Paola Dias’ pregnancy resulted not only in the beginning of a beautiful new life but also the birth of a successful new business. She and her husband, Mike, moved from Northern California to bucolic New Hampshire recently.

"We live on a farm in a rural area," Dias said. "There aren’t a lot of jobs here, you kind of have to create your own. It’s a place where you just get really imaginative."

When Paola found out she was expecting, opportunity came knocking, organically. With the original goal of tracking the growth and shape of his wife’s belly month-to-month, Mike started tracing her bump against the wall, like parents do with their children to track their height. Both Paola and Mike grew up in creative families; Paola paints and Mike’s mother is an artist. For these two parents-to-be, pencil wasn’t enough.

"Tons" of art supplies made the trek with them across country and so they began to utilize what they had around the house and kept the creative juices flowing. "First of all, we started to make a mess," Paola laughed. But with some Japanese "shumi" ink that they had, what was created was "…so beautiful, it was this graceful outline." They then experimented with ground earth ochres mixed with water, which produced vibrant colors. Calligraphy brushes painted polished lines.

Paola wasn’t particularly fond of the idea of her nude body decorating their home, so baby belly photographs weren’t an option.

"I wanted something I could frame and put in my baby nursery or around the house, something more subtle,” she said. “So we decided to pursue it." The couple realized that the quality of their supplies was directly linked to the beauty in the product, so they ordered paper from Thailand, all-natural ochres, and calligraphy brushes.

Paola and Mike were so thrilled by their results that they decided to design some "kits" for some friends who were also expecting.

"We put them together because we thought we had come up with a great idea." Eventually, people they didn’t even know were asking for kits and the Dias’ realized they had stumbled upon something beautiful, with just a bit of creativity and some household supplies.

Not exactly the next Picasso? Doesn’t make a difference, according to Paola. "It’s really easy," she said. People who have never done it before paint amazingly and each woman expresses her creativity differently. "It was so great to see it with other people; they all have the same reaction, like ‘Oh my gosh, that is my body.’"

Not only does "Art Bellies," the official name of Paola and Mike Dias’ business, give you a tangible and visible memory of your pregnant belly, the physical act of creating the art enables the expectant mother to be more open and at peace with her body.

"When parents find out they are having a baby, everyone rushes out to buy stuff, not many people create,” Dias said. “It’s nice to slow down, be more mindful and love your body. It gets you grounded with your body. That’s something that is really joyful for us to see."

Art Bellies kits have been a success as a baby shower gift and/or game. Dias said women love to help each other create a beautiful outline of their bellies. A lot of parents, after the baby is born, stamp the baby’s footprint on the belly sketch, which makes for a special keepsake. Paola has seen women display the prints in offices, nurseries, and living rooms. They even had some silhouettes on display in the maternity ward of a New Hampshire hospital. One of the OB/GYN doctors loved them so much he took one home for his office.

Paola and Mike Dias are very optimistic about the future. Having started the business during one of the toughest economic times this country has seen in years, they feel fortunate to have created a business from simply doing something they love. They hope to expand Art Bellies as any small business might grow, focusing on the here and now.

They’re currently working on the packaging, making it more retail specific. Each Art Bellies kit comes with one white handmade paper, a color paper of choice that goes with the elements (air, earth, fire, water), all made of recyclable material, as well as the calligraphy brushes and ochres.

Only one year old, this budding business is destined for success. After all, women will always be having babies, right? Paola Dias teaches Spanish part-time and cares for their nine-month-old daughter. Her husband, Mike, is a technical writer. The couple is inspired by the natural art all around them in their small New Hampshire town, and hopes to continue to share their inspiration with parents-to-be around the world.

Art Bellies kits are sold online at their website and also at retailers in the New Hampshire area. They were recently featured in Pregnancy and Newborn magazines.

As an Internet maven, Wendy Shepherd spends the bulk of her day online.

Shepherd is the creator of Officallypluggedin.com, a site that gives celebrities a chance to make their own “official” place in cyberspace. She was introduced to the net in the mid-1990s by her father-in-law, and from there was hooked. Blast recently caught up with this full-time mother and entrepreneur, chatting about everything from Twitter to Twilight.

BLAST: In 2001 you created studio matrix, a website design, banner creation, online promotion company that also provides an outlet for business press releases and articles as well. How were you inspired to create this website? What kinds of business/projects do you promote? Are there any businesses/projects you refuse to be involved with?

WENDY SHEPHERD: Studio Matrix evolved out of requests for help by others who needed their own website put up and/or promoting it. I first started helping moms by making them graphic banners to use for advertising their small home businesses online. It all started on a small scale, and then grew, so I became more serious about it. I went through a couple of website names, but finally settled on Studio Matrix.

My focus was on moms in the beginning, because I was a mother myself. Over time, I have taken on all types of projects from real estate to movies. Now I seem to be in the entertainment business mostly.

I would definitely not get involved in gambling or ‘adult material’ projects. I need to make sure I present a business I can be proud to share with my children and family members.

BLAST: Have you started to teach your children the importance and dangers of the Internet?

WS: Yes, ever since my three boys have had access to the Internet, I have been teaching them about Internet safety. New things are always coming up and we communicate constantly about those topics.

BLAST: Where do you see social media growing as part of our culture? Say, 10 years from now?

WS: Right now, social media is a speedy way to move news along the grape vine. It’s instant, so it’s faster than offline word of mouth, because the Internet is accessible 24 hours a day by anyone in the world! Post one thing on a social media network and a lot of activity happens within a few moments. New people hop on board social networks each day.

It’s known that some companies need to get their act together when it comes to customer service. The social networks are making it too easy for people to spread their love and/or discontent about a company’s service or products. Instant mobs can form online against a company. Therefore, it’s best all businesses get out there and converse with people where customers hang out with their family and friends … and that’s on the social networks.

