SILVER-MANED SINGER Taylor Hicks made his name by winning the fifth season of "American Idol" in 2006, fueled by the support of his fans, dubbed the Soul Patrol. Since then, the 33-year-old has released two albums and parlayed his "Idol" success into a stint on stages across the country as the Teen Angel in the national tour of "Grease." Hicks and company land at the National Theatre Feb. 9-21.
» EXPRESS: Had you thought of doing professional musical theater before "Idol"?
» HICKS: Never in a million years would I dream that I would actually grace a Broadway stage in New York City. That's what "Idol" allows — the platform to be an entertainer and to experience all facets of the business.
» EXPRESS: What was it about "Grease" that lured you to sign on?
» HICKS: You always want to start small and get bigger, and from just a learning perspective — not having ever had any acting training — I think taking a small role like Teen Angel was the best move for me because it allowed me to get my feet wet.
HE CALLS HIMSELF an amateur eater, but on Travel Channel's "Man v. Food" (Wed., 10 p.m.), Adam Richman battles daunting dishes like a pro. He goes to one U.S. city per episode, visiting pig-out spots before attempting a chow-down challenge at a restaurant. He's pounded everything from an 11-pound "carnivore" pizza in Atlanta to a sumo-sized bowl of ramen in L.A. On Feb. 3, he'll tape his first live show, a pre-Super Bowl gobble fest in Miami.
» EXPRESS: What's harder: eating a lot of food or eating spicy food?
» RICHMAN: They present completely different issues. There are different levels of hot. A hot wing is not a hot burger is not a hot soup. And with quantity challenges, it's difficult to compare a large sandwich to a large omelet. Sometimes with quantity challenges, you're dealing with overwhelming richness. Sometimes you deal with an inability to chew, like with multiple milk shakes.
» EXPRESS: Aren't carbs tough to gulp, too?
» RICHMAN: Potatoes are the demon. No dissing the beautiful people of Idaho, but the problem is, [when you eat potatoes] whatever residual moisture you have in your stomach expands. Finish a lot of carbs, take two sips of water, and suddenly you're at maximum capacity.
Continue Reading "Chow Hound: Adam Richman, 'Man v. Food'" »
ONE YEAR AGO this week, a white gown dotted with milky flowers elevated 27-year-old Jason Wu from up-and-coming designer to fashion star. Michelle Obama's inaugural ball gown isn't yet enshrined in the Smithsonian alongside the other first ladies' finery, but the Taipei-born, New York-based Wu has definitely become a part of fashion history.
» EXPRESS: Did your life change overnight after the inauguration?
» WU: It was pretty dramatic. Things definitely haven't been the same since that night. For a brand that's just three years old to be internationally recognized - that often takes 20, 30 years. And for an immigrant who came here to do fashion to suddenly be a part of American history, it's an incredible experience.
» EXPRESS: Even my mom knows who you are now.
» WU: My name was suddenly broadcast to every house in the world that owned a television set. I was crossing the street one day soon after, and a truck driver pulled up, rolled down the window and said, "Hey, you're that guy Jason who designed the inauguration dress." I never for one second thought a truck driver would know who I am.
Continue Reading "Inaugural Darling: Jason Wu, Fashion Designer" »
AUSSIE-BORN, L.A.-dwelling landscape architect Jamie Durie doesn't just create backyards. He makes alfresco dream rooms: Japanese-style retreats with burbling fountains, "Are-we-in-South-Beach?" poolscapes with slinky sofas and slinkier cabanas. The host of PBS' "The Victory Garden" (check listings) and outdoor pro on "Oprah" just launched an HGTV show, "The Outdoor Room" (Fri., 10 p.m.), which follows him planting green spaces around the world.
» EXPRESS: Travel inspires many of your landscapes, doesn't it?
» DURIE: I like going to age-old places like Ethiopia, where I am now. You can learn a lot from a nation like this, where people speak so many languages and the architecture is so different from our own.
» EXPRESS: Any fave places that you like to re-create in people's backyards?
» DURIE: I lean toward tropical or Med-style climates, since those cultures are always good at making the most of their outdoor spaces. Their architecture is very good at bridging the gap between outdoors and in.
Continue Reading "Garden Guru: Jamie Durie, Host of 'The Outdoor Room'" »
SINCE TAKING OVER longtime Style Network makeover show "How Do I Look?" (Sat., 8 p.m.) last year, Jeannie Mai has been on a mission to rescue the country's biggest fashion victims. The show has just returned with a new batch of closet overhaul candidates, from a woman who will only wear purple to a former exotic dancer who refuses to ditch her stripper heels.
» EXPRESS: Original host Finola Hughes launched the show in 2004. How did you feel about inheriting it?
» MAI: I basically grew up with the show. My style — and my experience as a stylist — blossomed as I watched it. To me, it's a cult classic. When I was offered the job, I was very excited, but also a little worried about stepping into Finola Hughes' stilettos.
» EXPRESS: Is it hard telling people they need a major makeover?
» MAI: I try to play the role of a nice dentist who will tell you everything you're about to do before you do it. I'll hold your hand through the tough parts.
