Sunday, November 3, 2013

Light Check

"Tools of the trade.  A gray card helps the camera calibrate to accurate colors.  It seems unintuitive, but when you look closely, most of the grays that we see have a bit of blue or brown in them.  This little card is 18% black and 82% white – and no other colors.

It’s also made more beautiful by its proximity to Tom." -- Marlen Boro

Favorite Classic TV Star

ERICA GIMPEL
From:   Favorite Hunks & Other Things
 Erica Gimpel took over for Irene Cara as Coco when Fame moved from the big screen to TV. Erica was one of the most talented actors on the show. She led most of the shows best music numbers. Erica went on to appear in The North and South mini serie's as well as Profiler. (Last two pics are from that era.) Erica deserved to be a huge star and hopefully will still find a role to push her past the role of Coco.
 Erica Fawn Gimpel (born June 25, 1964) is an American actress. She is best known for her roles on television shows Fame as Coco Hernandez and on Profiler as Angel Brown. She is also known for her major recurring roles on the television shows ER as Adele Newman and on Veronica Mars as Alicia Fennel. Gimpel was most recently on the HBO series True Blood, Season 5 Episode 11, as the Fairy Elder.
Gimpel was a judge on RTE One's Fame: The Musical, an Irish TV talent show seeking a boy and a girl to play Nick and Serena respectively in the Irish touring production of Fame.
In January 2010, Gimpel released her first CD, Spread your Wings and Fly.




Favorite Blast From The Past:

John JamesFrom:  Favorite Hunks & Other Things
 Although I was never a great fan of Dynasty (prefered Dallas and Knots Landings if watching Prime Time Soaps) I did enjoy Pamela Sue Martin and John James on Dynasty. Although she treated him badly, they were enjoyable to watch, especially when John James (As Jeff Colby) came out of the shower in a towel, which for some reason he often did before a big fight.
 John James Anderson (born April 18, 1956) is an American actor, best known to television audiences for playing the character of Jeff Colby in both the prime-time soap opera Dynasty and its spin-off series The Colbys throughout the 1980s.
Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, a veteran of daytime soaps, having appeared in Search for Tomorrow in the late 1970s, James returned to the genre playing Rick Decker on As the World Turns in 2003–2004. In May 2006, he was cast in the role of Dr. Jeff Martin (the first husband of Erica Kane played by series star Susan Lucci) on the ABC daytime soap opera All My Children. He began airing the following month. On July 15, 2008, James returned to As the World Turns, reprising the role of demented Dr. Rick Decker.
His daughter Laura James won America's Next Top Model, Cycle 19.






Favorite Birthday Boy for November 3rd Dolph Lundgren

Dolph Lundgren
From:  Favorite Hunks & Other Things
 Dolph Lundgren (born Hans Lundgren; 3 November 1957) is a Swedish actor, director, and martial artist. He belongs to a generation of film actors who epitomize the action hero stereotype, alongside Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Steven Seagal, and Jean-Claude Van Damme.
He received a degree in chemistry from Washington State University in 1976, a degree in chemical engineering from the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm in the early 1980s, then a Master's Degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Sydney in Sydney in 1982. Lundgren holds a rank of 3rd dan black belt in Kyokushin Karate and was European champion in 1980 and 1981. While in Sydney, he became a bodyguard for Jamaican singer Grace Jones and began a relationship with her. They moved together to New York City, where after a short stint as a model and bouncer at the Manhattan nightclub The Limelight, Jones got him a small debut role in the
James Bond film A View to a Kill as a KGB henchman.
Lundgren's breakthrough came when he starred in Rocky IV in 1985 as the imposing Russian boxer Ivan Drago. Since then, he has starred in more than 40 movies, almost all of them in the action genre. He portrayed He-Man in the 1987 film Masters of the Universe, and Frank Castle in the 1989 film The Punisher. In the early 1990s, he also appeared in films such as Showdown in Little Tokyo (1991), alongside Brandon Lee; Universal Soldier (1992), opposite Jean-Claude Van Damme; Joshua Tree (1993), opposite Kristian Alfonso and George Segal; Johnny Mnemonic (1995), opposite Keanu Reeves and Ice-T; and Blackjack (1998), directed by John Woo. In 2004, Lundgren directed his first picture, The Defender, and subsequently helmed The Mechanik (2005), Missionary Man (2007), Command Performance (2009), and Icarus (2010), in which he also starred. After a long spell performing in direct-to-video films, 2010 marked his return to theaters with The Expendables, an on-screen reunion with
Stallone, alongside an all-action star cast which included, among others, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and Mickey Rourke. He reprised his role as Gunner Jensen in The Expendables 2 in 2012.
Known for his stature and fitness, at peak, Lundgren stood around 195 centimetres (6 ft 5 in) and weighed 110 kilograms (240 lb), and continues to be an influence in the world of fitness and bodybuilding.




