Sunday, July 7, 2013

PINKY, Q & A



Q: I’ve been asked why I clown?
 
A: Actually, it was my Granddaughter who suggested that I be a clown, because I am so naturally-silly. Out of the mouths of Babes*


Q: Do I make lots of $$$?
A: Any performer will tell you, most of the time more money is spent than is made when doing a show. Travel, Costumes, and other cost are involved.
I do this because it is a gift to be able to make people laugh, loosen up, get krunk & act a little bit foolish. Good, Clean Fun is what Pinky is all about*

Q: Am I hot in that costume?

A: Putting on a clowning-show, just as any other show, requires a certain amount of discipline. I dress in a way that helps keep me cool in summer and warm in winter. I don’t think about the weather. I only think about making people laugh & smile. Young & old. I just want people to know that I appreciate them allowing to come into their lives and bring them a bit of laughter & joy*

Q: Does Pinky perform for Adult parties?
A: Pinky enjoys making people laugh! No matter what age we are, most of are still children @ heart. That’s the part that Pinky aims to touch with music from oldies to new hits, and just plain stupid-silly fun. Pinky can dance to any kind of music, although Pinky prefers that the songs be the clean versions--got to stay in the GOOD, CLEAN- GROOVE***

Q: How far will Pinky Travel?

A: To Infinity & Beyond*

Q: What’s the best thing about clowning?

A: It’s a real blast to see children’s faces light up when I give the a free balloon, but the best thing for Pinky is when Teenagers are having fun & and getting in on the act. I want them to know that their wildest dreams can come true and that they can do anything that they put their heart into. Often teens don’t want their peers to see them doing anything that is UNCOOL, but it only takes one brave soul to start dancing or playing around and the others jump-in to show that they too can get Silly & Jiggy with Pinky. It’s also a real treat to put a smile on the face of an adult. Often, grown-ups are tired, stressed-out, they have loads of things on their minds. So making them laugh & get silly is Super-Duper Cool in my book*

A WORD ON CLOWNING

I found a video on Youtube that may aid you in finding your comfort zone, concerning “Clowning”.



 

Please don’t feel anxious because it really is all in good fun. As of now, I should be the only one getting headaches over this business…lol! I love Clowning because I have a vision that surpasses conventionally held beliefs entailing red noses and antics. I see Clowns 4 All Occasions opening doors for a myriad of performers, voice over artists and talented people from all walks of life. How can I think along these lines? First, think of how relaxed people get around entertainers. Strangers will allow performers to hug them, they will turn their wallets and purses over to magicians and kiss movie stars on the mouth.
http://getpinky.webs.com/aboutus.htm
Entertainers are not restrained by the same common issues and perimeters as the general public…not that they are better or even different, it‘s just that they are given more leeway and the rules are more relaxed. This is why Clowning is an opportune venue to expand options across the board for O.N.S. Entertainment Company, Clowns 4 All Occasions and all artists and performers in Central Mississippi.
http://www.eventective.com/USA/Mississippi/Sallis/574781/Clowns-4-All-Occasions.html

Imagine. Dancing, drawing, singing, comedy, improvisation, spoken word and just about any other act that you can think of. Now; slip on a colorful costume, theatrical make-up, a zany wig and shoes, and the same act becomes and attraction of unsurpassed possibilities. A clown can fall while dancing and make it part of the act. A singer can screw up a song and get laughs instead of boos.

People admire anyone with the courage to dress weird, act silly and do the type of bold things that only a clown can get away with. The truth is that any talent can be expressly experimented upon with a bit of glitz and an open mind.
https://www.facebook.com/PinkyTheDancingClown?ref=hl

Take your time & feel good about all of it and call me @ 662-289-7000, when your ready…SMILE*


 

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

A WORD ON MODELING

As for modeling, I’ll be creating a page soon that addresses all the issues I’ve encountered as a performing artist. To say the least, modeling is one of the most expensive careers, because so much traveling, clothes, makeup, and other costs are “Out-of-pocket” just while you are working to get noticed and make a name for yourself in the business. If you’re truly interested…
Check out these and other websites that cater to and recruit models. Konscious Money Entertainment is owned by my good friend, Greg X, and is located in Charlotte, NC. But there are always Local Churches, Clubs and Pageants going on in every town so be sure to start right where you are and build on that because it costs much less to travel across town than it does to travel across the country.

