It is beginning to look like the Central San Joaquin Valley has become a good luck charm for television producer Ryan Murphy. He's the guy behind the hot cable series "Nip/Tuck."

A few years ago, Murphy was the executive producer of the WB Network series "Popular." The high school comedy/drama was the first series for Fresno's Christopher Gorham.

Flash forward a decade. Murphy's new series is a comedy/musical for the Fox Network called "Glee." The series, scheduled to launch in the spring, is about a high school glee club who must win at a regional competition or the school activity will be shut down. One of the high school singers is played by Clovis native Chris Colfer.

As for casting Chris and Chris, Murphy smiles and says he considers it good fortune to be able to get such quality actors from the same area.

Colfer certainly earned his way onto the new show. Murphy told be during a chat at the Television Critics Association meetings that Colfer had auditioned for a role and he was "absolutely wrong for."

But, Murphy says that as soon as Colfer left the audition, he knew he had to write a character for the Clovis actor to play. And now Colfer is on a show that has a lot of support from the Fox Network executives.

It is a remarkable accomplishment considering Colfer was a high school student last year. He had to delay plans to attend Fresno City College to be part of the TV show. And it isn't an easy TV show. Each episode features a choreographed musical number to go along with all of the acting demands.

Colfer is great in the opening episode. So, don't be surprised the next time Murphy launches a television series if he ends up scouting the Central San Joaquin Valley for actors named Chris.

As for the other Chris, Gorham stars in the new CBS mid-season drama "Harper's Island."