A DAY IN "THE LIFE OF RILEY"

xscape puerto rico 2016

WHAT A WEEKEND! And I MUST say off the top, it would NOT have happened without the recommendation from my partner Ant’s sister from another mother, Sabrina Coleman AKA Bri Cole AKA Pansophy PR guru – clients over the years having included and including LEON, FRENCHIE DAVIS, MICHAEL JAI WHITE, PRESSURE, and XSCAPE PR!

Once she extended the advisement to Xscape Puerto Rico founders Gregory Douglas and Maurice Foley, they invited me to co-host and present at their Memorial Day Weekend Tropical Getaway for an esteemed LGBTQ set, I couldn’t refuse.

Was a bit more of a journey to get to this weekend --- with family crisis; some reversals on our original deal; lots of juggling deadlines, but I’m clear where I was supposed to be this weekend! WHAT A BLAST!

We CELEBRATED all things Patrik Ian Polk and the cast of Noah's Arc, including the one cast member with whom I'd yet to take a pic til now:Gregory Keith who plays Alex's partner and an anesthesiologist Trey Iverson. Always loved him on the show.This was one of many highlights that included a “Noah’s Arc” reunion with most of the balance of the cast: Darryl Stephens; Jensen Atwood - my friend who is always such a joy....
 and such a stand for the LGBTQ set as he looks to showcase his authentic hetero side in the upcoming season of TV One's "Hollywood Divas" (but the "children" still love them some Jensen - me included);and Rodney Chester. I share to inspire you joining us next year: www.xscapepr.com. Instagram: xscapepuertorico  Twitter: @xscapepr

Oh! And my dear friend James Earl Hardy – who I met via the National Association of Black Journalists in 1995 in Philadelphia – who is responsible for the B BOY BLUES franchise: books and staged work – was honored with a Vanguard Award. Love him and his work so much! Congrats James!

And you MUST KNOW Miss Frenchie Davis was a fierce and fun presence to the gathering of hundreds of LGBT professionals and our friends – performing a fab set of material in Old San Juan for one of our late night parties. She did Whitney’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)”; Katy Perry’s “Fireworks”; a tribute to Prince and Denise Matthews: Vanity 6’s “Nasty Girl”; a remixed Rihann’s “We Found Love” with just piano accompaniment; and an a capella “Home”. YAZZZZ! AND THANK YOU!

We didn’t do ALL STAR KARAOKE (which I host in New York City) this year in Puerto Rico (though I did stumble upon some karaoke in the general lounge…and I just had to get “The Boss” in for the packed lobby). But as a Celebrity Ambassador, I got the chance to host the Opening Night party, which was star-filled: Angie Stone played her new CD “Dream” and performed a few tracks from it (and her classic repertoire). She received XSCAPE PR’s Vanguard award that night.

Was also a treat to introduce two of my favorites with whom I’ve had the chance to know on a friend/fam tip these last few years: My R&B DIVA QUEEN MONIFAH and The Queen of Bounce: BIG FREEDIA – both also VANGUARD AWARD RECIPIENTS... in addition to supermodel and star on “Real Housewives of Atlanta”, Miss Cynthia Bailey: She shared her eyewear --- and lots of generous, connected time --- with everyone. LOVED hanging with her this weekend. THE KIDS LOVE CYNTHIA BAILEY!

Also there were wonderful HIV/AIDS awareness panels – one featuring my friend Marco Benjamin with the Aids Healthcare Foundation. There were also many authors in the mix including Sundiata Alaye whose book "Empty Promises Private Pain: A Light Out of Darkness" is winner of James Baldwin Award for Outstanding Accomplishments in the Arts

I don’t want to forget anyone, but let me take a stab at  sharing with you who was in the house: Wendell James (“Raising Whitley”); THE VIEW’s Raven Symone accompanied EMPIRE and AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL’s own Azmarie Livingston; Ariane Davis (“Love & Hip Hop Atlanta”); my friend Clay Cane who presented his BET.com documentary “Holler if You Hear Me: Black and Gay in the Church”; Juan & Gee (Power Couple/Love Works/The Gentlemen's Ball); Torrei Hart (Actress & Reality TV Star/Hollywood Ex's ATL); Melli B, out hip hop artist; Sampson McCormick, Stand Up Comedian.Writer.Activist; MJ Harris (Co-Founder & Vice President-The Hurston Group); CoachG - Health & Fitness Expert; Alain Fagnidi, Celebrity & Intl. Lifestyle Brand Designer; Chef Will Brown (TV Network Personality); Sundiata Alaye (“Empty Promises Private Pain "A Light Out of Darkness"”); Rashad Burgess (Gliead Sciences, Inc.); playwright and actor Daniel Beatty; etc.

