Welcome to The Kids From Fame Media Blog

I'm Mark & I've been a Fame fan since the beginning of the TV Series in 1982. This blog is dedicated to the incredibly talented cast of the show who have brought so much comfort and pleasure to my life over the last 40 odd years.

Every week day we post and our Archive can be found on the Kids from Fame Media TV Series Archive Website.
Including Interviews, Episode Information and Videos, Scripts, Merchandise, MP3 Downloads, Reunions, Fan Fiction, Cast and Crew Information.

I hope you have a great time Remembering "Fame"!

To Contact Me Please Send Emails to: mark1814uk@googlemail.com


Any problems downloading Please read:
Instructions To Download MP3s & Videos

Episodes can be watched on the TV Series Archive Website.
and on our Facebook Fame Episode Group.

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Monday 16 September 2024

Holiday Break!

 



Kids From Fame is taking a annual holiday break. 

We will return with new posts on 1st October.

Thursday 12 September 2024

Nia Peeples I Know How To Make You Love Me




"I Know How To Make  You Love Me" The Third Single from Nia Peeples

Release Date: October 1988

Record Label: Mercury  / Polygram Records

Producers: Steve Harvey,

B Side: Mixes, For The Sake of Loving

Formats: 7 inch , 12 inch, Cassette  Single

Catalogue Numbers:  7 inch 8720661  , 12 inch 8720671 , Cassette 8720664

Chart Positions: U.S. Billboard Chart: Didn't Chart




Performances:





Debbie Allen Inspiring Young Dancers - Jennifer Husdon Show

 



Eryka Waller from Philadelphia, PA, a dance instructor and the owner of Quinn Center for the Performing Arts. She opened the Quinn Center in 2019 to provide a safe and healthy outlet for young girls of color in her community.

Eryka's inspiration is our very own Debbie Allen. 



Behind the Scenes and after the TV Show




Wednesday 11 September 2024

Carlo Imperato Corriere Di Bolgna Interview 2024

 


A recent interview with Carlo Imperato in an Italian Newspaper.

(English Translation)

Danny Amatullo (the star of «Saranno Famous») lives in Bologna: «I'm here for Silvia, I love this city»

«You have ambitious dreams: success, fame. But these things cost money. And it is exactly here that you will begin to pay... with sweat! If you remember these words it means that you too are among the millions of viewers who for years have followed the stories of the students of the New York School of the Performing Arts, the most famous school of the 1980s TV series, that of «Saranno Famosi» . They were uttered by the legendary Lydia Grant, the dance teacher who encouraged her boys, all from different social backgrounds and with various problems behind them, to redeem themselves through art, pursuing their dreams. Leroy Johnson, Bruno Martelli, Coco Hernandez, Danny Amatullo became familiar names to everyone at the time. The latter was a young Italian-American  with the dream of becoming a great successful comedian. Funny, a little clumsy and lazy, but with a heart of gold always ready to help his companions in difficulty, he was played by Carlo Imperato  (now sixty years old), who after that role which gave him global fame, continued to work in world of entertainment between theatre, cinema and TV both as an actor and as an author. Imperato has been at home under the Two Towers for some years .

 

How did you arrive in Bologna?

«Thanks to Silvia, my girlfriend who is from Bologna. We met a few years ago through mutual friends. One thing led to another and here we are going back and forth between Los Angeles and Emilia."

 

What do you like most about the city?

«I am also of Italian origin. Both my parents are Italian: my father is Neapolitan and my mother Roman. I love the warmth there, the importance given to family, the food is spectacular, you have good relationships with your neighbors, you go to work peacefully. In short, it's real life. Not like in Hollywood. It is a historic city, with architecture that leaves you speechless. I love our house. I would say that I like everything about Bologna. It's how the world should be."

 

They saw her at the Dall'Ara stadium at the match. Are you a football fan?

