Photo Focus Plus:: Taylor Hicks Covers His Idol

By Louise Uznanski for Ontapblog.  

©2013 Ontapblog All Rights Reserved

Before Bally’s, and before his current residency at Paris Las Vegas, Taylor Hicks toured the country for long stretches of time in a Prevost bus.  One of those May 2011 road shows stands out for me.  Taylor covered a song by Irish singer-songwriter and musician Van Morrison, and at the end of the performance had a story to tell.  He recalled a scheduled appearance on Live with Regis and Kelly, and why his performance was canceled.  Watch to the end of the video below to hear Taylor share the story of being ‘bumped’ for his idol, Van Morrison.

As a fan who was fortunate enough to have tickets for Regis and Kelly that day, I will long remember the look on Taylor’s face as he watched his ultimate idol sing “Brown Eyed Girl”.  Taylor’s performance of “What’s Right Is Right” was then taped; Van Morrison and band watched from the wings.  How lucky was I to see both of these events, a television show and concert connected by Taylor Hicks’ passion for the blues and the music of Van Morrison?  The Glens Falls, New York show took place two years ago this month.  Taylor performed the following acoustic rendition of Van Morrison’s “Rough God Goes Riding”.  It remains a favorite.

Penn Jillette Works Magic with Celebrity Apprentice Ice Cream Challenge

All-Star Celebrity Apprentice draws to a close next weekend and Las Vegas headliner, magician and entertainer Penn Jillette is one of two finalists who remain in the competition. Jillette has been tasked with creating and marketing a new flavor of Walgreens Good & Delish premium ice cream. If “Vanilla and Chocolate Magic Swirtle” sells more units than his competitor’s product between now and Friday, then Las Vegas charity Opportunity Village* will receive a $100,000 donation from Walgreens.

The ice cream was delivered to local Walgreens stores on Sunday under a veil of secrecy. I’m told that the boxes and cartons were covered in black paper to conceal the names of the ice cream flavors before the products were revealed on national television. On Monday, May 13 stock was in the freezers and balloons were hanging from the ceiling. At our local Walgreens, the store clerk had already set aside her own pint of ice cream. She had chosen Jillette’s Magic Swirtle to take home with her that evening.

Good enough. We decided to ask two research subjects to taste test Vanilla and Chocolate Magic Swirtle, and watched through the viewfinder in order to gauge their reactions.

Here we go.
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Subject A: Quiet and reserved, highly analytical, national level bridge player. Photographed prior to sampling the test product.

Subject A: Photographed while sampling Vanilla and Chocolate Magic Swirtle ice cream.

Subject A: Photographed after exceeding the recommended serving size of Magic Swirtle ice cream.

Subject B: Congenial and compassionate, martial arts enthusiast and current student.

Subject B: Photographed while sampling Magic Swirtle ice cream.

Subject B: Photographed after sampling Penn Jillette’s ice cream product.

Both subjects praised the  smooth consistency and sweet flavor of the ice cream; chunks of candy captured in each spoonful earned special mention.  Both subjects agreed that they felt happier after eating Magic Swirtle ice cream.  Subject A demonstrated increased energy and completed assigned tasks at a more rapid rate after product consumption; there was no change in Subject B’s work performance relative to baseline.

Observation Based Conclusions:

1) Mood elevation was clear in both subjects after sampling the Magic Swirtle ice cream product.

2) Exceeding the recommended serving size risks manic bliss.

3) In some cases, consumption of Magic Swirtle ice cream can boost work performance.

4)  Subject B has a better understanding of product placement than subject A.

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TEST PERFORMED UNDER CONTROLLED CONDITIONS; INDIVIDUAL RESULTS MAY VARY.

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*Opportunity Village provides programs to help men and women with disabilities reach their full potential.

“Heads in Beds”: Required Summer Reading for Travelers

by Holley Dey  ©2013 OnTapBlog all rights reserved

Five months too late, that’s when I found Jacob Tomsky’s Heads in Beds.  Coulda, shoulda read the book earlier.  Here’s why.

