Cindy Guyer Premiere Issue of Hollywood Weekly -New York

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New York

The Passion Of Shock And Awe

Rob Reiner

Acting & Singing With

Charleene Closshey

In Film Review

Transylvania 3

Episode 2 premieres August 2nd Stephen J. Ross theather at Warner Bros

Rules To Success

Cindy Guyer

BEDSIDE READING

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BEDSIDE READING

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Placing Bestsellers by the Bedside in Luxury Hotels

Bedside Reading Global

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As seen in Luxury Hotels such as the Acqualina Resort & Spa, Dream Inn, Hotel Casa del Mar, Mandarin Oriental New York, Mandarin Oriental Washington DC, Shutters on the Beach, Simpson House Inn, and Waldorf Astoria Beverley Hills.

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Dear Readers,

The City of Los Angeles pays tribute to The Big Apple in this issue as we are taking it back to New York City, New York! Bridging the gap across United States lines, our accredited journalist Tatiana Davidov had the chance to interview celebrated model Cindy Guyer.

Well known platforms have paid tribute to Cindy, including the likes of Playboy! She is the original “Flower-Girl”-- yes, anybody posing in a picture on a bed full of flowers, got that look from Cindy, herself, as she was the first to originate the iconic style. Not falling into the stereotype of “The Blonde American” (as she would describe it) she has surpassed the expectations others have placed on her, by continuing to be a savvy business woman. With the success of her highly acclaimed restaurant, “Guyers” in New York we have decided to share some insight into her world with our Hollywood Weekly readers. Also, Hollywood Weekly sits down with actor Rob Reiner, who works with Tommy Lee, Woody Harrelson & many more on the movie "Shock and Awe".

We catch up with Kate Young, who hosted the 2nd ANNUAL MAISON ST-GERMAIN LOS ANGELES CELEBRATION... we also highlight pioneering and beloved sitcom star Daphne Maxwell Reid. Charlene Closshey gives us a look at “No Postage Necessary” Explore food paradise with internet star Agnes Muljadi.

Get "Words of Wisdom" from Doc Heard and a cool review on "Hotel Transylvania 3". Congratulations to all the 2018 Emmy nominees including Elizabeth Moss, Antonio Banderas & many more. Be sure to look out for our Emmy Edition coming soon, honoring all.

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6. The Rules Of Being Successful And Finding The Spice Of Life Cindy Guyer By Tatiana Davidov 14. The Passion Of Shock And Awe Rob Reiner By Allison Kugel 20. The Real Story Lou Rawls By Lon Dorsey 24. 2nd Annual Maison-St Germain L.A Celebration Hosted By Kate Young By Prather Jackson 28. A Passion For Creativity: Passion And Beloved Sitcom Star Daphne Maxwell Reid By Lori De Waal 32. No Postage Necessary Charleene Closshey By Alex A. Kecskes 38. Eating In L.A With One Of Today's Top Internet Influencers Agnes Muljadi By Agnes Muljadi 42. Rising Above The Stars Words Of Wisdom From Doc Heard By Darwin Heard 46. Hollywood Weekly Movie Critique Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation By Kam William S

HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 5

The Rules of Being Successful & Finding The Spice of Life Cindy Guyer

By Tatiana Davidov

6 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

C

Cindy Guyer Photo Credit: Tatiana Davidov Dress Design: Tatyana Peter

indy Guyer is far more than the petite Cinderell a she resembles. Indeed, she inhibits both business and beauty within her tiny frame. She’s the epitome of charming appeal and brains… get ready, her resume reads with incredible talent and experience. This savvy runway model is also a business woman who has posed for pictures on more than 2000 book covers. Yes, over 2000. Plus, she runs an incredibly hip and popular restaurant in New York City and is flirting with the idea of opening another one. The first time I met Cindy about six years ago was during a fun photoshoot.

Time flew by and we met again.

It is always fun to catch up with people who inspire one another, and Cindy is someone I admire. What is so special about her? Her zest for life along with an easygoing personality and ability to care about so many people and things. This time we did a photo shoot at an amazing garden of mutual friends and the creator of “Love Boat,” Jeraldine Saunders.

Cindy was busy buzzing about like a real Cinderella as she changed in and out of fantastic dresses giggling and making everyone happy throughout the whole affair. Along with her was her amazing fashion designer Tatyana

Peter. After a full day of shooting, we finally were able to enjoy one another at the small-town restaurant and get down to some fantastic conversation.

Hollywood Weekly: Cindy, what should Hollywood Weekly readers know about you? Who is Cindy Guyer?

Cindy Guyer: Cindy is a model, actress, artist, producer, a lover of human beings and animals on this planet. In the past years I have reinvented myself many times, I love being alive and having this “spice of life” in me.

Of course, among the top things I’m thrilled to have is my restaurant because besides feeding my guests, I can also give people jobs and opportunities, and that is very important.

Reinventing myself so many times is exactly like being the “spice of life.”

HW: How did it all start for you?

CG: One day, when I was 14, I was having lunch with my parents in Stamford, Connecticut and a woman named Wilhelmina approached me to tell me she about a little agency she owned in New York City. She wanted to see if I would be a good fit there.

It turned out it was the top modeling agency back then, and she taught me how to walk, talk, dress, along with do my own makeup and hair. Back in HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 7

the day a model was supposed to know how to do her own styling and take care of herself. Soon after, she sent me out to my first commercial for Prell shampoo and I got it. That was unheard of and exciting to get your first commercial that fast, but I did. This commercial ran for about four years. And that’s how my modeling career got started. Unfortunately, soon after Wilhelmina passed away, so I went to a different modeling agency called Ford where a woman named Aleen Ford became my mentor. But she was kind of mean to me, saying “you’re only 5’6. Why can’t I stretch you?” I couldn’t do runaway or a lot of the big fashion catalogs. On the other hand, she put me in the romance industry and the book cover creators really liked me. They thought I looked like Brigitte Bardot. That came shortly after I had done book covers for Nancy Drew and Scholastic books.

HW: How exactly were they doing these book covers with you?

CG: On the shoot there was an illustrator and sometimes even the author of the book. They would tell me a little bit about the novel, and then we would pose in the costumes designed

by Sharon Spiack, an expert in period costumes.

She’s amazing and she’s also a dear friend of mine.

They would pose me and Fabio, who I worked with a lot. A photographer would take several pictures of us, then the illustrator would create a drawing from them and at the end it would be printed as a book cover. We would shoot close to 20 romance novels in a week. It was fun. Another person who played a significant role in my book cover modeling career was Katherine Falk.

She’s an amazing woman who ran a lot of book conventions.

Now I may do book covers once a month, but back then it was fun. Sometimes I model shoes for a lot of the top shoe designers because I have a very tiny foot, just like Cinderella. I do feel like Cinderella. I have done lots of commercials, I even went out to Los Angeles to pursue acting. And I’ve been in a few films and got to work with some amazing actors.

8 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

HW: What are the biggest names you’ve ever worked with?

CG: It was fun working with Barbara Streisand.

She picked me herself for the little part in The “Mirror Has Two Faces.” She is really an incredible director and an amazing woman. Oprah Winfrey… It was an honor to work with the Oxygen Network and her company. She greenlit a show that I created called “Mr. Romance.” I really had 80 people who were working for me on the set, and then she put me in her commercials with Ellen and Chelsea Handler. Oprah also put my face on the bus in New York. There were buses all over the country with my faces on them, Jennifer Love Hewitt on other buses, and Ellen DeGeneres. I’m a huge fan of Ellen and I think she’s fabulous. I also have worked with Gil Gerard, Susan Blakely and many others.

HW: Cindy, you always speak very fondly about your parents. What is an important lesson you’ve learned from your parents about life?

CG: I’d say my parents did do good. I was a mommy and daddy’s girl, and I took my parents everywhere. Unfortunately, they’ve been gone now for about five years. I know in my heart they are watching out for me right now...and they gave me so much love for life, they just live in my heart.

HW: What is an important lesson you’ve learned from your parents about life?

CG: I love everything about life. I love being alive. It’s great. So, I try to make it good. My mother used to say that life is what you make out of it. I’m doing my very best to enjoy life and make it meaningful.

HW: I like this positive outlook you portray.

How do you stay so positive and inspiring?

CG: I just believe in God. I get up every morning and sometimes if I’m sad, I just will sit alone in the morning and then have a cup of tea and feel happy again. I always want to live every day as the best day. I always look forward and I believe the glass is always half full and not half empty. I try to be positive as much as I can.

Cindy Guyer Photo Credit: Tatiana Davidov Dress Design: Tatyana Peter

HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 9

Sometimes you know we make mistakes. But, we just shouldn’t beat ourselves up over it. We’ve got to get up and do better next time. There’s always tomorrow. Sometimes I do tend to be hard on myself. I push myself very hard. But that’s what we should do when we want to grow.

HW: You run your own restaurant, what does that means to you?