 
Read no less that twenty books about modeling and auto biographies about FORMER MODELS who tell all they endured while climbing the ladder to success. Iman, Beverly Johnson, Jodie Foster and Candice Bergman are just a few who have written of their trials and tribulations in “The Biz.” There is also a book of warning that I’ve not read yet but I here it is a must-read for anyone looking to break into the video scene, “Memoirs of a Video Vixen.” Feel free to call me (662) 289-7000, early morning is best (4am -9am), before my work day begins. Most importantly, Choose a career that can fund your modeling (so you don’t have to rely on the promises of others) and one that challenges the mind because Beauty can be a CURSE without BRAINS to Guide it in the right path. Look forward to talking to you. God Bless and …SMILE*

Sunday, June 30, 2013

A Peek Inside The Mind of The Dancing Clown

  
I love Clowning because I have a vision that surpasses conventionally held beliefs entailing red noses and antics. I see Clowns 4 All Occasions opening doors for a myriad of performers, voice over artists and talented people from all walks of life. How can I think along these lines? First, think of how relaxed people get around entertainers. Strangers will allow performers to hug them, they will turn their wallets and purses over to magicians and kiss movie stars on the mouth.
 
Entertainers are less restrained by the same common issues and perimeters as the general public…not that they are better or even different, it‘s just that they are given more leeway and the rules are more relaxed. This is why Clowning is an opportune venue to expand options across the board for O.N.S. Entertainment Company, Clowns 4 All Occasions and all artists and performers in Central Mississippi.
https://www.facebook.com/PinkyTheDancingClown?ref=hl
Imagine. Dancing, drawing, singing, comedy, improvisation, spoken word and just about any other act that you can think of. Now; slip on a colorful costume, theatrical make-up, a zany wig and shoes, and the same act becomes an attraction of unsurpassed possibilities. A clown can fall while dancing and make it part of the act. A singer can screw up a song and get laughs instead of boos.
 
People admire anyone with the courage to dress weird, act silly and do the type of bold things that only a clown can get away with. The truth is that any talent can be expressly experimented upon with a bit of glitz and an open mind.
 
My mind’s open and now you know what’s on it…SMILE*   


Friday, June 28, 2013

WHAT IS O.N.S.



O.N.S. is simply an acronym for “Over Night Sensation”. It’s also an Oxymoron, as we at O.N.S. stress the ideology that there is no such thing as over-night stardom or success. Usually, by the time we see a person or group rising to the top of the charts or plastered on magazines and tabloids, they’ve been at it for a long time; struggling to make it in the entertainment industry.

 
Parents have often given up careers to travel and coach young artists. Others have spent fortunes traveling to auditions, photo shoots, interviews and the likes. Many bands and performers have practiced for years/decades, utilizing any space they could scrounge; basements, garages, church rectories and any other place where the neighbors might not call the police about the noise. Dancers have worn out shoes, carpets and linoleums, getting the moves right, while singers have suffered sore throats, hernias, inner-ear and sinus problems, rehearsing to get the song down-pat. Magicians have set the house afire and many performers have sustained serious injuries in the pursuit of applause. There are no stars that did not pay grueling prices to get to the top. Relationships suffer as loved ones are on the road (sometimes for as long as eleven months to two years) promoting albums, shooting movies, signing books and touring.

 
Show business is BUSINESS FIRST!……and so many never realize their dreams because they fail to grasp this important concept. Contrary to popular belief, show business is not all about the show: “The Show Must Go On”, is simple TV/Movie talk. Shows get canceled and some never secure enough budget/funding to become more than an idea. The show is a product to be sold…just like shoes, milk or any other consumer item. If consumers do not buy your product---your artistic creation, then you only have the show in your living room for your family and guests. Shows cost money to produce. Venues, production people, film crews, performers, make-up and hair artist….every one expects to be paid. If your act, talent or performance fails to draw a PAYING CROWD, then you have no show because you haven’t got the business.

