Club Glee Interview - Jane Lynch

jane lynch

Jane Lynch plays the egotistical, hyper-competitive and abrasive Sue Sylvester, coach of the Cheerios, on Glee. Her lines are often the funniest and most shocking, as Sue looks down on everyone, but especially on the Glee Club.

Recently our parent site, TheTwoCents, caught up with Jane.

TTC: Your character gets to say some truly awful, awful things. How important is trust for you as an actor with the writers and producers that everything that you say will end up looking okay? How much do you have to trust the people on the show?

Jane Lynch: I have to trust them a lot and I do. It’s [producers and creators] Ian Brennan and Brad Falchuk and Ryan Murphy, and they’re always pitch-perfect. Usually in the first draft, there is something so heinous and awful that we know won’t make it to the second draft because people will pull the plug on it, so they always have fun with the first draft, and they’ll throw things in just to make me giggle or be horrified.

TTC: At the end of the day, what do you think is Sue’s real problem with the glee club?

JL: Well, they want to use her power because she reigns supreme over that school and over that particular group, and she smells their hot breath on the back of her neck, and she wants to stay as top dog, and they definitely are threatening that. She’s turning the kids in the glee club against each other, and by separating them by race, disability, color, and kind of tried to make them hate each other for their differences.

I smell that [Will] could replace me as top dog, and so she does everything she can to keep him in his place, keep in intimidated, and she takes advantage of the fact that he’s a very fair guy who wants to be friends, basically, and she uses that to her advantage. What I love most about it is that she has fun doing it. There’s a sparkle in her eye and kind of a wink, wink. She finds being evil delicious, and she loves the effect she has on people. She lives to shock them with how far she will go. I’m not that easily shocked, but Sue does say some things that made me catch my breath, but no, no, they’ve created this wonderful world that can be shocking and out there, but it all really works.

TTC: Are we going to get to see any of Sue’s personal life? Does she have some kind of a love interest?

JL: Yes, there will be a little bit going on. I don’t want to give anything away, but her heart will be touched by somebody, and we learn a little bit about her family life and, perhaps, she’s humanized a little bit, but then, of course, that quickly goes away because she returns to her wicked ways. She’s not going to be giving out a lot of hugs this season, but we’re going to see her heart is actually affected by somebody, and she suffers a little bit of heartache.

TTC: Do you see any of yourself in the character of the mean Cheerio girls?

JL: No, not really. That wasn’t my group. I was more with the theater nerds, and Tina’s character played by Jenna Ushkowitz reminded me of me because she’s very talented, but she holds back. Tina’s character doesn’t allow herself to shine. She’s got all this talent, but she’s kind of in the background, and that’s kind of what I was. I don’t know if I was as talented as Tina, but I would always hold back just a little bit.

I had a theater teacher in college who had all of this mystique around her, and she was called the “dragon lady,” and if you got her approval, it was just wonderful. If she gave you the time of day, it was wonderful, but basically, she ruled through humiliation and fear, and I didn’t realize that I was drawing on her, but I think I am.

Lynch, who is wonderful in the film Julie & Julia, also appears as a reoccurring character in Two and a Half Men and Party Down. She will pop up on each of these shows, but not as frequently in the past. And, since she does have a musical theater background, she promises a little something artistic from Sue in the future: A Lindy Hop with Will! She admits that she’s not a strong dancer, but if she gets the opportunity down the road to sing on the show, she knows what song she’ll suggest: “Rose’s Turn” from Gypsy. A perfect choice for the Dragon Lady of Glee!

Thanks to Jane for the time. Watch Jane on Glee every Wednesday night on FOX.

Patricia Morris Buckley – Staff Writer

pmb@thetwocentscorp.com

Surprising new direction taken by Chinese cadaver artists and Saatchi stars: Sun Yuan and Peng Yu - interview

HONG KONG CHINESE PHOTOGRAPHY ART

Sun Yuan and Peng Yu, born in the early 1970s and both alumni of the prominent Beijing Central Academy of Art, have a long-established  reputation in Asia for their controversial collaborative installations featuring animals, human tissue and baby cadaver specimens. 

