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DECEMBER 2012/JANUARY 2013 Issue • 211

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DIVA MARTY THOMAS AND THE DIVAS HAVE TAKEN MANHATTAN BY STORM

JIM CARUSO THE SHOWSTOPPING KING OF THE ‘CASTPARTY’

CLOSET FREAKS DIGGING THROUGH YOUR CLOSET JUST BECAME A LOT MOREBLEEP FUN1

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Jim Caruso has been an entertainment powerhouse for years. He chats with BLEEP about how the now famous Cast Party got started and some of his favorite musical moments so far.

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ON THE COVER Marty Thomas joins forces with Marissa Rosen, Kelly King and Alexa Green each week to entertain, encourage and belt their faces off in New York City.

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DESMOND SMITH

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NOT THE SAME LOOK

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Getting started in the fashion industry isn’t easy, but Desmond is on his way. We check in with the up-and-coming California designer.

Modeling agencies are a dime-a-dozen but the Dragonfly Agency in Dallas has something different to offer.

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Letter from the Editor Someone recently asked me what I thought the most underseen film of this year was and my answer was quick: “Perks of Being A Wallflower.” It happened to be my favorite film this year as well. I appreciated that a film that was set in the end of the 1990’s, a time period that’s not far enough behind us to really be considered “period” or dated, is well-made, well-acted and a glimpse into my generation’s high school experience. It was as if the author, Stephen Chbosky, had some sort of clairvoyant insight into each of our experiences we tried to keep under wraps. No film has affected me as deeply this year.

Being affected is what we want as an audience of art-lovers.

Whether it’s just to change our mood and entertain us, or show us something about ourselves we didn’t know before, art is this incredible mode of communication that has the power to transform lives.

This year has been amazing. We’ve had everyone from reality show personalities to Tony Award nominated actors, from up-and-coming designers to bloggers who take vintage clothes and breathe new life into them. The musicians have been incredible, the artists have been inspired and the web series’ have been on the cutting-edge of new media. The diversity is inspiring and the art has been affecting.

I thoroughly love putting this magazine together each month and I am perpetually overwhelmed by the caliber of talent, both on the pages and behind-the-scenes. I work with some truly incredible people that inspire me to create the best art I can.

Thanks for sticking by BLEEP over the past two years. We’re only just getting started.

Ryan Brinson Editor-in-Chief 4 BLEEP

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CLOSET FREAKS

This duo got their start by blogging about what they knew...the clothes hanging in their own closet. Now, they are a destination for fashionable men all over the country.

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KENTON FRIDLEY

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DANA CARMEL

Every actor has their process and for Kenton Fridley, the continual process of learning more about his craft is shaping his journey.

This songstress is doing something different with her art. She’s posting a new song every week and we find out why.

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ANOTHER BEN HUMENIUK CARTOON!

Editor-in-Chief Ryan Brinson Editor at Large Julie Freeman Design/Decor Editor Lisa Sorenson Culture Editor Rachael Mariboho Business & Audience Development Manager Sarah Rotker Cartoonist Ben Humeniuk Cover Photography by Kevin Thomas Garcia Feature Editors: Juan Lerma Writers: Charly Edsitty Amy Lane Danielle Milam Laura Seitter Alex Wright Contributors: Amy Stone Katherine Morgan All articles and photos are the property of the writers and artists. All rights reserved.

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ONtheSCENE

AMY LYNN & THE GUNSHOW

You already know we are HUGE fans of Amy Lynn and the Gunshow and this won’t be the last you hear about them in BLEEP (hint hint). They’ve been planning something special for the end of the year and we are thrilled to let you in on it!

Amy Lynn and the Gunshow will be at Joe’s Pub in New York on December 11th in their “Holiday Spectacular” show. Tickets can be purchased at www.joespub.com and the bill is FULL of special guests which include our November cover guy Nick Blaemire and two of our current cover artists Marty Thomas and Marissa Rosen. But there’s more! Chester Gregory (Sister Act, Dreamgirls, Hairspray), Elizabeth Stanley (Million Dollar Quartet, Cry-Baby, Company) and Joe Kinosian (Murder for Two-A Killer Musical, Dear Edwina) are also joining in on the fun.

YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS THIS.

CHECK OUT “CLEARLY IT’S ME” BY AMY LYNN AND THE GUNSHOW ON YOUTUBE BELOW.

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2012INREVIEW I’m not sure when “My Favorite Things” from The Sound of Music became a holiday classic, but apparently it is. I love it too but it seems an odd choice. Anyway, these are a few of mine from this year that I think shouldn’t go unnoticed. There is so much great art out there in so many different mediums. We need to take note.

-Ryan

editor’s picks

OUR AMERICA WITH LISA LING If you are not watching “Our America,” you are missing the best show on television. There, I said it. It’s not that I don’t love “Revenge,” and I wait rather impatiently for the next episode of “Scandal,” but to me, there is no more important hour of television than “Our America.”

The reason is simple. Lisa Ling takes you into a sect of America that you are probably not familiar with. And even if you think you know all there is to know about Native Americans, nuns or gay Christians, Ling has a way of opening your eyes to a completely new way of looking at the subject.

Her professionalism is without question, her compassion is unwavering and her desire to objectively learn about our fellow Americans is what makes each week must-see-TV.

NEWSIES

There are lots of terrific shows on Broadway right now.

Recently, The Mystery of Edwin Drood opened and I have been raving about it ever since. But after recently seeing Newsies again, I was reminded why it was such an initial sensation earlier this year. The thing about this show is, it’s all you could really want from a traditional Broadway musical. Great songs, incredible dancing (Christopher Gattelli won the Tony for a very obvious reason. The word genius comes to mind) and a lot of heart. Who doesn’t want to root for the little newsboys against the big, bad man?

It should also be said that while Jeremy Jordan was nominated for the Tony (and rightfully so), he has left the show to pursue other endeavors, leaving the door wide open for Corey Cott to step in and blow everyone away. Cott is not only a dynamic actor but his vocals are so stunning, it made my friends and I stop dead in our tracks. He’s the newest star on the Great White Way and shouldn’t be missed.

PENTATONIX

They are known for wining “The Sing Off,” where they proved there wasn’t a genre of music they weren’t able to put their own twist on and turn it into something new and dynamic.

This year, they performed on Scott Alan’s live album with some of Broadway’s biggest stars, had millions of YouTube video hits and released not one, but two EPs. It was on the second of the EPs when Pentatonix shifted from being a cover-band (an innovative cover-band, but still, a cover-band) to being artists in their own right. Their version of “Carol of the Bells” is, in my opinion, a modern work of musical art. More than a cover, it’s a statement. They are a wealth of potential and a signal to the industry that great voices are truly matters in music.

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2012 HAS BEEN PRETTY INCREDIBLE...

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...2013 IS GONNA BE EVEN BETTER. BLEEP 11

the

List

by Rachael Mariboho

It is that time of the year when media outlets release their best and worst of lists that chronicle the year in fashion, music, film, books and any number of other categories. We at BLEEP love these lists; they remind us of the people and events that shaped our year, for better and for worse. We wanted to highlight some of the moments and trends that are our favorites of the year. Though they may not be the most obvious favorite of the year recipients, we think they deserve recognition for the way they surprised us with their ingenuity, brilliance and fun.

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Closing ceremony of the Olympics

We have already waxed poetically in this magazine about the dazzling opening ceremony of the London Olympics that honored England’s past; however, it was the closing ceremony that reminded us why we should be grateful for England’s storied musical history.

Quirky love stories

In a year that brought us amazing blockbusters—The Avengers, The Dark Knight Rises, The Amazing Spider Man, and Skyfall—and overly-hyped but hugely successful teen franchises (The Hunger Games, Breaking Dawn), we also saw another trend emerge: quirky love stories by independent filmmakers. If you want a good date movie, a fun movie to watch with a best friend, or you just want to laugh and cry at the absurdity and wonder of love, then check out one of these four gems: Moonrise Kingdom, Safety Not Guaranteed, Ruby Sparks, or Seeking A Friend at the End of the World. Each film delicately illuminates the magic of finding one’s soulmate, and the results are far more satisfying than any human/vampire romance.

SNL surprises

We wondered how SNL would fare this year without the talents of Kristin Wiig and Andy Samburg, though we knew the presidential election would provide a good amount of fodder for the show. While the season has had its share of high and low points, two standout moments belong to the surprising talents of guest hosts Jeremy Renner and Bruno Mars. In spite of a technical malfunction, Renner managed to deliver a shock and awe moment with his incredible singing voice. Who knew he had pipes like that? And while Mars talent as a singer is not a surprise, what was amazing was his ability to mimic a slew of other musical talent, from Katy Perry to Green Day to a show stopping imitation of Michael Jackson.

Kick-ass women who kick ass

This was the year that women proved they could kick ass as well as their male counterparts, and they could do it in heels, corsets, and with perfectly coiffed hair. From Merida, Pixar’s first leading female protagonist, to Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow in the The Avengers, to Anne Hathaway’s scene stealing portrayal of Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises, women were no longer leaving the action to the men. On the small screen, we love Claire Danes’ Carrie Matheson and Piper Perabo’s Annie Walker, who consistently risk their lives and their sanity to protect our country in the C.I.A. dramas Homeland and Covert Affairs, respectively.

Goosebump-inducing trailers

There is nothing quite as exciting as the first time we watch a great movie trailer, and this year there were three in particular that we at BLEEP loved: The Great Gatsby, Cloud Atlas, and Les Miserable. While Gatsby and Les Miserables were already highly anticipated films, when their trailers first premiered we knew were watching something special. The music, descriptions, and chosen scenes gave us goosebumps every time we viewed them. And nothing can quite compare to the five-minute trailer for Cloud Atlas, which made us excited, curious, confused, and elated about this ambitious film. Cloud Atlas lived up to the hype of its trailer, and we are certain that Les Miserables and Gatsby will as well.

