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‘THE GOOD WIFE’ ENDS ITS ACCLAIMED RUN P.13

‘WALLANDER’ ISN’T THE DETECTIVE HE USED TO BE P.15

HOW NASCAR WAS BORN OUT OF BOOTLEGGING P.17

CLINTON KELLY GILES COREN

IAN KAHN CANDICE PATTON

CELEB CHEF ROBERT IRVINE

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What’s HOT this

Week!

16 ‘INDEPENDENT LENS’ PBS showcases the documentary series on two consecutive nights

18-19 ADAM SCOTT shoots to top of Golf’s FedExCup

4 ‘The Chew’s’ CLINTON KELLY digs the celebrity interview

5 IAN KAHN Costumes help the ‘TURN: Washington’s Spies’ star

6 ‘Million Dollar Critic’ GILES COREN wants to see happy faces

7 Anthony Bourdain goes Greek on ‘Parts Unknown’

9 Getting to know Celeb Chef ROBERT IRVINE

8 CANDICE PATTON ‘The Flash’ actress likes ladies with an arc

CELEBRITY

FOOD

SPORTS

‘THE GOOD WIFE’ The curtain lowers on Julianna Margulies’ drama

‘FIRST IMPRESSIONS’ Dana Carvey helps contestants make good ‘Impressions’

THE STORY!

REALITY

‘WALLANDER, THE FINAL SEASON’

Kenneth Branagh wraps up his “Masterpiece Mystery!” role

‘RISE OF AMERICAN SPEED’ brings NASCAR’s story to life

17

20-21 Theatrical Review and DVD Picks

22-23 Top shows this week!

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SSTORY

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BY GEORGE DICKIE Celebrity impressions, when done right, can be hilariously entertaining. Just ask anyone who has seen Rich Little’s Las Vegas act over the years.

A new competition series debuting this week puts the spotlight on up-and-coming talent in that arena.

In “First Impressions,” premiering Tuesday, May 10, on USA Network, amateur impressionists compete against each other in a series of challenges with the winner determined by the studio audience. Along the way, they hone their impersonation skills with the help of in-house expert and Emmy winner Dana Carvey (“Saturday Night Live,” “Wayne’s World”) and celebrity guests including Steve Carell (“The Office”), Jay Leno (“The Tonight Show”), Kevin Nealon (“Saturday Night Live”), Yvette Nicole Brown (“Community”) and Tom Arnold (“Sons of Anarchy”). Freddie Prinze Jr. is the host of the half-hour series.

During his seven seasons on “SNL,” Carvey made a name for himself imitating celebrities, among them Ross Perot, Woody Allen, Johnny Carson, Regis Philbin and one for which he is probably best known, former President George H.W. Bush. Those were all hilarious, and laughter, he says, should be the main goal of any celebrity impressionist.

“I guess because I’m in the comedy world, ‘Can you make it funny?’ is the number one thing,” Carvey says. “And I guess, there’s some expectation that you would sound like the person but I do think total accuracy is sort of overrated. I would go more for some weird angle but it’s truthful and something that’s funny about it.”

Prinze, the son of legendary comic Freddie Prinze, agrees.

“When an impression is dead-on, it’s more scary than funny,” he says. “So it’s always better to lean on your sense of humor and then let the rest of it come out because you don’t want to freak people out with your impressions.”

“That is true,” Carvey adds. “There are certain ones that are so accurate that you are kind of like, ‘Is this person a devil worshipper?’ ”

As for the talent level on the show, both men say it is top-notch and Prinze notes that one young competitor even came away with a development deal with USA Network. And there is plenty of it to be tapped, judging by the proliferation of celebrity impression videos on YouTube and other websites, Carvey notes.

“If you go online or to these clubs,” Carvey says, “you’ll see all these people doing impressions. And there’s a kid in his bedroom with a camcorder and he does this amazing Tom Cruise. So if the show keeps going, more and more people out there who don’t have a platform for this kind of thing, if you’re not Jay Pharoah or Darrell Hammond on ‘SNL,’ where do you do it?

“This niche show should exist,” he continues. “There should be a place for this because it’s a fun thing to watch. ... It doesn’t have to be with me and Freddie, but right now it is.”

Editor's choice

Pictured: Freddie Prinze Jr. (left) and Dana Carvey

USA competition series turns the spotlight on celebrity impressionists

http://www.usanetwork.com/

FOLIO

CLINTONKELLY

What have been your most memorable interviews in five years of doing ABC’s “The Chew”?My most memorable day that I spent, I did a taped piece with Olivia Newton-John where I flew out to Las Vegas to see her show out there and then we just sort of spent the day together eating and getting mani-pedis and stuff, and singing. I’ve been an Olivia Newton-John fan since “Grease” came out in 1978, so I was 9 years old and obsessed with Olivia Newton-John and have been ever since then. So just to get to spend some time with her was a really special experience that I don’t think I could ever have had anywhere else. ...Some other celebrities that I’ve loved: Vanessa Williams is just one of the most beautiful, cool, down-to-earth women in the world; Angela Bassett, she blew me away. Oh, you know who else is amazing? Patti LaBelle is so awesome. She’s the coolest. There’s so many I don’t even know where to start. ... Brooke Shields was great. Valerie Bertinelli was amazing.

