September 2, 2006
LACHSA First Annual Hollywood Tribute
August 31st, 2006
Damn.. It has been awhile since I attended an event Josh Groban was going to be at. I don't know if it was intentional or not but here I am. I missed a Grammys event in Malibu a month ago and was kinda pissed about that. Anyways.. Los Angeles County High School of the Arts or LACHSA for short was honoring a few of their teachers, Warner Brothers and Josh Groban.
The event was held at the Century Plaza Hotel. The photos on their website makes the hotel look pretty nice, but man Century City is a drive.
Once I arrived at the hotel, after parking across at the Westfield Mall, I entered into the hotel. By the way, this Westfield Mall had a effin Louis Vuitton and Tiffany Co. store. I didn't know Westfield Malls were this nice. HAHA. I walked from one side of the lobby to the other and didn't know where the heck the event was. I assumed it was some ballroom but didn't see any signs. After I backed tracked from the restaurant to the bar, I saw a bunch of "older" woman walking in a huge group taking an escalator. I assumed they knew where to go and followed them down one level.
I turned a corner and there were the crowd of more "older" woman and saw the table to sign in. I received my credentials and walked into the ballroom. My first reaction was that it was really small. The width of the room I'd say was maybe 25 feet to 30 feet. The length maybe 100? Give or take? Basically the place was a little smaller than I would think the event would be. I mean cmon, Josh Groban? A tribute? Who knows.. The place had tables that sat 10 people each and maybe there were about 12 to 15 tables. Right dab in the middle was the stage with some dude playing a flute and rapping. Yeah.. Talented..
I headed over to the press table on the far end of everything. First thing I thought, we were sitting at the kids table.. haha. I didn't care. I was kinda all hot and bothered from the walk from the mall, so I didn't care where I sat. I wanted to sit and cool the heck down.
People were slowly making their way in and hanging out. After awhile, this chick I remember last year showed up, along with an older lady that didn't look like she knew what she was doing. That chick I remember.. I remember her because she has soo much makeup. I mean there is a point where make up enhances a woman's features but when it looks like you can scoop it off, that is when it is just too much. Oh her name is Katherine Kramer... I Googled her and I guess her Godmother was Katherine Hepburn. ::shrugs::
The older lady came over with a gift bag for the guest, so I assumed she was a guest. But I guess she wasn't and was with some online magazine thing. I find it tacky to steal someones gift bag when you know you're not suppose to get one. It wasn't hard too since the bags were just hanging on the chairs. Plus the bags consisted of hand lotion, cds of from Katisse Buckinham and Gwendolyn (which I will get into later), a Celine Dion keychain and fun-size candies. Yeah, I thought to myself uhh yeah ok.... The makeup chick ended up lifting a bag too.
The committee chair lady came over to welcome us and told us about the open Vodka and Gin bar. :) She also told us Josh Groban was running late and that his performance would start around 7:15. Well I guess no interview will be possible since the 30 minutes before 5:00pm was the time for that.
I was feeling uncomfortable since I was in there, so again I just sat there and took everything in. Katisse Buckinham and Upper Structure were providing the music. Katisse looks like a dirt bike rider that plays jazz. Sonia Romero came around to be interviewed. I didn't really bother to ask her anything but she was an artist from LACHSA. I wasn't too privy on her paintings but still respect it. She is pretty cute though. :) She is having a showcase soon and I might check that out.
Another photog came around, Krista from Corbis and Zuma. Finally someone that looked normal to talk to. She went to get a drink and it was a banana Vokda drink, she didn't want that. I tasted it and it was sick. The smell was nice, kind of like a Banana Now and Later. At this time they were serving the people who paid for their seats. The seats were $250 each and you were able to buy the whole table. It looked like Carpaccio was the appetizer. I went to go get a drink and made sure it wasn't some Banana drink. I asked for my usual Vodka Tonic and when the bartender was making it, he kept looking at me. I wasn't sure why but most of the time I was looking down at him making the drink. After he gave me a few glances, he then asked me if I was even old enough. I laughed and looked at him. It was an older Asian guy, and of all people, he should know we don't look our age.
I headed back and more people were at the table. Marc Murai and his crew were hanging out. He was there to finish up his documentary on the school and they were showing a trailer of it later.
Eventually Josh Groban made his way into the place. He sat right in front of the stage and Gwendolyn was performing. I went over to chatter a bit to him and his manager, Brian. This time I remembered to ask for his card; but with my luck he didnt have one on him. Nice... The other photographers and I tried to get a shot of Josh but he seemed engaged with Gwendolyn's performance. We wanted a good clean shot of him alone, but there wasn't a good time to take his attention away.
To give you an idea of the music Gwendolyn was performing, she announced the title to one of the songs... "Acorn." I don't think I need to say anything else..
Dinner was being served and it look like some steak medallion thingy. I just wanted to get my shots and leave. But it seemed like it was going to take forever.
After what it seemed like an hour of the dinner stuff; the opening remarks started the award stuff. By this time, Mike from Wireimage joined us and we made the best of the time sitting there doing nothing. The older lady that was sitting with us was hitting me up on how I got there and such. She said she was with Splash Magazine.. I thought to myself Splash News? They are known for their paparazzi photos and what not but didn't know they had a magazine. She said she was with them but I knew she didn't even what she was talking about. Earlier she was going to get kicked out for taking photos of Josh without her badge. The whole time he was here she kept asking if I wanted to go with her to take pictures but I just played her off the 100 times she asked.
They played the LACHSA Documentary trailer after the opening remarks. The school seemed like a cool place to attend. Jerry Freedman was first to receive the 2006 Outstanding Educator Awards. He seems like a really cool teacher and a teacher that I wish I had in high school. I wanted to actually attend LACHSA because what was said about him and what he had to say. Ka-Ron was the dance teacher that was getting honored. She was making fun of Josh and how she heard that he might have needed a dance teacher. I thought that was kinda funny.
Warner Bros. was also honored for helping out the school. They have donated 250,000 dollars in who knows how many years span. The rep for WB was talking and talking and talking. Josh was next to receive his award according to the program. He didn't get it until a taped message from Celine Dion. But before that video message played; the committee chair told the audience that Gayle Anderson called in saying congrats and wished she was there. OH! During this time, the waiter guy dropped off some leftover bread sticks from when he bussed the other table. Dude we were hella hungry but I wasn't trying to be all crazy on the bread sticks.
Josh received his award and made his speech. At this time, I went up to shoot some pictures. Josh ended up performing "America" and "Vincent." During "Vincent" Zach Provost came up to play the piano. The lighting in there sucked big time to take pictures but whatever. I noticed something on Josh that gave me the idea that I need to start doing it the same.
The night was basically done and we kept trying to get Brian or someone in charge to take Josh away for a single headshot photo opt. However after he was done performing he was caught up with group photos with the other honorees and fans. After those photos were done, he went ahead and did autographs. I just ended up shooting photos of him doing the autograph thing. One of the staff photogs there told us that some star from Passions was there. Is this Josh's new "friend"? He isnt dating January Jones a few months ago and she was friendly with Brian. Hmmm.. or maybe she went to LACSHA too.
Eventually Josh made his way out of the endless autographs and gave us a photo opt. At that time, Brian was rushing him off and from what I heard, he was going into the studio. Mike wanted to get a photo with Josh and this lady with a tattoo of his face on her arm. I met this lady last year at the Bowl and kinda thought it was weird. If she was covered up, you would think she was a elementary teacher.
We took our photos, said goodbye to Josh and Brian and headed off. The night was basically over and I wanted to get out of the place. I made my walk out to the Mall. It took me 20 minutes to get to my car because Ididn't even know which escalator lead me to my car. I just walked out onto the street and walked into the parking complex where I drove into.
All and all the night was decent. Made some contacts and took more photos. It was really weird, the girl with too much makeup had a friend come with her. When they left, she came back in and sat down. He came back and started yelling at her saying, "How dare you, how dare you." I was like what the heck in my mind, take that drama outside. Mike and Krista were saying some interesting stuff about her and what they said made total sense from my past experiences with her. Oh well..
Mr. Groban goes on tour again soon once his third album comes out this fall. I cannot wait for that...
More Photos...
Posted by Anh at 3:06 PM | Comments (14) | TrackBack
June 22, 2006
Play, Laugh, Dream, Celebrate...
Tuesday June 20th, 2006
Note: Enlarge resolution to see all photos or use arrow keys to navigate
Sidekick 3 party... When you hear T-Mobile Sidekick.. the name Paris Hilton is the first thing that comes to mine.. Well tonight was the launch party for the year now rumored 4th reincarnation of the multi-purpose popular cell phone device.. The Sidekick 2 has become hugely popular and you cannot go anywhere in LA without seeing someone typing away.. I had a chance to check out the phone and the review will be after my rants and such below..
This was my first event since Februaryish due to my school boy mode. I tried to rid myself of all distractions.. I call it my overachieving mode.. The result?... Been pulling As and B the last 2 semesters fulltime and going into honors.. What’s good is that with the honors system at the school, they have contracts with Universities in California and UCLA and USC on are on the list!! Back to the subject..
Headed off pretty early to the Hollywood Palladium where the event is being held.. I was one of the first to show up which I guess is good.. I didn’t really want to deal with other photogs who can sometimes be dicks. When I drove up to Argyle off of Sunset, the whole block was barricaded off.. I guess its a fairly big event.. Well I assumed so but I try not to get too hyped up about these events..
After waiting around for a few minutes.. Christine rolled on up and said howdy to her. I emailed her awhile back but never a response but we both came to the conclusion that her email wanted forwarding to her main email. I wanted to get in touch with her to pick her brain about the business and get at her Grey's Anatomy Season 1 DVD signed by the whole cast.. She came by from shooting Tera Patrick at Virgin.. Yum yum!!
Other photographers came along and it was good to see familiar faces and such.. Met Glen, who was one of the photographers there. He seemed to recognize me from another event.. I couldn’t recall him though. He was an awesome person to chatter with.. and was one of the non-serious looking photogs there.. Anyways!
Around 8:15, we checked in and went to our spots.. The lighting was totally horrible.. Oh well.. We tried to move the lights towards our general direction on the carpet. More and more waiting around until I say 9ish..
The first few arrivals were giving me the idea of what the F***!? Jose Conseco? Aaron Carter and his sister girl group or something? Totally random basketball players.. As the night went on it got better.. Taylor Cole, Kristin Bell, Rachel Bilson, Sarah Carter, Christopher Knight, Adrianne Curry, Carlos Mencia, Travis Barker, Mark Hoppus, Shane West, Chris Masterson, Laura Prepon, Haylie and Hillary Duff, Kristin Cavalerri, Serena Williams and Marques Houston to name a few.
It was hella funny when me and 2 other photographers sang out the Ms. New Booty song when Vida Guerra rolled up. It was hella funny. Now for the main event… However there is a quiet before the storm.. J.C. Chasez, Kelly Monaco, Christina Milian. Jadakiss and Jason Mewes. I had to stop Jason because he didn’t want to do the line but Clerks 2 is coming out and yeah.. ha.. The chick photog next to be was on a plastic stand and like broke it twice. I didn’t think about it at the time but she could have pulled my jacket and we could have fell off the platform. Well ok..Dude the carpet was also the walk way for guest of the party to walk inside to the party and man.. When we get an opt to shoot, people kept on walking in the shot and no one would stop them. It was so damn annoying.. One photog was getting hella pissed and kinda blew up at the main PR rep there and was booted… Ouch… he had a valid reason because all we did was yell hold the line when shooting.. but whatever..
