By: Alex Templar - MSTv Correspondent

New Orleans is truly earning its crown as the US "party central" this weekend alone.  Besides the obvious main events of Superbowl#47 and smattering of carnival parades tossed around the area, the city is playing host to its usual concerts and happenings. 

But, if you're more in the mood for comedy, rather than a concert, you're in luck.  The Royal Comedy Tour, makes a stop at the U.N.O arena on Saturday, Feb. 2, at 8 p.m.

The four comic tour, comprised of Sommore, D. L. Hughley, Bruce Bruce and Tony Rock makes New Orleans a prime stop on their 25 city tour.  As the show has been billed as the longest-running urban comedy tour, audiences can expect old-school comedy delivered with a modern voice to a more current generation.

The power foursome changes from time to time, since its 2009 debut; with Sommore generally being the mainstay.  But this year’s grouping has been described in the press as “raw and without regrets, full of real in your face emotion.” With the current line-up of talent, audiences nationwide have been enjoying some of the funniest material from some of the best comics in the world today.

All four have impressive resumes: between stand-up gigs, individual concerts, celebrity roasts and broadcast specials, New Orleans can expect to have the lakefront arena rocked out from laughter Saturday night.  So if you're not familiar with the skills of these fantastic four, you're need to change your obvious life of seclusion.

Sommore, is best known as one of the original "Queens of Comedy."  Her highness, known less publicly as, Lori Ann Rambough, has appeared in numerous shows, including the “Def Comedy Jam,” BET’s “Live From LA,” “Showtime At The Apollo”  and several VH1 celebrity roasts. She has also appeared in the films, “Soul Plane,” “A Miami Tail,” “Friday After Next”  “Something New” and on the television shows, “The Hughleys,” “The Parkers,” and “Politcally Incorrect with Bill Maher.”

Bruce Bruce flows with improvisation skills like no other.  That, along with a boisterous personality and husky comedy style, Bruce Bruce, or the once, Bruce Church projects a lifestyle to match his comic style.  He's known for headlining and hosting several comedy shows like, “BET’s 10th Anniversary Comic View,” “Coming to the Stage,” and his own “Comedy Central Presents” & Showtime specials. He's also appeared in the films, “Hair Show" and “Think Like a Man.” Recently, he's released his first book, “Baby James Brown.".

Tony Rock, doesn't live in the shadow of his older brother, comedian Chris Rock.  The younger Rock's comedy is just as strong as his brother's; just unique. He's known as a regular staple at some of the most famous comedy clubs in the country and is powerful presence on the Los Angles comedy scene. He's served as a writer on several comedy shows, including his brother's as well, and he hosts Chocolate Sundays at The Laugh Factory and currently hosts BET’s “Apollo Live.”

D.L. Hughley is best known as the star of the ABC/UPN sitcom “The Hughleys” and like Sommore, holds a crown of royalty as one of “The Original Kings of Comedy.”  He's hosted CNN’s “D.L. Hughley Breaks the News,”  been a correspondent for the “Tonight Show with Jay Leno”  and headlined several network televised one-man shows.  He's appeared in several films like, "Inspector Gadget,"  "Scary Movie 3" and "The Brothers."  He's also appeared on multiple television shows for the last 20 years and been a guest host on the game show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.”

Want to go into the Superbowl experience with a lighter mood before the game charges you up?  Then get your tickets to The Royal Comedy Tour; while they're available.  Seats are going fast and at only $65 and up for a seat, finding a better price for hours of guaranteed laughter just can't be done.  Tickets are available at: www.ticketmaster.com.

By:  Alex Templer - MSTv Correspondent
January 26, 2013

The New York based ladies of the Pink Collar Comedy Tour highlights four funny ladies working their way through the country with laughs; often at their expense.

The tour stopped at Chelsea's Cafe in Baton Rouge last night and will be hitting the Movement Theater in New Orleans tonight. And if there are any doubts as to if these ladies will have you laughing out of your seats, dismiss them now.

