A DAY IN "THE LIFE OF RILEY"

almost

 Anthony Harper and I are here watching Xscape Unsung. Talk about the soundtrack of OUR LIVES (and - for me - my young adult years right as my pie-in-the-sky ambitions were about to meet crippling-despair at the pass... and life would never be the same... and yet I'm here to tell the story)...GOD IS GOOD!See the time stamp: July 8, 1994. And the frame is footage from some behind the scenes footage of that Xscape music video shoot for the song "Tonight". As I was an associate producer and the entertainment guy for FOX 5 Atlanta's Good Day Atlanta, I took my little cousin DeeDee Manor with me to the set as she was visiting Atlanta from Savannah for the summer and had just come up with my mom #queenelizabethbellingerriley for my sister Janice Riley Priester's July 4 work cookout. That week, we also saw Whitney Houston at The Omni. At 23, I was readying for the wrap of "Options: Image of the Future" summer camp which I co-directed with Reginald Parker (our banquet was approaching) and I was Co-Chair of the first Unity Journalists of Color / (NABJ) National Association of Black Journalists Convention (as VP-Broadcast of Atlanta Association of Black Journalists - AABJ). A week later, I'd wreck my car on Georgia Tech's campus. That's where we held our camp. Then 7/20 happened: my mom had a heart attack and instantly passed away. When this frame of video flashed across the screen, I got goosebumps. It all came pouring back! It was 21 years ago this month...time flies... and pop culture is here to remind us. XO RIP #queenriley #72094

grand finale

THE GRAND FINALE of Billie's Black PRESENTS#ALLSTARKARAOKE with Patrick L. Riley: our SPRING 2015 SERIES went out with a BANG! Broadway DIVOs Ryan Shaw (Stevie Wonder from “Motown the Musical”). Also, my friend Charles Wallace (Broadway’s “Amazing Grace” which OPENS this Thursday) came by and SANG Aretha and Teddy. The passing of songwriter/producer Michael Masser hit me like a ton of bricks as I was first introduced to him via Miss Ross' liner notes. He wrote "Touch Me In The Morning"; "Theme From Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To?"; "Last Time I Saw Him"; "It's My Turn"; "To Love Again", "In Your Arms", "One More Chance", "Stay With Me" --- many of my FAVORITES! Then, when Miss Ross exited stage left from his works in the '80s, Miss Whitney Houston inherited his genius on "Greatest Love of All", "Didn't We Almost Have It All", "All At Once", "After We Make Love", and so much more - for these ladies and George Benson and Natalie Cole, etc! I would have me choose two favorites from his Diana Ross/Whitney Houston repertoires: “It’s My Turn” and “Didn’t We Almost Have it All”: https://www.facebook.com/patrick.l.riley/videos/vb.662073736/10153136593663737/?type=2&theater&notif_t=video_comment. And we celebrated two birthday girls: Rachelle and Tracey as well as the CUNY Journalism Fellows who my friend Nikita Stewart Henderson (from “The New York Times”) brought to hang out with us. AND WE DID THE ‪#‎THEBOSSCHOIR at#BILLIESBLACK ONE MORE TIME! LOL! https://www.facebook.com/patrick.l.riley/videos/vb.662073736/10153136580498737/?type=2&theater THANKS TO EVERYBODY who has been such a STEADY SUPPORT of our LITTLE NIGHT that COULD - including our TITLE SPONSOR Miss Jessie's... and Riley/Land Gourmet Pantry XOXOXOHope to see y'all in the FALL... if we don't pop up somewhere in the meantime! Endless Love for Billie's Black! Love you, Adriane and Marian! XOXOXOXO

nyuujw

I love my National Association of Black Journalists' sister friend Katti Gray - so much I got up too early (after the GRAND FINALE of our Spring 2015 Series of “Billie’s Black presents All Star Karaoke with Patrick L. Riley”) to teach her new, diverse crop of NYC high schoolers participating in the NYU Urban Journalism Workshop "THE ART OF THE INTERVIEW". Plus, I had a young CAU-bound intern Blake shadowing me for the day on an ask from my friend Marcia Cole. GREAT KIDS! GREAT TIMES! http://urbanjournalismworkshop.org/ My recap from last year: http://thelifeofriley.squarespace.com/rilys-blog/2014/7/21/time.html #nyuujw

