NOMINEES & VOTE for BEST of SEASON 7 "GETTING READY" (2010 CASSONE CHANNEL HONORS)

This is your one stop web page for the 2010 Cassone Channel Honors coverage for the best of Season 7 of Getting Ready, the web reality series over at the Cassone2007 YouTube Channel. See below for the polls and a full list of the nominees, including the continuing and ever-growing history by numbers tally. You can vote daily. Voting ends Wednesday, May 26, 2010. Winners will be announced Sunday, May 30, 2010 right here at http://www.antoniocassone.blogspot.com. Winners receive a trophy and the honor.

While Season 7 of Getting Ready was the series' least viewed, as it was filled with webisodes containing past performances by series regulars due to my illness, I am grateful to my supporting players, guests, Cat & Judy and Miss Bea for 'filling' the season with creative and relative material. I am always up front about not only the highs and successes of my channel, but of our low points as well because it is the only way we can learn, I can learn to be and do better - to provide a more entertaining and relevant show for our now more than 1600 channel subscribers.

BEST WEBISODE of "GETTING READY" - SEASON 7
	145: CASSONE'S CLIMACTIC DISCOTECKA
	146: DON'T TAKE ANYTHING FOR GRANTED
	147: THE CAT AND JUDY COLLECTION, PART ONE
	153: HONORS, ED MCMAHON, FARRAH FAWCETT AND MICHAEL JACKSON
	154: INDEPENDENCE DAY, PART ONE
pollcode.com free polls

BEST SUPPORTING PLAYER - SEASON 7
	THE LADY FANCY
	MAMA THERESA
	MISS ANASTASIA ROSS
	NANCY ROSS
	SHARDE ROSS
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BEST GUEST STAR - SEASON 7 of "GETTING READY"
	AUNTIE MAME
	BRIAN-BRIANNA BRAGG
	DIVA KINGSLEY
	SISI LOVE
	MISS TWIGGY
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BEST TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT - SEASON 7 of "GETTING READY"
	BITCHES 'N' STUDS GROOMING
	RON BIVENS
	CAT DESANTIS AND JUDY CHARRINGTON
	THE LADY FANCY
	WILLIAM "SUNSHINE" OTT FREDERICK
	MARK ROSEN
pollcode.com free polls

THE 2010 CASSONE CHANNEL HONORS

Best of “Getting Ready” – Season 7

BEST WEBISODE - SEASON 7
(CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE BEST WEBISODE NOMINEES REVIEW VIDEO)

145: CASSONE’S CLIMACTIC DISCOTECKA
Mama Theresa, Brianna Bragg, Mark Rosen, Miss Koko, Sharde Ross, Miss Twiggy, Alandra Matt, Michael “Smurf” Lennon, William “Sunshine” Ott Frederick, performers; Mark Rosen, writer (A History of Disco) & production assistance; Sharde Ross, jewelry design; William “Sunshine” Ott Frederick, sound operator; Michael “Smurf” Lennon, stage lighting; Gus Sanchez, location producer; Rodney Mack, webisode co-director; Antonio Cassone, performer, producer, director, concept & editor.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH WEBISODE 145: CASSONE'S CLIMACTIC DISCOTECKA.

146: DON’T TAKE ANYTHING FOR GRANTED
Miss Bea, performer; Walter McCoy, location producer; Bitches ‘n’ Studs Grooming, Miss Bea’s stylist; Antonio Cassone, performer, producer, director, concept & editor.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH WEBISODE 146: DON'T TAKE ANYTHING FOR GRANTED

147: THE CAT & JUDY COLLECTION, PART ONE
Miss Bea, The Lady Fancy, Nancy Ross, performers; Ron Bivens, stage lighting; Sharde Ross, jewelry design; Ken & Lloyd, location producers; Cat DeSantis & Judy Charrington, webisode co-directors; Antonio Cassone, performer, producer, director, concept & editor.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH WEBISODE 147: THE CAT & JUDY COLLECTION, PART ONE

