Q: Could you please tell me why Shemar Moore and Thomas Gibson were taken off "Criminal Minds"?

A: Moore chose to leave the long-running CBS drama in March, telling TVGuide.com that "I've treated my acting career like school. 'The Young and the Restless': eight years. [That was] high school. 'Criminal Minds': college. Now I'm ready for grad school, a Ph.D., whatever you want to call it."

Gibson was fired by the show in August "after allegedly kicking writer-producer Virgil Williams in the shins during an on-set argument," the Hollywood Reporter said. While Gibson has reportedly hired lawyers to challenge the firing, the Hollywood Reporter noted that Gibson "has had on-set dust-ups before," and that he and Moore did not get along. After Gibson was fired, Moore posted a video saying in part, "I believe in karma."

Who's that guy in the Trivago ads?

Q: Could you please give me any information on the man in the Trivago commercials?

A: He's Tim Williams, a 50-year-old actor and musician from Texas. Rolling Stone in 2014 called him "the rare pitchman capable of haunting your dreams while simultaneously enflaming your loins." His screen credits include "Ninja Assassin" and "Valkyrie."

He began acting in his teens, played in bands and worked in New York (with the inevitable "Law & Order" credit) before getting the lead in a German film. He stayed overseas (he told Rolling Stone, "I met a German girl") and then got cast in a German soap opera.

Need I mention that Trivago is based in Germany?

"They contacted me to do a voice-over for the American market, and eventually they asked if I would do a spot for them," he told Rolling Stone. "They wanted someone real, approachable and genuine. I just did it over and over until they had what they needed."

From such efforts are loins enflamed.

'Fast N' Loud' returns

Q: Is the show "Fast N' Loud" with Richard Rawlings of the Gas Monkey coming back this fall for another season?

A: Look for a season premiere at 8 p.m. on Sept. 5. According to Discovery: "Between a visit from iconic car builder Chip Foose, a trip to NASCAR with the Miller Lite team, a Porsche vs. Porsche race and a venture into the business of Monster Trucks — the Gas Monkey Garage has its work cut out for it."

Nina Simone is singer of interest

Q: I'm a fan of "Person of Interest" and sorry to see it go off the air. I am interested in a song from the "Liberty" episode in 2013. I think it was called "You Know How I Feel." I would like to know who sang it.

A: That song is called "Feeling Good." Written by Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse for the 1964 musical "The Roar of the Greasepaint — The Smell of the Crowd," it has been much recorded, including by Nina Simone, whose version was on "Person of Interest." "American Idol" fans will also remember it for many, many performances — notably one by Adam Lambert that you can find on YouTube.

E-mail rheldenfels@thebeaconjournal.com.