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Julia Johnston

Pinyata: Taking the social media competition by storm

We chat with the CEO and founder about the app of the future

With over 20,000 followers (including YouTube stars and musicians, alike) the latest social media app, Pinyata, is growing fast. College News had the chance to talk business with Pinyata’s founder and CEO, Steven Puri. We discuss what makes Pinyata stand out from the sea of social media outlets and what it takes to be successful.

College News: What inspired you to create Pinyata?

Steven Puri: Basically Facebook was over for us and we needed something new we’d actually use.

My whole group of friends loves going out to do stuff together and we take tons of photos.  We wanted one fun, simple place to put everyone’s photos & videos, write silly comments, add GIFs and save them all together.  We wanted that adventure – whether it was “Imagine Dragons Concert” or “Juli’s Birthday Party” or “Road Trip to Austin” – nicely organized on a calendar so we could go back and browse all our fun adventures.

 

CN- What was missing from social media websites before Pinyata?

 

SP- We LOVE the pretty photos of Instagram, but we wanted to POST PHOTOS TOGETHER with our friends – keep all of the photos of that adventure grouped together with all our funny comments.  We also wanted to post A BUNCH OF PHOTOS without “blowing up everyone’s feeds.”  In Instagram we really can’t post all the photos…nor can we group everyone’s together.

We LOVE Snapchat but we wanted to save the photos, videos, GIFs and comments.

And let’s face it, none of us post on Facebook anymore – it’s just creepy ads and reposts of fruitcake recipes from our crazy aunt in Kentucky.

 

CN- Musicians love Pinyata! With all the other social media sites out there, what makes Pinyata the perfect outlet for musicians?

 

SP- It really surprised us when in our early days we got so many musicians, YouTubers and actors signing up.  It turns out that what we built for friend groups works great for them to engage directly and share exclusive content with their fans.  When we asked them and their fans why they were signing up in droves, they all said one thing – Pinyata feels AUTHENTIC.  They loved that they can have real conversations back and forth.  If you follow Kevin Ghost or Johnnie Guilbert on Instagram and you want to show them YOUR photo…how do you do that?  Pinyata makes that interaction feel more real.  It’s not for everyone – it’s for popular artists who actually want to relate to their fans, not just post a #selfie a day to everyone and ignore them until tomorrow’s #selfie.

 

CN- The average age of Pinyata users is 18 years old. Is this the target market? If not, do you have a strategy for attracting an older crowd? Or are teens just the first ones to track down anything and everything cool?

SP- Teens have a great way of sniffing out the next thing and can tell when something feels authentic and real.  We built Pinyata because WE wanted to use it and then we put it in the App Store waiting to see who would use it.  Would ANYBODY use it??  And yeah, a lot of our early users tell us that they’ve started checking Pinyata before their Facebook because Pinyata is actually filled with stories from the people you care about – not ads. 

 

CN- I read that there are more categories for the Interests section of Pinyata already in the works (beyond music, entertainment, fashion, nightlife, etc.). What can we look forward to?

SP- There are some surprises in the works, including sports and other interests!  More to come…heheheh

CN- What’s in Pinyata’s future? What can we expect to see?

SP- Really, we’re just being responsive to our users.  They send us tons of thoughts and we basically lay the suggestions out, prioritize them and charge forward.  These superfans are like teammates that just don’t happen to be in the office and we know that THEY are the reason we are spreading so fast.  Next up: short video clips will be in the newest release! 

CN- From a business standpoint and in your personal opinion, how do you think social media sites, in general, will transform in the next few years? Are there certain sites you believe will become obsolete? I’ve noticed a shift towards a more visual and personalized online sharing experience, what are you predictions?

SP- Social media is in its infancy.  I think that the best way to predict where things are going is to look at thousands of years of human behavior patterns, because we haven’t changed all that much – just the details of our lives.  One thing driving us in particular is that humans crave and migrate towards meaning.  We want to know what things mean and why.  We want context.

If you think about language, it evolved from cavemen shouting single words to full sentences conveying meaning through context.  Music started with single sounds…and now we have songs with many sounds sequenced together to be more emotional than any one single sound.  

I think it’s the same with photo-based social media – we crave meaning and the next generation of connection will be more authentic and feel more emotional because it will be stories, not single selfies.  Thousands of years show us that we’ve related to each other by telling stories…and now technology just makes that easier, faster, more fun.

CN- What’s a typical day like for you? What helps you get things accomplished and stay motivated?

I’m up around 6, catch up on my Pinyata stories and emails and try to get to yoga early in the day as I find that always makes my thinking and spirit super sharp and happy.  Then during the work day it’s a lot of meetings with potential partners (for example we forged a partnership with I Am That Girl, a female empowerment non-profit to tell inspiring stories), meetings with the team, reading user comments, working with engineering on the next release and then catching up on emails at night!

I’m motivated each day by the passion of my teammates and by the beauty and fun of the stories being told.  My whole life I’ve loved bringing people together around stories.

