dwayne johnson

Michael B Jordan & Tracee Ellis Ross Bring Sexy Back for Career Sake as a Signature in Showbiz

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The Grammys are coming! Yet, as Awards season rolls-on there’s another casualty due to Covid-19. The Red Carpet before the live show has been quarantined. So far, that’s the case for the People’s Choice and American Music Awards; no cat walks, celeb interviews or fashion slip-ups to set social media abuzz.

With the holidays also a good time for family and friends to gather, this year it feels like 2020 can’t end fast enough. So for some, they’re happy to feast their eyes on Michael B Jordan being named as People Magazine’s sexiest man alive, or to celebrate Tracee Ellis Ross as People’s Choice Fashion Icon.

As if on cue, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson joked that he’s not ready to concede the ‘sexiest man’ title. It’s something he won a few years ago. But People magazine editors say going into each year’s final selection they give thought to what the world wants and needs at that point and who’s bringing sexy back.

Jordan and Ross add style, looks and mojo to showbiz like the king and queen they are. Their pre-Hollywood careers helped set them up for making waves today. At first, Ross worked in the fashion magazine industry and credits her mom, Diana Ross a fashion icon herself, in forging her dreams.

But maybe it’s also the way they engage the consciousness of fans that adds to their mainstream appeal. Whether it’s with the diversity rider in hiring talent at his production company, or supporting #MeToo initiatives in her off-screen roles, they inspire us to strive and arrive with:  

  • Clout

Ross has her own, even though she could have gotten some from mom. It’s a matter of how she builds-up reputation which takes time to turn into clout. In the early part of your career, reputation follows you. But in later years when reputation goes before you, that means it’s been built up with its own track record.        

  • Chops

Jordan and Ross have developed their acting chops for primetime in a way that attracts large audiences. It’s in how they bring to life a character and bring character to life. That’s also been true for their career success. It’s about bringing to work a skillset and bringing a skillset to their life’s work.        

  • Calling

Clearly, the acting and biz side of things aren’t all that they’re about. They are often very vocal when it comes to social justice issues. Calling for them is seen not as a call to self-service but to higher service. While for some Calling might have a religious feel, it’s really about connecting with humanitarian zeal.   

  • Culture

Some might drool, swoon or even lust for their presence, but their impact is in what they do for the culture. They seem to cause a wake-up, level-up, serve-up, rise-up effect on people. Some celebs might impact us in one or two of these areas. But they don’t let things go to their heads as they keep it real.     

It’s hard to imagine that the Red Carpet will be back for the Grammys. Plus, word is that the holidays are going to be much different this year with Covid-19 taking its toll on gatherings. But if we can hold on a bit longer while using time wisely, we can come out on the other side shining a little brighter.        

Tip: The ladder of success has rungs that take you from skillset to your best yet.

Talkback: For the Grammy nominations, who got snubbed and whose fans feel a little rubbed?

Tracks: Common – The Light – https://youtu.be/OjHX7jf-znA

Brand Nubian – Don’t Let it Go to Your Head – https://youtu.be/500F9W1qku8

Serena Williams & Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Working on Getting Back in Stride to Make that Move and Secure the Bag

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The back to school season is really upon us now as pretty much most students across the country open their Zoom window. With Covid-19 still an issue, school districts are working on getting students back in stride for the upcoming year. Some started off with in-person classes while others do remote learning.

The Labor Day holiday is seen as the unofficial end of the summer and the first ramping-up of normal life. Kids return to school and parents wrap-up on vacation time. As to how normal things will be in the first few weeks is still a question. Whether at work or play, some feel being in lockdown mode is getting old.

In sports and showbiz, there’s some glimmer of hope in trying to get back on the regular. There’re events happening in a bubble, or at least without fans. Serena Williams is back on the tennis court at the US Open in NY while ‘The Rock’ surprised NY-area first responders with special props (or rather ‘kicks’).

Johnson recently announced a special giveaway of his sneaker-line to members of a local firehouse for all the work they’re doing on the frontlines. During this week of 9/11, he especially wanted to shoutout those who were impacted by tragedy as many reflect on what it means to serve your community/country.

