non-threatening humor

Salon: "So what explains Cook's popularity? His comedy is most notable for what it lacks: a critique of the political climate (Dennis Miller, George Carlin, Jon Stewart, Bill Maher), a commentary on our culture (Chris Rock, David Chappelle), a slightly tweaked perspective (Ray Romano, Steven Wright, Jerry Seinfeld), outrageously dirty material (Eddie Murphy, Andrew Dice Clay), or just a goofy, oddball routine (Howie Mandel). Although his delivery can be chafingly smug, Cook doesn't present himself as anything special. He likes video games and chicks and sports and other general-purpose guy stuff. He's not particularly baffled by the world, or all that perceptive, or all that self-aware. He's a little self-deprecating, a little bit cutesy and a little bit aggressive, but most important, he treats mundane experiences like they're huge revelations: Breakup sex is the best, right? Right! Sometimes you have to lie to get out of stuff you don't want to do. I know you've done it, too, bro! Even Cook's delivery isn't noteworthy or unique; he sprinkles "bro" and "dude" into every story, he's terrible at impressions and when he's imitating a woman, he inexplicably speaks in a high voice with a lisp, as if he's doing a homophobic imitation of a gay man. But Cook's is the sort of non-threatening humor that appeals to people who, when watching Jon Stewart or Jerry Seinfeld, don't feel like they're in on the joke. With Cook, you're always in on the joke. Even if you've never been in a bad relationship or had breakup sex, you can just flash that "SuFi" and you're part of the club..." (Overcooked)

Dane Jeffrey Cook (born March 18, 1972) is an American stand-up comedian and film actor. He has released five comedy albums: Harmful If Swallowed; Retaliation; Vicious Circle; Rough Around The Edges: Live From Madison Square Garden; and Isolated Incident. Retaliation became the highest charting comedy album in 28 years[when?] and went platinum. He performed an HBO special in the Fall of 2006, Vicious Circle, a straight-to-DVD special titled Rough Around The Edges (which is included in the album of the same name), and a Comedy Central special in 2009 titled Isolated Incident. He is credited as one of the first comedians to use a personal webpage and MySpace to build a large fan base and in 2006 was described as "alarmingly popular". As an actor, Cook has appeared in films since 1997, including Mystery Men, Waiting..., Employee of the Month, Good Luck Chuck, Dan in Real Life, Mr. Brooks (in a non-comedic role), and My Best Friend's Girl (Wikipedia).

RELATED READING:
Official Web-site: Dane Cook
Dane Cook - Not Funny?
Time's 100 Most Influential People
Dane Cook's dualities revealed in 'ISolated Incident'
Top 5 Reasons to not Like Dane Cook
Seriously, This Guy Isn't Funny
Dane Cook's Vicious Circle HBO Special (Video)
Dane Cook - Sneezing Atheist (Video)
Comic Relief 2006 - Dane Cook (Video)

responsibility to care

CityBeat: "Many of these kids were evicted or exiled by their families and communities because they are gay," Alber says. In a quick email interview, Alber tells CityBeat about why he's doing the benefit show, what he thinks of the It Gets Better Project, and more..."There are tens of thousands of queer youth—literally that many—living on America's streets every night because they were left behind or so badly abused they chose homelessness over what they had. For them, life just doesn't get better with time. I have the great privilege of living in a safe and comfortable home and with whom I choose to love. I go to bed with a full stomach every night and I get to sing songs for a living. I'm not a wealthy man but it dawned on me recently that as a gay man and as a human being I have a responsibility to care for these young ones first, before I spend a dollar on anything else. These kids are OURS, whether we know their names or not." (Matt Alber helps youth in need)

Matt Alber - Seattle-based singer/songwriter Matt Alber has been writing about that same sliver of hope since he quit his day job and started making records at home. Alber's first full-length album, Hide Nothing, does just that. He sings openly about a boyhood crush on a Field-trip Buddy. In Beotia, he sings both parts of a duet (one in coloratura soprano) between male lovers in an ancient army. He even plays a 1960's crooner in the music video for End Of The World finding love in a barbershop with a gentleman getting his shoes shined. Sonically he culls everything from chopped-up beats to children's choirs-- and did I hear a real bassoon? But Alber's songs, while keeping the pronouns honest, seep deeply into the heart of any listener who's ever wondered if things were going to work out (Facebook).

