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Tag Archives: TV

Great Debate: McGarrett vs. Danno

by Catherine Toth on September 1, 2011 in Musings, The Daily Dish

It’s almost like choosing between Team Edward or Team Jacob.

(Thanks to all the “Twilight” fans who got that reference.)

Turns out, there are clearly distinct camps when it comes to the two leading men in CBS’ “Hawaii Five-0″, its second season set to premiere on Monday, Sept. 19.

You’re either with the cool, collected Det. Steve McGarrett (played by Alex O’Loughlin) or the fast-talking, high-strung Danny “Danno” Williams (played by Scott Caan).

Watch this montage by CBS

I mean, you can’t find more contrasting characters, down to their hair color. One is single, the other divorced. One is stoic, the other emotional. One is by-the-book, the other is by-his-own-book. It’s the Odd Couple recast.

Personally, I’m all about Danno. He’s witty, biting, brutally honest and delivers such gems as this: “You’re like a devourer of dreams. You eat them. You’re like a little Pac-Man in cargo pants.” I vote for him.

So what about you? Are you on Team McGarrett or Team Danno?

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The most unlikely competitive eater

by Catherine Toth on August 4, 2011 in Food, Musings

Lauren Takao is a 30-year-old fifth grade teacher at Christian Academy who helps coach the school’s cross country team. She’s a Beachbody — think P90X and Insanity — coach and part-time yoga teacher. And she just had a baby seven months ago.

Not exactly the person you’d expect to to finish 12 scoops of ice cream or 2 1/2 boxes of cereal in one sitting.

Yet Takao is one of those unlikely competitive eaters, now a finalist for an upcoming episode of the Travel Channel’s “Man v. Food Nation.”

Her video is one of five selected in a recent casting call, and folks have until Aug. 11 to vote. (To cast your vote — one a day until the deadline — click here.)

Takao is the only female finalist, the only one from Hawaii, and, well, the only one who doesn’t seem like she could finish 12 hot wings in six minutes in the Buffalo Wild Wings Challenge.

So you know I had a few questions to ask!

CAT: I’m assuming you’re a fan of the show.
LT: Huge fan!

CAT: How did you hear about this challenge?
LT: I heard about the challenge through the Internet. I love the show and thought, “Hey, I can do that!”

CAT: What compelled you to submit the video
LT: I submitted the video on a whim. My husband and I are huge Man v Food fans, and would go to the restaurants (host) Adam (Richman) went to whenever we traveled. Also, we tried doing many food challenges, and I figured I might as well submit a video, and God willing, I would get picked. Never actually thought it would happen!

CAT: So, you were you surprised you were named a finalist?
LT: I was totally shocked that I was named a finalist! When I first got the call I didn’t recognize the number and thought it was a telemarketer!

CAT: I gotta admit, the other finalists are pretty impressive. You concerned at all?
LT: I think all four are pretty impressive. When I saw their videos I thought mine was not that great. They had terrific editing, pictures, etc. My video was just shot in my living room with the TV on in the background and car seat on the side! All five of us can eat; it’s just now a matter of who the public would like to see and what city they want the crew to shoot at.

CAT: So what are all the eating challenges you’ve won or participated in?
LT: Tried Mac 24/7 pancakes but the most I ate was a little more than three-fourths. Finished the 12 scoop sundae at Sweet Krevz in Aiea in about 20 to 30 minutes, finished the Buffalo Wild Wings Challenge, finished the Sharkey’s buffalo wing challenge (only woman to do so), came in second in the Waikiki Speed Eating contest, came in third at the Bayfest burger competition last month, finished third in JJ Dolans pizza competition this past year, only person to finish the Cereal Remix Megamix challenge (2 1/2 boxes of cereal, milk, 6 toppings). So far, those are the only ones I remember doing!

CAT: OMG. I’m sure you get this ALL THE TIME: You’re so damn skinny! What’s your secret?
LT: Ha ha, I was always pretty skinny — my mom was small, not even 100 pounds when she got married! — but breastfeeding also helps lose that pregnancy weight. I have always been active, too — done many marathons, triathlons, yoga competitions, etc. After giving birth I also became a Beachbody coach and did the 60-day Insanity workout and that really helped me lose a lot of weight (although I didn’t do it with the intention of losing, just to gain strength).

CAT: Uh, still. That’s just not fair. So what do you enjoy about competitive eating?
LT: I love the fact that I’m so small but can eat and amaze people. I also love food, and it takes a lot of mental strength and determination to do these challenges. It fits my personality because I’m pretty competitive and will push myself to do the best I can.

CAT: So I’m envisioning your daily meals to be gorge-fests. Very Paul Bunyan. No?
LT: Breakfast is fruit and yogurt. Lunch varies but is usually something fast like sandwich, sushi, salad. Dinner is great because it’s with my husband and daughter. I’m not a great cook, and if we go out we go to kid-friendly places nearby like Big City Diner. I like fish a lot, but sometimes really crave a thick steak. And we always have vegetables with dinner. Pretty standard diet. Lots of fruits, veggies, good proteins and whole grains, but I also love having a glass or two of wine with dinner. Just discovered Morimoto’s beer and am liking that, too.

If you want to see Lauren represent Hawaii on an upcoming episode of “Man V. Food Nation,” vote for her video. You have until Aug. 11.