Times Square was bustling before the holiday and so was the hotel lobby.  The long check-in line snaked single file to the front.  At the desk the clerk confirmed my internet reservation, offered me two key cards but no bellman.  Carried suitcase, camera bag, computer and handbag to room 824.  Neither room key worked.  Returned to lobby dragging suitcase, camera bag, and computer with handbag falling off my right shoulder.  Asked an available desk clerk to re-program the room keys, but was curtly directed  to rejoin the check-in queue where I fear that the expression on my face may have alarmed other guests.

A few chapters into the book, what I learned: Reservations made via discount internet sites rank low on the luxury hotel’s priority list.  A well placed, upfront tip at the desk can change attitudes and rapidly improve service.  Might even move your discounted room away from that elevator bank.

Finally settled into my room, I opened my computer and was immediately hit with an extra one day charge for accessing the internet.  Paid it with a sense of indignant resignation.  Incurred a second charge when I logged into my email account the next morning, some twelve hours later.  Made yet another visit to the front desk where I began to protest.  After all, even in New York a day is twenty-four hours long, isn’t it?  I had begun to wax eloquent when I was abruptly interrupted by the clerk, “MA’AM, I’VE ALREADY TAKEN BOTH CHARGES OFF YOUR BILL.”

Huh?  Is it really that easy?  Well yes, it is.  The desk clerk doesn’t care.  You didn’t eat the Milky Way from the mini bar?  Never watched that adult movie?  No problem.  All it takes is a simple, “I didn’t watch the movie.  Please remove the charge.”  The desk clerk doesn’t want or need to hear you wax eloquent.  (Although, honestly, had I not been ready to discuss in detail the earth’s daily rotation on its axis, I’m not sure that both charges would have been removed.)

Before Jacob Tomsky was an author, he was a new college graduate with a degree in philosophy and loans to pay.  Seems that it was an off year for philosophy majors; Jacob took a job as a valet parker for a New Orleans luxury hotel.  Young, smart and eager to advance, he rose quickly through the ranks to front desk clerk and then housekeeping manager before burnout necessitated a months’ long travel break.  Savings depleted, Jacob then settled in New York City where the only viable job offers came from the service industry, returning the avid traveler to the front desk, now at the “Bellevue” Hotel.

During his ten years in the hotel business, Tomsky saw it all – sex, drugs, lies, and then there were the guests!  He learned the inner workings of the hotel, how to keep the lobby running smoothly and customers happy while doing his utmost to minimize on-the-job frustration and maximize the twenty dollar tips in his pocket.  He went from sneakers to dress shoes, Dr. Pepper to whiskey, newbie to hustler in the space of several years and some 250 pages, never losing his humanity or his union card.

Heads in Beds is an often hilarious tale told from behind the desk and behind the scenes of the hotel industry.  There are valets with fists up, housekeepers with nylons down and managers passed out on the ground.  There are stories of celebrities, hookers and athletes.  There are trade secrets released and travel tips offered.  Ever wonder how to avoid that pesky last minute room cancellation fee?  Your answer is here.  Ever marveled at the sparkling mirrors and glassware in the hotel bath?  You may be surprised to know what produces that shine.  Want to empty the mini bar or watch a free movie?  No problem!  Jacob tells you how.  He also explains when and whom to tip and what to expect for that courtesy.  First priority?  Remember that the front desk clerk controls your hotel destiny.  A room upgrade, bottle of wine and/or late check-out are all in play for players.

What I took away from Heads in Beds:

1.  There is hope for our children.  If Jacob could turn an impractical college degree and life at the front desk into a book this well written, this entertaining, and ultimately this human, then maybe your child and mine can also find their way in this world.

2.  I will never again drink from the “sanitized” glass in a hotel bathroom.

3.  I have new empathy for the hotel staff, especially the valets, bellmen and housekeepers whose work often goes unnoticed, well, unless there is a complaint to be made.  Heads in Beds puts a face on people who are nearly invisible when their jobs are well done.  I plan to tip more often, and more generously.

