Jenny McCarthy and Carmen Electra talk about their show biz careers, ex’s and future plans at the Svedka Vodka Anti-Valentine’s Day Party. Jeremy Piven, Adrian Curry and others joined them at Agency in Hollywood iso their future ex’s.

To drink to your “Future Ex”

1 oz. SVEDKA Clementine
1oz. Elderflower Liqueur
1/2oz. Cranberry Juice
1.5oz. Sparkling Wine or Champagne

Preparation:
Mix all ingredients except Sparkling Wine in a pint glass and shake. Double strain. Add Sparkling Wine.

Glassware
Martini Glass or ice filled Rocks Glass or ice filled Collins Glass

LA’s the Place

His skill and passion for real estate led Altman to own and run his own mortgage company, eventually becoming one of the top earning real estate agents with the famous luxury firm Hilton & Hyland Real Estate. He shares the secrets of his success with LA’s The Place.

LA’s The Place:  Good morning and thanks for speaking with me and LA’s the Place Magazine.

Josh Altman:  Absolutely, thanks for having me on.

LATP:  First of all, congratulations on becoming one of the stars of last season’s Million Dollar Listing, which has turned into an enormous hit on Bravo. For those who haven’t seen Million Dollar Listing, how would you describe what you do?

JA:  So, they follow around three high-end realtors and kind of follow the high-end real estate market as well as, obviously, our personal lives in Los Angeles. There’s one realtor in Malibu and there’s two of us in the Beverly Hills area. It’s just giving the audience the day to day of what it takes to get these deals done

Even on our show there’s only so much that you see; a deal is never easy, especially these days with the economy the way that it is you really have to think outside the box when it comes to selling homes. You’ve got to be creative, you’ve got to be 24/7, you’ve got to hustle. It’s not what it used to be, as far as selling homes. So they really get into our lives and see the day to day of what goes into closing these enormous deals. Everyone around the world loves looking at nice houses because everybody likes to dream, and that’s something you get to do through our show. You get access to homes that, you know, most people just won’t get access to and wouldn’t ever walk through. I mean, I wouldn’t either if I wasn’t a real estate agent, so it’s nice for people to be able to see all that.

LATP:  Speaking of the difficulties in working in this market, I hear that you’re projecting a 100 million for 2012 and have already gotten almost a quarter of the way there, including the biggest sale of a condo in Santa Monica, ever, at 10.5 million dollars. That’s amazing at a time when so many others don’t seem to know what to do with this housing market; what are you doing that they aren’t?

JA:  So obviously, living in Beverly Hills and dealing with this type of money is going to put me in a different category from somebody selling homes in, say, Alabama. At the same time, everything is exactly the same except for prices, which are obviously different. As far as personal goals, we sold over 60 million last year, 100 is our goal this year. That (Santa Monica) sale was an incredible sale, it was one of the most beautiful apartments I’ve ever seen. It was about 8,000 square feet with an 8,000 square foot rooftop deck, which is unheard of, a 360 degree view of not just the mountains but also the Hollywood hills. It was really just spectacular. As far as what I’m doing… I love what I do, so for me it’s not work. This is all fun for me and I have a great time doing it, I love real estate and being a part of fulfilling people’s dreams. Owning a home is part of the American Dream and I get to be part of that ultimate experience with them. I work hard, I love what I do, I’m 24/7 and I’m very hard on myself in order to be an extremely hard worker. All of that comes into play.

I specialize in dealing with overseas money from Saudi Arabia, China, Russia, which in this economy right now, those are the people coming in and dropping some major cash on the housing market. So that’s something we’ve specialized our business into when dealing with high-end houses. The company that I work for is affiliated with Christie’s Great Estates; typically when you market a house you want to market it locally, but for these high end, 10, 20, even 50 million dollar houses, you have to market globally. Chances are that the person coming in to spend 40 million dollars on a house is either one of 20 people in the this country or overseas money. That’s kind of become our niche in this market, but there are always deals out there.

For me, the way I look at is that America is on sale. Some people have to sell and if you’re in a buyer’s position, it’s an amazing time buy. There’s a lot of great properties for great prices, and if you can hold on to it for five years you’re going to make a profit on it. It’s just a matter of whether you can hold onto it or not. It’s another option besides the stock market, and I think a lot of people right now prefer the housing market to the stock market as a place to park your money.

LATP:  Speaking to what you just said, you definitely do have a reputation for being someone who’s, as you said, constantly going, 24/7 and is always available to clients and new business. To me, that speaks of someone who really enjoys what he does. Is that accurate? What’s your favorite aspect of being a real estate agent?

JA: Easily, my single favorite thing is selling a home or representing a buyer and seeing the smile on their face when people get the home of their dreams. That’s priceless, that’s the payoff every time. Commission checks are great and all, but at the end of the day not only do you get to be part of the experience, but because you’re a part of it you become friends for life with these people. You know, I’m completely hooked up in the Los Angeles area, my connections are second to none. The reason is that the most important people in your phone are your family members and your real estate agent. It’s really funny how that works, but just being a part of that whole process you get to meet people you would never normally meet and you get to become lifelong friends with them. That’s the most rewarding part of real estate for me.

LATP:  I can see why. On a slightly different note; I read that you graduated from Syracuse and were a kicker on the football team there. How does the world of competitive sports compare to the world of high-end real estate?

JA: Actually, that’s a great question which I’ve never gotten before, so good for you for asking it! I was a place kicker which can be the king of the hill in one second or you can be the dope. It’s a tough position and because of that you learn to have ice water in your veins. You can’t get nervous, you can’t break down in situations. The way that it applies to real estate is that you know there’s going be a lot of situations where you’re negotiating and you can’t back down and you gotta be strong. There’s going to be high pressure situations and we’re not talking about a couple of bucks here, we’re talking about people’s biggest investments in their lives. Millions and millions of dollars. You’ve got to be confident, got to know what you’re doing, you got to stand strong for what you believe the house is worth. And be ready to walk away if you’re not getting the price. That’s how I use it. It’s always about the pressure as a kicker, which I’m sure you saw this weekend in the football game.

LATP:  Yeah, that’s for sure. So as well as being a real estate agent, you also do speaking engagements on everything from finance to interior design. That last one catches my attention, I understand you learned interior designing from your mother. I’m curious, what would you describe as your interior design aesthetic?

Josh:  The speaking engagements are something that I do for fun to give back. I get a ton of emails from the TV show asking how I got to where I am, how do you become successful in real estate, how do you break into the high end market… All the aspects that I talk about come into play, which is everything from finance to interior design. A lot of times when I sell a house it’ll be an empty house that people may not live in anymore and it’s super important, which a lot of agents don’t realize, to make sure that house looks like a home when people walk through. The majority of people walking through a house are not able to see what the house looks like with furniture in it unless they have some kind of a design background or are used to seeing houses like that.

When it comes to staging a house, which is extremely important in helping to sell the house, you’ve got to do it the correct way to get those people who are interested and then turn that into sales. You know the whole design aspect, the whole flipping homes aspect which I absolutely love, I do that as a hobby. I was the guy at Home Depot who used to like playing with the tools just for the fun of it. I get a kick out of that. Even before I was in the business, I’d get a kick out of just driving around looking at homes. I love going to swap meets and finding different furniture, unique stuff. So all that has to come into play with how I do my business. I do love lecturing and I do that all around the country. If more people knew that and called me or checked out my website, I’d be more than happy to come to their company or speak at their conferences or anything like that.

LATP:  I read that you’re involved in a couple of charities; would you mind telling me a little about them?

JA:  Sure. We’re actually doing an event Saturday night for Habitat for Humanity, which helps build homes for people who need help and can’t afford houses. So that’s something that’s obviously close to me because I see it every day; I’m dealing with these larger homes, and by the way I do sell other homes as well, it doesn’t have to be a 10 million dollar house. I just closed an 800,000 dollar condo yesterday so I also deal with that. But it’s nice to give back and help out as much as I personally can. We’re doing a charity event at one of our listings where we’re going to try to raise as much money as possible to give to Habitat for Humanity, so that’s an important one. Along with other charities that I do deal with, that’s the one that has to do with real estate.

LATP:  Fantastic. Well, I think that just about wraps it up as far as my questions. Is there anything you’d like to address or anything you’d like to say to your fans who might be reading this article?

JA: I guess if they want to check out my website, www.thealtmanbrothers.com. Or follow me on Twitter at #TheJoshAltman.

LATP:  Well, thank you very much for your time.

JA:  Thanks so much, it was a pleasure talking to you.

By Ryan Castle

We know what you might be thinking. What exactly do all these individuals have in common?  They all share a passion for the preservation of Hollywood History.

A few of the artists on hand for the event took the 75-minute guide-led journey of Hollywood Behind-the-Scenes, revealing the story of Hollywood from its Golden Age to present day.  The tour is the only walking tour in Los Angeles and the only tour that uses a live state of the art adjustable audio system (by Williams Sound) that allows all patrons to hear the guide up to 300 feet, regardless of the surrounding noise.

“I was amazed at the clarity.  Despite the street noises, not to mention a rather boisterous group of demonstrators, I could hear every word the guide said on the tour,” remarked Romi Dames of “Hanna Montana.”

George Chakiris of West Side Story and Tony Hoover

While visiting Grauman’s Chinese Theatre the group took a slight side trip took to visit the nearby star of Ms. Kate Linder of “The Young & the Restless,” who had joined the tour. Practically born into the industry as Tabitha Stevens on “Bewitched” Erin Murphy commented, “I think that older patrons of the tour will find themselves either reliving great memories while the younger ones will be learning about an industry that has defined the last century. Those of us who are connected to the industry, walk away with a sense of pride in being part of it.”

The 2012-edition 3 ticket series of Red Line Tours entitled “The Icons of Hollywood” highlights three historically important structures representing music, stage and the silver screen – the Capitol Records building, Grauman’s Chinese Theatre and the Hollywood Bowl.  The tickets are good for admission to Hollywood Behind-the-Scenes and are anticipated to be a high quality collectible memento.

Stan Livingston, Barbara Van Orden, Dee Wallace, Sherrye Woodley, Rip Taylor, Barry Livingston, Judy Norton, Andre Miripolsky, Rose Marie, Mary McDonough, Michael Learned, Romi Dames, George Chakiris, Ruta Lee, Kate Linder, Don Most, Erin Murphy, Ilene Graff and Tony Hoover.

Special guests that attended the event included: George Chakiris, Romi Dames, Ilene Graff, Tippi Hedren, Kate Linder, Barry Livingston, Stan Livingston, Michael Learned, Ruta Lee, Rose Marie, Mary McDonough, Don Most, Erin Murphy, Judy Norton, Hugh O’Brian, Rip Taylor, Dee Wallace and Barbara Van Orden among others.

Red Line Tours Hollywood Behind the Scenes is undisputedly one of Hollywood’s most popular and enduring attractions and has become part of Hollywood’s modern history. Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt used Red Line Tours Downtown LA tour to help prepare for his role in “500 Days of Summer,” and Clare Danes toured with founder Tony Hoover as part of a piece on her early days in theatre.

The Red Line Tour guides dispel myths and often reveal unknown behind the scenes stories, classic movie palaces, history of the Hollywood Sign, Walk of Fame lore… and Hollywood’s hidden hideaways of the Stars, while taking patrons inside venues generally restricted to the public. Even many native Angelinos may learn new tidbits about their own city such as:

Red line Tour Collectible Tickets

*  At which Theatre for which film was the first gala movie premiere?
-Robin Hood, 1922 at the Egyptian Theatre

*  Which Star on the walk of fame is the most sought after by tourists?
-Marilyn Monroe

*  Who saved the Hollywood Sign from destruction?
-Alice Cooper and Hugh M. Hefner

*  Who was the first female actress to demand $1 million for a film?
-Elizabeth Taylor for “Cleopatra” (An offer she made, and expecting to be declined, for a film she hadn’t wished to do at the time.)

*  Where was the first Academy Awards Held?
-The Roosevelt Hotel and they lasted 20 minutes.

Red Line Tours Founder, Tony Hoover, received a BFA from Ball State University and worked for the industry famous trade, The Hollywood Reporter, before putting his degree in and a passion for architecture to use in creating the Red Line Tours.

The Waltons meet My Three Sons: Judy Norton, Barry Livingston, Michael Learned, Stan Livingston and Mary McDonough

The artwork used for the collectible tickets are creations of Andre Miripolsky, who was on hand to sign the first editions on Thursday. His keen understanding of pop imagery and energy has resulted in collaborations with Elton John, Bette Midler, Quincy Jones, Rolling Stones, Gato Barbieri, Robin Williams, Beastie Boys, Cheap Trick, MTV and “The Tonight Show” with Jay Leno. An “Absolut Artist of the ’90s,” Miripolsky created his inaugural Absolut Vodka ad in 1991 and Mattel asked Miripolsky if he would lend his unique approach in creating a one-of-a-kind soon to be released “Art Barbie.” His commitment and participation in timely social and political causes is reflected in his artistic vision. He has collaborated with the United Nations Artist and Performers Against Apartheid Symposium, was commissioned by the Director’s Guild of America to create a new look for “The Artist’s Rights Foundation” (founded by Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, and Martin Scorsese), and he designed a limited-edition poster to raise funds for inner city youth of Chicago. Along the same lines, he has been working for several years with Pro-Peace, AIDS Project Los Angeles, and Artists for Disarmament.

