Royal Family Criticized Over Holiday Card

By Chris Stouffer

Public figures make themselves targets of criticism whether they want to or not. By now we know there's not choice. So of course the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are no exception. Last week Cosmopolitan posted an article which included the picture on the right, and backlash from Meghan Markle's half-sister. The photo shows a silhouette of the Royals as they watch fireworks at their wedding. Honestly, I think it's a beautiful photo.

I get it. Sometimes we tend to try and read between the lines because we want an explanation. What if no explanation is needed? What if we try to hard at times to see something that isn't there? It's possible, right? I'm guilty of it. According to the article, Samantha Markle, Meghan's half-sister, found the photo offensive saying "it's incredibly rude to turn your back on a Christmas photo..."

Is there proper Christmas Card etiquette that the rest of the world isn't aware of? If there is, I certainly wasn't aware of it. An article lasts year on Eventbrite gives tips on some easy etiquette rules to remember when sending out holiday cards, but there isn't any rule which indicates you shouldn't have your back turned. There is however a rule on pictures of you alone with your cat, as to not remind everyone how sad the situation looks (insert laughing emoji here). Obviously that rule is intended to make the reader laugh, so don't read into it.

Some of you may agree and some of you may not, but that's neither here nor there. Some of you could care less about the photo, and that's fair. For those of us who aren't personal friends of the Royal Family, it just doesn't matter. I still think it's a beautiful photo. What are your thoughts? Do you follow any rules of etiquette when including a photo with your holiday card? If so, please share in the comments below. Have a happy holiday season, and be nice to someone.

Bachelorette Party Lacks Tact

by Chris Stouffer

A bachelorette party should leave the bride-to-be and her friends with memories of their last night together as single girls. When those memories are followed with an unexpected invoice however it may reflect poorly on the bride. At least it did for the guest of one such party where each girl was sent an itemized bill showing what she owed for each individual snack according to an article in the Independent.

According to the invoice posted online, it included expenses for pizza, cotton candy, popcorn, and even a honeydew melon, which when divided by seven guests, came to $.36 per person. In the accompanying digital video provided by Fox News, the woman who shared the invoice online said any person who takes the time to split the cost of a melon by seven is insane.

The overall cost for each guest was $23.81. Given it may not be a large amount, an invoice is an invoice nonetheless. Why not just charge each guest a cover upfront and collect immediately? Considering I've never planned a bachelor(ette) party, I may be a little biased, especially in this situation. I just don't know that I could throw such an event, and surprise guests with fees for services rendered after.

I spoke to a few women whom had either thrown bachelorette parties or had one thrown for them. One thing they all agreed on (other than not being identified by last name) -- billing your guests after the fact is a totes party faux pas.

Valerie served as maid of honor for one wedding party and a bridesmaid for another where she helped plan bachelorette parties for each. "I volunteered to do the planning because I think that's part of the deal when you're maid of honor," she said. "When sending out invites, I asked that guests plan to pay for their own drinks and dinner...I can definitely see how being presented with a bill after the fact would rub people the wrong way. I would definitely not tell someone after the fact that they owe money. It's better to set expectations beforehand."

Janie and her husband married in 2009. Her friends planned and paid for most of her bachelorette party, adding that guests paid for their own food and drinks at dinner. "I think it would be a really good laugh to get an itemized bill," she said regarding sending guests an invoice after the bachelorette party. "If you're planning your own party, I don't think it's ok."

Mary, a banking project manager, said she threw a bachelorette party for a friend and absorbed all the costs along with two others in the bridal party. "(An) itemized bill is tacky," she said, adding that the bride who sent her guests a bill did not set any expectations.

I understand that throwing a party can be costly, but be mindful about planning your event. Be sure and set expectations for your guests so they know exactly what they're getting into. Above all, be sure you have a fantastic time!


Photo provided by Noah Llamaz

Ridiculing customer won't be a laughing matter for one local bartender

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SA says goodbye to the man who leaves a legacy of positive news

By Chris Stouffer


The man who, with his wife Millie, founded and served as publisher of San Antonio's first bilingual newspaper, Tino Duran, died today.

Duran was described as having a discipline problem early on after being expelled from six area elementary schools, according to an article published in newspaperhalloffame.org. What administrators described as a discipline problem however was the fact that Duran spoke only Spanish. But hard work and dedication wasn't going to stop Duran from learning English and going on to serve in the U.S. Air Force as well as earn two degrees from St Mary's University.

Duran's newspaper career began when he was a student at Sidney Lanier High School in San Antonio where he served as editor. After serving his duty in the military, he attended San Antonio College and worked for The Ranger. In the 1980s he became general manager of El Sol de Tejas in Dallas, then president and CEO of El Informador Hispano in Fort Worth. But it wasn't until 1989 that Duran and his wife re-established La Prensa of San Antonio which was dedicated to reporting only positive news.

After serving as publisher of La Prensa for 27-years, and being diagnosed with Alzheimer's two years prior, Duran announced his retirement last year and named his daughter Nina as new publisher, according to an article in the Rivard Report. In the article, Nina described her new publisher role as bittersweet under the circumstances.

“I have a ton of questions in regard to what I’m doing and it’s hard because I wish I had my father to guide me through this and I don’t,” she said. “So it’s very heartbreaking in one sense because while he’s still my champion in every sense of the word, at the same time I feel if this were to happen five years ago I would have been able to utilize him and learn about everything he did and knew," she said in the article.

In order to continue the legacy her parents began, Nina announced a merger with the marketing firm Heartfire Media to help with re-branding, digital presence, video content, and other marketing services.

Duran was not only a prominent figure in the community, but also made it a point to give back. In 1995, Duran and his wife established La Prensa Foundation providing financial assistance for high school students wanting to go to college. In 2014, Duran was inducted into the Texas Newspaper Foundation Hall of Fame. This morning, Nina publicly announced the news of his passing via Facebook.

"I write this with a fragile heart. Our sweet, beautiful and loving daddy went to be with the Lord today. He passed peacefully in his sleep with my mama by his side."

Photo 1: Florentino "Tino" Duran, proberty of La Prensa
Photo 2: (L-R) Samantha Najera (Heartfire Media owner), Tino Duran, Nina Duran; property of Heartfire Media

Gal Gadot is a wonder in DC Comics' action film, Wonder Woman

By Chris Stouffer

Long before it's release date on June 2, critics were already dismissing Wonder Woman. Apparently they didn't foresee the film would be number one in it's opening weekend raking in over $100K in the U.S. alone. I didn't know what to expect walking into the theatre last night, but never did I think I would look at Wonder Woman as the kick-ass beauty played by Gal Gadot.

But this isn't the first part that allowed Gadot to show off her action moves. In fact, the former Miss Israel served two years in the Israel Defense Forces, and later caught the eye of Director Justin Lin who cast her in four installments of the Fast & Furious franchise, in which she insisted on doing all of her own stunts.

