Interview: Nancy O'Dell Wants to See Your Morning Squeeze

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Interview: Nancy O'Dell Wants to See Your Morning Squeeze

After being AWOL from the TV scene for a short while, Nancy O'Dell is back — and she is coming at us from all forms of media. On TV and the Web, and at your local bookstore, Nancy is ready to reclaim her Media Queen crown. When we caught up recently, she filled me in on everything she's been up to lately. And I have to say, now I know why this beautiful woman talks so fast: She has quite a lot to do in a short amount of time! 

Celebrity Extra: First and foremost, I must congratulate you on being named Mary Hart’s successor on “Entertainment Tonight.” You must be so excited!

Nancy O’Dell: Oh, I am! I am so ecstatic, because it’s such an honor. She’s such a TV icon. I remember watching it when it first debuted thinking, “That would be such a cool show to work for.” And here I am working for it! And I’m so excited because this is her year and this is her final season. So when I go to work in January, I’ll be there with her for a good portion of that final season. And I’ll be able to celebrate her 30 years and be a part of that. I think it’s gonna be so much fun.

CE: As soon as I heard Mary was retiring, I thought, “Nancy O’Dell has to replace her.”



NO: Oh really? Sometimes I think timing works out for a reason, because I left “Access Hollywood” almost a year ago even though I had two years left on my contract. I just didn’t feel like it was the right fit anymore, because obviously the show was reporting things in a different way and it just didn’t feel like the right fit. So I left the show, and a few months later they announced Mary was retiring. It just feels like timing happens for a reason.

CE: I know everything is in the early stages, but do you know if they’ll keep the same format when you come aboard?

NO: I think that they’ll probably keep the same format. That show has been so successful. It’s constantly in the top seven syndicated shows. It’s consistently one of the top ones all the time. So, I bet they won’t change it. I would love to say that I’m similar to Mary, because I think that’s a compliment, because she’s classy. And she seems like such a nice lady, so if people said we would be similar because of that, then I would consider that such a compliment. That would make me feel good.

CE: How has the industry responded to the news of your heading to “ET”?

NO: All the celebrities and publicists I’ve gotten a response from have been so positive; it’s been amazing. They really do hold "ET" in high regard. It made me feel good about making the decision and going there. I think it’s going to be great. It feels good when you watch the show, you get a lot of good information, and you feel good about it afterward.

CE: Like most of America, I’m a huge fan of "Dancing with the Stars." I was so sad for you when you got injured and could no longer compete. Any chance you’ll get the chance to try again?

NO: With all of my new jobs, I don’t know where I’d find time. There’s a part of me that’s a little scared about getting hurt again, and it would be really embarrassing to have to pull out a second time. And because I had surgery and the meniscus that I had shredded with the dancing injury and they did the surgery to fix that. They shaved a piece of my meniscus, which is the padding in your knee so it won’t catch and your knee won’t lock up. So I think that would be my biggest fear: What if I damaged it again? I’ve already lost a little bit of that padding in my knee, what if I lose more? I’ve thought about going back, but I guess I’m a little bit chicken about another injury right now.

CE: Now you are teaming up with Florida Orange Juice for a contest and family-time campaign. Tell me about that.

NO: It’s the Morning Squeeze contest, and we’re talking about the fact that it’s so difficult for people in the mornings to make their mornings meaningful. Everybody’s pulled in so many different directions, but they don’t realize that it doesn’t have to take an hour and a half to sit down to make your mornings meaningful. You can take 15 minutes —whether it’s over a glass of orange juice or whether it’s over breakfast — just take those fifteen minutes and really concentrate on your family and sit down and talk about the day before or talk about the day ahead. That’s really all you need. 

You can go to the Florida Orange Juice Facebook page where you can catch a glimpse into my mornings here at my house. There are a couple videos up there, and we’re asking everybody to submit videos of their own crazy mornings to show us their morning squeeze. They can do that by going to the Florida Orange Juice Facebook Page or the Florida Orange Juice website. Just do a 60- to 90-second video and we’ll announce the top 10 finalists. The winner is going to get an all-expense-paid trip to Florida for five days, four nights with the whole family, and they’ll get to go see a Florida attraction. And they’ll get a tour of an orange grove and it will be a lot of fun.

