A DAY IN "THE LIFE OF RILEY"

I got the opportunity to attend one of the first long-lead screenings of Focus
Features’ "Talk to Me", which opens in limited release on Friday, July 20th, 2007. I get invited to screenings all the time. I can't always honor the invites as my schedule can be unpredictable. I went to this one because I was available. Little did I know that I was going to be forever moved.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JW9zVyjTZjw

"Talk to Me" is the powerful, real-life story of Ralph Waldo “Petey” Greene
(portrayed by Academy Award nominee Don Cheadle), an outspoken ex-con who talked
his way into becoming an iconic radio personality in the 1960s in Washington,
D.C. At first glance, I wondered if some of the "broad"-ness coming out of Don Cheadle and Taraji P. Henson (his love interest) was perhaps TOO MUCH and NOT REALISTIC. (Though I am a child of the '70s, it has been a minute. SMILE!). BUT THE REALNESS placed against the rest of the world (once he got out of prison) and the HEART in which he played PETEY GREENE landed on me on the reality that I was watching a MASTERPIECE and a MASTER of his craft (DON). And what a RICH and PROFOUND "local" story that has endless national implications for civil rights, black radio, the criminal justice system, etc.

Sparked by both the era’s vibrant soul music and exploding social consciousness, Petey openly courted controversy at a white-owned station. Relying on his producer Dewey Hughes (double Golden Globe Award nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor) to run interference, Petey’s unprecedented “tell it like it is” on-air style gave voice and spirit to the black community during an exciting and turbulent period in American history.

Also starring in the film are BET Award winner Taraji P. Henson, Mike Epps, Vondie Curtis Hall, Cedric The Entertainer, and Martin Sheen. Directed by Kasi Lemmons (Eve’s Bayou), Talk to Me is a must-see. Meanwhile, to learn more about Petey Greene, check out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9w7YPlGRX5w

From the mid-'90s into the new millennium, I got the chance to co- direct and teach the New York Association of Black Journalists High School Journalism Workshop. In the spring of each of those years, other volunteers and I would execute our plan to teach New York City-area students the basics of journalism: print and broadcast. By the end of the nine weeks, these kids would have clips from their newspaper they would publish and they would have 'tape' comprised from a newscast that they would produce. Though I still speak to young folks and mentor, those most-involved days of working closely with the city's most promising youth (with the 'journalism' bug) made for many fulfilling years. The bigger joy was actually seeing where these kids would go after college. And boy, did they reach for the stars... and land on many of them.

One of our most promising was Kenneth Miles, who - at 14 - was writing freelance pieces for entertainment and music magazines. He was into 'gossip' like me (crediting Wendy Williams as one of his heroes), but he was always discerning enough to be able to read and watch such without losing sight of the journalism (or lack thereof sometimes). Over the years, he's prospered and struggled with career and life circumstances. However, he always makes me proud at how he lands. I think he sometimes overstates my influence when I see him. One time he wrote these words to me. More than his gratitude, his candor helped me put many of my own challenges in perspective:

Patrick,
it's been good seeing you recently. I could never thank you enough for all the encouragement and support that you have giving me and other aspiring journalists throughout the years. I really respect and admire how articulate and intelligent you are. Damn, you know how hard it can be to get your foot in the door, especially when you're of color. Thanks for keeping me posted on what's going on at the NYABJ. I never been as scared and uncertain about my career in my life, and it's scary as hell. I always knew what I wanted to do, but now that I've been at THE SOURCE for about a year, met just about every rapper in the industry, went to every open bar, and seen my bylines in publications such as (Interview, Vibe, Black Enterprise, Oneworld, etc.), I'm ready to venture on to different things like doing cover stories, traveling a lot more (I took my first plane ride this year), and finishing that novel in progress that every writer has...
Anyway, this has to be one of the longest e-mails I ever wrote. Keep in touch.
Peace,
Kenny

Another of our students Curtis Stephen has gone on to do some awesome journalism that was recently celebrated the other week at the New York Association of Black Journalists (NYABJ) 19th annual scholarship and awards dinner at Columbia University's Roone Arledge auditorium. In the Magazine & General Features category, Curtis was awarded for his report in the September/October issue of The Crisis Magazine on 40 years since the founding of the Black Panther Party ("Life of A Party"). Curtis writes: "The process of having a new idea or receiving an assignment to actually reporting on it and then staring at a blank screen ("How am I going to start this?") to eventually having an actual story is a fascinating process (one that every journalist can relate to)."

