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“American Ninja Warrior” Co-Host Jenn Brown On Competitors’ “Mental Toughness”

By
Greg Srisavasdi
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Broadcaster/reporter Jenn Brown (NFL Network) serves as a co-host on American Ninja Warrior, the popular competition series which starts its sixth season tonight (NBC, 9 pm et/pt). Although no U.S. participant has conquered the seemingly indomitable Mount Midoriyama, people continue to work hard for their shot at glory. It’s a pretty inspiring journey for any person who tries to overcome their fears and personal obstacles, and much of our brief chat with Brown centered on this very aspect.

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Do you think one of the reason for the show’s success lies in the actual stories behind the competition?

I think you hit the nail on the head because it is a great competition show and you love to see different athletes come out and put their physical prowess to the test, but I think what really the viewers enjoy about watching the show is these storylines. You kind of watch the show and find someone you can relate with and be inspired by. You’re sitting at home, and maybe you’ve had a loved one pass away from breast cancer and you’ve been inspired to run a marathon. Or maybe you’re a little overweight and you’re looking for that little incentive to get back in the gym so you can be more healthy and play with your kids.

There’s kind of something for everybody to identify with and find someone to root for. A lot of the other shows out there – the competitors are pitted against each other for the most part. With (American Ninja Warrior), there’s a lot of camaraderie between the competitors. It’s really them against the course.

American Ninja Warrior – (Credit: NBCUniversal)

Why is there such a demand to compete in American Ninja Warrior since no one has yet to complete the entire course?

Like you said, we haven’t had anyone had success. Not any Americans, at least. It’s amazing that year after year, we’re having more and more competitors. The level of playing field has increased.

Every year a competitor makes it further. The fact that we are seeing the skill level stepping up and we are seeing competitors making it further each season. When you sit back and take an analytical look at it, you are a bit surprised that so many people want to come out and try their chances.

Maybe it’s just even getting here. Who knows if they actually really feel if they can successfully make it to Mount Midoriyama. But to have the payoff of that journey – training for that marathon, bike race, triathlon or playing a full game of tee ball with your kids. Whatever it is that you set your mind to, I think that’s what inspires people to come out and compete.

I’m sure it’s not hard to find workout motivation from interviewing people on American Ninja Warror or even the NFL Network.

I’ve been very blessed to work with athletes from across the board. From the highest level of sports to even the 69-year-old grandmother or Grandpa ninja (Kelvin Antoine) on our show, it is inspiring. It certainly makes me (motivated) on days when I just want to sleep in.

Even with American Ninja Warrior – we shoot from 6 pm to 7 am and we’re back at it. So it certainly pushes me. I tell my mom that all the time. We have a grandpa out there who has a six-pack. He may even have an eight-pack. So I don’t want to hear any complaining! You just watch our show and you see people pushing themselves to their limits. So it’s certainly inspiring.

As a sports broadcaster, you have a very natural and relaxed manner. How much hard work did it take to get to that place?

In terms of my craft, it’s something that I work hard on every day. For me, my driving force is always being prepared. My biggest fear when I started in this business was to come across like I didn’t know what I was talking about. Women have a little bit more scrutiny in terms of talking about sports.

That was the expectation I always put on myself to make sure I was never in a position wherein I was caught off guard and didn’t know something. For me, there’s a lot of hard work and preparation in getting to the point of when I’m on the sideline or when I’m on American Ninja Warrior talking to the competitors.

In terms of the comfortableness, I love to talk. My mom used to get notes that I couldn’t stop talking in class and couldn’t sit still. I’m certainly the kid who liked to talk and was very comfortable talking to anyone and anywhere. My mom said I never took naps. I’m just really interested in people and their stories and I love being able to tell stories.

Quick football question – are you surprised Johnny Manziel dropped down to the Cleveland Browns in the NFL Draft?

