A DAY IN "THE LIFE OF RILEY"

REMY Martin meet NABJ

 You folks know how much I LOVE NABJ! SO MUCH!  

As my NABJ fam and I convened in Orlando, Florida last week, it was “annual therapy” as usual! A family reunion! HUGS! LAUGHTER! TEARS! JOY! And as can be par for the course in convention culture, lots of cocktails --- all for the calming of nerves and the brokering of new gigs and deals.  As Immediate Past Chair of the NABJ Arts & Entertainment Task Force, I’m pleased to have been able to bring a recurring client REMY MARTIN to the table. This, just in time for the task force’s 20^th Anniversary. Good friend of almost 20 years Lamar Johnson is VP of PR, Branded Entertainment, and Digital Marketing for Remy Martin. And he reached out to me about a year ago with the interest of connecting his brand to some of the events that I often include in “A Day in the Life of Riley: pop culture & possibilities” – most pointedly: He wanted to do something with NABJ (www.nabj.org). Well, mission accomplished! REMY Martin came in to the Orlando convention mix with great synergies and signature cocktails for the NABJ President’s Reception (CONGRATS, my friend, Mr. Greg Lee on the completion of your administration!) and – after my own heart – the NABJ Arts & Entertainment Task Force’s reception which featured some exciting elements: POWERED by Toyota Avalon via dear friend Sheila Eldridge, MC Lyte DJ’d; Tyrese Gibson... and TD Jakes (sporting plaid like me!) appeared on behalf of BLACK NATIVITY (In theaters November 27th) and Derek Luke, Jennifer Lewis (who brought me many laughs this night and from her body of work!), and... David E. Talbert joined us on behalf of his BAGGAGE CLAIM (September 27^th); my friend Bevy Smith hosted; and we honored Eric Deggans with this year's LEGACY award (He’s just been named TV Critic for NPR). From carving stations to passed food... and THREE signature cocktails courtesy of REMY Martin!  WHAT A BLAST!  Great event! Some of the other events for which I've enrolled Rémy Martin to power and partner this past year: 

1. Oscar Viewing Party in L.A. with the African American Film Critics Association and the Robey Theatre Company: http://thelifeofriley.squarespace.com/rilys-blog/2013/2/26/oscar-and-remy-martin.html. Went well and client may want to partner again this year.

2. NYC Hearts of Gold charity event: http://thelifeofriley.squarespace.com/rilys-blog/2012/11/19/golden-hearts.html.

3. DC (National Association of Black Journalists Hall of Fame synergy where REMY provided all the inductees engraved bottles of high-mark cognac);

4. Chicago (We recently hosted a 'Steve Harvey' birthday toast on the set of his show). That synergy with Steve Harvey has legs as Mr. Harvey has reached out and asked REMY to partner with his HOODIE AWARDS in Las Vegas next week. I've had the chance to host a half dozen "Disney Dreamers Academy" events (Steve Harvey's baby) at the National Associaton of Black Journalists' Convention. And at our Vegas convention, I got to share the stage with Mr. Harvey: http://thelifeofriley.squarespace.com/rilys-blog/2007/8/13/audacity-of-hope-and-dreams-in-vegas.html.  This past year, I was a guest of Disney at the "Disney Dreamers Academy" (http://thelifeofriley.squarespace.com/rilys-blog/2012/3/15/dreams-and-desire.html).

I LOVE NABJ! I LOVE REMY Martin! THANKS ALL! #nabj13

THE BUTLER

I LOVE “LEE DANIELS’ THE BUTLER”! And I absolutely ADORE OPRAH in it... and the rest of the STAR-STUDDED, AMAZING CAST! But I digress: Most of you know I’ve freelanced for Oprah Winfrey since 1998 (and still today as OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network produces a whole network of next-chapter content for which I sometimes get assigned to field produce – including recent Oprah: Where Are They Now? fare i.e. interviewing Dennis Rodman and Candace Bushnell recently; etc.). But like many of her opening nights (including “The Color Purple” on Broadway where Ant and I met), I got to share the carpet with her. But not working for her this time. I was asked a favor by my dear friend and NABJ sister @Lauren Tobin (Just saw her at the Convention in Orlando) – to escort her client Colman Domingo down the red carpet of Lee Daniels’ The Butler premiere. He portrays Freddie Fellows (head of the White House staff) – the character who grills Forest Whitaker’s character about Rémy Martin 1738 Cognac – the exceptionally mellow cognac made by my recurring client Rémy Martin who just partnered with my beloved NABJ for its Orlando Convention – providing fine spirits for the NABJ Arts & Entertainment Task Force and Immediate Past President Greg Lee’s reception.     But worth noting it was in Orlando where Lauren knew she wouldn’t be able to make it NYC for the WORLD PREMIERE. ENTER COLMAN DOMINGO – in Hugo Boss! I made sure my friends in the business spoke to him – from EXTRA’s AJ Calloway to E! ENTERTAINMENT’s Alicia Quarles to OMG! Insider’s Kevin Frazier; ACCESS HOLLYWOOD; Vanity Fair; Wall Street Journal; The Source; all of NYC’s papers; and a host of other GREAT PRESS! PLUS, I snagged a few shots of him with his co-stars – including Lenny Kravitz who attended with his late mom Roxie Roker’s dear friend Cicely Tyson (recent Tony-award-winner for “Trip to Bountiful”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDxfe-hG_aY).  I first met Colman Domingo after he starred in Broadway’s “Passing Strange” (http://thelifeofriley.squarespace.com/rilys-blog/2012/11/1/swept-away.html).  Came to know he and I had Lauren in common soon after that. His upcoming projects: “A Boy and His Soul” at the Tricycle Theatre in London and “The Scottsboro Boys” at The Young Vic in London; one recent independent film “Newlyweeds” premiered at Sundance; and “Almost Christmas” with Paul Giamatti and Paul Rudd is also coming up. OF COURSE, while on the carpet, I got to acknowledge – face-to-face – many of the wonderful cast-members – including Cuba Gooding Jr., Terrance Howard, David Oleyowo, Mariah Carey, Yaya Alafia (from “America’s Next Top Model”), Jane Fonda, and a host of others. Most excitedly, I got to say HI to MISS WINFREY (and to CONGRATULATE her on the amazing role she plays). Shout out to MISS WINFREY’s GLAM SQUAD: Andre, Kelly, and my friend Derrick – all of whom I was happy to see. I’ve seen the film twice – once with Lee Daniels, Gabourey Sidibe, my girlfriend Sidra Smith, TV personality Paul Wharton, Chris Rock, and an intimate group of folks. Then, I just saw it again – FINAL CUT – with NABJ this past weekend. I LOVE “THE BUTLER”! It’s a CLASSIC and so timely right now! TWITTER @weinsteinfilms @oprah @colmandomingo INSTAGRAM: kingofbingo FACEBOOK: Colman Domingo WEBSITE: www.colmandomingo.com  JOB WELL DONE, LADIES (including my friend Pernell Walter) and GENTLEMEN‪!‎ #leedanielsthebutler