K-pop has had a massive resurgence over the past decade, with bands such as BTS and Blackpink garnering millions of fans globally thanks to their catchy songs.
Make It Pop
Due to the genre's popularity, Korean K-pop promoter REELS Corporation Inc. has announced that the company has partnered with ViacomCBS Domestic Media Networks, which could see Nickelodeon starting to air K-pop news bulletins!
Commenting on the agreement, Sunghyun Yoo, CEO of REELS Corporation Inc., said: “We discussed and agreed upon posting K-pop music videos on MTV, VH1 and MTV2 of ViacomCBS through our local partner agencies. We are also considering presenting K-pop news broadcasts on Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and other media channels. It will be decided at the end of 2020.”
The agreement will allow artists in South Korea the chance to earn a valuable opportunity to show their music videos, live stage performances and other promotional content on ViacomCBS' portfolio of brands through REELS Corporation Inc.
REELS Corporation Inc. works as an agency to support Korean artists to expand overseas and has partnerships with various entertainment management companies and media. CEO Sunghyun Yoo said, “It is an exceptional occasion that a Korean agency schedules delivery plans on MTV.”
Monday, Dec. 07--We’re pleased to share that CBS All Access will be available on Xfinity X1 this week, following the launch of the app on Xfinity Flex earlier this year. Xfinity is the first pay TV provider to offer CBS’ digital subscription video on-demand and live streaming service to customers as we continue to focus on making great entertainment choices available.
X1 customers will be able to enjoy CBS All Access’ offering of more than 20,000 episodes and movies from BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures and more, as well as exclusive original series like Star Trek: Discovery, with new episodes dropping weekly on Thursdays; the upcoming limited event series The Stand, premiering December 17th and based on Stephen King's best-selling novel; as well as the recently debuted docuseries Texas 6, and many more.
In addition, CBS All Access also offers exclusive live streaming rights for major sports properties including some of the world’s biggest and most popular soccer leagues, along with the ability for customers to stream ViacomCBS Digital’s other live services: CBSN for 24/7 news, CBS Sports HQ for sports news and analysis, and ET Live for entertainment coverage. For Flex customers, CBS All Access enables them to stream their local CBS station live across the U.S., including the events CBS Sports broadcasts, from golf to football to basketball and more, as part of the extensive sports programming available on the service.
To launch the app and access the streaming service over the Internet, X1 customers can say “CBS All Access” into the Xfinity Voice Remote. They can also simply say the title (for example “Star Trek: Picard” or “The Good Fight”) to find and enjoy CBS All Access Originals instantly or browse CBS All Access programming within collections curated by Xfinity’s team of TV editors such as “Explore CBS All Access” and “December Premieres.” X1 customers and their families can also find CBS All Access children’s programming, which includes more than 1,000 episodes, including new seasons of Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs, Danger Mouse, and popular series from Nickelodeon. X1 and Flex customers will continue to enjoy all of the great programming included with CBS All Access and more when the service is rebranded as Paramount+ early next year.
We’ll continue to bring the best in entertainment to X1 and Flex, making it easier for our customers to find and discover all their favorite shows, music, and sports.
Rebecca Heap is Senior Vice President, Video and Entertainment, Comcast Cable
CBS All Access Set to Launch on Xfinity X1, Rollout Begins This Week
Comcast’s Xfintity X1 will become the first pay-TV provider to offer ViacomCBS’ CBS All Access when the streaming service debuts on the platform this week, Xfinity announced.
X1 customers will now have access to CBS All Access’ offering of more than 20,000 episodes and movies from across ViacomCBS brands, as well as exclusive original series like Star Trek: Discovery, the upcoming limited event series The Stand, premiering December 17th as well as the recently debuted docuseries Texas 6.
The company rolled out CBS All Access on their Flex set-top boxes in May.
How to Sign-up for CBS All Access on Xfinity X1
1. Press the Xfinity button on your remote.
2. Go to the Apps menu on the Flex or X1 Homescreen and select CBS All Access. (Users can also say “CBS All Access” into the Xfinity Voice Remote to open the app).
3. When you access the app for the first time, you’ll need to select Sign In.
4. You can sign in using one of the methods displayed: On my TV or On CBS.com.
5. If you choose On my TV, you’ll be asked to enter your CBS All Access email and password; if you choose On CBS.com, you’ll be given a specific CBS website to visit and an activation code.
X1 customers will also have access to CBS All Access’ exclusive live streaming rights for major sports properties as well as ViacomCBS Digital’s other live services: CBSN for 24/7 news, CBS Sports HQ for sports news and analysis, and ET Live for entertainment coverage. For Flex customers, CBS All Access enables them to stream their local CBS station live across the U.S., including the events CBS Sports broadcasts as part of the extensive sports programming available on the service.
