Download audio interviews with Dietrich Bader, Regina King and Sandra Bullock from the press junkets for Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous!

Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous audio interviews and Junket Coverage by World Famous Cinema Haustersute Paulington (he'll like your film for nothing more than a pat on the back).

Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous picks up a mere few weeks after the first film ended. Trying to acclimate herself back into the undercover world of the FBI isn't as easy as it looks for Gracie Hart. On her first mission since the Beauty Pageant that won her copious amounts of attention, Hart is recognized and the assignment is blown. A bank robbery sting goes horribly haywire, and it comes to the FBI's attention that Gracie can no longer function as an agent. So, she is turned into a media liaison for the organization, acting as its sweetheart role model. This is all fine and dandy until friend and former Pageant winner Cheryl is kidnapped and held for ransom. Taking a cue from Axel Foley, Ms. Hart teams up with her bodyguard, Sam Fuller, and the two set out to crack the case on their own in what essentially turns into a female buddy picture along the lines of Lethal Weapon.

The film's charm rests heavily on the shoulders of its star, the always-likable Sandra Bullock. Teaming her with Regina King instead of some faceless male love interest takes this cop dramedy out of the realm of the ordinary, and gives us something extraordinarily rare. It's not often we see a working relationship between two women that turns into a strong friendship full of camaraderie and compassion. What could have been another lame sequel turns out to be a worthwhile follow-up that actually accentuates its predecessor, instead of tainting it.

I was recently invited to attend the Miss Congeniality 2 junket by the wonderful people over at Warner Brothers. I got to meet everyone involved with the production (except for the grips; tee-hee). Being a fan of the Drew Carey Show, I was most excited about getting to chat with Dietrich Bader. In the film, he plays an overtly homosexual image consultant, in charge of keeping up appearances. Namely that of Gracie Hart. There comes a moment late in the film where Bader's caricature orders an expensive Cosmopolitan in an Airport Bar and then leaves it lingering on a table without nary a sip. I asked him why? Why order a drink and not even taste it. Bader explained that woofing it down would go against Joel's beliefs. It wouldn't seem polite. It would come as an undignified move. Asked if he'd leave a drink sitting untouched out of character, Dietrich exclaimed, "No." The conversation then turned to his taking over the role Michael Cain originated in the first film, and the dissolution of the Drew Carey Show. Baders also told a very funny story about how people constantly come up to him in the airport and tell him that they love him. "It happens all the time. Before I get on a plane, at least five people come up and give me a hug, and tell me how much they love me. That's a nice thing to have happen before you get on a flight."

Also on hand were the film's two major stars, Sandra Bullock and Regina King. They discussed having to fight each other in real life, which they do a lot of in the movie. Regina argues that she'd win, but Sandy sees it as a tie. The two actresses went on in great detail about how this film could set up a buddy-franchise in the realm of Lethal Weapon. And Regina discussed her stunt training at length. Both girls were approachable, and friendly. Their open demeanor made it a pleasure to sit with them for twenty minutes apiece. Regina is not the rough and tumble girl she portrays on screen, but a beautiful actress with thick upper arms. And Bullock presented herself as the friendly girl-next-door we've all come to love.

To listen to each of their interviews in their entirety, you can click on the following links.

javascript:;|Listen to Dietrich Bader

javascript:;|Listen to Regina King

javascript:;|Listen to Sandra Bullock

(Note: This particular junket was overflowing with journalists. The room these interviews were recorded in was particularly overcrowded.)