CN- Who inspires you?

SP- I love people who can launch into a story and everyone around the campfire leans in…they know exactly which details to include, when to pause for effect, how to wrap up with a surprise that reveals some great meaning about life.  I love that.  Growing up in Virginia and in India (my dad’s heritage), as a child I got to see and hear so many great storytellers from different traditions.  

Every morning before I roll out of bed, I open Pinyata to find surprises waiting for me from our storytellers!

CN-  What advice do you have for college students when it comes to pursuing ideas and dreams?

SP- If you want to do ANYTHING that is different, hard or might change the world you will have 99% of the people around you – often even the well-meaning ones – tell you it’s impossible.  The people who change the world hear that and think, “I will find a way.”

Pinyata is my way.  What’s yours?  Come share your story. 

Rev Run and Justine talk health and the holidays

College News checks in with Rev Run and his wife, Justine, as they tell us about their latest diabetes awareness campaign

CN: Can you tell me a little bit about why you got involved with the campaign?

Rev Run: For me it’s because my manager who manages my day to day, his father had diabetes and I told him my father had diabetes so he was talking with Novo Nordisk and at that point he pulled me in and we had a meeting with them. They had a campaign called Ask Screen Know,  and we created this website called AskScreenKnow.com. So next thing you know I’m out on the road talking to people about it. I had to take my own test to make sure I didn’t have diabetes, which I was afraid to do. So, I started talking to people, about me being afraid and what motivated me to take the test. A lot of my friends were scared to go to the doctor. When I thought about my children, that’s when it struck a chord. So I tell people, if you don’t want to do it for you, do it for the ones you love. I started talking about it, going to colleges and I went to many churches with Novo Nordisk.  We’ve been getting the word out there. [I] found out recently, about a year ago actually, that November 14th is World Diabetes Day, come to find out that’s my birthday. Based on that I’m like, “This has to be my calling. This is God speaking.”
 So, it’s something that’s near and dear to my heart. I’m doing it for the fans. I’m doing it for my dad who had diabetes. I don’t have diabetes, but I’m at risk. I’m over 45, that’s a risk. I’m African American, [that] makes me doubles at risk. I’m overweight, I had to lose some pounds, I’m still working on that. With all that going on, I realize that this is what I’m supposed to be talking about and it’s been very effective and helped a lot of people.

CN: Justine were you motivations similar about learning your risks and getting screened?

Justine: Yes, it was. I didn’t join when my husband did at first and so it was after a year or so I realized wow, I’m really at risk here as well. When I went on AskScreenKnow .com, I saw it was over 45, African American, runs in your family, overweight ,and I’m like “Oh my gosh, four already!” That was me so from there my husband was like “Okay, you’re not finished. You have to go see a doctor.” So I went to see a doctor and thank goodness, I didn’t know because I was just going to get a checkup and he said “No, you have to make an appointment to make sure you get screened. Make sure they screen you for diabetes” and I did and I was so terrified and I did it scared. They say go scared because what you don’t know  can hurt you when it comes to diabetes. So, I went, they said I didn’t have it but I was at risk. I said “Okay what can we do here? What can you do to help cut that risk of having diabetes?”  One was eating right,  exercise, and so what I did, I got my family [on board]–thank goodness my son Daniel he had already starting working out and eating right . I can’t even believe the fruit and vegetables that I make sure [we have].  I make sure we have fruit in the house and accessible to grab, so we have no excuses. If I buy pineapple, it’s all cut up so I can’t even say I don’t feel like cutting  it, same with apples. Everything’s cut up and accessible to just grab those good things. Yeah it has changed, since young I was eating wrong I wasn’t brought up in a family that taught me fresh vegetables and all those good things. A lot of times, it can get handed down in your generation and so my husband and I, we’re really here to help people become aware. Please just go online to AskScreenKnow.com, from there take the risk factor assessment, from there, please just go see a doctor and ask to be screened, from there if you do have it go to cornerstones4care.com and see the different things you need to do.  Of course, your doctor is going to tell you as well what to do but this also can be a maintained and a controlled disease as well. You can live a diabetes life that you don’t even feel like you have diabetes and that’s all with the knowledge that Novo Nordisk has given us.

CN: Do you have anything planned to keep you and your family healthy for the holidays?

Justine: Yeah we already started because number one, this is our second year and we almost think we’re kind of like pros with this. I did learn some new vegetables…I always say “new vegetables” and my husband’s like “Justine, Brussels sprouts have been around for years” new to me and I love them and the kids love them and asparagus! My husband loves this “not fried chicken”, it’s done in the oven and crispy and it really tastes good.

Rev Run: That one’s on the website as a matter of fact.

Justine: Yeah, if you go AskScreenKnow.com you can see that. We have more recipes coming and there is a way. Trust me, if I can do this anybody can. I’m serious.

CN: Where can we go to find out more about risk factor assessment?

