text: Charles Karel Bouley 2014-12-29T01:15:29-05:00 Charles Karel Bouley http://www.huffingtonpost.com/author/index.php?author=charles-karel-bouley Copyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc. HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Charles Karel Bouley Good old fashioned elbow grease. Southern California Has Best of Broadway Musicals Now tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2014:/theblog//3.6174848 2014-11-17T21:04:31-05:00 2014-11-17T21:59:01-05:00 Charles Karel Bouley http://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-karel-bouley/ Photo Courtesy of Piippin Official Broadway Production Right now people in the Los Angeles/Orange County area are lucky because they can have two great nights of theater, at two very different plays that share one universal theme: that each of us has to, one day, come to grips with who and what we really, truly are and what happiness looks like. That common theme couldn't exist in two more different plays. First, there's Pippin at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, CA. Having never seen it, this new incarnation was a delightful and highly entertaining surprise. It's a story-within-a-story, a play-within-a-play and less than 10 minutes in I turned to friend Daniel Charleston and exclaimed, "Bob Fosse HAD to do this play, if not, this is the biggest bit of plagiarism I've seen!" Thirty minutes in I turned (I know, I talk but just a little and in low voices) and said, "OK, I wonder who the Nixon character will be since this was obviously written during or around Vietnam." Photo Courtesy of Pippin Official Broadway Production By intermission I was sure that I was watching something vintage yet new. It felt like Cabaret meets A Chorus Line, dark, brooding, the irony of times of war, power greed, lust, corruption, the notion that heavy is the head that wears the crown and that we all search often in many places for fulfillment all flooded from the stage. It was during intermission that I found a display at the Center with the history of the play, and sure enough, I was right about it all. Yes, of course Fosse directed the original production and contributed to the libretto. In 1973 Ben Vereen won the Tony for playing the Lead Player, and then in 2013 Patina Miller would win for the same role in the revival, making history as one role played by two different genders having each gender win for their role. Pippin is the restless prince searching for a his place in the world. He is a player within a larger play and succumbs to many pitfalls and pleasures, including the pleasures of war, along the way. He goes from Prince to King and back again and then has a grand realization that gets set to music as oft happens in these things. He learns, he lives, he grows, he accepts and while he finds his "corner of the sky" there's always someone new looking, waiting to go out and try to find their piece of it to; the circus never sleeps, the show always goes on. This reinvention is inspired and goes back, I'm told by those that know, to the darker themes of the original. After the original broadway debut the play ended up in college and high school productions a sanitized safe version of a once-edgy production. This new creation by The American Repertory Theatre with Diane Paulus director and a new Cirque feel with Chet Walker and Gypsy Snider handling circus choreography makes everything old new again. The revival is a huge success winning four Tony Awards (nominated for 10) and now the national tour is bringing this sometimes unsettling, always entertaining musical back to American audiences. It plays until November 23rd at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Photo Courtesy Kinky Boots Official Broadway Reinvention is what another play about finally finding one's place takes to the Nth degree as the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood hosts Kinky Boots until November 30th. This modern-day musical is the La Cage of its time and will go on to be a musical performed for decades to come. It's odd I saw them back-to-back as they battled it out at the 2013 Tony Awards. Kinky Boots was nominated 13 times with Pippin in many of the same categories. When Kinky Boots won for Best Musical countless outlets called it an upset. And when Cyndi Lauper won the Tony for the score she became the first woman in Tony history to do so alone in the category. To say it's a joy is an understatement: but in fairness I adored the movie. The fabulously touching, quiet story of Charley from North Hampton and Lola, a larger than life man with too much fashion sense so he obviously does incredible drag moved me the moment I saw it. I'm gay, I've done drag, some of my best friends are or were marvelous drag queens and I've seen homophobia first hand for too many decades. The sweet story of two people discovering so much about themselves under dire circumstances, and the fact that it's all true, well, you had me at the boots. Touring Cast of Kinky Bootscourtesy Official Kinky Boots Broadway Now, with Lauper and Harvey Fierstein, who did the book, that movie is a play that entertains from the opening until well after you leave the theatre. I am still singing "the sex is in the heel..." The sweetness, the kindness, the gentleness of the movie isn't lost but the incredible potential of a play about making kinky boots for drag queens is utilized expertly and to its fullest potential. It's been a long time since a new play has arrived, a new musical; not a revival, a brand-spanking-new one. Book of Mormon took Broadway and the nation by storm, and now, Kinky Boots. Live theatre is far from dead and while these plays are the equivalent to the blockbuster superhero movie for Broadway, the product is far better and satisfies much longer than most of film's mass market or pop products. The touring cast is superb. Be aware it may change city to city and always check the website if there's someone in particular you want to see in this or any role. But not to worry, these roles lend themselves to great performances, each one, and every member of the touring cast met the challenged and soared. Steven Booth's Charley is the perfect everyman, in a relationship he thinks he wants rebelling against a father he thinks he hates and life he thinks he needs to escape only to find later, say it with me Dorothy, that there's no place like home. Kyle Taylor Parker IS everything Lola needs to be; sassy, vulnerable, tough and raw all at once. As a boy or a girl he gives the performance all the fabulousness it needs and isn't a stereotype, trust me. I KNOW Lola. My friend Dennis Cope and I laughed after opening night at the Pantages that Empress Michelle from Long Beach, Calif., WAS Lola, we both knew her! Divas one and all. Different plays, different moods, different methods but common themes that make for extraordinary nights of live theatre. It seems for most of November from Orange County to Hollywood Southern California has the absolute best of 2013 Broadway in it simultaneously for two great 2014 seasons at Segerstrom and Pantages. Check their websites for ticket prices and availability. To hear the Karel Cast get the Karel Cast App, subscribe in iTunes to the Podcast or simply go to the most incredible website on all the planet, save this one, karel.media]]> Amell and Harding: TV's Arrow Making Wine and a Difference tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2014:/theblog//3.6058114 2014-10-27T19:45:15-04:00 2014-12-27T05:59:01-05:00 Charles Karel Bouley http://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-karel-bouley/ But that's the spirit of Nockingpoint Wines. Started by a pair of friends in 2013, it began in the spirt of discovery and fun and has managed to infuse that spirit in to a delicious selection of wines from a vineyard in Walla Walla, Washington, that yields 50 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 50 percent Syrah grapes. "I really didn't know much about wine at all," co-founder Stephen Amell told me as we sat in a quiet corner booth at Vitello's Restaurant in Studio City, California, Saturday, October 25, for the Nockingpoint Wine release party. We were joined by his friend and vineyard partner Andrew Harding. "Andrew and I were on our way to Oakland and stopped in Paso Robles," Amell reflected, his incredible good looks hard to hide even under a baseball cap and in the dimly lit corner of the restaurant. It's no wonder his career is doing so well. Outside of wine, Amell plays the lead in one of the biggest shows for the CW, Arrow. That show has consistently set ratings records for the CW and its spinoff, The Flash (featuring Stephen's cousin, Robbie Amell) is doing the same. Almost 400 people are lined up around the block in Studio City this fine day each having bought a $150 ticket to sample wines with their superhero. It's not lost on Amell. "The show's doing well right now and we all hope it's going to be around for some time," he stated modestly, "but it won't be around forever. I have a platform right now, my community of fans and friends are along for the ride with me. It's nice, and allows me to indulge myself and try out things like the winery." As we spoke the room filled with a diverse group of individuals, all of them wanting to be me at that point, nestled in a corner with the two men of the hour. People from every demographic were lining up, from women in their 30s and 40s to millennials, trend-setters, wine lovers, foodies, gay, straight, every color and orientation in between. The spirit truly was celebratory. Upon arrival they were given bags with a wine glass and other materials, coupons for cocktails, T-shirts, and they each got to take a digital photo with Harding and Amell. Each greeted every attendee with enthusiasm and a genuine spirit of gratitude. It was infectious. "I was so nervous when I met him," partygoer Anthony Lane told me. "We drove down from Fresno to be here," Michael and Judy Wagner told me. "My wife loves the show and I love wine, so why not," Michael added. "I can't believe he's right here," Judy exclaimed, wine glass in hand. And what of the wine? Right now, there are five offerings. And this is not BevMo... if you want some, you may have to wait. For instance, if you want the 2009 Merlot -- which is 100 percent Merlot with a total number of cases produced being 100, released on October 25, 2014 -- you have to join the wait list. The winemaker is Chuck Reininger with original label design by Brian Brown and after tasting it, it's worth the wait. During the interview Amell and Harding were drawn away temporarily for photos which was fine because Amell's lovely wife actress Cassandra Jean stepped right in. Jean has taken a year off from acting to have the couple's now 1-year-old daughter Mavi. That gave her time to focus on the wine as well, and she's become quite the expert. She grabbed my photographer and friend Daniel Charleston and me and whisked us up to a table full of beautiful women all with bottles in front of them ready to serve. "These are our friends from L.A. and Vancouver," Jean told me. "It's a real family affair today, all hands on deck. Now, what do you want to try?" she asked as she pointed to the five wines. "Suggestions?" I asked. "I like the lighter wines during the day, and then the heavier reds in the evening," she stated. I immediately liked the answer since it allows for drinking both during the day and evening. Kidding. The lighter wine would be the Apex 1.5 Rosé. It is a blend and produced by Chuck Reininger as well. It is the perfect wine for an afternoon gathering or business lunch. At 100 cases, get on the wait list early. The Cabernet Sauvignon Wicked Aim quickly became my favorite. It's full, hearty; it was released May 1, 2014, and is by winemaker Jerry Myrick. This is the glass I want greeting me at the end of a long day or over a first romantic dinner. The line also offers the Verdant House Wine 2013, Year Two: New Bow (which features female winemaker Marie-Eve Gilla and Forgeron, my second favorite), Maja White Blend also by Gilla, Apex Rose and Year One Vigilante Red. Each unique and each able to be paired with either fine dining or snacks, wine, cheese. And a portion of all goes to the fight against cancer. Amell's mother has fought breast cancer twice, while Harding's grandfathers both encountered the disease. Jean sipped each with us, telling us the story of the wine. It's obvious she, Amell, Harding, they love what they're doing with this project. So with the Hollywood schedule of a super hero and the duties of two new dads, how hands on are the duo? "We taste every wine that we're going to make, we have our friends over, we have a blind taste test," Amell added. "And we work with three great winemakers in Walla Walla. The key is