Vol 1(1) August 2013
Free-spirited magazine for the creative-minded, beat-driven, bold and artsy
Message from the editor:
Suzanne Perry A day late and a dollar short, but it’s finally here! It was supposed to be the birthday issue to have been released August 15th. Today is September 1st and I’m re-writing the inside greeting, because it’s not my birthday anymore. It’s not even August anymore.. But it’s finally here - better late than never. To put it in perspective and maybe to help pacify myself, it took 2 years to release my first penned song (but if not for the faith, patience and talent of Gaia Miranda, probably would still not be done). I figure one month to assemble the first magazine in pockets of time at random, awkward hours, really isn’t so bad.
I have a tendency to bite off more than I can chew; but when my heart is into something, nothing will stop me from getting it done, and then I will protect it like my child. This magazine is one of those. So pardon any dust, it’s a big effort, a heck of a lot more work than I imagined and alot of zombified nights realizing I’d fallen asleep mid-edit again slumped in my computer chair. Another day it didn’t get done. Dammit.
The concept of this magazine is to serve as a mental breather, a place to exhale, get a laugh, and know you belong. It’s to be a place to feature people we think are cool, to help shine the light on the underdog for a change, because we, the underdogs, don’t have commerical, corporate dollars to take our play to Broadway or pay a casting crew, or get our product endorsed by some big whip celebrity. It’s your go-to when people piss you off, and you can’t vent. It’s for all who have been wronged when you’re doing right. I’d like it to be a place you can come and feel like you belong, kind of like the Island of Misfits. We are all misfits, really I mean, who is born perfect, and if you were, you’d still not fit in, because nobody else can relate to you. And you’d be all stuck up and shit. No, not here. Keep moving.
Message from the editor (cont’d) Come visit us to get a break from the daily bullcrap of snobs, bitches, backstabbers, drama queens and assholes in general. We’re not out to put anybody down, we’re here to help you get through the bull, be a better person, take the high road, and actually get something positive out of your existence. We are about the power of positive, while planning our next tattoo and picking up a 6-pack. Creative minds, concert junkies and supporting the small business - this is what we are about. Join our cross-legged circle of genuine rebels, all grown up, small businesses, performing artists, writers, reviewers and ‘feet on the ground’ type of people.
We don’t start or tolerate slander or bullshit, we love our families and stand our ground. We sing the wrong words, at the top of our lungs, we can swear, we can even not button our pants now and then. But don’t leave the seat up. Sorry, pet peeve of mine. Oh yeah, and absolutely NO duck faces! Just sayin’.
This magazine is for your entertainment. We have contributors with specialized credentials, and they will be listed at the end of their column where applicable. Overall, take us as a whole, a grain of salt. Make it sea salt. I, personally as well as this magazine as an entity, does not endorse or represent any of the views of any of the contributors or advertisers, nor should anything be taken as a cure for whatever ails you. If we do something to improve your life, open your mind, or see in a different light, we’re happy. It’s about selfimprovement, dumping naysayers, and doing what makes YOU happy! Ya feelin’ me now? Have fun, get inspired, and screw the haters. You reap what you sow. We sow optimism here. It’s about love, people. We support each other.
I hope you will enjoy meeting and befriending our contributors. Some are represented in this issue, others will come in for the next one.. as we can get coordinated and aligned. I’m quite flattered to have the calibre of talent who stepped up when I put the call out!
Anyways, on with it! Write in, interact with us, and share our stuff. Share a smile, it’s free, nontaxable and you can’t get any diseases. Same for our magazine. Thank you!
Suzanne Perry “SuzyP”
Table of contents Volume (1)1, August 2013
Havent figured it out yet. :) Cover photo and photo on this page are from the 2013 EXPOSURE Concert: Because love shouldn’t hurt.
All photos used in this publication were either taken from creative commons sources, are credited in the caption, or were photographed by Suzanne Perry; excepting obviously Studio 112’s images are owned by Studio 112, and Buffalo Artist owns her work, etc.. Don’t get dumb over it. (c)2013 Hot Jam Media. All rights reserved. Please share; don’t copy, it’s illegal!
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT Meet the woman behind the infamous Buffalo Artist | ‘Buffalo Artist’ profile, Amanda Hart
“Why leave your ambitions for tomorrow when you know you can accomplish them
Exclusive Hot Jam Interview: bedroom walls to Buffalo’s building sides by Suzanne Perry
It’s such a pleasure to have you as a part of our mag’s debut edition! Please tell us a little bit about yourself! : Amanda Hart : Mandy : Buffalo, NY What piqued your interest to use paint as your medium?
What is the earliest creation you can recall?
: Purple : Grape Leaves at Lexington Co OP : I love downtown Buffalo! : Why leave your ambitions for tomorrow when you know you can accomplish them today? Tomorrow isn't promised. Make it count and have no regrets. : Loco by Coal Chamber American Head Charge
Buffalo Artist Amanda Hart (Cont’d) “I started drawing on my bedroom wall in Sharpie… finally I was asked if I was interested in doing murals!”
Have you ever taken any classes or training? I have had training and classes for my artwork but mostly I am self-taught . Experience is always your best teacher! What is your favorite style to create? (to create on.. like canvas, paper, etc) I love working on walls. I feel like paper and canvas is so expensive and space-limiting. A wall to me has endless possibilities and more freedom. Do different moods prompt different mediums (paint vs pencil vs charcoal or pastels or colors, textures? Yes my artwork is VERY mood dependent, usually when I’m in a happy mood I paint, because my painting is carefree and whimsical, but when I draw it usually when I’m deep in thought about something. I call it my thinking time. How did you get to paint on buildings?! Believe it or not I started by drawing on my bedroom wall in my parents’ house in Sharpie! My progressive doodling became bigger and bigger until finally I was asked if I was interest-
ed in doing murals. From there is snowballed into this huge mural initiative that I am involved with now! Do you create from experience, or inspirations from scenery that you see? Where do you draw your inspiration from? I create from a mixture of my emotions and experiences. I have had many life experiences that reflect in my art. I have lived in over 6 different states throughout my life. All the people I have met over the years inspire a lot of my pieces. Where can people see more of your work? My mural on Clinton and Clare St is viewable to anyone as well as The Protocol Seascape Mural on Transit Rd. I also work with community Canvases on Public Art Projects all through out the city of Buffalo. I will be participating this year in the Tonawanda St. Blitz by painting a signal box. They can inquire to see my private gallery by setting up an appointment on the BCA page or contacting us at contact@BuffaloArtist.com! We also have a Facebook and a Website!
