CATCH 21: First Day Filming Season 2!

Reported by: Charity C.

GSN’s original Black Jack style game show, “Catch 21″ is finally back filming for its second season! A show I predicted to be a hit after spending many days on set during the show’s first season. I’m glad I was right, and everyone at HOLLYWOOD JUNKET is also thrilled to be part of season two.

WHAT’S NEW – WHAT’S NOT:

The show has made some small, but minor changes. The number of audience members has been increased from about thirty last season to around 200 this season. That means, more yelling and rooting-on contestants by audiences who are genuinely pulling for them. The production moved its filming studio from KCET to “Hollywood Center Studios” – down the street from HOLLYWOOD JUNKET headquarters! The last change we noticed was a much bigger stage than its intimate one last season. Also new, a new “Catch 21″ title art logo. Sorry, but I liked the old one much better. See this earlier post for a photo of the original version: http://hollywoodjunket.com/blog/2008/06/15/catch-21-a-potential-hit-for-gsn/

Host, Alfonso Ribeiro and co-host/dealer Mikki Padillia both return with a dynamic as ever chemistry. The show kept with the same color scheme and same game rules as last season. It is also reported, that the show stayed with the same final round stage. It is a separate stage from where the rest of the show is filmed with three competing contestants. One change reported that was not made was the end of the game set. It was reported to be the same as the first season. The main difference, there is now audience seated in the background of this particular stage where there was none before.

The amount of money to be won on “Catch 21″ remains the same. Contestants may win up to $25,000 as their grand prize.

ACTION ON THE SET:

Main host, Ribeiro, has a great stage presence and makes the audience feel like they want to be involved in the game. He also likes to reveal little tidbits here and there about how his former costars from “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air”, James Avery and Tatyana Ali have been volunteering hosting advice to him. Avery and Ali told Ribeiro that he should do some of his signature Michael Jackson moves (that made him famous years ago) while he hosts “Catch 21″. This in turn, got him in trouble with GSN who told him, “you can’t grab your nuts on GSN!”

For those who aren’t familiar with the popular Pepsi promo with Ribeiro as a child, mini-Michael Jackson, click here: Michael Jackson Pepsi commercial
Ribeiro’s dancing infomercial: Dancing infomercial, Breakin’ and Poppin’

Co-Host and Card Dealer on the show, Mikki Padillia looked beautiful in her bright outfits worn on stage. Sponsor of the show, Foster Grant eyeglasses was sported by the stunning Padillia.

More to come as we continue our coverage of “Catch 21″ this season.

DR. PHIL: Octo-Mom Interview Sneak Peek!

SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT!
HOLLYWOOD JUNKET was on the set of the “Dr. Phil” show Monday, February 23rd for a sneak peek of his recent interview with Nadya Suleman, a.k.a., “Octo-Mom”.

At the top of the show, Dr. Phil stated that he is not buying a house for Suleman and her family, and
that the news ran with the assumption that he was when they saw him taking a tour of a mansion
rental for the interview.

His main objective for doing the interview was to “get through” to Suleman. A segment was also shown of an interview done by Lara Spencer for “The Insider”, who visited the set of “Dr. Phil”, of Suleman arguing with her mother, Angela.

Dr. Phil agreed with Suleman that medically, her chances of having all seven or even the eight that formed were a .001 percent chance. But stated that even the attempt to have just one more child to add to her already six was selfish.

Dr. Phil interviews Octo-Mom airs today.

In an exclusive session of questions and answers conducted by Dr. Phil with the audience after the show, Dr. Phil answered one woman’s question regarding “Child Protective Services” by stating that because the conditions that Suleman was keeping the children in (small house, on welfare, single mom) that it still would not be better to take them away from her and put them in foster homes. In his work with his wife, Robin, they both stated that currently there are 25,000 orphans to 400 foster care homes in Los Angeles.

The only solutions Dr. Phil expressed was that Suleman find all the “man power” and help that she can get, and that the children should not suffer because of the mental situation of their mother. Also, according to Dr. Phil and Suleman’s publicist who is offering up his services for free as a close family friend, Nadya does not even have putting the children up for adoption on her “radar”. She always planned to raise them all on her own.

The man who recently came forward claiming that he is the father was denounced by Suleman and her publicist. Her publicist said that his donation did not “take”. After the in vitro, his donation was not saved, but most likely discarded by the lab. According to Suleman, all of her children have the same father who is a close friend.

Dr Phil’s “big” question to Suleman will be revealed during the second half of the interview airing Thursday. The first half of this interview airs today.