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You might not think those who can hit, kick or shoot can also slice, dice or saute, but the opening episode of "Chopped Tournament of Stars," a five-part special edition of Food Network's "Chopped," might convince you otherwise. Premiering Sunday, March 9, it brings together celebrities from different walks of life to compete head to head in cooking challenges. The winners from the first four episodes face off for the championship in the finale on April 6, with a $50,000 grand prize going to the charity of the victor's choice. The premiere episode "Sports Stars!" pits four ex-athletes – 1999 World Cup heroine Brandi Chastain, NBA enforcer Charles Oakley, and Olympic gold medalists Greg Louganis and Jackie Joyner-Kersee – in various challenges. Alex Guarnaschelli, who is a judge on the episode with Marc Murphy and Geoffrey Zakarian, was impressed but not surprised by the athletes' skills. "Understand that nutrition plays a huge role in athletes' lives," she says, "and one of the most nutritious ways to eat is to cook your own food. So they definitely brought that, Brandi in particular. She cooks for her family; she loves food. That really comes through. When people love food and they love cooking in their everyday lives, they tend to excel in the kitchen." But Guarnaschelli was caught a little off guard by the case of nerves that came over Chastain as the competition wore on. "She just was really easy and confident in the first round, as I remember," Guarnaschelli says, "and then I think she got to the next round and she got nervous, like 'Oh, my God! Wait a minute, I'm going to get chopped if I do this.' And then she kind of got tensed up. We generally find the opposite. You know, they're really nervous in the first round. Once they make it to the second, they relax a little because they have the lay of the land. She was kind of the opposite, and that surprised me." As for Oakley, a 6-foot-9-inch power forward for five teams in a 19-year NBA career, Guarnaschelli found him "surprisingly graceful at the stove, which if you think about it isn't surprising, considering athletes are really graceful in general. But yeah – very elegant, delicate touch, a lot of testosterone and a lot of finesse at the same time." Alex Guarnaschelli BY GEORGE DICKIE All the athletes brought skills from the competitive arena to the tournament, which Guarnaschelli says served them well on the show. "I think no one would dispute that 'Chopped' is a highly athletic television show," she says. "I think they're used to working against the clock; I think they understand time constraints; I think they understand that there's a crucial moment with every dish just like there's a crucial moment in any game or any match. And I think that understanding is really useful in the kitchen." Ensuing episodes are "Rachael vs. Guy!" with alumni of "Rachael vs. Guy Celebrity Cook-Off " (March 16); "Comedians!" with Tommy Davidson, Sinbad, Gillian Vigman and Robert Wuhl (March 23); and "Actors!" with Lucas Grabeel, Michael Imperioli, Peter Scolari and Tasha Smith (March 30). BEST SPACE MOVIES "2001: A Space Odyssey" (1968) The ultimate space movie in many people's eyes, Stanley Kubrick's epic still has people debating its meaning. "Marooned" (1969) Three astronauts (Richard Crenna, Gene Hackman, James Franciscus) are stranded in space in this tense, underrated melodrama. "Silent Running" (1972) Bruce Dern is excellent as a space traveler determined to preserve the last plant life left. "Star Wars – Episode IV: A New Hope" (1977) This list has to include the legendary adventure that set up Luke Skywalker's (Mark Hamill) fight against Darth Vader. "Alien" (1979) "In space, no one can hear you scream" ... unless you're aboard the vessel whose crew is invaded by the title creature. "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" (1982) Arguably the best of the franchise's movies advances the television episode "Space Seed." "The Right Stuff" (1983) The roots of America's space program are recalled in this superb rendering of Tom Wolfe's book. "Spaceballs" (1987) Space can be funny, too, as confirmed by Mel Brooks' satire that largely plays off "Star Wars." "Stargate" (1994) A portal to another world transfers a military man (Kurt Russell) and a scientist (James Spader). "Apollo 13" (1995) Director Ron Howard, star Tom Hanks and others masterfully re-create the nearly doomed space mission. "Armageddon" (1998) Oil drillers led by Bruce Willis accompany a space crew to destroy an Earth-targeting asteroid. "Pitch Black" (2000) Effectively dark and stark, this space thriller introduced Vin Diesel as the antihero Riddick. "Gravity" (2013) The newest addition to this list is a perfect nail-biter that leaves astronauts (Sandra Bullock, George Clooney) drifting in orbit after their ship is destroyed. Sandra Bullock of "Gravity" BY JAY BOBBIN Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford (from left) of "Star Wars Bill Paxton, Tom Hanks and Kevin Bacon (from left) of "Apollo 13" 8 The Goshen News • TV Spotlight • March 10-16, 2014

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