Do More Of What Makes You Happy

Yesterday at the start of my day, I was having a discussion about career/life goals with a close friend. My friend starting teasing me about a point I made and I told my friend that my feelings were hurt.  As the conversation rolled along, it turned into a heated argument.  Now, anyone that knows me could vouch that I just don't fight.  What you see is what you get.  I'm pretty easy to read when I am happy, sad, annoyed, and my calm version of mad.  This friend is probably the one person whom I have epic fights with.  It doesn't happen often, but maybe once every five years.  They know how to push my buttons and boy, did that ever happen. I was so mad, I started crying. (Also not a frequent occurrence.)  We made up after about 30 minutes because there is no point to being mad all day at a great friend, but it made me think.  While my friend's delivery stunk, I know what they were trying to say:  "Do more of what makes you happy.".

Of course, it took a Facebook quote to give me my Oprah "Aha!" moment to realize it.  Someone had posted that quote (Thanks, Alli!), but I knew that this quote was the point of the fight.  I need this mantra to take me through 2012.  Last year's theme was "year of dreams" and I sure did achieve that.  While I have started 2012 on the right foot, I still was aimlessly wandering through trying to figure out what I wanted to achieve this year. Here is what has been nagging at me and let's see how well I do by the end of the year:

1.  Travel:  I love to travel.  I want to explore the world and meet new friends, eat good food, and still go back to Paris all at once.  My current work travel schedule, even though I cut back, is grueling.  So, I need to find a balance of less work travel, more personal travel, and do things a bit differently.

2.  Home:  This falls right into place with the travel.  I love living in LA, I love how I have decorated my home, and I sure have some great friends that I would like to see more.  Even better, I have a chubby kitty who loves it when I'm home.  I want to sleep in my bed more.

3.  Entertainment Reporting:  Nothing gives me greater pleasure than my job whether it is covering an event with the Disney Channel kids or hitting the hottest red carpet in town.  I get asked this question a lot: "What is your ultimate career goal?"  ME:  "I'm doing it.  I'm in the job I set out to do.  Yes, I would like to do more of it and I know who I would like to work for (And no, kids, it's not ET or E!, believe it or not.).  This job makes me happy.  I'm going to stick with it." (By the way, I will be doing something that gives me great happiness tomorrow, the Oscar Nominations, so please stop by or follow me on Twitter for all of the up-to-the minute scoop.)

Now these goals may sound simplified and they are.  I have more detailed ideas in my head and on my dream board, however, I just wanted to share with you what we all should be doing in 2012 on a daily basis. Let's all be accountable and get out there and "do more of what makes us happy".  I'm going to do it, are you?

For more inspiration on this, read or visit The Happiness Project.  I think my personal copy needs a few more dog-eared pages in 2012.

3 Tips For Producing a Red Carpet Event

I have been on the red carpet quite a bit this year and I've seen it all from the grandest red carpet to one of the most laid back red carpets.  Even if you are having a small press event, it is important to have a well run red carpet that not only pleases the talent, but also pleases the media. I've given my helpful hints on how talent can shine on the red carpet here and here, but I haven't offered up a few suggestions for producers of red carpet events. Here are my Top 3 tips for running a top notch red carpet.

Press Release:  Ringling Bros PR was great at updating their press release several times before the event.

1.  Press Releases:  This is one of the most important aspects of your event, so make sure to write a compelling press release that will get the media excited about coverage.  It should include the pertinent information about when the event is, expected celebrities, and types of media opportunities. (red carpet, VIP party, Meet and Greet, awards show press room access, interviews with producers, etc.)  Get your press release out about 2-3 weeks in advance.  This gives media outlets time to plan their coverage and line up reporters for the event.  If you put the press release out 3 days before the red carpet happens, you run the risk of having a low media turnout.  This is especially important if your red carpet is happening during summer movie premiere season or during Oscar season, it's hectic...plan accordingly.  Check the Hollywood Calendar or the trades for important awards show and movie premiere dates, you don't want to schedule your big night the same night that the Academy Awards occur.  Finally, if you are announcing nominees for an awards show, have the press release ready to go BEFORE the announcement. (Honestly, this is PR 101.)  Once the announcement is completed, email it out to your media contacts,  place the nominees list on your website, and tweet it out.  If you want the media to cover your event, be prepared, otherwise we grumble (Trust me, we are good at grumbling.) about the lack of preparation and it is noted for next year.

Tip sheet from my Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus red carpet. 

2.  Tip Sheets:  These are imperative to any photographer or reporter's job on the red carpet.  They include a picture of the confirmed celebrity and their latest/most notable credit.  For me, I see so many faces and talk to so many people in any given month.  I may recognize a face, but I forget what show I've watched them on.  Having that tip sheet in hand lets me do quick research on my iPhone as I see them walk down the red carpet.  For up and coming talent, it is great if a publicist is escorting the actor down the carpet with a sheet of paper that includes the correct spelling of the actor's name and their upcoming movie or TV show.  If they are making their debut in the Twilight series or in a new Disney Channel show, chances are I will jump at the chance to interview them.  It's fun to break a new actor to the public before they are wildly famous.

3.  Placement:  A typical red carpet places photographers first, then video crews, and then writers/bloggers at the tail end of the line This is done for a reason.  The photographers grab their shots and then send the talent down the line to be interviewed.  After the video crews grab the interview, the writers will ask more in depth and longer questions so it is okay if the back end of the red carpet crowds up a bit.  Each media outlet is assigned a spot where the bigger the outlet, the better the placement.  You can expect to see E! News, ET, and Access Hollywood up front and the online media outlets closer to the back.  Honestly, it's a fair way to do it and I never hear anyone complaining about this system.  What can be a problem is the amount of space given to each outlet.  A piece of 8x10 paper is placed at your feet to indicate your spot.  The problem is that the next piece of paper is laid down side by side for other media outlets.  Uh....I don't know about you, but my body is not built in 8x10 dimensions.  It can be so frustrating for all of us to jostle for space, keep out of other network's shots, and interview at the same time.  Now, I don't expect a plot of land, but placing each piece of paper even three inches apart would make a huge difference.

I hope these tips help if you are producing your next red carpet event.  Feel free to leave me comments or questions on an area I might have missed.  I am always happy to do a follow-up to this article.

Don't forget to enter to win my Red Carpet Gift Bag.  Enter before July 31st for a chance to win!

Entertainment Hosts Play Musical Chairs

While trolling through Twitter yesterday, I came across the news on Deadline Hollywood that Showbiz Tonight anchor, Brooke Anderson, was replacing Lara Spencer on The Insider.  Now before Lara Spencer fans freak out, Lara is headed back to Good Morning, America, where she started her national network career.  Lara leaves The Insider after being passed over for the Entertainment Tonight anchor job that Mary Hart retired from late last year.  That gig went to former Access Hollywood host, Nancy O'Dell.  She left Access Hollywood in 2009 after it was rumored that her co-host, Billy Bush, drove her up a wall.  I don't blame her, he's a pesky personality.  Before the ink dries on your Hollywood entertainment show anchor chart, please remember, no one has been announced as Brooke Anderson's replacement on HLN's Showbiz Tonight.  How will this story end?

In the meantime, I send my personal "congratulations" to Brooke who is smart, kind, and perfect for her new role on The Insider.  I had the opportunity to interview her during Oscars Week.  She was one of the judges for the MTVu Oscar Correspondent Contest and I love her for giving me the exclusive on who designed her Oscar gown (A to-die-for designer!).  Here is my interview with her on Mingle Media TV:




Photo Courtesy of Mingle Media TV.