tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55915237381355290692024-03-18T20:43:57.172-07:00The Media Guy StrugglesGetting out of tricky situations isn't easy. But along the way, I get to hang out with princesses (they never wear their crowns), camel jockeys (literally!) and famous (well at least quasi-famous) people...all for the love of media and travel.The Media Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105304662582465770noreply@blogger.comBlogger402125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5591523738135529069.post-32967240364396104272021-02-09T09:21:00.003-08:002021-02-09T17:57:34.267-08:00The Best and the (Mostly) Worst of the Super Bowl LV Commercials<div><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDmyWy4B8XpUCKQiTNWC_SStzStmk4cSlvYpilv16Q014Vs912P6EuxmPRHnFVurysA5dQx8PmsTBvIVnyC6yedqEkfB_-2qjjwhSaHBYGVWwqhqjByCanyFnMUUkS5Pe97oG7YIURyK2U/s880/MGS_LV.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="495" data-original-width="880" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDmyWy4B8XpUCKQiTNWC_SStzStmk4cSlvYpilv16Q014Vs912P6EuxmPRHnFVurysA5dQx8PmsTBvIVnyC6yedqEkfB_-2qjjwhSaHBYGVWwqhqjByCanyFnMUUkS5Pe97oG7YIURyK2U/w400-h225/MGS_LV.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></b><b><i>Okay, so where am I? </i></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Let's just say that I wasn't one of those 25,000 people who was watching Tom Brady become the greatest of all time. (The kids tell me to just say GOAT, but when I was a youngster, the goat was someone who failed in <i>THE</i> big moment). Let's just say I'm in the same place that I have been for the last 45 weeks. That should narrow it all down. </div><div><br /></div><div>The big question is, how come 25,000 people got to go to the big game went we are told to not gather with others to the point where places like Oregon want to arrest you or fine you if you. Here you have the two sides with two agendas:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://twitter.com/doksan/status/1358560238924779521" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="498" data-original-width="1218" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMlbYTiGs08dNN4IjAPQZbW_Ja1lB7XtjAn79gWgo2VOyzRvEufa67iIEw20iB-94QJxewWZc9tKVlQFWFN_rwOUcfp53DgyFxym-Xma5ZI9bxyHoQpzM1sGzKMV3935SqucSDsai8FlJ9/w400-h164/Screen+Shot+2021-02-09+at+4.32.35+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://twitter.com/bradosterhoutt/status/1358574726331977728" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="652" data-original-width="1222" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxllel_S8-eSGmzXrTB0osd8U69PojY32qQbn_e-7P9avRTUaR-fuM67gYdoZZ6oTwCmQvbQVLS6J97UlZFaL8tfUaqJmX5ZIyH8-CjpUF-wSetIo2nblIXewGaReXef2FmxVjA23sii3g/w400-h214/Screen+Shot+2021-02-09+at+4.35.04+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Meanwhile money ruled the day, especially for the telecast of the game. CBS released their Super Bowl rate card for 30-second commercial spots at $5.6 million which kept the average cost level with last year's game. In the midst of the ongoing pandemic, CBS didn't sell out until late January (Fox sold out its ad inventory in November and had to add two and a half minutes of commercials to meet demand). What's worse for CBS, they had to undercut the opening price to actually achieve sold out status. (<i>Adweek</i> reports that Scotts Miracle-Gro purchased an :30 in mid-January at a discounted $5.5 million.) If you wanted to be included in the CBS Super Bowl live stream, advertisers had to pony up another $300,000. </div><div><br /></div><div>On the Tom Brady-Boston divorce, it was very apparent that one-half of the couple clearly missed the other a whole lot...</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Ourand_SBJ/status/1358808863395508227" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="1226" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiidy1FaOr6H1AoQIwa_AsNw5nHqg-a2Lsa_opwQAYoMg7cSNQB108XpACcZnmBGEn-bhVCckILs80SZeSzfDCgUBSD6BXOQlN7LqsiSm_4vsr7b1R6B1pRPkdl2csHG3h00asTvF54LS7I/w400-h233/Screen+Shot+2021-02-09+at+4.38.27+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div>On the total ratings front, CBS and reported that 96.4 million viewers watched "across all platforms, including the CBS Television Network, CBS Sports and NFL digital properties, Buccaneers and Chiefs mobile properties, Verizon Media mobile properties and ESPN Deportes television and digital properties." This is the lowest the Super Bowl viewership since 2006. On the bright side of things for CBS, the game performed better on digital, with 5.7 million streamers setting a Super Bowl record and is up 65% over last year. It's hard to spin these Super Bowl ratings into a positive story, with the numbers plummeting despite the much-hyped matchup of star QBs, snowstorms in the Northeast snowstorms, and a litany of other factors that should have pointed to an increase in ratings. But... </div><div><br /></div><div>This game will be the most viewed U.S. telecast of 2021 by a wide margin. The NFL remains as the most powerful TV product in America. The Super Bowl shows that when it comes to ratings, a competitive game matters more than any other factor and this game was the second biggest Super Bowl blowout in the last 18 years. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>Now onto the good stuff...</div><div><br /></div><div>If you thought the <a href="https://mediamindsetter.blogspot.com/2017/02/blame-trump.html" target="_blank">Super Bowl ads from 2017</a> were awkward and weird and tried too hard to fit the cultural narrative, you need to see some of the misfires from this year’s game. I don’t need to remind you that 45 weeks of lockdowns and hearing about washing your hands, wear a mask, and social distancing produced a million disastrous situations for our friends, families, and countries. This year a bunch of ads paid homage to the big issues (but passed over the particulars) while others presented ambiguous pushes for national unity as they opportunely failed to reference exactly what it was that’s divided us. These ads didn’t land because, well, you can’t actually have an effectual unity or compassion message without specifics—but then again, you can’t say too much or you run the risk of offending one side of the country and maybe both. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Winners</b></div><div><br /></div><div><div><i>General Motors</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Will Ferrell.</div><div>Awkwafina.</div><div>Kenan Thompson.</div><div>Bad Scandinavian Navigating.</div><div> </div><div>What more do you want?</div><div><br /></div><div>General Motors’ ad agency crafted this tour de force depicting Ferrell as an electric vehicle enthusiast with a curious resentment against Norway, because it “sells more electric cars per capita than the U.S.” If it’s up to Ferrell that won’t last long as GM has long been ahead of the Green New Deal promising to release 30 new electric vehicles by 2025. </div><div><br /></div><div>Eat it, Norway! But much like energy czar John Kerry who flies everywhere in his private jet, the stars of this spot expanded their carbon footprint multi-fold by embarking on a spur-of-the-moment and pointless trip to Scandinavia.</div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mdsPvbSpB2Y" width="320" youtube-src-id="mdsPvbSpB2Y"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div><i>Bud Light Seltzer</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Physical comedy reigns kings again. The commercial starts like this…</div><div><br /></div><div>“When did Bud Light Seltzer start making lemonade? Probably when 2020 handed us all those lemons.” </div><div><br /></div><div>And that’s where the fun begins as it starts raining lemons like cats and dogs, and smashing anyone unfortunate enough to stand in their path—kind of like 2020 itself! As we know too well, the tragedies of the past year are best met head on with a stead diet of alcohol. </div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/X3YcWcbEW7E" width="320" youtube-src-id="X3YcWcbEW7E"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div><i>M&M’s</i></div><div><br /></div><div>M&M’s never fail to deliver cleverness while reminding you that you should consume some chocolate covered in a hard candy shell that melt in your mouth and not in your hands <i>Schitt’s Creek</i> actor Dan Levy fresh off an appearance on Saturday Night Live appearance (nice push-pull there M&M’s) apologizes to the a couple of outdoor dining M&Ms for eating their brothers and sisters only see a twist of fate for the candy. </div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/A5-lgI4w6A8" width="320" youtube-src-id="A5-lgI4w6A8"></iframe></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><i>Paramount+</i></div><div><br /></div><div><div>On March 4th, CBS All Access will be no mate as it rebrands itself as Paramount Plus on March 4th and you got my attention with this ad uniting some of the biggest stars and characters that we all will be be able to watch on the revamped and reinvigorated streaming network. Patrick Stewart (<i>Star Trek: Picard</i>) Beavis and Butt-Head, Dora the Explorer, Jeff Probst (Survivor), Tom Selleck (the Frank Reagan Blue Bloods iteration), Christine Baranski (<i>The Good Fight’s</i> Diane Lockhart and Spock (Ethan Peck), and more on top of Mount Paramount.</div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LVuTCDB1iMc" width="320" youtube-src-id="LVuTCDB1iMc"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><b>Losers</b></div><div><br /></div><div><i>Elon Musk’s SpaceX</i></div><div><br /></div><div><div>Inspiration4, a project of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, wants dreamers like us to think big and envision ourselves in outer space: </div><div><br /></div></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>“This fall, Inspiration4 launches as the first all-civilian mission to space … and you could be on board,” says the ad, directing our curiosity to their website. </i></div></div></blockquote><div><div><br /></div><div>This was a great twist on most Super Bowl ads offering humdrum fantasies of driving mid-level E- or S-class cars or diving into a fresh bag of chips—you know, the stuff impulse buys are made of. If the objective was to get me to their website (it did), but I think like most of us we’ve seen this episode of The Simpsons (they predict everything) and it went poorly for everyone. </div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_nwSmOEiDls" width="320" youtube-src-id="_nwSmOEiDls"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><i>Doritos</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Alright, alright, alright… </div><div><br /></div><div>Matthew McConaughey stars as a startling 2D being who repels everyone he meets in this year’s Doritos ad. It’s safe to say that this spot is not funny and if it were locked into your dreams you’d wake in a cold sweat from that nightmare. All of this to shill for Doritos 3D, and its new puffy 3D shaped chip. After sliding into a vending machine in 2D form and stealing a bag of chips, McConaughey is restored to his normal shape and size inside the fat-dispensing device. Sweet payback. Still not funny.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/E_1_bfXItDI" width="320" youtube-src-id="E_1_bfXItDI"></iframe></div><br /></div><div><div><i>Guinness</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Sure Joe Montana is 4-0 in the Super Bowl and never threw an interception in the big game. The time of the commercial was ill-advised and the outcome proved that Tom Brady is the true goat.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lKqusyiHjSM" width="320" youtube-src-id="lKqusyiHjSM"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><b>The Tears of Confusion Award</b></div><div><br /></div><div><i>Toyota</i></div><div>Ok I cried, but what does it have to do with Japanese cars?</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Pr3jR2keirk" width="320" youtube-src-id="Pr3jR2keirk"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><b>The “What the F%(#” Award</b></div><div><i>Oatly</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><div>The well sought-after “What the F%(#” award to Oatly. What’s Oatly you ask? Why it’s a somewhat unknown supplier of oat milk and oat milk–related goods. CEO Toni Petersson wasted nearly $6 million—well, way over that number when you factor in production costs to make the spot and agency fees—on a vanity piece on a maudlin country field lounge act replete with bad singing about “how oat milk is like milk, but made for humans.” Oh yes, but only if you’re a smug granola cruncher. (Apologies to the granola crunchers and/or those who are lactose intolerant.) What's worse is that the company couldn't event be bothered to put the commercial on their social media accounts. Sheesh!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XUcPYqWa-Ng" width="320" youtube-src-id="XUcPYqWa-Ng"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Meanwhile, the Internet is undefeated!:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://twitter.com/froggyonair/status/1358576700066566145" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1008" data-original-width="1216" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilhspRpsPOx-RmKYVquK3uK2OwQPzLrogKDHtkar_wcoX9C8-nQypzmjnAHZCdGF82vSrjcLpQimtMjdepDjJ8ugff-X_ESm-QYcUQKDejVLjPXkvDerKb7dHvmj6H6zvuW06K4lfvga4k/w400-h331/Screen+Shot+2021-02-09+at+5.53.14+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><div><b>The Big Tech is Still Coming for You Award</b></div><div><i>Amazon Alexa</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Just another example of big tech stealing from you. This time they are plotting to entice your wife with Michael B. Jordan reading to her in the bath tub creating fantasies for her as she moans in pleasure as she fogs up the windows in her high-rise office, (forever) lost in some erogenous illusion. </div><div><br /></div><div>“Alexa…stay away from my wife!”</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KreKbHwCilY" width="320" youtube-src-id="KreKbHwCilY"></iframe></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>The Media Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105304662582465770noreply@blogger.comTampa Bay, Florida, USA27.763383 -82.5436722-0.54685288480241923 -117.69992488220902 56.073618884802421 -47.387419517790988tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5591523738135529069.post-65896969273780559172020-11-04T16:39:00.113-08:002021-02-06T17:06:53.834-08:00Where to Find Your Inspiration<p><i><b>Okay, so where am I?</b></i></p><p>I’m at the keyboard trying to put a dent in my sixth or seventh book. This could be either one since I have the “memoir’ book and the photography book in motion simultaneously. When I say “in motion” I really mean moving at a snail’s pace. Heck turtles move faster on a hot summer’s day. Yet I digress…</p><p>The memoir book, aptly called “Behind the Mike: Mostly True Stories from the Media Guy”, has been a 10-year journey to tell my weird stories from the agency days where Mad Men were taken down a notch in the days before the short-lived #MeToo movement. I was inspired by the great Mary Lawrence and her book “A Big Life In Advertising”. I started writing it on the 24-hour hours of flights on my way to Malaysia in 2012 and now it has ballooned into 1,000 page of literary anarchy. Time to trim the fat off these pages for sure.</p><p>Typewriter inspiration for the Great American Novel can spring from many diverse birthplaces. It can spark from a pithy sentence spoken by a close friend, suddenly spurring on an analogy, and then question followed by a thought and then all of the sudden a book idea is birthed. It can come in the form of an overheard conversation in the peaceful spot of your local coffee cafe—remember when we could write our novels and screenplays at Starbucks?—a unique situation that supplies the creative for your protagonist. It can come from a walk in the supermarket, an afternoon at the movies, a night on the town, or even a particularly curious seatmate on plane. (Remember what it was like to sit next to someone interesting on a plane an actually understand what they are saying with a mask muffling all of the nuanced conversation into the vapor?) </p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBK16V9RVc9s-I4iF9kyDC-BHt-wkjIdhs2JhgGtfxyn4OGdxBN5VO9ikIJh-GmYjl4DfH1Hf2sJlgeq0XshSwKQLp90v8Mf6tGO2xhcBBkWOCji9PBIOjgKliGmtZy7mXFaiWFvY1Z77m/s1600/MGS_whitby-abbey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBK16V9RVc9s-I4iF9kyDC-BHt-wkjIdhs2JhgGtfxyn4OGdxBN5VO9ikIJh-GmYjl4DfH1Hf2sJlgeq0XshSwKQLp90v8Mf6tGO2xhcBBkWOCji9PBIOjgKliGmtZy7mXFaiWFvY1Z77m/w400-h266/MGS_whitby-abbey.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Whitby Abbey / "Dracula"</span></td></tr></tbody></table>Typewriter inspiration can also come from a precise location around the world, serving as the seed where a novel can grow. Many of the classics we hold near and dear have roots in specific locales and even bridges and buildings. Here’s a few...<p></p><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br />Whitby Abbey<br />“Dracula’</b></div><p>Whitby Abbey, located in Yorkshire, England (no, not the infamous Transylvania and trust me, not worth the long drive from Bucharest to see Dracula’s Castle) is the locale that provided the muse for the classic novel “Dracula”. Bram Stoker was visiting Yorkshire in 1890 when he stumbled upon the decaying ruins of the 7th Century Christian Monastery and he found the Gothic architecture so haunting that it became the genesis for this classic tale. The structure still stands today and as the fog sets into the town looming below and the waves of the North Sea crash against the shore… well, one can see why he chose it.</p><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Top Withens<br /></b><b>“Wuthering Heights”</b></div><p>This decaying farmhouse in West Yorkshire, England is said to have provided some inspiration for the novel Wuthering Heights. Although physically the farmhouse doesn’t bear much resemblance to the family home in Emily Bronte’s novel, there is a plaque affixed to the ruins indicating that the farmhouse bears an association with the book. This countryside is said to have worked its magic on many writers including Bram Stoker.</p><div style="text-align: left;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBnvDnXJabMNHph0QdRTQI0HDHkImFjppxHThRNjgQLsggtQSvwmUt78E6TzMcPWQKsSMlMd6AGRzTI8_MhtWoVicA_14HdLM30nP2RXCTETaPBMkuAi6iyYbupVy-jn92M3gr_yi-LCN2/s500/MGS_MTCave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="319" data-original-width="500" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBnvDnXJabMNHph0QdRTQI0HDHkImFjppxHThRNjgQLsggtQSvwmUt78E6TzMcPWQKsSMlMd6AGRzTI8_MhtWoVicA_14HdLM30nP2RXCTETaPBMkuAi6iyYbupVy-jn92M3gr_yi-LCN2/w400-h255/MGS_MTCave.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">McDougal's Cave / "Tom Sawyer"</span></td></tr></tbody></table>McDougal's Cave<br /></b><b>“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”</b></div><p>In 1876, “The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer” was published and put author Mark Twain in the literary map of the world. It was a novel that was so ahead of its time in that it was filled with meaning and symbolism, aside from being engaging and fun to read. It was a story about the titular mischievous young boy, who wittingly tricked his way to get everything he wanted.</p><p>In Twain’s hometown of Hannibal, Missouri sits a small cave that soon became McDougal’s Cave. Today the former McDowell Cave was renames to honor the great work of the renowned author.</p><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Sands Point, NY<br />“The Great Gatsby”</b></div><p></p><blockquote><p><i><b>“I want to write something new, something extraordinary and beautiful and simple and intricately patterned.” </b></i></p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote><p style="text-align: left;">- F. Scott Fitzgerald in a letter in 1922, as he began to write the novel which became “The Great Gatsby”</p></blockquote></blockquote><p></p><p><br />Sands Point, NY, a small village along the north shore of Long Island, provided the inspiration for Easter Egg in “The Great Gatsby” in the form of a French Normandy-style mansion, which was once owned by Fitzgerald’s friend Mary Harriman Rumsey.</p><p> “Fitzgerald’s Latest A Dud” was The New York Times’ headline for the review of Gatsby in 1925. At the end of Fitzgerald’s life, at the age of just 44, his publisher still had many copies of the first edition gathering dust in a warehouse. “My God, I am a forgotten man,” Fitzgerald wrote to Zelda when The Great Gatsby ceased to be published by The Modern Library. It seemed everyone had neglected his work. </p><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAEjVBTwApRDeQcQmeLF3HwV7TV5cdIGo9xVz7F0J7CUlMSqAcjD5RH0Laq5ayZ-iLGwPDJ9qNY60z-Sq-7uPHUcfdT0Xlb48oL-f5qAi71nOEKtV0Ayfhd_Jxt2idPJjAXUsMSHXslCoH/s2048/MCDGRGA_EC116_H.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="2048" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAEjVBTwApRDeQcQmeLF3HwV7TV5cdIGo9xVz7F0J7CUlMSqAcjD5RH0Laq5ayZ-iLGwPDJ9qNY60z-Sq-7uPHUcfdT0Xlb48oL-f5qAi71nOEKtV0Ayfhd_Jxt2idPJjAXUsMSHXslCoH/w400-h210/MCDGRGA_EC116_H.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">"The Great Gadsby" Mansion</span></td></tr></tbody></table>It was only when a massive initiative began during World War II to distribute over 110 million books to soldiers abroad that public opinion changed regarding the novel. The Great Gatsby was one of the novels chosen, printed in editions designed to fit in a soldier’s back pocket. Finally, in the hands of American soldiers, the work began to achieve the popularity it has enjoyed ever since. From humble beginnings to gigantic success, this Great American Novel tells a typically American story, one of success and tragedy, a story that echoes too well Fitzgerald's own life.</p><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Bath, England<br />“Persuasion”</b></div><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDjLubAssGYnHRst8THzVisKaoZ9dVsiji4jusBV6vnIgaGPxNesohsIs41hOH59GpziAlEd8oxaTDmoxKmhJkcWu2DrMkW-vitt3KHE2qQVsC8MxRDitbHydvL3CC3585ncSYmd8b1XYO/s1920/MGS_Bth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1920" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDjLubAssGYnHRst8THzVisKaoZ9dVsiji4jusBV6vnIgaGPxNesohsIs41hOH59GpziAlEd8oxaTDmoxKmhJkcWu2DrMkW-vitt3KHE2qQVsC8MxRDitbHydvL3CC3585ncSYmd8b1XYO/w400-h266/MGS_Bth.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Bath, England</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Jane Austen resided in Bath, England from 1801 to 1806 and this town became the setting for her novel "Persuasion". Not only was the town the center of fashion and nobility in the early 19th century, but it also became the location where her characters socialized, attended balls, and attempted to arrange marriages. Many of Bath’s addresses are included in the novel and Bath itself still pays homage Austen with events like the Jane Austen Ball and the Jane Austen Festival.</p><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Stanley Hotel<br />“The Shining”</b></div><p>Stephen King’s stimulus for his haunting novel “The Shining” came in the form of a precarious hotel in Colorado's Estes Park. King’s stimulus for his haunting novel “The Shining” came in the form of a precarious hotel in set below steep mountains. King and his wife Tabitha checked into The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado, on October 30th, 1974. Having recently written Carrie and Salem’s Lot, two novels set in the writer’s home state of Maine, King needed a change of scenery to get his inspiration going. In another somewhat obscure fun fact, the hotel’s on-site pet cemetery served as inspiration for another successful King novel, "Pet Semetary".</p><p>The ghostly hotel fueled King’s idea process and the pressure to perform had him on edge to create a masterpiece. He was under a self-imposed deadline due to the fact that he had to pay for his room each additional night in which he did not find the right idea. The fact is, that this combination of stress and inspirational atmosphere was the perfect concoction in order for him to create one of the most notable novels in history.”</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGf3ZLZRtiYsXWZzcEcVS28hkucArcpcr3Yx3sjGZ676RC-aFJkmvAjVWarJuKjHsxCz4gZv83qWiYyOhjgPFf5PHmCHaA3MVl9MD_rjx8HNPup3kgq2Dfb7Pg1aSkRR2L4f923gCO4EJ6/s1100/MGS_Stanley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="698" data-original-width="1100" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGf3ZLZRtiYsXWZzcEcVS28hkucArcpcr3Yx3sjGZ676RC-aFJkmvAjVWarJuKjHsxCz4gZv83qWiYyOhjgPFf5PHmCHaA3MVl9MD_rjx8HNPup3kgq2Dfb7Pg1aSkRR2L4f923gCO4EJ6/w400-h254/MGS_Stanley.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(c) The Stanley Hotel</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>The Media Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105304662582465770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5591523738135529069.post-10371484393731909402020-09-19T11:47:00.074-07:002020-10-08T12:25:53.094-07:00Itching to Travel? There’s 10 Countries That Still Want U.S. Travelers<p>What do Albania, Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, Dominican Republic, Kosovo, Maldives, Mexico, North Macedonia, Serbia, Tunisia and Turkey all have in common? They are all welcoming U.S. travelers without a quarantine period. For those who have six months of pent up cabin fever, this should be music to their ears.</p><p>Keep in mind that the health advisory issued by the US State Department on March 31 still stands. It instructs US citizens to avoid all international travel due to COVID-19 while the CDC lectures “travel increases your chances of getting and spreading COVID-19.”</p><p>As Coronavirus cases in the United States passed the five million mark, more and more people sought the need to get out of the house at the worse times—protests, going back to bars and parties, and family vacations. The majority of U.S. citizens are opting to stay local, choosing to stay off airplanes and opting for shorter road trips instead of international air travel and for good reason. Absent from the European Union’s list of 15 countries whose tourists are allowed to visit is the United States.</p><p>Once one of the world’s most formidable travel credentials, the power of a USA passport has withered in the haze of the coronavirus, with borders looked down tighter than that vaults that contain all of the conspiracy theories of what is the real deal with COVID-19. With almost 200,000 deaths credited to the virus, most countries now view the United States and their tourism dollars with apprehension, proving that it doesn’t matter how much they want American greenbacks when US travelers could be carrying the deadly virus with them no matter how asymptomatic they appear.</p><p>Now with constraints easing up for some destinations, Americans are still on the restricted list for approximately 200 countries, but the Big 12 that left their doors open offer simple entries [think a temp check before and after boarding and a COVID-19 test before getting your passport stamped] into foreign land. It’s worth pointing out that anyone that boards an international flight should check with the airline and the US Embassy prior to finalizing travel plans, and oh, pack a couple of comfortable, full cover masks.</p><p>So without further ado, here are the nations where US passport holders can visit without quarantining for days or weeks and jump right into living it up in a new land.</p><p><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNv-VFJkyYHSCzIiATI1K6zeYz4Ru_EZ7qCHEZYBaFqN3o2geZ_PgQdokaZiwoj0bC67vbr5ThxQeidIs5AXmZK281LS-pMNcqa52sPe3ZSyVX10fwn0RvfBR8sUPix6joa6wyqSnTq2aq/s936/Albania.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="661" data-original-width="936" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNv-VFJkyYHSCzIiATI1K6zeYz4Ru_EZ7qCHEZYBaFqN3o2geZ_PgQdokaZiwoj0bC67vbr5ThxQeidIs5AXmZK281LS-pMNcqa52sPe3ZSyVX10fwn0RvfBR8sUPix6joa6wyqSnTq2aq/w400-h281/Albania.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Albania<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Albania</b></p><p>Perhaps the most underrated Mediterranean destination in the entire world is Albania, which sits just across the Adriatic Sea from Italy, The former communist country recommenced international commercial in June. Known for its scruffy mountains, glistening beaches, and fortress towns, Albania was closed to foreigners for much of the 20th century. The first set of inquisitive travelers found a land where ageless codes of conduct still held influence and where the wind shrilled through the exhausted remnants of half-forgotten ancient Roman and Greek sites. A quarter century later after throwing off the constrains of communism, Albania’s gorgeous mountain are the perfect backdrop that rivals any other Mediterranean country.