People who are used to the offline marketing world now will have to learn the ins and outs and advantages of social media or they will lose business. Fans are tapping into companies who know how to associate through social media and actually help these companies to grow.

In 10 years, social media will be faster and more refined. You may find that if a person doesn’t have an online profile of some kind, they will be faced with a look of shocked disbelief.

BLAST: What are your thoughts on today’s society’s obsession with celebrity?

WS: Did you just ask me a loaded question?! Haha! I think everyone is obsessed by someone or something at different times in his or her life. It can be a person or even a product. It can be a healthy or unhealthy obsession… but it is a focal point for a person for whatever reason.

With celebrities, I think it can be many things; glitz and glamour that a person doesn’t have in their every day life, inspiration to follow their dreams like a celebrity did by following their own dreams, fascination with how someone looks, uncovering the mystery of who the person is behind a character, and so much more.

The Internet feeds that passion or obsession. Fans don’t have to wait for a monthly magazine to find out the latest news about their favorite celebrity. Fans can now hope to be tapped into a source where the actual celebrity is talking to the world themselves, not just through their marketing/publicity team, but directly. Having a publicist may be more important now than ever, since consulting a celebrity is needed about what would be appropriate to share and not share with fans. A celebrity is a person, but they are also a brand.

BLAST: You have several other websites. Which is the most popular and why?

My most popular website is a little free printables website called ChartJungle.com. The website gets over 100,000 visits a month and has over 30,000 newsletter subscribers. I create printables whenever I have an idea or receive a request for a chart that would be useful.

Officallypluggedin.com showcases actors, producers, writers etc. with mini videos. How do you acquire these videos?

The person, or a friend of theirs creates the videos, and then the raw file is sent over to me. Many people have gotten creative with their videos and made them fun for people to watch.

BLAST: How do you get these people to sign up?

WS: I’ve been able to get people to sign up by inviting them to be showcased. Friends of mine as well as people who have been showcased have also invited other people to sign up. So many people believe in the idea behind the site and want to keep their family, friends, and fans safe online. One person who cheers me on most often is my actor friend, Paul J Alessi (Knuckle Draggers, Desire, The Amazing Race).

BLAST: Who is the most well known person you’ve had sign up for officiallypluggedin.com?

WS: I would say it depends on whom you talk to that visits the website. In general, the most well known people on the website I would say are Sean Patrick Flanery (The Boondock Saints I & II, Powder (as Powder), Young Indiana Jones) and Clifton Collins Jr. (Capote, Star Trek, Extract, Boondock Saints II). The website was started with Sean Patrick Flanery as the first video showcase, due to the experience I had with some of his fans not believing his social profiles were really his until I had him create the video.

BLAST: What kinds of people visit your site?

Fans aren’t the only ones who visit the website. Many different people do, including the showcased people.

BLAST: What have been the biggest challenges in the development of the site?

The biggest challenge has been getting people to send in their videos. I realized a long time ago that people were trying to prove they were real by putting up a photo of themselves holding a sign. Those pictures could be photo shopped, and have been, so now fans don’t believe photos anymore. There has to be a video of the person stating it on television or on a video that they create.

It’s an effort to make a video, but once it’s done, it is a valuable tool. I’ve used Sean and Clifton’s video to verify them with MySpace and other places, including media sources that do interviews with them.

People come to find a video verified and showcased person, where links to their official site and social networks are posted on the page. People come to also network with each other, to meet, hire, interview, or whatever they need, as they can see and hear the people on the video.

BLAST: Who is the ultimate celebrity you dream of signing up?

WS: Must I choose just one? Haha. Well, I’d be happy with any talented person who is in the public eye that signs up to be showcased. It would be cool to have say Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie or Brad Pitt on the website. They are a few of the celebrities that have the biggest amount of fake/poser accounts on social networks. Actually, let me add that I would love to sign up Peter Facinelli, Dr. Carlisle Cullen from Twilight. He seems to care a lot about his fans.

BLAST: Facebook or Twitter?

WS: I don’t think I can choose. I like them both for different reasons.

BLAST: How do you feel about Barack Obama having a Twitter account?

WS: I think it’s a signal that verifies the importance of social media and its impact on the world when our own president is involved.

As a photographer, Kate Engelbrecht is like a fly on the wall. She shoots spontaneously, capturing fleeting moments in time. Her passion for photography began in her early twenties while working in advertising in New York. There, she saw beautiful images for ads as they floated in and out the door of her firm. Soon after, Engelbrecht left that job, began shooting, starting her love affair with the camera.

She fell into wedding photography and later moved into working with families and children. Approaching the family portrait as a documentary, rather than in the traditionally stiff, posed manner, Engelbrecht was able to create cohesive images that told a story. This experience created the foundation for The Girl Project.

Englebrecht wanted to create a captivating coffee table book, but needed an equally captivating subject. She found it in her fascination with the growing media content focused on teenage girls. She was curious to discover if what she was seeing on television, in shows like "Gossip Girl" and "The Hills," was indeed accurate. and if today’s teenage girls were being correctly represented. She had a sneaking suspicion they weren’t and wanted a truer portrait. She needed to discover what could have gone so terribly wrong, or perhaps catch a clearer glimpse into the culture of today’s American girl.

So, about two years ago, Engelbrecht purchased 5,000 disposable cameras and sent them to teenage girls ages 13-18 across the country, asking them to simply document their everyday lives. The only guidelines were to take honest pictures, with parental consent of course.

When asked about the kinds of pictures she received, and what was most surprising. "The most shocking thing is that there is very little shocking material at all,” Englebrecht said. “One of the most important findings was how innocent these girls actually are, which is easy to forget with all of the images that are out there in the media now." The candid images were introspective, innocent, and serious in a most revealing way.