153: HONORS, ED MCMAHON, FARRAH FAWCETT & MICHAEL JACKSON
Miss Bea, performer; Walter McCoy, location producer; Bitches ‘n’ Studs Grooming, Miss Bea’s stylist; Antonio Cassone, performer, producer, director, concept & editor.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH WEBISODE 153: HONORS, ED MCMAHON, FARRAH FAWCETT & MICHAEL JACKSON

154: INDEPENDENCE DAY, PART ONE
Miss Bea, Michael “Smurf” Lennon, Sisi Love, Jane, Valli & Gus Sanchez, performers. Walter McCoy & Gus Sanchez, location producers; Bitches ‘n’ Studs Grooming, Miss Bea’s stylist; Antonio Cassone, performer, producer, director, concept & editor.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH WEBISODE 154: INDEPENDENCE DAY, PART ONE

BEST SUPPORTING PLAYER – SEASON 7

CLICK HERE TO RECAP THE BEST SUPPORTING PLAYER NOMINEES - SEASON 7 VIDEO

The Lady Fancy
Mama Theresa
Miss Anastasia Ross
Nancy Ross
Sharde Ross

BEST GUEST STAR – SEASON 7
CLICK HERE TO RECAP THE BEST GUEST STAR - SEASON 7 NOMINEES VIDEO

Auntie Mame “168: Stompin’ at the Biz, Part One”
Brian/Brianna Bragg, “145: Cassone’s Climactic Discotecka,” “155: Independence Day, Part Two,”
Diva Kingsley, “155: Independence Day, Part Two,” “168: Stompin’ at the Biz, Part One”
Sisi Love, “154 & 155: Independence Day, Parts 1 &2”
Miss Twiggy, “145: Cassone’s Climactic Discotecka”

BEST TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT – SEASON 7

CLICK HERE TO REVIEW THE BEST TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT NONINEES - SEASON 7 VIDEO

Bitches ‘N’ Studs Grooming, Miss Bea’s stylists (various webisodes)
Ron Bivens, stage lighting, “The Cat & Judy Collection, Parts 1-16 (various webisodes)”
Cat DeSantis, Judy Charrington, camera operators, “The Cat & Judy Collection, Parts 1-16 (various webisodes)”
The Lady Fancy, wig stylist/makeup, “The Cat & Judy Collection, Parts 1-16 (various webisodes)”
William “Sunshine” Ott Frederick, stage lighting & sound operator, “168: Stompin’ at the Biz, Part One”
Mark Rosen, production assistance, “145: Cassone’s Climactic Discotecka”

Walter McCoy Life Legend Award, beginning with the 2010 awards year (Season 7) this award will be given to someone of my choosing based on their overall body of work and their contribution to GETTING READY and any of the Cassone2007 and PhotographybyCassone channels. I name this category after Walter McCoy, because from the beginning of my channel, he was always a silent, but very supportive and encouraging force behind a lot of what ended up being the final product. If it were not for Walter, we would not have been graced by Miss Bea, nor would I have had a location for many of the webisodes and/or photo shoots. His career was in catering, restaurant and bar service industries, yet his steady support and constant blessing of my work is why I chose to name this award in a way to memorialize him, his efforts and his legacy. Walter passed away January 22, 2010. The recipient of this award will be chosen either annually, or season by season. Their career and life’s work should mirror each other in a standard of excellence, a giving back to the ‘world’ community through that work and have an essence that defines legendary status. The first recipient of this honor, I am proud to announce, is Miss Twiggy, whose career as a female impersonator spans four decades and her charity work through benefit shows and motherly approach to her younger contemporaries established her as a legend long before now.

WALTER MCCOY LIFE LEGEND AWARD
*MISS TWIGGY

THE 2010 CASSONE CHANNEL HONORS RULES & REGULATIONS

Rules, Categories and Regulations

Nominees are chosen based on subscriber comments, video views and ratings.

No more than five (5) webisodes will be selected for each category and in performer categories, no more than five (5) individual performers will be selected for performer categories – unless there is a tie. In that case there will be six nominees in that given category.