It did shock me. I didn’t see him making out of the top ten. I was really surprised and I think a lot of people were surprised. He’s a playmaker and he’s someone who’s going to go out there and we’ve seen what he’s done in college. I know people are questioning whether that translates in the NFL but look at Colin Kaepernick and Russell Wilson. These are playmakers who can get it done. I hope the Browns organization will take advantage of using that skill set because it would be a shame for him not to be able to go out there and show what he can do. I’m a Johnny Football fan, for sure.

To hear Jenn Brown talk about the importance of mental toughness on the show, check out the audio clip below:

Check out American Ninja Warrior, which also features co-hosts Matt Iseman and Akbar Gbaja Biamila, tonight on NBC (9 pm et/pt)

http://youtu.be/MkP1SxqiMJ4

Chef Tim Love Fires Up Advice On Cooking The Perfect Steak

By
Greg Srisavasdi
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0

Ever had a great food idea that needs a bit of financial encouragement? Premiering July, the CNBC project “Restaurant Kickstart” has acclaimed chef Tim Love and restaurateur Joe Bastianich (MasterChef) investing their respective money on the next great food idea.

Each episode will have two teams pitching their concept to Love and Bastianich, with the chosen team given two days and $7,5000 to launch a pop-up restaurant. Culinary expert and fellow restaurateur Waylynn Lucas is also on hand to watch over the proceedings, which hopefully ends in an investment commitment to “kickstart” their culinary dreams.

Tim Love – Restaurant Kickstart (Photo: Ben Cohen/CNBC)

“I’m doing investments in people and ideas,” said Love, a proud Texan whose establishments include Love Shack, Queenie’s Steakhouse, Woodshed Smokehouse, White Elephant Saloon and Lonesome Dove Western Bistro. “I think these people, quite frankly, deserve an opportunity. “I didn’t have that chance. I wish I did. I’m now in the position where I can find and discover people and there’s an enlightenment in finding talent in people and giving them that opportunity to shine.”

During the interview, Love was asked how to cook the perfect steak, to which he immediately responded, “a hot fire, with lots of salt and pepper.” Click on the video below to check out Tim Love’s advice on cooking a tasty steak:

 

 

 

 

 

“Last Comic Standing” Goes “Punk Rock” With Roseanne & Keenen Ivory Wayans

By
Greg Srisavasdi
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0

A new season of the “Last Comic Standing” is finally upon us, and joining the program are new judges Roseanne Barr (“Roseanne,” “The Office”), Keenen Ivory Wayans (“In Living Color,” “A Low Down Dirty Shame”), and Russell Peters (“Comics Without Borders”).

“It’s a great job for each of us because we love comedy,” said Wayans. “And the idea of watching young comics and getting to find a star among them is exciting for all of us.  The people who are doing the show (Wanda Sykes and Page Hurtwitz are the executive producers) are people that we know and they have an expertise in this area as well.”

In the video below, Roseanne talks about why she sees the show as “punk rock.” Keenen Ivory Wayans also elaborates on why this season of  Last Comic Standing is not “a popularity contest.”

Last Comic Standing, hosted by JB Smoove, has its two hour season premiere Thursday, May 22 (9 pm et/pt).

Peter Dinklage Joins “X-Men” Universe With Villainous Role

By
Greg Srisavasdi
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0

Peter Dinklage, known to Game of Thrones enthusiasts as the resourceful Tyrion Lannister, plays Dr. Trask, a scientist who becomes the biggest threat to the mutants (and eventually all of humanity) in X-Men: Days of Future Past.

“He really believes he is doing the right thing to save humankind,” said Dinklage, whose previous films include In Bruges and The Station Agent. “At the same time, in this time of the Vietnam War, one of the worst wars in our recent history – I guess they’re all really bad wars – he thinks this is an opportunity to bring the world together.”

X-Men: Days of Future Past – Peter Dinklage (Twentieth Century Fox, Alan Markfield)
X-Men: Days of Future Past – Peter Dinklage (Twentieth Century Fox, Alan Markfield)

To portray his 1970s based character, Dinklage didn’t have to dig too deep for his research. “I just saw some old pictures of my dad and his friends at the time, that’s where the look comes from,” joked the Emmy award winning actor.

