds them of a time when a TV show could be dangerous and provide some laughs without fear of being canceled. Everyone who worked on the documentary is a super fan, so this movie was made by fans for fans.”
Attack of the Doc! Synopsis
Before the rise of big tech, social media and Marvel movies, Attack of the Show! chronicled nerd culture’s unlikely acceptance as mainstream. G4TV’s flagship show launched the careers of hosts Olivia Munn and Kevin Pereira and was beloved by fans – a unique celebration of geek culture before it was cool. Diving into colossal cream pies, wearing fat suits for comedy and putting internet servers where the sun don’t shine – anything could happen on an episode of Attack of the Show! It’s been years since the show went off the air and one question has lingered: what really happened to G4TV and Attack of the Show? Enter Attack Of The Doc! — the new film written and directed by Chris Gore, promises to answer one of pop culture’s longest running mysteries.
Available as of Apirl 24 and watch the trailer here.
Follow the documentary and its journey available on Video on Demand and TVOD/Digital platforms on April 24th, 2023, which is the 21st Anniversary of the launch of G4TV.
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The Future of Coffee has More Flavor, reveals Maurice Contreras at Volcanica Coffee
The Future of Coffee has More Flavor, reveals Maurice Contreras at Volcanica Coffee
Just about everyone has their coffee preferences. But the truth is, most of us aren’t enjoying coffee the best it can be and we don’t even know it. The beans, the grinding, the flavor (or lack thereof).
And before you ask, nope, good coffee doesn’t need to be expensive. Actually most great coffee is more affordable than the bad stuff you’re currently drinking. True story.
But I wanted to get answers and advice from a coffee expert, so I had a conversation with Maurice Contreras from Volcanica Coffee.
Maurice Contreras, Volcanica Coffee
Native Costa Rican Maurice Contreras started Volcanica Coffee to import excellent-tasting coffee from volcanic regions, such as his homeland, to consumers. He started the company in his garage and now operates a coffee plant near Atlanta with 20 employees, including his wife and two adult children.
What is your favorite thing about coffee?
My favorite thing I like about coffee is really the flavor. That actually was how I got started. I’m from Costa Rica and for a long time I would do annual trips with the family. It was a family vacation. One of our trips we did a coffee farm tour. And just got to learn about coffee. And this is back in 2004. One of the things that dawned on me is how coffee in Costa Rica was so much better than coffee in the United States. I just didn’t understand why a 3rd world country had better coffee. The quality of coffee in the United States has really come down over several decades. So that’s when I thought that there was an opportunity to bring better tasting coffee or specialty coffee as it’s known today to the United States. That was really how it got started. It really was more about the flavor and just enjoying the richness of a Costa Rican coffee.
Is there a simple reason why first world coffee just isn’t as good?
Yeah, the general sense was because it became more of a highly produced, big production, big coffee house; and I’ll tell you a quick story. A lot of people don’t know this, the word Maxwell House, it actually is a chain of hotels. Some of them are still in existence. And so Maxwell House started from the Maxwell House Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee. They served breakfast and they had really good coffee and it became really popular. It became very famous, and then eventually it became its own brand Maxwell House, and then it ended up getting acquired by corporate conglomerates. And that really good tasting coffee just turned into [not-great] coffee.
So that’s really what happened to coffee in the United States. At one time, back in the 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, people would really appreciate good coffee and then just kind of lost sight of what good coffee was.
From a coffee lover’s point of view, what would you say to convince them to give your coffee a try?
That coffee really is an enjoyable drink to be appreciated and enjoyed for the flavor of what it is. It’s not just something to wake you up. But really coffee and all the different varieties, there’s a lot of flavor notes, a lot of different flavors to be enjoyed. A lot of it depends upon the different regions. My recommendation is try it out and get some good coffee with some flavor notes that you enjoy. Like, for example, Ethiopian coffees, they have a lot of berry notes, a lot of fruit tones, even red wine notes. Some of those things can really open up people’s perspective on coffee.
Before we jump more into coffee, I wanted to ask you about your background as far as the work you did before Volcanica Coffee
My career was in marketing specifically I was in the wireless telephone industry. It really was just about creating a brand. I was part of the startup team at TracFone Wireless which is now a part of Verizon. I was the National Director, I created the brand. In fact, there’s still a lot of things in the brand that I created. I had a passion for marketing.