Dee Wallace, Kate Linder, Andre Miripolsky, Erin Murphy and Romi Dames

Currently, negotiations are underway with the top theatre representatives in New York for a similar walking tour of Broadway’s most famous theatres.

For information about the tickets and tours, go to Red Line Tours.

Photos by Bill Dow

GBK dazzled the 69th Annual Golden Globe nominees and presenters once again before the big night with their always-luxurious Gift Lounge for the Golden Globes, held at the beautiful L’Ermatage Hotel in Beverly Hills. GBK, the recipient of multiple BizBash Awards for “Best Gift Bag,” presented to its private list of invited celebrities, VIPs, and media the opportunity to enjoy an elite environment with gifts, beauty services and hors’ d’oeuvres while tending to its charitable causes.

Janina Gavankar “True Blood,” Joe Mantegna “Criminal Minds”, Lauren Bowles “True Blood” Mayim Bialik “The Big Bang Theory”

GBK’s 2012 Golden Globes Lounge celebrity guests included nominees, presenters and guests such as  Callie Thorne “Necessary Roughness” (Best performance by an Actress in a TV series – Drama) Damian Lewis “Homeland” (Best performance by an Actor in a TV series – Drama). Ben Schwartz “Parks and Recreation” Betsy Brandt “Breaking Bad”, Janina Gavankar “True Blood,” Joe Mantegna “Criminal Minds”, Lauren Bowles “True Blood” Mayim Bialik “The Big Bang Theory” and many more…

Callie Thorne “Necessary Roughness” (Best performance by an Actress in a TV series - Drama) Damian Lewis “Homeland” (Best performance by an Actor in a TV series - Drama). Ben Schwartz “Parks and Recreation” Betsy Brandt “Breaking Bad”

“This season’s GBK Gift Lounge is filled with premium sponsors, supporting celebrities and a wealth of media which will once again support “good will“ while enjoying a true Hollywood experience. “GBK will be making a donation to Clinton Global Initiative for this event and a local education fund in FIJI,” says Gavin Keilly, CEO of GBK Productions.

Click here to view the embedded video.

GBK’s sponsors include a wide range of creative, luxurious and select companies who will share their products and accomplishments with industry taste makers and celebrities while giving back to a greater causes such as poverty and education.
Sponsors include:

Air Pacific  gifted a round trip ticket for two for all Nominees and Presenters to FIJI. They will be staying at one of the exclusive 5 Star Island Resorts, including: Yasawa Island Resort and Spa, Vomo Fiji Island Resort, or Tadrai Fiji Island Resort.

5Star Responder, by greatcall  is a first-of-its-kind wireless, portable device that is an easy, convenient, and affordable way to better protect yourself or those closest to you, at home or on the go. By simply pressing the button on the Responder, users are immediately connected to highly-trained Certified Response Agents who will identify them and their location, conference in family or friends, dispatch 9-1-1 emergency services, access a nurse, or provide any additional assistance, if needed.

The Artisan Group is an exclusive close-knit community of talented artisans, who showcase a broad spectrum of specialties, including handcrafted jewelry; spa and bath products; designer stationery and paper goods; crocheted apparel; children’s tutus, apparel and toys; ceramics; purses and totes; hand-poured candles; book binding and journals; illustrations and paintings; hand-dyed scarves; fine art photography; hair accessories; pet apparel and toys; and woodworking products. They collectively provide lovely samplings of their beautifully handcrafted products to celebrities and members of the press at major award show luxury Gift Lounges leading up to The Academy Awards*, The Golden Globes*, and The Primetime Emmys* All handcrafted jewelry, stationery, photography, art and other products. These are true artists that use their talent to bring magic to your everyday.

The Fresh Diet  Created by a Le Cordon Bleu Institute-trained chef, The Fresh Diet is fresh, gourmet meals and snacks delivered to you daily! They make watching your weight or losing weight effortless. Anl the time and money you save shopping and cooking is worth it. Try it yourself. No cooking, no prep, no dishes! That, is priceless in and of itself. The Fresh Diet gifted celebrities  free trials of premium healthy at-home meal delivery service, and they are all thrilled to try it.

GBK's Gavin Keilly and "Modern Family's Eric Stonestreet

Glymed Plus® Advanced Aesthetics gifted The GlyMed Plus FOR MEN Essentials Travel Kit & DNA Reset Face & Neck Cream, among others of her amazing line. For over 20 years, GlyMed Plus® has been a renowned leader in the skin care industry. Christine Heathman, Master Aesthetician, CEO and Founder of GlyMed Plus and the GlyMed Plus Institute of Skin Science™ has been practicing clinical esthetics for over 25 years and offers a complete range of Professional Only products, combining technologically advanced ingredients with certified organic botanicals to produce amazing results.

RevitaLash ADVANCED Newly formulated RevitaLash ADVANCED; eyelash conditioner that lengthens and thickens eyelashes. Introducing a new hair product; Hair by RevitaLash a conditioner that gives you thicker and fuller hair. Also RevitaLash Mascara and Perfect Primer that helps mascara adhere better to eyelashes and enhances eye color. RevitaLash works!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Centerville Pie Co.  A Centerville Pie Company signature Chicken Pie made with over a pound of chicken meat, covered in savory gravy & wrapped in a hand-rolled flaky crust. Centerville Pie Co. is a charitable organization that supplies jobs to women who are disabled.

Crizal® See Better, Look Better, Feel Better: Crizal No-Glare lenses are the market leader of No-Glare (Anti-Reflective) ophthalmic lenses. Celebrities received No-Glare Lenses Designer Sunglasses with Crizal SunShield™ No-Glare Lenses. Brands include Fendi, Prada, and Burberry.

Q Handmade   Custom gold and silver jewelry specializing in hand-stamped necklaces from jewelry designer and singer/songwriter Christine McCrudden. Click here to see her video  from the gift lounge.

Bread Basket Cake Company  served celebrities Chocolate fudge and French vanilla cream-filled dessert topped with a raspberry. The Bread Basket uses only the finest culinary products available, including fresh berries from local farms, pure Belgian chocolate, authentic French whipped cream, and top-shelf liquors. The created the beautiful Golden Globes-inspired cake which was on display in the center of the suite.

Gavin Keilly with Shallene Woodley

Ajinomoto North America, Inc. Glysom™  is a safe, effective, scientifically-proven and physician-distributed dietary supplement for deeper, sounder and more satisfying sleep without morning drowsiness that leaves you fully refreshed for the day ahead.

Cocopotamus Chocolate  Handmade Cocopotamus dark chocolate fudge truffles in different delicious flavors.

DNA Imprints   – A canvas print transformed from a celebrities DNA and married to stunning colors. Anyone can go to their website and find out how they can submit their DNA to turn it into art!

G Wear  Eclectic, hand-sewn, one of a kind woman’s tee shirts and scarves with design appliqués made from recycled tee shirt materials. Great fabrics, comfort and great designs!

Voskos Greek Yogurt – Award winning Greek yogurt presenting YoGreek which is a mix of delicious Voskos Greek yogurt & crunch!

TC Intimates upidintimates.com   Today’s shape wear for today’s activities, work, play or an evening out. Shaping that leaves you looking sleek, smooth and comfortable. Great brand.

Haan Therapeutics Latest innovation in Anti-Aging skin care: Romi Beauty gifted their new digital makeup product, and the results you get from this is simply incredibly flawless looking skin. With their Digital Foundation, an electronic foundation application system that mimics the stippling technique used by makeup artists to blend makeup into the skin but at a rate of 5,000 times per minute, it applies the foundation ampoule contains a primer, concealer, foundation and powder. Brilliant!

Glysom This year’s Golden Globes received the gift of sleep quality. Glysom™, the latest breakthrough in amino acid and sleep research and the first Japanese nutraceutical product to be showcased at the GBK Luxury Gift Lounge, in Beverly Hills, CA this past weekend. Allowing Hollywood’s dream makers to take full advantage of their precious hours of rest each night, Glysom™ attracted nominees and presenters such as Elizabeth McGovern (Downton Abbey), Dot-Marie Jones (Glee), Chris McDonald (Harry’s Law), Shanola Hampton (Shameless) and Kristi Lauren (I Hate My Teenage Daughter).

Actress Morena Baccarin and Gavin Keilly

The Comphy Co.  The chosen favorite for micro-fiber bedding; by leading resorts, spas and celebrities nationwide. Especially important is that their sheets and pillow cases are dust-mite resistant!

Exclusive Sedan Service   Gifted a gift certificate worth $100 for chauffeured luxury ground transportation which can be used anywhere in the LA metro area.

Bota Box are premium, award winning wines in 3L box and 500ml tetra pack, convenient, portable and environmentally friendly packages.

Robert Graham  Presenting X Collection by Robert Graham, the newest men’s sportswear line by Robert Graham.

Macadamia Natural Oil   Stylish canteen shoulder bag containing Healing Oil Treatment, Deep Repair Masque, Rejuvenating Shampoo and Oil infused comb, all you need to quench your hair needs. You’ll find you get beautiful results, almost as if with this product, you’ve found the missing link!

Mojo Boost International Gentech Pharmaceutical  Mojo Boost & Mojo Chill – Gives you the energy you need to sustain, and the relaxation you need when it’s time to unwind. PhenTabz were gifted as well -  highly effective weight loss pills without the prescription =  fast, effective, safe weight loss.

NVEY ECO  A collection of high performance, long lasting pure organic makeup from Australia, formulated without the use of chemical ingredients such as petrochemicals or synthetic fragrances.

Hayari Parfums   First French Fragrance Floral Oriental for women by Hayari. The Hayari Couture collections of evening wear and wedding apparel created by designer Nabil Hayari are direct from Paris seen at the GBK Gifting Lounge for the 69th annual Golden Globes for the first time.  The gowns, each a “one-of-a-kind” piece handmade in the Paris Atelier were shown to guests like Callie Thorn, Elizabeth McGovern, Mirelle Enos, Cheryl Burke, Candace Cameron Bure, Cynthia, Lana Parnilla (who loved the black display gown) Sasha Piertse, Karina Smirnoff, Addai-Robinson, Erica Durance, Janine Gavankar and Jennifer Love-Hewitt, just to name a few.

Sandra Brooks Collection  Handcrafted one-of-a-kind gemstone and pearl jewelry for men and women, creating juxtapositions of organic elements and glitz, modern and traditional, casual and formal elegance.

Sparkling ICE  Naturally flavored sparkling mountain spring water, zero calories with essential vitamins and antioxidants.

Earths Berries   An environmentally friendly, organic cleaner that helps keep your whole home clean and safe.

eos Products  Highly moisturizing, delightfully packaged skin care products, including lip balms, hand lotions, body lotions, and shaving cream.

Tweezerman  Preview of the new Fashion Color Slant Tweezer – in Geranium (launching in May) and their beloved ProCurl Curler.

VIE® Magazine sets itself apart as a high-gloss publication focusing on human interest stories and celebrating the “people and places.”

Beyond The Rack is North America’s premier online shopping club, offering men and women top designer brand clothing, accessories, beauty, home décor and consumer electronics up to 70% off retail. Gifting clothing for men and women by some of Beyond the Rack’s great brands including Dex, Coupe, Triple 5 Soul, and My Tribe.

Adult Chocolate Milk is a premium, pour-and-serve vodka-based cocktail with a unique taste and retro-chic appeal that was launched in 2009 by busy moms and lifelong friends Tracy Reinhardt and Nikki Halbur.

AquaHydrate Purified and refreshing, AquaHydrate is uniquely fortified and engineered to replenish the body differently than traditional bottled water. Raised to an alkaline pH of 9+, and then fortified with electrolytes and minerals it is the water for people who know and can appreciate the difference. Gifted gift certificates for 1 year supply of their water.

GBK, formerly GBK Productions, is a luxury lifestyle gifting and special events company, specializing in entertainment marketing integration. Formed in 2000 by Gavin Keilly, the company’s Founder and CEO, GBK consists of five divisions: GBK Celebrity Gifting, GBK Special Events, GBK Weddings, GBK Charitable Consulting and GBK Marketing/Public Relations. Widely known in the entertainment industry for bringing that little extra something into the Gifting Lounge environment, GBK offers its clients a full range of marketing services.

Click here to view the embedded video.

For more information on Gavin B. Keilly (CEO), Carla Domen (VP) or GBK, please go to: www.GBKProductions.com.

