Tuesday Nights With Telles!

I love people.

I love people with passion.

Which means that I absolutely love to interview passionate people from all walks of life...

This is my fourth and final season hosting CU@USC on the Trojan Vision Network. If you're into live television and enjoy sit down talk shows as much as I do, then you will love "Tuesday Nights With Telles" on CU@USC. Since my first day hosting the show, I've had the pleasure of working alongside my Executive Producer, Nick Rizzo. We're college students now...but in time, we have high hopes of working together in the real world!

Ade McCormack, Actor:

He's an actor who you might recognize from shows such as 24, Gilmore Girls and played Yemi in the popular series, Lost. He's a man with Kenyan roots and brings his humble beginnings with him in every role he lands as an actor. You can catch him in his next big film coming to theaters on March 3rd. If you've seen the many trailers or billboards around L.A. then you know what movie I'm talking about -- BATTLE: LOS ANGELES, directed by Jonathan Liebsman. When you see a medic on scene, look for Ade, he's one of them!

Eric Anthony Johnson (Java Boi Fresh), Entrepreneur:

This gentleman joined me on the show to talk about his trademark, Java Boi Industries. It's a clothing brand with a coffee kick! Eric built his business from the ground up after gaining inspiration from big-name brands like Johnny Cupcakes and Hello Kitty. For now, he designs stellar shirts but since the brand launched online this month (2 days ago!) he's bound to grind out more apparel this year.

Visit the JBI website here!

James Owens, President of The World Is Just A Book Away (WIJBA):

Professor Owens teaches at USC and he's also president/founder of the WIJABA charity organization. WIJABA helps to educate the children of the world and James Owens is making it all happen. His mission is to build libraries in developing countries and give a plethora of books to children so they can expand their dreams and have an imagination. Owens told me that since he was 17 years old, he was fascinated by books and he wanted every person to have their own to read. Today that vision has transformed into reality. Through networking and gaining celebrity board members, the WIJABA family has raised enough money to build 47 libraries in safe zone areas throughout Indonesia. These libraries have given 25,000 children access to 45,000 books since it's launch in 2008. Wow - that's a ton of books and it's only the beginning! You can follow WIJABA's work here.

These men may focus their time on such varied areas, but they all have one thing in common: passion and dedication. Don't forget, you can tune into CU@USC on Trojan Vision's live stream every Tuesday night at 6:30 pm!

Fight On,

Megan

The Nominees are Announced

Covering the Oscar nominations announcement is unlike any experience...

This year Andrew Huse and I covered the noms for USC's Trojan Vision Network and San Diego's online newspaper, The Union-Tribune: SignOnSanDiego.com.

View the vid here!

There aren't too many days in the year when you wake up bright and early (like 1am status), get camera ready, head to Beverly Hills with absolutely NO traffic on the 10 freeway and arrive at the Academy headquarters on Wilshire Boulevard. Not to mention that there's always a room full of catered breakfast with everything imaginable, from fluffy eggs, a table full of assorted bagels, a variety of juice and coffee and lots of bacon.

Besides the food, it's the energy in the building that takes my breath away. News network crews huddle at the staircase which leads up to the Samuel Goldwyn Theater (this is where the stage is set and nominees are announced). When the rope is lifted and we're given the green light, that's when all the fun begins.

Once Andrew and I hustled up the stairs, pushed our way through the crowd and set-up our equipment in the best position, I took a second to watch as the clock struck 5:38:30AM. At that very second, the 2011 Oscar Nominations Announcement was telecasted to the world. I felt the anxiety in the room from everyone wondering who's work in film would be recognized this year. I witnessed Nancy O'Dell memorize several lines of content in a matter of minutes and deliver on the spot with no practice. I looked around to see smaller news networks waiting in long lines to have a one-on-one interview with the President of the Academy. I listened to foreign news networks deliver the list of nominees to their audience in several different languages and I watched as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences pieced together a morning of organized chaos. Whether your into award season or not, what goes down during television's "road to the Oscars" is fascinating.

I remember years ago thinking that everything entertainment was all glitz and glam, easy and fluffy news. But I was wrong. The entertainment world has a culture and a depth that is often times misunderstood. Oscar season is always a nice reminder of how much work really goes into making Hollywood look so...Hollywood.

Don't forget to tune into the ABC network on February 27th for the 83rd Academy Awards!

