A DAY IN "THE LIFE OF RILEY"

Please make sure you pick up the new, Spring 2007 issue of UneQ Magazine (www.UneQmagazine.com), which features a cover story on haute couture designer B. Michael, an exclusive with former "America's Next Top Model" Eva (Pigford), a backstage feature on neo-soul artist Jaguar Wright, and an interview (I've mentioned before) on Maurice Jamal, the talented FILM DIRECTOR/PRODUCER/WRITER who I've written about here in "A DAY IN THE LIFE OF RILEY: POP CULTURE & POSSIBILITIES" - (http://thelifeofriley.squarespace.com/rilys-blog/) and (http://thelifeofriley.squarespace.com/display/ShowJournal?moduleId=875700&currentPage=3).  He is currently promoting his latest film, which he wrote, directed, and co-stars in: "DIRTY LAUNDRY", starring LORETTA DEVINE ("Waiting to Exhale" and "Dreamgirls" [original Broadway musical]) and ROCKMOND DUNBAR ("Soul Food" and "Prison Break"). It's scheduled for Spring 2007 release and also features wonderful supporting roles by Jennifer Lewis ("What's Love Got to Do With It", "Girlfriends", etc.), Terri J. Vaughan ("The Steve Harvey Show"), etc. (www.dirtylaundrythemovie.com)

Maurice Jamal, too, is a TV PERSONALITY/ACTOR... and he and I have been up for some of the same HOSTING gigs in the past (one promising close call for BRAVO that left the only two brothas in the running un-hired. SMILE!). Find out more about that and J. MAURICE JAMAL's story in an interview he requested me to do that is featured in this month's debut issue of UneQ Magazine (www.UneQmagazine.com). EXCERPTS are below, but for the full interview, a great picture layout, and the many other wonderful features in UneQ Magazine, go to a NEWSSTAND near you!!!!!!!

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Patrick L. Riley: "... When you have the intellectual capital but not the monetary means,... what does it look like for you at that point?"

Maurice Jamal: "... As an artist to realize that the industry doesn't get anything unless it fits into a box and they don't get that box unless it fits into a category and they don't even get that category unless it fits into a column spreadsheet. (laughs aloud) The industry is a lot of carbon copy, cookie cutter work that ultimately doesn't excite people or them to the theaters. But when it is fresh, people are all over it and it doesn't matter whether a black gay man or a straight man wrote it."

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Patrick L. Riley: "... you are a black gay filmmaker... Are you defined by that or is it just a part of your definition?"

Maurice Jamal:  "... other people want you to be THE BLACK, GAY FILMMAKER, but it is all reflected in "Dirty Laundry", I don't think that the film would have the depth or be so far reaching that it does if I would have entered writing the script with judgment or deciding that one character's perspective is right and one's wrong. I wrote the Rockmond Dunbar character as honestly as I could. And I also had to create a mother who may say things that are hateful, horrible, and cruel, but you still love her because of the honesty of her pain..."

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Patrick L. Riley: "... Patrick (Rockmond Dunbar's character in "Dirty Laundry") approaches his breakthroughs in such a way that inspired me to take my (or any) boyfriend home the first time in my life, but it was through some of the choices and chances that Patrick (the character) took in "Dirty Laundry" that allowed me to look at myself and say that I had some work to do. So I thank you.

Maurice Jamal:  "Wow! I really appreciate that. One of the things that have been such an honor as I've traveled across the country... doing sneak previews of the film was hearing people tell me similar stories about realizing that they had a call they needed to make and some self-acceptance they needed to come into. That is what the film is really about. Whether it is not going to college, being gay, having a child out of wedlock or you just don't feel like your mom is proud of you. It's like Mariah Carey says in her song, at some point you just have to "Shake it Off".

Patrick L. Riley: "Hmmm. Powerful... I get it! Stand in it!!!"

Maurice Jamal: "Yes exactly! Loretta (Devine)'s character says that in the film, "Stand up in it! Be proud!". The energy that you put out into the universe comes back to you."

FOR THE COMPLETE INTERVIEW, AGAIN, go to a NEWSSTAND near you!!!!!!! I am really proud of this interview and Maurice Jamal.