And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Jason Frasier, Columbia University graduate of 2005. He joined our NYABJ High School Journalism Workshop when he was just in middle school. But he was ambitious and hungry. Ever-confident, he wanted to be on the anchor desk the first year of the program. When we made him the weather guy, he soon found out what "stage fright" was and the importance of good vision. By next year, he was our anchor and did a stellar job. Throughout his college years at Columbia, he hosted a radio show and did a number of internships at local TV stations and news networks. Keeping his options open, he even explored business/banking for a while. Now, he's looking at his what's next, which I trust will be on somebody's air very soon.

... and then there was CHLOE. CHLOE HILLIARD that is... She was one of our STARS! Her career took her to New York University, where she too knew how to work her way around a basketball. She worked on the editorial staffs of SOURCE Magazine and LIFETIME Women. She survived a down-sizing and has just recently landed on top with an innovative new project. It's called JOURNALISTICKS.COM, a new online community for journalists of color. It is a user driven site created to serve as a space for journalists to promote their work, discuss media, culture, news and search for jobs. Chloe, a former News Editor of The Source magazine, says this online community will provide a one-stop shop for media companies to find young, talented writers, editors, producers, broadcasters and web reporters of color. "As a young journalist there wasn't a place for me to go and talk to my peers," says my Chloe, who has written for such publications as The Source, King, Vibe and Vibe Vixen and appeared on news programs CNN Headline News' Prime News, Our World with Black Enterprise and ABC News Now's Speak Freely. "As an editor at an urban publication, I had a difficult time finding young writers of color. There was no one place to find them. This site will change all of that."  In addition to serving as a pool for employers, JOURNALISTICKS.COM will be a platform to showcase journalists work with all content on the site generated by its users. Other features on JOURNALISTICKS.COM include SOAPBOX, a message board where users can post their clips for review and feedback as well as discuss freelance opportunities and tricks of the trade. Another focal point will be THE J-O-B, a job post section catering to all fields and levels of expertise within the media job market.

"... the children are the future (literally)..." I am honored to have been able to touch their lives in some small way.

Pictured here with my friend and platonic boo Carl Nelson (left) and me (center), my fellow Atlanta University Center brother Matthew Morgan (right), a Clark Atlanta University grad, and I were in school around the same time. We had about two years in common as he came into college and I completed my matriculation at Morehouse. Through the years, he's continued to impress me with his commitment to the arts. Currently, he's showing up like a champ as Associate General Manager of Harlem Stage (www.harlemstage.org), a component of Aaron Davis Hall. One of its new venues and ventures is The Gatehouse, which is adjacent to Aaron Davis Hall on Convent Avenue and West 135th Street. It is an extraordinary, late 19th-century landmark structure that was used to distribute water from the Croton Aqueduct in Westchester County to New York City.  It was transformed by Harlem Stage into a flexible, 196-seat performance, rehearsal, and support space. "Matt" invited me out to the open house to see this 100-year-old Romanesque Revival-style stone and granite facility up close. We toured and observed features like modern lighting, quality sound systems, and an elegant balcony facing lower Manhattan - all demo'd to cunning effect as we witnessed live performances from area artists, enjoyed great southern eats from "Spoonbread Too", and enjoyed the company of the "fabulous" as only Matthew can bring together (He's ever the party thrower!!!). It was great to see some old friends from the business, including fashion guru and "Sister 2 Sister" contributor Walter Greene, who introduced me to his lovely friend Donna Dove, a designer, who does awesome work with really intricate and decorative detailing (www.donnadove.com). Radio personality and community leader Jean Parnell (of Harlem Community Radio, WHCR 90.3) was there and - along with Carl Nelson - always makes me smile to the point of unstoppable laughter. Jean - at 70-something - is known for always doing an amazing "split" at her birthday party each year. She also taught Alicia Keys in elementary school many years ago, when she was "Miss Parnell" (www.whcr.org ). This picture is from a night we all spent at Lotus for the "Bling" book party. My good girlfriend Olivia Scott was in the house. She is also a member of the "Listening Experience" I've mentioned to you that my Morehouse brother Eddie created for a small group of 'music lovers' who share their favorite songs (from different categories). (http://thelifeofriley.squarespace.com/rilys-blog/2007/1/15/-but-i-need-a-friend.html) She also is responsible for hiring me last year to host  a Motorola/Boost Mobile event "Music Biz 101", a symposium for college students to learn the good, bad, and ugly of the music business (excerpted along with some of my other recent work on the following link:http://216.117.188.141/prileyfreelancedemo1.wmv). It was a blast! Well, Olivia, my fellow Scorpio soulmate, tells me she's headed for the altar with the love of her life, Al, and I couldn't be happier for her. Also, another actor/friend Charles Wallace was there. He is working with the New Professional Theatre on programs, including a production I'm anxious to see: "Single Black Female", which he and his colleague/also a hair older (to me) Spelman sister Sheila Kay Davis, are thinking about erecting at The Gatehouse.  They liked the space. The New Professional Theatre (www.newprofessionaltheatre.org/) is a 501c3 non profit organization that survives on pledges from
foundations, corporations and individual giving. Some foundations that have funded them include The Rockefeller Brothers Fund, The Carnival Cruise
Foundation, and Bloomberg. Still, their budget remains small and they are always seeking new sources. So, check out the site and if you are for the arts, see if there's something you can do.  Amidst all of this networking and such, we all sipped on "Cristallino", a cava from Spain, made in the style of champagne, but with Spanish grapes. The bottle costs about $9.99 and you can get it from "Harlem Vintage: A Wine Experience" at 2235 Frederick Douglass Blvd. and 121st Street. (WWW.HARLEMVINTAGE.COM). GREAT NIGHT!