The four comic team of Kaytlin Bailey, Carrie Gravenson, Abbi Crutchfield & Erin Judge have all appeared on venues the likes of Comedy Central specials, the Gotham Comedy Club and too many comedy competitions to count.  But after almost 2 years of working together, the foursome have toured all over the country; and that's in addition to working on their solo gigs.

The Pink Collar Comedy tour will be performing at the New Movement Theater in New Orleans on Saturday, Jan. 26, at 9 p.m. More information about the ladies, their comedy and the tour is available at their website, http://www.pinkcollarcomedytour.com/

By: Leila Toussi - MSTv Fashion Correspondent
1/21- 2013

With winter blues harassing the majority of the country, the new fashion line-up showing at the Paris Haute Couture event embodies a warming trend. 

Winter brings expectations of menswear, heavy flannel-based, presentation shows.  But, the 2013 couture collections are a reminder of what we really are looking for to speed up the warmer weather.

Hitting the runway at a breakneck pace, pastel colors returned to fore. Cocktail dresses and pencil skirts shock the senses with sometimes extreme flashes of color.  With other times, color was overshadowed by design and subtle additions to the design flow.  

Artistic director Raf Simons, turned this vastly varied style production into controlled brilliance.  Pieces like the occasional strapless ball gown seemed a little dress-makerly rather than the peak of couture.  Others like a pink taffeta pencil skirt with a lime green toss at the hem, juxtaposed against a black peplumed sheath top and Wedgwood, sleeveless cape let, showed a designer inspired use of a complex color palette within a mind, as well as of the clothes themselves.

But, the important issue is that the varied uses and color and contrast were working - and well.  As expected from Dior, pieces ranging from  bar jackets, tangerine silk cigarette pants, satin cocktail dresses and unique concepts applied to hems and bodices of coats and dresses and stunning cape-backed and puffball dresses, hand painted with flowers, were show stoppers.

These show-stoppers, combined with the elegant metallic stiletto court shoes, the occasional pair of neon tights and all those sequined pouts, suggest that Simons is getting to grips with the Dior credo: "spectacle, with plenty of commercial bestsellers."

Backstage, Simons simply stated, "I wanted to do a self-explanatory collection..."  To this front, several front row fixtures, celebrities and members of the press literally swarmed around Simons and the designer himself to much acclaim and praise.  On the most positive of notes, this year's spectacle was another rousing success.

But as usual, one has to wonder if these fashions will ever hit the street and actually be worn by the real public.  Perhaps "Alien" movie series star Sigourney Weaver said it best in her quote the press. "I loved how Raf took those little vests and put them back to front.",she said.   "What he does is graceful. The shapes are beautiful. But would I wear it? You never know, but it's always good to see great theatre"

Enjoy a brief look at the pieces that brought the audience at the Paris Haute Couture show to a standing ovation.  Images by Getty. 

By: Chris Waddington, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
January 18, 2013

Tickets for the inaugural Louisiana Derby Infield Festival go on sale Jan 21. The Fair Grounds Race Course announced plans for the outdoor festival in November. Tied to the 100th running of the Louisiana Derby on March 30, the festival centers on a concert by popular New Orleans band Cowboy Mouth.

The festival audience will be the first since the 1930s to watch races from the Fair Grounds infield.

Fair Grounds officials describe the planned festival as “a lawn chair and blanket event with a casual atmosphere.”

A fleet of New Orleans food trucks and pop-up restaurants will set up at the site. About 15 vendors have been confirmed, including local favorites La Cocinita, Linda the Yakamein Lady and Woody’s Fish Tacos.

For horse racing fans, the climax of the day will be the Derby which features a $1 million purse --- the largest in Louisiana. Horses that perform well often go on to compete in Triple Crown events.

