KENNEDY CENTER HONORS
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FEEDBACK
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ONE TOUGH MUDDER
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KEVIN BROWN
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Catch our take on a fascinating look into the lives of some amazing entertainers and their contributions
Readers weigh in on past stories with comments and opinions on the artists covered.
Xtreme team building under some of the worse conditions imaginable, but The Mudder Nation is definitely a hit with students.
George Takei DIRECTOR, AUTHOR, ACTIVIST
The rise to success from a kid who grew up in foster care and now he wants to help students live their dream.
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With over 10 Million Followers, This Trekkie from The Original Star Trek Cast Is Hard To Beat... Catch His Amazing Life And How He Might Help Yours.
IT’S ALL INSIDE
From the Publisher Real Life Spanky
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2015 Hot Speakers Feed Back Best Mannered in America
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FEBRUARY 2015
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RANDOM THOUGHTS & OTHER MINDLESS DRIBBLE
JOE COCKER: The Loss Of A Legend
A few days ago I got an email from Lou Ross that let me know that Joe Cocker had passed. I worked for Lou when I was with NACA and he was a great boss. Let me tell you, you did not have to go to Woodstock or be from the 70s to appreciate the grit and feeling that Joe Cocker put into his music but that performance (Woodstock) is an indelible memory of the true rock era.
Lou told me, “One of my biggest musical heroes, Joe Cocker, died at 70. RIP Joe. Loved the emotion and the voice! Some videos were included in this article.” (We will post one on our website).
Then Lou included a few quotes he found as Joe was remembered by journalist, Bob Leftsez: "My mother sent me the wrong album.
I was a freshman in college and I told her to send me the second Band album and Joe Cocker's debut. But she sent me "Stage Fright" and Cocker's second album. And as a result, I know every lick on each of those records. You see I was a freshman in college and I refused to overpay for albums at the Vermont Book Shop, ergo the request for my mother to go to Korvette's and purchase the records I wanted at a discount.
This plan did not last. Thereafter, I waited for vacations to purchase records, which I often did at the rate of nine or ten a clip. Whereupon my mother asked me why I didn't buy a tape recorder and record them from someone else. And that's when I informed her NO ONE ELSE BOUGHT THE RECORDS I DID!
She kept bitching and I kept buying and as a result we end up here today.
And don't give me a hard time, I described the above-mentioned albums in detail. I wanted the brown Band album... Then again, there was a sepiatoned photo wrapping most of "Stage Fright". I don't
and Joe's version is completely different musically from Dylan's original but it introduced me to those famous lyrics:
Photo: L.A. Times
know exactly how I described Joe Cocker's debut. But I'm thrilled she sent me the second... Because it's better, it's the BEST! 1. "Hitchcock Railway" I have no idea who Don Dunn and Tony McCashen are, but they wrote this song. Yet Joe Cocker and the Grease Band made it their own.
Start with Chris Stainton's piano intro. Then go to the percussion, which sounds like spoons banging on drum rims. And then there are the backup vocals.
Imagine getting buzzed on Boone's Farm, getting on a train with your musician friends and WAILING!
That's exactly what "Hitchcock Railway" sounds like. It's not made for the hit parade, maybe that's why it lasts, why it's as fresh today as it was in 1970.
"Hitchcock Railway" is a runaway train, if this doesn't get you jitterbuggin', YOU'RE DEAD!
2. "Dear Landlord" At this point, I did not own "John Wesley Harding", but after becoming infected by Joe's rendition, I bought a used copy from a junior in Starr Hall. That was the last time I ever did this, it was like he'd ironed his skis upon it, I treasure my vinyl, my collection is still pristine, I could donate it to a museum, there are no fingerprints and no self-inflicted scratches, well, maybe an accidental few, and as a result I ended up buying a new copy of "John Wesley Harding"
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"Now, each of us has his own special gift And you know this was meant to be true And if you don't underestimate me I won't underestimate you."
That's my creed. I was brought up in a family that looked down upon people, that carved up the populace, but Dylan is right, we each have our own special gift, it may not be book learning, but how many times have you gotten insight from someone supposedly dumb? Wisdom can't only be gained in school. I'm including Bob's original in the playlist, because it's better, but Joe introduced me to the song...and you should know it. 3. "She Came In Through The Bathroom Window" It's got a rollicking barroom feel as opposed to the Beatles take, it's almost serious instead of ethereal and fun like on "Abbey Road", but it was a radio staple and it's GREAT!
4. "Something" Less meaningful than the original, it was one of the very first covers of this second most covered Beatles song. It's less precious than the Beatles version, and with the heaviness removed it breathes.
5. "Bird On A Wire" Once upon a time Leonard Cohen was not the icon he is today. As a matter of fact he was decried as a poet poach iin music. Funny how time has a way of settling scores. Joe lined Leonard's coffers with this cover, he helped change Cohen's image. 6. "Delta Lady" This track is such a killer that I had to immediately go to the mall and buy Leon Russell's solo debut at the one record store in Bridgeport, Connecticut that stocked it. Joe's take is a funky romp that dominated the air-
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waves, but if you haven't heard Leon's take you're in for a treat.
Leon had something to prove. He saw no need to be subtle, he threw in everything, including the kitchen sink. And his vocals evidence a magnetism that draws both males and females to him. That's the power of music, that's why it eclipses money. But in 1970, musicians were as rich as anybody.
But then Leon convinced Joe to go out with twentyodd pieces as Mad Dogs & Englishmen and Joe got too drunk and ended up too poor but if you saw that show, not only were you blown away, YOU'LL NEVER FORGET IT! I had my viewing at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester. Joe fronted the band, but Leon was the king of cool, in his top hat. And we were all in love with Rita Coolidge, who was truly cool. Sure, it about bankrupted Joe but wasn't it a great era where the music led and money took a back seat? Stay in til 3:07 when Leon screams, the song changes and Leon scat/raps... It's a TOUR DE FORCE! 7. "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" and "That's Your Business" They paled in comparison, but separated them from the winners on this album and they're truly solid. "Hello, Little Friend" is even better.
8. "Darling Be Home Soon" THE PIECE DE RESISTANCE! A certified classic. Joe makes this Lovin' Spoonful song his own, it stands as tall as the original.
Why don't they sing this on those idiotic television vocal competition shows? It's the piano playing of the aforementioned Chris Stainton that truly makes the track. And the backup vocals help...but that's not to minimize Joe's contribution. But credit the arranger. And listen to the original. It's the intimate flip side the same way George Harrison's "Something" is to Joe's rendition.
There's not a wasted word, there's poignant imagery, but isn't it true, ain't that the human condition, we're not made to be alone, we want you to come home soon. Long-haired Chris Stainton went on to play with a multitude of bands and is now most often seen with Eric Clapton.
Guitarist Henry McCullough most famously went on to become a member of Wings, it's his guitar solo that graces "My Love". Bruce Rowland, the drummer, ultimately played with Fairport Convention.
Alan Spenner died in 1991, after putting his bass on the bottom of a who's who of musicians' work, from Ted Nugent to Murray Head to David Soul to RoxyMusic. And the above four put out two records on their own, as the Grease Band. As for the session musicians, Clarence White died before his time, struck down by a drunk driver.
"Sneaky Pete" Kleinow died in 2007, after gracing
a cornucopia of records, most famously the Flying Burrito Brothers'. Your jaw will drop when you read Milt Holland's percussion credits. Everyone from Ella Fitzgerald to Ry Cooder to Joni Mitchell. He left us in 2005 at the ripe old age of 88. Paul Humphries was a journeyman with some good drumming credits.
Supposedly Steve Winwood played bass on "Dear Landlord". We cannot heap enough praise upon this musician who not only survived teen stardom, but prospered. Which brings us to the backup singers...
Merry Clayton eventually acted, it's a hard life being a backup singer, but she deserves to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for her contribution to the Stones' "Gimmie Shelter" if nothing else.