You’re known as the show’s cocktail expert. What are your go-tos?For myself, the first drink I ever had – I was 21 of course – was a gin and tonic, so I always go back to the gin and tonic. But I’ve been experimenting a lot with bitters lately, with a lot of flavored simple syrups, (which) are really fun, so I’ve been playing with that. I love a good shrub, so in the summertime, whatever fresh fruit I can get, I’ll macerate that with some sugar and some vinegar and let that sort of season for a while, strain that out and then just do that with like a vodka soda and like maybe a strawberry shrub or something. That’s what I’ve been doing lately.

GEORGE DICKIE’S Q&A

CELEBRITYC


of ‘The Chew’ weekdays on ABC

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IANKAHNJAY BOBBIN’S Q&A

CELEBRITYC



of ‘TURN: Washington’s Spies’ Monday on AMC

Since costuming is so much an element of “TURN: Washington’s Spies,” do you find that helps you with your portrayal of General George Washington?What ends up happening at the beginning of every season is that I get genuinely frightened. I go, “How am I going to pull this off?” Then I think, “Well, I’ve kind of pulled it off in the past.” This time, I had just finished a play in New York, then flew down to Virginia the next day and started with preparation on Season 3 (of “TURN”).This genuine anxiety was building up, then I got into my costume and put the wig on and thought, “Oh, yeah. There it is.” It really does a lot of the work for you. It’s so different from myself.

Are you pleased with the mix of classic and contemporary roles you’ve played on stage and screen?Yeah ... I guess I am. I think it’s a natural human experience to always want to do more, and to look at the things that you haven’t had a chance to do or that wish you could do. I’ve been lucky to have an agent I’ve had pretty much my whole career, and he thought it important to do great roles in theaters across the country. And that’s how I got my training.

You appeared on several of the “Law & Order” shows. Was it enjoyable to do different series within the franchise?I played a very interesting character in Season 2 (of “Law & Order: Criminal Intent”), someone who became a rather famous villain on the show – and then I came back and did another one in Season 9. I really kind of needed the money at the time; that was rent for a while back then. And then, some audience members were like, “Yeah. Like we didn’t remember you were Ken Harris in Season 2?”

http://www.amctv.com/

GEORGE DICKIE’S Q&A

CELEBRITYC

What about a restaurant experience can set you off?Well, a lack of interest, a lack of knowledge. You know, I like to be able to ask certain questions – obviously restaurants are better at it. But when I started doing this 20 years ago, if you said to them, “Where did the pork chop come from?” They’d just say “the butcher.” If you’re lucky. “What on earth is he asking this question for? It came out of the kitchen.” But more and more, you get to expect to know the breed, and most restaurants are good at that. But it upsets me if they don’t have knowledge. And if they don’t know, I like them to be polite about it and go, “I’ll go to the kitchen and I’ll ask.”I don’t like places where the staff are having more fun than I am. I’m a 46-year-old married man with small children but I understand about hipsters and I understand that to people who are 25 and covered in tattoos and piercings, they’re what it’s all about – and that’s great. But I don’t like it if they’re having more fun than me. If the staff are all laughing and drinking beer at the counter and you’re sitting there waiting for your starter, that annoys me. That annoys me a lot.


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As a restaurant critic, what do you look for when you walk into an eatery?I suppose you would say happy, smiling faces – on the customers rather than on the staff. I think the main job of a restaurant is to make people happy. I think in this day and age, we all know how to cook more or less, we all know how to open a bottle of wine or a bottle of beer. It doesn’t matter how many people there are. I know people like to see a busy restaurant but at the same time at a busy restaurant you might not get a table. So as long as there’s a few people in there and they look happy, that’s what I’m looking for most of all – happiness.

GILES

COREN of ‘Million Dollar Critic’

Tuesdays on Cooking Channel

http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/


FOODFGEORGE DICKIE’S WHAT'S FOR DINNER

When was the last vacation you took, where and why?“I went to the Cayman Cookout, it’s a food and wine festival, with my family. It’s something I do every year. A group of other chefs go as well and we all bring our kids and the kids play together. (Chef) José Andrés brings his children and (Chef) Éric Ripert brings his son and my daughter adores all of them so they all get to play together.”

What book are you currently reading?“I’m mostly reading manuscripts right now. ... I’ve been reading manuscripts for my imprint for so long I haven’t had a chance to crack a book.”

What did you have for dinner last night?“Last night, I had some leftover prime rib. I had some friends over. My daughter had her birthday party on Saturday night and she’d requested roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, gravy, succotash and pan-seared foie gras. So I had some leftover prime rib and I made French dip for myself and my daughter.”

What is your next project?“I’m in the middle of shooting the next season. I’m working on a cookbook that’ll be out in October called ‘Appetites.’ And that’s it.”

Take one look at the Greek island of Naxos on this week’s episode of “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown” and one can’t help but wonder how it managed to stay off of tourism’s beaten path.

Beautiful, uncrowded and seemingly bereft of the T-shirt and souvenir shops that dominate the well-trod isles of Santorini and Mykonos, it’s an idyllic place with a culture and local identity that is unmistakably its own. It’s exactly the atmosphere that brought Bourdain here last summer to shoot the episode that airs Sunday, May 8, on CNN.

