Planet Hollywood’s’ topless review “Peepshow” plans to really lay bare someone- Aubrey O’Day, the co-lead with Holly Madison.  Reportedly, her contract will not be renewed when the current run ends in December. 

Some say this action further waters down an already struggling show, replacing O’Day with local Las Vegas talent from Actors Equity in January, when the show takes a brief break before resuming shows. 

Madison will continue to be the show’s marquee draw.  

Show producers also have high hopes for an E! series, tentatively titled “Planet Hollywood,” as previously reported by Las Vegas Backstage Access.

SAG stats: Diversity lags
Minorities, seniors, females underrepresented

By DAVE MCNARYMore Articles:

Minorities, seniors and female actors have achieved few gains in recent years in the number of film and TV roles they receive, according to casting stats released by the Screen Actors Guild.

“The diverse and multicultural world we live in today is still not accurately reflected in the portrayals we see on the screen,” SAG president Ken Howard said in a statement. “We will continue to work with producers, hiring executives and industry professionals in accurately portraying the American scene by ensuring equal access to employment opportunities for all of our members.”

The latest statistics, released Friday, showed minority performers reached a high mark in 2007, with 29.3% of total roles, and then declined last year to 27.5%.

The breakdown of film and TV roles for 2008 was 72.5% Caucasian, 13.3% African-American, 6.4% Latino-Hispanic, 3.8 Asian-Pacific Islander, 0.3% Native American and 3.8% other-unknown. SAG noted in its report that U.S. Census data from 2000 showed that the nation’s population was 73.4% Caucasian, 11.5% African-American, 10.6% Latino-Hispanic, 3.7% Asian-Pacific Islander and 0.8% Native American.

Producers who are signatory to SAG contracts are required to submit hiring data in order to examine the trends of “traditionally underemployed and disenfranchised members.”

SAG also noted that people with disabilities remain “virtually invisible” in casting even though 20% of the U.S. population has a disability.

SAG, AFTRA, Actors Equity and the WGA held the inaugural Hollywood Disabilities Forum at UCLA on Saturday.

The report noted that male actors continue to fill the majority of roles, especially in the supporting category, with about two roles for every female role.

The picture did improve slightly for older thesps.

Roles have increased for males 40 and over, with film parts up from 40% in 2006 to 43% in 2008, while TV roles increased from 40% to 42% in that period; roles for females 40 and over rose in film and TV from 26% in 2006 to 28% last year.

SAG also said that Asian-Pacific thesps were the only minority group to gain from 2007 to 2008, increasing from 3.4% to 3.8%, thanks to gains in TV.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118010361.html?categoryid=1055&cs=1

The three major actors unions were in full force Saturday marching along 5th Avenue.  Can’t tell the players without a program: SAG = dark blue Ts, AFTRA = red caps and/or the navy and gold T-shirt , Equity  = bright blue Ts and/ or white caps. 

Drea Lewis walks for reform and helps the environment in her bamboo earrings.

Bi-coastal talent, Shonnese CL Coleman says, “I’m a proud member of SAG, AFTRA and AEA.  HEALTH CARE NOW!”

The actors’ unions don’t discriminate.  Thanks for the support, Archbishop!

Many of us are fortunate enough to have more than one designation.  I got creative with my combo.

That’s yours truly in what is now my absolute favorite picture of me (next to my headshot, of course)!  The brilliant photo was taken by Shonnese!

Learn more about how to join the unions or how to hire union talent at:  www.sag.org, www.actorsequity.org, www.aftra.org, and www.sagindie.org.

A few months ago, actor Jeremy Piven abandoned his contractual obligations on the Broadway revival of David Mamet’s “Speed-the-Plow.” His silly-sounding excuse was that he’d been eating an exclusively sushi diet and got mercury poisoning, a claim that medical experts consider dubious at best.

So now he’s going to go before the grievance committee of Actors’ Equity tomorrow to defend himself and his sushi excuse.

“It’s my understanding that he’ll be there – unless he has too much sushi on the plane from LA,” joked a person involved in the proceedings.

Piven is said to have a note from his doctor in the form of a blood test, which allegedly supports his case. But according to the show’s producers, Piven had been taking steps to leave the show prior to complaining of any sickness.

He called several prominent actors on his own and begged them to replace him, sources said. He was also overheard telling people backstage that he was “bored out of his mind” in the show.

The producers also have a record of where Piven’s car and driver took him after performances, sources say.

I have a feeling that the sushi excuse won’t pan out and that Piven’s in some trouble, but we’ll all have to wait and see how this all ends.

The actors’ union and Broadway theater producers have reached a tentative agreement for a new 39-month contract that covers Broadway shows and touring productions.