www.BuffaloCustomArt.com
www.BuffaloCustomArt.com We want to teach our youth how to be environmentally responsible through art and art initiatives. We want to teach that respecting our community through being environmentally responsible , self-sustainability and energy efficient is the way to a happy life. Through our go green art projects, we aim to teach how to paint using organic or reusable supplies and to get together a group of artists who have environmental messages through their public art projects. www.BuffaloCustomArt.com Awards: Silver Key of Texas - Scholastic Awards V.A.S.E. awards in Visual Excellence The Vincent Van Gough Award All works are copyrighted by Buffalo Custom Art and used with permission Š2013 Hot Jam Media
PONDEROUSLY
POINTS PERSPECTIVES
PERCEPTIVE BY
From Charlie Hustle to A Rod: A former Little League baseball base stealing wiz's take on betting in Major League Baseball. Since this is my first column for this online "e" magazine, I want to start out by thanking the publisher, Suzanne Perry, for providing me with this opportunity. The aim of this column will be to get my readers thinking and considering some interesting, fun and yet also sometimes quirky and inquisitively entertaining topics about events, people, trends, sports, technology and places. To quote a well known movie character from several years ago, Forrest Gump, "You never know what you're gonna get.” So I hope you, my reader, will join me on this new journalistic journey. Having said that, I want to discuss supposedly grown up,
GARY HODGE
responsible and mature baseball athletes. •I heard news that Alex "A Rod" Rodriquez, • a New York Yankees player, is facing a 211 game and 34 million dollar fine. He plans to appeal the ruling and is being allowed to continue playing with his team mates until a decision is reached for or against the Big Apple Baseball star. Also, 12 other current Major League Baseball (MLB) players have been suspended for 50 games. Prior to this case, there was one involving Pete Rose, who it was decided had intentionally placed several illegal financial bets on MLB games, including those during which he played or managed. When I was playing Little League (LLB) baseball, the only things myself and my teammates ever thought about was how "cool" it was, first, to be able to play a game we really enjoyed and two, trying to play and act like our favorite MLB players and teams. In my case, at one time, the Cincinnati Reds were World's Series Champions and became known to fans as "The Big Red Machine" by fans because winning had become almost automatic, like a factory machine stamping out a product. Rose was one of my favorite players during my LLB all of ten years,
and I would pattern my ability to also steal bases like Pete did. And, if I may say so, I was darn good at it. I offer my evidence, which is only me saying so but I hope you will believe me, of successfully "stealing" one hundred and ten consecutive bases. The fact that Rose, also known as "Charlie Hustle" wasn't always appreciated for hitting home runs didn't matter to me. I appreciate the way he did something I also could. He attempted to steal bases and was mostly ruled "safe" by the umpires. I prided myself with doing the same thing. However, it felt even better when I ended my LLB days with a perfect and unblemished record of base stealing. •Later, when I heard that Rose had been banned from playing Major League Baseball and managing any team, it was a little upsetting, even though I had by then reached my adult years.
PONDEROUSLY PERCEPTIVE
POINTS PERSPECTIVES
The perceptive point I am trying to get you, my reader, to ponder is how many other boys and girls do you think are out currently playing Little League Baseball or softball BYthere GARY HODGE who might be affected by following A Rod and company? This is my ponderously perceptive points perspective for this month. I hope I now have you thinking and that you will return for what I have to say next time! Until then, keep pondering perceptively!
About the Author Gary Hodge is an experienced television, radio, multi media & journalistic professional with a Masters Degree. He is a Western New York State resident. This media veteran writes about the diverse intellectual cornucopia that is his interests.
By: Amy Jo Lauber Okay, I may be reaching here but the subject of tattoos and their financial ramifications has come up so frequently lately that I took it as a sign to blog about them. Let me say that if I wasn’t a financial planner, I’d probably be covered in them. (I have one; it’s small and easily hidden.) I love any means of self expression but I limit my own because, if you noticed, I said “If I wasn’t a financial planner”. I don’t know how prospects would feel about a tattooed financial planner. In the 21st century, tattoos are almost considered normal because so many people have them now, they’re not even considered all that rebellious except to the older more conservative folks. Have you ever read the Dr. Seuss book “The Sneetches”?
discriminate against the others. It goes on and on until no one remembers who had what and they all live happily ever after (the man making and removing the stars got pretty rich profiting from their prejudice and desire to fit in). “So, what,” you may be wondering, “does any of this have to do with finances?” Well I’m getting to it!
It’s about how some Sneetches have stars on their bellies and others do not. The ones who have stars get all snobby about it, so a man (?) comes along to put stars on the non-starred Sneetches’ bellies. The originally-starred Sneetches get all mad and have the man remove their
I know lots of people with lots of ink and the majority are lovely, honest, authentic people. They are not, however, in traditional work. (I do know two people -an investment adviser and a trust officer- who are inked up nicely but whose tattoos are also easily hidden under a business suit.) The tattooed typically are in creative fields where self expression is welcome, in law enforcement, or (sorry, you knew it was coming) are sailors. I was
talking to a friend of mine (Robin Wilson) who specializes in social media marketing. We were discussing the difference in marketing/branding styles and that some companies may prefer the buttondowned traditional approach to marketing but that social media’s spark is that it is not traditional; it is not buttondowned and that’s exactly what makes it work. When I shared with Robin that I’d love to have more tattoos but fear what it may convey to prospective clients, she made a good point: “If you had lots of tattoos, you’d have a completely different clientele.” And, to her point, maybe a clientele that wouldn’t feel comfortable around a stuffy traditional financial planner (not that I’m that, either).
I worked in a bank’s trust department some years ago. We had a young woman come in who won the lottery. She was covered in tattoos. My manager called her “Spider-woman” because she had a tattoo of a spider on her neck. I don’t think we got the account … I wonder if she’s still looking for help. People who have tattoos relish in their rebelliousness. They’re rule breakers on a certain level and that’s thrilling. There have been many instances when we, as a society, celebrate rule-breakers because they show us how to get out of our boxes. They’re courageous. They’re risk takers. Uh-oh, that’s why some people are afraid to hire them.