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theCURRENT WITH CHARLY EDSITTY

Rewriting the story Cancer is a word no one really wants to talk about.

It can elicit painful memories, debates as to why it happens or emotional stories of those who have lost someone. Cancer.org estimates 1,638,910 Americans will be diagnosed in 2012 with 577,190 of those patients predicted to die. That’s approximately 1,500 people per day.

The story of cancer either has a happy or a sad ending, but thanks to the Internet and social media outlets, the complete story of cancer is being written by the people are who actually living it. Those affected by the disease are no longer remaining silent, but defining their own cancer story as opposed to cancer defining them.

A Google search will reveal hundreds of public blogs dedicated to chronicling the day-to-day reality of chemotherapy, long hospital stays and hair loss.

Now more than ever, cancer patients are painting a picture of the disease that is raw, uncensored and, most importantly, real.

I met my friend Kimberly Begay at 18 years old before we both went off to separate colleges. She was in Oklahoma and I was in Texas, but four hours was all that was between us. For four consecutive years, we visited each other. The dorm rooms transitioned to apartments and the term papers became internships, and eventually we both graduated.

Kim’s love of math led her to a grade school teaching career in Oklahoma City. No more than one year into her life as a working adult, she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia, a disease typical among young children. When the initial shock of the

diagnosis finally subsided, Kim did something I had never seen before — she blogged about it.

Through her writings she was able to share her experiences, thoughts, hopes, triumphs and heartbreaks with a mass audience. People she didn’t know where flocking to read her blogs, which collectively has 29,093 page views. She told me she did it for her family, friends and, most of all, her students who were battling the cancer with her from a classroom across town. In true teacher fashion, she wanted her students to know the truth and to have an honest conversation about cancer. What Kim didn’t realize was she was teaching more than just her students.

The blog was the most genuine and incredible thing I had ever seen and brought the realities of living with the disease to the forefront. Cancer isn’t what you read in the paper or what’s on the movie screen, it’s the people living with the terrible disease who have the real story.

Kim went into remission in May 2011, but relapsed in August 2012. On November 25 she died. This isn’t a story with a sad ending, it’s an ending Kim empowered herself to have on her own terms. She passed away with her cards on the table and no secrets. Although I was hundreds of miles away from my friend through her battle, I felt and still feel closer than ever to her and I’m thankful.

This column is dedicated to Kim, who brought a lot of love and laughter to the lives of many people and never let cancer take her voice. I love you and I miss you.

TITUSS BURGESS COMFORTABLE NEW ALBUM AVAILABLE NOW ON REVERB NATION

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My Take

by Laura Seitter

A man of God: A God among men In the recently released biopic Lincoln, there is a scene where the titular character sits pensively in a dark corner of a quiet telegraph room. He asks his companions, “Do we choose to be born? Or are we fitted to the times we are born into?” The young telegrapher responds that he doesn’t know about himself, but Lincoln may well be one destined to make an impression in the world.

This scene elegantly illustrates one of life’s profound mysteries. There seem to be some men born into this world at a time perfectly suited to their talents and ideologies. Men like Da Vinci, Shakespeare, Ghandi and Churchill impacted the world around them in such a way as to be remembered and celebrated for ages to come.

One way we celebrate these iconic figures is to make films about them, setting their struggles against grand, instrumental scores and better lighting. But are the films we see a true portrait of these heroes? Are our perceptions altered by what we see on screen, turning history into mythology?

Lincoln is undoubtedly one of the most memorable persons to walk the earth. His oratorical skills and political prowess forever changed the course of the United States. His life and untimely death have been recreated in several films, which has shaped his legacy and prolonged fascination. He was even depicted as an axe wielding abolitionist/slayer-of-the-undead in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter earlier this year.

While most filmgoers are unlikely to confuse the Great Emancipator with such a fantastical character, the

same cannot necessarily be said of Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln.

This star-studded biopic is beautifully written and well deserving of any forthcoming Oscar nominations, but there are points where Lincoln transcends from a simple historical drama to something bordering on hero-worship. Many scenes are set to resemble portraits or sculptures of the President. Indeed, the opening sequence introduces Lincoln, played by Daniel DayLewis, seated contemplatively at the top of a set of stairs, looking out upon visitors as they come to be in his presence – much like a certain national memorial in Washington, D.C. Throughout the film, those surrounding Lincoln shout rhetoric while Lincoln softly speaks in anecdotes and Bible verses, as though his elevated status as President is akin to godliness. There is no denying that Lincoln’s ambition to end slavery was morally honorable, and his philosophies are certainly to be admired. Spielberg and Day-Lewis, however, have created a character that is so transcendent that he isn’t relatable to the audience.

On the other hand, who among us can truly count ourselves as equal to a man like Lincoln, or Da Vinci, or Ghandi? We celebrate these figures through film because their stories are epic. After all, who wants to watch a film about a man who risks little and achieves nothing? Spielberg’s Lincoln is accurately written, wonderfully acted, and beautiful to behold.

The crusade of Abraham Lincoln is a story that is obviously meant to be told, and it might as well be told wonderfully.

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REEL LIFE

by Alex Wright

‘Trouble’ with drawing Boundaries

I

’m bad at setting boundaries with people in my life. This is what I had a friend tell me one time over coffee as I complained about a relationship with a family member that has been rocky and dramatic since I was six. With the holidays coming up, it is becoming more and more difficult to go home and visit said family member, considering my difficulty with “boundaries” and such. I know that family dysfunction is a problem everyone faces when it comes to going home. It seems like I never really know how I feel about returning home until I’m in the car, a quarter of a mile away from the driveway.

Being away from the nest, though, grants you some perspective and outlook on the situation, and ever since I left home at 18, I have been able to appreciate said family member for who she is. I still don’t like her though. Heck, talk about boundaries—I have moved from my home in the South to California, London, Paris, Boston, Moscow, and back to California. Does it seem like I’m running from something? Nooooo…..

Not surprisingly, all of this deep angst, insecurity, paranoia, and yes, child-like petulance, has shown up in my art. It’s only natural, I believe, to create art from yourself, and the “you” that is the creator of the art is all the junk and beauty that has been compiled and molded and collaged in the years of your existence.

I have been doing a lot of writing recently for a webseries, and the storylines for my character have been strongly paralleling the issues my ex-boyfriend and I faced during our breakup. I have found myself become increasingly paranoid that somehow this is incredibly insensitive of me. Yes, I should be inspired by my life, but using our relationship is not looking out for my ex or keeping anything of our relationship sacred.

Similarly, I am constantly encouraged by my friends and mentors to write about my crazy upbringing in the South. Could I do that, though? Wouldn’t that be crossing some sort of boundary? Apparently I’m bad at those.

Then I look at little Ms. Taylor Swift. Say what 16 BLEEP

you want about her, but that girl is a powerhouse, cranking out tunes faster than Heidi Klum cranks out babies. I must admit, I broke down in tears in my car the other night while listening to one of her songs.

Is that an over-share? I’m sure this article is making me seem real sane right now. It was easy to explain to my roommates as I entered our apartment red faced with mascara streaming down my cheeks. What happened? Why are you upset? Taylor, I replied. Taylor Swift happened. They nod in understanding.

I believe what makes Taylor so popular with young girls isn’t her voice or her style or her personality; it’s the fact that Taylor writes so candidly and openly about her past relationships, writing with a degree of raw honesty that is, admittedly, simplistic, but also very touching. How Taylor? How do you know exactly what my heart screams out?

All of this brings me back to the question of what is too personal, what is too much, in art? I believe it’s a balance. I believe that using boundaries in art, ironically, comes down to boundaries. You use that part of your life to get your motor going. I think good art is only great when the artist is really passionate about expressing something, and that is more often than not something deeply personal. But art also has to be universal. It needs to reach many people so that they can look at your art, or hear your art, or feel your art, and say, yes, yes Taylor Swift, I have been there too. Make it too specific, or cross that boundary, and you’re left going, no, no Taylor Swift, I never looked into Jake Gyllenhaal’s eyes so I can’t relate to this song. Thanks a lot for reminding me.

Art can be therapeutic but it shouldn’t be therapy. It shouldn’t be masturbatory or self-indulgent. It should be a gift, and it should be something that the viewer arrives at, but something that the artist never does— like the last quarter mile of the drive that never seems to end. It is a deeply personal set of boundaries that is laid out in song, dance, theater, music, canvas. I’m learning to draw them.

Swinging

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CREATIVEpages

DesignYour Self – rethinking the way you live, love, work, and play by Karim Rashid Danielle Milam

4 OUT OF 5 COLOR WHEELS …designing your self – you can’t exactly start from scratch, and you will have some obstacles to work around, but the key is to find the fearlessness to push those boundaries. – Karim Rashid As we bid farewell to 2012 and anxiously usher in 2013, many of us will start contemplating those big questions that accompany change. We’ll wonder, ‘Am I in the right profession?’ ‘Should I make a resolution to drop those 10 pounds?’ ‘Do I want to keep living this way for another year?’

Instead of looking for the right self help book, why not try a book on design? Karim Rashid, author of Design Your Self, approaches life through creative eyes. Most importantly, he changes the way his readers think about self-improvement.

My favorite thing about this book is its boldness of design and thought.

The book screams its creativity with vibrant color. Each page turns into a new experience through the architectural drawings, which create a texture that almost leaps from the page.