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Old shows getting new life

by Catherine Toth on July 19, 2011 in Musings, The Daily Dish

This may sound like an oxymoron, but there’s such a thing now as classics from the ’90s.

At least in terms of television.

Starting next Monday, TeenNick, part of the Nickelodeon family of cable channels for children (that I don’t subscribe to), will start rebroadcasting TV shows popular for kids from the ’90s.

Called “The ’90s Are All That,” this late-night time block will feature runs of shows like “All That” (shown), “Clarissa Explains It All” and ““Kenan & Kel.”

It’s like “Nick At Nite” but for the 18- to 34-year-old sect.

It’s obvious I missed the age cut. Because I don’t remember watching these shows. They don’t even sound vaguely familiar.

The channel got its initial list of shows from Facebook feedback — smart — and will continue to let the social media site influence what other shows rotate into the block. (Read more in this New York Times story.)

Too bad the age demo didn’t skew just a little bit older. Because I have my list of my favorite TV shows — not cartoons; that’s another blog — ready:

• “A-Team”
• “MacGyver”
• “Family Ties”
• ”The Greatest American Hero”
• “My So-Called Life”
• “Happy Days”
• “Cheers”
• “Taxi”
• “The Jeffersons”
• “Magnun PI”

Got any to add?

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Saying goodbye to Oprah — finally

by Catherine Toth on May 24, 2011 in Musings, The Daily Dish

So what would you do after 25 years of total domination in your field and access to billions of dollars, several homes around the world and literally anything you could ever want — ever?

You’d probably retire, too.

And, of course, throw the biggest retirement party this world has ever seen.

That’s exactly what mega media mogul Oprah Winfrey did last week, in front of 20,000 fans at Chicago’s United Center. The final episodes began airing yesterday, with the finale set for Wednesday.

And what a way to go out. Celebs like Tom Cruise, Beyonce, Madonna and Tom Hanks all paid homage to Winfrey, who wrapped her daytime talk show, “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” after 25 years to focus on the network she created, OWN.

I mean, after taping more than 5,000 shows, jumpstarting the careers of hundreds of people (including Dr. Phil McGraw and Rachael Ray, both who have talk shows thanks to her) and giving millions of people a reason to grab a bag of chips and a box of Kleenex every afternoon, she certainly deserves this kind of farewell.

And the turnout was A-list perfection: Halle Berry, Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, Michael Jordan, Jerry Seinfeld, Simon Cowell, Queen Latifah, Stevie Wonder, Maria Shriver, Katie Holmes, Dakota Fanning and Maya Angelou, to name a few.

I’ll admit it: I do watch “Oprah,” albeit on occasion. I’m rarely home by 4 p.m. (when it airs in Hawaii), and I don’t bother watching the rebroadcast later at night. (By that point, I’ve forgotten all about it and have moved on to more important things like laundry and strategizing the worldwide annihilation of ants.) But there was always something comforting about knowing that, wherever I was, on any day of the week, Oprah Winfrey would be waiting for me, with a story that would make me cry, a makeover that would make me smile, or sometimes a celebrity confession (read: Tom Cruise) that would make me cringe.

For most of my life, Winfrey has been endorsing her favorite books and giving away her favorite things to an eager and zealous base of fiercely loyal fans. It will be strange not to use her in the first person anymore, like she’s picked up and moved to another country — and refuses to sign up for Facebook.

While I never always agreed with her — the whole fiasco with James Frey, author of the controversial “A Million Little Pieces” comes to mind — you can’t deny how influential she is. And you can’t deny how empty that time slot will be come Thursday.

Got a favorite “Oprah” show? Are you going to miss the daytime talk show magnet? Or are you glad to see the self-made demigod finally give it up?

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‘Hawaii Five-0′ has to step up its game

by Catherine Toth on May 17, 2011 in Musings, The Daily Dish

Millions of people tuned into last night’s season finale of CBS’s “Hawaii Five-0″ — and to mixed reviews.

Fans had a lot to say about the finale, ranging from all-out praise for the show’s cliffhangers and plot twists to unabashed criticism for, well, the show’s cliffhangers and plot twists.

The episode, titled “Oia‘i‘o” (or “trust”), featured every TV plot twist you could think of: wrongful arrest, cold-blooded murder, surprise pregnancy, loyalty shifts, an arsenal of semi-automatic weapons in the possession of the shave ice stand owner. The only thing missing was Grace Park in a bikini.

It was a little much for me, actually. I like being shocked and awed like any other TV-obsessed American. But I didn’t care for the loose plot development leading up to these twists, some of which seem a bit far-fetched and overly convenient. (Even Scott Caan, clearly the fan favorite on the show, thinks some scenes are a bit contrived.)

But there’s no doubt the show offers enough action, humor and “carguments” between Det. Steve McGarrett and Danny “Danno” Williams to garner it a second season. (The show averages 11.9 million viewers every week.)

But Season 2 better be good. And fans are going to have high expectations. They don’t want shallow or emotional storylines. (Folks already didn’t like Danno and his ex-wife getting back together.) They want action, high-speed car chases, gun fights, A-list guest stars, ninjas, female wrestlers and a better wardrobe for Park.

Anyone have suggestions?

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