Valarie Pettiford Is Out For Blood - "True Blood"

This just in, "Entertain Me" friend and favorite Valarie Pettiford is out for "Blood"...!

I first interviewed Valarie about her collection of lullabies "Velvet Sky" on Chorus and Verse and for "ET" in October of 2012, you can jump to it here!

http://www.chorusandverse.com/content.php?id=20121025A

Well the multifaceted Ms. Pettiford has landed herself a two episode arc on the hit HBO show "True Blood" read more!

Award-winning star of stage and screen, Valarie Pettiford, is joining the cast of HBO’s top-rated Sunday night drama, True Blood, in a recurring role for their sixth season. She will appear in a two-episode arc starting in Episode 7: “World Without End,” which is scheduled to air on July 28, 2013.

“Working on this show has been a delicious experience,” says Valarie. “It has been an absolute joy to work with a cast of this caliber. Everyone has been so lovely – they say it starts at the top, and on True Blood, it really does.”

From the Broadway stage to independent short films, from blockbusters to music video cameos, this Fosse-trained dancer’s work draws attention. Valarie has a long list of accolades, including a Tony Award nomination, NAACP Awards nominations and Best Actress honors for the festival short ‘The Response.’ Valarie’s resume boasts national tours (Dancin’, Show Boat), hit sitcoms (Half and Half, House of Payne) and big-budget studio films (Stomp the Yard, Jumping the Broom). Her second album, Velvet Sky, a collection of original lullabies, was released last fall. Additionally, she has been sanctioned by the Fosse/Verdon estate to reconstruct the maestro’s choreography for a new generation of dancers in master classes in New York City. She is teaching with fellow Fosse-alum Lloyd Culbreath.

True Blood airs Sunday nights at 9:00 PM on HBO.

Get "Bloody" with Valarie at: www.officialvalariepettiford.com.

Do "Bad Things" at: http://www.hbo.com/true-blood/index.html

Tom Goss Loves "Bears"

Tom Goss has been quite prolific of late with his music and videos. Starting with showing his clock in the innovative video for his too cool for school song "Make Believe" he then followed that up with a cover and a very hip, minimalist video of Macklemore and Ryan Lewis's "Can't Hold Us".

Today, yes today, is the official release of Tom's latest video which is bound to be equally as big, literally and figuratively as it predecessors "Bears". Yes, it is an ode to all things Bear and why they are Hot! Tom himself is a big bear lover and has a Husbear all his own, Michael Briggs. 

To celebrate the release of the video Tom gave me five things he likes about these furry dudes...Hey Tom go for it!

Tom Goss

Tom: 

1. Bellies 

2. Beards 

3. Burliness 

4. Buoyant Exuberance 

5. Laid Back Attitude 

Without further adieu, here is the hot new video for Tom's song "Bears" Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr...!

                                                           "Bears" Video

Hang with Tom and the "Bears" at: https://www.facebook.com/tomgossmusic?fref=ts
                                                 

"Love Is Love" And VenSun

"My mother started me when I was really young, I went to music school and studied opera. You can't take the girl out of the classical!" - Sylvia Tosun

The above quote was from my interview with Sylvia for her club hit "World Keeps Turning" jump to that here! http://www.chorusandverse.com/content.php?id=20120206A

Sylvia and French Producer David Vendetta recently created VenSun. With the overturning of DOMA (The Defense of Marriage Act) their first collaboration "Love is Love" could not have asked to be released at a better time.

To mark this historic event a special version features spoken samples from Martin Luther King, President Obama, Congresswoman Maureen Walsh, Ellen DeGeneres, and Hillary Clinton interspersed in the mix, giving it an historic feel –  to mark the exact moment of time 

So Celebrate Everyone and get out and dance!

Sylvia Tosun

As Sylvia said to me recently: "Progress Always Wins" #Loveislove

Hear the sound of love, give VenSun's debut single a listen on Soundcloud:

https://soundcloud.com/sea-to-sun/love-is-love-by-vensun-david

Get connected to Sylvia on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SylviaTosun?fref=ts

Demi Lavato Gives Kevin "KO" Olusola A "Heart Attack"

Kevin "KO" Olusola = Astounding

Note to self: Kevin "KO" Olusola is an astounding and expressive cello player....That sums it up people.

The instrument loving one fifth of the amazing acapella group Pentatonix Kevin "KO" Olusola continues to push the boundaries of what that means with his solo videos. The current being a cover of "The X-Factor" Judge Demi Lavato's "Heart Attack".

Ya' know I can't really say too much more other than listen. This group is full of amazing talent, together and doing their own thang.

Keep on doing what all you guys are doing, it's off the hook!

