Awaiting Her Reunion Weekend, This Penn Alum Gives Us a Walking Campus Tour Down Memory Lane (VIDEOS)

As Laura K. Mack (C'89) prepares herself for celebrating her 20th class reunion at this weekend's Reunion Weekend (May 15-17th), she posted some videos (see below) she took from being on campus during last year's (2008) reunion weekend.

If you haven't been back to campus in a bit, Laura takes us for a walking tour down her memory lane as she reminisces about the High Rises, Locust Walk, and the Quad to name a few of her tour stops. She then journeys into some video in the 2008 reunion tents as well.  I thought her video back into Hill House was most interesting as she attempts to visit her freshman dorm room. 

It seems like Laura has lots of great memories!  She looks forward to reuniting with her class this weekend! (fyi, Laura has organized a Hill House mini-reunion at the 1989 tent this Saturday at 1 pm)

For more info about this May 15-17th weekend's reunion weekend (it's not too late to register!), click HERE!

And be sure to check out

• some of DT's 2008 reunion videos in the scroller above from the Class of 1993 reunion tents.
• DT videos from the 2007 Reunion weekend HERE
  

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Melissa Rivers Explains Her Apprentice Boardroom Meltdown and References Penn (VIDEO)

If you saw "The Celebrity Apprentice" last week, you would have seen that our alum Melissa Rivers (C'89, Tabard) got fired and caused quite a bit of commotion after being fired.

I actually held off on simply showing a clip of the episode without allowing Melissa the opportunity to defend herself. Fortunately I found this clip from her recent appearance on a popular talk show  ...where she did indeed defend herself.

In the clip above, Joan and Melissa Rivers dish why Melissa got so upset. Also, note Melissa's reference to why her alma mater "the University of Pennsylvania" wouldn't be proud of her poor "annunciation and punctuation" in regards to calling contestant Annie Duke a "Whore Pit Viper" when she meant to call her a "Whore". AND a "Pit Viper".  Watch the clip above to see what I'm talking about.

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This Penn Alum Award Winner Has Started His Own International Dance Company

David P. France (C'89, Arts House Dance, Penn Media Summit Creator), my fellow co-winner of Penn's first Young Alumni Award of Merit back in 2004, has just started his own dance company (the "David P. France Dance Company") in Basel, Switzerland and New York City.

David also stars in and executive produced the above video called "Canticle."

On a related note, I thought Marlo Dell'Antonio, the director of this film had an interesting explanation for the inspiration for this film...

"The key element is the music video: which signifies specific movement vocabulary of my style, seen in the staged concert piece Psalm 27 (2006). This duet reconstruction was taught and filmed over the course of 48 hours, in collaboration with the David P. France Dance Company (based out of Basel, Switz). More details regarding the video.

I’d like to take a minute, however, to give my personal testimony regarding the work and why I feel its actualization will engulf a good portion of my life.

Christians are sometimes encouraged to choose a psalm to turn to in times of tribulation. Psalm 27 is my psalm. I heard a version of it performed during my first Sunday mass at St John’s Student Parish, in East Lansing, MI. The summer of 2003 was perhaps one of the most emotionally challenging times of my life, regarding relationships and betrayals. I remember hearing this song and crying, as I watched from behind the pews, because I was so passionately moved by the strength of the lyrics. I noticed the faces of the choir members and thought, “My God, they are so happy! Why are they so happy? I want to know what that feels like; I want to understand why...”

I immediately asked to join the choir after that mass. I began to attend 5 masses a week. I noticed that I felt rhythmically and emotionally moved to dance to some of the songs we performed on a regular basis. I took notes in my hymnal for over a year before the idea to sync 7 of my favorite songs into a dance concert piece arose.

I wanted the parishioners to see what I saw in my mind when I heard those melodies. So many Christians, especially Catholics, see the body purely as sacred and void of engaging the physical ability to worship; that worship is solely through prayer and song. My premise is that the body, along with the voice, can (and must!) be united to give glory to our Creator. Also, that the songs can be arranged rhythmically to insight those listening, not only inspiration, but also, to get up and dance. This is a natural response; there is nothing wrong with it. People need to know that.

The main stanza of Psalm 27 is this:
The Lord is my Light and my Salvation; of whom shall I be afraid?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life; whom shall I fear?

There is no doubt in my mind that I couldn’t have survived some of the trials I've had to face, if I hadn’t heard these words through song. My job as an Artist is to shape and extend this experience through the talents I have been given. Quite simply, my only hope is that this passion I feel can be shared. Regardless, of religious affiliations.

I was attended catholic schooling for 13 years. I didn’t learn a damn thing about faith until I joined that choir. Now, I might be ex-communicated one day for my views on the combination of sexuality and spirituality, but one thing is certain: I will not shut up. Although the continuation of Psalm 27 is only one of several life-term projects I’ve set for myself, it will always be a central part of my being and character."

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Hot reporter alum about to "freeze" her assets: Part 3

It’s a done deal. They’re frozen.

As I reported here and here, Penn alum award winning entertainment reporter Emily Frances (C’89) was the subject of a 3 part, very personal story on NY’s CW11. Emily has now aired the final part of her personal story of undergoing a procedure to freeze her eggs.

Click here to watch part 3: Going in for the eggs
(Find out how many of Emily’s eggs were retrieved and frozen!)

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Alum produces "intolerable" movie

Mike Karz (C '89, W '89) will be producing a new comedy Mission: Intolerable starring comedian Katt Williams (Norbit, Epic Movie).

