The Red Carpet

All the cameras come out for a Public Affair . . .
Don't front, I'm not the only one who has that Jessica Simpson song on the ipod(my crush from last summer, Johnta Austin wrote it;). And it's exactly how I felt when I was asked to be a stand in on the red carpet for the 10thVH1's Save the Music with Jay-Z, L.A. Reid and Mariah Carey among the heavy hitters expected on Thursday. So in my all black I scurry over to the tent at Lincoln Center Thursday and miss the first half of the red carpet.

It looks so glamorous from a far. Up close it's straight CHAOS. I get my badge and have to fight my way through camera crews and Access Hollywood personalities to get just a little spot.

First person I spot is AJ who I also saw at The View with Sherri. In my fav summer sandals (a Carlos Santana STEAL from Victoria Secret.com I got thanks to Miss Tia) I am rethinking this whole thing with my notepad, tape recorder and digital camera. next to five man crews for the smallest of NY networks.
Quincy Jones and John Mayer (love the Gap ads with him and Lucy Lui and the unstoppable Regina King) walk the carpet and it's a great experience to see how the segments we see on tv and red carpet pics we see on tabloids happen. And one, honestly, I don't care to have again anytime soon:). I started chatting with Bill, a middle-aged white guy, who does shoot audio for Entertainment Tonight and realized this was his life day in and out. he had also been at The View we learned. I was a little bummed when he said Jay-Z would probably not be doing the red carpet.

The highlight was definitely being able to hear the kids play inside the event and seeing the fierce Lola (formerly of NYTimes, now at CNN) work the carpet. When she got to Quincy Jones before everyone else as a print reporter, AJ was not a happy camper and let the folks handling the press coverage know and got things moving. But what made me the most excited is seeing such a seasoned journalist still using the good ole pen and pad. But seeing her and Quincy and John wasn't enough to make me want to stay. I tried to hold out for Mariah, but her "there in 15 minutes" soon turned to 45 and I had a life to live and the carpet wasnt it.

So I slipped from the madness and headed down the street. Walking down the block, I finally got the courage to call Randon and tell him how sorry I was to hear about his mom (thanks for the kick in the butt Jameil). He was doing just fine and had a maturity that sounded good on him. (Didn't hurt that he and Nick stroked my ego a little saying I was their most successful friend so far;) I definitely needed that because sometimes I wonder . . .

And Lincoln Center was gorgeous at night(this pic doesnt do it justice.) I hit the Barnes and Noble before heading home to see if they had this birthday book I want. You know I ended up with some magazines (I started my freelance class so its technically "research") and had to get this one called Audrey that's like Essence for Asian-American women with my latest girl crush Sharon Leal on the cover! Love her (and so over Kerry Washington and about to be over Thandie). She's half-Filipino. Was GREAT in Dreamgirls and is making her way to the black movie scene in Tyler Perry's "Why Did I get married?" which KB said was pretty good and "The Christmas Song" which Im excited to check out.

Well, That was my first red carpet. The broadcasters definitely can have it, and already have my respect.

CJ