E-mail a friendMay 5, 2009
Sam Haskell, former worldwide head of television for the William Morris Agency, comments on the impact of his Mississippi upbringing and his relationship with his mother. Scrubs star Donald Faison explains how he was drawn to acting and the challenge in doing comedy.
Sam Haskell
Sam Haskell
Tavis and Sam Haskell talk about the sound advice they always get from their mothers. (2:07)
Full interview. (12:47)
As head of TV for the William Morris Agency, Sam Haskell packaged such shows as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Everybody Loves Raymond and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. His client roster included Whoopi Goldberg, Bill Cosby and Dolly Parton. In '04, Haskell left the entertainment business behind to pursue philanthropic endeavors, which have included helping Hurricane Katrina victims and chairing a foundation, founded in memory of his mother, to help children in his native Mississippi attend college.
Donald Faison
Donald Faison
Scrubs star describes watching his parents perform in the Black National Theatre in Harlem. (1:37)
Full interview. (12:54)
Donald Faison's career choice was greatly influenced by his parents, who were members of Harlem's National Black Theatre. He's been acting since childhood, steadily progressing from school plays to TV commercials to major motion pictures, including in Waiting to Exhale, his film debut. His breakthrough came in a supporting role in the comedy film Clueless, which he reprised in the TV spin-off. A star of the sitcom, Scrubs—which is wrapping its eight-season run—Faison is next up in the adventure comedy, Next Day Air.