Celebrities who attended the GBK gift lounge included:

    •    Ali Fedotowski “The Bachelorette,” “The Bachelor"

    •    Alicia Witt  "Friday Night Lights"

    •    Amanda Righetti  “The Mentalist” (Grace Van Pelt) 

    •    Angus T. Jones  “Two and a Half Men”

    •    Anthony Anderson  “Scream 4” (Dept. Perkins)

    •    Bailee Madison  “Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark” (Sally), “Just Go with It”

    •    Barrett Foa  “NCIS: Los Angeles” (Eric Beal)

    •    Beau Willimon  “The Ides of March” (Best Screenplay - Motion Picture)

    •    Ben Schwartz   “Parks and Recreation” (Jean-Ralphio)

    •    Beth Riesgraf  “Leverage” (Parker)

    •    Betsy Brandt   “Breaking Bad” (Marie Schrader)

    •    BooBoo Stewart  “Twilight” movie series (Seth)

    •    Callie Thorne   “Necessary Roughness” (Best performance by an Actress in a TV series - Drama)

    •    Camille Grammar   "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills"

    •    Candace Cameron Bure   “Make It or Break It” (Summer Van Horne)

    •    Carly Craig   “Hall Pass” “Role Models” (Connie)

    •    Cheryl Burke   “Dancing with the Stars” (professional dancer)

    •    Chris McDonald   “Harry’s Law” (Tommy Jefferson)

    •    Chris Noth   "Sex and the City" "The Good Wife"

    •    Christopher Heyerdahl   “Twilight” movie series

    •    Connor Paolo   "Revenge" (Declan Porter)

    •    Cynthia Addai Robinson   “Spartacus: Vengeance” (Naevia), “Colombiana”

    •    Damian Lewis  “Homeland” (Best performance by an Actor in a TV series - Drama)

    •    Damian McGinty   “Glee” (show nominated for Best TV series - Comedy or Musical)

    •    David Banner   “Stomp the Yard 2: Homecoming”

    •    Dot-Marie Jones   “Glee” (show nominated for Best TV series - Comedy or Musical) 

    •    Eden Sher   “The Middle” (Sue Heck)

    •    Elizabeth McGovern  “Downton Abbey” (Best performance by anActress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV)

    •    Eric Stonestreet   “Modern Family” (Best performance by an Actor in a supporting role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture made for TV)

    •    Erica Durance   “Smallville” (Lois Lane)

    •    Gabriel Mann   "Revenge" (Nolan)

    •    Garrett Backstrom   “The Motel Life” (Jerry Lee)

    •    Helen McCrory   “Hugo” (Film nominated for Best Motion Picture-Drama)

    •    Hill Harper   “CSI: NY” (Dr. Sheldon Hawkes)

    •    India De Beaufort   “Jane by Design” (India)

    •    Iqbal Theba   “Glee” (show nominated for Best TV series - Comedy or Musical) (Principal Figgins)

    •    Janina Gavankar  “True Blood,” (Luna Garza)

    •    Jason Isaacs   “Abduction,” (Kevin), “Harry Potter” movie series

    •    Jason Olive   Tyler Perry’s “For Better Or Worse (Joseph)

    •    Jennifer Love Hewitt   “The Client List,” "Ghost Whisperer"

    •    Jennifer Carpenter   "Dexter"

    •    Jeremy Irons   “The Borgias” (Best performance by An Actor in a TV series - Drama)

    •    Jessica Parker Kennedy   “The Secret Circle” (Melissa Glaser)

    •    Jim Rash   “The Descendants” (Best Screenplay - Motion Picture)

    •    Joe Mantegna   “Criminal Minds” (David Rossi)

    •    Josh Sussman   “Glee” (show nominated for Best TV series - Comedy or Musical) (Jacob Ben Israel)

    •    Julie Benz   “A Gifted Man” (Christina), "No Ordinary Family”

    •    Karina Smirnoff  “Dancing with the Stars” (professional dancer)

    •    Kathryn Joosten   “Desperate Housewives”

    •    Katie Leclerc   ABC’s “Switched at Birth” (Daphne Vasquez)

    •    Kristi Lauren   “I Hate My Teenage Daughter” (Sophie)

    •    Lana Parrilla   “Once Upon a Time” (Evil Queen)

    •    Lauren Bowles   “True Blood” (Holly)

    •    Leslie David Baker   "The Office"

    •    Mark Feuerstein   "Royal Pains"

    •    Mayim Bialik   “The Big Bang Theory” (Amy Farrah Fowler)

    •    Melissa Rauch   “The Big Bang Theory”  (Bernadette)

    •    Mireille Enos   “The Killing” (Best performance by an Actress in a TV series - Drama)

    •    Morena Baccarin  “Homeland” (show nominated for Best TV series - Drama)

    •    Nat Faxon   “The Descendants” (Best Screenplay - Motion Picture)

    •    Natasha Henstridge  "The Secret Circle"

    •    Nick Wechsler  “Revenge” (Jack Porter)

    •    Pat O’Brien  “Fox Sports Radio” (host)

    •    Rachael Crow  "X-Factor"

    •    Raphael Sbarge  “Once Upon a Time” (Jiminy Cricket)

    •    Reno Wilson  “Mike and Molly” (Officer Carl McMillan)

    •     Reshma Shetty   “Royal Pains” (Divya Katdare)

    •    Rex Lee   “Suburgatory” (Mr. Wolfe), “Entourage” (Lloyd Lee)

    •    Rico Rodriguez    “Modern Family” (show nominated for Best TV series - Comedy or Musical) (Manny Delgado)

    •    RJ Mitte   “Breaking Bad” (Walter White Jr.)

    •    Samantha Harris   “Entertainment Tonight” (correspondent)

    •    Sarah Drew   “Grey’s Anatomy” (Dr. April Kepner)

    •    Sasha Pieterse   “Pretty Little Liars” (Alison)

    •    Shailene Woodley   “The Descendants” Best performance by an Actress in a motion picture)

    •    Shanola Hampton   “Shameless” (Veronica Fisher)

    •    Steven Yeun   “The Walking Dead” (Glenn)

    •    Thomas Gibson   “Criminal Minds” (Aaron Hotchner), “Dharma & Greg” (Greg)

    •    Thomas Jane   “Hung” (Best performance by an Actor in a TV series-Comedy or Musical)

    •    Tinsel Korey   “Twilight” movie series (Emily)

    •    Tony Denison   “The Closer” (Lt. Andy Flynn)

    •    Zach Woods   “The Office” (Gabe Lewis)

The Secret Room uses it’s celebrity influence to help charities and this event benefited this years charity of choice -  To Write Love On Her Arms . To Write Love on Her Arms is a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide. TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire, and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery.

Many exciting brands were onhand and celebs delighted in the tradition of Secret Room to pamper them with great products and brands such as: (Click on the name to go to their website)

Spa De Soleil offers a wide range of organic skincare products, including Olive Essence, O2CH, Dermatouch Natural Skin Care, Hydra Mar, Pure Minerals Ant-Aging, Mineral from the Dead Sea, and more.  They provide products that are natural and paraben-free.

Sonas San Francisco demonstrated their signature reclaimed denim, high-end jeans made from rolls of fabric too small for major corporations to profit from buying.  Their unique patched jeans are handmade in their San Francisco and Los Angeles locations and embraces a green ideal of recycling and reusing, even donating 10% of their profits toward ending animal exploitation.  Sonas means “happiness” in Irish, and their business practice seems designed to reflect that philosophy.

The Raven Spa in Santa Monica features traditional Thai massage, bodywork and Healing Center. It is a part of El Leon Spa and features acupuncture, facials and more. Available for special events.

Dermaesthetics gifted a selection of their clinically proven skincare lines.  Using advanced scientific formulas and extensive testing, Dermaesthetics has some of the most effective toners, cleansers and skin treatments available.

Kelly Teegarden Organics This organic chemical-free line of skin care was created by a cancer survivor, Kelly Teegarden, so that there is a choice for people who don’t want to expose themselves to the cancer-causing chemicals in some commercial products.

Caribbean Living Magazine gifted celebrities a week in the Bahamas at one of their stunning properties!

Fullbar allowed sampling of their delicious product and also gifted several boxes.  The specially formulated snacks are designed to curb hunger and simulate a feeling of fullness after just one bar.  The all-natural Slendestra in them causes the release of  cholecystokinin in your digestive tract, making you fuller for longer.

Izzy and Ali Handbags – Vegan and animal cruelty free. The stars love these gorgeous, vibrant with stunning colors and quality hardware. No one could not tell they were vegan and not leather!

Collagen M.D. Advanced Connectibe Tissue Formula – Pharmaceutical Hydrolyzed Collagen enhanced with Hyaluronic Acid and Vitamins; Connectibve Tissue Anti-Aging Formula

Stephen James Luxury Organics presented their whole food bars, featuring an interesting combination of pre-sprouted and dehydrated flax, hazelnuts, dates and pecans.  A healthy, vegan alternative to candy bars, Luxury Organics also rate very low on the glycemic index.  Most important of all for a snack, they taste great as well.

Pet Head products are luxurious grooming products, trendy apparel and must-have accessories for hip hounds and pampered pooches.

Lotty Dotty showcased a truly one of a kind product with their take on apparel.  Lotty Dotty has developed an interactive T-shirt that allows one to change the look of the shirt by using 3D detachable pieces.  The idea sprang from developers’ Maya and Shevanne’s fond memories of playing with paper dolls as children.  Lotty Dotty T-shirts and handbags feature a paper-doll figure on the front of the product with a sewn-on Velcro bathing suit on which numerous Velcro-backed “outfits” can be attached and detached at will.  These mini-outfits are designed by clothing designers from all over the world.

Baby Hawk, otherwise known as the Cure for the Common Baby Carrier, provides customization unheard of in its competitors.  The soft structured baby carrier features triple padded straps, foam bottom strap and that rarest of qualities in a carrier, style. Baby Hawk was created by a mom and designed this baby carrier adopted from the  Mei Tai’s (Asian Baby Carriers) design, a Chinese-inspired idea that makes holding your little one on your front, back or hip as safe, as it is comfortable.

Bratt Decor had a beautiful display of upscale baby ‘house’ furniture designed for adults.

The Chia Co gifted a sample of its product, which they describe as nature’s superfood.  Chia is very high in the nutrients essential for a healthy diet including Omega 3, dietary fibre and protein as well as vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.  Grown and imported from Australia, chia seeds, bran and oil are gluten free wholegrains recommended by dieticians for everything from weight loss to managing diabetes.

Molar Muncher is a baby teether that helps the entire gum line.  Formed out of a single piece of FDA inspected silicone, the uniquely designed teether is intended to sooth teething at all stages while preventing nipple confusion and tooth displacement.  Made in the USA, the Molar Muncher is dishwasher safe and crafted without any crevices for germs to hide in.

Sprout made an appearance, as did Chica, the muppet star of the Sunny Side Up Show.  Offering toys, games and educational materials, Sprout interacted with celebrities and guests with a sincere enthusiasm that does credit to PBS and children’s programming.

NV – Hollywood’s Diet Pill! NV’s core formula is backed by two clinical studies that demonstrate its weight loss power. Their new weight-loss complex helps reshape your body and lose pounds and inches in just two weeks.

Mobile Photo Booth had set up what looked to be a permanent photo booth of the sort seen at malls and fairs, only to reveal that their booths are easily transported and available for rent.  An ideal way of adding a sense of nostalgic fun while capturing new memories on film, the booth was made available to attendees to enjoy.
www.mobilephotobooth.com

Mantra Ayurveda demonstrated their Ayurvedic solutions, which strive to source the purity and potency of nature’s offerings and enrich them with 5000 years old traditions. Mantra Ayurvedic Beauty Recipes are a range of Herbal products created from the purest herbs to cleanse and beautify. As opposed to other cosmetics, their products will not alter the structure and function of the skin. These herbal products are processed in combinations to form a range of world class beauty care products.

Vitamints Vitamin suppliment made easy. The mint-flavored chewable vitamins will guarantee you get your daily requirements and have fresh breath at the same time.

Hard Luck Candy Vodka staffed an entire bar for the enjoyment of celebrities and attendees, serving cocktails with their delicious new flavors of vodka.  There are many companies that make flavored vodkas, but very few that make them well.  Hard Luck Candy vodka is as true as its advertising; when they say it’s rootbeer vodka, it tastes like rootbeer.  Their 70 proof candy flavored vodka are available in four honestly delicious flavors: Red Fish, Root Beer Barrel, Orange Dream, and Lemon Drop.

Pure Pedi offers and exclusive foot treatment that combines exfoliating Alpha Hydroxy Acids with Lactic, Salicylic and Glycolic acids.  These compounds serve to remove dry and cracked heels, hard cracks and foot corns and calluses by acting as a foot peel.
The alpha hydroxy acid foot treatment, contains natural extracts of Aloe, Chamomile and Ginkgo Biloba, allows dry, cracked feet to naturally peel completely, eliminating hard and cracked heels and dry skin while helping to maintain the moisture levels of the skin in the long term.
www.purepedi.com

Nava Natural provided a demonstration and gift of some of their all natural skincare products.  Nava Natural Cosmetics has created a line with all natural ingredients from the Dead Sea, with no parabens or artificial colors.  Their exfoliating treatments help clean, repair and renew the skin while relieving stress and improving your general well-being.

SOY JOY gifted packs of 4 different delicious flavors. Combining soy with fruit, their pineapple, blueberry, strawberry and banana bars we enjoyed by everyone.

ShopNBC gifted their TYCOON for Brilliante® Platinum Embraced Eternity Band. Tycoon cut stones include 33 facets and reflect 30% more light than other cuts. Who needs diamonds when you have Brilliante®? Gorgeous!

Pink Lining – “Pink Lining is the international family lifestyle brand, famous for its signature ‘Yummy Mummy’ changing bag that aims to put the smile and design into practicality”

Cell Premium luxury skincare by Med Swiss Beauty, is the first, medical-cosmetic luxury Anti-Aging-skincare line from Switzerland. It‘s based on the Advanced Anti-Aging Complex by Dr. Harad Gerny, with active plant stem cells and hence a groundbreaking innovation that protects and regenerates stem cells of epidemics; with noticeable and visual results of rejuvenation of the skin.