CE: You are also an accomplished scrapbooker. What can you tell me about your new book about that hobby, “Full of Love”?

NO: There are two things I am involved with that go hand in hand: One is the book “Full of Love,” and I also have a line of products that is called “The Hummingbird Collection.” And it’s all done through creativememories.com, which is just a huge, wonderful scrapbooking company. The forward of “Full of Love” is written by my good friend Garth Brooks, and a lot of celebrities contributed and helped us out with a lot of pictures and stuff.


I am a fourth generation scrapbooker, and I’ve got about a hundred at the house. And the biggest thing that is that there is a misconception with scrapbooking is that it’s all complicated with glue and glitter and all these little things, and I explain that it doesn’t have to be. And it’s so important for your family to do it to make those moments meaningful. My mom did about 50 scrapbooks, and after she passed away my dad sent them all to me. I was able to relive all those great moments for her, and it helped me cope with her passing. I was so close with my Mom. Instead of thinking of all the times I’m not going to have with her and not moving forward, I was able to appreciate all those times that I did have with her.

CE: What else your fans look forward to seeing from you?

NO: I’m hosting Fox’s “New Year’s Eve Festival,” so make sure you watch it. It’ll be fun for me because for the past 10 years, I’ve never even seen the new year come in! I’ve always hosted the parade the next morning, which I’d have to get up at three or four in the morning for. So this will be the first New Year’s Eve that I’ll have seen come in for years. I might be a little über-excited as a host.

Q and A: Week of Dec. 27

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Q and A: Week of Dec. 27

Q: When will “Southland” be back? I was so happy when TNT picked it up from NBC, and have been eagerly awaiting its return. — George F., via e-mail

A: The cutting-edge drama will be back on Tuesday, Jan. 4, at 10 p.m. on TNT. Series star Benjamin McKenzie (pictured left; photo credit: Doug Hyun) gave me the scoop: “It’s going to be the same show you’ve seen before, it’s just going to be more focused on the four principle characters left: Ben, Lydia, Sammy and John. It’s a pretty aggressive show; this season it’s really going to double-down on the aggressiveness. It’s fast, hard-hitting and uncompromising.


“With my character and John, the dynamic has changed yet again. It’s more of a peer-to-peer relationship than it has been in the past. Although Ben will still mess up and John will criticize him brutally for it, he’s got a little more freedom to do a little more of his own work. The end of the season will mark the end of his probationary period.”

Q: I love the Syfy show “Merlin.” I haven’t seen new episodes on the schedule for a while, and I’m afraid it has been canceled. Please tell me it hasn’t! — Mark T. in Vermont



A: Don’t worry, Mark. The magical Syfy series will indeed be back for a third season beginning Friday, Jan. 7, at 10 p.m. Season three finds the young Merlin (played by Colin Morgan) in increasingly more dangerous and dark battles in his secret quest to protect Prince Arthur (Bradley James) in the fabled kingdom of Camelot, where magic is forbidden by King Uther (Anthony Head). They rejoin Morgana (Katie McGrath) — who has a dark destiny of her own — with Angel Coulby as her loyal maid Gwen, and Richard Wilson as wise court physician Gaius. John Hurt returns as the voice of the Great Dragon.

Q: Is Jillian Michaels really leaving “The Biggest Loser”? I can’t imagine the show without her! — Tawny D., via e-mail

A: Well, start imagining it, because Jillian is outta there. After this season, which begins Jan. 4, her contract is up, and she is leaving the show. Jillian explained her decision: “I want to take a year off TV and focus on becoming a mommy and doing more charity work. Shooting ‘Losing It’ also had a big impact on me. Living with kids, I saw firsthand what I was missing.”

Q: How is Vanessa Williams fitting in as the newest cast member of “Desperate Housewives”? — Sandi S., Lousiville, Ky.

A: Vanessa is doing great, at least according to co-star Joshua Moore, who plays Parker Scavo. When we spoke about the show’s return from winter break on Jan. 2, he told me: “She’s just great to work with. I think she’s a really good actress and she’s great in her role. She’s just a very cool person to talk to and hang out with. She definitely has to flip that switch on to be mean (like her character, Renee).”