In the west they made a big splash in 2008 at the record crowd-drawing Saatchi exhibition of new Chinese art, The Revolution Continues with a satirical work called Old People’s Home (click for video). Both popular and critically-acclaimed, this life-sized 2007 work featured sculptures of decrepit old people “looking suspiciously like world leaders… now long impotent”‘ rolling slowly in wheelchairs around the gallery and occasionally crashing into one another.

Taking a surprising new direction, their exhibition Hong Kong Intervention (Aug 22 – Oct 10) at Osage Gallery delves into the working environments of Filipino domestic workers in Hong Kong.

Each of the 100 Filipino participants took a photograph of a toy grenade placed in his or her employer’s home. Sun Yuan and Peng Yu talk with Wendy Ma about whether or not this experiment in spatial intrusion by Filipino maids creates tensions.

 

Toy grenade placed in the center of a dining room and the back of the Filipino maid. Photography by Sun Yuan and Peng Yu. Image Courtesy to Erin Wooters.

 

AR: What inspired you to make photos with Filipino domestic staff?

Two years ago at a square in Central I observed the mass congregation of Filipino girls. I thought it was a very interesting situation since each one is connected to a family in Hong Kong. I started chatting with them and obtained their agreement to volunteer to do the photo shoots. Through them I could intervene in an relationship.

AR: Why do the photographs include the image of a toy grenade?

To intervene, I wanted to use a toy specifically bought in Hong Kong. It was up to them to place it anywhere inside their owner’s house, e.g. inside a garden, on the bed, blending it with the environment. Then they take a photograph of the scene. The toy is a legal product. When your kid plays with a toy grenade, you might find it cute, not dangerous. It was a chance for the participants to exercise their creativity. We wanted to use a very simple object to show how it can open up possibilities.

AR: Is it just a game or does it carry other implications?

It is a game because there are no real consequences. An example of something that is not a game would be the recent incident when a reporter threw a shoe at George Bush. However, it would’ve been a game had he said, “I’m going to throw it at you, first at your head then at your chest.” By not carrying it out, it would have remained just a concept. If something happens in reality, it changes the environment. But right now our work is only a photograph.

The proposition of the game is neutral. It doesn’t carry implications of danger. Last night someone told me that they treat their Filipino maids like guests.

 

Hidden toy grenade on the book shelve and the male domestic worker. Photography by Sun Yuan and Peng Yu. Image Courtesy to Erin Wooters.

 

AR: Why is the photograph of the back of the worker juxtaposed next to the surroundings?

Actually, neither the person nor the environment is significant. They are entities with no individual characteristics. Instead of specifying a particular being, I just want to describe a phenomenon.

AR: What have you found out about their lives and about contemporary Hong Kong society?

One third of the Filipino population live outside their country. They are a special group in Hong Kong. During the week they enter into the homes of different families. On Sundays, they bond and return to their own world. When they work, they disappear into the families of Hong Kong. They play different roles in their working and living environment. They use their culture to communicate. As for us, we work outside the family and we bond when we return to our home. For them, they enter our families to work. It’s the reverse.

 

Bedroom and Filipino maid. Photography by Sun Yuan and Peng Yu. Image Courtesy to Erin Wooters.

 

AR: Why is the exhibition called Hong Kong Intervention?

Intervention in Chinese can be small (eating a crab) or large-scale (invading a country). It can be magnified in the imagination of readers. You can imagine the explosive possibilities of the toy grenade, despite the fact  that in reality it cannot explode. How the viewer perceives ‘intervention’ is beyond my control.

Intervention can be a strategy to communicate ideas. Ours is the study of a social phenomenon. It does not necessarily mean invasion or changing a situation as it does in the English expression “tossing a grenade”.

Words acquire different meanings in different situations. They cannot be precise. Words cannot express what you actually feel. So art is not expressed through words or titles but through a different means to pull you closer to the underlying meaning.

AR: Are you concerned that the proprietor might feel violated if he saw the photograph of his home on display?

We had no intention to expose individuals. Like I said, the photos of the maids and the homes are not meant to be specifically meaningful; they only a representation and a portrayal of the mass.

