PINCKNEY ENTERTAINMENT

October 9, 2015

We all learn, grow and change a little every day. Though my heart and soul is 100% the Southern Belle who grew up playing in the woods catching lightening bugs, I can’t deny the 15 years I spent away from Virginia have influenced my style, taste and awareness of people. Someone said to me “you’ve changed!” I thought to myself… P.A. Panther > Gymnast, Cheerleader >GR Stallion >Cheerleader, Retail Clothing Sales, Doctor’s Office Assistant, Pizza Call Center Customer Service (shout out Chris, Carolyn and Lynn), Water Park and Race Car Amusement Park Experience Advisor, Catalog Clothing Model >JMU Duke> Newspaper Assistant Editor, Sports and Newscaster, Retail Jewelry (Thanks Al Kramer, Robin and Mike), Tourism and Tobacco Marketing Model > Real Estate Office Assistant (kisses Big Sis!) > Director of Community Relations Norfolk Tides (Go NL East Division Champs! Empire State of Mind)> Television > Sports Department Assistant WVEC, WTVZ WB (RIP WB), Reenactment Actor > League Office for Affiliated Minor League Baseball > Marketing (woop woop Jim Palmer and Nexium), Trademarks and Contracts Manager >Director of Education for Eastern Region of Nation’s oldest Modeling and Acting School (Kristine Pratt of Barbizon Regional- My Devil who wore Prada- you put the fire back in me) > Production Coordinator National PBS-Hollywood (working with THEN Senators Obama and Clinton as well as Mike Huckabee…priceless!) > Live Nation Corporate Beverly Hills (running into Kanye West & Usher in the lobby or having Dave Chappelle hanging in the Thursday coffee lounge was an everyday occurrence) > Transit TV > Executive Producer, Writer, On-Air Talent, Host > Fulltime Talent (pay cut? We get paid for this? I would have done it for free) > Show Host, Lifestyle and Catalog Model, Actor, Union Member, Stand-in/ photo double, Improv Cast Member > Casting Director A Haunting- New Dominion Pictures > Actor (I’m not a CSI Tech, but I play one on TV- Season 13 CSI > Unit Production Manager A Haunting- New Dominion Pictures… “I’ve changed? Uh… yes, I sure have. I hope you have too!”

August 25, 2014

I was blessed with a culturally diverse childhood where for the most part, children and families recognized each other as individuals. Families from all economic statuses, cultures and ethnicities were brought together in a largely military community that perfectly represented Dr. Martin Luther King’s “dream.” It wasn’t until I left my almost Utopian melting pot tucked in the South to go to college did I really feel and understand for the first time that race mattered. I learned that Black people are largely VIEWED as a homogenous group with the same likes and dislikes and on the more sinister side are VIEWED as uneducated and “up to no good.” It used to be that I would have followed that last statement with “by ignorant people.” After living and traveling in a variety of taste making/ trend setting locales across the U.S. filled with my contemporary counter parts of many different races, I learned that that sentiment is one that is held by seemingly educated people who essentially believe the narrative they’re fed through a true lack of diversity in their personal lives as well as television and media. With the exception of shows like Shonda Rhimes’ Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal where any character could be any color of the rainbow, even in 2014 the stereotypical Black character is not far from this fictional homogenous group of Black people who truthfully don’t really exist. For the last couple weeks, many of us have been paying attention to what’s happening in Ferguson. Although collectively we don’t know every single detail, we’ve lived enough to know that unarmed Michael Brown was not given the benefit of doubt. His life didn’t appear valuable enough to the officer to shoot to wound and not kill. His loss of life was senseless. Michael Brown and all the other Black youths getting killed on the streets, matter. We are all Michael Brown.

December 11, 2013

I remember learning about the witch trials. I was intrigued for several reasons. First, having lived in some of the areas infamous for the trials, made it more real for me though I could never fully grasp the idea of why one person wouldn’t speak up or fight on behalf of the accused or even why the majority would buy into such an outrageous idea. The Witch of Pungo story happened near where I call home. I even cheered with a distant relative of Grace Sherwood’s, the only woman to be tried for being a witch in Virginia. The dirt road she was led down to her “water test” is now a major thoroughfare called Witchduck Road in her honor. I found it fascinating that witch trials were a real part of American history. Yes, I do know what was happening concurrently in America starting about a 100 years prior and ending more than 160 years later… but let’s focus on one egregious act at a time. This woman, after suing her neighbors in a court of law, was accused by the SAME neighbors of witchcraft which was not only immoral, but a criminal offense. That’s all it took. From that moment on until today, she is known as the Witch of Pungo. Author W.C. Elam suggested that she was a “negress,” and the charges were based on religious intolerance and racially motivated. That’s not a big surprise in the early South. Some said since she was a widow who was distractingly beautiful, her mere presence angered the wives in the community. So to clarify the course of events, someone decided to call Grace Sherwood a witch with nothing to back it up, no proof, no evidence not that anyone demanded it and it stuck for centuries.