Rev Run: The best thing to do is go to AskScreenKnow.com. We created an amazing website, it has all the information you need. Go there, take your risk assessment, and see what you can get done at your doctor’s. Go, and make sure you request to get your screening!

You can watch the entire interview here: http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid82843786001?bckey=AQ~~,AAAAAAHur4I~,diYZRj_HSFq3I0J5u4e4VKgTfmoM3B0i&bctid=3888774837001

College News Chats With The Hosts of 'The Real'

College News talks to Adrienne Bailon, Tamar Braxton, Jeannie Mai, Loni Love and Tamera Mowry-Housley

Earlier this fall, I was lucky enough to sit down with five of the busiest women in the entertainment business. You may know them from their immense list of former projects including, books, movies, albums, and televisions shows; Loni Love, Jeannie Mai, Adrienne Bailon, Tamar Braxton, and Tamera Mowry-Housley are the hosts of the brand new and innovative daytime talk show, The Real. After a successful and extremely entertaining test run, The Real received the green light of approval for its first, full season. It was a beautiful morning at Fox News Studios in Chicago, and Love, Mai, Bailon, Braxton, and Mowry-Housely  had just wrapped up a radio interview minutes before we sat down to chat about life, advice, staying busy, and The Real.

College News: First of all, congratulations on your new show! Do you ladies remember exactly where you were when you received the news?

Adrienne Bailon: I was in St. Martin on my 30th birthday vacation, I came to breakfast and my boyfriend told me to call my lawyer and he told me the news. I was just so excited like all my friends and family had champagne and mimosas. That’s the best birthday present I could ever ask for knowing that I could come back and do the show.

Tamar Braxton: We were so excited! We knew there was something missing in daytime television that was fun, energetic, and you know, all about women.

College News: Women empowerment is a major part of the show. What women inspire you?

Tamar Braxton: I think it would be my mother and I have a lot of sisters so I look up to them a lot to not make the same mistakes as they did and I kind of pattern myself after them because they are really strong.

Loni Love: I look at my mom too, and also the First Lady, Michelle Obama all the stuff that she’s been through to be strong, to want to help the country, and keep her family and her girls together; it’s something very admirable. Plus, I’ve interviewed her twice and it’s always a pleasure. She always tells me something that is revealing about her and what she’s going through as a woman and I think we take her for granted in this country.

Tamar Braxton: Definitely.

Tamera Mowry-Housley: I’m going to have to say my grandmother. She is 85 years old right now, she is a cancer survivor, and a lot of people didn’t think that she would push through because of her age and because of her surgery that she had to go through but she fought it and with flying colors. Not only that but my grandmother is a very religious woman, but also she is the most nonjudgmental human being I have ever met and sometimes you don’t really get that mix. I think she kind of passed that down to me. She’s all about unconditional love and I think that’s what we can use more of than anything now, unconditional love.

Adrienne Bailon: I would say the women that I surround myself with, these women. Being around each other and the fact that we really celebrate our differences, it allows me to want to be who I am. It inspires me to stay true to who I am. I think that when you hear someone like Loni tell me “Adrienne you just keep doing you. You get out there and you be yourself. You bring something different to the table.” It’s a reminder to not only be myself, but to also find that special thing that is in everybody else, you know, that everybody has their own unique magic and their own personal being that makes them special and that to me is really inspirational.

Jeannie Mai: I would say that the type of viewer that we pray for. The woman that is living her life proudly, going through her mistakes and sharing it with other women and laughing through it with other moms and working women. Going through the struggle but owning it the entire way. That’s the ideal woman to me because that’s hard to do everyday consistently and not let yourself get down.

College News: Who would be the ultimate guest on the show? Who are you dying to interview?

Adrienne Bailon: I want to pick George Clooney’s brain because being in a relationship myself of five years; you always want to ask, “What is the moment that makes a man say ‘I want to get married.’” So, I’d love to pick his brain–so interesting.

Loni Love: I say, any fine man that I can try to take his clothes off.

All: Loni!

Loni Love: No! We play games, like we just had Tank, an R&B singer, and we played a game like you know, a strip game where you ask questions.

Adrienne Bailon: And he got the answer wrong.

Loni Love: That’s the type of show this is, it’s an entertainment show.

Adrienne Bailon: It’s a fun show!

College News: I saw Morris Chestnut was a guest on the show. That seemed like a fun interview! (Chestnut kissed Love on the lips during the interview).

Adrienne Bailon: Great interview for Loni!

Tamera Mowry-Housley: I think our show is a very positive show, you know, it’s about women empowerment so I think Demi Lovato would be great. She went through so much and now she is just killing it and she seems happy, so I would love to hear what made her change.

Tamar Braxton: For me it would be either JLO or Mariah Carey. I’m very interested to know how they both juggle parenthood and being a major superstar and how a day in the life for them works.

College News: So far, what are some memorable moments while working on The Real?

