Television
Exclusive Interview: ‘Curious George’ Producer Dishes on The Man with the Yellow Hat’s Dating Life, Style
Sep 2, 2010 | Filed Under: Pop Culture,Television | Tags: Exclusive Interview
Like so many other monkeys in Hollywood, George also dabbles in music in his spare time
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PBS KIDS (R) Public Broadcasting Service. FOR PROMOTIONAL USE ONLY
With the fifth season of Curious George premiering this Monday, September 6, on PBS KIDS (check local listings), The Laughing Stork attempted to get in touch with George to get the scoop on the new episodes. Although George was too busy chatting with the likes of Access Hollywood‘s Billy Bush about his recent Emmy win for “Outstanding Children’s Animated Program,” we were fortunate enough to land an interview with the fabulous Dorothea Gillim, executive producer of Curious George for WGBH Boston.
LAUGHING STORK: I think we can all agree The Man with the Yellow Hat looks dashing in his signature color; however, he seems to be in a bit of a style rut. Would he ever consider mixing it up with, say, a more camera-friendly color such as blue? Or perhaps a trendy fedora?
DOROTHEA: The Man with the Yellow Hat would probably describe others as being in a style rut. Yellow rules! He’s a trendsetter. One day, the whole world will be yellow. Such a cheery color!
LAUGHING STORK: George’s curiosity is always getting him into mishaps. Are you afraid that his penchant for mischief – and obvious celebrity — will make him fall prey to the dark side of Young Hollywood like other stars and starlets?
DOROTHEA: One of the truly wonderful things about George is his eternal innocence, so no, we’re not worried.
LAUGHING STORK: In the first season of the show, George accidentally bought one-hundred dozen donuts and did not know what to do with the extras. Could you please give him my contact information in case he makes that mistake again?
DOROTHEA: Sure thing. He’ll probably mess that up too, but innocently and all in the name of fun and education.
LAUGHING STORK: George sounds just adorable when he communicates; however, I can’t understand a word he says. How did The Man with the Yellow Hat become fluent in George-ese?
DOROTHEA: We work hard to make sure George conveys a lot through his tone and body language. Hopefully that’s how the Man and kids at home understand him. And if his thoughts are too complex, we throw in a thought bubble or two.
LAUGHING STORK: Despite his style rut, The Man with the Yellow Hat is quite a catch. He is an explorer, drives a convertible, flies a plane, has a pet monkey, is a doppelganger for Stephen Colbert and must be rather wealthy considering he has a nice apartment in “The City” and a country house. However, we don’t see or hear anything about his dating life. A theory on a lot of the gossip blogs: he is secretly seeing Professor Wiseman. Can you comment on the speculation? They do spend an awful lot of time together.
DOROTHEA: The Man with the Yellow Hat is a very private cartoon character. He prefers to keep his romantic life from the public eye.
LAUGHING STORK: Any insight into George’s misadventures this upcoming season of Curious George?
DOROTHEA: George is making a new friend this season — Marco, an 8-year-old boy who plays the drums in his family’s Pan-Latin band. George and Marco will go on lots of (mis)-adventures this season and, in the process, our audience will learn about Hispanic customs and culture. George will also get lost on the subway, learn how to barter, and meet the Vietnamese family that opens a store across the street. These episodes and others support this season’s theme of exposing preschoolers to social science. Of course the show will continue its mission to foster understanding of science, math and engineering through lots of monkey mayhem.
Clip of the Day: Out-squawking Kathie Lee and Hoda
Aug 18, 2010 | Filed Under: Television,Video | Tags: Clip of the Day, Got Earplugs?
We know you’re too busy doing important things — i.e., parenting, working, Facebooking — to watch TV all day, so The Laughing Stork hunts down the most insightful and thought-provoking highlights for you.
On this morning’s Today show, producers finally booked a guest who seems to understand Kathie Lee.
The two biggest “O”s in daytime join forces
Aug 5, 2010 | Filed Under: Television | Tags: Oprah, Rosie O'Donnell
Rosie O’Donnell, whose most recent claim to fame is mooning Kathy Griffin on My Life on the D-List, is returning to daytime TV with a new chat show — and on Oprah Winfrey’s network, OWN. As in Oprah Winfrey OWNs the world.
