tv shows

‘Living Wild, Wild Life’

It’s not every day that you get to talk to your comedy heroes but when you do, it’s a moment that sticks with you and one that truly means the world. In the past four years across two entertainment websites, I’ve been really humbled to chat with Joel McHale almost 10 times for work. Naturally, each time has been so much fun and incredibly special.

He is one of the kindest, funniest, and most down-to-earth people you will ever know! To say just how much Joel’s comedy has meant to me over the years is something I can never quite put into words (but more into LOLs and smiles). I started watching his version of The Soup from the very start and I was glued — like thighs on a plastic seat during a hot summer’s day. I literally grew up with the show and went through so much of life with it. My sister’s illness, relationship heartache, good jobs, bad jobs, all of it. Like how Conan O’Brien is a big part of my childhood salvation, Joel is too and I’ll never be able to say thank you, no matter how much I try. His comedy has meant a lot to me and I’m eternally grateful.

In honor of Animal Control Season 2 premiering tonight on FOX, check out my review and look back at all the shared hilarity with Joel. He really is the best!

‘One Day We’ll All Be Found’

One of my absolute favorite sitcoms this season has been Ghosts on CBS! If you haven’t tuned in yet, you are seriously missing out. It is incredibly funny, so cleverly written, and just wonderfully cast with a very talented and gifted group of performers that I love and respect so much and am honored to have in my life. I’ve had a chance to cover the show at PopCulture.com since its premiere last October and have been fortunate to chat with the showrunners and every cast member about their quirky characters and storylines every week. It might seem strange to say — call it fate or luck, but this beautiful, sweet and magical show landed in my lap at the most opportune time in my life when I had just lost one of my best friends to suicide and to have this show kind of fill in the gaps, and then chat with these wonderful, beautiful kind people about it has been a godsend and one that has left me in a new phase of life. One where I am the happiest I’ve ever been, while also filled with love and friendship.

With the series brilliantly encapsulating a sincerity with immense heart, reminiscent of a familiar hug, it brought to life a subject matter we rarely speak of and one I am grateful for. With the arts like film and TV being accurate representations of how we interpret life, Ghosts offers room to understanding grief in this affable, humorous containment of sorts. One that encourages healing with stories that are charming and permit reflection of that pain because it is understood and appreciated in terms of grief’s take on loss and rebuilding. Most of all and through conversations with the cast, it has opened up parts of my heart I haven’t recognized in a while and I am so grateful for it. Through conversations with these genuine spirits and the show’s sharp sense of humor, this series has shown me how valuable it is to be the things you loved most about those who are gone and I think that is the greatest testament to the ones we love. (For more on these thoughts and how the show brought to life a controversial theme, please read this.)

Go check out the coverage of the show here at PopCulture, and watch the show this summer on CBS! Below, check out a playlist of all my on-camera interviews with the cast, including Utkarsh Ambudkar, Asher Grodman, Richie Moriarty, Devan Chandler Long, Román Zaragoza, Sheila Carrasco, Danielle Pinnock and Rebecca Wisocky.

And check out some of my favorite micro-moments from our full-length interviews:

Fun With Grant Wilson and His ‘Ghost Hunters’ Team

Work has been a whirlwind of excitement in these past few weeks! Not only have I had a chance to really go full speed ahead with some of my passions at work and help our stellar team grow to amazing heights, but I’ve also had the humble opportunity to chat with very cool people I’ve completely admired in the business for years.

I was kind of hesitant to share this because at the end of the day, my work is like anyone else’s. We all go through the same processes, the same struggles, etcetera. But I’ve come a long way and interviews have always, always been my favorite since first starting in this business in 2007—probably because I’m a social person and Mel Robbins, one of my favorite wellness coaches, shared a message about how it was OK to be proud of your accomplishments. It doesn’t make you a narcissist, it doesn’t make you arrogant. None of that. It shows a connection to your goals, purpose and creates self-awareness. So, here I am.

In addition to chatting with a long list of stars in these past few months, I had the really cool chance to chat with Grant Wilson of Ghost Hunters last month, along with his new crew. What a sweet, down-to-earth guy. He was exactly like I imagined him to be and getting the opportunity to talk to him, was just wow. He has such a solid head on his shoulders and talks with so much heart about what the paranormal means to him. It was inspiring. Now, if anyone knows me, they also know that I am a huge fan of the paranormal and have always really believed there’s more to this life than what we know beyond reason. Call it kismet, destiny, coincidence or karma, all of it is paranormal. Anything that you cannot explain. The connections, the chance meetings, the people you come across in life—all of it has meaning and the power to broaden your appreciation for life and those in it.

