Thursday, March 10, 2016

Rob Gronkowski Talks About His New Nickelodeon Show "Crashletes"; Growing Up A Nick Kid

To celebrate the upcoming premiere of Crashletes, Nickelodeon's brand-new viral sports clip series hosted by New England Patriots Super Bowl XLIX Champion and Pro Bowl tight end Rob Gronkowski, SBNation.com recently went behind-the-scenes to see how Nick's brand-new show is made, and chatted to Gronk about his new career as a Nickelodeon host!:

Rob Gronkowski never thought he'd host a Nickelodeon show, yet here he is

The Super Bowl champion is now a kids' show host. He spoke with SB Nation about how he got here and what it's like to suddenly be a TV personality.

GLENDALE, Calif. -- Last Friday, Rob Gronkowski taped three episodes of his upcoming Nickelodeon show, Crashletes. The show, which is executive produced by Rob Dyrdek of Ridiculousness fame, follows the same model of riffing on viral videos, most of which are sports-related.


The taping of the show (which was picked up for a 20-episode first season) is expectedly loose. Gronkowski and his two co-hosts, Stevie Nelson and Brandon Broady, watch about six segments' worth of videos and ad lib some gentle mockery. Some of the lines and basic talking points are scripted, but for the most part, the three see something funny and try to say something funny.

The taping was pretty loosey-goosey and definitely funny. The crew spent a lot of time between episodes adopting Gronk's already-famous bro-speak and Gronk was often the subject of some of the funniest bits -- like when he didn't know the word for "fuselage" or when he was suddenly confronted with seeing (and having to say) the word "namaste" for the first time.

The cast tapes about 90 minutes' worth of raw material for each episode, which will be edited down to a tight 22 minutes. Each episode also features a Gronk solo segment called "The Gronkdown" and ends with a bit, which might involve the hosts wrestling in slow motion, or Gronk leading his co-hosts in some yoga poses.

Before heading in to tape his third episode of the day, Gronk sat down to talk to us about his new career.

SB Nation: Can you tell me how you came aboard and how Nickelodeon approached you to host your own television show?

Rob Gronkowski: They just hit up my people after the season and just brought it to my attention. They kind of sold it to me as, it would be like Ridiculousness, but more on a PG scale [since] it was for Nickelodeon. I thought it sounded like a great idea. I looked over and everything and definitely thought definitely hosting something, too -- doing it for Nickelodeon, for like a kid's atmosphere -- was the way to go.

Did you ever think you'd be a TV host?

No, not really. [laughs] I never thought, growing up, I'd be a TV host. I always wanted to be an athlete growing up. Never really thought about being a TV host. It's definitely something new and something surprising, something cool.

Do you think this is something you can keep doing? When your football career is over, do you think you could be our generation's Tosh.0?

Uh, I don't know if I could be as funny as Tosh.0. He's legit. But it's definitely something that, in the future, when football's done, definitely something [I] can look into, keep on rolling with in this type of career, [in] the TV industry. It's definitely tough work. You've got to give everyone credit that's in this industry.

Is it harder than you thought it would be?

Yes. [laughs] It is. For sure. Definitely harder than I thought it would be. It's definitely mind-draining to sit in [the studio], talking the whole time, for five hours straight at some points before lunch break. But having two co-hosts that are good, too, definitely helps out.

Among sports fans, you're known as a party guy. Since this is a Nickelodeon show, what do you think is your connection to kids?

I don't know. Wherever I go -- like, I go to elementary schools, I go to middle schools -- wherever it is, if it's in Florida, if it's up in New England, I just feel like wherever I am, the kids always go crazy whenever they see me. I just feel like they're just chilling and all of a sudden, they're just screaming and yelling [when they see me].

I just feel like I have a connection to bring the joy, to bring the energy of the kids. So I just feel like [Crashletes] fits perfectly.

Did you watch a lot of Nickelodeon growing up?

Oh, yes I did.

What were your shows?

Uh, that slime show -- Double Dare. SpongeBob, Hey Arnold!, Rocket Power. I watched all those shows, man. I would still watch them [if they were on right now].

Have you had the pleasure of getting slimed yet?

Nope. It could happen in the future, though. We'll see. That would be super cool. Or Double Dare. Do they still have Double Dare? Yeah, I didn't think so. But I definitely wouldn't mind getting slimed. Or the slime slides. I remember those. It would be cool to do one of those obstacle courses.

So what do you think would be tougher: climbing the GUTS Aggro Crag, or doing a Legends of the Hidden Temple temple run?

Uh, I kinda ... I don't know the GUTS one. I'll go with Legends of the Hidden Temple, because I know what that one is.

What's your favorite Nickelodeon theme song?

