Keira Knightley Hits Back At Domestic Violence

Keira Knightley

I know this PSA by the lovely and talented Ms. Keira Knightley is not new, it was done around the time Chris Brown beat up Rhianna, but it is powerful and the subject matter bears to be kept in our consciousness.

Ms Knightley had this to say about the PSA against domestic violence when she did it:

"I wanted to take place in this advert for Women's Aid because while domestic violence exists in every section of society, we rarely hear about it," Knightley said. "We may not think we know someone who has experienced domestic violence, but this does not mean that it is not happening."

Here are the facts:

• 1 in 4 women has experienced domestic violence in her lifetime
• Nearly 3 out of 4 Americans personally know someone who is or has been a victim of domestic violence.
• On average, more than three women and one man are murdered by their intimate partners in this country every day.

Here is the PSA. Heads Up, very strong violent content, but very effective.

In the US to learn more go to: http://www.rainn.org/?c=upworthy

In the UK go to: http://www.womensaid.org.uk/?c=upworthy

James Durbin @ The Viper Room 1/3/2014

James Durbin kicked off his 2014 acoustic tour last night at The Viper Room in Los Angeles, CA -
and of course I was there!

This is the way I like James live and raw, his voice is simply amazing on it's own without the recording studio wizardry.

So all you Durbinators out there, if James is coming to a venue near you, get yourself to one, or miss out big time!

My personal favorite of the evening was when James let loose on an acoustic version of "Higher Than Heaven" - Wow!

Here are photos by yours truly (except for the one of me and James, his publicist took that) from last night as as well as the remaining dates on James tour, enjoy!

Yep, I Was Standing Right In Front Of Him

Mr. Durbin, I Presume

James & His Back-Up Men

James & Yours Truly Backstage 

Rock On James!

2014 Tour Dates

January

7                                           Belly Up Tavern                      Solana Beach, CA

8                                           Pub Rock Live                         Scottsdale, AZ

10                                         HOB-Cambridge Room           Dallas, TX

11                                         The Station Bar & Grill           Lafayette, LA

12                                         HOB-Peacock Room               Houston, TX

14                                         The Parrish                              New Orleans, LA

15                                         Wills Pub                                Orlando, FL

17                                         Brewster’s megaplex              Jacksonville, FL

18                                         The Masquerade                      Atlanta, GA

21                                         Ziggy’s                                     Winston-Salem, NC

22                                         Lincoln Theater                       Raleigh, NC

23                                         Empire                                     Springfield, VA

24                                         I Play America                         Freehold, NJ

26                                         The Note                                  West Chester, PA

29                                         The Hollow                               Albany, NY

30                                         Marlin Room@ Webster Hall   New York, NY

February

4                                            The Rock Factory                    Akron, OH

5                                             Agora Ballroom                      Cleveland, OH

6                                            Thompson House                     Newport, KY

7                                            Austin’s                                   Libertyville, IL

8                                            Another Hole in Wall              Steger, IL

9                                            7^th St. Entry                             Minneapolis, MN

12                                          Marquis Theatre                      Denver, CO

15                                          The Catalyst                            Santa Cruz, CA

Follow James on Twitter and Facebook here: 

http://twitter.com/durbinrock,

http://facebook.com/durbinrock,

 http://www.durbinrock.com

   

"Take Me Out" In Hollywood @ The Complex Theatre

Take Me Out!

Since I mentioned that one of the things I was kicking off my New Year with was Richard Greenberg's Tony Award winning play "Take Me Out" which I saw at a preview last night I must mention it, right?!

Well happily so. I have never seen the play before and what a wonderfully written piece of work!

The synopsis for "Take Me Out" goes something like this:

"Take Me Out," Richard Greenberg's 2002 Broadway hit, explores with wit and compassion what might happen if a player on a major league baseball team were to announce that he is gay. Greenberg brings out many attitudes toward homosexuality by drawing his main character as a very specific, unique individual. Darren Lemming is the star player who has led his team to win two Worlds Series in a row. He comes from a middle-class, biracial family but has never faced any sort of racial prejudice. He is the ideal ballplayer on the ideal team, until the day he decides to announce his sexual orientation to his team: then his relationships change with his coach; his teammates; his new business manager, who is gay; his best friend, who is devoutly religious; and especially with the homophobic pitcher recently up from the minors, who refers to Lemming by using an offensive slur...

Pretty intriguing stuff, no? Not to mention, since most of the play takes place in the team locker room, there is a lot of frontal male nudity, what was that?! Yes I said, a lot of male frontal nudity.

The actors are in top form, all of them, and the directing by James Kenneth is spot on.

Special thanks to my friend and producer Kenne Guillory for the invite!

"Take Me Out" opens tomorrow January 4th 2014 at The Complex.

Take Yourself Out at: http://www.plusoneproductionsla.com/take-me-out-info.html

Blow "Blue Smoke" With Dolly Parton

That force of nature known as Dolly Parton is coming your way this year with a new album and a tour, nothing slows her down it seems... You Go Dolly!

