A DAY IN "THE LIFE OF RILEY"

All Star Karaoke SPECIAL on Valentines Day Sunday 2/14/16

SAVE THE DATE, FOLKS: SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2016!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  https://valentines-brunch-and-karaoke.eventbrite.com/ : With our SEASON FOUR of Billie’s Black presents ALL STAR KARAOKE behind us and our return still pending for SPRING 2016 (TBD), we are - are – BY POPULAR DEMAND – excited to invite you to come and join us for an ENCORE PRESENTATION ALL STAR KARAOKE SPECIAL EVENT: MIST HARLEM PRESENTS ALL STAR KARAOKE AND BRUNCH WITH PATRICK L. RILEY on VALENTINE’S DAY SUNDAY from NOON until 5pm! For $50, ENJOY VALENTINE’S DAY BRUNCH – including a SPECIAL BIRTHDAY TOAST to ALL STAR KARAOKE FAITHFULS Ernest Maynor AND Derrick Styles: both February 14^th BIRTHDAY BOYS! COUPLES WELCOMED! Included: Bottomless Mimosas; Cocktail Specials; All Star Karaoke; Special Giveaways; and Some Surprises! WE HAD SUCH A GOOD TIME at my MIST-HARLEM-housed BIRTHDAY BRUNCH – ALL-STAR-KARAOKE-style: https://youtu.be/bq1uovrAx0o, we had to try it one more time! AND YES, THERE WILL BE A VALENTINE’S DAY/BIRTHDAY VERSION of #THEBOSSCHOIR: https://youtu.be/6OY7bT6AKT8. ALL STAR KARAOKE is proud to have gotten to celebrate the LEGACY OF NATALIE COLE via this video that combines one of our ALL STAR KARAOKE staples: Natalie Cole’s “Our Love”: https://www.facebook.com/patrick.l.riley/videos/10153465679798737/?l=2168526762619196553. #mistharlem #allstarkaraoke #billiesblack #motownmay #missjessies #ernestmaynor #derrickstyles #nataliecolerip #nataliecole #ourlove