Williams and Johnson are working with different motivations. For Johnson he’s bouncing back from being Covid-19 positive. For Williams, it’s her ongoing quest to hit that 24-mark in grand slam wins. No matter where we live, whether we’re trying to make that move or secure the bag, we can get motivation by being:               

  • New York Tough

As the song reminds us, “if you can make it here (in NY), you can make it anywhere.” Many (including the Governor) might say that’s a dream confession of a ‘NY Tough’ state of mind. There’s a certain kind of ‘grit & grind’ that makes NY a place people love to live and others want to visit as a global attraction.

  • New Jersey Strong

When Superstorm Sandy hit the East Coast, there was loss of life as in 9/11 but there was also more widespread damage/loss in property. The strength that people showed in bouncing back became known as ‘Jersey Strong.’ No matter where things are career-wise or in life we can up our game with resilience.         

  • California Dreaming

There was a time when heading west meant reaching new lands. Plus, there was a period of ‘California Dreaming’ as seen in the Gold Rush. Well, after Labor Day might be a good time to think about reaching new heights. But to make that move and secure the bag these days is a different kind of ‘gold rush’ and life dreams.  

  • Colorado High

The CBD business has taken off across the country. One of the first places it started was in Colorado where recreational use was legalized. The State isn’t only known for the ‘mile high’ city of Denver. It also represents a kind of ‘Colorado High’ on figuring out new streams of opportunity for success.     

This week, NY Governor Cuomo gave a blistering readout on hometown rebound due to Covid-19. He thinks the Federal government has a silly vendetta against NY. Well, for the economic situation to get back in stride where folks get to secure the bag, it will take leadership that’s more than just a ‘sugar high.’      

Tip: To get back in stride and secure the bag takes adding ‘NY Tough’ to ‘California Dreaming’ from coast to coast.

Talkback: What other State slogan gets you going?

Tracks: Maze ft Frankie Beverly – Back in Stride Again – https://youtu.be/waSM0rXDLys

Harry Styles – Watermelon Sugar – https://youtu.be/E07s5ZYygMg

Lilly Singh Gets a New Show, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Gets a New Season as They Go Bigger and Shine Brighter for Work & Play Projects

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There’s lots of sports & showbiz milestones being celebrated these days. The NFL is in its 100th season and Monday Night Football celebrates 50. Then there’re those celebrities hitting their marks of career longevity and breakout opportunity. That’s where Lilly Singh and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson fit in.

Singh just launched her talk show on a major TV network. She’s best known as a Youtuber whose Indian heritage makes her the only ‘person of color’ host in the late-night space. Johnson just announced that his show The Titans was renewed for a second season. They’re on the map with years apart in experience.

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Things have been quite busy for Johnson with his recent nuptials. Of note, he and his longtime girlfriend were on their honeymoon when he left early to be a fill-in guest on the debut of Kelly Clarkson’s new show. Johnson says his lady loves Kelly and so he had permission to leave early to help-out a situation.

Singh who’s probably not yet a household name, gives props to Johnson and to Trevor Noah. Both have offered their support as she comes into her own game in the new Hollywood space. In a sense, they’ve been using ‘house money’ budgets from Broadcast/Cable Networks for their work & play projects.

They’re in their own lanes working to improve on personal/professional gains. There’s prob a lot for Singh to learn in Hollywood where Johnson can be helpful. And there’ll likely come a time when he’s a guest on her show. Johnson’s got so many projects on his plate, so his career advice might be how he manages:

  1. Focus

A circus juggler manages multiple balls going in circles in the air. They say the trick is as you focus on one ball at a time, it’s to focus on being centered. When you’re centered you maintain good posture, timing and purpose. Centering is what makes juggling acts work and multi-project acts in business soar.

  1. Fuel

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Johnson points to a rigorous fitness regimen to keep him centered and fueled. With all that he’s doing from sun-up to sundown, he’s got to manage his energy, passion and nutrition to fuel his drive. He knows that as with cars, there’re different grades of fuel needed to drive our dreams on the road to success.