Actors’ Equity Association and the Broadway League, which represents both producers and theater owners, had been negotiating past the deadline of midnight Sunday, when the last contract expired.

The contract agreement, announced Wednesday in a joint statement, averts the possibility of a strike. Stagehands walked off the job in November, shutting down more than two dozen Broadway shows for 19 days and costing producers and the city of New York millions of dollars in lost revenue.

More details on the actors’ new contract were expected later Wednesday.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

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Popsquire reluctantly writes this post about Dennis Quaid’s wife, Evi.  This site is supposed to be about the collision between pop culture and law.  I remain unconvinced that this Quaid deserves pop culture status, but the story is juicy enough to merit one post…

According to these documents otained by TMZ, Evi is the subject of a temporary restraining order for a “credible threat of violence,” including the following alleged acts toward members of the Actors’ Equity Association:

1. Repeated numerous belligerent phone calls;
2. Hundreds of emails;
3. Uninvited visits to the association to scream and yell at employees; and
4. Kicking the male receptionist in his shins, drawing blood and leaving a scar.

Popsquire’s perspective…

This type of restraining order is often granted as a matter of course, assuming an accompanying declaration includes specific, credible facts.  The real test of the veracity and severity of the allegations will come on February 15, 2008, the date set for the hearing that will determine whether the restraining order stays in effect and for how long.

Popsquire is stunned by these alleged events and invites you to read the full declaration.  It’s a good read!  And, while you read, enjoy “Evil” by Interpol.

Ok, so it’s not actually my first blog ever, but my first blog here, so that counts. I have decided to chronicle my life as an actress trying to make it in New York City, and I hope you enjoy the ride. I will try my best to log every move I make, every audition, call-back, up and down along the way. So, here goes!

I moved to New York for the first time at the end of August 2001. I moved into my first apartment here three days before 9/11. Crazy timing, I know. I went to school at the amazing Circle in the Square Theatre School, studying acting and musical theatre. However, after I graduated, I was broke, working three jobs, and not auditioning at all. I decided to move home to recoup and take stock. After about a year and a half I realized that the actor’s life is the only life for me, and i packed up my things and moved back to New York. I decided to give in to that old cliche and become a waitress, so I would have my days free to audition.

I soon realized my first, and possibly biggest setback – I am not a member of Actor’s Equity, the theatre actors’ union. Now, all Broadway shows, and most Off-Broadway shows and touring companies are Equity, meaning that if I want to audition for them, I must be Equity too. Luckily, if there is extra time at an Equity audition, they will sometimes see non-Equity actors. So, I decided to try my luck and start attending Equity auditions.

The first few were awful. I got there around 8 am and was told around 4 pm that they would not have time to see non-Equity performers. But this did not get me down. I have known my entire life that this is what I am meant to do, and I will make it happen. I decided to show up to auditions even earlier, and soon I was being seen at auditions. I even got a few call-backs, but I wasn’t quite confident enough with my singing. So, I found a vocal coach. Katy Pfaffl (the P is silent). And after a few months was feeling much better and much more in shape vocally.

Last August I saw that there was an open call for the 40th Anniversary Concert production of “Hair”, being produced by the New York Public Theater. It was going to be performed in Central Park. I had actually planned a trip to California for the same time that it would be performing, but decided to go to the audition for the exposure (it is always good to be seen by casting directors, even if you are not right for, or can’t even do the show). Of course, I got called back, again and again, and was ultimately offered a role in the production. There was no way I could turn it down.

At this point, I knew it was a great credit for my resume, but I had no idea how great, or how it would affect my life. The show only had three performances, three sold out performances (with over 1000 people in the stand-by line each night). It was the most amazing theatrical experience I have ever been a part of. The cast was so perfect and amazing – the closest cast I have ever been a part of. I became overwhelmed at rehearsals and during performances, just realizing where I was, and what I was a part of. I was on stage with Broadway performers and Tony nominees, I felt so blessed.

Of course, it had to come to and end. In October I hit the auditions again, with some embracing my new, amazing credit, and some not even giving me a chance, due to my lack of union membership. I continued to study voice with Katy, who is a local singer/songwriter, as well. She asked me to sing back-up for her at a gig, and I gladly accepted! I also got to sing at the amazing Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola, which is a part of Jazz at Lincoln Center. Things were looking up, or at least feeling good.

Now it is the new year and I have gone to many auditions and have actually only been seen at one, an audition for “Cry Baby”, a stage adaptation of the 1990 John Waters film. I feel that it went well, but who knows what they’re looking for. I will continue to try until I make it, however long that takes. Hopefully a break will come soon. Thanks for coming along the journey with me.

Here is a video from my performance at Dizzy’s Club: