John Oliver returns with season 4 of ‘Last Week Tonight’ Cover Story this week
By Cassie Dresch TV Media
J ohn Oliver sure won’t be lacking for subject matter when his weekly talk show returns. The British comedian, who rose to fame as a writer and correspondent for Jon Stewart’s “The Daily Show,” is never one to shy away from talking about tough topics, and after a three-month hiatus, “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver” returns for a fourth season Sunday, Feb. 12, on HBO.
In the season finale in November, he bid 2016 an unceremonious farewell, blowing up a ginormous “2016” sign and walking off without looking at the explosion. A lot has transpired in the short months since, and since season 3 of “Last Week Tonight” touched heavily on Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, there’s little doubt that it will come up again.
But don’t think that just because President Trump dominates headlines — “You can’t take much pride from a series of comedy layups,” Oliver told Vulture last year in his quintessential self-deprecating way — that he won’t tackle other stories. The show has touched on a variety of topics since its premiere in 2014, from a controversy surrounding Fanta and the leap second to paid parental leave and payday loans. Despite the seriousness of the topics, he insists that “Last Week Tonight” is a comedy show, not a news magazine.
“News is absolutely not our lane,” he said in the Vulture interview. “Saying someone watches
the show for news is like saying to a musician, ‘A lot of people use your music to work out. Do you make workout music?’ No, this isn’t designed for the gym. We’re obsessed about making sure that all the things that we say are accurate, but that’s only because those things are the structural foundation upon which the jokes are based. You remove that, and your jokes are all nonsense. It’s a comedy show.”
Comedy show or not, Oliver and his staff have created a series that fans and critics alike are lapping up. It has garnered praise from the likes of Time magazine, Entertainment Weekly, Associated Press and the New York Times, among others, and has received ringing endorsements from the various awards organizations. “Last Week Tonight” has won a Critics’ Choice Television Award; a Peabody Award, which recognizes “distinguished and meritorious public service” by U.S. TV stations and networks; a Writers Guild of America award; and four Emmys, including Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series and Outstanding Variety Talk Series last year.
The praise and accolades are well deserved, especially since the series has proven to be pretty influential.
In season 2, Oliver hired a team of lawyers to establish the Our Lady of Perpetual Exemption church as part of a segment designed to show viewers just how easy it was to set up a tax-exempt religious institution. Donations from around the world poured in, but the church was dissolved in
September, and the money given to Doctors Without Borders. Another season 2 episode saw Oliver sit down for a very secret interview with NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, which made headlines around the world, and last season he did a segment on debt buying, during which he bought — and forgave — millions of dollars worth of bad medical debt.
Long before he was discussing opioid abuse or tearing into multilevel marketing, Oliver was a correspondent with “The Daily Show,” then under the tutelage of Jon Stewart (“Rosewater,” 2015). Oliver first appeared in the latenight satire talk show in the summer of 2006 — not a day after arriving in the U.S. from Britain — and was an instant hit. Over the next seven years, he was part of some iconic bits, and even occupied the host’s chair when Stewart went away for 12 weeks to film his directorial debut.
“The fact that he asked me to take over the show when he was away felt like such a huge leap of faith from him,” Oliver told Vulture, “and I thought that faith may have been a little bit misplaced.”
Clearly Stewart was on to something, and he gave Oliver a much-needed little shove upon his return. “He said to me, ‘We need to talk about what you’re going to do next,’” Oliver said. “In your head, that sounds like you’re being fired, so that was pretty frightening. But what he wanted to say was that I needed to think about what I wanted to do next. He knew it was going to be hard to go back to my old job after having filled in
for him. He was a little bit of a mother bird pushing me out of the nest. When I mentioned the offer from HBO, his face changed, and
viewers have benefited immensely from his dry wit and the self-deprecating humor. He shines a light on stories many people wouldn’t
2 • February 12 - 18, 2017 • Brainerd Dispatch
Keegan-Michael Key and John Oliver as seen in “Last Week Tonight With John
501 W Washington St., Brainerd, MN | 218-828-1823 | www.heartlandtireservice.com Offers expire Feb. 28, 2017 FULL SERVICE ALL MAKES, ALL MODELS SAVE UP TO $180 ON A SET OF 4 INSTALLED TIRES. See store for details. SAVE $12 OFF THE REGULAR PRICE OF ANY FULL SERVICE OIL CHANGE SAVE $25 $99.99 REGULAR PRICE $125.99 • Alignment • Tire rotation & balance • Most cars, vans and light trucks BRAKE SERVICE Save $60 Save $30/axle on service of $100 or more. • FREE inspections 001536822r1 11633 State Hwy. 18, Brainerd, MN 56401 218-829-3278 www.isemanhomes.com Dealer License #MD05870 You’re Home Now Iseman Homes an industry leader since 1920 providing value, service, stability and quality. 001535188r1
15 CNN Political Commentator who hosts the ‘Messy Truth’ town hall specials: 2 wds.
17 Field in which many TV stars (Roseanne, Jerry Seinfeld, etc.) worked before making it big with their own sitcoms: 2 wds.