rosenwald

Thanks to my "nephew" and NABJ BFF Brian Henderson for hipping me to filmmaker Aviva Kempner's latest work: Rosenwald, a documentary describing how businessman and philanthropist Julius Rosenwald joined with African-American communities in the South to build schools for them during the early 20th century. Rosenwald will be released in theaters in August 2015. And there's a screening next week in L.A. MUST SEE! Thanks Brian!

ella

Brian and his wife, dear friend Nikita Stewart Henderson - New York Times' own - invited me to experience Nikita's daughter Ella for what is being dubbed "the greatest showcase of the summer"! This weekend, at the lengendary Bitter End, talented teenage musicians took over the stage at "ROCK IN BLEECKER"! Proceeds benefitted the charity Music Unites, which is dedicated to spreading music programs throughout public schools for at-risk youth. GO ELLA who also graced our Grand Finale of Billie's Black presents All Star Karaoke with Patrick L. Riley. She's also working in several fabulous arts programs - including a Clive Davis one at NYU and another at Harlem School of the Arts. And she's interning at Sounds of Brazil: SOBs this summer - booking acts for the famous live venue.

I'm missing home something terrible but looking at these pix means I'm making the best of it!

Still, 'success is nothing without someone you love to share it with'! LOL! Though just a text or quick call away, the time zones between Ant and me - coupled with our respective attachment to keeping our individual selves entertained without the other in tow (sometimes at the expense of what's sensible) - have made it a challenge (at best). I'm not a fan of being without Ant. And I'm not a fan of being alone. That said, being alone has allowed me to put things in perspective and work through some of the feelings that lie beneath the loneliness.

But back to making the best of it: My L.A. friends say 'only you would come to town and have us at the Egyptian Theatre to see 'Mahogany'. Most of them had never set foot in the Hollywood landmark'. THANKS GUYS (and GALS) - including my Tanika Ray of EXTRA fame.My Theo was in town from New York - so he had to be there given when we first met at now-closed Day-O, our mutual friend Erich told him I was a big Diana Ross fan... and Theo asked me to recite lines from "Mahogany" that he wrote on the paper table tops, tore off, and took home. LOL! Talk about a full-circle moment.

There was also my Ed who has worked with the diva and many divas over the years.

And Curtis who is "the other" #1 Diana Ross fan. And Walter - Curtis' brother - who I'd never met before but he told me he was a fan of the blog. As his brother Curtis introduced us, he assured he already knew who I was and always wanted to meet me. Well, now we've met. And thank you, Walter, for reading "A Day in the Life of Riley: Pop Culture & Possibilities". Curtis will be hosting a Diana Ross-themed party (in my honor) during Labor Day weekend when Ant comes to town. We'll party alongside rare Ross footage. ALL ABOUT LOVE! 

Theo brought his good girlfriend Victoria who brought her good girlfriends - including Ms. Lana. I even won the "Mahogany" prize as the promoters had some folks come up and answer some trivia and work the runway.

Though the bag said GUCCI, its contents were not. But there was "Mahogany" cake. Still, fun... and of course, I took the time to buy a toothbrush and spruce up my Diana's Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame - right in front of the Egyptian Theatre. Afterwards, "Eyebrow King" Damone Roberts - another Ross fan -  and his partner Ramon - joined us at The Abbey for some nourishment ----- all of this juxtaposed to me --- three hours prior --- crying in my L.A. hotel room  as Oxygen rolled out "Bodyguard" for the 500th time. Surely my tears were from loneliness and homesickness ("Bodyguard" isn't one of my fav films like "Mahogany" but I'd always wished Ross had taken the part when it was offered to her after "The Wiz").

