Media Mondays...on a Tuesday

Green river in Chicago!

I hope you all had a fun St. Patrick's Day weekend. My holiday was spent in Chicago where they take the holiday very seriously. The crowds were lined up at the bars as early as 8 a.m. in order to drink their green beer. The weather was freezing though, so I hope it was worth it. I can't imagine needing a drink that badly, but then again, I can't drink green beer anyway.

Here are some of my media appearances from last week...pick and choose your adventures!

I spent a lot of time writing last week, so it was nice to go for a run outside and see this.

If you missed my Ryan Seacrest/Julianne Hough article about their split and the PR machine about the breaking story, click here. To see the new promo for AfterBuzz TV's Dancing with the Stars, click here.

Tom Barnard Podcast:  The one where I accidentally ask if former Minnesota Vikings player Mike Morris had a Super Bowl ring. Oops, I didn't know Vikings didn't win the Super Bowl. Listen here.

The Radio Dish:  Does Matthew McConaughey have hair plugs? I give you the truth on his hair regrowth. Listen in at the 17:45 mark.

On the Fox lot to catch a sneak peek at Epic.

SheKnows:  My favorite articles from last week:
Epic: Animated films reflect a new generation for girls--My sneak peek look at the animated film, Epic.
Ryan Seacrest and Julianne Hough call it quits--They are never, ever, ever getting back together.
Director Ang Lee makes his next move: FX's Tyrant--As an Oscar winner, your next move is important. Lee makes a smart choice and does something fresh for his career.

Don't forget that I will be back on AfterBuzz TV with our first episode of Dancing with the Stars for Season 16. Our first guests will be Sharna Burgess and Andy Dick!  Watch us here live at 9pm PT. 

The Art of Breaking News: Ryan Seacrest and Julianne Hough

Yesterday, a big story broke at the end of the day and I talked about the thrill of breaking news on my Facebook page. When I say "big", I am not talking about important news that affects the world, I am talking about Hollywood fluff.  That's a part of my job, so that's what I am referring to here.

On Friday, at the end of a work day and the news cycle, it was announced via "sources" to People magazine that Ryan Seacrest and Julianne Hough had broken up.  I hopped on and wrote the breaking news article for SheKnows here as well as linking it to my Facebook page after my copy editor polished it up and published it. (I lucked out on the timing. I had to write one more article for the day just as the news was breaking.) The reactions to the breakup were interesting; everything from "the contract is up" to "I was rooting for them as a couple."

It's fascinating to me how the public interprets what publicists put out there and what the truth actually is. I usually read between the lines on the stories because it is Hollywood and it is all smoke and mirrors.  So, let me break down a few things about the Seacrest/Hough story.

And before anyone calls me heartless, I will go on record to say that breakups are tough and they are even tougher when they are public.

Also, I've interviewed Julianne twice now (here and here) and I think she is a total kick-ass awesome kind of gal. 

The Details
     1.  Ryan is 38 years old, Julianne is 24 years old.  There is a big age difference between the couple.
 
     2.  They both have huge careers. No one is busier than Ryan Seacrest, no one. Julianne
spent several months promoting Safe Haven. She has two other movies coming out this year. Her career is no.1 at this stage of the game. Julianne is young and she has to strike while the iron is hot.

    3.  Even though there has been no official statement from the couple's rep. Trust me, this is PR 101. You release a story at the end of the day and at the end of the work week. It lessens the impact of the news since less people are tuned into their TVs or the internet.  (Massive PR 101 strategy is releasing the news on a holiday weekend. See the Bethenny Frankel divorce announcement for an example of how it is done.)

     4.  The reason the news was released?  You can bet it relates back to the story about Julianne and the theft of her jewelry making headlines earlier in the week. Why was she staying at a friend's apartment when she lives with her boyfriend?  The media started sniffing around and the couple knew they had to make a move.

     5. "Sources" gave the exclusive to People.  People always does celeb-friendly articles.  They keep it light, tell the public they are still friends, etc. The source was most likely their publicist.

A few people have asked me if they will get back together?  My guess is that this is the end of the line for the couple. He's married to his work and she has a hot career to handle right now.  They were both supportive of each other's work though. In fact, Ryan was hanging out with the entire Hough family at the after party for the Safe Haven premiere.

As for the rumors about a dating contract because one of them is allegedly gay...I've never had any confirmation about those rumors in comparison to someone who might have starred in Saturday Night Fever, Grease, and Pulp Fiction.  So, until I hear otherwise...I think it's a case of age, heavy work schedules, and life in the public eye.

Now, that I've broken it all down for you. I want to hear your thoughts! Hit me up in the comments below:

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!