In the meantime, I have about seven Oscar nominated films to catch up on! Here's the list of the 2011 nominees in 6 of the 24 categories:

Best Picture

• Black Swan
• The Fighter
• Inception
• The Kids Are All Right
• The King's Speech
• 127 Hours
• The Social Network
• Toy Story 3
• True Grit
• Winter's Bone

Actress in a Leading Role

• Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right
• Nicole Kidman, Rabbit Hole
• Jennifer Lawrence, Winter's Bone
• Natalie Portman, Black Swan
• Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine

Actor in a Leading Role

• Javier Bardem, Biutiful
• Jeff Bridges, True Grit
• Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network
• Colin Firth, The King's Speech
• James Franco, 127 Hours

Actress in a Supporting Role

• Amy Adams, The Fighter
• Helena Bonham Carter, The King's Speech
• Melissa Leo, The Fighter
• Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit
• Jacki Weaver, Animal Kingdom

Actor in a Supporting Role

• Christian Bale, The Fighter
• John Hawkes, Winter's Bone
• Jeremy Renner, The Town
• Mark Ruffalo, The Kids Are All Right
• Geoffrey Rush, The Kings Speech

Directing

• Black Swan, Darren Aronofsky
• The Fighter, David O. Russel
• The King's Speech, Tom Hooper
• The Social Network, David Fincher
• True Grit, Joel Coen and Ethan Coen

Feel a hug & FIGHT ON, baby!

MT

Living In the Moment

Yesterday marked the last of what has always been a big deal to me -- the first day of school.

And I didn't cry!

I know, I know. Who cries on the first day of school? It's the easiest day of the entire year! I totally understand that, but for some reason throughout my childhood and even into my first two years of high school, I would shed a few tears on the first day of every school year. It seems silly now, but it was fear in not knowing my teachers on a personal level and that I wouldn't "get" the material in the class. It was the idea that I worked so hard and was so conscientious about my grades the semester or year before, that starting all over again seemed dreadful. But yesterday was different.

Yesterday crept up on me after sixteen years of certainty that there will always be a first day of school. There were no tears, only cheers to begin my last semester of college on a clean slate.

As I rode my bike onto campus I felt ready and fully present. I was physically and mentally "there" -- a feeling that often times goes missing while us college students are too busy trying to mold our crafts, network and drive our passion to create a successful career. These things aren't bad, by any means, but I've found that the need to succeed can sometimes suck the life right out of students. I've realized that it's necessary to find the balance between work and play while rewarding your soul with a minute to get in touch with your authentic self.

Yesterday I was able to see the light at the end of the tunnel and it seemed much more apparent than ever before. I rolled out of my comfy twin sized bed and was able to visualize graduation day (4 months from tomorrow!) and could only imagine what it might feel like when finally handed that USC diploma...

I remember putting on my jeans and grabbing my black leather jacket off the hanger, accessorizing my outfit with a nude colored infinity scarf. I recall scuffing my boot on the bike pedal when locking my tire to a tree in front of Annenberg. I remember scanning each classroom when I walked in the door to see if I recognized any familiar faces and pulling out my fresh notepad and perfectly unused pen. My point in recollecting back on yesterday is more about what it felt like to be present and less about it being the last, first day of school.

As busy, exciting and ambiguous life has been in the past two years as a transfer student from San Diego State to USC, it baffles me how time evaporates into thin air. I thought I just graduated from Los Osos High, just moved away to college, and I thought I was just a Pi Beta Phi sorority pledge??? Well SURPRISE! -- it's the last hoorah before transitioning into the Trojan Alumni Network (fight on!)

So I want to make a toast.

Here's to fueling our passions in 2011 and not forgetting to live.in.the.moment!

It's your turn, when's the last time you felt present?

Xo,

MT

Cholo Time!

It's that time of the year, no school and back to the serving gig and internship hours!

To some, this may seem like daunting tasks, but in my eyes, serving and interning are what I look forward to all year long. While serving brings in some ca$h, the un paid internship is a necessary element to my growth in the television broadcasting industry during the few months away from the school grind.

