Top 5 Absurd Searches in February

I didn't have a chance to do this earlier in the month, but it is one of my favorite monthly posts.  What were people searching for at Red Carpet Closet in February?  Well, the usual absurd, wacky, and downright interesting searches were done all over the world wide web and they stopped here.  Thanks for coming by, your searches sure were unusual, and I will offer up a few links to help you find what you were looking for.

1. "Joan Rivers, Gay Swiffer":  Yes, after the SAG Awards, Joan Rivers did call someone a "gay swiffer".  That someone would be Angie Harmon.  Now, don't ever double cross Angie's fans.  They are called "twangles" and they have a lot of bite.  They love their Angie!  Read more about the "gay swiffer".

2. "Is Sandeep Parikh single?": I think my site is turning into a dating service since some of you were wondering about Charlie Bodin and Paula Rhodes of A Good Knight's Quest a few months ago. Well, I don't know if Sandeep is dating someone.  Let's ask....Sandeep, pipe in here!  If you want to know more about Sandeep Parikh, here is my interview with him about The Legend of Neil.  UPDATE:  Yep, he's single.  Ladies, line on up!

3. "Tuned out after Oscars F-bomb":  Okay, I understand, The 83rd Annual Academy Awards weren't the Oscars of your dreams.  Did the Melissa Leo F-bomb make you tune out?  The hosts?  The predictability of the show/awards?  Well, spice it up and read my behind the scenes take from the interview room at the show.

4.  "Where did Olga Kay get her gun dress?":  I love Olga Kay fans.  Each month they search for something new about their favorite YouTube star:  "Something serious in Olga Kay's life right now", "Olga Kay sneakers", "How tall is Olga Kay?".  Olga is awesome, learn more about her from my interview with her here.   We have an answer: BETSEY JOHNSON.  Thanks, Olga!

5. "Will the Oscars bleachers seats be cold this weekend?":  Geez, let me look into my crystal ball or direct you to The Weather Channel.  It was cold on the red carpet this year, so I hope you bundled up!  See my red carpet interviews from the Oscars or find out how you can register for the bleachers seat lottery for 2012.

Keep those searches coming because I already know March is going to be a good one with key words like "Is there a Mary Poppins bathroom at Disneyland?"  See you tomorrow at Red Carpet Closet!

January Wrap-Up

View from the back of Angie Harmon's Monique Lhuillier dress. Photo from Go Fug Yourself.

I don't think I ever gave much thought to Angie Harmon, but apparently, many others do.  In fact, she has her own fan club on Twitter called the Twangels.  I am not making this stuff up, kids.  They came out in full force emailing me, commenting on the blog, and Tweeting me about how I was wrong about the dress.  I figured the two final judges on fashion, Go Fug Yourself and Joan Rivers from E!'s Fashion Police, would be the final word as to whether I was completely wrong or whether my comments had a bit of validity to them.  Joan called the dress a "gay Swiffer" and the Fug Girls?  Well, they said it was "Fug, not Fab".  The bottom line, it's just an opinion and I really think Angie felt beautiful because she was beaming in all of her red carpet photos.  At the end of the day, that's all that really matters, isn't it?

Now that we have reached the end of the month.  Here are the absurd searches that drew many readers to Red Carpet Closet.  I love these because some are so wacky and I always wonder how Google's algorithm determines that they should stop here.

1.  "Sandra Bullock Botox Golden Globes":  Okay, I didn't write about Sandra's Botox at the Golden Globes, yet HUNDREDS of you were sent here to read about it.  I did write about Jennifer Lopez's Botox which left her frozen in time and unable to move.  Does Sandy do Botox?  Yep.  Does it look unnatural?  Nope.  Remember the next time you are at the dermatologist, "a little dab will do ya".  Don't over-Botox, ladies, it gives you butter face.  You can find the Golden Globes article here. 

2.  "Are Charlie Bodin and Paula Rhodes a couple?":  I can answer this one.  Yes.  And they are engaged.  It's like my blog became Tiger Beat magazine.  I love it.   See their work in A Good Knight's Quest.  Check out my interview with them here.

3.  "Dad is Carpet Cleaning":  Hmmm, you stumped me on this one.  I don't ever offer cleaning tips because it is one of my least favorite things to do.   So, I hope you enjoyed my blog while you helped your dad clean the carpet.  To balance out my least favorite thing, this is my favorite event that I covered from the month of January:  The Academy Award Nominations.