Along with the disposable cameras, Engelbrecht sent out questionnaires for the girls which were initially created to double check herself and make certain she read the images correctly. The words and sentiments the girls sent back far exceeded simple questionnaire answers and took on a life of their own. Engelbrecht plans to use snippets from these as text in her book.

"There is a lot of beautiful candor in these questionnaires that is really, really touching," she said.

Touching indeed — so much so, that Englebrecht has said that her goal for "The Girl Project" has totally changed. A coffee table photography book will not be enough. She said needs to add some narrative, so that the girls’ stories and perspectives are conveyed through both words and images. She is now actively pursuing the concept of a traveling exhibition.

Professionals are professionals because they have studied and mastered their craft. There is another interesting aspect, however, particularly when it comes to photographs. Englebrecht has proven that sometimes the most honest and truthful images can come from the innocent and untrained eye. No special lenses, lighting, angles or direction was needed. These girls just pressed a button and created a raw snapshot of their own lives.

The project has evolved immeasurably in two short years. Starting with a friend’s two daughters, Englebrecht has now had girls from every state take part, and even has a large presence on social media sites like Facebook.

When asked if she may ever undertake a similar venture with teenage boys or even adolescents from across the world, Engelbrecht responded with bright anticipation.

"We are all living very similar and very different experiences," she said.

With flavors like hot chili lime, coconut, and pure cocoa, Yumnuts Naturals flavored cashews are developing a cult following. However, without the passion and vision of a few active, entrepreneurial spirits, Yumnuts may have never come to be. Blast recently chatted with Tyler Ricks, one of three founding partners of Yumnuts Naturals.

Green tea opened Ricks’ eyes to the healthier side of the food and beverage industry. A former employee of the Lipton Tea division of Pepsi Co., Ricks made an important career decision and moved to Bear Naked, a company formerly based in Connecticut, specializing in granola.

In only 18 months, Bear Naked grew from an $18 million company to a $45 million one, with Ricks having played a strong part in the success. Shortly after this astounding growth, in late 2007, Bear Naked was sold to the Kashi division of Kellogg’s. Decision time again. Not wanting to re-enter the Fortune 100 cubicle culture, Ricks turned down an offer to move to San Diego with the newly-owned company.

Jerome Metivier, a good friend Tyler had recruited to Bear Naked from his Pepsi days, made the same decision. Together they looked at various entrepreneurial opportunities, seeking something small, nimble and growth-oriented, they said.

Little did both of these men know that their perfect opportunity had already been discovered months prior while trick-or-treating. Yes, Halloween trick-or-treating. While still at Bear Naked, both men partook in a marketing campaign — "reverse" trick-or-treating, where college students and Bear Naked employees across the country tricked and treated, and gave out a healthy treat rather than sugar and fat laden chocolate bars.

Behind one of these doors at a home in Connecticut was a man named Mike Cochrane, who noticed the Bear Naked hat Tyler was wearing, and grabbed the opportunity to discuss a business idea he had been developing: flavored cashews. As fate would have it, the next day marked the official closing of the sale of Bear Naked to Kellogg’s.

From there, more serious talks with Mike occurred. The three men, Tyler, Mike, and Jerome, met at Whole Foods and local libraries to flesh out their business plan.

"What drew me into it,” said Ricks, "was the product was fantastic, especially the chocolate. When you taste something that someone is really going to love, that’s where you want to be, you don’t want to pass up the opportunity." They spent months re-branding and repackaging Cochrane’s flavored cashews. In March, Yumnuts Naturals was launched.

Why Yumnuts? They wanted something fun, a name that would stimulate conversation. Not just another "XXX Farms" or generic brand name. "Yum," as Ricks describes the term, is "that blissful moment when you taste something that is really great.”

“My view of it is that there are a lot of other things that give you that feeling. We want to broaden that. Hiking, skiing, snowboarding, playing soccer, kayaking, whatever it is that you love to do, we want to take Yumnuts and build a platform around it,” Ricks said. All three partners (and their families) lead active, organic, and green lifestyles.

Ricks loves vegetables on the grill, and his favorite meal is a recipe by Cochrane: coconut crusted halibut made with coconut Yumnuts.

While immersed daily in healthy, thoughtful product development, there have been obstacles. The biggest challenge thus far? Trying to start a business during the economic crisis. The Yumnuts business plan was finished before the downturn was realized, so the difficulty has been in making necessary adjustments. Financial issues have been the most prominent. As Ricks points out, the hardest part has been "trying to figure out what the baseline looks like and where the economy is going. Assumptions you could make before the financial world fell apart, you cannot make now."

While this statement may certainly resonate with a vast cross section of the country right now, it is important to ask, "Have you said your Yum today?"

Yumnuts flavored cashews can be found in grocery and health food stores across the country, including Stop & Shop, Wegmans, Giant, Martin’s, Roche Brothers, Chamberlains, Earth Fair, D’Agostinos, Food Emporium and A&P. They’re also available on Amazon.

Life really is beautiful for Chinese actress Bai Ling. In a recent interview with Blast, she filled us in on her “eight little spirits” (self-proclaimed multiple personas) and her new film, “A Beautiful Life,” which premiered October 2nd in select cities.

Fresh off the plane from New York City, Ling was still giddy and giggling about the highlight of her press junket trip – appearing on the Howard Stern show. A video on her website, shows how she unabashedly dressed like Stern and “danced around like crazy” for him. What does a Stern look-a-like wear, one may ask? Well, this free-spirited actress’s Stern interpretation involved a large afro wig, a midriff-baring red silk top and tight-ass leather pants.

