Top

Yo-Yo Ma 2011 Presidential Medal Of Freedom

March 10, 2012 by · Comments Off on Yo-Yo Ma 2011 Presidential Medal Of Freedom 

Yo-Yo Ma 2011 Presidential Medal Of Freedom, February 15, 2011, Greencastle, Ind. — “Recognized as one of the world’s greatest musicians, Yo-Yo Ma’s talents know no boundaries of genre or culture,” said President Barack Obama today as he presented Ma with the Medal of Freedom. A total of 15 individuals were honored at the White House ceremony, including America’s 41st President George H.W. Bush, sports legends Bill Russell and Stan Musial, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and investor Warren Buffett.

As announced last month, Yo-Yo Ma will be the featured artist of “DePauw Discourse 2011: Empowering Society Through the Arts,” scheduled to take place September 29 – October 1.

“Since performing at the White House for President Kennedy at the age of seven, he has recorded more than 75 albums, won more than a dozen Grammy awards and established himself as one of our nation’s most acclaimed and respected artists,” President Obama said. “His music has bound us together and captured our imagination, and the United States proudly honors this prolific cellist and ambassador for the arts.”

Celebrity Genealogy

March 10, 2012 by · Comments Off on Celebrity Genealogy 

Celebrity Genealogy, With genealogy often cited as the second most popular hobby, I’ve never understood why it’s been largely ignored on TV. We’ve got channels dedicated to everything from golf to going green, but aside from shows such as History Detectives and Antiques Roadshow that occasionally incorporate a dash of family history, genealogy has been badly neglected. Finally, that’s about to change.

Active and armchair genealogists across the country — not to mention those who can’t know enough about their favorite celebrities — will soon be treated to two shows offering a combined 11 episodes of prime time programming. Starting on February 10th and running 8:00-9:00 p.m. for four Wednesdays will be Faces of America, the latest PBS series by Henry Louis “Skip” Gates, Jr. Just two days after this series winds down, Who Do You Think You Are? (WDYTYA) will ramp up for seven episodes (Fridays, 8:00-9:00 p.m.) on NBC.

I suppose now might be an appropriate time to confess that I’m not a disinterested party as I conducted research for both of these series and had the opportunity to write the companion book, Who Do You Think You Are?: The Essential Guide to Tracing Your Family History, for one. Still, I can honestly say that my excitement would be as high even if I had had nothing to do with them. Genealogy will make for great TV for one simple reason: there’s no such thing as a boring family. This is reality television that was scripted before TV existed.

Both shows offer considerable, multicultural star power that will appeal even to those who have never looked up a census record or interviewed an older relative. The PBS line-up includes Yo-Yo Ma, Queen Noor, Malcolm Gladwell, Eva Longoria Parker, Mike Nichols, Dr. Mehmet Oz, Meryl Streep, Stephen Colbert, Louise Erdrich, Kristi Yamaguchi, Elizabeth Alexander and Mario Batali, while the NBC one includes Lisa Kudrow (who also happens to be the show’s executive producer), Susan Sarandon, Sarah Jessica Parker, Spike Lee, Brooke Shields, Emmitt Smith and Matthew Broderick.

Though both are celebrity roots shows, their formats are quite different. Both are participatory in nature with celebrities traveling to learn about their heritage, but Faces of America will feature Dr. Gates revealing many findings with his guests (much as he did in African American Lives I & II and Oprah’s Roots), while WDYTYA — a wildly popular import from the U.K. — follows celebs on journeys of self-discovery.

As a life-long and hard-core genealogist, I see this as reason to celebrate. Anyone who’s ever dabbled in family history knows how addicting it swiftly becomes, and if WDYTYA’s success in other countries is any measure, many non-genealogists will suddenly find themselves pulled in by the undertow. So now’s the time for current and budding roots-enthusiasts to start planning their weekly soirees (two shows in the week of March 1st!) to gather with friends, down some popcorn, swap tales of DNA testing Grandpa and purposely getting locked into libraries overnight, and most of all, enjoying these long overdue shows.

Eva Longoria

January 20, 2012 by · Comments Off on Eva Longoria 

Eva Longoria, Eva Jacqueline Longoria (born March 15, 1975) is an American actress, best known for portraying Gabrielle Solis on the ABC television series Desperate Housewives. Longoria received a nomination for the 2006 Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series for her performance on Desperate Housewives.

Longoria first rose to fame on television in the soap opera The Young and the Restless portraying the role of Isabella Williams. She became nationally recognized in the 2000s after appearing in several high-profile advertising campaigns and numerous men’s magazines, reaching #14 in the FHM “Sexiest Women 2008” poll, and having appeared on the cover of various international women’s magazines including Vogue, Marie Claire and Harper’s Bazaar. Longoria has also starred in films such as Harsh Times (2005), The Sentinel (2006) and Over Her Dead Body (2008).

Eva Longoria Birthday

January 20, 2012 by · Comments Off on Eva Longoria Birthday 

Eva Longoria BirthdayEva Longoria Birthday, Eva Jacqueline Longoria (born March 15, 1975) is an American actress, best known for portraying Gabrielle Solis on the ABC television series Desperate Housewives. Longoria received a nomination for the 2006 Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series for her performance on Desperate Housewives.

Longoria first rose to fame on television in the soap opera The Young and the Restless portraying the role of Isabella Williams. She became nationally recognized in the 2000s after appearing in several high-profile advertising campaigns and numerous men’s magazines, reaching #14 in the FHM “Sexiest Women 2008” poll, and having appeared on the cover of various international women’s magazines including Vogue, Marie Claire and Harper’s Bazaar. Longoria has also starred in films such as Harsh Times (2005), The Sentinel (2006) and Over Her Dead Body (2008).

Erin Berry

November 18, 2010 by · Comments Off on Erin Berry 

Erin Berry, Eva Longoria is the latest victim of the roaming eyes of a man and she definitely will not be the last. This time the San Antonio Spurs player, Tony Parker and Longoria husband not only had eyes for one woman, but a couple of them.

Already one of the names of women has been flashed his former teammate Tony’s ex-wife Erin Berry Brent Berry. Mrs. alleged other still unknown, but is said to be in touch with Tony via Facebook.

Just like most other ladies Eva seemed to have anticipated that look across Tony’s infidelity until the union of the new triangle is too much.

It could have been very probable that Eva does not even believe Tony is connected with the wife of his former teammate, but once I made the star of Desperate Housewives, I was so desperate to look the other way and let Tony traps in it.

In a very pleasant Eva just decide not to be the other point in the triangle relationship and that Tony and Erin form of the bond. So with the time it is possible that some areas more than Tony sprout or was satisfied with Erin, Eve and the alleged lady Facebook being married to Eva. Let’s wait and see.

Next Page »

Bottom