Featured
Stories
“The Victoria’s Secret
Swim Special”
“Parks and Recreation”
“Daytona 500”
Profiled
athlete
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
CELEBRITY
SPOTLIGHTS
Retta
Jason Hervey
Shanola Hampton
Jill Flint
Hilary Farr
David Visentin
WHAT'S FOR
DINNER
Matt Basile
JAY Bobbin's
movies to
watch
The story
Harris
holds forth at
Oscars
Neil Patrick Harris becomes
first-time host of the Oscars,
Sunday on ABC.
And so much more!
Connect to these shows within
this magazine!
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Courtesy of Gracenote February 22 - 28, 2015
C
CONTENTS
What’s Hot This Week
Click to jump to these featured sections!
SIX
Featured
Stories
Celebrity potlights
The
Oscars
p3
Retta
p4
“The
Victoria’s
Secret
Swim
Special”
Jason
Hervey
p 11
p5
“Parks and
Recreation”
Shanola
Hampton
pp 12-13
p6
Daytona
500
pp 14-15
+
Pictured: Academy Award Best
Performance by an Actress
in a Leading Role Nominee FELICITY JONES in ‘The Theory
of Everything.’
Profiled Athlete
Dale
Earnhardt Jr.
pp 16-17
Page 2 YOUR TV LINK Courtesy of Gracenote February 22 - 28, 2015
Matt
Basile
p7
Jill Flint
p8
Hilary Farr
David Visentin
p9
Editor's choice
STORY
Oscars
go very musical, very
S
independent
By Jay Bobbin
Music and independence: If there are any overall bywords
for this year’s Oscars, those would seem to be the ones.
Having presided over the Tony Awards four times and
the Emmys twice, Neil Patrick Harris – a winner of both
those honors – becomes the first-time host of the movie
industry’s biggest night as ABC televises the 87th Annual
Academy Awards from Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre on
Sunday, Feb. 22. He’ll perform an original song by Kristen
Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, composers of
“Frozen’s” Oscar-winning “Let It Go.”
That’s just one of the musical highlights planned by
returning producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron for
their third consecutive Oscar show. They’ve also enlisted
Adam Levine, Common and John Legend (in a duet from
“Selma”), Rita Ora and (in a tribute to Glen Campbell) Tim
McGraw to perform nominees for best song.
As for independence, the vast majority of nominated films
and performances are from the independent-film world ...
from “Birdman” and “Boyhood” to “The Imitation Game” and
“The Theory of Everything.” Among the major contenders,
only a handful of the related movies hail from major
studios (including “American Sniper,” “Gone Girl,” “Into the
Woods” and “The Judge”).
If it’s a surprise Ellen DeGeneres isn’t hosting again this
year – especially after the huge popularity and frequent
imitation of her celebrity-packed 2014 Oscar-night selfie
– she maintains, “I didn’t think I was ever going to come
back again after the first time I did it eight years ago,
so when I decided to do it last year, it was a surprise to
everybody.”
“I just decided it was time to challenge myself and do
something that I thought would be fun and interesting
and creative, so I just chose to do it last year. And that,
for sure, was going to be ‘it.’ I knew that I wasn’t going to
Patricia Arquette is among this year’s nominees
in the Oscars, Sunday on ABC.
come back again this year ... or ever, but I’ve said that
before. I will say that I most likely won’t do it again.”
Among the likeliest bets to receive 2015 Oscar gold
is best supporting actress nominee Patricia Arquette,
who’s been on a run of film-award wins for the Richard
Linklater-directed “Boyhood.” Also starring in the CBS
series “CSI: Cyber” starting March 4, she reflects, “I
like to entertain people. We made this little art movie.
It’s having incredible reception. I’m very grateful for
that, so I just feel like I’m having a beautiful moment in
my life. I’m grateful for everything.”
Rory Kennedy, the producer-director daughter of
Robert F. and Ethel Kennedy, also is a current Oscar
nominee for the U.S.-evacuation documentary “Last
Days in Vietnam” – set to make its television debut
on PBS’ “American Experience” April 28. She says
she considers her filmmaking “a gift my parents and
family gave me as the idea of giving back. That is not
an obligation, but a gift ... and the greatest gift, so I try
to instill that in my children as much as possible, and
some of that takes place through my work.”
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February 22 - 28, 2015 YOUR TV LINK Courtesy of Gracenote Page 3
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CELEBRITY
Retta
John Crook’s Q&A
of ‘Parks and Recreation’
Has it been hard filming this final season?
No, mostly it’s been fun. I love the way they chose
to wrap up the series. It didn’t get sad until the last
two weeks. It was kind of hustle, hustle, hustle, and
then you get to the point where you realize there’s
only a couple of episodes left and you think, “Oh,
crap.” But you still have to hustle. That last week,
that last day and the wrap party were really hard.