Users will also find CBS All Access children’s programming, which includes more than 1,000 episodes, including new seasons of Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs, Danger Mouse, and popular series from Nickelodeon. X1 and Flex customers will continue to enjoy all of the great programming included with CBS All Access and more when the service is rebranded as Paramount+ early next year.
In November, ViacomCBS announced CBS All Access and Showtime are now at a combined 17.9 million subscribers (up 72 percent year-over-year). The paid streaming subscriptions rose from from 16.2 million last quarter.
Over on Nicktoons, Rugrats was the third most-watched show for this week, made even more impressive as the series - which ended over a decade ago - isn't aired as much as most other shows currently on Nicktoons are. It's good to see renewed interest in Rugrats, with Nickelodeon preparing to premiere the new CG-animated Rugrats series next year.
Meanwhile, the big winner of the week was Nick Jr. Too! The channel, which hosted a Nick Jr. Peppa pop-up channel during November, saw a ratings increase of 129.4% this week.
Nickelodeon Total:
1. DANGER FORCE (FRI 18:00) - 87,600
2. HORRID HENRY (SUN 13:16) - 67,900
3. HORRID HENRY (SUN 12:43) - 60,800
4. HORRID HENRY (SUN 13:00) - 60,800
5. HORRID HENRY (SUN 13:32) - 60,800
6. THE THUNDERMANS (SAT 12:31) - 58,000
7. THE THUNDERMANS (SAT 12:00) - 47,700
8. THE THUNDERMANS (MON 15:31) - 47,100
9. THE THUNDERMANS (FRI 16:00) - 43,500
10. THE THUNDERMANS (FRI 09:00) - 42,000
11. THE CRYSTAL MAZE USA (FRI 18:59) - 40,900
12. THE THUNDERMANS (THU 09:31) - 40,900
13. THE THUNDERMANS (TUE 09:31) - 37,500
14. THE THUNDERMANS (WED 17:31) - 37,200
15. HORRID HENRY (SUN 13:43) - 36,000
NickToons Total:
1. HORRID HENRY (SUN 17:30) - 59,800
2. THE LOUD HOUSE (TUE 20:15) - 50,400
3. RUGRATS (SUN 17:15) - 45,900
4. HORRID HENRY (SUN 17:45) - 40,900
5. THE LOUD HOUSE (TUE 20:00) - 40,400
6. HORRID HENRY (FRI 08:00) - 39,800
7. HORRID HENRY (TUE 20:30) - 39,700
8. HORRID HENRY (TUE 08:00) - 37,700
9. SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS (SAT 11:45) - 37,500
10. HORRID HENRY (FRI 08:15) - 37,100
11. SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS (TUE 07:45) - 36,200
12. THE LOUD HOUSE (THU 20:00) - 35,900
13. SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS (MON 15:30) - 35,500
14. SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS (MON 15:45) - 35,500
15. ALVINNN!!! AND THE CHIPMUNKS (SUN 15:30) - 35,500
Nick Jr. Total:
1. PAW PATROL (FRI 17:29) - 185,100
2. PEPPA PIG (SAT 06:05) - 121,100
3. PAW PATROL (WED 09:59) - 102,200
4. PAW PATROL (TUE 20:59) - 83,200
5. PAW PATROL (TUE 17:29) - 81,700
6. PEPPA PIG (SAT 06:15) - 71,000
7. PEPPA PIG (MON 16:00) - 69,700
8. PEPPA PIG (FRI 06:20) - 64,900
9. PAW PATROL (SAT 17:45) - 63,200
10. BEN AND HOLLY'S LITTLE KINGDOM (SAT 21:44) - 61,900
11. PAW PATROL (TUE 20:44) - 60,500
12. PAW PATROL (SAT 14:30) - 58,900
13. BEN AND HOLLY'S LITTLE KINGDOM (SUN 21:01) - 58,400
14. PEPPA PIG (WED 16:15) - 57,500
15. PEPPA PIG (TUE 16:15) - 56,600
Nick Jr. Too:
1. PEPPA PIG (FRI 13:30) - 284,300
2. PEPPA PIG (SUN 20:05) - 257,399
3. PEPPA PIG (FRI 20:05) - 194,900
4. PEPPA PIG (TUE 17:15) - 161,800
5. PEPPA PIG (SAT 09:35) - 130,300
6. PEPPA PIG (FRI 13:35) - 123,200
7. PEPPA PIG (TUE 13:05) - 122,300
8. PEPPA PIG (WED 11:30) - 120,900
9. PEPPA PIG (FRI 20:00) - 115,800
10. PEPPA PIG (MON 16:30) - 112,900
11. PEPPA PIG (MON 16:45) - 111,100
12. PEPPA PIG (WED 10:45) - 111,100
13. PEPPA PIG (TUE 11:50) - 105,600
14. PEPPA PIG (MON 16:50) - 102,700
15. PEPPA PIG (THU 16:35) - 102,600
Notes: Nick Jr. Too is listed as Nick Jr 2 on BARB; the channel was named Nick Jr. Peppa throughout November 2020.