Q: I was so happy when I heard that Nancy O’Dell would be replacing Mary Hart as co-anchor on “Entertainment Tonight” when Mary retires in 2011. It will be nice to see Nancy’s lovely face on TV again! What is she up to in the meantime? — Jillian F., Fort Worth, Texas

A: Nancy is thrilled by her latest career move. She told me: “It is such an honor (to be chosen to replace Mary Hart). Mary is such a TV icon. I remember watching it when it first debuted and thinking, ‘Oh my God, that would be such a cool show to work for.’ And here I am, working for it! It is very exciting.”


Nancy also has teamed up with Florida Orange Juice on a promotion to help make mornings special for families. She explained: “It’s so difficult for people to make their mornings meaningful with their families, as they are being pulled in so many directions. But all you need is 15 minutes, whether it’s over a glass of orange juice or over breakfast, to just sit down and talk with your family.” So Nancy is helping launch the Florida Orange Juice Morning Squeeze contest, with the grand prize being a family trip to Florida. To enter, go to www.FloridaJuice.com/Morning_Squeeze.php.

Q: Will “Army Wives” be back anytime soon for a new season? — William S., via e-mail

A: Rest assured, Lifetime Television’s perennial hit drama “Army Wives” will be back for a fifth season with 13 all-new episodes. “Army Wives” is Lifetime’s most successful series in the 26-year-history of the network, so I’d say the show has quite a bit of life left in it. It will be back in 2011, however the exact date has not been announced. If previous seasons are any indication, it should be back by late spring to early summer.

Q: I caught the tail end of what looked like a really good documentary on Animal Planet about men diving with Nile crocodiles. Can you tell me what it was called and when/if I can see it again? — Sam M., via e-mail

A: The show is called “Into the Dragon’s Lair,” which documents wildlife photographer Roger Horrocks and world-renowned underwater cameraman Didier Noiret as they travel to Botswana’s Okavango Delta to capture never-before-seen behaviors to help broaden the world’s scientific understanding of these fearsome creatures. It is definitely a don’t-miss show, and you can see it again Thursday night, Jan. 20.

Q: How much do reality-television stars, people like Kim Kardashian, make? — Frankie F., Washington, D.C.

A: It depends on the star’s popularity, as well as extracurricular activities, like perfume and clothing lines, books, etc. Kim, for instance, is the highest-paid reality star, raking in $6 million in 2010. Lauren Conrad is close behind, banking $5 million in 2010.

Q: I was so sad to hear that one of my favorite comedic actors, Leslie Nielsen, had passed away recently. Did he film anything before he died, to be released posthumously? — Jeff D., via e-mail

A: The great Leslie Nielsen, 84, who began his acting career back in 1950, passed away in November after a short battle with pneumonia. For his final movie, he voiced a character in the animated comedy “The Waterman Movie,” which is scheduled for release some time next year.

Q: What has happened to Rich Fields, the announcer for “The Price Is Right”? They keep having “guest” announcers. Will he return sometime soon? — Donna C. in New York

A: Rich Fields, 50, who came aboard “The Price Is Right” after the death of longtime announcer Rod Roddy in 2004, is no longer the announcer of the perennial game show. Before the start of the 2010 season, Rich was informed that the producers wanted to go a different way with the show, which included a new announcer with improvisation-comedy background. For now, the show is employing a series of guest announcers, but hopefully the producers will settle on one announcer soon, instead of continuing this game of announcer musical chairs. Currently, Rich is a part-time meteorologist in Los Angeles.

Q: Watching older movies with George Clooney, and comparing how he looked then with now, it looks like he has had a little tightening done to his face? Has he? To me, he seems like the last person on Earth who would undergo plastic surgery. — Hannah F., via e-mail

A: Actually, the 49-year-old star confessed to Oprah Winfrey back in 2007 that he had had some excess skin under his eyes removed. As he said: “It’s important to look awake.” If you check out some before and after pictures online, you can see that the result is subtle and natural-looking, unlike some other pulled-tight celebs who shall remain nameless.

