Variety and Lifetime Present LA Power of Women Awards: Oprah, Anna Kendrick, Salma Hayek, Gwyneth Paltrow and Susan Sojcicki To Speak on Their Causes

Ophrah Winfrey to receive award
for her work educating girls.
photo facebook

Variety Magazine has announced the inspiring females it will honor at it's Power Of Women luncheon on October 8th at the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons. This year's honorees are all astounding women in entertainment who will be receiving this award not just for their careers but for the charitable efforts they have made to make a difference in this world.

The awards are a bicoastal tradition for 7 years. This year's West Coast honorees are Anna Kendrick, Salma Hayek Pinault, Oprah Winfrey, Gwyneth Paltrow and YouTube CEO Susan Sojcicki. Earlier this year, the NY Lifetime of Impact honorees were Glenn Close, Lena Dunham, Whoopi Goldberg, Rachel Weisz and Kim Kardashian West.

Welcome to the Second Annual Miami Webfest: Where New Media Producers Mix, Mingle and Promote Their Projects - September 25th - October 4th with Martha Byrne as Celebrity Guest Host

What is the Miami Webfest? by Suzanne Ordas Curry

The world of content is changing daily. It's not just broadcast TV anymore, it's seems like there's a new content distribution platform surfacing every few months. This means opportunity- and competition for content producers.

The 2nd Annual Miami Web Series Festival is one of the few but growing showcases of new media.  According to the Brian Thompson, Executive Director Miami Web Series Festival, the event is "designed to

Music App Review: SPEAZIE - Easy To Use, Innovative and Free

Speazie is a free music app  for both Iphone
and Ipad from the Itunes App Store.

                                                       By Shane Curry

The app is called Speazie (speaker + easy?).

This new app is conducive to collaboration between artists and there is a great built in audio player. It is a great platform for collaboration between hip hop producers and rappers. Producers can post their beats, and if the rapper stumbles upon it and like the beat they can record a rap over the beat right from their phone, and this can be done with any beat that is posted whether it be acoustic, hip hop, electronic etc. 

Recording is a breeze with the app, it even has a nice user interface with a graphic of a microphone and a background of a vocal booth/studio. The app is very easy to use and took me about 10 minutes to get the hang of. It is similar to other social networks in that you can follow an artist, and like or comment on specific tracks. 

Seeing President Jimmy Carter: A Full House to Get Copies of His Book "A Full Life" Signed in NJ

President Carter in Ridgewood, NJ signs copies of his book, A Full Life, Reflections at Ninety.  Photos: Ian Curry

The local bookstore, Bookends, in a picturesque suburb of  New York City, Ridgewood, NJ is frequently a pit stop for many a famous author, including celebrities, reality stars, athletes, musicians and rock stars. For someone interested in politics like myself, former leaders of the free world are my rock stars.

When I got the email about two months prior to the date that President Jimmy Carter was coming to the store to sign copies of his book, "A Full Life, Reflections at Ninety", I bought my book and invited my son. Being 90, in the back of my head, I thought, I hope nothing happens to him so we get to see him.

From Midtown to Wall Street: Screenwriter Amy Fox Takes on The World of Investment Banking in Broad Street Pictures New Film, Equity

Screenwriter Amy Fox talks about her new movie, Equity

Interview: New York City's Amy Fox Pens New Script "Equity" for Broad Street Pictures About Women Bankers On Wall Street, Discusses How Interviews with Women She Knew Influenced Story and How Hollywood Needs More Women

"I literally Googled, What is a stock?" - Amy Fox

Amy Fox’s screenplay, Heights, based on her original play, was made into a major motion picture starring Glenn Close, Elizabeth Banks and James Marsden when she was in her early twenties. It was one of those rare success stories, and really, dream, of any aspiring writer:  write a play, watch it come alive on a stage, have it reviewed by the New York Times and then have a producer call you up to write a screenplay. Yes, this was Amy's story and her dream, so she started her resume listing a movie produced by Merchant Ivory Productions with an Academy Award-nominated/Emmy-winning actress in it.

Heights is the story of five people, working in the arts in New York City whose lives all intermingle. The movie peeks into their lives for 24 hours. Roger Ebert had praise for the movie saying, "Apart from the movie's mysteries and revelations, its chief pleasure comes through simple voyeurism. It is entertaining to see the lives of complex people become brutally simple all of a sudden."

