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Interview with Cynthia Basinet

NCISLA Magazine found out that a very special rendition of Santa Baby by Cynthia Basinet is going to be featured in this week’s holiday episode of NCIS Los Angeles. We decided to go right to the source and ask Cynthia more about her version of this iconic Christmas classic. Let’s welcome Cynthia to the NCISLAfamilia!

You must be excited to find out Santa Baby was going to be used in the holiday episode this week on NCIS Los Angeles?

So excited!

How did you find out the show was using the song and have you had any of your other songs used on TV or film before?

Well, I ‘m here in NYC and was in this wonderful new chicken and waffles candy store, aptly named Sugar and Plumm, having a great hot chocolate waiting to see the tree lighting at Lincoln Center. It was such a beautiful night and contemplating how good things are… And voila, there’s an email forwarded from my label, sent by Mark Wike (Music Supervisor for NCIS LA).

My father, who passed away earlier this year loved CBS. And I recorded Santa Baby when I lived across the street of CBS. It was CBS residuals that financed the song, as Santa Baby’s original intent was as a personal Christmas gift. That was 15 years ago to the day. Finally, to have the song, that’s been so revered by fans worldwide since 2000, come back and be the backdrop to Holiday romance on CBS’s NCIS LA… Cool, right? And yes, thanks for askin’, I do have other song placements.

This song has been covered by some iconic singers like Eartha Kitt and Madonna. How did you decided to interpret the song and put your own spin to this Christmas classic?
I recorded Santa Baby as a gift for a very special person in my life, Jack Nicholson. Have always loved that song, as so many do, thanks to Eartha. The radio DJ, Michael Mann (then 102.3) in South LA made me a cassette tape of her version. Decided to record it and another, Someone To Watch Over Me, as gifts that went on a Christmas card CD. That was 1997. Then Santa Baby went viral in 2000. This version, perhaps because it was sung from the heart, has oft credited to Marilyn Monroe. (Well, that and illegal file sharing. ;-).) Ironically, this version has become the standard for today’s artists.

What’s coming up in 2013 for Cynthia Basinet that you can tell your fans about?

First, I have my debut full length jazz CD, The Standard, just out. Second, have a fantastic new single, Eventually, out early in ’13. Third, get to tour and act more.

Thank you NCISLA mag for sharing Santa Baby with your fans!

Thanks Cynthia! We appreciate you taking the time out to speak with NCISLA Magazine!

Here’s Cynthias version of “Santa Baby” for our readers…

You can also find out more about Cynthia on www.CynthiaBasinet.com.

The Gold Standard (4×09) Review by Phillydi

The Gold Standard (4×09)

WRITTEN BY: Joseph C. Wilson
DIRECTED BY: Tony Wharmby

Welcome back Joe Wilson! It’s about time! This is Joe’s first script of the new season and we couldn’t be more delighted. Teaming up with Director Tony Wharmby (Lange, H.), this dynamic duo promises more than its share of excitement and explosive moments. The team is off to investigate another terrorist act which can have dire effects on the U.S. Economy. This time we get to explore Sam’s aversion to clowns more closely and watch Kensi as she partners up with Granger! (Oh, no, no!).

The show begins with a violent gold heist and a vintage Joe Wilson boom. The gold was in route from the Federal Reserve to a bank in China for a $70 million dollar interest payment on a loan. Always fun to watch the usually unflappable Sam Hanna dealing with his own shortcomings when they find a dead clown who was part of the robbery. The poor man hates clowns which probably comes from some deep routed childhood fear. Wouldn’t you love to see that one explored in a future episode? This sets the team off in search for other accomplices who may have worked with the criminal.

Meanwhile, Kensi shakes off her temporary partner, Granger and is on her own (seems strange without Deeks, doesn’t it?) trying to get more information from one of the guards who was injured during the attack. The amnesia was a nice touch. Now all the criminals are being picked off one by one leaving only one suspect. The team is hot on his trail as well but finds him dead trying to escape with all the loot! Case solved? This was just too easy! Callen knows there is more here than meets the eye and he’s not buying how the circumstances all played out. The gold was left behind because it was bogus. The felons were melting the real gold down to make fake gold out of tungsten which would multiply their investment on the open market many times over. In light of this new finding, Hetty knows this economic terrorist attack will compromise the American gold reserve and put Chinese/American relations on the line.