“Watch me and join me on the shiny dance floor if you are depressed baby, I will light your fire and make you laugh!” Ling said on her site, directing fans to the Youtube video of her provocative little shimmy with Stern. It was like watching an episode of “So You Think You Can Dance” gone wrong. It is clear Bai Ling is a carefree personality with a deviant indifference to the judgment of others.

Ling literally orchestrated this interview, which was unsurprising after watching her dominate the larger-than-life personality of Howard Stern.

That persona, she says, (one of her eight), is “the one you see on the red carpet- this crazy, out of her mind little girl who just wants to have fun and dress sexy and show herself in public.”

On the opposite end of the spectrum is Bai Ling, the loquacious and energetic actress with whom I am speaking. This Bai ling, she says, is profound, intelligent and sophisticated. She is the serious professional who takes every role she lands to a new, unique level.

Successful actors become someone else when they are good at their craft. The line between acting and reality is blurry in the life of Bai Ling and her “eight little spirits”. The consistent irrationality of her being(s) is both captivating and endearing.

In Alejandro Chomsky’s “A Beautiful Life,” Ling plays Esther, a woman struggling to realize her dream of becoming a rock star by working as a stripper to pay the bills. Ling said she gave this character “a delightful innocence of fun.” Despite tough circumstances, Ling portrayed Esther as a life-loving woman. She sang for the first time in a film, wore no makeup and embraced taking off her clothes.

“I gave her many colors” she said.

The film deals with sexual abuse, violence and love. When asked if it was difficult for her to be in such an emotionally taxing and heavy film, she said both yes and no. Ling said that it is sad but important to learn about, witness and deal with “demons and tortures.” She briefly alluded to tortures she witnessed in Tibet as a 14-year-old army artist in the People’s Liberation Army while entertaining in the musical theater. A book about her life experiences in Tibet is coming out soon.

Ling says she does not identify specifically with her character, Esther. She didn’t have a lot of time to prepare and acted mostly on instinct.

“I wanted the audience to see different dimensions of a woman – complex personalities,” Ling said. “Very vulnerable and provocative and very innocent.”

Acting was always in the cards for Bai Ling. It came naturally to her; she yearned to move people and show them the beauty and complexity of a woman. Ling’s father taught music and her mother was a dancer. They formatted her soul, she said, with nature, poetry and music. She calls herself a passenger, blindly following her journey.

“It’s not about Bai Ling,” she said. “It’s about this gift I have to give.”

Her life journey took her from China to Hollywood via New York, where she briefly landed, neither knowing a word of English nor one person in the city.

“People thought I was crazy,” Ling said. “For me, I don’t see the obstacles. I just see the beauty I want to express.”

Eventually making her way to Tinsel Town in the early nineties, Ling has since had many major and minor parts in titles including “The Crow,” “Anna and the King,” “Entourage,” and “Lost.” She posed for Playboy in 2005 (or, shall we say, the sexy crazy Bai Ling did) and also appeared on VH1′s reality series “But Can They Sing?”

In her next role, Ling will portray a man in a boxing film that will shoot in Houston, TX. Ling was given the choice of two roles: the hero’s girlfriend (“kind of boring” she said), or the owner of a UFC type organization. She chose the latter. Ling has actually played several parts that were originally written for different actors, including Esther in “A Beautiful Life,” which was originally intended for Denise Richards.

“I enjoy these things because they were not written for me,” Ling said. “You have to have some magical power to pull off these roles. You cannot just be a little girl. You have to have something other worldly, magical.”

Other worldly? Perhaps. Bai Ling is certainly no plain Jane. She’s very open (maybe a bit too much so) about her natural talent. One might consider her arrogant. But with Bai Ling it’s different. Like her characters, she is complicated and multifaceted. This will always be the cornerstone for her approach to acting which is to seek more challenging roles in which she can portray the diverse aspects of a woman.

“Maybe it’s something to do with the sexuality and the modern openness of freedom that I have” she said. A modern day Casablanca would be her dream come true.

While passionate and spirited, Ling is sweet and honest. She loves her family and misses them, especially around the holidays. All are in Asia, where she says the communist reality is beautiful. She prefers the freedom in America and enjoys unhindered travel between the two locations.

“U.S. is like my lover or boyfriend,” Ling said, “and China is my grandparents.”

Following the screening of “A Beautiful Life” in New York, a tearful gentleman came over and squeezed Ling’s hand. He told her she moved him, a mere stranger, so deeply. She couldn’t believe it, but I most certainly can. After chatting with this fascinating woman for quite some time, it is clear to me that this unique talent she speaks of certainly has a bright and promising future.

“A Beautiful Life” premiered October 2nd in limited release and will be in all theaters in late 2009.

Heliopolis, a city in Egypt on the outskirts of Cairo, was at one time in ancient history referred to as “City of the Sun.” It is ironic then that this city, named after the planet’s light source, would be a dark place of stagnant policy and outdated systems — a place desperately in need of illumination.

Christine Solomon grew up in Egypt and moved to Canada at age 7. She stars in the Ahmad Abdalla’s “Heliopolis,” a film that chronicles five modern Egyptian children over the course of a full day, with each trying to achieve a different goal and struggling to do so. The actress portrays a gothic woman stuck in a hotel in the city of Heliopolis, providing much of the comic relief in the film.

Solomon grew up speaking French and English in Montreal. It wasn’t until she attended the Cairo International Film Festival in 2006 and got her “big break,” that she started to seriously perfect her Arabic and jump feet first into the Middle Eastern film arena.

Five months after attending the festival, Christine moved to Cairo. For a year and a half, she pursued her goals of landing movie roles and gaining fluency in her ethnic language. A determined student, Solomon forced herself to speak only in Arabic. She sought to learn words of emotion and feeling from anyone and anything around her — like hotel concierges and cab drivers. These tactics proved quite successful and now this young actress is frequently invited to interview with Arabic magazines and appear on Arabic television shows.

