63MIX ROUTIN3S | GRANT HOLLOWAY
9LIST STORI3S | NASTIA LIUKIN
63MIX ROUTIN3S | JULIAN WORKS
PHOTO CREDITS | ABC The Golden Bachelorette/Gilles Mingasson
THE GOLDEN BACHELORETTE S1. E4. | JOAN DIGS DEEPER
PHOTO CREDIT | Disney/Ricky Middlesworth
This week’s The Golden Bachelorette is going to be a bit of a doozy it seems as we see Joan Vassos and Chock hugging one another and you hear them crying.
We hear Chock talk about what the experience has been like and we see Pascal learning how to do his laundry!
The date card arrives and they find out that Jonathan, Pascal, Dan, Charles, Gary, Mark, Gil, Chock, and Keith will be on a group date. Guy and Jordan were not called. The group date men arrive at a theater and see Joan on the stage. Kaitlyn Bristowe joins her on the stage. We see the Chippendales dancers as well as the original Chippendales dancers! They are partnering with Stand Up to Cancer as well to dance in honor of supporting this important charity.
She thanks them for the date and being open! She enjoys spending time with each of them and you can see the guys are really present with her. Chock receives the group date rose.
When we’re back from commercial break, we realize that Chock’s mom passed. He tells the guys that he is going to leave because he has things that he needs to take care of. Joan heads to the house for her 1-on-1 with Jordan and she is met by Chock. He tells her that his mother passed.He needs to go home to take care of things and Joan knows how it is when you need to take care of your family even when you feel that you’re experiencing an amazing connection.
Jill is sad that Chock left, but she knows she must be present for Jordan who has his date. She is excited that they’re going ice skating. Jordan takes a nasty fall, but they have a fun time spending time with one another. They get to chat a bit while enjoying some treats. REO Speedwagon also performs for them in their winter wonderland! He receives a rose as well. Although she was sad about Chock, she said she laughed more with him than anyone.
For her 1-on-1 date with Guy, they are at her home and they are cooking together! It’s a great way for them to interact with one another, follow instructions, and just to get to know more about one another. We can tell that Guy is not a cook, but you can see that he is enjoying it.In addition to making pasta, they also make dessert together as well. They have a great conversation and she offers him a rose as well!
Going into the rose ceremony, she’s still thinking about Chock and wondering if he will be back and how he is doing. She sees the men and lets them know that she realizes that they have families and situations back home and that’s a lot for them to put on hold to be there with her. She spends time with each of them to get to know more about them and it’s nice to see how they continue to move forward. As each week passes, we know how difficult it will be when she has to still send guys home. Chock is back and in his time away, he was glad to handle what he needed to do and then he realized that he wants to put his walls down.
It wasn’t until the rose ceremony that we realized that we hadn’t seen Jesse Palmer all episode!
JOAN GAVE ROSES TO | Chock, Guy, Jonathan, Jordan, Keith, Pascal, and Mark
JOAN DIDN’T GIVE ROSES TO | Charles, Dan, Gary, and Gil
Each night during this season, we will tweet about The Golden Bachelorette and you can chat along with us (@AthleisureMag + with our Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director, Kimmie Smith @ShesKimmie) to see what’s taking place!
Each week we will let you know who our faves were from the last episode and if we’ve changed up since then as it pertains to who we think should go to Hometowns.
We also suggest a podcast that we’ve become obsessed with over the past few seasons, Wondery’s Bachelor Happy Hour to get their feedback!
Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.
HERE’S WHO WE THINK WILL GO TO HOMETOWNS
THE GOLDEN BACHELOR CONTESTANTS
Featured TV Show
PHOTO CREDITS | ABC The Golden Bachelorette/Gilles Mingasson
THE GOLDEN BACHELORETTE S1. E3. | LET'S PLAY BALL!
PHOTO CREDIT | Disney/Ricky Middlesworth
We see a flash forward of how Joan Vassos is trying to get into the mindset of moving forward and she knows that she is still attached to her husband which is a sweet and honest moment. We also check in on how the men sleep/snore and pass the time to kick of this week’s episode of The Golden Bachelorette as we watch Joan Vassos navigate the next few weeks!
Jesse Palmer checks in with men to see how they are doing and we find out that Pascal doesn’t cook his own food or make his own coffee. He also leaves them with the info that there are 2 1-on-1 dates as well as a competitive group date! The date card goes to Pascal and he looks forward to seeing if they are a good match.
Joan picks up Pascal in a red sports car where she lets him know that she will be driving, they hop on a private flight to go to Las Vegas. Joan lets us know that she is aware that he lives a very comfortable lifestyle and that he dresses well, but she wants to know if he has a heart and if they can connect and are compatible. They navigate the strip in a limo with champagne and head to the Paris Hotel. They arrive at a suite that is filled with stunning dresses, suits, and accessories that have been picked out for them. There is a piano that plays for them as they try out outfits. They select their outfits and look so chic for a night out in Vegas.
Back at the house, Charles and Gary hit up the farmacy to get the guys things that they need to stop the snoring and ensure that everyone gets a good night sleep!
Back in Vegas, Wayne Newton comes in and sings for this chic 1-on-1 date! The day date has shifted to the night and they have an outdoor dinner where they can see the Eiffel tower. She’s excited to know more about him and he wants to share more about who he is as a person outside of the life that he has made for himself. He talks about when we think of Paris, we think of the beautiful side, but he didn’t grow up with money and he had tough times growing up and when he came to the US he willed himself to do better and to make something of himself. He said that being vulnerable is hard for him; however, when he shares his story, you realize that you can’t make assumptions about people. Pascal receives the date rose.
Back at the house, the next date card arrives and the group date lets Chock, Gil, Charles, Dan, CK, Gregg, Gary, Guy, Kim, Jordan, Mark, and Keith know that they will have time with Joan. Jonathan is excited to have the 1-on-1 date, but he is emotional because he doesn’t feel ready to do this and is concerned that he may be going home!
We’re on the football field for their next date. Eric Dickerson and Andre Reed are on the date. They hear that they will play kickball and we see them stretching. The winners go to the after party and the losers go back to the mansion. We watch the guys play kickball and we have to say that it’s a strong game and even Charles who has never played kicks the ball and helps some of the others cross home plate! In the battle between the Red Team and the Blue Team, the Blue Team wins! June meets up with the Blue Team and she lets them know that she loved the kindness that she saw on both sides of the ball and she starts to spend time with each of the winners. She got to know a lot more about the men and we hear that Joan’s mom isn’t doing well (reminds us of last season when Joan’s daughter needed her to come home). She gives Gil the group date rose.
Back at the house, the men are gifted massages by Joan to work out their muscles.
Jonathan makes his way to Joan for their 1-on-1 date. He knows that he will be totally exposed on this date and hopes he won’t be afraid to share things with her. They’re going horseback riding and Joan isn’t a fan of them as she was bitten by one and Jonathan has never been on one.
After horseback riding, they make their way to enjoy some champagne with her as they sit and talk. He tells her about how he got divorced and that he was blindsided and that he wondered if he would ever be enough! She lets him know that he is enough and she gives him the 1-on-1 date rose.
Throughout this week she has been dealing with her emotions about the death of her husband as well as her mom not feeling well. She is someone who pushes her feelings down because she is a caregiver and now she realizes that she needs to share so that it is fair to them as well. She thanks the men for being amazing and that she loves that she is hearing important things about them. She lets them know that she wants to take care of them as she is a caregiver and she realized that that is causing her to mask and so now she is going to be vulnerable with them as well. She lets them know that being strong is tiring, she misses her family, her kids, her mom who is sick as she is 92, and then she tells them about her husband and that she will always only by 80 ior 90% available. She cries and she is concerned how they will take in what she has said. They tell her thank you and they like that she has shared this information.
Gerry makes his way to the mansion and they have a catch up season. She lets him know that it has been emotional, but she has a great group of men. She also let’s him know that she understands how it is to be in a situation when you are thinking about your husband and moving forward and she gets how Gerry felt. He asked her if she considered that there may be a possibility that her person may not be there. He lets her know that he is rooting for her. He tells her to not be perfect, but to be herself. He leaves after giving her a boost. The men lift her spirits and find way to connect with her and let her know that they are ok with her being vulnerable. She thanks them and lets them know that she has a connection with each one and it’s hard when you realize that to get to the end, only 1 will be left.
JOAN GAVE ROSES TO | Charles L, Chock, Dan, Gary, Gil, Guy, Jonathan, Jordan, Keith, Pascal, and Mark
JOAN DIDN’T GIVE ROSES TO | CK, Gregg, and Kim
Each night during this season, we will tweet about The Golden Bachelorette and you can chat along with us (@AthleisureMag + with our Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director, Kimmie Smith @ShesKimmie) to see what’s taking place!
Each week we will let you know who our faves were from the last episode and if we’ve changed up since then as it pertains to who we think should go to Hometowns.
We also suggest a podcast that we’ve become obsessed with over the past few seasons, Wondery’s Bachelor Happy Hour to get their feedback!
Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.
HERE’S WHO WE THINK WILL GO TO HOMETOWNS
THE GOLDEN BACHELOR CONTESTANTS
Featured TV Show
FROM STUDIO TO SMILES | KEEGAN MICHAEL KEY
We had the pleasure of catching up with Keegan Michael-Key who is an actor who always leaves us in good spirits! His ability to make you laugh and think is something that we appreciate. We enjoyed talking with him about his work as a teacher, investing in children’s lives through learning, partnering with Lysol promote clean environments in school and at home, and of course his work on one of our favorite shows Abbott Elementary and other projects we’re excited about!
ATHLEISURE MAG: We have been a fan of yours for a number of years and have loved your shows and of course most recently, Abbott Elementary. But you actually have teaching experience at Penn State and at Second City. Can you tell us more about this?
KEEGAN MICHAEL-KEY: Yes, I was a graduate student at Penn State and I taught Fundamental Acting, Non-Majors and I had a really fulfilling and fun time doing that. I had a great time with the students and I also interestingly learned a lot and it helped reinforce the training that I was getting.
When I was a performer at the Second City Theater, both in Detroit and also in Chicago, I spent a good deal of time teaching improv as well as communications techniques to people. And also in Detroit at the Mosaic Youth Theater of Detroit, I spent time going to classrooms and teaching children improv skills. That was also a very fulfilling experience too. So I have done a lot of teaching in my past and I really really loved it.
AM: That is such a great story! When did you realize that you wanted to be an actor?
KMK: I realized that I wanted to be an actor probably when gosh, I would have been around 14 or 15 and that would put me in high school. I was encouraged by a family friend and my drama teacher in school was really hands on and very supportive. She really helped to pull me into that world! Once I was in it, I was in love!
AM: Why do you feel that hands on learning is so important and can you tell us about HERE For Healthy Schools?
KMK: Yeah, to answer the first question, I think that when kids have an opportunity to do things hands on and interactive, I really feel that the information that they are being given that the teachers desires for them to receive, really gets into their minds better and they can practically handle things and move through things. It’s more effective learning and that is kind of why I wanted to work with Lysol at the HERE for Healthy Schools Program this particular year. Because, what they are doing with the initiative this year, is that they are putting together the Lysol Minilabs Science Kits and the kits are going to contain educational materials that are designed to be hands-on so that the kids can learn about germ education, healthy habits, and how to keep the classroom environment as well as the general environment clean.
