Yes, I had a Miley Cyrus song stuck in my head the whole time we were in L.A.  I’m OK with that.

We went out to L.A. for a wedding.  One of my closest friends from high school got married on Sunday.  He (Brian) and his wife (Paula) met at law school and live in Brooklyn.  They are both Legal Aid lawyers, and one of the cutest couples ever.  Her family is from L.A., whic is why the wedding was out there. 

We landed with barely enough time to check into our hotel and change.  I took advantage of our time waiting for our rental car to do my makeup.  In the middle of the Hertz lobby.  I really just didn’t care!

Pretty soon after we landed, we headed out to Trader Vic’s at the Beverly Hilton for a rehearsal/out of towners dinner.  It was very casual, which I love for a rehearsal dinner.  I can’t really say how the food was, since I wasn’t hungry, so didn’t eat.  It was really good to catch up with old friends and his family, but we called it an early night, since the jet lag took a lot out of us.  I didn’t get a lot of pictures at the dinner (at least none that aren’t incriminating!), but just know we had a lot of fun!

The next morning, Solomon and I headed to Santa Monica Pier.  We were really disappointed by it.  Maybe it was because it was so quiet because it was early Sunday morning, but it seemed really rundown.  I did run into Zoltar, I wished to be BIG!

We also saw the Hotel California.  I channeled my inner Mama’s and Papa’s and sang!

Thank you so much for all of your great suggestions for brunch.  We ended up at Grub, which I can’t recommend enough.  I’m not exactly sure where in L.A. it is, but it looks like a cute little house.

They brought out Froot Loops and Fruity Pebbles for us to snack on while we waited!  I haven’t had either of these in a long time, they were so yummy, and such a fun treat!

Solomon got a breakfast burrito which he declared to be one of his favorite breakfasts ever (and boy loves his breakfast!).  It was huge and packed fully of yummy goodness!

I got an egg white scramble with pepper jack cheese, corn, tomatoes and basil.  It came with the best herbed potatoes I have ever eaten, and “hippie bread.”  I’m drooling just thinking about it!

We also discovered my newest favorite hot sauce, Tapatio.  After brunch we went right to a grocery store and bought a bottle for us, one for my parents, and one for my brother.  It might be better than Frank’s, but then I feel like I’m cheating by saying that.  I still love you Frank’s!For a sweet treat later on (little did we know there was more ahead for us!), we got one of their speacial cookies-a chocolate chip and potato chip cookie!  I have to figure out how to make this myself.  It was the perfect combination of sweet and salty!

After brunch we did a TON of sight seeing, which I won’t bore any of your with, since I’m sure you’ve all seen pictures of these places.  We saw the Hollywood sign, the Walk of Fame, the Kodak Theater, Graumann’s, L. Ron Hubbard’s Winter Wonderland (which I found HILARIOUS for some reason), and some of the studios.  For an afternoon snack we headed to YogurtLand (thank you Michelle!)

Yogurtland is a frozen yogurt place with a DIY toppings bar.  They had about 14 flavors, and most were low fat or no fat.  I opted for a peanut butter/cookies and cream twist and plain (my absolute favorite).  I put on tons of fruit, and carob chips.  Solomon got Nilla wafer and plain, with the same toppings, plus yogurt chips.  At $.30 an ounce, this was a great deal, and sooooo yummy!  I inhaled every bite.  They had a motto which I thought suited me well too!

Yogurtland also had the most adorable spoons!

Yeah, I hated it.  Every last bite

As if we hadn’t eated enough, we also went to Sprinkles in Beverly Hills.  We were smart, and saved these for the airport the next day.  They were heavenly, I wish there was a Spinkles near me.  They would totally be worth ordering from California! 

We always judge a cupcake place by their vanilla cupcake with vanilla frosting, and this one passed with flying colors.  We also got a red velvet cupcake, which was the best either of us had ever had.  A++++++ in my book.  If you ever get a chance to try Sprinkles, you really should, they rocked!

Other than eating our way through L.A., we had a great time, and a lot of fun at the wedding, dancing all night.  I didn’t get a lot of pictures, but here we are with the happy couple.  Mazel Tov Paula and Brian!

After this monster post, I’m wiped!

What are your NYE plans? 

My brother and his girlfriend are coming to my parents, and we are just going to do a lot of appetizers, drink and relax.  I’m never much into NYE, I hate being on the roads, and how overpriced everything is!

Have you ever been to L.A?  What did you think?  Are you more of a city or country person?

As for me, city all the way!

Don’t forget about the Aurorae giveaway and the Wusthof giveaway!  I’ll announce both winners tomorrow, good luck!

Our new Business Etiquette Workshop will be held Thursday, January 21, 2010 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. 

Janeen Mansour and Morgan Freeman at Noble Awards

The First Annual Noble Awards

The event honored Morgan  Freeman – Lifetime  Achievement Award

A Star-Studded Night For First Annual Noble Awards

“It was a successful night, everyone who contributed and participated in the event came away with a warm feeling in their heart,” said Creator and Founder Janeen Mansour of The Noble Awards, held (Sunday, October 18^th) at The Beverly Hilton, Beverly Hills.
Access Hollywood’s Billy Bush hosted the first awards show, and he himself was also honored for his dedication as a board member and hustling fundraiser for the Lollipop Theater Network. They bring magic and movies currently in theaters to children confiened to hospitals nationwide due to chronic or life-threatening illnesses.

The event honored  Morgan Freeman with a Lifetime Achievement Award and dozen other celebs received recognition and a Noble Award for charity work.

Despite being a little under the weather for running a Trianthalon in the name of charity Terri Hatcher accepted her award from Actor James Denton, America’s favorite plummer also on Desperate Housewives.

Other celebs included  Norman Lear,  Lionel Richie, Laila Ali, Nancy O’Dell, Joel  Madden, Brett Ratner, Kenny Babyface  Edmonds, and Annalynne McCord. There  were some surprises, too like America’s  Got Talent Nick Cannon as one of the presenters.

The awards were sculptured by Antonio Banderas the children at the Shriners Hospitals for Children with the guidance of The Art of Elysium volunteer/actor/sculptor David Grieco.   Joel Madden said, “The artists at The Art of Elysium” should get an award, too.-

The first awards show came off without a hitch and the live music performances enhanced an inspiration evening. It was an evening of entertainment and celebration that honors charities, celebrities and the tremendous work that they do.

‘This event and movement should inspire the next generation to be noble throughout their lives,” said Mansour.

One of the highlights of the musical performance that brought the house down was Monica, introduced by Bill Bush. Born and raised in Atlanta, Monica Denise Arnold is a talented R&B / pop singer, songwriter and actress.  She became the youngest female artist ever to have two back-to-back No. 1 hits on Billboard’s R&B singles chart. Both songs from her three-times-platinum debut, “Miss Thang,” topped the Hot 100 chart and sold one million copies each. In 1998,

“The Boy Is Mine” was released and had three consecutive No. 1 Billboard pop singles. The title track with Brandy spent 13 weeks at No. 1 on the pop charts and eight weeks at No. 1 on the R&B listing. Additionally, the duet earned Monica a Grammy to add to her American Music, Soul Train and Billboard Awards.