19 Takes to court
20 “__ and Stacey” (‘90s sitcom)
21 Attach a journalist to a military unit
24 Ms. Irving of movies
27 Benefits/blessings
28 Pittsburgh Penguin or Boston Bruin, e.g.
30 Phantom’s sound of surprise!
31 Stringed toys
32 Locked door need
35 Leave in, to a proofreader
37 “__ __ Tonight” (New show in the 9pm time slot on FOX News since anchor Megyn Kelly has departed for NBC)
43 Father/son singers
Julio or Enrique
44 ‘The Castle City’
in California near Sacramento
45 Winter ailments, commonly
46 Appropriate/ inclined
47 Friends
48 Untrue tale
49 Grassland
50 “The __ the limit!” DOWN
1 Boston __ (Famous orchestra)
2 Clod
3 Mr. Pound (Poet,
b.1885 - d.1972)
4 Corbin of 1986 to 1994 legal drama
5
“L.A.
6 Shows
18 Chocolate/caramel Hershey treats, Milk
21 Broadway musical lyricist Fred
22 Cow’s noise
23 Social group to discuss
25
in Latin)
26 2017, et al.
28 Person from The Big Apple, for short
29 Major Houlihan’s nickname on “M*A*S*H”: 2 wds.
33 Just manages, __ out a living
34 “Of course.”
35 ‘Land’ or ‘City’ suffix
36 Flavorful
37 Petty disagreement
38 Type of citrus, __ fruit
8
Brainerd Dispatch • February 12 - 18, 2017 •3
ACROSS
in
printed word
smoothly as an engine
1 Non-royal person, commonly 5 Lettered colas 8 “America’s Next __ Model 11 Seep like sludge 12 Cathedral city in England 13 Mistake
the
14 Run
Law”
Variety show
approval as an audience member
musical
7 Spike’s
show, “Lip __ Battle”
Gless’ co-star on ‘80s TV: 2 wds.
Newspaper’s opinion page 10 Floral arrangement 13 Voluminous book
Mr. Hamm of “Mad Men”
Sharon
9
16
bestsellers,
paperbacks, etc.: 2 wds.
__ periculo (At my own risk,
Crossword television Please run your script. Intersection Hwy 371N & CR 77 www.dondelingerauto.com 218-829-4787 • 800-642-1566 Mon. - Fri. 7am - 6pm • Sat. 7am - 1pm CHEVROLET • CADILLAC FREE Shuttle Rides, Coffee, Doughnuts, & Popcorn! Coupon • Complimentary Car Wash Must Present Coupon Register to win a FREE dinner for two Coupon Ladies DayTuesdays Register to win a 1/2 hour massage at $5.00 OFF Oil Change Senior DayWednesdays $5.00 OFF Oil Change • Complimentary Car Wash Must Present Coupon 001536740r1 001535208r1 Laurie Hall 326 W. Laurel St. Brainerd, MN (3 blocks South of Walgreens) (218)828-0460 Assisted Living Specialized Care Crosslake (218) 692-6650 Aitkin (218) 927-9996 www.goldenhorizons.org 001535144r1 Installation & Removal Interior PAINTING “As Good As It Gets” THE COVER GIRL WALLPAPER Nancy Bogenschutz 218-838-4153 001536021r1 Where convenience and excellence meet!! DR. TODD M. WIEDELL CROSSLAKE: 13833 Riverwood Lane #3 692-4700 Mon.-Thurs. 8:30am-5pm Wed. 8:30am-2pm PEQUOT LAKES: 30960 Government Drive 568-5555 Mon.-Fri. 8:30am-5pm 001478819r1
39 Money unit in Oman 40 Drench 41 Exclusively 42 Loch __ Monster Solution on page 10
GOLF School of Golf (1:00)
NBCSN Into the Blue (0:30)
1:30 p.m. NBCSN Saltwater Experience (0:30)
2:00 p.m. ESPN NBA: The Jump (Live) (0:30)
ESPN2 NFL Live (1:00)
GOLF Inside the PGA Tour (0:30)
NBCSN Mecum Top 10 (0:30)
2:30 p.m. ESPN SportsNation (Live) (1:00)
GOLF Masters Highlights (1:00)
NBCSN Mecum Top 10 (0:30)
3:00 p.m. ESPN2 NBA: The Jump (0:30)
FSN NBA Basketball Cle. at Min. (2:00)
NBCSN Mecum Top 10 (0:30)
3:30 p.m. ESPN Highly Questionable (0:30)
ESPN2 SportsNation (1:00)
GOLF Golf Channel Academy (0:30)
NBCSN Detroit International Auto Show (1:00)
4:00 p.m. ESPN Around the Horn (0:30)
