TV Link July 17-July 23, 2016

‘Republican National Convention’ CBS News’ John Dickerson and others begin convention coverage

‘Vice Principals’

the anti-buddy comedy P.13 folio

Ryan Phillippe has to stay in shape for

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‘Shooter’ P.15

‘Power’James makes a new life

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3 The political parties’ gatherings to nominate their presidential candidates begin with coverage of the 2016 Republican Convention on multiple networks Monday.

Jay Bobbin talks with two of the journalists involved: CBS political director and “Face the Nation” anchor John Dickerson, and veteran reporter and PBS “NewsHour” co-anchor Judy Woodruff.

12-13 When they’re passed over for principal at the high school where they work, two loser vice principals begin scheming to bring the new chief down in HBO’s “Vice Principals.” The actors who play the malingerers in question, Walton Goggins and series creator Danny McBride, tell George Dickie about the twists and turns that develop as the storyline progresses.

FOOD 7 Zakarian looks for the ‘tells’

REALITY 16 Tebow the master motivator

SPORTS 18-19 Snedeker seeks golf glory in Open Championship in Scotland

MOVIES

14-15 A popular action movie becomes a series — with some of the original players, including Mark Wahlberg, still involved as producers -- when “Shooter” premieres Tuesday on USA Network. Ryan Phillippe, who assumes Wahlberg’s role as an expert marksman caught up in a conspiracy, tells Jay Bobbin about the major physical demands of the part.

17 In season 3 of “Power,” wealthy New York nightclub owner James “Ghost” St. Patrick (Omari Hardwick) can’t seem to leave his past as a drug dealer behind. He tells George Dickie about what that means for his character and those around him.

20-21 Theatrical Review, and Our top DVD releases

CELEBRITY

IN EVERY ISSUE

4 Scott Wolf likes being on ‘The Night Shift’ even more in Season 3

22-23 Our top suggested programs to watch this week!

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Our Staff Writers: Jay Bobbin, George Dickie, John Crook Graphic Design: Nicolle Burton Quality Team: Michelle Wilson, Lisa Webster, Chris Browne

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5 Elizabeth Gillies gets to play to her edgy strengths on ‘Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll’ 6 Constance Zimmer has shock-and-awe over the success of ‘UnREAL’ 8 Rob Corddry brings a friend to work 9 Getting to know magic guru Penn Jillette

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STORY

Convention season begins for political parties and television networks “PBS NewsHour’s” Judy Woodruff (left) and Gwen Ifill anchor the network’s Republican National Convention coverage starting Monday

By Jay Bobbin Weeks and months of campaign battles, between parties and within them, have all led to this.

The Republicans and the Democrats are about to convene separately to confirm their nominees for November’s presidential election, and it’s clear that the path to getting there has been one of the most controversial in U.S. political history. Television networks – both broadcast and cable – will be present in force as the Republicans go first with their national convention in Cleveland from Monday to Thursday, July 18 to 21. Then, the Democrats have their turn in Philadelphia the following Monday to Thursday.

While PBS plans three hours of primetime coverage each evening in addition to its regular “NewsHour” program (check local listings), ABC, CBS and NBC all are scheduling nightly one-hour reports at the end of primetime. Cable news networks including CNN, Fox News Channel and MSNBC will offer frequent telecasts from the conventions during the relevant days.

Others will pitch in, too: CBS’ “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” will broadcast live (in the Eastern half of the country) from its New York studio on all convention nights, and HBO’s “Real Time With Bill Maher” will do the same from Los Angeles on the Wednesday and Thursday of each convention.

Though the delegates they’ve accrued have made Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton the presumptive presidential nominees of the Republican and Democratic conventions respectively, John Dickerson – CBS News’ political director and moderator of the network’s venerable Sunday-morning program “Face the Nation” – reasons that the first event remains “a possibly moving story day-to-day. You’ll have the question of demonstrators outside, who are almost certain to be there, and you’ll have squabbles that are going on within the Republican party. There will be a lot of response to whatever Donald Trump puts forth, both from the Republicans and the Democrats, so you just source up to have a sense of what is happening within the party as the convention is actually happening.”

Judy Woodruff will anchor PBS’ convention coverage with her “NewsHour” colleague Gwen Ifill. They’ve reported on 20 presidential campaigns between them, and NPR’s Rachel Martin and others from that outlet and “NewsHour” also will contribute. “We’re very excited,” Woodruff says.

“For all the attention this election has gotten, I think there are still so many questions we want to pose to these candidates and these parties, and the convention is just a wonderful way to do that. You have all these people together in one building in one city, and it’s really an extraordinary opportunity.”

In the era when Dickerson’s trailblazing journalist mother – Nancy Dickerson – covered conventions for CBS and then NBC, commercial broadcast networks went “wall to wall” with coverage, rather than package it into one nightly hour. “The biggest challenge for us now,” he reflects, “is not to make it basically a conveyance for the public-relations aims of the candidates. The reason it was wall-to-wall back then was that there were things actually unclear and uncertain. It was still up in the air whether (John F.) Kennedy was going to get the (1960 Democratic) nomination, and then his vice-presidential pick had some real drama to it.”