The tattooed applicant communicates a part of themselves that may not walk the straight and narrow and for some managers, the risk is too great. Unfortunately, it can be these same risk takers who change the world because who else is brave enough? Those who enjoy self-expression via tattoos and piercings may just have an inner entrepreneur that needs to come out; not only for them to live their destiny (sorry if that sounds a little cheesy) but also to avoid getting discouraged because others won’t take a chance on them. So, if you’re an inked up person who is financially confused and wishes someone would “get” you, give me a call.
People looking to hire an employee generally are NOT looking for a rulebreaker, they’re looking for a rulefollower.
About the Author Amy Jo Lauber is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER TM practitioner and through her practice Lauber Financial Planning - she specializes in feeonly comprehensive and holistic financial planning, coaching and guidance.
She maintains a blog LIFE: Live Inspired, Financially Empowered and has published a book titled "Living Inspired and Financially Empowered: Aligning Our Spiritual and Material Lives."
InFocus Studio 112 Photography Live music and event photography extraordinaire Front and Center with Michael Mietlicki Interview by Suzanne Perry
Mike Mietlicki FROM: Town of Tonawanda, NY
What’s your FAVORITE
What sparked your interest in photography? When I was about 8 years old, we would watch Mutual of Omaha Wild Kingdom – the photos of the animals were amazing and I wanted to photograph black panthers (I would still like to do this) and then the underwater photography of Jacques Cousteau amazed me as well. Initially, I wanted to
COLOR: Light Blue (Favorite beer is Blue Light) FOOD: burgers on the grill ICE CREAM FLAVOR:
Fudge Ripple or Cherry Garcia PLACE VISITED: Sedona, AZ SONG, BAND OR ALBUM: “Us and Them” Pink Floyd MANTRA: You need to promote yourself because “A closed mouth does not get fed”
INTERESTING FACT, UNIQUE SKILL OR ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? I know a lot of useless facts about a lot of useless stuff that means absolutely nothing to me in my life but I find it all interesting. And I miss playing hockey
be an Oceanographer but got sidetracked by life and things took their course, etc... I got into photography initially in the early 70’s by just shooting whatever caught my eye and it developed from there. I remember looking at some of the first images and not thinking much of them at the time but my girlfriend said I had a good eye and encouraged me to stay with it – so I did. I guess I owe my start to her. ●
Studio 112 Photography
At what point did you decide you wanted to turn it into a business for yourself? When people decided they wanted to start paying me (laughing) - honestly. I didn’t really think about charging for what I was doing – it was fun and I was learning but when I realized that there might be something here, I offered to take it to the next level for some of the area’s bands by doing their gig posters and promo shots… the results were good and the rest, as they say… just kind of naturally followed. Why ‘Studio 112’? Where did the name come from? I kicked around so many different names before deciding on ‘studio 112 photography’. My wife will tell you – I drove her nuts for months and she got to the point of telling me to “just pick one already” and stick with it !! 112 is my street address and I had a basement studio in place for some time and had done a few portrait shoots and it dawned on me one day… you live at 112, you have a photography studio… duh! ‘studio 112 photography’ was born. What is the focus of your photography, what do you primarily shoot? I primarily shoot music (concert and band) events and for the music industry as a whole. You know, at this point, I have to credit “Hey You – A Tribute To Pink Floyd” who brought me on as their concert photographer a number of years ago where I developed my eye, made mistakes and provided those guys and gals with some pretty cool photos that I still see from time to time. In between their shows, I would shoot local cover bands in the bars which allowed me to develop my eye further (and make even more mistakes) but I found out what works and what doesn’t and this allowed me to bring my product to a level of better, clearer, and more dramatic images – I always try to capture the energy in a show and have that translate to the final images.
“I had a kick-myself-in-the-head moment in the late 80’s when shooting U2 in Philadelphia and had the lens cap on – lesson learned there!”
Tell us about some of the acts and events you have shot/shoot for. Recently there have been some bigger names that I have been privileged to shoot – The Tea Party, Alice Cooper, Marilyn Manson, Kansas, coming up, tonight in fact - I’m shooting at Artpark for 38 Special and Blue Oyster Cult and upcoming is Kellie Pickler and The Alman Bros Band. The Hard Rock Café (and I have to give a shout out to Carolyn at HRC in The Falls) has been very gracious in providing access to their Summer Concert Series and VIP events. That has turned out to be a really good fit and I love shooting for the Hard Rock. Locally – I have provided images for Randle & The Late Night Scandals, Dave Constantino, Ron LoCurto and The Reinhardts, Buffalo Music Hall Of Fame, the list goes on… It would fill up a full page – my apologies to those that I did not mention but I have counted on and appreciate each one along the way. Thank you all
Did you ever take any courses or special training related to what you do? Nope.
What do you enjoy the most about what you do? I love blending my two first and favorite loves… music and photography. I’m a (former) bass player and have gigged alot, been in studio, opened at stadium summer concerts, played the bar scene… and even though I’ve traded in the bass rig for a shutter button, I still get to stay in touch with the music scene and share the images. How do you decide what equipment you want to use, and what’s in your arsenal today? I shoot with Nikon gear right now but have owned and used Canon, Mamiya-Sekor, Pentax. How I decide what to use is based mainly on what I can afford – sorry to say but that’s really the way it is, right?! Tell us about your favorite camera or accessory (current or prior). My favorite camera so far has to be the Nikon D300s – great images, really well built, great capabilities and it’s very comfortable in my hand. A lot of the accessories we find out about along the way and make some of our own.. fellow concert shooters Carl Cederman and Lee Hoffman have both contributed to my accessories list by coming up with ideas like turning a beer koozie into a light diffuser – cool stuff like that. Was there ever a time that you figured something significant out to improve your work, like an A-Ha! moment where the light bulb went on? Many. A lot of what takes place in a shoot or even while just shooting the family, your dog or a sunset, etc … a lot of it comes from just experimenting and making mistakes – discovery is the cool part of this trade or hobby (whichever your level). I had a kick-myself-in-the-head moment in the late 80’s when shooting U2 in Philadelphia and had the lens cap on – lesson learned there ! Have you ever had a difficult subject/artist/band, and how did you get through it? Not really any “one” show that I found was a difficult shoot but some of the initial shows I was covering when I first upgraded to my current “go to” camera were rough – I was getting used to the capabilities of the body during the performance of the artists and there are plenty of really bad photos from that week or so of shooting. Getting through it is just becoming familiar with your gear – knowing what it can do and how to set the functions of it. Who’s been the most fun or interesting to work with? YOU SuzyP!! I’ve been covering your EXPOSURE concert events now for a few years and I always enjoy the bands, the atmosphere of the event, supporting the cause and you’re always very cool to work with . Also working with the gang at www.backstageaxxess.com has been a really great experience. “Hey You” was a good experience, working with the Scandals was cool, The Hard Rock Café, and Grace Stumberg is a favorite of mine to cover... each band or group of people that you work with has their own unique experiences to offer to what becomes your overall experience.