AM: Whether you have children that are going back to school, maybe you’re an aunt or uncle, or you just live alone solo, what are some healthy habits that we need to know about so that we’re not transferring germs and we’re reducing all the ick?
KMK: Ha – all the ick! You know, I think that the first thing across the board that everyone can do and that we can always teach children, is of course, washing our hands. Washing our hands after an activity, washing our hands after using the bathroom so that we’re not the germ spreaders if that makes any sense? We’re so mobile as humans, and then we’re the ones spreading the germs! So cutting that off at the pass if you will and then also, when you think about countertops, and desktops, and door handles which are things that we come into contact with every single day, and many times during the day, it’s just a wipe here or a spray there that can hopefully keep the germs down. Then we're allowing ourselves to be in a cleaner environment!
AM:100%!
Obviously, you have so many awesome things that are coming up - Season 4 of Abbott Elementary is slated to premiere on ABC on Oct 9th! Every time that we see you on the screen we just know that it’s going to be good. What can you tell us about – obviously not a lot – as we prepare for the next season?
KMK: Well, without giving away next season, you can stream Season 3 now of Abbott Elementary now which I am really happy for people as you can enjoy repeat viewings if you feel so inclined! I have a small arc on the show in the season where I play the Superintendent of Schools in Philadelphia which is where Janine, Quinta Brunson’s (A Black Lady Sketch Show, History of the World: Part II, Weird: The Al Yankovick Story) character works now and she feels encouraged to affect more change in the school system. You get to watch that story play out and really the big thing that you get to watch is this struggle between her love for everyone and the students at Abbott Elementary and then this more macro environment with the Superintendent and there is this struggle of being pulled between these two things. Can I do more good here? Should I go back to Abbott and be more of a boots on the ground? She’s trying to figure out what way can she be more effective for the students?
AM: We enjoyed watching the 3rd season and getting that layer.
What attracted you to want to be on this show? So many people love this show and so many actors and other people are trying to find ways to get into this show!
KMK: Oh yeah!
AM: What was it for you that made you want to do it?
KMK: First of all, I think that Quinta is a real amazing talent and I have known her for years and I have watched her grow as an artist and the pride I feel for her is overwhelming because what she has done is such an achievement! But also, within that, is the humanity of the show. I think that just the thematic subject matter of the show is about nurturing and investing in our future which is about children. It’s also this kind of intrinsic, American underdog story – an underfunded school district, how do we pull ourselves up by the boot straps and do what we have to do for the betterment of these children. So that is really heartwarming in a way it is very inviting because they are letting the world in and it is inspiring. That is why I wanted to be part of it. It’s also very funny!
AM: Oh it’s very funny!
KMK: So funny!
AM: Well you’re also in Transformers One and Dear Santa! That’s 2 amazing additional projects that are coming out! We’re sure that you’re excited about them and can you tell us about them?
KMK: Well, Transformers One will be coming out in September 20th and it’s a really exciting project to work on. The director is a gentleman by the name of Josh Cooley (Up, Inside Out, Soul), very talented animation director. He directed Toy Story 4 that I starred in with Jordan Peele (Get Out, Us, Nope). We played partners – we played a little stuffed duck and a little stuffed rabbit that were connected to each other and we had such a great time that Josh asked me to come on and play Bumblebee in Transformers One which really is an honor because he’s a very popular character in the Transformers universe!
Dear Santa is a holiday movie that stars Jack Black (Jumanji universe, Kung Fu Panda universe, The Super Mario Bros. Movie) and he is absolutely fantastic and I hope you fo see it and everyone that you know goes to see it! It’s really fun and it has a lot of heart. It’s silly and zany and it’s going to be great!
AM: Do you have any other projects whether it’s TV, film, or philanthropic that you would like for us to know about that we should keep an eye out for because you’re always doing great things! It’s great to see you in a number of commercials as well as you are a busy man!
KMK: Ha ha yes I am praise God!
Well one thing in September that is coming up, I wrote a book with my partner at Elle Key (August, Fair Game, The Blackout), we wrote a book called The History of Sketch Comedy: A Journey Through the Art and Craft of Humor, and the audio version of that book is coming out then. So again, I know that it is early for the holiday season, but if people want to, they have the opportunity to download that or to send it as a gift and it was a real passion project for us and we’re really proud of the book. So there is also that! So that’s about it for right now if that’s not enough!
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 156 - 159 Disney/Giles Mingasson | PG 160 - 161 Michael Simon |
Read the AUG ISSUE #104 of Athleisure Mag and see FROM STUDIO TO SMILED | Keegan Michael Key in mag.
Featured
PHOTO CREDITS | ABC The Golden Bachelorette/Gilles Mingasson
THE GOLDEN BACHELORETTE S1. E2. | THE JOURNEY BEGINS!
PHOTO CREDIT | Disney/Ricky Middlesworth
The first night is over and now, we’re in the thick of starting the journey on The Golden Bachelorette as we watch Joan Vassos navigate the next few weeks!
We see the guys settle into the mansion and we learn that Pascal sleeps in the nude! There will be 2 Group Dates and then 1 1-on-1 date. Jesse Palmer tells them that that if you go on the 1-on-1 date and you don’t get a rose, you will be going home. He gives them a Date Card rose and we find out that Gary, Bob, Jonathan, Charles L, Mark, Jordan, Guy, and Keith will be on the Group Date. They go to the other room and see that they will be going to the Prom. There are clothes on a rack as they put together their suits for the date. Pascal helping Charles L get ready is pretty cute to see. They head to the venue in a party limo and Joan is excited for their Senior Senior Prom. She feels that prom brings you back to your first dance, first kiss, and first love. They enter and there are other guests that are there to celebrate the 1st Golden Prom. Jessie lets them know that they all want to know who will be crowned the Prom King and will receive the First Date Rose. Taylor Dane performs for them. She also spends time with each of them to know more about their backgrounds, how they grew up, and more. You also hear a few stories that sound a bit sad as it has a bit of their trauma so elements of this are a bit of a healing moment.
Back at the house, the next Date Card arrives and Chock gets the 1-on-1 Date Card! That means the remainder (Charles K, Christopher, Dan, Gil, Gregg, Jack, Pascal, and Michael) of the men will be on the 2nd Group Date! Back at Prom, The Prom King is Jonathan which is so sweet!
It’s the next day and we see the guys enjoying the house, doing cannonballs, Gregg doing Pascal’s laundry and just enjoying life. Chock gets ready for his date which will be at The Happiest Place On Earth - Disneyland! Rocjing their ears and meeting Mickey and Minnie is so cute! Interesting that she wasn’t sure whether Chock would be fun or childlike and wanted him on this date so that she could see that - smart! She lets him know that she is having fun with him and they talk about what they love about Disneyland.
At the night portion of their date, Joan is dressed like Disney Princess Joan with her Cinderella-inspired dress and Chock looks dapper. They talk about how their partners before they died let them know that they needed to continue on and find a partner. She gives him the rose and they go out and see the fireworks with the other guests at the park.
Back at the house, we see the men taking care of the house fixing things that are broken! The second Date Card arrives and Chock lets them know that this date will be a Talent Show and they take some time to practice their skills. We all get to see Joan’s talent show experience when she was on The Golden Bachelor! Loni Love comes out as the guest judge that will do this alongside Joan and Jesse. The winner of this group date will get a 1-on-1 dinner with her!
The men share their talents - Pascal did a fun bob in 3 minutes, Charles K broke a board, people sang, did standup, and more. You could tell that the men showed Joan that they wanted to be there and they cared about her even if their talents weren’t traditional! The winner of the talent show is Dan!
Dan and Joan have their evening portion of their date. Joan lets him know how brave it was for him to share his trimmer with everyone. The remainder of the men return to the house. The men realize that Kim is sad that he didn’t have that 1-on-1 time. Back on the date, Dan receives the rose.
She gets to hang out with all of the men at a BBQ at the mansion and spends time with everyone! She gets to play games as well as spend time with each of them to find out more! After all the fun and games, it’s time for the Rose Ceremony. She;s sad that she will have to let some men go, but knows that they will be ok and that the situation is just unfortunate.
JOAN GAVE ROSES TO | Charles K, Charles L, Chock, Dan, Gary, Gil, Gregg, Guy, Jonathan, Jordan, Keith, Kim, Pascal, and Mark
JOAN DIDN’T GIVE ROSES TO | Bob, Christopher, Jack, and Michael
Each night during this season, we will tweet about The Golden Bachelorette and you can chat along with us (@AthleisureMag + with our Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director, Kimmie Smith @ShesKimmie) to see what’s taking place!
Each week we will let you know who our faves were from the last episode and if we’ve changed up since then as it pertains to who we think should go to Hometowns.
We also suggest a podcast that we’ve become obsessed with over the past few seasons, Wondery’s Bachelor Happy Hour to get their feedback!
Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.
HERE’S WHO WE THINK WILL GO TO HOMETOWNS
THE GOLDEN BACHELOR CONTESTANTS
Featured TV Show
BAD MONKEY | NATALIE MARTINEZ
We're always looking at what will be our next movie or show to watch whether we're taking a break between one project or another or are taking significant time off for a proper binge! Bad Monkey premiered on Aug 14th and is streaming on Apple TV+ with its season finale dropping on Oct 9th. This series is an adaptation of the Carl Hiassen's New York Times bestselling novel of the same name.
We follow former Miami Police Department office Andrew Yang (Vince Vaughn) as he becomes a health inspector in the Keys. When he stumbles upon a case due to a human arm being fished out by a tourist, he believes that if he can solve the murder, he will be able to go back to MPD!
He works alongside an interesting cast of characters which includes the coroner, Dr Rosa Campesino which is played by Natalie Martinez (Under the Dome, Kingdom, Ordinary Joe). We sat down with her to find out about the show and why she wanted to be involved in this comedy drama series!
ATHLEISURE MAG: What do you love about storytelling?
NATALIE MARTINEZ: I mean, everything! Storytelling goes on before our time I feel! It’s how traditions are passed through. It’s a great form of entertainment and it starts from the beginning. I have a 1 and a half month year old and he doesn’t even know how to speak, but he loves reading books and it really shows you that it is kind of in us and it’s just in our nature to love storytelling! Especially when you have an ensemble cast such as this with an amazing writing and creator with a book to adapt from, it just makes for a really good story!
AM: We love that!
What drew you to Bad Monkey and how did you prepare to play your character, Dr. Rosa?
NM: I got a call from Bill Lawrence (Ted Lasso, Shrinking, Scrubs) actually who asked me to be part of Bad Monkey and asked and telling me about the character. It’s crazy because the character and I have so much in common. I mean, she’s Cuban American, she’s born and raised in Miami as am I. Just having Bill Lawrence as the Creator, Executive Producer, and writer for the show as I am a huge fan of his. Seeing this ensemble cast with Vince Vaughn (Swingers, Anchorman franchise, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story), Michelle Monaghan (Mission: Impossible franchise, True Detective, MaXXXine), Jodie Turner-Smith (Queen & Slim, Anne Boleyn, The Acolyte) as well – everyone is so talented and they bring so much to it that it was something that sounded like a really fun project and I love a murder mystery! I had never really done comedy before so to be able to go head-to-head with Vince Vaughn on a comedy – come on, how was I going to pass that up?
AM: 100%
What can you tell us about the character that you play as well as the show?
