Saturday, January 30, 2016

GRAMMY WATCH – Music Video and Film Categories – My Picks and Predictions


It’s that time of the year again.  It has been a few years since I have posted about the Grammy Awards.  It is a huge undertaking, but I enjoy the research and, most of all, the discoveries I make.  It also keeps me up to date on what the industry embraces.  Always interesting to see how some of these turn out.  As in past years, I will be posting by Field and these are merely my picks for entertainment purposes.



By all means, let us all Be Entertained.



First up are my picks at the very bottom of the ballot, but they are two of my favorite categories.



Here we go…



Best Music Video
• LSD
      ASAP Rocky
      Dexter Navy, video director; Shin Nishigaki, video producer
      [RCA Records/A$AP Worldwide/Polo Grounds Music]

• I Feel Love (Every Million Miles)
     
The Dead Weather
      Cooper Roberts & Ian Schwartz, video directors; Candice Dragonas & Nathan     Scherrer, video producers
      [Third Man Records]

• Alright
      Kendrick Lamar
      The Little Homies & Colin Tilley, video directors; Brandon Bonfiglio, Dave Free, Andrew Lerios & Luga Podesta, video producers
      [Aftermath Records/Interscope Records]

• Bad Blood
      Taylor Swift Featuring Kendrick Lamar
      Joseph Kahn, video director; Ron Morhoff, video producer
      [Big Machine Records]

• Freedom
     
Pharrell Williams
      Paul Hunter, video director; Candice Dragonas & Nathan Scherrer, video producers
      [Columbia]
My Pick & Prediction: BAD BLOOD
Best Music Film
• Mr. Dynamite: The Rise Of James Brown
     
James Brown
      Alex Gibney, video director; Peter Afterman, Blair Foster, Mick Jagger & Victoria Pearman, video producers
      [Inaudible Films]

• Sonic Highways
      Foo Fighters
      Dave Grohl, video director; John Cutcliffe, John Silva, Gaby Skolnek & Kristen Welsh, video producers
      [RCA Records/Roswell Records]

• What Happened, Miss Simone?
     
Nina Simone
      Liz Garbus, video director; Liz Garbus, Amy Hobby, Jayson Jackson & Justin Wilkes, video producers
      [Netflix]

• The Wall
     
Roger Waters
      Sean Evans & Roger Waters, video directors; Clare Spencer & Roger Waters, video producers
      [Back Lot Music]

• Amy
     
Amy Winehouse
      Asif Kapadia, video director; James Gay-Rees, video producer
      [Universal Music Enterprises]

THIS is a TOUGH category.  I really liked three of them, but only one will probably win.

My Pick: WHAT HAPPENED, MISS SIMONE?

My Prediction: AMY


I think AMY has the edge between the two, primarily because hers was produced by a music label, while SIMONE was released through Netflix. 

While I love AMY, I loved MISS SIMONE even more.

The GRAMMY AWARDS will be telecast live on CBS, Monday February 15, 2016 at 8PM/EST – PM/PST.  For everything GRAMMY, including a Full List of this years Nominees visit their website at http://www.grammy.com/

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Friday, January 29, 2016

The 22nd Screen Actors Guild Awards: My Picks and Predictions


The 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards: My Picks and Predictions





Anyone who knows me, knows I love a good awards show.  As a performer, I particularly like the camaraderie among actors.  Some of the best speeches ABOUT being an actor come from this event.  While I don’t see as many movies as I used to, I know more about the ‘industry’ these days more so than the films and as for TV, well… there are so many shows anymore between broadcast, Cable, Streaming… who can keep up, really?  I do pretty good, so I am going to give it a go.  Here are my picks and predicts.

FILM

Best Film Ensemble

"Beasts of No Nation"
"The Big Short"
"Spotlight"
"Straight Outta Compton"
"Trumbo"


My Pick: “Straight Outta Compton” – wouldn’t that be something?
My Prediction: “The Big Short”


Best Actor

Bryan Cranston, "Trumbo"
Johnny Depp, "Black Mass"
Leonardo DiCaprio, "The Revenant"
Michael Fassbender, "Steve Jobs"
Eddie Redmayne, "The Danish Girl"


My Pick: Johnny Depp, “Black Mass” – why he isn’t nominated for an Oscar is beyond me.

