Hello, ladies, gentlemen, and fellow devotees of anything and everything from the 1990s. Antoni, here. If you remembered the previous post of the “It’s a Wonderful Lie”-inspired scene’s second part, you would have noticed that this scene would have been significant to me if I had grown up as a child actor of the late 1990s to the early 2000s. This scene would not have been important for me in the role of Antony, but also for my supposed co-stars consisting of David Yost, Amy Jo Johnson, Walter Emanuel Jones, Thuy Trang, and Austin St. John who would have played my cousins/legal guardians. It would have worked in these ways. First, it would have sealed my fate as a young actor who could handle serious, tender, and dramatic moments at such a young age, even at 9 years old. Secondly, this would have demonstrated that David Yost, Amy Jo Johnson, Walter Emanuel Jones, Thuy Trang, and Austin St. John were more than just the original five Power Rangers, but had actual talent as actors. Thirdly, this would have also been important for Thuy Trang, considering her tragic and untimely passing back on September 3, 2001, as she would have been the light of the entire show. If I were to have performed this scene akin to Ashley being reprimanded by both Uncle Phil and Aunt Viv, I would have found myself in quite the interesting situation. Consider this. If I were to switch the clock back to 2001, I would have been a 9-year-old child actor gaining acclaim as the intellectual, verbose, and rather impetuous Antony Perez from the Lil J’-headed sitcom L.A. Dynasty which would have been the multiracial, multiethnic late 90s, early 2000s counterpart to The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. While Lil’ J would have been the fresh-faced young teen star to receive his own sitcom, especially since it would have also aired on NBC and also helmed by Quincy Jones, Benny Medina, Andy and Susan Borowitz, Karyn Parsons, Will Smith, Alfonso Ribeiro, and Tatyana Ali taking on behind-the-camera roles, viewers, critics, and fans would have highlighted my performance as Antony as somebody who stole the show from the older cast members’ feet. Most of the acclaim would have been attributed that I would have started the show at only 6 years old and would have wrapped up when I was 10 years old. This would even get to the point where I would have been deemed as a child star following in Macaulay Culkin’s, Christina Ricci’s, Mickey Rooney’s, and Shirley Temple’s footsteps with the potential to have a successful career in the spotlight according to film and television critics thanks to my precocious charm and innocent wit. While my character would have started out as a sweet, caring, loving kid genius of 6 years old, he would metamorphosed into a mouthier and more impetuous boy of 9 years old while maintaining his intellect, although he would use it to try to get his way. Career-wise, I would have also been nominated for Emmys, Kids Choice Awards, and Teen Choice Awards for my performance as Antony, especially in the rising star category. Roles such as this would have sealed my fate as a child star who specialised in portraying wiz kids who are much smarter than their age. This would have eventually changed as I came of age. The chemistry between me and my five co-stars/screen cousins David Yost as Howard, Amy Jo Johnson as Kristen, Walter Emanuel Jones as Tyler, Thuy Trang as Rose, and Austin St. John ass Justin would have been just as integral in terms of making this particular scene worth remembering. Lest I forget about the contribution of what Mark Dacascos as Gregory “Uncle Greg” and Candace Kita as Josephine “Aunt Jo” would have offered as my screen parents. Imagine traveling back to 2001. I would have been a 9-year-old child actor surrounded by a towering martial arts star known for his fierceness playing my father, an actress/model who cut such an impressive physique playing my mother who was also well-known for playing another mother figure on Masked Rider, and the five original Power Rangers playing my cousins. My little 9-year-old mind would have thought that I need to be great for these people, for I have been fans of their works ever since I was a little toddler and would consider acting alongside a dream come true. Well, this is where the dream would have come to fruition. Considering that my character got in trouble for lying to his parents and his cousins/legal guardians, I would have been extremely trepidated by Mark, Candace, David, Amy Jo, Walter, Thuy, and Austin, thus having my knees shake both from fear and just trying to get it together but also