Iconic singer, songwriter, musician, actress and philanthropist Dolly Parton is proud to announce her latest recording endeavor, a partnership between her own label Dolly Records and Sony Masterworks.  The label deal will launch her new album Blue Smoke in New Zealand/Australia on January 31, 2014, to coincide with her international Blue Smoke World Tour which will hit New Zealand, Australia in February.  In addition, Blue Smoke will be released in the United States and Europe in May 2014, in advance of the Blue Smoke World Tour hitting England, Ireland, Scotland, Denmark, Germany, Norway and Sweden.
 
Dolly is the most honored female country performer of all time. Achieving 25 RIAA certified gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards, she has had 25 songs reach number 1 on the Billboard Country charts, a record for a female artist. She has 41 career top 10 country albums, a record for any artist, and she has 110 career charted singles over the past 40 years. All-inclusive sales of singles, albums, hits collections, paid digital downloads and compilation usage during her Hall of Fame career have reportedly topped a staggering 100 million records worldwide. She has garnered 7 Grammy Awards, 10 Country Music Association Awards, 5 Academy of Country Music Awards, 3 American Music Awards and is one of only five female artists to win the Country Music Association's Entertainer of the Year Award. 
 
As a zenith crown to the dreams of country music that originally brought her to Nashville, Dolly was inducted as a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999.  And the litany goes on.   
Dolly’s career has spanned nearly five decades and is showing no signs of slowing down.  An internationally-renowned superstar, the iconic and irrepressible Parton has contributed countless treasures to the worlds of music, film and television.  Some of her hit films have included Nine to Five, Steel Magnolias, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and Rhinestone.  Parton received two Oscar® nominations – one for writing the title tune to Nine to Five and the other for Travelin’ Thru from the film Transamerica.  
 
For more information on Dolly Parton please visit: 
www.dollypartonmusic.net
Facebook:   Facebook.com/DollyParton
Twitter: Twitter.com/DollyParton

Happy 2014 Everyone!

Doin' My Thang

2013 is over and I could not be any happier! 2014 is going to be an amazing year - full of opportunity, prosperity and of course "Entertain Me."

My 2014 calendar is off to a great start. Hitting a preview of the play "Take Me Out" at The Complex in Hollywood, CA Thursday night.

And on Friday the 3rd checking out James Durbin on his acoustic tour at The Viper Room in Los Angeles, CA - photo coverage, by me, will be posted here on "Entertain Me."

2014 looks to be the year of so many things to do and not enough time to do them in, here's wishing all of you the same and that you will rise to the challenge!

Happy First Day of 2014! I leave you with one of my favorite performances of this past year, Lady Gaga and Christina Aguilera singing "Do What U Want" on The Voice.

Enjoy!
xo
Michael

                                                         Do What U Want - Grrrrrrrrrls!

Follow Me On Twitter: https://twitter.com/MShinafelt

"Push" It In 2014 With Angela Rockwood

Angela Rockwood

2013 was shall we state an interesting year, read into that what you will. Whatever challenges we have all had and I know there have been many for all of us, let's let loose our inner "Push Girl" coming in to 2014.

"Push Girls" on the Sundance Channel, if you haven't seen it shows what reality TV can achieve, it is inspiring and entertaining without pandering to the lowest common denominator.

Tiphany, Auti, Mia, Chelsie & Angela give it to you straight and real, four of them are paraplegics with the sole exception of Angela Rockwood who is the only quadriplegic of the "Girls."

These women are amazing spirits who elevate themselves and you when you watch. They are not self pitying and really have a red hot fire in their souls.

Bringing me to Angela - I had the pleasure of meeting Angela at a Birthday Party a few years ago at Tokyo Delves in North Hollywood, CA.

Angela is beautiful inside and out and, like the other "Girls" an amazing testament to the human spirit and what it can achieve.

Well Angela has a 2014 calendar "The Yin and Yang of Ange" out that you can purchase and let her optimism and intelligence inspire you for the next 365 days.

So "Push" it like a "Push Girl" and get Angela's calendar - let 2014 be yours!

Happy New Year!

Buy Angela's Calendar at: http://www.zazzle.com/angelaRockwood/gifts

Become a "Push Girl" at: https://www.facebook.com/PushGirls

Christmas Is Over! Time To Move On With Pentatonix

Give Us Your Love

Yes it's that time of year again where it's post Christmas Day once more. So what better way to help beat those blues down than to remember Pentatonix need your love, with their video of the Calvin Harris song "I Need Your Love" featuring Ellie Goulding from their current CD "PTX Volume II"

Scott, Avi, Kirstie, Kevin and Mitch are her to make your your post Christmas funk, jump back, and remind you the Holidays aren't quite over, yet...New Years Eve is coming are you ready for 2014?!

Get out of your Daft Punk Funk and pick up your spirits, there's a New Year coming and your love is needed...!

                                                                  "I Need Your Love"

Love yourself some Pentatonix at: http://ptxofficial.com/