“Egypt is the Hollywood of the Middle East. If you want to make it (in Middle Eastern film) you have to go there” Solomon said in a recent interview with Blast. While living in Egypt, she renovated and lived in the apartment of her deceased grandmother, a home that had not been occupied in 19 years. “I lived with my Aunt for two months and then decided I wanted to live on my own, it was easier. In Egyptian culture, family likes to be together all the time. I wanted to focus on my work and needed my space.”

Solomon described having difficulties with the culture, even the men renovating her apartment resented a woman giving them orders.

“Heliopolis” (which will be presented during the Toronto International Film Festival running from September 10-19) has a paradoxically Western feel to it, according to the actress. “It has a Woody Allen style to it,” Solomon said, “completely different from other Egyptian films.”

The movie’s setting and storyline introduce the Egyptian cultural and societal systems to the mainstream. “The essential message is that everyone is striving to get to their goals and nothing happens,” Solomon said. “The message is that the system needs to change.”

For a film from which great things were not the least expected, “Heliopolis” shows promise, and you could hear it loud and clear in Solomon’s voice. “Everyone on board just felt there was something special about it,” she said. “I have never seen anything like this in Egypt.”

Solomon said some people around her initially expressed doubt about the film “In the beginning some people told me not to get involved, because it isn’t a box office film, but I felt something special,” she said. “I didn’t care about what people said. I think that is what made it special. All the actors understood this. It’s like Slumdog Millionaire … It has a powerful message.”

A powerful message, a powerful comparison, and only time will tell on the film. But for Solomon, the significance in the film’s message is poignant. There are 80 million people living in Egypt, and most of them live near Cairo. Because of the sheer volume of the masses, as Solomon puts it, “things are really slow.” The hope is for the film to raise awareness among the young Egyptian population.

Born in the Middle East, raised in Canada, and having traveled all over the world, Solomon said her ultimate goal is “serenity and peace.” Being a part of this story is one step in this quest.

“Heliopolis” will premiere at both the 2009 Toronto and Vancouver International Film Festivals. It will release December 1 in Egypt. No American release plans have been announced.

From a cafƒ© in Arizona, accompanied by his “wingmen” Danny and Anoop (fellow former “American Idol” contestants), Matt Giraud took some time out of his day off from the “Idol” tour to chat with Blast Magazine about his “Idol” experience and upcoming new gig as mentor and host of the Yobi network’s new show, “Make the Cut.”

Prior to his recent Idol fame, Giraud spent his time as a dueling piano player, a gig in which he never truly felt comfortable. “They thought I was too good to be playing there; they could always tell I wanted to be a true artist. At the time, I just wanted a job.”

Born and raised in Michigan, Giraud was a performer from birth. It wasn’t until last season’s “American Idol” that he got his “big break” unless you count a 2nd place win in the West Michigan “Idol” contest.

In Hollywood Giraud placed fifth in the competition, after being the first ever recipient of the “judges save” and given a second chance at proving his talent. That he did, performing The Fray’s “You Found me”, Stevie Wonder’s “Part Time Lover” and eventually being eliminated after a passionate rendition of Richard Rodger’s “My Funny Valentine.”

The judges save was a turning point for Matt. Although he didn’t win the competition, it boosted his confidence and forced the world to take a second look at this dueling piano player from Michigan. It was ” “¦a huge honor” reflects Matt, “People behind the scenes, the judges, they saw something in me. I didn’t feel like I could convey that to the audience in a minute and a half.”

Now in full swing, The “American Idol” Tour has, so far, been getting rave reviews – in large part because of Giraud’s performances. “People on tour are surprised at how good I am. I’m making a bigger impact now. I’m calling it my “ËœRedemption Tour.’”

When the tour wraps, Giraud will travel back to Michigan where he’ll take a back seat as performer. Yobi TV, the “online reality contest network” will air “Make The Cut” in September ’09. Matt describes it as the “”ËœAmerican Idol’ of the internet.” Twelve finalists will have the chance to rise to the top and then be mentored by Giraud in MI recording studios as the elimination process continues. One winner will win a chance to cut a record.

What will Giraud’s role be? “It’s cool to be on the opposite end of the spectrum” he says. As a mentor he hopes to ” “¦bring a little hope, bring out their talent and passion. I’m not just going to blast people like Simon.” Sounds like he’ll be channeling Paula a bit.

While future plans have yet to be set in stone, Matt Giraud knows one thing for sure: he is beyond thankful for everything. He is currently writing songs, booking gigs, and wants “to do a ton of different things.” For someone whose influences include Louis Armstrong and Dru Hill, it sounds like success will certainly continue for this dynamic performer.

But first, it’s time for Matt Giraud to finish his scone and get back to the “Idol” tour”¦

“Make the Cut” airs on Yobi TV in September 2009.

It was admittedly a challenge for Jody Thompson to play the character Lana in R.W. Goodwin’s “Alien Trespass,” a faithful retelling of a 1950s B movie.

Playing a 50s housewife in the film, Thompson, 32, has gained critical acclaim with praise from the New York Times as well as a Leo Award for Best Supporting Performance by a female in a Feature Length Drama. Not too shabby for a girl who, in high school, thought actors were “losers and not very smart.” She went on to later catch the “acting bug” after appearing in several TV commercials, and the rest is history.

Set to release on DVD August 8, “Alien Trespass” also stars Eric McCormack as Thompson’s husband. He is a witty scientist who has his body taken over by an alien from a crashed UFO in the Mojave Desert. “Urp” this alien, needs to stop the hideous, extra-terrestrial “Ghota” from destroying humankind with his voracious appetite. The story ensues as Dr. Lewis (McCormack) continues on his quest to be a hero and capture Ghota.