wanting their approval. The remorse would have been legitimate considering how Mark and Candace as my screen parents would have vehemently scolded me and David, Amy Jo, Walter, Thuy, and Austin came down on me in a more logical and calm manner as a counterpoint to the former. Just as I was about to walk upstairs and the five of them call my character’s name, I come to them for the hug almost as rehearsed, with Amy Jo coming in first, Thuy coming in second, and then David, Walter, and, finally, Austin. However, the tears would have been just as legitimate both from my end and from their end. This final moment would have been the combination of Uncle Phil hugging Will at the end of “Papa’s Got a Brand New Excuse” and Aunt Viv hugging Ashley near the end of “It’s a Wonderful Lie”. Even as the director, Benny Medina, said cut, I would have still found myself hugging Amy Jo, Thuy, David, Walter, and Austin while weeping profusely, thus having the five of them comfort me and be just as tearful as I would have been. They would have also told me, “You did really well, little buddy. We’re all very proud of…
Articles by Antoni Matteo Garcia
Ladies, gentlemen, and fellow devotees of anything and everything from the 1990s. This is the moment you have all been waiting for if you were travel back to 2001 and tune into your televisions right now. The final scene where Antony returns home after he ran away for a rather short period of time only for Jay to find him in the pool house. Just like what happened to the family, Amanda (Adrienne Bailon), Jay (Jonathan McDaniel aka Lil J’), and Chase (Tahj Mowry) find themselves in a wild goose chase, with Amanda on the wheel, looking for Antony even to the point when Jay calls Carla (Charlotte Church), asking her if Antony is with her. Even Michael (Idris Elba) makes attempts to call the police regarding Antony’s disappearance. The news that Antony is still missing is enough to put Uncle Greg (Mark Dacascos), Aunt Jo (Candace Kita), Howard (David Yost), Kristen (Amy Jo Johnson), Tyler (Walter Emanuel Jones), Rose (Thuy Trang), and Justin (Austin St. John) in a huge state of worry. Jay even gets blamed by Uncle Greg and Aunt Jo for allowing this to happen to Antony with Chase making Uncle Greg and Aunt Jo listen to Amanda’s and Jay’s statements on the both of them being too strict. At least Amanda and Jay try to wring the tape recorder out from Chase. As stated before, Jay finally finds Antony in the pool house. Antony even states that, although he did run away, the Los Angeles streets were far too crazy a 9-year-old boy like him. Just like his dad and mom, he even blames Jay”telling on his parents and cousins about it”. Uncle Jay, Aunt Jo, Howard, Kristen, Tyler, Rose, and Justin would not have found out about the party if it were not for Jay. Jay even states to Antony that senior high school boys are akin to predators who take advantage of innocent little children if they are not cautious, especially when their targets are 126-pound pre-tween boys. Antony would retort by stating that he weighs 124 pounds and is not as innocent as he looks, although he admits that he is. Jay then leads Antony to the family living room to finally face his parents and his cousins/legal guardians. Uncle Jay, Aunt Jo, Howard, Kristen, Tyler, Rose, Justin, Jay, and Antony wear the same attire as they did in the previous scene. Amanda is in a black silk dress shirt, black dress pants, and black high-heeled shoes while Chase is in a light blue polo shirt, a grey wool vest, dark grey pants, white and black golf shoes. (The Perez Family Living Room. AMANDA is seated on an armchair in the left. HOWARD, KRISTEN, JUSTIN, ROSE, and TYLER are seated on the sofa in the centre. CHASE is seated on another armchair in the right. GREGORY and JOSEPHINE are pacing around. They are all nervously anticipating ANTONY’S return. JAY enters the living room with ANTONY looking down with remorse, unsure if he is going to face his family.) JAY: Hey, everybody, look what I found. (GREGORY, JOSEPHINE, HOWARD, KRISTEN, JUSTIN, ROSE, TYLER, AMANDA, and CHASE glance at JAY and ANTONY. Knowing what is going to occur between GREGORY, JOSEPHINE, HOWARD, KRISTEN, TYLER, ROSE, JUSTIN, and ANTONY, AMANDA and CHASE depart from the living room in a huff.) KRISTEN (at ANTONY): Are you all right? ANTONY (hesitantly): Yeah, I…I’m all right. (GREGORY is sighing with relief while still angry at ANTONY. JOSEPHINE comforts him.) JAY: Now, we got a volatile situation here. A cannonball if you will. A mishandling of this situation could have repercussions that will reverberate