Now the storm!! Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, Misha Barton, Jessica Simpson and Eva Longoria all to seem to arrive at once. What I found interesting is that Paris walked the pink carpet first then Nicole.. interesting.. I believe the feud is all made up and they want to see how long they can go. Paris did come with a hot chick, Kim Kardashian. Very very hot.. I guess she was rumored to be Nick Lachey's new girlfriend at some point.. who knows.. Paris did an interview with ET and blah blah she was saying she was visiting friends at the party and leaving to Paris on Thursday.. YAWN YAWN…She wears a lot of make up, kinda cakey if you ask me but she does have a unique look to her and I LOVE her perfume! It looks like she is sporting a new trendy and is trying to launch it or something.. I think Lindsay Lohan was doing it before but imagine you have a white glove and half of the lower part is cut off and youre wearing it... Yeah.. I know.. Just to say it.. Nicole Richie is WAY too skinny and Janice Dickenson is a mess!! When someone askes her why the long face.. they arent asking her why shes sad..
Jessica Simpson and Eva Longoria were attached at the hip. Down the press line she told Manny that she is doing a video with Jessica with Ryan Seacrest.. Interesting.. Is it me or does Jessica Simpson pose involves elevating her right shoulder so when she smiles her shoulder is touch her nose? You be the judge.. Manny interviewed J.C. and he informs about his new CD coming out October.. I hope it doesn’t drop when Justin Timberlake's second album drops. Cuz that would suck for JC.. BURN!! As Zach Braff on Scrubs would say, “ZOOM, ZOOM, ZOOM!” Just kidding…. Sorta..
Manny and I tried to discuss the situation with his website and my plans for a celebrity type podcast. We gotta get the ball rolling on this. If you are reading this and represent say Sony or Panasonic… anyone who has video recording devices.. How about a donation/investment to our video podcast? We will of course have note of the product in the end credits like Kevin Smith’s Clerks 2 video podcast does.. Email me at anh@anh-nguyen.com if interested or want more info on our part?!
When the red carpet.. well pink carpet died down.. Manny, Chris, and I went into the party to check it on out.. This party was bumping.. The mantra of the party was projected on the walls.. "Play, Laugh, Dream, Celebrate" You know its an official hollyweird party when you have an ice sculpture hitting your senses when you enter.. The sculpture of course was of the sidekick and its was pretty interesting looking.. I have a horrible photo of it on the right hand side with my other cell phone photos.. The second thing that hits you is a ball pit.. a ball pit with girls in very very short shorts and wearing very tight shirts.. The description of the event was an adult childhood like playground.. I thought this entailed that the party goers were going to jump around in ball pits, sliding off slides and swinging on swings.. I was soo wrong.. Again.. Very limited clothed girls doing the actions of the previous activities i mentioned prior and there was a sandbox.. Enough said about that.. for now..
We walked around and took in the atmosphere.. Dead ahead towards the back was the rather large stage.. DJ AM was spinning the music... His mixes are totally random and usually pretty crazy but I wasn’t really feeling his mix tonight.. Along with the adult childhood theme.. carnival games were around the perimeter. A hammer frog jump hit the gopher head game, basketball, can knock down, and the ball tosses were the ones I recall. They event had a green screen photo booth.. Of course there were drinks galore but the hor'dourves were really interesting.. The girls were walking around with cupcakes, pizza slices, cookies, mini corn dogs and things to that nature. There was even a dude making cotton candy.. I would have got up on the cotton candy since I haven’t had any in ages but the guy making it look rather pissed off..
I caught up with Efren.. Pedro from Napoleon Dynamite.. Brought up a party awhile back that my friends and I threw, that was crazy as heck.. We had to pick his ass up from somewhere far.. I think it was Thousand Oaks.. C’mon 1000 Oaks to Rancho? Goodness... Chatted it up some and exchange the digits since its been awhile and yeah.. Lost Manny and the group but I decided to walk around and take in the energy.. Walked on by pass JC, Mike Tyson and Paris and Kim walked by hand and hand..
It was a pretty packed event.. I say 200 give or take? Met up with the group for a little bit longer and they had to head off.. Now off to do some more networking.. For whatever reason I didn’t find the need to run off to the bar and get myself a drink. Noticed one of the host or something on G4 Attack of the Show.. Will was his name.. The show has gotten sooo damn lame and the whole network programming is revolved around entertainment but the way they present it is totally lame and unwatchable. We chatted a bit and I asked him about Sarah Lane because I haven’t seen her for awhile when I do watch the show.. He tells me Her and Brendan whatever on the show got married and is traveling around the world. They have some podcasts and very emo scene style website.. I asked about her ex-boyfriend Kevin Rose, Digg.com Kevin, and Will says he could give a fuck. Totally laughed about that..
Lee Norris was hanging with his publicist... I wanted to call out Minkis.. You know the nerdy dude that was on Boy Meets World.. Awww the memories.. She Wants Revenged started rocking out on stage.. I heard a lot about them and their performance at Coachella.. From the performance they had, they are an awesome band. Gotta go get their album..
It was getting close to midnight and I had my fill with the party.. However not before I got my hand on a Sidekick 3.. Here comes my personal review of the phone that will be publicly released July 10th and specially available to current Sidekick owners on June 28th. Be sure to get your hands on one quick because they will be sold out.. When I thought about that it kinda reminded me about how I could have gotten the Sidekick 2 for Christmas as a gift but it was sold out.. and with the Hollywood Bowl season coming up...Seriously.. Seriously?!... I digress...
Sidekick III Review
The phone has finally caught up with the many devices currently on the market.. I believe the reason why the technology was not included was the fact owners didn’t care too much about the bells and whistles and purchased it for its functionality. The current Sidekick model includes a 1.3 mega pixel camera, Bluetooth technology for those wireless headsets and PC syncing, a removable flash memory (miniSD), removable battery and an mp3 player. Yes.. I know.. Phones already have this and what’s up with the lag. Who the heck knows..
The phone is indeed smaller than the Sidekick 2. The volume, power and left right page buttons are not embossed or protruding. These buttons sit rather flush with the phone on the corners. The removable battery does give you option to purchase another battery since Sidekick 2 owners and myself do complain about the battery life. The phone will not last a day even if you do not touch it. The removable battery option will be ideal since the phone can be used as an MP3 player.
What I found disturbing was the change of the scroll wheel. The Sidekick 3 now has a track ball instead of the wheel. The trackball is very VERY sensitive. When scrolling through the menu I accidentally entered menus and applications I did not intentionally want. You have to have a really soft touch. The OS of the phone has changed... MSN Messenger has been added to the current AOL/AIM and Yahoo Instant Messenger clients. The menus are more organized that could be explained as folders. Go into the messenger menu from the main menu and you get the IM client options and it works the same for games..
Overall the phone is an improvement over its predecessor but the bells and whistles are more like a toot compared to current generation phones. The phone still lacks with limited 6 megabytes for email storage.. That is including all mail not just your Tmail messenges. The screen is still rather small with the same resolution as the Sidekick 2 and gets washed out with direct sunlight. With the mainstream appeal of the phone, the Bluetooth serves no purpose for the casual user. Why do I believe this? Whoever has a Sidekick especially the third version wants to show it off and I can guarantee you will not see many Sidekick 3 users talking to themselves on a Bluetooth headset. If you plan on having more than 5 songs on your stock 64 megabyte miniSD card, I suggest purchasing a large capacity card. I found a one gig miniSD on eBay for $.99 cents. Also with not way to change the bumpers since there are not any, you will have to invest in some Swarovski crystals or a plastic sticker skin to add character and uniqueness to your streamline silver and black phone. $300 for a 2 year contract upgrade, $350 for new activation and $400 with no contract. Is the phone worth the price? You will have to decide that for yourself.. I would say yes but I am a Sidekick owner who would die without mine.
Click here for the Official Sidekick III website
Like the title of this entry and phrase from the party says..
Posted by Anh at 4:51 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
June 17, 2006
The Sidekick III Launch Party..
The launch party for the new T-Mobile Sidekick is this coming Tuesday on the 20th. Celebrities will be the first to check out and use the phone first... Here is the list of those celebs who will be at the party. Photos to come after the party and official description of the product.... This launch party is good sign that the actual phone will be available to the general public very soon.
Performances by THE FUTUREHEADS and SHE WANTS REVENGE and spinning by DJ AM. Celebrities, VIPs and trendsetters are expected to turn out for a first look at the sleek new Sidekick 3, which has been redesigned and incorporates the latest technology in a slimmer, sexier package.Celebrities and industry VIPs including Amare Stoudemire (NBA Phoenix Suns), Carlos Mencia (The Shield), Chris Kattan (Saturday Night Live), Clementine Ford (House MD), Corey Maggette (NBA Los Angeles Clippers), Daisy Fuentes, Dane Cook (Employee of the Month), George Stults (7th Heaven), Haylie Duff (Material Girls), Ivana Bozilovic (Wedding Crashers), JC Chasez (N’Sync), Jennifer Freeman (The O.C.), Jennifer Love Hewitt (Horse Whisper), Kaley Cuoco (8 Simple Rules), KORN (Band), Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars), Kristen Cavallari (Laguna Beach), Laura Prepon (That 70’s Show), Mark Hoppus (Blink 182), Maroon 5 (Band), Michael Rosenbaum (Smallville), Michelle Trachtenberg (Ice Princess), Nick Cannon (Wild ‘N’ Out: The Nick Cannon Show), Travis Barker....
Sidekick III Details
Added Features:
# A removable battery
# Additional storage via a miniSD card slot. A card will be included with the product.
# USB Cable and syncing
# A hands free stereo headset
# A better designed carrying case
# Improved 1.3 megapixel camera
# Bluetooth 1.2
# An improved display (65k color SXVGA)
A miniSD card will be an awesome additional that could make it a traveling mp3 player. The updated camera will be a major asset to the SK2 horrible VGA camera. Basicially the SK3 will have features that already appear in current generation cell phones.
I will be purchasing one as I do with all Sidekicks... :)
Posted by Anh at 1:20 AM | Comments (10) | TrackBack
April 19, 2006
Nothing but them Humps and Lovely Lady Lumps..
Tuesday March 28, 2005
Oh gosh I am way too late in posting but i wanted to share the photos and uhh yeah thats it. Pussycat Dolls are totally hot and the Black Eyed peas had the same set. Good thing? Not really... The concert was at the Gibson Amplitheatre and tha tmess was sold out Enjoy the photos..
Posted by Anh at 10:51 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 3, 2006
SUIT UP!!!!
Monday March 7th, 2006
I will keep this one short. Real short! Highlight of the day. How I Met Your Mother panel for the William S. Paley festival. This time I left extra early and made it to the Directors Guild of America complex in West Hollywood around 5.
Got there. Hung out, spoke to Christy. One of the friendly photogs I have seen before and the last time I was there. She was carrying a Star magazine and she told me how her photo of Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas making a boo boo in her shorts made it in. If guys haven’t heard of the accident, from the general observer, she peed her pants. Fergie claimed it was sweat. Either way you put it, pee or highly concentrated sweat in that general area is bad. The photo Christy shot was the SECOND time it happened. SECOND!!! Anyways.
Shot the cast, when they came out. Neil Patrick Harris is getting old, but soo damn funny on the show. Josh Radnor is a riot, making jokes when Cobie Smulders was doing the line. Jason Segel was known for Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared. Never watched those shows but would check them out. Alyson Hannigan, can’t help but think about her character throughout the American Pie movies.
The bitchy photogs I was around last time I was here for the Grey’s Anatomy thing, claimed out. One stayed away from me and the other was right next to me, trying to be really friendly and such. These guys work way too much with each other, some of the photogs were dishing out on each other behind the backs. As long as it gets off my shit, I am all good.
After the red carpet, then the actual panel. Watch the Pilot and the Pineapple episode. Two awesome episodes. Then to the moderated discussion and Q&A. What I found interesting about the show is that the show isn’t shot in front of a live audience like a typical sitcom. It is viewed in front of a live audience and the laughs recorded. All and all it seemed like a fun cast to work with and what not. Again, NPH is totally funny and steals the show.
Its all about the Barney-isms
Posted by Anh at 6:50 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 12, 2006
Paging Dr. McDreamy...
