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Angela Taylor: The Event Diva
When it comes to Event
Planning, Black Men In America.com has decided to let the cat out of the
bag and share the secret to our success—Angela
Taylor. Angela Taylor is the force behind
Angela Taylor Public Relations (ATPR).
When was the last time you went to some “jacked up” event that was poorly
planned and managed? Did you forget that recent family wedding that
everyone is still talking about? Or how about that last baby shower?
C’mon folks, we’ve all been to a function and whispered to the person next
to us: “Can you believe this mess?”
The next time you’re
friend or relative says, “Don’t pay anyone to do that. We can do that
ourselves. It will be easy.” Just think about “Uncle Jr.’s” birthday
party at the “Tip Top” club. You may have saved some money on the price
of the ballroom, but it was embarrassing having to explain the brass pole,
and lap dancing calendars to your grandmother and nephew.
If you want your event
to be special, let Angela help you. There is no reason to “do it
yourself” when Angela can do it for you, and do it with elegance and class
at a price you can afford. It’s called being
S.M.A.R.T. (Specific,
Measurable,
Attainable,
Relevant,
Time-based). That’s the secret!
Angela plans all of the
events for Black Men In America.com and counts our own
Gary Johnson as one of
her clients. Event Planning is not easy; Angela
makes it look easy. The folks at
Angela Taylor Public Relations
will evaluate your budget, deadlines, locations, and contracts and
customize a program to fit your needs.
Angela recently took
time out of her busy schedule to talk about her firm; her new
Chocolate Intimate series and how
she adds value to her clients by making them look good. Did we mention
that Angela is one of the nicest and most professional people you will
ever meet? Sit back and learn more about event planning and the real-life
“Event Diva” that we affectionately call “Ang.”
The Angela Taylor
Interview
BMIA.com:
We know you’re not married. Do you have a significant other?
Angela Taylor:
I’m officially single, but there is a significant other “in the
making.”
BMIA.com:
Hmmm. In the making?
Angela Taylor:
I’ll leave it at that for now.
BMIA.com:
OK. How about this question? Do you find it difficult to maintain a
relationship at this stage of your life/career?
Angela Taylor:
No. I’ve been fortunate to date men who are just as ambitious as I
am. We have respect for each other’s path while growing the relationship.
It has been a little challenging to communicate and blend each of our life
rhythms. I’m learning to navigate the rhythm.
BMIA.com:
What characteristics do you look for in a mate?
Angela Taylor:
Ambition. Honesty. Thoughtfulness. Confidence. Passion [about
something], self-awareness, open and pleasing to my eyes!
BMIA.com:
What advice would you give to someone who wants a career in the event
planning or entertainment industry?
Angela Taylor:
Get involved as much as you can. Volunteer as much as possible to get
a feel for what an event planner is responsible for. You will most likely
be drawn to a particular area in the process. Trust your gut, your
creativity & instinct. Know what you want to learn from the different
planning styles and leave the rest.
BMIA.com:
Anything else you want to say or share with us?
You
can learn more about Angela Taylor by visiting her web site at:
http://www.ataylorpr.com/
Click
On Photos To Enlarge
Left
to Right: Photo #1: Angela and Gary Johnson, Photo #2:
Angela and Ray, Manager for The Force MD's. Photo #3: The
Force MD's at one of Angela's Events
"What if every man you ever loved...
was murdered?"
- An Interview With Author Sandra
Craig
- By M. Janice
Wilson – In The Mean Time Book Club
-
Special to Erotic Expressions.net
“Spellbinding, riveting, heartwarming and real.” These are just a few of the
words I would use to describe “The Four Winds of Summer” written by
new author, Sandy Craig. This romantic murder mystery is full of twists and
turns and runs hot and cold all at the same time. Sandy Craig masterfully
created characters that we can all relate to and tells a story that is very
real for readers of all ages.
I
had the privilege and honor of interviewing the very polished and poised,
Ms. Craig at the office of
Erotic
Expressions.net. One of the things that struck me about Ms.
Craig was her inspiring words about the early positive influence of her
mother and how she passed those encouraging messages on to her daughters.
Her book reflects her creative imagination and years of preparation as
evidenced by the compelling messages found between the pages.
When asked where the inspiration to write this book came from, Ms. Craig
unequivocally states that her mother inspired her and “always made me feel
that I could do anything I wanted to do”. She has held on to her mother’s
words and has taken them literally by completing this book project. Sandy
Craig says that she is still showing her mother that she can and does
complete anything she sets out to do.
Craig spoke about how she develops her characters first and then writes her
story around the characters. She observes people on the street, at the bus
stop and METRO subway stations in the DC area and everywhere she goes to
build characters for her book. Craig also talked about how important she
feels it is to make the people in her book real for the reader. I
especially liked how she developed the relationships among the family
members in this book.
