Tuesday, December 30, 2014

BEHIND-THE-SCENES: Nicki Minaj Graces Cover Of Rolling Stone

Nicki Minaj Is Hip-Hop's Killer Diva: Inside Rolling Stone's New Issue
Queens MC opens up about everything from her breakup to her writing process in a candid, revealing interview

Nicki Minaj just may be the hardest-working diva in show business. "I do everything myself," she explains in Rolling Stone's new cover story (on stands Friday), telling contributing editor Jonah Weiner about the exhausting process of getting her 15-minute Pinkprint movie to iTunes in time for release. "I've gone over all the shots. Now, when it comes time to retouch and do color correction, those are little things that can turn into big things if they're not done properly, so I oversee it, too. I would save so much time if I didn't care about things like that. But I do." (See exclusive behind-the-scenes footage from The Pinkprint shoot below.)


Over several days in New York, RS got to see Nicki the perfectionist, Nicki the artist, Nicki the businesswoman and Nicki the vulnerable woman in action. Here are five highlights from the story:



Minaj reveals things on The Pinkprint that she'd never dared share with fans before.
"One of my goals was to give people a glimpse into my personal life, because it's something I've kept very private," she tells us. By now, fans are well aware that the rapper's 11-year relationship with Safaree Samuels has come to an end, but Minaj admits she toned down the wild voices and costumes on the new LP to focus her songwriting on what was happening in her personal life, which was extremely painful. "I had to learn to do something as simple as sleep alone," she says. "I struggled with 'Do I express these feelings?' And I decided there's no reason for me to hide. I'm a vulnerable woman, and I'm proud of that."

She hasn't stepped back from her mission: inspiring girls to be sexy and smart.

"With a video like 'Anaconda,' I'm a grown-ass fucking woman!" she says. "I stand for girls wanting to be sexy and dance, but also having a strong sense of themselves. If you got a big ol' butt? Shake it! Who cares? That doesn't mean you shouldn't be graduating from college."


Nicki alludes to a pregnancy that ended in abortion on The Pinkprint.
Minaj's first love was an older guy from Queens she dated while attending the prestigious Manhattan performing-arts high school LaGuardia. When she discovered she was pregnant, "I thought I was going to die," she admits. "I was a teenager. It was the hardest thing I'd ever gone through." She ended up having an abortion, a decision she says has "haunted me all my life," though it was the right choice for her at the time. "It'd be contradictory if I said I wasn't pro-choice. I wasn't ready. I didn't have anything to offer a child." She first rapped about the experience on a mixtape track called "Autobiography" she says she "didn't expect anyone to hear." Now the world is listening to every word she says very carefully: "Millions of people are gonna hear it. And you gotta watch everything you say — people find an issue with every fucking thing."


Minaj has little patience for those who take craftsmanship less seriously than she does.
"I hate when artists brag about not writing rhymes, or doing things really quickly, and then it's not great," she says. "It's ill when Jay Z or Wayne say it, because the results are great. When they're not? Sit your ass down and figure out something new to say!"

 

Her acclaimed verse on Kanye West's "Monster" began with a rant.
"He said, 'What do you really wanna say?'" Minaj recalls. "So instead of writing a rap, I wrote pages and pages of like, 'I'm sick of people talking about this, tired of people saying I'm that' — ranting in a notebook, basically. Then I read it back, highlighted major things and put it in rap form."

Minaj also talks about the role of black artists addressing a racist society, a scary experience that required an ambulance and her relationship with her parents: Grab the issue for the full interview. — RollingStone Magazine

Thursday, December 25, 2014

INSIDE KNOWLEDGE: Bergdorf Goodman's Spectacular Holiday Display



Making Bergdorf Goodman Holiday Windows in 2014 | The New York Times

A look behind the scenes at the creation of a Bergdorf Goodman seasonal display in New York.

Produced by: Marissa Kaiser

Holiday Windows 2014: Inspired

A Look Behind the Curtain from Designer David Hoey

We spoke with David Hoey, the man behind the legendary Bergdorf Goodman windows, about this particular season:


“Early this year, the creative departments at Bergdorf Goodman selected a one-word holiday theme for 2014: Inspired. We found this particular word itself to be inspiring. It was all we needed to launch a set of windows celebrating the arts—after all, isn’t art the product of inspiration?