The key is the guy behind the gorilla mask. There has got to be one clue that they are missing and our tech geeks, Eric and Nell come to the rescue, finding the location that is manufacturing the fake gold bars. The last of the criminals are apprehended by the team which in the end exposes Iranian Nationalists who were the masterminds behind the terrorist attack all along.

So… a very strange episode, don’t you think? Very subdued, and restrained for the most part. The episode had the feel of a Series One story in terms of balance. Deeks definitely brings a lot of stability to the team and you can feel how the members would totter back and forth on this tenuous balance beam. Very interesting to watch though. We also see a much more confident Kensi from the one we knew three years ago… some of it coming from age and some from experience, for sure. But I also feel it comes from her time spent as Deeks’ partner. She has become a better agent because of Deeks. Although she can obviously perform her job without him, we really don’t want her to. They are just too good together and wonderful to watch on screen.

I also think this was a very pivotal episode which had less to do with the story line and more to do with things to come. The writers and producers are setting up a future story line and asking us to speculate on what may happen in the future which was evident in the scene between Hetty and Granger. I always enjoy the Lange-Granger tête à tête moments… mostly because Hetty always finds a way to one up the Assistant Director. But the small talk was a bit disconcerting, I thought. What has gotten Hetty’s back up regarding Deeks future with the team and what does Granger know that has her so upset? Is Deeks in danger of losing his NCIS liaison job or is it something more sinister? Looks like we will have to wait for a future episode to find out. Damn!

What do you think? Any speculations?

Show Highlights:

I know there are folks out there who have a hard time with the Nell / Eric pairing, but whether there is a budding love affair looming or not, I enjoy watching the two of them together. It may be too saccharin for some, but they got my vote for most promising couple since it doesn’t look like Densi is going anyplace soon. Young geek love. Don’t ask don’t tell? Ah, come on… let’s get on with it!
The award for the most awkward moment goes to the scene with the guy in the costume shop. If Deeks had been a fly on the wall, he would have loved it.
Enjoyed Eric’s psychological profiling by costume choice rambling.
Kensi giving her definition of a booty call to Sam and Callen was hysterical! “I’m gonna shut up now.”
Enough with the smelting, Eric!

Best Lines From the Show:

Granger: You and I could use some quality time. Kensi: Awesome.

Eric: Do snakes like being petted? This just took a really weird turn, didn’t it?

Sam: Where’s she hiding the camera? Callen: Where she will have his full attention. Kensi: You know I can hear you, right?

Remo: Look, honey. Callen: Shouldn’t have said that. Sam: Big mistake. Kensi: Excuse me!?

Sam: I had him. Callen: Of course you did. Kensi: Obviously. Sam: Whatever!

Bromance Moments:

How much did you enjoy Sam and Callen gesturing behind Granger’s back when he was talking to Kensi. Priceless!

Sam: I hate clowns. Callen: Yep, not nearly as funny when they’re dead?

Callen: You know what I’m gonna do? I’m going to buy you a yacht so you can come visit me.
Sam: Make it a private jet and I just might.
Callen: You would buy a jet?
Sam: No, I’m gonna make you buy me a jet… and open up an auto body shop.
Callen: 70 million dollars and you’re gonna become a mechanic?
Sam: Auto-science specialist. It’s a calling. Open a place where people can go without being ripped off.
Callen: No need for cars on the island.
Sam: What, you and Gillian going to build a bike out of coconuts?

Non-Densi Moments:

Poor Kensi! It’s bad enough that Deeks stiffed her and didn’t pick her up for work but now she is teaming up with Granger on a mission! “I would love to learn the ropes from a grizzled veteran like yourself.” Kensi’s looking a bit pale around the gills!
What was that strange conversation with Granger and Kensi in terms of her future all about? That was creepy! Please don’t tell me he’s trying to step into Deeks’ shoes because I think I will throw up!

Next week we get to have some holiday fun when we watch the team spend Christmas away from home. Come back again to NCISLA Magazine for all the fun!

Holiday Cover Story

©reneefsmith

Besides opening up presents on Christmas morning, I loved baking with my mom. We would start about a week before the special day and didn’t stop until our dining room table was filled with amazing delights. Last year I brought in my favorite Italian cookie to our holiday party at the Mission. I am delighted to say by the end of the night, there was not a single one left! I thought I would share this easy and fun cookie recipe with you. Hope you enjoy it! All the best to you and yours this wonderful holiday season! Love, Nell.