Tamera Moswry-Housley: I think it was our first show of the test run. We all were just very grateful to be there and I remember I just started crying because this is all somewhat of a dream job for all of us and the fact that we have fun doing it, you kind of want to pinch yourself every day. So I think it was when we first made that walk down the stairs on our stage to start the show and start dancing; it was a surreal moment that I haven’t forgotten.

Loni Love: Any moment that I can get a man to take his clothes off.

We all laugh.

Adrienne Bailon: Twitter dares are back and those are always pretty memorable and they’re pretty hilarious.

Jeannie Mai: We give away a luxury designer bag every month and one time we gave away Fundies [in the designer bag], which is one pair of underwear made for two people and Adrienne and I got into a pair together.

Adrienne Bailon: Our Twitter dares and those kinds of moments are always shared with Jeannie and I.

Jeannie Mai: They’re just funny. I would say my favorite moment hands-down so far, is having our guest, Tara, who is a fan of Tamar and her dream was to go shopping with Tamar and there was not a dry eye in the house to see this woman, who is terminally ill with brain cancer, experience a moment with us on the show and us to be there as a fly on the wall was huge. I hope we do more things like that.

Loni Love: A good moment too was when we had Laurence Fishbourne and we were prepped that he was serious and he was going to be serious like “Loni don’t flirt with him, don’t lick his face”. They scared me, but the girls were so pro on it and when he came out, he just totally melted. You see these women and you feel their energy and their spirit and it’s like he just started getting with us and it was a great interview it was a real good time and that’s how we want it with everybody. This show is about us, and we have to carry and lead our show and we want to do that by presenting to the world things that are important to us: motherhood, our careers, empowering young women and letting them know how to identify themselves. I know because I’m the oldest person [hosting the show] and there are things I have been through that I can discuss freely because when you become a certain age you don’t care what anybody thinks.

Adrienne Bailon: I love that about her.

Loni Love: You know, and you’re just like “Whatever! I’m still here!” So, that’s what you’re going to see as the show evolves.

College News: The Real is little different from what all of you have done in the past. It’s still relatively new, but have you noticed any growth or changes within yourselves from when you first started the test run?

Tamera Mowry-Housley: I think for me, I was a little bit quieter in the beginning.

Adrienne Bailon: Yes.

Tamera Mowry-Housley:  It’s not their fault. I just sometimes have a completely different view. Maybe I just felt like “Oh my God, I don’t want to say this because it’s going to be so different and they’re going to judge me!” But, they don’t. So now I feel a lot more comfortable being myself and you know, just be you.

Loni Love: And she learned to take my jokes!

Tamera Mowry-Housley:  And yes, I learned not to take Loni’s jokes personally because they’re not personal. We’re just having fun.

Loni Love: And I’ve learned how to stop and not try to dominate.

Tamar Braxton: What? Is that what you were doing?

Everyone laughs.

Tamar Braxton: Are you sure?

Loni Love: No! But as a comedienne it’s comic timing. If you hear some silence, you’re like “Okay I gotta talk. I gotta fill this silence.” Now, I’ve learned and I’m just saying this is what I learned, is to hold back and let it breathe and somebody, eventually [will speak] and they surprise me every day with what they say.

Tamar Braxton: Do we really? I’m glad to hear that!

Everyone laughs again.

Loni Love: And I’m like “Oh! It’s just different. It’s a difference.” You gotta understand, as a standup I work by myself now y’all put me in a position where I gotta work with four other people? That’s hard so I’m proud of myself.

Tamera Mowry-Housley: We’re proud of you too, Loni.

Tamar Braxton: I think the biggest thing for me, I’ve always felt comfortable at the table with these girls but when we did the test run I just had a baby, what a month before? Two weeks? Three weeks? I don’t know.

Loni Love: It was three weeks!

Tamar Braxton: I was totally uncomfortable in my skin, you know, I was still trying to figure out how I was going to balance everything with my singing career, with this talk show that I wanted to do all of my life, with my reality shows. I think now I’m more comfortable in my skin and being my own woman and being proud of the woman that I am. Also, not afraid of saying, “If you really work hard towards your dreams and your goals, it can definitely happen for you” without sounding like you’re stuck up or your stuck on yourself, but to empower other people. That you too, can be in these shoes, if you work your ass off like I did.

Loni Love: And she works! I mean, two reality shows, a talk show, a baby?

Adrienne Bailon: And a husband!

Loni Love: And two albums! A Christmas one, which I wanted to try to play trumpet on but for some reason…

College News: I saw you play during the test run talent show!  You were pretty good!

Loni Love: Thank you! Do you see that Tamar?! Did you hear that Tam?

We laugh some more.

College News: How about you, Jeannie?

Jeannie Mai: I came from a history of just hosting 7 seasons of How Do I Look?, which is a show all about the other woman. What she’s going through? How she’s in a style rut and how she gave up on herself. So, I had to learn how to speak up too, but keep it short and get in there!