General admission tickets for Infield Festival are $25. VIP options are also available. For full details go to the Fair Grounds website. Ticket sales begin at 9 a.m. Monday.

2013 is looking like it'll be a great year for us gadget geeks out there.  Don't get me wrong, 2012 wasn't bad with its releases of the I-Phone 5, PS Vita, Wii U and a bunch of cool video games.  But, with the news of coming new release examples we have below,  2013 should be kinda stellar for you fun tech toy lovers.

Will the public mirror the enthusiasm of the technology industry in 2013?  Keep reading and get those credit cards ready - just in case you see something you might want to reserve at Best Buy.

See something you like up there?  Damn right you do!!  So save your pennies guys, cause all these great gizmos are coming to a mall near you - soon!!

By: Chi Chi Izundu - BBCNewsbeat

Johnny Depp has signed on to star in a fifth installment of the Hollywood film franchise Pirates of the Caribbean.

The 49-year-old will return as Captain Jack Sparrow, but there is no word on other cast members and no director has been attached to the Disney project.

The film is expected to be released in July 2015.

It's thought that Johnny is still working on Disney's The Lone Ranger, so filming isn't expected to start on the Pirates movie until 2014.

The fourth film in the franchise - Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides - which was directed by Rob Marshall earned over 1 billion at the box office worldwide.

Disney has also announced other movies release dates.

The Muppets 2 will be released in March 2014. Ricky Gervais will star opposite the Muppets.

The company also gave release details for George Clooney's new sci-fi epic 1952. The film will be released in December 2014 and will be directed by Brad Bird. Plot details are being kept under wraps.

Angelina Jolie's Maleficent will get a summer release in 2014. The film centers around the villain from Sleeping Beauty.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier will open in cinemas in April 2014 while Guardians of the Galaxy will be released as a 3D movie and will be in cinemas in August 2014.

By: Todd A. Price, NOLA.com | Times-Picayune
January 12, 2013

The New Orleans International Beer Festival, after two years in Mandeville, moved to Champions Square near the Superdome. When it was over, Jay Wilson, whose Birmingham-based Red Mountain Entertainment produces the event with Mandeville's Blue Deuce Entertainment, put one thing at the top of his agenda: call Hogs for the Cause and make sure the 2013 beer tasting wouldn't again be the same day as the charity barbecue cook off.

This year, the New Orleans International Beer Festival will be Saturday, March 9. And this year, it won't conflict with Hogs for the Cause, the Zapp's International Beer Festival in Baton Rouge or--Wilson hopes--any other event that draws the beer drinking crowd.

Like last year, the festival will feature 175 different craft beers along with seminars on cooking and pairing beer. One area will be devoted to cask ales. A special VIP section will have harder to find beers. And Wilson plans to add this year a "cider garden"

"A beer fest is a beer fest," Wilson said. "We try not to make it too complicated. We like the beer to speak for itself. But we're really challenging the distributors to go to their suppliers and get them to ship in some special stuff."

Tickets for the festival went on sale Friday at www.neworleansinternationalbeerfest.com. General admission tickets are $40 and VIP tickets are $75. Discounted admission is available for designated drivers.

By: Derek Killabrew - MSTv Tech Correspondent

The world is full of Geeks........
You have so many to choose from,LARPers, Star Wars,Trekkies,LOTR,WOW, DDR,Anime,D&D, Cosplay, .....

But at least you  are not alone, I happen to be a Geek about Green Technology. Now I don't cover my car in bumper stickers, but I love Mother Earth just as much as any environmentalist , but I express it a different way.

You see, I keep up with the latest technology,gadgets, innovations,tech trends, green trends, energy, architecture,studies, you name it! And why not?  I have always believed that we can advance our Technology, our society, without harming the earth. I think the solution is not for us to become off the grid "Earthship Hippies", but rather advance our technology to the point that its use causes little harm to the environment.