“The Greek Islands and Naxos in particular, it’s kind of an anomaly,” he explains. “I mean, (while) the rest of Greece is doing so poorly economically – it’s really sort of teetering on the edge of the apocalypse – here you have one of the last beautiful views on Earth doing kind of well and it’s also actually still got something of a fishing industry and traditional lifestyle going on. It hasn’t totally had its character ruined by tourism and yet it’s kept alive by tourism.”

In the episode, Bourdain sets out from his rented villa to take in what the island has to offer. Being that fishing is a main driver of the local economy, seafood is a staple of the island diet, and the shots of grilled mackerel, grouper and octopus salad are sumptuous.

“The food was outstanding,” Bourdain says. “You know, simple in a good way. Austere and really beautiful. Good wine. Good olive oil. Good produce.”

And then there is the raki, a licorice-flavored aperitif that can best be compared to ouzo. It can be an acquired taste to some – if at all – and in one scene Bourdain makes a face after taking a sip.

“Well, it was early in the morning and I was drinking it,” he says. “But I like raki and I sure drank a lot of it when I was there.”

Bourdain also talks to locals, who tell him about the problems their country is having and the misperceptions that much of it stem from the laziness of its people. These folks are not rich, but they have a fulfilling way of life and want it to stay that way.

“I don’t know how long the good times will last,” Bourdain says. “Certainly not forever, but it’s a beautiful place in the world, but there is this sense that it can’t possibly stay like this forever.”

BOURDAIN takes viewers to a Greek is land paradise on ‘Parts Unknown’


http://www.cnn.com/

CCELEBRITY


Candice Patton has always been a fan of the superhero genre, but that’s not what drew her to The CW’s Tuesday hit “The Flash.”

“For me it’s always been more about the story and the heart and the family behind the superhero, rather than the theatrics and the special effects and the CGI,” Patton says. “That stuff is the icing on the cake, but if you don’t have a great story as the base, you don’t have anything to stand on. I think our show has accomplished that in a way that crosses over viewers of all races, creeds and ages. That’s such an awesome thing.”

Her character, plucky journalist Iris West, has become a fan favorite, but some viewers were put off during Season 1 as Iris inadvertently caused problems for hero Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) while she struggled to find herself.

“I think some audiences today are reticent to actually watch characters, especially women, have an arc,” Patton says. “They want their women to have it all together the moment they see them and keep it together all the way through, which is just not true of human nature. What drew me to Iris is that we met her as a young woman who is trying to find herself in her career and her relationships. We have to allow characters to evolve, to have these arcs, because without them, they’re not characters, they’re just archetypes.”

Patton says she caught the acting bug as a child, watching vintage “I Love Lucy” reruns and yearning to do what Lucille Ball did. She began doing plays in high school, then studied theater in college, where she was spotted by a CBS talent scout and flown out to California for a short gig on “The Young and the Restless” before returning to finish her studies.

After graduation, she went back to Los Angeles, where she lived frugally while throwing herself wholeheartedly into acting.

“At first, I didn’t get a lot of acting jobs, but I’d get a commercial that would be enough to sustain me,” she explains. “I could survive on one or two of those a year. Things weren’t easy, but I made a career decision not to spend time on a job that I hated.”

Career role models: Cate Blanchett, Kate Winslet and Zoe Saldana


JOHN CROOK’S CELEBRITY SCOOP

http://www.cwtv.com


CELEBRITY PROFILE CCELEBRITY

ROBERT IRVINE- Born September 24, 1965 in Salisbury, England.

- His first foray into the kitchen took place when he enrolled in a home economics class in his hometown of Wiltshire, England, because he believed the girl-to-boy ratio would work in his favor.

- When he was 15 he joined the British Royal Navy, kicking off his cooking career at a young age. He spent the following 10 years touring Europe aboard various naval ships.

- As part of his service for the Royal Navy, he was selected to work aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia, where the royal family and its entourages regularly dined.

- During his time training U.S. Navy chefs as part of a guest chef program, he worked in the White House kitchens.

- He was the head chef for the 2006 Academy Awards.

- In 2007, his show “Dinner Impossible” premiered on Food Network.

- Also in 2007, Men’s Fitness Magazine named him one of the “25 Fittest Guys in America.”

- He has hosted, judged or competed on various other Food Network programs including his long running “Restaurant: Impossible.” On the show he has 36 hours and $10,000 to try and help a failing business turn things around.

- In 2012, he married WWE and TNA wrestling star Gail Kim. The couple met when he served WWE SummerSlam VIPs for an episode of “Dinner: Impossible.”

- Fellow Food Network star Guy Fieri was the best man at his wedding.

- In 2015, the U.S. Navy named him an honorary chief petty officer for the example he has set, and his dedication to the troops demonstrated through his volunteer work and many visits to service members both overseas and stateside.

- The symbol on his chef coat is the Irvine clan badge with the family motto “sub sole, sub umbra, virens” (flourishing in both sunshine and shade).

- He is associated with more than 70 charities related to children, military people and other causes; contributes financially and gives his services for them.

- He has two daughters Annalise and Talia.