Q: Why did the ABC/Disney-produced “Legend of the Seeker” get canceled? There is a worldwide fan campaign (saveourseeker.com) that is working hard to get this beloved, high-fantasy show back for a third season. Have you heard anything about the show coming back? — Shirley T., Derby, Conn.

A: The Internet is exploding with campaigns to save the show, as well as some well-placed rumors that the show might not be finished. Back in October, “Seeker” stars Craig Parker and Bruce Spence hinted at the fan gathering RingCon 2010 that the show might not be over, yet. Bruce stated, “I know that a lot of people think it’s dead, but it’s not.”


While he might just be employing positive thinking, rumor has it that many alternative stations have been approached about picking up the show for its third season, including SyFy and BBC (both of which reportedly passed). For some fan-made videos, as well as other links to help save the show, check out craighorner.com (a fansite for the “Seeker” star).

Q: I really miss “Parks and Recreation” — it is by far my favorite comedy on TV, along with “The Office.” When will it return? I can’t take much more of “Outsourced.” — Samuel F., via e-mail

A: You will be happy to hear, as I was, that “Parks and Rec” (as many of us lovingly refer to it) will be back on NBC on Thursday, Jan. 20 at 9:30/8:30c after “The Office,” where it belongs. I also was getting a little nervous that the mediocre comedy, “Outsourced,” was going to usurp Leslie Knope and company from their rightful spot on must-see Thursday night TV. I am not sure what this means for “Outsourced,” but I don’t really care. It is difficult for me to get behind a show that makes light of a real problem in America nowadays: high unemployment and jobs being shipped overseas. Aside from that, it just ain’t funny!

Q: Last I heard, “V” was coming back to ABC in November, but November came and went, and no “V.” Please don’t tell me that it has been canceled. After the cancelation of “FlashForward” and “The Gates,” I don’t think I can take another early cancelation! — Theresa R., Baltimore

A: Don’t you worry, Theresa. “V” will make its highly anticipated season premiere on Tuesday, Jan. 4, at 9/8c. Season two will feature more character and lizard revelations, more details about the V’s mythology, as well as even more action and more plot twists. As my favorite new show of the 2009 season, I can’t wait to see what develops.

Q: I loved Laura Prepon on “October Road,” and was sad when it went off the air. Can you tell me what else I can see her in? — Danni J. in Georgia

A: Laura, 30, has been busy since “October Road” was canceled in 2008. She guest-starred on “In Plain Sight,” “Medium,” “House M.D.” and “How I Met Your Mother.” In January, Laura plays Natalie Gray, the actress who portrays Nicki Heat in the movie adaptation of Richard Castle’s best-selling mystery book “Nicki Heat” on ABC’s “Castle.”

Q: I have loved all of the “Glee” cameos as of late, especially Britney Spears and Gwyneth Paltrow. Now I hear that Anne Hathaway might be on the show? Is that true? — Denny T., via e-mail

A: While there are no immediate plans for Anne Hathaway to guest-star on the popular Fox musical/comedy, if Anne gets her way, you just might see her walking down the halls of McKinley High. She recently revealed: “In my head, I’ve cast myself, and I know what song I’m going to sing! I would want to play Kurt’s long-lost aunt’s mother’s sister, who is also gay and comes back to help him deal with his sexuality, and I would sing ‘You Are Not Alone’ from Steven Sondheim’s epic show ‘Into the Woods.’”

Interview: Eric Winter Confirms "Dreaminess" of Rob Lowe, Among Other Things

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Interview: Eric Winter Confirms "Dreaminess" of Rob Lowe, Among Other Things

When Eric Winter (left, photo by Gabriel Goldberg) decided to leave “Days of Our Lives” back in 2006 (after playing Rex DiMera since 2002), neither he nor I could have guessed where his career would take him in the four years since. While many might recognize him for playing Rob Lowe's brother on “Brothers and Sisters” or Katherine Heigl's "perfect man" love interest in the feature film "The Ugly Truth," Eric is back on the small screen in a new role: Agent Craig O’Laughlin on the CBS hit drama series “The Mentalist.” When I got the chance to catch up with Eric recently, he filled me in on his days since “Days.”