When somebody wants to hire a photographer for their “big show” or a graduation, wedding, etc, what would you say would be good questions to ask so that people can make an informed decision so they don’t get unhappily surprised on event day? Make sure that you hire a photographer who has plenty of experience in shooting the type of event you’re planning on and the portfolio to back it up. That would be the biggest one. Do you have a bit of advice for anybody who would like to get into band photography? Yes – don’t. Shooting the band’s performance is the easy part and
son in charge was very pleased with the photos I provided so there *may* be an opportunity coming my way in NYC and/or Thank you very much for your Los Angeles in the not too distant time Mike! Do you have anyfuture to continue in this arena. thing cool coming up to share (Fingers crossed) ;-) with our readers? In addition to the upcoming concert shoots, Finally, please tell us how we there’s a fantastic group of peocan find you! ple that I’ve been fortunate enough to be introduced to and On Facebook for the time being become friends with – and re– the actual web site is being quested to shoot their events - constructed. Contact information models, designers, hair/makeup, is on my studio 112 photograetc… and I’ve had the honor of phy page. working with them all recently Don’t forget to “Like” us! I’ve expanded into fashion photography in the last month or so and it’s a very interesting change from the music scene. The perabout 1/5th of the time you need to complete the overall task…
BUSINESS ADVICE
I love•food. Some of you may have heard me in the past refer to myself as an “Italian Grandmother In Training,” and I ain’t kidding.•This business & lifestyle maven loves slow food, great conversation, and the complexity of taste and texture that make for great cuisine. Cooking, aside from producing delicious results, comes with a few metaphors that make great business advice. Here, have a nibble… 1. Call in Your Sous Chef: There are always going to be things that will get done better if they’re done by someone else. It may be because you don’t have the expertise that’s called for, or it may be that a great assistant handling the minor tasks will free you up to do what you do best. Make sure you call upon others early enough in the game to allow the task to be completed. This can be a learning curve for you in terms of being able to let go and effective communication and management, but the results are worth the simmering time.
you can experiment more effectively. 3. Slice Things Small:•When you cut your ingredients to a small size, everything cooks quickly. In the same way, taking the time to divide up the tasks you are trying to accomplish into small, actionable steps gives you an opportunity to manage the project time more effectively. Slicing and dicing takes skill, so practice and you’ll be julienning your next marketing campaign or product launch with the flair of Julia Child.
long, you’ll ruin everything. There’s a fine line between “golden brown and delicious” and “burned to a crisp.” Sometimes striving for perfection just ends up with something too tough for your customers to chew and swallow. Knowing this you can temper your need for perfection with the need to get the plates on the table and your guests, that is, your customers, served. You might discover that, like a juicy steak, a little underdone might just be better.
Tina Dietz MS, NCC is an international business development maven and the inventor of the 4. Cook Ingredients in the Success Funnel System™. With a Right Order: If you just throw mission to ignite 10,000 Thriving everything into the pan at the same time, you’re asking for food Businesses, Tina has coached and consulted with clients in more that is not going to taste very good. Give your outside resources than 20 industries from solo entrepreneurs to the corporate levor team enough time to do what they do brilliantly, and do yourself el, and she speaks to groups from 20-20,000 on how to break the same favor. Some projects through the barriers that keep require a long roasting time, you from achieving success, optiothers are a quick sauté. Taste mal performance, and leadership your “dishes” frequently and in business and life. Connect with adjust as you go. Tina at http://www.thisistinadietz.com 5. Don’t Over-Cook:
2. Prep Everything Before Cooking:•Food and business both go fast, so it is always a good plan to have a recipe (like a 5 Year Strategic Vision Plan), and to prep ingredients and tools before you start. Rarely do things go exactly like you planned, but if you have a plan, you know what you’re doing the majority of the time and you can experiment with the spices, or try substituting one ingredient for another on the fly. All that’s left for you to handle is the unexpected turns, which will need your full attention anyhow. When •Perfectionism leads to paralysis. The problem is that if you wait too you have a well crafted recipe,
By: Jay-
Mo
THE
JUNKIE MYSTIQUE
Why do we derive so much delight when we see celebrities go down in flames? So much delight in fact, that's it's nearly perverse in nature? SCHADENFREUDE pronounced /SHOD-n-froy-duh/ another word from those masters of fun and merriment, the Germans! According to Wikipedia, the direct translation is "damage and joy," meaning that we derive pleasure from the misfortunes of others, particularly those who are famous/infamous, or, elevated in status or, notoriety. And if we do not like that person, SO MUCH THE BETTER! The more damage, the more joy! Scientists can even measure SCHADENFREUDE through brain scans. The brain's reward centers in the ventral striatum are activated by news that people the subjects envied had suffered misfortune. In other words, it made us “feel good" (joy.)
Hollywood
and other entertainment conglomerates have long since been screwing with our minds, altering our perceptions of fiction and reality. Hollywood understands SCHADENFREUDE! Hollywood generally presents to us the image of junkies as dirty, pathetic people, as persons who will sink to any level to get their next fix… and there are plenty like that; but, what they don't want you to see is the other side of that coin… here's where "The Junkie Mystique" comes in. All junkies do not fit the image in which the media and TV tends to portray them.
