In My Words: Helen Hunt’s Most Memorable Roles

October 1, 2012 at 9:30 am , by Sonia Harmon

If you enjoyed our In My Words interview with Helen Hunt from the November 2012 issue, you’ll love these soundbites of her talking about some of her most memorable roles. This month she stars in The Sessions, which hits theaters on October 19th. Which of her roles is your favorite? Tell us in the comments!

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The Reader Interview: Reba McEntire

October 1, 2012 at 9:00 am , by Sonia Harmon

Every month an LHJ reader will get the chance to interview one of their favorite celebrities. This month, Michelle Broussard of Missouri City, Texas quizzes McEntire about her new show (Malibu Country), what it means to be a southern belle, and more.

I can’t wait for Malibu Country. What’s your character like?
I play an ex-country singer, whose husband, a very famous country singer, cheats on her. She gets a divorce and moves to Nashville from Malibu to restart her career so she can support her kids.

What makes you a true southern belle?
Southern principles, morals and a good sense of humor. Respecting my elders. I don’t take some things as seriously as other folks.

Do you have any hidden talents?
Not that I know of! I’ve recently taken fly fishing lessons so I think I’m hooked on that.

I’m a redhead too, and my skin is sensitive to the sun. How do you keep your complexion so flawless?
I try to stay out of the sun as much as I can, cleanse my face daily and moisturize a lot! I always look for new products that will erase brown spots and get rid of wrinkles.

When can we expect a new album from you?
I started recording in the studio over the summer so new music will be out soon. Some of the music I’m recording will be for the TV show too.

What’s one food you could live off of for the rest of your life?
Red beans and cornbread—I love that. But one food? Beef stew!

What advice would you give to your 15-year-old self?
Enjoy life. Love yourself. Have fun. Don’t get so nervous. Practice more. Take better care of your body—exercise more and quit picking up 50-pound sacks of cattle feed!

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Carrie Ann Inaba’s Dancing With the Stars, All-Stars Blog: Week One

September 25, 2012 at 5:13 pm , by Ladies' Lounge

We’re excited to welcome our new blogger, Dancing with the Stars judge Carrie Ann Inaba to the Ladies’ Lounge! She’ll be here every Tuesday giving you her take on the performance show and sharing behind-the-scenes scoop from the set. Check out her first blog below, and tell us what you thought of the season opener in the comments!

Well, we’re officially in season 15, the all-star season and it’s as exciting as I knew it would be. The couples have all danced their first dance and some shone brighter than others but it was like a wonderful reunion of a happy (and maybe slightly dysfunctional) family! Love was in the air, but so were nerves—we even had a live TV moment when the audio cut me off mid comment during my first comment of the night to Joey and Kym. (Luckily, I ran into them backstage so I could fill them in on what I didn’t get to say on air and give them their constructive criticism.) I have to admit that I haven’t had that much fun on a premiere night in ages. You see, what you don’t know is that we judges get nervous too.

Everyone else on our show knows what they’re going to do when they get out there. The dancers and stars know their routines, Tom and Brooke have gone over their prompter reads and walked through their staging, the band has practiced every note of every song under the direction of Harold Wheeler, and the camera operators know their choreography too. But Len, Bruno and I have no script and we have no preparation. We only have our experience, our knowledge and our wit and honesty to draw from, so being a judge is a very intense experience.

Many people ask about the judging process so I thought I’d explain it a little more. We have about 7-10 seconds from when the dancers finish their routines and walk over to Tom for us to formulate our comments and turn in our scores. It can be a bit daunting. There is incredible pressure to be sure we make our point and for me, to do it with compassion and honesty for the performers. I like to look at myself as a mentor and give them with some positive feedback as well as constructive criticism to help them grow. And after 15 seasons our audience knows their dancing and they don’t miss a thing! As much as it may hurt or disappoint the star to hear what may feel like negative feedback, it’s only given to help them improve, which you can’t do if you don’t know what’s going wrong. Read more

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Special Guest Blog: Teachers Rock!