The inaugural NOBLE AWARDS event, produced on behalf of the non-profit Celebrity Charity Awards Corporation, a 501c3, has a mission to unify the efforts of charities with celebrities, philanthropists, media and every day citizens to create
an effective forum for change and service.

Another of the highlights of the evening was eight-year old Emily Bear, who performaned live at the Noble Awards show.

8-year old Emily Bear – Pianist Emily Bear has only been playing piano for three years, but at just eight years old, her accomplishments are inspiring and her talent is breathtaking. Classical, jazz and boogie come naturally to her. Emily’s songs were are all written and composed at age seven.

She performs a large list of classics and standards, and also composes her own magical songs. Giving and charity are very important to Emily and a portion of the proceeds from all CD sales are donated to charity foundations such as Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Ronald McDonald House Charities, and Children’s Hospital, among others. Her latest CD “Always True” is now available in the Store. Her first three CDs, “Five Years Wise”, “The Love In Us” and “Once Upon A Wish” are also available.

The Lion’s King’s Timothy Mitchell also sang and played a powerful song on piano sounding much like Steve Wonder with a great stage band backing him up.

Each year the Noble Awards will recognize and honor philanthropic organizations and the celebrities that make considerable contributions to them. This year’s honorees, who attended to accept their award included Nancy O’Dell for Best Buddies International, AnnaLynne McCord for The Blind Project, Teri Hatcher for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Brett Ratner forDoSomething.org, Billy Bush for Lollipop Theater Network, Whitney Burditt for Playing for Change, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds forStand Up To Cancer, Laila Ali for Women’s Sport Foundation and a charity very close to my heart, The Art of Elysium honoring Joel Madden.

Julio Iglesias Jr.also provided some soul soothing live singing at the event. Julio Iglesias Jr.was born in Madrid, Spain to well-known singer, Julio Iglesias and Isabel Preysler. He moved to Miami, Florida at a very young age, a place he now considers home.

Jennifer Howell, Founder of The Art of Elysium, presented this award to Joel Madden with Lionel Richie, Allison Beck and Stacey Price: “As both an artist and a father, Joel truly embodies a sincere passion for both music and children.  It was evident in his beautiful and humble acceptance speech where he expressed his heartbreak at the thought of a child spending one second inside of a hospital.  A moment that was also extremely moving was when his twin brother Benji (who has spent many days with The Art of Elysium teaching guitar and participating in music workshops) shared his love for his brother with a music dedication.

Nicole Richie (who has also dedicated her talents to the charity) looked on lovingly while her Father introduced Joel and thanked him for loving his daughter so much.  The love, support and generosity that was shown by all members of Joel’s family are the true roots that can help take The Art of Elysium’s mission to every child that spends that terrifying one second in a hospital.”

Creator Janeen Mansour was thrilled to see her dream come true.

“The goal of the Noble Awards was to highlight the charities there that night and celebrities that champion them,” she said. “Our goal reached far beyond my expectations. The purpose of the Noble Awards is to create awareness and send out a call to action. I feel everyone in the room was inspired and moved and understood the message we were trying to convey. That message is to be a Noble.”

The First Annual Noble Awards

The event honored Morgan  Freeman – Lifetime  Achievement Award

A Star-Studded Night For First Annual Noble Awards

“It was a successful night, everyone who contributed and participated in the event came away with a warm feeling in their heart,” said Creator and Founder Janeen Mansour of The Noble Awards, held (Sunday, October 18^th) at The Beverly Hilton, Beverly Hills.
Access Hollywood’s Billy Bush hosted the first awards show, and he himself was also honored for his dedication as a board member and hustling fundraiser for the Lollipop Theater Network. They bring magic and movies currently in theaters to children confiened to hospitals nationwide due to chronic or life-threatening illnesses.

The event honored  Morgan Freeman with a Lifetime Achievement Award and dozen other celebs received recognition and a Noble Award for charity work.

Despite being a little under the weather for running a Trianthalon in the name of charity Terri Hatcher accepted her award from Actor James Denton, America’s favorite plummer also on Desperate Housewives.

Other celebs included  Norman Lear,  Lionel Richie, Laila Ali, Nancy O’Dell, Joel  Madden, Brett Ratner, Kenny Babyface  Edmonds, and Annalynne McCord. There  were some surprises, too like America’s  Got Talent Nick Cannon as one of the presenters.

The awards were sculptured by Antonio Banderas the children at the Shriners Hospitals for Children with the guidance of The Art of Elysium volunteer/actor/sculptor David Grieco.   Joel Madden said, “The artists at The Art of Elysium” should get an award, too.-

The first awards show came off without a hitch and the live music performances enhanced an inspiration evening. It was an evening of entertainment and celebration that honors charities, celebrities and the tremendous work that they do.

‘This event and movement should inspire the next generation to be noble throughout their lives,” said Mansour.

One of the highlights of the musical performance that brought the house down was Monica, introduced by Bill Bush. Born and raised in Atlanta, Monica Denise Arnold is a talented R&B / pop singer, songwriter and actress.  She became the youngest female artist ever to have two back-to-back No. 1 hits on Billboard’s R&B singles chart. Both songs from her three-times-platinum debut, “Miss Thang,” topped the Hot 100 chart and sold one million copies each. In 1998,

“The Boy Is Mine” was released and had three consecutive No. 1 Billboard pop singles. The title track with Brandy spent 13 weeks at No. 1 on the pop charts and eight weeks at No. 1 on the R&B listing. Additionally, the duet earned Monica a Grammy to add to her American Music, Soul Train and Billboard Awards.

The inaugural NOBLE AWARDS event, produced on behalf of the non-profit Celebrity Charity Awards Corporation, a 501c3, has a mission to unify the efforts of charities with celebrities, philanthropists, media and every day citizens to create
an effective forum for change and service.

Brian McKnight has earned himself a spot in contemporary music history. He has released 11 albums to date, 7 of them have gone platinum, with several going 2 and 3x platinum, and has sold over 20 Million albums worldwide. He just released a new album last month and perform one of his songs live. Brian McKnight (Video)

Another of the highlights of the evening was eight-year old Emily Bear, who performaned live at the Noble Awards show.

8-year old Emily Bear – Pianist Emily Bear has only been playing piano for three years, but at just eight years old, her accomplishments are inspiring and her talent is breathtaking. Classical, jazz and boogie come naturally to her. Emily’s songs were are all written and composed at age seven.

She performs a large list of classics and standards, and also composes her own magical songs. Giving and charity are very important to Emily and a portion of the proceeds from all CD sales are donated to charity foundations such as Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Ronald McDonald House Charities, and Children’s Hospital, among others. Her latest CD “Always True” is now available in the Store. Her first three CDs, “Five Years Wise”, “The Love In Us” and “Once Upon A Wish” are also available.

The Lion’s King’s Timothy Mitchell also sang and played a powerful song on piano sounding much like Steve Wonder with a great stage band backing him up.