It was kinda like, “Hey, gee whiz, what if I created my own brand and just created a business?”
And so I actually was on a hunt for a couple of years thinking what would be a good business? And then I just kind of stumbled on coffee because it was staring me in the face.
There’s such a message in there. The success you’re currently riding is because you took industry knowledge of marketing, a personal passion for coffee, and took the risk of putting them together in a business start-up.
Yep, that’s true. It was a risk because I was making a good living, I had a young family, I didn’t wanna affect any of that. It was something part-time, working nights and weekends, that’s how it all started out. I
How did your family feel about that? Was there anxiety?
It was definitely a struggle and I loved spending time with them and being with them. But part of how I resolved that was I would just wake up early in the morning and spend 1-2 hours before I had to go to work doing this. I didn’t want to neglect my family and I didn’t.
There’s so many people out there who aspire to take those steps and they always find reasons not to, but you found a way. When people are drinking your coffee, they’re not just drinking delicious coffee, they’re supporting someone who took a huge chance, who followed his passions.
So segueing to the actual coffee part now.
Your website mentions coffee regions and how the region’s soil contributes to the taste. A lot of our audience who’s into food and wine will realize the terroir aspect is very familiar to that.
Can you pick two or three regions and explain their soil and how it contributes to the taste?
I’ll start with African coffees. Their soil is very unique. Coffees from Africa tend to have a lot of berry notes, a lot more flavor of fruit which is very unique and very different compared to coffees from Indonesia.
Indonesian coffees tend to be lower in acidity. Acidity provides flavor but they’re still very good tasting coffees, even though they’re lower in acidity.
Also the coffee in Indonesia, Sumatra, for example, Papua New Guinea, and even Hawaiian Kona coffees, those tend to have a lot of boldness. When you taste the cup, your mouth just tends to [recognize] that bold flavor, which you don’t get in African coffees. So those are a couple examples.
So really it is like old world wine versus new world wine. A noticeable difference in mouth feel depending on what region you’re going after.
When people ask, Hey, what kind of coffee should I buy? I always ask, what kind of flavors do you like? Start there. Then for people that are experimenting, try different coffees from different regions.
You mentioned that you’re from Costa Rica. So tell us more about the Costa Rican volcanic regions.
It’s the most popular coffee growing region in Costa Rica, the Tarrazu area, which is very mountainous, goes up to 5,000 feet above sea level south of San Jose. Very steep.
The coffee beans, because of the volcanic soil, have a lot of flavor. It’s a very mild flavor, but very flavorful as well. And because of the elevations, the beans are also very dense. They’re a harder bean. In fact, there’s a designation strictly hard bean that is used in the industry because of that.
Being from Costa Rica I came here [to the U.S.] when I was a baby. My mom would tell stories about how she would assist with her father, which is my grandfather, in the harvest. Because my grandfather was a teacher, he would work out in the rural areas of Costa Rica where the coffee bean farmers worked. They would assist during harvest time with picking coffee beans off the tree. There was the connection going back a couple generations in our family.
There has been a coffee influence throughout generations of your family.
Yes. For decades, maybe even a century, coffee was the number one product for Costa Rica. Today it’s tourism.
I’m glad you brought up tourism. We cover a lot of travel. If somebody wanted to visit Costa Rica, maybe even a specific coffee lover, is there a place you can recommend to come visit?
One of the farms that we work with actually has an Airbnb right on their plantation. We’ve had several customers that have made trips there and have gone and stayed at the house. It’s gorgeous.
More people are working from home and making coffee at home. A lot of us making coffee wrong. Can you just walk us through step by step the best way to grind and brew your coffee?
The single largest improvement in the freshness of your coffee is by grinding your beans at home. A lot of people don’t know this: buying ground coffee, because it’s in smaller particles, tends to deteriorate very quickly. So you’re not enjoying the best of what coffee can be.
So first of all, grind at home and it’s the type of grinder.
We recommend a burr grinder. The other type of grinder is a blade grinder, which is a cheap type grinder, which does not do as well as a burr grinder.
Second thing is you wanna match your grind type to how you’re brewing. So there’s different levels, how fine or how course you want the coffee. If you’re doing a French press, you want to have a coarse grind. The opposite spectrum is an espresso grind. It’s almost like very fine sand. So if you had coarse coffee and an espresso maker, you’d have a bad cup of coffee. And the opposite too. If you had a French press where you’re using espresso ground coffee, you would not have a good tasting coffee. A lot of it has to do with the extraction and this is the chemistry behind coffee.