Per the Hollywood Reporter, "Williams will play a wannabe CIA agent who starts a business as a "temp from hell" whom companies hire to get unwanted employees to quit their jobs. His latest assignment goes awry, however, when his new target fights back."

Sounds like a fun premise. Having been a temp myself years ago, I know there's lots of "temp" humor which can ensue. (I only say this after the fact. Oh, I've got my stories...)

Click to see my other posts about Mike

Click here to check out some of Mike's and other alumni films

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Mike Karz (C'89, W'89) catches another film

Producer Mike Karz (C89, W'89) seems to be doing lots of films these days in his new Karz Entertainment shingle.

The latest, reported today in Variety, is called The Catch, and is based on a true story about a 42-year-old who goes back to school and plays college football.

Per Variety, the story "is based on the life of Marty Reichman, who was on the verge of losing his job and his marriage when he decided to keep a promise to his father and return to college. He finds he's eligible to play ball and makes the team as tight end."

Make sure to check out Mike's next movie Good Luck Chuck starring Dane Cook and Jessica Alba, in theatres September 21.

Click to see my other posts about Mike

Click here to check out some of Mike's and other alumni films

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Mike Karz (C'89, W'89) saddles up with The Fourth Horsemen

Mike Karz (C'89, W'89) has set up a new film with Intrepid Pictures called The Fourth Horseman.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, "The film centers on a young priest sent by his church's secret order to kill a teenage girl. She is believed to be the future mother of the Fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse, destined to join siblings War, Pestilence and Famine in destroying the world. But when the priest becomes romantically involved with his target and she becomes pregnant, he's forced to face the possibility that he may have spawned the child from hell."

Make sure to check out Mike's next movie Good Luck Chuck starring Dane Cook and Jessica Alba, in theatres September 21.

Click to see my other posts about Mike

Click here to check out some of Mike's and other alumni films

Click to see what other 1989 Penn grads are up to

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READ MORE - Mike Karz (C'89, W'89) saddles up with The Fourth Horsemen

Kevin Misher (C'87) picks a (street) fight

Kevin Misher (far left) on the set of The Interpreter.

Photo by ;Phil Bray - © 2005 Universal Studios.

Kevin Misher (C'87) to produce an untitled action film.

According to comingsoon.net, the film is about:

"a rough-hewn heroic tale about realizing dreams of glory, putting audiences ringside at high-stakes underground street fights. Tatum [O'Neill] will star as Sean Arthur, a young man who scrapes up a living scalping tickets in NYC. With family tragedy in his past and his father keeping him at a distance, this outsider has little to motivate him. A chance encounter with a veteran street-fighting coach leads to a whole new career for Sean. The ensuing bouts get tough, especially with the criminal element horning in, so Sean gets tougher. He will fight to win, not only the prize money but also the unexpected new relationships that are strengthening him."

Kevin is currently in post-production on Christian Alvart's Case 39, starring Renée Zellweger and Jodelle Ferland, for release this winter. For you comic book fans out there, I also see on his IMDB profile that he'll be producing "Sub-Mariner". His earlier producing credits include The Interpreter and The Rundown.

When I first moved to LA around 1996, Kevin was part of a bunch of successful Penn alumni at Universal Studios including Stacey Snider (C'82) (former Chairman of Universal Pictures, now CEO/co-chair of Dreamworks), Ali Brecker Shearmur (C'89) (former Exec VP of Universal, now producing deal at Paramount) and Marc Platt (C'79) (Executive Producer). It's great to see that they've all gone on to great success. Stay tuned on DuelingTampons.com for future posts about what all of these alumni are up to!

Click to check out an article the DP did a while back on Kevin

Click to check out some of Kevin's and other alumni films

Check out some of my other Penn film producer posts

READ MORE - Kevin Misher (C'87) picks a (street) fight

Mike Karz (C'89, W'89) to produce Fratboy

Mike Karz (C'89, W'89) is all set to produce the film Fratboy through his Karz Entertainment shingle.

Per comingsoon.net, "The comedy revolves around a man brought up in a frat house, raised by generations of house brothers. When he is reunited with his birth mother, he wreaks havoc on her chic home furnishings company with his rowdy, ill-behaved ways."

Click to see my other posts about Mike

Click here to check out some of Mike's and other alumni films

READ MORE - Mike Karz (C'89, W'89) to produce Fratboy

Mike Karz (C'89, W'89) strikes 2 year first-look deal with Warner Brothers

It's no surprise that Penn alumni have taken over Hollywood and today it was announced that another Hollywood established alum, Mike Karz (C'89, W'89) continues this trend with the news that he just stuck a 2 year, first-look deal with Warner Brothers.

Per Variety, "Karz already has several projects in the works at the studio [Warner Brothers] and has just sold his first pitch under the pact. The project, called "Blended," is a comedy about families coping with remarriages. ...Under the pact, Karz Entertainment will be based on the lot in Burbank and produce features and direct-to-DVD projects for the studio."

Other projects Mike has in the works include:

Good Luck Chuck - (per Variety) In the film, "Dane Cook plays a serial dater who gets a reputation that any woman dating him will rebound into meeting her soulmate. When the man meets his true love, he must find a way to end the streak and keep her." Click here to view the trailer!

Honeymoon with Harry - (per IMDB) "A man's fiancé dies 2 days before their wedding leaving the lover devastated. Oddly, he then goes on the honeymoon with his fiancé's father who despises him to scatter the ashes."
Click here to check out some of Mike's and other alumni films
Congratulations, Mike!

READ MORE - Mike Karz (C'89, W'89) strikes 2 year first-look deal with Warner Brothers