CG: Opening my restaurant was an unbelievable challenge. The first time I opened my restaurant it was called “Wine and Roses.” I was a little bit younger than the other partners and blond. They always made fun of me. But at the end of the day, now we see who is running and owns the restaurant- I am.

To learn the restaurant business is very difficult.

It is certainly challenging, but the wonderful thing is you make so many people happy. Your customers are just so happy to come into a place and have a good time meeting other people. I love to entertain people and care for them when they come to eat at the restaurant. It’s a gift to meet friends and have a good time. Paul Herman is the one who has taught me a lot about all the tricks of Cindy Guyer Photo Credit: Tatiana Davidov the trade in the restaurant Dress Design: Tatyana Peter business, and I’m grateful to him for it. He is like my family and he helped me get all my licenses. My friends Tony Danza and Robert De Niro also gave me advice and suggestions. I’m very blessed to have friends-actors in my community. They are so supportive of my restaurant; those Italian boys are very supportive of me and have taught me so much about the restaurant industry. For example, it is very difficult to get a liquor license 10 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

in this town but Robert De Niro’s attorney made sure I had no problems obtaining it. So, I feel blessed and protected at the same time, which is nice.

HW: You were involved with the Millionaire Matchmaker reality show, and in the gameshow/reality television series Mr. Romance which was your debut role in non-scripted programming. Anything exciting you can mention as of today?

CG: I love the Bravo network. In fact, they were just filming today at my restaurant for the Million Dollar Listing. That was just over an hour ago and that episode will air next season. It is so exciting to have them here.

I can’t wait to see how it will all turn out. I’m glad it was done in my restaurant “Guyers” a posh eatery and bar on the Manhattan’s Upper East Side As for Mr. Romance… yes, I did my whole episode with Patty Spangler after my divorce. They asked me if I would be on the show The Millionaire Matchmaker. At first, I was a little reluctant.

However, I thought that I’d give it a try, and I’m glad that I did. Patti was very nice, and she could be very hard on people, but I’m very blessed as she was really kind to me and it was a fun show.

HW: Have you ever been married?

CG: Yes, I was married about 10 years ago. I’ve had a couple of boyfriends. But I have not found a Prince Charming yet, and I’m still waiting for him.

Cindy Guyer Photo Credit: Tatiana Davidov

HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 11

HW: On the Internet its said that you have a sort of a nickname “female Fabio.” How did that come about?

CG: Because I was working a lot with Fabio doing most of these book covers with him. He’s an icon in the romance industry and a great friend of mine. I don’t love to be called “female Fabio.”

I rather they would call me something like the “queen of the romance,” or “princess romance,” that would have been fun, but nonetheless that title stuck with me.

HW: At this point, we started talking about Cindy’s restaurant again. Cindy said she has an absolute great team on whom she’s able to rely. They help her to keep the spirit of her establishment going. Cindy also mentioned that there was a recently an article in The Post about her restaurant. They wrote that she was a Blonde Bar beauty. There are not too many women who own restaurants in Manhattan.

It’s more of a guy thing, and that’s why she is so proud to be able to stand tall on her own.

She did say that having a good team is half of the success, and that she is grateful to the people who work for her.

CG: I think Frank Sinatra was right - if you can make it in New York you can make it anywhere because it’s a rough city. People are tough, it’s also difficult as the weather is very challenging here. Our winters are so cold, while our summers are so hot and it’s tough so I like to put a little Hollywood into my world.

HW: Have you met Frank Sinatra in person?

CG: I never got that pleasure, however, my mother did. My mother was an airline stewardess for Panama and my dad was a pilot for Philip Morris and they met a lot of amazing people.

Frank Sinatra was on her plane quite often and so was Eleanor Roosevelt when she worked for John F. Kennedy. This was for a few years when he was campaigning before becoming president.

So, my family and I have had the opportunity to be around amazing people most of my life.

12 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

HW: What kind of food do you have there in the restaurant?

CG: All American food. I mean even though I live like a fish festival girl, I’ve got all-American burgers. We also have salad. I have some amazing flatbread pizzas. I love my macaroni and cheese to be very decadent. And we have specials every week and then we have an amazing brunch. On a hot summer day, people sit on the terrace and drink and eat enjoying a beautiful afternoon.

But we open at 4 p.m. during the week and we closed about 2 a.m. in the morning. While on the weekends, we are open from noon until about 3 a.m. You never know who is going to pop up. Everyone knows everyone’s name. And like I’ve said, you can never ever guess who will come through that door. Actors, writers, directors- we have a lot of artistic people on the Upper West Side where the restaurant is full of a lot of artists. Certainly, the community on the Upper West Side is very magical.

HW: What is your advice to other women?

CG: Well, I’d say exercise, eat good food and be positive. I am in my 50s now, but I don’t feel like it and I never want to ever feel old. My mom also told me every year brings something new and wonderful. The only thing to do is take care of yourself. The body that you’ve got it is a rental. So, we’ve got to take good care of this rental. I do yoga because it’s just very good. It’ll calm you down. I pretty much stick to fish. I’m more of a pescatarian and it’s very efficient diet. Vegetables are also my diet. I don’t eat birds because they’re way too cute, pigs and birds are too cute to eat.

Besides, I think pigs are smart too.

HW: What are your future plans?

CG: My future plans? One day I’d love to produce another TV show. Now, I like to be more behind-the- scenes and direct. Hopefully one day I will have my own farm. I just want to enjoy life and be able to share love with people.

Cindy Guyer Photo Credit: Tatiana Davidov Dress Design: Tatyana Peter

HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 13

" They certainly go to war for profit, there’s no question"

The Passion Of Shock And Awe Rob Reiner

By Allison Kugel 14 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

American Actor, Director, Producer, and Writer Rob Reiner

R

ob Reiner may have entered show business as an industry legacy, following in the footsteps of his famous father, legendary comedic writer and performer, Carl Reiner. But he quickly paved his own path with an artistic and social point of view all his own.

After paying his dues with bit parts and writing gigs on various television series throughout the 1960s, Reiner got his big break in 1972, when Norman Lear cast him as Michael ‘Meathead’ Stivic, the outspoken, liberal, counterculture son-in-law of Archie Bunker on the now culturally iconic television series, All In The Family.

As the constant foil to Archie’s blue-collar, xenophobic sensibilities, Michael Stivic represented the birth of the 1970s liberal progressive. It was a stark contrast to a previous generations’ more conservative ideals. The show was an instant classic as it touched on racism, immigration, gender, politics, women’s liberation and a changing of the guard of American ideas and values. In our current political climate, the show remains relevant, even today.

Reiner then leveraged his television notoriety into a directing and producing career, forming his company, Castle Rock Entertainment in 1987, and going on to produce hit films like When Harry Met Sally, Misery, City Slickers, A Few Good Men, The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, Miss Congeniality and The Bucket List to pull just a handful of his credits.

Always an outspoken politico (his Twitter feed holds nothing back) and advocate for liberal and democratic values, Rob Reiner gets more political with his upcoming film, Shock and Awe, which he produced, directed and stars in. It’s based on the true story of a team of daring investigative journalists who went against the grain in 2003, and broke the story that there were, in fact, no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. To this day, they are known as “the reporting team that got Iraq right” when other media outlets toed the party line in support of the Bush-Cheney WMD assertion as America’s impetus for invading Iraq on March 20, 2003 in a military operation known as, of course, Shock and Awe.

in the world after the fall of The Berlin Wall, when we emerged as the only remaining super power in the world.

The question was, what to do with that power and what was the best way to export democracy throughout the world. They spoke specifically about going into Iraq as a way of establishing a western-style democracy, aside from Israel, in the Middle East. The thought was, that it would spread democracy throughout that region, and ultimately wind up protecting Israel. When 9/11 happened, the talk in Washington was already about going to Iraq; this was the day after 9/11. They were already planning to go to Iraq, but they knew they had to go to Afghanistan first because that’s from where the attacks came; the Taliban supported Al-Qaeda. But they’d already made the plans to go to Iraq before that.

Allison Kugel: Aside from the perspective of the real journalists you’re portraying, the film shows a human element with a family whose son gets deployed to Iraq.

Do you think our government sees children of lower income families as expendable in their pursuit of war for profit?

RR: They certainly go to war for profit, there’s no question. Whether or not they feel people who don’t have financial privilege are expendable, I wouldn’t be able to speak to that. But President Eisenhower did talk about American Actor Tommy Lee

Allison Kugel: Your film, Shock and Awe, is about a team of journalists who debunk the Bush-Cheney administration’s public assertion that weapons of mass destruction were behind our government’s decision to go to war with Iraq in 2003. What is your personal theory about the connection between the events of 9/11 and the decision to go to war with Iraq?