Bonnie Bramlett had one bright moment with her husband Delaney at the turn of the decade, from the sixties to the seventies, when Eric Clapton and Dave Mason joined their band. Then Eric became Derek, stole the eventual Dominos and Bonnie's career faded. Patrice Holloway passed in 2006, but before she did she was the singing voice of Valerie on "Josie and the Pussycats". Sherlie Matthews's credits are almost as extensive as those of Milt Holland, even if her name is much less recognizable.
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CAMPUS ACTIVITIES MAGAzINE®, February 2015, 5
BY ELAINE PASQUA
Rethinking the Needs of Today’s College Students
The face of the traditional college student has changed dramatically over the past few years. Often we think of 18 to 22 year olds who are entering out of high school, as the majority of students who are seeking a degree in higher education. The non-traditional students are now outnumbering them. Only one third of college students are 18 to 21 year old full time attendees, while 40 percent are older than 25. Many come from more diverse socioeconomic backgrounds and their enrollment rate is expected to grow faster than that of the traditional students within the next five years. With the change in the global economy and the great recession of 2008 many people have to look towards a new career. This forced older adults to go back to college.
Most non-traditional students have work and family obligations. The model of higher education today is more appropriate for the students of a generation ago, and it is presenting challenges to the majority of today’s students. Addressing the needs of the non-traditional student will help to increase our country’s low graduation rate. A recent study by the Georgetown University Center on Education and Workforce found that by the year 2020, 65 percent of jobs will require workers with at least some college education.
The cost of tuition is a major concern in this time of decreasing public funding for higher
education. Education has always been considered to be the great equalizer. Non-traditional students are twice as likely to be low-income as traditional students. It’s important to provide greater opportunities to minority youth, especially from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Helping them serves our society as a whole. These students need greater access to financial advisors, greater access to financial aid, and the ability to earn credits from outside the campus environment. It is also important to provide effective academic counseling and other support services to
help them complete their course work in a timely manner. Solutions include online and distance learning opportunities, providing credit for prior work experience, and allowing access to those who hold a GED. Women comprise the majority of college students - 57 percent. They also make up the majority of non-traditional students who are parents – 71 percent and 43 percent of those are single parents. More than twenty five percent of students are raising children. Female college students of color are more likely than other college students to have dependent children and nearly half of all African American women in college are mothers. This means that they are juggling parenting, school, and work.
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While extremely expensive, child care is imperative to help students with children. One challenge for these students is that campusbased child care is on a decline, and most dramatically at community colleges where 45 percent of students with children are enrolled. Presently less than half offer day care. Greater access to child care would help students with children complete college and achieve lasting economic security. A student parent experiences high levels of unmet financial need, lower levels of college completion, and high levels of post graduation debt. Sixty-one percent of student parents have no money to contribute to college expenses. Among single students with children, 88 percent are low income. Student mothers’ average undergraduate debt one year after graduation is approximately $3,800 more than female students with no children, and almost $5,000 more than male students with no children. Child care, which is essential for allowing a parent to attend school or study, can be prohibitively expensive, and eligibility requirements can make it difficult for college students to access the limited number of federallyfunded child care subsidies. Policy makers and leaders in higher education must make changes to serve the needs of non-traditional students. If they neglect to do so, we will fail in our responsibility to produce educated citizens and a workforce that is competitive in our global economy, and that could have negative implications for our nation.
Questions on college life? Email me at elaine@elainepasqua.com
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By Any Other Name their creativity under an assumed name. Voltaire was born Francois-Marie Aroet, Lewis Carroll was Charles Dodgson, and Mark Twain was Samuel Clemens. Other famous pen names include: George Sand – Amantine-Lucile-Aurore Dupin Joseph Conrad – Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski Anne Rice – Howard O’Brien Toni Morrison – Chloe Wofford Dr. Seuss – Theodore Seuss Geisel Richard Bachman – Stephen King
By Steven Kent McFarlin (AKA Spanky)
“My name is Steven McFarlin, friends call me Spanky.” When you tour as much as I do and meet as many people, rarely a day goes by when I don’t utter that sentence. I can tell by the raised eyebrows that some people think “Spanky” is a reference to some kinky S&M thing. For the record, I got the nickname in third grade and I did not learn bondage until college. I got the nickname because my last name is close to Spanky McFarland, the actor from the Spanky & The Little Rascals film series. I choose to use it as my stage name when I started comedy because I had a design studio and did not want my Fortune 500 clients to know the man they entrusted their marketing to was spending his evenings in clubs telling jokes to drunks.
I certainly am not the only comedian to adopt a stage name; Rodney Dangerfield was Jacob Cohen, Jerry Lewis was Joseph Levitch, Joan Rivers was Joan Molinsky, and when I first met him, Jeff Ross was Jeff Lifschultz. Some comics took names they clearly did not expect people to believe they were born with, such as: Whoopi Goldberg (Caryn Johnson), Sinbad (David Atkins), Pee Wee Herman (Paul Reubenfeld), and Carrot Top (Scott Thompson).
I suppose authors were the first to express
With the rise of Hollywood motion picture production in the 1920s, the “Studio System” was born and continued until the 1960s. The major movie studios signed stars to long-term contracts, and controlled every aspect of their public persona, from deciding who they dated, to choosing names they thought audiences would be attracted to. They did not follow the old adage of: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names may never hurt me.” So a tough guy like John Wayne could not keep a feminine name like Marion Morrison, and a smooth guy like Cary Grant had to give up the nerdy Archibald Leach. Frances Gumm became Judy Garland, Lucille LuSueur became Joan Crawford, Bernard Schwartz became Tony Curtis, and most famously, Norma Jeane Mortenson became Marilyn Monroe.
Many entertainers altered their names to appear less ethnic and appeal to a wider audience. The Russian name, Issur Danielovitch, became Kurt Douglas. The Indian name, Krishna Banji, became Ben Kingsley. The Italian name, Anthony Benedetto, became Tony Bennett. The Jewish name, Allen Konigsberg, became Woody Allen. The Greek name, Jennifer Anastassakis, became Jennifer Aniston. The Hispanic name, Carlos Estevez, became Charlie Sheen.
Some entertainers went the opposite direction, wanting to sound more ethnic or exotic than the name they were born with. Yul Brenner claimed to the press he was part Mongol and his real name was Taidje Khan (when in fact he was Russian and born Yuliy Briner). Walter Matthau claimed his original name was Walter Matuschanskayashy (actually it was Walter Matthow). Musician Erica Wright changed her name to the exotic Erykah Badu. Comedian Ned Mencia went with the more etchnic Car-
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los Mencia. And in one of the oddest name changes in show biz history, Arnold Dorsey changed his name to Englbert Humperdinck! To be an action hero you need a tough sounding name, and Mark Vincent, Carlos Ray, and Li Lian Jie, are just not as threatening as Vin Diesel, Chuck Norris, and Jet Li.
Some stars kept their original name, just less of it. For example: Ralph Lauren was Ralph Lauren Lipschitz. Jon Stewart was Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz. Elia Kazan was Elia Kazanjoglous. Kevin Spacy was Kevin Spacy Fowler. Loren Michaels was Loren Michaels Lipowitz. Bruce Willis was Walter Bruce Willison. Heath ledger was Heathcliff Ledger. Tom Cruise was Thomas Cruise Mapother IV. While musicians, Vince Neil was Vincent Neil Wharton, and Prince was Prince Rogers Nelson. Musicians have a long history of name changes. Bo Diddley was Otha Bates. Bob Dylan was Robert Zimmerman. Stevie Wonder was Steveland Judkins. John Denver was Henry Deutschendorf Jr. Alice Cooper was Vincent Furnier. Elton John was Reginald Dwight. Freddy Mercury was Farouk Bulsara. Elvis Costello was Declan McManus. Rap music took this trend and ran with it: Snoop Doggy Dogg (Cordazer Broadus), Eminem (Marshall Mathers III), Tupac Shakur (Lesane Crooks), Dr. Dre (Andre Young), 50 Cent (Curtis Jackson), Jay-Z (Shawn Carter), and I could go on ad infinitum. Perhaps the most baffling name changes are those when the new name does not have more impact or obvious improvement over the original. Does Katy Hudson sound that much worse than Katy Perry? Is Alicia Cook inferior to Alicia Keys? Is Eric Bishop not as good as Jamie Foxx? I believe the most unnecessary name change ever was when Steven Fisher went to Fisher Stevens; it makes me feel better about going from Steven McFarlin to Spanky, no matter how kinky that sounds...
