OUT 38--OUT ON THE TOWN

HEY OUTSTAGRS!

ITS THAT TIME!!

TIME TO GET TOWNED!!!

As we continue to gather ourselves on this Coronavirus pandemic  and public events  and entertainment and leisure establishments closing,  people are managing and trying to adjust  to quarantining themselves at home people are trying to find ways to keep themselves busy and unbored with family, relationships  and themselves. 

This week's topic is: BOOSTING THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

As we continue to remain vigilant during the pandemic, there have been pros and cons about the STAY AT HOME mandates that city and state governments across the country--even protests for the mandates to be lifted.

But those instances shouldnt deter us from the main issue--keeping healthy.

More specifically--immune health.

Just as it is when you try to keep from getting sick from a cold or flu, mainyaining a healthy immune system will help rid of those ailments.

And it can work for COVID.

Here are a few things that can be done to boost your immunes--naturally on the daily.

1.Excercise. Getting the muscles moving and running can help rejuvenate the immune system. Homewrokouts and backyard sprints ae great ways for this and it induces endorphins from the brain to relax teh body from stress.

2.Drinking water. Keeping the cells bathed in water will help lubricate and rid the body of infammation which is the main reason for sickness. Alkaline water is the best but alternatives is drinking lemon tap water (lemons help rid the tap in the water.)

3.Lemon water. Lemons are a great antiviral fruit. its contents in hot water with organic or pure honey (another antiviral food) can keep the immune system elevated.

4.Garlic. The contents in garlic are great to rid the body of viruses. You can chop up a bulb in tiny pieces and scoop honey on a spoon and swallow. Its the best alternative of taking antibiotics from a doctor.  

5.Green Tea. Ginger Root Tea. Oregano Tea.  These herbal teas have great antivriral contents that can drunk cold or hot in a tea cup mixed with lemon and honey.

6.Rest. With all the time that we have these days, having a good day or nights rest for a few hours will help heal the body of any inflammatory problems while using the aforementioned.

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Our company Maatology Productions will host a private Paint and Sip (PAINt STRIP OR DRAW)  that will be livestreamed on Patreon JUNE 13.  Male models will be posing in artistic nude form at their locations  to be sketched or painted nude by their supporters who will tune in to watch. It will cost $5 on our  Patreon page at www.patreon.com/outonstage . Parts of the proceeds will be donated to a COVID foundation or cause.

We are also seeking more Models who would like to participate. You must be comfortable being nude, have a well lit area to pose, a decent sound mechanism to play music and have a decent build. If thats you,  email to maat.atkins@gmail.com

STREAMERZ

This past week, the new limited series HOLLYWOOD premiered on Netflix. Created by Ryan Murphy, HOLLYWOOD is a seven part series that reimagines how post World War II Hollywood could have been if people of color and women played a part in creating inclusion within an all white male caste system in front  and behind the camera. It also delves into how the seedy side of Hollywood operated with the casting couch forced onto white male actors who wanted to be stars.

But the main thrust of HOLLYWOOD shows how peopeleof color could have been portrayed if given achance to star in movies as well as write  them equal to their  white counterparts.

The series stars Jim Parsons (in an Emmy worthy performance), Patti Lapone  9another Emmy worthy performance) Dylan McDermott, Darren Criss and Queen Latifah who play variosu roles such as the slimey "casting couch"agent, the sexless movie studio owner wife, the washed up actor, the brash director and  portraying real life actors and actresses (Hattie McDaniel, Rock Hudson).

Overall, HOLLYWOOD is a good binge watch. Its a slow burn but when it's over it definitely makes you think on what could have been done if racism , homophobia and misogyny did not rear their heads. 

FASHIONEERZ

This  segment that highlight African American entertainers who were or are fashion icons who set the standards of fashion.

This 

This week we  spotlight Grammy Award winning singer/dee-jay/actress  Erykah Badu.

When it was announced by media putlets that Erykah Badu will be in the next major VERZUZ battle with "sistemporary" Jill Scott, it made us want to highlight Badu and her transformation in fashion.