Loni Love: And we’re still working on that.

Jeannie Mai: We’re still working on that. You know those games at summer camp where they make you fall back and trust somebody but you can’t see them? I’m learning to do that and just this past week I shared something pretty revealing with the girls. I didn’t want to talk about it and Loni had these big eyes that were so encouraging and everybody around the table was just like…

Loni Love: “Tell them!”

Jeannie Mai: So, then you do and I felt like “Okay, I’m falling back” and I felt caught and that was really special for me.

Loni Love: Adrienne?

Tamera Mowry-Housley: Adrienne?

Adrienne Bailon: I think I’m growing in the sense of not caring what anybody thinks and I think that happens with turning 30. I feel like this is who I am, take it or leave it.

Tamar Braxton:  Wait ‘til you turn 35.

Adrienne Bailon: It gets better right?

Tamar Braxton: It’s beautiful.

Adrienne Bailon: They say it gets better and better.  I think for me, what I love most is knowing who I am and really feeling confident in who I am and knowing that if anybody else has anything to say about it, those things don’t matter. What matters to me is what these four women think of me and what my family thinks of me and that that’s what matters.

College News: What would be some advice you have for college students?

Loni Love: Don’t be a slut in college!

Tamar Braxton: Oh! I was going to say the opposite!

Loni Love: You have your 30s for that.

Tamar Braxton: OH MY GOD!

More laughing.

College News: I heard on The Real you say have your fun in college, Loni!

Loni Love: I didn’t say slut, I didn’t say slut!

Tamar Braxton: I would go with the opposite. I think this is the time when you’re supposed to find yourself and find exactly what you like!

Loni Love: Don’t be a slut in college!

Tamar Braxton: This is your life, you nut! About being a woman in general, it’s about not making any apologies for who you are and just accepting yourself first. That way, other people will learn to accept who you are 100% because you don’t have to scale down and be someone else to fit in. Just be you and that should be good enough. I like to tell that on all of my shows and spread that message around because I was bullied in school and I tried to be everybody in school but myself and they didn’t like me anyway so it’s either their going to like you for you or they’re not going to like you for you.

Adrienne Bailon: I love that. I love the saying “Be yourself, everyone else is taken”, I like that. I like it because I feel like my mom always used to tell me that when I used to go for auditions. I would always be like, “Oh my God!” If I was sitting in the room waiting to go in and read lines I would see all the other girls and I would be like “Oh my God!  They’re so tall!” I’m only 4’11 and I would think “They’re so thin!” One day, my mom sat me down and was like, “Adrienne, there’s always going to be someone that’s smarter, there’s always going to be someone that’s more qualified, there’s always going to be somebody that’s prettier, taller, fancier, whatever it is. But no one is you and that’s what makes you great for the job and everything that you do, is what you bring to the table.” Whatever it is, that makes you special, is you just being you. No one will ever be the you that you are and I think that that also helps women to have confidence in any job that they go for. There’s always going to be somebody that’s more qualified but what if that person hiring just sees something special…

Tamera Mowry-Housley: In you.

Adrienne Bailon: Yeah, in you. I think that always helped me find the confidence to go for my dreams.

Tamera Mowry-Housley: I would have to say there are two things I wish somebody would have told me while I was in college. One, is it’s okay to balance your life out. Don’t just do so much, so much, so much, so much studying and don’t do so much, so much…

Adrienne Bailon: Partying.

Tamera Mowry-Housley: So much partying. What people are going to look at, when you get out of college is a well-rounded human being. They want someone who’s going to be smart and do their homework, get good grades, but also someone who learned something about themselves, like are they sociable? How do they work in a group setting? The other thing is sometimes people go to college to find out what they want to do, and sometimes people go to college to find out what they don’t want to do. So don’t be mad if you’re a senior and you’re studying to be a lawyer and that last day you’re like, “Damnit! I don’t want to be a lawyer!” It’s okay! It’s totally fine! You got your college experience and that’s great!

Adrienne Bailon: But it’s a waste of money!

All laugh.

Adrienne Bailon: I’d be pissed!

Tamera Mowry-Housley: No, you learned a…however much it was, a twenty-five thousand dollar lesson!

Loni Love: One piece of advice is to get the degree. Get that education because education is so important. I have an engineering degree. The only way I would be able to get out of the projects and find myself is through education, so education is very important.

Tamar Braxton: Finish school!

Loni Love: And like she said you can always change because I was an engineer, I worked for a Fortune 500 company. Now I’m a talk show host.

Adrienne Bailon: You always have something to fall back on though.

Jeannie Mai: Exactly!

Loni Love: Take care of yourself and you don’t have to depend on someone else!