Dickerson adds that he views a convention as a “pause” in a campaign for the White House: “You can make an attempt at (determining) what the candidate and the party are really saying about the direction forward for America.

You can try to put the race into a little bit more context than you would in just the normal pace of a presidential election.”

Woodruff appreciates having the better part of four hours a night to do that on PBS. “We think conventions matter,” she states. “Every four years, this is the one chance our political parties have to tell Americans who they are and what they stand for. Some people argue, ‘Oh, they put on a big show, and it’s a lot of entertainment.’ That is the case for part of it, but they’ll also roll out their supporters and big-name endorsements, and I think all of it adds up to a better understanding on the part of the American people.”

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CELEBRITY Jay Bobbin’s Q&A

ScottWolf of ‘The Night Shift’ Wednesday on NBC Did you foresee “The Night Shift” getting to Season 3?

It’s a really cool thing to be in the third season of a series and feel like it’s getting better every week and every episode. I’ve done a handful of shows that have come out of the gate really strong and have been really intriguing, and then they just faltered for one reason – or a bunch.

(With this), the chemistry between all the actors was there from Day One, and I think that has a lot to do with the success of the show and why it’s stuck around.

Your character, also named Scott, and fellow medic Jordan (played by Jill Flint) are getting back into each other’s trajectory more this season. Are you enjoying that?

Her character and my character, I don’t think anyone would have bet that they were intended to be together ... and, in fact, they wound up drifting apart as she moved back toward TC (Eoin Macken).

I think Jill and I have a pretty great chemistry with one another, and as this third season has gone along, these two characters have started to look back at each other and think, “What happened here? Did we give each other enough of a chance?” folio

You’d worked with “The Night Shift” creators and executive producers Gabe Sachs and Jeff Judah before (on the TV movie “Making It Legal”).

What do you like about reteaming with them?

They’re not afraid to lean into, and out of, things as they move forward – and I think I’m a perfect example of one of those things. The way these stories have played out, or had it been another actor, or had it been me and it hadn’t worked as well, I’d be on a different show at this point.

I think they deserve a ton of credit, in a time in television where there’s a lot at stake, of being capable of championing the voice of the show as they believe it should be. That’s everything these days.

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CELEBRITY Jay Bobbin’s Q&A

ElizabethGillies of ‘Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll’ Thursday on FX The role of the edgy, candid Gigi on “Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll” seems to suit you ideally. Are you comfortable with it?

A lot of times when I’d audition or go out for roles, the note I would always get back was, “Too specific” or “Too strong.” It was a very frustrating thing, so when this came along and seemed to not shy away from the things I like to do ... what normally would be a hindrance was very embraced. I could only pray that something like that would happen, so it was cool. And I thank Denis (Leary, the show’s creator, frequent writer and star).

Was Gigi shaped even more around you as the show’s creative forces became more familiar with you?

That’s because of how open to collaboration Denis is. I feel like there’s a lot of me infused into this role. A lot of it was already there, which was strange for me to read when I got the scripts – but as he gets to know each of us better, he will infuse little weaknesses or triggers onto the characters. That’s why it comes off pretty real and pretty authentic, and that’s because he does his homework, for sure.

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You also turn up frequently on Lifetime and LMN in repeats of the TV movie “Killing Daddy.” What sort of experience was making that for you?

I love corny, over-the-top movies. I’m not saying that one was, but I love a dramatic Lifetime movie ... and when that came through, my team was like, “Here.” And I said, “I’m sorry. Is it called ‘Killing Daddy’?

And they were like, ”Yes.“ And I said, ”I’m doing it! I don’t even care what it’s about.“ It was so “Mommie Dearest” in a way, I was like, “I need to do it.” I had a really fun time.

They would just say, “Bigger! More!” And I’d say, “Absolutely. Here it comes.”

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CELEBRITY Jay Bobbin’s Q&A

Constance Zimmer of ‘UnREAL’ Monday on Lifetime How surprised are you by the reception “UnREAL” has gotten?

We’re working our butts off, and when you feel like you’re doing that and no one’s watching, it’s really hard to keep the morale up and want to keep doing it. We feel so unbelievably grateful that people are watching (“UnREAL”) and paying attention to it and understanding it ... and getting things that are not obvious things to get. They’re also getting the deep, dark kernels that are underneath, so we have complete shock-and-awe moments every day.

Were you happy with your stint on ABC’s “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” last season?

Oh, it was like the best on-hiatus dream job any girl could ask for! I got to work with Clark Gregg again – I’d worked with him on “The New Adventures of Old Christine” – and it was so much fun. The Marvel Universe is unlike anything else on television, the things you get to do and live in this very surreal world.

And Rosalind was one of those female characters who was strong and vulnerable and serious. I knew I wasn’t going to stay the course, but I didn’t know how they were going to get rid of me. And when I read the scene, I shed a tear. I was very sad.

While you’re working on “UnREAL” in Vancouver, British Columbia, your family is in Los Angeles. Do those two sides of your life balance well?

