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TV Media Weekly | May 12 - 18, 2018 By Adam Thomlison TV Media Q: Are there any laws or rules around using the words "based on a true story"? Is there a cer- tain amount of truth that has to be incorporated in order to use that teaser? A: The only rule regarding saying something's "based on a true sto- ry" is the old rule about not getting caught. If there are people alive who can say with certainty that a film or show's account is not true in some legally actionable way — if it de- fames or harms a person's reputa- tion, for example, then there can be a problem. But not an insur- mountable problem. "If it's 'based on a true story,' you are often representing real people and therefore clearances may be required," said Christos Michaels, a partner at the media law firm Lee & Thompson LLP, add- ing, "There are different laws in different countries about this." That, backed up by a particular type of insurance covering "errors and omissions," means you can in- ject quite a bit of fiction into your truth. Q: I loved the movie "Blood In, Blood Out" — it was my fa- vorite of the '90s teen gang movies. But was that Benja- min Bratt in the starring role? I didn't think he was around yet. A: Benjamin Bratt didn't really become a star until he premiered in "Law & Order" in 1995, but he was already showing a good deal of promise, particularly in "Blood In, Blood Out" two years earlier. That film addressed the issue of street gangs in Los Angeles and was, as you point out, part of a brief cinematic trend that included other excellent films such as "Boyz n the Hood" (1991) and "Menace II Society" (1993). Bratt starred as one of three family members all embroiled, in one way or another, in East L.A. gang life. It was certainly a breakout role for him, but he was already on pro- ducers' radars. In fact, he'd already starred in two TV shows — "Nasty Boys" and "Knightwatch" — but neither made it past its first season. He also had a small but notable role in the star-studded 1994 ac- tion thriller "Clear and Present Danger." But landing the role of Rey Cur- tis in "Law & Order" changed ev- erything. Soon he would be star- ring in major, big-budget films (such as 2000's "Traffic" and 2004's "Catwoman") — and, it's worth mentioning, become ro- mantically involved with the most famous actress in Hollywood, Julia Roberts. Have a question? Email us at questions@tvtabloid.com. Hollywood Q&A By Andrew Warren TV Media Y ou can say this about "Chopped": it has a for- mula that works and it's stuck with it for a long time. It makes perfect sense. Af- ter all, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Of course, the super popular cooking competition show hasn't remained static for all these years. Since premiering way back in 2009, it's had a few nips, tucks and tweaks, and the Tuesday eve- ning Food Network series has an- other little tweak coming up: a new judge with a very big name. Although the series has always had a stable of rotating judges (with guests frequently mixed in for variety), including chefs Alex Guarnaschelli, Marc Murphy, Chris Santos, Marcus Samuelsson and Amana Freitag, it's never had the likes of Martha Stewart be- fore, who joins as a recurring guest judge in the Tuesday, June 5, episode. Before then, though, there's still lots of classic "Chopped" fun to be had. In this week's episode, airing Tuesday, May 15, host Ted Allen ("Queer Eye for the Straight Guy") reveals some intriguing mystery ingredients in the baskets — ingredients that, as always, the competing chefs must feature in their dishes. The first round's basket in- cludes beautiful plums alongside a classic Asian food, but in an in- novative form. For the entrée round, the baskets contain a cut of meat that's notoriously tough and a somewhat unusual mayon- naise-based product. When it comes time for dessert, the re- maining contestants find a sugary breakfast cereal item that's sure to surprise. So what is it about "Chopped" that's made it so appealing for so long? Perhaps it's just the simplic- ity of it all. Barring the occasional special episode, it's just four pro- fessionals doing what they do best: cooking. They're all given the same four mystery ingredients, which run the gamut from super common to super bizarre. Their time is limited, but outside of that, it's just pure cooking competition while the host and judges look on and pass commentary. "Chopped" has always been good fun, and it's show- ing no signs of slowing down, with Martha Stewart joining as a recurring judge next month. The latest season airs Tuesday evenings on Food Network. New judge incoming in the latest season of 'Chopped' 10 | Cooking this week Sunspot 2 x 2" Vicker's Graphics 2 x 1.5" Tech Repairadise 2 x 1.5" Host Ted Allen with the "Chopped" judges

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