B.D. Freeman dreams of being a fixture in your home every night. Freeman, an actor and comedian, has always wanted to host his own late night talk show.

"I grew up watching Johnny Carson and Jay Leno and that was always the brass ring for me," Freeman said. "I'd sneak up in the middle of the night to go sit and watch Johnny Carson as a kid. I didn't even understand half the jokes."

Freeman, who is originally from Racine, Wisconsin, moved to Beverly Hills three years ago to pursue his dream. He studied acting in college and has a background in improvisation and standup.

Freeman's comedic career began under less than ideal conditions. He vividly remembers playing to small, raucous crowds where people would talk over his set, loudly order drinks and heckle him. Occasionally, fights would even occur at the clubs. "Fights aren't supposed to break out in the middle of a comedy show," Freeman said with a laugh.

Over time, Freeman learned how to handle rough crowds. "You have to show that you're not afraid of the audience," said Freeman. "A lot of it is about trust. They need to trust that you are in control. Then you can take them anywhere you want. But if you don't get that respect and that trust in the first couple of seconds, you're sunk."

Freeman also learned the secret to handling hecklers, using a technique he calls "the rule of three."

"The first time, you tell them politely to be quiet. The second time that they say something you give them a little shove, but nothing too harsh. The third time you enlist the audience to tell them to shut up. If they go more than three, all bets are off and you just destroy them," Freeman said. "If you destroy them the first time they say something, you'll turn the audience against you."

After 10 years of doing stand up, Freeman decided to take the next step toward his dream to host his own late night talk show. Even though he was offered a part in a long running off-Broadway show in New York, he decided instead to move to Los Angeles.

He found a small role on the sketch comedy show Mad TV and spent a season and a half on the show doing character work. "I can count the amount of lines I had on Mad TV on two hands," Freeman said, but the experience that he gained from the show made it worthwhile. "It taught me a lot about how the shows work and how to carry myself in front of the camera and get the jokes across. It was a good education."

Midway through his second season on Mad TV, Freeman left the show for a chance to work with Eddie Griffith on a DVD series called N.T.V. The show, which he described as "an urban Monty Python" in the style of Kentucky Fried Movie, was never actually released.

From there, Freeman decided to try some dramatic acting. A friend got him hooked on Degrassi: The Next Generation and he decided he really wanted to be a part of the show. "I like a show that talks to the kids, but talks to them very plainly," Freeman said. "They weren't preaching at anyone."

At the Teen Choice Awards in 2005, Freeman got a chance to meet the cast and executive producer of Degrassi. Freeman struck up a conversation with the executive producer. "I told him, ‘I have to be on your show.'" Freeman revealed. "I said, "I've been watching your show and I have to be on it. What do I have to do?'"

B.D. Freeman

Freeman was cast as Mr. Ellis, a funky teacher with a sense of humor. Freeman sees the character as someone who cares deeply about the kids, but won't cut them any slack. Freeman drew from real life experiences and based the character on a drama teacher who helped him in his career.

From there, Freeman worked to transition from acting to hosting. He began by doing some personality work on shows like Filter and CD USA. And recently landed a gig co-hosting In The Cutz.

He was approached by Scott Hamilton, the show's producer, who discussed the concept of the show with Freeman and granted all of Freeman's requests. "They pretty much made it impossible for me to say no," Freeman said.

In The Cutz, which he co-hosts with Amy Webber, is a weekly entertainment news show syndicated across over 160 million homes nationwide. Webber has been hosting the show for two years (it was formerly called In The Mix), but Freeman's first show was this past Friday. He sees the show as a cross between Entertainment Tonight and E!'s The Soup. Freeman gets to do a monologue and is given a lot of room to work. "In the Cutz is the best gig I've ever had," he said.

He also enjoys working with his co-host. "Amy Webber and I, we just work together fantastically," Freeman said. "She is funny, smart, beautiful and really knows how to pass the ball to you."

While Freeman enjoys working on In The Cutz, he still dreams of one day having his own talk show. "For me, it's always been about late night television," he said. Freeman thinks his down-to-earth style and fun personality will be what sets his show apart. "I want people to feel like I'm their friend," Freeman said.

Perhaps one day, little kids will sneak out of bed to watch his talk show. If they do, Freeman promises to entertain. "I'd hope that every night I'd bring a little party into your house."

Written by Joel Murphy, October 2006. For more information on B.D. Freeman, visit his MySpace Profile. He personally responds to all messages sent to him.