I hit Lotus last night for a fundraiser for a charity organization called 12 Days of Christmas. They had a mid-summer event to raise money and supplies for families that need back to school supplies. Donnell and I headed over with checks in hand, those kids are gonna have some hot back to school gear!
The event was a total success. Lotus was packed and they raised of money. My friend Javonne came down from NYC and we all had a really nice time.
I came home and got ready to tell you guys all about the details of my night and caught a couple of news stories about two celebs.
Two people were arrested for marijuana possession. It’s our understanding that Snoop was not arrested but two people in his entourage were.
As if this developing story couldn’t get any weirder, Verne Troyer co-star of the hit movie Austin Powers who played Mini Me is now suing girlfriend, Ranae Shrider for allegedly beating the hell out of him.In a lawsuit which will be filed in Federal court soon, Troyer is accusing Shrider of intentional infliction of physical and emotional distress and battery.
It’s all too much! The weekend is upon us. I’m going to do a bit of national coverage on The Fox News Channel on Saturday so I have to prepare. I’ll be on from 2-4pm. Check me out if you can. Other than that, set your channels to the CW and enjoy!!
My dear friend Sidra Smith is flying in at 6am on Friday morning to stay with me for a nice long weekend. YIPPY!! Sidra lives mostly in LA and a bit in NYC. She’s a fabulously talented Movie Producer, A-List Casting Director and a just a wonderful friend.
Sidra and I met about 8 years ago at a little art gallery opening in Harlem. My supermodel friend and housemate at that time, Lu Celania Sierra was buying a stunning piece of art that had everyone talking. It was about 8 feet tall and the woman on it was cool, hip, strong, sexy, basically Lu thought of it as a self-portrait! Oh yes kids, our house had no shortage of ego, hair products or hot celebrities sneaking down the creaky stairs of our brownstone to waiting black towncars at dawn… I’ll pick that story up in my tell-all book!
Anyhow, we invited Sidra to meet us for a cocktail and a beautiful friendship began right then. At the time Sidra was doing lots of castings for movies, TV shows and commercials. We worked together on a few great projects including my DVD that she Produced.
Sidra is the twin sister of the very talented actress Tasha Smith. Tasha is best known as the character Angela in Tyler Perry’s “Why Did I Get Married”. Wasn’t she a riot? She was also in “Daddy’s Little Girl”, HBO’s “The Corner”, The series Boston Common and lots of other stuff.
Sidra introduced me to her sister Tasha quite a few years ago. Charles S. Dutton (the actor/director) had a picnic at his home outside of Baltimore. The next night after the picnic, Tasha, Sidra, Tyra Banks (yes I said Tyra Banks), myself and another friend of ours decided to go grab a bite in Baltimore. Now, my story is Tyra picked the place but I really can’t remember. All I know is we ended up at The ESPN Zone in downtown Baltimore. Now, I love a good game of Foosball just as much as the next guy, but I don’t want to hear all of that cheering when I’m trying to enjoy my Martini(s)! Good times were had by all, Tyra ate her calories (chicken wings and chocolate cake) and I drank mine (Lemon Drop Martinis). Very model behavior people!!
Anyhow, Sidra’s coming to catch up with her old buddy, help me write new show concepts and collaborate on a few other new projects. I’m sure between the work we’ll have quite a little bit of play! I can’t wait to see her.
Shall we all meet out for cocktails?? What’s up with you all this weekend? Holla at me!
Fashion looks and trends are cyclical - platform shoes were big in the 70’s, now they’re back, looking better than ever. Leggings were all the rage in the 80’s, now they’re on all the runways looking much more sophisticated and elegant. They’re being worn in completely different ways this time around. Lightweight Leather!
On the runway, designers showed unique and unusual ways to pair them with dresses and long tops. The designers kept the silhouettes smooth and straight and kept the color palette neutral, dark, and body-slimming.