Many actually clean up nicely, and even show up regularly for work. But Hollywood doesn't really want us to think about them, they would much rather concentrate on the stereotype junkie, so that when something "bad" happens to them, we don't feel much… no SCHADENFREUDE! Tinsel town and music companies, however, have a major double standard when it comes to its stable of talent. They take a dim view indeed of Joe Blow across town shooting heroin… just look at how they portray him! But when it comes to celebrity junkies, well, no big deal… that
is as long as certain lines are not crossed. A few minor busts, drunken rampages, fights, brawls, etc.. no biggie! The old adage is true: “There's no such thing as bad publicity!” Even well-seasoned Washington DC politicians do not have the ability to manipulate and alter publicity and what we see and hear the way that the entertainment media machines can; especially where a death is involved! Yes, I truly believe the entertainment conglomerates at large have had their hands both directly and indirectly involved in the deaths of MANY celebrities! There, I said it!
Question: Just when exactly•does a celebrity cross that invisible line in the sand that denotes that they've gone “too far?” Answer: When it starts to cost the networks, their affiliates, and the studios money! Profit is the one factor that figures in more times than not... Yes, I'm aware that there is a "business" side to show business. Only here, the losses are often not able to be recovered.... Daughter of the late John Phillips of Mamas and Papas fame ( and no slouch in the drug department himself), Child star of the Blockbuster movie "American Graffitti," and brilliant co-star of the popular 80's TV sitcom• "One Day at a Time." Mac, as she's known, was one of TV’s favorite stars! Point: Mac fell into drug and alcohol dependence at an early age. There were occasional Mackenzie Phillips "blurbs" in the tabloids and reports of being “difficult “to work with, but, NO BIGGIE! That is, until Mackenzie started being late for rehearsals and tapings, and started becoming unreliable (She started costing them money). The studio told her clean up, or else.... Mac tried, kind of, failed, and was fired. It took her some years, but, Ms Phillips got it together, and just like the title of her show suggests, lives life “One Day at a Time." Clean and sober for many years now, Mac penned a wildly successful autobiography “High On Arrival" detailing both her exploits and her long road to recovery. Mac now does some acting work periodically, and also does the occasional speaking engagement. Mad respect for Miss Phillips, for dancing on the brink, and coming back. ,
Counterpoint: John Belushi
John Belushi was one of the breakaway stars of Lorne Michaels' TV sensation, Saturday Night Live. After several seasons, John broke into the movies in a role that seemed to stick with him personally, the hard partying, but lovable John “Bluto" Blutarski, in National Lampoon's mega-hit movie ' Animal House.” Everything that Belushi touched seemed to turn to GOLD, and the studios and networks loved him, as did we all! TV, movies, even music! He and fellow SNL alum, Dan Aykroyd turned their SNL characters, Jake and Elwood Blues, The Blues Brothers, into recording stars in popular music, not only selling records and concert tickets, but also starring in another mega-hit movie “The Blues Brothers … GOLD. John showed up when he was supposed to, did his gig, and partied, often like his Animal House character. He didn't just party hard, he partied “notoriously hard." Everybody knew it, EVERYBODY! It was never a question of IF Belushi was•partying and drinking, but rather a question of “how much." John's drug and alcohol consumption didn't really cost the industry money though. It was just Belushi being his big, loveable, larger than life self. It helped sell movie tickets and record albums. So, no big surprise, that while people expressed concern for him, Belushi was never given the ultimatum, "Clean up or you're done." It simply didn't negatively affect anyone's bottom line! Pity, because if he had cost them money, he just might be alive today... John Belushi died a tragic death in a Hollywood hotel room. After partying heavily for several days straight, his massive body did what the studios should have done; it shut him down! And the list goes on:
Point: Robert Downey, Jr.
Robert Downey, Jr. was a successful actor. Like many others, he fell into the Hollywood lifestyle of hard partying. Drinking, drugs, multiple arrests, and his personal work habits fell to the way side. Mr. Downey became known as unreliable, often showing up late, (sometimes not at all) and often in no real condition to work. He cost the studios money and they not only fired his ass, but, basically, though unofficially, “blacklisted" him; meaning, he wouldn't be working for quite some time until he proved himself! Mr. Downey did in fact clean up his life. Having been clean and sober for many years now, he enjoys a clean and sober lifestyle, and has returned to acting, in a BIG way - starring in amongst other things, Marvel Comics Group’s hugely popular Iron Man franchise.
Point: Brett Butler
Counterpoint: Amy Wine-
Brett Butler - Popular standup comic, author, and star of the network TV sitcom “Grace Under Fire." But battling major bouts of depression, booze and vicodin addictions became too much for this Southern Belle to handle. Her erratic behavior, both on and off the set, and behind the scenes and in front of the cameras, (never mind in front of a packed studio audience,) started costing the network and its affiliates MONEY! BOOM! The show was shut down, mid-season, never to return! Brett Butler was gone faster than a fart in a tornado! Eventually retreating to a quiet life on a Georgia farm to get herself together, Miss Butler lived in relative anonymity, until she lost the farm due to financial issues, sending her to live in a homeless shelter for a while, before eventually returning to Hollywood. Clean for several years now, Brett has plans for another book, has returned to her stand up roots and begun performing on a limited basis again, and, thanks to Charlie Sheen of all people has returned to television in a minor, recuring role on Sheen's hit show “Anger Management." Kudos, Brett! Alive and
It's a pity that the same thing cannot be said for Amy Winehouse! Multiple Grammy awards and nominations...Amy had a voice that you could FEEL! And she sold records too, in a BIG WAY! Her notoriety achieved new highs, or lows as the case may be following multiple arrests, and I mean MULTIPLE baby, all stemming largely from her dual addictions to various drugs and alcohol. Amy Winehouse's behavior was widely publicized and joked about! Everybody knew about her “issues" as they're called in polite Entertainment circles. This was a woman who was on the edge and, clearly out of control! But let's not be too hasty here. Winehouse earned a record of 5 Grammy nominations for her debut album alone. The publicity didn't hurt her sales at all, and in fact, probably sparked even more interest in her music. And really, wasn't it kind of cute how she kind of thumbs her nose at her critics a bit with the hit song “Rehab?" •• “They try to make go to rehab, I say No, No, No..."