I have friends who are skeptics and tend to mesh religion with the paranormal, but it can be observed that both are very separate and have nothing to really do with one another. It’s easy to live with eyes closed or have a rose-colored glasses kind of disposition within the comforts of your lifestyle. Yet eventually with that kind of sight, which divulges an underpinned cynicism flagged with rose-colored sight, you don’t realize it, but you’re actually just blind. Blind to experiences, blind to the feelings of others around you and to be honest, that is arrogant. To not believe in things outside our own constitution is a sin to a fulfilled life—just think about it. When you can believe in things outside yourself, you’re more open to others, their lives, their feelings and just able to adjust your moral compass to the shadow side of ethics, a side we rarely consider.

Well, whatever. The subject is one I clearly love a lot, and could talk about for hours upon hours with those who hold a deep appreciation for it. In the meantime, check out my features below with Grant and his team. I am really proud of them, loved putting in extra time on them and am so stoked for the show’s return. Best of all, Ghost Hunters, paranormal investigating and the fall season just go so great together. Don’t they? Stay tuned for more only at PopCulture.com as we will have weekly exclusives covering the show with its cast. Yup! You read right.

Exclusives:

Recap Interview Exclusives:

More coming soon! And check out my Grant Wilson-approved review of the reboot, only at PopCulture.com. In the meantime, check out Ghost Hunters every Wednesday night at 9 p.m. EST on A&E.

 

Womanista Exclusive: Lindsay Arnold Reveals Who Might Be Partner David Ross’ Competition on ‘Dancing With the Stars’

Lindsay Arnold 2-201740735 663

Last week, I had the honor and privilege to chat with Dancing With the Stars pro, Lindsay Arnold for an exclusive interview with Womanista! She is such an incredibly easy-going, friendly and bubbly person—it was a lot of fun to write up and showcase her bright personality. If you are watching the hot ABC show every Monday night, you will have noticed that the 23-year old is burning up the dance floor this season with former Chicago Cubs player, David Ross. The two are sensational and really setting a bar for the season’s competitors. I’m rooting for both of them and cannot wait to see how the rest of this 24th season unravels.

In our exclusive, Lindsay dished not just on the show, its competitors and her rituals before every performance, but shared what her World Series-winning partner really means to her. Check out the first interview in our Lindsay Arnold exclusive, only at Womanista! (Also, check out her Womanista Approved Influencer picks, where the Utah native outlines her favorite things from beauty to entertainment to fitness and more, that you must have!)

Womanista Exclusive: Lindsay Arnold Reveals Who Might Be Partner David Ross’ Competition on ‘Dancing With the Stars’

With its 24th season well underway, Dancing with the Stars is on fire and one dancer burning up the ballroom this year is none other than bubbly and congenial Utah-native, Lindsay Arnold.
Last week, Arnold and her partner, former Chicago Cubs player, David Ross hit the dance floor for the show’s first-ever Vegas night, full of 11 Sin City-inspired routines that included everything from the samba to the foxtrot.
While the pair performed a sexy “Magic Mike Live” number as a jazz routine much to Ross’ apprehension, Arnold, ever the encouraging teacher with a heart as glittery as the Mirrorball, knew he had it in the bag. The two earned 31 points that night — his highest of the season and an accolade she is incredibly proud of.
“That is truly my favorite part of being on the show — the rewarding moments where I see how much my student has learned,” Arnold said. “It means a lot that I have had such incredible partners who respect me as a coach and trust me to be their teacher.”
CONTINUE READING AT WOMANISTA…

End of an Era: Bidding Farewell to American Idol

Idol Farewell

It truly is the end of an era. After 15 seasons, American Idol bids audiences farewell in an epic two-hour finale airing tonight that is bound to have everyone who has ever grown up with the show in tears. With years upon years of song choices, votes, changing up judges and a slew of stars, American Idol was more than just idle entertainment. It was a dream and lesson in self-faith that so many of us loved seeing manifest. We would gather round and watch what would be one of the biggest events of our week.

