Idol Features

Bada on Saturday Night Live Korea

2013-05-07T02:00:00.000-07:00

Saturday Night Live Korea made its debut in December of 2011 and has since done quite well in the ratings. Closely patterned after the long-running "live from New York" original, SNL Korea is considered to be in its fourth season, as Korean TV seasons are relatively short. This excerpt from a July 2012 skit features the show's host, singer/actress Bada (Sea) overseeing auditions to choose two new singers to flank her in "SES II."

Yours truly with Bada in late 2003

In real life, her two former groupmates did get married but the trio disbanded amicably and there are no plans for a new incarnation of the group. Also, the "diva" character Bada portrays here is far from the reality. As someone who's had the pleasure of meeting her on a couple of occasions, I can say she's definitely one of the friendliest and most charming Korean celebs there is. To see the full skit (but without subtitles), go here. Oh yes; the first girl here who auditions is cast member Kim Seul-gie, who responds to her dismissal by stating a singing rival of Bada's is "the best." The second hopeful is singer Hyolyn, from the girl group "Sistar" and their sub-duo "Sistar19."

Beverly Randolph Answers All One

2013-04-26T02:00:00.000-07:00

The 1985 dark comedy-horror film, The Return of the Living Dead is a classic of its genre and the cast often reunites for appearances at horror convention and fan events. Some had already made names for themselves in B-moviedom (such as Clu Gallagher, Linnea Quigly, and Jewel Shepard) when the film was cast, but most were unknown at the time, such as Beverly Randolph.

Beverly's character, Tina, was the seemingly "good" girl who, for whatever reason, hung out with the ill-fated bunch of punkers, misfits, and outlaws who were in search of a place to party. Since it's undoubtedly the role she's best-known for, it's a safe bet that she's constantly asked about the film whenever she gives an interview. Realizing that, I asked Beverly if she'd be amenable to a one-question interview, to which she warmly replied that she was. Of course, it was going to be about ROTLD, but it was just going to be one question, and one I hoped one that she hadn't been asked too many times before. So, I asked her about a line she spoke in the film. (No, not "I'm not into dead guys" because that was spoken by Suzanne Snyder in 1988's Return of the Living Dead 2)

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Van Tieu Apologizes for her Colleague’s On-Air F**k-Up

2013-04-23T02:00:00.000-07:00

As many of you might already know, a rookie North Dakota news anchor was recently fired, right after he preceded the opening to his very first news broadcast with some profanity. (Story here) If you saw it, you may not have paid as much attention to his gaffe as you did Van Tieu; his pretty co-anchor who introduced him and maintained her composure during the awkward on-air moments. Since Van is the lead anchor of KFYR’s evening news, she was given the task of apologizing to the viewers for her former and very-short-lived co-anchor’s blunder. The above is her doing just that, at the beginning the 10:00 PM newscast, which she handled solo. I don’t think they would have been the next Rather-Chung, anyway.

See more of Van at:
Her Facebook Fan Page
Her Reporter Reel
Van on Twitter

Korean Racing Models Do the Gwiyomi Song

2013-04-17T02:00:00.000-07:00

Released three months ago by Korean singer Hari, the Gwiyomi ("Cutie") Song immediately went viral and has now become the latest Internet meme to originate from Korea. Above are three of the most popular Korean Racing models doing their version. The ladies are (clockwise from top left) Hana Hong (whom I've had the pleasure of interviewing here), Boyoung Chun, and Siyoung Ha.

Erin Tjoe in "Too Good to Waste"

2013-04-08T02:00:00.000-07:00

The above still is from a recent ad for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission's water conservation campaign. It may give the impression that actress Erin Tjoe is going to be ill, but in fact, she's portraying a consumer who's made aware of the value of saving water. The 30-second spot is one of a series of ads being put out by the SFPUC, that feature Erin.

Another of her recent projects is a short film produced by 99 Hearts, which, besides being the sole performer in, she co-produced. Shot mostly from the viewer's point of view and without dialog, Erin is seen as an adventurous traveler who unexpectedly crosses paths with the viewer. However, they must part ways after a brief time together because, despite the chemistry between them and the connection they feel, they have lives in different parts of the world.

Erin's hosting credits include the travel show Green Travel Destination, and Black Tree TV, where she's hosted their Hollywood Talk segment and covered events for them such as the 2013 Sundance Film Festival and LA Fashion Week. Oh, and she also made a great Asian Little Red Riding Hood, who avoided the Big Bad Wolf by using her Droid RAZR M to find an alternative route to Grandma's house.

