Media Mondays

Oh, I am a little slow on my Media Monday this week.  I think things will be back to normal-ish by Wednesday, so I will update you on what has been happening.  Here are all of the crazy places I was last week:

Oscars:  If you missed my coverage, you will find it all here.

Tom Barnard Podcast:  This was a fun episode since I had the opportunity to appear with a former colleague from ShopNBC, Christopher Straub. If you are a fan of Project Runway, then you remember him from Season 6.  Listen here.

SheKnows:
Did Anne Hathaway have an Oscar-sized meltdown?--All signs point to a "yes."
Jack Nicholson crashes Jennifer Lawrence interview--Creepy or just Jack?
Jennifer Aniston ready to be Mrs. Theroux--Then the baby bump rumors begin all over again.

SAG Awards: I Reveal My Movie Votes

Normally, I wouldn't do this, but I think it's been such an interesting awards season race.  With The Academy changing the timeline of the entire season by announcing the nominations on January 10 this year, it created a ripple effect that has been felt through every show since.  From the Critics Choice Awards to the Golden Globes to last night's Producer's Guild Awards, the crammed nominations period has left many pundits scrambling to guess a few categories.  Normally, we know exactly who is going to win come Oscar night by now.  I love that a few categories still remain open.

When I voted for the SAG Awards on Thursday night, I even surprised myself with some of my choices.  A couple were purely emotional reactions to the film and performance, so I don't believe all of my choices will win.  So will win and should win, while I think others got left behind by stronger campaigns....not necessarily by stronger performances.

I'm just going to talk about the movie categories even though SAG is honoring TV as well on Sunday.

Here were my picks for the SAG Awards:

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture:
Argo

I know all bets are on Lincoln in this category and the performances in this movie were excellent.  However, I've said this all season long, Steven Spielberg is not my favorite director.  He makes important films, but I feel like I'm being told as an audience member that it is important and I don't like that.  Argo took me more on an adventure and the juxtaposition between what was happening with Alan Arkin and John Goodman in Hollywood versus Ben Affleck and company in Iran had me riveted the entire time. Argo wins my vote.  Will it win overall?  Hmmm, I would be surprised.  I think the SAG voting body is going with Lincoln. (I wrote this before the PGA Awards were given out and Argo won last night.  It makes me think that SAG could go the same way, especially after talking to a few SAG voters. So here's a good question:   Did the Best Director Oscar nomination snub work in Argo's favor?)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
John Hawkes, The Sessions

This was a purely emotional vote.  I admit it.  He's one of my favorite actors year in, year out.  From Winter's Bone to Martha, Marcy, May, Marlene, I just find him interesting. I loved his portrayal of Mark O'Brien and his true story of finding love even though his body works a little differently than the most of us.  It was a beautiful tale and I loved the sweetness between Hawkes and Helen Hunt.  I'm sorry to see he wasn't nominated for an Oscar this year.  He won't win the SAG Award.  This is Daniel Day-Lewis' award, hands down.

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
Naomi Watts, The Impossible

Okay, I think Jessica Chastain and Jennifer Lawrence were both excellent in their respective films, but nothing moved me more this Oscar season than Naomi Watts.  I was haunted by her performance for days after watching The Impossible.  I'm kind of flabbergasted that she isn't in the mix more for that Oscar this year.  In the meantime, Chastain and Lawrence are running neck and neck for the Academy Award.  The SAG Award will clarify who will probably go home with that gold statuette on February 24th.

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
Alan Arkin, Argo

I first checked off Javier Bardem for Skyfall.  That was completely a wrong choice.  This category is so strong and everyone is so good in their roles.  No Christoph Waltz to mess with the equation for the SAG Awards, so it will probably be Tommy Lee Jones for Lincoln.  I honestly won't be upset if anyone wins in this category, that's how tight the race is.  Arkin just made me love Argo that much more.  He won't win, but he got my vote.

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
Anne Hathaway, Les Misérables

Even though she annoyed me at the Golden Globes by hijacking the Les Mis acceptance speech,  I really did love her performance in the film.  This film received so much criticism, but I saw it early before opinions had been formed.  I think she created such sorrow and pain in Fantine and mark my words.....no one else is going home with that Oscar in this category.  As good as Sally Field is, it's not going to happen.

Now, I realize some of my choices are nothing more than pipe dreams, but I voted more for who I wanted to win this year.  Other years, I have voted with who was going to win because the field was locked in so early.

What do you think is going to happen at the SAG Awards?  I would love to hear your thoughts...chime in below!

I will also be hosting a Spreecast immediately following the show at 7:15pm PT/10:15pm ET.  James Molnar of the Toledo Free Press and Gold Knight Blog will be joining me for our immediate reactions.  RSVP and join us live here.