There are so many options with the new leggings this summer. Pair them with pencil skirts, a dark wrap-around skirt, a mini skirt, or a full skirt with leggings to the ankle. For a longer, leaner look, stick to more flattering dark colors and a simple monochromatic color scheme. Wear leggings with sandals, pointy flats, Audrey Hepburn ballet flats, low ankle boots, and slides.
Types of Leggings
Some have control top and body shaping with enough Lycra to fit like a second skin and help hold you in. They’re considered footless tights which are- different from leggings because they’re sheerer and in lighter fabrics. Footless tights are dressier; leggings made with thicker fabrics are more casual.
Some thicker leggings (not so much for the summer) have control tops too, they make your stomach and hips look smoother and sleeker. They’re worn in long lengths for a more classic look, Capri-length for a sportier look, and cropped leggings for a curvier look.
We are in the process of making you into a fabulous, ready for runway fashionista! I hope you enjoy the ride!
Travel down the road and back again… Your heart is true, your a pal and a confidant!! You know the rest. Ok kids, the day I was dreading has come. Sophia finally met her maker! I know it’s been a few days since Estelle Getty from the Golden GIrls passed away but I haven’t been able to bring myself to talk about it until now. I loved her work, she made me laugh ya’ll! I’ve been watching it since I was 10 years old.
Do you guys like it? What’s your favorite episode?
As I was getting over the sadness, I flipped through the channels looking for something humorous to give me a little pick me up. I clicked on LOGO ON DEMAND, went to Movies and Specials and there it was, a comedy special called “I need a snack” by a comedian named Karen Williams. I’d never heard of Karen but for some reason I thought, she sounds like she’s gonna really make me laugh!
I watched the special, laughed the whole way through and one day later, Karen and I have sparked up a great new friendship. You see having a little fame has its perks! You can literally see someone on TV, call your publicist and say, I want to have lunch with so and so. I rarely play that card but I heard Karen lived in Cleveland (I was born there) and I knew we were meant to become friends.
If you need a little feel good humor, please visit Karen’s site, www.hahainstitute.com. Her hope is to use humor to heal the world. You see, I lost my dear Sophia, a character that made me laugh for the past 20 years.. And now, I found Karen, a person (and soon to be dear friend) that I will laugh WITH for the next 20 years.
Ok, this going to be a high maintenance week for all of us. A little extra time on the skin, teeth, wardrobe and hair! That’s right ladies, beautiful hair doesn’t just happen, you have to create it.
Over the course of a year, you might get your hair cut or styled a dozen times, colored or highlighted a few times, and you’ve most likely had to deal with a humid summer. Keeping your hair healthy and stylish at the same time might seem impossible. Coloring, washing, blow-drying, curling, or straightening for that perfect look can all damage your locks in the process. So what’s a hot haired person to do? Where can you turn for help?
The answer for me is New York City’s Celebrity Stylist, RODNEY CUTLER.
The answer for you is coming soon to TrenDC in a new Hot Hair Stylists feature! We’re working on it now!
For more than twenty years, Rodney Cutler has worked as a stylist and salon owner. He’s also dressed the tresses of countless runway models for some of the world’s elite designer fashion shows like Esteban Cartazar and Cynthia Rowley. Cutler’s styles have also been featured in the pages of Ocean Drive, New York Magazine, Glamour and now TrenDC!
And if that wasn’t an impressive enough resume, for over six years The Cutler team has colored, cut, and styled my hair. I actually brought the idea to MTV to use [Cutler’s team] on MADE—which they played a major role in—and as the styling team (when I got my gig) on The Ricki Lake Show a few years back. “I continue to use the Cutler Salon on camera as the hair authority to fabulous fashionistas! Many of the major modeling agencies like Wilhelmina and Elite also refer their new and existing talent to Cutler to define and refine their look.”
Rodney knows as well as anyone how to manage overworked hair. During Fashion Week, a model’s hair can endure the same stresses that most women’s hair would over the course of a full year!
Here in DC, I love lots of fabulous salons. Stay tuned for our Hot Hair Stylists feature and and our debut of Makeover Missions in the next couple of weeks.