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAA2T-GpWsgsNkB5IxJRnFiRkTyXZBn_i31rLmVDr7Uz-Zt4BMa6zluz-qivM4ROFM7McAmyPpfWI_V8qmOsNaLDXzqLLvZgx1JfbpGZ1pZTKOfXDOmGenpLdQxR19MwDmqdwwPU5ORtP3/s1008/Antigua%2526Barbuda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="673" data-original-width="1008" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAA2T-GpWsgsNkB5IxJRnFiRkTyXZBn_i31rLmVDr7Uz-Zt4BMa6zluz-qivM4ROFM7McAmyPpfWI_V8qmOsNaLDXzqLLvZgx1JfbpGZ1pZTKOfXDOmGenpLdQxR19MwDmqdwwPU5ORtP3/w400-h268/Antigua%2526Barbuda.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Antiqua & Barbuda<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>Antigua & Barbuda</b></p><p>Their tourism site screams, “Escape 2020 and visit Antigua and Barbuda, where we’ve got the sun, the sea and plenty of much needed space.”</p><p>Antigua’s ribbed coasts embrace dozens of picture-perfect coves splashed by mesmerizing powder-blue water, while the secluded bays provided sanctuary for everyone from pirates and yachters. If you can pull away from that plush beach towel, you’ll unearth divergent English overtones to this island including the humming capital of St John’s, in the splendid English Harbor, and in the bygone forts that pay homage to its colonial past. At the same time, you will discover that Antigua classic Caribbean, full of story-inspiring villages with a liquor-infused smoothness that make the wide-smiled locals even that much more appealing.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEPawDaElIPLw3b-t7yFsbO8c0J7r0jWx3Lc6iFLkyf1VmxGQja_8tOe641rBYXkvG6w0Wr2smgx1X5rtNaR5RcW-GySzSqNWM_GsMy1p28g5yxs9z99c9z_2-9I-M0Y3ybSjuIjgyIT0T/s1500/Aruba_flamingo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="1500" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEPawDaElIPLw3b-t7yFsbO8c0J7r0jWx3Lc6iFLkyf1VmxGQja_8tOe641rBYXkvG6w0Wr2smgx1X5rtNaR5RcW-GySzSqNWM_GsMy1p28g5yxs9z99c9z_2-9I-M0Y3ybSjuIjgyIT0T/w400-h300/Aruba_flamingo.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The flamingos of Aruba<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>Aruba</b></p><p>U.S. citizens who want to escape our bitter winters have catapulted Aruba into the most visited island in the Southern Caribbean. The inducements are apparent: abundant all-inclusive resorts, miles and miles of famous white-sand beaches, and the delightfully condensed capital of Oranjestad. Now it’s welcoming Americans who want to escape the coronavirus lockdowns. Here is all about fun in the sun.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIe7m3Vj1nO3r-ZFYXyu9ybFrPohSlREJ8QW63w9txv2B35M6307Yf9sA8S5gybwciObbHuTPGG4BnmK6Y-d68nMnOlJ9ALeSsmbi5NtfoJj9MuJ52meHVj-s1jV7eLIh7EKcDkKvjxc9Q/s1440/punta-cana_DR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIe7m3Vj1nO3r-ZFYXyu9ybFrPohSlREJ8QW63w9txv2B35M6307Yf9sA8S5gybwciObbHuTPGG4BnmK6Y-d68nMnOlJ9ALeSsmbi5NtfoJj9MuJ52meHVj-s1jV7eLIh7EKcDkKvjxc9Q/s320/punta-cana_DR.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>Dominican Republic</b></p><p>With magnificent mountain panoramas, desert backwoods, redolent colonial construction and beaches everywhere, The Dominican Republic is one of the most geographically diverse countries in the Caribbean. The coastline defines the DR and doubles down on its diversity with palm-lined white-sand beaches in some spots and rocky cliffs in others. You also get your fair share of dunes landscaped by the winds and placid mangrove bayous. With plenty of resorts that can deliver your every vacation need, the aquamarine waters showcase the temperature seas where migrating humpback whales play where pirates once ruled. Add unbeatable scuba diving and water sports and you have a grand vacation awaiting you.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiwVuIionoawBHny7S8MtJL-9mtEA38s44s-TVsPuSyR8GLMzoCV37mZQ1zJEaGxxe60FHAlLiwKMTYoQL_BfreMP2gPNEEOD0r8fr9os5ZEGhwIndil6ebPaQ5rFViRHiPD-Kxnvtue0L/s780/kosovo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="460" data-original-width="780" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiwVuIionoawBHny7S8MtJL-9mtEA38s44s-TVsPuSyR8GLMzoCV37mZQ1zJEaGxxe60FHAlLiwKMTYoQL_BfreMP2gPNEEOD0r8fr9os5ZEGhwIndil6ebPaQ5rFViRHiPD-Kxnvtue0L/w400-h235/kosovo.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kosovo<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>Kosovo</b></p><p>Europe’s newest country, Kosovo is an enthralling destination at the heart of the Balkans. The country happily gives visitors implausible hospitality, delightful mountain towns, grand hiking expeditions, and Serbian monasteries awash in medieval art…and that’s only the beginning.</p><p>When Kosovo professed its independence from Serbia in 2008 only half of the world’s countries diplomatically accepted it with nearly 100 unaccepting. The past tragedies are hard to miss with their roads peppered with memorials to those killed in the 1990s and NATO forces present to guard the monasteries. For the naysayers who have never set foot in Kosovo will tell you otherwise, it’s entirely safe to travel here. Because of this reputation, Kosovo sits as one of the final off-the-beaten-path destinations in all of Europe.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrVNhrzlo9DCaB9bIhnQzM3sl3RICQbjP2Upd3Dxxwc6NoCVUWtwmG_hcXYL9__T676dXO7b672xb0cxJ01uMhJ8vL9XJ9U6-Q_hKky5FnHLNSDo9mObMIg1wk4K_pxx94SQbAzZRx45JO/s1008/maldives.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1008" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrVNhrzlo9DCaB9bIhnQzM3sl3RICQbjP2Upd3Dxxwc6NoCVUWtwmG_hcXYL9__T676dXO7b672xb0cxJ01uMhJ8vL9XJ9U6-Q_hKky5FnHLNSDo9mObMIg1wk4K_pxx94SQbAzZRx45JO/w400-h250/maldives.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Maldives<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>The Maldives</b></p><p>Maldives has perhaps the finest beaches in the world. With an immaculate beach on nearly every one of the nation’s 1200 islands, you might be inclined to be bored with such perfection. To a person, most agree that you won’t find whiter-than-white powder sand and incandescent aqua-blue water like this anyplace else on earth. This truth alone easily produces one million plus visitors annually to this petite, secluded and otherwise little-known Indian Ocean utopia. Unparalleled luxury coupled with a remarkable underwater world makes the Maldives an understandable selection for a genuine vacation of a lifetime.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Z5rUxqRNfGhAAISLVJdsaPhbcQTj1pUyu9pwgC-0u171B6nWnXTMY3og5Q3PtY4q6wPcf4xkvqCzYKAs7XR87ix_kbTDZUX6Z5Nhm7P1sQZ7gpUdw_SU9h0pxEIQI1mwW5XEaNaJgM5l/s864/mexico.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="442" data-original-width="864" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Z5rUxqRNfGhAAISLVJdsaPhbcQTj1pUyu9pwgC-0u171B6nWnXTMY3og5Q3PtY4q6wPcf4xkvqCzYKAs7XR87ix_kbTDZUX6Z5Nhm7P1sQZ7gpUdw_SU9h0pxEIQI1mwW5XEaNaJgM5l/w400-h205/mexico.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chitzen Itza in Mexico<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>Mexico</b></p><p>Mexico’s pre-Hispanic peoples erected some of the world’s boundless archaeological shrines, including Teotihuacán’s soaring pyramids and the superb Maya temples of Palenque. The Spanish colonial era left stunning towns full of tree-shaded arcades and opulently-chiseled stone churches and homes, while the modern Mexico has seen a swell of abundant art from the likes of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. World-class museums and galleries detail the country’s intriguing history and its endless creative vitality. Popular culture is just as vibrant, from the visionary fusion cuisine and street art of Mexico City to the breathtaking handicrafts of the indigenous populace.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitJ5MkDsUStp-DWJSn_6AvwfIEnjmaUyelAziHM5Fmng_t4Remf2kXzVjy-hlyh5ZyaxwohrfebdEpzly89Jyl6H9TRdNihzYKv_dJBRHaKc67Ni7OtNbjQ6g1_JGODRGEXZ4YbSU8D0WQ/s720/Serbia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="720" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitJ5MkDsUStp-DWJSn_6AvwfIEnjmaUyelAziHM5Fmng_t4Remf2kXzVjy-hlyh5ZyaxwohrfebdEpzly89Jyl6H9TRdNihzYKv_dJBRHaKc67Ni7OtNbjQ6g1_JGODRGEXZ4YbSU8D0WQ/w400-h266/Serbia.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Serbia<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>Serbia</b></p><p>A landlocked country in the center of the Balkans, Serbia is pleasantly off the tourist track and offers a little something for everyone. The art nouveau town of Subotica revels in its Austro-Hungarian heritage; the unconventional Niš reverberates to the clip-clop of Roma horse carts, and minaret-dotted Novi Pazar prods the most blessed of Serbian Orthodox monasteries. Time-honored wine regions and thermal spas clasped in rolling hills date back to Roman times. On the slopes of Zlatibor, Kopaonik, and Stara Planina, ageless customs coexist with après-ski bling, while the scenic Tara and Đerdap National Parks overflow with the prospects of rafting, hiking, biking, and kayaking.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRb3IWWWVdmqsNGYx-ROWSe2otP0nPvwF_WGpFFCNssP8FZCMk7diRW3rgG-THtP-4jfy1PIdrQWzbff5LrzQeK3Sk_cGs-b3UgWKltqtUrc0g48F-OrZh0sLDIZBxu9Gl7DJCAflpeAkL/s1440/ancient-city-tunisia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1440" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRb3IWWWVdmqsNGYx-ROWSe2otP0nPvwF_WGpFFCNssP8FZCMk7diRW3rgG-THtP-4jfy1PIdrQWzbff5LrzQeK3Sk_cGs-b3UgWKltqtUrc0g48F-OrZh0sLDIZBxu9Gl7DJCAflpeAkL/w400-h266/ancient-city-tunisia.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tunisia<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>Tunisia</b></p><p>Although its place on the map is a slender wedge of North Africa’s massive horizontal expanse, Tunisia has plenty of history and varied environmental beauty that would envy many a larger nation. With a temperate, sand-fringed Mediterranean coast, fragranced with sea breezes and jasmine, Tunisia is an elite land for a forthright sun, sea, and sand experiences. Outside the beaches is an electrifying, unappreciated destination where divergent cultures and implausible extravagances of landscape—the Sahara and forested coastlines—can be explored in just a few days.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM62iKeUi4M_yJ_UYRRpRmbyKJ0FmugZMBEr0xTE3vZv5s-lHVZTPuLAi7rk_OTxcGwOs9dBXp_1DHHneQQDt0i3yzTFm5iMuVW2oGkczzejTF8pih5h9qDUVctF8qX4SnUXafVhYnP_2m/s1008/Blue+Mosque.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="673" data-original-width="1008" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM62iKeUi4M_yJ_UYRRpRmbyKJ0FmugZMBEr0xTE3vZv5s-lHVZTPuLAi7rk_OTxcGwOs9dBXp_1DHHneQQDt0i3yzTFm5iMuVW2oGkczzejTF8pih5h9qDUVctF8qX4SnUXafVhYnP_2m/w400-h268/Blue+Mosque.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Blue Mosque in Turkey<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><b>Turkey</b></p><p>Located in the Mediterranean and connecting Asia and Europe continents that are separated by famous Bosphorus, Turkey is a unique destination that welcomed last year about 40 million tourists. The country that has always been a hub for cultural interaction and home to varying climates inspires the visitors today with its history, nature and gastronomy that reflect the diversity of civilizations for centuries. Located at the crossroads of cultures, Turkey has a distinctive understanding of art and fashion, which is the synthesis of tradition and modernity.</p><div><i><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Note: This article originally appeared in <a href="https://alomagazine.com/itching-to-travel-theres-10-countries-that-still-want-u-s-travelers/" target="_blank">ALO magazine</a>.</span></b></i></div>The Media Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105304662582465770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5591523738135529069.post-55976635736153238722020-08-09T12:01:00.002-07:002020-08-13T11:40:31.143-07:00Try Turkish Spices to Cure Your Pandemic Woes<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZwDnkzp64Cz716dyf4bXN3St44blIZkEl5v0CjJELVq4mvKHt8bpcjTzrP0nwn4kin7fQQO0Ue8kLVClt_CMTlXkR3tp2FqTpyNZrDiqP5BvwQVqXFDO3t8BRRrNpeVynx_N7DBGk60v0/s2048/SpiceBazaar1.jpg" style="clear: left; display: block; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1451" data-original-width="2048" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZwDnkzp64Cz716dyf4bXN3St44blIZkEl5v0CjJELVq4mvKHt8bpcjTzrP0nwn4kin7fQQO0Ue8kLVClt_CMTlXkR3tp2FqTpyNZrDiqP5BvwQVqXFDO3t8BRRrNpeVynx_N7DBGk60v0/w410-h290/SpiceBazaar1.jpg" width="410" /></a></div><b><i>**Exclusive from <a href="https://alomagazine.com/try-turkish-spices-to-cure-your-pandemic-woes/" target="_blank">ALO magazine</a>.**</i></b><br /><br />The pandemic and social justice are dominating the headlines—as they should—this summer. For me, the impact on my normal travel is starting to weigh on my being and I’ve been searching for solutions as I watch the growing list of countries that don’t want U.S. travelers potentially bringing Coronavirus into their lands.<p></p><p>I was excited to see a small list of countries open to U.S. citizens without restrictions: Albania, Dominican Republic, Kosovo, Maldives, Mexico, North Macedonia, Serbia, Tunisia and Turkey. The one that stood out the most is Turkey. With non-stop flights from multiple U.S. cities, including my home base of Los Angeles, I imagined Turkish Airlines incredible business class whisking me to Istanbul from gate to gate in around 13-and-a-half hours. What the worst that can happen up in the air for half a day, right?</p><p>In the middle of my fantasy, CNN and Dr. Anthony Fauci screamed across my television, talking about second and third waves and the meteoric surge in COVID-19 cases throughout the States. It made me think twice about jumping on a plane this summer.</p><p>But while my summer travel is still pending, I imagined a way to work out my travel bug at home. How? Turkish cuisine, that’s how.</p><p>A little backstory for you…</p><p>Turkey is located at the meeting point of the Middle East, Asia and Europe with its geographic serving as one of the most critical routes along the Silk Road. Spices were incredibly valuable in the global trade. It is said the salt was just as valuable as gold. Imagine that. With that kind of history, it’s no wonder that Turkey has remained as the center of the global spice trade for centuries.</p><p>In the inimitable and delightful dishes of the Turkish cuisine, spices are never used in excess, but rather judiciously curated, ensuring that spices are just as important as the key base ingredients in every meal. Considering how rich the Turkish cuisine is in terms of spices, it’s certainly not a shocker that İstanbul has one of the most revered spice markets in the world.</p><p>Hosting visitors since 1664, the Spice Bazaar is one of the oldest covered bazaars in İstanbul. Situated on the European side of the city, the Spice Bazaar is a historic landmark spread across a large area where various genuine items that belong to the Turkish culture as well as all kinds of spices are sold.</p><p>Let’s dive into some of the most popular spices of the Turkish culinary culture:</p><p><b><i></i></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH0o962XO1rlvj9jl5uWch7gJw4MSa6xBXfwzVHuttAm1CPd9ak0IEKbGzjulzldy1Cj1g1C2lMzUYb5G6wuXUKT-L1Q3xxJrq8I7ZzEn2u52qseQ_nOONKxMHF5lbHok7mbi0iyYLVYBD/s987/BayLeaf.jpg" style="clear: left; display: block; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="658" data-original-width="987" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH0o962XO1rlvj9jl5uWch7gJw4MSa6xBXfwzVHuttAm1CPd9ak0IEKbGzjulzldy1Cj1g1C2lMzUYb5G6wuXUKT-L1Q3xxJrq8I7ZzEn2u52qseQ_nOONKxMHF5lbHok7mbi0iyYLVYBD/w328-h218/BayLeaf.jpg" title="Bay Leaf" width="328" /></a></i></b></div><b><i>Bay Leaf—</i></b>Grown in many regions across Turkey, the bay leaf is a spice that has long been used in the Turkish cuisine with its pleasant smell and distinct aroma. Consumed in main dishes and salads, bay leaf is dried before being used in various areas such as dishes, sweetened fruit juices, tomato pastes, pickles and soups. Bay leaf adds zest to meat and fish dishes with its aroma. Particularly added to sauces used for meat dishes, bay leaf is also used to marinate fish, in pilaf, fish soup as well as in the bottom of the pot while boiling turkey and chicken. When bay leaves are placed inside large fish during grilling, the fish meat will absorb the smell and taste of the leaf, gaining a very delicious aroma.<p></p><p><b><i>Cinnamon—</i></b>The king of the sweets. Obtained from the bark of the cinnamon tree and known for its strong and sweet flavor, this spice is widely used in the Turkish cuisine in both desserts and salty dishes. It is used in all types stuffing including stuffed mussels, seasoned rice, dried fruits, and chicken dishes that create a special flavor unique to this cuisine. As a sweet spice, it’s also useful to cut down the sugar intake, becoming an indispensable part of Turkish desserts. It plays the lead role in cakes and traditional Turkish puddings such as sütlaç (rice pudding), kazandibi (white pudding with caramel base), and muhallebi (milk pudding). Add a stick of cinnamon while brewing tea to add extra flavor in place of a processed sugar cube.</p><p><b><i></i></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhwQjoHkFylpNsLJIwrOOwQpRdPkljitx6cf-N-mR-VdpqJ4tGDKAyV0W6_pm4pEje7eb2V2ZT1paJPOdykvrV9XZu3Ra6egxkgi1T6rx4Ockp6TFcO_sGWgaOPwsexkm7uvE_MPTrM-w5/s1909/Clove.jpg" style="clear: left; display: block; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1273" data-original-width="1909" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhwQjoHkFylpNsLJIwrOOwQpRdPkljitx6cf-N-mR-VdpqJ4tGDKAyV0W6_pm4pEje7eb2V2ZT1paJPOdykvrV9XZu3Ra6egxkgi1T6rx4Ockp6TFcO_sGWgaOPwsexkm7uvE_MPTrM-w5/w329-h216/Clove.jpg" width="329" /></a></i></b></div><b><i>Clove—</i></b>When combined with cinnamon, clove offers decadent flavor and because of that it is widely used in cakes and desserts, tarts and fruit. In many Turkish restaurants, and in meat and kebab restaurants in particular, it is served after meals with onions and garlic to eliminate bad breath. If you have a toothache, you can bite down on a clove and it will lessen the pain (it works, trust me!).<p></p><p><b><i>Cumin—</i></b>A member of the parsley family, it’s used to spice stuffing, meatballs, and soups, and it is an indispensable ingredient agent in meat sauces and foul beans (breakfast dish). Used as a medicinal herb since the ancient times, the black cumin seeds contain approximately 100 different essential elements including carbohydrates, minerals, proteins and fatty acids.</p><p><b><i>Mint—</i></b>The dried version is widely used in soups, mantı (Turkish dumplings), and on cacık (a yogurt side dish), while fresh mint is added to salads and served as a calming tea steeped in water.</p><p><b><i></i></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzcAa36S7WD1fgRp6Za9A7JJOON0ekJW9fxtWNPtWqPJCa0VzXEy-hUTz1PR7gJ_VnvzGeE-_RpZjN1cpax8gOXE2TiiIczOqj1Vn1_Vr6_OywKg3wHPdKst_D4CIS1DsMtHCTry-jZ8TP/s1552/RedPpperFlakes.jpg" style="clear: left; display: block; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1035" data-original-width="1552" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzcAa36S7WD1fgRp6Za9A7JJOON0ekJW9fxtWNPtWqPJCa0VzXEy-hUTz1PR7gJ_VnvzGeE-_RpZjN1cpax8gOXE2TiiIczOqj1Vn1_Vr6_OywKg3wHPdKst_D4CIS1DsMtHCTry-jZ8TP/w328-h218/RedPpperFlakes.jpg" width="328" /></a></i></b></div><b><i>Red Pepper Flakes—</i></b>Grown in the Southeastern Anatolia region, this spice is added when you want to add heat to recipes. Most restaurants serve it in tableside next to the salt and pepper. It can be added while cooking meat sauces, soups, legumes (beans and chickpeas), and stews.<p></p><p><b><i>Rosemary—</i></b>A versatile spice used fresh or dried in red meat dishes, poultry and stews thanks to its pleasant taste and aroma. It’s sometimes added to omelets and soups or to the raw dough of breads and pastries. Most home chefs add a teaspoon of dried rosemary to their potato puree for a distinctive Turkish taste.</p><p><b><i>Saffron—</i></b>Cultivated in Safranbolu saffron usage originated in Ottoman cuisine. Saffron is typically diluted in rose water or vinegar for pilafs and meat dishes. It is also the critical element of milk pudding recipes due to its pungent aroma and hay-like taste.</p><p><b><i>Sumac—</i></b>One of the most widely consumed spices in the Turkish cuisine, sumac gives the dishes a sour and piquant taste together with a pleasant aroma. The spice comes from the crimson part of the sumac plant before grinding it together with table salt. It is popular when mixed with red onions or regular onions and parsley to be eaten as salad or mixed into yogurt as a dip.</p><p><b><i>Thyme—</i></b>As a species that naturally grows in the Aegean and Mediterranean regions, classic thyme is produced by drying and crumbling the leaves. It can be used poultry or lamb marinades. A simple pinch of pinch of thyme in a bowl of olive oil as a dip for fresh bread is also very popular. Fresh thyme is preferred especially in salads for both its taste and aroma. Many choose to place a small twig of fresh thyme in olive oil dispensers to add zest with the aroma of thyme.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghx3aRBBA3a-FC3SnV219_uEcw3rkrdy4HAk10ErvEHjobrbZBrAi0f9Zo2rWvHjIdXFzXEccC_sJT-IC5tL1ttMr6HYQHIU1KU6bc0dDlwt2UgG7Z7CqlsQbYtksXOP87WKx0NUbfUzst/s1015/Cinnamon.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="826" data-original-width="1015" height="417" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghx3aRBBA3a-FC3SnV219_uEcw3rkrdy4HAk10ErvEHjobrbZBrAi0f9Zo2rWvHjIdXFzXEccC_sJT-IC5tL1ttMr6HYQHIU1KU6bc0dDlwt2UgG7Z7CqlsQbYtksXOP87WKx0NUbfUzst/w512-h417/Cinnamon.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cinnamon<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpaI4msRVlGFo5jW4DepVIU3ke3If93dzDEfghjZfGB6WWJ1PE3VOUMElW7lqkfBfpc3O1IUSG95WChXqgkxNGBY6Fjvw7e3BznayvwTP9ggaOZJT7B9A947u9AZfGK2DL-7LaJFttPpa1/s1029/Cumin.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1029" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpaI4msRVlGFo5jW4DepVIU3ke3If93dzDEfghjZfGB6WWJ1PE3VOUMElW7lqkfBfpc3O1IUSG95WChXqgkxNGBY6Fjvw7e3BznayvwTP9ggaOZJT7B9A947u9AZfGK2DL-7LaJFttPpa1/w512-h340/Cumin.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cumin<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio8cB8GorT5OCBY3hseHyqJmJlMunQvicNrHAucoukCxHpfG8sIBjXH5OUqAD17rK6AuvlKW9TQlIMBUhNWOoxnv4ecgsRjXCgEBUukITPAmib2-pFJBpTav479YdgaxdjDoPfL33_TBmF/s1375/Mint2.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="914" data-original-width="1375" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio8cB8GorT5OCBY3hseHyqJmJlMunQvicNrHAucoukCxHpfG8sIBjXH5OUqAD17rK6AuvlKW9TQlIMBUhNWOoxnv4ecgsRjXCgEBUukITPAmib2-pFJBpTav479YdgaxdjDoPfL33_TBmF/w512-h340/Mint2.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mint<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWjh202zAJDFgoeWc2fMxI7tgQWtxpNYkZtNZD_0HLuWPfHz3F_7PxRWJb7IUpSSVdK5TkjG3Wd55tCQiqnyYa6tVVeFkuxJ6Q_MohfeJGGKHD1vmCPLfXsxdb6eZcIN0EVvMKalXTPYZ6/s1313/Rosemary.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="876" data-original-width="1313" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWjh202zAJDFgoeWc2fMxI7tgQWtxpNYkZtNZD_0HLuWPfHz3F_7PxRWJb7IUpSSVdK5TkjG3Wd55tCQiqnyYa6tVVeFkuxJ6Q_MohfeJGGKHD1vmCPLfXsxdb6eZcIN0EVvMKalXTPYZ6/w512-h341/Rosemary.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosemary<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuZnOD3ve921eIzViyrXEbOYuBNW2xujvMplgJWXps2k3ts_dij3B0UcwVyeYicgD-xUmGFy1dxWh8YYbz42h0yxcVwVbte2MTSXsnSeF0x384t0nVQFWwJnqeISiO8Ei29PcNMhXZGeKT/s1501/Saffron.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1001" data-original-width="1501" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuZnOD3ve921eIzViyrXEbOYuBNW2xujvMplgJWXps2k3ts_dij3B0UcwVyeYicgD-xUmGFy1dxWh8YYbz42h0yxcVwVbte2MTSXsnSeF0x384t0nVQFWwJnqeISiO8Ei29PcNMhXZGeKT/w512-h341/Saffron.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saffron<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Yn68HR_3L5_heYY-051Ipu-WkV3uPoTEVFEZM4eO-bPJ3PDtDuLwkrVgoR2jG0GpB7KamPdNGazde2vclPenOIuYqtV4N2-wyNPbW38iyPFiLsI6L2nsEqfnC-39hIdhqt8QFhDk0vP-/s1084/Sumac.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="723" data-original-width="1084" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Yn68HR_3L5_heYY-051Ipu-WkV3uPoTEVFEZM4eO-bPJ3PDtDuLwkrVgoR2jG0GpB7KamPdNGazde2vclPenOIuYqtV4N2-wyNPbW38iyPFiLsI6L2nsEqfnC-39hIdhqt8QFhDk0vP-/w512-h341/Sumac.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sumac<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvwyNV_0iWuumQN3Yk3_uXw6OL62-zLmA8RRxNzSNH5IeuAyo-uxGnJf-0JfZfA0DplRnpyu3994fcZljvb9UmPWH4vN3dBLor7q_UsYv3OlZTEeov8Av_Jyyk2vlajinPVOV7axzXBBxb/s1106/thyme2.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="829" data-original-width="1106" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvwyNV_0iWuumQN3Yk3_uXw6OL62-zLmA8RRxNzSNH5IeuAyo-uxGnJf-0JfZfA0DplRnpyu3994fcZljvb9UmPWH4vN3dBLor7q_UsYv3OlZTEeov8Av_Jyyk2vlajinPVOV7axzXBBxb/w512-h384/thyme2.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thyme<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWjh202zAJDFgoeWc2fMxI7tgQWtxpNYkZtNZD_0HLuWPfHz3F_7PxRWJb7IUpSSVdK5TkjG3Wd55tCQiqnyYa6tVVeFkuxJ6Q_MohfeJGGKHD1vmCPLfXsxdb6eZcIN0EVvMKalXTPYZ6/s1313/Rosemary.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 1em 0px;"><br /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio8cB8GorT5OCBY3hseHyqJmJlMunQvicNrHAucoukCxHpfG8sIBjXH5OUqAD17rK6AuvlKW9TQlIMBUhNWOoxnv4ecgsRjXCgEBUukITPAmib2-pFJBpTav479YdgaxdjDoPfL33_TBmF/s1375/Mint2.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 1em 0px;"><br /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpaI4msRVlGFo5jW4DepVIU3ke3If93dzDEfghjZfGB6WWJ1PE3VOUMElW7lqkfBfpc3O1IUSG95WChXqgkxNGBY6Fjvw7e3BznayvwTP9ggaOZJT7B9A947u9AZfGK2DL-7LaJFttPpa1/s1029/Cumin.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 1em 0px;"><br /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghx3aRBBA3a-FC3SnV219_uEcw3rkrdy4HAk10ErvEHjobrbZBrAi0f9Zo2rWvHjIdXFzXEccC_sJT-IC5tL1ttMr6HYQHIU1KU6bc0dDlwt2UgG7Z7CqlsQbYtksXOP87WKx0NUbfUzst/s1015/Cinnamon.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 1em 0px;"><br /></a></div><p><br /></p>The Media Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105304662582465770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5591523738135529069.post-24254065152040426612020-07-13T04:44:00.000-07:002020-07-14T16:44:47.011-07:00Sports Are Back to Save the Ad World<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTv-uTJLD9F1EsnnGCYlhwpHMS60sk4h7Gw9LWlbO5wbOosHlTQSRbEUussh0ljMp7WYloa_hxyY_6yaRczjmjV8bxceMIFhoEJ3P1DZnFiotYQ7a5D_pFrw9ZLEfynaxsC-e82UzY8Sxj/s1600/MGS-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTv-uTJLD9F1EsnnGCYlhwpHMS60sk4h7Gw9LWlbO5wbOosHlTQSRbEUussh0ljMp7WYloa_hxyY_6yaRczjmjV8bxceMIFhoEJ3P1DZnFiotYQ7a5D_pFrw9ZLEfynaxsC-e82UzY8Sxj/s400/MGS-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
In case you missed this memo while watching CNN bash President Trump in every story or opting for Fox News' overt love for the President in every story, let me remind you that SPORTS MATTER.<br />
<br />
They mater because they generate revenue.<br />
They generate jobs.<br />
They generate passion.<br />
<br />
Now with the return of the National Football League, National Basketball Association, National Hockey League, and Major League Baseball—all at once it seems—sports will generate billions in advertising revenue. This is exactly what the country needs. And right now.<br />
<br />
At the four-month mark where every major professional sports league went on hiatus due to COVID-19, the return of live sports is just what we all need. Live sports signals an important return to normal for the country and spark a television advertising sales marketplace that was left in a disparate place. During the last full season, each sport played, the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL produced nearly $7 billion in ad revenue for networks across the United States. That’s not to mention the billions produced overseas and the remaining parts of North America.<br />
<br />
Don’t think that sports matter? Here is exactly how much national ad revenue the big four sports leagues added to the networks’ gross sales during their last full seasons (*according to Kantar Media):<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>NFL—Regular Season: $3.3 billion, Playoffs: $1.3 billion</li>
<li>NBA—Regular Season: $528.2 million, Playoffs: $877.5 million</li>
<li>MLB—Regular Season: $144.7 million, Playoffs: $338.5 million</li>
<li>NHL—Regular Season: $35.9 million, Playoffs: $102.2 million</li>
</ul>
<br />
Seth Winter, EVP of sports sales for Fox Sports says that “the reopening of live sports is “a very symbolic and real indicator of the move forward to whatever the TV ad industry’s new normal will be post-pandemic.”<br />