Disclosure:  Clearly, I'm a SAG member who voted in this year's race.  I checked the rules of the SAG Awards and nothing in the rulebook prevents me from revealing who I voted for.  It's probably the only time I will do this, but I thought it might be interesting to get into the mind of a voter during a surprising season.  I chose not to reveal my TV votes, so at least some of my ballot remained private.  

Behind the Scenes of the Governors Ball

While I have covered highlights of the Governors Ball the week of the Oscars, this is the first year I was invited to cover the preview that happens in the actual ballroom. The committee sets up about a quarter of the room to give you an idea of what it will look like for celebrities like George Clooney, Anne Hathaway, and Jennifer Lawrence on Oscar night.  The chandelier alone that changes colors from moment to moment to create a really cool atmosphere.  If you saw my photo on Facebook, you know that I looked like I was in Oz. A minute later when we took the photo of my cameraman, AJ, it was orange.

The food by Wolfgang Puck is always delicious from the Kobe Beef Sliders to the Smoky Tuna Tartare, it's just delicious.  However, watch the video below, we catch him wiping his nose.  Ew.



My article and photos from the morning at SheKnows will give you even more insight on the morning and I shared quite a few photos from the room and the decor.
From Dining to Decor: A Sneak Peek at the Governors Ball

Finally, I was lucky enough to make the official cocktail sponsored by Patrón.  It shows that I have no backup plan in my career because I make a terrible bartender.  So, I better keep at this entertainment reporting thing.  I drank wine, champagne, and tequila all before 11am.  It was quite nice.


My article for Starpulse, along with the videos, will be a feature this weekend, so I will update it here later this week.

Look at how excited I am to dive into a cocktail at 10am.  It was delicious!

If you are free tonight, please join me LIVE on Spreecast at 7:30pm PT/10:30pm ET as I interview the nominees from the 2013 Slamdance Awards.  The lucky nominees are in Park City, Utah while I will broadcasting from rainy LA.  RSVP here.

Last chance to enter my Metric CD giveaway!  You have a REALLY good chance to win because I have multiple copies to give away.  Enter here.

My Top 10 Thoughts about the 2013 Golden Globes

I've been live-snarking the Golden Globes all night long. You can catch up on Twitter or see my Top 10 thoughts on the Globes here:

1.  Anne Hathaway:  I've said it all season long and I am a supporter of her performance in Les Mis, but I think she's trying too hard.  She's acting like this big underdog and she's not.  Anne is a young, talented A-List actress who is on her way to winning her first Academy Award.  I wish her acceptance speeches came from an authentic place....instead of jumping up to the mic to give another shout out during the Les Mis win.  Sorry, your moment already happened.  UGH.  Don't make me change my SAG Awards vote for you.  Rant over. (Although her Sally Field tribute was nice....and sincere.)

By the way, I am hearing baby bump rumors about Anne.  Could she be pregnant?

2. Ryan Seacrest:  This photo made me realize he is dying his hair hard core.  He looks really old next to Julianne Hough because of the bad dye job....and while Ryan isn't 25, he certainly isn't old.  He makes $15 million a year from American Idol alone, stop dying your hair from the box.

3. Claire Danes:  I've tried so hard to like Homeland, but I can't get into it.  I'm in the minority on that show, so let's talk about how amazing you look.  You had a baby less than 30 days ago.  Wow! Dress by Versace.

4.  Taylor Swift:  I'm over her songs about ex-boyfriends, but THIS look is good for her.  She usually dresses like a fluffy kitten in pastels.  This is fierce.  It looks like she's laying down the law, no more ex-boyfriends like John Mayer, Jake Gyllenhaal or Harry Styles.  Dress by Donna Karan Atelier.

5.  Halle Berry:  She's beautiful, but she has rocked this look for years.  I think it's time for a makeover.....new red carpet style.  It's so boring now.  It's pretty, but it's boring.

6.  Jodie Foster:  I'm pretty sure she officially came out during her Cecil B. DeMille speech.  This shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone.  She did it in her own way.  I also have to say that 50 looks fabulous.  Wow!

7. Ben Affleck:  I've been talking all week about your Oscar snub.  The voting members of The Academy made a big mistake.  Last night proved it.  I think your film is way more interesting than Steven Spielberg's Lincoln.

8.  Lena Dunham:  She's exactly what Hollywood needs right now.  She sends a great message to young girls everywhere:  Be who you are, be unique, and let your talents shine through.

9.  Amy Poehler and Tina Fey:  They were very funny, but I wanted to see more of them.  Just sending that thought out to Hollywood Foreign Press and Dick Clark Productions.

10. Bill Clinton:  I've met him twice.  I don't care what your politics are.....he's still the most popular man in the room.  Yep, he even trumps George Clooney.  No one has more charisma.  No one.

