Today's Entertainment

COVER STORY Famous faces take center stage in Independence Day specials By Jay Bobbin © Zap2it What do an actor who plays a popular teacher, another actor famous for portraying a tough cop, and a former boy-band member have in common? They’ll all celebrate America’s 235th birthday in big cities and very visible ways Monday, July 4. “Glee” co-star Matthew Mor- rison — alias that Fox show’s Will “Mr. Schue” Schuester — will perform in Washington, D.C., on the PBS special “A Capitol Fourth” (check local listings); Emmy winner Michael Chiklis (“The Shield”) will return to his native Massachusetts to host CBS’ “Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular”; and 98 Degrees music veteran Nick Lachey, now the host of NBC’s “The Sing-Off,” will watch the skies above New York as he presides over that network’s “Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular.” “I’ve gotten the chance to perform in D.C. so much over the past two years, and every oppor- tunity I can, I will,” Morrison says. “I love the city, and I love getting to meet President Obama, which I’ve done six times already. This is going to be really great, be- cause it’s outside on the Mall. How many amazing performanc- es have happened there over the history of our country?” Emmy-winning actor Jimmy Smits returns as host of “A Capitol Fourth” on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. In addition to Mor- rison, the scheduled performers include Steve Martin (with his musical Steep Canyon Rangers), Josh Groban, Little Richard and 2007 “American Idol” winner Jor- din Sparks. As usual, the National Symphony Orchestra will close the show with Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture as fireworks burst above. Morrison is about to start tour- ing as a “special guest” of the Backstreet Boys and New Kids on the Block in many of their tandem summer concerts. For his appearance on “A Capitol Fourth,” he indicates he’ll prob- ably offer patriotic tunes as well as songs from his self-titled CD, released in May. “I do want to incorporate some element of dance,” Mor- rison notes. “It’s something I’ve studied my whole life, so it’s definitely going to be a big part of this. I’m so proud to be an American, and I’m so honored they picked me to help honor the country.” For Chiklis, most recently of ABC’s “No Ordinary Family,” it’s clear that getting to play host to — and, also being a musician, to perform with — the Keith Lockhart-conducted Boston Pops back on his home turf is a very big deal. “It’s truly one of the most thrilling things that’s ever happened in my career or my life,” the actor says. “That’s how excited I am about it. “The Fourth of July at the Esplanade is one of my favorite events. Probably half the Fourths that I’ve experienced in my life- time have been spent there; it’s a family tradition every year. A couple of years ago, we were sitting there watching the show, and Craig Ferguson was hosting. I think the world of him, and he had just become an American citizen, so it worked perfectly for the night. My wife went, ‘You should do this!’ And I said, ‘Mi- chelle, they have to ask me.’ ” When the invitation finally came, it likely was an outgrowth of Chiklis’ recent work with CBS on a sitcom pilot that ultimately wasn’t picked up. “You know, this is an out-of- sight, out-of mind business,” he reasons, “and when you’re in sight, you’re in mind. My un- derstanding is that right after I signed on for the pilot, they went into a room to decide who was going to host (the July Fourth special) this year, and I think I was very fresh in their minds, and it just came up. So yes, I think that had everything to do with it. It was just a lucky hap- penstance.” Lachey is no stranger to the Macy’s special, so he largely knows what’s entailed for him in Nick Lachey hosts “Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular” Monday on NBC. being the host of it. He reports, “I performed on the show one year, and my fiancee (actress and entertainment journalist Vanessa Minnillo) used to have an apart- ment at 34th and First ... so we’d watch the fireworks every year. The Fourth of July in New York is kind of a tradition for us, and it’s very exciting to be the host.” This year, the Macy’s event also salutes the 125th anniver- sary of another New York staple, the Statue of Liberty. Beyonce and Brad Paisley are among the scheduled performers, and the show’s 25-minute display of lights will be synchronized to a record- ed soundtrack slated to feature such artists as Katy Perry, Taio Cruz and Jennifer Hudson. Thanks to the NBC competi- tion “The Sing-Off,” which starts its third season this fall, Lachey has gotten very comfortable with the job of guiding viewers though a show. “It’s been a process, to be 1 x 5.5" ad Expressions North 2 – JULY 3 - 9, 2011 – BRAINERD, MN/DISPATCH sure,” he allows. “The whole hosting dynamic is something I’ve really come to enjoy, so it’s great to be able to do these types of things. It’s fun.You get to inject some of your own per- sonality, and I’m glad I’m getting this opportunity to extend that within the NBC family.” 1 x 4" ad Disability Specialist 2 x 4" ad Lakes States Bank

• Cover