<br />
Jo Ann Ross, president and chief advertising revenue officer, ViacomCBS domestic advertising sales says that, “There is a thirst and a hunger for live sports.”<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7FCYyaAufreJ8dPCQr0M-0ch9SvNjlRG2JkPeAyYmPIrAe3YmjzRC6SBjLdBbp0KhIGGmZbQDb2qcMDhC8JQuzVgArOQuwKsTI2LViLComsS5eFRtjcY0-StGtaA-7iARlFlOQeqaHiNW/s1600/kc-royals-billboard-hed-2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="367" data-original-width="652" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7FCYyaAufreJ8dPCQr0M-0ch9SvNjlRG2JkPeAyYmPIrAe3YmjzRC6SBjLdBbp0KhIGGmZbQDb2qcMDhC8JQuzVgArOQuwKsTI2LViLComsS5eFRtjcY0-StGtaA-7iARlFlOQeqaHiNW/s400/kc-royals-billboard-hed-2015.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
All you have to do is look at the few live sports that aired recently to demonstrate how thirsty advertisers and audiences are for any sort of live sports:<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>UFC 251—1.3 million people purchased the event on pay-per-view That’s among the highest in the sport’s history. UFC has generated this many buys only four times previously with the the most recent coming in 2018, when Khabib Nurmagomedov defeated Conor McGregor at UFC 229. That event generated a record 2.4 million buys.</li>
<li>The Match: Champions for Charity golf tournament, which aired on May 24 and featured Tiger Woods and Peyton Manning vs. Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady drew 5.8 million viewers across TNT, TBS, truTV and HLN. WarnerMedia reported that this telecast was the most-watched golf match in cable TV history. The WarnerMedia’s ad sales team sold every spot a month in advance with the expectation of this type of outcome. </li>
<li>When NASCAR races resumed on Fox one May 17th, over six million viewers made it the most-watched NASCAR Cup race on any network (outside of the Daytona 500) in 2018.</li>
</ul>
<br />
All of this comes of devastating news that U.S. advertising revenue plummeted 31% in May due to only those few events take place due to the pandemic. What makes this worse is that the Standard Media Index reports that majority of major ad categories reduced their media spends drastically—by 10%-20% or more. Only pharmaceutical manufacturers spent more in May than they did in the same 2019 period.<br />
<br />
Two media companies saw ad revenues deteriorate as a direct result of the absence of NBA games when the playoffs take place in May, broadcast by Walt Disney’s ABC and ESPN and WarnerMedia’s TNT. WarnerMedia saw ad revenue decline by 45.5%, while Disney saw it tumble by 39.6% for the month of May.<br />
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First up is MLB on July 25th followed by the NHL on August 1st. I can wait to see what advertisers have in store for us...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_oA9k2bnznMLk3XBMpjs726nzVBvR2NfQEMPZDFgHkhc310M76FRVOcRaXNzQfqh2FhpIrtS0k9mBAwTwqafDvIL_5Imsi2j3sCpGiryy1s9e8C_hhLhwfDbMnlcG5os13j284wsLVUbM/s1600/clio-digital-social-mj-01-2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="328" data-original-width="652" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_oA9k2bnznMLk3XBMpjs726nzVBvR2NfQEMPZDFgHkhc310M76FRVOcRaXNzQfqh2FhpIrtS0k9mBAwTwqafDvIL_5Imsi2j3sCpGiryy1s9e8C_hhLhwfDbMnlcG5os13j284wsLVUbM/s400/clio-digital-social-mj-01-2015.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Michael Jordan: The gold standard of sports advertising.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The Media Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105304662582465770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5591523738135529069.post-84591182187600967112020-05-18T12:13:00.000-07:002020-06-17T12:14:16.823-07:00Making Turkish Pita: The Ramadan Way<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFqBbFSHG52XGnBzO2AmgC4OvPk_HE4NzUCTFrodnLochAu9c8ZMKhRDL9YrN9ljhgsmV05rCmuptRGiXP8KWmA_FqJGg6UnPIny1_7zLNPBZoUQ5azc88muhi8yV1r3pnLo2hk_BTl0Nl/s1600/TurkishPittaBread+Pide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFqBbFSHG52XGnBzO2AmgC4OvPk_HE4NzUCTFrodnLochAu9c8ZMKhRDL9YrN9ljhgsmV05rCmuptRGiXP8KWmA_FqJGg6UnPIny1_7zLNPBZoUQ5azc88muhi8yV1r3pnLo2hk_BTl0Nl/s400/TurkishPittaBread+Pide.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I’ve spent parts of Ramadan all over the Middle East including Lebanon, the Sultanate of Oman, and Syria. Without creating serious debate, one of the best places for anyone to be during the holy month of Ramadan is in Turkey. Here, the solidarity of the holiday reaches its peak while honoring many of centuries-old traditions across all parts of the society.<br />
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For many outside of Islam, it would be easy to put Ramadan into a bucket of religious holidays, but truthfully it is much more than praying multiple times a day and fasting from before dawn until night. It’s also as much about bringing people together as much as any other kind of biased opinion you may have heard other the years.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgARK08Nf1QvibW7C6aNHIMPF2OV_Kq22ITKJipgojZhFvvMJnyXIo81q8wLi-5xk-y_zj6dNCQQD_3gSGNF5GnelW8dZ3df5qoWrThUyho851Eu7_xqs5dnQzr1BxVyaANVEXnoCTKjP4A/s1600/RamadanSnacks2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgARK08Nf1QvibW7C6aNHIMPF2OV_Kq22ITKJipgojZhFvvMJnyXIo81q8wLi-5xk-y_zj6dNCQQD_3gSGNF5GnelW8dZ3df5qoWrThUyho851Eu7_xqs5dnQzr1BxVyaANVEXnoCTKjP4A/s400/RamadanSnacks2.jpg" width="400" /></a>In Turkey, Iftar is a daily celebration of the breaking of the fast. Tables are elaborately set where families, friends and neighbors gather around the same table to feast on dishes that are prepared throughout the day. When I recall Ramadan traditions, the first to come to mind are crowded Iftar dinners, delicious treats, and home chefs revealing their culinary skills.<br />
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These rich dinner tables, extraordinarily adorned with a large variety of dishes, are an indicator of the hospitality and family values—with very few countries more adept at it that the Turkey people. Iftar is also where you discover that the centuries-old tradition of helping the poor and those in need shine bright. It’s a place where you can invite the needy over for Iftar, or prepare a special dinner for them for a greater sense of community. Even better is the incredible amount of hot food distributed to thousands of people by institutions, organizations, and of course, the locals.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIpuXyQe1TAMxUUswnd__d7kx0TKpqAOoJa7ZRlw3xHPB0JKvVpfBbG0jfx2VK9j2OMaepd66daCFatYgfC_wC6b-Hvzx5QpRCKs0LR1RTCgi6q0dytR4lu11897vW4rKhWC0rD2IdX2vF/s1600/Baklava.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIpuXyQe1TAMxUUswnd__d7kx0TKpqAOoJa7ZRlw3xHPB0JKvVpfBbG0jfx2VK9j2OMaepd66daCFatYgfC_wC6b-Hvzx5QpRCKs0LR1RTCgi6q0dytR4lu11897vW4rKhWC0rD2IdX2vF/s400/Baklava.jpg" width="400" /></a>Foods most frequently served on the tables include regional and traditional varieties of lamb and beef dishes, vegetable and legume dishes, soups, pilafs, dates, olives and cheese varieties, soujouk (fermented halal sausages), fattoush salads, various pastries and pies made of thin sheets of dough.<br />
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One these long summer days, there isn’t time for more than formal meal, but in the true underlying meaning of unity, Sahur is prepared and consumed in the wee hours of the morning. Only members of the household attend this meal, proceeding the upcoming 12-15 hours fast of the coming day.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixQGFMG2u6nnNjm7jtH-3Cnxe92Qsy9gY87QqtUTv2ocA7kP5SFGSnSwCMfwsqHgJjkeko13WgtgtsoWej3nmFB9cBKqlLmh1uKgrUgMBOEQBODmnDXhq8i4ePZjDPqGjZxZ12vobgwmOp/s1600/ALO_Chai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="507" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixQGFMG2u6nnNjm7jtH-3Cnxe92Qsy9gY87QqtUTv2ocA7kP5SFGSnSwCMfwsqHgJjkeko13WgtgtsoWej3nmFB9cBKqlLmh1uKgrUgMBOEQBODmnDXhq8i4ePZjDPqGjZxZ12vobgwmOp/s400/ALO_Chai.jpg" width="400" /></a>Sahur comes from one of the oldest traditions of the month of Ramadan, the mesaharati (or the Ramadan drummer) wandered from one street and neighborhood to another, informing those who fast about the approaching Sahur time. This tradition, which started to make sure that nobody would miss Sahur in an era when not every household had a clock, may have lost its functionality today but symbolically, it continues across the entire country. The drummers are rewarded for their month-long effort to wake up the people by collecting tips on the last night of Ramadan. Sahur tables are highlighted by lighter dishes like yogurt parfait, dates, fruits, toast with lebne dips and cheeses, and the all-important freshly-brewed chai.<br />
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An essential part of Ramadan centers on the “Ramadan pita.” In Turkey, it is a traditional delicacy of the cuisine. In pre-COVID days, pita queues in front of bakeries start hours before iftar. These days, takeaway isn’t as readily available, so breakout your chefs hats and baking sheets and let’s make some delicious Turkish pita.<br />
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>A pack of yeast (25g)<br />
•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>2 water glasses of warm milk<br />
•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>½ dessertspoon of sugar<br />
•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>½ water glass of warm water<br />
•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>½ tea glass of oil<br />
•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>1 tablespoon of salt<br />
•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>5 ½ water glasses of flour (more if necessary)<br />
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<b>To be used while shaping the dough:</b><br />
•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>1 tablespoon of flour<br />
•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>5-6 tablespoons of water<br />
•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>(Mix the flour and water well; it must be a fluid mix so add more water if necessary)<br />
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<b>To apply on the pita:</b><br />
•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>1 egg yolk<br />
•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>1 tablespoon of oil<br />
•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>1 tablespoon of milk<br />
•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>1 dessertspoon of yoghurt<br />
•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Plenty of sesame<br />
•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Black sesame<br />
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<b>Preparation</b><br />
<br />
Put the yeast, milk and sugar in a deep bowl and keep for 10 minutes (until the yeast melts). Add the remaining ingredients in order, knead the flour, and after it thickens, wait for 40 minutes after it thickens (ensure it is a soft dough that does not stick to your hand). Divide the dough into 2 or 3 pieces.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm3Wd2AK91nC26X7lCQcTJoEJm5Mtz6-PZsy1ud3pTefOkz8CUoIOnxgJ6gkynSyqoavT0BiSYBQn66BzGEI9s4j-55bKHdVwS8JDDxluo-jhHyPa_ufXWSBzOgnEtJzpV0blDXgBWaLpj/s1600/TurkishPittaBread+Pide2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm3Wd2AK91nC26X7lCQcTJoEJm5Mtz6-PZsy1ud3pTefOkz8CUoIOnxgJ6gkynSyqoavT0BiSYBQn66BzGEI9s4j-55bKHdVwS8JDDxluo-jhHyPa_ufXWSBzOgnEtJzpV0blDXgBWaLpj/s400/TurkishPittaBread+Pide2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Sprinkle some flour on the surface and take some flour on your hands before spreading the dough. Give it a circular or oval shape. Place the spread out dough on a tray that is either previously oiled or lined with a baking paper. Also sprinkle some corn flour on the tray so it won’t stick. Immerse your hands in the water-flour mixture and give it a square or lozenge shape by first pressing on the edges and then on the middle. The trick is to keep on immersing your hands in the water-flour mixture so that the shapes won’t disappear during baking. The dough is left for half an hour to leaven and the same procedure is repeated on the shaped parts to make sure that they will last. Finish off by applying the sauce on and sprinkling a lot of sesame and black sesame.<br />
<br />
Bake in an oven pre-heated to 200°C until golden brown.<br />
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<b><i>Note: This article originally appeared in <a href="https://www.alomagazine.com/making-turkish-pita-the-ramadan-way/">ALO magazine</a>.</i></b><br />
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The Media Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105304662582465770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5591523738135529069.post-18054821287152141412020-05-10T11:33:00.000-07:002020-05-13T11:34:09.384-07:00An Uncommon Cure for the COVID-19 (Boredom)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfw4DVK0n6Ozk3UCPIqR3_qibktbKwgpfNkUqWoMJZuLOipRAqfRnvVYpkdzIurs6pnL0yPRaq42zrOQglhdZrHvqxgxflcKnOLTwc4lq3onEE12GeVcNno-YRGeILHAHdCbya7-LcDI1X/s1600/MGS_Heinz.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="478" data-original-width="958" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfw4DVK0n6Ozk3UCPIqR3_qibktbKwgpfNkUqWoMJZuLOipRAqfRnvVYpkdzIurs6pnL0yPRaq42zrOQglhdZrHvqxgxflcKnOLTwc4lq3onEE12GeVcNno-YRGeILHAHdCbya7-LcDI1X/s400/MGS_Heinz.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: Instagram/heinz</td></tr>
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<i><b>Okay, so where am I?</b></i><br />
<br />
Well, I'm working. More than ever it seems. The COVID-19 lockdown has pinned most to our homes and <a href="https://www.theladders.com/career-advice/americans-are-actually-working-more-during-covid-19-than-they-did-in-the-office">according to Ladders</a> we are working three more hours a day on average. Nonetheless, I am thankful for the continued employment and remaining safe during this unprecedented pandemic. I carry a heavy heart for those lost and the 20+ million who had to file for first time unemployment benefits. Amidst all of this I must say that I am quite fortunate that my decades of work has paid off for the stakeholders I serve. All of my advertising and marketing numbers show double digit growth as we have shifted every campaign to virtual. The results have empowered other programs that will remain evergreen as we move into a new normal of conducting business.<br />
<br />
All of this work hasn't staved off the need to cure boredom, however. Nights that were spent going to hockey games, writing subsequent columns, and seeing family and friends need to be filled somehow right? You can only clean the house, or rearrange your man cave, or work on your great American novel so much. You need an outlet. My daughter suggested jigsaw puzzles and what a novel idea I thought. The last one I did was at a museum in Helsinki and it soaked up a lot of time and not as mind numbing as I remember.<br />
<br />
So imagine my glee when scrolling through Instagram I saw this among all of the cooking displays, Stay-At-Home memes, and throwback sports posts:<br />
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</a> <br />
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B_0bmq3JjG8/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">This might be the slowest puzzle on earth. 570 pieces. All Heinz red. Tell us who you wish you could finish this with. #heinzketchuppuzzle</a></div>
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A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/heinz/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" target="_blank"> Heinz Ketchup</a> (@heinz) on <time datetime="2020-05-05T20:15:48+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">May 5, 2020 at 1:15pm PDT</time></div>
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<script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><br />
Heinz has really nailed the branding and capitalized on it as of late. Everything from the <a href="https://mediamindsetter.blogspot.com/2020/02/ad-of-weekmonthwhatever-heinz-oscars.html">Oscars Snub</a> Campaign to the real placement of the <a href="https://mediamindsetter.blogspot.com/2017/03/don-draper-is-demigod.html">Don Draper ads</a> that were imagined in <i>Mad Men</i> to this 570-piece all red puzzle. Brilliance quite simply.<br />
<br />
Yeah, yeah, I am sure you are thinking, "A puzzle? Brilliant?" Consider this...<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwy-d0QAQ-RZqZoyjrGTb8jklc4oVDAyV1V4H-ZLWtXMiTNFIVe7rY3JjO1wJU0jxkILBouC8B88Bi6vtHv9INazSio_N_zpKurfml29bnRWukTrNAuhyFI9pAW4CdbI8olegCHrrhYI17/s1600/IMG_5823.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwy-d0QAQ-RZqZoyjrGTb8jklc4oVDAyV1V4H-ZLWtXMiTNFIVe7rY3JjO1wJU0jxkILBouC8B88Bi6vtHv9INazSio_N_zpKurfml29bnRWukTrNAuhyFI9pAW4CdbI8olegCHrrhYI17/s400/IMG_5823.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Helsinki puzzle completion.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This all-red Heinz puzzle is truly limited edition. You can't go down to your local Target and buy one along with your shaving cream and shampoo. Heinz has only made this one available through an online giveaway only. What's more, there are only 57 puzzles to be had. Fifty-seven in honor of the 57 varieties of Heinz that’s labeled on every bottle.<br />
<br />
To have a chance to own one of these beauties, you need to comment on the Heinz Instagram puzzle post, telling them who you want finish the puzzle with. From what I can see, some have already won, but there are some of the 57 are still available.<br />
<br />
Brian Neumann, senior brand manager at Kraft Heinz Canada, told <i>Clio Muse</i> that, "Heinz is known for its iconic slow-pouring ketchup. In a period when everyone has a little more time on their hands and puzzle popularity has skyrocketed, we wanted to help pass the time by connecting the two. We're always looking to deliver fun, contextually relevant ways to give our consumers a smile, and this ridiculously slow, all-red Heinz ketchup puzzle seemed like the perfect fit."<br />
<br />
Brilliant.<br />
<br />
Even better (for Heinz), those who do get the puzzle will engage with Heinz for hours outside of a meal, because, well, this isn't your typical COVID-19 afternoon activity. With all 570 pieces the identical red pantone of the famous Heinz ketchup, assembling this one will take quite a while without lines to guide you or an image for reference.<br />
<br />
Anticipation...it's making me wait!<br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8xnJl-_ycHE" width="560"></iframe><br />
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The Media Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105304662582465770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5591523738135529069.post-86343246914004187662020-05-01T09:34:00.000-07:002020-06-17T09:44:17.251-07:00The COVID-19 Commercial Pivot<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i><b>Okay, so where am I?</b></i><br />
<br />
I’m just like the rest of you, hunkered down watching Anderson Cooper talk to 22-year-old Harvard researchers predicting a two-year nightmare of mask wearing and hearing reports from Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti tell us that the Hollywood Bowl is closed this year and we won’t have sports until 2021. No exactly what I was looking for in 2020, that’s for sure.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAeQ68VZ0NldXyfSqDWGxoV3P6nrzAfOIrw4yJHLl6Ss-aKMSjN2wt8Tvnj8lqC7lOsdYIPUJ6F8YFlVg3sVVkCN83-7HBwcSl-_b44xt8VHTMxBH0BBIGuC3IktAvK6giCeMxHoxpJRil/s1600/MGS_ATTT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1222" data-original-width="1034" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAeQ68VZ0NldXyfSqDWGxoV3P6nrzAfOIrw4yJHLl6Ss-aKMSjN2wt8Tvnj8lqC7lOsdYIPUJ6F8YFlVg3sVVkCN83-7HBwcSl-_b44xt8VHTMxBH0BBIGuC3IktAvK6giCeMxHoxpJRil/s400/MGS_ATTT.jpg" width="337" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A 1910 advertisement from Ma Bell.</td></tr>
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A few weeks ago, spending was up up up in the media world with all of us Ad Men scrambling to understand the effectiveness analytics and reach our target audiences with bull’s-eye precision. Brands like Miller were still touting good times centered around cold brews, KFC pushing “finger lickin’ good” chicken like a drug dealers marching sentry in Baltimore, and the Charmin Bears were touting the brands delivered the cleanest bums.<br />
<br />
These days when you turn on the TV—and for many of us the TV is on nearly 24 hours a day—all you see are COVID-19 tribute commercials. This represents quite a pivot in our socially distant coronavirus live where ad agencies and their clients are facing an unparalleled level of ambiguity. The Interactive Advertising Bureau reports that 70+ per cent of brands, media planners, and media buyers believe that the coronavirus will have a larger advertising influence than the 2008 financial crisis. Although you probably feel different watching television, but overall expenditures on traditional media (Radio/TV) is down almost 40% from what and digital advertising was down a third from what agencies had expected to spend at the start of the buying year.<br />
<br />
But the folks at Nielsen have some data that supports our general feelings. Their data shows that when people are forced to stay inside (weather, illness, etc.), they watch around 60% more content than they usually do. And, the major brands took note, replacing their ad campaigns that were in rotation and replacing them with relevant coronavirus-centered content. Citibank is celebrating our heroes, Uber is thanking us for not using their service, Papa John’s is touting contactless pizzas, while Captain Obvious from Hotels.com reminds us of the obvious: Just stay home.<br />
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Currently, like all film production, commercial shooting has been locked down during the pandemic. Even so, brands haven’t stopped re-purposing content or using new footage provided from their staff’s family or shooting single camera B-roll to re-imagine their messaging and stay in front of millions in this ever growing television audiences and everyone scrolling through digital platforms nearly every waking moment of every waking day. Brands, even those not considered essential or shuttered, are finding ways to enter the COVID-19 conversation with their spending power.<br />
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A March 2020 survey by GlobalWebIndex asked internet users in 13 markets whether brands should continue advertising as normal. Nearly four in 10 US respondents ages 16 to 64 agreed, and a similar share (35%) were neutral, compared with 28% who disagreed. (The global results were on par with those in the US, at 37%, 36% and 27%, respectively.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTScuUP7bV7BHScxrkb7CxsjDa_N2enOa-H_BOS0rrH5AWGAoH-2DBffYeamiTyrnArf61EYM0N7ZKl1vfviNegPDYOKSs2uOsbt_SLU2KmslVBJQAhluWEO_r5fhNCJ9PFKHTgbqMpo6v/s1600/Survey.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="359" data-original-width="470" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTScuUP7bV7BHScxrkb7CxsjDa_N2enOa-H_BOS0rrH5AWGAoH-2DBffYeamiTyrnArf61EYM0N7ZKl1vfviNegPDYOKSs2uOsbt_SLU2KmslVBJQAhluWEO_r5fhNCJ9PFKHTgbqMpo6v/s400/Survey.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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So until we are freed up a little bit or things re-open or another controversy arises, get ready for a steady stream of alarming medical news, wearing masks to the grocery stores, and commercial gems like these...<br />
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<b>Apple</b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Kl1NW7h7lrY" width="560"></iframe></div>
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<b>Citibank</b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OYd5JUM9ubI" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<b>Dunkin’ Donuts</b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_ZH5zFknZdw" width="560"></iframe></div>
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<b>Fitbit</b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ub5ubZCmL4g" width="560"></iframe></div>
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<b>Walmart</b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/N6s2sdVxDvQ" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br /></div>
<b>Go Daddy</b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mS6pWUnawNk" width="560"></iframe></div>
<br />
<b>Amazon</b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_Z7PY4bOvvo" width="560"></iframe></div>
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<b>ALO Foundation</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Eig-3C5R8_8" width="560"></iframe></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<b>Uber</b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_e8XLnMiCOE" width="560"></iframe><br />
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The Media Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105304662582465770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5591523738135529069.post-34934911570254372352020-04-27T15:00:00.000-07:002020-04-27T17:28:57.125-07:00Just Who Is That Masked Lady?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
What's worse the pandemic or looking hideous in dumpy ill-fitted protection mask?<br />
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The answer is...the pandemic!<br />
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But never fear, I've found just the person who can make everyone look cool in a mask. Meet Irena Murphy, owner and operator of Stitch Bitch Masks.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEI2DlRPc_Ck6AkEG1QDa5VcAIDT6uJvvJ6FgyqgF3kOcWFjcSo8sec-aVFV9x5w3FK4oATrYxNL3Eh6x3Eykw6hTIa42pHIMg9VcU7Wa9PbN-6UmvecHCR8Wh10iv60UuuPWkPq43ki0w/s1600/black+pleated+mask+Irena+Murphy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEI2DlRPc_Ck6AkEG1QDa5VcAIDT6uJvvJ6FgyqgF3kOcWFjcSo8sec-aVFV9x5w3FK4oATrYxNL3Eh6x3Eykw6hTIa42pHIMg9VcU7Wa9PbN-6UmvecHCR8Wh10iv60UuuPWkPq43ki0w/s400/black+pleated+mask+Irena+Murphy.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Irena-approved style...</td></tr>
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Her story hasn't been a simple path to beautifying a pandemic. She lost her job as a hairstylist during the shutdown of Los Angeles and leaned on her two years of tailoring and design skills acquired a lifetime ago and dusted off her sewing machine to craft masks to donate to hospitals. After running out of material and having to buy more it dawned on her that she might be onto something. If she had to buy more, why not do something different, something out of the box. She wanted to curate a look that's "Irena Approved." The Irena-approved look quickly moved to Etsy where she developed styles that alleviated a lot of problems she identified with other masks on the market. Then when her website Stitch Bitch Masks website launched she was quickly (and temporarily) sold out of everything. But here she is and with the world short on masks, Irena Murphy is a mask maker and a business owner.<br />
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<b>MEDIA GUY: </b>That's certainly a nice career pivot. Have you always been an entrepreneur by nature?<br />
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<b>IRENA MURPHY: </b>I have always been an entrepreneur. I guess being a hairstylist is running your own business. But I've also sold other things on Etsy. I tried a small pinup headband thing for a bit and I used to make homemade lip balm, packaging, labeling selling it online and to local salons.<br />
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<b>MG: </b>I heard that your masks sold out immediately, why do you think yours stood out above the others?<br />
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<b>IM: </b>My masks did sell out immediately and it was overwhelming. I think there are a couple reasons. One, the world was seriously out of face masks. There was a call to action article in <i>Forbes</i> magazine last month asking seamstresses to donate to hospitals because they were out or short. Well, guess what? Regular people couldn't get masks either. Bigger companies were starting to sell them but they were sold out too. Buying from independent people like me meant we had it on hand and were shipping out sooner than later. But there's a ton of sellers on Etsy, I think mine did so well because they're cool. I buy specialty fabric and I'm able to source some designs that you can't buy at regular fabric places. I also add wire in the nose to make it more form fitting and the elastic I started using is thinner and you can tie it to adjust. I think everyone is scrambling to supply the demand. It's like the Gold Rush now. But these companies putting out masks are not necessarily designers and they're putting out masks that are baggy, plain, thin, generally not made well and I think people are catching on.<br />
