Q and A: Week of Jan. 27

Paul Walker

Q: Like the rest of the world, I was so shocked to hear that Paul Walker had died in a car crash. I saw his last movie, “Hours,” the other day, and he was so good in it. I know he was working on the next “Fast and Furious” movie when he died. Any chance they’ll still release it? — Jimmy T., Oceanside, Calif.

A: Production on “Fast and Furious 7” had been shut down for some time after Paul’s death, with 60 percent of the movie having been shot. It wasn’t clear what they would do. Would they cancel the movie? Use CGI for some of his remaining scenes? Cut him out all together? Just before Christmas, Universal released this official statement about “FF7,” along with a release date: “Continuing the global exploits in the franchise built on speed, Vin Diesel and Paul Walker lead the returning cast of ‘Fast and Furious 7,’ which will be released by Universal Pictures on April 10, 2015. James Wan directs this chapter of the hugely successful series, and Neal H. Moritz and Vin Diesel return as producers.” It has also been verified that they won’t kill off Paul’s character in this installment of the series. So, Paul will be in the movie, and you can bet millions of people can’t wait to see him in his final role.

Q: Can you tell me if or when “The Americans” will return for another season? — Ginnie F., via email

A: FX recently announced that the spy drama — which centers on the Cold War era of the ’80s, and stars Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys — will return for 13 episodes beginning Feb. 26. I can’t wait!

Q: A few months back, you mentioned that a “Veronica Mars” movie is in the making. Can you tell me when it’ll be released? — Stacy W., via email

A: “Veronica Mars” hits theaters on March 14, and it stars Kristen Bell, Krysten Ritter, Gaby Hoffman, Justin Long, James Franco, Ken Marino, and many more. There’s even a cameo by Kristen’s real-life husband, Dax Shepard. In more “Veronica” news, if your cable provider offers the Pivot channel, you can see reruns Monday through Friday from 10 p.m. to midnight of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” followed by “Veronica Mars.”

Q: I haven’t seen Kevin Costner in anything in a while. Can you tell me what I can see him in next? — Gina R., Allentown, Pa.



A: In what critics are calling the “Field of Dreams” for football fans, Kevin’s latest project is called “Draft Day,” which comes to theaters April 11. Kevin stars as Sonny Weaver Jr., the general manager for the Cleveland Browns. Sonny’s career is on the line as he has to bring the Browns out of a serious slump by picking the best players at NFL drafts. The film also stars Jennifer Garner, Tom Welling, Frank Langella, Sam Elliott, Rosanna Arquette and Ellen Burstyn.

James DuMont, of Dallas Buyers Club

Q: I have a question about the actor who played Jared Leto’s father in “Dallas Buyers Club,” which I saw over the holidays. He looks so familiar, but I can’t quite place him. — Kyra T., via email

A: The actor you are thinking of is character actor James DuMont, who’s been on tons of TV shows like “American Horror Story,” “Treme,” “Nashville,” and “Bonnie and Clyde,” and on the big screen in “The Butler,” “Ocean’s Thirteen,” “War of the Worlds,” and “Along Came Polly,” to name only a few. James was thrilled to be in “Dallas Buyers Club,” which centers on Ron Woodroof (played by Matthew McConaughey), who works around the system to help AIDS patients get the medication they need after he is himself diagnosed with the disease. James plays the estranged father of Jared Leto’s character, Rayon, who’s transgender and HIV positive.

When I spoke with James recently, he told me about working with Jared: “It’s a really powerful scene we share. Jared does powerful work in this; as soon as we finished our scene, I tweeted that Jared would get an Oscar nomination for this role. And he seems to be the front-runner at this point. I’ve worked with Oscar winners, and I can see and identify Oscar-caliber work. I get tweets and emails from all over the world where people tell me that our scene is so powerful, poignant and heartbreaking. It’s nice to have a little breakout scene like this after doing so many projects. It’s tough for a character actor.”

Check back later this week for my full interview with this talented actor.