RR: If you look at the “Project for the New American Century,” which was written long before 9/11, by a neo-conservative think tank, it was a paper outlining what they felt should be done with America’s position HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 15

the military-industrial complex, and ever since the Second World War, we’ve been engaged in all kinds of military adventures that have been less than successful. Vietnam and Iraq are the two that come to mind. We didn’t have a standing army before World War II, and then we kept one and the question became, “What do you do with that standing army?” In the film, Tommy Lee Jones’ character, Joe Galloway, says, “When the government fucks up, the soldiers pay the price.”

AK: You are a staunch defender of a free press as a pillar of our democracy. We have a for profit media that is owned by corporate interests. How can we possibly have the kind of free press you speak of when there are corporate interests backing our media outlets?

RR: You make a very good point. Up until 1968 the news was a loss leader for the three networks; ABC, NBC and CBS. You put it on the air and you didn’t expect to make money. It was something they did as a public service. It was a big deal when Walter Cronkite moved from fifteen minutes in the evening to a half hour. In 1968 60 Minutes came along and it was a very successful show, and it started making money. For the first time, networks saw that the news could be a profit center. Like you say, as these media outlets have grown and become a part of much bigger corporate conglomerates, you’re right, it’s very tough. If you talk to ABC, CBS and NBC, they’d tell you that their journalists are independent and apart from whatever corporate interests there are, and if there is a conflict they would mention it in their reporting. But it’s hard to separate those things sometimes. That’s always going to be an issue, but I would suggest that it’s about striving for the truth. You don’t always necessarily get there, but you’ve got to strive for it. It’s like my character (award-winning journalist, John Walcott) in the film says, “When the government says something, you only have one question to ask: Is it true?”

AK: What are your main sources of news these days?

Who do you trust?

RR: I trust The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, ABC, NBC, CBS; I trust CNN. I don’t trust Fox, and by the way, there are some good people at Fox. Shepard Smith is great, and I had a conversation with him and asked, “How do you stay there?” He said, “They need me there.” Because if they’re even going to have a semblance of being a legitimate news outlet, they have to at least be able to point to someone as reporting the truth. A big chunk of Fox News acts as state run media. We’ve never had that in America. It makes it hard for the mainstream media to try to break through. People who are ingesting that news will never come around, be16 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

cause they’re cemented in their way of thinking by this vast propaganda. It’s classic authoritarian stuff.

AK: Let’s talk about the cast of Shock and Awe. It’s based on real journalists who broke the story that there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, Warren Strobel and Jonathan Landay, who were with Knight Ridder at the time. Warren Strobel is played

by James Marsden and Jonathan Landay is played by Woody Harrelson. What qualities did you look for when you were casting those roles?

RR: They’re both brilliantly equipped journalists and both really smart. But Jonathan was a little bit more whacky and had a little more of a quirkiness to him. That’s why I wanted Woody, who is a little bit more playful. And the thing with Warren Strobel is that he did meet his soonto-be wife (played by Jessica Biel) during that whole time when he was working on these articles. I knew I wanted to have a romantic storyline. I cast James Marsden as Warren, who brings a lot of intelligence to the part, but he also has a romantic quality to him.

AK: Tell me about the research you did to prepare to play Knight Ridder’s Washington Bureau Chief, John Walcott.

RR: Walcott, Warren Strobel, Jonathan Landay and Joe Woody Harrelson On Set in Washington

Calloway were all involved in the writing of the script.

They met with us a number of times to go over the script to make sure it was accurate, and they were around for the filming and totally hands on. There is nothing in the film that they wouldn’t give their stamp of approval for.

In fact, my newsroom speech in the film was the speech that John [Walcott] actually gave. It was Jonathan Landay who came up to me and said, “You should put that speech in that John Walcott gave to us.” John Walcott told me the speech and I wrote it down. We put it right in there and shot it that day.

AK: I stumbled upon an interesting statistic that blew my mind. According to a 2018 Pew Research Center survey, 43% of Americans, in 2018, still believe that the Iraq war was a good idea.

RR: (Laughs) How was it a good idea?

AK: Forty-three percent. That’s a lot of people. How do you reach those people with this film, Shock and Awe, and get them to watch it with an open mind?

RR: In terms of marketing, I don’t know how you reach people like that; that’s not my expertise. What I can say is that whether you think it was a good idea or not, you have to agree that sending people off to their deaths based on a lie is not a good idea. We killed and wounded about thirty-eight thousand [Americans], and over a million Iraqis were killed or wounded. Two trillion dollars of American [money] was spent on that [war], with it going up over the years. I would argue that it’s never good to go to war based on a lie even if the results are something you think are positive. We came out of it and then wound up having to fight ISIS on top of it all.

used to make nuclear weapons/https://www.ucsusa.org) and that he was developing WMDs, if Dick Cheney had had access to social media, that would make their case even stronger and people would be feeling really unpatriotic if they went against it.

AK: And the Vietnam War? RR: The Vietnam War might have been different because at that time there was a fervor of anti-communism. People were worried about communism and the domino theory, and all of that. It might have cut both ways on that one. What we have found is that social media makes it very tough for people to figure out what’s true and what’s not. The Russians have been playing these active measures games and these misinformation campaign games for a long time. We do it too, but it gets weaponized when you talk about social media. It’s very hard to overcome lies.

That’s why they say, “A lie makes its way five times around the world before the truth gets its pants on.”

AK: What was the atmosphere on set? Did the actors get into political conversations?

RR: Sure. Not only were we making this film, but we were filming during the 2016 presidential campaign, so there was a lot of talk about what was going on. I don’t think the mainstream press thought [President Trump] James Marsden

AK: Had social media been around leading up to both the Vietnam and the Iraq Wars, how do you think today’s social media landscape would have impacted the narrative?

RR: In the case of the Iraq war, it would have benefited the administration even more. The problem we had with those of us who thought we shouldn’t be going there is, just like the four guys at Knight Ridder, we were bucking the zeitgeist of patriotism that came out of 9/11. If (former Vice President, Dick) Cheney wanted to spread the false narrative that there was a connection between Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden, that the aluminum tubes could be used to enrich uranium (In the weeks leading up to the [Iraq] war, senior administration officials repeatedly stated that Iraq had attempted to acquire more than 100,000 high strength aluminum tubes for gas centrifuges to be used for enriching uranium. Highly enriched uranium is one of the two materials that can be HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 17

was going to get the nomination, and I don’t think they thought he was going to win. So, I don’t think they vetted him the way they vetted Hillary Clinton. That was the biggest problem. A lot of press will tell you that they really didn’t dig deep enough into [Trump].

AK: Do you think it’s okay for the powers that be to have worked behind the scenes to attempt to sabotage President Trump’s campaign and to bolster Hillary Clinton’s campaign, if they thought it would serve the greater good of the country?

RR: I don’t think they should do that for the sake of doing that. They should only bring out what he really is. I don’t know what you mean by sabotage. How can you sabotage a campaign unless Jessica Biel you’re telling lies about the guy?

AK: Let me re-structure the question in a slightly different direction. Do you think it was okay for the Democratic party to use certain tactics to attempt to sway the nomination in Hillary Clinton’s favor, over Bernie Sanders, during the 2016 primary race if they felt she was the stronger candidate and that pushing her into the Democratic nomination was for the greater good?

RR: Now you’re talking about a political party, and political maneuverings, and what political parties do to have electoral success.

That’s different than saying could the press have attempted to sabotage one candidate over another.

AK: Similar moral and ethical quandary, but I’m now stating it from a different position. The question is essentially, do you feel it’s okay to intercept the purity of our democratic election process to serve a perceived greater good?

RR: No, I don’t think it is. And by the way, I think Hillary would have won the nomination anyway. They did bring out the fact that Debbie Wasserman Schultz wasn’t 18 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

favoring Hillary Clinton. In all fairness, Bernie Sanders wasn’t a Democrat, and they were trying to nominate a Democrat. But I don’t think the process should ever be compromised. I can tell you that if the press spent as much time talking about a man running for president who had basically de-frauded people out of their life savings as much as they did about Hillary Clinton’s emails, there’s no way he would have become president. There is no way America would elect a guy who is a criminal who defrauds people out of their life savings. But you only heard about that one time.

AK: There’s no question that the media chose to feed the beast of sensationalism when it came to President Trump, and I do believe they regret that approach.

RR: I’m sure they do; just like The New York Times printed an apology about the Iraq war.

It’s the job of the media to vet these candidates.

And they didn’t do that with Trump. They spent a lot of time on the Access Hollywood tape.

Who the hell cares about that? They already impeached a guy who had bad sexual proclivities.

And who cares? If a guy is a criminal and he steals money from people, and he then takes other people’s money to pay them off, gee whiz!

AK: In the 1970s, Norman Lear created All In The Family, and the iconic character of Archie Bunker, who has been referred to as “a lovable bigot.” That character wasn't the original famous xenophobe, if you will. You, of course, played his liberal son-in-law, Mike ‘Meathead’ Stivic. How do you think Archie Bunker would have played with today’s television audience?

