Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Former Miss Michigan to appear on newest season of 'Survivor'

A familiar face will grace TV screens this fall.
Local fans of the reality show “Survivor” will recognize Wyandotte native and former Miss Michigan USA 2013 Jaclyn Schultz as a contestant on the 29th season of the reality competition, “Survivor: San Juan Del Sur — Blood vs. Water."
Her boyfriend Jon Misch, a Waterford native and former football player at Michigan State University, will appear with her on the show, which pits a group of contestants isolated in the wilderness against each other to compete for a $1 million prize. The couple are one of nine competing on the CBS show, which debuts at 8 p.m. Sept. 24.
Schultz said she decided to take part in the show because it’s the ultimate challenge — physically, mentally and socially — in the most extreme conditions.
“I live by the motto ‘never stop learning and growing as a person,’” she said. “This was definitely an experience that helped me grow a lot and realize more of my strengths and weaknesses as an individual and as Jon's partner. I knew the experience would be a once in a lifetime opportunity.”
She said she looks forward to watching the show with friends and family every Wednesday, and is both excited and nervous about reliving her time on the island.
“It will be bizarre to watch myself in that environment, stripped of literally everything, no Internet, phone, food, shower, makeup — no one to trust 100 percent but Jon,” she said. “I had a lot of highs and lows. It was hands down the most challenging thing I've ever done.”

Schultz graduated from Roosevelt High School in 2006. She then graduated from Central Michigan University and went on to earn a master’s degree from Michigan State University.
She currently lives in Las Vegas, where she works as a media buyer at SK+G Public Relations.
She is the daughter of Wyandotte City Councilman Donald Schultz.
Her Wyandotte pride continues to shine.
“Just like when I was Miss Michigan, I'm always proud to represent my hometown, Wyandotte,” she said. “It's different this time though. I'm not on a glamorous Miss USA stage, I'm literally living in the jungle stripped of everything.”
But she said she’s confident that she always can count on support from people in her beloved hometown.
“I know everyone in Wyandotte who has supported me from day one will continue to do so, regardless if it's a gown or if I'm covered in mud,” she said. “Love the people! Go Bears!”
During her time on the pageant circuit, Jaclyn Schultz made Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome her cause. The congential condition causes a woman’s uterus to be underdeveloped or absent and affects one in 4,500 women, including Schultz herself.
She has served as spokeswoman for the Beautiful You MRKH Foundation as she works to spread awareness and to provide support to girls and women struggling with acceptance of the diagnosis.
If they win the money on “Survivor,” the couple said they plan to use it to adopt a child or hire a surrogate.
“Survivor: San Juan Del Sur” premieres at 8 p.m. Sept. 24 on CBS.

‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ set to film Downriver

The blockbuster comic-book movie “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” will be filming Downriver soon, according to an unnamed source at River Rouge City Hall and other media reports.
The employee, who did not give her name, said negotiations have been going on for more than a year to use at least one location in the city.
The website OnLocationVacations.com reported Aug. 18 that Nicholson Terminal and Dock Co. will be the site of filming.
A report on the site said “telltale CCP crew signs,” which have been used by the production company in other filming locations, have been seen around the business.
The business, at 60 East Great Lakes St., has been used for several productions in recent years. “Transformers: Age of Extinction,” “Real Steel,” “Kill the Irishman” and The Double” have all used the location for filming, the site reported.
A Nicholson Terminal and Dock Co. official refused to comment on the filming, citing a confidentiality agreement.
Comic book movie fans in the region were delighted a few months ago by the announcement that "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" would film in Detroit.
In recent weeks, fans across the state have delighted in sightings of stars Ben Affleck (Batman) and Henry Cavill (Superman).
Romulus firefighter John Thiede has been cast in the movie as a Metropolis police officer.
Detroit and surrounding cities are thought to be standing in for Batman’s hometown of Gotham City, it is unclear why the Metropolis police would be in Gotham City, or if parts of the city are standing in for Metropolis as well.
Due to contract restrictions, Thiede has not commented on his role other than confirming that some of his scenes included Ben Affleck.
The film is set to be the live-action movie introduction to many characters that make up the DC Comics team the Justice League.
When Marvel Studios released its superhero team movie “The Avengers,” the film made more than $1.5 billion at the worldwide box office.
"Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" stars Henry Cavill as Superman, Ben Affleck as Batman and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, the core trio of the traditional Justice League in the source comics.
It is expected to be released on March 25, 2016.

The film is being produced in conjunction with the Pontiac-based Michigan Motion Picture Studios, which is working on many of the film’s special effects.

Star of 'Gotham’ visits Big Ben’s comic book store

Comic book culture is taking the world by storm.
There are no fewer than 23 comic-related television shows either currently on the air or set to debut within the next year. That doesn’t factor in the numerous movies and straight-to-DVD releases also in the works.
PHOTOS: Erin Richards visits Big Ben's Comix Oasis
That’s why it was no surprise when Erin Richards of the upcoming Fox TV series “Gotham” showed up at Big Ben’s Comix Oasis last week on the spur of the moment.
“Gotham” is set to make its debut in September. The show is set in Gotham City and will follow a young detective, James Gordon, as he investigates the death of Bruce Wayne’s parents. Wayne, of course, is Batman. Richards will play Barbara Keane, Gordon’s girlfriend.
Richards flew in from Dallas to do a one-hour signing at the store and a couple of quick interviews before moving on to Chicago and then back to New York, where the show is filming its first season.
“I love it here,” she said when she walked in the door.
Because of the short notice given to the store, only about a dozen fans were on hand to meet Richards, but that didn’t dent her spirits as she personalized autographs for everyone, posed for photos and struck up conversations with everyone around her.

One such conversation was with a pair of young fans. She spoke with them for about 15 minutes and gave them a giant poster as they turned to leave.
“It doesn’t take any effort to be nice to people,” Richards said between drinks of tea made by a member of the store’s staff. “It’s the easiest part of this job.”
Richards said she was a fan of Batman growing up, specifically the Tim Burton films.
“I used to dress up as Batman and put on plays,” she said. “I would make all of my cousins dress up and put on plays with me. To this day they are all scarred from that.”
She remained tight-lipped about spoilers of the upcoming season.
“It’s the first season, so you can expect to find lots of origins,” she said. “It’s going to be great.”
While she was at the store, she agreed to help owner John “Big Ben” Davis complete his ALS Ice Bucket Challenge as the celebrity pourer.