Vintage Matt Leblanc

A fan of the television show, Friends?

Can't get enough of Joey Tribbiani?

Here is some vintage Matt Leblanc for Heinz ketchup. Let just say he nailed the Joey charm way before he claimed the famous role.

The Job Before The BREAK

Hey Breakers- So you have been trying to get your foot in the door of the entertainment industry. This means endless meetings, auditions, and research. On top of that you have a job. Maybe you work in a department store, or you are a cashier at Ralphs. You could even be the actor cliche, a waiter at one of LA's fine restaurants. The long hours, low pay, and crazy tourists make you wanna crawl into a ball and forget your dreams of stardom. That is, until you remember that everyone got their start somewhere. You may not believe it, but some of Hollywood's major players started off in weird, crappy jobs too.

Ozzy Osbourne: Slaughterhouse Worker

- I totally see this being the right profession for him. Prince of Darkness, meet Prince of Death!

Gwen Stefani: Worked at Dairy Queen

-Was her favorite thing to make banana splits? That S@*t is bananas B-A-N-A-N-A-S.

Queen Latifah: Worked at Burger King

- The Queen that went from fry girl to Cover Girl. What a story!

Kanye West: Worked at the Gap

- This guy went from preppy to pompous!

Corey Monteith: Walmart Greeter

- I wonder if he sang to everyone like his character on Glee.

Hugh Jackman: 7-11 Cashier

- I bet Wolverine got hair in the Slurpie machine. He's moved on to bigger and better things.

Danny DeVito- Hair Stylish at a mortuary

- Good thing these people were dead. I would NEVER let a bald guy style my hair!

Brad Pitt: El Pollo Loco

-I would have loved to know about the A list hunk hiding under that chicken suit on Sunset. SWOON!

Teen Queens: Then and Now

I feel like I'm back in the millennium. No, it's not because someone mentioned Y2K, or because I found a Furbie in my attic...It's because all of my favorite teen queens are in the news. I grew up on these first ladies of POP, and thought you Breakers would be interested in what they did first starting out, up until today. Here is my VERY concise recap-

Britney Spears:

Okay, if you haven't followed Britney's career I can safely assume you have been living under a rock. Brit Brit got her start on The Mickey Mouse Club. Soon after, she was snatched up by Jive Records to be the resident TEEN POP QUEEN of the early 2000's. As Britney grew older, her image became more sexy. We watched her grown up before our very eyes. She was at the top of her game, and then she met dancer Kevin Federline. After a slew of white trash moments with her new hubby, and popping out two kids in a matter of two years, Britney went crazy. You remember right? Head shaving...Smashing cars with umbrellas....Locking herself in a house to be taken out on a stretcher....The dreaded VMA comeback performance.

Since then, Britney has cleaned up her act. She is attempting to be a model momma to her two boys, has a stable boyfriend, and an album, Femme Fatale, that dropped yesterday. I don't care what the girl has done, I still love her!

Christina Aguilera:

This diva-licious songbird got her start just like Miss Spears, in The Mickey Mouse Club. When she graduated from Disney, Christina came out of her good girl shell and released the very sexy, Genie In A Bottle. After a string of sex driven albums, Xtina settled down with American music marketer, Jordan Bratman. After having her son, Max, and going through a messy divorce with Bratman, Christina has kept herself in the headlines. She most recently was caught out on a string of wild drunken nights with new flame, Matthew Rutler, and even has a mug shot to prove it. Miss Aguilera is ready to redeem herself with a new NBC show, The Voice, where she will act as a vocal coach to competing contestants.   

Jessica Simpson:

She started off as a virginal singer, and actually stayed that way until her marriage to Nick Lachey. Since her divorce from the boy band hunk, Simpson is in the news for far more than her just her voice. It seems like everyone is always talking about her fluctuating weight or who she is dating.

These POPular women know how to surf the wave of fame, controversy, weight gain, and wipe-outs included.

Is Rebecca Black Breaking?

Rebecca Black knows it's almost FRIDAY!
This Orange County, CA teenager's YouTube music video went viral last week, with over 38 million views on the video sharing site.