September 21, 2012 at 3:29 pm , by Ladies' Lounge

In one week, on September 28th, Won’t Back Down starring Viola Davis and Maggie Gyllenhaal hits theaters nationwide. We hosted a special screening of the film, which is about two moms who are fighting for their children to get a better education at their school, and one lucky blogger at the screening won a trip to Los Angeles to cover the Teachers Rock concert in support of the film. Here, blogger Diane Sullivan shares her experience.

The month of September has always held a special place in my heart. As a former classroom teacher of twenty years it is a month that signifies a fresh start, a new chance. It’s always been a time where I find myself setting new goals and looking back at the year that has passed by. This year has had its ups and downs but one of the highlights started when I was invited by The Moms to the NYC screening of Won’t Back Down and talk back session with producer Mark Johnson and actresses Viola Davis, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Rosie Perez. Office Depot was also on hand with a very powerful Wall of Empowerment where everyone was invited to write a message on a post-it to add to the wall. I knew mine right away. It’s something I’ve said to many students year after year: “Be yourself! There is only ONE you!” At that point I didn’t realize where the night would take me. Read more

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The Reader Interview: Carrie Ann Inaba

August 30, 2012 at 9:30 am , by Sonia Harmon

Every month an LHJ reader will get the chance to interview one of their favorite celebrities. This month, Linda Jacob of Prince George, Virginia quizzes Dancing with the Stars judge Carrie Ann Inaba about grading the dancers, her BFF Bruno, and more.

Has the audience reaction ever made you change your opinion of a performance?

There are so many elements that go into a score, and the audience’s response is a big one. After all, a performance is for the audience, so if the audience doesn’t like it, I can’t give it a great score. The other elements that go into my scoring include technique, musicality, their chemistry and the way it all looks.

Who would be your dream partner if you were competing on DWTS?

My dream partner would, of course, be none other than Len Goodman himself. He’s the king of ballroom, and I would settle for nothing less than the best, and that would be Mr. Len Goodman.

Most people don’t know you started off as a singer. What is your singing style like?

I have a voice that’s like Sinéad O’Connor and Karen Carpenter mixed together. And when I write music my style is country/folk, kind of like Tracy Chapman. I like simple ballads and songs that tell stories because I was raised in Hawaii, and in Hawaii all the songs are like folk tales and tell stories. I’m actually getting back into writing again, so it’s nice. I play the piano and the ukulele and I’m learning how to play the guitar.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? Read more

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In My Words: Susan Sarandon (Part Two!)

August 30, 2012 at 9:00 am , by Sonia Harmon

If you enjoyed our In My Words interview with Susan Sarandon from the October 2012 issue, you’ll love these Sarandon soundbites where she talks about her most memorable movies. Which of her films is your favorite? Tell us in the comments!

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The Reader Interview: Ricki Lake

August 2, 2012 at 9:30 am , by Sonia Harmon

Every month an LHJ reader will get the chance to interview one of their favorite celebrities. This month, Karen McCrea of Atlanta quizzes Ricki Lake about her new talk show (The Ricki Lake Show) how she maintains her weight loss, and more.

How will your new talk show be different from your old one?

My new show is entirely different because I’m a more evolved Ricki now. I’ve been through so much—marriage, kids, divorce, balancing work and family—but I still have quite a bit to learn. I want to get into the audience and, with them, learn from the experts and guests who all have invaluable perspectives on topics like personal relationships and raising children.

How do you maintain your weight loss?

I’ve tried it all. I have done all of the diets and all of the exercise programs. They all work, basically. The key is being realistic about your body type and goals and sticking to a way of eating and working out that fits into your schedule. I’m conscious of what I eat but I don’t deprive myself of treats. And, whenever possible, I choose to be more active than less active, whether that means taking a walk after dinner or taking a nighttime swim rather than sitting on the couch and watching a movie. Read more

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