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 NBCNews (1)

empire fire

Empire

THIS JUST IN! Please SHARE! My debut contribution to new, recurring client NBC’s new African American vertical NBCBLK: an interview with Lee Daniels whose Empire on FOX TV - starring Taraji P. Henson, Terrence Howard, and Gabourey Sidibe - is a BIG HIT - http://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/precious-butler-director-lee-daniels-building-empire-n290416! LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS! And as always, THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT! XO #NBCBLK #Empire #Lee Daniels #FOXTV

Idol

Y’all know I love me some Toni Seawright! And her boyz Qaasim and Khalil are the bomb too! Qaasim is one to watch this season on American Idol! Happy that he (and the whole fam) brought their talents, love, and gifts to “Billie’s Black PRESENTS All Star Karaoke with Patrick L. Riley” – the Spring 2014 Series! I am further honored that Toni invited me to host her 50TH BDAY PARTY – a tribute to Michael Jackson! We all shared the stage that BEAUTIFUL NIGHT as well! GO QAASIM! #billiesblack #allstarkaraoke #motownmay #AmericanIdol

STEPS

I did a rare day of "acting" in an independent film STEPS - an Eddie Harris Script and Production. My part shot yesterday in Jersey City (and I'll shoot one more day next week). It's this project that my beloved Penwah Phynjuar was instrumental in casting me. I play RUDY who is a hoot with heart. Check out some great press STEPS got as it shoots around Jersey City and here in the Tri-State Area:

http://hudsonreporter.com/view/full_story/26378011/article-Making-it-real--Local-filmmaker-creates-feel-good-movie-with-a-bit-of-grit-?instance=jersey_city_top_story #STEPS

Nightly Show

Glad to attend a Meet & Greet Breakfast for The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore – scheduled to premiere MLK Monday on Comedy Central. He’s branded himself quite well as a comic personality who turns humor about race, class and social issues into big laughs — from his days of writing for In Living Color and Jamie Foxx Show; executive producing Bernie Mac Show; and Eddie Murphy's animated comedy The PJ's; creating specials for Showtime Networks and writing a book, I'd Rather We Got Casinos: And Other Black Thoughts. GLAD TO HANG OUT WITH MY INDUSTRY BUDDIES Isoul Harris (Editor in Chief at Uptown Magazine); iconic editor and writer Angela Bronner Helm ("The Root", "Essence", "Uptown", "Honey", etc.); and NBCBLK’s Amber Payne (Editor whose dispatched me to do my debut contribution to NBC’s new African American vertical, the interview with Lee Daniels). #ComedyCentral #LarryWilmore #THENIGHTLYSHOW #UPTOWNmag

Mel’isa Unsung

My friends at SMEG have one of their diva clients Meli'sa Morgan on Unsung Wednesday, February 4^th on TV ONE. The new season’s been great so far with Rick James and Peaches & Herb. I LOVE UNSUNG! And I adore MELI’SA and her SAVVY-MARKETING ENTERTAINMENT GROUP team! And I CELEBRATE SAVOY on his 50^TH! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FRIEND!

Centric Celebrates Sisterhood

Not sure if you folks saw a little of my last BET project for CENTRIC - "Centric Celebrates Sisterhood": three TV/viral spots I worked with their creative services team to produce, shouting out on their FOUNDERS WEEK, the AKAs, DELTAs, and ZETAs: https://www.facebook.com/CentricTV/videos #CentricCelebratesSisterhood

FRESH

Shout out to my Orlando-based friend Tammie Dunlap whose Fresh Natural Spring Water is delicious! She sent me a box that greeted me upon my return from Georgia. And what a convenience to have water at the ready as I needed to hydrate from all of that eating and drinking down South. Imagine me reaching for more and more bottles of FRESH – light, refreshing, and crisp – instead of my “bubble” (usually a sip of Coca Cola! LOL!). Well, it’s happening. Check it out: www.Drinkfreshusa.com. CONGRATS, TAMMIE! Need another box! LOL!

Motown… See u around

I INTERVIEWED MR. BERRY GORDY and MISS DIANA ROSS and MARY WILSON on OPENING NIGHT of MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL on Broadway: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KK1yncqPlOQ. Got to see the show one more time with my Carl Nelson. MOTOWN THE MUSICAL rocks… and will continue to do so – in London and all over the United States before it returns to Broadway (another theater) in 2016. #ENDLESSLOVE #MOTOWNMAY #BILLIESBLACK #ALLSTARKARAOKE

HB DANI!

Great times at our girlfriend Danielle Andrea Simone Knight's 50th bday party! Eventi - A Kimpton Hotel in NYC hosted the night! Here come the "50 fetes"! LOL! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, OUR DANI! WE LOVE YOU!

fractured

Check out my friend Pierre Romain's upcoming project: "Fractured" - Staring Eric Roberts, Jake Busey and Athena Lebessis, Directed by Lance KR Kawas, Executive Produced by Pierre Romain, from Washington Street Production, Sterling Worldwide Entertainment and RU'YA International (coming April 2015). Get all the tea here: https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=822129274526908.