knowing what you do know and knowing what you don't. So the mixing, the making, that process, we are hands off. But we're not just lending our name, we are very hands on," he concluded. And Harding is truly the businessman of the two. "In 2014 we did 1200 cases and were 100% sold out. We're on track to double that in 2015 and will continue doubling until we max out at about 10,000 cases per year," Harding injected with an excitement and an enthusiasm that was, and is, infectious. And while Amell is just as much about the wine and the business, he never forgets another reason they are doing it. "We want people to feel good about the purchase. I mean, they are buying it after all," he began. "The wine isn't free but they're able to do it and contribute to a good cause. We are working with the 'Hole in the Wall Gang' today with a silent auction, a raffle, it's great they get to come and have a good party, listen to good music and help a good cause. We're never going to have a party just to have a party. We're always going to identify something and someone that could use our help. We have been given a great platform to help people and it would be wrong not to use it, "Everything about the brand is supposed to be would we do this, would we drink this, would we like this, would we wear it," Amell continued. "For the party today, is this the kind of party that we would like to go to if two of our buddies were throwing a fall release party? We haven't been interested in any preconceived notion of the wine industry or what it is or is supposed to be. We were just two buddies that wanted to create a winery in our image, which sounds like a weird thing to say but that's how we've gone about it," he laughed. If sold out cases and rooms full of happy consumers are an indication of success, then Amell and Harding have achieved their goals. Both are a delight, well versed, unassuming, approachable, personable. And the product isn't bad at all, not just a vanity adventure, but a real foray in to winemaking. And as for Amell's celebrity, he appears to be the best kind: the kind that doesn't care. As TV's Arrow he does his good under the dark of night, hidden from site. With Nockingpoint Wine he's able to do some good out front and have some fun with friends and family while doing it. He and Jean make a great couple and as bromances go the Harding/Amell one literally has everyone enjoying its fruits. A special note to Heroes for Hire. They are a unique agency that matches causes and those that personify heroes in the media, TV and film. They're so interesting, they'll be a future story. But they've helped matched a lot of heroes and events and helped raise money for many charities and deserve a shout out. Now, I snagged a bottle of Wicked Aim and I've got the latest Arrow on HuluPlus. A nice red for this week's problems in Starling City. Photos by Daniel Charleston and Heroes For Hire To hear this interview with Mr. Amell and Mr. Harding get the Karel Cast App, subscribe in iTunes to the Podcast or simply go to the most incredible website on all the planet, save this one, iamkarel.com]]> A Fight for the Music of Griffith Park tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2014:/theblog//3.5954760 2014-10-08T17:02:40-04:00 2014-12-08T05:59:01-05:00 Charles Karel Bouley http://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-karel-bouley/ We Are The Greek Movement, Photo Randall Michelson The fight for control of the Greek Theatre in Griffith Park, Calif. has another battle on the horizon, a public meeting set for Thursday, October 9 at 0830, Friendship Auditorium, 3201 Riverside Drive, Los Angeles, Calif. It's there, Nederlander, a family owned business that has run the Greek since 1976, could lose the venue after 39 years in November of 2015. The challenger? Live Nation, a company spun off by ClearChannel / Bain Capital (read Mitt Romney) 12 years back that has become one of the nation's and world's largest concert promoters and venue operators. In order to compete, Nederlander aligned themselves with AEG Live, another family owned business (Anschutz Company is the parent of AEG). So why now? And why the rush and the challenge? Rena Wasserman, General Manager and Senior VP of Operations of Nederlander Concerts wonders the same. "City processes are such that in Los Angeles on a large venue and contract of this nature the city felt a need to put out a Request for Proposal for Operations of the Greek. It was released on June 4th of this year, due by August 12. There were two proposals received: one by us along with AEG Live, our partner, and Live Nation," she stated. "The city hired a third party consultant to help them write the RFP and find evaluators to review and score the proposals," she continued. So what's the allure? Is Live Nation offering more money? "Remarkably our company did offer more cash, so that makes this decision even more interesting and one that needs to be unravelled to get at the real heart of the matter," she added. In these types of dealings it has been my experience that if it's not money, then there's another self-serving reason for someone where politics is involved. So could there be more to this battle than meets the eye? Mayor Garcetti's office to date has not responded for a request for comment nor has Live Nation. And many feel it may be too late, or a foregone conclusion. According to industry trade Pollstar Tuesday, 9/20/2014,"Live Nation was revealed as the winning bidder Sept. 26 on a Request For Proposals for a new contract, with related documents being made available for public review on Sept. 30, the day before the RAP board is to accept the recommendation to make the reward and begin negotiations on a new agreement." When news got out, the community responded. "Many in the arts community are in general very upset," Wasserman continued. "There are venues that go hand-in-hand with their operators, and the Greek is one of them. You can't say Greek without saying Nederlander. It's Nederlander that has brought the Greek again to be a world class venue over the last decade. You win Pollstar after Pollstar from the industry that votes for you. They realize the building doesn't run itself, that there are people behind it," she added. A online petition with over 14,000 signatures took shape and according to the LA Times the neighbors are uneasy about the change. Photo Robert Mora "We have a nearly 40 year relationship with this community," Wasserman continued. The people that live in these multi-million dollar homes, or the people just down the hill in more modest housing knows that we are going to honor our commitments because of our history," she concluded. So, the city delayed the decision until October 8, 2014. It is then they could award to Live Nation, Nederlander/AEG Live or table the issue again. Two of those three are fine with Wasserman. "The question needs to be raised what's the rush," she stated. "Have these proposals been vetted fairly. Could we get people from here, the entertainment capital of the world, to do the evaluations and go over the 3400 pages of documents with some thoughtful consideration," she said. It's a mystery why the City of Los Angeles would choose to end a 39 year working relationship with a family-run business, AEG Live is no stranger to Los Angeles. They are behind the Staples Center and L.A. Live area downtown as well as the StubHub center in Carson, CA. Nederlander and AEG Live have a record in the area. LiveNation operates The Wiltern, House of Blues, Hollywood Palladium and other venues around town as well. One thing can be certain it seems in the battle of Wall Street versus family-owned, the city is fast-tracking Wall Street. What will it mean for the Greek? No one, including Wasserman, really knows. "We have 39 year relationships, standards, and an entire new proposal to generate even more revenues for the city and bring the Greek even further in to the 21st Century as a world class venue. What Live Nation would do with it has yet to be seen. All we know is what can be gleaned from the 3400 pages of documents," she added. Either an era ends October 9, 2014, a closer look is ordered or there's a new name in town when it comes to the Greek. One thing is for sure, Nederlander isn't going down without a fight. To hear this interview get the Karel Cast App, subscribe in iTunes to the Podcast or simply go to the most incredible website on all the planet, save this one, iamkarel.com]]> A Queen Turns 80 and Prepares for Reinvention tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2014:/theblog//3.5893982 2014-09-28T19:23:08-04:00 2014-11-28T05:59:01-05:00 Charles Karel Bouley http://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-karel-bouley/ Dark Harbor Takes over the Ship and Village Oct. 2 Photo: Queen Mary PR Cher is 68; Madonna 56; Patti LaBelle, 70; Streisand, 72; Sophia Loren, 80; Betty White, 92; Queen Elizabeth, 88 and the as of September 26th, 2014, RMS Queen Mary, 80. All of these great ladies are better than ever -- Streisand just making history with Partners going #1 making her the only artist to do such every decade for six decades; Cher selling out stadiums everywhere; LaBelle touring PLUS having sauces in WalMart and other stores, Madonna about to hit the charts with Katy Perry; White being, well, a national treasure, HRM Elizabeth still beloved and ruling. Like the above ladies, the RMS Queen Mary has had to reinvent over the years. And, like many, at times fell out of favor or on harder times. Cher once famously said when accepting an award for a hit album (because it caused a court battle after), "...I've also had critics for the last 40 years saying that I was on my way out every year. Right. So F-em..." And ever since October 31, 1967 when the Queen Mary set sail from Southampton to Long Beach, CA where she would moor and become a tourist attraction, critics have counted her out. Yet, as she turns 80, there she sits, a defiant reminder of a times past; a luxurious venue for times present and through several reinventions currently underway will be a part of the Long Beach skyline in times future. The Queen Mary has only been in Long Beach 10 years longer than myself; over those years, I've seen it go through times of great attention and neglect. It's a hard proposition, to create a venue that locals will want to frequent and one that gives tourists what they want and expect as well. Steve Sheldon, Director of Entertainment Events at the Queen Mary, faces these challenges daily. "The ship is a lot of different environments all inside one area," he commented on The Karel Cast recently. "There's the hotel, the tours, restaurants, bar, tea house, shops, wedding facilities, major events venue as well as an entire off-ship ecosystem of the village area. It's a lot to coordinate and make function smoothly, as a well-integrated unit. That's what we hope to do with the events; to make it so the ship is seen as a place for a variety of uses that appeal to a large array of people," he added. Chill has become an annual event ranking high in popularity amongst locals. Photo: Queen Mary PR Over the years permanent exhibits like "Cousteau's Living Sea" have been replaced with rotating ones like "Diana: Portrait of a Princess." And the ship has worked on cornering the market on some major annual events: New Year's Eve it is the party to attend, complete with fireworks; The Fourth of July it is the place that shoots off the fireworks for the entire city; Christmas on board in now complete with a tree lighting and Santa; "Chill" turns the village in to a skating rink and the Spruce Goose Dome (Now used by Carnival Cruise Lines) in to an ice palace. And of course, the Sunday Brunch in the Grand Ballroom is still the classiest (and premium priced as such) in the area. Harpists, endless sumptuous buffets of fresh seafood, meats, omelette bars, a desert area that should be illegal...at around $40 a person it's the place for birthdays, anniversaries, first dates to impress. Shoreline Reggae Festival in Queen Mary Events Park "It's by mixing up the events that we are able to start bringing new generations of Long Beach residents over to the ship," Sheldon continued. "Chill is an event for everyone, kid or senior, who wants the fun of ice skating in Southern California. It gives parents a chance to rediscover the area and kids a chance to get used to using the ship as an entertainment center. Millennials will love the food and music events that we have upcoming and have been doing, we even do outreach to the GLBT community with major dances and events during Pride," he added. Dining is still a big thing ship board. There's everything from $ to $$$$ places. Sir Winston's is the upscale diner with the best view in the city, located on the stern overlooking all of Long