Nickelodeon Network:
1. PEPPA PIG (FRI 13:30) - Nick Jr 2 - 284,300
2. PEPPA PIG (SUN 20:05) - Nick Jr 2 - 257,399
3. PEPPA PIG (FRI 20:05) - Nick Jr 2 - 194,900
4. PAW PATROL (FRI 17:29) - Nick Jr Total - 185,100
5. PEPPA PIG (TUE 17:15) - Nick Jr 2 - 161,800
6. PEPPA PIG (SAT 09:35) - Nick Jr 2 - 130,300
7. PEPPA PIG (FRI 13:35) - Nick Jr 2 - 123,200
8. PEPPA PIG (TUE 13:05) - Nick Jr 2 - 122,300
9. PEPPA PIG (SAT 06:05) - Nick Jr Total - 121,100
10. PEPPA PIG (WED 11:30) - Nick Jr 2 - 120,900
11. PEPPA PIG (FRI 20:00) - Nick Jr 2 - 115,800
12. PEPPA PIG (MON 16:30) - Nick Jr 2 - 112,900
13. PEPPA PIG (MON 16:45) - Nick Jr 2 - 111,100
14. PEPPA PIG (WED 10:45) - Nick Jr 2 - 111,100
15. PEPPA PIG (TUE 11:50) - Nick Jr 2 - 105,600
Ratings data provided by BARB.
Programmes of less than 5 minutes duration are excluded from these reports.
Linear TV viewing only; Data for viewing programming on PC/laptops, Tablets and Smartphones is currently unavailable.
Originally published: Monday, December 07, 2020.Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nickelodeon UK News and Highlights!
Classic Rugrats Comic Strip for Monday, December 7, 2020 | Nickelodeon
Rugrats, provided to Creators Syndicate by Nickelodeon, based off the popular animated television series has been created for children and family's to laugh and enjoy together.
Follow these comics and their take on real episodes of the show and their own spin on hilarious adventures.
Tips and Tricks for Getting a NICKternship 📝 | Nickelodeon Animation
They're not just interns, they're NICKterns! They’re called NICKterns because this ain’t your average internship! Got five minutes to hear about how you can become an intern at Nickelodeon? Nick's Internship Program Director Amy Wu Casler breaks it down for you.
Originally published: Monday, December 07, 2020. Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nick Jr. UK and Nickelodeon Preschool News and Highlights!
Culture+ is an editorial series that looks at trending topics and events with an eye toward what they reveal about our shifting culture. Culture+ Trends is a special installment of the series, where we break down the macro-trends that impact our audiences and businesses.
In Alt Aesthetics, we examine the latest niche subcultures, including dark academia, cottagecore, e-boys/e-girls, and VSCO girls, where people are finding a sense of community—mainly online.
מסיבת יצירה 5: פרק 1 - פנקייקים | הדוכן של שי-יה ומור | ניק ג'וניור
פרק 1 - פנקייקים | ברוכים הבאים לעונה הכי טעימה של מסיבת יצירה! והיום מור ושי-יה ילמדו אתכם להכין פנקייק בצורת חד קרן, ויזמינו חברים למסיבה סופר טעימה בדוכן שלהן. אז בואו נתחיל!
מסיבת יצירה 5: איך מכינים בקבוקי סירופ של מסיבת יצירה | הדוכן של שי-יה ומור | ניק ג׳וניור
מתוך מסיבת יצירה - הדוכן של שי-יה ומור | ימים א׳-ה׳ בערוץ ניק ג׳וניור
מסיבת יצירה 5: איך מכינים פפיונים מתוקים | הדוכן של שי-יה ומור | ניק ג׳וניור
מתוך מסיבת יצירה - הדוכן של שי-יה ומור | ימים א׳-ה׳ בערוץ ניק ג׳וניור
מסיבת יצירה 5: מסיבת פנקייקים 🎊 | הדוכן של שי-יה ומור | ניק ג׳וניור
מתוך מסיבת יצירה - הדוכן של שי-יה ומור | ימים א׳-ה׳ בערוץ ניק ג׳וניור
סדנה לחנוכה עם שי-יה ומור 🕎 מסיבת יצירה | ניק ג׳וניור
סדנת יצירה חגיגית במיוחד עם שי-יה ומור! בואו ללמוד להכין יצירה מהממת לחג החנוכה 🌟
Originally published: Sunday, December 06, 2020.Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nick Jr. Israel and Nickelodeon Preschool News and Highlights!
