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ABOVE: Yep, I was told by Facebook they were removing 11 (!) of my posts, back into June. Why? Because I'm trying to get likes. This is apparently now discouraged. (All links were posted on my own pages, and were to this very — my own — site.)
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@boyculturedotcom Born August 6, 1911, was Lucille Ball, one of the most consequential talents of the 20th century. A successful film actor — I’m partial to “Stage Door” (1937), “Ziegfeld Follies” (1945), “The Fuller Brush Girl” (1950), “Fancy Pants” (1950) and “The Long, Long Trailer” (1954) — she and first husband Desi Arnaz created the blueprint for TV sitcoms with “I Love Lucy” (1951-1957). Her unique character, the redheaded housewife with smarts, a dash of narcissism, fearlessness and gobs of charm, was revived with various surnames on “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” (1957-1960), “The Lucy Show” (1962-1968), “Here’s Lucy” (1968-1974) and “Life with Lucy” (1986), she tackled Broadway, she continued making movies (“Yours Mine and Ours” in 1968 was a hit, “Mame” in 1974, not so much). She spent the rest of her life as TV royalty, a rare combination of technical ability, instinct and a producer’s eye. Lucy died at 77 (young by 2023 standards) in 1989. #lucilleball #ilovelucy #hereslucy #lifewithlucy #tv #gr8erdays ♬ original sound - Matthew Rettenmund/BoyCulture
Isn't it ... distressing that stars we (presuming your age a bit here) were used to seeing as old guard are now not only dead, but would have been 110+ years old if they weren't?! Today marks the birth anniversary of one of the all-time great stars of the 20th century, the consequential Lucille Ball.
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(All images & videos by Matthew Rettenmund)
On Sunday, I was excited to be invited to a special pop-up show by Corina, a name I had not heard in a long time.
Corina was a freestyle queen in the late '80s and early '90s, most famous for the dance classic “Temptation” as well as several other hits. Now, all these years later, she is finally realizing her dream of a deeply personal album called Spanglish that draws from her life and presents her work in an entirely new way — while still delivering her signature beats.
The show was actually a contest won by Angel Love and Frank Orlik — by entering, they were entitled to a small show by Corina for them and their friends. Instead, they secured Red Eye NY (W. 41st St., NYC) and produced, with the help of Michele Ruiz, a full show that found Corina offering old hits, tracks from Spanglish and plenty of charismatic stories about how she overcame a near-fatal condition to achieve a creation she felt was her calling in life.
Ravishing Corina with event producers Angel Love and Frank Orlik, Love's husband Gerard Mawn, and Michele Ruiz
The show kicked off with a deeply moving intro by Corina's sister, who held back tears while talking about their troubled childhood and Corina's example as a hard-working female artist of color back in the day.
By the time Corina emerged, she, too, was in her feelings, which only added to the depth and artistry of her two-hour performance.
It also bears mentioning that while she must be north of 50 since she has been around since the '80s, she is an ageless beauty with a body-ody-ody. The statuesque artist has the looks of an Old Hollywood film siren and surprising vocal chops. All that, plus she wrote her new stuff.
Some of the highlights: “Temptation,” “Whispers,” “Don't Take My Love,” “Give Me Back My Heart” and her spicy new diss track “Not Like You.”
Also worth noting, she was reunited after a long estrangement with producer Carlos “After Dark” Berrios — right onstage.
It was an enthralling show from beginning to end, when Love handed out free vintage records that had been used as stage dressing and Corina took time out to meet every fan.
This event, which could have been an informal gig for 20 people in someone's living room, became a full-fledged concert and release party — only in New York!
Check Corina out at her official site.
She came out after the show all kinds of excited — mission: accomplished!
Artist Scooter LaForge
Joey Rican & Ray Pabon's meet-and-greet was very well-documented!
Once the m & g moved to the merch table, there was a never-ending line.
Corina with her bestie since 1984!
Did the '80s ever end?
This fan's emotional reaction to meeting Corina was so sweet to see.
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ABOVE: President Joe Biden spoke out at 8 p.m. ET Wednesday about his historic decision to stand down from the presidential race, extolling the virtues of our nation of “promises and possibilities.”
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ABOVE: Yet I once had an IG post showing 1930s Johnny Weissmuller in a loin coth removed.
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ABOVE: Instagram felt these images of Gil Bellows might go against their guidelines and warned me to consider removing them. All the more reason to keep them. A theme.
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