«It was the first time I attended a football match in Italy. In America I go to the stadium in both New York and Los Angeles. But here… it was like going back in time. How to enter the Colosseum. What an emotion. I don't follow football like I follow American sports, but after that last-second equalizer, I became a big rossoblù fan. I like how naturally football is part of the life of Italians."

 

Why doesn't he speak much Italian?

«At the behest of my grandparents and my parents. They wanted me to speak in English so as not to be marginalized, to be fully integrated into the American culture which was very judgmental at that time. They did it to help us get far in life without the obstacle that a different language can pose. After all, we lived in New York. I understand Italian much better than I speak it, unfortunately. But I'm sure that with all this back and forth, I will regain possession of many words that I heard as a child."

 

Returning to “Saranno Famous”: how did you get the role of Danny Amatullo?

«When I flew to Los Angeles to audition, I wasn't really sure I wanted the part. I hadn't taken part in the film, I wasn't very motivated. When I arrived at the casting, there was another guy with me, a typical Los Angeles native who refused to shake my hand when I introduced myself. Him being so rude and unprofessional motivated me to give my best and take the role away from him. And so it was."

 

How did you experience fame after the success you achieved with the series?

«I never got too big, it hasn't changed me at all thanks to the fact that I come from a family that raised me with my feet firmly rooted to the ground. I have always seen acting as a job, a job like many others. Yes, ok, it gives you notoriety but that doesn't make you better than another person who is not known. I was lucky to make the most of my profession and to remain the Carlo that everyone has always nown."

Forty-two years have passed since «Saranno Famosi» was first broadcast and it is still one of the best-known series, which has inspired many other subsequent productions. Why do we always look to the past?

«Because you are always fighting with an archetype. "Saranno Famosi" was the first of a genre never told: young adults working to make their dream come true. It was very well done in all aspects: good actors, good directors, good authors, beautiful sets, beautiful costumes. They described reality as it was at that time. Now we think first about having the budget for the special effects and then about the rest. Once a show is successful, instead of proposing something new, clones are proposed because it is easier to replicate a successful recipe than to mix new ingredients. I'm sure we'll get to the thirty-first episode of "Star Trek" and the ninth of "Transformers." And all this replication is done only because it ensures an easy profit, there is nothing nostalgic about it."


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Original Italian Interview)

Danny Amatullo (la star di «Saranno famosi») vive a Bologna: «Sono qui per Silvia, amo questa città»

L’attore Carlo Imperato, 60 anni di origine italiana, era uno dei protagonisti della serie tv cult degli anni Ottanta. «Quando volai a Los Angeles per fare il provino, non ero molto convinto di volere quella parte»

«Voi fate sogni ambiziosi: successo, fama. Ma queste cose costano. Ed è esattamente qui che comincerete a pagare… col sudore!». Se ricordate queste parole significa che anche voi siete tra i milioni di telespettatori che per anni hanno seguito le storie degli allievi della New York School of the Performing Arts, la scuola più famosa delle serie tv anni Ottanta, quella di «Saranno Famosi». A pronunciarle era la mitica Lydia Grant, l’insegnante di danza che spronava i suoi ragazzi, tutti provenienti da estrazioni sociali diverse e con problematiche varie alle spalle, a riscattarsi attraverso l’arte, perseguendo i propri sogni. Leroy Johnson, Bruno Martelli, Coco Hernandez, Danny Amatullo divennero nomi familiari a tutti, al tempo. Quest’ultimo era un giovane italo-americano con il sogno di diventare un grande comico di successo. Divertente, un po’ goffo e pigro, ma dal cuore d’oro sempre pronto ad aiutare i compagni in difficoltà, ad interpretarlo era Carlo Imperato (oggi sessantenne), che dopo quel ruolo che gli ha dato fama planetaria, ha continuato a lavorare nel mondo dello spettacolo tra teatro, cinema e tv sia come attore che come autore. Imperato da alcuni anni è di casa sotto le Due Torri.

 

Com’è arrivato a Bologna?