My childhood BFF Ernest joined me after Ant couldn’t make it due to a family emergency. We enjoyed the company of Moe Dee; Ashley; and so many others. And when Sabrina Coleman wasn’t juggling her many balls as publicist of Frenchie Davis and XScape PR or her production/script writing duties for The Vanguard Awards or the Opening Night party for which she produced me, we all got several much-needed doses of fun and relaxation, which – even with rungs of resort hiccups – couldn’t make our time at XScape PR anything short of a OPRAH-LEGENDS-WEEKEND-style LOVE FEST! LOVE YOU ALL…and see you NEXT YEAR!

DISNEY on Broadway

“Can I tell you the way that Disney does it? There’s something for everyone. Shows like Aladdin and The Lion King get us in touch with our inner child.” That’s what I told the hosts at Arise Entertainment 360 a couple of years ago on my former, recurring theater segment: : https://youtu.be/3x2PkFiqqu8 . Since Ant and I met on Broadway almost 11 years ago at Oprah Winfrey Presents The Color Purple and I’m always waxing theatrical on some platform, the PR folks with these shows asked LIFE OF RILEY to return and – via blast – to underscore that any of Disney’s Broadway fare is a swell date night in addition to being a kid-friendly experience. Take some time to re-experience these amazing productions and each other on a DISNEY ON BROADWAY DATE NIGHT:www.disneyonbroadway.com. TWO favorites (among many) are in these two Great White Way productions ALADDIN has Clifton Davis (whose LIFE AFTER on TV ONE is among the shows on which I appeared as pop culture analyst) As always, THANK YOU for keeping up with LIFE OF RILEY:www.thelifeofriley.squarespace.com/rilys-blog/... and THE LION KING has Morehouse brother RUSSELL BROWN, a Broadway veteran, in it. BRAVO TO ALL! As Ant and I were en route to the earlier curtain of 7p, we happened upon “Wicked” co-star Peter Scolari who I got the chance to interview a year or so ago for recurring client OWN-TV’s “Oprah, Where Are They Now?”:https://youtu.be/cwexkUN9iZU and https://youtu.be/noz_zrQasH4. then from Broadway’s “Shuffle Along”, we happened upon tap star Savion Glover and director George C. Wolfe – both Broadway babies! I also got to recently interview multi-Tony-award-winning “Shuffle Along” star Audra McDonald for #WhereAreTheyNow - https://youtu.be/pE5EgP-a6Kc. #broadway #arise360 #aladdinonbroadway#thelionkingonbroadway #BazanPR#TheColorPurple #OprahWinfrey #Oprah#allstarkaraoke #billiesblack #DisneyOnBroadway

Finale

COMING OFF OF A THREE-DAY WEEKEND into THE EXTENDED GRAND FINALE of #MOTOWNMAY from 7P until AROUND-MIDNIGHT at “Billie’s Black Presents All Star Karaoke with Patrick L. Riley”!

 LIFE OF RILEY needs a BREAK! LOL! But no time this week! Well, Ant and our family of friends did find some time to trek down to Metutchen, NJ for our “annual karaoke bash” that friends Danielle and Bernard host so generously at their beautiful home! Thanks guys!

BUT FOR THOSE IN ATTENDANCE AT OUR MEMORIAL DAY FETE AND MY ALL STAR KARAOKE FAITHFULS? PLEASE JOIN US TONIGHT as our TOP 6 from MOTOWN MAY perform (in the 11p hour after some of the “Motown: The Musical” cast-members wrap their Broadway show and hop uptown to Billie’s Black!). The GRAND FINALE winner will win the opportunity to attend – AND SING - in one June installment of the Broadway show with “the Diana Ross character” from Motown the Musical. Plus, DINNER FOR TWO at BILLIE’S BLACK – ALL during BLACK MUSIC MONTH!

