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TV Media Weekly | June 22 - 28, 2019 By Adam Thomlison TV Media Q: Why isn't Richard Moll still doing things? He was always the best part of "Night Court," so I assumed he'd be getting roles forever. A: Well, you weren't wrong. It's just the type of roles that have been giving him a profile problem. Richard Moll was a fan fa- vorite as Bull Shannon in all nine seasons of "Night Court." The always-serious but good- hearted Bull was never a lead character, but he often got the best lines. That sort of role in a smash- hit sitcom can be an actor's blessing and curse. It gave Moll a very high profile but left him typecast as a gentle giant (though his combined six-foot- eight frame and infectious smile didn't help matters). That's all an explanation for why he never quite reached, let alone beat, his "Night Court" fame again. However, that's not to say he hasn't been busy. He's been taking supporting roles pretty steadily since then, so that today he has a whop- ping 173 different films and TV shows on his resume. They've mostly been come- dies — such as notable turns in 1996's "Jingle All the Way" and the cult-favorite 1999 in- die film "But I'm a Cheerlead- er" — but he's also kept up a sideline in horror cinema. Some of his best roles have been in places where the two genres meet, including big- screen hits "Scary Movie 2" (2001) and "House" (1985). That also describes his most re - cent role, in last year's schlocky, Christmas-themed horror comedy "Slay Belles." That's not to say Moll hasn't tried to stretch his legs, so to speak — they haven't all been imposing characters that played on his size. In the afore- mentioned "But I'm a Cheer- leader" he played an activist rescuing gay teens from a con- version camp, and in 2003's "Cats and Mice" he played a cross-dressing brothel owner. He's even gone the heartwarm - ing route as Big Jim in "Thom- as Kinkade's Christmas Cot- tage" (2008). In an interview with People magazine back in 2003, Moll summed up his approach to working as an actor: "The more work the better, as far as I'm concerned." Have a question? Email us at questions@tvtabloid.com. Please include your name and town. Personal replies will not be provided. Hollywood Q&A By Andrew Warren TV Media K ids love surprises! I think it's all part of the curiosity of youth, the need that kids have to always be exploring. To paraphrase a favor- ite kids cartoon character, it's all about taking chances, making mistakes and getting messy. That's probably why the com- petitors in "Chopped Junior" tend to do so well with those mysteri- ous basket ingredients that "Chopped" is so famous for. A new season of the pint-sized com- petition gets underway Tuesday, June 25, on Food Network, with a bunch of new baskets and a group of new competitors ready to tack- le them head-on. Ted Allen hosts each episode as four contestants between the ages of 9 and 15 enter the "Chopped" kitchen eager to see what ingredients are hidden in- side of the iconic baskets. These aren't your run-of-the-mill kids, though: they're all maestros in the kitchen, with palates and skills far ahead of what most of their peers can boast. Besides the age of the contes- tants, the competition is more or less classic "Chopped." In each round, the contestants are each given a basket containing four mystery ingredients, each of which must be featured in their dish. Once time runs out, the plates are presented to a panel of judges, who then rate the dishes based on taste, presentation, cre- ativity and use of the basket in- gredients before chopping one of the contestants and sending him or her packing. Of course, while the contes- tants in "Chopped Junior" may be skilled, they're still amateurs and a far cry from the profes- sional chefs that compete in the regular "Chopped." While the judges' standards are defi- nitely high, they do pull their punches a bit more than they do in the adult version — after all, you can't expect a 9-year- old to have the same level of expertise as a culinary school grad! What the kids do have, though, is way more experience and skill in the kitchen than a lot of adults do, and watching their faces light up with curiosity, joy, confusion and terror when they crack open those baskets and see what's in- side is a delight to behold. The lat- est season of "Chopped Junior" premieres Tuesday, June 25, on Food Network. 'Chopped Junior' contestants check out what's in the baskets 10 | Cooking this week Moore's Home Health 2 x 2" Family Health Clinic 2 x 1.5" White Lilies N Paradise 2 x 1.5" Ted Allen hosts "Chopped Junior"

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