The font and letter style is ever changing in

unexpected ways. This is certainly the most colorful book on my shelf. It’s obvious that Rashid lives his philosophy merely from the design of this book.

Rashid encourages us to embrace control over our lives, find out what we love, and learn how to incorporate it into our lives. He wants his readers to be the happiest and most creative beings they can be.

Rashid asks us to question the boundaries. Why do we live in houses with corners? Why do we separate work and play? Why do we dress in only the “acceptable” styles or colors? Maybe we’d become happier beings if we creatively and constructively designed our lives.

While I did not agree with every idea Rashid proposed, I was pleased with the boldness of his ideas. Even through some of the book merely put into writing sage advice we’ve all heard before, some of his advice was genuinely new and much of it made me evaluate the preconceived notions I live with.

By the end of the book, I found my head filled with so many new ideas I wondered where to start. Not to worry though, the last chapter gives a timeline of when to implement your changes.

As you are toasting on midnight Jan 1st, skip the resolution and simply embark upon a design change.

MUST READ FOR: ANYONE SEEKING A CHANGE, ANYONE INTERESTED IN DESIGN, ANYONE WHO WANTS TO RE-EXAMINE THE WAY THEY LIVE, ANYONE WHO SEEKS TO BE A MORE CREATIVE PERSON. Want more book reviews?

Check out www.daniellesviews.blogspot.com

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ARTIST

by AMY LANE

As the holiday season approaches, many of us will be spending more time making Ro-Tel cheese dip and drinking eggnog than wandering down the road less traveled. As an adventure junkie, I am all too aware that December and January are often long dry-spell months from adrenaline. As lethargy creeps in from the extra calorie intake and the routine of annual tradition threatens spontaneity, I suggest a trip to the finest grocery store in America.

If you live in the far western or eastern states, you know what I’m talking about. For the rest of us, who have been deprived from the joy of a Trader Joe’s, an ordinary errand to pick up cereal can be transformed into a visit to an enchanting toy store for grown-ups.

I have lived in a Trader Joe’s desert for most of my life. On family road trips across the U.S., my souvenirs were always Trader Joe’s grocery bags filled with nonperishables. Off the top of my head, I can picture the stores in Atlanta, Nashville, San Francisco, Boston and Knoxville. When a store recently opened less than a mile from my home, I worried that my enthusiasm for TJ products would cease as the novelty fades. I’m happy to report that I still get butterflies as I park in their lot and I can hardly keep the smile off my face as I push my grocery cart through the magical entrance. “I wonder what they’re sampling today? Hmm…would seaweed snacks be good? Spanish or Italian olive oil this trip?”

Welcome to my world.

The style of Trader Joe’s is hard to capture in a sentence, but if I tried, I would explain it as a pirate ship sailing Lewis & Clark to Hawaii. There’s a tropicalexplorer-rebel vibe that somehow pulls together well.

Instead of conventional brands, their stock is filled with interesting, one-of-a-kind finds and they frequently add 20 BLEEP

new products to the rotation. Bright bouquets guard the entrance to spotless floors and neatly arranged rows of colorful produce. Each store has a local feel produced by the wall murals of hometown landmarks. Regulars are accustomed to adding “two- or three-buck chuck” (Charles Shaw wine) to their baskets. Expect more than just a dab of dip on a chip from the samples. My last visit included a surprisingly large portion of pecan and pumpkin pie. The employees seem happy to be at work and who can blame them? While a majority of the country still totters in heels or chokes in ties from nine to five, they wear Hawaiian shirts—or more recently, pilgrim hats.

My remedy for the winter doldrums may or may not add inches to your waistline depending on how many aisles you peruse and how quickly. To be fair: their products contain all natural, non-GMO ingredients including gluten-free, kosher and vegan options. But it isn’t all about the fruits and veggies. Willy Wonka himself would be proud of the imaginative variety of objects covered in chocolate—potato chips, edamame, pomegranate seeds and coconut mango, to name a few.

If your inspiration cannot come from a natural source such as sunlight or a window-view reminiscent of a snow globe, I suggest a shopping spree to the closest Trader Joe’s. And while you’re there, ponder realistic resolutions for the New Year. I have no qualms mentioning the chart-topper of my list. Four words: Eat More Cookie Butter.

Disclaimer: I do not/have not worked for Trader Joe’s.

I’m just a slightly obsessed fan.

BLEEPin in the know...

The Broadway Boys will once again host Broadway’s favorite holiday party and concert with the 7th Annual BROADWAY SINGS FOR TOYS: A Benefit for Toys for Tots, Monday, December 10th at 7pm. This year’s concert is a cocktail party/concert/toy drive featuring Broadway’s hottest talent and is one of the most joyful and inspirational holiday events of the year.

Scheduled performers joining the Broadway Boys this year include Tony winner Adriane Lenox (TONY-winner Doubt, Dreamgirls), Kate Shindle (Wonderland, Legally Blonde), Andrew Samonsky (Scandalous, South Pacific), Alyssha Umphress (Bring It On, On a Clear Day...), Jenny Fellner (Wicked, Mamma Mia), Betsy Wolfe (The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Everyday Rapture), the companies of Wicked, Scandalous, Mary Poppins and more!

BELOW: The Broadway Boys.

CHECK OUT THE BROADWAY BOYS ON YOUTUBE!

The 7th Annual Broadway Sings for Toys will be held at Joe’s Pub in NYC. Tickets, are priced at $15 + new, unwrapped toy for standing room, $40 for reserved seating and $100 for a VIP package including a pre-show reception with the performers and gift bags. All tickets can be purchased by visiting on their website at www.joespub.com.

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s e i r e s b FIRST LOOK AT: we h c t a to w

What was the catalyst behind starting this web series?

ANDREW HARRISON: I had done a web series a few years back called “Polyester Dreams” that ran for a few seasons. Shay told me she wanted to do a new series and asked me to help write it. I was happy to help, but I didn’t want to star in it because of the time constraints, so I told her to hire some freaky looking ginger to play my character. He turned out to be a pretty good me.

SHAY REVOLVER: I was originally working on a feature, I felt like I was hitting a wall with the writing, so I started working on other projects, figuring I would go back to the feature. Instead, I ended up with seven feature scripts and a bunch of short scripts. I felt overwhelmed. I would spend weekends writing over at Andrew’s as kind of an artistic staycation, and the things that would occur while I was writing over there were too insane not to be documented. People coming and going all through the night, random jam sessions with musicians, artists, comic book writers... you name it, it was happening. After a random video of one of our “arguments” was made, it seemed silly not to just go for it, so I locked myself in a bedroom with a laptop, a carton of smokes, all of Andrew’s booze and Nine Inch Nails’ “Pretty Hate Machine” on repeat. 48 hours later, I emerged with a full season of first drafts, forced Andrew and Dallas to read my ramblings and it kind of evolved from there.

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‘BEG.BORROW.STEAL’ Give me a quick teaser of the story.

SHAY: Three friends trying to do what they love, hitting every wall they can and not only do they not give up, but they fight through it together.

ANDREW: Sex, drugs and Cthulhu.

friends and creating something. I’m growing as a filmmaker because of the show, which is great. I’m learning what works and what doesn’t. We have a great DP (Clodagh Power), a brilliant cast (Gabe V, Geoff Moonen, Gail Shalan, Stephen Wagner) and some pretty cool pop-up guest stars.

What’s been the biggest challenge in creating/ ANDREW: Watching Shay get more confidence in producing this show? her work because, she’s really a good artist. Also, the ANDREW: Shay gets manic when she’s creating and opportunity to promote our other projects like my sometimes the night before a shoot, she doesn’t sleep. graphic novel “Golgotha,” available on madcarousel.

She will come over to my place and commandeer the com and digitally through 215 ink. couch because she’s scared she’ll oversleep. It’s hard to get any work done on any of our other projects Where can we check the series out online? because she stays up watching really bad reality TV SHAY: The minisodes are up now on our website and trying to play the banjo. She’s really bad at it. www.bbswebseries.com, blip.tv, Vimeo and on Another challenge is editing the scripts. We rarely www.webserieschannel.com. On December 14th full think the same things should be changed. Sometimes episodes will be up for 13 weeks on our website , web it goes easy and sometimes it becomes a steel cage series channel and blip. We’re working on another death match. deal but, you’ll have to check the website and tumblr SHAY: We both suffer from the curse of the creatives. to find out about that.

I think everything I write sucks and I’m filled with self ANDREW: You can also follow us on twitter doubt, but Andrew’s really good at Shay-wrangling @bbs_webseries (the show) @madcarousel (the and reminding me it’s going to be okay. Writing is production company) @socialslumber13 (Shay) sometimes hard because keeping things so close to @polyesterdreams (me). Our random thoughts are character makes us take a look at how we really see pretty funny. each other.

What’s been the biggest reward?

SHAY: I get to spend my weekends playing with my

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Written, Produced, and Styled by Juan Lerma Photographed by Nicollette Mollet Hair and Makeup by Jerrad Trahan Becky Cole wears her own clothing, Jewelry provided by Couture Rocks Fine Jewelry.

CREATIVE ENERGY THAT ‘MATTERS’ a conversation with Becky Cole FROM INITIAL CONCEPT MEETING TO EXECUTION, THE FRUIT OF THE VINE GALA IS BECKY COLE’S EVENT. SINCE THE BIRTH OF THE NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION KIDS MATTER INTERNATIONAL, THIS EVENT HAS RAISED A VERY LARGE AMOUNT OF FUNDS FOR CHILDREN IN CRISIS. FEBRUARY 22ND MARKS THE 7TH TIME BECKY HAS HELD THE REINS, AND THIS YEAR, SHE IS EXPECTING PROCEEDS TO TOP THE HIGH SIX FIGURES. ITS ALL IN A DAYS WORK FOR THIS DEVOTED PHILANTHROPIST.