Dolphin Organics – Natural and organic baby products that are vegan, hypoallergenic and free of parabens, sodium benzoate and all harsh chemicals.

Chick Boss Jewelry -  Made in Guatemala, every purchase from Chick Boss helps bridge the economic gap between young Guatemalans and their unskilled and illiterate parents.

Suave Professionals – Salon-quality hair care products

Elyon - The most Haute Esthetiques

Ogio – Golf accessories, backpacks, luggage – Ogio has it all.

Kemin - Inspired Molecular Solutions

Gro-Via is a organic cloth diaper baby system. Use organic fabrics for your precious baby.

Other sponsors included:

Colourburst original art, Cross the Road™, Home Spa Collection, Dr. Philip Bronner, My Face Cosmetics, Marie Todd, Inc, Nectave, Coca-cola, Spi-design, Mind to Body, Chef Stef Candy,  Poochkis, The Show 2009 cabernet, Emperia handbags, Wellnx, Paper cup design, Cliff bar, Kemin, Make Love Not Trash, Justin’s nut butter, Babo botanicals, Rosebud perfume, Hint water, The sugar diva, Aveyou beauty, Kind snacks, Pretzel chips
Toicastefan, Sydney candle, Norah marler, Cherry Blooms Australia, Dulcenea Lingerie, Travis Mathew, Baby Diego, Clos Du Bbois chardonnay, Guylian Belgian Chocolate truffles, Superberries, Kai fragrance, Aromanaturals.com, Beanitos, Phillips Brush, Opi, Specific Beauty, Nozin, Babo Botanicals, Chocolatines by Sweet Endeavours, Cheecha Puffs, Vivant skin care, Little Dudes Only, Toica Stefan, Bamboobies, Boobooloon Pet recovery collar, Lauren Nicole Gifts, Norah Marler, Luster premiun white, Wedge Works llc, Enchanting Quotes, Regalia Jewels, Superberries, Phillips Brush corporation, Skinnypop popcorn, Lulu, Kai, Naturally Lindy skin care, Nailiques, iSatori.

The 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards took place this past week in Hollywood, bringing together the worlds of TV and Film. Known worldwide for its glittering Golden Globe Awards ceremony held every January and its multi-million dollar donations to charity, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association had humble origins that stemmed solely from a group of journalists’ desire to efficiently and accurately cover all aspects of the world of entertainment.

Click here to see all the nominations and winners!

All eyes were on Hollywood for the 69th Golden Globe Awards and with those eyes come opportunities for many businesses.  HBO’s 10th annual Luxury Lounge at the Four Seasons Los Angeles in Beverly Hills was a perfect example of the blending of celebrity and branding with many of style’s leading names represented, such as sponsor L’Oréal Paris Beauty Suite and New Era Cap. Gifting suites allow businesses to garner much-needed exposure and endorsements from celebrities and media, while offering samples of their products to better acquaint consumers to their brand.

HBO’s Luxury Lounge was attended by Golden Globe-nominated television and film stars, who, along with media attendees enjoyed presentations from the following sponsors:

L’Oréal Paris was present with a grand fifteen foot-wide display station which celebrities signed for charity, and lived up to their grandiosity by gifting a selection of some of their newest beauty products, including Men’s Expert Vita Lift moisturizer and sunscreen.  They also offered numerous conditioners, anti-aging skin creams and Volumizing Fiber mascara.  Celebrities and nominees of the Golden Globes were pampered with manicures, hair and makeup in celebration of 40 years of L’Oréal’s “Because You’re Worth It” campaign. www.LorealParisUSA.com

New Era offered a choice of their many caps and jerseys at their gifting station.  Far more than just sports caps, New Era featured fedoras, hoodies, belts and shirts in a variety of sizes and styles, both for men and women. Celebs loved all the choices and delighted in their new gear. www.NewEraCap.com

Michael Antonio footwear ranged from highly functional to highly fantastical and it was all available for perusal, with an entire closet of sizes and styles on hand for gifting.  From wedges to platforms, whether boots or pumps, Michael Antonio’s staff showcased their fall, holiday and spring collections. www.MichaelAntonio.com

Boiron homeopathic medicines gifted a wide assortment of products, including safe and natural treatments for colds, sore throat, itchy eyes, coughs, burns, sleeplessness and much more.  The generous bag of medications included one of Boiron’s signature products, Oscillococcinum.  This homeopathic medicine has been shown to reduce the duration and intensity of the flu, is non-drowsy and has no side effects or drug interactions.  www.BoironUSA.com

Magaschoni gifted a multipurpose sweetheart cashmere scarf that could serve as a scarf, shawl or even sarong.  The representatives from Magaschoni demonstrated their high-quality clothing line and their philosophy that all women are beautiful and want the ability to comfortably exhibit their own unique style. www.Magaschoni.com

Andie McDowell and daughter Rainey Qualley, Miss Golden Globes 2012

Brahmin displayed their gorgeous line of luxury handbags and wallets, gifting many of their incredibly soft and well-crafted designs.  They offered a variety of colors and styles, including their new Vault Collection. www.Brahmin.com

Nautica demonstrated their most recent lines of swimsuits for men and women, including their new reversible bikini set.  The company representative explained the high standards that Nautica judges its apparel and accessories by, gifting a polo shirt, towel and reversible bathing suit to celebrities and media. www.Nautica.com

Basil Hayden was presented with flair and class; a bartender mixed various bourbon cocktails with Golden Globe-themed titles.  The gift of a 750ML bottle of Basil Hayden’s Super-Premium Bourbon was greatly appreciated after tasting the smooth, richly flavored liquor.  Presentation and performance went hand in hand at this fine bourbon’s station. www.facebook.com/BasilHaydens

Purity Vodka displayed their ultra-premium vodka in a beveled bottle almost as enticing as the liquid within.  Purity Vodka has won nine awards for its clear, smooth flavor and is currently the most celebrated in its category.  Distilled 34 times in a copper and gold still, master blender Thomas Kuutanen prides himself on using deionized water, natural mineral water and organic wheat products in distilling his high-end vodka.  Purity gifted 750ML bottles of its 2011 Vodka of the Year to attendees.

Gendarme Fragrance offered 2 ounce bottles of its crisp, fresh scented fragrance and lotion.  Made from lemon and lime, bergamot, lavender, and a hint of jasmine and lilac, there is nothing quite like it on the market. www.gendarme.com

Gamefly had a small but highly entertaining station, complete with video-game console and demos.  After explaining the benefits of renting games for the duration of your interest as opposed to buying them, the representative from Gamefly gifted a one-year, two-game subscription for their service, whereby two video-games could be rented at any given time for any duration desired within one year. www.GameFly.com

Mountain Gate Country Club is a private golf club located in the mountains above Santa Monica, recognized as one of the finest resort clubs in Southern California.  The club offered attendees golf and tennis memberships.

Many nominated stars that indulged included:

The Help’s Viola Davis (Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture-Drama), The Help’s Octavia Spencer (Best Performance by an Actress In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture), 30 Rock’s Tina Fey (Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series – Comedy Or Musical), The Guard’s Brendan Gleeson (Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy Or Musical), Albert Nobbs Janet McTeer (Best Performance by an Actress In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture), New Girl’s Hannah Simone (Best Television Series – Comedy Or Musical), Bridesmaids’ Wendy McLendon-Covey (Best Motion Picture – Comedy Or Musical), Glee’s Damian McGinty (Best Television Series – Comedy Or Musical), Games of Thrones’ Emilia Clarke and Lena Headey, (Best Television Series- Drama), Midnight in Paris’ Alison Pill and Corey Stoll (Best Motion Picture – Comedy Or Musical), The Help’s Brunson Green (Best Motion Picture- Drama), Enlightened’s Amy Hill (Best Television Series – Comedy or Musical), Cinema Verite’s Shari Springer Berman (Best Mini-Series Or Motion Picture Made For Television), Downtown Abbey’s Hugh Bonneville (Best Mini-Series Or Motion Picture Made for Television), Mildred Pierce’s Pamela Koffler, Christine Vachon and Ilene Landress (Best Mini-Series Or Motion Picture Made for Television), The Descendants’  Amara Miller and Nick Krause (Best Motion Picture-Drama), Moneyball’s Stan Chervin (Best Motion Picture-Drama), Boardwalk Empire’s Christopher McDonald and Tim Van Patten (Best Television Series- Drama), Modern Family’s Ariel Winter, Nolan Gould and Aubrey Anderson-Emmons (Best Television Series – Comedy Or Musical) The Artist’s Penelope Ann Miller (Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical), Cars 2’s Denise Ream and John Lasseter (Best Animated Feature Film), My Week With Marilyn Simon Curtis (Best Motion Picture – Comedy Or Musical).

Other celebrities attending the suite included: Jennifer Love Hewitt, Neil Patrick Harris, Andie MacDowell, Melissa RyCroft, Joe Manganiello, Janina Gavankar, Rutina Wesley, Todd Lowe, Chris Bauer, Adina Porter, Lauren Bowles and Lindsey Pulsipher, Katerina Graham, Michael Steger, Phoebe Tonkin, Anne Heche, Gregg Henry and Lennie James, Perry Reeves, Gilles Marini, Stana Katic, Kate Flannery, BooBoo Stewart, Sara Rue, Amanda Righetti, Melissa Rauch, Nina Garcia, Cassi Thompson, Evan Handler, Natalie Morales and Al Roker, Kevin Rahm, Shameless’ Shanola Hampton, Shar Jackson, Michael Cudlitz, Missi Pyle, Jim O’Heir, Austin Basis, Chuy Bravo,  Rainey MacDowell, Callie Thorne, James Tupper, Jason Isaacs, Joelle Carter, Louie C.K., Steve Yeun, Tom Payne,  Jeff Garlin and Kristen Quintrall.

The HBO® LUXURY LOUNGE®  is produced by Media Placement. www.mediaplacement.net

Music by J.D. Shultz

Watch for our videos from all these vendors very shortly!

Madonna, the original Material Girl, sits down to air her opinions about Lady Gaga, dating, marriage, and her illustrious career with Cynthia McFadden on ABC’s ’20/20′. When ABC News asked viewers to contribute questions for Cynthia McFadden’s interview with Madonna, the most popular request by far was that McFadden find out how the singer feels about Gaga.

Madonna Talks About Past Scandals

Madonna walks down memory lane, commenting on past photos, Madonna Slideshow.

Pop Icon Says She’s Just Like Everybody Else

She wears sweatpants and asks her boyfriend to rub her feet.

Madonna Defends Wallis Simpson

Talking about US born Wallis Simpson, the wife of Duke of Windsor, Madonna said the real Simpson was “deeply misunderstood.”

When McFadden pressed Madonna about her own experience with love, a central theme to the pop icon’s upcoming film, “W.E.,” which explores the relationship between commoner Wallis Simpson and Britain’s King Edward VIII, she revealed she wants a partner in life.

She also commented that were “certain things” she missed about being married, such as “being a part of a family unit” and “not having to make all the decisions on my own.”

“I don’t want to live my life on my own,” she said. “I love being a mother. My children fill me up in many ways, and inspire me in many ways, but I need a partner in my life and I think most people feel that way. I’ve never really lived a conventional life, so I think it’s quite foolish for me or anyone else to start thinking that I am going to start making conventional choices.”

Putting family first, one of the most important things Madonna said she looks for in a partner is someone whom her two biological children, Lourdes, 15, and Rocco, 11, and her two adopted children, David Banda and Mercy James, both 6, will respect.

“Someone who feels a connection with my children and respects the idea that they have to be a role model as well,” Madonna said. “It’s a lot to live up to.”

Madonna Politely Disses Lady Gaga Song

Lady Gaga’s song, “Born This Way” has an eerie resemblance to Madonna’s “Express Yourself” so of course, inquiring minds want to know how Madonna feels about it.

To Cynthia McFadden’s question, “Do you feel Lady Gaga is “copying” you?”, Madonna gave praise at first. She even called Gaga “a very talented artist” and said she admired her songwriting. But then she did acknowledge the similarities.

“I certainly think she references me a lot in her work. And sometimes I think it’s amusing and flattering and well done,” Madonna said.

To find out what Madonna thinks about the song, “Born this Way”, watch this clip:

Madonna on New Movie, Men and Super Bowl

Madonna’s current beau is 24-year-old French dancer Brahim Zaibat. To McFadden’s question of why she dates younger men, Madonna says, “I didn’t choose to, you know, I didn’t, like, write down on a piece of paper I’m now going to have a relationship with a younger man. That’s just what happened. You see, that’s the romantic in me. I just met someone that I cared for, and this happened to be his age.”

Madonna: Many Hats, One Star

Find out how Madonna balances it all from being a filmmaker, to a going on new tour, to raising four children. Madonna talks about her creative process being her upcoming Super Bowl performance. She also affirms Lourdes as her fashion consultant.

These excerpts and video clips are from ABC News’ exclusive interview with Madonna which aired Friday, January 13, 2012 on the ABC Television Network on “Nightline” (Thursday, 11:35 pm ET) and “Good Morning America” (Friday, 7:00 – 9:00 am ET) and “20/20” (Friday, 10:00 – 11:00 pm ET) on the ABC Television Network.

Snooki has recently been on the talk show circuit as a guest on Jay Leno, Ellen, Conan O’Brien and Wendy Williams, discussing her second book, Confessions of a Guidette and to promote her new app, Snookify Me!.

