Harry Shum, Jr. & Chilli – Fake Off

By starrymag | October 18, 2014

Q) Is “faking” something that people are doing around the world or is it something that you created for the show?

Harry: I think this faking has been something that it’s like illusions that people have been doing I think around the world for a while now. I think it’s the idea of taking some – a new theme and interpreting themselves. But I think we wanted to use the word faking because it’s kind of like a new thing as far as the performance on this stage. And if you type in shadow puppetry, black light, or video mapping that’s faking. And what’s great about this show is that all that variety is all put onto one stage.

Chilli: And to add to that yes, it’s not new. But what’s kind of new is that you don’t see a lot of this on television. So that’s the cool part about this show. You’ll get to see that a lot.

Q) Chilli, how did you become involved in this particular show? Because it seems like it might be something a little different than what we’re used to seeing from you?

Chilli: Really? Well anything in the category of entertainment. Hey, I’ll probably would want to be a part of it because I come from that world as well. So when I was told about it and again like most people I was like okay what does that mean faking? What is this about? And they told me what it was about. I was completely in and very excited and was hoping to look at everything that everyone was doing and figure out how to apply some of what I was seeing to my own, to my group. So I was really excited to be a part of this.

Q) Chilli, what one thing can you think of that drew you to judging?

Chilli: And for me the fact that this type of talent that is on this show you don’t see a lot on television. It’s not over-flooded at all. So, I’m always wanting to be a part of something that feels fresh and new. That is the main thing that pulled me in. And so obviously I love being a part of something I’m excited about because then people get to see, you, yes you get to see my personality. But I don’t think it’s a secret that I’m kind of fun and loving and a little funny. I guess they’ll get to see those kinds of things. But when it comes to entertainment I take it very seriously. I mean entertainment on any level. Anything that you’re doing and it can captivate an audience, keep their attention that’s a big deal. So that’s what this show is all about and that’s one of the many things that drew me in.

Q) What do you think will surprise the audiences most about this new series?

Harry: I think what will surprise the audience is how relatable these performances are. They were taking themes from like westerns, to decades, something specific like Titanic and getting to see something they’re familiar with and just twisting it and giving them a whole different perspective of with these performances. And what’s going to be amazing it’s going to be visually stunning. And you’ve seen acrobats, you see an illusion, you’ve seen black light and shadow puppetry but you’ve never seen it done like this before. We’re all really excited for people to see because we were blown away when we saw these performances.

Q) This really does seem like an exciting kind of fresh new show. How did you or the produces find the teams? And are these people doing this for a living in their own markets?

Chilli: I think some of them are. I think most of them actually are doing this whether it’s locally or maybe one of the groups. They certainly know what they’re doing.

Harry: Yes some of them do. Some of them have been trained to perfect this a long time and doing it for a living. But it’s not in a sense that’s paying all the bills I think. And a lot of them have regular jobs and do this as a hobby. And then when they got the opportunity to be on the show it’s something that kind of took off and say “Oh, we might be able to do this for a living.” And that’s the coolest part is just kind of making people’s dreams come true while also they’re all gunning for that $100,000 so they could do this for a living too.

Chilli: Yes. And then when people watch and they become more aware of this type of talent then the more popular it becomes, the more interested people are in it and they want to see more of it. So is definitely a huge opportunity for these people with these types of gifts.

Q) When you’re judging are we going to get to hear or see either of you singing and dancing as well?

Harry: Oh, there will be some dancing that’s for sure.

Chilli: I don’t think Harry and I could sit still if – I don’t even know if you could pay us a certain amount of money and once we get that feeling if something that sounds good, it looks good something’s going to be moving, so we can feel a little something.

Harry: Yes we were having a blast. I mean even during the performances, after the performances. There’s a little – I wonder if they put in. We had a little small performance. I don’t know if they put that on and it made it into the episode.

Q) As we’ve seen a lot of these newer competition shows the judges also sort of take on sort of coaching aspect. How much influence did you guys have on the performances before they actually made it to the stage or was it a purely judging role that you had on the show?

