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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend December 11, 2005 Shelby Young and Greg Robbins act in a scene from �Pastor Greg,� when the show was filmed in Merlin. A Pittsburgh studio has since picked up the show, and it�s set for nationwide broadcast in January. Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell TV whiz puts God first in ‘Pastor Greg’ sitcom By JOHN DARLING for the Mail Tribune "Pastor Greg," the Christian sitcom that began production in Grants Pass two years ago, is elbowing its way into the big time, with appearances recently on "Good Morning America," Pat Robertson’s "700 Club" and regular prime time starting January on the evangelical Trinity Broadcast Network. The "nonpreachy" comedy — based on one-word themes, such as temptation, patience, stress, faith — was designed by local actor-writer Greg Robbins to appeal to young adults and middle-agers of any or no religion. Since moving production to Cornerstone TeleVision in Pittsburgh, Pa., a year and a half ago, "Pastor Greg," with Robbins in the title role, has found air slots on 131 mainstream stations reaching half the U.S. and six other countries — and has drawn a solid audience among children and non-Christians, he said. While Cornerstone shares profits from shows it produces, Robbins has retained all rights and is in talks to license the show, in addition to TBN, to Fox and Hallmark channels, he said. If any network wants exclusive rights, "they’ll have to pay a whole lot," he said. The shows cost about $30,000 an episode, with the five actors each paid $750 to $900 a week, he added. "We’re not talking astronomical salaries. That’s the difference between us and other sitcoms," said Robbins. "The broadcast quality is the same, all shot in HD (high definition). People get mad at me for saying this, but I didn’t want it to look like Christian television. It had to be top quality." Advertisement Robbins said the show is "building and aiming for the big time." In its favor is the fact, noted by talk host David Frost, that viewers allow themselves to be entertained in their living rooms by people they wouldn’t let into their homes, Robbins said. "Pastor Greg is lovable and approachable. The rest of TV tries to hold audiences by resorting to sex and put-downs. It’s inundated, and 120 million people are going to watch sitcoms like that tonight. I’ve set out to change the face of TV and show that God has a sense of humor." Robbins believes his show will get national legs because it eschews preachy, sanctimonious messages and talks to the mainstream in everyday language — "no ‘praise Jesus!’ " "That stuff makes me sick. Pastor Greg is an ex-gambler-playboy who is still the same guy, but loves Jesus," said Robbins. "He steps into a small-town church, is loosely dressed and has long hair. If I’m going to lose any audience in this unorthodox approach, I want it to be them: the heavy-handed Christians." Is prime-time ready for an openly religious sitcom? Robbins doesn’t skip a beat. Hollywood and prime time are ready for just one thing — money — and if the show gets ratings and makes money, it’s in. "All network executives care about is money, and if you produce a show where you kill your grandmother on live TV and it makes money, they would do it. I was in Hollywood most of my career," said Robbins, 46, who became a Christian 16 years ago. "It’s like looking in the eyes of the devil. These people are evil." The show’s two pilots were shot in 2002 at Merlin Community Church, north of Grants Pass and, in 2003, at River Valley Community Church in Grants Pass. Robbins is writer, star and director of the show, as well as director of program development with Cornerstone. A full season of 22 half-hour shows was shot there for the 2004-05 season. Robbins has begun writing the 2005-06 season, which will be taped before a live audience. In next year’s season, noted film actor Jennifer O’Neal ("Summer of ‘42") will play Pastor Greg’s mother. Robbins appeared on "Fox and Friends" and "Living Alive" (ABC Family Channel), and will go on "Larry King Live" in January, he said. Surveys show 30 percent of buyers of the show’s DVDs are not Christians — "it’s so cool that it brought the family together. We were going for the 25 to 54 demographic and, wow, kids are watching it with them," Robbins said. "I started in 1996 writing these scripts and they got a lot of funny looks in Hollywood for a long time," he said. "But God gave me the vision for the show and it’s great to see it come to life now." On the Web www.pastorgreg.tv and www.ctvn.org John Darling is a freelance writer living in Ashland. E-mail him at [email protected]. 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