Okay, do you agree or disagree with me?  Chime in below!

My Top 3 Posts of 2011

I am a total nerd, but I've known this since elementary school.  I love analyzing numbers and seeing what is working and what isn't.  I love looking into the psychology of what makes people stop and pay attention.  That is why I love analytics for my blog.  It is fun to see what makes you come here and read my posts, whether you are a regular reader or you came through a Google search.  So, here are my Top 3 posts of 2011.  They aren't necessarily my favorites, but they are your favorites.  For my regular readers, one of the Top 3's popularity may surprise you, it sure surprised me.

Simone Harouche, one of my favorite stylists on the list. 

1.  The Stylist Edition:  This article was the number one most trafficked post this year.  I compiled the list of top stylists for the celebrities from a Hollywood Reporter article.  I loved it because it gave us insight into who is consistently setting trends as a stylist for their clients (Rachel Zoe and Anne Hathaway with that amazing tuxedo at the 83rd Annual Academy Awards.) and it also made me note who needs to change stylists. (e.g. Amy Adams) This is also a fun one to read because Brad Goreski made an appearance on the list at number 22 while his former mentor, Rachel Zoe, was listed at number 1.  Will that change with this awards season and the premiere of his reality show?  Only time will tell.

2.  Saturn Awards, EZ Curler, and Interviews, Oh My!:  This one was a bit of shock to me as it was just a quick "here's what I've been up to" post, but I sure covered my bases on popular internet searches:  Anna Torv from Fringe, anything related to The Bachelor, and an infomercial sensation called the EZ Curler.  Really, there is something for everyone in this post.  Enjoy the photos and video because I'm sure Google sent you here for this one.

3.  The Oscar Looks of Elizabeth Taylor:  We lost the divine Elizabeth Taylor this year, but there are stunning photographs of her that will live on and endure the test of time.  Following her death, I compiled a series of photos from some of the Academy Awards ceremonies she attended.  I will let the photos speak for themselves.

So, there you have it, the Top 3 Posts of 2011.  Did your favorites make it into the Top 3?  If not, tell me what was your favorite article from Red Carpet Closet this year?

The Stylist Edition

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Update:  To read the 2012 Stylist edition, click here.  

During Awards Season, I was commenting about the importance of a stylist and how they were critical in organizing an overall look for the celebrity based on their shape, personality, coloring, etc.  While some stylists are uber-high profile like Rachel Zoe, other stylists remain in the background doing all of the legwork for the big march down the red carpet.  It can be challenging to find out who is dressing the stars.  Well, my questions were answered by this week's shiny new Hollywood Reporter magazine that came in the mail.  Remember when I was questioning Amy Adams stylist?  Well, I am going to share some of the highlights from The Hollywood Reporter's Top 25 Stylists and I think some of the stylist/celeb pairings are going to surprise you.  (Because there are 25 stylists to go through, I will comment on certain ones and the others I will just list who they dress.)

Photo Courtesy of Amanda Lyons

1. Rachel Zoe:  Duh, of course. She put together 8 divine outfits for Anne Hathaway at The 83rd Annual Academy Awards.  That tux was the piece de resistance, in my opinion.  Also dresses: Jennifer Garner, Eva Mendes, Liv Tyler, Demi Moore (Although recent rumors have her defecting to former Zoe assistant, Brad Goreski.)

2. Kate Young:  Natalie Portman's stylist all season long.  I am not sure I agree with this because of the misguided Golden Globes dress, but the Rodarte dress at the Oscars was a winner.  Also dresses:  Alicia Keyes.

Kevork Djansezian, Getty Images

3. Petra Flannery:  Petra would have been number 2 in my book because made Mila Kunis into a red carpet movie star this year.  Mila did not have a single fashion misstep all season. Her other client, Hailee Steinfeld, was dressed age appropriately and simply looked fresh and lovely at the Oscars in Marchesa. Also dresses:  Zoe Saldana.

4. Jen Rade:  Another controversial one in my book because she has big hits like Angelina Jolie, but big misses like The Office's Jenna Fischer.  I love Jenna, but she never looks styled at any red carpet.  In fact, I was surprised to hear she used a stylist, that's how ill-fitting her dresses look.  I think this stylist/celeb pairing needs rethinking because Jenna deserves to shine like the beauty that she is.  Also dresses:  Pink, Cher.

5. Anna Bingemann:  Dresses Claire Danes, Naomi Watts, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Tina Fey.

6. Cristina Ehrlich:  Okay, we finally have the answer!!  This is who dresses Amy Adams. This is another pairing that isn't working. Amy is stunning and I always feel like her dresses miss the mark or they are styled with the wrong jewelry like at the Oscars this year.  Also dresses:  Penelope Cruz, Julianne Hough, Kyra Sedgwick, Ashley Green, Julianna Margulies.

