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Thursday, 17 September, 2009 1:29 AM

Dave Coulier helps raise $48,000 for charity; considers filming in Michigan

PHOTO BY GLORIA RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com

Dave Coulier hosts "Bras for a Cause" at the Royal Oak Music Theatre on Sept. 12, 2009.

by Jason Rzucidlo americajr@americajr.com

LISTEN: Exclusive Interview with Hollywood actor/comedian Dave Coulier Listen as .aiff file (Mac)

WATCH: Interview with Shannon Watson, Committee Chair of Bras For a Cause (Quicktime Video)

ROYAL OAK, Mich. -- Detroit native and Hollywood actor Dave Coulier guest hosted the 1st Annual "Bras for a Cause" event at the Royal Oak Music Theatre on September 12. More than $48,000 was raised during the event, with proceeds going toward the Gilda's Club of Metro Detroit. Online donations are still being accepted. Coulier revealed in an exclusive interview that he is working on doing a film in the state of Michigan.

A total of 520 tickets were sold for the event at a cost of $40 each, according to event organizer Shannon Watson.

"It's a really great cause," said Coulier. "It's really a spectacular event, turning a negative into a huge positive. I love coming back home, gives you a chance to re-connect with fans. It always feels great coming home to Detroit. I've done many charities over the years. This is a unique event because my niece Shannon, a 29-year-old cancer survivor. She asked if I'd love to be involved and I said of course."

The top three silent auction items were a spa day for six people, which went for $1,100, a sports package with four tickets to the Tigers, Pistons and Red Wings games for $1,050 and dinner for a year from restaurants all over metro Detroit for $700.

"It was a great time," Watson said about hosting the event. "There was the best energy in the air and everyone had a smile on their face. I have gotten nothing but compliments about how much people enjoyed themselves. Next year, we will plan to have 500 people. This year, we were hoping to sell 300 tickets. It was a pleasant surprise that we sold so many tickets, but we had to get more food and programs at the last minute."

The charity fundraiser included an art bra fashion show, a live and silent auction, music by Jill Jack and Frankie D'Angelo and food from restaurants such as Inspired Treats, Mind, Body & Spirits, The Melting Pot, Zumba Mexican Grille and Rochester Mills Beer Co.

"The manager at Royal Oak Music Theatre gave me a compliment I will never forget," the committee chair of Bras for a Cause said. "He said, 'First year events never go this smooth.' It was a proud moment for me to hear that. All our hard work and preparation paid off."

Coulier considers filming in Michigan with state's tax incentives

"I'm talking with some people about doing exactly that," he said. "I would love to come back there and be a part of that. I think it's a really great situation. The incentives are there, that really makes sense for a lot of people. It would be great to say, 'Hey, we shot this film in Michigan.' I don't think it would be a sitcom. I think it would either be some kind of reality show or some kind of family comedy movie."

Coulier got his start by doing stand-up comedy at his high school.

"I actually started years before that," he said. "I was a hockey player growing up. When you're in a hockey locker room, it's kind of like having a built-in audience of 20 guys sitting around. So I used to do impressions of teammates and coaches and took that into school and started doing impressions of teachers. Then I really felt that I was quite good at it and started to gain some confidence, started doing shows in the cafeteria in high school, went to high school at Notre Dame. Then, when everybody graduated from high school and went off to college, I decided to make a go of it in comedy."

The Hollywood actor and comedian met Bob Saget for the very first time at a bar in Detroit called The Delta Lady.

"I was 18 years old and was just starting into comedy," Coulier remembers. "There was a stand-up comedy night at the Delta Lady, so I went checked it out. Bob was there on a Comedy Store tour. So he and two other comedians decided to pop in and do a guest spot. That's when I met Bob. I talked to him and he said, 'Hey, give me a call when you're in Los Angeles.' I really didn't believe that, that was going to happen. When I got to L.A., we became instant friends."

What was it like playing Joey on Full House from 1987-1995?

"Well, it's the best job that I'll ever have in my whole life," he said. "Not just because the show became a big hit but I made some lifelong friends and we continue to see each other, talk to each other, Twitter each other and e-mail and get together. It was one of those unique experiences where we really became a functional family off-camera as well."

When asked about a Full House reunion show, Coulier responded: "I think that would be very difficult. We all talked about it. I think it would be very difficult to get everybody together."

The Detroit native founded a children's entertainment company called F3 Entertainment.

"That was many years ago and that company was transformed into what I'm doing now, which is working with other producers, writers, directors," he said. "We're pitching various family shows. It's kind of evolved into a whole new company with a group of new people."

He participated in the FOX reality show "Skating with Celebrities."

"Well, I'm a hockey player so I didn't know how to figure skate," Coulier said. "It was really tough to learn how to do that. It takes a certain level of skill and I don't have that skill. So I shaved the toe picks off of my skates. I skated with Nancy Kerrigan, partnered with her. The first day we met, she said, 'Well, let's see what you can do.' So I went out on the ice, skated in a big circle and she said, 'OK, you're fast and you're funny, so let's go with that.' It was really fun."

Coulier is one of the voices on the Canadian TV series "Bob & Doug."

"Well, it's a blast," the Hollywood actor and comedian said. "I get to work with my friend Dave Thomas. He was one of the original McKenzie brothers. When he asked me to do the part of Rick Moranis, I jumped at it. They're big shoes to fill, trying to do a copycat of Rick Moranis but we had a blast. It was really, really fun."

Since you're a big Red Wings fan, what do you think are their chances of making the finals this year?

"I think they're chances are great," Coulier said. "It's such a long season just to get to the Stanley Cup Finals. They'll be right up there again. An extremely talented team, extremely well rounded. A lot of teams have shifted gears. There's been a lot of trades and a lot of free agency. I think that there's some really strong teams out there. It's about staying healthy during the playoffs. If they're healthy, I think they got a shot of winning it again."

Coulier has some big plans for the future.

"To keep pursuing writing and producing, he responded. "I've been the front side of the camera for 30 years. Over the years I've thought, someday, it would be really fun for me to make a transition into more writing and more producing."

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