Ms. Craig was asked to respond to several questions regarding how she got
started as a writer and the trials and tribulations associated with being a
first time writer. Her responses are included here for you to become more
acquainted with this terrific new author.
- The Sandra Craig Interview
- By M. Janice
Wilson
EE.net: When did
you first know you wanted to be a writer?
S. Craig: I started
writing my first novel when I was about twenty. I didn’t like the romance
novels I was reading. They were all the same. A poor woman meets a wealthy
man. He dies and she became powerful. She eventually meets another man and
they live happily ever after.
EE.net: Did you like to read
as a child?
S. Craig: I loved to read as a child. I
still remember reading Dick and Jane in the first grade. I moved up to
the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys Series. Little Women was one of my
favorites. Unfortunately, there weren’t any stories about black children
when I was growing up.
EE.net: Who were some of the
people who inspired you?
S. Craig: Just one.
My mother. Even in death, whenever I become discouraged, I hear her say,
“Sandy, come on. You can do it.” Not wanting to let her down, I get on
with it.
EE.net: How much of your
personal life is reflected in your work?
S. Craig:
I try not
to invoke any of me in my work, but a person writes about what they know,
and feel, so it is almost impossible not to allow some semblance of oneself
to creep into the writing. I like writing fiction and imagination is a
large part of fiction. I usually get my characters from people I see on the
street, riding the subway, sitting in church, etc. If they look
interesting, based on their demeanor, I give them a personality and they
become characters in my book.
EE.net: How does it feel to
see your book getting such great reviews?
S. Craig: I am
thrilled!! My goal was to write a love story and a mystery. Then I decided
to write a romantic mystery. But I also wanted to write about people who
could be you or me. I wanted them to be real. So, when people said that it
made them laugh, cry, and invoke so many other emotions as well as ask when
the sequel is going to be published, I knew I had accomplished what I set
out to do, and that was write a story that people of all walks of life could
enjoy.
EE.net: When you sit down to
write a book, is there process or a ritual that you go through or does it
vary for each body of work?
S. Craig:
First I
decide what kind of story I want to tell. Then I make a list of
characters. Who they are, what they look like, what they do for a living,
their background and what makes them tick. As the characters go through
life, the story develops.
EE.net: How would you describe
your style of writing?
S. Craig: I guess
you would say Mythic. Although myths carry many meanings, they are, at
their very core, stores about people.
EE.net: What’s the hardest
part of being a writer?
S. Craig:
Being
disciplined. Taking a few hours every day to sit down and put words to
paper, so to speak. Also building a thick skin and becoming accustomed to
rejection. It is so easy to become frustrated and want to give up, but you
have to keep a positive attitude and keep plugging away.
EE.net: What’s the easiest
part of being a writer?
S. Craig:
Being
able to create.
EE.net: What kind of books do
you like to read?
S. Craig:
Biographies. I love reading about real people. I read everything that has
to do with black history. I enjoy a good mystery that keeps me wanting to
keep reading, while at the same time trying to uncover the mystery before I
get to the end. I like reading love stores that invoke emotion. I have to
care about the characters.
EE.net: Who are your favorite
authors?
S.
Craig: I don’t have a favorite author, but I do have favorite books. For
example, just to name a few, I like, Go tell it on the Mountain, If Beal
Street Could Talk, and Tell Me How Long the Trains Been Gone, all by James
Baldwin. I like Maya Angelou’s, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Ken
Follett’s, The Eye of the Needle. Harper Lee’s, To Kill a Mockingbird and
Ann Fairbairn’s, Five Smooth Stones, which I think was her only novel.
EE.net: How did you get your
current book deal? Was it difficult?
S. Craig:
After a
few rejections, I became angry and decided to self-publish using a
Print-On-Demand publisher. One thing I have learned during this process is
that agents want to represent proven authors or stories that have sold
before. There have been authors who have caught the eye of an agent after
their first novel was self-published, but that is not the norm. Promoting
self-published books is difficult. It is almost impossible to get it
reviewed because it isn’t readily available to the public. I have been very
fortunate to get my book listed on
BlackMenInAmerica.com as well as an
interview with Black Men In America’s Founder and Publisher. I was also
able to obtain an interview with Renee’ Nash on WHUR radio in Washington,
DC. So far, my book
signings have been very successful. One of the signings was listed in the
Literary Calendar of the Washington Post. With every good thing that
happens, I feel truly blessed.
EE.net: Does the business side
of being a writer interfere with the creative side of being a writer? If
so, how do you manage this?
