Exclusive Interview with Poppy Carlig

Indeed Poppy Carlig lived an intense Fall this year. Her participation on Season 10 of "The Apprentice" gave her a new, fresh, an fruitful perspective of the business world, leading her to desire to experience the world of broadcasting one more time. To her surprise, she had found something else special: love. She's beautiful, she's smart, and she's an athlete! Poppy is a competitive synchronized swimmer who won 4 NCAA championship titles while attending college. Now let's see what she reveals today!

Poppy and her mom Auna Longpre.

1.What inspired you to apply as a contestant on The Apprentice? Tell us about the exciting process that you had to go through in order to get accepted! When I graduated from Standford, my plan was to continue on to medical school. However, after gaining acceptance, I realized that the long road to becoming a surgeon wasn't in line with my desire to maintain life-long relationships with patients, or my future desire to have a family where I can be actively involved in my children's lives. I began looking at other careers, and was unemployed during the process. With most of my experience in the Biological field, finding a job that wasn't directly in line with Biology was trying at best.When I found out about the return of "civilian" Apprentice, I decided to go for it.The process went quickly, and before it even sunk in, I was off to NYC for my very first job interview! I only had about 1 week to prepare to leave, and had to purchase business suits and attire. Having never worked, it was like I was given a task before the competition began.... find a New York business wardrobe in 1 week with a limited budget. Good thing I love shopping!

2. How do you feel about the fact that Donald Trump fired you even when you attempted to explain that your partners had agreed on your ideas for Kim Kardashian's fragance indoor display?

When Donald Trump fired me, of course I was disappointed. I went into this experience wanting SO badly to win. However, ultimately, the decisions that were made on the Kim Kardashian Task were mine to approve and put into action. Knowing now that Liza wasn't in favor of the boas and rhinestones, I feel cheated that she never expressed those opinions to me. She did that continually throughout the competition, and I wish now that I had thrown her "under the bus" in the boardroom for being a non-creative, "under the radar" teammate. However, as Project Manager, I must assume responsibility for both my decisions and for the actions of my team, and ultimately was fired.

At  the California Academy of Sciences.

3. You are definitely a young, educated woman with a lot of knowledge, willingness,and passion for life to share with the world.  Do you think that "The Apprentice" experience will influence decisions that you might make in the future and why?

Being on The Apprentice opened my eyes to a world of opportunities and career options. I have come to recognize strengths and assets I didn't know I had until getting a taste of the business world. I also gained a sense of maturity and learned about marketing ideas and catering them to a specific audience. Additionally, after a month of cameras following my every move, I came to enjoy the experience of being in front of the camera. I would love to be in front of the camera again on either the big or little screen. Sports have always been a passion of mine, so perhaps I will step into the sports broadcasting arena. I also have had a lifelong interest in the medical fields, and have recently applied to Dental Schools. Though I may sound like someone who doesn't know where they are headed in life, I like to think that my talents and interests are diverse, so I leave open the possibility of any career I have a passion, aptitude and facility for. No matter what the future holds for me, I will carry this experience and the invaluable knowledge I gained with me forever.

David and Poppy on WOODTV8 Michigan News live!

4. When others did not agree with you, what strategies did you use to sustain and support a point?

When working with other strongly opinionated people, disagreements often happen. I have always been a non-confrontational and tactful individual. Instead of arguing with teammates or dismissing ideas I disagreed with, I chose to listen and respond respectfully - stating both the positive and negative aspects of the idea. Also, I would try to incorporate pieces of other people's ideas with my own in order to gain support and team camaraderie.

5. Congratulations on winning a scholarship on The Jack Welch Management Institute! Are you planning on using it anytime soon?

  I was stunned when Jack Welch offered me a scholarship to The Jack Welch Management Institute. I do plan on using it, as it will aid me in any professional future I head toward. Recently I submitted applications for dental school, and am currently in the process of waiting to hear back from 28 institutions around the country. Attaining an MBA through Jack Welch's program will aid in a future in dentistry, as I will be better prepared to run my own practice.

David and Poppy at a Pumpkin Patch in 2010.

6. I'm pretty curious about your relationship with David! How did the professional dynamic between you and him evolved into something more special despite the  fast paced work pressure and rivalry among all competitors?

