A Day In "The Life Of Riley"

WELCOME to "The Life of Riley" which will include periodic chronicles of pop culture and possibilities that flow out of Patrick L. Riley's day. That's me!!! Through blogging (and soon some other technological features on which I'll keep you posted as they launch), I will pull experiences from my busy life to entertain and inspire all of you. Through this site, I will share my observations and insights.

Some features to look forward to:

1.) "PATRICK'S POP UP(DATES)" will feature stories from pop culture, music, theater, fashion, and the entertainment industry at large.

2.) "The Life of Riley" will also introduce a "take-a-look-at-your-life" section (READ: sort of an advice column), where I will help readers come up with their own questions and answers around what "ways of being" are working (or not working) to have them acheive their respective goals and live their best lives. This section is called "WHO YOU BE?".

3.) Additonally, there will be a free-flowing, organic section called "TESTIFY" from which I will pull from my own life's journey to share and hopefully inspire. Some of the fare may be new musings and experiences. Other times, I may pull from my journals and past sharings to shed light on some uncomfortable truths that I've experienced and that may perhaps play a role in healing someone else's wounds as the real-life experience did for me. From my experience of covering 9/11 as a freelance journalist to courageously coming out (as gay) to my family, "TESTIFY" promises to move those who choose to read it.

4.) And a section titled "PR" (like my initials, but also like "public relations") will include press clips from any coverage I get.

5.) And anytime pictures or video can support an entry (in the blog, and perhaps in the subsequent podcasts, my space, and website), those visuals will keep things aesthetically enrolling. That section will be called "MY TUBE".

PLAYING TO THE POP IN POSSIBILITIES!

Patrick L. Riley

Entries in Derrick Hemphill (1)

iconic inclusion

tony bennett

Last week in the LIFE OF RILEY should have had me stay in the house for the rest of week after I met: THE Tony Bennett!!! YEP! Shout out to Lincoln Center’s Dwayne Ashley for making sure I could meet him and a whole bunch more – including Nancy Sinatra – in the house for the opening of the exhibition: SINATRA: AN AMERICAN ICON – www.nypl.org/sinatra. Friend since and for forever, Carl Nelson, accompanied! FUN EVENING! AWESOME EXHIBIT – a MUST SEE that will remain on view in the Donald and Mary Oenslager Gallery through September 4, 2015. #lincolncenter #sinatra

inclusion show

Hi folks! As always, THANKS for your support of LIFE OF RILEY! Check this link out: http://youtu.be/tZ1EGcqbb90. Was great being a guest on The Inclusion Show with Wallace Ford – as produced by Ideal Development, Inc. http://www.idealdevelopment.net/ and the awesome production team at the Cliffside Park, NJ studio – led by Carlos Rosa. The episode in which I’m featured is now on YOU TUBE… and will aired this past weekend: http://www.theinclusionshow.com/ as well as on the Soul of the South Television Network. I met host Wallace Ford - (http://www.theinclusionshow.com/about-the-host - a couple of weeks ago as we were both guests on Arise News' ARISE AMERICA with Debbye Turner Bell: https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152816022788737. For more on Inclusion The Show Show, click here: http://www.theinclusionshow.com/about-the-show/. It is a televised, short-format, weekly commentary and conversation program which takes on the contemporary topics that matter today. Thx! XO #theinclusionshow #soulofthesouth #ARISETV360 #ARISENews #EMPIRE #FOXTV

sage harlem, sing!

After SAGE Harlem program manager (and friend) Christopher Jones stopped by Billie's Black Gourmet Soul this past December for our FALL 2014 SERIES of Billie's Black PRESENTS ALL STAR KARAOKE with Patrick L. Riley, he asked if I'd sing for the SAGE Harlem Pride holiday party at the Dempsey Theater. AWESOME event and cause: SAGE Harlem provides a safe space for LGBT older adults in Harlem and The Bronx. SAGE Harlem is a program of SAGE (Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders). Fun to sing favorites: “Reasons” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vxU3In7zl4; “This Woman’s Work” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phNQU3hWfAE; and “Endless Love” – (LINK TO COME). Learn more at: http://www.sageusa.org/sageharlem. #SAGEUSA #SAGEHARLEM

honeymoon in vegas

Great times at Honeymoon in Vegas - www.honeymoonbroadway.com - starring Tony Danza! Getting in the latest BROADWAY and OFF BROADWAY shows to share with you in the coming month on Arise Entertainment 360 where I have been guest co-hosting as well! We had a fun pre-show mixer atBar Catalonia: https://twitter.com/honeymoonbway - #honeymoonbway#tonydanza #ARISETV360 #lifeofriley #HONEYMOONBWAY

rupaul legends

HERE'S OUR LEGENDS BALL SELFIE C/O Chuckie Amos! It's ALWAYS LEGENDARY when we gather at the home of Merrell Hollis for FRIED CHICKEN WINGS c/o MAKEUP by MERRELL and the PREMIERE of RuPaul's Drag Race! WE GATHER EVERY CYCLE! LOL! Hey Memsor Kamarake! Ian Adrian! Derrick Hemphill! ETC!!!!!!!!! FUN TIMES! https://instagram.com/p/zwEeIjoRSp #wespeakyourname #rupaulsdragrace

wendell pierce

THIS JUST IN from my friend Derrick Hemphill: his NBCBLK debut onWendell Pierce! http://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/brothers-bottom-n317726. You know Derrick's writings from UPTOWN Magazine! His online & pre-and-post-production content is often used in my blog LIFE OF RILEY and our ALL STAR KARAOKE franchise at Billie's Black Gourmet Soul. And a time or two on Oprah: Where Are They Now? and THE Keke Palmer Show - a behind-the-scenes with 5th Harmony! GO DERRICK! Glad more and more of my folks are contributing to NBC News' latest African American vertical to which I got to contribute my debut last month: Lee Daniels on Empire: http://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/precious-butler-director-lee-daniels-building-empire-n290416. #Billie's Black #ALLSTARKARAOKE #brothersfromthebottom #wendellpierce #NOLA#NewOrleans #SELMA50 #SELMA

idol voice

TOP 16, LOOK OUT! Qaasim Middleton continues to do his thing on AMERICAN IDOL! AMERICA AND THE JUDGES LOVE THEM SOME QAASIM! Keith Urban said "watching [Qaasim] Middleton is what it's all about, noting he explodes on stage in front of an audience"...Harry Connick, Jr. said [Qaasim] "that's what we're looking for"...And Jennifer Lopez said "It's so crazy how funky you are. You own that stage." YAZZZZZZ! THIS IS WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT! PROUD OF YOU, QAASIM! AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE KNOW SOMEONE ON THE VOICE AS WELL: MISS Kimberly Nichole, my Spelman "little" sister! LOL! Congrats to a diva we've been following around NYC for years and now the world will know the name and the endless talent of KimberlyNichole! Check her blind audition out the other night on THE VOICE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2KXhn0YFl0#t=96. Glad they both have popped by ALL STAR KARAOKE - from Native Restaurant to Billie's Black Gourmet Soul! #allstarkaraoke #billiesblack #motownmay #Idolonfox #americanidol

shances

CHECK THIS OUT: https://www.facebook.com/etiquettewithshances and on all platforms: #ETIQUETTEWITHSHANCES #SHANCES #ETIQUETTECHANCES – My friend Sharon Frances’ new lifestyle resource: ETIQUETTE FOR EVERYONE AND ANY OCCASION! ETIQUETTE for the person you want to be!