Then in the middle of that would be like a traditional drip grind, which most people have which is a medium coarseness of a grind type. That works best to pour over or a drip grind.
Once you buy the equipment, you’re saving quite a bit of money by doing this all at home. More value and quality out of doing it at home?
Oh yeah. A cup of coffee outside can cost $3-6. At home, 50 cents per cup. Plus you’re controlling the flavor, how hot it is and how fresh it is.
How many cups do you think the average coffee person drinks per day?
The average is between one to two cups per day. Wall Street Journal says 66% of Americans have had coffee within the last day.
So with volcanic, you’ve mentioned low acid. Tell us more.
Low acid coffee is actually a natural occurrence. There’s no additives that need to be added, at least we don’t add anything to our coffee. It’s just how it’s sourced. How it’s brewed also affects acidity.
So for example, the cold brew method tends to lower the acidity of coffee. Even more than if you brewed it traditionally in a drip grinder. It benefits people who suffer from acid reflux; and different types of indigestion abnormalities can benefit from low acidic coffee just because the pH is a higher number.
We have a lot of customers thanking us because they could not drink coffee before they heard about our low acid coffee, so now they can drink coffee again.
We have a blend of different coffees called the low acid coffee, plus 12 or 15 other coffees that are also rated as low acid. We rated them, we’ve done the pH levels on all of them, and all of them fall into that category of being lower in acidity.
Volcanica has built up a really strong community on your social media avenues. What have the results been like?
We’re on all the major socials: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok. It’s very easy to find us. We take customer feedback really seriously. We’re always looking for input and ideas.
We’ll get a request [to] carry a type of coffee or coffee from a region and we’ll always look into it.
We offer 100% customer satisfaction. We take returns, even when the customer just didn’t like a coffee, which is no fault of ours.
When someone does suggest a new bean, a new region, is that an easy outreach to investigate, or is that a whole process?
It is a whole process.
What’s a great online shopping strategy for finding the right coffee beans?
Align yourself with a brand that has a quality product. Look at customer reviews, their roasting technique. Then it’s a matter of what type of coffee do you like? What flavor notes? Something mild? Berry notes? Lower in acidity?
So I go onto your website to buy some beans. What’s a safe way to pick a bean that I’ll probably enjoy?
We carry over 150 different coffees, which is a lot. Visiting our website you have to know your preferences. Having some [filtering/search ] tools out there would be beneficial to people helping the selection process, that’s actually on our roadmap for the future.
Part of the reason why we have 150 coffees is because we’ve been listening to our customers over the years.
Tell us something about Volcanico Coffee that not everyone knows.
We love to give back. We’ve been blessed, we’ve been very successful, so we donate 1% of our website sales to an organization called Charity Water. They build water projects in impoverished communities around the world. This year we’re actually sponsoring a well in Ethiopia for a particular town. We know that we buy a lot of coffee from Ethiopia and we’d love to give back to them.
What is the future of coffee?
The future of coffee is specially curated lots. We call them our “Private Collection”. Farmers that are actually fermenting their coffee with mango, peach, different types of fruits. We have a few of them right now. We’re hoping to be carrying more in the near future.
Our audience is listening right now. What would you like them to do?
If you’re interested in finding out more about coffee and experiencing coffee, start exploring. We offer a great cup of coffee. Great different flavors and varieties. We even offer decafs, flavored coffees, something for everybody.
Website: https://volcanicacoffee.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gourmet.coffee.beans
Twitter: https://twitter.com/VolcanicaCoffee
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/volcanicacoffee
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Entertaining and Luxurious at the Hyatt Place Hotel in Washington D.C. / National Mall.
Make your visit educational and entertaining when staying at the Hyatt Place hotel in Washington D.C. / National Mall.
Guests are steps away from the Museum of the Bible, Smithsonian museums, and historical landmarks in the heart of the city.
Catch a concert at The Anthem, indulge in waterfront dining, or simply take a stroll along the nearby District Wharf.
