ToTheMax!

PIX11's Francesca Maxime To Appear At Annual CHC Fundraiser

2011-10-24T15:49:00.000-04:00

PIX11's Francesca Maxime To Appear At Annual CHC Fundraiser

FrancescaMaximeNYCAnchorReporterDemo

2011-06-19T13:40:00.000-04:00

Cabbie Honored For Help In Beating Death Arrest

2011-04-25T14:17:00.000-04:00

Cabbie Honored For Help In Beating Death Arrest

Mia Madness In The Bronx

2011-04-10T19:19:00.000-04:00

Mia Madness In The Bronx

Surfer's Healing: A Camp For Autistic and Disabled Children

2011-04-05T14:22:00.000-04:00

Surfer's Healing: A Camp For Autistic and Disabled Children

Francesca Maxime

2011-04-04T18:38:00.000-04:00

Francesca Maxime

NY PIX Morning News Blog – WPIX-TV

2011-03-18T14:00:00.000-04:00

NY PIX Morning News Blog – WPIX-TV

My report for WPIX TV in NYC on "Row House Fire in Queens"

2011-02-15T00:58:00.002-05:00

My report for WPIX TV on "Row House Fire in Queens"
http://www.wpix.com/videobeta/e9f6c027-7964-46d5-bc0a-93aeb632d3cf/News/-Laurelton-Row-House-Fire

My report for WPIX TV Ch. 11 in NYC on Long Island Dog that warned owners of roof collapse!

2011-01-30T21:37:00.000-05:00

My report for WPIX TV in NYC on dog warning owners of roof collapse!

My report for WPIX TV in NYC on "Dangerous Bath Salts"

2011-01-24T11:42:00.000-05:00

My report for WPIX TV in NYC on "Dangerous Bath Salts"

http://www.wpix.com/videobeta/cee809f7-47b2-4874-bf05-6996e89988e7/News/Dangerous-bath-Salts

Francesca Maxime NYC Anchor/Reporter Demo Reel Jan. 2011

2011-01-21T19:12:00.000-05:00

Francesca Maxime NYC Host/Entertainment/Personality Demo Reel Jan. 2011

2011-01-21T19:11:00.000-05:00

Francesca Maxime NYC Reporter/Anchor NEW demo reel Jan. 2011

2011-01-21T19:10:00.000-05:00

Francesca Maxime NYC Anchor/Reporter Demo Reel Jan. 2011

2011-01-21T19:08:00.000-05:00

Tribeca Film Fest - Opening Day Presser

2010-12-12T17:51:00.000-05:00

Francesca_Maxime_NYC_Reporter/Anchor_Demo_2010

2010-12-07T06:27:00.000-05:00

Tribeca Day 1 - Extended Interviews

2010-04-28T13:29:00.000-04:00

"Metropia" animated film News Conference Notes from Tribeca Film Festival, NYC 2010

2010-04-25T12:16:00.003-04:00

“Metropia” Film News Conference, 4/25/10

Francesca Maxime for Film Slate Magazine

Attendees: Juliette Lewis (actor), Tariq Saleh (director) Alexander Skarsgard (actor, “True Blood”’).

Tariq Saleh is Metropia’s writer/director. He grew up in animation studio. Saleh’s background is documentary filmmaking. He went to Guantanamo 2003, before Abu Graib scandal when it was a controlled environment. He interviewed young American soldiers just 20 years old. Saleh says he could tell they’d seen things they shouldn’t have seen. While taping at the camp, they heard people screaming inside. Turns out the Pentagon/Rumsfeld was holding press conference, that day in April 2003, and declared that “we have won the war.” It was the same day when the statue of Saddam fell. A relative of his said in Egypt that once the statue fell, that’s’ when the war started. Saleh says they were working on Metropia at the time, and the film is about the world, and people going insane. “When you are scared, people do insane things. The movie is about fear.” It all started during and after 9/11. For the film, Saleh sayd he wanted “real actors, not voice talents: the best actors and actresses… That they’d approach it for a real acting job. “

Juliette Lewis: “I’m just into radical and unique points of view and any fresh voice. I’m also into things that question the status quo. So I love the sentiment about where these voices come from, how they get into your head.” Animators, process of using human eyes, the governmental figures… using real human eyes (as part of the animation.)”