Do you think you’ll keep in touch with your
castmates?
As of right now, we’re still pretty much “in it.” We
have epic group texts going. Amy will text us when
they finish editing an episode and will say, “Suchand-such scene came out so well!” And everyone
keeps texting pictures that we’ve taken over the last
seven years.
In addition to all your other extracurricular
activities in high school, you were a
cheerleader. Would Donna have done that, too?
Oh, Donna totally would be a cheerleader, because
it would be a way to pick up men.
Would you ever do a drama?
I am totally into drama. I did a play a couple of
summers ago, a drama, and my manager came
and he said, “Hmmm, we probably should start
submitting you for dramas.” And I said, “That’s what
I keep trying to tell you.” I am praying that I get
a guest spot on “The Good Wife” or “Scandal” or
something like that.
folio
Page 4 YOUR TV LINK Courtesy of Gracenote February 22 - 28, 2015
Click here for more!
CELEBRITY
George Dickie’s Q&A
JasonHervey
C
executive producer of
‘Outlaw Country’ on WGN
America
How did this group of law enforcement and
outlaws that are the subject of the unscripted
WGN America series “Outlaw Country” come to
your attention?
I received a phone call from somebody that we work
with, who said that he had a relationship with the
chief of police as well as the mayor in a town called
Buckner, Missouri, and was explaining a bit of their
surge in crime. And they related it to these brothers,
actually, John and Josh Monk. And the Cook brothers
– Steve Cook, who is a detective and the main liaison
with the task force, and his brother, Mike Cook, is the
chief of police – have had a long, storied history with
each other and ... it really sounded fascinating what
was going on.
So I got on a plane, went down there as quickly as
possible ... and there was some discussion with the
Monk brothers and their group. They agreed to meet
with us, and it was interesting because once word got
out that we had interest in this documentary series,
they wanted to participate. They did not want this tale
to essentially be a one-sided story, so they wanted to
cooperate. They wanted to have a fair and balanced
story, both sides.
What was your initial sense of the Monk brothers?
First of all, when John and Josh Monk walk into
a room, you know they’re there. You can feel their
presence. You can feel the aura (that) these are
serious guys. And to say that energy wasn’t palpable
and borderline intimidating, I have no problem
admitting that.
Are you still heavily identified with your character
from “The Wonder Years,” bullying older brother Wayne?
Yeah, and his name is Scott and he’s my older brother and our outside general counsel. That’s who
the character was inspired by. It was my real-life older brother. Hey, you watched it, I lived it.
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February 22 - 28, 2015 YOUR TV LINK Courtesy of Gracenote Page 5
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CELEBRITY
George Dickie’s Q&A
ShanolaHampton
of ‘Shameless’ on Showtime
You’ve been described as someone who
brings a lot of energy to the set of Showtime’s
“Shameless.” Is that true?
(Laughs) That’s what they call me, the Energizer
Bunny. Oh, goodness gracious. Well, I’ve always
had a lot of energy. I don’t know why and I don’t
know where it comes from. But I know that when I
first auditioned, they didn’t know whether that was
really me or if this was someone trying to get a
job. So now five seasons in, they’re like, ‘OK, it’s
Shanola.’ (laughs)
So is there some of you in your character,
Veronica?
There is some of me in Veronica in the sense that
we have the same hustle. We have a very good
spirit about us. Our hustles are different because
we came from different backgrounds but (we
have) that same fire and passion for life. I would
say we’re clearly alike in that but different in our
approach about things. ... But we’re both very
straightforward, which I love.
What drew you to the character initially?
Oh, just the way she would come into a room and
lighten it up. I just really never saw a character
– you see the best friend roles a lot but you rarely
see where she’s the aunt and she has her own
thing going on with her husband where she’s all
full of love and highly sexual with no apologies for
it. I think that’s another thing. In America, we make
apologies for being sexual, but she’s in a loving
relationship and it’s a healthy drive for sex, and so
that was really exciting. I just read the script and I
said, ‘This character I have to play. I have to play her.’
Click here for more!
Page 6 YOUR TV LINK Courtesy of Gracenote February 22 - 28, 2015
FOOD
John Crook’s What's for Dinner
F
MattBasile
Sky’s the limit for ‘Rebel’ star Matt Basile
Matt Basile, the intense but immensely likable host of Cooking Channel’s “Rebel
Without a Kitchen,” airing Tuesdays, is the kind of guy who views success with
deep suspicion. Oh, he appreciates it, but he also knows it can breed complacency.