One studio exec was quoted as saying “We considered cutting her loose from the contract to give her time to work out her personal issues. In the end we decided to see how things played out.” Things “played out " when the Grammy winner was found dead. The official cause of death listed as “alcohol poisoning." Amy Winehouse wrote and recorded music. Her pure talent, stunning vocals, and controversial life sold albums. Her label made money. BIG money! Because she didn't cost them, and they didn't feel the need to fire her, a brilliant, yet troubled mind and voice, were silenced forever. Anyone else notice a pattern here? When the industry shuts a celebrity down, cutting them off from the teat, as it were, many in fact end up cleaning up and living useful, productive lives! Left to their own devices, largely because no one is being too inconvenienced, and no one’s losing any money, we end up, more times than not, losing these people. And, we don't feel" too" sorry for them, do we? After all, we're pretty comfortable with the jokes and such, right? i.e.:
SCHADENFREUDE! Plain and simple! We actually look forward to hearing the latest news on these folks! But, in the end, it's not our fault! Hollywood has programmed us that way. Show me one junkie on TV who is portrayed as a nice clean cut, guy next door, who holds down a job, and life, but, has that one dirty little secret.. he shoots heroin! When Cory Monteith passed recently, from an overdose of heroin, the media ate it up...."Poor Cory, this shouldn't have happened to someone this young and talented.” But happen it did....and people knew....insiders knew, family and friends knew....yeah, he'd been relatively clean for a few years, but why the hell is a 31 year old man, with a•history of alcohol and• chemical dependency, playing the part of a 17 year old teenage boy, on a show that is aimed largely at the teen and tween audience to begin with? Does anyone else find that even remotely creepy? Really?
“Tragically, Glee star Cory Monteith has died. Even more tragically, Glee lives on." Why don't we feel sorry for them? Simple, they're privileged! Certainly more so than most of us. They make big bucks, get great swag, and hey, they get laid, whenever, wherever .....
The point here is that people in high places KNEW about Cory's issues, and yet he was hired, AND kept on a show whose target audience is impressionable youth.
What are these kids supposed to think when they find out that a character they love and admire was a heroin junkie? “He looked great, so, how bad can it be?” Hollywood needs to take better care of its own, and stop trying to alter our sense of reality. Drugs bad, plain and simple! I don't care if it's a junkie on skid row, or a clean, fresh faced boy next door type....a junkie is a junkie… junkie see, junkie do... What's the answer? I'm not even sure that there is one. It won't be an easy one… perhaps if we were to stop buying into all of the stereotypes, and crap , and altered reality that we're spoon fed while we sit on our fat asses in front of the television and movie screens, stuffing our faces full of all of the things that we're told that we shouldn’t, perhaps when we take our minds back, and learn to think for ourselves again, perhaps if we tune out for a while, then, maybe then, we'll start to wake up and see that we're just a bunch of rats, merrily following the piper along, not giving a single, solitary thought to the precipice that inevitably awaits us all . In a way, we're all junkies, we're just addicted to different " bump" as Keith Richards referred to it… and that's part of "The Junkie Mystique" too, perhaps the biggest part, that we're all junkies and don't even know it, and, that we get our jollies laughing at the other junkies... Indeed!
Exclusive interview with Randle and the Late Night Scandals (3 parts)
“KANDID” MADDENING CONFUSION OF GENDER MISMATCH, DENIAL OF SELF, BEING FORCED TO LIVE AGAINST YOUR NATURAL GRAIN, THE BATTLE OF SELF-UNDERSTANDING, AND THE WAR TO BE UNDERSTOOD. WALK A MILE IN THE SHOES OF KALIFORNIA KIM, SAXIST FOR RANDLE AND THE LATE NIGHT SCANDALS, A SHINING HUMAN BEING, AND A TRANSGENDER. INTERVIEW BY SUZANNE PERRY Hi Kim. With the growing popularity of your band Randle and the Late Night Scandals, you have become one of the focal points aside of the prettied-up Randle.
Photo courtesy of MJ Bobblehead via Facebook
The most common question that I have heard is if you are a man who crossdresses. What is your sexual orientation? This question does come up quite a bit. If you were to put me in the box, I am a male to female transsexual and living my life full time as a woman. My sexual orientation is bisexual but tend to have better relationships with women. OK so now this gets confusing the further we go down this rabbit hole. After working in a corporate setting for the last 12 years, I have had a hard time explaining this to my co-workers, A very common assumption people make is that gender identity and sexual orientation are in the same box. WAH? I know right? Ok let’s try it this way.
I’ll try to explain it more like a NYC Chinese restaurant menu: Column A, we have your born gender. Column B you your gender identity, Column C you have sexual orientation. Seems to make more sense if you have the menu in front of you. So for example: You can have a genetically born male, whose gender identity is male and is sexually attracted to women. I am a genetically born male, who identifies as a woman and is sexually attracted to both men and women. I think of Pete Townshend when he announced he is a woman trapped inside a man’s body. Is that something you identify with? Oh yes.. I remember this quote. This quote came from Pete during the part of his career when they recorded Empty Glass.
