Monthly Archives: June 2015

“When We Encounter Obstacles It Is Our Own Impatience Which Challenges Our Positivity:” A TDQ Q&A With TEKEEN Founder Christian Alvarez

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Christian Alvarez

Christian Alvarez, founder of TEKEEN premium bottled cocktail. You could say he’s the big shot at TEKEEN. Get it? Shot?

This week’s TDQ Q&A is with Christian Alvarez, the founder of the hottest cocktail to come out of Texas, TEKEEN. Christian spoke to us about the growing popularity of his drink, the challenges in bringing a new cocktail to the market and the best way to enjoy TEKEEN. Here is this week’s TDQ Q&A with Christian Alvarez:

The Daily Quarterly: How did you get into the liquor business?

Christian Alvarez: I sometimes jokingly say that I must have had one too many drinks during law school that led me to venture into this crazy industry of alcoholic beverages. Nevertheless, I must have had at least a drink or two to build up the courage to double down on my idea. Long story short, I noticed that the craft beverage industry was beginning to grab traction and that consumers were demanding new innovative and premium products. More specifically, the craft cocktail market was beginning to grow rapidly and I saw an opportunity to create a versatile and premium line of cocktails that could be enjoyed chilled, over ice, or mixed into a more complex cocktail.

Tekeen Wrap

Marketing Tip: Wrap your daily driver with your brand’s logo. Also, make sure your daily driver is an exotic sports car.

TDQ: For people not yet familiar with it, tell us about TEKEEN…

CA: TEKEEN is a line of premium cocktails made with orange wine, agave nectar and all natural flavors. The flavors currently offered include the cucumber lime, grapefruit, and passion fruit flavors. These cocktails are extremely versatile because they can be enjoyed alone or combined with fruits, spirits, juices, or other liqueurs. You can find some very tasty recipes on our website.

Tekeen BFFs

If you’re at an outside event wearing your TEKEEN t-shirt and you run into someone with a TEKEEN beach ball you may have just found a friend for life.

TDQ: What flavor is your best seller?

CA: Cucumber lime is our best seller! People often say its like an “adult spa water.”

TDQ: What is your personal favorite way to enjoy TEKEEN?

CA: My favorite way to enjoy TEKEEN is on the rocks. With a crisp and clean taste, TEKEEN is very refreshing with just some ice and the occasional garnish.

TDQ: Who are your influences?

CA: My parents, brother, and sister are definitely my greatest influence. They cheer me on and give me the courage to believe in myself but most importantly they are always there to pick me up when perseverance is the only answer to success.

TEKEEN Party

Let’s be honest. Drinking a drink isn’t going to fundamentally change who you are as a person. But know that when the editors of this publication tried some TEKEEN they were transformed from two regular dudes into a couple of gorgeous ladies, as evidenced here.

TDQ: What is the best advice you have ever gotten?

CA: Some of the best advice I have received was the simple notion that the only thing that heals in life is time. This is very important to remember because when we encounter obstacles it is our own impatience which challenges our positivity. Sometimes you just have to give it time!

TDQ: What is the worst advice you have ever gotten?

CA: Someone once told me that quitting should sometimes be an option. My response to that is that quitting should never be an option but rather sometimes a person needs to adapt to succeed.

TDQ: What’s the most challenging thing about bringing a new cocktail to market?

CA: Finding the right distribution partner that will give your brand the right amount of attention and care. With few dominant players in the distribution business your product can easily become lost amongst the thousands of other brands they represent. For this reason, it is extremely important to choose a distribution partner that sees the same potential you do in your brand.

TDQ: What would surprise most people about being in the liquor business?

TEKEEN Bomb

TEKEEN Bombs away!

CA: Be cautious of a salesperson’s suggestion and choose to drink what truly satisfies your taste buds! Often, many retailers or restaurants suggest certain items because these items give them larger profit margins or the salesperson is receiving an incentive for the sale. That being said, there may be times where the suggested item is truly a quality or value product and other times when the quality of the item does not justify the price.

TDQ: When is the last time you had a “Tekeen Bomb”?

CA: I plead the fifth on this one.

Learn more about TEKEEN at its website, and follow TEKEEN on . Continue reading →

Seven Fun Facts About George Lucas

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Love him or hate him, George Lucas‘ place in cinema history certainly can’t be overstated. But think you know everything there is to know about the man behind “Willow?” Then test your knowledge about the filmmaker by reading these seven little-known facts about him:

Frasier

Lucas in a screen test for the Frasier pilot.

