GABRIEL MACHT
Q: On Hollywood Game
Night, contestants pair with celebrities to compete at pop culture trivia. Were any of the stars standouts?
—Pablo G., Aspen
A: “Jason Sudeikis was off the charts,” says Jane Lynch, 52, who hosts the new NBC show (premiering July 11). “We know he’s a fast thinker from his work, but his pop culture references are extraordinary.” Is Lynch herself good at trivia? “Oh, I can bring it! You don’t want to play against me.”
Q: I love those AT&T “It’s Not Complicated” commercials. Are they scripted? —Marion A., Bismarck, N.D.
A: Beck Bennett, the adult actor, asks loosely scripted questions, but anything goes with the answers. “What you see was what organically came out of the kids’ mouths,” says David
The actor, 41, plays lawyer Harvey Specter on the USA series
Suits, which returns for a third season July 16. What makes the show so popular? There’s great writing and a little cliff-hanger each week. I really had no expectations, because with most things I’ve done, I’ve felt like, “People are going to be into this.”
And they weren’t. [ laughs] But they really are into Suits.
Are you at all like Harvey? I don’t wear beautiful Tom Ford suits like he does. He’s arrogant and narcissistic, ic, and I’m way more vulnerable and sensitive. He says things that most people—like me!—just won’t say.
If you weren’t acting, what would you be doing? I want nt to direct one day, so that’s my backup. If I wasn’t in the business at all, I’d be out in the woods or guiding white-water rafting tours. I love being in the elements. ts.
Why did you go vegetarian five years ago? I had the best Philly cheesesteak sandwich ever, but it made meme feel terrible. A friend recommended I read The China
Study, and I quit eating meat. I’ve never felt better. Christopher, chief marketing officer of AT&T Mobility, which worked with ad agency BBDO on the spots. The children are a mix of actors and non-actors. “Sometimes magic happens on the set, other times in the edit room, when you cut the comments together.” View these commercials and vote for your favorite at
parade.com/ad. Q: Chris Harrison has been hosting The Bachelor and its spin-offs for 11 years. Does he ever get tired of it? —Bobbi P., Alpine, Tex.
A: “It doesn’t get old, because of the people,” says Harrison, 41, who’s appearing on season nine
of The Bachelorette (ABC, Mondays). “Everybody who comes through has different stories and baggage. Many have become friends of mine.” Get season five Bachelorette Jillian Harris’s take on the current show each week at parade.com/tv.
Q: Has Valisia LeKae, who plays Diana Ross in the Broadway hit Motown:
The Musical, gotten feedback from the star herself? —Betsy W., Reno
A: Not in person, but you could say she’s heard it through the grapevine. LeKae says, “Mr. Gordy [Berry Gordy Jr., the show’s creator and the founder of Motown] said she was crying and laughing in the audience on opening night.” The actress did get a quick hug from the legendary diva when Ross came onstage during the curtain call. “It was a moment of awe.”