Steven Kent McFarlin (AKA “Spanky”) has been described by the press as a “campus entertainment icon.” He offers two great events at one great low price, and has been voted “Campus Comic of the Year” (LaffGuru.com) and the “Campus Performer of the Year” (TalkingAboutMyGeneration.com). His credits include over fifty TV appearances, including: Showtime, Good Morning America, and The Late Show. He is represented by GP Entertainment.
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First off, those of you who have known me over the years, know that I believe there are way too many awards/honors that are simply bestowed because somebody owes sommeone else something. Perhaps we have taken too much from the political playbook.
In all honesty, I watched the Kennedy Honors on CBS because I was just too tired and too lazy to change the channel. I was pleasantly surprised. Not because I thought the recipients didn’t deserve the honor, of course they did. But it wasn’t the regular dog and pony show that every other show of this nature tends to be. It was exceptionally choreographed, the recipients were well studied and presented in a flawless manner. Each had their own history that spanned decades which was well represented to the audience.
While those in attendance were an exceptional breed, very much unlike what you would see at the Grammys or Oscars, and were endeared by the performances of others who introduced the work of five incredible honorees. AL GREEN: is a singer/songwriter born April 13, 1946 in Forrest City, AR. His songs have
been covered by Annie Lennox, Dave Matthews Band and The Grateful Dead. Bruce Springsteen has used the chorus of "Take Me to the River" during live performances of his epic "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out." The legend has sold more than 20 million albums, won 11 Grammys, and received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2002 Grammy Awards. Rolling Stone ranked him as one of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time."My head's . . . into music," said Green. "I'm a freak for music, I can't get away from the music . . . can't get away from the stage."
Singing gospel was a part of his life from an early age as he toured the gospel circuits of the South with the Greene Brothers, a quartet he formed with his siblings. Later transitioning from gospel to pop, he formed Al Greene and the Creations when he was only 16. But it was in Midland, Texas, in 1969 where Green met his most important music collaborator, Willie Mitchell. The bandleader, producer and a vice president of Memphis's Hi Records signed Green, leading to his first single, a cover of the Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand." Mitchell became Green's producer and songwriting partner for the next eight years.
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Green's first gold single, "Tired of Being Alone," reached No. 11 on the pop charts and No. 7 on the R&B charts in 1971. In the early days, Green loved the music he heard from the likes of the great singers of the day and tried to imitate their sound. During an all-night recording session of Green's hit single "Let's Stay Together," Mitchell kept asking Green to stop imitating Jackie Wilson. Green left the studio in anger and told CBS Sunday Morning in 2005, "I rode around for 20 minutes, I came back and I said, 'Forget this, man. I'm just going to sing this and I'm not going to put any feeling in it. I'm not going to put no emphasis in it. I'm just leaving it dry, just sing it.'" After a single line of music, Al Green had found his sound. The song was part of a three-year string of gold singles, including the soul classics "You Ought to Be with Me," "Here I Am (Come and Take Me)," and "Take Me to the River." Talking Heads scored one of their biggest hits with a cover of "Take Me to the River." In the liner notes for Once in a Lifetime: The Best of Talking Heads, singer David Byrne wrote, "Coincidence or conspiracy? There were at least four cover versions of this song out at the same time: Foghat, Bryan Ferry, Levon Helm, and us...A song that
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combines teenage lust with baptism. Not equates, you understand, but throws them in the same stew, at least. A potent blend."
TOM HANKS: Thomas Jeffrey Hanks was born on July 9, 1956, in Concord, California. After graduating high school in Oakland, Hanks attended junior college before transferring into the theater program at California State University. He spent his summers acting and working at the Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival in Ohio until 1980 when he dropped out of college and moved to New York City. That same year, Hanks was cast as Kip Wilson on the sitcom Bosom Buddies, one of two advertising executives who dress in drag in order to rent an apartment in an all-female building. The exposure led to guest roles on Happy Days, Taxi, The Love Boat, and Family Ties. Ron Howard remembered Hanks from his guest stint on Happy Days, and the actor starred in Howard's 1984 hit Splash opposite Daryl Hannah. Tom Hanks and Ron Howard would go on to work together on Apollo 13, The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons. In 1988, Penny Marshall cast Hanks in a starmaking role in Big. His performance earned him
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his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and established his reputation as a box-office draw as well as a talented actor. Hanks' portrayal in Nora Ephron's 1993 hit Sleepless in Seattle with co-star Meg Ryan ensured him a place among the premier romantic-comedy stars of his generation. But it was his courageous performance of a lawyer fired from his high-paying firm because he has AIDS in Philadelphia that won him an Academy Award for Best Actor. Hanks followed in 1994 with the phenomenal box office success Forrest Gump and brought home his second-straight Best Actor Oscar, becoming only the second actor to have accomplished the feat after Spencer Tracy.
Hanks moved from in front of the camera to behind it, making his directorial and screenwriting debut in 1996 with That Thing You Do!. On the Emmy-winning HBO miniseries From the Earth to the Moon, Hanks produced, directed, wrote and acted in various episodes. "I don't have instinctive talents for directing, it's stuff that I picked up from watching other people," Hanks said in a July 2014 interview with The-Talks.
Hanks has received numerous accolades, including being the youngest actor ever to earn the American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award. For his Broadway debut in Lucky Guy, Hanks garnered a 2013 Tony Award nomination. But his achievements extend beyond film. The Space Foundation awarded Hanks the Douglas S. Morrow Public Outreach Award given annually to an individual or organization that has made significant contributions to public awareness of space programs. Hanks was the first actor to be inducted as an honorary member of the United States Army Rangers Hall of Fame. He served as the national spokesperson for the World War II Memorial Campaign and was honorary chairperson of the D-Day Museum Capital Campaign. Hanks' roles are unforgettable, whether undergoing a striking physical transformation as in Castaway, playing a washed-up baseball legend turned manager in A League of Their Own or the real life portrayal of Captain Phillips. "I would like to think I've reflected the audience's lives somehow, though it's in this big, false, glamorous arena of movies," said Hanks. "I hope people see themselves somehow up on the screen. Shakespeare said it best: 'Hold the
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mirror up to nature. Human behavior is worthy of examination and celebration.'"
PATRICIA McBRIDE: Patricia Lee McBride was born August 23, 1942 in Teaneck, New Jersey. Her father left the family when she was just three, and her mother went to work as a secretary to support McBride and her younger brother, Eugene. Her mother did, however, manage to pay for ballet lessons. "I never dreamed that I could be a professional and make a career out of it," said McBride in a 2012 interview. "I just knew it was something that I loved." By the time she was 12, McBride told People magazine in 1979, "I made up my mind I wanted to be a dancer," though she had never seen a professional ballet. McBride moved to New York City at age 14 when she was accepted as a scholarship student at George Balanchine's School of American Ballet, the official incubator for New York City Ballet. She rose quickly through the ranks of the famed company, becoming first an apprentice and then chosen by Balanchine for the corps. At 18 years-old McBride became the company's youngest principal dancer.
Both McBride's personal and professional life took off in the 1970s. Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux, star dancer of Paris Opera Ballet, joined New York City Ballet in 1970, and three years later the two dancers were married. McBride then pirouetted into superstardom in 1979 as Mikhail Baryshnikov's new partner. Balanchine paired the dancers in the flirtatious classic Coppélia, and the critics raved. In June 1989 at the age of 46, McBride gave her official farewell performance to a standingroom-only audience at Lincoln Center. As befitting a career filled with elegance, excitement and grandeur, McBride's farewell to New York City Ballet ended with pomp and circumstance. Nearly 13,000 roses showered McBride during her final standing ovation; her former partners Edward Villella and Mikhail Baryshnikov gave her a kiss and one pink rose.