Like any smart Breaker, Black is milking her 15 minutes. She has been the talk of every morning show, a trending topic on Twitter, and even made an appearance on Leno earlier this week. And like any good public figure, she is building a celebrity army to have on her side. Ryan Seacrest is a supporter. Simon Cowell wants to meet her. Lady Gaga is calling her a genius. Nick Jonas is singing HER song on tour. This is quite possibly the coolest 13-year-old on the planet earth (for the week at least.) Friday has reached #31 on the itunes Top 100 downloads too!

Early in the week everyone was hating on her song, but then people found themselves singing the catchy lyrics. News flash: It has been stuck in our heads ever since.

 Do I think Rebecca Black is the next Whitney Houston? No, but she is capturing the tween audience and giving great material for comedians to work with.  Did I mention she is taking this all the way to the bank?

(Forbes Magazine Article: Laughing All The Way To The Bank)

I am jealous Ms. Black of your break into the industry. Get it girl, and embrace the "any press is good press" philosophy!

Here are just a few samples of how Rebecca Black has kept her name in the news:


On The Tonight Show with Jay Leno:



Good Morning America:

Nick Jonas sings, "Friday":

Conan Parody:



Vintage Sofia Vergara

Ever wonder what this Modern Family star was up to before the hit ABC sitcom?



Work that bikini bod, Ms. Vergara.

Chris Brown: The Early Years

Hey Breakers- Chris Brown is in the headlines once again. This time the beat down was self inflicted....

Brown freaked out post GMA interview with Robin Roberts when asked about ex-girlfriend, Rhianna. The 21-year old singer allegedly yelled,  ripped his shirt off, and smashed a chair through a glass window.

Since Mr. Brown is back in the news for bad boy behavior and a new album dropping today, I thought it would be fun to take a look back on how he got his start.

Christopher Maurice Brown was born May 5, 1989 in Tappahannock, Virginia. From a young age, his parents knew he was destined to be a performer. Brown used Michael Jackson as his performance inspiration and would sometimes even impersonate R&B superstar, Usher. When his mother took notice of the talent her son had, they began to search for a record deal.

At the age of 13, Brown was discovered at his father’s gas station by a producing team. He moved to New York and met L.A Reid of Island Def Jam Music Group. Reid wanted to sign him but negotiations were in the works for two months, and instead of waiting around, the young singer decided to look elsewhere for a label.

Brown ended up choosing Jive Records because of its impressive list of hit makers. Brown was now in the big boys club with singers like Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake. He started recording in February 2005, working with many talented producers and writers like Dre and Scott Storch.

Self-titled Chris Brown, debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 with first week sales of 154,000 copies. His debut album went platinum twice, selling over 3 million copies world wide.

In 2007, Brown decided to take a swing at acting, first appearing on UPN's show, One On One. After landing a few small TV roles, he made his big screen debut in, Stomp The Yard. After the movie wrapped, Chris spent his time touring the US and working on more music.

In 2008 Brown was working on a new album, Graffiti, hoping to capture a new audience with sound emulating Michael Jackson and Prince. The album had disappointing sales, and the singer was falling out of the public eye, until domestic abuse charges surfaced. Brown turned himself in to Los Angeles Police Department Wilshire Station on February 8, 2008. He was booked on suspicion of making criminal threats. This was on top of an on-going domestic violence investigation with an un-identified woman, who we now know was Brown's ex-girlfriend, Rhianna. Following the arrest, radio stations boycotted the singers music, and he began to pull out of television appearances.

After many court appearances, Brown plead guilty to a felony and accepted a plea deal of community service, 5 years formal probation, and domestic violence counseling. After all was said and done, Brown posted a two minute youtube video apologizing to Rhianna and his fans for his recent actions.

Since the Rhianna incident, Brown has jumped back into the music world. He starting working on a new album in 2010 and even appeared in the movie, Takers, alongside Matt Dillion, Paul Walker, and TI.