Each year the Noble Awards will recognize and honor philanthropic organizations and the celebrities that make considerable contributions to them. This year’s honorees, who attended to accept their award included Nancy O’Dell for Best Buddies International, AnnaLynne McCord for The Blind Project, Teri Hatcher for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Brett Ratner forDoSomething.org, Billy Bush for Lollipop Theater Network, Whitney Burditt for Playing for Change, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds forStand Up To Cancer, Laila Ali for Women’s Sport Foundation and a charity very close to my heart, The Art of Elysium honoring Joel Madden.

Julio Iglesias Jr.also provided some soul soothing live singing at the event. Julio Iglesias Jr.was born in Madrid, Spain to well-known singer, Julio Iglesias and Isabel Preysler. He moved to Miami, Florida at a very young age, a place he now considers home.

Jennifer Howell, Founder of The Art of Elysium, presented this award to Joel Madden with Lionel Richie, Allison Beck and Stacey Price: “As both an artist and a father, Joel truly embodies a sincere passion for both music and children.  It was evident in his beautiful and humble acceptance speech where he expressed his heartbreak at the thought of a child spending one second inside of a hospital.  A moment that was also extremely moving was when his twin brother Benji (who has spent many days with The Art of Elysium teaching guitar and participating in music workshops) shared his love for his brother with a music dedication.

Nicole Richie (who has also dedicated her talents to the charity) looked on lovingly while her Father introduced Joel and thanked him for loving his daughter so much.  The love, support and generosity that was shown by all members of Joel’s family are the true roots that can help take The Art of Elysium’s mission to every child that spends that terrifying one second in a hospital.”

Creator Janeen Mansour was thrilled to see her dream come true.

“The goal of the Noble Awards was to highlight the charities there that night and celebrities that champion them,” she said. “Our goal reached far beyond my expectations. The purpose of the Noble Awards is to create awareness and send out a call to action. I feel everyone in the room was inspired and moved and understood the message we were trying to convey. That message is to be a Noble.”

The First Annual Noble Awards

The event honored Morgan  Freeman – Lifetime  Achievement Award

A Star-Studded Night For First Annual Noble Awards

“It was a successful night, everyone who contributed and participated in the event came away with a warm feeling in their heart,” said Creator and Founder Janeen Mansour of The Noble Awards, held (Sunday, October 18^th) at The Beverly Hilton, Beverly Hills.
Access Hollywood’s Billy Bush hosted the first awards show, and he himself was also honored for his dedication as a board member and hustling fundraiser for the Lollipop Theater Network. They bring magic and movies currently in theaters to children confiened to hospitals nationwide due to chronic or life-threatening illnesses.

The event honored  Morgan Freeman with a Lifetime Achievement Award and dozen other celebs received recognition and a Noble Award for charity work.

Despite being a little under the weather for running a Trianthalon in the name of charity Terri Hatcher accepted her award from Actor James Denton, America’s favorite plummer also on Desperate Housewives.

Other celebs included  Norman Lear,  Lionel Richie, Laila Ali, Nancy O’Dell, Joel  Madden, Brett Ratner, Kenny Babyface  Edmonds, and Annalynne McCord. There  were some surprises, too like America’s  Got Talent Nick Cannon as one of the presenters.

The awards were sculptured by Antonio Banderas the children at the Shriners Hospitals for Children with the guidance of The Art of Elysium volunteer/actor/sculptor David Grieco.   Joel Madden said, “The artists at The Art of Elysium” should get an award, too.-

The first awards show came off without a hitch and the live music performances enhanced an inspiration evening. It was an evening of entertainment and celebration that honors charities, celebrities and the tremendous work that they do.

‘This event and movement should inspire the next generation to be noble throughout their lives,” said Mansour.

One of the highlights of the musical performance that brought the house down was Monica, introduced by Bill Bush. Born and raised in Atlanta, Monica Denise Arnold is a talented R&B / pop singer, songwriter and actress.  She became the youngest female artist ever to have two back-to-back No. 1 hits on Billboard’s R&B singles chart. Both songs from her three-times-platinum debut, “Miss Thang,” topped the Hot 100 chart and sold one million copies each. In 1998,

“The Boy Is Mine” was released and had three consecutive No. 1 Billboard pop singles. The title track with Brandy spent 13 weeks at No. 1 on the pop charts and eight weeks at No. 1 on the R&B listing. Additionally, the duet earned Monica a Grammy to add to her American Music, Soul Train and Billboard Awards.

The inaugural NOBLE AWARDS event, produced on behalf of the non-profit Celebrity Charity Awards Corporation, a 501c3, has a mission to unify the efforts of charities with celebrities, philanthropists, media and every day citizens to create
an effective forum for change and service.

Brian McKnight has earned himself a spot in contemporary music history. He has released 11 albums to date, 7 of them have gone platinum, with several going 2 and 3x platinum, and has sold over 20 Million albums worldwide. He just released a new album last month and perform one of his songs live. Brian McKnight (Video)

Another of the highlights of the evening was eight-year old Emily Bear, who performaned live at the Noble Awards show.

8-year old Emily Bear – Pianist Emily Bear has only been playing piano for three years, but at just eight years old, her accomplishments are inspiring and her talent is breathtaking. Classical, jazz and boogie come naturally to her. Emily’s songs were are all written and composed at age seven.

She performs a large list of classics and standards, and also composes her own magical songs. Giving and charity are very important to Emily and a portion of the proceeds from all CD sales are donated to charity foundations such as Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Ronald McDonald House Charities, and Children’s Hospital, among others. Her latest CD “Always True” is now available in the Store. Her first three CDs, “Five Years Wise”, “The Love In Us” and “Once Upon A Wish” are also available.

The Lion’s King’s Timothy Mitchell also sang and played a powerful song on piano sounding much like Steve Wonder with a great stage band backing him up.

Each year the Noble Awards will recognize and honor philanthropic organizations and the celebrities that make considerable contributions to them. This year’s honorees, who attended to accept their award included Nancy O’Dell for Best Buddies International, AnnaLynne McCord for The Blind Project, Teri Hatcher for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Brett Ratner forDoSomething.org, Billy Bush for Lollipop Theater Network, Whitney Burditt for Playing for Change, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds forStand Up To Cancer, Laila Ali for Women’s Sport Foundation and a charity very close to my heart, The Art of Elysium honoring Joel Madden.

Julio Iglesias Jr.also provided some soul soothing live singing at the event. Julio Iglesias Jr.was born in Madrid, Spain to well-known singer, Julio Iglesias and Isabel Preysler. He moved to Miami, Florida at a very young age, a place he now considers home.

Jennifer Howell, Founder of The Art of Elysium, presented this award to Joel Madden with Lionel Richie, Allison Beck and Stacey Price: “As both an artist and a father, Joel truly embodies a sincere passion for both music and children.  It was evident in his beautiful and humble acceptance speech where he expressed his heartbreak at the thought of a child spending one second inside of a hospital.  A moment that was also extremely moving was when his twin brother Benji (who has spent many days with The Art of Elysium teaching guitar and participating in music workshops) shared his love for his brother with a music dedication.

Nicole Richie (who has also dedicated her talents to the charity) looked on lovingly while her Father introduced Joel and thanked him for loving his daughter so much.  The love, support and generosity that was shown by all members of Joel’s family are the true roots that can help take The Art of Elysium’s mission to every child that spends that terrifying one second in a hospital.”

