John Handiboe, Hey John! What's Going On?
The 14th Annual SAG Awards managed to side-step the three-month-long writers strike and is set for a full ceremony Sunday night. It will be the first awards show to roll out the red carpet and garnish the glitz and glamour of Hollywood’s big name stars.
Members of the the Writing Guild of America said they would not picket the ceremony after SAG and the Guild came to an agreement similar to the deal David Letterman worked out for his company Worldwide Pants.
It is a deal the Golden Globes failed to secure and it is still uncertain if the Academy Awards will be able to reach and agreement with the Writers Guild.
Tom Cruise, a three-time Oscar and SAG Awards nominee, will make his first SAG appearance as a presenter. It is a very public appearance on the heels of the controversy swirling around the release of an “unauthorized biography” about the 45-year-old. That was coupled with the unauthorized release of a four-year-old video that played on the internet and showed Tom Cruise spouting the views of Scientology.
Cruise, who appeared as a presenter at the 2007 Academy Awards, is just the start to what is being billed as the biggest star-studded event so far this year.
Other presenters include: Russell Crowe, Tina Fey, Kate Hudson, Tommy Lee Jones, Matthew McConaughey, John Travolta, Vanessa Williams and Forrest Whitaker.
Orlando’s Joey Fatone (Fatone Bio), host of NBC’s Singing Bee and former contestant on ABC’s Dancing With the Stars, will work the red carpet for The TV Guide Channel.
“Stop the presses, hold the phones,” he said after learning Cruise would be there. “What would I ask him? How have you been? Life’s been pretty good for you? I would actually say, tell us something that you would like to tell everyone. Tell us something that you think people would want to know about you. Are you still crazy?”
It is that kind of material audiences eat-up. There is always and uncertainty of what will happen live on the red carpet.
“It’s that type of thing you just don't know. That's what's so great about these kind of award shows and the Red Carpet. Expect the unexpected because you never know what that person my say or what I might say,” said Fatone.
This is the former N-Syncer’s first time mingling with the movie stars at the SAG awards. He worked the velvet rope at last year’s Emmy Awards and he plans to do the same at the Grammy’s and, as he said, “hopefully” the Academy Awards.
“With the whole writers strike it is a little crazy. So, now that The SAG Awards and the Writers Guild came up with an agreement, pretty much everybody is coming out because this is their shot to promote their films,” explained Fatone.
Fatone is TV Guide Network’s co-host for all Red Carpet programming covering the major award shows in Hollywood.
Of course, the Red Carpet brings with it the couture craze. The stars will slap on their bow-ties and ball gowns for the first time this year. Fatone is going for comfort.
“Chaps, maybe a g-string, no, I am going with a tuxedo, Hugo Boss. At the Emmy's I wore these sneakers, they were Gucci sneakers. This year I am wearing a different kind of sneakers. You have to be comfortable on the Red Carpet. I am going to be standing the whole time and I don't want to be wearing these hard shoes that hurt your feet. So, I got these fun sneakers and I think that is what my thing is going to be. It is really cool, I don't want to give it away you have to check it out on TV Guide Network, it's kind of, well they are diamonds and they're on my feet.
You'll have to see it to believe it. It's pretty cool. It's bling like you've never seen before.” described Fatone.
“Live at the Screen Actor’s Guild Awards with Lisa (Rinna) and Joey” premieres Sunday, January 27 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. ET/PT on the TV Guide Network.
The SAG Awards will air live on TNT and TBS at 8 p.m.
You can see Hey John’s entire video interview with Joey Fatone on Central Florida on Demand. There are special award show sections for the Golden Globes and Oscars. Plus, you can watch new move trailers and previews and check out the new movie review show, Popcorn Previews. It is all on Bright House Networks digital cable channel 300 at no additional charge.
To see more of What's Going On, go to Central Florida On Demand, Digital Cable Channel 300, select the entertainment and travel category, and then Hey John!
Click here to comment on this story.