NM: I play Dr. Rosa Campesino, she is the coroner. When you have her in the script, she’s not fulfilled in her job being a coroner. She loves what she does and there is so much value to it and people are able to find closure and it helps solve cases. It’s a very important job to do, but it also weighs on you after awhile! The things that are coming through those doors can be a little taxing! So I think that she is in a point in her life where she doesn’t know what she wants and is a kind of a little stuck and then Andrew Yancy who is played by Vince Vaughn comes along with this arm that they found in the ocean. The case intrigues her, he intrigues her because he is this quirky big kind of personality. They both get what I would say is obsessed with this case. They want to figure it out and she finds this kind of perspective in life and a new energy that kind of gives her the motivation to find out what she wants to do.
AM: What do you hope that viewers will walk away with in watching this series?
NM: All I can hope for is when people walk away from this series is that they just had a good time! I think that that is one of the most beautiful things about storytelling and one of the beautiful things of creating these shows is that sometimes we just need an escape. We need a story to be able to sink our teeth into it and to dive in. This story gives you a hell of a ride, it’s so much fun, and you have twist and turns. You have a cliffhanger in every episode and then you get that satisfaction of the case at the end and you meet a lot of funny characters along the way!
PHOTOS COURTESY | Bad Monkey/Apple TV+
Read the AUG ISSUE #104 of Athleisure Mag and see BAD MONKEY | Natalie Martinez in mag.
Featured
CATCHING UP WITH ALYSIA REINER
It's always great to circle back to our faves and in this month's issue we sit down with Alysia Reiner who was our cover for our JUN ISSUE #18 in 2017 where we talked with her about Netflix's Orange is the New Black and we also chatted with her in our JUN ISSUE #78 in 2022 talking about Ms. Marvel ahead of the show dropping on Disney+ as well as becoming a volunteer fire fighter!
This month, we find out what she has been up to from joining the cast of Netflix's DIPLOMAT (which we loved the 1st season), to additional shows we can look out for, how she is staying in shape, traveling, and of course, sharing some of her must-haves with us in terms of sustainable style!
ATHLEISURE MAG: It's always fun catching up with you to find out what you were working on. Last time we talked, it was ahead of Ms. Marvel and you were in Shining Vale! Are there any projects coming up that you're able to share with us that we can see you in or keep an eye out for whether it's on the stage, in front of the camera or behind it?
ALYSIA REINER: I’m currently filming the Netflix show THE DIPLOMAT, season 2 comes out Oct 31st! I am also now filming a new independent film called OUR BODIES & OTHER SHAMES, and a film I did called GOING PLACES will be in theaters in the Fall. Also look for the short I made WE SHOULD EAT on the festival circuit!
AM: This year has definitely been interesting! We had an earthquake here in NY, an eclipse, some of us saw the Northern Lights, and we're only halfway through the summer. What have you been up to this summer?
AR: Its a wild world right?? I have been filming in London playing secret service (shhhhh), on fun adventures in Amsterdam and Paris, and relaxing and on duty as a volunteer fire fighter (yes really!) in Fire Island.
AM: You have always been one that enjoys a good workout! This summer, what have been some of your favorite studios that you have been working out at?
AR: I always love RUMBLE IN NYC, and tried RUMBLE in the UK which is a HIIT gym I loved! I also went to Camden Boxing in the UK. AARMY is my go to for cycle both in person and on-line when I am away - I LOVE AKIN so very much as a human and coach - he is magic - the perfect balance of pushing us all to greatness - but with KINDNESS and LOVE.
Here in Fire Island I also train and do BOOTCAMP with Jim - a former marine who kills us!
I just got the META QUEST for workouts with FITXR and cannot wait to try it! I hear such great things!
AM: Do you have any foods or drinks that you like to incorporate into your workouts whether it's for energy or recovery?
AR: YES YES YES! I love to make my own protein smoothies - I keep it very simple but delicious - people say it tastes like ice cream but super clean and sugar free!!!
I LOVE MY SODA STREAM and to add yummy/healthy drops to it - my favs right now are JING and PURE INVENTIONS - both sugar free, zero calories, no chemicals and lots of amazing health benefits from vitamins, electrolytes and adaptogenic mushrooms!
When I am out & about I love a GORGIE or COVE soda, both zero sugar, zero artificial junk and so yum.
MORTAL HYDRATION, CURE, as well as PURE BOOST are my favorite energy/electrolyte packs to throw in my purse or carry on bag for travel - all have yummy and fun flavors - again no crap and lots of health/hydration benefits!
I come from a family of diabetes, so I have to be super careful with sugar - My favorite protein bars are MISFITS and N!CKS - both super low sugar, high protein and taste like CANDY!! NIcks also makes THE BEST (healthy!!) ICE CREAM ON THE PLANET.
AM: What do you do in terms of stretching or relaxing your muscles post workout?
AR: The #1 thing I do is meditation - changes my life daily - so helps me not hold stress in my body. And here is a special discount link to MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE MEDITATION APP - it is THE BEST !!! I also love YOGA WITH KASSANDRA (free on you tube!), and I try to roll on a roller every night before bed (and also use my red light face mask at the same time - multitasker)
AM: In the next few weeks, we have Fashion Week coming up and you're known for rocking sustainable brands. Are there 3 designers that we should have our eye out for?
AR: I am still mourning Mara Hoffman closing her doors - she is so incredible, a real game changer in Sustainable fashion. I love love love Gabriela Hearst, and I just found Lauren Altman Studio - all repurposed & up cycled and hand painted - I get more compliments on her dress than anything I have ever worn! Check out https://www.instagram.com/remakeourworld for more truth about sustainable fashion!!
CREDITS | PG 104 PHOTOGRAPHY Laurie Bailey MUA Nova Kaplan | PG 106 PHOTOGRAPHY Anthony Rhoades MUA Brian Dean HAIR Damian Monzillo |
Read the AUG ISSUE #104 of Athleisure Mag and see CATCHING UP WITH ALYSIA REINER in mag.
Featured
PHOTO CREDITS | ABC The Golden Bachelorette/Gilles Mingasson
THE GOLDEN BACHELORETTE S1. E1. | WELCOME JOAN TO THE GOLDEN BACHELORETTE!
PHOTO CREDIT | Disney/Ricky Middlesworth
The series premier of The Golden Bachelorette is finally here and we’re excited for Joan Vassos to start her journey and to see where all the twists and turns will take her! We love that they open with her doing her makeup and seeing what her outfit will be accessorized with. It’s always fun catching these details and seeing how they all come together along with possible options that she could have worn as she gets ready in Malibu.
We get to hear her back story about her life with her husband, John. We see a number of images of her life with him alongside her family. You can tell that there was a lot of love there and then she shares how he was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. She relates to all of us how her life shifted and although she is a mother and a grandmother, it’s time that she focuses on her life now. We liked watching Joan during Gerry Turner’s season of The Golden Bachelor and now she will take center stage and we hope that she has a great group of men that she can learn about.
Her car pulls up and of course, Jesse Palmer is there ready to navigate this experience with her. They both talk about how excited she is to be here as she thought that when she left the mansion, she would not be back.
We get to meet the men that are here for her and they have such great personalities! There’s a retired Naval Captain, a retired FDNY Captain, those who have worked in finance, beauty, and more. All of them are putting their best foot forward and as one man says, “it’s also like meeting my brothers.” The one thing that we really enjoyed about The Golden Bachelor is that for the most part the women were really connected with one another and really leaned on one another and even helped each other prep for dates! It will be interesting to see if that continues in this series as well - but so far, so good! We even see Mark, Kelsey’s dad and it’s great that he was in his own limo with his daughter.
She thanks them for coming and knows how it is to give up things in order to be there. She realizes that when she came last year, she was looking for love and felt deserving after her experience there. We love that Pascal snagged her first! Joan connects with a number of men and then Jesse arrives with the First Impression rose. We see her pick it up and walk past the groups of men to find Keith! She loves that he had a big personality, made her feel safe and even described a date that she would enjoy.
JOAN GAVE ROSES TO | Bob, Charles K, Charles L, Chock, Christopher, Dan, Gary, Gil, Gregg, Guy, Jack, Jonathan, Jordan, Keith, Kim, Pascal, Mark, and Michael.
JOAN DIDN’T GIVE ROSES TO | Bill, David, Ken, Pablo, RJ, and Thomas.
Each night during this season, we will tweet about The Golden Bachelorette and you can chat along with us (@AthleisureMag + with our Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director, Kimmie Smith @ShesKimmie) to see what’s taking place!
Each week we will let you know who our faves were from the last episode and if we’ve changed up since then as it pertains to who we think should go to Hometowns.
We also suggest a podcast that we’ve become obsessed with over the past few seasons, Wondery’s Bachelor Happy Hour to get their feedback!
Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.
HERE’S WHO WE THINK WILL GO TO HOMETOWNS
THE GOLDEN BACHELOR CONTESTANTS
Featured TV Show
PHOTO CREDITS | ABC The Bachelor Disney/John Fleenor
THE BACHELORETTE S21. E9. | THE FINALE
PHOTO CREDIT | ABC The Bachelorette
We’re down to the end now and a decision will be made! We’ll see who Jenn Tran picks or doesn’t on tonight’s episode of The Bachelorette. Devin and Marcus are left to meet Jenn’s family.
While we watch how it all ends, Jesse Palmer is hosting the After the Rose Ceremony and we see Jesse and Jonathan in the audience who cryptically say that they are there for the rumors of whatever happened! Tell us more!
Devin is up first and the family takes some time to get to know him more. Devin speaks so highly of Jenn and you can tell that he has feelings for her. Devin asks Jenn’s brother if he can have the blessing and he says he appreciates that he asked, but he hasn’t talked to the second guy.
Marcus now meets her family and talks about his experience with Jenn and how he wants to see it all the way through with her. Marcus tells his mom and sister that he is trying to get there and his mom says, “oh, you’re not ready to get engaged?” Her brother tells her that she can’t make excuses for him and she needs to know where he stands. In addition, she asks him point blank and he keeps saying things that were said make him feel better, but he is still trying to get there and she feels confused.
Devin and Jenn do a fun ceremony with Hawaaians from the island. They talk about their concerns and worries with one another even though they are excited to be with one another. He hears that she has a fear of abandonment and he realizes that they are a couple and that he will need to be there for her as well. They throw large rocks into the ocean to signify issues that they have had that wore them down that are not being lifted off of them. They submerge themselves into the water so that they can emerge as a new person who are ready to move on. She enjoyed her date with Devin and she enjoyed the love and respect that she felt from him and that he knows what he wants. She also has a final date with Marcus and she doesn’t know where he’s at with her and even when she asks, she can’t get a response so that she can be settled with his answer.
Jesse and Marcus meet up to catch up with what is going on. Even Jesse is confused about how Marcus still doesn’t know and he tells him he needs to look from within to see if he really does love her and if so, he needs to tell her. While she is getting ready for her final date with Marcus, she decides that it is time to get her answers and she’s not going to wait and makes her way to him. She still doesn’t get the answers that she is looking for and he says that he is in love with her and is afraid to lose her, but the fact that it always feels like she has to pull answers out of him and he says that he is scared, that doesn’t necessarily make people excited to be in that situation either. She gets up to take a minute and she knows she has spent a lot of time and energy on someone who doesn’t feel the same way. She comes back and he continues to talk about his love for her and how he has been scared and honest with himself. He tells her he’s not giving her what she needs, She lets him know that she opened his heart to him every time and that she got lost in it and gave too much along the way. She doesn’t want to give and prove herself to be considered to be worth it. She doesn’t want to wait around and see if someone will get there. She lets him know that she is done and although she had hope, she is walking away. She lets him know that she appreciates his honesty so that she got the answers that she needed.
