NEW YORK – A year ago, DJ John Quick was scheduled to spin at a party when he got the news — Michael Jackson was dead.
So instead of playing the hits of the moment, the Harlem event turned into an impromptu tribute to the King of Pop.
"It was the first time I've ever seen grown people crying and dancing at the same time," he said.
On Friday, the first anniversary of the King of Pop's death, Quick will once again play Michael Jackson tunes, at the club Taj in Manhattan, but he expects a more cheerful party this time.
"They wanna celebrate his life and music," he said. "His albums are like timelines in your life. You can remember what you were doing ... when 'Thriller' came out."
The Taj party will be part of the global celebration of Jackson's brilliant but troubled life. Jackson died at age 50 as he was preparing for comeback concerts in London.
In that city, a memorial was unveiled Thursday to a gaggle of press who packed the foyer of London's Lyric Theatre, the site of an impromptu wake following the pop superstar's death last year.
Perri Luc Kiely, 14, a member of the dance troupe Diversity, pulled back a pair of dark purple curtains to reveal a small plaque featuring a young Jackson with a wide, beaming smile. Applause and the bright flashes of cameras erupted.
"He influenced me and the whole group so much, and it was just a real big honor to be able to do that," Perri said.
With the foyer packed to the brim with photographers, videographers and journalists, fans stood on the street and peered in, capturing the moment with their camera phones.
Leanne Irving, 20, traveled seven hours by bus from her home in northern England to be able to attend the memorial events.
"An absolute inspiration. I would love to be like him and dance like him. He inspires everything I want to do in life and everything I want to achieve," said Irving, an aspiring performance artist.
In Hong Kong, Jackson imitators performed to the late singer's classics at a suburban mall Thursday. Four-year-old Wang Yiming danced to "Dangerous" wearing Jackson's trademark black fedora hat, a black suit with a silver armband and white socks.
While festive celebrations like parties are expected on Friday, there will also be somber remembrances. In Gary, Ind., Jackson's hometown, there will be a tribute at the Jackson home; city officials said they expected Michael's mother Katherine and his niece Genevieve to show up, along with thousands of others.
Fans are also expected to gather at Forest Lawn cemetery outside of Los Angeles, where he is buried.
Katherine Jackson has thrown her support behind a "Forever Michael" fan event to be held Saturday at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles. Tickets range from $150 to $500.
The Apollo Theatre in Harlem, where a young Michael Jackson and his brothers won amateur night, will host a commemoration Friday of Jackson's life in front of the recently installed plaque honoring him in the legendary theater's new hall of fame.
And later in the afternoon in Harlem, around the hour of Jackson's death, the Rev. Al Sharpton and his National Action Network will hold a moment of silence.
Sharpton, a longtime associate of Jackson and his family and who gave impassioned remarks at Jackson's televised memorial last July, said he thought a moment of silence was appropriate to show "the sanctity of the hour. He meant a lot to us of all races in terms of bringing us together in another kind of spirit.
"I wanted to make sure that we showed that in the middle of all this that is going on in the world that Michael is someone that we would all stop for ... He was more than just a singer, he was a social force, and a sense of inspiration."
Where do the time go...?
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Judge orders Lindsay Lohan to answer questions
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – Lindsay Lohan will have to answer more questions about a 2007car chase that landed her in jail, including inquiries about drug use at the time, a judge ruled Thursday.
Lohan's answers will be used in a civil lawsuit filed against the actress by a woman who claims she suffered emotional distress after the incident, which prompted a criminal case that still haunts the "Mean Girls" star.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Richard A. Stone ordered Lohan to sit for a two-hour deposition next month. The judge approved a request by Lohan's attorney to allow the questioning to happen after July 6, when a criminal judge will decide whether Lohan violated her probation by missing a court hearing in May.
Tracie Rice, who was a passenger in a car being chased by Lohan in July 2007, sued the actress for assault, negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress a month later. The case is scheduled to go to trial in late July.
Lohan was charged with seven misdemeanors stemming from her arrest after the chase and another incident a few months earlier.
Rice's attorney, Paul Hoffman, argued Thursday that Lohan hadn't answered key questions about her drug use and whether she was remorseful, both of which could help his case.
"This case is about somebody who claims to be sober and had cocaine and blew a DUI for alcohol," Hoffman said. He said the questions would be crucial to a jury deciding whether Lohan should have to pay punitive damages if she is found liable.
Lohan's attorney, Ed McPherson, said the questions seemed aimed more at embarrassing Lohan in the press and could harm her if used at the probation hearing. He said Lohan sat for a daylong deposition during which she was subjected to numerous lines of questioning, including whether she had seen a recent "60 Minutes" episode featuring Al Pacino.
"It's clear they don't need answers to these questions," McPherson argued. He also said Lohan was busy focusing on the fulfilling the conditions of her criminal case and working.
"My client is undergoing weekly drug testing, alcohol classes and trying to film a movie," McPherson said.
Stone said he would order a second deposition, but that attorneys should contact him if any issues arose rather than returning to court.
McPherson said after the hearing that his client would comply with the order and answer the questions about Lohan's past drug use. "I think it's a bit of overkill in this case," he said.
Hoffman declined comment after the hearing.
Lohan has struggled with the terms of her probation in the criminal case, for which she served 84 minutes in jail and was sentenced to probation and alcohol education courses. Her probation had to be extended after she missed deadlines to finish the classes, and Superior Court Judge Marsha Revel revoked her probation in May after Lohan missed a court hearing.