I never thought about that. Does Rocket Power have a theme song? Oh, SpongeBob. A hundred percent. For sure. Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? [singing] SpongeBob SquarePants.

Why do you think Tom Brady is so good at Facebook?

I don't know! That's a great question! He is off the charts on Facebook. Every week, you see a new post from him. [I'm good, but] Brady destroys Facebook. He's the best Facebooker in the NFL, I think.

Is he the most elite Facebook quarterback?

Yeah. Somehow he just always has a crazy post and makes the news, every time.
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First-Look At Nickelodeon's 2016 Kids' Choice Awards Stage

Nickelodeon's 2016 Kids' Choice Awards promises to be the biggest and slimiest KCAs ever, and to celebrate, The Hollywood Reporter has unveiled a fantastic first look at the stage rendering for Saturday's awards!


There will be slime - lots of slime - onstage at Saturday's Kids' Choice Awards, airing live from the Forum in Inglewood, Calif., on Nickelodeon USA.

UPDATE: Check out this fantastic photo of Nickelodeon's 2016 Kids' Choice Awards stage, from Nickelodeon UK on Instagram! Keep checking Nick UK's official Instagram page this weekend as "Bella and the Bulldogs" star Lilimar Hernandez will be posting photos direct from the Orange Carpet!:


The awards show is know for sliming celebrities with gallons of the green goo - the recipe used to make the slime is a closely guarded secret - and Nickelodeon Senior Vice President (SVP), Live Events Jay Schmalholz promises that this year will be no different!

"We always try to outdo ourselves, so let's just say we are planning to take advantage of the Forum in ways we've never done before by engulfing the audience in slime," he tells The Hollywood Reporter exclusively, adding that 5,000 gallons will be used during Saturday's event!

Nickelodeon gave The Hollywood Reporter a first look at the stage rendering (above) for Saturday's awards, which air from 8-10 p.m. ET. Schmalholz says this year that the set is "designed to reflect pop culture in a kid's world."

He also revealed what else viewers can expect!:

What's new about this year's show?

We are lucky to have booked country music superstar Blake Shelton, who is also a coach on The Voice, one of the top shows on television for kids and families. This year, kids are not only picking the winners, they are choosing what will happen in the show. They will have the opportunity to impact the show in real time, by casting live votes to see four different outrageous moments play out. These scenarios include Shelton pranking DNCE, choosing who should get slimed -- Bethany Mota or Cameron Dallas; should Blake dress up as Abe Lincoln, an emoji or a unicorn; and if the onstage screen should instantly change to outer space or underwater. One thing that was important to us was making the kids the stars of the show. We always want the kids in the audience and those watching from home to interact with the celebrities and the slime unlike ever before. The best part of my job is to come up with new and innovative ways to deliver slime. Wait until you see what we have planned this year.

What's new about this year's set? What are some features that viewers should look for?

This year's Kids' Choice Awards puts the power of choice in the hands of kids everywhere. The set is designed to reflect pop culture and everything that is going on in a kid's world from social to TV to games to movies. Throughout the show, kids and families will be able to follow along with the live broadcast by casting votes digitally, to impact moments in the show in real time like changing the scenic environment, deicing what prank Blake will play backstage and even who will get slimed. Also, we know kids love movies, so we're giving them a sneak peek of some of today's hottest upcoming films by literally bringing trailers to life. DNCE will give a high-energy performance of "Cake by the Ocean" that will extend beyond the stage, into the audience, giving fans a healthy slime dousing. And this year's finale is going to be huge. We have surprises built in everywhere.

What can we expect from host Blake Shelton?

Blake is the quintessential prankster and has a great sense of humor which is why we love him and knew he was the perfect person to host this year's Kids' Choice Awards. When we first sat with him, he told us he was up for anything and we're going to hold him to it.

How much slime will you be using this year? Can you quantify the amount? How does that compare in years past?

More than 5,000 gallons. We always try to outdo ourselves, so let's just say we are planning to take advantage of the Forum in ways we've never done before by engulfing the audience in slime.

The slime recipe has never been revealed. But does it ever change from one year to the next?

The recipe is a secret. Has your grandmother ever given up her famous apple pie or meatloaf recipe? It's kind of the same thing here at Nick. We like to keep the mystery, fun and surprise of slime alive. There have been many attempts to guess our secret formula – it can be imitated, but never truly duplicated. It stays the same but the consistencies change depending on how we are delivering it. Slime was created to be messy, fun, gooey, silly and irreverent - and green is a dynamic color that captures the essence and feeling of being a kid.

What is your best advice to celebrities who are getting slimed?

You've got to be all in. Stand there, open arms, and embrace it. Let it soak in and don't be afraid. Slime is your friend.