PRESENTED BY MISS JESSIE'S: Tessa Thompson ON OSCARS - A DailyCommune/LIFE OF RILEY SPECIAL!! Was great to re-acquaint with Tessa to whom Anika Noni Rose​ introduced me the opening night of Tyler Perry's’s For Colored Girls​. Knowing I’d be interviewing her, LIFE OF RILEY partner, CEO and Co-Founder of Miss Jessie's​, Miko Branch, sent over a VIP bag for Tessa to enjoy – including FULL-SIZED PRODUCT and her book Miss Jessie's: Creating a Successful Business from Scratch-Naturally (Amistad; Hardcover; $24.99). Tessa told me she LOVES MISS JESSIE’S: https://www.facebook.com/patrick.l.riley/videos/10153491349763737/?l=3404659370660713019! AND IN TURN, she shared her thoughts on Diversity in Hollywood; the Oscar Black-out; and the upcoming NAACP Image Awards​ for which she is a nominee for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture - Creed. Check it out: The 47th NAACP IMAGE AWARDS LIVE! FRIDAY FEB 5TH on TV ONE Red Carpet 8/7C Image Awards 9/8C. AND BEFORE WE TUNE INTO THAT, look for more information from Tessa and the rest of her cast members in SMART PEOPLE at Second Stage Theatre​! All my LIFE OF RILEY fam knows when I can pour some THEATER tea for you, I do: https://youtu.be/LrdnbMgJn9s. MOREOVER, you ALL know that I am Mr. Kenny Leon’s #1 fan – from my days as a Man of Morehouse who got the chance to work under his expertise in his alma mater Clark Atlanta University’s Coronation for which he was Visiting Guest Alum Director in 1992 to the years of enjoying Atlanta’s Alliance and True Colors Productions under his helm (and promoting them accordingly as I started my career at Fox 5’s “Good Day Atlanta”) to these last twenty years that I’ve been in New York City and a front row to his many Broadway offerings – including his Tony-award-winning turn as Director of the most recent Raisin in the Sun Revival and the tour de force that was The Wiz LIVE! for which I got to interview this NBC event’s Dorothy, Shanice Williams for recurring client NBCBLK: http://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/shanice-williams-tonights-wiz-live-debut-n471616! My primary question for her? “What was it like to work with Kenny Leon?” AND LIFE OF RILEY and DAILY COMMUNE just got a NEW INVITATION to ask that same question of SMART PEOPLE playwright Lydia R. Diamond (whose last Broadway collaboration with Kenny Leon, “Stick Fly”, would provide me opportunities to do talk-backs on its Broadway stage: https://youtu.be/LrdnbMgJn9s). Same question for the impressive SMART PEOPLE cast – known for their work across all formats: starting with Tessa and continuing on with her fellow cast-mates Mahershala Ali (“House of Cards”); Joshua Jackson; and Anne Son. WELL, SMART PEOPLE’s OFFICIAL OPENING is February 11, 2016…and set on the eve of Obama’s first election, it captures the sentiments of a nation through the complex and not always harmonious lens of a group of four Harvard intellectuals. Though you may cry, you will also have many moments of LAUGHTER! INCLUDING PREVIEWS, it runs January 26 through March 6th. I’M THINKING FROM OUR MEET AND GREET…AND WHAT WE’RE TOLD THE NARRATIVE ENTAILS, THAT THIS IS A MUST-SEE! Who will join me and catch a performance?? CALL IN FOR TICKETS at 212.246.4422 or hit up www.2ST.com  for TICKETS and MORE INFORMATION. COME ON, SMART PEOPLE! As always, THANKS to each and everyone of you for tuning into LIFE OF RILEY. SPECIAL SHOUT OUT to: Fox Entertainment Reporter Simone Boyce, a fellow journalist whose work I’ve been admiring since she hit the airwaves. Great to meet her and invite her out to our return to Billie’s Black for Billie’s Black presents All Star Karaoke with Patrick L. Riley in the SPRING 2016 (Dates TBD). AWESOME LUNCH-TIME MOMENT! #missjessies #allstarkaraoke #billiesblack #Oscarssowhite #BlackOscars #Oscars #Academy #iammissjessies #titibranch #SELMA #shondaland #shondarimes #naacp #imageawards #diversity #smartpeople #tessathompson

Hi folks,

LIFE OF RILEY is über excited to introduce you to Tank & The Bangas, the funky new band from New Orleans – one of the most original, energetic and smart bands on the music scene today. They go hard! See them at Brooklyn Bowl this Saturday, January 16 at 7 PM. Tickets: http://bit.ly/tank_tickets.The lead singer, Tarriona “Tank” Ball, who layers her titanium voice over whimsical and soulful compositions, blew me away.  A Tank & The Bangas concert goes from heart-felt, sunken words to spoken word to front row at a rock concert. It’s an experience fans can only describe as "the best rollercoaster I've ever been on." 

Video links below...

Crazy - http://bit.ly/crazy_tank

Boxes & Squares - http://bit.ly/boxes_tank

Drummers - http://bit.ly/drummers_tank

Jazz Fest - http://bit.ly/jazzfest_tank

Goodnight Show - http://bit.ly/goodnight_tank

Best and LOVE,

Patrick L. Riley

“A Day in the LIFE OF RILEY: pop culture & possibilities”

P.S. LOOK FOR MORE LIFE OF RILEY as usual in the coming weeks; MEANWHILE, check out what’s been going on and what’s coming up via my FACEBOOK page:

1. JANUARY 2016: https://www.facebook.com/patrick.l.riley/media_set?set=a.10153454803953737.1073741963.662073736&type=1

2. DECEMBER 2015:

https://www.facebook.com/patrick.l.riley/media_set?set=a.10153420949533737.662073736&type=3

HELLO BEAUTIFUL MONICA

VIDEO HIGHLIGHT: https://www.facebook.com/patrick.l.riley/videos/10153425697038737/?l=4560960440663802146.

