That's What I Said...

My Dog

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 02:36:25 GMT

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 12:02:32 GMT

Dancing with some lady I met at my cousin's wedding. LOL. Filipino people know how to dance! She kept telling me how much she loved dancing. Heh.

I look like I'm doing a lot of pointing... which I probably was. I think I tend to do that, as you can see at the end of the video of me in NY below. #YOLO #SwaggerRight

Congratulations, Esther and Steve

Fri, 06 Jul 2012 10:29:39 GMT

Congratulations!!! Crazy that another member of Animal Farm is married. Esther and Steve, I'm hella excited for you guys and I wish you only the best.

Pictures taken by Susie and myself, via Instagram. You can tell which ones are mine, because I don't use crappy borders and filters. Follow me @charlieum. #ShamelessPlug

The before and after.

Group shot! Too bad Justin's head covered Linda...

Going to the parking lot to get, how should I say it, upgraded? I supervised.

I'm the only one that didn't have flowers, but they're the ones that look like they're lacking. Hah!

With Linda before the after party.

Pre-party. I was there as entertainment. I was doing this dance a lot:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVhYC-HzeT4

Lets just say my inner thighs looked like Rihanna after Chris Brown the next day.

It's that sweet talk.

Speeeech!

My face is the only face without lights obstructing it in both pictures. If you want to learn how to do that and more, be sure to subscribe to my youtube channel for tutorials.

Ready to go home.

Linda calls me at 9AM telling me to come out for pho. We drag ourselves there, chow down and head to Cat's place to literally lie around...

And 8 hours later, we still on the floor. We weren't hungover, or at least the majority of us, but we were so lazy. Zombies almost. No one wanted to move.

Fri, 29 Jun 2012 13:06:57 GMT

With Won and some chick I met at a bar.

(Won, Lauren, and me.)

I'm up too early. I have a lot to do too. Shhhhhiet. I'm hungry.

Korean Music Wave Experience

Fri, 25 May 2012 05:29:16 GMT

I worked the event. And I don’t want to go too deep into my experiences, but a lot of people have been asking about it so I thought I’d bullet point some notable moments. Positive only.

I officially stan for Sistar. They were the friendliest bunch, by far. They converted every single one of us into fans. Down to earth and fun.
I don’t think you guys understand how hot Sistar is. My jaw dropped when I saw all four walk out of their hotel rooms in animal print. They looked soo good. And they all wore 5+ inch heels that made them tall as, if not taller, than me. Even when they got off their 12+ hour long flight, they had an aura around them.
I’m going to preface what I’m going to say that these artists shouldn’t have to entertain working staff backstage. They want to relax, focus, and prepare for whatever they need to do, so I don’t think ANYONE should expect to be able to talk and hang out with these artists.

I recruited a bunch of people I know to translate for every artist. Most of them ended up waiting outside their dressing rooms, instead of being inside, which SHOULD be expected. They want to be able to let their guard down and not worry about living up to the expectations that people have of them. Sistar’s interpreter, Jennifer, was probably the only one inside the dressing room the whole time, eating with them, and everything. (Edit: Hailey was inside the whole time with the Wonder Girls, as well. Sunye and Hyelim was especially nice. :))