That’s one of the reasons Basile, after a season based entirely in Toronto, has
taken his Tuesday night series on the road for Season 2, sampling some of the
best street foods cities such as New York, New Orleans, Los Angeles, Boston and
Austin, Texas, have to offer.
He’s looking for new flavors and cooking styles he can take back home and
possibly incorporate into the menu of his thriving Toronto restaurant, Lisa Marie.
“Other than Toronto, there were 10 or 11 cities that we traveled to this season,
mainly in the U.S.,” Basile says. “It was great, because it was the first time I had
traveled to that many cities in the U.S. in a short amount of time and seen how
broad the landscape is across the country.”
Regardless of whether it’s served in a kiosk, a cart or a food truck, the venue of
street food is less important than its intrinsic style, he explains. “It goes back to
trying to find what the food of the people is. What is it that can define a city in a few
bites? That’s at the heart of what street food is really about.”
That food usually includes a vibrant blend of cultures, often called “fusion.”
“You see street food embodying many cultures, usually the ones that are prevalent in that city,” Basile says. “We’ve
seen it manifest in a lot of different ways. I think we’ve only really begun to tap into ‘fusion food.’ There are so many
different cultures that you can continue to build flavors on.”
Where did you come up with the name of your food company, Fidel Gastro?
“I was playing with the idea of Cuban sandwiches and just writing down just a
bunch of random ideas. I don’t know why I wrote down “Fidel Castro,” and then
I turned the ‘C’ into a ‘G,’ and I knew we had the name for our sandwich pop-up,
one that people immediately gravitated toward. They thought it was clever and
whimsical.”
Do you have a favorite spice?
“I love fresh ginger. I think it can be used in a variety of styles of cooking. It also
can be used for desserts as well. Just the right amount of ginger can give a dish a
real zinginess.”
What’s next for you?
“I’ve put my life’s blood, body and soul into this company. It’s only been three
years and we’ve had amazing growth. We started from a very grassroots
beginning that keeps us honest and humble, but the idea is that the sky is the limit
as far as where this company goes.”
Click here for more!
February 22 - 28, 2015 YOUR TV LINK Courtesy of Gracenote Page 7
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CELEBRITY
Jay Bobbin’s Celebrity ScooP
JillFlint
Last summer, the recurring “The Good Wife” guest and former “Royal
Pains” regular starred in the first season of “The Night Shift,” NBC’s
drama about Army doctors turned San Antonio emergency-room
workers. The show was renewed for a second round that begins Monday,
Feb. 23, marking one of the relatively rare times a summer series has
moved into the regular television season.
A big change is in store for Flint’s character, Dr. Jordan Alexander, since
she’s replaced as night-shift chief and sent into the field to handle cases
with her paramedic friend Gwen (Merle Dandridge, “Sons of Anarchy”).
“I think you find Jordan is having a little bit more fun,” the good-humored
Flint says. “Last year, I wouldn’t exactly say she bit off more than she
could chew, but she had the huge challenge of getting the night shift
back in order, and dealing with her ex-boyfriend (Dr. TC Callahan, played
by Eoin Macken) and her boss (Michael Ragosa, portrayed by Freddy
Rodriguez).
“It kind of distracted her from really doing what she loves, so now, she’s
having a great time. It reignites her passion for what she does.”
It does the same for Flint as an actress, since she’s able to work more
on location around Albuquerque, New Mexico, where “The Night Shift”
is filmed. “We’re in the high desert,” she reports, “and we’ve had some
pretty crazy night shoots. Night shoots in the winter in the desert ...
it’s like, ‘Well, this is what I signed up for. It wasn’t a dream.’ It’s really
exciting, though.”
Though she’s done a number of shows that would be described as
procedurals, Flint appreciates that virtually all of them have had twists.
“I like having those extra layers,” she confirms. “With this, the military
aspect of the characters’ backgrounds brings so much more to the show.
It’s just fun to not have to do the same thing every time.”
Birthdate: Nov. 25, 1977
Birthplace: Cherry Valley, N.Y.
Current residence: Brooklyn, N.Y.
Marital status: Single
On her work on “The Good
Wife”: “It would be great to go
back. I love working on that show,
and I really, truly love working with
Archie (Panjabi, soon to leave the
series). She’s so generous; she
really gives me room to collaborate,
and she cares about what my
opinion is. It’s one of those things
where I feel lucky not to just show
up and do what I do. We really
work together to inform those
characters and that relationship.”
Click here for more!
Page 8 YOUR TV LINK Courtesy of Gracenote February 22 - 28, 2015
CELEBRITY
Hi l ar yFarr
C
D av i d V i s e n t i n
of HGTV’s “Love It or List It”
• When a house no longer feels like home, homeowners are
left with a big financial and emotional question: renovate or
sell it? “Love It or List It” helps fed-up homeowners decide.