February 28th, 2006
If you don't know what my title is referring too, you're missing out on one of the best shows on television right now. I am talking about Grey's Anatomy. At first I was apprehensive about watching this show because it booted my other show, Boston Legal, out of its timeslot on Sunday. I watched an episode here and there and resented the show for the longest time. I finally got into it the second season and loved the show. The week prior, I had a Grey's Anatomy marathon, watching the first season over and the episodes to date. I thought I missed a lot, but the first season was only around 8 episodes. Anywho...
The show is apart of 2006 William S. Paley Festival. I look forward to this festival every year the Museum of TV and Radio puts on. Its just a great concept, its a rare chance to catch the creative minds and cast behind the show in one place talking about the show. Every year the festival brings in about 10 or more shows and people behind it in a panel format. A moderator asks questions and then opens the floor to the audience. In my past experience, the audiences ask questions that the panel cannot answer i.e. spoilers and arcs and/or make proposals to the cast. It wastes time for thoughtful questions and ends the panel usually on a sour note. Anywho!
Headed down to the Director Guild of America Complex, where the panel takes place. I got there pretty late since i tried to stay in the class I had before as long as i could. I made it down to the complex around 6 which was pretty much too late to arrive to shoot a red carpet. I checked in, was placed by the other photographers and I knew I was screwed. I couldn’t squeeze between anyone especially the rather large woman I have seen before. I noticed a few photogs I have seen at other events and this large woman I have to. I recall her being loud, annoying and way obnoxious. I was dead stuck behind her and her and another photog were being totally rude, acting like they are better than me. I took whatever they had to say because I was screwed either way and didn’t want to add another thorn in my side. Oh well, im here to shoot and that’s what I am going to try to do.
The whole cast eventually walked the carpet. Patrick Dempsey is a handsome dude in person weather than on the show. Sandra Oh had this totally elegant dress, Katherine Heigel was also gorgeous in her red dress. She had her boyfriend come out and pose with her. Her boyfriend? Recording artist Josh Kelly. I didn’t know she was with him and they look pretty good together. Somewhere between the first arrival and the last by Ellen Pompeo and T.R. Knight, the large woman, I think her name was Kathy and Bill the other photog in front of me engaged in an argument. One was talking about the other being condescending, arrogant and that sort of words. The other was saying how fat, bitchy, and so one the other was. I was just laughing to myself, these photogs shoot together everywhere and shit talking and so on will happen. If you think high school drama ends after high school, you're dead wrong. I learn that the funny way when I was working with strictly other adults aging over 40. Shit talking and getting in other's business will always occur.
I was just glad the tension I was feeling was off me and onto someone else. However next time they people try to talk down to me, I will open my mouth the next time. I ran out of the place, I didn’t check if I had a press ticket waiting or if one became available to sit in the panel. I had the Ice Cube listening party to hang out at afterwards.
Up Sunset to LA Weekly to meet Ben. Before I got there, I observed a crazy accident. Picture this, 2 lanes going East on Sunset with traffic with the far right lane fairly open due to street parking and such. Then imagine someone on the opposite side making a left turn, going right as I observe on my side. This truck who made a left was cautiously passing one lane, and then another, and then the final one because they were cleaned onto the turn street. Now here comes an 80’s Corolla zooming down the far lane, going about 40 MPH. The car hit dead on not before slamming on the brakes and T-Boned the truck. After that impact, it made the truck pretty much go in a semi circle. Like say you make a left turn and after the car hit it, it kept on making a turn. I thought that was kind of interesting and the Corolla didn’t seem too messed up. Ehh, drove along and off I go.
Met up with Ben at the Weekly and walked down to the place. I don’t recall the name of the place, ATG or something we will say. It was a pretty old school place that looked like a place with a few recording studios. Checked on in and headed straight to the food. There was a buffet with 2 open bars. I didn’t feel like attacking the bars since I was already a little pissed of the events prior. Its not that I cared these people were talking shit, but I cared about the results of my photos.
The buffet consisted of fried chicken, rice with beans, collard greens, mac and cheese and corn bread. The food was sooo bland; the stuff didn’t even taste like anything. The fried chicken didn’t taste fried, the rice and beans needed salt, the greens was cold, mac and cheese tasted like macaroni pasta with orange food coloring, but the corn bread was BOMB! I haven’t had that in ages and you can’t really mess that up. I didn’t care much about the food since it was around 8 and the only meal I had all day.
Hung out in the room where the music was playing. Ice Cube’s new album, Laugh Now, Cry Later. It hits the stores June 6th, 2006. Yes, 06/06/06. Talk about a statement huh? Anyways, seems like he is doing heavy promotion with a listening party 4 months before the actual album drops, but I am not complaining, Listening to the album blaring over the speakers, the album isn’t too bad.
Here I am grubbing away on the photo, chilling out. Nate Dogg is chillin next to me with his bodyguard and girl. Bob from Vibe is all over the place. We didn’t this for about two hours before we left. Ice Cube showed up around 9ish and took photos. It was said he was going to perform, but maybe not. I didn’t catch it if he did.
Adding to the highlight of that day, I received an email that at first made me angry and kinda shocked me, but I found it way amusing afterwards. What did it say? I wont go into it, but I do have a statement for visitors. This is my blog, a blog is short for web log. A log is another word for journal. Result? An internet journal. I will not censor myself on my own website, and will be very opinionated and blunt about the on goings that take place in my life. If you have a problem, don’t read it. No one forced you to. You choose to type in the url and proceed to read. But I digress. There are other panels in the festival and hopefully I will be attending and shooting.
I love McGrey's McAnatomy
Posted by Anh at 10:59 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
February 27, 2006
Mega Producer gets by with a little help from his friends..
Thursday February 23rd, 2006
Skateboard P!!! Pharrell Williams concert with a couple buddies at the Arrowhead Pond. On the bill were of course Pharrell William, Bobby Valentino, Keisha Cole, Tierra Mari, and One.
I had to go through about 100 hoops to try to get some access to the event. I have never heard the company who is handling promotion for the concert event. I had to get send an application; send a letter and a business card. After I was approved, I was going through more hoops trying to get tickets and a photo pass. They would only allow one name attached to either the review tickets or photo pass. Too much trouble. I decided to get the photo pass and I made sure that I wasn’t going to taken to a holding area after the song allowance. I was assured I wasn’t going to be, yet when I was sent a photo release with the media rules; it stated photographers would be going to a holding area. I emailed the PR chick about it and didn’t hear from her. Oh well. Off to the Pond.
Picked up Leslie, and took her car to the Pond. I didn’t want to drive it but my car was acting up. The Escalade is a larger car than what I am used to driving and I had to be aware of the size and streets. The drive took about a good hour. Anaheim isn’t too far and traffic isn’t too bad. Just the merging of the 60 and 10 freeway to get on the 57 is horrible.
Got to the Pond, it wasn’t crowded at all since it was only 6. Got to the usual gate 6, checked my name, and parked. Headed into the North Eastern private entrance thingy and checked in. I didn’t have my tickets; tickets weren’t available until later an hour before doors opened. There was some VIP pre party thing going on and had to go to the other entrance. Before I got there, Ben was right behind me. I knew he was going to cover it and I haven’t spoke to him for awhile. We headed on to the other entrance and no one knew anything. The security guards didn’t have a list, the chicks checking people in didn’t know what was going on. It was ridiculous. They had a make shift red carpet with no flood lights, very unprofessional if you ask me.
We stood around trying to figure out what was going on. Security guard asking other people what was going on, someone that looked like he knew what he was doing asking someone else. It was much unorganized. Eventually one of the guards gave us little lanyards with no badges on them. Got to love that. After being dicked around for awhile, and standing there for like 10 mins. We decided just to go to the check in desk, tell them our names, flash our ID cards and get some wristband for the party. We already knew we were on the list, so it didn’t matter.
Took the elevator up to the third floor. I’ve never been up there and thought it was pretty awesome to see. Right when you get off the elevator, there is a Josh Groban concert photo to the left. I guess this is the level where they have all photos of the artists who has performed there. When I was outside waiting, I heard the Clipse going through sound check. When I was up on the third floor, Pharrell was. I went to check it out and it pretty cool to check out a sound check with no one in the audience.
Now to the VIP room which was towards the left, down the hall. It was kind of crackin I guess. There was a table full of Cold Stone cups in the right side of the room. The usual finger foods at the main table, Buffalo wings, fruit, cheeses, crackers, drinks and such. They had a DJ from K-Day tearing it up. Just chatted it up with Ben and seeing whats up with such. I noticed these two chicks, who were pretty cute. Gave me a little eye candy.
One of the chicks knew Ben, it ended up being Julio G from K-Day's daughter and her cousin. What’s even funnier is that I noticed my homie Darry chillin. I haven’t seen him since High school and knew him since elementary school. I used to call his Deuce, well I still do. Just funny if you asked me. Small ass world and such. After chattering it up, headed off to the restroom and down to get my tickets. Section 209, Row D, Seats 5 and 6.
Not too bad, just headed back up to the VIP room. Chilled until it was over. People were dancing it up and enjoying the time. I was thinking weather or not if i should meet with whoever was in charge, and have them escort me back and forth to take photos, or just shoot from my seat. Ehh we shall see. I was thinking I would shoot where I was suppose to and go to my seat when escorted back.
After the VIP room was done, we decided to go to the service floor which pretty much is the backstage area. Walked around down there and there was nothing defining anything down there. We did pass by Pharrell dressing room and Robin Thicke's. I saw another photographer by Tierra Mari dressing room and asked him what was cracking with him. He was totally lost too. I didn’t want to run into the publicist running the concert, and have her make me be escorted. Pretty much booked it out of there and went to our seats.
Saw the other photographers near the sound board. I went over and talked to Wild Don Lewis. He shoots for the LA Weekly, and asked him a few things about what was going on. Initially the photo allowance was 3 songs per artist but he said they changed it to 2 songs. I also asked him what the situation was, and they were seated in front of the soundboard and the publicist was sitting at the far end.
Headed to my seat and Tierra Mari was opening. I pulled out my camera and took a few shots. It kind of weird to be sitting in a seat with a 2 foot camera hover over the people sitting in front of you. The next act was O.N.E. Not too sure about them, at one point they had some big booty chick come out in booty shorts walking around on stage. Before that, I saw another photographer just walking around randomly. I was like, why isn’t anyone stopping him. I caught up with him, asked him what was going on and he was doing his own thing. So, I am going to do the same thing. I flashed my lanyard to the Pond security guard dudes and they left me in to the area in front of the stage behind the barricades. It wasn’t too much of a problem since there were other photographers there also.
Bobby Valentino was up next. It took awhile for him to come out. One of the other photographers told me he was taking long since he didn’t do a sound check. I felt bad talking to the photographer because I guess he was trying to talk to me when we were waiting outside to get in. I didn’t notice at all but I guess Ben and Leslie did. I didn’t mean to be a dick or whatever. While out there, rumors of Jay-Z showing up were in the air along with Snoop Dogg. Snoop Dogg is the typical suspect. Bobby was so not in tune, it sounded like crap big time. Shot my photos and hung out stage left. There were a lot of people chillin there but what you going to do. After Mr. Valentino was done, it headed into intermission. They weren’t allowing free access to the backstage area from the stage and had to take the elevator down. I have never been at the Pond without it being sold out and tonight was a little over half capacity. Whoever promoted the event did not do a very good job or Pharrell doesn’t have that much of a pull. Who knows?
Headed back to meet up with Leslie and Ben and then went to meet up with the girls from the VIP Room, Dominic and Doreen. Went down to staging/service area also known as the VIP area. Pharrell was chilling and the girls got a photo with him. He was sporting his Ice Cream clothing brand; the shoes, hat, shirt, letterman’s, and pants. The whole sha-bang.
I wanted the whole gang down there because a backstage view is a better and closer view. However the security and the so called fire marshal weren’t letting people to the sides of the stage. Of course I pleaded my case that I was taking photos and was allowed, however the others were not. Hung out until the next act and Tyrese was coming up to me and the door to the stage I was at. He was bitching about why he was coming through the door and not the other. I guess it’s understandable since everyone else was going through that door.
Ran out and took a few photos of him. People hate on him since he’s been all movies and not music much anymore. He had a chick on stage and pretty much groped her while she was sitting on stage. Nothing too special outta him.
Headed back to the back stage and hung with the girls. Met a dude from Dub magazine and saw Omarion heading out to the stage. I didn’t even catch Robin Thicke go to the stage and ran back out there. His first song was on Piano and it seems to have a lot more photographers in the area along with videographers. Those video guys were running into everyone and getting in shots. It was quite annoying.
No one was really following the songs. Robin was saying how his first album didn’t go anywhere. I don’t recall him back in the day but only heard of him when I downloaded a video and Pharrell was on the track. He recently was signed to Pharrell’s Star Trak record label and the beat is totally a Pharrell beat. The last song Thicke performed was “Wanna Love You Girl” and I expected Pharrell to pop out but he didn’t. Oh well.
Pharrell was up next. Went back backstage, nothing was going on really. Told the guards to let Ben to the side and they did. Now for Pharrell, that got everyone out of their seats. There was a chick in the front crying and she didn’t stop even after he was done.
Pharrell started off with “Can I Have it Like That,” went into one song I don’t remember and then into “Frontin” and then introduced the Clipse. The Clipse did their hits which was pretty tight. Reminded me when I saw them and Pharrell at Jimmy Kimmel. One of the tightest shit I saw during this event was when during one of the songs, Pharrell was air producing. Like instead of air guitar, he was acting he was on the drum machine and on some turn tables. It was soo tight, it went alogn with the song and just man so tight to see..
Omarion came out after to perform. I was surprised, I mean I saw him but didn’t think he was there for a reason. As I think about it, I think Pharrell did some beats for Omarion. He did his songs and his dance solos and such. Pharrell was chilling by the DJ and I tried to get his attention to shoot a pic.
The next guest was an oblivious one, Snoop Dogg. He didn’t come up until Pharrell introduced his Ice Cream Skate team which consisted of 2 dudes and his bro. Snoop came out with ice cream hoodie. That looked pretty damn tight. They did the usual “Drop it Like its Hot” and “Beautiful.” At this point, I was already damn tired and once I had my shots, I left towards the back. I did that prematurely because once I stepped foot back there, someone else was on stage and the audience went crazy.
It was friggin Nelly. I noticed Pharrell was looking back to the backstage a lot when he was up there with Snoop. Guess that’s why. What the hell was he doing here? I was totally caught off guard and was so hyped up from it. Some chick behind me kept on screaming, "Show us your girlls Nelly, show us!." Annoying real fast, real quick. When i turned to look at her, that chick that was crying, was STILL crying. They went into “Play it Off,” it was soo tight to see. After that song, Pharrell put him on blast and had him perform “Hot in Herre.” You can tell Nelly was surprised but got into it quickly, then of course into “Grillz.” I haven’t heard much of the song but everyone is saying they hate it because it’s being played too much. I enjoyed the heck out of their performance and went back to the stage.
Met up with Ben and Nelly was running off, while lotta people were trying to take photos with him. It was a human traffic event back there. I looked over to Ben and was saying how Snoop had like 6 huge body guards on stage. I mean I understand it when it was his premiere, but on stage? Goodness. I noticed this dude in front of me look back and I could kinda tell what he was thinking. He was thinking, “This guy is an idiot.” Then I noticed it was Lil Fizz from B2K, what is he doing here? Guess he’s cousins with Omarion and is apart of his entourage. Walked pass Pharrell’s dressing room and the night was finally done.
Leslie and the girls were at their seats watching it from there since the Robin Thicke performance. As for Robin Thicke, the last name was familiar, I mean Alan Thicke from Growing Pains. I didn’t think a thing of it, until one of the security guards asked me and I didn’t know for sure. One of the event dudes confirmed it and was totally surprised.
Met up with Leslie, and left the place. It was barely 10 minutes after the show as done before we got to the car. Usually the exit from the parking would be a pain, but it was such a ease tonight. It was really really weird. Oh well. Headed home in record time, didn’t worry so much about the driving. Got some food and that was that.
You can have it like that....
Posted by Anh at 3:31 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
February 26, 2006
Hilary Duff's Older Sis Birthday Party...
Saturday February 18th, 2006
Hayls birthday. Her 21st, finally legal to drink. Hurrays! Her party was at Casablanca in Hollywood. I never heard of the place but when i got there, it was actually called White Lotus. I know that place, but not the other. I found out i guess the owners is changing the name to that or something. Not too sure. MTV was shooting a pilot there, something about C list stars and how they live their life or something. Haylie Duff's boyfriend was hosting the show or whatever. He put on the birthday party too and his energy drink, "Freedom" was sponsoring the whole thing.
I got there around 8ish. I noticed that you can’t make left turns at the lights with no turn signals between certain times. That sucks but oh well. Got the car valet and headed across the street to the club. It started sprinkling, I had this energy and weakness at the same time. I was feeling still under the weather, but I never learn to stay home and relax.
Got over there and noticed right away Long. I met him back at the Laguna Beach thing, hes the owner of Belong Clothing. Chatted with him for a little and waited to get in a bit. I had to wait a little bit, talked to Nancy, who was one in charge. I noticed Mekenzie Rossam from 7th Heaven walk the carpet. I dont watch the show anymore, but when i catch it here and there, Ruthie has gotten older and discovered makeup. Its just kinda freaky to think about, and it doesnt help that this night she was wearing short shorts and had a little booty. Thats all I will say about that for now.
Not too many photographers there, I noticed Michael from Wireimage. He covered Christina Martins birthday party when i was there last year. Chatted with him and he was the buddy for the night on the carpet. Dont know why but they had aerial arts chicks hovering over the red carpet. I wanted to look up and check it out, but i dont wanna look at weird moments while the chick does something. I dont wanna look like some perv or something.
Haylie came and did the red carpet. I complimented her dress and little and took the pictures. Hilary came too but did do the carpet. She came and hit the red carpet with Haylie after awhile. Joel Madden from Good Charlotte said he was going to do the carpet but he didnt. It was quite annoying but he seem to not mind when it was the intouch interviewer. Oh well..
Rumors of certain people showing up, Pussycat Dolls, Jennifer Love Hewitt, The Simpson girls, Paris Hilton and her ex-boyfriend Paris Lazeus or whatever. The Simpson girls werent there because their father was having a his birthday party. Jennifer Love Hewitt was having her own birthday party in Vegas. Why would Paris Hilton be here and so on.
Nancy and I chatted some more. I so recall her from somewhere and couldnt put a finger on it. Whats funny is that her ex-boyfriend is friends with one of my Editors. Small ass world if you ask me. She invited me to her birthday party and wanted me to cover some charity event she was doing in Diego. Im down, never done the theme party thing. Golf Pros and Tennis Hoes. We shall see if i can make it down to Diego.
After the carpet was dead, I finally had a chance to make it into the party. Before I went in, her cake came on in. It had a princess Barbie doll on top of it. Well its her birthday and party I suppose. Man the place was crowded as heck. There was an outside patio area that had a live band. As you walk in, you see the coat check and restrooms. The left side was the patio area along with the sushi restuarant looking place. The right side headed to the dance area and the vip room. Once you get into the area of the dance floor, you noticed the elevated vip section and then the long long club with the bar at the far end. The smoking area is towards your right once the turn right into the dance floor.
Headed onto the VIP area and they werent letting people in at the moment. They sang the happy birthday song when i was still outside, so Im assuming it was a little private time. I checked in my camera and made the way to the bar. Got a a vodka tonic, but not after a long wait. I didnt wait so i didnt mind. Long was there hanging out, and chatted with him and his chick he brought, Sabrina. He kept on trying to get me out to his birthday party. I think he asked me like 5 times to get a straight answer. I just told him id try to make it out and wanted to know where it would be. He party was Thursday and i had the Pharrell and Friends concert to cover.
After the DMV wait at the bar, headed back to the VIP area. The security dude was being a jerk still, saying how he reconigze me and the group. It was totally annoying. I tried to explain to him that I wasnt able to go in yet because I was outside shooting. One of the PR dudes was in there and i tried to tell him whats up. Eventually he told the security dude what was up. At that point, didnt want to stick much anymore. Feeling under the weather was still getting to me. I had a few cupcakes, and got my gift bag, and left out of there. I mean there were some real freaks in there dancing it up, but feeling ill is not a good thing to dance with.
Left the place, it was already dying down anyways. Decided to get some Roscoes's Chicken and Waffles. I kinda wanted Pink's. I usually never leave LA after a night of clubbing without one of them street hot dogs and I never had Pink's, so i wanted it. Roscoe's was just down the street and got that. Wait wasnt too bad. Just the typical waffles and chicken of course. I love it. Then headed on home. All and all a pretty cool night.
Posted by Anh at 6:30 PM
The Semi-Finals...
Thursday February 17th, 2006
Ballroom dancing.. who does that? Really old people and gays right? I’m just stating the stereotypes. I guess last year top rating show in the summer, Dancing with the Stars, changed it all up. They use the word, "Stars" very loosely, what can you do? The word celebrity is such a general title.
Enough of that ranting, and with that, I still decided to attend a taping of Dancing with the Stars. I decide to go due to 2 reasons. Michael Bublé was performing and i had VIP seating and access. Some might know, some might, but all shows with studio audiences have some outside service that fills the seats in for them. Most of the time it’s open to whoever knows of this service and get tickets to sitcoms and such. If you know this route, you are usually showing up early and waiting in line for hours. If it’s a taped show, you will be waiting longer since production can take their sweet time unlike live shows that have to go live at a set time. Anyways, bottom-line I already stated the reasons why I’m going to see some dancing.
Drive wasn’t bad.. The bad thing that had to deal with the driving was actually getting into the studio lot. The turn into the studio, Genesee Ave. The light doesn’t have a turn signal, so you have to wait and wait until no cars are coming or steal a yellow. One light passed and I couldn’t squeeze in since there was no room to enter, second light i get rear ended.. You never expect to feel the thud of someone hitting you but when it happens of course you think what the fuck. I look in my rear view mirror and see the lady in the truck say, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I jump out looked, nothing, she asked if there was damage, i said no and got back into my car. At this point the general audience was lining up outside the gates of CBS Television City, they were all looking and I missed my second light. Third times the charm as always.
Check in with the guard, and parked.. I got there around 2:50ish. Check in with the VIP entrance and they weren’t letting people in until 3:20ish. Just hung out, walking around a little bit and hanging out in my car. At one point I wanted to use the restroom just so i don’t have to do it later. I went into this hanger looking place right before the main entrance for VIPs. Pretty much the backstage area of the studio and i asked the security lady where the bathroom was. She just pointed and said around the corner. Too bad there were 3 entrance type things and no corners. I asked her again like twice and same answer, all while i was walk towards the entrances. I like did a minny mynny mo while still asking and still nothing. Eventually just walked towards the exit door and made my way. I see a line with mostly woman and a few men. But we all know, woman restroom lines are really long and there’s usually never a line at the men’s. I looked up at the signs and made sure it was the men’s. Open the door and walked in briefly and saw an old woman drying her hands with a paper towel and backed up out of there. There was a man who was saying both were only open to women only and if i needed to id have wait. There were a few laughs from the women, but I didn’t even feel embarrassed at all. Honest mistake and they saw me coming and didn’t say anything. Whatever. I just backed on up out of there and headed back.
After some more waiting.. We were led into the studios. We had our names on the seats reserved for us. My seat was at stage right, third row of seats. Sat down, waited for everyone else to filter in before the general audience were seated. Of course the studio and stage looked smaller in person than on television. It’s just funny on how the difference is.
Eventually people were seated and a pre show warming up dude came out. He had various competitions with each side. Dancing, singing, and more random dancing. The dancing was quite funny. There weird 80s old old chicks with feather boas and big hair came and sang locomotion. It was ironically, a train wreck.