His new album F.A.M.E is dropping today. So I have to wonder...Will his previous behavior and today’s freak-out affect album sales. Can anyone say Yeah 3X's?

Glee Gets Drunk

     

I am a complete “Gleek.” I watch every week, excited to see what songs the cast will cover, or any special guest appearances that might pop up.
I have a special place in my heart for these actors, because for most of them, this has been their big break.
The show is a feel good program for the entire family, right? I bought into the family fun, until the last two episodes aired. They both dealt with pretty touchy subjects for a predominantly family audience. Drugs and sex were explored to no end through song, dance, and dialogue. As a 22-year-old, I thought it was great. The episodes were humorous, and the songs were awesome (a bunch of top 40 hits)! But it did get me thinking…I wondered how I would feel if I were, say, a pre-teen watching this stuff. Let’s take a look at the alcohol episode cleverly titled, “Blame It On The Alcohol.”

Rachel Berry’s parents go on a cruise, leaving their darling daughter all by her lonesome. Trouble-maker/ bad boy Puck convinces Berry to throw a glee “rager.” The party is boring at first, when Rachel limits the attendees to two wine coolers. Noticing the terrible time people are having, Rachel knows she needs to spice the party up to impress her friends. Here comes the breaking and entering of her dad’s liquor cabinet. 

Soon after the booze kicked in the party was poppin’. You had angry drunks, sad drunks, giggly drunks, make-out drunks, and needy drunks. Every stereotype was met. We even saw a drunken lap dance between Brittany and Artie. The party ended with Rachel smooching gay Blaine, causing a drunken conflict between him and Kurt. 

Now- with underage drinking comes consequence. The writers needed to show the aftermath of a night of partying. All the kids came into school with sunglasses on, and more alcohol en toe to beat their “hangovers.” Because that’s what everyone does right? They wear fashionable eye-wear to cover blood-shot eyes, and drink Bloody Marys to take the edge off? False. This sent a horrible message to viewers. They were basically saying to keep drinking and everything will be okay.

So they drank out of school and in school, which was the issue presented in the episode open. Principle Figgins declared that it was Alcohol Awareness Week at McKinley High, and he wanted the Glee club to perform at an assembly. Just note- the kids have underage drank, followed by bringing drinks to school, all the while continuing to cover it up. There are still no consequences. At this point, I wondered if the show was even trying to send a message. It seemed like a big, fun joke!

I did appreciate the fact that the episode wasn’t entirely focused on JUST underage drinking. Adults were getting in on the fun as well. Mr. Shu hit up a honky-tonk bar with Coach Bieste to unwind and ended up getting wasted. He even drunk dialed! Remember what I said before about being a pre-teen watching this…What would you have thought? Unlike the kids, Shuster takes a sobriety pledge, showing that at least one character is being responsible in this episode. 

Okay- so it’s now assembly time, and who better to preach about the safety of alcohol than model United States citizen, Ke$ha. The glee club performed “Tik Tok” for the crowd, and to calm their nerves Rachel offered up a cocktail. In true rock star fashion the group took a swig, and took to the stage. The performance was awesome (probably the most fun I’ve ever seen the group have), until the entire club began to spew purplish vomit. I didn’t find this shocking, but rather hilarious that one drink made them all puke. C’mon Glee, you know you can’t puke from a sip. 

The disappointing end to all the shenanigans was the fact that the kids didn’t even get in trouble. Principle Figgins thought it was all a part of the act, and the vomit was for shock value. This is what I don’t understand. How can you have an episode where the entire cast drinks underage without any consequence? Coming from someone who may or may not have underage drank in her life (cough, cough), THAT NEVER HAPPENS. You always get in trouble in some way from doing wrong. What kind of message are you trying to send to your audience? 

I believe this episode failed to convey how important alcohol awareness is. Instead of walking away fearful, or not wanting to drink, it made me want to party! I know I am not the only one. As the credits rolled, I looked at my roommates for some reaction. They unanimously agreed that the episode was not effective and actually made drinking seem cool. Needless to say, the following weekend we listened to Ke$ha on our way over to the bar.

