S2. E6. | ATHLEISURE KITCHEN WITH CHEF JUSTIN SUTHERLAND

On today's episode of Athleisure Kitchen, I catch up with one of our faves, Chef Justin Sutherland owner of Handsome Hog and Big E, winner of Iron Chef America, Top Chef Season 16 finalist, co-host of TRU Tv's Fast Foodies and TNT/TBS' Taste the Culture and author of Northern Soul which is out now! 

We catch up with Chef Sutherland on being from the Twin Cities and the culinary landscape of Minnesota which includes an array of chefs from Andrew Zimmern, Yia Vang, himself and more. We talk about his approach to food, owning an array of restaurants, delve into his cookbook which presents Southern recipes with a Northern flair, being a culinary consultant for Allianz Field - home of the MLS' Minnesota United FC and how this sport is so global in nature from viewing it to those who watch and meeting their tastebuds expectations. We also talk about his co-founded apparel line, Hybrid Nation which focuses on the tagline of In Diversity We Trust as well as their capsule collection with MLS.

You can stay in the loop on who future guests are by visiting us at AthleisureStudio.com/AthleisureKitchen and on Instagram at @AthleisureKitchen and @AthleisureStudio. Athleisure Kitchen is hosted by Kimmie Smith and is Executive Produced by Paul Farkas and Kimmie Smith. It is mixed by the team at Athleisure Studio. Our theme music is "This Boy" performed by Ilya Truhanov.

AWARDS SEASON | 27TH ANNUAL CRITICS CHOICE AWARDS TV + FILM WINNERS

The Critics Choice Awards TV + Film Awards too place tonight with a number of our faves being recognized! Tonight, viewers could watch on The CW and TBS as Awards Season continued from the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel. Who we believed would win is in bold, winners that won who we did not predict correctly are italicized and those that we correctly predicted are in bold italicized.

TELEVISION NOMINATIONS FOR THE 27TH ANNUAL CRITICS CHOICE AWARDS

BEST DRAMA SERIES

Evil (Paramount+)

For All Mankind (Apple TV+)

The Good Fight (Paramount+)

Pose (FX)

Squid Game (Netflix)

Succession (HBO)

This Is Us (NBC)

Yellowjackets (Showtime)

BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

Sterling K. Brown – This Is Us (NBC)

Mike Colter – Evil (Paramount+)

Brian Cox – Succession (HBO)

Lee Jung-jae – Squid Game (Netflix)

Billy Porter – Pose (FX)

Jeremy Strong – Succession (HBO)

BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES

Uzo Aduba – In Treatment (HBO)

Chiara Aurelia – Cruel Summer (Freeform)

Christine Baranski – The Good Fight (Paramount+)

Katja Herbers – Evil (Paramount+)

Melanie Lynskey – Yellowjackets (Showtime)

MJ Rodriguez – Pose (FX)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

Nicholas Braun – Succession (HBO)

Billy Crudup – The Morning Show (Apple TV+)

Kieran Culkin – Succession (HBO)

Justin Hartley – This Is Us (NBC)

Matthew Macfadyen – Succession (HBO)

Mandy Patinkin – The Good Fight (Paramount+)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES

Andrea Martin – Evil (Paramount+)

Audra McDonald – The Good Fight (Paramount+)

Christine Lahti – Evil (Paramount+)

J. Smith-Cameron – Succession (HBO)

Sarah Snook – Succession (HBO)

Susan Kelechi Watson – This Is Us (NBC)

BEST COMEDY SERIES

The Great (Hulu)

Hacks (HBO Max)

Insecure (HBO)

Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)

The Other Two (HBO Max)

Reservation Dogs (FX on Hulu)

Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)

What We Do in the Shadows (FX)

BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Iain Armitage – Young Sheldon (CBS)

Nicholas Hoult – The Great (Hulu)

Steve Martin – Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)

Kayvan Novak – What We Do in the Shadows (FX)

Martin Short – Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)

Jason Sudeikis – Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)

BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES

Elle Fanning – The Great (Hulu)

Renée Elise Goldsberry – Girls5eva (Peacock)

Selena Gomez – Only Murders in the Building (Hulu) 

Sandra Oh – The Chair (Netflix)

Issa Rae – Insecure (HBO)

Jean Smart – Hacks (HBO Max)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Ncuti Gatwa – Sex Education (Netflix)

Brett Goldstein – Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)

Harvey Guillén – What We Do in the Shadows (FX)

Brandon Scott Jones – Ghosts (CBS)

Ray Romano – Made for Love (HBO Max)

Bowen Yang – Saturday Night Live (NBC)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES

Hannah Einbinder – Hacks (HBO Max)

Kristin Chenoweth – Schmigadoon! (Apple TV+)

Molly Shannon – The Other Two (HBO Max) 

Cecily Strong – Saturday Night Live (NBC)

Josie Totah – Saved By the Bell (Peacock)

Hannah Waddingham – Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)

BEST LIMITED SERIES

Dopesick (Hulu)

Dr. Death (Peacock)

It’s a Sin (HBO Max)

Maid (Netflix)

Mare of Easttown (HBO)

Midnight Mass (Netflix)

The Underground Railroad (Amazon Prime Video)

WandaVision (Disney+)

BEST MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION

Come From Away (Apple TV+)

List of a Lifetime (Lifetime)

The Map of Tiny Perfect Things (Amazon Prime Video)

Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia (Lifetime)

Oslo (HBO)

Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas (The Roku Channel)

BEST ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION

Olly Alexander – It’s a Sin (HBO Max)

Paul Bettany – WandaVision (Disney+)

William Jackson Harper – Love Life (HBO Max)

Joshua Jackson – Dr. Death (Peacock)

Michael Keaton – Dopesick (Hulu)

Hamish Linklater – Midnight Mass (Netflix)

BEST ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION

Danielle Brooks – Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia (Lifetime)

Cynthia Erivo – Genius: Aretha (National Geographic)

Thuso Mbedu – The Underground Railroad (Amazon Prime Video)

Elizabeth Olsen – WandaVision (Disney+)

Margaret Qualley – Maid (Netflix)

Kate Winslet – Mare of Easttown (HBO)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION

Murray Bartlett – The White Lotus (HBO)

Zach Gilford – Midnight Mass (Netflix)

William Jackson Harper – The Underground Railroad (Amazon Prime Video)

Evan Peters – Mare of Easttown (HBO)

Christian Slater – Dr. Death (Peacock)

Courtney B. Vance – Genius: Aretha (National Geographic)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION

