Today's Entertainment

Massachusetts natives go Fourth as holiday show hosts By Jay Bobbin © Zap2it states, but Massachusetts will make a particularly strong showing this Fourth of July. The reason? The hosts The union has 49 other of two of TV's biggest celebrations of America's birthday hail from there: Haverhill native Tom Bergeron ("Dancing With the Stars," "America's Funniest Home Videos") will make his "A Capitol Fourth" debut Wednesday, July 4, on PBS (check local listings); and later that night, Lowell-born, Andover-raised Emmy win- ner Michael Chiklis ("The Shield") will preside over CBS' "Boston Pops Fire- works Spectacular" for the second consecutive year. Bergeron will have impressive talents to introduce on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. They'll include Oscar-winning film composer John Williams, conducting the National Symphony Orchestra (to be led for most of the evening by Jack Everly) in his "Olympic Fanfare." Celebrating the upcoming Games in London, that segment also will feature eight-time medalist Apolo Anton Ohno, who knows Bergeron from having won Season 4 of ABC's "Danc- ing With the Stars." On the bill for "A Capitol Fourth" as well: two-time Tony Award winner Mat- thew Broderick and Kelli O'Hara, current Broadway co-stars in the musical "Nice Work If You Can Get It"; "Smash" regular Megan Hilty; singers Josh Turner and Javier Colon; pop music's Kool & the Gang; and tenor Russell Watson, also featured on PBS' recent National Memorial Day Concert telecast. "My agent is somewhat familiar with me being a tad curmudgeonly in guarding my summer vacation," Bergeron says, "and not really wanting to do much, but this was an easy 'Yes.' I was honored to be asked, and I'm very much looking forward to doing it." Bergeron confirms the having her on board has made him pretty popular in his household. "To have her as the guest is thrilling," Chiklis says, "and my children are completely crazed about it. Both my 18-year-old and my 13-year-old were screaming when I told them; they were jumping up and down. Jennifer crosses all demographics, because I think my wife and I are equally excited about it." As someone who has they've asked me back. You put your best foot forward in these kinds of things and hope that peo- ple respond to what you've done, and this is sort of an affirmation that they did like it last year." Chiklis actually was invited back before CBS picked up "Ve- gas" for next season, and he reasons, "Then it just became all in the family." Back on PBS, Hilty will occasion, the guests and the setting all contributed to "the carrot on the stick that I couldn't resist ... and particularly this year, an election year. All eyes are turned to Washington even more than usual, and it's a great time for a birthday party." For his latest Indepen- attended the July 4 Boston Pops concerts as a spec- tator many times, Chiklis long hoped for a chance to host the telecast, which CBS' Boston affiliate WBZ- TV (Bergeron's base early in his career) has a big hand in producing. He maintains his first time last year, with Martina McBride brought in as a last-minute replacement when Lionel Richie dropped out, lived up to his hopes. And then some. "I was told I was the dence Day hosting stint on the Charles River Espla- nade, with recent Queen's Diamond Jubilee conduc- tor Keith Lockhart leading the Boston Pops, Chiklis — who returns to series work this fall opposite Den- nis Quaid in the CBS dra- ma "Vegas" — will have his own Oscar winner to pres- ent: "Dreamgirls" co-star and third-season "Ameri- can Idol" finalist Jennifer Hudson. He doesn't deny first actual Bostonian to ever host the show," Chik- lis reports. "I was kind of stunned to hear that, but I'm even more excited that be another first-timer on "A Capitol Fourth." She's pleased to be leading off the event by getting back to her "Wicked" and "9 to 5: The Musical" stage roots in rendering an appropriately patriotic medley. "They're songs we all know and love," says Hilty, whose fame has grown sizably since the start of the year for her role on NBC's "Smash" as calcu- lating Broadway wannabe Ivy. "I'm very aware that (an all-American event) doesn't get much bigger than this, and I'm just very excited about it. I love D.C., and maybe this time when I go back, I can hit up some of the museums. I haven't had the time to do that in a while." Catch the Craze & Save! Save on Rentals • Breakfast Get Free Glass Cleaner Save on a Quilt Find these great savings plus more on Coupon Craze! In The Goshen News every Monday, Online everyday! Nobody covers your hometown better 114 S. Main St., Goshen 574-533-2151 www.goshennews.com Employment Ad Today! Place Your Over 3,500 resumes are posted on monster.com in The Goshen News readership areas. 574-533-2151 ext. 398 goshennews.com / 574.522.4475 www.GurleyLeepHonda.com Megan Hilty performs on "A Capitol Fourth" Wednesday on PBS. 2 The Goshen News • Viewer's Choice • Saturday, June 30-Friday, July 6 EVERY MONDAY IN FIND A VARIETY OF GREAT RECIPES PLUS GROCERY STORE ADVERTISEMENTS

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