My Prediction: To me, it seems tight as usual.  I am torn between DiCaprio and Fassbender.  At the end of the day, I think Leonardo DiCaprio for “The Revenant” – it just seems like the momentum to Oscar is going his way.


Best Actress

Cate Blanchett, "Carol"
Brie Larson, "Room"
Helen Mirren, "Woman in Gold"
Saoirse Ronan, "Brooklyn"
Sarah Silverman, "I Smile Back"


My Pick and Prediction: Brie Larson, “Room” – great performance and even greater campaign to beam her all the way to Oscar glory.  I think her publicist or agent should get an award.  She is everywhere and at the right time.  I am just glad her phenomenal, well-meted perf backs it all up.


Best Supporting Actor

Christian Bale, "The Big Short"
Idris Elba, "Beasts of No Nation"
Mark Rylance, "Bridge of Spies"
Michael Shannon, "99 Homes"
Jacob Tremblay, "Room"


My Pick and Prediction: Idris Elba, “Beasts of No Nation” – I know, I know – I may be totally wrong here, as people have said you gotta be Oscar nominated to win one of these, but only two here are nominated there and I just don’t see a win for either Bale or Rylance, so I am going with my gut here – and it’s pretty big J


Best Supporting Actress

Rooney Mara, "Carol"
Rachel McAdams, "Spotlight"
Helen Mirren, "Trumbo"
Alicia Vikander, "The Danish Girl"
Kate Winslet, "Steve Jobs"


My Pick and Prediction: Kate Winslett, “Steve Jobs”  

Best Stunt Ensemble

"Everest"
"Furious 7"
"Jurassic World"
"Mad Max: Fury Road"
"Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation"


My Pick and Prediction: “Mad Max: Fury Road”





TELEVISION

Best Comedy Ensemble

"The Big Bang Theory"
"Key & Peele"
"Modern Family"
"Orange is the New Black"
"Transparent"
"Veep"


My Pick: “Key & Peele” – hands down, one of the funniest shows ever.

My Prediction: It’s a tough call for me, so I am gonna just throw it out there for “Orange is the New Black”
Best Comedy Actor

Ty Burrell, "Modern Family"
Louis C.K., "Louie"
William H. Macy, "Shameless"
Jim Parsons, "The Big Bang Theory"
Jeffrey Tambor, "Transparent"


My Pick and Prediction: Jeffrey Tambor, “Transparent”


Best Comedy Actress

Uzo Aduba, "Orange is the New Black"
Edie Falco, "Nurse Jackie"
Ellie Kemper, "Umbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "Veep"
Amy Poehler, "Parks and Recreation"


My Pick and Prediction: Uzo Aduba, “Orange is the New Black” – though I wouldn’t mind a win for Amy Poehler.



Best Drama Ensemble

"Downton Abbey"
"Game of Thrones"
"Homeland"
"House of Cards"
"Mad Men"


My Pick: “Downton Abbey”

My Prediction: “Game of Thrones”


Best Drama Actor

Peter Dinklage, "Game of Thrones"
Jon Hamm, "Mad Men"
Rami Malek, "Mr. Robot"
Bob Odenkirk, "Better Call Saul"
Kevin Spacey, "House of Cards"


My Pick: Jon Hamm, “Mad Men”

My Prediction: Rami Malek, “Mr, Robot”


Best Drama Actress

Claire Danes, "Homeland"
Viola Davis, "How to Get Away with Murder"
Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife"
Maggie Smith, "Downton Abbey"
Robin Wright, "House of Cards"


My Pick and Prediction: Viola Davis, “How to Get Away with Murder” – of note, Julia Margulies has won eight SAG Awards to date, which makes her virtually unbeatable to some.  I am hoping Viola Davis’ riveting performance shows us otherwise, for once.