When we went to drop them off at the airport they looked for Jennifer and gave her a hug and said how they would miss her and wanted to see her again. They all signed an album and gave it to her before she left. Fans showed up and their manager wouldn’t let them stop and sign albums, but they begged their manager to let them spend some time with them; and they did. They were cooing about how cute and nice their fans were after they left.
Luna was considered the nicest from f(x), with Amber being a really close second. I met Amber’s sister, not knowing it was her, and escorted her backstage to get her a pass. I thought she was really cool and was curious who she knew, but then someone told me she was Amber’s sister. She took off her sunglasses and I was floored at how much they look alike. Amber and her sister Jackie both have really good personalities. Amber got it from her~~mama~~ sister.
Sistar wanted to shop a bit before they had to fly back to Korea. They split and went in all directions once they got to the Great Mall. If you were lucky, you probably saw them running around by themselves — with the exception of Bora who had Jennifer.
The guys were all skinny. I thought mblaq would have been bigger, but people were saying how my body was comparable to theirs… LOL. They were just really toned. I kept joking that I’d poison one of them and replace them during their performance. During rehearsals, I would dance with them at the corner of the stage acting like I’m preparing to perform. Several MBC staff approached me and complimented me and asked if I had any ambitions of being a singer. LOL. The stage designer, in particular, seemed to like it and asked me to dance several times saying I was cute. *___* 나 케스팅 당헸어.
I rode the bus with the Wonder Girls to SFO to drop them off and I fell asleep. Not that they were boring, but they were just all tired and napping as well. I felt bad when the coordi (stylist) had to tap me awake once we were close. I’m glad they didn’t complain about that. Whoops.
mblaq played Diablo during their down time.
Hyoyeon and Sunny were the only ones that really came out of their dressing rooms to hang out.
I went to an isolated part of the back to watch the show on the monitor. Kara’s Hara and Nicole came out soon after and sat at my table and watched. Their manager came and kept trying to get them to go inside, but they wouldn’t budge. I’d like to attribute this to the fact that they thought I was hot.
At the airport, one of the Sistar members had to go to the bathroom. Since the manager had to escort them, he forced everyone to go, but Dasom stayed with me instead. I’d also like to think that this was because she thought I was hot. We talked and told her how we loved Sistar the best, but she kept saying how it’s probably a lie and how we probably say that to all the girl groups. Dasom, it wasn't a lie. :)
During Sistar’s rehearsal to the song “So Cool,” which is my jam now BTW, I had to work backstage. Once I was done I ran out to the front and started to dance next to them right off stage. During the breakdown Hyorin turned around and our eyes met. I'm pretty sure I can say I danced with Hyorin now.
I was mistaken for a member of Beast. LOL! I was at the airport and escorting singers to their terminals. I was with girl group members and their fans when Strong Kim (head of security, flown in from Korea) suddenly reached out and stopped a fan from touching me. I was mistaken for a member of Beast and was getting asked to sign something. The best part is that they saw me from the front and didn’t approach me from the back, meaning they saw my face. Unfortunately, this just means that Beast fans just don’t know what Beast looks like.
I exchanged a lot of information with different MBC staff and directors, telling me to contact them if I was ever in Korea; that they’d introduce me to singers in more casual settings. It’s nice when you’re recognized for your hard work and they want to work with you again.
Yubin was hands down the hottest one from Wonder Girls. She looked stage ready the whole time. Sistar all looked good with no makeup.
I gave an announcement over the PA system right before the concert began. I really didn’t want to do it and the staff began to laugh as well. I got hella texts immediately after from so many people telling me they recognized my voice. FML
Like I said, because Sistar was the nicest, Jennifer was the only one to get a real picture with the artists. I had so many opportunities to take pictures, but I was working and wanted to maintain that level of professionalism. I guess this will have to do:
There is a lot more I can go into, but this is enough for now.

Hiking: Mission Peak

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 06:52:21 GMT

Erica in her mommy outfit. Brian and Jon flaked, but I don’t think they would have been able to handle the hike anyways. Weak.

SF Fashion+Tech Industry Mixer @ Temple Nightclub

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 07:00:04 GMT

Joann accompanied me to an industry mixer in SF at Temple Nighclub.

On our way to the event.

At the event.

Me coming back from the event. Holla.

I went to Davis...

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 23:33:36 GMT

And all you got are these stupid pictures.

Wow, I'm annoying.

Pi Day & NYFW 2011

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 16:31:36 GMT

Let me start off by saying, happy pi day! I only memorized the first 4 numbers (3.141), which essentially translates to mean that I don't care about pi day. I really don't. Why I'm starting this entry off like this is beyond me. Livejournal reminded me and I was compelled.

I don't really have much to talk about here, so I thought I'd post a video of me and Christine in NY for Fashion Week and the launch of ASTONISH Magazine.

Our second issue, Outer Beauty, comes out soon. Look for it on bookstands if you care. :P And I know you care, because you care about anything I'm involved in. Don't lie.