Creator Janeen Mansour was thrilled to see her dream come true.

“The goal of the Noble Awards was to highlight the charities there that night and celebrities that champion them,” she said. “Our goal reached far beyond my expectations. The purpose of the Noble Awards is to create awareness and send out a call to action. I feel everyone in the room was inspired and moved and understood the message we were trying to convey. That message is to be a Noble.”

The First Annual Noble Awards

The event honored Morgan  Freeman – Lifetime  Achievement Award

A Star-Studded Night For First Annual Noble Awards

“It was a successful night, everyone who contributed and participated in the event came away with a warm feeling in their heart,” said Creator and Founder Janeen Mansour of The Noble Awards, held (Sunday, October 18^th) at The Beverly Hilton, Beverly Hills.
Access Hollywood’s Billy Bush hosted the first awards show, and he himself was also honored for his dedication as a board member and hustling fundraiser for the Lollipop Theater Network. They bring magic and movies currently in theaters to children confiened to hospitals nationwide due to chronic or life-threatening illnesses.

The event honored  Morgan Freeman with a Lifetime Achievement Award and dozen other celebs received recognition and a Noble Award for charity work.

Despite being a little under the weather for running a Trianthalon in the name of charity Terri Hatcher accepted her award from Actor James Denton, America’s favorite plummer also on Desperate Housewives.

Other celebs included  Norman Lear,  Lionel Richie, Laila Ali, Nancy O’Dell, Joel  Madden, Brett Ratner, Kenny Babyface  Edmonds, and Annalynne McCord. There  were some surprises, too like America’s  Got Talent Nick Cannon as one of the presenters.

The awards were sculptured by Antonio Banderas the children at the Shriners Hospitals for Children with the guidance of The Art of Elysium volunteer/actor/sculptor David Grieco.   Joel Madden said, “The artists at The Art of Elysium” should get an award, too.-

The first awards show came off without a hitch and the live music performances enhanced an inspiration evening. It was an evening of entertainment and celebration that honors charities, celebrities and the tremendous work that they do.

‘This event and movement should inspire the next generation to be noble throughout their lives,” said Mansour.

One of the highlights of the musical performance that brought the house down was Monica, introduced by Bill Bush. Born and raised in Atlanta, Monica Denise Arnold is a talented R&B / pop singer, songwriter and actress.  She became the youngest female artist ever to have two back-to-back No. 1 hits on Billboard’s R&B singles chart. Both songs from her three-times-platinum debut, “Miss Thang,” topped the Hot 100 chart and sold one million copies each. In 1998,

“The Boy Is Mine” was released and had three consecutive No. 1 Billboard pop singles. The title track with Brandy spent 13 weeks at No. 1 on the pop charts and eight weeks at No. 1 on the R&B listing. Additionally, the duet earned Monica a Grammy to add to her American Music, Soul Train and Billboard Awards.

The inaugural NOBLE AWARDS event, produced on behalf of the non-profit Celebrity Charity Awards Corporation, a 501c3, has a mission to unify the efforts of charities with celebrities, philanthropists, media and every day citizens to create
an effective forum for change and service.

Brian McKnight has earned himself a spot in contemporary music history. He has released 11 albums to date, 7 of them have gone platinum, with several going 2 and 3x platinum, and has sold over 20 Million albums worldwide. He just released a new album last month and perform one of his songs live. Brian McKnight (Video)

Another of the highlights of the evening was eight-year old Emily Bear, who performaned live at the Noble Awards show.

8-year old Emily Bear – Pianist Emily Bear has only been playing piano for three years, but at just eight years old, her accomplishments are inspiring and her talent is breathtaking. Classical, jazz and boogie come naturally to her. Emily’s songs were are all written and composed at age seven.

She performs a large list of classics and standards, and also composes her own magical songs. Giving and charity are very important to Emily and a portion of the proceeds from all CD sales are donated to charity foundations such as Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Ronald McDonald House Charities, and Children’s Hospital, among others. Her latest CD “Always True” is now available in the Store. Her first three CDs, “Five Years Wise”, “The Love In Us” and “Once Upon A Wish” are also available.

The Lion’s King’s Timothy Mitchell also sang and played a powerful song on piano sounding much like Steve Wonder with a great stage band backing him up.

Each year the Noble Awards will recognize and honor philanthropic organizations and the celebrities that make considerable contributions to them. This year’s honorees, who attended to accept their award included Nancy O’Dell for Best Buddies International, AnnaLynne McCord for The Blind Project, Teri Hatcher for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Brett Ratner forDoSomething.org, Billy Bush for Lollipop Theater Network, Whitney Burditt for Playing for Change, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds forStand Up To Cancer, Laila Ali for Women’s Sport Foundation and a charity very close to my heart, The Art of Elysium honoring Joel Madden.

Julio Iglesias Jr.also provided some soul soothing live singing at the event. Julio Iglesias Jr.was born in Madrid, Spain to well-known singer, Julio Iglesias and Isabel Preysler. He moved to Miami, Florida at a very young age, a place he now considers home.

Jennifer Howell, Founder of The Art of Elysium, presented this award to Joel Madden with Lionel Richie, Allison Beck and Stacey Price: “As both an artist and a father, Joel truly embodies a sincere passion for both music and children.  It was evident in his beautiful and humble acceptance speech where he expressed his heartbreak at the thought of a child spending one second inside of a hospital.  A moment that was also extremely moving was when his twin brother Benji (who has spent many days with The Art of Elysium teaching guitar and participating in music workshops) shared his love for his brother with a music dedication.

Nicole Richie (who has also dedicated her talents to the charity) looked on lovingly while her Father introduced Joel and thanked him for loving his daughter so much.  The love, support and generosity that was shown by all members of Joel’s family are the true roots that can help take The Art of Elysium’s mission to every child that spends that terrifying one second in a hospital.”

Creator Janeen Mansour was thrilled to see her dream come true.

“The goal of the Noble Awards was to highlight the charities there that night and celebrities that champion them,” she said. “Our goal reached far beyond my expectations. The purpose of the Noble Awards is to create awareness and send out a call to action. I feel everyone in the room was inspired and moved and understood the message we were trying to convey. That message is to be a Noble.”

The First Annual Noble Awards

Janeen Mansour congratulates Morgan Freeman for his Lifetime Achievement Award at the Noble Awards reception.

The event honored Morgan  Freeman – Lifetime  Achievement Award

A Star-Studded Night For First Annual Noble Awards

“It was a successful night, everyone who contributed and participated in the event came away with a warm feeling in their heart,” said Creator and Founder Janeen Mansour of The Noble Awards, held (Sunday, October 18^th) at The Beverly Hilton, Beverly Hills.

Access Hollywood’s Billy Bush hosted the first awards show, and he himself was also honored for his dedication as a board member and hustling fundraiser for the Lollipop Theater Network. They bring magic and movies currently in theaters to children confiened to hospitals nationwide due to chronic or life-threatening illnesses.

The event honored  Morgan Freeman with a Lifetime Achievement Award and dozen other celebs received recognition and a Noble Award for charity work.

Despite being a little under the weather for running a Trianthalon in the name of charity Terri Hatcher accepted her award from Actor James Denton, America’s favorite plummer also on Desperate Housewives.

