I don’t always wear my glasses, but they were a mandatory accessory when I went to Dan Levy’s party at Jonathan+Olivia. When MTV Canada’s The After Show was on air, Jessi Cruickshank stood out as a redhead, while Dan Levy’s distinguishing characteristic was his glasses.
Taking the TTC to Bay and Bloor is a lot cheaper than flying to Manhattan, so I’m glad Jennifer Weiner came to Toronto to dish about journalism, relationships and reality TV.
When I went to New York last spring, I carefully planned the trip around Lauren Graham and Jennifer Weiner’s book signings. Many tourists go to the New York Public Library branch where they filmed Sex and the City, but Jennifer’s panel with Sarah Pekkanen and Elizabeth LaBan was at the Yorkville branch, so I ventured north of FAO Schwarz and sat front row centre.
Once the panel ended, I approached Jennifer’s publicist to request a Toronto stop on her next book tour. Thankfully Indigo and Simon & Schuster made it happen!
In every Behind The Brand interview, I enquire about professional role models. At the moment, I’d say mine is Elaine Lui AKA Lainey. Every profile of her that I read reiterates that she’s a hardworking media personality who successfully juggles several jobs in the entertainment industry.
After meeting Lainey at a taping of The Social, I was excited to see her again at Indigo. Lainey’s new book Listen To The Squawking Chicken: When Mother Knows Best, What’s A Daughter To Do? A Memoir (Sort Of) is a tribute to her mother, who raised her around a Mah Jong table and inspired her to become a professional gossiper.
I don’t have many beauty secrets, but I will let you virtually eavesdrop on conversations with TV personality Jessi Cruickshank at Bioré’s event. Jessi and Dan were to MTV what Regis and Kelly were to ABC, so when I was invited to hear Jessi reveal how she becomes camera ready I was psyched.
The theme and hashtag of the evening was #TheCharcoalSecret because charcoal is a key ingredient in Bioré’s new products. The event was just a few days after her infamous Rob Ford interview in LA and Jessi gracefully transitioned from talking about politics to Hollywood and skincare.
Jessi hosted her own mini ceremony to reveal her craziest interview experiences:
Did you know he has his own mystic tanner? Hopefully they’re not the same person responsible for so many A-list stars with orange skin at the Academy Awards. Regardless, Jessi was overwhelmed by the size of his entourage, which she says includes assistants for his assistants.
To put it mildly, “she was very unpleasant.” Unfortunately for Jessi, Twilight fans were so aghast by their televised interview that they sent death threats and complaint letters to MTV.
Mariah’s publicist insisted on a standing interview so Mariah would look thinner. OK, no big deal. Once on set, Jessi was introduced to Mariah’s personal lighting director and when she arrived, the publicist said, “I’m going to receive Mariah,” speaking about the diva as if she’s royalty. Looking back, Jessi says that now “I feel like we go back to when we were babies with pacifiers.”
Today wasn’t any ordinary #MusicMonday. Today was the first time I woke up early to be one of the first people at Yorkdale. Today I met Carly Rae Jepsen, the woman behind the hit single Call Me Maybe!
I arrived ten minutes before the tea shop opened and was the first fan to receive a wristband. Once I talked to the staff about what to expect when Carly arrived, it was time to shop. It’s interesting to walk around a mall on a weekday morning. There’s no crowds, noise or garbage. I picked up my friend’s birthday gift at the newly renovated Hudson’s Bay, did some window shopping and then went to the food court for lunch. I love ordering salads from Chipotle Mexican Grill, even though they’re a bit too spicy.
After a quick visit to Indigo, I joined the line of about 30 fans. I was surprised that DAVIDsTEA didn’t play any of Carly’s music while we waited. In fact, I deliberately didn’t listen to her music before the event because I expected to hear it on repeat during the meet and greet. Nevertheless, fans seemed to be entertained by Microsoft retail employees dancing and playing Xbox. When was the last time you saw employees have a mini dance party during store hours?
I think this was the most laidback celebrity autograph signing I’ve ever attended. Nobody made a big deal when Carly entered the store, except for a few moms who told their daughters to go up to the store window for a closer look. No applause, no ruckus, just smiles all around.