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<b>MG:</b> To get everything going, you hired models for the visuals? Where did you find them?<br />
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<b>IM: </b>I've been modeling everything because of the stay-at-home order. I have to be my own model. I've started using a few friends, popping over and shooting them at a distance. I figure we're all in masks so it's a bit better!<br />
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<b>MG: </b>How has the transition from stylist to seamstress been?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhax7R6tFJ30R1kjL3-xRIYP5f3HrbukdDYbaVY4fQOrSY08gQOor01WciZCUKP0ynw3bP9yozgBxiCUGkoJ5G2Iy9VR3qlQDIcx7p1DItcamakp5D3svgUUn8G4qT4O-oiS_m-zQwtLv2D/s1600/ninja+mask+Irena+Murphy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhax7R6tFJ30R1kjL3-xRIYP5f3HrbukdDYbaVY4fQOrSY08gQOor01WciZCUKP0ynw3bP9yozgBxiCUGkoJ5G2Iy9VR3qlQDIcx7p1DItcamakp5D3svgUUn8G4qT4O-oiS_m-zQwtLv2D/s400/ninja+mask+Irena+Murphy.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Stitch Bitch Ninja Mask</td></tr>
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<b>IM: </b>Honesty, it’s been rough. I’ve never worked so hard in my life. (Laughs) I’d get up and start sewing and wouldn’t stop till midnight. But that’s because I’m building something new; both in learning to sew the best mask out there and also learning to grow this as a business. I finally started hiring people to help and it’s been going better! I love creating so the transition with that is easy. Creating new hair as a hairstylist, designing new masks, or creating a new business. As long as things are new and exciting I can handle it well. It’s the monotony of doing the same thing I don’t do well with.<br />
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<b>MG: </b>Does this give you aspirations to work on other clothing items?<br />
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<b>IM: </b>Yes, my God, yes! I’ve always wanted to go into fashion design. It’s the whole reason I took tailoring to begin with. I just didn’t realize how easy it was till I was pushed to do it. I haven’t had anything mass produced yet but I’ve talked with manufacturers and put together tech packs and tutorials on my sewing techniques and it’s honestly not that hard. You just need money. (Laughs) I really want to focus on masks right now and as long as that’s a need.<br />
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<b>MG: </b>Tell me about this vintage van you're single-handedly remodeling.<br />
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<b>IM: </b>aaaahhhh hahahaha! Yes! The Dream Machine! Vanlife baby! #vannin haha! I got so obsessed with van life on Instagram. There's something about running away and also being at home that just hooked into me. Although I'm not doing a full build out, my plan is to do a rad shagin' wagon retro conversion that also just doubles as a sort of glamping mobile. I went down the rabbit hole of YouTube videos and learned how to do the flooring and insulation and now I'm reupholstering the walls. I was gonna work on it during the quarantine and then...started a mask business! So it's on hold. Every now and then when I want to get away and I can't I just go sit in there and drink my coffee. It's nice to get out of your house, even if that means going to sit in your car. It's also nice to have air conditioning, a rad stereo in your car and a fold out futon in your car :)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFiVPFhmhY-6HXR4XtnAhAGbNrvPwXW8C6vVpnaUT6_XpSpfCm-oZfBbAWodsIHQ12xlXHcgPSLD60nLvPu-q_N9pUXDhBS4YKRfzjZS6e7Zbuyv2RvQD6lYg8oxghbdyRqcBjcoVvM3Si/s1600/IMG_1185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFiVPFhmhY-6HXR4XtnAhAGbNrvPwXW8C6vVpnaUT6_XpSpfCm-oZfBbAWodsIHQ12xlXHcgPSLD60nLvPu-q_N9pUXDhBS4YKRfzjZS6e7Zbuyv2RvQD6lYg8oxghbdyRqcBjcoVvM3Si/s400/IMG_1185.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#VanLife</td></tr>
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<b>MG: </b>You have done everything it seems—actress, writer, screenwriter, model, hair stylist, <a href="https://www.irenamurphy.com/writing-directing-work">director</a>, and now a seamstress—which is the most rewarding career choice?<br />
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<b>IM: </b>I have done a bit everything and I'm really hoping it all amounts to something some day They are all very useful skills in different ways. But what kind of rewarding are we talking about here? Financially rewarding or emotionally rewarding? They are usually different. I wish they were one in the same. But emotionally rewarding has to have been filmmaking. It's something I never thought I could do and then I did it. Having an idea, a feeling or even a moment and being able to communicate that in a way that's exactly how you feel is an amazing feeling. It's like poetry, or maybe I'm just not the best with regular words, but when people see a film and say, "that's how I feel!" or "I get that" or "I've had that conversation." It's all those things that connect us as people that become profound and there are so many moving parts to capture that. It's a pretty big accomplishment. Financially rewarding? That's yet to be seen and I really must keep this mask business going, right? So far designing something and making a company around that is like making a film. There's a lot of moving parts. If I can keep the plates spinning It might take over as the most rewarding thing I've ever done.<br />
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<b>MG: </b>Launching a business in the middle of a crisis can't be easy in the middle of a pandemic - what were your biggest obstacles?<br />
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<b>IM:</b> It's been crazy and I'm a crazy person for doing it. The biggest obstacles, of course, have been that everything is closed and no one can help me. Seriously! Fabric wholesalers or even consumer fabric shops are closed. I can order online but it's been a guessing game as to when the supplies will actually arrive. I've just had to be creative and really dig for different suppliers and ultimately I've had to pay a lot more in both shipping and the cost of fabric and then just wait and make do with what I have. It's also been hard because I'm picky and want to do everything. But then I tell myself something like, "Bill Gates didn't create a huge company by demanding that he build every single computer himself..." or something like that. Plus, the world is bonkers crazy right now. These are just some of the problems with trying to grow a business in a pandemic.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9pPMvcn_PbwkzzpyYKtKTNBvAJxNARvbi11pm6OUMHIkOu5IuKg0-1A97SH2m_bWOxEF9gtzeVrs3fE5X_sMU1PtDfOp7wjyzNgprhhoibLP8NzhBmhzcnA9-uTduK4d0N9lKixHGCZHE/s1600/stitch+bitch+group+black+ninja+.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9pPMvcn_PbwkzzpyYKtKTNBvAJxNARvbi11pm6OUMHIkOu5IuKg0-1A97SH2m_bWOxEF9gtzeVrs3fE5X_sMU1PtDfOp7wjyzNgprhhoibLP8NzhBmhzcnA9-uTduK4d0N9lKixHGCZHE/s400/stitch+bitch+group+black+ninja+.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<b>MG: </b>Staying sane during all of this - what's your blueprint?<br />
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<b>IM: </b>I am not sane through any of this, let's get that straight. I wish I had a blueprint. I used to mediate twice a day and you'd think with all this time I would be. I go to sleep with a million thoughts and I wake up with a million to do's. I guess in a way what's keeping me somewhat sane is that I have something else to focus on other than the crazy mess that's going on outside. I rarely go to the grocery store or anywhere. I just make masks. It might be making me a crazy but in a better way because it's given me a something to talk about and keep my brain turning with creative ways to run a business given the limitations. All of which are not the big overwhelming elephant in the room: The Pandemic along with the depression from loss of income, uncertainty of the future, inability to connect in person. All that isn't on my mind because my focus has been designing the perfect mask and figuring out how I might be able to grow a business from my home.<br />
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<b>MG: </b>Where do you want to see this business go?<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>IM: </b>I've worked consistently for months and put a unreasonable amount of money into this business so... I want to see this business go as far as it can! I could see this being in stores like Urban Outfitters and boutiques. And I'd like to get more sales over seas where mask culture already existed before. I've also made video tutorials on how to sew my designs so I could see making that available. I think it'd be so cute to make some mask and matching outfit combinations one day. But for now my immediate goals are to get out all the designs for masks I have in my head and make them available. I still have a lot of ideas for making "Summer Masks" and a retro series and even some different cuts I think would work well with different elastic combinations. So there's a ton of possibilities!<br />
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<i><b>Connect with Irena... </b></i><br />
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<a href="https://www.stitchbitchmasks.com/">Website</a><br />
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/stitchbitchmasks/">Instagram</a><br />
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The Media Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105304662582465770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5591523738135529069.post-63834539062192661202020-04-22T15:20:00.000-07:002020-05-01T16:34:34.224-07:00Reigning Badass of the Pet Portrait Scene<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
She shoots her darkly creative, kitschy and oddly historical painting-esque pet portraits in her Downtown Los Angeles studio. She has a unique self-awareness that makes each portrait one-of-a-kind. Working with custom Victorian and 60’s wallpaper-style backdrops, as well as 1980’s double exposures, her finished products seem to span centuries. She shoots for movie studios, big brands, movie stars, and your neighbor next door, all with a distinctive eye for high style.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1FYY3vrTxQz2_7umWzSxtcf0cksCI0iuWIB-ciyA-9G0QaTwVn_Cz2eX1zzJUC6zEhz-1sPAJAUC39A9rM1MLUDI_EdnBLr1vx7Q8DjDcE7J_st6_y9t7vfQFa33ShJTTgMLasPK7zBWL/s1600/IMG_5799.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1FYY3vrTxQz2_7umWzSxtcf0cksCI0iuWIB-ciyA-9G0QaTwVn_Cz2eX1zzJUC6zEhz-1sPAJAUC39A9rM1MLUDI_EdnBLr1vx7Q8DjDcE7J_st6_y9t7vfQFa33ShJTTgMLasPK7zBWL/s400/IMG_5799.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two badasses: Danielle and Panton, the cat.</td></tr>
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Quite simply she's the reigning badass of the pet portrait scene.<br />
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She's Danielle Spires.<br />
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For half a decade, I've worked closely with Danielle at my day job. Need an award-winning photo shoot staged and completed in a snap? She's the one to go to. Have two thousand photos that need to be curated and produced into a four minute movie in a day? Yep, she's the one. Need a photo of a star sagely photoshopped so that three-inch nose hairs disappears? Ditto: Danielle.<br />
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Yes, I know a lot of the stories, but now it's time for more to know her. It's time for all of you to plan your pet portraits ... once we are allowed out of our houses of course. If not to honor your best buddy, do it for the cool experience you'll have during the photo shoot.<br />
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<b>MEDIA GUY: </b>Pet portraits? I didn't know that was a thing. How did you know it was a thing?<br />
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<b>DANIELLE SPIRES:</b> It’s surprising how many people think I’m kidding when I say I’m a pet portrait photographer. I’ve always known since I was young that I’m a childfree DINK kind of girl, therefore cats have always been my roommates. So as I progressed through the years as a portrait photographer, I naturally turned to my cats as muses. I was greatly influenced by Pre-Raphaelite paintings of people with their animals, and just instilled that in my personal projects. Eventually I decided to turn it into a business after I offered pet portraits as a fundraiser to help with my cats’ veterinary bills, and the response was overwhelming.<br />
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<b>MG: </b>First of all, what's a DINK girl? Second of all, cats as muses? Don't they just lay in the corner and act aloof and uncaring?<br />
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<b>DS: </b>DINK means Dual Income No Kids. My lifelong vision is me, a life partner, kitties, and a dedication to art. The best part about cats is how much work it takes to make them pose in photos. I admire the emotional intelligence and independence. Not that I don’t love dogs in the studio, they’re so much fun. But cats are a near constant challenge. Cats know no masters, they come into our lives unknowingly enriching them. We should be thankful for the finite time they decide to spend with us, giving us an opportunity for companionship and otherworldly friendship. And should we repay them with ridiculous photoshoots.<br />
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<b>MG: </b>Which Pre-Raphaelite paintings spoke to you loudest?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk-Lww8PIe6c1Lj-wsNixy7RjycFaLkmyCTJobwlPJoyWdp0UP_ap6KG7zLE1swcd5EI7QzdUQurqvzQ1IOtG5xNEQm9zUC_m_dy7ERbdPX4dJuo3h8b_C_EALOesfm3bi8rxpKcdJic-x/s1600/MGS_SAVIOURS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1374" data-original-width="1094" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk-Lww8PIe6c1Lj-wsNixy7RjycFaLkmyCTJobwlPJoyWdp0UP_ap6KG7zLE1swcd5EI7QzdUQurqvzQ1IOtG5xNEQm9zUC_m_dy7ERbdPX4dJuo3h8b_C_EALOesfm3bi8rxpKcdJic-x/s400/MGS_SAVIOURS.jpg" width="317" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The SAVIOURS Series: Pre-Raphaelite Essences.</td></tr>
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<b>DS:</b> I’m always torn between tortured Baroque paintings and the sensual ’slice of life' Pre-Raphaelites. But there are probably two paintings I find myself thinking about often, and I know you didn’t ask about Baroque but "The Bridesmaid" by J E Millais and Artemisia Gentileschi’s "Judith Slaying Holofernes" sit at the top of my list. The Bridesmaid possibly conveys a listlessness to the marriage conventions of that time, while being such a striking and romantic portrait of a woman. And Gentileschi definitely has a way of painting women and telling stories.<br />
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<b>MG: </b>Tell me about your favorite shoot?<br />
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<b>DS: </b>I have so many favorite shoots, but the series that comes to mind first is my <a href="https://www.daniellespires.com/saviours">SAVIOURS</a> series I shot for an art show. I shot the whole series a few weeks after my beloved cat Noguchi passed away, in his honor. Each photo is made to look like a Pre-Raphaelite painting of a woman with her pet, and I sourced the weirdest and strangest pets for this. The coolest was watching each owner interact with their beloved pet, and tell me stories about the friendship they have with their snake, hedgehog, cat, lizard, etc. The weirdest was shooting a tarantula named Lily. She was a fuzzy little cute tarantula, and we’d just drop her on her owner’s neck and let her crawl while I quickly took photos.<br />
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<b>MG:</b> So what is it that drives your clients to you? Are you unique in this world of pet portraits? Is it your distinctive style that has driven you to the top of this niche? Or do you just have "it"?<br />
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<b>DS: </b>Oh wow, that’s a tough question. I’d like to think I have a distinct style that people seek out. Sometimes clients scroll through my Instagram and when they come in the studio, they tell me they want the stoic, stiff posed look on kitschy wallpaper that is prevalent in most of my work. I always tell them to smile for a couple shots, for their mom’s sake. I also love to think I make this experience fun, unique and little weird. How often do you drive to a photo studio in the outskirts of Downtown Los Angeles to take a photo of your dog in a cowboy hat, double exposed to look like the soft focus Olan Mills portraits of your childhood? I guess I can make “unique” obtainable to anyone and everyone.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiovG5nFNWzwABrO5N66LUcRzVu4kFnoVovcvOOrRKEJmfSJgxLvfW4imNq95H6qtvv1e53R20bqT1kU7tqi0kTpQBjY_A_IAVUIEsxiJWf70ysl9nC-j1OqTpCyTDR0TRF-ua2L1EkGaU/s1600/20200308_Pet+Portraits_Danielle+Spires-9741.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1281" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiovG5nFNWzwABrO5N66LUcRzVu4kFnoVovcvOOrRKEJmfSJgxLvfW4imNq95H6qtvv1e53R20bqT1kU7tqi0kTpQBjY_A_IAVUIEsxiJWf70ysl9nC-j1OqTpCyTDR0TRF-ua2L1EkGaU/s400/20200308_Pet+Portraits_Danielle+Spires-9741.jpg" width="318" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Let 'em eat...catnip! Royal catnip.</td></tr>
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<b>MG: </b>Your dream shoot would be...?<br />
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<b>DS: </b>Well, I suppose it's to be hired to shoot the most opulent pet portraits of people and their horses (or any pet). I’m talking Rococo style sets, over the top gowns and dramatic costumes for the animals. Imagine a horse in a custom jabot and headpiece encrusted in jewels.<br />
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<b>MG: </b>Without giving away everything, what was your biggest nightmare shoot?<br />
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<b>DS: </b>Ha, can I say my biggest nightmare shoot didn’t even involve a pet? I’m actually going to have to say my own cat Panton is my hardest client. He absolutely shuts down, turns into a bowl of pudding and starts shaking like he’s being taken to the vet. I get about four photos with him before I set him down, which he then promptly forgets why he’s angry after I give him treats. I get literally <i>four</i> shots. I can’t believe my own cat is my nightmare client.<br />
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<b>MG: </b>Are famous people's pets more pampered than your average citizen's pets?<br />
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<b>DS: </b>Absolutely not! Although I knew a private pilot that was hired to fly celebrities' pets around the country. I have regular clients come in with their pet in a stroller, fresh from the groomer, eating the most expensive artisanal snacks and wearing jeweled outfits. I love it because our pets are our best friends, our comrades, our families…they deserve only the finest.<br />
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<b>MG: </b>Do you offer craft services for the four- and eight-legged models? How about Evian water?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-vK9nmgg_sf2DdPXo8sQNfLyck1TBRpUnIUZCFvtQMTeRQGaEJf80V9GC0Tv8QxIaQRvEqV_0YBxey0UNs0lS5xsA0dbgvpF6XQG2mKKpFLNjFwDu57cBfnI2K2D-PHRWtK3Ex9I5qGjL/s1600/Pet-Portraits-Danielle-Spires-6065+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1213" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-vK9nmgg_sf2DdPXo8sQNfLyck1TBRpUnIUZCFvtQMTeRQGaEJf80V9GC0Tv8QxIaQRvEqV_0YBxey0UNs0lS5xsA0dbgvpF6XQG2mKKpFLNjFwDu57cBfnI2K2D-PHRWtK3Ex9I5qGjL/s400/Pet-Portraits-Danielle-Spires-6065+copy.jpg" width="302" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Badass self portrait.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>DS: </b>(Laughs) I actually do! In addition to fancy water, I always have fresh dog and cat treats<span style="font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 12pt;">—</span>(the good stuff!)<span style="font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 16px;">—</span>and custom-made cat toys that I hand-sew myself.<br />
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<b>MG: </b>How do you bring out the personality of the pet and their human partner?<br />
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<b>DS: </b>There’s such a fine line between bringing out their personality and a highly stylized shoot. I try to balance both. Most of the time, my client has a specific idea or vision when they come into the studio. They meticulously pick out clothing specific to the backdrop and ask to be posed a certain way. Then I step in and tweak everything to heighten the style. That way we meet in the middle, their true personality comes out, and it also looks like a Danielle Spires shot.<br />
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<b>MG:</b> What do you do for animal lovers who are allergic but want a hip, once-in-a-lifetime portrait? You know, people like me?<br />
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<b>DS:</b> Hypoallergenic dogs! Someday I’ll get you in the studio with a hypoallergenic dog. I expect velvet loafers and a matching pocket square.<br />
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<b>MG: </b>What's a metal/goth/satanic version of a queen?<br />
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<b>DS:</b> Me...<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<i style="font-weight: normal;">Connect with Danielle, especially her IG which is always poppin’ off. </i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.daniellespires.com/">Website</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/daniellespiresphotography/">Facebook</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/catpartypetportraits/">Instagram</a></div>
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The Media Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105304662582465770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5591523738135529069.post-74841983518429763702020-04-05T18:29:00.000-07:002020-04-18T11:04:12.731-07:00The 43 Postcards Project: Bulgaria<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><i>I kicked off 2020, by adding intriguing visuals from </i></b><b><i>my lifetime of travels</i></b><b><i> around the world and called it the 43 Postcards Project. So far, my quest has taken me to places familiar and others remote, in 43 countries and counting, from the deep Pacific to the deserts of the Middle East to the snow-crusted landscapes of the Arctic Circle. Here, I'll share a handful or two of snapshots from each country I visit, as I saw them. Enjoy the views.</i></b><br />
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<b><i>Okay, so where am I?</i></b><br />
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Up until 2007—when they joined the European Union—Bulgaria has never really been on its own. Twenty seven hundred years ago, the Thracians ruled, who were then followed by the Romans, the Byzantine Empire, the Ottoman Turks and then, finally, the Communists. After the fall of the Iron Curtain, it took quite a while for Bulgaria to get rolling. Now the country has emerged and casting its own shadows. Where the old Lenin monument stood, a statue of Sofia’s Patron Saint now casts its own shadow of protection. Under her gaze, the dark princess is said to embody the city’s East-meets-West, old-meets-new allure of reimagined Eastern Europe.<br />
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After Bulgaria gained its independence in the late 19th century, Sofia was chosen as the country’s new capital. It’s now been capital for 140 years sitting the heart of the Balkan Peninsula.<br />
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The city’s appearance today has been widely shaped by the twists and political turbulence of the 20th century. Bulgaria was a parliamentary monarchy prior to World War II. Its architecture was influenced by the examples of German, Austrian, and French. The second half of the 20th century saw Bulgaria firmly entrenched behind the Iron Curtain, dependent on the USSR’s influence and aid. It was in that time that Bulgaria’s architecture and urban planning was re-conceptualized to fit the structure of the communist ideals. Once the Soviet blockade was released in 1989, the country started its transition into democracy and is now a member of NATO and the European Union.<br />
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There’s a Bulgarian expression: B мЂтнА вода леcho ca лoви. Which means, “It is good fishing in troubled waters.” Or to the layman, by taking advantage of chaotic conditions one can easily serve one’s own purposes. In short, this think and survivalist mentality united to construct the unique blend of culture and style that personifies the nation today.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo2RMRNZmI_ZGmWbM9E4VxvvUWIyumI5wjzqU1c7IVXyW3RVj_Asney9_fvUGqL4h1GsG5gQVkbqmFa84AXWIUlLrckTqab3aWqNwgE2yBcpagZ7hDifkygQmsNia6iCJ_IN95qYlerJie/s1600/IMG_0987.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="930" data-original-width="1400" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo2RMRNZmI_ZGmWbM9E4VxvvUWIyumI5wjzqU1c7IVXyW3RVj_Asney9_fvUGqL4h1GsG5gQVkbqmFa84AXWIUlLrckTqab3aWqNwgE2yBcpagZ7hDifkygQmsNia6iCJ_IN95qYlerJie/s400/IMG_0987.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is the second largest Eastern Orthodox church in Europe.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlMtDOWnB6_FGMQoJr79_8iDBlIHCAksLWECqhKIJ8fJAGson9vaC39pTF-EqXGeIO7FxUHGEeCTL1VqcidJL_-WS0V5YewLJbFBE8FR2PyrDr69RLv3P1fzgcd052G48qNTnbPUdlgVtZ/s1600/IMG_0915.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="820" data-original-width="1600" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlMtDOWnB6_FGMQoJr79_8iDBlIHCAksLWECqhKIJ8fJAGson9vaC39pTF-EqXGeIO7FxUHGEeCTL1VqcidJL_-WS0V5YewLJbFBE8FR2PyrDr69RLv3P1fzgcd052G48qNTnbPUdlgVtZ/s400/IMG_0915.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sofia's Patron Saint overlooks the capital.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrRQmoNBv737kVsOyypi4_Zm8plrNuI93UejoF7NVnb-p-rxqpCA9PlSw4pnAKqoBeECDlWy5kHXIAdcQcfG0CWpTAr9zFXNh5-lrEZruX-HcCnpqVAFwmEgksb7BtVuY1cRaBcKDM0C9M/s1600/IMG_0988.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1193" data-original-width="1600" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrRQmoNBv737kVsOyypi4_Zm8plrNuI93UejoF7NVnb-p-rxqpCA9PlSw4pnAKqoBeECDlWy5kHXIAdcQcfG0CWpTAr9zFXNh5-lrEZruX-HcCnpqVAFwmEgksb7BtVuY1cRaBcKDM0C9M/s400/IMG_0988.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of Third Reich and World War II memorabilia at the flea markets.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnS6dCHLJ15hrDhyphenhyphenpnD4AkLxl0nmY_KzP64IRjRFmCJajq8PoQDSXpmIKAr5SrmA3inu95BJF7yUeF0O-FJKxVFOar2xE7XgxWr9cuGkuqAQJxHQsfdLNFsBErI_JzkcbjtNvFzie-ICcW/s1600/IMG_0989.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnS6dCHLJ15hrDhyphenhyphenpnD4AkLxl0nmY_KzP64IRjRFmCJajq8PoQDSXpmIKAr5SrmA3inu95BJF7yUeF0O-FJKxVFOar2xE7XgxWr9cuGkuqAQJxHQsfdLNFsBErI_JzkcbjtNvFzie-ICcW/s400/IMG_0989.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's a huge farmer's market underneath these ruins.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqKFY7E-vq9PgJqyM-ayqEX5tTAL2jT4FvtUsywLB0U2uvbhpsAAE9Atv9-j8zqv5nkTNluq_WAM4kQfFbPoSatrLxR1isCseyWleotzYZF7XY0Nnxg5ZxCBS6XIAT8wtO9hhTkp4yXCQP/s1600/IMG_0990.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqKFY7E-vq9PgJqyM-ayqEX5tTAL2jT4FvtUsywLB0U2uvbhpsAAE9Atv9-j8zqv5nkTNluq_WAM4kQfFbPoSatrLxR1isCseyWleotzYZF7XY0Nnxg5ZxCBS6XIAT8wtO9hhTkp4yXCQP/s400/IMG_0990.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The National Theatre</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVLmJaihYMOwMTRDixaAFMUibQfOO0pEme_tEZLClUh08uEUDt6XDYYbcT72L4ssxxV0B_GxWW3TJY1nWSW42rkrnw_DMR4aO4wcxZR5SUBSZfHoSk4xLDV6erby9qvn_AUZ_b-4XuVMdP/s1600/IMG_3063.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVLmJaihYMOwMTRDixaAFMUibQfOO0pEme_tEZLClUh08uEUDt6XDYYbcT72L4ssxxV0B_GxWW3TJY1nWSW42rkrnw_DMR4aO4wcxZR5SUBSZfHoSk4xLDV6erby9qvn_AUZ_b-4XuVMdP/s400/IMG_3063.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Communism sculpture has been replaced with ones of love and hope. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNW62GCvCuAqjTKTlidnFWBx_Z7u1KxI_iLIszgl9fcAixNqgqy44XSdEruXHXrAQIAc7jPrpq5l7jIjhXs6Fillb_EFLg4Okz3fG5X4XsqqpJLWFnMy77R3eYqKcN9l47-ol0Ws2TfxLc/s1600/IMG_3078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNW62GCvCuAqjTKTlidnFWBx_Z7u1KxI_iLIszgl9fcAixNqgqy44XSdEruXHXrAQIAc7jPrpq5l7jIjhXs6Fillb_EFLg4Okz3fG5X4XsqqpJLWFnMy77R3eYqKcN9l47-ol0Ws2TfxLc/s400/IMG_3078.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A photographer's delight.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisv2d4n3DC6BhkYQ_VVzEs2u_aaQxwIvselVXLwGJr9AMo3tSgkH3cLL2oJAEV9jHMPUaHDo6SAu0tGiquIWTctPIHUVrGxuW9jvqkWHKBH_2wA1oblhec35k_I1O2jC6X8IifeLCFNH2b/s1600/IMG_0971.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisv2d4n3DC6BhkYQ_VVzEs2u_aaQxwIvselVXLwGJr9AMo3tSgkH3cLL2oJAEV9jHMPUaHDo6SAu0tGiquIWTctPIHUVrGxuW9jvqkWHKBH_2wA1oblhec35k_I1O2jC6X8IifeLCFNH2b/s400/IMG_0971.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Momento Park</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV-jirs1tXkWjdGhT1D-fvG9iukZ6OyH-jcsA3q6LGmMtH4nhymfK-3u5xUrdxRJyJVXsx8c1tfQhGu-6BGSkp0-VmFzbcKjjO1rsLxs1VIP2xEAMWtJ2rrluECe-v80YkH2B74ahAaG6-/s1600/IMG_0947.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV-jirs1tXkWjdGhT1D-fvG9iukZ6OyH-jcsA3q6LGmMtH4nhymfK-3u5xUrdxRJyJVXsx8c1tfQhGu-6BGSkp0-VmFzbcKjjO1rsLxs1VIP2xEAMWtJ2rrluECe-v80YkH2B74ahAaG6-/s400/IMG_0947.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fresh fruits at the farmer's market.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji5NpEC5nP0iq6k0GihDAUuBD6u_WcUXhhitg0_tExGJ62aepUwc5-eCsBQ0vP0-ssM_ZHdep0ciNkxWtE6KUjc1VxRLOfZ0zVm5o9Q2BcyE-Oe4ip7OGx5xHHOFbQVeOs6Oeola2peyuY/s1600/IMG_0946.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1032" data-original-width="1600" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji5NpEC5nP0iq6k0GihDAUuBD6u_WcUXhhitg0_tExGJ62aepUwc5-eCsBQ0vP0-ssM_ZHdep0ciNkxWtE6KUjc1VxRLOfZ0zVm5o9Q2BcyE-Oe4ip7OGx5xHHOFbQVeOs6Oeola2peyuY/s400/IMG_0946.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Communism buildings and lifestyles still permeate.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_YO_KcsbEAesDzJsFrNeQ_5EYIkpimSVDPXRmlvSqMbuDeEJ_baAceO2DipWIHeQp00HXLIt5q9N8YxJZKrWrOpA3bqndD4B7n0Qv_RdRqJlXcARPz_wFEZWtfGX5GwuKP-6fvjBPBoOF/s1600/IMG_0949.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_YO_KcsbEAesDzJsFrNeQ_5EYIkpimSVDPXRmlvSqMbuDeEJ_baAceO2DipWIHeQp00HXLIt5q9N8YxJZKrWrOpA3bqndD4B7n0Qv_RdRqJlXcARPz_wFEZWtfGX5GwuKP-6fvjBPBoOF/s400/IMG_0949.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buy a train ticket can be challenging.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho7Ph7FBn9VsFRVd_YZsBGoKSWu6Yh5UkECjBNf9paG3b-IL5Xt0-mxWA6WXTGtRJ4HumGff8YLnlK1VeR2HKXjFpv0xd4PC7d_z0OlvRa9ao2dGSnEK8xQTY5XDnHVdp2JflVUcB1yTl1/s1600/IMG_0945.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1043" data-original-width="1600" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho7Ph7FBn9VsFRVd_YZsBGoKSWu6Yh5UkECjBNf9paG3b-IL5Xt0-mxWA6WXTGtRJ4HumGff8YLnlK1VeR2HKXjFpv0xd4PC7d_z0OlvRa9ao2dGSnEK8xQTY5XDnHVdp2JflVUcB1yTl1/s400/IMG_0945.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the gypsy ghetto on the outskirts of Sofia.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8lFXrQGWB6AtY0iUFr2TlGzXaaOZ1uG8zFun1pscsUiLm6BWKHRwMNHLEgSgC2D2QsVGNUQr2_KRsrS28qA7wPg99XrWSzPiiy6cB9xk0l_Vi8H4sKrbR4SeypP76ggJK_mCLdZwUKg2N/s1600/IMG_0950.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1062" data-original-width="1600" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8lFXrQGWB6AtY0iUFr2TlGzXaaOZ1uG8zFun1pscsUiLm6BWKHRwMNHLEgSgC2D2QsVGNUQr2_KRsrS28qA7wPg99XrWSzPiiy6cB9xk0l_Vi8H4sKrbR4SeypP76ggJK_mCLdZwUKg2N/s400/IMG_0950.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Abandoned market en route to Plovdiv.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The snow closer to the Balkan Mountains can be formidable.</td></tr>