STING: The eldest of four children, Gordon Matthew Sumner was born October 2, 1951 in Wallsend, England near the then-thriving Swan Hunter shipyard—a setting that would influence his later work. Sting learned about chords by listening to his mother play Rodgers and Hammerstein tunes on the piano. By age 10, he became obsessed with an old Spanish guitar.
While playing in the Phoenix Jazzmen, a fellow band mate caught sight of Gordon Sumner in his black and yellow striped sweater and re-christened him Sting. "It's my name now," said Sting. "My children call me Sting. It creates a kind of mystique, although that wasn't the original intention. It was a nickname...But it created a curiosity which is well founded." When he saw the band Last Exit, drummer Stewart Copeland recognized the potential and charisma of the bass player, and
within months Sting moved to London to form a band with him.
The Police were made up of vocalist/bassist Sting, drummer Copeland and guitarist Andy Summers, and enlisted Miles Copeland as manager, wowing him with a Sting-composed song called "Roxanne." Within days, Miles had them a record deal. The band left London for America and won over their audiences with a combination of new wave toughness and reggae rhythms. Its 1978 debut album Outlandos d'Amour delivered hits with "Roxanne," "Can't Stand Losing You," and "So Lonely." The Police's final studio album, Synchronicity, was preceded by the release of the single "Every Breath You Take," which has clocked more than 7 million plays on American radio. When the Synchronicity tour finished in March 1984, the three members of The Police went their separate ways.
Sting initially turned to acting, playing the lead role in the films Brimstone and Treacle, Stormy Monday and The Bride as well as supporting parts in Plenty, Dune and Juliaand Julia. He also starred on Broadway as Macheath in the 1989 staging of Bertold Brecht and Kurt Weill's 3Penny Opera. He has since appeared as both himself and in various roles on numerous projects, including the 1998 Guy Richie film Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels.
Since releasing his first solo album The Dream of the Blue Turtles in 1985, he has maintained a successful solo career, from The Soul Cages and Ten Summoner's Tales to the more recent Songs from the Labyrinth and If on a Winter's Night..., as well as contributing songs to movie soundtracks. Sting stunned audiences when he, Copeland and Summers performed at the 2007 Grammy Awards where he announced, "We're The Police and we're back!" On The Police Reunion Tour, the band toured for more than a year around the world and earned several accolades, including "Major Tour of the Year" from Pollstar and Billboard's "Top Selling Tour of 2007."
Before turning to musical theater composition in 2014's The Last Ship, Sting hadn't written for eight years. "I'm quite adept at writing songs," Sting said. "What you can never be adept at is being in tune with inspiration. That's the Great Accident, the Great Imponderable. I used to get so terrified of not being able to write a song. 'What am I going to write about? I'm totally empty of ideas and inspiration.' And then I realized after about five years of this terrible block that some of the time you have to be on 'input.' You just have to receive and then retransmit it and hope it comes out as something else." The musical The Last Ship is set in the shadow of the Swan Hunter shipyard of Sting's youth, featuring characters drawn from the songwriter's past and from his imagination. It premiered in June 2014 at Chicago's Bank of America Theatre and will transfer to Broadway in October.
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LILY TOMLIN: Mary Jean Tomlin was born in Detroit, Michigan of Kentucky parents and grew up in a working-class neighborhood with a predominantly black population. "That old apartment house I grew up in was filled with the most eccentric cross section of culture types imaginable and I was madly in love with all of them," said Tomlin. "Every apartment was a different class, a different story, a different accent, different politics and philosophy." She meandered from apartment to apartment observing the habits of whomever she was with, a skill that serves her to this day. Her favorite funny women on television included Lucille Ball, Bea Lillie, Imogene Coca and Jean Carroll. In 1965, she moved to New York and worked as a waitress, but soon built a strong following with her appearances at landmark clubs such as The Improv, The Bitter End and Upstairs at the Downstairs. Tomlin's New York success led to her television debut in 1966 on The Garry Moore Show. Memorable appearances on The Merv Griffin Show inspired a move to California where producer George Schlatter invited Tomlin to join the cast of Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In in 1969 where she rapidly rose to prominence with her characterizations of Ernestine, the power-mad telephone operator, and the philosophical six year old in the big rocking chair, Edith Ann, "No sooner did I learn to tell time than I began showing up late everywhere."
Tomlin went on to produce, with writer Jane Wagner, and star in her own Emmy Award winning comedy television specials. She has guest starred on numerous television shows, including The Carol Burnett Show, Homicide, X-Files, Will and Grace, Desperate Housewives, NCIS, Eastbound and Down, Damages, and Sesame Street. She starred in And the Band Played On, the HBO special about the AIDS epidemic, played the boss on Murphy Brown, and reigned as President Bartlett's memorable assistant, Debbie Fiderer, on The West Wing. Tomlin's films include her Oscar-nominated debut as Linnea in Robert Altman's Nashville, 9 to 5 with Jane Fonda and Dolly Parton, The Incredible Shrinking Woman, The Late Show, Beverly Hillbillies, All of Me with Steve Martin, Disney's The Kid with Bruce Willis, Big Business and Short Cuts with Tom Waits, to the more recent David O. Russell's I Heart Huckabees with Dustin Hoffman, Prairie Home Companion with Meryl Streep and Admission with Tina Fey.
From Ernestine and Edith Ann to Vegas headliner, Tommy Velour, soul singer, Purvis Hawkins, homeless Trudy, Madame Lupe, the world's oldest living beauty expert, Susie Sorority, Lucille the Rubber Freak and Lud and Marie, Lily Tomlin shares a part of herself with every character she creates. "I love all my characters. They are all part of a mosaic," said Tomlin, "and there is always some part of them that lives in my heart.”
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2014 BEST COMEDY PERFORMANCE 2013 ENTERTAINERS OF THE YEAR Campus Activities Magazine
INFO@BASS-SCHULER.COM www.MissionIMPROVable.com
ODD?ROD:Born to a drug-addicted mother and absent father, Roderick “Odd?Rod” Borisade struggled hard in life during his preteen years. After the death of his brother, Rod’s life changed as he began to write his pain in rhyme. . He earned a full scholarship to UNF and has documented his journey in poetry. He’s nurtured his talent to give an entertaining life story of how his dark past has awarded him a bright future. BASS SCHULER:bass-schuler.com
COLLETTE CARLSON: Colette Carlson is a funny, tellit-like-it-is Human Behavior Expert who reveals the power of Speaking Your Truth! After learning her message the hard way, she is fiercely committed to empowering individuals to communicate effectively and take responsibility for their thoughts, words and actions. Whether speaking at college campuses or for Pepsi or Microsoft, audiences like her wit and approach. BOLOTTA ENTERTAINMENT: Anthony@Bollotta.com
CALL ME CRAZY: Call Me Crazy is an unprecedented 90-minute "conversation" that details Joshua S. Walker's journey from pre-diagnosis with Bipolar Disorder to achieving success and the many ups and downs in between. Call Me Crazy has been in the creative works process since the early part of 2011 and has been written and designed to capture the audience's attention from the start. This all new "SMASH HIT" lecturing is touring throughout the United States in 2014-15. Walker, a natural in the spotlight, has performed in more than 30 states across the country and has received rave reviews for his past programs and performances. FRESH VARIETY, LAURA GILMAN freshvariety.com www.CrazyLecture.com
WHAT MATTERS?: What Matters? is about three friends attempting to live in poverty, across three continents. The adventure turns devastating when two of them survive a deadly plane crash in Africa. They will make the case that this generation can have a profound impact on the issues that break their hearts. They incorporate personal stories, humor andf technology to deliver a program that colleges need to hear. CIA SPEAKERS: info@CIAspeakers.com
This section to give you a look at so speakers that you may hav Our goal is to expose you you never knew existed w different types of stude diverse campu
MISS SHANNON PAUL: Miss Shannan’s discussion on “Cultural Sensitivity for the Accidentally Insensitive” uses personal anecdotes and real world situations to teach the audience how to not “be that person” who walks blindly into an awkward situation. She can keep you smiling and keep people of other cultures smiling along with you.Topics included in her talk include: History, Stereotypes, Conflicts, Stumbles and Pitfalls. G.L. BERG ENTERTAINMENT: info@glberg.com
is designed ome different choices in e never considered before. u to different choices that which may appeal to all the ents you have on your us community.