GOLF Inside the PGA Tour (0:30)
4:30 p.m. ESPN Pardon the Interruption (0:30)
ESPN2 Highly Questionable (0:30)
GOLF Golfing World (0:30)
NBCSN NASCAR America (Live) (1:30)
5:00 p.m. ESPN SportsCenter (1:00)
ESPN2 Around the Horn (0:30)
FSN WPT Poker Bay 101 Shooting Star. (1:00)
GOLF Golf Central (1:00)
5:30 p.m. ESPN2 Pardon the Interruption (0:30)
6:00 p.m. ESPN NBA Basketball Ind. at Cle. (Live) (2:30)
ESPN2 NCAA Basketball Iowa at Kan.St. (Live) (2:00)
FSN Destination Polaris (0:30)
GOLF Golf Channel Academy (0:30)
NBCSN NHL Live! (Live) (1:00)
6:30 p.m. FSN Minnesota Timberwolves: Track the Pack (0:30)
GOLF PGA TOUR Champions Learning Center (0:30)
7:00 p.m. FSN Wolves Weekly (0:30)
GOLF Inside the PGA Tour (0:30)
NBCSN NHL Hockey St.L. at Det. (Live) (2:30)
7:30 p.m. FSN Wolves Live Pre-game (Live) (0:30)
GOLF Golf Channel Academy (0:30)
8:00 p.m. ESPN2 NCAA Basketball Duke at Vir. (Live) (2:00)
FSN NBA Basketball Min. at Den. (Live) (2:30)
GOLF LPGA Golf Round 1 Australian Open. (Live) (5:00)
8:30 p.m. ESPN NBA Basketball N.Y. at Okl. (Live) (2:30)
9:30 p.m. NBCSN NHL Hockey Fla. at S.J. (Live) (2:30)
10:00 p.m. ESPN2 SportsCenter (1:00)
10:30 p.m. FSN Wolves Live Postgame (Live) (0:30)
11:00 p.m. ESPN SportsCenter (1:00)
ESPN2 Jalen & Jacoby (0:30)
FSN WPT Poker Bay 101 Shooting Star. (1:00)
11:30 p.m. ESPN2 NFL Live (1:00)
Thursday, Feb. 16
8:00 a.m. ESPN SportsCenter (1:00)
FSN Wolves Live Post-game (0:30)
8:30 a.m. FSN Lund the Ultimate Fishing Experience (0:30)
9:00 a.m. ESPN First Take (Live) (2:00)
ESPN2 SportsCenter (1:00)
FSN DFL Soccer Köl. at Frei. (2:00)
GOLF Morning Drive (Live) (2:00)
9:30 a.m. NBCSN FIS Alpine Skiing
Women’s Giant Slalom World Championships. (1:30)
10:00 a.m. ESPN2 SportsCenter (1:00)
11:00 a.m. ESPN SportsCenter (1:00)
ESPN2 The Dan Le Batard Show (Live) (1:00)
FSN NBA Basketball Min. at Den. (2:00)
GOLF LPGA Golf Round 1 Australian Open. (1:30)
NBCSN ISU Figure Skating Pairs Short and Women’s Short Four Continents Championships. (6:00)
Noon (9) KAWE Classical Stretch: By Essentrics (0:30)
ESPN Outside the Lines (Live) (0:30)
ESPN2 First Take (2:00)
12:30 p.m. ESPN NFL Insiders (Live) (0:30)
GOLF Golf Central Pre-game (Live) (0:30)
1:00 p.m. ESPN NFL Live (Live) (1:00)
FSN NCAA Basketball Women’s TCU vs. Ok. St. (2:00)
GOLF PGA Golf Round 1 Genesis Open. (Live) (4:00)
2:00 p.m. ESPN NBA: The Jump (Live) (1:30)
ESPN2 NFL Insiders (0:30)
2:30 p.m. ESPN2 NFL Live (1:00)
3:00 p.m. FSN NBA Basketball Min. at Den. (2:00)
3:30 p.m. ESPN Highly Questionable (0:30)
ESPN2 NBA: The Jump (1:30)
4:00 p.m. ESPN Around the Horn (0:30)
4:30 p.m. ESPN Pardon the Interruption (0:30)
5:00 p.m. ESPN SportsCenter (1:00)
ESPN2 Around the Horn (0:30)
FSN WPT Poker Bay 101 Shooting Star. (1:00)
GOLF Golf Central (1:00)
NBCSN NASCAR America (Live) (0:30)
5:30 p.m. ESPN2 Pardon the Interruption (0:30)
NBCSN NHL Live! (Live) (1:00)
6:00 p.m. ESPN ESPN2 NCAA Basketball (Live) (2:00)
FSN Due North Outdoors (0:30)
GOLF PGA Golf Round 1 Genesis Open. (4:00)
TNT NBA NBA Tip-Off (Live) (1:00)
6:30 p.m. FSN Wild Live Pre-game (Live) (0:30)
NBCSN NHL Hockey Col. at Buf. (Live) (2:45)
7:00 p.m. FSN NHL Hockey Dal. at Min. (Live) (2:30)
TNT NBA Basketball Bos. at Chi. (Live) (2:30)
8:00 p.m. ESPN ESPN2 NCAA Basketball (Live) (2:00)
9:15 p.m. NBCSN NHL Overtime (Live) (0:45)
9:30 p.m. FSN Wild Live Post-game (Live) (0:30)
TNT Inside the NBA (1:00)