See more of Erin at:
Her Facebook Fan Page
Her IMDb Listing
Her Youtube Channel (Includes the "99 Hearts" short)
Erin on Twitter

(What would have been Brenna Roth's interview)

2013-04-01T02:00:00.000-07:00

Just because the interviewee never gets back to me after agreeing to an interview, is no reason to let my good and pertinent questions go to waste. So, here's my half of what would have been my interview with Brenna Roth. At left is where the lead photo of Brenna would have been. More text would have gone here as I always write good lead-ins to my interviews.

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Judy Cerda in American Horrible Story

2013-03-17T02:00:00.000-07:00

In this scene from Jason Salazar's comedy-horror short American Horrible Story, Judy Cerda plays a realtor who's very up front with details about the house she's selling. The film was produced by Beyond Forever Studios and you can see it in its entirety at their Youtube channel. Also check out Judy as Hollywood agent Amelia Orange in Salazar's web series The Uploaders, another Beyond Forever production. For those wondering; the large and lovely Georgian-style house the above scene was shot in, is located in San Francisco ....which means the price tag on it is even larger than the house itself.

See my June, 2011 interview with Judy here.

How to Survive a Horror Film with Traycee King

2013-03-05T02:00:00.000-08:00

Here's Traycee King's fifth tip in her How to Survive a Horror Film series, and it's a good one. Simply never be a sexy blonde with blue eyes who dresses like a slut, like actress Rebecca Denise winningly portrays here (even though I think her eyes are really hazel). The video series is produced by Tracee's own Kitty Quilt Productions and you can check out the other tips in the series at the website and the Youtube channel. Also stay tuned here for (hopefully) an exclusive interview with Traycee in the near future.

See more of Traycee and her work at:

Her Official Website

Her IMDb Listing

Traycee on Twitter

Lee Eun-joo - Only When I Sleep

2013-02-22T02:00:00.000-08:00

As far as I know, this is the only live performance of the late Korean actress Lee Eun-joo singing "Only When I Sleep," from the soundtrack to her last film, The Scarlet Letter. To me, her slight mispronunciation of some of the lyrics, makes the song (which was written and originally recorded by the Corrs in 1997), sound all the sexier when she sings it. This is from the Blue Dragon Film Awards in November of 2004, just three months before she took her own life on this day in 2005.

Artwork by Karina Dale

2013-02-16T02:00:00.000-08:00

Several months ago, while doing research on pin-up model Inkerbella, for her feature here, I made sure to note the artists' signature beneath the illustrations I saw of Bella at her website. That brought me to Portland, Oregon-based artist Karina Dale.

Karina's illustrations initially bring to mind (my mind, anyway) the classic pin-up artwork that graced the noses of famous World War II fighter planes like "Memphis Belle," "Dauntless Dotty," and "Diamond Lil," not to mention the traditional Sailor Jerry tattoo designs. However, Karina's renderings of her models are more refined. In her own words, Karina says; "I draw real people, of all shapes and sizes, and believe that beauty is in real life all around you." Many of the models she chooses are modern-day burlesque performers, such as Violette Beretta (shown at left), and pin-up models, such as the aforementioned Inkerbella and the iconic Masuimi Max.

If you're in the Pacific Northwest, you can see Karina's talent showcased at any of her shows she presents in and around Portland. You can also see them in her book; PDX Gorgeous: The Art of Karina Dale, available at Amazon.com. To see her latest interview, along with a few more samples of her artwork, just click the link to read and view more.
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Frances Manzo

2013-02-08T02:00:00.000-08:00

I wrote a piece just last month on Frances Manzo's latest film project, Redlight Kate, which is still in pre-production. Even though tackling the role of producer is still fairly new to Frances, she's no newbie when it comes to show biz. In fact, she has some pretty impressive credentials, particularly as a dancer, with a resume that includes working with the likes of Mitzi Gaynor, Britney Spears, and Destiny's Child (back when people still realized there were two other girls in the group besides Beyonce).

Obviously not one to procrastinate, Frances eagerly agreed to an interview with me and her detailed and prompt replies to my questions impressed me, considering her very busy schedule and how many irons she has in the fire. Also a talented singer and songwriter, she's a former member of the Los Angeles-based girl group Darling Stilettos, and has recently released her first single entitled "MJ's Coursing." Her first album is also in the works. As I write this, her latest co-authored song, "Long Way Down," will be featured on the episode of CSI:NY that airs tonight (February 8th) on CBS. Check your local listings. (Above photo by J. Blair Images)
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WTF with Bianca Barnett

2013-01-29T02:00:00.000-08:00

I know it's too late to be featuring a Christmas-themed piece and way past the Halloween season for a horror-themed one, but this is the latest and last episode of the first season of the fright film review show, WTF with Bianca Barnett. (It stands for "watch these films" and yes, of course; at first, I thought it stood for "what the fuck" like I'm sure most of you did.) This one posted on Christmas Eve and here Bianca gives her review of the 1980 Yuletide slasher flick, Christmas Evil.

