Today's Entertainment

January 25 - 31, 2021 Page 3 ACROSS 1. "Jimmy __ __!" 9. Optima or Sorento 10. Red Muppet 11. "__ Got a Secret" 13. Word with tube or city 15. Kinder 17. Kelly __; role on "Chicago Fire" 18. Initials for actor Dennehy 20. "Homicide: Life __ the Street" 21. Suffix for text or press 23. Go astray 24. Hospital personnel 25. Butterfly or Bovary: abbr. 26. "All Dogs __ to Heaven" 29. Initials for Eva Gabor's "Green Acres" costar 30. Series for Justin Hires 34. VP Agnew 36. Fluid buildup problem 38. Role on "Cheers" 39. "American __"; 2017 Tom Cruise movie 42. Traveler's stop 43. Co-star on "9 to 5" (2) DOWN 1. Relatives 2. McKellen & McShane 3. Mr. Griffin 4. "__ Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie"; 2019 film 5. Initials for Judy Garland's eldest 6. Actress Anderson 7. "Miami __" (1984-89) 8. Arden or Plumb 9. Role on "Chicago P.D." (2) 12. "Blue Bloods" role (2) 14. Sushi restaurant supply 16. Actress/director Lupino 19. First James Bond film (2) 20. "Coffee, Tea __ __?"; 1973 movie 22. Elke's initials 23. "The Wizard of Oz" role 27. "__ 54, Where Are You?" 28. Role on "The Beverly Hillbillies" 30. Rogers or Kennedy 31. Unconscious state 32. Swerve 33. Harness strap 35. Golfing term 37. File drawer, perhaps 40. "I __ Number Four"; Alex Pettyfer film 41. "Who __ You Think You Are?" Solution is on page 2. CoverStory By George Dickie How is Wendy Williams doing? Just fine, thank you very much, but it wasn't always that way. Indeed, the host of the syndicated "The Wendy Williams Show" has expe- rienced many highs and lows over the course of 30- plus years on her way to television stardom, as told in an upcoming biopic and documentary on Lifetime. In "Wendy Williams: The Movie," premiering Satur- day, Jan. 30, Ciera Payton ("The Oval," "A Madea Family Funeral") stars as Williams, a girl from Asbury Park, N.J., who found her niche as a disc jockey in the late 1980s and rode ratings success at radio stations in New York and Philadelphia to the top of her profession. And later, of course, to a thriving TV career. But the road to get there was rocky and she endured much heartbreak and pain, including rape by an acquaintance, drug abuse, an abortion, two miscarriages, a stillbirth, a husband living dual lives and a subsequent divorce, bad management and health issues, including a very public collapse on her show in 2017. Williams serves as ex- ecutive producer on the drama, which also stars Morocco Omari ("Empire"), Rebecca Davis ("Ice"), Liza Huget ("Riverdale"), Drum - mond Macdougall ("Arrow") and Rothaford Gray ("Mary Kills People"). The film portrays Wil- liams as the ultimate sur- vivor, someone who never let setbacks get to her or get in her way and who never let anyone tell her who she is. That's illustrat- ed in an early scene in the movie, when she makes a conscious decision to not let her mother's criticisms define her but rather drive her to attain her goals. "I knew what I wanted to do," Williams explains. "I was very involved with the college radio station and also an internship ... . I'm gonna impress them by doing the four years and when I get out of here, my life is totally mine. And I'm gonna show them and I'm gonna show the world. I'll show 'em, I'll show 'em, I'll show 'em.' I'll show 'em I'll be a good jock on the radio. Sure, a good one. Award-winning? I wasn't sure but I'd get an award and win something." Of course, she did more than win something. Fame, fortune and awards came her way but so did trouble. In the end, her persever- ance saw her through, which she says is the mes- sage behind the movie. "If she can do it, I can at least try," Williams says. "Now, what it is, I'm not exactly sure. ... (And) stop being so sensitive. At least until you get in the house, then if you want to cry or be mad or whatever. But stop being so sensitive." Wendy Williams tells her story in biopic and documentary on Lifetime The identity of the featured celebrity is found within the answers in the puzzle. In order to take the TV Challenge, unscramble the letters noted with asterisks within the puzzle.

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