Mad Men Rocks

You’ve got about 72 hours to catch up on the first season of Mad Men before the second season begins on Sunday night on AMC — from the Writer and Exec Producer Matthew Weiner of The Sopranos. Marshall Heyman interviews Starworks’ LA office, Allison Oleskey, about why she loves the critics darling. (She also converted the writer into a Mad watcher too).

Marshall Heyman: When did you start watching Mad Men?

Allison Oleskey (SW LA): Truthfully I started watching it after we got Jon Hamm for the cover of one of our magazine clients. It wasn’t on a lot of people’s radar, but it won the Golden Globe even though the awards show was downplayed this year. The show is a slow burn, but once you get past the first two episodes, it’s totally addictive. When I took a trip to London, I watched it on the plane and then one episode every night. It kept me going. Anyone who would ask me how I was, I would say “Watch Mad Men.” I’m trying to get everyone in this office to watch it. And to vote. Those are my two goals.

How was the Premiere on Monday Night?

They just showed the first episode, which takes place two years after the end of last season. Nothing has really been answered but people’s lives have changed and evolved. It reminds you of The Sopranos in that nothing is exactly as it seems. There are so many nuances. The party was at Musso & Frank on Hollywood Boulevard, which is an old school joint. Everyone there was very passionate about the show. People were drinking martinis, but I don’t drink martinis.

Did you meet Jon Hamm?

I didn’t, but I think he’s great. I didn’t meet anyone except for Christina Hendricks—who plays my favorite character on the show.

What does your mom think of Mad Men?

My mom watched the marathon over the weekend on AMC. She has the Hamm-er fever too.

( “Hamm-er time” )

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Marshall Heyman is a freelance writer. I remember him from working in the Fairchild offices whenever I strolled over to the W Magazine side of cubicle-land. He always had a good tale about whatever swanky event he attended the night before. He’s contributed to The New Yorker among several other magazines. Currently he is West Coast based and is still furiously writing pieces for all the big magazines out of his sunny home in LA.

Right now he’s obsessed with Mamma Mia, Wall-E, Tell No One, The Last Mistress, Mad Men, the new Carla Bruni album and his Amazon Kindle. You’ll be reading some of his writing on the Starworks blog on the random.

Welcome Marshall…and a big Happy Birthday to you today! (Jauretsi)

Nas + Alife

(Last night: DJ Green Lantern spinning pre-show Nas)

Nas is about to drop his new record with another controversial title which I’d rather not type on this blog. What better way to create attention than hold a word of mouth small secret show? And what better spot than Lower East Side’s alife Rivington Club — the sneaker ambassadors of the scene. Great night. Artists KR and ESPO were in attendance. I must say Nas did meander on some politics in between songs, of which I truly respect his energy in the matter. I will have to hear the entire new record before I fully expand on his new state of mind.

(Nas steps to the mic)

The highlight of the evening (in addition to hearing new tracks) was when he busted out some of his classics in the tiny backyard of the sneaker store — “NY State of Mind” and “Made You Look”. Simply brought the house down. One of those reasons you love living in New York City.

As far as the term “viral” goes for the party last night — all the footage, photos, and clips are ALL OVER the internet today. Well done guys.
J

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Photos by Jauretsi

Dwarf Bullfighters

Enanitos Toreros

Livia Corona is an extremely talented photographer from Mexico. In between her other hectic work gigs, she managed to escape whenever she could in order to document a community within a community in her native country. For a span of 10 years, Livia lived with these cast of characters — she woke up with them, spent the day with them, spoke to their families, visited their shows, etc. The result is a new retrospective book published by powerHouse Books available next week.

Jauretsi: Why Dwarf bullfighting? How did you bump into this niche?

Livia Corona: Enanitos Toreros started in a very casual way when a woman, who is a little person, invited me to tour with her team of dwarf bullfighters, after I made her a headshot. Through her I met other little people who also invited me to their shows and to their homes. With time I realized that there is not a great deal of common knowledge about dwarfism and, consequently, there are many false ideas and much discomfort about the subject. I was interested in the space between these two factions.

What aspect of their lives did you find the most surprising in all your years of documenting them?

I was, and am, struck by how dwarfism, in a sense, remains a sort of “last minority” which culture can discriminate against. Seems that the blanket of political correctness skipped this part of our society altogether. We became accustomed, through handed-down outlooks, to think of people with dwarfism in a very specific and limited way. In the interviews for my book, many people say they feel just fine with themselves. Recently one of the Enanitos Toreros told me, “My normal side is myself reflected in the mirror.” Tallness could be the outsider in this case. It’s relative, and irrelevant in the end. The book is about a lot of things, but mainly an effort to get past the spectacle and re-portray dwarfism in a way that made sense to me, having people with dwarfism as friends.

What is your next project?

I am finishing a documentary film about the Enanitos Toreros which I started along with the photos for the book. I am also working on a second book, “Two Million Homes for Mexico.” It is about definitions of family patrimony and cultural legacy via real estate.

(Enanitos Toreros, the book)
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The Book launch party is this Friday July 18, 6-10pm at powerHouse Arena in Brooklyn — 37 Main St., BK, 11201. To RSVP, email icumexny@sre.gob.mx.

To see more of Livia’s body of work, go to liviacorona.com

NYC Weekend

(KRS One performing onstage this last weekend in Brooklyn)

This photo was taken by the lovely photographer James Gooding who swung through New York this weekend and attended the 4th Annual Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival. It was a beautiful day and a powerful show. Other artists included old-school classics such as DJ Premiere. Smif & Wessun, and Buckshot.

See more of his body of work at James Gooding Portfolio.
J

Wedding Joy!

Last Saturday afternoon in Amagansett, NY, the lovely and talented Joy Bryant exchanged vows with her long-time boyfriend, stuntman Dave Pope. Attendees of the intimate 60 person garden party style ceremony (notables included supermodel Karolina Kurkova and super producer Harvey Weinstein) lounged on over-sized pillows and plush white couches, while munching on cupcakes, instead of a standard wedding cake. Joy looked radiant, alternating between laughter and heart-felt tears throughout the nuptials. Perhaps the most amazing detail of all is that this gorgeous affair was planned in just four short weeks. And not a moment too soon, as the groom left the following Monday for Morocco to begin work on the new Jake Gyllenhaal film Prince of Persia.

In lieu of gifts, Joy and Dave asked that all guests make donations to Pope’s Kid’s Place, a children’s charity started by Dave’s father. Click here to check out the Pope’s Kid’s Place website. And look for the wedding exclusive (including pics of the bride in her beautiful custom Missoni gown!) in the September issue of Harper’s Baazar.

Congratulations to the happy couple!