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Official Web-site: Matt Alber
Pop Making Sense
VIDEO: Grammy winner Matt Alber, performing Monday in San Diego, to aid LGBT youth programs
Watch: Matt Alber and Tom Goss Sing Out Against "Don't Ask/Don't Tell" (Video)
Matt Alber - End of the World (Director's Cut) (Video)
Matt Alber - Monarch (Video)
Matt Alber - End of the World (Video)

seeing people smile

Mile High Feedback: - "Seeing people smile when we play our songs man, you know what I mean like it doesn’t matter if people know us or not, as long as there having a good time, especially with the economy being the way it is now, gas prices getting high, the fact that people are still coming to concerts and you know I look at it like this, the people that are paying to get into a concert every night there not just depending on one band, there depending on one night to be their best night of that week, because they have to spend the money they go work their ass off for to get in a concert, the concert ticket prices are going up because the gas is going up, and like it sucks because we wish it could be a fifteen dollar concert ticket and you know everyone would be on their way and it not cost so much for things to happen, but when you’re traveling with a bus that gets 5 miles to the gallon of diesel, you got to be able to get to the next city, but like I said just seeing people smile when we play our music is what keeps us going." (One on One with Chris Robertson of Black Stone Cherry)

Black Stone Cherry is an American rock band formed in 2001 in Edmonton, Kentucky. They are signed to Roadrunner Records. The band consists of Chris Robertson (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Ben Wells (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Jon Lawhon (bass guitar, backing vocals), and John Fred Young (drums, backing vocals). Black Stone Cherry has released two studio albums and three EPs, and has charted six singles on the U.S. Mainstream Rock Tracks charts. Black Stone Cherry's music is often associated with bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd. While there are clear influences in Black Stone Cherry’s music, they have created their own style to a great extent. The musical tone and composition of Black Stone Cherry is very comparable to that of The Black Crowes. The song writing of Black Stone Cherry is often praised for great storytelling and delivering a strong message. For example, the song "Lonely Train" is about the effect on families when a relative goes to fight in a war. The song "Rain Wizard" is about a local legend of mysterious wisemen who could bring the rain in times of drought. "Backwoods Gold" is about a local man who ran moonshine out of the hardware store in the middle of Edmonton (Wikipedia).

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Official Web-site: Black Stone Cherry
Album Review: Black Stone Cherry
Interview with Black Stone Cherry frontman Chris Robertson
Black Stone Cherry - Brixton Academy, London
Chris Robertson of Black Stone Cherry Interview
Black Stone Cherry Lonely Train (Video)

How to fight bullying

• Always think positive – it is “not your fault” that you are being bullied.
• Always think that you don’t have to face the bullying alone.
• Tell someone about the bullying and be assertive.
• Tell yourself not to be reactive – “walk away” if you can.
• Do not fight the bullying with the same, remember that you don’t want to be like them.
• Do not laugh or be a silent witness to bullying, If you witness a bullying report it immediately.
• Do not blame the bully or the victim, gather as much information and report it to the authority.
• Do not dwell on the past, instead think of what you can do to stop the bullying.
• Do not fight bullying by means of forgetting the problems with alcohol or drugs.
• Do not embark into violent or aggressive behaviors to fight back.
• Remember that bullying is mostly mind games that is always plays with one’s fear.
• Remember that the bully might exagerate, create stories, manipulate events to threaten or induce fear.
• Remember that bullying is a crime and you don’t want to be a criminal.
• Know the warning signs of being the victim or the bully.
• Know the cause of bullying, lack of empathy was one common reason.
• Teach your family or loveones about bullying and educate them about the consequence of this behavior.
• Calmness, common sense and physical activity are effective strategy in fighting bullying.
• Increase awareness of your sorrounding and make a note of events and what is your feeling

For more information about bullying visit the following web-sites:

• Bullying.org
• Cyberbullying.ca
• Bullybeware.com
• BullyingCanada.ca
• BullyPolice.org
• SafeCanada.ca
• kidshelpphone.ca 1-800-668-6868

