Among The Stars - RUSSELL SIMMONS

Two words. Russell Simmons. We grew up in the same neighborhood (Hollis, Queens), went to the same college and rode the same train to CCNY up in Harlem. It was on one of those old rickety E trains that I remember sitting with him and my friend Carmen Bell and he said something I will never forget as long as I live.

 

Russell has risen above his seemingly dismal circumstances to become one of the richest men in show business. He parties with the rich and famous in the Hamptons, always has a beautiful woman on his arm and gives money away to help others. Yet he still wears a baseball cap. If you saw him in the street and didn't know who he was, you probably wouldn't even look twice.
We hung out big time in Finley Hall on the campus of CCNY, basically just partying. He's always been a nice guy. I've only seen him a couple of times out here on the west coast and never mentioned his comment to me. But I can't let it go. I need to have a meeting with him.
This is what he said to me on that rickety E train back in the day: "Stick with me Carlease, I'll make you a star." Carmen and I looked at each other and chuckled and thought, "Yeah, right." Damn. What did I learn from that? Words are powerful. So are intentions and when a person believes in themselves they can make anything happen. Russell knew what he wanted and was not afraid to go after his dreams. He fearlessly connected with the people he wanted to emulate and learned from them. And they helped make him a star. He now helps people all over the world with his philanthropy which is one of the things I admire about him the most. That is definitely a goal of mine as well. But first, I need someone to get me Russell Simmons on the line so that I can find out if the statue of limitations is still open on that comment he made to me on that old rickety E train back in the day.

An Actor's Library - THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN MUTINY AT FREEMAN FIELD

History suddenly got interesting thanks to author Lt. Col. James C. Warren, one of heroes of this fascinating yet disturbing event.

I was introduced to this book by my cousin Leonard E. Williams Jr. His father, 2^nd Lt. Leonard E. Williams Sr. was one the officers arrested in 1945 for attempting to enter an officer’s club at Freeman Field that was designated for white officers only.

So what happens when you try to oppress “articulate blacks with advanced black consciousness”? It seems the United States Army Air Forces (as it was called back then) would label it a mutiny.

The 162 black officers were arrested for refusing to sign a statement that they had read Base Regulation 85-2 restricting these men from access to certain areas on the base. It just so happens that this would exclude black officers from clubs that white officers had access to. First of all, segregation in the armed forces was supposed to be illegal therefore “if a person disobeyed an illegal order, that person could not be punished.” Nevertheless, these officers were held on house arrest for about 20 days while the powers that be went around & around trying to figure out how to deal with this situation. “The incredible amount of time and effort that these high-ranking officers of the Army Air Forces were taking in the middle of a general war to ensure the continued segregation of black officers was amazing.”

These black officers were highly qualified as pilots, co-pilots, navigators, bombardiers, engineer-gunners, radio-gunners, officer instructors and test flight engineers. It’s a shame that they were victims of racial bias from the very country they were willing to fight and die for.

On a positive note, President Truman ended segregation in the military with Executive Order 9981 in 1948. 50 years after the mutiny on Aug. 12, 1995 the US Air Force vindicated the arrested Tuskegee Airmen by removing the letter of reprimand from their permanent military records. 50 years? Really? Better late, than never I guess.

The reason this story means so much to me is because I just met my birth family about a year ago. My birth mother was 95 years old at the time and her brother would be my Uncle Leonard mentioned in this book. He passed away shortly before I would have had the honor to meet him. However, I am now building a relationship with his children Kimberly and Leonard Jr. & his wife, Ariemean. It warms my heart to finally know my family & my heritage and to understand the important role this event has in American History. I thank you Uncle Leonard for your impressive courage in this giant step for equality. It fuels that fight in me to do the same.

Ask A Stage Goddess - IS IT TOO LATE FOR ME?

Ask A Stage Goddess is a Q & A series for anyone pursuing a career in the entertainment industry as an actor, comic, writer or solo show performer.

In this episode, Stage Goddess gives advice to a 40 year wife and mother in North Carolina.

