If your child comes running through the house tomorrow screaming about the television being broken DON’T call a repairman. Especially if your mini-couch potato is a fan of Nickelodeon.
The cable network will be broadcasting nothing but dead air on Saturday from noon to 3 p.m. (EDT/PDT) as part of its fourth annual “Worldwide Day of Play.” It’s Nickelodeon’s way of encouraging kids to get off the couch and get moving—-preferably outside with other children.
Of course, the network has to make money somehow so that evening Nickelodeon is airing “Let’s Just Play Go Healthy Challenge” a show chronicling the achievements of kids who have been following vigorous exercise regimes. Network executives say they hope that by spotlighting kids who have made impressive gains in the past several months other children will be inspired to catch the exercise bug too.
One of the kids who will be getting significant air time on tomorrow’s show is a 13-year-old boy from Little Rock, Arkansas. When he joined the program in April he described himself as a “couch potato who played video games and didn’t go outside much.” In the five months since he says he has dropped 40 pounds and learned to swim and ride a bike.
According to the network, the teen is only one of more than 750,000 kids that made a promise on Nickelodeon’s website to do their part to fight childhood obesity.
Another pop culture milestone worthy mentioning… it’s been more than a week since I’ve blogged about Britney Spears.
Yes, as easy as it is to target the train wreck I have tried to restrain myself. I was doing great until the other night when I saw an interview Joey Fatone did with TV’s “Extra.”
The former “Dancing with the Stars” finalist and current host of NBC’s “Singing Bee” is reaching out to the fallen pop star.
“Britney, call me, come over to my house, come to Orlando, get away from it all,” Fatone, told Extra. “It’s a good thing to get out of L.A.”
You mean Britney Spears actually has friends?
Fatone told the TV show that he and Spears hung out regularly when she was dating his former N’ Sync bandmate Justin Timberlake but hasn’t spoken to her in some time. Even so, Fatone says it is impossible not to know a what is going on with the former Mouseketeer’s life, including her highly publicized meltdown at the Video Music Awards and her very public battle with her ex-husband Kevin Federline over custody of their two sons.
“I think she just needs some time, some time to really heal,” says Fatone, who added, “If you’re there, let me know. I’m here for you, sweetheart.”
If Britney were smart she would take Fatone up on his offer.