FOR MORE PREVENTIVE BULLYING INFORMATION, CLICK HERE

lived openly and unashamed

Philadelphiaencyclopedia: Rustin was the unrecognized genius behind the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, wherein he used his abilities to bring disparate groups together in support of the Civil Rights movement. However, in the years following the March on Washington, Rustin began to pull away from the leftist parts of the movement which he viewed as both too militant (the Black Panthers) and too off-track (Affirmative Action). During this time Rustin became a strong supporter of Israeli statehood, while still acknowledging that Israel was guilty of injustices against Palestinians. Throughout the 1970’s and 1980’s, Rustin became a delegate for the organization Freedom House, monitoring Human Rights and elections in places such as Poland, Zimbabwe, Chile, El Salvador and Haiti, among many others. It was on a trip to Haiti, in fact, that he contracted intestinal parasites that weakened him before his return to New York City, where he died of a heart attack on August 21, 1987. To be gay in the decades when Rustin lived openly and unashamed of his sexual orientation meant living with almost constant awareness of vulnerability. Most gays and lesbians stayed in the closet. His courage and legacy continue to provide a role models as Civil Rights and Gay Rights activist can be felt daily throughout the West Chester and Philadelphia communities today. Rustin’s activism and example informs the classes taught on gays and lesbians throughout the area (West Chester University first taught a class on the LGBT community in 1998) (The Activism and Legacy of Bayard Rustin).

Islandnet: Today, the United States is still struggling with many of the issues Bayard Rustin sought to change during his long, illustrious career. His focus on civil and economic rights and his belief in peace, human rights, and the dignity of all people remain as relevant today as they were in the 1950s and 60s. Rustin’s biography is particularly important for lesbians and gays, highlighting the major contributions of a gay man to ending official segregation in the US. Rustin stands at the confluence of the great struggles for civil, legal and human rights by African-Americans, lesbians, and gays. In February 1956, when Bayard Rustin arrived in Montgomery to assist with the nascent bus boycott, Martin Luther King, Jr. had not personally embraced nonviolence. In fact, there were guns inside King’s house and armed guards posted at his doors. Rustin persuaded boycott leaders to adopt complete nonviolence, teaching them Gandhian nonviolent direct protest. Apart from his career as an activist, Rustin was also fun-loving, mischievous, artistic, gifted with a fine singing voice, and known as an art collector who sometimes found museum-quality pieces in New York City trash. Historian John D’Emilio calls Rustin the “lost prophet” of the civil rights movement. "To be afraid is to behave as if the truth were not true." — Bayard Rustin (Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin).

Bayard Rustin (March 17, 1912 – August 24, 1987) was an American civil rights activist, important largely behind the scenes in the civil rights movement of the 1960s and earlier. He is credited as the chief organizer of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. He counseled Martin Luther King, Jr. on the techniques of nonviolent resistance. He became an advocate on behalf of gay and lesbian causes in the latter part of his career. Homosexuality was criminalized at the time, which made him a target of suspicion and compromised some of his effectiveness. Rustin died on August 24, 1987, of a perforated appendix. An obituary in the New York Times reported, "Looking back at his career, Mr. Rustin, a Quaker, once wrote: 'The principal factors which influenced my life are 1) nonviolent tactics; 2) constitutional means; 3) democratic procedures; 4) respect for human personality; 5) a belief that all people are one.'" (Wikipedia)

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Bayard Rustin - Activist and American

Bayard Rustin, 40 years after Stonewall

Lost Prophet: The Life and Times of Bayard Rustin

Rustin revisited

Bayard Rustin Is Dead at 75; Pacifist and a Rights Activist

Poor Marchers Have Dropped Bayard Rustin (June 08, 1968)

Rustin Denies Charge That He Was Communist (Aug 16, 1963)

Gay Rights are Civil Rights, says Black leader (Video)

‘too cool for our old sound’

The Daily Rock: I have never seen negative signs of maturity in bands, what I have seen is a sudden rush of popularity and a ‘too cool for our old sound’ in bands. They try to play what they see as ‘cool’ and alienate all their fans by avoiding the very sound that won them fans in the first place. As far as Anberlin is concerned, I think that there has been a subtle change since the beginning, but for me (and the majority of our fans), it is seen as a good thing. The lyrics challenge instead of simply entertain; the music is majestic and talented instead of what everyone else in ‘the scene’ is attempting. For us we see maturity as a much welcomed change as opposed to something we fear due to how critics will react. We hope that with each record, we improve our song writing and become better on our instruments without losing the ‘Anberlin’ quality of the music (Interview With Anberlin).

