Ray Richmond is contributing to Deadline’s TCA coverage.
This morning provided the most surreal moment of this winter’s TCA press tour. The Spanish-language network Univision’s 7:30 AM panel became a must-attend a couple of days ago when the network announced that it will feature Jennifer Lopez and her estranged husband Marc Anthony. But, despite the large interest, critics, already surly after having to rise at the crack of dawn, were squeezed into a smallish room that was rife with set-up cameras that made walking around nearly impossible. Lopez and Anthony, co-creators and exec producers of Univision’s Q’Viva! The Chosen, billed as a crossover talent contest for performers from throughout Latin America, were not there for the opening of the proceedings. They finally showed up about 15 minutes before the end of the session. The two were quizzed about the show by Univision personality Lourdes Estefan, dressed in a style similar to that of Lopez who was wearing a skin-tight blue leather dress with flower applications. “This is a passion project on so many levels,” Lopez said. “It’s really our dream to see it come together. People will be so enlightened, so enriched by this experience.” As for working with her ex, “it’s the same as any other time we work together,” she said, “we have a great time.”
Suddenly, all hell broke loose. As the minutes until the session’s scheduled conclusion ticked down and the critics were being shut out in favor of prepared questions, TCA veteran Jonathan Storm dramatically stood up, interrupting the pep rally. “The critics would like to ask their questions!” he announced. “We’ve got only seven minutes before we need to be somewhere else!” Those onstage were taken aback and briefly ignored the disturbance. But after other critics began chiming in, Storm’s question, “What kind of crossover do you think you have here with the English-speaking audience?”, was answered briefly by Lopez (“It really does translate; it’s not a big leap for anybody, since music and dance is part of the show”) before the panel onstage tried to return to talking amongst themselves. That was greeted with more impassioned protest, so one more critic got to ask a cursory question before Estefan put the session out of its misery, tossing it to a video followed by a wildly energetic live performance reminiscent of the Saturday night variety staple Sabato Gigante. Afterward, the shell-shocked critics filed out, with the spectacle they had witnessed already hailed as a classic of TCA lore.


Love it.
Hopefully a audio/video of that will show up. Good for Storm for speaking up.
sounds like it was fun
ATTICA!
You are the best, my friend.
I am not surprised. JLO can’t handle off the cuff type of questions. She has never been known for being smart nor articulate. Lopez is all about her looks, sex appeal , her lip-synching , and selling her brand. Once her looks fade, she is nothing.
Thanks, Paula.
Tn is right. She did the same thing on an appearance with Letterman. She refused to answer his questions, didn’t want to talk about her life.
With that egotistical Lopez involved,perhaps the name of the show shoulda been: Q’DIVA!
Scheduling JLo at 7:30am is a recipe for disaster. Who thought they’d be on time? I blame Univision.
“Enlightened”?
Sounds hysterical. Alot of ego was in that room, it must have been hard to move around. Between the self important critics and Look at me, Look at me, Look at me Lopez, all of the air must have been sucked out of the room.
Maybe the critics are self-important. Aren’t we all? But, like the song says, this TCA session is their party, and they can cry if they want to. Lopez was a guest.
Love, love, love, Stormie! He knows his stuff cold and he NEVER pulls a punch!
TCA panels are supposed to be press conferences, not press releases.
Clueless Univision drew bad press last year with inaccurate reporting directed against Senator Marco Rubio. This latest high-handed attempt at manipulating the press is indicative of Univision’s tendency to make its own rules, and ignore journalistic standards and etiquette.
Since most TCA reporters write for English-language newspapers anyway, it’s within their discretion to simply ignore “Q’Viva!”, and other offerings from this increasingly arrogant niche network.
j. lo is so unlikable i can hardly stand it.
Once her looks fade? She hit the wall years ago.
when j.lo was still struggling she used to walk my dog around the block. i can see she’s found her dog back again – marc. honey child, drop him for good!
“People will be so enlightened, so enriched by this experience.” As for working with her ex, “it’s the same as any other time we work together,” she said, “we have a great time.”
How can there be any doubt that this is not one of our greatest actors?
People, people, people. Don’t be fooled by the rocks that she’s got, she’s still Jenny from the block.