On Sunday, June 16 at 6pm PST, CNN will broadcast an original documentary by Academy Award winning director Richard E. Robbins, award-winning Documentary Group, Vulcan Productions and Intel Corporation called Girl Rising – a feature film about the power of education to change a girl — and the world.

Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Selena Gomez and other A-list actresses contribute voice performances to the film, which features original music from Academy Award winner Rachel Portman, in collaboration with Hans Zimmer.

The film spotlights unforgettable girls like Sokha, an orphan who rises from the dumps of Cambodia to become a star student and an accomplished dancer; Suma, who composes music to help her endure forced servitude in Nepal and today crusades to free others; and Ruksana, an Indian “pavement-dweller” whose father sacrifices his own basic needs for his daughter’s dreams. Each girl is paired with a renowned writer from her native country. Edwidge Danticat, Sooni Taraporevala Aminatta Forna and others tell the girls’ stories, all with profound resonance.

The obstacles they have faced are ubiquitous. Like the 66 million girls around the world who dream of going to school, what Sokha, Suma, Ruksana and the rest want most is to learn. And now, by sharing their personal journeys, they have become teachers.

Visit www.girlrising.com to learn how to bring Girl Rising to your local theater and support them on Facebook.

[YOUTUBE]

“I didn’t know this dissonance was inside me.” George Carlin

Louis CK

There’s no standup comedian hotter than Louis CK right now. His FX television show, Louie, earned him two Emmy Award nominations in 2011, and his recent comedy special, Live at the Beacon Theater, made history when CK distributed the show via the web (not HBO) and netted $1,000,000 in sales in mere days.

Darrah’s VO Demo from Darrah de jour on Vimeo.

After spending a couple years babysitting for the Kenny’s (Tom and Jill voice SpongeBob SquarePants), I was inspired to take a class in voiceovers. Here is my demo.

If you know anybody who needs a VO actress, please pass it along!! Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments section where it says “Leave A Comment”. I’m going to start another class soon, so, hopefully, I will keep improving. Can’t wait to begin exploring animation.
xox

Gloria Vanderbilt, Summer 1941

Today, I read a couple reviews of Broadway’s adaptation of Truman Capote’s novella Breakfast at Tiffany’s which my man sent to me. We were lucky enough to attend four plays while in NYC, including that one, and we were so close to the stage I should have brought a spit bucket! Especially for Tom Hanks’ spittle (Lucky Guy), but hell, I didn’t mind! My honey is such an enthusiastic theatre and music buff and is exposing me to so much art! I really admire that in him. One of our new activities, when bounding out of bed, is seeing who can understand the bulk of NYTs eclectic vocabulary words! Anyway, back to Tiffany’s… My favorite was Hollywood Reporter’s take on the theatrical revamp, which states almost verbatim, my sentiment: “The most crucial missing component from Clarke’s performance is vulnerability.” Although, the reviewer for the New York Times keenly likened lead Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones) to Vanderbilt in her teens (above). She really is her doppelgänger! What do you think?

Emilia Clarke

Wishing you a most fabulous week! xox

This is for the artists, the activists, the warriors, the fighters of the good fight. This is for everybody who was unafraid to post about Steubenville. This is for Anonymous, this is for women everywhere. This is for men who love us. This is for the animals, and the babies and the butterflies. this is 4 u. From my <3. 

My journey in New York with my guy was so fun! We saw four plays. Lucky Guy with Tom Hanks and Maura Tierney was my favorite! Then comes, Cinderella, Breakfast at Tiffany’s with Game of Thrones’ Emilia Clarke and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof with Scarlett Johansson (seriously, just seeing her in a mauve slip from behind was gratifying enough, but add that raspy voice and it’s frosting on frosting). I wish I would have been around in the 80s to see Kathleen Turner do it on Broadway, but I’ll settle for Ms. Scarlett.

