The Ever Changing Legend/The Art of Guggenheim

BLUE SCANNER: Locate John Legend, Davis Guggenheim.
RED CARPET: Worked it.
NOTABLES: Legend-musician, humanitarian, philanthropist, vocalist
Guggenheim-shows signs of brilliance,  An Inconvenient Truth,
Waiting for Superman
ACTION: INTERVIEW

In 2010 on June 21st, the Los Angeles Film Festival held its first time ever downtown, Regal Cinema 8 screenings, one of them the latest from Director Davis Guggenheim, “Waiting for Superman.”   On the corner of Olympic and Georgia, that’s near Figueroa, on the red carpet with lights, camera, action, I met an Ankh favorite, Director Davis Guggenheim.http://www.davisguggenheim.com/ and the incredible musician-singer-activist, John Legend.
I, like many of my colleagues had seen John in concert, heard him on the radio but because In Hollywood Magazine got up close and personal with the Legend, at last we were face to face. http://www.johnlegend.com/us/videos.

The red carpet with its glitz and glamour honored its reporters who didn’t mind letting you know, that they don’t like you on their turf.   In Magazine and Ankh Entertainment, that’s me, arrived early.  I mean lets say, about an hour early.   I wasn’t going to miss this and besides I loved Davis Guggenheim’s, “An Inconvenient Truth.”

The gate keeper, you know the one who checks the names off of the list and privileges those who have the good karma, to have their name called and gain entrance to the big RED, he looked serious ,but I smiled.   NO, No, NO! he made it a point to say NO three times to all three of us, low on the totem pole, though not so new to Hollywood.   I said, “wait a minute sir, I spoke to Wendy Martino.”   Loudly, he says, did you get a CONFIRM, I need to see it in writing!!!”

“Noooo, he questioned further.  My inner defense spoke calmly, “but I have an email and text messages that were sent throughout the day, today!”  I scanned through my bag with laser beam eyes pulling my BB up out of the bag as if I were Uri Geller, turning quickly, I said, “here it is, Sir.”

“That’s a tip sheet.” He seemed happy to keep us in suspense.  “Well why don’t you just go find Wendy Martino, we all said.” “Alright, well, just go on in.” he replied.  Suddenly I was a Rock Star because at that moment those same eyes that staggered with hatred for an unknown suddenly searched for a way to say, thanks, you got us onto the carpet.

There I was on the Red Carpet with my yellow press badge that read, In Hollywood Magazine, Los Angeles Film Fest and the Los Angeles Times.

I was feeling on top of the world and totally confident until someone blurted, “heh man, she’s shooting with a 35 ml, she’s shooting w film.”  Now I was realllly on the spot, until one photographer spoke up and said, damnnn!! that’s an old one and she’s still so pretty.”  Was he talking about me or the camera, at any rate, I felt like VIP.

The two men I had met earlier from ZumaWire.com, were already in the mix. Suddenly and while everyone talked about their positions in the world of press, the Legend, Davis Guggenheim and a collection of others, hit the Carpet and it was on.

“Paparazzis yelled, “Mr. Legend, look over here to your right, smile for the camera”, as the big guns raised their lens and prepared to zoom in, Ankh’s 35 ml aimed straight, moved in, out and to the left.  The big boys in front, all standing on stools became frantic to get a good shot.  While everyone focused on doing the same thing at the same time, saying, “look here Davis, smile nice now.”while underneath the belly of the razzi came a focused clarity I had never known before and me and my 35 were in the zone.

There was a french woman, who made it a point to show how tough she was and that she was basically, one of the guys. After warming her up and mentioning NIKA WATER.org she said, “just tell them, you met me”
I didn’t get her name.

“Time to leave now, lets go” yelled Michael the new partner in crime that I picked up on the way to the carpet. “Are you leaving sir?”, asked another been at his job too long, or just started, man ,behind the scenes. “well?, “Yeh, lets go man, I repeated.” The French woman, now my best friend, spoke freely saying, “they talk and treat us like shit.”

“Well, I said, ” I got some good stuff, lets get out of here and go and watch the film.

The air was brimming with excitement and the collection of Red Carpet followers were some of the festivals best.We got inside the theater but then for no reason at all, I decided to go back outside.

As I turned letting go of the door, there, right before my now sun scorched eyes, stood Wendy Martino and crew. “Osiris, she yelled, we have been looking all over for you to do the Carpet with John and Davis.”  I pointed my index finger and said, “that guy, right there, that’s him, he wouldn’t let me in.”  I made it a point to let them know that I spoke truth and here was my proof, Wendy.

“Ok, Wendy said, John and Davis are coming now, come on, we can get you an exclusive.”  My eyes got bigger than a full moon.  What, me the Osiris gets a 5 minute, private up close and personal with the Legend and Guggenheim.
I asked John, “why choose cause related organizations like and http://www.showmecampaign.org/.He spoke with a voice that sounded like a rare but frequently tested wine, I felt like singing, “lets get lifted.” “well”, he said, music I love just as much as I love working with children.   I love being a part of organizations that support youth and their development. We work very hard to see that these children are given opportunities to grow and develop in a positive way.”

“Davis”, Wendy shouts,” this is Osiris”. “Hi”, I spoke quickly, ” I watched “An Inconvenient Truth.”  “There is a lot coming out of the African Diaspora.”   Davis looked perplexed as if he had never heard of “African Diaspora.”

“What made you choose cause related issues as your direction for this film?” as my breath stopped, Davis  looked and  answered, “I think its really important that our country serves everybody.  I am still looking to see where it is written in the American Constitution and its laws where one gets a great education.  It feels like its a core American principle but it’s not.   I didn’t make this movie about politics, I made it about these kids that are very capable of learning.”

It was a wrap, what a treat, what a night.

As I walked confidently passed the door and away from the crowd, I left behind the bright glitter of the Regal Cinemas 8.  Facing the driveway of the Ritz Carlton. and as the night breeze made its presence felt, I thought  to myself, you done good 35, you done good.