I am always searching for ways to let my personality shine. Many people in this industry are very much a stand for me inside of that push. Marcia Pendelton (far right/next to me in the picture below), Founder and CEO of Walk Tall Girl Productions (www.walktallgirlproductions.com), has been one of my most fierce and resounding cheerleaders. During a production of a show she conceived "First Person Singular" which had a brief, weekend run at the Riverside Church Theater, she cast me to host and sing an opener and closer for the showcase which featured many of the best that the New York City stage has to offer. And I support anything that she does - from staged, cultural programs to special programs that help to market plays and productions to audiences. She's quite a fixture in theater and was instrumental in enrolling MTV/Viacom to let her bring a Black History program on "African Americans in Commercial Theater" to the building for the media juggernaut's employees (i.e. MTV, VH-1, NICKELODEON, CBS, BET, etc.). It took place in the 3rd floor theater of 1515 Broadway and I gladly moderated - simply because Marcia asked me to do it, but most importantly because this type of work is perfectly aligned with 'the life of riley' and how I aim to be a voice for 'pop culture and possibilities' - two of my favorite things to talk about. From left to right, the panel - which included a couple of friends (Norm and Tamara) - featured: actor Norm Lewis (currently cast non- traditionally in "Les Miz"); his co-star Q. Smith, a Broadway newcomer, who is also also a teaching artist and is currently working on a book about the contributions of contemporary African American women to the art, craft and business of theater; three-time Tony winner Hinton Battle, who is a  singer/dancer/actor/choreographer/director, who choreographed Idlewild and can be seen as Wayne in film Dreamgirls; Tamara Tunie (who in addition to being a multi-media actress is now producing two Broadway shows i.e. "Spring Awakening" and August Wilson's "Radio Golf"... and I've referenced her before: (http://thelifeofriley.squarespace.com/rilys-blog/2006/11/15/tired-of-me-talking-about-dreamgirls.html)); Tiffany Gavin, currently director of professional licensing for Theatrical Rights. She is the only African American woman I know who has worked as an executive producer on a number of Broadway productions and also shepherded the organization's journey into the world of urban theater.

IT WAS AN AWESOME PANEL... to a packed THEATER... with lots of FORWARDING CONVERSATION in which our panelists weighed in on non-traditional casting (Norm and Q are cast in "Les Miz" which was an all-white cast when it first came to Broadway); the benefits of celebrity attachments (like Fantasia in "The Color Purple" or Usher in "Chicago") to keep booties in the seat; the good, bad, and ugly of adaptations (to or from stage) - like "The Color Purple" and "Dreamgirls"; the importance of Tyler Perry's success with audiences (via the chitlin' circuit) as a template for ensuring audiences of color go to all types of Broadway and Off-Broadway shows; what Tamara Tunie's new role as producer of two hot Broadway properties ("Spring Awakening" and "Radio Golf") to diversify the driving wheel of Broadway, which is usually comprised of white people; etc.

The panel could have gone on all afternoon. The audience was really into it. And I did my job to joyfully steer the conversation - at one point, reminding everyone of Philip Rose, legendary Broadway producer who brought Lorraine Hansberry's all-black play "A Raisin in the Sun" to life (and we know the revival with P. Diddy is soon to come to television on Philip Rose's shoulders). But more than that, this white man was responsible for cutting-edge casting that went non-traditional places - including Diana Sands who he cast in "The Owl and the Pussycast" opposite a white man. And he would continue to push the envelope and show that ANY ACTOR could play ANY ROLE to great success.

The feedback was good and I am excited to be booked again for more of these panels and eventually to have them recorded and airing all over for everyone to see.