Thursday, September 15, 2016

Get To Know Zachary Webber

Zachary Webber
Actor Zachary Webber is one cool dude. How do I know? I have co-starred with him on stage in a two person play. Since then Zach has kept very busy in his chosen career. Delving into everything from voice over to comedy and of course film. I knew when I met Zach he was going places. He has not proved me wrong. He recently had a role in Meg Ryan's directorial debut Ithaca which starred her and Tom Hanks. Zach is here to answer ten random things I have thrown at him. I can't wait to say "I knew him when!"

MS: Ithaca
ZW: I did a scene with Sam Shepard, and I personally made him break while improvising. It is and may always be the greatest moment in my career. I could have died on the spot. I doubt he remembers my name.

MS: Texas

ZW: It's my home, and it's where my heart is, or at least pieces of it. There's nothing particular about Texas if you grew up there and weren't meant to stay. The cows and the food and the bigotry are the main components, and if you ascribe to them all, you stay. I had to go to the big cities. I had to challenge everything I knew, and I still am today.
Rhinestone Cowboy?!
MS: Sasquatch Comedy
ZW: My best friends. Sasquatch has become my rock. I don't know where I'd be today without them.
MS: Barbie Dream House
ZW: My sister had one. Even I, an 8 year old boy, was sort of mesmerized by the thing. I had my own version at the time, a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Sewer Lair. But the Dream House was so big. The allure of having a house with a beautiful woman must have started there.
MS: Meg Ryan

ZW: I was enamored with Meg my whole life. When Harry Met Sally is still my favorite movie. She's as kind and gorgeous as you'd expect. One of the nicest people I will ever meet.
MS: Romance Novels
ZW: I never knew they would be the launch pad for my career. Somehow it has become my day job to read these books. If you'd told me when I was 16 that having a sex voice would earn me money I would have scoffed, and my voice would have broke in the process.
MS: Singing

ZW: Always a passion, never a practice.
MS: Puppy Love
ZW: 😎 I have a hard time imagining this one right now. I've known love, but it's always indelibly tied to heartbreak. I'm waiting for puppy love that stays young, as love should. I've always been with people who were dead wrong for me, who I loved deeply. My recent breakup is a testament to that, at an insane level. I had feelings I never knew I could feel. It was such immense passion, but only that. I think of leaves falling and her face, and I just cry. But we were wrong for each other. It's a sad truth everyone must face at some point. Maybe not everyone. But I'm not the type to hide from love. I dive in, at times to my detriment.
MS: Burning Man
ZW: It didn't change my life, it served my life in the moment I needed it most. I needed to be away from the world and see what genuine goodness could be. That can't be taken away. Coming back to earth has been very hard though.
MS: Favorite Drink

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Leaping Lizards! Britney Spears

Look At Me, I've Still Got It!
Britney Spears
Hump Day is upon us and as you can see by this image of one Ms. Britney Spears she's so excited and she just can't hide it!

Apparently Brit, Brit had some down time and decided to express herself and ended up impressing herself and quite frankly me as well in the process. 

Look at her leap through the air with the greatest of ease in this photo she posted on her Instagram with the caption "Kinda bored today and wanted to see if I could still do a leap...It's not perfect but not too shabby either."

Honestly I think she is selling herself short. I would give her leap a ten, it looks perfect to me and seriously Brit, not many people could even come close to doing one that is this "not too shabby."

I wonder if she can leap tall buildings in a single bound too?

Happy Hump Day!

Britney on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/britneyspears/?hl=en  

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Media Blitz - Dolly Parton

From L-R: Shane Carter, President, Sony Music Entertainment Canada, Inc., Dolly Parton, Danny Nozell, President / CEO, CTK Management, Simon Rayner, Director, Marketing, Sony Music Entertainment Canada, Inc., Kirt Webster, President, Webster Public Relations

If It's Pure & Simple, It's Dolly!

There’s no mistaking the fact that Dolly Parton continues to reign as one of America’s favorite entertainers of all time – and the summer of 2016 has only added to that reputation with one of the most successful tours in the music business – and her first chart-topping solo album in a quarter-century.

Her Pure & Simple tour – her first extensive concerted touring effort in the United States since 1992, has sold out arena and arena, garnering her rave reviews from the critics for her pared-down approach at telling her musical story. She has just brought the tour north of the border to Canada, as well.

At the same time, the Country Music Hall of Fame member is by no means resting on her laurels. Her newest album, also titled Pure & Simple, has proven that the public’s love affair with Dolly Parton the musician and songwriter remains as strong as ever. The disc, released on August 19, debuted atop the Billboard Country Albums chart – marking her first-ever debut in the Soundscan era. Overall,Pure and Simple has become her seventh album to top the charts – and first since Eagle When She Flies in 1991. The album also reached a similar status in Canada, as well, hitting the top of the charts.
Hello Dolly!
Dolly & Katie Couric
The disc has impressed many of the industry’s toughest critics, with USA Today’s Bob Doerschuck saying “After half a century’s worth of performance, Dolly Parton’s voice still bubbles like a freshly popped bottle of champagne,” while ABC News’ Allan Raible extorts that Pure & Simple “is just another reminder of her durability as an artist. Like Willie Nelson and Loretta Lynn, she is one of the few remaining from country’s old-guard and yet it is still amazing to think that her first albums were released fifty years ago.”