Other celebs included  Norman Lear,  Lionel Richie, Laila Ali, Nancy O’Dell, Joel  Madden, Brett Ratner, Kenny Babyface  Edmonds, and Annalynne McCord. There  were some surprises, too like America’s  Got Talent Nick Cannon as one of the presenters.

The awards were sculptured by Antonio Banderas the children at the Shriners Hospitals for Children with the guidance of The Art of Elysium volunteer/actor/sculptor David Grieco.   Joel Madden said, “The artists at The Art of Elysium” should get an award, too.———————————————————–

YouTube Link; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulkZOki0UWc
———————————————————————————–
The first awards show came off without a hitch and the live music performances enhanced an inspiration evening. It was an evening of entertainment and celebration that honors charities, celebrities and the tremendous work that they do.

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

‘This event and movement should inspire the next generation to be noble throughout their lives,” said Mansour.

Among star-studden music - Lion's King's James Mitchell performs live at Noble Awards

One of the highlights of the musical performance that brought the house down was Monica, introduced by Bill Bush. Born and raised in Atlanta, Monica Denise Arnold is a talented R&B / pop singer, songwriter and actress.  She became the youngest female artist ever to have two back-to-back No. 1 hits on Billboard’s R&B singles chart. Both songs from her three-times-platinum debut, “Miss Thang,” topped the Hot 100 chart and sold one million copies each. In 1998,

“The Boy Is Mine” was released and had three consecutive No. 1 Billboard pop singles. The title track with Brandy spent 13 weeks at No. 1 on the pop charts and eight weeks at No. 1 on the R&B listing. Additionally, the duet earned Monica a Grammy to add to her American Music, Soul Train and Billboard Awards.

Brian McKnight, R&B singer on the red carpet at Noble Awards

The inaugural NOBLE AWARDS event, produced on behalf of the non-profit Celebrity Charity Awards Corporation, a 501c3, has a mission to unify the efforts of charities with celebrities, philanthropists, media and every day citizens to create
an effective forum for change and service.

Brian McKnight has earned himself a spot in contemporary music history. He has released 11 albums to date, 7 of them have gone platinum, with several going 2 and 3x platinum, and has sold over 20 Million albums worldwide. He just released a new album last month and perform one of his songs live. Brian McKnight (Video)

Another of the highlights of the evening was eight-year old Emily Bear, who performaned live at the Noble Awards show. (Youtube)

Emily Bear, who just released "Always True" album poses with Janeen Mansour at Noble Awards.

8-year old Emily Bear – Pianist Emily Bear has only been playing piano for three years, but at just eight years old, her accomplishments are inspiring and her talent is breathtaking. Classical, jazz and boogie come naturally to her. Emily’s songs were are all written and composed at age seven.

She performs a large list of classics and standards, and also composes her own magical songs. Giving and charity are very important to Emily and a portion of the proceeds from all CD sales are donated to charity foundations such as Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Ronald McDonald House Charities, and Children’s Hospital, among others. Her latest CD “Always True” is now available in the Store. Her first three CDs, “Five Years Wise”, “The Love In Us” and “Once Upon A Wish” are also available.

The Lion’s King’s Timothy Mitchell also sang and played a powerful song on piano sounding much like Steve Wonder with a great stage band backing him up..

Each year the Noble Awards will recognize and honor philanthropic organizations and the celebrities that make considerable contributions to them. This year’s honorees, who attended to accept their award included Nancy O’Dell for Best Buddies International, AnnaLynne McCord for The Blind Project, Teri Hatcher for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Brett Ratner forDoSomething.org, Billy Bush for Lollipop Theater Network, Whitney Burditt for Playing for Change, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds forStand Up To Cancer, Laila Ali for Women’s Sport Foundation and a charity very close to my heart, The Art of Elysium honoring Joel Madden.

Noble Awards Producer, his son and Ziad Batal with Julio Iglesias Jr. (photo by MAYO)

Julio Iglesias Jr.also provided some soul soothing live singing at the event. Julio Iglesias Jr. was born in Madrid, Spain to well-known singer, Julio Iglesias and Isabel Preysler. He moved to Miami, Florida at a very young age, a place he now considers home.

Jennifer Howell, Founder of The Art of Elysium, presented this award to Joel Madden with Lionel Richie, Allison Beck and Stacey Price: “As both an artist and a father, Joel truly embodies a sincere passion for both music and children.  It was evident in his beautiful and humble acceptance speech where he expressed his heartbreak at the thought of a child spending one second inside of a hospital.  A moment that was also extremely moving was when his twin brother Benji (who has spent many days with The Art of Elysium teaching guitar and participating in music workshops) shared his love for his brother with a music dedication.  Nicole Richie (who has also dedicated her talents to the charity) looked on lovingly while her Father introduced Joel and thanked him for loving his daughter so much.  The love, support and generosity that was shown by all members of Joel’s family are the true roots that can help take The Art of Elysium’s mission to every child that spends that terrifying one second in a hospital.”

The Noble Awards Creators and Producers Janeen Mansour and Husband Ziad Batal.

Creator Janeen Mansour was thrilled to see her dream come true.

“Thegoal of the Noble Awards was to highlight the charities there that night and celebrities that champion them,” she said. “Our goal reached far beyond my expectations. The purpose of the Noble Awards is to create awareness and send out a call to action. I feel everyone in the room was inspired and moved and understood the message we were trying to convey. That message is to be a Noble.”

Eva Longoria, Teri Hatcher, Norman Lear, Lionel Richie, Laila Ali, Nancy O’Dell, Joel Madden, Brett Ratner, Kenny Babyface Edmonds and Anna Lynne McCord are among long list of stars attending the Beverly Hills Awards show

Morgan Freeman to received First Annual Noble Awards Lifetime Achievement award

Beverly Hills, CA – Academy Award-winning Actor Morgan Freeman can now boast about another award to add to his hall of fame in Hollywood. Morgan has been selected to received the First LifeTime Achievement Award at the 1st Annual Noble Awards, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009, Beverly Hilton, Beverly Hills, CA

TV Anchor Janeen Mansour and Executive Producer Ziad Batal are the founders of this Sunday’s event, which will honor humanitarian celebs in a the two hour event produced on behalf of the Celebrity Charity Awards Corporation (CCAC); The CCAC is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization.

Other confirmed celebs attending include: Eva Longoria, Teri Hatcher, Norman Lear, Lionel Richie, Laila Ali, Nancy O’Dell, Joel Madden, Brett Ratner, Kenny Babyface Edmonds, Billy Bush and Annalynne McCord

The star-studded awards event will also feature live entertainment with Brian McKnight, Julio Iglesias Jr.,  Emily  Bear and Timmy Mitchum.

Brian McKnight has earned himself a spot in contemporary music history. He has released a dozen albums, more than half of them have gone platinum, with several going 2 and 3x platinum, and has sold more than 20 Million albums worldwide. Brian has received numerous awards including Soul Train Awards and Image Awards, and numerous nominations including Grammy’s, MTV Video Music Awards, BET Awards and American Music Awards.