 
Artist no longer have to wait for producers, mangers and agents to guide their career. The INTERNET has taken lots of the mystery and the mayhem out of the process of getting noticed and honing your craft. Anything that you can create, be it a work of art, an invention, a hand-crafted item or a video of your latest poem or song, can be viewed, appreciated and even sold via the WORLD WIDE WEB. Google’s Youtube, Ebay, PayPal and Social Networking have generated and perpetuated and environment where anyone can share information and creativity with anyone and everyone who is plugged in.

 
Yes……… it’s time consuming, frustrating and often inconvenient…but…it’s POSSIBAL! And it’s worth it. That’s the important thing. The possibilities of exposure on the WEB really has revolutionized the whole entertainment industry. And, the big-time corporations that once ruled the entertainment world, creating a few mega-stars while crushing the hopes and dreams of countless wanna-bes, is gone …Forever!

 
Young hopefuls no longer have to skip-out to San Francisco, Hollywood, New York, Chicago and Seattle, in search of a dream that leaves so many, shattered and broken after years of night-jobs and rejections. Besides, Mini-Media-Moguls are cropping up everywhere; Minneapolis, North Carolina, Atlanta…to name a few, which means you can realize your dreams of stardom (or at the very least performing LIVE) much closer to home - without giving up everything you hold dear, just for a chance to be in the show.

 
These days, artists want to have it all. No longer are they chanting slogans like, “Show business/Music is my life.” Most professional performers are going to college, learning a myriad of trades, crafts and studies unrelated to entertainment. These wise people understand that no matter how famous or popular you are…there will come a time when the public eye will be armed at someone else. And even though you may be a legend…no one stays in the lime light forever.

 
The modern route to international fame and acclaim still has as much to do with WHO you know as it does WHAT you know and what you can do. Entertainers/Artists often need backing from people with the money and connections to get them on TV, Played on the Radio, into Movies and Galleries. A great way to be discovered is the INTERNET! So, go ahead, create a free Youtube account and post your performance for the world to see, it’s ok to give your performance for free in hopes that it will be seen and liked by those backers and producers. But, copy-write your material if you can…it wouldn’t feel good to find out that another group is making money off your act/song while you’re doing all the work. And don’t be fooled into believing the lie that you can ride to the top on the back of someone else…remember Milli Vanilli?


Now that you know who O.N.S. is and what we are about, we hope to see you at our next production, featuring live, local artist and performers…SMILE*

THE VALUE OF HATERS

HATERS: they cay bring out the best or worst in us, depending on our psyche. The derogatory statements and criticisms can be viewed as feedback or foolishness. Never the less, there is a great value in the bashing of a hater. “What?” You ask, “can a hater do for me?”
For starters, we may think we have very little. Yet, someone hating on us for the things or talents we possess, might prove that they are possessions worthy of envy and that no matter how little we may think we have there are those who have less.
It is said that talk is cheep. Not so. People who are talking about us obviously have us in mind, as they would have to be thinking about us to be talking about us. Personally, as an artist, I want my art, performance or talent to be on the lips of others. Talk will generate interest in my art and that will lead to sales; tickets, CD’s, whatever. No one will buy my works of art if there is no hype about it and haters are great for creating hype.
They may not know it, but it’s there tongue-lashing that will make others curious about what’s going on and basically create an atmosphere of eagerness in those who are already digging what I’m doing.
So let the haters talk…PLEASE!
I cannot buy that type of publicity in any magazine or TV ad. Let them tell all the world why they hate me so others will take a good look. And while they pay to see what’s-up…..Cha-ching!
If people aren’t talking about me that means they aren’t thinking of me. And anyone in this business will tell you…that sucks…SMILE*

Monday, June 17, 2013

OVERNIGHT SENSATIONAL ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY

Lovingly known as “O.N.S.” the organization was founded in 2005 as a memorial to A.J. and Lula C. Wells, who’s artistic talents were transcendent. It is the hope of Madamxtra and all members, staff and administrators of O.N.S. that all persons should experience the excitement of sharing their talent within their community, nation wide, across the web and anywhere else their wildest dreams care to take them.

