Brad Bell (producer)
Brad Bell | |
---|---|
Dallas, Texas , United States | |
Other names | Cheeks |
Occupation(s) | Producer, writer, actor, musician |
Years active | 2006–present |
Bradley C. Bell (born October 4, 1985) is an American television producer and screenwriter, actor, musician, and comic book author. He is best known as co-creator and showrunner of the acclaimed web series Husbands, in which he also stars. He has also released three electronic EPs, and penned the comic book series Husbands: The Comic, based on his web series. Brad's rise to stardom was built from the social media platform "Youtube", which is where he started to grow his fanbase. Brad, also nicknamed "Cheeks", currently works and consults for VH1's Pop Up Video.
Early life and education
Brad Bell was born in
Career
Early work
In 2008, he started his own
One journalist writes of Bell's persona, "under all the glitter and glitz, Cheeks is an incisive, intelligent talent who couches his social criticism in showbiz flair, because he knows what works".[6] Though Cheeks' signature style of exuberance led some to deride it as a stereotype, Bell counters, "[If] you're not going to watch me long enough to figure out that there's more to me than my fabulousness, you're of the exact same mentality as the people you're worried are going to judge you based on my behavior".[7]
Husbands
Bell caught the attention of television writer
The "crackling cultural commentary" of Bell's early YouTube work echoed in Husbands,[9] lauded by Time magazine as a "much more complex and interesting story about changing mores and the conflict between individuals and social causes than, say, the pilot of NBC's The New Normal".[13]
Espenson–a frequent collaborator of Joss Whedon–noted, "Brad has the showrunner gene", and said that Bell's work as an executive producer on Husbands reminded her of the famed Avengers director,[14] adding, "If there is a Joss Whedon among us, it's Brad Bell".[15] Whedon himself has been a "fan of [Brad]", since Bell's performance in The Golden Guys, an adaptation of The Golden Girls with young men in the leads, hosted at Whedon's residence during a private party.[16]
The series was expanded in the form of a six-issue
Bell wrote an article in
Television paradigm
Bell originated the concept that the word "
Bell elaborated more on the issue:
Oddly though, the standards by which people define television isn't the platform. They just think it is. For example, Orange Is the New Black is a television show, right? I would say yes. But, by platform specifications, it's a web series. Why? Because it's delivered via the Internet, either on your computer, tablet or set-top boxes and smart TVs. Cable and broadcast (which have actually both been the same platform for years, digital) is a different platform than the one delivering Netflix or YouTube. [...] The term web-series is irrelevant, because the platforms are irrelevant. It's all television now. It's just a matter of professional television versus amateur hour. The Internet is not "the future of television." Neither are the two slowly merging. That's already happened. It's only the perception of the public that lags behind.[23]
Other work
Bell's work in music began in 2008, co-writing and performing the title track for horror short film Side Effect.[24] This success was followed by the release of three EPs; The Boy From Venus (2008),[25][26] Glambition (2009)[27][28] and T.C.M.C. (2010),[29][30] along with a collection of ringtones, 2009's Put a Ringtone on It.[31] Bell has also worked as consulting producer for VH1's Pop-Up Video.