Snooki shared with LA’s The Place her thoughts on the shows success, her book, new app and some tidbits about what’s in store for the upcoming season.

The Season 5 premiere of Jersey Shore airs Thursday, January 5 on MTV.

LA’s The Place:    Hi Nicole, thank you for speaking with us here at LA’s the Place today.  Congratulations on the ongoing success of Jersey Shore. Your 5th season, premiering this Thursday, January 5^th,  is coming off a hugely successful 4^th season.  I understand the premiere was MTV’s most watched premiere ever, with 10.5 million viewers and 118 million viewers overall, smashing all TV records as the most watched show in TV history!

Snooki:    We’re definitely very, very excited about the success of the show.  The first season of the show, we didn’t really know where we were going to go.  The fact that we’re doing season after season, and it’s great ratings for MTV and for us.  We’re very, very happy and our fans are great, so we’re excited for the new season.

LATP:    I also understand it’s ranked as TV’s number one series among viewers 12-34.

Snooki:   Oh wow, that’s awesome!  I didn’t even know that.

LATP:    Yeah, that’s monumental.  I want to ask you, Nicole, what has been the best part of all of this for you?

Snooki:    I would probably say the opportunities.  Because I’ve always wanted to have, you know, my own products and my own line, for the fact that I have books out already, my tanning lotion, my Snookify Me! app, my slippers and just everything coming out.  I mean, that’s probably the most rewarding, and obviously when you have so many fans that support you, that’s just awesome.  It’s a great feeling.

LATP:  That’s wonderful, and it’s obviously due to your fun and vivacious personality.  I understand that you’re excited about this app, Snookify Me!  It looks so fun… can you tell us a little about it?

Snooki:   Well, the Snookify Me! app is kind of a way for everybody to look like me and it’s fun.  So you take a picture on your phone and then you can put my poof on you, make yourself more tanner like me, put my outfits on you, my accessories and then you can upload it to Twitter or Facebook.  A lot of my fans tweet it to me and put it on my fan page, so I get to see everybody’s that’s been Snookified.  It’s guys, girls, dogs, cats, it’s babies and grandpas and grandmas.  So anybody can pretty much Snookify themselves.  It’s just a really fun app.  To Snookify people you wouldn’t normally see looking like me, it’s so funny.

LATP:    I saw you on Conan O’Brien and Wendy Williams talking about it… it was hilarious seeing them get Snookify’d!.  I understand that if people download your app they’re going to be entered into a contest to attend one of your VIP parties?

Snooki:    Exactly.  Yes, I definitely like to do contests where I can meet my fans because I like to have that experience hanging out.  If I were a fan and I got to meet one of my big people, I would go crazy, so the fact that I get to do that for my fans, it’s really great and I love meeting them.  You know,  just to do that and also have them get to know my products and love them.  You know, not to be more like me, but I guess using the stuff that I use and the fact that it’s my own product is pretty cool.

LATP:    Ok, great.  So, Nicole, we look forward to seeing the continuing adventures of Jersey Shore.  Are there any tidbits you’d like to share about what what’s in store this coming season?

Snooki:    Well, pretty much just leaving Italy, going back to where it all started, at the Jersey Shore.  So you’re going to see us very excited to be back home and obviously there’s going to be a lot of drama, like always, but also a lot of laughs and a lot of fun.  We’re just very excited to have another season going on.

LATP:    Absolutely.  Can you tell us a little bit about what your second book is about?

Snooki:    My second book is out right now, called Confessions of a Guidette.  It’s kind of like a guideline, how to be like me, but also my favorite things that I like to do in my spare time.  There’s 25 Things You Don’t Know About Me, there’s a lot of pictures of me meeting celebrities, a lot of pictures of my personal friends, my family and my pets.  It’s kind of a book about the life that some people don’t normally get to see.

LATP:    It sounds like a lot of fun.  Well, Nicole, I personally want to thank you for entertaining us for all these years. I wish you a very Happy New Year!

Snooki:    Thank you so much, you too.

App can be found at www.snookiapps.com and is available in both Apple ITunes Store and Google Android Marketplace.

Snookify’d people and pets (and statue!):

More:

What inspired you to create “Snookify Me!”?

“I love being able to provide my fans with products that both they and I love.  About a year ago, I realized that I needed a “Snooki” App.  After lots of hard with Apps Genius, we created the best app ever, “Snookify Me!”  It’s so much fun to see all my fans posting Snookifications of themselves everywhere.  I love the fact that I can share my “poof” with everyone and they can call look like me.”

How involved were you in the designing of “Snookify Me!”

“My one concern when having an app that bears my name was that I actually got to have a large part in the design of it.  I don’t slap my name on products that I don’t think are the best.  I worked really hard with the geeks (I mean developers) at Apps Genius’ office and I am so happy with the app, “Snookify Me!” I even came up with the name.

My app has the best animal print clothing items ever…

“Snookify Me!” has become part of my daily life.  I just Snookified Gianni the other day, but I can’t show anyone that one because the dress did not cover everything, but he did look great in my boobs.

Snookify Me!” is a great way for hardcore Jersey Shore fans to interact with each other and express their love for the show…I Snookify Deena all the time…I think she needs to poof and boob it up more often.

We just launched a weekly contest.  To enter the contest, download the app at Snookiapps.com for either your iPhone or Android…if you don’t have one of those phones, its time to upgrade, this is 2012 – c’mon people!! And Snookify anything you want.  I even Snookified our Xmas tree this year.  Once you create it, click on the “Upload to Gallery” button.  I look at these every day, and it really makes me so happy that my fans are loving my app.  Every week I will choose a winner and send the winner a little “thank you” gift.”

Future Apps:

“I had so much fun creating “Snookify Me!” that I already started designing my next app with Apps Genius.  I can’t give you major details now, but I cantell you that I have listened to my fans over the years and they are going to love this so much.”

As founder of the Katalyst Career Group, Doulton is known for her no-nonsense style and impressive list of Fortune 500 clients. And with over 15 years of industry experience, including in-house positions at Yahoo Media Group, DreamWorks, Doulton has been an executive recruitment resource for a wide range of industries including digital media, entertainment, fashion and music.

She knows how the career game is played and her sharp tongue makes it clear that she isn’t shy about voicing her opinion – whether critiquing a resume or trying to place the next great CEO, Wendy Doulton follows her gut when it comes to satisfying her clients. Her keen eye for talent has led to associations with some of America’s best known brands including The Gap, Sony, Amazon, Old Navy and Hulu. And although some may describe Dalton’s tactics as unique, her results are unquestionably successful.

“The Headhuntress” is executive produced by Roy Bank, Ron Ward and Tracey Trench for Merv Griffin Entertainment.

Bravo is a program service of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Bravo has been an NBCUniversal cable network since December 2002 and was the first television service dedicated to film and the performing arts when it launched in December 1980.

For more information, visit www.BravoTV.com. Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BravoPR.

Jamie Harris, who was recently seen in the role of Pop Eye in “The Green Hornet“,  and can be seen currently in “Return To The Planet of The Apes” sat down with LA’s The Place host Brittany Reimann to talk about his upcoming projects, his inspiration behind his acting, and what life is like growing up the son of world-renowned actor, Richard Harris.

The British actor made his debut in the United States at the esteemed Manhattan Theatre club, when he played the leading role in Patrick Marber‘s stage play “Dealer’s Choice” in 1997. Jamie won a Drama Logue award for his performance in “Dealer’s Choice”, as well as the hearts of many stateside fans.

Since then, Harris has continued to work with prestigious theatre companies, and made the smooth transition to film with his first role opposite Daniel Day Lewis, in “The Name of the Father“, directed by Jim Sheridan.

After “The Name of the Father“, he has continued his success in film, and worked with may of the top directors and actors in Hollywood, including Jim Carrey and Meryl Streep (“Lemony Snicket’s: A Series of Unfortunate Events“), Collin Ferrel (“The New World“),  Danny Houston (“The Kreutzer Sonata“), Seth Rogen, Cameron Diaz, and Christophe Waltz (“The Green Hornet“).

Audiences will next see Harris playing Roy, in “Caesar: Rise of the Apes“, directed by Rupert Wyatt for FOX Studios. The film will be debuting in theaters August 5th, with James Franco and Frieda Pinto.

Harris continues  his busy schedule  in 2011 playing a leading role in “Mr.Nice“, directed by Bernard Rose, with Ryan Ifans, Chloe Sevigny, and David Thewlis, and just finished filming his third film with Bernard Rose, “Two Jacks“, with Sienna Miller, Danny Houston, Jack Houston, and Jacqueline Bisset.

Along with theatre and film projects, he has completed writing his first screen play, titled “Down Dog”, which will be directed by Ash Baron-Cohen.

Chelsea Kane Staub with MsBellezza necklace

MsBellezza [miz-be-LET-za] is an exquisite line of high fashion jewelry that is the essence of affordable luxury. Using Swarovski crystals, semiprecious stones, and exquisite metal and beadwork, MsBellezza Jewelry encompasses three paradigms:

* Stylish pieces for special occasions and cocktail wear as seen on DWTS, red carpet events and the Emmys

* Casual jewelry for everyday wear that is perfect for the workplace

* Stunning designs for brides and bridal parties

Katerina Graham at Teen Choice Awards wearing MsBellezza earrings.

The spectacular female celebrity cast members, host Brooke Burke and judge Carrie Ann Inaba will all sparkle in MsBellezza Jewelry when the new season of Dancing with the Stars debuts on Monday, September 19 (8:00-10:00 p.m., ET) with a sensational two-hour season premiere.

Visit www.MsBellezza.com to see photos of last year’s DWTS cast bejeweled in MsBellezza and to order your own designs.

Maria Kannelis wearing a MsBellezza necklace.

MsBellezza’s Designer, Catherine Potgieter

Owner and Designer of MsBellezza Jewelry, Catherine Potgieter, gets her inspiration from her travels as she mixes in bead work from South Africa to the aesthetics of Hong Kong. Her passion shows in her craft work.  Catherine  wants nothing more than to see her clients captivating others with their glamour and fabulous MsBellezza jewels. “MsBellezza Jewelry’s future is a colorful and sparkling one. Our goal is to continue offering top quality and unique fashion jewelry that will fit any occasion on any budget.”

Judge Carrie-Ann Inaba from DWTS, wearing MsBellezza

About Dancing With The Stars

Hosted by Tom Bergeron (America’s Funniest Home Videos) and Brooke Burke (Dancing with the Stars Season 7 Champion), Dancing with the Stars is the hit series in which celebrities perform choreographed dance routines that are judged by renowned ballroom judge Len Goodman and dancer/choreographers Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba.

Whether you peek through your fingers or not, the world of Horror Films just turned up the dial on gore!  The Summer of Massacre is the anthology child of Director Joe Castro.  With the partnering of Executive Producer Steven Escobar and Cult Movies Magazine Publisher, Shroeder, The Summer of Massacre broke records with over 100 killings onscreen beating out the body count on all the Friday the 13th movies combined.  Right now the new gore epic has been submitted to The Guinness Book of World Records hoping to be accepted for the most onscreen killings in a single film.

“The Summer of Massacre is more of a slasher film than a horror film,” explains Executive Producer Steven Escobar. “Joe Castro, my partner and Director of the film, and I have been making different horror films throughout the last 10 years and we wanted to do something different and original.”  Original they did!  “The Summer of Massacre is a 100pmh slasher/gore ride that takes you on an adventure through the eyes of not one, but eight maniacal killers.”

For Joe Castro, this has been a long time coming!  “Over the years I accumulated ideas/synopsis’s for a splatter/slasher epic,” said Castro. “As an artist and director, I chose to create a film that would be an anthology incorporating all my ideas. Like a father, Herschel Gordon Lewis always told me to make something that is truly original and that is why I wrote and produced The Summer of Massacre.”

Anthology it truly was!  “Joe has always had many original ideas, so we decided to make four movies and combine them into one gore epic!” said Escobar.  “When we realized that with people’s attention spans getting shorter, YouTube and other internet streaming, we felt that making an anthology film was going to be our best bet for a new kind of splatter film.”

When it comes to the record breaking kills onscreen, Escobar admits that it was all part of the initial concept of the film. “We had always intended to break the record for the most kills onscreen,” said Escobar. “It took nearly three years to complete The Summer of Massacre and Joe and I are very proud of our accomplishment.  We hope our audiences will enjoy it as much as we put our heart and soul into making it.”

Since its world premier in May 2011, the film has won ten awards including: Best Horror Film, Best Director, Best Experimental Director, Best Experimental Film, Best Experimental Production Design, Best Experimental Costume Design, and the award of Merit for Experimental Film.  The film has also been shown at top film festivals such as the Philadelphia Independent Film Festival, American Independent Film Festival, Indie Gathering International Film Festival, The Accolade Competition and Los Angeles Reel Film Festival.

So, what’s next for the horror film duo?  Currently the two are working on Terror Toons 3, which is the third installment of their Terror Toons series.  After that, a change is coming to the lighter or more comedic side.

For more information visit: thesummerofmassacre.com

The triple threat, mega empire of Kim, Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian sat down with “Good Morning America’s” Lara Spencer, who spent a day in the lives of the Kardashian sisters.

Although their fame began on the reality show, it has just kept growing with endorsement deals, online businesses, a best-selling book and a new clothing line at Sears of all places. Courtesy of “Good Morning America”, we’ll follow Lara Spencer as she finds out why and how they came to be.