 

Bedroom of a Hong Kong owner and the Filipino maid. Photography by Sun Yuan and Peng Yu. Image Courtesy to Erin Wooters.

 

AR: What is the role/identity of Filipinos in your work? Creators, participants, or assistants?

I consider all the participants as collaborators: not just Filipinos, but also the audience involved in the discussions. They are common authors of the work. As part of the contract, we don’t have to give credit to them by listing their names as they transferred the copyright to us.

Contributed by Wendy Ma

Related Posts:

Editor’s note: This post is interesting to contrast with a recent exhibition at Para/Site in Hong Kong in which Filipino domestic helpers were invited to receive manicures given by the Australian artist collective Baba International.  Whereas Baba International sought to nurture and engage with their subject physically, the “‘Intervention”‘ exhibition carries intriguing tones of depersonalisation and violence. Baba was keen to explain the intentions behind their work whereas Sun Yuan and Peng Yu step away and allow the viewer to explore and fully shoulder the responsibility for interpretation.

• Hugs in Hong Kong by mainland artists formerly branded national criminals – interview Gao Brothers -Sep 09
• Thai Chinese artist Nipan Oranniwesna shows installation art made of baby powder in Hong Kong – review- Aug 09
• Embedding the Bed in Public Space – interview Hong Kong artist and ParaSite director Tim Li - Aug 09
• Wallpaper’s guide to Beijing art districts – Jul 09
• Young Chinese Artists The Next Generation – book review – Jun 09

 Subscribe to Art Radar Asia for more interviews on Beijing artists in Hong Kong

Chris Dickman on Australia's arid-dry zone

Below is a video package of a chat we had with Chris Dickman last week.

He has since left for what will be one of over a hundred research trips out to the Simpson Desert. 

As mentioned he and his team are investigating the benefits of feral predator removal, the role of small wooded plant life, the importance of local-regional dynamics and biotic interactions and the impacts of grazing on biodiversity in the Simpson Desert.

We hear about how we might imagine being in the desert space, his motivations, reflections on our connection with the land and the importance of conservation.

 

 

Class of 2k9 Author Interview: Megan Crewe

I‘m very happy to be hosting fellow Torontonian Megan Crewe today for an interview. Megan is the author of the YA paranormal novel Give Up the Ghost (check out my review). She’s also a Class of 2k9 member. Weclome Megan!

What inspires you?

Um, everything? Honestly, inspiration can come from anything—a conversation I overhear on the bus, a book I’m reading or a movie I just saw, an article in a newspaper or online, something I see out the window. But I find I’m most inspired by other stories, in all their forms.

Tell us about the moment you learned Give Up the Ghost would be published.

It wasn’t really one single moment—even the moment we got the first offer was drawn out because an editor told my agent he was going to offer a couple weeks before the offer actually came. And even once you have an offer you can’t assume anything until it’s negotiated and official! But that time period was filled with a lot of celebrating and many excited conversations with my husband and family and close friends, and waiting eagerly to be able to share the news more widely.

What was the most challenging aspect of writing your first novel?

The most challenging part of writing Give Up the Ghost was the voice. It was the first novel I’d written in first person. I knew that telling it in Cass’s voice was the right thing to do, but it was difficult finding a balance between staying true to her personality and the way she perceived herself, and still revealing the vulnerabilities that made her sympathetic (even if she liked to pretend they didn’t exist).

Describe your writing process. Are you an outliner, or do you discover your characters and your story as you go?

I’m definitely an outliner. I never write a book without a scene-by-scene outline on index cards. It’s my way of “testing out” the book to make sure it’s ready to be written—because if I get stuck or bored just writing the outline, then the story idea’s not ready yet. But while I’m writing I’m still discovering all sorts of things about the characters and events that I didn’t think of while I was outlining, and I often make changes to the outline as I go to reflect important things I’ve figured out.

What books have you read that made you want to write for young people?