«Grazie a Silvia, la mia ragazza che è bolognese. Ci siamo conosciuti alcuni anni fa grazie ad amici comuni. Da cosa nasce cosa ed eccoci qui a fare avanti e indietro tra Los Angeles e l’Emilia».

 

Cosa le piace di più della città?

«Sono di origine italiana anche io. Entrambi i miei genitori sono italiani: mio padre è napoletano e mia madre romana. Amo il calore che c’è, l’importanza che si dà alla famiglia, il cibo è spettacolare, si hanno bei rapporti con i vicini di casa, vai a lavorare tranquillamente. Insomma, è vita vera. Non come a Hollywood. È una città storica, con un’architettura che ti lascia a bocca aperta. Amo la nostra casa. Direi che mi piace tutto di Bologna. È come il mondo dovrebbe essere».

 

L’hanno vista allo stadio Dall’Ara alla partita. È un tifoso di calcio?

«Era la prima volta che assistevo ad una partita di calcio in Italia. In America vado allo stadio sia a New York che a Los Angeles. Ma qui … è stato come tornare indietro nel tempo. Come entrare al Colosseo. Che emozione. Non seguo il calcio come seguo gli sport americani, ma dopo quel pareggio all’ultimo secondo, sono diventato un grande tifoso rossoblù. Mi piace con quale naturalezza il calcio faccia parte della vita degli italiani».

 

Come mai non parla molto italiano?

«Per volere dei miei nonni e dei miei genitori. Hanno voluto che parlassi in inglese per non essere emarginato, per essere pienamente integrato nella cultura americana che a quel tempo era molto giudicante. L’hanno fatto per farci arrivare lontano nella vita senza l’ostacolo che una lingua diversa può rappresentare. Del resto, vivevamo a New York. Capisco l’italiano molto meglio di quanto lo parli, purtroppo. Ma sono sicuro che con tutti questi avanti e indietro, ritornerò in possesso di molti vocaboli che sentivo da piccolo».

 

Tornando a “Saranno famosi”: come ottenne il ruolo di Danny Amatullo?

«Quando volai a Los Angeles per fare il provino, non ero molto convinto di volere quella parte. Non avevo preso parte al film, non ero molto motivato. Arrivato al casting, con me c’era un altro ragazzo, tipico losangelino che si rifiutò di stringermi la mano quando mi presentai. Il suo essere così maleducato e poco professionale, mi ha motivato nel dare il meglio di me e portargli via la parte. E così è stato».

 

Come ha vissuto la fama dopo il successo ottenuto con la serie?

«Non mi sono mai montato la testa, non mi ha cambiato per nulla grazie al fatto che vengo da una famiglia che mi ha cresciuto con i piedi ben ancorati a terra. Ho sempre vissuto la recitazione come un lavoro, un lavoro come ce ne sono tanti. Sì, ok, ti dà la notorietà ma questo non ti rende migliore di un’altra persona che non è nota. Sono stato fortunato a vivere al meglio la mia professione e a restare il Carlo che tutti hanno sempre conosciuto».

Sono passati quarantadue anni dalla sua prima messa in onda di «Saranno Famosi» e ancora è una delle serie più note, che ha ispirato tantissime altre produzioni successive. Come mai si guarda sempre al passato?

«Perché si è sempre in lotta con un archetipo. "Saranno Famosi" è stato il primo di un genere mai narrato: giovani adulti che si impegnavano per realizzare il loro sogno. Era fatto molto bene sotto tutti gli aspetti: bravi attori, bravi registi, bravi autori, belle scenografie, bei costumi. Descrivevano la realtà come era a quel tempo. Ora si pensa prima ad avere il budget per gli effetti speciali e poi al resto. Una volta che uno show ha successo, invece di proporre qualcosa di nuovo, si propongono cloni perché è più semplice replicare una ricetta riuscita che miscelare nuovi ingredienti. Sono sicuro che si arriverà al trentunesimo episodio di "Star Trek" e al nono di "Transformers". E tutto questo replicare si fa solo perché assicura un guadagno facile, non ha nulla di nostalgico».