RR: I think it would have played well. We’re a little bit more PC now. I don’t think you can say some of the things we said. But the thing about the ‘Archie’ character was that we always made fun of him on the show. It was

a satire, and any time his bigotry and racism were on display, we would always knock it down and refute it. We’d always shine a light on the ignorance of it. So, we made fun of it. I think that’s the way you could do it, as long as people know that you’re not saying it’s a good thing.

AK: How has your father, Carl Reiner, molded your political and social ideals over the years?

RR: It’s more so coming from my mother than my father.

Although my father is politically active, he’ll even tell you that his wife (the late Estelle Reiner) was educating him about political ideas. She was more of a politically thoughtful person, and then my dad got involved in it too.

He marched in the Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam, and you can see him on Twitter. Every night he goes after Trump.

AK: You don’t mince words on Twitter either. You really go after Trump. After you post a tweet, do you look at your comments at all?

RR: I used to in the beginning, but now I’ve got almost half a million followers and there are just so many of them, and they’re so ruthless. They say all these horrible things. “You’re a libtard, you’re a commie [sic].” I don’t really look at it and I don’t really care what they have to say, because I know who this guy is (referring to President Trump). He’s a mentally ill guy who’s got major emotional problems that he tries to fill by aggrandizing himself in a narcissistic way. He admires autocrats because I think he has autocratic envy. I think [Trump] would love to be Vladimir Putin; anything to have a government where every business has to run through him, and he gets a cut of everything. He stokes fear and he’s a racist. We’ve seen people like this before, but it’s just amazing that it happened in this country.

from where it was. That’s not to say you shouldn’t have an immigration policy. You need an immigration policy, but that’s not a real threat. It is a real problem that children are taken away from their mothers and fathers.

AK: What do you hope people get out of your film, Shock and Awe? RR: That we need a free and independent press, a vigilant press, to hold power accountable so that we won’t go to war based on lies. The second thing is to realize what the cost is of not having a free and independent press. What will the cost be? Not only people’s quality of life and lost lives, but the erosion of our democracy.

Photo Credits: Courtesy of Castle Rock Entertainment, Vertical Entertainment "Shock and Awe", starring RR, Woody Harrelson, James Marsden, Tommy Lee Jones and Jessica Biel, opens in wide theatrical release on Friday, July 13, 2018.

AK is a syndicated entertainment and pop culture journalist, and author of the book, Journaling Fame: A memoir of a life unhinged and on the record. Follow her on Instagram @theallisonkugel and visit AllisonKugel.com.

Iraq Image Still from "Shock and Awe

AK: News today seems to be fear-driven. A lot of Americans have taken to avoiding the news. How do you think people ought to strike a balance between staying informed and not succumbing to fear?

RR: I think it requires doing some work. There are real fears and real problems. And then there are created problems that are blown up. You have to be able to understand the difference and recognize an actual threat, and what is a perceived or trumped up threat. The only way to know the difference is to do some reading. For example, if you are only going to read one side, then you are going to think that MS-13 (and international criminal gang) is streaming across the border into America. But if you do your homework you’ll find out that MS-13, although a violent gang, is not streaming across the border. It’s a homegrown group and illegal immigration is way down HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 19

Lana Rawls (left) Lou Rawls (right) Via Getty Images

The Real Story Finally Revealed Lou Rawls

By Lon Dorsey 20 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

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he remained behind the lines, behind the scenes and silent for 50 years or more, and aspiring model, simply beautiful, and it was hard being married to a black man in the 1960's - especially to the black man who would be one of the great singing sensations on the planet.

Lou Rawls. This was the chore that was handed to Lana Rawls, the mother to Lou Rawls, Jr. President/ CEO of Lou Rawls Public Relations Agency, Inc. and Fashion Designer Louanna Rawls.

Lana Rawls is a hard woman. She had to be married to the incredible Lou Rawls. Lou was born Louis Allen Rawls in the Windy City of Chicago, Illinois, but migrated to Dallas, Texas where he would eventually meet Lana Jean Taylor. Quiet and polite Lana remained in Lou's shadow as he sang his last days as a gospel music background singer in the Pilgrim Travelers. He sang background on some of Sam Cooke's records too, like "Bring It On Home To Me in 1962, though some recordings didn't bear his name. This time also found Sam going to Capitol Records in Los Angeles, and Lou running right behind him at Sam's encouragement, and also getting signed to a contract with the label. Rawls did a brief stint with a composer/arranger named Onzy Matthews out of Ft. Worth, Texas and recorded Black And Blue and Lady Sings The Blues prior to going to California, and artists like Les McCann and many others rounded out Rawls' killer sound.

Lana ran the family and Lou ran the music, and they were always together. When they were not Lou was always bring home presents and all kinds of things for the family and kids.

When Lou died January 6, 2006, Lana was devastated, as were the children, and the Rawls family began to unravel and little at first, then it became an avalanche, but Lana keeping it together as best she could, health problems ensuing, slips, falls and other physical problems that at times rendered her helpless. She braved life's problems one at a time, often two, three or more at a time, and survived them all. Now she is 75 years old and talking, and she talks, and telling it all in her initial book, "The Real Lou Rawls Story."

The good, the bad, and what many didn't even know about - The ugly! It's all there, and even though she is shy of finishing the book, word is that there is a movie deal in the works! The movie by

the same name, promises to hit the movie theaters worldwide. Lana, who is partial to Margaritas, says, "One thing's for sure people will likely be holding on to their seats at the movies." She was speaking of the rocky relationship that she and Lou had whom only their closest family members and friends knew about.

While Lana wants closure, and to get a lot off her chest, she says admittedly, "I'm still so madly in love with my Lou. I don't go to sleep a night, or a day without thinking about him, talking to him all day long, and yes, I hear his voice all around me. I see him in my minds eye... he was so honestly funny. And his singing... why he could stop a note on a dime! Then take off again!"

There is only one man on Earth that can get even close to Lou, and he even looks like Lou and that is Lon Dorsey. When Lon and I met many years ago, I asked him to hit one of Lou's songs for me. He looked at me and said, "I'll surprise you," and did "Groovy People," one of Lou's favorites... without any music, straight Acapella! I was floored. We've been close friends ever since, because he and Lou were in many ways like brothers. And that must have been funny."

Lon has been helping Lana with the book which he will be mention, "as well as being in the movie, actually singing a number of Lou's songs." Lana smiled. The Family has the Official Lou Rawls Fan Club on Facebook. B.g. Rhule is Lana's personal assistant on the book.

Lon Dorsey also owns Dorsey Advertising/Public Relations which is monetizing the book, gathering resources, and the go-to guy for all of Lana's TV, Radio and personal interviews, he is also in tough with the casinos, and famous places where Lou Rawls performed. And he is the mastermind behind the Lon Dorsey & Lou Rawls, Jr. Ultimate Tribute to Lou Rawls Performances. Since Lou Rawls had so many friends, and business associates, promoters, and financial support, it is fitting that they be informed of the Lana Rawls project in time for publication. Their contact number is (713) 530-8188 or Lana Rawls though Mr. Lon Dorsey on Facebook. +

HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 21

Kate Young (left) and Dakota Johnson (right) at the 2nd Annual Maison St Germain LA Celebrations Photo By: Sansho Scott for BFA

2nd ANNUAL MAISON ST-GERMAIN LOS ANGELES CELEBRATION HOSTED BY HOLLYWOOD STYLIST Kate Young ByPrather Jackson 24 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

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ast night in Malibu, Nina Dobrev, Dakota Johnson, January Jones and Ashley Madekwe joined Hollywood’s reigning “Most Powerful Stylist” KATE YOUNG at the 2nd Annual MAISON ST-GERMAIN, where she transformed Little Beach House Malibu into a whimsical, Parisian oasis leading up to Bastille Day (7/14).

After debuting in NYC this June, Kate’s LA iteration of her first-ever immersive installation incorporated wild juxtapositions of flavors, styles and sensorial experiences, leading guests on a romantic-yet-whimsical journey throughout the beachfront home.

Drawing inspiration from traditional la fête nationale celebrations, the stylish crowd – including Catt Sadler, Hart Denton, and Eric Balfour – was invited to enjoy a rare fleeting moment of exuberance in celebration of the thousands of elderflowers harvested once a year to create St-Germain. Each space of the 10,000 square foot property served as a new discovery for guests to explore, layered with botanical arrangements from Jeff Leatham, performances by recognized musician Jess Williamson, a stimulating rooftop jardin designed by Nine & Eye, along with a secluded section for crystal readings from stylist-turned-Shaman Colleen McCann.

The sparkly crowd mingled throughout the beachfront oasis, taking selfies in front of the rooftop mirrored arrangements reflecting the avant-garde landscape, while sipping on specialty cocktail pairings by St-Germain Global Ambassador Camille Ralph Vidal.