You folks know I got to FIELD PRODUCE MONICA: STILL STANDING for Dubose Productions and BET back in 2009! We shot in ATLANTA. Did post in L.A. BIG BET HIT! And MONICA was a JOY THROUGH IT ALL! Imagine my EXCITEMENT when Ant told me hed’d booked MONICA for a HELLO BEAUTIFUL PRESENTS EVENT promoting her NEW CD: CODE RED! (Ant curates, books, and helps produce events at MIST HARLEM (including my All Star Karaoke Birthday Brunch:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bq1uovrAx0o&feature=youtu.be). Well, upon show day, Ant called to tell me that MONICA insisted I come by and SAY HI because she hadn’t seen me in YEARS. This, though Ant alerted her I had ALL STAR KARAOKE at the same time. We met early enough for me to get some CATCH UP TIME with MONICA before I headed over to BILLIE’S BLACK! Got to get MONICA’s #1 FAN, my nephew Herman, in the mix as well as some of our other buddies!  **FIND MONICA ONLINE**
https://twitter.com/MonicaBrown
https://instagram.com/monicabrown/
https://www.youtube.com/user/MonicaVEVO
#mistharlem #billiesblack #monicacodered#codered #monica #monicastillstanding#allstarkaraoke #missjessies #shennavaughn
#Monica #CodeRED #TheCodeREDExperienceTour#HelloBeautiful #MistHarlem #shoonailpolish

ALL STAR KARAOKE

1. We have two more Tuesdays left on All Star Karaoke at Billie's Black, though Tuesday, December 22nd, I'll be in Savannah with my FAM! IF YOU ARE IN TOWN, please join Bernice!

2.  TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29TH...we do FINALE of SEASON 4 at BILLIE'S BLACK.

3. SEASON FOUR has been OFF THE CHARTS! LAST NIGHT we had the opportunity to share our night's featured sponsor SHOO NAIL POLISH; NAACP Image Award Nominated Producer Sidra Smith ("Free Angela") who brought esteemed Director of Photography JB Letchinger who DPd the critically - acclaimed short film A LUV TALE Sid directed...and will be doing a run of screenings of that cinematic gem in 2016. Check him out at: Insta is @jbsnaps312.ALSO IN THE HOUSE: SPECIAL GUEST Victoria Pannell - star subject of our All Star Karaoke producer Bernice Wooden's short doc for which she just launched an Indiegogo campaign: Bit.ly/thevictoryinvictoria. PLUS, you have the rest of DECEMBER to experience the beautiful work of Contemporary Artist Shenna Vaughn who is artist-in-residence at Billie's Black for December 2015 - presented by ALL STAR KARAOKE. Reservations are HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: 212.280.2248.

4. Dr. Ian Smith dropped by recently:
https://www.facebook.com/patrick.l.riley/videos/10153404114088737/?l=7038106679684651902.