CHERYL BURKE: With over 20 years of dancing experience, Emmy nominated professional dancer Cheryl Burke tangoed and sambaed her way into the hearts of millions through the hit ABC television show Dancing with the Stars. In 2011, Burke released her biography, Dancing Lessons: How I Found Passion and Potential on the Dance Floor and in Life. She shares her personal and professional journeys, addressing how to overcome adversity along the way. IMG SPEAKERS: speakers@img.com
CHRIS TEMPLE and ZACH INGRASCI: These two filmmakers are co-founders of “Living on One”, an award-winning documentary.
From living in a tent in a Syrian refugee camp to working as radish farmers and surviving on one dollar a day in Guatemala, Chris Temple and Zach Ingrasci are pioneering a new style of documentary filmmaking, using immersive storytelling to raise awareness and inspire action around pressing global issues. SPOTLIGHT SPEAKERS www.speakers.ca Contact: Lindsey Love lindser@speakers.ca
CHEF EGG: Chef Egg wants to teach students how to lead a healthy and productive lifestyle. His mission is to free his audience from a boxed, frozen and fast food prison and give them the skills needed to claim their culinary independence... grocery store budgets, international cuisines and specialty diets to knife skills, healthy food preparation and green living; learn the fundamentals of how to serve delicious snacks and meals. NEON ENT: info@neon-entertainment.com
TERMS & CONDITIONS: Admit it: you don’t read the terms and conditions connected to every website, phone call, or app. But every day, billion-dollar corporations are learning more about your interests, friends, family, finances, and secrets -and are selling it to the highest bidder. And you agreed to it all!! Cullen will demonstrate how easy it is to access a student’s information from their online presence and demonstrate how sites are tracking them. CIA SPEAKERS AGENCY: Info@CIASpeakers.com
PEYTON MANNING: Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, has earned his place among the NFL’s greatest quarterbacks. During the 2014 season, Manning set the NFL record for most career passing touchdowns. Manning has been named Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated and in 1999 formed the PeyBack Foundation to promote future success of disadvantaged youth through various programs. IMG SPEAKERS: speakers@img.com
MICHAEL FOSBERG: Michael Fosberg takes his audiences on such a journey. He tells his story of growing up believing he was white, then discovering in his thirties that he is actually black. Michael guides his audience on a discovery of self; filled with issues of race, diversity, family history, divorce, adoption, and finding a father. The presentation allows the audience to make their own discoveries about themselves, and perceptions of identity, race and stereotypes. .BASS SCHULER: bass-schuler.com
BRIAN C JOHNSON: Brian ruins plot lines, challenges the plausibility of the action, talks through the whole movie, and points out all of the mistakes. He believes film is a cultural force that educates and indoctrinates—while we are being entertained, we are often being brainwashed—especially about diversity. Brian teaches students to keep their brains turned on when watching films. His goal is to cause students to wake up and become critical of their media consumption. KIRKLAND PROD: booking@kirklandproductions.com
SARAH KAY: Sarah Kay uses the power of spoken word to inspire creativity and self-empowerment. In her now-famous TED talk—a talk that inspired two standing ovations and has been seen by over seven million people online—she tells the story of her metamorphosis from a wide-eyed teenager, to becoming a teacher who today connects youth with the power of self-expression through her own non-profit educational organization. She is a gifted artist and breathtaking performer. www.speaker.ca; lindsey@speakers.ca
RENEE YOHE: Renee first entered the spotlight with To Write Love on Her Arms, a non-profit organization that aims to present hope for people struggling with addiction, depression, self-injury, and thoughts of suicide. By sharing her own struggles, Renee and the organization have helped millions. Her story was so moving that a movie about her life was made staring Kat Dennings and Chad Michael Murray. ON THAT NOTE ENTERTAINMENT
Feel free to comment on any subject in any edition of Campus Activities Magazine®. We will always protect your identity should we choose to print your comments. Names of Schools or Businesses are not given at the end of the commentary, just your first name and your generic location. We reserve the right not to print comments we feel are not in good taste or might be offensive to our readers. \THE MAGIC OF STEVE HARVEY
I just wanted to comment on you Comedy Issue and the story on Steve Harvey. Steve Harvey has always been one of my idols when it comes to a career path. He is collected, suave, well spoken and can deal with any situation right on the spot. His quips are funny and on-the-spot on Family Feud, but I have watched his career for many years. I think he is an excellent choice to help motivate college students. I know when I started school here, I was completely lost and overwhelmed. It was noth-
ing like what I expected and quite honestly I sailed through high school without a lot of effort. College is whole different world., Instead of having all my buds around, I had to try to fit in again and that was difficult. I learned that some of my friends were really not friends at all. When I tried to sail through my freshman year, I ended up on academic probation and was forced to take two sessions of summer school and make at least a “B” in three courses to stay. I dug in and did the work and aced two of the three courses to maintain my student eligibility. But for one entire summer, when everyone I knew was relaxed and having fun, I was studying my ass off. It was a rude awakening - a real jolt of reality.
Now I understand why Steve Harvey had the initiative to focus on his success. He identified a career path and put all his energy in it. With me, I have
changed my career path no less than three times while I was in college. Honestly, few freshmen really have any idea what they want to be or do when they get out of school. Working helped me immensely. I started a job that I had no experience in but found I had talent that was undiscovered, at least by me. It wasn’t until I was a junior and even late in that year, that I knew what I wanted to do. I had spent two years going down the wrong path. I don’t think my time was wasted because I knew what I didn’t want to do that and it had nothing to do with what the job paid. There are jobs and there are careers and both are
not necessarily the same. If you have a career, you love what you do and you look forward to every day doing it. I had a few part-time jobs in college where I punched the clock and waited around to get a pay check.
I am graduating this coming spring with a degree in social work and counseling. It is not the highest paid position by any stretch of the imagination, but I have already found a job when I graduate where I think I can make a difference. I found I could make a difference in some lives and I love what I am undertaking. It is a challenge.
I would encourage any school to consider Steve Harvey’s background in relating to college students. He is a great motivator and that is important.
MICHAEL KENT: PERFECT EOTY
Perhaps my comments are a little late in coming, but I was totally unaware that schools could comment on your magazine. Michale Kent’s win as Entertainer of the Year for 2014 was not and should not have been unexpected. I have never met a nicer or more charming artist and I have been on our board for three years. We evaluate all of our acts after they perform and he got the highest ratings of any we have had in the last three years.
While a lot of acts do similar shows, what he does seems to come so naturally and he has a great time with the audience.That relationship with them is the key because every one who saw the show was thrilled with the performance and we had a really diverse audience that is sometimes hard to please. So amazing. Even the simpler things he did that we had seen before from other artists, seemed more real and exciting. He is truly a master of his trade and deserved the recognition he got from your magazine. We hope to see great things from him in the future and then we can say we had him “when.” Lisa, Kentucky
Steven Brown, L.A. Area
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CAMPUS ACTIVITIES MAGAzINE®, February 2015, 17
It’s likely that while every generation since the 1960s recognizes the original “Star Trek” for what it is, the current generation of the college demographic is probably mostly unfamiliar with all of its original cast. There may be plenty that still do remember George Takei as Hikaru Sulu, one of Captain Kirk’s closest allies, but amazingly enough this 77 year-old actor, director, writer, speaker and activist is far more recognizable to the youth demographic than nearly any of his other “Star Trek” counterparts. The reason for this is his not only embracing social media, but his mastery of it, becoming one of the biggest celebrities on Facebook at any age with almost 10,000,000 likes. George has a fascinating life story and motivating message, one which he has shared for years but now is focusing, through his partnership with Greater Talent Network, on the campus market and is an absolute pleasure to listen to with his deep, resonating and unmistakable voice. The folks who may not recognize his face might still have some familiarity with his voice, as he has done significant amount of voice over work in narration and the world of animation.
Known very widely for his fervor in LGBTQ activism, George has become a leading voice for equality in our country today. Some might be surprised to learn however that this is far from the first topic he has chosen to speak on and be passionate about activism in.