Kate dressed in Gucci, and Nina Dobrev in Zara, along with January Jones in Shoshanna danced the night away to beats by music producer Noah Passovoy, while tantalizing hors d’oeuvres were served throughout. Following the event, all florals will be donated to the Sportsmen’s Lodge to spread the joyful spirit of Bastille Day.

Nina Dobrev at the 2nd Annual Maison St Germain LA Celebrations Photo By: Sansho Scott for BFA

January Jones at the 2nd Annual Maison St Germain LA Celebrations Photo By: Sansho Scott for BFA HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 25

Ashley Madekwe at the 2nd Annual Maison St Germain LA Celebrations Photo By: Sansho Scott for BFA

Erin Chiamulon (left) Eric Balfour (right) at the 2nd Annual Maison St Germain LA Celebrations Photo By: Sansho Scott for BFA 26 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

Hart Denton at the 2nd Annual Maison St Germain LA Celebrations Photo By: Sansho Scott for BFA

Catt Saddler at the 2nd Annual Maison St Germain LA Celebrations Photo By: Sansho Scott for BFA

Nina Dobrev (left) Ashley Madekwe (right) at the 2nd Annual Maison St Germain LA Celebrations Photo By: Sansho Scott for BFA Additional Guest Photos By:Jakob Layman

Additional Guest Photos By:Jakob Layman

Additional Guest Photos By:Jakob Layman HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 27

A Passion For Creativity: Pioneering & Beloved Sitcom Star Daphne Maxwell Reid

By Lori De Waal 28 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

"You always have to contribute to owning your own power. You have to be in control of your essence. You decide how it is shared, where it is shared, and how you want to be remembered by each step that you take. Having self-confidence then gives you the power to make good choices."

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ou wouldn’t blame someone with a lifetime of success as a performer to take it easy in their later years, restricting their efforts to the occasional fun gig or reunion appearance. But that’s not Daphne Maxwell Reid, who continues to thrive as a creative entrepreneur and artist, continuing to dazzle anyone who knows her with her bold spirit, grace, and work ethic. One of the first African-American women to make the cover of Glamour Magazine and one of TV history’s most beloved sitcom moms, Reid now balances her acting gigs with her work as a photographic artist, clothing designer, and education activist. By doing all this gracefully, she demonstrates that it’s never too late to pursue new passions and find new opportunities.

When she attended Northwestern University half a century ago, Daphne Maxwell became the prestigious school’s first African-American homecoming queen; but that was just the first of many barriers that Maxwell broke in her career. Indeed, she arrived into the industry at just the right moment as a new perspective on race was emerging in the wake of the civil rights movement. “Being among the first of a few black women to work in popular television reminds me that one doesn’t choose to be a pioneer,” she says today. “One does what comes next in their journey, and sometimes you happen to be the first to do it. I just happened to land in that

slot of being first for some things – but being the first doesn’t mean anything if it doesn’t seed the growth of a lot more. I’m pleased that my seed bore fruit, and now there are so many more black homecoming queens and cover models and actresses in popular entertainment.”

Reid’s creative journey began as a child in Manhattan. “I grew up knowing that I could be anything I wanted to be, but I also learned the joy and responsibility of working.” Her father had studied photography and passed on his love of the medium to young Daphne, who had her first Brownie camera before the age of 10. “We always had cameras in the house,” she remembers, and her father’s passion for the photographic image is something that she carried with her throughout her life.

But first, she worked as a model, parlaying her success in that field into an acting career that found her on dozens of television series in the ‘80s. With guest starring roles in shows like “WKRP in Cincinnati” (where she first worked with her husband, Tim Reid, to whom she has been married since 1982), “Hill Street Blues,” and “Simon and Simon,” she first took a lead role on the acclaimed series “Frank’s Place,” opposite Tim. But it was in the role of Vivian Banks in the last three seasons of “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” with Will Smith that endeared Reid to a new generation of fans. “I’m honored that I was able HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 29

to be one of those pioneers of ‘80s television and maintain my integrity and play a wide variety of roles,” she shares. “If I am considered a role model, I would like those who are seeking to emulate me to make sure that they live their lives with integrity and joy.”

Now residing with her husband in Virginia, Reid has turned in recent years to her lifelong passion for fashion and photography. As a young actress and model, Reid often made her own outfits and wardrobe (“I’ve been sewing since I was nine,” she says). At a certain point, friends would say that they wished they could wear Reid’s outfits, so she started making pieces for her friends. “I have to do it in limited design, because I consider it wearable art,” she explains. “The price is high; there is limited access so I don’t get overwhelmed, and I want these to be personal projects, not mass manufactured.” Of particular pride for her are her designs for Chinese-inspired jackets that are bold, colorful, versatile, and easily adaptable to different body sizes and types.

Her line (Daphne Style) wowed audiences at New York’s Fashion Week in 2017 and is featured on her website daphnemaxwellreid. com.

Perhaps even more notable is Reid’s photographic work (featured in the “Fresh Prints” portion of her website). In particular is Reid’s specialty of snapping pictures of interesting doors all around the world. “It was about 10 years ago, in sharing some of my travel pictures with friends, that they encouraged me to make art out of them,” she recalls. “I woke up on my 60th birthday, and I said to myself, ‘I am a photographic artist,’ and I spent the last decade figuring out what that means.” Discovering her affinity for doors has been part of that process. “I see the doors as a metaphor for life,” she explains. “The journey of doors is something that I like to preach to young people; every choice you make leads you through a door on an adventure, on a new journey, on a learning trip.” In the form of postcards, printed collections, and gallery exhibitions, Reid’s vibrant, compelling prints catalog some of her journeys through Europe and Cuba.

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Ultimately, Reid’s life is a testament to the power of learning – whether it was learning passion from her father, or attending university, or teaching herself new careers. It’s no wonder that she extends that experience to others in the form of working with Virginia State University, one of the nation’s leading HBCUs (historically black college/universities). “I encourage the schools I work with to make sure that the education the students are receiving is of value in the current economy,” she says, “and to make sure that they learn the basics of how to think and process information, how to go to an original source – teaching people how to think is far more important than teaching them how to memorize facts.” A member of the board of VSU for eight years, Reid has hosted in informational videos documenting campus life and faculty achievements and made public appearances on behalf of the institution. “Part of my contribution was to use my celebrity to make sure we connect with alumni and increase the school’s reputation,” she adds, noting that for HBCUs, demonstrating the intellectual and vocational value of higher education to their future students is a crucial need.

Throughout her many activities and endeavors, Reid continues to be supported by her husband, himself a television pioneer as an actor, writer, director, and producer. “It’s so exciting to be married to someone who dreams as big as he does,” she beams. “I’m proud of being his spouse, and proud of the energy he gives me to follow my dreams.”

That partnership and her lifelong passion for hard work and achievement is summed up in what Reid hopes her work conveys to her audience. “You always have to contribute to owning your own power. You have to be in control of your essence. You decide how it is shared, where it is shared, and how you want to be remembered by each step that you take.

Having self-confidence then gives you the power to make good choices.”

Charleene Closshey Photo Courtesty Two Roads Picture Co.

Actress, Composer, Violinist Talks About Her Romantic Drama "No Postage Necessary" Charleene Closshey

By Alex A. Kecskes 32 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

"Acting is what I do but music is who I am."

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harleene Closshey is a versatile actress, producer, composer, and classically trained violinist. She studied at the Juilliard School (Dalcroze Method), New York University, Circle in the Square, and Berklee College of Music. She composed the score for “Feather: A Musical Portrait” that made its U.S. premiere Off-Broadway in 2013.

In 2104, she debuted on Broadway in the Tony Award-winning musical “Once.” She has played violin with other artists including Josh Groban, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and Frank Sinatra, Jr. She’s even dueled fiddles with the legendary Charlie Daniels.

Film fans will remember her as Evie Lee in the family/romance “An Evergreen Christmas;” as Katy in the thriller “A Thousand Cuts;” and as Dr. Richard Parsons in the action/thriller “Terminal Kill.” In the comedy/drama “No Postage Necessary,” Closshey is Josie, a war widow who meets a brilliant computer hacker in search of a better life. Both struggle to overcome life-changing obstacles and finally accept the hand they’ve been dealt.

Hollywood Weekly Thank you for taking the time for this interview. “No Postage Necessary” is an engaging story about two people at life’s crossroads. What drew you to the role of Josie?

Charleene Closshey: Part of being human is that we all experience major crossroads and trauma, and figuring out how we respond to trauma. Do you remain stuck or are you able to move through it? These traumas can have such far-reaching effects on our daily lives. Sometimes, when we don’t perceive we’re stuck, we’re unable to access our lives to the fullest. That idea was really appealing to me. I love how Jeremy (Culver) captured these two people who were both stuck but in very different ways and how they chose to deal with that. I think sometimes a bit of confrontation with self can be a very powerful opportunity to explore. So as a storyteller that’s really what drew me to this role.

HW: What life experiences or people you know did you draw from to so poignantly portray Josie’s emotional journey?