Marcus is on the couch in front of Jesse. He explains that it was tough to watch that back and he knows that it was tough for both of them. He talks about what being in Hawaii was like and how he reflected on where his feelings were and whether he was living up to her expectations. He said that he stumbled on some painful truths and he wanted her to know about them. He explains that when he got home, he wasn’t sure if they made the right choice, but once he was home, he realized that they made the right choice to not go forward. Although it seems that Jenn was the one that said she had to move on.
Although we don’t know what happened between her and Devin yet, she comes out to chat with Marcus. She tells him that the way Devin came to her, she realized that they were not aligned and that her heart was not in the place that she could be with him. She felt that it made sense to talk with him on what would have been their last date so that they could have that closure.
We’re back in Hawaii and we see Devin selecting rings with Neil Lane. She talks with Jesse and says that she will not let him propose to her, she will propose to him so that he knows he will fight for her every day.
We expected to watch the proposal which seemed it would be sweet; however, Jesse said that he couldn’t show the footage without have Jenn say what happened. They left Hawaii engaged; however, he began pulling away from her and not letting her hang with his family or doing any of the promises that he made to her. He broke it off with her and said he had felt this way for a long time and all of a sudden there was nothing.
They still show the video of the proposal which is super uncomfortable to watch. It’s something that definitely made us leave feeling pretty icky.
Each night during this season, we have tweeted about The Bachelorette and you have been able to can chat along with us (@AthleisureMag + with our Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director, Kimmie Smith @ShesKimmie) to see what’s taking place!
During each week, we let you know who our faves were from the last episode and if we’ve changed up since then as it pertains to who we think should go to Hometowns.
We also suggest a podcast that we’ve become obsessed with over the past few seasons, Wondery’s Bachelor Happy Hour to get their feedback!
WHO IS CONTINUING BEYOND HOMETOWNS
PHOTO CREDIT | The Bachelor Contestants/Ricky Middlesworth
THE BACHELORETTE CONTESTANTS
Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.
Featured TV Show
TRUE JORDAN | JORDAN CHILES
As we're all enjoying our favorite teams and sports that are taking place at Paris 2024, we have a series of interviews with Olympians that are in this issue that we participated in when we were within the 100 days of the games. We're kicking it off with 2X Team USA Olympics Gymnastics, Jordan Chiles (G1, S1) who competed in Tokyo 2020 and is competing in Paris alongside her teammates Simone Biles (G5, S1, B2), Suni Lee (G2, S1, B1), Jade Carey (G2), and Hezly Rivera (G1), known as The Golden Girls! They have already won a Gold medal from the Paris 2024 games!
We sat down with Jordan to talk about the sport, becoming an Olympian, how much she is looking forward to this year's Summer Games which will have an audience in attendance as well as being able to meet other athletes, and how she maintains self-care! We have enjoyed seeing her floor routines which mix Hip-Hop, Beyoncé, and more. She also has fans that include Megan Thee Stallion, 2X Gold Medalist + 6X NBA Champion Michael Jordan, and Queen Bee herself, Beyoncé.
ATHLEISURE MAG: We have enjoyed seeing you do and it’s great to chat with you!
JORDAN CHILES: Thank you so much for having me! I love opportunities like this and to have the ability to be able to speak with you about my goals and everything like that, this should be fun!
AM: What’s your earliest gymnastics memory that made you love this sport?
JC: I would probably say that I was around 9 or 10 years old and I had really bad ADHD when I was younger. So I always say that gymnastics saved me because I was able to get all of my energy out before I realized that I had a gift and talent and that I would be able to go somewhere with it. I just thought that it was all fun and games so I really just wanted to be able to take that energy to the next level around 9/10/11 years old so it was pretty cool to just take off and to see what else I could do.
AM: I love that!
Everyone has their specialty in the sport, what do you feel are your areas of things that you love to do?
JC: I kind of just love my sport in general. I don’t have a specialty in what I do. I’m just known as the hype woman a lot as people say! I give a lot of energy to the crowd and to my teammates. I just think that being a leader as well and kind of knowing and understanding each and every aspect of what it is to be an athlete – mentally, physically, and so I can say that it’s about me being myself and being authentic to who I am.
AM: You have been on the Women’s US National Gymnastic Team since 2013, what does it mean to you that you have represented your country from the Olympics to World Championships, NCAA Championships with UCLA, and just owning all of the spaces?
JC: Man, it’s been crazy! I can say knowing that I have been on the National Team since I was 12 years old it’s been a whirlwind, a crazy ride, it’s been up and down – the road wasn’t straight or smooth. It was very bumpy and curvy, but I am really proud to say that I represent Team USA and just being able to help the country understand that our sport is such a unique and different thing than it is to other sports in that it’s hard work, it’s dedication, and it’s a simplicity thing to who you want to be. I think that it’s pretty cool. I can say that representing Team USA wearing Red, White, and Blue and always having it wherever I go on my back is definitely something that I cherish for sure!
AM: I have always enjoyed watching your routines and I have literally had tears in my eyes just watching you perform. Whether it’s you in UCLA incorporating Hip-Hop, Beyoncé and all of these different things – what goes into creating these performances and obviously deciding the elements that are involved as well as the music and all of that?
JC: So when it comes to my floor routine, the first one that I had, I was really little and it was Michael Jackson and I did a tribute to him. I think that it’s really about the culture and the music and how pop culture has kind of changed the atmosphere into what it means to putting your own touch and taste to it – your own piece – like your cherry on top you know? It’s like you have this awesome sundae and you want to put that cherry on top to show who you are! So, when it came to my music, obviously I just want to be able to not only get the crowd involved, but also to take it back for them. Because they are watching and if they hear something that they’re like, “oh my gosh, I remember when I was in high school listening to this song,” that is what I do, whether it is Beyoncé, the 90s, taking it back to the Michael Jackson days, or even bring in superheroes! I’ve done that too! It’s pretty cool to put my own touch into everything.
AM: When you competed at the Summer Games in Tokyo and you came home with a medal, did you always imagine that you would be on that stage?
JC: I always imagined that I would be an Olympian for sure and go to the Olympics, but I didn’t believe whatsoever that it would be in Gymnastics! Back in 2008, I told my mom when we were watching the Olympic Games, “you know what? One day I want to go to the Olympics!” Back then, I didn’t know what sport I was doing, I was young. So, knowing that it was for Gymnastics and I was able to bring home a medal, being there in that position and being on that stage – not a lot of people get to experience that and I am beyond proud of myself for sure. I can just say that the little me would be very proud and to be able to continue on with something that I have always dreamed of.
AM: What are the challenges of being an Olympic Gymnast and what does an average day or week look like when you’re training and preparing for the upcoming Summer Games?
JC: Obviously, it’s a little different. My first Olympic Games, I was really a nobody! Knowing that I am going into this 2nd Olympic cycle with an Olympics under my belt, it’s different for sure! But, I am still doing everything that I was doing just like it would be my first. I have been taking it day by day and month by month. As we’re talking right now, we are under 100 days away! Knowing that makes me just like ahh – oh my gosh this is so crazy and I’m doing this all over again, but it definitely is a mental game and for someone like me who's kind of already been through it, I know what to do, but for others that maybe this is their first time trying out for the Olympics, just take this moment as this will always be something that you will be able to cherish. Just take it piece by piece, remember your why, and that’s how I always think of it every step of the way.
AM: With it being less than 100 days to Paris 2024, what does it look like in terms of your schedule for qualifying and other things on the Road to the Olympics.
JC: Knowing that we’re just a few days away as I will say it like that because it just sounds more reasonable! Right?
AM: Right!
JC: We have a competition this week which starts off with the Core Classics. Our season actually started at the beginning of Jan, but unfortunately, I was unable to compete due to a shoulder injury that I had. So this meet that is coming up this weekend is my first meet that will put me on the platform to show people where I am at, what I am doing, and to give our head people an understanding of where – if I am picked – where I can be on the team. Obviously, 2 weeks after that, we have Championships which is a really big meet as well and then about 2 and a half weeks after that, we have Olympic Trials. That will be where they pick the Olympic Team and the Olympic Alternates. It’s definitely a fast cycle for us. We are one of the last Team USA sports that do – besides Track & Field, that we are the last to find out who gets to go!
AM: Yeah, we’ve been watching other sports on Team USA that are already confirmed and we keep checking for you guys to see when those announcements will be.
JC: Yeah, us and Track & Field, we’re always the last to figure out what the team is. But I feel that that is the coolest part of it because it’s like, “ooo who is it going to be?” It’s also motivating to see other people that have already made it so it pushes you to think that you want to make it so that you can meet some of the other people who will also be there as well! It’s a great process and I think that the qualifying part is the biggest that you will ever experience.
AM: In terms of Paris, what are you looking forward to?
JC: Well, knowing that I have been to Paris already a few times, I still think that every single time that I get off the plane, it’s just beautiful. I love being out there! The culture, the atmosphere, the designers, everything fashion – it’s just amazing! I think that the biggest thing is just enjoying and having an Olympic Games that will be normal. In Tokyo there was COVID and we didn’t get to do a lot and just to be able to go around the Olympic Village with people and being able to have an audience and to enjoy the Olympic experience. So I am truly looking forward to that! Also being able to get to meet people we didn’t do that last time. I hope that I will be able to meet a basketball player or a volleyball player, golf or whatever it is and to be able to experience that!
AM: With that time being so close, you have partnered with Bliss. What is the synergy between you and the brand?
JC: So Bliss felt very natural to me. It felt like it fit in with who I am trying to be and especially with their commitment to self-care which is a very key thing to me whether it’s in your skincare, your beauty, taking a nap you know? Having the ability to just embrace who you are and with their Lemon Sage Body Butter, it’s definitely a game changer for sure. I feel very confident, elegant, and smooth who I am. It’s just a nourishment for sure and being able to have Bliss as a partner within my daily routine, makes me feel like a brand new person every single time!
AM: I have to say that I am a long time fan of this scent and that product and you get that luxury feeling when you put it on.
In terms of self-care, what do you do? I know that you’re always traveling and you have a schedule so what do you do to take that time so you have moments for yourself?
JC: A lot of times when it comes to self-care, it does come to beauty and you want to take that time to feel as beautiful as possible because you know that this world is very crucial and it does take a whirlwind on you. Within my self-care, I like to take time to myself. It could be sitting in my room and drawing, whether I’m looking at a Netflix show and binge watching and just being by myself because I am around a lot of people 24/7 so sometimes taking that sound and putting it away helps a lot. I take naps! I take naps all of the time! If you don’t know where I went, and you don’t see me at all – it’s because I’m asleep in my room napping. That’s how I do self-care for myself or sometimes I go shopping. Retail therapy is the best!
AM: How do you keep your skin looking and feeling hydrated especially when you think about travel, doing all of the movements when you have perspiration and the chalk you use? Looking at your skin right now, obviously you’ve got it down as your skin is glowing and it looks beautiful.
