Wyllisa Bennett

Rantings From The Red Carpet

ANNOUNCEMENT: My Byline Is Back!

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I’m so excited that I’ve been tapped as the new entertainment columnist for the California Crusader News.

By Wyllisa R. Bennett

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always had the gift of gab. Growing up in Burlington, North Carolina, family members always accused me of talking too loud or talking too much. “Tone it down,” they would always say, in an effort to curtail my unladylike ways. Because not only do I talk loud, but I laugh even louder. And for many years, I tried to edit my behavior in an effort to be the perfect, well-mannered, cultured Southern lady.

But then one day, I had an AHA moment: I. Can’t. Tone. It. Down. I’ve tried. Lord, knows, I’ve tried, but I just can’t do it. I have a really big personality, a booming voice, and I have a lot to say … every day! The older I get, the more I realize that it just can’t contained it. Either people will “get me” or they won’t.

I have to admit, I have a split personality. As a Southerner, I still respect the culture and adhere to some of the social graces I was raised on; but now that I’m a California girl, I’ve also integrated other habits from my adoptive homeland. I speak less with a Southern accent than I use to; lean a little more to the left than ever before; and I spend less time in church, and more time at the beach.

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I’M ROOTING FOR EVERYBODY BLACK!

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Photo courtesy of BlackFilm.com via Facebook.

Celebrities say the darndest things.

I love it when celebrities are candid, and say things off the cuff. I wondered who would be so bold as to say what everyone in Black America was thinking while watching the Emmys.

Well, that award goes to actress Issa Rae, the star of HBO’s critically-acclaimed tv show “Insecure.”  She echoed the sentiments of probably every Black person who stayed up to watch the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday night. When asked her favorite picks on the red carpet of Emmy night, she candidly remarked,  “I’m rooting for everybody Black!” I just cracked up when I heard that. Didn’t you?! I mean, I think the same thing when I’m watching “Family Feud.”

Let me be clear:  Just because I’m pro-Black, it doesn’t mean that I don’t want other folks to win. I’m glad actress Elizabeth Moss finally took home an Emmy for her role in Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale.” I think she should have won one for the role of Peggy Olson on “Mad Men,” but I was excited that she nabbed the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series … IF of course, Viola Davis didn’t win. Moss was my second choice. I love her work, along with other nominated actors like Nicole Kidman, Robin Wright, Felicity Huffman, Jessica Lange, Susan Sarandon, and Ellie Kemper as well as Liev Scheiber, Kevin Spacey, Milo Ventimiglia, Jeffrey Tambor, and Robert De Niro – just to name a few.

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REST IN POWER! DICK GREGORY

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R.I.P.
1932-2017

#StayWoke

In a full circle moment, I had a chance to meet the legendary comedian and social activist Dick Gregory not once, but twice in my lifetime.

He was a pioneering comic of the 1960s who used his racially-charged comedy to bring attention to racism and social justice. Before there was Kevin Hart, Chris Rock, and Eddie Murphy, there was Dick Gregory. He kicked the door open as one of the first crossover comedians, and was the first Black comic to sit on the couch of the “Tonight Show” with Jack Parr. He also became an outspoken activist for the Civil Rights Movement, and used his brand of comedy for social and political activism. He marched. He protested. He staged hunger strikes. Gregory was a comedic lightening rod! In 2015, he was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

A warrior to the very end, award-winning director Ava DuVernay shared one of his final posts, encouraging all of us to #StayWoke.

 

UPDATE:

TV One live streamed the memorial services of Dick Gregory. View it here.

https://tvone.tv/dick-gregory-funeral-coverage/

#THROWBACKTHURSDAY Remembering Comedian Dick Gregory!

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Long time, no see. Sorry for the long hiatus, but my day job got in the way.

I thought this would be perfect time to “re-launch” my blog with a #ThrowbackThursday tribute to comedian and civil rights activist Dick Gregory, who passed away on August 19, 2017 at the age of 84 in Washington, DC. A memorial service, celebrating his life and legacy will be held on Saturday, September 16, 2017 at the City of Praise Ministries in Landover, Md. It’s only fitting that I pick up from where it all began. See, what you don’t know is … I started my career as a writer/journalist with my very first celebrity interview with the legendary Gregory!

If you’re not familiar with Gregory, he was a pioneering comic from the 1960s who used his racially-charged comedy to bring attention to racism and social justice. Before there was Kevin Hart, Chris Rock, and Eddie Murphy, there was Dick Gregory. Called the “Jackie Robinson of Comedy,” he kicked open doors as one of the first crossover comedians, and the first Black comic to sit on the couch of the “Tonight Show” with Jack Parr. He also became an outspoken voice for the Civil Rights Movement, and used his brand of comedy for social and political activism. He marched. He protested. He staged hunger strikes. Gregory was a comedic lightening rod! In 2015, he was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. A warrior to the very end, in one of his final posts, he encouraged all of us to #StayWoke.

