All posts in: Showtime

20 Feb 2016

Roadies

https://youtu.be/1WnLeNWBoMU

Looks like I’m going to have to negotiate with Comcast again to add Showtime to my list of channels (while not paying with an arm/leg) because I really have to watch this new show. When I was younger, I always had this dream of making it on tour – never as a performer, but behind the scenes as a booker, tour manager, or even a band’s manager. Sadly, I had to let that go after I graduated college, but it’s still definitely something that I dream about. These days, I just live through my friend Ryan who is one of the most talented audio engineers in the industry and he’s always like “coulda been you!” Well when he sucks, I guess I can just live vicariously through this new series.

02 Nov 2013

A Review: Jay Z’s “Made In America”

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6zQ1MmdfGw]

I’ve actually seen this documentary on Showtime three times since it has aired, but since I have the inability to disconnect, I kept watching without retaining. Today, I decided that I would finally sit myself down and pay attention. The laptop was closed – no notes were taken – and my phone was at the other end of the couch. The only hiccup I had in watching the doc today was an unexpected food coma that caused me to fall asleep in the middle of it for two hours and start back up again right after.

Picture this: an 8-year old me putting on my headphones and listening to “Hard Knock Life” for the first time on our shared CD player. My brother wasn’t as involved with the music industry as I was, but he basically  taught me everything I know about hip hop and R&B. I like to think that my childhood wasn’t as standard as everyone else’s. I was a small child growing up with Tupac and Biggie and I’m sure that the parents of my peers found that quite inappropriate, but when it comes to my music, I was pretty serious and my parents knew that me rapping out these lyrics without me knowing the meanings was harmless.

If there’s ever an industry that has always felt the need to defend themselves, it is the music industry. There are so many ideas behind it that people can’t bring themselves to understand or ignorantly make judgments about, but make no mistake – music is powerful. It is always evolving and that’s what Jay Z wanted to highlight in this documentary – that we can now hold festivals with lineups from varying genres. It’s a step in the right direction and years and years ago, this would not have been possible. Another thing that I found myself enjoying about this doc is how it featured the people behind the scenes – the vendors, backstage, all the people that help make this  festival happen without any name recognition whatsoever. Working a music festival is not easy. As an attendee, you pay for your ticket that you saved up for a couple of weeks maybe and prepare yourself for a show you’re ready to enjoy. Do you know that the people that love this festival the most work so hard during the day and night to make it happen that they can’t enjoy the acts themselves? They are the ones preparing your food, testing the sound two-three hours prior to a set, moving the heavy equipment backstage, keeping the lineup and schedule on track, and cleaning up every night after you leave so that when you arrive the next morning, you don’t have to look at the trash that was left behind. It’s the little things. The next time you attend one, make sure to give thanks.

Philly is so lucky to have Made In America, but they truly deserve it. Jay-Z, Ron Howard, and Brian Grazer did a tremendous job on this documentary. If you haven’t seen it on Showtime yet, make sure you save yourself some time to.

 

 

30 Aug 2013

JAY Z’s “Made In America” Documentary Will Premiere On Showtime

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6zQ1MmdfGw]

When I first learned about JAY Z’s “Made In America” festival, I was blown away by the lineup. Of course, I was surprised by it though. When you’ve got a name like JAY Z tied to a music festival, the acts will come on their own. For most people a music festival is just one incredible weekend. For the people that have to plan it, however, it’s a years’ worth of hard work that no one will ever understand. The documentary on this Philadelphia music festival will appear on Showtime and I think it will be an eye opening experience for audiences.

Ron Howard (A Beautiful Mind) is in the director’s chair, while Jay Z, Howard, and Brian Grazer serve as executive producers. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film will make its television debut on Friday, Oct. 11 following its premiere at the Toronto Film Festival on Sept. 7.

The documentary features performances and interviews with artists including Kanye West, Rita Ora, Run–D.M.C., Odd Future, Pearl Jam, and more.

[Source]

31 Jul 2013

Snaps for a Snapshot

photo cred | Nylon Mag

Who: Rachel Bilson

Wearing: 3.1 Phillip Lim

Where: CW, CBS and Showtime 2013 summer TCA party in Los Angeles, California

15 Jul 2013

Claire Danes for Vogue

When the finale for the second season of Homeland aired, I felt like it would be an eternity until the show returned back to my television. Now, it seems like we’re so close to it! Claire Danes has been an icon on the red carpet ever since Homeland made its debut and has received high marks for all of her gowns. I guess it doesn’t hurt that she’s got her eye candy of a husband Hugh Dancy on her arm.

In Vogue’s latest issue, Claire Danes is stunning in this Homeland themed spread.

Read more “Claire Danes for Vogue”

07 Apr 2011

In the News…

America’s Best Dance Crew will return to MTV tonight with SYTYCD’s Dominic Sandoval replacing Omarion as a judge. To learn about the crews click here.

UK Skins writer Jamie Brittain has decided to leave the show that he helped create with his father Bryan Eisley. [Source]

Showtime is giving the San Francisco Giants a reality show. [Source]

Viacom has decided to block Lauren Conrad’s intro to the reality show that will never happen. BUT it was such a cute stop motion! [Source]

– With the Royal Wedding just 23 days away, UK Vogue has decided to publish a very special wedding issue featuring Natalia Vodianova, Freja Beha Erichsen and Lara Stone wearing Vivienne Westwood, Oscar de la Renta, Bruce Oldfield respectively. [Source]

Pauly D. Snooki, and JWoww will all be getting spin-offs. [Source]

Jay-Z has created a new lifestyle website entitled Life+Times. The website will cover the following topics of art, technology, music, sports, and leisure. He even wrote about Seattle Mariners’ Ichiro Suzuki here. [Source]

Lauren Conrad has been offered a three-book deal for a spinoff character featured in her “Candy” series. [Source]

– A look back at the wedding dresses of royal weddings are not all that exciting; let’s hope that Kate Middleton can show everyone up. [Source]

Natalie Portman used to love smoking pot. [Source]

– Country singer Chely Wright and girlfriend Lauren Blitzer are engaged. [Source]

– For lolz – David Beckham sunbathing with a cardboard cut out of Justin Bieber. [Source]

– D-list Actor Michael Copon (AKA Felix from One Tree Hill and that one character from Bring It On: In It To Win It) claims that he was almost Troy Bolton and Jacob Black from Twilight. Psh let’s be real – you never had those roles. [Source]

Teen Mom Farrah Abraham is writing a memoir. [Source]

– Meet Britney Spears‘ body double in the music video “Till the World Ends.” [Source]

Gwyneth Paltrow will release her cookbook, “My Father’s Daughter: Delicious, Easy Recipes Celebrating Family & Togetherness,” on April 17th. The book is dedicated to her late father Bruce Paltrow. [Source]

Tina Fey is pregnant with her second child. [Source]

Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth will star in The Hunger Games. [Source]

Joe Jonas running…mmmmm! [Source]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHqFWYYOUAM&feature=player_embedded]

I can’t get enough of this father daughter duo! Here they are covering 4 Non-Blondes – What’s Going On!