JC: Oh thank you! With the hydration part, I do a lot of intake of water because as a gymnast, we sweat a lot. I mean I’m not really a sweater but when it does come to working out, always grinding, we lose a lot of salt so, that does make our skin very dry and brittle. Also the magnesium we’re around in our chalk, it takes moisture out. So because of all of that, I drink a lot of water and I make sure that I am always moisturized no matter where I go! So whether it’s a lotion or a scrub or whatever it is, even for my lips, I keep everything hydrated because I am always in chalk! I don’t like chalk already because it’s nasty so that hydration, it really comes in to make you feel good. I wake up every morning, I wash my face, I do my whole skincare and if I forget to put my moisturizer on, oh I go crazy! I’m like my face is going to fall off! So I make sure that I am taking everything in for sure!
AM: Are there any kind of projects that you have that we should keep an eye out for as obviously you have an amazing schedule coming up and we can’t wait to see that! But is there anything else that we should know about?
JC: I can say that there is this one thing that is coming into play and I can’t really say a lot without saying a lot! It’s definitely going to give a perspective on when you feel you have done so much in your life that you can help others so I will leave it with that! So just keep an eye out on it and I feel that a lot of people will be able to take a lot from it. They will understand what it is like to be an athlete and to be someone that is more than just an athlete!
AM: What do you want your legacy to be whether it’s in the sport or outside of it? As you just stated it’s not just about being an athlete, it’s more than that.
JC: I think the legacy would be more so that I was always having fun, I always - I don’t like to say this, but I wasn’t always a rule follower. I always did things outside of the box and just enjoyed being the person that I was, being authentic to who I am as a person, and knowing that there is only one you and that nobody can change that. I think that the legacy is who you are, what you want to do in your life, and how can you control that within yourself!
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 66 Team USA Facebook | PG 71 + 9PLAYLIST PG 76 Team USA | PG 74 Bliss | PG 78 + 63MIX ROUTIN3S PG 80 Jordan Chiles |
Read the JUL ISSUE #103 of Athleisure Mag and see TRUE JORDAN | Jordan Chiles in mag.
Featured
BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS
One of the best things in life is to re-discover, deep dive, and better connect with things long-admired, and cherished. Bob Marley’s music lies at the top of my must-haves – many tracks and live albums suiting best for joyous and sad moments, and all in between, as well as adventuring outdoors, smoking sessions, studying, romance and more.
Upon reading Bob Marley and The Wailers: The Ultimate Illustrated History by Richie Unterberger, it was quickly apparent that it was time to dust off those old soundboard recording treasures and look to the music, life and culture that has served as such stong guidance over the years.
We put together an expanded 9PLAYLIST STORI3S to explore and ponder more about the man, his music, and the times for then and now, along a series of our favorite song selections: Sun Is Shining, Positive Vibration, Roots Rock Reggae, Downpressor Man, One Love, Zimbabwe, And I Love Her, High Tide or Low Tide, and Redemption Song.
We also note that Former President Barack Obama, has also previously shared strong memories and feelings with Bob Marley’s music, particularly in his school years and the Survival album. His visit to the Bob Marley Museum was said have Jamming, playing upon his entering, and One Love, when departing. He also reminisced about keeping his record and tape collection.
Ultimately, with questions or thoughts of art and nature; good and tough times; peace and strife; love, respect and kindness, we ask along this and our musical journey - What Would Marley Do (WWMD)?
And I Love Her (Alternate Take)
ATHLEISURE MAG: I stumbled upon this ballad mid-college and was floored. It felt immediately intimate and special, loved sharing it at parties as friends generally loved it.
RICHIE UNTERBERGER: Most of the attention on Marley's career goes to the last seven or so years of his life when he was becoming an International star, first with the original Wailers and then with other Wailers. But there was a lot of good music that he made, often with the original Wailers, in the first 10 years of his recording career, which isn't very well known because it was primarily heard in Jamaica and not elsewhere.
And the earliest years of those are like from 1962-63 to 1966. That's when he had his debut single with Studio One. And the records are a lot more ska influenced than what he did after 1966 - [ska as] the precursor to reggae music. It's a lot faster and it's sort of a combination of Jamaican folk music with early American soul music.
Like they did a Curtis Mayfield song and he was maybe their biggest early influence. That's not a surprise. But them doing a Beatles song is not something that you would necessarily expect. And the version that they do, it is more imaginative than you would think, even if you know a fair amount about reggae and the Wailers. I'm a big Beatles fan. I love the original version, but they give it more of a wilting, early reggae cast and they also add, 'and I love her, yes, indeed,' after like every chorus. So it sounds more like a soul, early reggae hybrid sort of yearning quality that's not in the Beatles original, which makes it an interesting variation. And that's how they kind of varied soul music in general, when they were doing their first records in the mid '60s.
AM: At this time, were they doing covers towards getting acceptance or was that honoring their influences, or both?
RU: It's kind of all the above, but I think even though the majority of the material from the get go was original, I think there were a lot of songs they just liked that they wanted to do. It's just it's like when the Beatles started, they were already great songwriters on their first album, but the first few albums all have a good number of cover versions, which they did really well. They didn't just imitate Chuck Berry or Little Richard. They put their own personality on it very strongly. But also, I think they, and a lot of early reggae acts or ska acts, were just putting out tons of records, even though Jamaica was a pretty small market. And to fill out all these singles coming out and the one album that they did in the mid 60s, they needed to have more songs probably than they had already written. So they opted for songs that they really liked and maybe songs that when they performed live would get a good reaction to sort of vary their repertoire if they were playing long concerts.
AM: Yeah. I always liked the Bob Dylan one, Like A Rolling Stone.
RU: And another example, they did a Temptations song, Don't Look Back, an earlier version than the one that Peter Tosh did where Mick Jagger duetted with him in the late 60s. But he was aware of that song by the Temptations, which isn't one of their big hits, even when he was pretty early in his recording career.
AM: You know, I love that part of your book when you showed the Rolling Stones imprints, didn't know much about that, and definitely that whole part about Mick Jagger and the Stones backing Peter Tosh and all that.. That was terrific!
RU: Thanks. Yeah. It's really interesting because I think when the Rolling Stones set up their own label, their ambition was to have it be a sort of Apple Records, the way that Beatles ran Apple Records for the first couple of years, where it would be their label, but they would sign a lot of other artists and not just sign them, but often produce them or help them hands on, like they did with Badfinger and Mary Hopkin. And for various reasons, that aren't clear to me, they signed very few people, like less than five. And the only significant one they signed to put out a reasonable number of records was Peter Tosh. And I think that although the Stones didn't do many reggae songs, whether it was covers or they wrote their reggae style songs, they really liked the music.
They did some recording in Jamaica, like Goats Head Soup, the 1973 album, and they saw the connection between reggae and the American rhythm and blues and soul music that they loved and wanted to promote it with one of the leading artists who was available because he had left the Wailers for various complicated reasons, right after the Wailers started to get a big International audience on Island Records. So I'm not saying they were the most altruistic group of people in the world, the Rolling Stones, but they really wanted to promote a form of Black music, not Black American as it happens, but still from near North America.
It didn't work out indefinitely because Peter Tosh had a fallout with Keith Richards. This is like a few albums into his career with Rolling Stones records. But it was an alliance that made a lot of sense. It's the only such alliance the Stones made for their own record label, but it was the one solid indication of what they could do to help another artist. Not that Tosh needed so much help for his art, but his promotion to an International audience, which also Mick Jagger, of course, helped by actually singing on Don't Look Back, and also appearing in the official promotional video that Peter Tosh did, and also they sang it together on Saturday Night Live.
Sun is Shining
AM: This song increasingly became one of my favorites throughout my life. It’s always something that gets to me right away and the right ways, just find it so magnificent – it's sexy and inspirational!
RU: A lot of the attention given to Marley as a songwriter or for his protest songs are the ones championing social justice. And that's very important, arguably the most important part of his songwriting. But it should never be overlooked, that like almost all great songwriters, he could write about social issues, but also just write songs that were feel good songs, like ‘Positive Vibration,’ it was a great example, I think.
Also really good love songs - and although a lot of his songs, like Get Up, Stand Up is a great example, are about self-empowerment, a lot are sort of anthems just to make people feel more positive about what they are experiencing, what they hope to experience. And Sun Is Shining is an early example of that.
And I think it's interesting that throughout his career, Marley and Tosh would sometimes remake songs from pretty early in their career, like One Love is another great example, when they realized we're getting a much bigger audience and a lot of those people around the world never heard these records, which were primarily or only distributed in Jamaica. It was time to make those songs, which still have a universal message, something that everybody can hear on records, not just in their concerts. So Sun Is Shining is an example of that, where it was revisited and remade as well.
AM: Near the end of the song, he's talking about how he's 'a rainbow, too.' And it made me really reflect, wondering if this was him rescuing us as the unifier, and if also he was encouraging us that we all could all be rainbows, too?
RU: I would say like not just a lot of songwriters, but a lot of artists, his messages can be validly interpreted in different ways. So you might say he's talking about himself or that he's talking about everybody, all of his listeners and himself, or he's talking about both himself and his listeners. One of his great strengths was that as a songwriter, he could deliver very clear, yet easily understood messages that were inspiring. When you hear his spoken interviews, he's often a little vague. And it's interesting that it's not like his songwriting, which is very clear and direct. Get Up, Stand Up - I mean, how can you misinterpret that? I Shot the Sheriff - but I swear it was self-defense..; it's very lucid.
And it's unknown how precise his lyrics were explicitly stating. Yeah, meaning that it's hard to say whether his lyrics were meant for this is how I'm feeling, or this is how humans as a whole feel, or it could be both. His clear, direct messages were that in the lyrics, whether it's interpreted, however it's interpreted to apply to, they are very easily understood and they hit very directly [and across the world]. And it's unlike his spoken interviews, the last quote before my epilogue, somebody who was talking to the New York Times right after he died, just a fan, not someone who knew him, she said, ‘as an orator, he wasn't much, but his music said it all.’ It's almost like his music was his great expression of communication.
He also traveled and did concerts in Japan and other countries where knowledge of English was appreciably lower then, like a couple generations ago. A lot of people probably, if they read the lyrics on the page, they might have had a hard time understanding them, but when they heard them, they were geared around choruses which were easy to remember and sort of sink in. I think a lot of those messages did get through, both in the words, but also the way that they were sung.
High Tide or Low Tide
AM: So let's talk about High Tide or Low Tide and the Catch a Fire sessions in general? This track is so delicate and haunting, really enjoy it chilling with my girlfriend for sure.
RU: Yeah, Catch a Fire [sessions] - made really good music. I think in Britain a few people had heard them because there was such a big Jamaican population there, Jamaica, and they, Marley and Tosh, liked to have an International audience. They had gone to London in part to not just get a bigger audience or whatever concerts they could do, but try to find a record label. I think the feeling was it's going to be easier in Britain than in the U.S. because of that Jamaican population, Jamaica being a former British population in Britain, there was a much wider knowledge of reggae, even among non-Jamaicans, and his record labels were distribution, business distribution, primarily to serve the British Jamaican audience.
To bring reggae music itself to a wider audience, the goal was to give them more of a luster of a rock group, not so much in changing their music, but in marketing the album design, how it's distributed, it's on Island records, which a lot of people associated with those big British rock groups, and only subtly adding some rock instrumentation to their sound without diluting it.