LAST WEEK, OUR ALL STARS included: my friend and NABJ brother Don Champion, reporter for CBS 2. He brought NBC 4 anchor Shiba Russell and a host of other journalist buddies – all of whom enjoyed the night, even performing as a group to the tunes of Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” and “Drunk in Love”. Don and Shiba also did a BRILLIANT “Golden” by Jill Scott.!

WE CONTINUE TO HAVE A BLAST, Y’ALL! And we’ll be up and running JOYFULLY through the end of JUNE 2014! PLEASE come one TUESDAY before our SPRING 2014 SERIES wraps! We’ll likely take a break over the summer and look to a FALL SERIES come SEPTEMBER! #motownmay #allstarkaraoke #billiesblack

Co-Host Boot Camp

WHAT A BOOT CAMP FOR CO-HOSTING A SHOW! WHEW! - http://www.arise.tv/entertainment/arise-360-23-05-6482. Shout out to my friend Lola Ogunnaike and the AMAZING TEAM over at Arise Entertainment 360! They are kind to invite me in - from time to time - to do Broadway and pop culture segments! But I got a call Monday morning that would change the LIFE OF RILEY - in a moment's notice! I was given the 11th hour opportunity to fill-in for her co-host Shannon Lanier as he covered The Cannes International Film Festival... and SO IT WAS! (THANKS TO YOU, SHANNON, AS WELL!). They held my hand as I jumped right into the mix of teleprompter reads; in-studio interviews and demos; and more - including: comedian/actor Tracy Morgan (who was a HOOT and so KIND) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6jMa-V87Fk&feature=share&list=UUiNTlttMzKDVAOTJBtPENPQ; Broadway’s Bobby Steggert from Mothers and Sons on Broadway - ; Dominic Adams from Devious Maids - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN8oFA-tGTo&feature=share&list=UUiNTlttMzKDVAOTJBtPENPQ&index=1;

celebrity blogger Necole Bitchie.com and Barbet Smith of Lifetime's Million Dollar Shopper - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnETNj8mFqg&list=UUiNTlttMzKDVAOTJBtPENPQ&feature=share&index=2; and so much more - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceP1AKRc640&list=UUiNTlttMzKDVAOTJBtPENPQ&feature=share&index=3! Here’s Thursday: http://www.arise.tv/entertainment/arise-360-22-05-6467. We had singer KEM on; Actor John Douglas Thompson and Gordon Edelstein – Star and Director of Off-Broadway play “Satchmo At The Waldorf” – a look at the iconic jazz trumpet player Louis Armstrong – a wonderful one-man play with music: http://youtu.be/UiIhbPlZL2c; and acclaimed author Dinaw Mengestu, whose latest novel “All Our Names” is getting raves: http://youtu.be/m-j5i5uQVIw. PLUS, I taped a MEMORIAL DAY special that will be on MONDAY and a CANNES INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL special (from the NYC studio) that was on over the WEEKEND! Here’s Wednesday’s show: http://www.arise.tv/entertainment/arise-360-21-05-6449 – including a fun HOT TOPICS segment; an interview with Mali Music, my Savannah homeboy! Mali Music is promoting his new album “Mali,” out June 17th. And Mali Music performed his hit single “Beautiful” - http://youtu.be/TRjRSS8t-H4.  Savannah-homeboy to Savannah-homeboy, we hit it off! http://www.malimusicofficial.com/  

https://www.facebook.com/malimusicnote  

https://twitter.com/malimusic  We also did an interview with another cool brother Kofi Siriboe, who portrays the role of Tyler, a new student from Rwanda who is spending a year studying in America in MTV’s Awkward, though Kofi Siriboe is Ghanas Own Kofi Siriboe. FROM TUESDAY’S SHOW, see here: http://www.arise.tv/entertainment/arise-360-20-05-6423.  ARISE 360 is normally my stop for “pop culture segments”: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1TUj2SKo8ntR2D6QVDcQLwdykzvhtzbK.  Now, for this fill-in run, it’s a range of segments – including a WORKOUT SEGMENT! LOL! Here’s a clip: http://youtu.be/BDSFV2hUiMQ  TOSSES TO CANNES: http://youtu.be/zj5E8iLEf6U.  FUN! FROM HOT TOPICS to HOT SAUCE, we’ve been having a blast! http://bit.ly/lor_arisew  CentricTV will be syndicating Arise360 in Fall 2014 #Arise360

Fashionlinkvi Fashion Weekend is HERE!