Wonder Woman was introduced to us in the 2016 disappointment known as Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice. The movie was so unforgettable, critics and moviegoers everywhere said Wonder Woman was the only thing that saved the film. Her cameo was so worth the wait.

This movie has what every movie should have and much more: excellent storyline, great action sequences, moments that make you laugh, and the ability to make you believe....but then again, if a movie can't do that, then there's no point, right? Patty Jenkins, who directed Monster in 2003, shows off her action movie directing muscles in this film. In fact, Jenkins may be a Wonder Woman of sorts, breaking box office records for female directors, according to NPR. The movie opens with Diana Prince (Wonder Woman's alter ego) receiving a package from Wayne Enterprises. It's the original newspaper clip of Wonder Woman photographed during the first World War posing alongside the men who helped her save a village from German captivity. From there we go into her story, which only makes sense to take place during the first World War just as the comics and original tv show had done before.

We learn about Diana's beginnings growing up among the Amazonians, how her existence came to be, and why the world has been waiting for her and the powers she possesses (if you didn't hear the original theme song in your head while reading that, there's something wrong). The paradise island in which Diana was raised was a hidden place created by the gods to help mankind. But when Major Steve Trevor stumbles upon this magical place, the warriors of the island learn of the destruction in the outside world, and Diana makes a decision to go out and save them. Along the way she learn more about herself than she was prepared for.

She's had an upgrade in the wardrobe department from the days Lynda Carter once wore the satin tights, and the old red, white, and blue. But fear not, as Gal Gadot proves she can kick ass and look like a goddess doing it just like Lynda Carter did in the 70s. Now go out and kick some butt, Wonder Woman....all the world is waiting for you.

Thirteen Reasons Why Jay Asher got it right.

By Chris Stouffer


The Netflix series Thirteen Reasons Why has created quite a buzz on the net. Variety called 13 Reasons the most tweeted show in 2017.

Since it's premiere on March 30, the show amassed more than 11 million tweets according to Twitter data obtained exclusively by Variety. The series is captivating, to say the least. Based on the best-selling novel by Jay Asher and produced by actress and recording artist, Selena Gomez, 13 is probably one of the better shows I've watched in a long time that isn't on a television or cable network.

Dylan Minnette (Prisoners, Don't Breathe) plays alongside newcomer Katherine Langford as, Clay, a teen who eerily receives a package with recordings of his high school crush/coworker, Hannah, just two weeks after she commits suicide. The recordings explain her 13 reasons for ending her own life, while taking Clay all over town allowing him to experience her pain and see what exactly happened from her own POV.

When I first heard about the Netflix original, I almost dismissed it immediately. I thought, "Ok, this has been done before: school misfit is bullied, therefore she plots revenge on all those who played a part in her demise. Hello?! Do the titles Carrie or The Craft ring a bell?!" Maybe I was somewhat right, but as I invested my time in watching, I thought I'd give you 13 reasons why I feel Asher really pulled this off fantastically in keeping the reader/viewer's attention.

REASON 1: Originality - While I may have already explained above that the premise is not all that original, what I found to be original, especially for kids today, was the methodology he used to tell the story. The media behind the madness. Its an antiquated source, but it was poetic and it made you see our protagonist as a young girl beyond her years. Although some may say what she did was cowardly, it forces you to put yourself in her shoes.

REASON 2: It's not another Carrie - So it's not actually a rip off of Brian DePalma's 1976 horror (which by the way introduced us to actors who went on to have huge Hollywood careers: Sissy Spacek, Amy Irving, John Travolta, Nancy Allen). Unlike it's sequel The Rage (1999) and it's failed 2013 reboot, the original DePalma film which was based on a Stephen King novel, Carrie had a great story line. Similarities you may see in 13 Reasons are the fact that it's based on a best-seller, the fantastic storyline and possibly some actors coming away from this to become huge stars. Some of these newbies give outstanding performances in this series.

REASON 3: High school drama - Let's face it, despite the fact some of us left our high school days far behind, the same drama seems to have lingered. Not necessarily in your personal life, but in some of the places you go. I'm sure you've seen it yourself. As a matter of fact, I saw it this past Saturday while out having a drink. Just like Clay's character witnesses Hannah's experience first-hand, you too will see how awful high school kids can actually be when unsupervised. It not only puts things into perspective when it comes to high school, but it may also make you see how people in your lives now are still trapped in the past with their attitudes and immature gossip.

REASON 4: Eye-opener for parents - Those of you who think your kids are a drop of golden sun on a beautiful morning meadow, or perhaps an angel floating on a cloud sitting on a whisper, you really need to take a closer look. Don't talk to your kids. Instead ask them questions. Don't turn it into an interrogation, but find out who their friends are. Get to know their friends. Meet their friends' parents. Find out where your kids like to go when they're out of school. Otherwise, stop telling others your child is a saint when in fact you're not sure if it's actually the spawn of Satan living under your roof. Anyone remember McCaulay Culkin in The Good Son? Asher will make you question who your children really are and what they might be doing when no one is looking.

REASON 5: Great cast - So I mentioned this a couple of reasons above. I stand by it. There are times I want to just slap Clay for not telling someone what he knows, but that's the beauty of it. Asher wants me to feel this way. He wants you invoke these emotions in you which is why it's too compelling to stop watching. Friends turn on each other, while clueless jocks make tug at your hearts with their stupidity (in a really cute way), nerds expressing their profound love for the one they think they can never have, and bad boys....well, they just get all the fun parts. It's all convincingly sinister enough to make you want to throw a book at your television.

REASON 6: The vulnerability - If you don't feel bad for Hannah, something it terribly wrong with you. Yes, she seems a bit much at times, and another classmate even tells her at one point, "Did you ever think maybe you bring this all on yourself?" Perhaps everyone around her is thinking the same thing, but it's because so many have a part in her demise. It's sad that nobody else can see what's happening. I can't say too much. You have to watch it yourself.

REASON 7: Josh Hamilton - If you don't see Clay's dad as a DILF in this movie (I hate to objectify him, but yum), then you probably didn't think he was sexy in Alive (1993), With Honors (1994), House of Yes (1997), or any of the other numerous movies I could eat him up in....ok, so that may not be your thing. Oh, and for those of you who don't know who Josh Hamilton is, watch a movie from time to time....geez!

REASON 8: Teenage suidice...DON'T DO IT! - If the thought of Big Fun just came to mind, then YOU. ARE. AWESOME. This however is not a reference to the fictitious song from the cult classic Heathers (another revenge movie, btw). I was told by someone I work with that there has been much talk about this show because of the theme it tackles. Some seem to think it glorifies suicide. Take for example WSYX ABC 6 in New Albany Ohio.