EXHIBIT A

Photography by J. Wayne Higgs
Looks like somebody had a nasty spill! This enticing self-portrait, called ‘Exhibit A’, is from a 1979 series by J. Wayne Higgs of Washington D.C. Mr. Higgs has been at it — photographing his naked butt — since 1965. Back in the day, you might have had a wank while looking at one of his erotic photos in fagmags such as  Honcho, Mandate or Drummer.

This print — printed from the original Kodachrome slide on 5×7 inch acid-free archival stock, signed by the photographer and shipped in a ‘rigid’ envelope — is for sale on Etsy of all places for just $9.95.

Classic Television - Prime Time

My Friend Tony
Original channel
NBC
Original run
January 5, 1969 – August 31, 1969
Starring
James Whitmore
Enzo Cerusico

My Friend Tony is an American crime drama that aired on NBC in 1969. The pilot originally aired as "My Pal Tony" on The Danny Thomas Hour on March 4, 1968.

The series features Enzo Cerusico as the title character, Tony Novello, and James Whitmore as John Woodruff, a professor of criminology who served in Italy during World War II. As a child, Novello had been a street urchin who survived as a pickpocket, with Woodruff being one of his intended victims. The premise of the series was that the adult (and reformed) Novello had emigrated to the United States to join Woodruff in a private investigation team. Novello handled the legwork and physical side of the investigations while Woodruff conducted painstaking analysis of the most obscure clues.
My Friend Tony debuted on January 5, 1969. NBC slotted the program in the 10 p.m. Eastern timeslot on Sundays, following Bonanza. The network ended production of the series after 16 episodes but continued airing reruns of the show through that summer. The program aired for the last time on August 31, 1969.

Despite having the highly successful Bonanza as its lead-in, Sheldon Leonard — who developed My Friend Tony and was its executive producer — attributed the program's low ratings to its time slot.
"First, the 10-to-11 P.M. time spot didn't take full advantage of Enzo's youthful audience, as shown by his flood of fan mail, which exceeds anything in our experience," Leonard told TV Guide. "Second, because of the one-hour length and the network's commitment to 27 new projects all demanding air time, there was no 8 or 9 o'clock spot into which to move it."
Critics had savaged My Friend Tony, calling the series "hackneyed and confusing" ... "the kind of minimal fare that has been ground out ad nauseam" ... "mundane" and "bilge."

