You may know the guys in Band From TV, but not necessarily for their music. As the band’s name suggests the members are from TV—as in they all star in television series. Playing for fun but not for profit, BFTV has an altruistic ulterior motive: the money they earn goes to charity.
BFTV was started several years ago by Heroes and Love Bites star Greg Grunberg. His band mates include Desperate Housewives star James Denton; Jesse Spencer and Hugh Laurie, both currently in House; Grunberg's Heroes co-star Adrian Pasdar; Scott Grimes of ER; and Bob Guiney, who appeared on The Bachelor and is now the daily host of GSN: Live.
Grunberg says on BFTV’s website, "Having band mates who also happen to be in some of the most popular shows on television creates an amazing opportunity to really reach out to our fans to help support these wonderful causes.” The band has raised more than $2 million since its inception.
The band’s members play on behalf of a diverse set of charitable organizations, from the Epilepsy Foundation (supported along with TalkAboutIt.org by BFTV founder Grunberg) to Save the Children (Laurie’s charity). The Conservation Fund, The Art of Elysium, the Taia Peace Foundation, Lupus LA, and the Indiana University-Kenya Partnership are all beneficiaries of the band’s efforts.
Due to the nature of their usual schedules, BFTV most often gigs in the Los Angeles area. But, at the end of this month, June 25-27, they will be rocking my hometown, the city of Chicago, with a whole schedule of events, including free concerts at Harry Caray’s on Navy Pier and Taste of Chicago. BFTV will be playing a concert Saturday night, June 26, to benefit The Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Chicago at the Vic Theatre, and on Sunday, the band will enter the realm of one of baseball’s legendary rivalries at the Cubs/Sox game, where they are scheduled to perform before the game, sing the “Star Spangled Banner” and throw out the first pitch!
I caught up with House’s Jesse Spencer the other day by phone to talk to him about the upcoming BFTV weekend in Chicago (and, yes, I snuck in a couple questions about House as well). The slightly jet-lagged Spencer had just been back in LA a couple of days and getting ready to join his House cast mates back on set next week as they begin filming season seven of the hit show.
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Article comments
1 - Orange450
Fantastic article, Barbara! Thank you so much!! Great background and details about the band. And honestly, no one does an interview quite like you do. The way you convey the conversation, it feels like I can actually hear Jesse Spencer speaking (oh, that accent! :))
He sounds like a real mentsch, in every way. What a delightful guy. And I truly admire his work ethic.
“It was perfect, because I wanted to play again, and I need an excuse. I needed to have something to work towards, so that provided the perfect outlet.” Spencer noted that it’s win-win “all 'round.” Band members get to have fun while raising money for good causes. And"fans of the actors get to see them doing something completely different. “It’s a perfect combination,” he said. "
This rings so true! Kudos to both of you :)
2 - barbara barnett
Thanks. It was fun talking to Jesse. He's a great guy and a good sport talking to me jet lagged :)
3 - madfashionista
Brava! What a wonderful interview. I could picture you sitting across from Jesse and talking to him. If I was sitting across from him, not much talking would get done (although he might file a restraining order afterwards). As always well done!
4 - barbara barnett
Thanks madfashionista. Alas, the interview was by phone. Maybe next time across a table!
5 - Olga Parera
Really nice interview! Jesse is a sweetheart. I'd really like that the band releases a second album, it'll be awesome
6 - Alex
Jesse is a sweetheart, but really, if there's one thing this third pseudo-team lacks is chemistry.
I would also like he got a meatier story, they must have kept him for something.
7 - Nikki
Thank you so much for the interview! Chase is my favourite character on House. I am glad he's not going to jail. He deserves better! I do hope they'll give Jesse some great stuff alongside Hugh Laurie, probably tackling the issue of guilt with the Dibala case (if it has to be addressed at all). There's chemistry there! I would like to see BFTV but must make the jump over the big pond first... they seem to be awesome. I hope Jesse won't need the cane when shooting begins. ;)
Thanks, as always, for great insight!
8 - Pam
Thank you. As always, very well written. Cute that he had to use a cane.
Do you know how to get the schedule of when they are playing where?
9 - Barbara barnett
Yes. I have one. Ill post later today
10 - Greg Grunberg
For more info on our band
11 - Barbara barnett
Greg. Thanks for stopping by. Link will appear in the article proper in a bit. Looking forward to seeing the band in chicago.
12 - simona
thanks! nice interview, Jesse is really nice. And I must admit I'd like to see Chase walking with a cane... a kind of House's alter-ego (only briefly) :-)
13 - Jacquelyn
Great article! It's been wonderful to see Jesse Spencer's character grow and change on House through the years. Hopefully we'll have more singing from him soon. And hopefully BFTV will come my way soon, too. :)
14 - Ariane
Nice article, Barbara! I've enjoyed reading your [H]ouse, MD articles since late Feb. 2008 when I first discovered the show. I also grew up in the North Shore of Chicago; I'll be there visiting family during the Taste of Chicago and hope to see/hear Band from TV playing there. The last time I saw them play live was at The Grove in L.A. in Nov. 2008. They are a very talented group and a lot of fun to watch; Chicago is in for a treat!
Here's a useful link about Band from TV in Chicago.
I also enjoyed the following article where you were interviewed.
Best,
Ariane (now in San Diego)
15 - Grace
I like Jesse more and more as time goes on.
So Barb, I guess you'll be seeing Hugh with the band soon huh? How exciting is that!!
I hope you get to talk to him b/c I could never. I've met and spoken to celebs before, but I just can't imagine what I could say to Hugh that would mean a bloody thing to him. Know what I mean?
16 - A Geek Girl
I really must pull my head out of my books sometime. I'd never heard about any of this. Okay. I'm hooked. Where do I sign up?