A voting body consisting of subscribers, channel viewers, social networking site group members and peer channel directors will select the winner(s) in each category via simple online polls.

Each category will be given its own separate poll, with results remaining in public view through the duration of the voting process.

Any video appearing on the Cassone2007 channel for a given season is eligible for an award. A ‘season’ constitutes 24 webisodes.

Winners in each category receive a trophy – and the honor.

All credited webisode performers, et al are eligible for the Best Webisode (per each given season) category – thus if a performer, technical person, co-director, production assistant, set designer, location producer et al was credited for that specific webisode; all are part of that nomination (and eventual award) in that given category.

All performer and technical achievement categories are for individual achievement for that specific supporting player, guest star or technical artist.

Supporting Player category is for individual ‘performers’ for each qualified season who have appeared in GETTING READY or any extras on the channel, in five (5) or more webisodes to be eligible for that category in that given season.

Guest Star category is for individual ‘performers’ for each qualified season who have appeared in GETTING READY in four (4) or less webisodes or any extras on the channel, to be eligible for that category in that given season.

Technical Achievement category, beginning with the 2010 awards year (Season 7) WILL now appear as a competition category for technical artist in a given webisode during a given season – i.e. this is for set designers, costumers, hair designers, makeup, lighting techs, sound operators, location producers, stylists and will be voted on by the general public.

Sister Channel awards are given to channels that have caught the eye of our subscribers and have a common bond with our audience, thus creating a more global feel to the experience while viewers are at Cassone’s sites and channel. Cassone will select this award, with suggestions being taken into consideration by subscribers and even the peer channel directors themselves. This category will be threefold, as an award will be given to Local, USA and Global. See categories for more information. These awards are to be given annually.

Pioneer Award is a special category given to an individual or channel that has promoted, shared, coached and assisted using their knowledge and tools to help the Cassone2007 channel grow, improve and meet the demands of it’s subscribers and viewership. Cassone will select the honoree, with suggestions being taken into consideration. This award will be given annually.

Public Service Award is given to an individual or channel that exemplifies the Cassone2007 view of creating art and/or media that provokes thought, incites positive activism that enlightens the human spirit and makes the world a brighter and better place. This award will be given annually.

THE CASSONE CHANNEL HONORS HISTORY BY NUMBERS

TALLY OF INDIVIDUAL NOMINEES
(Not including Cassone and from top to bottom in order of appearance)

MAMA THERESA
Nominations This Season: 2
Previous Nominations: 8
Previous Wins: 2
Total Career Nominations: 10

BRIAN/BRIANNA BRAGG
Nominations This Season: 2
Previous Nominations: 4
Previous Wins: 0
Total Career Nominations: 6

MISS KOKO
Nominations This Season: 1
Previous Nominations: 4
Previous Wins: 0
Total Career Nominations: 5

MISS TWIGGY
Nominations This Season: 3
Previous Nominations: 2
Previous Wins: 0
Total Career Nominations: 5

ALANDRA MATT
Nominations This Season: 1
Previous Nominations: 2
Previous Wins: 0
Total Career Nominations: 3

MIKE “SMURF” LENNON
Nominations This Season: 2
Previous Nominations: 4
Previous Wins: 1
Total Career Nominations: 6

WILLIAM “SUNSHINE” OTT FREDERICK
Nominations This Season: 2
Previous Nomination: These are William “Sunshine” Ott Frederick’s first nominations.