Since I was 16 years young I worked at the best burger place around: Islands Fine Burgers & Drinks. But it was my time to hang up the black shoes and khaki shorts for an opportunity to switch things up a bit. Since I'm living in Los Angeles now and there are restaurants galore, I decided to apply at the famous, original El Cholo restaurant located on Western & Olympic. I'm not sure what it was about my first visit to the iconic spot, but something about the history I witnessed through the plethora of photos on the walls, the mexican-inspired dresses worn by the servers, and the signed photo of CBS anchor, Laura Diaz, displayed at the front of the restaurant, inspired me. The combination of all of the above, motivated me to apply because I wanted to be part of the El Cholo family in any capacity. I sensed the comfort of my own family and I knew this would be a great way to get to know Los Angeles a little better. A few interviews later and countless follow-up phone calls...I landed the job!

To my surprise, there was a twist when I got hired on. I was going to be working at the new El Cholo...and even better news, it was located in downtown Los Angeles, ay yi yi, how exciting! I never imagined that my move to USC would also result in working across the street from Staples Center and in the heart of the tall buildings I have been infatuated by my entire life. This was it, I was going to become a true Angelino :)

Some of the señoritas, prepping for the V.I.P party

Training kicked off at the end of April and the taste testing began! Everything on the menu from the Blue Corn Chicken Enchiladas to those famous El Cholo Margaritas were a sign that I was in the right place. There isn't one thing on the menu that isn't worth the calorie intake, and that's a promise.

I must say, the experience of opening a restaurant will forever be a special part of my Summer 2010. Although we witnessed a slow first few days open to the public, it didn't take much time for the word to spread. Local business men and women and even long-time El Cholo guests began to pour in, and I can now say that our lunch rushes are busier than ever. Each week, there are new pieces of decor and freshly added details to the restaurant. From the new tables in the bar area, to the new molcajete tools for the fresh guacamole, and even the lit candles in the bathroom all work together to create that original vibe that first motivated me to want to be a part of the El Cholo family.

Best GM around, Joey G. and his two chicas, taking a quick break for a pic

I know it seems sort of silly to be so passionate about a serving job, but this is just how I operate. I absolutely thrive off the energy of people, I love interacting with so many different walks of life who sit at my tables, I love being surrounded by my hard working co-workers and practicing my Spanish with them during each shift! To be a part of the new El Cholo in "DTLA" (code for Downtown Los Angeles) is simply: fabulous.

Folding napkins can be fun, once you get the hang of it!

If you haven't already - come join the fun, and grub!

http://www.elcholo.com/

TaTa for now followers (sorry for the lack of blog posts lately, I've been busy serving tamales!).

Xo,

Megan

Season 10: DANCING WITH THE STARS!

From the Cha Cha to the Viennese Waltz, season 10 is unstoppable!

Having the opportunity to intern with KABC7 entertainment guru, George Pennacchio, at Dancing With The Stars every Monday has been one of the most riveting experiences in my early career as a journalist. Here's a little break down of what happens on the average Monday night, before, during and after the show.

George Pennacchio and I posing with our notes.

I arrive at CBS Television Studios around 3:30 p.m. and assist George in preparing for his live shot for the 4:00 p.m. newscast. After, we head backstage to the media room where all the publicists, managers, DWTS employees and media journalists from Entertainment Tonight, Extra, AOL.com, etc. sit together on white, plastic chairs to watch the live show. Every week finger foods (mini hotdogs, burgers, quesadillas, etc.) and the best tortilla chips and salsa are prepared for the media room to indulge in. And speaking on behalf of most college students, free food is a pretty big deal. Needless to say - I grub!

Media Area

When the show is over, that's our cue to get up, get ready and enter the studio doors. We hit the dance floor to interview the couples.

Very large, heavy studio doors

George grabs the interviews, while I stand right next to him, listen and write down important sound bites that I know we'll want to use in our re-cap of the show. This is where the learning takes place, as I listen to how George crafts his questions as a professional entertainment journalist. There's a sense of urgency since there's only one hour to get interviews with each couple, so George has taught me the essence of organization and preparation. When that hour of media time is complete, we pack it up and head back to the station. At this point, we have roughly two hours to log the interviews, capture the best sound bites, write the script, track voice overs, put in mattes and send the full story to the editor to piece together. This is the story you see on the 11:00 p.m. newscast!

I must mention that without Jamie (coolest cameraman in Los Angeles!) we would never have the great interview shots. On top of that, he leads the way back to the station every week in the blue news van so we can get to work as quickly as possible - thanks Jamie!

Cameraman Jamie

and his van!