O.N.S. has five major objectives:
MENTORSHIP-- Connecting people within their own ilk. Accomplished artists from every genre hold a wealth of skill, knowledge, history and connections that are invaluable to the novice. The road to success is traveled with far less dumps and bruises when there is someone there to help show us the way.
VENUES-- Unlike traditional promotional companies, O.N.S. strives to provide opportunities for all performers to gain the experience of a live audience, as there is nothing that compares to the applause and cheers of a crowd that has been thrilled by the show you’ve just given.
TUTELAGE-- Often the difference between “Mediocrity” and “Making It Big” is not so much (How Talented) you are, but more often it is (How much you know). Learning how the Arts/Performance industry operates is paramount to getting ahead and realizing your dreams. Too many phenomenal artists and entertainers live and die in extreme poverty while others die the slow death of not following their dream and developing their talent as they work jobs they hate…just to make a living. O.N.S. helps artistic people learn to make the most of all that God has Blessed them with, through consultation, advisory sessions and information hubs.
INVESTMENT--O.N.S. is not a (For Profit) organization, it‘s a community organization. Investing in the dreams and talent of local artist is our primary goal. All funds generated through the activities of O.N.S. are channeled directly to the efforts involved in getting local artist seen, heard, published, promoted and educated. And though higher education is not the quest of all artists, O.N.S. encourages LIFE LONG LEARNING and we contributed greatly to the funding of that quest.
Stewardship-- Giving Back is a fraise that is over-used but it is perfect way to show appreciation for what we have been Blessed with. The best way to prove that you’ve learned a task is to teach it to some one else and help make the world a better place…something that cannot be done by money alone. Unfortunately, many artist are focus ONLY on MONEY. But art must be produced for (Art’s) sake. People speak of “Selling Out” and in thruth there is much to be desired in fame and wealth…especially WEALTH. But struggling to produce cookie-cutter, assembly-line music, videos or drawings can tax the mind and drain the soul of an artist. It is far more satisfying to do what you love for less pay than to get paid to do what you hate or what leaves you felling empty.                

It takes money to engage in Arts & Entertainment.
Travel/Lodging, Air/Studio Time, Media/Marketing/Promotions, Copyrights/Publishing/Printing, Entourage/Escorts, Training, Costumes/Make-up/Hair Care, Set-up/Props, Security, Insurance/Legal/Accounting, Accompaniment, Equipment/Supplies, Licensing/Permits, Portfolio/Photos, Agent/Management Fees, Sound/Lighting, Reproduction/Distribution, Venue/Theatre/Concert Hall, Fitness Club/Gym/Personal Trainer, Communication/Technology, Food: And the list goes on and on. There are so many costs involved with Arts/Entertainment that are commonly discovered only after the bill arrives. O.N.S. is committed to helping artists and performers find their way through the maze of misinformation that tends to stifle careers just as they are blossoming.

OVERNIGHT SENSATIONS (O.N.S.) has been the wind beneath the wings of untold artists for eight years and counting.

THANK YOU.



THE ARTIST WITHIN



Everyone is Blessed with creativity in some form of fashion, what sets artists apart is how they used their talents. Not everyone will command applause and cheers, but everyone can express themselves through some artistic medium.

Gardening,   Carpentry ,  Sewing,

Cooking/Culinary,   Oratory,   Auto Detailing

Hair Stylist,   Pet Groomer, Teacher/Instructor

Evan a Blacksmith. Anyone who uses their imagination to solve problems and get the job done is an artist in his/her own right. Using creativity is a flare that all of us possess.

Using one’s creativity to better the world is what defines a master artist.

Monday, May 27, 2013

Meet MsUPSTAGER-MADAMXTRA

Born in Chi-town, I spent many of my first years of life in the country and decided to live in the south when I was seven years old. It took a long time for me to get here, but Thanks to the Lord God Jehovah, the timing of my arrival was perfect.


