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TV Media Weekly | May 19 - 25, 2018 By Adam Thomlison TV Media Q: Why are we seeing so lit- tle of Scott Caan in "Hawaii Five-0" these days? A: There's actually a surprising- ly simple answer to this question: Because he asked for it. Scott Caan has chosen to con- tinue living in L.A. even though his hit series "Hawaii Five-0" shoots on location in the distant island paradise. Because of this, he felt a little stretched. "I do five episodes less than Alex," he told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, referring to series lead Alex O'Loughlin. "I just do a couple of episodes less so I can come home to see my family and stuff." The producers have been sur- prisingly indulgent, considering he's one of the show's two main stars. "They were cool about it so we just all came to that." There's a lot contained in the statement "see my family and stuff." The family part is pretty straightforward — he and his girlfriend, Kacy Byxbee, had a daughter in 2014. Q: I saw the movie "South- paw," and the boxing com- mentator in that movie was the same guy I saw in "Creed," another boxing movie that came out the same year. Is he a former boxer or something? A: Both of those movies — 2015's "Southpaw" and "Creed" — were aiming for authenticity in their representations of the boxing world, and there are few easier ways to boost your boxing bona fides than hiring legendary commentator Jim Lampley. Lampley has been calling box- ing matches for HBO since 1988, and that job has created an in- separable link between his voice and boxing for the modern-day fan. And so it shouldn't be surpris- ing that he often gets called on to add a little realism to boxing movies. Other instances include 2010's "The Fighter," 2006's "Rocky Balboa" and 2001's "Ocean's Eleven." He wasn't the only real-life boxing personality to get the call for "Southpaw" and "Creed," though. In "Southpaw," he ap- peared alongside his current HBO on-air partner Roy Jones Jr. (a for- mer fighter himself). And in "Creed," Lampley appeared alongside a number of real pro boxers, such as British heavy- weight Tony Bellew and, as the villain of the movie, recently re- tired champ Andre Ward. Have a question? Email us at questions@tvtabloid.com. Please include your name and town. Per- sonal replies will not be provided. Hollywood Q&A By Andrew Warren TV Media T wo chefs enter the kitchen, and only one emerges a cu- linary champion — a clas- sic format for a contest, to be sure, but when one of those competitors is an Iron Chef ... well, let's just say that the lack of a home-field advantage is the least of the challenger's hurdles. "Iron Chef America" returns to Food Network on Sunday, May 20, with new challengers, a new floor reporter and all sorts of new se- cret ingredients. That spiffy fresh- ness, though, is tempered by a re- turn to what made the series great and oh-so popular in the first place. After new episodes failed to materialize for several years de- spite the show never officially be- ing canceled, "Iron Chef" burst back onto the culinary scene last year with "Iron Chef Gauntlet," a spinoff series that saw Chicago chef Stephanie Izard earn a cov- eted Iron Chef's jacket. Not long after that, "Iron Chef Showdown" entered the fray: it was more or less the same show as the original "Iron Chef America," but with the addition of a showdown between two non-Iron Chef hopefuls in the first half of each episode, battling each other for the right to chal- lenge the Iron Chef. Well, "Iron Chef Showdown" is no more — long live "Iron Chef America." Alton Brown ("Cut- throat Kitchen") is back as the competition's host, spinning his vast culinary knowledge into play- by-play commentary for those of us watching from home. The Chairman, played by "Hawaii Five-0" actor Mark Dacascos, also returns, overseeing the competi- tion and revealing each battle's secret ingredient. Jet Tila ("Chopped") takes over as the floor reporter, getting up close and personal with the chefs as they cook. In this week's premiere, chef Brittany Anderson of Richmond, Virginia, enters Kitchen Stadium to challenge Iron Chef Alex Guar- naschelli. In classic "Iron Chef America" style, the Chairman will reveal the battle's secret ingredi- ent, and both the Iron Chef and the challenger then get 60 min- utes to prepare five stunning dish- es — and, of course, the secret in- gredient must be the star in all of them. It certainly isn't an easy cook- ing competition, but it sure is riv- eting to watch. "Iron Chef Ameri- ca" returns to its roots on Sunday, May 20, on Food Network. 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