BONNIE HUNT ROCKS, PART DEUX! - UPDATED

The smart, funny, beautiful and talented Bonnie Hunt premieres her new talk show today. Below is a preview to tickle your funny bone:

UPDATE: Bonnie Hunt's every-woman appeal shines in her new show which debuted this afternoon. Whenever Bonnie is involved in producing a TV series or film, it turns out to be a family affair with both relatives and friends-who-are- like-relatives playing prominent roles. That familial vibe is one of the most appealing parts of her work because it allows viewers to feel like they're one more member of the large and entertaining Hunt clan. Today's launch of "The Bonnie Hunt Show" was no exception with cameos by Bonnie's sister, niece and brother-in-law; and a cute/funny segment in which Bonnie interviewed kids from the grade school where her sister works.

Bonnie's close friends, like frequent collaborator Don Lake who serves as Executive Producer, were also on hand to help steer the show. Her "Jumanji" co-star Robin Williams served as Bonnie's first guest and managed to be funny without crossing the line. Well, not too far over the line at least. The show also featured Joe Mantegna and a new singer/songwriter named Meiko. The set is a dynamite duplex that pays tribute to the entertainers and programs that influenced Bonnie growing up.

This type of show really hinges on the host's personality though, and Bonnie has plenty of that. She seemed the tiniest bit nervous today, but I think her confidence will grow quickly. Her bread-and-butter is funny stories about her family and career. Today for instance, she talked about being on "Larry King" a number of years ago when Larry thought she was Helen Hunt for the majority of the interview. Bonnie just went along with it and never bothered to correct him.

It's that ability to take a bemused approach to life - and to make her audience feel like they're on the journey with her - that will hopefully lead this newbie host to success. To make a small Biblical analogy, Bonnie may be "in" Hollywood but she's not "of" Hollywood. She's just the down-to-earth Chicagoan whose talent and sense of humor led to stardom without creating in her an enormous ego. Ordinary folks can relate to Bonnie Hunt. Give her new show a try.



TonyRossiBlogger@gmail.com