A DAY IN "THE LIFE OF RILEY"

As I have begun to take high-profile assignments (as freelance field producer) from my most lucrative clients, more and more on-camera pop culture work is coming my way - keeping this hustle alive!!!:

1.) Last week, 'CN8's Your Morning' featured me (for the first time on its air) in a live segment on Ben Stiller's Hollywood satire 'Tropic Thunder': http://216.117.188.141/PRiley/CN8YourMorning.wmv . In addition to the pop culture analysis, we too are exploring some style segments I may front for the Philly-based COMCAST morning show that reaches 9 million subscribers from Virginia to Maine.

2.) In that spirit, check out two fashion segments (on which I step into my style-maven persona) for AT&T's 'The Hugh Thompson Show' which once streamed on AT&T's Technical Station (website now-under-reconstruction). I do 'Geek 2.0' makeovers on two subjects. Click here to see one female and one male subject in full (from shopping to the reveal). Cute pieces! ENJOY!: http://216.117.188.141/PRiley/PatrickHughThompsonShow.wmv I blogged much about the behind-the-scenes of this experience. From the shoot (on which Ant collaborated with me as a credited style consultant for our subjects and me), which we did at our favorite boutique "N" (www.nharlemnewyork.com/) - http://thelifeofriley.squarespace.com/rilys-blog/2008/1/2/dear-god-im-here-im-here.html, we had a blast. And Ant also pulled some hot-off-the-presses "American Chang" (www.americanchang.com/) and "R. Scott French" (www.rscottfrench.com/) for my looks (as well as Dan, our makeover subject): http://thelifeofriley.squarespace.com/rilys-blog/2008/1/23/some-stay-dry-and-others-feel-the-pain.html.

3.) And THANKS to the new round of supporters who just saw "Million Dollar Password" for the first time (It reran last night!): http://www.cbs.com/primetime/million_dollar_password/video/video.php?cid=715207177&pid=SlTVr0veA2I9FUmZh9jx0mlFv2mSrb1A&play=true&cc=0

4.) 'Password' (excerpted) and much of my work of late (including 'NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams' (on-line)) can be viewed here: http://216.117.188.141/PRiley/PatrickGeneralReel.wmv 
It is fast paced and fun and the outcome may suprise you!

I don’t stand alone. I have a slew of folks who are doing awesome things in their lives and with their careers:

James Aguiar, one of my fellow co-hosts from the much-buzzed about "tvQ" pilot I shot a couple of years ago, has launched a new web series for WE (www.wetv.com/). Just click on "She Got Game". Each webisode is about three minutes long...so no excuse if you have A.D.D.! He also has a companion blog for each... and would love you to leave a comment. If the network sees enough interest they may turn it into a half hour for the air. Registering is simple and you don't have to give a ton of personal info. Let's support James... and somebody out there, give me one of these opportunities (It runs Monday and Thursday. CONGRATS, JAMES!!!). 

Aforementioned new friend David Manuel (from the Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta) told me about his book: “I Am A Father” (www.iamafather.net). One needs look no further than one of Obama’s messages today to know how important this issue has been in 2008. Congrats, David! I look forward to hearing more about this project and supporting you anyway I can.

Further proof? April R. Silver (www.akilaworksongs.com)… Editor of “BE A FATHER TO YOUR CHILD” (www.beafathertoyourchild.com) – an anthology that discusses family, love, fatherhood, and hip hop… as told by Black Men.

And as a brother who too is a father – being the difference out there, I think of Jimmy Witherspoon, Publisher of “Girlfriends: Health Guide For Women of Color” ( www.girlfriendshealthguide.com/about/ ). I ran into him while in Atlanta and he shared this wonderful periodical which promotes optimum health for women of color.

And though I’m not a father, I am an uncle and a mentor. One of my NABJ babies Chloe Hilliard (http://thelifeofriley.squarespace.com/rilys-blog/2007/3/4/-the-children-are-the-future-literally.html) is currently a staff writer at The Village Voice (www.villagevoice.com ). And she had a great cover story last week on black models struggling to get on the runway ( www.villagevoice.com/2008-08-12/news/ryan-leslie-tries-to-keep-black-models-in-vogue-with-video-shoot ).

And here in this era of possibility, I’m pleasantly haunted in remembering the 1988 Democratic National Convention in Atlanta where Jennifer Holliday led the party in “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2yxX56leFA). Well, I’m excited to hear that Obama has asked Holliday doppelganger Jennifer Hudson to perform on Thursday after his speech. Can’t wait to hear and see. Perhaps another Holliday remake?

Or they could invite my Morehouse brother David Redic – already in Denver for the week, singing his “Season of Change” to anyone who will listen. Obama anyone?

CHECK THIS OUT: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AM599RHWtQ I wrote about him last week (http://thelifeofriley.squarespace.com/rilys-blog/2008/8/15/butterflies-begin-from-having-been-another.html ).