Hello Baby

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:55:54 GMT

Pretending to sleep. Tried to put him to bed to go out, but ended up taking him along.

Eyes Wide Open

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 18:18:35 GMT

My ears had heard of you
but now my eyes have seen you.
Job 42:5

RIP William Hung

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 09:43:00 GMT

Ok. He's not dead, but this headline made me think he was. I thought he hung himself and was devastated for a second. Effe you dislexia.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo's Title Sequence

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 10:53:56 GMT

How amazing is this? And the song... I must get the OST, now!

I hate that the movie isn't doing too well in the box office, because it's an amazing movie. I'll be pretty pissed if they scrap the next two movies. I'll be furious.

To do:
- Read the books.
- Watch the Swedish version of the movies.

Planet Tilda

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 03:16:29 GMT

Possibly the best editorial of 2011!

Planet Tilda, W Magazine 2011
by Tim Walker

10 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 02:26:34 GMT

Charles Schulz's 'Peanuts' characters have become timeless classics, thanks to their long-lasting presence in newspapers and their many animated TV specials. (“It's Arbor Day Again, Charlie Brown!”) A big part of the characters' success is thanks to the classic 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' TV special.

Since it first aired in 1965, the beloved special has practically become required viewing for families celebrating the holiday season. Its message of anti-commercialism and good will towards man mixed with Schulz’s trademark humor of caustic kids in a cynical world is a perfect remedy for the holidays that can get sappier than your aunt’s homemade egg nog.

At the time of its airing, 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' received rave reviews, record ratings and an annual presence on television and home video for decades to come. And yet 46 years later, few fans know about its rocky beginnings that were fraught with much frustration and cynicism by the network executives who commissioned it and the producers who fought so hard to preserve Schulz's humor and pathos. In celebration of the special's annual TV airing, here are some things you might not know about 'A Charlie Brown Christmas.'

1. Most of the voice actors were cast from kids in the director's neighborhood

Charles Schulz (known to friends and colleagues as “Sparky”) wanted to bring believable voices to the characters he created, so the producers cast real children to give life to the 'Peanuts' gang instead of adult voice-over artists. Professional child actors were cast in the roles for Charlie Brown, Linus and Lucy since they were required to recite most of the dialogue. The rest came from children who lived in director Bill Melendez's Southern California neighborhood, most of whom had zero experience in acting or voice-over work.

2. Some of the child actors were so young, they couldn't read the script

Melendez and Schulz wanted to cast children in the special in order to preserve their innocence and voice because they believed it would not only make the cartoon more realistic, but also funnier and edgier. Their idea hit a snag when the production team realized that some of the children were so young that they couldn't read the script that was sitting in front of them. Melendez said in an interview for the book 'A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Making of a Tradition' that he had to recite the script line by line for the children who couldn't read, including Christopher Shea who voiced Linus.

3. Charles Schulz refused to let CBS executives insert a laugh track

Since this was the first time Sparky's 'Peanuts' would be represented in an animated cartoon to a national audience, he had a strong hand in the production process and fought hard to preserve his creation by not letting the “suits” tinker with it. Schulz insisted that the cartoon not have a laugh track, something that was a standard for TV comedies at the time. Producer Lee Mendelson recalled in Schulz's biography that he was just as adamant that the special not have a laugh track to “help keep it moving along.” Sparky said at a staff meeting during production that the network should “let the people at home enjoy the show at their own speed, in their own way” and promptly walked out of the room ending the argument. Sounds like Schulz had a little bit of Lucy in him that day.

4. Schulz actually hated jazz music

Musician and composer Vince Guaraldi's ensemble of holiday infused jazz for 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' became just as famous and as much of a yuletide favorite as the cartoon that popularized it. Sparky, however, wasn't a big fan of the catchy tunes. In fact, according to his biography, Schulz told a reporter two months after the special aired that he thought jazz music was “awful.”
Guaraldi's involvement with the 'Peanuts' dates back to before production started on the Christmas special. Mendelson had been working with Schulz on a documentary called 'A Boy Named Charlie Brown' that featured a soundtrack of jazz music composed by Guaraldi. Despite his feelings about jazz, Sparky insisted that they use Guaraldi's music again for 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' with a mix of traditional Christmas hymns because it created the perfect “bubbly, childlike tone” for the show.