                                                         "Heart Attack" - The Video

Enter the world of Pentatonix at: http://www.ptxofficial.com/

Helen Keller Had A Pitbull, So Does Josh Mitchell

"A Boston publicist moves to LA with his girlfriend-actress to live the dream but his world is turned upside down when a rival competitor creates a lie about him on Ripoff Report. To worsen matters, his girlfriend is diagnosed with terminal breast cancer and her final dying wish is to get a pitbull. As he mourns her tragic loss he is forced to make nice with his new furry friend while he works to get revenge on his enemy and restore his company's name" -

This is the storyline for Writer/Director/Producer & Star Josh Mitchell's indie opus "Helen Keller Had A Pitbull".

Using events from his own life and combining it with his love of Pitbulls, Josh knocked out the script for "Helen Keller" in two weeks!

Well it's time to hear more from the face of Wickid Pissa Publicity and find out why Pitbulls are the new black....Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeere's Josh!

MS: So Josh, getting an indie film made is a tough go, what motivated you to do it?

JM: Making this movie was pricey but I am old school, I believe you have to introduce yourself to the industry instead of waiting for opportunities. Like what Sylvester Stallone did, he locked himself in a hotel room for three days and wrote "Rocky". Look at the guys who did "Swingers" now Jon Favreau he's now directing things like "Iron Man" These were unknown actors rather than waiting for that knock on the door they knocked the doors down. I wanted something that would showcase me as a Writer/Director/Producer and Actor. So I took my real life experiences, the time I was coming from Boston as a publicist to Hollywood, infused them with some nuggets and lessons, things that I encountered and Hollywood-ized them a little bit. As you know in Hollywood you can run into some really interesting characters. (laughs)

MS: Oh you sure can. (laughs)

Celine Wallace & Josh Mitchell

JM: There are those and others who are diamonds in the rough.

MS: What about the part of the storyline where someone created lies about you on the Ripoff Report, is that true?

JM: Yeah, when I was coming from Boston from Hollywood I wanted to get all my clients together and have a party to announce my move to Hollywood I wanted to do a big splash so I had it at The W Hotel. What I thought would be a couple hundred people, something where I could walk people around and introduce them, well it caught on like "Gremlins" in the shower and turned into this huge event (laughs) fifteen hundred people!

MS: Whoa! 

JM: I got approached by somebody who owned a magazine, they said they wanted to help with the party and bring some different dynamics to the table. So I thought why not? The short end of the story is that it went pretty good, we had a great working relationship, but come the day of the party I got a lot of the shine at the event and the guy got jealous. Basically he tried to pin some fake charges on me. He kept pestering me, putting stuff on Facebook, so I finally did what I should have done at the get go and Googled him. This whole thing about him came up on the Ripoff Report, how he cheats on his wife, does cocaine, burned people at Playboy parties, blah, blah, blah. I'm a Boston guy and speak the raw truth and don't do well when people try to bully me. So I straight up said to him "I don't deal with scam artists, I will expose you" I grabbed the link and sent it to him. Two days later one showed up on me!

MS: What a douche!

JM: There are two reasons I wanted to make this movie. One was to be a champion of the Pitbull breed and two expose this scandalous and Un-American site called Ripoff Report. It's unbelievable what they can do to people. Listen I did not get that affected by it, my business actually tripled since that showed up on me. (laughs) 

MS: That site should be shut down.

JM: What I did with this film is payback, the guy will know it is about him, but I did it in a subtle and smart way. Basically I wanted to write a movie that was personal, the script flowed out me in two weeks. I covered my coming to Hollywood, and when I got here my girlfriend was working at  The East Valley Animal Shelter and rescued two Pitbulls. She'd walk the dogs no one wanted to walk and one day she asked me to come with her. We enjoyed this one dog that kind of stood out his name was "Marty" he was this handsome, beautiful vibrant dog and the animal people walked by and said he was going to be put down on Saturday. 

MS: Hearing things like that always make me sad.

JM: My girlfriend and I both looked at each other and we're like, "no you're not". Kristen found a home for another Pitbull in Arizona and Marty came to live with us. Like most people I had pre-conceived notions about the breed, I didn't have any experience with them, but now I can see how beautiful these dogs are. Pitbulls are unbelievable animals who have been wrongly cast as villains in the media. I love my dog he is amazing and has changed my whole mental outlook about things.

MS: So tell me did Helen Keller really have a Pitbull?

JM: She did! In fact that's what got my creative juices flowing and gave me the idea for the movie. One day Kristen said "Did you know Helen Keller had a Pitbull" - a light went off in my head that said "That's an indie film"! 

Go "Pitbull" check out the trailer and full length movie at: 
www.vimeo.com/ondemand/helenkellerhadapitbull

Join the Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/HelenKellerHadAPitbull?fref=ts

Visit Josh at: www.wickidpissapublicity.com

Celebrate Marriage Equality !

Love is Love

"Sometimes, there's so much beauty in the world - I feel like I can't take it, like my heart is just going to cave in" - Ricky Fitts "American Beauty"

June 26, 2013 - will go down in history as the day the most beautiful thing in the world conquered all...LOVE!

Yes, The Supreme Court of The United States of America ruled that DOMA, The Defense Of Marriage Act, which bans same sex marriages is unconstitutional. Way to go Supreme Court, High Five!

