Thursday, December 30, 2010

The Overlooked Talent of Alex O'Loughlin

by carol

Alex O’Loughlin is a man of many talents and fine qualities. There is much to admire about my favorite actor but there is one attribute I admit I admire above all his others … the man can hang onto a pair of sunglasses.

Like the single sock that never comes out of the dryer, sunglasses have a habit of disappearing … or rather, being abandoned by their owners. Left behind in restaurants, laying on your car roof as you drive off, or falling out of your backpack, sunglasses seem to have a limited lifespan.

There is also a theory that the more expensive the sunglasses, the shorter the time you can expect them to not get lost or broken. Fans have priced a variety of sunglasses worn by Alex in the past and they are not cheap. Yet I have photographic proof that Alex has hung onto the same pair for almost two years.
While the rest of us resort to shoelace neck cords or beaded spectacle straps, Alex casually hangs his sunglasses on his shirt, looking cool and debonair. What’s left to say?  Well, he looks good in hats too.

Monday, December 27, 2010

Quick "fix" if You're Jonesing for Hawaii Five-0 - Week #2

By Pam

There’s still one more week before we see a new episode of Hawaii Five-0 *sigh*.  Here are15 more things you might want to do to ease the pain.

16. Trade the computer you got for Christmas for a Hello Kitty laptop.
17. Send all your friends a picture postcard from New Jersey.
18. Buy a shaved ice machine (on sale for $34.95, regularly $59.95).
19.  Go out for drinks with a friend and forget your wallet.
20. Call your Governor.
21. Have a luau (indoors, if it’s snowing).
22. Visit your County Jail.
23. Mow the lawn and fashion the clippings into a grass skirt.
24. Wear flip-flops/thongs/slippers everywhere.
25. Order a Blue Hawaii when you go out for dinner.
26. Buy a can of Spam (you don’t necessarily have to eat it).
27. Dust your house for fingerprints (get creative with your method).
28. Sleep on your fold out couch.
29. Buy a 6 pack of Longboard Beer.
30. Convince your friends to download the Hawaii Five-0 ringtone and all play it at once.

If none of the 30 in total suggestions work, and your addiction to Hawaii Five-0 is so bad you can’t function without a new episode, go to your nearest hospital and tell them you think you have CBS (Chronic Boredom Syndrome).  I’ve heard the only known cure is a large dose of WTF5-0.


Good luck all!

Friday, December 24, 2010

Christmas Is Every Day


by carol

The gifts already underneath my Christmas tree:
  • the hugs, kisses, and giggles I’ll share with the beautiful children in my life;
  • a loving mother who lets me feel like a child when I need to;
  • family standing ever-ready to give support and love;
  • friends with so much caring I call them my family;
  • the animals, those who live in our homes with us and those who live wild and free;
  • a home where I am comfortable and feel safe;
  • work that is so satisfying I can’t believe I get paid to do it;
  • challenges every day - some to win and some to lose, all with a lesson to teach me;
  • a world, damaged and in pain, but still filled with hope and people trying to do what’s right.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Our Quick "fix" if You're Jonesing for Hawaii Five-0 - Week #1

By Pam


If you're jonesin’ for a new episode of Hawaii Five-0, and your withdrawal symptoms are becoming unmanageable, here are 15 things you might do to ease the pain this week.

Photobucket  1. Make a pineapple and ham pizza.
  2. Ask your local police if you can take a ride in a squad car and argue.
  3. Google West Orange, New Jersey.
  4. Buy an artificial palm tree for your living room.
  5. Take a trip to your nearest Army-Navy store and try on stuff.
  6. Get a tattoo.
  7. Wear a tie to work.
  8. Practice talking with your hands while arguing.
  9. Tackle your neighbor as he’s walking to his car.
10. Test drive a Chevy Camaro.
11. Order a Kevlar vest online.
12. Sign up for a Mixed Martial Arts class (men, make sure you wear a cup).
13. Take ukulele lessons.
14. Do a needlepoint of the Navy SEALs emblem.
15. Learn to speak pidgin.