After a few games, Michael Bublé recorded his performances.. First song was Moondance with the professional dancers. The female dancer’s grand parents were in front of me. Very cute if you asked me, the granddaughter that is. Next song was Save the Last Dance For Me. Max Chmerkovskiy and Edyta Sliwinska danced that song, and that was a hot number. That was pretty much it for the taped performances and off to the live stuff. Nothing special, just a lot of filler recorded stuff. The only dancing I saw live were the professional stuff and the host, Tom Bergeron. His partner was Ashly DelGrosso, she is a cutie.
Enough of that. I was looking about for Nick Lachey which he wasn’t there nor Drew’s wife. Mark Hamil was there, a row in front of me to my left. I remember talking to his a few years about at The Last Samurai premiere I think.
Now for the results. Drew Lachey was the obvious one and then the surprise was Jerry Rice. I was totally shocked and started the Jerry chant which echoes all over the studio. You knew at that point Lisa Rinna was going to the finals since the last two was her and Stacey Keibler. Of course it went to commercial break and back from it, got the result. That was that. Lisa made a comment about only having a few soul mates in life and her partner, Louis was one of them. I don’t know how I would feel if this dude is all over my wife, dancing and otherwise. I caught a little weird vibe myself but what you gonna do.
Audience was ushered out of the studio. I hung out and noticed Stacy went to say hi to Torrie Wilson. I didn’t even know she was there. I remembered her from when I used to watch wrestling. Media interviews were done on the dance floor with all the usual suspects, Access Hollywood, The Insider and so on. Hung out to check out the dancers and such but left. There was an after show party thing, but it was raining and didn’t want to deal with traffic. Too bad I was stuck in it for 2 hours. Good way to spend my Friday.
I wouldnt be surprise if Jerry Rice takes it all
Posted by Anh at 11:49 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 16, 2006
Scrubs 100th episode celebration..
I like to start of saying i have never watched the show but im going to start. Scrubs that is. I did watch the premiere, which was hilarious!! I have 5 seasons to catch up with the show, which isn’t so bad. With the internet and TV Shows on DVD. I’ll be fine. I mean im on the third season of the Sopranos, which doesn’t mean anything since there is 10 seasons I think.
Off to LA once again... to the Cabana Club.. I looked up the site before I headed over there and wow this place is really really nice. It’s right off at Ivar next to the Arclight Cinema. I have been there 100s of times at the Arclight and didn’t even know the club was right there.
Checked in and hung out at the red carpet. They placed me right next to the reporters, but i was here to shoot the carpet. There was a photographer area and i noticed 2 photographers. I gave them the peace sign, well the peace sign was to the dude out of the group. I saw both of them earlier in the week at the Miss America thing. I guess the dude didn’t noticed and the heavy set dude next to him thought i was saying what’s up to him. Ehh whatever.
I was glad I was away from them, since there were over 10 photogs over there, which will all get the same shot. I’m trying to have the mentality of taking a different shot and taking another angle. But for whatever reason, me standing away from them, in a sense better position on the carpet. I felt that they felt i was getting special treatment and they were a little pissed about it. I mean i was standing right next to the house photographer who was shooting from NBC/Touchtone Entertainment. A house photog ALWAYS gets a hand up on the other photographers. Location, access and of course treatment. Ehhh whatever.. It sorta bothered me, them looking over at my general direction. I didn’t care. I’m glad I didn’t have to yell with the other photographers. When the cast walked by, I asked nicely for them to back up to the poster and i shoot their photo and the house photog would then also. We had a great routine working for us before they were attacked by the mob at the photo area.
I had a buddy there, well a buddy just met. Jolie reporting for a British music magazine called MMC or NNC or something. She was awesome, we exchanged thoughts
Everyone from the cast was great. Donald is as charismatic as you would think. I wanted to challenge him in some XBOX since he’s an avid gamer. John C. McGinley was funny talking about how he wanted to have Elle McPherson as a guest star as his forbidden lover. The people with Judy Reyes was very very nice and loved talking to them. Rather I don’t want to be here type mood was Zach Braff. Barely did the press line and or photos. Sarah Chalke publicist seemed like she was either drunk or on pain killers by the way she was slurring her words and making comments about Sarah telling long stories.
Samantha Harris from E! was chillin. Looking decently cute. Wanted to say hi and ask about Vegas when she was doing the Comedy Festival. I was already caught up in my own thing. Oh mainly it was the cast who were the celebrities who attended but Mandy Moore was in the house. She is really really cute. I asked her publicist if she was doing Entourage this season but she didn’t know and after I took photos of Mandy I asked her. She was confused and said not that she knows of. Dude it was a valid question since they sorta left her in the air last season.
I was surprised the wait wasn’t too bad and everyone seems to come in an orderly fashion. After all the red carpet people arrived, everyone left. Press people I mean. I decided to stay around and wondered if I wanted to actually stay at the party. After the photographers left, the house photog hung around to shoot one last group shot. I was glad I stayed back since only 3 photographers actually got this shot.
Chatted a bit a little with the cast members but decided to leave. Only why I would stay was to check out the open bar and the food. But I took in the ambience of the club and headed back home… First thing on the agenda once I get home is to purchase whatever seasons they have available.
I like to state before I end this post... Garden State wasnt all that great of a movie.. Direction and Cinematography was great hands down. Story and mood of the film was way too EMO!!! Thats all im going to say, i could really rant on and rant but i wont...
View more photos from the event
Sucks the show is going to end this season... i think. thats what i hear..
Posted by Anh at 1:19 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
December 17, 2005
Night of Celebration... and mourning... for Snoop Dogg that is...
Last Monday December 12th, 2005
I honestly don’t know how i got up this morning. I went to bed at 1 trying to catch up on sleep since i had a final and what i thought was going to be a long Monday night. All i recall was tossing and turning actually not falling asleep until 3 and waking up at 5am, 6am, and finally up at 9:30ish AM.
Had an econ final at 10:45PM. Id say a really easy one if you ask me. 30 questions multiple choice, if only all my classes were like this. Id be out of this black hole of community college. Head on over to class, and finished it in a good 20 mins.
Ran some errands all day. But not as much as i planned really. Went home to go over some things, and i really need to get my list together my Christmas cards. I decided to put some See's candy in the cards, so that they don’t seem too boring with just a card. Figured See's candy would be the best bet and i will have to go get that another day.
Headed on over to Target since i figured they would have some bulk Christmas cards. Made Alex drive because i was feeling way too lazy. When i got there, i saw a Hallmark and thought to go in there. Found a box of 32 cards for about 8 bucks, and they weren’t crappy ones either. Very elegant, detailed, and some had glittered up. Ok while i was there, an attractive lady, showed me a card and asked, "Does this look like a card a grandmother would send." I told her no not really. After i paid for my cards and left. I thought to myself, was she a grandmother herself? She was a little too young looking and really hot to be one. Then i thought maybe she was getting it for a grandmother to send out or even she was making sure the cards she got didn’t make her look like a grandmother sending a card.
Off to get something to eat, went to Carls Jr and treated Alex. The chick that was taking our order, too cute to be working there at Fast Food. Man as i think about that, it is too and in our mentality, pretty people we think should be more privileged.
Got home and got ready. Off to LA once again!! The drive wasn’t too bad, i actually got pass the 110 Freeway before i hit any traffic. For some reason, it was really annoying to be in.
Arrived at LA Weekly for a few seconds then off to the Snoop movie premiere, for his straight to DVD release, Boss'n UP. The premiere was at the Silent Movie Theatre off of Fairfax. Wasn’t too far from the Weekly. Drove right by the place, saw the Marquee and the small front where the red carpet is.
Parked in the neighborhood in the back and walked on over. Saw Steve or Same, forgot his name from the publicity firm handling the premiere. I recall seeing him in the press tent in Vegas at the Comedy Festival and in the press room there. We were placed at the end of the red carpet, but it wasn’t even that long. I say i good 50 feet across, which was mostly occupied by huge security dudes and the 5 or so publicists. Nothing really happend for an hour, from 7 to 8 nothing. We were promised that Snoop will be there by 8 so we just waited. UPN 13, FOX 11, MTV News, CNN were there. GMTV, Good Morning Television based out of the UK was also there. So all of us, just staring at each other, trying to make the time go by. Man i was blabbing about random things here and there. Saw some really hoochie girls, dress hella hoochie, and butts that you could actually put a drink on. That’s no exaggeration. And the girls weren’t even big in frame, i say fair petite if you asked me with butts that were whoa!!
Here’s an interesting thing, i've have talked to Snoop personal publicist here and there, dealing with events of his. I received quite sporadic responses and what not, even Ben has had the same experience. I overheard a conversation that pointed out Meredith, his publicist was there. Found it a surprised she didn’t even come to introduced herself to any of us. Whatever.
FINALLY! Snoop arrives around 7:50 in a dark van. He was just named the executive producer of XM Satellite Radio's classic hip-hop channel. It took him quite awhile to get out of the van, not of course without having 3 huge security guard dudes and the entourage. An entourage that wasn’t as large as you would imagine, but then again this event isn’t that big.
First was the 3ft x 3ft section where Snoop posed for 2 seconds of photos. Dressed in a jacket with a black shirt that says "Save Tookie.org." Tonight at 12:05, Tookie Williams is slated for execution by lethal injection. Kinda trippy to see Snoop have this movie premiere while he was going to be executed a few hours later. I noticed his chain around his neck, 2 dogs on top of each other and it hit me that it meant a sexual act. Fun.
Shot pictures here and there where i could find some real estate on the sidewalk, most of the time hanging off it. Snoop was talking very very softly, it was really hard to hear. He did pull out a photo of him and Tookie which was shot December 2nd, when he went to support Williams’s clemency. Wasn’t too long of a red carpet. Saw Ryan from The Source magazine there, he’s the west coast editor for the mag and i met him a few months ago at the Alicia Keys concert. Chatted a little, looks like he’s working on a Tookie Williams piece and some quotes from Snoop would be a great add.
Had that party thing a little later, and right when we were leaving. Ben noticed one of Snoops's guy Ted Sing, his right hand man hanging out. Talked to him a little bit, introduced us to his cousin and asked us if we were going. Wasn’t too sure if we could, but since like Snoops go to man, it wouldn’t have been a problem. I wouldn’t have mind to go in, but i wanted to see how that other event was. Ben talked it up to him to see if an interview was going to happen or not. Ted assure him that it was going to happen for sure, when the busyness dies down.
Off to Beverly Hills to the Camden House. Man, Beverly Hills looks a lot nicer than what i remember. Well the Beverly Hills area around Rodeo Drive and what not. Got into the place, this bar, lounge restaurant. I wanted to bring in my camera to take some pictures, but I didn’t want to shoot then go back to put it away and just left it. When i got into the place, wasn’t much of a red carpet. It was just a backdrop hanging next to the bathroom and the bar.
First sign it was going to be a whatever night at this place. Not an open bar, c’mon now, party and not an open bar? Then again it was a charity benefit and maybe the profits when to the charity. They did have a few charity things up in the silent auction. The only thing that was interesting was the Lawrence "LT" Taylor signed Helmet. I think it was an Eagles or Falcons helmet, i dont recall. As you can tell im not big on football really.
Nothing was going on really, i wouldn’t have mind going back to the movie to watch and then come back over here. I asked Ben, didn’t give a response, so i just hung out and chatted it up on my sidekick and observed the "red carpet." I didn’t even know who anyone was getting their photos taken. Only person i noticed was Rex Lee from Entourage which i saw at the Tyra Banks party. I kinda wanted to talk to him and see if i could pull an interview and maybe a visit to a set filming. I did notice this short Asian chick but i couldn’t put my finger on it who she was. I just didn’t see anyone i wanted to shoot, i wouldn’t have mind shooting the cute chick who plays the daughter "War at Home" and i dont recall the rest on the tip sheet. Usually they dont show up anyways..