“Rosie is an undeniable talent who has captivated TV audiences for nearly 20 years,” said Oprah in a statement. “She’s a true original, who brings her authentic voice, dynamic energy and pure passion to everything she does.”
No word on whether Rosie will be dropping trou on her new show.
“It’s an honor and a privilege to work with Oprah Winfrey on her network,” added Rosie. “I’m excited to be back on daytime television.” (Not to mention excited to be employed, considering she has four children and her girlfriend has SIX.)
The hour-long New York-based show is described “a fun, uplifting show with Ms. O’Donnell’s playful and energetic style.”
Guests will likely not include Elisabeth Hasselbeck or Donald Trump.
Toddlers & Tiaras Recap: “I’m Gonna Keep Those Girls Away from My Crown with My Sword!”
Jul 8, 2010 | Filed Under: Pop Culture,Television | Tags: Toddlers & Tiaras
Southern Celebrity North Carolina Pageant
:01 – Proud mama, April, tells us she has “passed [her] pageant torch” to three-year-old daughter Aniston. “Show me how you shake your hiney,” instructs Aniston’s mom. “I will do it REAL hard,” promises little Aniston.
:02 – April, 6, reveals she is “a tomboy and a beauty queen.” Just like Zac Efron! April wants to do pageants until she’s 21. At which point it’s all downhill.
:04 — We meet Teeghan, 3, whose mom used to compete in pageants with Eva Longoria. Oooohhh. Aaahhh. Her mom will also cut a bitch who dares to beat her daughter. A sampling of her “pep talk”:
MOM: “There are going to be other little girls at that pageant trying to take your crown.”
TEEGHAN: “No way, Jose!”
MOM: “What are you going to do?
TEEGHAN: “Just take it away from them!”
MOM: “That’s right.”
Also not afraid to boil another child's rabbit, if necessary
Extreme Makeover: Poodle Edition
Jun 15, 2010 | Filed Under: Television | Tags: Animal Acts, Just Wrong
If you’ve ever wondered what happens when topiary gardeners go rogue, check out TLC’s new show, Extreme Poodles.
The show, which is basically the canine equivalent of Toddlers & Tiaras, proves why some dogs should get their owners spayed or neutered. At the very least, I urge these poodles to lobby Congress for stricter shear control laws.
Toddlers & Tiaras Recap: “You Have to Be Beautiful to Be Able to Do Things”
Jun 10, 2010 | Filed Under: Pop Culture,Television | Tags: Live Blogging, Toddlers & Tiaras
:01 – We open with the Pageant Director for the Director’s Choice 2010 in Arkansas. Smiling wickedly, he says pageants can bring out the worst in moms.
They bring out something, all right.
:02 — We meet 5-year-old Lexie. “Pageants make me feel pretty,” Lexie reveals, adding that she wants to be a pageant princess like her mom (see above) was. Turns out, her mom is not only a pageant veteran, but also an advocate of healthy attitudes: “Pageants are a competition and you go there to win,” says Lexie’s mom. “I don’t care who it hurts… as long as she’s there and she’s winning. Lexie will be competing till she wins Miss America in 2014.” And in therapy in 2015!
:03 – Zander, a five-year-old boy, informs us that he’s a “pageant diva.” He’s been making the rounds on the circuit since he was a baby. INSERT RIDICULOUSLY CUTE BABY ZANDER PAGEANT PHOTO HERE:
“I don’t like to lose because my mom might be sad,” Zander says of pageants. You can practically hear hearts breaking across the country, one by one, when he says this. But not his mom’s…! Beaming, Zander’s mom says she knew there “was something different about him from Day One.” He always wanted to entertain people. She claims he is so good at pageants, that people back out of pageants when they see he is there. “I want to win this pageant so bad,” Zander exclaims.
:05 – We’re introduced to Carissa, 21 months, whom her mom describes as “spunky.” CUT TO: Carissa throwing her hair bow on the ground. Yeah, I think we all know what “spunky toddler” is code for. Sybil was based on such a personality trait, I believe.