Alexander Skarsgard: “I didn’t have anything to watch, it wasn’t animated yet. It wasn’t about lip synch or hitting certain beats. But it was quite surreal first time I saw the movie in October, over a year after we recorded it and it’s really weird b/c you sit down and you watch it and suddenly there’s a face and a reaction with other characters.”

Tariq: “We started doing animation in 2002. We used old animation. The whole thing is 2-D. This is the most flat film you will ever see. One dimensional almost. We move the eyes ears nose mouth at different speeds to create the illusion or turning. I like that idea. I like the idea of doing the film. It’s like hypnosis.”

Question: It’s not really science fiction, but how did u develop the back story?

Tariq: I found a folder in the Swedish Metro. “I think a lot of public transportation companies are in the crosshairs of the corporate, private, and the state… They talk to you like a child.” What if a public transportation company became the most powerful organization in Europe. With (the recent) volcano, Europe was like Metropia for a month. Roger of course is based partly on myself; I like to think of myself as a little more sympathetic than he is. “

Juliette: “When he used the word film noir, I got it. Vocally I’m trying to achieve what I’m normally trying to achieve which is a real reality and something honest, so I used my regular voice. Usually for characters I’ll pitch it higher or whatever. I have a very base voice (like my fellow ‘deep voice ladies’ like Lauren Bacall). “

Tariq: “A lot of actors and actresses sound the same when they take away their faces, but all the Metropia cast isn’t that way.”

Juliette: “It’s a hyper-reality. It’s a universe that’s exaggerated with its color, its sparseness, the sterile nature (of it). You can do these things… create a hyper-reality, an aesthetic… that heightens your feeling of eeriness, paranoia, alienation. The color in it: the lead character, I fell in love with him when I first saw it. I was drawn to this funny character. I’d never seen anything like it.”

Tariq: “Animation gives you so much freedom to do this kind of storytelling. It brings you emotional proof. Animation shows you how things feel, not what they look like. My favorite film is Dumbo. It’s about child abuse. His mother goes to jail. I cry every time I see this film. When the clowns abuse him… Animation is not what it looks like, it’s about what it feels like.”

Tariq: The biggest inspiration for me is “the process” by Kafka. I misunderstood it as comedy when I first read it. With “dream logic” – there two kinds of dreams… if I dreamt about pigs, it’s uninteresting. If I dreamt about you, it’s interesting. I wanted the film to feel like that: when you wake up from Metropia, it’s real, but wasn’t real.”

Film Slate’s question to the actors: How do you prepare for an animation role differently than a “regular” acting role, have you done animation previously, and would you do it again.

Alexander: “Creative freedom, there are no boundaries – we could play around with it, we could do with it whatever we wanted. Tariq’s an old friend, we talked about it for a long time, for this dark/bleak idea. It’s not so far from where we are now, like in the states. People trust big corporations more now than the government. To me it wouldn’t be interesting if it weren’t related to our society.”

Juliette: “My process is a very instinctual, imaginary place, my faraway place where things come alive. And I love complexity and subtext, so even in my character you have all that because she’s not really helping him, she has her own personal vested interest. She’s an opportunist in a way, but she’s benevolent in a way, b/c she doesn’t kill him. She’s self serving in a way, but in the end you get the feeling that in the end she’s gonna go out and do something more corrupt than the father. So I really rely on my director, and it’s always a game of trust. I really am a big believer in the choices of the director, so I’d ask him if she should be more or less angry here. I did a voice once for Japanese animation once. I’d love to do more (animation).”

Question: What character do the actors relate to the most in the film?

Juliette: “I relate to Roger. Some small portion. And then projects, I was just making music and writing songs and touring with the last five years and I just started making movies again a year ago. So I’m approaching it with a deep love, a rekindled love, this experience. I just worked with Drew Barrymoore and Ellen Paige, and Mark Ruffalo. And I’m gonna be in two big comedies, one with Jennifer Aniston called the Switch. I’m just drawn to charcter work. My dad’s a character actor. I’m doing another comedy, with Robert Downey Junior.”

Alexander: “What: what character did I identify w/ the most? Stephan? Cold delivery. Not a very sympathetic character, but a very amusing one.”

Question (to Alexander): True Blood: people are curious what you’re doing.

Alexander: “We’re shooting season three right now. We’re doing that for another few months. Season 3 is about vengeance. I’m flying back tonight.”

Question: What is the process of directing an animation movie really like compared to “regular” films?