Picture of the Week - Carrie Hamilton

 


Tuesday 10 September 2024

Janet Jackson Control Album 1986

 
Control is the third album from Janet Jackson. 

Original Release Date:   March 1986 (U.K.),4th February 1986 (U.S.) 

Label: A&M Records, 

Original Catalogue Numbers: U.K.Cassette AMC5106, U.K LP AMA5106, U.K CD CDA5106, U.S. Cassette CS5106, U.S. LP SP5106, U.S. CD 5106

Produced By:James Harris III, Terry Lewis, Monte Moir

Other Songs: Start Anew appears on Japanese Release

Formats: CD, Vinyl, Cassette, Red Vinyl

Certification: Platinum in U.K., 5 x Platinum in U.S., Platinum in The Netherlands. Platinum in Canada, Gold in Australia, Gold in New Zealand,    

Worldwide Sales: 10 Million   


Listen to the Full album:

 
Track Listing:
 
1. Control
2. Nasty
3. What Have You Done For Me Lately
4. You Can Be Mine
5. The Pleasure Principle
6. When I Think of You
7. He Doesn't Know I'm Alive
8. Let's Wait Awhile
9. Funny How Time Flies (When You're Having Fun)
 
Smash Hits Review


Star Hits  Review

Billboard Review

Classic Pop Review

                                                                         Record Mirror


                                                             Number One Review


 




 







Quote of the Week - Debbie Allen

 


Monday 9 September 2024

A Woman Needs A Man - Debbie Allen & The Boys - Song of the Week


The lyric "It Ain't Too Complicated, You've Got To Understand," comes from the season 6 song "A Woman Needs A Man"  from the episode "Fame and Fortune. Performed by Debbie Allen, Carlo Imperato, Jesse Borrego, Michael Cerveris, Shaun Earl and Randy Allaire.

Download MP3



"Won't You Try and Help Us,
We've Got To Understand,
The Qualities A Woman Seeks
When Looking For A Man.
Won't You Try and Help Us,
We've Got To Understand,
Well Honey Child I'll Do What I Can.

Does A Woman Need A Young Man? (Young Man)
(Take Me I'm Younger than Him)
No Boys Are Just A Little Too Wild.

Does A Woman Want a Rich Man? (A Rich Man)
(If You Want Me I've Got Five Bucks)
Any Fool Can Hit The Number Child.

She Wants A Man Who's Handsome (Handsome)
Never Put Your Trust In A Pretty Face.
A Woman Needs Protection
She Can Get that From A Can Of Mace.

If You Wonder How They're Rated,
It Ain't Too Complicated.
You've Got To Understand,
A Woman Needs A Man.
She Just Needs A Man.

Does A Woman Want a Dreamer? (A Dreamer)
Give Me Someone With His Feet On The Ground.
Does She Needs Somebody Faithful? (Faithful)
There's A Million of them Down At The Pound. OW!

Does She Want A Tall Man? Short Man? A Fat Man?
No Those Lips Can Be Out Of Reach!
Well, Does She Want Greater Lover? (Lover)
No There's Certain Things A Woman Can Teach.

If  I Get Inspired,
Just Like My Faith Required
You've Got to Understand,
A Woman Needs A Man. 
She Just Needs a Man.

Won't You Try and Help Us,
We've Got To Understand,
The Qualities A Woman Seeks
When Looking For A Man.
We Need To Know The Answer,
When She Decides To Shop.
Just What It Is That Makes Her Wanna Stop. OWWW!

Tall, Dark and Hairy?
That's Not Necessary.
A Poet and A Scholar?
And Down To His Last Dollar.
A Colonel With a Pension
Baby Try To Pay Attention.
You've Got To Understand,
A Woman Needs a Man.

Yeah, She Just Needs A Man
She Needs A Man.
Now We Know The Answer,
I Think We Understand (Give Me A Man)
The Qualities A Woman Seeks,
A Woman Needs A Man.