George was a child during pre-WWII living on the West coast in California. During the war, he and his family, along with every other person of Japanese descent (American citizen or not) were imprisoned in U.S. internment camps, within the bounds of the United States of America. “From the time of my late teens throughout the rest of my life, I have been an activist in social justice issues and supporting political candidates. The reason I had such passion for this early on is that as a child I grew up incarcerated behind U.S. barbed wire fences, simply because we happened to look like the people who bombed 20, CAMPUS ACTIVITIES MAGAzINE®, February 2015
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Pearl Harbor. Japanese Americans were incarcerated simply because of our ethnicity.”
This was at a time in George’s formative development where the full implications of what he and his family were going through were not really under his power to be fully understood. “This happened when I was between the ages of 5 and 9 and I was too young to really understand what was going on. Children are amazingly resilient and adaptable and life in these concentrated communities became routine for us. Lining up three times a day to eat in a noisy mess hall or going to a mass shower with my father became normality.” Once he got a little older, he set about educating himself. “When I became a teenager, I started reading books, particularly in civics, about the shining ideals of American Democracy. Then, I heard one of Dr. Martin Luther King’s speeches, ringing with idealism and belief in the fundamental principles of our American Democracy. I engaged my father in conversation after dinner and he explained to me that our democracy was a people’s democracy. That meant it could be as great as our people can be, but it was also as fallible as people are. Our democracy is vitally dependent on good people who cherish those ideals and I was so inspired by them and acted upon them. Then one Sunday afternoon he took me to Adlai Stevenson for President Headquarters. He said we volunteered but actually he volunteered me,” George says laughing.
This turned out to be a cathartic moment for George. “I got to see how our democracy works. Watching the passionate people work to get Governor Stevenson elected was inspiring and galvanizing in itself. I went from there to volunteering on my own to work on a campaign for a U.S. Senator from California. Then I became actively involved in the civil rights movement.”
From then on George was involved in advocacy and the public speaking that is inherent with it. “I have been speaking publicly from the time I was about 18 years old and I feel that it was a vital and valuable time for me to get that passion rooted within my character.” It’s little wonder then that he makes efforts to speak on campus, where he can reach students at that same age and stage in life. “Our democracy is a unique form of government and my fa-
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ther, who suffered the most and lost the most during the internment, was someone who believed the most in this system as well. He paid a high price and he told me about some of the young Japanese Americans who went from behind those barbed wire fences to the front lines and fought for this country with extraordinary heroism. He also showed me the flags that were draped over the coffins of those same dead soldiers, flags which were brought back to their families still living behind those same fences. Now, imagine the complexities involved here, the layers of emotion. The grief of losing your husband or your son, then to be given the flag that covered their coffin honoring him…which represents the country keeping them imprisoned. There were a lot of the complexities and dealing with them was a great challenge for my generation. Today’s world has its own intense complexities as well, and dealing with them is where leadership comes from and where great wisdom has to come into play. So, we need young people who are idealistic, inspired and engaged. We have to encourage them to be the best of who they are to continue to contribute to this system which is so dependent on each of us making our contribution to it. If this is an ideal I can help to present to young people through my personal story, then I have a duty to do so now as much as for any other cause I have advocated for previously.” George doesn’t come on campus with a specific agenda, unless he is brought in to speak specifically on a topic like LGBTQ or Human Rights. He
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seeks to inspire students to be proactive and involved in the topics that matter to them and he does so through telling his own story and experiences, not by standing atop a soapbox. “I don’t know all these individuals; they each have their area of interest and set of ideals and how they think the world should be. I don’t give the students assignments, because it is up to them to be who they are. I personally am a liberal democrat, but some of them may be conservative republicans. I think there is a place for all of us, as long as we all subscribe to the ideals of this country. If I am talking to people that are fundamentally conservative, they should be who they are. We are a part of a society with infinite diversity in infinite combinations. We work in the arena together, learning from each other and being challenged by each other. But, I don’t tell my audiences what they should do or where to look, only that they should seek some direction and do something.” While he isn’t issuing specific direc-
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tives, George does make his presentations audience specific - this is not a turn key presentation that is a one-fitsall for every performance. He can focus more on specific topics and attempts to tailor the presentation to the audience at the time. All of the presentations are based on the wisdom and experience he has gained through his personal trials and successes. “I do speak for example about the internment of Japanese Americans. That was one of the greatest failures of our system, how the country got swept up in war hysteria and did a horrible thing.”
That has obvious implications in how we are to handle today’s climate and our relationship to the Middle East and its people, but George uses the example in a less literal sense as an analogy to another hotly debated topic that lands even closer to home for many Americans than even the shadow of terrorism (which unfortunately is all too often considered synonymous with Muslims and Muslim-Americans). “I use the metaphor of the barbed wire
fences that confined us then to the legalistic invisible fences that confine LGBT people, strung with the wire of ignorance and the barbs of prejudice. Because we live in a system of democracy, one man - one vote, we can’t have things like Citizens United, a Supreme Court ruling that was absolutely contrary to the ideals of our system, and essentially makes a single vote meaningless because of untethered corporate money being poured into our general election system. So, I do speak on some specific topics that I am passionate about, but I do it in such a way as to let the audiences decide their motives and direction for themselves.” One of the most remarkable aspects of George’s story is how he has not only had a very long and successful career in Hollywood, but also how he has managed to bridge the gap between generations, becoming the rare internet celebrity who was actually a celebrity before the Internet (he got his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in
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1986). Approaching 10,000,000 Facebook likes, this 77 year-old actor has come full circle, from a show about futuristic technology to a real life master of it through social media. And perhaps the most charming thing about it was that it was a happy accident. It might surprise many people that someone of his age would be adept at social media, and maybe it does make his story more notable, but that perception also ties directly back into one of the core points George is working to drive home. “There again we are dealing with stereotypes. We were imprisoned because of stereotypes and LGBT people are discriminated
against because of stereotypes about perversion. In that same vein, when one gets over 60, you are put into a certain category, but the fact is that seniors are diverse in many different ways. This morning I had a recording session and there was Betty White, 92 years old and still working. Or Angela Lansbury, who is one of my theatrical favorites and heroines. Seniors are just as diverse as anyone else and that includes some of them who are really handy or good with technology. I am not saying that I am a computer wizard, but social media is something that I seemed to be a good fit for.”
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And now we come back around to that happy accident that has made George a genuine Facebook phenom. “About seven years ago, we started developing a musical about the internment of Japanese-Americans. I had been going around speaking at colleges on the topic specifically, but I had been noticing that the majority of the audiences I was drawing were from the LGBT community or allies. What we needed to do was to get to a larger demographic... that middle class, decent, hard working, fair minded majority of Americans. They might not have time to do a lot of research into the struggles of others, but a foolproof way to reach people is humor. www.campusactivitiesmagazine.com
It’s what ties us all together. Humor is the sweet honey that attracts people. We were investing a lot of time and money into the project; it was theatrical art, but it was also show business and we hoped for it to be financially successful as well. I thought that maybe social media would be a way. At the time my audience was made up of sci-fi geeks and nerds (laughs) and social media seemed like a great way to reach that core and have the content spread to a larger theater-going audience. I began with Star Trek oriented memes or funny observations, then began injecting humor into things. Particularly successful was Grumpy Cat, which got a lot of www.campusactivitiesmagazine.com
people coming in and took on a life of its own. My base grew and grew and as it grew, I started throwing in some social justice issues. That also contributed to a great expansion of the base. By the time we opened for our world premiere at The Old Globe theater in San Diego, we had a built in audience already and it turned out we had a sold out run that was extended and ended up setting theater records.” His reach has continued to spread and he proves himself time and again to be one of the wittiest, quickest and most profound content creators on Facebook.
George Takei is a wealth of wisdom and experience, a very good speaker and a really funny, pleasant guy. Let him share his experiences with your students and let them experience the presence of not only a true Hollywood legend, but a galvanizing and passionate social advocate as well.