After being fired, contestants are moved to a separate hotel, where we are allowed to talk and get to know one another without the cameras.  Though David and I didn't get along during the Macy's Advertisement task, I knew lots of his melodramatic behavior was an act, and a strategy for more camera time. He did say some comedic things, and I figured he was interested in a future in television. The day after my firing, the 11 other fire-ees and I went on a field trip to Ellis Island.We were allowed to split up into smaller groups and roam. David pulled me aside and asked if I would venture with him. I gladly agreed, and the two of us shared the afternoon getting to know one another. After a couple of hours, we went to the gift shop, where he bought us Coke and rock candy, and we sat on a bench to continue talking. I think we were both surprised by how much we had in common, and how well we got along! From there, the rest is history!

Next to her dad Joseph Carlig III.

 7. How do you think you can perform better, working independently, or working collaboratelly in a group, and why? I am definitely a person who performs best working collaboratively in a group. This probably stems from a lifetime of team sports. In middle school, I picked up synchronized swimming - a time intensive sport in which learning to work cooperatively, patiently and efficiently are necessities. Throughout the tasks on The Apprentice, I noticed myself using many of the team-player mentality tactics I used as a synchronized swimmer. I enjoy bouncing ideas back and forth with teammates. Hearing other's ideas and feedback helps improve concepts and make them more marketable to a larger audience. Also, though there may be a project manager, I always believe that there is no "I" in "Team." Leaders who respect this rule are more often than not the ones who are successful.

Exclusive interview with Keith Jones, Morning Anchor Tampa Bay

Keith Jones, the morning anchor of Tampa Bay 10 News (WTSP), did not exactly want to become a "news" guy back then. Wait until you read what he reveals about what's really behind the reasons he is doing what he is doing today and where he was when the tragic events of September 11th, 2001 occurred! This successful professional who posesses a great and contagious sense of humor,  grew up in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio. Based on a baseball scholarship, he was able to attend Barry University in North Miami. Now it's time to see what Keith Jones has to reveal!

1. How do you describe your immersion into such competitive field? Tell us about your first job as a reporter! Actually getting into this field was an absolute accident. I went to school for a business degree. My career goal  was to own a chain of sporting goods stores. For whatever reason, a prerequisite for the particular field of study… was an impromptu speech class. So here I am, a freshmen in college on the first day of class and the prof decides to illustrate what the class is all about. The professor made each of the students get up and talk about a random topic of her choice for 15 seconds. The professor called on me. I was given my topic (don’t recall what it was) and started talking. She had a stop watch, clicked it and said, "Your time is up". In the not-so-unusual-smart-aleck-form I said, “No, I have more”. She said, “Fine, go 30-seconds on this topic”. I did. She clicked the stop watch and I said, “Nah, I have more on this one too”. This scenario repeated itself until I was yapping for 2 and half minutes. After class, the prof called me over.  I’m thinking great, first day of college in my first year and I’m already busted. She asked what my major was and I explained business and what my aspirations were. She said, you absolutely have to do something in broadcast, whether it be radio or tv. So I started snooping around some production classes, then journalism classes and discovered I was pretty creative and fairly decent in front of the camera.

My first reporting position: I was hired the ABC affiliate in West Palm Beach right out of college. Not a typical starters market, but I was fortunate to begin my career here. It was pretty harsh. Long days, unbearable work load, horrible shifts, etc, but I wouldn’t trade it. All of the aforementioned was a tremendous learning experience. I learned early on it was going to be a sink or swim first job. Typically a kid out of college has to begin in a small market, make his/her mistakes, and eventually move up. I knew my mistakes had to be few and far between and couldn’t’ be repeated. I learned I wasn’t very good LIVE (lack of experience), but was a good story teller. In fact, I was nominated for an Emmy Award within my first 6 months. So I lived,…. I learned and moved on from West Palm.