Celebrity Extra: Last we spoke, CBS had just canceled the Hugh Jackman-produced nighttime drama “Viva Laughlin,” which I absolutely loved and was so sad to see go. But after that, you got an even bigger break when you were cast on “Brothers and Sisters.” Tell me about working on that show.

Eric Winter: That show was a lot of fun to work on. They were very welcoming. It was a great atmosphere there. And with that many heavy-hitters, you never know what you’re gonna get. And it was just really pleasant.

CE: What did you like best about the show and your character, Jason McCallister?

EW: I think with my character, it was a cool thing to explore. Here’s a guy who is openly gay but he’s a minister and fights for things he believes in. It was an interesting dynamic that his brother is a very conservative Republican (Robert McCallister, played by Rob Lowe) who’s running for office. There were a lot of good social, economic and cultural differences that were expressed through there.

CE: More important, is Rob Lowe just as dreamy in person as he is on TV?

EW: (Laughter) He’s a good-looking guy. Obviously, for me, I wouldn’t say dreamy, but he’s a very handsome guy. And just really, really cool. But yes, you probably would find him dreamy.



CE: After that, you were in “Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay,” which is quite different from your role on “B and S.”

EW: I thought that this sequel — and not just because I was in it — was so damn funny, because it just pushes the envelope with so many things. It racially offended everybody. It was sexist … it was everything. They just got in everyone’s face, and it was so funny and so well written and well directed. That was just a blast. Very hard-core but funny.

CE: After that you were in “Moonlight,” which still has an incredible cult following. How was that show to work on?

EW: That was a fun show too. I would have loved to have the chance to do a lot of the vampire-type stuff and mess around with all the effects, but we never got to dive into that part of my character. That was something they were talking about doing the next season, and then the show got canceled. So, we never really know what would have happened to my character and ultimately what his motivation was. They were finding their groove. Again, another show (like “Viva Laughlin”) that was ahead of its time.

CE: Yes, it seems nowadays that networks aren’t giving shows that much of a chance to really develop, grow and build their audience …

EW: It might not have been a nice hit for the CBS audience, but the ones who loved it loved it, and I think CBS was ahead of its time on two shows in the same year — and that was “Viva Laughlin” and “Moonlight.”

CE: After “Moonlight” you scored a plum part in the feature film “The Ugly Truth.” You must have been thrilled to land that part.

EW: Absolutely. That was just a huge opportunity that (director) Robert Luketic and Lakeshore gave me. And it was really awesome, and I had such a blast working with those guys. And my relationship with Katie (Heigl) and Gerry (Butler) was a ton of fun. We just laughed a lot. It was another fun environment to be in. It was a huge opportunity. It was kind of a fun, vulgar romantic comedy — it changes up from the normal romantic-comedy pace that you’re used to.

CE: What can you tell me about your new role on CBS' "The Mentalist" of Agent Craig O’Laughlin, and what fans can expect from his appearance?

EW: Well, I’m kind of learning myself to keep a lot of stuff under wraps. But what I do feel is there has to be something else there. I don’t think I’m just an FBI guy that came on and happened to find (Grace) Van Pelt attractive. I honestly don’t know. But I know that my character is an ex-football player who is in the FBI. I go back in a couple of weeks to shoot other episodes. And I have a few more episodes lined up for next year. My goal is to keep this character all business. He’s hot stuff, but he’s not a jerk. He’s not a jerk, in my mind, with Van Pelt. And he’s not doing anything wrong. She and Rigsby were broken up, so it’s sort of fair territory. It’s just a really funny, awkward situation.

CE: Were you worried coming in, because even though Van Pelt and Rigsby were broken up, there are bound to be fans who are upset?

EW: Yeah, you’re always going to get that. But hopefully with the way I treat her and the way I portray my character, people will see he’s not a bad guy. Maybe they will like him, too, and see he’s doing some good things for her. I want it to be a true triangle. But it’s a really tricky situation to be in.

CE: As an actor, I would think it would be fun to play an FBI agent — you get to be the man in charge, you learn how to handle firearms, how to take down suspects, etc.