Robert Irvine is a chef and TV personality who can frequently be seen on the

Food Network.


http://www.foodnetwork.com/

CCELEBRITY


“I suppose because I’m an actor as well, sometimes I’m not in the mood to watch acting (laughs).” – Samantha Morton of “The Last Panthers” on Sundance Channel, on her TV viewing habits

“I’ve never had to go to a studio every day for five months. It’s fabulous. When you’re 78, having a steady job like that, I absolutely love it.” – Jane Fonda of “Grace and Frankie” on Netflix, about making the series

“I think what surprised me was what a multitalented guy he was. He was a qualified medical doctor. He played cricket for the MCC. He played football for Portsmouth. He wrote some of the most well-regarded books of fiction in the world.” – Stephen Mangan of “Houdini & Doyle” on Fox, about playing (a pre-Sir) Arthur Conan Doyle


SCELEBRITY

Freddie Prinze Jr. of “First

Impressions” on USA

Network“My wife and my kids pretty much had that bad boy

(DVR) packed up. Most of what

I watch is live TV, like sports and things like that. But we record ‘SNL’ because

we’re rarely up late enough to

see that because we have kids

(laughs). And I’m going to record

games I’m going to see. But

scripted TV, I’m more of an on-

demand guy with that kind of stuff.”

Charlie Murphy, recently of “Rebellion” on Sundance Channel“The Internet is great these days, like documentaries on YouTube and things like that. So yeah, along those lines, a mix and match of everything, and Netflix is always handy. So yeah, a lot of nature programs and comedies and a plethora of things.”

Anthony Bourdain of “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown” on CNN“ ‘Archer,’ ‘Rick and Morty.’ I’m looking forward to ‘Fargo’ Season 3. ‘Broad City.’ Those, I think, are some well-written, really, really fine, creative shows.”

ON DVRs

Dana Carvey of “First Impressions” on USA NetworkBecause of Netflix and Amazon and all that, everything’s just sitting there all the time, which is awesome. But on the cable part of it, like if the Warriors are playing and I’m out doing stand-up, I might record that and watch it later. Or if I wanted to watch one of the political debates when I have to do something, I’ll record that. So I think it’ll be mostly sports and that. ‘SNL’ I would just catch online the next day.”

“

STORYS


`THE GOOD WIFE’ signs off after seven seasons

Presenting its series finale Sunday on CBS.

Story on next page

BY JAY BOBBINFor fans of “The Good Wife,” its end is not good news.

At least those devotees have had some time to prepare, since CBS announced in an on-air ad during February’s Super Bowl that the drama’s seventh season would be its last. The finale airs Sunday, May 8 ... and even if it seems recent episodes have been lining up the major characters’ ducks in a row, don’t be surprised if series creators and executive producers Robert and Michelle King still have one or more left-hand turns to make before the final credits appear.

As much as viewers may miss “The Good Wife,” the acting community – especially on the East Coast, since the production has been based in New York (standing in for Chicago) – surely will as well, since the show rightfully is reputed as a haven for quality roles and scripts. However, circumstances make its ending logical: Title star Julianna Margulies had inferred she wouldn’t be back for another season, nor would the Kings, who are moving on to other projects including this summer’s new CBS show “BrainDead.”

“The Good Wife” departs with several Emmy wins to its credit, including two for Margulies as attorney Alicia Florrick, one for former co-star Archie Panjabi as investigator Kalinda Sharma, and one each for guest stars Carrie Preston and Martha Plimpton as lawyers Elsbeth Tascioni and Patti Nyholm. The latter two are among the many talents who have enjoyed recurring stints on the series, with others ranging from Michael J. Fox, Matthew Perry and Stockard Channing to Nathan Lane, America Ferrera and David Hyde Pierce.

It must be said that another “star” of “The Good Wife” has been the writing ... which moved past the initial concept

Goodbye to ‘The Good Wife’: CBS drama airs

its finale


SSTORY


of a wronged political wife’s coping mechanism to consider such themes as career resuscitation, business rivalry and corporate surveillance. Certainly, the legal cases the show has tackled have been largely of-the-moment, involving matters including the usage of private cell-phone video and the potential perils of fast-moving technology.

For the larger issues it has encompassed, “The Good Wife” always has stayed character-based, the aspect that has generated much of its watercooler conversation. The sometimes questionable loyalties of Cary Agos (Matt Czuchry), the often amusing scheming of Eli Gold (Alan Cumming), the cunning professional savvy of Diane Lockhart (Christine Baranski), the flexible ethics of Alicia’s estranged husband Peter (Chris Noth) and the modest earthiness of detective Jason Crouse (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) all have contributed to that discussion.

However, it’s not hard to pick what arguably was the ultimate showstopper moment of the entire series, and it happened in Season 5: the fatal courtroom shooting of Will Gardner (Josh Charles), Alicia’s longtime friend and tentative love interest. The identification of his body by Diane and Kalinda, and Kalinda’s subsequent call to Alicia, were among television’s most riveting dramatic moments of recent years. And the impact was that much more since the secret that Charles was leaving the show was remarkably well-kept.

Many refer to this as another “golden age” of TV, and often, programs on cable or streaming services are the ones cited. “The Good Wife” has made sure broadcast networks still has had a place on that list, and its absence will be felt in seasons to come – and, for those who have stayed on its ride, well beyond that.

Pictured: Julianna Margulies

http://www.cbs.com/

SSTORY

Kenneth Branagh

tackles his final cases as ‘Wallander’Sunday on “Masterpiece Mystery!” on PBS

(check local listings).