4.  "Detroit Auto Show Carpet":  So many of you want the remnants of the auto show carpets from Detroit.  Believe it or not, the display companies DO sell off the carpet because they only use it for the run of the two week show.  I am not going to give out the names of the display companies since they will be bombarded with calls.  However, a word to the wise, this is the dirtiest carpet you could ever buy.  Over 700,000 attendees walked on your carpet and dragged in germs, salt, snow, and dirt from outside.  Is that the kind of carpet you want in your home?  See highlights from my time in Detroit at NAIAS 2011.

5.  "Olga Kay Sneakers":  I guess this has become the monthly "Ask an Olga Kay Question Center".  One month, her fans were worried about her.  I checked in on Olga and she is doing great!  The next month, they wanted to know how tall she was.  I asked her, she's 5'1".  Now you want to know what type of sneakers she wears.  Sigh, I'll go ask.  Check back later for the response.  In the meantime, check out my interview with her.  

Thanks for making January such a great month here at Red Carpet Closet. I know a lot of you stopped by for red carpet/awards show coverage.  I hope you come back in February because there will be an entire week of wall to wall Oscar coverage.  Yes, I will be there LIVE on February 27th.....and I am so excited!

                

Year in Review: March 2010

I dug up some really cool photos for the month of March.  They each represent different aspects of what we were doing on The Web Files, so I am thrilled to share them with you if you missed them the first time around.  By March, word had gotten out that The Web Files was covering a lot of series and we got the chance to talk to a lot of creators that I admire.  Here are my Top 5 photos for March 2010.  

1. Kicking off the month of March, the cast of Elevator allowed me to interview them on set.  They are in their final season as I write this, so be sure to check out the hilarity that ensues in yes, an elevator.  Check out the interview here.  

From left:  Ben Pace, Woody Tondorf, me, and Genevieve Jones.

                     

2.  I know this was the most unique on set visit we did all year: Olga Kay's Circus.  The short film directed and produced by two very talented ladies, Andrea Ball and Sarah Evershed, follows the true tale of YouTube personality, Olga Kay, joining the circus.  The result was a beautiful and well-shot film with cameos by The Beat Freaks (And if you follow Hollywood gossip, one of the members of the group is the girl that got punched by Demi Lovato pre-rehab.  Ah, Hollywood.) and David Lawrence XVII.  See the interview here.

3.  This is one of my favorite shots taken all year by David Burmeister at the premiere of A Good Knight's Quest.  The dress is by Deborah Viereck, the shoes by Guess, and the outfit was styled by Roni B.  Hair/Makeup created by Melissa Anchondo.  This was also the day that the Streamy Award nominations were announced, so it was an exciting night for the nominees.  Check out the red carpet interviews here.

4.  I always find that meeting actors you grew up watching on TV can go one of two ways.....really well or downhill very quickly.  Jaleel White of Family Matters fame certainly did not disappoint.  He was charming, smart, and ambitious.  His series, Fake It Till You Make It, debuted on Hulu earlier this year.  Check out the interview here and you will find out why I look so sick in that photo.....I had a bad case of laryngitis and I sounded like a poor man's version of Demi Moore.

5.  This photo is perhaps my favorite family photo all year.  I know it is unusual, but it is me and my then 10-year-old niece staging paparazzi photos in the lobby of my hotel in Atlanta.  Forget boring staged shots, I go straight for the TMZ shot. I think Julia has it down well, look at that tip of the hat to hide her face.  A star is born!

Come on back tomorrow for more photos from the year that was......2010.  See you tomorrow!

November: Monthly Wrap-Up

This has become one of my favorite segments of my blog each month.  I love to see what you have been reading and what Google searches bring people to Red Carpet Closet.  It adds a lot of comedy and hilarity to my day.  So, let's catch up on the Top 5 Most Absurd Searches for November 2010:


1.  "Are there camps like Stagedoor Manor cheaper?":  In one simple word:  Nope.  I attended Stagedoor Manor two decades ago and it is an experience that can only be replicated at Stagedoor Manor.  It was expensive then and it is expensive now.  Check into financial aid or scholarships because you are one lucky kid if you get to attend even one Stagedoor camp session.  Don't believe me? Here's what I have to say about the musical theatre camp twenty years later.


2.  "How tall is Olga Kay?":  Okay, I get it.  You like Olga Kay.  I do too. She's petite.  Maybe 5'4"?  Olga, help me out here.  Your fans want to know A LOT about you.  Here's another Olga piece I wrote.  **Update**:  Olga is 5'1".  Phew, so glad I could bring you that breaking news.  Thanks, Olga!


3.  "Term for free goodies given to celeb winners":  Um, that would be free goodies or gift baskets or gifting suites.  I guess you want to see my Emmy gifting suite coverage for Mingle Media TV?  It's here, here, here, and here.  