More suggestions next week.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Alex O'Loughlin Comes With Death Benefits

By Pam

PuddinKitty and IHEARTTHATGUY were kind enough to share with us the most unique plan we have ever heard of.*

In their devotion to Alex O’Loughlin, they have created a deathbed wish list. It will somehow be communicated to Alex, and he, of course, will feel it would be something he is obliged to fulfill. At the time of an imminent demise, the un-dying one would summon Alex to the bedside. Alex, being the compassionate person they so love him for being, would drop everything and catch the next plane out. The un-dying would bear witness and be sworn to secrecy. The Back-up Plan soundtrack will be playing softly in the background.
These are the last wishes of PuddinKitty or IHEARTTHATGUY (whoever dies first). It is with the deepest respect for the dying that we request Alex O’Loughlin (the actor) to:

 1. Come to my deathbed shirtless and sweaty.
 2. Speak to me in his low, sultry, sexy Mick St. John voice.
 3. Tell me what Nina Tassler whispered to him at the upfronts.
 4. Reveal what he did between the ages of 15 and 20, known as “the lost years.”
 5. Divulge if he was shaved or waxed for the movie Feed.
 6. Tell me he remembers each of the 2,000 cards and letters I have sent him over the years.
 7. Tell me that every Christmas he still wears the Santa/Rudolph penis cozy I crocheted for him in 2007.
 8. Spoon-feed me my last Jell-O cup.
 9. Serenade me with his guitar and sing Monkey Magic as I start to fade.
10. Kiss me on the lips and promise he will think of me every day for the rest of his life.
11. Give the survivor his personal cell phone number (to stay in touch) and his recipe for meatballs.
In anticipation, knowing that either one of us could succumb to a fatal disease or get hit by a bus at any moment, we have vowed to look our best for Alex at all times.
Well, how very interesting. We offer our condolences in advance.

Oh…and ladies, I’d watch your backs if I were you. I hear Alex’s meatballs are "killer."


*PuddinKitty and IHEARTTHATGUY are fictitious screen names. Any similarity to real screen names is strictly coincidental.  I made all this up.  Sheesh....who would really do something nutty like this?

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Fans, Friendships and Frauds

By Pam

A lot of people join fan forums to make a connection with those of like minds and interests. Some join just out of loneliness, hoping to find a more personal, intimate connection. For whatever reason, these people are really not your best friends, or “sisters/brothers.” You don't know anything about them, other than their thoughts posted in a forum. "Mindy1982" could be 16 year old Anthony from the Bronx. "Puddinkitty" could be a student doing a study on gullibility.  "IHEARTTHATGUY" could be a person with mental issues, playing with whoever will take the bait...sucking you in. "IamMe" could be someone who has the need to control someone else.

It amazes me that complete strangers who have never spoken feel close enough to one another to trust each other explicitly. From what I've seen, and mind you I have only had a taste of fan forums for three years, any one of those "sisters/brothers" will throw the other one under the bus should the occasion arise. You're only a sister/brother if you agree with all the other ones. Once you decide to have your own thoughts, or deviate from the majority, you're no longer a sister/brother in solidarity. You have broken from the fold and will most likely be ignored, or your posts will be buried. Might as well stick your head in the oven. Your life is over as you've known it. Pity that you'll be talked about, rather rabidly, in PMs. It's unconscionable how some people are treated just for having a differing opinion.

Bottom line, don't be a lemming or a minion. They get no respect in life. Stay away from the "mean girls." They give no respect. If you must attach yourself to someone, choose that person wisely. Don't just jump on the first person who tells you you're awesome. Take the time to read posts and seek out the person with your own sensibilities. Also, try to find the "smartest" person and see whose posts s/he comments on the most. They would be the ones to follow. Don't be afraid to express your own thoughts. You may need to test the waters on several fan forums before you find the one that suits you. Remember, be careful, but have fun. Once the fun stops for you, consider finding another hobby.

I'm one of the lucky ones. I did find someone on a fan forum that has become a terrific long distance friend. Without her, there would be no O'Laughing Press. She's Carol, my writing partner and confidant.

I wish everyone could be so lucky.