Harry: With this it’s our first time seeing. And when they go on to the stage it’s our first time seeing it. But for us what we wanted to do differently as judges was to be able to give them feedback as well as constructive criticism. And in hopes that whatever team’s excellent move forward or not hopefully they can take our advice because we all Michael Curry, Chilli and I come from all different entertainment backgrounds. And we hope that we’re giving them some kind of advice to help them in the next stage if they do make it on. And in that aspect we’re kind of mentoring but also still judging at the same time.

Q) So you’re both such seasoned performers. How did you bring that performance experience into your role as a judge on Fake Off? How did you bring that experience into your role as a judge on Fake Off?

Chilli: Well for me having the pleasure of just being around different artists throughout my career I mean mega superstars and taking notes, just learning from them I feel like when I see something amazing I don’t know. I just kind of know when I see it. If I start moving some kind of way I know the signs. And when again, when people are able to stay engaged with anything that you’re doing whether it’s dancing or just standing there and talking — whatever that is and people can be engaged — that is a gift within itself because it’s not an easy thing to do. It’s not easy to entertain people and entertain them well. It’s hard. So like I said, through the years and being on stage and still having to give 150% even when the audience doesn’t seem like they’re quite into it but they could be for whatever reason you’re not getting the type of response that you’re either used to or you want you still have to give it your all. So it’s all that kind of stuff. It’s a huge pot of things that I look for. And I mean those are just a couple.

Harry: Just watching her performances and it’s so nice to have her there because she understands what it is to be a good performer. Because there’s so many things technical aspects that sometimes are out of your control when you perform. And then at the end of the day it’s about if you can carry the performance. And you have the technical aspect from Michael Curry and then Chilli who’s just a true performer. And what I kind of look for is just like able to tell the story. Because I think what’s different about this show outside of the amazing illusions and visuals is the story too. It has to carry a story within a short period of time which effectively if there’s no character than sometimes you – why would you want something outside of just being wowed? And I think that’s the big part of this show that was really special is that there was character as well and it makes you love these teams and love what they’re putting on the stage.

Q) Was there any industry experts helping the teams prepare for their challenge each week or did they have to do this completely on their own?

Harry: there’s are so many technical aspects that me being able to put something for body mapping putting the technology behind it they actually, the teams did their own effects. They put it all whether if they had a giant ship in the back they created that. But obviously putting it up within that and making it work on to that stage that they were put upon, they had people kind of help them out to make sure that it was done correctly in that sense for television. But they choreograph their own numbers, their own movements. And it’s really amazing what these guys were capable of doing especially some of them who’ve never really been on a big stage like this.

Q) Can you each describe your judging styles?

Chilli: Well I’m definitely not a mean judge, that’s for sure. I look at everything because I’m looking for something depending on their theme it’s really important to me okay so that – what this story told probably did I get it more so than the outfit per se. Now it does help if wardrobe matches to help tell the story but it just depends on their themes for me. And I’m very honest. I don’t – but I’m not brutally honest. I don’t think that – I think you can get your point across without hurting somebody’s feelings. And not that I’m trying not to hurt someone’s feelings because when you’re taking constructive criticism and it’s about your art you’re very sensitive and I understand that because I’m an artist. So it’s like, be careful and give it to me with a little sugar most times if you can. But you have to have that tough skin to take it and take that information and prove yourself in your group. So again it just depends on what it is that I feel I’m looking for. And so I guess for me it’s more of feeling, did I feel that? And if I did and it moved me somehow again it could have been then staying right on top of the theme or it could have been just certain movements or just how they chose to tell that story how much of a twist did they put on it. But yet I still felt like this was an amazing fake because it still felt so much like that theme that they were given.

Harry: Hold on and if they had very good abs you would plus one more. Don’t forget that. Don’t forget that.

Chilli: Oh yes, yes that’s true. You know what, it did help if the guys have some great abs right, because I love a six pack.