Hello Darlings! I decided to head over to my office this weekend and get a good few hours of work in. I sat and opened stacks and stacks of personal notes that many of you have written to me. I then came home, logged onto my My Space and answered countless emails from all of the many people that told me how proud they were of me and that they really were inspired by my work. From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you all for the amount of love and support you send my way. Here’s a big kiss for ya SMOOCH!
In all of that loveliness, there were a few of you that were a bit displeased about not being chosen as a finalist for the ANTM CW DC castings. All of the submissions were sent to the producers on Friday. You not being a finalist does not mean you can’t be chosen by an ANTM producer.
I pulled one note in particular and decided to answer it and publish it. It’s from a young lady that I only know by “Princess”. I hope it helps to answer any question or concern you might have about the casting process. You were all superstars! Let’s figure out how to keep this thang movin’ forward! Never look back ladies, you might miss something fabulous just up ahead!
Princess writes…
hi Paul i’m just glad to see that out of all the girls you did manage to find one African American woman i can’t believe you only have one dark skin female out of five thousand it looks like you picked out one of each ethnic group that was nice i attended each of the casting call in the DMV area and it’s hard for me to take it in the way you guys went about it at the last minute rushing all the left over girls in lines because you were running out of time i think it sends the wrong message to some of the young ladies I witness your helpers picking girls out of order and bringing them to the front of the line at Passport BMW that was wrong and not fair to people that was in line waiting hours and hours you need to reform your selection plan I wonder if Ms.Tyra Banks is aware of this or a part of this what i think was just plain i’m ready to go so we got what we need lets go plan of yours i will still watch the ANTM show i enjoy it but just be fair we need to stop it not what you know but who you know
My Response to Princess
Hi Princess – Thank you so much for coming to the casting and for checking in on my site. As you saw for yourself, the casting process was extremely difficult. In fact, we had one of the largest turn-outs of all of the CW stations across the country for America’s Next Top Model. At each of the events, we saw thousands and thousands of ladies and so for that reason, time was an issue. From the time we started, we did whatever we could to speed things along. In fact, I was extremely uncomfortable about the people waiting outside in the heat at The Passport BMW casting. Over everything else, that was my primary concern, to get the young ladies in and out, quickly and safely.
I don’t know if people were picked from the back of the line. If so, I wasn’t aware of it. As you saw, I was inside doing my very best to see several thousand young women in a very short period of time. We got through each and every young lady that came to the event. At the end of the day, my back hurt, my voice was gone and I was totally exhausted but I was going to be there until the last girl left the building. We send all of the tapes that we receive at the casting to the network. So just because you weren’t a finalist from The CW Washington doesn’t at all mean you won’t be picked by the Producers of the show. There are several others that we really liked (as I said on yesterdays blog).
Please continue to pursue your dreams and move forward with drive and determination! We’re planning several fashion/beauty/image/modeling events at The CW Washington that I will announce on TrenDC. And finally Princess, I have spent my career motivating, encouraging and enhancing the look and outlook of young people around the world. My own charity is working with the foster children at DC Child and Family Services. Every year we produce a full scale fashion show at The Westin Grand Hotel, complete with hair, make-up, red carpet, dj and all the makings of a fabulous runway show! It’s ALL for the kids, not a fluffy charity event for a bunch of rich folks. If you’re interested in fashion and you want to volunteer your time with me next year, please let me know. I am not against any of you, I am totally on your side. And remember, I know all about choosing girls with no experience and making them into a viable and marketable working model. I was the original model coach on MTV’s hit series “Made”. I took a girl named Najah that worked in a call center in Philly, brought her to New York, made her over in every way and then got her contract offers from six of the top modeling agencies in the industry. This was all after she had tried to break into the modeling business unsuccessfully.
In this business, if you hear “YES” one time out of ten “NO’s” you are very lucky. Those are the odds that all aspiring models must accept.