We decided to base each window on a major art form, drawing equally from the fine arts, performing arts and applied arts. For our main windows, we settled on literature, architecture, theater, painting, music, dance, sculpture and film. Each window would be designed independently from the others. Each would be made from its own set of materials. But the entire set of windows would constitute a sort of eight-lesson course in art appreciation.


We now present these windows to pedestrians at 5th and 58th. Expect surprises. We have juxtaposed some of the arts with unexpected crafts. A few spoilers: The literature window has been made entirely from fabric, soft sculpture and needlework. The architecture window has been built completely from paper and old blueprints. The theater window is a sort of apotheosis of neon.

We are interested in traditional craftsmanship and the revival of old-school techniques. More than 100 artists and display artisans have contributed in some way to the completion of the windows this year.

We hope that this display will entertain, divert and—yes—inspire everyone who comes to 5th and 58th this holiday season.” — Bergdorf Goodman

Behind the Scenes images Photographed by Ken Hamm
Windows photographed by Ricky Zehavi

Behind The Business Of Department Store Holiday Windows




Behind the Business of Department Store Holiday Windows

Each December, millions of people file into department stores around the world, but an even higher number stop before they make it through the doors.

Macy's holiday display

The reason: the seasonal displays, which have become increasingly elaborate since the late 19th century, when Macy’s reportedly first decorated its plate-glass facade with scenes from “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.”


Led by modern dream makers such as Dennis Freedman of Barneys New York and David Hoey of Bergdorf Goodman, today’s stores spare little expense to create over-the-top tableaux, employing hundreds of design elves and calling on celebrity “curators” from Baz Luhrmann to Lady Gaga to bring the magical mise-en-scènes to life.

Macy's and other NYC department stores unveil elaborate holiday window displays
Here, a brief look at the blood, sweat and baubles behind one of the season’s most beloved traditions. — Zach R. Gross | The New York Times Magazine


Tuesday, December 23, 2014

HBO: Documentary Films — The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst

The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst

The groundbreaking HBO series unravels the seven-year investigation into 3 notorious unsolved crimes, and the man suspected of being at its center – Robert Durst.






from hbo new

–Premieres–
Sunday, February 8th, 2015

One of the most anticipated television events of 2015, it was announced today by Michael Lombardo, president, HBO Programming. Directed and produced by Andrew Jarecki and produced and shot by Marc Smerling (the Oscar® nominees behind “Capturing the Friedmans”), the six-part documentary series exposes long-buried information discovered during their seven-year investigation of a series of unsolved crimes, and the man suspected of being at its center – Robert Durst, scion of New York’s billionaire Durst family – and was made with his full cooperation. THE JINX will debut exclusively on HBO in Feb. 2015. 


Brilliant, reclusive and the subject of relentless media scrutiny, Durst has never spoken publicly – until now. During exclusive interviews with Jarecki, he talks with startling candor, revealing secrets of a case that has baffled authorities for 30 years. Long suspected in the 1982 disappearance of his beautiful young wife in New York, the 2000 murder of the key witness in the case in Beverly Hills, and the subsequent murder and dismemberment of a neighbor in Galveston, Tex., Durst has consistently maintained his innocence, and remains a free man today.


This unprecedented documentary event tracks Jarecki as he develops a relationship with Durst, unearthing thousands of pages of hidden documents, police files, key witnesses, never-before-seen footage and private prison recordings.

“Andrew and Marc have done a brilliant job weaving a story that is both a character study and thrilling murder mystery. It literally kept me on the edge of my seat,” said Lombardo. ”I am thrilled that this amazing film has found a home on HBO.”

“What occurs in this series is so unique, there is no home for it other than HBO,” says Jarecki. “Over the seven years in which we pursued the story through all its unexpected revelations, uncovering the truth became an obsession. Now the audience can watch it unfold in front of them as it did for us.”