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Welcome to the Bulgarian Communist Party Headquarters in Buzludzha, located in the Central Balkan Mountains: Elevation, 5,000 feet. I visited here twice on the same trip: before and after the snowfall. You get two dynamically different views of this amazing journal of Communist Grandeur. Construction began in 1974 and was opened in 1981. It was built by the Bulgarian communist regime commemorating the secretly organized movement by Dimitar Blagoev in 1891 that led to formation of Social Democratic Party, the precursor to the Bulgarian Communist Party.<br />
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This building is an example of Brutalist architecture. Raw concrete and massive, fortress like structures were popular with Communist governments and institutions. it was not considered a style but an expression of "moral seriousness.” "Let generation after generation of socialist and communist Bulgaria come here, to bow down before the feats and the deeds of those who came before; those who lived on this land and gave everything they had to their nation. Let them feel that spirit that ennobles us and as we empathize with the ideas and dreams of our forefathers, so let us experience that same excitement today! Glory to Blagoev and his followers; those first disciples of Bulgarian socialism, who sowed the immortal seeds of today’s Bulgarian Communist Party in the public soul!" -Bulgarian Communist leader Todor Zhivkov, at the opening ceremony of the monument.<br />
The collapse of the Soviet Union caused Buzludzha's closure in 1989.<br />
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The Media Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105304662582465770noreply@blogger.comSofia, Bulgaria42.6977082 23.321867542.5109832 22.999144 42.884433200000004 23.644591tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5591523738135529069.post-1428162615163382342020-03-31T12:55:00.000-07:002020-04-03T13:22:32.452-07:00Virtually Live From Paris with Margrét, My New Favorite Amazon Model<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b><i>From the New York Times: “…the city has a centuries-old tradition of solo exploration, personified by the flâneur, or stroller. Flânerie is, in its purest form, a goal-less pursuit, though for some it evolved into a purposeful art: Walking and observing became a method of understanding a city, an age. Baudelaire described the flâneur as a passionate spectator, one who was fond of ‘botanizing on the asphalt,’ as the essayist Walter Benjamin would later put it.”</i></b></blockquote>
<b><i>Okay, so where am I?</i></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWAoBWJsDwcEVF8gybGVFyn1on-IXE7hKzPCgxKbZfD-lMCIyTYN8iKx1pB96dohLCc4f6vk8OdwnHeZzPY-PoKVPlQnI4M64Cqlozmf-XfXzMJnD-3elesayW9C8Jtu-VM2sFC1eEx5R5/s1600/MGS_1990.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="940" data-original-width="860" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWAoBWJsDwcEVF8gybGVFyn1on-IXE7hKzPCgxKbZfD-lMCIyTYN8iKx1pB96dohLCc4f6vk8OdwnHeZzPY-PoKVPlQnI4M64Cqlozmf-XfXzMJnD-3elesayW9C8Jtu-VM2sFC1eEx5R5/s400/MGS_1990.jpg" width="365" /></a>Whelp, I'm not in Paris, but in a few paragraphs we will be transported there...hang tight.<br />
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Actually, I am still home in the beautiful confines of my Encino California Compound. Other that to get my mail, bread, and fresh fruit, I have been sequestered here riding out the Coronavirus since the Los Angeles-<a href="https://la.eater.com/2020/3/16/21181841/los-angeles-county-restaurant-bar-closures-coronavirus">mandated prohibition</a> started two weeks ago on my birthday.<br />
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In addition to missing out on a pretty stellar Disneyland birthday, I had two Japanese commercials wiped out because of the travel ban (postponed, not cancelled) and now I am having NBA and NHL withdrawals along with some severe cabin fever. Thank goodness— along with my family, friends and colleagues—I am safe.<br />
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I was planning to meet Margrét, My New Favorite Amazon Model, because the last time I spoke with her she was at the Baghdad Café lamenting bout trying to due her clothesless craft amongst families and kids roaming around the tourist trap over two years ago. But with all of the city shutdowns, we had to cancel and move to a video conference to catchup. Ah, the new world of “Stay At Home” work and friendships.<br />
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So just to catch you up—or you can scroll all the way down to end and read the previous columns— Margrét is a nude model who travels the world taking her clothes off in the pursuit of her art. It’s never going to make her rich, but it makes her happy and a happy Margrét makes the world a better place…<br />
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<b>Media Guy: </b>You usually stick close to the Western USA, but is it true you are stuck outside the country?<br />
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<b>Margrét, My New Favorite Amazon Model: </b>I would say luckily I was in France when all of the Coronavirus lockdows and travel bans went into effect, but Paris is a drag without all of the cuisine and museums and sights.But I’m making the best of it trying to go all Hemingway with my introspective writing at abandoned city sites soaking in the essence of the land.<br />
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<b>MG: </b>What were you up to before for the country ground to a halt?<br />
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<b>MMNFAM:</b> I was doing my thing with this self-photography exhibition on the French Countryside when, well, imagine four dudes breaking down 300 meters from my camera lens in their big Mercedes hauler. Now imagine then not knowing how to fix their hauler and I roll up on them to help. Except I wasn’t wearing more than a Nikon lens cover! I bet they never expected help to come in the form of an intrepid nude model.<br />
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<b>MG: </b>But I imagine that’s exactly what happened, right? And how did you pull that off?<br />
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<b>MMNFAM:</b> Imagine the look on these French bros' faces when a second nude model, my roommate, rolled up in an Aston Martin with a back seat full of tools. I'm telling you, it was like <i>MacGyver</i> met French <i>Baywatch</i>. The only thing mission was were our red one-piece swimsuits so that we could have run over in slow motion. I’m guessing they were fairly pleased with two mostly nude chicks fixing their timing belts while the fought to keep their jaws from dropping.<br />
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<b>MG: </b>I’ve often wondered about the fine line you’re walking when it comes to nude modeling because some of the readers say you are reinforcing sexist stereotypes of scantily clad women (or unclad) women on film.<br />
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<b>MMNFAM: </b>It's what I battle with on a regular basis with my modeling, because what is considered arty can be pretty hokey and sexist. But I figure God blessed me with a certain look and I get to control my destiny with what I charge and the situations I ultimately wind up in. At the end of the day, it’s a more honest living that some of the mucky-mucks in banking or on Wall Street.<br />
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<b>MG:</b> You’re doing well these days?<br />
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<b>MMNFAM: </b>My modeling affords me an income to support my home and my adventures. I stay off social media to avoid stalkers and weirdos and in the last five years I have shot in 31 countries. It’s a great way to make a living,<br />
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<b>MG:</b> What has shaped up as your specialty as of late?<br />
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<b>MMNFAM:</b> My specialty is artistic nudes, when translated to the layman means non-erotic nudes set in contrast against the landscapes of the world. Everyone wants this fit brunette against beautiful scenery. I love the work because it gets me outdoors. I don’t have to sit at a desk answering emails all day ad in turn I get to experience the remarkably attractive world that few ever get to see like I do. Modeling gets old pretty quick, I feel like exploring the outdoors doesn’t.<br />
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<b>MG:</b> What is it about the outdoors that has kept you employed all of these years?<br />
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<b>MMNFAM: </b>Guys will forever have a curiously mysterious hard-on for a curvy, firm backside in a ruptured landscape. I do a lot of posing in fantasy landscapes—mountains, lakes, log cabins—but the ones that garner the biggest paydays come from the most dilapidated settings like old warehouses, crumbling buildings, salt mines, abandoned parks, civil wars zones. There must be something about rotting cities that is some sort of aphrodisiac that appeals to many a photographer. The contrast of luscious nubile skin against corroded timeworn building carcasses is an age-old fantasy that will probably never go out of style. Like the <a href="https://mediamindsetter.blogspot.com/2017/08/the-birth-of-venus.html">Birth of Venus painting</a> only set in Chernobyl.<br />
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<b>MG: </b>So your quest for post-apocalyptic ruins has taken you on a journey all over the world?<br />
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<b>MMNFAM:</b> With a little bit of investigating, you can find some truly extraordinary rubble to photograph and when it comes to ruin nude modeling, the Baltics and Eastern Europe are pretty much the gold standard. It’s like a Disneyland of desolation and tetanus. These areas are some that you’ve only heard about in the deep recesses of the news and now the whole region has essentially been ignored and neglected due to its being left in a state of disrepair after the boys took their weapons and petty differences and went home.<br />
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<b>MG: </b>And you’re finding the same in Paris?<br />
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<b>MMNFAM:</b> Oh no, much different here. A did a month-long series in and around Paris, fully-clothed doing a full-on Greta Garbo meets <i>Breakfast At Tiffany’s</i> motif. You know, it was easy to surrender in Paris to the moment. The alchemy of everything metamorphosed average activities into pleasurable ones; a stroll in the park, a cappuccino at a sidewalk café…you name it. Here, I dragged the edge of a butter knife across a baguette with a style better suited to gliding a bow across a Stratavarious. And today, with almost nobody around it is still quite the same. I am here on my own. My residence is paid for until July. I worked enough not to book another job until August and I am sponging in the city in my own post-apocalyptic illusion. In a city that has been honing splendor since the reign of Napoleon III, there are immeasurable sensual minutiae—patterns, touches, tints, hums—that can be mitigated, even overlooked, when babbling with someone or following a locked in schedule. Alone. one becomes deeply aware of the resonating clack of high heels in a park walkway; the patina of the gas lamps that light the city, the effervescence of the blue sky on a cloudless day; and how the empty wine bottles laid gently next to the recycling bins are the epitome of your neighbor’s good times.<br />
There is a Paris that acutely repays the individual traveler.<br />
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<b>MG: </b>So all of this adds up to another fantastic chapter in the Book of Margrét, My New Favorite Amazon Model?<br />
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<b>MMNFAM:</b> It's a fantastic book I am living. I hope it never ends. Au revior!<br />
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<b>Previous Margrét, My New Favorite Amazon Model Columns:</b></div>
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<i>The Summer of Superheroes and Margrét, My New Favorite Amazon Model</i></div>
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Published: July 2018 </div>
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<a href="https://mediamindsetter.blogspot.com/2018/07/summer.html">Link</a></div>
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<i>NSFW: At the Baghdad Cafe with Margrét, My New Favorite Amazon Model</i></div>
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Published: October 2017 </div>
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<a href="https://mediamindsetter.blogspot.com/2017/10/nsfw.html">Link</a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Catching up with Margrét, My New Favorite Amazon Model</i></div>
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Published: March 2015 </div>
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<a href="https://mediamindsetter.blogspot.com/2015/03/amazon.html">Link</a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Nude Modeling</i></div>
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Published: February 2014 </div>
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<a href="https://mediamindsetter.blogspot.com/2014/02/nude-modeling.html">Link</a></div>
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The Media Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105304662582465770noreply@blogger.comParis, France48.856614 2.352221948.6894645 2.0294984 49.0237635 2.6749454tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5591523738135529069.post-1846374324078317582020-03-10T15:20:00.002-07:002020-03-16T10:15:54.094-07:00Banned Media<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><i>Okay, so where am I?</i></b><br />
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I'm hunkered down in my office disinfecting everything, including my phone, my desk, my water bottles and mugs, and even my 10-minute sand timer that's been on my various desks for thirty plus years. Yes, the coronavirus (COVID-19) hysteria has hit multiple workplaces. Yes, people are freaking out. I mean, even Costco has <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/costco-pulls-free-samples-from-certain-stores-amid-coronavirus-panic-2020-3">stopped giving out free samples</a> and the <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2020/03/10/stock-market-crash-2020-everything-you-need-to-kno.aspx">stock market is tanking</a>. And no, I don't have the virus and I have seldom even been susceptible to the flu. It's business as usual for me.<br />
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Or so I thought...<br />
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But now it's hitting the sports world and this Media Guy is none too happy. Most of you know that in addition to the four jobs I already have, I cover the Los Angeles Kings at various levels. One of the things I do are game recaps (here's a couple recents: <a href="https://www.jewelsfromthecrown.com/2020/3/10/21173494/recap-los-angeles-kings-dominate-colorado-avalanche-win-3-1-mikey-anderson-first-goal">vs. Colorado</a> / <a href="https://www.jewelsfromthecrown.com/2020/3/7/21166857/recap-minnesota-wild-vs-los-angeles-kings-vintage-hat-trick-for-dustin-brown-five-straight-wins">vs. Minnesota</a> / <a href="https://www.jewelsfromthecrown.com/2020/3/2/21160916/recap-los-angeles-kings-beat-vegas-golden-knights-cal-petersen-dominates-anze-kopitar-with-two-goals">vs. Vegas</a>). This may or may not involve locker room access, but now that's a moot point as four major sports leagues (NBA, NHL, MLB and MLS) have banned media from locker rooms due to coronavirus. The four also <a href="http://apsportseditors.com/apse-issues-joint-statement-with-six-writers-organizations-on-coronavirus-media-access/">jointly announced</a> that locker room access will be limited to players and essential personnel. The Professional Basketball Writers Association <a href="http://probasketballwriters.org/pbwa-coronavirus-statement/">issued a statement</a> saying it would temporarily comply with the ban.<br />
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Now teams aren't allowing contact with the players and the media. Some, like the Calgary Flames, are putting do not not cross lines in pre- and post-game interviews instead of the normal scrums outside lockers in the dressing rooms.<br />
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Click on this pic to see the white line placed on the floor to separate players from the media with eight feet of space. This is the new daily interviewing setup in pro sports. Strange times indeed. <a href="https://t.co/F5pnI5eC1T">pic.twitter.com/F5pnI5eC1T</a></div>
— Eric Francis (@EricFrancis) <a href="https://twitter.com/EricFrancis/status/1237439863734976512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Other teams have only banned actions (handshakes, knuckles, hugs, sitting) and not actual media members...<br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Avs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Avs</a> have elected to keep the locker room open for media with the following rules: <a href="https://t.co/f26EEKQsOJ">pic.twitter.com/f26EEKQsOJ</a></div>
— Ryan S. Clark (@ryan_s_clark) <a href="https://twitter.com/ryan_s_clark/status/1236727760447397888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 8, 2020</a></blockquote>
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In California, they took the outbreak a step further. Santa Clara County's Public Health Department announced today that a mandatory order requiring cancellation of "mass gatherings" of more than 1,000 people for three weeks is in effect. They put the order in place while it studies the spread of the virus. This means that the status of three San Jose Sharks games, the NCAA women's basketball tournament at Stanford, and an MLS game are in doubt. They could be playing these games in empty arenas. I remember in 1980, NBC tried a game with no announcers. But a game without fans? <i>How surreal.</i><br />
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I guess that is better that canceling the outcome of an entire season where Germany's pro hockey league announced the end of its season, with no playoffs and "there is no German champion this year." Here's the <a href="https://www.del.org/news/deutsche-eishockey-liga-beendet-saison-vorzeitig/11283">official announcement</a> (use the Google translate option to read in full).<br />
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In Italy, there are no sporting events...<br />
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Breaking: All sports in Italy have been halted because of the coronavirus outbreak, Italy Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte confirmed in a television address on Monday. <a href="https://t.co/eLp4YRIeTT">pic.twitter.com/eLp4YRIeTT</a></div>
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1237129346927689729?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The NHL's Columbus Blue Jacket are having no part of Ohio's ban on indoor events...</div>
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All <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CBJ?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CBJ</a> scheduled games will go on as scheduled and be open to ticketed fans. <br />
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Full Statement ⤵️ <a href="https://t.co/mLN5ImQVlE">https://t.co/mLN5ImQVlE</a></div>
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) <a href="https://twitter.com/BlueJacketsNHL/status/1237486801729830913?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2020</a></blockquote>
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How will this affect the Media Guy? I'll continue to write my columns and fill in the time helping corporations who know to call me before releasing questionable content with a multi-million dollar ad campaign. So, until all of this blows over, remember this useful World Health Organization video on how to wash your hands:</div>
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The Media Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105304662582465770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5591523738135529069.post-83308305443599175372020-03-06T16:21:00.000-08:002020-03-06T16:21:02.383-08:00The Biz: Want to be a Good Boss? Read this....<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I came into the advertising business in 1974 at the age of six. I was the manager in a department of one for my dad's side home business preparing and disseminating press releases via the United States Postal Service. I prepared envelopes sticking the 1" x 2-5/8" white labels perfectly straight on number ten sized letters, collating the news releases, stapling and folding them, then stuffing the envelopes, licking them closed and then affixing postage stamps squarely in the upper right corner. I did this after school in our Inglewood apartment that could have served as the setting for the Sidney Deane family in <i>White Men Can't Jump</i> without the need to change a single prop. My payment for this OSHA-violating work? Tickets to a Los Angeles Kings or Lakers game that wasn't sold out. Pretty good payday until you consider that day got those tickets for free from his wife who worked in the ticketing department of the Fabulous Forum. He always told be that this work would be the backbone of breaking into the advertising business. I can't say he was wrong.<br />
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These days, advertising and public relations is a difficult business to break into, especially if you are not connected. I worked for my dad in my early years and my dad continued his penchant for loaning out my talents for little remuneration to me. In 1989, I was farmed out to a largish New York City agency to work their accounts from the inside. I was a gun for hire. I made around $400 a week before taxes. I'm sure dad's agency made ten times that for my work. It doesn't matter now because a learned a lot and that time was the backbone of my career.<br />
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I learned about two important things at the New York agency: How to maneuver around office politics and why Shel Silverstein's <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Giving-Tree-Shel-Silverstein/dp/0060256656/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+giving+tree&qid=1583537231&sr=8-1">"The Giving Tree"</a> is the key the being a better boss. This was the early nineties and yes, the New York agencies still had an enough misogyny, alcohol, racism, and debauchery to make any modern PC'er run for the hills. It was a lot to handle if you played those reindeer games. Most everyone dabbled in the big four but no one talked about it. Luckily, I was young and not a boss or my path surely would have spiraled much faster than it did.<br />
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My boss in New York was a typical advertising lifer. Handsome and gruff with a gift for the gab, he took long lunches with junior graphics designers in short skirts and still drank multiple cocktails during the day. He liked me because I did his dirty work and covered for him effectively when the big bosses came calling. HE taught me how to soft shoe through a crisis and that losing your temper would only make things work. He also handed me a copy of "The Giving Tree" a day after I told his biggest client he was negotiating a better media rate behind closed doors instead of the truth that he was at The Plaza with the flavor of the week from the 32nd floor. He told me to memorize the words, pictures, and pages of the small, leaf-green tome.<br />
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There are many interpretations of this masterpiece with the most obvious being the wonderful lesson of generosity it literally illustrates. It’s an Aesop's fable about life and life lessons, specifically what it means to be flawed and mortal, and wise and enlightened. He taught me that you will always have a hard working, loyal if you embraced the key teaching lessons from the book. Talent wouldn't always win the day—and most importantly, keep you employed without a good staff that had your back. Here's a few of those vital teachings...<br />
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<b>Stop Keeping Score</b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;">—</span>Most of us have been pre-occupied with fairness, equality and justice—at home I am the self-proclaimed Commission of Fairness. It's a specialty of mine. I learned that from "The Giving Tree" because it teaches us not to tally up things up things all of the time. The tree gives in the truest form of altruism. She gives and gives and gives without ever expecting anything in return. She never asks for credit or reminds the boy of her countless sacrifices.<br />