forever. GREGORY: Justin, call your brother and tell him that he’s about to lose a close relative. JOSEPHINE: Indeed. Kristen you do the same and call your sister to tell her the same thing. JAY: Imma call them myself. (JAY departs from the living room, as ANTONY steps forward. He looks down in fear of what is going to occur. GREGORY and JOSEPHINE approach ANTONY.) GREGORY: Look. We can ground you forever. We could put bars on your windows. We could put locks on your doors. JOSEPHINE: Furthermore, we can deprive you of your allowance and bar you from any activity you would have participated in. ANTONY: Mom, dad– GREGORY, JOSEPHINE (in unison): Don’t “mom, dad” us! GREGORY: Do you have any idea what you put this family through?! Running around with God knows what with God knows who! ANTONY: If I had asked you, you wouldn’t have let me go. JOSEPHINE: Exactly! You are nine years old! You have no business at a party with junior and senior high school boys! ANTONY: All my friends were there! GREGORY, JOSEPHINE (in unison): Your friends don’t live here! (GREGORY and JOSEPHINE compose and calm themselves down.) GREGORY: We can’t do this. JOSEPHINE (at HOWARD, KRISTEN, JUSTIN, ROSE, and TYLER still sitting on the couch): You five talk to your cousin. We’re done. (GREGORY and JOSEPHINE depart from the living room to the direction of the dining hall. ANTONY paces forward to HOWARD, KRISTEN, JUSTIN, ROSE, and TYLER on the couch.) ANTONY: You all hate me. (HOWARD turns towards ANTONY.) HOWARD: Antony, if that were true, we wouldn’t care when you did something foolish like this. (GREGORY re-enters the living room stamping and raging while HOWARD, KRISTEN, JUSTIN, ROSE, and TYLER look demurely.) GREGORY: What you have to understand is that we know what’s best for you! It may not seem like it now, but one day you’ll understand that! End of discussion! (GREGORY exits the living room and heads to the stairs. ANTONY peers if his father is returning and moves one step forward towards his cousins/legal guardians on the couch.) ANTONY: Guys, don’t you understand? TYLER: Yes, we understand. ROSE: We understand you…
All right, ladies, gentlemen, and fellow devotees of anything and everything from the 1990s. Here is the moment you have all been waiting for. The first scene of the “It’s a Wonderful Lie”-inspired episode I would have loved to find myself in if I were back in the 90s to the early 2000s as a rising child star. Seeing that this episode would have been filmed and aired back in early 2001, I figured this would have been the first moment that I would have enjoyed performing in. As for the show’s and the episode’s names, the show would have been christened as L.A. Dynasty with Lil J’ rapping the theme song while the episode would have been called “Your Lying Heart”. I would also like to bring up L.A. Dynasty’s version of Geoffrey the Butler who would have been played Idris Elba, be christened as Michael Wellington, and be just as sardonic, sassy, brash, and flash as Joseph Marcell if not a whole lot sassier than Marcell. For those of you who remember the scene where Ashley gets dragged home by Will and is confronted by Uncle Phil and Aunt Viv where she actually was, i.e. instead of ice-skating she was kissing a linebacker at a college party, you will remember how the scene ends with Uncle Phil and Aunt Viv demanding that Ashley go up to her room and think about what she has done while Will interjected that the guy Ashley was kissing not a fullback but a linebacker. Even before this scene, Will has even lied to his girlfriend Lisa that he had basketball practice before finding out what was actually going on. Just as Will is about to fetch Lisa’s jacket in the bedroom, he finds out that Ashley was making out with a college linebacker. Where my character Antony is concerned, he states to his parents and cousins/legal guardians that he is going to the arcade with his friends, but is actually going to a party hosted by junior and senior high school students at Aristotle Academy’s common room, which is the same one Jay (Jonathan McDaniel aka Lil’ J) is going to and where his girlfriend Carla (Charlotte Church) ends up confronting him about his lie about partaking in a basketball game. Just as Carla demands that Jay fetch her jacket in the backroom, he finds not one, not two, not three, but four high school jocks leaving the premises. One muscular jock is tan-skinned with brown hair by the name of Hercules. The second is fair-skinned, orange-haired, and more muscular than Hercules by the name of Ares. The third is also tan-skinned, silver-haired, blue-eyed, and muscular by the