Recently, Carly Rae Jepsen, the Grammy-nominated multi-platinum Canadian songstress, headlined a concert held at a “surprise location” (aka Thomas & Mack Center), in commemoration of National Bullying Prevention Month. #UniteLIVE: The Concert to Rock-Out Bullying was produced as a partnership between the USA Network’s Characters Unite public service initiative, R&R Partners Foundation’s Flip the Script anti-bullying group, and Cox Communications.

For a few weeks, in late summer, Carly Rae Jepson appealed to students, aged 13 to 18, via television spots on USA and Cox Communications, to join her and enter a sweepstakes to win all-expense trips to attend the concert. Ten of these winners (along with their parents or guardians) went on to win a sweepstakes, granting them a meet-and-greet with Carly Rae and the talent from a quartet of USA’s popular programs – Psych star and co-producer, James Roday; Calvin Klein underwear model turned star of Necessary Roughness, Mehcad Brooks; U2’s former bodyguard who went on to become a WWE World Champion, Sheamus; and the affable young genius (literally – he’s an active member of Mensa) Nolan Gould, from the Emmy-winning, Modern Family (which was recently picked-up in syndication, by USA).

I was able to ask a few questions, and was able to glean the following. James, a transplant from the Great State of Texas, has yet to find a decent barbeque joint in the Los Angeles area (but if anyone knows one, please let him know). The co-founder of non-profit theater-company, Red Dog Squadron (the troupe features a roster of acclaimed talent that includes Maggie Lawson, Ivana Miličević, Michael Weston, Vivian Bang, Kurt Fuller, and Ethan Sandler) admitted that, while he was able, as a jock, to avoid being bullied – sports culture being what it is, in Texas (Dazed and Confused or Friday Night Lights, anyone?); he is still scarred by the memory of the mullet he sported, at the time. He encourages kids to explore their interests, and Red Dog Squadron actually has an outreach program, Red Pups, geared toward elementary school students, in the LA area.

Nolan and I spoke about bullying as it would relate to the loveable doofus, ‘Luke’ – his character on Modern Family - and came to the following conclusions. Luke is one of those genial, well-meaning, guys who can easily bop around between various social groups and be friendly with all of them. The concept of bullying someone would just never occur to him; and similarly, he wouldn’t pop-up on the radar of any typical bullies. Because of that good-guy quality, though, if he were to observe some kid being bullied - whether in the Food Court at the mall, or the cafeteria at school - he’d try to good-naturedly diffuse the situation, and – if the situation required it – stand-up to the bully.

Big ups to the USA Network on this wonderful initiative: May it resonate and make a lasting difference!

#UniteLIVE: The Concert to Rock-Out Bullying
presented by USA Network – Characters Unite
Click HERE for info

Get into it!