TELL US WHERE YOU GREW UP. been abused and an orphanage in India.

Western, Oklahoma…small town of 3,800 people.

My great grandparents settled there during the land WHAT ROLE DO YOU PLAY IN THE OPERATION rush, my grandparents lived there until their deaths, OF KMI? my sister still lives there, my mom lived there for Secretary on the Board of Directors and also the years and now lives in Oklahoma City.

Chair of our annual Fruit of the Vine Gala- an annual fundraising event TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF; YOUR PRESENT, AND WHAT YOU HOPE FOR THE HOW AND WHEN DID YOU FIRST BECOME FUTURE. INVOLVED WITH KMI? After being a divorced mother of one fabulous The head of the KMI Board, Coye Conner, daughter for 21 years I married my husband, Mike approached me in the startup days of KMI, about Cole. A wonderful man with a huge heart, he has being involved. I was thinking a position on the been a great encouragement to me when it come advisory committee, chairman for a committee or to charitable efforts, a loving life partner and great two, I never dreamed it would such a responsible dad to his two sons. role as secretary of the Board then later, ”Gala Chair.”

Currently Mike and I are involved in several I think this will be my sixth year chairing the event, businesses and several charities. Most of our free somewhere I never expected to be. time is spent helping and clothing children in need.

We work a great deal with “Kids Matter International” WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO GIVE a charity designed to benefit children in the best BACK? possible ways. We recently helped others cloth I know this will sound a bit old fashioned but, we 1200 children in one evening at Kohl’s at an event in are so blessed, whether it be in monetary ways or Grapevine/Southlake (Texas). the fact we have such a lovely family and beautiful grandchildren, it is only fair that we share our time TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT KIDS MATTER and talents with those who less fortunate.

INTERNATIONAL (KMI)?

Our Mission is helping children in crisis. To HOW CAN OUR READERS GET INVOLVED AND bring hope and healing to orphaned, abandoned HELP WITH YOUR CAUSE? or disadvantaged children by providing an Readers can make a difference in the life of a child environment where they can grow stronger by volunteering their time or providing funding to emotionally and physically. So that they may support our many programs that serve local and become healthy adults and productive citizens of internationally children. Continued support from their nations. the public is vital in helping us serve children in crisis.

We make a difference in the lives of children by Please visit our website for more information about volunteering our time and by providing needed our organization and how to make a difference. funding to clothe and feed the children; by supporting our character development education program in schools in multiple states; We also have a transitional home in Honduras for girls who have WWW.KIDSMATTERINTERNATIONAL.ORG 24 BLEEP

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The Cocktail Connoisseur Nathan Robins

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s Fall fades to memory and the days grow shorter, we enter a season of celebration and numbing cold - two things which are complemented marvelously by festive drinks to keep your spirits high and the chill at bay. The winter months are home to some of the grandest celebrations of the year, from holiday parties and intimate family gatherings to citywide extravaganzas; the exuberance is infectious and inescapable. To get you into the holiday spirit, or to ease you into acquiescence that the soundtrack of the world suddenly features considerably more bells and chimes, I present you with a roster of celebration inspired cocktails which will light you up like a Christmas tree and burn through those memories of grandpa’s annual holiday rant.

As always be careful and safe, enjoy what you drink, drink what you enjoy, and do so with people you cherish.

Nathan Robins is a graduate student studying in Massachusetts. During his time avoiding academic work he traverses the best and the worst of the cities drinking halls. Risking taste buds and dignity he will try most anything in search of a novel libation and will gladly offer an opinion of any drink, whether or not he has tried it yet.

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1 ½ oz. White Rum 1 ½ oz. Vodka ½ oz. Gin ¼ oz. Sweet and Sour mix ¼ tsp. Silver Cake Shimmer Dust Diet Cola Fill a shaker partially with ice, add all ingredients aside from the cold. Shake vigorously, transfer to a tall glass, and top with diet soda.

Disco Tea

Taste-wise, this drink isn’t all that special. By no means is it bland or bad, it is simply and maybe a bit familiar, but this is by design. It is essentially a striped down Long Island Iced Tea, which makes it go down easy. The secret to this drink is the cake shimmer dust which is normally used in cake decorating to make things sparkle or give a metallic sheen. Here, mixed into the drink, the dust causes swirls of silver and gold throughout the glass.

While this could be done with practically any cocktail, the taste of the dust is unnoticeable, I chose this drink

and it’s somewhat standard taste to ensure that it would wouldn’t sit still too long. Unfortunately the shimmer dust will not remain in suspension forever and if the drink sits still too long it will settle out, a slowly sipped flashy martini might eventually have a muddy silver precipitate. Being both quickly consumed and dark, any settled material should go unseen in the Disco Tea. As a side note, I almost always use diet cola in cocktails as I find the taste a bit cleaner (some would say chemical) but either diet or regular will do here.

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Effervescence

The sound of corks popping out of sparkling wine bottles is celebratory in its own right and while Champagne, Prosecco, and their bubbling cousins may not need to be mixed to be enjoyed it is certainly nice to deviate from the typical from time to time and it’s a creative way to stretch bottles late into the night. This cocktail was also a chance to call on two of my favorite liquors, St. Germain and Creme de Violette. Between the floral liquors and Prosecco, this is a very light and bright cocktail something only further enhanced by the citrus of the vodka. Though optional this drink can be decorated by mixing white sugar cake sparkles (colored bits of sugar) and rimming the glasses, I used a deep blue to match the Creme de Violette, or the glasses could be rimmed in the silver shimmer dust used in the Disco Tea.

1 oz. Creme de Violette ½ oz. St. Germain ½ oz. Citrus Vodka Prosecco Sugar (optional) Cake Sparkles (optional)

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Rim a martini glass with mixed sugar (optional).

Combine ingredients in glass and fill with well chilled Prosecco.

The Auld Lang Syne

“Auld Lang Syne” is one of my favorite songs, and the New Year can not properly be entered without it, so I knew I wanted to include a cocktail inspired by it. A poem before put to music it was originally penned by Robert Burns, Scotland’s ‘favourite son’, so without a doubt Scotch had to be the base liquor of my liquid tribute. Unfortunately Scotch is extremely difficult to mix with, and as such, when using Scotch in a mixed drink, ingredients should be chosen that will play well in the background and not compete with the Scotch. In this drink cranberry juice is used to match the dryer notes of some Scotch but it is mellowed out with simple syrup, however if you use a very peaty Scotch I’d leave this out – the earthy taste clashes with sweetness. I don’t recommend using an expensive Scotch for mixing as the subtleties those are noted for would largely be covered by the other ingredients. This drink is not for the faint of heart, as Scotch to most is an acquired taste, and scotch aficionados might turn their noses up at it their patron spirit comingling yet it does provide a nice introduction to a liquor many might otherwise avoid.

2 oz. Scotch 1 oz. Amaretto ½ Oz. Cranberry Juice Dash of Simple Syrup Fill a shaker partially with ice, add all ingredients and swirl to combine. Strain into a snifter or rocks glass.

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MARTY THOMAS &THEDIVAS HAVE TAKENMANHATTAN. EACH WEEK, MARTY THOMAS, MARISSA ROSEN, ALEXA GREEN AND KELLY KING TAKE THE STAGE AT INDUSTRY BAR IN NEW YORK CITY. APART, THEY ARE HEADLINERS IN THEIR OWN RIGHT, BUT TOGETHER, THEY FORM HELLS KITCHEN’S BIGGEST NIGHTLIFE POWERHOUSE: DIVA. THE RINGMASTER OF THE GROUP IS BROADWAY VET MARTY THOMAS. “Watching TV talent shows that boasted the best talent in the world, I was quick to disagree,” Thomas says. “A person can often sneeze in New York City and hit several people that are world class talents.

I wanted to join forces with some of this talent and produce a show that would blow people away. A fully produced, rehearsed concert that tips its hat at the days of Bette Midler in the baths, entertaining a sophisticated New York audience with accomplished cast of talented divas.

“The girls have all been so successful in various fields. Alexa has appeared as Galinda in Wicked and in Lincoln Center’s production of Company. She covers the opera and musical theater divas like Sarah Brightman, Linda Eder and Idina Menzel. Marissa has starred in several Off Broadway musicals including My Big Gay Italian Wedding, she nails the soulful ladies of R&B like Etta, Ella, Adele, Janis and Bette. Kelly has

toured internationally opening for acts like Babyface and Michael Bolton and she has her own top 20 Billboard charted hits. She holds down the pop ballad divas like Celine, Whitney and Mariah. Individually they are devastating, but when they sing together in harmony, it’s truly magical. Their collaboration is the base draw of DIVA.” WE WANTED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THESE PERFORMERS, WHERE THEY CAME FROM AND WHERE THEY’RE HEADED. MORE THAN GIFTED SINGERS, THESE DIVAS ARE FOCUSED ON MAKING A DIFFERENCE OFF-STAGE AS WELL. WHERE ARE YOU FROM? Marty: Originally from a farm in Trenton, Missouri.

Kelly: Nashville, Tenn.

Alexa: I’m a born and bred New Yorker. I grew up on Long Island and feel such a sense of pride being from here. It truly is the greatest city the world.

Marissa: Born an raised New Yorker! I grew up on Long Island.

AT WHAT POINT DID YOU REALIZE YOU COULD SING? Marty: I grew up in church. Everyone sang in Baptist BLEEP 35

churches. I started to realize I could get out of Sunday School and even real school for rehearsals/auditions.