S. Craig:
Writing
technical papers/publications for the Navy Department was a different kind
of writing. Now that I’m retired, I can spend all my time on the creative
side of writing.
EE.net: Is writing your
fulltime occupation? If not, what do you do to earn a living?
S.
Craig: No. If it were, I’m afraid I would be a bag lady. Not having to
rely on my writing to earn a living makes it just that much more enjoyable.
I can do it at my own pace. No stress meeting deadlines. However, I do
work part time at a golf course, so that I can play all the golf I want free
of charge and free golf is definitely a very good thing.
EE.net: Are you superstitious
or have any special rituals?
S.
Craig: No.
EE.net: What would you like to
do as a writer that you haven’t been able to do at this point in your life?
S. Craig: I would like to write a
story that would last over time. Who hasn’t read; “Gone With the Wind,” “To
Kill a Mocking Bird,” or “The Old Curiosity Shop” written by Charles Dickens
in 1840? How wonderful it would be if one hundred years from now, someone
would say, “Who hasn’t read a novel by Sandra Craig.”
EE.net: What has been your
most significant life lesson to date?
S. Craig:
That’s a
tough one. I guess it would be that if you really want to do something,
don’t let anyone discourage you. You never know what you can accomplish
unless you try. My mother always said, “Nothing beats a failure but a try,”
and that’s how I have lived my life. If I hadn’t, I would never have
painted my first picture or written my first novel.
EE.net: What “pearls of
wisdom” would you share with new writers?
S. Craig:
Never
give up! Be passionate about what you write and write something every day.
Read the classics. Their works have endured for centuries. Re-read them as
a writer, analyzing their story telling techniques. Find ways to improve
your fiction or nonfiction writing using those techniques. Be stubborn and
never give up if you really want to succeed.
Click On Photos To Enlarge
Sandy Craig and M. Janice Wilson
Click here to visit
Sandra Craig's web site
An Interview With Author Jessica Tilles
There’s a new author in town! I had the distinct
pleasure of interviewing a compelling new writer with style
and pizzazz. There’s a lot of buzz around town about a
new book that will have you on the edge of your chair in the
middle of the night. “Anything Goes” by Jessica Tilles
is filled with titillating situations and sheer excitement.
Tilles brought this kind of energy to the interview when she
arrived at our office.
Tilles said she’s always wanted to
be a writer. “I didn’t like reading when I was child in
school. When I was younger I read because I had to and not
because I wanted to”, said Tilles. Now she loves to read
and has more books than she has time.
Jessica counts her husband as a supporter and a source of
inspiration. According to Tilles, her husband issued a
challenge of sorts. “My husband said that I would never
write the book.” Well that must have been all the
motivation she needed. Before she knew it, Tilles said she
put pen to paper and emptied her head in the form of a
book. “Anything Goes” is one “sexcapade” after another, so
I had to ask Tilles to explain how she developed the
characters and conducted research for the book. She
explained that she has an unusual ability to visualize and
dream. “Most of the characters came from dreams. It seemed
that every night I had dreams that once I thought about
them, helped me to write the story and develop the
characters. I also got ideas from some of my friends,
relatives and my own imagination,” said Tilles. She shared
with me that she often wakes up in the middle of the night
to capture her dreams on paper.
Jessica Tilles is infectious. Throughout the interview she
was upbeat, relaxed and loads of fun. We connected
immediately. In the middle of our interview, Black Men In
America.com Founder Gary Johnson popped in and the party
really got started.
Snooky,
the Advice
Columnist, was scheduled to join us but he never showed.
You never know what’s going on with
Snooky. He finally
arrived at the end of the interview with a bucket of Chicken
from KFC because he heard a rumor that Tilles loved the
Colonel.
I asked Tilles to name some of the authors she likes to
read. She immediately noted Terry McMillan and E. Lynn
Harris. “I love Terry McMillan’s style and I love E. Lynn
Harris for introducing the whole homosexual experience into
his book as a way of helping others understand,” replied
Tilles. Still excited, Tilles acknowledged Maya Angelou,
Eric Jerome Dickey and Toni Morrison.
She went on to say that she was simply fascinated with both
the book “Beloved” and the movie. I asked Jessica how much
of her personal life is reflected in “Anything Goes” and she
responded that a lot of what is written in her new book came
to her through her unusual ability to visualize and dream.
Being a new writer has an upside and a downside. I asked
Jessica how it felt to have her book receive positive
reviews by readers, stores and book clubs. She responded
rather quickly, “It feels wonderful. It is so exciting to
hear how others view my book and to be able to hear what
they liked best about the book, which character had the most
impact on them and also why they liked the book.” She said
further, that she welcomes the opportunity to discuss her
book with book clubs and others. Tilles also shared how
great she felt when she was riding the subway train downtown
and saw several people reading her book. “That was one of
the greatest feelings. It was a great sense of reward.”