Revel ordered Lohan, 23, to wear an ankle alcohol monitor and increased her bail after the device issued an alert that authorities have said was alcohol-related.
She did not attend Thursday's hearing.
When is enough is enough around that camp? If she was just Jane Doe doing her thing she would have been locked up by now. What's your thoughts on it?
Lohan's answers will be used in a civil lawsuit filed against the actress by a woman who claims she suffered emotional distress after the incident, which prompted a criminal case that still haunts the "Mean Girls" star.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Richard A. Stone ordered Lohan to sit for a two-hour deposition next month. The judge approved a request by Lohan's attorney to allow the questioning to happen after July 6, when a criminal judge will decide whether Lohan violated her probation by missing a court hearing in May.
Tracie Rice, who was a passenger in a car being chased by Lohan in July 2007, sued the actress for assault, negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress a month later. The case is scheduled to go to trial in late July.
Lohan was charged with seven misdemeanors stemming from her arrest after the chase and another incident a few months earlier.
Rice's attorney, Paul Hoffman, argued Thursday that Lohan hadn't answered key questions about her drug use and whether she was remorseful, both of which could help his case.
"This case is about somebody who claims to be sober and had cocaine and blew a DUI for alcohol," Hoffman said. He said the questions would be crucial to a jury deciding whether Lohan should have to pay punitive damages if she is found liable.
Lohan's attorney, Ed McPherson, said the questions seemed aimed more at embarrassing Lohan in the press and could harm her if used at the probation hearing. He said Lohan sat for a daylong deposition during which she was subjected to numerous lines of questioning, including whether she had seen a recent "60 Minutes" episode featuring Al Pacino.
"It's clear they don't need answers to these questions," McPherson argued. He also said Lohan was busy focusing on the fulfilling the conditions of her criminal case and working.
"My client is undergoing weekly drug testing, alcohol classes and trying to film a movie," McPherson said.
Stone said he would order a second deposition, but that attorneys should contact him if any issues arose rather than returning to court.
McPherson said after the hearing that his client would comply with the order and answer the questions about Lohan's past drug use. "I think it's a bit of overkill in this case," he said.
Hoffman declined comment after the hearing.
Lohan has struggled with the terms of her probation in the criminal case, for which she served 84 minutes in jail and was sentenced to probation and alcohol education courses. Her probation had to be extended after she missed deadlines to finish the classes, and Superior Court Judge Marsha Revel revoked her probation in May after Lohan missed a court hearing.
Revel ordered Lohan, 23, to wear an ankle alcohol monitor and increased her bail after the device issued an alert that authorities have said was alcohol-related.
She did not attend Thursday's hearing.
When is enough is enough around that camp? If she was just Jane Doe doing her thing she would have been locked up by now. What's your thoughts on it?
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Author interview with Patricia Sargeant
Award-winning author Patricia Sargeant writes romantic suspense and contemporary romance.
Patricia's romantic suspense novel, You Belong to Me, earned third place in the 2006 Reviewers International Organization's award of Excellence in the Favorite Debut Novel Category.
A voracious reader, Patricia first realized she wanted to be a published author at the age of nine. She was drawn to write romances because she loves happy endings. Her romantic suspense novels feature ordinary people in extraordinary situations. Her contemporary romances reveal characters struggling to overcome their inner demons.
In addition to reading, Patricia's hobbies include music, jogging and hiking. She loves movies and she's addicted to Law & Order and TruTV.
Patricia loves to hear from readers.
Raised in New York City, Patricia now lives in Ohio with her husband.
Patricia's romantic suspense novel, You Belong to Me, earned third place in the 2006 Reviewers International Organization's award of Excellence in the Favorite Debut Novel Category.
A voracious reader, Patricia first realized she wanted to be a published author at the age of nine. She was drawn to write romances because she loves happy endings. Her romantic suspense novels feature ordinary people in extraordinary situations. Her contemporary romances reveal characters struggling to overcome their inner demons.
In addition to reading, Patricia's hobbies include music, jogging and hiking. She loves movies and she's addicted to Law & Order and TruTV.
Patricia loves to hear from readers.
Raised in New York City, Patricia now lives in Ohio with her husband.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich thrown out of office
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Gov. Rod Blagojevich was thrown out of office Thursday without a single lawmaker coming to his defense, brought down by a government-for-sale scandal that stretched from Chicago to Capitol Hill and turned the foul-mouthed politician into a national punchline.
Blagojevich, accused of trying to sell Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat, becomes the first U.S. governor in more than 20 years to be removed by impeachment.
After a four-day trial, the Illinois Senate voted 59-0 to convict him of abuse of power, automatically ousting the second-term Democrat. In a second, identical vote, lawmakers further barred Blagojevich from ever holding public office in the state again.
"He failed the test of character. He is beneath the dignity of the state of Illinois. He is no longer worthy to be our governor," said Sen. Matt Murphy, a Republican from suburban Chicago.
Blagojevich's troubles are not over. Federal prosecutors are drawing up an indictment against him on corruption charges.
Outside his Chicago home Thursday night, Blagojevich vowed to "keep fighting to clear my name," and added: "Give me a chance to show you that I haven't let you down."
