The Friday Five: June 29, 2012

Welcome to Friday!  This was a crazy week, so crazy that I didn't even have a chance to post on Wednesday and Thursday this week.  For those of you that have asked, my detox is going well and my allergies are clearing up.  I'm thinking I have an intolerance to gluten, but I'll let my doctor do the final diagnosis versus me playing Web M.D.  Let's take a look what I was up to this week:

1.  Magic Mike:  Last Friday, I ended my work day with Matthew McConaughey and Channing Tatum.  Not a bad day at the office.  This is the second time I've interviewed Channing, but Matthew is equally as charming.  In fact, while I was waiting to get miked up, this is how my conversation went with him:

McConaughey:  "How was last night?" (In reference to the screening I attended.)

Me:  "Well, I saw a lot of the two of you."

McConaughey:  "Oh yeah?"

Me:  "It was pretty awesome."

McConaughey:  "So you liked it, didn't you?"

Ummm, yes, very much so.  The movie is a bit darker than I expected, but if you are looking for a little male eye candy, go see Magic Mike.  Here's my iVillage interview with them or read my Fanboy Comics article.  

2.  SYTYCD:  We finally hit the Top 20 on this week's So You Think You Can Dance, and my co-hosts and I broke down the whole thing.  This show needs to pick up the pace before I fall asleep.  What happened to the fun?  Is it just me or do you guys agree that it's a little slow this season.  Listen here or watch below:



3.  Thirst Project:  You may remember my post about this from last year's gala, so I was thrilled to attend an even bigger celebration this year.  This charity raises money to provide clean drinking water to communities all over the world because it is a human right.  Can you imagine not having running water in your house?  Well, this is a daily fight for so many.  To learn more about the Thirst Project, click here.  Here are a few photos from the evening and check out my 22-second red carpet interview.

 Fellow M4 PR clients, Yuri Lowenthal and Tara Platt.

 Sobering statistics.

Thirst Project Founder and CEO, Seth Maxwell.

 Lance Bass and Josh Sussman presenting an award.  

 What happens when you bid on a silent auction.....two years worth of body wash.  

 Being interviewed on the red carpet!

With the awesome Taryn Southern in the gifting suite......

4.  Hyundai:  I may retired from the road, but I certainly haven't retired from the auto industry.  I was lucky enough to return to Hyundai to host another live stream for them.  This show was only available to the Hyundai dealers across the US, but I have to say their CEO/President, John Krafcik, is pretty awesome.  I witnessed him tweeting from the Hyundai account throughout the day, so if you ever tweet Hyundai and get a 'jfk' signature back.....yep, the CEO tweeted you back.  Amazing.

Me with the Hyundai execs: President/CEO John Krafcik, VP Of Marketing, Steve Shannon, and Director, Sales Planning and Retail Operations Steve Flood.

5.  Low Luv By Erin Wasson:  I feel like Glamhouse's lines are becoming my summer favorites.  This time it's a cuff by Low Luv by Erin Wasson.  I am amping up my jewelry wardrobe with pieces like this and the incredible cuff from Ever Eden that I talked about last week because they are versatile and easy to wear.  The Low Luv piece is asymmetrical so it fits comfortably on my wrist and the vintage coin details add an international feel to the cuff.  To take a look at the line, click here.  

Disclosure:  This cuff was gifted to me by BWR PR.  Retails for $145. 

Have a great weekend and be sure to catch up on my weekend (Disneyland!) adventures on Instagram:  @KristynBurtt.  Or see what happened to my childhood home on Facebook.....sad.  Tweet me what you are up to this holiday week.....me=Barry Manilow....I kid you not.  See you on Monday!

Oscar Friends

You come to this town with a dream. To stand on that red carpet.  To feel like you belong.  To be in the mix with Hollywood's elite. That ride means nothing unless you are celebrating amongst friends.  This post is a tribute to all of my friends who joined me on that red carpet last Sunday.  I love that you were there with me......

Me and James Molnar of The Gold Knight.