Speaking with Thompson, it’s obvious she’s smart. She is the kind of person you could sit and stare at all day, in sheer amazement at her energy level and motivation. Seemingly superhuman, like her blood runs a mix of Red Bull and espresso, she is a self-described Type A”¦but in a good way. She even managed to fit in a bit of woman-to-woman advice during the course of our interview. Without divulging all the details, let’s just say it’s now clear what kind of bra to wear when I’m headed out for a run with my baby in a jog-stroller.

“When I’m not busy I don’t feel fulfilled. It keeps my brain from turning to potatoes,” Thompson said. “Relaxing in the shade with a glass of wine would be nice, but it’s not my first choice.” Again — the motivation thing (as I sit typing away and drinking a glass of red)

With television credits including a recurring role on USA’s “The 4400″ and appearances in “Stargate SG-1″ and “Stargate: Atlantis.” Her sci-fi trending is an accidental pattern. While Thompson is no stranger to the genre, playing Lana in Alien Trespass, however, was an entirely new and demanding experience. Describing it as “frightening” Thompson says she struggled with trying not to overact the part. Corsets and other wardrobe accouterments, including a new Julia Child-esque haircut, helped her get into character. “It took a lot of research and physical adjustments,” she said. “It changes your attitude just by putting the wardrobe on.”

Thompson said it was a pleasure working with McCormack, best known for his part as the hilariously gay Will, in the sitcom Will and Grace. “He was like so cool. He like didn’t have any Hollywood stuff,” she said. “He was just funny the whole time.”

Doubly fortunate to have also worked with R.W. Goodwin, producer of the X-Files series, in this film, Thompson says she just really trusted him from the beginning. “He was so great,” she said. “He knows the genre inside and out.”

The film has done very well and was a big hit at this summer’s Comic Con International in San Diego. Goodwin and McCormack hosted the Alien Trespass panel, introducing it to viewers with a featurette about its origination in the 1950s and recent uncovering by construction workers.

So, is there any truth to the story? “I don’t think I will be in trouble for saying that’s part of the drama. It puts the viewer in the right frame of mind for approaching the work,” Thompson grinned.

An actress, mother and dog-trainer (yes she does that too), Thompson wears many hats. She is also a filmmaker and president of the International Filmmakers Institute. Her debut film, “Montana de Luz,” documents the stories of children in an orphanage in Honduras living with HIV. “If they can get through each day with positive attitude, there really isn’t any excuse for us” she said.

Claiming to have had a difficult time playing the typical 195os housewife in “Alien Trespass,” its evident Thompson is deep down a caretaker. Whether it’s jogging with her 14-month-old son in the stroller, caring for her Alzheimer’s stricken mother, training her German Shepherds or making movies about disease-ridden children, Thompson is probably not an alien, but she probably has some superpowers.

There’s a new doctor in town. We’re talking the Hamptons “" Easthampton and Southampton, two seaside towns comprising the south fork of Long Island. Known as a playground for the rich and famous, the Hamptons are a place to see and be seen, where the wealthy go to flaunt and mingle.

Meet Hank Lawson “" a talented young doctor in New York City. Hank is a do-good kind of man who finds himself unemployed after an unfortunate incident in which he chooses to treat an injured basketball buddy over serving the needs of a haughty hospital board member who ended up dying as a result. Meet Evan Lawson, Hank’s younger, and completely opposite, brother. Accountant by day, Evan is an opportunity-seeking, lady loving schmooze determined to pick Hank up from his recent defeat.

“Royal Pains,” debuting June 4 on USA, chronicles what ensues after Hank and Evan land in the Hamptons and Hank’s professional expertise takes on a whole new life. In a recent interview with Blast Magazine, executive producer Andrew Rauch and writer/co-executive producer Michael Lenchewski detailed the creative process and inspiration behind “Royal Pains.”

A friend of Rauch’s hired a “concierge doctor” and thought it might be a decent idea for a television show. A perfect idea, in Rauch’s opinion, and shortly thereafter the pilot was written and picked up by USA.

Mark Feuerstein, whose credits include parts in “What Women Want” and “In Her Shoes,” brings Hank Lawson to life. With great sensitivity and depth, Feuerstein is able to depict a relate-able and down-to-earth character, yet also fashions this unfamiliar notion of a concierge doctor into what seems like an idea that has existed forever.

“When you have great writing, honestly, there’s no challenges” says Feuerstein. “You just try to serve the material”¦ relax into it, and pronounce words like xanthochromia.”

With gentle force, Evan, played by Paulo Costanzo, persuades a slightly depressed Hank to accompany him to the Hamptons as an escape. While there, the two are at a party thrown by “Boris” a mysteriously powerful character played by Campbell Scott. During the evening, Hank inadvertently finds himself as a hero as he saves the life of a fashion model. As a result, Lawson becomes the Hamptons’ newest on-call doctor and, with the enthusiasm and brains of his brother, develops “HankMed.” Serving both the wealthy and not so wealthy, Hank negotiates the blurred moral line of moneymaking and doing good.

Lenchewski deems medicine “the great equalizer” giving us the notion that, even in the Hamptons, wealth is nothing if you don’t have your health. Rauch describes “Royal Pains” as “much more than medicine”¦ in that it’s not just about healing sickness, it’s about healing people. It’s also a relationship show and, because it’s on USA, it’s very strong in character.”

Not just another doctor show, “Royal Pains” brings the hospital to the patient, and in this manner the viewer gets glimpse after glimpse into the personal and not always glamorous life of the rich and famous. Described as a “medical McGyver” Hank Lawson never fails to surprise, even himself sometimes, and in doing so brings fresh air to a somewhat stuffy Hamptons’ environment.