If there is one thing to point out while interning with George, it's his emphasis on detailed work. He has a reputation for being a concise reporter and the couples know that their interview with George is no joke. He doesn't ask surface questions, he asks questions with substance that require thoughtful answers. I have learned that this makes for better responses and a more candid conversation, something a reporter is always looking for.

This season of DWTS has been incredible, and the cast is a perfect combination of character and class, from having Pamela Anderson to Nicole Scherzinger on the line-up. Meeting Buzz Aldrin was a moment I will take with me forever, along with the convo I had with George Lopez (thanks to George Pennacchio!). Chelsie Hightower (Jake Pavelka's partner) and Tony Dovolani (Kate Gosselin's partner) are two of the nicest people around and seem to have the best job in show biz. Oh, and I can't forget Niecy Nash - in case you've missed her dance on the show every week, she's a riot and an absolute blast to be around. This show brings popular guests into the audience each week creating an unpredictable mixture of talent and fame, from Florence Henderson to Lisa Marie Presley - the energy is always vibrant.

Posing with the legendary, Buzz Aldrin

Tony Dovolani outside of CBS studios giving me some dance tips

Chelsie Hightower, only 20 years old!

One cool fact, George has been covering DWTS since season 1! Needless to say, he has the skills and experience to ask good questions on the spot while he knows how to have fun with the stars too. Having the opportunity to intern under a reporter who works extremely hard, even after he's been in the business for many years, inspires me beyond words. Often times I find that the passion is lost in this competitive industry and it seems easy to become jaded, but Geroge has shown me a different side and I couldn't be more appreciative for his guidance. Everyone who works behind the scenes at DWTS are great people as well and they truly seem to love what they're doing, which is hard to find in today's working world. If I could pinpoint the spirit on Monday nights at DWTS, it would be closely related to a family vibe. There is a camaraderie and hype that blends well between the media, the stars and the crew, creating an exciting experience for a college intern to be surrounded by. I've learned what a popular show like DWTS requires to create success, but what's even more astounding, is how much I have learned about entertainment journalism. Having been to the Oscars Red Carpet and DWTS in the same year, I take entertainment journalism very seriously; it's much more than celebrities, glitz and glamour. It's all of that, plus pressure, high energy, deadlines, and hard work...a feeling I absolutely thrive on.

Aspiring ♥

I hope you enjoyed your behind the scenes peek at season 10 of Dancing With The Stars! There is much more to come, and with only a few weeks left before the big finale, I'll have more details on the way.

HEADING INTO WEEK 8:

(Leader Board order after week 7's elimination night):

1. Evan Lysacek & Anna Trebunskaya

tied with

2. Nicole Scherzinger & Derek Hough

3. Chad Ochocinco & Cheryl Burke

4. Erin Andrews & Maksim Chmerkovskiy

5. Niecy Nash & Louis Van Amstel

Like George would say...

from the Fairfax District, I'm Megan Telles!

FIGHT ON.

Back to blogging!

Well, the past few weeks have been super busy and I haven't blogged at all - my apologies!!

I've had a few shows on "CU@USC," attended the College TV awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and have hit the set of Dancing With the Stars every Monday as part of my internship with KABC-TV!

Let's talk a bit about who's come into the studio since Vicki graced us with her presence. We had Michael Donaldson and Lisa Callif, entertainment attornies who took me inside their lives as defenders of independent filmmakers.

Next up, Dway McDuffie came to the studio for a chance to talk about comic books as a DC Comics writer/founder of DC Milestone Comics. His passion is to tell stories through comics and especially expose more cultures into the comic book industry. We discussed topics covering the industry through his multicultural lens. He shared memories from his past when he didn't see a lot of "himself," the average African American boy, portrayed in comic books. He was a nerdy techy kid and one day after studying in college, decided to bring his own flavor to the world of comic books. That's when DC Milestone Comics was born. Since then, Dwayne and the rest of his production team have launched titles such as: Blood Syndicate, Hardware, Icon and Static.