When we were introduced to Badu in 1998  when her debut album Baduizm was released with the jazzy soul song "On and On." She wore a tall gelee on her head, wore ankhs as jewelry and  sundresses as everyday wear--her earth goddess look. From  her style and music  she was dubbed  the Queen of the Neo Soul Movement.

Since then, she has become a metamorphosis with her fashion choices--from Bantu bald look, long locs with top hats, bushy Afro with space suits and her infamous Group Thought nude walk. 

From her 20 years on the scene, Badu has definitely become a fashion icon for all sistas who are in tune with their artsy soul side.

While surfing YOUTUBE, I stumbled onto song stylist,Patti Austin. A protege of her godfather, Quincy Jones, Austin has been on the scene since her breakthrough album "Every Home Should Have One" in 1981. The clip I found was her performing the title song of this album on the 1980s music show SOLID GOLD. The song is very catchy and her vocals lies over this bouncy pop  groove like cool running water. 

YOU CAN CHECK IT OUT AT 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhYLEWvvtEI

OUT 37: OUT ON THE TOWN

HEY OUTSTAGRS!

ITS THAT TIME!!

TIME TO GET TOWNED!!!

As we continue to gather ourselves on this Coronavirus pandemic  and public events  and entertainment and leisure establishments closing,  people are managing and trying to adjust  to quarantining themselves at home people are trying to find ways to keep themselves busy and unbored with family, relationships  and themselves. 

This week's topic is: Using social media networks to create programming

As  we monitor the social media sites, the trend these days have been tuning into original programming on Instagram Live. 

In March, rapper/dee-jay DNice took the IG livestreams to a whirlwind of watchers with his daily CLUB QUARANTINE dee-jay spins in the afternoon and slow jams in the evening from his highrise apartment window view. After his monstrous number of watchers, many other dee-jays from across the country and the world followed suit with their own dee-jay programming.

Then, earlier this week, we got the titan of all IG lives with Timbaland and Swizz Beats series VERSUZ took off and reached its highest peak in watchers with the drama filled Babyface vs. Teddy Riley Battle. After two failed attempts (The first round with Babyface fallen ill from COVID and the second from the much memed fiasco with Teddy Rileys tech difficulties during the live stream.). The third time was the charm when the battle had finally taken place this past Monday with over 500 K people trying to log on and breaking the internet.

As we see, social media can be used when there is a captive and captivated audiences.

Meanwhile creative people have done interviews, podcasts and even private video calls as we eavesdrop of their conversations.  People are using ZOOM, Patreon, and other platforms to create communication and content. So what else can be done? Its up to your imagination to create while the COVID is focusing us to lockdown and get more in tune with creativity.

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Speaking of social media, our company Maatology Productions will host a private Paint and Sip that will be livestreamed on Patreon sometime in May  (TIME TBD).  Male models will be posing to be sketched or painted nude by their supporters who will tune in to watch. It will cost $5 on our  Patreon page at www.patreon.com/outonstage . Parts of the proceeds will be donated to a COVID foundation or cause.

We are also seeking more Models who would like to participate. You must be comfortable being nude, have a well lit area to pose, a decent sound mechanism to play music and have a decent build. If thats you,  email to maat.atkins@gmail.com

STREAMING VIEWZ

While perusing through Amazon Plus and I ran into this indy black horroe film called The House  Invictus. Directed by Nigerian born Uche Aguh, Invictus tells the story of a selected group of ambitious young black men who are invited into Fraternal Society House that is haunted with dark secrets about the actual house. This film gave me a bit of GET OUT and US regarding the diffrent angle of horror. 

There is a plethora of religious symbolism within it mainly of Catholicism as well as homoeroticism that is rarely seen in Black film. Giving a disclaimer at the beginning of the film that the director displayed regarding its denouncing  the occult, the world of black fraternal hazing is definitely on display,. INVICTUS (which also gives homage to the famous poem by poet William Ernest Henley) will get you thinking regarding black life and culture as told from te heyes of an African director. The film  does a decent job in showing the comparisons and contrasts of black men and their history in this country and how America still views them as well amongst themselves. 

FASHIONEERZ

This week we feature a new segment that highlight African American entertainers who were or are fashion icons who set the standards of fashion.

This week we pay tribute to the fashion stylings of singer/songwriter/producer and instrumentalist Prince as we commend the fourth anniversary of his untimely passing from this Earth.