Costanzo delivers perfect comedic relief in the form of Evan, and makes the viewer yearn to jump on the Jitney, don some party clothes, and tag along. Throw in several strong female characters “" a love interest, a physician’s assistant, and a woman nicknamed “New Parts Newberg” “" and USA has developed a cast and story line certainly not lacking dimension.

Tune in to USA at 10/9 central on Thursday, June 4 (immediately following “Burn Notice”) to watch the premiere of “Royal Pains.”

A ukulele, a stove, a set of spoons, the autoharp, the upright bass — these are just a few of the instruments up-and-coming artist, Rachel Goodrich, has in her repertoire.

It doesn’t seem quite so unusual when you realize this is a girl who records her music video in a ladybug costume, “just for fun.”

Born and raised in the Sunshine State — Miami to be specific — Goodrich definitely does not need to worry about Seasonal Affective Disorder. With a healthy dose of sunshine on her face most days, Rachel says the warm weather has more than slightly shaped her music. “Keeps it a bit more upbeat,” she giggled.

Goodrich’s style is not typical of the area, but really neither is any other musician’s hailing from South Beach. It’s a mix of electronic, Latin fusion, funk, and the worldly sounding artists who line Lincoln Road, where Goodrich has spent countless hours buzzing her kazoo, strumming her ukulele, and crooning about life as she knows it.

She could play music on just about anything, probably even the kitchen sink if presented the challenge. It was a literal lack of instruments that fostered this resourceful creativity.

“I had to be inventive. I used to use the stove as a snare, made the best of what I had. Then I was like ‘Wow, this sounds much better than a snare.’ I stuck with it and enjoy those sounds a lot,” she said in a recent interview with Blast. She believes her music style is “a little different.” How different? Goodrich coined her own term to describe it: “shake-a-billy.” It makes you want to move your hips and, well, shake.

As for influences, she names Neil Young, Stephen Stills, Joni Mitchell, The Dead, and Dr. Seuss among the many.

Goodrich’s father played the guitar, and her grandmother, he piano, so there are at least a couple of musical genes in the family. Her parents fueled her musical passion by passing down numerous old-school vinyls, which she continued to collect, cherish, and idolize.

“I was introduced to (music) super young. Growing up, I thought it was part of being a child, regular, like taking piano lessons. I was like yeah I really want to play music,” she said. Rachel took action and started learning the guitar as a twelve year old. From there, she formed a few bands in high school and kept moving forward in the musical direction.

“It wasn’t until I was sixteen that I got really serious about it,” she recalled.

Goodrich left Miami for a brief academic stint in Gainesville, Fla. There, she tried her hand in the formal study of music, but found that it “stunted her growth.”

“Gainesville didn’t play a necessarily negative role,” she said, in a charmingly defensive manner. “It was just the whole small town, college party scene- it wasn’t my thing.”

Rather than going out eight nights a week to keg parties full of inebriated undergrads, Goodrich retreated to her bedroom for almost two years. There, basking in the creative silence of her own space, she “became truly acquainted with my records and music and real things and stuff.”

Goodrich returned to Miami and dabbled in jazz guitar. Despite honest intentions of continuing her studies, Rachel found herself fully immersed in the South Florida music scene. Now twenty-four years of age, her favorite place to play is Churchill’s Pub, a local joint. “It’s the best place ever. Everyone just kind of ends up there at the end of the night. Sometimes it’s just one big jam session. It’s awesome,” she said.

The past several years have been spent recording tunes in friends’ bedrooms, eventually releasing her first album, Tinker Toys, which dropped on her self-made label last October. Yellow Bear Records is the label, and Goodrich hopes to develop and grow it in time.

The story behind the name Yellow Bear is only fitting. Goodrich had been living in Gainesville at the time, hanging outside between classes (one can almost picture her: long shiny black hair, white retro sunglasses, skinny black jeans and converse sneakers– strumming the banjo) when a Native American man suddenly approached her and said “Me, I am Blue Bear. But you, you, you are Yellow Bear.”

“I thought I was hallucinating. I could have been,” said said.

While usually displaying an uninhibited and optimistic tone, Goodrich breaks her own mold in “The Black Hole,” a track with undeniably dark and downbeat undertones. Most of the album, she corrects, has dark undertones.

“It was a pretty weird moment when I wrote that song; it was a bright and sunny day but I wasn’t feeling so bright and sunny. Most of my songs are very related to events in my life. Sometimes I need an escape and it’s fun to tell a story,” Goodrich said.

What’s fun is being the listening ear to Goodrich’s many and colorful stories. In between our questions, Rachel inserted more than several “Oh mans” and “Ya knows.” It’s hard to tell if she’s an active participant or desperately reassuring herself. Either way, her manner is genuine and heartfelt.

As for a five-year plan, well, Goodrich has never even heard the phrase. Lucky her.

“I am so not aware of that term. I do live day by day. Wow! I mean, I do think it’s good to maybe set up some goals or, you know, things to look forward to- challenges and stuff. But no, I don’t plan ahead years I don’t think. No. No. I can’t even think…” and she trails off as if the here and now is all that is relevant.

A self-proclaimed “thinker,” Goodrich really does enjoy life — sudoku and good food among her many pleasures. The highlight of her most recent gig at the Heineken Transatlantic Music Festival was the spicy Jamaican food a fellow performer dished out.

As for all of that thinking, “It’s ok, but not great always. Either I am really excited and enjoying everything, or I am totally having an anxiety attack,” she said.

This sentiment seems all too familiar in the artist’s persona. Truly gifted musicians are, more often than not, conflicted, in one way or another. For Goodrich, the tedious tasks in life bring her down — like folding creases in sweaters at an old retail job, or the mixing of each individual track on her album.

