While in Los Angeles a couple months ago, I got the amazing opportunity to not only visit the set of the FOX show Grandfathered, but also get to interview John Stamos, Paget Brewster, Josh Peck, Christina Milian, Kelly Jenrette, and Ravi Patel who all star in this great show.
Grandfathered is about Jimmy (John Stamos) who is a bachelor and restaurant owner. His world is rocked when he finds out he is not only a father, but a grandfather, from a previous relationship 25 years prior to the series. Paget Brewster plays Sara, who is the one that got away from Jimmy. She found out she was pregnant with Gerald (Josh Peck) after she broke up with Jimmy, and kept it hidden for 25 years. Christina Milian plays Vanessa, the mother of Gerald’s daughter – Jimmy’s granddaughter. Kelly Jenrette plays Annelise, Jimmy’s manager and right-hand woman. Ravi Patel plays Ravi, Jimmy’s chef. 
John Stamos was a lot of fun to be around! He kept us laughing from the time he walked in the room. He went behind the set of Jimmy’s bar and started showing us some tricks. After the rest of the cast was finished with their lunch, my small group first sat down with John and Paget Brewster! We, of course, had to ask how they felt being cast as grandparents.
John: If you’ve seen earlier that when we came up with the show it was first pitched as meeting this swingin’ dude meeting his kid. Then we added the grandkid part of it. But the most interesting character to me, and I think I was right because it’s turning out how it is, is the woman that I got pregnant. Like here’s a woman on television, who’s single, in her mid-forties, and she’s not afraid to say it. Not afraid to call herself a grandmother. I think women across the United States are really loving this, and the best actress we could ever find to do it is this one (points at Paget). Seriously, I mean we had some little issues even about women that maybe were afraid of playing that age. Or they may have had a little too much stuff going on. Then, Paget came in! I mean it’s Hollywood and it plays great against me because I don’t want to be called grandpa. Call me anything but grandpa. And I don’t wanna be my age.
Paget: I thought, assuming the worst about Hollywood, I’m not gonna get this. They’re gonna hire a thirty-two year old blonde chick and pretend she’s in her mid-forties. Like that’s TV in Hollywood. Then I came and auditioned with John and had a blast. It was like, I wish this would work out. It’d be great. I was ecstatic and I don’t have kids. I didn’t get the chance or I would have done it with the wrong person so I love playing the grandmother! I was too real to read this because I’m not in a rocking chair. Which I would do that too as it sounds like fun. It was so well written, and a real woman, a whole adult woman with a point of view. Then, I was like, that’s not a typical grandmother. That’s not what TV and movies usually read for. What’s funny about it is the idea of him as a grandfather. So, I just love the part. I’m thrilled that I get to be a grandmother. I get to have a baby, but I don’t have him all day.
John: Another thing, too, about this character that helps me and that also sends a good message, is like, you know, you old guy, stop chasing these young girls. It’s like get over that. Especially in this case and probably happens in a lot of people’s lives. It’s like maybe the one is right in front of your face but you have to compromise a little bit. Maybe it’s not twenty-five, or whatever that thing is about, but what you get in return is like a real woman, who’s smart, who’s beautiful, who’s funny, we have a lot in common in this particular case. Those themes are important for me to get out there. And this- that character really helps show that.
I have always loved shows were there’s little kids – of course I’ve always wondered how it is to work on a set with children. John and Paget answered our question about that:
John: When we came up with this show, I wanted to do a family show. I liked the unconventionality of it. I fought the show to be on. I’m not doing this for my health, like I want to be on TV, I want to keep going. If people wanna see me with a baby, I’m gonna give it to
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
Wow, it is so awesome that you had such a wonderful opportunity. Thanks for sharing with us and thanks for hosting the Best of The Blogosphere party.Just followed you on twitter.