Mon Oct 19, 2009

On Today's Show: www.crntalk.com

Daymond John ABC's "Shark Tank"
A success story, an industry leader, a young entrepreneur, a man who has reached and surpassed new heights of commercial and financial success, just a fraction of classifications used to describe Daymond John, CEO and founder of multi-million dollar fashion empire FUBU The Collection. Daymond possesses the capability knowledge, insight and approachable demeanor which allow him to successfully achieve any goals set forth before him, as well as nurture others to do the same. Changing fashion and the face of American business with FUBU was only the beginning. What started initially with unbridled perseverance and a dream of catering to a market otherwise ignored, quickly transformed into a business venture, and eventual enterprise, worthy of the multitude of accolades and awards it has received. Some such prestigious awards: Brandweek Marketer of the Year (1999), Advertising Age Marketing 1000 Award presented to Daymond for outstanding ad campaign (1999), NAACP Entrepreneurs of the Year award (1999), Crain's Business of Forty Under Forty Award presented to Daymond (2002) and Ernst & Young New York Entrepreneur of the Year award (2003). Daymond John is a true business leader. He really represents a strong African-American business leader on ABC’s Shark Tank show airing tonight and every Sunday on ABC. Most people do not realize how much of a true shark Mr. John is and I mean that in a good way. Don’t just learn from him and the other great show hosts as there’s not enough time on the show to truly understand the power of Daymond John and what he has done to the urban landscape in America and worldwide. To truly dive into the mind of Daymond John, his book Display of Power is a must read for all entrepreneurs who want to start, develop, and grow a brand. Mr. John and his companies control several large name brand clothing brands in the United States and abroad. The brands under his tutelage, control, and influence include FUBU, COOGI, Heatherette, and Drunkn Munky. Most African Americans know Mr. Daymond John from FUBU as most of us at some point have worn some lime green, red, yellow, or orange jeans back in the day. He continues his clothing line now with COOGI and other offerings. The most important aspect of learning about Daymond John lies in what he knows and teaches about personal power and brand management. For true business marketing, you do not need to be on the ABC Shark Tank show. You can find out everything online and learn how Daymond John builds brands from his web properties. Follow the leader. Do it now.

Chris Carmichael "Lance Armstrong" Coach
Chris Carmichael is the founder and CEO of Carmichael Training Systems, Inc. (CTS) and personal coach to cancer survivor and seven-time Tour de France Champion Lance Armstrong. Named the US Olympic Committee’s Coach of the Year in 1999, Chris formed CTS in 2000 after spending more than two decades in the sport of cycling. Through Chris’s leadership, CTS immediately established itself as the premier destination for personal fitness, nutrition, and performance coaching. To ensure that his message and coaching philosophy continue to be delivered at the highest level of quality, Chris created an unsurpassed education program that develops the highest-trained coaches in the industry. With a network of more than 100 coaches located throughout North American and beyond, the thousands of athletes working with CTS have full access to an unmatched base of knowledge and experience. Chris has also been very active in television, with appearances on the NBC Nightly News, The Today Show, CNN, 60 Minutes, The Discovery Channel, ABC’s World News Tonight, and other venues. From 2001-2005, he served a daily on-air commentator for the Outdoor Life Network’s (now Versus) Tour de France coverage.