Jennifer Coolidge – The White Lotus (HBO)

Kaitlyn Dever – Dopesick (Hulu)

Kathryn Hahn – WandaVision (Disney+)

Melissa McCarthy – Nine Perfect Strangers (Hulu)

Julianne Nicholson – Mare of Easttown (HBO)

Jean Smart – Mare of Easttown (HBO)

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE SERIES

Acapulco (Apple TV+)

Call My Agent! (Netflix)

Lupin (Netflix)

Money Heist (Netflix)

Narcos: Mexico (Netflix)

Squid Game (Netflix)

BEST ANIMATED SERIES

Big Mouth (Netflix)

Bluey (Disney Junior)

Bob’s Burgers (Fox)

The Great North (Fox)

Q-Force (Netflix)

What If…? (Disney+)

BEST TALK SHOW

The Amber Ruffin Show (Peacock)

Desus & Mero (Showtime)

The Kelly Clarkson Show (NBC)

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

Late Night with Seth Meyers (NBC)

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen (Bravo)

BEST COMEDY SPECIAL 

Bo Burnham: Inside (Netflix)

Good Timing with Jo Firestone (Peacock)

James Acaster: Cold Lasagne Hate Myself 1999 (Vimeo)

Joyelle Nicole Johnson: Love Joy (Peacock)

Nate Bargatze: The Greatest Average American (Netflix)

Trixie Mattel: One Night Only (YouTube)

FILM NOMINATIONS FOR THE 27TH ANNUAL CRITICS CHOICE AWARDS

BEST PICTURE

Belfast

CODA

Don’t Look Up

Dune

King Richard

Licorice Pizza

Nightmare Alley

The Power of the Dog

tick, tick…Boom!

West Side Story

BEST ACTOR

Nicolas Cage – Pig

Benedict Cumberbatch – The Power of the Dog

Peter Dinklage – Cyrano

Andrew Garfield – tick, tick…Boom!

Will Smith – King Richard

Denzel Washington – The Tragedy of Macbeth

BEST ACTRESS

Jessica Chastain – The Eyes of Tammy Faye

Olivia Colman – The Lost Daughter

Lady Gaga – House of Gucci

Alana Haim – Licorice Pizza

Nicole Kidman – Being the Ricardos

Kristen Stewart – Spencer

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Jamie Dornan – Belfast

Ciarán Hinds – Belfast

Troy Kotsur – CODA

Jared Leto – House of Gucci

J.K. Simmons – Being the Ricardos

Kodi Smit-McPhee – The Power of the Dog

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Caitríona Balfe – Belfast

Ariana DeBose – West Side Story

Ann Dowd – Mass

Kirsten Dunst – The Power of the Dog

Aunjanue Ellis – King Richard

Rita Moreno – West Side Story

BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS

Jude Hill – Belfast

Cooper Hoffman – Licorice Pizza

Emilia Jones – CODA

Woody Norman – C’mon C’mon

Saniyya Sidney – King Richard

Rachel Zegler – West Side Story

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE

Belfast

Don’t Look Up

The Harder They Fall

Licorice Pizza

The Power of the Dog

West Side Story

BEST DIRECTOR

Paul Thomas Anderson – Licorice Pizza

Kenneth Branagh – Belfast

Jane Campion – The Power of the Dog

Guillermo del Toro – Nightmare Alley

Steven Spielberg – West Side Story

Denis Villeneuve – Dune

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Paul Thomas Anderson – Licorice Pizza

Zach Baylin – King Richard

Kenneth Branagh – Belfast

Adam McKay, David Sirota – Don’t Look Up

Aaron Sorkin – Being the Ricardos

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Jane Campion – The Power of the Dog

Maggie Gyllenhaal – The Lost Daughter

Siân Heder – CODA

Tony Kushner – West Side Story

Jon Spaihts, Denis Villeneuve, Eric Roth – Dune

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Bruno Delbonnel – The Tragedy of Macbeth

Greig Fraser – Dune

Janusz Kaminski – West Side Story

Dan Laustsen – Nightmare Alley

Ari Wegner – The Power of the Dog

Haris Zambarloukos – Belfast

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

Jim Clay, Claire Nia Richards – Belfast

Tamara Deverell, Shane Vieau – Nightmare Alley

Adam Stockhausen, Rena DeAngelo – The French Dispatch

Adam Stockhausen, Rena DeAngelo – West Side Story

Patrice Vermette, Zsuzsanna Sipos – Dune

BEST EDITING

Sarah Broshar and Michael Kahn – West Side Story

Úna Ní Dhonghaíle – Belfast

Andy Jurgensen – Licorice Pizza

Peter Sciberras – The Power of the Dog

Joe Walker – Dune

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Jenny Beavan – Cruella

Luis Sequeira – Nightmare Alley

Paul Tazewell – West Side Story

Jacqueline West, Robert Morgan – Dune

Janty Yates – House of Gucci

BEST HAIR AND MAKEUP

Cruella

Dune

The Eyes of Tammy Faye

House of Gucci

Nightmare Alley

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Dune

The Matrix Resurrections

Nightmare Alley

No Time to Die

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

BEST COMEDY

Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar

Don’t Look Up

Free Guy

The French Dispatch

Licorice Pizza

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

Encanto

Flee

Luca

The Mitchells vs the Machines

Raya and the Last Dragon

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

A Hero

Drive My Car

Flee

The Hand of God

The Worst Person in the World

BEST SONG

Be Alive – King Richard

Dos Oruguitas – Encanto

Guns Go Bang – The Harder They Fall

Just Look Up – Don’t Look Up

No Time to Die – No Time to Die

BEST SCORE

Nicholas Britell – Don’t Look Up

Jonny Greenwood – The Power of the Dog

Jonny Greenwood – Spencer

Nathan Johnson – Nightmare Alley

Hans Zimmer – Dune

SEE HER

Halle Berry

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Billy Crystal

Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

AWARDS SEASON | 28TH ANNUAL SAG AWARDS WINNERS

The 28th Annual SAG Awards is tonight at 8pm EST on TNT and TBS at The Barker Hanger in Santa Monica. It’s always a fun show to watch and as usual, a number of our favorites are being highlighted from the shows themselves to the actors and teams involved.

In a previous post, we predicted that the names in bold are those that will win, the ones that are in bold italics are those that we correctly identified as winning and the names in italics are those that won that we didn’t guess correctly. Here is who won!