Best Movie/Miniseries Actor

Idris Elba, "Luther"
Ben Kingsley, "Tut"
Ray Liotta, "Texas Rising"
Bill Murray, "A Very Murray Christmas"
Mark Rylance, "Wolf Hall"


My Pick and Prediction: Idris Elba, “Luther”


Best Movie/Miniseries Actress

Nicole Kidman, "Grace of Monaco"
Queen Latifah, "Bessie"
Christina Ricci, "The Lizzie Borden Chronicles"
Susan Sarandon, "The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe"
Kristen Wiig, "The Spoils Before Dying"


My Pick and Prediction: Queen Latifah, “Bessie”


Best Stunt Ensemble

"The Blacklist"
"Game of Thrones"
"Homeland"
"Daredevil"
"The Walking Dead"


My Pick and Prediction: “Game of Thrones”



The 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards will be nationally simulcast live on TNT and TBS on Saturday, Jan. 30, 2016 at 8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT. TBS and TNT subscribers will also be able to watch the SAG Awards live through the networks' websites and mobile apps.

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Getting Ready 3.2

Cassone  discusses life, work, weight gain, weight loss, depression, Dame Shirley Bassey, shows and friends in this webisode.






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Thursday, January 28, 2016

Getting Ready 3.1: Do Not Call Registry

Cassone  discusses life, work, weight gain, weight loss, depression, Dame Shirley Bassey, shows and friends in this webisode.  In this scene, he gets a surprise phone call from yet another telemerketer.



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Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Getting Ready 1.4

Cassone gets ready for a show in the premiere webisode for the series, GETTING READY.



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Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Getting Ready 1.3

Cassone getting ready for a show.




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Monday, January 25, 2016

COUNTRY QUEENS AT THE SALOON


COUNTRY QUEENS AT THE SALOON is a weekly show featuring the best in female impersonation.  TONIGHT, January 25th at 8PM Showtime At Scandals Saloon, 3073 NE 6th Ave, Wilton Manors, FL 33334 - no cover charge.

Candy Cox hosts As REBA !
A great evening of Entertainment and Cocktails with Friends, while enjoying some the best Country Tunes - Past & Present.
Special Guest are JS Monroe, Thee Domino Effect (celebrating her Birthday) and myself, Cassone.
Regular cast members are Nancy Ross, RaeJean Cox & Charlie V.
Cocktails served up by handsome Bartenders - Billy, Rickie and the TWINS - Bryan and Alex!


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Getting Ready 1.2




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Sunday, January 24, 2016

MIRANDA 2004 - photos by Nkosi Figueroa

When I first began doing female impersonation/drag shows back in 1995, I went by the stage name Miranda Davison and did so primarily for all of my career back home in Detroit and for a couple of years when I moved down to South Florida. In 2008, I reached a personal milestone (1,000 shows to that point – yes, I keep track of them).  Given my newfound success not only in shows, but with my photography, books and videos, I felt a change in identity was in need.  So, I decided from that point forward to go by Cassone for my drag shows, or as some pegged me in South Florida “The Mighty Cassone.”  That happened initially because Lady Fancy had met me and worked with me for over a year as Miranda and when she would announce me at first, after I did the name change, she would say, “Welcome to the stage Mi…” and the “The Mighty Cassone” – and it stuck. 
These photos were rare ones I stumbled across from circa 2004 by my son in show, Nkosi Figueroa a.k.a. David Davison.









MIRANDA 2004 – photos by Nkosi Figueroa
Antonio Cassone, model
Photo by Nkosi Figueroa
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THE BIRTH - a poem by Antonio Cassone


The Birth
An opening;
A blossoming,
The love becomes
A creation.

Joyous occasion,
Long-awaited bliss;
A cry from beneath
The mother’s gracious abyss.

Papa’s cigar,
Her rose petals fade;
A natural relief
This delightful conception made.

 Healthy and bright,
Bouncy and fresh and new;
Isn’t it fascinating?
This child of God came from you?


From the book
DIVA/CASSONE
A Collection of Poetry
The Reconstruction Edition
by
Antonio Cassone
© 2013; 2005 by Antonio Cassone.
All rights reserved.

Paperback and Kindle editions available at Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Diva-Cassone-Collection-Poetry-Reconstruction/dp/1484183118/ - Enjoy & Thank YOU!

You can check out and browse all of my titles; available for purchase at my author page on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Antonio-Cassone/e/B003OC3MME/ - Enjoy & Thank YOU!


VIGNETTES FROM THE MIRANDA FILES

VIGNETTES FROM THE MIRANDA FILES; 2005-06; Detroit, MI, USA
Antonio Cassone, model
Photos by C.A. McKenzie
http://www.youtube.com/cassone2007
Check out Antonio Cassone’s Author Page on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003OC3MME
Thank YOU!