J. August Richards works more than the average actor.

Since the Washington, DC native made his debut in Hollywood with a guest appearance on 'The Cosby Show,' he's worked consistently starring on television shows like 'Angel' and 'Conviction,' as well as appearing in films like 'The Temptations' and 'Why Do Fools Fall In Love.'

The 35-year-old actor, who has also had guest turns on shows like 'The West Wing,' 'The Practice,' 'CSI: Miami' and 'Any Day Now,' is now starring as attorney Marcus McGrath on the TNT drama, 'Raising The Bar.'

I caught up with Richards at a Coffee Bean in Beverly Hills where we talked about his work on the critically acclaimed Steven Bochco-produced series, being black in Hollywood and the affects of reality television.

'Raising The Bar' is back for a second season. How does that feel?

It feels great. It's hard enough, especially in this climate today, to get on a show that goes to the air or even lasts one season, so to be on one for two seasons is amazing. I really like the people that I work with and it's exciting to be back for a second season. My character is really expanding in a lot of ways and you get to see a lot more of his personal life. The whole concept of him, I see him as somebody who is constantly battling the scales which is very different from me. He's somebody who is trying to constantly make things even and equal.

Are people starting to recognize you for this character? Has anyone come up to you asking for legal advice?

It's interesting because I get recognized for different things at different times. It's strange for me, but I get recognized for the 'Temptations' just as much as I do for anything else. I felt that I had a small part in the movie, but it's one of those projects that just lives on and on. If I walk through the airport in Philly, I feel like Julia Roberts because I get stopped every five seconds. I get recognized a lot for 'Angel' as well and now I feel like for the first time I am getting recognized as myself and not necessarily that guy on one particular show. People are recognizing me more as an actor.

TNT knows how to promote a show! Do you get excited when you see the billboards for the show in Times Square in New York City or on Sunset Blvd. in Los Angeles?

To be 100% honest, it's absolutely exciting! Especially the billboard that was on Sunset by the Chateau Marmont. My boy drove past it the night that it went up and texted me that night and was like, 'You have got to go to Sunset and Fairfax right now.' I was like, 'Why? I'm in bed.' He said, 'Just do it, just go. Get out of bed and go.' I made a special trip up there and I just had to park on the side of the street. I looked at that picture and was like amazed. The next morning all of these pictures came to my phone of Times Square and I used to live near Times Square when I did 'Conviction' and that was pretty mind blowing. I decided to test my credibility with this billboard on Sunset. I went to Chateau Marmont on one of the busiest nights and I dared these MF'ers to turn me away because I had been turned away before. I walked up to the front and they were like, 'Go in!' They put me into the computer that night and now I can go in anytime. The billboard was cool and pretty exciting.

You've done so much network TV work. What has the experience of working on cable and TNT in particular been like for you?

It's great because on a network show it feels like it's a whole lot of cooks in the kitchen and the whole thing seems to get diluted with a lot of notes and you're having to constantly change and conform because the show is constantly changing. On this show, there has been a singular vision, which has been great. Working with Joss [Whedon] was a lot like that on 'Angel' as well, but working on cable there aren't a thousand executives giving their opinion and changing things. It's been really comfortable and I feel like I know all of the executives and the people that make all of the decisions by name and in that regard it has been really different and great. It's been amazing because TNT has been behind the show from the beginning and it's been especially good for me because we did the pilot and then we went on strike. We got picked up during the strike and came on right after the strike. We got picked up three episodes into the first season for the second season. The recession hit during the hiatus and then we went back to work. This job has been leapfrogging over all of these potholes. It's been amazing in that regard. Getting picked up three episodes in is rare and doesn't happen on network television. Cable seems to really be where it's at.

What's it like being Black and employed in Hollywood right now? Many of your peers are out of work.

We talk about it all the time. Honestly I know it's a cliché, but I feel really blessed and lucky to be working at this time because a lot of my friends are either leaving the business or changing professions. It's been really rough with the dearth and the death of Black shows at this particular time. I don't have to explain to you that there aren't a lot of opportunities for Black actors so I do feel really lucky to be on TV at this time and it's a very small number of people. Even when I did 'Angel' I felt that there were a lot of other Black actors on the air and we all knew each other and talked about our situations, but now it's such a small number. Someone told me that I have been on TV for seven of the last 10 seasons. It's been huge for me personally.

As an actor, what do you think reality television has done to scripted television?

I think reality TV is synonymous with the times. I think as the Barack Obama administration brings more substance into the country, people will feel less inclined to escape and more inclined to find meaning. With that, hopefully television will make the turn as well. I, like everybody else, got into cheesy things. I'm not above 'Real Housewives of Atlanta' and I found some real entertainment in it, but it's a balance. Right now in the entertainment industry, the field is wide open between the record business, television and film. They're all looking for an Obama equivalent if you will; somebody who will lead it in a new direction. It's an exciting time to be in this town because the field is wide open. Nobody knows where it is going to go and I would like to be a part of taking it in a new direction.

*****

'Raising The Bar' airs on Monday nights on TNT at 10pm EST.