Cutting class to be fabulous? I learned young.

Marissa: My mother said it was the moment I learned how to speak. She told me I would watch singers on television and mimic whatever they did with my fake glittery microphone and pink tutu.

Alexa: I was about five or six years old and sang “Part of Your World” at my summer camp, Stars of Tomorrow, on Long Island. When I was done, my director pulled me over to the piano, gave me a huge hug and whispered in my ear, “You were absolutely terrific! How would you like to play Molly in the big kids’ production of Annie this year?” I smiled so wide and felt such a huge sense of pride. I couldn’t wait to tell my mom and dad the news and knew in that moment that I had discovered something special.

And I was wearing some fierce, clip-on, pink disco ball earrings so it was pretty much meant to be.

Kelly: I think I thought of myself as a dancer/singer up until I was about 18. That’s when I really discovered my voice and knew I was really meant to sing.

WHAT WAS THE FIRST SINGING PERFORMANCE YOU REMEMBER GIVING? Alexa: Besides singing, acting and dancing along 36 BLEEP

with my VHS of Peter Pan in my living room? I think it was at my local library talent show singing “I Could Have Danced All Night” from My Fair Lady when I was four.

Kelly: My very first I remember was at church when I was about two. But professionally, when I was 10 I started singing at the Grand Ole Opry.

Marissa: This is an embarrassing one. I was at day camp and there was a music class. The instructor said we could pick any song we wanted, gave me backup singers and a gold glitter top hat, and she would film it so we could keep it forever. I picked the song I thought I knew best to perform in front of the camp.

It was Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start The Fire.” Looking back on that video, turns out I only know the chorus, but I sure was committed.

Marty: I signed myself up to sing at a church service.

My parents were horrified/nervous, but I guess it was the beginning steps of my career.

WHEN DID YOU MOVE TO NEW YORK? Marty: I came to New York with my mother when I was 11 years old to work on Broadway, making my New York debut in The Secret Garden.

Alexa: I’ve always lived here but I went away to the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of

MARISSA ROSEN

WHO IS THE ULTIMATE DIVA TO YOU? It’s a hard question but I have to say Bette Midler because she created something out of nothing. People said she wasn’t pretty, people said she couldn’t sing, people said she wasn’t talented but she went to the gays, as we all do, she found her niche and created this powerhouse talent.

WHAT MAKES YOU A GREAT DIVA? I think what makes me a great diva is the fact that I treat every performance as if it’s the first time anyone has ever heard that song. I never assume that anyone knows what I do or how I’m going to do it. www.twitter.com/themarissarosen www.youtube.com/Risseroni www.facebook.com/themarissarosen

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KELLY KING

WHO IS THE ULTIMATE DIVA TO YOU? That’s a really hard question because I think I take a lot from a bunch of them and they kinda make up one super diva, but if I have to pick just one, Wonder Woman. She serves and protects with equality of everyone in mind. She’s fierce.

WHAT MAKES YOU A GREAT DIVA? My best diva quality is I really love the support of our fans. I think a hug and a kiss and talking to everyone for a moment before or after a show is great and I love giving the spotlight to other untapped talent. Some would say it’s the whistle-tones, but I don’t think that’s it. I think it’s that I love other people. www.twitter.com/KellyKingSings 38 BLEEP

Music and moved back home to New York after.

Then I left again for two years to go do Wicked in California and finally moved back to NYC into my own apartment. I’ve been here since. I absolutely love to travel and live other places but New York is my home. It’s the best place to be to build a career as a singer, actor and dancer, it’s a tough place, but there’s nowhere else like it.

Marissa: Living in New York my whole life, I knew I was going to move to NYC as soon as I could. I moved here the day after I graduated high school. Why did I move here? Just look at it! Broadway shows, awesome nightlife, Times Square. It has a little bit of everything for the person who just can’t stay still.

Kelly: I moved to NYC when I was 25. I had several types of recording deals in Nashville since I was 17, but nothing was really right. I knew I needed to be in L.A. or NYC. So, I visited both, and just fell head over heals in love with NYC. I moved here and six months later was signed to my deal with Warner Bros.

I get most excited to cover anything by the late great Whitney Houston. She was and continues to be such an inspiration to me.

Kelly: Oh heavens… I have too many now. I guess I’d say Celine Dion’s “Power Of Love.”

Marissa: Anything with soul. One of my favorites is “Mamma Knows Best” by Jessie J. It was the first song I ever performed at DIVA. Alexa: I like to change it up a lot but I do get a lot of requests for things like “Wizard and I” from Wicked and lots of fun, riffy DIVA material like Christina Aguilera or Whitney. I always wanted to be a pop star.

BESIDES DIVA, WHERE ELSE DO YOU PERFORM? Alexa: I am currently working on a lot of projects. I sing at cabarets and gigs all around the city, next month I’m doing “Broadway Sings Beyonce” which has an incredible lineup, and I just finished a reading of a brand new musical called Dust and Shadow. It’s written by my friends Jonathan Reid Gealt, Dustin Sullivan and Kasey Marino, originally conceived WHAT IS YOUR GO-TO SONG TO SING AT YOUR by Jonathan B. Howard and based on the novel by GIGS? Lyndsay Faye. It has a bright future ahead so be on Marty: Gosh, I think what I love most about DIVA is the lookout for that. how I get to stretch my chops. I have such diverse Kelly: Whistling Trixie at the Time Out Lounge on taste in music that I love to sing so many styles. I think Saturdays with my co host Marti Gould Cummings

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and TOP POP at XES Lounge on Thursday nights at 10:30pm.

Marty & Marissa: Wednesday nights at Therapy Bar: Prozac Power Hour with Marty and Marissa, Friday nights at New World Stages Time Out New York Lounge: Take A Time Out with Marty and Marissa.

WHAT’S YOUR PASSION? Marty: Putting up a show in the old barn, as the saying goes. I love putting together production numbers envisioning the entire picture; arrangement, look, set, cast, etc. I love seeing the finished product of hard work and vision.

Alexa: My passion is making people happy. I really truly love to help people anyway I can. I am so grateful that music can make people feel good. If someone comes to a show and has a great time and is able to get something out of the performance, then my job is done! I feel like music not only heals but also feeds the soul.

Marissa: To be able to do what I love on a regular basis. I am very passionate about my work, and it is so easy to wake up everyday knowing that I am able to do what I love to do and make a living from it.

Kelly: Singing is my first love. My other passions include the best man in the world, my man. And my 42 BLEEP

animals. Recently though, my newest passion is life coaching. I started a life group here in NYC for all entertainers. Just teaching them some skills to cope and help navigate them through the ups and downs of our business. It’s so amazing.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU? Marty: The divas; Kelly King, Marissa Rosen and Alexa Green inspire me every week. I’ve always been such a huge fan of the great divas throughout history.

Looking around me and performing along side some of the great talents in New York City is an honor. They are so beautiful and diversely talented that I’m able to let my creativity soar in creating numbers for them.

From country to pop to opera to Broadway, there isn’t anything they can’t do. It’s a joy to get to introduce them to audiences who are always floored by what they are seeing. They work so very hard on DIVA and their solo project and are still so patient with my treating them as muses.

Alexa: Every person’s own individual life journey.

Learning from others, watching them grow, it makes me want to work harder. Seeing other people’s struggles and challenges as well as their successes really fuels me and gives me hope on a daily basis. I feel like we are all on a path and we all learn the same

ALEXA GREEN

WHO IS THE ULTIMATE DIVA TO YOU? I think it’s Mariah Carey. I grew up listening to her, playing her cassette tapes and I would rewind them over and over trying to sing her riffs. She’s just the epitome of a diva to me. She was the first person I listened to and knew that’s what I wanted to do, sound like and be.

WHAT MAKES YOU A GREAT DIVA? It’s my work ethic. I try to learn and study everything I can to challenge myself and my voice. I work really hard to learn different styles of music so I can step up to the plate every week. www.alexagreen.com www.twitter.com/atAlexaGreen www.youtube.com/NewYork2Go

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MARTY THOMAS

WHO IS THE ULTIMATE DIVA TO YOU? Rachelle Rak. I think the divas of musical theater are overlooked because they aren’t always visible on the national level. Rak is the true definition of the triple threat.

No diva works harder and makes more people happy that Rachelle Rak. WHAT MAKES YOU A GREAT DIVA? Photoshop. www.twitter.com/martythomasbway www.facebook.com/MartyThomasfans

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lessons just at different times. We get the lessons we need at the time we need them.

Kelly: Helping people truly inspires me. I love discovering untapped talent here in the city, and coaching people who are struggling. Art and creation still greatly inspire me as well, and my future inspires me. I still want to accomplish so much more!

Marissa: People inspire me. Seeing someone succeed at something challenging. Watching someone obtain a goal that I am working towards. It makes you work

harder.

SO WHAT DOES MARTY SEE IN THE FUTURE OF DIVA? “I want to see DIVA performing around the world; cruise ships, pops orchestras, cabaret spaces, stadiums,” he says. “We have several dates around the country booked for 2013, and I’m looking so forward to sharing this show with the world. I hope they are ready for the divas!”

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KING CAST PARTY photos by Bill Westmoreland

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What do a porn star, a gospel singer, two Chippendales dancers competing on “The Amazing Race,” a Louis Armstrong impersonator and a shy young girl that belted “Rain on my Parade” all have in common? They all performed on the same night at Jim Caruso’s Cast Party at the world-famous Birdland Jazz Club. The man who has shared the Broadway stage with Liza herself lets BLEEP in on how it all got started.