Nell Jones Favorite Italian Christmas Cookie Recipe

Ingredients:

4 eggs 1 cup of sugar

6 Tbsp. melted butter 3 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. vanilla 3 ½ to 4 cups of flour

¼ cup of milk 10 X confectionery sugar

Put the flour on a pastry board and make a well in the center. Beat eggs in the center of the flour. Add the sugar, the melted butter, vanilla and milk. Thoroughly blend together. Gradually begin to absorb the flour. Gently knead the dough. Break off small pieces of dough to make 1 inch round balls. Place on a pan about 2 inches apart. Bake at 375 degrees to 400 degrees in the oven for 10 minutes. When cool, ice the cookies with an egg white and sprinkle 10 X confectionery sugar and colored candy sprinkles on top.

A Chat With Dave Kalstein In the Bullpen with Phillydi

NCISLA Magazine is very excited to kick off a fund raising campaign for the ASPCA with our very first auction item on EBay. If you are a Dave Kalstein fan (and I know there are a lot of you out there!), we have a signed copy of his book Prodigy! This is a must for your collection if you are a fan and enjoy the stories Dave has penned for the show over the last 3+ years. My colleague, sindee and I were excited to meet Dave a few weeks ago at Paramount Studios where he graciously signed a copy of his book for the campaign.

Right after our set visit on the studio lot three weeks ago, we had a chance to sit down with Dave and talk shop about our favorite show. Dave wanted to know how the fans were reacting to the news of the new spin off. He assured us he wanted to continue working with the NCISLA team, which is where his heart and soul resides. We responded that the fans, for the most part were taking a wait and see attitude but showing some real interest in the new series.

We also shared why so many fans stay invested in the show year after year. We agreed that the enormous popularity of NCIS Los Angeles came down to one reason and that was the individual characters and their backstory. Dave shared with us that Shane Brennan called the show a series of small moments between the characters. I agree. It’s not so much the plot or storyline every week that is so important but it’s what’s happening to Callen, Sam, Kensi, Deeks, Hetty, Eric and Nell that brings us back week after week for more. We want to know if Callen is ever going to find out more about his family or will Sam be able to work alongside his wife again and is there a romantic future in store for Densi? Of course, we love finding out more about Hetty’s exotic background and watching what makes being a geek so cool with Eric and Nell.

I remember watching The Job during season two (written by Dave Kalstein), when I first realized how important these small moments were. Remember at the very end of the episode? We see Kensi and Deeks sitting down together on the sofa, clinking Coronas and comforting each other after a long, hard day on the job. I remember thinking, “He likes her, look (pointing at TV)… he really likes her!” As a viewer, I was privy to a special moment and recognized what was happening before the characters even did! Kensi and Deeks may not have been too sure that a love story was about to unfold, but as the camera pulled back, there was a connection between this man and woman that sparkled on screen and that’s when the magic happened. That was just one small example of why we love these characters so much. As long as NCISLA keeps playing to the characters’ strengths, their fan base will always be there for them.

So, come on all you Dave Kalstein fans… open up your pockets and fire up your keyboards and help us raise money for this worthy cause to prevent animal abuse and cruelty. Go to the home page and click on Charity Auction. We want to raise a total of $2000 (or more!) by the time we have our 2013 NCISLA Familia meet up in Los Angeles on October 13 & 14. There will be a number of other auctions coming up throughout the year to help us reach our goal, so stay tuned and bid, bid, bid!

Collateral (4×08) Review by Phillydi

@cbs

Collateral (4 X 08)
Written by: Cheo Hodari Coker
Directed by: Kate Woods

Hetty is missing and it may be related to the death of a former and very wealthy CIA agent. The promos look intense and I have been looking forward to an episode with a little bit of angst thrown in. Looks like we get all that and more with this one. In this episode, we get to see the writing talents of Cheo Hodari Coker for the first time and Kate Woods is behind the camera. Woods has my admiration for directing one of my favorite, if not my very favorite Deeks-centric episodes, Personal. So my expectations are high for many different reasons.