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<b>Know the Magic Words</b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;">—</span>The one thing the Boy in "The Giving Tree" never stops to do is say "please" or "thank you." It seems not knowing common courtesy may have been the reasons he never could find contentment. Barney the Dinosaur always said to use please and thank you. The Tree should have told the Boy that as well. Good manners are the root (pun intended) of a happy life and productive teamwork. Do you know the magic words? Excellent. Use them every day... (Please?)<br />
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<b>You Can Run, But You Can't Hide</b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px;">—</span>Life is difficult and complex. So is looking in the mirror and facing your terrors and misgivings and maddest dreams. However, if you ever find yourself so troubled with your dilemmas that you are keen—at a timeworn, shaky age—to go meandering out to sea in a makeshift canoe, it’s time to capitulate. The penultimate request from the Boy is for the Tree’s entire trunk. It always smacked me as the bluest and the saddest moment of the book, and Silverstein illustrated the bleakness so well. The lesson here is a fine one: don’t fight the waves of life in a dying vessel. Let them crash over you before you obliterate what you hold special. Remember: giving in isn’t giving up. Remember the great words of John Maynard Keynes, “The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping from old ones.”<br />
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<b>A Picture’s Worth A Thousand Words</b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px;">—</span>Silverstein has a unique method of drawing that flawlessly captures the human spirit in all its weakness and allure and immorality and eccentricity. “The Giving Tree” radiates a inimitable brand of straightforwardness. Every line is fraught with emotion, whether it’s the innocence of an untied shoelace or the speechless vacancy of the Boy’s wrinkled face as he ages, or the influential image of a infinitesimal broken man sitting on a severed tree stump, his illustrations speak loud. Louder than words. This book was one of the key lesson teachers that show me how to do presentations. My presentations are simple, yet complex through the use of imagery. It has won me awards and gotten millions of dollars of concepts greenlit over my career.<br />
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<b>You Can’t Always Get What You Want</b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 16px;">—</span>Mick Jagger famously sung, “You can’t always get what you want… But if you try sometime, you'll find, you get what you need…” The grass is always greener on the other side. Don’t go chasing waterfalls. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. An orchard sounds more significant than a single tree. And, after all, who wouldn’t want to actually be king instead of just pretending to be one? Unfortunately, the Boy learns this truth the hard way. After constantly asking for too many of his wants, all that’s left is too little of what he needs. Seriously, people. Know a good thing when you have it. Perfection is reserved for something celestial. Strive for greatness, but sometimes very good, is , well, great.<br />
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The Media Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105304662582465770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5591523738135529069.post-17558140444192797712020-03-03T05:03:00.000-08:002020-04-07T01:31:32.672-07:00The 43 Postcards Project: Montreal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><i>I kicked off 2020, by adding intriguing visuals from </i></b><b><i>my lifetime of travels</i></b><b><i> around the world and called it the 43 Postcards Project. So far, my quest has taken me to places familiar and others remote, in 43 countries and counting, from the deep Pacific to the deserts of the Middle East to the snow-crusted landscapes of the Arctic Circle. Here, I'll share a handful or two of snapshots from each country I visit, as I saw them. Enjoy the views.</i></b><br />
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<b><i>Okay, so where am I?</i></b><br />
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It was time to go north of the border to help out with some family things, but also to continue to doing research and interviews for my Kontinental Hockey League book. This time my travels took me once again to Montreal, Canada.<br />
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Maybe you don't know Montreal. Maybe you think it's that crazy city in that crazy provence that wanted to cede from Canada. Maybe you don't care at all. I do, because Montreal is the Mecca of all hockey. The home of the greatest concentration of championships in the National Hockey League. Anywhere there's hockey finds me an invites me metaphorically to explore the city and take in a game. But there's more to Montreal than just hockey.<br />
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Montreal is a city with considerable French colonial history dating back to the 16th century. It began as a missionary settlement but soon became a fur-trading center. The city’s St. Lawrence River location proved to be a major advantage in its development as a manufacturing, financial, and transportation center. Montreal was the largest metropolitan center in the country from 1867, at the time of the Confederation of Canada until Toronto overtook it in the 1970s. It stands as the second largest French-speaking city in the world (after Paris).<br />
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The city has been a immigrant destination and is widely considered to be a cosmopolitan celebration of Québécois style. Montreal remains a city of great charm, vivacity, and gaiety, as well as one of unquestioned modernity. In short, Montreal is c’est si bon.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fans enter the Bell Centre for the Montreal Canadiens game.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bonsecours Market in Old Montreal.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipufg0OQeoCrSTvbmdCSGmfZ7eK9wWW05X4CzvezyufuqNLPFOFPkrtSpbAW56SugBs4drLBVqpJ_qu6g6SucoEChLh_M-AIjN1lYvsDz96droiW-fflai_Yu_eow2F7wwGqf87pNPRpoa/s1600/IMG_3417.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipufg0OQeoCrSTvbmdCSGmfZ7eK9wWW05X4CzvezyufuqNLPFOFPkrtSpbAW56SugBs4drLBVqpJ_qu6g6SucoEChLh_M-AIjN1lYvsDz96droiW-fflai_Yu_eow2F7wwGqf87pNPRpoa/s400/IMG_3417.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The iconic hearts sculpture outside the Musee des Beaux Arts.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rinkside at the Montreal vs. Carolina NHL game.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNy9bVV_1ozfg8jWPnuo4IpOtDDeYiLfcSm6Fpth7TWlAWdE125FetSNCmnsgxkTLB6sRWWDRW2y9NrOXhyphenhyphena_YFWCrvZ_MAWDkn40sO5HMW9xiQzVCTZxpTB9YSUdNxzQL-pE1is0BL9-W/s1600/IMG_3594.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="734" data-original-width="750" height="391" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNy9bVV_1ozfg8jWPnuo4IpOtDDeYiLfcSm6Fpth7TWlAWdE125FetSNCmnsgxkTLB6sRWWDRW2y9NrOXhyphenhyphena_YFWCrvZ_MAWDkn40sO5HMW9xiQzVCTZxpTB9YSUdNxzQL-pE1is0BL9-W/s400/IMG_3594.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love is in the air.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Monument à George-Étienna Cartier</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEituuPgm8pKvVbokylzWWHEeXaiPEeB7Wthvy34AOG3LuAEFaMQBLE68Jn9BastvNxG8ICC96Y5IctBlQ1-sbJkTDMl8kFH_5Wrhe5TdfvHeQc5fSKfOaYymOj0CYyX1pzPcmOLKBQ8Yqwn/s1600/IMG_3617.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="750" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEituuPgm8pKvVbokylzWWHEeXaiPEeB7Wthvy34AOG3LuAEFaMQBLE68Jn9BastvNxG8ICC96Y5IctBlQ1-sbJkTDMl8kFH_5Wrhe5TdfvHeQc5fSKfOaYymOj0CYyX1pzPcmOLKBQ8Yqwn/s400/IMG_3617.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside of Parts, Montreal has the world's finest French food.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv4FQFvg9UpDeEAiQ8xYJ03rp5MD9DkqK2Bi4_v9nuytFjL5OZ_TazCXDw8N3kJqUa25ez5CK41cZrBP1V68t4j-v5_VfhiEY9HsgJNh1KqHJHYDVoyHVfcQ6EdDxY70chtyuygRVHCEJc/s1600/IMG_3619.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="912" data-original-width="750" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv4FQFvg9UpDeEAiQ8xYJ03rp5MD9DkqK2Bi4_v9nuytFjL5OZ_TazCXDw8N3kJqUa25ez5CK41cZrBP1V68t4j-v5_VfhiEY9HsgJNh1KqHJHYDVoyHVfcQ6EdDxY70chtyuygRVHCEJc/s400/IMG_3619.JPG" width="328" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unique single-wind walk up stairs line the city. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-aauJC7fwWsebenwTHd5vdLuCBG8IWq1CElOfJDN8wBokEpXib_I7aL4b1206ZZAZv90bZVYep9saiR4ejIexe4VzbFOY2ExJ0OSwmbZLpMOl4v6qQO7KJSfEmu3-KnWgix6AnDwv_LO/s1600/IMG_3621.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="750" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-aauJC7fwWsebenwTHd5vdLuCBG8IWq1CElOfJDN8wBokEpXib_I7aL4b1206ZZAZv90bZVYep9saiR4ejIexe4VzbFOY2ExJ0OSwmbZLpMOl4v6qQO7KJSfEmu3-KnWgix6AnDwv_LO/s400/IMG_3621.JPG" width="326" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Basilique Notre-Dame is a confection of stained glass.</td></tr>
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The Media Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105304662582465770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5591523738135529069.post-18712404083821883702020-02-26T13:33:00.000-08:002020-03-04T13:36:39.984-08:00“Willie”, an ESPN Documentary<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i>He’s not the Jackie Robinson of hockey, he’s the Willie O’Ree of Hockey.</i><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>“In 1958 I broke the color barrier in the National Hockey League. Every game that I played in there were racial remarks directed towards me. They would say the ‘N word’ and they would say you should be back picking cotton and what are you doing in a white man’s game. But I just went out and played.” —Willie O’Ree, from the start of “Willie”, an ESPN documentary.</b></blockquote>
Last October the critically-acclaimed Bryant McBride and Laurence Mathieu-Leger documentary “Willie” was making its rounds on the festival circuit. Now, in celebration of Black History Month, the duo has announced a partnership with ESPN to air throughout February.<br />
<br />
If you only know Hockey Hall of Famer Willie O’Ree from his honorary puck drops at your local NHL arena, it stands to reason you’ll be outraged by a scene in “Willie” detailing a 1961 incident against the Chicago Blackhawks where O’Ree was illegally butt-ended and racially taunted as blood spilled from his split lip and nose. He was subsequently kicked out of the game and was left at a crossroads, wondering about his future. O’Ree used his exile to the locker room to meditate on his future in the game.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(c) Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports</td></tr>
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You can see the pain on O’Ree’s face as he tries to remind us that, “names will never hurt you unless you let them.” It was during those private moments in the locker room where the first black player in the NHL decided he wouldn’t let others decide when he should leave the game—and definitely not because of his skin color. He would only leave when his skills weren’t on par with his contemporaries.<br />
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The documentary chronicles O’Ree, a hockey star from Fredericton in New Brunswick, Canada from age 15. We discover that he was a fine baseball player who got a half-hearted shot at a professional contract only to be cut due to race. We also discover he is a descendant of a South Carolina slave who escaped to Canada. At some point we discover he’s kept a big secret all of these years: he went permanently blind in his right eye after his retina shattered from a puck to the face. Even Wayne Gretzky gushes how impossible it would be for him to play with one eye. Willie O’Ree overcame everything to succeed: racism, cheap shots, and a disability.<br />
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O’Ree’s breaking of the NHL color barrier coincides will the beginnings of the civil rights movement with Dr. Martin Luther King’s words leading the narrative. It’s a tough section to sit through, with archival footage of peaceful Black America protests asking for their constitutional rights while being barked down by German shepherds, fire hoses, and blindside kicks. It is especially haunting as it is juxtaposed to Willie O’Ree’s situation and the flashpoint of racial epitaphs and taunting from NHL players and fans. It leaves you angry that a man, who by all accounts is one of the kindest humans ever created, would be subjected to such vile.<br />
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For O’Ree, playing from professional hockey from 1958 until 1980 wasn’t enough to distance himself from racism. Threats followed him even after the NHL hired him as its first diversity ambassador. The documentary tells the sad tale of someone threatening to blow up MCI Center during an event with children in Washington D.C. saying their blood would be on his hands.<br />
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We are visited by Devante Smith-Pelly, who was showered by racial slurs while in a United Center penalty box, and Wayne Simmonds who endured the humiliation of a banana peel being hurled at him while on the ice. Both point to O’Ree as their inspiration to overcome these societal horrors. Lou Vairo, Director of Special Projects, USA Hockey, confirms that, “He’s [O’Ree] inspired a generation of hockey players.” The chills start to mount as the call from Lanny McDonald of the Hockey Hall of Fame comes in. Seeing that moment alone is worth watching the documentary.<br />
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You might be able to explain some of this away if some of it didn’t happen as recently as 2018. Unfortunately racism in North America is alive and well, but with more people embracing Willie O’Ree’s philosophy of kindness and perseverance, humanity still has a chance.<br />
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For this reason alone, “Willie” is a cherished film — a long overdue, solemn big-screen documentary about one of the most important builders and culture changing pioneers of the 20th century.<br />
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<b>How to Watch</b><br />
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The film will be available through the month of February on ESPN.com and the ESPN App and had four airings on ESPN2.<br />
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<b>O'Ree's Hall of Fame Speech </b><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Note: This article originally appeared under my byline on <a href="https://www.jewelsfromthecrown.com/2020/2/26/21133513/review-willie-oree-an-espn-documentary-movie-color-barrier">Jewels From The Crown</a>.</i></span></div>
The Media Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105304662582465770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5591523738135529069.post-51783857090158612172020-02-09T23:58:00.000-08:002020-04-27T15:16:44.610-07:00Backstage at the Oscars: 2020<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oscar weathers the storm.</td></tr>
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<b><i>Okay, so where am I? </i></b><br />
<br />
I've said it for nine straight year including eight in this space—there's little more electrifying that when hit that plush Oscars burgundy carpet. Dreams are created here. Some are realized. Others are energized. It's a throwback to old Hollywood. There's nothing that can stop it. Not even the rain, and there was a lot prior to the red carpet arrivals. Everyone is there, year after year, in their quest to win (or see who wins) the thirteen-and-a-half-inch tall, eight-and-a-half pound golden statuette.<br />
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According to <i>Adweek</i> and Nielsen's fast national ratings, the 92nd Oscars drew 23.6 million total viewers and a 5.3 rating in the adults 18-49 demo. That's a 20% decrease in total viewers and a 31% demo drop from last year's ceremony, which had veeb watched by 29.6 million people and a 7.7 demo rating. Maybe they do need a host. Who knows.<br />
<br />
I am happy to report that I've let my verbal contract with my agent expire. He's been missing for over a year and wasn't around for my KHL/Penguin book deal and my four movie scripts are gathering dust on his swank Avenue of the Stars corner office. I will make things happen on my own thank you. Onto more satisfying things...<br />
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So for the ninths straight year, here's my first-hand view of the happenings backstage at the 92nd Academy Awards:<br />
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<b>BACKSTAGE INTERVIEW WITH:</b><br />
<b>Renée Zellweger, <i>Judy</i></b><br />
<b>Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role</b><br />
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<b>Q: </b>I loved you in <i>Judy</i>. I have to say that it's, I mean, absolutely amazing performance and amazing film. So, basically, you became an extension of Judy in the film. It's almost like she transcended with you in the film. And what I want to know is, how did you connect? What was it about <i>Judy</i> that connected you so closely by so in heart that you basically became her? I know you've done a lot of research, but was there anything else that you felt very close to with her that you were able to deliver such an incredible performance and become her, essentially?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">credit: Nick Agro / ©A.M.P.A.S.</td></tr>
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<b>Renée Zellweger:</b> That's really kind. Thank you very much. I appreciate that. You know, I can't think about it. I can't extract myself from the collaboration. The only things that I would do by myself are sing in the car on the 405 in traffic, you know, for a year. So that was a lot of practice for anybody who's tried to drive down the 405. But—and, you know, the reading and things, that was by myself. But what you're talking about, that connectivity, that was a consequence of everybody's work on that set. Everybody was motivated by the same thing. We just appreciate the importance of her legacy and who she was as a person and we all wanted to celebrate her. And everyday we came to work and we just tried things, we just kept trying things. And the director, Rupert Goold, called it "mining for treasure." We were all digging around in sort of the materials of her legacy, her music, her books, interviews, her television show. You know, just everything that we could find that seemed essential in conjuring her essence to tell the story. And that was everybody's work, you know. And it was, you know, the partnership with every single department throughout. And it really was a celebration. We just came to work every day. You could feel the love, the love for Ms. Garland, and that was what we had hoped, so, and I thank you for your question.<br />
<br />
<b>Q:</b> So have you called anyone? Who are you going to call first and how are you going to celebrate tonight?<br />
<br />
<b>RZ: </b>Well, my phone is in somebody else's bag right now. So I haven't called anybody. But I know that my mom is with my dad and they're hanging out with their friends and they were watching TV and I told her, "Please just keep your phone on the coffee table so you can" -- so she's waiting. So I'm going to -- yeah.<br />
<br />
<b>Q: </b>All right. They say that we learn a great deal in the hard times of life, but I think we learn a great deal also from success. From almost before this picture opened, people realized and began talking about how amazing your performance is, how amazing the movie is. So you've gone through this whole award after award, you know, expressions of success. How has that changed you? What has that done for you to know that you set out to do this and you did it?<br />
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<b>RZ:</b> Thank you. That's a really great question. It's not something that I've actually thought about, you know. I wish I could answer you in a couple of days because I would sit with that for a second and I would really think on it, you know. Off the top of my head, if I could look back on this year of experiences, it's really nice when something that really matters to you resonates with someone else. That's -- you know, it's always a huge, wonderful kind of unexpected reaction to -- I don't know, for anyone who creates art. You write an article and somebody calls you and says, that touched me or -- you know? So it's a really nice thing and it makes me happy for everybody that, you know, that I worked with, because I watched how hard everyone worked. It always goes back to that. It always goes back to the collaboration and what you intended and what you hoped for it. And like you said, when it becomes meaningful to someone else, and it's kind of a confirmation that, "Yeah, okay, that's what we meant," you know. And this definitely was not what was on my mind when we started this experience, you know. But in my mind, when I go back to those couple of years that we shared celebrating her and telling the story and building toward it, boy, that's the blessing, isn't it? Yeah.<br />
<br />
<b>Q: </b>How is this award different from the first one you won in 2004, and how have you changed as a person, as an actress?<br />
<br />
<b>RZ:</b> Oh, my goodness, how much time do you have? Well, at that time, I think I was so busy that I wasn't actually in the moment. I think I had just flown home from something for <i>Bridget Jones</i> two or something. It's different, different perspective. I'm a little more present now. I think that the time away and the time in between has helped me to appreciate it in a different way. I just look at it in a different way, what it represents is a little bit different. And, obviously, this isn't ultimately -- you know, this is about this wanting to tell that story and to celebrate Judy Garland and to shine a light on, perhaps, the nuances of the circumstances of her life, which people dismiss as tragic. And, you know, the opportunity to tell a story that challenges that narrative and says, "Oh, no, no, no, no, you can't know how extraordinary a person is until you know what they struggle with and what they overcome." And, to me, that, you know, that's what this is.<br />
<br />
<b>RZ:</b> Thank you, guys. Thanks so much. And good luck. My goodness, what a busy night for you all. I know you have deadlines, so good luck with those.<br />
<br />
<b>Onstage Speech:</b><br />
<b>Joaquin Phoenix, <i>Joker</i></b><br />
<b>Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role</b><br />
<br />
<i>Note that Joaquin Phoenix did not come backstage for a Q&A with the media. No one held it against him; that's how he rolls. Instead I put in his acceptance speech, in which I mentally screamed "you tell them, brother...!" when he talked about second chances. Respect Mr. Phoenix.</i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Richard Harbaugh / ©A.M.P.A.S.</td></tr>
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God, I’m full of so much gratitude right now. And I do not feel elevated above any of my fellow nominees or anyone in this room because we share the same love, the love of film, and this form of expression has given me the most extraordinary life. I don’t know what I’d be without it. But I think the greatest gift that it’s given me, and many of us in this room, is the opportunity to use our voice for the voiceless. I’ve been thinking a lot about some of the distressing issues that we are facing collectively. And I think at times we feel, or were made to feel, that we champion difference causes, but for me, I see commonality. I think, whether we’re talking about gender inequality, or racism, or queer rights, or indigenous rights, or animal rights, we’re talking about the fight against injustice. We’re talking about the fight against the belief that one nation, one people, one race, one gender, or one species has the right to dominate, control and use and exploit another with impunity. I think that we’ve become very disconnected from the natural world, and many of us, what we’re guilty of is an egocentric worldview, the belief that we’re the center of the universe. We go into the natural world and we plunder it for its resources. We feel entitled to artificially inseminate a cow and when she gives birth, we steal her baby, even though her cries of anguish are unmistakable. And then we take her milk that’s intended for her calf and we put it in our coffee and our cereal. And I think we fear the idea of personal change because we think that we have to sacrifice something to give something up, but human beings at our best are so inventive and creative and ingenious. And I think that when we use love and compassion as our guiding principles, we can create, develop and implement systems of change that are beneficial to all sentient beings and to the environment. Now I have been, I have been a scoundrel in my life. I’ve been selfish, I’ve been cruel at times, hard to work with, and I’m grateful that so many of you in this room have given me a second chance. And I think that’s when we’re at our best, when we support each other, not when we cancel each other out for past mistakes, but when we help each other to grow, when we educate each other, when we guide each other toward redemption. That is the best of humanity. When he was 17, my brother wrote this lyric, he said: run to the rescue with love and peace will follow. Thank you.<br />
<br />
<b>BACKSTAGE INTERVIEW WITH:</b><br />
<b>Brad Pitt, <i>Once Upon A Time...In Hollywood</i></b><br />
<b>Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role</b><br />
<br />
<b>Q: </b>What's your Tinder profile going to say now?<br />
<br />
<b>Brad Pitt:</b> (Laughs) You'll just have to look it up.<br />
<br />
<b>Q: </b>Some unkind souls have suggested you had a writer throughout the speeches this award season. Say it ain't so.<br />
<br />
<b>BP: </b>What, no, actually, historically, I've always been really tentative about speeches, like, they make me nervous. So this—this round, I figured if we're going to do this—like, put some, like, some real work into it and try to get comfortable, and this is the result of that. No, I definitely write them. I have some funny friends. I have some very, very funny friends that helped me with some laughs, but, no, it's, you know, it's got to come from the heart.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nick Agro / ©A.M.P.A.S.</td></tr>
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<b>Q: </b>It's been a pleasure for all of us watching you go up awards show after awards show this season and it will certainly be something that we all remember looking back. When you look back on 2020 and this awards season, what do you want to remember?<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>BP: </b>On 2020 awards season?<br />
<br />
<b>Q: </b>Yes, this season, this year.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>BP: </b>What do I want to -- hell, if I know, man. I can't even catch up with—you know, what do I—again, it was—for me, it was just about getting cozy, you know, up in front of a mass of people. I know that sounds antithetical given the profession I've chosen, but it's not necessarily my thing. So that's probably what I'll remember.<br />
<br />
<b>Q: </b>Brad, as referenced earlier, you had a lot of humor in your previous speeches this season, but tonight you did have your -- a political reference. What kind of prompted you to go that way?<br />
<br />
<b>BP: </b>I was really disappointed with this week. And I think when gamesmanship trumps doing the right thing, it's a sad day and I don't think we should let it slide. And I'm very serious about that.<br />
<br />
<b>Q: </b>You mentioned your kids in your acceptance speech and Quentin Tarantino said that your son Maddox delivered one of the best film reviews he's ever heard. So what's his review of <i>Once Upon A Time...In Hollywood</i>?<br />
<br />
<b>BP: </b>I'm going to keep that...I just keep that to the...I keep that...that's like...I just keep that indoors.<br />
<br />
<b>Q: </b>How are you going to celebrate with your kids?<br />
<br />
<b>BP:</b><b>: </b>Don't know yet. We'll see.<br />
<br />
<b>Q: </b>In your speech you mentioned Robert Garcia. Could you talk about who Robert Garcia is and why did you decide to mention him in your speech?<br />
<br />
<b>BP: </b>Robert Garcia is a dear, dear old friend of mine. He's a Teamster and I rely on him heavily and he's a lovely guy.<br />
<br />