Misty Kingma, fellow Red Carpet Report entertainment reporter, and me.

Me and Taryn Southern who was broadcasting for US Weekly.

Me and Dennis Pastorizo of Terra Networks.

The man behind the camera, JD Piche, thanks for all of your hard work last week!

My awesome pal, Jordan Carson, from WOTV-4, Grand Rapids.

Me and Blake Mitchell.

October: Monthly Wrap-Up

It's been a week of premieres, panels, and infomercials, so my posting has been a bit lax.  I will be back with a vengeance on Monday and I will post more on my awesome week on set in Nashville with an infomercial icon.  In the meantime, here is what you were reading this month on Red Carpet Closet:

Top 5 Posts:

1.  Dos and Don'ts on the Red Carpet: The Sequel:  This continues to be a heavy hitter with a majority of the readers coming from overseas.  I'm not sure what is drawing them in as awards season is still six weeks away, but I appreciate everyone stopping by to learn a little about putting your best foot forward on the red carpet.

2.  GQ/Glee Controversy:  The photos are all here, you can chime in with your opinions on Lea Michele's spread-eagle photo spread.

3.  Happy 20th Anniversary, 90210!:  A lot of you certainly remember the Brenda years and those delightful mom jeans.

4.  Disneyland's Club 33:  This post continually makes the monthly Top 5 list, but it slid a few numbers down.  Maybe you are finally tiring of this topic?

5.  Behind the Scenes with Taryn Southern:  This lovely lady is a multi-hyphenate:  actress, producer, writer, singer, and host.  Learn a little more about my pal, Taryn.

I decided to also do something new for this monthly wrap-up:  The Top 5 Most Absurd Searches:

1.  "Berbank Delai":  Um, not sure what this means, but it sure is close to this post about getting stuck at an airport.

2. "Can You Have Carpet for Kinect?":  Okay, this isn't a video game blog, but I did attend the launch of XBox 360 Kinect.  Even armed with that knowledge, I have no idea if you have to have hardwood floors or carpeting to play a video game.  That would seem a bit exclusionary, no?

3.  "Glasses Mark Gantt Wears":  Well, I do know Mark Gantt, but I don't know about his glasses.  He is the super hot star of The Bannen Way.  Do you want me to ask him what kind of glasses he wears?  Mark, maybe you could chime in the comments section.

4.  "Something Serious in Olga Kay's Life Right Now":  Yep, I know YouTube sensation, Olga Kay, too.  I think she is okay, but thanks for your concern.  Maybe Olga can reassure all of her fans with a comment below.  Olga, are you okay?

5.  "Smarties Halloween Treat Holder":  That's some interesting phrasing, but is this what you were looking for?

Have a safe and sweet Halloween!  See you on Monday at Red Carpet Closet.

July Round-Up

Happy Monday, Everyone!  To kick off the week, here's a round-up of the top 5 posts you were hitting in the month of July:

1.  Club 33:  Okay, I get it, this is going to be my top post of 2010.  The mystery of Club 33 has long taunted Disney fanatics, the lore of what is behind that nondescript door.  Well, I got behind the gates, here's my visit to Disneyland's Club 33.

2.  Vampire Mob:  He's a Vampire.  He's a Hitman.  He lives with his mother-in-law.  Find out why this web series with the Marcia Wallace and Kirsten Vangsness keeps bringing you back here: Vampire Mob.

3.  5th Annual ITVFest:  The Independent Television Festival is going on now through August 5th.  Check out the Gala from 2009, 2010, and my red carpet interviews.

4.  Something Exciting is Coming:  Yep, it is coming soon with Open Sky Project.  Read the post, sign up, and join me on August 10th.

5.  Taryn Southern:  I interviewed Taryn for The Web Files earlier this year.  She has been cropping up quite a bit on your searches of Red Carpet Closet.  Yep, she's smart and hot so, go check out the episode with exclusive Behind the Scenes footage.

