Posts Tagged ‘Kristen Aldridge’

The music scene this summer has sizzled!  Check out a few of my favorites on my Summer Hot List 2011: Part One!

Country Hotness

Admittedly, pop-infused country music appeals to me so much more than classic country. I’ll proudly blast Sugarland or Lady A but would only be caught singing a Tammy Wynette tune at some dive bar’s karaoke night. Though Dolly Parton’s music style is less like Jennifer Nettles’ and more like old school Nashville, I must say, Ms. Dolly is on my summer hot list.

Reference “longevity” in your on-line dictionary, and the Queen of Country’s pic is there. After 40 years, Dolly is still making new music and videos!

Dolly is even hotter because of her active involvement in her philanthropic endeavors. It is positively outstanding that Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library donates one free book per month to pre-school aged children until they turn 5. And the frosting on this hot little piece of country cake is that, despite her fortune, Dolly is incredibly humble. She gushed to Oprah that she prefers sleeping in her Winnebago over staying in 5 star hotels when she’s on tour.

Dolly, you’ve got my vote.

Sizzling Hot Rapping Duo

Confession: I feel pressured to love Jay-Z and Kanye West’s new Watch the Throne album because how could one not obsess over a collabo by these two?

I was reluctant at first to categorize Watch the Throne as “hot.” Jay and ‘Ye depend heavily on lyrics of wealth, power, and all things superficial as the theme of this release. But what else can you expect from music’s most infamous narcissist and from a rapper-turned-insanely powerful mogul who just happens to be married to one of the world’s most beautiful women?

When it comes to throne watching, admiring one on which these two sit is pretty freaking entertaining.

My faves on the album: “Paris,” “Gotta Have It,” and “Otis.”

Hate them or hate on them, Kanye and Jay-Z look like they’re having the time of their lives while effortlessly making chart topping music.

HOT.

Pre-Teen Prodigy

It is unbelievable to me that Jackie Evanhco’s voice is actually coming out of her 11-year-old body. I’m thiiiis closing to being convinced her parents implanted a voice box in her in a grand scheme to make Jackie the world’s most celebrated vocalist.

Or I could just accept the fact that her stardom began when she was named runner-up on America’s Got Talent. Either way, Jackie Evancho certainly has one of this summer’s hottest voices.

Her 2nd album, Dream With Me, debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 chart, and her debut album, O Holy Night, is certified platinum.

What were you doing at 11?

Which artists are on your Summer Hot List?

Few things are more awe-inspiring than a self-assured woman who owns her confidence with pride and with humility.

And when a lady has that kind of intangible appeal combined with musical genius, she satisfies the prerequisites to be recognized as a woman who rocks.

Featuring more than 70 artists and filling 2 floors, the Rock Hall of Fame’s new exhibit – Women Who Rock: Vision, Passion, Power – celebrates music’s storied past by highlighting how females influenced its history.

After realizing no amount of belting vocals into my hairspray bottle would earn me a place in the exhibit, I decided to speak with an expert about how the Rock Hall narrowed down the deserving female rockers to 70 musicians.

Enter museum curator, Jim Henke.

Now, Mr. Henke is more than just the awesome Vice President of Exhibitions and Curatorial Affairs at the Rock Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, but he is a positively passionate music journalist. He served as music editor for Rolling Stone magazine, was VP of production at Elektra Records, and has curated exhibits including everything from Elvis to rap. Mr. Henke, my friends, knows his music, and I was delighted to learn how his vision led to the curation and creation of Women Who Rock.

Me: How overwhelming was it to get started on Women Who Rock when women have impacted music so much?

Henke: It was a pretty big subject to tackle. There were a lot of conversations and several meetings held in determining when it was the right to time to pursue the exhibit.  But once we decided that the time was right, we enlisted the help of outside people – particularly educators, the Biography Channel, and authors who had written books on the subject matter we wanted to cover. With their help, our staff started the collecting process – collecting artifacts, collecting information – to tell the best story possible.

Me: Tell me about the selection process of choosing artists for the exhibit. What stood out about the chosen women?

Henke: One thing we wanted to do was feature music’s pioneers. Ma Rainey, for example, is featured, and she was one of the first women to record blues records. Bessie Smith is another great blues singer from the 1920s and 1930s. And Maybelle Carter was one of the first well-known country singers. We chose musicians whose legacies reflect how important women were to the development of recorded music, especially during a time when women weren’t always rewarded with chart positions like they are now.