WSYX ran a story about New Albany Middle School administrators sending home flyers to parents warning them about the show. First of all, there was no story, unless you mentioned the only ones glorifying suicide were the administrators and the news station for making it out to be more than it was, which it WAS NOT a news story. Find something good to talk about then get back to doing the news! If you're a parent and aren't mature enough to discuss suicide with your children, there's a problem. The news story discussed that suicide has to do with mental health. Apparently they didn't do their research and watch the show. The show just so happens to deal with issues that could affect mental health, which might lead to suicide. According to one of their reporters, they reached out to Netflix for a comment. That's like me trying to get Donald Trump to reply to any single tweet of mine. Good luck with that. If this show glorifies suicide, I'd really, REALLY hate to hear what they'd have to say about Heathers. The truth is suicide is an awful thing. This show in no way glorifies suicide. It does however make you understand pain, loss, and grievance.

REASON 9: The dialogue - Remember when Scream was first released in theatres. It was the beginning of a new generation of movies, one that had a higher intellect when it came teen talk. It wasn't like slasher films from the past. Not only did you need a smarter killer, you needed smarter victims - hence the great dialogue that came with. Soon came the copycat films: Urban Legend, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Final Destination, etc. You get the point. Getting back to the actual point...The scene at Monet's in episode 11 with shade being thrown between Ryan and Courtney is EVERYTHING!

REASON 10: Most Tweeted - If the intro to this blog didn't catch your attention or stick, then I'll say it again. The most tweeted show of 2017 with over 11-million tweets since March 30! I mean, that's gotta say something, right?

REASON 11: THIRTEEN.

REASON 12: REASONS.

REASON 13: WHY.

So now that you know, and you've reached the end of this blog, I have nothing more to say. If you still don't believe 13 Reasons is a new cult classic, then you just wasted your time and mine. But I know you believe me....so GO WATCH IT!

Oscar blunder makes 2017 Academy Awards ending awkward

By Chris Stouffer


If you missed the 2017 Academy Awards on Sunday night, by now you must have heard about heard about the biggest mistake in awards show history since Steve Harvey's 2015 Miss Universe slip-up.

Actors Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty took the stage to announce the final Oscar winner of the evening for best picture. At first it seemed like playful banter between the two as Beatty pulled the card from the envelope, hesitated for a moment, then looked inside the envelope again as if confused. Dunaway even laughs at him assuming he's playing the audience as she tells him, "You're awful." Dunaway laughs and takes the card announcing La La Land the winner.

As the acceptance speeches began, cast and crew on stage began moving about in confusion. Something happened, but nobody said anything until producer Fred Berger in the middle of his speech announced, "We lost by the way." It was then that even the audience knew there was a problem.

Moments later producer Jordan Horowitz announces there's been a mistake and that Moonlight won best picture. Silence fell over the audience for a brief moment. When Beatty and host Jimmy Kimmel attempted to clear things up, in what almost turned into a rehash of the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards with Kanye West storming the stage like a mad man during Taylor Swift's win, producer Horowitz literally forced the card from Beatty's hand, holding it up for the audience and viewers at home of proof that Moonlight won.

The Washington Post called the incident the most shocking moment in Oscars history. In the video which has gone viral, Beatty attempts to explain why he seemed so confused. According to Beatty the card he was given read: "Emma Stone, La La Land." But in another twist of events, the Post reported that backstage Stone said she was holding her best actress card the entire time she was on stage with the rest of her cast and crew.

Although both crews took it seemingly well, it was apparent Horowitz wasn't going to let it sit lightly with him. Of course everyone wants an explanation, but don't shoot the messenger quite yet, Jordan. Award officials are investigating how the error occurred. Meanwhile, if you missed it, you can relive the moment again in this ABC 7 New York video clip. I still however contend that the biggest Oscars mistake last night was Dakota Johnson's head-to-toe look, while Emma Stone nailed it.

For a complete list of 2017 Oscar winners and nominees, check out the Los Angeles Times website or go to my page at facebook.com/thegossipguy!

The pointlessness of disliking someone you don't know

By Chris Stouffer


Have you ever disliked someone whom you really didn't know on a personal level, or hated (such a strong word) someone at a retail store, restaurant, office, etc. for the simple fact that they made a horrible first impression on you? I have. And although I've heard in the past it's useless being angry with someone because usually your friends could care less, and the person you hold that anger toward doesn't even know it, I was recently reminded of how true that is.

When I made the decision to go to grad school, I checked out a certain private institution, based on the fact that it was close to home, and it was technically the first school I applied to as an undergrad, yet opted to go elsewhere. As I was driving by one day, suddenly I found myself in the parking lot and in the admissions office of this university.

Ok, so I didn't have an appointment, but it seemed slow in the office, therefore I figured it was ok to stop by and speak with an advisor about the program I wished to pursue. The advisor assigned to me was short with her words, quick to answer (and not in detail), and overall seemed very uninterested in me taking her time. You better believe for the next eight years I talked so much smack about this woman. I even ran into her at a social function we both attended almost four years later and was just disappointed to be sharing the same space with her.

Recently I bumped into a long-tieme friend of mine who happened to know this woman. In fact he worked with her at one point. When I mentioned her name he simply laughed. He remembered my dislike toward her, but couldn't remember the reason (remember, most of the time your friends don't care that you hate someone you don't know - case in point).

He asked me to refresh his memory as to why I was bitter toward this person. When I rehashed my drama, he laughed and basically gave me a pat on the back. "Oh Christopher," he said to me. "She wasn't even a graduate admissions counselor. She was an undergrad admissions counselor. She probably didn't seem fully invested in your meeting because she didn't have the answers you were looking for and she wasn't familiar with the graduate programs."

Honestly, I was taken back for a second. I realized all that energy I spent disliking her for really no good reason at all, and the breath I used to repeat this story over and over again to friends, friends of friends, and friends of friends of friends. For what? She never knew I disliked her, I'm certain she didn't remember me after I left that office, and to top it off, my friend tells me what a fun person she was, which had I taken the time to socialize with her at earlier said function, I may have realized.

So the point I'm attempting to make in my pointless dislike toward this unknowing individual is that it makes no sense to dislike someone whom you haven't even given a chance to know (or even met for that matter) if you're basing this dislike on that first impression. You don't know the situation that person has been put in unless you ask or at least attempt to ask the right questions first.

A Bid Farewell to One of America's Original Sweethearts and her Princess daughter.

by Chris Stouffer


While many of us look at 2016 as the end of another year, for Hollywood it's the end of an era as millions of adoring fans, and close friends and family say goodbye to a couple of women who defied odds both on screen and off.

Carrie Fisher, who became a household name after playing the role of Princess Leia Organa in George Lucas's original space fantasy Star Wars in 1977, died Tuesday at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center from cardiac arrest at age 60, according to multiple reports.

Her mother, Debbie Reynolds, was making funeral plans Wednesday with her son at his home just one day after Carrie's death when she suffered a stroke, according to TMZ. Reynolds died later that day at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. She was 84.

Tweets from celebrities paying their respect and sending condolences to family were all over Twitter, speaking fondly of the two, proving just how much of an impact these women made on the lives of so many.