EW: Oh yeah, it’s the best. It’s my first time playing something like this, and it’s been a lot of fun. It’s really fricking cool to learn the ins and outs — what the FBI does and the CBI does, and how they handle situations. We have on-set experts who walk us through stuff and help us keep it real. It’s been a very fun thing for me to explore.

CE: You said that you’re working on a couple of more episodes — should we start a campaign to make you a permanent cast member?

EW: Yes! You’ve got to start campaigning. From what I understand, they plan on doing a slow burn. Whatever happens between the two of us (O’Laughlin and Van Pelt) is definitely going to play its course. But there’s a lot to do with my character aside from that relationship. I’m not in the writing room, so I don’t know. But I know they have it well worked out, and they’ve been great with me so far.

CE: What’s the thing you like best about working on a weekly episodic show?

EW: Simon (Baker) works his butt off. He’s very, very busy on that show. But I think that with me it’s a lot of fun because I get to explore the character, but I have some time off so I can be looking for some other things as well, films and so forth. It’s a very fun, comfortable environment, and I have a great character to play, which keeps me very interested and motivated with that project. It’s comfortable and exciting at the same time.

Interview: Jacqueline Bisset Has An Old-Fashioned Christmas

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Interview: Jacqueline Bisset Has An Old-Fashioned Christmas

In November 2008, the Hallmark Channel aired the film adaptation of Lousia May Alcott's short story An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving, becoming the highest-rated cable television movie of the week. Starring the beautiful, award-winning actress Jacqueline Bisset as Isabella, An Old-Fashioned Christmas picks up where Thanksgiving left off. Christmas airs tomorrow on the Hallmark Channel at 8/7c, and will prove to be a movie event that your family can't miss. I spoke with Jacqueline about the movie, about revisiting the story of Isabella and her granddaughter Tilly, and their globe-trotting adventures that land them at Shannon Castle in Ireland.

Celebrity Extra: When you first approached about this sequel, were you excited to learn that Hallmark was going to revisit your characters with An Old-Fashioned Christmas?

Jacqueline Bisset: Oh, yes I was. I wanted to see what they did with it. And I got to work with Donald Martin, whom I’ve been trying to work with for quite a while. So that was good.

CE: Also, were you excited just to be able to play the part of Isabella again, to explore what she has been doing these past few years?

JB: Well I think, it’s a journey. There was a new actress (playing Tilly, Catherine Steadman), which was odd to work with a different actress in the same role two years later. But actually it worked out just fine. Once I realized she’d grown up in those two years, I was able to wrap around her emotionally as I felt I had in the first one. I attached to her and felt fond of her. But it was a little bit brutal the way she treated me in this one. We were in a more argumentative stage in our relationship. And my controlling character was having difficulty keeping her in what I thought was the right thing for her. I think my character had good instincts about her granddaughter, but I think she is controlling and interfering, and certainly felt that that it her responsibility, being responsible for her young charge.



CE: That leads right into the next question about how Isabella can be stern and a bit unbending — it must be difficult because she really has Tilly’s best interests at heart.

JB: It’s really Isabella's change. My character's change is not that really that different, but Tilly's reaction to me is different. When she meets me on the farm, she’s full of her anger of her past situation with the rest of the family. And she’s rather enthralled by my free spirit and my style, and what she sees as being a worldly quality in me. I’m sure it is inspirational to her and her desire to be a writer. We’re very close. But she’s also seen the other side of me, which is suffocating to her. And she knows my reputation through her mother. She feels that that relationship was not the truth about me, and she knows me better than her own mother does, in fact. I’m able to communicate with Tilly better than with my own daughter.

CE: It is funny, because a lot of the time that really does skip a generation, as Isabella couldn’t understand Mary, but she gets Tilly.

JB: Definitely. Love is complicated, as are relationships. But I think Isabella has insecurities. I think she’s had a hard life. When Lady Shannon and these grand people start criticizing her family, she takes it very personally. She feels that she has overcome her own class issues to some degree, but when she’s now facing the aristocracy, she’s still faced with the aristocracy of her background. She doesn’t want to be insulted and neither does Tilly. Plus, she knows that they’re after Isabella’s money.

CE: Isabella and Shawn (above) have some great chemistry. How was it working with Ian McIlhenny?