My mother was educated and cultured. She worked in the retail sector and took pride in her role as wife and mother of four. My dad was a man of many talents. A builder, plumber, mechanic and cook, he also had a green thumb. He worked at a steel foundry for 26 years, before moving with his family, back to his home town in Central Mississippi . When their health began to fail, I was bless to care for each parent until their deaths in “91” and “02”.



Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church was my spiritual home and the most significant growth vehicle. Choir training included classical vocals and allowed me to expand the range of my voice. Traveling with the choir tought me independence and team unity as we crossed the country to Minnesota, the Carolinas, New York, Michigan, Memphis, Canada, Indiana, California, Mexico, and the PTL Ministries. At age 12, I worked in a local bookstore and fell in love with the written word and began to write poems, lyrics and short stories.



I’ve been extremely blessed to have done many of the things that I’ve wanted to do in this life- but the real adventure is just beginning. Mature, with all children grown, I’m still young enough to do all sorts of things, yet old enough to avoid many of the mistakes that would have stifled me if I’d attempted these efforts at an earlier point in life. I’ve enjoyed being a primary care giver to children and adults for over thirty years and worked in a variety of industries, including; factory, State, Local and Federal governments, construction, poultry plant, cashier, driver, cook, carpenter’s assistant and teacher’s assistants with certificates in Welding, CNA, CDL, and courses online. I’ve owned several small and Home-Based businesses, managing operations and employees. Other interests include arts, counseling, computers, gardening, community activism, spirituality, reading, collecting small antiques, blogging and selling on Ebay.

I’m looking forward to using my talents and wealth of knowledge to help young people and any others who would like to share in my colorful vision for a better world and a brighter tomorrow.

I’m exceedingly thankful for the information, kindness and encouragement of friends, loved ones, acquaintances, and even total strangers who believed in me, shared with me, prayed for me, and lent a hand to catch my fall when they saw a sister slipping.

May God bless the hearts and the lives of my hard-working and loyal Sons, especially my eldest who has volunteered to take on so much responsibility, even since he was a very young boy. Hugs and kisses to my grandchildren - they are my special source of joy and energy and thanks to my daughter for blessing me with them. Thanks to my man for loving me- not just for who I am, but for what we strive to be as a unit.

Enough about me- but if you read between the lines, as well as word for word, you’ll get to know bits and pieces of me…the good, the bad, and the indifferent.



It was also in the third grade that my teacher, Mrs. Creed, made my mother aware that I would benefit from special coaching. My artwork was far above average as my drawings were of unusual subjects, with depth and clarity. When the class sang, my voice was heard above all others and I was correctly in tune and could follow detailed instructions given by our music teacher, Mrs. Wheaton. The caring teachers at Westcott Elementary School, located on Chicago’s south side, aided my mother in finding Tudors and programs geared to develop my special gifts and talents. Although my Mother worked as a manager for a department store, along with her responsibilities as wife and mother of three at the time, she still sacrificed a great deal of time and money taking me to classes, exhibits, stage performances and art shows. I was allowed attend tours, trips, and retreats. I was also blessed to have exposure to an expansive array of cultural diversity, as the neighborhood we lived in was ethnically diverse.

Having been an entertainer since the third grade, I’ve always enjoyed the smiles that come over faces when they watch a person perform. It doesn’t have to be a great performance. Just having the courage to strut your stuff in front of other people and not care what they think of you is amazing to some people who are terrified of the very idea. Most of the time as a child, I was a shy introvert, spending lots time alone, just enjoying the company of animals and nature. But when there was a family function or crowd of any size I seized the opportunity to belt out a song or tell one of my corny jokes. If music was playing it was time for me to dance. Where there was a group of people, I felt the urge to be the center of attention, and I knew just how to get it.


In 2005 I founded Over Night Sensations, an Entertainment Productions Company. Working with local artists, we produce a wide range of events, and help improve the community. At home on the STAGE, I truly enjoy performing. Good diction, a clear voice, and my love for the sound of applause make me a natural orator.



So far, my life has been Blessed with love, excitement, beauty, joy and challenges. My prayer is that God will continue to Bless me with good health and wisdom, and that I may be a Blessing to others for many decades to come.