I’m a Bible thumping Christian who prays, says grace and goes to church as often as possible. Yes, I'm over simplifying my Christianity, but you get the point. Let’s say someone called me a witch. What would you do? How would you react when you hear about it? Do you believe it simply on the basis of it was suggested to you? What if that same person told you the world was a cube or the sky was purple? Do you believe it simply on the same basis that it was suggested to you? What makes this different? If you were my neighbor or an acquaintance, would you stand up for me or would you accept what you heard as truth and share it with the next waiting ear? Would it be as simple as someone saying “she’s a witch” or would you ask for proof (or the dirty details)? What proof is acceptable to destroy someone’s reputation or ruin someone’s life? Is “I saw her leaving the dollar store with a broom or a big pot” evidence enough? Is it that you don’t see me as a human being with family, friends and loved ones who care about me and my well being that allows you to callously and carelessly snicker and taunt. Parents what are you teaching your children when you slander and gossip and teach them to hate based on a lie? Does spreading lies even if you didn’t know it was a lie as you spread it you certainly didn’t know if there was any truth to it…Does spreading lies add value to you as a person, to your life? Does it make you feel better about yourself? Is it more important for you to feel accepted by the community than to stand up for the truth? Do you believe everything you are told? Dare I ask, are you not SMART enough to draw your own conclusions? Are you judging me based on your own moral compass and what YOU are capable of? Are you afraid you may be ostracized if you thought for yourself? Are you not brave enough? What would happen if I knew my accusers and sought help from the local government? Would they help me or would they make the universal crazy sign (finger circling ear) behind my back as I watch them in the reflection of the glass? What if the story had to keep changing to accommodate the accusation of me being a witch? Would people see the constant amending of the official story as proof that it was all a lie or would they be so committed to the lie they’d rather save face and stick to the idea that I am a witch? Is it better to avoid embarrassment of admitting that you help create a huge disgusting ugly lie that cost an innocent woman peace of mind or is it better to free your conscious? What if I said “I’m not a witch; I can show you television shows and commercials I’ve been in”? Are you still bent on tormenting me because after all, some models and actors are witches on the side? What if you loved me or was in love with me, would you think where there is smoke, there is fire? Would you trust love and your instincts or tragically succumb to the questioning of your character or judgment when it is in fact EVERYONE else who is wrong about me?

Of course, no one believes in colonial witch hunts anymore, but substitute the word "witch" for any vile gossipy slanderous word you would like and read it again. Now, could witch hunts happen in modern America?

March 22, 2013

Some people choose to wait tables or bartend who are in the industry waiting for the next big audition or life changing opportunity. I choose to be on-set and take the nameless faceless work even though I have had a long history of “on-camera” work where I am the principal including starring as the plaintiff “Heather Beakman” on an NBC daytime drama. No work makes me happier than being on-set. Is there any other job in the world where I would wake up happily at 3:00 am to get to set on time? Conversely, there is no other job that I would continuously do the walk of shame for after an overnight call. I can’t take credit for this as an original idea. Brad Pitt, Matthew Mcconaughey, Allison Brie, Naomi Campbell and others have talked about how they chose to work the “survival jobs” as well. In a recent article, Allison Brie talks about her television debut as a face in the crowd on Hannah Montana in 2006. I can list a host of things I have done… I mean the good stuff where I successfully auditioned and either it never airs or I'm edited out or I'm in it for a fraction of a second and it is almost not worth mentioning. So, the background acting isn’t much different than the day playing principal roles…really. As a matter of fact, this week I saw a non-union actor get upgraded to a principal on-set when the director threw her a line. I enjoy the actual work. I like the creativity of it and relating to other people in situations I will never experience. There are management companies who specialize in this work. I get a text and they tell me where to go and what (if anything to bring). I can get those texts as late as 10pm the night before. For example, I was a hostage in a movie. This was one of the "survival job" assigned roles. Anyway, that day on set, I had to imagine what it would be like if I were driving in L.A. and suddenly became a hostage to guerrillas. I had "machine guns" and "high powered weapons" pointed at me while being ushered around by the bad guys (who were played by recognizable good guys). Every actor dreams of regular work. My taste of regular work came on an HBO series where I was a regular employee of the company where the main character spent her days. The most interesting roles are those designed for the public to never see me or recognize me as myself. As a stand-in, the actor is there for the purpose of the camera crew, lighting and sound team. Most people don’t realize there is also a category called “photo double.” The photo double is the exact size and measurements of the lead and appears on camera as the lead character in inconspicuous shots over the shoulder, from the back, driving a car, etc. I am a Quadling in Disney’s Oz the Great and Powerful. As a fan of the original Wizard of Oz, it was an honor to see part of the original yellow brick road and shoot in the same sound stage at Sony. The idea that it is doing so well in the box office helps to insure its legacy and bragging rights for me with my future children and grandchildren. I have to admit, doing this work for the last 11 months has changed the way I watch television and movies. It is almost tiresome peering past the leads trying to figure out if the “dead body” is “Lori” from set. It’s a blessing to be able to work on a regular basis in the industry I love. Don’t worry, I will never be complacent. I’m always looking for the next big thing which for me is National commercials! “Nice work if you can get it-- and if you can get it…”