Think Mr.Fusion from Back to the Future, Clean Energy, Smart Buildings, futuristic ECO communities, Flying Cars,Robots, whatever your idea of the future may be. The key is finding a way to get there without causing too much harm.I think the solution is Green Technology; it provides a way for us to have the coolest technology in the world without destroying it in the process.

People don't like to change their habits for excess and waste so our technology must conform. Don't get me wrong, I know everything even Green Technology such as solar panels can have a negative impact on our environment, but as we advance we can produce less waste, greater efficiency , reusable materials, and down right cooler technology. So advance we must!

Show Mother Earth some love, If you are a geek for green technology feel free to admit it, the world can use more of you!

Reprinted from: NOLA.com
By: Sharon Edwards, The Times-Picayune

America may soon know that St. Tammany’s got talent, as several lucky winners go to the head of the line for the upcoming talent search competition when it comes to New Orleans next month.

Kim Bergeron, former director of the city of Slidell’s department of Cultural and Public Affairs, is working with the producers of NBC's America’s Got Talent and several local organizations to offer special VIP Audition Passes to the show's talent auditions to be held Feb. 15-16 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans.

According to Bergeron, the express line passes were first offered to winners of the Slidell’s Got Talent competition from a few years ago. Brianna Dewar, the winner, and Molly Betch, a runner-up, will receive VIP Audition Passes for the upcoming audition. A third pass will go to Jennifer Drennan, who was not eligible to participate in the Slidell competition, she said.

Four more passes are available and will be awarded through two avenues, that will include a panel of judges and a people’s choice competition. Details are being worked out and soon will be announced.

But, I have one hint for anyone interested in securing one of the coveted passes. Make a short video of your talent entry and be ready to upload it to an online or social media site or DVD. With a surge of contestants expected to apply, some of the entries will probably be screened online and through social media, Bergeron said. Her hopes are to get the best talent St. Tammany has to offer in front of the America’s Got Talent judges.

In the meantime, anyone of any age and any talent can apply to audition Feb. 15-16 at 900 Convention Center Blvd. in New Orleans. To pre-register for an audition and for more information on AGT, visit www.agtauditions.com.

By: Alex Templer: MSTv Correspondant

Despite Mardi Gras just beginning, its never too late to plan for the future.  And in the light of the sweltering heat of New Orleans' summer's, the major cool highlight has to be the Essence Festival. 

Running from July 4th to the 7th and boasting an impressive line-up, the 2013 Essence Festival will spotlight such heavyweights as Jill Scott, Maxwell, New Edition, Charlie Wilson, Keyshia Cole, LL Cool J and Brandy on the Superdome main stage.  Hitting the secondary lounge stages will be artists such as Big Daddy Kane, Jody Watley and  Mint Condition; with  locals Mia Borders and Kourtney Heart thrown in for a "home-style" feel.

The former, "Essence Music Festival"is now officially called just the Essence Festival.  The name change was made to help the event better reflect its multi-diverse cultural offerings.

The event will also include free empowerment seminars at the Convention Center. Guest speakers will include Rev. Al Sharpton and  Rep. John Lewis; to include a gospel tribute to pastor Donnie McClurkin and Tramaine Hawkins.

“The decision to rebrand the Essence Festival was a natural progression for this one-of-a-kind event, which has become a July 4th weekend tradition over the past 19 years,” said Essence Communications president Michelle Ebanks in a statement. “The Essence Festival combines music, entertainment, culture, community, empowerment and inspiration to create a completely transformative experience across four full days that you won’t find anywhere else on the planet. We feature the world’s top performers each night across eight live music and cultural stages and we bring the ‘page to the stage’ by bringing Essence magazine to life at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center during the day.”

Marking 2013 as its 19th year in the Superdome, the Essence Festival began as an outcropping of Essence Magazine’s 25th anniversary.  Except for 2006, every Essence Fest has been staged in New Orleans.

Tickets for the 2013 Essence Festival are on sale now through Ticketmaster.