No, Rachel Goodrich does not suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder. She is an upbeat, positive young woman with a disposition as sunny as the state she calls home. Only by delving deep into her person, her lyrics, and her tone can one begin to sense what may be found beneath the sunny exterior- conflict, struggle, and thought. It is a rare bunch, however, which is so blessed and able to turn such complex talent into such beautiful music.

Listen for yourself. Buy Tinker Toys, and listen to every single word on every single track. You too will become one of Rachel Goodrich’s newest fans. You may even find yourself picking up a set of spoons and trying to make your own kind of music.

So what would she be doing if music weren’t an option? Goodrich says she’d be painting or doodling. For a long time she wanted to be a cartoonist, and was encouraged by her grandmother in that pursuit. “So for now I do both. If it’s not music, it’s art,” she said.

A moment passes and she nonchalantly adds, “or maybe I’d be a tollbooth collector or something.”

Ali Liebert drives with a GPS, but on the road to success she follows her heart.

A 27-year-old up-and-coming actress, Liebert moved around a lot as a child and didn’t study acting professionally until she became a student at the Canadian College of Performing Arts in Victoria, British Columbia. There, an experience Liebert describes simply as “amazing,” one of her teachers told her she might do well in theater and television. Perhaps, as Ali thinks back, it was she who planted the seed.

“As long as I can remember I have loved performing,” Liebert said in a recent interview with Blast. Growing up in a small town near Vancouver, she competed in music and singing festivals and acted in myriads of school plays.

It was her gay uncles, she says, who had a strong influence on her love of performing. Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli, and Barbara Streisand: she wanted to be those ladies. Often, her parents could hear her around the house singing “Papa Can You Hear Me?”

Jeff, Ali’s brother, is a talented guitarist, and her Dad dabbles in music as well. Her late mother was once a dancer and model.

“My Mom’s family is very outgoing,” she said. “All of the women are extremely gregarious and funny. Maybe that kind of rubbed off. Maybe I was trying to get attention because everyone was so loud.” As a result, whether it was a backyard barbecue or family room stage, Liebert has always been performing.

After graduating, Ali was approached by an agent who recommended a move to Vancouver. That she did, and she was able to break into the scene while working at a casting agency. During her job as a reader, she went from being a non-working to a working actor. Not only did Liebert learn the ins-and-outs of auditions, she also learned more about human emotion, about someone being there for the part, or maybe just desperately needing to pay rent. “I basically know every actor in Vancouver now, because I read with them,” she laughed.

This appreciation for human emotion has helped catapult Liebert’s career. Four years ago, she played the little boy, Anybody, in Edmonton’s Citadel Theater production of West Side Story — a role that she was so passionate about she cut off all her hair and dyed it from blond to brown.

“I cannot believe I did it!” she exclaimed. “I don’t know if I could do it again. I mean, if it was an amazing role in a story that had to be told, such as Hilary Swank in Boys Don’t Cry, I’d have to do it again.”

Lacking neither passion nor dedication, Liebert’s resume continued to blossom even faster than her hair was able to grow back. Following small parts in “The L Word” and “Dead Like Me,” Liebert quickly landed recurring roles on “Whistler,” “Intelligence” and “Kyle XY.”

It was 2008, however, that proved to be Liebert’s breakout year. Having moved to Los Angeles for pilot season, she landed the role of Nikki on CBS’s “Harper’s Island,” a show that, ironically enough, was being filmed in Liebert’s home of British Columbia.

“It was so weird! I lived on Bowen Island for a year and when we would go over there to shoot, with everyone being from all over the country, I’d be like ‘I went to school there.’ It was so beautiful. It was Heaven,” Liebert said

Described as “the biker chick,” Liebert’s character, Nikki, is a very straightforward and tell-it-like-it-is kind of girl. “I can get very rambunctious and sarcastic,” she said, “and Nikki is definitely like that.”

Nikki is the girl from the small town who never left, and Liebert identifies. “I do feel like that small town girl- big heart, high hopes and dreams.”

Liebert recently completed roles in two motion pictures, “The Breakup Artist” and “Year of the Carnivore,” both premiering later this year. She also just wrapped “Hardwired” with Cuba Gooding Jr. and Val Kilmer.

Sylvia, her character in Sook Yin Lee’s “Year of the Carnivore,” is Liebert’s favorite role so far.

“I loved her whole perspective on life. I am kind of a people-pleaser and she’s just not. I like playing characters that are so straight up with people, honest and to the point. I hope to become more like that,” Liebert said.

While building her resume and making sure to choose roles that are family friendly and respectful to women, Liebert isn’t too “choosy” yet. Is that the ultimate goal? Of course! “I hope it continues and the parts get bigger and more exciting.”

As for her dream role, she laughs as she says it would be Liza Minnelli. Realistically, she thinks, it would be something that included singing. One day, a role in a series based in Vancouver would be ideal. In addition, Liebert’s plan is to be on stage in Vancouver in the next year. She says her heart is where home is.

Back and forth from Vancouver to L.A. can be exhausting, but she hasn’t yet made the plunge to live full time in Tinsel Town. Perhaps she is delaying the inevitable, or perhaps she will always be that small town girl, or maybe Liebert just really is one of the few down-to-earth, sweet, family-loving people refusing to fall victim to celebrity. When asked about her love life, she becomes shy and won’t elaborate, but makes sure to point out “not because I think I’m famous.”

When she’s not working, Liebert loves being around dogs and taking photos of them, though she hasn’t picked one out for herself just yet. “I may have a secondary career as a pet photographer,” she quipped.

What’s to come of the future? One thing seems likely: Liebert hopes she will never lose sight of what’s important. Family, friends, pets, good food (croissants, more specifically) — her appreciation for the simple pleasures in life is palpable.

And ss for that GPS? Well, for right now, it’s recalculating.