TELEVISION AWARDS

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION MOVIE OR MINISERIES

Murray Bartlett, "The White Lotus"

Oscar Isaac, "Scenes From a Marriage"

Michael Keaton, "Dopesick"

Ewan McGregor, "Halston"

Evan Peters, "Mare of Easttown"

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION MOVIE OR MINISERIES

Jennifer Coolidge, "The White Lotus"

Cynthia Erivo, "Genius: Aretha"

Margaret Qualley, "Maid"

Jean Smart, "Mare of Easttown"

Kate Winslet, "Mare of Easttown"

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

Brian Cox, "Succession"

Billy Crudup, "The Morning Show"

Kieran Culkin, "Succession"

Lee Jung-jae, "Squid Game"

Jeremy Strong, "Succession"

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

Jennifer Aniston, "The Morning Show"

Jung Ho-yeon, "Squid Game"

Elisabeth Moss, "The Handmaid's Tale"

Sarah Snook, "Succession"

Reese Witherspoon, "The Morning Show"

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Michael Douglas, "The Kominsky Method"

Brett Goldstein, "Ted Lasso"

Steve Martin, "Only Murders in the Building"

Martin Short, "Only Murders in the Building"

Jason Sudeikis, "Ted Lasso"

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Elle Fanning, "The Great"

Sandra Oh, "The Chair"

Jean Smart, "Hacks"

Juno Temple, "Ted Lasso"

Hannah Waddingham, "Ted Lasso"

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE IN A DRAMA SERIES

"The Handmaid's Tale"

"The Morning Show"

"Squid Game"

"Succession"

"Yellowstone"

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE IN A COMEDY SERIES

"The Great"

"Hacks"

"The Kominsky Method"

"Only Murders in the Building"

"Ted Lasso"

OUTSTANDING ACTION PERFORMANCE BY A STUNT ENSEMBLE IN A COMEDY OR DRAMA SERIES

"Cobra Kai"

"The Falcon and the Winter Soldier"

"Loki"

"Mare of Easttown"

"Squid Game"

MOTION PICTURE AWARDS

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Javier Bardem, "Being the Ricardos"

Benedict Cumberbatch, "The Power of the Dog"

Andrew Garfield, "Tick, Tick... Boom"

Will Smith, "King Richard"

Denzel Washington, "The Tragedy of Macbeth"

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Jessica Chastain, "The Eyes of Tammy Faye"

Olivia Colman, "The Lost Daughter"

Lady Gaga, "House of Gucci"

Jennifer Hudson, "Respect"

Nicole Kidman, "Being the Ricardos"

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Ben Affleck, "The Tender Bar"

Bradley Cooper, "Licorice Pizza"

Troy Kotsur, "CODA"

Jared Leto, "House of Gucci"

Kodi Smit-McPhee, "The Power of the Dog"

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Caitríona Balfe, "Belfast"

Cate Blanchett, "Nightmare Alley"

Ariana DeBose, "West Side Story"

Kirsten Dunst, "The Power of the Dog"

Ruth Negga, "Passing"

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A CAST IN A MOTION PICTURE

"Belfast"

"CODA"

"Don't Look Up"

"House of Gucci"

"King Richard"

OUTSTANDING ACTION PERFORMANCE BY A STUNT ENSEMBLE IN A MOTION PICTURE

"Black Widow"

"Dune"

"The Matrix Resurrections"

"No Time to Die"

"Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings"

Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

AWARDS SEASON | 28TH ANNUAL SAG AWARDS

This morning the 28th Annual SAG Awards nominees were announced. This show is slated to air on Feb 27th at 8pm EST on TNT and TBS at The Barker Hanger in Santa Monica. It’s always a fun show to watch and as usual, a number of our favorites are being highlighted from the shows themselves to the actors and teams involved.

We predict that the names in bold are those that will win, the ones that are in bold italics are those that we correctly identified as winning and the names in italics are those that won that we didn’t guess correctly.

TELEVISION AWARDS

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTORcIN A TELEVISION MOVIE OR MINISERIES

Murray Bartlett, "The White Lotus"

Oscar Isaac, "Scenes From a Marriage"

Michael Keaton, "Dopesick"

Ewan McGregor, "Halston"

Evan Peters, "Mare of Easttown"

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTORcIN A TELEVISION MOVIE OR MINISERIES

Jennifer Coolidge, "The White Lotus"

Cynthia Erivo, "Genius: Aretha"

Margaret Qualley, "Maid"

Jean Smart, "Mare of Easttown"

Kate Winslet, "Mare of Easttown"

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIEs

Brian Cox, "Succession"

Billy Crudup, "The Morning Show"

Kieran Culkin, "Succession"

Lee Jung-jae, "Squid Game"

Jeremy Strong, "Succession"

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIEs

Jennifer Aniston, "The Morning Show"

Jung Ho-yeon, "Squid Game"

Elisabeth Moss, "The Handmaid's Tale"

Sarah Snook, "Succession"

Reese Witherspoon, "The Morning Show"

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Michael Douglas, "The Kominsky Method"

Brett Goldstein, "Ted Lasso"

Steve Martin, "Only Murders in the Building"

Martin Short, "Only Murders in the Building"

Jason Sudeikis, "Ted Lasso"

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Elle Fanning, "The Great"

Sandra Oh, "The Chair"

Jean Smart, "Hacks"

Juno Temple, "Ted Lasso"

Hannah Waddingham, "Ted Lasso"

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE IN A DRAMA SERIES

"The Handmaid's Tale"

"The Morning Show"

"Squid Game"

"Succession"

"Yellowstone"

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE IN A COMEDY SERIES

"The Great"

"Hacks"

"The Kominsky Method"

"Only Murders in the Building"

"Ted Lasso"

OUTSTANDING ACTION PERFORMANCE BY A STUNT ENSEMBLE IN A COMEDY OR DRAMA SERIES

"Cobra Kai"

"The Falcon and the Winter Soldier"

"Loki"

"Mare of Easttown"

"Squid Game"

MOTION PICTURE AWARDS

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Javier Bardem, "Being the Ricardos"

Benedict Cumberbatch, "The Power of the Dog"

Andrew Garfield, "Tick, Tick... Boom"

Will Smith, "King Richard"

Denzel Washington, "The Tragedy of Macbeth"

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Jessica Chastain, "The Eyes of Tammy Faye"

Olivia Colman, "The Lost Daughter"

Lady Gaga, "House of Gucci"

Jennifer Hudson, "Respect"

Nicole Kidman, "Being the Ricardos"

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Ben Affleck, "The Tender Bar"