I could ask myself, what can Glee do next to be more shocking? But that question was already answered in the following week’s episode about S. E. X. Let’s just say the Parents Television Council is furious with the shows creators for how they dealt with this issue. The most shocking portion of the episode was when the substitute teacher, aka Gwyneth Paltrow, gave some male students lap dances. 

Their messages are so ineffective, and I think the show needs to stop preaching things with the intention of creating change. Instead, completely make fun of subject matter with no message-its way more entertaining that way. 

Glee is on spring break for a few weeks, so they have plenty of time to decide which hot button issue they should tackle next. I’m thinking illegal immigration… 

Acting with James Franco

So James Franco bombed at the Oscars...It kills me a little to think about that fateful Sunday night because I love him. Yes, I transform into a giddy school girl whenever he appears on screen. From his portrayal of a one-armed mountain climber in 127 Hours, to a gay man in Milk, I can't get enough of the guy. I think his whole persona works. He performs in a broad spectrum of projects like soap operas, and blockbuster movies, all while attending school. This acting bookworm hunk has it goin' on! The public hasn't heard from James since the Academy Awards, so I decided to bring back one of his funnier moments for all the indiscovered talent hoping to make it BIG.

 Funny Or Die presents: Acting With James Franco

Amanda Seyfried, Before Little Red.

You have to know where you came from to know where you are going, right? OF COURSE RIGHT! That’s why I think it is important to take a look back on how some of Hollywood’s hottest celebs got their start. Amanda Seyfried’s new movie, Red Riding Hood, opened this past weekend, and it had me thinking. I wonder what this actress did before playing Karen Smith in the hit movie, Mean Girls? Fear not, because I did some digging and found out how well rounded this actress actually is.

Seyfried caught the showbiz bug at a very young age. In 1995, she began to act and model. Amanda was in good company with some of her modeling work, appearing alongside Leighton Meester in Limited Too ads.

She stopped modeling when she was seventeen and began to train with a Broadway coach. In 2000, Seyfried landed her first reoccurring television role as Lucy Montgomery in As The World Turns. In 2003, she moved to another daytime soap portraying Joni Stafford on All My Children. In that same year, Seyfried auditioned for Mean Girls and landed the role of ditzy plastic, Karen Smith. This earned her some major media attention in the industry.

Her next project was a turn back to television in the show Veronica Mars. Seyfried played Lilly Kane, Vernoica’s best friend who was murdered. Seyfried’s resume gained a bunch of credibility when she appeared on the hit HBO drama, Big Love. She played Sarah Hendrickson, the first daughter in a polygamous family. She was on the show for 4 seasons, when she decided to focus on her film career.

Since then Seyfried has appeared in everything from horror films, to romantic comedies, to independent projects. This is one starlet who really has experience quite the journey to fame. With studios naming Seyfried an “it” girl, I wonder what project she will pick up next!

The Disney Channel Acting School

For those of you who missed Miley Cyrus on Saturday Night Live this week, here is a comedic take on Disney Channel acting.

Saturday Night Live - Disney Channel Acting School - Video - NBC.com

Introducing, Gregory Sands

Gregory Sands is a native New Yorker that grew up on Long Island. This actor is a jack of all trades, going from a literature student, to cemetery worker, to (hopefully) the next big thing among young actors. He held little back when I candidly spoke with him about his process, hopes, and dreams.

Jillian: When did you know that acting was the path you needed to take?

Gregory: It took me a while to figure out exactly where I was heading. I bought a notebook, left school and started writing. Initially, it was mostly poetry, but eventually I started writing dialogue. I wasn't sure why I was writing dialogue, but I was. And after I would I write it, I would stare at it, daydream about it, and bring it to life in my head. Prior to that, while I was studying writing and poetry at Emerson College I did work on a few student shorts and always enjoyed the acting experience. That led to reading a wide-range of plays, theory, and neurotically observing film performances. Suddenly, I was hooked. After a few months away from the classroom setting I realized that I found acting to be the rawest approach towards artistic expression. Like any of my artwork, it allows me to deal with all of my emotions creatively, blatantly and directly.