ANNOUNCEMENT FROM Fashionlinkvi Fashion Weekend on LIFE OF RILEY:

"One of the countries hottest TV personalities and producers, Patrick L. Riley, is coming to St. Croix for Fashionlinkvi Fashion Weekend in St. Croix May 30-June 2nd!!! Patrick Riley will be covering the event for his blog and other media outlets. Excited to have you Patrick!"

LIFE OF RILEY is EXCITED to be a part!!! #fashionlinkvi

COME ONE, COME ALL! Log on to www.fashionlinkvi.com for details!

BUT HERE'S SOME OF WHAT WILL GO DOWN:

* FVIFW is a fashion event featuring celebrity performers and models, fashion designers and the Best Plus Size Fashion Show in the Caribbean!

* The mission of FashionlinkVI Fashion Weekend is to introduce fashion tourism to St. Croix and the Virgin Islands.

* The objective of FVIFW is to showcase local fashion related talent and attract fashion affiliated businesses to America's Paradise.

* Promoting pride in our Caribbean heritage by showcasing the diversity and similarity in our culture through the art of fashion. Participants from U.S. mainland and other countries are welcome.

* 2014 marks the first year of FVIFW, a vision that finally comes to life after numerous years of tedious planning. FVIFW is a yearly event in St. Croix, and the Virgin Islands where guests will witness fashion and paradise collide.

* Along with extravagant fashion shows, guests will enjoy a variety of fashion industry related workshops, celebrity guest appearances and extraordinary entertainment. It is the goal of FVIFW to attract much deserved attention to the beautiful island of St. Croix, USVI while showcasing the brilliant local and national fashion designers involved.

* Fashionlinkvi Fashion Weekend is not just a regular annual fashion event, FVIFW is a weekend getaway filled with entertainment for everyone. Vendors will have an opportunity to sell products or provide service at some of the events.

* Our extraordinary Weekend begins with a press reception on Friday May 30, 2014 (invitation only) followed by a preview party; featuring local entertainers, host by a local celebrity.

* Celebrity artist and guest will have an opportunity to see what we have to offer in the field of fashion.

* Designers, hairstylist, makeup artist, and models of all sizes are welcome to register online to be a part of our preview party, with an opportunity to work alongside celebrities at the main event. www.fashionlinkvi.com  

* Saturday May 31, 2014 We want you to look and feel beautiful inside and out beginning the morning with Yoga and Zumba by the sea, join us at our host hotel “The Palms at Pelican Cove” and relax to the sound of the sea with a Yoga class or rejuvenate your body with a Zumba class. Brunch will be served before our scheduled health is wealth seminar, followed by a hair and skin care seminar, facilitated by celebrity guest from Denver, California and New York.

* Following the seminar enjoy a cultural experience with local performers or take Scenic Island tour of St. Croix in a safari or jeep.

* Get ready for the main event later the evening with the best plus size fashion show in the Caribbean featuring, stateside and local plus models and actor/recording artist Leon Robinson, model Griselle Grayson and recording artist Eliah; Chenese Lewis, the first Miss Plus U.S.A. will host the main event.”

* Designers from Denver, BVI, St.Thomas by way of Orlando, St. Croix by way or New Jersey will be featured as our Divas take it to the runway.

* Last but not least, the swim wear and T- shirt fashion show is scheduled for June 1, 2014, featuring models of all sizes, followed by the after party on the beach host by “Leon “ featuring the Soca Diva “Jadine “from Montserrat by way of New York.

* Closing FVIFW until next year with a VIP cocktail party (Invitation only)

* Purchase your tickets online at www.fashionlinkvi.com

* Read more about event and featured celebrities, checkout our video on the home page showcasing a few local models with a sneak peek of St. Croix.

* Purchase your airline tickets and book your room now!!! Hope to see you there. May 30- June 1, 2014.

General Information

Log on to www.fashionlinkvi.com for details

DRUMS ALONG THE HUDSON

Drums Along The Hudson is this Sunday! It’s FREE! And you know, I always sing its praises! My friend Carl Nelson was on ABC 7’s “Here and Now” to discuss it:

http://7online.com/65916/. FOR MORE INFO: http://thelifeofriley.squarespace.com/rilys-blog/tag/drums-along-the-hudson

MOTOWN THE MUSICAL DISCOUNTS