Martha Byrne's Talks about Her New Show "Weight" and Weight Issues to Michael Logan of TVInsider: "Age Changes Everything"

Martha Byrne's new series examines the absurd side of
life after a reality show           Photo Suzanne Ordas Curry

In this candid interview, Emmy Winner Martha Byrne, most famous for her role as Lily Snyder on the long-running soap As The World Turns, talks about what she is doing post-soap with her new series Weight. The pilot will premiere online August 2, 2015 at 8pm EST at www.WeightheSeries.com. The comedy focuses on a suburban  mom who lost weight on a reality show and has to keep it off in real life, without the coach, without the prepared food and with cupcakes and cookies filling the cupboards.

Martha says, "I am Claire" referring to her character, and her life, in which she always had to watch her weight because in taping a soap she was on screen every day. TV Insider's Michael Logan gives the full scoop here: 
 http://www.tvinsider.com/article/29810/as-the-world-turns-alum-martha-byrne-throws-her-weight-around-with-new-online-series/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=tvi

Martha Byrne, Daryn Strauss and Frederick King Keller Set Release Date for Scripted Reality Weight Loss Pilot Weight, Episode To Appear Online August 2nd at www.Weighttheseries.com

Emmy Winner Martha Byrne plays suburban mom Claire

Weight, a new comedy series about life after extreme reality TV weight loss from internet phenom and Writers Guild Award nominee Daryn Strauss and starring three-time Emmy Winner Martha Byrne, will premiere its first episode on Sunday, August 2nd, at 8 PM EST at www.weighttheseries.com.

Viewers can join the "Virtual Release Party" with Byrne, cast, and special guests by using the hashtag #weightcrazy on Twitter and by following @weighttheseries, starting at 7 PM EST, August 2nd.

Weight follows Claire, a middle class mom (played by Byrne) who returns home from a reality weight loss competition 100 pounds lighter but finds she’s gained some extra baggage due to the complicated reactions of her dysfunctional family and friends. Byrne, a mother of three, has first-hand experience dealing with the expectations of Hollywood and the absurdities of life on camera, making Claire's struggles balancing mommyhood and reality show fame/infamy believable, funny, and relatable.

The series also stars Allison Smith, best known as Mallory O’Brien on The West Wing and Jane Curtin’s daughter Jennie on Kate & Allie, Bradley White, most recently seen on ABC’s Revenge and Showtime’s Masters of Sex, Peyton Ella, who made her TV debut as the youngest Von Trapp in The Sound of Music Live with Carrie Underwood on NBC, and Kate West, daughter of three-time Emmy Winner Maura West and Scott DeFreitas, with special guest stars Trent Dawson (As The World Turns, Homeland), Dee Freeman (The Hughleys), and Maitely Weismann (Masters of Sex).

Review: Sharknado 3: It's Out of This World and My Predictions for Sharknado 4

If you didn't say "huh?", or what? or "you've got to be kidding me!" you were not watching Sharknado 3.

Sharknado 3, I dare say, left its fans wanting more. Sharks in space, births in bellies, limbs in limbo, this movie's mundane was a normal person's outrageous. So many twitter fans in agreement wondering about just exactly what these wacky, wonderful writers were on when they wrote their weird and wild words.

Nothing was too stupid or ridiculous to show. Science and logic went out the broken windows that the Sharknados caused. I don't think the writers ever threw out an idea on the basis of "but that could never happen.". Rather, that was their goal.

I didn't care about all the product plugs for Comcast, I rather enjoyed the familiarity of Universal Studios. I liked the attempt to bring plausible explanations to the ridiculous. I liked the character development and the Walking Dead van.

And I especially enjoyed watching the actors saying their lines with a straight face, not just the main characters but all those recognizable personalities than joined in on the fun

Then again, they are walking straight to the bank with this franchise.

It  left me wanting more, and dreaming (rather I say, hallucinating) of what comes next. So, based on the absurdity of Sharknado 3, here are my predictions for Sharknado 4. And I am assuming #Aprillives.

1. David Hasselhoff survives on the moon because dead sharks fall there and he survives on shark sushi. He invents some new dishes calling it "Shushi".