To hear Peter Dinklage talk about the villainy behind Dr. Trask, click on the media bar below:

Starring Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy, and a slew of other actors who are playing mutants, X-Men: Days of Future Past opens May 23.

Caleb Johnson Talks “American Idol” Finale: “I’m Fine Either Way”

By
Greg Srisavasdi
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0

Last night’s American Idol finale (part one) pitted powerhouse singers Caleb Johnson and Jena Irene. Johnson, who was battling though a vocal chord hemorrhage, performed the tracks “Dream On,” “Maybe I’m Amazed,” and “As Long As You Love Me.”

“It was just like you were on planet Mars,” said Johnson after his performances. “It’s just like a different world. All these people in the audience – the lights, the music. It’s powerful.”

For host Ryan Seacrest, hosting American Idol is always a fresh experience. “It is always incredible to be on that stage and look at the 7,000 people cheering for those two individuals that made it this far. I looked over to Caleb and Jena at the top of the show when we first said hello and I said, ‘What do you think?’ They said ‘Oh my god I can’t believe how big this is.’ They did a good job.”

Click on the audio bar below to hear Caleb Johnson talk about being fine either way with tonight’s American Idol results:

Check out tonight’s American Idol results on Fox (8 pm et/pt).

David Cronenberg On “Maps To The Stars” & His Creative Process

By
Greg Srisavasdi
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David Cronenberg’s prodigious and acclaimed career goes all the way back to the 1960s, and the 71-year-old filmmaker has done his share of stellar work. The Fly, Videodrome, The Dead Zone, A History of Violence, and Eastern Promises rank among his finest cinematic forays. His latest project Maps to the Stars is based on an original script by Bruce Wagner and it takes a look at various desperate figures who are trying to find their identity, and possible salvation, within the manipulative confines of Hollywood.

Olivia Williams, Robert Pattinson, David Cronenberg – Maps to the Stars (Entertainment One Films)

Robert Pattinson, who previously worked with Cronenberg in Cosmopolis, plays a limo driver/actor in the picture, and Julianne Moore joins in on the fun as an aging, overwrought actress whose career is overshadowed by the work of her iconic mother. Although the story is set in Tinselton, Cronenberg believes the narrative’s themes are universal.

“It’s not only about Hollywood and about the movie business,” said the filmmaker. “You could set it in Silicon Valley. You could set it in Wall Street. Any place where people are desperate, ambitious, greedy, (and) fearful. You could really set it anywhere and have that same tone and same ring of truth.”

During the Cannes Film Festival press conference for Maps to the Stars, Cronenberg talked about the creative process and motivations he carries before each project. “I don’t really feel I’m inventing myself,” said the director. “But I’m entertaining myself. I’m amusing myself. For me a project is kind of an exploration. I really am asking myself many questions on what it is to be a human being. What is the essence of the human condition, and there are many ways of approaching that.”

Click on the media bar below to hear Cronenberg talk about his filmmaking process:

 Maps to the Stars opens in theaters this fall.

Emily Deschanel Talks “Pretty Dramatic” Bones Season 9 Finale

By
Greg Srisavasdi
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0

“The Recluse in the Recliner,” the moniker for tonight’s season finale episode of Bones (FOX, 8 pm et/pt), could have been lifted from some Alfred Hitchcock Presents episode. Directed by David Boreanaz, the Jeffersonian crew investigate the demise of Wesley Foster, a conspiracy blog writer who was set to meet Booth (Boreanaz) and shed light on a prior case. Foster’s final moments aren’t a pretty one, as his body may have been burned into a recliner.

As Booth and his colleagues dig deeper into the case, they realize that whoever killed Foster did not want the scribe to meet our intrepid protagonist, and now Booth may be biting off more than he can chew. In a recent interview, Deschanel said that the finale will have huge repercussions for the Jeffersonian team.

