Pop culture Q&A

June 5, 2011 at 12:00a.m.

By Rich Heldenfels

McClatchy Newspapers

Q. Would you please let us know what happened to Jamie Oliver’s show that was to be filmed in California? We watched the first two episodes, then it disappeared. It was very informative. We were really looking forward to new episodes.

A. According to the Hollywood Reporter, ABC pulled Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution during the competitive May sweeps because it thought that a Dancing With the Stars recap would do better in the ratings. The series came back in ABC’s lineup Friday.

Q. Whatever happened to Vinita Nair from the ABC early-morning news?

A. She left World News Now — and ABC News as a whole — in February and did not indicate what her next job would be. She said at the time she planned to take an extended vacation and to enjoy sleeping in.

Q. I saw part of this old movie a while back about the resort town right next to a volcano. It also had a cantilever building over the rim of the volcano. There was also a elevator going down the shaft of the volcano. I think it was in the 1970s. Can you find out what the movie was called?

A. I’m not sure. Questions that come with descriptions of single scenes or props in a movie are tricky. But I think you are remembering “When Time Ran Out ...” from 1980. It has a volcano, a resort town, a building on the volcano’s lip, a pod that lowers into the volcano’s crater — and a cast that includes Paul Newman, William Holden and Jacqueline Bisset. If you want to check it against your memory, it is on DVD — and posted in pieces on YouTube.

Q. Several years ago ABC had a show called “10-8” about the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Dept. I’ve tried to find it on DVD with no luck. Do you know if it’s available?

A. “10-8,” also known as “10-8: Officers on Duty,” originally aired over four months on ABC in 2003-04. The cast included Danny Nucci and Ernie Hudson. I do not know of an authorized video release.

Q. I remember a TV western series called “The Outlaws” or “Outlaws.” Rod Taylor was the star. The twist was these 1880s outlaws go through some sort of time warp and find themselves in modern-day Texas. It was shown for one season sometime in the ’80s, I believe. I have not been able to find it on DVD or tape anywhere. Do you know if it is available, and if so, where?

A. “Outlaws” (no The) aired on CBS in 1986-87. Rod Taylor played a sheriff and former outlaw who, along with his old gang, was transported from 1899 to the present day. The cast included William Lucking, Charles Napier and Richard Roundtree. I do not know of an authorized video release.

Q. I was wondering if you could tell me how the dancers and the stars are paired on “Dancing With the Stars.” Do they draw straws?

A. It’s not random, because the show wants interesting combinations. “DWTS” pro Mark Ballas — after noting that he does not pick his partners — told me that height is a factor (so tallish, leggy Derek Hough would get tallish, leggy partners). But personality is important, too; the show would not have paired Bristol Palin, one of Ballas’ partners, with Maks Chmerkovskiy because he would not have had the patience to work with Palin. And age comes into play. Ballas’ father, Corky, appeared on the show with older partners Cloris Leachman and Florence Henderson.

2011, Akron Beacon Journal