It’s definitely my top priority to make sure that it does. Luckily, “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” is (filmed) in L.A., so on my hiatus from “UnREAL,” I was home working ... and it makes a big difference. I try to go home every weekend from Vancouver to be with my family, and I’ve had them come up there a few times. Some times are harder than others, but it’s about being present when you are present.

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TASTY George Dickie’s What's for Dinner

Looking for the ‘pro moves’ on Food Network’s ‘Cooks vs. Cons’

They’re called “tells” or “pro moves” and they’re what Geoffrey Zakarian, Daphne Oz and other judges look for in distinguishing the professional chefs from the impostors on Food Network’s Sunday competition series “Cooks vs. Cons.”

For some, a tell can be the crisscrossed sear pattern on a grilled steak.

For others, it’s the way a contestant slices an onion.

For Zakarian, the host of show’s now-in-progress second season, he looks at what happens in the closing minutes of each episode.

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“The normal tells are when you’re in pressure,” he says, “So I wait until they really impress you down to the last few minutes. The last 10 minutes, Pictured: Geoffrey Zakarian they start to pull out the turbocharger and when you’re turbocharged there are shortcuts you do that can really sort of point to someone who’s a pro. But it doesn’t mean they are. It just gives you a little bit of a heads-up.”

Zakarian admits his system was far from infallible in Season 1, noting that he correctly identified the cooks and cons about half the time. He also explains that even the best of chefs can slip up, make a mistake and come off looking like a rank amateur. And in the process fool the judges.

“Everybody has a bad day,” Zakarian says. “It’s pressure. It’s 30 minutes. That 30 minutes just messes with your head.

I don’t care how good you are, it messes with your head and you really have to learn how to wrap your head around it because it’s really hard.

“That is a very intense kitchen,” he continues. “I say, ‘Start’ and like five minutes later I go, ‘15 minutes left.’ That’s how fast it can go. It’s a challenge. We’ve lost. We’ve been on shows before. I’ve cooked on ‘Chopped’ and ‘Iron Chef,’ we’ve lost. We’re not supposed to lose and we lose. Sometimes you have a bad day, you make a mistake and you don’t recover well. That’s life.”

What book are you currently reading?

“I’m actually reading two books. I usually read them at night before I go to sleep, so I probably get two pages done. That’s not the most progressive way to read but I’m going on vacation for a week so I’m going to try to read these books. I’m reading a book about the Civil War called ‘Killer Angels’ by Michael Shaara, and I’m reading ‘The Collected Poems of W.B. Yeats.’ ... And those are books I’m taking with me, nonfood books.”

What did you have for dinner last night?

“I flew home from Los Angeles and I ate on the plane a sandwich, a chicken sandwich with couscous, which was actually quite good. But when you’re hungry at 40,000 feet, you’re sort of like you eat what’s put in front of you.”

What is your next project?

“I’m just opening up the Georgian in Beverly Hills, so it’s been taking a good amount of my time.

My next project is a restaurant in Hollywood. I’m going from Hollywood to Hollywood – Hollywood, Fla. ...”

When was your last vacation and where did you go?

“It was almost two years ago. I’ve been working very hard. But we went to St. Bart’s.”

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CELEBRITY

George Dickie’s Celebrity ScooP

Most actors will tell you they will pattern the characters they play after somebody, be it a famous person, a character from literature or someone they know.

Rob Corddry, who stars as ambitious and somewhat hedonistic Miami-based financialadviser-to-athletes Joe Krutel in HBO’s “Ballers,” which begins its second season Sunday, July 17, modeled his character on a good friend.

“Everybody’s got this guy in their group of friends,” the 45-year-old native of Weymouth, Mass., explains, “the guy who never gets hungover, the guy who just seems to be able to do it forever without much wear and tear and (is) perfectly OK with it. Like he’s never felt guilt. That’s sort of what I was playing with Joe, like he just doesn’t feel guilt like we feel guilt. So he’s kind of in a way like a really self-aware dude and very happy and happy being as simple as he is.”

“As a matter of fact, one of my best friends is sort of a version of this dude,” he continues. “He is a vice president at the company where he works. He is a very hard worker and very good at his job. And also, he will stay up with you all weekend if you want.”

In the new season, Joe and Spencer (played

by Dwayne Johnson) have spun off and are now heading their own sports management division. They soon decide to take on the biggest business manager in Miami, played

by Andy Garcia.

Rob

Corddry

“I was playing it as if Joe has not only known about Andy Garcia’s character forever but has perhaps idolized him,” Corddry says, “much like Rob Corddry has idolized Andy Garcia, so that’s an easy thing to play. And it’s kind of a bummer for him to not only be pitted against this guy but then also kind of see the dirtier side of one of his heroes. It doesn’t take him long to get on board, the success of their company be damned.”

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CELEBRITY CelebritY profile

PennJillette - Born March 5, 1955, in Greenfield, Mass.

- He began his career as a juggler, graduating from Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Clown College.

- In 1974 he was part of a three-person act called the Asparagus Valley Cultural Society. The other two members of the act were Wier Chrisemer and someone that he had been introduced to earlier that same year: Teller.