Me: Speaking of women rocking the charts- which current chart toppers are included in Women Who Rock?

Henke: We’ve got Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift. Janelle Monae and Lady Gaga. As a matter of fact, we have in our exhibit Lady Gaga’s childhood piano.

Me: Gaga’s piano! That’s a fun artifact to have!

Rihanna’s American Music Awards Performance Outfit, also featured at the Exhibit. Photo courtesy of Rockhall.com

Henke: Oh, we’ve got lots of instruments – Wanda Jackson’s guitar, a bass guitar from The Breeders, and even a bass drum from the White Stripes. We also have lots of lyric manuscripts. And we’re thankful to the families of the inductees as they expressed an overall excitement in helping us collect these items.

Wanda Jackson’s Acoustic Guitar. Photo courtesy of Rockhall.com

Me: If I am planning a trip to check out the Women Who Rock exhibit, what parts of the exhibit must I absolutely see?

Henke: It’s a very comprehensive display, but one of the best parts is that visitors can enjoy the interactive experience of recording themselves in the video booths. They can record their thoughts about the exhibit, and we’ll email them the video for them to have as mementoes. This is one of the first times the Rock Hall has incorporated this kind of interactive element.

Me: As curator of this project, what impact do you foresee Women Who Rock having on visitors?

Henke: I really hope that kids get an understanding of music’s roots – 50s to the 60s to the whole punk period. It’s all very informative. To support the exhibit through its 9 month run, we are bringing in female music industry executives as well as some of the featured artists. The educational incentive will offer classes and programs on women who rock. After all, women have always played an important role in music, and with Women Who Rock: Vision, Passion, Power, we’re paying homage to those outstanding musicians.

Women Who Rock: Vision, Passion, Power opens on May 13, 2011 at The Rock Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio. Please visit www.rockhall.com for detailed information on visiting, donating, and on becoming a member.

Morgan Spurlock is famous for putting corporations to task, as he did to McDonalds in the documentary Supersize Me and in his television series, 30 days (currently available on DVD).

The Beckley, West Virginia native has shifted gears in his new documentary, going from asking the hard questions of companies to asking for a handout. The change in attitudes serves Spurlock well, as POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, which is one of the most entertaining documentaries that I have ever seen.

Morgan Spurlock’s latest documentary is a highly entertaining look at the business side of Hollywood, and the writer/producer sets his sights on the practice of product placement in television and film. Product placement is when a company pays big time bucks to get their products screen time and/or interaction with the characters on screen.

In making the documentary on product placement, Spurlock decided to USE product placement to fund all aspects of his latest work. It’s an ingenious idea that pays off big time, as Morgan takes us along for the ride while he meets with marketing companies, heads of corporations, Hollywood film makers and even the rock band OK Go (who made a wicked awesome song for the film called “The Greatest Song I Ever Heard”).

The result is POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, the first movie fully funded by sponsors paying for product placement within the movie itself, and one great documentary.

Morgan takes the cameras from the very beginning of his attempts to finance the film with cold calls to large companies like Coca Cola and (the audacity!!!) McDonalds. After many very amusing and very telling interviews, Spurlock gets his first client, and the ball really starts rolling.

There are a total of twenty companies that end up signing off on the movie sponsorship, showing a wide variety of categories. From Ban Deodorant to Mane N’ Tail (a shampoo that both you AND your horse can use!) to Hyatt hotels, Spurlock found those willing to take a chance on the filmmaker in order to get their name and product more visible to consumers.

Along the way, Spurlock speaks with a variety of people, including Ralph Nader, Brett Ratner and Peter Berg, to gather their input on product placement and advertising.

Though it must have been extremely scary to not have any say on how they would be portrayed or spoken of, it seems the company sponsorships have paid off. Morgan is currently all over the talk show and news circuit, happily wearing a suit plastered with the logos of all that sponsored him. He even helped change the name of the city of Altoona, Pennsylvania, to POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold (seriously!) to get publicity.

As a movie goer I found myself very entertained with the whole process, and as a consumer, the movie really worked wonders on me with two companies in particular standing out: Amy’s Kitchen and POM Wonderful.