:06 – Lexie’s mom says she’s always wanted a little girl to put on stage and “prance around.” In that case, she should have just bought a pony. Lexie’s mom also matter-of-factly shares how much they are spending on this pageant: New dress? $1100. New swimsuit? $375. Combined with pageant and travel fees, they have splashed out more than three grand. Again, a pony probably would have been cheaper.
:07 – Carissa’s mom laments the time they went to a pageant and got really, really low scores. “Like somebody telling me my kid looks like a dog,” her mom cries. Yes, how awful that people are judging your kid’s looks! Who asked ‘em, anyway? Oh, wait…
:11 – Zander gets a manicure, picks green nail polish. “Anything that pampers Zander, Zander likes,” his mom smiles. Kid’s got the right idea.
:13 – Carissa and her mom get their nails done. Her mom thinks pageants will help Carissa be more confident. “Whenever she wins, I feel accomplished because I know that my daughter’s beautiful. You have to be beautiful to be able to do things.”
That should be the preface to a self-esteem book for girls. Seriously.
:13 – Lexie’s mom takes her for spray tan. Probably the 50th time the five-year-old has gotten a spray tan. “I like to get tanned dark because I look like a princess,” Lexie declares. Yes! A princess from MTV’s Jersey Shore.
“Stand up and show daddy how you’re going to shake it,” says Lexie’s mom. Nothing disturbing about that! Nope, nothing disturbing at all.
:14 — We see that Lexie’s dad made her a “Barbie Box” — an actual box that Lexie will stand in while wearing her $375 Barbie-like bikini — for the Outfit of Choice competition. Nothing disturbing about that! Nope, nothing disturbing at all.
:26 – DISASTER! Carissa, 2, freezes at the pageant. She runs off the stage.
This woman is unimpressed.
Toddlers & Tiaras Play-by-Play: “Where’d My Ni-Ni Goooooo?!”
Jun 3, 2010 | Filed Under: Featured,Pop Culture,Television | Tags: Live Blogging, Toddlers & Tiaras
In the Season 3 premiere of Toddlers & Tiaras…
:01 – The Le Maison de Paris (or, in proper French, La Maison) pageant director says we should expect to see lots of beautiful girls, beautiful faces, beautiful smiles.. and lots of happy little girls at the end of this pageant!
Clearly, she hasn’t met Makenzie yet.
:01 – Why is the Louisiana-based pageant called Le Maison de Paris? The pageant director explains: “So many people would like to see Paris… Louisiana, French, it goes together. That is our native. You know. That is our, um, language… here.”
She had me at “that is our native.”
:02 – We meet 4-year-old Makenzie. “I am a beauty queen,” she smiles, adding that she needs to be in pageants because “you get to dress in fancy clothes.” Awwww. What a sweet girl. Then her tiara falls off. Makenzie SCREEEEAAAMS. Whoa.
:03 – “I do whatever I want to,” the little diva smirks as she huffs and puffs and bosses her mom around. Somewhere, Tyra and Mariah are bowing down to this girl. Her mom explains that she’s an only child. OH! OKAY! No wonder. Carry on then.
:04 – Six-year-old Daisy makes her show debut. Her mom crows that all little girls like to get spray tans and glue five-foot eyelashes to their eyes. And Daisy…? She also likes to shake her booty to Hip-Hop like she’s a back-up dancer for Snoop Dogg.
:05 – Alex, 9, has been in more than 300 pageants. Which, if she started competing the day she was born, equals about 33 pageants a year. I’m happy to report Alex enjoys competing for all the right reasons:
Money, money, money. “You did really good there. Look at that little hunk of money!” her mom compliments her, as they get nostalgic looking at this picture from a past pageant. A real heart-tugger, for sure. Alex even has jeans with her likeness painted on them, surrounded by dollar signs and the words, “Give me the dough!” And people think pageants send the wrong message to kids. Pishaw!
See? Even Santa Claus approves this message.
Wife Swap Takes “Baby Daddy” to a Whole New Level
May 25, 2010 | Filed Under: Pop Culture,Television,Video | Tags: Reality Show Nonsense, Whoa
ABC’s Wife Swap follows the drama that ensues when mothers switch places in families falling on opposite ends of the spectrum. With this one husband/father seemingly having fallen off the spectrum — and his rocker — COMPLETELY:
