What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
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T4 WHATS UP! May 28 - June 3, 2023 REAL TV BY CAROLINE COLLACUTT TV Media Turning up the 'Talent': "AGT" auditions have finished, and Howie Mandel is back to making jokes on his Instagram stories. That can only mean one thing: It's time for Season 18. A brand-new, bombshell season of "America's Got Tal- ent" begins with a two-hour premiere, airing Tuesday, May 30, on NBC. Returning for his fourth sea- son as host, Terry Crews ("Brooklyn Nine-Nine") is joined by his panel of celebrity judges, now staples of the pop- ular talent competition show. Howie Mandel ("St. Else- where") returns for his 14th season, while Heidi Klum ("Project Runway") joins for her 10th, Simon Cowell ("American Idol") for his eighth, and Sofia Vergara ("Modern Family") for her fourth. The competition begins with a round of auditions, as the judges open the "AGT" stage to starlets from the United States and beyond, welcoming talent of all kinds to perform their various acts – showcasing ev- erything from singing, dancing and acting, to comedy, magic, stunts and more, with each act hopeful for a spot in the main competition. Only a lucky few will continue on to the live epi- sodes, in which the remaining few must compete against each other for both the audi- ence and judges' votes. "The Winner Takes It All," so to speak, as one competitor will eventually be crowned, award- ed a massive cash prize and the life-altering chance to headline a show on the Las Vegas Strip. Early into taping Season 18, however, People magazine re- ported that a wrench had been thrown in "AGT's" usual song and dance, as "the famously sharp-tongued Cowell [...] lost his voice." In an interview with the publication, Vergara quipped: "Who would have thought that season 18 would have left Si- mon literally speechless?" She went on, jokingly claiming that she would take over the other judge's responsibilities. "And, of course, Simon nominated me to give his reactions. He's passing notes to me like we are back in school." Mandel went on to continue the riff: "There are no words to describe the excitement level of Season 18. That's why it's serendipitous that this is the season that Simon lost his voice finally." Despite the jokes, Season 18 continued on without a hitch (once Cowell returned to his usual snarky self, that is). To see what antics the hosts got up to in the meantime, judge the auditions yourself and make your first guesses on who will make it to the end, make sure to watch the two- hour Season 18 premiere of "America's Got Talent," airing Tuesday, May 30, on NBC. Roadside renos: Cute, unique, boutique – in the age of social media, it takes a one-of- a-kind experience to book rooms in roadside motels. Those who get it right make it big, and thankfully, there's someone to help: Lindsey Ku- rowski. The premiere of this reno-wonder's latest show, "Motel Rescue," airs Monday, May 29, on the Magnolia Net- work. The series sees Kurowski hitting the road once again in seven hour-long episodes, re- turning after the completion of two massive motel renovations in her previous Magnolia se- ries, "Inn the Works." While the last iteration followed Ku- rowski through the in-depth renovation of one location per season (Oak Knoll Lodge in California and the Springs Inn in Massachusetts), this new se- ries will instead take Kurows- ki's talents nationwide as she visits a different establishment each episode, highlighting var- ious locales across the United States. At each stop, Kurowski and her creative team tackle a tough renovation job, helping struggling motel owners who need some assistance getting back on track. One such lucky motel is the Larian Motel in Tombstone, Arizona, which has been owned and operated by the Anderson family for the past 43 years. When the quaint (if not a little outdated) motel found itself in desperate need of a 21st century update, the family reached out to Kurows- ki and the team for a little TLC. The series follows as the An- dersons welcome the "Motel Rescue" team into the belly of their business, receiving a fun, western-inspired update while, in turn, the "Rescue" team got the chance to experi- ence some of the best Tomb- stone has to offer – even riding the stagecoach and taking a meet-and-greet with mayor Dusty Escapule, according to The Tombstone News. The Larian's renovated guest rooms embody a fun, midwest- ern feel. Terracotta and rich wood ground the space, while vintage-inspired artwork and a made-to-order, rope-spun "howdy" sign add whimsy and bring the theme to life. Kurowski is certainly no stranger to making things beautiful. Prior to her string of renovation shows, Kurowski spent her days running Knotty Pines, the company she found- ed and continues to helm as CEO. Based in Southern Cali- fornia, Knotty Pines is a design company that prides itself on making one-of-a-kind experi- ential works and displays for marketing and artistic purpos- es, working on projects for companies such as Nike, Clif- Bar, Adidas, Live Nation, NBC, United Airlines and more. The company produces pieces us- ing laser cutting, printing, welding, acrylic mounting, neon lights and more. During her television renos, Kurowski puts the whole team to task, utilizing skills from every de- partment in the company to add unique touches that sepa- rate her spaces from the rest. For more of the Larian reno- vation, and to see what Ku- rowski and Co. do with the re- mainder of this inaugural sea- son, tune in to the premiere of "Motel Rescue," airing Mon- day, May 29, on the Magnolia Network. Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum, Terry Crews and Simon Cowell in "America's Got Talent"