"I love the people of Illinois today more than I ever have before," he said. And in a joking reference to Chicago's history of crooked politics, he reached down to a boy in the crowd of well-wishers and said: "I love you, man. You know, this is Chicago. You can vote for me. You're old enough."
Democratic Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn, one of Blagojevich's critics, was promptly sworn in as governor and said he would work to "restore the faith of the people of Illinois in the integrity of their government."
Blagojevich's name and picture were promptly stripped from the state's official Web site, and his photo was removed from a display at the Capitol entrance. Quinn also canceled Blagojevich's security detail.
Blagojevich, 52, had boycotted the first three days of the impeachment trial, calling the proceedings a kangaroo court. But on Thursday, he went before the Senate to beg for his job, delivering a 47-minute plea that was, by turns, defiant, humble and sentimental.
He argued, again, that he did nothing wrong, and warned that his impeachment would set a "dangerous and chilling precedent."
"You haven't proved a crime, and you can't because it didn't happen," Blagojevich (pronounced blah-GOY-uh-vich) told the lawmakers. "How can you throw a governor out of office with insufficient and incomplete evidence?"
The verdict brought to an end what one lawmaker branded "the freak show" in Illinois. Over the past few weeks, Blagojevich found himself isolated, with almost the entire political establishment lined up against him. The crisis paralyzed state government and made Blagojevich and his helmet of lush, dark hair a punchline from coast to coast.
Many ordinary Illinoisans were glad to see him go.
"It's very embarrassing. I think it's a shame that with our city and Illinois, everybody thinks we're all corrupt," Gene Ciepierski, 54, said after watching the trial's conclusion on a TV at Chicago's beloved Billy Goat Tavern. "To think he would do something like that, it hurts more than anything."
President Barack Obama pledged to give Quinn his full cooperation.
"Today ends a painful episode for Illinois," Obama said Thursday night in a statement. "For months, the state had been crippled by a crisis of leadership. Now that cloud has lifted."
In a solemn scene, more than 30 lawmakers rose one by one on the Senate floor to accuse Blagojevich of abusing his office and embarrassing the state. They denounced him as a hypocrite, saying he cynically tried to enrich himself and then posed as the brave protector of the poor and "wrapped himself in the constitution."
They sprinkled their remarks with historical references, including Pearl Harbor's "day of infamy" and "The whole world is watching" chant from the riots that broke out during the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. They cited Abraham Lincoln, the Martin Luther King Jr. and Jesus as they called for the governor's removal.
"We have this thing called impeachment and it's bleeping golden and we've used it the right way," Democratic Sen. James Meeks of Chicago said during the debate, mocking Blagojevich's expletive-laden words as captured by the FBI on a wiretap.
Blagojevich did not stick around to hear the vote. He took a state plane back to Chicago.
The verdict capped a head-spinning string of developments that began with his arrest by the FBI on Dec. 9. Fderal prosecutors had been investigating Blagojevich's administration for years, and some of his closest cronies have already been convicted.
The most spectacular allegation was that Blagojevich had been caught on wiretaps scheming to sell an appointment to Obama's Senate seat for campaign cash or a plum job for himself or his wife.
"I've got this thing and it's (expletive) golden, and I'm just not giving it up for (expletive) nothing. I'm not gonna do it," he was quoted as saying on a government wiretap.
Prosecutors also said he illegally pressured people to make campaign contributions and tried to get editorial writers fired from the Chicago Tribune for badmouthing him in print.
Obama himself, fresh from his historic election victory, was forced to look into the matter and issued a report concluding that no one in his inner circle had done anything wrong.
In the brash and often theatrical style that has infuriated fellow politicians for years, Blagojevich repeatedly refused to resign, reciting the poetry of Kipling and Tennyson and declaring at one point last month: "I will fight. I will fight. I will fight until I take my last breath. I have done nothing wrong."
Even as lawmakers were deciding whether to launch an impeachment, Blagojevich defied the political establishment and stunned everyone by appointing a former Illinois attorney general, Roland Burris, to the very Senate seat he had been accused of trying to sell. Top Democrats on Capitol Hill eventually backed down and seated Burris.
As his trial got under way, Blagojevich launched a media blitz, rushing from one TV studio to another in New York to proclaim his innocence. He likened himself to the hero of a Frank Capra movie and to a cowboy in the hands of a Wild West lynch mob.
The impeachment case included not only the criminal charges against Blagojevich, but allegations he broke the law when it came to hiring state workers, expanded a health care program without legislative approval and spent $2.6 million on flu vaccine that went to waste. The 118-member House twice voted to impeach him, both times with only one "no" vote.
Seven other U.S. governors have been removed by impeachment, the most recent being Arizona's Evan Mecham, who was driven from office in 1988 for trying to thwart an investigation into a death threat allegedly made by an aide. Illinois never before impeached a governor, despite its long and rich history of graft.
Blagojevich grew up in a working-class Chicago neighborhood, the son of a Serbian immigrant steelworker. He married the daughter of a powerful city alderman and was schooled in the bare-knuckle, backroom politics of the infamous Chicago Machine, winning election to the Illinois House in 1992 and Congress in 1996.
In 2002, he was elected governor on a promise to clean up state government after former GOP Gov. George Ryan, who is serving six years in prison for graft. But he battled openly with lawmakers from his party, and scandal soon touched his administration.