How do you prepare stars for getting slimed?

All the celebrities who come to the Kids' Choice Awards are really excited about two things - kids and slime. They know the show is always unpredictable and they also know what to expect. You can never control slime and the celebrities have been known to take control of it themselves once it happens.

Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards 2016 airs live on Nickelodeon USA & Nickelodeon Canada on Saturday 12th March 2016 at 8pm (ET/PT) and Nickelodeon Australia & New Zealand on Sunday 13th March 2016 at 11am AU/1pm NZ, and on Nickelodeon channels around the world within hours of the live show, including Sunday 13th March 2016 from 5:00pm on Nickelodeon UK and Ireland/HD!
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Nickelodeon To Hold "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" Panels At WonderCon 2016

WonderCon has announced the Turtley Awesome news that Nickelodeon will be holding two Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles panels at WonderCon 2016!


Taking place Friday, March 25 through Sunday, March 27 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Downtown LA, WonderCon offers an incredible variety of panel discussions, including comics publisher presentations, movie and TV series events, animation, workshops, seminars and much more. Check out Nickelodeon's WonderCon 2016 schedule below!:

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows
Friday, March 25 / 5:45pm - 6:45pm / Microsoft Theater

Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies provide an inside look at the next installment in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise. Attendees will hear the latest news for one of the summer's most anticipated movies!

Nickelodeon's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtle Power
Saturday, March 26 / 11:30am - 12:30pm / Room 403AB

The Turtles are back! Spend some time with the mutated minds making Nickelodeon's hit animated TV series, now in its fourth season. The panel features executive producers Ciro Nieli and Brandon Auman as they provide sneak peeks into season 4 and discuss the epic and bizarre adventures in store for the Turtles. Fans will also get an exclusive look at an upcoming new episode "Trans-Dimensional Turtles," in which the Turtles collide with their '80s counterparts. Watch the episode for very special cameos! Also on hand will be the extraordinary and talented voice actors of TMNT.

Additionally, WonderCon 2016 will also be hosting a selection of panels which will talk about Nickelodeon merchandise and feature Nickelodeon artists and voice actors:

JAKKS Pacific: BIG FIGS The New Way to Play
Friday, March 25 / 4:30pm - 5:30pm / Room 502A

Power Rangers, Teenage Mutant Nina Turtles, Star Wars, Batman vs. Superman, Warcraft, World of Nintendo and more! JAKKS Pacific, maker of world-famous BIG FIGS in gold standard 20", massive 31" and colossal 48" scales, present the greatest heroes and villains from all your favorite pop culture brands in giant scale; perfect for everyday play and collectability. Find out about the latest offerings from all of JAKKS BIG FIG brands with a presentation and Q&A with members of the design, packaging, and marketing teams.

Action Figure Insider: Toy Collecting: Attack of the Killer Licenses
Friday, March 25 / 6:00pm - 7:00pm / Room 515A

It is a golden age to be a geek, with a new Star Wars movie every year, multiple Marvel movies, the cinematic Justice League forming, and more Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Not to mention all of the TV projects like The Walking Dead, The Flash, Powers and Arrow! With those projects come toys and collectibles! Bill Benekie (Mattel), Jim Fletcher (DC Collectibles), Kevin Kiniry (DC Collectibles), Dan Lujan (Kotobukiya), Scott Neitlich (Jakks Pacific), and Jeff Trojan (Playmates Toys) discuss how they are handing product production and security for some of the biggest movies and license of all time. Moderated by Daniel Pickett (Action Figure Insider, Geek Shall Inherit podcast).

Digital Color for Comics
Friday, March 25 / 6:00pm - 7:00pm / Room 411

Print and digital comic books need color, but do you know how they get their color? Learn about the creative art of comic book coloring as Hi-Fi's Brian Miller (Batman vs. Superman) and Kristy Miller (SpongeBob SquarePants) demonstrate the step-by-step transformation of a comic book page from black and white to full color. Learn the basics of flattening, rendering, color holds, and special effects, along with top digital coloring tips. A Q&A session will follow.

Cartoon Voices
Saturday, March 26 / 4:30pm - 5:30pm / Room 403AB

Talk about super powers! Here's a panel with heroes who can put voices into the mouths of your favorite animated characters. They'll tell you how they do it and present an unrehearsed reading to show how they do it! With Townsend Coleman (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Tick), Maurice LaMarche (The Legend of Korra, Robot and Monster, Pinky and the Brain, Futurama), Chuck McCann (Random! Cartoons, Duck Tales, The Fantastic Four), Candi Milo (Pig Goat Banana Cricket, Breadwinners, Winx Club, Planet Sheen, Curious George, Jimmy Neutron), and others! Your host is Mark Evanier (The Garfield Show).