Ok girls… A few things about the America’s Next Top Model Finalists. There are several of you that we really liked but you did not make the finalists list for various reasons. We either didn’t have the proper pictures to post on the site or we just couldn’t add as many finalists as we wanted to. The casting department at Top Model will get all of the submissions. Our own picks, the finalists and a few others will get a little extra attention.
We appreciate all of you coming out to see us!
Now what?! I’ve been writing some instructional blogs to help you ladies get a little closer to achieving your goal of breaking into the modeling industry. You got skin the other day, a step-by-step modeling guide the other week, you all know about my instructional DVD “How Models are Made” and our flash portfolios on www.evolutionlook.com are all you need to get going. I can’t do it for you!
I was out on the town last night and a young lady came up to me that had attended one of the castings. She was quite upset that she wasn’t selected as one of the finalists. She was loud, rude and pretty out of control. First off, that’s just not good business. You can’t go around town acting like a crazed thug and expect people to respond to you. Life just doesn’t work that way!
We are planning something called Makeover Missions at The CW Washington. It’ll be a contest where I take a certain number of viewers around to some of my favorite skincare, hair and make-up experts, clothing stores and a hot photographer. I think it’s great that so many of you want to be a part of the modeling industry but you must realize, this industry is 90% based on your aesthetic. The other 10% is your personality, communication skills and professionalism.
My business partner Cynthia Wilson (in the picture) and I are willing to help as much as we can. We have some exciting things that we’re working on as well. You must be willing to put in the work and create the most fabulous you possible! From your appearance to your personality and your wardrobe, you have to represent a polished, beautiful package that will attract clients, agents and designers. You have to be totally fabulous! I believe in you 100%!
And when you see me on the street, come with love, anything else is just not fabulous enough!
I decided enough time had passed since I had long, late afternoon lunch! Marcia Dyson and I decided to visit my friend Shahab at The Peacock Grand Cafe on K Street for a serious Lads and Ladies that lunch extravaganza. We enjoyed several plates of fabulousness from appetizers to entrees and desserts. People listen up, you are so worth it! Sometimes we look past lunch, just something we should do to keep our energy up.
If it’s been a minute since you treated yourself to a fabulous lunch, take my advice, go on my FabuList and pick a spot (my choice today, The Peacock Grand Cafe), get a friend and clear your afternoon.
There’s nothing better than treating yourself to a pre-lunch cocktail, champagne and a great lunch.
We’re coming up on Friday. The last day of the week and we have to prepare for the weekend. DC has so much going on. I think I’m going to hit Jazz on the Park, Friday at 5pm and then head out to St. Michaels again late. Or I just might stay in town and enjoy the weekend with my friends.
Only time will tell… What are your plans? I’d love to hear. Let’s try to have a wonderful summer weekend!
In looking through lots of photos and footage of the Top Model castings, an issue kept rearing coming up with a lot of you. But don’t worry ladies, I’m here to help. I was really surprised at how many of you were dealing with Acne prone skin. Personally, I head over to Renu Med Spa, Dr. Parker Porter or Dr. Dyson for help with my skin. It’s not always easy but it’s a problem that has to be addressed. So let’s get to it…
Acne usually affects teenagers and young adults, but it can cause problems for women of all ages. Common causes include bacteria or a build up of dirt and dead cells on oily skin that clogs pores. Heredity, certain medications, and increased stress levels can also trigger outbreaks. Long considered a rite of passage that ends with those awkward teenage years, many women are shocked to find themselves dealing with acne into their 20’s and 30’s. Here are some acne fighting tips and techniques:
Avoid touching your face unnecessarily. Oil from your hands can clog pores and if your hands aren’t clean you can easily spread germs. You might not even realize how often you touch your face. Be careful!
Avoid holding objects against your face or touching anything to your face. Be sure to wash pillow cases and towels regularly to keep them clean.
Don’t touch or squeeze pimples, it can make your skin worse and cause scarring. It can be hard to do, but leave them alone! They’ll heal faster.
Wash your face often with gentle cleansers. Don’t use bar soap, the formulas in them can clog pores. Over cleansing and rough scrubbing or exfoliating will cause more oil production and make matters worse.