Beach. Again, it's upscale five-star dining so that means dress and prepare the wallet appropriately. The Observation Bar is still one of my favorite places to bring guests. Located high at the front of the ship the grandeur of the original art deco fixtures, wood work and craft cocktails (often with entertainment) prove that it is all about location location location when it comes to some businesses. There's a Barrel Series of Scotch, Rum, Whiskey and Tequila themed events here as well. Major Musical Acts are being considered and brought in along with other concert events. Photo: Queen Mary PR There's an event park near the ship and everything from Reggae Festivals to a Scottish Festival and Highland Games gets held on site. The Tea Room can't be beaten for the real High Tea experience. Again, there are other tea houses in Long Beach with more affordable teas, but the grandeur of the ship, of the service, the view, it's the perfect place to give that young little boy or girl their first high tea experience (as everyone should have one) and a great place for old friends to gather for a special tea. One of the biggest events, "Dark Harbor" has gone from a weekend to a full month. The ship is located in the registry of haunted places and many will claim they've seen the girl by the pool inside the ship, or felt a presence in the halls of the hotel. The village next to the ship is turned in to mazes, the dome gets involved, and then, the ship. It rivals Knott's or any other offering and has become a must-stop in Southern California for Halloween frights. Media preview is October 2nd, so stay tuned. There's a Sir Winston's dining experience coupled with a paranormal tour. For a complete list of events go to here. With all this to offer, why has it struggled so over the years? Bad management, corporations that owned it and didn't know what to do with it (Wrather/Disney owned it at one point), lack of funds from the city during lean times to help develop, the location is across the bay and many locals don't go over...there's been a lot of challenges. The Queen has a rich history, it served the allies in WWII and was the fastest ship on the sea, Hitler put out a bounty on it. Known as the Grey Ghost because they painted her, she kept soldiers safe from the U-Boats while crossing the channel in England. Later, her amenities were world class, hot and cold running sea water in many of the bathrooms, day care for all there classes on board, pools, sun deck, grand halls and parlors, she was the fastest, most luxurious boat of her time. That history should be preserved. And while much of her is gone, one steam room, three propellers, the smokestacks and many other items are either gone or replacements, the history is still there. So, enter another reinvention. Not only are the events now coming fast and furiously in all forms to engage tourists and locals, but the shops on board are being completely redone by a company specializing in running attractions, Event Network, based in San Diego, CA. The Queen Mary has signed a five year lease with this company and they will run the shops. This means businesses that have been on board for decades, like the Scottish Heritage Center, have to leave. Many are saddened and there's been some upset, but the shops need reinvention. In 35 years I've never bought anything on board because there wasn't much there to really interest the average shopper. Hopefully, that will change. While the Scottish Heritage Center store may be gone, the Festival remains. Photo:: Queen Mary PR "Our goal was to really give it to the experts that do it well," said John Jenkins to the Long Beach Press Telegram 09/19/14. He's the general manager for the Queen Mary. "To get a company such as Event Network to come in, revamp all of our retail activities, ... they're going to put some much needed money into the retail spaces, which good, bad or indifferent, the Queen Mary has not been able to afford over the years." So, she's turned 80 and now she's going through another incarnation. Events are ongoing, even during renovations and all ship-board facilities are going full steam ahead. The city needs the attraction to work financially as well as a draw to the city through the events scheduled. Tourism is a big part of the Long Beach economy and the Queen Mary is a part of that picture. To hear this interview with Mr. Sheldon with Karel get the Karel Cast App, subscribe in iTunes to the Podcast or simply go to the most incredible website on all the planet, save this one, iamkarel.com]]> Bloom Taking a Bite Out of Hollywood With BiteSizeTV tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2014:/theblog//3.5863618 2014-09-22T14:16:51-04:00 2014-11-22T05:59:01-05:00 Charles Karel Bouley http://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-karel-bouley/ Why? When I am asked about being in the business I often tell people if you can be anything else, if you can do anything else, stay out of the entertainment industry. It's a horrid business of let-downs, auditions, opinions, delays, missed opportunities, frustration, constant blows to the self-esteem and in all but a few cases, poverty. So what's a nice former Silicon Valley entrepreneur doing in a place like this? "Well, somebody's got to get out here and fling mud somewhere!," the easy-going, no BS dapper Bloom began. "There's ditches to be dug everywhere and we're helping dig the digital ditch and that says it all," he laughed. But it's no laughing matter. Bloom is the man that helped bring a way for 1 billion video views by over 25 million people a month possible (read Netflix and other streaming services) with the company Mevio. That company grew out of one of the most successful partnerships of his life. Years ago MTV's Adam Curry basically invented PodCasting. Today, for those in the know, he is still thought of as the father of the now popular way to deliver shows. "Invented is a big word,we get a kick out of it," he recalled as the blur of activity that is now BiteSizeTV went on around him. "We were partners in the first commercial podcasting company called PodShow. It was the first company to commercialize it. There was a second podcasting company called Odeo, which in their bankruptcy filed papers to start a little company called Twitter. So one Podcasting company swung one way and started Twitter and the other one turned to make digital content. Crazy journeys people take on the road to being an entrepreneur, it's never a straight line, it's always a crooked one," he reflected. Bloom is a contradiction. Artists usually aren't good with money, it's why they're surrounded by agents, managers, accountants and why so many lose so much. Bloom is a musician himself, still, it's how he started. "I started as a musician," he proudly reflected. "We built a studio in Toluca Lake partnering with Chuck Norris, the king of Kung Fu and good television, played on hundreds of records, wrote a few, published a few, got a few good ones," he humbly acknowledged. To this day he still grabs a guitar and "jams with friend Dave...you know, Dave Stewart." Of course, why not. So having changed audio with Podcasting and video delivery possibilities with Mevio, why BiteSizeTV and why now? Easy, the Internet. "The Internet has changed the delivery platform and made it available to programmers like me," he started. "A delivery platform has two parts to it: a part where you put something on it and the place where you take something off. The music business, and the video business prior to the internet, was all about the place you take something off of it. Few people controlled the place where you put something on it," he continued. "The Internet said anyone can put someone on it. Well, that did two things: first, it created a lot of crap, like happened in music and film. But it also created a small amount of genius too. What we try to do with BitesizeTV is be a little more thoughtful and little more interesting and provocative about the side that puts stuff on it," he concluded. Their shows are fast, funny, often irreverent. They focus on gossip, news of the day, women's issues told by younger women, a lot of entertaining short-form content that is taking off. Screens in places like 7-11 now program BiteSizeTV content and even Fox Television has picked up some of the entertainment shows for traditional broadcast. Bloom appears to have a Midas touch, and a knack for changing the playing fields of major games. And these changes in TV and Web programming (Or Tweb, as I, Karel, coined three years ago) ignite a passion in Bloom just as fresh as decades ago when he started down the content delivery via internet pathway. "Television in this town of Hollywood, just like music, has a tremendous amount of legacy, a tremendous amount of creative talent and creative processes," he began as another show goes live out in the studio to one of BiteSizeTV's channels. "The Internet in the early days in Silicon Valley said screw Hollywood, we know better, we're the engineers. I didn't agree with that. That would be like records being all sung by engineers. I believe in the three legged stool: there's the platform that is the engineering, then there's the behind the camera, the writers, producers, directors, and then there's in front of the camera or microphone. So we said no, let's bring it all together. The greatest failure in the recent history of modern investments is the failure of Hollywood to invest in Silicon Valley," he stated emphatically. "But that creates opportunity," he continued. "Just because Hollywood as an institution didn't want to do it, others did and do. Someone else will come along and cost effectively make that movie that will fill that slot for you, you'll pay the money and that's where it's going. We're past the part where it starts with kids in the garages. Like music. There's an evolution where there's a system that falls in to place where kids in garages can turn something in to something more professional. Then, there's a new type of distribution that occurs, and that's where we are with BiteSizeTV," he added, staring at the streams of shows before him. The studios are filled with millennials, all writing, producing, editing, streaming, filming, talking. If there's a downturn in Hollywood, you wouldn't know it at BiteSizeTV. So why is it growing when other entertainment companies are tightening belts? "We said let's make something fresh and live every day. The part of programming that maybe Hollywood as a whole turns its nose up to," he started to explain about BiteSizeTV's mission. "You're at a big Hollywood party and there's the tattooed guy in the corner whose made a great independent movie that no one's ever going to see, talented guy, he's surrounded by every beautiful lady in the room. Then there's this other guy, maybe a little disheveled and eating cheese on a cracker and he's maybe producing Oprah. Well Oprah is a 14 billion dollar franchise and the other is too hip for the room. So we had to figure out how do we take that hipness of that coolness and make it fresh free and live every day. That's what young people want, they want to wakeup with something different than they went to bed with." It's that understanding of the audience that is bringing BiteSizeTV to the attention of major players in the entertainment / content business. And Bloom doesn't mind being in charge of another groundbreaking company with Curry, as they innovate program creation and delivery in the video entertainment world. "It's good to be the man. We are green lighters. We have our hands in it. We muck around and get in there" he laughed, obviously recalling some previous mucking. "The big thing for us is we don't take ourselves too seriously. We don't have to ask for permission to put something we believe in on the air. So, we can screw up on the air. They want to see that. The screw ups are pretty entertaining. Yesterday the fire alarm went off with a big celebrity in our studios and we just kept going!" Not asking permission and keeping going are two things Bloom and Curry seem to excel at over the last two decades. They've made fortunes and now are risking a big chunk on their record of being innovators and entertainers. BiteSizeTV isn't letting either down. Now, I have to go ready a treatment. Bloom's enthusiasm is contagious and BiteSizeTV will see more stars and more pitches as they grow and expand. To hear this interview with Mr. Bloom with Karel get the Karel Cast App, subscribe in iTunes to the Podcast or simply go to the most incredible website on all the planet, save this one, iamkarel.com ]]> Streisand and Partners: Brillance and Meh tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2014:/theblog//3.5846226 2014-09-18T19:04:21-04:00 2014-11-18T05:59:03-05:00 Charles Karel Bouley