Watch the premiere episode of “The Real” below:

Rob Zombie's Great American Nightmare is Coming to Chicago

Autumn is here and nothing is better than visiting a pumpkin patch covered in fallen leaves, while sipping your Pumpkin Spice Latte in your comfiest sweater…and screaming at the top of your lungs inside a haunted house.  Each year the quest is on to the find the scariest haunted house around. The haunted house we are most excited to see this year is the brand new Great American Nightmare by none other than Rob Zombie himself! Rob Zombie’s Great American Nightmare is located in Villa Park and is actually three different haunted attractions that feature cutting-edge haunted house technology that promises to “put you in the most immersive experience of your life”. The three attractions are inspired by Rob Zombie’s horror films so don’t be too alarmed when you recognize some of his infamous characters as if the movies have come to life. 

                  Rob Zombie’s Great American Nightmare is like the twisted version of Disney World. How? After all the attractions, step over to Bloody Boulevard where you will meet roaming characters, watch [freak] shows, listen to musical entertainment, and partake in creepy activities, all while enjoying themed food and drink. The similarities are truly uncanny; it’s a small world after all.

                  Rob Zombie’s Great American Nightmare kicks off September 26 with a Rob Zombie concert extravaganza. There is a special party held on Halloween night and the horror ends November 1st, don’t miss out! Grab tickets to Great American Nightmare on the website

Matisyahu speaks on Akeda, acting, Judaism and shaving his famous beard

College News spoke to Matisyahu for an exclusive interview

College News had the opportunity to chat with Grammy-nominated artist Matisyahu. The world came to know him as an Orthodox Jewish reggae-rapper out of New York. Just like his music, Matisyahu is constantly growing. The 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics were an important time for Matisyahu, as his song “One Day” became the positively catchy theme song. With a major movie under his belt for 2012’s The Possession, Matisyahu is keeping busy promoting his new album Akeda, which was released on June 3rd.

CN: How is your new album Akeda different from albums you have done in the past?

M: All of my albums are different and have a level of growth. This one is more instrumental as the last album had synthesizer. This one was done with the Dub Trio, it is similar to my first album in that aspect but all my albums are different and they grow
 

CN: The cover art on Akeda is really unique, could you explain it?

M: The cover art was inspired by a dream I had. I actually went to my fans on the internet and told them my dream and asked them to create it. So the cover is the drawing that won.

CN: What was the dream?
I had a dream that I was on fire but it wasn’t burning me. The flames were in my hand but they were like water. That’s what I wanted portrayed, the flames in my hand. The art was not exactly that but I felt like it really represented my dream.

CN: Have you received a lot of pressure and high expectations to be a perfect representation of Judaism and Jewish culture?

M: Yes starting out especially. I was branded to this role I had because of how I chose to portray myself. I didn’t let it affect my music. I was still genuine to the type of things I wanted to put out there. I felt like when I shaved [my beard] it showed me changing as a person because it was that time.

CN: Was shaving your beard a separation from that role?

M: I wouldn’t say it was a separation because I still hold my beliefs but you could say it was a departure from that image as I adapted and moved on.

CN: Beyond music, you are involved in several other things like charity work.

M: I hold benefit concerts from time to time to raise money for certain projects.

CN: You also began acting. Tell us about working on The Possession directed by Ole Bornedal in 2012.

M: It was a lot of fun. I was just talking about it with friends the other week and we watched it.

CN: Does seeing the movie freak you out? Or do you know too many of the secrets?

M: No, it doesn’t scare me. The funny part was that the friends I watched it with don’t really like scary movies so I had to promise to walk them through it. So I did and I pointed out where there was CGI and what was going to happen. When you work with the people on the movie it takes all the scariness away from it, it doesn’t scare me at all.

CN: Would you consider doing more acting in the future?

M: Yes, very much so. I’m busy now with the new record but eventually I would like to do some more acting.

CN: Where do you see yourself in ten years?

M: I would like to have a program for young musicians. Just live on a farm somewhere with a bunch of creative people and work on music. 

CN: What advice do you have for young artists or musicians?

M: Stay genuine. Stay true to your music and what you like.

Here are the most infamous college St. Paddy's Day parties

Livers be warned

St. Patrick’s Day is around the corner and Paddy-themed festivities are already in full swing. From green beer to debauchery and everything in between, College News has the line up of the five craziest parties that catapult this Irish holiday to campus holiday infamy. All of these notorious parties have a lot in common. Students from all over the country flock to these campuses on the day of their respective Paddy’s parties and they all have sort of let’s say a reputation for escalating quickly and sometimes some things getting broken, like automobiles. Without further ado, the St. Patrick’s Day parties you must experience at least once in your lifetime…

Unofficial at University of Illinois is typically the weekend before St. Patrick’s Day, this year it was held on March 7, 2014.The partying takes place on campus and spills over to the bountiful bars of Champaign, Illinois. Story has it that the first Unofficial began in March of 1996, when the official St. Paddy’s day was to fall during U of I’s spring break. Well, this simply would not do. Thus, Unofficial St. Patrick’s Day at U of I was born and it has been attracting hoards of students all donning their personally designed festive shirts to come join in on the marathon of shenanigans ever since.

