Broadway To Vegas

Copyright: January 14, 2024
By: Laura Deni
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SEX TOYS, SUPPORT ROBOTS AND SAG-AFTRA ANNOUNCEMENTS AT CES

The Consumer Electronics Show has just wrapped in Las Vegas. There were a few surprises but basically what was expected materialized. The sex booth was never empty. Going mainstream with a CES booth began in 2000. In 2001 a sex toy company in the U.K. was honored by Queen Elizabeth II with one of the "most prestigious" business awards in the country. Sexcessory purveyor Lovehoney received the Queen's Award For Enterprise (QAFE) for "continuous outstanding growth" after their overseas sales jumped from $16 million to nearly $80 million since 2015.

Sex sells.

This year was no exception. The Oh!, a new vibrator from Norwegian tech company Ohdoki caught everyone's attention last year with their flagship product, an automated penis stroker called The Handy. this year ladies' private parts are being addressed.

Oh! resembles a TV remote. The toy uses "ResoTouch technology," according to Ohdoki's press release, which utilizes sound waves — not motors — to create vibrations. Sound waves can apparently "enable individuals to create their own vibrational patterns with more flexibility and customization," the release states.

The vibe can sync with audio, video, and VR content using Bluetooth. It can also act as an actual remote to control a Handy or another Oh! even from a different location. The Oh! website claims that no sign-ins are needed to do this, so you can be totally anonymous.

"We aim to empower individuals of all genders to elevate their intimate sexual experiences, as we all deserve to explore ourselves and find new levels of pleasure," said Ohdoki CEO and co-founder Jens Petter "JP" Wilhelmsen in the press release. "That's why I'm so excited to bring Oh! to market and create even more ways to elevate pleasure and joy."

"We've seen incredible positive feedback on our flagship product The Handy and have continued to learn from our community to innovate and create a vibrator for our vulva-owning customers like they've never experienced before," Wilhelmsen continued. The Oh! will be available for purchase this spring on Ohdoki's website and Amazon. The pre-order price is $74.95, and will eventually double to $149.95.

Ohdoki, which recently established a U.S. headquarters in Miami "to expand its global footprint, is on a mission to reimagine the future of pleasure-tech by bringing fun and elevated sexual experiences to individuals and couples around the world. As Ohdoki continues to deliver infinite pleasure to all genders, Oh! offers vulva owners an all-in-one vibrator solution that delivers both localized and deeper pleasure using soundwaves that enhance the experience through connectivity." Oh! is equipped with ResoTouch technology that delivers localized pleasure with focused vibrations and deeper stimulation through customized sound waves. These sound waves create infinite possibilities of patterns and frequencies, with its unique tactile sensation that liberates a deeper, more focused touch tuned to the individual's body. Unlike traditional settings with standard mechanical motors that limit the variety of patterns, this world-first innovation uses soundwaves to enable individuals to create their own vibrational patterns with more flexibility and customization.

In addition to its physical products, Ohdoki creates interactive software for even more ways to enhance sexual experiences. The Handyverse is an integrated platform that enables one to remotely control the device and sync with video content. Oh! can be paired with another Oh! device for same-sex couples to enjoy together, or with The Handy, an interactive stroker for penis owners. Oh! can be controlled online from anywhere around the world, or offline with easy controls and access to synchronized adult online content.

Mirokai

Support animals have become an important part of life coping skills. A big hit was a support robot. Unlike a dog, you don't have to feed, clean up after it or take it for a walk.

The bright-orange robot Mirokai has a quirky virtual facial interface and funky mobility via a rolling globe. Enchanted Tools intentionally designed Mirokai to appear friendly and approachable since Mirokai is meant to provide companionship and social therapy.

"We are giving life to a new generation of robots, blending world-class engineering with captivating character design to enchant the world," explains its creators, Enchanted Tools.

Does your support animal need support?

A new AI-powered robot that promises to play with, feed, and even give medicine to your furry best friend is now on the market.

Consumer robotics firm Ogmen was at CES 2024 to show its new ORo pet companion, an autonomous robot designed to assist with pet care by feeding, providing medicine, and even playing with your dog using a ball launcher built into its chest.

If you're after calmness, rather than fetch consider Fufuly from Hakuhidi, Inc, a robotic cushion that uses rhythmic pulsations to help people who hug it adjust their breathing, supposedly leading to a calm and restful state. The cushion takes advantage of the phenomenon of rhythmic synchronization between individuals or between individuals and objects, which may have behavioral effects. For example, its creators explain, it can synchronize with a speaker's or listener's breathing rhythms, a baby's heartbeat, or a cradle's swings to, in theory, promote relaxation and a sense of well-being. Fufuly gently stimulates the user's belly to induce slower and deeper breathing through simultaneous and rhythmic expansion and contraction. It is battery-operated and portable, making it easy to feel calm anytime, anywhere.

A surprising number of new products are aimed to be helpful.

The Proxgy SmartHat aims to revolutionize the traditional safety helmets used by industrial workers. The India-based company has created a waterproof hard hat with an infrared sensor-equipped front camera for capturing images and recording videos in low-light conditions. The hat also has a check-in function that alerts the wearer if it is not worn properly, as well as radio transmitting capabilities and volume control.

SmartHat can detect multiple flammable and toxic gases. It also provides haptic feedback to alert the wearer of overhead objects and can measure vital and environmental factors such as heart rate, body temperature, noise, and humidity.

Sleep apena can kill. Attempting to sleep next to someone who snore can make you want to kill them. Developed by 10mins, the Motion Pillow (and Vital Ring) claims to enhance the sleeping experience for individuals who snore or face breathing discomfort. This innovative product detects snoring sounds and measures oxygen saturation levels. Using seven airbags, it can dynamically adjust the position of the head and back, creating a comfortable breathing environment and reducing snoring.

The most recent model has been further enhanced, 10minds explains, with additional airbags, the addition of the 'vital ring' for measuring oxygen saturation, lighting to enhance circadian rhythms, and a space-saving charging system. It also has an accompanying app that monitors your sleep data, including the time you spend snoring, airbag operation duration, sleep score, and sleep time. In case you have been in denial, It even records your snoring for you to listen to later.

The Augmental MouthPad has made its first high-profile appearance at CES 2024. The MouthPad may be a game changer for the seriously handicapped. This is a unique denture-style plate that allows users to control connected devices like phones and computers with their tongue. It's been described as "like a mouse for your mouth."

For individuals with disabilities that prevent them from using hand-operated controllers, this invention could be life-changing. The demonstration video is impressive.

The Beamo offers a quick health check-up. looking like a game stick, the Beamo is a four-in-one thermometer, electrocardiogram, oximeter and stethoscope made by Withings and it was unveiled this week at CES 2024. Depending on where on your body you "beam it," the device can give you info about your health.

The device, which Withings describes as being "portable and smaller than a smartphone," combines the simplicity of taking your temperature at home with some of the wellness metrics newer-grade wearables and smartwatches carry, like blood oxygen level tracking and a medical grade ECG, as well as chest sounds when used as a "digital stethoscope."

The sensors collect data and collate it in an app, where it can then be shared with a doctor.

Following expected clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration this June, you can get one for $250.

NuraLogix Anura MagicMirror is a medical assistant in a mirror. All you do is sit down in front of a mirror and, in less than a minute, learn if you have an irregular heart rate or hypertension or a fever, and then being able to take that data straight to a doctor. NuraLogix hopes that becomes commonplace with its Anura MagicMirror. The mirror (which is basically a 21.5-inch tablet) uses a camera to detect the blood flow activity beneath the surface of your face’s skin, then sends that reading through an algorithm to calculate.

Also on display at CES - Vacuum shoes, toilet paper robots and MP3 weapon holsters.

Then there was an interesting announcement which took place last Tuesday at CES.

SAG-AFTRA, the world's largest labor union representing performers, announced Tuesday at CES 2024 that it has signed an agreement with artificial intelligence voice technology company Replica Studios. The agreement will allow union members to license digital replicas of their voices for use in video games.

As AI expands into more areas of life, its ability to mimic famous voices has been controversial.

Ghostwriter 977

In 2023, an artist who goes by the name Ghostwriter released Heart on My Sleeve, a song that uses generative AI to mimic the voices of Drake and The Weeknd, though apparently neither of those stars had anything to do with the track. The song was written and produced by TikTok user ghostwriter977. The song was self-released on April 4, 2023, on various streaming platforms like Apple Music, Spotify and YouTube. Notable for its AI usage, Heart on My Sleeve was taken down by Universal Music Group (UMG). The song had accrued attention on TikTok and had garnered millions of views across a variety of platforms.

That song sparked a debate about Grammy eligibility, and Ghostwriter said at the time that he believed artists should financially benefit if AI copies their distinct voices.

Tuesday's announcement marks the first time a group such as SAG-AFTRA has attempted to codify consent and compensation for AI replicas of performer voices.

"Artificial intelligence has dominated the headlines, and for most performers, the best protection against the unauthorized digital simulation of their voice, likeness and/or performance is a SAG-AFTRA contract," union president and actor Fran Drescher said in a statement Tuesday. SAG-AFTRA has over 160,000 members.

National executive director and chief SAG-AFTRA negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said at CES that the union had been involved with AI issues for almost a decade.

Replica Studios CEO Shreyas Nivas, who signed the agreement with Crabtree-Ireland at CES, referred to the agreement as "groundbreaking" in a post on LinkedIn.

According to the SAG/AFTRA release:

This new agreement paves the way for professional voice over artists to safely explore new employment opportunities for their digital voice replicas with industry-leading protections tailored to AI technology, allowing AAA video game studios and other companies working with Replica to access top SAG-AFTRA talent.

The agreement between the leading AI voice company and the world's largest performers’ union will enable Replica to engage SAG-AFTRA members under a fair, ethical agreement to safely create and license a digital replica of their voice. Licensed voices can be used in video game development and other interactive media projects from pre-production to final release.

Approved by affected members of the union’s voiceover performer community, this contract marks an important step towards the ethical use of AI voices in creative projects by game developers, and sets the basis for fair and equitable employment of voice actors as they explore the new revenue opportunities provided by AI. In addition to establishing minimum terms and conditions, the agreement ensures performer consent and negotiation for uses of their digital voice double and requires that performers have the opportunity to opt out of its continued use in new works.

"Recent developments in AI technology have underscored the importance of protecting the rights of voice talent, particularly as game studios explore more efficient ways to create their games," said SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland. “With this agreement, we have achieved fully informed consent and fair compensation when it comes to the use of our members' voices and performances. We are proud to work with Replica in leading the way to make it easy for these companies to access SAG-AFTRA’s world-renowned talent in an ethical manner that ensures consent and fair compensation for their contributions. This agreement also paves the way for other companies to follow their lead."

"Replica is proud to partner with SAG-AFTRA to introduce an ethical approach to the emerging use of generative AI. We are excited by the new opportunities this opens up for world-leading AAA studios who can now access the benefits of Replica’s AI voice technology while knowing that talent is recognized and compensated fairly for the use of their likeness," said Shreyas Nivas, CEO of Replica Studios. "Our voice actor agreements ensure that game developers using our platform are only accessing licensed talent who have given permission for their voice to be used as a training data set, as opposed to the wild west of AI platforms using unethical data-scraping methods to replicate and synthesize voices without permission."

"This partnership will allow voice actors to safely explore new opportunities for their digital voice replicas while establishing protections around consent, contracts and compensation," Nivas posted. It also includes stated conditions for safe storage of such digital assets.

In a podcast that aired in December, SAG-AFTRA general counsel Jeffrey Bennett said that studios had earlier claimed they did not need performers' consent to replicate their voices with AI.

"Before we started negotiating these terms, the position of the studios was [that] they did not need consent to create replicas," Bennett said. "So, if you fast-forward from the position that they took as early as January 2023 to the position we now have with these contract terms and some of the legislation that's coming, we have flipped that whole narrative on its head. They recognize now they can't do this without consent."

While this agreement is specifically about video games, Crabtree-Ireland said other agreements might be reached for other kinds of vocal performances, such as music and TV commercials.

The agreement does not cover the controversial use of performer voices to train large language models, Crabtree-Ireland said. That training has come under fire from notable figures such as Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin, who, along with other authors, has sued artificial intelligence company OpenAI for allegedly using his published works to train the AI technology that powers generative AI chatbot ChatGPT.

Crabtree-Ireland also said he saw no reason why the estates of dead performers could not agree to the use of those voices under the new licensing agreement.

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This is not your typical, totally boring textbook.

In the pages of How To Earn A Living As A Freelance Writer (the first to be lied to and the last to be paid) you'll find sex, celebrities, violence, threats, unethical editors, scummy managers and lawyers, treacherous press agents, sex discrimination; as well as a how-to for earning money by writing down words.

ART AND ABOUT

GABRIELLE CHANEL: FASHION MANIFESTO

A black sequin number by Chanel

on display at the V&A Museum in London will have a special visitor. The ever stylish Sophie, The Duchess of Edinburgh, who is Patron of the Chartered Management Institute, will visit the Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel Exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum, on Januar 18, 2024.

There she will see the first UK exhibition dedicated to the work of French couturière, Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel, charting the establishment of the House of Chanel and the evolution of her iconic design style which continues to influence the way women dress today.

Based on the exhibition created by the Palais Galliera, Fashion Museum of the City of Paris, this exhibition is the first retrospective in the United Kingdom entirely devoted to the work of Gabrielle Chanel. Over 200 looks are brought together for the first time. This exhibition explores Gabrielle Chanel's iconic design style – from her first millinery boutique in Paris, to her final collection in 1971.

Of course you'll see the Little Black Dress, purses and her signature perfume Chanel #5.

The exhibition begins with one of the earliest surviving Chanel garments — a simple cream blouse from 1916 made from silk jersey, a humble fabric previously used for underwear and stockings.

Explore the evolution of Gabrielle Chanel's design philosophy through her most enduring and recognizable pieces. Take a close-up look at the glamorous design of the sequin trouser suit worn by Diana Vreeland. See the exquisite hand-sewn detailing of a suit made for a star - the Chanel tweed suit worn by Lauren Bacall. Items wore by Marlene Dietrich are also on display.

The grand finale is a showstopping recreation of the mirrored staircase in Chanel’s couture salon in Paris, with mannequins donning a collection of the designer’s opulent evening gowns.

Produced as part of Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto at V&A South Kensington, the exhibition closes February 25, 2024.

FREUD AND LATIN AMERICA Psychoanalysis has often been considered a Eurocentric practice, with its origins in Freud’s former home of Vienna, Austria and its earliest schools formed in European centers such as Berlin, Budapest, London and Paris. But in the 21st-century, Latin America is home to some of the most important psychoanalytic centers in the world. Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, has the highest number of psychoanalysts per capita in the world. Why has this region embraced psychoanalysis so warmly? And how has Freudian theory influenced wider culture and society?

Through personal letters, photographs, sculptures, books and marginalia, Freud and Latin America will investigate the roots of psychoanalysis in the region, namely Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Peru. It will uncover fascinating links between Freud’s life and Latin America. It will also profile some integral early figures for the dissemination of psychoanalysis, who are otherwise unknown in Europe, such as Peruvian philosopher, Honorio Delgado and Brazilian psychiatrist, Gastão Pereira da Silva. The exhibition will include artworks by Brazilian poet and woodcut artist Jose Borges, Mexican multimedia artist Santiago Borja, and surrealist photographer Grete Stern.

This exhibition will be in English, Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese.

There will be a program of relevant public events, a thoughtful outreach program working with local community groups, and a catalogue to support the exhibition. Research by Mariano Ben Plotkin and Mariano Ruperthuz Honorato for the co-authored book, Estimado Dr Freud: una cultura historia del psicoanálisis en América Latina (Edhasa, 2017) will provide the narrative that will guide this exhibition.

This exhibition is curated by Jamie Ruers.

Exhibition Dates January 17 - July 14, 2024 at the Fraud Museum in London.

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SPREADING THE WORD

TINY FEY is set to star in a series adaptation of the film The Four Seasons at Netflix, as first reported by Deadline and Variety.

Netflix has ordered eight-episodes which will begin production later this year.

The Four Seasons Netflix series will be written by Fey, Lang Fisher and Tracey Wigfield. The series will be executive produced by those three, in addition to David Miner, Eric Gurian and Jeff Richmond. Alan Alda and Marissa Bregman (daughter of Martin Bregman who produced the film) will also produce with Universal Television as the producing studio and Little Stranger, Inc. as the production company.

The 1981 film was written, directed and starred in by Alan Alda. Carol Burnett, Len Cariou, Jack Weston, Rita Moreno, Sandy Dennis and Bess Armstrong rounded out the leads with two of Alda's daughters, Elizabeth playing Beth Burroughs, the daughter of Alan Alda and Carol Burnett's characters Jack and Kate Burroughs, and Beatrice playing Lisa Callan the daughter of the characters, Nick and Anne Callan, played by Cariou and Dennis.

The movie followed three upper middle-class married couples living in New York City who vacation together during each of the seasons. But when Nick (Cariou) leaves his wife of 21 years Anne (Dennis) and begins bringing a younger woman (Bess Armstrong) with him, the dynamics of the group are entirely thrown off balance. It was previously adapted into a 1984 TV series for CBS which was produced by Alda.

Its title comes from composer Antonio Vivaldi’s four concerti. Those compositions make up the film’s score and renewed interest in the Vivaldi concerti.

The Four Seasons was a critical and box office success. Produced on a budget of $6.5 million, the film grossed $50,427,646, making it the ninth highest-grossing film of 1981.

SUPERMODEL BEVERLY JOHNSON 70, who made history as the first Black woman to grace the cover of U.S. Vogue in 1974, revealed she has married her longtime love, Brian Maillian, 72, in a secret Las Vegas ceremony late last year. The couple had been engaged for two years.

Brian Maillian is a senior financial executive and is a Founder, Vice Chairman and President of BEVERLY LLC, which is the holding company for Beverly Johnson Enterprises.

This was her third trip to the alter. She was previously married to real estate agent Billy Potter and then to music producer Danny Sims, father of their daughter Anansa.

ACTOR STEPHEN FRY wants the British royal family to ditch the bear fur used on the King's Guard hats replaced with fake fur. The King's Guard are those guys in red uniforms wearing tall bear skin hats familiar at ceremonial military events, such as the Changing of the Guard outside Buckingham Palace.

Bearskin caps are made from the fur of black bears hunted in Canada. It takes the hide of one bear to make one hat.

The actor who attendee the coronation last May, has backed an animal welfare campaign calling for fake fur to be used rather than real bear fur. "Tradition is never an excuse for cruelty," intones Fry, who is narrating a video which shows undercover film which claims to show hunters putting down buckets of strongly-scented food as bait, and then shooting black bears with crossbow bolts when they approach.

The Ministry of Defense says the bear fur is from "legal and licensed hunts".

Kate Werner of PETA told the press: "The UK government is sponsoring bait-and-kill sport hunting of mothers and other bears." PETA says it will share the video footage with King Charles, as it asks him to support a switch from real to artificial fur.

Fry, is an English actor, broadcaster, comedian, director, narrator and writer. He first came to prominence as one half of the comic double act Fry and Laurie, alongside Hugh Laurie, with the two starring in A Bit of Fry & Laurie (1989–1995) and Jeeves and Wooster (1990–1993). He also starred in the sketch series Alfresco (1983–1984) alongside Laurie, Emma Thompson and Robbie Coltrane, and in Blackadder (1986–1989) alongside Rowan Atkinson. Since 2011, he has served as president of the mental health charity Mind.

Fry is also known for his work in theatre. In 1984, he adapted Me and My Girl for the West End where it ran for eight years and received two Laurence Olivier Awards. After it transferred to Broadway, he received a Tony Award nomination. In 2012 he played Malvolio in Twelfth Night at Shakespeare's Globe. The production was then taken to the West End before transferring to Broadway where he received a nomination for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play. Fry is also a prolific writer, contributing to newspapers and magazines, and has written four novels and three autobiographies. He has lent his voice to numerous projects including the audiobooks for all seven of the Harry Potter novels and Paddington Bear novels.

RED BULL THEATER has announced the cast for the next offering of the new season of OBIE Award-winning Revelation Readings: The Revenge by Edward Young, directed by Nathan Winkelstein.

Featured in the cast will be Christian Coulson; Merritt Janson; Ismenia Mendes; Matthew Rauch, and Alexandra Silber Silber.

Immensely popular in the late 18th and early 19th century, this potboiler tells a tale that Shakespeare audiences will recognize - a general and his new bride manipulated to tragic ends by a supposed friend. But in this tale, it is the Moor, Zanga, seeking righteous vengeance on the hated conquerors of his people, who fulfills the role of the friend turned traitor. The fiery Zanga, a favorite role of both Ira Aldridge and Edmund Kean, finally gets his return to the spotlight.

This event will premiere live in-person from the Peter Jay Sharp Theater at Playwrights Horizons in New York City on Monday January 22nd at 7:30 PM ET. The recording will be available from until 11:59 PM ET on Sunday January 28. Open Captions will be available on Wednesday January 23 (7:30 PM ET) until 11:59 PM ET on Sunday January 28. This reading is presented in partnership with the Mellon Foundation sponsored "On Decolonizing Theatre" Seminar at Northwestern University, and the R/18 Collective.

THE INCREDiBLE TONY AND OLIVIER WINNER JODIE COMER will narrate the audiobook version of Suzie Miller's Prima Facie, as first reported by Deadline. The audiobook will be released January 30 from Macmillan Audio.

The audiobook will feature Comer's narration of Miller's 288-page novel adaptation of Prima Facie, rather than the script of the stage play. Miller is also penning a film adaptation, which will star Tony winner Cynthia Erivo.

Prima Facie follows Tessa Ensler, a barrister who specializes in defending men accused of sexual assault. But when she finds herself on the witness stand, her whole world is upended.

Comer starred as Tessa in the solo show, both on Broadway and in the West End. Her performance at the Harold Pinter Theatre earned her the 2022 Olivier Award for Best Actress, and the 2023 Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Play.

SONGBOOK SUNDAYS at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Dizzy’s Club in New York City hosted by Deborah Grace Winer presents Baby, It's Frank Loesser.

This Songbook Sundays swings Loesser’s classics from Guys and Dolls and legendary standards like "Let’s Get Lost: What are You Doing New Year’s Eve: Somebody Somewhere" and more.

Curated by leading American Songbook expert Deborah Grace Winer, the set features Tony Award nominee Emily Skinner, Broadway’s Matthew Scott, with JALC rising star Ekep Nkwelle.

Music director Joe Davidian leads a band of all-stars including Mark Lewandowski on bass (Wynton Marsalis, Mingus Big Band), Maria Marmarou on drums (Kurt Elling, Dizzy’s Club) and Daniel Cohen on saxophone (Juilliard).

With some breezy stories, it’s a swinging Dizzy’s toast to a brand new year.

PRINCE EDWARD, THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH has a couple of musical days ahead of him. As Patron of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, he will visit Symphony Hall on January 17. The following day, January 18, also as Patron, he will visit Shireland City Birmingham's Symphony Orchestra Academy.

AN EVENING WITH PRISCILLA PRESLEY will share personal stories from her life, career and her time with Elvis. January 20 at the Capitol Theater in Rome, New York; January 22, 2024 at the Aetos Performing Arts, Nixa, MO. January 27 at the Renfro Valley Entertainment Center in Mt. Vernon, Kentucky.

FOUNTAIN THEATRE PRESENTS 3 WORKSHOP PERFORMANCES of musical memoir Unconditional by Margot Rose, an original cast member of I’m Getting My Act Together and Taking It On the Road, — backed by a live, four-piece band. She'll share her funny and poignant story of family, loss, connection, community and a backyard.

Music, Book and Lyrics by Margot Rose. Directed by Vanessa Stallings. Music Direction by Aaron Benham. Three performances only: January 19 - 21, 2024 at The Fountain Theatre in Los Angeles.

1 BILLION FOLLOWERS SUMMIT

You've got a thousand followers and are starting to feel good about yourself. Not so fast. Okay, you've amassed 100,000 followers and your head is starting to swell. Cool it. You're still a neophyte.

This past January 10-11 in Dubai, UAE the 1 Billion Followers Summit took place - The Expo for content creators to become bigger, better and more connected.

If you've never heard of them. it doesn't mean that a billion others haven't.

They are influences and their bank accounts overflow.

People listen, follow and spend money. In attendance at the Summit were: 3000 Attendees: 100+Speakers: 200+CEOs: 300+Companies.

A few of the 100+ speakers included:

Khaby Lame

Khaby Lame #1 Most Followed TikToker Worldwide with 251.9M followers. Hailing from Senegal and now making waves in Italy, he has become a sensation for his unique brand of comedy. Through short, silent skits, he humorously critiques those who unnecessarily complicate simple tasks. In 2022, he was listed in Fortune's 40 Under 40 and Forbes' 30 Under 30. He also served as a juror on the 2023 edition of the television show Italia's Got Talent. As of 2024, he is the most-followed user on TikTok with an impressive following of over 251.9M million on TikTok. His influence extends to Instagram, where he commands a following of over 46 million and holds the distinction of having the second most-liked Instagram Reel. Khaby Lame's silent satire has carved a distinctive space in the realm of social media humor.

In January 2022, Lame signed a multi-year partnership with Hugo Boss and was featured in the #BeYourOwnBoss campaign. According to Alessandro Riggio, the social media manager who signed Lame when he had only 1,000 Instagram followers, the TikToker was earning up to $750,000 per post and was on track to make $10 million by the end of 2022.

Anasala Family USA's Golden Fam on Social with 1 Billion views, +7M subscribers with videos reaching +20M views and 55.2M followers. When their daughter thought that only men can be President, they took matters into their own hands. Turning daughter Mila into the President for a day, they orchestrated a grand experience—Oval Office, Secret Service team, and a White House press conference—to prove that sky's the limit for young dreamers! This is the Anazala Family, a Family of content creators who consistently go above and beyond to share entertaining videos inspired by their daily challenges and adventures. The Anazalas are young, creative, and completely relatable, dedicated to turning screen time into valuable family time! They have now set up their home in Los Angeles as they navigate parenthood with their adorable kids Mila and Noah. In the past 2 years they’ve won a Kids Choice Awards, 3 Guinness World Records.

Dilraj Singh Rawat known as Indian Hacker is India's Biggest Science & Experiment YouTuber with 37.5M followers. As the top creator in the tech category and the fourth-ranked content creator in India, he's affectionately known as "Mr. Indian Hacker." Dilraj's acclaim arises from captivating science videos where he demonstrates feats like "fueling a motorcycle with water instead of petrol" and "simulating the creation of black holes." In addition to his engaging content, Rawat is a philanthropist, having donated 20,000 trees and partnered with an NGO to provide free notebooks for students. He showcases his educational prowess through hundreds of entertaining science tutorials, catering to a diverse audience spanning various age groups and educational backgrounds.

Tom Bilyeu known as The Billion Dollar Brand Builder with 50M followers. His aim is to "empower you to shatter limitations, cultivate a growth mindset, and devise unique solutions." Co-Founder/CEO of Impact Theory and Co-Founder Quest Nutrition. He sells hope through empowerment. Some the catch phases are: "Life is a beautiful game. Play to win," and "Build your confidence one badass guest at a time."

Ujjwal Chaurasia also known as Techno Gamers is #2 Most Watched YouTuber India 2023 with 50M followers. The popular gaming personality from India, his unique voiceover style, family-friendly content, and creative storytelling with mods set him apart in the Indian gaming industry and made him one of the most popular gamers in India. His love for gaming started from a young age. He used to play games on his family's PC. He launched his first channel in August 2017, and later a second channel in January 2018. He became famous for streaming GTA V and combining it with his outstanding storytelling skills.

Abo Falah A Top 30 YouTuber 2023. The #1 content creator in the MENA region with over 35 million subscribers on YouTube alone for a total of 51.5M followers. Hassan "Aboflah" Suleiman has jumped from 7 million to 27 million subscribers in less than 2 years. He holds two Guinness World Records for longest charity stream and most concurrent viewers on a charity stream for his #WarmWinter campaign in collaboration with Muhammad Bin Rashid Global Intitatives where he raised over $11million in continuous 12 day stream in a glass box located at one of the most visited spots in Dubai, UAE.

Zachery Dereniowski USA's Ultimate Mental Motivator has 31M followers. He's the force behind "Kindness is Cool," a movement making kindness the epitome of coolness. Through MDMotivator channels, their mission is to give back to those embodying kindness, compassion, and positivity, especially during challenging times. Operating under the umbrella of Hack+, a 501(c)(3) public charity, Kindness is Cool is not just a choice; it's a lifestyle. With a commitment to making the world brighter, Zachery emphasizes that every act, big or small, creates a ripple effect of positivity. Join the movement and contribute to a world where kindness reigns supreme.

Abeer Al Sagheer a Top 10 TikTok Food Creator with 34.4M followers. In under two years, Abeer Al Saghir, an award-winning content creator and renowned celebrity, has skyrocketed to stardom. Her sensational content, featuring mind-blowing transitions, universally-relatable material, and culturally infused, mouth-watering recipes, has earned her a massive following. A culinary icon recognized both regionally and globally, Abeer has garnered prestigious accolades such as TikTok's Food Creator of the Year and Creator of the Year for 2022, Joy Awards' Favorite Female Influencer in 2023, and the distinction of being the sole Arab creator on TikTok's Discovery List for 2022. Her achievements include being #1 in Food at NEMA FEST 2022 and securing the title of Food Influencer of the Year 2022 by the Ministry of Tourism in Lebanon.

Saurav Joshi 28M followers. India's most subscribed vlogger, captivates audiences with family-friendly and travel vlogs. Originating from art tutorials on YouTube, his seamless transition to vlogging earned widespread admiration. Sourav's humility and charismatic presence significantly boosted his social media influence. Beyond creative evolution, his journey reflects a commitment to entertaining diverse audiences. Today, he stands as a beloved figure in the Indian vlogging community, offering content that resonates with broad appeal, solidifying his reputation as a leading content creator in the country

Imeeto Shamsi has 27.5M followers. Mohammed Al Shamsi is a young Saudi national, known by his pseudonym 'imeeto.' gained fame for portraying comedic and sarcastic characters. He became renowned for four characters: Mohammed, Umm Mohammed, Abu Mohammed, and Sheilah, all of which feature in imeeto's sketches, portraying these characters in a comedic context, delivering a delightful and enjoyable performance to the viewers.

German Garmendia has 18M Followers. The Chilean YouTuber, singer-songwriter, comedian and writer became famous for his YouTube channel HolaSoyGerman, in which he uploaded humorous videos about everyday situations. In 2013, he created his gameplay channel, JuegaGerman, which over time would end up surpassing his previous channel in subscribers. It also is the second-most subscribed channel in the Spanish language, behind Argentine channel El Reino Infantil. He is the most-subscribed YouTuber in Chile.

Just a few of the success stories. What they have in common is taking something they know about and presenting it in a way that is of interest to others - the latter being the downfall of many who desire to be "influencers".

OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY

RADIO GIANT AUDACY the second largest radio broadcaster, has filed for bankruptcy protection, forced by a significant drop in advertising revenue.

The Philadelphia-based company, which oversees major podcast and radio operations including owning WFAN Sports Radio, New York's 1010 WINS, KCBS and CBS Radio, said it has filed a Chapter 11 petition in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas after a restructuring agreement with a majority of its debtholders.

The official statement said that the agreement will result in a company cut roughly 80% of its nearly $2 billion in debt down to around $350 million. Audacy said it expects the restructuring will better position the company for long-term growth and doesn't expect it will impact operations, trade, or other unsecured creditors.

Under the agreement announced debtholders will receive equity in the company.

A3 ARTISTS AGENCY has sold its digital and alternative content departments to talent agency Gersh, according to a joint announcement.

Under the deal, 45 employees at A3, including 25 agents from its digital and alternative departments, will join Beverly Hills-based Gersh, bringing the latter firm’s staff to more than 300 people. A3 has offices in New York and Los Angeles. Financial terms were not disclosed.

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BLUES HALL OF FAME The 44th class of the Hall of Fame, operated by the Memphis-based Blues Foundation, has been announced. It includes R&B singer O.V. Wright and Center for Southern Folklore founder William Ferris, Chicago guitarist Lurrie Bell, groundbreaking blues/jazz performer James Rushing, folk-blues powerhouse Odetta, early-20th century guitar virtuoso Scrapper Blackwell, R&B songstress Sugar Pie DeSanto, and Chicago bandleader Lil' Ed and his Blues Imperials.

Induction ceremonies for the 2024 Hall of Fame class will take place May 8 at Downtown's Halloran Centre in Memphis, TN, as part of the festivities surrounding the annual Blues Music Awards, which will follow at the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts on May 9.