THE JINX: THE LIFE AND DEATHS OF ROBERT DURST marks Jarecki and Smerling’s second collaboration with HBO, following the landmark documentary “Capturing the Friedmans,” which was presented theatrically and televised by HBO. The series is co-produced and edited by Zac Stuart-Pontier, who previously worked with the filmmakers on “Catfish,” and executive produced by Jason Blum of Blumhouse, whose previous HBO credits include “The Normal Heart.”

Sunday, December 21, 2014

— Welcome To Tommy Hilfiger's Crib —


Designer Tommy Hilfiger gives CNN's Alina Cho a tour of his 6,000-square-foot apartment in The Plaza Hotel in New York.

Tommy Hilfiger Relists His Penthouse At New York's Plaza Hotel For $80 Million



— Welcome To Michael Jordan's Crib —

Welcome to Michael Jordan's House!


Look Video // Michael Jordan's Residence // Chicago Luxury Real Estate






Thursday, December 18, 2014

Am I Getting Too Old To Party?


Dear Andrew,

It's my birthday and I feel depressed. I never used to be one of those people that hated telling people their age, but for the first time in my life, I feel like I'm getting old. How do I keep the party going even though I'm old?

Yours truly,
Aging Rager


Dear Aging Rager,

Your fear of not being able to party as you get older isn't uncommon, but it's unwarranted. If anything, the more experience you have at partying, the better you get at partying. The more you understand about what brings you happiness, the more skills you can acquire to bring that happiness about. Living longer makes you better at life.

This is why our elders are so appealing. We realize they've accumulated extremely deep stores of knowledge and wisdom precisely because they aren't 18 years old. We stand in awe as we ponder what insights and secrets they've extracted from the volumes of life they've endured. Similarly, the more time we spend learning who we are in this world, the better we get at being ourselves -- this is how one becomes a master -- this is the great gift of aging.

As with many aspects of a materialistic culture, ethereal ideas like mastery and wisdom are often undervalued. We are made to feel bad about change, appearance, and, most of all, our immaterial inner world. Aging demands that we reckon with overwhelmingly intense ideas about the mysteries of the world, eventually dying, looking different, loss and heartbreak, and the impermanence of everything. But these things are only truly upsetting when we attach too much importance to the material world in which the pain of these ideas dwells, outside of our true inner self.

Our true inner self -- our spirit -- is ageless and never dies. But this concept is so hard to conceive of that we often distract ourselves with little games that seem to give us a place to rest our anxiety and distract us so we don't have to dive deeper into what is really going on inside us. We worry about how we look, our attractiveness, about stuff and objects and pursuits and money and a million other things. And it's totally fine to play these games, as long as we remember that they are only games. They don't define our essence, and they are not why we are here. And when these games begin to distance us from the effortless beauty of existence, they take on a sinister and self-abusive quality. Some of these games are purposely set up to make sure that we can only ever lose -- they only can separate us from ourselves -- playing these games too passionately can kill us even though we outwardly appear to be living. Obsession with youth is just fear.

Besides, when we think back to our younger years, we often tend to exaggerate the good times and block out the bad. There's nothing wrong with remembering things in an idealized way, as long as it doesn't make us lose appreciation for where we stand right now. If we're intent on always comparing our current situation with how things used to be, we are likely to never be satisfied and to dread moving forward into the new and unfamiliar.

Andrew W.K. — co-owner of 'critically-acclaimed' Santos Party House, multi-level nightclub and
live concert hall in downtown Manhattan, New York City

There's a difference between "getting older" and "being old." Getting older is just another way to describe the process of being alive. The longer you go without dying, the "older" you become. We can easily understand how aging in this way is a great triumph. Those who have reached old age have truly achieved a remarkable feat of endurance, and we should recognize and respect all that they've experienced and withstood to survive so long. This is why it's equally intense when someone dies much too soon, and didn't get the chance to survive long enough.

