May | 2011 | Sorbo Writer's Blog

Kevin Sorbo hosts Doobie Brothers at upcoming celebrity golf tournament

May 29, 2011 sorbowriter 2 comments

Two groups unite to support Kevin Sorbo’s Celebrity Golf Tournament

May 28, 2011 sorbowriter 5 comments

Oh, my! I am so excited by this news that I could hardly wait to share it!

The Fan Sponsorship for this year’s Kevin Sorbo Annual Celebrity Golf Tournament that benefits his charity, A World Fit For Kids! (WFIT), is combining efforts with his Official European Kevin Sorbo Fan Club (OEKSFC) to raise funds for this fabulous event. Together we are hoping to sponsor a pair or even a foursome of golfers, or whatever Kevin needs.

As many of you know, the OEKSFC offers fans the opportunity to donate to WFIT via their annual Kevin Sorbo Birthday Project that closes at the end of September (his birthday is September 24). They also present a chance to send Kevin personal well wishes via their Birthday Book, which will be available soon on their website to sign for free. They add your messages to a beautifully designed book and send it along with the donations to Kevin.

The Fan Sponsorship, which began last year, collects donations specifically for Kevin’s Tournament to support it and WFIT. Perhaps we can surpass last year’s total of over $1,000.00 that was raised with the help of Stripe, president of the former Official International Kevin Sorbo Fan Club (OIKSFC) and was presented by Tonya at the Tournament. Thank you, Stripe and Tonya! And many thanks to all who donated!

This year the OEKSFC triumvirate of Lindsey, Anne, and Heidi graciously agreed to accept the Fan Sponsorship donations as part of their Birthday Project. They created a really cool page on their website with a link to where and how you can send your gifts. Thank you so much, my friends!

Here are the links:

OEKSFC Birthday Project:

http://kevin-sorbo.blogspot.com/p/birthdayprojekt-2011.html

Kevin Sorbo Annual Charity Golf Tournament Facebook Group:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=272373144107

WFIT:

http://www.worldfitforkids.org/

Watch for news at Kevin’s Tournament page:

http://www.worldfitforkids.org/golf/

(Images courtesy of Kevin Sorbo and OEKSFC)

Executive Producer Jerry B. Jenkins discusses Kevin Sorbo’s “What If…”

May 18, 2011 sorbowriter 3 comments

Author Jerry B. Jenkins has written over 175 books, including the popular Left Behind series and best-selling novel, Riven. His work has appeared in magazines like Time, Reader’s Digest, Parade and Guideposts.

Jenkins attended the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago, The Loop College (Chicago), and William Harper College (Palatine, IL). He received honorary Doctorate degrees from Indiana’s Bethel College and Huntington University, Illinois’ International University and Colorado Christian University. Additionally, he taught advanced journalism in the graduate schools of Wheaton College, Moody, and Kenya’s Daystar University.

The former editor of Moody Magazine now chairs Moody Bible Institute’s Board of Trustees and is a contributing editor to Writer’s Digest. He owns the Christian Writers Guild that offers conferences, contests, critiques, community and several email courses taught by personal mentors.

Jenkins also owns Jenkins Entertainment, a Chicago filmmaking company that produced critically-acclaimed movies, such as Hometown, Legend, and Midnight Clear. The company’s 2010 release, What If…, directed by his son Dallas, won a Special Teddy Award in the category, “The Ten Best 2010 Movies for Families” at this year’s 19th Annual MOVIEGUIDE® Faith & Values Awards Gala and Report to the Entertainment Industry, as well as garnered the Grace Award for “Most Inspiring Performance in Movies in 2010” for its male lead, Kevin Sorbo.

The Kalamazoo, MI, native was Executive Producer of the faith-based film that played in theaters nationwide for five months and is now available on DVD in stores, on Netflix and via the internet. His role was to “put up most of the money,” he stated in an interview with this writer.

“My son Dallas (the director) and I are big fans of It’s a Wonderful Life, and this is sort of a modern take on that classic,” Jenkins explained. “The best thing about working with Dallas is that we can talk in shorthand, speak bluntly to each other, and not worry about the future of the relationship. Plus, we know our areas of strength. He was born to do this. I’m a word and story man. He uses me where he needs me.”

Jenkins said that the message of What If… is to “be sure to follow your true calling.” He added that the audience response “has been overwhelming,” and that he was thrilled when the film and three of its stars (Sorbo, Kristy Swanson and John Ratzenberger) were nominated for Movieguide awards, “especially given that we seemed to be the only Indie (film) in the mix. Everybody recognizes the titles of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Toy Story 3, Despicable Me, etc. Being in such company gave us instant credibility and visibility.”

Regarding working with Sorbo, who played Ben Walker in the PureFlix release, and the actor’s subsequent Grace Award Jenkins maintained that the former Hercules (“Hercules: The Legendary Journeys”) and Captain Dylan Hunt (“Gene Roddenberry’s Andromeda”) “proved to be a classy pro and much deeper than just an action hero, as many people know him from T.V.