You know what part of the body an "empty glass" is a metaphor for? And the lyrics to "And I Moved" and "Rough Boys" can be seen in a whole new light now :) . Why do you think in "I Am an Animal" he deems himself to be" queen of the fucking universe? In his autobiography, he also admitted to homosexual affairs . So I am not sure the cliché in his context matches the same as myself or other transgenders. The term “trapped in a man's body” was being used to describe his sexual orientation, not his gender identity. Again this is my opinion, I mean one’s identity isn’t always attached to what lies between one’s legs but more often what lies between one’s ears… Oh Yes. You had a question though (Smiles) . I can say I do use that quote myself. I have for most my post-puberty years of my life to present felt I was in the wrong body. Knowing I felt more female then male, without being too graphic, let’s say I was never comfortable in my own skin until I started my transition. Did you grow up as a male who didn’t feel comfortable as a male, did you identify more with female tendencies, and how much of that stuff is in child rearing as opposed to instinct in your opinion? Definitely did not feel comfortable as a child . After all these years have passed I still get revelations that are in turn my affirmation I was not brought into this world male . Since the recent press and buzz of Randle and the Late Night Scandals the most asked question I receive is “How long have you been playing sax. I always have to do the math in my head, then give up then just spout out “Since I was Nine Years Old.” Then I remember why I took up the sax. In Grade school, if we took band class we did not have to take Physical education. I have always hated Playing sports thus the Music thing gave me a free pass to get away from the awkwardness. Ok I sidetracked here, but let me explain. The revaluation is that even at that age I was showing signs of Gender Dysphoria. I remember taking a copy of my school picture one day after school and stabbing it with a dart and crying “ I HATE MYSELF, I HATE MYSELF.” Another memory that I have is out shopping one day with my mother. The clerk greeted us, how can I help you ladies today. My mother laughed so hard that she almost peed herself. So most of my elementary school years I found myself to be a shut in and did not have too many friends. By the time I hit middle school, I found my closest friends were other girls. On the other side of the pendulum, to compensate for my unbalanced feelings I got into extreme male bonding also: heavy drinking, and teenage shenanigans. One weekend when I was 14, my friend and I took a Greyhound bus 40 miles toward the coast to his older sister’s house. We “borrowed” her car and camped on the coast for the weekend. This was a weekend of firsts. My first time dressing in public as a girl, and first time being “intimate” as a girl. Sadly though my first “friend” later committed suicide just before his 16th Birthday. It was this moment that I knew I was different. And felt if I was to live in society, I
Saxist for Randle and the Late Night Scandals, (far left) Kim breaks new grounds for the LGBT community. (Photo courtesy of Facebook)
To answer the question about child rearing as opposed to instinct in my opinion? All instinct, and survival. I did not have any support from my parents or family. Now if I had talked to my mother about this back then, would I have gotten the resources I needed? Probably not. Growing up in a redneck timber town, I probably would have been chained to the back of a pickup truck dragged through the forest. Are there stages of surgeries or procedures to do a gender conversion or how does that work? - and where are you in the process? My opinion is there are more stages of growth mentally before the holy grail of Sexual Reassignment Surgery. (SRS). Health care providers use as a guide the Harry Benjamin Standards of Care for Transgender. Basically here are the steps. A. Diagnostic assessment , B. Psychotherapy , C. Real life experience, D. Hormonal therapy , and E. Surgical therapy.
There are slight variations on the order and steps taken. Some individuals may choose not to have the final surgery Again I state, there is more weight to what is in the mind over what is between ones legs. So to answer where is Kalifornia Kim on her journey? Very much female.
The obstacles you have had to overcome have had to have been horrific and emotionally draining. Please share some of your experiences in your journey, how you felt, and how you got past it. Wow. Where would I start. My family. When I came out to my mother, I was told she still loved me but wanted me to keep it from my father. Was not until he passed away in 2008 was I able to reunite with my blood relatives. I don't regret that having a loved one die be how an obstacle was removed, but was in a way a weight lifted. But not entirely. A proverb of coming out is to be mentally prepared to lose all friendships, Family, employment. And any you still have after is blessings.
So, I guess I should put a little back story here. Twentyone years ago, I was very much in love with a woman. And our brief union, we created a beautiful daughter. Her true paternal relationship was not disclosed to her. In 2007, my daughter figured it all out and was able to find me here in Buffalo. Now back to my proverb. Be prepared to lose everybody.. After 15 years of not a day going by I did not think of my daughter, I was not prepared to risk losing her. So wrongfully I did not disclose to her that I had changed my gender identity. When I flew back to the northwest, I would visit her in “butch� mode I like to call it.. Ha ha I know right? Like reverse cross dressing. I would strap down my chest, etc. When she came to visit me in Buffalo, my closest friends helped me purge my apartment of anything fem and relearned to call me by my born male name.
Keeping this secret was too easy when you live 2800 miles apart. Well, mistake I made was keeping this charade up. In 2012 after I joined the band, and social networking, she was able to see the band page and press we were getting.
They checked her ID and as the report goes, at 8am they found her body smashed in with a blunt object in a field. The thing that really pissed me off is that it took forever to get this listed as a hate crime. Also, the local paper had to report it as a man in women’s clothing.
On Christmas Eve this year, we were talking on the phone. “Dad,” she asked, “this Kalifornia Kim thing. Is this a gimmick or is it really you?”
Of course in my life there are legal obstacles that are out of our control, but the key I have learned to get passed most roadblocks is to keep true to myself, love humanity, and keep moving forward. You’re not from Buffalo. Do you see a difference in your acceptance between towns?
I had to answer truthfully. “It is really me.” She asked why I never told her. I answered, “I lost you for 15 years and did not want to lose you again.” “Dad, I named my son after you for God’s sake. I love you and you would not have lost me then and you are not going to lose me now.” The happy ending here is that now I am back connected to her mother, and my two grandchildren and they all cant wait for me to meet them as Kim. Fear is a factor when you are transgender. Another key event in my life that melded me back into music was the murder of my close friend Loni Kai back in August of 2001. She was walking home from the clubs in Portland Oregon and was stopped about 4am by the police.
This really created a fear in me, even though I was on the other coast. What if this were to happen to me? How I got through it was I started writing music to get my message out. In 2002, I created a band called Invisible Children, and premiered “The Eye that Beholds You” at a Pride event. “No More Parades today, Tonight we March. The Eye that beholds you made up its mind, long before the story broke.”
Since I have only lived in Buffalo for 12 years of my life and did not start my full time experience as a trans woman until I moved to Buffalo; I am not sure I am comparing apples to apples here, but will do my best. In Portland Oregon, there was a larger Transgender community and better resources. This was the dawn of a revolution with even a few of the health care professionals identifying as transgender. So I am sure my transition would have been smoother if I had done so in Portland.
In Buffalo, there is a large population of transgender but its not such a close-knitted community. Now for acceptance There is a lot of conservative backwash that will get in your face here in Buffalo. But times are changing. I think the key is what I call filters. I may be blinded by onlookers and probably the snickers and whispers have become “white noise” to me, but I have come to accept myself for who I am. I love to smile to strangers on the street and say hello. I try to do this as often. If we all did this, I believe this will make the world a better place indeed.
Do you want to live happily ever after in marriage, are you dating.. ? EEEK Marriage? Happy wife, happy life? Live Happily every after is the prize here. Love thyself though first. Then if you do connect with someone and can share that love with an individual, by all means.