CC: On a physical level, it was kind of neat filming in a familiar location. It absolutely formed the character’s construction. In some ways, it was more challenging to create Josie because she was in the same town where I grew up. You have to make sure there is no bias coming in from your life. I tried hard to be truthful in creating Josie because Josie and Charleene are two different people. So that was an interesting color to weave into her character.

I’ve known people like Josie growing up. People from a small town who married their high school sweethearts. I know what that looks like.

That color was pretty easy to access. But it was much more difficult to really understand what it is to lose such a big part of your life. I’ve had some personal experience with that, which I was able to draw upon. And that obviously shaped who Josie was. But I don’t know what it is to be a single mom, a war widow or even a military spouse. So exploring some of those things was quite a journey. Josie’s very creative but she dealt with her trauma by emotionally checking out. Everything was very inward for her.

HW: Every role has its challenges. What aspect of Josie did you find most challenging to portray?

CC: I think losing a spouse. It’s different when you lose a parent or friend, but losing a spouse, that’s a very unique place of grief. I talked to military families, to families of first responders who put their lives on the line every day for other people. It may be cliché to say, but diving into Josie, you feel that first hand. It takes a very special kind of person to let your loved ones go like that.

HW: How are you like Josie and how are you different?

CC: That’s interesting. I never considered it.

As an actor, I believe it’s my job to truthfully HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 33

Charleene Closshey & George Blagden Photo Courtesty Two Roads Picture Co.

Charleene Closshey Photo Courtesty Two Roads Picture Co.

34 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

and wholly present Josie as she is, and in that, there’s an aspect of Charleene. I don’t think I could compare the two. It would be like comparing twins who have similar life experiences and understandings. They connect with each other on a very strong mental level, often without words. But they’re still two very different people.

Josie and I are both creative. We appreciate honesty and integrity in people. And we both try to see the good in everyone. I believe the things we love and find angst with are the things we most want to cultivate in our lives or are cultivating and want to fix.

HW: What was your favorite scene?

CC: I think it was what we call the manic man, the guy with the bee honey. Because you’re dying laughing inside but the reality of the moment is that it’s actually not what you’d be doing. It was a little ditty during a long hot August day when we were shooting inside and appreciating the respite from shooting in the heat. I think every opportunity I have to create scenes with different actors lets me grow as an actor and creative.

Because most of the time someone is feeding me something that gives me a greater understanding of myself as an artist.

One scene where that happened was in the Irish pub when Sam and Josie are sitting there trying to gradually open up and get to a point where they felt safe enough to do so. And there’s a moment where Josie makes the choice to shut it down. Sam shares something where he’s ashamed and pushing it away and she’s like no, no, let me meet you there. Those scenes were really rewarding to perform with him. “Acting is what I do but music is who I am.” Acting is a lot of work but it looked like you really enjoyed singing in this role.

HW: Do you ever think of singing full time?

CC: Okay, backstory. I played piano since I was two. I read music before I could read words. My first career was actually as a professional violinist. Music was very much a part of my life. Every character I create for stage or screen is always musically driven. I perceive the world as levels of sound or vibration—like when you can walk into

a room and feel the pulse, the vibration of the people and what’s happening in that space. Without context or backstory, you feel it on a deeper level.

That’s how I perceive the world. Acting is what I do but music is who I am. The two absolutely go hand in hand. I perceive my role to be that of a storyteller. When I do sing, I’m usually attracted to songs that tell stories, that communicate some sort of emotional color that’s hopefully accessible to people. I’m getting ready to release an album this fall that will feature a song from the film.

HW: What film or actor influenced you the most in your career?

CC: I tend to be influenced by story. One of my favorite on-screen stories is “Slum Dog Millionaire.”

It was absolutely truthful. There was that connection to a greater “knowingness,” that good will always prevail. The music was just brilliant. I’ve always wanted to work on an Indian film—either drama or Bollywood. In terms of actors, I always respect actors who approach what they do as craft, who transcend acting’s technical pursuit and really walk into stories. I’ve always been a fan of Daniel Day-Lewis. The craft is just so locked in and truthful. I try to cultivate my craft then observe little techniques and tricks they use.

HW: I understand you dueled fiddles with the legendary Charlie Daniels. What was that like?

CC: It was before people were constantly posting videos on social media. Charlie is a very kind man, a generous artist. He’s very giving. He has a special charity called Angelus House, which is a home for handicapped children. I played the violin and he played the acoustic guitar when I was in Florida with him.

HW: You’re trained in Kenpo karate and you’re proficient with handguns. Do you often perform your own stunts on screen?

CC: My mother is a horsewoman and my father is a martial artist and former Viet Nam era Green Beret. So my father made me train and I’m glad he did because martial arts installs a certain confidence and physical and emotional balance in those who take it. You know how to respond in a situation but not lead with that response.

HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 35

HW: What life lessons has acting taught you?

CC: To be kind to yourself. I’m a Capricorn and very hard on myself. Creating characters and seeing the world through other people’s eyes encourages you to not beat yourself up. You always want to find that elusive perfection but in reality, life is already perfect, you just have to see it.

HW: What were you like in high school?

CC: I’m an only child and tend to be strongwilled. I grew up with a strong sense of intellect, of wanting to constantly connect to learning. I wasn’t that interested in playing with other kids.

My dad called me a little person, never a child, so I took life very seriously. I was also overweight as a child. When I was 12, I was four-foot-eleven, weighed 155 pounds and wore size 14 in women’s clothing. I had a very strong sense of protecting the underdog, of standing up for what I believed in. So growing up, I was vulnerable to being picked on, but I didn’t really feel like a victim. I think the biggest lesson for me growing up was how to find compassion for others. So I realized I had a choice in how I see the world and how I see others.

HW: So what’s next for you?

CC: Now that “No Postage Necessary” is out in theaters, I plan on taking two weeks off and do absolutely nothing. Then I’ll be heading to Nashville for a couple of months to work on a Christmas album with six-time Grammy Award winner Brent Maher. He worked on Elvis’s last big album. Before that album comes out, we’ll be releasing Talk About Love,” an album I’m really excited about. It will have three songs that are featured in “No Postage Necessary.”

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Agnes Muljadi Photo Credit: Anthony Evans @themanuc

Eating In L.A With One Of Todays Top Internet Influencers Agnes Muljadi

By Agnes Muljadi

38 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

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ocial media celebrity Agnes Muljadi, best known as @artsyagnes from Instagram (with over half a million followers on the platform), has been dubbed the ‘vegan ballerina’, a nickname that has stuck with her active and engaged audience. Agnes has made a name for herself through her body positive posts and stunning ballet skills combined with her health, wellness and vegan stance on life. With a very poignant voice and style, Agnes has worked with dozens of health-inspired, sustainable and/ or eco-friendly aligned companies since her account took off in 2015, including partnering with TOMS, Suja Juice, Reebok, Amazon, Cooking Light, the NFL, and more. Here she shares her favorite, much-frequented food vendors in her hometown of Los Angeles.

Au Lac

http://www.aulac.com/ Neighborhood: Downtown LA This is my home away from home, with its plantbased, Vietnamese fusion cuisine. It’s a place where patrons can enjoy the creative vision of owner Mai Nguyen and head Chef, Chef Ito aka the silent chef. They established their dual menu of raw and cooked items in 2001, using only pure and natural ingredients that meet their standards in both taste and nutrition.

What I love about this menu is that it seems so simple, yet so complicated in its preparation, offering a range of avant-garde and classic, from comforting noodle and living rice dishes, hot and raw soups, to wraps and rolls featuring dehydrated and blended ingredients, palateopening small plates to order an assortment of appetizers, and uniquely raw desserts with lowglycemic sweeteners.

Chef Ito takes plant based cuisine to a new level and his dishes are unparalleled to any other Vegan restaurant in LA. Stylish and sophisticated in decor, Au Lac also offers live music and is the perfect downtown hotspot for a plant based food lover like me.

The Kale-Sea Salad is one of my favorites, offering a variety in textures and flavors with a crunchy mix of kale and cabbage dressed in tangy, nectar-sweetened teriyaki dressing. The fresh greens are tossed with sea veggies and seasoned then dehydrated almonds and pecans.

This dish is topped with raw kimchi for a fresh kick and tangy bite with cooling cucumber.

Pictured here is a substitution in dressing for a soy-free version, using an umeboshi plum vinegar dressing that provides a similar tang as the teriyaki, but with another herbaceous element from the fresh lemongrass.

Above: Au Lac's Kale Sea Salad Photo Credit: Au Lac @artsyagnes HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 39

Spork Foods

https://sporkfoods.com/ Neighborhood: West Hollywood This gourmet vegan food company owned and operated by sisters Jenny Engel and Heather Bell.

They offer by far the best cooking class in town and their easy-to-follow plant based recipes are a staple in my daily life. I love how they use the healthiest ingredients possible to make their dishes, and their space is so cozy you feel like you're having a meal in your own living room. It’s a must-attend.