Reynolds grew up in a modest home, according to her 2013 book, Unsinkable: A Memoir. She grew up in West Texas in the city of El Paso. Living with her grandparents, Reynolds shared a bed with her brother and three uncles, close in age. It was a small house with no shower. The bathroom they used was in a gas statioin next door to the home.

Her father worked for Southern Pacific Railroad and later moved the family to California. In 1948, Reynolds then 16, competed in the Miss Burbank contest. In her 1988 book, Debbie: My Life, she talks about entering the contest with no intention of participating, but instead for the prizes given away for registering: a white silk sports blouse and a green scarf. Reynolds however took home the title and a contract with Warner Bros. The following day, the headline of an article published in the Los Angeles Times read: "GIRLS WANTS BLOUSE---GETS FILM CONTRACT"

Little did this girl from El Paso realize this was only the beginning of a career that would make her Hollywood royalty.

"I first saw Debbie Reynolds in Singin' In the Rain and I just remember how beautiful she was," said Jessica Briseno, payroll specialist for COSA. "I remember how great of a dancer she was next to Gene Kelly. It wasn't until later I found out she wasn't a dancer. She had to cram all the choreography in while Gene Kelly was against her (playing the role) because of that. She had to prove herself."

Reynolds' big break came in 1952 when Louis B. Mayer of MGM studios cast her as the lead female role for Singin' In the Rain, despite objections from the film's star and co-director, Gene Kelly. Her performance in the classic film is perhaps no more than pleasant, but she was cute and energetic, and her popularity soared, according to John Calhoun's article "Screen Legend Debbie Reynolds Dies at 84," for biography.com.

The studio and press positioned Reynolds as the embodiment of 1950s girl-next-door wholesomeness, earning her roles in other musicals and comedies, according to Calhoun. She married one of the most famous singers of that time, Eddie Fisher, and the two were soon dubbed America's Sweethearts. They had two children, Carrie and Todd, before he would leave her for his best friend's widow, actress Elizabeth Taylor. It was one of the biggest Hollywood scandals in history.

Reynolds continued to work and would later marry shoe tycoon, Harry Karl, and real estate developer Richard Hamlett. Both marriages not only unsuccessful, but both left her almost penniless, forcing her to declare bancruptcy in 1997. Reynold's was a determined woman. She continued to make small appearances on film and in TV. She got her second wind playing the title role in the Albert Brooks 1996 comedy, Mother, and a recurring role in the sitcom Will & Grace playing Bobbi Adler, Grace's mother.

Unlike her mother, Fisher was just born into Hollywood royalty, making front page news in the Los Angeles Times before she was born. Because she was the daughter of two of the biggest celebrities, she lived her early years in the spotlight. Early on she showed interest in poetry and writing, but she eventually followed in the footsteps of her parents and jumped into showbiz, making her big screen debut in Shampoo with Warren Beatty and Goldie Hawn. It was two years later in 1977 that George Lucas would cast her as the smart, wisecracking and ass-kicking princess that would forever make her legendary.

Her role as Princess Leia would inspire girls everywhere to be bold and would instill crushes on millions of young boys. Her movie role showed movie goers everywhere that not only could women be sexy, but they could be real bad-asses too. Fisher would go on to reprise her role in two sequels, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.

“I remember the first time it was weird to me was when someone wanted to thank me because they’d become a lawyer because of me,” Fisher said in an article by Josh Rottenberg for the LA Times. “The main thing they said is that they identified with me. I felt like that was somebody that could be heroic without being a superhero and be relatable.”

By the 1980s, Fisher struggled with alcohol, drugs and bi-polar disorder. She starred in a number of roles that didn't do much for her career such as Under the Rainbow (1981) and Hollywood Vice Squad (1986). But as the 80s came closer to an end, Fisher once again reinvented herself publishing her first semi-autobiographical novel Postcards From the Edge. It was about a showbiz mother and daughter. It later became a motion picture starring Meryl Streep and Shirley MacLaine. Fisher would continue to write other best selling novels including Surrender the Pink, Wishful Drinking, and The Princess Diarist (the latter a recollection and look behind-the-scenes of Star Wars from her POV and excerpts from a journal she kept during that time).

Fisher was very outspoken about her bi-polar disorder, and accepted her condition. She was diagnosed at age 29. In an interview with Diane Sawyer for ABC News in 2000, Fisher said when she was first told she was manic depressive, she thought doctors were only trying to maker her feel better about being a drug addict.

"I have a chemical imbalance, that in it's most extreme case, will lead me to a mental hospital," she said to Sawyer in her interview. "I used to think I was an addict, pure and simple -- just someone who could not taking drugs willfully. And I was that. But it turns out I am severely manic-depressive." Fisher was working on several projects at the time of her death, and had just finished shooting Star Wars: Episode VIII (aka The Force Awakens), reprising the role which made Fisher a movie icon.

A new documentary spotlighting these two women airing on HBO has moved up it's original air date. Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds was scheduled to air in March, but you can expect to catch it this month. It premieres on HBO January 7. What will you remember most about Reynolds and Fisher? Feel free to comment and reminisce in the section below.

Remembering Legends who impacted our lives.

by Chris Stouffer



As we move from day-to-day, taking care of all those things we need to such as our families, our jobs, our well being, etc., we often miss things happening outside of our own realm. While coping with our own bad news, we sometimes miss out on the tragedies of those who have unknowingly been there for us.

These are the people who made us laugh when we needed it the most, and those who comforted us during times of heartache. They're the people that inspired us, and the people who allowed us to venture into a fantasy world at times. They're the actors, and musicians, and athletes, and writers who welcomed us into their world with their words, lyrics, and performances.

Today I honor some of those who passed in 2016. Some of them we remember vividly, as their deaths made headlines across the country. Others still made an impact on fans however may not have gotten the same press, or were in fact overlooked by other news. Thank you for coming into our lives and making some of our life experiences just a little better with your craft.