name of Triton. The fourth and final one is lean and fair-skinned with jet black hair by the name of Hermes. After the four of them scramble out of the backroom, Antony comes out, as Jay screams, “LITTLE BOY, NO!” You can only guess what Antony, a 9-year-old sixth-grader, was doing with four 18-year-old senior high-schoolers. Antony then gets dragged home by Jay and Carla, who are still arguing while he is screaming to Jay that he is not a little boy anymore. Jay sardonically exclaims to Carla that she should explain to him what these high school parties are about. Carla even exclaims to him that, in junior and senior high school parties, there are a bunch of pathetic guys who want to take advantage of anybody naive. The first scene with my character, my cousin/surrogate older brother Jay (Jonathan McDaniel aka Lil’ J), my parents Gregory “Uncle Greg” and Josephine “Aunt Jo” (Mark Dacasos and Candace Kita), and my cousins/legal guardians Howard, Kristen, Tyler, Rose, and Justin (David Yost, Amy Jo Johnson, Walter Emanuel Jones, Thuy Trang, and Austin St. John) ensues after Carla leaves, and it takes place in the Perez mansion, specifically in the family kitchen. My character Antony wears a black sweatshirt with blue jeans and black sneakers. Jay wears a white and blue jacket, khaki pants, and silver sneakers. Gregory wears a purple sweater, beige pants, and brown leather shoes. Josephine is in a magenta dress shirt, white dress pants, and gold high-heeled shoes. Howard is in blue, Kristen is in pink, Tyler is in black with a purple vest, Rose is in yellow with a black and gold vest, and Justin is in a red sleeveless shirt just like the clothes David Yost, Amy Jo Johnson, Walter Emanuel Jones, Thuy Trang, and Austin St John wore in the “Five a Day” commercial. JAY: Antony! Listen! I am not playing with you, boy, now what is your problem? ANTONY: It is none of your business, Jay! JAY: Oh, I find my 9-year-old little brother from another mother locked in the backroom with a linebacker, a weightlifter, a swimmer, and a triathlete and that ain’t none of my business? (GREGORY and JOSEPHINE enter the kitchen, overhearing what JAY exclaimed to ANTONY, and they are not pleased, given their icy glares at JAY and ANTONY. JAY and ANTONY turn to see GREGORY and JOSEPHINE glaring at them.) JAY: Hey, peeps. (GREGORY and JOSEPHINE still do not say a word and are still glaring angrily.) JAY (hesitantly): Um. We was just talking about a movie we had just seen. Um. The movie. It was about four athletes and a high school. You know, and Philip Seymour Hoffman played the coach. GREGORY and JOSEPHINE: Shut up, Jay! JAY: Is that the family room? (JAY departs from the kitchen and goes to the PEREZ family living room. ANTONY is glancing down and shaking nervously, as GREGORY and JOSEPHINE still glare at him. ANTONY knows he is caught red-handed.) JOSEPHINE: All right, young man, out with it. ANTONY: All right. I didn’t go to the arcade. I went to a party. And, yes, I was with four guys, but I was just touching their muscles– GREGORY: You have no…
Hello, everybody. Antoni, here. Ever since I have been watching and rewatching The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, I thought to myself, what if I were a child actor from the mid to late 1990s to the early 2000s who was also more than thirty to fifty pounds lighter than when I was a child? This thought sprung forth as I was watching Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’s “It’s a Wonderful Lie” on repeat as well as the “5 A Day” commercial starring David Yost as Billy, Amy Jo Johnson as Kimberley, Walter Emanuel Jones as Zack, Thuy Trang as Trini, and Austin St. John as Jason. As for the whole child actor of the 90s to 2000s deal, I would have found myself playing the intellectual yet impish youngest child, Antony, of the Perez family with Mark Dacasos as my father Gregory, Candace Kita as my mother Josephine, David; Amy Jo; Walter; Thuy; and Austin as my cousins/legal guardians Howard, Kristen, Tyler, Rose, and Justin, Jason David Frank and Catherine Sutherland as Austin’s older brother Jordan and Amy Jo’s younger sister Caitlin, Adrienne Bailon as my eldest sister Amanda, Jonathan McDaniel aka Lil J’ as my cousin/surrogate elder brother Jay, and Tahj Mowry as my second elder brother Chase. Therefore, I would have been the Ashley Banks to Mark’s and Candace’s Uncle Phil, David’s; Amy Jo’s; Walter’s; Thuy’s; and Austin’s Aunt Viv, Jason’s and Catherine’s Aunt Vy, Adrienne’s Hilary, Jonathan’s Will, and Tahj’s Carlton, thus making Jonathan aka Lil’ J the main star of the show, having it be a