In today's spotlight, we're taking a look at the "Best Standalone Nickelodeon Special" category, giving fans the opportunity to vote for their favorite one-off special that premiered on a Nickelodeon platform (linear or digital) in 2020! The nominees are: #KidsTogether: The Nickelodeon Town Hall, The Best Of The Kids' Choice Awards, Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards 2020: Celebrate Together, One World: Together at Home, LOL! Nick's Ultimate Bloopers, The SpongeBob Musical: Live On Stage!, Cake My Day, 2020 MTV Video Music Awards, Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards Abu Dhabi 2019, The Stars of SpongeBob Fan Favorites Special, Kids, Race and Unity: A Nick News Special, Nick News: Kids Pick the President 2020, SpongeBob Appreciation Day: Patchy’s Beach Bash!, SpongeBob's Spookiest Scenes Countdown Special, The All-Star Nickmas Spectacular and The Smurfs: A Christmas Carol.
Vote in the polling gadget below, and make sure to tell me how you voted in the comments below!:
Deep thoughts on the can. Georgia runoff election. Go to www.VOTE.org & register by Dec 7th to elect Jon Ossof and Raphael Warnock to the Georgia senate.
Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nickelodeon, Danger Force Kids Pick the President News and Highlights!
Nick News Mini: Nickelodeon has collaborated with street apparel brand SILAS to launch a SpongeBob SquarePants clothing collection for kids and teens in Japan! Titled SILAS × SpongeBob SquarePants, the line went on sale on Friday 4th December 2020, and is available to purchase now at calif.cc.
BURBANK, Calif.–Nov. 10, 2020–Nickelodeon is partnering with national nonprofit organization Baby2Baby this holiday season for the first-ever Blue’s Clues & You! “Blue Friday,” dedicated to celebrating families, on Friday, Nov. 20. In honor of “Blue Friday,” Nickelodeon will make a donation to Baby2Baby to support their mission of helping kids and families who need it most. The net will also premiere all-new Blue’s Clues & You! episodes filled with family fun, featuring Josh’s (Josh Dela Cruz) “lola,” his grandmother (Carolyn Fe), and his cousins Steve (Steve Burns) and Joe (Donovan Patton).
Baby2Baby provides children living in poverty, ages 0-12 years, with diapers, clothing and all the basic necessities that every child deserves. Throughout the COVID-19 (coronavirus) crisis, they have provided over 40 million essential items including diapers, formula, soap, shampoo, masks, hand sanitizer, baby food and more to some of the most vulnerable children across the country impacted by the pandemic.
Viewers can get into the holiday spirit with Josh and his family with two brand-new Blue’s Clues & You! premieres:
On Friday, Nov. 20, at 11 a.m. (ET/PT), fans will meet Josh’s “lola” in “Blue’s Big Baking Show,” as Josh and Blue spend the day making bibingka, a cake from the Philippines that is “masarap” (delicious)!
In the holiday-themed episode, “Blue’s Night Before Christmas,” premiering Friday, Dec. 4, at 11 a.m. (ET/PT), and directed by Burns, Josh and Blue play Blue’s Clues to figure out what Blue wants for Christmas, decorate with Steve, help Joe wrap presents, and celebrate a night full of holiday traditions.
Following the linear premiere of “Blue’s Night Before Christmas,” the episode will be available to watch on Noggin, Nickelodeon’s interactive learning service for preschoolers, beginning Tuesday, Dec. 8. Noggin will continue to spread cheer with a holiday hub featuring over 50 pieces of festive long and short-form content, including: holiday-themed shorts; full-length episodes of hit series PAW Patrol, Bubble Guppies, Peppa Pig and more; games; play-along videos; and e-books.
Later this month, the Blue’s Clues & You! float will return to this year’s 94th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®. A 22-foot tall Blue covered in 13 pounds of glitter will shine in the streets of New York City, live from 34th Street on Thursday, Nov. 26, in the TV presentation.
The new Blue’s Clues & You! consumer products line has been garnering several key industry and consumer awards since it launched at retail this summer. Walmart hosted their first-ever “Top Rated by Kid Toy Awards” last month in a nationally televised special where it was announced that the Blue’s Clues & You! Peek-A-Blue plush won “Most Huggable Toy.” Consistently rated among top preschool toys across all retailers including Walmart, Target and Amazon, fans can play along with Blue’s Clues & You! at home with a consumer products line that incorporates key elements from the show that reinforce problem solving and creative play, and enables them to engage with Blue and Josh in all-new ways. Toys, apparel, sleepwear and other products are currently available at all retailers nationwide.