 Related article

"Body doubles of Oscar Favorites
Some have gone on to have impressive careers of their own"

http://movies.yahoo.com/photos/body-doubles-of-oscar-favorites-1361515613-slideshow/

December 6, 2011

I’m back! In a town where the only thing you can truly count on is the fact that NOTHING is as it seems, I would like to (as always) attempt full disclosure. “Southern Belle in Beverly Hills” is no longer literal. From this moment forward, unless otherwise specified, “Beverly Hills” will be a metaphor for the opulence of La La Land. This down home diva has left the city limits of Beverly Hills for the beach lifestyle. I’m actually closer to the “Beverly Hills” lifestyle now… the one that America imagines than I was before, literally.  Everyday I see the house that Donna and Kelly lived in post high school on the teen drama Beverly Hills 90210. Stop gasping! You didn’t really think there were beaches in BH did you?

Why didn’t I do this sooner?!?! Everyday is a beach staycation. It only makes sense after spending my childhood in a beach city and even living off the Gulf of Mexico in Florida that I feel the most relaxed and at home in a beach community. I swear serotonin levels are higher near the salt water. Nobody is in a bad mood at the beach. “The Girl Cave” as my roommates and I affectionately call our humble abode is in one of the most desirable areas of Los Angeles right on The Strand. For my East Coast peeps, The Strand is the equivalent to a concrete boardwalk. (Does it make me sound country that I found it necessary to say that it is concrete or that I used the word country to describe a person?) People actually walk (ride bikes, skateboard, run, play volleyball and surf) in this small town that happens to be in Los Angeles County. As a matter of fact, I went bike riding (at night no less) for the first time since my sophomore year in high school shortly after moving to the South Bay.

In one direction down The Strand is the slightly older, slightly more mature Manhattan Beach Boulevard complete with a pier, restaurants, bars and shops. Fine dining mixed in with the dive bars, there is truly something for every taste and price range.  Here, affluent people enjoy freebies and saving money. Perhaps, that is why they have so much money. In the other direction down The Strand is the Hermosa Beach Pier aka Pier Avenue. There, you will find the slightly younger, slightly wilder party types any day of the week. (http://www.pubclub.com/losangeles/southbaybars.htm) There is a Baja Sharkeez in both Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach. They deserve a shout by name because they are what I call a “unicorn.” You know as a kid you knew they were mythical and didn’t really exist, but you wished they did.  Well, for $4.50 you can have a home cooked big breakfast every Saturday and Sunday consisting of eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes or French toast and hash browns as well as bottomless mimosas if you choose. They also have the biggest sporting events on the many plasmas throughout. It is a great place to go for breakfast…. and stay for dinner. (http://www.sharkeez.net/hermosa-beach)

Speaking of unicorns, I have met some of the single male variety since living here. I mean really! Can you imagine an athletic, creative, artistic, near genius, manly man musician, 6’3, numbers guy who likes showing affection? Neither could I, but he exists and I met him (and others like him) in the South Bay.

My only question now is where do people who live on the amazing Pacific Ocean go for vacation. I can’t wait to pull back the curtain and be your proverbial fly on the wall from my new “Girl Cave” location. Get Ready!!!!