Amy’s Kitchen is an organic food company that offers a multitude of edible goods which Morgan happily munches on throughout the movie. Their pizza making an appearance in the film are really what sold me, and had me googling the company on my iPhone as soon as I was walking out of their theater.

I was not disappointed, as their margherita pizza tasted even better than it looked on the big screen at the Hollywood Arclight Theatre. I had never previously heard of the brand, and thanks to the company’s risk and Morgan’s ingenuity, a fan has been born.

As far as POM Wonderful goes, I have to say that I am completely and happily sold on the tasty beverage, which will be incorporated into my daily diet! Packed with antioxidants, POM Wonderful 100% pomegranate juice definitely seems to be a healthy alternative to the sugar packed orange juice and apple juice that are normally sitting around my breakfast table, and I never would have bothered to try it or learn more about it if I had not seen the movie.

The company has a pretty big part in the film, as their team agrees to fund Morgan’s documentary a sum of $1,000,000 for above the title naming rights. It’s pretty clear that the move was a shrewd one, as every single person I know who has seen the documentary has purchased and drank at least one bottle of POM Wonderful, and all have raved about it too!

Morgan’s interactions with the POM team are my favorite in the film, because though they are business people first and foremost, the POM team seems as genuinely interested in Morgan’s project as they are in pushing visibility of their product.

This documentary really breaks down the relationship of Hollywood and big business, and does it in a light-hearted and watchable way that left me neither upset with the movie industry, nor with the companies using product placement as a marketing force (except for Mac and Me, which I will never forgive McDonalds for).

Spurlock shows, as he has in previous efforts, that he can put together an informative, fun documentary that you can both enjoy as well as will make you think. I highly recommend POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold as one of the best movies of 2011.

All of us here at Positively Celebrity would like to laud Morgan Spurlock on his interesting documentary, and thank him for showing us a side of Hollywood that few ever know about, as well as for turning us on to a few great companies that we were unaware of! We can’t wait to see what the filmmaker has on tap for us next, and wish him all the success with his film!

For more information on Morgan Spurlock and POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold please visit www.MorganSpurlock.com.

For more information on Amy’s Kitchen’s delicious margherita pizza and to check out the full menu of all their products, please visit www.Amys.com, and to learn more about POM Wonderful and their full line of juice drinks, teas and more, please visit www.POMWonderful.com. Try their Pomegranate Blueberry, it’s delicious!

You can download OKGo’s track for the movie, “The Greatest Song I Ever Heard” on iTunes today! To learn more about the band, please visit http://www.okgo.net.

And as always, be sure to check back for more of the latest celebrity news and features from Richard Munassi right here at Positively Celebrity!

Never has there been a Pussycat sexier than Scherzinger – as in Nicole.

After years of subscribing to Dr. Dre’s Detox philosophy -teasing fans with the possibility of a solo project then repeatedly postponing its release date  - the former PCD front woman finally took the plunge with Killer Love.

Consider yourself lucky if you’re in Europe since Killer Love was officially released there mid-March. America, we get to play the waiting game because the hot body bombshell still hasn’t disclosed the date of her American debut.

Don’t fret. We can still indulge in Nicole as she has already premiered the video for “Right There,” featuring 50 cent.

Rihanna must be seething because “Right There” could have totally been a hit of hers. And Beyonce’ has gotta be amazed that another starlet can do the “Crazy in Love/Uh Oh” dance as well as she.  And me…well, I’m jealous because I’m dying to get feather extensions, and Nicole’s blue ones in this video are positively fly.

I’ve always been a fan of Nicole’s “swag” (pardon me for writing the most overused word of the past year) but there’s no other way to describe Scherzinger’s appeal.

While her vocals aren’t off the charts, her confidence is. Even though critics slam her music – from Pussycat Dolls to solo tracks – she’s continually working at finding her personalized niche of entertainment success.

Whenever you start thinking, “I wonder where that Nicole ‘what’s her name’ girl is” she’s right there in some national commercial or on Dancing With The Stars or cranking out some hot new pop track.

Cats really do have 9 lives.

Get positively connected! That’s right, Positively Celebrity fans. We can now say we have an App for that!

Introducing the new Positively Celebrity smartphone app for “Celebrity News, Beauty, Fitness and Fashion at Your Fingertips”.