MARK ROSEN
Nominations This Season: 2
Previous Nominations: 1
Previous Wins: 1
Total Career Nominations: 3

RODNEY MACK

Nominations This Season: 1

Previous Nominations: 3

Previous Wins: 0

Total Career Nominations: 4

GUS SANCHEZ
Nominations This Season: 2
Previous Nominations: 10
Previous Wins: 2
Total Career Nominations: 12

MISS BEA
Nominations This Season: 4
Previous Nominations: 8
Previous Wins: 4
Total Career Nominations: 12

WALTER MCCOY
Nominations This Season: 4
Previous Nominations: 9
Previous Wins: 4
Total Career Nominations: 13

BITCHES ‘N’ STUDS GROOMING
Nominations This Season: 4
Previous Nominations: 1
Previous Wins: 0
Total Career Nominations: 5

THE LADY FANCY
Nominations This Season: 3
Previous Nominations: 3
Previous Wins: 1
Total Career Nominations: 6

NANCY ROSS
Nominations This Season: 2
Previous Nominations: 11
Previous Wins: 5
Total Career Nominations: 13

RON BIVENS
Nominations This Season: 2
Previous Nominations: These are Ron Bivens’ first nominations.

SHARDE ROSS
Nominations This Season: 3
Previous Nominations: 8
Previous Wins: 2
Total Career Nominations: 11

KEN & LLOYD
Nominations This Season: 1
Previous Nominations: This is Ken & Lloyd’s first nomination.

CAT DE SANTIS
Nominations This Season: 2
Previous Nominations: 1
Previous Wins: 0
Total Career Nominations: 3

JUDY CHARRINGTON
Nominations This Season: 2
Previous Nominations: These are Judy Charrington’s first nominations.

SISI LOVE
Nominations This Season: 2
Previous Nominations: These are Sisi Love’s first nominations.

JANE
Nominations This Season: 1
Previous Nominations: This is Jane’s first nomination.

VALLI
Nominations This Season: 1
Previous Nomination: 1
Previous Wins: 0
Total Career Nominations: 2

MISS ANASTASIA ROSS
Nominations This Season: 1
Previous Nominations: 1
Previous Wins: 0
Total Career Nominations: 2

AUNTIE MAME
Nominations This Season: 1
Previous Nomination: This is Auntie Mame’s first nomination.

DIVA KINGSLEY
Nominations This Season: 1
Previous Nominations: 19
Previous Wins: 5
Total Career Nominations: 20

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF SEASON 7’S NOMINEES!

Happy Mother's Day (featuring an excerpt from my book 'The Naked Window: Exposed/Revelations')

It has been awhile since I shared an excerpt from the books within my memoir series. For some reason, turning 40 this year is making me miss my Mom something fierce this mother's day. Sure we had our rifts, but with that being her holiday and my Dad's birthday having been on May 13th, we often celebrated the two events together - and one thing about my mother, she always tried her best to make holidays, special occasions and birthdays special. So, Mother's Day has always been full of wonderful memories. That is, after all, what I have of my folks. Not many photographs (long story), but memories galore.

Speaking of photographs...the one of 'a mother's day' rose was one I took yesterday afternoon. I first noticed this beautiful rose blooming yesterday morning, when I was out back on the phone with my friend, Pam, who is like a second mother to me, I took some photos then, just as the sun was rising...the light hitting it just right. Then I went on about my day, edited some videos, had a photo shoot and during our shoot it began to rain, then after he left it rained some more. By the time I decided to take a break, it had just stopped raining and I went outside and happened upon this rose again...fresh, after the rain. A beautiful sight...

The excerpt is from books/seasons three and four, The Naked Window: Exposed/Revelations (released as a combo through Create Space, an Amazon Company - details below) - it is Episode/Chapter Two from the 'season'/book four Revelations portion...Enjoy a slice of my life story.

~

from The Naked Window: Exposed/Revelations by Antonio Cassone; Revelations - Episode 2: Sweet Grandma Sharon

Then this sweetness my mother had, that was in her persona all her life I am sure - it just needed to be given a chance - seemed to trickle down to my friends and our neighbors. Anya always referred to her as Grandma Sharon. So did Pat's daughter, Theresa, and later in life Theresa's son would be spoiled with gifts Mom could hardly afford. My friends were suddenly not rushed off the phone if I was away at work or doing a show. Sometimes she knew of their life events before I did. Then there's the amazing sisterhood she formed with the women of her church group and the many young ladies she mentored late in her life at a shelter for abused teenage girls, who sought the mean streets of the inner city for whatever they needed to survive. These were facets of my mother that made me admire her more and more and it was a side my siblings either never got a chance or took a chance to see.