Thanks for stopping by Red Carpet Closet, I can't wait to see what your picks are for the month of August.  Be sure to comment below and let me know what you think of everyone's eclectic picks for July.

Behind the Scenes with Taryn Southern

So, how do you not admire Taryn Southern?  Seriously, she sold her first project at the age of twenty.  Well, I am impressed.  My joke has always been that Shira Lazar is the busiest woman in the web industry, but Taryn sure is rivaling her.  I am thrilled that we have been able to feature some ambitious and successful young women in the web series industry on The Web Files: from the names you know like Shira, Taryn, Zadi Diaz, and Casey McKinnon to the up and coming producers like Kai Soremekun.  You all make me proud that this sector of the entertainment industry encourages the creativity and freedom that other sectors of the biz sometimes hinder.

We were able to shoot in Taryn's gorgeous apartment somewhere in LA where many of you have watched her broadcast her UStream show.  I first came across Taryn at last year's Streamy Awards where she was nominated for Best Female Actor in a Comedy Web Series for Private High Musical.  While I did not have the chance to interview her, I interviewed her cast including Dennis Haskins and you might see Craig Frank in the background. (I think this is where the idea for The Craig Frank Show was born.)  To say that Taryn does it all would be an understatement:  she acts, sings, writes, produces, hosts, am I forgetting something?  So, our interview focused on her journey through web television and where she is headed next.  If you want to be a part of her next project, go visit her Kickstarter page and pledge to fund her next project, Among the Stars, a mixed media film.

For those of you who have already watched the interview, you might think, "You forgot to ask about the viral video Wrong Hole!".  No, we didn't forget.  It was edited for time. I would never, ever not deliver a clip, especially when Scott Baio is involved.  I am a huge fan of Chachi. So here's a little Red Closet exclusive clip on that part of the interview:




Finally, Taryn's favorite little guy, Bart, is going to be an internet superstar.  Find out her hamster's next project in his 28 seconds of Web Files fame. Yep, she has the whole family working in the web industry.  Bart's a celebrity hamster!



If you haven't seen our interview with Taryn Southern, what are you waiting for?
Taryn Southern interview

Behind the Scenes of The Web Files Buzz, Episode 3

Yes, this was the Demi Moore version of The Web Files Buzz. I had a fantastic case of laryngitis that kept my voice an octave lower for this episode. So, I wasn't feeling my best, but I was pretty excited about the day we had with Jaleel White and Todd Pellegrino on the set of their new web series, Fake It Till You Make It. Many of you grew up with Jaleel as Urkel on Family Matters as a part of ABC's TGIF lineup and it is always fun to find out where your favorite child stars are years later. Jaleel managed to get a film degree from UCLA, starred/produced/wrote for UPN's Grown Ups, and made his mark in the web series world in 2009's Road to the Altar. (And I bet you didn't know he also wrote for Family Matters when he was 19 years old.) Not bad, right?

Since many of you asked, I am here to say that Jaleel was a lot of fun to talk to that day....kind, smart, and easy to interview. I think he is an actor who will bring more attention to the web space with his name and his talent. Oh, and the location for a web series didn't hurt. We shot on location, poolside at the Viceroy Hotel in Santa Monica.

Jaleel also brought in the big guns to direct his series. Todd Pellegrino knows exactly what he is doing as an Emmy nominee for ESPN's Mayne Street. Todd brings a NY sensibility to an LA web series that may perhaps end the great NY/LA web series divide. Hopefully, combining the two coasts with all of their talents will prove that we can all just get along. Todd also promised a funny script with this series, so I am looking forward to the cast of characters who are hustling to make in LA in the only way LA "friends" know how. One great thing to point out from my interview with Todd was his focus on making sure all 8 episodes were self-contained based on the way viewers are currently watching web series. It may be a good device for content creators focusing on comedy to utilize in the current web series climate.