multiracial and multiethnic late 90s/early 2000s version of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air still set in Los Angeles, and airing on NBC just like its predecessor from 1998 to 2002. Furthermore, Quincy Jones, Benny Medina, Andy and Susan Borowitz, and even Will Smith and Alfonso Ribeiro would have had a hand at making this show come to fruition. Although Lil J’, character name Jay, would be the show’s main star as a relative who ends up living with a wealthy multiethnic family and becomes integrated in high society while pulling off his set of hijinks, my character, Antony, would begin the show as a dutiful, respectful, prodigious, and intellectual youngest son who is smart beyond his years and is so loving towards his parents, his cousins/legal guardians, and his surrogate elder brother while being peeved yet inwardly loving towards his eldest sister and his elder brother. Out of all his family members, Antony would have the closest relationship with his cousins/legal guardians Howard, Kristen, Tyler, Rose, and Justin, who are also college students training to become teachers, because, whenever Antony’s dad and mom have to deal with Amanda’s materialism, Jay’s shenanigans, and Chase’s high and mighty attitude, he would always flock to them for advice and a lot of unconditional love. Antony might have begun the show as an inquisitive second-grader of 6 years old, but in the “It’s a Wonderful Lie”-inspired episode, which would have aired back in 2001, he would be a mouthier 9-year-old sixth grader with an attitude as well as ambitions of becoming an R&B star. Just because Antony ended up skipping grades because of his prodigious intellect did not mean he was emotionally mature as proven by this episode. I hope you enjoyed this basic picture of how this is going to unfold. Stay tuned for the real thing, everybody.
El Gran Señor Placido Domingo takes on another iconic Verdi baritone role with a cavalcade of great soloists! Enjoy the review and let me know your opinions as well.
Short answer. These young ladies have a bright future ahead of them. Long answer. Tune into this review.
Now, this is a story all about how this reunion got my heart flipped turned upside down, and I’d like to take a minute just sit right there. I’ll tell you how my last Red Ribbon Reviewers 2021 contribution went out with a bang with Will Smith and company.
I speak for nearly every Fresh Prince of Bel-Air fan and every fan of the original Aunt Viv when I say that this reconciliation was a healing necessity. Enjoy my tribute to Will Smith’s Red Table Talk Takeover.
Happy New Year, everybody. Antoni here. It is time to get this jungle heated up with a horde of muscular jungle warrior kings and a couple of well-built jungle queens. Whether I have enjoyed drawing my three favourite Filipino musclemen Fernando from Doodle of Doom plus Init-Init and Bernardo Carpio from the PSICOM comics, my four favourite jungle king brothers in animation George of the Jungle, Basuli, Tarzan, and Maugli who have found themselves in romantic relationships with one Greek demigod Hercules and two Powhatan warriors Namontack and Kocoum, my seven most beloved jungle brothers in comics and animation Conan of Cimmeria, Ka-Zar of the Savage Lands, Zula of the Wasai, Tarzan of the Dell Comics, Kavandavanda, Malb’yat, and Aroc, and, most of all, the Splendid Seven consisting of Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha, Ayame, Shuran, Hakkaku, Ginta, and Shunran with Inuyasha x Ayame and Ginta x Shunran being my two most beloved Inuyasha OTPs of all time, I always enjoyed drawing them. I even hope that they continue to receive a lot more love because it is a lot of fun seeing these jungle warriors do their thing. George of the Jungle, Basuli, Tarzan, and Maugli are the closest of brothers, given how they were raised very well by the dear old dad Chief Keewazi, and consider themselves the most huggable of jungle muscle brothers. They are also fortunate to be surrounded by best friends like Fernando, Init-Init, and Bernardo Carpio, for they consider them to be brothers from other mothers. Sure, they enjoy their bodybuilding pose-downs, wrestling matches, and admiring each others’ muscles, but they get serious by building a formidable muscle wall and flexing their tremendous biceps to show to their enemies that they mean business. Their feral sides would then show when they attack their enemies with their bare hands, furious fists, and magnificent muscles. After every battle, they keep themselves warm by huddling to each other in the nude as they fall asleep. In order to keep