The worldwide entertainment icon has once again partnered up with Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores for a contest that will give fans a chance to win a “Dolly Parton VIP Concert Experience,” which includes airfare, hotel accommodations, 2 VIP concert tickets, a photo with Dolly, and other items. For more details, go to dolly.crackerbarrel.com.

The restaurant chain is also offering an exclusive edition of Pure & Simple that contains two bonus cuts. The association with Cracker Barrel also includes the new online “Front Porch Series,” which features Parton talking musical shop with newcomers Cam and RaeLynn. Fans can watch the clips at youtube.com/user/CrackerBarrelOCS

In addition to these performances and reviews, Dolly has also been making the media rounds with such media luminaries as Larry King (goo.gl/vEbpBd), Katie Couric (yahoo.com/katiecouric), and CNBC’s “On The Money” (cnbc.com/2016/09/05/dolly-parton-is-back-on-the-charts-and-she-means-business.html).
 
Get Pure & Simple here:
iTunes: smarturl.it/dollypartonps
Apple Music: smarturl.it/applemusicdolly
Amazon Music: smarturl.it/amzmusicdolly
Google Play: marturl.it/gpdolly
Spotify: smarturl.it/spotifydolly
Amazon Physical: smarturl.it/amazondolly 

Monday, September 12, 2016

Michael's Monday Musings

Don't Bother Me, I'm Basking
Michael Shinafelt
Today, rather than devote space to one thing I decided to give it up to many things. My impressions of this past week. Are you ready? Fasten your seat belts, because it's going to come hard and fast!

Congratulations to RuPaul on winning his first Emmy as reality TV show host. Much deserved, he is so good at what he does.

People who whistle in public places need to be silenced. It's really annoying.

My condolences to the Arquette family. I have encountered Alexis over the years he was a sweet soul. I am sorry for your loss.

I am loving the Real House Wives of New York reunion shows. Especially Bethenny Frankel for bringing bitchy back! So glad Jules Wainstein is not returning, I couldn't believe how much vagina she brought to the table.

Living in Southern California is the best! The weather of late has been so amazing.

Pretty Little Liars summer finale has only been little over a week ago and damn I miss that show already. Hurry up April 2017!

American Horror Story Season 6 premieres this Wednesday. That will fill the "Liars" void.

Nothing is better than a great spin class, luckily I have found two instructors at Gold's Gym Hollywood that fit the bill. Cheers Michelle and Jessica you are the best!

People yelling "Beat It Creep" at me when I am walking down the street wearing the T-Shirt Traci Lords gave me from her clothing line with the saying on it is always good fun.

I'm ready for the election to be over, seriously it feels like it's been going as long as I've been alive!

Follow me on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/MShinafelt

Saturday, September 10, 2016

Versailles Jerk?

Look, We're Jerking!
Ben Hanisch & Amy Schumer
"Vacation, All I ever wanted, Vacation, Had to get away" - The Go Go's

Recently whilst on vacation Amy Schumer and her boyfriend Ben Hanisch decided to clown around and took this photo which ended up on her Instagram with the caption "Jerks at Versailles"

Oh Amy I thought you were way more clever than this. Why not the caption Versailles Jerk? This way you could have pretended you made up a new dance craze or something.

Ponder that! 

It's Saturday don't forget to jerk!

Amy on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/amyschumer/?hl=en 

Friday, September 9, 2016

Serving Donna Summer Realness: Lady Gaga

Dancing Queen
Lady Gaga
"It wasn't love, it wasn't love
It was a perfect illusion (Perfect illusion)
Mistaken for love, it wasn't love
It was a perfect illusion (Perfect illusion)" - Perfect Illusion, Lady Gaga


After a powerful ballad, 'Till It Happens To You that should have won the Oscar over that anemic Bond Theme crooned by Sam Smith, and a cracker jack collaboration with Tony Bennett - Lady Gaga is back to pop music with a vengeance. Her latest single Perfect Illusion has dropped!

This is powerhouse dance, pop stuff with a twist of rock thrown in for good measure and the smartest thing our Lady has done? She took a cue from the late great Donna Summer, let me explain.

I was never a huge fan of disco/dance in the eighties, but Ms. Summer was the exception to that rule. Why you are asking? Because of really excellently produced, written and most of all sung dance music, "yes" her powerful vocals were the focal point of the music, Perfect Illusion is that kind of dance music, simply the best the genre can offer.

You go Gaga! If this is any indicator of what the rest of the album is going to be like, well count me in! Teaming up with Mark Ronson does a Lady good!!!

Listen to Perfect Illusion after the jump!



Go Gaga at:
www.ladygaga.com/