In addition to the performers, several recordings will also be enshrined in the Hall of Fame.

Classics of Blues Recording – Single or Album Track
"Here’s the Man!!!" – Bobby Bland (Duke, 1962)
"Driving Wheel" – Junior Parker (Duke, 1961)
"I Ain’t Got You"- Billy Boy Arnold (Vee-Jay, 1955)
"Key to the Highway" – Jazz Gillum (Bluebird, 1940)
"Okie Dokie Stomp"- Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown (Peacock, 1954)
"Why Don’t You Do Right?" – Lil Green (Bluebird, 1941)

Downtown’s Blues Hall of Fame, will also be showcasing several special items representing the 2024 class of inductees. The artifacts will be on display for public viewing beginning the first week of May and will remain on view for a year.

GIBSON BRANDS, INC the world’s most iconic instrument brand, has announced that it has confirmed Luke Ericson to the permanent role of Chief Operating Officer (COO), reporting to Cesar Gueikian, President, and CEO of Gibson Brands.

Acting as Interim Chief Operating Officer since May 2023, Luke has been instrumental in reorganizing the business with the creation of the COO office around Manufacturing, Planning and Supply Chain, and Enterprise Solutions, globally. Luke has been a thought partner, leader, and a key player in shaping and implementing Gibson’s global strategy.

Luke grew up in Australia and has lived in the United States for the last decade. He studied Economics and Finance at the University of Technology, Sydney. Luke is also a Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Australia, and New Zealand.



WOMEN ON FIRE SERIES: FAIR IS FOUL Written by Chris Henry.

Directed by Chris Henry and Lorna Ventura.

Choreographed by Lorna Ventura. As told by a group of anonymous women.

Featuring a rotating cast of Gina Naomi Baez, Kathleen Chalfant, Charlotte Cohn, Maddie Corman, Linedy Genao, Julie Halston, Ann Harada, Melissa Leo, Kristolyn Lloyd, Julia Macchio, Lois Robbins, Dale Soules, Constance Shulman, Lianah Sta. Ana, Mary Testa, Desi Waters, and Emmaline Gioia Written by Chris Henry With Emily Anne Davis, Kayla Hsu, Madison McLean, and Lily Sledge.

The creative team Ethan Field (lighting design), Lars Jacobsen (original music), Lee Lillis (sound design) and Cheyenne Sykes (original set design) Alexa Sacks-Wilner (Stage Manager) Kali Aguilar (Line Producer).

Presented by Royal Family Productions, a non-profit theatre company known for its innovative productions and development of new original work. Performances from January 19th-29th at Royal Family Performing Arts Space in New York City.

PACIFIC OVERTURES a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by John Weidman, with additional material by Hugh Wheeler.

Directed by Matthew White.

Musical directed Paul Bogaey.

Nippon. The Floating Kingdom.

One of Stephen Sondheim’s most ambitious, rarely seen creations comes to the Menier Chocolate Factory in a co-production with Umeda Arts Theater in Japan, where it has already been a huge success in Tokyo and Osaka.

Set in 19th-century Japan, it tells the story of the country's westernization starting in 1853, when American ships forcibly opened it to the rest of the world. The story is seen from an imagined Japanese perspective. The score is filled with some of Sondheim’s most ravishing music, including Someone in a Tree; Pretty Lady and A Bowler Hat.

Pacific Overtures completes the Menier’s trilogy of Sondheim/Weidman musicals following their critically acclaimed productions of Assassins and Road Show.

Please note: "Pacific Overtures was written in 1976. It explores themes of racism, colonialism, sexual objectification & threat towards women and generational trauma incited by the opening of Japan to the West. The show contains some loud noises and smoke effects."

The cast features Jon Chew as the Reciter, Kanako Nakano as Tamate, Saori Oda as Shogun/Madam, Takuro Ohno as Kayama, and Joaquin Pedro Valdes as Manjiro, with Luoran Ding, Masashi Fujimoto, Rachel Hayne Picar, Eu Jin Hwang, Abel Law, Ethan Le Phong, JoJo Meredith, Patrick Munday, Sario Solomon, Joy Tan, Lee V G, and Iverson Yabut.

The creatives are: set design Paul Farnsworth - costume design Ayako Maeda - Lighting design Paul Pyant - sound design Gregory Clarke - choreography Ashley Nottingham - musical supervision Catherine Jayes - Orchestrations Jonathan Tunick - Hair and make-up design Wakana Yoshihara - video design Leo Flint - traditional Japanese movement and cultural consultant You-Ri Yamanaka.

This production which is receiving rave reviews is on stage through February 24, 2024 at the Chocolate Factory in London.

CULT OF LOVE by Leslye Headland.

Directed by Trip Cullman.

A ruthless comedy about a deeply Christian family who claim all you need is love. The four Dahl siblings were brought up with a devotion to Jesus and each other. Now adults with their own distinct beliefs and years of baggage, they gather once again for the holidays at their childhood home, singing joyous carols and reenacting family rituals until the forced cheer, alcohol, and repressed feelings shatter the façade and all hell breaks loose. Bold and provocative, Cult of Love dares to challenge our perceptions of faith, family, and love.

In Association with Red Yes Studio, Rachel Sussman, and Seaview performances January 26-March 3, 2024 at Berkeley Repertory Theatre in Berkeley, CA.

A GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER music by Steven Lutvak, lyrics by Lutvak and Robert L. Freedman, and a book by Freedman. It is based on the 1907 novel Israel Rank: The Autobiography of a Criminal by Roy Horniman.

Directed by Shelby Ferrin.

Technical director is Derek Walden-Knapp.

A distant heir to a family fortune sets out to speed up the line of succession by using a great deal of charm... and a dash of murder. Set in the stylish and wickedly funny world of the Edwardian era, this Tony Award-winning musical follows the outrageous story of Monty Navarro. When he discovers his aristocratic roots, Monty sets out on a darkly comedic journey to eliminate the eight relatives standing between him and a family fortune. With an irresistible blend of clever humor, catchy music, and a captivating cast of characters.

The creatives: Truxton Moulton Assistant Technical Director / Shop Foreman. Tammis Boam Head of Costume Design/Designer in Residence. Laurie Oswald Costume Shop Manager. Cynthia Klumpp Scenic Charge Artist. Marilyn Montgomery Property Manager. Jordan Fowler Master Electrician.

January 19 – February 17, 2024 at Centerpoint Theatre in Centerpoint, Utah.

WHOSE AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOLFE by Edward Albee.

Directed by Steve Kidd.