- Moving to New York, he and Teller scored their first big hit with their off-Broadway show, “Penn & Teller Go Public” in 1985.

- He plays bass and was part of the musical comedy trio Bongos, Bass, & Bob. Their sole album “Never Mind the Sex Pistols, Here’s Bongos, Bass, and Bob (What on Earth Were They Thinking?),” was released in 1988.

Penn Jillette is a magician, author and TV personality who can currently be seen on The CW’s “Penn and Teller: Fool Us.” - In 1989, the magic duo appeared in their first feature film entitled “Penn & Teller Get Killed.”

- He was selected as magician of the year (with Teller) by the Academy of Magical Arts in 1996.

- In 2003, he and Teller began hosting the popular Showtime television show “Penn & Teller: Bulls****!” in which they debunked popular misconceptions and pseudoscientific beliefs.

- In 2005 he and Teller lent their version of the world’s dirtiest joke to the critically acclaimed documentary, “The Aristocrats.” He produced and co-created the film.

- In 2013, he appeared on the 13th season of “Celebrity Apprentice.” He also competed in “Celebrity Apprentice All-

Stars” and made it down to the final two, proving what a wonderful businessman he is.

- In 2011, the show “Penn & Teller: Fool Us,” a magic competition in which magicians perform tricks attempting to stump the duo Penn & Teller for a chance to be part of their Las Vegas stage show began in the U.K. In 2014, The CW aired the old episodes and it was so popular, they renewed the show for two more seasons.

- He lost one-third of his body weight over three months in late 2014-early 2015 and says he feels much better now that he carries 228 pounds on his 6-foot-7 frame.

He’s writing about his success in a book due out next fall called “Presto: How I Made Over 100 pounds Magically Disappear.”

- He has two children, a son, Zolten Penn and a daughter, Moxie CrimeFighter.

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CELEBRITY

“I’m an actor.

I want to have a very diverse career and look back and see myself as (having) attempted being a chameleon.

I just want to look back and be, like, ‘I don’t recognize myself in each role.’ If I can do that, then I can walk away feeling good about what I left behind.” – Rami Malek of “Mr. Robot” on USA Network

“As long as someone uses a word that hooks you, you’re a slave to what anybody else can say or do.

The secret is to free yourself from that, but I use that language to jolt or shock. It’s never an attack on a person.

It’s designed to create an opening.” – Tony Robbins of “Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru” on Netflix

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“Where I sit on the stage, I have a view where if there is some trickery, I can definitely see it. I’m such a fan of the show and of illusions, though, I’d often watch the screen rather than (watching from being on) the side of the trick.

Sometimes when they were so good, though, I just had to see … and I still couldn’t see how they did it!” – Alyson Hannigan of “Penn & Teller: Fool Us” on The CW

CELEBRITY

ON DVRs

“

John Turturro of “The Night Of” on HBO I don’t record that much. I’m more like a person who tries to watch things but they’ll be maybe a documentary or a movie but I don’t like DVR a show if I can’t really watch it in its time slot. But I have done that all-at-once thing. What do they call it? Bingeing. Yes, I have done that a little bit, when I watched ‘The Staircase,’ for example. And I just watched the O.J. thing on ESPN.

”

Judy Woodruff of “PBS NewsHour” on PBS “ ‘Veep,’ and then there are some other shows. I have children who are trying to get me to start watching ‘Game of Thrones,’ so we’ve recorded it, but I haven’t been able yet to actually sit down and turn it on and watch it. But I do plan to look at it.”

Amanda Freitag of “Chopped: Grill Masters Napa” on Food Network “I usually record ‘Chopped’ (laughs). I swear to God. I do because every once in a while I’ll catch up on it and see a few.

And I record the late-night shows. I record Stephen Colbert and Fallon because I never really stay up that late anymore and I do love those shows. I catch up on them during the day or when I have a chance.”

Ryan Phillippe of “Shooter” on USA Network “I can’t find a show that I love more than ‘Veep’ right now.

I’ve been a fan of it through all of its seasons, but the last couple of episodes were incredible. I’m also a huge fan of ‘Silicon Valley’ – and a guilty pleasure lately has been ‘60 Days In.’ I’ve been pretty fascinated by that.”

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STORY

Beware the ‘Vice Principals’

Danny McBride stars in “Vice Principals,” premiering Sunday on HBO. Story on next page

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STORY

‘Vice Principals’ join forces against their boss in new HBO comedy

Pictured: Danny McBride (left) and Walton Goggins

By George Dickie Neal Gamby and Lee Russell are co-workers who need each other but would just as soon have it that the other didn’t exist.

As played by Danny McBride (“Eastbound & Down,” “Up in the Air”) and Walton Goggins (“Justified,” “The Hateful Eight”), they’re co-conspirators and the “Vice Principals” of the title of HBO’s new comedy series premiering Sunday, July 17.