Currently in Spain but Julio Iglesias Jr. will perform at Sunday’s event and he willsoon be in Hollywood recording a new album and watch for his work in film. Although Julio has spent his whole life surrounded by music (, Julio Iglesias and Isabel Preysler, parents), his own personal journey into the music industry didn’t start until the late 90’s when he released his first album in English titled “Under My Eyes” with Epic Records. Igelsias chose to sing in Spanish and the result is the mind-blowing Tercera Dimension.

The Celebrity Charity Awards Corporation will launch a year-round campaign to better unify the efforts of charities with celebrities, influencers, media and everyday citizens in order to create an powerful forum for change and service with this first annual awards program on October 18th. The awards, which are more like sculptures were designed by Actor Antonio Banderas, who mustered the help of handicapped and child burn victims. The charity honorees for the first annual Noble Awards include:

• The Art of Elysium encourages actors, artists and musicians to volunteer their time and talent to children battling serious medical conditions.
• Best Buddies, founded by Anthony Kennedy Shriver, creates opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities
• Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, which treats the most seriously ill and injured children in LA is one of the nation’s best pediatric facilities
• DoSomething.org seeks to help young people to take action around any cause, aiming to activate two million people per year by 2011.
• The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation offers ground-breaking research programs, prevention and treatment programs that bring dramatic changes to the lives of children worldwide
• Keep a Child Alive offers life-saving anti-retroviral treatment, care and support services to children and families whose lives have been affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa and India
• Stand Up To Cancer is Entertainment Industry Foundation program that unites major TV networks, Hollywood and prominent leaders in cancer research
• Women’s Sports Foundation, opens the doors for girls and women in sports and fitness through education, advocacy, recognition and grants

“Celebrities have been donating their time to charity they feel passionate about for a long time, “said Janeen Mansour, founder of the event. Earlier this year she launched the first successful Celebrity Shoe Toss, where music, TV and Movie celebs donated hundreds of shoes to needy families of the Salvation Army. For more on this story and event click here (MORE)

Humanity needs leaders like you (Be Noble and Take the Challenge)

MAYO Communications – “We don’t guarantee media, we just get it!”™

Today is a huge milestone in the world of teen dramas.  It is the 19th anniversary of the premiere of Beverly Hills 90210, the show that started it all.

In honor of this momentous occasion, 90210 executive producer Charles Rosin, who now runs showbizzle,  revisited the show’s early years and development thereafter.

TeenDramaWhore: What was your reaction when Aaron Spelling contacted you to be part of this show, then-called Class of Beverly Hills?

Charles Rosin: Curiosity.  Mr. Spelling was a legend in this business whose deal with ABC had ended and who was struggling to re-invent himself and his company for a new generation of TV watchers.  Truthfully, I was not a big fan of his most  popular shows –”Dynasty,” “Charlie’s Angels,” “The Love Boat”  — which all seemed very old fashioned and predictable.  My taste was much more oriented to a more challenging and thought provoking television like “St.Elsewhere,” ” thirtysomething,” and “Northern Exposure,” of which I was the supervising producer for the first season and was working on when I first met “The Mister” in his office at the Warner Hollywood Studios.

TDW: As an executive producer, what exactly was your role?  How were you involved in the episode process?

Rosin: In the TV business, a creative executive producer is known as a showrunner, who literally runs all the creative aspects of a show while being responsible for its financial vitality. On 90210 I would either come up with the ideas, or approve ideas brought to me; make sure my partners (The Spelling Company and Fox) approved of these ideas; supervise my staff in writing the story and scripts (or write the stories or scripts myself) based on these ideas; re-write scenes, etc. in my capacity as “the last typewriter” if I felt the material needed punching up; incorporate legal clearances and network notes into the scripts; have a concept meeting with the directors (who I hired); cast the actors for that week’s show; supervise a production meeting with all the department heads (wardrobe, art. etc);  be available during production to deal with whatever situations might occur; work with the editors to cut the film which might require dropping scenes, changing the act breaks, changing the order of the story, etc.;  then get notes from my partners; then work with my associate producer in getting the locked film ready for airing by adding music, sound effects, correct color, dub voices — and then being the final “ear” when the show is mixed….all while developing three-five scripts simultaneously and prepping for the next episode in line to shoot.

TDW: 90210 essentially started the primetime teen drama genre.  What kind of challenges were you up against?

Rosin: Fox was all about edgy/raunchy guy-humor like “Married With Children” while 90210 was a show that not only celebrated girl-empowerment but had this wonderful character named Brenda Walsh [Shannen Doherty] who represented the notion that a teenager could be sexually active and not be a slut, but actually a role model. Unfortunately, my first set of network executives did not see the world as I did . Someday I will write a long article about the censorship that occurred after Brenda lost her virginity at the Spring Dance [ed. note: Episode 1.21, Spring Dance] to her boyfriend (who had been AIDS tested) because she was happy and not full of remorse.

TDW: When do you think 90210 crossed over that ‘initial hump’ and started achieving success?

Rosin: When the Gulf War started in February, 1991 the three networks (ABC, NBC, and CBS) suspended all commercial activity to cover the invasion. Fox didn’t have a news department back than (hard to believe; wish they didn’t have one now. ha!) so Fox broadcast whatever was on their schedule. The 90210 episodes that aired during this time included “BYOB” and “Slumber Party” [ed. note: Episodes 1.11 and 1.13].  By the time commercial activity started up again some three weeks later with the re-activation of the Nielsen ratings, our show was no longer a bottom feeder. The network took notice; gave us an extended order for season two with the understanding that we would be producing summer episodes — and we were off.

TDW: In an interview last year with The New York Times, you said you went to Beverly Hills High.  How did it compare to the fictional West Beverly?

Rosin: I graduated Beverly Hills High School in 1970 which makes me a child of the 60’s! Even though it was a time of political activism and emerging youth culture,  there were many traditions from the 1950’s that were a vital part of my high school culture — and which ultimately were incorporated into the series.  We meet Emily Valentine [Christine Elise, ed. note: see related interview] in season two at “Hello Day” where each class welcomes new students through parodies and funny skits [ed. note: Episode 2.8, Wildfire]. The dance where the cheerleader is date raped by a football player in “Teenline” in season one was called The Pigskin Prom, which was a big thang back in the day [ed. note: Episode 1.9, The Gentle Art of Listening].  And, of course, episodes in the third year season dealing with ditch day and the senior yearbook poll all were part of school life at BHHS [ed. note: Episodes 3.26 and 3.25 respectively, She Came In Through The Bathroom Window and Senior Poll]. Oddly enough,  I played baseball for Beverly against Torrance High School, which was our location for “West Beverly” and which later became the high school location for “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”  [ed. note: click here for photos of Torrance/West Bev] One other odd connection — we filmed our summer episodes at the same beach in Santa Monica Bay where the kids from Beverly Hills High School used to hang out — which was known as Tee’s, not the Beverly Hills Beach Club which was filmed at the old Sand and Sea Club right after it got condemned.

TDW: Let’s talk about the episode where Scott [Douglas Emerson] kills himself (Episode 2.14, The New Fifty Years). Was that a product of Douglas wanting to leave the show or was it precipitated by the direction of the storylines? Was there backlash to that episode?