Hyatt Place Hotel Dining
Wake up to breakfast served daily at Hyatt Place Washington DC/ National Mall.Grab a snack from our 24/7 Gallery Market—and go!Enjoy the incredible Washington D.C. views with delicious cocktails at our rooftop bar.Breakfast Barcurrently featuring a selection of individually wrapped, pre-packaged breakfast items such as fresh fruit, yogurt, and more.The PlaceryWhen cravings strike, head to The Placery located at the lobby bar.Here, you’ll find a thoughtfully sourced, cleverly curated menu that has something for everyone. Try the popular burger, Chicken Caesar Salad, or Turkey Pesto Sandwich. And don’t forget to pair it with one of their premium alcoholic beverages.With comfortable spaces to lounge and seating at the bar, you’re welcome to post up for the afternoon or grab something to go if you’re just passing through.The MarketVisit The Market for a selection of perfectly packaged grab-and-go items.CityBar Rooftop BarEnjoy a cocktail and take in the stunning views of the Washington DC Skyline from our seasonal rooftop bar.
CityBar DC is expected to open for the 2021 season on September 1st.
Your Spacious Hyatt Place Hotel Room
All of Hyatt’s spacious hotel rooms in Washington, D.C. feature Hyatt Luxury Pillowtop Mattress, modern media and work centers, 42″ TV, Cozy Corner with sofa or sofa-sleeper, and bathroom with granite countertops and free amenities. Forget something? Hyatt Necessities have you covered with must-have items you can buy, borrow, or enjoy for free while you stay in the Washington, D.C. accommodations.
Enjoy this 770 to 880-square-foot suite featuring a separate bedroom and living area with floor-to-ceiling windows, including one king bed with a Hyatt Luxury Pillowtop Mattress.Amenities
- Kitchenette with microwave
- Dining area with seating for 4
- Bathroom with dual vanity
- Swiveling 42″ flat-screen HDTV
- Oversized Cozy Corner with sofa sleeper
- Coffeemaker
- AM/FM alarm clock radio
- Separate workspace
- Cordless speakerphone with voicemail
- Minifridge with freezer
- Wet/dry bar
- Iron, ironing board, and hair dryer
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Nice Crowd, formerly known as ABFF Ventures, expands its annual events to include comedy, health & wellness, food, and fine art events
ABFF Ventures, rebranded as Nice Crowd, expands events to include comedy, health & wellness, food, and fine art events.
ABFF Ventures – the company led by Jeff and Nicole Friday – that created the American Black Film Festival, now in its 27th year, and the acclaimed annual event, the ABFF Honors, today announced that ABFF Ventures will be rebranded as Nice Crowd, and will expand its annual event offerings to include comedy, health & wellness, food, and fine art events.
The first new event under the Nice Crowd banner will be Because They’re Funny (BTF), a new comedy festival showcasing comedic talent within BIPOC communities, which is set to launch in Washington, D.C. in October 2023, and was announced together with Angie Gates, CEO of Events DC Sports and Convention Authority.
Dedicated to highlighting BIPOC culture and achievements, the entertainment event and tourism company’s new name, Nice Crowd, emphasizes the power of gathering.
ABFF Ventures has been the leading events entertainment company specializing in live experiences that showcase BIPOC culture and achievement. Nice Crowd founder and CEO Jeff Friday and President Nicole Friday made today’s announcement ahead of the opening night of the 2023 American Black Film Festival (ABFF) in Miami Beach.
“We are so thrilled to announce our new comedy festival, Because They’re Funny,
which launches in Washington, DC, the hometown of many of today’s most beloved comedians of color,”
said Nice Crowd founder and CEO Jeff Friday and President Nicole Friday.
“While we proudly reflect on this festival and the company’s many accomplishments over the years, we look forward to an even brighter future, with even more incredible event offerings, as Nice Crowd.”
“I am excited to partner with Nice Crowd to bring the inaugural Because They’re Funny Comedy Festival to Washington, DC,” said Events DC President and CEO Angie M. Gates.
“Not only will the festival bring new, emerging and fantastic talent by people of color to our city, but it will support our local creatives, our theaters and performance spaces, their employees and the nation’s capital as a whole. We love welcoming visitors to our diverse and inclusive city while celebrating creativity and having a great time.”