We have another explosive opening. I guess tobacco will kill you…what a way to go for our ex CIA agent! Once an expert in precision explosives, Potter’s killer is definitely sending a message. Hetty has brought the team together for this mission despite the lack of a military angle. But Callen senses there’s more here than meets the eye about this case after Hetty mysteriously disappears. The team is on their own, and a preliminary sweep of the agent’s apartment shows his connect to a high priced call girl operation. Perfect time to send Kensi undercover to id the women who were with Potter at the end.

In the meantime, Callen is still perplexed and worried over Hetty’s secrets and her disappearance. What’s Granger have to do with all this? And why does he want the team to back off the case now and leave Hetty alone. Granger should know you’ll never get Callen to obey an order if you go ordering him around. With Nell’s reluctant help, they break into Hetty’s secret box from the past. With both Granger and Hetty off the grid, who is the new player…Barry Brooks? Seems they were all part of a CIA team working in Afghanistan once upon a time. Now Potter and Brooks are dead and Hetty and Granger could be next.

It was fun to watch the team get into Hetty’s head and figure out the clues she left behind in order to rescue her. She knew they would come looking for her despite Granger’s orders. Shades of Romania. The showdown at the end was exciting, well played and directed. Nice to see Hetty out of the Mission and in the middle of the action again. We get to find out a bit more of her earlier life and how she didn’t really get to choose her past. Yet it’s got to be a full time job to keep her conscious clear and her enemies at bay. Kate Woods directed another action pack show. In our interview with Nick Puga, he talks about working with Woods and what he learned from her on the set. Make sure you check out Nick’s interview this week.

Show Highlights:

Poor Deeks…messing with Sam’s vinyl collection. Enjoyed Deeks trying to encourage Sam to join the ITunes revolution. But he really is taking his life in his hands calling Sam a hippie!
Hetty has a swear jar! Something else we didn’t know.
How cute was Nell doing her Jets cheer!? Callen: I’m a Pats fan so I’m going to pay you now before I curse.
Looks like Eric’s passions are rubbing off on Nell too! But they almost came to blows over their favorite NY team. Perhaps there was some real life rivalry going on between Renee and Barrett going on here? Do you think?
Nice to hear the use of LL Cool J’s music in the soundtrack this episode.

Best Lines From the Show:

Sam: I’m married not dead.
Deeks: Names come and go but you never forget a pretty face like that. Callen: I’m pretty sure it wasn’t her face you were looking at.
Sam: What’s he trying to tell me? Eric: That you’re a geek. Sam: I am not a geek! You don’t see me collecting lunch boxes and action figures. Eric: Nothing wrong with being a geek, Sam.
Eric: If Mata Hari and Genghis Khan had a daughter it would be Hetty. Nell: Or General Patton and Joan of Arc? Terrific moment between Eric and Nell. Don’t underestimate Hetty for sure!
Hetty: We share a similar attitude towards obeying the rules, Mr. Callen.

Bromance Moments:

Sam: I know that look! That’s the What’s Hetty not telling me that I’m dying to know look. Don’t try and figure it out….many have tried and failed.

I love when the boys tease each other when they are driving in Sam’s Challenger and this week it’s about cartoons.

Sam: Underdog beats him every time! He had a better theme song, plus he could fly! Underdog would kick Hong Kong Phooey’s ass!
Sam: Where’s your uniform Hong Kong Phooey? Callen: Where’s your theme music Underdog?

Densi Moments:

Deeks: You know what? These targets are culturally biased. Kensi: Against what? Surfers? Deeks: I’m serious, because I am much better when I am on the move and my target is talking smack and firing back.
Deeks getting flustered over Kensi looking the part was a sweet moment between the two:
- Kensi: Do I look the part? Deeks: Absolutely you look the part. Kensi: Is that supposed to be a complement or an insult? Deeks: As a professional, I mean a pro, not a pro pro, as an agent, I’m going to stop talking.
Come on Kens, you wouldn’t tell Sam Deeks sat on his album, would you? That is not cool!

©CBS

In this week’s interview chair we had a chance to speak to the very funny and talented Nick Puga in his role as Dex Stevenson, at the top of the show. Find out what he says about his time spent on the set of NCIS Los Angeles. Next week we are on hiatus so come back and join us again in two weeks for all the excitement at NCISLA Magazine!