When Prince made his splash onto the music world in 1978 with his first release For You he was a 20 year old wunderkind with an Afro. 

But after that--his music genius got the world's attention as well as his fashions.

There were several iconic looks that defined Prince--the trenchcoat with black bikini underwear and boots (1979-1982), the purple coats and ruffles and  hair curls (1982-1985), and the cut out butt pants (1991).

His looks were androgynous, feminine, and outrageously daring during the pre-hip hop era. But just like his music, his fashions were bold and no holds barred.

This past Tuesday, CBS televised the Prince tribute LETS GO CRAZY. One of the highlights was when soul legend Mavis Staples sang "Purple Rain" with Prince's former band, The Revolution. I did a random search on Mavis singing live in her hey dey and found a live performance of her performing with the Staple Singers in 1975 of the classic spiritual soul song, "I'll Take You There."  It's  a video of the group when when they performed on Don Kirchner's Rock Concert.

A liitle tidbit, Mavis created the phrase SCHMONNE that Michael Jackson made famous on the song, "Bad."

Go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ro_SyUmRTgc

OUT 36--OUT ON THE TOWN

HEY OUTSTAGRS!

ITS THAT TIME!!

TIME TO GET TOWNED!!!

As we continue to gather ourselves on this Coronavirus pandemic  and public events  and entertainment and leisure establishments closing,  people are managing and trying to adjust  to quarantining themselves at home people are trying to find ways to keep themselves busy and unbored with family, relationships  and themselves. 

This week's topic is: Are adult stores essential?

Facebook friend Leanne Joshua White posted this question on her FB page.

Well, are they?

As we all know, being human means having those urges to satisfy carnal pleasures.

But is it a need in this pandemic?

Theres many women and alternate individuals who use various love apparati to take care of that spot from vibrators, to butt plugs to dildos, but should adult stores be open as an essential business?

I would say no. There are many ways to handle that urge using your own hands (USE YOUR OWN IMAGINATION. LOL) And those of you sexaphiles who already have your pieces of satisfaction, you may need to stock up on rechargeable batteries and a recharger that can be bought at grocery stores which are essential. 

Speaking of essential pleasures, our company Maatology Productions will host a private Paint and Sip that will be livestreamed on Patreon May 2 (TIME TBD).  Male models will be posing to be sketched or painted nude by their supporters who will tune in to watch. It will cost $5 on our  Patreon page at www.patreon.com/outonstage . Parts of the proceeds will be donated to a COVID foundation or cause.

We are also seeking more Models who would like to participate. You must be comfortable being nude, have a well lit area to pose, a decent sound mechanism to play music and have a decent build. If thats you,  email to maat.atkins@gmail.com

STREAMING VIEWZ

While perusing through BET PLUS, I ran into a drama series called FAMILY BUSINESS. It was produced and directed by Carl Weber (the same Weber who produced the webseries MONOGAMY))  and adapted from his bestelling  crime drama book series. 

Starring Ernie Hudson (who was an exec producer) , Armand Assante, Miguel Nunez  and Darrin Henson, FAMILY BUSINESS from what the description tells is "a Black Sopranos." Well, kinda. It does deal with a black family who delve in crime, but as far as its content, its serviceable, but it definitely isnt Emmy Award material. 

The plot follows the Duncans, an upstanding family that owns and operates an exotic car dealership in New York, that also deals in drug smuggling for an Italian mob family.

FAMILY BUSINESS is very glitz-glam, showing the lifestyle of the black wealthy where  everyone is well coiffed. The acting is good (especially Hudson's), and the action  will definitely have you binge watching the first eight episodes of the first season. 

, 

FASHIONEERZ

This week we feature a new segment that highlight African American entertainers who were or are fashion icons who set the standards of fashion.

This week we feature singer/model/fashion icon Grace Jones

This larger than life diva had the late 1970s and  the 1980s  on lock  with her style of androgynous fair. Before she got into music, she was an international model who was the toast of the town with runways and front covers of fashion  magazines with her gender bending look.

Before Prince, Boy George and Annie Lennox, Grace Jones was the trendsetter on blending male and female fashion with sexual fluidity (along with disco singer Sylvester).