10:00 p.m. ESPN SportsCenter (1:00)
ESPN2 NFL Live (1:00)
FSN Due North Outdoors (0:30)
GOLF LPGA Golf Round 2 Australian Open. (Live) (3:00)
NBCSN NFL Timeline (1:00)
10:30 p.m. FSN Backroads With Ron and Raven (0:30)
TNT NBA Basketball Bos. at Chi. (2:30)
11:00 p.m. ESPN SportsCenter (1:00)
ESPN2 30 for 30 (1:30)
Auto | Home | Business | Farm
Multi-Policy Discounts
Insure
301 NW 6th Street, Brainerd www.we-ins.com • 829-4721
FSN Destination Polaris (0:30)
NBCSN NFL Timeline (1:00)
11:30 p.m. FSN Becoming Wild (0:30)
Friday, Feb. 17
8:00 a.m. ESPN SportsCenter (1:00)
FSN Wild Live Post-game (0:30)
8:30 a.m. FSN Due North Outdoors (0:30)
9:00 a.m. ESPN First Take (Live) (2:00)
ESPN2 SportsCenter (1:00)
FSN UEFA Soccer Champions League. Barc. vs. PSG (2:00)
GOLF Morning Drive (Live) (1:30)
Noon (9) KAWE Sit and Be Fit (0:30)
ESPN Outside the Lines (Live) (0:30)
ESPN2 First Take (2:00)
12:30 p.m. ESPN NFL Insiders (Live) (0:30)
GOLF Golf Central Pre-game (Live) (0:30)
1:00 p.m. ESPN NFL Live (Live) (1:00)
FSN UEFA Soccer Champions League. BVB vs. Ben. (2:00)
GOLF PGA Golf Round 2 Genesis Open. (Live) (4:00)
2:00 p.m. ESPN NBA: The Jump (Live) (1:30)
NBCSN RFU Rugby English Premiership. Sar. vs. Glo. (2:30)
2:30 p.m. ESPN2 NFL Live (1:00)
3:00 p.m. FSN John Gillespie’s Waters & Woods (0:30)
FSN NCAA Basketball Women’s But. vs. Geo. (Live) (2:00)
GOLF PGA Golf Round 2 Genesis Open. (4:00)
6:30 p.m. NBCSN NCAA Hockey Prov. vs. N.D. (Live) (2:30)
8:00 p.m. ESPN PBA Bowling Celebrity Invitational. (2:00)
ESPN2 NCAA Basketball Vir. C. vs. Rich. (Live) (2:00)
FSN Football National vs. American Collegiate Bowl. (3:00)
TNT NBA Basketball Rising Stars Challenge. (Live) (2:00)
9:00 p.m. NBCSN Curling Night in America (2:00)
9:30 p.m. (15) KVRR KVRR Sports Extra (0:30)
10:00 p.m. ESPN SportsCenter (1:00)
ESPN2 Outside the Lines (1:00)
GOLF LPGA Golf Round 3 Australian Open. (Live) (3:00)
TNT Inside the NBA (0:30)
10:15 p.m. (9) KMSP Fox 9 Sports Now (0:20)
11:00 p.m. ESPN SportsCenter (1:00)
ESPN2 NFL Live (1:00)
FSN Snow Motion (0:30)
NBCSN Mecum Top 10 (0:30)
11:30 p.m. FSN Three Wide Life (0:30)
NBCSN Mecum Top 10 (0:30)
Saturday, Feb. 18
8:00 a.m. ESPN SportsCenter (2:00)
FSN Backroads With Ron and Raven (0:30)
8:30 a.m. (29) WFTC Sports Stars of Tomorrow (0:30)
ESPN2 30 for 30 (1:30)
FSN Musky Hunter Television (0:30)
9:00 a.m. FSN John Gillespie’s Waters & Woods (0:30)
GOLF Morning Drive (Live) (2:00)
NBCSN RFU Rugby English Premiership. Har. vs. Bath (Live) (2:00)
9:30 a.m. FSN Midwest Outdoors Magazine (0:30)
1:00 p.m. (5) KSTP World of X Games (0:30)
ESPN ESPN2 NCAA Basketball (Live) (2:00)
FSN NCAA Basketball Women’s Tex. vs. Okl. (Live) (2:00)
NBCSN NCAA Basketball St. Bon. at Dayt. (Live) (2:00)
1:30 p.m. (5) KSTP World of X Games (0:30)
(9) KMSP (15) KVRR Fox College Hoops Extra (Live) (0:30)
(11) KARE ISU Figure Skating Four Continents Championships. (2:00)
GOLF Golf Central Pre-game (Live) (0:30)
2:00 p.m. (5) KSTP Skating and Gymnastics Spectacular (2:00)
(7) KCCO PGA Golf Round 3 Genesis Open. (Live) (3:00)
(9) KMSP (15) KVRR NCAA Basketball Col. at Ore. (Live) (2:00)
GOLF CHAMPS Golf Round 2 Chubb Classic. (Live) (2:30)
3:00 p.m. (23) WUCW NCAA Basketball UNC-W vs. Hofs. (Live) (2:00)
ESPN ESPN2 NCAA Basketball (Live) (2:00)
FSN NCAA Basketball Women’s Kan. St. vs. TCU (Live) (2:00)
NBCSN NCAA Basketball R.I. at G. Mas. (Live) (2:00)
3:30 p.m. (11) KARE Red Bull Air Race (1:30)