4.  Profanity can be a term of endearment?  It’s New Yawk, people.  If  you don’t believe me, go to a baseball game and listen to the faithful advise the team from the cheap seats.  Cursing = love.  There’s plenty of love in this book.

Summary:  RECOMMENDED.  For an easy summer read, a book that will keep you laughing but leave you thinking, pick up a copy of Heads in Beds.  Oh, go on, do it.

PHOTO FOCUS:: JOSH SMITH ON TOUR

                         Josh Smith at Life is Good Festival, September 25, 2011.   Photo by Richard Uznanski   ©2013 OnTapBlog all rights reserved

Singer-songwriter and blues guitarist Josh Smith takes to the road this month for his first Florida tour in nearly five years.  Josh will play in support of the newly released Don’t Give Up on Me, an album of eleven original songs steeped in the blues, featuring Josh’s smoky vocals and steamy guitar play. The album is backed by uniformly strong reviews.  One of our favorite write-ups from Gearphoria summarizes Smith’s work succinctly, “Mojo rising”.

His 2012 European tour was equally well received, citing Josh’s “dynamic, emotional guitar”.  Said one reviewer, “If this man was a parish priest – his church would definitely be full every Sunday.  An amazingly confident performance!”

Song samples and mp3 downloads are available at both Amazon and iTunes.

Upcoming tour dates:

May 24 – Funky Biscuit, Boca Raton w/Horn Section
May 25 – Burgee Bar @Ocean reef club, Key Largo
May 26 – Earl’s Hideaway, Sebastian
May 28 – Boston’s On The Beach, Delray
May 30 – Big Easy, Hollywood Duo Show Rhinocat Jam with Rick Cafaro
May 31 – Bamboo Room, Lakeworth w/ Jp Soars
June 1 – Guanabanas, Jupiter
June 2 – Bamboo Room, Lakeworth Dar’s Sunday blues anniversary
June 5 – The Van Dyke, Miami Beach
June 6 – Big Easy, Hollywood Duo show Rhinocat Jam with Rick Cafaro
June 7 – Southshores Tavern, Lake Worth
June 8 – Bayside Grille, Key Largo
June 9 – Fishtales, Ft. Lauderdale
June 10 – Hollywood Songwriter gathering….solo acoustic

Racing toward Derby Day with a Party in Mind

by Holley Dey    ©2013 OnTapBlog all rights reserved

One of my favorite childhood memories is a day spent at Churchill Downs with my father and best friend when we took turns picking the horses and Dad plunked down two dollar bets on our favorites.  We watched every horse take the field, made last minute selections based on gait and spunk, then cheered until we were happily hoarse (but not horse).

I am long gone from Kentucky, but still have warm memories of the Bluegrass State.  We lived just outside Louisville, the same city that Rick Pitino now calls home and where basketball reigns supreme every day except Derby day.  More on Rick in a moment, but first, let’s pause a moment to review proper pronunciation.

The most important thing to understand is that the word does not have three syllables.  Oh no, definitely not.  Your goal should be two, at most two and a half syllables.  Louisville is never pronounced “Loo-e-ville”.  Shudder.  Now, relax your lips and tongue, allow the vowels to blend together smoothly and say “Looavull”.  Try it again.  Say it like you mean it.  Well, keep practicing.

We never joined the large crowds at the racetrack, but that doesn’t mean we didn’t celebrate the Kentucky Derby – not at all!  There are two weeks of festivities leading up to the event with widespread parties on race day.  If  Saturday, May 4 will mark your first Derby get-together, allow me to share some party essentials:

1.  Gotta see it to believe it

It’s been called the most thrilling two minutes in all of sports.  Your guests must be able to see the race.  Make sure that viewing screens/televisions are positioned so that every guest can enjoy the action.  Reminder:  Post time for this year’s Kentucky Derby is approximately 6:24 pm ET.