Their appeal then, it was slightly earlier, but still very good records, music was slowing down into reggae and the lyrics were becoming a lot more socially conscious. Even though Catch a Fire is a very well-known album now, when it first came out it, it was primarily an underground hit, but that was very important, because that's where Marley's huge following could grow. When people saw the Wailers when they made their first American tours, they really stood out, in part because most white rock listeners had not heard reggae before, but also because the stage presence and the concerts were so good, and they got a lot of FM radio. I've talked to the leading FM radio disc jockey in the city in which I grew up, Philadelphia, and he said, 'oh yeah, when that record came out we leapt on it, we played it a lot, both because we loved it, but also we knew that our listeners who were maybe more used to Pink Floyd or Sticky Fingers, or something like that would love it too!'
But it should not be lost sight of that the biggest reason was that the material was very strong. You can't sell a record with that sort of marketing if the songs aren't really strong. In retrospect I kind of wish that it could have been a double album, not just Marley but also Tosh and Two, a lesser but significant degree by Quayler. Part of the reason I think that they did not stay together long on Island Records, after being together for a long time, was that Marley was getting so much of the songwriting, and that's one of the reasons he got more attention than anywhere else, although I emphasize they were a group at that time, it wasn't as what it became. They were a group in the sense that all of them have the impact that the act has.
AM: I was honored to see the Wailers after Bob Marley had passed, they were terrific.
Positive Vibration and Roots Rock Reggae
AM: This pair were often musts for outdoor adventures.
RU: With Positive Vibrations, it's like some of Bob Marley's song titles, you get the idea very quickly before even hearing the song. That's a really good example of, yeah we're going to dig into the lyrics.
We're all going to have a much better life here if we can all learn to groove together, which to some degree his concerts enable many people to do that together. But also, even if you don't think about the lyrics, it captures in a way that few reggae songs have done and reggae's been around now for 60 years or so.
Downpressor Man
AM: I first encountered Downpressor Man at an outside cafe in Miami. I had heard the cover rendition of Sinner Man before and loved it, but this magical slowed down version just hit so hard. Of course, a big fan of and feel it gives justice to Nina Simone’s tough bar to meet.
RU: I think that Peter Tosh shared with Marley as a songwriter, where he's documenting the injustices done to the underprivileged - which in Jamaica, most of the people considered underprivileged would have been. And in this instance, he adopted almost like spiritual, but made it particular, or more particular to the circumstances, not just of the oppressed in Jamaica, but the oppressed anywhere. I think that's a big part of not just Marley and Tosh's appeal, but reggae's appeal, especially in Africa, places which don't enjoy, in some cases, not as many human rights. Him changing the focus of the song and championing the downtrodden was something that made people feel that he had a lot of empathy for his audience and was able to express that well.
One Love
AM: With One Love, it's definitely something that became a huge country anthem, it always gives me a smile, and like a hug and form of encouragement – it's inviting..
RU: When preaching unity, [it's] hard to do.. without sounding sappy or sounding, just to get together, to find some common ground. This song had those kinds of sentiments, but did it in a humbler way than a lot of such songs do, but also should not be overestimated. The Beatles had a lot of great lyrics, but maybe the biggest reason they became the biggest group ever was that the songs were so melodic. Marley and the Wailers had a lot of such songs, which were very catchy, easy to hum. One Love is maybe his greatest expression of his hopes for a universal common ground between people of all geography and make inroads toward making the world a more peaceful place. Like I said earlier, he'd done that song, it caught on a lot more when it was remade in his solo career in the 70s. It was more updated, it sounds very contemporary.
Zimbabwe
AM: With Survival, it was very interesting to read your commentary because there came across with fierce lyrics and anthems.
RU: It might seem more tilted toward that on his album, but it seems like he always had a wide range of songs that he emphasized the most, but on others, that was because he was one of the first reggae artists, maybe the first, to recognize that an album should have, even if it's not like a story album or not all the songs, a theme. So maybe with Survival, he focused more on a full statement than like a romantic album that he did, but it's something that will vary on what was put out there that'll keep people interested.
I'm kind of speculating because, in part, Marley's life was short.. he didn't go through all of the phases of his career and explain them in ways like John Lennon did in his numerous interviews before he died. So it's a little bit of projection on my part.
AM: With Zimbabwe, having such significance, and the way it was performed so beautifully at legendary concerts, but how was that received globally?
RU: I do think that it meant a lot that Marley was sort of voicing his support for people's independence and self-determination in a country. It's often asked, and it's a very logical question, what would Marley have done had he not died so young in his later years? He was only - I think, although it's not certain, he definitely would have performed a lot more in Africa. He'd only perform there a bit toward the end of his career, both because he got a really great reception there, but also he saw that, as universal as his music was, it had some particular parts of meaning for people in Africa, where a number of countries - maybe South Africa got more attention in more attention in the United States for that than anywhere else, but a number of countries there - I think he would have performed there as much as he could have, maybe written more songs that were directly applicable to Africa. And possibly, it would seem like a logical step to me, maybe incorporating some elements of African music as he became more exposed to them, whether through touring or just listening more, because in the early 80s, that was the point where artists like Fela were starting to get a much bigger audience in the United States, and I could see Marley being very interested in someone like Fela, not just musically, but also lyrically, and also as a cultural figure in Nigeria.
Redemption Song
AM: Redemption Song, a lot of people's top favorite, and it is very reflective and boldy highlights the past and gives deep lessons. I’ve always held it in a different way, like a supercharged guide to fall back to when happy and chill or lost and sad. It says so much about the past, present and future of humanity, extremely prophetic!
RU: It's interesting to me for a few reasons. One is that unlike maybe all of his other really well-known - it could in some ways be heard not even as a reggae song, more as like folk. And that, it actually relates to something I was riffing on a couple minutes ago, [the] direction that he might have changed his style to that style that he would have done. Maybe he would have been thinking, yeah, I'm a reggae artist, I'm never going to abandon reggae, but I want to explore different styles that might not be dominantly reggae. Other artists have done that. Joni Mitchell started as a folk singer, then she admitted some rock influences, then she went into jazz. Paul Simon started, but then he incorporated reggae and gospel. He eventually got to African music, of course. I think he knew this when he was writing it, that he could do several different styles of music well - and when I hear it, because he didn't die that much long afterward, it's like he also had some sort of awareness that his time is not going to be long, whether he dies or not. it's almost like a Martin Luther King song. It's almost like Martin Luther King's final speeches, where he feels like, I might not have much time, but his urgency to get a message across.
AM: A hypothetical, because I've enjoyed some bubblegum gelato vape during our interview, what did he say about technology? Would he e-vape today or be comfortable his audience did?
RU: About his drug use, which is mostly cannabis, in the book or elsewhere, because there is music, but specifically as far as people using that sort of stimulation for recreational purposes, I don't think he ever would have minded whether it was with a religious dimension, as it was with a lot of prostitutes, or you just wanted to use it, at least in your ability of function and people around you. [Be sure to] be kind to your neighbors, right?
Yeah, and musically, maybe what he would have done. It's hard to project, like, if he was still making music in 2020, what he would have done. What he would have done, at least if he had lived another 10 or 20 years, if he wasn't ill. Technology, I think that would have been one of the things that he would have been wary about in some of his songs. The adverse effects of technology, not just AI, but climate change, which, when he died, that was his concern.
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 27, 38 - 57 Quarto Publishing/Bob Marley and The Wailers: The Ultimate Illustrated History | PG 58 GM/Current Affairs/Alamy Stock Photo | PG 60 Deposit Photos |
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PHOTO CREDITS | ABC The Bachelor Disney/John Fleenor
THE BACHELORETTE S21. E9. | THE MEN TELL ALL
PHOTO CREDIT | ABC The Bachelorette
The Men Tell All takes place tonight and the night starts off with a conversation between Grant and his mom letting her know he will be the next The Bachelor. He will also be on the show later on tonight. Jesse Palmer introduces all the men that are part of the Tell All. But first he reminds us that we have unfinished business from last night’s episode of The Bachelorette and we’ll get our answers with Devin and Jenn Tran. So we head back to Hawaii so that he can talk with her about where everything is. He lets her know that they will have a tough conversation. He tells her that he is in a weird headspace because she didn’t reassure him and he didn’t feel chosen. She says that she doesn’t know how to be in a healthy relationship and to be able to be there for him in a way that he has been with him. She realizes that she is not giving what needs to be given and she realizes that if he wasn’t there, she would feel lost. She tells him that she does love him. She explains that she is not good with her words.
At the Rose Ceremony, Devin gets a rose as well as Marcus. Jonathan is sent home and he says that he thinks that she is perfect for him and that he realizes that she doesn’t feel that he was perfect for her. He realized that their relationship was a slow burn and that that was his fault.
Jonathan joins the rest of the men and we begin to scenes that took place throughout the season when the guys interacted with one another as they dated her. Of course, they start with Aaron to find out why he dropped the news that there were men in the house that weren’t there for her. He shares that Devin, Spencer, and Sam N weren’t there for the right reasons. As they go back and forth between each other, Jesse says it’s time to have Sam M in the hot seat so that they can really talk about what is going on.
We watch various moments of Sam M with Jenn and we see that there was a vibe of some sort between the two. We hear a number of the lines that he said to her and we hear how she feels about him. We also see where the turning point of their relationship started. Jesse shares that many people feel that he is not authentic and he asks him if he really loved Jenn. Sam claims that he would never say that he loved her if he didn’t.
Jonathan is now sitting with Jesse and they look at his relationship. We see the attraction from a physical standpoint, but we also see how connecting on other levels was not the easiest for them. Jonathan is looking forward to seeing her and hopes she finds the person that completes her.
Next up is Grant who will be the next The Bachelor. We see how his love story with her ended and we know that his family is excited for this journey that he is about to start. Since he was announced, there have been over 10,000 women that have applied to be on the show since he was announced. Each day, more women are applying to be on the show. We’re looking forward to seeing how his story is going to evolve. Jesse tells him to get used to showering on camera and that Bachelor Nation loves to see lots of suds when they watch people lathering up. Jonathan and Hakeem express how happy they are for him to be part of the show in this capacity. He will also join the rest of the men as Jenn is about to come out to chat with everyone.
Jenn talks with all of the men letting Sam M know that he needs to learn from his experience, chatting with other men that she had connections with at various points. In addition, she enjoys the bloopers. We find out that Hakeem will join Jonathan in Paradise. Charity and Dotun were also on hand to talk to us about what they have been up to as well.
We also get a peek at the final episode and we see that there is still more drama on the way between Devin as well as Marcus. We know that whatever happens - this will be unprecedented and new territory in terms of Bachelor Nation. We can’t wait to see how all of this comes together. We know that she says that she can’t let the guy who is willing to propose to her to go through it. We’ll be back on next Tues for the 3 hour conclusion!
JENN GAVE ROSES TO | Devin, and Marcus.
JENN DIDN’T GIVE ROSES TO | Jonathan
Each night during this season, we will tweet about The Bachelorette and you can chat along with us (@AthleisureMag + with our Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director, Kimmie Smith @ShesKimmie) to see what’s taking place!
Each week we will let you know who our faves were from the last episode and if we’ve changed up since then as it pertains to who we think should go to Hometowns.
We also suggest a podcast that we’ve become obsessed with over the past few seasons, Wondery’s Bachelor Happy Hour to get their feedback!
WHO ARE THE FINAL TWO?