H/T: Coming Soon; Additional source: IMDb.
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Olympian Mo Farah SLIMED By Own Daughters As They Present Him With Kids' Choice Award

Olympic runner Mo Farah recently received the ultimate Nickelodeon honour - a world-famous Nickelodeon sliming - by his daughters as they presented him with a coveted orange blimp award as part of Nickelodeon's 2016 Kids' Choice Awards!


The athlete, 32, was awarded the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards for UK Inspirational Athlete by his girls Aisha and Amani, three, and Rhianna, nine.

The sportsman was presented with his gong by daughters Aisha, Amani and Rhianna at his home in Portland, Oregon, marking his outstanding athletic career.

Famous for his unique celebratory dance, 'The Mobot', the Somalian born superstar took his drenching in good spirit.

Dressed in a stripey red t-shirt and casual navy shorts, the good humoured runner even managed a smile for the cameras.

The 32-year-old father-of-four is a double Olympic, World and European Champion and recently became the first athlete to win three long-distance doubles at successive World Championships.

'I'm so proud of all of my athletic achievements and to have them recognised by Nickelodeon feels incredible.'

'Growing up, I was inspired by many great athletes and I hope that this award will motivate kids from the UK and across the world to follow their dreams.'

'My daughters absolutely loved sliming me; thanks Nickelodeon for this once in a lifetime honour!'

Viewers can enjoy the British hero getting gunged on Sunday, as part of the glittering and star filled awards ceremony.


Hosted by country music superstar and coach panelist on NBC's The Voice, Blake Shelton, and UK dance stars Jordan and Perri, Nickelodeon's 2016 Kids' Choice Awards will take place at the "Fabulous" Forum in Inglewood, California on Saturday 12th March 2016. UK & Irish viewers will be able to watch the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards 2016 on Sunday 13th March 2016 from 5:00pm, giving Nick's UK and Irish audiences the opportunity to see all of the slime and star action less than 24 hours after the live US show!

Mo recently spoke of his pride at being an immigrant living in Britain - and how he was welcomed here with open arms.


The UK's most successful distance runner of all-time is already working hard in his bid for Team GB Olympic glory in Rio, where he will defend his 5,000 and 10,000 metre titles.

Speaking of his arrival in the UK at the age of eight, he said: "I don't really remember too much about Somalia as I was so young.


"But me and my family felt so at home in the UK because the people are so welcoming, it is a truly multi-cultural society.

"I am proud of my dual heritage and proud to be British.


"When I run, I run for Great Britain."

Mo Farah gets slimed as he receives an honorary Kids' Choice AwardStar is a good sport

Farah spoke little English when he fled Somalia to make his home in London. But he is now a national hero, busy preparing for yet another crack at Olympic glory.


However he said the toughest sacrifice is being away from his daughters, wife Tania, and baby son, Hussein, born last year.


Mo has joined a star-studded list of previous slimees including Justin Bieber, Taylor Lautner, Katy Perry, Halle Berry, Nick Jonas, Harrison Ford, Orlando Bloom, Andy Murray, Perri Kiely and his Diversity co-dancers, and Ant and Dec.

Sneak-Peek From New "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" Episode "The Cosmic Ocean", Premiering 3/13 On Nickelodeon USA

To celebrate Nickelodeon USA premiering the brand new "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" season four episode "The Cosmic Ocean" on Sunday 13th March 2016 at 11:00am ET/PT, Nick USA has unveiled a Turtley Awesome sneak peek preview from the all-new episode, which you can watch in the fantastic online streaming video clip here on Nick.com! Booyakasha!


In the brand-new "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" episode "The Cosmic Ocean" (#409), the Heroes in a Half-Shell journey through an ocean-like area of space. In the super sneak-peek, "Under Attack", Armaggon (Ron Perlman, Sons of Anarchy) attacks the ship!

Additional source: Zap2it TV Listings.
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In Memoriam: '90s Slang

From Doy, Home Skillet, Let's Dip and the 411 to Scrub, Chill Out, Buggin', Raise the Roof and Tripin', sure, '90s slang was all that and a bag of chips, but now the time has come to pay our respects:



Watch all your '90s Nickelodeon favorites on The Splat, your late-night destination for your favorite childhood Nickelodeon cartoons and live-action shows! The Splat doesn't question football-shaped heads, but embrace them - along with Reptar bars, a Big Ear of Corn, orange soda, and even slime for Pete (and Pete's) sake. Make your slime-covered Nickelodeon childhood dreams come true every night at 10pm ET/PT, only on TeenNick USA! #TheSplat!
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