WEDNESDAY CELEBS
Q: When will “Madam Secretary” return? It’s impossible to imagine that this show is unpopular — much to the contrary. It is so apropos to the times we are experiencing. The talent, the subjects, everything we have loved to see and learn and we did learn. — T.M.
A: “Madam Secretary,” starring Tea Leoni as the U.S. secretary of state, has been renewed for one more season. CBS Entertainment president Kelly Kahl announced to the press recently: “They’re going to do 10 episodes in the fall and tie up the storyline. We’re happy and excited to do that for Tea, the cast and the audience. It’s hard when a show ‘poof goes away.’ We like to be able to do this and send the show off with a great deal of respect and celebration. Everyone appreciates when we are able to do that.”
I agree. It’s heartbreaking when a show is canceled without any conclusion. I don’t think my twentysomething self ever got over “My SoCalled Life” ending with a cliffhanger after just one season 25 years ago. Fortunately, “Madam Secretary” will continue for another season, which will premiere on Oct. 6.
Q: Whatever happened to Britney Spears’ little sister who used to have a Disney or Nickelodeon show? Did she quit acting for good? — A.K.
A: Jamie Lynn Spears is now 28 years old. She starred on “Zoey 101” in the mid-2000s but then took a long break from acting after returning home to Louisiana to raise her children near her parents. Now she’s back, having recently announced that she landed a part in the upcoming Netflix series “Sweet Magnolias” (not to be confused with the 1989 movie “Steel Magnolias”).
“Sweet Magnolias” is the name of series of novels written by Sherryl Woods about a group of women from South Carolina who have been best friends since high school. In addition to Spears, the romantic drama will also star Monica Potter (“Parenthood”), Brooke Elliott (“Drop Dead Diva”) and Heather Headley (“She’s Gotta Have It”).
Q: I read that there is a cat convention similar to Comic Con. Do celebrities greet fans like they do at the comic book conventions, and is it held in multiple cities? — B.B.
A: There is indeed something called CatCon, and it’s been going on annually since 2015. It’s just in one city, a weekend-long event that takes place in Pasadena, which is near Los Angeles. So far it hasn’t branched out to other cities. So, if you want to attend, I would start planning your trip now since this year’s CatCon just ended.
As for celebrities in attendance, they are mostly cats that are popular on social media, like Instagram. Alas, Grumpy Cat passed away a few months ago, so any chance of meeting her in person is now gone. This year’s human celebrity guest was Angela Kinsey from the TV show “The Office.”
For more info, visit www.catconworldwide.com.