PHOTO CREDIT | The Bachelor Contestants/Ricky Middlesworth
THE BACHELORETTE CONTESTANTS
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PHOTO CREDITS | ABC The Bachelor Disney/John Fleenor
THE BACHELORETTE S21. E8. | FANTASY SUITES
PHOTO CREDIT | ABC The Bachelorette
Coming off of a great week of Hometowns, we can see that this week, the men are in the midst of emotional struggle in this week’s The Bachelorette. Devin is going through it this week in the teaser! We catch up with Jenn Tran as she invites us to Hawaii. She’s excited that she’s getting toward the end with the 3 remaining men - Jonathan, Devin, and Marcus. She catches up with Molly Mesnick (who was on S13 of The Bachelor) to figure out where she is when it comes to the remaining men.
Devin and Jesse Palmer play a round of golf with one another and you can hear the beginnings of his insecurities and we hear that Jenn is not completely there with him yet as well.
Devin’s date is first and they’re on a helicopter date where they get to see Hawaii. In addition, they talk on the beach to find out what they can expect in their lives when they are back in the real world and not on the show. Devin lets her know that he is ready to be engaged, but we can see that she is not there yet and we can understand why Devin feels that he is getting signs that she may not be in the same place. To tell her that he loves them and for him to not hear it back, could play with anyone’s head. They continue their date to the evening portion and she says in the confidential that she hopes that she can get there with him as she can see all of his efforts. They both decide to go to the Fantasy Suites and Devin is looking forward to chat off-camera as that will be their first time. They spend time with one another and she states that he is better than Pete Davidson in every way. They have their inside jokes, they seem comfortable with one another, and they enjoy breakfast together. She hopes that their time together has helped him get out of his head a little bit. She leaves him and does the solo walk back to her place with her bag from the night before as she goes across the Fairmont property in her robe and slippers.
Jenn arrives in a Jeep for her date with Jonathan. She has an adventure date for him to go to some markets and to try some foods. They go to some food trucks and you can see that he is shocked that he has a forced cheat day since they will eat filled donuts together. He enjoys spending time with her. They continue with a picnic in the forest that is near a massive waterfall. They take the time to talk and to continue to see how they connect with one another. He recognizes that he can’t keep beating around the bush with her and he needs to take the initiative. They continue onto the evening portion of the date and you can tell that she likes Jonathan more than she likes Devin as she feels stronger connections. She talks with him about how much she enjoyed being at his Hometowns and how connected she felt with them as well. She shares with him that it is important the she shares her culture and where she comes from and she wants to impart that on her kids when she has them. They opt to spend the night together.
They wake up they do look cute in bed with one another. In Jonathan’s confessional, he says that he can see himself getting down on one knee. But then we see Devin walking around and he’s back in his head again as per usual! As Devin spirals. we see Jesse and Marcus playing golf together and talking about what he’s looking forward to as he’s about to take his date. Marcus is still waffling.
But they begin their date and we’ll see more about how they are connected. In her confessional, she says that she is in love with Marcus and hopes that they will be able to pick up exactly where they left off. Their date involves a boat where they cruise out to the ocean as they continue to talk about Hometowns, how their lives fit together and continuing the chemistry that they have had throughout this process. They are going snorkeling at sunset where they can see the inhabitants of the ocean.
They have dinner together and he opens up to her to chat with her on where he is. He feels he wants to get his life right as he knows that he comes from a broken home. He lets her know he is worried and that he is unsure and she deserves someone who is sure. He doesn’t know if he can continue. He tells her that he is not in love and you can see her assessing everything that has just taken place especially because she had planned on telling him that she was in love with him! She does tell him that she is in love with him and that she feels the need to get it off her chest and not as a means to force him to say anything as she didn’t want to short change herself by not letting him know that. They go on the Fantasy Suites date, but to us, it’s a bit awkward as he has stated his position. They have a great night and she knows its a terrifying place to be in love with someone who is not with you. She knows that next week the remaining men will get to meet her family.
Back at the lobby bar area, Devin gets in his head again and ends up talking with Jesse and letting him know that he doesn’t feel like he is in a good place. He feels he didn’t get the reassurance that he needs and he doesn’t feel whole. Jesse is the perfect listening ear for him.
JENN GAVE ROSES TO | Devin, Jonathan, and Marcus.
JENN DIDN’T GIVE ROSES TO |
Each night during this season, we will tweet about The Bachelorette and you can chat along with us (@AthleisureMag + with our Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director, Kimmie Smith @ShesKimmie) to see what’s taking place!
Each week we will let you know who our faves were from the last episode and if we’ve changed up since then as it pertains to who we think should go to Hometowns.
We also suggest a podcast that we’ve become obsessed with over the past few seasons, Wondery’s Bachelor Happy Hour to get their feedback!
WHO IS CONTINUING BEYOND HOMETOWNS
PHOTO CREDIT | The Bachelor Contestants/Ricky Middlesworth
THE BACHELORETTE CONTESTANTS
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STORIES FROM THE DELTA | NICCO ANNAN + SHOSHANA GUY
Readers of Athleisure Mag know that we enjoy watching STARZ’s P-Valley. In fact, we even interviewed members of the cast for our MAY ISSUE #77 for the last season of this series. This series focuses on Chucalisa and the chosen family of those that work at The Pynk. In this series, we get to know about this strip club, those who work there, and the events that take place in the community that affect those that work there. We love that we get to see a lot about these multi-dimensional characters in terms of their hopes, dreams, how they support one another and beyond!
Although we’re all waiting for the upcoming season of P-Valley, today we get to watch Down in the Valley that lets us know more about the cities that represent Chucalisa as well as the stories that come from there as well as how elements of those lives directly tie into the show. In this companion series with 6 episodes hosted by and is Executive Produced by Nicco Annan (Shameless, Snowfall, Claws) who plays Uncle Clifford in the show and Executive Produced by Shoshana Guy (Rock Center with Brian Williams, High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America, The 1619 Project), we get to hear their stories and learn more about what we have all come to love about this series!
We had the chance to sit down with them to talk about the Mothership show, how this series came about, why it was created, and what we can expect from it!
ATHLEISURE MAG: Before we delve into Down in the Valley, what attracted you to P-Valley and why did you want to be in this incredible show which I have loved watching over the seasons?
NICCO ANNAN: Well thank you, what attracted me to this show, P-Valley, I am going to say is the fact that it was created by such an auteur as Katori Hall (The Mountaintop, Hurt Village, Tina - The Tina Turner Musical). She is really a person who I love her work in the theater and I was reading her work before I was actually even auditioning for anything like that. I also love that it was something that was a true reflection of where I came from and all different types of our culture. It wasn’t just limited to a narrow viewpoint of how I saw myself and my community.
AM: In watching the show, I love the complexities, the characters, the topics that are talked about, and the city almost becomes a character in and of itself. Although I know that the city portrayed in the series is fictionalized, it seems more like a composite of a number of cities in the South. How did Down in the Valley come about as I feel that it allows the city as a character to step forward a little bit.
NA: Yes, part of Down in the Valley, we wanted to be able to go to different cities, You're absolutely right! Chucalisa, Mississippi is a fictitious city, but it is a real Native American burial ground. In the world of P-Valley, all of this is behind us and we are really an amalgamation of the South and it would be almost like if Jackson, Mississippi and Memphis had a baby! You know with a Mama in Tunica. Haha – that’s Chucalisa.
One of the things you know that Shoshana and I talked about in creating this show, Down in the Valley, we really wanted to go to different parts of the South that were in The Delta – that Bible Belt space to see what it was really like. It was about the real people and the real places!
AM: So how did both of you become attached the show. Shoshana, I have also been a fan of your work as a journalist and a producer. As a Telecom major in college, I have been enthralled by your work. How did both of you come to this project?
SHOSHANA GUY: I had worked sort of adjacent to Starz on the 1619 Project and so I had a relationship with them there and you know, I am always looking for new folks to collaborate with so it was really exciting for the idea of - I mean, I love the Mothership Show as we call it. So it was a really exciting idea for me to be collaborating with Nicco and Katori and of course, a new production company Zero Point Zero (Nomad with Carlton McCoy, United Shades of America w Kamau Bell, Somebody Feed Phil) which it was produced out of. So once I sort of had that initial relationship, the idea of collaborating with a new group of people was very appealing to me so when I got the call, I said yes, that sounds interesting to me.
AM: And Nicco?
NA: What’s the question?
AM: We love you in the Flagship show but what drew you to come in as the host and the Executive Producer in this show? What were the stories that you wanted to tell as you mentioned earlier about focusing on the different cities and the people within it. I came across a quote that, “even though The Valley is a concept, and a state of mind, it actually reflects various areas.” As someone who is from the Midwest originally and has lived in NY for over 2 decades, I love learning about other communities.
NA: You know, when I created this show, I had the idea for this show back during S1 of P-Valley! So it was something that was always in my mind and it was about the right time. The industry has been going through a lot of restructuring, the big strike, there was this thing called COVID that the entire world experienced. So it just felt like, now is the time that we can have some space to do it. I had a little time off from the Flagship show, so when I brought it to the network, my ideas and I got that all pitched out and partnered up here with Shoshana, we really went in and found a team of people, a team of diverse people, Black women, queer people, people that were connected and had passion for the South to be able to come together and to tell this story and always having Katori in the mix!
It's so funny because my brain really just went for half a second to the script and the world of Chucalisa and I had to say, wait!
SG: Haha you were going to recite some lines for us?
NA: Right! I was going to go into a whole other place!
SG: Yeah! He’s an amazing multi-tasker!
AM: Right haha!
NA: It was just a natural, I mean honestly, it was a natural process and it was a labor of intense love, it has been one of severe dedication, you know to make during this past year. And it’s something that we wanted to do where it wasn’t about a replacement of P-Valley, it is about an expansion and creating something more. I really felt like it was an opportunity because I meet fans and other members of the Pynk Posse and there is an intense love! We can be quite intense and so I wanted to make sure that I could do something that is reflective of who I am meeting and who I am encountering, and I think that sometimes in life, you can forget the beauty and the strength that we can come from. So, I wanted to make something that was full of love, full of intention, and low on trauma.
SG: Yeah, I have to add to that to say that one of the fun things about being in the field is watching people’s reactions to Nicco was that they already felt so connected to him because of this character that he plays in the show. It was such an interesting and enjoyable piece of the operation to be moving around in space and to see how it all came together!
Remember when we went to the tailgating event?
NA: Yes!
SG: This older woman came up to me and asked me could he come over for just a second? So I looked over to where Nicco was and I said (waving her arms over), come on over here! She said to the group, “he’s coming home!”
NA: Yesss!
SG: I always remember that moment because it really felt symbolic of the way that people feel about the Mothership Show and also for us to be able to bring that feeling of home onto the screen.
AM: In preparation for this interview, I watched the entire season as I wanted to have a great backdrop for this series and to juxtapose that with the Mothership show.
I love that there are aspects of Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations. As you have this travel component in many respects and you also have this journalistic and getting into sociopolitical issues that are taking place and doing this without having the trauma aspect involved. That is such a complicated, nuanced, and beautiful mix to be able to put that together in a half hour show that is not coming off preachy, but is talking about issues that are also a crossover into what is being discussed and shown in the Mothership!
SG: Girl, who are you telling?
AM: I mean, in your mind it’s like “boop, boop, boop” triangulating all of this!
NA: Hahaha!
AM: I mean, I’m impressed by it and seeing how it is laid out and the depths of its connective tissue – it’s amazing.