Anberlin is an American rock band formed in Winter Haven, Florida in 2002. Since the beginning of 2007, the band has consisted of lead vocalist Stephen Christian, guitarists Joseph Milligan and Christian McAlhaney, bassist Deon Rexroat, and drummer Nathan Young. Members of Anberlin originally formed a band under the name SaGoh 24/7 in the late 1990s, releasing two studio albums before disbanding, with the members having a change in musical direction and name. Anberlin was formed in 2002; within a year of forming, they had signed with semi-independent record label Tooth & Nail Records and released their debut album, Blueprints for the Black Market. In 2005, the band released their second album, Never Take Friendship Personal, selling in excess of 150,000 copies. The band continued its rise to prominence while enjoying a loyal MySpace following and averaging well over 200 live shows per year. The band's third album, Cities, was released in 2007, and became their first album to reach the top 20 of the Billboard 200, selling 34,000 copies in its debut week. After three studio albums and five years with Tooth & Nail Records, Anberlin announced their signing with major label Universal Republic in August 2007. The band's first album on the major label was released in 2008, titled New Surrender. The album peaked at number 13 on the Billboard 200, with the first single, "Feel Good Drag", claiming number one on the Alternative Songs chart, after 29 weeks in the chart. Prior to the release of their fifth studio album, Dark Is the Way, Light Is a Place, Anberlin has sold over 700,000 albums. In an interview with Smartpunk, drummer Nathan Young commented, "The thing is, some bands that are trying to get out of the Christian market, they get bummed out by questions about it. I don’t really mind it, because I’m a Christian, and I’m okay talking about it. With the whole term 'Christian Band,' I don’t understand how a band can be Christian. We get the question, 'Is Anberlin a Christian band?' and it’s like, yeah, Anberlin is — as humans" (Wikipedia).

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Official Web-site: Anberlin
Review: Anberlin – Dark Is The Way, Light Is The Place
On Your Feet for Anberlin

anyone can be a victim of bullying

Pixie Lott has released 'Get Weak' exclusively in the UK for Beatbullying. There are a limited number of free downloads available at beatbullying.org. The video has been made especially for the track and in support of Beatbullying's Big March campaign - you can join the online March on Facebook or Twitter or go to the campaign website at www.beatbullying.org/bigmarch

Just Jared Jr: The 19-year-old British popstar just recently donated her new song, “Get Weak” to a bullying charity to raise awareness about the issue. The song will become the anthem for Beatbullying’s Big March, a global online protest campaign. Pixie shared, “As an ambassador of Beatbullying I know that anyone can be a victim of bullying - it’s not embarrassing! Tall or short, skinny or big, they always find something to pick at. Don’t let them win. If you’re determined to make it, you can and you will.” (Pixie Lott Donates 'Get Weak' To Anti-Bullying).

Victoria Louise "Pixie" Lott (born 12 January 1991) is an English singer-songwriter, dancer and actress. Her debut single "Mama Do" was released in June 2009 and went straight to number one in the UK Singles Chart. Her second single "Boys and Girls", also topped the UK charts in September 2009. Her debut album Turn It Up was released in September 2009. It has so far reached number six on the UK Albums Chart, spawned five consecutive Top 20 singles, and has been certified double platinum after spending almost an entire year on the charts. Lott is often credited for her live performances and style. In July 2010, Lott appeared as a guest judge for the auditions for the sixth series of The X Factor in Cardiff, covering for Dannii Minogue, who was on maternity leave. Lott has released "Boys and Girls" as her debut US single on 24 August 2010. The release is set to coincide with the TV premiere of her first film, Fred: The Movie. In January 2010, Lott was named one of 2010's "Faces to Watch" by US magazine, Billboard. Lott's album, Turn It Up, will be released in the US early 2011. So far Lott has produced seven Top 20 Singles on the UK Singles Chart (Wikipedia).

RELATED READING:

Official Web-site: Pixie Lott

POP star PIXIE LOTT has donated her song Get Weak to a charity to raise awareness about bullying.