August 16, 2011

“Go Susan it’s yo’ birthday, gonna party like it’s yo’ birthday…” I love birthdays, but what do you do if you celebrated with friends over the weekend and your actual birthday falls on a weekday? I still want to celebrate! After all, it is the anniversary of your official and biggest debut… that’s cause for a celebration.  This year, in between birthday weekend celebrations, on my actual birthday when all my friends were busy at work and tending to their real lives, I had an amazing party of one that was practically free! As a bargain hunting recessionista, I am on just about everybody’s email list to receive coupons and the like. This year, I took special note of the posted birthday discounts.  I was surprised at just how many things are free or nearly free on your birthday.  My first instinct was to take advantage of the free round trip Catalina Island ferry ride (http://www.catalinaexpress.com/birthday_promo.php)  but as beautiful as the island is I didn’t want to be stuck on an island by myself on my birthday.  Instead, I continued with the beach theme and after my free IHOP breakfast, I headed over to my beach house. By “my beach house,” I mean our beach house, the Annenberg Community Beach House at Santa Monica State Beach. (http://beachhouse.smgov.net/)  It is a lovely place to spend the day poolside by the beach.  For the history buffs, this was the original love shack. William Randolph Hearst built the resort for his mistress, Marion Davies.  The walls are decorated with photographs of Hollywood’s elite playing in the beachside abode. In addition to the main building, “The Guest House” which along with the pool was restored to its original splendor is also open to the public.  The original architect, Julia Morgan, designed the beach house and Hearst Castle using similar designs and materials.  I love it because it’s virtually a free country club with free Wi-Fi, umbrellas and tables. It’s an amazing place to get some work done or just chill. You are welcome to bring picnic baskets with everything except alcohol. If you want to take a dip in the heated pool, there is a small fee. On Mondays the fee is even smaller at $1. After, catching some rays, checking email and enjoying a day at the beach house, I headed home for a shower and skirted just 1.6 miles over to Westfield Century City Mall. Once at the mall, I encountered my first glitch of the day. I was starving for my standard to judge all other restaurant burgers… the free Fuddruckers Birthday Burger.   Earlier in the day I called ahead to verify they participated in the program. When I reached the counter in the food court, the young lady informed me that despite the fact that I had a license proving it was indeed my birthday and the welcome email from the “Fudd Club,” I needed the birthday burger coupon which never made it to my email. Of course I was disappointed, but I just requested the contact info for management. (FYI- the district manager couldn’t have been any nicer or more accommodating. He mailed me the value of the coupon along with an apology for the experience. I will always love Fuddruckers.) The trip to Century City Mall wasn’t a complete bust. Since the Bebe store on Rodeo Drive doesn’t sell sale merchandise, I wanted to redeem my $10 Bebe Club Birthday gift certificate at the mall location.  Immediately I spotted the sale accessories.  My Bebe birthday gift to myself was a stack of seven rhinestone and silvertone bracelets regularly about $40 on sale for $13.99 which meant I paid $4.34 including tax.  By this time, my stomach was growling and I decided on an early dinner.  I headed to The Lobster on the Santa Monica Beach Pier with a $20 birthday gift certificate in hand. Yes, this is the same restaurant where Khloe and Lamar hosted their rehearsal dinner on Keeping Up With The Kardashians.  As I took my seat with the perfect view of the ocean, I took advantage of the happy hour and ordered a glass of Sauvignon Blanc to pair with my Pan Roasted Catalina White Seabass which was simply exquisite. (http://www.thelobster.com/lobster-menu/lobster-dinner-menu/finfish_other.html) The service was amazing and to date it is the best seafood dish I have had since moving to Los Angeles.  After dinner, I still wasn’t ready to let go of the idea of my birthday so I headed to Baskin Robbins for a free scoop of ice cream in honor of the day. I had a coffee mocha nutty variety that was the perfect finale to a great day.

Restaurants with Birthday Freebies

(Call ahead/ check the website to get details)

