“They call me Gil as in Guilty”. Anyone who saw the hilarious movie “Parenthood” directed by Ron Howard and starring Steve Martin remembers that famous scene… a father dressing up like a cowboy for his son’s birthday party and acting like a complete idiot…or digging through the trash for his kid’s lost retainer…wiping up vomit, coaching little league or drying a tear. That’s parenthood.  But being a parent, there is still so much more than that. It is, as Ron Howard puts it, “an elevator ride.” Everyday, at every stage of their life it is a different experience that can be frustrating, joyful, aggravating, very complex and often very funny.                                      On March 2, NBC will be premiering a new version of the comedy classic as a sitcom of the same name. The previous try a few years ago didn’t quite translate well onto TV, partially blamed on on time slot constrictions, but a conference call last week with guest Ron Howard gave some amazing insight into why he believes it will turn ot better this time around. Howard, an amazing director who has spent most of his life in and around television began his career as Opie Taylor on “The Andy Griffith Show” and cemented his role in American pop culture with his portrayalof Ritchie Cunningham in “Happy Days”. Since them he has successfully transitioned into the directors chair for great movies like Apollo 13 and Frost Nixon.  Also on the call was Jason Katims, known for the successful and cancelled oh-too-soon “Friday Night Lights”, also wrote the screenplay for David Schimmer vehicle “The Pallbearer”.   Rounding out the panel was Lauren Graham from the popular “Gilmore Girls”. I had the opportunity of listening in and asking questions and gained an insightful look at a sitcom that promises to inspire and entertain each of us, even if we are not parents.    “Parenthood” hopes to touch on many issues of the family and parenting. Though superficial ideals and whims have changed like a kid in the 21st century who wants to get a tattoo or have a body part pierced as opposed to a kid in the eighties with big hair and Mohawks, parenting is pretty much the same. Head writer Jason Katims hopes to get the viewer to understand and relate to what they are watching and to find the humor in being a parent. Ron Howard, a parent himself, feels the show will work because of its reflection on the shared experiences of all parents. “I mean, it might not feel funny at the moment, you’re right but you know, gratefully more often than not, you know, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel and you know, you can personally look back and find the humor in it”.      In the movie, Kevin is a little boy who is an excessive worrier (inherited from his Dad) and in the sitcom, Zach has Aspergers syndrome. I asked Jason if he was going to expand on these and other children’s problems like ADHD.      “What I’m really proud of so far having now, you know shot the first, handful of episodes and seeing a few cuts what I’m very proud of is that I think not only are we dealing with that subject matter in a way that honors it and is real, but also done in a way that is not self –pitying and depressing », informed the writer, «I mean, that what-really knowing what that experience is like first hand I know that it’s as much of a blessing as it is a curse. And I feel that it is reflected in the work that we’re doing. »               I personally can’t wait to see it. Once a rather “excitable” child I know what kids are capable of doing to their parents and as a parent I should know what to expect right? Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work that way and I always feel that I am still in parenting 101. There are always surprises and I look forward to seeing «Parenthood » that will hopefully make keep us watching and find comfort in the toughest job there is.