2. Frankie Muniz survives. David finds his head and middle (sorry, had to do that) because he hears screams from a shark that fell from the sky. He fashions him a pair of legs out of the landing gear.

Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Lawrence, Katherine Heigl, Melissa McCarthy and More: Ladies Leading the Way in 2015 Movies

Photo Courtesy Facebook

I love getting my feeds on what's coming out and what's starting production. As of late I am most excited about the new Garry Marshall film, Mother's Day. Being a huge fan of Love Actually, Valentine's Day, and New Year's Eve (the latter two both being by Marshall), I like these ensemble movies with intertwining stories. A And I like Garry Marshall, he was one of the first to put two ladies together as the lead in a sitcom.

Hopefully this movie will be like the others, little bit of sadness, little bit of comedy and heartwarming. Mother's Day is set to star Julia Roberts, Jennifer Aniston, Kate Hudson and Jason Sudeikus. For more on this visit:
http://deadline.com/2015/06/julia-roberts-jennifer-aniston-kate-hudson-jason-sudeikis-mothers-day-garry-marshall-1201465357/

View: Female Leads in Recent Films: Is Hollywood Changing Direction in 2015?

Are we there yet? Here's a look at a few famous films featuring female leads. Are we getting closer to accurate depictions? 
Written by Susannah Patience.

Courtesy Facebook

            Films with strong female leads are few and hard to find. While we don’t realize this when sitting in a comfy chair with a bag of buttery popcorn at the theater, we should take a step back and take notice when women are given the opportunity to be center stage. Movies that represent real women, like our mothers, our aunts, our sisters or our friends, make me respect the industry even more. It’s the idea of empowerment and admiration for these relatable characters that draws the audience in. While it would be utterly impossible to name every great movie with fabulous females, I’ve complied a select few, which I think, serve women justice.

      

Courtesy Facebook

The Help is one of my all time favorite movies. Set in Jackson, Mississippi in 1963, Skeeter, the main character, returns home from college. A passionate writer searching for her niche, she decides to secretly interview black women who are employed by wealthy southern families during this time. This terrific cast features Emma Stone, Octavia Spencer and Viola Davis who all come together to stand up for something they believe in. Together, they form an unbreakable bond as they defy racial boundaries, expose racism and inspire those to face the changing times head on.

           

            The Hunger Games trilogy has taken

Review: Pixar's Inside Out - Portrayal of Females off the Mark, But Overall Message Perfect for Kids

Inside Out, another Pixar hit, features the voices of
Mindy Kaling, Bill Hader, Amy Poehler and Phyllis Smith.
Photo Courtesey Facebook

                                                    By Di's Dish
Spoiler alert! I took my 11 year old son to see this movie and although it is getting rave reviews, I found some of it to be disappointing. Let’s start with the positives.

Yes this film is inventive and creative with a wide range of likeable characters. The absence of a “bad or evil character” was refreshing. In its place, as my son pointed out, was a problem that needed to be solved. It’s a thinking movie, which makes sense since it is a story about an 11 year old girl’s (Riley) emotions. The animated short (shown immediately prior to Inside Out), Lava, was sweet, charming and gorgeous. It’s a perfect addition to the brilliant Pixar catalogue. View trailer here:

Top Ten Things You Won't See Breaking Bad's Anna Gunn Do in Her New Role as Naomi in Broad Street Pictures New Flick Equity

Anna says goodbye to Skylar and hubby Walter and hello to
Naomi in Broad Street Pictures' new movie Equity
Photo Courtesy Facebook

Anna Gunn's been cast in a new movie by Broad Street Pictures called Equity. Produced by Alysia Reiner (Orange is the New Black) and Sarah Megan Thomas (Backwards Movie), Equity follows a senior investment banker (Naomi Bishop, played by Ms.Gunn) who is threatened a financial scandal and must untangle a web of corruption. The movie is in pre-production now, but sources say we're going to see another side to this talented actress.


Here's our TOP TEN list of things you'll NEVER see Naomi do in Equity.

1.  Walk into a pool.
2.  Make breakfast every morning.
3.  Cry a lot.
4.  Set foot in a 1991 Jeep Wrangler.
5.  Work at a car wash.
6.  Talk to people in a crawl space.
7.  Look for pizza on a roof.
8.  Have paneling in her apartment.
9.  Annoy everyone.
10. Let stress get her down.  