2. You have been able to cover fascinating stories and experience closely events that have impacted the whole nation on a concerning level. Considering that you need to be elaborately trained and significantly skilled in your job in order to cover breaking news, how did you make it through during the September 11th crash of United Flight 93 in Somerset , Pennsylvania ? How did you cope with your own reactions vs. your duty? I think it was the disbelief of what was happening. At first everyone was transfixed on what was happening in New York City . Then the Pentagon was hit. Then Somerset. At the point it became clear all three were connected. I was sent to Pittsburgh International where I was able to get updates from the Aviation Authority. I remember this voracious appetite for any and all information. After several hours there, I was dispatched to the scene in Somerset , PA. It’s a long drive and we were learning this was a terrorist attack. I remember talking with my photographer about how scary this was. The uncertainty.The angst. What I was feeling was no different than other Americans. Your adrenaline takes over in situations like this and it helps suppress your inner fear and emotions. I spent an entire week in this field. By the time I got home, I was exhausted, stressed, etc. Leave it to my oldest daughter to force the tears to my eyes. She asked me why the bad men crashed planes into buildings. As journalists, we cover SO many horrific stories with ugly details. Honestly, like cops, we become numb to them. You have to or you’d end up in a deep depression. That’s not to say we’re completely devoid of emotion, but as a coping mechanism you just learn to say, “here we go again”. The stories that just kill me are stories in which children are hurt in some way. I always think, “geez that could be one of my daughters”.

3. How is your daily schedule like working for Tampa Bay 10 News? How do you get prepared for every appearance? My day starts at 2:45am. I curse this shift every morning, but then praise it at 12:30 in the afternoon when my day is done and I have the rest of the day to do, well… whatever. I’m in the shop by 3:30am, sit down and start copy editing scripts and discussing the stories our reporters are on. At 4:45am I go shave and get dressed and I’m on set for the 5:00am newscasts. Our broadcast runs for 2 hours so lots of coffee on set is a must.  When our show is over we start working on the “cut ins”. These are abbreviated newscasts that run at 7:25, :55, 8:25, :55.  After that, we start working on our rundowns for the Noon show. We’re constantly writing scripts and re-writing as new information comes in.

4. What is the part that you enjoy the most about your job?
Probably the people I work with. We have a tremendous crew in the morning. We work well together and most of all we have fun together. I enjoy the fact no day is the same. Each day is different.  I enjoy the fact anything can happen on live t.v. and something unexpected usually happens. I enjoy meeting new people out on stories or a live broadcast. In addition to all this…. Where else could I get paid to tell stories?

5.Tell us about the time that you and your family have donated to the American Heart Association and the Children's Hospital. Are you guys still in active with them?
People get involved with charities for a myriad of reasons. Mine is personal. My oldest daughter was born with an incurable heart disease.We didn’t know until she turned 1 year. In fact, we spent her first birthday in the hospital when she got diagnosed. She wasn’t supposed to live but 2 years. After numerous open heart surgeries, 2 artificial mitral valves, 2 pacemakers later…. She’s 14. To help raise awareness that kids have heart disease too, my family is intimately involved with the Heart Association. We engage in fundraisers, emcee events, share our stories with groups, etc. And since we spend so much time at Children’s Hospital, a place that has treated us very well, we offer our time and efforts their as well.

6.What are the topics that you are particularly passionate about and truly enjoy to the fullest when covering a story or even when you are just carrying a regular conversation? The stories I enjoy the most are features or positive stories involving kids.  I’m tongue in cheek with my story telling which lends itself to a log of humor. I love to combine natural sound, sound bites, creative writing and camera shots into one piece that leaves the viewer smiling, laughing, and informed. There’s an art to it and for me, it’s a lot of fun to meld these items into a compelling story. As for what I like to talk about… hmmmmm… usually my kids, because they are a wealth of stories. Unbeknownst to them… they’re entertaining and provide for a plethora of anecdotes. Additionally, I was apparently born with the gift of gab and can talk to anyone about anything.

Exclusive interview with Obehi

Obehi has transformed her own life into a beautiful melody with her inspirational performances. The talented R&B singer takes very seriously what she does. As a matter of fact, she is absolutely not scared of being herself at all times. Her honesty and passion are two elements in her life that are particularly driving more fans to her. Her  fascinating website illustrates and portrays her achievements and support from loyal fans and admirers. Now let's see what Obehi has to share with us today!