WHERE ARE YOU FROM? I was born in Pittsburgh, Penn., moved to Dallas in high school and lived there for 15 years. I did a lot of theatre there and started to sing in clubs. I had names like “Townsperson 7” in the shows I was doing, so I thought ‘I don’t feel fancy doing this. I want to feel fancy.’ I saw a couple cabaret acts that came through Dallas from San Francisco and they were superstars in a very small portion of show business. I thought maybe that was the way to make some kind of splash and be able to say something to a bunch of people in a room, entertain and essentially, have my own variety show. That’s what I always wanted. My first act was with my mother at the piano and was called “Son of a Bitch.” It’s a part of cabaret lore now, but it was so fun. So I fired my mother, got another piano player and we’ve been going ever since.

WHEN DID YOU MOVE TO NEW YORK? 1990. I had a vocal trio called Wise Guys and we moved here to further the group. We would work all over the world so we had spent quite a bit of time in New York. I knew the territory. We had already played Carnegie Hall a few times, done Clinton’s inaugural and at the White House, but we still weren’t making a living. I always say this is the hardest way to make a living. Amish people make more money than cabaret people do. The goal was to make a living in show 50 BLEEP

business. It was as simple as that.

WHEN DID CAST PARTY START? Almost ten years ago. There was no driving force behind it, there was no plan, there was no brilliant idea in the middle of the night. I had stopped singing because the group broke up, I had worked for Liza, as a producer on TV and was then working for a publicist at the time. He said we needed to help this bar that just opened and basically write press releases for drink specials. So I threw a party one night, there was a piano, Billy Stritch started playing the piano, everyone started to sing and people stayed until 3:00 in the morning eating and drinking. The next day, the club asked if we’d do it again, and I said no...cut to ten years later, we’re still doing it. It’s in a different place (Birdland) and it really is a show now, but there was no light bulb moment of hosting an extreme openmike.

IT WENT FROM A ONE-NIGHT PARTY TO A SOLDOUT WEEKLY EVENT. There’s something about this that’s extreme. The quality of the musicians is insane, the quality of the room at Birdland is great and the quality and variety of the people that come in make it really unique. At Cast Party, an impromptu performance by Martin Short can be followed by a Long Island housewife

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singing an original song about pollution. It’s a showbiz democracy!

I was 14 years old, I was that kid. I’ve been into the selling of stuff forever. I sold rubber stamps when I was 15. I love the idea of having a product. Now, to WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITES THAT HAVE have a product that’s not so self-absorbed as it was COME THROUGH CAST PARTY AT RANDOM? when I was promoting myself as a singer is joyous.

One of the most bizarre nights was the night that The second I shifted the spotlight to include other Betty Comden walked in the room. She was all in black people, things became more interesting. I think it’s a and diamonds, all alone. She looked spectacular. She good lesson for all of us. Share the spotlight and share walked in, watched and clapped and cheered for the gift. Look outside of your own little performing everybody, very low key. At one point, she motioned box. for me and Billy to come over and she asked if it’d be alright if she sang something. This is an icon of the BEYOND BIRDLAND, WHAT ELSE ARE YOU UP TO? American theatre. She sang “100 Easy Ways to Lose a Recently, Billy Strich and I have been performing at Man” from Wonderful Town, and people were crying Bemelmans Bar at the Carlyle, which is a whole other because of the historical value of it. That was one of kind of career move really. Neither one of us have the most memorable nights and I knew we really had done this in a really long time. It’s a bar, a fancy bar but something then. still a bar. We didn’t know if people would even listen But there have been a lot of celebrities. Liza is or what the vibe would be, but boy do they listen. A always a favorite. She announced her divorce at Cast few weeks ago, Bono came in with some people, sat Party actually. Cheyenne Jackson and Ricki Lake sang in the corner and kept giving us the thumbs up when “Suddenly Seymour” one night. Then Carol Channing he liked a song. When he was leaving, Billy was just came to Cast Party in Los Angeles. She got up and starting to sing “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” and Bono talked to the crowd, was hilarious and went into had happened to sing that with Sinatra on the duets the “Let me go Horace” monologue from Hello Dolly album. So he just sat down next to Billy and started before singing “Before the Parade Passes By.” That was singing. The audience was freaking out. That was a a thrilling moment. great moment.

WHERE DID BROADWAY AT BIRDLAND COME FROM? That was a no-brainer. With Cast Party, we had two hundred people in a the best music room in town, if not the entire country. Birdland is an iconic jazz club but it seemed like we had a room full of lovers of music of all kinds. We booked a bunch of Broadway people and some jazz cabaret folks. Ten years later, it’s still going strong. We’ve had Chita, we’ve had Liza, we’ve had Jason Robert Brown, unbelievable composers, up-and-coming songwriters which I love, and country singers. I’m so proud of that series and to give these people this incredible music room is great. It’s an amazing way to show people who they really are. If they’re in a Broadway show playing Mary Poppins, that’s not who they are in real life. This gives them a chance to do something totally different.

THROUGH CAST PARTY AND BROADWAY AT BIRDLAND, YOU’VE BECOME A MARKETING GURU OF SORTS. Thank God for Facebook. I’ve had a mailing list since

WHY DO YOU DO WHAT YOU DO? I love celebrating great talent. That’s really what this all is. Cast Party does it and the Broadway at Birdland series really does it with some of the greatest performers in the world. That’s what I love about it, shining a spotlight on people at a time when it’s hard.

There are not a lot of stages and venues to do these kinds of things that are of the quality of Birdland.

Also, being able to take Cast Party on the road to celebrate wonderful talent has been pure joy! First of all, we have a ball. I feel like door-to-door Ed Sullivan.

Secondly, in an age where budgets for the arts are being cut right and left, I’m so proud that we’ve been able to shine a spotlight on thousands of up-andcoming singers and songwriters. What a thrill to be able to connect with so many people. Good talent has always been my passion, and this is what I’m supposed to be doing, that’s for sure. Giving someone a stage to perform on lets them show us all who they are, and that’s a powerful thing!

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KENTON FRIDLEY Originally from West Virginia, he’s traveled around the country performing in Florida and Ohio, performed on cruise ships for a few years and moved to New York three years ago. Still dedicated to learning more about his craft, Kenton’s story is an inspiration to so many aspiring actors: Never stop learning.

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WHAT WAS THE FIRST TIME YOU REMEMBER BEING INSPIRED BY THEATRE? The first musical I ever saw, I was 18 years old, and it was Anything Goes. I thought it was great. Back then, I thought I was going to be a pop singer. My sister was at church camp or something and she was in a skit. Seeing my older sister on stage meant so much to me and I always wanted to act out that skit in front of my parents. I really didn’t even know stage performance existed when I grew up. There was TV and radio but it wasn’t until I got to college. I realized there was opera and musical theatre and that was a type of studying that people did. That changed my journey.

WHAT WAS THE NEXT STEP ON YOUR JOURNEY THEN? I was doing theme parks and wanted to do something a little different. I ended up spending some time doing cruise ships and that was fun. I loved seeing other countries and traveling, but after a while, I wanted to take that next step. The whole experience was eye-opening and life-changing for me. I learned a lot.

WHY NEW YORK? I knew I wanted to be here. I knew it was the goal but I never had the money. But after being on cruise ships, I was able to save it and make the move.

PEOPLE HAVE A CERTAIN IDEA OF WHAT WORKING IN NEW YORK IS. WAS IT WHAT YOU EXPECTED? I probably couldn’t have even named five musical theatre shows when I got to New York. I started working at the Stardust Diner [where the waiters sing] and people were singing all these songs I’d never heard of from shows I’d never heard of. I had to really look at things, take some classes and work on myself. I’ve done a cabaret that was really fun and I’ve filmed some TV episodes that have been pretty cool as well. I just realized I wasn’t ready 58 BLEEP

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yet. So I spent time working on myself and learning what I could.

WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON CURRENTLY? I’m working on a project that’s a rock-and-roll movie musical called “Center of the Universe.” It was already a stage production about the moon of Jupiter, but I play the lead character, Harley, who is a sort of intergalactic Han Solo-type of character. It’s coming along and is a great experience. It means a lot to me.

ARE YOU STILL STRETCHING YOURSELF? I’m still taking classes, actually I have rehearsal for a scene right after this.

WHAT’S NEXT? I’m still striving and reaching for things. There’s a confident side of me that’s a dreamer. I’m striving to be the very best me and careerwise, I don’t know if that’s an actor or a voice-over, but I’ve always wanted to share myself. I’d love to be in a big movie or on a big TV show. The goal is to be the best I can be. Realistically, it’s just to be a working actor and be doing this for the rest of my life.

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WHERE ARE YOU FROM ORIGINALLY? got the gig. I think there was a $5 or $10 cover and I am from Philly but I just relocated from San Francisco I got to keep the money for whoever came to see to Brooklyn. Clearly, I’m a city girl! me. I remember thinking “This is the best money I’ve ever made. I’m never going to spend it.” I bought my WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST MUSICAL PERFORMANCE friends and I drinks.

YOU CAN REMEMBER GIVING? Well I was in choir for as long as I can remember and WHAT DO YOU WRITE ABOUT? in an A Cappella group in high school. I love singing in I write about life. I write about love. I try to write groups because you get the great harmonies. Singing about things people can relate to and those are two solo is totally different. My first performance happened very common themes. I think a lot of my songs have a when I was at NYU and I was so nervous I did a shot very real nature to them. Feeling alone, lost, unloved, of tequila beforehand. It didn’t do anything because searching for answers. I feel lucky that I have my guitar of all the adrenaline. The only thing I remember was to pick up when I’m feeling those things. how great I felt afterwards. My legs felt like jelly and I was so happy I had stood up to my fear of performing WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE SONG OF YOURS TO alone.