More info on Unofficial

University of Dayton on St. Patrick’s Day. Rumor has it; David Letterman once said the best St. Patrick’s Day parties take place in the cities of Dublin, Ireland; Chicago, Illinois; New York, New York…and Dayton, Ohio (thanks to University of Dayton). Whether Mr. Letterman actually uttered these words or not, I am here to tell you he should have.  Every year on March 17 and the weekend of, thousands of green-clad people flock to “the Ghetto” (the endearing term students use to refer to the rows of university-owned houses) where nearly every house hosts a party. Midwestern hospitality overflows like a red solo cup filled with Natty Light, and college hosts welcome perfect strangers into their homes united under the common motivations of having a good time and partying hard. Last year the party may have gotten a little rowdy causing the Dayton police to respond with riot shields to break up the party early.

More info on U of Dayton St. Patrick’s Day Party

State Patty’s Day at Penn State. The award for most improved goes to Penn State! A reported 75% less arrests were made this year (March 1, 2014) as opposed to 2011. State Patty’s Day began one fine spring in 2007, when as we have heard before March 17, was going to fall during the university’s spring break. In an effort to prevent the partying from overlapping, students organized the very first State Patty’s Day so that it was separate from spring break. Many restrictions have forcibly toned down State Patty’s Day, including the $5,000 payout issued to every bar nearby if they agreed to ban the sale of alcohol for State Patty’s Day.

http://www.statecollege.com/news/local-news/overall-state-pattys-day-crime-dropped-but-penn-state-campus-sees-increase-in-incidents,1458163/

St. Patrick’s Day, West Virginia University. According to Playboy magazine, (if you do in fact read the articles) West Virginia University is the number one party school in America of 2013. In the article, it specifically mentions WVU’s St. Patrick’s Day party as one of the reasons for snagging the top spot. And the Oscar goes to…”I’m Shmacked” (http://youtu.be/tP0Xod-L1Yw) watchers be warned! As a general courtesy and sheer curiosity, I would like to reach out to everyone in that video to make sure they are okay.

UMass Blarney Blowout. Apparently, the University of Massachusetts had a big Irish-themed party this year. If the news headlines did not reach you, UMass is good at partying…maybe too good. Unfortunately, the party did not end too well for almost 80 partygoers as the police arrested 73 people at this year’s Blarney Blowout in Amherst. If you missed it, good job avoiding arrest, however, this year was so out of control that there may not be a Blarney Blowout next year.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/police-arrest-seventy-three-amid-university-of-massachusetts-blarney-blowout-festivities/

Frank Sinatra is "possibly" the father of Mia Farrow's son Ronan Farrow

No DNA test, a rendition of “Come Fly With Me” may be the only way to tell if Ronan Farrow is the late-crooner’s son.

For all the old souls out there who wish they could have been born in another decade like the 50s or the 60s, there may be part of a legend in our midst.

If Clint Eastwood’s son doesn’t tickle your fancy (are you okay?) or you simply desire the spawn of a singer, Mia Farrow may have your solution. In an interview in the November issue of Vanity Fair, when asked if Frank Sinatra could be the father of son Ronan Farrow, Mia Farrow cryptically responded “possibly”.

Could Ol’ Blue Eyes himself actually be the father of 25-year-old Ronan Farrow? Mia Farrow and Frank Sinatra were only married from 1966-1968 however; Farrow maintains they continued their relationship afterward despite her longtime relationship with Woody Allen. Farrow attests that Sinatra was the love of her life and adds, “We never really split up”. The legendary member of the rat pack would have been 72 years old when Ronan was conceived. Ronan Farrow, who is now a human rights attorney, is “officially” Mia Farrow’s only biological child with Woody Allen.

This paternity bombshell by actress and human rights activist, Mia Farrow, brings her family into focus as she gives the term “modern family” a new light. Mia Farrow has 15 children, some adopted, some biological. Farrow’s estranged child, formerly known as Soon-Yi Previn, is married to her mother’s ex Woody Allen. On Father’s Day in 2012 sarcastic Ronan tweeted “Happy father’s day—or as they call it in my family, happy brother-in-law’s day.” Forget the Kardashians, we need a Keeping Up With the Farrows.

It is unsure if we will ever know who the real father of Ronan Farrow is. As of now, a DNA test has not been conducted. If you ask Ronan Farrow his opinion… “We are all possibly Frank Sinatra’s son” (via Twitter). 

Joseph-Gordon Levitt vs. Stephen Merchant vs. Jimmy Fallon; The lip-syncing showdown

The Ultimate lip-syncing battle happened Tuesday on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.

Last Tuesday on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt; Stephen Merchant, one of the writers for The Office; and host, Jimmy Fallon competed in a lip syncing competition. The contest required the three contenders to participate in two separate rounds of lip-syncing to songs they have secretly chosen beforehand.