Antoin "Tony" Rezko, a former top fundraiser for Blagojevich, was convicted of shaking down businesses seeking state contracts for campaign contributions. Witnesses testified that Blagojevich was aware of some of the strong-arm tactics. Rezko is said to be cooperating with prosecutors.
Quinn, the new governor, is a 60-year-old former state treasurer who has a reputation as a political gadfly and once led a successful effort to cut the size of the Illinois House.
"I want to say to the people of Illinois, the ordeal is over," Quinn said.
Blagojevich, accused of trying to sell Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat, becomes the first U.S. governor in more than 20 years to be removed by impeachment.
After a four-day trial, the Illinois Senate voted 59-0 to convict him of abuse of power, automatically ousting the second-term Democrat. In a second, identical vote, lawmakers further barred Blagojevich from ever holding public office in the state again.
"He failed the test of character. He is beneath the dignity of the state of Illinois. He is no longer worthy to be our governor," said Sen. Matt Murphy, a Republican from suburban Chicago.
Blagojevich's troubles are not over. Federal prosecutors are drawing up an indictment against him on corruption charges.
Outside his Chicago home Thursday night, Blagojevich vowed to "keep fighting to clear my name," and added: "Give me a chance to show you that I haven't let you down."
"I love the people of Illinois today more than I ever have before," he said. And in a joking reference to Chicago's history of crooked politics, he reached down to a boy in the crowd of well-wishers and said: "I love you, man. You know, this is Chicago. You can vote for me. You're old enough."
Democratic Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn, one of Blagojevich's critics, was promptly sworn in as governor and said he would work to "restore the faith of the people of Illinois in the integrity of their government."
Blagojevich's name and picture were promptly stripped from the state's official Web site, and his photo was removed from a display at the Capitol entrance. Quinn also canceled Blagojevich's security detail.
Blagojevich, 52, had boycotted the first three days of the impeachment trial, calling the proceedings a kangaroo court. But on Thursday, he went before the Senate to beg for his job, delivering a 47-minute plea that was, by turns, defiant, humble and sentimental.
He argued, again, that he did nothing wrong, and warned that his impeachment would set a "dangerous and chilling precedent."
"You haven't proved a crime, and you can't because it didn't happen," Blagojevich (pronounced blah-GOY-uh-vich) told the lawmakers. "How can you throw a governor out of office with insufficient and incomplete evidence?"
The verdict brought to an end what one lawmaker branded "the freak show" in Illinois. Over the past few weeks, Blagojevich found himself isolated, with almost the entire political establishment lined up against him. The crisis paralyzed state government and made Blagojevich and his helmet of lush, dark hair a punchline from coast to coast.
Many ordinary Illinoisans were glad to see him go.
"It's very embarrassing. I think it's a shame that with our city and Illinois, everybody thinks we're all corrupt," Gene Ciepierski, 54, said after watching the trial's conclusion on a TV at Chicago's beloved Billy Goat Tavern. "To think he would do something like that, it hurts more than anything."
President Barack Obama pledged to give Quinn his full cooperation.
"Today ends a painful episode for Illinois," Obama said Thursday night in a statement. "For months, the state had been crippled by a crisis of leadership. Now that cloud has lifted."
In a solemn scene, more than 30 lawmakers rose one by one on the Senate floor to accuse Blagojevich of abusing his office and embarrassing the state. They denounced him as a hypocrite, saying he cynically tried to enrich himself and then posed as the brave protector of the poor and "wrapped himself in the constitution."
They sprinkled their remarks with historical references, including Pearl Harbor's "day of infamy" and "The whole world is watching" chant from the riots that broke out during the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. They cited Abraham Lincoln, the Martin Luther King Jr. and Jesus as they called for the governor's removal.
"We have this thing called impeachment and it's bleeping golden and we've used it the right way," Democratic Sen. James Meeks of Chicago said during the debate, mocking Blagojevich's expletive-laden words as captured by the FBI on a wiretap.
Blagojevich did not stick around to hear the vote. He took a state plane back to Chicago.
The verdict capped a head-spinning string of developments that began with his arrest by the FBI on Dec. 9. Fderal prosecutors had been investigating Blagojevich's administration for years, and some of his closest cronies have already been convicted.
The most spectacular allegation was that Blagojevich had been caught on wiretaps scheming to sell an appointment to Obama's Senate seat for campaign cash or a plum job for himself or his wife.
"I've got this thing and it's (expletive) golden, and I'm just not giving it up for (expletive) nothing. I'm not gonna do it," he was quoted as saying on a government wiretap.
Prosecutors also said he illegally pressured people to make campaign contributions and tried to get editorial writers fired from the Chicago Tribune for badmouthing him in print.
Obama himself, fresh from his historic election victory, was forced to look into the matter and issued a report concluding that no one in his inner circle had done anything wrong.
In the brash and often theatrical style that has infuriated fellow politicians for years, Blagojevich repeatedly refused to resign, reciting the poetry of Kipling and Tennyson and declaring at one point last month: "I will fight. I will fight. I will fight until I take my last breath. I have done nothing wrong."
Even as lawmakers were deciding whether to launch an impeachment, Blagojevich defied the political establishment and stunned everyone by appointing a former Illinois attorney general, Roland Burris, to the very Senate seat he had been accused of trying to sell. Top Democrats on Capitol Hill eventually backed down and seated Burris.
