Atlanta Daily World
LisaRaye McCoy, Her Star Style, Get Ready For Season 3 of VH1 Series, 'Single Ladies'
There is much you can say about LisaRaye. You can say that she always looks good – because she does – when she steps out on the red carpet and at galas globally. From her hair to her shoes, this style diva has what it takes to move forward in the entertainment world of television, film and beyond.
LisaRaye is currently preparing to film season 3 of the break out hit VH1 series, “Single Ladies,” starring opposite Charity Shea and DB Woodside and produced by Queen Latifah’s Flavor Unit Entertainment. The comedic drama follows three best friends with different philosophies on sex and relationships. LisaRaye plays ‘Keisha,’ a former video vixen who’s always on the prowl for a man to keep her in style. With much anticipation of a third season, viewers will see how the heroic LisaRaye has finally come full circle in her journey.
We all know that LisaRaye and her cast mates always look fabulous in whatever they wear on each episode. During our interview, many style facts were revealed that relates to the dresses she wears, to the shoes she loves, to the car styles she prefers.
I asked LisaRaye, “What car would best exemplify your daily style?” She said that BMW is her current preference. However, LisaRaye said she still holds her first car – a Toyota Celica – in high esteem. She said she loved the automobile style of her car at the time and still, to this day, swears that the quality of service was exceptional at Toyota. As for a woman and her car, the automotive style choices sometimes change over time.
As our conversation moved deep into the direction of style, LisaRaye said she is a big fan of a few key colors: dark hunter green, yellow, lavender and white. Her five favorite shoe designers are Giuseppe Zanotti, Rene Caovilla, Sergio Rossi, Casadei and Manolo Blahnik. For a moment, as LisaRaye and I were conversing about her shoes, she was looking through her closet identifying her favorites among the many in her shoe collection. I giggled and briefly had a flashback to my fond memories of watching Sarah Jessica Parker who portrayed the lead character Carey Bradshaw in the Sex and the City television series.
For all the women who adore shoes, you know exactly what it’s like to be in a shoe store and shop for shoes. The sheer excitement of having amazing shoes – as LisaRaye so eloquently shared with me – was enough to get me daydreaming about a future shoe-shopping experience.
As for perfume, her favorites are My Life perfume by Mary J. Blige, Mary Kay’s Angel Fire, Jo Malone, Narciso Rodriguez For Her Eau de Toilette and Jeans Couture Perfume by Gianni Versace. Jeans Couture Perfume – a glamorous fragrance for women – has a scent that carries a blend of orange flower, plum, freesia, iris, black jasmine, musk, heliotrope and sandalwood. LisaRaye’s sense of style in relation to her favorite fashion designers are Tom Ford suits for women, Diane von Furstenberg’s selection of signature wrap dresses, Stella McCartney, Mui Mui and Elie Tahari dresses.
The good news shared – LisaRaye will launch her own hair care product line sometime in August. She notes that women are always reinventing their hairstyles and that she will be providing a great hair care line of products suitable for women with and without weaves. She said favorite hair care products are Infusium 23 Repair & Renew Leave-in Treatment by Infusium 23, Nioxin Scalp Treatment System and Mizani HRM (Humidity Resistant Mist) Hairspray.
When LisaRaye attends gala’s and or special red carpet events, she is usually styled in diamonds to compliment her fashion styling. There are two specialty jewelry designers that she fancies currently – Glynneth B and Twisted Jewelry. Both have great everyday and special occasion jewelry many can add to their day or evening attire.
In closing, LisaRaye continues to use her celebrity status to highlight issues close to her heart. She is the global ambassador for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure® foundation and is passionate about the organization’s mission to promote early detection and screenings for women.
In addition, she created the Miss Rayediant Jewels teen pageant to mentor an boost the self-esteem of girls in the 13-15 age range. LisaRaye resides in Los Angeles and is a proud mother to daughter, Kai. Stay tuned for additional episodes of the VH1 Series, “Single Ladies” coming soon. Link into the online website for more about the show at http://www.vh1.com/shows/single_ladies/season_1/series.jhtml
by Lela Christine, Special to the NNPA from the Los Angeles Wave
Damien Wayans Gets Personal with the Wrap of His First Season of Second Generation Wayans
Wayans. The mere mention of the name likely brings to mind the talented siblings who took Hollywood by storm in the 1990’s and successfully created a dynasty that traversed the decade and reigns to this day. Determined to carry the torch, the latest generation of Wayans is working hard to earn their rightful place on the throne.