  1. Franchise

A franchise is usually seen as a brick & mortar store that has hundreds of locations. But Singh will experience a different kind of franchise in showbiz. It’s where she’ll have to master a ‘production formula’ that keeps new episodes coming and new viewers watching, eventually into the hundreds of thousands.

  1. Fame

There’s fresh excitement as Singh starts a new show. Her core supporters will watch because they ‘knew her before.’ Others will come on-board as word spreads and they get to know her. There may be some slip-ups or mess-ups along the way but a good role model for her is how Johnson has managed fame.

While Singh’s a new name, Johnson’s one of the biggest in the game. He’s got five People’s Choice Award nods this year. His summer blockbuster ‘Hobbs & Shaw’ was a spinoff to the Fast & Furious series. They get to go bigger, shine brighter and let their dreams fly like a bird in every direction.

Tip: The key with ‘moving & shaking’ in biz is to go bigger, fly higher and letting your dreams fly in every direction.

Talkback: What’s it gonna take for Singh to rollout with a bang on the first season of her new show?

Tracks: Beyoncé – Bigger – https://youtu.be/k6A9vtrJF5I

Imagine Dragons – Birds – https://youtu.be/vOXZkm9p_zY

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and Lin-Manuel Miranda Take Their Bankable and Likable Personalities to a New Level in Showbiz

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So who’s already in the holiday spirit? Ok step right here! And who’s not quite yet in the mood? Ok step over here! If that were a test for getting picked for a lucky prize, then some folks would be in the running and others would not. But what if the question was more about getting a promotion or a breakout role?

Maybe Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and Lin-Manuel Miranda can relate as they turn-up their game. Johnson is in high demand on the Hollywood big screen. While Miranda still draws a crowd to the Broadway stage. They’re taking their bankable and likable personalities to a new level in showbiz.

Their most recent efforts have them looking forward to how fans react to their work. Miranda points out a certain scene in his upcoming project that he describes as the “hardest 10 seconds of my life” because of its multi-tasking aspect. Johnson sees his new project as one that oozes with passion.

The journey to being respected in their field might remind us of what it takes to ‘woo at work’ and star in the game. For Johnson it’s about making sure fans don’t leave the venue unhappy from any of his performances. That might be true in the workplace for not leaving the boss or yourself unhappy either.

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In taking skills and talents at work to the next level there might be some multi-tasking as well. But even for Johnson and Miranda there are a few other things that go along with those good looks and bright smiles. Their specialness seems to have a certain completeness that helps propel their greatness by how they:

  1. Know the drill

One thing common to both as actors is having to know their lines. Oftentimes the role comes to life as they deliver the punchline or ramp-up the action. For success on the big screen or work stage we also have to know the drill for getting stuff done. Things takeoff as we ramp-up our performance.

  1. Shift the grind

Johnson has had to reinvent himself a few times. After a brief try at pro football, he made his name in pro wrestling before becoming an actor. We’ve watched him shift the grind the way an 18-wheeler might shift the gears. Some grit came with each shift and we saw that show-up in his many action roles.

  1. Bring the thrill

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Miranda has a knack with words. Johnson has a knack with force. The thrill the audience feels keeps them wanting more. Whatever it is that’s your knack is the punch you gotta pack. The thrill we feel is the chills they send from delivering their role with great entertainment value.

  1. Feel the fun

Imagine what happens behind the scenes of these productions. There’re lots of technical parts that go into making it happen. As they’re having fun doing it, we’re having fun experiencing it. That’s where the passion for what they do comes through. We get to feel the fun from start to finish.

Not everybody gets to win the big prize or meet their favorite celeb. But if so, Johnson and Miranda might share a tip on being a plus-factor at work or a breakout role. It’s taking care of the basics and sometimes knowing the right tricks. And on the other side of the game, get your hustle-love on and give them chills.

Tip: The key to being able to ‘woo at work’ or star in the game is taking care of the basics, getting your hustle-love on and giving them chills.

Talkback: What’s your favorite ‘Rock’ movie or memorable ‘Miranda’ moment?