Then she started a recording career and had success with such disco fillers, "Pull Up to my Bumper," Nipple to the Bottle," and "Love is the Drug."  She also starred in several films capitalizing on her provocative image including "A View to a Kill," " Conan the Destroyer, " and  "Vamp." And who can forget her role as Stronge' in Eddie Murphy's film, "Boomerang."

OUT 35--OUT ON THE TOWN

HEY OUTSTAGRS!

ITS THAT TIME!!

TIME TO GET TOWNED!!!

As we continue to gather ourselves on this Coronavirus pandemic  and public events  and entertainment and leisure establishments closing,  people are managing and trying to adjust  to quarantining themselves at home people are trying to find ways to keep themselves busy and unbored with family, relationships  and themselves. 

WHAT ABOUT SIDE HUSTLES?

There are many people who have become unemployed because of the crises we are facing. Which means, people are out of work, have been laid off or having to depend on other means to make money.

This is the time for us to use our creative minds to create hustles. 

We have seen sewists making masks for sale online.

We have seen music artist have live stream concerts.

We have seen music DJs have listening parties.

We have seen comedians have comedy shows.

We have seen impersonators have lip synch shows.

We have seen fitness trainers doing workouts for their clients.

And those with a green thumb have gardening shows.

But what is your hustle?

What is your talent?

Do you have an idea that you can make money off of?

Well, this is definitely the time to brainstorm ideas.

Speaking of ideas, we are seeking male models who would like to do a Virtual Paint and Sip online. Models who have at least 100 Instagram followers who would be willing to pay $5 on a Patreon page to watch models pose while painting, skethcing and watching them at their location. Models will receive 50 percent of the Patreon sales. Parts of the proceeds will be donated to a COVID foundation or cause.

Theres no deadline but we would like to have a watch party for each model within after 14 days of the models promoting the project through their IG followers.

Models must be comfiortabel being nude, have a well lit area to pose, a decent sound mechanism to lay music and have a decent build.

If thats you email to maat.atkins@gmail.com

STREAMING VIEWZ

If 

As the country is on the Tiger King phenomenon, many other series have been overlooked. One is Ozark. Streamed on Netflix, Ozark stars Jason Bateman  and  Laura Linney as The Byrdes. Its about a married couple, The Byrdes,  who are forced to relocate their family to the Ozarks following a money laundering scheme with a Mexican drug cartel gone wrong.

In this third season, the couple owns a gambling boat that they use for their laundering duties as the FBI monitors their money moves. Also, the wife's brother in law comes to visit.  

Theres also a familiar face on teh series for all of you "Power" fans. LOL

We dont want to spoil anything, but for Ozark fans, this season is the best so far. It is defibitely a binge hook even if you are late to the series.

Its full of shocks and turns, and in the end, you will definitely will protest if a Season 4 has not been issued.

FASHIONEERZ

This week we feature a new segment that highlight African American entertainers who were or are fashion icons who set the standards of fashion.

This week we feature singer/rock guitarist, Lenny Kravitz.

When he came on the scene, he was dubbed Lisa Bonet;s husband in the mid 1980s. But he easily broke out of that shadow when he released his first album, "Let Love Rule" in 1989. His eclectic 60s rock fashion style with feather boas, leather vests, colorful bell botooms and long natted locs definitely got everyone's attention.

Since then, his style has been steady with the only thing changing is his hairdos from low cut to mini fros. He also ventured off into  various film and TV projects  througn director Lee Daniels including Precious, The Butler and the TV series "Star."

But one thing definitely is consistent, this boho king is comfortable in his way of life and style. 

As I was journeying through YOU TUBE I reflected on prolific Grammy Award winning singer songwriter and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Bill Withers who died earlier this week at the age of 81. Very subdued and aloof when it came to celebrity, he was dubbed more a folk artist who changed the game when it came to black artists who was unique in his music style. His music has stood the test of time and it can be heard from artists who have covered his music including the late Michael Jackson, Club Nouveau, Meeshell N'dgeocello and Will Smith. 

Here is a clip of Withers performing one of his biggest hits, "Use Me" when he was on the weekly music show Soul Train in 1972.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3_Q5RhZrdo