SING AND WHY? Right now I am doing a project where I’m writing a song AT WHAT POINT DID MUSIC BECOME YOUR a week for a year (called Song in Your Box). So literally PRIMARY FOCUS? every song that I write becomes a new favorite! I think I was studying psychology at NYU and after my first it’s just because it gets stuck in my head for the whole year, I made my mom come visit, sat her down and week. I end up playing it 10 times a day. (for more info said “I’m not going back”. She said “Yes you are, but on the project you can go to www.danacarmel.com) you can study whatever you like.” So I studied music (and romance languages). That was when I first started WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE COVER SONG TO SING writing songs and realized it was what I wanted to do. AND WHY? I’ve been enjoying singing “Help!” by the Beatles. I slow WHAT WAS THE FIRST TIME MAKING MUSIC it down and play it on the acoustic guitar and it really MADE YOU ANY MONEY? changes the meaning which I think is awesome. It’s I auditioned for a songwriters night at CBGB’s and actually a pretty sad song but they sing it so fast and BLEEP 69

pop-y that you forget. I am obsessed with the Beatles.

WHAT IS YOUR INSPIRATION? I try to draw inspiration from anything and everything.

That’s also why I started this project. I wanted to look for it and find it everywhere. Sometimes it’s from a phrase someone says, sometimes it’s from the sounds of the sprinkler outside. It really depends. But the trick is not to wait until inspiration hits and just to work on your craft (i.e. write) everyday.

WHAT OTHER ARTISTS DO YOU LISTEN TO? I listen to a lot of other artists. Pearl Jam is an old favorite, Ingrid Michaelson, The Beatles, Lady Gaga when I work out, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Red Hot Chili Peppers. Actually I’m in process of getting a whole new list of music to listen to and do my “research” on.

WHAT’S YOUR DREAM? My dream is to make a difference in people’s lives.

Whether it’s by smiling at someone, paying a stranger a compliment or on a bigger scale by inspiring other people to go after their dream. I’ve learned that actions speak louder than words and so I’m trying to lead by example. It’s very easy to say, “Just write every day, or follow your heart” but it’s a very different thing to actually do it.

HOW DO YOU REMAIN CREATIVELY FUELED? I try to take care of myself the best I can. Eat right, exercise, sleep well and then hope that the creativity has a healthy vessel to flow through. Aside from that I just write everyday. Sometimes nothing comes, and so I just play old songs. Sometimes, things come that I don’t like or don’t use, and sometimes I get a hit. You just never know but you have a better chance when you do it more often. Flex the muscle so it keeps getting stronger!

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DESMOND SMITH: FROM COSTUME TO COUTURE PHOTOS BY ALYSSA MARIE MARTINEZ

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DESMOND SMITH GOT HIS START MAKING COSTUMES AND HAS NOW CREATED A COLLECTION OF FORMAL AND READY-TO-WEAR LOOKS. AS HE STEPS INTO THE SPOTLIGHT, WE CHAT WITH DESMOND ABOUT WHERE HE’S HEADED. WHERE ARE YOU FROM? Southern California.

WHAT SCHOOL DID YOU ATTEND? University of California Riverside.

animals...I love painting and I’ve always been drawing and painting.

WHAT WAS THE FIRST PIECE OF FASHION TO CREATED? I made a purse and a baby’s onesie. Then I started WHEN WAS THE FIRST TIME YOU TOOK NOTICE working in the theatre my freshman year of college OF WHAT PEOPLE WERE WEARING? and that’s when I started getting into making real I’ve always been interested in clothes. My dad’s a clothes. I didn’t really know what I was doing but I painter and I’ve always been interested in painting as got a job making costumes and that’s where I learned well. It was when I went to college that I first realized how to make clothes.

I wanted to actually make clothes and that it wasn’t just something I was interested in.

WAS IT HARD TO TRANSITION FROM MAKING COSTUMES TO MAKING READY-TO-WEAR WHAT DID YOU DRAW WHEN YOU WERE YOUNG? CLOTHES? On all my notes in class and on all my tests, I would It wasn’t that hard really. My mom owned a clothing draw all over the back of the paper. Eyes, faces, people, boutique for a long time and I also sold out of her 80 BLEEP

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boutique. Usually I just sold tops and some little cocktail dresses. That taught me about being able to look with “an eye” and see this was something people could wear every day.

For theatre, you have to really think about the time it’s in it, the characters, the relationships to each other, the season, the color scheme…it’s all got to fit together. Nothing can be an oddball. Then it’s all about finding what you’re looking for. In costuming a show, there’s a lot more planning than a dress. It’s not rocket-science for me.

If you’re making a cocktail dress, you don’t have to keep all that in mind. You can let all your creativity out. You don’t have to consider all the things you have to consider in theatre.

WHAT DID YOU GO TO SCHOOL FOR? Art History.

WHY ART HISTORY AND NOT FASHION? I know people who have gone to smaller fashion schools but that really wasn’t for me. I started in engineering but didn’t know what I wanted to do. I did know I wanted my degree to be something I can build off of. So with art history, I get to study art from all over the world and that informs the decisions I make when I’m building a dress or a costume. I knew it would be a better base to build a career off of.

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU’RE NOT DESIGNING? Finishing school and working in construction doing painting.

WHAT ARE YOU CREATING NOW? I created costumes for a couple plays this summer and have an independent movie I’m costuming in January. I just did a dress for a friend that went to the LA Music Awards so that was pretty cool.

WHAT’S YOUR DREAM? To be able to make a steady income off ready-towear and drift out of costuming eventually. I love costumes but it’s not my ultimate goal. I want to make great clothes.

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Notthe

Same Look

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Stasia Langford and Leah Macauley see things just a little differently. It’s known as the editorial eye. They can spot beauty in a not-so-traditional sense. The Dallas modeling industry is inundated with the same “look.” Typically, very commercial, with a catalog worthy smile. The Dragonfly Agency opened just four months ago and already is creating quite a stir with its mission to represent the unique and talented. We were allowed to have a holiday shoot with four Dragonfly models, we get to know the owners, and find out what their plans are for this buzzworthy new agency.

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Photographed by Brandon Lyon Written, Produced, and Styled by Juan Lerma at The Dragonfly Agency Makeup by Jerrad Trahan at The Dragonfly Agency Hair by Walter Fuentes at The Dragonfly Agency Models - The Dragonfly Agency: Chazz Huckabee, Bryce Kohler, Lailani Meekel, Amber Watterscheid

Chazz wears Gown by Terry Costa, and Couture Rocks Fine Jewelry.

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Bryce wears Pants, Shoes, Shirt, Bow tie, and Jacket by Zara, Watch by Movado.

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Amber wears Gown by Terry Costa and Couture 90 BLEEP Rocks Fine Jewelry.

Lailani wears Gown by Terry Costa, and Couture Rocks Fine Jewelry.

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TELL US ABOUT YOUR PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND. Stasia: I have been an agent for 20 years. I started out with It Models and Omar’s Men in Los Angeles. The agency was owned by Paul Fisher from the reality TV series “Remodeled.” I have since worked at large agencies like LA Models and NEXT as an agent for Men and Women. I took a brief two-year stint to represent only hair, makeup and fashion stylists as well in Los Angeles.

Leah: I worked in Information Technology for major clients such as AT&T and Sprint for many years as well as Club Corp in Dallas.

dreams both locally and internationally.

WHY DO YOU NOT BELIEVE IN CONTRACTS? Stasia: Contracts are absurd to me. I know they have there place, but for us, it is all about communication. If someone is not happy with the job we are doing or feels that they could do better somewhere else, it can be a discussion.

Our goal is that if we are doing our job, and the talent is successful, then they should never feel the need to leave. Idealistic I know, but I don’t ever want anyone to feel they cannot talk to me or discuss concerns. It is a family mentality. We are really all in this together.

Leah: We want to have a positive relationship HOW DID THE NAME THE DRAGONFLY with the models we represent. We will work AGENCY COME ABOUT? hard to help them reach their individual goals Leah: We thought the name Dragonfly was however, if one party wants to move on it just different and then when we looked at the seems like bad energy to keep them locked into symbolism of the name. It really signified what a partnership that is no longer productive. we want our agency to represent. In almost every part of the world, the Dragonlfy symbolizes WHAT IS YOUR HOPE FOR THE FUTURE? change, power and poise.

Stasia: My hope is that we grow, but don’t ever Stasia: I knew I wanted a “stand alone” image... get too large that we don’t have the ability to that didn’t need a name. When you see a picture have a strong hands-on approach with everyone of a dragonfly you instantly know what it is. It we represent. I want a continuous cycle of was perfect name for us. models and artists coming through our city and then leaving to work on their books in other WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO RUN YOUR AGENCY markets. Everyone needs to grow and learn and DIFFERENTLY THAN ALL THE OTHERS IN experience the fashion industry in every city DALLAS? or country that they are right for. It makes for Leah: There are great agencies in Dallas that a better model and in turn will only make the have been for a very long time. However, we feel agency stronger. there is a also need for a more global approach Leah: That our vision with Dragonfly continues and a fresh perspective. to be successful and we continue to evolve, grow Stasia: The internet has changed the way we and embrace change. book models and artists...there is no “region” anymore and I felt Dallas had the beauty and WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB? creative talent to be able to work anywhere. I Leah: One of the most wonderful things about didn’t see any other agencies doing that. Their my job is working with my partner Stasia. The focus was merely on getting as much work respect and goals we have for ourselves and our for their models here. I want our models and business is reflected in the way we are running artists to work worldwide. I want to produce our agency. a models book, test them with young creative Stasia: My favorite part is simply developing photographers, so that they can compete with someone who has yet to realize their potential. anyone in any place in the world.

