An Ode To Helena Bonham Carter

Helena Bonham Carter

For those of you who think Ms. Helena Bonham Carter only has a career because of her partner Tim Burton, that just proves how Mother F#cking young you are!

She has been around for a while and has had a quite successful acting career long before that.

I first remember seeing the amazingly talented Helena in the great film "A Room With A View" if you don't know it, check it, with my friend Jennifer DiMartino of the "Americana With Twisted Roots" band, The Drews, she is a fellow Helena fan, FYI.

Not to mention the lovely film "Howard's End" and one of my all time favorites "Fight
Club."

Helena's career has been a unique one, she has always marched to the beat of her own drummer and ALWAYS let her freak flag fly!

Here is what she has to say about why she does not have a stylist:

"I've had a stylist once or twice, but it doesn't really work out because basically, I don't like being told what to wear. I don't like being told what to do, so there's no point. A lot of people suggest that I should."

Keep on bucking the trends and keep being you Helena, we will always love ya!

XOXO

HBC on IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000307/?ref_=fn_nm_nm_1

Hollywood Walk Of Fame 2015 Honorees Announce

EXCLUSIVE:

HOLLYWOOD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ANNOUNCES

NEW WALK OF FAME HONOREES FOR 2015

Life is a mystery everyone must stand alone - Madonna "Like A Prayer"

Yep, this quote pretty much sums up the 2015 honorees on Hollywood's beloved Walk of Fame.

A few not, all of my personal favorites, Julianna Margulies, Snoopy, Pharrell Williams and Ennio Morricone. I don't want to slam anyone but really, Jennifer Garner?!

Anyway love them or think they don't deserve one, here is the 2015 list, people!

A new group of entertainment professionals in Motion Pictures, Television, Live Theatre, Radio and Recording have been selected to receive stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, it was announced today by the Walk of Fame Selection Committee of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. These individuals were chosen from among hundreds of nominations to the committee at a meeting held on June 16, 2014 and ratified by the Hollywood Chamber’s Board of Directors.

“The Walk of Fame Selection Committee is excited to announce the Class of 2015 Star Honorees to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. We know that the new selections represent the best of the entertainment industry, and will be a great addition to the Walk of Fame for both the Hollywood community and fans from around the world who visit Hollywood every year,” stated Maureen Schultz, Chair of the Walk of Fame selection committee for 2014-2015. “We look forward to welcoming all our new honorees to one of the most popular tourist attractions in California.”

Walk of Fame Chair Schultz along with Hollywood Chamber President & CEO Leron Gubler announced the new selections to the world on Thursday, June 18, 2014 on the official website www.walkoffame.com.

The Hollywood Walk of Fame recipients for the year 2015 are:

MOTION PICTURES: Raymond Chandler (posthumous), Eugenio Derbez, Will Ferrell, Jennifer Garner, Peter Jackson, Bob Kane (posthumous), Daniel Radcliffe, Paul Rudd, Snoopy, Melissa McCarthy and Christoph Waltz

TELEVISION: James L. Brooks, Ken Ehrlich, Bobby Flay, Seth MacFarlane, Julianna Margulies, Chris O’Donnell, Jim Parsons, Amy Poehler, Kelly Ripa and Sofia Vergara.

RECORDING: Lukasz ‘Dr. Luke’ Gottwald, Kool & The Gang, Pitbull, Al Schmitt and Pharrell Williams.

RADIO: Larry Elder.

LIVE THEATRE/LIVE PERFORMANCE: Kristin Chenoweth, Dick Gregory and Ennio Morricone.

The Hollywood Chamber and the Walk of Fame Selection Committee congratulate all the new honorees. Dates have not been scheduled for these stars. Recipients have five years to schedule star ceremonies from date of selection before they expire. Upcoming star ceremonies are usually announced ten days prior to dedication on official website www.walkoffame.com and via social media.

★★★

CHECK WEBSITE FOR UPCOMING STAR CEREMONIES:

Walkoffame.com, Hollywood Walk of Fame on Facebook or follow on twitter @WOFstargirl

Hitch A Ride With Marilyn Monroe

The Traveling Marilyn Monroe Statue
Photo: Michael Shinafelt

As anyone who knows me knows, I am a big Marilyn Monroe fan, which should come as no major surprise to those of you who may have just found out this information.

Here is a piece I did on this blog when My Week With Marilyn came out:

http://mshinafelt.blogspot.com/2012/01/reel-life-my-week-with-marilyn.html

So in honor of that I am posting some rare photos of one of my favorite actresses that are part of a traveling pop up exhibit. Also included at the top of this article is the photo I took of the traveling MM statue in Palm Springs, CA when I was there this past February, hey I may not have gotten to shoot the real thing but it was good enough for this fan. 

Marilyn frequently let crew members  photograph her on set when the cameras weren't rolling, to calm her nerves. 

Here, is a sneak peek at the lost photos of Marilyn Monroe, being showcased this month in a traveling exhibition curated by Pierre Vudrag.