Television credits
Series | Episode number | Title | Credit | Original air date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Husbands | 1.1 | " Waking Up in Vegas "
|
Writer (with Jane Espenson) | September 13, 2011 |
1.2 | "We Can't Be Married" | Writer (with Jane Espenson) | September 15, 2011 | |
1.3 | "Being Britney!" | Writer (with Jane Espenson) | September 20, 2011 | |
1.4 | "A Decent Proposal" | Writer (with Jane Espenson) | September 22, 2011 | |
1.5 | "IDEHTW" | Writer (with Jane Espenson) | September 27, 2011 | |
1.6 | "Haley, The Life Coach" | Writer (with Jane Espenson) | September 29, 2011 | |
1.7 | "Normal People" | Writer (with Jane Espenson) | October 4, 2011 | |
1.8 | "This Together Thing" | Writer (with Jane Espenson) | October 6, 2011 | |
1.9 | "Instant Love" | Writer (with Jane Espenson) | October 11, 2011 | |
1.10 | "Return of the Zebra" | Writer (with Jane Espenson) | October 13, 2011 | |
1.11 | "Winky Face" | Writer (with Jane Espenson) | October 18, 2011 | |
2.1 | " Appropriate Is Not the Word "
|
Writer (with Jane Espenson) | August 15, 2012 | |
2.2 | "The Straightening" | Writer (with Jane Espenson) | August 29, 2012 | |
2.3 | "A Better Movie of What We're Like" | Writer (with Jane Espenson) | September 12, 2012 | |
3.1 | " I Do Over – Part 1 "
|
Writer (with Jane Espenson) | August 15, 2013 | |
3.2 | "I Do Over – Part 2" | Writer (with Jane Espenson) | August 22, 2013 | |
3.3 | "I Do Over – Part 3" | Writer (with Jane Espenson) | August 29, 2013 | |
3.4 | "I Dream of Cleaning – Part 1" | Writer (with Jane Espenson) | September 19, 2013 | |
3.5 | "I Dream of Cleaning – Part 2" | Writer (with Jane Espenson) | September 26, 2013 | |
3.6 | "I Dream of Cleaning – Part 3" | Writer (with Jane Espenson) | October 3, 2013 |
Production credits
Year | Title | Credited as | Role | Notes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Producer | Writer | Actor | ||||
2006 | Why Can't I Be You? | No | No | Yes | Himself | Episode: "#1.6" |
2008 | Side Effect | Yes | No | No | — | Associate producer |
2009 | Lushes | No | No | Yes | Basil | Short film |
2010 | Front Men | Yes | No | Yes | Cheeks | Executive producer |
2011 | Torchwood: Miracle Day | No | No | Yes | Nurse Chris | Episode: "The Categories of Life" |
2011–2013 | Husbands | Yes | Yes | Yes | Cheeks | Co-creator, 20 episodes as writer and executive producer |
2012 | Pop-Up Video | Yes | No | No | — | Consulting producer |
2014 | Spring Cleaning | No | Yes | No | — | Short film |
Accolades
Year | Award | Award category | Title of work | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2012 | Indie Soap Awards
|
Best Actor (Comedy) | Husbands | Nominated | [32] |
Best Writing (Comedy) | Husbands (shared with Jane Espenson) | Nominated | |||
Webby Awards | Best Writing | Nominated | [33] | ||
2013 | International Academy of Web Television | Best Writing (Comedy) | Nominated | [34] | |
Streamy Awards | Best Male Performance: Comedy | Husbands | Nominated | [35][36] | |
Personality of the Year | Nominated | ||||
Indie Soap Awards | Best Actor (Comedy) | Husbands | Won | [37] | |
Best Writing (Comedy) | Husbands (shared with Jane Espenson) | Won | |||
2014 | Writers Guild of America Awards
|
Short Form New Media – Original | Husbands episodes " I Do Over Part 1–2 " (shared with Jane Espenson)
|
Nominated | [38] |
International Academy of Web Television | Best Male Performance in a Comedy | Husbands | Won | [39] | |
Best Writing (Comedy) | Husbands (shared with Jane Espenson) | Won | |||
Best Ensemble Performance | Husbands (shared with Sean Hemeon) | Won | |||
Indie Series Awards | Best Writing – Comedy | Husbands (shared with Jane Espenson) | Nominated | [40] | |
Best Lead Actor – Comedy | Husbands | Won | |||
Streamy Awards | Writing | Husbands (shared with Jane Espenson) | Nominated | [41] |
References
- ^ a b Don't Know "Cheeks?" Let Brad Bell Tell You All About Him!, AfterElton.com, archived from the original on October 20, 2012, retrieved October 24, 2012
- ^ Brad Bell, Bent-Con.org, retrieved October 24, 2012[permanent dead link]
- ^ Web Series Knockouts From 'ElfQuest' to Jane Austen, BackStage.com, retrieved October 24, 2012
- ^ About The Ig® Nobel Prizes, Improbable.com, archived from the original on October 25, 2012, retrieved October 24, 2012
- ^ Husbands: Behind the Scenes EP 4, TV.com, archived from the original on February 5, 2013, retrieved October 24, 2012