Tariq: “Animators are like actors and actresses. It’s a problem b/c they are like actors. They put themselves in it. You have to cast the animators. If you have a shy animator, you’ll have a shy character. If you work with great people, they’ll bring it back to you.”

Juliette: “It’s the same in a way, visionary – the difference in this work is that it’s all voice, you’re doing it in this finite part of time. You’re using one aspect of your instrument.”

Video Coverage/Opening Day News Conference of Tribeca Film Festival for Film Slate Magazine

2010-04-22T08:32:00.002-04:00

Check out the brand NEW video of my coverage of Tribeca Film Festival Opening Day newswer 4 Film Slate Magazine w/ Robert DeNiro & exclusive interviews w/ co-counder Jane Rosenthal & Chief Creative Officer Geoff Gilmore. http://vimeo.com/11128622

Tribeca Film Festival Opening Day News Conference Coverage

2010-04-20T18:55:00.000-04:00

The Tribeca Film Festival is in it’s 9th year. Begun in 2002 following the 9/11 attacks, it was meant to serve as a way to get people back to the World Trade Center neighborhood of Tribeca. And now, nearly a decade later, it, is coming to them.

The 2010 Tribeca Film Fest is marked most notably by it’s “virtual” or “video on demand” offerings through cable partners like Time Warner and Direct TV. With a full slate of films that will be released online simultaneous to their Festival release, the move ensures that everyone who wants to, can take a bite out of this iconic New York event.

At today’s opening news conference, co-founders Robert DeNiro and Jane Rosenthal were joined by newly de-“Sundanced” Chief Creative Officer Geoffrey Gilmore and the Festival’s Executive Director Nancy Schafer. All gave props to American Express for their continued festival sponsorship – which this year is notable not just for its financial support but for the new ways in which that support is helping independent and foreign Festival films reach new audiences online. Shafer notes the reach is up to 40 million viewers.

Rosenthal talked about the Festival’s roots in the neighborhood, and how it’s really a community festival. With special outdoor “drive-in” showings of family favorites like “Big” alongside other kid-friendly fare like the BMX Jams tour and Family Street Fair with performances from Broadway stars.

Filmmaker Alex Gibney has three movies at this year’s festival, including an untitled Eliot Spitzer movie sure to draw New Yorkers, as well as ”My Trip to Al Queda,” which harkens back to the festival’s roots. Comedies, however, also abound, which can be unusual – says Executive Director Nancy Shafer – in a Film Festival that highlights independent film. Out of the over 5,000 film submissions, there are several that were chosen including the “revenge of the teenagers” flick, “Beware the Gonzo.”

Still, the 3-D movement that splashed towards us with Avatar will now open the festival with Shrek’s final installment, the premiere of “Shrek Forever After.”

Whether you’re in town or not, check out all of our film reviews and interviews here on Film Slate… and hit the Tribeca site too, at www.tribecafilm.com. $45 buys you a “premium pass” enabling you to stream eight full-length 2010 Tribeca feature films. They kick off April 23rd with Edward Burns’ “Nice Guy Johnny.” You can also watch filmmakers discuss various issues on live panels, and even see shorts.

So… Stay tuned… There’s much more to come!
-written 4/20/10 for/originally published in Film Slate Magazine

Currents: 4/16/10

2010-04-19T16:40:00.000-04:00

Mocha Moms Help Haiti – 3/23/10 : Currents

2010-03-26T01:38:00.000-04:00

The devastating earthquake that hit Haiti January 12th continues to
take its toll. 230 thousand dead, 1.3 million, homeless.

Here in Brooklyn, a group of women came together to do their part to
help. Mocha Moms found a couple of reputable organizations whose
efforts they wanted to support, and last weekend, held a fun
fundraiser, to help buy needed goods for earthquake survivors –
especially women and children – in Haiti.

Here's my report for Currents.

Mocha Moms Help Haiti – 3/23/10 : Currents

Film Review of "Cold Souls," by Francesca Marguerite Maxime

2010-03-12T02:05:00.006-05:00

Original Content Created for and published in Film Slate Magazine

Cold Souls

FRANCESCA MAXIME

We could call “Cold Souls” “Being Paul Giamatti,” or, perhaps more appropriately, “Not Being Paul Giamatti.” Just as the titular “Being John Malkovich” had the actor in self-portrayal, so does this first-feature foray for director Sophie Barthes.