2.  Know the players

Be prepared to discuss this year’s Derby with your guests. Descriptions of the horses and their racing history is available at the official site; up-to-date information leading into the race is also available here.

The 2013 Derby won’t field a clear-cut favorite; there are a number of interesting contenders.  The horse shown above is Goldencents, photographed during a morning workout at Churchill Downs this week.  Goldencents recently won the Santa Anita Derby with jockey Kevin Krigger on board.  Krigger is the first black jockey to win at Santa Anita; he would be the first to win in Kentucky since 1902.  Rick Pitino owns a 5% share of the horse.  He could potentially win the the Derby, the NCAA tournament, enter the Basketball Hall of Fame, and get his first tattoo, all in the same year!  He’s only missing the Derby win.  Most analysts have Goldencents in the top five horses racing on Saturday.

3.  You can bet on it

The party is more fun if everyone has a stake in the action. Wagering on the horses can, but needn’t involve money.  Have guests randomly draw a horse’s name and starting position from a hat; if their horse finishes in the money, award a prize.

One of the most fun and successful Derby parties I’ve ever attended was also a wedding shower.  Rather than bring gifts to the party, the guests bet on the race.  A fixed percentage of each bet was set aside, those funds pooled and given to the soon-to-be-married couple as a shower gift.  The remainder was split between guests who had picked the winning horse.  Alternatively, the same method could be used to raise money for charity.

4.  You can leave your hat on

It’s tradition!  Ask your guests to wear a hat to the party.  The ladies might choose a wide brimmed beauty, or one of the fascinators made popular by the Duchess of Cambridge over the past few years.  Country music superstar Miranda Lambert has tried both looks, opting for a small black fascinator in 2012.

Ladies!  If you’d like to virtually try on a selection of Kentucky Derby hats to find the style that best suits you, Lady Diane Hats of Louisville invites you to find your perfect match here.

Note that in recent years gentlemen have also been sporting hats at the Derby.  While the options available for purchase are more limited, home embellished and creative Derby wear is always in style!

5.  Raise a toast to the winner!

The traditional libation on Derby day is the mint julep.  Party expert and Food Network star Martie Duncan recommends preparing a mint infused simple syrup in advance.  The syrup can be used to flavor the Kentucky bourbon cocktail and/or iced tea on race day!  Martie’s mint julep and simple syrup recipes are here.

The official Kentucky Derby store sells glassware for the 139th running of the race.  If you’d like to splurge on a special gift, Martie suggests the elegant pewter or silver mint julep cups offered by the Salisbury company.

6.  Your just dessert

A variety of delicious appetizers and main course dishes are appropriate on Derby Day.  For an overview of traditional fare, several recipes from Southern Living including the open faced Kentucky Hot Browns sandwich and Derby pie are here.

For dessert, Derby pie – that delectable blend of nuts and chocolate in a flaky pie crust – is a must.  Serve it warm so that the chocolate melts, coating the pecans or walnuts, as well as the inside of your mouth!  Add whipped cream with or without bourbon for a flavorful touch.  Alternatively, a dollop of vanilla ice cream will top it off!  If you’re pressed for time, consider ordering your pies from Kern’s kitchen.  Kern’s original  and secret Derby pie recipe was developed more than fifty years ago.  On Derby day more than 25,000 slices of the pie will be served at Churchill Downs!

Most of all, have fun!  Enjoy the race, the day and the company of family and friends.  Cheers!!

Food Network Star Martie Duncan: She Brings the Party Wherever She Goes

by Holley Dey    ©2013 OnTapBlog all rights reserved

She’s throwin’ down the gauntlet.  Martie Duncan knows her music, and well, she’s ready to prove it.  The Food Network star has an idea for September’s exhibition in Texas.  She’s invited an American Idol winner and restaurant owner to join her on stage at the food-lover’s event, and when he does, Taylor Hicks had best be ready for the challenge.  Whether it’s music trivia or “Name that Tune”, Martie will surely be wearing her game face, lips turned generously at the corners and eyes sparkling with good-natured fun.  Martie’s gonna bring the party to Houston.  You can count on it.