JB: He was lovely. It was lovely. This character has got so little romance; it’s all about other people’s romance, so I guess they were wanting me to have a little romance.

CE: The movie itself is so lush and beautiful. How was this filming experience?

JB: Very nice. We were in County Clare in Ireland, and we were shooting in this castle. And my hotel was a castle. It was a short shoot, but it was a pretty intense shoot. The hours in Ireland are not as bad as they are in America. So it was bearable. And all the actors were lovely and the director was lovely. It didn’t rain, hardly at all. It was really quite a special shoot. The food was good; it was a heavy sort of English/Irish-style food, which I love, I must admit. It’s absolutely disastrous to the waistline, but I thoroughly enjoy it. And I got to work with Joel Rice, who is the producer, on the first one. He’s really someone I like working with, and he takes care of his group in a paternalistic way, which was really pleasant. So, I felt quite good.

CE: And just from a purely “girly” point of few, it must be terribly fun to get to dress in those gorgeous period dresses.

JB: Yes, but it’s absolutely murder if you try tightening up the corset. The thing is with period pieces, is you don’t want to take the corset off when you’re eating and then put it back on and tighten it, because you just feel you’re absolutely terrible. The corset thing with food is not fun. Because once you start digesting with a tight thing around you, it’s not a good feeling. And plus, you’ll get overwhelmingly sleepy if you are not careful. And I fall into every trap that I’ve ever known about; I fall into it again when I see good food. 

I’ve been through this in Anna Karenina in Hungary, almost passing out after meals when I couldn’t take it off because there was no time to take it all off and undo one’s hair. So, I was absolutely comatose after lunch, as I was on almost every period film I’ve ever done. And I’ve learned my lesson that I can’t resist. It’s trouble. I’m weak in that situation. Really, really weak.

CE: That’s just something I would never think about because I’ve never had to wear a corset, but I guess you would have to be careful.

JB: You do. And you’re supposedly trying to keep your energy going. The only period film which I did not have a corset in was Napoleon and Josephine, because of the Empire line with the waist up underneath the bust. And one could eat freely and I have to admit, they ended the film and I thought, “What is this thing following me around?” And I realized it was my bottom! I literally lost track of my body during the shoot, because I didn’t have anything to measure it against. I didn’t have to get into any tight jeans or anything. Everything was loose.

CE: One thing that I really like about the Hallmark Channel is they are creating these movies that are big-screen quality for the small screen, which you can enjoy with the entire family. Was that something that appealed to you?

JB: I had never thought of it quite like that. Yes, I do like making movies that are like that, but I just think that the content … It’s just out of control what people are making nowadays. I’m worried about the world, I have to say. I just think it’s becoming so lewd to some degree. I just think, “Where is this going to go to?” It depresses me a bit. 

I like characters that have a bit of principal. I don’t think it’s boring; I think it’s still a good story. Nothing has to be so extreme or so violent. I’m for all different kinds of things for adults, but I’m glad there are still stories that have some romance about them. I see this story as kind of a fairy tale with some quite strong truths in it.

CE: What do you hope viewers take away from the movie after watching it?

JB: Well, it’s a Christmas movie in a sense of people coming together. I just hope that my character works and people are interested or amused or intrigued — or whatever it is the actor is to be doing — that they believe it. I think that the idea of a family joining together and getting over some past troubles is a nice idea. And eating around a table is always a good idea. People sitting together and being friendly is one of the best things in life. 

That’s where we all sort of want to end up, entwined emotionally and with warmth and with the luck to have something on the table to eat. I just think those are the true values of the joys of life. Because they all work so hard in so many different ways, if you don’t have those comings together, I just don’t think it means as much. The fight to have stuff and the endless commercialization of everything, it’s just not a good way to live. I hope when people see this film, they sit together and feel closer.

Catch Into the Dragon's Lair Tonight on Animal Planet

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BY Unknown 08:10 0

Catch Into the Dragon's Lair Tonight on Animal Planet

TUNE-IN ALERT

I watched this last night, and I have to say: It's a must-see!