5. Linus' “True Meaning of Christmas” speech was almost cut

Sparky was also a religious man and, according to his biography, “the life of Jesus remained for him a consuming subject.” He also insisted in the early days of production that the script feature some religious overtones, particularly a passage from the St. Luke gospel about the birth of Jesus Christ, to bring some meaning to the holiday that “had been lost in the general good-time frivolity.” The producers agreed to include a Nativity scene to represent Sparky's feelings, but by the time the script was finished, Mendelson realized he had included an entire minute-long speech directly from the New Testament. This led to the biggest arguments between Sparky and the producers, with Mendelson insisting that the special was an “entertainment show” and the speech would scare off advertisers by narrowing its audience. Thankfully, the now iconic speech survived the final cut and has aired in the special every year since.

6. The network execs and sponsors hated the special and wanted to bury it

Linus' famous speech was just one of the complaints the network executives and Coca-Cola, the special's chief sponsor, had with the final cut of the cartoon. They expected a TV comedy with a laugh track, and got instead a wry, melancholy commentary on the holiday season. (The network also objected to real children voicing all of the characters.) The brass was particularly wary of the religious overtones that Sparky insisted the special carry on the air. According to Mendelson, the executives agreed to air it “once and that will be all.” Of course, we all know what happened next.

7. The producers thought it would be a flop and that they “ruined Charlie Brown forever”

If the network executives were a tad bit too hard on their first screening of 'A Charlie Brown Christmas,' the show's producers were downright cynical. Mendelson and Melendez were more pleased with the final product than the network, but they feared the public would not embrace it, let alone watch it. They also thought it would forever tarnish Sparky's characters and comic strip. Mendelson said in an interview, “We kind of agreed with the network. One of the animators stood up in the back of the room – he had had a couple of drinks – and he said, 'It's going to run for a hundred years,' and then fell down. We all thought he was crazy.”

8. Snoopy got all the action scenes because he was the easiest to animate

Both Mendelson and Melendez (who passed away in 2008) grew to appreciate the applause the special has received over the years despite their initial misgivings about the final product. They've also acknowledged some tiny animation mistakes that are still noticeable, even after all these years, such as the changing number of branches on Charlie Brown's scrawny tree. One of the biggest obstacles was transferring Sparky's comic strip characters into an animated form for the first time. The distinctive giant heads of the 'Peanuts' gang made them hard to animate in any kind of fast-paced sequence, so most of the action went to Snoopy, the most cartoon-like character of the group.

9. Some earlier runs of the special included product placements for Coca-Cola

Despite its anti-commercial message, 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' wouldn't have come together without its initial soft drink sponsor. Coca-Cola wanted to produce a Christmas special and 'Peanuts' stood at the top of their list. The first version of the special that aired on CBS not only included a brief announcement of Coca-Cola's sponsorship in the closing credits, but it also carried a product placement in the show's opening titles. As Charlie Brown and Linus are being tossed around by Snoopy while ice skating, Linus crashes head-on into a sign advertising the popular soda. The scene has since been cut due to expired advertising contracts and the sign was replaced with one that read “Danger.” (Check out the original ending with a message from Coke on the left.)

10. It is the second longest-running Christmas special of all time

The drunken animator turned out to be the smartest person in the screening room. The first broadcast on Dec. 9, 1965 garnered more than 15.4 million viewers, received rave reviews by almost every major television critic and earned Schulz and Mendelson an Emmy for Outstanding Children's Program. CBS immediately commissioned more 'Peanuts' specials. Since then, 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' has aired every year during the holidays on CBS and ABC, who scored the rights in 2001. The broadcasts still earn the highest ratings in their time slot. Even more impressive, it has become the second longest-running Christmas special of all time behind 'Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.' Poor Charlie Brown never comes in first.

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