As his trial got under way, Blagojevich launched a media blitz, rushing from one TV studio to another in New York to proclaim his innocence. He likened himself to the hero of a Frank Capra movie and to a cowboy in the hands of a Wild West lynch mob.
The impeachment case included not only the criminal charges against Blagojevich, but allegations he broke the law when it came to hiring state workers, expanded a health care program without legislative approval and spent $2.6 million on flu vaccine that went to waste. The 118-member House twice voted to impeach him, both times with only one "no" vote.
Seven other U.S. governors have been removed by impeachment, the most recent being Arizona's Evan Mecham, who was driven from office in 1988 for trying to thwart an investigation into a death threat allegedly made by an aide. Illinois never before impeached a governor, despite its long and rich history of graft.
Blagojevich grew up in a working-class Chicago neighborhood, the son of a Serbian immigrant steelworker. He married the daughter of a powerful city alderman and was schooled in the bare-knuckle, backroom politics of the infamous Chicago Machine, winning election to the Illinois House in 1992 and Congress in 1996.
In 2002, he was elected governor on a promise to clean up state government after former GOP Gov. George Ryan, who is serving six years in prison for graft. But he battled openly with lawmakers from his party, and scandal soon touched his administration.
Antoin "Tony" Rezko, a former top fundraiser for Blagojevich, was convicted of shaking down businesses seeking state contracts for campaign contributions. Witnesses testified that Blagojevich was aware of some of the strong-arm tactics. Rezko is said to be cooperating with prosecutors.
Quinn, the new governor, is a 60-year-old former state treasurer who has a reputation as a political gadfly and once led a successful effort to cut the size of the Illinois House.
"I want to say to the people of Illinois, the ordeal is over," Quinn said.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Next year's model?
Think your baby should be on a magazine cover? So does everyone else.
It's standing room only for some of the moms, dads, and tots who crowd into Dynasty Models on a recent Wednesday at a casting call for baby models. Over the crying and cooing, 39 adults listen intently as Dynasty owner Joe Freeman gives his 20-minute spiel about the baby modeling business. Freeman mentions the clients his models work for. A Baby Gap ad featuring Dynasty model Angelo hangs on the wall.
After the presentation, parents meet with Freeman and his daughter Kimberly Yapp, manager of the baby division, for a quick assessment. Among the hopefuls is 15-month-old Kendrick Perkins Jr., son of Celtics center Kendrick Perkins. The tyke sports a formidable Afro and a calm demeanor.
None of the parents - no matter how cherubic or precious their spawn - will hear if their child makes the cut today. Yapp always waits two days, till Friday, no later than 5 p.m., to relay the good news. And if the news isn't good, she doesn't call at all. "I don't intend to have one single little heart be broken today," Freeman says, "or one big heart be broken, either."
Of course, there's another, more pragmatic reason for the delay, he says: "the safety and health of the agent." Translation: He doesn't want any parents freaking out if their child doesn't get signed.
The baby modeling scene in Boston may not be as active as it is in New York or Los Angeles, but it's steady and competitive enough to support divisions at agencies such as Dynasty Models on Newbury Street and Model Club in the South End. Local companies like L.L. Bean, Hasbro, Summer Infant, Safety 1st, and Tufts Health Plan provide a regular stream of work. Regular casting sessions draw parents eager to see their kids in ads (and to fund their 529 college saving plans), but they have to be thick-skinned enough to tolerate industry euphemisms about their bundle of joy being "not right" for the job.
"Some months we might have several castings or jobs the babies are going on," says Tim Ayers, agency director at Model Club Inc. in Back Bay, which represents about 75 babies. "On other months, there might not be anything. Usually we tell the parent that this isn't something that they're going to find overwhelming or take too much of their time. It's something they can do on the side."
Baby divisions cover kids up to age 2 1/2 or 3 and the baby size 3T. Pay ranges from about $75 to $95 per hour, but shoots might only last a couple of hours. Dynasty also charges parents a one time marketing cost of $160 that covers the cost of duplicating photos (parents must update every three months), sending the photos out to clients and postage. The money isn't enough to sustain a family, Ayers says, but parents often say they invest the baby's earnings in 529 plans.
"It's really sort of a keepsake thing, you can look back and say, 'Oh, you were on the package for this,' " says Shannon Mignault, a 29-year-old Manchester, N.H., resident whose 7-month-old daughter Ainsley is signed with Model Club Inc. She has a 2-year-old son who's too lively to work as a model.
"My husband and I have talked about doing it only until they're 3," Mignault said. "If they get older and it's something they're interested in, then by all means. But we don't want to push them into making money."
Not every parent is so laissez-faire. One mother Ayers met quit her job to accompany her child to a photo shoot because, he says, "she thought it was her child's destiny to be a star." Mignault admitted she was the quintessential stressed-out mom during Ainsley's first shoot for Summer Infant in September. As the photographer took photos, Mignault stood nearby trying to get Ainsley to put her feet down and to stop sucking her thumb, much to the chagrin of the creative team.
"They were like, 'No, no. Don't worry about it, she's fine, she's fine,' " Mignault says. "You get kind of nervous that they're going to get annoyed with you and the baby."
Hanover resident Renee Hanna, 35, heard about baby modeling from her sister, who had a friend whose baby was in the business. Her son Robbie, now 5, signed as a model at 9 months old, competed in Gap Baby auditions in New York City twice, but never had a job. That didn't stop Hanna from getting her girls, Abigail, 20 months, and Chloe, 6 months, into the business.