Friday, December 3, 2010

Anti-heroes come in different shades of gray

by carol

So, who doesn’t want to play the Hero?  The Hero gets to be the winner, the character everyone admires and praises who triumphs over badness.  He/She gets rewarded and usually winds up with the girl (or guy).  Epic ballads are written about the Hero.  Great gig, right? Heroes embody the forces of good and everyone cheers as they overcome great odds to succeed in the story.

Alex O’Loughlin: “I’m not very good at playing the hero; I play an anti-hero really well.”
The distinction between an Anti-hero and a Villain may not be clear to an audience. And that is the element that makes the story more than a simple tale of Heroes and Villains. Within the character of the Anti-hero you may find some of the qualities of a Villain, up to and including brutality, cynicism, and ruthlessness, but with the soul or motivations of a more conventional Hero. They always possess an underlying pathos.  Often riddled with paradoxical traits and qualities, they resemble real people more than any other type of fictional characters do.

An Anti-hero is often unorthodox and might flaunt laws or act in ways contrary to society’s standards. In fact, and this is important, the Anti-hero often reflects society’s confusion and ambivalence about morality, so the writer can use this flawed character for social or political comment.

An Anti-hero can be a bad ass, a maverick, or a screw-up. Anti-heroes may be obnoxious, pitiful, or charming, but they are always failed heroes or deeply flawed. The writer uses the story events to make the Anti-hero understandable.  The audience comes to know his motivations and inner demons.

And audiences often come to love these characters because they are realistic and relatable—just like the people in real life, they’re imperfect and roiling with contradictions. It takes talent to create an Anti-hero because this character requires a great deal of nuance to arouse complicated reactions in the audience.

Who are the modern Anti-heroes?  Travis Bickle in “Taxi Driver.”  Vic Mackey in “The Shield.”  Dexter Morgan in “Dexter.”  Tony Montana in “Scarface.”  Rick Deckard, and Roy as well, in “Blade Runner.”


 O'Loughlin as Vincent Rowlings in "Criminal Minds."

ALEX O’LOUGHLIN:  “None of us are just purely benevolent or malevolent.  I mean, it’s not possible in human nature … the more flaw you bring to a character or the more balance you give your character with flaw, the closer that character moves towards everyman, you know.  And if that character is an everyman, then we can all sit back and relate to them like we can’t relate to a superhero.”

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Hawaii Five-0: On the 7th Day The Lord Put His Foot Down

By Pam

I know that Alex O’Loughlin puts 110% into the work he does.  It’s his work ethic that drives him. I read once that he took a Sunday afternoon to practice one stunt for Hawaii Five-0.  Now, that’s dedication…and he loves his work. After grinding out eleven episodes of Hawaii Five-0 so far, can he continue the pace?

This article appeared in the April 14, 1973 issue of the AUSTRALIAN TV WEEK.  Sounds like Jack Lord set a precedent….or did he?  
JACK BEATS THE SYSTEM

HAWAII FIVE-0 star Jack Lord is a man who insists on relaxation.  Even on a whirlwind promotional tour of Australia the well-muscled giant insisted on time off to enjoy the scenery. Which is why he took a boat trip around the Sydney Harbor, an attraction which never fails to get visitors from the States.

Jack, back home in Hawaii, completely revolutionized television series-making all on his own, because of his insistence on peace and relaxation and shorter working hours.

“Things were just getting out of hand,” he told TV WEEK. “I was working all hours of the day and night and the weekends, too, so I decided that enough was enough.  Now I don’t lift a finger at the weekend, except maybe to paint, and I will not work the long hours that I used to.”

When Jack first put his foot down the television producers howled and said it couldn’t be done.

“You know what?” drawled Jack. “They soon found out it could be done.  It had to be. I didn’t intend working myself into the ground.  Suddenly schedules were tightened up, and time wasting was cut to a minimum.  The same guys that were crying suddenly started to grin when they were working just five days a week, without masses of expensive overtime – and getting a good product on the screen.  There is so much time-wasting goes on with a series and it can so easily be cut down.  Now I reckon we have the happiest working crew in television.  We are relaxed and know that we can enjoy our leisure time without work cutting into it.  And for me, that’s how any job of work should be – even in television.”
Scott Caan plays Danny “Danno” Williams in the new version of Hawaii Five-0.   “There’s no time off, so you see people more grinding and grumpy than having a great time,” says Caan. “The no-time-off drives me crazy.  That’s my fight if it goes another year, because I need to do other things I like to do.  It’s sort of unhealthy doing this show.” 