When the principal (an irascible Bill Murray in a terrific guest-starring turn) at their suburban high school retires, the two men find themselves next in line for the job each feels is rightfully theirs. But when it’s given to more qualified outsider Dr. Belinda Brown (Kimberly Hebert Gregory, “Devious Maids”), the two former rivals decide to band together and try to take down this interloper they view as undeserving.

“I think it starts off as a friendship that’s a necessary evil, one that’s like, ‘My enemy’s enemy is my friend,’ ” Goggins says. “And slowly over the course of the show (we) really get to know each of them, and one person eggs another person on and they are each other’s salvation or each other’s condemnation. ... They’ll either save each other or condemn each other to hell.”

“I think he’s a guy who follows the rules and I think his heart is in the right place,” McBride, also a creator and executive producer of the series, says of his character.

“But ... he’s passed (over for) an opportunity that he in his gut believes he deserved, and the show becomes about how far he’s willing to push his kind of other moral code to get what he thinks he deserves.”

The thing is the maturity level of both men is not that far above those of the kids they’re in charge of. Neal, the vice principal of discipline, is prone to temper tantrums and he punishes students for the tiniest infractions.

Russell, who oversees curriculum, is evil and a schemer of the first order. Respectively, they’re the brawn and the brains behind the operation to drive Dr. Brown away.

But Dr. Brown is no one’s fool. From the outset, she seems to see through their phony geniality and loyalty and puts on a facade of her own. But what of her agenda?

“She’s an adversary,” McBride says, “but as the show sort of continues on, she becomes somebody that you sort of are wondering if you really do want to see her go or not.”

“Dr. Brown is a force to be reckoned with,” Goggins adds. “... Little do they know how tenacious and how much of a fighter she really is.”

And then there’s pretty blond teacher Amanda (Georgia King, “The New Normal”), whom the macho Neal views as a potential conquest. While the other teachers dislike him and his pedantic ways, she feels a sympathy for him, even telling him point blank what his peers think of him.

Seems there’s not a lot Neal can do right. This coup might not go so well.

“He’s just this guy who thought life would be one way and he thought if he worked hard and followed the rules he would be given certain things,” McBride says. “And when life doesn’t shake out that way, he takes matters into his own hands and in doing so it sort of creates this disaster in a way.”

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STORY

Ryan Phillippe’s aim is true for ‘Shooter’ Ryan Phillippe stars in “Shooter,” premiering Tuesday on USA Network. Story on next page

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STORY

Ryan Phillippe sees plenty of action in USA’s ‘Shooter’ series

By Jay Bobbin If you guess the title role in “Shooter” must be physical for Ryan Phillippe, he’ll confirm it without hesitation.

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Not only does the former “Secrets and Lies” star assume Mark Wahlberg’s movie role in USA Network’s series version premiering Tuesday, July 19, he’s also heavily involved in choreographing the plentiful stunts ... a good way to try to keep himself as protected as possible.

Wahlberg is an executive producer of the show, in which expert marksman Bob Lee Swagger is enlisted to help prevent an assassination attempt on the U.S. president.

Things go very wrong, though, making Swagger a target of those he was supposed to assist.

we have only 10 episodes, I’m just going at it as hard as I can ... until my body gives out, I guess.”

Like the 2007 film, the “Shooter” series goes back to the original source – Stephen Hunter’s novel “Point of Impact” – and Phillippe says, “When I signed up, I said that I thought we should make it a motif that you can’t believe you’re seeing me do some of the things I actually do in this. The attempt is for me to do all of my own stunts and the training has been pretty substantial, first with the Marines and their sniper school, and then Thai Boxing.

“I’m 41 now, so you do a day of fight scenes and you feel it for a few days,” Phillippe adds with a knowing laugh.

“I’m trying to keep myself in the best condition I can, to minimize risk of injury.”

Among those sharing the “Sniper” acting load with Phillippe are Omar Epps (“House”) as a Secret Service man who shares a military past with Swagger, Tembi Locke and David Marciano (“The Shield”) as FBI agents, and Shantel VanSanten (“One Tree Hill,” “The Flash”) as Swagger’s wife. Phillippe views his own “Shooter” work as being “sort of like a football season. I’m going to be sore and banged up, but it does have an end. With the fact that

With additional television-series experience from the fifth and final season of “Damages,” Phillippe notes his training for such movies as “Stop-Loss” and the Clint Eastwood-directed “Flags of Our Fathers” has helped him in making “Shooter,” but he allows “the sniper training was relatively new – and as it turns out, I’m a pretty decent shot. I spent time with these Special Ops guys at Camp Pendleton, and I was blown away by their skill set. It’s not just their accuracy in shooting, but they’re given field medical training and they learn languages and various forms of self-defense, and I found that fascinating. I don’t think you tend to think of the man or woman in the field having so many abilities.”

Also a producer of the new “Shooter” (along with executive producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura from the big-screen version, which has been making the rounds on Showtime and The Movie Channel lately), Phillippe appreciates having Wahlberg’s seal of approval in inheriting the central role.

“I’ve known Mark as an acquaintance throughout my years in Hollywood, and when I sat down to talk with him about this, it was a compliment of sorts. He loves this character, and he and his company still have the rights to it. He and (his producing partner) Steve Levinson have done ‘Boardwalk Empire’ and ‘Entourage’ and other things, so when he was a part of choosing me, that definitely meant something.”

