PINCKNEY ENTERTAINMENT

Langston Hughes wrote “What happens to a dream deferred?  Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?” 

Susan Pinckney can answer that question from personal experience.  Susan enjoys being known as “The Bright Side Host.” She is opinionated, optimistic, outgoing and witty while incorporating her deeply personal experiences, Southern values and her lemonade out of lemons philosophy.  Others may see hard economic times; she sees opportunities for families to spend time together, get back to the basics and embrace resourcefulness. Susan believes that people are innately good and she believes in redemption. Firmly believing that words are spirit, Susan focuses on the positive in every situation. Although she was once perceived as incredibly shy, she has always loved entertaining and was encouraged to do so by her resilient single mother and her precocious sister. Her mother, even understanding the harsh realities of life, was brave enough to support her girls in athletics, arts and entertainment, but smart enough to persuade them to be logical and have traditional marketable skills.  Early on in life, Susan was a gymnast and a cheerleader.  She loved those activities, but the real thrill was in the performance and connecting with the audience as evidenced in the many productions she hosted and invited the neighborhood kids to attend (for a fee) including closed door garage viewings of old black and white movies from a film projector in 100 degree temperatures as well as live performances of the musical “Fame.”  No detail was left to chance down to the popcorn and soda she served. Susan had the opportunity to work with an international clothing designer doing commercial and promotional modeling while in high school.  She even recruited some of her fellow cheerleaders to give up a few weekends to wear high end evening gowns and do promotional modeling work, hair shows and mall fashion shows.

In college, Susan filled the performance void by participating in a “work-study” as an intramural sports supervisor hosting sponsored on-campus tournaments and awards presentations as well as volunteering on the campus radio station reporting both news and sports to the local community. This was also when she developed her ability to sell retail clothing and jewelry.  Susan worked for Sterling Incorporated for over five years where she was consistently the number one or number two part-time sales representative in the district.  Over the years, she sold everything from diamonds to advertising even interim housing.  Susan longed to perform and work in the entertainment industry.  She decided to fulfill her desire to tell stories and public speaking by working for the local professional baseball team serving as the Director of Community Relations for the Norfolk Tides, then the New York Mets Triple-A affiliate.  In this position, she became a crowd favorite for the fans of the team. In professional and social settings she was the official Tides spokesperson including attending city council meetings, speaking engagements, board meetings, senior centers, celebrity golf tournaments and of course having a strong presence at all 72 home baseball games on the field between innings.  The local ABC affiliate’s sports director took notice and offered her an opportunity to work in the sports department.  She learned the fundamentals of sports reporting in a hands-on environment covering high profile events significant to the Hampton Roads community such as Washington Redskins Football. 

Susan takes full advantage of all opportunities presented to her and she is not afraid to make her own.  She considered it an honor to co-host the Hampton Roads Addy’s Battle of the Bands contest held at the Norva considering all the local stations and their seasoned on-air personalities were involved.  She also began acting professionally while still in Virginia with the re-enactment production company, New Dominion Pictures in conjunction with the Discovery Channel.

The saucy and sweet host has also worked behind the scenes on some of America’s biggest stages. Most recently, Susan was promoted to Casting Director for "A Haunting," the Discovery Channel Destination America huge hit. She was originally hired as the production coordinator. In 2007 she was the production coordinator for two U.S. Presidential Primary debates where she worked closely with then Senators Clinton and Obama even hosting them back stage from arrival to make-up and start of the show.  Her meticulous nature and attention to details lends well to live performances.

Susan learned a great deal about life through the game of baseball. Ironically the most profound lesson had her leaving the game of baseball to pursue her passion fulltime. “Opportunity always involves some risk. You can’t steal second and keep your foot on first.”

Oh, and according to Susan the answer to the question posed by the great Langston Hughes, the dream, the desire and the hunger grows.

Trivia- Susan’s maternal grandmother’s first cousin, Charles William Thomas II, was known as the “Father of Black Psychology.”

Trivia- Susan’s sister paid for her wedding with money she earned working as S. Epatha Merkerson’s stand-in on the Charlie Sheen movie Navy Seals. Although they do not look a like, they are the same height with similar coloring.

Susan found ways to pursue her dreams even in a place not known for big Hollywood productions

Susan's first professional acting gig was for a National program taped in Suffolk, VA for the Discovery Channel