• In each hour-long episode Realtor David Visentin and
designer Hilary Farr compete for the homeowners’ final
decision to stay or go.
• David’s insider perspective on the real estate market
helps target listings to prospective buyers, but Hilary is
determined to show homeowners that, within their budget,
she can transform their worn-out house into a castle they
can love.
• If the owners decide to list it, Hilary’s hard work adds to
the home’s resale value.
• As designer, Hilary Farr renovates the family home and
David tours outstanding new potential properties in the
family’s price range.
• Hilary is a native citizen of Toronto, Ont., and brings her
international flair to her design aesthetics.
• She has renovated properties in various countries
throughout the world, including Australia and the United
Kingdom, as well as in California and New York.
• When not hosting, Hilary serves as president of Hilary
Farr’s Designs established in Toronto and in New York.
• David is a top real estate agent and brings his dynamic
selling skills and negotiating talents to the show.
• As a top agent in Southern Ontario’s hot real estate
market, David has helped families land their dream home.
• David has been practicing real estate since 1987 and has
been with Country Living Realty Limited since 1987.
Click here for more!
February 22 - 28, 2015 YOUR TV LINK Courtesy of Gracenote Page 9
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CELEBRITY
Celebs’ favorite shows
Seth
Meyers
Anne
Burrell
Tim
Love
Jill
Flint
Set the DVR
Seth Meyers of “Saturday Night Live: SNL 40th
Anniversary Special” and “Late Night With Seth
Meyers” on NBC
“I guess the last thing we had on the DVR was ‘The Affair.’
And the new season of ‘The Americans’ will be loaded up
next.”
Anne Burrell of “Worst Cooks in America” on Food
Network
“My favorite show that I go to every week on Sundays is
‘The Good Wife.’ I love, love, love ‘The Good Wife.’ There
may or may not be a couple of episodes of any sort of
version of a ‘Housewives’ on there. ‘Law & Order: SVU’ is
definitely on there. There’s a sort of documentary show
on the football channel called ‘A Football Life,’ which is
documentaries about ... famous football coaches and
players. It’s a great show and I don’t even care that much
about football. But the stories, the way they are told, are
very interesting. ‘60 Minutes’ is on there. My DVR definitely
gets a workout.”
Tim Love of “Restaurant Startup” on CNBC
“Mostly sporting events. A lot of soccer, a lot of football.
Currently as far as TV shows go, we watch ‘About a Boy,’
‘Modern Family’ and ‘Nashville.’ And ‘Chicago Fire.’ I don’t
really watch much TV but when I watch it those are the
shows I watch and my family watches.”
Jill Flint of “The Night Shift” on NBC
“I binge-watch shows. I just went through and watched ‘The
Sopranos’ over again; I watched it when it was airing, and
I had forgotten how great that show was. And I’m going to
do the same thing with ‘Six Feet Under’ because Freddy’s
(‘The Night Shift’ co-star Freddy Rodriguez) in it. It’s kind of
great that I get to work with somebody who I’m a fan of.”
Page 10 YOUR TV LINK Courtesy of Gracenote February 22 - 28, 2015
STORY
A ‘Secret’
S
mission – models
don swimsuits
on CBS
By Jay Bobbin
It isn’t the holiday season, but the Victoria’s Secret
models are returning to a screen near you.
Traditionally seen in a televised “Fashion Show” each
December, the lovely ladies get an additional CBS
showcase with the first broadcast of “The Victoria’s
Secret Swim Special” Thursday, Feb. 26. Adriana Lima,
Lily Aldridge, Alessandra Ambrosio, Martha Hunt
and others are shown in Puerto Rico as they shoot a
swimwear campaign. Since music typically is a part
of the specials, Maroon 5 and Colombian star Juanes
perform.
“It was so much fun,” the pleasant Aldridge says of
making the hour. “It was such a beautiful place to shoot,
and the energy was incredible. It’s an inside look at the
Victoria’s Secret swim catalog, which is so big for them,
and you get to know us a little more. I love that people
get to know our personalities and see who we are.”
Between the photo shoot, filming for the special and
the possible distractions of the exotic setting, Aldridge
doesn’t deny a lot happens: “There were a lot of shoots
going on at once, but I feel so lucky to be a Victoria’s
Secret Angel, to get to do this as my job. Going to
the most beautiful locations in the world with my best
friends, it’s such a blessing ... just a dream come true.”
Seen with her Victoria’s Secret peers in a Super Bowl ad
earlier in the month, attired in football uniforms (initially,
at least), Aldridge confronted one of her fears for the
“Swim Special.”