Bradley Cooper, "Licorice Pizza"

Troy Kotsur, "CODA"

Jared Leto, "House of Gucci"

Kodi Smit-McPhee, "The Power of the Dog"

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Caitríona Balfe, "Belfast"

Cate Blanchett, "Nightmare Alley"

Ariana DeBose, "West Side Story"

Kirsten Dunst, "The Power of the Dog"

Ruth Negga, "Passing"

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A CAST IN A MOTION PICTURE

"Belfast"

"CODA"

"Don't Look Up"

"House of Gucci"

"King Richard"

OUTSTANDING ACTION PERFORMANCE BY A STUNT ENSEMBLE IN A MOTION PICTURE

"Black Widow"

"Dune"

"The Matrix Resurrections"

"No Time to Die"

"Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings"

Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

AWARDS SEASON | 27TH ANNUAL CRITICS CHOICE AWARDS TV + FILM NOMINATIONS

The Critics Choice Awards TV nominations were announced last week and the Film nominations were released today. The Critics Choice Awards will take place on Sunday, January 9th on The CW and TBS from the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel. As always we’re weighing in on who we believe will win (bold) and in a future post will share who won that we didn’t answer correctly (italicized) and those that we correctly answered (bold italicized).

TELEVISION NOMINATIONS FOR THE 27TH ANNUAL CRITICS CHOICE AWARDS

BEST DRAMA SERIES

Evil (Paramount+)

For All Mankind (Apple TV+)

The Good Fight (Paramount+)

Pose (FX)

Squid Game (Netflix)

Succession (HBO)

This Is Us (NBC)

Yellowjackets (Showtime)

BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

Sterling K. Brown – This Is Us (NBC)

Mike Colter – Evil (Paramount+)

Brian Cox – Succession (HBO)

Lee Jung-jae – Squid Game (Netflix)

Billy Porter – Pose (FX)

Jeremy Strong – Succession (HBO)

BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES

Uzo Aduba – In Treatment (HBO)

Chiara Aurelia – Cruel Summer (Freeform)

Christine Baranski – The Good Fight (Paramount+)

Katja Herbers – Evil (Paramount+)

Melanie Lynskey – Yellowjackets (Showtime)

MJ Rodriguez – Pose (FX)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

Nicholas Braun – Succession (HBO)

Billy Crudup – The Morning Show (Apple TV+)

Kieran Culkin – Succession (HBO)

Justin Hartley – This Is Us (NBC)

Matthew Macfadyen – Succession (HBO)

Mandy Patinkin – The Good Fight (Paramount+)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES

Andrea Martin – Evil (Paramount+)

Audra McDonald – The Good Fight (Paramount+)

Christine Lahti – Evil (Paramount+)

J. Smith-Cameron – Succession (HBO)

Sarah Snook – Succession (HBO)

Susan Kelechi Watson – This Is Us (NBC)

BEST COMEDY SERIES

The Great (Hulu)

Hacks (HBO Max)

Insecure (HBO)

Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)

The Other Two (HBO Max)

Reservation Dogs (FX on Hulu)

Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)

What We Do in the Shadows (FX)

BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Iain Armitage – Young Sheldon (CBS)

Nicholas Hoult – The Great (Hulu)

Steve Martin – Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)

Kayvan Novak – What We Do in the Shadows (FX)

Martin Short – Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)

Jason Sudeikis – Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)

BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES

Elle Fanning – The Great (Hulu)

Renée Elise Goldsberry – Girls5eva (Peacock)

Selena Gomez – Only Murders in the Building (Hulu) 

Sandra Oh – The Chair (Netflix)

Issa Rae – Insecure (HBO)

Jean Smart – Hacks (HBO Max)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Ncuti Gatwa – Sex Education (Netflix)

Brett Goldstein – Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)

Harvey Guillén – What We Do in the Shadows (FX)

Brandon Scott Jones – Ghosts (CBS)

Ray Romano – Made for Love (HBO Max)

Bowen Yang – Saturday Night Live (NBC)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES

Hannah Einbinder – Hacks (HBO Max)

Kristin Chenoweth – Schmigadoon! (Apple TV+)

Molly Shannon – The Other Two (HBO Max) 

Cecily Strong – Saturday Night Live (NBC)

Josie Totah – Saved By the Bell (Peacock)

Hannah Waddingham – Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)

BEST LIMITED SERIES

Dopesick (Hulu)

Dr. Death (Peacock)

It’s a Sin (HBO Max)

Maid (Netflix)

Mare of Easttown (HBO)

Midnight Mass (Netflix)

The Underground Railroad (Amazon Prime Video)

WandaVision (Disney+)

BEST MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION

Come From Away (Apple TV+)

List of a Lifetime (Lifetime)

The Map of Tiny Perfect Things (Amazon Prime Video)

Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia (Lifetime)

Oslo (HBO)

Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas (The Roku Channel)

BEST ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION

Olly Alexander – It’s a Sin (HBO Max)

Paul Bettany – WandaVision (Disney+)

William Jackson Harper – Love Life (HBO Max)

Joshua Jackson – Dr. Death (Peacock)

Michael Keaton – Dopesick (Hulu)

Hamish Linklater – Midnight Mass (Netflix)

BEST ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION

Danielle Brooks – Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia (Lifetime)

Cynthia Erivo – Genius: Aretha (National Geographic)

Thuso Mbedu – The Underground Railroad (Amazon Prime Video)

Elizabeth Olsen – WandaVision (Disney+)

Margaret Qualley – Maid (Netflix)

Kate Winslet – Mare of Easttown (HBO)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION

Murray Bartlett – The White Lotus (HBO)

Zach Gilford – Midnight Mass (Netflix)

William Jackson Harper – The Underground Railroad (Amazon Prime Video)

Evan Peters – Mare of Easttown (HBO)

Christian Slater – Dr. Death (Peacock)

Courtney B. Vance – Genius: Aretha (National Geographic)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION

Jennifer Coolidge – The White Lotus (HBO)

Kaitlyn Dever – Dopesick (Hulu)

Kathryn Hahn – WandaVision (Disney+)

Melissa McCarthy – Nine Perfect Strangers (Hulu)

Julianne Nicholson – Mare of Easttown (HBO)

Jean Smart – Mare of Easttown (HBO)

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE SERIES

Acapulco (Apple TV+)

Call My Agent! (Netflix)

Lupin (Netflix)

Money Heist (Netflix)

Narcos: Mexico (Netflix)

Squid Game (Netflix)