I tried really hard to get scoop on the star cameos. While I did get them to drop Wayne Brady's name, new media publicist, Gabriel del Rio, was carefully placed off screen to make sure Jaleel and Todd kept all of the secrets close to the vest. Gabriel is a really good secret gatekeeper, next time, I will have to distract him on set! However, I did learn from Jaleel's recent article in The Huffington Post that UFC Fighter, Rashad Evans, will be making a cameo, so this series is definitely going to have that LA feel of eclectic, quirky characters. Bring it on!

**Update** I don't know how I missed it, but Mathieas kindly pointed out that Debbie Allen is making a cameo as well. Jaleel mentions it in his article. I love Ms. Allen, so that is a huge WIN for me as a viewer.

After our visit with Jaleel, we raced down the street to Truetone Music to interview film and TV composer, Rob Gokee We are going to continue to feature some of the additional elements that go into a making a web series, so I am glad we were able to grab Rob since music is an important component of any story. He's been quite prolific in the web series world as of late with the upcoming SOLO the Series, End Result, and current web series Fallen, under his belt. Rob pointed out some of the challenges of music composition with the obvious time factor being every creator's greatest enemy and friend all at the same time. This segment was also a great reminder about the importance of networking. For Rob, that meant utilizing Twitter to meet and court creators of content. All of his work from web series has come from 140 characters and it was the inspiration for his new book, In The Belly Of The Fail Whale. So, for all of those who dismiss social media, take a lesson from someone who has seen the merits of the whale.
Finally, a few public answers to several emails that have come in starting off with my shirt. Since I have been in and out of town so much, there wasn't time to plan my wardrobe for this episode. Thank you to all who wanted to where I got it since I was sick that day and I wasn't feeling my best. At least I know I looked okay on the outside, that was a confidence booster that I needed. The shirt is from Bebe and it is 3 years old, so I am sure it is out of circulation. I also committed a grand fashion faux pas as this is the second time I have worn it on camera. It was actually purchased for a QVC appearance with Stila Cosmetics in 2007. That should also answer all of the questions as to whether I was sick or not for this episode. Yep, all of my travels caught up with me and I came down with the crud. But thank you, Mathieas McNaughton, for thinking it sounded hot because, boy, did my throat hurt.

A big "thank you" goes out to Gabriel del Rio for inviting us to the set of Fake It Till You Make It. He's been a great friend to The Web Files and we appreciate his continued support.

If you haven't checked out this week's episode, watch it here: The Web Files Buzz, Episode 3.
Next week brings a sit down interview with one of the belles of the web series ball, Taryn Southern. Be sure to check out our new episode next Wednesday.

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How to do LA in less than 7 Days

If you have been following me on Twitter, you know that my time in LA was limited this week.  After a two week trip to Chicago, I had a Dallas and Minneapolis journey looming over me.  While I was home for a hot minute, I crammed in as much as possible.  Here are a few stops along the way:                                                

The red carpet premiere of a new web series, The Resolve.  Look for the footage in today's Web Files Buzz episode:  

                                                  

Then a two-day jaunt to San Diego for a fitness informercial shoot with my co-host, Jennifer Galardi.  I cannot disclose the product, but I am sure you will see me on a TV screen near you soon.

                       

Then a fantastic on-set visit with the cast and crew of Olga Kay's Circus.  This will also be a part of The Web Files Buzz.  The set was unbelievable!

                                          

While I was there, the tables were turned on me as Woody Tondorf of Elevator interviewed me about our visit.  Dueling microphones, but mine was bigger!

Then off to interview Taryn Southern for an upcoming episode.  I thought I had a busy schedule, but this talented producer/writer/actress/host has some exciting projects coming your way!

I have no idea what is happening in this picture, but I love the action of it all.  On the red carpet with the cast and creator of A Good Knight's Quest......Craig Frank, Brett Register, and Charlie Bodin. This episode is coming your way next week.  (Photo courtesy of Mark Burmeister)
                                             

Well, that's all I've got.  Phew.  I wish every week in LA was that much fun.  Don't worry, LA, I will be back for a fun filled 3 days mid-month.  Yep, 3 days.