Zsa Zsa Gabor (1917 - 2016), Hollywood socialite
Craig Sager (1951 - 2016), NBA sideline reporter
Bernard Fox (1927 - 2016), actor Bewitched
Alan Thicke (1947 - 2016), actor Growing Pains
John Glenn (1921 - 2016), American astronaut
Greg Lake (1947 - 2016), musician Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Billy Chapin (1943 - 2016), child actor
Andrew Sachs (1930 - 2016), actor Fawlty Towers
Van Williams (1934 - 2016), actor Surfside 6
Margaret Whitton (1949 - 2016), actress Secret of My Success
Fritz Weaver (1926 - 2016), television actor
Florence Henderson (1934 - 2016), actress The Brady Bunch
Ron Glass (1945 - 2016), actor Barney Miller
Gwen Ifill (1955 - 2016), tv journalist, Washington Week on PBS
Leon Russell (1942 - 2016), musician/collaborator
Robert Vaughn (1932 - 2016), actor tv's The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
Leonard Cohen (1934 - 2016), singer-songwriter
Julie Gregg (1937 - 2016), actress Godfather, Godfather II
Michael Massee (1955 - 2016), actor Amazing Spider-Man
Arnold Palmer (1929 - 2016), professional golfer
Jose Fernandez (1992 - 2016), MLB pitcher Miami Marlins
Jean Shepard (1933 - 2016), Grand Ole Opry country star
Charmaine Carr (1942 - 2016), actress The Sound of Music
Alexis Arquette (1969 - 2016), actress and reality tv star
Anna Dewdney (1965 - 2016), children's author
Gene Wilder (1933 - 2016), actor Young Frankenstein
Steven Hill (1922 - 2016), actor Law & Order
John McLaughlin (1927 - 2016), host The McLaughlin Report PBS
Kenny Baker (1934 - 2016), actor Star Wars
John Saunders (1955 - 2016), sportscaster ABC college football
Jerry Doyle (1956 - 2016), actor Babylon 5
Gloria DeHaven (1925 - 2016), actress MGM musicals
Garry Marshall (1934 - 2016) director Pretty Woman
Noel Neill (1920 - 2016), actress Superman tv series
Michael Camino (1939 - 2016), director The Deer Hunter
Elie Wiesel (1928 - 2016), Nobel Peace Prize recipient 1986
Pat Summitt (1952 - 2016), women's basketball coach U of Tenn.
Buddy Ryan (1934 - 2016), NFL coach
Bud Spencer (1929 - 2016), actor They Call Me Trinity
Ryan Jimmo (1981 - 2016), UFC fighter known as "Big Deal"
Bill Cunningham (1929 - 2016), fashion photographer NY Times
Bernie Worrell (1944 - 2016), musician Parliament-Funkadelic
Anton Yelchin (1989 - 2016), actor Star Trek
Ron Lester (1970 - 2016), actor Varsity Blues
Ann Morgan Guilbert (1928 - 2016), actress Dick Van Dyke Show
Theresa Saldana (1954 - 2016), actress Raging Bull
Christina Grimmie (1994 - 2016), singer The Voice season 6
Muhammad Ali (1942 - 2016), legendary boxer
Gordie Howe (1928 - 2016), NHL pro Detroit Red Wings
Nick Menza (1964 - 2016), musician Megadeth
Morley Safer (1931 - 2016), CBS reporter 60 Minutes
Guy Clark (1941 - 2016), Grammy winning singer-songwriter
Madeleine Lebeau (1923 - 2016), actress Casablanca
Richard Libertini (1933 - 2016), actor Fletch
Billy Paul (1934 - 2016), Grammy winning R&B and jazz singer
Prince (1958 - 2016), music legend Purple Rain
Chyna (1970 - 2016), WWF wrestler and reality tv star
Doris Roberts (1925 - 2016), actress Everybody Loves Raymond
Daisy Lewellyn (1980 - 2016), magazine editor and reality tv star
Merle Haggard (1937 - 2016), Country Music Hall of Fame 1994
Joseph Medicine Crow (1913 - 2016), Battle of Little Bighorn
Zaha Hadid (1950 - 2016), architect London Aquatic Centre
Patty Duke (1946 - 2016), actress The Miracle Worker
Nancy Reagan (1921 - 2016), former first lady of the U.S.
Mother Mary Angelica (1923 - 2016), founder of EWTN
Garry Shandling (1949 - 2016), comedian and actor
Joey Feek (1975 - 2016), CMA winner country duo Joey+Rory
Pat Conroy (1945 - 2016), author Prince of Tides
George Kennedy (1925 - 2016), actor Naked Gun
Cara McCollum (1992 - 2016), anchor SNJ Today, former Miss NJ
Vanity (1959 - 2016), musician Vanity 6
Katie May (1981 - 2016), Sports Illustrated model
Maurice White (1941 - 2016), founder Earth, Wind & Fire
Paul Kantner (1941 - 2016), founding member Jefferson Airplaine
Glenn Frey (1948 - 2016), founding member The Eagles
Abe Vigoda (1921 - 2016), actor Barney Miller and The Godfather
Noreen Corcoran (1943 - 2016), tv actress Bachelor Father
Dan Haggerty (1941 - 2016), actor Life & Times of Grizzly Adams
Rene Angelil (1942 - 2016), husband of musician Celine Dion
Alan Rickman (1946 - 2016), actor Harry Potter film series
Sir George Martin (1926 - 2016), record producer The Beatles
David Bowie (1947 - 2016), legendary British rocker
Phife Dawg (1970 - 2016), founding member A Tribe Called Quest
Keith Emerson (1944 - 2016), musician Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Angus Scrimm (1926 - 2016), actor Phantasm film series
Patrick Harrington Jr. (1929 - 2016), actor One Day At a Time
Kitty Kallen (1922 - 2016), swing era pop singer
Pierre Boulez (1925 - 2016), world-renowned French conductor
Robert Stigwood (1934 - 2016), producer Grease, Sat. Night Fever

Although these creative minds are gone, the footprint they leave will entertain and create memories for generations to come as they have for many of us today.

Sources: www.legacy.com, www.imdb.com, TMZ

Former Brady Bunch actress fired from popular L.A. radio host gig over homophobic Facebook rant.

by Chris Stouffer

Susan Olsen, once known (or should I say "best known") for her role as the "girl with golden hair like (her) mother; the youngest one in curls," by the hit sitcom The Brady Bunch was recently fired from her job as a Los Angeles radio host over a homophobic rant made on Facebook, according to www.msn.com.

In Olsen's defense, I can neither agree nor disagree with this post on her Facebook page made December 8:

Susan Olsen December 8 at 12:32pm · People can have different opinions, thats how we learn. That is exactly what makes each and every one of you so precious to me! I LOVE to be told that I'm wrong and to actually see that I AM wrong! How blessed am I to be trusted in the hearts of so many people that I have never met? You people are almost as good as getting residuals for the reruns ...OK not really as good. But hey, this is what we got And I love you! oxoxoxoxo

Honestly, she's right. We all have the right to our opinions, and I truly believe her when she says it's what makes us all so precious. It's a bit comical that I began considering writing this blog with preconceived notions about Susan Olsen, being the gay man that I am, assuming she was immediately dismissing my kind from the start. In fact, I almost thought I was going to write a blog which would be a direct attack on her character. After looking through her recent posts however, I see she simply stated her opinion on his work, when the man in question, Leon Acord-Whiting (award winning actor/writer/prodoucer Off-Broadway) jumped to his own defense.

I can't throw blame his way either. I've been one to jump to my own defense immediately, especially if I didn't agree with what someone was saying about me or my work. This is however why we got into the business. We want to hear what people are saying about us. If we can't handle the constructive criticism, then we should all become radio hosts (wink, wink).

In at least two posts I read on Olsen's page, she made attempts to speak with the actor one-on-one, which fell upon deaf ears. You can't chastise a person for first making negative remarks (her opinion, of course), followed by attempts at hearing your side. I may have simply seen her as another radio-host as I started this blog, but she did what any other professional would have done: she attempted to tell his side of the story, giving readers the opportunity to decide for themselves where they sit on the topic of Acord-Whiting's work.