Jillian: What do you believe is acting?

Gregory: I approach acting as interpreting a narrative through human interaction; I suppose I find the idea of 'human nature' to be quite an amazing entity. Human nature has developed on curiosity and discovery for thousands of years. We have thoroughly examined the world around us and have exploited a lot of information. The arts are innately obliged to interpret the living world surrounding it. As an ambitious artist living in the Information age, I want to use my energy to create an awareness of the responsibilities ahead of us. Information brings knowledge. Knowledge is power. With great power comes great responsibility. At this point in my life, I can't find a better way to do my work than to dedicate myself to human interaction. My passion lies in the beauty and potential of this world.

Jillian: So you went from going to school in Boston, to trying to “make it” in the New York acting scene. How did you take the leap of faith?

Gregory: I spent last summer working at the Long Island National Cemetery with my younger brother. We worked a hot forty hours a week digging graves, repairing graves, and grounds keeping. I used that money to move into Manhattan and since then have been living the New York minute. I immediately started waiting tables on the Upper West Side and working with students on small scene-work projects. From there I tested the waters of the open casting calls and working as an extra. Now I'm finishing up a screenplay for a short I started writing at the beginning of December. A young director from Brooklyn and I are producing the project together. We start shooting in May and will wrap at the end of June.

Jillian: How do you prep for a new project? What is your process like?

Gregory: For me, I find that each project is a great way to evaluate my progress. As soon as I take a role, I begin the preparation process. Mostly, it requires me to think about the circumstances and characteristics of an upcoming project/character all day and night. Whether I have a couple of days to prepare for a scene or a month to prepare for a short, I am constantly applying my understanding of the piece to my real world interactions. Sometimes this involves a drastic change in my decision making process, other times I might just need to walk differently. Between each project, my priority is to live and study towards deeper and deeper awareness of both worlds. Once shooting starts, I have to let go of that particular awareness and completely trust that my preparation will allow me to react and respond appropriately and creatively.

Jillian: So, you've had some small parts in student projects, and some extra work under your belt. Are you actively seeking a manager or agent?

Gregory: I have a few more personal goals to accomplish before I can officially start the agent-seeking process. Right now, I'm very happy with the representation I have. Sarah McTeague, a close friend and associate, started as my manager about the time I made the move to NYC. Sarah is a young talent in the production and casting field with a strong sense for industry trends. She continues to do a great job of creating and organizing many of my meetings, appointments, and auditions. She also has used her fashion experience to help develop and sharpen my own presentation for important events and opportunities. When I begin to seriously look for an agent, I will be expecting two things: The opportunity to audition for larger stage roles and also some sort of affiliation with soap operas. Perhaps I will seek out more than one agent. It depends what each has to offer. As a native New Yorker, I find it extremely important to carve a respectable path on stage. It's very raw and I find great satisfaction in the sequential performance structure (starting at the beginning of the play and acting all the way through, as opposed to the stop-and-go, cut-action experience of film). The soap opera desire is not only for exposure but also to experience new, obscure scripts often.

Jillian: Have any fun moments as a TV/Film extra?

Gregory: Extra work is actually a lot of fun. Of course it can be boring and tedious at times, but it's a great way to make a day's pay when you have nothing else going on. You spend hours and hours in the background of shots pretending to talk to people you have never met before, which can be awkward at times, but you quickly find the people who are feeling the same way as you about the experience. At this point I've only worked on "Blue Bloods" and "Gossip Girl." But I did get to play a great game of hangman with Donnie Walberg; I was playing a detective questioning a club owner about a murder and he stumped me before we started shooting.

Jillian: So you are a waiter. Fitting in with actor stereo-type right?

Gregory: Ha, well as much as I'd love to be done waiting tables, right now I wouldn't want to be doing anything else while I organize my acting career. I have the wonderful opportunity of meeting thousands of interesting, quirky people every week. The entire staff at Georgia's (a great spot on 89th & Broadway!), from the kitchen to the management and administration, has become as close as family for me. All of our shifts are flexible and the managers are very aware that none of the waiters are looking to make a career at this. If we have projects to work on or auditions to go to, they only ask that we have our shifts covered. Georgia, the owner, and Diane, the manager, are very encouraging of our passions.