Marilyn on the set of one of my favorites "Niagara"
Photo: Allan "Whitey" Snyder

Marilyn Posing for an Ad for Lawn Furniture
Photo: Mischa Pelz

One of My Personal Favorites from the Exhibit Circa 1952
Photo: Lani Carlson 

Hope you enjoyed this preview of some great images of one of the most amazing stars to ever grace the silver screen, I know I did.

Marilyn on IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000054/?ref_=fn_nm_nm_1

Lions, Tigers & Trevor Hall, Oh My!

Yep, Trevor Is King

TREVOR HALL

SURPRISES FANS WITH RELEASE OF NEW ALBUM
CHAPTER OF THE FOREST
OUT NOW

#3 ITUNES SINGER-SONGWRITER CHART
#17 ITUNES OVERALL ALBUMS CHART


SOULSHINE TOUR WITH MICHAEL FRANTI BEGINS ON THURSDAY, JUNE 19^TH 

Trevor Hall is King of the Forest...

Singer songwriter Trevor Hall surprised his fans with the sudden release of his new 12-track album Chapter of the Forest. The album, which debuted at #3 on the iTunes Singer/Songwriter chart and #17 on the iTunes Overall Albums chart, is available now via iTunes and the Vanguard Records store. Hall posted the announcement yesterday morning via Facebook with the following note: “Dear Villagers, IN FULLNESS OF HEART, I know a lot of y’all have been asking when the new album comes out.  Just wanted to let you know that it comes out……TOMORROW!" 

The 12 songs on Chapter of the Forest were born during a yearlong sabbatical where Hall returned to his beloved India, Nepal, Vermont, and Maine, and spent that time in deep reflection and spiritual connection embracing life-altering events. Hall explains in his own words, “This album is inspired by simplicity, by the roots of life, and by the beauty that one finds in solitude and in nature.  I am more excited than ever before due to the fact that this is the first record that I have done entirely on my own…purely from the heart.”  

Listen to “WISH MAN” here: https://soundcloud.com/vanguard-records/trevor-hall-wish-man

Beginning this Thursday, June 19^th, Trevor Hall will join the line-up with Michael Franti’s Soulshine Summer 2014 tour hitting 30+outdoor amphitheaters across the country. In the fall, Hall will embark on a headlining tour in support of Chapter of the Forest.

SOULSHINE SUMMER 2014 Tour 
06-19       Santa Barbara, CA – Santa Barbara Bowl w/ Michael Franti
06-20       Los Angeles, CA – The Greek Theatre w/ Michael Franti
06-21       Berkeley, CA – The Greek Theatre w/ Michael Franti
06-22       Tahoe, NV – Harvey’s Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena w/ Michael Franti
06-24       Jacksonville, OR – Britt Pavilion
06-26       Vancouver, BC – PNE Amphitheater w/ Michael Franti
06-27       Seattle, WA – Marymoor Park w/ Michael Franti
06-28       Bend, OR – Les Schwab Amphitheater w/ Michael Franti
06-29       Troutdale, OR – Edgefield w/ Michael Franti
07-01       Missoula, MT – Big Sky Brewery w/ Michael Franti
07-02       Ketchum, ID – Sun Valley Center w/ Michael Franti
07-03       Salt Lake City, UT – USANA Amphitheater w/ Michael Franti
07-05       Santa Fe, NM – The Downs at Santa Fe w/ Michael Franti
07-08       Kansas City, MO – Crossroads w/ Michael Franti
07-10       Chicago, IL – First Merit Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island w/ Michael Franti
07-12       Des Moines, IA – Simon Estes Amphitheater w/ Michael Franti
07-13       Indianapolis, IN – Farm Bureau Insurance Lawn at White River St Park w/ Michael Franti
07-15       Toronto, ON – Echo Beach at Molson Canadian Amphitheater w/ Michael Franti
07-17       Asbury Park, NJ – Stone Pony Summer Stage w/ Michael Franti
07-18       Boston, MA – Bank of America Pavilion w/ Michael Franti
07-19       Gilford, NH – Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion w/ Michael Franti
07-21       New York, NY – Pier 97 w/ Michael Franti
07-22       Philadelphia, PA – Skyline Stage at the Mann Center w/ Michael Franti
07-25       Wilmington, NC – Battleship Park w/ Michael Franti
07-26       Portsmouth, VA – nTelos Pavilion w/ Michael Franti
07-27       Charlotte, NC – Uptown Amphitheater at The Music Factory w/ Michael Franti
07-29       Boca Raton, FL – Sunset Cove Amphitheater w/ Michael Franti
07-30       St. Augustine, FL – St. Augustine Amphitheater w/ Michael Franti
08-01       Atlanta, GA – Masquerade Music Park w/ Michael Franti
08-02       Nashville, TN – The Woods at Fontanel w/ Michael Franti

Into the woods with Trevor: www.trevorhallmusic.com

Huston Huddleston Invades Hollywood

A spaceship is landing in Hollywood, CA, estimated time of arrival 2015, it's The Hollywood Science Fiction Museum which recently met it's start up goal and then some with a Kickstarter campaign.