Perhaps Olsen may have seemed a little unprofessional by some minor name-calling after everything went down, but can you blame a gal who just lost her job on a popular radio show "Two Chicks Talkin Politics," for doing her job?

The website makes it clear the actress was an avid Trump supporter. Politics aside, she could have been a Hillary supporter, and most likely would have been dubbed the woman not onboard with the direction this country is going.

Cindy Brady (totes kidding), aka Susan Olsen, if you're reading this (because I know you have friends looking at my blog), please hit me up to get an unbiased account of your story. I know you know everyone wants to hear it. Photo taken from www.susanolsen.net.

Actor Judge Reihold arrested in Dallas this week.

by Chris Stouffer



Actor Judge Reinhold was released from a Dallas jail early Friday morning after being arrested for causing a disturbance at a local airport.

Reinhold, 59, was taken into custody by Dallas Police Thursday afternoon for disorderly conduct after Transportation Security Administration officers reported he refused a checkpoint screening at Dallas Love Field airport.

TSA reported that one of Reinhold's bags set off an alarm as he passed through a scanner, according to the Dallas Morning News. Agents asked to pat down the actor, but he refused since he did not trigger an alarm himself when passing through the scanner.

The actor was travelling from New Mexico to Florida where he was scheduled to appear at the Paradise City Comic Con. The convention's website posted late Thursday that Reinhold's appearance was cancelled due to an incident occuring earlier that day.

"I knew better; I just didn't do the right thing."

According to Reuters, in a statement released by his Dallas attorneys on Friday, Reinhold said he had a negative reaction to antibiotics prescribed to him on Wednesday, his original travel date, but had to be admitted to a hospital for treatment and observation and had to reschedule his flight for Thursday. Reinhold added, "I have to say the past 48 hours ahve been the most unusual, hair-raising and regrettable two days of my life."

Reihold admitted in his statement he acted wrongfully. "Two Dallas police officers came over and gave me every opportunity to keep my mouth shut," he said. "I didn't comply with the pat down or their suggestions. This led to my arrest. I knew better; I just didn't do the right thing."

Reinhold posted bond from Dallas County jail at 1:00 A.M. on Friday. Disorderly Conduct is a misdemeanor offense in Dallas, and if found guilty, Reinhold could pay a fine up to $500.

Reinhold and his family reside in New Mexico. He is known for such blockbuster 80s movies such as Beverly Hills Cop (which also shot Eddie Murphy to movie stardom), Fast Times at Ridgemont High (acting alongside movie newcomers Forest Whitaker, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and a young Sean Penn), and Ruthless People (one of my personal favorites also starring Danny Devito, Bette Midler, and Helen Slater).

He is currently wrapping up production on two movies scheduled for release in 2017: Highly Functional, and Grandmothers Murder Club. Image of mug shot taken from www.tmz.com.

Former Mean Girl officially announced she's pregnant!

by Chris Stouffer

Amanda Seyfried, who played Karen Smith in the 2004 blockbuster Mean Girls, announced today she's expecting her first child with fiance Thomas Sadoski.

The 30-year-old actress made the announcement Tuesday while rocking a sheer black minidress showing off her small baby bump at the launch of Givenchy's new fragrance, Live Irresistible, which Seyfried is a spokesmodel for.

Seyfried and Sadoski, 40, met in 2015 while working in the off-Broadway play, The Way We Get By. But they didn't begin their romance until reuniting for their upcoming film, The Last Word.

The actors announced their engagement in September after Seyfried was spotted wearing a modest gold band on the ring finger of her left hand while walking her dog.

The photo above, courtesy of Splash News Online, shows Seyfried sporting the simple engagment band as she reaches into her bag while on a stroll with her pooch, Finn, in New York City, according to People Magazine.

On Tuesdays she wears hoodies! Not really, but US Weekly confirmed the photo was taken Tuesday, September 13, reporting that the "ring added a hint of glitz to her comfy dog-walking outfit of a blue hoodie, a gray tank, Adidas leggings and multicolored sneakers."

Her engagment band, unlike elaborate pieces you might find on many Hollywood celebs, seems to be making a statement while it may appear trying not to make a statement at all.

Best Mean Girls reference came when E! News tweeted, "God Karen, you're so pregnant: Mean Girls' Amanda Seyfried is expecting first child with Thomas Sadoski!"

No wedding date has been confirmed. Although I can't tell you when to expect Syfried to walk down the aisle, I can tell you to expect her and soon-to-be husband together on the big screen in The Last Word, March 2017. Seyfried is also set to star in the series premiere episode of a new Twin Peaks series from original creator David Lynch this coming April.

What KSAT-12 didn't tell you tonight about Vigilant Solutions

by Chris Stouffer

If you were watching KSAT-12 News tonight in San Antonio, or anywhere else online, you may have seen a story about an easier way for the San Antonio Police Department to find and collect fines during warrant roundups. San Antonio wants to partner up with a California-based company called Vigilant Solutions.
Vigilant Solutions offers a product known as Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR), or simply LPR. According to their website, it's a tool that "ultimately saves lives." The website goes on to say that this product is "the most comprehensive offering available, with over tens of thousands of users around the world, and thousands of success stories."
The company collects your data to share with credentialed law enforcement personnel, and is readily accessible and easy to use. What they don't tell you is that once your information is collected, that information is sold, and you can kiss your privacy goodbye.
According to The Atlantic website, Vigilant Solutions takes "photos of cars and trucks with its vast network of unobtrusive cameras. It retains location data of each of those pictures, and sells it." It has taken 2.2 billion license-plate photos to date, capturing and storing these images. Once their device have captured your information, your whereabouts at any given moment are stored permanently and sold to police departments using your tax dollars.
The City of Kyle, just south of Austin, almost partnered up with Vigilant Solutions, but in a 6-1 vote last week during a city council meeting, they decided to rescind their agreement. The city would have paid Vigilant Solutions a 25-percent surcharge to help police identify drivers with outstanding warrants, and collect their fines onsite, according to The Texas Tribune. Kyle officials voted to join the program in January.
Kyle City Council Member, Daphne Tenorio, told the Tribune she was comfortable with the idea when they first voted. She later had doubts when she realized the plan would hurt the poor most.
"It was too much Big Brother," she said to the Texas Tribune. "And there was no way that they could honestly say that the information was safe. And in this day of technology, with hackers nothing is safe. I wouldn't want my information being given and shared with other people."
The Wall Street Journal reported that "during the past five years, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has distributed more than $50 million in federal grants to law-enforcement agencies—ranging from sprawling Los Angeles to little Crisp County, Georgia, population 23,000—for automated license-plate recognition systems." It also quoted one critic, California state Senator Joe Simitian, asking: “Should a cop who thinks you're cute have access to your daily movements for the past 10 years without your knowledge or consent? I think the answer to that question should be ‘no.’”
As of now, Vigilant Solutions has no sure safeguard in place to protect any of the data they collect. Fewer than a dozen communities in Texas are currently participating in this pilot program.