http://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-karel-bouley/ Full Disclosure: I am a card-carrying 100% I-got-a-perm-like-her-at-16 Barbra Streisand fan; posters on the walls, every movie consumed hundreds of times, every album, CD or digital file played until worn. I remember her birthday (April 24, 1942, yes, 72) sometimes while forgetting close friend's. As a 14 year-old-about-to-be-gay-boy when I first saw her in A Star Is Born I knew. I was a fan. She was 34 when I first really started loving her. Now I'm 51 and she's 72. I listen to as much Avicii or Calvin Harris, Emeli Sandé and Sam Smith as I do my divas these days, years of getting records first keeps my music tastes fresh. And I root for the Divas in today's music world, the older ones. I rejoice as the 69 year old Cher releases a contemporary album and launches a multi-national stadium tour, tweeting all the way. And every time Streisand releases an album, I wait. What will it be? What's she in to now? This time around she's in to herself, so to speak. The album, Partners is a reinterpretation of many songs she has recorded in the past. Even some of her standards. And the problem with covering a Barbra Streisand classic--even for Barbra Streisand--is that, well, it's a BARBRA STREISAND CLASSIC. It basically can't be done better. Period. Think about it. Of all the legendary artists, of all their music catalogues, Streisand's gets covered least. Because, well, who can sing People without being compared? So, what's the still Diva of Pop doing, as even Jimmy Fallon devotes an entire hour to her? Partners Track 1: It Had To Be You With Michael Buble A great opening these two work really well together. Their voices blend beautifully, his style is a great compliment to hers. He is a throwback to, well, HER time, when she was coming up. It's a great retelling of this particular track with the final note reminding us right away that this is still the pitch-perfect Streisand: the voice is older, smokier, but the power, the tone is there. Still effortlessly, incredibly there. 4 out of 5 Track 2: People With Stevie Wonder OK, now wait a minute. This is a hit that helped put Barbra in the record books. This track from her Oscar-winning role as Fannie Brice in Funny Girl is one of those that just doesn't need anything done to it. The track is much more a Stevie Wonder track than a Streisand; a hybrid that just doesn't work as it should. Here we have two legends, and two of the most fiercely talented musicians and singers and we get a song that sounds just a bit lounge cover. To Streisand I'm sure it's a fun and new way to sing an old song; one she's sung a million times the other way. Why not try it. And it's not "bad." These two couldn't be bad. It's just not what I expected from a legendary pairing. 2.5 out of 5 Track 3 Come Rain or Come Shine With John Mayer From the opening guitar riff Mayer's presence is felt. This track, from her Wet album is given a soulful, powerful delivery that Mayer fits perfectly. These two again sound great together. Maybe it's Mayer bending Streisand to his smooth level of funk/jazz/pop fusion or Streisand schooling Mayer on how vamp out a song, but it works. And works well. If even a few of Mayer's fans buy it, they won't be disappointed. And Streisand's fans will love it. Hearing Mayer soar with his guitar over a full orchestra, a merging of these two styles, and then the obligator belting the song was leading to all along doesn't disappoint. 5 out 5 Track 4 Evergreen With Babyface This song keeps very much of it's original arrangement and is treated more of just a duet. Babyface's smooth-as-silk voice (absent too long from Pop) works well with Streisand's. He adds soul to the arrangement and Streisand shines like the proud mamma she is of this, one of her first endeavors at songwriting for the film A Star Is Born and while the film was panned, she won an Oscar for the song. This version is as good as any. 4.5 out of 5 Track 5 New York State of Mind With Billy Joel The story has it, that when Streisand chose this song for her Superman album (the cover of which will go down as her sexiest) it launched Billy Joel's career in to high gear. Here we have the two of them, two NYC natives, singing their guts out about their home. Now, I am partial to the original, because, well, because. But, if there were no original, this would be a great duet. They fit together perfectly. Joel sounds great. And it's nice to give NYC a shout out every now and again musically. 3.5 out of 5 Track 6 I'd Want it To Be You With Blake Shelton This song so desperately wants to be I Finally Found Someone, her previous duet with Bryan Adams for The Mirror Has Two Faces. I like Blake. I love her. I love songs about friendship. And I wanted to love this. But, I know it's petty, their diction does not work together. Her's is very staccato, his not so much. She seems to have to hold back, it just doesn't work. 2.5 out of 5 Track 7 The Way We Were With Lionel Richie Again, a timeless classic. Her humming at the begin is so iconic I think even preschoolers would still know it. This version doesn't bring anything new to the song other than making it a duet. Now, that's not a bad thing, since this Marvin Hamlish, Marilyn and Alan Bergman track still evokes emotion of time passed, loves lost, lives we missed along the way. And hearing an older Streisand sing this, since the movie was made when she was much younger, has its merits. She's lived every line now, ever single line. And when she opens up at the end as only she can on HER song, it becomes painfully obvious that no one should sing this song with her except her. Richie's additions aren't bad, they're not horrid, they're just not needed. It still gets a 3.5 out of 5 for being this song and being her. Track 8 I Can See Your Face With Andrea Bocelli OK, here we go. Play this one loudly. These two, together, on a well crafted song, written perfectly for each of their voices, well, if you like this type of music, lush orchestrations, singers pulling out all the stops and then exercising the utmost of control then this is the track. For once Streisand does not overpower her partner. Not only can Bocelli hold his own but match her belt for belt, and does. And wow. 4.5 out of 5 Track 9 How Deep Is The Ocean With Jason Gould The star of this track is Streisand and Elliot Gould's son, Jason. In a behind the scenes video he said he was almost afraid to sing because of course, people would compare him to his mother. How could they not? But he wanted, and wants to express himself as a vocalist. He should have started sooner. Something to be said for genetics. His performance is every bit as nuanced, as, well, performed as his mother's. And the song is perfect, because these two love each other. It's obvious. And as a mother, Streisand allows her son to shine, and shine he does. This duet means so much to her, and to those that love her, but more importantly it's a good piece of work. This is a great duet. 5 out of 5 Track 10 What Kind of Fool With John Legend Ah, the Guiltyalbum with Barry Gibb and the BeeGees. All that white. Barry's chest hair. This is an entirely new version. Not reworked, new. Even the parts are switched. It's sweet. Melodic. It's John Legend. Piano driven, almost quiet at times. It's more delicate than the first. This could play on radio, if only Pop radio would give Streisand plays again. Alas, it will be on AC and such. Again, Streisand doesn't cheat on her own notes of past, in fact, she improves on some. 4 out of 5 Track 11 Somewhere with Josh Groban The Broadway Album brought Streisand back in a big way, including back to the Grammy stage to win. This song has been used to close her show, and is timeless. The track originally from West Side Story is given the respect it deserves. It's the kind of song that if you're a great performer and you do it right, it soars. Well, it soars. Again. Power, performance and passion all poured in to song familiar and hopeful. It speaks of two people from two different worlds finally being able to be together, not torn apart by society. How we still need this message in 2014. 3.5 out of 5 Track 12 Love Me Tender With Elvis Presley Now Streisand knows how ti feels to be a guest on her own album. Because here, The King, is or was at HIS best. Soulful, sensual, the best of Elvis. This song was one of his best, and now this duet will live on as a merging of two legends that could have been. Streisand told Fallon this song was brought to her by the A&R people and the estate said yes. It belongs on the album. These two should have worked together in life. Now, at least, we know what it would have sounded like. Like Gold. Like Butta. 4 out of 5, because hey, it's Elvis. Albums are tricky things in today's world. Now, every track must be a hit, a single, a smash. These 12 songs are a lovely compilation of classics and standards, many covered by the woman who made them such, with new approaches and voices. The fact that Streisand even cares to record at 72 is amazing, and her voice remains equally as such. Fans will love it. It will recruit some new ones and Streisand is making a few media stops. She looks good (yes, she's had something done, but no word on what) and sounds incredible and continues to work with the best Pop music has to offer. Partners may not outsell Katy Perry or Beyoncé (who was working on a duet with Streisand for the album) but it's a welcome gift to people who like something other than and for people who still enjoy 12 solid works on an album. To hear Karel get the Karel Cast App, subscribe in iTunes to the Podcast or simply go to the most incredible website on all the planet, save this one, iamkarel.com]]> Buyer and Cellar in Dallas: Urie Back Home, Heading to TV After tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2014:/theblog//3.5769242 2014-09-04T18:56:15-04:00 2014-11-04T05:59:02-05:00 Charles Karel Bouley http://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-karel-bouley/ Ugly Betty predates Glee as one of the shows that made mainstream gay OK in TV-land. The now iconic ABC one hour dramedy stayed on top of the ratings for years, and launched the career of America Ferrera in to overdrive while giving Vanessa Williams another star turn. It also brought Michael Urie to fame as Marc St. James, the bitchy gay friend that everybody wanted; one with a golden heart under it all. Urie played St. James from 2006 to 2010 and received a SAG Award nomination for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in Comedy Series. Along the way, in 2009, he went back to the theatre (having trained at Juliard) in The Tempermentals and in 2012 played Bud Frump in How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying. But it's 2013's Buyer and Cellar which is creating a stir, and which has kept him extremely busy. It just finished a sold-out run in San Francisco Aug. 31st. It moves to Urie's hometown of Dallas Sept. 3 through Sept. 6 and then Nov. 11 through Nov. 30th to Toronto. Tour details are at Buyer and Celler's official website. The play is a hilarious look at an out of work actor finding a job in the most unlikely of places: Barbra Streisand's basement mall. Yes, her basement mall. How on Earth did he come up with this? "I did it the smartest way an actor can, which is by letting a writer come up with it," he laughed on my international Karel Cast recently. "Jonathan Tolins told a joke at a party about a guy working in Barbra Streisand's basement mall. That developed in to a blog about a guy that worked down there, Alex Moore, gets hired to work down in the her basement. And of course, the basement is real!" he exclaimed. What? The Diva of all divas has a mall in her Malibu cliff home basement that she shares with Mr. Brolin? The one she wrote a book about decorating and renovating? "Oh my dear yes," he laughed. "She has a mall in her basement! It's where she keeps her collectibles, old dresses from movies, antiques, there's a gift shop with a wrapping station with bows and boxes. There's a root cellar, although I"m not sure what one does in those," he laughed. Streisand is an enigmatic figure for sure; a diva who has been famous for over five decades and one whose place in gay culture, until recently seemed solidified. However, a recent poll of users of the app Jack'd put her, Garland and Minnelli as three icons to be retired. When Urie heard that the icon he actually portrays at one point in the show was up for retirement his reaction was sudden. "Gasp! Oh my, I don't agree at all. I mean, I'm only 34, I"m a younger gay with an old soul but I don't think an icon ever retires," he stated emphatically, "An icon never stops being one. They may become less relevant, but they remain iconic. Judy you can never remove from the GLBT movement as an icon for Stonewall