Story on next page

BY JAY BOBBIN

SSTORY



KENNETH BRANAGH’S ‘WALLANDER’ BEGINS A NOT-SO-LONG GOODBYE ON ‘MASTERPIECE MYSTERY!’

After four years, Wallander is back for one more stand, though it could become difficult for him.

Kenneth Branagh’s fourth and last round as the late novelist Henning Mankell’s Swedish sleuth begins Sunday, May 8, as PBS’ “Masterpiece Mystery!” launches the three-episode “Wallander, The Final Season” (check local listings). However, Inspector Kurt Wallander may be in no condition to finish the perilous cases that start in South Africa with “The White Lioness,” since the challenges of age – and possibly something else, perhaps the Alzheimer’s disease that afflicted his father – cause a professional carelessness that leaves him in a very uncertain state.

“The ‘Wallander’ books, when I first encountered them, were ones that I read purely for pleasure,” says Emmy winner Branagh, also a “Wallander” executive producer and a noted director (“Cinderella,” “Thor”). “In my business sometimes, if you’re lucky and you’re busy, you end up doing a lot of reading that can sometimes be a little low on sheer freedom and joy and enjoyment. These books were ones that I took my time to read, but I read them all sort of within a number of months. (The television version) sort of resists binge-viewing in a way, though maybe people do it that way, and that’s fine.”

The last two episodes, “A Lesson in Love” (May 15) and “The Troubled Man” (May 22), bring Wallander back to Sweden and also feature fellow returnees Jeany Spark (as Wallander’s daughter) and Richard McCabe. Along the way, Branagh’s performance is marked by stretches of silence, which he feels owes to the Swedish environment where the residents “seem to have a wonderful poker face and ability to listen.

“To go there was to be part of that atmosphere, and for it to be something that was part of what you did naturally ... and yet, it can’t merely be a style or a mannerism. If you’re thinking about something, you’re thinking about something because it’s real. And there, the encouragement in the very air itself is to do that, so to play it as an actor was natural, challenging and exciting.”

Portraying Wallander’s memory lapses, which extend at one point to the sleuth leaving his gun behind, posed a new and special challenge for Branagh: “It was trying to make things as specific as possible, and to try and work out what would be particularly frustrating for a man like Wallander, who has to face the fact that his own particular isolationism – he’s rather a separate kind of individual – makes things pretty tricky if you are starting to become forgetful.

“If you are especially disposed to not share intimate details with your family, then I think the chance of being separate and isolated and paranoid happens very quickly ... in addition to the practicalities of what can happen when you are losing a sense of who you are, where you have been, and who those are around you are.”

With the new “Wallander” stories clearly labeled as “The Final Season,” Branagh says reviving the character later would have been up to writer Mankell, who died last year. In closing out the part, the performer notes his appreciation of Wallander being “incapable of any sort of small talk or phoniness. It meant he was just sort of almost too intense for everything: his life, his job, etc. That meant that as an actor, you had to really sort of strip things down.

“And I found that helpful, challenging and difficult,” Branagh adds. “And I miss it, because it’s really a very bracing and rigorous way of doing your work.”

http://www.pbs.org/

A long-running PBS series will stay independent in a big way in the coming days.

Now in its 17th season, the documentary anthology “Independent Lens” airs new episodes both Monday and Tuesday, May 9 and 10. Encompassing an “Armed in America” initiative by the network, the two programs will be followed by town hall discussions and serve as reminders of the franchise’s ongoing pursuit of unique subjects and approaches.

On Monday, a Utah lawman’s personal agony over a result of his professional efforts informs “Peace Officer,” Scott Christopherson and Brad Barber’s profile – honored with two awards at the South by Southwest festival – of William “Dub” Lawrence, a former sheriff who founded the state’s first SWAT team while in that job. He then watched officers who used his training kill his own son-in-law, and Lawrence continues to pursue the truth behind what happened that day.

Then on Tuesday, Abigail Disney and Kathleen Hughes’ film-festival-acclaimed “The Armor of Light” focuses on Rev. Dr. Rob Schenck, who undertakes an examination of whether being both pro-gun and pro-life run counter to each other. While others try to dissuade him from that pursuit, he finds an ally in Lucy McBath, the mother of an unarmed teen whose murder prompted a probe of Florida’s stand-your-ground law. Together, the duo encourages others to take a close look at the gun culture in America.

“Peace Officer” subject Lawrence cites what he sees as differences in police strategy then and now. “We used a little more reasonable, prudent approach,” he says, “so that’s been my complaint. We have evolved over the last 35 years into … where we create a volatile situation that’s usually going to end up with somebody getting hurt. My complaint, my issue, is with the law, with the policies, procedures and protocol that allow us to create situations to get people hurt unnecessarily.”

Co-director Christopherson reasons “Peace Officer” underscores his belief that “the militarization of police is as much cultural as it is the physical equipment. What we kind of found was, it’s more about how police view the citizens that they ostensibly should be serving. Instead, it’s more

kind of an us-vs.-them. It’s, ‘The citizens are our enemy that we need to fight against,’ rather than ‘those that we’re serving.’ And I think that mindset is more problematic to me than it is the actual physical equipment – which, of course, is part of the issue here, too.”