Then Men of the 2010 ESPN Body Issue

The Bodies We Want
From: ESPN
 Patrick Willis
Patrick L. Willis (born January 25, 1985) is an American football player who plays inside linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Mississippi, and received All-American honors. The San Francisco 49ers chose him with the eleventh overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft.
During Willis's senior season at Ole Miss, he received the Butkus Award and the Jack Lambert Award as the nation’s top linebacker. A year later as a member of the 49ers, Willis led the NFL in tackles, earned first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors while being named the 2007 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. Willis has earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors in all six years he has played in the NFL. He is the only player to receive the Butkus Award for best linebacker in more than one category. He won the college Butkus Award in 2006 while at Ole Miss and in 2009, he won the professional Butkus Award while with the San Francisco 49ers.
Willis is regarded by many as one of the best inside linebackers in the NFL.
 Tim Howard
Timothy Matthew "Tim" Howard (born March 6, 1979) is an American soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for English club Everton and the United States national team.
Howard started his career with the North Jersey Imperials before making a move to the MetroStars. His appearances soon attracted the attention of Manchester United, who signed him in 2003. He enjoyed relative success with them as they won the 2003 FA Community Shield, the 2003–04 FA Cup and the 2005–06 League Cup. However, after United signed Edwin van der Sar, Howard went out on loan to Everton to play more first-team football and eventually signed permanently with them in February 2007. On January 4, 2012, Howard scored a goal, his first as a professional, against Bolton Wanderers. This made him the fourth goalkeeper to score a goal in a Premier League match.

Howard first represented the United States national team in 2002 and was an unused substitute for the 2006 World Cup. He later established himself as first-choice and started all of the United States' games at the 2010 World Cup as they reached the Round of 16.
He has a reputation for playing through the pain barrier. In September 2007 he accepted a call-up from the United States for a friendly against Brazil, and after an hour of the game his finger was dislocated in a collision. In March 2013, during an FA Cup game against Oldham Athletic he broke two bones in his back. In both incidents, he continued playing until the final whistle.

 Evangelista Santos
Evangelista Santos (Portuguese pronunciation: [evɐ̃ʒeˈlistɐ ˈsɐ̃tus] born December 12, 1977) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who is a member of the Chute Boxe Academy. He has fought in Strikeforce, Pride Fighting Championship, Cage Rage, International Vale Tudo Championships, Pancrase, Jungle Fight, and World Victory Road.
Posing with his then wife Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos


 Kelly Slater
Robert Kelly Slater (born February 11, 1972, Cocoa Beach, Florida, US) is an American professional surfer known for his competitive prowess and style. He has been crowned ASP World Tour Champion a record 11 times, including 5 consecutive titles from 1994–98. He is the youngest (at age 20) and the oldest (at age 39) to win the title. Upon winning his 5th world title in 1997, Slater passed Australian surfer Mark Richards to become the most successful champion in the history of the sport. In 2007 he also became the all-time leader in career event wins by winning the Boost Mobile Pro event at Lower Trestles near San Clemente, California. The previous record was held by Slater's childhood hero, 3-time world champion Tom Curren.
In addition to the ASP tour, Slater has also competed in the X-Games (in 2003 and 2004). After earlier being awarded the title prematurely as a result of a miscalculation by the Association of Surfing Professionals(ASP), on November 6, 2011 Slater officially won his eleventh ASP world title at the Rip Curl Pro Search San Francisco, by winning his 4th round heat. In May 2005, in the final heat of the Billabong Tahiti Pro contest at Teahupo'o, Slater became the first surfer ever to be awarded two perfect scores for a total 20 out of 20 points under the ASP two-wave scoring system. (The corresponding honor under the previous three-wave system belongs to fellow American Shane Beschen who achieved the feat in 1996.) He did it again on June 2013 at the quarter finals at the Volcom Fiji Pro with two perfect ten waves, only the fourth person in history to do so. Since 1990, Slater has been sponsored primarily by surfwear industry giant Quiksilver. He exclusively rides Channel Islands surfboards equipped with his own signature series of FCS fins.
In 2004, Slater Completed his Masters Degree in Criminal Law at Sydney University, Australia. Slater had initially started the degree in 1998, However, He was forced to study part-time.
Slater has become a fundraiser and spokesperson for suicide prevention awareness. He has surfed in celebrity events for Surfers Against Suicide, telling sports website 'Athletes Talk': "I’ve lost a couple of friends myself to suicide and it’s just a horrible thing that can be prevented. People get in this dark place and they don’t know what to do so it’s always nice to see a non-profit that isn’t turning into anything else other than just trying to help people.
Slater is also an accomplished golfer and guitarist, and in 2006 played live in San Diego, California with Pearl Jam. He also has an interest in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