Harry: I think that’s what’s great about this show it’s like we have different styles of judging. And for me I can get pretty critical and technically. But what I love about this show is that what – the element of story. And with that overtakes – that can overtake everything you can forget about the little technical aspects and wardrobe malfunction if they’ve done a great performance and told a great story. And for me I would rather watch a dancer that’s expressing themselves wholly and not be that great technically than someone who’s becoming a robot and is technically amazing at whatever style they’re doing. So, certain things are forgivable in that sense. And at the end of the day I, just like Chilli, though want to feel something. And we might have a different eye for something from our background. I guess for me I can sometimes be a little brutally honest. And it might come out the wrong way but at the end of the day I just want to help them out and see – give a great performance because I personally want someone to tell me exactly what I’m doing wrong so I can do it better the next time.

Q) What do you hope that viewer can take away from the show?

Harry: They’re just singing. I think like we said before it’s just gain a new perspective on the arts, on entertainment and on performance. Like these are some cool, really cool acts that I think not even just adults but like kids will be able to go home and try it out. There’s this one team that makes black light, puts black light onto cardboard boxes so it’s like people can do that at home. It’s not stuff where there’s other ones that are huge and amazing with the big screens and body mapping. But there are acts where you’re blown away by what they can do and how resourceful they are with stuff you can build at home. And I hope that kids will really get out there and start using their imaginations and adults as well because there are a range of ages that are participating in the show.

Chilli: Yes. I completely agree with him. Again, I think that I love the fact that the whole family can watch this. I think it is an educational part when Harry was saying about that the black light. And even like the puppetry and all that kind of stuff, those are things that crafts and arts you can go to a crafts and arts place and get a lot of these things and just and really put that brain to use. You don’t have to have all of the expensive things to make it this huge production. It’s taking something that so simple but yet making it appear is if you did have this big production going on and that is very impressive. And so I think that it’s great for people to see that you can go in this area of entertainment without feeling like you have to have over the top things to impress somebody or to showcase what it is that your brain has to offer when it comes to ideas and stuff like that. So I’m hoping that they get to see all of that type of stuff and just be able to enjoy a great show and then enjoy the time that Harry is shaking his cute little butt and that’s just a bonus. What’s crazy is that Harry, myself and Michael and Robert [Hoffman] the host for me I just met these guys for the first time and I felt like I’ve known them forever. We instantly had a great chemistry, a working chemistry. And that right there was surprising to me. I mean a pleasant surprise because you just don’t know. I mean all of us have worked with people and we’re like oh Lord I can’t wait until it is over. But it wasn’t like that at all. So, we instantly had that connection which is also great for a show like this. So I just wanted to add that.

Harry: Yes. No you’re completely right. I thoroughly enjoyed coming to work every single day and sharing these moments with you guys. Oh we’re having a heart to heart moment. Everyone has to hear it sorry.

Q) You guys are the judges and are giving some notes back to the talent. There’s also a component for the audience to vote so can you tell us how that works? Do you know?

Chilli: Well yes, each of us, we vote. We give our scores. And it depends on how we’re voting. The audience can save a group and that’s happened a few times.

Harry: Oh yes. Yes.

Chilli: And some people we were excited about it and they were like just okay with it. So the audience has a huge, huge say in this as well as far as who is going to be the winner, who’s moving onto the next phase.

Harry: Yes. And it’s a great way for the audiences at home to kind of – when you watch some of these competition shows you want to relate to a certain judge. Like you agree with a certain judge. And I think this brings a whole different element because you come from people who are judging to have this background. And it’s a wide variety of some audience members do and some don’t. Some just love the performance because they love the music that they use. And I think that’s what’s fun about it is there’s a wide variety of tastemakers, kind people who have different tastes are choosing whether they want these acts to move forward or not. And I think it speaks for the diversity in the country. And I think people will be able to really enjoy and make their own decisions at home as well.

 

 

*CONFERENCE CALL*