5. Miss Robbie and Tim from OWN's "Welcome to Sweetie Pie's" came by for my birthday: https://youtu.be/H3DXRU8OWIs.

6. And NBA CHAMP Josh Powell, who when he came at the top of the season, joined me on our weekly #THEBOSSCHOIR MOMENT!

7. PLUS, we always do #THEBOSS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OY7bT6AKT8! SO MUCH FUN!

8. PLUS, our ALL STAR KARAOKE FAITHFULS bring the FUN and the SONG!

LOVE, LOSS, LEGACY

Bittersweet weekend:I lost my mom in 1994. And so many of our family pillars and pioneers have left us. Makes me uber-nostalgic and sometimes blue. I LOVE MY FAMILY SO MUCH! And FAMILY - to me, including all of that - is EVERYTHING. And when the SOUND ALARMS, we JUMP! AND HIGH!I'm just back from a trip from hell to get to hometown of Savannah to say FAREWELL to my father's sister, my AMAZING AUNT Goldie Beatrice Riley Mars: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153408969028737&l=ec2b97eef5. Counting among my blessings on this quick trip: spending quality time with FAM - first time my two siblings and I have stayed in our childhood home in decades; a part one tour of pictures and photo albums from our childhood (part two goes down during Christmas); a late Sunday meal at Outback Steakhouse with dad and his wife Diana; a hometown-style stumble into BFF Nat's parents, the Shinhosters; an ANT CIZE sighting on dad's TV in my childhood home! Lol!; and the HIGHLIGHT OF HIGHLIGHTS – especially after I missed my flight and was delayed by NINE HOURS, I arrived at the Savannah airport to what I thought was my sister picking me up. After we hugged, she turned me around to ALMOST 20 OF MY COUSINS, my nephew, my brother --- ALL THERE TO GREET ME and say IT’S OKAY that you missed Aunt Goldie’s funeral. “You’re here now…and we’re all together,” they offered me to off-set my frustration and disappointment. Love my FAMILY!.... Xoxoxoxo p.s. As I'd just returned from saying FAREWELL to my beloved Aunt Beatrice Riley Mars this past weekend in Savannah, I had to jump into the week's demands - including preps for Billie's Black presents ALL STAR KARAOKE with Patrick L. Riley and a meet-and-greet with my former client and boss circa 2009: MONICA beforehand. En route, word that my first cousin Cathy Everett passed away. The show(s) had to go on, but I had to take a moment to honor them: MEMORY, LEGACY, and ENDLESS LOVE: https://www.facebook.com/patrick.l.riley/videos/10153421944903737/?l=4278426340364746660. Special TRIBUTE to my AUNT GOLDIE: My cup of LIFE runneth over with AMAZING AUNTS and I SPEAK ALL OF THEIR NAMES: Mom’s only sister and sibling, Auntee Mary Lee; and two of my Dad’s sisters Charlie May Riley Arvinger and Dorothy Lee Riley Ponder. And then there’s their baby sister GOLDIE BEATRICE MARS. AUNT GOLDIE we call her! She passed away yesterday morning… and I’m FULL of TEARS for ALL SHE’S BEEN TO ME; her beautiful, extended family; and the members of the family from which we come: THE RILEYS. I’m FULL of JOY for the MANY LAUGHS she presented – informing my own humorous gene and entertaining family gatherings since the beginning of my time. I’m FULL of GRATITUDE for the open-ended generosity she bestowed upon my cousins, siblings, and me – from birthday cards with money in them to care packages to those of us who went off to college or to the military or just away from home (and can I tell you that the contents of Cinammon Rolls and other sweet goodies that came from AUNT GOLDIE made them the best care packages EVER!). I am also TOO FULL to say much more without window-shield wipers for my weepy eyes and an interpreter to appraise what I have been trying to say from being choked up! But RIGHT HERE AND RIGHT NOW – though virtually so – I SPEAK THE NAME OF: GOLDIE BEATRICE MARS – one of MY PERSONAL LEGENDS who made such a BIG DIFFERENCE in my life – simply for showing UNCONDITIONAL LOVE and COUNTLESS JOY that – though she’s dead now – will NEVER DIE! It will LIVE FOREVER as will my ENDLESS LOVE for AUNT GOLDIE! A FACEBOOK FRIEND once wrote this to me about one of the many holiday pictures I’ve shared of AUNT GOLDIE and me over the years. The poster writes: “Patrick, you take incredible photos constantly, but this one with this precious lady in red [AUNT GOLDIE], she looks like the description of what "love" means. An incredible treasure, I'm sure. I would love to have someone that made me feel that strong sense of "home and family": https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10153408991298737&type=1&l=fa173e8110. INDEED. And AMEN!

 HOLIDAY PARTIES

1. SHOUT OUT to GMA Correspondent Mara Schiavocampo and her hubby Tommie Porter for a FAB tree-trimming set that kicked off the HOLIDAY PARTY SEASON! Plus, we toasted Ant's and my 10TH ANNIVERSARY together!