Rosin: Given our low license fee from the network, we were always trying to cut costs — and Doug Emerson was a nice young man, but not a gifted actor. I still wanted to find a memorable way to write him off the show — and that was when I read about an accidental killing of a high school student on Prom Night in a hotel room at the Disneyland Hotel.  So while David Silver [Brian Austin Green] was getting cool and into the Brenda/Kelly/Steve Beach Club crowd, I sent Scott to hang at his grandparents house in Oklahoma off-camera for six episodes as a way to show these two old friends drifting apart before our eyes. It should be known that this was the only story line that the network and Mr. Spelling worked together to try to squash — but they could sense my passion for the story, were very supportive of [our] script and were very satisfied with the episode, which also was highly promotable and did well in the ratings.

TDW: You were there during the high school to college transition, which all the teen dramas are doing these days.  What do you think that change added to the show?

Rosin: Not only was I “there” for the transition from high school to college, but I must take credit — along with my late producing partner, Paul Waigner — for spearheading the drive to move on and let these kids grow up. Part of the problem was that our cast looked to old/were too old to play believable high school students anymore — and I convinced network president Sandy Grushow that doing a high school show that did not deal with the prospect of college was bogus. Aaron was nervous about the change, of course. He was nervous about everything.  But once I agreed to let all the kids go to the same college, he let them graduate — which allowed me to write a senior year in “real time”. You ask what this added to the show? How ’bout four-five seasons worth of new episodes that would probably wouldn’t have been ordered if they stayed in high school.

TDW: Your wife also worked on the show, right?

Rosin: Karen’s first professional writing credit was for “Isn’t It Romantic?,” the AIDS episode where Brenda and Dylan [Luke Perry] first go out — and where an enraged Dylan slams the flower pot into the pavement before chasing after Brenda [ed. note: Episode 1.10].  Although Karen was never offered a staff position, chances are she wrote, or co-wrote your favorite episodes, including all the ones set in Paris [ed. note: Episodes 3.3-3.5], the condom in school episode [Episode 2.21, Everybody's Talkin' 'Bout It ], the one where Scott  accidentally shoots himself, the one where Dylan meets his inner-child [Episode 3.22, The Child Is Father To The Man], the Christmas episode with the angels answer Donna’s [Tori Spelling] prayers by preventing a school bus from crashing bus [Episode 3.16, It's A Totally Happening Life], and the graduation episode [Episode 3.29, Commencement], which we wrote together. You can hear our commentary for “Commencement” on the third season DVD. Karen,  a former actress and playwright,  has a great ear for dialogue. My strength as a writer was (and is) always story and story structure — so we were great collaborators. If Mr. Spelling and I had anything in common it was our love and appreciation of nepotism.

TDW: Your daughter is just a bit older than me.  Did she watch the show growing up?  What does she think knowing her parents played a big role in one of the biggest shows of the 90s?

Rosin: My eldest daughter Lindsey was five when I started working on the 90210. She’s the cutie-pie who asks Brandon to dance the hookelau at the end of summer luau at the Beverly Hills Beach Club [ed. note: Episode 2.6, Pass/Not Pass]. Growing up she never bragged about my job, in fact, didn’t tell her teen-aged camp counselors about me until the last day of the session. Lindsey knew at a young age she wanted to be a director, and is currently developing an hour pilot with CBS Paramount — in addition to be the creative force behind showbizzle.

TDW: You have said you left the show because it was “killing” you.  Can you elaborate on that?

Rosin: For the first two seasons, Beverly Hills 90210 had the lowest license fee in broadcast television — meaning that Fox paid the Spelling Company less money to make our show than any other show in prime time.  One of the ways we cut costs was to assemble a small writing staff composed of mostly new writers,  but once our production orders increased to anywhere from 28- 32 hours a year (a standard network order for a hit show is anywhere from 13-22 episodes a year; a cable show much less than that) the lack of a big staff took its toll and I found myself working 12-16 hours a day, 6 1/2 days a week, 11 1/2 months a year.  Six weeks after I mixed my last episode, “P.S. I Love You” [ed note: Episode 5.32], one of my arteries shut down. I was 43 years old.  We caught it early. I dodged a bullet. And 15 years later, I catch waves and feel great.

TDW: Did you keep up with the show after you left?

Rosin: I was a non-exclusive script consultant for the 6th season where I read outlines and offered my suggestions — most of which weren’t followed.  I do remember watching one episode that year where NFL star quarterback Steve Young was a guest star [ed. note: Episode 6.12, Breast Side Up] because it was written by Larry Mollin and directed by Dave Semel, who both remain good friends today.   I did not watch after that — and felt that show lost much of its cultural currency and degenerated into a more pedestrian and predictable soap opera– the kind of show more aligned with the traditional Spelling aesthetic.

TDW: Your last season–the fifth–was also Carol Potter’s last.  Did you agree with the decision to get rid of Jim [James Eckhouse] and Cindy?  (Ed. note: see my related interview here.)

Rosin: Reluctantly, yes. Creatively, the show no longer evolved around the Walsh House — and although we certainly could have come up with new storylines that included the parents in a supporting capacity, both Carol Potter and Jim Eckhouse were taking home a fairly big pay check — and by writing them off the show, those monies could be applied to other things — like paying Jason Priestley [Brandon] and Jennie Garth [Kelly] to stick around.

TDW: I have to ask:  Brenda and Dylan or Kelly and Dylan?

Rosin: Brenda was our favorite character to write; the scene where Dylan and Kelly hook up the night Jack McKay was released at the pool at the Bel Age in season three [ed. note: Episode 3.19,  Back in the High Life Again] was perhaps the hottest scene we ever shot — in other words, it’s a draw…

TDW: Kelly and Dylan or Kelly and Brandon?

Rosin: I’ll always be partial to Kelly and Steve.

TDW: What was your reaction when you found out the season 10 storyline (Episodes 10.18-10.20) that Jack McKay (Josh Taylor) was alive?

Rosin: Well, I first found out about Jack McKay when I opened your e-mail. (Like I said, I didn’t watch the show once I left). But we purposely filmed the sequence in such a way as to leave this “return from the dead” storyline available. I guess they had to wait until Luke Perry returned to the series to revive this plot.

TDW: What was your reaction when you found out David and Donna were marrying in the series finale?

Rosin: It seemed about right; Karen and I and our three kids visited the set at the Beverly Hilton the day they were filming the wedding — and it was the first time I visited since I left the show five years earlier.

TDW: Do you have a favorite storyline?

Rosin: Lots of them — my favorite episode was Commencement because with all the clips that were incorporated into the two hour episode, it felt like a retrospective of the high school years.

TDW: Do you have a favorite memory from working with the cast? A favorite guest star? (There were a lot of them!)

Rosin: I loved watching Jason directing the episode “The Time Has Come Today” from the 4th Season [ed. note: Episode 4.25] where Brenda discovers a diary from the 1960’s in her bedroom. My favorite guest star would be my wife Karen, who played a lesbian in the episode “Girls On The Side,” [Episode 5.28] which she also wrote. Also Marcy Kaplan, who played TV star Lydia Leeds in the episode in which Brenda worked at the Peach Pit and became Laverne [Episode 1.16, Fame is where You Find It]. Karen and I wrote that one together.