Q: Over this past summer, I got involved with a series called “Mistresses.” Can you tell me if it is going to return, or was it just something they put on for the summer? — Liz R., via email

A: ABC has renewed “Mistresses” for a 13-episode second season, which is scheduled to air in summer 2014. The show, which is based on the British series of the same name, stars Alyssa Milano, Rochelle Aytes, Jes Macallan and Yunjin Kim. The show centers on the lives of four female friends, and their involvement in an array of illicit and complex relationships.

Q: I really enjoy “The Glades,” but I think I read someplace that it is being canceled. I truly hope this is not so. Can you please find out its status? — Diane, via email

A: The A and E network decided this past fall to cancel “The Glades” after four seasons. The police procedural broke records for the network when it debuted, but slowly and steadily lost more than one-third of its viewers throughout the series, so the network canceled it.

Q: Can you tell me if and when “Cedar Cove” will return for another season? — Richard O., Summerfield, Fla.

A: The Hallmark Channel has renewed the phenomenally successful series, which is based on the book series of the same name by Debbie Macomber, for a second season. The show’s first season made Hallmark Channel the No. 1 cable channel for Saturday nights during the 8 to 9 time slot. With internationally renowned actress Andie MacDowell leading the cast — which includes Dylan Neal, Teryl Rothery, Bruce Boxleitner, Barbara Niven and Brennan Elliott — season two of “Cedar Cover” promises more of the same drama, romance and fun. There is no word on the premiere date yet, but I’d start looking for it this summer. And of course, I’ll let you know as soon as I know exactly when it will return.

(courtesy Fox)

Q: Would you happen to know anything about the fantastic TV series “24” with Kiefer Sutherland? I thought they were bringing it back, or at least making a movie. — Dick W., via email

A: I did report on this about six months ago, but since this is such a hot subject — I get tons of letters from readers asking me the same question — I’ll write about it again, with some new information to pass along. Fox is indeed airing a new version of “24,” which is called “24: Live Another Day.” This go ’round, it will be a 12-part series but will still cover the requisite 24 hours. Kiefer will return, as will Mary Lynn Rajskub, William Devane and Kim Raver.

Kiefer recently told the press that the series will take place in London, stating: “‘24’ has always had such a global sensibility, but to be able to tell this intense ‘24’-style story with the beauty of Europe’s history and architecture as the backdrop is going to be fascinating.” Fox’s entertainment chairman Kevin Reilly teased reporters that the show’s pickup intrigued many industry stars. “A lot of who’s who in Hollywood wanted to participate in this,” he revealed. Be on the lookout for “24: Live Another Day” on Fox this May.

Q: Please tell me that Animal Planet will be airing another “Puppy Bowl” this Super Bowl Sunday! — Tina W., Portland, Maine

A: The most anticipated — and cutest — sporting event of the season is about to get even bigger when “Puppy Bowl” returns to Animal Planet on Feb. 2 (first airing is from 3 to 5 p.m. ET/PT) for it’s 10th-anniversary edition. Starting at 3, the show will repeat all day, with new content every hour. With each airing, fans vote in real time for which puppy will take home the coveted title of MVP (Most Valuable Puppy), there will be a Kitty Half-Time Show, penguin cheerleaders, and viewers can participate in the Fantasy Puppy League (go to animalplanet.com/puppybowl to draft your team). This is definitely a can’t-miss event!

Readers: I told you I’d let you know when I had an exact date for the season-two premiere of “Vikings,” and I’m a woman of my word. “Vikings” returns to the History channel on Thursday, Feb. 27 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. So don’t forget to tune in!

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Puppy Bowl X!!