DTF only the beginning of Seven Minutes In Heaven 2016

A large crowd was DTF last night as Invisible Gallery took over R Space on the city's south side for a fundraiser to benefit the upcoming show Seven Minutes In Heaven 2016, but it was the artwork that had people's curiosity engaged.
Invisible Gallery founder and curator, Jessica Garcia, was the mastermind behind the fundraiser, fittingly titled DTF - Down To Fundraiser, which tied in with the sexual theme of her upcoming show in March, Seven Minutes In Heaven 2016. The acronym DTF is used in sexting. Replacing "fundraise" in this case with a commonly used explicit "F" word might give you a better clue. Garcia admitted this year's fundraiser was organized in very little time due to some unexpected last minute changes.
"It was very rushed," said Garcia. "I think I did it in like three to four weeks. Most of it was planned in the last two weeks since the venue change. I had a bigger gallery to fill."
Garcia originally planned on having the Fox Motel host her fundraiser as it had in the past. After discovering the sketchy motel had closed recently, she quickly needed a change of plans.
"I thought the motel would bring more people in since they love to get in the rooms," Garcia said. Last minute or not, the event was well organized and was hosted by R Space Gallery located at 110 East Lachapelle Street on the south side of San Antonio. R Space Gallery owner and curator, Alex Rubio, was also a contributor to Seven Minutes In Heaven 2014.
For a $10 donation, guests were treated to erotic inspired art, specialty drinks at the bar, and music by DJs Sneaky Le Sneak and El Fenix. Contributing artists for this year's SMIH will include Linda Arredondo, Louie Chavez, Eugene Martinez, Sarah Roberts, John Cody Williams, and Jose Villalobos.

Artist Eugene Martinez explored the idea of fetishes and sex toys in his pieces, mostly acrylic on MDF board.
"I want a little bit more of the toys," Martinez said about what he plans on including in this year's show. "I like the puppy play, explore more fetishes, just more fun stuff." He added that he would also like to include something three dimensional with more depth. Owner and operator of Salon D'Amore in San Antonio's Southtown area, Holly Gonzalez, enjoyed herself at DTF while taking in some of the art and sipping on Sweet Snatch, just one of the specialty drinks offered at the bar.
"Everything that I've seen here is very different," Gonzalez said. "I've never seen anything like this."
Although it was different from anything she had seen, Gonzalez said she was looking forward to SMIH 2016 next month.
Seven Minutes In Heaven is an annual erotic art show that happens every March for Contemporary Art Month in San Antonio. Artists choose their themes and are encouraged to push boundaries. The show takes over a motel every year. The unique setting allows for a new context of the artwork, using the motel as inspiration to expand art out of the traditional gallery space.

Old Main Association puts New spin on Mexican cuisine

In case you haven't heard (and I highly doubt it with all the publicity the press has given them), The Old Main Association is getting quite the reputation for putting a spin on some classic Mexican eats. But first, I have to publicly apologize to the tavern, namely their awesome chef, Lorenzo Morales, for not blogging this a lot sooner. I did a piece on this place for another publication with the impression that it would go out right away, but have not seen it published yet.

In an interview with Morales, he explained that The Old Main Association is a tavern which happens to have a menu. Old Main opened to the public in September 2015, and with amazing reviews to boot. It was the first time I'd heard of a restaurant using a Mexican pastry as a hamburger bun. I should explain. Pictured above you'll see their city-wide famous "Concha Burger." For those of you non-native South Texans, a concha is pan dulce* (sweet bread), which is considered a treat in Mexico and other Latin American Countries.

"In San Antonio, the food is amazing," Morales said. But there was no need to try and convince me. I've been eating San Antonio food for many years, so it was a given. What Morales was saying is he didn't want to do Tex-Mex for his menu. He admitted the idea for his specialty burger was something he'd been thinking about a long time. After many trials and having family taste his creation, it was ready to introduce to the public. When asked how the idea came about, his answer was simple, "It's sweet, it's savory." It also resembles a the top half of a hamburger bun, he added.

Morales graduated from the Culinary Institute of America-Hyde Park. It was his grandmother who inspired him to cook at the early age of 5 or 6, he recalled. According to Morales, she would prop him on a chair next to the stove and let him stir whatever it was she was cooking. Naturally, he became a chef. "It's always been something I wanted to do and always been a dream," he said. "I've been in the industry since I was 15."

I wanted to know more about his famous Pork & Beans. You may not find it on his current menu because he's constantly switching it up. I told him I was fascinated with the dish after reading the description on the menu. I had always remembered going camping as a kid, and eating pork-n-beans. Needeless to say, I hated pork-n-beans growing up, but this certain dish caught my attention.

"It's not your typical frank and beans," Morales said. "It's a traditional dish served in a very nontraditional way. It looks pretty. It's all about presentation."

Morales used a pork shoulder for this dish in place of the traditional franks, but it was the presentation that left me in awe. My server came to my table with a clean white plate, and placed it gently in front of me, followed by a plain silver tin can, which he proceeded to turn upside-down as the contents emptied onto my plate. As it settled on the dish, it did so with perfection; shreds of pork shoulder, beans, and garnishes all fell into place. I almost didn't want to eat it because it really did look pretty. The best part though: IT. WAS. DELICIOUS.

Although you may not find it on the menu at the present, Morales assured me it's a customer favorite that will make it's way back in the immediate future. I suggest you try it with The Paloma, a concoction of tequila, lime, grapefruit soda, and salt. For a full menu, check out their Facebook page at facebook.com/theoldmainassoc/. The Old Main Association is located at 2512 North Main Avenue in San Antonio.

*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan_dulce

Popeye's: chicken with attitude

I. LOVE. FRIED. CHICKEN. And if you're anything like me, when you go out and pick up a box, you get the spicy because mild just won't do. But on Monday December 14, I had to question my loyalty to one particular chain....Popeye's. WTF are they thinking when it comes to customer service. I hope they're reading this.

With over 52,000 followers on Twitter, you would think this chain has got business in check! WRONG. It's the holiday season, and I really wanted to do nothing more than send out positive reviews about businesses I visited that seemed to be doing all the right things. That would have been the case, had I not decided to check out the Popeye's location off Callaghan and Centerview here in San Antonio.

What makes this sad story even more sad is that i was in really high spirits tonight after leaving work, despite the bad news I had gotten earlier that day. Once I got home, I quickly unveiled what appeared to be pieces of an anorexic chicken, or fetus, I'm still questioning it to this day. Let's start from the beginning. It was a Monday. I had been looking forward to December 14 because I had a coupon for a "customer appreciation" special valid that day only at Popeye's. The special promotion was for an 8-pc box of mixed chicken for $4.99 or an 8-pc box of dark for $3.99. Being the thrifty person I am, I opted for the dark to save a buck. I was so excited to walk in and order.