For Tilles, writing seems to be second nature. I asked her
if there was a process or ritual she employed when she sits
down to write. She explained that she has to organize the
material. “I’ll lay it out and do an organizational chart
with the characters in my book to track their relationships
with other characters.” Tilles further explained, “The main
process is to write, write, write and when I’m done I review
the material and fine tune it.”
Tilles describes her writing style as character driven. She
stated that she loves to write in the first person where the
character is telling the story. She likes to write in the
present tense so that the reader feels what the characters
are experiencing and what is taking place in the story.
Having read and thoroughly enjoyed her book, I can attest to
the fact that I felt right there with the characters and
enjoyed every minute of it!
As far as the downside is concerned, Tilles said one of the
hardest things to deal with is not being accepted by African
American bookstores. “I’m a self-published author. I’ve
had a difficult time getting my book reviewed by the larger
book stores.” Shifting to a more passionate tone, Tilles
said, “It really hurts when your own folks turn you down.
I’ve been turned down by so many bookstores in this area
because I was not associated with a distributor or a big
name publishing company. One thing I’ve learned about being
a new writer is that you must have thick skin because not
everyone is going to like you or what you write.”
Tilles went on to say that she’s learned that “if you don’t
let people know what you want, you will never get it.”
Other challenges for new writers are the cost of marketing
and getting affiliated with a known distributor. Tilles
also spoke about the need to have finances readily available
to cover such things as marketing fees, travel costs,
literary fees and conference fees. She suggested that new
writers might want to obtain sponsorship.
The joy of writing is what has
helped to make all of the challenges of being a new writer
seem miniscule to Tilles. The easiest part of being a new
writer for Tilles is being in control. She stated that she
doesn’t like anyone telling her what to write and what she
can’t write which is why “Anything Goes” was such a fun
project for her. “Being self-published has allowed me the
freedom to write about things that I want to write about and
gives me the right to make decisions on my own behalf. I
love touring and promoting my book and hearing what the
readers think of what they have read. I will eventually go
through a distributor, I’ve received several calls from
across the country for my book, but right now I am enjoying
being in control.”
Jessica’s love of writing has not
interfered with her present position as a Health and Welfare
Specialist for a multinational consulting firm. She has an
excellent support team starting with her husband, her family
and her immediate supervisor who is very supportive of her
aspirations. This has allowed her to continue to write and
be inspired.
Look for her new book, which will be, released this August,
titled “In My Sisters’ Corner.” This is the story of four
(4) sisters who have much drama in their lives and are not
afraid to talk about it. Other titles to look for by this
vivacious and alluring author are “RoomMates,” “Its
Hardly Over” and “Never Satisfied.”
Be
sure to look for Jessica on the “Anything Goes in the Life
of a Black Chick” Author Tour” with Tahira Chloe Mahdi,
author of God Laughs, Too: Incidents in the Life of a Black
Chick.
I must say that it’s been a long time since I’ve had so much
fun. Thank you Jessica.
You can learn more about
Jessica and buy her book by visiting her web site at
www.jessicatilles.com.
This interview was conducted
on March 28, 2003 by M. Janice Wilson, of the “In The Meantime” Book Club
serving the Washington, DC area.
Click On Photos To Enlarge
Photo #1: Janice
Wilson and Jessica Tilles Photo #2:
Jessica and Janice
So what do
you think?
Click here and sign our
Guestbook to leave a private statement, comment or reaction.
Click On Photo To Enlarge
-
Ms. Deeca
Arrives
Stops By Erotic
Expressions.net
Internet supermodel Sadequa Simmonds, aka Deeca, always wanted to be in
the spotlight. Growing up she wrote and starred in school plays and
attended a high school for the performing arts. She attended modeling
classes in High School, fell in love with the profession and has been
hooked ever since. All of this helps to explain her motivation today.
This ambitious beauty is the product of a Chinese/Indian Father and
Irish/Black Mother both from Jamaica.
In 1989, Deeca moved
to South Florida in pursuit of an entertainment career. She soon became
involved in modeling doing promotions with Guinness Stout. Five months
later she was crowned Miss Guinness Stout 2000 for Florida State. During
her position as Miss Guinness Stout, Deeca traveled and became familiar
with Internet Gurus. Soon after her name “Deeca” became popular and she
started gaining more credibility in the industry. Deeca spends countless
hours marketing herself and her web site
Deeca.com.