Tracks: Erykah Badu – Other Side of The Game – https://youtu.be/3qpyDUfMq-8

Charlie Wilson – Chills – https://youtu.be/eGsXkZW6s9Q

F. Gary Gray and Jordan Peele Have folks Coming out to the Box Office in Droves #BigTimeUniversity

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#BigTimeUniversity – “Small Talk, Street Dreams, Next Level”

This production of “Wise-up Weekly” Blogcast by Douette ‘Doc’ Cunningham is a presentation in “social media entertainment from the groove-track of life!” #WUWECAST

LOL Tube – Got Funny? (Or Just Fun!)

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Theme:– “The Year of ‘Hotstepping’ – Get Jiggy, Get Woke!”
A Cool Way for Flexing Style, Game & Soul in How We Roll (Old-School Flava)

There are some events that seem to bring out celebs from everywhere. These days it’s probably Coachella and the NBA playoffs. At Coachella, Rihanna and Cam Newton showed-up making fashion statements. But it’s Jordan Peele and F Gary Gray who have folks coming out in droves at the box office.

Gray is Director of the Fate of the Furious, the eighth release in the franchise. In his own words as an emerging Hollywood player he once said “I’d like to direct epic feature films that I won’t have to apologize for years down the line.” He knows secrets for delivering innovation, spotting trends and reaching people.

Peele who recently had breakout success with the movie Get Out might say one secret is having an eye for seeing what others might not readily see. That goes beyond eyesight to include foresight. They’ve honed this by bridging their current reality. It’s taken them to the point of having their vision come to life.

Some of this quality was on display this week from Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg who’s excited about the next tech frontier of what’s being called ‘augmented reality.’ These guys show us how trends + innovation means seeing what people want before they need it or need before they want and gotta have it.

When it comes to their appeal, a key ingredient has been how their work reaches a diverse audience. It’s keeping things simple, plain and with a common touch. It’s not trying to hypnotize or fool the world. But getting people to see themselves in moments of joy, pain and sunshine with no more rain in their clouds.

Groove-Track: Angie Stone – Sunshine – https://youtu.be/V9Zgp1WzwLk

Theme:– “The Year of ‘Hotstepping’ – Get Jiggy, Get Woke!”
A Cool Way for Flexing Style, Game & Soul in How We Roll (New-School Flava)

Some events seem to be. A time and place to spree. With lots of celebs in the spot. Helping to make things hot. Like Coachella, NBA playoffs and more. Rihanna and Cam raised the fashion score. Jordan Peele and F Gary Gray doing their thing. Folks at the box office make it go ka-ching.

Gray as Director on the set. Fate of the Furious ain’t peaked yet? Eighth franchise release now. Where fans watch and go wow. As emerging Hollywood player Gray said. Hoping to land epic movies and feature spread. Years down the line he’d have it made. Innovation, trends, reaching people, getting paid.

Peele made history breaking the bank. With Get Out a reason to thank. Secret in having the eye for gold. Doing more than fitting the mold. Goes beyond simple good eyesight. But also attaching foresight. Honed by bridging current reality station. To do more to affect a nation. Where things come to life from vision.

Some of this on display. From what Mark Zuckerberg had to say. Excited about tech’s new frontier. Being called augmented reality to be clear. When trends + innovation means seeing what people want. Before the need or have it to flaunt. What they need before it’s a hit. Or they get the feeling of ‘gotta have it.’

When it comes to their appeal. They’ve been able to land the deal. Working to reach diverse audience streams. And tapping into real life dreams. By keeping things simple and plain. A common touch all the sane. Not to hypnotize or fool others along the way. But for peeps to see themselves rising another day.

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Tip: When it come to mass appeal, the common touch gets people to see themselves rising another day.

Talkback: What’s the ‘it-factor’ that has made the Fast Franchise such a hit?

Groove-Tracks: Jennifer Hudson – Walk it Out – https://youtu.be/mykXoDnFKlU

Common Kings – Everybody Wants to Fool The World – https://youtu.be/hOXoyx4qVZ0

This production of “Wise-up Weekly” Blogcast by Douette ‘Doc’ Cunningham is a presentation in “social media entertainment from the groove-track of life!” #WUWECAST