A granddaughter of entertainment icon Walt Disney’s brother Roy, “The Armor of Light’s” Disney says her interest in making her film (the first she directed, after producing many others) stemmed from being “raised in a very conservative background. I don’t necessarily live that way in my adult life, but I don’t think my values have changed. At a root-value kind of way, I don’t understand what’s happening, because the laws that I’m currently watching get passed seem to be an indication that there are worse things than taking human life.

“It was my understanding, in the conservative household I was raised in, that human life was the most important, valuable thing. And that you would do anything rather than take that. So it seemed important to strip out of this bipolar disorder we are suffering from in this country, and go back to our root values and talk about what is, in fact, really important to us. Do we, in fact, value human life? And once we have the conversation about that, can we then legislate from there?”

Rev. Dr. Schenck’s own campaign proved an ideal vessel for Disney to illustrate her premise, and he reflects, “In my conversations with colleagues, they often whisper – literally – and will say, ‘I’m with you on this,’ but they are not ready to take the public risk. It remains to be seen whether I’ll survive that, but for many reasons, I thought I could no longer ignore that obligation that I have.

“We are seeing a little progress,” adds Schenck. “There’s, of course, been pushback, too … and there’s been a cost, quite a high one, to the organization I lead (Faith and Action). But we are also finding people surface who are allies, so I’m delightfully surprised at that.”

BY JAY BOBBIN

SSTORY


‘Independent Lens’ gets PBS’ focus on back-to-

back nights

Pictured:William “Dub” Lawrence

Many a successful and legitimate business has its roots in unlawful activity. Count NASCAR among them.

Yes, the nation’s largest motorsport was born from bootlegging, and this story and others are told in the three-night, six-hour special event “NASCAR: The Rise of American Speed,” airing consecutive Sundays beginning May 8 on Country Music Television.

The program brings NASCAR’s history to life through re-enactments, archival footage and interviews with experts and drivers including Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick, Darrell Waltrip and Jeff Gordon, focusing on the personalities and events that made it what it is today.

The story begins in Depression-era Georgia, where jobs were few and so men such as future racing legends Roy Hall and Lloyd Seay supported themselves by running moonshine. But to do that, they needed fast cars that could outrun the feds, and so they turned to topnotch mechanics such as Bill France and Red Vogt.

And so out of necessity, the first race car was born.

“We love that part of the story and it makes sense ... you know, how are cars becoming better and faster?” says Stephen David, an executive producer (with Tim W. Kelly) of the project. “Bootleggers are paying mechanics to make them faster than the cops who are chasing them. Just the fact that the cops are paying them in government checks, which take a while to clear, and the bootleggers are paying them in cash, they’re going to make the bootleggers’ cars faster. But it feels right that that’s where an American sport would come from.”

SSTORY


After World War II, France was able to organize investors, drivers and mechanics and sell them on his vision of a unified league where drivers and teams raced for a championship. And following an impassioned speech (as re-enacted in Episode 1) in 1948 at a Daytona Beach, Fla., hotel bar, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing was born.

Parts 2 and 3 look at the postwar years to the current generation of drivers. Television played a huge part in NASCAR’s growth, starting in 1979 with the first start-to-finish telecast of the Daytona 500. That turned out to be a watershed event for the league – but it almost didn’t happen thanks to a race-day downpour in Florida.

“They needed a way to dry the track so they could still have the race or else they’re going to put reruns or other stuff on,” Kelly explains. “So (NASCAR CEO Bill France Jr.) has all the drivers start doing laps at a low speed to dry the track, and then when it’s safe then he lets it go. And it’s just these innovative things they do to solve problems and to help grow the sport.”

“That whole story is huge,” David says, “because they ended up having this huge viewership and then this great finish at the end. And then right after the race ends, when it’s this big victory, (Donnie) Allison and (Cale) Yarborough get in a huge fistfight. So the whole thing is so dramatic. But it actually is one of the big key moments that made NASCAR what it was.

“And actually,” he adds, “the fight probably helped.”

BY GEORGE DICKIE

CMT traces NASCAR’s roots

in ‘Rise of American Speed’


http://www.cmt.com/

SPORTSS


Story on next page

FULL NAME: Adam Derek Scott

BORN: July 16, 1980

BIRTHPLACE: Adelaide, Australia

HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6 foot, 180-pounds

PGA TOUR WINS: 13

MAJOR WINS: 1

HONORS AND ACHIEVEMENTS: Masters Tournament Champion, 2013; PGA Tour of Australia Order of Merit winner, 2005, 2013

PGA STAR

ADAM SCOTT

STAYS THE

COURSE


SPORTSS

Thus far on the PGA Tour no single golfer has dominated week in and week out. However, along with Jason Day, Adam Scott has enjoyed back-to-back wins and may be the most consistent golfer on the tour. The Australian known as “Scotty” will be hoping to keep pace when the Wells Fargo Championship wraps up Sunday, May 8 on CBS. The first two rounds of the tournament from the Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina air May 5-6 on the Golf Channel and the third round airs May 7, also on CBS.

At press time Scott was at the top of the FedExCup standings. He got there by winning the Honda Classic and the WGC-Cadillac Championship in consecutive weeks in late February and early March. He’s also had two runner-up finishes on the tour with four overall top-ten finishes. This, after an uneventful 2015 season, at least on the golf course – in February of that year he became a father. Scott was the top ranked golfer for much of the 2014 season.