Aside from her
daughter,
Deeca.com
is her proudest
accomplishment. Deeca is featured in the 2003 Mo Girls USA Calendar and
appears on the month of September in the
Black Men In America.com 2003 Calendar.
Ms. Deeca is ambitious and energetic. Talking with her is infectious. No
grass is growing under this woman’s feet. Our conversations are fast and
we often talk over each other because we’re excited about our ideas. I thought I was the King of the Internet,
but when it comes to logging Internet time, Deeca is the Undisputed
Champion, chatting with people all over the world.
Deeca is a “hands-on” talent who is intricately involved in almost every
aspect of her career. She does all of the marketing and promoting of her
web site. Sista works 24/7/365. The long hours don’t bother her because
modeling is a labor of love. “I’ve always believed that if you want to
get something done the right way, you do it yourself,” says The Net Diva.
According to Deeca, “The
best part of modeling is my creative drive to bring the best. I love to
do different themes. Originality is a big key in the modeling industry.”
Deeca’s been a professional model for about 10 years, including taking
time off to have her daughter. She started on Blackplanet.com and got so
much traffic that she decided to get her own web site. After modeling
steady for about 4 years, Deeca crossed into “superstar” status about a
year ago. “When I was recognized by important modeling sites and
different online modeling agencies as a “supermodel,” that’s when I knew
that I’d reached my goal—Internet supermodel status.” If you’re like me,
you may be wondering about the difference between an Internet model and an
Internet supermodel.
Deeca has the look and appearance that lends itself to almost any kind of
modeling. She hasn’t done any porn modeling and has no plans to do so in
the future. She recently got comfortable enough to do a topless shoot.
She told me that she’s concerned about what her daughter and nieces may
think of her one day and that she wants to set a good example for them.
“I don’t want to seem hypocritical because I would add soft porn using
other models for people in the “Members” section of my web site. However,
I wouldn’t do it for family reasons. I guess it’s just a matter of
self-taste. I’ve seen soft porn that is so beautiful, but that’s one
avenue I have not crossed yet.”
The “Members”
section of
Deeca.com
is a paid section of the site. Members get to see a more intimate side of
Ms. Deeca. Members also get to be the first to view new photos and have
access to bonus items such as
screensavers and
posters.
Deeca.com
is still growing.
Members can expect to experience live cam sessions and other VIP
privileges in the future.
A
successful web site, especially a new one cannot survive without
aggressive marketing. Deeca is a savvy marketer who understands that sex
is a big part of the modeling business. She believes that the way you
carry yourself along with your moral values are important. “Some models
feel they need to do everything to make it big in the business, but that’s
no different than someone trying to get a better job at a Fortune 500
company. Sometimes sex sells.” That being said, Deeca believes that the
strength of her modeling career is not built on sex, but on the strength
of her being a good model who produces great images. “I think people like
my work and want to be a part of my world.”
This
Internet supermodel is single by choice. “I am more focused on working
night and day to become a success and have no extra time to devote to a
fulltime relationship with a man, so I am just dating right now.” When
asked to describe her ideal mate Deeca says, “My ideal mate is someone who
I can talk to easily and bug out with. I want to be able to go to a nice
conservative dinner or go to a game room and shoot hoops or bowl for
dollars. He can surprise me with a candlelight bubble bath and bathe me
from head to toe. Or he can ride me on the back of his motorbike just to
feel the wind blow. I guess I’m still a romantic at heart. I don’t know
if men still do that kind of stuff but once I find someone who does…he’s a
keeper.”
One
of the things that I learned from talking to Deeca is the importance of
developing a rapport and having a good relationship with photographers.
She says, “If you aren’t comfortable with your photographer it will show in your
pictures. Your pictures will look awkward and made up. There should always be a
mutual respect between photographer and model. My photographer, M. Shawn Dowdell and I are like best friends and business partners. We speak
almost everyday. I’m like one of the boys to him. I feel at ease with
him and I’m thankful for that.”
Deeca is polite, thoughtful and respectful. She also has a keen sense of
awareness about the business and an appreciation for those who have helped
her. She told me that her family and her web site are her first
priority. “When I’m not helping my daughter with homework, I’m online
promoting my site. I love to speak to all my fans, friends and family.”
Deeca is constantly reaching out to people and asking for feedback, ideas
and opinions. She is loyal to the people who have helped her. And
understands that if it wasn’t for that help she may not be where she is
today.
Life
as a model has not been great for Deeca. She shared some difficult and
costly learning experiences with unsavory people in the business. The
worst was when she signed a two-year exclusive deal with an agent who did
nothing for her. When she tried to get out of the contract she was
ditched by the agent. “It’s kind of upsetting when you put your trust in
someone thinking you’re doing the right thing and you get a raw deal. But
you live and learn and I take every experience as a stepping stone.” As a
result of her experiences, Deeca is very open and willing to share her
“lessons learned” with new models so that they don’t have to suffer
unnecessarily.