Alex O’Loughlin, who portrays Steve McGarrett, also opens up about the situation.  “You move away from your family and friends to a small Island where everyone knows your business and the time you’re not at work, you’re at home studying for the next day.  Even when the red carpet stuff comes around, you’re so tired you don’t even want to go.”**

“I don’t have free time. I have one day off this weekend and I plan to surf or sleep. Or I just lie in bed.”

Hear that CBS?  If you want to pay homage to Jack Lord and the original Hawaii Five-0, how about giving your people some much needed down time as Jack Lord insisted he and “his people” have?  Take time to smell the hibiscus. 

Friday, November 12, 2010

Hawaii Five-0 and The Gripes of Wrath

By Pam


At the table in the kitchen, there were three bowls of porridge. Goldilocks was hungry.  She tasted the porridge from the first bowl.
"This porridge is too hot!" she exclaimed.
So, she tasted the porridge from the second bowl.
"This porridge is too cold," she said
So, she tasted the last bowl of porridge.
"Ahhh, this porridge is just right," she said happily and she ate it all up.

Smart kid, that Goldilocks.  She knows what she likes, unlike the consummate couch potato. 

Hawaii Five-0 is a TV show which tells the story of the Hawaiian Governor’s Task Force which curtails high crimes on her Islands. The operative word here is story, being a fictitious tale, by definition. It means the writer adds interest to a situation or character for the purpose of entertainment. 

Although Hawaii Five-0 is being embraced by the Hawaiian Islanders, there is a group who voice their opinions on the faults they find in the production, but they're not the only ones. I can understand the locals, though. I hate it when the world thinks all of New Jersey is like "Jersey Shore," "Real Housewives of New Jersey" or "The Sopranos," but I try to look at the big picture. 

"Steve McGarrett doesn't pronounce the Hawaiian words properly." Well, he was brought up in a household where Hawaiian wasn't spoken. He didn't hear the inflections of the language on a regular basis. His pronunciation is a little off. That's a bad thing?

Slippers vs. flip-flops, oy. Danny's from Jersey. We say flip-flops in Jersey. Chin thought it appropriate to use that term to add some sarcasm. It fit.

"Locals wouldn't allow a Haole to beat on another local, no matter what the situation." Okay then, how do you propose the scenario be handled?  Let the local beat up the “white gentleman?” At least there's blood, right? (In case you're confused, that was sarcasm).

"That wasn't Waimea!" Maybe production gave in to the locals who wanted it for themselves that day. Another location was used, but was said to be Waimea. Well, I didn't know that. I'm sure 90% of the viewers didn't know that either.

Then there's not enough shirtless men; Kono is always scantily clad; too much banter; banter at inappropriate times; Danny's always yelling; Steve doesn't yell enough; not enough for Chin and Kono to do; where's Maryann; Jack Lord never would have done that; too much product placement; blah, blah, blah.

If you complain more about a TV show than what it's worth, stop watching it. It's not for you. If you're looking for realism, seek out documentaries. If you're stressed from everyday life, you might want an escape from that.

In the Nov. 15-21 issue of TV Guide, in "Roush Review" (page 23), Matt Roush sums up Hawaii Five-0 very nicely.
"Does it work? Mostly. The new Five-0 gets high fives for its look, pace and an effortless diverting blend of action and humorously bromantic banter between Alex O'Loughlin and Scott Caan as the dour Steve McGarrett and his wry homesick sidekick, Danno.  The stories are often forgettably generic, but the escapism* allure is high."
*Escapism: The tendency to escape from daily reality or routine by indulging in daydreaming, fantasy, or entertainment.

AAAHHHH...sounds good! It sure beats my reality.

Take a tip from Goldilocks. Know what you like before you eat it all up. You'll be more satisfied.