TDW: What surprised you most while working on the show?

Rosin: Like most writers I have an active imagination — and there have been times that I thought that the script I had just written would catapult me onto a podium for an awards ceremony. But I never could have imagined being a creative force behind an international television sensation! Or that you would be asking me these questions almost 20 years from the time that I started work on the show…

TDW: Do you have any regrets or anything you would do differently?

Rosin: Biggest regret is that I didn’t establish a relationship with media executive (and visionary) Barry Diller when he was running Fox. As far as doing things differently, I would have tried to take better care of my health, and maintain a sense of humor when dealing with the network instead of getting caught up in a war zone.

TDW: Looking back on the show today, what do you think is its place in television history?

Rosin: A footnote.

TDW: Are you still in touch with any of the cast?

Rosin: Yes — Jason Priestley is a buddy. James Eckhouse too. And Ian Ziering [Steve] is a great guy with whom I recently chatted about his early years in the business which we posted on Inside The Bizzle at showbizzle. Check it out. It is a must see for 90210 fans. [Ed. note: I linked to one of the Ian interviews here but there are many more here, including ones with BH90210 producer-writer John Eisendrath]

TDW: Have you watched the new 90210? Do you have any thoughts on it?

Rosin: I watched it once. It’s a good looking cast. But to do a show called 90210 and not allow your young characters to have any socio-political context in the age of Obama speaks to the cynicism and cowardice of commercial broadcasting.

TDW: You also worked on Dawson’s Creek a bit. How did your role differ there?

Rosin: I was more involved with the business side of producing than the writing of scripts — though I certainly had a hand in the creative development of the first episodes.

TDW: How do you think the shows themselves differ?

Rosin: I leave that for your community of readers to comment.

TDW: You’re now working on a site called showbizzle. What is it, and how did it come about?

Rosin: showbizzle is a digital showcase and destination website I created with daughter Lindsey (the Hookelau girl) for emerging talent away from the immediate pressures of the market place. We created a cool show featuring 29 young actors performing 141 two-minute scripted monologues about what they are doing to jump start their careers in Hollywood as told to Janey, a fictitious blogger who hangs out at an LA coffee house. Our goal here to create a vibrant community of young actors, writers, comedians, and performers around our showbizzle content where members are encouraged to upload their original videos with the chance to be paid $$ to perform on our digital showcase. So check showbizzle.com, become a member, work with us, tell your friends — and see why Cynopsis Digital said that it “should be required viewing for kids thinking of moving out to LA LA land to chase their dreams of stardom as it delves into the frustrations of being on the outside looking in.”

TDW: Anything else you want to add?

Rosin: Hard to believe the show’s 20th anniversary is coming up . To get to know what the early days were like check out Rolling Stone Magazine’s article “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (issue 624) originally published February 20th, 1992.

For more on showbizzle, check out the original press release and, of course, head over to the site.

Come back next Sunday for another exclusive interview!

TDW Interview Index

Yo Pete!  Kent Seton is my homeboy.

I’m a natural born hustler turned professional journalist, reporting live from the gutter – The Beverly Hilton.

from mark knoller’s twitter feed:

markknollerObama was fundraiser-in-chief last night at the Beverly Hilton, doing two events that raised between $3-mil and $4-mil for the Dem Natl Cmte

Doin my thing @ LAX

Oh man… I woke up on Sunday and looked out into smog heaven.  The sun was shining, the weather was superb, and I didn’t EVER want it to end.  We spent most of the day driving around, seeing the sights.  We checked out Grauman’s Chinese Theatre- the most famous theater in the world!  It’s on Hollywood Blvd.  Lots of things are located there, so going up and down was a trip.  You have stars everywhere on the ground, so that was cool trying to find where your favorite celebrity was.  Same for the theater…. there’s hand/footprints of all kinds of celebs across the entryway to the theater.

I was amazed at just how many people flock to Hollywood as tourists… There’s all kinds of places to shop along the strip (along with all those pesky billboards, lol), people handing out mixtapes, product samples, or just asking for change.  One thing about Hollywood Blvd is the street characters.  Spiderman, Chucky, Capt. Jack Sparrow, Michael Jackson, Wonder Woman, and of course, the original, Superman.  A couple of months ago, I got ‘Confessions of a Superhero‘ sent to me via netflix.  It profiles 4 street actors in and out of their costumes.  Tremendous look into the lives of people just trying to make it in Los Angeles.  One of the characters, Superman (Christopher Dennis) is probably the most famous of the characters.  So as we’re walking down Hollywood Blvd, I see him and have to gush about seeing the movie (which he promptly pulls out of his utility belt) and wishing him luck in the future.  I did not, however, pay him to take a picture with me, lol.

We stopped for lunch at Stefano’s 2 Guys from Italy pizza shop.  Had lots of options to choose from for toppings, NY style, thin crust pizza, super greasy.  The place was a fucking dump, but I guess that’s when you know the food tastes good.  Seeing as how many people move through there because of how busy the street is, you have to get a token to use the bathroom (Euro style).  So you would think that if you have to pay to use the bathroom, it would be pretty decent.  Before my friend went to potty, one of the bathrooms started to overflow and the toilet water was seeping out from under the door, yuck!  The lasting memory from Stefano’s though, was watching Capt. Jack Sparrow (the street performer) sitting at the table next to us, playing Megatouch.  Some things never change!

So after lunch, we did a little more driving around.  Saw the Beverly Hilton, saw the Beverly Hills police station (shouts to Axel Foley!), then headed south to Newport Beach to meet up with my friends Jeff, Vanessa, and Tony.  We rolled into the Newport Beach Brewing Company (Brewco) and slammed on some enchiladas while catching up.  Jeff came to Cleveland by way of Michigan, then wound up moving to Newport Beach.  Vanessa and Tony are from Cleveland and made the move west some time ago.  It was actually Vanessa’s second time moving out to Cali.  After rocking the OC, we headed back home because we had a date with Banana Split Sundae’s, co-hosted by Steve Aoki and DJ AM at AM’s club, LAX.  I had this idea that the place was gonna be decked out, Vegas style… I mean, AM is a HUGE name and I knew it was a scenester spot, but for what I saw in there, I’ll take Mercury Lounge any day!

Kat and I were enjoying the sounds of Tina T, then LAX’s resident dj, Mike B hit the decks.  The music was badass…. Apl.de.ap from the Black Eyed Peas was in the building as well as Redfoo from LMFAO.  He’s a very quiet guy surprisingly.  I heard from my dj friends that he’s Berry Gordy’s son or something and he’s been in the LA scene for years.  So everyone in LA has known LMFAO since way before they were ‘In Miami Bitch.’  I ran into my friend, and pro BMX rider, Austin Coleman randomly at the club.  Even in LA, I can’t not run into someone I know, lol.  Kat and I danced and danced, and ran into this guy David, who has a t-shirt company.  Check out his company, davidndavid industries here.

That’s about it for Sunday night.  The time change started to get to me a little bit so we decided to call it a night.  Until next time….  In the meantime, check out pics 1-18 in my LA photo album here