It wasn’t specific books I read so much as the experience of being a teenager. Books were so important to me at that age (not that they aren’t now, but the intensity isn’t quite the same), as a way to visit other worlds, to understand different perspectives, to consider new ideas, to figure out who I was. I love writing for readers who get so much out of books.

What is your favourite scene in Give Up the Ghost?

I can’t say too much about it because it’d be spoilery, but I’d have to say my favorite is the scene near the end when Cass finds Tim by the lake. It’s such an important moment for both of them.

Why do you think it’s so hard for Cass to “give up her ghosts”?

I think for Cass the ghosts (both literal and figurative) are her protection. As long as she believes her ghostly friends are all she needs, she doesn’t have to feel bad that her classmates shun her. As long as she focuses on what happened in the past, she doesn’t have to think about her problems in the present. The trouble is, of course, that she’s shutting herself off from a lot of good things, too.

You’ve done so many cool things to promote your book (book trailer, contests and giveaways, fun stuff at your website, interviews). How important you do think promotion is for debut authors, and how much did you know about promotion before publishing your book?

It’s hard to say how important self-promotion is, because I have no way of knowing how successful my efforts have been! My rule is just to do things that I think are fun and interesting, and hope they help more people find out about the book. I think it’s important for authors to focus on what they feel comfortable with and enjoy, because if you don’t enjoy doing it, it’ll show, and your effort won’t get you anywhere.

I didn’t know very much about promotion beforehand, but I’d always noticed the different ways people were promoting their books online, and bookmarked discussions on methods that appealed to me, and that sort of thing. And after I signed with my agent I read a few books on marketing that gave me some great ideas.

What are you working on now?

With only a few weeks left before Give Up the Ghost’s release, I’m focusing most of my attention on that. I have a couple of YA projects that I’ll be going back to for revisions afterward.

Your top 5 ghost stories of all time: (Films and/or books allowed!)

Shadowed Summer by Saundra Mitchell – spooky and atmospheric with a great mystery and authentic characters

A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb – a very unique and intense take on ghosts, with one of my favorite YA romances ever

Flying in Place by Susan Palwick – another very intense and emotional read, with a great sibling relationship

I Heart You, You Haunt Me by Lisa Schroeder – sweet but haunting, a very realistic portrayal of teen relationships and grief

Remember Me by Christopher Pike – possibly the first YA ghost story I ever read, a creepy tale with an intriguing version of the afterlife

Thank you Megan for visiting Shelf Elf!

Thank you for having me!

Give Up the Ghost is published by Henry Holt.

(author photo credit: Chris Blanchenot)

Top 10 Phone Interview Tips

Phone interviews are very common in today’s job search market. Employers and recruiters use phone interviews to screen candidates as it saves cost and give them opportunity to interview out-of-town candidates before inviting them for in-person interviews.

The moment you start your job search, be prepared for the phone interview. Relax, stay confident, be prepared, and keep these tips in mind.

1. Answer the phone only when you can talk for few minutes. If the time isn’t convenient, ask if you could talk at another time and suggest some alternatives.
2. No chewing gum, eating, drinking, driving, or taking care of other stuff when on the phone.
3. Smile when talking with the recruiter as when you smile you show your positive attitude.
4. Find a place which is not only comfortable but also free of any distractions so that you can keep your focus and remain attentive.
5. Always keep a notepad and a pen ready and take notes.
6. Have your resume and job ads filed in such a way that you can find them easily and quickly.
7. Have your elevator pitch written and ready with the resume, so you can introduce yourself clearly and quickly with confidence.
8. Have your strengths, weaknesses, and a short list of your accomplishments written and available with your resume.
9. Speak slowly and articulately, give short answers and don’t interrupt the interviewer. Avoid using your “ums” and “uhs” and “Okays”.
10. After the interview, thank the interviewer and follow-up with a thank you note. Make sure to get the email id and name of the interviewer.

Remember, the goal of a phone interview is to get a face to face interview.

So you should plan and prepare for it carefully. Leave a great impression and show your interest in the position as well as the company.