Memories started thriving as each year the show would crown its latest Idol. Many of these artists from season one to now have become household names, from Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood, to Jennifer Hudson and Chris Daughtry. And even if some of these bright stars didn’t break the ceiling of the entertainment business, many still managed to carry their passion forward. The show, in all of its beauty gave dreamers a platform—a space to be heard and appreciated for the voice and soul they have. In so many ways, the show built a name for itself and fostered a significant shift in what we enjoy most about music.

Continue reading…

The Truth Is Out There: Chatting with Aliza Vellani of “The X-Files”

As one of the longest-running science fiction series in network television history, The X-Files is back this Sunday after nearly 13 years with a six-episode run. Returning are its two dynamic leads, Special Agents Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) diving back into unsolved cases the FBI deems false or outlandish. Built upon the premise of alien cover-ups, government conspiracies, and man’s everlasting desire to seek the truth, the iconic 90s series garnered prestigious awards and acclaim over its nine-year run, with fans constantly wanting more despite being given two movies.

Talk about rebooting the series has been transpiring for years, creating quite an itch with fans. And it’s no wonder either—in addition to the legions of ‘X-Philes,’ television critics call it one of the best shows that ever aired on American television in the 1990s. So when news broke out last January that FOX was interested in reviving the series as a miniseries, it didn’t take long until the show’s familiar faces and creator, Chris Carter would eagerly jump on board.

Joining the cast for the much-anticipated revival is 24-year-old Canadian, Aliza Vellani. As a charismatic actress whose professional training and extensive experience in the industry has given her strong groundwork for a prosperous career, Vellani was cast last summer and shot the series alongside original leads, Duchovny, Anderson, and Mitch Pileggi in Vancouver, where the show was originally shot for its first five seasons in the early 90s.

Continue reading…

More Than Just a Game: “A Season with Notre Dame Football”

That nip in the air means only one thing—it’s that time of year again! The best season in sports is finally upon us with all its demonstrative glory and pride. As college football returns around the nation, one television network is granting unparalleled access to fans and audiences to one of the country’s best teams.

Last month Showtime announced it would chronicle the full season of Notre Dame’s Fighting Irish in a documentary series with an unrivaled behind-the-scenes look at Coach Brian Kelly’s 2015 team as they play like champions to achieve greatness and fight for the national title.

Continue reading…

 

The Top 10 Reasons Why David Letterman Will Be Missed

This Wednesday, late night icon and comedic genius, David Letterman will be saying goodbye to audiences from the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City, and signing off for good from his talk show, Late Show with David Letterman. As he retires this week, it’s arguably evident that no other late-night host has catapulted such unique wit and humor into the world as efficaciously as Letterman did in his 33 years, while changing the late night landscape forever.

It’s hard to believe that we’re reaching the end of era and saying goodbye to someone as remarkable as Letterman. Between Late Night on NBC (1982 – 1993) and Late Show on CBS (1993 – 2015), Letterman has been the longest serving late night talk show host in television history. Throughout the years, the 68 year-old has proven time and time again that his ironic, sarcastic, and somewhat cranky sense of humor made for solid laughs and memorable evenings that we will never forget.

When the final episode of Late Show airs this Wednesday, Jimmy Kimmel of ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live, gives his mentor the ultimate tribute by standing down that evening, airing a rerun of his late night talk show as an intentional tip to the man he believes as one of the most influential comedic artists of our generation. In an interview with the New York Times, Kimmel says, “I have too much respect for Dave to do anything that would distract viewers from watching his final show. Plus I’ll probably be crying all day, which makes it hard to work.”

We all might be crying that day. And with David Letterman soon passing his beloved show’s torch to The Colbert Report‘s Stephen Colbert, it would make sense to count it all down, right? After all, Letterman’s Top 10 lists have become household staples and souvenirs in some way for the delighted viewer. Way before anemic lists plagued the Internet and robbed buzzing writers of thoughtful writing, Letterman devised Top 10 lists for gags. In the Fall of 1985, the late night host in a ploy to poke fun at magazines like Good Housekeeping, started a Top 10 list that comprised of useless content. (His first list was “Top 10 Words That Almost Rhyme with Peas.” Oh, it’s a good list.)

So, in the spirit of all that fun and without further adieu, here are “10 Reasons Why David Letterman Will Be Missed.”