Now We Know The Answer,
I Think We Understand (Give Me A Man)
The Qualities A Woman Seeks,
A Woman Needs A Man.

Now We Know The Answer.
Bring Me A Man,
I Need A Man.
Give Me A Man (A Woman Needs A Man)
Give Me A Man,
I Need A Man.
A Woman Needs A Man."







Homecoming Promo

 


Homecoming Promo

View Episode Information





Friday 6 September 2024

Ebay of the Week

 


This week a Fame badge collection

View Auction

The Evolution Will Not Be Televised - Aquabox - Lee Curreri



In 2004 Lee Curreri released an Album with a group of other vocalists and musicians titled Aquabox The Evolution Will Not Be Televised."

Track listing:

1          Bubble Gum

2          The Evolution Will Not Be Televised

3          Cold? Lonely?

4          Yayoi

5          Dream Love

6          Somethin' Missin'

7          Dick Nixon And The Rover

8          Sweet Clarity

9          Star2star

10        I Keep Runnin' Back

11        Wheatfield w/Crows

12        Sedona

13        Down

14        Neon Vernacular

15        On My Mind

16        Hannah Is A Sista

17        Oo La


Reviews:



4





  

Thursday 5 September 2024

Janet Jackson - Say You Do - 1983

The third single release from Janet Jackson- "Say You Do"


Release Date:  29th April 1983 (U.S.) 

Label: A&M Records

Catalogue Numbers: U.S7"  AM2545,  U.S12"  SP12059,

Written By  Rene Moore, Angela Winbush

Produced By Bobby Watson,  Rene Moore, Angela Winbush 

Formats: 7inch, 12inch

Albums: Janet Jackson

B Side:  You'll Never Find (A Love Like Mine)

Certification: None



Performances






Reviews:


Remix:




Lyric of the Week

 


Which Fame song does the lyric "It Ain't Too Complicated. You've Got To Understand" come from?

Monday 2 September 2024

Fame News September 2024

 


It's a short month this month as we take our annual holiday. Posts will run until September 13th, with more music and interviews from the cast, then we'll take a break and return on 1st October.



Debbie Allen will be honoured at Project Angel Food’s 35th anniversary Angel Awards gala in Los Angeles on September 28th, where she will receive the Humanitarian Angel Award.



Valerie Landsburg was interviewed on celebrity Catch Podcast in July. It's a great in depth interview with a fan.



Michael Cerveris' band Loose Cattle have released a new single titled "Further On" which comes from their new album "Someone's Monster" which is due out on November 1st.




Jesse Borrego Interview at the 45th Cine Festival from July 2024




Janet Jackson is touring in the UK this month with her Together Again Tour

Buy Tickets 


Janet was also interviewed on Radio 2 last month.



Janet has also announced a new Las Vegas Residency starting from December 30th at Resorts World Theater, with dates in December 2024, January & February 2025.

Buy Tickets



Billy Hufsey posted a new picture recently and said:

“You have to believe in yourself when no one else does. When you have a dream, you’ve got to grab it and never let go.

The most important thing is to enjoy your life—to be happy—it’s all that matters. Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come without leaving happier. Be yourself; everyone else is already taken. The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams.

I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying. You’ve got to be in it to win it.

It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop.

Find out who you are and do it on purpose.

For me, becoming isn’t about arriving somewhere or achieving a certain aim. I see it instead as forward motion, a means of evolving, a way to reach continuously toward a better self. The journey doesn’t end.”


Erica Gimpel Posted recently. Erica said:

“Sunday Reflection:

There is so much beauty in this life… May we seize those moments by fully experiencing and savoring them!🙏🏽💜

Wishing everyone a beautiful ️day!

Peace,

Erica”



Update From Nia Peeples regarding her eye. 




Woman's World Featured an Article on Lori Singer last month.



Have a great Month,

Mark.