Gym Class Heroes: Daniel Leyva

 

 

In Memory of... Paul Walker (September 12, 1973 – November 30, 2013)

Paul William Walker IV, was born on September 12, 1973 and passed away on November 30, 2013.  Paul was an American actor. He became famous in 1999 after his role in the hit film Varsity Blues, but later garnered fame as Brian O'Conner in The Fast and the Furious film series. His other films include Eight Below, Into the Blue, She's All That and Takers.

 

 

Paul began acting when he was very young, appearing in many TV commercials. In 1987 he played Prof. Bennet in Monster in the Closet. Paul then starred in the television series, Throb. He also made guest appearances on several television shows including Charles in Charge, Highway to Heaven, Who's the Boss? and Diff'rent Strokes. Paul also had a role in the soap opera The Young and the Restless.

 

Death

On November 30, 2013, at approximately 3:30 p.m. Paul along with Roger Rodas left an event for Walker's charity Reach Out Worldwide for victims of Typhoon Haiyan. Shortly after leaving in Rodas' red 2005 Porsche Carrera GT, the driver lost control. The car crashed into a light pole and tree in Valencia, Santa Clarita, California, and the vehicle burst into flames.

 

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department declared the two dead at the scene. Roger Rodas was believed to be driving the car. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office stated that speed was a factor in the crash. Police initially investigated if drag racing played a role, but were unable to find evidence of a second car's involvement.

 

Roger Rodas and Paul Walker became friends after meeting at a race track. Roger became Paul's financial advisor in 2007 and helped to establish Reach Out Worldwide. Roger was the CEO of Always Evolving, a Valencia high-end vehicle performance shop owned by Paul Walker.

Numerous friends have posted tributes to Paul on social media.

Ludacris "Your humble spirit was felt from the start, wherever you blessed your presence you always left a mark, we were like brothers & our birthdays are only 1 day apart, now You will forever hold a place in all of our hearts @paulwalker legacy will live on forever. R.I.P."

Tyrese: "My heart is hurting so bad no one can make me believe this is real Father God I pray that you send clarity over this cause I just don't understand My heart hurts it's broken no one can convince me that this is real.... Prayer warriors please pray real hard for his only child, his daughter and family... #HeartOfAnAngel13YrsFamilyForeverWeJustCelebreatedYour40thBirthday..... My God... My God... I can't believe I'm writing this"

Michelle Rodriguez: "I'm gonna carry this torch for you brother, with a forced smile on my face and I'm gonna open my heart just cause your telling me to."

Laz Alonso: "My prayers are with @RealPaulWalker family and friends. Down 2 earth & real as they come. #RIP"

Adam Shankman: "#rippaulwalker i was blessed to call you friend and a beautiful light in the world just went out. I love you paul"

Ellen DeGeneres: "Paul Walker's passing is so sad. I'm thinking of his family. Keep the people you love close to you."

Lindsay Lohan: "Life is truly precious. #RIPPaulWalker and Roger Rodas. Bless ur beautiful families. Guys pls donate to their charity @ReachOutWW"

Chloë Grace Moretz: "My thoughts and prayers go out to Paul Walker and especially his wife and little girl #RIPPaulWalker"

Usher: "RIP Paul Walker...our prayers go out to his family and friends #gone2soon"

Elizabeth Banks: "Going to bed with a heavy heart about Paul Walker. May his friends and family find peace and grace. A reminder of life's frangibleness."

 

Trivia

·         Chosen by People magazine as one of the 50 Most Beautiful Persons in the world in 2001.

·         He didn't like to watch himself on screen and would only watch his own movies once

·         Was considered for the role of Johnny Storm in Fantastic Four (2005).

·         He was set to star in S.W.A.T. (2003) as Jim Street but backed out. Colin Farrell was cast instead.

·         Was good friends with actor/singer Tyrese Gibson.

In Memory of... Phyllis Hyman (July 6, 1949 – June 30, 1995)

Born Phyllis Linda Hyman on July 6, 1949. Phyllis Hyman passed away on June 30, 1995. She was an American singer-songwriter and actress.

Phyllis Hyman was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and grew up in the St. Clair Village, the South Hills section of Pittsburgh. Born to an African American family, she was the eldest of seven children and a third cousin of actor Earle Hyman (best known for his recurring role on The Cosby Show as Cliff's father, Russell Huxtable). After leaving Pittsburgh, her music training started at a music school. On graduation, she performed on a national tour with the group New Direction in 1971. After the group disbanded, she joined All the People and worked with another local group, The Hondo Beat. At this time, she appeared in the film Lenny (1974). She also did a two-year stint leading a band called Phyllis Hyman and the P/H Factor. Hyman was discovered in 1975 by internationally known pop artist and music industry veteran Sid Maurer, and former Epic Records promoter Fred Frank, and signed to their Roadshow Records/Desert Moon imprint.