Don’t be surprised if she hums a few bars from the stage.  Can she sing?  Says Martie, “There are people who can sing and people who will sing.  I will sing.”  Warm and delightfully chatty, Martie describes herself as a “party starter”.  She’s the kindling that ignites good times.  She’s the friend that will tell the bad joke, sing from the middle of the crowd or share a personal story to put everyone else at ease.  She has plenty of experience; the Alabama native has been hosting legendary parties since she was a teenager.

She funded those high school parties herself, you know.   In the process, Martie learned a little about the business of music, and plenty about the business of fun.  At only fourteen, or maybe fifteen years of age, Martie declared herself a booking agent and went immediately to work.  That’s right; she recorded her boyfriend’s garage band on cassette tape, snapped a promo picture with her Kodak and set about finding gigs for the guys.  Only charged the boyfriend ten percent by the way; the woman has always been a professional.

A professional, yes, but Duncan is also a lifelong entrepreneur.  She has a knack for putting herself in the right place at the right time and with just the right skill set to make opportunities happen.  There have been some impressive opportunities along the way.  Take, for example, Martie’s 2012 run on “Food Network Star”.  The home cook took on professional chefs and restaurateurs in a made-for-television competition, using her considerable life experience and engaging personality to competitive advantage.  Her appearance on the show came not by chance, but grew instead from a chance meeting some two years earlier.

She was waiting for the valet in front of a pricey Atlanta hotel when Martie was approached by a gentleman who needed directions.  He tapped her on the shoulder and asked, “Hey, can you tell me how to get to Buckhead?”  ”Yeah, take a cab!” she replied.  There was an immediate connection.  One cheerful smart-ass recognized another, and Martie chatted easily with restaurateur and television personality Guy Fieri.  ”What are you doing here?” he wanted to know.  ”Why, same as you,” came her answer.  Both were in town to attend the Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show.  It was Martie’s first invited appearance at the Show, and she had taken a room at the hotel she couldn’t afford, hoping to meet someone who might help her career.

That someone was Guy Fieri.  When he learned that Duncan is a blogger and writes the “Martie Knows Parties” website, he exclaimed, “You’re like a walking party!”  He immediately wanted to know why his charming new friend didn’t have her own show on Food Network.  Martie confessed to her inexperience and lack of formal training, but Guy was unimpressed.  Neither Paula Deen nor Rachael Ray have formal culinary training.  ”Why don’t you do ‘Food Network Star’?” recommended Fieri, and his advice made sense.  After two years behind the scenes and in the kitchen learning technique, developing new recipes and building her confidence, Martie was ready to take her shot at television fame.

It wasn’t easy, and Martie insists that she won’t rewatch the first few episodes when Season 8 airs again later this year.  There are some painful memories including the tense and embarrassing critiques from her mentor, Alton Brown.  There were some great successes, too, like the “Signature Dish” episode when Martie planned to make individual chocolate souffle cakes with homemade ice cream, only to find that there was no ice cream machine in the Food Network kitchen, and her oven didn’t work!  Improvise, improvise.  She did, and the home cook was a quick study, beating out several professionals to finish among the top four contestants, earning the admiration and enthusiastic vote of viewers across the country.  Since the show has ended, one or more of those viewers stop Martie every day on the street or in the grocery, eager to explain how her Food Network journey has inspired them to take on a difficult new challenge.  ”They make me cry almost every day of my life,” she says sincerely, “to think that I may have made a difference for someone.”