I
asked Deeca to talk about her future and discovered that she plans to be
in this business for a long time. “Right now I’m trying to develop my own
online agency for upcoming Internet models where I can actually get work
for them and not just post their pictures on a site and not get any
bookings from it.” Much has changed since Deeca came online as a model.
She wants to build an infrastructure to help new talent get paid with
minimum exploitation.
Deeca believes women seeking to be models need to be honest with
themselves. She cautions that the modeling business is not for everyone.
“You have to be very secure with your work and you should never be afraid
to get constructive criticism.” Deeca says that the criticism can be
harsh and sometimes brutal. “Some people will like your work and others
may not. It’s survival of the fittest and only the strong will remain on
top.”
Sadequa Simmonds is a model because she’s pretty. She’s a successful
model because she works hard. Deeca will continue to develop as a model
and become an astute businesswoman.
To
learn more about Ms. Deeca and join her VIP Gallery, visit her web site at
www.deeca.com.
Be sure to return to the Gentlemen’s Lounge for more on Ms. Deeca - The
Net Diva!
This interview was
conducted by Gary Johnson
Erotic
Expressions.net Bonus Pics
Click On
Deeca To Enlarge
Want
More? Go to the
Net Diva's Web Site and become a VIP
Member
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you think?
Click here and sign our
Guestbook to leave a private statement, comment or reaction.
Mo'Nique: More Than Just A Funny Lady
Mo'Nique, winner of the 2001 and 2002 NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding
Actress in a Comedy Series (The Parkers), stars as Nikki Parker, a bold,
big-hearted single mother who attends college with her daughter Kim
(Countess Vaughn) in the UPN hit comedy series THE PARKERS. When
television’s long running show, “It's Showtime At the Apollo” decided to
revamp for the new season, Mo’Nique emerged as the natural contender for a
show that is also a staple in African American households.
Mo’Nique shows that she’s more than just a funny lady. Mo’Nique is also a
savvy businesswoman with a new book
entitled, “Skinny Women Are Evil” (Atria Books/Simon & Schuster), a
new comedy CD in the works, her own clothing line, (BBLI - Big, Beautiful
and Loving It), and a signature fragrance to launch soon.
I
asked Monique to recall when she first realized that she was funny. “I
first realized I was funny when my brother Steve told me I was funny. A
lot of people assume that I was the class clown. No. I was very prissy in
high school. I wore my heels, my skirt and had my briefcase. My brother
Steve, who’s been my manager for 15 years, tried to be the family comedian
and was horrible. He went on stage at the Comedy Factory Outlet in
Baltimore. Steve got out there and got booed. They cut the microphone off;
they cut the lights off, so I teased him the next day. I told him what I
would have said. I did a 40-minute routine. So Steve dared me to go down
there the next week and get on stage. Well I did it and got a standing
ovation. And somebody offered to pay me $25.00 to do a hair show. Steve
negotiated that I get an additional $5.00 for gas and we became
manager/client. The rest is history.”
“I
have never written a joke --- ever,” Mo’Nique reveals, “because I'm not a
typical joke teller. I just talk about my life. ” The technique worked as
Mo’Nique soon found herself headlining the Queens of Comedy tour. The
female counterpart of the highly successful Kings of Comedy Tour, fronted by
Steve Harvey, Queens of Comedy was one of the most successful all-women
comedy events ever. With audiences reaching 40,000 upward, the album
version of the tour earned a Grammy nomination for Best Spoken Comedy Album.
She’s also starred in the movies "3 Strikes", "Baby Boy", and "Two Can Play
That Game." I asked Mo’Nique if there
were any similarities between her and the character she
portrayed in the movie “Two Can Play That Game.” “No!
Monique is very opinionated, very outspoken, but she’s not quick to fight.
The character I played in the movie was quick to fight. I related that
character to my best friend Michelle. I had to put me and Michelle in that
character because my best friend Michelle is a fighter. Other than that the
character is very real.”
In September 2000 Mo’Nique launched a new fashion line based on the
custom-made designs of her stage clothes. Managed by her sister, Millicent
Imes, MO'NIQUE'S BBLI, (BBLI standing for Big Beautiful and Loving It), is
"The Classy Fashions for the Lovely Full-Figured Woman!"