BOOK IT: For more information on bringing George Takei to campus, contact Mike D’Andrea at Greater Talent Network at (212) 905-3801 or MikeD@greatertalent.com.
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Every weekend, tens of thousands of people join the ranks of Mudder Nation - the ever supportive Tough Mudder Community.
According to The Washington Post, Since 2010, 1.5 MILLION people have tackled the grueling obstacle courses across America and other parts of the world, each of which spans 10-12 miles and requires transversing terrain filled with flames, mud and live wires. According to The New York Times: “The idea of Tough Mudder is not to win..but have a story to tell”. And they all do. But who is responsible for developing such a radical idea that in it’s first year attracted $2 million participants and in
Will Dean it second year $25 million.
Will Dean, who looks nothing like you would expect from someone who designed such an exhilarating and challenging experience, conceptualized Tough Mudder while he was at Harvard Business School. In his plan, participants would pay to enter a 10-mile obstacle course that included crawling under barbed wire, plunging into ice water, darting through flames and, just before crossing the finish line, getting shocked by 10,000 volts of electricity. Alright, that should make you excited about signing up!
Okay Harvard was skeptical too. David Godes, Will’s independent study ad-
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viser stated,”My question was whether there were customers for this thing?”
The answer was that in year three of its existence, Tough Mudder was expanding to Europe, South Africa, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. The staff of 45 received 4,000 job applications in January alone. Mr Godes became a believer and remains an advisor to the business.
Will Dean is a native of Sheffield, England, attended the University of Bristol, where he graduated first in his class.He then worked in counterterrorism for the British Government for five years before heading to Harvard. The job required him to complete United Kingdom Special Forces training which is meant to measure “mental grit” as opposed to pure physical fitness. That course became the inspiration for Tough Mudder. According to Dean, “It’s not like saying ‘Can I run a hundred miles?’nut more “Do I have it mentally?’” Tough Mudder tests both mental as well as physical strength. The obstacles often play on human fears, such as fire, water, electricity and heights. The main principle of Tough Mudder revolves around teamwork. The Tough Mudder Nation values commaraderie throughout the course, designing obstacles that encourage group participation. Participants must agree to helping others complete the course, putting teammates before themselves and over coming fears. The average success rate is an amazing 78% of entrants completing the course. SPONSORS: The following groups and companies support or are supported by Tough Mudder:
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• The Wounded Warrior Project received $6 million • Cellicor • Oberto • Wheaties • Shock Top • Raddison • Under Armour • MET-RX • US Army
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OBSTACLES ENCOUNTERED: Note that obstacles are tweaked each year and new ones added. These are the best descriptions available at press time and the attached photos will identify some of these. • King of Swingers: Leap. Swing.Ring requires you to jump toward a handing swing and hold on longe enough to reach for a dangling bell.
• Ring Of Fire: Requires you to climb a 25’ scaffold, latch onto a fireman’s pole and plummet through a giant ring of fore and into an awaiting tank of water. For best results, latch onto the pole tightly. • Human Hamster Wheel This obstacle gives participants and spectators alike the chance to test how long they can last on a never-ending slew of monkey bars.
• Dead Ringer Dead Ringer requires Mudders to sideways climb along a series of ascending and descending pegs using heavy duty rings. Miss the mark and brace for the ground below.
ShawSanked: A slow steady crawl through a mud-infested tube leading out to a backwards drop into a water pit. • Birth Canal Grip the rope from the top of the tube and slide your way toward the light at the end of the tunnel.
• Cry Baby An enclosed structure filled with a safe tear-gas-like substance and littered with hazards along the way.
• Hold Your Wood Mudders must band together and carry a massive log over, under and through walls while ensuring that no Mudder gets left behind.
• Kiss of Mud Mudders transverse a series of elevation changes,all the while hugging the mud-coated ground below and avoiding the barbed wire above. Keeping your head down while sliding into deep tenches and crawling over hay bales isn’t as easy as it sounds.
• Mile of Mud 2.0 There is waist deep mud, double-high entrance and exit mounds and completely vertical mud masses. The importance of teamwork here has never been greater. Lend a hand, Take a hand, Pay it forward, Give it back. This obstacle is about going the extras mile. Other Obstacles include: Electroshock Therapy Everest 2.0 Funky Monkey 2.0 Arctic Enema 2.0 Pole Dancer Berlin Walls Underwater Tunnels
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Ladder to Hell King of the Mountain Greased Lightning
Tough Mudder’s lead obstacle designer, Nolan Kombol will be unveiling a new slate of surprises for 2015
Tough Mudder has become the largest player in the $250 million-a-year obstacle industry. For 2015, the Next Mudder event is slated for June 13 and 14 in Doswell, VA. So get your team together and make this a summer to remember. Making it a team effort just adds to the experience.
A littler overweight? Trying to quit smoking? Chances are there are some friends ion campus looking to do the same thing.
You can only live one day at a time, and change isn’t going to happen over night. Celebrate your small victories. If your goal is to lose weight in 2015, that final milestone shouldn’t be the only moment you congratulate yourself. Every few weeks, celebrate in your own unique way for staying on track. Need some training? Tough Mudder has boot camps and a great selection
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of Tough Mudder apparel from Under Armour and others on their website.
The Mudder Nation is growing by leaps and bounds and you don’t have to be a muscle-bound meathead to participate. There is loads of press on Tough Mudder, including “CBS This Morning”. The Washington Post, Inc Magazine, ABC, Outside Magazine, The LA Times, The New York Times and now in the campus market with Campus Activities Magazine®. We are going to end this story with The Mudder Pledge:
• I understand that Tough Mudder is not a race but a challenge. • I put teamwork and commaraderie before my course time. • I do not whine- kids whine!
• I help my fellow mudders complete the course • I overcome all fears.
For More Information, more photos and videos of obstacles or to Sign-up A Team: ToughMudder.com
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Kevin Brown has an inspiring story that many college students, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds or struggling with the weight of life, will easily identify with.
Originally from Northern California, Kevin spent his entire young life in the foster care system and was emancipated at age 18. He attended college in Atlanta, but the struggle to get there was one that few of us could imagine accomplishing.
He studied fashion and business and played basketball. He studied abroad in England and graduated top 10 percent. He became a host on MTV Networks and worked in the fashion industry in New York when he became employed by a very high profile public speaker. “Les Brown made a huge impact on me and encouraged me to get into speaking,” Kevin says. “ At first I was a little hesitant but I decided to do some more research
about the industry and have conversations with friends that I had who were speakers. I felt that I wanted to do something that would help people and have a greater impact than just drawing clothes and marketing them. That’s what landed me in the public speaking arena; my true motivation was to make a difference and help people.” Now Kevin works to help his audiences maximize their potential. “I try to help them make the most of the resources that are available to them. I focus specifically on topics like graduating from college debt-free, which is one of my mini programs. I also have a passion for my diversity program and a leadership program.”
Clearly this is a speaker that can translate to any campus audience. He isn’t just shooting from the hip with these topics either, labeling himself a “leadership”
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speaker just because it’s marketable. He has done the work and research to make himself a qualified advisor on the topics he chooses to present. Take his financial advice for example, he isn’t just throwing out unqualified tips to students, he lived the experience and wrote a book on the subject. “I wrote a book on how to graduate from college debt-free, which I did myself. I graduated with a free $150,000 education and I understand that so many of my peers and students across the country are graduating with mountains of student loan debt. I want to help anyone I can avoid that, because that is the sort of thing that follows people far into adulthood and affects buying and lending, which affects our entire economy.”
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Kevin outlines all of the methods he used to make it through. “I didn’t have a full ride scholarship or grant, I had to piece all of these things together and figure it out. I had no clue what to do when I arrived on campus, but I did make a statement to several people. That was, ‘If I have to take out a loan, I’m dropping out.’ I had to stick to my word, so that’s what led me to work so hard to graduate debt-free and I hope the book I wrote helps give some students a short-cut to the things I had to learn the hard way.”