BEST ANIMATED SERIES

Big Mouth (Netflix)

Bluey (Disney Junior)

Bob’s Burgers (Fox)

The Great North (Fox)

Q-Force (Netflix)

What If…? (Disney+)

BEST TALK SHOW

The Amber Ruffin Show (Peacock)

Desus & Mero (Showtime)

The Kelly Clarkson Show (NBC)

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

Late Night with Seth Meyers (NBC)

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen (Bravo)

BEST COMEDY SPECIAL 

Bo Burnham: Inside (Netflix)

Good Timing with Jo Firestone (Peacock)

James Acaster: Cold Lasagne Hate Myself 1999 (Vimeo)

Joyelle Nicole Johnson: Love Joy (Peacock)

Nate Bargatze: The Greatest Average American (Netflix)

Trixie Mattel: One Night Only (YouTube)

FILM NOMINATIONS FOR THE 27TH ANNUAL CRITICS CHOICE AWARDS

BEST PICTURE

Belfast

CODA

Don’t Look Up

Dune

King Richard

Licorice Pizza

Nightmare Alley

The Power of the Dog

tick, tick…Boom!

West Side Story

BEST ACTOR

Nicolas Cage – Pig

Benedict Cumberbatch – The Power of the Dog

Peter Dinklage – Cyrano

Andrew Garfield – tick, tick…Boom!

Will Smith – King Richard

Denzel Washington – The Tragedy of Macbeth

BEST ACTRESS

Jessica Chastain – The Eyes of Tammy Faye

Olivia Colman – The Lost Daughter

Lady Gaga – House of Gucci

Alana Haim – Licorice Pizza

Nicole Kidman – Being the Ricardos

Kristen Stewart – Spencer

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Jamie Dornan – Belfast

Ciarán Hinds – Belfast

Troy Kotsur – CODA

Jared Leto – House of Gucci

J.K. Simmons – Being the Ricardos

Kodi Smit-McPhee – The Power of the Dog

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Caitríona Balfe – Belfast

Ariana DeBose – West Side Story

Ann Dowd – Mass

Kirsten Dunst – The Power of the Dog

Aunjanue Ellis – King Richard

Rita Moreno – West Side Story

BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS

Jude Hill – Belfast

Cooper Hoffman – Licorice Pizza

Emilia Jones – CODA

Woody Norman – C’mon C’mon

Saniyya Sidney – King Richard

Rachel Zegler – West Side Story

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE

Belfast

Don’t Look Up

The Harder They Fall

Licorice Pizza

The Power of the Dog

West Side Story

BEST DIRECTOR

Paul Thomas Anderson – Licorice Pizza

Kenneth Branagh – Belfast

Jane Campion – The Power of the Dog

Guillermo del Toro – Nightmare Alley

Steven Spielberg – West Side Story

Denis Villeneuve – Dune

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Paul Thomas Anderson – Licorice Pizza

Zach Baylin – King Richard

Kenneth Branagh – Belfast

Adam McKay, David Sirota – Don’t Look Up

Aaron Sorkin – Being the Ricardos

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Jane Campion – The Power of the Dog

Maggie Gyllenhaal – The Lost Daughter

Siân Heder – CODA

Tony Kushner – West Side Story

Jon Spaihts, Denis Villeneuve, Eric Roth – Dune

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Bruno Delbonnel – The Tragedy of Macbeth

Greig Fraser – Dune

Janusz Kaminski – West Side Story

Dan Laustsen – Nightmare Alley

Ari Wegner – The Power of the Dog

Haris Zambarloukos – Belfast

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

Jim Clay, Claire Nia Richards – Belfast

Tamara Deverell, Shane Vieau – Nightmare Alley

Adam Stockhausen, Rena DeAngelo – The French Dispatch

Adam Stockhausen, Rena DeAngelo – West Side Story

Patrice Vermette, Zsuzsanna Sipos – Dune

BEST EDITING

Sarah Broshar and Michael Kahn – West Side Story

Úna Ní Dhonghaíle – Belfast

Andy Jurgensen – Licorice Pizza

Peter Sciberras – The Power of the Dog

Joe Walker – Dune

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Jenny Beavan – Cruella

Luis Sequeira – Nightmare Alley

Paul Tazewell – West Side Story

Jacqueline West, Robert Morgan – Dune

Janty Yates – House of Gucci

BEST HAIR AND MAKEUP

Cruella

Dune

The Eyes of Tammy Faye

House of Gucci

Nightmare Alley

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Dune

The Matrix Resurrections

Nightmare Alley

No Time to Die

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

BEST COMEDY

Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar

Don’t Look Up

Free Guy

The French Dispatch

Licorice Pizza

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

Encanto

Flee

Luca

The Mitchells vs the Machines

Raya and the Last Dragon

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

A Hero

Drive My Car

Flee

The Hand of God

The Worst Person in the World

BEST SONG

Be Alive – King Richard

Dos Oruguitas – Encanto

Guns Go Bang – The Harder They Fall

Just Look Up – Don’t Look Up

No Time to Die – No Time to Die

BEST SCORE

Nicholas Britell – Don’t Look Up

Jonny Greenwood – The Power of the Dog

Jonny Greenwood – Spencer

Nathan Johnson – Nightmare Alley

Hans Zimmer – Dune

Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

AWARDS SEASON | 27TH ANNUAL CRITICS CHOICE AWARDS NOMINATIONS

The Critics Choice Awards TV nominations were provided today and the Film nominations will be shared on the 13th of this month. The Critics Choice Awards will take place on Sunday, January 9th on The CW and TBS from the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel. As always we’re weighing in on who we believe will win (bold) and in a future post will share who won that we didn’t answer correctly (italicized) and those that we correctly answered (bold italicized).