A remake of the groundbreaking, curriculum-driven interactive series Blue’s Clues, Blue’s Clues & You! has a new generation of preschoolers searching for clues with beloved puppy Blue and new live-action host Josh (Josh Dela Cruz). The series features new CG-animation for Blue and Magenta, brand-new elements and refreshed iconic items from the original series including an updated Handy Dandy Notebook equipped with smartphone technology and the return of fan-favorite characters. The current second season of Blue’s Clues & You! will explore Josh’s Filipino-American heritage by incorporating traditional foods and Tagalog language, and continue to introduce kids to advanced subject matter such as sign language, geography, climate, science and emotions. The series airs regularly weekdays at 11 a.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon.
Baby2Baby is a nonprofit organization led by Kelly Sawyer Patricof and Norah Weinstein that provides children living in poverty, ages 0-12 years, with diapers, clothing and all the basic necessities that every child deserves. In the last 9 years, Baby2Baby has distributed over 100 million items to children in homeless shelters, domestic violence programs, foster care, hospitals and underserved schools as well as children who have lost everything in the wake of disaster. Every year, Baby2Baby serves hundreds of thousands of children across the country.
Nickelodeon, now in its 41st year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The brand includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, digital, location based experiences, publishing and feature films. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of ViacomCBS Inc. (Nasdaq: VIACA, VIAC).
How a Canadian actress is helping kids connect with Filipino culture on U.S. TV
Carolyn Fe appears as beloved grandma Lola on Blue’s Clues & You
Carolyn Fe had no clue her heritage would be under the spotlight after stepping out of her audition for Blue's Clues & You!
The Nickelodeon remake of the popular 1996 educational series Blue's Clues is part of the growing trend of inclusive kids programming that is more reflective of its diverse audience.
The reboot premiered last year with new host Joshua "Josh" Dela Cruz, a Filipino-American. His nationality was a mystery on the show until the preview of an upcoming episode that introduced a new character named Lola, Josh's grandmother, played by Fe.
"I don't know when the idea to bring Lola came, when it came and who decided," says Fe.
"But I am very grateful because this representation really takes us away from the stereotype that everybody else has given us as Filipinos."
The Canadian actress, who calls Toronto home but is now in Montreal staying with her parents during the pandemic, says the show will be an upfront "grounded representation" featuring Tagalog language, food, how the young respect their elders, and other aspects of the Filipino culture at home. She says Lola will be a recurring character.
'We've been silent for so long'
Many Filipinos are immigrants to faraway lands who pride themselves on integrating into new societies and see that as part of who they are. But according to Fe, Blue's Clues & You! pulls back the curtain on the subtleties of what it means to be Filipino and showcases a culture that is rarely noticed.
Fe can relate. She was born in the Philippines but her family then moved to the U.S looking for a better life. They immigrated to Canada when she was eight and settled in Montreal. She moved to Toronto to further her acting career.
The promo for the first episode featuring Fe showcases Dela Cruz greeting Lola with a "mano," a Filipino gesture signifying respect for elders, before sitting down to eat bibingka, a traditional rice cake from the Philippines.
Carlos Bustamante, who spent years hosting YTV's The Zone in the early 2000s, knows full well what the introduction of Fe's character means to Blue's Clues & You. He remembers when he was the Filipino-Canadian face for a generation of kids.
Depicting Filipino tradition and language as a normal, everyday way of life is what Bustamante calls "the most important thing" on the show, and he says something he heard Fe say in an interview resonates with him.
"We've been silent for so long," he quotes her as saying.
Bustamante recalls a time when kids programming introduced different cultures by explaining them to their young viewers.
"The centre is still, for lack of a better term, North American Caucasian kids ... which is why the opposite thing is explained," he told CBC News. But Blues Clues & You! is different, he says.
The "matter of fact" way of depicting culture on the show is what makes differences seem normal rather than emphasizing "otherness," and he says these small acknowledgements mean everything to Filipinos.
'A beloved figure'
"Lola [is] coming in as a beloved figure. Everybody loves their grandmother. That's who she is," Bustamante says.
"To the kids watching, [they say] 'Oh that's Josh's grandma. He loves her like how I love my grandma.' That's a doorway to understanding culture."
The moment Fe clued in to the significance of the show for Filipinos was when she received widespread applause from Filipinos across North America and worldwide, including in the Philippines.
Yet, she says, the work is never done.
She says, while movements like Black Lives Matter still have their own fight, "[Filipinos] now have a platform to work with."
‘Blue’s Clues & You’ host Joshua Dela Cruz on having a ‘lola’ and eating bibingka on the show
Los Angeles — It is always a joy and pride when ceilings are broken in Hollywood and a Filipino actor like Joshua Dela Cruz comes along to host a popular children’s show on television like “Blue’s Clues & You.”
The good looking and charming 29-year-old Joshua, who was chosen out of 3,000 actors who auditioned for the part, considers himself lucky for bagging the coveted gig as host of the rebooted Nickelodeon children’s TV series.