8 AM – They hop on to onto their private jet headed for San Francisco to get the first look at their debut clothing line – Kardashian Kollection. Althought, the flight is short yet just long enough to have a meeting with business partner Bruno Schiavi plus a little snack before landing.  Their collection, which is featured in pop-up stores inside Sears and presale of the collection starts today.

“We helped design this store, we picked out what we wanted from the color scheme to the carpet, so it will be cool to see,” Kim Kardashian said.

Thanks to Mom-ager extraordinaire that put the capital “K” in the Kardashian kingdom, Kris Jenner, brokered a deal with Sears to place their own mini-boutiques inside all 400 locations.

Appliances and the Kardashians?

VP of apparel and home for Sears, John Goodman, explained the logic behind about the partnership. And it has to do something shaking off the drill bits and embracing designer duds.

“When you think of Sears you think of appliances, you think of tools. And how do you get people’s perception to change around clothing and apparel? And that’s where the girls are going to do an amazing job … bringing in a new audience,” he said.

When Kris presented the idea to her girls, they adored it.

“This was our ultimate dream ever is to, you know … create our own clothing line, go into bedding and home, denim, lingerie, ready-to-wear, everything, you know, from shoes to accessories, handbags, we — this was our dream. Fashion is our life,” Kim said.

Triple Threat

Conquer reality tv and fashion, check. What’s the most obvious product to tackle next? You guessed it, smells like teen spirit… fragrance.

Kourtney recently released a unisex fragrance called Unbreakable with hubby Lamar while Kim is releasing Love by Kim Kardashian. In our modern day wedding dress craze, not sure who will pay attention to what fragrance Kim will be wearing, but rest assured, she wear the Love fragrance as she walks down the aisle on her wedding day, August 20, to marry basketball star Kris Humphries.

Get ‘em while you can. Only 1,000 bottles produced — one for Kim, 200 for her bridal shower, and 799 for fans. $100 a bottle.

So Why the Allure?

Kourtney explains they are a brand to their fans.

“You get that glitz and that glamour that people want to kind of escape into. But then once they dive into us, they see that we are just like everyone else. We are so normal. We argue. We — you know?” Kim said.

“I think we make people feel good — about their families, because we’re so weird and crazy and nuts,” Khloe said. “That I’m sure we make people feel normal and like, ‘Oh, thank God, I’m not like that. But it’s really fun to watch.’”

Breaking all the E! Network ratings, “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” returns for its sixth season. The Kardashians’ three spinoff shows — “Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami,” “Kourtney and Kim Take New York” and “Khloe & Lamar” – have mass appeal too.

Bikini Wax: Point of No Return

The sister pals definitely reveal the messy side of life and not one bit prude to bear it all. Just to prove no work has been done, Kim has been filmed getting an X-ray of her derriere. Bikini waxes and yearly Pap smears aren’t off limits, either.

The bikini waxing, after we go there you can’t turn back,” Khloe said.

Family Brand First

So they don’t mind having the world watch a bikini wax, but don’t dare cross their path when it comes to building and protecting the Kardashian brand.

If you look like Kim, do not do impersonation work for national campaigns or Kim will sue.  Kim sued Old Navy over a commercial featuring a look-alike of her. Ah, a slight ‘Gap’ of a comment from them on this… we’re still waiting for them to fill in the details.

“I think that when there’s confusion out there and people might mistake me for working for another company … it was just, I think, a smart business decision to make sure that no one confuses me with anyone else other than … my own clothing lines,” Kim said.

And what does Kourtney think her dad would have said about their success: “I think he would be so proud, because he was such a strong businessman, so I think that he would love all of our business sense and, that we got from him.”

Kim also said, “that we work really hard and that, you know, we’ve still kept family as our number one priority.”

And add one more “K” to long legacy of the Kardashians.

Welcome Kris Humphries to the Kardashians, and no, if you think Kim is taking your name, think again.  Kim, self-described as “truly a workaholic” has had to precarious balance wedding plans and her work. The wedding will be broadcast as an E! special, August 20th, 2011.

We look forward to what these women will “K”onquer next only like a Kardashian can.

To read the full article, by Lara Spencer and Angela Ellis, visit ABC News’ Inside the Kardashian Empire.

Photo Credit: Ron Koeberer/ABC News

Courtesy of More Magazine, Amanda Robb has a heart-to-heart chat with the “Mother of ReInvention”.

On reviving and managing her husband Bruce Jenner’s career when he was $500,000 in debt living in a one-room apartment:

“I wasn’t scared.  I said ‘Let’s pump some air into this flat tire.’ He was at a place where he had really low self-esteem and thought, Now what do I do with my life? I think I was probably a breath of fresh air. But he brought the goods. Managing isn’t a magic show. You don’t work with somebody and instill talent in them.”

On her children’s work ethic:

“I am blessed to have these children who have the most amazing work ethic. I have a 13-year-old and a 15-year-old [Kylie and Kendall Jenner], who were at a meeting at 8:30 this morning with Ryan Seacrest Productions to talk about their careers. They were at this crazy-long conference table with executives, who are fascinated by what the girls have to say. That’s better than any education I could offer them.”

On those who think the Kardashians just got a lucky break:

“I wish it were that easy.  I’ve been working nonstop for 20 years.  When I married Bruce, it was sort of hit the ground running.  I married a guy who was really talented and had been doing motivational speeches for Fortune 500 companies- and this is a guy who didn’t have a business card or a press kit.  People who were in his business had all these marketing tools, and Bruce was just winging it.  I knew he could be much bigger.”

On how she responds when people accuse her of exploiting her children:

“By working hard.  My job is to take my family’s 15 minutes of fame and turn it into 30.  It’s a very rewarding feeling when I go to sleep every night knowing I did the best I could for my family.”

On rules for working with her family:

“Everyone has to have the same work ethic.  If one is really lazy or drinks all night and can’t get up in the morning, [it won’t work].  Every single one of my girls gets up at the crack of dawn and works really hard.  They work all day long until they fall down.  And then they get up the next day and do it all over again.”

On Kris’s approach to getting what you want:

“If someone says no, you’re asking the wrong person.  Don’t get discouraged, and don’t be afraid to try new things.  Get organized.”

On her training to be a multi-million dollar business manager:

“I was the Brownie leader and the soccer coach and room mother and car pool driver.  Being a mom gave me great knowledge of how to be a professional multi-tasker.  I see a problem, and I fix it.  To me, Bruce was a problem that needed to be fixed.”

On the Kardashian-themed boutiques in Sears:

“You’re going to be able to go into Sears and have a complete Kardashian experience.”

On if she had professional ambitions during her first marriage:

Oh God, no. I was working 24 hours a day trying to raise four babies. I didn’t want to be anything but a mom for a very long time.

To read the entire More Magazine article on “Creating the Kardashians”, visit More Magazine.

Line outside Hollywood & Highland store for “Pipe Dreams” cd signing

Salling recently returned from touring overseas. Regular high school kids get a summer vacation, but for the Glee kids, it was nonstop performing.

Mark Salling with GUESS Twitter Contest Winner who was able to cut the line and be the first to meet Mark

“There was a woman that had a few of my song lyrics tattooed on her hip. That was really cool. That blows my mind right there, that some of these songs have such an impact on people. It’s beyond flattering.”

Salling recently returned from touring overseas. Regular high school kids get a summer vacation, but for the Glee kids, it was nonstop performing.

Want to get Mark Salling’s look? His shirt and jeans were by… you guessed it – GUESS Thayer shirt, and GUESS Lincoln Jean in Rinse Wash.

Mark Salling in GUESS

The Groundlings have catapulted the careers of such comic geniuses from film and television as Jennifer Coolidge, Will Ferrell, Ana Gasteyer, Kathy Griffin, Cheryl Hines, Chris Kattan, Lisa Kudrow, Jon Lovitz, Michael McDonald, Paul Reubens, Maya Rudolph, Mindy Sterling and Kristen Wiig, among others. The Judd Apatow film, Bridesmaids, features Groundlings alumni Kristen Wiig, Annie Mumalo, Maya Rudolph, Melissa McCarthy, Michael Hitchcock and Wendi McLendon-Covey as well as current Groundlings Mitch Silpa, Jillian Bell, David Hoffman and Ariane Price. In addition to being comedy performers, Groundlings members and alumni hold writing positions on many of Hollywood’s top television and film projects.

LIVE NUDE GROUNDLINGS opens Friday, July 22nd at 8:00pm and runs through Saturday, October 1st. Previews are Fridays, June 17th and 24th and July 1st and 8th at 10:00pm and Friday and Saturday, July 15th and 16th at 8:00pm and 10:00pm.

The regular schedule is Friday’s at 8:00 p.m. and Saturday’s at 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. Ticket prices are $18.00. VIP opening night ticket prices (on Friday, July 22nd only) are $50.00 and include local catering and complimentary cocktail hour.

Tickets are available at the box office or via phone at (323) 934-4747.  The Groundlings Theatre is located at 7307 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles.

For more information or to purchase tickets online, please visit www.Groundlings.com.

On June 16, the Festival will open with “Bernie,” the new movie starring Jack Black, Shirley MacClaine and Matthew McConaughey. Directed by Richard Linklater, “Bernie” revolves around the true story of assistant funeral home director Bernie Tiede, a very likable man who befriends an elderly lady. No one has a bad word tpo say about him, even when he commits a terrible crime.

June 16 also has a screening of “Green Lantern” starring Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively available. The film will be in nationwide release the next day, June 17, so the screening gives LAFF-goers a chance for a sneak peek. This special Gala screening will be hosted by Premier Sponsor Pechanga Resort & Casino with a unique exciting casino experience in the VIP hospitality area, with table games and opportunities to win resort getaways and free slot play at the largest casino in the Western USA. The Pechanga Resort & Casino is a Four-Diamond resort, located in the Southern California Wine Country of the Temecula Valley, and it offers: 517 newly-renovated guest rooms and suites; a world-class golf course; eight critically acclaimed restaurants; five bars and nightclubs; a relaxing spa, ful fitness center and pool; and more.

The official beer of the festival has been announced as Stella Artois with Jameson Irish Whiskey® the official spirit, and World Wine HeadQuarters as the official wine purveyor. The Los Angeles Athletic Club is the Official Host Hotel and Virgin America is the Official Airline Partner. WireImage is the Official Photography Agency and PR Newswire is the Official Breaking News Service of Film Independent.

This year’s Los Angeles Film Festival is the 17th annual event and will screen more than 200 feature length movies, short films, retro screenings and music videos, including “Attack the Block,” “Another Earth,” “A Better Life,” “Boyz n the Hood,” “Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark” and “Rudy.”

Another huge draw of LAFF are the special conversations and interviews with guest. This year the list has a wide variety of speakers, including Julie Taymor, Erykah Baduh, Jack Black, Shirely MacClaine, Jason Ritter, Diablo Cody and James Franco.

Taking over more than six city blocks, the LAFF is one of the region’s most active ‘live content and event campus with 15 restaurants and huge nationally recognized venues like Staples Center, Nokia Theatre L.A. Live, the Conga Room, Club Nokia, the Grammy Museum, Lucky Strike Lanes and Lounge and Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE Stadium 14.

On June 26, the LAFF will close with the world premiere red carpet screening of “Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark,” starring Katie Holmes, Guy Pearce, Bailee Madison and Jack Thompson. The much-anticipated horror film from director Troy Nixey and writer Guillermo del Toro tells the terrifying story of a young girl sent to stay with her father and stepmother who discovers there are creatures ready to take her into their own way of living. It’s a remake of the 1973 TV movie of the same name with stars Kim Darby, Jim Hutton and Barbara Anderson.

Contact the Coca-Cola Festival Ticketing Center for passes, tickets and event information by calling 866.FILM.FEST (866.345.6337) or visit LAFilmFest.com. Festival Passes and tickets can also be purchased in person beginning today, at the Coca-Cola Ticket Center located at the Festival Village on the West Garage at L.A. LIVE (1005 Chick Hearn Court).

Special support is provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, UCLA Latin American Institute and the University of Guadalajara Foundation.

For more information or to become a member, visit FilmIndependent.org.

Read more about Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic; it was the first article LA’s The Place ever published!

GBK's Gavin Keilly with Flavor Flav.

Charity always being a major focus for the president of GBK Productions, Gavin B. Keilly, the GBK MTV Gift Lounge will be donating proceeds to four different charities this year. The featured charities include the the St. Bernard Project, Mylife MyPower Inc., SoHo Project and Educating Young Minds.

Gavin Keilly with Celeb Apprentice Hope Dworaczyk.

The St. Bernard Project is a national award-winning New Orleans rebuilding agency that continues to return Katrina victims back to their homes and communities, while also providing free mental health services for those suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and the other stress-related ailments after Katrina or the oil spill catastrophe. You can learn more about the St. Bernard Project at www.stbernardproject.org.

MyLife MyPower’s national campaign is intended to reach out to bullies, their victims, schools, teachers, and parents. They hope that others will help join them in there fight to end bullying. You can visit their website to get help for you or someone you know, at www.mylifemypower.org.

Educating Young Minds, a non-profit learning center, aims at creating a rich and diverse supplemental learning environment where students are encouraged to grow academically, emotionally, spiritually and socially. Educating Young Minds programs serve students who are considered under-represented or at high risk in our society, as well as supports the progressive honor roll student who desires advanced academic support. You can read more about the EYM Mission at www.educatingyoungminds.org.