Kevin came from a pretty tough background. “Foster care is not something I would wish on anyone, to be honest with you. Starting out, I was in nine different homes before I was 5, and things slowed down a little bit. By the time
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I was emancipated I had been in 13-15 homes I would say. I think the biggest challenge is understanding that you are not like your peers. You have to grow up a lot faster. You have to be accountable for your future right off the bat, because you know that once you turn 18, that is the end of care. If you don’t have some type of plan you end up in a bad way.”
“Another difference is that you never know when you’re going to have to leave or attend a different school, so there’s always this feeling of displacement upon you. Everything is temporary. Then there’s also that feeling of living amongst strangers, because everyone that is around you is a part of a family...a biological family for the most part and at some point they are going to let you know that you are like family, but you are not family. Holidays and birthdays are rarely even when it comes to foster kids in mixed families with biological children. There
were a lot of tough lessons to learn growing up that way, but it made me personally stronger to speak about foster care in a positive light. It is a very characterbuilding experience; unfortunately for many of our foster care brothers and sisters it can be too much to bear. If you can maintain the right perspective, I think it can forge some of the strongest and most driven people we have.”
Driven is what Kevin is and what he wants your students to be. He has an inspiring story which we have only glossed over today, bring him to campus and let the full story soak into your students. For more information on bringing Kevin Brown to your campus, contact Metropolis Management at (877) 536-5374 or email joyce@metropolismanagement.com.
CAMPUS ACTIVITIES MAGAzINE®, February 2015, 33
JOE COCKER: LOSS OF A LEGEND CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 Rita Coolidge got her own solo deal as a result of the Mad Dogs and Englishmen hoopla and released such an over-produced record with so many credits that her solo career was stillborn, she never became a big star. She eventually married Kris Kristofferson and has faded away, she does not radiate, but those who lived through the seventies will never forget her. Which brings us to Leon Russell. Who used Joe Cocker as a springboard to a solo career that eclipsed Cocker's and flamed out in a fit of hubris, most famously with the interminable, execrable "Leon Live".
One great thing about records is they never change. You can't return to 1970, but if you listen to this album you'll get the idea. It was an era when music ruled the world, and the son of a civil servant from Sheffield, England could become internationally famous, and respected. Listen to this album, you'll see why." One of Cocker's most famous songs, "Help" was
And Joe Cocker never recovered. He became an alcoholic, he got fat, and the follow-up to Mad Dogs & Englishmen was the disappointing "High Time We Went". Eventually he cleaned up and had some MTV hits, but his glory days were behind him. He was a superstar and couldn't handle it. You think you want to be famous, that you want to own the world, but you have no idea how lonely and disconcerting it is.
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his first hit single on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 68 in 1968. His version later served as the theme song for ABC's “The Wonder Years”, which ran from 1988 to 1993. ("Help" was written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney and first appeared on The Beatles' landmark 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.)
Thanks Lou for the journey and the inspiration. We found Bob Lefsefz online:
Bob Lefsetz is the author of “The Lefsetz Letter.” Famous for being beholden to no one and speaking the truth, Lefsetz addresses the issues that are at the core of the music business: downloading, copy protection, pricing and the music itself. We suggest this inspiring Video of Joe Cocker: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=play er_embedded&v=gQLtCoh5EaI
Photo: Billboard.com
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NACA NORTHERN PLAINS April 16-19, 2015 Madison, WI
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AEP WORLDWIDE NATIONAL June 7-9, 2015 South Point Hotel/ Casino Las Vegas, NV
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CHARLOTTE, NC (MMD Newswire) December 29, 2014 -- Jimmy Fallon, selected for maintaining the dignity and respect of others through his comedic disposition as the host of "The Tonight Show" as well as his continuing support of charitable organizations, heads "The Twenty-Five Best-Mannered People of the Past Twenty-Five
Years" list published by the National League of Junior Cotillions (NLJC).
Traditionally, the NLJC publishes a "Top Ten Best Mannered" list. This year, instead of ten, the NLJC selected twenty-five recipients in honor of their twenty-fifth anniversary of business.
"The selections are made based on each person's commitment to honor, dignity, and mannerly conduct," says President Charles Winters. "We feel the twenty-five individuals named have distinguished themselves through excellence of character and conduct and applaud them for their contributions to society."
AND THE WINNERS ARE....
1. Jimmy Fallon - for maintaining the dignity and respect of others through his comedic disposition as the host of "The Tonight Show." 2. David Muir - for courageous reporting, courteous treatment of interview subjects, and integrity in telling the stories of this generation. 3. Peyton Manning - for displaying good sportsmanship, both on and off the field, as quarterback for the Denver Broncos. 4. Barbara Bush - for demonstrating grace and poise as First Lady. 5. Bob Hope - for congeniality in entertaining the American people. 6. Michael J. Fox - for courage in facing Parkinson's as a public figure. 7. Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (Kate Middleton) - for portraying poise, elegance, and grace in the public spotlight. 8. Nelson Mandela - for peacefully working towards democracy and equality for all people. 9. Victoria Soto - for giving her life to defend students from the shooter at Sandy Hook Elementary. 10. Phil Mickelson - for exhibiting grace in defeat and graciousness in victory. 11. Tom Hanks - for demonstrating kindness to all and humility in fame. 12. Mother Theresa -for dedicating her life to charity and serving the underprivileged of the world.
We are just wondering what the criteria was for these recognitions because, while all the candidates here are extremely popular, I am not so sure that some make the litmus test considering all the exceptional people in the world the last 25 years.
I think I agree with most of these. Jimmy Fallon and Peyton Manning certainly make the grade and are popular in the public eye. No dispute www.campusactivitiesmagazine.com
13. Carrie Underwood - for consistently demonstrating courtesy to her fans. 14. Warren Buffet - for balancing great success with great philanthropy. 15. Malala Yousafzai - for bravery and courage in the face of adversity. 16. S. Truett Cathy - for building a business based on excellence in customer service. 17. Ralph Lauren - for demonstrating the importance of "dressing for success." 18. Pope Francis - for dedicating his life to spreading a message of love to all. 19. Derek Jeter - for displaying good sportsmanship as a baseball player and role model throughout his career. 20. Oprah Winfrey - for consistently treating her guests with dignity & respect. 21. Gabrielle Giffords - for strength and perseverance in the face of adversity. 22. Sandra Bullock - for elegance and excellence as an actress. 23. Billy Graham - for his dedication to family values. 24. Robin Roberts - for extending warmth and kindness to her guests as an anchor on “Good Morning America”. 25. Taylor Swift - for inspiring young fans with her music & mannerly conduct.
there. And I would never judge Kate Middleton, Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandella, Pope Francis or Bob Hope. Then there is Oprah, Tom Hanks and Billy Graham...not disputing them either. Nor would I Victoria Soto, Malala Yousafzai or even Derek Jeter and Phil Mickelson is an outstanding golfer and excellent on those arthritis commercials. But Carrie Underwood, Warren Buffet, Truett Cathy and Ralph Lauren seem to be a huge stretch as are Sandra Bullock, Robin
Roberts and Taylor Swift. Most of these are nice people but in the scope of things there are hundreds more who have overcome diversity, challenged their faith and physical strength and endured who are much more worthy to be in the public spotlight. Tell me what you think at: biz@cameopublishing.com
CAMPUS ACTIVITIES MAGAzINE®, February 2015, 35
Kevin Spacey Belts Out Billy Joel’s “Piano Man”
Kevin Spacey surprised the audience as Billy Joel was honored with The Library of Congress’ Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. It was a star-studded celebration according to Rolling Stone Magazine.
Not only did Spacey do an excellent job of playing the harmonica for the show but he along with Tony Bennett, John Mellencamp, Boyz II Men and others played and sang Piano man along with Joel at the spectacular event.
Joel himself did a short set featuring “Miami 2107”, “Vienna”, “You May Be Right”, and “Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song).”
But the real hit of the evening was the finale of “Piano Man”, an American tradition and a legendary piece of music. Spacey, The House of Cards actor, handled the song’s opening verse during this allstar finale with legendary entertainers singing along as a tribute to Joel. Others included Josh Groban, LeAnn Rimes, Dixie Chicks, Natalie Maines, Gavin McGraw and the Twyla Tharp Dancers. Check The video Out at RollingStone.com
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