Today's Entertainment

For those of us not fortunate enough to escape the brutal cold and snow that this winter has wrought, Food Network offers salve for the soul with a new special that takes viewers along on a cruise to the Bahamas. The hourlong "Disney Dream Cruise With Food Network," airing Friday, March 27, brings network personalities Melissa d'Arabian ("Guy's Grocery Games"), Jeff Mauro ("The Kitchen"), Amanda Freitag ("Chopped") and Katie Lee ("The Kitchen"), as well as family and friends, aboard the Disney Dream cruise ship for three days of sun, sight-seeing and, naturally, food as they sail the waters off Florida to Nassau and the Disney-owned island of Castaway Key. "It was so fun to take my family along with me on the cruise," Lee says. "I brought my mom, my best friend and her husband and their son, Kai, who is my godson. Disney plays such a big part in children's lives, so it was great to share Kai's excitement. Hanging out at the beach and getting massages didn't exactly feel like work." But there was work to be done. In the special, Lee tours the ship's kitchen and witnesses the massive amounts of meals the staff churns out on a daily basis, as well as the number of eggs used. And while this is, after all, institutional cooking, she was impressed by the imaginativeness of the cuisine. "On the ship, we filmed in the restaurant Remy, which is an upscale French restaurant," she says. "I spent some time in the kitchen with the chef, and he put an incredible amount of thought and care into every dish." Lee, who indicates her last cruise was in 7th grade, enjoyed the experience and embraced the respite from winter. "Castaway Key was really fun and we had a great time," she says. "We swam with sting rays and fed them as well, which was so cool. My favorite thing was just hanging on a float in the crystal clear blue water, soaking up the sun. It's been so cold in New York this winter, I was really happy to have some warm weather." Q: What book are you currently reading? A: " 'All the Light We Cannot See' by Anthony Doerr. Q: What did you have for dinner last night? A: "I went to a movie with one of my girlfriends and we ordered a large bucket of popcorn. That was dinner." Q: What is your next project? A: "My next cookbook, 'The Endless Summer Cookbook,' comes out April 14th. It is filled with fun, fresh, easy summer recipes." Q: When was the last vacation you took, where and why? A: "I went to St. Barts over the holidays. I go there every year and it's one of my favorite places on Earth." BY GEORGE DICKIE Katie Lee Food Network goes cruisin' on the Disney Dream Was a "Hot Tub Time Machine 2" necessary? Absolutely not ... but when you have a title like that to play with, it's understandable that the filmmakers felt they had to take the shot. They did. Now, they really, really don't have to make a "Hot Tub Time Machine 3." Minus John Cusack this time, returning players Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson and Clark Duke get promotions of sorts as they use that magical hot tub to go back to the future. This time, they're trying to figure out who shot Corddry's character at one of his wild parties – and to alter history so that the assault won't happen when time catches up. If that description of "Hot Tub Time Machine 2" sounds pretty linear, rest assured there are plenty of detours while you're actually watching the movie. Director Steve Pink and screenwriter Josh Heald have returned to throw in every shot at current times that they can think of, with many of those on the decidedly raunchy side. Fans of the original "Hot Tub Time Machine" may get a kick out of seeing some of the other original players back as well, the most prominent being Chevy Chase, There's even a hint of Cusack's presence, since Adam Scott ("Parks and Recreation") turns up as his son. Being overly critical of "Hot Tub Time Machine 2" almost seems cruel, since the picture knows just what it is ... and knows it isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea. Put it this way: You won't think you stumbled into "The Imitation Game" by accident. Once for this hot tub was fine, especially with Cusack's wit as both performer and producer. Twice? OK, that's it. Anyone has the right to give it another attempt a try, but now, it's time to empty that tub for good. Time-tripping again in an unusual 'Hot Tub' Adam Scott, Craig Robinson, Rob Corddry, and Clark Duke (from left) BY JAY BOBBIN Page 8 March 23 - 29, 2015

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