From its Tony Award-winning debut for best play (1963) to its many revivals on the modern stage, Edward Albee’s masterful 3-act play is an explosively comedic and harrowing masterpiece. On the heels of a university faculty party, middle-aged professor George and his wife, Martha, invite campus newcomers Nick and Honey over for drinks. What starts as harmless patter escalates to a full night of vicious, booze-fueled barbs, as the unwitting young couple is drawn into their hosts’ all-out marital warfare. By sunrise, all secrets are laid bare and none of them will ever be the same. A landmark of the American theater and arguably Albee’s best work, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? explores the illusions we create in the face of painful truths and life’s uncertainty.

Featuring Tony Estrella as George - Jeanine Kane as Martha - Gabrielle McCauley as Honey - Gunnar Manchester as Nick.

The creatives are: Set Design/Director of Production Jessica Hill Kidd - Costume Design David T. Howard - Lighting Design Jeff Adelberg - Sound Design Hunter Spoede - Stage Management Kelsey Emry - Assistant Stage Management MacKenzie Kugel - Assistant to the Director Jared Nobrega - Production Assistant Tess Cruz - Production Assistant Mireya Hoffens.

Performances January 25 - February 18, 2024 at the Gamm Theatre in Warwick, Rhode Island.

QUIXOTE NEUVO Octavio Solis’ modern reimagining of the characters of Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes.

Quixote Nuevo is an epic story of imagination, with catchy music and puppets to boot.

Seattle Rep states that: "To understand the play, it is useful to know a little about the original story." They offer the explanations constructed by Hartford Stage.

Don Quixote de la Mancha is an episodic journey of an old man stuck between reality and the romantic ideals he has read about in literature all of his life. The man, Alonso Quixano, goes mad and in his senility imagines he has truly becomes a knight-errant or wandering knight named Don Quixote. He enlists the service of a squire in his neighbor Sancho Panza, and, believing every knight should have a lady fair, creates a fictitious lover modeled after a farm girl he once knew. He aims to devote his life to protecting the honor of his lady, Dulcinea. When reality does not match with the world of his imagination, the old knight insists that evil enchanters have bewitched the viewers’ eyes so they cannot see the truth.

1605: In Cervantes’ original story, he was born Alonso Quixano and lives in La Mancha, Spain with his housekeeper and niece.

2019: In Octavio Solis’ adaptation, the old man is called Jose Quijano, or Joe. He is a retired college professor, living along the Texas-Mexico border with his sister, Magdalena, and niece, Antonia. For this Quixote, the threat of assisted living and dementia drives the onset of his madness. Quixote is dubbed a knight in a bar called Rosario’s Lounge and Karaoke Bar he believes to be a castle. The barkeepers, Bruno and Rosario, dub Quixote a knight using the closest thing they have to a religious relic: the petrified trigger finger of Pancho Villa purchased in a pawn shop in El Paso.

The cast: Raúl Cardona as Papa Calaca/Cardenio; Sol Castillo as Padre Perez; Alicia Coca as Rosario/Juana; Laura Crotte as Magdalena/Perla; Viviana Garza as Antonia/Inez; Ernie González, Jr. as Manny/Sancho Panza; Maya Malan-Gonzalez as Dr. Campos/Dulcinea; Herbert Siguenza as Quijano/Quixote; Lakin Valdez as Bruno/Young Quijano and Tony Sancho as u/s Quijano/Quixote.

The creatives are: Marissa Herrera Choreographer: Jesse J. Sanchez Music Director: Efren Delgadillo Jr. Scenic Designer: Helen Q. Huang Costume Designer: Pablo Santiago Lighting Designer: David R. Molina Composer & Sound Designer: Eduardo Robledo Co-Song Composer: Jean Carlo Yunén Aróstegui Associate Director: Michael Polak Fight Director & Intimacy Consultant: Cynthia Santos DeCure Vocal & Dialect Coach: Bernardo Mazón DaherDramaturg: Estela Garcia Puppet Movement Consultant: Shawna Voragen Production Stage Manager: Stefania Giron Zuluaga Assistant Stage Manager.

January 19 - February 11, 2024 at Seattle Rep Seattle, WA.

THE PERFECT GAME: A SLAM DUNK NEW MUSICAL original book, music and lyrics by John Grissmer.

Directed by Danny Salles.

The Perfect Game: A Slam Dunk New Musical is a new musical comedy that weaves together the historic story of Jim Naismith, a young tech who invests a new indoor game for the YMCA – basketball – with the modern day story of two basketball coaches, Nancy & Frank, who are struggling with personal and professional issues. Jim and his wife, Maud, enter the modern world to help the two coaches get back on track and rediscover their love of the game as they prepare for the big final match of the season.

Anthony Sagaria stars as basketball inventor, Jim Naismith, leading a company that includes David Beach, Tyler Belo, Nick Bernardi, Milena J. Comeau, Jesse Lynn Harte, Akina Kitazawa, Alec Ludacka, Steve McCoy, Lukas Poost, Elena Ricardo, Jamal Shuriah, Danielle J. Summons, Scott Whipple, and EJ Zimmerman.

The creatives are: choreography by Ashley Marinelli, music direction by Matthew Stephens, and arrangements & music supervision by Russ Kassoff, Casting is by Daryl Eisenberg, CSA / Eisenberg Casting, and the Associate Producer is Joseph Fusco. David Goldstein is the Scenic Designer, Matthew Solomon is the Costume Designer, Andrew Garvis & Jamie Roderick are Co-Lighting Designers, and Brendan McCann is Production Props. William Spinnato is the Production Stage Manager, Miranda Shaffer is the Assistant Stage Manager, Tuan Malinowski is the Associate Director, and Brian Nelson is the Associate Choreographer.

Performances January 19-27, 2024 at Theatre Row in New York City. Opening night is January 21, 2024 and the limited engagement runs through January 28, 2024.

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FINAL OVATION

GEORGINA HALE Noted for starring in the soaps Emmerdle and Hollyoaks the star had a five decade acting career.

At the age of 19 she was given tickets to see West Side Story, which she said 'blew my mind' as she'd never stepped foot in a theatre before seeing the show. She went on to train at Rada and graduated in 1965, and made her stage name Hale.

She had parts in Royal Shakespeare Company productions and her West End debut came in Chekhov's The Seagull in London's Duke of York's theatre in 1976.


She received a Laurence Olivier Award nomination for her performance in the original London production of Steaming. The actress also won a British Academy Film Award for Most Promising Newcome for the Ken Russell film Mahler in 1975. In 2010, the actress was listed as one of 10 great British character actors by The Guardian.

Georgina married John Forgeham in 1964, but they later divorced.

ANNA STRASBERG Co-Founder of The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, died in New York City on January 6, 2024. She was 84.

Strasberg was the third wife of Lee Strasberg, and the executor of his estate, including the inherited rights to Marilyn Monroe's image.