alone," he continued. "Young people need someone to identify with, it's why icons are important," he added. "And yes, we need to have new ones, like GaGa and others, Beyonce in some ways, and even Katy Perry, I love her and she seems very supportive. We need the new ones for sure, but we must never, ever forget the ones that helped make it all possible. Streisand has been a huge GLBT advocate and remains one, as well as a good citizen in general. She is someone to be admired, even if she does have a mall in her basement, ESPECIALLY because she has a mall in her basement!" he laughed. As for whether or not the diva has seen the play? "She hasn't seen it but she has said she's looking forward to seeing it," he said. She's amused that between our show and Bette's show about Sue Mengers she finds it amusing to be on Broadway without ever going on a stage. Even though ours was technically off Broadway," he chuckled. Urie has toured with the play almost since its initial run, something an actor seldom does. And while his late scheduled date is November, he definitely wants to do more. "I love this work. I'd love for it to be even bigger, on Broadway, not just near it!" he joked. "And who knows where it could go, but it's so much fun to do, exhausting, but fun." And, at the recent television up-fronts in Pasadena, CA USA announced it's 2015 schedule with a Michael Urie sitcom tentatively titled Majordomo on the schedule, so it's back to TV for him. "TV is an iffy game, I've found," he added. "It's hit and miss. You never know why shows make it. So, you get a great team and give it all you got and see. So, obviously, we have high hopes. But it's a long way from here to a finished and aired show, but the journey really is the best part," he concluded. For more on Urie go to his website. To hear Karel and Michael Urie get the Karel Cast App, subscribe in iTunes to the Podcast or simply go to the most incredible website on all the planet, save this one, iamkarel.com. He appears in the August 8th Karel Cast.]]> Long Beach Dining: Two New Places, One Obvious Choice tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2014:/theblog//3.5618167 2014-07-24T14:52:50-04:00 2014-09-23T05:59:06-04:00 Charles Karel Bouley http://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-karel-bouley/ Two have taken center stage as they try to establish a solid row of dining and entertainment options on Pine. The first, on First and Pine, is The Federal. It inhabits the old Madison restaurant, keeping most of the luxurious interior. The decor doesn't fit with their desire to be a neighborhood bar; one says upscale eatery, the menu and the vibe sought says hipster hangout. The food is excellent, but in the four times I've been there the service has been so poor (and let's not talk about how we were literally puked upon before our lunch) that unless major changes are made in that department I simply can't recommend it. As for the Federal Underground, the bank vault that is now a venue run by the Knitting Factory folks, I recently attended a show from the band Karl there. Whiskey was $8 a shot for Jameson's and they tried to serve it to me in a dixie cup. When I asked for a rocks glass and they said plastic dixie cups only, I politely declined. It just seemed insulting to the whiskey and juvenile. Photo of Bo Beau by Andrew Jorgensen Luckily, right up the street is Bo-beau at 144 Pine Ave., Long Beach, CA. Like the Federal, it is not the only one. The Federal has one on Lankershim in the Hollywood area and Bo-beau is owned by Cohn Restaurants which run others in the San Diego area. Again, like the Federal, but with much better execution, Bo-Beau is two venues in one. Downstairs is a restaurant with a warm decor, welcoming fireplace, cozy surroundings. Upstairs is Roof Tap, a roof top space complete with ping-pong table, a long bar that serves as many variety of beers as it is long, seating overlooking Pine and tables for diners. There's a slightly different menu upstairs, and a slightly different vibe. Party upstairs, dine downstairs. Casual lunch or dinner upstairs, finer experience below. And again, like the Federal, I was first invited in as media and at both places those trips went swimmingly. And, like the Federal, I have since gone back to each place three or four times as a patron with friends; and that's where the comparison ends because all four times at Bo-beau have been extraordinary enjoyable evenings or afternoons, the now four return to the Federal or Federal Underground, not so much. And while I maintain the food at the Federal is good, some of it great even, I have grown partial to Chef Katherine Humphus creations at Bo-Beau. "I wasn't even supposed to be the Executive Chef when we first started," she laughed as she brought crispy Brussel sprouts out. "But when opening this restaurant the way it worked out they one day simply offered it to me and I said, 'Why not!'" she continued. Humphus trained in Paris and that experience permeates her dishes. She manages to mix Mediterranean flavors with the decadence of French cooking and has created a menu priced extremely comparatively for the area and quite reasonable for the food and experience. Over the course of a few experiences there favorites have become the Crispy Brussel Sprout appetizer, Almond Crusted Portabella or Heirloom Tomato + Burrata with duck fat crostini. The Burger Royale with Cheese is everything John Travolta could have hoped for in Pulp Fiction. The Corn + Crab chowder is a meal in and of itself (and yes, there's cream and butter), Pistachio crusted Salmon not to be missed and a flat bread with goat cheese and roasted beets is great for sharing. After dinner tea is served in proper cups, steeping pots, even proper sized spoons (a rarity in the U.S.) and a desert decision could take hours due to all the delights (they change, so ask). roof + tap Photo by Andrew Jorgensen The contrast in The Federal and Bo-beau is due in part to vision. There can be no doubt what James Stephenson, Operations Manager, and Michelle Sitic, General Manager along with Chef Humphus want the dining and social experience to be a Bo-Beau and roof + tap; great food, great atmosphere, reasonable price to value wrapped in excellent service and attention to detail. The Federal has all the ingredients for success; great food, a wonderful location with lots of possible uses but suffers an identity crisis and a service dilemma. In order for Pine to prosper and grow, and who doesn't want that for their city, it needs these anchors to survive and prosper as well. I predict Bo-beau will last for some time in the area so long as the economy holds at least where it is now but unless the Federal solves the service problems and other identity issues it could be in trouble in the years to come. To hear Karel get the Karel Cast App, subscribe in iTunes to the Podcast or simply go to the most incredible website on all the planet, save this one, iamkarel.com]]> Daughtry and Goo Goo Dolls Summer Tour: Rock Rolls at the Greek Theatre tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2014:/theblog//3.5614522 2014-07-23T11:51:11-04:00 2014-09-22T05:59:07-04:00 Charles Karel Bouley http://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-karel-bouley/ Daughtry with video background Photo: Karel In 1986, Chris Daughtry was seven-years-old when John Rzeznik and Robby Takac were releasing their first album as the Goo Goo Dolls; yet here he and his band were, co-headlining with the Goo Goo Dolls on a warm summer's night at Los Angeles' Griffith Park's outdoor venue, Nederlander's Greek Theatre. Adding to the multi-generational mix was the multi-platinum The Plain White T's getting the evening started. They formed in 1997, two years after the Goo Goo Dolls hit with "Name" and everything changed for them. The crowd was equally multi-generational, from late Boomers (those in their early 50s) to Hipsters in their 20s and 30s and even teens. The generational diversity of the bill made for an equally diverse crowd. But the music pulled it all together, and the evening delivered in spades. I would love to give The Plain White T's the review they deserve, but traffic from Long Beach, CA to the Greek was such that we arrived at 1915 (7:15 p.m.) . Daughtry had just taken the stage. The band was well in to their hit "It's Not Over" by the time we took our seats among the summer crowd of concertgoers. The pit was full of screaming fans, and sitting next to that energy made it easy to get lost in the show. The band, and Chris Daughtry himself, put on a rousing Pop/Rock performance. For those that came expecting the American Idol Daughtry forget about it; he has honed himself in to a full fledged Rock star, complete with a band of excellent musicians and rock solid songs that showcase his raw, often gritty vocals. It sounds like singing hurts him at times, and even he joked about it. "I always think I'm going to give myself an aneurysm when I sing that song," Daughtry laughed as he took a moment after belting out the song "Traitor" from the band's latest album Baptized. But with all the passion and power he packs in to each song, he may not be far off. He's in excellent physical shape these days, having toned up publicly, posting photos of his ripped stomach to social media earlier in the year. His wife sat onstage, watching on; like she has all along. He sang the new song "Wild Heart" to her, having written it for her. "She kicks ass," he told us before the number. The set was a mix of old and new, multi-media giant monitors with videos and other animations setting and changing the mood for each new song. The comic book look of the backgrounds enhanced Waiting for Superman and as night fell on Griffith Park the full effect of the light show took affect and it was easy to see that Daughtry is a full-fledged stadium band destined to be around as long as the act following them. Panoramic View of The Greek LA as Goo Goo Dolls take the stage. Photo: Karel During the break I ran in to Barbara Cane, VP & GM, BMI, West Coast and she was beaming. Daughtry is a BMI writer (as is half of the Goo Goo Dolls) and a talent she has championed from the beginning (like so many others). Daughtry has performed well with a string of hits and a new one brewing with "Battleships" and its infectious "boom ba boom boom ba boom boom boom hook," so there's a lot to be happy about this night. The acts at the Greek have to be done early because of the neighbors. When your house costs three-to-six million anything, you can make some rules. Daughtry finished their set at 2020 (8:20 p.m.) with the Goo Goo Dolls coming on shortly before 2100 (9 p.m.). Their set would last until 2230 (10:30 p.m.) and be the finely polished, big-stadium show one would expect from a band that's been together for the most part since 1985. I've never seen them, and don't own one of their records. Well, I do now after downloading greatest hits from the iTunes store on the way home. So, I did some history on the band before going. It helped. In the early days Robby Takac sang leads and it wasn't for several album that John Rzeznik became more of the lead vocalist. Takac's numbers have a different sound and feel, more Punk and Rock edged than the Pop hits Rzeznik's voice is so known. As they were about to sing "Name" Rzeznik reflected, "I still had a shitty day job, and then heard the song on the radio. I knew then two things, first, everyone that thought the band was cool because it was indy and underground and all that, suddenly wouldn't; and two, well, Fuck 'em," he laughed. Rzeznic at The Greek Photo: Daniel Charleston Rzeznik is 49, Takac will be 50 this September but one would never know. All the energy, all the verve, pomp and posturing one would expect at a major Rock show was here. Interactive light shows and multimedia backgrounds, rising staging, crazy guitar solos, lots of hair tossing, tattoos, so many guitar changes I lost count, no, The Goo Goo Dolls are at the top of their game and they didn't disappoint the crowd that was on their feet all night singing. And given the Rolling Stones are touring and Jagger is 70, the band has a long time left on the boards. And that was one of the coolest parts of the evening. With all that is going on in the world, outside the Greek amphitheater setting, all the worries going on, for a few hours, people were standing, singing, hugging, laughing, singing louder... people of all ages, from all income levels. Everyone was having a good time, seeing a favorite band; whether they came for the Plain White T's, Daughtry or the Goo Goo Dolls anyone that's listened to Top 40 Rock from present to the last 20 years or so wasn't disappointed. The bill delivered. The tour continues throughout the summer, for a list of cities go here. Greek Theatre LA concerts