Naomi's stress is a whole new level over Skylar's... stay tuned to see just how she'll react in Equity.

Broad Street Pictures/Alysia Reiner & Sarah Megan Thomas' Movie Equity in Pre Production: Breaking Bad's Anna Gunn to Play Lead, Meera Menon to Direct

Alysia Reiner and Sarah Megan Thomas
are gearing up for Equity
Photo Courtesy Broad Street Productions

Alysia Reiner (Orange is the New Black) and Sarah Megan Thomas (Backwards Movie) are two very busy ladies theses days. Having launched the movie production company Broad Street Pictures, they are currently in pre-production for their first movie, Equity.

Equity is the first movie that features women who work on the very competitive and cutthroat Wall Street and the lives they lead.  It's loosely based on a book but written with the input of major female NYC bankers. Move over Charlie Sheen "Noami's" come to town.

Pre Production

Pre-production is the very hectic and important time when a movie gets planned out,  Sarah and Alysia are busy casting all the roles, scouting and confirming locations for all the shoots, working with the director on the vision and storyboards, updating investors, lining up the production team including housing, tweaking the script and fitting in press interviews. Every day counts during this period because time is money once production starts. Productions begins mid-July in Philadelphia and New York City.

Meera Menon to direct Equity
Photo Courtesy Broad Street Pics

This flick is made by two dynamic chicks, and lots of other females are involved. That's one of the premises of Broad Street Pictures, to produce pictures with strong females roles in front of the camera and behind. They've got Meera Menon as the director. She was named one of the Top 35 Under 35 Running Hollywood by Glamour Magazine.  The screenwriter is award-winning Amy Fox (Heights Movie) who worked closely on the script with Sarah and Alysia, Interviews were conducted with female investment bankers to insure authenticity.

A Delectable Combination: Candy, A Good Story and Soap Stars Will Put Winterthorne on Your Must See List

The new cast poster for Winterthorne

You had me at Candy.

There's only so many hours in the day, and only so many hours in the day to watch TV. Although I am an avid fan of TV and soaps for decades, I find it very hard to keep up with all that I want to watch.

As I work in entertainment and know a lot of people with online soaps, it is hard to watch all of them
consistently as much as I would like to. But Winterthorne, well I am making time for this one.

The trailer, that just came out, was amazing and left me wanting for more. Professional, colorful, interesting, a bit exotic and wicked, peppered with popular people from soaps and TV, this is an online series  I am putting on my viewing list.

Martha Madison 

The show centers around a candy empire run by lead actress Martha Madison (Days of Our Lives, The Bay) who plays Miranda Winterthorne. Recently joining the cast is another Days Belle actress, Kirsten Storms (GH, Days of our Lives) who will play her younger sister Selene, who after an absence from the business comes back to make some changes. I can only guess that the changes will be more than whether or not the chocolate flows or cascades over the caramel, so expect some stormy situations that may not be so sweet. Here's the trailer:

http://www.winterthorne.com/#!trailer/c14lh

Ode to Dave Letterman: You Didn't Just Affect Comedians You Affected Your Fans Too

The Ed Sullivan Theater, Spring 2015, I knew this
marquee would be gone soon enough.

Lots of personalities on TV the past week or so have been talking about how much weatherman turned late-night talk show host David Letterman had an effect on their lives. Jimmy Kimmel tearfully explained how he got his job after being seen on Dave's show. Kathy Lee Gifford said that hosting the Late Show in Dave's absence is what made her decide to move on from Live with Regis. It seems all the late night talk shows are paying homage to what is the king of late night for a generation of boomers.

From a regular person's viewpoint, I recall watching Letterman when I was in my 20's while I working at a big PR firm in the Big Apple. I had to get up really early to catch the train, but I stayed up to watch Dave at 12:35. This means that I got to work late almost every day. 

But I needed to watch Dave. He did stupid things on his show and he made me laugh. And there is nothing better after a long stressful day in a concrete jungle, or anywhere, than falling asleep laughing.

Review: Di Dishes on Broadway's Finding Neverland - Is it Worth Finding or Never to Be Seen?

Find it at the Lunt-Fontanne Theater, Photo Courtesy Facebookn

BY DI's DISH

If you’re looking for something to do with the entire family, head to the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre for Finding Neverland. 