*

All of us were guilty of putting the weight of our problems on Mom's shoulders.

I felt so bad that I lost my mind one day with her, gained her respect despite having showed her hardly any in the process and was literally her right arm man in the last few years of her life. We became each others sounding boards, each others pal, each others 'Judy' in aggressively charming chatter that we proudly called conversations of love. She ended up being voted Mentor of the Year from that program that helped the teenagers by the very people she provided so much relief to. She ended up being voted in as Chairperson of her church group. Yet, in the eyes of my siblings, James and Anne especially - she was a stone cold bitch, damned for sins committed and repented on ages ago.

*

One day, I was going through one of my frustrated-I-couldn't-get-Keithen moods and had been running about a dozen errands between the bank job and my weekly show at Sam's Tiffany's Lounge when I got another nagging page from my mother, who ultimately only needed me to pick up yet another item at yet another store. Well, when I got out of the car to call her on a payphone, I locked the keys in my car. I was livid beyond repair and James was the only one available to come and call his insurance to come and unlock the car for me.

"She is such a [expletive deleted for this post] b*tch." I hollered at him with a borderline snarl.

I lost control and only fed into what his thought-process was of her. When I would catch Anne on the phone all I did was complain about my tireless running for Mom. Sean surely heard more than enough of my complaints about Mom, as well. So, I only fueled the lining of their arguments and sealed the alibi for their own constant placing of blame on Mom for their own mess. I was venting, but I only enhanced their already damaged relationships with her.

Then I would see her doing what she grew to do the best. Deep in prayer with a newly widowed friend from church, while I painted my face for the gods for that nights show. Writing numerous greeting cards with words of inspiration to either a girl she mentored or a client she sold beauty products to. My mother was priceless in that regard. I mean, when you ordered from her you not only got the items, but were met with a ton of samples and a greeting card to boot. I couldn't stay mad at her for long, but all my siblings heard was trash. I took the blame for my part in their views on her long ago and I learned to excuse them of some of their blaming her in time.

*

Mom would fret over any of us at any given time, especially as the years went by. Her deep sense of detachment from James and how he felt about her made her so sad sometimes. One day, she told me how hurt she was that she did him such harm to his spirit, more so than anything else. I would tell her to talk to him, to ask for his forgiveness. She would try to help him out when she could with either a phone call or a nice card, but I felt that their damaged relationship was beyond greeting cards and ten minute phone calls. She did try, though.

She would appreciate Sean for his stepping up to the plate to help me out. He eventually moved into the flat above us and he did lift the burden slightly off my shoulders. I was grateful because at least someone would be around her. She never ate properly, either by choice or because we were low on funds. If it were between a meal and her cigarettes, the cigarettes would surely win the battle.

Anne ended up committing yet another petty crime, which I am sure she had done before due to the complex demands of her habits. One time she got caught and ended up in jail. Mom was devastated. That really took a lot out of her, seeing one of us kids go to jail. It opened her eyes in a huge way. She got even more protective of her grandchildren. When Anne got out and was bouncing in and out of rehab, she got fiercer in her line of questioning towards my sister, which surely didn't help Anne's views of her from the past.

Anya was wonderful to my mother. She would have made the most excellent daughter-in-law for her if I could keep my lustful eyes off of men long enough to even take notice. Both women respected one another almost to a fault and Anya would come over to help her out. She shared with Anya that to her I was a lot like my father insofar as my taking care of her. My mother learned to look past my complaining and see that I was really compassionate to her constant health problems, growing lack of appetite, and worry for her family and need to show the world as much love as she could muster.

One night Maria called my mother with a life event and she consoled a tearful woman, who was surely on the brink of doing herself harm. Maria would always tell me what a wonderful soul my mother was and how that one conversation alone spoke volumes about her character. My mother talked to her like a sister, with the respect given to a dignitary. My mother saved a lot of desperate people near the end of her life.