Hyman moved to New York City to work on her reputation. She did background vocals on Jon Lucien's Premonition and worked in clubs. In 1975 when Norman Connors was laying tracks for "You are My Starship" (1976) he could not get permission to use Jean Carne for the album and had heard about Phyllis Hyman, who was working at a club on the upper Westside of Manhattan. One night after a Jon Lucien concert at Carnegie Hall he went to see Phyllis perform and offered her a spot as the female vocalist on his fourth album for Buddah Records. Once the title song got airplay on Jazz radio, "Starship" went gold, catapulting Phyllis's career along with Norman Connors and Michael Henderson to new heights. R&B radio jumped on board and Norman and Phyllis scored on the R&B charts with a remake of The Stylistics' "Betcha by Golly Wow!".

On the afternoon of June 30, 1995, Hyman committed suicide by overdosing on pentobarbital and secobarbital in the bedroom of her New York City apartment at 211 West 56th Street. She was found unconscious at 2pm, hours before she was scheduled to perform at the Apollo Theater and died three hours later at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital. Her suicide note read in part:

"I'm tired. I'm tired. Those of you that I love know who you are. May God bless you."

She was 45 years old. A memorial service was held at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Manhattan. The following week would have been her 46th birthday.

In November 1995, Hyman's posthumous album I Refuse to Be Lonely, was released. Although the project had an overdrawn gestation, to combat the delay in its commercial release, Hyman started performing the tracks, "This Too Shall Pass" and "I Refuse To Be Lonely" in concert. The delay in the album's release adversely affected Hyman both emotionally & financially and the delay was said to be cited over "cost negotiations".

Three years after her death, a second posthumous album of previously unreleased material was released. Songs were culled from various recording sessions from the mid-1980s into the early 1990s. Forever With You (1998) contains love songs, torch songs, bittersweet ballads, smooth jazz offerings and uptempo tracks, most of which showcase Hyman's' usual interpretation of heartbreak and strife. Hyman was quoted as saying that these songs were about "relationships gone bad!" Much of the material on this album was initially intended for her Living All Alone release. The song "Funny How Love Goes" contains a posthumous "duet" featuring vocalist Damon Williams. Half of Hyman's vocals were re-recorded with both singers alternating vocals and providing Williams with exposure.

A UK label Expansion released a jazz-soul orientated compilation in 2003 called In Between The Heartaches that featured cuts from her collaborations with Norman Connors, McCoy Tyner, Jon Lucien and Pharoah Sanders. It also included five unreleased tracks from her period with Arista records.

In September 2007, an authorized biography was released. The book entitled Strength of a Woman: the Phyllis Hyman Story, is written by Jason A. Michael in cooperation with the Estate of Phyllis Hyman. The book mentions Hyman's relationships with both men and one woman.

In 2008, an original version of the James Bond theme "Never Say Never Again", which wasn't used in the film due to contractual issues, was released by the track's co-writer Stephen Forsythe. Stephen Forsythe has been quoted as stating:

During the filming of the James Bond movie Never Say Never Again, I co-wrote the title song for the movie with Jim Ryan. Warner Brothers informed our attorney that the song was to be used as the title song in the picture. However, shortly before its release, Warner Bros informed us that the song could not be used because Michel Legrand, who wrote the score, threatened to sue them, claiming that contractually he had the right to the title song. So my song was never released. The legendary Phyllis Hyman was my first choice to sing the song and working with her is one of the highlights of my musical career. I personally auditioned and sang the song to her while she was having breakfast in her manager’s office. After agreeing to sing the song, she arrived at the studio and, without any rehearsal and only having heard the song sung once at the breakfast audition, sang the song in one perfect take. Phyllis sadly took her own life in the [mid] nineties. The year before she died, she called me late one night and told me she felt that "Never Say Never Again" was her best and favorite recording.

Divo of The Day “Thomas Michael “Tom” Zbikowski” (11/19/13)

(Zbikowski at the Ravens 2009 Training Camp.)

Thomas Michael Zbikowski, was born on May 22, 1985. He is a former American football safety. Tom is also a professional boxer. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the third round (86th overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft. Tom earned All-American honors playing college football for the University of Notre Dame from 2003 to 2007.

Tom has also played for the Indianapolis Colts and Chicago Bears.

 

No. 28

Safety

Personal information

Date of birth: (1985-05-22) May 22, 1985 (age 28)

Place of birth: Park Ridge, Illinois

Height: 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) Weight: 200 lb (91 kg)

 

Professional Career

Baltimore Ravens 

Tom was selected with the 86th overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens. He made his professional debut on September 7 against the Cincinnati Bengals, posting his first career tackle on special teams during a 17-10 win. Tom had two interceptions in 2009, and helped as a returner.