But I will never just settle for anyone. In fact I don't settle on anything that is “good enough for now.” Hell, it took over 15 years for me to decide on the right tattoo. So for now lets talk about dating. Currently not dating anyone at the moment, but I am no longer a shut in. I meet lots of new people every day. If it feels right, of course I would consider dating. But finding someone patient enough to accept the fact that my union with Randle and the Late Night Scandals is my true passion. We are driven, and are working our asses off to achieve our dreams. So if you think you can handle that, ask me out for coffee.
I really feel that you are breaking thru a stereotype of ignorance by not only being public with your true identity but to tell other transgenders to accept their self as they were meant to be, to love theirself and to be proud. What is the message you want to be associated with Kalifornia Kim? Life is as diverse as a fruit salad, not a marmalade. Never Judge. And don't be afraid to be an outlaw.
Much love and thank you for sharing some really touchy stuff here with us in our debut edition of Hot Jam Media Mag.
Randle and the Late Night Scandals Interview:
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3
FAVORITES CARD Scarlet Noir Kristy Weiss Scarlet Noir Photo courtesy of Facebook West Seneca, NY black/red candy! Pretty much anything sugar I'm in love with Perry's Sponge Candy yum! Las Vegas Baby! Fav band is The Cure.
I have a sick obsession with Octopi and mustaches.
Watch in September for Michelle’s Column! High-Low Fashion Rocks This column will be a mix of all of music and fashion with a slant toward my rebel rocker side. I will be profiling local and national musicians as well as writing some articles about Rocker Chic and other music and fashion. My friend Rebecca calls me the queen of the high-low. This means that in fashion, I like things that are traditional and sometimes quite expensive. I am also just as likely to fall in love with something gritty that I find in a thrift store, or even in somebody’s garbage. I am as passionate about vintage fashion as I am about modern style. The most interesting fashion to me combines a mix of the two. I am looking forward to showing you how I mix pieces in unlikely combinations that make a unique look that somehow becomes more than the sum of its parts. This high-low spirit follows me through music. I am at home at the Buffalo Philharmonic, out at a country music concert like Miranda Lambert, banging my head to Rockabilly with the Blue Ribbon Bastards, sadding it up with Bryan Ferry, enjoying a harp or string quartet concert, listening to gritty blues, or finding some underground alternative group and helping to bring them out and give them a voice. I like classic rock too, like Def Leppard. I love No Doubt, and I love Mozart, Haydn and Chopin. This column will give you a taste of some emerging artists and some established artists from a different perspective. My day job is as Vice President of Denton Cottier & Daniels Pianos. Denton Cottier & Daniels is the world’s oldest Steinway piano dealer and sells Steinway and other fine pianos. There we host many musical and other community events, fundraisers and concerts that support the arts. We try to feature a wide variety of genres of music and help quite an interesting mix of arts related and charitable causes. I have the chance to meet some incredibly talented and some famous musicians. I also have the chance to help young families get their first taste of music. My interests include many athletic pursuits including but not limited to skating, weight training, swimming, and various forms of dance including my current favorite: tap. I am a great lover of books and music. And wine. And cocktails from the complex and artful to basic Captain and Diet. I like Tempo Restaurant and I like the Old Pink. I like art hung in the Albright and I like crude art drawn by kids or unsophisticated graffiti. I like drinks on the lawn of the Mansion and I like a good neighborhood dive. I love travel and I love meeting people from all walks of life. I do freelance music-industry specific and creative writing. I recently profiled two remarkable visual artists for Spark Magazine. I have a semi-eccentric blog at EthelBetty.Com. I love what my writing lets me learn about my favorite artists and musicians. I am endlessly curious, and very excited about sharing some of my favorite music, fashion, and people with all of you.
Hylo World Hylo World is a space used as a creative outlet to showcase my individual ideas and concepts, multi-media and visual arts.
In these short video series, you will enjoy each episodes’ characters, and the different brand of entertainment featuring local personalities, events and places. MEET MEET is a video exclusive documentary featuring up close and personal interviews and performances by local Western New York personalities and other featured guests. Each episode will showcase a new personality, locale and artistic production. Meet: Episode 1-Barry Meadows
Lackawanna B-Stars The Lackawanna B-Stars are a local men’s fastpitch softball team formed in Lackawanna NY. They are a media-friendly team that’s looking for friends,fans and sponsors as they represent Western New York. Tune in for news on the B-Stars and where you can watch them play. Become a fan and Feel The Buzz! We are looking for supporters,fans,mascots,face painters,cheerleaders,etc. Do you want to model in a B-Stars jersey and be a part of the team? Lackawanna B-Stars Artvoice B-Stars Pic
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Hylo On Patrol Hylo On Patrol is a video skit about a guy on a mission in Buffalo NY. The Blues Brothers meets Mr. Magoo as Hylo picks up special guests and travels around town. Adventures abound around every turn, and this crude guy with tunnel vision has a knack for solving the case . Watch as Buffalo’s own entertainment police keeps crime down and spirits high. Reviews and plenty of cameo performances from local acts. Hylo On Patrol Teaser
Stay tuned for future shows: The Misadventures of Jim Candytree In this episode, Jim Candytree is a local legend, a modern day Paul Bunyan.When Jim was a baby, below his crib, under his house, there were contaminants and radio-active barrels leftover and buried from industrial waste.The exposure to these waste altered Jim’s DNA and caused him to grow and grow. Jim grew up a social outcast because of his size and appetite, and he developed a mild to severe drinking problem and other bad habits...he’s a victim of circumstance with a great heart, but trouble always finds him or he succumbs to temptation and overindulging. There's always a lesson learned in every episode and Jim Candytree affects many peoples' lives in a big way.
Volume 1(1) In the books Its published! Celebrate!
All that work and you’re at the back cover already!? Did ya love it? Want more?
Please share it and if you’d like to be considered to contribute, advertise or be featured in a future edition of our magazine, please send an email to the Hot Jam Media Mag Editor at HJMMEditor@hotjammedia.com.
Parting thought - The truth always wins, that’s just the way it is. Be true to yourself, RESPECT - You can’t earn any if you don’t respect yourself first.
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-SuzyP