Although Scott didn’t make the cut at the Masters Tournament in April, where he won in 2013 (his only Major victory) he’s had 15 top-ten finishes during his career in Major tournaments. That type of consistency could show itself at any point in the season, including upcoming Majors. For now, staying on course (pun intended) and competing week-in and week-out are paramount in a season where no single golfer has yet to establish a winning pattern.

BY DAN LADD

ADAMSCOTT

JAY BOBBIN'S THEATRICAL MOVIE REVIEW

REVIEW

MOVIES


M

Who’s “The Boss”? Well, in movie terms these days, that’s an easy answer: Melissa McCarthy.

Her film career has been an ever-fluctuating series of hits and misses ever since she struck the bullseye with her marvelously bawdy, Oscar-nominated work in “Bridesmaids,” but it’s a thrill to see her still riding reasonably high ... especially, in some cases, with projects she generates for herself.

“The Boss” is one of those, and as with “Tammy” a couple of years ago, she’s also a co-writer with husband Ben Falcone – the film’s director. She plays a self-actualization guru who gets into legal trouble and goes to prison, then has to take her own medicine and rebuild her life once she gets out.

She’s helped in several ways by her former assistant, played by a winning Kristen Bell, who’s smart for knowing and grabbing a good supporting role when she sees one. There’s a lot of business about humanizing McCarthy’s Michelle Darnell, and that lets the actress put some spins on the image she’s cemented through her television work in the about-to-end “Mike & Molly” and the soon-to-be-resurrected “Gilmore Girls” (which McCarthy finally is returning for, if briefly).

The rest plays out a lot like Diane Keaton’s “Baby Boom,” with Bell giving McCarthy the incentive to get back into the business swing by marketing a certain product in a unique way. While the premise may be familiar, it’s the McCarthy twist that provides the difference, reaffirming the natural talent that elevated her from the supporting ranks to her current status. Remaining likable even when your alter ego does some not-so-likable things is a gift.

Seeing the star placed up against other known performers is typically fun, too. Not only is her substantial time in “The Boss” with Bell enjoyable, but she and Peter Dinklage (“Game of Thrones”) make a great pair of friends turned foes, particularly in the picture’s home stretch.

“The Boss” certainly doesn’t reinvent the wheel of movie comedy, and it doesn’t really intend to. What it does do is to serve as a relatively solid vehicle for Melissa McCarthy, less successful than some, but more than others – and knowing what works well for you always is a big part of being a good boss.

MELISSA MCCARTHY IS

‘BOSS’ AS STAR AND CO-WRITER

“DIRTY GRANDPA” (May 17): Robert De Niro plays said grandpa, a bawdy military veteran who gets his staid grandson (Zac Efron) to take him on a road trip. (R: AS, N, P)

“THE FINEST HOURS” (May 24): Coast Guard members try to rescue the crew of a critically damaged, rapidly sinking oil tanker; Chris Pine and Casey Affleck star in the true story. (PG-13: P, V)

“HOW TO BE SINGLE” (May 24): Several New Yorkers seek fulfillment in going solo; the cast includes Dakota Johnson, Rebel Wilson and Damon Wayans Jr. (R: AS, P)

“GODS OF EGYPT” (May 31): Powerful ancient rivals (Gerard Butler, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) vie for nothing less than control of the world; Geoffrey Rush also stars. (PG-13: AS, V)

“PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES” (May 31): The classic story gets a major revision involving – you guessed it – the undead; Lily James and Sam Riley star. (PG-13: AS, V)

“RACE” (May 31): Jesse Owens (Stephan James) faces challenges both on and off the track as he prepares for the 1936 Berlin Olympics. (PG-13: AS, P)

UPCOMING DVD RELEASES

JAY BOBBIN'S MOVIE REVIEW

MOVIESM

Pictured: Zac Efron


Family Viewing Ratings

AS Adult situations P Profanity V Violence N Nudity GV Graphic Violence

“WAR & PEACE” One of the most classic of all stories gets fresh treatment in this version of the Leo Tolstoy saga. Paul Dano (“Love & Mercy”), Lily James (“Downton Abbey”) and James Norton (“Grantchester”) star as the central trio of Pierre, Natasha and Andrei, young members of families trying to ensure their futures as imperialism comes to an end in Russia. “SCREAM: THE TV SERIES” MTV began running this weekly television spinoff putting residents of Lakewood at the mercy of a killer who reminds many people of similar troubles in the past. “WHERE TO INVADE NEXT” Michael Moore (“Bowling for Columbine,” “Fahrenheit 9/11”) stars in this documentary that takes him to France, Italy and other countries to learn firsthand how they deal with socioeconomic problems that have plagued America. His expressed mission here is to find workable solutions that he can bring back to the U.S. “THE BOY” Lauren Cohan (“The Walking Dead”) – stars as an American woman who becomes the nanny to a British family. The clan includes one unusual member: a life-sized doll, meant to be a surrogate for the son the parents lost two decades earlier. They insist it be treated like a real person, and when the newcomer goes against some of the ground rules, the results suggest the doll may be exerting a supernatural force. “NOVA: ICEMAN REBORN” Kept remarkably preserved for more than 5,000 years in a frozen crypt, the European mummy known as Otzi is examined by artist Gary Staab – one of very few people to be granted such permission – in this recent episode of the PBS science series. Staab’s mission is to develop a replica of the so-called “iceman” that scientists and citizens can get close to, and in the process, he uncovers surprising information about the life his subject led ... largely tied to genetics.