Pixie Lott donates song to bullying charity

never give up

Online Drummer: You can never give up. You've got to try hard and you've got to always keep on pushing yourself. That's one of the things I love about drums. Whenever I set my mind to something, I stick on it until I think I've completed it or conquered it. With drums, it's like you've never learned enough. There's always something. Just when I think, “I've got that figured out” there's something out there that I'm looking to do. You've got to keep your mind open to new things and listening to different types of music. If you get stuck into one type of drumming, you get boxed in. And other than that, click track... That changed my world. I was a really sloppy drummer, and I went into the studio and they started cracking the whip. I finally became comfortable with the click track, and then once I felt comfortable with it, it just opened up the way I play. It made me play with more confidence knowing that I can hear that beat (Chris Vest - Exclusive OnlineDrummer.com Interview).

Framing Hanley is a rock band from Nashville, Tennessee, USA formed in 2005. They released their first studio album in August 2007 entitled "The Moment". They are best known for their song "Hear Me Now" and their cover of "Lollipop", originally by Lil Wayne. They also have a reasonably new album out called "A Promise To Burn". Lead singer Kenneth Nixon has gone on record as saying that he doesn't dislike Parabelle anymore and they can be bestest friends again (Wikipedia).

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Lil Wayne cover opens the door for Framing Hanley

Framing Hanley – Band Bio

they believed in the song

benkharakh: "Honestly, it was just a genuine interest from the organization. We did pick our first single, as we discussed previously, Face Down, before we even signed. We had already released it in 2004 and we got a really great vibe from it. All the people in the southeastern, basically the very very southeastern United States, and by that I mean Florida and Alabama, knew the song, had already known the song for a long time. We got the same deal when we released the song Face Down, kids were like “I don’t want the song to be big; I don’t want anybody to know about it.” But you know what? It went big, and everybody knows about it, and everybody’s happy. And it changed a lot of people’s lives because of it. And how do I know that? Because they told me that. They told me that in emails and they told me that in person. So sometimes you can’t fight that stuff. You just have to go with it. But, regardless, they came to us because they said people were calling them. And they said they believed in the song, they supported it, and they were really excited because they hadn’t had such a response from the youth, ever, I guess in the history of the organization. And they were just really excited about it, they were like “who are you guys? What are you all about?” And we told them, “We definitely want to hook up with you guys.” So we did a little event for them in New York where we performed the song acoustically, which is something we do very rarely. And then we devised a plan to put a t-shirt for sale with the actual handwritten lyrics on it. And it’s the only shirt that we sell, for a reason, with our lyrics on it, although we know how important the lyrics are to a lot of people. We only sell this shirt with the lyrics on it because we want them to buy this shirt, because the money from this shirt has basically, every single time that it’s sold for $10 exactly, not a penny more, not a penny less, gone straight to the organization via us. So basically we devised a way for our fans to donate to NCDV. And so far we have raised over $20,00 for them. Honestly, it’s not something that we can take credit for, it’s our fans, but either way it’s really awesome, I think. And again something that never would have happened if we had listened to certain people who never wanted us to release that song." (Ronnie Winters, Front Man of The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus).

The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus is an American rock band that formed in Middleburg, Florida. The music video for the first single from the EP - "Choke", was premiered at purevolume.com on August 25, 2010 in support of the EP's release. It was part one of a three-part series, followed by "Don't Hate" and "Hell or High Water." It shows characters killing record executive-type personnel, running from the police, and then dying in the final video. The moral was violence never solves anything. In November 2010, the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus entered the studio to record their third full length album, Am I the Enemy, finishing in December 2010 with producer John Feldmann. The album's first single, "Reap," was released via YouTube on March 24, although the song itself will not be released to iTunes until April 26. During March 2011 the band announced they will be departing on a UK tour alongside Scottish Post-Hardcore band Yashin and UK rockers LYU (Wikipedia).

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Interview with Ronnie Winter from The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

life is about observing people and understanding things and nature

The charming Paul Wesley attended the Trevor Live event happened last night. Ian was there, too, but there are no pics or clips of him (yet). The Trevor Project is “the leading national organization focused on crisis and suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth” - Vampire Diaries Source.