1) Lucas was hired as the original actor for Roz on “Frasier.”
During the first few days of rehearsals for the pilot episode, however, the writers found themselves having to re-write the characters of Roz and Frasier. It seemed that while Lucas was funny, he just couldn’t play “forceful.” It soon became apparent that that the role of Roz would have to fall to someone who, although less educated than Dr. Crane, would be in control of things at the radio station. They needed a character who could hold her own whenever Frasier became too pompous, and that someone was Peri Gilpin.

Al Gore

Al Gore helps college roommate George Lucas with a short film.

2) During his college years, one of his roommates was Al Gore.
The two shared a room at USC and, like plenty of college roomies, chased skirts together, even joining a country music band to get girls. The unlikely duo also served as the inspiration for the character of Oliver in Love Story, written by fellow USC alum Erich Segal.

3) The character of George Costanza on “Seinfeld” was based on him.
Both Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David were huge fans of his, and cite “THX 1138” as their favorite film of all time. As an homage to their idol, they named Jason Alexander’s character after him, and made him neurotic and cheap, just like Lucas himself.

Indiana Jones

Lucas insisted on re-filming scenes of Indiana Jones with actor Harrison Ford wearing the mask.

4) He originally envisioned Indiana Jones as a hockey mask-wearing serial killer.
Lucas wanted the serial killer to find himself searching for the Ark of the Covenant at the same time he was carving up Nazis and summer campers alike, but the script underwent several re-writes when Steven Speilberg joined in the fun, and Lucas never got to see his creation wield a machete like he’d hoped.

Whiffle Ball

George Lucas and Alec Guiness on the set of Star Wars always at the ready to play some whiffle ball.

5) He actually went to high school with a dude named Boba Fett.
At their 30th reunion, Lucas learned that his former pal had become an actuary for a Nevada insurance company.

6) Lucas is a world-class Wiffle Ball player.
He would often delay filming on “Star Wars” while he and Alec Guinness had home run derbies.

Camaro

The cost for Lucas to reclaim his Camaro? A re-cut version of Episodes I to III that is enjoyable to watch.

7) In 1993, he was reunited with his old car that he sold to finance “The Empire Strikes Back.”
Lucas sold his Bumblebee-striped black-and-gold 1971½ Chevy Camaro Z28 in 1978 after he needed some quick cash to fund the sequel to “Star Wars,” but got it back 15 years later after a lengthy internet search. Continue reading →

“I Just Couldn’t Live My Life Always Wondering ‘What If,’ So I Went For It:” A TDQ Q&A With Bo Keister

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We have to imagine Bo Keister had some kids make fun of his name when he was growing up. Think about it...Bo. B. O. Kids can be so cruel.

We have to imagine Bo Keister had some kids make fun of his name when he was growing up. Think about it…Bo. B. O. Kids can be so cruel.

This week’s TDQ Q&A is with actor Bo Keister. Bo spoke to us about leaving Hollywood for Virginia, his show “The Hillbilly Horror Show” and working with our favorite actor Denzel Washington. (Well, our second favorite actor behind Bo himself). Here is this week’s TDQ Q&A with Bo Keister: 

The Daily Quarterly: What made you want to be show business?

Bo Keister: As a kid, I was always into movies. I watched everything I could get my hands on, and it left its mark on me. I did plays in school, performed in choirs, and loved being on stage. But being from a small town, making it a career seemed impossible, so I kind of gave up on the idea.

When I got to college, nothing really caught my attention. There were just no majors where I said, “Yeah! I want to do that for a living.” I still had an avid love for movies, and decided to take a chance.

My dad did some snooping around and learned that Wilmington, NC had a lot of film work going on, so I drove down and checked it out. A week later, I moved there and dove in head first.

It’s one of the scariest things I have ever done, and thankfully it’s worked out. I guess I just couldn’t live my life always wondering “what if,” so I went for it.

TDQ: What was your favorite horror movie growing up?

BK: Oh, geez! That’s a tough one! There were so many great ones when I was growing up. If I had to choose one, then I’d have to go with the original “Friday the 13th.” That was my first.

TDQ: Who are your influences?

BK: I’ve had too many personal mentors in my life to name, not the least of which would be my parents, so I’ll narrow it down to actors.

I’ve always been a huge Tom Hanks fan. He has such a perfect “every man” quality to him, and he plays his roles so flawlessly you forget you’re watching him. As far as intensity goes, it doesn’t get much better than Denzel Washington. It’s a thrill to say I’ve worked with him on Remember the Titans. Lastly, I’d say Kevin Spacey. He spent a great portion of his early film career playing smaller character roles, and then when he got his shot with The Usual Suspects he blew it up. It’s hard not to admire a person who made the most of an opportunity and wowed everyone with his skills.

I can only hope to be as great as those guys one day.

TDQ: What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten?

BK: My first acting coach once told me, “In this business, a thimble full of boldness will make you rich.” That’s always stuck with me. When I question taking a chance in an audition, or making a bold choice for a character, that always pops into my head and gives me the gumption to try something I might have otherwise been too afraid to attempt.