Hanna estimates that Abigail has done 15 to 20 shoots consisting mostly of product packaging for local baby gear companies such as Summer Infant and Safety 1st. The 20-month-old also appears in an ad for Tufts Health Plan. Chloe has modeled in about four product packaging shoots and for a photo that ran in Disney's Wondertime magazine.
"The money's great to have extra to put away for college," says Hanna. She estimates that Abigail has made about $2,800 and Chloe, about $700.
The spectre of rejection doesn't bother Hanna and her husband. Modeling gigs are determined by the client, and an advertiser might be looking for babies with a particular hair color, ethnicity, clothing size or look.
"We don't take it personally," says Hanna. "We just have fun with it. I mean, they're so little, it's silly."
So what are agencies looking for in a baby model? Ayers says successful baby models are smilers with good temperaments who're willing to interact with photographers, hair stylists, and makeup artists. Yes, babies do get hair and makeup: At a Hasbro shoot, a makeup artist covered a spot on Abigail's face while a hair stylist fixed her hair, says Hanna.
"It's almost like if you see something you know it," says Freeman. "For a baby, pretty much you're looking for that cuteness. I hate using the term, but that all-American look. That baby with a wholesome look."
Migneault was perusing the Plymouth Rock Studio website when she noticed an ad for Model Club Inc. noting that the agency was looking for models under the age of six months old. Mignault impulsively uploaded a photo of Ainsley. A month later, the agency called Mignault and told her it had shown Ainsley's photo to a client and the client wanted to use her in a Summer Infant shoot in Providence the next day. That September experience of Ainsley modeling travel accessories for car seats turned out well enough that Ainsley shot two more jobs after that: one for organic clothing and another for a changing table and accessories.
As with many tot shoots, two babies were booked for that first gig, says Mignault. The photographer alternated taking photos with each baby depending on whether one needed to eat or be changed. The first shoot took an hour and a half and left Mignault impressed with the staff.
"There was no attitude," says Mignault. "No, 'Gosh, this is annoying.' They were really, really great."
And what about Ainsley? "She loves the attention," her mother says. "She gets to . . . see other babies and she sits there and just smiles away like, 'Wow, are all these people here for me?' "
It's standing room only for some of the moms, dads, and tots who crowd into Dynasty Models on a recent Wednesday at a casting call for baby models. Over the crying and cooing, 39 adults listen intently as Dynasty owner Joe Freeman gives his 20-minute spiel about the baby modeling business. Freeman mentions the clients his models work for. A Baby Gap ad featuring Dynasty model Angelo hangs on the wall.
After the presentation, parents meet with Freeman and his daughter Kimberly Yapp, manager of the baby division, for a quick assessment. Among the hopefuls is 15-month-old Kendrick Perkins Jr., son of Celtics center Kendrick Perkins. The tyke sports a formidable Afro and a calm demeanor.
None of the parents - no matter how cherubic or precious their spawn - will hear if their child makes the cut today. Yapp always waits two days, till Friday, no later than 5 p.m., to relay the good news. And if the news isn't good, she doesn't call at all. "I don't intend to have one single little heart be broken today," Freeman says, "or one big heart be broken, either."
Of course, there's another, more pragmatic reason for the delay, he says: "the safety and health of the agent." Translation: He doesn't want any parents freaking out if their child doesn't get signed.
The baby modeling scene in Boston may not be as active as it is in New York or Los Angeles, but it's steady and competitive enough to support divisions at agencies such as Dynasty Models on Newbury Street and Model Club in the South End. Local companies like L.L. Bean, Hasbro, Summer Infant, Safety 1st, and Tufts Health Plan provide a regular stream of work. Regular casting sessions draw parents eager to see their kids in ads (and to fund their 529 college saving plans), but they have to be thick-skinned enough to tolerate industry euphemisms about their bundle of joy being "not right" for the job.
"Some months we might have several castings or jobs the babies are going on," says Tim Ayers, agency director at Model Club Inc. in Back Bay, which represents about 75 babies. "On other months, there might not be anything. Usually we tell the parent that this isn't something that they're going to find overwhelming or take too much of their time. It's something they can do on the side."
Baby divisions cover kids up to age 2 1/2 or 3 and the baby size 3T. Pay ranges from about $75 to $95 per hour, but shoots might only last a couple of hours. Dynasty also charges parents a one time marketing cost of $160 that covers the cost of duplicating photos (parents must update every three months), sending the photos out to clients and postage. The money isn't enough to sustain a family, Ayers says, but parents often say they invest the baby's earnings in 529 plans.
"It's really sort of a keepsake thing, you can look back and say, 'Oh, you were on the package for this,' " says Shannon Mignault, a 29-year-old Manchester, N.H., resident whose 7-month-old daughter Ainsley is signed with Model Club Inc. She has a 2-year-old son who's too lively to work as a model.
"My husband and I have talked about doing it only until they're 3," Mignault said. "If they get older and it's something they're interested in, then by all means. But we don't want to push them into making money."
Not every parent is so laissez-faire. One mother Ayers met quit her job to accompany her child to a photo shoot because, he says, "she thought it was her child's destiny to be a star." Mignault admitted she was the quintessential stressed-out mom during Ainsley's first shoot for Summer Infant in September. As the photographer took photos, Mignault stood nearby trying to get Ainsley to put her feet down and to stop sucking her thumb, much to the chagrin of the creative team.