The best we can hope for is health and strength and a mind that's able to comprehend, appreciate, and penetrate the world around us, no matter what stage of life we're in. Make the most of the age you are right now, and realize that you still are you, no matter how old you are. Don't buy into the hype about "getting old," because aging doesn't automatically mean life gets worse. That's all guilt-based nonsense usually used to sell products and fantasies that are never as good as they're described -- they're just entertainment. And that's OK. But don't give in to it, or give up and get lazy. Don't fall back on "getting old" as an excuse for not living full-on.

What matters most is using every moment you're alive to become the best person you can be. All of us are children only for a short time. The majority of our life is spent as an adult. And as an adult, we have the tools, the resources, and the physical and mental fortitude to shape the world so that the dreams of our childhood can be realized. The gift of childhood gives us the vision and the gift of adulthood gives us the power. Be glad that you've even lived into adulthood. Be glad that you've even had the chance to have another birthday. Many children didn't get to ever see adulthood. Appreciate yours, and celebrate it in honor of all those who'll never get to have a birthday ever again. And remember...

People don't stop partying because they get old, they get old because they stop partying.

Your friend,
Andrew W.K.

Kim Jong-un Death Scene | The Interview Online Leak


Kim Jong-un death scene from ‘The Interview’ leaks online — New York Post

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Gorillas in the Mist — Dian Fossey’s Legacy



Short Film Showcase
Mountain Gorillas' Survival: Dian Fossey’s Legacy Lives On


Step into Rwanda’s beautiful Volcanoes National Park, where a community is uniting on the front lines of a region in crisis to protect critically endangered mountain gorillas. Sir David Attenborough takes you through Dian Fossey’s journey of setting up the Karisoke Research Center in the park, where nearly a quarter of the world's 880 gorillas remain.


Today, the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International continues its conservation efforts to protect a diminishing gorilla population threatened by poachers. Produced by Craghoppers, this powerful film takes you behind the scenes, uncovering the story of the devoted trackers risking their lives to save a species.

Gorillas In The Mist (1988) -starring- Sigourney Weaver & Bryan Brown | Directed by Michael Apted
Gorillas in the Mist is based on the autobiographical 1983 book by naturalist Dian Fossey. Before the book could be brought before the cameras, Fossey had been mysteriously killed; her death provides a logical, if somewhat ghoulish climax to the film.

A Kentucky girl, Fossey (Sigourney Weaver) is inspired by famed anthropologist Louis Leakey (Iain Cuthbertson) to devote her life to the study of primates. Traveling into deepest Africa, Fossey becomes fascinated with the lives and habits of the rare mountain gorillas of the Ugandan wilderness. Studying them at close quarters, Fossey develops a means of communicating with the gorillas, and in so doing becomes obsessed with the beasts' well-being. She is so devoted to "her" mountain that she loses the opportunity for a romance with a National Geographic photographer (Bryan Brown).

Appalled by the poaching of the gorillas for their skins, Fossey complains to the Ugandan government, which dismisses her by explaining that poaching is the only means by which some of the Ugandan natives can themselves survive. She refuses to accept this, and becomes a militant animal-rights activist, burning down the poachers' villages and even staging a mock execution of one of the offenders.
Dian Fossey (January 16th, 1932 – December 26th, 1985) † R.I.P. †

Monday, December 15, 2014

The Strongest Family In the World

 

The Strongest Family in the World | My Crazy Obsession 

 The Best family is so obsessed with their own strength that they spend countless hours lifting weights. 

 

Thursday, December 11, 2014

True Story Of 9/11 Imposter: Tania Head — World Trade Center's Fake 9/11 Survivor


“The Woman Who Wasn’t There: The True Story of an Incredible Deception” by Robin Gaby Fisher and Angelo J. Gugliemo, Jr.

Tania Head’s 9/11 story was beyond harrowing. She was in the World Trade Center when the plane dove into the building. Dazed and sickened, she walked down 78 floors with her skin on fire and her right arm dangling. She survived, but her husband died at Ground Zero that day, and the horrific sights she saw on her crawl to safety plunged her into a haunted depression. Only through her involvement as a founding member of the World Trade Center Survivors’ Network did she conquer her grief and trauma.