4:00 p.m. TNT NBA Basketball All-Star Challenge. (Live) (0:30)
4:30 p.m. GOLF Golf Channel Academy (0:30)
5:00 p.m. ESPN NCAA Basketball (Live) (2:00)
ESPN2 NCAA Basketball SMU at Hou. (Live) (2:00)
6:00 p.m. FSN Becoming Wild (0:30)
NBCSN NCAA Hockey Prov. vs. N.D. (Live) (2:30)
6:30 p.m. FSN Wild Live Pre-game (Live) (0:30)
7:00 p.m. ESPN College Gameday (Live) (0:15)
3:30 p.m. ESPN Highly Questionable (0:30)
ESPN2 NBA: The Jump (1:30)
FSN Midwest Outdoors Magazine (0:30)
4:00 p.m. ESPN Around the Horn (0:30)
FSN In-Depth Outdoors (0:30)
4:30 p.m. ESPN Pardon the Interruption (0:30)
FSN Fish Addictions TV (0:30)
NBCSN Premier League Download (0:30)
5:00 p.m. ESPN SportsCenter (1:00)
ESPN2 Around the Horn (0:30)
FSN Lindner’s Angling Edge (0:30)
GOLF Golf Central (1:00)
NBCSN FIS Alpine Skiing Giant Slalom World Championships. (1:30)
5:30 p.m. ESPN2 Pardon the Interruption (0:30)
ESPN2 The Dan Le Batard Show (Live) (1:00)
FSN NHL Hockey Dal. at Min. (2:00)
NBCSN ISU Figure Skating Free Dance and Men’s Short Four Continents Championships. (3:00)
FSN Sled Head 24/7 (0:30)
6:00 p.m. ESPN NBA Basketball AllStar Celebrity Game. (Live) (2:00)
ESPN2 NCAA Basketball Valp. at Oak. (Live) (2:00)
10:00 a.m. ESPN College Gameday (Live) (1:00)
ESPN2 SportsCenter (1:00)
10:30 a.m. FSN Lindner’s Angling Edge (0:30)
11:00 a.m. (9) KMSP (15) KVRR Fox College Hoops Tip-Off (Live) (0:30)
ESPN ESPN2 NCAA Basketball (Live) (2:00)
FSN Fishing the Midwest (0:30)
GOLF Golf Central Pre-game (Live) (1:00)
NBCSN NCAA Basketball Dav. vs. Mas. (Live) (2:00)
11:30 a.m. (7) KCCO Inside College Basketball (Live) (0:30)
(9) KMSP (15) KVRR NCAA Basketball Vill. vs. Set. Hall (Live) (2:00)
FSN Fishing With Joe Bucher (0:30)
Noon (7) KCCO NCAA Basketball Kan. at Bay. (Live) (2:00)
(11) KARE FIS Alpine Skiing Women’s Slalom (1:30)
FSN Sportsman’s Journal (0:30)
GOLF PGA Golf Round 3 Genesis Open. (Live) (1:30)
12:30 p.m. FSN Lindy Fish Ed. (0:30)
ESPN2 NCAA Basketball Arz. at Wash. (Live) (2:00)
FSN NHL Hockey Nash. at Min. (Live) (2:30)
TNT NBA Basketball All-Star Saturday Night. (Live) (2:30)
7:15 p.m. ESPN NCAA Basketball (Live) (2:00)
8:00 p.m. SHOW Boxing Adrien Broner vs. Adrian Granados (Live) (3:30)
8:50 p.m. HBO Road to: Cotto/ Kirkland (0:20)
9:00 p.m. ESPN2 NCAA Basketball St. M. at BYU (Live) (2:00)
9:30 p.m. FSN Wild Live Post-game (Live) (0:30)
10:00 p.m. ESPN SportsCenter (1:00)
GOLF LPGA Golf Final Round Australian Open. (Live) (3:00)
NBCSN ISU Figure Skating Men’s Free Four Continents Championships. (Live) (2:00)
11:00 p.m. (23) WUCW Ring of Honor Wrestling (1:00)
ESPN2 College Basketball Live (Live) (0:30)
Brainerd Daily Dispatch, MN: Sports Feb 12, 2017 to Feb 18, 2017
Brainerd Dispatch • February 12 - 18, 2017 •5
9:30 a.m. NBCSN FIS Alpine Skiing Giant Slalom World Championships. (1:30) 10:00 a.m. ESPN2 SportsCenter (1:00) 10:30 a.m. GOLF CHAMPS Golf Round 1 Chubb Classic. (Live) (2:00) 11:00 a.m. ESPN SportsCenter (1:00)
001401934r1
Sports this week
better. 218-829-4721 Feel Independent Call Today for a FREE Quote
both your home & auto with Allied Insurance and SAVE! With Allied Insurance, more really is
By Andrew Warren TV Media
There’s at least one in every family: that person who just doesn’t like trying new foods. Some people just want to stick with what they know, never moving outside of the comfort zone of the foods that they grew up with.