 

 

 

 

You can leave your comments or questions below the video on YouTube; here on the blog;
on Facebook at Carlease's Bits n Pieces http://www.facebook.com/carleasesbitsnpieces;
on twitter @CarleaseBurke https://twitter.com/CarleaseBurke
email: askastagegoddess@gmail.com
Enjoy!
www.imdb.me/carleaseburke
www.carleaseburke.com

Director/Editor: Bernie Espinosa 

www.facebook.com/bernie.espinosa?fref=ts

 

An Actor's Pantry - MELON A LA MENTHE ET PASTIS AVEC PROSCIUTTO

(That's French for Minted Pastis Melon with Prosciutto)

On a recent culinary tour in the South of France, this is one of meals I helped to prepare in a chateau with 9 other "chefs". I had never tasted Pastis before. It tastes like licorice and provided an interesting blend of flavors with the mint and the melon. I will definitely make this again with and without the aperitif!

1 cup        water                                                                         

1/3 cup     granulated sugar
1/2 cup     mint leaves torn in half
2 tbsp       Pastis liqueur
1 small     melon
8 oz          Prosciutto
                 toothpicks




 In a saucepan over medium heat, cook water and sugar until dissolved, about 5 minutes without stirring. Add mint, stir to combine.  Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.  Add Pastis.




 Meanwhile, halve, seed and cut melon into small (about 1-inch wedges). Place into a bowl.  Pour cooled sugar mixture on top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours for flavors to develop. Stir to help cover all of the melon.



                          


Cut Prosciutto in half crosswise and then in 1-inch strips. Drain melon pieces, blot with paper toweling and wrap each in a piece of Prosciutto using a toothpick.

Note: I haven't heard the term "paper toweling" in years!!
My Nana used to say that all the time.

BON APPETIT !

Among The Stars - SIDNEY POITIER

Back in the day, when I was still trying to find my way around this town called Hollywood, I did stand-in work on award shows. One year while working a rehearsal of the Academy Awards I was roaming around as usual checking out the surroundings at The Shrine Auditorium. This particular year the Academy was honoring all past Oscar winners.

One of my favorite places to hang out is the green room. It's always so nicely decorated, has the best food and all the stars come through there at one time or another. So there I am strolling through the backstage area on my way to the green room and I see this tall Black man walking toward me. Nobody else was around. As we get closer to one another I see that it's Sidney Poitier. Now I'm not usually star-struck but I think at that moment I gasped out loud and held my breath. While still walking toward him, I started to veer away from him on a diagonal. Why? I don't know! Maybe to clear a space, get out of his way??? Anyway, he began to veer as well, directly towards me. I thought, "What is he doing?" Now, I'm almost up against the wall and he stops right in front of me, extends his hand and says, "Hi, I'm Sidney." I looked up at him, opened my mouth and all that air I was holding in came bursting out. "Hiiiiiiiiiiiii" was all I could say. 
And that my friends, was my Sidney Poitier moment.

An Actor's Library - TWITTER FOR ACTORS

As a baby boomer, I had been trying to avoid getting caught up in this social media frenzy, but as you know, it has now become a way of life. As an actor, it is crucial to have a strong online presence that stands out from the crowd. Blake Jamieson’s book, TWITTER FOR ACTORS is the blueprint to make that happen. It is so concise, well written and informative, I read it in one sitting pausing only to make adjustments on my twitter page right after learning something new.

 

With his clear graphics and step by step instructions, you’ll have an extreme twitter make-over in minutes! Blake even gives tips on how to use twitter effectively to build relationships in the entertainment industry that will last throughout your entire career.

I was doing just that when a casting director I tweeted led me to finding my birth mother!! As a fellow adoptee, we now have a common bond deeper than any acting job could ever manifest.

No matter who you’re following on twitter, you must absolutely add @TFAcom to the list! And check out my page @CarleaseBurke to see how professional it looks after reading #TwitterForActors!!

Ask A Stage Goddess - WHERE DO I BEGIN?

Ask A Stage Goddess is a Q & A series for anyone pursuing a career in the entertainment industry as an actor, comic, writer or solo show performer.

In this episode, Stage Goddess give advice on how you can set up a meeting with her and encourages a New York performer to re-kindle his dreams!

You can leave your comments or questions below the video on YouTube; here on the blog;
on Facebook at Carlease's Bits n Pieces http://www.facebook.com/carleasesbitsnpieces;
on twitter @CarleaseBurke https://twitter.com/CarleaseBurke
email: askastagegoddess@gmail.com
Enjoy!
www.imdb.me/carleaseburke
www.carleaseburke.com

Director/Editor: Bernie Espinosa 

www.facebook.com/bernie.espinosa?fref=ts