This overturns Proposition 8 which passed by a very narrow margin and banned same sex marriages in the state of California.

Civil Rights are for everyone, not just who someone chooses to dole them out to. Gay people pay taxes like everyone else, yet they were being treated second class. 

So being a supporter of Civil Rights for all, I attended the celebration rally in honor of this historic day held in West Hollywood, CA. 

There was an amazing energy and feeling of victory in the air, and most important, I was surrounded by LOVE!

In pride and celebration I took photos, of the event and people at it. A special thanks to the Female couple featured above who allowed me to take their photo and use it.

 Scattered among my amateur photography I asked friends and favorites of "Entertain Me" to chime in with their thoughts...Experience the LOVE!

White Wedding

"Kind of spectacularly awesome! But there are going to be so many more crock pots to buy! Time to buy stock in Bed Bath N Beyond"! #loveislove - Actress/Writer/Singer Traci Lords


"I didn't get married to get state or federal benefits. I got married because Michael Briggs has healed, loved and nurtured me in ways that are beyond words. That said, knowing that our marriage is federally recognized is amazing, something we never would have imagined 10/2/10. I am humbled by everyone's hard work to accomplish. Simply amazing". - Singer/Songwriter Tom Goss

"History is on our side and Equality is within our reach! A monumental day for Gay Rights"! 
- Singer/Sogwriter Aiden Leslie

We Made National News!

"I'm so proud to live in America-now more than ever- and to celebrate equality for all. Thanks to Edie Windsor for showing us that even one person can make a profound difference in the lives of many to come. LOVE is EVERYTHING"!  - Pop Princess Shara Strand

"Fuck yeah, its about time" - Punk Princess Ariel Beez

"Yeehoo that is just the way it should be...We must progress even more"! - Actress/Singer/Songwriter EG Daily

"Truly, truly thrilled for so many of my close friends today & all gay couples across our nation. HUGE step in the right direction. Equality for ALL Period"! - Singer/Songwriter Debby Holiday

"Progress always wins!"#LoveIsLove - Singer/Songwriter/Owner Sea to Sun Records Sylvia Tosun

"It's an historic day! Congrats to all my friends who can finally marry the one they love! Equality, finally!" - Actress/ Lead Singer "The Runaways" Cherie Currie

The Roar of the Crowd

"After nineteen years..NINETEEN YEARS..JoeDietl and I finally have the same rights as everyone else. So many friends I wish were still alive to see this. What an amazing day! Thanks to all who have fought so hard to make this happen" - "Where The Bears Are" Ben Zook

"Goodbye and good riddance, DOMA and DUMMER!  Thanks for the memories"... Americana With Twisted Roots Group "The Drews"

"It's an historic day for all Americans who regardless of their sexual orientation, value equal rights and opportunities for all." - Dr. Nina Savelle-Rocklin "Win The Diet War With Dr. Nina"

Speech! Speech! Speech!

"We've been so inspired with marriage equality passing earlier in our home state of Rhode Island and now with the overturning of the marriage ban in our current state, California. We have a new song we're working on about everyone being equal on the dance floor and just launched a Kickstarter for it. There's still a lot of work to be done in this world for equality but we're feeling very optimistic today" DJ/Songwriter/Performers "The Perry Twins"

"I'm crying tears of joy for this moment - we are closer to marriage equality than we have ever been. I'm proud of my community and proud of this country. I'm also getting excited about being able to perform ceremonies again" - Actress/Comedian Margaret Cho

Find out more about Marriage Equality at The Human Rights Campaign: http://www.hrc.org/

Darlene Love: 20 Feet From Stardom

Darlene Love

"Backup singers live in a world that lies just beyond the spotlight. Their voices bring harmony to the biggest bands in popular music, but we've had no idea these singers are or what lives they lead, until now" -

So goes the IMDB synopsis for the Documentary "20 Feet From Stardom" starring one of my favorite people Darlene Love, who jumped those "20 Feet" and became a star and legend that was recently inducted into the Rock-n-Roll Hall Of Fame.

Love has been called the "world's most famous backup singer," but has also appeared on Broadway and in films — most notably as Trish Murtaugh in all four "Lethal Weapon" films. " She hosts a Christmas special in New York City every year, and Harper Collins released her new novel, "My Name is Love," on June 4. She's currently performing in an Australian production of "FAME" as the musical's lead performer.

"People in the biz always give you a lot of lip service about what you should do, but when it comes time to put the bucks down on the table everybody disappears" - Darlene Love

This is an excerpt from and interview I did with Ms. Love about her upcoming (and out now) CD "Concert of Love"- you can read it here:

http://www.chorusandverse.com/content.php?id=20101110A

The movie has received glowing reviews and I for one can not wait to go this week with some comp tickets I got courtesy of Deep Dish!

http://marcharshbarger.blogspot.com/

check out the one and only Darlene Love at: http://darleneloveworld.com/

Find out where "20 Feet From Stardom" is playing near you at: 

http://twentyfeetfromstardom.com/