Advice To Aspiring Entertainment Journalists

Throughout the year, I receive emails from broadcast journalism students and young reporters early in their career seeking advice and support in this industry.  It is a tough field that has become even tougher.  The explosion of internet media has quadrupled the talent pool in Los Angeles alone.  I used to audition with the same 30 people only a decade ago.  So, with more opportunities comes more competition and it is important to stand out in a field that is overcrowded with wannabe Giuliana Rancics and Ryan Seacrests.  

Ashley Woodrum from Z-TV contacted me via Twitter awhile back regarding her host reel.  I offered her some feedback and then she asked if I could answer a few questions for her.  I asked for her permission to use her name and her questions here on my blog because I think it is helpful for so many to hear the responses to what she is asking. So, thank you, Ashley, for inspiring this post! 


1. What made you want to be in the entertainment broadcasting industry?

Originally, I set out to work in musical theatre, so working in the broadcasting industry was never on my radar.  In 1997, I was hired to host a children's dance video on how to Electric Slide and Hokey Pokey based on my dance background.  The video (Yes, it was on VHS!) was a success and I received a few other host offers.  My work is really, really raw in that video, so I sought training with Larry Conroy in NYC to go along with my on-camera enthusiasm. I made the big move to Los Angles in 2000 to make my mark in the industry.  

So, my path was not a traditional one, but if you want to work in the entertainment broadcasting in 2012, here are a few recommendations:
     -Broadcast Journalism degree
     -Know how to write, produce, shoot, and edit your own pieces.
     -Be social media savvy:  this includes a Twitter, public Facebook, and Instagram account.
     -Intern anywhere you can to meet and network with people in the industry.
     -Find a mentor whom you can go to for advice and guidance.

2. If you don't mind me asking, how long did it take to really get your first full time job?

My first full-time job came in 2002 when I was hired as a network host for ShopNBC.  It was about 5 years into my career and 2 years into my time in Los Angeles and it required a move to Minneapolis.  While home shopping was not my dream job, it became such a valuable tool in terms of working with an IFB on live TV with a cue card only giving you 5 bullet points on each product you were selling.  My ad-lib skills are so strong as a result of this job.  


3.  What did you do to reach that goal of yours?

The person that changed my career was Marki Costello.  I began taking her host boot camp weekend in the Spring of 2001 and then I continued with ongoing classes throughout the year.  She is a tough teacher, but coming from a dance background, I was used to that type of teaching format:  perform, get constructive feedback, and then do it again the RIGHT way.  Now, Marki is an empire with multiple classes and boot camps all over the US, so I am not sure the focused individual attention from her is on the curriculum as much.  However, there are other great media trainers out in LA that I would probably recommend more now, yet I owe my career to Marki Costello.


4. Could you offer me any other advice in regards to employment? I know this field takes patience, but like I said I'm still looking for that one person to notice me! Sometimes I get a little disheartened because I work so hard, and have yet to have someone pick me up if you know what I mean.

All of the clichés are true here:  "Don't ever give up", "Believe in your dreams", and "Success is when opportunity meets preparation."  You have to know what makes you unique in a very crowded field.  What is the one thing that you get complimented on in regards to your on-camera work?  What do you have to offer an employer that no one else can bring to the table?  If you know what that is, you can work on enhancing that even more on your reel, your blog, and most importantly, your brand.  Even though this is a creative field, it is still a business, so think like an MBA student when it comes to your career.

Also, I find that creating a vision board with personal and professional hopes and dreams helps make my goals a reality.  I keep it in my walk-in closet where I can see my everything I want right in front of me several times a day.  It keeps me accountable for continuing to grow my career.  

5. Also lastly, I was wondering if you could look over my resume and maybe offer me some tips or advice on that? I understand you must be very busy but any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Yes!  Send it on over.  I am happy to help.  You have my email.  If anyone else wants to contact me with more questions, feel free to use the tab above, hit me up on Twitter or Facebook, or comment below. I would be happy to continue this discussion with you and other hosts/entertainment reporters.    

I also do coaching/mentoring sessions that run $100/hour.  If you mention this article, I will give you 20% off.  I am available for in-person consulting in the LA area or via Skype for those who are out of town.  

London Games: Swimming Showdown-Going For Gold

Today was Day 3 of our London Games chat on Spreecast.  We had Josh Sussman (Glee) and Tess Hunt joining us to discuss all things aquatic and it got a bit nutty......even the screen was a little Brady Bunch-esque.  So, have fun watching the show and don't miss out on our discussion of cycler's thighs. Wow. And oh yeah, Ryan Seacrest.  Remind me again why he's covering the Olympics?  In the meantime, we are taking tomorrow off, but we will be back later in the week with more Olympics chatter.