- ^ Jane Espenson and Cheeks Discuss Writing Husbands, TOR.com, September 13, 2011, retrieved October 24, 2012
- ^ Exclusive Interview: Brad "Cheeks" Bell chats HUSBANDS THE SERIES, AssignmentX.com, September 13, 2012, retrieved October 24, 2012
- ^ Jane Espenson's Web Series Husbands at Meltdown's Nerdist Panel: Taking the Gay Sitcom to Another Universe, LAWeekly.com, archived from the original on December 5, 2013, retrieved October 24, 2012
- ^ a b Meet Brad Bell & Sean Hemeon, America's freshest comedy duo., Out.com, August 7, 2012, retrieved October 24, 2012
- ^ The Starter Marriage, Out.com, August 7, 2012, retrieved October 24, 2012
- ^ PRESS, HusbandsTheSeries.com, archived from the original on October 18, 2012, retrieved October 24, 2012
- ^ Warming Trend, NewYorker.com, December 26, 2011, retrieved October 24, 2012
- ^ Husbands: Do You Take These Men? We Do!, Time.com, August 16, 2012, retrieved October 24, 2012
- ^ Jane Espenson's 'Husbands' To Feature Whedonverse Favorites, MTV.com, retrieved October 24, 2012
- ^ Five by Five w/ Jane Espenson Ep. 11, GEEKNATION.com, archived from the original on November 19, 2012, retrieved October 24, 2012
- ^ Zakarin, Jordan (July 15, 2012), Comic-Con 2012: Joss Whedon Starring in Jane Espenson Series 'Husbands' (Exclusive), HollywoodReporter.com, retrieved October 25, 2012
- ^ EXCLUSIVE: 'Husbands' Comic Art Revealed, Out.com, September 5, 2012, retrieved October 25, 2012
- ^ 'Husbands' Becomes A Comic – Exclusive Photo, TheInsider.com, archived from the original on November 6, 2012, retrieved October 25, 2012
- ^ Portwood, Jerry (September 10, 2012), EXCLUSIVE: Buffyverse Gets Its First Gay Male Slayer, out.com, retrieved September 11, 2012
- ^ Bell, Brad (December 13, 2012), You're Just Like a Million Others, Snowflake, HuffingtonPost.com, retrieved December 16, 2012
- ^ Brad Bell and Jane Espenson – Inventing Television, Channels.com, archived from the original on January 19, 2013, retrieved October 25, 2012
- ^ Brad Bell and Jane Espenson – Inventing Television: How Husbands Fully Realizes the Promise, VTap.com, retrieved October 25, 2012
- ^ Lewis, Tim (April 3, 2014). "Creating in the Digital Age: A Q&A with Brad Bell". transforminghollywood.tft.ucla.edu. Retrieved April 4, 2014.
- ^ Side Effect – Credit List (PDF), SideEffectTheMovie.net, retrieved October 25, 2012
- ^ The Boy From Venus by Cheeks, Yahoo.com, archived from the original on February 9, 2013, retrieved October 25, 2012
- ^ The Boy From Venus (Single), Rhapsody.com, retrieved October 25, 2012
- ^ MORE ABOUT CHEEKS, ThePhoenix.com, archived from the original on April 19, 2013, retrieved October 25, 2012
- ^ Glambition (CD), Tower.com, retrieved October 25, 2012
- ^ T.C.M.C. (CD), Tower.com, retrieved October 25, 2012
- ^ T.C.M.C. (EP), Rhapsody.com, retrieved October 25, 2012
- ^ Put a Ringtone on It, Rhapsody.com, retrieved October 25, 2012
- ^ "NOMINATIONS: 3rd Annual Indie Soap Awards". WeLoveSoaps.net. Retrieved October 24, 2012.
- ^ "16th Annual Webby Awards Nominees". WebbyAwards.com. Archived from the original on April 12, 2012. Retrieved October 24, 2012.
- ^ "International Academy of Web Television Announces Nominees for the 2nd Annual IAWTV Awards". IAWTVAwards.org. Archived from the original on February 7, 2013. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
- ^ "3rd Annual Nominees". Streamys.org. Retrieved December 17, 2012.
- ^ Ng, Philiana. "Streamy Awards Unveils Audience Choice Nominees and Presenters". HollywoodReporter.com. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
- ^ "WINNERS: 4th Annual Indie Soap Awards". WeLoveSoaps.net. Retrieved February 21, 2013.
- ^ Nordyke, Kimberly (December 5, 2013). "Writers Guild Awards: 'Breaking Bad,' 'Orange is the New Black' Among TV Nominations". hollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved December 5, 2013.
- ^ "IAWTV ANNOUNCES 2014 AWARDS NOMINATIONS". iawtv.org. December 13, 2013. Archived from the original on December 19, 2013. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
- ^ Newcomb, Roger (April 3, 2014). "5th Annual Indie Series Awards: Complete List of Winners". welovesoaps.net. Retrieved April 3, 2014.
- ^ "4th Annual Streamy Awards Nominees". streamys.org. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
External links
- Brad Bell at IMDb