Seein' Cena

I’ve never been much of a wrestling fan. And I never wrestled in high school. In fact, the only wrestling I’ve ever done has been with tough steaks and bad life decisions.

The last time I paid any attention to wrestling was as a kid, watching Bobo Brazil on TV from the Olympic Auditorium in downtown Los Angeles. Look it up.

So I was more than a little surprised to find myself becoming a fan of one of wrestling’s biggest stars and best ambassadors: John Cena.

I honestly don’t remember when I first came across Cena, but it wasn’t in the ring. It was as an actor, and he was genuinely good. Not only does he have real acting chops, he also has terrific comic timing, as anyone who watched him play Sammy Fak on The Bear can tell you.

Whenever I saw him on late-night talk shows, he also came across as refreshingly humble. No oversized ego. No "look at me" energy. Just a guy comfortable enough in his own skin to laugh at himself.

But what impressed me most, and I think it’s because it’s in such short supply these days, was his heart.

Cena has granted more wishes through the Make-A-Wish Foundation than anyone in history: more than 650 for critically and terminally ill children. Watch a few clips online and you'll see he always makes time for fans, especially kids. He's built like a superhero, but he's never been afraid to show vulnerability or admit he's still a work in progress.

What really sealed it for me was a video from a fan convention. A cancer survivor told Cena his "Never Give Up" mantra is what helped him through the darkest days of treatment, then asked if he could have a hug. Cena didn't hesitate for a second.

It wasn't staged. It wasn't performative. It was just a genuinely kind human moment.

At a time when the loudest voices like Pete Kegsbreath (please pass the testosterone), alledged alpha males and dipshits in the manosphere are selling toxic masculinity and seem to think compassion is a character flaw, it's refreshing, bordering on revolutionary, to see someone like Cena set a different example. Strength doesn't have to mean arrogance. Confidence doesn't require cruelty. Young men could do a whole lot worse than looking up to someone who treats kindness as a strength instead of a weakness.

Of course, if I'm being completely honest, there are still a few people in Washington, D.C. I'd happily pay to see him body slam.

Yes chef

I haven’t jumped on The Bear bandwagon. Truth is I’m driving it. And the reason is simple: this isn’t bragging, but merely a statement of fact: I saw it first.

I’d read about it in one of my many showbiz magazines (yes I still get magazines-they make excellent reading in the “library”), and thought it looked interesting. Another plus was it also looked like a fine opportunity to bank some marriage points what with it being a show about a restaurant and cooking. I figured the wife would enjoy it, since she's a trained chef herself and has had the rare honor of cooking at the James Beard House.

Yeah, we eat well around here. Have you seen my 32-inch waist? It was here just a minute ago.

Anyway, The Bear - streaming on Hulu - is the story of a world-class chef, Carmen, Carmy for short, played by Jeremy Allen White. He inherits a Chicago sandwich shop after his brother Michael commits suicide, and comes back to run it, eventually turning it into a fine dining restaurant.

The place is filled with brilliant actors each playing a character that is compelling, flawed, funny, heartbreaking, joyous and relatable as it gets.

His “cousin” Ritchie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach). His partner Sydney (Ayo Edebiri). Pastry chef Marcus (Lionel Boyce). Tina (Liza Colón-Zayas), who’s been working there forever. Fak (Matty Matheson, actually a chef in real life), who plays the handyman/fixit guy. Gary (Corey Hendrix) and Ebraheim (Edwin Lee Gibson). There’s also Carmy’s sister Natalie (nicknamed Sugar) played by Abby Elliott, Chris Elliott’s daughter and Bob Elliott’s granddaughter. Comedy pedigree much?

And last but most definitely not least, Uncle Jimmy, played by one of my all time favorites Oliver Platt, who as I’m certain you recall, I wrote about here eight years ago.

From the first frame of the first episode of the first season, The Bear was magnificent. It immediately catapults you right into the insanity of a restaurant kitchen. But for as great as the first season was, the current second season is even better. In it we get the backstories to all the characters, taking them out of the kitchen and bringing us into their real lives. The more we learn, the more we come to love them.

Not going to give anything away, but I challenge you to find better written, acted, directed and moving television anywhere than guest star-packed episodes six (as intense as it gets) and seven (absolutely heartbreaking, ultimately joyous) of season two.

The show and cast are deservedly nominated for a slew of Emmy’s. I hope they take them all.

Enjoy it over and over-surprise!- like I do.

And make sure you’re not interrupted when you’re watching. After all, every second counts.