Jillian: Where do you see yourself five years from now?

Gregory: Five years, wow. That's a bit of a ways from now; it’s exciting to think about it! I will most likely be in New York City. By then, I hope to be working with an agent and also continue working on my book of poetry. So in five years, I suppose I want some of my writing published and have consistent work on stage so I can stop waiting tables. That sounds really good to me. On top of it all, I hope that my work will forever speak positive energy to those around me.

Contact Gregory Sands at gregoryrsands@gmail.com

 

Caitlin Linney at "On The Rox"

On legendary Sunset Boulevard is the venue “On The Rox,” which is basically the adorable younger sister to a badass older brother, “The Roxy.” Once you get past the sassy gothic doorwoman with a top hat, you venture up stairs to a small bowling alley shaped room, where a petite blonde songbird was playing.

            This very talented singer/songwriter’s name is 22-year-old Caitlin Linney. She hails from rural North Carolina and has moved to Los Angeles to pursue her dream of music. I found out about Caitlin through word of mouth, and her awesome website. She has been making waves in the local music scene, most recently playing at the famous Hotel Café, where signers like Sarah Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson still perform today.

            From what I have heard, Caitlin’s performance at “On The Rox” was different from any show she has previously played in LA. This time around, a band was involved. The audience was excited to see her with a live band, because most had only heard her acoustic recordings. They were ready for something different, and Caitlin Linney totally delivered.

            The tiny blonde stepped up to the stage later than expected. The other acts for the night were running a bit long, and had some technical issues. She took hold of the microphone with confidence and introduced herself and the band. It was quick and to the point, and I got the sense that she really wanted to jump right into performing.

            In a billowy floral top, cowboy boots, and guitar in hand she looked like a cute Taylor Swift Junior, that was, until she opened her mouth. This girl has pipes! I was so upset that I pre-judged, because she is the farthest thing from Taylor (Miss Swift is not the greatest live performer, remember Stevie Nicks Grammy performance?).

            Caitlin and the added sound from the band was awesome. It really rounded the music out, and set her apart from other musicians that just use a single instrumental element. With piano, guitar, bass, and drums the sound of the music was much richer, and the beats were fun to bounce along to.

           
As her set went on, I could tell that she was feeding off the audience and getting more into it. With each song performed, the audience was getting to know a different layer of Caitlin. Her songs are very personal, and mostly come from direct experiences.

The performance was a journey of ups, downs, and female power jams with contrasting elements.

            Her song “Paradise” is a pretty love song about being with someone and realizing that they are all you need. It was played acoustically, as she gazed dreamily plucking away at her guitar. While her other song, “My Own Ship” was about not needing someone to be with to feel complete anymore. She was on the piano with the full band, and it sent a strong message of confidence, and girl power. Get the sense of a relationship and break-up song? I DID!

            You can tell how personal her works are by the look on her face when she performs. Caitlin has this amazing way of sending a message with her body language that works really well. I really enjoyed this one special moment when she removed her guitar and stepped in front of the keyboard. I was getting the sense that she was guarded with the guitar, and without it, she was free to dance around and become really comfortable with the space, and the audience. I have to give the girl credit because it was a tough room. Size wise it was pretty small, so she was battling with people talking. Also, since “The Roxy” is directly underneath, the bass was making the floors and walls vibrate competing with her sound.

            With all the challenges, and her first time performing with a full band in LA, I would definitely check out another one of Caitlin’s shows. The music and lyrics were nicely crafted, and she has some really interesting material. Her beautiful melodic voice, set to awesome lyrics was the perfect combination.

I am excited to see where she will be in a few years. If she figures out how to get an edge over the other female musicians in the area, this girl could be on a fast track to breaking the business, and for a new LA transplant that’s pretty cool.

I’m terrible at comparing different singers to one another. Instead, I took some video of her performance and you can decide who she sounds like. Check it out!