1. Tell us about how your career and interest for the music began: Were you one of those kids that used to hold a toy microphone and sing along their favorite songs  24/7?

Oh no, the opposite! I was really shy growing up - a real closet hairbrush singer. My interest was sparked by watching pop artists perform and I was consumed with the desire to be on THAT stage. I used to daydream of performing to my audience, but back then it seemed like a fantasy. One day I realized that the artists I watched...Britney, Christina, Beyonce...they all started like me...they were once kids who transformed their dreams into much much more.

2.Who do you consider is your biggest influence in the R&B industry and why?

If I had to pick just one I would say Beyonce. She is an amazing performer and works really hard at what she does. I find that really inspiring. It makes me want to work harder, fight harder and keep improving and getting better at what I do. Being a performer for me is like being an athlete and great athletes strive to be the best.

3. Do you write your own songs? If so, do they talk about your own stories?                Yes, I do write my songs - they're about things that I empathize with; things that I have witnessed and I always take from my emotions, putting myself into my songs. Writing for me is very unscripted and I can be inspired by anything and everything.

4. Are you ready for Frankenstein live?  Tell us about that intriguing event! (Interview was made a few days ago)

Definitely!! I am so excited. It is going to be one of my longer sets performing my debut EP and my new EP which is out February next year.It’s going to be a night of live music from myself and some other great bands. I am really looking forward to it.

5. Have you considered moving the US?

Not right now, but never say never. I love Scotland. It’s really beautiful and I love being part of a growing R&B/Pop music scene (bringing something little different to what you would normally expect). I love a good challenge.

 6.  If you don't mind me asking, what was that transition all about? It must have not been easy moving from Nigeria as a child to Glasgow. How did that impact your life?

Well I was really young so I don’t remember much about it- blame my memory of a fish. I think it impacted my life in a positive way because it means I adapt well to change and sudden changes don’t face me much.

 7. What is your favorite part of this career? What do you enjoy the most?

There are so many parts that I can’t pick just one. I love writing, playing around with my keyboard working on new tracks; I love love performing!

8. How can your fans show their support for you? Do you have a fan club website? Fans can show their support for me by using sites they are already on: facebook -http://www.facebook.com/obehionline , myspace- http://www.myspace.com/obehionline , twitter- http://twitter.com/obehionline, leaving comments on my official website news - http://www.obehionline.com/news/. Signing up to my fan mailing list is another great way to stay in touch with what’s going on and the best part is that fans who sign up receive a free MP3 download of one of my tracks http://obehionline.fanbridge.com/  Their support means the world to me; every artist loves to know that their work is being appreciated.

Nicki Minaj is proud of Rihanna and Drake!

According to a source, Nicki Minaj stated that she had been wanting to work with Rihanna for a long time. These two powerful women have worked with some of the best artists ever and it is absolutely delightful to see them combine their talents into this project. Nicki also admitted that she is very attached to her song with Drake, Moment for Life. As a matter of fact, she was actually looking forward to their collaboration and apparently it lived up to every one of her expectations. 

Pink Friday is expected to be released on November 22nd and you can actually pre-order it now! The Album includes songs such as: Fly, Right Thru Me (my favorite), Moment for Life,  and Your Love. There is also a Deluxe Edition which includes additonal tracks, so you might want to look into that as well! Nicki is a native of Jamaica who beat up the challenges of this field; taking into consideration that hip hop is mostly dominated by males. She has also worked with great artists such as Mariah Carey and Ludacris.

Her wardrobe malfunctions by Jake Gyllenhaal?

Jake Gyllenhaal causes Anne Hathaway to have wardrobe malfunctions!

Anne Hathaway
OMG..

"I have come to realize that if you put me in a room with Jake Gyllenhaal, my bbrra has a natural eject button."

Anne Hathaway jokes that her bbrra comes undone just by being in the same film scene as Jake Gyllenhaal, and she's got the evidence to prove it—her top came off in 2005 in Brokeback Mountain and she's bbrraless and then some in Love and Other Drugs, out next month.

Anne Hathaway and Jake Gyllenhaal talked about their sxy scenes at a question and answer session for their latest film last night in New York. In the video posted by a fan on YouTube, Jake explains that having been in their birthday suits before made things easier the second time around.