New Primetime Schedules Out for Summer 2015 and Fall 2015

The maids are back to their old tricks on June 1st.
Photo Courtesy Facebook

The upfronts in New York City are over, with networks vying for ad dollars, and the new schedules are out. In case you are planning your TV watching nights, or what to watch on the DVR or on demand, here's a good rundown of what nights  you can find what.

Vote on Facebook With a Few Clicks and Help Bergen County's Children in Foster Care: State Farm Neighborhood Assist Program will Provide $25K to Top Vote Getters

There's an easy way to help Bergen County foster children get some help. And all you have to do is click a button every day until June 3rd. Here's the link:

Young Talent: NJ's YouTube Fave Josh Pirog Takes a Rollercoaster Ride up to New Heights with New Ballad: Thinkin' Bout You

          

   It's always exciting to hear new talent. Sometimes, it's someone you know. You watch that person grow up and then you just get amazed by what you hear. Josh is a bit of a Youtube sensation, A senior at  Mahwah High School in NJ, he's got  almost 30,000 views on an original song he made when he was 15. Now that he's 18, he's got a new ballad out, a poppy, yet soulful song that could rival anything you hear from Ed Sheeran, who just happens to be one of Josh's faves. I just love this new song, Thinkin' Bout You. Josh first caught my eye when he was just a young lad with his original song RollercoaSTer now with tens of thousands of hits. It touches

Spring Cleaning at the Major Networks: What's In and What's Out for Fall 2015

Courtesy Facebook

Spring cleaning time is here at the major networks, making room for new fall shows being picked up at the Upfronts in NYC.

Some surprises and some predictability as well. How did your favorites fare?

As far as comedies go, the hot lineup on ABC Wednesday night has been renewed, though I hear The Middle's Axel is headed to another network so not sure how that will play out. Cristella is cancelled, that show had promise. Maybe Cristella has found a home on

Glee Final Season Final Episode Part 2 Recap: Dreams Come True

This is a recap for the second part of the final episode of the final season- and what a way to end.    By Di's Dish

It’s the present day, and the Glee club is at Nationals.  As Will prepares himself for the judges’ decisions, he recalls his time as a student at Nationals.  His beloved coach, Lillian Adler, said that Glee is not about competition, but about something deeper - opening yourself up to joy.  Joy abounds when the New Directions wins the 2015 Nationals Championship! 

Bergen County CASA for Children Holds Casino Night April 30th in NJ: Actress Martha Byrne To Present Award - Tix Still Available

Have some fun and benefit children in foster care at the same time! CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) for Children of Bergen County is holding its 10th Annual Event: Casino Night: Bet on the Children on April 30th from 6:30pm - 10:30pm at Seasons, 644 Pascack Road in Washington Township, NJ.  Tickets are $125. Included in the ticket price are a wide array of hors d’oeuvres, food stations and desserts, open bar and $100 in casino play money. There will also be a basket raffle, silent auction and other games in addition to exciting casino-style play

Comedians in a Jersey Diner Drinking Joe: Seinfeld Interviews Stephen Colbert on His Home Turf

Seinfeld loves his java
Photo courtesy Facebook

What's better than a NJ Diner? A NJ diner with Seinfeld and Colbert in it.

World's were collidin' as the Colbert of everyday comedy met the Seinfeld of political humor.

The two were spotted recently at the Bluestone Coffee Company, 123 Watchung Avenue in Montclair. It didn't take long for this sighting of these two comedic giants to spark a whirlwind on social media.

Seinfeld was interviewing Colbert, a resident of Montclair, who is the Late Show's new replacement for retiring legend David Letterman. Seinfeld has a webseries called "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee". For Seinfeld fans it's a rather funny series, or shall I say that if you are a Seinfeld fan of course you will love it. Other figures he has interviewed on the Internet include Larry David, Tina Fey, Louis CK, Kevin Hart, Jimmy Fallon, Amy Schumer, Miranda Sings, and the list goes on.