“I actually am quite scared of heights,” she allows.
“Russell James, the Victoria’s Secret photographer,
didn’t realize that when he asked me to shoot on this
Lily Aldridge appears on “The Victoria’s
Secret Swim Special” Thursday on CBS.
beautiful rock. Then he told me I didn’t have to, but I said,
‘I have to do it. I want to do it.’ As silly as a fear can be,
it’s very real, and I was very happy I did it. The picture
turned out to be incredible.”
Impressed as she was by Juanes (“I’d never heard him
before, and I absolutely was blown away”) and Maroon
5, Aldridge is understandably partial to a couple of other
music acts. Her husband is Caleb Followill of Kings of
Leon, and one of their Nashville neighbors is Taylor Swift,
who has performed on a couple of “Victoria’s Secret
Fashion Show” editions.
“All the girls love her,” Aldridge says. “She’s just cool and
so fun. She’s an honorary Angel, basically. She’s just
awesome.”
Click here for more!
February 22 - 28, 2015 YOUR TV LINK Courtesy of Gracenote Page 11
S
STORY
'Parks'
closing
its gates
The series finale of “Parks and Recreation” airs Tuesday on NBC.
Story on next page
Page 12 YOUR TV LINK Courtesy of Gracenote February 22 - 28, 2015
STORY
Amy
Poehler
parks
S
‘Parks and Recreation’
for good
By By Jay Bobbin
“I’m always excited about what’s next.”
So says Amy Poehler, and it’s time for her to focus on
that as “Parks and Recreation” reaches the end of its
road. NBC’s local-government comedy series wraps up its
seven-season run with an hour-long finale Tuesday, Feb.
24, but Poehler’s intrigue about moving on doesn’t mean
she won’t long for her longtime alter ego: Leslie Knope,
who progressed from being a city employee of fictional
Pawnee, Ind., to a regional director of the U.S. National
Park Service.
“One of the things I’m going to miss the most is like
hearing what’s going to happen to Leslie next year,” allows
“Saturday Night Live” veteran and recent Golden Globe
Awards co-host Poehler. “You know, we would have a
summer discussion about it, and Mike (series executive
producer and co-creator Mike Schur) would be like, ‘I think
she’s going to run for office.’ You knew this was going to
happen, and I’m going to really miss that.”
Schur reflects, “We launched in 2009, and we hung on by
the skin of our teeth for a good, long while there. And I
think all that really matters, ultimately, is whether any show
can find a group of people that the show speaks to who
watch it all the time and who really care about it and who
are vocal about caring about it. We were lucky enough to
have that situation.”
Over the course of “Parks and Recreation’s” run, Chris
Pratt – alias the show’s Andy Dwyer – has become a major
movie star, thanks particularly to last year’s “Guardians of
the Galaxy.” Reportedly now under serious consideration to
be the big screen’s new Indiana Jones, Pratt maintains his
leaving the sitcom before it ended “would never happen.”
Amy
Poehler
“I’ve been (in) this business for 15 years,” the husband of
CBS’ “Mom” star Anna Faris says, “and I’m realizing the
things that really matter about what you’re doing, for me
at least, (are) just the relationships you have while you’re
doing it. And for me, this show likely will ... I mean, I hope
that possibly, I could have the good fortune of finding
another group of people like this, but I don’t expect I ever
will.”
Rashida Jones, Adam Scott and Rob Lowe are among
others who have been significant players on “Parks and
Recreation.” For those who’ve been there virtually from
start to finish, though – also including Nick Offerman
(iconic in his own right as Parks and Recreation
department boss Ron Swanson), Aziz Ansari, Jim O’Heir,
Aubrey Plaza and Retta – the end is especially bittersweet.
Poehler leaves the show being appreciative that it has “a
lot of really young fans. I can’t tell you how many people
have 15-, 16 year-old kids who watch it with them. I think
that’s really great to have a show you both find funny. It
must be nice to find one thing that you agree on that’s
funny. So there’s, like, a family element to the watching of
the show that’s been really nice.”
Click here for more!
February 22 - 28, 2015 YOUR TV LINK Courtesy of Gracenote Page 13
S
STORY
SPRINT CUP
runneth
over
at Daytona
Kevin Harvick vies in the Daytona 500, airing
Sunday on Fox. Story on next page
Page 14 YOUR TV LINK Courtesy of Gracenote February 22 - 28, 2015
STORY
S
Cup champion
Harvick
looks ahead to Daytona
and 2015
name
By George Dickie
This winter has been like any other for Kevin Harvick
– busy.
There have been public appearances, NASCAR
production work and photo shoots, as well as getting his
personal business in order as he prepares to leave home
for 10 months to drive in the Sprint Cup. Everything is
pretty much the same.