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STORY

Tebow inspires contestants to do more and better on Fox’s ‘Home Free’

By George Dickie Tim Tebow will be the first to tell you that when it comes to framing a wall or wiring a kitchen, he’s utterly clueless.

But when it comes to competing, motivating contestants and pushing them to go past their limits as he does on Fox’s Thursday home renovation competition series “Home Free,” this Florida-raised farm boy and one-time Heisman Trophy winner is in his element as the show’s co-host.

“Because none of us know how far we can really go until we test the limits,” he says, “and then we test them again and then we test them again. And you find out, ‘Wow, I might be a little bit stronger. I might be a little bit more mentally tough. I might have a little more courage than I thought.’ Sometimes we just have to have someone bring that out in us, and sometimes it’s competition, sometimes it might be love.

“But it all goes back to your ‘why?’ “ the former NFL quarterback continues. “And when the stronger your ‘why?’ is, the more you can accomplish.”

Now in its second season, the series takes a slightly different approach to Season 1. Here, 11 contestants compete to win a home for their personal hero and $100,000 for themselves. They help co-host and contractor Mike Holmes and his crew build an entire neighborhood on Home Free Boulevard from the ground up. Each time someone is eliminated, they get to give their home to the hero of their choice. The last contestant standing at the end of the season gets the money.

Tebow, a devout Christian who recently made news when he comforted a family after one of their own suffered a medical emergency on a flight from Atlanta to Phoenix, loves the fact that this show is more about giving than receiving. And if he can get more people to think that way, all the better.

“If someone’s out there for themselves and they’re like, ‘Well, I’m just trying to win a house. I know I already won one of these houses,’ they’re not going to try as hard,” he reasons. “But if they have a hero who is counting on them, who they want them to be proud of their efforts and so much is riding on it, their ‘why?’ is so much deeper and it’s so much bigger and so they’re going to give so much more to try to be able to make their hero proud and give everything for their hero. And that’s why it was so cool because when you’re competing for something bigger than yourself, it’s so much better.”

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STORY

Ghost

tries to leave the drug trade behind in Season 3 of Starz’s ‘Power’

By George Dickie Michael Corleone in “The Godfather: Part III” once lamented, “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.” James “Ghost” St. Patrick surely can empathize.

As Season 3 of “Power” opens Sunday, July 17, on Starz, Omari Hardwick’s lead character is ready to make a fresh start with his first love, Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Valdes (Lela Loren), after dismantling his drug empire to go legitimate as an owner of New York nightclubs and leave his “Ghost” persona behind. But not everybody is happy with that decision – or him.

For one, there is Ghost’s best friend and former business partner Tommy (Joseph Sikora), who has been ordered to kill Ghost by his new boss, drug cartel chief Lobos (Enrique Murciano). Lobos survived Ghost’s attempt on his life in Season 2 and now is intent on returning the favor.

Also out for revenge could be former boss and mentor Kanan (Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson), whom Ghost left for dead in a burning warehouse in last season’s finale.

Someone managed to escape that fire. If it was Kanan, he’d certainly have reason to strike back at the man who got him sent to prison.

And then there’s Tasha (Naturi Naughton), James’ ex-wife.

She has to raise his three kids and make do with less and she’s not happy about it. Worse, she knows James on a

level more intimate than the others, making her especially dangerous.

Yes, the enemies are lining up for their shot at Ghost in the new season and they don’t care about his new life.

And according to Hardwick, Tasha might be the first in line.

“I would definitely think that there is an enemy looming in her that to me might be the most detrimental,” Hardwick says. “... Because you know, hell really hath no fury like a woman scorned. ... There’s a bond when you make kids with somebody that is pretty incredible, so that’s definitely an enemy in the making. ... She can hurt him a lot worse.”

But James has an ally in a powerful woman who herself must walk a fine line between upholding the law and consorting with a known (albeit former) drug dealer.

When a woman risks a reputation and high-powered career for a man, you know their love is strong.

“It’s invincible,” Hardwick says. “I mean, Lela’s been stating it and articulating it in this way ... . She says she remembers feeling in her life when she was young ... a guy touched her and she never wanted to be touched by another man ever after that, which is incredible. She decided to bring that to her character in terms of the love that she has for her character and for Ghost ... . And so she absolutely, as she also stated in all caps, L-O-V-E, feels this way about this man.”

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SPORTS

Snedeker takes another swing at a Major title Full Name: Brandt Newell Snedeker Born: Dec. 8, 1980 Birthplace: Nashville, Tenn.

Height/Weight: 6-foot, 1-inch/185-pounds College: Vanderbilt University Turned Pro: 2004 Tour Wins: 8 Honors & Achievements: FedEx Cup Champion, 2012; PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, 2007

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Story on next page

SPORTS

By Dan Ladd

Winning a Major golf tournament is no easy feat. Still, it remains elusive for Brandt Snedeker, who hopes to make the cut at Scotland’s Royal Troon Golf Club when the final round of the 145th Open Championship airs Sunday, July 17 on NBC. Snedeker has had an up-anddown 2016 season that includes winning the Farmer’s Insurance Open in February, which was preceded by a second place finish at the Sony Open in Hawaii and a third place slot at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. He had another topten finish at the Masters in April but bowed out early in the U.S. Open in June, missing the cut.