TELEVISION NOMINATIONS FOR THE 27TH ANNUAL CRITICS CHOICE AWARDS

BEST DRAMA SERIES

Evil (Paramount+)

For All Mankind (Apple TV+)

The Good Fight (Paramount+)

Pose (FX)

Squid Game (Netflix)

Succession (HBO)

This Is Us (NBC)

Yellowjackets (Showtime)

BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

Sterling K. Brown – This Is Us (NBC)

Mike Colter – Evil (Paramount+)

Brian Cox – Succession (HBO)

Lee Jung-jae – Squid Game (Netflix)

Billy Porter – Pose (FX)

Jeremy Strong – Succession (HBO)

BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES

Uzo Aduba – In Treatment (HBO)

Chiara Aurelia – Cruel Summer (Freeform)

Christine Baranski – The Good Fight (Paramount+)

Katja Herbers – Evil (Paramount+)

Melanie Lynskey – Yellowjackets (Showtime)

MJ Rodriguez – Pose (FX)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

Nicholas Braun – Succession (HBO)

Billy Crudup – The Morning Show (Apple TV+)

Kieran Culkin – Succession (HBO)

Justin Hartley – This Is Us (NBC)

Matthew Macfadyen – Succession (HBO)

Mandy Patinkin – The Good Fight (Paramount+)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES

Andrea Martin – Evil (Paramount+)

Audra McDonald – The Good Fight (Paramount+)

Christine Lahti – Evil (Paramount+)

J. Smith-Cameron – Succession (HBO)

Sarah Snook – Succession (HBO)

Susan Kelechi Watson – This Is Us (NBC)

BEST COMEDY SERIES

The Great (Hulu)

Hacks (HBO Max)

Insecure (HBO)

Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)

The Other Two (HBO Max)

Reservation Dogs (FX on Hulu)

Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)

What We Do in the Shadows (FX)

BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Iain Armitage – Young Sheldon (CBS)

Nicholas Hoult – The Great (Hulu)

Steve Martin – Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)

Kayvan Novak – What We Do in the Shadows (FX)

Martin Short – Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)

Jason Sudeikis – Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)

BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES

Elle Fanning – The Great (Hulu)

Renée Elise Goldsberry – Girls5eva (Peacock)

Selena Gomez – Only Murders in the Building (Hulu) 

Sandra Oh – The Chair (Netflix)

Issa Rae – Insecure (HBO)

Jean Smart – Hacks (HBO Max)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Ncuti Gatwa – Sex Education (Netflix)

Brett Goldstein – Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)

Harvey Guillén – What We Do in the Shadows (FX)

Brandon Scott Jones – Ghosts (CBS)

Ray Romano – Made for Love (HBO Max)

Bowen Yang – Saturday Night Live (NBC)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES

Hannah Einbinder – Hacks (HBO Max)

Kristin Chenoweth – Schmigadoon! (Apple TV+)

Molly Shannon – The Other Two (HBO Max) 

Cecily Strong – Saturday Night Live (NBC)

Josie Totah – Saved By the Bell (Peacock)

Hannah Waddingham – Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)

BEST LIMITED SERIES

Dopesick (Hulu)

Dr. Death (Peacock)

It’s a Sin (HBO Max)

Maid (Netflix)

Mare of Easttown (HBO)

Midnight Mass (Netflix)

The Underground Railroad (Amazon Prime Video)

WandaVision (Disney+)

BEST MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION

Come From Away (Apple TV+)

List of a Lifetime (Lifetime)

The Map of Tiny Perfect Things (Amazon Prime Video)

Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia (Lifetime)

Oslo (HBO)

Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas (The Roku Channel)

BEST ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION

Olly Alexander – It’s a Sin (HBO Max)

Paul Bettany – WandaVision (Disney+)

William Jackson Harper – Love Life (HBO Max)

Joshua Jackson – Dr. Death (Peacock)

Michael Keaton – Dopesick (Hulu)

Hamish Linklater – Midnight Mass (Netflix)

BEST ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION

Danielle Brooks – Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia (Lifetime)

Cynthia Erivo – Genius: Aretha (National Geographic)

Thuso Mbedu – The Underground Railroad (Amazon Prime Video)

Elizabeth Olsen – WandaVision (Disney+)

Margaret Qualley – Maid (Netflix)

Kate Winslet – Mare of Easttown (HBO)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION

Murray Bartlett – The White Lotus (HBO)

Zach Gilford – Midnight Mass (Netflix)

William Jackson Harper – The Underground Railroad (Amazon Prime Video)

Evan Peters – Mare of Easttown (HBO)

Christian Slater – Dr. Death (Peacock)

Courtney B. Vance – Genius: Aretha (National Geographic)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION

Jennifer Coolidge – The White Lotus (HBO)

Kaitlyn Dever – Dopesick (Hulu)

Kathryn Hahn – WandaVision (Disney+)

Melissa McCarthy – Nine Perfect Strangers (Hulu)

Julianne Nicholson – Mare of Easttown (HBO)

Jean Smart – Mare of Easttown (HBO)

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE SERIES

Acapulco (Apple TV+)

Call My Agent! (Netflix)

Lupin (Netflix)

Money Heist (Netflix)

Narcos: Mexico (Netflix)

Squid Game (Netflix)

BEST ANIMATED SERIES

Big Mouth (Netflix)

Bluey (Disney Junior)

Bob’s Burgers (Fox)

The Great North (Fox)

Q-Force (Netflix)

What If…? (Disney+)

BEST TALK SHOW

The Amber Ruffin Show (Peacock)

Desus & Mero (Showtime)

The Kelly Clarkson Show (NBC)

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

Late Night with Seth Meyers (NBC)

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen (Bravo)

BEST COMEDY SPECIAL 

Bo Burnham: Inside (Netflix)

Good Timing with Jo Firestone (Peacock)

James Acaster: Cold Lasagne Hate Myself 1999 (Vimeo)

Joyelle Nicole Johnson: Love Joy (Peacock)

Nate Bargatze: The Greatest Average American (Netflix)

Trixie Mattel: One Night Only (YouTube)

Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.

FROM STORM WITH LOVE

L > R Sandra Lee, John Starks, Steve Schrippa, Hannah Storm and Dan Hicks

We have been fans of Hannah Storm for years as we know her best from her work on ESPN speaking with a number of athletes across various sports, as well as her work with NBC covering Wimbledon, MLB and the Olympics. We were very excited to chat with her about the depth of her career, Brainstormin' Productions, and The Hannah Storm Foundation. We also attended her Charity Waiter Event earlier this month which included a number of her colleagues at her network, athletes, personalities, and industry leaders.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Tell us your journey to becoming a Sports Broadcaster and how you came to ESPN, as well as what shows you've been on with the network.

HANNAH STORM: That is a very very long answer! So, I’ll try to condense it. So growing up, I was the daughter of a sports executive and we moved all around the country. When I went to Notre Dame, I came in there having been in a lot of plays and musicals in high school and was somewhat of a ham as I loved performing. I decided I would channel that into television work and because I had really grown up around sports, I decided to pursue that and that was something that women didn’t really do at that time as a career option. I started off on the radio and began at my local station. We had a little TV station at my time so I interned there for free. I think that internships are so important and I did them at TBS in Atlanta over the summer. When I was in Houston, I did an internship there for experience while I was waitressing for money. 

