Actress Tori Spelling is the daughter of one of the most prolific American television producers, the late Aaron Spelling. She is a solid chip off her dad’s block.
Dean McDermott - Tori Spelling Pussycat Dolls Lounge at the Caesars Palace Hotel and Casino - Las Vegas, NV, USA © PRN / PR Photos
Workaholic Tori and husband Dean McDermott have solidified their partnership in love and business, and defied reality TV couple odds by making hay (and baby number two) with the reality TV platform of Oxygen’s latest smallscreen veritas of their lives: Home Sweet Hollywood, set to bow on June 17 at 10 PM.
Tori’s additional TV work includes the announcement that she will revisit her role as Donna in the CW’s "90210" series that will also see a return of Jennie Garth. No word on “Brenda” Shannon Doherty yet.
Oxygen will also present “25iest,” hosted by Tori and Dean. The show will dish about power couples by counting down the most influential duos in entertainment, sports, fashion, and politics. That show premieres June 10.
Monsters and Critics joined a few online reporters and spoke to Tori and Dean a few days ago:
Tori, what’s the most important lesson your father ever imprinted on you, that you learned from him about television in general?
And also just a follow-up, what was your favorite show that he ever put together and created in your mind?
Tori Spelling: My favorite show of his is probably a show that was his favorite and that was a show called Family. He was the most proud of that show because, , my dad kind of got a bad rap, I think.
A lot of times people would say oh he just makes (jiggle) TV and it’s all for entertainment purposes. But he did some really amazing shows as well that he was really proud of, that people kind overlooked.
“Family” was one of them. It was all about family. It was a great dramatic show and I’m really proud of that show that he did.
And as far as what he taught me work wise in television, I mean, I learned everything from him. I have a really, really strong work ethic and I learned that from my dad because my dad was a workaholic but he always had even more time for us.
As hard as he would work, he always made the time. So it’s just about balancing family, I think, and work - and giving everything 100%. And that’s what he taught me.
Do you think he would enjoy your new show?
Tori Spelling: Oh definitely. He would love it because my dad, as I said, was big into shows that really sent across a positive message and really strived to, , be entertaining for a whole family.
I really believe our show does that. There’s a lot of kind of train wreck TV reality shows out there. And I think Tori & Dean is a great show that really focuses on family, focuses on couples to show that everyone can watch together and enjoy. And that’s what makes me the most proud.
What possessed you to open your lives up for everyone to see in a show like this?
Dean McDermott: My first answer was insanity. But the truth be told our lives are pretty much documented in the media on a weekly basis and we just figured since our lives are being put out there and we have no control over it, why don’t we put ourselves out there and have control over it - and invite the viewers and the public into our lives to really let them know and see what we’re really like because, , as , there’s a lot of preconceived notions about celebrities, and of course, Tori that it’s an opportunity to set the record straight.
What about the dread curse of the celebrity couples in reality TV?
Tori Spelling: Well when we started this show three seasons ago, that was definitely something that we addressed. Dean actually didn’t even know about…
Dean McDermott: I wasn’t even aware.
Tori Spelling: the curse of the reality couples. But I told him. And it wasn’t something we were worried about. And it’s something three years later that hasn’t affected our relationship one bit.
It actually has made our relationship stronger. We love working together. We love - we actually are a couple that does everything together even when we’re not working.
So for us, this is the best venue for our relationship because we get to spend all our time together. And I think for other couples, perhaps they didn’t spend all their time together and then all of a sudden they were stuck together all the time, and they couldn’t make it work. But for us it works.
Dean McDermott: The proof is in the pudding - baby number two.
Tori Spelling: Season three.
Tori, will you be covering your return to 90210 on your show? And why did you decide to do that?
Tori Spelling: Well it just happened, so we have not filmed anything for the show as of yet. But as our show covers everything that happens in our lives, I’m sure something will be in it regarding it.
I chose to go back to 90210 because its home, and we had such a loyal fan base for so many years that I owe everything to our fans. So I really felt the need to give back to them and to give then Donna again, and see where she is now.