“The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau extends a heartfelt congratulations to ABFF Ventures on the remarkable newly expanded rebrand ‘Nice Crowd,” said Connie Kinnard, Senior Vice President of Multicultural Tourism & Development for the GMCVB. “This momentous occasion not only signifies growth and innovation for the organization but also highlights the immense inspiration ABFF has had on Greater Miami’s multicultural programming such as the Art of Black Miami. We welcome ABFF’s unwavering dedication in fostering meaningful connections and shining a spotlight on diverse talent. ABFF Ventures’ transformative impact to Greater Miami’s tourism landscape is truly remarkable and anything that grows their audience is also beneficial to the Miami and Miami Beach community.”
Since its inception in 1997, the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) has become a cornerstone for diversity and inclusion in Hollywood. It premiered the work and supported the careers of many of today’s most successful filmmakers, actors, writers and stand-up comedians and is recognized as a standard-bearer of excellence for Black creativity. Along with the Nice Crowd rebranding announcement, the opening night of the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) included a screening of the upcoming Netflix satirical conspiracy caper film They Cloned Tyrone, which stars Golden Globe winner John Boyega (Small Axe, Attack the Block, Star Wars), Teyonah Parris (The Marvels, WandaVision) and Oscar-winner Jamie Foxx. Emmy®-winning writer, producer and actor Lena Waithe is ABFF’s 2023 Festival Ambassador.
Led by the power couple of Jeff Friday and Nicole Friday, Nice Crowd’s curated and culturally impactful events include the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) as well as the ABFF Honors, an awards gala saluting excellence in Hollywood. Nice Crowd is expanding event offerings this year to include events elevating comedy and food from BIPOC communities and individuals.
New and returning Nice Crowd events in 2023/2024 include:
ABFF GLOBAL FILM SERIES
September 1-3, 2023, London
An international screening series promoting the universal appeal of Black content while encouraging collaboration between artists throughout the African Diaspora. Each year, the series visits a major cultural hub around the world. The 2023 event, in partnership with S.O.U.L Fest, will take place at the British Film Institute in the UK.
BECAUSE THEY’RE FUNNY
October 6-8, 2023, Washington, D.C.
Because They’re Funny (BTF), is a new comedy festival showcasing comedic talent within BIPOC communities. The festival’s mission is to celebrate the diversity that exists within the comedy arena and help propel a new generation of Black and Brown standup comics to success in Hollywood.
Curated for industry insiders and casual fans alike, the BTF lineup will feature headline acts, new comic showcases, industry workshops, panels, film screenings, networking events and exclusive parties. The inaugural event will take place at the Anthem Theater and other premier venues along The Wharf, a popular entertainment hub on Washington, DC’s southwest waterfront, from October 6-8, 2023. BTW is presented in partnership with Events DC, the official convention and sports authority for the District of Columbia. Cadillac is the festival’s presenting sponsor and exclusive automotive partner.
ABFF HONORS
March 2024, Los Angeles, CA
The annual ABFF Honors celebrates acclaimed artists alongside rising stars, creating a spirit of mutual appreciation amongst multigenerational talent in Hollywood, honoring Black artists who have made significant contributions to American entertainment through their work as well as those who champion diversity and inclusion in Hollywood.
Going into in its sixth year, the ABFF Honors’ list of celebrated award recipients include Denzel Washington, Ava DuVernay, Regina King, Tiffany Haddish, Ryan Coogler, Don Cheadle, Will Packer, Queen Latifah, Lena Waithe, Terrence Howard, F. Gary Gray, Billy Dee Williams, Issa Rae, Omari Hardwick, Louis Gossett, Jr., the late Diahann Carroll, Janelle Monáe, Kerry Washington, and the cast of classic films and television shows including Martin, The Wire, Hollywood Shuffle, Eve’s Bayou, and Love Jones.
Cadillac is the ceremony’s presenting sponsor and exclusive automotive partner.
ADDITIONAL EVENTS CELEBRATING FOOD, FITNESS, ART & MORE
Coming in 2024, Locations To Be Announced
Events include: a gathering of food enthusiasts, a festival centered on exercise and wellness and a multi-day gallery dedicated to showcasing contemporary Black art.
About Nice Crowd
Nice Crowd, formerly ABFF Ventures, is a leading entertainment company in the event tourism
arena. Nice Crowd specializes in the development and marketing of festivals and other live experiences that showcase BIPOC culture and achievement while promoting travel to leading destinations around the world. To learn more about Nice Crowd events, visit www.nicecrowd.com.