The premise is simple: Giamatti is having trouble with Chekov’s play Uncle Vanya, reads a magazine article promoting “soul extraction” technology promising to alleviate the ailments one’s may cause, and takes the plunge to have his removed and stored until the play is complete. The problem is, two weeks unexpectedly turn into much more, after his chickpea-shaped soul is implanted into a soap opera actress seeking greater talent. Giamatti goes soul-searching - all the way to Russia - to reclaim his discarded inner being and in the process learns a thing or two about self-acceptance and the human condition.

The film is so satirical it’s hard to say it’s a comedy, because it doesn’t provoke chortles or belly-laughs like, say, the one-lines you get in “Forgetting Sara Marshall.” But it’s not that kind of film. It is instead a cerebral comedy, where the brain, the body and one’s being are picked apart and mocked as the commodities they’ve come to be in the modern age and Western world.

Giamatti is an actor who can’t separate his Chekov character from himself, and says he needs to be “unburdened” to perform well. His agent recommends newly-pimped soul-extraction technology profiled in The New Yorker. Giamatti, like real-life contemporary Philip Seymour Hoffman, is known more for his acting chops in films like “Sideways” than for his looks, and once again delivers in “Souls.” When primary soul-extractor Dr. Flintstein (played with a cool sense of ambiguity and enthusiasm by the familiar David Strathairn) asks the actor how he feels once soul-less, Giamatti replies “Light, empty, bored, great.” It seems the “operation” may very well work well for its intended purpose.

But when Giamatti rehearses an Uncle Vanya scene, he’s overly sarcastic, insensitive, and quite hilarious. And later in the evening at dinner with his wife and friends, he loudly chomps celery while recommending that one of their friends just “pull the plug” on an ill and non-responsive loved one. Without his soul, Giamatti lacks measure and sensitivity, easily maligning others, albeit unintentionally. With poor on the job performance and the inability to make love to his wife, he goes back to have his soul re-implanted. And then, the true fun of the film begins.

Dr. Flintstein argues the soul extraction is working well, since Giamatti admits to not having one dark thought, and, to the actor’s ability to perform Vanya without feeling distress. But goes on to tell Giamatti that the moment he gets his soul back, he’ll feel the unbearable weight (of it) and again be unable to perform. The good doctor then proffers a “soul catalogue” where clients can peruse and rent the purchased and traded souls of everyone from a Chicago sportswriter to a Russian poet. Giamatti elects the latter, begins to experience some of the poet’s essence once hers is implanted, and ultimately finds the new “organ,” as Dr. Flintstein put it, “too beautiful” and rejects it. He decides to take his old soul – imperfections, darkness and all – back. But when he goes to retrieve it in the locker, it’s gone, traded on the black market to a talentless Russian Soap Opera actress.

Imagining the commoditization of souls, like livers and hearts, isn’t that far flung. Plastic surgeries, human trafficking, sexual slavery; all are prevalent in today’s world. It seems nothing, however immoral, is kept from the auction block.

In order to reconnect with himself prior to re-implantation, the actor must actually look into his soul (caged in a jar) – something he’d refused to do when it was first extracted. Getting over this obstacle has been the protagonist’s challenge all along.

“Cold Souls” combines a shaky balance of pathos and eccentric humor that sadly become less comical, in direct relation to how eerily realistic the jokes are. And while cloaking the moral commentary in chickpeas and prunes, jars, chambers, and foot lockers, the film attempts to reach its hands into our innards, hoping that they’re still warm to the touch, and that they stay put.

DIRECTOR: Sophie Barthes SCREENWRITER: Sophie Barthes PRODUCERS: Paul S. Mezey, Andrij Parekh, Jeremy Kipp Walker CAST: MPAA RATING: PG-13

My TV Demo Reels

2010-02-21T08:24:00.022-05:00

Hi everyone,

Loong time no see! Been busy settling into New York City life... writing a lot of poetry... playing tennis... and otherwise trying to get through the winter hibernation period, lol.

I have, however, continued to host my daily TV show "Currents" in NYC (www.CurrentsNY.net or www.facebook.com/currentsny) and I wanted to share my recent demo reels. (My previous ones from Florida are here also).

Feedback's always welcome!