 

(Animal Planet press release)

  

THE PUPPIES ARE COMING! ANIMAL PLANET’S PUP-CULTURE PHENOMENON CELEBRATES 10 YEARS WITH “PUPPY BOWL X”

 10th Anniversary Edition Features Brand New Kitty Halftime Show, Celebrity Cats “Keyboard Cat” and “Lil BUB,” Interactive MVP Voting, Cheerleading Penguins, Live Viewer Instagram Submissions, and New Content Every Hour Hitting the Turf on February 2nd

 AnimalPlanet.com Launches First Ever Puppy Fantasy League Later This Month

 Animal Planet Teams Up with the ASPCA® to Host Free Weeklong Celebration

 at Discovery Times Square in New York Beginning January 27th

(New York, New York, January 2, 2014) – Let the tailgating begin! The most anticipated – and cutest – sporting event of the season is about to get even bigger. PUPPY BOWL returns to Animal Planet to celebrate a very special anniversary in a championship battle for cuteness and barking rights on Super Bowl™ Sunday, February 2, from 3 - 5 PM (ET/PT) and repeating all day and night with exciting new content every hour. And this year, all six airings of PUPPY BOWL X will surprise viewers at the end of the game as fans vote in real time for which puppy will take home the coveted title of MVP (Most Valuable Puppy). With 12.4 million viewers last season, Animal Planet has upped the ante with all new features and guest stars to make PUPPY BOWL X the biggest game ever! And on game day, 66 rambunctious pups itching to score and show off their signature moves and chews in the end zone will duke it out for their chance at glory. 

To commemorate this PUPPY BOWL milestone, viewers will be treated to new in-game segments and features including the following:

• Fantasy Puppy League – Later this month at AnimalPlanet.com/PuppyBowl, the network will launch its first-ever fantasy draft, where fans can view profiles of 11 all-star players and create their team of fierce and fuzzy competitors in advance of the big game. Then on the big day, fantasy leaguers can keep track of how their athletic fur balls are doing with live stat updates on screen and a leaderboard online. 

• Penguin Cheerleaders – Every PUPPY BOWL deserves its silly cheerleaders, and this year a parade of penguins will waddle and cheer from the sidelines.

• Xtraordinary KITTY HALF-TIME SHOW – Super Bowl™ half time has nothing on PUPPY BOWL as Internet sensation Keyboard Cat lends a paw and performs his rock rendition of Bruno Mars’ “Locked Out of Heaven.” Thirty kitten all stars, representing the pride of the feline world, pull out all the stops to put the fans on their feet with an epic domino topple and one little daredevil, which makes a grand entrance by parachuting onto the field.

• Xtra Special Guests – Keyboard Cat isn’t the only celebrity fascinated by all the action. Animalist’s Lil BUB checks in throughout the game from her Chicago studio, and furry first responders representing police dogs across the New York region take to the field for the National Anthem. 

• Adoption Updates – Stay tuned until the end of the game to find out where your favorite pooches are now. Over the last nine seasons, hundreds of orphan puppies have appeared in PUPPY BOWL and have all since found their fur-ever homes! Dog Years: Life After Puppy Bowl takes a look at some of those lucky pooches and their new adult lives. And in Pup Close and Personal, follow select players home for an inside look on their journey to the grand gridiron.

For fans who miss any of the action or want a double or triple dose of cuddly play, PUPPY BOWL X repeats five times over the course of the day. Even diehard fans of that other game will want to check back to see fresh repeats, surprise endings with new puppy in-game segments, and features every hour including the following:

• MVP Interactive Voting – Visit AnimalPlanet.com/PuppyBowlMVP on game day to vote for the top pups having the most impact on the field. At 3 PM (ET), the poll goes live, and viewers will directly affect a new ending of each broadcast by helping crown the MVP.  

• Top X Lists – Many pups have made their mark over the last decade of this animal cute fest. Enjoy new endearing highlights and action-packed plays every hour from PUPPY BOWL’s I-IX as we count down the best of the best and most memorable moments captured over the years in lists including Top 10 Puppies and Top 10 Goofiest Plays.

• Instagram Your Photos – All those PUPPY BOWL parties just got 10 times more fun! For the first time ever, viewers will submit their own photos (of themselves or their pets or both) via Instagram using #puppybowl all night long for a chance to see themselves and their best friends on TV in real time.  