NA: Oh thank you!
SG: Yes, thank you so much! It’s wonderful that you see the notes of No Reservations in there because we obviously produced it out of that kind of legendary production company, so it’s always going to have that sort of feel and flavor of that underneath it. You know, I'm a trained journalist, I have a degree from Columbia University. I worked at NBC News for many many years. So everything that I approach, has that kind of journalist feel underneath it. I’m always interested in how stories and narratives collide with real issues that are going on. We know that as Black people, it’s always a lot of things that we are working on, building on, celebrating, but also processing as a people. So our goal was to make sure that that came through. A nice balance of the fun and also the real things that we go through.
NA: To also add in, all of the creativity with the dance, and the dance elements that are in the storytelling, it’s connected. Things are elevated and there are moments of hyperreality so to speak. Like you experience that in the Mothership Show, we experience it in real life. It was just a way to capture that on screen and really tell these complex stories of real people who have real lives that are intertwined and showing you that it is really laced into the stories of P-Valley in this fictional world and here is the real world that is showing you those real things. Elements like how Hoodoo is ensconced in the community and it’s not something that the character Diamond (Tyler Lepley) just came up with out of thin air, you know what I mean? Some things like the superstition that we all have of “don’t sweep my feet,” like my grandmother would say that. Or throwing salt over their shoulder you know what I mean? Little things like that that you don’t necessarily know the root of, but you’re able to go in here and see where it all derives from in a fun, sexy, and entertaining way.
While we wait for the next season of P-Valley, watch Down in the Valley on STARZ and/or stream it on the STARZ app.
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PHOTOS COURTESY | Down in the Valley/Starz
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PHOTO CREDITS | ABC The Bachelor Disney/John Fleenor
THE BACHELORETTE S21. E7. | WELCOME TO HOMETOWNS
PHOTO CREDIT | ABC The Bachelorette
It’s Hometowns on The Bachelorette and we’re starting off in Houston with Devin! Jenn Tran actually did what we think is the first run and jump of the season! He’s excited that he can show her his city as well as to plan their date. They’re participating in his run club that he enjoys every Wed. It’s nice that they have a Love Run where she gets to meet his friends and take in elements of the city as well. She also loves to run so that’s pretty cool that that works with her lifestyle as well.
She also meets his dog Charlie which she’s pretty cute. We didn’t initially have Devin and Jenn as a couple that would make it to Hometowns and although we do feel that there were times he provided drama, it does seem like he could be a great fit and that he is genuine about Jenn - but we’ll just have to see how all of this shakes out.
They make their way to meeting Devin’s family which is his mom, dad, grandfather, grandmother, brother, and his step dad (which Jenn reminds him of). They catch his family up on what they have been through over the past few weeks. His family seems really sweet. Hearing Devin and his dad Temo chat really showed the love between them. In the conversation between Jenn and his mom, it seems like such a loving vibe as well. His mother talks about how it took time to find her love story and that she knows it hasn’t been easy for him. Jenn let her know that she saw similarities between their families.
It seems like the date went well and with the backing of his mom, he tells her that he loves her. It was great that his mom let her know that now is not the time to be coy and to try to wait things out. Jenn tells him that she is also falling in love with him and that she does see a future with him.
We see Jenn in Fairfield, CT which is Jeremy’s Hometown - another energetic hug at a park he enjoys going to. They’re going shopping since they did that in Melbourne as well as in Seattle. They make their way to Stew Leonard’s. There are animatronics, items to sample, costume characters and more. As they enjoy eating hot lobster rolls that they shared, his aunt comes by unplanned. They had a great time with one another as they always do, but she wants to see him have a serious side and to make sure they they are on the same page. She looks forward to seeing more of his family so she can get those answers to see if he is ready for an engagement.
They make their way to his family and it’s interesting to see the dynamics. His mom Karen says in her confessional that what Jenn mentioned in terms of what she looks for in a guy is not her son! Sometimes it’s your own family and friends that share what they know to be true. When his younger sister Emily talks with Jenn she lets her know that his walls are not down and he is guarded. She talks with her brother and asks if he sees a future with her. Emily lets him know that Jenn feels that he is guarded and Jeremy is surprised that that is how she felt. He feels that he has tried to be vulnerable. When he talks with his mom, Karen asks if they have talked about serious things and she wants him to understand that fun is great, but he has to dig deeper to know who Jenn is. She continues to try to to understand the dynamic by sitting down with Jenn to find out more. She asks if they have a bond that goes beyond the fun part of their dynamic. Jenn asks if she thinks that he would be ready. Karen says that if it was the right person he could be ready, but it seems like she’s trying to let her know that she doesn’t think that he is ready.
Even though Jeremy and Jenn recap with one another, it’s quite clear to us that there is no way he goes past Hometowns.
Onto San Diego where she will meet up with Jonathan! Another physical date brings them to playing Lacrosse as they both played. So they have the opportunity to hang out with one another and to keep it easy. After playing on the field, they enjoy some champagne and they talk about the fact that he has some walls up and that they need to be brought down. He lets her know that he does see something there, but it’s hard for him to navigate his feelings, but he feels that there is something there. She is concerned that he is not able to fully get there with her in the time that she would like to see it in.
They continue on to his family and as we got a sneak peek at some of the conversation, we’re looking forward to how this part of the date unfolds. His Sister-in-Law shares how they met on Tinder, said I love you on the 3rd date, moved in together within 2 weeks and they have been married for 4 years and have been together for 7. Jonathan’s brother lets her know that because of his past, he is super protective of him. In speaking with his mother, Jenn is looking to get her feedback and she knows his brother is very hesitant about the process that they have gone through even though he met his wife on Tinder. Jenn explains that she understands that he is holding back, but she wants him to open up so that they can get there and have a stronger relationship ultimately. When Jonathan and his mom sit down to talk, she asks him why he is holding back.He lets her know that he wanted to get reassurance from his family and more importantly, his mom. He asks if she sees her being long terms. His mom said yes and you can see the weight lift off of his shoulders. She tells him that he has to put himself out there and to take that chance in order to go forward.
He lets her know that his family loved her and that he really needed today in order to connect more with her. He let her know that he is falling for her and that he feels it. She lets him know that she is falling for him as well.
It’s the last Hometowns date! We finally get to see Marcus and his family in Tacoma, Washington. Going into Hometowns, we felt that this date would be one that would go well. He lets her know that he will meet his sister, but not his adoptive family. In addition, he has some of his friends who he feels is family who will be there to meet her. He knows that he has struggled to be open to falling in love and having a future with Jenn and he feels stuck so he wants to find out what his support system thinks. Ultimately, he tells her that he is falling for her. She says the same.
All 4 Hometowns have concluded and now it’s about Jenn selecting those that should continue on the journey. The 4 contestants meet up for some beers to catch up on what they have gone through.It’s the last time they will be together before the rose ceremony. Marcus realizes that everyone seems comfortable with their Hometowns and that at any point, they would be ready to propose. Marcus realizes that he feels like he is behind. He realizes he shouldn’t feel the way he is feeling and yet he does - the epitome of conflicted.
All of the guys arrive and wait for the rose ceremony begin. Jenn arrives and connects with Jesse Palmer as they quickly debrief on what he past few days have been like.
She lets the men know how important Hometowns was and how it allowed her to reflect on what she needed. These were hard questions that were necessary for her to know so that she can pick the right men to continue. She sends Jeremy home which is not a surprise if you think about the feedback that Jenn received from his family.
Next week we have Fantasy Suites as well as the Men’s Tell All on back to back days and we hear more from the men on where their heads are at.
JENN GAVE ROSES TO | Devin, Jonathan, and Marcus.
JENN DIDN’T GIVE ROSES TO | Jeremy
Each night during this season, we will tweet about The Bachelorette and you can chat along with us (@AthleisureMag + with our Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director, Kimmie Smith @ShesKimmie) to see what’s taking place!
Each week we will let you know who our faves were from the last episode and if we’ve changed up since then as it pertains to who we think should go to Hometowns.
We also suggest a podcast that we’ve become obsessed with over the past few seasons, Wondery’s Bachelor Happy Hour to get their feedback!
WHO IS CONTINUING BEYOND HOMETOWNS
PHOTO CREDIT | The Bachelor Contestants/Ricky Middlesworth
THE BACHELORETTE CONTESTANTS
Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.
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PHOTO CREDITS | DISNEY/John Fleenor
THE BACHELOR S29. E0. | MEET GRANT ELLIS!
PHOTO CREDIT | DISNEY/John Fleenor
Last night, we saw that Grant Ellis was not going to be heading to Hometowns. We enjoyed seeing him throughout this season’s The Bachelorette’s as he competed for the heart of Jenn Tran. We were shocked that in the middle of the night they announced him as The Bachelor for Season 29! We can’t wait to see who will be on his season and to get to know more about him. But until then, we’ll look forward to what’s about to take place!
Each night during this season, we will tweet about The Bachelor and you can chat along with us (@AthleisureMag + with our Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director, Kimmie Smith @ShesKimmie) to see what’s taking place!
Each week we will let you know who our faves were from the last episode and if we’ve changed up since then as it pertains to who we think should go to Hometowns.
We also suggest a podcast that we’ve become obsessed with over the past few seasons, Wondery’s Bachelor Happy Hour to get their feedback!
Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.
HERE’S WHO WE THINK WILL GO TO HOMETOWNS
THE GOLDEN BACHELOR CONTESTANTS
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PHOTO CREDITS | ABC The Golden Bachelorette
THE GOLDEN BACHELORETTE S1. E0. | MEET THE MEN
PHOTO CREDIT | Disney/Ricky Middlesworth
Last night, we enjoyed seeing who will make it to Hometowns for The Bachelorette’s as Jenn Tran made some serious decisions. We know that the highs and lows aren’t over, but this morning, we also heard that The Bachelor is going to be Grant Ellis who just missed the cutoff to go to Hometowns! We can’t wait for what his season will be like as it will begin to film soon. Of course, with so much going on in Bachelor Nation, we’re excited for The Golden Bachelorette! Joan Vassos whose series and season will premier on Sept 18th!
We loved her when we saw the connection she had with Gerry Turner during his season of The Golden Bachelor and many felt that she would give Theresa Nist quite a run! But then she chose to go home during Week 3 when her daughter had a medical emergency. Both were upset that their journey came to such a sudden end. But now, we’ll be able to see what her journey to love will look like. We know that she is a mother of 4, grandmother of 2, after 32 years of marriage she is a widower. We can’t wait to see who will be vying for her heart and how it all comes together!
Today, they announced the men that would be competing for her heart! As usual, we have shared all the men and who we think could make their way to Hometownws. Each week, we will continue to guess and see how it all goes! Until the season starts, enjoy the below.
Each night during this season, we will tweet about The Golden Bachelorette and you can chat along with us (@AthleisureMag + with our Co-Founder/Creative + Style Director, Kimmie Smith @ShesKimmie) to see what’s taking place!
Each week we will let you know who our faves were from the last episode and if we’ve changed up since then as it pertains to who we think should go to Hometowns.
We also suggest a podcast that we’ve become obsessed with over the past few seasons, Wondery’s Bachelor Happy Hour to get their feedback!
Read the latest issue of Athleisure Mag.
HERE’S WHO WE THINK WILL GO TO HOMETOWNS
THE GOLDEN BACHELOR CONTESTANTS
Featured TV Show