The Broadway veteran who performed in such shows as “The King and I,” “Aladdin,” “Encores! Merrily We Roll Along” and David Byrne’s “Here Lies Love,” is humble about his major breakthrough role making him the first Filipino, the first Asian American host of the iconic show after former hosts Steve Burns and Donovan Patton.
The second season of “Blue’s Clues & You” even introduced Joshua’s grandmother (lola) in the person of actress Carolyn Fe and of them eating a favorite Filipino delicacy, the bibingka (rice cake).
We were able to interview Joshua recently and below are excerpts of our conversation:
How does it feel to be the only Filipino-American hosting a children’s show on mainstream television?
I am so blessed and I'm so excited to go to work every day. I love my job. I love the people that I'm working with. Our second season is airing. We're filming our third season, and I still can't believe that I get to do this for a living. I never saw myself on television. I never saw myself reflected in a way that I related to and where I could be silly and vulnerable and ask for help. And I get to do all of these things in this show and help kids now all over the world now that we're there in the Philippines and Brazil and Australia, not just the States. And so I'm so happy. I'm ecstatic. And I still can't believe it. It's weird.
You have a Lola in this season. Talk about having Carolyn Fe and working with her.
She is amazing. She is so funny. She is so talented. She's an incredible musician and an incredible actor.
When we first met, we got along so well instantly. And the fact that I get to be a Filipino-American in this role, on this kind of show, and the fact that we get a lola and that Carolyn is our lola and introduces the entire world outside of the Philippines — that lola is grandma, that mano is showing love and respect. And that bibingka is just pure joy is so incredible. It's incredible that we get to celebrate who we are on such a stage, and in doing so, connect us all together. That just because we say things differently, it doesn't mean that we're all that different. That we all are related. That we're all connected.
You have done a lot theater also. Do you miss doing theater?
I do. I miss theater so much. There's nothing like doing a show live in front of an audience and feeding off of their energy and feeding off of the energy of the cast. And it's the same show technically every night, but it's never the same show every night. There's always something different that's going to happen.
And so I definitely miss it, and I hope to return one day soon. I'm working on a few projects, and I hope that once we're over COVID, they'll pick up and that we'll return to Broadway or return to somewhere in between shooting “Blue's Clues.”
Do you think this is a time where Filipinos are being highlighted in Hollywood? We have like Jon Jon Briones in “Ratched,” Isa Briones on “Star Trek: Picard,” Nico Santos on “Superstore” and Jacob Batalon as well on “Spider-Man.”
You know, it's an amazing time to be alive. We have a lot of leading men and women and Filipino performers and actors that are being celebrated for who they are, not just for the color of their skin or just because they're Filipino.
They get to embody a character for once, and they get to embody a character that isn't a caricature or a joke or a villain or a foreigner. In my case, I get to be a Filipino-American. And those two words are never really spoken in the same sentence. Like when I was growing up, you're either Filipino or you're all American, and all American doesn't look like me. So, it's an incredible time to be alive.
I hope that kids growing up right now and seeing the things that they see on TV, whether they're Filipino or not, they know that anything is possible and that the future is just beginning. So, get in there, work hard, be kind to each other and continue to love what you do.
I know you were born in Dubai, but how Filipino are you? Do you cook Filipino food? Do you speak Tagalog?
So, I'm going to say this. I speak a little bit of Tagalog. I always understand when I'm getting yelled at, but I'm currently learning Tagalog because I want to talk to my lolo fluently while he's still around. So, that's kind of been my side project that I've been working on.
I know I have cooked Filipino food in the past. I've cooked adobo, pancit, biko. Biko is one of my favorite things ever. So in our show, we cook bibingka, but in my family, we cook biko. So, I remember lola making biko and showing my mom her biko recipe. And then my mom showing me her biko recipe. The fact that we share a recipe on our show means so much to me because I can relate to that.
So, Filipino food is something that I love, something that we would cook. My wife and I have made vegan versions of it. So, this is why I say that. I'm maybe a little bit less Filipino than I was maybe four years ago, because we've been vegan for four years. I remember when I told my mom. I was like, "Hey mom." She's like, "Do you want ..." I was like, "Oh, Amanda and I are actually vegan now." She's like, "Why?" (laughs) And we've done it for multitudes of reasons, but we are making vegan Filipino food. And there are more restaurants that are Filipino and vegan.
And so, it's only going to get better and better for vegan Filipinos. We'll be able to call ourselves Filipino once again. (His wife is actress Amanda Phillips.)
Have you been to the Philippines lately?
Not lately. I haven't been to the Philippines in over 10 years now. Oh, I went when I was in high school, right before my older sister was going into college. They wanted us to go home because that was one of the last times, we would all be together. And so I haven't been to the Philippines since then.