(press release)

The Nile crocodile is one of the planet's most feared apex predators known to have taken humans as prey. Filming within arms reach of these dangerous creatures, is courageous and perhaps a bit insane, but with the risk comes valuable knowledge and an adrenaline rush that can make a person feel truly alive. There has been no record of men ever diving with these beautiful and yet utterly terrifying creatures… until now. On Thursday, December 9, at 10 PM (ET/PT) on Animal Planet, wildlife photographer Roger Horrocks and world-renowned, underwater cameraman Didier Noiret travel to Botswana’s Okavango Delta to go Into the Dragon's Lair.

For Roger (pictured left), diving with Nile crocodiles is a drastic departure from his former life in the corporate world. Both Roger and Didier are fully aware could die, but they are determined to achieve their goal - to be the first men on record to enter the Nile crocodile’s lair to capture never-before-seen behaviors and imagery that broadens the world's scientific understanding of one of its most horrifyingly, glorious killers.

(Photo credits: Roger Horrocks)

Interview: $#*! Nicole Sullivan Says

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BY Unknown 09:13 0

Interview: $#*! Nicole Sullivan Says

While Nicole Sullivan made her Hollywood breakthrough on nighttime soaps like “Party of Five” and “Models, Inc.,” she is best known for her comedic roles. She was a principle cast member on “MADtv” for 10 years, she starred as the titular character on Lifetime Television’s original sitcom “Rita Rocks,” and she now co-stars as Bonnie in the William Shatner-starring CBS sitcom, “$#*! My Dad Says.”

Aside from being a talented actress, comedian and voice-over artist, Nicole is first and foremost a wife and mother. She’s been married to actor Jason Packham since 2006, and together they have two sons, Dashel, 3, and Beckett, 1. When I caught up with her recently, she told me about juggling motherhood with her busy career.

Celebrity Extra: I am sure you are having lots of fun with “$#*! My Dad Says,” but I was sad to see that “Rita Rocks” had been canceled. What was it you liked most about that show?

Nicole Sullivan: Well, it was a great family sitcom, and it really clicked with me at this time in my life. It’s like the minute you give birth — and I mean THE MINUTE you give birth — it’s not about you anymore. It’s about someone else. And that’s the joy of motherhood, and I don’t think any mother would have it any other way. But what happens is, over time, you start thinking: What about a little something for me? And as moms we just feel so guilty if we prioritize ourselves at all. And I think the next thing you wake up and you’re unfulfilled, and you’re not sure why. “Rita Rocks” was about a woman who woke up after 16 years and said: “You know what? I really love music; I love singing. I want to get that back.” I know she’s never going to open for U2, but she’s going to have a great time in her garage playing with her friends.



CE: Of course I knew about your extensive comedic and dramatic work, but I had no idea that you had done and continue to do so much voice work. What are some aspects of doing voice work that you really like — besides the fact that you don’t have to put on makeup to do it?

NS: Sitcom work is an 8 1/2 out of 10 as far as work goes. It’s the greatest job. The hours are great. The one downside to sitcom work is there are no sick days. You’re sick; you go to work anyway. You’ve got 150 people going, “Really, she’s not going to show up?” That’s not an option. Other than that there’s not a downside I can find with this job. It’s just a great job and I’m so blessed that I’ve gotten it. And the only thing that’s better is voice-over work. And I’ve been really lucky, because there are some really dumb cartoons out there, and I’ve been really lucky to have worked on really well-written, fun ones. “Kim Possible” went on for seven or eight years, and it was a really great show. I’m doing “Penguins of Madagascar” now, which shows on Nickelodeon, and I think is either neck and neck with “SpongeBob SquarePants” or just surpassed it for the top children’s show in the country. I’ve just been really lucky to get to work with good-good material and really nice people.

CE: I also love seeing you pop up on something I don’t expect, like the recurring role you had on “Scrubs.” That was such a departure from what I’m used to seeing from you. What was it like working on that set and doing that character?

NS: Tremendous. Bill Lawrence, the creator of the show, is a friend of mine. So it was totally nepotism. He wrote in parts for a lot of his friends, and you always get a really good view of what Bill thinks of you when you see how he writes you into shows. And when he wrote that part I thought: “He thinks I’m out of my mind! I love it!” That cast was so talented; I loved that show. I loved everyone there. It was such a top-notch experience.