Blog Archives
Whine & Dine
TGIF!
Tastes great, it’s fine.
Friday is a great day to get outside of our comfort zones and try new things. This includes our sometimes restrictive food palate. A fun ritual is to pick a new restaurant (fancy or hole-in-the-wall) and taste something you’ve never dared to experience before. Relax in knowing this doesn’t mean indulging at the Anthony Bourdain-extreme, but just a small food item or drink would suffice.
An entire meal is more fun though, especially if it’s broken into six-courses. If you can, get Jimmy Fallon and Blake Shelton to sit at your table.
Sake really is the bomb.
Dude, Where’s My Accent?
That’s acting! vs. That’s acting?
Acting is a equal parts exhilarating and terrifying. The dreamlike thrill of being on stage or in front of the camera is difficult to explain, but it brings out characteristics in yourself you never knew you had or have always wanted to express. The feeling is infinitely sublime.
Then, there’s the terrifying aspect. What happens when we do something wrong from taking a chance or not understanding the deeper meaning of the character or situation? Did we go too far or not far enough?
For acclaimed actor Jake Gyllenhaal, he’s been through both ends of this spectrum, even during the same audition…
Sometimes, we need to fail in order to see our path forward with clarity before taking our next steps. Sometimes, we need to laugh at ourselves.
Either way, don’t disappoint Peter Jackson.
We’ve all been in “that room” before. Next time, just speak with a British accent and you should be good.
Elocution’s Big Adventure
“Speak softly and carry a big stick…”
–Theodore Roosevelt
Projecting the right tone can be everything. No matter the endeavor, whether personal or professional, people respond to what and how they hear things.
During acting classes, vocal training and breathing exercises are no joke. In high school, reading from a textbook to the class in timid fashion can brand you for life in a not so flattering light. Mumbling words when hanging out with friends will spark an awkward question-and-answer session.
On the other hand, firmly taking a position with an assertive, yet non-abrasive tone on a controversial issue demonstrates knowledge and strength. Performing stand-up comedy that treats makes the back row sneak-in like the front row star earns street cred from the crowd. Picking the right messenger for the message is paramount (cough cough 2016 election on both sides).
However, the best way to prove the point about striking the right tone is illustrated in the remixed movie trailer of The Dark Knight Rises featuring an unlikely voice from the past.
A red and white bike riding past.
Safe to say this voice-over projects a wildly different conclusion to the Christopher Nolan trilogy that defined a generation. Despite being completely contrary to the film’s intended message, it’s one of those rare moments when the wrong tone was unthinkably transformed into the right tone by revealing a new, surprisingly entertaining perspective.
Speak softly and carry a big shtick.
Brought to You by the Letters F-U-N
Just as we all learned the ABC’s from Sesame Street, our favorite furry animals took some time to learn the ABC’s of…
photobombing!
Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon clearly was the best choice for the job.
This seemed like a surprisingly fun way to go into the weekend. Rediscovering the child within us can be the perfect remedy for those cold, rainy and overcast January days.
Hopefully, your weekend develops into something great!
Jimmy's Daily Planet 