Stars On The Desert

Author: 
Gloria Greer

Kudos to Greg Renker of Guthry-Renker for signing today's hot superstar Justin Bieber to promote client Proactiv as spokesperson. The teenies and their moms are buying the product with more than 500,000 viewers on the product's website the first day and over 125,000 hits on UTube when the video of Justin and Procactiv debued. Aside to Greg: Your Bieber buy was a stroke of genius!

Greg and Stacey role out the welcome mat at their plush desert home on Feb. 19 for a VIP reception honoring Virginia Waring and the Virginia Waring International Piano Competion that honors Condoleeza Rice next February. VWIPC.President Peggy Cravens says honoring Rice is not partisan but in recognition of her artistry as a pianist. Rice receives her accolades at the Black & White Ball (as in piano keys) on Feb. 20.

Toni Elizabeth Prima, daughter of two singing legends,Keely Smith and Louis Prima is singing up a storm with the British rock group, Jive Aces. Keely is in London with her daughter and has delighted the crowds on a few occasions with her own impromptu jumpin’ jives. (You can see Toni jive with the Jive Aces on U Tube.)

Once a pro – always a pro. Loved watching two Tony winners, Donna McKechie (Chorus Line), Liliane Montevecchi (Nine), and a performing legend, Kaye Ballard, go through their steps and songs during rehearsals at Joslyn Center last week in Palm Desert for their upcoming performance at the Performing Arts Center in Santa Fe for New Mexico’s Animal Protective League. Now the trio are headed to the Big Apple for more rehearsals with Tommy Tune.

Kudos to Jack Jones for his new CD, “Love Makes The Changes.” Jack and wife Eleonora just returned to our desert from Jack’s European tour. You can find “Love Makes The Changes” on ITune as well as on UTube. Jones is finding thousands of fans and followers on his Facebook page. Jack and Eleonora's first anniversary celebration dinner was a hoot. Marty Steele at piano backed Jack and Peter Marshall in impromptu songs while Bill Marx and classical pianist John Bayless wowed all of us. Eleonora is such a talented hostess, she could give Matha Stewart a run in the at home entertainment department!

You only have two weeks left in which to catch the amazing “The Art of Costume Design” exhibit at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising Museum in L.A. Featured are costumes from Emmy nominated video series, mini-series and made-for-television movies. Barbara Bundy, Museum Director, and Kevin Jones, curator, came to Palm Desert to be interviewed on my Time Warner video show Conversations With Gloria Greer. The program airs this Friday (August 20) with repeats on Saturday (Aug. 21), Monday (Aug. 23) and Tuesday, (August 24) and then goes On Demand on Time Warner Desert Cities and San Diego for one month.. Kudos to Ann Greer for the video she took at the opening of the exhibit.

Another show you won’t want to miss: My interview with Metropolitan Opera star Michelle DeYoung, who performed four roles during the Richard Wagner Ring Cycle at Los Angeles Opera. Our exclusive interview airs on Exploring The Arts Sunday at 4 PM on KVCR TV, Inland Empire PBS while Cloris Leachman steps into the Exploring Arts spotlight this Sunday, August 22, and Dick Van Dyke is on Classic Conversations with me this Sunday on KVCR TV at 5:30 PM.

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