Want the inside scoop on how to feel like a celebrity, without spending like one? There’s an app for that! Get positively connected to the world of all things celebrity. From Hollywood beauty tips, fashion trends, fitness secrets and celebrity hot spots to the latest entertainment news and reviews, Positively Celebrity covers it all. The only thing you won’t find? That nasty ‘celeb bashing’ from the tabloids based on lies, rumor or gossip.

Created by TV Host and Entertainment Journalist Kristen Aldridge, Positively Celebrity is a positive take on the world of pop culture. If you crave tips on how to look like a celebrity, feel like a celebrity, work out like a celebrity, dress like a celebrity or just be inspired by a celebrity, this is positively the app for you!

Our beauty, fashion, fitness and entertainment experts are all credible, positive and charismatic sources within the entertainment industry. They have worked with world renowned brands such as E!, Style, TV Guide Network, MTV, TLC, ESPN, Yahoo!, The CW, Bare Minerals, Target, Johnson & Johnson and Ralph Lauren to name a few, and now they’re bringing their expertise to you!

Here’s the link to download from iTunes:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/positively-celebrity/id430392002?mt=8#

The app’s main features include:

–Exclusive how-to videos from our established experts on the latest beauty secrets, celebrity fitness tips and current fashion trends. –Daily blog posts that celebrate the good things celebrities are doing to be inspiration to all. –Exciting red carpet footage from Hollywood’s biggest movie premieres, press junkets and award shows. –The latest entertainment news and tv/movie reviews. –Extensive info about reputable celebrity charities for incredible causes and how you can be involved. –Guide to celebrity hot spots around the world where you can vacation, dine or party like a real rock star. –Links to where you can purchase budget-friendly celebrity-inspired fashion. –Celebrity Twitter Feed so you can keep up to date with all your favorite celebs and much more!

*About the Author * As a seasoned television personality and entertainment journalist, Kristen Aldridge has worked all over the United States as host, reporter and producer. Throughout her career thus far, she’s been awarded five Telly Awards, a Davey and a Regional Emmy. Kristen has an extensive list of hosting credits to her name, including Yahoo!, ESPN, The CW, SPEED, TLC, AMC, AT&T U-Verse, NBC, Metromix and more. As a pop culture junkie, fashion addict and lover of all things creative, Kristen recently launched her own clothing line also called “Positively Celebrity”. A budget gal at heart, the line features celebrity-inspired fashion without the celebrity prices.

Positively Celebrity is the perfect solution for fans of all things pop culture, as well as a feature-rich beauty, fashion and fitness app like no other on the market. Download it now and let yourself be positively inspired!

We are very excited for this new endeavor with XCO Software, an incredible software company who have launched so many great apps for some pretty amazing brands.  Check us out, hope you enjoy!

Lauren Graham is not only one of the most beautiful women in Hollywood, but also one of the most talented. The star of NBC’s drama Parenthood has proven time and time again in her career that whether it be on the small screen, the big screen, or the theater, her acting chops are second to none.

Now we can add author to Graham’s long list of achievements, as the stunning actress has just signed a deal with Random House to be published!

Announced via Random House’s twitter, Graham, who has starred on the big screen in Bad Santa alongside Billy Bob Thornton as well as in one of our favorite movies, Evan Almighty alongside Steve Carell, has been signed on to be published with her first novel, entitled “You’ll Never Make It”. As described by the company, the novel “is semi-autobiographical about struggling actress in NYC in mid-90s who waits tables as she hopes for big break.” The book will be released both in digital and traditional format.

Graham, who rose to fame playing Lorelai on the long running television show Gilmore Girls, has been extremely busy as of late, with Parenthood completing it’s second season (with the season finale pulling major ratings), her charity work and a new movie in the works.

All of us here are incredibly impressed and can’t wait to read “You’ll Never Make It” when it’s released.

Be sure to check back for more of the latest celebrity news and features from Richard Munassi right here at Positively Celebrity!

Throughout the world, the Red Cross is a symbol for hope in times of struggle. Whether it be during war, national disasters or epidemics, the organization is quick to give aid to those who need it most, and even in the most dangerous locales does not hesitate to offer support.

The amount of good that the Red Cross does everyday is not lost on those in the entertainment industry, and celebrities from all over the country have joined together to help the Red Cross in any way that they can.