Since nothing was happening, no one really, music kinda sucked. Like it wasn’t really danceable, the food going around was minimum consisting on finger food versions of crab cakes, satay, and bake potatoes of what i saw. We decided to leave around 9:30. I wanted to maybe stay or go to that movie but whatever. The birthday girl, Christina Martin was in a pretty hot red dress, ones you might see in a ballroom dancing competition. All glammy and shiny!
Off we go, back to the Weekly to get my car. This was the second time where i left early to something i was planning to stay at, but i wasn’t driving. But I will be driving once i get back to my car. While warming up my car, i was deciding weather or not if i should go back to the party.. This time i wouldn’t have to worry about someone else... Did i go back?? Ill leave that up whoever might have talked to at the Camden House after getting my car..
Whats my mother effin name....??
Posted by Anh at 7:55 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 4, 2005
All that Jazz!!!
Last Thursday December 1st, 2005
YES!!! I missed Chris Botti opening up for Josh Groban in Vegas, and i missed him at the Greek back in October. But today!! I shall see him for sure!!! What got me even more excited is that he will be joined with special guests for a Live DVD and a PBS special. Who will be joining him?? Sting, Jill Scott, Gladys Knight, Renee Olstead, Paul Buchanan, Bert Bacharach and Paula Cole. Mother effin RENEE OLSTEAD!! She gone on tour with BB King on a few dates and i wanted to go just to see her. I haven’t heard her whole debut album just yet, but the duets she’s done with Chris Botti are amazing, and made me fall in love with her. Plus she’s also a little cutie.
I decided to plan a full day of fun in LA. Its a Thursday and didn’t have much planned to do. I did have a meeting with to install some hardware for a client from the company i just recently joined. I wanted to hit up the [LA] Weekly to meet up with Ben and go over our Christmas card list for our various contacts and what not to give some thanks. Time was a crunch though.
Headed over to FIDM, Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. Picked up Leslie from outta her class. Never been there before and wanted to see what its all about. I didnt know it was downtown, like literary downtown LA, pretty close to the Staples Center and Convention Center.
.JPG)
First stop of the day, the Beverly Center. I’ve never been there and passed by it after leaving the Tyra Banks party. I was like, oh wow, lets see what’s the big deal about this place is. When i was doing research and making sure where I was going today. Beverly Center, Robertson Ave, and Wilshire Theatre pretty much were in the same few square mile radius.
I guess Leslie wanted to hit up Loehmann's. A block away from the Beverly Center and it was a place to park. I guess the whole concept of this store was top name designer brands at a pretty good discount. I honestly didn’t want to look around because its depressing to shop when you cant buy everything you want. Plus i didn’t see much, the whole place was like a designer brand TJ MAXX or Ross. When i say designer brands i mean like Armani, Juicy Couture, Marc Jacobs, and so on.. I wanted to pick up this Juicy Couture purse for someone, someone who said if i got it for them for Christmas, they would get me my William Rast jacket... Ehh.. Im too impatient, and lack a trust bone in my body. My plan was to just get it myself today...
After some depressing shopping. Walked on over to the Beverly Center. The way that place is set up with pretty cool. From the street, you gotta get on like 5 escalators before you get on the first floor of the shopping mall. While going up each escalator, you see the parking complex.
Seeming like i was taking the escalators to see my creator, right around the corner on the last escalator was heaven. A shoppers heaven! I wanted to hit up Bloomingdales, since the William Rast line is supposed to be selling there. This is what shopping is all about. The great band of clothing, not too high end like Versace, but about middle such as Energie, and French Connection. That had each brand in their own little section along the wall and around the middle. It was very organized and you don’t have to search your way through types of clothing. It was pretty rad. They had a 40 to 50 percent off sale on most of the stuff and man i wanted some stuff. Again depressing.. What can you do? Still looking for that sugamomma!!
Walked around the place a little bit to get a feel of the stores and what not. Very very high end shops, but what do you expect for being in Beverly Hills. Off to Robertson Ave baby!! My jacket was waiting for me at Kitson..
For whatever effin reason, the streets didn’t make any sense!! One said was saying North and the numbers would ascended, and the other side would be South descending. However, pass a block and it would be opposite. I just didn’t get it and dude i swear i think i turned around about 5 times in about 30 mins. I was getting so dang irritated and what got me on edge was i didn’t know which light had a red light camera. I would think about passing the same intersection about 3 times, i would know. But i didn’t even pay attention at all. Passed by the pretty famous Kabblah center that Madonna frequents and Paris Hilton has been seen there.
I eventually just kept on going North until the area looked familiar. I’ve seen it many times on those Entertainment shows about celebrities shopping there with paparazzi swarming around. Parked in a neighborhood that allowed parking until 6 without a permit. It was 5:30 PM, just an easy come in and go. Walking around the corner, i see high above on the buildings, lights flashing. Didn’t know what it was, but once i turned the corner on Robertson Ave. I see the flashes come closer, and guys holding cameras. I see a tall, and somewhat attractive girl getting photographed. Of course, it had to be someone of somewhat importance. Well not importance, but someone worth having those flash bulbs go off. It was Tara Reid, the part girl herself. He was wearing heels, and was looking pretty slim and fit. Compared to her canceled Taradise, where she looks really trashy, drunk, and rather padded. Today, she looked really really hot. Then i wished i took out my sidekick phone to take a pic for the heck of it. Oh well, Kitson was right there and just went on in. I didn’t want to waste anytime, because i was sure id get more depress looking at all this great clothes and not being able to purchase it. Got some help, got the jacket, checked it out in the mirror, bought it and off we go. The person who helped me told me the line has only been out 2 Thursday ago, i know Kitson premiered the line. Im hoping im on of the few, better if first to sport this jacket and line. Walked into the Lisa Kline Mens store, and again more amazing clothes. BLAH!!..
Back to the car, and changed into the jacket. Hung out a little bit, and thought to find something to eat. I haven’t eaten all day, and it was 6 and Leslie didn’t eat anything else. Didn’t know where to eat and i didn’t care, Leslie found her mothers ATM card that she said she didn’t have. Headed off to Bank of America. She wanted this jacket at Loehmann's jacket but couldn’t pull enough out from the account. Oh well. As i think about it, the store name pretty much sounds like Low Man's. I just thought that was a little something.
Back to Robertson Ave, since Leslie saw a jacket she wanted at Kitson. Again not enough, and time for dinner. I wanted to hit up The Farm. Just wasn’t too sure where it was. The Newsroom was on Robertson, but i really wanted to eat at the Farm, since its Josh Groban fave restaurant, and i wanted to see what’s so good about the place. But just decided to eat at The Ivy. One of the most celebrity sighted restaurant in Los Angeles. Theres no celebrity who hasnt really been there, seen there, or been photographed there.
The front looked alot longer on tv, but everything looks bigger on tv. So it wasn’t a big surprised, well it was a big surprise but anywho. Went on in and got a table. The host who was seating people, asked us if we wanted patio or inside. Of course i wanted to be outside, and he made sure we relieved the table at 8:30. From my experience, well not experience but knowledge, they usually reserve prime seating at posh LA eateries for celebrities who call in last second or just walk on in. I know Koi, the ultra posh sushi/Japanese joint makes sure you leave the booths by 6:30. Afterwards, it only there for celebrities. Hate to admit it, but they do get royal treatment and are pretty elite compares to normal everyday people.
.JPG)
I reassured him we had to leave before 8 anyways, and we weren’t going to tie up their tables. Ordered our ice teas which was infused with mint flavor. Don’t know if i liked it much, but whatever. If you read my post about Vegas and eating at Mesa Grill. How i initially thought they were famous for crab cakes, it was The Ivy that was famous of it. I cant really describe the general theme of the restaurant. Id say something like American with some French i suppose? Who knows! Ordered the crab cakes to start and was told the specials. Nothing really caught my eye on the menu, and plus i had to keep it fairly inexpensive. Too bad that was hardly the case. I ordered the Lobster Risotto, which was one of the many specials of the night. Hey, i liked me some lobster, and Risotto had to be good. I mean i always see it being made on the Food Network, but never really had it, especially if its at a restaurant that i know would make it good. Suhh good!!
Started off with some bread. Don’t know what it was, some loaf of some sort, but it was good to start. Crabcakes came out really fast. They were decent, but i found nothing special about them. The sauce they had with it wasn’t too heavy but i had to squeeze on more lemon to get some sort of flavor out of the cakes. Quite frankly, i wasnt really impressed.
Sitting there conversing with Leslie. I overheard some Hollywood chatter from a nearby table. Something very typical in the city of Los Angeles, but i love to hear about it. The service here was impeccable. Its one of those places where your drink is topped off, if you take a sip, they would refill it type place. Most of the time, that sort of stuff would be annoying, but it was bearable here.
Now for the main course. My Lobster risotto and Leslie got some chicken enchiladas. She’s such a Mexican, but she isn’t but you get the racial stereotype. HAHA.. The plates the food came in were huge!! For good reason, there was a lot of food!! I had the risotto, where it was on top of the lobster shell they used in the risotto. Cut opened and lay flat, with the risotto just on top. It looked suhhh damn good!! The basil on top worked well with the lobster, and man there was a lot of lobster in it. I said maybe a good 5 pds lobster perhaps?? I don’t know but i was enjoying the shit out of it. However half way through, i was thinking to myself. I don’t know if lobster was in season or not, but it’s generally pretty expensive. On top of that, gourmet risotto?? Man i was so screwed when the check comes. What made me laugh, is i think today or yesterday i was watching Gilmore Girls. The episode where the food critic didnt like Suki's "magical risotto." Reason he didnt like it because he didn’t have the right wine to go with it. I was like, hmmm.. i would have ordered some wine with it. But im sure it had to be a certain kind of wine for the risotto, but since there’s fish, well shellfish it would be a different kind of wine. Enjoyed every bit of it. Which i was told isn’t proper etiquette. Leslie tells me, you have to leave 10 percent of the food left. Who the fuck says that?? Dude children are dying all over world. We, and when i said we i mean Americans, waste enough resources already. C’mon now!! Plus big bucks are being shoveled out for this food, enjoy every single bit of it. I worked as a chef at a restaurant, and the crap that gets thrown away every night is just plan uncalled for.
Oh so i get the check.. And to my disbelief, but not surprise. My damn lobster and pretty much rice was around 50 bucks. Nice huh? Love it.. And our ice teas? 5 bucks each. Hurray!! The total of the check was 109, the 20 percent tip. Came out to be 130. All in a days work baby! HAHA.. Ehh..
Off to the Wilshire Theatre.. to see Chris Botti. Hurray!! I was soo excited, i couldn’t believe. I was equally excited for Renee Olstead. Parked in the complex next door to the theatre. Saw other people i was sure was going tot he show. All dressed up and what not. I usually go dressed up but today i wanted to sport the William Rast jacket and represent. But i had a change of heart, and just put back on my button up shirt and had my blazer with me and changed into that.
Good thing i did, while waiting in line for get my tickets. There was a couple in a dressy dress and her date was wearing a tuxedo. Got my tickets and went inside to meet with Vanessa who was handling the photographers. It was good to see her, and met Chris Botti publicist and talked to her a little bit. While standing around with them i see Brian Avnet. I met and talked to Brian back at Sondheim’s at the Hollywood Bowl. He is Josh Groban's manager and also Michael Buble's. I caught up with him and talked to him a little bit. Saw how he was doing, and asked about Josh and Michael. He mentioned he was there for Renee, and i totally didn’t know that he was her manager also. I know she was on Josh and Michaels same label and David Foster produces their music, but i guess Brian manages Renee also. It was good to talk to Brian, since he’s such an awesome guy and very friendly. However, i was kicking myself, i kicked myself for not getting his card at the bowl and not asking for it again. I am so air heady when it comes to certain things, certain people and what not.
We had to shoot photos from the balcony which i thought kinda sucked. However good thing i had my long lens. There were two other photographers, i think a house photographer and the other was a photographer for Smooth Jazz magazine. Hung out for a little and man it was hot up there. Chatted with Vanessa. She’s such an awesome person. Haven’t had much conversation with her much before.