Chicago Tribune: "But I'm glad. I'm glad I didn't conform to the system of the school. I'm a law-abiding citizen now. I haven't brought it to the soundstage," he grins. The first altercation happened at a Catholic boys school. "It was with a bunch of jock-y, racist kids. I thought, 'This is an expensive school. My parents paid a lot of money.' And I got into a fight every day. It was just like this weird atmosphere. "And they finally kicked me out, and I was really depressed about it. And then later it dawned upon me that, thank God, I didn't fit in with those kids because I don't want to be anything like those kids. So that's when I realized it was OK to sort of do my own thing. That's kind of like when I found a safe haven in acting. I think it may have been a catalyst." Wesley, now 27, earned his diploma, but schooling was always secondary to his acting career, which materialized when he was 16. "I got forced to do a school play when I was in the third grade because we all had to. They put me in a 'Phantom' mask, and I was miserable at first. But then I kind of fell in love with it and ended up being, I guess, according to the teacher, pretty good at it," he says. That teacher cast him in every play at elementary school. "No matter how academic I was, no matter how much my father stressed studies, I always gravitated toward the arts because to me -- you can read as many textbooks as you like -- but to me life is about observing people and understanding things and nature. And art to me captures all that. It's just invaluable, and I can't imagine doing anything else." (The 'good' vampire was a teenage bad boy).

L A Times Blogs: Holden Caulfield (character he'd like to play). "Catcher in the Rye" changed my life when I was a kid. I read it as I was a boy turning into a man, and I was so fascinated by the values. I believe in it. Of course, I'll never play him because J.D. Salinger will never allow anyone to play him. To be honest with you, if I were offered the part, I might be too terrified to accept. But in my perfect world, that's who I would play (Paul Wesley on his 'Vampire Diaries' character's addiction and more).

Paul Thomas Wasilewski (born July 23, 1982), known professionally as Paul Wesley, is an American actor, best known for his roles as Stefan Salvatore in The CW TV series The Vampire Diaries and as Aaron Corbett in the ABC Family miniseries Fallen. He has had a number of roles on shows such as 24, 8 Simple Rules, American Dreams, Army Wives, Cane, Everwood, Guiding Light, Smallville, The O.C. and Wolf Lake. He also starred opposite Amber Tamblyn in CBS' The Russell Girl and had the lead role in Fallen miniseries. Wesley is currently starring as vampire Stefan Salvatore in The Vampire Diaries which premiered September 2009 on The CW (Wikipedia).

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Official Web-site: Paul Wesley

True Blood, Glee Stars Admit Being Bullied, Nominated for GLAAD Awards (Video)

EXCLUSIVE: The Vampire Diaries' Paul Wesley Talks to TV Fanatic! (Video)

Paul Wesley at Trevor Project (Video)

Actor’s career has stops in NYC, Prague, now L.A.

‘Vampire Diaries’ Star Paul Wesley Bit A Fan! Find Out Why He’ll Never Do It Again.

‘What do I have to lose?’

Tulsa World: The 1991 alum of the Oklahoma City high school has graduated from one-act plays to movies like the "X-Men" films and "The Notebook" and now "Hop," opposite Russell Brand in the Easter Bunny-based comedy opening Friday in theaters. With a bit of encouragement from his mother and his belief that drama class might be an "easy A" - "I took it as an elective, in all honesty, to try and get my grade-point average up" - Marsden realized how much fun he was having. He went from being a little shy to being social. He found he had an ear for music, to which fans of his acclaimed performances in "Hairspray" and "Enchanted" will attest.

"I was lucky that (PC North) had a wonderful arts program, because you hear stories about schools that give the arts the shaft, and they don't fund any kind of drama program," said Marsden, who returned to his high school last year for an honor and ended up spending a couple of hours talking with drama students. "I was lucky to have a school that really valued that. So it was a really great place for me to explore my passions, and they were very supportive and encouraging. It was the place where it really all started." The big challenge was determining how to make a career of acting, Marsden said, because "we all like to dream of being rock stars and movie stars, but in reality that just doesn't happen. But I challenged that. Why can't it happen?" "Thank goodness I had my wonderful mother and father behind me, supporting me after about three semesters at Oklahoma State for me to move to Los Angeles and get an agent and audition," he said. "For me, it was, 'What do I have to lose?'... I had this blind confidence, because I didn't feel I had anywhere to fall." (Oklahoma native James Marsden talks about his Hollywood dream).

