Today's Entertainment

March 5 - 11, 2018 Page 3 ACROSS 1. Animated sitcom about Stan Smith & his family (2) 10. "Bad __"; 2016 Mila Kunis movie 11. "__ __, Dry Place"; 1998 Monica Potter film 12. "What I Like About __" (2002-06) 13. "__ Men" (2007-15) 14. "The New Adventures of __ Christine" 16. Actor on "Blue Bloods" (2) 18. __.F.; Friday exclamation 20. Ignore with contempt 21. Poker token 22. Poet Eliot's monogram 23. "...__ the ramparts we watched..." 24. Oscar-winning star of "Moonstruck" 25. Bart"'ok or Lugosi 27. "Chicago __" 28. "Touched __ __ __" 32. Otolaryngologist, familiarly 33. Suffix for command or pamphlet 34. __ Chen of "Fresh Off the Boat" 37. Sofa 39. "Leave __ __ Beaver" 40. Ventimiglia's role on "This Is Us" (2) DOWN 1. __ Cabrera; "Kevin (Probably) Saves the World" role 2. Cow's comment 3. World's second-largest bird 4. Initials for a Beatle 5. James or Scott 6. Current letters 7. "__ Ordinary Family" 8. Choices for "Let's Make a Deal" contestants 9. "__ __ __ Family" 13. "Just Shoot __!" 15. Threw water on 16. Cold sore site 17. Taxi alternative 18. 2008 movie for Jessica Alba (2) 19. "Two Guys, a __ __ __ Pizza Place" (1998- 2001) 21. Actor Lee J. __ of "12 Angry Men" 24. Mid-10th-century year 26. Playful prank 29. Tide type 30. Actor Hackman 31. Series for Laura Innes, once 34. "__ Always Sunny in Philadelphia" 35. "__ __ Z" (2014-15) 36. Prefix for sense or fat 38. Initials for actor Kilmer 39. Prefix for regular or reverent Solution on page 2 CoverStory By Jay Bobbin © Zap2it Two years isn't a long absence for a show that supposedly ended, but "American Idol" is back. The most notable dif- ferences as the singing competition returns? A new network, since after its 15 seasons on Fox, it begins its ABC run Sun- day, March 11; and a new panel of top music stars as judges, with Luke Bry- an, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie now handling those roles. Still, many of the show's essential elements have been retained, in- cluding Ryan Seacrest as host. "It's different, obviously, because of these person- alities," notes Seacrest, who also will continue his weekday "Live With Regis and Kelly" co-host duties, "but the show, at its core, works in format and works in premise. We go out. We look for young, talent- ed people. They see the judges. (Those chosen) come back to Hollywood and then, they have to step up. To change the show drastically in terms of format, I think, would be a mistake." The first celebrity signed for the new "Idol," Perry was a guest judge on the earlier version and has scored a major payday — reportedly, $25 million — for joining the program full-time. " 'American Idol' and I have always been circling each other," she says, "and it just hasn't been the right timing. And now, after ten years and a lot of aging and learning and providence, I can take all that information and really mentor and give construc- tive criticism, because that's really what we do. We're here to really find a star and, if someone isn't a star, we delicately help repurpose them on the path that's going to be good for them." Lionel Richie (left), Katy Perry and Luke Bryan are the new judges on "American Idol," which begins its ABC run Sunday. 'American Idol' returns with new judges at a new network home

• Cover