themselves fit, Fernando, Init-Init, Bernardo, George, Basuli, Tarzan, and Maugli would partake in weightlifting, bodybuilding pose-downs, wrestling, boxing, kickboxing, swimming, diving, and even hunting and gathering with their bare hands, claws, and fangs. This is especially true since Basuli and Tarzan tend to be the most feral of the brothers. George’s, Basuli’s, Tarzan’s, and Maugli’s love lives are just as dynamic and beautiful. Basuli and Tarzan have been both happily married to Namontack and Kocoum ever since they were teenagers and have families of their own complete with children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. To this day, Namontack x Basuli and Kocoum x Tarzan are still the jungle’s most beautiful couples ever. George of the Jungle and Maugli are just as fortunate to be in love with Namontack and Kocoum because of how protective and huggable they are to the point where both Basuli and Tarzan do not mind if George makes love with Namontack and Maugli makes love with Kocoum. This is because both Basuli and Tarzan also have a handsome lover in Hercules. Although, Hercules has been the best of friends with George, Basuli, Tarzan, and Maugli since they were children, Hercules has always fancied Basuli and Tarzan a lot more because they are just as strong, brave, and physically formidable as he is, and he always considered the bond he has with both Basuli and Tarzan to be special. In fact, Hercules has inherited his father Zeus’s signature charm in that he has become the apple of Namontack’s, Kocoum’s, George’s, Basuli’s, Tarzan’s, and Maugli’s eyes. Zeus, Powhatan, and Keewazi even remark how greatly their sons have been getting together with each other. Combining Namontack’s and Basuli’s as well as Kocoum’s and Tarzan’s happy marriage, George and Maugli finding themselves in equally loving relationships with Namontack and Basuli, and Basuli and Tarzan loving Hercules to bits, there is no stopping these jungle warriors from letting their family grow and grow under the mantle of love, joy, and prosperity. Whether it is touching each others’ muscles or making sweet love to each other, with the patterns being Namontack x Basuli, Kocoum x Tarzan, Namontack x George, Kocoum x Maugli, Basuli x Hercules x Tarzan, Namontack x Hercules x Kocoum or George x Hercules x Maugli, there will always be room for that sexy, virile, handsome love. Even their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren love the fact that their fathers and uncles have been remaining in wonderfully harmonious and loving relationships. Strong brotherly love is just as phenomenal when Conan, Ka-Zar, Zula, Tarzan, Kavandavanda, Malb’yat, and Aroc step to the podium. Conan’s fierceness, Ka-Zar’s endurance, Zula’s loyalty, Tarzan’s formidability, Kavandavanda’s charm, Malb’yat’s toughness, and Aroc’s lovability have brought them together as brothers even to the point where they have become united as a virile family. They have even made names for themselves by making their own jungle gym focusing on weightlifting, muscle-building, bodybuilding, wrestling, boxing, kickboxing, swimming, and diving. With that strong brotherly love comes that sense of competition that unites seven of them as the strongest, handsomest, and most virile of brothers. They always love having wrestling, bodybuilding, and weightlifting matches with each other because they keep each other alive. They even pass it on to their progeny, specifically onto Dan-El, Natongo, Korak, Bomba, Jason, Dick, and Dom, for they have become just as super strong as their fathers and uncles. They would even invite John Carter, Kaanga, Ki-Gor, Zembla, Jo-Jo, Akim, and Tor for wrestling and bodybuilding matches. Therefore, Conan, Ka-Zar, Zula, Tarzan, Kavandavanda, Malb’yat, and Aroc continue to be the super strong and super handsome jungle brothers that they are. Sesshoumaru, Shuran, Hakkaku, Inuyasha, Ayame, Ginta, and Shunran are in their element when it comes to being jungle warlords. Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha, and Ayame may be the lord high priest, king, and queen of the jungle, but their surrogate siblings are just as vital, considering that Shuran is the bodyguard of the jungle, Hakkaku is the messenger of the jungle, Ginta is the captain of the guard of the jungle, and Shunran…
Whether he portrayed dangerous opponents, formidable fathers or sagacious mentors, James Avery was always the man reliable for the job. Enjoy my tribute to the late, great James Avery, especially when it comes to his portrayals of The Shredder, Chief Keewazi, and Uncle Phil, everybody.