In addition to the live vegan organic cooking c l a s s e s , they host cooking parties and teambuilding events, train chefs, cater and offer cooking demonstrations to large groups. They are published authors of, Spork-Fed cookbook as well as Vegan 101, and teach plant-based cooking all over the country and the world reaching over 10,000 people a year.

These Rainbow Sushi Rolls were infused with blue spirulina for protein beets for iron and turmeric asan anti-inflammatory because we believe in using natural ingredients to help support our health.

Above: Spork Food's Rainbow Sushi Photo Credit: Spork Foods @artsyagnes 40 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

Baby Love Sweetery

http://babylovesweetery.com Neighborhood: Studio City Baby Love Sweetery is by far my dessert obsession.

I first discovered Baby Love Sweetery through Instagram and have since ordered a variety of cakes and cupcakes from Chef Krysten. I love that the cakes there are 100% Vegan and soy free, with gluten free and low glycemic options. Both the presentation and taste of Chef Krysten's creations are simply to die for.

After getting to know Chef Krysten through my many cake orders (!!!), I’ve found that Baby Love Sweetery is a sweet dream come true for her. It’s her goal to wow taste buds with healthier, organic, and cruelty-free ingredients. In the day of food allergies, she is committed to making sweets that cater to all dietary sensitivities. Baby Love Sweetery offers vegan, soy free, organic, refined sugar free, and/or gluten-free sweets that are still light, fluffy, and darn tasty.

She created this stunning mermaid inspired cake for one of her good friends who loves mermaids and is a Pisces. Clearly, she can do anything. She had a vision to make it to look like a mermaid was diving into the cake and we are seeing all the mystical elements in her hair; I’d say she succeeded! The cake is a strawberry milkshake flavor and it's 100% vegan and soy free. Yum, right?

Above: Baby Love Sweetery's Mermaid Cake Photo Credit: @artsyagnes HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 41

Doc Heard

Speaking Above the Stars Words of Wisdom from The Voice of Reasoning Doc Heard

By Darwin Heard

42 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

G

reetings to all! Allow me to reintroduce myself. I am Darwin Heard, CEO of Heard Consulting Group Corporation in Chicago. I was featured in the July 2009 issue of the Hollywood Weekly Magazine and wrote my first column in January of 2010.

The major focus of this column is to shed light on topics of extreme concern and inspiration; shedding light thru-out the society that exists today, at the level of what I refer to as the Star Status - as well those whom consider themselves common people. I have a firm belief that everyone is a VIP, and there is no such thing as common people, which drives to me to write and reach out, to those that are in need of a good word of wisdom.

In this writing I will share stories of inspiration to help the reader to become inspired; and perhaps encouraged to help others with some of my words of motivation.

I was born with Slipped Capitol Femoral Epiphysis, which is a one leg longer than the other physical disability and early on in life I was challenged and often ridiculed by my peers as well as some adults that I guess didn’t know any better.

Most hurtful were the mean comments made by grade school and high school teachers. I redirected the shame during my 4 years of high school and became a leader among my peers as well as fellow leaders in the neighborhood. They nicknamed me “Doc Heard” and I became the “go to guy” for advice because I was able to inspire everyone around me; including people that knew nothing about me.

I’ve shared words of wisdom throughout the years with my parents AND the parents of friends in the neighborhood. In 1978 my father (who is now deceased) was shot in his left arm and the doctors told him he would never use that arm again. I told my Dad that I didn’t believe the doctor prognosis; instead I believed he would use that arm again. My father said “you think so “? I replied “yes, I believe you will use your arm again but there’s one thing - you need to believe it too”! Every time I gave my father my opinion about anything he always asked “you think so“?

And he always followed my lead. It was like that with all my peers and their parents; they trusted my judgement.

If that’s not inspirational then how about this!

A neighbor Debra came to our door in a panic, stating that her brother Darius had a gun on their Dad and asked if I could help. Well it sound-

ed dangerous, but I didn’t hesitate to go. At the time my mom and Dad were separated so if you’re wondering why my Dad (a Chicago Police Sargent) didn’t go, it’s because he wasn’t living with us at the time. Besides, he probably would have killed me if he had known that I had gone. As soon as I entered their home, I encountered Darius with the gun pointed at his Dad. I had no gun - just my ability to be the voice of Reasoning. I asked Darius what was he doing? He answered, “I am going to kill him Darwin, he’s cheating on my mom”. I responded, “Darius you will not be able to live with yourself if you kill your Dad”. Darius’ Mom and sister stood there terrified while I attempted to convince him to put the gun down.

I told Darius that this situation is no reason to kill your dad. I ask him to put the gun down once more and Darius unloaded the gun, put it on the table, and walked out the door. This incident occurred between 1981 and 1983 and Darius Dad past away about 4 years ago. In the years before he died he expressed great admiration towards me in that he felt that I had saved his life. I understand that God was truly with me that day, so all credit belongs to Him. My words of wisdom have also inspired NBA Star Tim Hardaway, Sr., now Assistant Coach of the Detroit Pistons. Early this year I was at Tim’s Birthday Party in Chicago and he echoed that I have always been a motivational force in many people’s lives. I’m just sharing and naming a few with you today. I have inspired pastors in the House of God as well. My childhood friend Homer Henderson raised his children telling them stories about me, and the ability to overcome obstacles. My childhood friend Dr. Pastor Michael Walton from Charlotte, NC had his 50th Birthday Celebration here in Chicago and right afterward, his guest speaker, Dr. Donald Pittman, spoke of how Pastor Walton played high school basketball and was instrumental in moving NBA Star Tim Hardaway, Sr. throughout his tenure at Carver High. The Honorable, Pastor Dr. Michael Walton stepped up to the podium and said everyone has somebody that was bigger, better and smarter than themselves, and that person was Darwin Heard. I had no idea that Pastor was going to start his speech off speaking of me - but it was truly a blessing to my ears.

One’s shares of wisdom, or this case my shares of wisdom, is what keeps life moving in a positive direction. I didn’t gain the ability to motiHOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 43

vate and lead people on my own. I studied many mentors along the way; such as my Uncle George who owned a Construction Company, and many of his workers. I watched him direct his staff in the proper approach to many construction projects. He was articulate and had high expectations to complete his every project. My father, being a well-respected Chicago Police Sargent with 5 Blue Star’s outside of the line of duty, taught me discipline. My mom JoAnn showed me how to utilize “what you got”, which gave me the strength to weather the storm of many ups and downs. My brother, one of the founders of House Music, gifted me with the art of negotiations of which I use in my own companies’ business as well as in life challenges.

I am also Director of Operations in an ENT Clinic at McMahan Institute of Otolaryngology, SC on 151 North Michigan Avenue in Chicago.

To co-exist in society, wisdom is a must. Nearly every individual looks to someone to navigate through life’s trials and tribulations. In my opinion you must be very careful who you choose for guidance; it is crucial to be productive in forward movement. Throughout my 55 years of life, I have been called upon for my shares of wisdom from individuals ranging from early childhood to adults over 70 plus years or more, and it is an ongoing process that has no ending and may surface at any point and time.

Just recently I was just invited to sit in on Harold Dennis Acting on Film instructor class at The Second City Training Center. Class was prepared for the scene with Harold sharing his wisdom which was an inspiration to what is takes to make it in the Television and Screen Business.

He carefully directed the Actors and Actresses throughout each student’s screen performance giving insight on techniques to be prepared for the scene. It was truly an inspiring group of students, lead by an expert in movie and screen direction that knows how to get it done.

I can only hope and pray that these words have touched your soul and spiritually inspired you to reach out and inspire someone else. I would love to hear from you; and encourage you to reach out to me via email ____________. Thank you for taking the time out of your day to read my shares of wisdom today.

44 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

Casting Call:

SIBLINGS WHO ARE TJ MAXX SHOPPERS WANTED CASTING COMMERCIAL IN CONJUNCTION WITH NBC HIT SERIES "THIS IS US" We are searching for 3 SIBLINGS WHO ARE TJ MAXX SHOPPERS who are in the greater Los Angeles area to be cast in a commercial in conjunction with the hit NBC TV series "THIS IS US!" We are looking for: THREE Adult Siblings: All Ethnicities / All Sizes / Adults age appx 24-54 Must be REAL TJ Maxx shoppers with a great sense of style who are willing to share with us on-camera their stories for this Non-Union Commercial. Authentic and unique siblings with their own individual styles. Great personalities. Looking for diverse groups of 3 siblings - any combination – could be 3 siblings of different ages, triplets, or a set of twins + a younger or older sibling but all 3 siblings MUST come to the interview together.

Interview/Audition and shoot is in the Los Angeles area - you must be here (or get yourself here) to be considered.