"They were like, 'No, no. Don't worry about it, she's fine, she's fine,' " Mignault says. "You get kind of nervous that they're going to get annoyed with you and the baby."
Hanover resident Renee Hanna, 35, heard about baby modeling from her sister, who had a friend whose baby was in the business. Her son Robbie, now 5, signed as a model at 9 months old, competed in Gap Baby auditions in New York City twice, but never had a job. That didn't stop Hanna from getting her girls, Abigail, 20 months, and Chloe, 6 months, into the business.
Hanna estimates that Abigail has done 15 to 20 shoots consisting mostly of product packaging for local baby gear companies such as Summer Infant and Safety 1st. The 20-month-old also appears in an ad for Tufts Health Plan. Chloe has modeled in about four product packaging shoots and for a photo that ran in Disney's Wondertime magazine.
"The money's great to have extra to put away for college," says Hanna. She estimates that Abigail has made about $2,800 and Chloe, about $700.
The spectre of rejection doesn't bother Hanna and her husband. Modeling gigs are determined by the client, and an advertiser might be looking for babies with a particular hair color, ethnicity, clothing size or look.
"We don't take it personally," says Hanna. "We just have fun with it. I mean, they're so little, it's silly."
So what are agencies looking for in a baby model? Ayers says successful baby models are smilers with good temperaments who're willing to interact with photographers, hair stylists, and makeup artists. Yes, babies do get hair and makeup: At a Hasbro shoot, a makeup artist covered a spot on Abigail's face while a hair stylist fixed her hair, says Hanna.
"It's almost like if you see something you know it," says Freeman. "For a baby, pretty much you're looking for that cuteness. I hate using the term, but that all-American look. That baby with a wholesome look."
Migneault was perusing the Plymouth Rock Studio website when she noticed an ad for Model Club Inc. noting that the agency was looking for models under the age of six months old. Mignault impulsively uploaded a photo of Ainsley. A month later, the agency called Mignault and told her it had shown Ainsley's photo to a client and the client wanted to use her in a Summer Infant shoot in Providence the next day. That September experience of Ainsley modeling travel accessories for car seats turned out well enough that Ainsley shot two more jobs after that: one for organic clothing and another for a changing table and accessories.
As with many tot shoots, two babies were booked for that first gig, says Mignault. The photographer alternated taking photos with each baby depending on whether one needed to eat or be changed. The first shoot took an hour and a half and left Mignault impressed with the staff.
"There was no attitude," says Mignault. "No, 'Gosh, this is annoying.' They were really, really great."
And what about Ainsley? "She loves the attention," her mother says. "She gets to . . . see other babies and she sits there and just smiles away like, 'Wow, are all these people here for me?' "
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Jackson spokeswoman: singer, sheik settle lawsuit 11/23/2008 6:44 PM,
Michael Jackson has reached a settlement with a Bahraini sheik who says the singer owes him $7 million after breaching a signed contract, the pop star's spokeswoman said Sunday.
The out-of-court settlement means Jackson will not be giving evidence at London's High Court as scheduled on Monday, Celena Aponte said.
Scores of journalists and fans had been expected to cram the courtroom for the appearance by the always-unpredictable King of Pop. Aponte said Jackson was informed of the deal as he was about to board a flight to London.
"As Mr. Jackson was about to board his plane to London, he was advised by his legal team to postpone his travels since the parties had concluded a settlement in principle," Aponte said. "Therefore, he will not be attending court on Monday."
A representative for the sheik could not immediately be reached late Sunday.
Sheik Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa said he gave the singer millions and planned a series of collaborations following Jackson's acquittal on child molestation charges in June 2005. Al Khalifa, 33, invited Jackson to the small, oil-rich Gulf state to escape the media spotlight.
The sheik, the second son of the king of Bahrain, said he believed he had formed "a close personal relationship" with the star, whom he referred to affectionately as "my brother."
Al Khalifa said he gave Jackson millions of dollars to help shore up his finances and subsidize Jackson's lifestyle in Bahrain — including more than $300,000 for a "motivational guru." Al Khalifa, an amateur songwriter, says the pair even moved into the same palace to work on music together.
But Jackson dropped the project in 2006, leaving Bahrain and pulling out of the contract.
Jackson's lawyers have maintained the money was a gift and argued that the musician wasn't bound by the deal because the contract was signed on behalf of 2 Seas Records, a venture which never got off the ground.
The singer originally wanted to avoid coming to London to answer the lawsuit in person, seeking instead to give evidence by video link from the United States. His lawyer, Robert Englehart, had claimed that Jackson should be spared the trans-Atlantic trip due to an unspecified illness, but on Thursday the lawyer said the 50-year-old star had been cleared for travel.
The suit is being heard in London by mutual agreement.
Jackson's purported medical problems — and his sometimes bizarre demeanor — have been a regular feature of previous court appearances. His 2005 trial was punctuated by complaints of back problems, an apparent bout with the flu and visits to the hospital. At one point, the judge had to order the pajama-clad star into court from the emergency room.
His most notorious appearance came in 2002, when a wide-eyed Jackson testified in a California courtroom with what appeared to be a bandage hanging from his nose.
What's your opinion about this matter?