As for other Majors, his best finish at the Open Championship was a third place finish in 2012 and he finished eighth at the U.S. Open in 2015.

As of late, he has not made the cut in several PGA Tour events but was eleventh on the money list and ranked sixth in the FedEx Cup standings following the U.S. Open.

The Open Championship has not been held at the Royal Troon since 2004 when Todd Hamilton held off Ernie Els in a playoff.

Snedeker could keep himself in contention with a solid showing but nothing would be sweeter than a Major title.

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MOVIES

JAY BOBBIN's Theatrical movie review

‘Finding Dory’

Our Take

works swimmingly as a sequel

It’s taken a while to reach the screen, but in the annals of no-brainers where sequels are concerned, “Finding Dory” is right up there on the list.

Disney-Pixar’s animated “Finding Nemo” was such a massive hit 13 years ago, and so beloved, a follow-up was a natural. Round Two covers a lot of the same territory as the original, but the characters already have been so embraced, it’s likely that hardly anyone is going to mind ... certainly not parents who are looking for fun to keep the whole family captivated.

Just the title sells the movie, since Dory immediately joined the ranks of most-embraced “stars” in the Disney annals. Add her name to “Finding,” and that’s a powerful brand continuation. The catch for the creative talents is in coming up with something that’s more than a brand, but genuine entertainment.

Whereas the search for the fish named Nemo was the story thrust the first time, now it’s about the very personal search by Dory – voiced again in her later years by Ellen DeGeneres, whose distinctive sound still makes her a natural for the role (she reportedly didn’t read a script before saying “yes” to returning).

Dory has been separated from her parents (who have the voices of Diane Keaton and Eugene Levy) and wants to reunite with them. However, she’s extremely forgetful, so any progress she makes is lost almost immediately, generating a natural compassion for her that surely doesn’t hurt the film.

Don’t worry, though: If you’ve seen any Disney movie, you know things will end on an “up” note.

Albert Brooks also is back in the voice cast, with “Modern Family’s” Ed O’Neill and Ty Burrell among new additions.

As much as anything, “Finding Dory” is a testament to the richness of the characters in such ventures, generating automatic goodwill from viewers – and that can go a very long way, especially when the story doesn’t have particularly fresh places to move into. The current film trades heavily on what we already know about its main figures, yet it remains enjoyable from start to finish.

If “Finding Dory” isn’t quite as original as what we’ve come to expect from its studio, it’s pleasant and enchanting, just like its forerunner. Among this summer’s movies, it’s worth finding.

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MOVIES

JAY BOBBIN's movie review movies to watch

“BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE” It certainly isn’t the lightest of superhero movies – far from it – but director Zack Snyder’s follow-up to “Man of Steel,” coming to home video in an “Ultimate Edition” with an extra half-hour of footage, is quite notable for marking the first live-action bigscreen meeting of Krypton’s favorite son (still played by Henry Cavill) and the Caped Crusader (Ben Affleck, new to the role).

Superman faces plenty of fallout from the destruction his previous movie ended with ... some from politicians and authorities, and some from Bruce Wayne, whose Gotham City alter ego wants Clark Kent’s alias held accountable. As Wonder Woman, Lex Luthor and manservant Alfred, Gal Gadot, Jesse Eisenberg and Jeremy Irons join a cast that also includes returnees Amy Adams, Diane Lane and Laurence Fishburne. DVD extras: 11 “making-of” documentaries. ››› (PG-13 and R versions: P, V) (Also on Blu-ray and On Demand)

Top Pick

DVD

Pictured: Ben Affleck

upcoming DVD releases

Coming Soon on DVD...

“BARBERSHOP: THE NEXT CUT” (July 26): The title establishment goes co-ed, generating a battle of the sexes and the shears; stars include returnees Ice Cube and Cedric the Entertainer.

(PG-13: AS, P) “THE BOSS” (July 26): After her prison stay, a former business titan (Melissa McCarthy) charts a new course with her former assistant (Kristen Bell). (R: AS, P) “HARDCORE HENRY” (July 26): a human-and-robot hybrid – from whose perspective the story is seen – tries to reclaim his memory in order to save his alleged wife. (R: AS, N, P, V)

Pictured: Ice Cube

“CRIMINAL” (July 26): The mind of a slain CIA agent is transplanted into an ex-convict (Kevin Costner); Gary Oldman, Tommy Lee Jones and Gal Gadot also star. (R: AS, P, V) “THE BLACKLIST: THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON” (Aug. 2): Now that she’s a fugitive from justice, Red (James Spader) does what he can to protect Liz (Megan Boone), even from her former comrades. (Not rated: AS, P, V) “THE HUNTSMAN: WINTER’S WAR” (Aug. 23): Battling sisters (Charlize Theron, Emily Blunt) pose big challenges for the Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) and his true love (Jessica Chastain). (PG-13: AS, V) Family Viewing Ratings