 Amar'e Stoudemire
Amar'e Carsares Stoudemire (/əˈmɑreɪ ˈstɒdəmaɪər/; born November 16, 1982) is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Stoudemire played high school basketball for six different schools, before graduating from Cypress Creek High School and declaring for the NBA draft as a prep-to-pro player. In high school, Stoudemire won several honors most notably being selected as Mr. Basketball for the state of Florida. He was selected in the first round with the ninth overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft by the Phoenix Suns and would spend eight seasons with them before signing with the New York Knicks. Stoudemire is listed at 6 feet 11 inches (211 cm) and 245 pounds (111 kg).
Although Stoudemire has suffered from chronic knee problems and has undergone microfracture surgery on his knees, he has won the 2003 NBA Rookie of the Year Award, made six appearances in the NBA All-Star Game, was a first-team All-NBA selection in 2007, and won a bronze medal with the United States men's national basketball team at the 2004 Olympic Games.
His off-court ventures include a record label, a clothing line, acting and a series of children's books for Scholastic Press.
Stoudemire's first name had previously been listed in the Phoenix Suns media guide as Amaré or Amare, but it was changed to Amar'e in October 2008. Stoudemire told NBA.com that his name had always been spelled Amar'e, but the media had been spelling it incorrectly since he joined the NBA.

 Camilo Villegas
Camilo Villegas (Spanish pronunciation: [kaˈmilo βiˈʎeɣas]; born 7 January 1982) is a Colombian professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour.
 Jeff Farrell
Felix Jeffrey Farrell (born February 28, 1937) is an American former competition swimmer, Olympic champion, and former world record-holder in multiple relay events.
In 1960, six days after having an appendectomy, Farrell competed at the U.S. Olympic Trials. He competed at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome, where he received a gold medal in 4x100-meter medley relay, and in the 4x200-meter freestyle. He received a gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle at the 1959 Pan American Games in Chicago.
Farrell is a multiple United States Masters Swimming world-record holder, and has held the fastest national times in his age group in dozens of events over past decades. He was photographed for and featured in ESPN's "The Body" issue in 2010.
Farrell was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 1968.
Farrell is still swimming and setting world records for Masters Swimming. See: http://www.usms.org/swimgold/sto/frl37qi.htm
 Evan Lysacek
Evan Frank Lysacek (/ˈɛvən ˈlaɪsətʃɛk/; born June 4, 1985) is an American figure skater. He is the 2010 Olympic champion, the 2009 World champion, a two-time (2005, 2007) Four Continents champion, the 2009 Grand Prix Final champion, and a two-time (2007, 2008) U.S. national champion.
Lysacek was also a member of the U.S. Olympic Team at the 2006 Winter Olympics, where he placed 4th in the men's event.
Lysacek was the United States Olympic Committee's SportsMan of the Year for 2010. He was also honored with the prestigious James E. Sullivan Award as the top U.S. amateur athlete of 2010.
 Steven Holcomb
Steven Holcomb (born April 14, 1980 in Park City, Utah) is an American bobsledder who has competed since 1998. At the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, he won the 4-man bobsled event for the United States, its first gold medal in 4-man bobsled since 1948. At the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, he finished sixth in the four-man event and 14th in the two-man event.
Herschel Walker
Herschel Junior Walker (born March 3, 1962) is an American former college and professional football player and a mixed martial artist. He played college football for the University of Georgia, earned All-American honors three times, and won the 1982 Heisman Trophy. Walker began his professional football career with the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League (USFL), before joining the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). In the NFL, he also played for the Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, and New York Giants. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1997.