The television series “The Deep End,” which will debut this week, chronicles the lives of five fresh-faced lawyers practicing at a powerful L.A. firm named Sterling. And if the series feels real, there’s a reason.
David Hemingson, the show’s creator and a co-executive producer, began his career an associate in the Century City office of Loeb & Loeb LLP.
“The show is based upon my experiences as a young lawyer some years ago,” said Hemingson, who later got into the entertainment industry, serving as a producer on comedies such as “Family Guy” and “How I Met Your Mother.”
“And because I’m a lawyer, I have to say that any resemblance to any party living or dead is coincidental.”
What’s more, the show’s other co-executive producer, Jan Nash, is a former investment banker who worked for Walt Disney Co. before becoming a TV writer and producer.
“We’ve had to deal with client relationships,” Nash said. “Both of our experiences have just saturated our understanding of the characters and how they develop.”
Alas, the majority of “Deep End” is filmed in Dallas due to the cost of filming in Los Angeles. But at least there are references to local landmarks.
“There is a shoutout to the Apple Pan in episode four,” Hemingson said. “We definitely tipped toward the things that we love about Los Angeles.”
Out of the Frying Pan …
Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard admits to being somewhat relieved when a planned cook-off competition was called off.
It was supposed to take place at the Jan. 10 grand opening of Mama’s Small Business Kitchen Incubator, a non-profit aimed at training entrepreneurs to open food-related
businesses.
“If I have any cooking skills, they relate to breakfast and lunch,” said Bogaard, former executive vice president and general counsel of First Interstate Bancorp. “So I was perfectly prepared to make a go with my omelets.”
Two others were supposed to compete. Bishop J. Jon Bruno, the Episcopal bishop of Los Angeles, arrived, but a major no-show was Henry T. Nicolas III, the co-founder of Broadcom Corp. An early press release had touted the cooking contest as Nicholas’ “first public appearance and return to philanthropy” since charges that he had backdated stock options were dismissed Dec. 15. Felony drug and conspiracy charges, however, are still pending.
Nicholas decided to avoid the cook-off, a spokeswoman said, on the last-minute advice of his attorneys.
The cancellation didn’t much disappoint Bogaard.
“A competition like this offers the opportunity for success or for terrible embarrassment,” he said. “I was a little relieved not have to square off with such prominent people.”
Honor Just to Be Nominated
Two weeks ago, the Academy Awards of the tech world were handed out in San Francisco: the Crunchies, an annual event hosted by the influential blog TechCrunch.
Michael Schneider, chief executive of Santa Monica-based Mobile Roadie LLC, was among those who traveled up the coast to attend. And it wasn’t your typical stuffy awards show populated with self-important honorees.
“They had jugglers on stage, a guy in a straitjacket on a uni-cycle. It was great,” said Schneider.
The after-party, hosted in San Francisco City Hall, was similarly loose. It featured an open bar, a DJ and a casino. Among those that Schneider rubbed shoulders with were Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg and TechCrunch Editor Michael Arrington.
“It didn’t have the airs of maybe your typical awards show, where everyone’s looking at everyone else and trying to be seen,” he said. “I felt like the egos left the room for a minute.”
Staff reporters Alexa Hyland, David Haldane and Charles Proctor contributed to this column. Page 3 is compiled by Editor Charles Crumpley. He can be reached at [email protected].