The online syndicated show has become quite popular and is carried on Apple iTunes and several websites such as Horror Palace, where you can find all season 1 episodes on video and podcast. To help make season 2 a reality, Bianca has a fundraising campaign at IndieGoGo.com. Check it out if you're a fan and want to give your support. Anyone who does will get something in return. To learn more about the 2011 Golden Cob award-winning Scream Queen, check out her website and my August, 2011 interview with her, which is the best with her on the net, despite what others may claim.

Frances Manzo as Redlight Kate

2013-01-19T02:00:00.000-08:00

The above teaser for the yet-to-be-completed indie drama Redlight Kate, stars Frances Manzo, who also wrote and produced the film. The song "Suffer, Kate" (no, not "Suffocate") is by Los Angeles-based band, Maudlin Strangers. The supporting cast includes Monique Dupree and Melanie Robel, two ladies who've already made names for themselves in the independent film industry. In fact, I had the pleasure of interviewing Melanie for this site last year. The film has a campaign at IndieGogo.com, a site developed to help raise funds for various projects, most of which are in the performing arts. Check it out to see what your support for this film will get you in return.

Frances also has a strong dance background and has worked with and choreographed some pretty big names. Check her Now Casting resume and her IMDb listing to see just who they've been.

Annette Lawless

2013-01-10T02:00:00.000-08:00

News reporter Annette Lawless has been with WJW Fox 8 in Cleveland for the last two years, after moving there from her native Kansas, where her heart still seems to be. The Kansas State alumna and die hard Wildcats fan, has recently branched out into acting, which is how I first noticed her. Annette plays the vilianess "Pandora" in the upcoming action fantasy film Lady Dragon, written and produced by Kristina Michelle.

Besides covering news stories for Fox 8 and her acting gigs, Annette co-hosts the podcast show Hottie and the Jerk, is a wiz in the kitchen and an experienced bowler, recently scoring a 238. She's also very knowledgeable about the best places to eat in Cleveland (and you owners whose restaurants she's given praise to here, should show her your gratitude). Learn more on Annette in my following interview with her. For those who haven't heard of her before; you'll probably someday remember seeing her here first, before she became a famous actress, cooking show host, or pro bowler, depending on the path she takes.
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Tiffany Apan's Driving Nowhere

2013-01-05T13:00:00.000-08:00

The above trailer for the soon-to-be-released supernatural thriller Driving Nowhere, features Tyffani Richards, Heidi Engel, and Tiffany Apan. The short film has gotten some very favorable reviews from fans and critics at the indie film festivals it's shown at, and even won the award for Best Horror Short Script at the 2012 International Indie Gathering Film Festival. Tiffany Apan, who, in addition to starring in the movie, wrote and directed it, is also a talented singer and musician. Learn more about her at her official website.

Cat Tanchanco

2012-12-27T02:00:00.000-08:00

I've done a few pieces on Youtube makeup "gurus" in the past, but Cat Tanchanco's skills set her apart from many of the rest, as do her finished products. Cat, who's better known by her Youtube subscribers and Twitter followers as "Audfaced," believes that makeup is a "creative outlet to express different personalities, moods and features already within yourself." It's something she makes clearly evident, whether transforming herself into a well-know character from film or stage, or one of her original creations.

Currently a film student at CalArts, near Los Angeles, Cat has a very popular Youtube channel (with over 41,000 subscribers to date), where she does her best to honor her viewer's requests and give step-by-step instructions as she becomes something that would rival any Hollywood professional's creation. However, what's all the more impressive is that she works within a limited budget, using modest equipment and her bathroom for a studio. Despite that, she even incorporates some pretty impressive theatrics into her video tutorials, all of which she produces solely herself. Also a skilled photographer, nearly all of the photos you see of her in character, such as the above Bellatrix Lestrange-inspired look, were taken by Cat, herself.
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Teresa Hui - Jingle Bell Rock

2012-12-21T02:00:00.000-08:00

To get you into the Christmas spirit, here's comedienne/singer Teresa Hui performing the Yuletide classic "Jingle Bell Rock," accompaning herself on the ukulele. I could do without her vocal embellishments at about 3/4 of the way through the song, but aside from that, she's not bad at all. Check out her Youtube channel and official website to see more of her.

USA Up All Night

2012-12-13T02:00:00.000-08:00

I fondly remember watching Rhonda Shear host USA Up All Night on Friday nights during the early-90s. (Since I was rarely home on those pre-TiVo nights, I learned how to program my VCR to record the show so I could view it after I got home.) Rhonda took over from original Friday night hostess Caroline Schlitt (whatever happened to her, huh?) in 1990, a year after the show's debut, and remained until USA Up All Night ended its run in 1998. Comedian Gilbert Gottfried hosted the Saturday night show and I mention this only because he sent me a free t-shirt during that time.