also continue through the summer. To hear Karel get the Karel Cast App, subscribe in iTunes to the Podcast or simply go to the most incredible website on all the planet, save this one, iamkarel.com]]> Once Tour at Pantages: The Dreamer, The Muse, The Music tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2014:/theblog//3.5606921 2014-07-21T15:32:36-04:00 2014-09-20T05:59:07-04:00 Charles Karel Bouley http://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-karel-bouley/ Stuart Ward and Dani de Waal from the ONCE Tour Company © Joan Marcus Dreams are fragile, living things; neglect them and they die, devote yourself to them and they exhaust and frustrate. Achieve them and they can bring great joy, but there is always, always a price. When the dream involves the arts, when the passion inside burns to make music, to sing, dance, write, paint, sculpt -- to create -- the road is especially perilous, the dream nearly impossible to obtain and when one does, never, ever is it what they imagined. I speak as both a working artist and someone who has spoken to every major working musician or artist over the past 30 years; a life in the arts can be the most rewarding and also an emotional and professional roller coaster ride. That's why so many give up. The dream just seems too big, the odds too long, the payoff too risky. At 20 I thought being successful meant hit records, movies, gallery sales or 200 radio stations. At 50 I know in the business of entertainment if you're working, able to survive and have some quality of life with no other "day jobs" you are a success. And artists cannot thrive without a muse of some kind, inspiration and they cannot flourish without support, an anchor. Just as Frida had her Diego, artists that find that supportive voice when they need it most are often the ones to go on. ONCE Tour Company © Joan Marcus The musical Once at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood (now through August 10th then continuing its mulit-state tour) examines those themes in a musical stage production that is small compared to today's standards and tours. There's not an enormous cast in front of 30 musicians in the pit, there's no real special effects, in fact, there's only one set. The dialogue isn't filler for the songs, it's, well, separate. Once is more a pub concert mixed with a behind-the-music episode. It works small because it tells a small story. You see everyone has dreams, everyone wants to be more, to achieve. And many give up those dreams for what is perceived as "reality;" get a recognized job, settle down, live a life, retire. It's universal. And in the arts, it's older than Shakespeare. It's a story that plays out every single day in Los Angeles or New York, Dublin, London, Mumbai, Cape Town, dreams fall by the wayside every day, many without so much as a whimper. But dreamers often meet someone that kick starts their passion. They find someone that believes in them so much that they would compromise their own dreams for theirs. Sometimes, it's a perfect stranger. Guy literally meets Girl in this play, as that's how we know them, in a pub. The pub where the entertainment begins before the play. Audience members are brought on stage, to have a pint and listen to Dublin pub music. I've heard it for years in Dublin, and this was the same spirit, the same verve. I recalled the broom dance we had performed for us in Portmagee, Ireland, by a 12 year old girl followed by singing, dancing, all by locals, all fabulous. The play's opening brought those memories back, meaning they truly capture the spirit of a pub (Public House, FYI). Guy is abandoning his guitar, his dreams, his hopes of a career. There's even a girl that's left Dublin for New York, one that he still pines over and writes songs about. Adele's bad breakup gave us the multi-platinum 21 album so breakups are great for songwriters. Girl walks in just as Guy is finishing his last song in public. She asks for more. He says no. Of course, she gets her way and passionate ballads and rousing celtic-sounding music springs forth from Guy and the other cast members. The pub changes with lighting for other scenes but the cast members all play and form the orchestra on the side of stage. This keeps the concert feel, the intimate pub feel, the behind-the-scenes approach. I loved the Irish setting, as I love the country and people of Ireland. Irish playwright & screenwriter Enda Walsh did the book for the play, music and lyrics by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova (who starred in the film) and the hit Falling Slowly will be familiar even to those who have never seen the movie or play. The handsome Stuart Ward as Guy and Dani DeWaal as Girl anchor the play and John Tiffany's direction keeps the numbers tight and the play moving swiftly, given it's two-plus our length. The ensemble is rock solid, each carving out a little niche for their dream, their passion along the way. Perhaps Once will remind Broadway producers that you don't have to spend $400 million on a production to bring in audiences and win acclaim. Maybe they'll remember that great singers and actors, a good book/story, engaging music and universal themes that resonate deeply with audience members is what good theatre, even and especially musical theatre, is all about in the first place. The play is based on the Academy Award-winning film of the same name. It has won 8 Tony Awards and the Cast Album won the 2013 Grammy for Best Cast Recording. It's innovation is in its simplicity; its appeal the universal themes of inspiration, of love, longing, the complexity of the human condition when dreams and passions are involved. To hear Karel get the Karel Cast App, subscribe in iTunes to the Podcast or simply go to the most incredible website on all the planet, save this one, iamkarel.com]]> Indian Looks to Reestablish Its Place as American-Made Choice tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2014:/theblog//3.5565300 2014-07-08T17:16:54-04:00 2014-09-07T05:59:06-04:00 Charles Karel Bouley http://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-karel-bouley/ But America's oldest motorcycle company, established in 1901, Indian Motorcycles, is re-entering the marketplace with three consumer motorcycles -- a relaunch and expansion of a brand steeped in America's history yet one that hasn't consistently produced motorcycles in decades. These bikes are cruisers, and given the company's recent marketing, it clearly has Harley Davidson's customers in its sights. "We want the consumer to know that there is a choice again when it comes to motorcycles made in America, with a history in the culture and nation," stated Robert Pandya, External Relations for Indian Motorcycles, while being interviewed for The Karel Cast. The company has gone through many incarnations since it's inception in 1901 in Springfield, Massachusetts. It soon became clear that there were two areas the bikes excelled: war and racing. By 1942, according to the History Channel, 40,000 Indian motorcycles were deployed in WW II. Returning veterans wanted the same power and bikes and riders began setting records on Indian motorcycles. So what happened? "After World War II, by the early 1950s," Pandya continued, "they couldn't sell enough bikes to continue consumer production. Over the next decades the company went through many things, some management issues, the economy, but the brand never left America's consciousness," he added. Many may know the brand from the film the World's Fastest Indian.. That film tells the story of Herbert "Burt" Munro, who in 1967 rode a 1920 self-modified Scout to an under-1000cc land-speed record at Bonneville Salt Flats. That record still stands. Another player, Polaris, has been servicing the military and consumers with American-made motorcycles under the Victory brand. These large cruisers and sporty 8-Ball line have been a growing success against rival Harley and others. It is with Polaris that Indian has aligned for its reintroduction. "Polaris is a parent company but Indian is treated as its own brand, independent," Pandya commented on the company's recent structure. "And made in the USA is still important to the company as a philosophy. Production takes place in the U.S. with the engines made in Osceola Wisconsin, and final assembly and paint are in Spirit Lake, Iowa," he added. Pandya is right about the Indian brand still being in the consciousness of America. I've experienced this first hand over the last few weeks as I've ridden the Indian Chief Classic as part of the media review program. In fact, I've ridden many review bikes, and few illicit the conversations, horn honks, waves, high-fives, photo requests and smiles this bike has received, save maybe the Piaggio MP3 (but it has three wheels and looks like no other bike). I was on the bike over the July 4th weekend in the coasts and canyons of Southern California and many thought the bike, myself and my passenger had been in a parade. Indian provided a jacket from their new apparel line for all the riding and twice while away from the bike the jacket prompted people to talk to me about the brand and their memories of it. That's powerful branding, but can the bikes deliver? Having ridden almost every line of cruisers, from the Kawasaki Vulcan Vaquero to the Victory Hammer S 8-Ball and at least six other manufacturers, I had some frame of reference for comparison. As I age (I'm 51) I find I like the comfort the larger cruisers provide for many rides and the speed and agility of a commuter bike like my Aprilia Mana 850 or the Honda CTX 700 at other times. Given that, the Indian Chief Classic truly is in a class of its own in style, performance and yes, cultural identity and history. I have not driven the other two models, the Indian Chief and the Chieftain; the primary difference is body style and bags. The Chief has leather bags and vintage feel while the Chieftain has the hard cases, windshield and other upgrades. The line starts at $19,000 and goes up to $23,000 plus optional accessories. That is very competitive for the performance and look. The mechanics of it are impressive. The Polaris Thunder Stroke 111 "is quite a power center," as Pandya put it. Indeed. With or without a passenger, flat terrain or mountains I have yet to reach a point after a few weeks of riding where there wasn't ample power, massive power, nearly unlimited power. With power comes fuel consumption. The 5.5 gallon tank is giving me about 200 miles, or 40 mpg. That's a mix of city and open road, since, if you have a show piece, it's hard not to go show it off. Show off is what this bike, from the reactions I've seen, seems to do best. The Indian Red attracts attention, the Dunlop American Elite 130 and 180 whitewalls add vintage touches and grip the road; of course, at 812 pounds and low center of gravity road-hugging is something it does well and the leather seats have ample room (trust me). The line comes in the Indian Red, Thunder Black and Springfield Blue, a node to the bike's birthplace. The keyless ignition and mix of electronics and vintage styling on the dash allows the rider to get alerts, check ABS, gear position and the cruise control is a pleasure I didn't know I missed until an eight hour drive to San Francisco, CA up Interstate 5 on the bike reminded me. Many cruisers now come with cruise control and it has its place. The more electronics on a bike the more leery I become; just more things to break down. This seems like a nice mix. A quick Google of the reintroduction and comments from owners would lead one to believe that this time Indian is on the path to continued production and longevity. From a marketing standpoint, they are going after branding with the three bikes and a contemporary and vintage clothing line for all consumers as well as a full line of gear for the riders. The gear keeps the vintage feel for many of the pieces, and incorporates the iconic logo in to other contemporary designs. Harley Davidson does well with brand expansion through merchandising and clothing and this line, while small, looks like it could expand and grow for the company as well. From the motorcycling standpoint, they aren't so much rebranding but reintroducing the brand and its American history, roots and continued connection. That's a strategy that has worked well for companies such as Harley Davidson, and the new line of cruisers from Indian are proving a formidable challenger to the hold Davidson has enjoyed in Indian's absence from the consumer marketplace. While a younger demographic is always the key to a company's longevity, there can be no doubt that middle-aged riders are also a target. After spending time with the bike, as one of those riders and possible buyers, I can say it is definitely a bike I would be hard pressed to resist