I love the testing process. I love the creative aspect of a shoot when all the players, models, WHAT IS YOUR OBJECTIVE WITH DRAGONFLY? photographers, artists come together and Stasia: I would love the Dragonfly Agency to be literally create a vision. It’s exciting to see the synonymous with editorial but beautiful models end result and know that everyone benefits. I and talented, creative artists that are not limited also love seeing the confidence that happens to this market. I love to develop talent.--to see to a model when they feel that you have “their people achieve their goals. back.” I think everyone I represent feels that.

Leah: With an open mind we hope to continue When people feel secure, and know you believe to build beautiful talent for our clients while also in them, they are free to be the best model or enabling our models and artists pursue their artist they can be.

BLEEP 93 Stasia Langford and Leah Macauley owners of The Dragonfly Agency

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With all the fashion blogs out there, it’s easy to think they’re all the same, but Anthony Urbano and Dustin Tyler Moore will change your mind. After checking out what they do with what they find in their closet, you’ll be adding their blog to your bookmarks for sure.

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Where are you from?

Anthony: I grew up in Sayreville, a town in central New Jersey.

Dustin: I’m from Grass Valley, Calif. It’s a little mining town in Northern California.

What brought you to New York?

Anthony: I guess, technically, I didn’t go to New York.

But after college I got a job as a structural engineer in New York City so I moved to Jersey City, which is literally right across the Hudson River. It pretty much feels like I’m in the city though. I moved up here to be closer to my job and also because of all the fun nightlife and opportunity the city has to offer. There was no reason for me to move far from home because everything I wanted was already nearby.

Dustin: I was accepted into an acting conservatory.

Performing is a big part of me and I just felt that I was meant to be doing it here. In my mind there was no other place to go.

Where did your love for fashion originate?

Anthony: I remember that as a little kid I used to love when my parents would take me shopping for Christmas. The excitement of picking out new clothes and getting to wear them for the first time was something that always made me really happy. As I got older and started to develop my personal style I always loved getting dressed and would notice clothing on other people and how they wore certain things. That’s what really got me into clothes and fashion.

Dustin: I think the need that people have to create an image for themselves with clothes is fascinating. I have always loved the confidence that putting my best foot

forward gives me. I’m a strong believer in the idea that looking your best helps you feel your best.

Were you a fashionable kid? How did your sense of style evolve to now?

Anthony: I’d say I was a pretty fashionable kid. I went to a Catholic school so even though I had to wear a uniform I loved putting my own spin on it. I was always wearing my tie and cardigan when the other kids opted to wear just a polo shirt with their uniform. When we had “dress down days” at school and we could wear our own clothes I remember how I loved to bust out all my new clothes and wear my best outfit. I always worked hard to look my best.

My style has definitely changed a lot over the years.

As a kid I was always very preppy. My Dad would dress me in GAP and I loved wearing khakis and plaids and v-necks. High school was a really weird time. Let’s just say I was “experimenting” with my style. I had this phase where I was dressing in all FUBU and Ecko and South Pole. I think I thought I was tough or something and all my friends were wearing that sort of stuff so I eventually followed suit. About midway through high school I did a total 180 and was wearing all Abercrombie and Hollister. Needless to say I don’t like to think about those bad fashion days anymore.

I think after college, is when I really developed my personal style as it is now. I’m more comfortable and confident about the choices I make in what I buy and wear. I’m definitely more about wearing what’s comfortable and practical for my budget and life. I don’t pay attention too much to brands. I’m all about the final look and the way I feel in the clothes. My style now is definitely more layered and buttoned up but still with BLEEP 99

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a young and fresh twist. I like to incorporate something a little unexpected whether it’s color, an accessory, or just some small personal detail.

Dustin: Oh, I was. I loved button-down shirts and clip-on (Yes, a clip on!) ties. I was adamant about having my hair go into this huge wave in the front and I wanted to match everything. It’s embarrassing to talk about now. Thrifting gave me insight into older styles. My town didn’t have many places to shop. But we always thrifted. It’s a great feeling finding something unique that you love to wear.

These days I’m wearing lots of vintage pieces. I’m still trying to find those forgotten gems.

off. We realized that we liked showcasing our personal style and interacting with people to give advice and answer questions. It was a great feeling to help others out and to know that people liked what we were doing.

Eventually we started using Anthony’s DSLR camera to snap outfit pictures and started to post regularly on our blog. It became a really great way to express and explore our love for style and fashion.

What’s the response been like?

Both: The response has been really great and really positive. After one short year of blogging, we’ve already been invited to NYFW shows, attended presentations and press previews, and worked with some of our favorite brands as well as discover really great new brands. We’ve interviewed designers, been gifted some amazing products that we couldn’t usually afford ourselves, and met some fantastic people in fashion and PR. We were even approached by a production team and were cast to do a reality show which we began filming. No word on what’s happening with it yet but it’s all still pretty amazing. We’ve been so blessed and very fortunate for all these opportunities. For two people who don’t work in fashion, the response has just blown our minds. It’s really great. Our readers too, who have followed our blog from the beginning, have always been super supportive as they’ve watched our blog and success continue to grow. It feels so rewarding to be welcomed and accepted for our sense of style and what we do.

Why did you start Closet Freaks?

Both: Closet Freaks was a total accident. We had no intentions of becoming serious bloggers or style advisors when we created our Tumblr account. It just kind of happened and took off. About a year ago, at the start of fall, we remember being really bored and really broke and wanting to go shopping for new clothes. We had just spent a lot of money on moving into our new apartment together so we didn’t really have any extra income to go on a shopping spree. So we played dress up instead.

It was just for fun and we spent a whole night going through our closet and putting looks together and then we photographed them with Anthony’s iPhone. We had heard about Tumblr because a few of our friends used it so we created an account that same night and posted the photos. Didn’t tell anyone about it. It was just for us.

After about a few days we started getting some followers out of nowhere and eventually got featured on What sets your blog apart from other fashion blogs? the Menswear section. From there our blog started taking Both: Our unique situation definitely helps us stand out 102 BLEEP

from the typical fashion blog. We’re a couple, that lives together, that can share clothes and shoes! Also, while there are a lot of women’s style blogs there’ aren’t too many men’s ones out there. And of the men’s blogs, not too many do a lot of personal style type posts. So we’re definitely among a small group for now until more guys start blogging.

Our sense of style also sets us apart. We’re not tailored menswear. We’re not full blown street wear or super edgy. We’re somewhere in between and there’s definitely an audience that can relate to and appreciate that. Aside from our style though, we think people also get a glimpse into our life and dynamic as a couple. It’s great to sort of tell our love story here and there through our outfit posts.

continues to grow we definitely want to include more about lifestyle and have contributors submit women’s style and fashion content. We’d love to work with more brands and designers as well as to break fashion news and style their pieces. It would be great to blog full time and turn Closet Freaks into a legitimate business venture for ourselves and to use it as a platform to pursue our dream careers.

What’s your dream?

Anthony: My dream is definitely to work for myself in some capacity. Ideally, I would be styling menswear editorials for magazines, campaigns or lookbooks. I would love to have steady work as a stylist and maintain the blog at the same time. But definitely my dream is to What’s the goal of Closet Freaks? be working in fashion in some way.

Both: We really want Closet Freaks to be a main Dustin: I want to sing/write music - create a product I’m destination for men’s style inspiration. Whether it’s proud of. Be successful in all of the things I care most ourselves continuing to post personal outfit posts, or about. covering menswear trends, news, and fashion shows, CLOSE TFREAKSBLOG.COM we want people to come to our blog first. As the blog BLEEP 103

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MY

VIEW

by Katherine Morgan

ALEX, Student, 21 from Seattle, WA

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE? I would describe it as bright, colorful and cheerful. I feel that darker colors can bring a feeling of sadness or depression. I like to think that by wearing bright colors, I can cheer others up, including myself.

WHO OR WHAT INFLUENCES YOUR STYLE THE MOST? There’s this older man who goes to my gym who wears neon yellow everything. He’s around 80 years old and he just walks all over town, being himself. He inspires me to act more like him. Unlike the other senior citizens, he chooses to dress the way he wants to, not how society tells him to dress.

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WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PIECE THAT YOU’RE WEARING? My orange Neff hat. I’ve always worn a hat and I feel like it’s a part of me.

My mother bought it for me 4 years ago. I’m a Momma’s boy, no doubt about it. The hat is a part of my character, which I would describe as cheerful and caring. I enjoy cheering people up and helping people when they’re in a less than ideal situation, whether it be through some form of interaction or from them cracking a smile when they see me walking down the street.

bleepquiz Kenton Fridley

Actor

I am... Kenton.

I’m here because... this is where I have chosen to be in the present moment.

What makes me happiest is... relaxing in a beautiful island paradise. The color that best represents me is... red. What I hope to accomplish today is... to go work out and then read Henry IV. My best friends are... the coolest people in the world. I can’t live without...America’s Funniest Home Videos!

Between an Olympic champion or an Oscar winner, I’d rather be... an Oscar winner.

If I wasn’t me, I’d be... miserable. I like it best when you... are the little spoon.

God is... subjective. I’m hungry for... ice cream. Always. I cry... sometimes.

Style means... bringing forth your inner passions and adorning yourself accordingly. I want to go... the distance.

The most obnoxious sound in the world is... fake laughter. What makes me weak is... temptation. At this exact moment I’m passionate about... these questions.

I crave... enlightenment.

My inspiration is... in everything.

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