Glee Final Season Recap: Part 1 of Final Episode 2009: Dreams Come True

Glee – 2009: Dreams Come True

by Di's Dish

The series finale of Glee hit all the right notes!  In a brilliant move, the show’s creators went back to the beginning – to the Pilot, that is.  For the first hour of the finale, they created new scenes, which were woven around old storylines.  Some of 

The Sharks Invade the Tri-State Area: Auditions for Shark Tank Now Taking Place in NYC and NJ

Photo: Facebook

The Sharks of SHARK TANK have invaded NY and NJ! Today in NYC ABC's hit business show where wanna-be millionaires and inventors come and pitch their business ideas to a panel of real millionaires and inventors is doing an open casting call in NYC. Pitches are one minute long. For info visit:
http://abc.go.com/shows/shark-tank/open-call

Jersey's Jax Just Keeps Moving Along on American Idol: The Dress, Bon Jovi, What will this Jersey Girl Do Next?

East Brunswick's 18 year-old incredibly talented musician Jax delivered another consistent performance on American Idol as part of the Top 9 this week.

With reviews from the judges such as "intrigue kept you here" and "the tone of your voice is so great, that's what I like about you" this JerseyGirl who looked a bit like Debra Harry on 80's night will see if she moves on soon enough.Though all performances and performances have their nuances, Jax has demonstrated she belongs where she is.

Jax commented back to them, "There's so much inside of me that I want to let out".

Jonathan Cheban to Appear at 201 Magazine Style and Beauty Party- Makes for a Great Girls Night Out

This is a fun event and makes for a great girl's night out. Tickets are still available. Lot of great vendors with free samples and services.

Glee Recap with Commentary: We Built This Glee Club - Episode Recap Before Final Episode

Glee – “We Built This Glee Club”  By Di's Dish

Since Dalton Academy burned to the ground, the New Directions Glee club is a mixture of McKinley High students and Warblers, with the Superintendent’s precocious nephew Myron thrown in for good measure.    Sue was fired from her post as MHS principal and has become Vocal Adrenaline’s coach.  Tension abounds at Glee club practice when the Warblers point out the weaker members of New Directions (Roderick and Spencer for their lack of dance skills) and criticize the choreography as outdated.

Westwood NJ's 6th Annual Green Screen: Must-See Movies About our Precious Planet Earth March 19th-25th

                                                                   By Suzanne Ordas Curry
Here's a film festival with a purpose, inform and educate in an entertaining with movies and documentaries by well known directors and producers, and even include a video produced by a Girl Scout Troup from nearby Teaneck. Westwood, NJ's Sixth Annual Green Screen Film Festival starts March 19th. The

Now What? New TV Show about Mid-Life Women by Caytha Jentis Kicks off Production with "Spring Break" Party in NYC Hosted by Rachael Robbins March 26: Calling All Fun Ladies and Gentlemen!

Writer/Director Caytha Jentis of NJ, off the heels of her latest successful  movie, Bad Parents (now available on Netflix) is taking on a new venture, a TV show about a four women friends going through mid-life. Consider this new show, which is in pre-production, a version of Sex And The City plus a few decades. More grey hair, less estrogen and the I don't care attitude of any women that's made it to mid-life and still kept some friends.

To kick off production, Caytha thinks it shouldn't be the kids having all the fun this spring break and so she is having a Spring Break Party of her own for dare I say - older folks - on March 26th from 6:00pm to 9:00pm at The Slipper Room in NYC. Admission is $20, which will help to defray production costs. No RSVP is needed.

Support Local Movie Theaters: Cinderella Opens at Ramsey Theater with Special Appearance by the Lady Herself

For the opening of Cinderella, the Ramsey Theater on beautiful Main Street in Ramsey will have a special appearance by a "Cinderella", who will be watching the movie with the audience for all shows at 1:30pm, 2pm, 4:15pm and 4:45pm.

In  its late night showing pre-opening Disney's live-action Cinderella has already grossed more than  2.3 million at the box office Thursday and reports are at 22.5 million for first Friday. Will this movie be another blockbuster for Disney? Will there be more Cinderella's at Halloween this year than Anna's and Elsa's?

Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin, Moody Blues Coming to NJPAC

Natural Woman Aretha Franklin  comes to NJ Pac

R E S P E C T !!! Queen of Soul, the legendary Aretha Franklin graces the stage at NJPac on March 14, tickets still available.

St. Jude Angels For Hope Fundraiser at Rockleigh Country Club March 27, 2015, Martha Byrne To Host

Enjoy a night of fine food, music, dancing, cocktails at the St. Jude Angel's For Hope Fundraiser for St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital on Friday, March 27, 2015 at the Rockleigh Country Club, 26 Paris Avenue in Rockleigh, NJ from 7 pm to midnight.