The SoHo Project (Sisters Offering Hope to Others), is an organization dedicated to raising funds and awareness for nonprofits by offering new and creative platforms that integrate artists. Visit their site and read about their mission at www.sohoproject.com.

GBK is the recipient of multiple BizBash’s Awards for “Best Gift Bag,” and offered its exclusive list of invited celebrities, VIPs and media the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful Los Angeles weather while experiencing an electrifying environment full of lavish gifts, sweet treats, musical and dance performances and a charitable focus.

AnnaLynne McCord with new beau, Dominic Purcell

The suite featured new products which were introduced to such stars as Chaka Khan, Niecy Nash, and Annalynne McCord and her new beau, Dominic Purcell. GBK added to their ambiance this year with new musical and dance performances.  Soul singer Quincy G, YouTube sensation Mike Burke, and Joseph Vincent and Pullman Standard a cabaret and indie rock band, performed throughout the two-day gifting suite, as well as pop music singer and songwriter, Jared Lee who serenaded the audience with his singing and beautiful piano skills.

Along with the live singing performances, DJ eTunes rocked the crowd and got everyone to their feet as he spun on the turntables.

Along with the live music and entertainment as the stars shopped around, there were scrumptious hors d’oeuvres and a full bar underneath elegant white canopies, on a large patio lounge area. Celebrities including Alexys Nycole Sanchez, and Brandi Glanville enjoyed gift bags and specialized items from these amazing companies.

Hard Candy, a makeup line known for its innovative bright colors and a range of quality face, nail, body, and makeup products, was giving gift bags and makeup applications to the guests with their Lask Ink lash dye, with color lasting up to 4 days. The creative names for their products, such as “Glossaholic” Sequin Saturated Shine Lip Gloss, “Glitterazi” Eye Glitter Gel,  “Lash Call” lengthening mascara, make them popular among women of all ages and add a touch of sass to an already spunky brand. They are now available in Canada exclusively through Walmart, or you can always check out the newest products online at www.hardcandy.com.

Caribbean Living Magazine is full of helpful tips on where to eat, stay and play while visiting the lovely Caribbean, and was offering a one week stay in the Caribbean to celebrities. Caribbean Living offers many great ideas on ow to  make the best of your time on your vacation, whether it’s realization or sightseeing you are looking for. You can subscribe online at www.caribbeanlivingmagazine.com, where they offer a print version for $20.00 per year or a digital version for only $15.00 per year.

Singer Audrey O'Day with Mr. GBK

Bellezza Derma Center,  was on hand performing amazing signature Medical Grade Facials with Donna Scott, award winning medical skin care expert. Along with facials, they were offering gift bags with products for guests such as Candace Cameron Bure, Frankie Muniz, and Matthew Rys, to enjoy at home. You can see a list of all of their services, or make an appointment for your own facial at www.bellezzadc.com.

The SoHo Project (Sisters Offering Hope to Others), founded by Lindsay Scheel in New York City, and sister Kimberly Scheel in Los Angeles, raise funds for non-profits through creative and artistic projects based on inspiration driven from iconic New York artists’ neighborhood. They have many events throughout the summer benefitting a number of different charities, and were handing the celebrities “save the date” cards for their “Masquerade: Unmasking the Face of Lung Cancer” event in support of The Bonnie J. Addario Cancer Foundation in November. You can read more about The SoHo project and it’s efforts to make this world a better place at www.sohoproject.com.

Pinup Girl Clothing made quite a splash at this year’s gifting suite featuring their latest line of vintage apparel and accessories. They were offering the celebs a bag with a “Bombshell” or “Marilyn” white swimsuit, a necklace of their choice (my favorite being the pink brass knuckles with “Bitches get Stitches across them), and a vibrant hair flower to complete the pinup look. You can see all of their vintage inspired designs at www.pinupgirlclothing.com.

Salerm Cosmetics, with more than fifty years of experience in color, care and finish, gifted a full range of hair products and tools to celebrities such as Alexis Bellino, Kimberly Elise, and Tasha Smith. You can find their newest products like the “Hi-Repair Pack” With Botox Plus effect, 3-step rejuvenating hair treatment at www.salerm.com.

Ross Mathews (Comedien, Jay Leno) shows his tough side, AnnaLynne Mccord rocks her tatts!

Pric’eco Australia,  known as the home of the temporary tattoo sleeve’s that give you a realistic looking tattoo in an instant. The company adorned the guests with six fabulous new designs to wear. You can see all of their designs at http://priceco-australia.com.
G. by Glimmer Body Art had artists on hand, decorating guests with the hottest trend in body art and gifting their own personal G. kit. You can find them online at www.glimmerbodyart.com.

Chelsey Lately's Chewy wears them well.

Designer Skin was gifting professional indoor and sunless tanning products featuring superior ingredients from around the globe for exceptional results. The most amazing thing about this product, aside from being used both indoor and outdoor, and the flawless look for the sunless tanning lotion, is the fact that the “Ravish Me”  Designer Skin tanning lotions is actually edible. “I will definitely be using this!”-Alexis Bellino, Real Housewives of Orange County, Just Say Yes! “I love that Just Say Yes! has chamomile!”-Sasha Pieterse, Actress, Pretty Little Liars. You can get your tan on at www.designerskin.com.

Housewives of Orange County's Alexis Bellino

Fabrega Jewelry SA, which collects elements from nature and incorporates them with metals, creating a new environment for them within jewelry, gifted stars such as Tessa Thompson, Bella Thorne, and Aubrey O’Day, select pieces from their line. You can find your “Second Life” gift piece at www.mariajosefabrega.com.

Chelsea Taylor provided sterling silver and Swarvoski™ crystal jewelry – rings, bracelets, necklaces and earrings to guests. You can find all of her designs for the perfect lady in your life at www.chelseataylor.com.

Jackass' Steve O

Spin Master, a multi-category children’s entertainment company launched their newest product, “Redakai,” a new card game featuring a new style of game play and BLAST3d™ technology, and “Bizu,” twist on beads. “Bizu” is the exclusive bead activity that allows girls to create magically transforming accessories and characters, by first creating a bracelet, then twisting it into shapes such as a cat. The “Bizu” beads come in bright, fun colors and offer more than just a plain old accessory for young girls. You can find them at www.spinmaster.com.

Maximum Lash, a high-performance lash conditioner that strengthens and fortifies your lashes, making them appear longer, thicker and more dramatic than ever, were giving the stars a sample to try in their signature purple box. Grab yourself a box at www.maximumlash.com.

The Broccoli Wad, known as the “real man’s money band” was also given to stars such as Reid Ewing, Steve-O,  Chuy Bravo, and Flavor Flav. Order your “real man” in your life his money band at www.broccoliwad.com.

Actress Candace Cameron

Rullingnet Corporation provided “VINCI Tab,” touch screen mobile learning for babies, toddlers and young children. It is a small device, that is new on the market, which incorporates educational material, which encourages interactivity, in a way that is still intriguing for young minds. You can grab this amazing learning device at www.vincigenius.com.

Sasha Pieterse

Sanuk, the innovative action sports and adventure footwear company known for it’s original “Not-A-Shoe” sandals, gifted stars such as The Electric Barbarellas, and Ernie Hudson sandals and sidewalk surfers for men and women. You can check out all the styles and colors offered at www.saunk.com.

Nano Magnetics develops innovative products that reignite one’s passion for play, gifted their Nanodots™ Magnetic Constructors.The tiny ball magnets can be shaped into any shape and used for all different purposes from a stress ball to a pencil holder. You can find your Nanodots at www.thenanodots.com.

Fine Featherheads, the original feather hair extension distributor, was offering feather hair extensions to the celebs. Feathers extensions have become the hottest new trend, and you can grab yours now at www.finefeatherheads.com.

The indiExhibit, a collaboration of individual artists, provided an assortment of indie designed clothing, jewelry and other accessories to stars such as Chris Massey, Kyle Massey,  and Spencer Grammar. See all of the artwork for sale at www.theindiexhibit.com.

Bark After Dark which is known for their anytime, anyway, anything you need services, was gifting a care bag full of $150 worth of dog care services. Gift certificates can be redeemed for daily dog walks, hikes, dog park adventure, house-sitting, boarding and much more. Bark After Dark has many celebrity clients as well as non-celebrity clients, and specialize in 24 hour and last-minute services. You can schedule your doggie’s next midnight adventure or see what other great products they offer at www.barkafterdark.com.

YOU gNeek is a company that features handmade, personally designed and unique items for the geek and gadget enthusiast in you.They have unusual jewelry and accessories such as miniature switchblade earrings and pendants, and were featuring their latest favorite, the “YOU Light My Fire” cufflinks, which are actual mini working lighters. Their jewelry is on Etsy at www.etsy.com/shop/YOUgNeek.

ADMIT TO BITTER is a collaboration of New York artists that came together to make a great gift bag for the celebs that held a hand-painted hood “”T” specifically designed to hold a CD of NYC music, and hand designed crafted necklace shaped like a tooth with an accent black Swarvoski crystal detail. You can find your “One of a kind for what’s on your mind” at admittobitter.com.

Demand Shoes, was gifting the latest from their Luichiny line, designed for the trendsetting fashionista. Luichiny offers unique materials, ornaments, and styles of shoes that make a bold statement wherever they are worn. You can grab your next favorite sexy stilettos at www.luichiny.com.

SHUT IT DOWN gifted a stainless steel dog tag custom engraved with “SHUT IT DOWN LA 2011” and the back engraved with “SUPPORT ANTI-BULLYING SUPPORT RESPECT”. You can buy your metal dog tag to show your support for the cause at www.shutitdownnow.com.

Along with the popcorn machine, the stars were also offered a cure for their sweet tooth. Sweet Rose Creamery out of Santa Monica, makes all of their toppings, cones, sauces and ice cream sandwiches from scratch daily, brought organic ice cream treats for the guests to enjoy. You can book catering for your event at www.sweetrosecreamery.com.

Dotpops! Bakery brought their scrumptious balls of cake coated in a decorated candy shells. Dotpops! are perfect for all occasions from birthdays to school functions, from weddings to church activities. They have adorable decorations ranging from sports designs to glitter pops,  and their cake flavors are simply divine. Quite a treat for any teacher, friend, or any someone special. You can order online and ship to any event to make it “Poppin’ ” at www.eatdotpops.com.

Boardwalk IceCream Co. offered a station to build your own ice cream bars. They use all natural ingredients used to make the creamiest premium ice cream on a stick, then they  hand-dipped the guests selection into real chocolate and rolled it into their choice of candy and nut toppings. You can visit them in Huntington Beach or find them online at www.boardwalkbars.com.

Designer carmel apples were offered by Apple Revolution out of Anaheim, California. They offer an array of designs dressed as ornaments for all different occasions. You can see their hand-crafted gorgeous designs at www.apple-revolution.com.

Wailalu Soda Works offered a nice alternative to the open bar, with their six different flavors of all natural soda. Out of Hawaii, Wailalu Soda Works brings a bit of the sweet island taste to any occasion. They use pure cane sugar and natural flavors to make its pineapple, mango, root beer, and vanilla cream sodas. You can find a retailer near you or buy online at www.wailalusodaworks.com.

Along with the fabulous finds and the sweet treats, guests were also given the new Colgate Wisp Icy Bubble by Colgate- Palmolive, so they can brush on the go, after meals, in the car, or even at the MTV Movie Awards if needs be.

Guests were also gifted a VIP invite to the 7th Annual Miss Malibu pageant that will take place in July. The reigning Miss Malibu was present with a large surfboard by her side, for celebrities to sign and doodle upon, that will be auctioned off for charity.

All in all, the GBK Vintage inspired MTV Movie Award Gifting Suite was an impressive display of a variety of relevant brands and favorable causes. The addition of live music and entertainment won the crowds over, and we hope it is the start to a tradition they keep.

Part of their 2011 line up will include:

“10 Years Later” by first-time feature film director Aaron Metchik, features breakout performances by Jake Hoffman, son of legendary actor Dustin Hoffman, and Rachel Boston (‘In Plain Sight’, “500 Days of Summer”). This compelling film tells the story of six best friends from childhood, returning home 10 years after High School to mark the milestone of their 10-year reunion.
This onetime tight-knit group of friends is quickly forced to drop any form of propped up pretense or façade when an unavoidable truth from their past surfaces and triggers a wild string of events that make each individual face their own vulnerabilities and shortcomings.  In doing so, they must come to terms and re-think the depth of their friendship in this now twenty-something existence.

www.tenyearslaterthemovie.com

“Letting Go” is a feature film from writer-director, Jake Torem, whose previous award-winning film “Looking Through Lillian” earned high praise from The Los Angeles Times, and Film Threat, among others. This at times raucous film features Christopher Knight (Peter Brady of the famed “Brady Brunch” television show) in a refreshingly entertaining performance, and Jade Henman, who has reteamed with Torem after her breakthrough role in “Lillian”. The film follows Joel Slater, a man whose life from the start is out of control. He exists in a 3 ring circus comprised of characters including Peter Scolari (“Bosom Buddies”, “Newhart”) and legendary Grammy & Academy Award winning music producer, David Foster in a hilarious turn as the ‘Hollywood Mogul’. Lest not forget, Dragon, Ted, and Hurricaine, three gargantuan dogs who seem to run Joel’s life. Throughout this upheaval, Joel must navigate life and love, all while dealing with the one thing he doesn’t want to look at – his father’s death.

www.coydogfilms.com

AXE Excite is the woody new fragrance developed by world-renowned experts that combines a seductive blend of coconut, hazelnut and caramel. Excite is currently available in deodorant bodyspray, deodorant stick, antiperspirant invisible solid and shower gel.