Chris Botti came on stage around 8:05 for the taping. Had a full orchestra to back him up. As i look around the theatre, its a lot smaller than other venues ive been at. It really gave the whole intimate feel with Chris, which is pretty awesome.
The started off with "Someone to Watch Over Me." Chris in a very clean cut suit with a purple dress shirt under. Next was "When I Fall in Love." The first song i shot near the other photographers on the side balcony and afterwards i headed off to the middle of the balcony and to the other side. The best place to shoot was where we were initially at. Gave me a better view and had Chris bigger in my shot. The last song we were allowed to shoot was "A Thousand Kisses Deep," one of my favorite songs of Chris. So it was kinda hard to shoot, however i just shot and shot away.
The song after the third i wasn’t too sure about. It didn’t matter since i had to pack up and check in my equipment so that i can watch the rest of the show. One of the head dudes of the theatre, Ralph lead us into the office on the semi second floor of the place. Checked it on in and went to my seat. A way better view than on the balcony.
Sting was next.. Performing "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life." Dressed in a grayish jacket, pinstripe slacks, and a skinny scarf. He was looking really good, and his voice was just as amazing.
Next, Paula Cole comes out to sing, "My One and Only Love." Her voice was soo magical on this song, live and on the album. Dressed in this suit type deal, her harmony with Botti's trumpet is heavenly. She hung around for the next song, "The Look of Love" with Bert Bacharach who composed this song on the piano.
Chris told a story about how he watched Cinema Paradiso with his mother in Italy. How it was one of the sadness movies he seen with subtitles. The main song from the movie, "Se" ive learn about the song hearing Josh Groban album. It was a nice rendition on the trumpet. The backdrop had what i assumed as Italy's skyline. What came down from above were two lighted lamp things. It was really awesome.
The guest stars didn’t stop at all. One after the other came on coming out. The weird thing is that Chris seemed to perform off set. Like he doesn’t perform with a set list of songs, or maybe he didn’t tonight because of the DVD taping and everyone backstage. Jill Scott, next on the menu. Singing "Good morning Heartache." Chris told a story about the writer of this song or something. I found it kinda hopeful. I mean like i think im totally a hopeless romantic, that’s the only kind of romance worth having. Find that other half you’d are totally in love with. Anyways. The story.. This dude was with this chick, but was dumped for a richer man. Many many years go by, and she calls him out of nowhere. He talks to her like they never missed a beat and go out a few times. A month or 3 later they decided to get married, and both are still married 30 years later. I think that’s soo like incredible, so they go to London and watch Chris and Jill redo this song, well an updated version. I saw Jill Scott months ago on the Sugar Water Festival, and she blew the other ladies out of the water.
Now for what i was waiting for. To see Renee Olstead perform live, and to hear her live with my own ears. Dressed very casually with what i remember were jeans, a red T-Shirt with a white sleeveless button up? Her beautiful red locks big and up seeming not to move with im sure plenty applied aqua net. Prior to her going up, i was making sure i was aware Brian was at. He was pretty much sitting a few rows in front of me next to one of the video cameras recording the show. I had to make sure i got his card this time, or I was just going to kick myself again. Well i see Brian leave right before Renee gets on stage, and that’s pretty much the last time i saw him that night. Renee sang, "Pennies From Heaven." I really wanted to hear "Sunday Kind of Love" which is on Renee's album, but this was Chris' night.. sniff.. Such a beauty, visually and vocally.
Chris Botti said a few things that is very very true. Jazz, appeals pretty much mainly to an adult audience. Saying how shows like American Idol gives kids the ideas that you just be a rock star over night. How kids wont get the idea to learn an instrument or whatever, just be a rock star. He finally concluded that parents should take their kids out to an orchestra show. I believe that is true.
Segwaying to "My Funny Valentine" he says Miles Davis is his American Idol. Chris came out to the audience to serenade someone out there. I bet on the DVD it would look like it was something random, being there it looked like a few members of the audience relocated to where he was. Midway through the song, Sting came back on stage to put some vocals on this track. It was quite humorous due to certain lyrics of the song he sang to Chris. Lyrics such as "Your looks are laughable, unphotographical" That was quite quite a riot. You have to understand Chris and Sting have been working together for years. Chris started off in Paul Simon band but then was promoted into Sting's band for many years before he went out on his own.
Paul Buchanan came out to sing "Are You Lonesome Tonight." Im not too sure if he really wanted to be there. He came out with a bottle of water, and i mean sang out the song, but i felt a vibe of imma sing and leave and that’s it.
Final song of the night, "Why Not." An instrumental set with a huge drum solo. Billy Kilson was the drummer. He rocked it out, one of the best drum solos ive heard live let alone anywhere else. Awesome!!
Chris brought out everyone who performed tonight to do a final bow. Someone who was missing from the night was Gladys Knight, but i figured he would be there tomorrow with everyone or maybe just a handful of the performers tonight. I don’t know. I know it was a sold out night tomorrow and tonight wasn’t even close. Sting hung around to rock out the house with "Message in a Bottle" with Chris' trumpeting. It was really really amazing!!
The show was done, and man i wish was going to go see the show tomorrow. Oh well, went to go meet with Ralph to get my camera and Michael Keaton walks by me. Wow hes looking pretty old. Got my camera and i was out of the place. I wanted to catch up with Brian, but its all good. I can get his contact info a little later. Just need to get my list together so i can send out Brian a card and some candy or whatever.
All and all a great day. visited the Beverly Center, got my jacket, saw Tara Reid, dinner at the ultra posh trendy IVY restaurant, and saw a great great concert!
Check out the live concert on PBS during March and the DVD sometime in February
Posted by Anh at 5:34 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 23, 2005
Vegas Trip Day 3
Saturday November 19th, 2005
The last day in Vegas and im kinda glad to be leaving.. Woke up practically the same time around 10. Here’s something i found out about me sleeping, I EFFIN TALK IN MY SLEEP. Dude I never knew that and I never even had any inclination that i do. I so gotta research this on Google and see what it’s all about. I guess you learn something new everyday, and man o man..
High tailed it out of the hotel and off to Caesars once again. We wanted to double check on the ticket situation. Headed on off to the media room and chatted to someone in charge. Sucks they didn’t remember who we were, i mean they stopped us and pretty much asked us what our business was. The head chick there though remembered who i was and told us to sit down and shell double check on it.
Ben had to plug into the Internet to see what the engine light means on his Jetta. An engine light turning on in the desert, 3 hours away from home for me and 4 for him. Its going to be really interesting. There was some grub behind us. Coffee, tea, water, soda, salsa, cookies, fruit and acruddatay.. Its spelled wrong, but sound it out. Its that dang vegetable plate.
The publicity people there were having a meeting to see how they were going to go about things that day. Heard them mention us, well the LA Weekly. I wasn’t paying much attention. I wanted to see how i was going about the day myself.
Ellen who was one of the head of the people handling the media, she came over and offered us some tickets to certain shows. we ended getting Dave Chappelle and Jon Stewart. Well Ben got the tickets, photogs were allowed access to shoot but I wasn’t sure on actually watching the show situation.
Nell came in to hang out. Nell was another person handling press. She was pretty much the point man doing it all. we ran into her all through out the festival. Leaving the media room the first day, the Earth to America festival, the after party in Pure, and other places.
Next to us sat the writer and photo for the San Diego Union Tribune. We over heard them talk about the drama between Paul Rodriguez, Carlos Mencia, and George Lopez. Ben is friends with Paul, and i was interested in hearing about it. At this time though, i was online double checking some things. I been Internet deprived for 2 days!! hahaha..
Heres the jiss of the conversation. There is some resentment from Paul Rodriguez seeing the stardom of George Lopez and Carlos Mencia. Here is Paul the originator of pretty much the material Carlos and George uses. The Mexican culture themed jokes. Paul expressed his hurt so you say for them. Carlos and George was contacted about Paul comments. Only Carlos responded, and said it was true. He doesn’t give enough credit to Paul. As for George, he didn’t comment or return any calls. I guess Carlos and George went on tour together, and there was drama with them. Hmm.. kinda makes me think what kind of person George Lopez is.
Chatted with them a little bit more. Ben and he talked mostly sports and such. I talked about television and such. The photog, i asked him about what was allowed when shooting and if they kicked you out or not. Good news, they allowed you to shoot during the whole show if you don’t get in other peoples way. Right on!! For Jon Stewart and Dave Chappelle, at least i get to watch the show even if i don’t have a seat.
Too bad that was going to be short lived, Nell calls me over and tells me Dave Chappelle people doesn’t want ANYONE to shoot any photos at all. I was screwed, if im not allowed to shoot in there, then there’s no way for me to get in without a ticket. I asked Nell to see what she can do.
Off to the casino floor... Oh... Before i left, i overheard a conversation saying that Dane was still asleep, told by the manager. It was almost 1pm, Dane you party party animal.
To the casino, was i going to gamble? I really doubt it. Saw the photog from the San Diego Union Tribune playing some blackjack. I just decided to watch and see how they go about playing. For a 15 dollar minimum per hand, and me being broke, having to pay for my notary seminar among other things. I fought every temptation to sit down and start hitting and doubling down.
I get this call from Yvette from Florida. Let me give the set up. I hit up Craig list the night before going into Vegas and seeing who was going to be down there for some Platonic hanging out. This one person hit me up saying her and her friend were going to be down there. Both age 30 so i was told. I didn’t mind, i wanted to see what was going on. They were hitting up a Real Estate convention at the Wynn casino and Hotel. They wanted to meet up at the Caesar Palace. Last night, they went to club Pure, kinda felt like they were trying to follow us and it made me laugh a little bit. Got a call, and they were in the Palace. I told them to meet us in front of Pure, so we could check them out. After a little double dutch trying to get them out in the open to size them up before anything. They were sitting at the slots and i noticed them. I quickly got off the phone and said screw it. They were doing the same thing we were doing, trying to see what’s up. However i knew they were trying to get a favor, favor to check out Dave Chappelle. Sucks for them. Dude sucks for me! I don’t even know how i was going to check out the show...
Ben hit up the bathroom and i chilled out to play some slots. I was starring at the machine for awhile. I said screw it and put in 20 bucks. Again still don’t know what i was doing and again so mindless. I did end up winning 2 dollars, well i think i lost like 8 and won 10. I kept on going and it went gone. So i can say, so far i lost 22 dollars. No worries...
Left to rest on up for the night. Hit up In n Out that was right across the street from our hotel. I didn’t get why.. but we parked at the hotel and walked on over. Don’t ask me.. Got a number 1 animal style both burger and fries. Ate it outside and it was cool.
Back to the hotel to rest. I wanted to check out the comedian award honoring Jerry Seinfeld and the Family Guy Live in Vegas. Ben didn’t want to and i was tired but screw it. Im trying to take in as much as i can while im here. Left on around 4:15 and called a cab downstairs. I waited for 20 mins and called again and they say they were busy. walking around outside some more, i noticed a cab at the Hampton inns across the street and walked on over there. Hopped on in and onward to Caesar palace.
Did the usual small talk. Got lotta information from her and man i was staring at the cab fare making sure i had enough to pay and to tip. The cab fare isn’t all that bad. 3.20 to start off and whatever cents after. The fare ended up being about 10 bucks.
Hopped out in front of the palace, and said thank you and pay and such. After i hopped out and closed the door. I friggin noticed i didnt have my sidekick. I had a friggin minor panic attack. I mean ive never lost it let alone any other phone. But man, the first time ive ever lose it, its in a cab in friggin Las Vegas!! Are you kidding me??? I walked back and when i turn around of course, there were 100 cabs that looked the same. My luck isnt it?? I walked and i think i saw the Van i was in. 1872.. When i kinda try to run to it, it drove off. I was sooo screwed.. I just said screw it for now and id deal with it later. Off to the Palace Ballroom.
Of course i had the phone in the corner of my mind. Went on my marry way. On the escalator i see Doug Benson of Best Week Ever. Asked him if Paul got a private table and played hold em or not. Doug told me does he even have money and i just laughed.