Friday, November 5, 2010

It's A Small World After All: Yure Covich

by carol

Yure Covich graduated in 2002 with NIDA fellow alumnus Alex O’Loughlin. Yure went on to earn his DipEd degree (Diploma in Education). He continues to live and work in Australia while Alex relocated to Hollywood. The two have remained good friends.

After reading about Yure, I now believe he has to be one of the busiest people in the country.

Holly Austin & Yure in Cloud Nine
Yure & Natasha McNamara in The Illusion

Yure has worked regularly as a tutor at NIDA and continues to act and direct around Australia. His acting abilities are often praised. In the 2010 production of Woyzeck,  a reviewer happily reported that “Yure Covich as the Drum Major is incredible, all blistering self confident hot machismo.” But don’t think he is all work and no play. Cast as Jack the Dog* in the 2002 premiere of Country Music, during rehearsal Yure (as the dog) pretended to hump other cast members legs - a joke he played with the same level of hilarity over and over and over again.

His teaching experiences include tutoring at NIDA, working with Aboriginal communities in the Pilbara Desert, and training teachers in Spain. As a member of The McDonald College faculty, Yure teaches acting and has directed the North Strathfield graduation plays. He is also a workshop facilitator for Medical Drama.

Representing NIDA, Yure has participated in the Michael Leslie Pilbara Performing Arts Program in that remote region of Western Australia. The program brings industry professionals from all over Australia to the Pilbara to run workshops in dance, acting, creative writing, and film for young people in these communities, including the indigenous population. Yure visited Karratha to help direct a play that a group of students had created by themselves for a Youth Arts Festival there.
"These are some of the best kids I've worked with,” stated Yure. "They're professional, they've got respect, they've got talent, they've got confidence, and they're not full of themselves like a lot of city artists."
Yure’s teaching extends beyond stage, film and TV acting. A children's charity, the Starlight Foundation, sponsors entertainers who portray Captain Starlight, a welcome visitor to hospitals who cheers up sick kids.

NIDA workshops for Captain Starlights help them learn movement, voice projection and how to improvise funny skits. Mostly they learn how to let go of their inhibitions so they can take children out of their hospital beds and into a fantasy world.  Captain Starlights play to a tough crowd. Many of the children have been in the hospital for months -- even years -- and some are terminally ill.
"If they believe what they are doing, the kids will believe it," says acting coach Yure Covich. "They can take them into a castle or a pirate ship, or into the belly of a whale."
So what are some of the “mad skills” Yure has to offer?

With a natural Australian accent, his Croatian background probably helped his accent skills which include American Standard, Bronx, Brooklyn, Californian, Caribbean, Cockney, English, French, German, Irish, Japanese, Mid Western, Russian, Scottish, Spanish, and Western.
Yure can demonstrate his language prowess in a baritone singing voice while performing stage combat, juggling, fencing, or abseiling.

There is one talent of Yure’s that I don’t believe has been seen onstage thus far in his career, he plays the Didgeridoo.

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Alex O'Loughlin is Not Afraid of a Good Fight

By Pam

I’ve often heard Alex O’Loughlin say he performs most of his own stunts.  I wondered how he was able to master some of the stunts he has done, particularly in a fight scene.  How does one throw a punch and not hit someone, let alone take the punch and appear as though it hurts?  Is it just good acting?

Alex, as you may know, attended NIDA where he received a Bachelor in Acting.  The acting course is three years long and includes classes such as acting techniques, accents, movement and relaxation methods.  In addition, stage combat is offered as a several week course.  The Sydney Stage Combat School is called in for this purpose.  They instruct the acting students in unarmed combat and single sword combat.  Since Alex would have to be cast in a period film for us to see his swashbuckling skills, I will concentrate on unarmed stage combat for now.

Stage Combat is the practice of creating the illusion of physical combat for theater, film or television. 

 When a script calls for a physical fight stage combat is employed. The primary objective of stage combat is to create a visual and auditory picture which gives the illusion of ‘real fighting’, with the overriding concern being that no one gets hurt.  Stage combat can include any form of choreographed violence.  It all depends on the dramatic requirements of a script and the creative choices of the Director and Fight Director.  The combat phase of a rehearsal is referred to as a ‘fight rehearsal.’