Emily Deschanel – Bones (Fox Broadcasting, CR: Patrick McElhenney)

“Booth is up for promotion; the FBI agency in Berlin, their office in Berlin.. And, you know, you can’t say no to such a promotion,” said Deschanel. “It’s an honor, so he’s moving forward. He goes to the confirmation and things don’t go quite as planned, and things unravel from there and lots of things are revealed. I don’t want to say it’s a conspiracy theory because it may not be a theory. There really may be conspiracies happening against Booth and Brennan and possibly everyone at the Jeffersonian. But they’re targeting Booth right now.”

Bones executive producer Stephen Nathan added that tonight’s finale could be the show’s most gripping cliffhanger.

“What we wanted to do was after nine years you really kind of want to shake the tree and, you know, see what falls out,” said Nathan. “And we decided to really put them in a very challenging situation. Now having Booth be tempted by a promotion which could really change his career, but at the same time it changes his life in a very radical way, not only his professional life but his personal life and home life with Brennan, and Christine, and even his son. So, you know, he’s put in a situation, it’s sort of an offer he can’t refuse, but at the same time it slowly becomes an offer that is not really what it appears to be.”

Click on the media bar below to hear Emily Deschanel discuss tonight’s “pretty dramatic finale.”

Seth MacFarlane Finds “A Million Ways” To Love John Ford Westerns

By
Greg Srisavasdi
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0

Ted filmmaker Seth MacFarlane directs, co-writes and stars in A Million Ways to Die in the West. The Western features MacFarlane as a sheep farmer named Albert who, after backing out of a gunfight, finds courage when a mysterious woman (Charlize Theron) rides into his lawless town.

Amanda Seyfried, Liam Neeson, Giovanni Ribisi, Sarah Silverman, and Neil Patrick Harris also star in this Western comedy which, if MacFarlane keeps up his comedic hot streak, could give Blazing Saddles a run for its money.

A Million Ways To Die In The West (Universal)

During the A Million Ways To Die in the West press conference, MacFarlane talked about the acting challenges he faced during production. “There were two things that became apparent pretty quickly into the process, and one was the muscles didn’t take as much reconditioning as I thought it would,” said the filmmaker. “It was more like voice acting than I thought it would be. You’re using your whole body and there are some things that are different, but when you are doing a character, even in the booth, my face will do different things when I do different characters.”

MacFarlane credited Theron for elevating his performance. “I was with the most talented actress that I could have (worked with),” said MacFarlane. “What became clear as well, and this is probably old hat to actors but it’s new to me, was that your performance really does depend in a large portion to what you’re getting from the other person. I got so much from Charlize and was made so comfortable by her during this process that I got to like (acting) pretty quickly.”

In the audio clip below, MacFarlane talks about his love for John Ford Westerns and he discusses how The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance influenced A Million Ways To Die In The West.

 

The movie comes out May 30.

Review: “Maleficent Free Fall” Weaves Its Magic On IOS

By
Greg Srisavasdi
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0

Disney Interactive’s new release Maleficent Free All is a free to play title that is sure to bring devotees of the publisher’s successful app Frozen Free All. The puzzle game contains a rather simple goal – match three gemstones of the same color and rid the screen of darkness. Upon every color match, each tile will be lit, and you’ll have a number of moves to turn your puzzle board into a sunny, treasure filled spectacle.

Since it’s a freemium title, there are the requisite in-app purchases, with the most important premium centering on purchasing more lives to continue playing the puzzles. The good news is that your lives eventually refresh, and if you don’t want to pay a dime to purchase more lives, just put your mobile device or tablet down and return to the game within a half hour. Maleficent Free All gives you five lives to play with, so even if you screw up your puzzles, there’s enough game time to be had in one sitting.

Disney Interactive
Disney Interactive

I played the first 15 levels of Maleficent Free Fall without a hitch (young Maleficent is pictured in each of the levels), but puzzle solving took a more difficult turn with the second stage. This time out, Maleficent (who’s played in the film by Angelina Jolie), is an adult, so even though the three puzzle match dynamic is still employed, getting the right combination of gems, as well as making the right moves, gets a bit trickier.