Get Slimed at Garden State Plaza March 8th and See How You Can Meet Nick Personalities Benjamin Flores Jr. and Kira Korsarin

Photo from Facebook

Want to get slimed? Have some fun and visit the Macy's Court at Garden State Plaza (Westfield) Saturday, March 7th from 12pm to 5pm for a chance to meet two personalities

Second Annual Celebrity Wine and Food Show Slated for March 22 at Clinton Inn, Lori Stokes and Food Network's Chopped Chefs to Appear: Proceeds Benefit Giants of Generosity

ABC New Anchor Lori Stokes has the tasty
job of being a celebrity judge.

The Clinton Inn will be the backdrop the Second Annual Celebrity Food and Wine Show, an exciting afternoon of tasting and  friendly competition to help local people in desperate need. The Giants of Generosity, a non-profit that provides  assistance to needy people in the New Jersey area, will be the beneficiary of the day's festivities. Tickets are $65 each for the event which runs from 1:00pm to 4:00pm on March 22, 2015.

The event will feature as guests Master Chef Jr. Logan Guleff, Executive Chef Maneet Chauhan, a judge from the Food Network's Chopped and also an author and restauranteur and Doug Singer of Daily Food & Wine.

NJ's Martha Byrne Receives Indie Series Award Nomination: Roger Newcomb's Indies Series Award Show #ISA6 to be Held in North Hollywood in April 2015

NJ's Martha Byrne, who received two Emmys for her portrayal of  Lily Walsh Snyder on the long-running soap As The World Turns, was nominated this February for an Indie Series Award in the  Best Guest Actress in a Drama category for her role in Anacostia, a popular web series about a group of family and friends entangled in all sorts of business in Washington DC.

The Indie Series Awards is going into its sixth year. Started by Roger Newcomb of WeLoveSoaps LLC, it's become THE awards show for web series. From it's humble beginnings in the Big Apple, it's now being held at the historic El Portal Theater in North Hollywood. The date is April 1, 2015. Days of Our Lives fan fave Eric Martsolf will leave Salem that day to host the show. The show promises to be bigger and better than ever.

Martha Byrne states, "There are so many talented people in front of and behind the cameras on these webseries. it's great for all of them to be recognized in this type of setting. Kudos to Roger Newcomb for putting together this event once again."

The handsome Brady Black aka Eric Martsolf will be
 the Indie Series Awards' Doogie Howser

Other nominees include notable actors and actresses from the soap world and the field of entertainment such as Chrystal Chappell, Charles Shaughnessy, Colleen Zenk, Debbie Gibson, Judd Hirsch and others. 

For a full list click here: http://www.indieseriesawards.com/2015/02/6th-annual-indie-series-awards-nominees.html

Glee Recap: "Transitioning" Groundbreaking Episode Season 6 Episode 7 With Commentary

Glee – “Transitioning”  Recap by Di's Dish

This outstanding episode opens with Will reflecting on his newfound lifestyle as a result of being the well paid coach of Vocal Adrenaline.  A fancy car (goodbye broken muffler) and perks such as massages, a nutritionist and lavish gifts are all part of the package.  The motivated Vocal Adrenaline kids practice on their own accord, but can Will continue to tolerate their cutthroat ways?  Has he sold his soul?

Review: The Re-Write Starring Hugh Grant- It's Right on for Hugh Grant Fans

If you're a Hugh Grant fan, you'll like the Re-Write. You won't love, love it, the way you love Love Actually or Bridget Jones' Diary, but you'll actually like it.

Hugh Grant plays the same type of character we've often seen him as n the past, a womanizer, someone who doesn't play by the rules, and as in several of his past movies, like About a Boy and Music And Lyrics (same writer on this one), he plays a washed-up has been. One that we root for to accomplish something more.

This movie is on-demand, not in any theaters that I have seen in the NY metro area. I was happy to see that Hugh made the rounds on the top TV talk shows in this area, including the Today Show, to talk about the movie, even though it is not in theaters. That speaks volumes about the changing world of cinema and the profitability of independent movies.

Or, it just means that Hugh Grant is still a hunk and people want him on their shows.