#ThrowbackThursday Me and comic/activist Dick Gregory in 2015 at Hope Flood’s 4th Annual Comics Rock! Convention in LA.

Meeting Dick Gregory, Twice in a Lifetime!

I was an English major, a senior at North Carolina Central University (NCCU), and the editor of the college newspaper, The Campus Echo. I was on deadline for a story, but I didn’t have one. I guess I was suffering from writer’s block or something. Anyway, it so happened that staff members of the school’s newspaper was heading to New York City to cover the sights and sounds of the 16th annual Whitney M. Young Jr. Memorial Football Classic, featuring NCCU vs. Grambling State. The game was held in Yankee Stadium on September 20, 1986 in front of thousands of fans. I promised our advisor, Professor Kip Branch — a mentor, even to this day — that I would find “something” to write about in New York City. Imagine his surprise when I came back to school with an interview from DICK GREGORY!! Although our team lost the football game, I scored an interview of a lifetime!

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IT’S OFFICIAL! I’M A MEMBER OF #BLACKTWITTER

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black twitter soul logo

Artwork by John Ira Jennings on Twitter @JIJennings

There I was, minding my own business on Twitter, and watching the first GOP debate on FOX News, offering live commentary via my tweets on everything from Donald Trump’s views on immigration and “stupid leaders;” to trying to understand why Dr. Ben Carson is running for president, and not in an operating room; and wondering how many bundles of weave was in moderator Megyn Kelly’s hair. (Because I’m so obsessed with hair, I was really mesmerized by her long, shiny blond hair all night long.)

But, I digress! I was part of the seven million folks engaging socially on Twitter with tweets about “The Donald Trump Show” – I mean, the GOP debate, featuring a bunch of guys who dressed and talked like men on an episode of AMC’s “Mad Men.”

And lo’ and behold, what a treat it was to be feature in a story by “Tea and Breakfast,” as part of its coverage on Black Twitter. I’m so honored to be inducted into this fabulous fraternity of African American social media influencers. Check out the story below.

http://www.teabreakfast.com/black-twitter-best-gop-debate-moderator/2/

My lovely colleague, celebrity publicist Dominic Friesen was so kind to share the news with his followers.

In other news, my hair story, “If You Ask Me, I’ll Let You Touch It,” got picked up on a couple of websites, like CurlyNuGrowth.com (Arts & Entertainment section) and the Hair Lovers Digest. I really appreciate the love! 

Don’t worry! I’m going to keep on ranting from the red carpet! After all, this wittiness can’t be wasted! 🙂

 

LADIES NIGHT!

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chenoa maxwell kicking her heelsBringing Love to the City!

I love this picture of Chenoa Maxwell, just kicking up her heels on a Saturday night! I don’t know who’s car she’s on, but the guy can’t be too mad at her, right?

I love it when I can mix business with pleasure. And that was certainly the case when the cast members of OWN’s “Love in the City” brought their East Coast vibe to Philippe Chow in Beverly Hills on Saturday, May 17, 2014 for a viewing party.

My client, two-time Emmy-winning celebrity hairstylist Kiyah Wright, along with  her BFFs — that is, actress-turned-photographer Chenoa Maxwell and breast cancer survivor Bershan Shaw mixed and mingled with fans, while watching the latest episode of their docu drama on Oprah’s network. These girls have been friends for more than 10 years! Imagine … doing a reality show with your best friends! Unfortunately,  bestie Tiffany Jones couldn’t make the road trip out West this time around, and missed all the fun. The event was hosted by Eyelash Guru Ja’Maal Buster. I’m so glad the producers of ReelUrbanNews.com were there to capture  all the fun. Plus, you can see me in action at work and play!


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WHAT’S IN A NAME?

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A Flack. A Spin Doctor. A Prostitute. A Pimp.

A flack, a spin doctor, a press agent. Of course, all these terms are synonymous with the profession of public relations – that is, a publicist. A publicist is a person who shapes and molds the brand and image of a person, place or thing. A good publicist is also a salesperson and a master of persuasion.  I recently told someone: “If a publicist can’t sell ice water to an Eskimo, then he or she is in the wrong profession!”

black girl illustration hot pink

Wyllisa’s logo

I often proclaim myself as a “publicist du jour,” which in French, translates to mean publicist of the day.  It just sounds better in French, doesn’t it? Well, I’m going to let you in on a little secret: The moniker is also a nod to a very famous and classic 1967 French movie, “Belle de Jour,” starring the award-winning French actress Catherine Deneuve. The film is about a housewife who spends her afternoons as a prostitute while her husband goes to work.

I have to admit, sometimes, I feel like I’m in the business of prostitution on my day job, hence the clever, little nickname. And I’ve told my clients on many occasions that I’m their publicity pimp, who will put them on a corner for the sake of any and all publicity. I love a good headline. What can I say? I can’t help it! Thank God, my line of work is legal! My mantra: All publicity is good publicity!

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Thank you for reading my rantings from the red carpet! xo

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