<b>Q: </b>You say this was dedicated to your kids. What would you say to them if they want to become actors? Would you let them do it and what would be the advice that you would give them -- to them.<br />
<br />
<b>BP: </b>We can have that conversation if—once they are 18. And then I -- listen, I want them to follow their bliss. You know, follow their passions, whatever—whatever they are most interested in. And then it's—then I think it's about, you know, guiding as you can. But they get to try everything on and find what—where their passion lies. So, sure, why not?<br />
<br />
<b>Q: </b>Are you having the time of your life? You know, you've walked up and won every single award. Is this the time of your life?<br />
<br />
<b>BP: </b>Well, no. I hope not. I hope I got other shit going on. But it has been a really special—really special run. And, again, it's a community I love and friends that I've made over, you know, 30 years and they mean a lot to me, truly. And I feel a responsibility to that more than anything, more than, like, a victory lap. And so I think, like, right now I'm just looking—I think it's—I think it's time to go disappear for a little while now and, you know, get back to making things.<br />
<br />
<b>BACKSTAGE INTERVIEW WITH:</b><br />
<b>Laura Dern, <i>Marriage Story</i></b><br />
<b>Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role</b><br />
<br />
<b>Q:</b> Happy birthday.<br />
<br />
<b>Laura Dern:</b> Thank you. Thank you. Will you help me for a moment? I just want to say I was in complete shock. And I forgot to say thank you to my guides in my life: Peter Levine, Jason Weinberg, Annett Wolf, Kevin Evein, and my life-long acting teacher Sandra Seacat, who I've been with since I was 18 years old. And now I can have a great night because it's a little bit of heartbreak when you haven't thanked all the people who bring you here, you know. So thank you.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt Petit / ©A.M.P.A.S.</td></tr>
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<b>Q:</b> Congratulations in promoting your close friends down in Australia. I have to say, so your mom's been nominated for an Oscar, your dad's been nominated for Oscars, you've been nominated for Oscars before. You are such an incredible acting family. What does it mean to be finally holding that statute tonight?<br />
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<b>LD:</b> Well, I went backstage, and people were telling me my mother was very moved, and that just makes me so happy to stand up and sing their praises. They literally got me here and artistically got me here as well. So it means the world. Thank you.<br />
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<b>Q:</b> My question is in such a divisive time culturally and politically, you mentioned about the gift of being able to talk about love through a story. What did you realize through Marriage Story that, perhaps, we should think about this year as a nation and just internationally as well?<br />
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<b>LD:</b> I think if a couple through heartbreak and divisiveness can come together to raise a child, then this country better get our act together. I think there is much to learn from the story so beautifully told by Noah. And on a global level, as I mentioned, you know, we have a planet to save. So I pray we can all come together to focus on something that is not at all about politics. It's all about our home. Thank you.<br />
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<b>Q: </b>And I was wondering what advice you have for women who are looking to break into the film industry.<br />
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<b>LD: </b>Oh, said so beautifully by the filmmakers of <i>How To Skateboard</i>, you have to use your voice in this life. You have to stay true to yourself whoever you are. As my fourth grade teacher advised me, the best advice I got, "Keep your eyes on your own paper." And in a social media heyday, to stay true to your own inner voice and not be too focused on the noise and to feel blessed when we get to do what we love in this life. Thank you.<br />
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<b>Q:</b>Addressing the elephant in the room, if you had a chance to nominate any female directors, who would you nominate?<br />
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<b>LD: </b>If I could give this Oscar to Greta Gerwig, I would do it right now, and Lulu. I mean, there are so many beautiful films. I met the director of <i>Honey Boy</i> yesterday at the Independent Spirit Awards. There are great films. I think that our lens should focus, perhaps, less on the lack of accolades and more on the less -- the less opportunity that there is, and even more so the lack of second chances given to female voices. And as the business and the people with the money give more and more opportunity to extraordinary and diverse voices and representing who we want to see reflected in film, which is ourselves, we are going to be in a lot different shape. And I share this with Noah and Greta as well, who I spent my year with in art and friendship and now doing press for both films. So I would love to also see her continually awarded for all her beautiful work.<br />
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<b>Q:</b> I'm wondering on the note that you were just speaking about and considering Joaquin Phoenix's speech that he just gave at the BAFTAs encouraging everyone to actually look at what is happening systemically at these awards shows and in Hollywood in general, I'm wondering if you have any further thoughts about how the Oscars, how Hollywood as a whole, can be more intentionally inclusive when it comes to bringing about not just women but people of color as well?<br />
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<b>LD: </b>When we say, use our voice, we are talking about us, each other, in whatever industry we are in. We have power to say something. And when we don't see our culture reflected around us, we get to say something. And I think that's the biggest shift we've seen in the last couple of years is voices matter, and a community of voices rallying around the truth really matter in journalism, in this industry, and in many others. So make sure that your crew and the storytelling reflects our global community. And if you're an actor on a movie or you're the filmmaker, you're the producer, you get to say something. If you're the DP, you get to say something about your camera crew. And that matters.<br />
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<b>Q:</b> In <i>Marriage Story</i> and in <i>Big Little Lies</i>, you play these characters who, you know, take no crap, won't be silenced, and are very confident in who they are. And I'm just wondering who are the women in your life that inspired you in these roles? And if you had a message to little girls out there who want to be in the position that you are right now, what would it be?<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>LD: </b>Well, I start with my mother, who she and my godmother, Shelley Winters, were massive influences on my life as an actor and activist, and be loud, be proud, stand by incredible sisters. You know, I have been blessed in this year to have extraordinary roles, and they said, "Wow, this year you're playing powerful women versus, you know, complicated, indigent addicts or some other reference a journalist said." And I said, "Because there are women in positions of power to play now. But five years ago, I probably wouldn't have gotten to play a leading divorce lawyer or a CEO of a major tech company because they weren't in those positions." So there are many more exciting roles to play, and the future generations are going to be the ones that lift us up and show us because they know it's their role, not because they are going to ask for permission. They're just going to do what they love, and bless them for showing us the way. Thank you all. I'm so excited to be here. Thank you.<br />
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<b>BACKSTAGE INTERVIEW WITH:</b><br />
<b>Bong Joon-Ho, <i>Parasite</i></b><br />
<b>Best Picture, Directing, International Feature Film, Writing (Original Screenplay)</b><br />
<b> The Full Oscars 2020 Backstage Interview</b><br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/H3m7N8xkhkc" width="560"></iframe></div>
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<b>NOTES ON THE SCORECARD:</b><br />
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Past Media Guy Oscars Backstage Columns: <b><a href="https://mediamindsetter.blogspot.com/2019/02/backstage-at-oscars-2019.html">2019</a> - <a href="https://mediamindsetter.blogspot.com/2018/03/backstage-at-oscars-2018.html">2018</a> - <a href="https://mediamindsetter.blogspot.com/2017/02/backstage-at-oscars-2017.html">2017</a> - <a href="https://mediamindsetter.blogspot.com/2016/02/backstage-at-oscars-2016.html">2016</a> - <a href="https://mediamindsetter.blogspot.com/2015/02/oscars-backstage-2015.html">2015</a> - <a href="https://mediamindsetter.blogspot.com/2014/03/oscars-backstage-2014.html">2014</a> - <a href="https://mediamindsetter.blogspot.com/2013/02/backstage-at-oscars-2013.html">2013</a> - <a href="https://mediamindsetter.blogspot.com/2012/02/backstage-at-oscars.html">2012</a></b><br />
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<i>"If the Academy allows, I would like to get a Texas chainsaw, split the Oscar trophy into five and share it with all of you. Thank you, I will drink until next morning."</i> —Bong Joon Ho<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">credit: Nick Agro / ©A.M.P.A.S.</td></tr>
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Spike Lee with the moving tribute to Kobe Bryant:<br />
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Oscar-worthy bomb of Margot Robbie from Timothée Chalamet.</div>
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2019 Oscar-winner Regina King celebrates with 2020 Oscar-winner Brad Pitt.<br />
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Scarlett Johansson proved to be the "wow" of the arrivals.</div>
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Adapted Screenplay winner Taika Waititi (<i>Jojo Rabbit</i>) mugs backstage with Natalie Portman.</div>
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The fun of Will Ferrell and Julia Louis-Dreyfus's critical insights into the role of the cinematographer continue off-screen.</div>
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The clean-up from the rain almost encroached into the celebrity arrivals.</div>
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<i><b>THE</b></i> envelopes...<br />
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<i>Cats</i> wasn't a hit, but Rebel Wilson and James Corden as cats was...</div>
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Oscar in hand, Brad Pitt takes a moment.</div>
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In a surprise move, Eminem performed his Oscar-winning "Lose Yourself" seventeen years after he won. Here, he shares a moment with Salma Hayek Pinault.</div>
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Diane Keaton and Keanu Reeves in their own world.</div>
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It's all fun and games when Maya Rudolph and Kirsten Wiig are around.</div>
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Penelope Cruz and Bong Joon-Ho after one of his Oscar wins.</div>
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And the Media Guy on the Red Carpet prior to the show:<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Note: Some photos courtesy of A.M.P.A.S.</i></span><br />
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The Media Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105304662582465770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5591523738135529069.post-14245627435409445642020-02-08T21:31:00.000-08:002020-02-20T16:43:32.725-08:00Oscars Week 2020: My Picks<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2019 Oscar winner Mahershala Ali during Saturday rehearsals.</td></tr>
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I wasn't able to get the Las Vegas this year to double down on my incredible streak of picking Oscar winners. In sports gambling, they say if you pick sixty per cent winners, you'll be rich. My success rate of picking winners? How about 57 out of 68 in the major categories over the last nine years since I started covering the Oscars. Yep, that's money in the bank.<br />
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So now that I have established my Oscars dominance, let's look at the Media Guy's choices for this year's big prizes on Sunday:<br />
<br />
<b>Best Picture</b><br />
<i>1917</i><br />
<u><i>Media Guy Thoughts</i>:</u> It's hard to pick against the Sam Mendes-directed war movie. It's nabbed the top accolades from Golden Globes as well as the Directors and Producers guilds. No other film can boast anything similar. It's also peaking at the right time with more than $125 million at the domestic box office after a year in release and soared to number two just a weekend ago. Don't underestimate <i>Parasite</i>, but most likely that film will take the International Film award.<br />
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<b>Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role</b><br />
Renée Zellweger, <i>Judy</i><br />
<u><i>Media Guy Thoughts</i>:</u> Zellweger is poised to become the 21st woman to win more than one acting Oscar (she won 16 years earlier for best supporting actress in <i>Cold Mountain</i>). There's no denying that she was seemingly born to play the down-and-out Judy Garland in the last year of her life. She's been the favorite all awards season in this spot. As sure of a bet as there is.<br />
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<b>Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role</b><br />
Joaquin Phoenix, <i>Joker</i><br />
<i>Media Guy Thoughts</i>: At all of the Oscars events where actual voters are present, I spoke 32 who said they voted for Phoenix because they like an actor's transformation into a role. I think you will agree that there was no more brazen act of transformation than Phoenix’s tugging, passionately carnal performance as the Joker. He’s widely voted by many critics to be the best actor of his generation. Those same critics can back up their ranking with awarding Phoenix his first Oscar. It’s happening.<br />
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<b>Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role</b><br />
Brad Pitt, <i>Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood</i><br />
<i><u>Media Guy Thoughts:</u></i> Toughest category on the board with a hall of fame cast vying for supporting actor prize: Tom Hanks in <i>A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood</i>, Anthony Hopkins in <i>The Two Popes</i>, along with Al Pacino and Joe Pesci from <i>The Irishman</i>. None of these screen heroes quite delivered the complete, wide-ranging, performance as Pitt did. It's his time and wins at the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Awards let's us know that many others agree.<br />
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<b>Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role</b><br />
Laura Dern, <i>Marriage Story</i><br />
<i>Media Guy Thoughts: </i>Everyone loves Marriage Story. Everyone loves Laura Dern. She's been nominated but fell short twice. Oscar voters love to reward a career resurgence which bodes well for a win for Dern here.<br />
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<b>Directing</b><br />
Sam Mendes, <i>1917</i><br />
<u><i>Media Guy Thoughts</i>:</u> In the last seven years, the top two categories (Directing and Best Picture) was split between two movies five times. So for Bong Joon Ho (<i>Parasite</i>) fans, it's entirely possible that if 1917 takes best picture honors, he could still take home the directing prize. When this type of split happens, the winner for directing usually comes from the larger, technically audacious film, which is why Mendes takes this no matter what.<br />
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<b>Original Screenplay</b><br />
Bong Joon Ho, Han Jin Won, <i>Parasite</i><br />
<i><u>Media Guy Thoughts:</u></i> I was leaning towards two-time original screenplay Oscar-winner Quentin Tarantino, but Bong Joon Ho brings too much momentum and heat and to be denied. </div>
The Media Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105304662582465770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5591523738135529069.post-87563150944815864292020-02-05T22:28:00.000-08:002020-02-20T15:32:24.290-08:00AD OF THE WEEK/MONTH/WHATEVER: Heinz Oscars Snub<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Heinz ketchup has joined the growing list of stars who are frustrated with <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-features/oscars-2020-biggest-snubs-936702/">being snubbed at the Oscars</a>. I'm not kidding here. After hundreds of appearances in movies, Kraft Heinz Canada has propelled a humorous campaign into social media and it left me wondering why I didn’t come up with this myself. With the Oscars only a few days away and all of the normal buzz about snubs, Heinz’s campaign includes a brilliant spot highlighting all the cameos the iconic condiment has made in movies over the decades. It even included trying to get an official Heinz page up on IMDB.<br />
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Heinz Canada worked with the Rethink Toronto to put up an IMDB page but it was ultimately removed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO1wz1blNgVuV8hZDHRQ7WqB0vBCTJRTy_EfrKJdDwKkBQaUIvn64LhMNc4Ck1Y3ove5uRavE1uzBdEIMo8gEuYE9rf_d-MbpU1idDRcqOysav6sr9obMTeVXPmkj3p0CU6umBC9RYqvMD/s1600/Heinz_IMDB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="578" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO1wz1blNgVuV8hZDHRQ7WqB0vBCTJRTy_EfrKJdDwKkBQaUIvn64LhMNc4Ck1Y3ove5uRavE1uzBdEIMo8gEuYE9rf_d-MbpU1idDRcqOysav6sr9obMTeVXPmkj3p0CU6umBC9RYqvMD/s400/Heinz_IMDB.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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All this did was which further Heinz’s tongue-in-cheek outrage and generated a ton of free press. With IMDB playing right into its marketing plan, Heinz is asking its fans to look for the ketchup in movies and share them on their social feeds in exchange for free ketchup. Don’t offer a ketchup lover freebies because they will go seven extra miles to get the thick red stuff., with the promise of free ketchup for those who take part.<br />
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Take a look at the brilliance of this commercial:<br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mzBtcp2W5Bw" width="560"></iframe></div>
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This according to Brian Neumann, senior brand manager of condiments at Kraft Heinz Canada:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>"Award season is an occasion that gets everyone talking. As we look to deliver more contextually relevant and timely content to our consumers, we wanted to find a way to join the conversation. Nothing speaks more to the iconic nature of Heinz Ketchup than our appearances in countless films. This felt like the perfect time to reward our fans for spotting us in their favorite movies"</i></blockquote>
Rethink Toronto's creative director Mike Dubrick told the Clio Muse:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>"Heinz is front and center in some of the biggest movies and greatest scenes of all time. It's one of those things that once you notice it, you can't stop seeing it. As we were looking for ways to further cement the brand's iconic status, it just felt right. If Wilson the volleyball gets in the credits, why shouldn't Heinz?" </i></blockquote>
It’s true, Wilson the Volleyball does have his <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1012434/">own IMDB page</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifhq3IuURq5ckeenF7yuQbWueN2fp89Kkn8Dix34S4Aly5HIryRcK3219cQgZ6_YnQYXYa8-5BdDSIEgJcSRLxWM8O5nnwPOkKz7oo1logXVRrk5EP1PqVmNzw-NKhL8-yx6wVL_a38OOK/s1600/MGS_Wilson_IMDB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1220" data-original-width="1350" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifhq3IuURq5ckeenF7yuQbWueN2fp89Kkn8Dix34S4Aly5HIryRcK3219cQgZ6_YnQYXYa8-5BdDSIEgJcSRLxWM8O5nnwPOkKz7oo1logXVRrk5EP1PqVmNzw-NKhL8-yx6wVL_a38OOK/s400/MGS_Wilson_IMDB.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The campaign’s massive response from fans has been nothing short of impressive. How will it all end? Who know, but for now, I'll have what she's having...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZcS10NjTQhWHOdXitrbjJbHLyiL74cShVdl9HA74rSVLJq0XG_quT4VAbXrZT8Id5XlcGnaBGMvZGyfGKxqreLq0JghR8BepL1Nov94kC8p-mQaXRy_dnwGEMJVTV4YDqFa7MdBMvyGmr/s1600/MGS_Heinz.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZcS10NjTQhWHOdXitrbjJbHLyiL74cShVdl9HA74rSVLJq0XG_quT4VAbXrZT8Id5XlcGnaBGMvZGyfGKxqreLq0JghR8BepL1Nov94kC8p-mQaXRy_dnwGEMJVTV4YDqFa7MdBMvyGmr/s400/MGS_Heinz.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">CREDITS</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Spot Title: Heinz On Film</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Creative Director: Mike Dubrick, Nicolas Quintal</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Art Director: Hayley Hinkley, Vanessa Harbec</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Writer: Jacquelyn Parent, Matthieu Lacombe</span><br />
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The Media Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105304662582465770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5591523738135529069.post-75883951453198585482020-02-03T13:20:00.001-08:002020-02-03T13:20:36.458-08:00The Best and the Worst of the Super Bowl LIV Commercials <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9WWO4J3wrTclkgmh1bDRCVG_qTO-BihgzPqlgkXzZtBxF6hL8WCvH9sWx8v_WdiAKgYv7tzIH-mZGWrFY49tihwJsaCPwqwl70R1y-9d3pbc4sT6DitL_8ywFCmEar9t8dsyWs8wrociS/s1600/MGS_SBLIV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1536" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9WWO4J3wrTclkgmh1bDRCVG_qTO-BihgzPqlgkXzZtBxF6hL8WCvH9sWx8v_WdiAKgYv7tzIH-mZGWrFY49tihwJsaCPwqwl70R1y-9d3pbc4sT6DitL_8ywFCmEar9t8dsyWs8wrociS/s400/MGS_SBLIV.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images</td></tr>
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<i><b>Okay, so where am I?</b></i><br />
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Let's just say that The Comeback Chiefs just scored three touchdowns in the final few minutes in Miami to earn their first Super Bowl win in 50 years. That ought to narrow it all down.<br />
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On Sunday, huge brands like Tide and Pepsi once again spent millions of dollars from their advertising budgets. As a matter of fact, advertising for the game sold out before the end of November at a price tag of $5.6 million for a 30-second commercial. The demand for Super Bowl ad was so strong this year that Fox added two-and-a-half minutes of commercial time to the telecast. And, if you have the cash, why not advertising in the biggest television event of the year? Look at these numbers:<br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
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The Super Bowl averaged 101.369 million viewers (Fox + streaming). Up from 98.5 million viewers last year on CBS+streaming</div>
— Austin Karp (@AustinKarp) <a href="https://twitter.com/AustinKarp/status/1224406391525445632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The figure point to a 5.5% increase over the 2019 game, in spite of a 5% audience decline for last year’s It's important to note that live sports have held their own against the rising tide of video streaming that has divide viewers' collective attention away from traditional satellite and cable television. The result is the National Football League's enduring strength against other programming. Simply stated, it is more valuable than ever to advertisers.<br />
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To note, the $5.6 million cost for a 30-second spot to a colossal leap over the cost for the same amount of time for the the big game in 1967. In 1967, ads for the first-ever Super Bowl cost anywhere from $37,500 to $42,500, while 1995 marked the first year that the average cost crossed into the millions, when 30-second ads sold for $1.15 million.<br />
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So who scored and who fumbled this year?<br />
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<b>WINNERS</b><br />
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<b>Google</b><br />
<i>"Loretta"</i><br />
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If you didn't cry or pretend you weren't you might not actually be human.<br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6xSxXiHwMrg" width="560"></iframe></div>
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<b>Hyundai</b><br />
<i>"Smaht Pahk"</i><br />
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Making fun of Boston and New York accepts has become part of the of the lexicon pop culture. Boston natives John Krasinski, Chris Evans, and Rachel Dratch drive it home.<br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/85iRQdjCzj0" width="560"></iframe></div>
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<b>Dashlane</b><br />
<i>"Password Paradise"</i><br />
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Death on the River Styx is the perfect apt metaphor for those regular occurrences when you need to gain access to your online accounts. Shoot it just happened to me trying to get into my American Airlines frequent flyer portal...and the exact same questions were asked in the exact same order. Goodness gracious, on relatability scale, they were spot on (and quite humorous about it all too.)<br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/B5lslSPfhkg" width="560"></iframe></div>
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<b>Amazon</b><br />
<i>"What Did We Do Before Alexa?"</i><br />
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When Ellen DeGeneres asks Portia de Rossi “What did we do before Alexa?” I was a little dubious. But once the newsy makes his fake news joke, they had me.<br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/trfbpONj3dk" width="560"></iframe></div>
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<b>Jeep </b><br />
<i>“Groundhog Day”</i><br />
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An ode to the classic with a fresh spin...plus a superb ending.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
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Today isn’t just Game Day. It’s Groundhog Day. Watch Bill Murray in the Jeep “Groundhog Day” commercial featuring the 2020 Jeep Gladiator. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JeepGroundhogDay?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JeepGroundhogDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/R3xn6PC7Ro">pic.twitter.com/R3xn6PC7Ro</a></div>
— Jeep (@Jeep) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jeep/status/1223924066417020929?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<br />
<b>LOSERS</b><br />
<br />
<b>Audi</b><br />
<i>"Audi Presents: Let It Go"</i><br />
<br />
The <i>Frozen</i> ear worm “Let It Go” anthem doesn’t fit the message quite as well as Audi imagines it does. What a waste of Maisie Williams and 5.6 million dollars. Next time call the Media Guy, Audi. I can save you eight to ten million in production, royalty charges, and actor's fees.<br />
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<br />
<b>Avocados from Mexico </b><br />
<i>"The Avocados from Mexico Shopping Network"</i><br />
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Pool floats? Baby carriers? Luggage? All of these things can be purchased on the Avocados From Mexico Shopping Network? Do we even care where our avocados come from as long as they aren't $3.99 each? This one was a loser from the moment it was greenlit from the storyboards.<br />
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<b>Tide</b><br />
“Laundry Later”<br />
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Charlie Day is the freakout actor of his generation. Tide dropped at least $22 million on their four spots. I like the concepts, but it wasn't particularly Clio Award worthy.<br />
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<br />
<b>Proctor & Gamble</b><br />
"When We Come Together"<br />
<br />
No shortage of star power here. After the clever spilled chili open, it was literally a mess to watch.<br />