2. From there FAB FETE to MISS JESSIE'S! Was really excited to celebrate THE HOLIDAYS with friend and CEO/Co-Founder of MISS JESSIE'S, MIKO BRANCH, a CLASS ACT and endearingly known by me as #THEBOSS! So glad our year of partnership has been a major success - from Billie's Black presents All Star Karaoke with Patrick L. Riley to#NABJ40 to #TITIBRANCH TRIBUTE: https://www.facebook.com/patrick.l.riley/videos/10153400518588737/?l=4351585039571061562, it has been a blessing to consult with MISS JESSIE's on select bookings and press; donation opportunities; and appearances… and have the village that has very much been a part of this movement in the house: Derrick Hemphill, Bernice Wooden, Carl Nelson, Lamar Johnson, Shenna Vaughn, and more! BEST TO YOU AND YOURS DURING THESE HOLIDAYS AND IN THE YEAR TO COME! We're looking to 2016 for more WIN-WIN WORK! #missjessies #happyholidays#allstarkaraoke #billiesblack

3. My SIDRA then threw her own tree-trimming set at her home! AGAIN, a well-curated guest list of our NEW YORK CITY family! SIDRA is the HOSTESS with the MOST!

STUFF TO SEE

1. MOTHER COURAGE: Shout out to Walk Tall Girl Production's own Marcia Pendelton for inviting me out for the first preview of MOTHER COURAGE AND HER CHILDREN -#CSMOTHERCOURAGE - in previews at Classic Stage Company on 13th Street between 3rd Ave and 4th Ave. It opens top of Jan 2016 and currently runs through end of Jan. Stay tuned via @classicstage. Discount Code for over 40% off: MC35. MOTHER COURAGE AND HER CHILDREN starsTony Award winner TONYA PINKINS, who as always, is AWESOME! But I'd be remiss if I didn't hip you that Broadway Fela's own Kevin Mambo and Cosby Show's Elvin - as in Sondra Huxtable's husband and father of Nelson and Winnie: Geoffrey Owens are but two SHINING performers in this play with music's stellar cast. RUN! DON'T WALK...to experience MOTHER COURAGE AND HER CHILDREN!

2. THE HATEFUL EIGHT: SHOOT 'EM UP BANG BANGs are not my favorite genre of film. Yet, THE HATEFUL EIGHT is the 8TH FILM I've seen by renowned filmmaker QUENTIN TARANTINO because the mashup of cinematic genius and mad man wonder that has become his signature is just hard to resist experiencing - at least once. True to form, this flick stars my Morehouse brother Samuel Jackson who wasn't in the house for last night's PREMIERE at The Ziegfeld Theater (Filming in Hawaii, I believe they said). Still, the other SEVEN of the EIGHT HATEFULS were in the house - including KURT RUSSELL! CHANNING TATUM is featured in the project as well - exclusively presented in 70MM, which makes the experience even more than 3-D! NOTWITHSTANDING ad nauseum inclusion of the N-WORD ----- a TARANTINO staple ----- I did manage to stay awake and - overall - enjoy the OVER THREE HOUR FLICK, which has an OVERTURE and an INTERMISSION. GREAT WAY TO EXPERIENCE IT ALL - and with Ant and Miss Flo Anthony nearby as well as Arise Entertainment 360 colleague Shannon Lanier, what was there to do but eat that free popcorn and Coke (and Peanut M&Ms)... and YOU SHOULD EXPERIENCE IT YOURSELF: THE HATEFUL EIGHT is being released in North America on Christmas Day, EXCLUSIVELY in theaters equipped to project 70MM FILM. This MOVIE PALACE EXPERIENCE will live again in 98 theaters with an exclusive roadshow in the largest 70mm release in over 20 years. ENJOY, FOLKS! #THEHATEFULEIGHT #HATEFUL8#QUENTINTARANTINO #THENWORD

3. STREET TALK: You folks know I’m helping the producers over at Wendy Williams produce Metro PCS STREET TALK. Our first installment for the season was Thanksgiving. Take a look at it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uwBc_wEzTE.  Our December Holiday edition is out this week. ENJOY! LINK:

https://youtu.be/EGI3agscKDA.

AMERICA MEDITATING RADIO SHOW

I was invited this week to join Sister Jenna on the America Meditating Radio Show. Wonderful synergy! The interview broadcast this morning at 8 am ET and remains available via this link: http://tobtr.com/8165845. Though we spoke via the lens of SPIRITUALITY, I did mention some of my latest freelance work. GREAT INTERVIEW!