Page 29 - aruba-today-20200120

A29
PEOPLE & ARTS Monday 20 January 2020
Going primetime: "The Jump" serving as pregame for ABC games

By JOE REEDY for five hours.
AP Sports Writer "They had sort of a plan
ESPN has gone through and then the news was
many pairings and ap- taking it in another direc-
proaches trying to build a tion. It showed everyone's
pregame show during its 18 ability to be able to quickly
seasons broadcasting the put everything in context
NBA. This time it's using a when the entire landscape
successful daily show. of the league was shifting,"
The Rachel Nichols-led "The he said.
Jump" has been a day- "The Jump" built a steady
time hit since debuting following of fans and play-
four years ago and is going ers, who watch it during
primetime. It will lead off the afternoon and see it
ABC's Saturday night pack- as a way to connect ei-
age, which begins with the ther after practice or be-
Los Angeles Lakers visiting fore games. Even before
the Houston Rockets. coming to ESPN for the first
"To get the trust of ESPN to time in 2003, Nichols was
do something like this feels well known for her contacts
good. It's not just me host- throughout the league with
ing pregame, but have the The Washington Post.
whole feeling and ethos of It also has given ESPN a Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, right, drives toward the basket as Orlando Magic guard
'The Jump' from games," show that can generate Terrence Ross defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2020,
Nichols said. buzz akin to TNT's "Inside in Los Angeles.
Nichols often takes "The the NBA." Nichols left ESPN Associated Press
Jump" out of its Los Ange- in 2013 and worked at CNN
les studio for a big game and TNT as an anchor and lysts feature not only former team enforcer and Tracy moments.
or newsworthy event, in- reporter for three years. She players but journalists and McGrady was a two-time During a Christmas Day
cluding the NBA Finals. hosted her own show on former front office execu- league scoring champion. show before the Lakers-
The biggest change is the CNN and got to see how tives. Kendrick Perkins, who "We can bear down and Clippers game, Dwight
show will be cut from 60 to things operate with their is part of the rotating casts discuss serious topics but Howard started talking
30 minutes, but even that NBA coverage. of analysts, says the variety we can also be goofy, silly to Pippen while the show
is a throwback to its roots "Having gotten to learn has been beneficial. and lean into the fun of the was going on, and LeBron
as a half-hour program on from the inside has had "The mix gives it a different league," Nichols said. "The James gave a shoutout to
ESPN2. us do that same thing feel during debates. As a show is a real joy because Michael B. Jordan when
Mike Shiffman, head of sometimes on 'The Jump.' I former player I can agree it taps into my strengths. I the actor was being inter-
NBA production for ESPN, learned so much from be- to disagree with a former have a track record of be- viewed.
said the ability of the show ing around those guys on player or great journalists ing a serious journalist and ESPN is also hoping that
to be nimble and adjust to and off camera as well or people who have been also being a goofball." ratings begin to rebound
breaking news was one of as the way they would let around the league for a Nichols would like to have during the second half of
the biggest draws to giving those discussions evolve," long time," he said. some Jump features make the season. The network is
it a new platform. The best Nichols said. Scottie Pippen and Paul it to the pregame show, averaging 1.5 million for its
example of that was on One of the bigger differ- Pierce have led teams to but also realizes being on broadcasts, which is down
the first day of free agency ences with "The Jump" is championships, Perkins the court live could create 15% from last year due to a
when "The Jump" was on that Nichols' mix of ana- had a solid career as a some other spontaneous rash of injuries.q
Report: Hank Azaria to quit voicing Apu on 'The Simpsons'

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hank com that there was no re- termath if he had watched
Azaria says he has no plans sistance to phasing out his the documentary, Azaria
to continue voicing the voice. said:
character of Apu on "The "We all made the decision "Thank you for asking me.
Simpsons," according to an together," Azaria said. "We Yes, of course, I did see it,
industry blog. But that isn't all agreed on it. We all feel and let me see if I can tell
to say the Indian immigrant like it's the right thing and you how I feel about that.
convenience store owner (feel) good about it." The idea that anybody,
Azaria brought alive for 30 Apu Nahasapeemapeti- young or old, past or pres-
years won't live on. lon runs the Kwik-E-Mart, a ent, was bullied or teased
Producers and Fox Broad- popular convenience store or worse based on the
casting Co. wouldn't con- in the animated sitcom's character of Apu on 'The
firm to The Associated Press Springfield. Apu is known Simpsons,' the voice or any
Azaria's exit or an end to for his catchphrase, "Thank other tropes of the charac-
Apu, a recurring character you, come again." Azaria's ter is distressing," he said.
that has drawn criticism for first turn as Apu came in the In this Jan. 16, 2020 file photo, Hank Azaria speaks during the "And especially in post-9/11
reinforcing racial stereo- first season's episode "The AMC Networks TCA 2020 Winter Press Tour in Pasadena, Calif. America, the idea that
types. There was no imme- Telltale Head" in 1990. Associated Press anybody was marginal-
diate reply Saturday from Azaria speculated that ized based on it or had a
Azaria's publicist. among options going for- In 2017, comedian Hari with Apu," that examined hard time was very upset-
The actor, who is white, in- ward is transitioning Apu's Kondabolu put out a doc- the character's cultural im- ting to me personally and
dicated Friday to slashfilm. voice to an Indian actor. umentary, "The Problem pact. Asked in the film's af- professionally."q