I want to change the standard of beauty in this
country,” she states. I was a fat baby coming out and I'm going to be a fat
baby leaving. I've I wasn’t a
size 2, I didn’t have hair all the way down my back. I was very okay with
who I was as a size 22 and with all of my curves and rolls. I wasn’t
willing to eat carrots and celery sticks all day to make you like me. I’m
okay with Mo’Nique. I think it was time for people to see that I’m the
norm. Size 2’s are not normal Gary. Hollywood women are not normal
people. They get a lot of work done. I’m not getting a doctor to cut shit
off of me. I put it [the weight] on and if I want it off I’ll take it off.
(Laughing) Mo’Nique hopes that her fashion line
will be in major department stores, such as Macy’s by next year.
Last month, I interviewed Mo’Nique’s TV co-star Dorien Wilson. She
talked about working with Dorien. “Dorien
is my baby. We have so much fun doing something we love and we get paid a
lot of money to do it. When you’re around good people that you love it
makes the job so much easier. Dorien is my shoulder. When I first came
into this show it was my first TV show. I never had a TV show, let alone
the starring role and it was so many things that people thought I should
know. I didn’t know shit. It was new to me and Dorien was the one who took
me by my hand and walked me through it.”
Mo’Nique is very excited about her new book,
“Skinny Women Are
Evil: Notes Of A Big Girl In A Small Minded World.”
She kept telling me that skinny women were evil. The book is scheduled for
release on April 1st. “I’m really excited about the book. The
book was co-written by Sherri McGee. I wanted to use another word for women
in the title but they [the publisher] wouldn’t let me, so I just used the
word women. It’s a funny book that compares the differences between skinny
women and big women, about traveling, sex, eating, exercise and everything.
The book is hilarious!"
One of the things that impressed me about Mo’Nique was how grounded she was
when it comes to reality and success. When I asked her about this, she
attributed her outlook on life to her family. “I credit my parents for my
outlook in life. I grew up in a middle class environment where my parents
had to punch the clock. My father told us that whatever we wanted out of
life we better go get it. He said: ‘Never call on Moses, cause Moses gotta
get back to you. Call on Jesus. He’s the one who has the answer.’”
Mo’Nique is also close to her siblings. “My brother’s my manager and my
sister Millicent runs the clothing line and she’s also my Personal
Assistant. When all of this goes away, they’ll still be my brother and
sister. I don’t trust nobody else with my shit. I can’t kill them, but I
can kill you Gary.” (Laughing).
Professional comedy is a highly competitive business. I found it
interesting that Mo'Nique doesn't compete. When I asked her to clarify
this she reiterated: “First of all I don’t compete. What God has planned for me you
can’t do anything with that. I never compete. I never say: ‘I gotta beat
them out.’ No, never. I think that my greatest challenge was when I
performed at the Georgia Dome and there were 44,000 people. It wasn’t even
a challenge it was uh, overwhelming because Atlanta was really where I got
started doing comedy. So to go back in front of 44,000 people that was my
own personal challenge. As far as competing against men, let me say that
for so long it was a lot of white men doing comedy, because that’s all that
was accepted. Then you had Redd Foxx, Richard Pryor and Bill Cosby. These
guys were brilliant, but as funny as they were, there was still a double
standard. If Bob Hope said “mutherfucker” he was brilliant. If Richard
Pryor said “mutherfucker” he was dirty. It was always a different
standard. I think now when it comes to men and women, women have positioned
themselves to a point where they can say: ‘I don’t care if you’re black,
white, whether you where skirts or pants, funny is funny.’ It’s not just
that black men are funny if they are really, really dirty. Now we’ve
reached a point in comedy where funny is funny.”
Persistence, hard work and dedication to your craft have always been the
formula for success with most people. When I asked Mo’Nique what advice she
would give to people trying to break into show business, I was not
disappointed. “Never have a Plan B. Only have a Plan A. When you have a
Plan B, it makes it easier to give up on Plan A. If you have Plan A, and
Plan A only, you’re either going to make it or die trying. I made it 15
years ago. Nobody knew it. I did. My big break didn’t happen when I
landed the TV show “The Parkers.” All of this shit right now is gravy. My
big break happened when I packed up my desk at MCI and said: ‘I Quit’ with
a baby in my arms. That’s when my big break happened.”
When asked about her preference of television, stand-up or movies, Mo'Nique
replied:
“Hmmm. I’m gonna say, stand-up. Stand-up keeps you sharp. It keeps you
sharp for television and movies. Have you ever noticed when comics stop
doing comedy, they’re not funny anymore? That’s because they’re not sharp.
Stand-up is the dance that got you to the party. I love being on stage.