James Paul Marsden (born September 18, 1973) is an American actor, singer and former Versace model. He is best known for playing the superhero Cyclops in the three X-Men films and for his roles in other commercially successful films such as Hop, Superman Returns, Hairspray, Enchanted, The Box, and 27 Dresses. Marsden has been married to actress Lisa Linde since July 22, 2000. They have a son and a daughter. His father-in-law is country music songwriter Dennis Linde. In April 2010, Marsden was added to the Putnam City Schools Wall of Fame by the Putnam City Public Schools Foundation. (Wikipedia).

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Official Web-site: James Marsden

True Blood, Glee Stars Admit Being Bullied, Nominated for GLAAD Awards (Video)

"Shining Star" Celebration honoring James Marsden-A Night to Remember

Curlicious James Marsden

James Marsden, Outsider

make people feel loved

Saturday Night Magazine: Originally from Arizona, Stone caught the acting bug early on. “I just always wanted to act from birth,” she recalls and pretty much did just that through a children’s theater program where Stone participated in 16 plays and was even able to join an improv troop. The experience proved to be particularly beneficial for the budding comic actress who soon realized that making people laugh was something she wanted to pursue as a career. “I think I was drawn to comedy originally because when I was really young, by the time I was eight I had seen movies like The Jerk, Animal House, and Planes, Trains & Automobiles with my dad, and I knew them by heart,” says Stone. “I loved them and my dad loved them, and we would laugh together, and I would think, ‘This is love.’ I just wanted to make people feel like that.” (Emma Stone: Coolest Chick We Know).

Emily Jean "Emma" Stone (born November 6, 1988) is an American actress. Stone was a cast member of the TV series Drive, and made her feature film debut in the comedy Superbad (2007). She appeared in The House Bunny (2008) and Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2009). She then starred in the horror-comedy Zombieland and the indie comedy Paper Man in 2009. In 2010, Stone voiced the character Mazie in Marmaduke, and starred in the high school comedy Easy A, which earned her a nomination for a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy. Stone's upcoming films include the Steve Carell comedy Crazy, Stupid, Love, an adaptation of the Kathryn Stockett bestselling novel, The Help, and a role in the comedy Friends With Benefits. She will voice a character in the DreamWorks Animation comedy The Croods, and will play Gwen Stacy in a reboot of the Spider-Man film series. (Wikipedia).

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Official Web-site: Emma Stone

True Blood, Glee Stars Admit Being Bullied, Nominated for GLAAD Awards (Video)

The 20 Funniest Women in Movies... Right Now

Emma Stone stars in civil rights film

Official Easy A Trailer (Video)

give people a fresh feeling of hope and new life

Walk The Light: "I began to feel like my true passion was in music and performing on stage/in front of people. Music has always been a part of my life. I was a big musical theater guy in high school and decided to go to school for acting because I loved the stage and thought it would go hand-in-hand with acting for the camera, but it didn't. It didn't allow me to embrace myself or the story I wanted to tell. It didn't allow for creativity and I love the creativity in songwriting. I started writing in high school and had kept it up as a hobby. Toward the end of college, I knew I just had to pursue it." Following the call of his heart, Cameron moved to Dallas after graduating in May 2010. Drawing inspiration from love, the people in his life, and music of all kinds, Cameron hopes that he can "give people a fresh feeling of hope and new life." "I hope my music, my sound, and my message gets you pumped in a way that is rejuvenating and inspiring. I hope that you can relate to the stories I tell and are "motivated and stirred to tell your own stories." "Art is passion" (Cameron Ernst, a "small-town boy from Andover, Kansas").

Our Stage: Cameron Ernst is a new artist with a catchy, piano pop sound. Filled with metaphors and cleverly crafted lyrics, Cameron’s songs are sure to captivate and expose listeners to an innocent truth in which he sees the world. His power vocals and addicting melodies combined with his sincere lyrics create a new sound that is candy to the ear and moving to the heart. Originally a small town boy from Kansas, Cameron now lives in Dallas where he is chasing his dream 24/7, working diligently to get his music heard. Cameron is constantly writing, looking for opportunities to perform and looking for management/indie label representation/production assistance. Cameron’s captivating vocals and addicting song melodies combined with his charming personality provides an unforgettable performance and puts him in a league of his own as one of the few genuine and talented artists out there (About Cameron Ernst).