Says Damien, “There was always a misconception of what it’s like being a Wayans or a second generation Wayans. A lot of people thought we were just born into money and it was like—nope—it was a tough road, a tough journey.” But the Wayans are nothing if not tough. The new kids on the Wayans family block have taken the popular misconception of a cookie cutter lifestyle and capitalized on it, resulting in the launch of BET’s Second Generation Wayans show.
“You know, me and my cousin Craig [who co stars in the show] were project kids, project bred—we were not born with a silver spoon in our mouths,” Damien reveals. People look at you in a good light sometimes and people look at you in a negative light sometimes. Because you are a Wayans, they expect you to be [like] your family at times. We’re trying to carve our own name and ground ourselves, like our uncles grounded themselves.”
In keeping with family tradition Marlon Wayans, Damien’s uncle, is one of the executive producers for Second Generation Wayans. The show, which Damien says is largely based on real life experiences, reflects years of the ups and downs, successes and failures which he and the younger Wayans have experienced while trying to break into showbiz. Because ‘elders’ Shawn, Keenen, and Marlon have frequently appeared in the spotlight, the assumption is that the entire Wayans family is solidly linked into the film industry. With Second Generation Wayans Damien, his cousin Craig, and Uncle Marlon wanted to dispel that notion and portray the true path which the younger generation has taken.
“Hollywood is a very fickle town,” explains Damien. “It’s a very ‘What have you done today?’ type of town especially now a days. They’re not making certain types of movies like they used to. Sometimes you feel like Hollywood is its own clique, so that’s why I’m happy I got my clique—my Wayans clique!”
Underneath it all is the rocky, albeit quirky, and genuine love that is the glue that bonds the Wayans together.
“It’s always fun being able to do what you love, and my family is my best friend; so throughout the years that I’ve been working with family it has kind of become second nature. You know, we have our arguments; we have our disagreements, but at the core of it all we are family, and we love to have fun with each other.”
Outside of the show when he’s not working out at a spin class, or chowing down on some Crazy Rocking Sushi on Santa Monica Boulevard, he’s writing and working on projects for his production company. In addition to developing a movie, he’s also directing a six part You Tube web series called That’s a Friend. The series is designed to make viewers beg the question “Is my friend really ride or die?”
“It’s about putting your friend to the ultimate test,” says Damien. “So if you’ve ever wondered, ‘How ride or die would my friend really be in a time of need?’ we take scenarios and we see how ride or die that friend really is.”
The multifaceted Damien Wayans is slowly proving his staying power in this industry, leaving no doubt in anyone’s mind that he is indeed a ride or die Wayans.
by Chelsea Battle, Special to the NNPA from the LA Watts Times
(Photo: Damien Wayans (left) Craig Wayans (right))
Vanessa Lynn’s ‘Boss Lady’ - A Play With a Purpose
Vanessa Lynn’s “Boss Lady” is more than a play, it’s an experience.
After viewing “Boss Lady” at its premier on April 13 at the Midtown Arts Cinema it left me inspired, cleansed, rejuvenated and so much more.
In the play viewers not only learn what a “Boss Lady” is but will be taken on a ride on the road to becoming a “Boss Lady” and go down all its many twists and turns, its highs and its lows.
Boss lady is also a tale of a woman who is on a mission to becoming more than a music mogul; she has her mind set on becoming nothing less than a “Boss”.
Essentially, the play depicts the lives of everyday Black issues in the inner city and Lynn illustrates the struggles that come with that environment very passionately and without any room to question her authority on the subject.
Drugs, death, greed, money, hustling, success, failures, love, conviction, forgiveness and even the gospel are all discussed in such a way that it leaves the viewers entertained and emotional.
The play had so many twists and turns that when I thought it couldn’t get any worse, it did and when you thought the story was told, there was more to it—lots more.
I must commend Vanessa Lynn for having the guts to write such a play as she can definitely help other urban play writers carry the torch that was left behind by Tyler Perry who has shifted his sights to films.
As a viewer one can tell she put her heart in every line because, from one heart to another, it is very hard not to connect with each of the characters and the truth of the story.
Additionally, the cast members did a phenomenal job of breathing life into the characters they played, the story they told and the message they portrayed.
The cast’s amazing performances show that they believed in the story and they knew how powerful its message is.
Anyone looking to support urban playwrights like Lynn who are looking to change the way the “chitlin’ circuit” – which she describes in detail in her book ‘Beyond the Chitlin’ Circuit: The Urban Playwrights Guide’ – is perceived and work hard to bring black stories to the stage, I highly recommend “Boss Lady”.
However, be warned you will are not watching a mere play, you are watching a play with a purpose and the experience is indeed mind blowing and definitely life changing.