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2 • November 5 - 11, 2017 • Brainerd Dispatch By Sarah Jamieson TV Media T here's no question about it: being a mom is hard, and going it alone is even harder. Comedy, however, teaches us to laugh at the uncertain- ty, the struggle for work-life balance, and any awkward exchanges be- tween exes that are tied into single motherhood. Frankie Shaw's comedic genius pokes fun at co-parenting and other squirming single-mom mo- ments in the series premiere of "SMILF," airing Sunday, Nov. 5, on Showtime. Shaw writes, directs, produces and stars in the series about a single mom trying to navigate the dating scene, her career and being a parent at the same time. In a show that comes across as shockingly funny and heart- felt, Shaw uses her raunchy Boston humor to explain the maladies of be- ing a single mother in modern times. Starring some comedic heavy hitters, such as talk-show sensation Rosie O'Donnell ("The View"), the show has the makings of a great series. "SMILF" is based on the short that won Shaw a Short Film Jury Award at the Sundance Festival in 2015. Shaw plays Bridgette, a young woman from South Boston (a "Southie") trying to make it as an actress and create a better life for her son. Despite her struggles to make sense of her life, which is frankly a mess, she is still a great mom. "Her No. 1 priority is making sure her kid has a better life than she had," Shaw said in a promo- tional video on Showtime's web- site. "[It] drives a lot of what she does." Shaw's character is much the same in the show as in the movie: Bridgitte struggles through finding love and establishing her career, and she's often sideswiped by her moth- erly duties and personal shortcomings. "[Bridgitte] puts her foot in her mouth a lot," the actress explains. "She has no boundaries and a lot of issues that get in the way of her leading a fully functional life, though she's try- ing hard." Comedy queen O'Donnell plays opposite Shaw as Bridgitte's mother, the socially illiterate Tutu. A house- hold name, O'Donnell is best known as the host of "The Rosie Show" and one of the hosts of "The View," but she's also been a regular in "Drop Dead Diva," "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "The Fosters." The actress spent Thanksgiving in Boston with Shaw and her moth- er, the latter of whom, by the end of the night, told her, "Rosie, there's no one else I would want to play me," Shaw recalled during Showtime's portion of the Television Critics As- sociation summer press tour. Miguel Gomez plays Bridgette's baby dad- dy, Rafi, a 28- year-old re- covering addict. He's hoping to be a good ex-boyfriend to Bridgette and a better father to their 2-year-old son, Larry (played by twin tots Alexandra and Anna Reimer). Gomez is best known for his role in the film "South- paw" (2015) and as Augustin "Gus" Elizalde in the FX series "The Strain." Viewers can still expect the sharp, scrappy, Boston-style comedy that gave Shaw recognition in "The Free- bie" (2010), and the sitcom "Blue Mountain State." Most will recognize her from "The Pretty One" (2013) and the hilarious "Someone Marry Barry" (2014), but the actress is also no stranger to writing and directing. Her 2016 short "Too Legit" satirized some controversial remarks from Congressman Todd Akin and drew from her personal observances of sexism in America. She argues that this leads to an "epidemic of violence towards women," which she and her colleagues face every day in the en- tertainment industry. Comedy, how- ever, is the great equalizer — the one tool that can shatter the status quo and any illusions about what it means to be a woman, a mother, or single. Recently, Shaw had a recurring role in Netflix's "Flaked" with Will Ar- nett and appeared in Kevin Smith's TV Movie "Hollyweed" (2016). She also snagged a recurring role in the first season of "Mr. Robot" on USA Network, and was a series regular in ABC's "Mixology." Fans can also catch her supporting role in the feature film "Stronger" (2017), the inspiring real-life story of Jeff Bauman. The man captured the hearts of his city and the world, be- coming a symbol of hope after he survived the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. The film stars Jake Gyllen- haal ("Donnie Darko," 2001) as Bau- man, and David Gordon Green ("Pineapple Express," 2008) directs. While Shaw stretches her wings in feature-length films (she's also set to star in sci-fi flick "Fluidic," coming to theaters in 2018), she's staying root- ed in television. As a result, she's at- tracted a stellar cast for "SMILF." Showtime has revved up its come- dy lineup this year, possibly due to the network's bread-and-butter series reaching the end of their life cycles, such as "Nurse Jackie," "Californica- tion," "House of Lies" and "Epi- sodes." According to deadline.com, "SMILF" was one of only three come- dy pilots ordered by the network back in the spring, so Showtime must be confident in the show's success. Don't miss the premiere of "SMILF," airing Sunday, Nov. 5, on Showtime. 'S' is for single: Frankie Shaw headlines new comedy in 'SMILF' Cover Story this week Rosie O'Donnell stars in "SMILF" The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon In his speech today, Trump called Christopher Columbus a "skilled navigator." Then, at his Comic Con speech, he called Darth Vader a "good dad." Today is Friday the 13th! And to celebrate, tattoo parlors are offering $13 tattoos. Because what could go wrong getting a cheap tattoo on the unluckiest day of the year? The Late Show With Stephen Colbert So far, it has been a rough start to the school year for Donald Trump. His report card is definitely going to say, "Has problems working and playing well with others." And there's not much we can do. What can we do? Because the Oval Office doesn't have any corners, you can't put him in a time out. The Late Show With James Corden Some shocking news out of Hollywood: After new allegations emerged that he had engaged in decades of sexual harassment, Harvey Weinstein was fired from his firm, the Weinstein Company, for violating the company's very strict "27 strikes and you're out" rule. Jimmy Kimmel Live What's the difference between Harvey Weinstein and the Pillsbury Doughboy? When the Pillsbury Doughboy offers you a roll, he doesn't ask you to watch him take a shower for it. Late Night With Seth Meyers Taylor Swift announced she is launching a new app called "The Swift Life" that will feature "Taymojis," which are emojis that look like her. And they all have one thing in common — they're all surprised. Lindsey Lohan today defended movie producer Harvey Weinstein amid allegations of sexual harassment, saying that she feels "very bad" for him and she doesn't "think it's right, what's going on." At which point, her friend said, "Lindsay, that's a manatee." Weekend Update With Colin Jost and Michael Che Weinstein, who has been accused of multiple counts of sexual assault, is reportedly going to Europe for sex rehab. Somehow I don't think that's going to help anybody. He doesn't need sex rehab. He needs a specialized facility where there are no women, no contact with the outside world, metal bars, and it's a prison. Late Laughs 501 W Washington St., Brainerd, MN | 218-828-1823 | www.heartlandtireservice.com COMPLETE AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR ALL MAKES, ALL MODELS 001645058r1 BLACK FRIDAY SPECIAL ONE DAY ONLY! FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25 TH 8 OIL CHANGES $ 99 99 Oil Change Club Books BUY ONE GET ONE FREE $ 99 99 * YOU GET 8 OIL CHANGES FOR ONLY $ 149 99 * HIGH MILEAGE 8 OIL CHANGES $ 249 99 * FULL SYNTHETIC 8 OIL CHANGES *Plus Taxes & Fees EACH BOOK CONTAINS 4 OIL CHANGE COUPONS • Up to 5qts. oil & fi lter • Chassis lube if applicable • Multipoint component insepections • Top off fl uids

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