For former “Jersey Shore” personality Vinny Guadagnino, that person in his life is his mother, Paola, but that’s about to change. He’s been taking her on a crosscountry culinary road trip over the past few weeks, and getting her
to try some of the distinct regional foods that can be found in every little corner of America.
Ending on a fitting date for the loving family, “Vinny & Ma Eat America” wraps up with a two-episode finale Valentine’s Day, Tuesday, Feb. 14, on Cooking Channel.
So far, their road trip has taken them from coast to coast and to places in between. Paola immigrated to Staten Island from Sicily when she was 10 years old, and has never really stepped out of her comfort zone of homemade Italian cuisine. At the first stop on their road trip, though, her son got her
to check out the foods in one of the “weirdest” cities in the country: Austin. There, she fell in love with a weird but delicious dish: big juicy burgers served on doughnut “buns.”
Then, the lifelong pasta maker tested her know-how by making an entirely new kind of noodle: hand-pulled Asian ones.
In Tuesday night’s two-episode finale, Vinny and Ma hit up Nashville and New Orleans, where they’ll be sampling catfish and frog legs before ending their trip on a sweet note at the very place where bananas foster — a sugary
dish that’s a Big Easy specialty — was invented back in 1951.
Keen-eyed Cooking Channel watchers might recognize the mother-and-son duo in “Eat America.” The pair of them, along with Vinny’s Uncle Angelo, were the runner-up team in this past summer’s season of “The Great Food Truck Race.”
There, though, they stuck firmly to Italian food, but it seems that Vinny’s Ma has gotten a taste for travel — and is feeling a bit more culinarily adventurous. “Vinny & Ma Eat America” goes out with a two-episode finale Tuesday, Feb. 14, on Cooking Channel.
Sunday, Feb. 12
11:30 a.m. (8) WDSE Around the Farm Table
Noon TRAV Bizarre Foods: Delicious Destinations
12:30 p.m. TRAV Bizarre Foods:
Delicious Destinations
1:00 p.m. (9) KAWE Lidia’s Kitchen
TRAV Bizarre Foods: Delicious Destinations
1:30 p.m. TRAV Bizarre Foods:
Delicious Destinations
2:00 p.m. (8) WDSE A Chef’s Life
TRAV Food Paradise
2:30 p.m. (8) WDSE The Mind of a Chef
3:00 p.m. (8) WDSE The Great British Baking Show
TRAV Food Paradise
p.m. TRAV Food Paradise
p.m. TRAV Food Paradise
Monday, Feb. 13
6:30 a.m. LIFE All Mixed Up
1:00 p.m. (11) KARE The Rachael Ray
TRAV Bizarre Foods America
2:00
10 • February 12 - 18, 2017 • Brainerd Dispatch
5:00
6:00
6:30
Cooking 7:00 p.m.
Paradise
4:00
p.m. TRAV Food Paradise
p.m. (2) KTCA New Scandinavian
TRAV Food
Noon TRAV Bizarre Foods America
Show
p.m. TRAV Food Paradise: London 3:00 p.m. TRAV Food Paradise 4:00 p.m. TRAV Food Paradise 5:00 p.m. TRAV Bizarre Foods 6:00 p.m. TRAV Bizarre Foods America 7:00 p.m. TRAV Bizarre Foods: Delicious Destinations 7:30 p.m. TRAV Bizarre Foods: Delicious Destinations 8:00 p.m. TRAV Bizarre Foods 9:00 p.m. TRAV Booze Traveler (N) 11:00 p.m. TRAV Bizarre Foods Tuesday, Feb. 14 8:00 a.m. TRAV Bizarre Foods America 9:00 a.m. TRAV Bizarre Foods 10:00 a.m. TRAV Bizarre Foods 11:00 a.m. TRAV Bizarre Foods 11:30 a.m. (9) KAWE Martha Bakes Noon TRAV Bizarre Foods: Delicious Destinations 12:30 p.m. TRAV Bizarre Foods: Delicious Destinations 1:00 p.m. (11) KARE The Rachael Ray Show TRAV Bizarre Foods: Delicious Destinations 1:30 p.m. TRAV Bizarre Foods: Delicious Destinations 2:00 p.m. TRAV Bizarre Foods 3:00 p.m. TRAV Bizarre Foods 4:00 p.m. TRAV Bizarre Foods America 5:00 p.m. TRAV Bizarre Foods 6:00 p.m. TRAV Bizarre Foods America 7:00 p.m. TRAV Bizarre Foods: Delicious Destinations 7:30 p.m. TRAV Bizarre Foods: Delicious Destinations 8:00 p.m. TRAV Bizarre Foods (N) 9:00 p.m. TRAV Bizarre Foods 10:00 p.m. TRAV Bizarre Foods America 11:00 p.m. TRAV Bizarre Foods Wednesday, Feb. 15 9:00 a.m. TRAV Booze Traveler 10:00 a.m. TRAV Booze Traveler 11:00 a.m. TRAV Booze Traveler Noon TRAV Food Paradise 1:00 p.m. (11) KARE The Rachael Ray Show TRAV Food Paradise 2:00 p.m. TRAV Bizarre Foods 3:00 p.m. TRAV Bizarre Foods 4:00 p.m. TRAV Bizarre Foods 5:00 p.m. TRAV Bizarre Foods Thursday, Feb. 16 1:00 p.m. (11) KARE The Rachael Ray Show Friday, Feb. 17 1:00 p.m. (11) KARE