____________________________________________________________________________

Divya Gupta, MBA, CPRW, ACCC is the Executive Career Coach and can be reached at –

divya@ConfidentCareer.com

www.ConfidentCareer.com

http://divyagupta.wordpress.com

Connect me on http://www.linkedin.com/in/divyagupta1

Follow me on http://twitter.com/DivyaGupta1

Max Weber: entrevista exclusiva

A primeira aula na escola de cabeleireiro foi há 11 anos. Passada pouco mais de uma década, Max Weber é um dos principais nomes do mercado nacional de beleza. Antes de se aventurar pelo universo das escovas e estojos de maquiagem, Max seguia uma carreira tradicional, trabalhando em escritório. Seu primeiro trabalho como maquiador foi num evento beneficiente no Chile, cuja renda foi revertida em prol de um projeto social na área de saúde. Max ainda participou de feiras do setor de beleza antes de passar a integrar o casting de 2 agências de maquiagem no Brasil. Durante esse período, conheceu modelos como Isabelli Fontana, Caroline Ribeiro, Ana Cláudia Michels e Michelle Alves e decidiu partir em carreira solo. Foi com Isabeli que fez sua primeira capa: a Vogue Espanha. Após maquiar Naomi Campbell no desfile da TNG numa das edições do Fashion Rio, foi convidado para fazer a campanha da marca própria da top.

Max foi o grande vencedor do 14 Prêmio Avon de Maquiagem e, ainda em 2008, conquistou o Prêmio Moda Brasil na categoria ‘hair stylist’. Nesse ano, também ganhou um prêmio de beleza da Editora Abril. Foi escolhido como um dos melhores profissionais de cabelo do Brasil pela Seda e, como premiação, foi para Nova York conhecer a nova linha que será lançada em setembro, quando inicia a New York Fashion Week.

Atuando ao lado de fotógrafos renomados, como Miro, J.R.Duran, Bob Wolfenson, Jacques Dequeker, Gui Paganini e Mauricio Nahas, Max hoje faz editoriais das principais revistas do país, como Vogue, Elle, Marie Claire, L’Officiel e MAG, além de publicações internacionais. É responsável pela beleza de campanhas de grandes marcas (Zoomp, Forum, Cia Maritima, Valisère,Hope etc.) e assina o make&hair de desfiles nos principais eventos de moda do Brasil (Juliana Jabour, Huis Clos, Tessuti, Raia de Goye, Graça Ottoni, etc.).

Logo antes de embarcar para uma temporada em NY, Max Weber concedeu essa entrevista exclusiva ao SweetestPerson.

Como você começou a trabalhar como beauty artist? Conta pra gente um pouco da tua trajetória? Na minha adolescência, conheci pessoas que trabalhavam como modelos. Logo apareceu um clipe do George Michael (com umas super models) e um do Pet Shop Boys (Being Boring) e foi aí que percebi que tinha um interesse pela imagem, beleza, movimentos – e claro, por Naomi. Comecei a comprar revistas e colecionar imagens. Com 21 anos fiz curso de cabelo e make, já tinha sido office boy e auxiliar de escritório, mas queria algo novo, onde eu pudesse criar e não só seguir ordens. Comecei um curso numa pequena escola da zona leste. O preço do corte era R$1, e as pessoas me davam R$1 de caixinha. Foi aí que tive o primeiro sinal de que estava indo pelo caminho certo. Fiquei ainda um ano sem trabalhar na área, mas tinha amigos gays, alguns faziam performances de transformistas, e aí comecei a me interessar por maquiagem. Erá mágico, eles eram de um jeito e se transformavam numa outra figura. Foi isso que me enfeitiçou!! Pedia muito a Deus que me mostrasse um caminho, algo na área de beleza. E eu não tinha como chegar até as agências! Foi então que uma amiga reencontrou outra amiga que tinha aberto uma pequena agência de modelos em Santana e precisava de um cabeleireiro. Fui convidado a trabalhar com ela, ganhava R$300 por mês (maquiando uma ou mil modelos) e com isso tinha que pagar minha condução,almoço, cigarro…Eu pagava para trabalhar, mas sabia que todo esse sacrifício seria recompensado! Senti que isso ia me levar pra frente! Conheci uma produtora chamada Mara, imagem super forte, a mais branca de todas com o cabelo tingido de vermelho fantasia. Foi ela quem me apresentou a um cabeleireiro de renome, Arnaldo de Souza, e com ele fui fazer maquiagem. Era um trabalho com 8 modelos negras, difícil porque na época não existia tanta maquiagem para negras. Quando perguntei o que ele queria, me disse “vai lá e maquia, você sabe o que faz!”. Morri de medo mas fiz o trabalho, usei preto e dourado. Com Arnaldo comecei a fazer coisas que achava impossíveis de serem feitas com o cabelo, e aí, tudo foi acontecendo!