Do you have a shorthand communication or fail safe if you’re in the midst of filming your reality show and you want the camera to stop or you want to let Dean, or Dean conversely you want to let Tori know ‘all right, I want the cameras to stop now?’
Dean McDermott: It’s very subtle. You can’t quite pick up on it, but I have a call that I put out and it goes like this: (caw caw, caw caw). And so that means don’t film.
Tori Spelling: He’s kidding.
Dean McDermott: I’m totally kidding.
Tori Spelling: What, now that the show - and this is our first season that we’re going to the hour format which is great for us and it really has allowed us to just kind of delve even deeper into our relationship.
It does explore some pretty emotional, raw feelings and at times, things that can feel a little uncomfortable because the viewers are really right there in our relationship.
But we’re pretty honest. We chose to do a reality show because we wanted to give the reality of our situation, not to kind of mask it if the things got kind of uncomfortable.
We pretty much put it all out there and I think the viewers will appreciate that. And they’ll see when they watch it this season that there are emotional things, trying things on relationships that we’ve put in there because we just wanted to be open and honest.
We don’t really shut down the cameras. We just let them go.
Are you still filming the show? And if so, if anything like your new role back on 90210, if that will figure into the show at all, or maybe that will be something for a next season?
Tori Spelling: We are still filming the show. And the role on 90210, I mean, it just happened. It all just came together. So as it is reality, we take it one day at a time from what we know. So I’m sure something about it will be included.
Tori - You’re due next month, Are we going to be covering that on Tori & Dean?
Tori Spelling: The pregnancy has been a big part of this season. I’ve been pregnant all season. So we will - I mean, we’re not going to be covering the birth obviously. But it will figure into the season, the baby being born.
What did you learn from your experience at your Country Inn?
Dean McDermott: Oh, that Bed and Breakfasts are really, really hard to run. You’re the first one up and the last one to go to bed, it really tested our strength. We became stronger from it - the whole experience from, , learning about it, sort of investing wise - money-wise, business-wise and then just pushing yourself.
It takes a lot of work to run a Bed and Breakfast. And then with a brand new baby, it triples. So we really learned that we can really - when push comes to shove, we can really roll up our sleeves and get in there, and get the job done.
Are you proud of the job you did?
Dean McDermott: Absolutely. I’m very proud. I think what we did in a really short period of time and the product that we offered was great. It breaks our heart that, it didn’t pan out for us.
But again, the life experience was - it was worth it.
Do you have any advice to mothers out there who have a million different things going on, about how to handle it?
Tori Spelling: Oh my god, they probably have better advice for me than I’d have for them. How to handle it? I mean, we just have such a great connection. A hands-on dad is really helpful.
I mean, Dean is more than hands-on. He is unbelievable with Liam so that really helps, especially being this pregnant. It’s really hard to do anything at this point and to carry him. So it’s been really helpful.
But, the best thing for us is that we all get to work together. So we get to take our baby to work every day which is really helpful. I don’t know if we would be able to not have helped if we both had to go work somewhere else and not be with Liam every day.
Dean McDermott: And that’s the best thing in the world. And I think it’s rare that couples get to take their baby to work. So it’s incredible.
Tori Spelling: Yeah, we know it’s a unique situation and we’re very lucky.
What your current relationship status with your mom Candy, and will she appear on this season’s show?
Tori Spelling: No, I don’t have any of my family appear on the show because I didn’t want to use them as tools for promoting the show, basically. And there’s been so much drama played out in the press that even though if things happen and I do discuss things on the show, I felt like it would seem more of a gimmick at this point to have them appear on the show. So I chose not to.
What have been reactions that you’ve gotten so far from your memoir, particularly from the 90210 cast?
Tori Spelling: I actually haven’t talked to anyone except Jennie and she hasn’t actually read it yet. She’s had a lot going on personally in her life. But, I spoke my truth in my book and I’m not concerned about people’s reactions.
I think if anyone knows me well, they’ll be really proud of the truth that I told.