Stand-up keeps you real because the people will let you know that night if
you were funny or if you weren’t. They don’t give a damn about you being on
TV, they don’t care about you being in movies. All they know is: ‘I paid
$40.00 to come see your ass, and you better make me laugh.’ That’s the real
test. When you do television and movies, someone yells ‘cut’ and you do it
again. By the time you see it, I’m at my best. On that stage, that shit is
live action right then, right there. You either do or you die. Stand-up
gets me in my gut. Look at Jerry Seinfeld. That’s six generations of
wealth. He’s not back on the road for the money. He’s doing it for the
passion because he’s a comic. That’s what we do. When you get people who
say: ‘I don’t need to go back on the road. I’ve made it.’ Well, they’re
shit ain’t really funny anymore.” (Gary and Mo’Nique laughing).
So what’s next for Mo’Nique? “I’m hoping that the book will be a bestseller
and staying prayerful that my movie career will continue to do what it’s
doing, staying prayerful that “The Parkers” will be around for another 3 or
4 seasons. There are a lot of things that Mo’Nique wants but I will be with
God and what he has for me. Mo’Nique wants to do a lot of things but it
ain’t my call. Today may be my last day. I will be wherever God will have
me to be. I hope he don’t take me no time soon, God knows I ain’t asking
for it. But wherever he’s going to have me is where I will be.”
Hollywood had better take note. Mo’Nique is unique and here to stay.
A special thanks goes out to Makeda
Smith from
Jazzmyne PR for arranging this interview.
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Dorien Wilson
Dorien Wilson stars as Professor Oglevee, the smart, handsome teacher at
Santa Monica Junior College who is the object of love from Nikki Parker
(Mo'Nique) on the hit comedy series “The Parkers”. “The Parkers”
remains the number one show in all of television in African-American
households.
Wilson may also
be remembered for his comic turn on HBO's "Dream On," as the
smooth-talking, womanizing talk show host Eddie Charles, a role for
which he received a Cable ACE Award nomination. Other television
credits include starring as Franklin Goode in UPN's "Goode Behavior"
with Sherman Hemsley and recurring roles on "Living Single," "Friends,"
"The Steve Harvey Show" and "Sister, Sister." He has guest starred on "Seinfeld,"
"Moesha," "Friends," "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air," and "Martin."
I caught up with
Wilson last week and found him to be a down-to-earth brother who is
truly humbled and feels blessed to be successful. Wilson remembers the
struggles and the sacrifices that he made to get to this point in his
career. During our conversation he recalled paying his dues
by teaching acting in the Bay area and his 10 years working in theater. Wilson
was a student of the Pacific Conservatory of Performing Arts in Santa
Monica, CA and the prestigious American Conservatory Theater in San
Francisco. Working hard and paying his dues has garnered Wilson a very
stable and established career. “There’s no substitute for hard work
when it comes to success,” says Wilson.
Wilson has
demonstrated Hollywood’s most elusive trait: Staying power.
"The Parkers" is his 4th television show. Although I
didn’t spend any time talking with Wilson about him being a sex symbol,
I was well aware that the brother is in the 2003 Alayé Mens Calendar.
We spent most of our time talking about his career.
I asked Wilson to
describe the down side of being an actor. “The worst part of being an
actor is giving up part of yourself, especially when I’m with my
children. I appreciate the enthusiasm of fans who want to meet me but
sometimes folks can get too excited with their enthusiasm.”
Wilson clearly accepts the good with the bad. “I try to be as gracious
as I can. When I’m by myself it’s much less of a problem," said
Wilson. He also
talked about the best part of being a celebrity. “The best part of
being a celebrity are the perks – clothes, reservations in restaurants,
invitation to clubs and feedback from fans. I always feel good when I
can bring a smile to the face of his fans.”
I also asked Wilson to
describe what it's like working with Mo’Nique and doing the TV
show "The Parkers." He immediately got excited and said: “That’s my girl
man. Mo’Nique is my heart--she’s the best. She's like a
sister to me. What you see is what you
get. She is truly a beautiful person.”
The Parkers is
Wilson’s 4th television show and he credits Mo’Nique and the
crew with making the set feel like home. “I feel like I’m going to work
every day and playing with my friends all day long and still getting a
pay check,” said Wilson.
In my opinion,
part of Wilson’s success is because he’s a talented actor who appeals to
both men and women. The women love him because of his talent and good
looks. The men can relate to him because of his consistent depiction of
the professional working man.
Wilson attributes
his charisma as probably being one of the key elements to his success.
He says his parents are his mentors because they taught him
that he could achieve anything in life. When I asked him to name
some of his favorite actors, Wilson cited Ossie Davis,
Ruby Dee, Denzel Washington, Cicely Tyson, Sidney Poitier and James Earl
Jones as some of the people that he grew up admiring.
When I asked
Wilson to talk about his accomplishments, I e |