7. Deborah Waknin:  Dresses Halle Berry, Sandra Bullock.  (That's some A-list star wattage!)

8. Elizabeth Stewart:  This one may be controversial for some of you, but Cate Blanchett looked amazing in person.  The fault of the stylist on the Givenchy Couture dress is that it did not photograph well. That is also a part of their job to make sure it translates well live and on camera.  Also dresses:  Jennifer Lawrence, Amanda Seyfried, Kristin Davis, Viola Davis.

9. Leslie Fremar: Dresses Reese Witherspoon, Julianne Moore, Charlize Theron.

10. Jeanne Yang:  Dresses Katie Holmes, Tom Cruise, Christian Bale, and Melissa Leo (That Marc Bower dress at the Oscars was terrible and she will forever be the 2011 Oscar winner in that dress!)

11. Leith Clark:  Dresses Michelle Williams, Keira Knightley.

12. Estee Stanley:  Dresses Jessica Biel, Lea Michele.  This is a good stylist for young Hollywood as she has done a great job with putting Lea on the fashion map.

Nicole Kidman at the 2011 Grammys.

13. L'Wren Scott:  She's a designer and a stylist, but whoa--she was all over the map with her client, Nicole Kidman, this season.  Nicole has always been a fashion icon, but I don't think her fashion choices this year hit the mark except for the dress she wore to the Grammys.

14. Jessica Paster:  She used to be THE stylist to go to before the Top 10 crop of stylists came forward and made their fashion mark.  Dresses:  Annette Bening, Emily Blunt.

15. Rob Zangardi and Mariel Haenn:  Dresses Jennifer Lopez, Rachel McAdams, Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, and Rihanna.  They've done a great job with J Lo's "comeback" on American Idol and giving her short dresses to showcase those Venus razor sponsored legs.  She looks fabulous.

16. Maryam Malakpour:  Dresses Heidi Klum, Courtney Cox, The Rolling Stones. (Yep, even old rock stars have a stylist.)

17.  Tanya Gill:  I was surprised to see Tanya this far down the list.  She dressed a very polished Hillary Swank this year.  Hillary's looks at the Oscars and the SAG Awards really hit the mark.  They weren't fashion game changers, but they offered up a softer side of the perennially buff Swank.  Also dresses:  Jane Fonda, Kate Winslet.

18. Tiina Laakonen:  Dresses Carey Mulligan.  I think we will all be hearing more from this stylist in the next few years with a high profile client like Carey.  She's definitely one to watch.

19. George Kotsiopoulos: You know him from E!'s Fashion Police.  He dresses Freida Pinto, Kristen Stewart, Kerry Washington, Katy Perry, and Kathryn Bigelow.  I expect him to be more of a TV personality versus a stylist with his new found TV fame.

20. Nicole Chavez:  Yikes, she dressed Scarlett Johansson this year.  That outfit was on trend with the lace, but it fit snugly in all of the wrong places.  I was about two feet away from Scarlett on the red carpet at the Oscars and this beautiful actress with an incredible body did not look her best.  Also dresses:  Rachel Bilson, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Katherine Heigel.

21. Annabel Tollman:  Dresses Jessica Simpson, Cynthia Nixon, and formerly, Scarlett Johansson. (Go back to her, Scarlett!)

22. Brad Goreski:  One of my personal faves from Bravo's The Rachel Zoe Project, but he's now on his own dressing Jessica Alba.  Truth be told,  I want the real skinny:  Did Demi Moore defect to Brad?

23. June Ambrose:  Dresses Diddy, Jay Z, Kelly Ripa, and Mariah Carey.  (Eh.  Do any of these celebs make an impressive fashion mark?)

24. Samantha McMillen:  Dresses Johnny Depp and Michelle Pfeiffer.

Nicole Richie at the 2010 Oscars.

25. Simone Harouche:  I cannot believe she is only number 25.  She is one of my favorites for creating Nicole Richie's current look after Nicole parted ways with Rachel Zoe.  On the flip side, she is also dressed Christina Aguilera and Miley Cyrus, so maybe that is why she is stuck in the number 25 position.

Well, there you have it, a fashion stylist bible all thanks to The Hollywood Reporter and a few added comments from me.  I also tried to link as many of the stylists' websites for you to peruse, it is surprising how many stylists hide behind their agency's websites versus becoming a brand like Rachel Zoe. (But that is another topic for another day!) The Style Issue is dated March 18, 2011 if you want to pick up a copy of this week's edition with Rachel Zoe on the cover.  I am keeping this one handy because we are going to need it with the next award season beginning in only 5 months.  Yep, Emmys season is just around the corner.  Be sure to comment below because I would love to hear your thoughts on some of these stylists and see if you agree with me or not.

To view my 2012 Top 25 Stylists article, click here.