Rivers of tears may soon be flowing because Martie makes a difference wherever she goes.  She has partnered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture for a “Food Safe Families” campaign that offers meal preparation tips and encourages safe food practices.  She works with the state of Alabama to promote tourism and the local seafood industry.  (Did you know that 90% of all crabs caught in the United States are processed in Alabama?  Well, did you?)  She quietly volunteers her time where needed, recently making an unpublicized trip to Newtown, Connecticut where she helped throw a Valentine’s party for the Sandy Hook community, a heartwarming, cupcake filled event.

The Valentine’s party was one of several events on her February calendar; she averages two to four per month, all fit around her day job.  Martie produces a featured web series for myrecipes.com and writes extensively on recipes, food and entertaining for her own website, MartieKnowsParties.com.  Her mission is to get people back to entertaining, and she is passionate about her work.  ”America! Let me help you,” she pleads.  ”Parties don’t have to be perfect; they just have to be fun.  Let’s do it!”  The food, the decorations and table settings are “just the icing on the cake”.  It’s the interactions with guests that make a party great.  Martie wants to teach us how to dial it down, make a party simple, affordable and most of all, fun.

She knows all the tricks.  During a twenty year career in the wedding industry she learned from customers, caterers, suppliers and stylists, and now Martie’s ready to share her tips for easy entertaining with us all.  Her web content will soon be supplemented by an eBook on appetizers.  A full length book on food and entertaining is in development.  Two or three different television show concepts are currently in the early stages of discussion, focused on cooking, parties and FUN!  Martie is also interested in producing a wedding segment for one of the major network early morning shows.  In May, she’ll help host one of Alabama’s biggest parties, the Hangout Festival, with music superstars like Stevie Wonder, Tom Petty and sixty other music acts.  She’s busy, but having the time of her life!

Despite her jam-packed schedule, when the call came from an old friend this spring she simply couldn’t refuse.  She used to book him gigs in high school, and now the former band member planned to get married…..in a week.  Just a simple wedding, that’s all he wanted.  Martie agreed to the challenge, and then a full week became a matter of a few days when rain precluded work at the outdoor wedding site.  On the morning of the event, Martie’s assistant spiked a fever and spent unexpected time at an emergency clinic.  The team’s wedding preparations began two hours later than scheduled.  Martie forgot to bring all the serving platters……

…..but she remembered to bring the party.  It was a perfect day.

Check out this newly released video and see if you agree!  We think party expert and Food Network star Martie Duncan is a natural for television, and we’re ready to bring the party home with Martie!

Follow @MARTIEparty on Twitter

Like Martie Knows Parties on Facebook

Join Martie Duncan and Taylor Hicks at the Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show in Houston on September 15: Buy tickets

Photo Focus: Victoria Shaw and Jim Brickman at Birdland

By Louise Uznanski for OnTapBlog.

©2013 OnTapBlog All Rights Reserved

Songwriters Jim Brickman and Victoria Shaw at Birdland Jazz Club, NYC, 4/22/13. Photo by Louise Uznanski.

Birdland is a small, refined and intimate club near Times Square and on select Monday nights during the year the club hosts Nashville songwriter Victoria Shaw and other guests and friends of the headliner. Earlier in the year, Victoria shared the stage with country music songwriters Chely Wright and Gary Burr. If that was not memorable enough, a Cast Party was held after the show where singers unite from Broadway, jazz and rock clubs all over the city to entertain the ‘after the show’ crowd. In attendance that night was Bette Midler who is collaborating with Victoria on new music for a CD Ms. Midler is recording. Gary Burr was his usual extraordinarily wonderful self, singing and playing guitar on songs co-penned with Victoria in Nashville.

Last Monday night, Victoria again graced the Birdland stage bringing her original music written for the likes of Garth Brooks (The River),and John Michael Montgomery (I Love The Way You Love Me) and many tunes co-written and produced for numerous artists in Nashville and for her own CDs.

This Monday night became even more of a specialty when Jim Brickman, Victoria’s writing partner, was welcomed to the stage. The music produced by these two ‘dream team writers’ is a list too long to reproduce here. Suffice it to say, when these two writers and singers get together on stage it is a history lesson in pop country music and a labor of love presenting those songs they were instrumental in producing wrapped into a songfest of the friendliest kind.