Went to the door where i was escorted in for Dane Cook. The man outside remembered me and let me in. I came back to the usual green room i was used to the night before. When i entered Anderson Cooper was chillin. He was the moderator to this thing. I guess it was a panel with Chris Rock, Robert Kline, Gary Sandaling, and Jerry Seinfeld. Behold, Gary was writing on the plush red seats while Chris and Jerry were chatting it up. I noticed another photographer and i just whipped out my camera and started shooting. Chris Rock turns to me and said, "Shoot him [pointing at Gary], comedic genius at work." I told him of course i will. I shot at Gary, and then of Jerry and what not. Behind them, i see this ice sculpture with sushi all around it. Did a few more shots and the photographer looked at me, and i shook his hand. He asked me, who are you shooting for. I told him LA Weekly. He quickly changed his demeanor and told me i should be back there. I was like, what the heck? Where was i suppose to shoot? You need to leave and blah blah. I was like are you kidding me? What a dick!!! I figured i wasn’t suppose to be back there, but cmon now.. haha..
Went back where i came from, and into the audience towards the back where the other photogs were. Stayed to shoot a little of the panel and ran to the Colosseum. Went towards the back way and i was allowed to enter and take the elevator. I was thinking, dude this is where Celine Dion enters and exits. Anyways.. i entered the dress room holding area and went up to the elevator. I was met with someone and hung out in the aisle way in front of the orchestra. I was shooting there. I had more things to worry about. Like my phone and what i was going to do. Good thing i had a lock on the phone, but that doesn’t mean much if its a code that is kinda pretty easy to crack. Only me and someone else knows for sure what the code is, again but still. If they guess it, they could read my emails, my contacts and charge up my phone bill.
I called T-Mobile to shut off my phone in which i did. However whatever made me ask, i asked. I asked what would happen to my contacts and emails. She told me that it would be lost once i reactivate my new sim card and phone. That freaked the hell of me. Those are really important to me, i have over 400 contacts and much more email. I can’t lose that because it would be a bitch to reenter. i do have my contacts sync with outlook on my computer, but it wasn’t updated. I thought that information was backed up on tmobile servers, cuz if you move your sim card to other sidekick. All your information is downloaded back to the phone. I told the lady to just reactivate my phone, i need those contacts. If the phone was lost, at least i can go online and print out my contacts. I also asked how much a new sidekick unit would be and she told me $379. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!! I paid full price for the one i lost and that was 350ish. Tmobile knows how to kick you when you are down don’t they. I barely just got my new software update for the phone... 2.3... It enhances the phones functionality and updates it. I haven’t even had a full day of trying this out without distractions. Man..
An usher overheard my conversation, and i explained it to him. Robert was his name and he was really cool. Seth McFarlane and Alex Borstein were performing. The whole point of the show was them doing the voices of the Family Guy cast. I guess they had a album out and just a bunch of songs with various voices. If you didn’t know Seth McFarlane is the creator and voiced of EVERYONE cept Lois, and the 2 kids. So he does Stewie, the dog, the dad, Quagmire and so on. Alex does Lois. The songs they were singing were really funny. Really sexually charge and it was much funnier in the form of the voices. I shot a few photos, kinda wanted to watch the whole show, however the phone thing still on my mind. Oh there was this bitch of an usher. I knew her rather large ass was staring at me before the show started. At one point, she came up to me and asked me were you escorted in by someone. My handler that was in front of me turned around and said its me.
Mind you, on my way to the Jerry thing and Family Guy i was calling and calling. At a point, i stopped because i figured if someone picked it up. They werent going to pick it up. Its a sidekick, pretty hot item. Very trendy for the Hollywood kids, but i noticed a lot more Treos. During my frantic calling, i got a call from someone from the club ICE. He got me VIP on the guest list. Too bad i don’t think the club was in any casino and pretty much was outside somewhere. After leaving the Family Guy thing, i called one more time and the cab driver picked up. So relieved!! I talked to her and decided to meet back at Caesars. I mean i needed a ride back to my hotel anyways. I met her at the Forum Shop entrance. I hung out down there until she came along. There was an oxygen bar there. I usually find them pretty stupid but for whatever reason. I wanted to try it out, i felt a little stressed and they even give you a massage too. Just starred at the bar, didn’t really end up doing it.
Eventually the cab driver came. I was right on the number 1872. Headed on back to the hotel. Talked to her some more, she told me she couldn’t figure out how to use my phone. Im just glad i got it back. Saved me the trouble and about 400 bucks i could use on William Rast clothing. Back to the hotel and got ready. The cab driver hooked me up with some vip passes to a few clubs and least got an option there. I also had her cell number, so i got myself a person cabby anytime im in Vegas. Screw calling for one they lag like mad.
Took a shower and off we go. Got to the Colosseum and went towards the back. We had to wait until someone took us to where we were going to shoot. Again at the aisle but it wasn’t bad. Robert was there and chatted a few. The allowance to shoot Jon Stewart was absurd. 1 min to shoot him. Are you kidding me? It not enough time to adjust to the lack of distance and light. Shot Jon and pictures came out like crap. What you going to do though? You have to listen to his people or you just going to be blacklisted or even kicked out.
Kris from what i remember was in charge. Ron was there also. We asked if we could watch after shooting and they allowed it. However they went to some empty seats at the top and we were allowed to go sit with them. Jon Stewart is a funny guy, i can never get enough of showing how the Bush Administration is just screwing the American people. Heres what i recall from it. Bush isn’t stupid, eating soap is stupid. Bush doesn’t give a crap. At least Clinton would spin it. Just thought that was funny good stuff..
I tried to see if i could pull the seat things with the publicist people for Dave Chappelle. Got shut down sooo bad!! Oh well.. I tried and the photog front he New York Times tried too.
Headed to the front to wait for Ben. Talked to the writer at the New York Times. Saw him backstage at Dane and wondered what type of stuff he asked him. He informed me at Dane is doing Saturday Night Live December 3rd. Wow, this is Dane year!! Most selling comedy album in a quarter century. Now thing. Dane deserves everything that comes to him. he effin rocks. I still remember the first time i saw him on Jimmy Kimmel 2 years ago. Every year hes gotten bigger, more famous.. Its just amazing.
After a little more conversing, Ben calls me over where hes chillin with Tom Leykis. I go over and join the conversation huddle and introduce myself to Tom. We decided to get a few drinks. However i noticed a girl walking by with another chick. I get a good glimpse at her face and its effin CASEY FROM LAGUNA BEACH!!... It took me a second to process and i yell out her name but she didnt turn around. That kinda cemented that Talan and Kimberly Stewart are in town to elope. Still who knows? Casey is a shortie however still pretty cute.
Off to the bar to hang out with Tom and his producer, Gary. Got a few shots of Tequila and hung out and chatted. People were coming up asking for pictures and such. More chatting and told us a few things about his going ons. Something that has to stay in Vegas and cant be repeated over here.
Dave Chappelle show was coming up. I saw him and his entourage taking the back entrance into the Colosseum. Hes a tall tall guy! Left Tom and Gary headed off to the entrance. Tried to figure any way to get in for me. Ben left on inside and i hung out. Saw Jeff Ross with a camera in front of him. When i thought they weren’t rolling tape, i went up to him and asked him how his show and q&a for Patriot Act were. He said it was good and i just chilled out. I heard Ben yell my name from inside. I guess the scanning ticking things went down. I took Ben's ticket and tried to get in. The metal detector went off because i still had my camera. I just told the chick im not using it and flashed my ticket and my media badge. She let me in and i was amazed!! Getting through the doors is one thing, finding a seat that wont eventually be taken was another.
I took the elevator up to where i sat before for Jon Stewart and took a seat at the end. I was just hoping no one was going to come and take the seat, therefore i might get kicked out for not having a ticket. I just sat there on edge, at any minute someone could come and claim their seat and i would have been out of there. Two guys sat next to me, and i thought i doubt anyone would buy a single ticket. Usually people at least come in pairs. There was an open seat behind me too. So i was kinda in the clear. Too bad i didn’t feel that way, every time the door opened, i looked back and my heart stopped.
The first comedian went up. Don’t remember his name, all i remember was that he was half Mexican and French or something?? I didnt laugh at any of his jokes. Not because he wasn’t funny, just its kinda hard to lose your inhibitions and laugh when you dont know if you were going to get your butt kicked out.
That comedian was done, and Dave came on. At this point i loosen up a little and started to enjoy Dave. I couldn’t believe i was in, at a sold out show. Dave was funny as heck!! Not as racially charged like usual but he sure was hella sexual. Funny as you would expect, made comments of his departure from his show on Comedy central and the 50 million dollar offer. Loved the show.. I had my camera on me, and i was thinking. Should i pull out my camera and take a few pics?? Didnt do it, but was tempted!!
The show was done and on our way out. Went on over to Pure and tried to see if i could get in. The only reason why i wanted to go there was that Jeremy Piven was hosting there. One of my favorite actors and on one of my favorite shows. I wanted to check him out and hang out. I hit up HBO to see if they could get me in and they didn’t know anything about the event. Got there and it was a mad mad line. Talked to one of the security guys and i guess there was a guest dj, guest host (Piven) and UFC was having their afterparty there. UFC had a match at the MGM. No luck getting in there. I was to the point where i wanted to leave Vegas anyways... Just left back to the hotel, got some food at Jack in the Box and was outties!
3 days was pretty fun. One for the record books, but i can to an epiphany. Las Vegas is known as the City of Sin right? However everything seemed to work out for me. VIP into the Earth to America After party at Pure, meeting and hanging with Dane Cook, saw Dave Chappelle perform were the main things. Much much more happen. Like in the City of Sin, things worked out and went my way. I don’t know... Maybe this is my city and in a city of Sin i am at home?? Or just luck?? But you all know what i think about luck. It only happens when opportunity meets preparation. So i guess i was prepared for this... Until next year!!
In the city of Sin, i am a little too lucky and way way too comfortable and in my element
Posted by Anh at 3:50 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 17, 2005
Vegas Trip Day 1
4:36PM Update
Here I am in the the shitty Golden Palm hotel and casino. Winding down and giving an update.
Went to bed effin at 4 still trying to catch up on the updates to my site, as you can see. Anyways. I didn't leave the house until 10:30. From still updating, and packing. Hit up bank, gas station, and Denny’s.
Got up on the road at 11:30ish and made it to Vegas in no time. We got into Vegas around 2. The drive was whatever, and was listening to Dane Cook's comedy albums all the way down which made it nothing, since I didn't drive.
Headed straight to the Caesar palace, and tried to find the press check in area. It was in the Palace Tower on the Emperor's floor. Took awhile to get there but I was taking it all in.
Eventually found the Salon I place, and picked up our credentials. Got ours to badges and good thing we got our Earth to America credentials. Problem is we didn't get all the shows we want, only Dane Cook and George Lopez. I mean there were other tickets but whatever...
So we left to figured out we had to regroup and figure some things. Some dude came up and started talking to us and was hella cool. Talked about how he got into the rehearsals of the Earth to America event. He left to play the piano and was pretty cool. Ben and I was still figuring things out and stuff.
We headed off to the piano to chat some more and he told us he was singing with some famous singer. He didn't know who it was, but she had 2 security guards with her. They sang Midnight Train to Georgia, and I instantly thought Gladys Knight but didn't say anything. Talked about the hot after party at Pure, the club in Caesar palace.. Anyways...
Headed off to the Colosseum to see the rehearsals, wasn't too sure if we were permitted to go in but we tried and got in. And took a seat and watched away. Nothing really was going on besides the set being set up and Larry David chilling around. I think he is executive producing this event since his wife Laurie is the one who created this Comedy Festival. Sat and chill for a few minutes and work on our attack plan for the night and rest of the festival.
Headed on out and saw someone who looked familiar and someone yelled out Tom. I figured it was Tom Hanks. He was barely 3 feet away from me and I saw his face and hair. His face lo