There was a little problem, though. Tania’s name isn’t really Tania; it’s Alicia. Her husband didn’t die in the towers, because she wasn’t married. Someone named Dave died, and she said he was her husband, but in fact she had never met him. She didn’t hold a high-powered job at Merrill Lynch, as she claimed. She wasn’t at the World Trade Center on 9/11. In fact, she wasn’t even in the country. She was in Barcelona.


9/11 Special - The Woman Who Wasn't There: A real-life psychological thriller and the story of an incredible deception that goes inside the mind of one of history's most famous 9/11 survivors. — National Geographic

This epic lie is the subject of “The Woman Who Wasn’t There.” One of the co-authors, Angelo J. Guglielmo Jr., was involved in the WTC Survivors’ Network and considered Head a close friend. He is also the director of a documentary by the same title, which debuted April 17 on the Investigation Discovery network.


It’s easy to understand why survivors were taken in by Head’s story. The level of detail is breathtaking. Over and over, to rapt audiences, Head mourned the young man wearing a red bandana who stretched out his hand to help her to safety, only to disappear into the smoke to die a hero. She never told anyone her husband’s last name (to protect his parents’ privacy, she insisted), and sometimes she seemed to slip up and call him her fiance, but again and again, she’d recount the poignant story of their wedding in Hawaii. When she visited Dave’s name at the memorial, she liked to bring a toy yellow taxi, as a memento of their charmed first meeting, to place near the reflecting pool. Who would make all that up?


THE WOMAN WHO WASN'T THERE (2012) Trailer Tania Head wanted to shoot a documentary about her fellow 9/11 survivors and her victims group. But, while they were shooting a problem emerged - Head was never in the Twin Towers on September 11th, 2001 and her entire story was an invention of her prodigious imagination.

The depth of the deception is even more puzzling given how very public a face of the survivors’ movement Tania Head became. It was Head, as one of the first docents at Ground Zero, who walked Mayor Michael Bloomberg and other luminaries around the site. “She was the ubersurvivor,” Fisher and Guglielmo write. As the survivor with “the saddest [story] of them all,” she gained celebrity status. An enterprising New York Times reporter, David W. Dunlap, eventually demanded answers about inconsistencies in her story and exposed her. Rather than expressing remorse, Head became angry and defiant, claiming that her fellow survivors had betrayed her by believing the reporter.

So why did she do it?

That is obviously the most enticing question. Unfortunately, the authors don’t provide an answer. Although Guglielmo and Head were intimate for years, and it was she who encouraged him to begin a documentary about the survivors, she would not open up to him about the truth once the deception was uncovered. He was able to track down a childhood friend from Barcelona who told him about some of Head’s traumas: She had a bad car accident at 18 in which her arm was indeed severed (if we believe the account), and her father did prison time for embezzlement. “It is around that time, after those life-changing events, and especially after her family unit fractured following her parents’ contentious divorce, that Alicia started living in make-believe worlds.”

Although the authors aren’t Head’s psychiatrists, a little more background on the psychology of pathological lying, also known as pseudologia fantastica, would have been useful. Are the spinners of complex imaginary worlds always so hard to spot? The book contains no information on other spectacular hoaxes (Robin Hemley’s “Invented Eden: The Elusive, Disputed History of the Tasaday” comes to mind), nor reference to any books, such as Lauren Slater’s “Lying: A Metaphorical Memoir,” that attempt to penetrate the mind-set of the compulsive liar. Such context could help flesh out a tale about a character whose motivation remains shadowy.


THE WOMAN WHO WASN'T THERE (2012) DOCUMENTARY
A look inside the mind of Tania Head, history's most infamous 9/11 survivor. Her jaw-dropping tale of escape from the south tower was most astounding and she later rose to national prominence amongs 9/11 survivors .. until it all turned out to be a lie.

We know that Head’s a liar from the flap copy, but the book doesn’t reveal the deception until very late. Structurally, that gives the authors a problem: a lot of pages to fill and not a lot of suspense. For this reason, the documentary might prove a more intriguing form for the material than the written account. It will be fascinating to be able to watch Head lie in real time — and see if we’re as taken in by her performance as almost everyone else appeared to be. — The Washington Post
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