When I got out of college, of course no one wanted to hire me. It was just uncommon to have a woman in that field. I would have news directors tell me that their audience would not accept a woman or that their sports directors would not work with a woman. One even said that they would hire a woman over their dead body. I got a lot of those kinds of responses. My father actually said that there were a lot of radio stations and TV stations around the country, so I started answering want ads. I actually got hired by a Rock and Roll heavy metal station to be a DJ. I loved the music as well and I thought, “ok I need to get on the air.” It was a great first job in Corpus Christi, TX. I saw another want ad up in Houston and this time, it was a person that was a DJ on the weekends and then they did sports during the week! I thought, “Ah ha! That’s me – that’s my in.”. So I drove up there and waited in the lobby for the program director to leave work one day. I popped up and handed him my tape and resume in person. I got that job and I started working part-time in TV in Houston.  I went to do the Rockets and Astros halftime and pre-game and I kept sending tapes out the whole time across the country. I was literally mailing tapes and resumes out all the time and then I got hired by a station in Charlotte that was a brand new station starting up looking to be different than other stations in the market. They thought, wouldn’t it be wild to hire a woman in sports.

So I was hired there as sort of a “let’s be different” kind of thing and less than a year later, I was hired by CNN. I was the first full-time female sports anchor there. I was in a department of about 75 men. So that was quite the experience there and a great thing was that I met my husband, Dan Hicks. 

Then I went from CNN to NBC. My first assignment was Wimbledon and my second assignment was the Olympics in Barcelona – Dick Ebersol from NBC was a really late night TV watcher and I was on at 2:30am a lot (sometimes 11) and so he saw me quite a bit on the air and thought that I had a lot of potential. So after 3 years at CNN, I went to New York at NBC for 10 years and he gave me unprecedented opportunities that a woman had never had in the business. I hosted Major League Baseball, I hosted the NBA, I hosted Notre Dame football – basically every event NBC had as they had a lot at that time. Then, NBC lost a lot of their sports properties media rights and I had always wanted to do morning news.

Precipitously, they had started a new morning crew at CBS so I was on in the mornings at CBS for 6 years. CBS News had a lot of turn over and that whole morning crew was swept out, and then roughly at about 8 months later, ESPN was getting ready to launch daytime SportsCenter in the morning and you really needed to launch it with someone who had a name and an understanding of the morning show sensibility along with knowing sports. So I went back into sports at ESPN. 

I made a lot of decisions that brought me to various reasons for working where and when I did as this is just the quick version and a lot of it had to do with my children and their schedule. I always worked daytime or in the morning because of my kids. 

Now I have 2 in college and one that has 2 more years in high school. It’s gone by really fast!

AM: As a fan of your work, I like that you wear many hats from being a broadcaster, being an author and being a producer. What is Brainstormin' Productions and what was the catalyst behind creating this company?

HS: Great question. When I left CBS, and before I knew that I was going to ESPN, I had already been through a time at NBC and CBS where they were making broad business decisions for various reasons. None of them had to do with whether I was doing a good job, but it was based on things happening at a company wide basis. I think with my dad being a commissioner at the ABA and having an understanding of how things work with franchises and I have always understood how things along the way that are decided upon that are not personal. 

I wanted something that I had control over. This was important to me to be able to have something of my own and that I could create and do it in my own way and to run. It’s interesting because this was the impetus of what lead me to write my own book and I have always felt that I needed that creative outlet that I had control over and I wouldn’t wake up to find that it was gone.

So Brainstormin’ and my foundation were created when I left CBS and before I got to ESPN. My foundation and my production work were grandfathered into anywhere that I went. We started it out of my daughter’s tiny bedroom, we kicked her out of her room, and it was perfect for me as it was my first office. She slept in her sister’s bedroom and I was able to work in this closet and then it grew into my basement and now I have a cottage that we work out of which is awesome. 

We got our first big break when I was being introduced at the UpFronts to ESPN and as I was watching them do the presentation about the original 30 For 30 series. I thought that I could do that and wanted to do that! I introduced myself at ESPN to the person running 30 For 30. I asked if they had any slots left and he said he had two. 

I asked if there was anything that they didn’t have that they were desperate for. To me, this is something that I learned from my really good friend Nicholas Sparks (Bestselling Author of novels The Notebook, A Walk to Remember) which is to find out what the needs are and to fulfill those. He said that they did not have a women’s film nor a tennis film. My thoughts went to Chris Evert and Chris and Martina [Navratilova]. I ended up producing my first film Peabody Award winning 30 For 30 which was awesome and a great experience. I did several films: 9 For 9, SEC Stories, shorts, full length, etc. My first film which comes up on a different network, Epix, debuts on Nov 8th – Danica. I’m very proud of it as my films tend to be inspirational and aspirational whether they are about men or women. My last film was about Shaq and his coach Dale Brown at LSU – a relationship between two men. I’m already in discussion about more films and content across the board. It’s exciting to get into these conversations. Now that I have had a little bit of time to devote time to this it’s been a lot of fun.  

AM: What is the process behind deciding which projects are greenlit or are a fit to being included within Brainstormin' Productions?

HS: There are definitely things that I know are good stories. I pitch those up to whatever entity that I think would be a great fit. It’s the same formula I have used all along – what do you need, what are you looking for – what are you missing? What fits your sensibilities and I take the myriad of ideas I have and take them in. That makes it a great fit. I have a varied team of people that I work with and I pair various producers and editors. It’s about pairing people that are right for the project and its ongoing team building. Just putting together groups of people and projects is fun as you’re running a project, working with a network and you’re creating the whole time and always thinking about it.  Sometimes you work on something and realize that that isn’t what you want to do and you don’t want to do things unless they’re going to be good!

AM: Tell us about the Hannah Storm Foundation and why this organization is so important to you.

HS: Yes! It’s been great! I was born with a port wine stain on my left eye area and it looked like I had a black eye, and I still do when you don’t see me with makeup on. People will ask what happened to my face etc. Growing up, my parents tried all kinds of surgeries – the cold laser surgery wasn’t available then. All different methods of surgeries growing up and it was a lot – they really tried to make it look better. Now the surgeries and technologies are available, but they are not covered by insurance and is prohibitive. Kids really need 10-12 surgeries, and many are severely disfigured. We’re able to fund those surgeries with one of the best surgeons in the world and one of the inventors of the laser, a South African doctor Dr. Milton Waner, who is at the top of his field and is known worldwide. We’re able to do the surgeries in conjunction with him and it’s a specific charity, but it is very close to my heart. 