giving myself for Christmas. In red, of course. Photos by Kenneth Erick For Use Exclusively with this Story Follow Indian Motorcycle on twitter @indianmotocycle (no "r") and visit their site. To hear Karel get the Karel Cast App, subscribe in iTunes to the Podcast or simply go to the most incredible website on all the planet, save this one, iamkarel.com]]> Jersey Boys: Forget the Film, See It On Stage tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2014:/theblog//3.5555389 2014-07-03T17:13:37-04:00 2014-09-02T05:59:05-04:00 Charles Karel Bouley http://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-karel-bouley/ OK, I didn't want to see Jersey Boys, the play or movie. It just seemed like something my mom would have loved, and since I don't have one Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons song in my music library, I thought, meh. Well, smack me on the forehead and call me an idiot. What a great play (the movie on the other-hand, meh). And that's why touring companies are so important. They bring theater, even plays that have already debuted and won their awards -- especially plays that have debuted and already won their awards--to the rest of the country and the world. Living in Los Angeles, if it's a musical, it's at the Pantages. But, I live in Long Beach, CA, outside of Los Angeles, in between it and Orange County. And Orange County has quite the venue in the Segerstrom Performing Arts Center. The area that was home to South Coast Repertory has grown in to a chic area of fine dining, theatre, music hall and world class stages. It is here the play calls home until July 13th when it moves on to San Jose, CA, Arizona and then back to yes, the Pantages in October. A complete tour schedule is at the show's website. The marvelous surprise of the play was not just how many of the songs I knew, but the diversity of the audience and how many songs they knew. The play breaks the third wall from the get-go (and it succeeds in doing so where the movie failed at it), with Nicolas Dromard's Tommy DeVito character reminding the audience that the song Oh What a Night was as popular 40 years after its release as it was then. "The play is the group's story, by far," he told me on my syndicated radio show, "but it's also four very individual stories. Tommy, who I play, sees it only one way: he created the band, nurtured the band, that there would be no band without him. My character never waivers, and I think he is pretty honest with everyone about who he is or was from the beginning," he stated. When I was a wee lad (ya, right) at Long Beach City College in theatre we had to do tech as part of the program. My semester for makeup the production was Roshomon. I had never heard of the the Akira Kurosawa film but soon became very familiar with the story. A robbery and murder takes place and some are killed. There's a trial, where the witnesses are called, even the ghosts of the dead. The premise of the film and play is that everyone is telling the truth--their truth--illustrating that the truth is relative to who you are and your perception of events. Jersey Boys illustrates that perfectly. In the late 1950s and then 1960s Devito did form the group with a very young Frankie Valli, Nick Massi and then Bob Gaudio (who had written "Short Shorts" as a one hit wonder and then was lamenting away at 17, Oy). The four went through many names and incarnations (18 of them) and just couldn't hit big. Then with the help of OVERTLY GAY, did I mention just how OVERTLY GAY they portray record producer Bob Crew, but with his help, the hits begin. The movie does the same FYI. Now, I am a stereotype. I'm so gay you could pass me at night sitting in a field in the dark with no moon in the fog and as you whiz by remark, "did we just pass a gay person?" That's how gay I am. And yet, even I'm not THAT gay. Barry Anderson does fine with the role and adds a small realness to it, but it's camp all the way for that part. Then again, each is an overblown portrayal, that's the nature of stage. Hayden Milanes plays Valli six shows a week and Shaun Taylor-Corbett (whom I saw) two performances a week. I can't imagine someone being better than Corbett, just different. Quinn VanAntwerp brings the true everyman feel to the play and we see it was he and Frankie that really wanted the success while minding the business. Dromard's Tommy drives the play and while the spotlight is on Valli there's a lot to be said for his driving force in real life, and Dromard's performance in the play. Quinn VanAntwerp's portrayal of Gaudio is spot-on, the level-headed one, the everyman. Adam Zelasko is perfect as the distractingly handsome Nick Massi, who one day left the group and never looked back. Marlanna Dunn as Valli's wife steals every scene she's in. Her wise-cracking fiery take on being the wife of a traveling singer is spot-on. The show is told from four points of view, no one saying the other's is wrong, but illustrating how we all see things as we must. But let's not pretend that this isn't just about the music, because it is. Yes, there's a lot more acting than in most musicals, and that's refreshing. Good acting, no less. But it's the music. And how on Earth did I know EVERY song. All of them. I simply didn't realize how engrained in American culture this group is. Prior to the Beatles, they were the most successful recording artists in America. They've sold over 100 million records. And Valli himself still performs, in fact, he is performing July 4th, 2014 for the PBS 4th of July Special at the White House. As the play says, he's the "energizer bunny" of music. At 80, he wont' quit. And why would he? The play is bringing the music back yet again. Fans young and old are getting a great night of theater and their story, being glamorized, has now been immortalized for stage and screen. They didn't end up close friends, but they ended up bonded as only that kind of experience can do. And while the personal relationships may have been fractured, their families may have suffered and paid a price, there can be no doubt these Jersey Boys are a true part of American musical history. The last time they were together on stage was their induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the original Four Seasons. But the play, and now movie, will keep them together forever. See the play at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts or on tour throughout the country. To hear Karel get the Karel Cast App, subscribe in iTunes to the Podcast or simply go to the most incredible website on all the planet, save this one, iamkarel.com]]> Snowpiercer: A Piercing Commentary on Modern Life Wrapped In Brilliant Sci-fi tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2014:/theblog//3.5553369 2014-07-02T20:41:45-04:00 2014-09-01T05:59:05-04:00 Charles Karel Bouley http://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-karel-bouley/ The Ensemble of Snowpiercer Thank the universe for the film Snowpiercer; finally, a dystopian sci-fi movie that someone can gush over, one that leaves a lasting effect and a certain dread in the viewer. Dread, because so much of it rings so true for today's times. The film is set in the not-to-distant future, and of course, mankind has ruined everything. Our cure for global warming goes horribly bad and freezes the planet. All that's left of humanity is on a giant train that circles all hemispheres and takes one year to do so. It runs perpetually, never stopping, always moving, for 18 years. "The train," as Ed Harris's "Wilford" character remarks, "is the world, and we are the humanity left in it..." The world as seen through filmmaker Bong Joon-Ho and what a visionary he is. Those that saw another of his features, The Host knew the filmmaker would only grow and with Snowpiercer he has made a near-perfect sci-fi thriller; one that is more human than fiction and more prediction than fiction. Chris Evans play the lead, the rebellious Curtis Everett. Jamie Bell is his partner in crime Edgar, and he delivers yet another strong performance. When is he going to be a star as big as Evans? He certainly deserves it. And it's so refreshing to see Chris Evans acting again and not just mugging for the camera or throwing around a shield. Because he is, after all, not just an excitedly gorgeous leading man; he's a talented actor. This movie lets him. The supporting ensemble is equally as talented. Octavia Spencer adds depth and realness to the film, proving again she's going to be a lasting force in Hollywood with solid film choices under her belt. Tilda Swinton authoritarian Mason character is one of the best crafted, scariest figureheads to represent the utopian side of dystopia. Her reasoning, her speeches, her logic is scary because the tone, the rhetoric, the very essence of it is being heard in the halls of Congress, amongst the one-percent, and behind closed doors where no one where hear. She unabashedly drones out the talking points of Wilford Industries and its benevolent leader, Wilfred, from whom all grace a life flows. Will someone please nominate this woman for an Oscar? Tilda Swinton, Snowpiercer Yes, a corporate leader has saved humanity and the corporation built the world in which humanity lives. The corporation is the world, the giver of life, and its leader, cherished like a God. Because in this world, the train, the engine, and Wilford are. The action sequences are so brilliant you can't turn away, even if you want to. In one particularly bloody confrontation right in the middle Evans and Bell move slowly through the carnage to classical music, a macabre ballet being played out, a dance of death and despair removed from all reality. Jamie Bell in another rock solid performance. The movie goes all Game of Thrones with plot twists and character's reaching untimely ends. Like GoT I won't spoil it, but know, like GoT, no one and nothing is sacred. If you think you can predict the ending, who everyone really is, and how they fit in, you'll be pleasantly surprised when you're wrong. As those from the back move towards the front, America, the world, is reflected in their faces. How can so many struggle and die in squaller at the back when people sip tea, have facials and dance in furs in nightclubs in the front. A particularly eerie scene takes place when in the middle of a revolution they stop for sushi. To hear Swinton (who really needs a supporting Oscar nod for this but sadly won't get it) rationalize why they only eat the sushi twice a year...I could hear the Koch Brother's and Boehner sitting around talking about the American poor in the same way in my head. The horror on the faces of those in the back and they wonder how these people can live oblivious to their suffering and then to hear them justify it all in the name of the greater good...again, more prediction than fiction. Snowpiercer is new to us, but it's not new. It was release in 2013 in South Korea and did relatively well. Critical acclaim has been across the board near-gushing, last check 97 percent on the tomato-meter. It's been given a limited release in the U.S., largely because the Wienstein Company, read Harvey, wanted to cut the ending and the director said no. So now, it will roll out in eight cities, and if it does well, they'll roll it out to more. Yet, everyone in my showing at the wonderfully redecorated Art Theatre in Long Beach, CA wasn't optimistic it would make it to the masses. It's not a film the one-percent want us to see. They'd rather us immerse ourselves in Tammy or the mega-expensive and utterly boring new Transformers film. Meanwhile, a film of substance, of depth, a film with great acting, incredible adventure, wonderful special effects and a very chilling premise will languish. Hopefully it will be discovered on streaming and DVD and be the classic it was meant to become. Forget the Hunger Games franchise, if you want to see a real piece of dystopian humanity, this is it. On a side note, at the Art Theater I got to sip wine before watching the show for $8.50 on a Sony 4k projection system with incredible sound. It's an old movie house that's been restored, and the possibly now the best place to see a film in Long Beach, CA. The film is from the French graphic novels Le Transperceneige. Bong allegedly read them at the counter in a store in Seoul while doing research for The Host. The journey for the film was as long and perilous as the train with its destination yet to be determined. If movie goers get a chance to see it, it could be proclaimed one of the best sci-fi films of the decade. The film is another vision of how society is heading quickly down a dangerous path that leads to a bleak future that doesn't end until there is almost complete annihilation and rebuilding from near scratch. Go Ah-sung's Yona's first steps in snow rival anything