“I wasn’t there (at the Movieguide Gala), but I was thrilled when Dallas texted that Kevin had won. Well deserved.”

Why should people watch and/or buy What If…?

“The humor alone would attract me to it,” stated Jenkins, “but it has so much more… great story, pathos, (and) deeper meaning.”

Buy What If… today! http://tinyurl.com/4dwuo7e

It’s also available on Netflix: http://www.netflix.com/Movie/What-If…/70170852

See these What If… websites for more movie information:

http://www.thewhatifmovie.com/

http://www.pureflix.com/

Here’s where to find Jerry:

Website: http://www.jerryjenkins.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/jerrybjenkins

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jerry.b.jenkins

[Photos by Jim Whitmer(l) and Beverly Bender(r)]

Kevin Sorbo’s Grace Award acceptance speech

May 16, 2011 sorbowriter 3 comments

The Hallmark Movie Channel recently aired an edited version of the 19th Annual MOVIEGUIDE® Faith & Values Awards Gala & Report to the Entertainment Industry that occurred February 18, 2011. Kevin Sorbo hosted the exciting event at which he won the coveted Grace Award for “Most Inspiring Performance in Movies in 2010” for his excellent portrayal of Ben Walker in the Jenkins Entertainment film, What If…

Dean Cain (star of “Lois & Clark”) presented the award to Kevin. They joked together, then Kevin offered his moving acceptance speech.

Here is their exchange followed by Kevin’s touching words:

Dean Cain: The Grace Award for movies is… Kevin Sorbo. That’s a lot of Kevin tonight.

Kevin Sorbo: So, that’s why I get to host. You know, Dean and I actually were head-to-head back in 1993 for the part of Clark Kent on “Lois & Clark.” He got it…

Everybody says it, but, honest to God, thank you, God. I was not expecting this, and this is very, very humbling. I thank you all. I thank you, Ted (Baehr). I thank you, Movieguide. And I’m amazed. Thank you. God Bless.

Congratulations, again, Kevin. We are all so proud of you and your achievements!

(Kevin Sorbo photos courtesy of Henri Raynaud; award photos courtesy of Kevin Sorbo)

Kevin Sorbo at Cannes by photographer Andreas Rentz

May 14, 2011 sorbowriter 6 comments

Kevin is currently premiering four of his movies at France’s Cannes Film Festival: Soul Surfer, Avarice, Poolboy: Drowning Out the Fury, and Julia X. Here are some fantastic pictures by photographer Andreas Rentz. Please see more images here: http://tinyurl.com/6xzh35l

(Photos courtesy of Andreas Rentz/Getty Images Europe)

Kevin Sorbo: “Why don’t you like me, I’m sweet!”

May 7, 2011 sorbowriter 7 comments

To celebrate Mother’s Day here’s an incredibly touching story from our amazing friend Mara in Brazil. I won’t tell you any more… You need to read it. But be prepared… I cried, and so might you. Thank you, dear Mara, and Happy Mother’s Day to all!

In 2007 I was going to meet Kevin at Dragon Con. I was really excited about it because the first time I met him was in 2001 in Denver a long time ago. Plus, I was going to meet lovely great fans I had only met on the internet.

At that time I was dealing with some hard health issues, but it was a wonderful, special Con. I had a wonderful time; it was all magic! Kevin kept smiling at us and joking around, and we all had a great time. Thank you for that, Kevin!

It’s been three days, and on day two, I was at Kevin’s line again and again… I had already bought a lot of special photos for some Brazilian fans and friends, so I decided the next one would be a gift for my mom.

Kevin was not her type, I knew that… My mom always loved kind of fat men, and she kept telling me Kevin was not her kind of “macho man”…

“He’s too sweet; he‘s too kind. I like not-so-gentle men,” (she said).

When I approached Kevin’s table I started looking for the right photo… I liked the preacher… bearded, not so clean, maybe she would like that one… So, I took it from the table and gave it to Kevin for signing. I wrote my mom’s name on a piece of paper so he would be able to correctly spell it.

And I stared at Kevin and casually told him, “This one is for my mom. She doesn’t like you…”

Kevin stopped, looked up at me and repeated, “She doesn’t like me… Why????”

And I said, “Well, you’re not the type of man she thinks to be sexy, not fat enough…”

Then Kevin took his pen, smiled and wrote: “To Ylner! Why don’t you like me, I’m sweet!”

When I came back home I gave her the photo. She could not believe me! Kevin signed her a photo, just for her! With a sweet sexual suggestion in it… so funny!

I’m going to tell you, my mom had a hard time most of her life: Her dad passed away too early; she married my dad, a poor man with alcohol issues; (and) she raised eight kids with almost not enough resources. She was a brave, sad lady!

After that she kept telling me Kevin was never her type, but she framed the photo and kept it in her T.V. room till the day she passed away last November… Now the photo remains with me.

Some way Kevin was special for her because my mom only used to frame photos of her kids and grandkids…

Kevin, you were the only man she kept framed at home… Guess you made her change her mind.