Page 32 - ARUBA TODAY

A32 FEATURE
Wednesday 27 november 2019

O'Hurley relishes annual Thanksgiving dog show's popularity

By GINA ABDY mentator Mary Carillo. Da- communication between
Associated Press vid Frei, who is a licensed the handler and the dog
NEW YORK (AP) — Television judge for the American is irreplaceable," he said. "I
traditions on Thanksgiving Kennel Club, serves as the mean, ultimately, the han-
have usually involved the analyst. dler must look invisible."
Macy's Thanksgiving Day "(There's) enough money There are also kid handlers,
parade and then hours of that the team has grown. which O'Hurley says shows
football, but in recent years, Well, you know, we want that dog competitions are
another has emerged: The to create more of an enter- "truly a family sport. And it's
National Dog Show. tainment spectacle around a wonderful way of growing
Hosted by actor John a dog show. It's not just up in the world of a sense
O'Hurley, the annual pa- (the) Westminster (Kennel of discipline, of a sense
rade of pooches has be- Club Dog Show), which is of presentation, a sense
come one of the most pop- very kind of sober. And, you of confidence. It does so
ular shows of Thanksgiving This image released by NBC shows David Frei, left, and host John know, it's a very we want to many wonderful things for
O'Hurley posing with a havanese dog at The National Dog Show
week. in Philadelphia. create the feeling of, 'It's young people that we love
But according to O'Hurley, Associated Press fun.' And dogs are fun. They to see young people come
it almost didn't make its round out the edges in our into this entire world of dog
way to the small screen. Philadelphia, Purina had lap," said O'Hurley, as he sat lives and they're the great- shows."
As O'Hurley tells it, the then- come on as a present- next to Dyson, a Shetland est companions we have." The two-hour show, which
head of NBC Sports was ing sponsor," O' Hurley re- sheepdog on the cusp of To give it more of a sports is pre-taped in the Phila-
enamored with the dog called. "He called me and two who is training to be a feel, handlers are some- delphia area, will air Thurs-
show parody classic "Best I was in L.A. I picked up the therapy dog. "I always said times mic'd, like pro sport day from noon to 2 p.m.
in Show" and came up with phone and I said, 'Hello.' I'm a better person with a players and coaches, so Eastern. It inevitably draws
the idea to do a real show And he said, 'Woof, Woof.' dog in my lap; dogs have a viewers can hear what's comparisons to that other
to fill the gap between the And that's how it all started tendency to round out the going on on the floor and dog show — the venerable
parade and football. 18 years ago." edges in our lives." behind the stage. Westminster Kennel Club
"They have all laughed him For O'Hurley, best known for O'Hurley is joined by Johnny "It's so much fun what's go- Dog Show, held each Feb-
out of the office. But by the his time on "Seinfeld," it was Weir and Tara Lipinski, the ing on, how they're actually ruary. O'Hurley stressed that
end of the day, he had the a natural fit. figure skating commentary talking to the dog back- they are "two completely
National Dog Show license "Well, I've had a dog ever duo known for their dose stage and the things that different shows and two
from the Kennel Club of since I was 4 years old in my of camp, and sports com- they're saying because the very prestigious titles."q