Switching gears, Nick Rizzo (Executive producer of "CU@USC") and I, hit the Red Carpet to cover the College Television Awards in Hollywood. It was a quaint Red Carpet event and I had the chance to get one-on-one with the stars. The cast of The Buried Life was such a fun group of guys, touching on their reality show about the list of 100 things they want to do before they die. After college, one of the things on their list was to have a TV show...clearly they can check that one off! Other television celebs hit the Carpet, like Tom Bergeron (Host-Dancing With the Stars), Adam Shankman (film director, producer, dancer and choreographer), Nygel Lythgoe (TV film director/producer, choreographer and former dancer), Chris Colfer (GLEE), Yvette Nicole Brown (Community), etc. There were a handful more and even the student nominees had the opportunity to catch up with the media. It was an exciting night to see student filmmakers my age, grasping on to their opportunity to create great work and be rewarded with a student Emmy (that's a HUGE résumé builder if you ask me!). Nick and I talked after the event and decided that more USC students need to submit their work. After all, we do have a phenomenal Cinema school for goodness sakes! I took a peek at the program and saw that there is also a category for best college produced Newscast, hmmm...Annenberg TV News? We need to represent next year!

College TV Awards @ The Renaissance Hotel, Hollywood CA

As the school year rapidly wraps up, there's a lot to take care of. I'll be a senior next year, so I am beginning to feel the crunch. The past few weeks have taught me a lot about how to go about interviewing people with such incredibly different stories. Whether it is a celebrity, a student or a comic book creator, each and everyone of them allow me the opportunity to dig deep into their lives and talk about topics they hold close to their hearts. It is a true pleasure to be practicing these social skills now in hopes of carrying this passion on to my job in the real world after college.

Dancing With the Stars is a whole new post in itself...check back soon.

Fight on folks!!

- MT

The OG Housewife of Orange County: Vicki Gunvalson "WOOHOO!"

On Tuesday night, Vicki Gunvalson from Bravo's hit reality show, The Real Housewives of Orange County, stepped into the studio (seconds after her quick conference call) and took part in the Tuesday night edition of CU@USC!

Vicki and I on the set of the show...WOOHOO!

She was fabulous to talk with and to be quite honest, I truly sensed a positive vibe from the woman! The other housewives always seem to be so irritated by Vicki's mention of "work ethic" and when I mentioned season 6, it seems as though Vicki's zest for the show has begun to burn. I got the idea that Vicki MIGHT not return to the show, or maybe there won't be a season 6 at all, hmm...

What's great about Vicki's role on the show is that she's the only original cast member left. One of my first questions I asked was about why she was still on the show surrounding herself by these women who she gets highly irritated by?! She explained how she doesn't have a choice when it comes to picking the new ladies and it's completely out of her hands. She has to take what she gets. Well that's definitely not reality but like any "reality" show today, it's clearly not reality and I thank Vicki for explaining that in her own words.

Now wait a minute...no one is FORCING Mrs. Vicki to continue to be a housewife on the show, so why is she sticking around if she claims to not like arguing and doesn't like ugly behavior? Well maybe this is it... Vicki considers herself to be the "momma" of the show and wants to hold a role for as long as she can handle one. Not only that, but the show also helps to publicize her COTO Insurance and University. The show is a huge help in generating in cliental and advertising the best of all three of her worlds....work, family and friends. I would probably stick around if I was in her heels too!

Vicki also mentioned her desire to want her own show! Hmmm...how many of you would watch Vicki if she landed her own show? Maybe the show can be called, "More Than a Housewife" just like her book!

Speaking of the book, the title sort of fits her persona on the show as she always talks about her strong work ethic and her willingness to work hard in order to afford the finer things in life...unlike the other ladies. Being more than a housewife says to the other ladies that she's much more than just fake boobs and nice things in life, she works too - OUCH!

I didn't get the chance to ask Vicki about Lynne's statement on the show, when her and the girls were at Alexis' house for the cooking party and Lynne said something along the lines of..." it's freakin hard living in Orange County!" How many of you think this is a ridiculous statement? Do any of you agree? What is it about Orange County that is so...hard?!

Well maybe I'll tweet Vicki and ask, I'll have to get back to you on that one. In the meantime, you can check out Vicki's book here: http://morethanahousewifebook.com/

You can order your copy NOW or check out where she'll be signing books next!

P.S. Vicki couldn't make the show a few weeks back due to the harsh weather and stiff traffic, but this time she was super early! We had Vicki on the calendar for a pre tape since she had to travel from a distance, but since she walked through those doors before 6:00pm we were going live at 6:30! I got the call to come in early, so I hopped in the shower, got dressed and rushed to the studio to do the live show.

I learned this week to BE PREPARED FOR ANYTHING and be ready to go live at any time, gahhh I LOVE IT :)

Thanks for reading, until next time...

FIGHT ON!

MT