In celebration of The Hangover Part II, AXE is offering 2 LA’s the Place readers a chance to win:

·         DVD of The Hangover (part one)
·         A sleek dope kit with AXE Excite products.

Simply become a subscriber of LA’s the Place Magazine for your chance to win. Winner will be notified by email.

Bradley Cooper at Hangover II Premiere

Robert Downey Jr. and wife.

Alyssa Milano

Zach Galifianakis

Jaime Chung

Ed Helms

Stewart St. John and Todd Fisher

St. John started early; he crafted his own soap opera while in high school, turning his campus into a production studio where he filmed his homegrown series that aired on local affiliate stations. Later, he came to Hollywood and landed a deal writing for animated shows like Tom & Jerry and Sabrina, moving on to help develop and pen the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and later the family feature Seventeen Again. He became story editor and eventually executive producer of the groundbreaking online series The Spot at American Cybercast, the first online network that was funded by venture capitalists in the late 90s.

Jumping forward to 2004, St. John and producing partner Todd Fisher had created the first mobile soap for Sprint, and were in discussions with AOL to create a scripted series that would air on the broadband network. While the deal was in process, St. John-Fisher ramped up production and eventually started shooting the show on a shoestring, waiting for the AOL deal to kick in. But when AOL pulled out suddenly due to internal issues the company was dealing with, St. John-Fisher were left in mid-production. Rather than scrap the series, they decided to push forward.

One camera. Two guys. A beautiful cast who doubled as crew. And a gorgeous location: Malibu. Those are the ingredients that came together to make the world’s first scripted online TV series: St. John-Fisher’s California Heaven. Now, almost six years later, the show is ready to debut in a re-mastered and re-edited version with never-before-seen footage. It also comes at a time when social networking is exploding across the internet and daytime soaps are disappearing from network television.

LA’s The Place sat down with Stewart and Todd for a Q and A interview.

LATP:  Okay, so tell me about your new online soap, California Heaven!   I’ve seen the trailer and it looks beautiful, yet mysterious.

Todd:  Great! Thank you. That’s what we were going for.  The show is about a wealthy family in Malibu, who own a chain of surf shops… who appear beautiful on the outside…

Stewart: – but in truth it’s only sand deep! (laughs). We wanted to hint at something else going on underneath the surface. And there is! And we slowly reveal it, peeling away layers until we get to the heart of what’s really going on in Malibu!

LATP:  I’m guessing that’s the supernatural part, because I definitely got that feeling.

Todd:  Exactly. Let’s just say, the show is building to… something. It begins when a distant family relative washes up on shore, practically below the family house which is located up on the Malibu cliffs. That sets everything into motion, and brings a girl named Heaven to Malibu.

Stewart:  She’s the daughter of the woman whose body they find. She’s a fish-out-of-water, and the Corrigans — her family — tell her that her mother committed suicide.  But then she gets information that the Corrigans are covering something up.

LATP: Of course they are! Love it. Every soap has to have the rich family you love to hate!

Todd:  Exactly.

LATP:  So you guys were part of the very first online network back in the 90s, right?

Stewart:  Yes, I was brought on as head writer and story editor of The Spot in 96, and then Todd and I were approached almost 7 years later to bring the show back to the web as well as create a cell phone version and cross the two stories from one platform to another!

Todd: We were the first American cell phone soap… cross-converging with a web counterpart. We did thousands of daily videos and journal entries. We lived that show.

LATP:  That’s incredible. And then you created California Heaven… how many episodes do you have in the can?

Todd:  We have about a year’s worth of content. Over a hundred episodes, broken into seasons.  The first season begins June 1st and lasts through the summer.

LATP:  Wow. That’s so cool, because with so many web soaps you get about seven episodes in and that’s it. No more. So as a viewer, it’s difficult to invest your time.

Stewart:  Exactly. That’s what’s great about our show, because you know you’re tuning into something that has longevity.

LATP:  And it’s airing every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, right?

Todd:  Yes. New episodes will air on those days on our brand new web site, http://www.stjohn-fisher.com

LATP: Tell me about the cast.

Stewart:  The most amazing group of people I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. We created a family with one another. Absolute mutual respect between everyone. We brought them over from the revamped Spot series we did, to California Heaven, where they were real troopers to come and do this crazy internet series that basically had no budget.

Todd:  Sometimes they had to double as production crew and go on coffee runs. There was no money.  Looking back it’s incredible what we all achieved.

Megan:  Yeah, and the show looks so beautiful.

Todd:  That’s all Stewart. He just knows how to take whatever he’s given and make it look stunning.

Stewart:  Todd is there every step of the way, trust me. (laughs) The cast made it easy because we’d developed such a short hand from working together on The Spot.

LATP: So you wrote it, shot it, and even scored it, right?

Stewart: Yep. And I just finished editing the new trailer that’s up now at the web site. Very excited about being able to go back and tweak the show to give it a new feel. We hope that people will enjoy the sense of humor the show has underneath, it’s sort of our sense of humor.

Todd: It’s family drama. A bit over the top. But fun. And definitely quirky.

LATP:  Hey, nothing wrong with quirky! So how does writing for online differ than television?

Stewart:  There used to be a bigger difference than there is today, but really it’s about making compelling content and connecting with — and respecting — your audience.  When we did the Spot, we used to weave our fans into the storyline, going so far as to throw live event parties that were a part of the show where fans could be part of. They’d actually fly to the parties to take part in the story.

Todd: That was pretty crazy. We definitely know how to be interactive, whether it be with fans or advertisers… we love creating an immersive world that blurs the boundaries of reality.

Stewart:  We’re just plain crazy is the truth. (laughs)

LATP:  And California Heaven is not the only thing you have going on. You guys have launched a brand new web site, too!

Stewart:  We’re really excited. We’re introducing all of our different projects on the site.

Todd: Stewart has two different children’s book series he’s been working on, and so those are launching. Plus all the music he’s done.

LATP: It’s pretty overwhelming. Do you guys ever sleep?

Stewart: No, we’re too busy! (laughs) Actually, once you get the train moving, it just starts pulling you.  And that’s what it feels like right now.

Todd: We’re developing all these different projects in-house at St. John-Fisher, and want to build them into successful properties with studios and networks. But no matter what, we want to have a good time doing it!

LATP: Well, it sounds like you guys are. Thank you for sitting down with me and discussing California Heaven. Once again, when does it premiere?

Stewart:  Wednesday, June 1st at http://www.stjohn-fisher.com

Stewart St. John
The St. John-Fisher Company
www.stjohn-fisher.com

Director Nathan Ruegger

Coming from an entertainment family, he was lucky to see that success is possible in this business. He saw early success himself as a young voice over actor on the animated show “Animaniacs”.  His own work as an actor helped shape his vision of how to be a hands-on director and pull amazing, true-to-reality performances from his actors. His hard work and determination to make a film that truly speaks for those who may not always be able to tell their story is bringing him accolades for his film “Another Life” which recently screened at the Newport Beach Film Festival.

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Nathan for a Q & A interview.

Kali Cook:  How was the casting process for Another Life?

Nathan Ruegger: This film was cast-dependent. We hired an amazing casting director, Cheryl Faye, who has worked with Quentin Tarantino and Sam Raimi. We spent a while with the breakdowns, called in about 200 hundred actors and narrowed that down to approx. 10 actors for each part in the callbacks.

KC:  What were you looking for in the lead role of Angela? The actress you choose was incredible.

NR: The most important thing was that she be believable as being in Iraq killing people, yet also vulnerable and likable.

KC: That is a lot to ask for, what stood out with Tracy?

NR: I think what stood out the most was the way I could see the whole movie on her face without her saying a word.

KC: And Robert, what was key in choosing him to play Scott?

NR: Robert actually made us cry with his audition. We managed to hold it in until he left the room.

KC: What type of prep did you do with these two before filming? Their chemistry exploded on screen.

NR: We rehearsed for about a week and they both had their own processes with becoming the characters. For example Tracy took her uniform home to wear it and immerse herself  with being a veteran.

KC: Can you tell us a little about the other actors?

NR: Harrison’s scene is so complicated, he plays the mob boss and has the job of setting up the whole story, as well as this character needing to scare people almost to death. Bobbie, who plays Kaylie is just adorable and so easy to work with. She played the scene perfectly when she knows her Dad has been killed, it shows in her eyes so subtlety.

KC: What made you interested in writing this film?

NR: I love crime dramas and thrillers, they interest me the most. I didn’t want to just make a fun movie, I wanted it to tell a real story.

KC: You absolutely accomplished that. Lets talk directing for a moment. What would you say your style on set is?

NR: Soft spoken. Very focused. I like to work with each actor individually to get the moments the scene calls for.

KC: The colors of the film are so “real” and beautiful, what inspired this?

NR: Jay Visit and I have similar styles, very easy going, so we work well together. We chose the colors for Tracy’s world, thinking in terms of cold, blues, shadows. Robert’s world is warm, bright and yellows.

KC: I have to say, the ending surprised me. Did you always know that is how you wanted it to end?

NR: I wrote 20 drafts of the script. I grappled with how to end it. A mentor had told me that a short needs to be emotional 1 or 2 moments. Angela is trapped, can’t see a way out.

KC: Do you have a particular message you would like viewers to leave with after watching Another Life?

NR: Very much so, “Talk to someone”. Angela could not see a way out, she felt done. She should have talked to someone. Reached out. I want people to see and know that we aren’t alone. To reach out to someone before it becomes too late, no matter what that is.

KC: In closing our interview, what would you say was something influenced you growing up?

NR: My grandfather was an actor and a director, my Dad is a producer, Mother, actress. Each of them taught me and showed me different areas and I gained endless knowledge from their particular perspective.

For more info on the film and Nathan Ruegger, visit: www.anotherlifefilm.com.

In week eight of Dancing with the Stars, the excitement became riveting as the pressure mounted and contestants were asked to dance yet another two routines – this time with never-before heard music.

Though the pressure was on, their hair remained flawless! Here are some of the night’s winning hairstyles with steps on how you can create them at home using the new Dancing with the Stars Hair Extension collection!

To achieve Kym’s Ballerina Bun (first dance):

This sleek look is easy to get – pull hair into a high bun at the crown of head, smoothing flyaways with a paddle brush and hairspray. Next, attach the Dancing with the Stars Glamarama Extensions ($20: ULTA.com) that adds volume to any updo. Finish off by tucking away all of the loose strands with bobby pins and you’re done!

To achieve Kym’s Bouncy Ponytail & Bangs (second dance):

To achieve her second winning look of the night, start by pulling hair up into a high pony. If you have thin or short hair, or if you want to add bounce to your pony without a heat styling tool, simply attach the Dancing with the Stars Flirtini Extensions ($39: HSN.com) which is a clip-in pony. You can also try the Dancing with the Stars Bango Tango ($22: folica.com) to create non-committal bangs and to complete this look!

To achieve Karina’s French Braid:
Since most of us don’t have a stylist at hand to create an expertly executed braid, then try the Dancing with the Stars Bellissima French Braid Band ($10: ULTA.com) that is already styled for you! Simply slip on this headband to style a similar version and make sure hair is flat ironed pin straight to complete this look!

Last week, week seven of Dancing with the Stars, viewers watched as contestants danced two routines as well… making for more costume changes and more hairstyles! Here are some of the hairstyles that scored the highest points, with steps on how you can create them at home using the new Dancing with the Stars Hair Extension collection!

To achieve Kym’s Sultry Side-Swept Bangs & Updo:

You don’t have to have bangs to try this look! Start by clipping in the Dancing with the Stars Bango Tango Extensions ($22: Folica.com) that add non-committal bangs in an instant. Next, part hair and bangs to the side and pull back into a low bun, at the nape of the neck. To add volume to your updo, simply add in the Dancing with the Stars Glamarama Extensions ($20: ULTA.com), which is a clip-in bun. Finish off with a flower accessory to complete this look!

To achieve Karina’s old Hollywood Half-Updo:

Start by clipping in the Dancing with the Stars Go! Go! Girl Extensions ($49: HSN.com) that instantly add length and volume. Next, wrap 2 inch sections of hair around a 1 ½ inch barreled curling iron and repeat over the entire head. Once complete, part hair to the side, and then take hair from ear to ear pulling into a half-updo, wrapping around the Dancing with the Stars Salsaloosa ($15: ULTA.com) that wraps around hair and will keep it in place.

To achieve Chelsie’s Bouncy Curls & Bangs:

You can instantly add length and volume to any length of hair by incorporating extensions, so for this look start with the Dancing with the Stars Go! Go! Girl Extensions ($49: HSN.com) that will add both. Next, using a 1 inch curling iron, curl small sections of hair, over the entire head. Once complete, flip head over and slightly separate curls with your fingers. You can wear this look just like this, but if you want to add in blunt bangs like Chelsie’s, then finish off the look with the Dancing with the Stars Bango Tango Extensions ($22: folica.com).