RELATED READING:

Official Web-site: Cameron Ernst

Los Angeles GRAMMY U: Open Mic Night

Cameron Ernst: Broadway's Next Big Star (Video)

Stand Up

About bullying: "I say simply stop and think. What is that person were to finish their life because of you. How would that feel? Also, bullies often have issues of their own – why else would they do it. Maybe they need to face their issues...Not in the true sense of the word but I have been the victim of the media at times – goes with the territory, but it is still not nice. You have to say to yourself "Don’t take it personally" but thats not easy –especially when the claims made about you are unjust. It’s frustrating" (Towleroad Interview: Ben Cohen).

On Top Mag: “For some years now we have been receiving messages and emails from people all over the world with some heart wrenching stories. I really felt that I wanted to do something about it and I felt that I could, the [anti-gay bullying] video I made sparked off all sorts of things really, as well as emotions in me as a sports figure and as a dad, so we started thinking about what we could do. Then we received an invitation to go to a sports bar in New York. And then a proposal from a gay/gay-friendly rugby club in Atlanta at the same time” (Ben Cohen: Heart Wrenching Stories Prompted Me To Stand Up Against Homophobia).

Ben Cohen MBE (born 14 September 1978 in Northampton), is a former England rugby union international. He began his professional career with Northampton Saints in 1996; in 2007 he moved to France to represent Brive before returning to England two years later to join Sale Sharks (Wikipedia).

RELATED READING:

Official Web-site: Ben Cohen

Father of rugby star dies after club attack brawl fight in

Ben Cohen MBE for High and Mighty

Ben Cohen Drinks for Equality

it can’t get better if you don’t make it better

Katy Butler: "...I just heard that the Motion Picture Association of America has given an “R” rating to “Bully” -- a new film coming out soon that documents the epidemic of bullying in American schools. Because of the R rating, most kids won’t get to see this film. No one under 17 will be allowed to see the movie, and the film won’t be allowed to be screened in American middle schools or high schools. I can’t believe the MPAA is blocking millions of teenagers from seeing a movie that could change -- and, in some cases, save -- their lives. According to the film’s website, over 13 million kids will be bullied this year alone. Think of how many of these kids could benefit from seeing this film, especially if it is shown in schools? If enough people speak out and ask the MPAA to give Bully a PG-13 rating, maybe we can get them to change their minds. Will you sign my petition to the MPAA asking for a PG-13 rating instead of an R? From what I understand, the MPAA ruled by ONE vote that Bully deserves an R-rating because of “language,” robbing many teenagers of the chance to view a film that could change their lives, and help reduce violence in schools. This makes me really mad. It means that a film documenting the abuse that millions of kids experience through bullying won’t be seen by the audience that needs to see it the most: middle school students and high school students. Please sign my petition and demand that the MPAA give “Bully” a PG-13 so this important film can be seen by as many kids and adults as possible..." (SIGN THIS PETITION)

About the film: "This year, over 5 million American kids will be bullied at school, online, on the bus, at home, through their cell phones and on the streets of their towns, making it the most common form of violence young people in this country experience. The Bully Project is the first feature documentary film to show how we've all been affected by bullying, whether we've been victims, perpetrators or stood silent witness. The world we inhabit as adults begins on the playground. The Bully Project opens on the first day of school. For the more than 5 million kids who'll be bullied this year in the United States, it's a day filled with more anxiety and foreboding than excitement. As the sun rises and school busses across the country overflow with backpacks, brass instruments and the rambunctious sounds of raging hormones, this is a ride into the unknown. For a lot of kids, the only thing that's certain is that this year...Written by Hirsch, Lee" (IMDB)

RELATED READING:

• Official Web-site: Bully
• 'Bully' doc loses 'R' rating appeal; Weinstein Co. threatens to leave MPAA
• 'Bully': Can Weinstein Co. resign from group it doesn't belong to?
• Bully Gets R-Rating Prompts Weinstein Rebellion
• Tens of Thousands Sign Petition Urging MPAA to Overturn 'Bully's' R Rating
• Filmmaker "disappointed, distressed" over R-rating for bullying documentary
• "Bully" Documentary's R-Rating Sparks An Online Outrage
• 'Bully' Documentary's R-Rating Causes Parents To Petition MPAA (Video)
• Anti-Bullying Documentary "Bully" Receives R Rating, Weinstein Company Appealing (Video)