In North America, it is Groundhog Day, a day when we patiently wait for a rodent to come out of a hole in the ground to determine whether or not wintry weather will come to an end soon!
According to the legend, if the groundhog sees his shadow, six more weeks of winter are on the way. If he fails to see his shadow, an early spring is on its way! Here are the predictions:
- Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania: “Phil” predicts six more weeks of winter
- Wiarton, Ontario: “Willie” predicts an early spring
- Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia: “Sam” predicts an early spring
- Balzac, Alberta: “Billy” predicts six more weeks of winter
I guess that means nicer temperatures in central and eastern Canada, but wintry weather in western Canada and the northeastern USA. I’m going to check my Farmers’ Almanac!
So, do you believe in this prognosticator or would you rather just watch Bill Murray in Groundhog Day and have a few laughs?
On February 3rd, the first single from Madonna‘s new album MDNA will be released!
Breathe slowly, now!
This will be her long-awaited twelfth studio album, and the first since 2008′s Hard Candy. The song, [Give Me All Your Luvin'], features Nicki Minaj and M.I.A.
An excerpt from the music video will be featured on American Idol on February 2nd, with the complete video available on Madonna’s YouTube channel on the 3rd.
MDNA will be released on March 26th.
Don’t forget to check out Madonna’s performance at the Super Bowl halftime show on Sunday February 5th!
Excited? I am!
I had the chance to speak to Canadian blogger, Brian Webb, about his involvement in the 2012 Mr. Gay Canada Competition. I quickly noticed his zest for life and passion to help the LGBT community. I think he would be the perfect candidate for the MGC title. I urge all of our readers to vote in support of such a kind spirited individual.
The Mr. Gay Canada Competition’s purpose is to provide an opportunity to create a positive image for young gay men in their respective communities. Through public performances, outreach, and education, Mr. Gay Canada raises awareness of issues including bullying, self-acceptance, safer sex practices, and more.
The competition will take place over an intensive three-day session that coincides with the 2012 WinterPRIDE Festival in Whistler, BC. There will be various challenges that each delegate must complete including runway, swim suit, sports, public speaking and promotional outreach where they are able to work with local charities. The winner of MGC will go on to compete in the 2012 Mr. Gay World Competition in South Africa.
As a proud Canadian, Brian is very passionate about educating the world by sharing real-life stories from the LGBT community. Growing up in the rural town of Armstrong BC, he learnt that smaller communities require more knowledge so youth will know they live in safe environments – ones where they’ll be accepted for who they are. He has volunteered his time as a peer counselor for gay youth and helped many individuals deal with the pressures of bullying and coming out. Brian further contributes his time by attending Pride festivals all over North America to promote LGBT education.
Brian believes that a healthy mind and body go hand in hand. While he strive to maintain his educational growth to stimulate his mental health, Brian works hard at maintain his physical health by working out five times a week and training for marathons. Over the last few years, he has participated in eight competitive races including 10km, half and full marathons. Brian is aware of the many youth who follow his blog. Understanding he is a role model to them, he hopes his journey eases their pathway into the LGBT world.
The competition will be held from February 9 – 12, 2012
Vote for Brian by clicking HERE
Hey guys, it’s Tony! I’m so excited to show you something spectacular! This is my very first Gossip Boy blog post, my first Gossip Boy Interview and also the first official issue of the Gossip Boy Magazine! In the past our celebrity interviews have been simple and sleek, but now we’ve decided to take them to the next level. Each interview will be accompanied by a downloadable article including cover art and inserts. Right now I am beyond ecstatic! I’ve been preparing this interview for a while and now I’m ready to share it with the world. I hope you enjoy…
ZACK TREMBLAY Interview by Tony Tieu
Everyone thinks that success is measured by wealth and money. Today’s special guest proves that success is more than riches. Zack Tremblay shows that dedication and ambition paves way for a fulfilling career. I had the opportunity to chat with Mr. Tremblay and talk with him about his journey so far.
1. Hey Zack! Thanks for joining us today. It’s a pleasure to have such an ambitious individual speak with us. You’ve done a bunch of stuff with the Gossip Boy Team behind closed doors but we’ve never had the chance to sit down and introduce you to everyone. Tell our readers a little bit about yourself.
My name is Zack Tremblay. I’m an entertainment personality from North Providence, Rhode Island, where it’s known as the smallest state in the U.S. I’ve got a younger brother named Josh and a younger sister named Ava. My mother, Christine, has been there for me since day one and she is the person I draw all my strength from. I grew up in Central Falls, Rhode Island, which was not the best area. Once my mom met my step father Steve, we moved to Lincoln and then moved to North Providence where we currently reside.
2. How did you end up interviewing celebrities?
I started doing celebrity interviews in August 2010. It’s actually a funny story. My good friend, Ayla Brown, was on the fifth season of Fox’s American Idol. She was the very first person I ever interviewed. After posting that interview online, people started to comment and ask when I would do more. So after that, I continued interviewing people until I landed my first big interview, Jesse McCartney.
3. Do your nerves still get to you when going into interviews? Do you still get star struck from time to time?
There are always nerves going into an interview. A million things go through my head, but I think that’s normal. I actually don’t get star struck anymore. I try to make personal connections with each celebrity because at the end of the day they’re just human like the rest of us. Over time I have become more comfortable going into interviews and I know I can only get better.
4. Was it hard to get your foot in the door? I can only imagine how much rejection one goes through at the beginning of their career.
All I can say is that the entertainment industry is one of a kind. It’s probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever committed myself to but at the same time I can’t see myself doing anything else. In order to make it in this business you need three things: Hard work, dedication and a dream.