The Rachael Ray Show Saturday, Feb. 18 9:00 a.m. (2) KTCA The Mind of a Chef (15) KVRR Recipe Rehab 9:30 a.m. (2) KTCA A Chef’s Life 10:00 a.m. (2) KTCA Jacques Pépin: More Fast Food My Way 10:30 a.m. (2) KTCA Lidia’s Kitchen 11:00 a.m. (2) KTCA Cook’s Country From America’s Test Kitchen 11:30 a.m. (2) KTCA America’s Test Kitchen From Cook’s Illustrated (29) WFTC Discover Delicious Noon (2) KTCA Sara’s Weeknight Meals (9) KAWE Cook’s Country From America’s Test Kitchen TRAV Bizarre Foods 12:30 p.m. (2) KTCA Martha Bakes 1:00 p.m. (2) KTCA The Great British Baking Show TRAV Bizarre Foods: Delicious Destinations 1:30 p.m. TRAV Bizarre Foods: Delicious Destinations 2:00 p.m. (2) KTCA New Scandinavian Cooking (8) WDSE Martha Bakes TRAV Food Paradise 2:30 p.m. (8) WDSE Martha Stewart’s Cooking School 3:00 p.m. (8) WDSE America’s Test Kitchen From Cook’s Illustrated TRAV Food Paradise 4:00 p.m. TRAV Food Paradise Brainerd Daily Dispatch, MN: Food Feb 12, 2017 to Feb 18, 2017 Vinny and Paola Guadagnino as seen in “Vinny & Ma Eat America” Cross-country eats: Mother and son venture outside their comfort zone Cooking this week 218-829-1166 • 313 NW 3rd St, Brainerd, MN NORTHRIDGE AGENCY Your Trusted Insurance Partner for 20 Years! WE REPRESENT MANY FINE INDEPENDENT INSURANCE COMPANIES Home • Auto • Life • Bonds • Business & Work Comp. Health (individual, group & medicare programs) • Long Term Care 001531811r1
A MESS OF MOMMIES
When: First Weekly outing on Thurs. Feb. 16 Time: 10:00 am
where: Beanery
Fee: Membership is $25 Register: Community Education
Do you have a baby, or small child at home! Are you expecting a new baby? Would you like to meet other moms? lf you answered yes to any of those questions, then this is the group for you!
A Mess of Mommies is a group of moms who have young children, they will have optional, informal outings once a week, and a lot of other fun activities that you will be invited to join as well!
Including a Mini Series for moms and babies at the Hallett Center, a prenatal yoga class, a Reading Group at the Library, and a Baby Prints Pottery Class for moms to make plaques of baby’s feet/hands. We will also have an informational six-week session at River wood for new mothers, and informational speakers on a variety of topics. Babies and young children will always be welcome! With the membership fee you will be able to join all of the informational speakers, and weekly outings. Membership will also grant you deeper discounts on all other Mom and Baby classes. If you have any questions please feel free to contact our office.
Brainerd Dispatch • February 12 - 18, 2017 •11 Conan
want to eliminate many of the restrictions of the Endangered Species Act. That’s bad news for animals, but great news for fans of Carl’s Jr.’s California Condor Burger.
say China is gearing up for a trade war with the United States. Here’s how it’s gonna go: China will say, “We have all your iPhones,” and we’ll say, “We surrender!” Solution on page 10. Late Laughs 001535142r1 800-692-2177 | 218-692-2177 Heating & Air Conditioning Sales and Services in the Brainerd Lakes Area CrosslakeSheetmetal.com 001536771r1 001401956r1 423 NW 7TH STREET BRAINERD, MN www.TheMensDepot.com (218) 454-2887 BARBERSHOP Brainerd • Baxter — OPEN 24 HOURS — Brainerd • 218-828-1816 417 8th Ave. NE Baxter • 218-828-4601 14133 Edgewood Dr. N. Locally owned and operated. Better fresh. Better value. always in-stock Get the best pick of our freshest produce. 001401913r1 YDE’s Sales of Used Appliances Major Appliances Repaired • Reasonable Rates • Factory Trained Technicians • In-Home or In-Shop Service • Over 40 Years Experience Service & Parts for ALL Makes! $10 OFF Labor SERVICE CALLS ONLY. Must present coupon. Not valid with any other coupons. Exp. 2/28/17 YDE’s • 218-829-5292 1220 Oak Street, Brainerd 218-829-5292 1-888-892-5292 001536057r1 001536065r1 Touching EncouragingLivesHearts 5307 HILLS CROSSING • NISSWA, MN 56468 • (218) 961-5605 www.hcseniorliving.com ASSISTED LIVING • MEMORY CARE • CARE SUITES COMMUNITY LIFE • HEALTH RELATED SERVICES 800-824-5051 www.brenny.com 001410405r1
Republicans
Analysts
001519240r1