The other mission of this charity is to fund a journalist internship at my alma mater, Notre Dame. It allows students to work on a practical level by writing for our alumni publication so that when they get out of college they have online and print content. Now we’re going more into visual, but when they get out they have published work when they leave college.

AM: We're excited to attend this year's Celebrity Waiter Event which is one of your foundation's events. Why did you come up with this format for this charity event, and since you have done this for a number of years, how do you decide which Celebrity Waiters will participate and are there those that do so at each of these events?

HS: Actually, Larry Fitzgerald of the Arizona Cardinals kind of gave me that idea. I saw that he was doing an event in Phoenix at Morton’s and I thought what a fun concept. He got his teammates to wait tables and I thought that was really neat and we partnered with Morton’s for our first event. I asked how the Phoenix event worked and whether he thought it would be a good idea for me to do and he said to go for it. It was crazy. 

My celebrity waiters will eat and drink as much as the patrons and they have been hilarious. Mike Ditka enjoyed eating mash potatoes out of the center of the table which is one of my favorite memories from a previous event. It was hysterical and people love it. It’s just a fun and different experience and people don’t really do that. People get a kick out of it and my waiters have fun and it’s like – I’m not stuffy and I want it to be a party. 

We do a live auction and this year we’re being honored by All Sports United. It’s just really amazing and very celebratory and we’re coming together to do good. It’s a different and needed cause and we’re a global charity that people reach out from all over. We always identify a special child who will need something immediately and we have a fund in need that focuses on them. 

One year, we had a child that had something wrong with his eye and he needed immediate surgery and we set aside portions of the auction within the “funds in need” to take care of this critical surgery. A charity event impacts a number of lives and it doesn’t matter the number – just the act of doing it and that’s why we’re on this earth. We have to impact individuals and it costs a lot of money to take care of one child but we have to help – we’re their only hope! 

It’s been very gratifying and many of these children and families I may never meet! Some I have and it’s important that we know the doctor that is doing it and we are very much so on top of each case and what is taking place from the treatment plan. It helps to have such an acclaimed doctor that is a part of this as I think he is the most interesting man in the world!

AM: You’re doing so many good things and it’s amazing that you’re able to get them done! 

HS: Well I don’t know how either! It’s so busy around here – that’s all I have to say! I have an incredible business partner, Carmen Belmont. We met when our kids were in pre-school and we’re still together to this day. She believes in me and everything we have going on. I am super creative with a ton of connections. She is super practical, she line produces, she does the books – she’s over at the hospitals. She’s the nuts and bolts of what we do.

AM: We know that you are married to NBC Broadcaster, Dan Hicks. How do you balance your time when you both may me be traveling to cover similar stories such as the Olympics or when you have schedules that cause you to be apart - how do you ensure your connection?

HS: The cool thing is that he is around during the week. So that’s nice. He is here now eating lunch and we’re able to go to my daughter’s field hockey games, we can have lunch together, we have dinner when we’re both home as I love to cook. I love that time right before dinner when I’m cooking and I have a glass of wine or scotch! 

Golf is essentially on the weekends so we can hang out during the week. Right now, golf is on a hiatus so that's  nice for a couple of weeks. Then obviously we do a lot of events – so I just got back from Chicago interviewing the Mannings for a corporate event. It’s funny, there is a lot more travel now than before. Whether I’m doing corporate events, filming or doing things for ESPN – there’s travel. It’s about balancing that out while having a daughter at home and it’s about being cognizant of that. Sometimes, you just have to do it and it sucks but it’s the reality of what we do. I mean, I suppose if we were actors we’d be shooting and doing the same thing. We’re home for spurts and then we also travel quite a bit!

Read more in the Oct Issue and see From Storm with Love in mag.

BINGELY STREAMING

NCAA MARCH MADNESS
TBS, CBS, TNT, TRU TV
Mar. 14th - Apr. 3rd
 

There are a number of games throughout the year that are key but when it comes to basketball, the NCAA's March Madness is a must series of games to watch! From conference games leading up to The Big Dance, Selection Sunday and more - it's a number of weeks that are bound to be filled with anxiety as we watch teams advance on their journey.

As we're all glued to our screens to watch our teams, alma mater's, friends and more play throughout the tournament to see who takes it all - you'll need to check when and where your team is airing on TBS, CBS, TNT and Tru TV! 

Whether you watch it at home, your favorite sports bar or your phone - there are a number of ways to stay connected so that you can check in on how your brackets are fairing as 36 teams continue to crown one winner for the Men's Division I! Find out how you can download apps to watch and get behind the scenes info on the team that you're rooting for! It's all about staying connected from mid-March until early April!

Whoever you root for (or change due to your team not advancing), it's weeks filled with good vibrations, frothy beverages and of course bragging rights!
 

BETTER CALL SAUL
SEASON 2
Netflix; Mar. 27th

AMC's Breaking Bad is still one of our favorite series and after watching it, we wondered about some of our favorite characters. Thankfully, Better Call Saul (the pre-quel) is streaming this month for its 2nd season to tell us more about this lawyer and how he came to be the go to man in the AMC show! This month, season 2 continues with our favorite lawyer who doesn't quite work in a conventional manner.

The spinoff includes even more characters that are back showing how Jimmy became Saul Goodman.

GRACE AND FRANKIE
Netflix Original Series; Mar. 24th

Our favorite sister friends, Grace and Frankie are back for season 3 in Netflix's Original show that showcases how families change and stay together to still remind us how connected we are! We all know of couple friendships that are connected due to a connection that exists with one member of each couple, but when the husbands of Grace (Jane Fonda) and Frankie (Lily Tomlin) marry one another after being law partners for over 20  years - things change! Season 1 found the women grappling with their new lives and seeing the marriage of their husbands (Martin Sheen and Sam Waterston), the next season focused on the continued bond of these women and their families. Lily began working on creating a lubrication line which ended up not moving forward. Towards the end of the season, Grace (former cosmetic mogul) suggests that they create a vibrator line for women that have arthritis. The season ended with the two embarking on starting this new business together. 

Season 3 continues with growing their friendship while also starting their new business. Expect a focus on health and aging through a number of the jokes offered as the two (and their families) navigate their lives! Regardless, it's a solid show that we hope to see a lot more of as they are considering more seasons to run through the year!

Read more from the March Issue and see Bingely Streaming in mag.