The American Red Cross National Celebrity Cabinet is a special “on-call” group of celebrities that help the organization by donating their time, skills, passion and energy for a one-year term. The current Cabinet consists of a whopping 40 celebrities who have agreed to be available for anything the Red Cross asks of them, and we here at Positively Celebrity are blown away by all of those who are giving back!

The current cabinet members include quite an amalgam of celebrities, including Josh Duhamel, Alyssa Milano, Greg Biffle, Pierce Brosnan, Jim Cantore, Jackie Chan, Chayanne, Jamie Lee Curtis, Miley Cyrus, Sara Evans, George Foreman, Leeza Gibbons, Amy Grant, Pat Green, Marcia Gay Harden, Patricia Heaton, Julianne Hough, Dwayne Johnson, Heidi Klum, Patti LaBelle, Demi Lovato, Eli and Peyton Manning, Marlee Matlin, Dr. Phil McGraw, Nate Berkus, Kristin Chenowith, Darius Rucker, Michael W. Smith, Nancy O’Dell, Masi Oka, Rascal Flatts, Amanda Peet, Sally Pressman, Elisabeth Rohm, Anika Noni Rose, Jane Seymour, Jimmy Smits, Raven Symone and Daddy Yankee.

These celebrities join the estimated 700,000 current Red Cross volunteers, and will bring countless smiles and support to those whose lives they touch while being a part of the National Celebrity Cabinet. All of us here at Positively Celebrity want to laud the members, both past and present, who have given back by joining forces with the Red Cross!

To learn more about the Red Cross, please visit www.RedCross.org

Be sure to check back for more of the latest celebrity news and features from Richard Munassi right here at Positively Celebrity!

Hi dolls! Recently, a girlfriend was kind enough to send me this adorable kit from celebrity makeup artist Mally Roncal. The kit is called “Perfect Palette Total Face Kit”- and the name says it all!

Of course, I instantly loved it because well, I always love new makeup, and the set was just too cute with a sparkly carrying case! But, it wasn’t until I opened the included instruction booklet that I realized how amazing the little kit is!

In the booklet, Mally gives you simple, step-by-step instructions on how to create specific looks for different occasions like a pro! So it’s like having your own personal celebrity makeup artist! The looks include: Everyday Pretty, Fresh Sexy Glow, and Nighttime Glam! WOW! All these looks from this little kit? I’m in heaven!

Mally is a favorite among a versatile group of music industry heavyweights and actors including; Beyonce, Ashlee Simpson, Jennifer Lopez, and Hayden Panettiere!

It’s got all you need, complete with your own personal celebrity makeup artist, giving you tips! LOVE it!

Whether you’re new to makeup, or a seasoned pro – this kit is super handy! Really, the instructions are fool-proof. Also, it claims that anyone can wear these colors, regardless of skin tone… they all worked great for me!

The handy little kit is perfect for the girl-on-the go! It fits easily into a normal size purse and includes everything you could possibly need for any occasion. I highly recommend it!

Perfect Palette Total Face Kit includes: • Two blushes in Hula Girl, a sun-kissed natural; and Mally’s Baby, a perfect pink • Six eye shadows in Taupe, a deep, daytime shade; Terrific, a shimmery, festive taupe; Sensational, a rich, pearly charcoal; Mattebright, a pearl-free light shade; Brownies, a perfect neutral brown; and Plum Wicked, a rich plum • One lip color in French Kiss, a natural pink • One cream highlighter in Radiance, a touch of light color • One blush brush • One shadow brush • One liner brush • One sequined pouch

So, basically the only thing it doesn’t have is your foundation – which is so personal you wouldn’t want it coming in an all-in-one kit anyway.

My faves from the kit: I LOVE the highlighter! I use it everyday. And the blush in “Hula Girl.” – Mix those two together for the perfect beachy glow. Also, the mirror is HUGE! It’s the largest mirror I own that fits in my purse – LOVE! – And, of course I die over the sparkly case.

So, I just had to tell you all about my exciting new find! I’m so in love with it right now.

Oh yea, you can find this and other great products by Mally by visiting: www.Mallybeauty.com or by checking for specials on QVC: www.qvc.com/mally

Be sure to check back often for all my beauty tips, tricks, and finds!

Peace, Love, and Sexiness!

Angie O