Experts have not found acne to be related to any particular foods. Those myths about acne being caused by chocolate french fries, or junk food are simply not true. But a healthy, balanced diet is always beneficial for your skin.
Avoid over-tanning and getting sunburned. Conversely don’t wear oily or heavy sunscreen, they clog pores. Also some acne medications are sun-sensitive, so be sure to wear sunscreen and limit your time in the sun. In addition to helping avoid acne, as you age, you’ll be thankful you avoided unnecessary sun damage.
Avoid using greasy creams, oils, or lotions—especially those containing lanolin and Vaseline. Look for products specially formulated for acne-prone skin.
Don’t allow excessive sweat to dry on your skin. Exercise is important for maintaining a healthy body and healthy skin, but perspiration is a magnet for bacteria which can cause acne. Always remove excess perspiration with a clean towel and shower as soon after a workout as possible.
Don’t us alcohol-based products. They strip and dehydrate the top layer of skin and cause irritation.
Mild benzoyl peroxide creams are recommended treatment for acne, as they are anti-bacterial and help reduce oil production. There are over-the-counter solutions of salicylic acid, which also reduce oil production as it exfoliates.
If possible, wear makeup only on special occasions and be sure to wash your face thoroughly and remove all makeup once you get home. If you must wear makeup look for “oil free,” “noncomedogenic” (non pore clogging), and “nonacnegenic” on the label.
Wash all your makeup brushes and sponges often and thoroughly. Everything touching you and your face should be spotless. Drink lots of water, it helps flush the impurities out of your system that cause breakouts.
Start with some of my tips right away so you begin to experience smoother, clearer, more beautiful skin now! You are so beautiful, don’t let Acne take away from your fabulous faces!
I had the honor of spending my day with some of the most well known and respected African American figures in the world of Entertainment Media. Highly acclaimed writer, Georgetown Professor and CNN contributor Michael Eric Dyson, Political Powerhouse, Reverend and Hillary right hand confidant Marcia Dyson, Veteran BET News Journalist turned Freelance Radio and Television Anchor Jacque Reid and Celebrity Gossip Girl and Publisher of Sister to Sister Magazine Jamie Foster Brown. All of which will be sharing the stage with me on our 2008 DNCC Live Television Show on TV One. It’s called “The After Party” and it’s going to be hot!! We’ll be live every day during the DNC.
The car picked my Mom, Anasia (my niece), my assistant N’kem and myself up at my house at 9:15am. We headed down to the Reuters building on 13th and H, met the crew and got comfy in hair and make-up with Rosetta. She was one of the most enjoyable stylists that I’ve worked with in a long time.. Very talented. Anyhow, the other stars started to roll in and something special started brewing. We’ve all been looking so forward to this project and now that it is finally here, the excitement and passion for it reached an atomic level when we stepped onto the set.
I was the first on set, I knew my lines, was ready to do some rockstar improvisation and my look was on point. I welcomed the rest of my panel with open arms and we got down to business. The producers set up a mock media press conference in which a room of about 50 members of the press shouted requests and questions at the show’s stars. We fired off answers, laughing and high-fiving each other throughout the process. It was a blast!
We ended the day with a fabulous walking scene, all of the cast members did their best runway walk down a long, wide marble atrium, FABULOUS! We exited the front door and were attacked by about 50 Paparazzi! What came next is a surprise. You’ll have to keep your eyes peeled for my work at the DNC on TV One. Susan Banks did a fabulous job producing this promo. She’s very talented, calm and enjoyable. Nikki Webber, Karen Wisehart, DeMarco Kidd, Robert Wesley Branch and Jonathon Rogers were just a few members of our TV One family that came out to support us. Thank you family!!
I plan on doing a week long documentation right here on my blog.
Ok girls! We are still working on narrowing down the finalists for the America’s Next Top Model castings. We are hoping to get everything finished and posted by Friday. Stay tuned darlings!
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