Their Mission:  The mission of New Starship Foundation and the Hollywood Science Fiction Museum is to inspire people of all ages and nationalities with an uplifting vision of the future found in science fiction media, art and literature by teaching Real Science through Science Fiction, including technology, ecology, engineering, computers, robotics, math, medicine, space travel and all aspects of filmmaking through fun, interactive exhibits and programs.

Here to tell us more about this alien invasion is the CEO of the museum, give a great big "Live Long And Prosper" to Huston Huddleston!

MS: Huston tell us what inspired your alien invasion of Hollywood.

HH: One thing lead to another. It started because I saved the Enterprise Bridge (from Star Trek) that was a display tour set that was made for Paramount in the late 90's. I did a Kickstarter, I got a bunch of people associated with Star Trek to support me then we got to a point where A) We didn't have enough money to complete the restoration B) We didn't have a place to set it up, where would we store it? The biggest problem I had with the companies I was approaching for donations was that none of them cared specifically about the bridge itself, they weren't Star Trek fans, which is understandable. We needed to create a bigger picture, there is no exclusive science fiction museum anywhere in the world, and certainly none in Hollywood. So we are creating our own, it was the only logical conclusion. 

MS: So, what is going to set your museum apart from others?

HH: Our museum will be so universal, and so exciting it will have the fun of a theme park inside of a museum. I think we will get the numbers of people coming, and hopefully break records as far as museums go.

MS: It would be so dry otherwise.

HH: We are making it fun which is something museums normally don't do. 

MS: You also have fantasy and horror along with the science fiction.

HH: Some people actually complained to us that Herbie The Love Bug and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang can't be in the museum because it is a science fiction museum not a science fantasy museum and I'm like: "Why the Hell not?" The joy that people will get from seeing these will be way overcome by the people who are complaining about them.

It's Huston!

MS: Hey Huston, time for some fun! I picked five random sci-fi, fantasy TV and Movie titles and want you to say what comes to mind, ready.

HH: Sure, let's go.

MS: Planet of the Apes

HH: Pivotal film. Rod Serling wrote the screenplay, that's why it had so much apocalyptic insight. The film was unique and a major watermark.

MS: Bionic Woman

HH: Kenneth Johnson (creator of the show) has been supportive of our museum. That show is the first female superhero who wasn't treated campy, and could actually be a woman and not a cartoon character. She could be soft and feminine and kick butt! It was ground breaking.

MS: X-Men

HH: Stan Lee is a huge hero of mine. As far as the film it was one of the first to treat the situation as 100% real. X-Men brought the superhero movie to a whole new level of realism and the series just keeps getting better and better, and you have the integrity of some amazing actors and a director.

MS: Labyrinth 

HH: It's unique, it's a musical. David Bowie is a very underrated actor, I wished he'd do more. Jennifer Connelly is beautiful. I think it was Jim Henson's way of making something more mainstream since Dark Crystal didn't do well, he took the technology and made it more commercial.

MS: Star Trek

HH: Never heard of it (laughs) It was a groundbreaking TV Show, in too many ways to even mention. It has single handily inspired more astronauts and scientists I think than any entity. Every NASA person I have met says Star Trek is the show that inspired them.

Get your science fiction/fantasy/horror on at: 

www.hollywoodscifi.org

https://twitter.com/hollywoodscifi

Grace Valerie Live @ The House Of Blues

Go Grace!

Singer/Songwriter Grace Valerie took to the stage at the House of Blues on the Sunset Strip last night and I was there.

The singer of the Randy Jackson (yes, that Randy Jackson) produced hit single "When The Lights Go Down" and her current hit, and my personal favorite of hers "Not For Love" produced by the prolific Busbee sang both of these songs and others with a live band and she rocked it!

So enough of my word vomit and let's see the photos I took of the evening shall we????

Amazing Grace

Myself  & Grace Before The Show

Grace Laying It Down

Sing It You Two

Roll With Grace at:

https://www.facebook.com/gracemusic 

https://twitter.com/MsGraceValerie

AHS: Sarah Paulson Is A Two Headed Freak

Double Your Pleasure With Sarah Paulson

This season on an American Horror Story: Freak Show - it's two, two, two Sarah Paulson's in one.

If you need an explanation for this, hint, hint, this season is subtitled: Freak Show.

The wait is officially over now that we know who Sarah Paulson, aka our favorite Supreme, uh, I thought that was Diana Ross, will be playing when she returns for Ryan Murphy's horror show next season. Paulson announced her character by tweeting a photo of herself with two heads, who are apparently Bette and Dot.

When she took to her Twitter page she had this to say about playing the duo: 

"So excited to be playing Bette AND Dot this season. Two heads are better than one!" #AHSFREAKSHOW

Looking forward to more character announcements - Hell to the yes!

American Horror Story: http://www.fxnetworks.com/ahs