It hasn't all been lonely and blue. From the pool party that Javier and I attended when I first got into town, I met a cool dude named Delandis (www.delandisworld.com). He happened to have a business meeting in the studio where I'm working. We stumbled into each other and decided to have lunch. Aroma on Sunset was our spot... and we caught up on all the great things he's doing - including pitching a kids show starring HIM.Ant and I saw him a couple of years ago (but didn't know it) as he was in the Chicago company of "Wicked". Delandis - who is celebrating a birthday in a few days - also got me out my hotel room last night. The Abbey - again - was the spot. It was good to be out but I'm really missing NYC and Ant (who says he just bought me a new digitial camera [DISPOSABLES no more! LOL!] and can come to L.A. Labor Day Weekend. Ern is coming too). And Theo kept me entertained while he was here in town. He hosted a night of Mexican at El Coyote where he reconnected me to his Victoria (Ant and I got to meet her when we were last in L. A.). Then, she brought Lana and others into the mix. 

 

Plus, my PMAMA  (Marlene), who I know from a listserv of which she and I are members, came and we got to meet in person for the first time.

My other dear friend Zabrina came by and we enjoyed a cocktail before she took me to meet up with our girl Tosha Whitten-Griggs (and her sister) for a party at The Roxy. Zabrina is doing publicity for BET which is the home of a couple of my latest projects "Frankie & Neffe" and "Monica: Still Standing".On one night, my buddy Javier scooped me up for a quick drink. A few more cocktails later (coupled with karaoke in WeHo), I'm excited to report that - after shutting them down in NYC, Burbank, Manila, Chicago, Atlanta, and some other locales I may be forgetting - my Maxwell's "This Woman's Work" is now a hit in West Hollywood. LOL! Next stop: a karaoke dive bar near you! LMAO!

And Sid - always a joy - has been giving of her time generously - to 'babysit' me when I am over being in my hotel room alone... and can't remix the four walls around me any other kind of way. One night, we went to the home of a friend of hers. I stumbled into some actors whose work I admire - including Terrell Tilford (http://www.terrelltilford.yuku.com/) and Noah's Arc's Chase, Doug Spearman. It was such the intimate affair, I got shy to ask for photo ops but did get to chat each of them up a little. And they are both the nicest guys! Very warm! My L.A. buddy Javier popped by after his fashion show. The following day, Sidra and I enjoyed a bite at L.A. LIVEs "The Farm" as we needed to debrief all the fun we had the night prior. Thanks Sid - for a great time! (I considered going to the Sunset Junction Street Fair - featuring performances by Supremes' Mary Wilson, Motown artist/"Lady Sings The Blues" co-screen writer Chris Clark, and others). The L.A. Times did a story on Clark that reminded me what a compelling way she managed to weave her talents throughout Motown (as a white woman) during some of the label/movie company's integral moments  (www.chrisclarkinc.com).

Meanwhile, work is good. Post-production on the "Monica" project is going well.

My other long-standing clients have even been calling and though I've not been able to squeeze in any of their requests for my services (due to demands of my current schedule), it's good to know the calls are coming and will hopefully be coming when this current project wraps (or whenever I can squeeze a day or two into the mix. I'm all about a WIN-WIN!).

And I've also taken on a couple of quick turn-around assignments for 'ESSENCE' and 'Spelman College'. Stay tuned on those particulars when closer to roll-out. Though my project for 'ESSENCE' is for the November 2009 issue (details later), I - unrelated to this assignment - 'heard' (on the street. SMILE!) that my Miss Ross, her oldest daughter (with Berry Gordy) Rhonda, Rhonda's new baby boy (Miss Ross' first grandchild), and others in the Ross clan are supposed to pose for 'ESSENCE' cameras sometime soon. Will be great to see those shots as it was to see cover models, Miss Ross and Tracee Ellis Ross, a few years ago, on the iconic magazine's cover and inside the issue.
So, deadlines, premieres, and post-production... OH MY!... are on the horizon. There is still the uphill battle of managing the economics (especially as I have to pay for room/transportation in order to work out here on the West Coast). But things are improving... and it's all par for the course. Even when things show up a challenge, I continue to acknowledge that I AM BLESSED... and in the words of Langston Hughes, "Life is fine... Fine as wine... life is fine...".