The out-of-court settlement means Jackson will not be giving evidence at London's High Court as scheduled on Monday, Celena Aponte said.
Scores of journalists and fans had been expected to cram the courtroom for the appearance by the always-unpredictable King of Pop. Aponte said Jackson was informed of the deal as he was about to board a flight to London.
"As Mr. Jackson was about to board his plane to London, he was advised by his legal team to postpone his travels since the parties had concluded a settlement in principle," Aponte said. "Therefore, he will not be attending court on Monday."
A representative for the sheik could not immediately be reached late Sunday.
Sheik Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa said he gave the singer millions and planned a series of collaborations following Jackson's acquittal on child molestation charges in June 2005. Al Khalifa, 33, invited Jackson to the small, oil-rich Gulf state to escape the media spotlight.
The sheik, the second son of the king of Bahrain, said he believed he had formed "a close personal relationship" with the star, whom he referred to affectionately as "my brother."
Al Khalifa said he gave Jackson millions of dollars to help shore up his finances and subsidize Jackson's lifestyle in Bahrain — including more than $300,000 for a "motivational guru." Al Khalifa, an amateur songwriter, says the pair even moved into the same palace to work on music together.
But Jackson dropped the project in 2006, leaving Bahrain and pulling out of the contract.
Jackson's lawyers have maintained the money was a gift and argued that the musician wasn't bound by the deal because the contract was signed on behalf of 2 Seas Records, a venture which never got off the ground.
The singer originally wanted to avoid coming to London to answer the lawsuit in person, seeking instead to give evidence by video link from the United States. His lawyer, Robert Englehart, had claimed that Jackson should be spared the trans-Atlantic trip due to an unspecified illness, but on Thursday the lawyer said the 50-year-old star had been cleared for travel.
The suit is being heard in London by mutual agreement.
Jackson's purported medical problems — and his sometimes bizarre demeanor — have been a regular feature of previous court appearances. His 2005 trial was punctuated by complaints of back problems, an apparent bout with the flu and visits to the hospital. At one point, the judge had to order the pajama-clad star into court from the emergency room.
His most notorious appearance came in 2002, when a wide-eyed Jackson testified in a California courtroom with what appeared to be a bandage hanging from his nose.
What's your opinion about this matter?
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Interview with Author Pamela Samuels Young
When attorney and best-selling author Pamela Samuels Young isn’t practicing law, you can usually find her penning her next legal thriller. Pamela’s fast-paced novels, Every Reasonable Doubt and In Firm Pursuit, have been described as “John Grisham with a sister’s twist!” Both books, published by Harlequin’s Kimani Press imprint, are Essence magazine bestsellers. In Firm Pursuit was honored by Romantic Times Book Reviews magazine as a nominee for Best African-American Novel of 2007. Urban Reviews.com also honored In Firm Pursuit as one of the “Best of the Best” for 2007. Her debut novel, Every Reasonable Doubt, was the first place winner in the Black Expressions Book Club’s Fiction Writing Contest. Murder on the Down Low, Pamela’s third novel, goes on sale September 1, 2008. Her short story Setup is featured in the Sisters in Crime Anthology, LAndmarked for Murder.
Air Time For The Holidays
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Sunday, October 19, 2008
Author Toniwo Womack
Toni “toniwo” Womack is a mother, author and spoken word performer who began sharing her love for writing and expressive thought a few years ago. With a mix of modesty and flamboyance, as well as utilizing colorful, thought-provoking rhymes, toniwo enables to convey her thoughts and feelings to her audience. As she continued to grow as a performance poet, she found that much of what she was saying was beginning to help some people come to some realization about themselves and their relationships with other people. Through her poetry, toniwo made people look at their situations and laugh at them no matter how bad. However, that wasn’t enough. THAT’S WHAT YOU GET FOR RUNNING WITH SCISSORS came from toniwo’s inability to contain her observations to a few verses. What went from poetic verse turned into short stories that she was willing to share with her friends and now…with the world.Some of her creative work has been featured in Black & Single Magazine, Houston Style Magazine, Minority Business Journal, Honey Magazine, RadioOne's 97.9 The Box, and coming soon a poem to be featured in Essence Magazine as well and several national anthologies. & Most recently a guest on the nationally syndicated Tyra Banks show for the season 4 Premiere! She has completed her first novel, DISCORDIA, which follows the insanity of an African American female serial killer due out in March 2009. toniwo is also the co-founder of Blacklight Productions, a company that focuses on synthesizing cutting edge music production with consistently imaginative performance poetry. She is also a member of Ladies of Literary Means, an organization that empowers self published authors through sisterhood
Monday, September 15, 2008
Author Francis Ray
Nothing gets to Shane Elliott. A former Army Ranger, now head of security for a wealthy real estate tycoon, Shane can handle whatever life throws at him—until he meets the beautiful, kindhearted Paige Albright. She’s about to inherit a fortune, and Paige’s mother has asked Shane to investigate her boyfriend. It should have been a simple, standard assignment for Shane…if only Paige’s seductive mix of strength and vulnerability didn’t leave him wanting her for himself.All her life, Paige has put others’ needs before her own, even going so far as choosing a man to please her father. Now her mother’s mysterious houseguest is tempting her to go after what she truly wants…even if it’s the cool, assertive, irresistible Shane himself. But is he who he appears to be? And how can Paige know whether to trust her own judgment—and their red-hot attraction?
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