Stephen Merchant, who actually co-invented the lip-syncing game for Fallon’s show, started off Round 1 with a moving performance to “Boom Shake the Room” by DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince and Beyonce’s hit “Single Ladies” for Round 2.

Host, Jimmy Fallon, who was feeling the 80’s, gave an electrifying performance to “Don’t You Want Me” by the Human League for Round 1 and chose “Take On Me” by A-ha for his second performance.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt gave an emotionally charged performance to “Tiny Dancer” by Elton John for his first round and then stole the show on Round 2 with Nicki Minaj’s “Superbass”. Fallon crowned Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the undisputed winner of the lip-syncing competition.

JGL fans rejoiced when the world discovered that not only is Joseph Gordon-Levitt well above average in the appearance department,  he’s a writer, a director, an amazing actor, and is also gifted in the art of lip-syncing.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt must be having a great week. On top of winning the coveted award of best lip-syncer, JGL revealed to Howard Stern earlier this week that he is happily taken. He told Stern “I have a girlfriend but I tend not to really like to talk about it in public. She is not in show business.”

And then everyone got sad. While Joseph Gordon-Levitt may be off the market, I think long road trips with Stephen Merchant, JGL, or Jimmy Fallon would surely be nothing short entertaining with the radio playing.

A nip slip & an Emmy for Tina Fey

It’s safe to say Tina Fey stole the show at the Emmy’s one way or another

Tina Fey certainly made this year’s Emmy Awards show vastly more entertaining. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler’s opening bit was certainly one of the best moments of the night. The two comediennes’ were sitting front row wearing 3D glasses and munching on popcorn in their gorgeous gowns giving host Neil Patrick Harris a little advice on how to make for a memorable show. The duo repeatedly asked NPH to “twerk” it for them.  When he declined saying twerking was “degrading” Amy Poehler quickly replied, “Yeah it might be degrading but we would be de-grateful”. When Neil Patrick Harris called Fey and Poehler up to the stage they poked fun at Jennifer Lawrence’s infamous spill at the Oscar’s and pretended to trip and crawl up the stage.

Later on Tina Fey heated up the Emmy’s again. As Fey made her way up to the microphone after winning the 2013 Emmy Award for “Best Comedy Writing” for 30 Rock she gave a little something else before her acceptance speech. The low cut top of her dress shifted revealing a bit more than Fey bargained for. Okay, a nip slip, it happens. Are there any award shows without them anymore? The show went on and without missing a beat Fey stepped up to the microphone and said to her writing partner, Tracey Wigfield who had just finished her speech “And no one said you could talk Tracey”.

Let’s just hope this little wardrobe mishap will not extinguish another sexy wardrobe choice by Fey in the future. The funny lady looked stunning in a blue Narcisco Rodriguez gown that featured a flattering mermaid silhouette. Fey’s loyal fans have been tweeting their support regarding her embarrassing incident and Fey has already spoofed her wardrobe malfunction for an SNL promo.

In retrospect with or without the wardrobe malfunction Tina Fey (with the help of pal, Amy Poehler) once again made this year’s Emmy’s another one to remember.

Paula Patton Makes Al Roker's Dreams Come True

Elated Roker didn’t even see it coming

Actress Paula Patton appeared on Watch What Happens Live and the Today show to promote her upcoming movie “Baggage Claim”. While she did her share of promoting the film, Patton could not dodge questions about Twerkgate 2013. Paula Patton has been married to singer-songwriter Robin Thicke for 8 years. In case (for some reason) you did not see it, Robin Thicke and Miley Cyrus paired up for a racy collaboration where Cyrus was twerking all over the 36-year-old “Blurred Lines” performer at the 2013 MTV VMAs.

Patton gave the expected biased defense of husband Robin Thicke’s VMA performance on the Today show. Patton maintained that she would not have expected the performance to happen any differently because that’s how people dance in the clubs these days. Ms. Patton, what clubs do you frequent exactly? I can’t remember seeing any 20-year-olds in skin-colored latex undergarments sticking out their tongues, pointing at their crotches with an innocent foam finger and grinding into a 36-year-old man dressed like Beetlejuice. But hey, maybe I go to wrong places.

To prove twerkin’ ain’t no thang in the Thicke household, Paula gave Al Roker a few moments he will never forget on the Today show. Paula Patton got in the driver’s seat while an unassuming Al Roker was just along for the ride. Patton took things into her own hands when she said to Roker, “I’ll just do my little dance with you”. What ensued some may have described as “awkward” but to a wise soul it was nothing short of magic. The “ little dance” may have only lasted a couple seconds in harsh reality, but it will certainly last a lifetime in Al Roker’s mind.  After the dance, Al Roker responds earnestly with his hand on the small of Patton’s leopard print clad back, “Paula Patton thank you so much.” Maybe now we know why Paula Patton wasn’t angry at Miley for twerking on her husband.

Forget Bella and Edward. Roker and Patton forever.