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The Media Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105304662582465770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5591523738135529069.post-5052526496349113062020-01-27T14:57:00.001-08:002020-01-28T20:55:17.413-08:00Mamba Mentality: The Random Cruelty of Losing Kobe Bryant<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Sad and angry and thankful. That's how I feel.<br />
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First, the sad part: Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven other souls perished in a helicopter crash yesterday. Kobe was only 41. I only met him twice—at an Academy Awards symposium and then backstage in the winners room when he subsequently won an Oscar for his work on <i>Dear Basketball</i>—and only followed his career from afar, safely in the confines of my personal man cave, so I won't invent false grief from my end when the affected family, friends and former teammates deserve this space. My condolences go out to everyone who loved him and knew him. At the same time, I am sad, and he's a guy who meant an excessive amount to me during a time when sports shouldn’t have meant so much.<br />
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Maybe I wasn't part of his life, but he was a huge part of mine. He gave joy to me in a time where joy was rationed to me. So it’s a dreadful day for Lakers fans, as well as fans of basketball in general. I cannot recall an athlete dying who crossed so many borders of industry and life, was so dear so much to so many people in so many different worlds, or was idolized so passionately by the youth looking for a clear path to their dream.<br />
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Kobe passed away before the Basketball Hall of Fame found a place for him. He's going to make it this year, as scheduled (this summer's finalists have already been announced and he will be part of the arguably the best incoming class ever). Now, they'll have the ceremony without him in Springfield, Mass., and everyone will say, "It's a proud day, but it's also a bittersweet day because he wasn't here to see it," and then they'll put up his plaque and we'll go on with our sadness.<br />
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Now, the angry part, the majority of fans who are rightfully sad and distressed love him for his basketball life, still holding near and dear his incredible play on the court. Indisputably, Kobe was as top 10 player of all time, and 18 time all star, and the greatest defensive guard of his era, maybe of any era: nine first team All-Defensive appearances and on the second team). That doesn't even begin to describe how destructive he played on that end. He was equally devastating on the offensive end. I am angry because someone I was awe in on the court was making real impact off the court. My access the Academy Awards allowed me to see his work and spend time in his presence. Hear his philosophies in candid situations, away from the cameras. He was real at that symposium. He wasn’t someone trying to grab the spotlight from Glen Keane as they spoke about his “love letter to basketball.” He spoke of the process and was thankful to his teammate who made his concept into something real. Detractors will tell you he won because of name recognition but truly this film was easily the best short film nominated that year. His relentless work ethic that drove his 20 years in the NBA also propelled drive his transformation into a business mogul, author, mentor, and advocate of women’s sports. I saw this through the prism of my media work. I am better off for the experiences. It seems impossible to find anyone in this sphere of human who did so much for so many.<br />
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The thankful part lays in his Mamba Mentality. He validated my intense love for the process of gaining success through hard work. He nicknamed himself the Mamba and it stuck and authored <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mamba-Mentality-How-Play/dp/0374201234">“The Mamba Mentality: How I Play,”</a> a book where his revealed his famously detailed approach and the steps he took to prepare mentally and physically to not just succeed at the game, but to excel. We learned how he studied an opponent, how he channeled his passion for the game, and how he played through injuries. In the book he described Mamba Mentality: “To be on a constant quest to try to be the best version of yourself. That’s what the mentality is. It’s not a finite thing. It’s a constant quest to try to be better today than you were yesterday and better tomorrow than you were the day before.”<br />
<br />
I’ve been preaching this mentality in my process since I was 20 working in New York City. <a href="https://mediamindsetter.blogspot.com/2019/10/the-biz-being-great-is-more-than-luck.html">Be a grinder I tell my people</a>. It’s the clear path to success. Some people can’t handle this intensity. I was far more intensive as a young person. I’ve mellowed as I hit my fifties. I don’t throw hockey pucks through glass doors, and micromanage every detail of my staff’s daily workload. But I’ve never relented on the need for following the process. Kobe was that way too. You were either on board and all in, or he didn’t want to play with you. Every player who wanted to take the easier route and cut corners by ignoring the process received my mocking smile. I did the same when others on my three decades of marketing/advertising teams got the same treatment.<br />
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Today, I am searching to make sense of all of this tragedy. I doubt I ever will. Maybe I should be thankful for the many versions of Kobe I experienced in 24 years of being near his rarefied air.<br />
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The Media Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105304662582465770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5591523738135529069.post-81342994254932361572020-01-20T16:36:00.000-08:002020-02-05T16:41:19.549-08:00What I Learned from Professional Wrestling<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Last week marked the another death from one of my childhood legends, Rocky Johnson. He was one of the first black wrestling champions (in fact, the first tag team champion) and brought class to sport that is seldom know for that characteristic.<br />
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RIP Rocky Johnson.<br />
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Saturday mornings were never the same without you.<br />
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His death reminded me of the ridicule I received at school and in my neighborhood towards my affection of professional wrestling. <u>"Fake!"</u> the haters would bellow at me, very much like the wrestler would in their interstitial interviews between matches. <i>"You're wasting your time watching that stuff. Read some Shakespeare"</i>, my English teachers would lecture. Other would caution, <i>"You'll never get a date if girls find out you watch that junk."</i><br />
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Little did they know that this was all part of my master plan of life education that taught valuable strategies about advertising much in the same way the book "The 48 Laws of Power" teaches you how to navigate the politics of work. Even at 12 years old, I theorized that you could learn a great deal from professional wrestling. I always believed that using the principles of being a great wrestling draw could make you successful in your career. Little did I know how perfectly these principles would apply to advertising. What are these principles you ask? Here they are—learn them, embrace them, love them:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Wrestling is outrageous and entertaining. Advertising needs be, too.</li>
<li>Great production values will only get you so far.</li>
<li>Be the black hat.</li>
<li>Be a jobber occasionally.</li>
<li>Find your reality.</li>
</ul>
Have you ever really watched wrestling and tossed away all the testosterone oozing from every inch of the telecast? They are a lesson on how to suck viewers in and hold them breathless, an hour at a time. They are the sports version of soap operas, inching along the storylines and filling up arenas and pay-per-view purchases.<br />
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Well, BROTHER (!), if you haven’t watched a professional wrestling telecast, you're not prepping for your big moment in the advertising world. Imagine a comic book mixed with Roman gladiators, with incredibly gifted, larger-than-life athletes who have the gift of gab, saying whatever they want (as long as it follows the script) and make grand entrances to their offices.<br />
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So where’s the advertising sagacity in all of this? Let’s go back to the six principles…<br />
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<b>Wrestling is outrageous and entertaining. Advertising needs be, too.</b><br />
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The action is real, but the outcome is fake. Deal with it. When you go to ballet, you go for the story and the athleticism displayed on stage. In short, you are there for the content. Professional wrestling is built the content. The personalities. The performance. It suspends our skepticism. It allows us to escape and appreciate the outlandish showmanship.<br />
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Advertising, like wrestling, one part inauthentic, two parts showmanship, three parts branding, and two parts concept and follow-through. We defend the work and that’s why clients trust us with their brand. The creative is the showmanship that grabs attention and makes consumers respond to the campaign. If you’re in the industry you need to embrace that we need to be the best part of our clients' day. Emancipate your creative and have some fun with it all. Do your research, down some coffee, and then get a little funky. I can’t underscore enough to have a little bit of fun. Your craft and your finished product will be better for it.<br />
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Great production values will only get you so far.<br />
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<b>Always Be Closing.</b><br />
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In wrestling, the performers are either pushing for the big match via their interviews or looking for a three count in the ring. In advertising you have to have a similar mentality. Get those approvals. Close new business. Don’t let roadblocks get in the way of performance. Years ago, <a href="https://mediamindsetter.blogspot.com/2010/02/networking-meets-glengary-glen-ross.html?m=0">I wrote a column about closing</a> and some of the keys to closing. Read it. Embrace the key points.<br />
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<b>Be the Black Hat.</b><br />
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The black hats are the bad guys who use everything at their disposal to achieve their goals. They steal. They lie. They cheat. Honestly, the black hats are the guys they get the boos, but also the coolest cats in the room. The bend the rules and puff their chests out while doing it. You would do well to recommend that your brands channel their black hats. Get upset. Raise a ruckus. If you tell the truth, will it hurt? Hell yes it will. That’s good. The truth will set you free. The best creative involves that legendary work tension that leaves everything on edge. Stir it up and you’ll see how everyone melts into place. (Just don’t be unethical. That will get you fired.)<br />
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<b>Take the Loss.</b><br />
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There’s a certain thing that happens in wrestling—being a jobber. When you do a job, it means you take the L. You job out. Sometimes you have to be the punching bag and take the heat. It's part and parcel to being in the industry. You can’t go undefeated. I have a thing called the quarterly battle system where I only go to the mats on one project per quarter. Other than that, nothing is that important. Remember, if you lose splendidly, you look good even in defeat. All of us that have been in the industry for longer than a cup of coffee take the L. Do it, occasionally.<br />
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<b>Find Your Sweet Spot.</b><br />
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The best wrestlers have a signature finishing move. The crowd waits anxiously for them to bring the move out and finish the match. They know their sweet spot. When the time is right they finish, and they do it well. You should have your unique proposition and you should embrace it. We are all good at something. Find that sweet spot and make a career out of what you’re good at. Extend this thinking to your brands and empower them to make that truth their voice. Then, sell it every which way you can. Success never lives in the middle ground. You need to take on some dangers if you plan on capturing the championship. Go for it.<br />
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Hopefully now you can see how professional wrestling and advertising are more closely aligned than you ever thought.<br />
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So with that I want to say, thank you Rocky Johnson.<br />
<br />
You taught me about life and my future career.<br />
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Rest in peace, brother!</div>
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The Media Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105304662582465770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5591523738135529069.post-53523212566568244602020-01-10T17:10:00.000-08:002020-04-07T01:31:44.759-07:00The 43 Postcards Project: Saint Petersburg<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><i>To kickoff 2020, I'm adding intriguing visuals from my trip around the world, my 43 Postcards Project from my lifetime of travels. So far, my quest has taken me to places familiar and others remote, in 43 countries and counting, from the deep Pacific to the deserts of the Middle East to the snow-crusted landscapes of the Arctic Circle. Here, I'll share a handful or two of snapshots from each country I visit, as I saw them. Enjoy the views.</i></b><br />
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<b><i>Okay, so where am I?</i></b><br />
<br />
My quest to build content for my Kontinental Hockey League book intensifies, this time in Saint Petersburg, Russia.<br />
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Maybe you don't know Saint Petersburg. Maybe you think it's a city in Florida. Maybe you don't care. I do because the once capital city of Russia rapidly became one of my favorite cities on the world. I'll devote a full column this month to the wonders it holds but in the meantime, a fast overview of its history. The city is not named for Tsar Peter the Great, aka Peter the I, but Saint Peter, one of the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ. Still, Peter the Tsar, who ruled Russia from 1682 until his death in 1725, is the city’s true father. Blessed with being nearly seven feet tall and also being very good at winning wars, Russia became a European powerhouse under his reign. After his victory against the Swedish Empire in the Great Northern War opened up the Baltic region, he founded Saint Petersburg in 1703 as a new, modern, westward-looking capital of the Russian Empire, a frontier town designed in the image of European cities, to integrate Russia into Europe. It is also the home city of President Vladimir Putin, who worked first for the Leningrad branch of the KGB and later in the mayor’s office, but Peter will always be number one here.<br />
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Before I get to the meat of this column (the visuals), I want to give a special hats off to <a href="https://www.firebirdtours.com/">Firebird Tours</a> as they delivered opportunity after opportunity to get up close with Saint Petersburg and the people of Russia. Seems to me that I can no more book a trip without them as I can travel without my trusty camera to capture life, personalities, and cityscapes we seldom knew existed. Take a peek at my 16 favorites from a handful of days in the city that was the imperial capital for two centuries.<br />
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The Media Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105304662582465770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5591523738135529069.post-5026912347957621612020-01-10T15:30:00.000-08:002020-03-05T12:50:58.672-08:00Class of 2019 Media Guy Hall of Shame Inductees<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm3XnW4fGkH0WUoCwLRGHtT4qr0c7MR625pe4uhtoMWPFsS3qTQE2Px8SfqjbVb-5hRnW8P0gt4NIP2BuP9hP5cSrG_Qyb66rmNJ769rcWFBDM8SLBqenLnU6buwIcoYMsSHKSAylKosvs/s1600/8058250942848045865.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm3XnW4fGkH0WUoCwLRGHtT4qr0c7MR625pe4uhtoMWPFsS3qTQE2Px8SfqjbVb-5hRnW8P0gt4NIP2BuP9hP5cSrG_Qyb66rmNJ769rcWFBDM8SLBqenLnU6buwIcoYMsSHKSAylKosvs/s400/8058250942848045865.jpeg" width="200" /></a><i><b>Okay, so where am I?</b></i><br />
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I just got back from a whirlwind tour of Finland (Kemi, Lapland, Helsinki) and Russia (Saint Petersburg, Moscow) and it's time to get caught up. As you can see from the graphic, the call for <a href="https://www.andyawards.com/enter-now/">ANDY Awards</a> entries has been announced. As you know I am an award junkie so I am moving to get my entires into place to win this elusive award. I am sure there are plenty of you who have no idea what this award is, so here's there elevator speech, "for 55 years the International ANDY awards have been known as the most sought-after awards for creative excellence in advertising." Heady stuff for sure and prestigious in my industry. I want one and my three previous attempts have bore no fruit. I'm taking it seriously because the single entry cost is $1,500! <br />
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The quest for an ANDY made me assess my work against some of my contemporaries from the past year. You know what I found? I found a whole lot of campaigns that should have never been greenlit. They missed their mark or worse. You know I don't have a Hall of Shame because I'm negative. I do it because the worse the ad, the greater the inspiration to be better; to do better. Also, some of the advertising SVPs need to call the Media Guy before they spend millions on a media buy to showcase bad work This is one of my independent new business pushes. I don't charge a lot for a two-day consultation and the return on investment for the companies that do call is immense.<br />
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In 2016, I introduced my "You Should Have Called the Media Guy" columns where I implore tone-deaf ad men and women who don't bother to focus group their advertising and I censure then why a call to me, the Media Guy, can save them some serious advertising budgets in bad publicity if they had only let me review their work first. The columns have proved to be reader favorites (you can catch up on past columns here):<br />
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<a href="https://mediamindsetter.blogspot.com/2018/06/burger.html">Burger King</a><br />
<a href="https://mediamindsetter.blogspot.com/2016/06/red-cross.html">The American Red Cross</a><br />
<a href="https://mediamindsetter.blogspot.com/2017/04/pepsi-you-should-have-called-media-guy.html">Pepsi</a><br />
<a href="https://mediamindsetter.blogspot.com/2017/08/pencils.html">Kellogg's</a><br />
<a href="https://mediamindsetter.blogspot.com/2017/11/anaheim-ducks-you-should-have-called.html">Anaheim Ducks</a><br />
<a href="https://mediamindsetter.blogspot.com/2018/01/2017.html">T-Mobile, Dove, and McDonald's</a><br />
<a href="https://mediamindsetter.blogspot.com/2019/01/class-of-2018-media-guy-hall-of-shame.html">Class of 2018 Media Guy Hall of Shame Inductees</a><br />
<a href="https://mediamindsetter.blogspot.com/2019/02/the-best-and-worst-of-super-bowl-liii.html">The Best and the Worst of the Super Bowl LIII Commercials</a><br />
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I am sure you sit at home and wonder openly and loudly how ads such as these could ever wind up on television or in your online feeds. Some are so poorly thought out you have to say "how did this load of poop make it past their high-paid creatives. So despite my offer for inexpensive, yet sage consulting, there were companies and ad department that decided, "hey we got this!" and didn't call the Media Guy. The ran with their great ideas and I'm here today to bash them a little bit by inducting them into my Media Guy Hall of Shame.<br />
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Before I do though, I want to run my annual PSA for those fools making ten times more than me in their lofty corner glass offices:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<b>"Hello Chief Marketing Officers: you can't see the forest among the trees. Call me. A small consulting check made out to me could save embarrassment and, also, potentially, your jobs. Swallow your pride and just do it!"</b></blockquote>
<b>5. Peloton's "The Gift That Gives Back"</b><br />
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Peloton decided to shame a thin woman's journey to get, well, more thin and the world laughed at them. Others wagged their finger at them, especially the husband who obviously was a real winner as he made his wife check in daily with selfies and what not. In short, the campaign follows her through a yearlong selfie expedition as her dictatorish partner passive aggressively suggested that she needed more exercise.<br />
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<b>4. Kia's 'The Niro Electrified Family"</b><br />
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Kia started off with a smart actor placement on the form of Robert DeNrio in this heavy power of puns spot aimed at promoting its electric e-Niro range. I'm sure that concept sounded good in the pitch session but the end product ended up like the agency chose to wing it without a script after into securing an Oscar winner. Sigh.<br />
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<b>3. Snapchat's "Would You Rather"</b><br />
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You have to be kidding me that this would happen in the current #MeToo climate. In 2009, <a href="https://youtu.be/jnJmyw7hxZw">Chris Brown decided to use Rihanna</a> as a punching bag on the way to the Grammys. SnapChat decided they should make light of domestic abuse it, asking users to reveal whether they’d prefer to slap Rihanna or punch Chris Brown. Snapchat responded saying the ad was the product of a third-party oversight intended to promote the company’s latest game, “Would You Rather.” I mean, really? No wonder SnapChat has <a href="https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/report-predicts-snapchat-usage-will-continue-to-decline-in-the-us/552486/">fallen off the Earth</a>.<br />
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<b>2. Miele's "International Women’s Day"</b><br />
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How do you celebrate modern women on International Women’s Day? By reinforcing the 1950s housewife stereotype. The appliances manufacturer probably thought it was cute to share an image of four white women excited over a washer and dryer, but completely missed the mark. Miele deleted the Facebook post a few hours later. Seriously Miele, you shouldn't rely on old-fashioned stereotypes for your marketing. Know your target audience. Understand what drives them and use this information to inform your social media for business campaigns. It's basic Marketing 101. One call to me and I would have told you that instead of you showing around the creative department and being pandered with a bunch of "great job", "looks incredible", and "you killed this!" comments I am sure you heard prior to giving the thumbs up to roll this out.<br />
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<b>1. Oreo's “First Christmas”</b><br />
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So it’s Christmas Eve and even though every kid's parents leave milk and cookies by the fireplace, Santa is a glutton and needs more. [You know, <a href="https://mediamindsetter.blogspot.com/2010/12/media-guy-struggles-santa-doesnt-live.html">I covered mean Santa before.</a> He's not so easy to work for...] At this point, he pulls over to a gas station and sends his first-day-on-the-job elf intern inside for some Oreos. (Yeah, yeah, bad day to start, but go with it, will ya?) Newbie elf grabs a Big Gulp of orange soda and several packages of Oreos (it's clear he has no idea what glutton Santa is all about). Thankfully, dude at the cash wrap knows the deal and turns on the elf to his milk vault behind the counter which gains him a golden ticket to the Infamous Santa Xmas Rager. Cute idea, no? Exactly, NO! This entire spot smells of creepiness. Dimly lit with newbie elf is wearing way too much makeup. The guy behind the counter with the milk stash twists off the top of the Oreo and demonstrates the proper method to lick off the creme. Good gawd, too much information! All we need is the FBI to show up on December 26th in the epilogue to figure out what became of newbie elf who disappeared for an Oreo pit stop.<br />
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The Media Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12105304662582465770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5591523738135529069.post-4792344459889155312020-01-04T15:32:00.000-08:002020-04-07T01:32:23.036-07:00The 43 Postcards Project: Moscow<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><i>To kickoff 2020, I'm adding intriguing visuals from my trip around the world, my 43 Postcards Project from my lifetime of travels. So far, my quest has taken me to places familiar and others remote, in 43 countries and counting, from the deep Pacific to the deserts of the Middle East to the snow-crusted landscapes of the Arctic Circle. Here, I'll share a handful or two of snapshots from each country I visit, as I saw them. Enjoy the views.</i></b><br />
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<b><i>Okay, so where am I?</i></b><br />
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It's the start of the year and with my Kontinental Hockey League book deal in place I set onto to Moscow to interview as many ex-players, executives, and broadcasters as possible. I only had a few days before my itinerary called for an overnight train trip to Saint Petersburg, so time was of the essence.<br />
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Moscow wasn't the capital of Russia. When it was first mentioned in historical records in approximately 1140, it was simply a small town of little importance. Muscovites today consider Prince Yury Dolgoruky their city’s founding father, but it was only recorded that he dined with friends in the town of “Moskov,” named after the local Moscow River. It remains unclear exactly when this town was established, but at the time of Dolgoruky it was governed by a noble called Kuchka, who fell out with the prince over taxes and was sentenced to death.<br />
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A small fortress was built on Borovitsky Hill by Dolgoruky’s son, Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky; it was the first in a long succession of structures that eventually became the Moscow Kremlin. Moscow remained a small town while the nearby city of Vladimir rose in prominence and overtook Kiev, the old capital, in importance. Moscow’s luck would change only later.<br />
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I grew up during the Cold War: a time of border standoffs, spy-versus-spy intrigues and the bristling tensions of the Berlin Wall. Today Moscow's glittering malls and stylish cafes might seem light years away from the gray concrete and paranoia of that era -- a period that stretched from the end of World War II in 1945 to the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 -- but its remnants are everywhere. From bunker complexes to rusting MiG fighter jets to the vestiges of long-defunct secret weapons programs, Moscow is a living museum of the epoch that shaped the 20th century.<br />
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During this trip I stayed close to Red Square in the plush Ararat Park Hyatt conducting my interviews from their luxurious 10th floor lounge with the best panoramic views in Moscow. Taking a quick trip with me around town in these 20 visuals captured in my few free minutes in the city.<br />
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