It wouldn’t be PUPPY BOWL without America’s favorite referee, Dan Schachner, who returns to call the puppy penalties for his third year as “The Ref.” Sideline reporter “Meep the Bird” is back on his perch to tweet live updates and commentary throughout the big game. Fans can follow @MeepTheBird to catch the latest news, puppy drama and locker room moments from inside the stadium. After an electrical malfunction at that other game last year, “Meep the Bird” reminded viewers that the lights never go out at PUPPY BOWL. And this year, hamsters are working their wheels below the stadium to keep the lights on and the turbines running. Viewers won’t miss a second of the action with PUPPY BOWL favorites such as the water bowl cam, slow motion “Too Cute” cam, kiss-cam and an aerial view of the field provided by a blimp and its hamster pilots, capturing every furry fumble, touchdown and penalty. Outside the stadium, canine fans without tickets will claim their spots in the parking lot at a brand new tailgate party. 

Off the field, in honor of the 10th anniversary of PUPPY BOWL, Animal Planet in collaboration with the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®), is bringing the PUPPY BOWL EXPERIENCE live to New York City! Fans can join the celebration for the whole week leading up to the big game at Discovery Times Square, located in the heart of New York’s Times Square on 44th Street between 7th and 8th Avenue. The event will be held daily from Monday, January 27th to Saturday, February 1st. Please visit AnimalPlanet.com/PuppyBowl later this month for the daily schedule. Open to the public free of charge, visitors will get a chance to learn about the history of PUPPY BOWL during a walk through the Hall of Fame; enjoy live puppy action on the replica field featuring rescued pups from the ASPCA; and visit interactive booths including a tail-gate area with games and face painting, a “kissing booth” for a smooch from a lovable pooch, a chance to step into the press box to call a game, and much more. Guests will also get the chance to meet and snuggle some furry friends and even find a new family member at on-site adoption events hosted by the ASPCA with the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals daily between 4 – 7 PM. Please visit Discovery Times Square’s website for the most up-to-date information including venue hours of operation at www.DiscoveryTSX.com.

All of the puppies and kittens featured in PUPPY BOWL X come from shelters and rescue groups across the United States and even Puerto Rico. This year’s team includes players from Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA (California), Florida Little Dog Rescue, Colorado Animal Welfare League, Last Hope Animal Rescue (Iowa) and Scottsville Veterinary Hospital and Adoptions (New York). Animal Care & Control of NYC provided kittens for the KITTY HALF-TIME SHOW. Viewers interested in learning more about the organizations that participated in PUPPY BOWL X can visit AnimalPlanet.com for more information. 

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Q and A: Week of Jan. 23

Q: I really liked “That ’70s Show,” especially Danny Masterson. I haven’t really seen him in anything lately and was wondering what shows/movies he has lined up. — Leonard G., via e-mail

A: TBS just announced that it is producing a new series called “Men at Work,” which will star Danny along with James Lesure, Michael Cassidy and Adam Busch. The story follows the misadventures of four friends who work together at a magazine, with Danny’s character, Milo, being recently dumped and his friends helping him get back in the game. Slated to premiere this summer, the show was created by Breckin Meyer (of “Franklin and Bash” and “Clueless” fame), who is co-executive-producing the show and also wrote the pilot. There’s no word yet on whether Breckin plans to make a cameo in the series.

Q: My husband is a huge fan of the History Channel, especially its series “Battlefield Detectives.” Any chance it will come out on DVD? I’d love to surprise him with it! — Kaitlin M., in Minnesota

A: Surprise your husband this Valentine’s Day with a three-volume boxed set of the entire first season of the series. “Battlefield Detectives,” which ran from 2003 to 2006, explored history’s famous battles, focusing on the battlefield itself and conducting re-enactments and forensic research to better understand what really happened. The DVDs also come with a 16-page viewer’s guide and biographies of major military leaders, plus other extras. Go to acornonline.com for more info on the series.