I was supposed to be there. Amanda and I were supposed to be there in July. But then unfortunately, the pandemic kind of let loose and scrapped those plans. But I plan to be there as soon as we're on the other side of this and as soon as we're all healed as a world to be able to go back and show Amanda everything that I'm so proud of and everything that has made me who I am today.
Talk about your parents as well. Did they encourage you to become an actor? Or, anybody in the family did? Are your two sisters also into acting?
It's so funny because I think my mom didn't realize what she was doing when she was talking to me. I still watch a lot of TV, but I used to watch a lot of TV growing up, and she used to say, "Josh, you watch so much TV, why don't you just be an actor?" And I remember saying like, "I'm not going to be an actor, mom, I'm going to be a lawyer." And here we are today. I hope to play a lawyer on TV or in a movie one day so that it can kind of come full circle.
So outside of that, no. My sisters were the dancers and they were the performers and I didn't come into performing until later on in my life. And when I did, my sisters were always the ones to give me notes and give me criticisms and help me improve. And so, I remember I got a scholarship to go study musical theater at a conservatory in New Jersey at Paper Mill Playhouse, an incredible regional theater there. Their education outreach is amazing. The shows that they put on are amazing. They make theater accessible. And so I got a scholarship to study there. And that was when I realized that's what I wanted to do for a living. And my parents, they were so scared, but they were incredibly supportive, and my teachers were incredibly supportive.
When we did the show, I remember my parents were just so happy. There was a show at the end of the conservatory, and they were just blown away. Even my sisters, they were like, they gave me a couple of notes, but I remember them smiling and being like good job, and that meant so much to me.
While I am the first actor in the family, I'm definitely not the first performer. That goes to my parents, because they love singing, and then to my sisters because they taught me how to become a better performer when they would watch me, and they've always been supportive. I'll never forget that.
I know you're into healthy living and healthy practices, practicing the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. So talk about how does it help you in your career as an actor?
It's so funny because martial arts is something that has always been in my life. I studied karate when I was younger, and then I studied Taekwondo when I was a little bit older.
Then when I got into theater, I didn't really have time. Then once I was in “Aladdin” on Broadway for long enough, I wanted to go back into martial arts, but I really wasn't allowed. It was kind of under the table that this is happening. I didn't tell anybody really that I was doing Jiu-Jitsu. What I found was that it was an incredible mental and physical practice where it taught you that you can't just muscle everything. You have to be patient, you have to breathe, you have to be present, and you have to use the tools that you have. You can't overexert yourself blindly.
I think Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is one of those martial arts that's incredibly helpful. If we ever have kids, I want all of my kids to do it. I think the Philippines is one of the countries that would produce some of the best Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners in the world. I have no doubt in my mind. I hope that Jiu-Jitsu, if I can be a part of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to the Philippines, that would be such an honor for me. But yeah, if you're able to take Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, I highly recommend it.
Are you still pinching yourself that all these things are happening to you? What would you advise your younger self now?
Yes, I'm always pinching myself. I don't believe that this is happening. Every day, I wake up and I'm so grateful and I'm also in disbelief that it's still happening. If I were to tell my younger self to give my younger self advice, it would probably to be patient. It wouldn't be to don't be afraid of the hard work.
I'm very easily overwhelmed and Jiu-Jitsu and my wife and my family, my faith, and the people around me has helped me realize to take it a step at a time. Just like we say in the show. Take it one step at a time, and nothing is impossible if you do that. I would tell myself, it's okay to be afraid. It's okay to be scared. It's just going to take hard work, and you can do that. So don't be afraid. It's okay. I think that's what I would tell my younger self and just see what happens.
You have a dog in the show, but do you have a dog in real life?
We do have a real dog. His name is Ali. He is a tiny little Maltipoo — a Maltese Mini Poodle — and he is the pride and joy of my life and Amanda's.
A fun fact, in season two, he is on set with me virtually every day. So, if you're watching a season two show, he is just off camera or hiding somewhere on the set. He's always there. He gets his daily dose of bacon from the crew behind my back, of course. We're still lucky to have him. He's our mascot for the show. — LA, GMA News
“Blue’s Clues & You” is aired weekdays at 9:00 a.m. on Nickelodeon and daily at 10:45 a.m. on Nick Jr.
Originally published: Tuesday, November 10, 2020 at 19:35 GMT.
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Nickelodeon International will start to premiere brand-new episodes of Blaze and the Monster Machines season 5 from Monday 7th December 2020. New episodes of Nickelodeon's popular STEM-focused preschool series will air everyday at 05:35 CEST in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). Please see local listings for Africa and Turkey (Türkiye). The new episodes don't appear to be airing on the Iberian sub-feeds of Nickelodeon International just yet.