5. How do your family and friends feel about you being in the industry? Are they supportive?
I would say at first my family thought it was just a hobby, but overtime it shaped itself into something much bigger. I always say “You’ll never know how the entertainment industry works until you’re in it.” Although it may be tough for them to understand, I still feel so blessed to have such a supportive family and couldn’t ask for more.
6. How has your life changed? Do people treat you differently?
Even though I’ve only been doing this for a short amount of time, I’ve grown a lot as a person. All these little things like sending out professional emails and making business calls can make a huge difference in your appearance. I do feel more prepared for my interviews now than compared to when I first started. Other than that, I don’t think much has changed since the fame, but it can get tough at times. All my close friends have the opportunity to go out and do “regular” things while I’m working. All in all, I’m still just plain old Zack in their eyes.
7. Have you gotten used to fans running up to you? It must be weird having people know your name but not know theirs.
It never gets old; it’s the coolest thing in the world. My initial goal going into this was to inspire teenagers to follow their dreams. I think it’s awesome that they look up to me and I’m glad to have them in my life. Without my fans I probably wouldn’t be doing this right now. There was this one time when I was walking outside of a concert in Foxboro, MA. All of a sudden everyone started screaming! It was the best feeling in the world! I’m very flattered that they want to take pictures with me and have my autograph. I love my fans!
8. Tell me what song you have blasting on your iPod right now.
“I like it like that” by Hot Chelle Rae featuring New Boyz
9. Who’s your favorite artist and what is your all time favorite song from them?
Favorite artist, I honestly think everyone is really talented but Justin Bieber is killin’ it right now! Yeah, yeah I know it’s corny but to me the kid’s a musical genius! What’s my favorite song of all time? That’s so hard to answer but it would probably be between the Michael Jackson inspired European single “Pray” off of Bieber’s compilation album My Worlds: The Collection and the inspirational track off his Never Say Never: The Remixes album “Born to be somebody”.
10. What’s your favorite movie?
My favorite movie would probably be The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn. It’s one of my favorite movies EVER! It just came out so that says a lot. I also highly recommend Justin Bieber: Never Say Never. *giggles*
11. Who is your role model?
Ryan Seacrest is one of my biggest inspirations. He is the perfect example of what I would like to become.
12. What are the biggest misconceptions people have about you?
I would have to say the biggest misconception people have about me is that they think all my achievements have come overnight. I’ve put in a lot of work to make my career a success. There are people out there who don’t understand how much it takes to get this far.
13. What advice do you have for those people who aspire to be like you?
My fans always tell me about their dreams and ask me for advice. I simply tell them to never give up. If it’s something you truly want to do then make it happen. It will take a lot of hard work but it’ll be worth it in the end.
14. What are some of the most important lessons the business has taught you?
The most important lesson that this business has taught me was, there are going to be people who hate you because of what you do, but you can’t listen to them. I am very strong and urge my fans to never let anyone bring them down and to follow their dreams without regret. I’ve also learned that there is a lot of sleep loss in the business; I am basically on the clock 24/7. I always have my email available to me.
15. I heard you have a quote that you keep close to your heart. Would you like to share it with our readers?
“Never underestimate your ability to achieve” –Zack Tremblay
Throughout this entire experience I’ve never given up on myself or questioned my abilities. If anyone were to listen to one piece of advice from me, that would be it.
16. I really appreciate you finding time to speak to us here at Gossip Boy Inc. Thank you very much! Any final thoughts you want to leave with your fans?
I would like to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. You all truly mean the world to me! I would not be doing this if it wasn’t for all my fans! I know many of you live outside the United States but I promise to meet all of you one day soon! For those who are in America, I’m trying my best to do a cross country Meet & Greet tour. So keep checking back on www.ZackTremblay.com for updates. Oh, and I love the staff at Gossip Boy Inc.! Thank you again.
I hope you liked the interview. I would love to hear feedback from everyone. Tell me what you liked and what you want to see in the future. Things can only get better with your help. I want to thank you for sharing this experience with me. This issue is dedicated to all the Gossip Boy fans.
Love always,
Actor Robert Hegyes, best known for playing sweathog Juan Epstein in the 1970s television series Welcome Back, Kotter has died at 60.
After complaining of chest pains at his New Jersey home on Thursday morning, the actor was taken to hospital where he passed away. Hegyes had suffered another heart attack a few years ago and had not been in good health prior to his death.
Welcome Back, Kotter also featured John Travolta as a fellow classmate in the story of a man who returns to his former high school to teach a group of troublesome students. Hegyes stated that he based his skirt-chasing character on Chico Marx of the Marx Brothers. He also went on to appear as a regular in the detective series Cagney & Lacey.
For trivia buffs out there, Robert was a cousin of singers Jon Bon Jovi and Mario Lanza.
He leaves behind four children. Rest in peace.
Didn’t Darren Criss just replace Daniel Radcliffe? His stint went by so fast!
Nick Jonas made his debut in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Tuesday evening in NYC!
He looks excited proud. I’m hearing that he’s actually quite good in this role (don’t even get me started on how awful he was in Les Mis!) so hopefully the public embraces him!
At least she looks better than the actual movie does!
Katherine Heigl stepped out on the red carpet for the premiere of her film One For The Money looking stunning in a red dress that hugged her curves beautifully.
Her new movie looks awful, but she never disappoints on the red carpet!
I’ve been fortunate to see the pilot of the new musical series Smash! Let me tell you, it is one! It’s my favorite pilot of the year thus far!
At first glance, it seems a bit like Glee, but that’s not what the final product is like at all. The musical numbers are exciting and fresh, as is the cast: especially Megan Hilty! She will be a household name very soon!
It’s a great premise, and I can’t wait to see where the rest of the season goes!
Smash Debuts Feb 6!