The above is from 1992 and features Rhonda with guests Linnea Quigley, Jayne Hamil, and Jewel Shepard. The films shown that night were the B classics Vice Academy and Vice Academy 2, both of which starred Linnea and Jayne (and unfortunately, both of which USA edited for television). Oh, and in 2013, you can look forward to an exclusive interview right here with at least one of the aforementioned ladies.

Thanks to spandexhoneys at Youtube

Kristina Michelle

2012-12-03T02:00:00.000-08:00

Although Kristina Michelle considers herself an actress first and foremost, she does many jobs on both sides of the camera. The Ohio native is the producer and host of The Reel Show on the Reel TV Network, as well as producer and host of the Indie Gathering International Film Festival, which she has organized herself since last year.

After taking up martial arts a few years ago and earning a first degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, she's well-qualified to do her own stunts and action scenes in all her films. Since adding stuntwoman to her resume, she was presented with the top honor at the 2011 Indie Gathering Stunt Competition.

In addition to the positive things I read and heard about Kristina before doing this interview with her, I can add that she's very punctual, gives good, detailed answers, and gets an "A" for spelling and grammar. Oh, and she's definitely not afraid of snakes.

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Jessica Cameron at Screamfest

2012-11-28T17:00:00.000-08:00

Jessica Cameron (whom I had the pleasure of interviewing last year) gave this brief interview to Mayopr.com at the premiere of The Collection at Screamfest in Los Angeles last month. The Golden Cob award-winning actress will be appearing in many upcoming films scheduled to come out over the next couple of years. The next to be released will be the Devanny Pinn co-written thriller American Girls, which she mentions here.

Emily Chang for Ruffles Ultimate

2012-11-15T11:00:00.001-08:00

This 30-second spot featuring actress Emily Chang (not to be confused with the journalist or web designer of the same name) as a quick-to-catch-on poker player, has been running on network TV in the US for the last several months. Emily is no newcomer to acting with many credits and a New York regional Emmy Award under her belt, but this commercial seems to be on its way to achieving a sort of cult status and becoming what she's best-known for. So far, anyway.

Sadako Yamamura Emerges

2012-10-31T00:00:00.000-07:00

This scene from end of the 1998 Japanese horror film Ring (aka Ringu, the Japanese romanization of "Ring"), has been edited to show only Sadako Yamamura emerging from the well and right through the television screen. The odd shots of the male viewer watching it and dying of cardiac arrest have been cut out. If you want to see the face that he saw hidden behind that long, black hair, and feel you can handle it, see it after the jump ....but brace yourself.

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Debra Lamb Revisited

2012-10-24T01:00:00.000-07:00

I recently caught up with actress Debra Lamb for a follow-up interview for this Halloween season. I was fortunate to catch her when I did because, as this goes to press, Debra will be preparing to get on a plane to the East Coast for her appearance this weekend at Chiller Theater in Parsippany, New Jersey.

Since my last interview with Debra, she's been pretty busy. Last November, she and three of her fellow Scream Queen icons (Brinke Stevens, Linnea Quigley, and Debbie Rochon) shot the soon-to-be-released Disciples, directed by Joe Hollow. She also shot commentary scenes (a still at left) for the recently-released Celluloid Bloodbath: Prevues from Hell and has a still-under-wraps project in the works with her good friend and fellow psychic, Liane Langford, that you'll be reading about here first.
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Hello Franceska

2012-10-20T02:00:00.000-07:00

If the Korean sitcom Hello Franceska could be considered Korea's belated answer to The Addams Family, then I suppose Franceska (played by one of the Korean screen's great beauties, Shim Hye-jin) would be comparable to Morticia. The show ran on Seoul's MBC network from 2005-2006 and co-starred Jung Ryeo-won as Franceska's "daughter," Elizabeth. The story centered around a group of vampires, headed by Franceska, who boarded the wrong ship and accidentally ended up in South Korea, where they attempted to pose as a normal family and adapt to normal lives in modern-day Seoul until their vampire leader found them and returned them to Romania, or so they hoped.

This is Halloween with Lily Stitches

2012-10-15T01:00:00.000-07:00

In keeping with the Halloween season, here's New Jersey-based burlesque dancer Lily Stitches performing to Marilyn Manson's "This is Halloween" at The Slipper Room in New York's Lower East Side. She also does a pretty hot routine to "Science Fiction Double Feature," as well as many other numbers that you can catch at her Youtube Channel.

See more of Lily at:

Her Facebook

Her Myspace

Model Mayhem

(and perhaps again here in the future)