Except now, he’s the Cup champion, which makes him not
only part of NASCAR history but also the driver to beat
as stock-car racing’s top series revs up for 2015 with the
season-opening Daytona 500, which airs Sunday, Feb. 22,
on Fox.
With his 2014 title, the 39-year-old Californian adds to a
trophy case that also includes Rookie of the Year awards
in the Busch (now Xfinity) and Cup series in 2000 and
2001, two Busch titles (2001, 2006), wins at Daytona
(2007) and in the Brickyard 400 (2003), and two victories
in the Cup’s longest race, the Coca-Cola 600 (2011,
2013).
So with seemingly no more mountains to climb in stockcar racing, Harvick indicates his biggest challenge now is
to remain competitive.
“That’s kind of the yearly challenge ... ,” he says, “so for
me it’s one of those circumstances where each year you
have a different type of motivation, just wanting to feel
that success again that we had in 2014. We have much
of the same team and people and ingredients and all
those things with it. So we’ve been fortunate to win the
Daytona 500, and the Daytona 500 is as close a feeling
as you’ll get to winning a championship, just from the
fact that it’s not like any other race when you win that
race and our sport’s biggest race. So that’ll be the first
goal, is to somehow try to win that race again.”
And winning that race, according to Harvick, comes
down to one word: survival.
“A lot of times you just need to be rolling at the end
of the race ... to have a chance,” he says. “So the first
three-quarters of the race (the key is) trying to make
sure you miss those crashes and wind up somewhere
around the front of the pack when you get to 50 laps to
go.
“So it’s a challenging race,” he continues. “... Everybody
wants to win that race, and in the new format, the risk
versus reward of a win when you get that golden ticket
is high, so you feel like you should take more risk than
what you’re used to and hopefully have a chance at
winning the race. ...
“But it’s not a normal plate race,” he says. “It’s the
Daytona 500, so there’s a little bit different feeling and
urgency to try to win this race than there is in any other
race. It’s just got that mystique and extra hype and feel.”
Click here for more!
February 22 - 28, 2015 YOUR TV LINK Courtesy of Gracenote Page 15
S
SPORTS
Dale Jr.
still chasing a
championship
Story on next page
Full name: Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Car: No. 88 Chevrolet SS
Born: Oct. 10, 1974 (age 40)
Wins/Top Tens/poles: 23/223/13
Hometown: Kannapolis, N.C.
Best Cup finish: third, 2003
Height/weight: 6 feet/165 pounds
Honors & Achievements: Daytona 500
winner, 2004, 2014; Busch Series champion,
1998, 1999; 2003–2014 Sprint Cup Series
Most Popular Driver
Team: Hendrick Motorsports
Page 16 YOUR TV LINK Courtesy of Gracenote February 22 - 28, 2015
SPORTS
S
By Dan Ladd
He’s NASCAR’s most popular
driver and has been for more
than a decade. Yet, when Dale
Earnhardt Jr. defends his Daytona
500 title Sunday, Feb. 22 on Fox,
he’ll be hoping to kick-start a racing
season that ends with something
that’s eluded him thus far in his
career: a Sprint Cup title. The twotime Daytona 500 winner has won
just about everywhere he’s raced.
Come November, however, when
NASCAR’s Chase for the Sprint Cup
wraps up, that’s when he’d like to be
at the top.
Since he began racing full time
in what was then known as the
Winston Cup series, Dale Jr. has
been consistent. Expectations were
high that he would follow in the
footsteps of his legendary father,
Dale Earnhardt Sr. The younger
Earnhardt had won consecutive
Busch (now Xfinity) Series titles in
1998 and 1999. He fell just short
of the Rookie of the Year title in the
2000 Winston Cup series. From the
tragic loss of his father at Daytona
in 2001 through the early part of the
decade, he continued to raise his
stock in stock-car racing.
In 2007, Dale Jr. jumped ship when
he vacated the No. 8 Budweisersponsored Chevrolet he drove for
Dale Earnhardt Inc., now owned
by his stepmother, and joined
Hendrick Motorsports. Running
with teammates Jimmie Johnson
and Jeff Gordon hasn’t resulted
in a championship, but late in the
2014 season all three drivers were
in contention for the title. A similar
chance in 2015 is all Earnhardt Jr.
can ask for.
February 22 - 28, 2015 YOUR TV LINK Courtesy of Gracenote Page 17
M
MOVIES
JAY BOBBIN's Theatrical movie review
review
Older woman. Younger man. Big trouble.
There’s little question of the territory “The Boy Next
Door” goes into, and the picture so clearly knows
it, you want to like it in spite of itself. You may not
quite get there, but at least it doesn’t pretend to be
anything but the pure popcorn movie it is.