Also brought to the stage was Broadway star Michael Eldred whose voice bounded to the back walls of the venue and then returned from behind our heads and caressed our ears with his bountiful joy in singing a special song.

Photo Focus: Michael Franti and Spearhead

By Louise Uznanski for OnTapBlog.  Photograph of Michael Franti at 2011 Life Is Good Festival by Richard Uznanski.

©2013 All Rights Reserved

Charismatic and caring, hair braided under a hat, tattooed and barefoot, Michael Franti with his band Spearhead and their Jamaican influenced rock and ‘sunshine’ music have become the music festival favorites for their ability to communicate with their diverse audiences. Seeing Michael for the first time at the 2011 Life is good Festival, he was captivating and full of hope and joy. Beach balls are an integral part of Michael’s connection to the audience as he walks and serenades the audience and they play musical beach ball volleyball and hoisting him above their shoulders to return him to the stage.

The Sound of Sunshine, the new album by Michael Franti and Spearhead has been described as a musical sun shower. Michael feels that music can almost instantly chemically change an entire mood. He does not chase success but a hit song, Say Hey (I Love You), from the 2008 album All Rebel Rockers, shot to the top 40 on Billboard 200. Receiving a text about the song’s success while being wheeled into surgery made Michael quip, ‘I have a hit and I might not live to enjoy it!”

Currently on tour (Tour schedule) to promote his new CD The Sound of Sunshine and making his way through the festival circuit, Michael is keeping busy as an author (Where in the World is Away?) and as an Ambassador for Care. In his touring travels, Michael has acquired quite a collection of badges he wears proudly on his humble t-shirt reflecting his love of humanity, music and going barefoot onstage. You can just see Say Hey (I Love You) oozing from his skin.

Filmmaker and MTV Star Andrew Jenks Puts His World into Words

What he is:  Andrew Jenks is a filmmaker, a thinker, a dreamer with his feet firmly planted on the ground.  He is young, driven, good looking and well-spoken.  At twenty-seven, he has written, directed and starred on television and in film.  His new book, Andrew Jenks: My Adventures as a Young Filmmaker, chronicles these experiences in words and photographs.

What he is not:  Andrew Jenks is not a snappy dresser, a red carpet regular, or a fan of the Kardashians.  He is neither pretentious nor loud.  His signature is a scribble and he never wins at Bingo.

Most often Andrew wields a camera rather than a pen.  His work is reminiscent of author George Plimpton, yet there are important differences.

Mr. Plimpton was a writer and an editor who believed strongly in the value of “participatory journalism”.  During the 1960s he was known for his immersion in professional sports, adventures that were later captured in print and presented with considerable charm and wit.

Plimpton was an amateur athlete drawn to the aura of professional sports.  In 1963 he pretended to be a college quarterback and a candidate for the NFL.  Only the coaching staff was aware of the ruse when he arrived at the Detroit Lions’ training camp, but the truth became clear when play began.  Plimpton played quarterback for the annual intra-squad scrimmage and took  the first several snaps from center, losing yardage on every play.  The story of his experience became first the book, and then the hit 1968 movie Paper Lion starring Alan Alda.  His bestseller was among the first to go behind the scenes to reveal player personalities and off-the-field drama.

Andrew Jenks also believes in the power of participatory journalism, but his interest lies not with the elite athlete, the rich or the famous.  Mr. Jenks is interested in what he can learn from people whose “lives and stories wouldn’t otherwise get mainstream attention.”  His participation is not a secret; he lives side by side with the stars of his documentaries to better understand their issues and opportunities.