AS Adult situations

P Profanity

V Violence

N Nudity

GV Graphic Violence

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FAVORITE SHOWS

Zach Johnson Kristine Leahy

Simon Cowell

Sofia Vergara

SUNDAY

ready to leave his shady alter-ego behind and make a fresh start with his lady love (Lela Loren), but others aren’t on board with that plan. Among them: Tommy (Joseph Sikora), Ghost’s best friend, who has been ordered by a drug cartel boss to kill him, and former boss and mentor Kanan (Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson), whom Ghost left for dead in a burning warehouse. New

7 a.m. on NBC 2016 Open Championship The golf year’s third major reaches a climax today at Royal Troon Golf Club in Scotland, where competitors tee off in the final round of the 2016 Open Championship. Last year at St. Andrews, Zach Johnson capped a wild five days of golf with his win in a threeMONDAY way playoff over Louis Oosthuizen and Marc Leishman, thus bagging his 10 p.m. on NBC second career major. New American Ninja Warrior 9 p.m. on STARZ Atlanta is the setting for the latest City Finals in this new episode, as Power the top 30 local competitors from As this intense (and underrated) the qualifying round give the course drama returns for its third season, another go to land a slot in the final main character James “Ghost” St. Patrick (Omari Hardwick) is more than contest in Las Vegas – and, possibly,

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the $1 million grand prize. The new challenges faced by the contenders include the Salmon Ladder, the Floating Monkey Bars, the Clacker and the Invisible Ladder. Matt Iseman and Akbar Gbajabiamila are the hosts.

Kristine Leahy co-hosts. New 8 p.m. on PBS Republican National Convention Every four years, political parties gather to decide and nominate their respective candidates for the forthcoming presidential election.

Those events begin with the first night of the Republicans’ convening in Cleveland, and along with cable, several broadcast networks will supply coverage. Of them, PBS plans the most per evening, with Gwen Ifill and Judy Woodruff anchoring – and

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FAVORITE SHOWS certainly, given the campaigns this time, there will be much to discuss.

New TUESDAY 8 p.m. on NBC America’s Got Talent The third round of the “Judge Cuts” sees guest judge George Lopez join regular panelists Mel B, Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum and Howie Mandel in determining which acts remain in the competition – and, to the great concern of those on the stage, which ones don’t. The hopefuls all want to earn the Golden Buzzer that would send them past other possible eliminations. The fourth of these rounds, with guest judge Louis Tomlinson of One Direction, airs Wednesday. New 10 p.m. on USA Shooter Retired Marine sniper Bob Lee Swagger (Ryan Phillippe, “Secrets and Lies”) is recruited by his former commander (Omar Epps, “House”) to prevent an assassination attempt on the president of the United States in this new series adaptation of a 2007 feature film based on a novel by Stephen Hunter. Tembi Locke, David Marciano and Shantel VanSanten (“The Flash”) also star; Mark Wahlberg, who played Phillippe’s character in the bigscreen version, is an executive producer on the series. Series Premiere New

plan to get better reviews for their rental California relatives, alias the “Ice business backfires. New Siblings,” propose an inflammation reducer in this episode. Also from THURSDAY California – Emeryville, specifically – is a mechanical engineer with the 8 p.m. on NBC bicycle lock of tomorrow, and an Arizona Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge The freshman round of the competition woman likens her gourmet tea shots to espresso. Mark Cuban, Lori Greiner and has come down to this – the season Robert Herjavec are among the Sharks. finale indicated by the title “Spartan Season One Championship.” The most SATURDAY difficult course the contenders have faced yet awaits them, and the rewards 8 p.m. on NBC will be great for the team members who The Bourne Identity finish successfully first ... in the form Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) isn’t of $250,000 and the championship having a good day: He’s been shot, title. Their greatest immediate reward, lost his memory and has mysterious though, may be the shower they’ll assassins trying to kill him. Picked most definitely need after tackling the up by a fisherman, Bourne attempts elements here. New to work through his memory loss. He feels mild-mannered, but weapons FRIDAY knowledge, martial arts and multitudes 8 p.m. on ABC of passports pop up. Franka Potente costars in the movie-franchise-launching Shark Tank 2002 thriller, based on Robert Ludlum’s The Sharks could end up literally novel, as an innocent woman who feeling better as a Las Vegas woman pitches a remedy for back pain and winds up dodging bullets with Bourne.

“Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge”

WEDNESDAY 9 p.m. on ABC Modern Family Phil (Ty Burrell) isn’t happy with his household role reversal in “Thunk in the Trunk,’’ as he takes a relative backseat while Claire (Julie Bowen) becomes the dominant force in career terms. Jay (Ed O’Neill) is irritated by others’ reactions to a lifesize store display of Gloria (Sofia Vergara). Cam and Mitch’s (Eric Stonestreet, Jesse Tyler Ferguson)

Mark Cuban

Matt Damon

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