Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
Though Dan Lauria has traveled to numerous destinations, the actor said he has never taken a proper holiday. “I’ve never taken a vacation,” says Lauria, who is best known for playing Fred Savage’s father on “The Wonder Years.” “I’ve never been to Europe. Every time I planned to do something big, I got a job and I could never pass that up.”
Comedian Steve Hofstetter was a regular guest on shows such as “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson,” “Comedy All-Stars” and “Comics Unleashed.” Now, the entertainer is hosting and executive producing his own series, “Laughs,” on Fox. Besides traveling to scout talent for ‘Laughs,” Hofstetter, who has a role in Adam Carolla’s film “Road Hard,” is on the road for his stand-up comic gigs.You may also recognize him from his commercial for JDate, the dating site where he met his wife.
Few business journalists make their way into pop culture. Then there’s Maria Bartiromo, who was dubbed as the “Money Honey.” Joey Ramone of the Ramones was clearly smitten with her, too. He sang her praises in his song, “Maria Bartiromo.” “I’ve traveled the world, largely on business going from Asia to Europe and Brazil,” says the 46-year-old New Yorker. “I’ve been to so many places and it’s hard to get out and see all the things I want to because I’m so busy with work. But I try to make time and go back on my own.”
Surfer Alana Blanchard says the food in Sri Lanka was amazing: “We went to this town and went to this little restaurant that used to be a house and paid something like $2 for all-you-can-eat vegetables with spices. It was such a treat for me, because I’m vegan.”
THIS is what you drive if you’re a 5-year-old boy whose father is a scientist. Word.
With multiple best-selling books under the belt, Kyung-sook Shin has rock star status in her native South Korea. Now the 48-year-old author is ready to enter the international market with her latest book, “Please Look After Mom” (Knopf, $24.95). The touching novel — about a family that doesn’t appreciate their mother until after she has mysteriously disappeared — sold more than a million copies in Korea. It has since been released in more than 20 countries and debuted May 1 at number 14 on the New York Times Best Sellers list.
Claire Forlani played Sean Connery’s daughter in “The Rock,” was Brad Pitt’s love interest in “Meet Joe Black” and starred opposite Gary Sinise in “CSI: New York.” On the new Starz series “Camelot,” the 38-year-old actress reigns supreme as the beautiful and complicated Queen Igraine.
Matt Czuchry played the ideal boyfriend on shows such as “Friday Night Lights” and “The Gilmore Girls.” But it’s his role as conflicted attorney Cary Agos on the critically acclaimed series “The Good Wife” that is a showcase for the boyishly handsome actor, who looks much younger than his 33 years. Czuchry currently splits his time between both coasts.
The Wonder Girls’ single “Nobody” became the first song by a Korean group to ever hit the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The quintet, which splits its time between Seoul, South Korea, and New York City, performs its radio-friendly songs in Korean, English and Chinese. After touring with the Jonas Brothers, the Girls hit a string of smaller clubs earlier this year. Known simply by their first names, Yenny and Sun (both 21 years old) and 17-year-old Lim chatted about their favorite vacation spots. Like a true teenager, Lim admits she’s always on the lookout for “famous restaurants and landmarks.”
You’d think Keith Johnson — who spent his early years traveling around Europe with his art dealer father — would want to spend all his free time exploring boutiques and museums. “No,” says the 53-year-old star of “Man Shops Globe.” “I surprisingly am not a big shopper or museumgoer. New York fills my need for constant visual stimulation. I love the variety of sights and sounds. It also reminds me how big the world is and how I need to get out and see it.”
In the fourth season of Mad About You, which originally aired on NBC during 1995-1996, Paul (Paul Reiser) and Jamie (Helen Hunt) Buchman deal with issues that could potentially break up their marriage. As they start planning a family, they are faced with infertility. When both decide to shake up their careers, one of them loses their job. And then there is the possibility of infidelity, when both Jamie and Paul are tempted outside of marriage.
By Jae-Ha Kim Tribune Media Services June 22, 2010 A recent film school graduate, Zander Eckhouse gets to show off his talent and biceps in the ABC Family series “Huge,” which premiers on June 28. […]
HGTV designer Monica Pedersen can be seen regularly on programs such as “Bang for Your Buck,” where she shows homeowners how to maximize their living space and beautify their homes. A well-seasoned traveler, Pedersen — who resides in the Midwest — sees the potential in taking trips to Wisconsin, as well as heading overseas for a longer family vacation.
Kenny Loggins has had an impressive string of radio-friendly hits (“Footloose,” “Danger Zone,” “I’m Alright”) in his long career. With his latest album “All Join In” — in stores later this year — the veteran musician aims for a multi-generational audience that includes children. It’s only fitting, since the album includes collaborations with all five of his kids — ranging in age from 11 to 28 years old. “It was very fun to work with them,” says the 62-year-old singer-songwriter, who resides in Santa Barbara, Calif.
Often referred to as the shiest member of Destiny’s Child, Michelle Williams defied that description with her solo album “Unexpected.” The singer, who has a penchant for gospel tunes, had no problem belting out dance-friendly pop songs on the high-energy CD. “I had boxed myself in as a gospel singer and didn’t think anyone would be interested in hearing me sing a different way,” says Williams, 29. “It was either Destiny’s Child or gospel.”
Born in West Germany on a U.S. military base, Rob Thomas was born to travel. The frontman for Matchbox Twenty, Thomas also collaborated with Carlos Santana (he was the voice of the hit single “Smooth”) and is currently finishing up a U.S. tour to promote his second solo album “Cradlesong.” After that he’ll head off to Australia in February to perform concerts there. “My first time out of the country was to Australia,” says Thomas, 37. “Every first trip is fun, but after you’ve visited a few times, you get the lay of the land down and find favorite spots. Each spot gets better every trip.”
For a good chunk of the ’70s, disco was synonymous with Casablanca Records, thanks to its roster of artists such as Donna Summer and the Village People. Label co-founder Larry Harris, 62, writes about the wild and crazy times in his book And Party Every Day: The Inside Story of Casablanca Records (Backbeat, $24.99). Currently residing in Port Angeles, Wash., Harris talks about his love of New York and why he really wants to get to Italy.
Set in the summer of 2003 when parts of America experienced a severe power outage, “Blackout” focuses on the eclectic residents of a New York neighborhood who fought–and banded together–to survive the ordeal.
A film adaptation of Dito Montiel’s memoir of the same name, “A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints” is a compelling, thoughtful movie based on Montiel’s childhood growing up in 1980s Queens.
Gene Wilder is sitting in a very demure-looking hotel room, sipping on an early-morning cup of coffee. Dressed in a pair of beige chinos, a blue polo shirt and a pair of well-worn Adidas, he ruffles his hand through his trademark mane of curly brown hair. Unlike his on-screen image, where he generally portrays wild and crazy characters, Wilder is genteel in person.