Ernie Hudson "Heroes" NBC - Mondays 8-9 PM ET/PT
There are very few actors who can lay claim to a professional resume as long and varied as Ernie Hudson, but Hudson has always been a unique screen presence, capable of taking on any role. Born in Benton Harbor, Michigan, and raised by his grandmother in a tough neighborhood, a career as a performer seemed like an unlikely path for young Ernie Hudson, who was already married with a young son when he enrolled at Wayne State University as a Speech and English major. "Being an actor never occurred to me," Hudson recalls. "There was no one even remotely connected to the industry where I was from. It wasn't until I got to college that I realized how much I enjoyed it." Hudson's early ambition was to be a writer, and he for a time served as the resident playwright at Detroit's Concept East, the oldest black theater company in the country. Later, he founded Actors Ensemble Theater, where he and other black performers staged and appeared in their own original works. After attending Wayne State, Hudson accepted a full scholarship to the prestigious Master of Fine Arts Program at Yale University as a writer and acting student. This led to a number of regional theater roles and critical acclaim, and his feature film debut in "Leadbelly." "The thing that altered my life the most was when my first marriage ended and my two young sons came to live with me," Hudson remembers. His wife wanted to pursue her education, and it made sense for Hudson to bring the kids to California. At the time, Ernie, Jr. and Rahaman were 10 and 7 years old. "Thankfully, their mother taught them how to cook and clean and they were very self-sufficient," Hudson jokes. "I sent them away one summer and the house fell apart." Being a full-time dad to his kids enriched Hudson in unexpected ways: "They did as much raising me as I did them," he explains. "I grew up without having a father, and I wasn't really sure what that role was. They helped me find it." As a single father, Hudson quickly realized that earning a living as an actor was now a necessity, not just a dream. There were parts in feature films like "The Main Event" with Barbra Streisand, "The Jazz Singer" with Neil Diamond, and television projects like Abby Mann's acclaimed miniseries "King" and the highly-rated "Roots II." Hudson found himself alternating between film and television roles until 1983, when he was cast as Winston Zeddemore, the fourth member of the "Ghostbusters" team. The two "Ghostbusters" films gave Hudson a higher profile than he had ever known. He continued to work at a steady pace and began to get recognized on the street. "After doing so many different kinds of movies, I’ve found that the people who recognize me come from all walks of life, and everyone knows me from a completely different role." Hudson subsequently earned starring roles in films such as "Weeds" with Nick Nolte and "The Basketball Diaries" with Leonardo DiCaprio. When director Curtis Hanson ("L.A. Confidential") was making "The Hand that Rocks the Cradle," he cast Hudson in the pivotal role of Solomon. "After 'Ghostbusters,' a lot of people thought that I was a comedian, but doing more comedies wasn’t my goal," says Hudson. "Doing 'The Hand that Rocks the Cradle' reminded me of the fun I could have while exploring different facets of acting. I loved making that movie, and it also allowed me to re-establish myself as a dramatic actor." Another favorite role of Hudson's was in the thriller "Congo." "I never really envisioned myself as a leading man. The character in 'Congo' was my Ronald Colman character, the man who ran the show. After I saw my performance in that movie, I felt really good about what I was capable of achieving and what I had to offer as an actor." Hudson also singles out his role of Officer Albrecht in the 1994 thriller "The Crow" opposite the late Brandon Lee. Although Lee's death, a result of an on-set accident, is still a painful memory, Hudson remains proud of the movie. "I'm so glad we got to finish it because it really shows Brandon's enormous talent," he says. Hudson admits that two of his heroes growing up were Muhammad Ali and Bruce Lee, and he remembers conversations with Brandon in which the young star said he hoped "The Crow" would establish his career apart from his father's legacy.
In 2003, Hudson appeared in Pulitzer Prize winning playwright August Wilson’s ”King Hedley II,” at the Penumbra Theatre in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Early in his career, Hudson made a splash starring in the Minneapolis production of “The Great White Hope.” Returning to Minneapolis to star in “Hedley” during the renowned Penumbra’s 25th season has led to accolades for Hudson, with local reviewers noting the “slick panache” and “butter smooth” approach he brings to the role of Elmore, a con artist. Kudos also followed him to the small screen. For his work on “Oz,” where he appeared as Warden Glynn for six seasons, Hudson won the International Press Academy Golden Satellite Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Drama Series. Another cherished recent role is that of the demanding principal in the Emmy nominated film “The Ron Clark Story” with Matthew Perry – a project Hudson felt compelled to do “because it was a story that needed to be told.” With his four sons now grown and out of the house – all of them enrolled in or graduated from college, and two with advanced degrees – Ernie Hudson can play a variety of different roles in every medium including recurring roles on popular series such as NBC’s “Heroes” and “Law and Order” or ABC Family’s “The Secret Life of the American Teenager” to theatre projects (e.g. this past spring 2009, Hudson starred on Broadway in Bartlett Sher’s Tony-winning production of August Wilson’s “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” at the Lincoln Center’s Belasco Theatre) to independent festival-circuit films (for instance, Hudson starred opposite Joe Mantegna and Jay Mohr in “Lonely Street,” “All Hat” with Keith Carradine and Rachael Lee Cook; “The Man in the Silo,” and Randall Miller’s “Nobel Son” and “Marilyn Hotchkiss Ballroom Dancing and Charm School.” He has also starred in movies for television such as NBC’s “Meteor” and Hallmark’s miniseries “Final Approach” with Dean Cain and Anthony Michael Hall. When he's not working, Hudson likes to spend time relaxing at home, and remains committed to developing all facets of his creativity, including his writing. “I love working – telling stories and creating projects. I’m starting to write more, and I love theatre. As an actor, I’m trying to find challenging roles where I can give physically as well as emotionally. It’s a great time in my career; now, it’s about the joy and the fun of it.” “I’m very blessed. My wife and I have been together for 33 years, she balances my life out. It’s my acting career that has helped me hold my life together, and I’m just having a lot of fun.”