4.  "What would Rachel Zoe use instead of a strapless bra for support?":  Wow,WWJD has been replaced by WWRZD?  Jesus needs a reality TV show because obviously RZ is hot.  Here are some great tips for your undergarments on the red carpet, ladies.  


5.  "Old Stiletto Dick Van Patten":  I cannot even begin to fathom what you were looking for here.  Dick Van Patten is the dad from Eight is Enough.  I doubt he wears stilettos, especially old ones, but thanks for the laugh.  Here are some of my favorite stilettos for your shoe viewing pleasure.  


Well, that's it for this month.  I cannot wait to do my favorite searches for 2010.  I am sure there are a few winners in there.  Keep up the Google searching because it keeps up the laughter on my end.  

October: Monthly Wrap-Up

It's been a week of premieres, panels, and infomercials, so my posting has been a bit lax.  I will be back with a vengeance on Monday and I will post more on my awesome week on set in Nashville with an infomercial icon.  In the meantime, here is what you were reading this month on Red Carpet Closet:

Top 5 Posts:

1.  Dos and Don'ts on the Red Carpet: The Sequel:  This continues to be a heavy hitter with a majority of the readers coming from overseas.  I'm not sure what is drawing them in as awards season is still six weeks away, but I appreciate everyone stopping by to learn a little about putting your best foot forward on the red carpet.

2.  GQ/Glee Controversy:  The photos are all here, you can chime in with your opinions on Lea Michele's spread-eagle photo spread.

3.  Happy 20th Anniversary, 90210!:  A lot of you certainly remember the Brenda years and those delightful mom jeans.

4.  Disneyland's Club 33:  This post continually makes the monthly Top 5 list, but it slid a few numbers down.  Maybe you are finally tiring of this topic?

5.  Behind the Scenes with Taryn Southern:  This lovely lady is a multi-hyphenate:  actress, producer, writer, singer, and host.  Learn a little more about my pal, Taryn.

I decided to also do something new for this monthly wrap-up:  The Top 5 Most Absurd Searches:

1.  "Berbank Delai":  Um, not sure what this means, but it sure is close to this post about getting stuck at an airport.

2. "Can You Have Carpet for Kinect?":  Okay, this isn't a video game blog, but I did attend the launch of XBox 360 Kinect.  Even armed with that knowledge, I have no idea if you have to have hardwood floors or carpeting to play a video game.  That would seem a bit exclusionary, no?

3.  "Glasses Mark Gantt Wears":  Well, I do know Mark Gantt, but I don't know about his glasses.  He is the super hot star of The Bannen Way.  Do you want me to ask him what kind of glasses he wears?  Mark, maybe you could chime in the comments section.

4.  "Something Serious in Olga Kay's Life Right Now":  Yep, I know YouTube sensation, Olga Kay, too.  I think she is okay, but thanks for your concern.  Maybe Olga can reassure all of her fans with a comment below.  Olga, are you okay?

5.  "Smarties Halloween Treat Holder":  That's some interesting phrasing, but is this what you were looking for?

Have a safe and sweet Halloween!  See you on Monday at Red Carpet Closet.

It's Giveaway Time!

I know we just finished the Emmys Event Gift Bag yesterday, but I was lucky enough to receive two complimentary tickets to the upcoming "Enchantment Under the Web" Prom that is happening here in LA on September 22nd from 8PM-12AM.  So, two free tickets means it is GIVEAWAY time!

The prom will be hosted by Lon Harris of This Week In with live music by Shaimus and the live stream of the night will be hosted by me. (And I am hoping to get the uber-busy Judalina Neira on-camera for a few minutes to co-host with me.) No prom is complete without a Prom King/Queen and their court, so take a look at the Class of 2010 nominees:
The Ladies:
Cooper Harris
Shanrah Wakefield
iJustine
Zadi Diaz

Olga Kay            
Julia Allison

The Gents:
Mark Gantt
Benny & Rafi Fine
Maxwell Glick
Shane Dawson
Andre Blacknerd

I will have the opportunity to interview them all.  Andre has asked that I don't make him cry like Barbara Walters (or Gil Duldulao) and I know Cooper is searching all over town for the perfect dress.  It's going to be a memorable night and a charitable night because all of the proceeds from the evening benefits the LA non-profit, Our House, a grief support services organization.

Just a reminder, this event is 21+ and it is in Los Angeles.  I cannot provide transportation to Southern California for you, so remember you are on your own for transportation/accommodations, but I am happy to dance with you.  Tickets are worth $30 each, so your prize package totals $60 which leaves more money in your bank account to buy a dress!