» EXPRESS: But that still doesn't always mean they want to hear it.
» MAI: On this new season, we have a lot of tough characters who don't think they need makeovers. Their attitude is, "You suck, your style sucks and you can suck it." Sometimes I do worry that I'm going to get my butt kicked.
Continue Reading "'How Do I Look?' Host, Anti-Spandex Crusader: Jeannie Mai" »
AS THE COSTUME DIRECTOR of teen hit "Gossip Girl," Eric Daman is personally responsible for such frenzied fashion crazes as the headband and the bow tie. Now, Daman — who honed his trend-creating chops as part of the wardrobe department of "Sex and the City" — offers a crash course on cool style in his new book, "You Know You Want It" ($30, Clarkson Potter).
» EXPRESS: What makes your book different than other style how-tos?
» DAMAN: I wanted to create something that was both aspirational and inspirational. It's not about pairing this basic with that one. As a costume designer, my goal is to help women create their own characters. To me, clothing is a coat of arms — it shows who you are but also acts as a shield throughout your day.
Continue Reading "'Gossip Girl' Costume Guru, Urban Equestrian: Eric Daman" »
THOUGH JOHN MCCAIN beat him out of the Republican presidential nomination last year, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee hasn't been relaxing in his bathrobe since stepped off the campaign bus. The folksy pol grills newsmakers on his Fox talk show, "Huckabee" (Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.), and he just penned a holiday memoir, "A Simple Christmas" ($20, Sentinel). We asked him what that means.
» EXPRESS: When were 8, you received a guitar, which was your favorite gift ever. What's on your list this year?
» HUCKABEE: I'm notorious for going out and getting whatever I want before the holiday. Why would I wait until December when I can get it now? But, really, I don't want anything. I just want to be home with my family and go duck hunting.
Continue Reading "Talking Head, Stuffing Snarfer: Mike Huckabee" »
IN "JULIE & JULIA," writer Julie Powell recalled how she cooked every recipe in Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" in a year. After Powell's book's success (it inspired a film by the same name), she found herself with marriage woes and self-doubts. Powell sought refuge working as a butcher, which she juicily recounts in "Cleaving: A Story of Marriage, Meat and Obsession" ($25, Little, Brown).
» EXPRESS: Why were you drawn to meat?
» POWELL: I was fascinated by old-school butcher shops — the smells, sights and men who have been doing it their entire lives. I found the idea of such physical work tantalizing.
» EXPRESS: What was most surprising about butchering?
» POWELL: You're dealing with hundreds of pounds of meat, but you have to be so delicate with it. There's a sort of poetry to the way muscles come together and come apart.
Continue Reading "Writer, Butcher, Thermometer Evangelist: Julie Powell" »
D.C.'S OLIVIA WILDE has tackled the teen market (as Alex on "The O.C."), the prime-time drama (as Thirteen on "House") and the Hollywood blockbuster (next year's much-anticipated "Tron"). But she takes an indie turn with her new film, "Fix," directed by and co-starring her husband, Tao Ruspoli. The actress — and daughter of veteran news journalists — chats about working with a spouse and coming home for the holidays.
» EXPRESS: Tell us about "Fix."
» WILDE: I like to describe the film as a dark comedy, a road movie and a story about a family. It's about two brothers, one of whom has 12 hours to get his brother to rehab, or else he'll have to go to jail for seven or eight years. It involves this wild odyssey through Los Angeles, where they encounter all these different characters.
» EXPRESS: Was it difficult to work alongside your husband?
» WILDE: It was fun! The great thing about working with someone that you're involved with romantically and whom you respect and admire is that you trust them. I really felt very safe in Tao's hands and very free to take risks. I think that's when actors can really thrive.
Continue Reading "Actress, Washington Native: Olivia Wilde" »
IF PAULA DEEN is the Dolly Parton of Southern cooking, showily turning out homey dishes, then food-missionary brothers Matt and Ted Lee might be its brainy, alt-country house band a la the Old 97's or Son Volt. The Charleston, S.C., natives, cookbook authors and proprietors of food store Boiledpeanuts.com have won fans (and a James Beard Award) for their respectful riffs on below-the-Mason-Dixon-line fare. The kings of Dixie cuisine have a new cookbook, "The Lee Bros. Simple Fresh Southern" ($35, Clarkson Potter).
» EXPRESS: How do you tweak old recipes without trashing them?
» TED LEE: We try to pay homage to the traditions, not turn recipes into caricatures. We won't ever do foie gras grits. We're interested in preserving an idea. In the book, we've got shrimp and deviled egg rolls, which end up like Low Country lobster rolls. And we made a potato gratin with pimento cheese. MATT LEE: Re-appraise your family recipes, and think about where you can adapt them to how you cook now. Maybe swap olive oil for canola oil in a biscuit recipe.
» EXPRESS: Isn't part of your foodie mission lightening up what some think is a heavy cuisine?
» ML: Yes, and it's easy. There are things that add flavors which fool you into thinking a dish has more fat than it does. Buttermilk adds acidity and a creamy roundness. TL: And when I think of Southern flavor, I think vinegary, which you can get from pickles, whether they're sweet or sour.
Addison Road