Jason Sheedy - "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon"
After a nationwide contest, Jason Sheedy was selected over hundreds of applicants to be a fall semester intern for the “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” show. Sheedy, a senior at Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD), won Jimmy and producers over with his inspired movie trailer spoof videos. He will be interning for Fallon from his college campus and be responsible for blog entries for the show's website every other week (click here to view Jason’s first blog entry about his life at SCAD and several assignments from Jimmy where he will submit videos for the LNWJF audience to view. His first video assignment will air on Thursday, October 15th. Here is a link to a video of Jason Sheedy’s appearance on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon”: http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com/blogs/2009/09/meet-the-intern-contest-winner-jason-sheedy/

Apolo Anton Ohno American Winter Olympians
One of the most famous American Winter Olympians of all time partially for his trademark soul patch and mostly for his Olympic pedigree, five-time Olympic medalist (two golds, one silver, and two bronze) and the one of only four Americans who has won three medals in a single Winter Olympics speed skater Apolo Anton Ohio has won an Olympic medal in every distance after bursting onto the skating scene when he snagged two medals at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Apolo is expected to add to his stash of medals from the last two Olympic Winter Games as he leads USA’s short track speed skating team. With only one more medal, Apolo will become the most decorated Winter Olympian in American history! The reigning United States champion since 2001, Apolo has won the men's national title 10 times and was the United States Olympic Committee's Male Athlete of the Month in October 2003 and March 2008. Named the U.S. Speedskating's Athlete of the Year for 2003, Apolo was a 2002, 2003, and 2006 finalist for the Sullivan Award which recognizes the best amateur athlete in the United States. Apolo also competed in and won the reality television show “Dancing with the Stars” with his partner Julianne Hough in 2007! A native of Seattle, Apolo is a photography enthusiastic who also enjoys inline skating, video games and dancing. One of America’s most beloved Winter Olympians~one of the most famous Winter Olympians of all-time, five-time Olympic medalist speedskater, and “Dancing with the Stars’” winner Apolo Anton Ohno will reveal to your viewers how they can tweet their way to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver in a viral twitter campaign that will send one lucky Team USA fan and a friend to the upcoming Winter Games! Apolo, who is currently prepping for the 2010 Winter Olympics, will share how your viewers can follow Apolo on Twitter from now through January in the “Tweet Your Way to the Olympics” campaign and enter to win a fabulous, customized trip for two to attend the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, meet Apolo, and support Team USA. To bring out the competition between Apolo and fellow Olympian snowboarder Lindsey Jacobellis who will be tweeting opposite Apolo, the Olympian with the most tweets will be rewarded with a donation to the Save the Children charity. In addition, Apolo will chat about the upcoming 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and everything else happening in his career.