Take it easy,
Francesca

NuHotel in Brooklyn: Hip, Stylish, and Chic!; Travel Review by Francesca Maxime

2009-10-02T16:06:00.006-04:00

Brooklyn, NY--

NU Hotel is just that: a new style of hotel not typically found in Brooklyn. It’s one of a handful of new fun, urban, hip hotels that have opened up in the City over the last couple of years. NU Hotel pleases its guests in many ways, starting with its stylish, hip and modern décor.
I checked my car into the parking lot next door (no valet) and entered what I thought was the building. It turns out there’s an adjacent condominium complex that towers over Smith street, while NU Hotel next door is just four stories high. But I soon found my way into the lobby and was greeted by a cheerful desk attendant, on that rainy summer evening.
The lobby is understated, contemporary chic. With dark woods, ceramics, and natural fibers, the wrap-around windows give a nice peek in – and out – of the lobby/lounge area.
NU Hotel is located right in the middle of downtown Brooklyn, with funky shops and yummy restaurants and night spots at every turn. Right over the Brooklyn Bridge (you can walk to it, and, walk across), it’s a nice change for those needing to visit Wall Street, and who would rather enjoy the view of Manhattan’s skyline, than be staying in a part of it. Still, it’s only a half-hour to the airports, so that alone may prompt business travelers to consider crossing the bridge for their stay.
The hotel has 93 bedrooms and several suites. The NU Urban Suites have an amazing feature that probably no other hotel in New York or its environs boasts: hammocks! That’s right: eleven-foot-long hand-woven hammocks from Nicaragua. They’re a playful addition to the bright white, wood, and cork in the rooms… inviting a nap, or simply some time out for daydreaming. NU Friends Suites are a great value too: with bunk beds stashed into one wing of the room, it’s easy to pile a family of some college friends in the same space, without feeling overcrowded.
As an eco-friendly hotel, there are lots of windows, cork floors, and recycled teak furnishings. The bedding in NU Hotel is even organic, with stone and glass bathrooms and showers complementing the rest of the fixtures. A treat upon entering the bathroom (for me anyhow!) was the big slate chalkboard and piece of white chalk. I “customized” my room with my own little positive saying. Whimsical and fun, I felt like I was back in fourth grade.
Another feature of the NU Urban Suite - which may make you coming back for more - is the sunken king-sized bed, which both invites and envelops you. Tucked away in a corner around the bend from the room’s entry (and hammock!) you feel as though you are in your own private little world of calm.
NU Hotel is kind of like living in a loft for a couple of days. With quotes from Spike Lee and Henry Miller adorning the walls as you exit the elevator, you almost feel as though you’re a part of some kind of artists “commune” or co-op – but with your own room and privacy!
If you’re in the mood to listen to some music, satellite music systems will fill the air with your song-du-jour. Free Wi-Fi access lets you roam the wild internet without foraging too hard. Large 32-inch flat-screen televisions allow you to take whatever octopus of contraptions you may have brought along to plug in any which way you like: a “jack pack” welcomes all kinds of audio, video, and computer cables.
If you’re hungry, head to the NU Bar in the morning, where a free continental breakfast awaits. At night, the area turns into a gathering space for guests and locals who want to enjoy some light tapas like White Bean Hummus with Pita Crisps or Sliced Artisanal Salami, and a cocktail.
Perhaps most impressive about the NU Hotel is the size of its proprietary gym (not shared with the adjacent condominiums). Quite large with modern, new amenities including treadmills, ellipticals, and weights, it’s easy to see why it wouldn’t be too hard to squeeze in a workout, even if your stay is just for a day or two.
Housekeeping was efficient and quiet, but Smith Street can get a little loud. I’d recommend requesting a room away from the main drag if you want complete silence.

With rates around $200- a night, NU Hotel may be the new kid on the block, but it’s not getting bullied around. It’s fitting in nicely with the old and the new Brooklyn, servicing locals and visitors alike.

NuHotel
85 Smith Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
www.nuhotelbrooklyn.com
718 852 8585

Francesca Maxime: the new Mets pitcher?!, new blog post by Francesca Maxime

2009-08-26T14:26:00.006-04:00

Francesca Maxime: the new Mets pitcher?!

So...

In High School I played tennis and field hockey. I never tried softball. Never once. I was always too afraid of that hard ball coming towards me and the big black eye I might get if I failed to crack bat to ball.

However, for some reason unbeknownst to me, I agreed, when The NET/Currents asked me to throw out the first pitch for the Brooklyn Cyclones game at Keyspan Park on Coney Island. I had no glove, no ball, no coach, no training: basically, I had no idea what I was doing.