STARTING THIS WEEK (New releases):

“DEADPOOL” Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson, technically an anti-superhero who’s an ex-Special Forces member bent on revenge against the man (Ed Skrein) who put him in his current state. ... And stay tuned for a highly amusing “kicker” after the final credits.

DVD TOP PICK

SFAVORITE SHOWS

SUNDAY 9 p.m. on ABC The Family

Voting day arguably is the worst possible time for Claire (Joan Allen) to get more disturbing news, but so it is in the new episode “Election Day.” Willa (Alison Pill) comes forth with another revelation that supersedes any attention being paid to the numbers as they come in. Nina (Margot Bingham) has only a limited window of time left to be able to get the goods on her prime suspect, Doug (guest star Michael Esper). Liam James and Andrew McCarthy also star. New

MONDAY 8 p.m. on FOX Gotham

Among those who don’t react well to Azrael’s rampage through the city is Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor), who has a specific vendetta to execute, in the new episode “Wrath of the Villains: Unleashed.” Professor Strange (guest star BD Wong) is on the run from the law, but he also has Bruce and Selina Kyle (David Mazouz, Camren Bicondova) on his trail. Michelle Veintimilla returns as Firefly, alias Bridgit. Ben McKenzie, Donal Logue and Michael Chiklis also star.

TUESDAY 9:30 p.m. on FOX The Grinder

It’s judgment day for Dean Sr. (William Devane) in “Full Circle,” the show’s season finale, and it’s up to Dean Jr. (Rob Lowe) to clear his dad of malpractice charges when Stewart (Fred Savage) is taken out of the case. Others don’t think the younger Sanderson is up to the task. The identity of the person who schemed against the firm is revealed — and a “special surprise guest star” is promised. Mary Elizabeth Ellis and Natalie Morales also star. Season Finale New

Camren Bicondova stars in “Gotham”

Joan Allen stars in “The Family”

Connie Britton stars in “Nashville”

YOUR TV LINK Courtesy of Gracenote May 8 - 14, 2016 continued on next page

Fred Savage stars in “The Grinder”

SWEDNESDAY 10 p.m. on ABC Nashville

“Dancing With the Stars” veteran Derek Hough and music’s Kesha guest star in the new episode “After You’ve Gone,” both figuring into Juliette’s (Hayden Panettiere) efforts to lobby for an Oscar nomination for her work in “Shenandoah Girl.” Rayna (Connie Britton) has close-to-home concerns about the pitfalls that new artists can run into. Scarlett’s (Clare Bowen) patience with Gunnar (Sam Palladio) and Autumn Chase (guest star Alicia Witt) runs out. New

THURSDAY 8 p.m. on CBS The Big Bang Theory

A number of parents turn up on the concluding episode of the comedy’s ninth season, including one who hasn’t been seen before: Leonard’s (Johnny Galecki) father, played by veteran actor Judd Hirsch (“Taxi,” “Ordinary People”). Among those who have appeared previously, Christine Baranski — fresh off “The Good Wife” — and Laurie Metcalf (“Roseanne”) return as Leonard and Sheldon’s (Jim Parsons) mothers respectively. Kaley Cuoco and Simon Helberg also star. Season Finale New

9 p.m. on ABCScandalSeries creator and executive producer Shonda Rhimes co-wrote the show’s fifth-season finale, “That’s My Girl,” in which the presidential candidates are on the verge of naming their running mates. The situation doesn’t bode well in Olivia’s (Kerry Washington) view. Cyrus (Jeff Perry) gets information that could have a major impact on the campaigning. Tony Goldwyn, Katie Lowes, Joshua Malina, Darby Stanchfield, Bellamy Young and Joe Morton also star. Season Finale New

FAVORITE SHOWS

FRIDAY 8 p.m. on FOX Movie: Jumping the Broom

The turf Tyler Perry has mined so successfully is attempted by other filmmakers in this 2011 comedy-drama, in which two families of different socioeconomic levels are drawn together by a wedding on Martha’s Vineyard. Conflicts expectedly arise during the countdown to the nuptials. The ensemble cast includes Perry-film veterans Angela Bassett and Loretta Devine, plus Laz Alonso, Paula Patton, Meagan Good, Mike Epps and Julie Bowen (“Modern Family”). Premiere

SATURDAY 9 p.m. on CBS NCIS: New Orleans

Steven Weber reprises his recurring role as New Orleans Mayor Douglas Hamilton in “Father’s Day,” which finds Pride (Scott Bakula) hosting a Fat Tuesday party to mark the opening of his new French Quarter bar. Festivities are cut short, however, when both Pride and the mayor are kidnapped and held hostage by an unknown assailant. Lee Tergesen guest stars; Zoe McLellan, Lucas Black and CCH Pounder also star.

Paula Patton (left) and Angela Bassett star in “Jumping the Broom”

Scott Bakula stars in “NCIS: New Orleans”

Johnny Galecki stars in “The Big Bang Theory”


clinton kelly giles coren ian kahn candice patton...

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