By Mark Shanahan & Meredith Goldstein May 17, 2010
Say this about Maria Menounos, she’s not easily intimidated. Last fall, the Medford native climbed into the ring on WWE’s “Monday Night RAW’’ to tangle with a gang of glamazons. This week — just in time for sweeps — she’s back at it with “Maria’s Madcap Adventures,’’ five segments featuring our favorite “Access Hollywood’’ correspondent in unfamiliar settings: singing with Justin Bieber, dancing with New Kids on the Block, impersonating Dolly Parton in Las Vegas, calling a Celtics game, and performing on Broadway. “I wanted to get out of my comfort zone,’’ says Menounos, “and I did.’’ Perhaps most nerve-racking was the segment with NKOTB, who were her childhood heroes. “I thought I was going to marry Jonathan [Knight],’’ she told us. “In my living room, I used to nail the ‘The Right Stuff’ dance, but in concert, well, it was kind of an embarrassment.’’ (A la Sarah Palin, Menounos admits she had to write the lyrics to “Hangin’ Tough’’ on her hand.) Though she bears little resemblance to Dolly, Menounos says she managed to fool a few people thanks to a good wig, a Southern accent, and a very padded bra. “I have a newfound respect for Dolly.’’ The Emerson grad played hoops at Medford High and is a big Celts fan, tweeting frequently about their fortunes. She says the experience of calling a game was made even more memorable by Tommy Heinsohn’s unscripted, on-camera smooch. (By the way, Maria says the green team will “definitely’’ beat Orlando.) Asked if there were other gigs she would like to try, she said, “I want to perform with Bon Jovi. And I want to do a UFC fight.’’ Hmm. Maybe Menounos should do that last.
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