About a month ago, I lucked out: I was scheduled to throw, along with Marky Ramone of the band the Ramones. But, it poured cats and dogs, and we got washed out. And so, last night was my "make up."

I'd elicited some tips from friends over the past several weeks: 3 finger grip, coil and unwind aroud the shoulder, step into the throw, even cheat the mound. I even logged onto a pitching website and watched MLB big timers throw the ball again and again, in hopes of absorbing some of their skill somehow.

But it wasn't until last night around a half hour before the game was to start, that I got handed a nice new ball and gingerly walked up to one of the guys in the red shirts and asked them if they could help me throw a couple. Bobby agreed. He walked me over to the batting cage, and started about half the distance of what I'd be asked to throw. He said I wasn't bad. Asked me to aim a little higher. Then Jake stepped in and said he liked the extra step and hop I was putting into my thrust: it generated more power. Then Bobby told me to inch back... and inch back more... and before I knew it, I was throwing pitches from the batting cage mound. And pretty decent ones!!

When it was time for the real thing, I didn't even hear my name being called. I tossed off my sunglasses (Dolce and Gabbanas-thanks Alexa of Cyclones Marketing for catching them) and ran onto the field.

I felt all these eyes on me: so this is the pressure, I suppose, of what it's like to be a pro athlete. To perform under pressure, for a living.

So I loosened up a bit, took a deep breath, coiled and released, and watched the ball come two inches away from Bobby's glove.

Oyyy... I was a little disappointed. I wanted to hear the slap of that catch. And yet, it really wasn't a bad throw overall. Not for how much I'd practiced, and not for how little I knew about the game.

After it was over, there was some applause and then some young'ins took to the mound. And did better than me (no surprise there).

But from what I've been told, the Mets could use a good pitcher right about now. So maybe I'll ask them to take me to training camp in the spring.

LinkedIn or LockedOut, a Rant by Francesca Maxime

2009-06-09T15:12:00.008-04:00

LinkedIn or LockedOut, by Francesca Maxime June 9, 2009

So instead of writing this blog post, I should really be getting back to work. But I can't get over the nagging feeling I get every single time I get on LinkedIn. Why?

I love Facebook. I'm having fun flirting with Twitter. I enjoy regular old Email. I've even started this Blog. An RSS feed is no longer foreign to me. And Yes, I get WIRED magazine.

So when LinkedIn first came around, I joined up-perhaps three or four years ago? For awhile I only had a handful of "contacts" (not friends mind you - contacts) because, frankly, I was too busy Anchoring the nightly news for ABC in Pensacola to "network" online. But as I grew into my job, and people found me online, etc., I accepted contacts here and there, and recently, after having been laid off, was told I should "beef up" my LinkedIn profile, because it was the first thing people saw when they Googled me. He was right.

So, I finished up the sections that were blank. And then I did another thing my friend recommended: I asked people to "recommend" me. Basically, it's like asking for references from the LinkedIn contacts you have in your circle. (Mine are up to 101 right now. On FB I'm at about 2100, and it's only been a year... And Tweeting for three months? I'm batting around a 300). I've even Bing'ed in the last couple of days. Have you? Yea, exactly...

In any case, so I send out an all-call for recommendations and get a dozen back. Great! No worries! Fabu! Thank you! And then, I try to reach out to a few people I know, but don't really know (you know, FB'ers, what I mean), and send them a message inquiring about something.

Well you might as well slap me in the face with a frying pan, or unleash the guillotine. Because LinkedIn doesn't work that way. And it obviously doesn't want to. And that's obviously perfectly fine with many of its users. But not really with me. It's kind of like Match.com for online dating. You send a "wink" and then you either get nothing back (which is fine), or, you get back one of those "I'm not really into you" messages, which is worse. LinkedIn's kind of says something like: "Several people whom you've contacted say they don't know you. You should only invite people you know to connect with you on LinkedIn."

Ok...... soo...... I guess I'm missing the point. If I went to a cocktail party and knew everyone there, why would I go to that party? Sure, I can enjoy their company one on one, can chat about things we already share in common or know. But isn't what makes the party fun, the fact that you get to meet new people and sometimes you don't know who they are or what they'll do? Getting "introduced" through a LinkedIn connection doesn't work with the facility one has in real, live situations where you're seated at a table with your friend, and the friend introduces you to person across the table and says "Ginger, this is Francesca. Francesca, this is Ginger. We used to work together at blah blah blah..." and so on and so forth, add a few cocktails and you're off and running.