Here's how to enter:  Tell me your favorite prom memory in the comments section below.  Comments will be open between now and Wednesday, September 15th at 11:59PM PST.  The winner will be decided by Random.org and announced here on Red Carpet Closet on Thursday, September 16th at 9:00AM PST.  The winner will be able to pick up their tickets at the door the night of the event.

Good luck and I can't wait to see all of you on September 22nd!

If you aren't feeling lucky today, you can purchase tickets to the event here.

Behind the Scenes of The Web Files Buzz, Episode 2

Episode 2 of The Web Files Buzz is here and it's colorful, fun, and fast-paced.  We started out with our very first active set visit.  With all of the episodes we have shot, it amazes me that it took us about 33 episodes to make that happen.  Now, my work schedule is a bit ridiculous right now, so I know that was a bit challenging for other shows that have tried to make it happen.  With the Circus set, the stars aligned and I was in town for more than 24 hours.

We hit the set at Panavision Studios on Day 2 of shooting and it was everything I anticipated it to be:  bright, busy, shiny, noisy, and energetic.  Heck, it even smelled like a circus with all of the hay splayed about on the floor of the Circus set.  We were able to grab the interview on the set with Andrea Ball, the director and producer.  Andrea is well known in the new media circles and I have tremendous admiration for the what she accomplished with this project.  Along with Sarah Evershed and Olga Kay, you've got three fantastic, strong, smart, and young women under the age of 30 taking charge of their careers with an ambitious, interactive project for YouTube.  Can you tell I am impressed?

Of course, I cannot leave out the Ringmaster, David Lawrence XVII.  I loved that he offered to audition for the role.  I would have killed to have listened in on that phone call.  I imagine Andrea didn't even think twice about casting him.  David also let us in on some of the SAG new media news.  We are working on a future episode to address the unions' role in New Media, so feel free to suggest any particular topics or questions you want us to address in the comment section below.

The second half of the show focused on The Resolve web series premiere at the new media favorite fiesta site, Busby's.  Wow, I think there were over 300 attendees there to check out Russ Cootey's production.  Impressive numbers and a busy red carpet--maybe a little too busy as we had to dodge actors walking into our shots and other media outlets, but Russ should be proud that The Resolve drew such a crowd.  This episode convinced me that it's important for The Web Files to reach outside of the familiar faces of web series and take the opportunity to feature other shows that are making their mark.  Russ kept us in the loop for several months, so I was aware of the show, production, and the eventual red carpet.  Keep on sending those emails to us.  I know Sandra and I both read them and I take notes on specific series.  Along the way, I have learned that timing is always a key component to making decisions as to when and how we shoot certain shows.  If I ever reply to your email with questions about premieres, finales, distribution dates, exciting news, etc, you will understand why.  We want your episode of The Web Files to succeed as timing can make all of the difference and having those dates handy for us is really important.

Finally, I have to thank Blip.tv for their continued support of The Web Files.  Week after week, they find a way to feature our show on the home page.  They are always available to answer our tech questions and I think their player is one of the best in the business.  So, thank you for letting us be a part of the Blip family.

If you haven't caught Episode 2 of The Web Files Buzz, click here: The Web Files Buzz.

Photos 4 and 5 courtesy of Melissa Anchondo.

How to do LA in less than 7 Days

If you have been following me on Twitter, you know that my time in LA was limited this week.  After a two week trip to Chicago, I had a Dallas and Minneapolis journey looming over me.  While I was home for a hot minute, I crammed in as much as possible.  Here are a few stops along the way:                                                

The red carpet premiere of a new web series, The Resolve.  Look for the footage in today's Web Files Buzz episode:  

                                                  

Then a two-day jaunt to San Diego for a fitness informercial shoot with my co-host, Jennifer Galardi.  I cannot disclose the product, but I am sure you will see me on a TV screen near you soon.

                       

Then a fantastic on-set visit with the cast and crew of Olga Kay's Circus.  This will also be a part of The Web Files Buzz.  The set was unbelievable!

                                          

While I was there, the tables were turned on me as Woody Tondorf of Elevator interviewed me about our visit.  Dueling microphones, but mine was bigger!

Then off to interview Taryn Southern for an upcoming episode.  I thought I had a busy schedule, but this talented producer/writer/actress/host has some exciting projects coming your way!

I have no idea what is happening in this picture, but I love the action of it all.  On the red carpet with the cast and creator of A Good Knight's Quest......Craig Frank, Brett Register, and Charlie Bodin. This episode is coming your way next week.  (Photo courtesy of Mark Burmeister)
                                             

Well, that's all I've got.  Phew.  I wish every week in LA was that much fun.  Don't worry, LA, I will be back for a fun filled 3 days mid-month.  Yep, 3 days.