Choreography is typically learned step by step and practiced at first very slowly before increasing to full speed. It is preferable for actors to have as much training and experience as possible. A ‘fight call,’ or a brief rehearsal before the fight is performed, is to increase muscle memory and produce more effective dramatic action.

Here are the common Stage Combat techniques actors are taught:*

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Celebrities and Charities

by carol

The best thing about celebrity-charity relationships is that they are mutually beneficial liaisons. There may be personal reasons for a celebrity’s support of a cause or a charity may solicit a star to become their representative.

A "ripple effect" occurs from celebrity involvement with a charity – people interested in the celebrity become interested in the charity. The idea behind that is our stored up appreciation, admiration, or affection for that celebrity will (subconsciously or consciously) lead us to donate to the cause they endorse.

Time, Talent, Fortune. Celebrities offer one or more of these to a charity. Angelina Jolie is an example of a star who offers all three. A goodwill ambassador for the United Nation’s refugee agency UNHCR since 2001, she has visited refugee camps in well over 20 countries and in one year alone personally donated more than $13 million to non-profit organizations, including $1 million to Human Rights Watch.

I am pleased to report that the stars of one of my favorite shows, Hawaii Five-0, are involved with a number of worthy causes.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Behind the Scenes of Hawaii Five-0 with the Casting Director

By Pam

I often go to Hawai’i Actors Network forum and read what the background actors are saying about their experience working on the Hawaii Five-0 set. Most are grateful for the opportunity, but some have no clue that they should have kept the phone number to call if they got an email to show up for work and some complain that they haven’t been called yet after submitting their information to casting. I have read actual posts from some of these people who spread all kinds of rumors about how casting works, what hoops a background actor has to go through to get an opportunity. They also compare feature film casting to TV casting. 

Today I saw that the casting director for Hawaii Five-0, Rachel Sutton, addressed some of these issues. I found it very interesting and informative. Here’s her explanation from behind-the-scenes.
“ok folks...to address T*'s "issue" with my casting techniques i will take a few min. out of my insanely busy day to give my 2 cents!!
First let me start off with a bit of general information...Writers write scripts...we have concept meetings to discuss the script with the Director of that episode, the Writers and the producers...after the meeting i sit with them to discuss who THEY want to see in the roles they wrote..ages, ethnicities,male, female etc. I usually have about 5 roles to cast for the episode. Keep in mind we prep these episodes in 6 or 7 days...in an ideal world (like in Feature Films where you have MONTHS to prep) i would see 50 actors for each role!! But that would mean reading 250 people. Then i'd still have to edit footage, get directors, producers, and writers to pick someone, then get the network/studio to approve them all, mind you in 6 days...Bottom line is, episodic is very fast paced and to compare my techniques with the casting director of a feature film is slightly ignorant...At any rate the main gripe of T*'s, and apparently of many others, is that i don't read actors with out agents...i could give a RATS A** if you have an agent or not... i do have to move quickly and sometimes don't physically have the time (i'm a one woman show, no assistant..again not like a feature where you have a staff to help you) to call/email/set up auditions with independants. BUT if you are right for a part you better believe i will call you!!! REMEMBER i don't create the roles i just cast them...train, be a good actor, and pray the writers write a role YOU ARE RIGHT FOR...then hope for a good audition and then really PRAY that the Network/Studio is in a good mood when they watch your audition..because i've had people that our Producer/Director read in a callback and loved, get denied the part because the Studio/Network didn't like the performance... ALOHA”(sic)

Source:  http://www.hawaiiactors.com

Friday, October 15, 2010

Tattoos No Longer Taboo

The Pew Research Center reported in 2010 that 36 percent of Americans ages 18-25 have at least one tattoo. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration reported in 2009 that 45 million Americans have tattoos.

Tattoos have gone in and out of the mainstream culture for centuries. In the 1960s, a modern tattoo Renaissance of sorts began. There could not have been a better time for tattoo and celebrity to come together. With ink, actors, musicians and athletes could identify themselves as individuals who live their lives outside the pale.