"On a serious note I think we inherently as a result of having been nakd we were comfortable with each other and it led into this."

OMG

:)

Her wardrobe malfunctions by Jake Gyllenhaal?

Jake Gyllenhaal causes Anne Hathaway to have wardrobe malfunctions!

Anne Hathaway
OMG..

"I have come to realize that if you put me in a room with Jake Gyllenhaal, my bbrra has a natural eject button."

Anne Hathaway jokes that her bbrra comes undone just by being in the same film scene as Jake Gyllenhaal, and she's got the evidence to prove it—her top came off in 2005 in Brokeback Mountain and she's bbrraless and then some in Love and Other Drugs, out next month.

Anne Hathaway and Jake Gyllenhaal talked about their sxy scenes at a question and answer session for their latest film last night in New York. In the video posted by a fan on YouTube, Jake explains that having been in their birthday suits before made things easier the second time around.

"On a serious note I think we inherently as a result of having been nakd we were comfortable with each other and it led into this."

OMG

:)

Exclusive interview with D.C.

D.C. (In the photo) above, is influenced by 50 Cent.

Derek Colbert, much better known as D.C. (@DCtheprez),  is an Oklahoma City native that has been rapping for three years! This 23 year old fantastic and talented man, who's birthday is on July 9th, has a very appealing music style to share with the world! His idols in music are: Jay Z, Kanye West , and 50 cent; some of the most successful hip hop / rap stars ever in history. After watching 50 cent on an XXL video, D.C. felt the urge that it was actually the right time to begin his journey. The successful rapper 50 Cent was ultimately the channel D.C. utilized as a primary motivation to continue and never give up on what he wants to achieve within this career. Subsequently, he teamed up with his partner Marco and created: Musikhead. D.C. revealed in this interview also that he is not only a fan of legendary rappers. When he is not listening to rap, he loves to listen to Linkin Park! I have to admit that my favorite performance of D.C. is track #6 (Flashing Lights) of the mixtape he made on Kanye West .So now, let's see what D.C. has to say:

1. Why is 50 cent your biggest influence? What did you really see in 50 cent that motivated you to be who you are today?

50 cent is my biggest influence cause he showed me that no matter where you come from, no matter  what your situations are,  if you want it bad enough you can achieve it. He went through hell for his music and that's how I feel about mine. I believe in myself so much that I can't fail even if I do fail.  I just need to be heard by the right people.

2. Tell us about Musikhead. When did it begin and how was it born?

Musikhead is my heart and soul. It started back in 2007 when me and my partner Marco decided to do this music stuff. We feel that name embodies everything I do in my music cause I tell you how I feel and don't care how you feel about it. I can do many types genres of music and that name is just perfect for me.

3. How far do you wish to go with music?

With this music I'm seriously looking to be a well known singer / rapper that everybody will respect and understand cause I have alot to say in my music. I just need people to listen to me. I literally want to take over the game and be in everybody's top 5 all time list!

4. I see that you are also very interested in the music and talent of Kanye West. What do you think about his new song "Runaway"?

I am a big Kanye West fan and always will be, his song Runaway is like a masterpiece to me cause he's changing the style of music and I think people don't understand him. That's why when they hear his stuff everybody catches feelings; they want him to stick
to the traditional abc rap and that stuff doesn't cut it anymore. I rate the song Runaway with an A++++++++ !

5. What is musikamerica.com comprised of? Do you plan on creating a website dedicated just to yourself as a rapper, as a person?

Musikamerica.com is a site where everybody can come and post there mixtapes and just talk about hip hop in general.  I do plan on making a real website just for me;  havent got to that yet though.  I'm about to start making a bunch of music videos for my songs too and I have to do everything myself so it takes a little longer, but I love what i'm doing and will keep doing it.


These are some direct links to D.C.'s music / mixtapes. Enjoy!

http://bit.ly/kwestmt

http://bit.ly/DCDMMT

http://bit.ly/Waka1017

http://bit.ly/DrakeMT1

http://bit.ly/BanksMT

http://bit.ly/DCD4W1

http://twiturm.com/jr6f4