Jennifer Lopez stars as perhaps the world’s most
glamorous teacher, and her marriage hitting
the rocks – with John Corbett as the husband –
coincides with the arrival of a hunky new neighbor
(Ryan Guzman, of the “Step Up” series) who’s
taking care of his ill uncle.
It doesn’t take long for the educator and the young
man to meet, and ... well, one thing leads to
another. That “another” easily earns “The Boy Next
Door” its “R” rating, and it also earns the Lopez
character the aforementioned big trouble, since
she quickly wants to back down from the intimate
encounter.
The other participant doesn’t, though, and he starts
displaying dangerous tendencies that threaten
Lopez and everyone close to her – including
her son (Ian Nelson) and her best friend (Kristin
Chenoweth, always a welcome presence, even in
as standard a role as this one).
You know where “The Boy Next Door” is heading,
so it’s really a matter of how well it gets there.
Director Rob Cohen has proven himself an
efficient moviemaker on a wide range of films, from
“Dragonheart” to “The Fast and the Furious,” so it’s
not a surprise that the picture consistently looks
good. That’s never more true than when Lopez is at
the center of a shot, but that goes without saying.
“The Boy
Next Door”
J. Lo shouldn’t adore
‘The Boy Next Door’
Page 18 YOUR TV LINK Courtesy of Gracenote February 22 - 28, 2015
The thing is, if you’ve seen any melodrama that’s
in the “Fatal Attraction” vein, you’ve pretty much
seen “The Boy Next Door” already. It doesn’t add
anything new to the genre, and with the talent on
hand, that’s kind of a shame.
It’s good to see Lopez has spent some of her
“American Idol” off-time keeping a hand in bigscreen work, but if she really wants it to be
worthwhile, she’ll need to find more than “The Boy
Next Door.”
MOVIES
JAY BOBBIN's movie review
movies to watch
M
“WHIPLASH”
Top Pick
DVD
J.K. Simmons
Now up for Oscars for best picture and
supporting actor (J.K. Simmons, recently
a Golden Globe Award winner), writerdirector Damien Chazelle’s superbly
intense drama examines the relationship
between a music student (Miles Teller)
and a relentlessly demanding professor
(Simmons). Despite the oppressive
circumstances, the young drummer takes
what he learns to heart, to the degree
that the teacher may end up standing
in his way. Paul Reiser and Melissa
Benoist (“Glee”) also appear, but the
picture’s biggest triumph is in providing
veteran character actor Simmons with
an unforgettable role that’s immediately
among his career hallmarks. ›››› (R: AS,
P) (Also on Blu-ray and On Demand)
upcoming DVD releases
Coming Soon on DVD...
Ryan Reynolds and Mireille Enos
“THE CAPTIVE” (March 3): Eight
years after a young girl vanished,
new clues surface in director Atom
Egoyan’s melodrama; Ryan Reynolds,
Scott Speedman, Mireille Enos and
Rosario Dawson star. (R: AS, P)
“OUTLANDER: SEASON 1, VOLUME
1” (March 3): Based on Diana
Gabaldon’s books, the Starz romanticadventure series features Sam
Heughan and Caitriona Balfe. (Not
rated: AS, V)
“FOXCATCHER” (March 3): An
Olympic wrestler (Channing Tatum)
joins a wealthy benefactor’s (Academy
Award nominee Steve Carell) team;
Mark Ruffalo, Oscar-nominated as
well, also stars. (R: AS, P, V)
“THE RED TENT” (March 10): Shown
recently on Lifetime, the biblical drama
stars Minnie Driver, Morena Baccarin,
Rebecca Ferguson and Debra Winger.
(Not rated: AS, V)
“THE BREAKFAST CLUB: 30TH
ANNIVERSARY” (March 10): Cast
members Anthony Michael Hall and
Judd Nelson provide a commentary
track for this Blu-ray marking the film’s
three-decade milestone.
(R: AS, P)
“THE SOUND OF MUSIC: 50TH
ANNIVERSARY ULTIMATE
COLLECTOR’S EDITION” (March
10): The half-century movie
milestone of the beloved Rodgers &
Hammerstein musical is marked; Julie
Andrews and Christopher Plummer
star. (G)
February 22 - 28, 2015 YOUR TV LINK Courtesy of Gracenote Page 19
S
FAVORITE SHOWS
“Chicago Fire”
Adam Levine
performs in
the Oscars
Carson Daly
hosts “The
Voice”
SUNDAY
7 p.m. on ABC
The Oscars Red Carpet LIVE!