ALFY'S PIZZA - free mini pizza
ALL-AMERICAN CAFE - free dessert
APPLEBEES - free dessert
AUSTIN GRILL - Register First - free meal
BAKERS SQUARE - free pie
BANDIDO'S - free entree
BANJARA INDIAN CUISINE - free meal
BASKIN ROBBINS - free ice cream treat
BEACHES RESTAURANT - free meal
BENIHANA'S JAPANESE RESTAURANT - free dinner WITH 3 other paying guests ( Verify first with your local )
BENNIGANS - free dessert + song
BERN'S - free meal
BILL KNAPP'S - gives adults a % discount equal to age; plus a free bday cake (w/purchase of a meal) during the week of your B-day
BLACK BRISKEE - free meal
BOB'S BIG BOY - free hot fudge ice cream
BRUSTER'S - free waffle cone on your birthday 
BURGER KING - free kids meal to all kids club members
CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN - Register First - free kids meal during the month of their birthday
CAPTAIN D'S BIRTHDAY CLUB - free two-piece meal at sign-up and once a year on your birthday
CAPTAIN DIZZY'S CAR WASH - free car wash
CARROWS - free cake
CATTLEMEN'S - free dessert and cowboy hat
CHARLIE BROWNS RESTAURANTS - free meal for "Handshake Club" members
CHARLIE'S SEAFOOD - free meal
CHEVY'S - free dessert and sombrero
CHILI'S - free desert on your birthday
CHIPS N GIGGLES - free meal
CLAIM JUMPER - Free Dessert
CROWN THEATRES - Buy One Movie Ticket, Get One Free
CRAZY BUFFET - free meal
DAVE AND BUSTERS - $5 game card credit
DENNY'S - free meal (said to be only kids under 10 now)
DESPARADOS MEXICAN RESTAURANT - free meal
DOCKSIDE RESTAURANT - free meal
DUKE'S CHOWDER HOUSE - b1g1 coupons (register first). FREE dinner for your birthday!
EL CHICOS - free dessert
ERNIE'S STEAKHOUSE - free meal
FAMOUS DAVE'S BARBEQUE - free meal (w/advance signup)
FIREHOUSE SUBS - free sub (must sign up for birthday club)
FUDDRUCKERS - free burger
FUNNY BONE COMEDY CLUB - free cake (party of 5 min.; 2 drink min.)
GRILLFISH - free meal
HANA JAPAN - free meal
HARD ROCK CAFE - free dessert
HOMETOWN BUFFET - free birthday cake
HOULIHAN'S RESTAURANT - free entree
HOLLYWOOD VIDEO - one free video rental
HOOTERS - free song + tshirt
HOSS'S STEAK HOUSE AND RESTAURANT - free cake + song
IHOP- Register first- free meal on birthday and the day you register
JOE'S CRAB SHACK - free cake
JT WHEATFIELDS - free coupon in phone book
KING BUFFET - free meal
LADONNA - free meal
LOMBARDI'S IN BALLARD - Register First - free meal w/another during month of birthday
LOTUS - free meal
LUTHERS BBQ - free stuff (varies) for "Great Rewards" members
MACARONI GRILL - free dessert + OPERA-style "Happy birthday" song
MAGGIANOS - $10 Off purchase of $20 (sign up in advance)
MARIE CALENDERS - free dessert
MAX AND ERMA - free $5 dessert
MEXICAN VILLAGE - free meal
MOONIES DINER - free meal
MUCKLESHOOT CASINO - free sushi dinner + player's club points
NEWICK'S SEAFOOD RESTAURANTS - free entree
NITTY GRITTY - free drink + souvenir glass
OKAYAMA RESTAURANT - free meal
OLD SPAGHETTI WAREHOUSE - free meal
ONAMI - free dinner WITH 3 other people paying
OUTBACK Steakhouse - free dessert + song
PANCAKE HOUSE - free entree
PAPPA'S RESTAURANTS - free dessert
PARADISO'S - free meal
PERKIN'S - free stack of pancakes
PF CHANGS - free cake or cheesecake
PIZZA EXPRESS - free meal
PONCHO'S - free meal, dessert & picture
PROVINO'S ITALIAN RESTAURANT - free $10.99 meal and ice cream dessert
Radisson - free entree in their 12th floor restaurant
REAL SEAFOOD COMPANY - free meal and dessert
RED ROBINS - Register First - free burger coupon / discount coupon
RICE & COMPANY - free meal for Robinson Rewards Club members
ROCK BOTTOM - free appetizer for Mug Club members
ROUND TABLE - free personal pizza

RUBY TUESDAY - free burger and fries (must sign up for their newsletter to receive this offer)

SCALINI'S ITALIAN RESTAURANT - up to 10.95 off pasta specialties
SHEPARD'S BUFFET - free dinner buffet w/3 other paid customers
STEAK AND ALE - free mini choco cake
STEAK-N-SHAKE - free dinner for "birthday club" kids
TGI FRIDAYS - Free birthday Dessert
THE 99 - free meal
THE BARNSIDER'S/DEPOT RESTAURANTS - 1/2 off meal + cake & song
THE LOFT - free meal
THE PALM - 3lb lobster (must be a member/register first)
THE PARADISO - free entree + sombrero & song
THE VINE TAVERN - free meal
TODAI SEAFOOD BUFFET - Free Meal or voucher for Meal Next Visit
TONY ROMA'S - free dessert, free meal
UP THE CREEK - free meal and dessert
VACCARO'S ITALIAN PASTRY SHOP - free dessert and drink
WENDY'S - free kids meal to all kids club members
Z' TEJAS - Register First - $15 coupon for the month of your birthday
ZIO'S - free dessert mini pizza