Here are some highlights from yesterday (Day 2) at the Television Critics Association (TCA) Winter 2015 Press Tour in a day dedicated to programming from Discovery Communications (Discovery, Animal Planet, TLC, Destination America) in the morning and HBO in the afternoon.

TNA IMPACT WRESTLING
Destination America
Premieres Friday, January 16, 2015

Panel:
Ken Anderson, Professional Wrestler
Chris Melendez, Professional Wrestler
Dixie Carter, President of Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling

Ken Anderson, Chris Melendez and Dixie Carter.

In response to the age-old question of whether or not wrestling is authentic, Ken Anderson confirms, “We are sports entertainment. The outcomes of our matches are predetermined.” BUT, he does emphasize that the moves themselves are not choreographed and the injuries ARE real.

Ultimately, the wrestlers are portraying characters, and the “storylines” tend to subscribe to the notion of good versus evil.

Encouragingly, homosexuality is apparently not a controversial issue in TNA Wrestling like it is in other sports. Dixie Carter says that they have had wrestlers play gay characters, and others who genuinely were gay. TNA also has a gay fan base.

MATT ON THE RUN
Animal Planet

Panel:
Matt Galland, Cast
Blake Josephson, Cast
Danny Bryson, Cast

This docu-series follows three best friends as they film 4-day, 100-mile treks all over the world - despite their wives and nearly a dozen children between them.

There are no cameramen; the fearless (and/or ludicrous) adventurers shoot everything themselves. Matt Galland feels that producers would probably die if they tried to keep up with them for 10 minutes. That’s how intolerable their experiences are. “Miserable is totally awesome," Galland reassures us.

Galland is on sabbatical from his “real job” as a Geography Professor at Brigham Young University. BYU, located in Provo, Utah, is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. When a journalist remarked that Galland is not what one would expect when they see Mormons on TV (perhaps referring to his long hair), he retorted, “Good-looking guys??” At least we know the wild hasn’t deprived him of his sense of humor!

MY BIG FAT FABULOUS LIFE
TLC
Premieres Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Panel:
Whitney Thore, Founder of No Body Shame Campaign
Barbara Thore, Whitney’s mother
Glenn Thore, Whitney’s father
Tal Fish, Whitney’s best friend

Regardless of your standpoint on obesity (i.e. the debate as to whether genetics or the individual’s eating habits are to blame), you’d have to be heartless not to sympathize with 30-year-old Whitney Thore.

Whitney Thore

The star of MY BIG FAT FABULOUS LIFE wants people to know that “happiness is possible, even when you don’t fit the societal definition of what’s acceptable.”

When her weight started rapidly spiraling out of control, she failed her dance class because she couldn’t stand the sight of her body in the mirror, so she stopped attending. She subsequently lost 100 pounds, but the feat was short-lived. When the weight returned, she discovered that she has polycystic ovarian syndrome and decided that she had to learn to accept her body for what it is.

Sadly, ignorance persists wherever she goes. “When I go out in public, people speak to me in ways that blow my mind.” She’s been called “Shamu”, told that she should go home, that she should not be flirting with a man, or that she should not be dancing. The superficiality doesn’t end there. “Guys who used to take me out on dates looked through me like I didn’t exist,” Whitney articulates.

Whitney starts crying and admits that she doesn’t know if she’d be alive if it weren’t for her mom, dad, and best friends like Tal.

Despite rampant negative criticism, Whitney explains that “when you break through even to one person, it’s worth it.” And according to her father Glenn, hearing the phrase “Whitney changed my life” is a frequent occurrence these days. Imagine the impact she can have when the show actually airs!

BESSIE
HBO
Premieres Spring 2015

Panel:
Queen Latifah, as Bessie Smith and Executive Producer
Dee Rees, Director/Writer

BESSIE is the inspiring story of struggling young singer Bessie Smith, who became the highest paid black entertainer of the 1920s and was nicknamed “The Empress of the Blues.”

Queen Latifah and Dee Rees.

BESSIE has actually been in the works for 22 years. “I was full-on Queen Latifah the rapper” [when the project was first introduced to her]. “I had no idea who Bessie Smith was.” However, Queen Latifah says that life experience has prepared her to embrace the role now. Latifah feels that Bessie’s groundbreaking story and the power of her music could still be abundantly relevant today.

With regards to Bessie’s bisexuality, Dee Rees states that it was important to feature all of Bessie’s relationships, male and female, to illuminate how Bessie was fed in different ways.

TOGETHERNESS
HBO
Premieres Sunday, January 11, 2015

Panel:
Jay Duplass, Writer / Director
Mark Duplass, as Brett Pierson / Writer / Director
Amanda Peet, as Tina Morris
Melanie Lynskey, as Michelle Pierson
Steve Zissis, as Alex Pappas

This panel was my favorite of the day. It was so tremendously entertaining that I am now compelled to watch the show.

Mark Duplass, Melanie Lynskey and Amanda Peet.

TOGETHERNESS follows two couples living under one roof in Eagle Rock, CA (a neighborhood of Northeast Los Angeles). Jay Duplass points out that Eagle Rock is known as the place where hipsters go to die, or where hipsters go to have children, “which is like the same thing.”

When questioned about her nude scenes, Amanda Peet says, “I think it’s really vital to stay in a comic place if you’re going to take your clothes off at age 42. Especially after breastfeeding two children. Otherwise it’s tragic,” she quips.

Jay Duplass shares that the atmosphere on set is a riot; people walk around yelling, “Who wants to see 42-year-old boobs??”

Mark Duplass’ subsequent burst of outrage was an undeniable climax: “Why don’t you ask me about my balls?! I showed my balls and you didn’t ask me anything!”

Well, on that note, on to Day 3!