The movie takes place on the cold and dreary campus of  SUNY Binghamton in upstate NY, an area known for it's snow. I was thinking how there were so many outdoor scenes that Hugh must have been quite cold, but really, he is probably used to that from the cold, dreary, English winters.

Yankees' Voice John Sterling to Hold Benefit for Edgewater Fire Victims: Former Players Bucky Dent and Roy White to Attend Benefit in New City, NY

Yankee announcer John Sterling to host
a fundraiser for Edgewater, NJ
fire victims.      Photo Courtesey PBI

NY- John Sterling, legendary announcer for the New York Yankees and former Edgewater Avalon Apartments resident, will be holding a fundraiser on Thursday, February 26th at D & D's Bar and Restaurant, 191 S. Main Street in New City, New York in order to help his neighbors devastated by the tragic loss of their homes and just about everything they own.

There are so many fires in the news these days, I can't imagine losing all of your possessions, family photo albums, treasured gifts... fortunately in the case of the Avalon fire all lives were spared.

Interview: MomCaveTV - Jennifer Weedon Talks About LIfe, Laughs and Building the Mom Cave; A Place for All Moms to Find Some Sanity

Stephanie Faith Scott, Jennifer Weedon and
Valisa Tate are the moms who built MomCave

Creativity abounds on the web, one just has to find it amid the clutter. The great thing about the Internet is the opportunity it gives to creative people. Jennifer Weedon is one of those people. Jennifer is a writer and producer, currently living in NYC, that proudly calls herself a "mommy blogger" and also has several award-winning webseries under her belt. 

In her spare time between working and being a mom, she is following her passion in the field of entertainment, writing, producing and starring in what is 21st century entertainment, web content -and shows of all sizes and shapes.  The channel is called MomCaveTV.

MomCave has a lot of funny stuff on it for parents; videos, tips and blogs.  The videos are all done in small, easy to watch bits, which according to the website, is because they "know that moms only have time to watch TV in few minute increments". Isn't that the truth.

Glee Recap: The Hurt Locker Parts 1 & 2: The Final Season Heats Up #Glee

Glee - “The Hurt Locker, Parts 1 & 2”

 Recap by Di's Dish

Sue smiles and nods her way through a “bury the hatchet” lunch with Will, only to unleash her rage monster once again after Will leaves his fork behind at the table.  So begins this two part episode of Glee – it’s an opening scene in keeping with the humor of the characters and their long standing on again, mostly off again, relationship.  Unfortunately, the next scene sets up the cringe worthy “Hurt Locker” theme, which is Sue’s storage unit devoted to her hatred and vendettas with a hidden room dedicated to Kurt and Blaine’s relationship, which Sue desperately wants to restore.  Why couldn’t the talented folks who create Glee go about this storyline in a more clever and funny way, as opposed to creepy?  Did we just see a shark being jumped?

Rosie O’Donnell Proves Laughter is Good for the Heart with "A Heartfelt Stand Up" Airing on on HBO Valentine's Day: View Trailer

When personalities use their fame to further a cause, that is gold. Because not everyone does. Many times it is because the disease or situation personally touched them, other times it is just because it is any interest of theirs, other times it is because someone simply asked them. It doesn't matter what the reason what matters is the cause.

This weekend on HBO Rosie O'Donnell will present a special on heart disease called  "Rosie O'Donnell, A Heartfelt Stand Up".

February is heart awareness month. Heart attacks are mostly associated with men, yet heart disease is the number one killer of women. One in three women die of heart disease and stroke. I know this because my mother died of a heart problem too.

Jersey's Duchess Kimberly aka Ashley I Off ABC's The Bachelor and on the Talk Show Route

Wayne NJ's beautiful Bachelorette Ashley Iaconetti was left high and dry - literally- standing in the middle of the dessert on the 2/9 episode of ABC's highly successful THE BACHELOR. This episode was the highest- rated episode so far this season, rising 8% from last week making it the number one show in two key female demographics for the time slot.

In the episode "Ashley I" was on the two on one date. For those not familiar with #TheBachelor, this really means that the bachelor is supposed to give out one rose only leaving the other girl hysterically crying on the way out the door.

But, in the most dramatic two on one date ever - yes we all know the lingo now Chris- he left both girls, literally,in the dust.

Why? Well the other girl on the date was a tad on the nutty side, and in typical Jersey Girl style, Ashley I told him so.