Q: You mentioned that Madonna will be performing the halftime show at the Super Bowl this year, and it got me to wondering if Animal Planet will be continuing its tradition of showcasing its “Puppy Bowl” competition. Please say yes! — Cara O., Halifax, Nova Scotia

A: YES! Animal Planet’s annual canine competition, “Puppy Bowl VIII,” will air on Sunday, Feb. 5, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. ET/PT. Animal Planet has searched shelters and rescue groups across the nation for the toughest pups ever to carry a chew toy across the goal line and into an end zone. And if you want to skip (or DVR) Madonna’s halftime show, the cute and cuddly kittens are returning to “Puppy Bowl” with an all-new edition of the Bissell Kitty Halftime Show.

All of the animals featured in “Puppy Bowl” come from rescues and shelters across the United States. This year’s starting lineup includes puppies from spcaLA, All Star Pet Rescue, Go Boxer Rescue, Pet Matchmaker Rescue, Furever Dachshund Rescue and Huts for Mutts Dog Rescue. Those interested in adopting a pet in your area can visit petfinder.com.

Q: Aside from her Twitter ramblings, what else has Ellen Barkin been up to? — Ingrid F., via e-mail

A: Ellen just finished filming a guest-starring role on “Modern Family,” which will air this spring. Her movie “Another Happy Day,” which also stars Ellen Burstyn, Demi Moore, Kate Bosworth and Thomas Hayden Church, will be out on DVD in late January.

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Puppy Bowl Is Back!

(PRESS RELEASE)

(New York, NY) – Ready for more tail wagging wildness, canine cuteness and animal athleticism than ever witnessed before? On Super Bowl™ Sunday, February 5, from 3-5 PM (ET/PT), Animal Planet’s annual canine competition returns to the grand gridiron with PUPPY BOWL VIII. For the eighth year in a row, with the help of Petfinder.com, Animal Planet has searched shelters and rescue groups across the nation for the toughest pups ever to carry a chew toy into an end zone and across the goal line. Now, the teams have been selected, paws polished and fur combed for the biggest event in animal sports history.

This year’s PEDIGREE® Starting Lineup is growling with rowdy rat terriers, defensive dachshunds and charging Chihuahuas, all competing for the title of the BISSELL® MVP (Most Valuable Puppy). But the pups will have to warm up to a new face as PUPPY BOWL VIII marks the debut of Dan Schachner, who takes over as “The Ref” – calling all the plays and penalties on the field.

 

“When Animal Planet first called and told me that I would be working with 58 puppies, 20 cats, five pigs and one bird, I thought this would be the easiest gig of my career,” says Dan. “But after calling my first “terrier touchdown,” I can see why this is the toughest competition in sports today.”

 

In a game-day first, a piggy pep squad will “ham” it up on the sidelines and squeal with delight for its favorite players while “Meep the Bird” tweets all the fast-paced action. Follow @MeepTheBird on game day for the latest updates, puppy drama and behind-the-scenes moments from inside Animal Planet Stadium. Award-winning animal advocate and television correspondent Jill Rappaport will provide up-to-the-minute sideline analysis and commentary on the game, and fans will be treated to PUPPY BOWL favorites such as the puppy cam, water bowl cam, kiss cam and an aerial view of the field provided by the Ice Breakers® Mints blimp and its hamster pilots.

If you’re not the biggest Madonna fan, the cute and cuddly kittens have returned with an all-new edition of the BISSELL® KITTY HALF-TIME SHOW. These adorable felines will treat fans to kitty gymnastics, precious poses and overall kitten craziness leading up to the confetti shower, sending viewers into cuteness overload.

 

All of the animals featured in PUPPY BOWL VIII come from rescues and shelters across the United States. This year’s starting lineup includes puppies from spcaLA (California), All Star Pet Rescue (New Jersey), Go Boxer Rescue (Ohio), Pet Matchmaker Rescue (Pennsylvania), Furever Dachshund Rescue (Rhode Island) and Huts for Mutts Dog Rescue (Texas). Viewers who are interested in adopting a pet in their area can visit Petfinder.

 

To learn more about PUPPY BOWL VIII, fans can visit AnimalPlanet.com for highlights and behind-the-scenes moments from seasons’ pasts and, later this month, a chance to vote for this year’s MVP (Most Valuable Puppy) and an eight-part web series highlighting the history of PUPPY BOWL’s greatest moments.

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