TDQ: What is the worst advice you’ve ever gotten?

BK: Early on, I had many that I considered friends tell me to give up; that I was chasing a pipe dream and would never succeed. All of them said, just finish school and get a regular job. Very few thought I would make it this far; yet, 17 years later, here I am. Still going, and not going anywhere but up.

Truthfully, I should thank them. They were the fuel to the fire and drove me.

TDQ: Tell us about “The Hillbillly Horror Show”

Between shots on the set of Hillbilly Horror show we see Scott Geiter and Bo Keister presenting a makeshift birthday cake to fellow cast member Rachel Faulkner who, we must say, looks great for a 69 year old.

Between shots on the set of Hillbilly Horror show we see Scott Geiter and Bo Keister presenting a makeshift birthday cake to fellow cast member Rachel Faulkner who, we must say, looks great for a 69 year old.

BK: Hillbilly Horror Show started with the concept of creating a series that was “Hee Haw meets Tales from the Crypt” to showcase independent horror short films. Horror host shows have always been popular, but they’ve died off a bit over the years. We saw an opportunity to revive it, and it’s turned out well. What you end up with is an anthology of top notch horror shorts, blended into a comedic wrap around story that centers on our hillbilly family.

Volumes 1 and 2 are out on DVD, with 3 available for pre-order via Amazon, and volume 4 coming later this year. In addition to DVD, we’re on multiple Roku channels, VOD in the UK, South Korea, and India, and we’re hoping to launch on iTunes and Amazon Prime soon. Continue reading →

“The General Population Feeds Me With Perspectives, Emotions, And Appreciation For Being:” A TDQ Q&A With Actress Tracey Birdsall

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Tracey Birdsall

Tracey Birdsall plays the role of a character suspected of being the adult film star Jenna Jameson in the film Who’s Jenna Jameson.

This week’s TDQ Q&A is with actress Tracey Birdsall. Tracey took the time to speak with us about the differences between working on a feature film and a soap opera, who and what inspires her and the social media “spat” between Jenna Jameson and the producers of Tracey’s latest film, “Who’s Jenna Jameson.” Here is this week’s TDQ Q&A with Tracey Birdsall: 

The Daily Quarterly: Who was your favorite actress growing up?

Tracey Birdsall: I was (and am) a huge fan of comedic actresses growing up. My favorite would have been Lucille Ball, followed by Goldie Hawn.

TDQ: What made you want to work in show business?

TB: I first set foot on a stage at the age of 5 doing a singing and tap dancing number to “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love – Baby” and it was the most exhilarating moment ever. That was it.

Jenna Jameson

We found this image of adult film star Jenna Jameson after an extensive internet search. We must say, the resemblance is uncanny. More so before the censors made their adjustments.

TDQ: What’s the best advice you’ve ever gotten?

TB: Do something every day to move your career forward. Mark Sikes, the casting director told me that in passing one day. I tried it for 30 days and never stopped. That was many years ago.

TDQ: What’s the worst advice you’ve ever gotten?

TB: Don’t ever say no. You have to be very selective.

TDQ: Who are your influences?

TB: Humans influence me. Although I have my mentors and my favorite actors and actresses, I’m most inspired by humans everywhere – all types. The general population feeds me with perspectives, emotions, and appreciation for being. Our environment is our fuel if we enjoy living as other people when we film more so than just acting what’s on the page. If you’re not living it, then you’re really missing out.

TDQ: Tell us about your latest project, “Who’s Jenna Jameson?”

TB: In Who’s Jenna Jameson? I play a lawyer who is a virtual doppelganger for the famous porn star. It’s a big comedy so the jokes are endless and unrelenting! It’s the twists in this movie that make it really incredible… did I say enough?! Continue reading →

Sad, Pathetic Sports Minority Desperately Wanting Nation To Care About Whatever Is Going On In FIFA

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FIFA Un-American Football

FIFA Un-American Football

Denver—Despite decades of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, self-desribed “uber soccer fan” Austin Adams is adamant that the United States of America should and does care about whatever the hell is going on in FIFA.

Apparently, the U.S. Justice Department issued some arrest warrants or bench warrants or treaties or something last week that led to a number (three? nine? 20? Who knows?) of arrests for, something. Maybe embezzlement, maybe bribery, maybe whatever Leonardo DiCaprio was arrested for in “Wolf of Wall Street.”

And it seems that in Adams’ pot-hazed mind, he expects most Americans, whether they like real sports or not, to give a rat’s rear end about the people arrested and the charges the U.S. Attorney General is trying to levy against them. Maybe extradition is involved, too? Who really knows. Continue reading →