Wednesday, May 29, 2019

Event: Morphmom Conference Seeks to Inspire and Empower Women: American Talk Show Host Sally Jesse Raphael Among Lineup of Power Women Speakers

Looking for a career change? Want to start a second chapter? Or perhaps do you just want to be in the company of some amazing women? Another exciting Morphmom Conference is coming on June 3rd, 2019. This time the location is Montclair State University in Montclair NJ. 

Toplining the conference this time will be the legendary Sally Jesse Raphael, a pioneer for women and for the talk show business. If you are too young to know her, she was a trailblazer for women, covering topics that were considered taboo as well as all the other topics of the day replete with her trademarked red glasses. (Everything old is new again, her glasses would be fashionable in 2019). Another recognizable face is Mary Guiliani, caterer to the stars, who has been hitting the talk shows as of late with her new book Tiny Hot Dogs: A Memoir in Small Bites. See below for complete list of speakers.

Friday, May 17, 2019

Movie Review of Poms - A Star-studded Film with Diane Keaton, Rhea Pearlman and more, but is it Something we can Cheer about?

Review of  Poms the Movie by Beth Abramson Brier

Gimme a “P”!  What is it about cheerleaders? With all due respect to my youngest sister who was co-captain of her high school squad, is there any other symbol of high school more dreaded than pom poms? And yet I had high hopes for some good laughs and sheer fun when I purchased my ticket to see the latest Diane Keaton movie, Poms.

In this “women of a certain age” movie, a rather gaunt Keaton plays Martha, a former teacher with seemingly no family who suddenly moves to a retirement* community in Georgia to wait out her final months of ovarian cancer. Not an auspicious start for a comedy.


Unable to fit in with her pastel clad cohorts, Martha’s new neighbor Sheryl (Jacki Weaver) convinces Martha to live out her unfulfilled teenage dream and form a cheerleading club right there in their gated community. And, of course, like any self- respecting cheer team, they hold tryouts. Watching Alice (Rhea Perlman) audition I could only cringe in horror thinking “OMG! Is that what I look like in Zumba class???” I nearly cracked a smile when Olive (Pam Grier) shimmied her way onto the roster. But I didn’t outright laugh until Sheryl responds to a mean girl cheerleader’s “break a hip” jab with “get pregnant”! Aren’t writers brilliant?! (Did I mention this takes place in Georgia?)

Friday, May 10, 2019

Interview: Lauren Karaman of Project Runway and the Project #MorethanMeasurements Talks about Body Positivity, Loving What you Are and Living in the Now


Lauren Karaman    Credit: Don Nixon
Interview by Suzanne Ordas Curry

My first question is what is up with this crazy world? Why is someone your size considered big? 
Lauren Karaman: Ugh! This world is crazy! It’s extremely frustrating to live in a society obsessed with categorizing and ranking bodies. It's like the fashion industry created a false 1-10 hotness scale we all must magically abide by!!

For what feels like forever the fashion industry has functioned like an exclusive club, granting entry only if you fit their very specific physical requirements. For females that's: Height: 5’9- 6' and Weight: 110 to 130 pounds, from minimum to maximum height respectively. Any woman above that weight limit, or above a size 0-4, is considered 'big' in the industry.  News flash, by those standards, the majority of the women in the world are big, so why are we hiding them? 

Despite the rise of the plus size fashion industry and visibility of curvy models, there is still a lot of stigma around the word ‘big.’ Though ‘big’ and 'plus' have been used as a bad words, they are not. Though plus size models have been an afterthought, we are not. The fashion industry has marginalized plus size women, yet we are the majority. The “plus” qualifier in front of my title is not a negative, it’s a term of pride. It’s for everyone who has worked for more visibility in this industry, and for everyone who has refused to be invisible.

Tuesday, May 7, 2019

It's A Wrap! Ridgewood Guild International Film Festival Announces 2019 Festival Award Winners + View Exclusive Photo Gallery


(Press Release) The 9th Annual Ridgewood Guild International Film Festival ended with an after party attended by hundreds at the beautiful Felina's Restaurant in downtwon Ridgewood NJ. On hand for the festivities in the restaurant and on the Red Carpet were the cast and crew from the movie Hollywould, including Academy and Golden Globe award nominee Eric Roberts, Torrei Hart and Peter Postiglione as well as dozens of young and seasoned filmmakers who had their films premiere or screen at the festival. The signature cocktails of the evening were 'the Critics Choice and "Hollywould." The crowded party went on way past midnight. It was a perfect way to wrap up this film festival which continued it's mission to showcase young, local talent and up and coming indie filmmakers from here and around the world.

This year, the Ridgewood Guild International Film Festival was proud to bestow the following filmmakers with these awards:

Special Awards:

For Your Invaluable Contribution to Film  - Actor  Eric Roberts