See, I like to keep things loose. To me, LinkedIn is more like wearing a corset and girdle everyday to work. (Yea, women did that in the 40's, even when their "work" was most often vacuuming and cooking at home). It's not comfortable. It's unnecessary. And it's really not the way things are moving: towards connection, versus isolation. Toward sharing, versus major privacy protection (I leave that to my Symantec/Norton Security whatever thingamajig). Nor is wearing the equivalent of sweatpants everyday and being sloppy FB'ers or Twitterers acceptable, no. I'm not advocating that. I'm just advocating that LinkedIn chill out.

Sure people say it's about "business" networking, versus "social" networking. Whatever. To me, it's pretty much all the same. Why? Because smart people are always thinking about their careers and the world, no matter if they're at an official trade show seminar, or at the after-party happy hour. Whether they're on LinkedIn, or Twitter, or Facebook, or even Myspace.

All I'm sayin' is, if you don't wanna "connect" with me on LinkedIn, don't. I can take the heat. Not everyone's gonna love ya. And if you don't like me and wanna stay away on Facebook, feel free to do that too. And if you wanna follow me on Twitter, or not, be my guest. I enjoy all of your posts and the folks I follow.

But as for LinkedIn? I'm thinking they might as well call it LockedOut. This is one party that even if I were Michelle Obama, I don't think I'd feel that great about attending, no matter how swell I looked.

-Francesca Maxime
June 9, 3:22pm
fmaxime@post.harvard.edu H-R 1993-1994

Lady Gaga Show/Review Boston's House of Blues 5/4/09, by Francesca Maxime

2009-05-05T17:30:00.002-04:00

Lady Gaga Show/Review Boston's House of Blues 5/4/09, by Francesca Maxime

Move over, Star Trek. Forget about Wolverine. She's other-planet chemical gases ice cold cool. Lady GaGa''s truly the future of Pop music.

From her Jetson-like costumes, to her new song "Future Man" (where she sings to an illuminated clear acrylic mannequin), to her robotic/erotic dance moves, Lady GaGa is on warp speed to becoming the next and best blonde Pop Diva, alongside veterans Gwen, Madonna, Fergie, Xtina, and Britney.

There's not much I knew about the first-time Grammy nominee (for best dance song "Let's Dance.)" But there's not much you need to know, either, other than 1) her voice evokes Judy Garland and her offspring Liza Minelli 2) She can bang out self-created tunes on the piano with two hands, and, one foot 3) Every single track on her album makes you want to move - in a good, non-squirmy way, and 4) She's got a great butt.

The 23 year-old started the set with some of her best known tunes, emerging from what appeared to be a cluster of rocks but ended up turning into dancing Bobby-Brown-like-"My-Prerogative"-days- clad male dancers. Themes of money, fame, the paparazzi, also bore heavily on her various tunes... as she thanked Boston so much for having her, and was impressed by the House of Blues' crowd's ability to sing along to GaGa songs. Gaga stayed away from the political - no Malawian kids here - except for one comment: support for legalizing gay marriage. (So I guess she and Miss California are best friends? Notsomuch...).

GaGa, BTW, is Italian, and frankly, as a half-breed myself, its easy to see then why she so easily wants to connect fame, the paparazzi, the music, the show-woman-ship, and the experience of lurching into the future with all her fans. She's inclusive. She really sang to the audience, and with the audience. Magnetic in her silver suit, no-one could take their eyes off her.

During an acoustic version of Poker Face where she solo'd at the piano, she belted out tunes high and low, singing the chorus over and over, in different pitches, ramping up and down the keyboard with strong chords. Alas, when she walked away, we thought, perhaps, that might have been it. But not one to disappoint, she re-emerged for one last costume change and encore and gave everyone what they wanted most: as she said, "You want me to shut up and play Poker Face." And, as they say, the crowd went wild.

I haven't really felt this excited about an artist since Alycia Keys. GaGa, for all her crazy antics and boldness, her fashion-extremes and platinum hair-bows, is still a little innocent, perhaps: still, a little naive. If nothing else, she's thoroughly enjoying her initial moment in the spotlight-blinding sun and all. And if we're lucky, she'll shuttle back and forth between that starry galaxy far away she obviously so adores, and keep coming back to earth to share shows with us, she knows we love.