When he was nineteen and a college freshman, Andrew realized that he and his grandfather faced similar challenges, but on opposite ends of the life spectrum.  His grandfather suffered from dementia and lived in a nursing home.  The 300 other nursing home residents were strangers to him.  Andrew was a poor fit for the college dormitory where he also lived with 300 strangers.  To understand and document the kinds of challenges facing his grandfather, Jenks decided to spend his freshman summer as a nursing home resident.  With cameras purchased on eBay, borrowed audio equipment and good intentions, Andrew drove to Port St. Lucie, Florida where he checked into room 335 of the Harbor Place assisted living facility.  He and two friends spent five weeks getting to know Tammy, age 96, Libby, age 84, and Bill, age 80.  The experience went smoothly once the students learned the importance of being on time for dinner at 4:00 pm, and of playing a competitive game of Bingo.  In the end, 240 hours of film became an award winning 90 minute HBO documentary that makes clear the importance of friendship, compassion and trust both early and near the end of life.

The success of Andrew Jenks, Room 335 was followed by another documentary project.  Jenks spent seven months in Japan with baseball manager Bobby Valentine who became the “most famous guy in Japan” after winning the Asian version of the World Series.  The budget for this ESPN project was $1 million, “about $1 million more than I had for my first movie,” says the filmmaker.  When The Zen of Bobby V was also well received, Andrew’s phone and email erupted.  It was MTV, interested in working with the young talent.

Now in its second season, the MTV show “World of Jenks” follows three young people.  Chad is a young man with autism planning life after high school graduation; D-Real has lost his brother and best friend to violence and releases the stress through dance.  Kaylin is a young fashion designer with two types of cancer who lives with the constant fear that one or both tumors will recur.  Andrew lives life with all three in front of the camera.  It’s important, he says, that they see that he is willing to be vulnerable, too, to share his emotions, his successes and mistakes.

Jenks describes his television program as a “docuseries” rather than a reality show.  The stars are people whose interest and emphasis lies not on their fifteen minutes of television fame, but on the  challenges that life presents and on the friendships that develop during filming.  Andrew carries those friendships forward; he maintains contact with many, including a young homeless woman in San Francisco with whom he spent several days pounding the sidewalks, sleeping in parks or in laundromats at night.

At the end of their ten days together, Andrew was conflicted.  How could he leave Danielle as he had found her, poor and homeless?  Ultimately he offered the young woman a gift consistent with the empathy and understanding that Jenks has for the people whose lives he shares.  He gave her a cellphone and promised to call.  To a woman who had never known love, he offered friendship and an open line of communication.

His new book follows Andrew Jenks from home movies to the big screen with stories that are sometimes touching and often amusing, and with photographs from youth to adulthood.  It’s a story of success through perseverance, hard work and caring.  Published by Scholastic, the book is available everywhere.

To win a signed copy of Andrew Jenks: My Adventures as a Young Filmmaker, leave a comment below by end of day Tuesday, April 2.  We’ll select one reader at random as our prize winner.  That winner will be posted here and notified by email on Wednesday, April 3.  

Congratulations to Priscilla King, our book winner!!  Thanks to all for reading and commenting.

Jamie McLean Shares New Song “Holding On”

by Holley Dey

Jamie McLean sang lead vocals on Tuesday night to open the show at Fairfield Theatre Company.  He also played lead guitar.  Oh, he was the percussion section as well.  During his solo set he generally performed all three functions at the same time, accompanying his own vocals on electric guitar and with rhythmic, foot stomping percussion.  Occasionally the pattern was interrupted when he paused to rip a blistering guitar solo, but Jamie soon returned to multitasking form, generally without missing a beat.  Really good.  So good that I feel a brief aside to the absent Jamie McLean band members is in order – don’t let the boss do too many dates on his own.

Several familiar fan favorites were included in the forty minute set, including the opener “Cupid’s Greatest Thief” and closer “Country Living”.  In between, Jamie debuted a new song, the poignant “Holding On”, performed for family, and with feeling. Like all of Jamie’s work, the melody is clean and direct; the lyrics include a memorable hook. I think you’ll enjoy it.

Listen to “Holding On” below, and check back soon for a 2013 news update from the Jamie McLean Band!