North Las Vegas in the spotlight

Las Vegas may be seen more often on the big and small screens, but its neighbor to the north has its own time in the spotlight.

Reality TV meets Meats

The Food Network’s "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" stamp is forever placed at John Mull’s Meats, 3730 Thom Blvd.

A production crew paid visit to the longtime meat market last month, and host Guy Fieri left his autograph and signature spray painted visage on one of its walls, said owner Chuck Frommer.

A producer reached out to Frommer last summer on a recommendation that Mull’s Meats had the best ribs in town. Timing halted cameras from rolling, though.

Catering season and Thanksgiving, a time when more than 2,000 turkeys were smoked and sold, proved too busy for Frommer to invite the crews in, he said.

"I told the producer we were still really interested, and she said, ‘Do you realize you’ve put me off three times now?’ " Frommer said.

Business settled down enough in March for the Food Network to visit.

Frommer estimated the crew got about 28 hours of footage, and he said they paid special interest to the market’s hot sticks, homemade seasonings and slow-cooked meats.

Although Fieri was only on site for about three hours, he and Frommer hit it off, Frommer said.

Frommer expects that the pair’s expletive-laden exchanges may need some work in the edit room, he said.

"It was like Comedy Central in here," he said. "Guy was so easy to work with and nice. It was like having your neighbors over or your best friend."

John Mull’s Meats’ segment is set to air this summer.

Stage to screen to stage

A reality TV personality is set to return to his hometown roots and familiar stages this month.

Daniel Kucan, known for being resident designer and carpenter on "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" and for co-hosting HGTV’s "Desperate Spaces," is to perform alongside his father Ken Kucan in the play "A Voyage Round My Father," at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, April 27 and 28 and 2 p.m. Sunday and April 29 in the BackStage Theatre on the College of Southern Nevada’s Cheyenne campus, 3200 E. Cheyenne Ave.

Kucan is expected to perform in John Mortimer’s autobiographical drama between shoots of a new unscripted program, he said, using an industry term.

"I have to be honest, I like reality TV," he said. "I like making it and, also, I like watching it. It moves fast. I get bored quickly, and I like to problem-solve quickly. Films move famously slow, and I didn’t enjoy it."

Kucan was a member of The Rainbow Company Youth Theatre from ages 7 through 17 and studied at New York University. He acted in film, television and theater, including stints on Broadway, before devoting more time and energy to design and carpentry.

A reality television executive commissioned Kucan for a piece in 2005 and ended up hiring him on the spot for "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," too.

The reality TV work schedule isn’t for the faint of heart, Kucan said.

"The show I’m doing now — and same for Extreme Makeover — it takes a toll," he said. "You can be on the road 200 days a year."

Kucan referred to a quote from colleague and reality television mastermind Tom Forman.

"He said, ‘We are saving other people’s lives at the expense of our own,’ " he said. "It takes a fierce amount of dedication."

Kucan was also featured in the "Command & Conquer" video games with his brother Joseph.

Kucan is to act his father in "A Voyage Round My Father" beginning this weekend.

For more information on the performances, call 651-5483 or visit csn.edu/pac.

Sizing up shrimp

Before the first harvests were netted, North Las Vegas’ Blue Oasis Pure Shrimp farm was featured on a slew of national and international outlets. ABC News, the BBC, "BusinessWeek," Forbes.com, MSNBC and a host of newspapers ventured to the shrimp farm to explore its methods.

Headlines highlighted its sustainability, opening in a downed economy or its mere existence in a desert setting.

Balling Attention

Michael Jordan and North Las Vegas were paired for a hole-in-one event last month.

The 11th Annual Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational was hosted at Shadow Creek Golf Course, 3 Shadow Creek Drive. International news outlets broadcast coverage of the festivities, including its fundraising gala.

The star-studded list of participants and attendees included Jordan, former MLB pitcher Roger Clemens, former MLB outfielder Ken Griffey Jr., former NHL player Wayne Gretzky, former boxer Sugar Ray Leonard, and entertainers Ashton Kutcher, Joey Fatone, LeAnn Rimes, Ne-Yo, Gabriel Aubry and Cedric "The Entertainer" Kyles.

Darker northern exposure

Harsher North Las Vegas realities were revealed in other national silver screen spots.

The History Channel’s "Gangland" devoted a 2009 episode to Las Vegas and included North Las Vegas’ notorious gang, the Donna Street Crips.

The episode, titled "Sin City," interviewed former members and followed the escapades of gang warfare rooted on one of North Las Vegas’ largest and most popular roadways.

North Las Vegas police officials declined to comment so as not to further glamorize the group.

The city was backdrop to a shooting within a shooting, too.

In April 2011, a production crew for Spike TV’s "Repo Games" got a dose of reality itself while filming near Centennial Parkway and Losee Road.

Former Clark County School District teacher Carlos E. Barron was arrested for firing shots at the crew after he mistakenly thought his vehicle was being repossessed.

The incident was featured in the July 2011 airing of the episode. No one was hurt in the shooting.

Contact Centennial and North Las Vegas View reporter Maggie Lillis at mlillis@viewnews.com or 477-3839.