The week was fab, with jaunts along Times Square, midtown, brunch in Hell’s Kitchen, and the sudden, charming snowfall to welcome us! One day would be clear and the next, we’d have subtle rains. Every restaurant was better than the next, with La Bonne Soupe in midtown being my favorite for tomato and celery soup. (I’m veggie, sue me!) New friends were made, shopping was done – Ann Taylor Loft was a score, along with Saks where my honey got me a new winter coat! – and all in all I just simply can’t wait to return! Below are some silly photos of me being silly! xox

[Vagina]

Here’s li’l me performing “Because He Liked To Look At It” as part of The Vagina Monologues in ’08 at the Directors Guild of America. Please “like” and subscribe for more of my youtube vids!

Hi guys! Here’s a flashback vid in celebration of the recently passed International Women’s Day. Hopefully, these candid conversation about gender and sex will educate the likes of Poland, Egypt, Muslim countries and the Vatican who are in talks with the UN, using “religion, custom and tradition” as a defense to leave women unprotected against violence. (Talk about an unholy alliance! The Vatican is in cahoots with the Muslim Brotherhood – let’s take that in for a second.) Think their reasoning is a load of bull? Support TVM playwright Eve Ensler’s charity V-Day, which educates, raises funds and helps women in the global movement for peace.

Wow! Those are a lot of white heads!

Here is a verbatim news telecast from 1989, when over 1.2 million people had died worldwide from AIDS: “AIDS is now the leading cause of death for men under forty in New York and a half dozen other cities. Surpassing homicide and all other diseases. Yet, Roman Catholic Bishops are meeting this week, to publicly oppose the use of condoms as morally unacceptable. This puts them in direct opposition to U.S. public health policy.”

As New York City’s Archbishop John Cardinal O’Connor put it, “The use of prophylactic is immoral in a pluralistic society or any other society.”

In a time when AIDS patients who died in hospitals were placed in black trash bags by hospital staff, and ACT-UP had to fight the FDA tooth and nail for anti-viral drugs, the Catholic Church was busy telling homosexuals and others affected by AIDS to shut up, that they are sinners and to repent. They still insist on hiding their heads in the sand, denying their followers and citizens true public health information, preferring instead to instruct the sheep of the world not to protect themselves against the deadly transmission of HIV and other STDs.

In more positive news~ a new girlfriend of mine in Nor Cal is a progressive Episcopilian priest, and was just offered a killer job that pays well, where she’ll be part of a family of believers that understands and embraces all kinds of diversity. This is perfect timing, as her father is suffering from cancer and she’s taken on the responsibility of caring for him. Please pray for her dad, and celebrate Her today as she leads with light and truth.

Wanna be proud of a group of committed citizens that doesn’t hide inside the Vatican or tax-free institutions? That doesn’t separate men and women, straight and gay, healthy and sick? ACT-UP – New York City’s self-assembled warriors for PWAs (People With AIDS) has spent three decades changing the face of the disease and finding hope where there was none. Because of their humbling and life-altering efforts, AIDS is now considered a disease, instead of a death sentence. And, with new discoveries being made everyday, the cure for HIV/AIDS may come in our lifetime!

Let’s take nothing for granted! Watch the trailer for Academy Award nominated “How To Survive A Plague” below and find out how hard patients fought for trials, experiments and funding. Wanna do something? Donate to AIDS Alliance.org today.

[How To Survive A Plague]

Found this Tom Robbins quote in an old journal…

She eyes me like a Pisces when I am weak
I’ve been locked inside your heart-shaped box for weeks
I’ve been drawn into your magnet tar pit trap
I wish I could eat your cancer when you turn black
Hey! Wait! I got a new complaint
Forever in debt to your priceless advice
Hey! Wait! I got a new complaint
Forever in debt to your priceless advice
Hey! Wait! I got a new complaint
Forever in debt to your priceless advice
Your advice
Meat-eating orchids forgive no one just yet
Cut myself on angel hair and baby’s breath
Broken hymen of ‘Your Highness’, I’m left black
Throw down your umbilical noose so I can climb right back

She eyes me like a Pisces when I am weak
I’ve been locked inside your heart-shaped box for weeks

-Nirvana, Heart Shaped Box

Thanks to Ashley Meadows for the image!