Sandra Bullock felt or expressed in Gravity once she reached terra-firma. It's a first breath from a child, the first steps of a toddler, an infant piece of humanity starting all over again. Whether we heed the warnings these stories and filmmakers are telling is yet to be seen. But one thing is for certain for any fans of sci-fi or those that like films that deal with real people and present unvarnished social commentaries, Snowpiercer is not to be missed. To hear Karel get the Karel Cast App, subscribe in iTunes to the Podcast or simply go to the most incredible website on all the planet, save this one, iamkarel.com]]> Streisand, Minnelli and Garland: Pop Icons, Gay History tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2014:/theblog//3.5535535 2014-06-26T22:11:29-04:00 2014-08-26T05:59:05-04:00 Charles Karel Bouley http://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-karel-bouley/ The gay dating app Jack'd took a survey during this season of Gay Pride (June is Gay Pride Month) about gay icons old and new. The current ones, people like Michael Sams, President Obama, Laverne Cox are not surprises. What was, and what actually set me aback, was the "icons that should be retired" question. Liza Minnelli, Barbra Streisand and Judy Garland came up as the answers. And not only did that hurt, but it just seemed wrong. You see, there may not be a modern gay pride movement if it weren't for one of the divas, and the other two have provided a respite, a shining light, for gay men and women around the world. First, the history. June 27th, 1969 was the funeral for Judy Garland. She died June 22, 1969. During her life, she had become a gay icon. While she herself was quoted as saying, "I sing for people, all people," when asked about her gay fans, there can be no doubt the gay community sustained her. The date is important, because that night, at the Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street in New York City several people had either been to the funeral, listened, mourned the death of their icon. And while historians have argued whether or not her death and funeral played any role in the start of the riots, people who were there, people like Sylvia Rivera, feel otherwise. "I guess Judy Garland's death just really helped us really hit the fan," she stated. Rivera was a GLBT activist and founder of the Gay Liberation Front and Gay Activists Alliance who passed away in 2002. So to hear modern-day gay men during Pride month speak of Garland and how she should be retired as an icon...Garland is part of Pride history; and always will be. Maybe it's hard for modern-day gays to imagine a time where speaking out for the community carried a large price. Perhaps, as these Jack'd users hop around from gay bar to gay bar it's hard to remember that The Stonewall Inn, where it all started, wasn't even a gay bar; because gay bars weren't allowed, by law. The Stonewall Inn was mob-owned and catered to all the outcasts; drag queens, gay men and butch women, prostitutes, drug abusers, there was safety in number for those on the outside. The bar, like so many others, allegedly made payments to keep the cops at bay; but, at times, that line was crossed. Perhaps they can't imagine a time when a woman, or a man, could be arrested for not wearing three items of clothing specific to their gender (as decided by the police officer) or a bartender or club could be shut down for letting two people of the same gender dance together. The Dark Ages? The 1960s. And 1970s, like June 24th, 1973 when the Upstairs Lounge in New Orleans burned and 32 people died after a MCC service. Reverend Bill Larson of the MCC clung to the bars of one window until he died, and his charred remains were visible to onlookers for hours afterwards. The news barely mentioned the GLBT issue and talk shows made light of it. It was allegedly started by a gay man who had "conversion hysteria." The aftermath was disgraceful. Speaking of aftermaths, on the morning June 28th, 1969 the drag queens and others in the Village of NYC couldn't have imagined that in a few short years after their uprising there would be GLBT organizations, safe places for the community in New York and other places and some 45 years later there would be world-wide festivals celebrating their uprising. And along the way, we continued to develop a culture and Garland, Minnelli and Streisand have been a part of the movement since there was one. Streisand has been a source of light for odd outcasts everywhere for almost six decades. An awkward teenager from a home where her father died and mother remarried a man that wasn't crazy about her; immense talent wrapped in a look that many found quirky. She was a perfectionist, a diva from the start, demanding the most of herself and those around her. She was and is an empowered woman, a strong woman in an industry that frowns upon them, still. GLBT community members could and can relate to her struggle, her life, her art. As a superstar, she has been a tireless advocate of GLBT rights. Her son, Jason Gould, lives an out, proud life. Streisand is a proud liberal, she reads Congressional briefs regularly, is involved in women's health and heart issues and has tried to foster understanding between people everywhere through music, film, art and knowledge. Her website still maintains "Truth Alerts" and editorials from Streisand about current affairs. She has lobbied for major progressive voices and has never shied away from the GLBT community. Minnelli was the survivor of the Garland legacy, along with sister Lorna Luft. She made movies like "Cabaret" that became GLBT (and the world's) classics. And like her mother and Streisand she has been an advocate for GLBT rights her entire life. So to see these three names come up on a list that gay men, from the gay community about what icons should be retired during Pride, and to see their replacements (Iggy Azalea, Solange Knowles, Tom Daley) well, the bar doesn't seem to be very high as to what makes an icon such. But more importantly, it speaks to how little today's GLBT community members, and, in particular gay men 18-35 who find themselves on Jack'd, know about our history, the history of gay culture in America, and how important these three women have been to it. And not just them: Midler, Ross, Cher, Brice, Tomlin and so many other actors, singers, artists that either started in, gained huge support from or meant a great deal to the GLBT community. And Garland in particular since her death and funeral occurred on the very eve of the start of the modern GLBT pride movement. Volumes have been written about why the gay community loves divas and icons, and certainly not every member of it does. And as times change, so will the names. But history will never change and Garland, Streisand and Minnelli are as much a part of gay history as they are pop culture of this century, the last, and future years. And while they may retire from performing, or have passed on, their place in that history not only should never change, but should never be forgotten, especially during the season of Pride. To hear Karel get the Karel Cast App, subscribe in iTunes to the Podcast or simply go to the most incredible website on all the planet, save this one, iamkarel.com CORRECTION: A previous version of this post identified Jack'd as a "gay sex app." The company describes its product as a "gay dating app." This post has been updated accordingly.]]> Teavolution USA: Tea Becomes a Green Economy in U.S. (VIDEO) tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2014:/theblog//3.5501469 2014-06-16T21:08:17-04:00 2014-08-16T05:59:04-04:00 Charles Karel Bouley http://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-karel-bouley/ other growing green economy, cannabis. And it may have been that very famous tea party in Boston (which John Adams aptly described as the Destruction of the Tea in Boston) in 1773 that allowed coffee to become the go-to hot beverage in the U.S. It is odd that for a country that started with descendants from Europe that we shunned tea for many years. But that is changing, and besides, tea was being served here in North America and what would become New York even before London. Both of these things were pointed out to me by authors Jane Pettigrew and Bruce Richardson, who were both signing their book A Social History of Tea at the World Tea and Healthy Beverage Expo in Long Beach, California, in May. Richardson, the Tea Master for the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museums admits the Boston Tea Party did play a role in our view of tea. "There is an interesting and very real story about the Boston Tea Party and the events leading up to it, and why it was seen as a sign of protest. And did that turn America off to tea? Well, yes and no. Remember, they were drinking tea 10 years before London in New Amsterdam, New York as we know it now," he stated on the expansive conference floor. "Yes, tea was here in the 1600s," Pettigrew added. "But remember geography plays a big part in why coffee and tea emerged in different places. The tea routes were not plagued with the strife the coffee routes were, so the tea flooded in to Europe once the routes were opened," she concluded. Tea has been used as currency, traded for opium and its health benefits have been heralded for thousands of years. In America almost 65% of tea consumed is iced tea and bags win the day when it comes to hot tea. But make no mistake -- it is big business. According to Global Industry Analysts, Inc (GIA) in San Jose, California, the global tea market for hot beverages is forecasted to reach $69.77 billion by 2015, with tea accounting for $29 billion of that. Market Research firm Mintel International forecasts tea sales growth of 50% between 2011 and 2016 and at the World Tea Expo in Las Vegas two years ago David De Candia, director of Tea at Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in Los Angeles, California, was on the Will Tea Ever Be As Big as Coffee? panel where the consensus was tea could trump coffee sales by the year 2017. No matter the numbers everyone agrees, tea is on the rise in the United States. The World Tea Expo 2014 had extraordinary attendance and interest with thousands of visitors and over 200 exhibitors. George Jage, President of WTE2014 agreed. "The fastest growing categories are ready to drinks, which are blowing through the roof. They are a great alternative to sugary drinks, and now you can get fresh tea, all types, in instant forms, fresh teas. Products like 'Tea of a Kind' where there's tea in the cap of a water bottle, so you make it right in your own water," he stated. As for the roll out of tea shops and stores in the United States, Jage was more than optimistic. "There's 25,000 coffee shops in the United States," he went on. "About 11,000 of those are owned by Starbucks. So you can say that Starbucks has about a 2.5 multiplier in the community. Starbucks just bought 'Teavana' and is looking at 300 stores, which right there means 750 new tea shops in those communities," he concluded. And thank the universe. As a tea lover I often have a to carry my own tea, tea kettle, cup, saucer, spoon...all of it to a restaurant if I want to get a decent cup. At #WTE2014 I found the Tea Pod which has cut down on what I need to bring, but still. Most restaurants think it's throw a bag in a coffee mug, put a slice of lemon and honey packet on a saucer and call it a day. NOT. Tea is ritual, it is time, it is refining tastes, both of tea, service wear, it's casual or formal, it's festive or quiet, it's invigorating or relaxing. And it's not that hard. So for everyone out there from restaurant owner to single person with roommates and everything in between, there's nothing a good cuppa' can't cure. Friends come together around tea, conversations spring up, life happens. So brew some. But please, learn how. The #WTE2014 proved tea is a true growth industry, one that is expanding, not contracting. And it is built around a beverage and a ritual that has been pleasing millions for thousands of years. And it's completely healthy, you could drink a gallon and not gain a pound. Devan Shah, creator and owner of International Tea Importers and Chado Tea Rooms summed it up best when he was awarded the Cha Jing Lifetime Award during the World Tea Awards at #WTE2014. "Tea, the most romantic of all beverages, has certainly come a long way in the United States," said Shah. "It has seen steady growth year-over-year for the last 15 years, and I am proud to be a part of that growth, and I am very grateful for this honor." Coming Up: Tea 101, How To Brew A Great Pot of Tea To hear Karel get the Karel Cast App, subscribe in iTunes to the Podcast or simply go to the most incredible website on all the planet, save this one, iamkarel.com]]>