Below is a round-up of Nickelodeon Austria (Österreich) and Nickelodeon Switzerland's (Schweiz) April, May, June, July, August and September 2020 programming highlights!:
Nickelodeon Italy (Italia) will premiere Nickelodeon Spyders, Nickelodeon International's brand new live-action series on Monday 7th December 2020 at 21:00! Following launch, new episodes will continue to air weeknights at 21:00.
"While spending a summer-long family vacation by the lake, siblings Tommy, Nikki, and Daniel Fisher discover that their seemingly boring parents are actually daring undercover spies, who are chasing a devious villain aiming to dry up the country's water supply. When the siblings realize their parents' mission is in jeopardy, they form a secret task force called THE SPYDERS in order to help them out. Tommy, 12, a cute, irresistible goofball; Nikki, 15, a well-meaning but impetuous leader, and Daniel, 16, a sedentary, anxiety-ridden computer nerd, use their brains, charm, audacity and unbridled enthusiasm to outwit and outsmart the villain, who has so far eluded their parents. Will the untrained, blundering Spyders succeed where mom and dad failed?"
Spyders (stylised as SpiderZ; originally titled The Covurts) focuses on Anna and Noah Fisher, (portrayed by Nati Kluger and Kobi Maimon (The Greenhouse), respectively) highly highly skilled undercover agents who work for a ECCO – Environmental Counter Crime Organization, and are tasked with fighting criminals who endanger nature or the environment. Little do they know that their three kids – Daniel (16; played by Amit Hechter, Dog House), Nikki (15; played by Kim Or Azulay) and Tommy (12; portrayed by Yonathan Gottlieb, Dog House, Forever) – have discovered their secret occupation and have formed a task force of their own, named Spyders
Nickelodeon's Spyders is the first original co-production between Nickelodeon International and Israeli Nutz Productions—the subsidiary production arm of Ananey Communications Group—together with Israeli cable network HOT.
"SPYDERS
Dal 7 dicembre, dal lunedì al venerdì alle 21.00 su Nickelodeon
Debutta su Nickelodeon una nuova serie tutta mistero e divertimento: Spyders! I genitori di Daniel, Nikki e Tommy sembrano condurre una normalissima vita, ma invece sono agenti sotto copertura. Una volta scoperto questo segreto, i tre fratelli decidono cosi di formare un loro team segreto di spie chiamato appunto Spyders. Insieme cercheranno di sventare i piani di un supercriminale!"
Nickelodeon has ordered 40 x 22-minute episodes, which will be distributed to Nickelodeon's international audiences spanning 170+ countries and territories via the brand’s more than 100 channels and branded blocks. The series made its world debut on TeenNick Israel on Wednesday 18th March 2020.
Spyders is created by Michal Cooper Keren, Tom Riles, David Guest and Patrick Quinn. The head writer is Israeli screenwriter Michal Cooper Keren, the creator of Nickelodeon Israel's Spell Keepers. The series is an original co-production between Nickelodeon International, Nutz Productions and Ananey Communications Group.
Michal Cooper Keren, who created Nickelodeon Israel's Spell Keepers, is also the series' head writer. The series is an original co-production between Nickelodeon International, Nutz Productions and Ananey Communications Group.
The series commenced filming in Israel during summer 2019 and wrapped the following December.
“After a long history of collaboration with Ananey, we are so excited to kick off our first co-production together with our partners in Israel,” said Nina Hahn, the Senior Vice President (SVP) of International Production and Development for Nickelodeon, when the show was first announced at global TV and digital content market MIPTV in April 2018. “We can’t wait for young fans around the world to meet The Spyders!”
Orly Atlas-Katz, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) OF Ananey Communications said, “We are thrilled to collaborate with Nickelodeon International. I am certain that with their vast experience in content for kids, HOT's programming expertise and our high-end productions abilities, this show will be something to look forward to."
Ananey is an Israeli content producer and pay-TV provider that serves as the Israeli licensor of several of Viacom’s biggest brands, including Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and MTV, and produces both local and international original content.
Under the partnership, Nickelodeon has become Israel's No. 1 children's channel and, alongside Nick Jr., reaches 49 percent of the youth audience, due in large part to Ananey’s original local productions for kids and teens.
The greenlight of The Spyders comes on the heels of Viacom purchasing a minority stake in Ananey Communications Group in 2017.
Nutz entered a co-pro deal with Bunim/Murray Productions’ (Nickelodeon's The Crystal Maze) new BMP Kids division on the youth prank show Gotcha, which bowed on Nick Israel last December. Other popular Nutz series currently airing on Nick Israel include Spell Keepers, Bed & Biscuit and The Hood.
Fans can visit nicktv.it to find out more about their favourite Nickelodeon shows as well as watch videos and play games. Fans can also like the official Nickelodeon Australia and New Zealand Facebook page and follow Nickelodeon on Twitter and Instagram for the latest Nick news, highlights and videos.