The widow of the legendary acting teacher Lee Strasberg, Ms. Strasberg dedicated much of her life to maintaining his Method technique following his death in 1982. A co-founder of the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, she served as the artistic director of the company for many years.

In addition to her work with the institute, Anna Strasberg managed her husband's estate, which included the estate of Marilyn Monroe, which had been left to Mr. Strasberg who, at the time, was married to his second wife Paula who died in 1966.

Anna met Strasberg at The Actors Studio, and the pair were married in 1967.

As the controller of Monroe's IP rights, Anna Strasberg handled the licensing and commercial rights of Monroe's image through CMG Worldwide and Authentic Brands Group.

Anna Strasberg is survived by her sons, David (the current artistic director and CEO of the Strasberg Institute), and Adam, as well as her daughters-in-law Lindsey and Nora; her grandchildren Gwendolyn, Scarlett, Sawyer, Owen and Asher; her sisters Victoria and Elena; her nephew Sasha; and her goddaughter, Drew Barrymore.

SARAH RiCE Sweeney Todd's original Johanna, died from cancer on January 6, 2024. She was 68.

Rice also performed in The Fantasticks Off-Broadway, 54 Below's Sondheim Unplugged, and in numerous operas around the world.

Bbest known for originating the role of Johanna in Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, which opened on Broadway in 1979. That same year, she received a Theatre World Award for her performance.

Rice was born in Okinawa, Japan, while her father was serving in the U.S. Air Force there. Before her first birthday, the family moved to Arizona, where she, a sister, and two brothers grew up. Rice acted in some amateur productions and attended college for one year before she moved to New York at age 18. According to her website, Ms. Rice "arrived in NYC with $100, two cats, and a piano," and promptly immersed herself in the theatre world.

Rice was also known for her Montreal performance of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera, and her operatic performances in The Marriage of Figarol The Barber of Seville and The Student Prince.
Equipped with lilting soprano vocals, Rice worked with numerous opera companies across the world, including Venice's Gran Teatro la Fenice, Santa Fe Opera, Central City Opera, and Dallas Opera. She also performed in various concerts around NYC.

Rice's website reports that throughout her life, she continued to perform and live in NYC, with the same piano and her cats.

SUSAN BIELENBERG aka Hollywood Art Chick, passed away in Los Angeles on December 5, 2023 at the age of 58 years.

Sue was an animator, painter, caricaturist, and mural artist. She attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she earned her BFA in Art History with a minor in Political Science. She received an MFA in Animation from the University of California Los Angeles. She also studied at the American Animation Institute and the American Academy of Art.

In college, she was an illustrator for the Solo Cup company and also created logos for local businesses. She moved to Los Angeles in 1989 to attend UCLA and pursue her dream of becoming an animator.

In her long career of over 30 years as an artist, Sue animated for many well-loved programs, including the Simpsons, Dilbert, Rugrats, King of the Hill, Duckman, and the Oblongs. She has designed T-shirts for Paul Frank and designed greeting cards. In recent years, she drew murals for towns across America, including Cranberry Township, PA; Cerritos, CA; Henderson, NC; and Shawnee, KS. She was a caricature artist for company and family events in the Los Angeles Area.

She is survived by her loving boyfriend and childhood friend, Paul J Burwell, and four siblings: Jonathan R Bielenberg (Urbana, IL), Jennifer L Fife (Gainesville, FL), Margaret A Svendsen (Sidney, IL), and Elizabeth W Hage (San Jose, CA).

ANDREW CAMPBELL died December 19, 2023 following a valiant 18-month battle with ALS.

After graduating from the University of Minnesota, he acted on stage in Minnesota and Illinois, before moving to Los Angeles where he earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in Playwriting from UCLA. He was the director of organizational development for ten years with the Los Angeles County Arts Commission before becoming the first full-time arts administrator for the City of West Hollywood, where he lived for more than 30 years. After thirteen years working for the City, he retired in March of 2020.

His plays ranged from the dark humor of The Last Day of Lottie Love to the tender romance of Zelda and Scott Fitzgerald in The Feast of Youth. He was a member of Playwrights Ink for more than 35 years.

Andrew was predeceased by his parents, sister Arlene List, and his life partner, actor/writer/singer Donald Snell. He is survived by his sisters Margaret Mary Campbell and Joy Schumacher, brothers Rick Campbell (Nita) and Alvin Campbell, nephews Steve Campbell (Sue), Carey Schumacher (Cheri), David Campbell (Diane), Jeff Campbell (Beth), Aaron Campbell (Kelly), Jeremy Campbell (Nicole), Tanner Campbell and nieces Pam Wykoff (Jeff), Susan Cyr (Stephen), Jani Sage (Derek), Hollie Yeager (Mike) and Nicole Campbell.

BILL HAYES soap star and singer died Friday, January 13, 2024. He was 98.

Hayes began his career as a singer on the Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca variety show Your Show of Shows in the early 1950s. During the Davy Crockett craze in 1955, his recorded versions of the Ballad of Davy Crockett was #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks, selling over two million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.

He also starred on Broadway in Rodgers and Hammerstein's Me and Juliet in 1953).

Hayes first appeared on Days of Our Lives in 1970 as the character Doug Williams - a convict who was also a lounge singer. He continued to play the character for over 50 years, continuing to make appearances until 2023.

Hayes graduated from DePaul University with majors in music and English and became a member of Lambda Chi Alpha. Hayes earned a master's degree in music from Northwestern University and a Ph.D. in education from West Virginia University.

Hayes was married to Mary Hobbs from 1947 to 1969; they had five children. He was then married to Days of our Lives co-star Susan Seaforth Hayes beginning in 1974.[10] Their relationship was so popular that they were featured on the cover of Time in 1976, the only soap opera stars to hold that distinction to date. In 2005, the couple published their joint autobiography, Like Sands Through the Hourglass. The couple also supported the West Texas Rehab Center, hosting the annual telethon in Abilene, Texas.

I had the pleasure of interviewing both Bill Hayes and Susan Seyforth Hays for the cover story published in Pageant. He is survived by his wife and relatives.

TOM SHALES the Pulitzer Prize-winning TV critic, died from COVID-19 and kidney failure at a hospital in Fairfax County, Virginia, on January 13, 2024. He was 79.

Shales penned what is considered the definitive history of SNL, and spent 40 years at The Washington Post.

"His stiletto-sharp commentary on TV stars, trends and network executives brought him national attention and influence," stated The Washington Post.

Next Column: January 21, 2024
Copyright: January 14, 2024 All Rights Reserved. Reviews, Interviews, Commentary, Photographs or Graphics from any Broadway To Vegas (TM) columns may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, utilized as leads, or used in any manner without permission, compensation and/or credit.
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