Since certain gemstones are trapped in wire, they’re immobile until they’re matched up with two gemstones of the same color. As the puzzles get more difficult, there may be certain matches which are more immediate to the eye but may have absolutely no impact on solving the puzzle. The challenge of Maleficent Free Fall is to be economical with your choices, since every decision can lead to a beneficial or disastrous chain of events.

 

Disney Interactive
Disney Interactive

Fans of Candy Crush Saga and Frozen Free For All won’t be disappointed with Maleficent Free Fall. I downloaded the app in preparation for the upcoming Disney film and was pleasantly surprised. The graphics are spot on and the gameplay, especially if you love slide and match puzzlers, doesn’t disappoint. For a free to play title, Maleficent Free Fall is a more than worthy download, and it’s definitely an app that I’ll keep on my iPad for the weeks to come.

Grade: B +

Maleficent Free Fall Details (iOS): Version 1.0. / Size: 93.9 MB / Free / Rated: 4+

 

 

DVD Pick: “Seduced And Abandoned” A Seductive Look At Cinema

By
Greg Srisavasdi
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0

“Seduced and Abandoned,” a documentary which premiered last year on HBO, begins with a tragic quote from Orson Welles: “I look back on my life and it’s 95% running around trying to raise money to make movies and 5% actually making them. It’s no way to live.”

Writer/director James Toback has spent a majority of his life putting his various personal addictions, as well as hard earned revelations, into cinematic form. Whether it’s his addiction to women and sex (Two Girls and a Guy, The Pick-Up Artist), drugs and sports (Harvard Man), or straight up gambling (his Fyodor Dostoevsky influenced The Gambler), Toback isn’t afraid to turn his destructive passions into narrative form.

With Seduced and Abandoned (98 minutes), Toback’s lifelong addiction of cinema is front and center, as he and Alec Baldwin attempted to find financing for a film that would star Baldwin and Neve Campbell (she worked with Toback in his 2004 feature When Will I Be Loved). Their idea is to shoot a modern day version of Last Tango in Paris, the Bernardo Bertolucci feature which arguably contains Marlon Brando’s most emotionally revealing work.

“Making movies is the oxygen of my being,” says Toback, who intended his film to be an intimate tale of two people that would be set against a large, politically charged backdrop.

Their 2012 visit to the Cannes Film Festival (it was Baldwin’s first experience with the French Riviera) was met with a mixture of reverie and resigned disappointment. On the plus side, the documentary features interviews with a wide array of actors and filmmakers of the highest order (Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, Jessica Chastain, Roman Polanski, Bertolucci, James Caan, Ryan Gosling). If you want to check out a loving ode to cinema that’s filled with memorable stories (Gosling’s near death experience on a plane is a particular highlight), Seduced and Abandoned doesn’t disappoint.

Their meetings with financiers, billionaires, and movie studio power players, though often engaging and entertaining, end up as ultimately bracing conversations about the reality of the business. Producer Mark Damon claims a film with Toback, Baldwin and Campbell attached would only receive $4-5 million in financing (Toback was aiming for a budget over triple that amount). Even with all the wonderful discussions about the transcendent impact of cinema, Seduced and Abandoned is an honest look at filmmaking’s bottom line: if you don’t have a young, hot star attached to your film, don’t expect tons of money to back your production.

Toback and Baldwin certainly know this truism, but as Baldwin sums it best regarding his continued (and bittersweet) love for films – “You are seduced and abandoned over and over again.”

Special Features on the DVD includes a 9-minute lunch conversation between Toback and Baldwin. The chat mainly centrals on Toback’s early exploration into his psyche and how that journey influenced The Gambler (which was directed by Karel Reisz) and his 1978 drama Fingers.

** The Seduced and Abandoned DVD is Manufactured on Demand (MOD) via The Warner Archive Collection. To purchase this DVD, go to the Warner Archive site.

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