Location: Los Angeles Interviews: Tuesday, July 17th and Wednesday, July 18th, 2018 Callback Date: Monday, July 23rd and/or Tuesday, July 24th, 2018 Shoot Dates: Week of August 13th, 2018 in Los Angeles Status: Non-Union Commercial PAY: $2,500.00 (Buyout is for One Year plus 20% agency fee if applicable) Usage: Promotional tie-in with NBC’s This Is Us to be used on-air, online, and across social and digital channels for both NBC and TJ Maxx as well as in-store at TJX. Run: Broadcast, new media, (internet and VOD), in-store advertising - Will air on NBC and/or NBC affiliates 1-5 times in the fall.

TO SUBMIT: Be sure to mention you heard about this from Jeff Gund at INFOLIST.com for priority consideration, and email ALL the information requested below to: jeffgerrard@me.com Be sure to include: 1. Your name (first and last) 2. Contact phone number 3. City/Zip where you live 4. Brief description of you and your siblings 5. Recent photo(s) of all of you (jpg format please) 6. Please put TJX SIBLINGS / [YOUR NAME] in the Subject Line of your email 7. Be sure to mention you heard about this from Jeff Gund at INFOLIST.com for priority consideration!

Hollywood Weekly Movie Critique Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation

By Kam Williams 46 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY

C

ount Dracula Falls for Cruise Ship Captain with Hidden Agenda in Latest Episode of Animated Franchise. The first two installments of this popular animated franchise were set at a hotel dedicated to creating a safe space for monsters to unwind. But what about when the resort owners themselves need a break?

That’s the question posed at the outset of Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation, an entertaining animated adventure revolving around proprietor Count Dracula (Adam Sandler) and company’s getaway on a luxury cruise for ghouls. At the point of departure, we find Drac’s daughter Mavis (Selena Gomez) making reservations for the family aboard the Legacy, a boat headed for the infamous Bermuda Triangle in search of the mythical island of Atlantis. En route, however, the plot thickens when the widowed Count finds himself being charmed by the ship’s seductive captain (Kathryn Hahn). What Drac doesn’t know is that Ericka is the great-granddaughter of his archenemy, the legendary monster hunter, Abraham Van Helsing (Jim Gaffigan).

In fact, he’s already under her spell by the time Mavis and her hubby (Andy Samberg) finally figure out that the attractive captain’s up to no good. Can the hopelessly-smitten Count be saved from the temptress’ plan to spike his guacamole with garlic oil? Or might her mind be changed about the need to subdue the reformed, blood-sucking vampire.

Thus unfolds HT3, a kid-friendly comedy directed by Genndy Tartakovsky who also helmed HT1 and HT2. The principal cast members all reprise their roles, including Adam Sandler, Selena Gomez, Andy Samberg, Mel Brooks, Fran Drescher, Kevin James, Steve Buscemi, Molly Shannon and David Spade.

While the humor-driven cartoon is laced with lots of side-splitting slapstick and sight gags that are fun for the whole family, what really makes this blockbuster morality play memorable is its timely universal message about tolerance. Hey, it’s okay to be different, and please pass the popcorn!

Excellent (4 stars) Rated PG for action and rude humor Running time: 97 minutes HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY • 47

Books That Make You… Happy

By Bree Swider

Everyone loves a happy ending, right? Books take us on journeys, they inspire us, and give us the amazing ability to see the world through someone else’s eyes.

Books make us happy in a myriad of ways. From stimulating our minds, to entertaining us, books have the ability to bring us joy like nothing else.

Check out these books that make you happy, and find your new favorite read while on your road to happiness.

IGHT SPOTLOK BO

Tackling Depression, OCD and Anxiety, One Therapist at a Time They say laughter is the best medicine, and they may be right!

Author Laurie Finkelstein takes an avantgarde approach to some heavy topics in her Readers’ Favorite five-star book, Next Therapist Please. Her fictional book is loosely based on her own experience in searching for her next therapist again and again and again. It is filled with humor and light-heartedness, while also tackling heavy topics.

Finkelstein says, “My hope is to crush the stigma of mental illness one laugh at a time, empower and support those struggling, and be an example of transparency in successful living with mental illness. Even with the bad days.”

Next Therapist Please follows the exploits of Janie from a cottage on Balboa Island, to the Doc’s home in Palm Springs, as she seeks health and happiness. Grab a cocktail, make a toast, and snag a copy of this amazing book that is sure to warm your heart.

Amazing fun fact: 10% of sales for Next Therapist Please are donated to NAMI, the National Alliance of Mental Illness.

“My hope is to crush the stigma of mental illness one laugh at a time” Laurie Finkelstein

Love Makes Us All Happy

Choosing Love over fear may be the first step to finding true happiness. Author A.G. Billig offers a guide for those brave enough to shed their fears.

I Choose Love: A Journey from Fear to Love is a remarkable journey that is more than a relationship book. If you are ready to truly read something that is powerful and transformational, then this is a book you can’t pass by.

Would Living in a Different Time Make You Happy?

Have you ever imagined living in time when the world was simpler? Imagine not having to be plugged into technology!

Would it make you happy to live a stress-free life on an idealistic farm in the 1760s?

This book is an awakening for your heart, reaffirming your direction in life, and a guide for choosing love every day.

Matt Miller wakes up on a farm in Colonial America with no idea how he got there. While he falls in love with the farmer’s daughter, he looks for ways to use his modern knowledge to his advantage. However, things don’t necessarily work out the way he imagines.

Because Love Stories Make Everyone Happy

The Matt Miller in the Colonies series by Mark J. Rose will make the time-traveler in you happy. Grab books one and two, Journeyman and The Prophet, today.

When Prince Callum’s lover is kidnapped, an epic battle unfolds in an effort to bring him back.

The Fenrir Chronicles: The Prince is by Nanishka Torres. The book takes a fresh approach to the classic fairytale and unleashes an adventure that will have you happily turning pages.

In the realm of Fenrir, the royal family reigns with peace and justice. Science and reason are the driving forces behind every diplomatic decision. Religion is not allowed in the political arena, and a radical group known as the Staxeons decide to upset the status quo in a manner they may soon regret.

Is Fenrir your happy place? Find out when you read The Prince, available from Amazon and from other places books are sold.

Will Women and Men Ever Truly Be Happy Together?

The ages-old battle of the sexes begs the question: will women and men ever truly be happy together? That is the theme of the stunning book by Bobby Goldstein and Christina Cigala. XX v XY: The Final World War explores the possibility of women and men actually going to battle, and the consequences that could happen as a result.

The book takes readers to a near future where women and men are divided. America is literally split into East and West sides with women ruling on one side, and men in the other.

XX v XY: The Final World War is a provocative read that promises to stimulate conversations that are relevant in light of #MeToo and #TimesUp.

If Saving Elephants Makes You Happy…

Then you’ll enjoy Ivory Ghosts.

Based on the book of the same name by Dr. Caitlin O’Connell, the comic by Kymera Press is inspired by true events.

The story follows Catherine Sohon. She is a pilot from the Wildlife Investigation Agency. When she accidently comes across a devastating crime scene, she gets caught up in a whirlwind of murder and intrigue.

The illegal ivory trade has a negative impact on some of the planet’s most majestic creatures. But we humans can do better.

Ivory Ghosts shows us how. Available from KymeraPress.com.

Is Family Is the Secret to Finding Happiness?

The award-winning The Engine Woman’s Light looks at family in an unexpected new way.

Authored by Laurel Anne Hill, she researched her own family history, as well as history of the state of California, to spin this tale filled with ghosts, mysticism, and adventure.

In the book, Juanita rides a train heading for an asylum that houses the castaways of society. She receives a mysterious vision to guide her on her new quest; which is to save those destined for an unsavory fate. Will she be able to stop the train in time?

Bittersweet memories of family and heritage deliver beautiful imagery in the must-read The Engine Woman’s Light.

Love books? Want to win books?

Want to join us on a totally bookish adventure?

Visit www.BooksThatMakeYou.com to discover more.

Scan to visit Books That Make You

Partial list of the clients include: Rosario Dawson, Black Eyed Peas, Ludacris, Dr.Dre, Adam Sandler, Jennifer Tilly, Lily Tomlin, Charlize Theron, Lil Kim Snoop Dogg, Jimmy Kimmel, Pete Townshend, Keenan Ivory Wayans, Jessica Simpson, William H. Macy, Mark Hamill

Available for: Photo Shoots, Editorial, Fashion, Advertising, Makeup FX/ Bodypainting, Union and NonUnion Television (Local 706 Makeup), World-Wide Location Travel Phone: (213) 716-1723 Visit Beautybylisa.com

(click here if viewing digitally)

Email: Lrcreates@yahoo.com

Episode 2 Premiere August 2nd, 2018

Stephen J. Ross Theater at Warner Bros | 4000 Warner Blvd. Bldg. #4, Burbank, California 91522 | Red Carpet starts @ 6:30pm

7:30pm | LIMITED SEATS - MUST RSVP: 310.880.7529

Want to retire like a champ? Get on track with tips at

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