Indianapolis Colts

Tom signed with the Indianapolis Colts on March 16, 2012. He was released from the team on March 15, 2013 after recording a sack and an interception, which he returned 20 yards.

Chicago Bears

On March 23, 2013, Tom was signed by the Chicago Bears to a one-year deal worth $715,000, but released on August 25 before the start of the regular season.

Free Agent

On September 10, 2013, Tom was suspended by the National Football League for four games for violating the league's performance-enhancing drug policy.

Retirement 

It was announced in 2013 that Tom retired from the NFL. He plans on joining the Chicago Fire Department.

 

Professional Boxing Record  

4 Wins (3 knockouts), 0 Losses 0 Draws 0 No Contest
Res.	Record	Opponent	Type	Rd., Time	Date	Location	Notes
Win	4-0	Blake Warner	KO	1 (4), 2:20	2011-04-23	WinStar Casino, Thackerville, Oklahoma
Win	3-0	Caleb Grummet	UD	4 (4)	2011-03-26	Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey
Win	2-0	Richard Bryant	TKO	1 (4), 1:45	2011-03-12	MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada
Win	1-0	Robert Bell	TKO	1 (4), 0:49	2006-06-10	Madison Square Garden, New York, New York	Zbikowski's Professional debut.

Divo of The Day “Gabriel Macht” (11/14/13)

 

Gabriel S. Macht, was born on January 22, 1972. He is an American actor. Gabriel is known for playing The Spirit in the film of the same name, and for his role on the USA Network series Suits.

 

Currently Gabriel stars as legendary law partner Harvey Specter in USA's most provocative drama, Suits.

Gabriel studied theatre at Carnegie Mellon School of Drama in Pittsburgh and resides in New York, Los Angeles, and the Sunshine Coast, Australia.

 

Gabriel first won over audiences with his debut role at age eight in the film "Why Would I Lie." opposite Treat Williams. For his performance, Gabriel was nominated for the Best Young Motion Picture Actor Award. Briefly withdrawing from the business as a child, he returned as an adult with favorable roles that further developed his talents.

On television, Gabriel had guest starring roles on "Sex and the City," and "Spin City" and was a regular on Steven Spielberg's supernatural drama for NBC "The Others," and starred as William Holden in ABC's "The Audrey Hepburn Story.

Jonathan Rhys Meyers' 'Dracula' Salary Delayed by NBC Amid Addiction Concerns

Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Dracula / Alexander Grayson / Vlad Tepes in NBC's

By Kim Masters
Dracula star Jonathan Rhys Meyers is one of the industry's more troubled talents. So NBC created a financial incentive for the actor to complete filming all 10 episodes of the series this summer in Budapest.

According to sources, the network withheld a substantial part of Rhys Meyers' compensation -- estimated at $100,000 an episode -- until filming was finished. Rhys Meyers, 36, whose struggles with substance abuse plagued his previous series, Showtime's The Tudors, required increased scrutiny before NBC would sign off on casting him in Dracula. So the Irish actor received per diem payments and other small dispensations, but the lump sum of his salary was contingent on him completing the season.

This was not the first time the payment ploy had been used: NBC did it, for example, with Alec Baldwin deep into 30 Rock's seven-season run -- not because of the substance issues that have followed Rhys Meyers but because Baldwin had been making noises about leaving the show.

Dracula posted a solid premiere when it launched in the 10 p.m. hour of NBC's Friday block Oct. 25, averaging a 1.8 rating in the adults 18-to-49 demographic and 5.3 million total viewers. The Nov. 8 outing saw a steep dip, losing nearly a full ratings point, but initial DVR returns are promising as three days' worth of time-shifting saw the pilot improve 56 percent to a 2.8 rating.

The series is said to be a passion project for NBC Entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt, who courted Rhys Meyers for the role of America's first vampire. In Greenblatt's previous position as president of entertainment at Showtime, he oversaw Tudors, which starred Rhys Meyers as King Henry VIII. (The actor's performance brought him two Golden Globe nominations.)

Obviously, Greenblatt is abundantly familiar with the actor's personal issues, which include several stints in rehab and alcohol-related detainments at airports in Dublin, Paris and New York. According to sources, the star's problems recurred while filming Dracula when, following a meltdown, he returned to London and quietly was hospitalized for a short time. Nonetheless, all 10 episodes of the Cole Haddon-created series have been delivered. Sources say Rhys Meyers, who required a sober companion to accompany him on set, returned to rehab as soon as filming was completed.

NBC declined comment on the situation. A source close to Rhys Meyers observes that the show is doing well, adding, "Jonathan's in a really good place, and he's healthy."

http://tv.yahoo.com/news/jonathan-rhys-meyers-dracula-salary-delayed-nbc-amid-050000495.html