OUTLET & SERVICE CENTER John Roufs Serving The Area Since 1972 Largest Selection Of Name Brand Cleaners In The Area! WE SERVICE ALL BRANDS Specializing in Simplicity, Riccar & Kirby We Take Trade-Ins. New & Used, Household & Commercial “Our Business Is Picking Up!” 117 NE 1st St., Next to Little Falls Court, Little Falls, MN M-F 9-5 Sat. 9-12 • 320-632-3674 VACUUM
001536744r1
Jesse Huber office: 218-270-2900 cell: 218-831-7228 1309 S 6th St., Brainerd, MN www.treatmywater.com • BUY 3 GET ONE FREE • DELIVERY AVAILABLE • 10% FILTER DICOUNTS 001536314r1 Are you an inforum.com
CLEANER
SALT SALE
CHANNEL GUIDE
Brainerd Dispatch • February 12 - 18, 2017 •19
Brainerd (Charter) CTC Emily (CATV) Crosslake Peqout Lakes (Charter) Onamia (Savage) Pierz (Midcontinent) East Gull Lake (Savage) Pillager (Savage) Verndale (Savage) Aitkin (Charter) Little Falls (Charter) Staples (Charter) Wadena (Charter) Walker (Tekstar) PBS ST. PAUL KTCA 825656 ABC MINNEAPOLIS/ALEXANDRIA KSTP/KSAX 5555 55555555555 NBC DULUTH KBJR CBS ALEXANDRIA/WALKER KCCO/KCCW 1244412444441241227 PBS BEMIDJI/BRAINERD KAWE/KAWB 42994 888484413 FOX EDEN PRAIRIE KMSP 99131399999 999999 ABC DULUTH WDIO NBC MINNEAPOLIS KARE 111111111111111111111111111111 FOX FARGO KVRR 10 CW MINNEAPOLIS WUCW 23 23686556232323236 MNT MINNEAPOLIS WFTC 101066107137771010101010 ION BIG LAKE KPXM 2412 2436 2413242424 A&E Arts & Enertainment 4691123234639383939394631464633 AMC American Movie Classic 42501343442176917171742574242 AP Animal Planet 5377136365342544242425335535353 BRAVO Bravo 3019017036030151715151513016430130168 CMTV Country Music Television 371021515937 39 3752373739 CNBC Consumer News & Business 4148119194129532929294144414137 CNN Cable News Network 3446121212826332626263434343425 COM Comedy 4840141464837303737374853484848 CSPAN C-Span (House of Representatives) 2116860219642222213212112 CSPAN2 C-Span2 (Senate) 85179 8516563165165 2085858543 DISC The Discovery Channel 3565114143540324040403547353535 DISN Disney 6055132326030293030306058606054 E! E! Entertainment Television 4493137374438453838384454444446 STZ ENC Starz Encore 710350537255710310309310310610750710710710325 ESPN Entertainment Sports Programming Network 2729125252724242424242729272730 ESPN2 Entertainment Sports Programming Network 2 28301262628252325252528 30282831 EWTN Eternal World Television 18022771809719979719618018018079 FREE Freeform 3142133333131373131313136313116 FOOD TV Food Network 6283144456215581515156261626247 FSN FOX Sports Network 2933124242923252323232928292917 FX FX 492814247495059 50 4971494940 HBO Home Box Office (Premium Service) 50030050120050033020330330630500500500500303 HGTV Home & Garden 5581130305516501616165555555570 HIST The History Channel 5474135355421492121215448545469 HN Headline News (CNN2) 3947156 3995347373143932393955 LIFE Lifetime 3024131313032363232 3027303041 MAX Cinemax (Premium Service) 550320512210550300 300300600550550550550304 MTV Music Television 32101149613272277272453239323238 NBCS NBC Sports 6337161396328820728828845563696363124 NICK Nickelodeon 3353129293345484545203359333324 PEG Public Education Government 88 8 8 PPV LAMP/Public Access 15 12 13 19 PRE TV GUIDE 2523 225 14 25 2525 QVC Quility Value Convenience (Home Shopping) 73337123121212777722 SHOW Showtime (Premium Service) 600360550225600350501350350650600600600600312 SPIKE Spike TV 4343116164336283636364333434328 STARZ STARZ! (Premium Service) 700340530250700370601370370670700700700700326 SYFY Science Fiction Channel 4041145484034443434454049404044 TBN Trinity Broadcasting Service 1837101018320918209209480 18318318380 TBS WTBS, Atlanta 2227127272248462222342215222236 TCM Turner Classic Movies 308266450362308184718181831456308308163 TLC The Learning Channel 457312222 4541434141414542454534 TMC The Movie Channel 650370559235650380551380380680650650650650310 TNT Turner Network Television 3626128283633313333333640363627 TOON Cartoon Network 4757153 4747514747474743474749 TRAV The Travel Channel 508411818505264 52 5067505050 TRUTV Tru TV 51491434451 65 5137515251 TVL TV Land 5259140565246524646465241525260 TWC The Weather Channel 5662117175628412828285651565632 USA USA Network 5925115155935213535355946595923 VH1 Video Hits One 38103150583844404444443838383819 WGN-A WGN America 1369 53131473331316131315
20 • February 12 - 18, 2017 • Brainerd Dispatch