How are you preparing your 14 month-old son right now for baby number two?
Tori Spelling: Well he’s a little young to obviously be able to understand that there’s another baby coming. But I keep showing him the belly. I keep saying baby. At this point, when I say baby he points to the belly and I’m not sure if he knows what that means, but…
Dean McDermott: Even if he was older, I don’t think little boys can grasp or get prepared for a little sister. He’s in for a world of change having a little sister. She’s going to wreak havoc on him.
Tori Spelling: We’re in the process of trying to put her nursery together. It’s a work in progress. We’re not finished yet, so hopefully she won’t come yet.
What are Liam’s reactions to the cameras in your house are. Has he gotten used to it by this season or is he still a little like confused?
Tori Spelling: He’s been seeing cameras in our houses since he was born and so there was never any confusion.
Dean McDermott: He’s a pro.
Tori Spelling: It was just kind of a way of life. And it’s really different than what people would think. People think of cameras and crews, and TV shows and they think of a lot of people and a lot of setup.
We’re just a small reality show, so it’s a very small crew. So, he has like one camera and like three people he knows. And that’s it. So it’s not confusing to him. They’re like family to him.
Regarding Oxygen’s 25iest power couples, which one surprised you guys the most?
Dean McDermott: Actually nobody really surprised me. It seemed like it really all - everybody kind of fell right into place…
Tori Spelling: They all made sense, yeah, for what it was because it’s divided into categories as people will see when they watch the show on June 10. But it’s - they all made sense for what number they were given.
Dean McDermott: It was all pretty bang on.
Tori Spelling: Yeah. There are some funny ones in there, too, though. We’re pretty much up on our pop culture.
Dean McDermott: Yeah, we’re pretty savvy.
Regarding the upcoming 90210, but do you have any hopes for what Donna is doing now or what you ideally would like to see her in her life right now?
Tori Spelling: Well when we left her she was very into fashion and wanted to be a designer. She had her own boutique, so I’m hoping that she’s kind of upped the ante and she’s bigger into fashion, that her career has really taken off because then I’ll get to wear some really cool clothes.
You mentioned that you’re not sure if she’s still married to David. Do you think it would be good if she wasn’t married to him?
Tori Spelling: I don’t know. It’s definitely a storyline to explore. I mean, I see her as - Donna was pretty determined so I see her as pretty - a hard core career woman that’s been pretty driven all these years.
So it’ll be interesting, at least for me, to see how that affected her marriage and where she stands with that, if they have kids and stuff. So I’m just as interested as the fans are to know where she’s at.
Dean McDermott: I see her married to a Canadian and starting a family.
Tori, do you have any tips for pregnant women and any cravings or anything Dean, you’ve had to run out in the middle of the night for?
Dean McDermott: The only craving this pregnancy that was kind of regular was Rocky Road ice cream but even that tapered off. The first pregnancy, her one craving - one and only craving that she had only once was a root beer float.
And this one, her - this go around its Rocky Road. But even that stopped.
Tori Spelling: Yeah, I didn’t get cravings really bad. Like you hear about these crazy cravings that pregnant women get. I never had that. I never wanted to eat dirt or anything.
Tori, of all the different characters you’ve played, who do you think is the one that you sort of relate the most to or have related the most to?
Tori Spelling: Actually, a character that’s pretty close to me is a character I just played in the movie that was just released in April called Kiss the Bride that I did. The character of Alex, I thought her personality was kind of fun and quirky, and was pretty close to mine.
She just kind of the like seemingly really good girl but then she had kind of this raunchy sense of humor and she’s really fun. And that just reminded me of me. In a girly way, if that makes any sense.
Dean McDermott: Yes, she does have that.
Tori, since you’ve been the subject of much gossip yourself - how did you feel about the role in Smallville - the gossip columnist?
Tori Spelling: I loved it. That was the reason I wanted to do the part when they first came to me. I thought it was a genius idea. I mean, my whole life is written about by columnists and gossip columnists.
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