“Who are you wearing?” It’s always a
big question on an awards night, and
you can bet it will be posed to virtually
every interviewee by hosts Robin
Roberts, Lara Spencer and Michael
Strahan during this pre-ceremony
special. Nominees and presenters will
be chatted up outside Hollywood’s
Dolby Theatre, and their remarks
might not be in-depth — given the
nature of such conversations on
such occasions — but they’ll be long
enough for ogling of their designer
outfits. New
8 p.m. on NBC
Chicago Fire
All of executive producer Dick Wolf’s
current NBC shows unite with a single
Graham Elliot
is a judge in
“MasterChef”
story, starting here with “Nobody
Touches Anything.” Firehouse 51
members worry when the owner
of a burning house is found with
a mysterious box, prompting the
involvement of “Chicago PD’s” Voight
and Lindsay (Jason Beghe, Sophia
Bush). The plot also encompasses
“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” in
a related edition of that series.
MONDAY
8 p.m. on NBC
The Voice
It’s “Blind Auditions” time again as
the singing competition starts its
eighth season, with Christina Aguilera
returning to the panel of mentors
and judges after taking some time
off from the program. Adam Levine,
Blake Shelton and Pharrell Wlliams
Page 20 YOUR TV LINK Courtesy of Gracenote February 22 - 28, 2015
also are back to survey the talent,
eventually choosing hopefuls to be
on their respective teams ... but only
one person ultimately can be named
the season’s “Voice.” Carson Daly
continues as host. Season Premiere
New
TUESDAY
8 p.m. on FOX
MasterChef
Whatever the age of the contestants,
there only can be one MasterChef at
the end of each season ... and so it is
here with “Junior Edition: The Finale,”
in which one of the two remaining
young chefs will get the trophy and
$100,000. They and their loved ones
are sure to be in for a tense time
before that outcome is determined.
Gordon Ramsay is the host and, along
continued on next page
FAVORITE SHOWS
with Joe Bastianich and Graham
Elliot, a judge. Season Finale New
WEDNESDAY
8 p.m. on CBS
Survivor
The phrases “white collar” and “blue
collar” get different meanings — with
“no collar” added to them — as the
Jeff Probst-hosted contest launches
its 30th round with the theme “Worlds
Apart.” The newest castaways are
separated into three tribes, based on
whether they break rules, make rules
or simply follow rules. Don’t bet that
they’ll all stay in their initially assigned
slots over the course of pursuing
the $1 million grand prize. Season
Premiere New
9:30 p.m. on CBS
The Amazing Race
By the time a show reaches its
26th season, you can’t blame it for
trying to find a new twist, and this
Emmy-winning competition has one
as it starts its latest round. The 11
participating teams are couples who
are dating, and two of them are
fairly famous: New Kids on the Block
member Jonathan Knight and partner
Harley Rodriguez, and two Olympic
medalists, short-track speed-skater
Aly Dudek and bobsledder Steven
Langton. Phil Keoghan is still the host.
Season Premiere New
THURSDAY
9 p.m. on FOX
Backstrom
The slaying of a fortune teller in the
Chinatown section of Portland leads
to many secrets being revealed in
the new episode “Ancient, Chinese,
Secret.” First, Backstrom (Rainn
Wilson) and his peers discover that a
laundry service cloaks another type
of business — a decidedly illegal one.
The detectives get their fortunes told
in the course of the probe, and some
of the information proves unsettling.
Dennis Haysbert and Genevieve
Angelson also star. New
FRIDAY
9 p.m. on FOX
Glee
It might seem like an honor for amateur
singers to be requested to perform at a
bar mitzvah — but the members of New
Directions find it more of a headache
in the new episode “Child Star.” The
young guest of honor tests the group’s
patience, and more than once ...
many times, in fact. Spencer (Marshall
Williams) tries to get Roderick (Noah
Guthrie) to take better care of himself
physically. Lea Michele, Chris Colfer
and Jane Lynch also star. New
S
SATURDAY
8 p.m. on HALLMARK
Good Witch
Catherine Bell reprises her bewitching
role as Cassie Nightingale in this new
series spinoff of several successful TV
movies. The recently widowed Cassie’s
life with her teenage daughter, Grace
(Bailee Madison), is complicated by a
new neighbor, Dr. Sam Radford (James
Denton, “Desperate Housewives”), who
is alarmed that so many locals prefer
Cassie’s herbal treatments to his own
medical practice. Catherine Disher and
Peter MacNeill also star in the series
premiere, “Starting Over... Again.”
Series Premiere New
Lea Michele
stars in
“Glee”
Dennis
Haysbert stars
in “Backstrom”
“Survivor”
February 22 - 28, 2015 YOUR TV LINK Courtesy of Gracenote Page 21