As I walked in, the only person at the front counter was a young girl who was already helping another customer. Because I wasn't in a hurry, I didn't mind waiting at all. I mean, who wouldn't mind waiting a few more minutes for only $3.99? So as I'm there, practically drooling, a girl who looked slightly rough around the edges, and wore a different colored shirt from the other employees decides to pick up her head from the nook in the back where she appeared to be sleeping, or just stoned (you never know with kids these days) decides to come out into the light and has the balls to ask if I need help. In my head, I'm thinking: "It's all good, Teardrop. You can go back to reminiscing of your days in prison with your home girls."

I'm only being ugly about it because I that's how pissed off I was about the crap she gave me. So she continues to ask if I want spicy or mild, and as to not burden them, I just told her she could give me whatever was available. I could be wrong here, but I hardly think the only thing available were 8 pieces that were equivalent to three pieces I would have gotten at Bill Miller's (It's a barbecue chain here in San Antonio). Oh, that's right. In the photo I have provided is just one of the "thighs" in my box. All the others were the dame size, and if you can picture it, the legs were even smaller. Maybe the coupon should have read, "Customer Appreciation: Baby Chicken pieces on sale!"

But that's not all. This girl with the tattoo on the back of her neck and permanent bitch-face, decides to charge me for the mixed piece special when she clearly gave me the dark. Well here's a message for you, Popeye's: You can keep on selling your sad chicken, and keep on allowing your sad manager at that location to do customers this kind of injustice, or you can have your marketing department change the coupon so that it reads: "Customer (UN)appreciation," because you obviously could care less about what you give us. If I were a performer, this would be the part where I drop the mic. BOOM.

48 Hour Film Project showcases local filmmakers work

A couple of weeks ago, I was invited to participate as an actor in a project for Mala Mujer Media.  It was a film short for the 48-Hour Film Project titled Masa y Amor (Dough and Love).  Several filmmakers were given certain criteria and the opportunity to shoot a film, in a short span of two days. The result? Well I can’t speak for everyone, perhaps not even for my own director, Rachell.

What I can tell you is that I must have put Rachell through hell while I became a total diva on and off set, calling “cut” when I didn’t feel a shot was going my way, or taking long naps when I was asked to be on set to shoot. Would my behavior have been the same had I gotten more than three hours of sleep the night before? I really can’t say since it didn’t happen.

In any case, tonight I get to see the final results, and you can too. Each of those entries will be playing tonight at Santikos Bijou Cinema at Wonderland of the Americas located at 4522 Fredericksburg Road in San Antonio, from 6:00pm to 11:00pm.

As short notice as it is, I just found out about this myself last night. Entries were divided into Groups A and B.  Masa y Amor is part of Group A with screenings at 6:00pm and 9:00pm. Although tickets are available online, I’ve contacted the producer coordinating the event who informed me tickets may be purchased onsite. 

For more information, please visit the website www.48hourfilm.com as the host theatre itself does not have much information on the event.  Come out and support your local filmmakers and me in my first ever lesbian role….and “CUT!” That’s a wrap, y’all.

Should a child be allowed to make decisions on their own appearance?

According to one person representing one industry, the answer is yes. I recently learned of a salon which refuses to work with parents if the employees feel the person is at an age to speak for him or herself. I then learned the age at question was 11.

Forgive me if I’m wrong, but at that age, I was not allowed to speak for myself unless the law depended on it. When I questioned this, I was told it was called bad parenting if someone could not let their 11-year-old child make their own decision.

But doesn’t it start there? If you allow someone that young make their own decision about what they want to look like, they will begin making their own decisions on other things. What they eat, what they wear, who they associate with, etc.

Maybe I’m wrong, but I call letting a child that young make all the decisions bad parenting. Perhaps this is why we have children more often than none getting more and more in trouble with the law. It all started with a haircut.

It’s my opinion that someone who refuses to work with a parent is bad business practice. It’s one thing to have an overbearing parent. It’s another completely to protect someone who is too young to make their own decisions.

Don't get me wrong, I do believe that any establishment has every right to refuse business to someone who is unwilling to cooperate, but bullying that parent into trying to make their child make decisions for themselves is not a business any parent should take their child to. Parents, perhaps you should pay a little more attention to what is happening in your kids’ lives and less on what social event you might be planning your next drink at. You may learn that when your kids make their own decisions, they also let out your dirty little secrets.

It might just be me, but at that age, anything my mom decided for me, I believed to be for my own good. I was a shy child. I'm nothing like that anymore. At 11-years-old, I'm glad I had someone to speak on my behalf because I may not have made the decisions that made me the person I am today. At that age, I needed to be protected, not out fending for myself.

Then again, I'm not a parent. If you're reading this, and you have children that age, feel free to let me know whether or not you feel comfortable enough to let your child make their own decisions. I know a haircut is a simple one, and not all parents must worry about what their children do, but for those of you who feel their kids are easily influenced, perhaps this questions is targeted more to you.

Rumors, splits, and complete fall outs for these celeb couples

In the wake of Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert’s divorce, rumors are amidst once again over Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith. RadarOnline reported Monday that the Smiths were pulling the plug on their 17-year-marriage, quoting one source as saying the “marriage has been on life support for a long time.”

Will Smith denied the split rumors on Facebook, according to New York Daily News, telling fans “…if I ever decide to divorce my Queen – I SWEAR I’ll tell you myself.” Divorce rumors have put them in the tabloid spotlight the last four years.

Over in Nashville, country star Reba McEntire and husband and manager Narvel Blackstone announced on Monday they are separating after 26 years of marriage, according to the Associated Press. In a joint statement, the two said they had been separated for several months.

Both have worked together for 35 years, and will continue to do so, they said in their statement. A spokesperson for the two however declined to comment whether they planned to divorce. Blackstone runs a management company that represents McEntire, Blake Shelton, and Kelly Clarkson.

And speaking of divorce, TMZ was one of the first to report that Gwen Stefani has filed for divorce from husband Gavin Rossdale.

According to TMZ.com, Stefani has cited irreconcilable differences in the divorce petition, which will put an end to the 13-year-marriage. Rossdale’s rep filed his response at the same time, making it “clear the petition and response were orchestrated to be filed simultaneously,” the website states.

TMZ also stated there was no prenup, and with Stefani worth a reported $80 million and Rossdale $35 million, given the length of marriage the 50/50 California community property law will combine everything before it is divided. Both are asking for joint custody of their three children.



Sources:

http://radaronline.com/celebrity-news/will-smith-jada-pinkett-smith-divorce-240-million-secret-split-decided-pull-plug/

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/smith-jada-pinkett-smith-set-divorce-report-article-1.2312895

http://www.msn.com/en-us/music/celebrity/reba-mcentire-narvel-blackstock-announce-separation/ar-BBlmKFK?ocid=ansentap11

http://www.tmz.com/2015/08/03/gwen-stefani-files-for-divorce-gavin-rossdale/