The 'Snoop Dogg' Chronicles of Kris - 03.18.10

Happy Spring Everyone,

Thank God for some sunshine. I don't care how long it lasts; warmer temperatures are here for now and that's all that matters. For those who don't know, I am hard at work on BET's The Deal, a hip-hop entertainment show that airs at 3am AKA the graveyard shift. I am very proud of our show because we're not just playing what's hot; we are showcasing many aspects of hip-hop and shining a light on mixtape artists, producers, executives, entrepreneurs, and even some culture. Clutch the pearls. (If you can, please DVR the show and spread the word.)

Last week, we hooked up with Snoop Dogg so that he could co-host the show. Prior to our tape day, I was a little nervous. I knew I'd have to prep him for his reads, etc and I'm always a little bit weary of 'high-profile' talent. They are usually pretty detached, moody, and they like to show off by singing and dancing all over the place while their team laughs at all of their jokes. But my producer quickly told me that Uncle Snoop is a ball of fun and will do anything that I ask of him.

Although reassured, I did get a little worried when Snoop showed up hours late and went straight into his dressing room to smoke. That dude is a straight chimney! I mean firrraaaaah. I thought maybe he'd be very mellow & kinda grumpy (I don't know a thing about smoking or smokers), but when he came out of his room, he was awesome and so sweet. He danced around, he joked around, he even messed up and said 'wait am I supposed to start off, baby girl'? Also, he didn't have enough clothing to change for three shoots so we thought he was going to stay in the same outfit for the second shot of the day. When we asked him, he turned around and said, 'I can't look like yesterday' and ran off to get a new jacket.

Besides getting a mean contact and smelling like weed on the way home, the experience was great and I realized why Snoop has been a mainstay for so long. He connects with everyone and makes people feel comfortable without being flashy, arrogant, or showy. And you know it's a good shoot when my staff (who are comprised of people who are 'unimpressed by fame') all got up to take pics with Uncle Snoop. By this point, I was holding in coughs because of the smoke but I'll do it for tha Doggfather.

Good times...

except for the fact that the train conductor started sniffing when he went by me to take my ticket! :)

The 'In Light of Dark Ways' Chronicles of Kris - 03.18.10

Hi All,

So every morning before I get to shuffling papers, viewing tapes, and typing my life away, I check out the blogs to see what juicy foolishness has transpired since I left my desk. The other day my friend & chronicler Patrice (say hi, Patty D) sent me this link: http://www.crunktastical.net/2010/03/16/winso/. It's a candid interview featuring retired basketball player Winston Bennett as he discusses sex addiction. I'm assuming he's slept with over 1,000 women in his life after doing some math during the interview and all I can say is wow. Not only am I horrified about his experiences (and knowing that other people have to be going through this as well), but I was saddened by the woman standing beside him through thick and thin. Oh yes, he's been married for over 20 years and sleighing folks left and right. A 'stand by your man' kinda woman who's not standing for herself...

When the interviewer asked Winston's wife about her marriage, she said something like, "I know/knew this is something that God will heal in time." You know, I am definitely a believer BUT come on...I really get tired of people using their faith as a crutch for their weaknesses and ultimately an enabler for their pain. God doesn't want us sitting on our duffs waiting for Him to come save us from things we could save ourselves from. We are co-creators!! Although extremely difficult, we have to be mindful and act accordingly when things aren't in tune with our vibrations. You know it doesn't feel good and isn't helping your growth, so get gone OR at least try to find some inner peace. I doubt our Higher Power wants us suffering (especially in a carnal sense) in His name. To me, that's actually using our faith in vain. But again, who am I to judge. Watch this clip...I still think she needs to get the steppin!

There are so many things going on in the world. Family, how can we get back to center as a community? How can we look ourselves and our loved ones in the eye again? Let's work toward self-exposure, identity, and unity if we're going to move forward in any sense of the word.

P.S. This is a thought that I've been pondering lately. Does the story of Adam & Eve (and their descendents) hold us hostage as we seek truth or do those stories of sin, jealousy, good versus evil serve us as we seek freedom, peace, and truth? I have LOTS of thoughts on this topic and would love to dialogue. It's time for a get together/pow wow/forum. :)

Love you all.

Kristen Victoria

The 'Nike' Chronicles of Kris - 03.18.10

Hi All,

We've got a lot of catching up to do. When the elders said time flies after 25, they were not lying. So with that said, I'm gonna try to bring everyone up to speed real quick. The last month seems like a big blur but honestly, there were some major accomplishments in 1st quarter '10. After a year or so of trying to figure out what to do with our works, my writing partner and I shot the first few episodes of our scripted web programs. We decided to turn my feature film and her pilot tv series into content that you can jump to & click on while you're bored at work. Chea! So I'll definitely let you know when our work is up and running online just for you! We are excited for the possibilities and of course, the continued learning lessons and growth.

It's funny to think about the ebbs & flows that my creative team has encountered and will continue to experience as creative beings. We've gotten things in motion, doubted, had schedule conflicts, gone back to the drawing board, had a productive meeting, cancelled shoots, started over, and then all of a sudden...something just clicked. It wasn't overnight; but I realized what it was. We made a decision that we were going to shoot something - anything!! - in the first quarter of 2010. That decision really put things in motion because we were determined to take these characters off the page and stand them right in front of our faces!

It's no secret that ideas, concepts, & dialogue float through my head all day every day. We can all have these visions but without follow through, it means nothing. One of my partners always says 'just get one thing done,' and now I am finally beginning to understand what she means. KRISTEN, GET ONE THING DONE AT A TIME. JUST DO IT! We must stack our bricks before we can stand on a sturdy wall. We must be able to handle thousands of dollars before managing a million. We must produce one project before handling a slate of productions! There are steps to this thing and no matter how badly I try to jump to some far off land where I do and get everything my heart desires, I must be able to handle what's in my midst.

I must be in the moment, enjoying the process, the beautiful struggle of learning more of who I am & observing what it is I do and don't want in my energy field. And quite simply, making a decision on what I want and setting the universe in motion to achieve whatever goal I have set forth to accomplish.

I watched this Will Smith video on Monday...and I was just blown away. I need to step my game up. We, as a community, need to step our games up. Here's to new dreams and decisions. Keep pondering and using your ability to choose what you want. The strongest thing we can do, besides loving one another, is make a decision to live our best lives!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLN2k0b3g70

Enjoy,

Kris