Qual a melhor parte de trabalhar nesse ramo? O poder de transformação, de acrescentar, retirar, luz, sombra, sonho. É incrível. É um ramo como qualquer outro, se você tem um trabalho que gosta, vai haver amor. Mas algo que parecia pequeno para mim, cabelo e make, é um mundo gigantesco. Temos mil possibilidades. Começa numa escola de cabelos, vai pro salão, rua, cinema, TV, fotos, passarela – e assim criamos a imagem da marca, da mulher, do homem.

O que te irrita no mundinho fashion? O interesse negativo, desonesto, não verdadeiro.

Admiro o trabalho de: Karl Lagerfeld e milhões de brasileiros que, mesmo sem condições, estão sempre sorrindo.

 

Últimos trabalhos que fizestes e próximos que fará: Vários desfiles, entre eles, Cris Barros, Isabela Capeto, Animale, Priscila Darolt. Algumas fotos e imagens incríveis, como da Ana Cláudia Michels para a Vogue de setembro, da Leticia Birkheuer para a Vogue RG deste mês, Thais Araújo para Marie Claire que vocês verão mais para a frente.

Você acompanha os ótimos blogs sobre maquiagem brasileiros? O que acha desse estouro de mulheres buscando e trocando esse tipo de informação online? Vejo um pouco de tudo, e acho incrível que as mulheres tenham desenvolvido esse interesse pela informação sobre make. A troca de informação é fantástica.

Um conselho para quem sonha em trabalhar com maquiagem! Não desista cinco minutos antes de o milagre acontecer.

Qual é o segredo infalível para ficar com cara de ryca e poderosa? Cinco produtinhos básicos – protetor solar, hidratante mega ultra power, corretivo, máscara para cílios preta e um hidratante labial que pode ser com cor. Simpatia não pode faltar nessa receita (risos!!)

Cita algum produto de marca brasileira que você adora, usa e recomenda! Delineador para olhos Marcelo Beauty, batom da Avon com efeito plumping, creme hidratante Nivea para pele ultra seca, blush mineral solto da Catharine Hill e iluminadores Saad.

O blog do Max Weber é esse!

Gostaram??

AHA MEDIA at 2nd Annual LiveBlock Sneaker Drive in Gastown, Vancouver on Sept 13, 2009

At the corner of Abbott and Cordova in Gastown, Vancouver,  the 2nd Annual LiveBlock Sneaker Drive is happening where piles of donated sneakers from Adidas have been generously donated.

This event goes from 12-8pm Sunday Sept 13, 2009. 

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This video was filmed by April Smith of AHA MEDIA on a Nokia N95 mobile cameraphone. April is passionate and skilled in making Nokia films by exploring mobile media production through the camera lens of a cellphone. For a better quality version of this video, please DM April Smith @AprilFilms on Twitter.

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In this video, Dave Jeans and Tony B of LifeSkills Centre speak about today’s event

This was filmed by April Smith of AHA MEDIA on a Nokia N95 mobile cameraphone. April is passionate and skilled in making Nokia films by exploring mobile media production through the camera lens of a cellphone. For a better quality version of this video, please DM April Smith @AprilFilms on Twitter.

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Shoes and other items can always be dropped off at  the front desk of LifeSkills Centre

412 East Cordova Street

Vancouver, BC

V6A 1L6

604-678-8278

http://www.lifeskillscentre.wordpress.com“

To see all 12 photos of this event, please see our flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ahamedia/sets/72157622361398484/