*

I was still so in love, or so I thought with the idea of Keithen and I being in a relationship. Despite his booming relationship with the other man (that's how I viewed it), I still showered him with gifts and compliments, but none of it ever made an impression. My mind on him began to take away from my line of sight regarding my mother's health. She, like my father had before her, began to stop complaining. Instead she would share such things with her church sisters. She once told Irene that she felt like she was slowly "slipping." She shared with Genevieve that her energy was very low some days and she felt the need to sleep later and later. She told Mary that her body was "failing" her immensely.

There were signs to the drama that would soon unfold, but I had only two seasons - a fun autumn and a bittersweet winter - to share with my mother ...and I was none the wiser.

*

Sweet Grandma Sharon

The gentle hands knitting a blanket so soft to my skin

The firm grip of a respectful handshake or a loving hug

The beauty of the true love she felt for each one of her kin

The soft patter of her toe tapping to sweet music on kitchen's rug

The look in the eye making you her equal

No matter your age or life's position

She gave from her heart so deep and full

No matter your color or religion

She transcended what she dished out or served

By showing the way to so many she called her beloved

Challenging herself all the way down the road of life's crooked curve

By giving of her spirit to so many she had shown love

The hand on your shoulder complimenting a good deed

No matter your creed or sexual orientation

The sound of her giddy laughter that tugged one's heart with a squeeze

No matter your way of dress or conversation

The gentle hands comforting an ill loved one so soft to my skin

The firm grip of a pinch when a joke was told or a sweet hug

The beauty of genuine forgiveness she sought from her kin

The soft patter of her toe tapping to sweet music on kitchen's rug

-----------

The Naked Window: Exposed/Revelations by Antonio Cassone is available for purchase through CreateSpace, an Amazon Company. Click here for more information.

Review: Betty White, Jay-Z & Alumni Divas Deliver the Goods for a Memorable 'SNL'

My first point that I made to my dear friend, Pam, while we were watching this week's much anticipated episode of Saturday Night Live was... I can't remember the last time I actually sat and watched an entire episode of the show. High school? When Eddie Murphy & Joe Piscopo did their thing, nah. College? When Phil Hartman and Dana Carvey were on? Sure, I saw a bit of Molly Shannon back in the day and a spot of Tina Fey here and there, but to sit through the entire show???Right. Maybe....

Well, I kept my word and I watched SNL last night - and you know what? It was fantastic. Sure, there were a few slow parts in the middle and maybe they had Betty White doin' one too many sex jokes for even my taste, but even then - lighten up, right? She may not be our Grandma's Betty White, but she sure had me and Pam laughing like buffoons during that muffin, NPR radio skit. I swear, I will never look at a muffin the same way again. I liked a lot of her schtick, but that one, the 'Lawrence Welk'-esque opener, her take on her heavy metal/grunge 'version' of "Thank You for Being a Friend" (theme song from The Golden Girls) and her opening monologue were all highlights to me.

Also, seeing the SNL alumni divas doing their thing again was wonderful. Rachel Dratch had me in stitches, Maya Rudolph's take on Whitney Houston was hilarious, Tina Fey is always a welcome return to the show, Molly Shannon, Amy Poehler and Ana Gasteyer all doing bits that made them hits when they were on their regular runs on the series, now in it's 35th season.

Jay-Z did not disappoint either. He did almost a mini-concert of some of his major hits that had me dancin' in my seat. It was a very commanding performance and his Forever Young tribute to the evening's host was a very nice touch to cap the evening off just right. Bravo!

I will be interested to see how well the episode did in the Nielsen ratings. On my social media networks, there was a lot of buzz - that which is usually typical during major sporting or news events and/or awards shows.

Speaking of awards shows... SNL and, especially, Betty White clear some mantle space because I smell some Emmy's coming your way come August 29th...at least a slew of nominations in July.

You'll see ...because that show and it's iconic host are golden.

-------------------

photo courtesy of NBC.com