Six years ago, a tattooist flew from the UK to ink a new winged cross tattoo on the back of David Beckham’s neck during the soccer championship games. Angelina Jolie is probably the most tattooed Academy Award winning actress. She has tribal dragons, a Thai tiger, and various Latin sayings across her shoulders and arms. Johnny Depp is almost as well known for his tattoos as his acting, which include the names of his kids and mother.

Alex O’Loughlin, celebrity actor in CBS’s hot new show Hawaii Five-0, has seven tattoos, most of which he obtained before his career began. He has a faded tattoo on each forearm, large tattoos on each shoulder, two small tattoos on his chest, and finally, an enormous tattoo on his lower back (referred to as “arse antlers” in his Australian homeland). And if you can believe it, faux tattoos were added in two of his films. Alex has admitted his tattoos have meaning for him but has not shared that personal information with fans. We can only speculate why he chose H.R. Geiger’s work Illuminatus.

A genuine tattoo.... tells a story. I like stories and tattoos, no matter how well done, if they don't tell a story that involves you emotionally, then they're just there for decoration, then they're not a valid tattoo. There has to be some emotional appeal or they're not, to my way of thinking, a real tattoo. It tells people what you are and what you believe in, so there's no mistakes.
~Leo, tattooist, 1993, quoted in Margo DeMello, Bodies of Inscription, 2000
It used to be that celebs didn't get tattooed. Their agents and managers advised that such actions could alter audience perceptions or hurt their chances for certain roles. However, with tattoos now a fashionable part of the mainstream, it seems that having a bit of skin art doesn't have any effect on one's acting career.

It’s an interesting turn of events that celebrities can now find their likenesses indelibly inked on their most ardent fans.

Sources:
Tattoos and body piercings in the United States: A national data set by Anne E. Laumann, MBChB, MRCP(UK), and Amy J. Derick, MD (Chicago, Illinois)

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Taryn Manning Not "Wasting Time"

By Pam
OLaughing @tarynmanning Must admit I never saw you act until tonight on #H50. You did a wonderful job as Steve's sister. Congratulations.
TarynManning @OLaughing Thank u so much:) u can blog about it too!! Would b awesome of you
We like to think we're awesome, so this is as much for Taryn as it is for our readers.

How much ambition can a 32 year old woman have?  In researching Taryn Manning I have to say I am floored by her achievements.  She is the kind of woman we should teach our daughters to aspire to.  She is certainly one to be admired.

Taryn’s accomplishments include:
Singer/Songwriter – Along with her brother, Kellin, formed the band Boomkat in 2003. She plays the guitar and is the vocalist.  Boomkat's record company, Little Vanilla Records is owned by Manning. They are presently working on another album.

Actress – She has appeared in television shows such as The Practice, Sons of Anarchy and Boston Public.  Her feature film credits include Crossroads, Cold Mountain and the highly acclaimed Hustle and Flow.  She recently tweeted she auditioned for a Ron Howard film.

DJ – She’s a lover of music and is asked to DJ at clubs she attends.  She was the DJ at World on Wheels, which hosted an 80’s themed benefit for HOW (Helping Others Worldwide).

Fashion Designer – Taryn is co-owner of the clothing line Born Uniqorn with her best friend, Tara Jane, which they founded in 2005.   Lindsey Lohan, Paris Hilton, Rachel Bilson, Jaime Pressly and Tori Spelling are just a few of the celebrities that have worn the brand.

Last night I watched Taryn’s acting for the first time in her debut as Maryann McGarrett, Steve’s sister, in Hawaii Five-0.  Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised.  She pulled off the indifference Maryann must feel because of being sent to a mainland boarding school at a young age after her mother died, and her father’s inability to show affection for either child.  I am excited to see where the depth of the character goes.  


"They are establishing her with a skill set," Manning told PopcornBiz. "We're starting to see that she's really good on computers."
“She's off on her own Nancy Drew little mission to figure out stuff about her own family."

Mahalo, Taryn.  I think you’ve made Hawaii Five-0 a little edgier, a little more intriguing and have confirmed that it’s not my father’s Hawaii Five-0.